A Word from Father Mullin
Congratulations to the 120 boys and girls who celebrated the Sacrament of First Penance/Reconciliation with their parents and families here at Saint Elizabeth this weekend.
Can you remember your first confession? I suspect that many of us can not recall much of that initial experience of sacramental forgiveness in our childhood. More importantly, can you remember your last confession? If it has been quite some time since you went to confession, now is a good time of year to come: there are no long lines and plenty of quiet time in church to examine your conscience and pray for forgiveness.
Fr. John Stokely and I are available for individual confession on Saturday mornings at 9:00 AM in the daily Mass chapel. Come experience anew the wonderful words of the psalms: God’s mercy endures forever!
Fr. Tom Mullin
Exton-Lionville Ministerium News
All are invited to participate in the annual Prayer Service for Christian Unity this Sunday, January 21, at 7:00 PM in the Exton Community Baptist Church. Rev.
Gary Jacabella, pastor of the Exton United Methodist Church, will preach on the 2018 theme: Your Right Hand, O Lord, Glorious in Power (Exodus 15:6).
RCIA Inquiry
Do you know someone who is searching for life's meaning, for community? Or someone who has asked about the Catholic faith? Please invite them to learn more about the RCIA by contacting DRE Beth Riordan at 610-646-6545 or
Confirmation News
Bishop John McIntyre will celebrate Confirmation at Saint Elizabeth on Saturday, April 28, at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. The Confirmation rehearsals will be held on Wednesday, April 25, at 6:00 PM and 7:30 PM. The Confirmation retreats for candidates and parents will be held on Saturdays, March 10 and 17. Registration forms and sponsor forms are now past due! For more info, please call the parish office (610-321-1200).
Mass Intentions for the Week
January 20-21: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday, 5:30 PM- Carmen Costa, Sr.
Sunday, 8:00 AM- Matthew Haggerty
Sunday, 9:30 AM- Priests of St. Elizabeth Parish
Sunday, 11:30 AM- People of Saint Elizabeth
Monday, 7:30 AM- Protection of the Unborn
Tuesday, 7:30 AM- Eleanor Angstadt
Wednesday, 7:30 AM- John Ramagano
Thursday, 7:30 AM- Steven Kacenjar (1st Ann)
Friday, 7:30 AM- Edward & Susan Schmitz
Saturday, 8:30 AM- Jesse Taylor Pratt
January 27-28:Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday, 5:30 PM- People of Saint Elizabeth
Sunday, 8:00 AM- Thomas Schatt
Sunday, 9:30 AM- Edward Linkiewicz
Sunday, 11:30 AM- Peter & Joan Rehil
Readings: Deuteronomy 18/15-20; Psalm 95; 1 Corinthians 7/32-35; Mark 1/21-28
Miraculous Medal Novena: All are welcome to come for novena prayers to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal on Saturday mornings at 7:50 AM, followed by a Rosary for Life at 8:00 AM in the daily Mass chapel.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: All are welcome to Exposition in the daily Mass chapel on Mondays between 8:00 AM and 8:30 PM. All are welcome to include the names of their loved ones in the Prayer Ministry Book located outside the chapel to have them remembered in prayer during Exposition.
Prayer Corner
Please pray for all those who are ill, including Laurence Brescia; JoAnn Colletti; Sheila Flynn; Stephen Guminski; Rev. Michael Hennelly; Leah Hoopes; Joanne Kovaleski; Nguyen Lan; Linda Malgieri; Trinh Phan and Tammy Swan.
We also remember those who have died, including parishioner Marie Altieri; Lloyd Shepps, husband of Janet Shepps; Helen O’Driscoll, sister of Anne Lefebvre; Anne Kauffman, mother of Thomas Kauffman; and James Calista, father of Joan Kelly. May our departed loved ones rest in peace.
Parish School News
Open House for Catholic Schools Week: All are welcome to tour our school next Sunday, January 28, 12:30-2:00 PM. Come and see why Saint Elizabeth Parish School is a special place to learn. Application materials will be available for students looking to enroll for the 2018-2019 school year.
Reminder about Re-Registration: The deadline for re-registration of current students and early application for incoming siblings is this Thursday, January 25.
Sneak a Peek: We will be holding sessions on Tuesday, Feb. 13, and Tuesday, Feb. 27, 9:30-11:00 AM. This program is designed for new children entering kindergarten or first grade in September of 2018. Discover what a school day is like at Saint Elizabeth Parish School. For more information, call the school office at 610-646-6540.
Financial Aid: Financial aid applications are currently available through FACTS Grant & Aid. Late applications must be submitted by March 31. The application link is available on the parish school website, on the Archdiocesan BLOCS website and at https://online. factsmgt.com/aid.
Baptism News
The next session of Pre-Jordan II: A Call to Christian Parenting, will be held on Saturday, February 10 and the next session of Pre-Jordan I: Preparing for Your Child’s Baptism will be held on Saturday, March 10. Both programs begin at 10:30 AM in the ministry center. To register for a Pre-Jordan Program and/or to arrange for a baptism, call 610-321-1200.
Elementary Faith Formation
2017-2018 Theme: Our theme for this year is Family Prayer. Each month families will pray and go deeper into the meaning of a Catholic prayer. In January, we are praying the Our Father. Check the parish website and Facebook page for weekly posts on this prayer.
Middle School Faith Formation: Seventh & eighth graders are invited to a study series entitled: Theology of the Body for Teens, Middle School Edition on Monday evenings, January 22 through March 19, 6:30- 7:45 PM. Details and registration are on the parish website. For more info, contact DRE Beth Riordan (610-646-6545 or
Adult Faith Formation
Adult Bible Study: All are invited to a special 8-week series entitled Mary, A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother. The series begins this Tuesday, January 23, either at 9:30-11:00 AM or at 7:00-8:30 PM. Each session includes small group prayer & discussion and a DVD lecture with Dr. Edward Sri from Ascension Press. Register online ASAP at goo.gl/4ZcwZY or call Donna Skinner (610-873-0508).
Family Life Ministry
Enrichment Workshop for Married & Engaged Couples:
Do you and your partner speak the same love language? Couples who understand each others' love language have a priceless advantage in the quest for love that lasts a lifetime. Join us on Saturday, February 10, after the 8:30 AM morning Mass, 9:00 AM-12 noon in the parish social hall as parishioners Mary and Tom Dominiecki lead a discussion on how to discover more about each other. RSVP by Monday, February 5, either on the parish website (www.stelizabethparish.org) or to Gen Miceli at
Pastoral Outreach
Poor Box Program: Thanks to the generous donations of parishioners, we were able to send a check for $3,585.69 to the Saint Vincent de Paul Society serving the needy of the Downingtown & Coatesville areas. Your donations will be put to good use especially during the cold winter we have been having. To volunteer with Saint Vincent de Paul Society, contact Susan Lindsey (
Senior Adult Ministry
Game Day: Fight the winter doldrums and come out to play this Thursday, January 25, at 10:30 AM in the ministry center. All are welcome. Bring a friend too!
SAM Lunch and Learn: He's back! On Thursday, February 8, at 10:30 AM, Tom Beccone will present Family History 1.01! You will learn about how to construct a family history/genealogy, how to use a pre-set genealogy program like Family Tree Maker, and how that program is integrated with Ancestry.com, etc. What a nice gift for your family and future generations! RSVP to Gen Miceli in the Parish Services Office.
2018 Stewardship Day of Service
Mark your 2018 calendars: The SDOS (Stewardship Day of Service) is April 14. This hands-on service day is an opportunity for parishioners of all ages to live out their commitment to a stewardship way of life. Why not save the date now and plan to volunteer on April 14? Look for more info in the bulletin and on the parish website in the coming weeks.
Youth Ministry News
Register now for Saint Elizabeth Youth Ministry! Go to the front page of the parish website www.stelizabeth parish.org or email Ryan Schwalm at rschwalm @stelizabethparish.org to get involved!
High School Youth Group (Grades 9-12): Meets weekly on Tuesday nights in the CLC, 7:00-8:30 PM.
Help Needed: We are looking for an additional team leader for our High School Youth Group. We hope to find a leader 20-25 years old who feels called to help at our Tuesday night meetings by leading small groups and activities. If you or someone you know can fill this opening, contact
Weather Notice: ALL youth groups & sports activities are cancelled on same day/night that school is closed or EFF is cancelled. Check the website for updated info.
SEAM
Think Spring and Baseball/Softball: CYO registration is open for both boys and girls, now through February 17. For registration information, go to www.stelizabethparish.org and follow the links for the Saint Elizabeth Athletic Ministry (SEAM).
Knights of Columbus
K of C Free Throw Contest: It’s not too late to register for the 2018 Knights of Columbus Free Throw Competition next Sunday, January 28, 5:15 PM in the parish gym. All boys and girls ages 9-14 are invited to participate in the local level of competition. Go online to www.kofc13141.org and follow the link for Free Throw Championship.
Liturgical Life Note
Low Gluten Communion Hosts: To accommodate the health needs of parishioners and guests, low gluten Communion hosts are available at weekend & daily Mass. For more info, call 610-321-1200.
Words from the Pastor
Even though you are out of town or away on vacation, you can still listen to our pastor’s weekend homilies. Go to the parish website (stelizabethparish.org) and scroll down the home page for “Words from our Pastor.”
Financial Corner
Thank you for your consistent financial support of our parish community throughout the year.
Regular Collection for January 6-7
Weekend Contributions: $23,641.50
[Amount of Loose Cash: $1,400.00]
Midweek & Auto-Giving: $25,460.59
Total Regular Collection: $49,102.09
Number of adult envelope contributions: 743
Christmas Collection: To date we have received a total of $142,037.49 from 1,026 donors. For comparison’s sake, last year’s final total for the Christmas collection amounted to $130,326.98 from 1,022 donors. Thank you all for your support of Saint Elizabeth Church!
Auto-Giving: Thanks to the 298 families now participating in Auto-Giving to ensure a consistent financial support to the parish throughout the year. To enroll in Auto-Giving, contact Sam Venuti (610-646-6515 or
Special Collection: Thank you for your support of this weekend's annual appeal for Catholic Relief Services. Additional contributions may be dropped into the regular collection basket at Mass next weekend or sent directly to the parish ministry center during the week.
Tax Statements for 2017: Because so many people now keep their own computer banking records, the parish does not automatically mail out tax statements each year. Parishioners who would like a tax statement for their 2017 donations are welcome to contact the parish office (610-321-1200) and a statement will be mailed out to you promptly.
Upcoming Meetings & Activities
For a complete schedule of upcoming meetings, parish activities and other events, check out the online parish bulletin at www.stelizabethparish.org.