Weekend of September 16-17, 2023

Dear Friends,

We celebrate this weekend Catechetical Sunday, on which we thank God for and honor those men and women who serve as teachers of the faith. At the 9:15 Mass this Sunday, we will be offering a blessing to all of our Parish Religious Education Program and Christian Initiation catechists, as well as our school teachers, as they begin their new school year. These dedicated professionals are a blessing to us in every way, and I thank God each day for their commitment to their students and their service to our community of faith.

You may have noticed the new oriental carpet that graces Saint Timothy’s upper church sanctuary. This carpet was a gift to our parish from our friends the Little Sisters of the Poor. I told Sister Veronica Susan (whom many of you know from her visits to us to ask our support of their great work in West Philadelphia) that the colors in the rug match the colors of our sanctuary so perfectly that we couldn’t have designed anything better! When you see the carpet and admire it, please whisper a prayer for the Little Sisters, especially those who live and work here in Philadelphia, and for their residents at Holy Family Home.

I remind you once again of our annual Forty Hours Devotions. This year we will be celebrating this annual Solemn Exposition of the Holy Eucharist from Monday, September 25 through Wednesday, September 27. Each morning the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed on the altar of our upper church from after the 8:30 Mass until the devotions that evening. Our devotions each evening will be held at 7:00, and will include Solemn Evening Prayer (Vespers), a homily, and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. We are happy to welcome as our homilist each evening Father Kenneth Cavara. Father Cavara is a priest of the Archdiocese, who is presently the Parochial Vicar (Assistant Pastor) of Saint Monica Parish in South Philadelphia. Do plan to be with us each evening for these important devotions, and also plan on spending some time with the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament as he is exposed on our altar during these three days of grace and blessing.

            I would especially like our Forty Hours to be a significant demonstration of faith since we are in the middle of our Year of Parish Eucharistic Revival. It is my sincere hope that everyone take an hour of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament exposed on our altar during these three days (or, if an hour is too much to ask, even a half hour). It would be wonderful if you could come as a family for adoration, or perhaps with a friend or a group of friends. I would also hope that as many as possible will join us for the evening devotions on all three evenings. I guarantee you that Father Cavara’s homilies will be inspirational and will ignite in all of us a greater love for the Lord Jesus in his Eucharistic presence.

            The third night of our devotions (Wednesday) will really be the high point of our devotions. On that evening, after Evening Prayer and the homily by Father Cavara, we will have a beautiful outdoor procession of the Blessed Sacrament, which will end up at our grotto, where we will celebrate the concluding Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Our school children and PREP children will be participating in these Wednesday evening devotions and the procession, including those children who received their First Holy Communion this past May.

            Next week, there will be posters on which you will be able to sign up for times to adore the Blessed Sacrament during the three days of Forty Hours. Our goal is that someone will be with the Blessed Sacrament throughout the hours of adoration. We remember the words of the Lord to his apostles in the garden of Gethsemani: “Could you not watch one hour with me?”

            Know that you and those you love are daily remembered in my Mass and my prayers.

                                                                                    Love and prayers,
                                                                                    Father Olivere