St. E's Youth Ministry invites 8^th Graders to Youth Group with the annual end-of-year celebration on Sunday, May 22, 7-9 PM in the School's All-Purpose Room. The celebration honors 8^th graders as they complete middle school and move on to high school. Check out the invitation video on our parish's YouTube page. Registration is required to participate. Simply go to stelizabethchurchmd.org/youthgroup

Join your fellow parishioners in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament at the Holy Hour for the Intentions of the Ordinandi and an increase in the response to vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life on at our monthly Holy Hour on Wednesday, June 1, at 7 PM. Unite with parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Washington as we anticipate the Ordination of our Priests on June 18. 

This year's Ordinandi for the Priesthood:

Deacon Gerald Andrews

Deacon Ryan Braam

Deacon Mattia Cortigiani

Deacon Carlos Rodrigo de Gutiérrez

Deacon Peter Mlynarczyk

Deacon James Morgan

Deacon Grzegorz Okulewicz

Deacon Thomas Robertson

Deacon Kyle Vance

Deacon Alexander Wyvill

 "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38

We thank Deacon Jacob Ramos for his ministry at St. Elizabeth this past school year. On May 6, he graduated from Mount St. Mary's Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree cum laude. Deacon Jacob is scheduled to be ordained a priest for the Diocese of Norwich on Saturday, June 25 at 10:30 AM in the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich, Connecticut. Please keep Deacon Jacob and all the transitional deacons in your prayers as they are ordained priests of Jesus Christ. 

Our next Faith through Film showing is Friday, May 27 (note date change!) with Lilies of the Field, starring Sidney Poitier as a jack-of-all-trades in this dramedy about a group of German nuns in Arizona who need a chapel built.  The movie, which will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Commons, is about 90 minutes long, is in English, and is not rated (the content is non-objectionable). After the movie there will be a 30-minute discussion.  If you’re willing and able, please bring wrapped snacks to share!  For further information, please contact Deacon Mark Asselin (MAsselin@stelizabethchurchmd.org). 

The feast of the Visitation of Mary on Tuesday, May 31, commemorates the three-month visit of Mary with her elderly cousin Elizabeth during Mary’s pregnancy with Jesus and Elizabeth’s with John the Baptist. The story appears in the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel. It recounts Elizabeth’s Spirit-filled greeting, acknowledging Mary as “the mother of my Lord,” and Mary’s beautiful response, the Magnificat, which begins, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.” Introduced by the Franciscans in 1263, the feast became universal in the 16th century.

Sat, May 21st at 4:00 pm      Msgr. Parent

Wed, May 25th at 7:00 pm    Fr. Vitturino

Sat. May 28th at 4:00 pm      Fr. Vitturino

Wed. June 1st at 7:00 pm     Fr. Fields

Fri. June 3rd at 11:00 am     Msgr. Parent

Sat. June 4th at 4:00 pm      Msgr. Parent

Wed. June 8th at 7:00 pm    Msgr. Parent

Sat. June 11th at 4:00 pm    Fr. Seamus

Through various circumstances, Catholics may find themselves in a civil marriage or a marriage that took place before a non-Catholic minister. In time, many couples seek to celebrate the Sacrament of Matrimony in the Church. When this can be accomplished, the liturgy that constitutes the union as a true sacramental marriage is called a convalidation. A convalidation is a new, free act of consent by each spouse, which expresses the outward sign of the gift of self that they exchange before God and the Church.

St. Elizabeth Church is ready to offer pastoral and spiritual support to couples seeking to celebrate matrimony in the Church. The preparation is uniquely tailored to address opportunities for enriching the couple's relationship. The convalidation may be celebrated as simply or as ornately as you wish. Please contact Mary Theresa Heneghan, Director of Christian Formation, to discuss your situation at mtheneghan@stelizabethchurchmd.org. She will provide you with the information needed to help you convalidate your marriage.

Back in late February, Msgr. Parent and Fr. Fields urged parishioners to contact State Senators and Delegates to oppose the Maryland Abortion Amendment and support legislation that is in accord with Catholic Social Teaching; including bills that improve healthcare, education, and anti-poverty efforts. Many parishioners responded quickly through the Maryland Catholic Conference's Catholic Advocacy Network. While the abortion constitutional amendment bill passed in the House of Delegates, the bill failed in the State Senate. A number of bills in line with Catholic Social Teaching were passed and will become law this year.

Thank you for exercising faithful citizenship by taking action through the Catholic Advocacy Network and keeping our legislators in prayer. Even if your elected official does not personally agree with you, they still represent you and need to know where you and other constituents stand on important issues. To join the Catholic Advocacy Network and receive easy action alerts for you to contact your state legislators, visit https://www.mdcatholic.org/joincan

Each Sunday volunteers take the Eucharist to parishioners who are homebound, and also to Catholic residents of the Hebrew Home for which our parish is sacramentally responsible. A flexible schedule and training are provided. If you are interested in homebound ministry, please contact Claudia McAuliffe at icmm247@aol.com.