Saint Elizabeth Roman Catholic Church
Insert to the Parish Bulletin for Sunday, October 22, 2017
Pastoral Planning Update
For the past twenty months, the parish pastoral council has been working to draft a new multi- year pastoral plan. This plan is designed to provide direction for the commitment of resources in personnel, facilities, time and money to existing and proposed parish activities. The 2017-2021 Pastoral Plan includes a new Vision Statement, an updated Mission Statement, a new set of Core Parish Values and an updated set of Pastoral Goals & Objectives. These goals & objectives are intended to shape the development of existing and future parish activities and programs to enrich the life and ministry of the parish community.
The latest draft of the pastoral plan was discussed at the joint meeting of the pastoral, finance and stewardship councils on September 19, and is now being finalized for communication to our current parish ministry groups and to parishioners at large. You can find more detailed information about the 2017-2021 Pastoral Plan by going to the parish website home page (stelizabethparish.org).
Forty Hours Devotions: A Special Time of Prayer
Each year our parish celebrates the Forty Hours Devotions around the traditional feast of Saint Elizabeth and her husband, Zachary, on November 5. What a fitting way to mark the anniversary of the dedication of our church (November 4, 2005) and to honor our patroness, Saint Elizabeth!
This year the Forty Hours Devotions will be celebrated on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, November 5-6-7. The Forty Hours Devotions are a special time of prayer before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, solemnly exposed in the monstrance on the altar. All are encouraged to participate in this great time of grace at Saint Elizabeth!
This year’s preacher is Father John T. Lyons, a retired diocesan priest who resides at Saint Genevieve Church in Flourtown, PA. Father Lyons will offer a reflection on three themes: Sunday- The Presence of God in Our History & Our Spiritual Journey; Monday- Following the Example of Jesus in Serving Others and Tuesday- Our Intimacy with and in Jesus.
During Forty Hours Devotions, we will have Evening Prayer, a homiletic reflection by Father Lyons and Benediction each evening at 7:00 PM in church. We will also have Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM on Monday and Tuesday, to provide time for personal prayer and quiet reflection throughout the day. On Tuesday evening we will have a closing Eucharistic Procession around the church with our parish liturgical ministers.
Individuals, couples and families are invited to take advantage of this sacred time and spend a few minutes, a half-hour or more praying before Jesus really present in the Blessed Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist during the day and/or to attend the communal prayer services each evening. Those who would like to register for a period of adoration as public representatives of the parish community as a whole are asked to sign their names on the schedule posted on the bulletin board outside the daily Mass chapel. Please consider participating in this year’s Forty Hours Devotions with your loved ones.
Upcoming Meetings & Activities
For a complete schedule of upcoming meetings and activities at the parish, along with other events of interest in the area, check out the online parish bulletin at www.stelizabethparish.org.