September 24

This weekend’s second collection is taken in support of the diocesan tuition assistance program. Monies raised through this collection coupled with the diocese’s tuition assistance endowment provides financial assistance to hundreds of deserving families who seek a Catholic education for their children but who cannot afford the full cost of tuition.

If you are not prepared to contribute today, you may drop your contribution off at the parish office or place it in next week’s collection basket. For further information and on-line giving options, visit the Share in the Spirit website.

September 10

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Do you know how wonderful this parish is?  Of course you do, but as the new guy in the neighborhood, I am learning that more and more each day.

I wanted to write to offer my sincere thanks to the many who came out for a parish wide clean-out of storage places throughout the parish on Saturday August 26^th.  Our storage garages out back, the garage at the rectory, the basements of the rectory and the parish office and closets in some of our other buildings were emptied and re-sorted with some items donated, others recycled and the rest disposed of.  It was a day of great success!  At one point toward the end of the day, after they had done so much, I said to the volunteers trying to move a big freezer: “You can leave it to defrost.  We will move it later.”  They said: “No Father.  We’re here.  Let us move it while you have our help.”  There was persistence, a joy that came from working together and everyone appreciated the second group of volunteers who set up and served lunch.  Thank you to all those who came forward!  There was a large contingent of the Knights of Columbus, from the Athletic Association, and there were others from throughout the parish community.  I was so grateful and impressed.   Thanks to Kevin Duffy and Jeff Reed of our Maintenance Department who supervised and Father Preston and Deacon Steve who jumped in along with everyone else.  A parish life is richer when there are opportunities to come together, whether to pray, to serve, to learn, to socialize.  I am hoping we can find increased ways to continue to build on the strong community here.  Our clean-out day showed how blessed this parish is, full of wonderful, good and generous people.

Speaking of generosity, it has been a long time since Saint John the Beloved purchased new vestments.  There have been many beautiful ones used during liturgies here over the years.  As you can imagine after many uses, the beautiful vestments wear down and sometimes can no longer be cleaned or repaired. Thanks to the Knights of Columbus, we have several new chasubles for the priests to wear throughout the liturgical year, dalmatics for the deacons, a special chasuble for feasts of Mary and a cope and humeral veil to be used at Benediction and for Eucharistic processions.  I am so grateful to our Knights Council and to our Grand Knight, David Gilefski, for this incredible generosity and for consistently stepping up for the parish.

Recently, two of our staff members bid us farewell.  After eight years, Frank Julian, the Director of Parish Finance and Administration stepped down at the end of August.  He helped to steer the parish through opportunities and challenges with steady leadership and prudent counsel. Susan Murray concluded her time as Director of Religious Education/Faith Formation this past week after two years to spend more time with family.  She has been a dedicated servant in the mission of forming our young people and helping those preparing for the sacraments to be open to God’s grace.  We will miss both Frank and Susan on the parish staff.  Hopefully, we will see both from time to time in the parish.  Please pray for them as they move on to new adventures and for those who will carry on the work in their stead!

Finally, a couple of weeks ago I received a call with a wonderful surprise!  Bishop Koenig has decided to send a seminarian to us for his Pastoral Year.  He begins with us in the coming week.  His name is Louis Namugera.  Originally from Uganda, Louis is now a seminarian for the Diocese of Wilmington and has completed his first two years of major seminary at Saint Mary’s in Baltimore.  We all know how wonderful it is to have a seminarian with us, what a blessing it is for the parish.  Please welcome Louis when you see him.

May God bless you all, the good people of Saint John the Beloved!  May we tomorrow, as we remember the tragic events of September 11, 2001, be full of gratitude and prayer for those who sacrifice for us and keep us safe!
 

August 29

At Saint John the Beloved, we are committed in all that we do to keep our children safe. In our school, athletic association and throughout the parish, many volunteers work to help form and guide our young people. As your new Pastor, I want to convey that this is something I take very seriously. Compliance with diocesan guidelines when it comes to safe environments not only assures us that all who work with our children have proper clearance but with required training are able to ensure proper compliance and detect and report any deviation from norms.

All volunteers, coaches and employees of Saint John the Beloved (age 18 and over) must have a current background clearance on file. Background clearances are good for five years from the date they are issued. Lack of a current background clearance will require a coach or volunteer to step down from their position until the requirement is met. This could potentially lead to a game or event cancellation if this means that such an event could not be properly supervised. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that all those required to have a background check make sure that it remains current.

Effective September 1, 2023, diocesan policy has been altered slightly to ensure training compliance. Prior to being able to apply for a background check, all applicants will be required to view three short videos at https://www.cdow.org/giving/fsgc-video. The total viewing time is less than thirty minutes. After viewing the videos, applicants will click the link at the bottom of the webpage, complete a form online and forward the email confirmation they receive to Marie Malatesta ([email protected]). Once this information is received, Marie will forward you instructions on applying for and submitting the necessary fee for the background clearance. (If you believe you have already completed this video training, please contact Marie to obtain confirmation.)

Thank you to all those who give of their time and talent to minister to our young people in the parish.

July 16

I hope you are enjoying these days of summer, staying cool and enjoying some quality time with friends and family.

Being new to the parish, I am spending a lot of time learning about Saint John the Beloved. Over the past several weeks, I have met with the parish staff as well as lay parish leaders both collectively and individually.

I always believe it best before making major changes that a Pastor spend time both collecting information and observing as well as consulting members of the community.

There are, however, two decisions on which I am moving forward based on what I perceive to be immediate need and upon concerns that have been raised. In consultation with the clergy and those in the parish responsible for the following, I announce the following changes:

On August 1, the new Mass Intention Book will open to members of the parish.  A concern raised to me is that under current practice, individuals might request so many Mass intentions that others who seek an intention on a special anniversary or wish to request an intention for a family member or friend who has recently died may have to wait up to a year to do so. Therefore, in order to allow for the availability of parish Mass intentions to all:
 

• When the Mass intention book opens on August 1, 2023 a household will be limited to requesting five weekday and three Sunday Mass intentions for the year.  This restriction will remain in place until January 1, 2024 at which time a household may request an additional three weekday and two Sunday Mass intentions.  On May 1, 2024 all of these restrictions will be lifted through July 31, 2024.  We will look at availability of intentions throughout the year and alter the policy if Masses are available.
• The practice of allowing six Mass intentions on Saturday, an accommodation during the period of the Coronavirus Pandemic, ends on July 31. Saturday daily Mass will have one available intention. (The Saturday intentions requested up until this point are not impacted by this change.)
• The restriction put in place in the parish that allowed only Mass Intentions for the deceased is lifted effective immediately. Mass Intentions for the needs of the living are now also permitted in accordance with the practice of the universal Church. The hope is that the possibility of requesting these Masses will be facilitated by this policy.

Confessions have been held on Saturday afternoons at 4 PM for many years in the parish. While this in an ideal time for some, it is generally an unideal time for those not attending the Vigil Mass. At Saint John the Beloved Parish, there is pressure to hear a number of Confessions before the 5 PM Mass. It has been reported to me that Confessions sometimes extend after the start of Mass, a practice that is not preferable. (This is often caused by some coming in right before Mass and getting in line for Confession). In addition, the priest that is to preside at the Mass needs a reasonable amount of time to prepare.  

So that the Sacrament can be celebrated in a more solemn and prayerful way and to make it generally more available to the faithful, effective September 2, Confessions each week will be moved to a period immediately following Saturday daily Mass until 10 AM. This extended period of time will better accommodate penitents and offer an alternate time for the faithful in the area to participate in Confession. Of course, if this time does not work all are welcome to make an appointment with a priest. I realize that this is a significant change and will certainly seek to reevaluate it if this change is not effective. It will take some time to know this. I would ask that, generally speaking, the practice of approaching the priest immediately before Mass for Confession be avoided as this is a time when the priest is engaged in the necessary preparations to celebrate the Sacred Liturgy. Through August 26, Confessions will remain at 4 PM.

Thank you for your understanding in these changes. Please continue to pray for me as I acclimate to my new role here. Of course, you can always be assured of my prayers.

Sincerely yours, Father Vannicola

July 9

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Happy Sunday! I write to thank you so much for the incredibly kind and generous welcome that you have given me as your new Pastor. I have been so full of joy and gratitude to now be a part of the Saint John the Beloved Parish Community. I have enjoyed meeting so many of you and look forward to meeting those of our parish who may have been away on vacation last weekend. When you see me, please reintroduce yourself. It will take me a while to learn names but you have already made me feel like part of the parish family.

I particularly thank the entire staff and especially Father Preston and Seminarian Dennis who have done everything they can to assist me with the transition.

I am so blessed to be able to walk this part of the Christian journey with you. May God Bless you all abundantly!

Sincerely yours, Father Vannicola

July 2

WELCOME REV. MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER VANNICOLA

Father Vannicola, originally from Wilmington, is grateful to be serving as Pastor in the area where he grew up and came to love being Catholic. “In my youth, the priests in my parishes were holy, approachable, and kind. They inspired me to want to be involved in the life of the Church and I knew from a very young age that I was being called to the priesthood.”

After attending Saint Helena’s School in Bellefonte through Fourth Grade, Father Vannicola graduated from Holy Angels School in Newark in 1991 and Salesianum School in Wilmington in 1995. In 1999, he graduated from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and was certified as a Secondary School teacher in Social Studies that same year. At SJU, Father Vannicola was Head Resident of the Central Campus and chaired the university’s disciplinary board. At the same time, he served as the Chair of the National Advisory Panel on Student Concerns to The College Board.

In 2006, Father Vannicola earned a Master of Divinity Degree from the Washington Theological Union and was ordained a priest that same year by Bishop Michael Saltarelli. Father taught history, government and theology at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, DC and at Salesianum. He then served as Assistant Principal/Dean of Faculty and Director of Activities at Salesianum before arriving in Naples, Florida in 2009. In 2010, Father was installed as Pastor of Saint Ann in Naples after serving a year and a half as the parish’s Administrator. Four years later, he was also appointed as a Chaplain of the Naples Police Department. After serving briefly as Pastor of Saint Thomas More Oratory at the University of Delaware (2019-2020), Father Vannicola ministered at Saint John Neumann Parish in Reston, Virginia.

Father served on the Board of Trustees of Salesianum School and on the Board of Directors of Georgetown Visitation. He also was previously a member of the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors for the Diocese of Venice in Florida, is a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and a Fourth Degree member in the Knights of Columbus.

For almost 24 years, Father Vannicola was a member of the religious community the Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales, during which, in addition to his ministry in schools and parishes, also served in leadership for the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province, both as a Provincial Councilor and most recently as Assistant Provincial Superior.

After lengthy discernment, Father Michael requested to transfer from religious life to the diocesan priesthood and was warmly welcomed by Bishop Koenig. Offering some insight into this, Father Vannicola said: “I have discerned that God is calling me to a new chapter in my priestly life and I have begun the transition to life as a diocesan priest, specifically to the presbyterate of the Diocese of Wilmington. I am so grateful for my time as an Oblate and to those Oblates who have been wonderful collaborators and friends. I am also so very grateful for the gift of Salesian spirituality that has shaped me and will continue to guide me. Saint Francis de Sales, who himself was a diocesan priest and then bishop, serves as a model and intercessor in my ministry. What my priesthood has taught me is that I have the heart of a parish priest. It is where I belong and where I am called to serve the people of God, the place Pope Francis calls ‘... the presence of the Church in a given territory, an environment for hearing God's word, for growth in the Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation, charitable outreach, worship and celebration.’ As a diocesan priest, ministering to the people in the parish will always be at the forefront of my life.”

Father Vannicola is “humbled and grateful” to be appointed Pastor of Saint John the Beloved. “Throughout my whole life, I have known what a wonderful, vibrant parish Saint John the Beloved is, fully alive in the Holy Spirit, where the Eucharist is central and where the People of God are active in good works. Now, I have the opportunity to be part of such a wonderful community! I cannot express enough my appreciation to Father Piekarski for his excellent pastoral leadership of this parish over the past eight years. He is a wonderful priest and I know the people of Saint Mary of the Assumption will be just as blessed to have him as Pastor.”

June 25,  2023

Changes in life are intimidating. We are going through changes this coming week. On June 28th, I will leave you and begin my pastorship at St. Mary of the Assumption Church and St. John the Beloved Parish will have a new pastor, Father Michael Vannicola. The unknown causes concern requiring us to ultimately trust in God. Be confident that Father Vannicola, is a good choice for St. John the Beloved Parish. He has had experience in pastoral administration. I am certain that you will be strengthened with his spiritual leadership.

As for myself, I leave you with a grateful heart. My eight years as pastor were surrounded by good people who brought their expertise to create a holy and vibrant parish. I am ever appreciative of the clergy who ministered with me throughout the years. I also depended on our parish staff for their collaborative teamwork that allowed our parish to survive COVID, the continuous renovations of facilities, and changing economic times. We also benefited from them to grow in faith and enjoy ourselves as a community. To everyone on the parish staff... thank you.

The committees of our parish are gifted with talented members who manage the financial, educational, athletic and ministerial aspects of our parish. Here again... they work cohesively to ensure the stability and course of our parish. Indeed, they helped create a welcoming, multiply faceted Church of a fine reputation. Thank you for your service to the parish and me.

Of course, the faithful parishioners and friends of St. John the Beloved Parish must be commended for your dedication to the parish. You have been very cooperative when needed and generous in meeting the various challenges throughout the years. The faithfulness of many people from generation to generation in this parish created a belonging that generated genuine graciousness and support for all of us. Thank you one and all.

We are facing new beginnings, just like the Apostles who were summoned by the Lord in today’s Gospel and told to go forward and not to fear anything except the evil one. The changes we are undergoing cannot intimidate us. Jesus tells us to keep our priorities straight and not to be worried. If we live with a reverence and respect for the Lord, then we do not have to be afraid of anything. In fact, change is good because it causes us to grow and expand our horizons.

Fortified in Christ, we carry out our mission together. Until we meet again, let us keep one another in prayer and know that I hold you fondly in my heart wherever I go.

Father Joe Piekarski

June 18

My homily on Pentecost Sunday introduced to our parish the Pastoral Planning Process of our Diocese. Consisting of seven deaneries throughout the state of Delaware and the Eastern shore of Maryland, the Diocese of Wilmington is depending on these deaneries to look within their parishes to identify their attributes, challenges and possible options of assisting each other. The nine parishes that consist of our deanery, called the Central New Castle Deanery, are St. Catherine, Corpus Christi, St. Matthew, Holy Spirit and St. Peter in New Castle, St. John the Beloved, St. Mary of the Assumption, O.L. of Fatima, and St. Paul in Delaware City. Representatives from these parishes will begin meeting monthly, from June to December, to evaluate the state of affairs and develop a Needs Assessment that will be addressed in our deanery in the following two years. Every deanery has its own unique qualities and issues; therefore this process allows us to identify what we need to do specifically for the vibrancy of our local parishes and schools.

Today’s Gospel, of the Calling of the Twelve Apostles to go forth and bear witness to the reign of God, focuses on the importance of discipleship. The Lord continues to summon all of us to keep His Church vibrant. Although this Call of Discipleship is for all the baptized, the heaviest responsibilities weigh on the ministerial leaders of the Church. Precisely the dwindling number of priests is a major reality causing dioceses to evaluate what are the possibilities for staffing our parishes and satisfying various ministries. I brought to your attention that thirty years ago, our Diocese had 109 priests actively ministering in our diocese. Today, we have 69 for a growing number of faithful. Our deanery alone had 20 priests just three decades ago, while today we have 10. Most recently, three pastors in our deanery will retire this month decreasing the numbers still. Many of us remember when there were four priests in St. John the Beloved Parish with a good number of retired priests residing in the Vianney House who assisted in our parish. This is not the reality now; but it can be if those chosen to follow the Lord would be receptive. Until then, “The harvest is good but laborers are scarce.” We will continue to labor in the vineyard working in collaboration with one another ... uniting our prayers and potential to be most vibrant.

As we celebrate Father’s Day, we honor those men who parent us by passing on life in loving fulfillment of duty. We honor those men who selflessly support and guide us, regardless of their own aspirations, hopes and hardships. Knowing that these men protect us, their children, is a great source of security. And to a higher level, are those fathers who inspire us in faith. Saint Joseph, guardian of Jesus, models the attributes of a good father. May St. Joseph hear the prayers of our fathers and those who imitate them in our lives. And for those men who left this world, may they have the reward of the just and honorable servants of God.
- Fathers Piekarski & Preston;
Deacons Fontana, Oldiges & Bailey; Seminarian Dennis and our staff

Flowers at the Holy Family shrine are in memory of Joseph Cieniewicz.

To date, the Diocese of Wilmington has raised $4,361,225 toward the overall goal of $5M for the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal. Our parish of St. John the Beloved has had 380 donations, thus far, pledging $190,547 toward our $193,229 parish goal. Any money collected over our set goal will return to our parish for our needs.Thank you to everyone who pledged the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal.

If you have not yet participated, please consider doing so today. Pledge envelopes
are available at the entrances of the church, and can be placed in the offertory
basket. Please mail all payments in the self-addressed, return envelope provided with your mailing. Do not submit payments to the parish office or through the Offertory collection. Thank you for your generosity and support. To learn more visit www.cdow.org; click “Giving” then “Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal.”

June 11

Even today, some argue that Jesus’ words are to be taken symbolically. A careful study shows that whenever Jesus used metaphors, His listeners seem to have been aware of it and Jesus clarified it with an explanation as He did in John 15: “I am the vine and you are the branches.” and in John 10: “I am the sheep gate.” Not so in John 6. The audience understood Jesus literally in their response by staying with or departing from Him. Jesus doesn’t back down but solemnly assures His listeners that His follower must eat His Body and drink His Blood to have eternal life.

From the beginning, the Church believed that the Eucharistic elements of bread and wine become the glorified body and blood of Jesus. Remembering that Jesus’ Word is divinely creative (what He states becomes), at the Last Supper He proclaimed that in remembrance of Him, THIS bread and THIS wine are His BODY and BLOOD. Thus, Jesus created a new reality desiring to remain in our midst. John’s Gospel discloses the Eucharist as that flesh and blood that comes down from heaven to nourish us with Christ Himself.

Dioceses throughout the United States, as well as our own, are going through a Eucharistic Revival among Catholics to rekindle the respect, love and faith we need to have for this sacred sacrament. As Catholics, may we recognize the true presence of God, totally, in the Eucharist. This specific encounter is the spiritual food that sustains us in the many difficulties of our day as it promises us eternal Life in Him.

To emphasize the importance and foster devotion to The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, a Corpus Christi Procession is taking place immediately after the 11:30 Mass today in St. John the Beloved Parish. Gathering in church we will process to three outside altars for devotional prayer and adoration and return inside church to conclude with Benediction. Make every effort to join us to celebrate this great Eucharistic feast that honors the graced presence of Our Lord among us.

To date, the Diocese of Wilmington has raised $4,361,225 toward the overall goal of $5M for the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal. Our parish of St. John the Beloved has had 380 donations, thus far, pledging $190,547 toward our $193,229 parish goal. Any money collected over our set goal will return to our parish for our needs.

Thank you to everyone who pledged the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal. If you have not yet participated, please consider doing so today. Pledge envelopes are available at the entrances of the church, and can be placed in the offertory basket. Please mail all payments in the self-addressed, return envelope provided with your mailing. Do not submit payments to the parish office or through the Offertory collection. Thank you for your generosity and support. To learn more visit www.cdow.org; click “Giving” then “Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal.”

A Huge Thank You to everyone who directed and supported our 55th Annual Carnival. It was a great success because of the many people who pulled together, again, to create this parish event. A special, special thank you to the Carnival leaders and ALL workers, various committees and volunteers. Your many efforts made this year’s Carnival a memorable one. May you get rest now and know our true appreciation from the Parish Athletic Association and the Parish itself.

June 4

Not everything in life is explainable. We have to face the fact that there are many mysteries that the greatest of human minds cannot explain. The mystery of the most Holy Trinity is a basic doctrine of Faith in Christianity, understandable not with our heads but with our hearts. It teaches us that there are three distinct Persons in one God, sharing the same Divine Nature, co-equal and co-eternal. Our mind cannot grasp this doctrine which teaches that 1+1+1 = 1 and not 3. But we believe in this Mystery because Jesus, Who is God, taught it clearly, the Evangelists recorded it, the Fathers of the Church tried to explain it, and the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople defined it as a dogma of Christian Faith.

Importance of The Holy Trinity in Christian life: 1) All prayers in the Church begin in the Name of the Holy Trinity and end glorifying the Trinity. 2) All Sacraments are administered (we are baptized, confirmed, anointed, our sins are forgiven, our marriage is blessed, and our Bishops, priests and deacons are ordained) in the name of the Holy Trinity. 3) The repetition of three in Church liturgies, like the Penitential Rite, the ringing of bells thrice, Holy, Holy, Holy and the three calls on the Lamb of God... remind us to give glory to the Holy Trinity. 4) We bless ourselves, and the priest blesses us, in the Name of the Holy Trinity.

When a person is baptized into the Name of the Trinity, that person is brought into the connected, intimate Life of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit...God. That is what we celebrate today; we are part of the ultimate force, infinite goodness that created us, redeemed us and sanctified us. Glory be to The Father, and to The Son, and to The Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

The solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi, is being celebrated next Sunday, June 11. After the 11:30 Mass, a Corpus Christi Procession will follow to altars... three outside and one back in church... for the reading of the four Gospels that refer to the Eucharist and conclude with Benediction in church.

This feast emphasizes our Catholic belief that the bread and wine that is consecrated at Holy Mass, becomes and stays the Body and Blood of Christ. Dioceses throughout the United States, as well as our own, are going through a Eucharistic Revival among Catholics to rekindle the respect, love and faith we need to have for this sacred sacrament. Jesus wants to remain in our midst. Make every effort to join us next Sunday to honor the graced presence of Our Lord among us.


Remember that our Parish Annual Carnival starts this Monday June 5th and continues to Saturday, June 10th. It is a week of fun, food, games, music, and of course carnival rides. Carnival hours are 6 p.m. – 10 p.m., Monday through Friday and 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday. Proceeds from the Carnival benefit our parish and our parish athletic association.

May 28

Starting anything new is awkward. Remember your first day of school or beginning a new job? The same will be for you and me at the end of June when I leave and you welcome a new pastor. Today, we recall our advocate needed in such times. Pentecost is a major feast of the Church; second to Easter. The arrival of the Holy Spirit, promised by the Resurrected Lord, gave the Church the “zap” that was needed to give direction and continue the mission of Christ. These are adventurous times when we especially need this extraordinary “zap” of grace. As the Church, we have that same Spirit with us. By virtue of Baptism and Confirmation we already possess Him. What is needed is for us to stir Him up into the present situation. God is much bigger than us, loves us and wants to be active in our lives today. He made sure that we are well equipped to carry on His mission wherever we go and with whomever we are with. His Holy Spirit is given to us to go out into the world, navigating toward the horizon as disciples of Jesus. Be enlightened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit this Pentecost!

Memorial Day is a befitting way to remember those men and women who lost their lives defending our Nation and the values of democracy. They paid the ultimate price. Saint John the Beloved Parish will begin this holiday in prayer, at Mass, on Monday, May 29th at 9:00 a.m. (the only Mass that day). We will unite our voices and hearts in offering our beloved dead to the Risen Lord who promises us Eternal Life. May they rest in peace.



There is no Memorial Day Field Mass at All Saints Cemetery this year.


May 21

We celebrate the Ascension of the Lord this Sunday.  Because of its prominence in the Easter Message, local bishops have transferred the Solemnity from Thursday to Sunday to impact the Easter Message of Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension. 

When Jesus was resurrected, He was somewhat recognized by the Apostles and disciples because of factors like His wounds.  Still, He was remarkably different by having a physical body and yet passing through locked doors and appearing swiftly in different areas prior to leaving the world. 

When He ascended into heaven, Jesus’ followers were at peace and not saddened by His earthly departure.  Why?  After experiencing the resurrected presence of Jesus, the Apostles and disciples knew Jesus was Divine and rightfully needed to be with God the Father.  His presence was so new, so transformed, so “other” that it undeniably required ascension into heaven.  Mystified by what lies next, they were assured that the Holy Spirit would reinforce them for their mission ahead.

Think about it.  Not only did this little band of His followers survive but eventually, filled with the Holy Spirit, they overcame adversity and spread the Gospel to all nations.  The Ascension of Jesus places Our Lord in His proper dignity with the Trinity and allows Him to have complete authority to govern His Church.  Christ’s saving purpose is fulfilled… going full circle from birth, earthly mission, saving death, resurrection and finally ascension into heaven.  This feast completes Jesus’ historic story…but it still continues,” until the end of the world.”

It is time for my departure as pastor of St. John the Beloved Parish.  After eight years as pastor of St. John the Beloved Parish, Bishop Koenig has assigned me as pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Hockessin.  Father Michael Vannicola is named your new pastor.  Father Michael Preston will remain as your associate pastor.  Three priests have retired this spring, and all three were pastors in our Central New Castle Deanery where I continue to be the Dean. Pastoral cooperation and planning will be in the future agenda of the seven deaneries of our diocese to address the specific needs of our parishes and the declining number of clergy.  The new assignments will take place on June 28th.

Thank you to everyone who "Shining the Light of Christ" pledged the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal. If you have not yet participated, please consider doing so today. Your gift makes a real difference in the lives of thousands of individuals and families who reside within our 12-county diocese. Pledge envelopes are available at the entrances of the church, and can be placed in the offertory basket. Thank you for your generosity and support.  To learn more visit www.cdow.org; click “Giving” then “Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal.”

Participants in the 2023 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal can expect to receive their first payment reminder on or about May 31. Additional reminders will continue through December. Please mail all payments in the self-addressed, return envelope provided with your mailing. Do not submit payments to the parish office or through the Offertory collection.

May 14

The Spirit plays an essential role in Christian faith and yet is something many find difficult to understand. Jesus can be visualized in our church art, but the Spirit is more challenging to portray. Some equate the work of the Spirit as excitement in worship or perhaps a sense that there is something “out there” that cannot be named. Jesus knew that the disciples would feel like “orphans” after He ascended into heaven. The resurrection appearances would not continue, and as years passed people would be called to believe in a Jesus they have never seen or heard. The world would be indifferent and even hostile to the early Church. At the Last Supper, Jesus assures His followers that He would not leave us orphans.

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells us that He will send us the Spirit the paraklētos or Advocate, a term for someone who is called to one’s side as a source of help. Jesus calls the Spirit “another” Advocate, which assumes that Jesus also was an Advocate (14:16). Jesus and the Spirit have some similar functions. For example, Jesus and the Spirit both come from the Father and are sent into the world but are distinct. Jesus took flesh and revealed God’s life through His life, death and resurrection. The Spirit without becoming incarnate dispenses Divine Life to the community of faith. The Spirit continues Jesus’ work without taking Jesus’ place.

This Spirit is given to us at Baptism and is sealed within us at Confirmation. The Spirit is difficult to grasp in human concepts so we identify Him as Spirit or Ghost. This Spirit is portrayed as tongues of fire or strong wind as we hear in the Pentecost event or even a dove as He is seen hovering over Jesus at His baptism. Indeed a mystery that we are able to experience throughout our Christian life. Even though the world does not see Christ anymore, followers of Christ will see Him and know Him and obey Him because the Spirit keeps us from being alienated from God

It is time for my departure as pastor of St. John the Beloved Parish. After eight years as pastor of St. John the Beloved Parish, Bishop Koenig has assigned me as pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Hockessin. Father Charles Dillingham is retiring after fifty years of ministry, and I will humbly take over his pastorship. Father Michael Vannicola is named your new pastor. Father Michael Preston will remain as your associate pastor. The new assignments will take place on June 28th. Grateful for all you are as St. John the Beloved Parish, I ask for your prayers and assure you of mine.

The bright month of May reflects the glory of our Blessed Mother in heaven and also the beauty of our natural mothers. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we salute all our mothers who gave us life, nurture us and guide us along the heavenly way. As God’s instruments, may they be blessed in their vocation and at last be rewarded with eternal life.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of our mothers! We will remember each of you at our Masses this weekend.
 

May 7

Today’s Gospel took place at the Last Supper. The departing Jesus instructs His disciples about how they are to preserve His memory and carry on His Mission. Jesus explains to them the full significance of what will happen. He will return to His Father and send them the gift of the Holy Spirit. And after dedicating their lives to leading others to the Faith through the power of that Holy Spirit, they will be reunited with Jesus in His Father’s House. “I am going to prepare a living space for you, a mansion, and I will come again and take you to that place.”

The Gospel writer was attempting to address a problem in the early Church. They needed courage and hope due to a very nasty conflict they experienced with their passionate synagogue neighbors who rejected Jesus. The early Christians were frightened, vulnerable and defensive, and their survival was in peril. It is clear that Jesus’ aim was pastoral, an attempt to comfort His followers.

So how do we respond when we feel alienated because we desire to follow the Lord? How do we overcome our troubled hearts when the culture is making it more difficult to be a Christian or follow our Catholic beliefs? There are the two approaches – rather temptations – against which, as a Church, we must always be on guard. The first is a bleak reading of the present time, fuelled by the defeatism of those who say that we have lost the values of bygone days and have no idea where we are headed. Then there is the other risk of a naive reading of our time, based on a comfortable conformism that everything is basically fine, the world has changed and we must simply adapt without thinking critically about it. So, to combat a bleak defeatism and a worldly conformism, the Gospel gives us new eyes to see. It gives us the grace of discernment, to approach our own times.

We need to possess, and live out, Jesus by participating in the Mass; by the worthy reception of the other Sacraments; by meditating regularly on the Word of God; by following the guidance of the life-giving Spirit, within us; and by communicating with God in prayer. Jesus does not abandon His Church. The secret to survival is staying connected to Him who is the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.

2023 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal -- In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us, "Let not your heart be troubled...I am the way, and the truth and the life. No mancometh to the Father, but by me." When we follow Jesus and listen to him, he leads us by His light. We are called to shine the Light of Christ and live Jesus' example; by doing so, He promises us a place with Him. As followers of Christ, we must act faithfully to reach out to others as Jesus does. We are called to commit ourselves as good stewards of our gifts, and by doing so, we bring Christ's light with us everywhere! Jesus reminds us to help those on the margins and support the faith journey of those around us.

Thank you to everyone who "Shining the Light of Christ" pledged the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal. If you have not yet participated, please consider doing so today. Your gift makes a real difference in the lives of thousands of individuals and families who reside within our 12-county diocese. Pledge envelopes are available in the vestibule door entrances and can be placed in the offertory basket. Thank you for your generosity and support. To learn more about the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal, visit www.cdow.org; click “Giving” then “Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal.”

April 30

All three readings today call us to follow Christ and live by His example by abundantly sharing our time, talent, and treasure. We are called to generosity. The Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal, with its theme, Shining the Light of Christ reminds us to shine Christ’s light in all that we do and share that light with those around us. We are challenged to bring Christ’s healing, joy, love, and hope to all those we encounter, through acts of Christian Stewardship. The Diocesan Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal supports the following:

* Catholic Education serving nearly 10,000 students in 36 Catholic elementary and high schools.
* The Office of Religious Education functions as a resource to promote the catechetical ministry in 52 Religious Education programs.
* Catholic Youth and Young Adult Ministry developing Christian values in young people through catechesis, evangelization & CYM sports.
* The Office for Marriage & Family Life provides Pre-Cana classes and programs for remarriage, blended families, natural family planning, loss of a child etc.
* Special Needs Ministry offers religious formation programs to help equip an inclusive environment to support special needs programs.
* Catholic Campus Ministry provides a faith community (e.g. Mass, retreats, spiritual direction) at colleges or universities within the diocese.
* Deaf Ministry offers sacramental and spiritual support and nourishment to those in the hearing impaired
* The Office of Hispanic Ministry assists the diocese in the mission to Hispanic communities of twenty parishes and two migrant camps.
* The Office of Pro-Life Activities strengthens our witness on issues related to the value of all human life.
* Ministry for Black Catholics explores and implements evangelization to Catholics of African Descent, both churched and unchurched.
* Institutional Chaplains provide visitation to the sick in hospitals, nursing homes and the imprisoned and spiritual guidance to civil services.
* The Diaconate Program provides the educational program for those in formation and continued support for those ordained deacons.
* The Office of Vocations guides those called to religious life and supports our seminarians.
* Catholic Charities provide caring services to families and individuals who are most vulnerable...ministering in complex social situations.
*Casa San Francisco in Milton provides shelter, food assistance and social services for the needy in Sussex County.
* Bayard House, the only licensed residential program in Delaware, provides client care to at-risk homeless, pregnant, or newly parenting adolescents and women.
* Seton Center, a multi-purpose center in Princess Anne, MD., responds to the basic needs, health and immigration services for the Hispanic community.
* Catholic Charities’ Food Assistance food emergency pantries provide food to those at risk of hunger in three Delaware counties and Eastern Shore Maryland.
* Marydale Retirement Village in Newark, comprises 108 apartments that are rented exclusively to low- income seniors and disabled people.
* The Office of Safe Environment ensures the protection and safety of children and youth.
* The Dialog, the official newspaper of the Diocese, is distributed 26 times a year through churches to 20,000 parish homes.
* The Tribunal is an ecclesiastical court to administer justice according to Canon Law, related to the validity of marriage in the Catholic Church.

This weekend you are invited to participate in the 2023 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal. Our parish target is $193,229.00. Some of us have already graciously made a pledge in the mail. Thank you. Today is an opportunity for the rest of us to pledge a sacrificial gift to this important campaign. To learn more about the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal, visit www.cdow.org; click “Giving” then “Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal.”

April 23

Today’s Gospel tells us what happened the night of Easter.  Two disciples were walking home to a place called Emmaus after experiencing in Jerusalem the disbelief that their Master was betrayed, brutally crucified, and that day it was rumored... Jesus is risen from the dead.  These two disciples heard Jesus’ message and saw some of His healings trusting that Jesus would make the world a better place.  But then everything fell to pieces and they were disappointed, in severe grief.  They had loved Jesus who was now gone. 

When the disciples on the road to Emmaus were asking the “Why” question, they were taught that the answer to their question could be found in Scripture.  The stranger that joined them on the walk told them about the Suffering Servant of Isaiah and how the prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection.  When we ask the “Why” question we also need to listen to what the Word of God, the Scriptures tell us. 

From the very beginning, the writers of the Bible have been inspired by God to relay who the human person is and the positive and negative responses we have had to our Creator.  The prophets, especially, foretold the need for a Savior and that He would save God’s People.  The two disciples were witnesses to these events.  Their hearts were burning with understanding when the Risen Lord entered their questioning walk.

God is not remote, removed from us.  God entered our existence, in Jesus, precisely to walk with us when we are rejoicing and strengthen us when we are undergoing stress.  Absolutely at Mass, the Word of God is opened for us and we share in the Eucharistic Presence of Christ’s Risen Body.   Our lives are a journey with the Lord on the road to Emmaus.  Recognize His presence. 

The 2023 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal will be conducted in parishes throughout the diocese next weekend, April 29^th & 30th.  Once a year, our Bishop asks each of us to make a commitment to support the work of diocesan programs and ministries that provide services that no one parish can offer on its own. Your gift helps our Church to serve the poor, the sick, the distressed, our children and our elderly.

As parishioners of St. John the Beloved Parish, we are being asked to serve others by sharing our resources. Your generosity enables us to accompany our brothers and sisters in need.  Our parish target is $193,229.00.  Your financial support of the Appeal also provides funding for our parish since, once we achieve our target, the overage we collect returns for our own parish and ministry needs.

Please prayerfully consider your generous gift to this Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal. Kindly decide ahead of time the contribution you wish to make this year and come to church next week prepared to complete your pledge and offer your support to our parish, and the Diocese of Wilmington.  To learn more about the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal, visit www.cdow.org; click “Giving” then “Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal.”

April 16

Saint Thomas is often labeled the doubter because he was not with the apostles when Jesus appeared to them on Easter Sunday. After surviving the scandalous trial and brutal death of Jesus, Thomas was naturally hiding and skeptical when he heard the apostles’ retelling of Jesus’ appearance; attributing it to hysteria.

Even Thomas’ past experiences of God’s power working in Jesus and through the apostles did not convince him that resurrection was possible. Maybe Thomas lost hope after the crucifixion or maybe he was tired of the antics of the other disciples or perhaps Thomas was not as committed to God as he thought.

Thomas had said that he wouldn’t believe unless he touched Jesus’ wounded hands and put his hands in Jesus’ pierced side. And then, a week later, Jesus appeared. Our Lord told Thomas to do what he said he needed to do... to believe. Actually, Thomas didn’t touch Jesus’ hands and side as many paintings show. Instead, he just said to Jesus, “My Lord and My God.”

We who were not at this miraculous moment could easily understand Thomas’ incredulous struggle. We live in a growing unbelieving society where faith is finding it difficult to enter the minds and hearts of skeptics. Yet, Jesus said: “Blessed are those who have not seen but who believe.” He continues to look at us and sees our fears, hears our questions, knows how often we struggle with doubts...and He has mercy on us, just as He had mercy on Thomas.

This is Divine Mercy Sunday. Looking at this image of Jesus we read: Jesus, I trust in You. We cannot let our many, many doubts get in the way of Jesus’ love and mercy for us. Others may fail us, the world around us may be doubtful but God is always faithful and ultimately wants our good...

Remember the Celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday, today, April 16 in Saint John the Beloved Church. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament begins at 2 p.m. Confessions from 2:00 to 3:00p.m. Chaplet of the Divine Mercy & Rosary will be prayed at 3:00 p.m. Benediction follows at 4:45, followed by Mass at 5 p.m.

In the Resurrection of Jesus we find hope in the prospect of everlasting life in heaven. But to obtain eternal life, we must accept the Lord’s invitation to follow Him. Christ left us an example that we should follow in his footsteps. When we follow Jesus we are called to shine the light of Christ and we are invited to share that light.

During the weekend of April 29 & 30, our parish will participate in the 2023 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal– a campaign conducted each year throughout the Diocese of Wilmington. Funds generated through the Appeal help provide critical financial support to forty pastoral, charitable and educational programs and ministries. The theme of the 2023 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal is “Shining the Light of Christ.” Light dispels darkness; it enables people to see what they are doing. God sent His Holy Spirit to live inside the faithful. We are all ambassadors of Christ on earth. We reflect God's very presence in the world. It is not enough for us to know about God. We are called to be God in the world. Together, “Shining the Light of Christ”, we will continue to transform lives. You can learn more about the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal by visiting the diocesan website at www.cdow.org; click “Giving” then “Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal.”

April 9

Easter is the Church’s biggest Feast because it celebrates the pivotal point of Jesus’ mission...  to redeem us, save us from the effects of our turning away from God. It seems to be our human downfall to have our own way and not learn the lesson of our first parents who found themselves filled with remorse as they were emptied from paradise. Even in our stubbornness, God has compassion on us and in time sent Jesus to face our human existence and demise; supremely making the sacrifice needed to atone for our sin on the cross. Death is the ultimate result of our transgression but Easter Sunday reverses that emptiness that has hold upon us... pointing to the empty tomb.

Today we celebrate Christ’s victory. Where there was human suffering and death, we now look upon it as the place of divine redemption. God is faithful in His promise to us and we look at the empty tomb as the end of the old order and beginning of the new creation. Just like the first disciples that went to the tomb, early that Sunday morning, our joy today is a mere glimpse of what awaits us and stirs us in Christian hope. May the Resurrected Lord touch your hearts and deepen that longing that we all have for the “Peace” that He alone can give. You and your loved ones, living and deceased, are remembered in our Easter Masses.

A Blessed, Joyous Easter!
Fathers Piekarski & Preston; Deacons Bailey, Fontana & Oldiges, Seminarian Dennis
and the staff of Saint John the Beloved Parish

Remember the Celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday on April 16 in Saint John the Beloved Church. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament begins at 2 p.m. followed by confessions to 3:00. Chaplet of the Divine Mercy & Rosary will be prayed at 3:00 p.m. and Benediction follows at 4:45, followed by Mass at 5 p.m.

A Big Thank You to one and all who make the celebration of the Easter Season a real possibility here in our parish. All those involved in liturgies and church music ministry; everyone who helped set up, clean and decorate our worship areas...Thank You. Those Knights that assist in parking detail and our Outreach Programs and those who contributed to them for the extras needed for the holidays...We are grateful. The Parish School and our Parish Staff that always pitch in with helping hands... we are appreciative. Lastly, to everyone who contributes to support our parish and “extra” collections, we would not be here without you. Thank You Very Much. May your generosity of talent, time and treasure be rewarded a hundredfold.

April 2

As Jesus entered Jerusalem, just four days before His arrest, He was received with joy and given a kingly welcome. He was greeted with shouts of “Hosanna” as the crowds spread their cloaks and strewed palm branches before Him.

Jerusalem itself was the place of the Temple where so many of the ancient kings of Israel offered sacrifice to God. As Jesus entered Jerusalem, He entered as a King. Within days the sentiment changed to “Crucify Him!” and Jesus offered Himself as the High Priest and died as the Sacrificial Lamb. What a turn of emotions. The evil one was manifested in the souls of some of the religious leaders, one of the Apostles, the actions of the civil authorities and in the confused emotional crowd.

Jesus entered Jerusalem with perfect determination to begin the Sacrifice that would conquer sin and death and defeat the evil one. And that is exactly what He did. Make every effort to partake of our High Holy Days; enter into the Passion and Death of Our Lord who sacrificed Himself to save us...

+ Holy Week Schedule +

Holy Thursday: 

No morning Mass, Prayer at 8 a.m. 

   7 p.m. Mass of the Lord’s Supper. 

   Visitation to the Repository, 

concluding with Tenebrae at 10 p.m. 

 

Good Friday: (Fast & Abstinence) 

Prayer at 8 a.m. 

   3 p.m. Celebration of the Lord’s Passion

   6 p.m. Confessions. 

   7 p.m. Stations of the Cross 

 

Holy Saturday: 

Prayer at 8 a.m. 

   10 a.m. Blessing of Food 

   8 p.m. Easter Vigil-Mass of the Lord’s Resurrection

No 5 p.m. Mass 

 

Easter Sunday: 

7:30 a.m. (church)

9:30 a.m. (church & hall)

 11:30 a.m. (church)

No Mass at 5 p.m.

Visiting Churches on the evening of Holy Thursday is a pious tradition that originated when pilgrims walked to the seven basilicas of Rome as a penance. The custom became popular throughout the world and is still observed locally when the faithful drive to neighboring churches; reminiscent of when families and friends walked within the close proximity of seven churches throughout the city.

Lent ends at the Mass of the Lord's Supper and the Triduum begins. After celebrating the Lord’s Supper, Christians remember Jesus’ Agony in the Garden and His arrest on that night. After the Mass, the altar is stripped and the Blessed Sacrament is placed in a tabernacle called the Repository on the Altar of Repose; and churches are open late for silent adoration. This is in response to the request Jesus made to His apostles while they were in the Garden (Matt 26:40), "Could you not, then, watch one hour with me? “ An indulgence is attached to this devotion.

At our parish, adoration ends with the celebration of Tenabrae at 10 p.m. This prayerful service, from the Middle Ages, depicts the “darkness” that overcomes the world when the disciples depart and Jesus enters His Passion. All are welcomed to join us in this old, yet new, service that concludes our Holy Thursday.

March 26

In today’s Gospel about the raising of Lazarus, Jesus’ good friends are in a dilemma.  Martha and Mary are distraught over their brother’s demise.  When Jesus arrives in Bethany, the funeral is completed and the two sisters are disappointed that Jesus was not there when their brother was dying.  Troubled in spirit, Jesus goes to the tomb of Lazarus and orders him to come out.  Following Jesus’ command, the burial stone was removed and Lazarus, the dead man, came out. 

There are three accounts of Jesus raising someone from the dead; Jairus’ twelve year old daughter, the young man in the city of Nain and the older man, Lazarus.  All three are dramatic scenes showing the divine power Christ has over the deadly power that has hold over our lives at any age.  Fear underlies our encounter with death that is as bleak and as dark as the tomb itself. 

The above image by Rembrandt, represents what the artist deeply felt after watching his parents, his wife, his children and friends swallowed, one after another, in death.  What the artist himself hoped for, desperately, was someone to raise him up.  Rembrandt was convinced of the Gospel truth that the power of darkness cannot put love to death even though it has the means to do so in times of near despair.

Approaching the end of Lent with the passion and death of Jesus, we are reminded of the margins of our human existence.  This particular Gospel touched Rembrandt’s heart because Jesus is so human... He weeps over His friend: “See how much He loved him!”  The mourning Rembrandt believed in the divinity of Christ who says:  “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”  Jesus is depicted as grief-stricken, but also the Christ of superhuman stature. Twice the height of the other figures Christ’s right hand is raised, with the power of God, commanding His friend to rise.

Catholics from throughout the Diocese of Wilmington are invited to receive the sacrament of reconciliation (confession) at any of the 56 parish churches in Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore, on Monday of Holy Week, April 3, from 3-8 p.m., including St. John the Beloved Church during the second Annual Reconciliation Monday. 

Lenten Soup and Bread Lunches: Our Ecumenical Ministerium Group is offering the last of this year’s Lenten service and soup & bread lunch on Wednesdays, March 29 at St. Philip’s Lutheran Church, 5320 Limestone Road. Service will start at noon and lunch will be at 12:30 pm in our fellowship hall. St. John the Beloved Parish is hosting with our Seminarian, Dennis Stameza, preaching and our parish serving lunch.

Celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday at St. John the Beloved Church, Sunday, April 16, 2023

2:00 p.m. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament followed by confessions to 3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m.  Chaplet & Rosary
4:45 p.m.  Benediction
5:00 p.m.  Mass

March 19

Blindness is a lack of vision. Physical blindness means you cannot see anything and do not see light. There are other sorts of blindness such as not seeing the obvious or hindering what one does not want to see. It is true...”There are none so blind as those who will not see.”

Traditionally, this Fourth Sunday of Lent is called Laetare Sunday, when we “joyfully” anticipate Easter. It reflects the light that is dawning on Easter morning. Our Gospel today intentionally sheds light into our Lenten lives. Jesus heals a man born blind; definitely a major miracle. This miraculous event got the attention of the entire town. It took a while for the townspeople to absorb what had actually happened and the Pharisees never did.

Just before Jesus healed the blind man He said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” The first light the blind man saw was through this intimate encounter with the divinity of Jesus Christ. After the blind man was healed, he was thrown out of the synagogue by incredulous Pharisees. Jesus sought him out and healed also the situation that was a result of the miracle. Thus, the former blind man had a new, solid grounding of worship in Jesus as the Son of God. And his testimony led others to believe in Jesus.

The blind man was physically blind, but was healed and saw the light, so to speak...physically and spiritually. The Pharisees were physically able to see but spiritually they were blind to the Light of Christ. Our Lenten lesson shows Jesus as the Healer and Light of the World.

We are told, especially in today’s society, that seeing is believing. God cannot always be seen, especially when we are blinded by sickness, tragedies, doubts, cynicism, worldliness or apathy. Much like the Pharisees, we often struggle to see the blessings and recognize that they are a sign of God’s presence in my lives.


May we pray during this Lenten season for God to help us see Him in our everyday lives, and that we may be blessings so others can see Christ’s light in us.

Lenten Soup and Bread Lunches: Our Ecumenical Ministerium Group is once again offering a Lenten service and soup & bread lunches on the following Wednesdays of Lent at St. Philip’s Lutheran Church at 5320 Limestone Road. Service will start at noon and lunch will be at 12:30 pm in our fellowship hall. The theme: “Biblical Waters of Life"

• March 22 The Sea of Galilee
• March 29 The Pool of Siloam, preached by seminarian Dennis Stameza and served by 
St. John the Beloved Parish

March 12

The Lenten Gospel of the meeting of Jesus with the Samaritan Woman, at the well, is a story of quenching thirst.  Jesus was passing through Samaria, a hostile area for Jews, and He is tired, thirsty and sits near a famous biblical well.  Looking for someone to draw water from this well, Jesus addresses a woman resident to obtain water.  He is breaking the taboos of His time by speaking to a woman, a Samaritan. 

Shocked by Jesus’ request, the woman converses with Him and in the middle of all this, Jesus says something to the woman that causes her to recognize her sinful ways and this causes the woman to change her life.  Jesus’ tone must have said to her, “My dear woman, you can do better.” 

This dry encounter ended in overflowing grace.  The woman’s life was saved, she felt her real worth and it bubbled up throughout her community.  The Samaritans saw the change in one of their own, recognized the dignity of Christ in their midst, believed and followed Him.  Maybe, in our Lenten journey…we find ourselves thirsty knowing we could do better.  We seek to be quenched.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation, Penance or Confession is a beautiful way to be refreshed from the dryness of sin.  Christ instituted the sacrament in John 20:23... “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven, and whose sins you retain are retained.” 

Our wrongdoings create aridity in our relationship with God, but if we are truly sorry for them, our right relationship with Him is restored.  In this Sacrament, we exercise humility in admitting that we have offended God and others, and that burden is lifted allowing grace to satisfy our inner longing. 

Parish Penance Services this Tuesday, March 14^th from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Also Monday of Holy Week, April 3rd from 3 to 8 p.m.

Lenten Soup and Bread Lunches:

Our Ecumenical Ministerium Group is once again offering a Lenten service and soup & bread lunches on the following Wednesdays of Lent at St. Philip’s Lutheran Church at 5320 Limestone Road. Service will start at noon and lunch will be at 12:30 pm in our fellowship hall. The theme: “Biblical Waters of Life"

• March 15 - The Jordan River
• March 22 - The Sea of Galilee
• March 29 - The Pool of Siloam preached & served by St. John the Beloved

March 5

The common theme of today’s readings is transformation. The readings invite us to work with the assistance of the Holy Spirit to transform our lives by renewing them during Lent. In today’s Gospel, Jesus is revealed as a glorious figure, superior to Moses and Elijah. The primary purpose of Jesus’ Transfiguration was to allow Him to consult His Heavenly Father in order to ascertain His plan for His Son’s suffering, death and Resurrection.

The secondary aim was to make His chosen disciples aware of His Divine glory, so that they might discard their worldly ambitions and dreams of a conquering political Messiah and might be strengthened in their time of trial. On the mountain, Jesus is identified by the Heavenly Voice as the Son of God. Thus, the transfiguration narrative is a revelation of Who Jesus really is; giving us a glimpse of the Heavenly glory awaiting us.

As Christians, we continually change. Lent allows us to see our purpose for making Jesus the center of our lives; He is the Son of God. The tension we have within ourselves, the struggle to be less sinful and more holy are well worth overcoming because the Lord is the object of our desire and what we lack in our abilities are achieved by Christ’s death and resurrection. Lent is a time of transformation.

Confessions: Every Saturday, 4:00 to 4:45 p.m.

Parish Penance Services:Tuesday, March 14, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. and 

Monday of Holy Week, April 3, from 3 to 8 p.m.

Lenten Soup and Bread Lunches: Our Ecumenical Ministerium Group is once again offering a Lenten service served with a soup & bread lunch on the following Wednesdays of Lent at St. Philip’s Lutheran Church located at 5320 Limestone Road. Service will start at noon and lunch will be at 12:30 p.m. in our fellowship hall. The Theme: “Biblical Waters of Life"

• March 1 - Waters of Creation
• March 8 - The Red Sea
• March 15 - The Jordan River
• March 22 - The Sea of Galilee
• March 29 - The Pool of Siloam preached & served by St. John the Beloved

February 26

This past Wednesday, we were reminded of our humble beginnings. Our first reading, today, also tells us that we are formed out of the clay of the ground. These reflections are repeated annually to sharpen our life focus: the things of this world are passing andfinite, while the divine spirit breathed into us is permanent and infinite. The beginning of Lent is a recollection of the cunningness of the devil in our human lives. It does not take much for evil to convince us we can do everything without God’s approval.

How easily we are convinced that we do not need God or that there is an easier path to get what I want or that somehow God does not have our interest or perhaps........God may not even exist. The analogy of us being of weak origin and returning to basic matter points to our human frailty indeed. Look at the world, look at yourself and we know that the Father of Lies fools us over and over again.

That is why Lent is a good time to reinforce our strength to be what we claim to be: Disciples of Christ. The Lord Himself went through a stringent physical, psychological and spiritual examination in the desert. His model of praying and fasting is what we need to imitate. Lent is a time to get away from the abstractions of life and place emphasis on what needs to be corrected in our relationship with God.

All Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence from meat. All those who are fourteen years old and older are bound to the law of abstinence. The law of fast binds all who are 18 years old and not yet 59. 

Weekday Masses Monday to Saturday at 8:00 a.m.

Exposition Fridays at 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. 
Benediction at 10 a.m. 
Confession Saturdays from 4 to 4:45 p.m.
Parish Penance Service
 Tuesday, March 14 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and Monday of Holy Week, April 3, Confession  3 - 8 p.m. 
Stations of the Cross is every Friday at 7 p.m.

Opportunities for Alms Giving are available with the Lenten Rice Bowl, St. Vincent DePaul Society, Table of Plenty Outreach Ministry, Family Promise and random acts of kindness.

Lenten Soup and Bread Lunches:

Our Ecumenical Ministerium Group is once again offering a Lenten service and soup & bread lunches on the following Wednesdays of Lent at St. Philip’s Lutheran Church at 5320 Limestone Road. Service will start at noon and lunch will be at 12:30 pm in our fellowship hall. The theme: “Biblical Waters of Life"

• March 1 - Waters of Creation
• March 8 - The Red Sea
• March 15 - The Jordan River
• March 22 - The Sea of Galilee
• March 29 - The Pool of Siloam preached & served by St. John the Beloved

Easter is April 9, 2023.

February 19

WATER: A SIGN OF A NEW LIFE by Seminarian Dennis Stameza, Pastoral Year (Continued)...
As we are preparing to welcome the Lenten season, join me in meditating on the Gospel of John 4:4-15....Moving to the United States has given me a different experience. This different experience has left me with an open mouth wonder, finding clean and fresh water in every corner of the country. We can do anything at any time without any fear that the water will not be enough. I really appreciate what I found in America; this is a totally different experience.


As the importance of water clicks in my mind, I can imagine how important living water is for us all. In the Lenten Season, Jesus reminds us of the preparation we need to make in our spiritual life. The Samaritan woman was busy fetching water for her bodily life, she had completely forgotten her spiritual life. When she met Jesus at the well, Jesus reminded her of her spiritual life with an invitation to holiness through the living water. We all need living water, but it is very hard to realize our thirst for the living water until we come out of ourselves and go out to the well (The Church) to search for it. We can encounter Jesus everywhere but in a special way at the well, he is always there waiting for us. He is always at the well because he knows at one point, we will become thirsty and we will bring ourselves to the well searching for water and because he is at the well, he will give us the living water.

Most of us normally prepare physically for Easter Sunday without spiritual preparation for the whole Easter Season which is the most important season for our spiritual growth. As I prepare myself for this Lent and knowing that I am thirsty for the living water, I join you all in praying, fasting and almsgiving as it is a clear and nice way to the well. Let us all gather and start our journey to the well as we will find Jesus there waiting for us so as he may quench our thirst by giving us a living water.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22

Masses on Ash Wednesday are 6:30 & 8 a.m., 12:10 Noon and 6:30 p.m. The distribution of ashes takes place after the homily. The practice of wearing ashes comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting. It symbolizes the dust from which God made us and the grief that we have sinned.

The Church offers various practices that allow us to make a good Lent. Prayer, Fasting and AlmsGiving are the recommended tools for advancing in spiritual life. The following disciplines are offered to all of us in the six weeks to come.

Ash Wednesday is a day of abstinence from meat and also a day of fast, that is, limited to a single full meal. All Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence from meat. All those who are fourteen years old and older are bound to the law of abstinence. The law of fast binds all who are 18 years old and not yet 59. 

Weekday Masses Monday to Saturday at 8:00 a.m.

Exposition Fridays at 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. 
Benediction at 10 a.m. 
Confession Saturdays from 4 to 4:45 p.m.
Parish Penance Service
 Tuesday, March 14 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and Monday of Holy Week, April 3, Confession  3 - 8 p.m. 
Stations of the Cross is every Friday at 7 p.m.

Opportunities for Alms Giving are available with the Lenten Rice Bowl, St. Vincent DePaul Society, Table of Plenty Outreach Ministry, Family Promise and random acts of kindness.

Lenten Soup and Bread Lunches:

Our Ecumenical Ministerium Group is once again offering a Lenten service and soup & bread lunches on the following Wednesdays of Lent at St. Philip’s Lutheran Church at 5320 Limestone Road. Service will start at noon and lunch will be at 12:30 pm in our fellowship hall. The theme: “Biblical Waters of Life"

• March 1 - Waters of Creation
• March 8 - The Red Sea
• March 15 - The Jordan River
• March 22 - The Sea of Galilee
• March 29 - The Pool of Siloam preached & served by St. John the Beloved

February 12

WATER: A SIGN OF A NEW LIFE by Seminarian Dennis Stameza, Pastoral Year 2022/2023

As we are preparing to welcome the Lenten season in ten days, join me in meditating on the Gospel of John 4:4-15. Jesus asks the Samaritan woman for water and later the Samaritan woman realized that she was the one supposed to ask for the living water. The water that Jesus gives is the water of life. This Lenten season Jesus gives us a chance to drink water of life from his well (The Church) that he gives us freely out of love.

When looking at the Samaritan woman in this gospel, my memory goes back when I was young in my home country Tanzania-East Africa. I remember my mother and I going to fetch water at the river six miles away from home with our baskets on our heads. We had to wake up early or else go in the afternoon so that we may find few people as well as the water has settled. It is a tough experience though I remember some of the good moments like when coming back my mother used to tell me different and funny stories to make us not tired. Sometimes we were also singing on the way with other kids or even with my mom. This was a happy moment in the middle of a tough experience in my teenage years. Going in the evening and late morning we could find the water had been disturbed and we could not get clean water or else to risk our life and go upstream the river looking for clean water.

Although the government has provided us with running water, the challenge is still there because the running water flows only two days per week, especially in the villages. This has made few families (who can afford) to buy big tanks to preserve water for the remaining days. The families with big tanks of water reserve shares with the remaining families who do not have water reserves, and this is how most people do not go to the river to fetch water again. Finding clean and fresh water at our home place is still challenging even now. (continued next week)

February 5

So often, people we admire the most are those who do not necessarily have degrees in education or even a vast amount of experience. They just have a grasp of the world and even better; have a real connection with God. When St. Paul visited Greece, he found many people entrenched in various philosophies of which he had no particular knowledge.

You can understand why he came to these intelligentsia in fear. "What line of thinking are you employing?" the Greek citizen would ask Paul. To these Paul states in the second reading for today, "My message and my preaching has none of the persuasive force of ‘wise’ argumentation. Instead it has the convincing power of the Holy Spirit." Then he reminds the Christians at Corinth, "As a result your faith rests not on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God."

The same message is relevant to us today. Many people lay claim to the term of being wise for one reason or another. And indeed there is a need for that intellectual capacity but our Christian wisdom is based not on theory or on any other person than Jesus Christ and the faith we put in Him.

Paul reminds all that the wisdom that our minds cannot come to is infinitely superior to the wisdom that is based solely on our intellectual capacity. When sickness, trauma, or tragedy hit us; when our loved ones become ill, injured or die; it is Jesus Christ and Christ alone who brings order to the chaos of our lives. We are called today to reveal the true wisdom of the Lord to the world. The wisdom is not based on great intellects, but on the power of God. The world still needs this new wisdom.

Study Week: This week, all diocesan priests are gathering in Cambridge, Maryland, with Bishop Koenig, for a study week session on pastoral planning. There will be no Morning Masses on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week (February 7-10) at St. John the Beloved Church. There will be Prayer Services offered those days at 8 a.m. Mass will be celebrated by a retired priest at St. Mary of the Assumption Church on those days at 8:30 a.m. Father Michael and I will keep you in prayer.

January 29

In today’s Gospel, Jesus instructs His disciples in what the world considers absurd and yet when realized proves to be well founded. Jesus teaches the paradoxical blessedness of poverty, hunger, sorrow, and persecution. In poverty, we recognize God’s reign; in hunger, His providence;

in sorrow, true happiness; and in persecution, true joy. In other words, the blessed in Jesus’ list are poor in spirit, compassionate, meek, merciful, clean of heart, peace-makers and those who are willing even to be insulted and persecuted for their lived Faith in Him.

Each of the inspired authors of today’s readings, Zephaniah, Paul, and Matthew, advise each of us to consider being more dependent on God for a happier and holier life. The Beatitudes propose to us a way of life, inviting us to identify with

the poor, those who mourn, the meek, and those who hunger and thirst after justice. They challenge us to be compassionate people, to be men and women who are pure in heart, and to become the

peacemakers in our dealings with one another, in our families, and in the society at large, even when this approach to things exposes us to ridicule and persecution.

Let us remember that each time we reach out to help the needy, the sick, and the oppressed, we share with them a foretaste of the sweet promises of the Beatitudes...the Kingdom of Heaven.

We begin Catholic Schools Week today. We recognize the accomplishments that Catholic education has made and continues to provide in academics and social growth. Our parish has made this a priority for over sixty five years in our efforts to evangelize, promote Gospel values and spread the Franciscan spirit. Many generations have benefited from the quality education of St. John the Beloved School and continue to do so. We congratulate the principal, teachers and staff of our parish school on their ministry in Catholic education. We acknowledge the sacrificial efforts made by families to supply this education for our children and are thankful to the parishioners for supporting this noble effort. May the Good Lord continue to bless you.

Parish Lay Trustees: An open meeting, to elect two lay trustees in accordance with the religious corporation laws of the State of Delaware, was held on January 24th, 2023 at the 8:00 morning Mass. The two lay trustees nominated and elected for the Parish Corporation of St. John the Beloved Parish are standing trustees, Joseph Koskol and Bonnie DiMichele


Feast of the Presentation of the Lord will be celebrated on Thursday, February 2 at the 8 a.m. Mass. It celebrates the presentation of Jesus in the Temple as “The Light of all Nations.” It is the custom to have candles blessed on this day. Blessed candles will be available after Mass.

The Feast of Saint Blaise is Friday, February 3rd. Throats will be blessed at the 8 a.m. Mass on that day and after all Masses next weekend in our church. St. Blaise, a physician and bishop in Armenia, healed a boy of throat difficulties while being led to
martyrdom. Traditionally throats are blessed in his honor.

January 22

In our first reading this weekend, the prophet Isaiah explains that the Galilean area of Israel is a place of darkness but will eventually see a great light. Eight- hundred years later, Matthew explains that what had been prophesied by Isaiah had been fulfilled through the preaching and healing ministry of Jesus. By His ministry of inviting people to the Kingdom of God through repentance, Jesus brought Light to peoples living in darkness, thus fulfilling God’s original promise.

The Gospel describes the call of the first disciples, inviting people to repent of their sins and accept the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Ordinary fishermen with no formal training in Mosaic Law were chosen to preach the Good News. Peter and Andrew, James and John heard the call of the Lord, dropped everything and followed Him. They were to be very effective instruments in the mission of Jesus.

The Call continues in our own day and age. This Sunday’s readings lead us to reflect, in particular, on the vocation to the priesthood and religious life. The Lord knows the need we have today for certain men and woman to serve specifically in the Church. And the Lord initiates the call to “Come and follow Him.” The need is becoming greater and can only be satisfied when we honestly recognize the summons and answer affirmatively.

Monday, January 23rd, all dioceses of the United States will observe a Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. It marks the 50th anniversary of the historic Supreme Court’s
decision making abortion legal in the Unites States. As Catholics we are asked to make that day a solemn occasion for prayer, penance and sacrifice as atonement for the taking of human life. To unite ourselves in prayer for this anniversary, along with those who will travel to Washington DC for the March for Life, St. John the Beloved Parish will celebrate the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in church on Monday, January 23, 2023 after the 8 a.m. Mass to 10 a.m. All are welcome.

January 15

You come to Church today and notice right away that the Christmas season is over.  After the Baptism of the Lord, we move on with the very beginning of Jesus’ public life, usually referred to as His ministry.  We come upon John the Baptist seeing Jesus and proclaiming Him to be “The Lamb of God.”

We use that term often.  The Prophet Isaiah first used this phrase, six hundred years before Jesus was born, to describe the feelings of God’s people as they look at the Savior on the cross.  Just like an innocent lamb was slaughtered by the Jews in worship, as atonement for the sins of many…The Savior would take on our infirmities, endure our sufferings, be pierced for our offenses and by His stripes we would be healed. 

This term is especially close to our parish (as depicted in stained glass in the upper pediment of our church) because our patron, Saint John the Beloved, began his gospel by telling us that it was John the Baptist who pointing to Jesus and said “Look, there is the Lamb of God” that the world was waiting for.  Later, our patron wrote the last book of the Bible, The Book of Revelation.  In it the visionary acknowledges that Christ’s death opened the Book of God’s plan for humankind.  Jesus, the Sacrificial Lamb, alone is worthy to once more restore things.

When we say or sing, “Lamb of God” we are remembering what Jesus did for us and what He has empowered us to do for others.  We are remembering His sacrifice to make God’s love real on earth. We are reminding ourselves that joining Jesus in sacrificial love is the only way we can be His followers.  May we have the courage, like John the Baptist, to reveal Christ to the world.  May we join the Baptist in saying with our lives, “Look, there is the Lamb of God.”

For the contributions you make to our parish, now and throughout the year, we are always appreciative.  This past year, you have met the challenge of our church installing a new floor and new pews...our parish is most grateful.  Recognition Pamphlets of those who made contributions to the New Pew Campaign are available at the entrance of the church.  May God reward you in His limitless benevolence.  From all of us to all of you… Thank You for being the gift you are to us.

January 8

The beautiful feast of The Epiphany of the Lord is older than Christmas Day.  Before the Pope set the traditional date of December 25^th, the Eastern Church had the custom of the Arrival of the Magi and popularized the tradition of Christ’s Incarnation.  The Western Church meshed this beautiful tradition into what we now celebrate as the Christmas Season.

Epiphany means “appearance” or “manifestation.”  It is an awakening to the obvious.  The arrival of the Magi to Jesus’ home represents the universal call that all nations, all peoples are called to hear the good news and are invited to recognize God in our midst.  All are called to worship the long-awaited Messiah and King with the gifts of their lives.  How did the Magi come to this realization?  First, they looked beyond the reality around them and instinctively yet studiously knew greatness entered the world.  Thus, they started to journey into the unknown by following a celestial phenomenon.  At last they found the miracle in a little child.

Our lives set us on unknown journeys. I did not know where my inclination to be a priest would lead, but I was willing to pack up and follow the star that rose in my heart to what I believed was an authentic call from Christ to follow Him in a specific way. The week of my Diaconate Ordination, April 1986, Halley’s Comet was passing. 

What about you?  First, you have to look beyond the attractions and stimuli of the world around you... family, friends, work, school, hobbies, duties, especially technology today... and look to where Christ is leading you. It may be to a vocation, or fulfilling the vocation you have, or it may be steering you to reorganize the priorities of one’s life to please the Lord.  The answer is found in wanting to find the Lord in your life and pursuing that desire... and He will guide you. In the evening twilight of life, it becomes more and more clear that this pursuit was most important.

For the contributions you make to our parish, now and throughout the year, we are always appreciative. This past year, you have met the challenge of our church installing a new floor and new pews... our parish is most grateful. Recognition Pamphlets of those who made contributions to the New Pew Campaign are available at the entrance of the church. May God reward you in His limitless benevolence. From all of us to all of you… Thank You for being the gift you are to us.

Tomorrow, January 9^th, we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord.  It is the last day of the Christmas Season. The crèche and Christmas decorations will be taken down this week.  Please take advantage of visiting the Child Jesus in the humble stable one last time this year.

January 1, 2023

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. How can Mary, a human being, be the mother of the Infinite One? This mystery is best understood when we focus on who Jesus Christ was and is. First of all, Jesus is the Eternal Son of the Father. He is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity and therefore eternal. He took on our human nature to redeem us and thus we believe that just like God created everything by the Divine Word... Jesus is that Eternal Divine Word that took flesh and dwelt among us. We call this mystery the Incarnation of the Lord and we believe that Jesus took on His human nature through the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mary is the mother of Christ’s human nature, not His divine nature. Mary is a human being who was prepared to be the vessel through which the Word would become flesh. Jesus has two natures...divine and human, but He is only one person, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. Though His two natures remain distinct; He is One. That is why we say Mary is the Mother of God. This is what we are celebrating today. What must it have been like for the Eternal Word, to take on the nature of a human within the Blessed Virgin? He had to feel her heart beating. He had to be aware of the experience of being a human when He was only an embryo, then a fetus. When during her pregnancy Mary prayed to God, the Child within her heard and answered her prayers. The Incarnation began at the Annunciation and that divine life began inside of His Mother and was revealed to the world at Christmas.

I want to take this opportunity to extend my appreciation to you, as a parish, who are a gift to St. John the Beloved Parish. During the holidays, you met the challenges of our Outreach Programs and Giving Tree with contributions, food, supplies, gifts, energy. Many families were gifted this Christmas through your generosity. Thank You.

These past holy days require much more dedication and effort on the part of various ministries. Planning, scheduling and serving required dedication and we had it. Our environmental volunteers did a fantastic job again. Whatever you contributed in time, talent and treasure publicly or quietly...Thank You.

For the contributions you make to our parish, now and throughout the year, we are always appreciative. God reward you in His limitless benevolence. From all of us to all of you...
Thank You for being the gift you are to us.

On this First Day of a New Year, may we ponder where life truly begins for us... in the Motherhood of the Virgin Mary. May her intimate relationship with Our Savior enlighten our way to countless blessings and graces in this Year of 2023...

Fathers Piekarski & Preston; Seminarian Dennis; Deacons Bailey, Fontana & Oldiges and the staff of St. John the Beloved Parish

 

December 25, 2022

Christmas, 2022
Dear Parishioners and Friends,

On this Christmas, we need to be grateful for the festivities at hand. What we celebrate is truly a miracle that affects all of us. We look forward to different people in our lives to fulfill some kind of need, task or chore, or satisfy the longings of our human heart. The rarest one among them is the One who ransomed the debt we are responsible for because of our human weakness and inclination to sin.

This broken existence was restored by the One the world waited centuries for. Our festive mood this time of year is remembering that the Messiah, the Redeemer, the Savior took on human flesh and came into our world to save us. Not only from sin are we forgiven in Him but He directs us, in Him, to the fullness of Life that is eternal.

In the 1966 movie, The Trouble with Angels, there is a touching scene where the students of a Catholic boarding high school go to a facility for the aged to cheer the elderly for Christmas. The young women are somewhat frightened when they encounter the horror stories of the elderly being abandoned and unappreciated by loved ones whom they cared for. Brought to tears for having no visitors by her family that day, a grandmother is comforted by the Sister Superior, played by Rosalind Russell. Kindly, the nun wipes her cheeks and reminds the woman that because of the birth of Jesus there can be no tears. He came to comfort us and indeed His arrival changes everything for the good. Those who hurt the most at this time of year have reason to be joyful because Christ ultimately mends what is beyond our control.

God alone could have saved us and continues to do so. For this we have to be thankful and joyful. It is with grateful hearts that we thank you for all you are and do for St. John the Beloved Parish. You are God’s gift to our parish. May you experience in your heart the true mystery that we celebrate. With God dwelling in our midst, we courageously proceed forward to the future that is glorious because God is already there. Have a Blessed Christmas!

Fathers Piekarski & Preston, Seminarian Dennis Stameza, Deacons Bailey, Fontana & Oldiges and the staff of St. John the Beloved Parish

To date, our parish has raised $202,634.57 on our goal of $193,229.00 
 
“Be generous, sharing what you have.” (I Timothy 6:18)

As 2022 comes to an end, it has been a year of uncertainty and
challenging economic times. So many in our community find themselves in
need, dealing with the unexpected. Thanks to the generosity of donors to
the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal, our ministries have served so many
throughout our community. As you consider your end-of-year charitable
giving, please consider a gift to the Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal – Walking by Faith. 



“Happiness lies more in giving than in receiving.” (Acts 20:35) Thank you.

 

December 18

The Dream of Saint Joseph This fourth Sunday of Advent brings us closer to our awaited celebration of Christ’s Coming. Saint Matthew’s Gospel emphasizes the fulfillment of Jewish Scripture. He wrote to a Jewish population and therefore wanted the Hebrew People to realize that the much prophesied Messiah was fulfilled in the arrival of Jesus. Thus, Matthew emphasized the genealogy of Jesus coming from the foretold Royal House of David through the lineage of Saint Joseph.

Saint Joseph never utters a word in scripture. So often the case where “still waters run deep,” Saint Joseph followed God’s dramatic design for him in silence. One cannot but marvel at Joseph’s acceptance of Mary, with Child, as his wife. Joseph’s kindness is evident in that he did not want to expose Mary to the cruelty of the Jewish Law. Willing to follow God’s Will, revealed to him in a dream, he takes on the responsibility of husband and father. His path was clearly one depending on faith.

Joseph is our model of complete resignation to what God wants from us. Each of us is an important member for the complete unfolding of the Coming of Christ. John the Baptist, Mary and Joseph were intricate in ushering the Savior into our existence at His human birth, but we continue to live His Mission, His Gospel until Christ returns in glory. That is our purpose as His disciples.

May Saint Joseph, noble by birth but humble in life, silent in speech but deafening in action, prudent in thought yet reliant on Providence...keep each one of us balanced and holy as we await the Coming of his foster Son.

May Christ’s presence guide us to that special place... of happiness and joy, and set us on the pathway that we ultimately seek, the pathway to the kingdom of heaven! Amen!

You and your loved ones will be remembered in all the Masses of Christmas.

Fathers Piekarski & Preston and Seminarian Dennis Stameza; Deacons Bailey, Fontana & Oldiges and the staff of St. John the Beloved Parish

Christmas Masses: Christmas Eve, Saturday Dec. 24,
4 p.m. in church and hall in church
7 p.m. 11 p.m. in church

Christmas Day, Sunday Dec. 25,
 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. in church

Thoughts of Christmas Past... We all have some favorite customs that are unique to our ethnicity, family tradition or cultural environment. Personally, I recall the tradition of “Wegilia or Wilia” that many of Eastern European ancestry celebrate. Like it's sounding, Wegilia means Vigil...Christmas Vigil. So like the Italian tradition of the Seven Fishes, Wegilia mirrors the Catholic day of fast and abstinence from meat the day before Christmas. Yet, both evening meals reflect the bounty of the Coming of the Lord and the Banquet of Heaven.

A very sacred meal, the Wegilia begins at dusk with the oldest person
present (in my case, Dziadek, my grandfather in Polish) breaking the ”Oplated” Christmas Wafer and sharing it with those present. These wafers are unconsecrated bread (Eucharistic in symbolism) that unites everyone present with shared forgiveness for any offenses, best wishes for the year to come and blessing to be together in heaven. Pink wafers are shared with the animals also united in the new creation that Christ brings.

I remember the empty seat set at the table for a welcomed stranger, perhaps Christ Himself. Hay underlined the linen tablecloth to imitate Christ’s humble birth. After prayers, mushroom soup, cod, pickled herring, crab cakes (mid-Atlantic treat), potatoes, a variety of pierogi, vegetables and fruit pastries were the staple that night. According to folklore one must eat at least a bit of everything, which symbolized the variety of nature, to assure good luck and the meal had to be twelve distinct dishes in memory of the apostles.

After the meal family and friends shared conversation and regards for the holy season and approaching New Year. Midnight Mass was on the agenda of some while parents readied for Santa. I still carry the tradition and feel the presence of those loved ones who passed on at Wegilia. In so many ways that is what the Coming of the Lord will be. A coming together and sharing in the Eschatological, end time meal when past, present and future are united in the goodness of Christ in His eternal banquet.

December 11

“Rejoice,” the Church tells us on this, Gaudete, or Rose Sunday. What a wonderful time of the year we are in. The prophet Isaiah foretells the time when God Himself will come and save us. All will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.

Like St. John the Baptist questioning Jesus’ messiahship in today’s Gospel, we can sometimes question what once seemed so certain, especially with the long, slow passage of time. But the Lord is faithful and true. His birth in Bethlehem is the beginning of salvation unfolding. At His Final Coming, our problems will no longer be and our deepest desires will be met. The Kingdom of God is at hand and we have been chosen to be members of that Kingdom. Rejoice.

In the meantime, we ... The Church... extends comfort to those in need, strengthens the sick and homebound, works for justice and peace...

SERVICE OF HUMANITY IS SERVICE TO GOD ALMIGHTY...
by Seminarian Dennis Stameza- Pastoral Year at St John the Beloved Parish

Whatever you did for the least of my little brothers and sisters you did for me! St. John the Beloved Outreach Center (Table of Plenty) which is located

two minutes from the church is a new hope for many. It is the Parish Outreach. The people of God who come here are full of joy and love despite that a good number of them cannot afford most of their needs. People come with their children and their loved ones to have something for their future.

The Parish Outreach serves people, and we learn that through serving people we serve God. The food and other things that we get are coming from the people out of love, not because they have more but they do it to serve God through people around them. The people that I am working with are so lovely; I have managed to create a healthy friendship with them. It is imaginable when someone comes to work in this outreach just to serve people without being given something. This is evangelization in practice, but also there are those who come and start asking questions concerning the parish, the Church in general, God and his Son Jesus Christ and many other more questions especially when they know that the one serving them is a seminarian. This is actually a way of evangelization though not everyone who comes there is a Catholic.

The Parish Outreach took me some years back, when we were young, and my mother was working as a gardener in a convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. My mother was not receiving cash for working but she was given food and other basic needs for her family. We really survived the hardship of life by the service my mother received from the convent of the sisters. I meet Christ everyday through His people that I am working with together with the people that I am serving, and all that I encounter while at St Benedict Outreach Centre. They have managed to strengthen my faith and my vocation. This is because I am always learning a lot from them.

From the parish outreach Centre, I can say that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is fulfilled when Jesus said that “I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, I was in naked, and you clothed me...” Therefore, I feel the presence of God when working here. This is an experience that contributes more to my priesthood journey. I will always cherish whatever that I am learning at the Parish Outreach and exhaust the best of myself in serving God’s people in all of my life.

Parish Penance

Tuesday, Dec. 13 

12 noon Confessions 

6:30 p.m. Confessions
 


Oplatki are available at the Parish Office.

December 4

The new liturgical year started on the First Sunday of Advent. Last year we heard mostly from the Gospel of Saint Luke. This year, we will hear mostly from the Gospel of St. Matthew.

Prior to preaching the Word of God, Matthew worked as a tax collector in Capernaum near the house of St. Peter. Matthew was a much hated man and considered a sinner by the Jewish people since he worked on behalf of the Roman government. He was sitting at the custom post when Jesus said to Him, “Follow Me.” And he did. Matthew's calling into Jesus' inner circle was a dramatic gesture of the Messiah's universal message and mission, causing some religious authorities of the Jewish community to wonder: “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus' significant response indicated a central purpose of his ministry: “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

Matthew is a good example of what John the Baptist cries out to us today, exhorting us to repent, to prepare for the Lord’s coming and to make His path straight, for the Kingdom of God is at hand. While salvation always comes from God, God does expect and await human response. The Almighty chooses to save and re-create the world only with our

Reflecting on St. Matthew's calling, from the pursuit of dishonest financial gain to the heights of holiness and divine inspiration, Pope Benedict said in 2006 that “in the figure of Matthew, the Gospels present to us a true and proper paradox: those who seem to be the farthest from holiness can even become a model of the acceptance of God's mercy and offer a glimpse of its marvelous effects in their own lives.”

Matthew went on to follow Christ and traditionally thought to have died a martyr’s death. He was an educated author of the Gospel. Writing to a Jewish audience that followed Jesus, Matthew presents Jesus as the ultimate Jewish hero: the Messiah that fulfills scripture, the prophet who surpasses Moses, and the seed of Abraham that blesses all the nations. The Christmas story in Matthew’s Gospel is evidence that Jesus was a pure Jew from the House of David who came to save us.

The solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is Thursday, December 8th. It is a holy day of obligation; the Patronal Feast of the United States. This great feast celebrates the sinless existence of Mary from the first moment she was conceived. Chosen by God, Mary reverses the sin of Eve and God’s salvation is made known to all the nations. Masses for this feast is Wednesday evening, December 7th at 6:30 p.m. and Thursday at 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Parish Penance - Tuesday, December 13 12:00 noon Confessions. 6:30 p.m. Confessions

Flowers at the Holy Family shrine are in memory of Joseph & Victoria Piekarski

Oplatki are available at the Parish Office.

November 27

Advent comes from the Latin word meaning “coming.” Jesus is coming, and Advent is intended to be a season of preparation for His arrival. While we typically regard Advent as a joyous season, it is also intended to be a period of preparation, much like Lent. Prayer, penance and fasting are appropriate during this season.

Advent is not as strict as Lent, and there are no rules for fasting, but it is meant to be a period of self-preparation. The purple color associated with

Advent is also the color of penance. The faithful should receive the sacrament of Reconciliation and do some acts of mortification to empty themselves of excess in order to be ready for when the Lord arrives.

Please take advantage of this sacred season of Advent. It is the time when the Church focuses on the real meaning of Christmas; the remembrance of His humble birth two-thousand years ago and more so His return in majesty when all is complete. Allow us to help you get-ready spiritually for that time with Reconciliation, Daily Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Works of Charity through our parish programs. There is no time, like the present, to make straight the Coming of the Lord.

Daily Liturgical Schedule during Advent:

Monday to Friday - 8:00 a.m. Masses
Friday - 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Saturday - 8:00 a.m. Mass and Reconciliation (Confessions) 4:00 to 4:45 p.m.

Parish Penance - Tuesday, December 13
12:00 noon Confessions. 6:30 p.m. Parish Penance Service

Oplatki Christmas Wafers are available at the Parish Office.

November 20

The two criminals that were hanging in crucifixion with Jesus were different. One was an unbeliever and cynical; the other was a believer and fearful of God’s retribution. The dying Jesus assured this man, we call Dismas the Good Thief, that he would be this day with Him in paradise. Today’s gospel presents this question: with whom do we identify? Do we identify with Dismas who recognized Jesus’ innocence, and who realized that Jesus’ death could be his passage to heaven, or do we identify with those who have no need for God, removing the Lord’s assistance?

This is Christ the King Sunday, the final Sunday of the liturgical Year. We have many challenges to face in these contemporary days, and today’s great feast asks us to recognize the folly of a passing world. Everything, here on earth, comes to an end. Indeed...we need God. We must realize that Jesus is the King of Kings. The spiritual is real and this changes everything in the way we conduct ourselves in this life. Jesus has to be the Supreme Master of Our Lives and with Him as leader, our lives will be freed of the errors and misconduct of ungodly lives and assure us of our entry into His Kingdom.

Thanksgiving Day Mass at Saint John the Beloved Church is at 9 a.m. Non perishable goods will be collected at this Mass for our Parish Outreach.May we celebrate the Thanksgiving Holiday with an attitude of true gratitude. God bestows upon us countless blessings, and for these, we are most thankful. May we continue to be graced and share these blessings in charity with one another.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Father Piekarski and Father Preston;
Seminarian Dennis, Deacon Bailey, Deacon Fontana, Deacon Oldiges & the staff of Saint John Beloved Parish

It is the time of year to say Thank You!...
Our diocese and parish are grateful to the parishioners and friends that have contributed to the 2022 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal “Walking by Faith.” Our parish goal was $193,229 and was pledged $201,464.57. Payments received on the pledged amount are $184,797.53 thus far. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this year’s appeal and helped our parish make their goal. Any overage of the goal will be returned to our parish. Also, please continue to honor your pledge until all payments are made. Thank you one and all. 



A Thank You list, of all who contributed to our “Parish Raise the Roof Hall Project” is available at the entrance of the church. Many projects were completed on the hall/gym: new roof, new ceiling, new doors, security system for doors, painting, new overhead lighting and new A/C unit. The total cost of the Hall project was $217,007. 



Soon we will also publish a Thank You list of all contributions made for the Church’s New Pews and Floor Campaign. For all these contributions and those throughout the year and your weekly offering... Thank You! Your generosity is needed to keep our parish active... May God reward you hundredfold.

The local Ecumenical Thanksgiving Prayer Service will be on Wednesday evening, November 23 at 7 p.m., at Marshallton United Methodist Church, 1105 Stanton Rd, Wilmington, DE 19808. St. John the Beloved Parish will be represented along with local churches joining together to give thanks to God. All are welcome.

November 13

Many people come to a part of life where they simply want to give up. Life just became overly complicated and they had enough. Surmountable responsibilities, physical challenges, fatigue, lack of cooperation, etc. have brought many to end their path; and for too many, tragically.

That is the situation that St. Paul is addressing in our second reading to the Christians in Thessalonica. The new believers, there, lived in a hostile environment and some people began teaching them that the end was near; that Judgment Day was upon them. So, many of them kind of gave up. Many stopped practicing virtue and others left their livelihood. Why work? It is easier to just wait for Jesus to return and then all their problems would be fixed. 


St. Paul admonished them that if they were unwilling to work, they should not eat. According to St. Paul, living in idleness, they were bored with themselves and they had become busybodies leading to disharmony and division. Because of their disorderly lives that disturbed others, they neglected fruitful work for the glory of the Lord. To such persons, St. Paul commands to do their work quietly and to earn their living... to endure in re-establishing order where apathy and laziness crept in. 


In today's Gospel, Jesus saw the beauty of the Temple in Jerusalem and forewarned its destruction which did occur not long after His prediction. While today's Gospel reading was prophetic in nature and applied to the days of Jesus, the remaining words of Jesus still apply to us today. We are still called to persevere in our daily lives with living faith. We must adjust to a long period of waiting and turbulence and persecution. We must endure the complicated situations of our lives trusting that when He does return, we will have saved our souls.


It is the time for Thanksgiving... Our diocese and parish are grateful to the parishioners and friends that have contributed to the 2022 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal “Walking by Faith”. Our parish goal was $193,229 and was pledged $201,464.57. Payments received on the pledged amount are $184,797.53 thus far. 


Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this year’s appeal and helped our parish make their goal. Any overage of the goal will be returned to our parish. Also, please continue to honor your pledge until all payments are made. Thank you one and all.

Enclosed in the bulletin, is a Thank You list of all who contributed to our “Parish Raise the Roof Hall Project”. Many projects were completed on the hall/gym: new roof, new ceiling, new doors, security system for doors, painting, new overhead lighting and new A/C unit. The total cost of the Hall project was $217,007. 



Again, thank you for allowing these much needed projects to be completed. For your numerous donations and support of our parish... May God reward you hundredfold.


Soon we will also publish a Thank You list of all contributions made for the Church’s New Pews and Floor Campaign. Always... Thank you.

November 6

In our creed, we claim “we believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting!” What is that? Our readings, today, point to this belief. About 200 years before Jesus was born, enemies of the Jews desecrated the Temple and seduced their beliefs with terrible affliction. The first reading from the Book of Maccabees details the sufferings and deaths of a certain family who died for their faith instead of violating God’s law. From them we hear of their acceptance of death assured that they will receive eternal life at the resurrection. 



That leads us to today’s complicated Gospel. The Sadducees and Pharisees were sects within Judaism with political power and different interpretations of the Law. The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection while the Pharisees did. Jesus is precise that there is a resurrection of the dead for those who lived for the Lord.

The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is the key. He truly died, was buried and was “raised up” on the third day. From early Easter morning, Jesus appeared to the disciples, ate with them and assured them that He was not a ghost or resuscitated corpse. He had flesh and bones, and yet could pass locked doors. Therefore, through the resurrection, our Lord has a radically transformed or glorified existence. And that is what Christ promises us.

When we die, our soul stands before God in the particular judgment, and we have to account for our lives– good and bad. God will then judge the soul worthy of heaven, hell, or allow a purification called purgatory. The body, committed to the earth, will decay. At the end of time, however, our bodies will be resurrected. After final judgment, we go with our resurrected bodies to our eternal destiny. The glorified bodies will have identity, entirety, and immortality. They will also have “transcendent qualities” like freedom from pain and freedom from defects...and will be endowed with movement in space and time with beauty and radiance.

Wow! This belief exceeds our understanding and our imagination. Nevertheless we believe it because Christ promised this resurrection of the body: “For an hour is coming in which all those in their tombs shall hear His voice and come forth. Those who have done right shall rise to live; the evildoers shall rise to be damned” (John 5:28-29).

The United States Bishops have implemented a Eucharistic Revival Program for Catholics to focus on and appreciate more the Eucharist in our midst... The true Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus. St. John Neumann introduced the 40 Hours Devotion in our area, allowing the faithful to pray privately and publicly, face to face with the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. It is a graced time wherever fostered when the presence of Our Lord is intimately being united with the prayers of God’s people.

Our parish is celebrating this devotion for three days beginning on the Sunday of Christ the King. Vy. Rev. Joseph McQuaide, our diocesan Chancellor and Judicial Vicar for the Tribunal, will preach the Masses that weekend and lead us in evening prayer and benediction that day.

Please mark your calendars to take advantage of this Eucharistic Presence in our parish:

Sunday, Nov. 20

12:30 p.m. - Exposition
4 p.m. Evening Prayer and Benediction. Homily by Father McQuaide 5 p.m. Mass

Monday, Nov. 21

After 8 a.m. Mass Exposition
6 p.m. begin Praise and Worship Music 6:30 p.m. Evening Prayer with Benediction. Reflection by Seminarian Dennis Stameza

Tuesday, Nov. 22

After 8 a.m. Mass Exposition
6 p.m. Begin Choir Music
6:30 p.m. Evening Prayer with Benediction. Homily by Father McQuaide

October 30

In today’s Gospel, Zacchaeus, the small but wealthy tax collector, is curious in seeing who and what Jesus is like. Everyone observed that Jesus sought out this man who was considered a traitor to the Jewish people...a sinner. And Zacchaeus has a conversion from the heart. Jesus reminded them, and us, that He came to seek and find those who are lost. As we come to a deeper understanding of all that God has done for us, we are truly humbled and not judgmental but rather more understanding of God’s concern to save all of us with His mercy and forgiveness.

Tuesday, November 1st is All Saints Day, a Holy Day of Obligation when we rejoice with all the saints who stand blessed in the eyes of the Lord. Masses on Tuesday only are 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, November 2nd is All Souls Day. This day is dedicated to all the dead; those who need our prayerful support to reach the ultimate destiny of heaven. There are two Masses that day at 8:00 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. Both Masses will be celebrated with the special remembrance of those who passed away this year.

October 16

Our readings today speak about perseverance in prayer, which means not giving up, but continuing to pray. Moses, in our first reading, prayed in an ancient way by holding his hands up in prayer. When Moses let his arms fall, the enemies of Israel prevailed in war. As long as Moses kept his arms raised, Israel had the advantage.

In the Gospel, the Lord tells a humorous story of a persistent widow and an unjust judge who eventually tires of her and gives in to her request. How much more will our loving God respond to our continual prayers.

We have to keep praying especially when it seems that our prayers are not being heard. The problem is that we are used to getting immediate results. Google gives us immediate answers. Prayer is much more by calling upon an infinite God who knew our needs before we were born. Our needs will be met, often not in the way we expect, but better than our expectations.

The tendency to give up in prayer is very real when you are disappointed or disturbed with its results. Yes, even good living people are jolted by these. St. Therese of Lisieux was determined to enter the Carmelite Order three years earlier than the minimum age. When refused by local authorities, she went to Pope Leo XIII and made her plea. Reluctant to leave without receiving a definite yes, she was forcibly taken away, sobbing, by the Papal Guards; a scene that made the newspapers. Five months later, Therese entered Carmel at 15 years of age. The French say: “Woman’s will, God’s will.”

Today's readings tell us that God will never give up on us and we cannot give up on God. Let us approach prayer as a child; Saint Therese did. Confident that we are heard, we simply do not give up praying. Eventually prayers are answered. The last line of today’s Gospel may be the real issue: “When the Son of Man comes, will He find any faith on the earth?”

For the most part, our church Pew & Floor Project is complete. Our parish is most grateful to those who contributed to this major task. An insert of acknowledgement for both “Raise the Roof” of our gym/hall and “New Church Pew Campaign” will soon be inserted for our bulletin. We are also thankful to those who served on the committees that focused on these improvements. Lastly, we are grateful for your patience. Your consideration and support bring us to this day. Thank You.
 

October 9

It is that time of year when we encounter numerous movies and the Halloween theme about the “living dead.” They are the deadly outsiders who are a mortal threat to society; they are beyond hope, without any chance of being restored to real life. Lepers were the “living dead” of the ancient Middle Eastern world, whose illness of leprosy cut them off from the land of the living. The Law prescribed that they be banished from society, wear torn clothes and cry out “Unclean, unclean” (Lev.13).

In our first reading, Naaman, a non Jew and a commander of the army of the Syrian king, was panicking with the symptoms of leprosy. When he was cured by the Hebrew prophet, Elisha, Naaman recognized the uniqueness of the God of Israel and declared he would only offer sacrifices to the one, true God.

In the Gospel, Jesus was met by ten lepers crying out, “Master, have pity on us!” Jesus did not heal them on the spot, but told them to show themselves to the priest, as the Law required for them to reenter the land of the living. On their way, all ten were physically healed, yet only one returned, humbly expressing his gratitude.

Our scripture today shows the thankfulness of those who truly recognize the favors God bestows on them. It was a Syrian and also a Samaritan, reviled foreigners that acknowledged the goodness of Our God. Perhaps those two were more aware of their fortunate healing, given that they were foreigners. The other nine were equally desperate in their deadness but insensitive to WHO really restored them back to life. We so often need to recognize God’s goodness to us...funny how it sometimes takes an outsider to make us aware.

Flowers at the Holy Family Shrine are in memory of Joseph F. Cieniewicz, Jr.

This Sunday is the first annual “Deacon Sunday” throughout the U,S, and Canada. It is the Church’s way to celebrate the wonderful ministry of our parish deacons.

Deacons play a pivotal role in daily parish life in proclaiming the Gospel, delivering homilies, performing baptisms, visiting the sick, burying the dead, teaching the faith. We acknowledge the ministry of Deacon Thomas Bailey, Deacon Mark Fontana and Deacon Stephen Oldiges, in our parish, and ask God’s blessing upon them.

Family Mass... The 9:30 Mass next Sunday, October 16, will be a Family Mass. Everyone is welcome to share our oneness as a Parish Family. It is an ideal time for relatives to come together and worship as a family. Refreshments will be served after the Mass. The Family that prays together stays together...

It is with sadness that we hear of the passing of Father Frederick Kochan. Father Fred served in our diocese from 1974 when he ministered here as associate pastor at St. John the Beloved Parish until 1979; returning again in 1997 until he retired in New Jersey. He was our oldest diocesan priest at the age of 92. The funeral took place in New Jersey and interment was in All Saints Cemetery, Wilmington. May he rest in peace.

October 2, 2022

 “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this sycamore tree, Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you.”

We have to have faith that God will set our world straight and that His justice will prevail. It is in this light that we should view the theme for this Sunday: Respect Life. We, as Church, do everything we can to encourage faith and promote life. Faith begins very small and can blossom into miracles. Human life begins very small and ultimately matures into profound dignity.

We are living in a transitional era when things, like respect for life, are being redefined. Values are as fickle as the people who uphold them. That is why God’s will is the only solid base to formulate our reality and that which we value. God created life, therefore it is sacred. God promoted life, therefore it must be promulgated. God enforced laws that protected life, therefore it cannot be disregarded.

We gather this Sunday as a Family of Faith... brothers and sisters in Christ. We focus and honor the various stages of life from conception to natural death. We salute the family nucleus as well as the various stages of life from student to widow. Above all, we appreciate the gift of human life that each one of us holds. Our creation allows us to enter into the eternal life that God intends for each of us.

For the committed Catholic, respecting life is expected. We are like that servant in the Gospel reading. We put on our aprons and serve our master recognizing that we are simply doing that which we are obligated to do. We are obligated to lead others to respect life by respecting their lives.

Blessing of Animals will also be celebrated on Tuesday, October 4th, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The Blessing of Animals will be at 2 p.m. and also at 6:00 p.m. near the church. Everyone is invited.

Thank you to everyone who contributed in supporting the diocesan tuition assistance program. If you were not prepared to contribute last weekend, you may drop your contribution off at the parish office or place it in this week’s collection basket. Envelopes are available in the vestibule of the church. For further information and
on-line giving options, visit the Share in the Spirit website at https://www.cdow.org/share-in-the-spirit.

Beginning this weekend, Birthright of Delaware will host its annual “Bottles for Babies Fundraiser!” Please take a bottle home, fill it with your loose change, cash or checks and return it to the vestibule of the church by the end of October. Bottles can be collected throughout the months of October. Please feel free to take a bottle to your family and friends as well. Thank you for supporting Birthright! We appreciate All of you!

September 25

Regrets often haunt us throughout our lives. The regret that I did not advance in education or take that job I was offered or make that investment that paid extremely well or took better care of myself. In those cases we could say, “We missed the boat!” How much more tragic it will be when at the Last Judgment we have remorse for not sharing. Today’s readings reminds us, NOW, that sharing is the criterion of Last Judgment: Matthew (25:31ff) tells us that all six questions to be asked of each one of us by Jesus when He comes in glory as our judge are based on how we have shared our blessings from Him (food, drink, home, mercy and compassion), with our brothers and sisters in need, for Jesus identifies Himself with each of them.

The main theme of this Sunday is the warning that the selfish and extravagant use of God’s blessings, like wealth, without sharing them with those in need is a serious sin deserving eternal punishment. Saint Luke, in his gospel, emphasizes the duty of the fortunate to share with the less fortunate. In today’s parable the rich man was punished, not for having riches, but for neglecting the Scriptures and what they taught on sharing his blessings with the poor. He felt entitled and was intentionally oblivious to the despair of Lazarus, who even dogs took pity upon. He could easily have helped him. Thus, the tables are turned in eternity.

The poor beggar, Lazarus, is perpetually comforted while the selfish rich man is tormented forever by the separation from heaven. What remorse! The parable concludes without sympathy by simply saying: “You and everyone are warned.”

We are all rich enough to share our blessings with others. God has blessed each one of us with wealth or health or special talents or social power or political influence or a combination of many blessings. The parable invites us to share what we have been given with others in various ways instead of using everything exclusively for selfish gains. Our choices here determine the kind of eternity we will have. It has been put this way: “Where we go hereafter depends on what we go after.”

Today's second collection is taken in support of the diocesan tuition assistance program. Monies raised through this collection coupled with the diocese’s tuition assistance endowment provides financial assistance to hundreds of deserving families who seek a Catholic education for their children but who cannot afford the full cost of tuition.

If you are not prepared to contribute today, you may drop your contribution off at the parish office or place it in next week’s collection basket. Envelopes are available in the vestibule of the church. For further information and on-line giving options, visit the Share in the Spirit website at https://www.cdow.org/share-in- the-spirit.

The beginning of October, Birthright of Delaware will host its annual “Bottles for Babies Fundraiser!” Please take a bottle home, fill it with your loose change, cash or checks and return it to the vestibule of the church by the end of October. Bottles can be collected throughout the months of October. Please feel free to take a bottle to your family and friends as well. Thank you for supporting Birthright! We appreciate All of you!

September 18

In today’s Gospel, Jesus said: “If you can trust a man in little things, you can also trust him in greater things; while anyone unjust in a slight matter is also unjust in greater things.” How true this is when we seem to question more and more those in whom we can trust. Like the ancient days of the Bible, we are surrounded by those who seek to serve only themselves.

This is Catechetical Sunday, a wonderful time to reflect on the role that each person plays in handing down the deposit of faith, the truths, we received from Christ. Our parish catechists are being recognized and commissioned at today’s 9:30 Mass. We salute our catechetical leaders and catechists, youth and young adults’ ministers, Director of Religious Education, Catholic school principals and teachers, as well as other individuals who provide faith formation to diverse age groups and settings.

The source of our beliefs comes from Jesus Christ. We believe Him trustworthy. As the First Letter of Peter states: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” Therefore, we depend on Christ to lead us in truth. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has asked us to focus more intently on the truth we celebrate at every Eucharist. This mystery of bread and wine becoming the Body and Blood of Jesus is the glorified Christ, raised from the dead, truly present – body, blood, soul and divinity – for us.

This is what the Church means when she speaks of the "Real Presence" of Christ in the Eucharist. This TRUTH has been handed on to us from Jesus Himself. Let us appreciate this unique presence of the Lord among us and remember that it was a nun, a priest, a catechist, or a loving parent that trustingly handed this truth to us.

Next week, parishioners throughout the diocese will be asked to help make the dream of a Catholic education a reality for struggling Catholic families. Monies raised through this collection coupled with the diocese’s tuition assistance endowment provides financial assistance to hundreds of deserving families who seek a Catholic education for their children but who cannot afford the full tuition.

Through this collection, our Bishop is reaching out to believing and worshipping Catholics like you to assist him in ensuring that the Catholic commitment to total the education of our children does not fade away because people cannot afford it. Since the Church has the mission to educate and since this mission directly affects the quality of life we experience as Catholics, all of us have a stake in Catholic education. It is in light of this reality that I ask you to consider supporting next week’s Share in the Spirit collection. To learn more about the Share in the Spirit collection and its importance, go to the diocesan website at https:// www.cdow.org/share-in-the-spirit. God bless you! Father Joe

Welcome back into the church & Thank You... The carpet, under the pews, and the new pews have been installed. The aisles of the church will be completed in a few weeks when the tiles are delivered and installed. The chain of productivity is the major reason for the delay. We thank everyone who has brought us thus far in this major project. We are grateful for your patience in the delays that we experienced. To everyone who contributed physically and financially... Thank you. Soon everything will be complete.

September 11

The stories Jesus tells in today’s Gospel give us some insight into that serious business of heaven’s joy. The self- righteous see sinners and reject them. Jesus sure enjoys the company of sinners; not in their sin but in them turning back to Him. And they seem to consistently enjoy Him.

First we hear the parable of the lost sheep. It is not practical to leave ninety- nine behind and seek the one wanderer. The risk of doing so is what Our Lord is willing to do to have a sinner return to the fold. For Jesus, it is joyful seeking and saving the lost. It is difficult for most of us to fathom such undaunted effort.

Jesus goes on. “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it.” Many people would rather take the loss than put the extra effort into finding the lost coin. Not Jesus. It has to do with completeness. Missing one sheep, missing one coin is like having all the winning lottery numbers but one. And that one thing missing would make it complete.

Jesus tells us that there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. God wants everyone saved. So yes, there is a sort of tension between God doing the seeking and finding and our repenting. The third parable describes the festive joy of a father when his prodigal son returns to him.

If we want to make heaven joyful, we should be asking ourselves how we can get involved, what does this repentance look like for each of us. Perhaps we start with the attitude that sinners are worth saving. All people are valuable and the effort in bringing them back to a complete relationship with Christ is what He asks of us. As for ourselves, what are the areas of our lives where we are losing connection with the Lord? We need to allow ourselves to be found. Let’s make heaven rejoice by turning wholeheartedly back to God. Saving sinners is serious business and a serious cause for joy in heaven because it will not be complete until everyone is there.

The carpet, under the pews, and the new pews have been installed. The aisles of the church will be completed in a few weeks when the tiles are delivered and installed. The chain of productivity is the major reason for the delay. We thank everyone who has brought us thus far in this major project. We are grateful for your patience in the delays that we experienced. To everyone who contributed physically and financially... Thank you. Soon everything will be complete.

September 4

There are many places in the Gospels where the Lord speaks using apocalyptic language.  Apocalyptic language uses shocking imagery to catch the listener’s attention.  Today’s gospel provides an example when Jesus says that we cannot be His disciples if we come to Him without hating loved ones like father and mother, wife and husband, indeed one’s very self.  So what is that all about? 

The Lord is not ignoring the Fourth Commandment.  He is using startling, apocalyptic imagery to illustrate the demands of being His disciple.  Discipleship demands that we take up our cross and follow the “dying to oneself” path of Jesus. Anything and anyone that causes us to lose our focus on Him cannot be tolerated. 

“Taking up one’s cross,” another dramatic imagery is the daily struggle we have not to be selfish or self centered, realizing that those idols and material things that are most important to us cannot be a priority above following Christ.  This sacrificial attitude (our cross) is very, very costly…in denying oneself of what matters so much to us.  Therefore, the Lord prepares us for the toll that discipleship, so often, demands upon us.  He suggests that we acknowledge our limitations and discern more fully our call and what is needed to follow Him.    

To be a disciple of Christ means to live beyond the insignificant things that we throw into our lives and to make time first for the things of God.

The Church Pews are in the process of being installed.  The delay is because of the flaws in the initial carpet and then productivity of alternative flooring.  Hopefully this will be the last week in the hall for Masses.  Progress is being made and should be completed real soon.  Thank you for your patience.

Labor Day is Monday, September 5th. The one Mass, that day, will be at 9 a.m. celebrating the contributions of workers that make up the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.  Human labor is honorable. 

August 28

In today’s Gospel, Christ accepts the invitation for a Sabbath feast from a prominent Pharisee, knowing the Pharisees are watching, hoping to catch Him in some error. Christ attempts to break through the Pharisees’ rigid myopia after watching them jostling for seats closest to the host to gain honor.  Jesus proposes and critiques two seating strategies.  Christ’s summary is a glimpse of Divine Judgment:  he who exalts himself will be humbled (least in the Kingdom of Heaven or, worse, to end up in Hell) and those who humble themselves will be exalted (great in the Kingdom). The humble person is recognized and exalted by God.

Having made a general rebuke to the prideful Pharisees, Christ boldly corrects the prominent Pharisee host. Christ directs the man to stop inviting his family and friends to his banquets and to start inviting the poor.  Jesus is talking about a divine kind of hospitality.  Our generosity ought to be a characteristic of our personal freedom, not dependent on how people treat us.  Rather than settle for the short-term benefit of ingratiating oneself to gain favor and reciprocation, Christ tells the man to aspire to gain the reward of the resurrection.  

Human pride fully seeks status, puffing up resumes, bragging about conquests and trash talking; Christ condemns the pride and hypocrisy of the Pharisees.  Today awakens the “blind spot” of our own pride, seeking self-honor and recognition.  Throughout Luke’s Gospel we find the righteous person is the humble person.  Perhaps it is innate from our First Parents that we are prideful beyond our own capacity.  It is often difficult to become the humble person Christ demands of us. One antidote for the poison of seeking self-honor is to build a habit of honoring others; recognizing the dignity of every human being is a major step in becoming truly humble.

The Church Pews are being delivered and installed this week.  The delay is because of the flaws in the carpet manufacturing.  Alternative plans for flooring were decided and undertaken.  The chain of productivity is the major reason for the delay.  Hopefully we will be one more week in the hall for Sunday Masses, including next weekend.  Progress is being made and should be completed real soon.  Thank you for your patience.

St. John the Beloved School opens its doors for another school year, this week, on August 29^th.  We wish our Principal, Richard Hart, and our new Vice Principal, Matthew Haney, all teachers, staff, students and their families the very best in the months ahead.  May the Good Lord enrich everyone with the graces needed to advance in knowledge and virtue.  God Bless this academic year.

August 21

Perhaps the most horrifying scenario imaginable is to stand outside of heaven only to hear the Lord respond, “I do not know where you are from.” Our first reading from the Prophet Isaiah assures us that the Lord “comes to gather nations of every language.” But some resist that invitation.

It is a growing trend that the centrality of faith and religious practices are dwindling. The statistics couldn’t be clearer. Did you know that the fastest- growing “religious” group in the United States is the “nones”—that is, those who claim no religious affiliation? In the latest Pew Research Center survey, fully 25 percent of the country—80 million people—say that they have no formal religion.

Historically, we can see the diminishing numbers among Catholics with each subsequent generation. Among our First Generation ancestors, about 80% of Catholic families attended Church somewhat regularly. With the Second Generation, about 70% of the families attended. My generation of Baby Boomers had originally about 70% attending Church and then their own numbers started to drop, only followed by their children where 50% occasionally attend.

When we focus on young people, the picture is even bleaker. Fifty percent, among Catholics, of those under thirty are now “nones.” Of all the Catholic children baptized or confirmed these last thirty years, half no longer participate in the life of the Church. Underlying the non practicing acceptance, with the latter two generations, is a general apathy toward religion and more disturbing is a disregard for Christ. Perhaps it is the challenge. Luke makes it clear that following Christ is difficult and demands a persistence in life to know and follow Him...”strive to enter through the narrow gate.” Unfortunately, secularism and scandals have escalated the philosophy of agnosticism and worse, atheism.

This growing indifference in society is a concern for people of faith, especially when we hear today’s Gospel...The entrance to heaven is no guarantee. Vatican II couldn’t be clearer on this score, seeing the Church itself as nothing but a vehicle for evangelization. According to Vatican II, it’s not so much the case that the Church has a mission, but rather that a mission has the Church. In order to join God’s gathering, we must “enter through the narrow gate,” which means saying “yes” to the relationship and demands that Christ wants to have with us.

We Catholics cannot avoid the mission of evangelization, proclaiming the faith. Bringing people to Christ is not one work among many; rather, it is the central work of the Church that around which everything else we do revolves. We need evangelization more than ever before. Will you answer the call?
 

August 14

The central theme of today’s readings is that we should courageously live out our religious convictions and principles in our lives, as Jeremiah, Paul, and Jesus did, even if doing so should result in our martyrdom. If no one is ever offended by the quality of our commitment to Christ, then perhaps we are “ineffective Christians.”

Jeremiah, in our first reading, is presented as experiencing the consequences of the burning word of God within him. His preaching divided the city and incited such opposition that people sought his death. He showed the courage of his prophetic conviction by telling the king how to save

Israel. This resulted in Jeremiah being thrown into a deep cistern to die. Paul, in the second reading, challenges the Judeo-Christians to stand firm in their Faith in Jesus, ignoring the ostracism imposed on them by their own former Jewish community.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus, too, preaches the word of God which continues to divide families, a word which, He knew, would lead ultimately to His death. The fire Jesus brings is the fire of love and hope. The disruption, division, and revolution, which Jesus and His true followers cause in society by the fire of sacrificial love and justice, are necessary to re-set what is fractured, in need of purification.

We must make a decision to follow Him. This choice can result in division, even within families. We need to strive and indeed pray for a “FIRE” in our hearts. So, as Christians on fire, we burn off impurities and inflame people to care, to serve, and to bless one another with all the gifts of Faith.

Flowers at the Virgin Mary Shrine are in memory of Bryan J. Kosc

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is August 15th and since it falls on a Monday, this year it is not a Holy Day of Obligation. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful feast that celebrates the Dormition or "falling asleep" of the Mother of God. We believe that Mary fell asleep in death and both her perfect soul and pure body were taken immediately to heaven. Masses for the Assumption will be offered on Monday at 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

The opening of our church will be delayed beyond this weekend of August 13-14. Unfortunately, flaws in the new carpet have made the manufacturer redo our order. Hopefully, the replacement will arrive soon. The pews are ready to be assembled but have to wait for the floor to be completed. Thank you for your patience. All Masses and services will continue to be conducted in the Parish Hall till the project is finished.

August 7

Jesus' instructions on how to be ready for the coming judgment continue in the stories and sayings found in today's Gospel. We are not to be like the greedy rich man in last Sunday's Gospel who planned to store his great harvest in barns rather than share it.

The other major way to be ready for the coming judgment is to be watchful. In Luke's Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about watchfulness to begin making this point. We must be like servants waiting for the master's return from a wedding banquet, which, even now, can last for a few days in the Middle East. We must be

watchful so that even if the master comes after midnight, we will be ready for him. This is what the coming of the Son of Man will be like.

Either way, the parables remind us that we should be found doing our jobs when the master arrives. If we are doing our jobs, our reward will be great. But if we relax, neglect our duties, and begin to act like the greedy rich man—eating, drinking, and making merry—we will not have a place in the Kingdom. Watchfulness means living in such a consistently moral and obedient way that we are always ready to give an account to God of how we have lived.

The opening of our church will be delayed beyond the weekend of August 13-14. Unfortunately, flaws in the new carpet have made the manufacturer redo our order. Hopefully, the replacement will arrive soon. The pews are ready to be assembled but have to wait for the floor to be completed. Thank you for your patience. All Masses and services will continue to be conducted in the Parish Hall till the project is finished.

A grateful note is extended to everyone who could and did support the 2022 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal. To date, we have almost reached the parish's target of $193,229. Thank you to the 501 gifts, thus far, that are helping us achieve our goal. Please continue fulfilling these pledges. If anyone has not done so, please consider making a contribution. Every donation is appreciated and not only will help us make our goal but continue to do the charitable work it is making possible in the Diocese of Wilmington. Thank you for your cooperation and dedication. God reward your generosity.

Mass Intention Book is open. Please contact the Parish Office for the availability and scheduling of intentions for Masses in the Parish for the approaching year. Please be considerate of others who also want to make their intentions. Also, all “living” intentions will be sent to retired priests to be fulfilled in a timely period.
 

July 31

The readings for this Sunday force us to take a closer look at the whole concept of success.  In the Gospel reading, the man is convinced that he is a success because he is a rich farmer.  What should he do now that he has succeeded in harvesting more grain than he can store?  Build another silo, of course.  The basis of his success is his grain.  When he suddenly dies, his success remains here, and he goes on to God empty handed.

The whole mindset that success is predicated on salary is based on a fallacy that was very clear to the author of the first reading.  He is sometimes called Qoheleth, in the Old Testament book called Ecclesiastes. “Vanity of vanities,” says Qoheleth, “All is vanity.”  Many times one flatters oneself, incorrectly, by viewing him/herself successful by his or her appearance rather than growing rich in the sight of God.  A person is on the road to success if he or she can draw closer to God and attract others to do likewise.

More and more achievements, titles and possessions can render us successful to most of the world; but, what about ourselves?  We cannot avoid the emptiness.  Our scripture readings remind us of the futility of it all unless one becomes more of the Godly reflection we are created to be. Success is predicated on our ability to assume the person of Jesus Christ. Success is not a present reality; it is a goal, the goal of Christian life.  The goal is reached; life is successful, when every aspect of life reflects the person of Jesus Christ.  That is success.   All else is vanity.

A grateful note is extended to everyone who could and did support the 2022 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal.  To date, we have $183,244 pledged toward our parish’s target of $193,229.  Thank you to the 497 gifts, thus far, that are helping us achieve our goal.  Please continue fulfilling these pledges.  If anyone has not done so, please consider making a contribution.  Every donation is appreciated and not only will help us make our goal but continue to do the charitable work it is making possible in the Diocese of Wilmington.  Thank you for your cooperation and dedication.  God reward your generosity.

All Masses and services will be conducted in the Parish Hall until the 5 PM mass on August 13.  The old pews have been removed.  Because they were constructed mostly of particle board, the reuse of these pews was not recommended since they would have to be cut down in length.  The floor of the church is presently being recarpeted and then the new pews will be installed in the next two weeks.  Thank you to everyone who contributed to the New Pew Campaign. 

2023 Mass Intention Book is open.  Please contact the Parish Office for the availability and scheduling of intentions for Masses in the Parish for the approaching year.  Please be considerate of others who also want to make their intentions.  Also, all “living” intentions will be sent to retired priests to be fulfilled in a timely period.  

July 24

I cannot help but think that our modern conveniences of life have spoiled our sense of prayer. All you need is to Google a question and in seconds the answer comes up. Need cash, go to an AT&T machine. Hungry for something, call DoorDash for instant delivery. Think about it. We put in for what we desire and get what we want. “For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door is opened.” So in prayer, we are somewhat conditioned to tell God what we want and expect to get what we ask for.

All that works fine, until it doesn’t. Some will get angry. Some will feel hurt or betrayed, lose faith, and even leave the Church. I don’t know why some prayers are answered and others seem to go unanswered. “You didn’t have enough faith.” “You didn’t pray hard enough.” “It’s a mystery and someday we will understand.” These are some of the confusing misinformation out there.

In the midst of unknowing and need, we are desperate for God to do something. It is not a mechanical formula or transmission of information to God that will get us what we want. Jesus’ response to the request: “Lord, teach us how to pray” teaches us about WHO and HOW God is. When we pray, say: “Father, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”

Definitely, a dear relationship already exists between God and each of us. Prayer is about relationship and presence. We are reminding ourselves of what already is. That relationship depends on God who nourishes and sustains our life. Then there is only one answer to every prayer...GOD. God’s presence, life, love, beauty, generosity, compassion, forgiveness, wisdom, justice, mercy is the answer to our prayers. Perhaps the greatest difficulty of prayer is that sometimes we want instantaneous results. We don’t want God. We want something from God.

While God can and sometimes does change circumstances to what is desired, more often than not, God changes us to face the circumstances of life with HIM. It is a difficult lesson to meditate on and spiritually understand. On my better days, I know this and that’s enough. On those other days when you enter the cloud of unknowing...Its’ “Lord, teach me to pray.”

Property Next Door... For the past forty years, the parish has desired to obtain the 3 acre parcel next door in the hopes that we may expand as a parish campus. This property became available for sale and was purchased by the Parish. Our present location is central for many diocesan activities and possible growth. It was recommended by the diocese and our Parish Finance Committee to buy the property at the valued price for future needs. We thank everyone who studied the purchase of the land and made the recommendation to obtain it.

All Masses and services will be conducted in the Parish Hall until the 5 PM mass on August 13. For the next three weeks, the old pews will be removed, the floors recarpeted and then the new pews will be installed. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the New Pew Campaign.

2023 Mass Intention Book will open on Monday, July 25. Please contact the Parish Office for the availability and scheduling of intentions for Masses in the Parish for the approaching year. Please be considerate of others who also want to make their intentions. Also, all “living” intentions will be sent to retired priests to be fulfilled in a timely period.

July 17

"Martha, Martha" Usually when we use the word mystery, we think of a story that has an ending we try to solve before we get to the last page of the book or last five minutes of the movie. For the Church a mystery is a truth that is incomprehensible to the reason and knowable only through divine revelation.

In this Sunday’s second reading to the Colossians, Paul speaks about a mystery, “a mystery that has been hidden for ages is now manifested to God’s Holy Ones.” The mystery is this: Christ is in you. Sadly, when it comes to this Mystery many people are clueless. We go about our day, so busy that we overlook the purpose for our actions. We overlook the reason for our being. We forget about the presence of Christ. Like Martha in the Gospel we are concerned with doing instead of being. Martha was busy doing this and that in her valiant efforts to prepare for Jesus. Mary, her sister, was concerned with being, with being with Jesus.

These days, most people are overwhelmed with distractions. Even the technology meant to make communication easier seems to be engrossing more of our time. We need to stop and hear the Lord in the silence. Our many concerns, real as they are, should not consume us, nor should they rob us of the opportunity of the Divine Presence in and around us. When we choose to nurture the presence of the Lord within us, like Mary, to grasp the mystery and will be choosing the better part.

This is the last weekend that we will hold Masses and liturgies in the church until Saturday, August 13. All Masses and services will be conducted in the Parish Hall from Monday, July 18 to August 12. For the next four weeks, the old pews will be removed, the floors recarpeted and then the new pews will be installed.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the New Pew Campaign. The amount collected has exceeded the cost for the new pews; therefore allowing us to install a new carpet in church. The new carpet will be more enduring while eliminating any older markings from the previous pews. Thank you, again, for your assistance in achieving our needed sums and the task at hand.

Property Next Door... For the past forty years, the parish has desired to obtain the 3 acre parcel next door in the hopes that we may expand as a parish campus. This property became available for sale and was purchased by the Parish. Our present location is central for many diocesan activities and possible growth. It was recommended by the diocese and our Parish Finance Committee to buy the property at the valued price for future needs. We thank everyone who studied the purchase of the land and made the recommendation to obtain it.

July 10

We all know the parable of the Good Samaritan. We know it so well that we forget that it is pointed towards us. The parable is about living the Way of Jesus, the Law of Love. The Samaritan’s were seen by the Jews as outside of the Law. They had intermarried with pagans and their practice of the Jewish faith was not as pure as the Jews. And yet the Samaritan, in Jesus’ parable, warrants the title “Good” because he knew when God called him to action. He knew that he could not be a follower of the Lord and walk by that man who needed his help. This parable is real in our lives. Recall the times when you were the recipient of kindness when you least expected it but needed it most. It demanded someone’s time and resources to help; and we cannot forget the kindness.

The Law of the Lord is more than precepts that have to be memorized and followed; and indeed they should be. We are called to fulfill God’s Law of helping those who need our love at any given moment. We know that Jesus identified with those who were hurting and went to great lengths to relieve their pain or satisfy their need. And more than THE LAW... relieving the sufferings of others seems to be innate, inborn. Often we see it coming naturally from people whom we least expected. The Parable of the Good Samaritan answers the question: What must I do to inherit eternal life? We have only to look into our hearts. We know what we must do.

A grateful note is extended to everyone who could and did support the 2022 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal. To date, we have $183,244 pledged toward our parish’s target of $193,229. Thank you to the 497 gifts, thus far, that are helping us achieve our goal. Please continue fulfilling these pledges. If anyone has not done so, please consider making a contribution. Every donation is appreciated and not only will help us make our goal but continue to do the charitable work it is making possible in the Diocese of Wilmington. Thank you for your cooperation and dedication. God reward your generosity.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the New Pew Campaign. The amount collected has exceeded the cost for the new pews; therefore allowing us to install a new carpet in church. The new carpet will be more enduring while eliminating any older markings from the previous pews.

The renovation will begin after next weekend, July 16-17. All Masses and services will be conducted in the Parish Hall from Monday, July 18th to August 13th. The demolition of the older pews, recarpeting of the floor and then installation of the new pews are major projects requiring that amount of time. Thank you, again, for your assistance in achieving our needed sums and the task at hand.

July 3

To see what we can learn from today’s Gospel of Jesus sending out the 72 disciples, we will go verse by verse:

Luke 10:1 “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two.” When we go out to preach the gospel it is always best for two to go together because we have someone else, a partner, who can pray for and support each other. Jesus sent these disciples out to go ahead or go before Him in the places that “he himself was about to go.” Jesus is responsible for what happens after the gospel has been proclaimed by His disciples.

Luke 10:2 “And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” We hate to say this but we often remain silent when we refuse to share the gospel of Jesus Christ for fear of being rejected or ridiculed. Jesus tells us to pray for laborers because the harvest is so huge and there are so few laborers. We need to pray for more courage and boldness to speak about our faith.

Luke 10:3 “Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.” When we take the gospel to the world, we are lambs nearly being sent to the slaughter. The secular world too often does not want to hear about our Christ and His message. Just realize you will be attacked but remember that it is the Message that they really hate (Jesus) and not the messenger.

Luke 10:4 “Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.” This is a warning from the Lord not to overburden ourselves with practical things that may seem necessary. Living more freely, we can have the needed energy to work for the Lord.

Luke 10:5-9 “Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ “Peace be to this house” is a Jewish customary greeting and farewell. It was also the great gift from the Resurrected Lord to his disciples. Where people accept the message, there will be peace. But if not, it will return to you. Also, Jesus asks the disciple to be stable, in one place, accepting hospitality for refreshment.

Luke 10:10-12 But if they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘we shake the dust from of this town from our feet.” This is clearly what will happen most of the time. By shaking the dust off our feet we are simply leaving their eternal state to God and acknowledging that they have been warned. All that we can do is pray and hope that God sends them a change of heart.

Conclusion... Jesus is still sending out men and women today. We are called, as Christ’s disciples, to open the way, by word and example, for God. Remember, God is the evangelist. We simply need support to be bold in proclaiming the Gospel to a world often hostile to the Lord. Living simply, we may encounter a peaceful acceptance or a rejection that leaves the situation in the hands of God.

Mass on the Fourth of July is at 9 a.m. that day. All are invited to celebrate our Nation’s commemoration of independence and establishment as a new nation. It is a wonderful time to remember our freedoms and the task we have, as a Nation, to preserve those certain unalienable rights that we are endowed with by Our Creator. Please keep praying for our Nation that we may be guided in His way.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the New Pew Campaign. The amount collected has exceeded the cost for the new pews; therefore allowing us to install a new carpet in church. The new carpet will be more enduring while eliminating any older markings from the previous pews.

The renovation will begin after the weekend of July 16-17. All Masses and services will be conducted in the Parish Hall from Monday, July 18 to August 13. The demolition of the older pews, carpeting and then installation of the new pews are major projects requiring that amount of time. Thank you, again, for your assistance in achieving our needed sums and the task at hand.
 

June 26

Have you ever heard the expression, “Putting on our Game Face?” It is used in sports when an athlete is so determined to accomplish his or her goal, that you can see that determination is written all over his or her face.

In today’s Gospel reading from Luke, Jesus has His game face on. He is determined to journey to Jerusalem from this point on; for it is in Jerusalem that Jesus would suffer, die and rise again. Nothing was going to get in Jesus’ way. He was determined to complete the work of the Father and initiate the Kingdom of God. If the Samaritans didn’t want to join in, so be it. That would not stop Him.

Jesus told His followers that nothing can prevent the true disciple from journeying with Him to Jerusalem. Jesus did not take a shortcut by taking in the bad advice of James and John. Jesus forewarned some people who wanted to join Him that the journey would not be easy. Other people received a direct invitation from Jesus to join Him on the journey. But they had excuses.

We also need to journey with the Lord. We cannot allow anything to destroy our focus on the Kingdom of God. We can do all that God wants of us in our lives, but we have to be determined and look towards the ultimate goal of our lives. When it comes to living our Christianity, we have to have our game faces on.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the New Pew Campaign. The amount collected has exceeded the cost for the new pews; therefore allowing us to install a new carpet in church. The new carpet will be more enduring while eliminating any older markings from the previous pews.

The renovation will begin after the weekend of July 16-17. All Masses and services will be conducted in the Parish Hall from Monday, July 18th to August 6th. The demolition of the older pews, recarpeting of the floor and then installation of the new pews are major projects requiring that amount of time. Thank you, again, for your assistance in achieving our needed sums and the task at hand.

Called step by step: My Priestly Vocation at its Infancy Seminarian Dennis Stameza (Pastoral Year: 2022/ 2023)
Normally God allows his people to perceive and realize his call gradually. He leads them progressively as He will towards the fulfillment of his desired mission. This is evident to most of the Old Testament prophets such as Moses, Samuel, Elisha, Isaiah and Jeremiah. Even in the New Testament, Jesus allowed his apostles to realize their call gradually. Paul’s call and conversion gives us a clear picture of how God calls and leads his chosen people progressively in his mission. Thus, God does not only call an individual but also leads him and prepares him for the work. Therefore, we can say that vocation grows from infancy towards maturity. However, the person in question has to respond positively in order to allow such vocation to grow.

In our times we don’t perceive God’s call mysteriously as it was the case of most of the Old Testament prophets and St. Paul in the New Testament. God’s call is rather experienced in and through very normal life situations and to the very normal people. Sometimes it becomes even difficult to realize such a call in proper time due to lack of inner silence and the necessary faith.Even minute life experiences can be signs of God’s call to his mission.

Some 22 years back I developed some admiration on how the priest conducts the Mass, consecrates the Body and Blood of Christ and shares with those who are around him. I remember when I was 7 years old; I could call my fellow children and try to conduct artificial masses for them distributing pieces of banana for them as a sign of the Eucharist. By that time, I knew that the function of the priest is just to celebrate mass and that was all and that was my sole interest. But I have gradually moved from there and I am now in a far better understanding, and I am still moving towards more and more understanding of my call to priesthood especially in this pastoral year here at St. John the Beloved Parish. So, I can say that my journey towards priesthood is a transformation from ‘interest’ to ‘mission’... God bless you all.

June 19, 2022

Today we celebrate the solemn feast of Corpus Christi or Body and Blood of the Lord. It is the festival of the Roman Catholic Church in honor of the real presence of the body (corpus) of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

To emphasize the supremacy of Christ’s real presence among us, the United States Bishops are launching a three year National Eucharistic Revival, starting today. Our Bishop Koenig is joining this effort for our Diocese today, Sunday, June 19th, with the Corpus Christi Mass at 2 p.m. at St. Peter’s Cathedral; followed by a Eucharistic Procession from the Cathedral. All are invited.

The focus is to reinstruct Catholics on the great depth of our faith. Unfortunately,
many have lost the faith required to believe the Eucharistic Presence, submitting
to the conventional mindset that Eucharist is metaphorically our oneness with
Christ. Recalling the words of Jesus, which relate the Last Supper with His
sacrifice at the cross, in Mt 26:26-28; Mk 14:22-24, Lk 22:17-20, 1 Cor 11:23-25, the Catholic Church professes that, in the celebration of the Eucharist, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In the Gospel of John 6:51-55, after Jesus said His flesh is true food and His blood true drink, Jesus faced opposition by many who walked away from Him. Jesus responded with clarity and confidence: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you do not have life within you.”

Christ is present to His Church in many ways, but most especially through the sacrament of His Body and Blood. The presence of the Risen Christ in the Eucharist is an inexhaustible mystery that the Church can never fully explain in words. We must remember that the triune God is the creator of all that exists and has the power to do more than we can possibly imagine. At Mass, bread and wine are changed in essence from the physical to the spiritual, containing fully the Real Presence of the Resurrected Lord. We can then take the tangible presence of the Lord and consume Him ourselves and share this privilege with the sick and dying.

The sacredness of this Real Presence goes far beyond a sacred meal but actually unites us with Christ Himself. That is why we need to receive Communion respectfully in a state of grace, be reverent in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, and take special care not to ignore the One within us.

As we celebrate Father’s Day, we honor those men who parent us by passing on life in loving fulfillment of duty. We honor those men who selflessly support and guide us, regardless of their own aspirations, hopes and hardships. Knowing that these men protect us, their children, is a great source of security. And to a higher level, are those fathers who inspire us in faith. Saint Joseph, guardian of Jesus, models the attributes of a good father. May St. Joseph hear the prayers of our fathers and those who imitate them in our lives. And for those men who left this world, may they have the reward of the just and honorable servants of God.

Fathers Piekarski and Preston;
Deacons Bailey, Fontana & Oldiges; Seminarian Dennis and our staff

Dear Friends,
With an abundance of gratitude, I write to thank you for your support of the 2022 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal. Your willingness to share and your commitment to serve others enables the diocese to do the work of Our Lord by providing the necessities of life to those in material need, peace and comfort to those in spiritual distress, religious instruction to eager minds and guidance for struggling families and individuals. On behalf of all those who will benefit from your generosity, I extend to you my gratitude in prayer and ask God’s blessing on you and those you love. Walking by Faith, we bring the face of God to those in need. Sincerely in Christ, Father Joe Piekarski