Our youth say they find Mass boring! HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE OUR YOUTH TO BE INVOLVED AND ENGAGED? You employ strategy and engagement.
THE STRATEGY: Make them feel intentionally welcome. Invite them to give their opinion. Then work with them as a team to do something they suggest. This shows interest in them and gives the adult credibility in the kid's eyes. Awaken awareness of the Holy Spirit in their life.
Incorporate them into the sacramental life. Parents, go to Mass - every week - and bring them with you. Parents, go to Confession regularly and bring them with you.
Celebrate and deepen their relationship with Jesus through the bestowal of grace, communal prayer, and liturgical experiences.
Boring homilies? Aim homilies at this topic and tailor the language to them. Set up
opportunities for them to read the scriptures and give ideas to the priest beforehand. Give
them the chance to give him feedback afterward. Do this every week. Sister Thea Bowmen once exclaimed, “They can’t preach, but what’s stopping them from telling the Word in other ways?”
Let them offer spiritual reflections online, in the bulletin. Let them make a spiritual reflection
via YouTube. Put it on your parish website. Ms. Battle showed a YouTube video that filmed a
group of young people answering this question about the Mass: “What does Mass have to do with MY life?” It was very compelling. Put something like this out online EVERY WEEK!
Provide them with vehicles to provide feedback on the Mass. Offer them opportunities for their engagement to change things. Same with music. Some young people might play musical instruments. Yet what’s stopping them from getting involved in the music ministry in other ways (See "Engagement; " below)?
Nurture their personal spiritual and prayer life. There are rich resources on prayer available.
Much is online - their sweet spot. Help them find items to read, videos to watch, and podcasts to listen to. Foster rituals and prayer. This can be done privately and especially at home.
ENGAGEMENT: Read Luke 24:13-15. This is the story of the two disciples and Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Jesus was engaged with them. He walked with them. They walked and talked and celebrated the Eucharist together.
What can our young people do? Lector. Cantor. Music. Choir. Sacristan. Altar server. Dance
Ministry. Greeter. Usher. Set up environment, art, and atmosphere. Eucharistic Minister. Be on the Liturgy Committee. Be a Worship Leader. Perform homily preparation beforehand and provide feedback later. Offer witnesses, testimonies, and telling their stories (in the bulletin, live, online, on the screen before Mass). Help in choosing hymns/songs. Work the sound system. Work the church lighting. Not only run the worship slides but let them make the slides (they’ll be more creative than the adults!). Set up the sound and the music environment. Get the idea?
”YOUTH MASSES” and ‘YOUTH CHOIRS” ARE A BAD IDEA. Why? They are usually only
once/month (or 12 times a year). Sometimes even less. You never see a "Youth Christmas Mass or Youth Easter Mass." You’re segregating instead of including them. This fosters performance - not ministry. Intentionally include them in the regular ministry schedule. At least one young person needs to be in every ministry every week - no exceptions.
You can have your “youth choir” but schedule them in a regular rotation (along with the men’s choir, gospel choir…). Make them part of the whole community. Meet with them regularly. It can be formally (a few minutes dedicated after or before a rehearsal) or informally (Rita's Water Ice). Listen to what is on their mind. This way Ministry and discipleship become the primary focus, not performance.
Fr Charles Zlock, Pastor
SPECIAL COLLECTION, 9/3 Black and Native American Missions
This fundraising initiative was established as the first national collection for the Catholic Church in the United States in 1874. Since that time, it has proven itself to be a successful vehicle for sharing the resources of the Church’s members to provide for the unique cultural, pastoral, and temporal needs of our African American, Native American, and Alaskan Native sisters and brothers. Your support provides the presence of missionaries here in African American, Native American, and Alaskan Native missions, parishes, schools, religious education programs, and the many, many diocesan programs and projects that strengthen the work of the Gospel. Your partnership places Bibles and catechetical materials in the hands of priests, consecrated men and women, and lay leaders. Your sacrifice impacts pastoral work across the country and addresses the need to train catechists, permanent deacons, and seminarians for future generations here in many of our neighborhoods and backyards. Please be generous!
Are you interested in joining the Catholic faith? Do you know someone else who is? Are you Catholic but want to learn more about your faith? Or do you want to go deeper into your relationship with Christ and journey with others in a more intentional way?
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults or OCIA (formerly RCIA or the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) Is a new structure meant to invite people on a path to Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation.
OCIA is part of an ongoing journey of discipleship that will culminate with baptism and confirmation — usually during the Easter Vigil — but will continue throughout the person’s lives.
It is open to people who have never been baptized (known as “catechumens”) and people who are baptized but never received Confirmation and First Holy Communion (“candidates”)
But wait… there’s more!
It is also open for fully initiated Catholics who wish to do a committed deep dive into their faith. It might appeal to a committed Catholic wishing to develop a more intentional relationship with Christ within a community setting.
Interested?
Join us for one of two Information Sessions. The first will be with Deacon Bill and Cindy Bradley on Sunday, August 20, at 12:30 PM (after Mass Hospitality in the Sister Rosemary Room underneath the rectory). The second is on Monday evening, August 21, at 7:00 PM with Fr. Charles Zlock in the Sister Rosemary Room. If you can not make either session, Contact Fr. Zlock or Deacon Bill at the rectory. Phone: (215) 549-3760
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Fr Charles Zlock, Pastor
215-549-3760
Eucharistic Revival – Join Us! Our world is hurting. We all need healing, yet many of us are separated from the very source of our strength. Jesus Christ invites us to return to the source and summit of our faith: his Real Presence in the Eucharist. The National Eucharistic Revival is a movement to restore understanding and devotion to this great mystery here in the United States. Stay up to date on our local celebration of the Eucharistic Revival at phillyeucharisticrevival.org.
Eucharistic Congress sign-up sheets are in the back of the church.
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS:
8/20 = Mission Appeal
8/15 Tuesday = Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
8/20 = Hospitality Sunday
8/29 and 8/30 = Monthly Prayer Team after Mass (always last Sunday)
Submit your weekly collection envelopes during your summer vacation and travels…..We are counting on you!
The Men of St Raymond (Men’s Group) will be having a Meat Raffle Fundraiser! Tickets are $3.00 each or two @ $5.00 Tickets can be purchased in the rectory office or After Mass in the rear of the church.
Drawing will be Sunday, August 27
Proceeds to Benefit Parish Youth & School
Saturday, September 9
Event: Diaper and Baby Item Drive:
World's Greatest Baby Shower
Catholic Social Services will hold a Diaper and Baby Item Drive. There are two ways to give: scan the QR code (flyer) or purchase baby clothes and gear and drop them off or have them delivered to Amy Stoner at 222 N. 17 St,
Philadelphia, Pa 19103, 3rd floor.
More info: Please contact Amy Stoner at astoner@chs-adphila.org for more info!
https://www.phillyevang.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/CSS_Baby-Shower-Donate-Flyer-2-002.pdf
The Saint Raymond Church family mourns the passing of Gladys Lynch, mother of Tracy Okeke.
A funeral Service will be held on Saturday, August 12, 2023, at Saint Raymond Church.
Visitation will be at 9:30 AM;
Funeral Service is at 10:00 AM.
The Saint Raymond Church family mourns the passing of
Albert Hughes III, (only son of Patricia Hughes, a long-time Gospel Choir member)
Funeral Mass, Thursday 8/10/2023 @ 10:00 AM; visitation @ 9:00 AM.
The Saint Raymond Church family mourns the passing of Merle Heyward
Funeral Service Saturday, 9/9/2023 (Time TBD)
St Raymond is collecting School Supplies for the needs of the children in St Raymond School. We will be collecting Backpacks, pencils, crayons, lined paper & folders. If you can assist, please drop off all items in the back of the Church or the Rectory.
Thank you for your help.
Attention Ladies
Catholic Women’s Conference
Sat. Oct. 28, 2023
Registration Information Packets are located on the desk at the rear of the church. Please complete the pink form and return it to the basket provided to ensure that you are registered for the session of your choice. Please note you may only select one session.
Sign up early- the event fills up quickly!
Join us, Tuesday, August 29, from 4 pm-7 pm for our 2nd annual Meet and Greet BBQ for our St. Raymond Church and School families. Food, Games, and Music will be provided. To RSVP, please call the Rectory Office at 215-549-3760 or use the signup sheets in the back of the Church.
https://saintraymond.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/24/responses/new
Family Faith Formation Classes (PREP)
Begins Sunday, September 17, 2023
Please note the new time & schedule.
On-site catechesis will be immediately following the 10:00 Mass on the 1st & 3rd Sundays of the month in the lower church. Parents are to attend these classes with their children. Classes will last 45 min to an hour.
At-home catechesis will be on the 2nd, 4th & 5th Sunday of the month. This new model of Catechizing children is based on Scripture: Deuteronomy 11:18-19. ” Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your
foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road when you lie down, and when you get up. Parents are the primary educators for their children, we are here to assist you in the process. If want to see a change in the world, it is up to this generation of children to bring it about. Train up a child in the way he should go; together, we can.
Let’s Just Do It!
St Raymond Church needs you!
Fr Charles Zlock has asked that you volunteer a minimum of 2 hours per month. How can you help? Please see below for a preliminary list of small, yet important activities.
Catechists; Faith Partners (RCIA); Altar server scheduling and training; Altar server robes (weekly straightens, regrouping, and periodic washing); Office volunteers: Administrative support like answering the phone and answering the door. Filling out sacramental forms for baptisms and Godparents. Ordering office and liturgical supplies. Office organization. Filing records and forms. Proofreading articles for the parish bulletin. Moving supplies to the church and office.
Mass slides operation; Camera operators; Ministry to the Sick (phone calls); Home visits to the sick report compiler, communication coordinator, etc;
Weekly exterior campus review with a follow-up report; Counting the collection; Caring for Friends assistant/ coordinator; Church Community Builder database update; ESL volunteers; and Certified drivers for the parish bus.
The engagement of parishioners is critical to leading to a St. Raymond that is alive, vibrant, and joyful. Please contact the rectory office at 215-549-3760, Or, contact a member of the staff directly (names, phone numbers and email addresses are on the front page of the parish bulletin).
Racism has distorted our vision for too long. The time to see one another as human is now. Two women of faith (one Black, one white) acknowledge the sin of racism and proclaim a way forward – together, with respect and kindness, rooted in the example and words of Jesus.
This day of reflection will name the reality of racism and its destructive impact on each of us. Storytelling, conversation, deep listening, and ritual will provide a basis for healing individually and as a Christian community.
Philadelphia, PA 19116
CALLING ALL SINGERS!
As more people have returned to in-person mass, we’ve had lots of questions about joining the choir at St Raymond. If you’d like to become a part of this amazing ministry, please reach out to our Director of Music, Kenny Arrington, at Tua20523@temple.edu so that he can set up a time to meet and conduct a voice assessment to determine where your voice may fit. We’re looking for people who are moved to Praise God through song, are humble, patient, and able to commit to attending weekly practices and singing for our 10:00 mass.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, This week, make a list of those in your life who are far away from the Church right now. Pray for them by name every day this week. Here is my teaching on intercessory prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69CGi0ddsCY ~Archbishop Pérez ~Archbishop Pérez
Monday Evenings, 8 PM
Event: Virtual World Mission Rosary
Join hundreds of people throughout the Archdiocese who have regularly been praying the ROSARY LIVE! United in this most powerful prayer, we ask for the miraculous intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary to hear our intentions and renew our Catholic faith as we pray in unity for our brothers and sisters in mission lands worldwide. On Mission Mondays, we pray the World Mission Rosary, created by Venerable Fulton Sheen, in which we offer each decade for one of five Mission areas, including the US.
Location: Use this Zoom link to join each Monday: https://zoom.us/s/494480541
More Info: Sponsored by the Pontifical Missions Societies (phillymissions.org)
Please log in to find out what is going on around the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
https://www.phillyevang.org/
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