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Page 1 - Assumption BVM
Church and Parish Office: 300 State Road • West Grove, PA 19390
Parish Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 am-12 pm, 1-4 pm Email: [email protected]
Web: assumptionbvmwestgrove.org Facebook: ABVM Parish Community, West Grove, PA
Twitter: @ABVM_WestGrove
Weekend Mass Times Saturday: 4:30 pm
Sunday: 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 pm Masses
Daily Mass Schedule 6:30 am - Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
8:15 am - Tuesday, Friday
Eucharistic Adoration After morning Mass, Monday through Friday, until 7 pm
ABVM Adoration Chapel No adoration on public holidays or snow days.
Fourth Sunday in Lent Sunday, March 22, 2020
Pastor …..….…Reverend Scott D. Brockson [email protected]
Pastor Emeritus…….…..Rev. Msgr. John Graf
In Residence ….…Rev. Msgr. Frank Depman
Deacons ….………..Deacon Thomas Hannan
Deacon Ronald Lewis Business Manager ….…...…Mary Rose Edmonds
Parish Office Staff ……..……Donna Brumbaugh Ann Caruso
Parish Office (Ph) 610-869-2722, (fax) 610-869-3252 Director of Liturgy & Music Michael Xavier Lundy
School Principal ….……………Danielle White [email protected]
School Office (Ph) 610-869-9576, (fax) 610-869-4049
Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE) ………... Teresa Leszczynski [email protected]
Religious Education Office .…...(Ph) 610-869-8575
Facilities Request……[email protected]
Sacraments and Devotions
Baptism: Sundays at 1:30 pm in Church (bimonthly)
Matrimony: Engaged couples are asked to meet with the parish priest at least six months prior to the wedding and enroll in a marriage-prep program.
Reconciliation: (Church) Saturdays, 11:00 am-12:15 pm
Rosary: Wednesdays, 6:30 pm (Church)
Bulletin: Submit articles by 8:00 am on Thursday for publication the following week. Submit to the Parish Office or email [email protected].
Hearing Assist Devices are available for use at Mass. Please see an usher for details.
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A FAITHFUL SERVANT OF GOD GOES TO HIS REWARD
Most people knew him as Father Gleason, but to me he was “Larry.” We entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary together in September, 1990 and quickly developed a friendship. Some of our common interests were the Phillies, history, politics and classical music. He was way ahead of me in music, having received a Master’s Degree in voice from Northwestern University. He could name the venue, orchestra, date of perfor-mance and leading performers in just about any work of opera or classical music that we heard on the radio. Once we attended an opera at the Lincoln Center, and during the intermission he asked the usher if the lead tenor had a cold. The usher indicated that he had been sick for a week. He sounded healthy to everyone else! Father Gleason did not realize his dream to be an opera singer. God had other plans for him. During a tour with a choir in Salzburg, Austria has was praying in a beautiful baroque church before a side altar when he heard the Lord call him to go to seminary. He let go of his own dreams and followed the one God dreamed for him. His was not an easy path through the seminary. Like many artistically talented persons, he suffered from what he used to call “a little Irish melancholy.” The formation team gave him a hard time. His ordination to the transitional diaconate, normally celebrated one year before priesthood, was delayed. He had to watch his classmates become deacons from a pew. It was a very painful experience and almost caused him to leave the seminary. His pastor, Msgr. Francis Clemens of Visitation BVM in Trooper, came to the rescue and convinced him to stay and advocated for him to the rector, Msgr. James Malloy, who in turn took up his cause. He was ordained a deacon in the fall and received the priesthood on schedule with all his Philadelphia classmates on May 18, 1996 in the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. Shortly after our ordination Msgr. Malloy was made pastor of Visitation. He was rector just long enough to save Larry’s vocation. It turned out that there was no priest more dedicated, effective and faithful than Father Gleason. In fact, he had a tendency to work too hard. I would try to convince him to slow down and learn how to say “no.” But he always felt a great responsibility for the people, and when his beloved St. Agnes Parish lost two of the four priests assigned to it he took on their work load, despite a history of recurring medical issues which included two life-saving surgeries. Eventually he burned out. This is when he came to live in our parish rectory to recu-perate. However, soon he was chomping at the bit to get back into full time ministry, and was assigned as a chaplain of Holy Redeemer Hospital in Abington. He was a model chaplain, known for his extraordinary empa-thy and availability. This ministry was perfectly suited for him, even though at times he was on call for two or three weeks straight. In mid-December he suddenly came down with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and after three months of paralysis and dependence on a ventilator the good Lord ended his suffering and brought him home. The life of Father Laurence Gleason was a life well lived. His greatest love was Christ, Mary and the Church. Next was his family and friends. He was very generous to them. He was a great patriot and defender of the unborn and the disabled. He deeply cared for the people to whom he was responsible for providing priestly care. Like all of us he was distressed over the scandals in the Church but despite his anger he always said that people need the sacraments and the Word of God, and he wouldn’t let scandal and poor leadership prevent him from providing them. His focus was on serving the faithful. Father Gleason grew through the many challenges he experienced in his personal and professional life, and through it all remained a faithful servant of Christ. At 67 years his life was relatively short, but it was consequential. Let us pray to God that others may be able to say the same about us when our time comes.
- Father Scott
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Public Prayer Request
Name: _______________________________________
Requester/Phone:______________________________
Requests will be printed in the bulletin for one month and military prayers for six months. You may renew as often as you wish.
Please remember to pray for those in need of hope and healing.
Nancy Beyers, Domenico Ruffini, Debbie Robinson, Marilyn DePhillips, Bill Sauerwine, Sharon Kraynak, Mark B., Lorraine Moulder, Frank Wood, Mitzie Pack, Colleen Ide, Joseph & Philip Caruso, Luke Ramowski, Frankie Knowles, Pat Hamil-ton, Kevin Lieb, Nancy Larkin, Gail Daddario, Tony McGinley, Kathi Lafferty, Hilde Varglien, RuthAnn Donahue, Ed & Carol Painter, Dawn Marley, Louann & Daniel Armstrong, Linda Miller, Paula Bryan, John S., Jesse Clement, Eileen Byrne, Nancy Furniss, Lauren G., Joyce Dorazio, Judith Hasson, William Haid, Christian Workman, Dorothy Verna, Fabiola Matalonis, Norman Ginsburg, Nellie McGinnis, Terry O’Con-nell, Msgr. John Graf, Ryan Coyle, Betty Anne Silva, Tippi Carlino, Gert & John Lincoln, Linda & Gene Glomb, Phil & BJ Budzynski, Santi Ceccotti, Pat Mannion, Joan O’Neill, Scott Cook, Jennifer Donnelly, Christopher Busby, Diane Morgan Quigley, Pattie Perry, Visitation Prayer Intentions
Readings of the Day
1 Samuel 16:1b,6-7,10-13a, Psalm 23:1-6
Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-41
Live the Liturgy Inspiration for the Week
Seeing is much more than just a function of our eyes. We can look at something with clear vision but not really see it. Often what we think we see is colored by our presuppositions, prejudices, assumptions, and needs. We judge things by appearance, but God looks into the heart. God’s sight has a much wider range and far greater depth. Receiving things or people just based on appearance can lead us to erroneous and hurtful judgments. We think we are seeing clearly, but we are not. Allowing God to restore our sight so that we can truly see is a worthy goal for our Lenten journey. Look within and look without. What do you see? Allow God to complete the picture for you. Ask Him to give you the insight to look into someone’s heart. Don’t draw hasty conclusions or presume you know the truth. Be open and humble enough so that you can receive the sight that only God can give.
Pray For Our Military
♦CPL Christian Workman
♦SGT Meghan Guerrera
♦SGT Michael Guerrera
♦SGT James Francis
♦2 LT Nicholas J. Caruso
♦SGT Andrew Wolfe
♦SSGT James McWilliams
♦AB Michael Connelly & FLT277, Lackland AFB
♦SPC Thomas Wolfe ♦SGM Nicolas Relacion ♦CPL Charles Morgan Griffith ♦SSGT Michael Kauffman ♦HM1 Matthew Rosenberg ♦AB Brandon Narkin & FLT 601/602 Lackland AFB ♦2 LT Niccolo Iacovelli
♦Service Members & Coalition
Military Plaque to honor those who are currently serving in the U.S. Military is on display in the Church Vestibule. If you would like to have your loved one’s picture displayed, please send a photo of your active duty military person, in uniform, with their name, rank, and your contact information. Contact Dave Bes-selman at 484-667-0267 or [email protected].
Rest in Peace Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual
light shine upon them. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.
Elaine Mammarella Anthony Bacchetta
Father Larry Gleason
Fourth Sunday in Lent March 22, 2020
Let us continue to pray for our Armed Forces. We thank God for their sacrifices they make to ensure our freedom.
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New Release from the Archdiocese March 17, 2020
Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez Announces The Suspension
of All Public Masses In The Archdiocese Of Philadelphia
Effective At Noon on Wednesday, March 18th
On March 17, 2020, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced that Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez has suspend-ed all public Masses in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia effective at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18th and until further notice.
Last week, the Archbishop dispensed the faithful from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass. Both decisions were made in response to the growing concern over the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the direc-tives provided by government and health department officials at the local, state, and national levels. These measures will be re-evaluated pending future developments.
Archbishop Pérez said, “As the Archbishop of Philadelphia, my first priority is to ensure the health and welfare of those entrusted to the pastoral and temporal care of our Church. So, in light of the developing Coronavirus pandemic, a decision has been made to suspend the public celebration of all Masses in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for the time being.
All of us need to do our part to slow the spread of this illness. Like you, we are monitoring coronavirus developments and look forward to continuing our lives on a more normal basis.
While things may look and feel different during these uncertain times, I want to be very clear that the Catholic Church in Philadelphia is not closing down. It is not disappearing and it will not abandon you. Time and again as our history has proven the Church has risen to meet great challenges and provide a beacon of hope and light.
As your Shepherd, I promise that the Church remains steadfast and is prepared to walk with you and serve you. Neither the Church nor its charitable works will stop. God is always by our side. He never abandons us. I invite you to join me in prayerful solidarity for the intentions of the sick, suffering, and their caregivers as well as government and health officials. With God’s grace and blessing, we will navi-gate the difficult waters of this challenge as a united human family, for after all is said and done, we are people of Hope!”
Though public Masses are suspended in all churches in the Archdiocese, the right and need of the faithful to hear the Word of God and celebrate the Sacraments is not put aside. Pastors, along with all those who work with them, will be as attentive as possible to all the spiritual, pastoral, and charitable needs of the people they serve.
Priests will continue to offer the sacrifice of the Holy Mass during this period and to honor all requested Mass intentions.
Churches can remain open as a location for private prayer at the discretion of the pastor. Baptisms, Confes-sions, Marriages, and Funerals will take place as usual but with due regard for the limitation of participants and reasonable social distancing.
In conjunction with directives already in force in hospitals and institutions, all visits to the sick with Holy Com-munion, including in private homes, by priests, deacons, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are suspended. In such instances, only priests will be available to celebrate the Sacraments for those in immediate danger of death. In all circumstances, government and health agency directives for group size and social dis-tancing are to be observed as the Archdiocese of Philadelphia strives to meet the pastoral and temporal needs of all those in need.
On Sunday, March 15th, the Archdiocese featured a live streaming broadcast of the 11:00 a.m. Mass on its web-site and Archbishop Pérez’s Facebook page for the benefit of those wishing to participate in the liturgy remotely. This broadcast will continue each Sunday on an ongoing basis.
Additional information regarding opportunities for prayer and devotions are available on the Archdiocesan web-site at www.archphila.org.
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Our 2019-2020 fiscal year budget has been adjusted to reflect recent historical income numbers. This fiscal year our income goal is $722,000 for the Offertory collection. Through March 15, our income is more than 4.5% greater than that antici-pated in the budget. Keep up the good work. Some parishioners have increased their donation. If you are able, please consider joining them. Our beloved church with the associated facilities is 18 years old. As in your home, maintenance costs and operating costs need to be addressed. You have demonstrated your generosity to enable us to fulfill our fiscal responsibilities. Please continue to be as generous as you can.
Parish Finances
Collection for March 15, 2020 $13,673 Includes $4,750 estimated E-Giving
-33% participation
Avg. Weekly Collection 2019/2020
Estimated Wkly Expenses 2019/20
$14,668$13,855
Parish Appeal Update
The 2020 Parish Appeal is doing very well thanks to you. In the first twenty weeks of the campaign we have commitments from two-hundred and fifty-eight families for more than $106,200 with $93,046 in hand. The Appeal is supporting continuing oper-ations of the Parish. The first $150,000 will go to balance the parish budget; the re-mainder will go toward the emergency fund for unbudgeted, major expenses for the church; e.g., the ultimate replacement of the church roof. The Finance Council and Father Scott thank you for your gen-erosity. Please complete the Intention Card you received in your letter from Fa-ther Scottt or mail the envelope to the Parish Office. If you wish, you may use the Parish Appeal envelope from your packet of envelopes to make your dona-tion.
Quick and Easy New Way to Give to ABVM Parish
As of Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the Assumption BVM
Parish Office will be closed until further notice. For
emergencies, please contact Father Scott Brockson at
610-869-2722, extension 4.
Please Note:
All weekday and weekend Masses, Stations of the Cross,
Eucharistic Adoration and all other parish events have
been suspended per the Archdiocese of Philadelphia until
further notice.
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church will be
open for private prayer:
Monday thru Friday, 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
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Intercessory Prayer to Saint Rocco:
Protector Against All Contagious Diseases
O Great St. Rocco, deliver us,
we beseech thee, from the scourges of God;
through thy Intercessory, preserve our bodies from contagious diseases,
and our souls from the contagion of sin. Obtain for us salubrious air;
but, above all, purity of heart. Assist us to make good use of health,
to bear suffering with patience; and, after thy example,
to live in the practice of penance and charity, that we may one day enjoy the happiness
which thou has merited by thy virtues. St. Rocco, pray for us
(say three times)
Rosary Campaign
for the End of the
Coronavirus
Join us online, by phone or in spirit as we pray the Rosary every night at 8 PM until the Solemnity of the Annunciation. We will ask the miraculous intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary to put an end to the coronavirus.
When:
Every day through Tuesday, March 24, 8:00-8:30 PM
Please click this link to tune in each night at 8 PM:
zoom.us/j/494480541?status=success
Click the link 5-10 minutes early to allow your device to download any necessary software.
Or dial-in by telephone:
Dial: (646) 558-8656 Enter the Webinar ID: 494 480 541
Hosted by:
Meghan Cokeley, Office for the New Evangelization, Archdiocese of Philadelphia
with special guests
Full details at: phillyevang.org/rosary
*On Wednesday, March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation, tune in to the Virtual Rosary Rally for Vocations at 7 PM. This will be the culmination of our Rosary Campaign! Details for March 25 can be found at heedthecall.org/RosaryRally/
A Prayer written by Our Holy Father
We are sharing with you the text of the prayer written by the Holy Father, Pope
Francis, during the coronavirus pandemic.
O Mary, you always shine on our path
as a sign of salvation and of hope. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who at the cross took part in Jesus’ pain, keeping your faith firm.
You, Salvation of the Roman People, know what we need,
and we are sure you will provide so that, as in Cana of Galilee,
we may return to joy and to feasting after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform to the will of the Father and to do as we are told by Jesus,
who has taken upon himself our sufferings and carried our sorrows
to lead us, through the cross, to the joy of the resurrection. Amen.
Under your protection, we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God. Do not disdain the entreaties of
we who are in trial, but deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.
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Assumption BVM School News
Following the directives of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary School will be closed through March 27th. Virtual learning instruction will continue through March 27th. Our primary goal is to provide for the health and safety of all those entrusted to our care. We will continue to update parents as information is shared with us. God bless and thank you for your support! Danielle White [email protected] 610-869-9576
Religious Education News
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has closed
all Religious Education (PREP) programs until
Friday, March 27th for the five-county area.
The timetable will be re-examined on an on-
going basis. Please check your emails and
the Parish website for updated news.
Our Children’s Liturgy of the Word at the 10
am Mass has been suspended in order to be
consistent with the local and state decisions
regarding school closings and cancellation of
school events. We will resume the Children’s
Liturgy of the Word when schools re-open.
Sadly, the Children’s Lenten Walk with Jesus is
specific to this liturgical season, so it cannot
be postponed; it will be cancelled, but we
very much look forward to offering the Lenten
Walk next year.
Night at the Races (NATR) has been postponed.
A revised date will be announced.
This adult-only (21+) evening features simulated horse racing, great food, drink, silent auction, “live” music and much more.
Avon Grove Charter School has been approved as a free meal
provider during the COVID-19 Pandemic. We will be providing free
meals on weekdays, between 11 am and 1 pm. All community
members in need of a meal should come to the AGCS State Road
Campus between 11 am and 1 pm to drive through and pick up a
Grab & Go Meal. Breakfast and Lunch Meals will be available.
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Announcements
Pray the Rosary for Life (3/22-3/28/20) Sun. C. Lyons Thu. N. Kennard Mon. R. Gaffney Fri. T. & S. Hannan Tue. C. Sedlak Sat. F. Eastwood Wed. G. Bryson/J. Lyons (Sign-up to pray in the church vestibule.)
HopeAfterAbortion.com; afterabortion.org; RachelsVineyard.org 610-354-0555,
Pregnant? Need Help? Call 1-800-CARE-002.
Birthright: 610-436-0773.
Annulment Proceeding: Metropolitan Tribunal, Archdiocese of Philadelphia (215) 587-3750.
Al-Anon meeting: Held every Monday, 7:30 pm, in the ABVM Church. (https://al-non.org)
Lions Club Hospital Equipment Loan Program: Contact 484-883-0515; www.aglions.com.
Courage: Courage ministers to those with same-sex attractions and their loved ones. A weekly peer support group is offered to homosexual men and women who wish to live according to the teaching of the Catholic Church. Call 215-587-4505. Confidentiality assured.
Disabilities & Autism Help-Line: Need help accessing services and supports for someone with an intellectual disability or autism? Call 484-472-5041.
Formed.org Free access to Catholic movies, ebooks, programs, & children’s resources. Use code MC8NYZ.
Catholic Men’s Pornography Addiction Group: Call confidentially at 215-490-4660.
STRIVE 21 Day Detox from Pornography. Register at cardinalstudios.org.
Nourish for Caregivers Support Groups: Visit phillyevang.org/nourish
Hope in Christ: Spiritual Support for Addiction: visit archphila.org/hope.
PrayersUniteTheWorld.org: Send your prayers. Boxes of Blessings
Sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary
ABVM Ladies Auxiliary will once again be collecting items for the homeless. All it takes is a ziploc bag which you can fill with any of the following items: trial or hotel size shampoo, condi-tioner, soap, moisturizer, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss, washcloths, brushes, socks as well as granola or protein bars, bags of tuna or chicken. These will be distributed to local shelters. This is a great activity to do with your children. There will be boxes in the Narthex to col-lect items. The Ladies Auxiliary thanks you in advance for your generosity and support.
The 40 Days for Life Spring Prayer Campaign continues through April 5th, our community will take part in 40 Days for Life…a groundbreaking, coordinated international mobilization. Since February 26, 2020, 147 babies have been saved! We pray that, with God’s help, this will mark the beginning of the end of abor-tion in our community and beyond. The ABVM Respect Life group has committed to give witness in front of West Chester’s Planned Parenthood. Would you like to be part of a small group that spends one hour in prayer at Planned Parenthood on those days? Please contact Stephanie at [email protected], call 484-467-6675, or visit the website www.40daysforlife.com.
Joseph’s People for the Unemployed and Underemployed
Joseph’s People for the Unemployed and Underemployed (West Grove Chapter) has been cancelled for March 26th. For infor-mation or questions, please contact Ann Barr at [email protected] or visit www.josephspeople.org
The Parish Clean-Up Day that was scheduled
for March 28th has been cancelled.
We will reschedule and update you once
the health emergency has passed.
Parish Clean-Up Day
HoopsMania
Thank you for your support. The tournament might be cancelled, but you can still win prize money! The HoopsMania fundraiser now has a twist. Due to the Coronavirus out-break, winners and prize money for Hoops-Mania will be based on the results of a prior tournament year selected randomly. For more information, visit charitymania.com.
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IMPORTANT NOTE IF YOU HAVE AN IRA OR 401(k)
The SECURE Act went into effect on January 1, 2020 bringing significant changes to the rules for tax-advantaged retirement accounts. Some of the major changes include:
Required minimum distributions (RMD’s) will begin at age 72, instead of 70½, for those born on or after July 1, 1949. (NOTE: If you turned 70 ½ in 2019 you need to begin your withdrawals in 2020).
If you have earned income, you can now contribute to your traditional IRA after age 70½.
If someone inherits a retirement account from a non-spouse, they can no longer stretch the distributions out over their lifetime but must take a full payout within ten years.
A parent can take penalty-free withdrawals (up to $5000) from retirement plans for birth or adoption ex-penses.
More part time workers will be eligible to contribute to their employer’s 401(k) plans.
For details on how these changes may affect your specific circumstanc-es, contact a financial advisor. Detail may be obtained when you Google the SECURE Act. Courtesy of the ABVM Planned Giving Committee,
Operation Rice Bowl
This Lent, consider taking home one of the “Rice Bowl” containers that are available in the Church vestibule. Operation Rice Bowl is the official Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services that assists the poor and vulnerable worldwide.
Fri., March 27th: Lenten Seafood –CANCELLED Sat, March 28th: Founder’s Day Mass-CANCELLED Thurs., April 2nd: Dinner & Bingo –CANCELLED Fri., April 3rd: Crab Cake Sale—CANCELLED Sat., April 4th: Easter Egg Hunt –CANCELLED Sun., April 5th: Donut Social-CANCELLED
For membership information, please contact Ron Calloway at [email protected].
HAPPENING SOON
St. Pius X Council 3858
Thurs., March 26th: Ladies Night Out-CANCELLED Sat., April 4th: Easter Egg Hunt –CANCELLED Mon., April 13th: Auxiliary Meeting, To Be Deter-mined Thurs., April 23rd: Paint Party, To Be Determined For questions or information, please contact Terry at [email protected].
Page 10 - Assumption BVM
Father Scott will say Mass privately for the scheduled
intentions. If you have requested a Mass and would like
to change the date so that you can assist at it, please
send an email to [email protected].
