This week we celebrate Independence Day. On June 19th, we celebrated Juneteenth Day. I had not heard of Juneteenth a few years ago; it’s only when it became a national holiday that this commemoration came to my notice. The juxtaposition […]
Several times in this bulletin I have informed you of a critical capital project that must be done for the survival of Saint John Church. Overall, we have maintained our churches (upper and lower) well. We have responded quickly to […]
Throughout the world Catholics are invited to support Pope Francis by making a donation to the Peter’s Pence Collection this weekend, June 15 and 16. The money collected supports the Pope’s ministry of serving the church and assisting the poor. […]
Recently (published May 20, 2024) the “Catholic Preaching Institute” at Saint Charles Seminary conducted a survey of the attitudes of Philadelphia Catholics on the preaching that they hear in their parishes. Here are some results: 5970 people participated from 204 […]
Recently I spoke to a mother who was asking to baptize her baby. Of course, I scheduled the baptism, but I also encouraged the young mother to attend Mass with her husband. Though I have not been a parent, I […]
All of us Capuchin friars will be in Cleveland from May 28-31 for an Assembly, a several day gathering and meeting. We will discuss relevant topics, but the most important thing is that all friars of our Province will be […]
I’ve got good news and bad news (but mostly bad news) about the future of religion in the United States based on a recent Gallup poll on religious practice. First the good news: 30% of all US adults and 33 […]
The following was prepared by our parishioner, Nadine Boulware, who is providing us occasional articles on US Catholic Black history. Although the family origins of Elizabeth Clarissa Lange are unclear, it is likely that she was born about 1789 in […]
Many of us have two selves — one that is actual and another that we fantasise about. We can desire to be slimmer, fairer, richer, and so forth — things we are not. It is indeed good to keep […]
How do you handle disagreements or misunderstandings in a relationship? Many might have “disagree, agree, or suck it up” as their default response to disagreements.[1] People can opt for agree or suck it up styles for the sake of protecting a […]