ST. BENEDICT’S PARISH
2020 Chestnut Hill Road, Mohnton, PA 19540
2014
NEWSLETTER
Fall
STEWARDSHIP
WEEKEND
OCTOBER 11 & 12
On that weekend, representatives
from each of the many organizations and ministries will be on
hand to discuss ways of offering
time, talent, and treasure to God
for the benefit of St. Benedict’s
parish.
Fr. Phil talks about
stewardship with the Bach
boys, (l-r), Matthew, John,
and Michael, whose time and
talent at present are given in
serving at the altar.
Page 2
How to Get Involved: Updated list of parish organizations and ministries
Pages 3–5
Looking Ahead: News of upcoming events and opportunities
Welcome to Fr. Kuller, S.J.; Scripture Study;
Family Life; Special Presentation; Adult Study;
Fall Pilgrimage; Christmas Bazaar; Trip to Ireland
Page 6
PREP and Music Ministry
Pages 7–10
Looking Back: Some events and happenings over the summer
Farewell to Fr. Quinn; Trip to Hershey;
Book Sale; Birthday Party
Summer Festival and Chicken BBQ
Page 11
World Meeting of Families: A letter from Pope Francis
Page 12
Christmas Mass Schedule
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.churchofsaintbenedict.com
OR CALL/FAX OUR OFFICE: 610-856-1006 (p); 610-856-1035 (f)
ORGANIZATIONS
Bereavement Committee
Book Club
Cursillo
Disability Committee
Family Life
Friendly Visitors
Gardeners
Knights of Columbus
Prime Timers
Respect Life
Rosary Group
St. Vincent de Paul Society
Stewardship Committee
Summer Festival/Chicken BBQ
Committee
Women’s Club
Youth Mission
Supports participants in coping with grief after loss
due to death.
Meets monthly to discuss a book all members have
recently read.
A movement proclaiming the best news of the best
reality: that God, in Christ, loves us.
Advocates for disabilities-friendly facilities and
services by examination and inspection.
Families gather once a month for prayer,
refreshments, and fellowship.
Visits one or two elderly and homebound
parishioners monthly.
Provide care and maintenance of parish gardens and
grounds.
Provides funds, volunteers, services for parish,
neighborhood, and community.
Seniors’ (55+) group; meets monthly
(4th Tuesday).
Group provides Catholic position on all respect life
issues.
Prays the rosary every Friday after the morning
Mass.
Assists people in need; prepares food baskets three
times a year; helps Kennedy Soup Kitchen.
Fosters living stewardship as a way of life giving
time, talent, and treasure.
Plans and runs annual event; meets March through
August.
Supports parish events financially; runs annual
Christmas bazaar; meets monthly (1st Tuesday).
Youth of the parish travel annually to a different city,
state to assist the needy.
Judy Campion
610-775-7782
Anita Harrison
610-777-4230
Coleen Bleile
610-286-7939
Brooke Frech
610-777-7111
Wendy Clayton
610-913-7744
Treesa Schools
610-207-6644
Cecelia Kacmar
610-856-1394
Gene Raser
610-999-2153
Frank Burns
610-913-6630
Mary Newhams
610-777-3858
Jeanie Hauck
610-856-1006
Carol Nygard
484-794-0428
John Bergandino
610-286-2186
Tom Dobson
610-856-1121
Lillian Meyers
610-856-1215
Carie Leggett
484-631-5743
MINISTRIES
Altar Servers
PREP/Catechists
Eucharistic Ministers
Greeters
Landings
Lectors
Music
Pastoral Council
RCIA
Ushers
Assist celebrant at Mass.
Children’s religious education.
Distribute Communion at Mass & to homebound.
Extend welcome to worshippers.
Welcome returning Catholics.
Proclaim God’s word in Scripture.
Provide prayer by voice/instrument.
Advisors to the pastor.
Prepare adults for Christian initiation.
Take up collections and provide assistance.
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Carie Leggett
Valerie Christo
Tom Henefer
Diane Roulston
Robin Ball
Susan Teaford
Andrew Angstadt
Pam Kubacki
Mark Schrum
John Coccia
484-631-5743
610-856-5146
610-603-9196
610-775-6550
610-856-1402
610-286-3013
610-451-5664
610-777-9653
610-856-7518
610-404-0712
LOOKING AHEAD
WELCOME! FR. KULLER
Fr. Kuller will be assisting with weekend ministry. Raised in Lehighton, PA, he joined the
Society of Jesus in 1979 and was ordained a priest in 1990. Currently, he is the facilities
director at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville and Minister for the Jesuit community there. A
certified member of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains, he serves on the board
of the Sacred Heart Health System, Allentown. He was board chair of the Hispanic Center
of Reading and Berks County and a member of the advisory board of Berks County Mental
Health/Mental Retardation Department. We welcome him to St. Benedict’s.
Fr. Thomas Kuller, S.J.
FALL SCRIPTURE STUDY
Wake Up the World with Discipleship
DATES: Tuesdays, Sept. 23, 30, Oct. 7, 14, 21, and Saturday, Oct. 25
TIME AND PLACE: 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM—St. Benedict Parish Hall
TOPICS: Joyful Discipleship with Scripture Reflection
Religious Life through the Centuries
Rejoice—Encyclical of Pope Francis
Pilgrimage to Philadelphia Shrines
(optional—see next page)
(Saturday, Oct. 25, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, by motor coach)
FAMILY LIFE PROGRAM
Family Life is committed to supporting our parish families in their quest for deeper connection with Christ
through prayer, praise, and fellowship activities.
Family Life–sponsored activities are open to ALL parishioners!
Date
Saturday, October 25
Sunday, November 30
Sunday, December 28
Saturday, January 24
Saturday, February 21
Friday, March 27
Saturday, April 25
Sunday, May 31
Mass
Time
5:00 PM
11:15 AM
None
5:00 PM
5:00 PM
7:00 PM
5:00 PM
11:15 AM
6:00 PM
12:30 PM
7:00 PM
6:00 PM
6:00 PM
5:30 PM
6:00 PM
12:30 PM
Activity
Halloween Party
Advent Wreath Making
Cookies and Carols
Potluck Dinner
Potluck Dinner
Simple Supper & Stations of the Cross
Potluck Dinner
Ice Cream Social
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
Dr. Trevor Martenson, a family practice physician, will present Love, Respect, and Responsibility: An Explanation of
Christianity’s Traditional Teaching on Artificial Contraception.
Sunday, November 2, 2014, 12:30 PM, St. Benedict’s Parish Hall
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Discover the 28 principles of
freedom our founding fathers said
must be understood and
perpetuated by every people who
desire peace, prosperity, and
freedom.
ADULT STUDY SERIES
The Study of the Constitution
DATES: Wednesdays, Sept. 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Nov. 5, 12, 19
TIME AND PLACE: 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM—St. Benedict Parish Hall
Learn how adherence to these
beliefs during the past 200 years
has brought about more progress
than was made in the previous
5,000 years!
TOPICS:
FALL PILGRIMAGE
The Genius of Natural Law; The Role of Religion;
The Role of the Creator; All Men Are Created Equal;
Man’s Unalienable Rights; The Separation of Powers;
Protecting the Role of the Family;
The Founders’ Sense of Manifest Destiny
TRIP TO SHRINES OF IRELAND
Saturday, October 25
8:00 AM—8:00 PM
April 8–17, 2015
Motor coach to the Philadelphia Shrines of the
Miraculous Medal, St. John Neumann, St. Rita of
Cascia, and St. Katherine Drexel.
Transportation cost is $40 per person. Lunch will
be available at Pat’s or Geno’s Steaks (cash only)
and dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Register at the
rectory (610-856-1006) by Tuesday, October 20.
CHRISTMAS BAZAAR
Saturday, Nov. 1, 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Sunday, Nov. 2, 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
10 days, 12 meals, 8 breakfasts, 4 dinners,
staying in hotels in Dublin, Kinsale, and Galway.
For more information, contact
Fr. Rodgers at 610-856-1006 ([email protected])
Parish Hall
Santa will be there on
Saturday!
STEWARDSHIP WEEKEND
Handmade Gifts
Craft Vendors
Chinese Auction
Our Famous Fudge
Refreshments
Homemade Soups
Hot Dogs
Barbecue
Baked Goods
Beverages
October 11 & 12
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September 23–October 25, Tuesdays
November 8, Saturday
Fall Scripture Study (see p. 3)
6:30–8:00 PM
Parish Hall
Garden Cleanup
9:00 AM–12:00 PM
Parish Grounds
September 24–November 19, Wednesdays
November 10, Monday
Adult Study Series (see p. 4)
7:00–8:00 PM
Parish Hall
Mass for Faithful Departed of the Parish
6:30 PM
Church
October 1–29, Wednesdays
November 23, Sunday
Bereavement Outreach meets
6:30–8:00 PM
Rectory Meeting Room
RCIA Rite of Acceptance and Welcoming
9:30 AM Mass
Church
October 11 & 12, Weekend
November 26, Wednesday
Stewardship Weekend
After all Masses
Parish Hall and Gathering Space
Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service & Social
7:00 PM
St. Benedict’s Church
October 16, Thursday
November 27, Thursday
Confirmation
4:30 PM
St. John’s Church, Shillington
Thanksgiving Day Mass
9:00 AM
Church
October 18, Saturday
November 30, Sunday
Rosary for America
12 noon
Penn Street Bridge
Advent Wreath Making
12:30 PM
Parish Hall
K of C Beef & Brew
6:00 PM
Parish Hall
December 2, Tuesday
Prime Timers’ Christmas Luncheon
12 noon
Reading Country Club
October 25, Saturday
Fall Pilgrimage (see p. 4)
8:00 AM–8:00 PM
Philadelphia
December 6 & 7, Weekend
Adopt-a-Priest Christmas Card Writing
After all Masses
Gathering Space
Mass & Halloween Party
5:00/6:00 PM (see p. 3)
Parish Hall
December 7, Sunday
CYO Recognition
11:15 AM Mass
Church
November 1 & 2, Weekend
Christmas Bazaar (see p. 4)
Sat. 8:00 AM–7:00 PM
Sun. 8:00 AM–1:00 PM
Parish Hall
December 24 & 25
Christmas
Eve: 4:00, 6:00, 10:00 PM
Day: 9:00, 11:00 AM
November 2, Sunday
Presentation on Contraception
12:30 PM (see p. 3)
Parish Hall
December 28, Sunday
Cookies and Carols
7:00 PM
Parish Hall
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PREP—Parish Religious Education Program
The PREP year began with
a blessing of the catechists
at the 9:30 AM Mass on
September 7th. At that time,
Fr. Phil demonstrated what
happens at the Children’s
Liturgy of the Word when
children will leave the
church to go to classrooms
for listening and instruction.
They will return to bring up
the gifts at the Offertory and
then rejoin their families for
the celebration of the
Eucharist.
Some of the catechists at
their first meeting
Back (l-r): Lauren Molfetta,
Julissa & Natalie Brown,
Nicole DiFabrizio, Diana
Cocco, Diona Lovejoy, Julie
Bigelow
Front (l-r): Heidi Taylor,
Kristen Dennison, Leslie
Schreckengast, Jennifer
Kremp, Mary Catherine
Forest, Wendy Clayton,
Nicole Kontsouros, Amy
Strausser, Maegan Leone
MUSIC MINISTRY
Upcoming Liturgical Events
Sunday. October 19, 2014, at 6:00 PM
An Evening with Mary
Monday, November 10, 2014, at 6:30 PM
All Souls Remembrance Mass
Wednesday, November 26, 2014, at 7:00 PM
Thanksgiving Ecumenical Service
Sunday, December 14, 2014, at 4:00 PM
Advent Vespers Service/Concert
WEBSITE: www.stbenedictmusicministry.weebly.com
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Andrew Angstadt
Director of Music
and Liturgy
LOOKING BACK
FAREWELL! FR. QUINN
A good friend to many and a good shepherd to even more, Fr. Quinn went on to the Good
Shepherd just a week or so before he would have celebrated his 79th birthday. Ordained
in May of 1961, he served in many ways in the Diocese of Allentown, but primarily as
pastor of St. Columbkill Parish in Boyertown. Upon his retirement in 2009, he was
named Pastor Emeritus of that parish, and took up residence at St. Benedict’s. Fr. Phil, a
good friend, was celebrant and homilist at the Mass of Christian Burial at St. Benedict’s
on September 24, before the celebration at St. Columbkill Church on September 26.
Fr. Robert Quinn
Some of the altar servers and their
families who had the “time of their
lives” at Hershey Park on July 28
thanks to financial support from
the Knights of Columbus.
ALTAR
SERVERS
WOMEN’S CLUB
PRIME TIMERS
Everyone’s birthday
was celebrated at the
meeting on
September 23.
Women’s Club President Lillian Meyers
at the annual Book Sale to raise funds to
help parish activities like PREP.
Joann Yorke arranged for
the provision of superb, tasty
delights as well as the cake.
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Secretary Carol
Wirkus recorded each
person’s b’day wish.
Head of Operations:
Fr. Phil
Heads of Summer Festival: Tom Dobson & Matt
Martini with The Chicken (aka Andrew Donlin)
Head of Intelligence:
Jeanie Hauck
The Schreckengast Family
Frank & Mary Newhams
Chief Engineer: Ray Clapper
Timeout for a cold brew
Pam & Alan Kubacki
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Diane Kones & Theresa Nelson
Clockwise from top left: The Chicken learns from Ed Hecker
what is happening to her cousins. Pete Saporito (l) and Mike
Maiers have finished a rack of cooked cousins, helped by
BBQers (l to r) Gene Raser, Pete Nelson, and Kevin
Kowlowski. Ron Ney prepares the butter sauce for the corn.
Patrick Reagan trashes some of the 270 20-pound bags of
charcoal that were used to BBQ 2,500 chickens. Lori Bilski
and Jean Kuhl have the ears husked and ready. Renee
Froelick and son Ryder enjoy the results that Brian Young
and Denise Horner keep hot before serving.
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We would
THANK YOU!
We would like to thank all of the
parishioners who volunteered—as
well as those who bought dinners—
and in so doing made our Summer
Festival a great success.
Tom Dobson and Matt Martini
The band Wag the Dog
(above) entertained from
7:00 PM to the beginning of
the fireworks.
Auctioneers (l-r) Joe &
Sharon Reimels, Gary
Gibson, & Kim Lewis
raised more than $9,000.
Overall, the committee
raised about $36,000 at this
year’s Summer Festival and
Chicken BBQ.
Cleanup: (clockwise from upper left): Brent Musser & an unidentified helper, three strong ex-weight lifters,
Diane Kones & Mary Ann Razzano, John Bergandino, Robin Ball.
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WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES
September 22–27, 2015
Pope Asks for Prayer for Synod
Dear Families,
With this letter I wish, as it were, to come into your homes to speak about an event that will
take place at the Vatican this coming October. It is the Extraordinary General Assembly of the
Synod of Bishops, which is being convened to discuss the theme of “pastoral challenges to the
family in the context of evangelization.” Indeed, in our day, the Church is called to proclaim
the Gospel by confronting the new and urgent pastoral needs facing the family.
This important meeting will involve all the People of God—bishops, priests, consecrated men
and women, and lay faithful of the particular Churches of the entire world—all of whom are
actively participating in preparations for the meeting through practical suggestions and the
more crucial support of prayer. Such support on your part, dear families, is especially
significant and more necessary than ever. This Synodal Assembly is dedicated in a special way
to you, to your vocation and mission in the Church and in society; to the challenges of
marriage, of family life, of the education of children; and the role of the family in the life of the
Church. I ask you, therefore, to pray intensely to the Holy Spirit, so that the Spirit may illumine
the Synodal Fathers and guide them in their important task. As you know, this Extraordinary
Synodal Assembly will be followed a year later by the Ordinary Assembly, which will also
have the family as its theme. In that context, there will also be the World Meeting of Families
due to take place in Philadelphia in September 2015. May we all, then, pray together so that,
through these events, the Church will undertake a true journey of discernment and adopt the
necessary pastoral means to help families face their present challenges with the light and
strength that comes from the Gospel.
Dear families, your prayer for the Synod of Bishops will be a precious treasure that enriches
the Church. I thank you, and I ask you to pray also for me, so that I may serve the People of
God in truth and in love. May the protection of the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph always
accompany all of you and help you to walk in love and in caring for one another. I willingly
invoke on every family the blessing of the Lord.
Francis
Prayer to the Holy Family
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, in you we contemplate the splendor of true love; to you we turn with trust.
Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that our families too may be places of communion and prayer, authentic schools of the
Gospel, and small domestic Churches.
Holy Family of Nazareth, may families never again experience violence, rejection, and division; may all who have been hurt or
scandalized find ready comfort and healing.
Holy Family of Nazareth, may the approaching Synod of Bishops make us once more mindful of the sacredness and
inviolability of the family and its beauty in God’s plan.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, graciously hear our prayer.
Pope Francis
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FEAST OFSt.ST.
BENEDICT
Benedict’s
Church
2020 Chestnut Hill Road
Mohnton, PA 19540
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Celebrate
THE NATIVITY OF JESUS CHRIST
Wednesday Eve, December 24
4:00, 6:00, and 10:00 PM
Thursday, December 25
9:00 and 11:00 AM
Non-Profit Org.
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Reading, PA
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