"> Georgiann Benkovic – Prince of Peace

Sunday, May 11

Dear Parishioners

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. The sheep listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd and following him is the theme of the Gospel of today. A believer who hears Jesus has eternal life and who follows him is never lost. We who believe in Jesus cannot be snatched away from him. We are not lost, and no one will take us away from Jesus.

The life which we receive from Jesus is a gift from the Father. No power is greater than God, and thus our union with God is also assured. Jesus insists that faith in his word ties the believer not only to him but also to God, the Father of Jesus. On this fourth Sunday of Easter let us commit ourselves to Jesus our Good Shephard who will never fail us.

Good SHE P HE RD

Without SHE, there can’t be HE.

SHE is none other than Virgin Mary the Handmaid of God.

SHE was

Proclaimed to be the Mother of

HE the Christ who is

Risen from the

Dead.

Fr. Raj

Month of May

The Month of May–the Month of Mary

Yes, the month of May is traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This tradition has been around for centuries, with the custom of dedicating May to Mary beginning in the late 13th century.

May is often associated with the renewal of nature in the spring, which mirrors the new life brought into the world by the birth of Jesus.

The Church sees Mary as a pivotal figure in the story of redemption and May is a time to reflect on her role in the salvation of humanity. May is a time for Catholics to offer special prayers and acts of devotion to Mary seeking her intercession and guidance.

“May the Mother of Jesus, our mother, always smile on your spirit, obtaining for it, from her most holy Son, every heavenly blessing.”

Diocesan Annual Campaign

Our Diocesan Annual campaign has begun and we will have the pamphlets in each pew for your convenience. Please take them home and prayerfully decide on your donation and/or pledge for the 2025 campaign.

The Diocesan Annual Campaign supports the formation and continued education for priests, deacons and seminarians. Community outreach through Catholic Charities.

Youth engagement including sacramental preparation, CYO programs and Catholic Campus Ministry efforts.

Catholic education including resources, training and guidance for our 33 Diocesan schools.

Catechetical certification for religion teachers and training for Marriage Mentor couples.

Our own Mary’s Helpers Food Pantry is benefited yearly with a grant to purchase food to be given to their clients who are most in need and not able to afford feeding their families.

Your gift, no matter the size, impacts those throughout our Diocese who benefit from the many ministries and programs that are funded through the Diocesan Annual Campaign. Please be generous, your donation is very much appreciated.

What Does It Mean to Be Catholic?

What Does It Mean To Be Catholic? 

The Catholic Church was founded by Christ and his Apostles.  There are four marks or characteristics of the Church, and we are reminded of them each time we pray the Nicene Creed at Mass.

One:  Means all members are united as the Body of Christ, given life by the one Spirit.  We acknowledge one Lord, one faith, one Baptism.

Holy: Means the Church is centered on God.  It is Christ who, by his sacrifice, makes the Church holy.

Catholic:  Means universal.  The Church is for all times and all people.  The Church is “the fullness” of the means of salvation”. (CCC830)

Apostolic:  Means the Church is built on the foundation of the Apostles.  We teach the doctrine of Jesus as it has been handed down through the apostles and their successors, the pope and bishops.

Each Catholic is called to full and active participation in the life of the Church and has the right and responsibility to:

1.) Attend Mass on Sundays and on Holy Days of Obligation.

2.  Confess your sins, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a least once a year.

3.  Receive the Eucharist.

4. Observe the days of fasting Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstinence on Ash Wednesday in Lent established by the Church.

5. Help to provide for the needs of the Church

Encountering Christ and being a witness to his love means we are called to live like Jesus and work for justice and peace in this world by living the 10 commandments, the Beatitudes, the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

We are called to stand for the: Life and dignity of the Human Person, Call to Family, Community and Participation, Rights and Responsibilities of the Human Person, Option for the Poor and Vulnerable, Dignity of Work and Rights of workers, Solidarity of the Human Family, Care for God’s Creatures.

 

Infant of Prague

It was a little painted statue and stood a foot and a half high, was dressed in exquisite court dress, and cherished as an heirloom wedding gift. It came from Spain during an early spread of devotion to the Christ Child.

In the 17th century, a Spanish noblewoman named Isabel Manrique gave this little statue to her daughter Marie when Marie married a Czech noble. Marie gave it, in turn, to her own daughter Polyxena when the later married.

Polyxena treasured it for many years, but at last gifted it to the Carmelite monastery of Our Lady of Victory.

Shortly afterward the Czech kingdom was invaded by the Saxons, forcing the Carmelites to flee their monastery. The statue of the Christ Child, damaged and tattered was left behind in the ruins of the church.

Ten years later in 1638, a Carmelite priest found it. He took it to his church in Prague and displayed it by the altar.

Suddenly, as he knelt in prayer before it, the statue spoke, saying: “Have mercy on me and I will have mercy on you. Give Me My hands and I will give you peace. The more you honor Me the more I will bless you.”

After this, many miracles were reported to have been wrought through the statue and devotion to the Christ Child increased all the more.

Many saints, such as Therese of Lisieux and Francis of Assisi, were greatly devoted to the Infant Jesus. Nurture love for the Child Jesus in your own home.

The Catholic Company: Bite-Sized Faith

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

Spiritual Communion:

     My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.  I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.  Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.

    I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.

     Never permit me to be separated from You.  Amen.

Blessed Virgin Mary Grotto

Dear Friends

Visit our Grotto at Prince of Peace Parish-Assumption of the BVM Church. Pray to our Blessed  Mother for peace in our country and the world and ask her assistance to bring friends and families who are not practicing their faith to return to her Son, Our Lord Jesus.

Our Blessed Virgin Mary Grotto is the Queen of Peace.

Sacrifice of the Mass

The Sign of the Cross and the Greeting tells us who we are as we gather to enter into the Mystery of Our Lord’s Death and Resurrection.

The Penitential Rite  gives us the opportunity to acknowledge our sinfulness as we approach the Sacrifice of Christ that destroys sin and bring us back into a relationship with God.

The Gloria is a hymn that leads us to praise glorify, adore, thank and ask our Triune God for all we, His sons and daughter, need as we beg His mercy.

The Opening Prayer or “Collect” collects the intentions of the people assembled and presents them to God by the priest who stands in persona Christi (in the person of Christ).

In the Reading of the Old Testament we hear the story of God’s covenant with His chosen people Israel and the revelation of Himself that speaks of His mercy and desire for their salvation.

The Responsorial Psalm is the faithful’s response of praise and thanksgiving to God’s Word in the First Reading . It reminds us that we are not passive listeners to the Word; we are in a relationship of love with the Word of God.

The Second Reading from the New Testament tells us of God’s New and Eternal Covenant forged in the Blood of His Son who is the Word Made Flesh.

The Gospel is a proclamation of an event from the life of Our Savior.  In the readings from Holy Scripture that are not taken from the Gospel, it is God who speaks to His people.  But when the Gospel is proclaimed, it is specifically Christ Jesus, true God and true man, who speaks to us.

The Homily is a vital part of the liturgy of the Mass that explains the Holy Scriptures and instructs us in the Faith.

The Profession of Faith (the Nicene Creed) is the ancient formula of beliefs that unites the people assembled with the Universal Church of all ages in their expression of their Faith in Christ.

General Intercessions or Prayer of the Faithful offers prayers to God for the Church the world, and the need of people both living and dead.

The Preparation Rite is the offering of the bread and wine brought to His altar by the priest on behalf of the people of God assembled.  The people participate in the offering by virtue of their baptism into the priestly people of God.

The Eucharistic Prayer makes present the Mystery of Our Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection.  Christ’s Sacrifice of the Cross, His offering to the Faith of Himself for the salvation of the world is represented on the altar.  At the words of consecration the bread and wine brought to the altar become the Body Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ.  The baptized are called to participate in the sacrifice of Christ that is made present through the ministry of the ordained priest.

The Our Father begins the Rite of Communion.  We are faithful to Jesus’ command to pray in the words He taught us.  The priest prays for deliverance from evil, peace, and freedom from anxiety as we wait for the coming of Christ Our Savior in glory.  The priest extends a greeting of Christ’s peace to all present in the assembly.  The faithful share a sign of peace with one another.  The priest comingles a portion of the Sacred Host that he has broken in the chalice of the Precious Blood. The faithful sing the Agnus Dei. “Lamb of God You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, grant us peace.”

Communion has arrived.  The faithful go forward to receive His Sacred Body.  This reception of the Holy Eucharist effects communion between the individual and God and among the individual members of the Body of Christ.

The priest then blesses the people in the name of the Holy Trinity and dismisses all to go forth to witness to Christ in the world.

No One is a mere spectator at Mass.  All of the baptized are invited to participate in the sacred Mysteries by full, conscious and active participation.  This participation is not limited to eternal expression.  It must also be an external expression of faith and devotion.  The mass is an awesome treasure! It is Christ’s work of salvation active in our midst!

Upcoming Parish Liturgical & Social Events

 Confessions are scheduled every Saturday in our Parish Church from 3 pm to 3:30 pm.  Our Saturday Vigil  Mass at 4:00 pm  and  Sunday Mass at 8:30 am  and 10:30 am will be celebrated in our Parish Church and the doors will open 1/2 hour prior to the start of Mass.

Croatian Masses are scheduled the first Sunday of each month at 5:00pm celebrated by Fr. Maurus Dolcic, TOR.  Confessions in the Croatian language will begin at 4:00pm.  This schedule may change periodically due to Fr. Dolcic’s other liturgical responsibilities.

Mass will be live streamed every Sunday morning at  10:30 am on our Facebook page, MyParish App and on our webpage (popsteelton.org).  For those of you who do not have a computer, you may listen to the Mass on your phone by calling the below toll free number:       1-855-635-1965

    You may tune your radio station to 90.7 FM and listen to the Mass in your car in the back parking lot. You would need to come into our Parish Church to receive the Holy Eucharist.

   The Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Mark 10:14

LITURGICAL SERVICES AND PARISH ACTIVITIES 2025:

Saturday, May 10, 2025: Vigil Mass 4th Sunday of Easter at 4:00pm

Saturday, May 10, 2025: “Happy Birthday”, Fr. Raj

Sunday, May 11, 2025: Happy Mother’s Day

Sunday, May 11, 2025: 4th Sunday of Easter. Mass at 8:30am and 10:30am

Sunday, May 11, 2025: First Holy Communion at 10:30am Mass with May Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary at our Queen of Peace Grotto to follow. Bring you children to participate in the procession to carry flowers to the Grotto.

Monday, May 12, 2025: No Morning Mass

Tuesday, May 13, 2025: Our Lady of Fatima

Tuesday, May 13, 2025: Morning Mass at 7:00am

Tuesday, May 13, 2025: Mary’s Helpers Pantry from 10am to 12 Noon

Tuesday, May 13, 2025: Religious Ed Class in the Parish Center at 6:00pm

Wednesday, May 14, 2025: Morning Mass at 7:00am

Wednesday, May 14, 2025: St. Matthias, Apostle

Thursday, May 15, 2025: Morning Mass at 7:00am

Friday, May 16, 2025: Morning Mass at 7:00am

Saturday, May 17, 2025: Ordination Transitional Diaconate at 10am at the Cathedral of St. Patrick. Andrew Charles Heidelbaugh

Saturday, May 17, 2025: Vigil Mass for 5th Sunday of Easter at 4:00pm

Sunday, May 18, 2025: 5th Sunday of Easter. Mass at 8:30am & 10:30am

Sunday, May 18, 2025: Knights “All You Can Eat Breakfast” from 9am to 12noon in the Parish Center

Sunday, May 18, 2025: Solemn Vespers to be held at 4:00pm at the Cathedral of St. Patrick to honor Monsignor Hahn, Karwacki, Lavelle, McNeil, Quinlan and +Mitzel.

Monday, May 19, 2025: No Morning Mass

Tuesday, May 20, 2025: Morning Mass at 7:00am

Tuesday, May 20, 2025: St. Bernadine of Siena, Priest

Wednesday, May 21, 2025: Morning Mass at 7:00 am

Wednesday, May 21, 2025: St. Christopher Magallanes, Priest & Companions

Thursday, May 22, 2025: Morning Mass at 7:00 am

Thursday, May 22, 2025: St. Rita of Cascia, Religious

Friday, May 23, 2025: Morning Mass at 7:00am

Saturday, May 24, 2025: Vigil Mass for 6th Sunday of Easter at 4:00pm

Sunday, May 25, 2025: 6th Sunday of Easter. Mass at 8:30 and 10:30am

Monday, May 26, 2025: Memorial Day: Mass at 9:00am

Tuesday, May 27, 2025: St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop.

Tuesday, May 27, 2025: Morning Mass at 7:00am

Wednesday, May 28, 2025: Vigil of Ascension Thursday. Mass at 5:30pm

Thursday, May 29, 2025: Holy Day of Obligation. Ascension Thursday. Mass at 9 am and 6:00pm

Friday, May 30, 2025: Morning Mass at 7:00am

Saturday, May 31, 2025: The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Vigil Mass at 4:00pm

Sunday, June 1, 2025: Mass at 8:30am and 10:30am

Let Us Prayerfully Remember

Let Us Prayerfully Remember Those Who Have Died Since

All Souls Day:  November 2, 2024

Eternal Rest Grant unto them, O Lord…and Let Perpetual light shine upon them.  May they rest in peace.  Amen.

May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.

Henry M. Flamini, Frank J. Simonic, III, Mary Petrasic, Augustus Furjanic, Douglas Muretic, Robert (Bob) Allen, John W. Penn, Elizabeth Szobocsan, Frank J. Sawicki, John J. Babish, Jr., Stephen Mahalchick, Eugene (Trapper) Spizzirri, Helga Hunter, Clarence (JR) Wright, Jr., Edita Jurisic, Monte Fitting, Kathleen (Kitty) Kramarich, Helen Negley, Dolores Murlin-Gardner, Lawrence T. Gustin, Ivan Vranicar, Michael M. Furjanic

Translate