News

The 30th Annual National Night of Prayer for Life uniting the Feast of the Immaculate Conception with the Feast of St. Juan Diego will be held on Sunday, December 8, 2019 from 7:30 pm - 12:00 Midnight in the Sacred Heart Chapel. The evening will begin with song and prayer and proceed to the Pro-Life Stations continuing with group and silent prayer throughout the evening until Midnight. Schedule: 7:30 pm - Opening Song and Prayer; 8:00 pm - Families and Children; 9:00 pm - Seniors Citizens; 10:00 pm - Knights of Columbus; 11:00 pm - Young Adults & Everyone; 12:00 Midnight - Closing Benediction uniting all Catholic Churches in the USA.

December 8, 2019 is the Second Sunday of Advent. The Sunday liturgy takes precedence over the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary that is usually celebrated on December 8. The Holy Day is transferred to Monday, December 9th, just for this year. The Blessed Mother is honored in this country as our patron. It is also the IHM Sisters Community Feast Day. It is the tradition of the Sisters to devotionally renew their vows in service to God and his Church through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Sisters will do this at the 9:00 am Mass on December 9th. SCHEDULE: The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is Monday, December 9, 2019; Mass Schedule: Morning 6:45 am in the CHAPEL; Traditional IHM Renewal of Vows 9:00 am in the CHURCH; Evening 7:00 pm in the CHAPEL.

Confessions will also be heard Saturdays in Advent 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. and Monday, December 24 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M.

The Christmas Giving Trees are set up in the Narthex. Please consider taking an ornament or two from the tree to purchase a gift for someone in need. The recipients of our donations will be: St. John's Hospice, Women of Hope, Bethesda Project, Birthright of West Chester, St. Veronica Parish, Holy Family Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor, St. Rose of Lima, St. Cecilia IHM Literacy Center, St. Mary's Homeless Shelter for Families, Fr. McKay's Our House Ministries, and some families in need within our own area. At the request of the organizations, please do not wrap the gifts or put them into gift bags. Please tape the ornament onto the gift and place it under the tree no later than Sunday, December 8. Thank you so much for your wonderful generosity.

The 2020 Saints Simon and Jude School Annual Fund is underway. Saints Simon and Jude School’s Annual Fund allows us to meet the needs of each student by supporting the many priorities of our school. The Fund helps to bridge the gap between tuition revenue and expenses. Tuition covers approximately 66% of what it costs to educate a student at SSJ. Our goal is to cover the remaining percentage with donations to our Annual Fund and parish support from Sunday collections. For more information or to donate a gift, PLEASE CLICK HERE. Thank you for your generous support of our school.

Simply log on to smile.amazon.com (not amazon.com). Enter your username and password. You are asked to select a charity and enter Saints Simon and Jude Church and School in the search box. Our parish name will come up. Just click select, then click start shopping. It's that easy and you will help support all the wonderful programs at SSJ. Thank you.

Good Works Is An Opportunity for You to Help Others in Chester County. Saints Simon and Jude volunteers for over 5 years have been a team of 15 or more, we are now at 4 - 6 so we need your help! November starts another West Chester project of home improvements. You do not have to be an expert and many volunteers have learned skills by volunteering. We work on the third Saturday of every month. Please contact Annette Glaudel at 610-431-9566 alglaudel@aol.com or Ray Mazza at 215-771-7049 raymazza44@gmail.com.

The Fall program for Women's Bible Study begins in the Welcome Center of the Church Vestibule on Wednesday, October 2nd from 1:00-2:30 pm. We meet to share God's word and how it applies to our lives through the Sunday Readings. ALL ARE WELCOME! For information contact Kathy Bond at 610-316-3979

Divorce is never easy. Tensions run deep; there is a sense of betrayal; lawyers; and lots of other issues with which to deal. Where can a person find peace in the midst of such turmoil? Rose Sweet, a Catholic national speaker and author on the subject suggests that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is the answer. Join us at SS. Simon and Jude Meehan Center on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 7 pm for support and explore Rose’s program: Catholics Surviving Divorce.

Did you know we have a Prayer Shawl Ministry right here in our church. No experience necessary to join us. We meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month. The shawls for the sick are in a box in the narthex for anyone who is sick. They are blessed and prayed on. When you take one please sign the book so we can continue to pray for your loved one. Contact Sue 610-431-3025.

The Music Ministry of Saints Simon & Jude is pleased to announce an open invitation to share in our ministry as cantors, choir members, instrumentalists and accompanists. Our family of musicians is a vibrant ministry that serves to awaken deeper levels of liturgical spirituality. No formal music training is needed. We seek only joyful participants! The time commitment is minimal. For additional information please contact Mrs. Marge Campbell, Music Director. 610-405.6934 "To Sing is to Pray Twice" St. Augustine

The IHM congregation came from Monroe, Michigan to the Susquehanna, Reading, and Philadelphia areas in the late 19th century at the invitation of St. John Neumann? Sister Helene Thomas Connolly has the awesome and exciting task of preserving the IHM past while maintaining new information of value. This includes documents, letters, photographs, audio and video recordings.  Information must be accessible and understandable.  Sister Helene will tap into her analytical and organizational skills to make sure that the record of IHM life in North and South America is preserved for years to come. Thank you Sister Helene for all you do!

Keeping our parish grounds beautiful is a way to serve the parish as an individual, family or group, on your own schedule and pace. Anyone who would like to help with cleaning up, weeding and watering our grounds, please call the Rectory Office at 610-696-3624 or email: email@simonandjude.org. Thank you for your kindness!

Bishop’s Tuition Transfer Grants are available for students who transfer to SSJ entering grades 2 to 7 who attend a public or other non-Catholic school. Recipients will receive a two-year grant totaling $1,500 ($1,000 in the first year – 2019- 2020 and $500 in the second year – 2020-2021). If you receive a transfer grant, you may also qualify for additional, need-based financial aid.

Casseroles will be collected every third Sunday from 8:15 to 11:00 am. Please drop off your FROZEN casseroles in the kitchen in Monihan Hall. If you would like to make a casserole for the homeless, stop by the Rectory and pick up recipes and a container. Thank you!

PLEASE CLICK THE LINK FOR TRIP DETAILS OR TO BOOK YOUR DEPOSIT ON-LINE.

Do you know what you can do on the SSJ Mobile App? Check Mass times at SSJ and other parishes when you travel. Watch a video of Mass. Read or listen to Homilies, Daily Scripture, Prayers, Family Devotions and more. See the Sunday Bulletin on line. Send in Prayer Requests, Reply to Messages. Communicate with other members in a parish group discussion. Keep up with Catholic News from around the world. Set up online donations, quickly share messages via Facebook, set reminders to silence your phone before Mass, and more. Access Parish and School Directory information. Stay informed on events in the Church, School, PREP, CYO, Ministry Groups, and more. Download the app today at MyParishapp.com, then search for Sts. Simon OR Text App to 88202.

Do you have a new phone number or email or address? Have the members of your home changed? Is there a new child since you first registered? Student that has moved away? Death in the family? We are counting on you to complete our 2019 on-line Parish Census to help update the parish records. That way we can better assist you in a time of need and keep you informed on what is going on in the parish. All information is kept confidential and is for church use only. Independent adult children (over 21) should register on their own by coming in to the Rectory Office to complete a Registration Form. If you have any questions or need help completing the form, please do not hesitate to call the Rectory Office at 610-696-3624. Please note the Census cannot be used for registering to join Saints Simon and Jude Parish. To register please visit the Rectory Office…we would love to meet you!  PLEASE CLICK THE LINK TO COMPLETE THE CENSUS FORM.

Casseroles will be collected the third Sunday of the month from 8:15 to 11:00 am. Please drop off your FROZEN casseroles in the kitchen in Monihan Hall. If you would like to make a casserole for the homeless, stop by the Rectory and pick up recipes and a container.

Aid for Friends meals are needed for the isolated homebound. Please consider making an extra serving for dinner and filling an Aid for Friends meal tin, freezing it and bringing it to our freezers to be distributed. Tins are located above the freezers in the closet across from the restrooms. Questions? Call Marty at 610-696-3624. Thank you for your help!