The 4th Sunday of Easter
April 22, 2018

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

Thirteen years ago, the beloved and now late televangelist, Billy Graham, commented in an interview about the death of Pope Saint John Paul II.  Graham said:“He lived like his Master the Good Shepherd and he died like his Master the Good Shepherd.”  In today’s Gospel, Jesus claims that He is the Good Shepherd and explains what He does for His sheep. 

Today, we celebrate the Risen Lord as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. The priest in charge of a parish is called pastor because pastor means shepherd of Christ’s sheep. As a shepherd, he leads, feeds, nurtures, comforts, corrects, and protects Christ’s sheep in the parish. The earliest Christians saw Jesus as the fulfillment of the ancient Jewish dream of a Good Shepherd. 
 
I and St. John the Beloved Parish are committed to maintaining the safety of our parishioners, students, faculty, staff, and visitors to our campus.  As part of this commitment, the parish has implemented a Safety and Security Committee in December of 2017. This group of Parish volunteers consists of active and retired Delaware State troopers, New Castle County and City of Wilmington Police officers, First Responders (EMS and Fire) and interested parishioners.  
 
The committee will work together to create a Campus Safety Plan, containing a comprehensive listing of parish policies, procedures, and information relating to campus safety, emergency management and the health and welfare of the St. John the Beloved faith community while on campus.  Our First meeting was in January and our second meeting was in March. Moreover, we have already made additions and changes to our processes.
 
For example, in addition to the Traffic Control Police officer on Milltown Road for Masses, during activities on campus, take notice that these officers will now be joining us in church during the Mass and patrolling the parking lot and school halls during events.  You may also see some volunteers assisting with parking during the Saturday and Sunday Masses.  In case of an emergency, the parking lot has to be accessible to all emergency vehicles.  We are purchasing a two-way radio system for our staff, school staff and for our officer and ushers at Masses. We have purchased additional emergency resources for EMTs, nurses, and doctors.
 
Additionally, we are working on getting estimates for closed-circuit cameras for the church, front and back parking lot, the school and the hall.  These estimates also include estimates for a keyless entry system for the school, hall and Vianney Parish Office.  As originally proposed from our Sustaining Hope Campaign, we will be improving lighting in the parking lot.  Of course, all of this takes money and time, but our priority is your safety.  If you can prayerfully consider supporting our endeavor financially, please call the office for more information.
 
Appreciative to everyone who is a part of this committee and anyone who cooperates in making our parish campus safe, we are being pro-active during disturbing times.  Together, these programs and more to come comprise the working plan for maintaining a safe campus for all.
 
Sincerely,
Father Joe Piekarski

The 3rd Sunday of Easter
April 15, 2018

St. Luke recalls for us, in today’s Gospel, that it was only when Jesus opened their eyes and minds through His explanation of the scriptures and the breaking of the bread that the two disciples on the road to Emmaus came to recognize Him. As men and women of faith, we are like those disciples, living our lives in the real world, walking along with Jesus who is always there accompanying us, whether we recognize Him or not.

Our Lord teaches us that at the end of our mortal life, He will call us to be with Him for all eternity. He will do so because of His great love for us and because of our response to do what He has asked: to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked and attend to the needs of our brothers and sisters not only in our parishes and diocese but throughout the world.

The 2018 Annual Catholic Appeal, with its theme, “Disciples of Christ, Witnesses of Faith” challenges each of us to bear witness to our faith and open our minds and hearts to bring those less fortunate closer to God’s table. To know Christ is to know His message of salvation; to love Christ is to imitate His love for all people, and to serve Christ is to manifest His teachings through acts of Christian Stewardship.This weekend you are invited to participate in the 2018 Annual Catholic Appeal. Our parish target is $175,000. Your financial support of the Appeal also provides funding for our parish since 100% of monies collected above our target will be returned for our own ministry needs. It is important that our parishioners and friends made a contribution, as possible, because any shortfall from the parish target is made up of our parish resources. Please give prayerful consideration to your resources and the needs of those served by the Appeal. Please respond by pledging a sacrificial gift to this important campaign.

To learn more about the Annual Catholic Appeal,
visit www.cdow.org; click “Giving” then “Annual Catholic Appeal”. 

- Father Joe Piekarski, Pastor  

Divine Mercy Sunday, April 8, 2018

This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday. Mercy is the foundation of the Easter Season.
Jesus came to bring God’s mercy to the world. Look closely at the first meeting of the Resurrected Christ with His disciples. It is in today’s Gospel. He stood among them and said, “Peace with you, as the Father has sent me, so I send you.” He empowered the disciples and through them, the Church, to be the vehicle of His Mercy. Thomas missed this encounter and subsequently doubted what he heard from the first witnesses of the Resurrected Lord. Perhaps Thomas really doubted himself and the disciples who deserted the Lord.

When Thomas met the Resurrected Lord, wounds and all, he must have been humiliated. But the Lord understood his doubts and forgave Thomas for his misgivings. Thomas represents all of us who ever have doubts. Adolescents and early Teen years are often the times when we challenge a lot of things; perhaps, even God. The images of our childhood God lost weight as we grew older. Realizing that God was infinitely greater than our minds could figure out was a lesson to be learned and we begin to appreciate the Divine Mercy that Christ extends to our arrogance. We pray for faith today. We seek forgiveness for our times of doubt, and we are convinced that His mercy will fill us with His Life. After all, this is Divine Mercy Sunday.

Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated today. This feast, the second Sunday of Easter, was promulgated by Saint John Paul II and Pope Francis asked the Church to take advantage of God’s mercy and share it with one another. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will begin, today, April 8th, at 2 p.m. in our church. Reconciliation will be available from 2 to 4 p.m. The Divine Mercy Chaplet will be prayed at 3 p.m. and Mass will conclude the feast at 5 p.m. 

- Father Joe Piekarski, Pastor   

Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018

to redeem us, save us from the effects of our turning away from God. Jesus showed us the way back to the Father and made a lasting covenant between God and humanity by shedding His own blood on the cross. Today celebrates the victory of Jesus over sin and death, His triumph over the forces of evil and the ultimate joy of His Kingdom that awaits us who follow Him. Today, we share in the promise of resurrection for ourselves and all the faithful where the decay of a passing world is no longer a reality. You see...God is faithful to His promise.

Our joy today is a mere glimpse of what awaits us and stirs us on 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, Coffiey & Martin; Deacons Bailey, Wuebbels & Fontana and the staff of
Saint John the Beloved Parish

Remember the Celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday on April 8 in Saint John the Beloved Church. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament begins at 2 p.m. followed by confessions to 4:30. Chaplet of the Divine Mercy will be prayed at 3 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 helps set up, cleans and decorates 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 cooperates on the parish campus in allowing schedules and procedures to flow nicely AND everyone who make any contribution and donation to the parish and “extra” collections...we would not be here without out... Thank You Very Much. May your generosity of talent, time and treasure be rewarded a hundredfold. A Special Thank You to Our Parish Life Committee who contributed the funds to purchase our new repository (tabernacle) used on the Holy Thursday Altar of Repose. Your assistance to the parish in this and many other ways are appreciated. 

 

Palm Sunday, March 25, 2018

Today, with the Universal Church, we enter our High Holy Days...the most important solemnity of our faith. The Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ, together, are called the Paschal Mystery and that is what we celebrate. These coming days are the fulfillment of the Jewish Feast of Passover; a foreshadowing of God’s plan of salvation begun by Moses delivering Israel from Pharaoh’s slavery. Jesus by His death, burial and resurrection delivered humanity from the tyranny and slavery of sin and death.

+ Holy Week Schedule +

MONDAY:                   6:30 & 8:00 a.m. *No Confessions this evening.

TUESDAY:                 Mass at 6:30 & 8:00 a.m.,
                                   2 noon to 1:00 p.m. Confessions
                                   7:00 p.m. Parish Penance Service

WEDNESDAY:           Mass at 6:30 & 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

HOLY THURSDAY:    No morning Mass. Prayer at 8:00 a.m. and 12 Noon.
                                   7:00 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 8:00 a.m. & 12 Noon.
                                   Celebration of the Lord’s Passion: 3:00 p.m.
                                   Confessions at 6:00 p.m.
                                   Stations of the Cross at 7:00 p.m.

HOLY SATURDAY:     Prayer at 8:00 a.m.
                                   Blessing of Food at 10 a.m.
                                   Only 1 evening Mass at 8 p.m.
                                   Easter Vigil --- Mass of the Lord’s Resurrection 8:00 p.m.
EASTER SUNDAY:    7:30 a.m. (church) 9:30 & 11:30 a.m. (church & hall). *No Mass at 5 p.m

What is Tenabrae? It is the service held in our church after the faithful keep vigil at the Repository (the tabernacle that holds the Blessed Sacrament after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper) on Holy Thursday. Beginning 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. Please feel welcomed to join us in this old, yet new, service that concludes our Holy Thursday.

Please Help! The Easter Sunday Masses are overflowing with visitors. Once the church is full, the overflow must go into the gym/hall. Please be considerate and welcoming to our guests. Remember, a good experience for them, from you, is an invitation to come back. Please cooperate with our ushers who have to oversee the seating, safety, and needs of people. If you want a certain seat or need a certain number, make sure you come early. Nobody can reserve seats. Lastly, there are plenty of parking spaces in the back of the church, including handicapped spaces. Follow the direction of our parking lot attendants (from our Knights of Columbus). Cooperation from everybody will make it a safe and joyous holy day.