Activities for Our Modified Parish Festival

Join Us September 24 - 26

The St. Philip Parish Festival will take place this year in a modified, socially distant responsible manner. Planned activities are spread out over three days and will allow us as a parish to still focus on Faith, Fellowship and Fundraising.

Thursday, Sept. 24 - Parish-wide day of Fasting and Prayer

In 1861, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in September as a day of fasting and prayer for the healing of the national. This year, St Philip kicks off its festival with a day of activities to offer our prayers for the county and Church.

• 8:00 am Mass following by Rosary at 8:45 (live-streamed)
• 1:00 pm Rosary in the Breezeway in front of Mary statue
• 7:00 pm Outdoor Mass by the Convent followed by Rosary at 7:45 (weather permitting)

In the spirit of fellowship, we are asking everyone to take a moment to reach out to parishioners who maybe comfortable venturing out and tell them about this opportunity to join us spiritually in prayer.;

Friday, Sept. 25 – Outdoor Movie Night “Up”

Join us as the Parish shows the movie “Up” in the parish parking lot. Bring your own chairs, snacks, and blankets. Suggested donation $20. Ticket required. Dusk (around 7:00 pm)

Saturday, Sept. 26 – Morning Masses and Afternoon BINGO

• 8:00 - 10:00 Mass/ Adoration/ Coffee gathering - free ticket required
• 10:30 - 12:30 Mass/ Adoration/ Coffee gathering - free ticket required
• 1:00 - 2:30 Family BINGO - advanced ticket sales only
• 3:00 - 5:00 Family BINGO & Beer Garden - advanced ticket sales only
• 5:30 - 7:30 Family BINGO & Beer Garden - advanced ticket sales only

Each BINGO session: $5 for 5 games and include a bottle of water and chips.

Event tickets for movie, Mass, and Bingo may be obtained at the Rectory during the week before the festival until all slots are filled. Please contact suzannedwebb@hotmail.com for detail or if you would like assist with the events.

Three Prayer Opportunities on the Horizon

40 Days for Life, National Day of Prayer and Fasting, and October Rosary Campaign

Dear Parishioners,

Peace to you from the rectory. While usually an upbeat person, I cannot help but feel a sense of foreboding as summer passes into fall. With ongoing Covid-19 confusion, deepening political divisions, and increasing violence in our cities, I have had this growing sense that we need to be imploring God's divine assistance like never before.

40 Days for Life

Thankfully, there are three prayer opportunities on the horizon which will aid us in our painful situation. 40 Days for Life, runs September 23 to November 1, and will focus on the Falls Church Facility at 900 S. Washington St. in Falls Church.

Through public witness, prayer and fasting, the 40 Days for Life movement has saved over 17,000 children from abortion, helped over 200 abortion workers quit, and closed down over 100 hundred abortion facilities around the world in the last 13 years. By conducting this same public witness here in Falls Church we hope to bring about similar blessings. Abortion is undoubtedly one of the chief problems facing this country. Like slavery in previous centuries, it has infected every aspect of our society, impacting all of us, whether we know it or not. 40 Days for Life offers hope that we can do better. Please consider signig up to spend time in front of the facility in witness and prayer. A sign-up sheet is in the church vestibule and also available at 40daysforlife.com/fallschurch.

National Day of Prayer and Fasting

Closely related to the problem of abortion are the divisions currently dividing our nation. To address this, I encourage the whole parish to participate in National Day of Prayer and Fasting on September 24, to invoke "God's mercy on our land and the healing and conversion of our hearts." Modeled after Abraham Lincoln's "Day of National Humiliation, Prayer and Fasting" in 1861 and 1863, when the nation was racked by civil war, we have the chance to pray and do penance for our own role in causing divisions.

Providentially, we will use this National Day of Prayer and Fasting to kick off our modified Parish Festival, which this year will include a greater element of prayer to address the Covid-19 crisis and to emphasize the truth that unites us in Christ.

October Rosary Campaign for the Purification of the Church

Lastly - and most sadly - ongoing prayer is needed for the Church because of the sins of her clergy. The clerical sexual abuse crisis has hurt countless brothers and sisters in Christ over the past decades and remains a wound in the Bride of Christ. At our town hall meeting a year ago certain measures were adopted by the parish to make reparation for this outrage. One such measure was the October Rosary Campaign for the Purification of the Church. We are going to do that again. Like last year, we will have a map of the parish in the church vestibule for each household to insert a pin, indicating their commitment to pray part of or the whole Rosary daily for justice for victims and sexual purity among Church leaders. It was a source of encouragement for me last year to see our parish map filled with pins, revealing the presence of many rosaries being offered in reparation. Given the great power of the Rosary, I beg all parishioners to participate in our campaign again this year. Our prayers will help the Church be all God wants her to be, "a light to the nations" that his salvation may reach to the ends of the earth (Is 49:6). St. Philip the Apostle -- pray for us!

Take Note

Religious Education Program Registration Now Open

Registration is now open for in-person and virtual Religious Education classes for children at St. Philip. Click here for more information and forms. Contact RE Director Pamela Copley with questions.

High School Worship Group

Fellowship, prayer, and evangelization for Saint Philip high-schoolers. Saturdays from 6:30-8pm. Starts on October 3. Bring a friend. Contact Fr. Will for more information. Come and see!

Can You Pray the Rosary Every Day During October?

The rosary is an ancient devotion to draw close to Jesus through Mary. Praying the rosary during the month of October is something that Popes over the past two centuries have promoted...from Leo XIII to Pope Francis! (Keep an eye out for his invitation this year...). So, as a parish we are challenging ourselves...can you pray the rosary everyday during the month of October? We have so much to pray for these days...please see our map of the parish in our vestibule and place you "pin" as your pledge to pray! Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!

Scam Alert! Parishioners Receiving Fake Emails and Texts

Parishioners are once again reporting receiving text, calls and emails from someone pretending to be St. Philip priests, staff or volunteers. The scammers will initiate a casual conversation and then ask for gift cards or credit card information to assist the church. Don't fall for it! These scams have been reported at churches across the diocese as well as at churches and businesses across the country.

Free Catholic Content for the Whole Family

Have you signed up for your free Formed.org account? Formed has movies and videos, online books, podcasts, Bible studies, material for children, all with a Catholic view, in English and Spanish. You can watch it on your computer, phone, or smart TV. Go to Formed.org to sign up for your free account.

Prayer Warriors Needed for Opioid Crisis Response

Catholic Charities needs Prayer Warriors to privately offer petitions of concerns for those who are struggling with the effects of addiction to opioids and other substances. You can pray anytime, anywhere for so many who are struggling. To become a Prayer Warrior and to receive our monthly newsletter containing encouraging advice, helpful resources and prayer requests, please visit: www.ccda.net/need-help/prayer-warriors/

Support Our Church By Supporting Our Bulletin

Please pick up a print version of the new Bulletin in the vestibule. (Please take your copy with you.) Or get it online here (updated every Friday). If you or your business would like to be part of this new publication and get noticed in our bulletin, now is the time to reserve your space. Contact our bulletin representative, Marsha Haney, at 941-445-0778 (direct) or mhaney@jppc.net to be part of the new and improved publication. And don't forget to support the local businesses that support St. Philip by advertising in our Bulletin, and let them know where you saw their ad!