St. Francis de Sales Church

Established in 1894

MASS SCHEDULE

Sunday Mass Schedule Saturday Vigil 5:00 PM Sunday 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 AM Monday—Friday 8:30 AM Wednesday 8:30 Communion Service Saturday 8:30 AM (September through May) Holy Day Vigil 5:00 PM Holy Days 6:30 AM and 7:00 PM Confessions are Saturday at 4:30 PM and anytime by request.

Proclaiming the Good News of our Savior

Jesus Christ and celebrating 125 Years ,

from the little church on the hillside of Lenni.

Page 2 - 105 St. Francis de Sales

Scripture readings for: Fourth Sunday of Lent

March 22nd, 2020 1 Samuel 16:1b,6-7, 10-13a

Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41

Adult Choir Nancy Brown 610.358.3112 Adult Education/RCIA Sr. Anne Marie 610.500.4088 Altar Society Phil D'Orazio 610.459.0635 PREP Sr. Anne Marie 610.500.4088 Cancer Care Ministry Lydia Lill 610.358.2627 Church Environment Barbara Jones 610.566.4149 CYO Paula Bonsall 610.517.6136 Eucharistic Ministers Tracy Boyle 610.566.8453 Finance Committee Fr. Okon 610.459.2203 Ladies' Club Belle Miller 610.513.2920 Lectors Joanne Sunick 610.459.1996 Liturgy Committee Sr. Betty Kirk 610.459.0554 Pastoral Council Steve DeLozier 484.574.4425 Prayer Shawl Ministry Ann Fernandez 215.203.6697 Web Master Arlene Petragnani 610.558.0588 Welcome Committee R. DiFebo 610.459.8971 Women's Prayer Group Sr. Betty Kirk 610.459.0554 Social/Fellowship Gretchen DeLozier 484.362.3898

Refer and Reflect

Directory of Parish Organizations

RECTORY 610.459.2203 35 New Road, Box 97, Lenni, PA 19052 Website—www.SFDSLenni.org E-Mail-ParishOffice@SFDSLenni.org

Reverend Alan J. Okon, Pastor Deacon Paul A. Quinn

Sr. Betty Kirk O.S.F. 610.459.0554 Parish Services Director Sr. Anne Marie Stegmaier I.H.M. Director Religious Education 610.500.4088 Mrs. Marie McGonigal 610.459.2203 Administrative Assistant Tammy McDonald 610.459.2203 Communications Secretary E-mail– Bulletin@sfdslenni.org Art Kahn, Business Manager 610.459.2203 CONVENT 610.459.2501 28 New Road, Aston, PA 19014 Education Center 39 New Road, Aston, PA 19014

OUR WEEKLY OFFERING

February 16th, 2020

Sunday Collection = $4007.00

Giving = $1574.00

Total Sunday =$5581.00

Parish Improvement = $455.00

Thank You for your generosity!

Questions for the Week - March 15th, 2020

Life: What antagonisms between people would you most like to end ?

Gospel :What convinces the Samaritan woman that Jesus is the Messiah ?

Page 3 - 105 St. Francis de Sales

March 15th, 2020 Third Sunday of Lent SATURDAY March 14 8:30 AM Living & Deceased Members of SFDS 5:00 PM Fran Gessler SUNDAY March 15 7 :30 AM Hodges & Hanna Families 9:30 AM Ernie Menold 11:30 AM Richard Ricci MONDAY March 16 8:30 AM Nicholas & Louise Yocco TUESDAY March 17 8:30 AM Mr. James Kirk WEDNESDAY March 18 8:30 AM Communion Service THURSDAY March 19 8:30 AM Steven Stinson FRIDAY March 20 8:30 AM Henry Doohan SATURDAY March 21 8:30 AM Sam Weikel (6th Anniversary) 5:00 PM Agnes Fisher SUNDAY March 22 7:30 AM Nicholas & Louise Yocco 9:30 AM Fr. Edward O’Reily Founding Pastor SFDS 1894 –1903 Died Here on 3/22/1903 At age 44 11:30 AM Helene McGowan

MARCH 15th. 2020 THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT For our ancient religious ancestors living in a small town, the well was an integral part of their daily routine. It was a natural setting for the women of the town, whose daily chores included fetching the water for the family household each morning before the heat of the day. Here they could chat with one another and add a little gossip. But one special day in that long ago time, around lunchtime, the town well was to be the place where God was to sit down for a chat with one of his sad creatures. That happened to be a woman, a member of the despised Samar-itans, herself with a tawdry background. That last was prob-ably why she came so late to the well, so that she did not have to face the other women. The handsome young Jew seated there asked her for a drink, which request so shocked her that her defenses went on high alert. This was so un-conventional. So forbidden. She naturally questioned Him. He ignored the racial issue she brought up to throw Him off track. Jesus ignored that dodge, and went on to offer her something He called “living water.” If she had only known that what He really meant was “divine life, revela-tion, and wisdom” a chance to be a new person! If only! But it was when Jesus brought up her checkered marital record that she was really startled and tried to change the subject and quickly concluded He was a prophet. She must have darted back to town with her conclusion because a little later they came to the well and openly declared that he was the “Savior of the world.” We are not told if the Apos-tles returning with lunch were over their initial shock at seeing Jesus conversing with a Samaritan woman in broad daylight to grasp what the townspeople said. Why this story for us in Lent? There are many possible reasons, but I thought of one derived from an extended meaning of those poetic lines from Coleridge’s 19th century poem. Instead of literal water, we are nonetheless sur-rounded by the refreshing “water” of God’s mercy aplenty as dispensed by His Church in the sacrament of Reconcilia-tion. Call it by its former name “Penance” or its nickname “Confession”; it is the same sacramental channel of grace. It is the refreshment for our thirsty souls, springing from a well that never runs dry. So why are so many of us letting our souls be parched these days? It cannot be that sin is no longer being committed, right? I grant you that we can be so misled by our present cul-ture, dispensing as it does easy excuses for sinful behavior which only a few years ago was commonly held to be sin-ful. Evils like abortion, homosexual acts and even so-called “same sex marriage”, or drug use deemed “recreational”? Could it be that headlines about high gov-ernment officials caught lying endorses that as acceptable to God? Remember that God’s word is beyond time and the popular trends of any age, is it not? The late comedian Fred Allen once offered his take on this matter when he said: “Popular wisdom is fleeting and has the life expectancy of a small boy who is about to look into a gas tank with a lighted match.” Lenten wisdom agrees, and goes on to urge us to drink up from the water of mercy all around us in the well of the sacraments. “Reflection by, Rev. Leonard N. Peterson”

Page 4 - 105 St. Francis de Sales

Frank Burke, Jim Gusler, Chrissy Ferris

Bruce McManus, Greg Miller

Kevin Duckett, Dorothy Tait,

Belle Miller, Joel Rivera, Josh Farrell

Mary Ann Gilbert, Marilyn Kane

Hear Our Prayer If you wish to have a family member added to our list to be remem-

bered in prayers, for sickness or health concerns, please e-mail the

rectory at, ParishOffice@SFDSLenni.org

SFDS ALL-CLASS REUNION

An All– Class Reunion is scheduled

to be held on Saturday, March 28th,

2020~2PM—10:00 PM

A Mass, School Tour and Celebration Dinner are

scheduled to take place.. General Admission for the

Reunion Dinner are $75.00– Appetizers, dinner, soft

drinks, coffee, beer and wine incl. in price.

Come One, Come All!! NOW DUE!

Mass starts at 2pm, a walk down memory lane in the

school and gym follows mass, a wonderful dinner

social begins at 5:00pm at Neumann University! Tick-

ets—https://www.evenbrite.com/e/saint-francis-de-

sales-all-class-reunion-tickets

JOIN FATHER MICHAEL CONNOLLY: LETTERS, we get letters, we get lots and lots of

letters…. Between 48 AD and 62 AD, St. Paul wrote letters to the infant Christian Church. From these writings we get a picture of how the early Church operat-ed, worshipped, and governed itself. What insights can we take away for the

challenges we face in our times? Join Father Michael Connolly, OSFS to find out Sunday, March 8 (Epistle to the Romans) and 22 (First Epistle of St. Peter) at 12:45 in the Father Walsh Center. All are welcome to either/both sessions.

When? March 15, 2020 at 2:00PM Where? St. Francis de Sales Church

All are invited!!!

Letter to a Suffering Church Are you feeling hurt, angry, or demoralized about the sexual

abuse crisis plaguing the Catholic Church? Our parish wants to

help, and that is why we distributed a book that addresses these

issues. It is titled Letter to a Suffering Church: A Bishop

Speaks on the Sexual Abuse Crisis by Bishop Robert Barron.

On March 29 at 12:45, we will host a meeting here with Father

Michael Connolly facilitating a conversation about the issues

presented. All are welcome.

Page 5 - 105 St. Francis de Sales

Saint Francis de Sales CARING COOKS MINISTRY

Our next “day of Cooking” will be March 24th

during Lent in the School Cafeteria, DTBA

Please contact Cathy Hawes at Hawesoc@aol.com

(610)-627-0874) if you have any questions.

Donations of canned tuna and Chicken and veggies, Parmesan cheese,

bread crumbs, creamed soups and noodles or pasta for the casseroles.

Hope many of you can join us for this important effort!!

Never too many cooks in our Kitchen!

125th Anniversary GALA AD BOOK If you would like to place an Ad in our Gala Ad

Book please contact Tammy McDonald at the

Church Rectory on Monday, Wed. or Friday. Bul-

letin@sfdslenni.org

Deadline for placing your AD is APRIL

Sponsorship Ad forms are in the Rectory of-

fice and on church windowsills.

MARCH 2020 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Choir and Prayer Group are held weekly . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lenten Outreach—CRS Rice Bowl March 15th– The Donut Man, 2:00pm,Church March 19th– Men’s Group 7:00pm, FWC March 19th– Stations w/Benediction 7pm March 21/22—Ladies Club Soup Sale, FWC For more information visit our Parish website at www.sfdslenni.org We also have a Facebook Page! Saint Francis de Sales Church-Aston Kindly contact us at ParishOffice@SFDSLenni.org with any changes in your family information, such as a new address (physical or e-mail), phone number, change (s) in house-hold members, Sacramental updates for any family member, etc. We depend on you to help keep our data base current. Many thanks!

Please note that we also have an updated e-mail address for the bulletin. Correspondence for the bulletin may be e-mailed to: Bulletin@sfdslenni.org

SFDS Parish

Lenten Schedule 2020

Confessions In addition to 4:30—5:00 on Saturdays: 1. After the 7:30 AM & 9:30 Masses during Lent 2. Saturday, April 4th, 4:00—5 :00PM.

Stations of the Cross w/ Benediction

7:00 pm. On Thursdays during Lent: March 19, 26 and FRIDAY, April 3, 2020

Holy Week 2020

PALM SUNDAY, April 5th Confessions: Saturday 4:00-5:00 Vigil Mass 5:00 pm Palm Sunday Masses April 5th, 2019 7:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:30 AM Monday & Tuesday, April 6th & 7th Mass at 8:30 am Wednesday—April 8th 8:30 am—Communion Service

HOLY THURSDAY, April 9th 9:00 AM - Morning Prayer 7:30 PM — Mass of the Lord’s Supper Visits to the Repository until 10:00 PM 10:00 PM - Night Prayer

GOOD FRIDAY, April 10th Visits to the Repository until 3:oo PM 9:00 AM - Morning Prayer 12:30 PM - Midday Prayer 3:00 - Solemn Liturgy & Holy Communion Holy Confessions immediately following 3:00 PM service and 7:30 PM —After Stations of the Cross

HOLY SATURDAY & EASTER VIGIL, April 11th 9:00 AM Morning Prayer 7:30 PM Easter Vigil

EASTER SUNDAY, April 12TH Masses will follow the same Sunday Schedule ~ 7:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:30 AM

ALMSGIVING If you are able to purchase an extra Food Gift Card

please consider giving it to Sister Betty who, in turn will

send it to parishioners in need.

Thank You & God Bless

Page 6 - 105 St. Francis de Sales

Lifelines

Crisis Pregnancy Hotline

610.626.4006

Pro-Life Union of Dela-

ware County

610.789.LIFE

www.prolifedelco.org

A Baby’s Breath

484.580.6436

24hr hotline

484.571.5540

www.ababysbreath.org

Mother’s Home

610.583.HOME

www.mothershome.org

Delaware County

Pregnancy Center

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Rachel’s Vineyard

Ministries

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A Prayer Shawl Ministry

Please contact Ann Fernandez at

215-203-6697 or annmfernandez@me.com

Prayer Shawl Ministry here at SFDS.

All Welcome!

Fast and Abstinence and other Acts of Penance

for Lent—2020

The Bishops of the United States prescribe, as mini-

mal obligation, that all persons who are fourteen

years of age and older are bound to abstain from

eating meat on Ash Wednesday, on all Fridays of

Lent and Good Friday. Further, all persons eighteen

years of age and older, up to and including their fifty -ninth birthday, are bound to fast by limiting them-

selves to a single full meal on Ash Wednesday and

Good Friday, while the other meals on those days

are to be light. All the faithful are encouraged, when

possible tp participate at Mass and to receive the

Holy Eucharist daily, to celebrate frequently the Sac-

rament of Penance, to undertake spiritual reading,

especially the study of the Sacred Scriptures and to

participate in parish Lenten devotions as well as

Lenten education programs. Adoration of the

Blessed Sacrament is especially recommended. All

are encouraged to participate in Operation Rice Bowl

which has aided countless hungry persons here in the

Archdiocese as well as throughout our nation and our

world.

A Special Thank You

Dear Parishioners of Saint Francis de Sales

Parish, thank you so very much for your gen-

erosity to the Saint Katharine Drexel Food

Pantry. Your donations allow us to meet the

needs of our many clients, keeping them fed

and nourished. A special thanks to the ladies

who make the casseroles.

We are so grateful that your parish keeps us in

your thoughts and prayers throughout the

year. Please know how appreciative we are for

your assistance.

Sincerely,

Judy King, Director

Saint Francis de Sales

Celebrating 125 years!! Time to Pre-Order Your Copy of our 125th

Anniversary Celebration Book and/ or our

Video Memory/USB Stick.

The uniquely designed book is full of Saint

Francis History, interesting facts and personal

stories.

The video copied on a memory/USB stick is

something you will treasure!! It includes per-

sonal stories and testimonies from our parish-

ioners and staff both past and present. A

beautiful job was done by the committee to

ensure that all would treasure these 2 master-

pieces of antiquity. On the day of the Gala

Celebration these will be unveiled. Your cop-

ies will be available for pick-up at the Rectory

Office on Monday, May 4th, 2020.

So don’t delay, order your copy today.

Please Make Checks payable to: Saint Francis

de Sales.

Pre-ORDER FORM Must Be dropped off at

Rectory or in Collection Basket at Church. Copies

of these available day after Gala.

125th Anniversary Books - 5.00Each USB/ Memory Sticks (Video on Computer

Memory Stick) $20.00Each Proceeds benefit the St. Francis de Sales Parish.

Page 7 - 105 St. Francis de Sales

Parish Office Hours

The Parish Office is open for business Mon-

day through Friday 8:30AM to 4:30PM, sum-

mer hours, Friday’s 8:30AM to 1:00PM.

Weeknights and Saturdays are by appoint-

ment only. Please refer elsewhere in the

bulletin for holiday hours.

Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick

and Holy Communion

Please call the Parish Office at 610.459.2203 to

schedule an appointment for the Anointing of

the Sick. Every effort will be made to celebrate

the Sacrament of the Sick within 48 hours of it

being requested. Please call the Parish Office

to request a visit from an Extra Ordinary

Minister of Holy Communion to receive the Holy

Eucharist on Sunday mornings.

Funeral Arrangements

We are very sorry for the loss of your loved one.

To make funeral arrangements, please first

meet with your Funeral Director to discuss your

wishes and their availability. The Funeral

Director will contact our Parish Office to

coordinate the date and time of the funeral.

Once the funeral has been scheduled, Fr. Okon

will call you to schedule a time to meet and plan

the Liturgy.

Parish Registration Welcome to our family of St. Francis de Sales. We are

happy to welcome new members in to our community.

We invite you to be a vital part of our family and hope

you will support your parish with your prayers, your

presence and your talents. Please contact the Parish

Office at 610.459.2203 to make arrangements for

registration. If you move out of our parish, or have

changed your phone number, please contact the

Parish Office so we can update our data base.

Sacrament of Baptism Congratulations on the birth of your child. The

Sacrament of Baptism is normally administered after

the 11:30 AM Mass on Sunday. Pre-Jordan class for

the parents is required prior to the scheduling of the

Baptism. Parents can attend the class before the

baby is born. Pre-Jordan class is held on the second

Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM. Please contact

the Parish Office at 610.459.2203 to register for the

Pre-Jordan class. To schedule a Baptism, please

have already obtained the certificates of eligibility

and then contact the Parish Office at least two weeks

in advance.

Certificates of Eligibility Congratulations on being asked to be a sponsor at

either a Baptism or a Confirmation. You have been

asked to be a witness to, and role model of, your

Catholic faith. A sponsor is a Roman Catholic who

has received the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist

and Confirmation, is an active registered member of

his or her parish, at least 16 years of age, and if

married is in a Sacramental Marriage. Please contact

the Parish Office at 610.459.2203 to request a

certificate.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is

celebrated each Saturday afternoon from

4:30 to 5:00, or by appointment.

Elementary Catholic School Education

SFDS Parish supports our parishioners who

have chosen an Elementary Catholic School

for their children. SFDS Parish has open

enrollment; enabling parents to select a

regional or parish school that is of their

choice. For parishioners who are present,

active and contributing members, for a

minimum of one year, SFDS Parish will pay a

subsidy of $1000.00 per student.

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