Upcoming Meetings & Events
Junior High Youth Group: Monday (10/21), 6:30 PM, CLC
Joseph’s People: Monday (10/21), 7:00 PM, St. Mark
Liturgical Music Planners: Monday (10/21), 7:00 PM, St. Luke
Walking With Purpose: Mondays, 6:30 PM, & Wednesdays, 9:30 AM, St. Matthew
RCIA Inquiry: Mondays, 7:00 PM, education center, second floor conference room
Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:00 AM, St. Matthew & St. Mark; 7:00 PM, St. Mark
Elizabeth Ministry Trick or Treat with the Saints: Tuesday (10/22), 9:30 AM, church & Holy Family Room
High School Youth Group: Tuesdays, 7:00 PM, CLC
Bereavement Grief Share: Tuesdays (through 11/5), 7:00 PM, education center library & social hall
Parish Pastoral Council: Tuesday (10/22), 7:00 PM, St. Luke
Legion of Mary: Wednesdays, holy hour at 6:00 PM in chapel and meeting at 7:00 PM, Holy Family Room
Together-Continuation Committee: Wednesday (10/23), 7:00 PM, St. Luke
SAM Game Day: Thursday (10/24), 10:30 AM, St. Matthew
Ignatian Spirituality Series: Thursdays (thru 11/21), 7:00 PM, Holy Family Room
Women at the Well: Thursdays,7:00 PM, and Fridays, 9:00 AM, St. Mark
Called & Gifted: Thursday (10/24), 7:00 PM, St. Luke
Queen of Peace Marian Prayer Group: Fridays, 1:00 PM, chapel
Sacramental Workshop for Parents of Penance/Holy Communion Candidates: Saturday (10/26), 8:30 AM Mass, church and 9:00 AM meeting, social hall
Fall Family Festival: Sunday (10/27), 11:30 AM Mass, church, followed by festival at 12:30 PM, lower parking lot (recess yard)
EFF Confessions: Monday (10/28), 4:45 & 6:30 PM; Tuesday (10/29) & Wednesday (10/30), 4:45 PM, church
SEAM Board: Monday (10/28), 7:00 PM, St. Luke
Respect Life Committee: Tuesday (10/29), 7:00 PM, St. Luke
Advisory Council for Evangelization: Thursday (10/29), 7:00 PM St. Mark
All Saints Prayer Service: Wednesday (10/30), 11:00 AM, church
Altar Server Parents/Server Orientation: Wednesday (10/30), 6:00 PM
All Saints Day Holy Day Masses: Friday (11/1), 7:30 AM, 12:00 Noon, 7:00 PM, church
All Souls’ Day Mass: Saturday (11/2), 8:30 AM, church
Knights of Columbus Family Mass: Saturday (11/2), 5:30 PM, church
Forty Hours Devotions: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday (11/3-4-5), 7:00 PM, church
Cub Scout Pack Meeting: Wednesday (11/6), 6:30 PM, social hall, CLC
Parent Meeting First Penance & Holy Communion Make-up Session: Wednesday (11/6), 6:00 PM, St. John the Baptist
Knights of Columbus Council Meeting: Wednesday (11/6), 7:00 PM, St. Matthew
Men’s Spirituality Group: Thursday (11/7), 7:00 PM, St. Luke
Pre-Jordan I: Saturday (11/8), 10:30 AM, St. Matthew & St. Mark
SEAM/CYO Soccer Banquet: Saturday (11/8), 6:30 PM, social hall
Parish School Open House (Grades Pre-K, K & 1): Sunday (11/9), 12:30 PM, education center
OTHER ACTIVITIES OF INTEREST
Help Wanted: St. Thomas More parish in South Coventry is seeking a part-time Music Director. A minimum of 3 years experience as a Parish Music Director or equivalent is required. Compliance with background checks and completion of the VIRTUS program required. Send cover letter, resume and salary requirements to Fr. L. Kozak, 2101 Pottstown Pike, Pottstown, PA 19465 or fax to 610-469-9315. Call 610-469-9304 with questions or for more information and a job description.
Maintenance Manager: St. John Chrysostom Parish in Wallingford is looking for a qualified individual to fill the role of Maintenance Manager. Part time position (25-30 hrs) M-F. The individual will be responsible in overseeing maintenance of parish facilities and grounds and ensuring a safe and secure environment for all parishioners, staff and visitors. Candidates send resume to
SS. Philip & James, Exton: Join us for “Grieving Through the Holidays”, a one day Bereavement Retreat, Saturday, November 2 (All Souls Day), 9:00 AM-12:00 Noon (begins after 8:30 AM Mass), in the Rectory Meeting Room. Breakfast will be served. For more information and/or to register, call or email Theresa Ferrari (
Save the Date!: 14th Annual Bishop Shanahan College Fair, Tuesday, October 22, 7:00-9:00 PM in the main gym. Over 200 colleges will be represented. All students and parents looking for information on colleges are encouraged to attend. For more information call Marie Weyback (610-343-6242).
A Baby’s Breath Crisis Pregnancy Center: Please join us for our 18th Annual Silent Auction & Dinner Reception on Saturday, October 26, 6:30 PM at the Crowne Plaza, King of Prussia. The auction features vacations, tickets to Phillies & Flyers games, restaurant gift certificates, gift baskets and more! Reverend Stephen DeLacy will be the guest speaker and MC. Tickets are $70 per person (complimentary beer, wine & soda included). For tickets and more information contact Kim Granito (610-792-0737 or email
Our Lady’s Missionaries of the Eucharist: Join us for a special weekend retreat Friday evening, November 1 - Sunday at Noon, November 3. The retreat is offered by Sr. Joan Noreen, Co-Founder of OLME. The retreat is held at the Ava Maria Retreat House at the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Doylestown, PA. The retreat includes daily Eucharist, Eucharistic Adoration, conferences on Catholic Spirituality, Prayer with Sacred Scripture, Liturgy of the Hours and much more. For more information, call 610-582-3333, email
Coatesville Kids to College: Join us for the 2nd Annual CKC 5K Cider Run at Highland Orchards on Saturday, November 2. All proceeds support programming for children and youth in Coatesville. Register online at www.runsignup.com/Race/PA/WestChester/CKCCiderRun. Walk-up registration begins at 9:00 AM, race begins at 10:00 AM. Children’s Fun Run at 9:45 AM. For more information visit www.coatesvillekidstocollege.org.
St. Mary’s Franciscan Shelter: Join us for BBQ & Brews on Saturday, November 9, 6:30-10:30 PM at Kimberton Fire Hall. Local restaurants and craft brews will be featured along with music by The Sofa Kings. For more information/tickets: www.stmarysfs.org/events/BBQ&Brews. All proceeds benefit St. Mary’s Franciscan Shelter.
Marianist Family Retreat Center, Cape May Point, NJ: Men’s Retreat, November 15-17, open to men from all walks of life, focusing on unique male issues on the spiritual journey. The retreat will consist of Eucharistic and other prayer, input, quiet time, small group sharing, socializing and fun within a supportive, intentional community of men. Cost is $140 per person, double occupancy. For more information and or to register contact Anthony Fucci, Center Director at 609-884-3829 or www.capemaymarianists.org.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter: Now that the back to school rush is over, refresh your marriage relationship on a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend is November 22-24 at Our Lady of Czetochowa, Doylestown. For more information visit our website at: https://www.wwme-philly.org or contact Al & Mary Liz at
Bonner-Prendie Class of 1974: Save the Date! 40th Class Reunion, Saturday, November 9, 4:00 PM Mass in the Bonner/Prendie Chapel (celebrant: Fr. John Stack, OSA). Reunion celebration, 6:00-10:00 PM, Anthony’s, Drexeline Shopping Center, Drexel Hill, PA. For additional info visit us on facebook (www.facebook.com/groups/1131495127054925/?ref=bookmarks or
Villa Maria Academy: Join us in welcoming David Kim, Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra & Dr. Ron Matthews, President of Eastern University, on November 19 at 7:00 PM at the Marian Center, 370 Central Avenue, Malvern. For ticket information, please contact Ms. Leah Kim at
Schuylkill Valley Regional Dance Company: Presents The Nutcracker, featuring over 40 local dancers and professional guest artists. Come join Clara, The Nutcracker, Sugar Plum Fairy and their friends as they journey through the Land of Sweets for this Victorian Christmas family tradition. Performance Date: Saturday, December 7, 2:00 PM & 6:00 PM at the Phoenixville Area Middle School Theater. Tickets are $20-adults and $15-children under 12. Tickets available at the door or online at www.tututix.com/svrdc.
St. Mary of Providence, Elverson: Save the Date! Join us on Saturday, December 14, 12:00-6:00 PM for the Christmas Tour at Langoma. Historic 1890 Pott’s Mansion Tour, Amazing Raffle Baskets, visits with Santa, hot chocolate & treats at the Gingerbread House. Tour tickets available at the door for $15 donation. You can also call ahead for tickets and more information at 610-942-4166.
CatholicPhilly.com: Sign up for CatholicPhilly.com’s free newsletter sent to your email in-box twice a week - go to catholicphilly.com/newsletter. Don’t miss our multi-part series, “Our Changing Church,” at www.CatholicPhilly.com/church.
Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne: We invite women (ages 19-45) who are discerning a religious vocation to join us for a weekend of sharing in our life of prayer and apostolate. The last 2019 weekend will be held in Hawthorne, NY on November 15-17. Reservations are required. For information and/or reservations please contact Sr. Catherine Marie (845-745-1319 or vocation
Daughters of St. Mary of Providence: Come & See Weekends at the Convent, for single women (ages 18-35), interested in exploring religious life. There will be Reflections on God’s Call, vocation stories from the Sisters, Liturgy of the Hours, Mass and Eucharistic Adoration. Weekends will be held on December 27-29, 2019 and March 13-15, 2020. Contact Sr. Brenda McHugh at
Insert to the Parish Bulletin for Sunday, October 20, 2019
Forty Hours Devotions: A Special Time of Prayer
This year our parish will celebrate the annual Forty Hours Devotions on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, November 3-4-5. 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!
At this year’s Forty Hours Devotions, our pastor, Fr. Tom Mullin, will offer a series of three reflections on the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist) within an overall theme: “Continuing to Grow as a Community of Disciples with God at the Center of our Lives.” This theme is rooted in our Parish Vision:
We are called by Jesus Christ to grow as a community of disciples,
deepen our faith and be grateful stewards of God’s gifts.
On Sunday, Monday & Tuesday evenings, we will have Evening Prayer, a homiletic reflection and Benediction at 7:00 PM in church. On Monday and Tuesday, we will have Mass in church at 7:30 AM, followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM, providing time for personal prayer and quiet reflection throughout the day.
On Tuesday morning, we will have Mass for the parish school at 11:00 AM. And on Tuesday evening, we will close with a Eucharistic Procession together with our parish liturgical ministers.
Please consider participating in this year’s Forty Hours Devotions with your loved ones. 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.
Some Background to the Forty Hours Devotions
The Forty Hours Devotions have a long history in the Church, beginning in 1530 in Milan, Italy. Each parish in the Archdiocese of Milan was assigned a specific three days for the Forty Hours Devotions, so that Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament continued throughout the entire year. In 1539, Pope Paul III issued a solemn pronouncement confirming the practice of the Archdiocese of Milan for the Church as a whole. By 1550, both Saint Peter Neri and Saint Ignatius Loyola had instituted this devotional practice in their religious communities.
Here in the United States, Saint John Neumann, fourth bishop of Philadelphia, was a strong advocate and promoter of the Forty Hours Devotions. In 1853, he developed the first systematic schedule for all the parishes of the diocese to conduct the Forty Hours Devotions. It has since been customary for many parishes to celebrate the Forty Hours Devotions on or near the feast day of their patron saint. Here in our parish, we celebrate each year 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!