Weekend of October 21-22, 2023

Dear Friends,

At all the Masses at Saint Timothy’s this weekend, we celebrate the 71^st anniversary of the dedication of the upper church. This took place on Saturday, October 25, 1952, when Most Reverend George L. Leech, the-then Bishop of Harrisburg and a close friend of our founding pastor, Father Thomas Brady, consecrated the church in the presence of Archbishop John F. O’Hara, the-then Archbishop of Philadelphia.  On the following day, Sunday, October 26, 1952, the first Solemn Mass was celebrated.

This past week, Saint Timothy Parish celebrated another milestone when we observed our 95^th anniversary on October 16. We at Saint Bartholomew’s will be celebrating our 104^th anniversary this year. I am in awe of the fact that, for over 100 years, the church has been present here in the lower northeast section of the city, and has been, in so many ways, a beacon of hope and a light of faith. May all of us, in both of our partner parishes, be always aware of our great calling to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus to everyone.

We also celebrate this weekend World Mission Sunday. World Mission Sunday provides an opportunity for us to support the missionary effort of the Church and the fine work of the dedicated missionaries --- lay men and women, religious priests, brothers, and sisters, and diocesan priests --- by our financial and prayerful support. The second collection today is for World Mission Sunday. Your generosity is, as always, very much appreciated.

With October more than half gone, and November looming right before us, I remind you of:
 

1. ALL SAINTS DAY – Wednesday, November 1^st – This is a holyday of obligation. Masses will be celebrated at Saint Timothy at 6:30 and 8:30 A.M., and 12:05 and 7:00 P.M. Mass will be celebrated at Saint Bartholomew at 10:00 A.M.

 

2. ALL SOULS DAY (The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed) – Thursday, November 2^nd – As you know, on All Souls Day we commemorate all of our beloved dead. Our Masses on this day will be celebrated at Saint Timothy at 8:30 A.M. in the lower church and at 7:00 P.M. in the upper church.

 

3. SOLEMN MASS TO COMMEMORATE ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED – Thursday, November 2^nd  -  This Mass, which will be celebrated on this day at 7:00 P.M. in Saint Timothy’s upper church, will, in a special way, commemorate all of our faithful departed. We will remember by name all those who were buried from both Saint Bartholomew Church and Saint Timothy Church this past year.

 

4. BOOK OF THE NAMES OF THE DEAD – Our Book of the Names of the Dead will soon be open. A book will be placed by the baptismal font in Saint Timothy’s upper church and by the baptismal font in Saint Bartholomew’s Church. You are invited to write the names of your beloved dead in this book so that all of us may pray for all the faithful departed. These books will be enshrined in our churches throughout the month of November.

 

5. ALL SOULS REMEMBRANCES – The All Souls envelopes, upon which you are able to write the names of your beloved deceased, will be placed next to the tabernacles in Saint Timothy and Saint Bartholomew Churches throughout the month of November, as a reminder that we remember all the faithful departed, especially in the Eucharistic Sacrifice. There are extra envelopes available at all the doors of the church.

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

                                                                                    Love and prayers,
                                                                                    Father Olivere