HAPPY 136TH ANNIVERSARY OMGC & WELCOME BACK TO IN-PERSON MASS
I discovered this past weekend that the Anniversary of the Parish is July 26, 1885. Imagine all the changes that have transpired over those many years, along with those that will continue to form the unique chemistry of this parish community.
Happy Anniversary to everyone at OMGC.
For the past 18 months, there has been little news related to Church issues due to the pandemic. Now that some of the restrictions have been lifted and many folks have been vaccinated, things are beginning to germinate once again within parish communities. Just this week alone, Archbishop Perez, along with the other bishops of Pennsylvania, reinstated what is referred to as the “obligation to attend Mass” on the part of Catholics who can do so. I want to emphasize the phrase – “able to do so.” That means those healthy and well who can attend Mass without the fear of becoming ill. Those who still feel vulnerable or have a compromised immune system are not required to attend Mass even before the outbreak of coronavirus. This includes those who care for the sick and even those who have chosen not to be vaccinated for whatever reason.
Personally, I have never liked associating the word obligation to our responsibility to celebrate the Eucharist on Sunday. Our responsibility to worship the Lord should stem from a deep-seeded desire to gather as a community of believers called by our baptismal commitment to worship with one another. This takes away the stigma of attending Mass because we must go under the pain of sin and transfers that to a more spiritual motivation that invites us to join together as a community, giving thanks to our God for the many blessings he shares with us daily while praying for the many needs of both our local community and the larger global community that needs our prayers.
For some, the need to find a good reason to come back to church may hopefully be motivated more by the Archbishop’s plan to REVIVE the parishes post-pandemic than the fear of sin. We cannot pretend that things will go back to how they were before the impact that COVID-19 has had on the global community.
We cannot forget about the millions of people worldwide who first struggled with this disease, many of which died because of it. We cannot make up for the time lost or gained when our lives were radically altered during these trying months. We can get on board with what we have missed over the months of confinement. We all should recognize the need we have to offer God praise and thanks weekly as charged by the commandment to keep holy the Lord’s Day. We all should be ready to find our way back to our parish church cautiously and excited to revive our faith and restore what has been lost over the past several months.
If an obligation is what some of us need to return to Mass, then I pray that those who need this type of motivation will find their way back into the pews. For many, especially those attending Mass without the obligation, I continue to look forward to seeing you each week as we have found a new way of celebrating the Eucharist grounded in our faith and love for God. We intend to continue live streaming our Mass, for there will always be those who cannot join us in person for a good reason.
As we celebrate the 136th Anniversary of the parish in 2021, let us be reminded of those who have sacrificed for us their time, talent, and treasure to build and support this community. It is now our turn to do the same.
WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE—WE HAVE MISSED YOU!
FR. JOE
2022 MASS INTENTION BOOK
The 2022 Mass Intentions Book will open in August! Please email your list to admin@omgcparish.net, mail it to the office address (31 Pennswood Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010), or place it in the basket at Mass. Each Mass Intention remains a $10.00 donation.
Each parishioner may request intentions for up to four (4) Sunday Masses until September 1st.
It also ensures fairness for persons at the back of the line. Then we will open the book with no restrictions on Sundays.
Thank you very much for your understanding.
PREP REGISTRATION
All students who do not attend a Catholic School should be enrolled in PREP (Parish Religious Education Program). PREP registrations for the 2021-2022 year will be mailed to all registered eligible students within the next two weeks.
Please watch your mail for this important envelope. Registration forms along with our new PREP schedule will be included in the envelope. Students must be enrolled in PREP to participate in CYO Sports.
If you have any questions, please contact Karen at 610-525-0147 or kcarey@omgcparish.net.
RUMMAGE SALE / FALL FUN DAY
In lieu of our Fall Festival this year, we will hold a one-day, Rummage Sale/Fall Fun Day on September 25, 2021. We would like to use the items we have on hand for the Rummage Sale. Along with that, we will have games for children, food, raffle baskets and prizes. Thank you to all those who have already signed up to help! If you like to be a part of the planning, or executing of this fun day, sign up below at the Fall Festival Day Sign Ups.
WE NEED LOTS OF HELP PUTTING ONE OF OUR FIRST POST-COVID EVENTS TOGETHER!
Fall Festival Day Sign Ups
Sign Up to help various activities of Fall Festival Day on Sept. 25, 2021
Rummage Sale
Raffle Baskets
Children's Activities
Food
LITURGY OF THE WORD FOR CHILDREN TO RESUME!
With things opening up slowly, we have been given permission to restart our Liturgy of the Word for Children Program. This is a Program designed for children 4 years old up to 9 years old. During the Mass, trained ministers will lead the children to the daily chapel when the Liturgy of the Word begins. There, the Word is broken open and read, discussed, sung about, or acted out on a level that the children at that age can understand. Children then return to the congregation for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
As we begin this ministry again, we find ourselves in great need of Ministers to help keep this program going. If you are interested in helping the children learn their faith on a level they can understand, please contact Karen at kcarey@omgcparish.net, or 610-525-0147, or 610-864-8538. All ministers must undergo background checks.
CATECHISTS NEEDED
~If you feel the Lord has blessed you with an ability to communicate His truths to young people….WE NEED YOU.
~If you are a teacher by profession and would like to share your faith with our young people...WE NEED YOU.
~If you are not a teacher by profession and would like to share your faith with our young people...we will give you the tools and formation needed because….WE NEED YOU
~If you can listen to a child’s prayer during class...WE NEED YOU.
~If you are a person of prayer….WE NEED YOU.
~If you are a person in touch with God….WE NEED YOU.
Please consider how you might answer the call to be a disciple of Jesus by sharing your faith with our parish children. We are looking for Catechists to teach our 4 and 5-year-old students and our third and fourth-grade students.
If you are interested in sharing the faith with the younger people of our parish (no experience required) each Sunday, please contact Karen Carey at 610-525-0147 or kcarey@omgcparish.net.
PEACE AND JUSTICE COMMITTEE
Our reconstituted P & J Committee will meet for the first time on Thursday, July 29, from 7:30 PM to 9 PM in OMGC's Parish Center, the former convent.
All are invited to attend.
You do not commit yourself to continuing membership by attending.
For more information,
please phone Joe Betz at 610-525-4499.
Augustinian Volunteers
YOUNG ADULT VOLUNTEERS: The Augustinian Volunteers are recent college graduates between the ages of 21-29 who feel called to spend a year in service to others while living in an intentional community. Volunteers serve with local community partners in social service, campus ministry, and education placements. By engaging in a way of life inspired by the Augustinian Friars, volunteers experience personal and spiritual development as they build relationships with fellow volunteers and those they serve. Applications are currently being accepted for the 2021-2022 volunteer year for our sites in Lawrence, MA, San Diego, CA, Ventura, CA and Chulucanas, Peru. If interested, please visit www.augustinianvolunteers.org or contact us at info@augustinianvolunteers.org.
Our thanks to all who so generously support our parish even during this time of quarantine.
