From the Pastor's Desk - September 5 and September 6, 2026
You have probably seen posters at the entrances of our two churches, as well as a flier in the bulletin, and announcements on our social media pages about Pastorate Family Nights beginning September 13th. As we did during the last school year, this year we will be having Family Nights every 2nd and 4th Sunday evening of the month from September to May. The goal of our Family Nights is to offer something for all ages to increase fellowship among parishioners of our two parishes, and to offer something for all ages to help us grow closer and more mature in our walk with our Lord.
Family Nights are held on the campus of St. Philip Neri, and they begin with a Youth Mass at 5 pm in which our young people serve as lectors, greeters, and eventually as ushers and sacristans. However, you certainly don’t have to be under a certain age to attend! From 6:00 – 6:30 pm everyone is invited to come to the gymnasium for pizza and drinks. Then from 6:30 – 7:45 we have the following in various locations around the campus:
Ministry for toddlers up to 4th grade - This is not Faith Formation. Faith Formation for K-4 is on Sunday mornings from 10:45-Noon. On Family Nights we have a lesson that reaches kids in this wide age bracket and accompanying fun activities that relate to the theme of each night’s lesson.
EDGE – Youth Ministry for Middle School aged young people between grades 5-8, which combines fun activities, teaching, small group discussion, and prayer. It’s Youth Group for middle schoolers that also teaches the Catholic Faith, builds fellowship, and leads participants closer to God.
9th Grade Confirmation – Our 9th grade Confirmation curriculum is called Purpose. Similar to EDGE and LIFETEEN, Purpose combines activities, teaching, small group discussion, and prayer to prepare teens for the Sacrament of Confirmation. It has aspects of Youth Ministry and Confirmation Class rolled into one. It’s meant to help teens experience the power of the Holy Spirit at Confirmation, and it’s also designed to help teens want more from their Catholic Faith, with the expectation that following Confirmation, they will come to LIFE TEEN during the rest of their high school years.
LIFE TEEN – Life Teen is for high schoolers, and like Edge and Purpose, combines fun activities, teaching, small Group discussion and prayer. It’s Youth Group for high schoolers that also teaches the Catholic Faith, builds fellowship, and leads participants closer to God.
For Adults - We have both a men’s and a women’s group that studies and discusses various aspects of the Catholic Faith and books of the Bible. This Fall, our groups will be doing The Search, which is a dynamic 7 session journey answering some of life’s tough questions in and through Jesus. There is also an opportunity in our sixth session to commit or recommit our lives to Christ, and to ask for a greater release of the Holy Spirit given to us in Baptism and Confirmation.
Para los adultos - Tenemos un grupo en español para los varones y otro grupo para las damas que estudia y habla sobre varios aspectos de la Fe Católica y libros de la Biblia. Este otoño, nuestros grupos van a hacer La Búsqueda, cual es una jornada dinámica de 7 sesiones que contesta algunas de las preguntas difíciles de la vida en y por Jesús. Hay también una oportunidad en nuestra sexta sesión para entregar, o entregar de nuevo nuestras vidas a Cristo y pedir para una liberación más grande del Espíritu Santo que fue dado a nosotros en el Bautismo y la Confirmación.
We look forward to seeing all of you next Sunday evening at Family Night!
Also, our 6:30 pm Mass on Friday, September 11 will commemorate the 25th anniversary of 911.
God Bless You All – Father Rich
Family Nights are held on the campus of St. Philip Neri, and they begin with a Youth Mass at 5 pm in which our young people serve as lectors, greeters, and eventually as ushers and sacristans. However, you certainly don’t have to be under a certain age to attend! From 6:00 – 6:30 pm everyone is invited to come to the gymnasium for pizza and drinks. Then from 6:30 – 7:45 we have the following in various locations around the campus:
Ministry for toddlers up to 4th grade - This is not Faith Formation. Faith Formation for K-4 is on Sunday mornings from 10:45-Noon. On Family Nights we have a lesson that reaches kids in this wide age bracket and accompanying fun activities that relate to the theme of each night’s lesson.
EDGE – Youth Ministry for Middle School aged young people between grades 5-8, which combines fun activities, teaching, small group discussion, and prayer. It’s Youth Group for middle schoolers that also teaches the Catholic Faith, builds fellowship, and leads participants closer to God.
9th Grade Confirmation – Our 9th grade Confirmation curriculum is called Purpose. Similar to EDGE and LIFETEEN, Purpose combines activities, teaching, small group discussion, and prayer to prepare teens for the Sacrament of Confirmation. It has aspects of Youth Ministry and Confirmation Class rolled into one. It’s meant to help teens experience the power of the Holy Spirit at Confirmation, and it’s also designed to help teens want more from their Catholic Faith, with the expectation that following Confirmation, they will come to LIFE TEEN during the rest of their high school years.
LIFE TEEN – Life Teen is for high schoolers, and like Edge and Purpose, combines fun activities, teaching, small Group discussion and prayer. It’s Youth Group for high schoolers that also teaches the Catholic Faith, builds fellowship, and leads participants closer to God.
For Adults - We have both a men’s and a women’s group that studies and discusses various aspects of the Catholic Faith and books of the Bible. This Fall, our groups will be doing The Search, which is a dynamic 7 session journey answering some of life’s tough questions in and through Jesus. There is also an opportunity in our sixth session to commit or recommit our lives to Christ, and to ask for a greater release of the Holy Spirit given to us in Baptism and Confirmation.
Para los adultos - Tenemos un grupo en español para los varones y otro grupo para las damas que estudia y habla sobre varios aspectos de la Fe Católica y libros de la Biblia. Este otoño, nuestros grupos van a hacer La Búsqueda, cual es una jornada dinámica de 7 sesiones que contesta algunas de las preguntas difíciles de la vida en y por Jesús. Hay también una oportunidad en nuestra sexta sesión para entregar, o entregar de nuevo nuestras vidas a Cristo y pedir para una liberación más grande del Espíritu Santo que fue dado a nosotros en el Bautismo y la Confirmación.
We look forward to seeing all of you next Sunday evening at Family Night!
Also, our 6:30 pm Mass on Friday, September 11 will commemorate the 25th anniversary of 911.
God Bless You All – Father Rich