Parish Happenings – Prince of Peace

Sunday, September 6

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

As we celebrate the Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Word of God reminds us that Christian faith is never merely a private relationship between ourselves and God. We belong to one another, and because we belong to one another, we bear a responsibility for the spiritual and material well-being of our brothers and sisters.

In the first reading, the Lord appoints the prophet Ezekiel as a watchman for the house of Israel. He cannot simply remain silent when another person is traveling down a dangerous path. This responsibility continues in the Gospel, where Jesus teaches His disciples how to respond when one member of the community sins against another. His first instruction is remarkably simple: go to the person privately and seek reconciliation. Only when that fails are others to become involved. Christ’s purpose is not humiliation or punishment, but the restoration of a brother or sister and the healing of the community.

St. Paul gives us the principle underlying everything else: “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another.” All of God’s commandments ultimately lead us toward love–love of God expressed in genuine concern for our neighbor. Christian love is not simply affection or pleasant feelings. Sometime love required patience; sometimes forgiveness; sometimes an uncomfortable conversation; and sometimes the courage to tell another person the truth. Yet whatever we do must always seek the good of the other.

This message takes an additional significance as our nation observes Labor day. We do not journey toward heaven alone. We work together, pray together, correct one another with charity, forgive one another, and carry one another’s burdens: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

As we observe Labor day, may God bless all who labor, grant meaningful work to those seeking employment, protect those whose work is difficult or dangerous, give justice to those who are treated unfairly, and grant all of us the grace to recognize Christ in the people with whom–and for whom–we work.

Our Lady of Sorrows

O, Mother most holy and sorrowful, Queen of Martyrs, you who stood by your Son as He agonized on thee cross; by the sufferings of your life, by that sword of pain that pierced your heart, by your perfect joy in heaven, look down on me kindly as I kneel before you, sympathizing with your sorrows and offering you may petition with childlike trust. Dear Mother, since your Son refuses you nothing, ask of His Sacred Heart to mercifully grant what I ask, through the merits of His sacred passion, along with those of your sufferings at the foot of the cross.

Mother most merciful, to whom shall I go in my misery if not to you who pities us poor, sinful exiles in this valley of tears? In our name, offer Jesus but one drop of His most precious blood, but one pang of His loving heart. Remind Him that you are sweetness, our life, and our hope, and your prayer will be heard. Amen.

Spaghetti On Second

Spaghetti On Second has scheduled their upcoming dinner for Sunday, September 27th from 11:30am to 2:00pm in the Parish Center of our Parish complex.

The dinner includes a tossed salad, homemade spaghetti and sauce, two large meatballs, two slices of Italian bread and a beverage of your choice for $15.00.

We will have desserts available for purchasing at the dinner if you wish. Eat in or take out dinners are available for your convenience.

Tickets are available for purchasing by contacting the Parish Office at 717-985-1330 or email us at pop.parish@comcast.net. You may purchase your tickets at the dinner if this is more convenient for you and your family. We look forward to seeing you at the dinner.

Knights of Columbus Council #3625

Our Knights of Columbus next scheduled meeting is on Tuesday, October 6th at 7:00pm in the Parish Office. All men are encouraged to attend and be a part of our parish society.

The Knights are currently selling “Football Sweepstakes” tickets for $10.00 each. The tickets will run from the NFL season November 8th to January 10, 2027. Contact any Knight or call Ron at 717-939-9914.

Don’t forget to pickup your sub order this Saturday, September 5th from 10am to 12 noon in the GYM of our Parish Center.

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.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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.

Loving Father, help us to face the challenges of daily life with confidence in your love and protection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

LITURGICAL SERVICES AND PARISH ACTIVITIES 2026:

Friday, September 4, 2026: Morning Mass at 7:00am

Saturday, September 5, 2026: Knights of Columbus Sub Order Pick-up between 10am and 12 noon in the GYM of the Parish Center.

Saturday, September 5, 2026: Vigil Mass for 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time at 4:00pm

Sunday, September 6, 2026: 23rd. Sunday in Ordinary Time. Mass at 8:30 and 10:30am.

Monday, September 7, 2026: Happy Labor Day Holiday to all. We will celebrate Mass at 9:00am today.

Monday, September 7, 2026: Parish Office will be closed for the holiday.

Tuesday, September 8, 2026: Morning Mass at 7:00am

Wednesday, September 9, 2026: Morning Mass at 7:00am

Thursday, September 10, 2026: Morning Mass at 7:00am

Friday, September 11, 2026: Morning Mass at 7:00am