ABVM and OLFM Parish Picnic
Sunday September 20 10:30 AM
Author: Debbie Granger
ABVM and OLFM Parish PICNIC
📅 Sunday, September 20 — Catechetical Sunday
📍 Our Lady of Fatima Mission Grounds, Jonestown
⛪ Outdoor Mass at 10:30 AM
🍽️ Picnic immediately following Mass
Come in your picnic attire, plan to stay, and enjoy FREE food, games, music, family and fun!
On the menu:
Sliced Chicken Breast • Pulled Pork • Hot Dogs • Mac & Cheese • Beverages
🥗 Each family is asked to bring one side dish to share. Please sign up, complete the form, and return it in any collection basket so we can prepare accordingly.
Adult beverages will not be provided, but you’re welcome to BYOB.
⚠️ IMPORTANT MASS SCHEDULE CHANGE:
There will be NO 9:00 AM Mass at Our Lady of Fatima and NO 10:30 AM Mass at St. Mary’s that Sunday.
Come celebrate Mass, share a meal, and enjoy an afternoon together with our parish community. ❤️
You may choose to sign up online. Or use the form in the bulletin.
ABVM and OLFM Parish Picnic
Sunday September 20 10:30 AM
The Triple Sign of the Cross
✝️ WHY THREE SMALL CROSSES BEFORE THE GOSPEL?
Before the Gospel is proclaimed at Mass, Catholics make a small Sign of the Cross on the forehead, lips, and heart.
Each is a simple prayer:
✝️ Forehead: Lord, help me understand Your Word.
✝️ Lips: Lord, help me proclaim Your Word.
✝️ Heart: Lord, help me receive and live Your Word.
MIND • WORDS • HEART
It’s a beautiful reminder that the Gospel is meant not only to be heard, but to change how we think, speak, and live.
Ignite Initiative
Father Bob also gave us an early introduction to the Diocese’s new IGNITE! initiative, a capital campaign with a diocesan-wide goal of $70 million. The campaign will officially begin in our parish on January 1, 2027.
Father explained that IGNITE! is different from the Diocesan Annual Campaign (DAC). The DAC helps fund the Diocese’s regular yearly operating expenses, while IGNITE! is intended to build resources for longer-term needs.
Funds will help support areas such as:
• Care for retired priests
• Evangelization
• Catholic education
• Catholic Charities
• Needed renovations to the Cathedral
During this preliminary phase, some parishioners may receive literature or a telephone call from the Steier Group, which has been engaged to assist with the campaign.
Father Bob wants everyone to know that these contacts are legitimate and are not a scam.
Much more information about IGNITE! will be shared in the months ahead as we approach the January 1 kickoff. Anyone with questions is welcome to contact Father Bob or the parish office.
Coming Soon! New Flooring!
SANCTUARY FLOORING PROJECT
Thanks to the generosity of our Council of Catholic Women (CCW), improvements will soon be made to the sanctuary flooring.
The carpeting on the sanctuary steps and around the altar and tabernacle areas has become stained and worn and is also affected by humidity. It will be replaced with luxury vinyl plank flooring designed to resemble stone.
The new flooring will be a light, neutral color that should brighten the sanctuary, reflect more light and help the altar stand out beautifully. The project has received the required approval from the Diocese.
Work is expected to take place during the priests’ workshop in October, when Mass will not be celebrated here.
Many thanks to the ladies of the CCW who have spearheaded and generously supported this project!
Announcements
Here are several important announcements shared by Father Bob after Mass this weekend:
🇺🇸 LABOR DAY MASS
Mass on Labor Day will be celebrated at 9:00 AM.
⛳ PARISH GOLF TOURNAMENT — FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
Our annual parish golf tournament is this Friday! Please pray for good weather and a successful day.
There will be no 8:00 AM Mass at St. Mary’s on Friday due to the golf tournament.
A Blue Mass honoring first responders and military personnel will be celebrated at Our Lady of the Cross at 10:15 AM. Everyone is welcome to attend.
🌼 FALL MUM SALE — SEPTEMBER 19
Orders for beautiful fall mums are being taken in the narthex.
$7 each or 3 for $20
Mums will be available for pickup on Saturday, September 19.
🧺 PARISH PICNIC — SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
Our parish picnic will be held at the Our Lady of Fatima grounds.
Outdoor Mass begins at 10:30 AM, followed by the parish picnic. We hope you’ll join us!
🙏 CLERGY APPRECIATION DINNER — SEPTEMBER 22
The Clergy Appreciation Dinner will be held on Tuesday, September 22 at St. Paul’s. Tickets are available in the parish office for $25.
⛪ SANCTUARY FLOORING PROJECT
Thanks to the generosity of our Council of Catholic Women (CCW), improvements will soon be made to the sanctuary flooring.
The carpeting on the sanctuary steps and around the altar and tabernacle areas has become stained and worn and is also affected by humidity. It will be replaced with luxury vinyl plank flooring designed to resemble stone.
The new flooring will be a light, neutral color that should brighten the sanctuary, reflect more light and help the altar stand out beautifully. The project has received the required approval from the Diocese.
Work is expected to take place during the priests’ workshop in October, when Mass will not be celebrated here.
Many thanks to the ladies of the CCW who have spearheaded and generously supported this project!
🔥 IGNITE! INITIATIVE
Father Bob also gave us an early introduction to the Diocese’s new IGNITE! initiative, a capital campaign with a diocesan-wide goal of $70 million. The campaign will officially begin in our parish on January 1, 2027.
Father explained that IGNITE! is different from the Diocesan Annual Campaign (DAC). The DAC helps fund the Diocese’s regular yearly operating expenses, while IGNITE! is intended to build resources for longer-term needs.
Funds will help support areas such as:
• Care for retired priests
• Evangelization
• Catholic education
• Catholic Charities
• Needed renovations to the Cathedral
During this preliminary phase, some parishioners may receive literature or a telephone call from the Steier Group, which has been engaged to assist with the campaign.
Father Bob wants everyone to know that these contacts are legitimate and are not a scam.
Much more information about IGNITE! will be shared in the months ahead as we approach the January 1 kickoff. Anyone with questions is welcome to contact Father Bob or the parish office.
Fall Fest and Mum Sale
CCW FALL FEST & MUM SALE 🌼
Mark your calendar for Saturday, September 19, from 9:00 AM–1:00 PM in front of St. Mary’s Church on 8th Street!
👉🏽Mum preorders begin this weekend!
Orders will be taken after all Masses this weekend.
Please pay when ordering by cash or check payable to St. Mary’s CCW.
🌼 Mum Sale
- Pick up your preordered mums at the Fall Fest
- Extra mums will also be available
- $7 each or 3 for $20 (great deal!)
🌭 Food Available
Hot dogs, chips, water and soda will be available for purchase.
🧁 Baked Goods Needed!
Donations of brownies, cupcakes, muffins and other individual baked goods are requested for the Fall Fest. Please, no cakes.
Come out and support our CCW and enjoy a little taste of fall! 🍂🌼.
Archbishop Sheen to be Beatified
🎉 Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen — Prophet, Preacher, and Soon-to-Be “Blessed”
And after that Mass, we can properly call him: Blessed Fulton J. Sheen
The Vatican specifically confirms that beatification gives him the title “Blessed.”
For him eventually to become Saint Fulton J. Sheen, ordinarily another miracle attributed to his intercession after beatification would need to be investigated and approved for canonization.
If Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen is beatified, his title changes from Venerable Fulton J. Sheen to Blessed Fulton J. Sheen.
Canonization would be the next major step. If and when he is canonized, then he becomes Saint Fulton J. Sheen.
So the progression is:
Servant of God → Venerable → Blessed → Saint
And yes — beatification would be a huge milestone, because it means the Church has formally declared him Blessed and permits public veneration under the conditions established by the Church.
Who Was He?
Born in 1895 in El Paso, Illinois, Sheen was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria. He went on to become one of the most electrifying Catholic voices in American history. By the time of his death, he had written more than 70 books, won an Emmy Award, and brought the Catholic faith into millions of American homes through decades of radio and television broadcasting.
He offered spiritual direction and moral reflection first on NBC’s nighttime radio program “The Catholic Hour,” and later through widely-watched television series such as “Life Is Worth Living” and “The Fulton Sheen Program.”
It was before the Blessed Sacrament that Sheen died on December 9, 1979 — a fitting end for a man who made Eucharistic Adoration the cornerstone of his priestly life.
The Road to Beatification
Sheen’s cause for canonization was officially opened in 2002. After his heroic virtue was recognized, Fulton Sheen was declared Venerable in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI.
The miracle that cleared the path: Bonnie Engstrom believes Sheen helped save her son’s life after he was born in 2010 without a pulse. The Catholic Church agreed, declaring the boy’s resuscitation a miracle after Engstrom and others sought the heavenly prayers of the late Archbishop.
In 2019, Pope Francis authorized a decree recognizing this miracle through his intercession — clearing Archbishop Sheen for beatification, after which he will hold the title “Blessed.”
The Beatification — Mark Your Calendar! 📅
The Mass for the Beatification of the Venerable Servant of God, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, will take place on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 2 PM Central time at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, will preside at the beatification Mass, representing Pope Leo XIV.
The day’s events will begin early, with doors opening at 8 a.m. CDT. Pilgrims will have access to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, and an interactive expo featuring Catholic ministries, organizations, authors, and artists from across the nation.
An inspiring pre-Mass program will begin at 10 a.m., featuring prayer, music, and reflections from nationally recognized Catholic voices, including Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Msgr. Roger Landry, Katie Prejean McGrady, Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN, and Matt Maher.
From September 15–26, a series of events will highlight Archbishop Sheen’s life and legacy, offering pilgrims additional opportunities for spiritual enrichment and community. This includes visits to Archbishop Sheen’s tomb at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria and pilgrimage opportunities throughout Peoria connected to his life and ministry.
🌐 Official Website. For tickets, schedules, hotel reservations, and spiritual preparation resources, visit: 👉 celebratesheen.com
Details about attending the celebration, ordering tickets, and preparing spiritually for the Beatification can all be found at celebratesheen.com.
Why This Matters
Church leaders describe the Beatification as a once-in-a-lifetime moment for the Church in the United States — an opportunity to deepen faith, encounter Christ more fully, and celebrate the enduring witness of one of America’s most influential evangelists.
Archbishop Sheen understood something the world desperately needs to hear today: that the human soul is restless until it rests in God. His preaching didn’t just inform — it converted. He famously led celebrities, politicians, and ordinary people into the Catholic faith through the sheer force of truth proclaimed with love.
CCW Mum Presale
Pre-sale orders will be taken after ALL the Masses this weekend and next weekend.
$7 per mum.
Please pay when ordering.
Mums can be picked up on Saturday, September 19.
Thank you!
Annual Clergy Appreciation Dinner
Please join us for a special evening honoring and showing our appreciation for the priests and clergy who faithfully serve our parishes and communities.
We are especially grateful to our own Father Bob and Deacon Wentzel.
The Clergy Appreciation Dinner will be held at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Annville on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, from 5:30–9:00 PM.
🎟️ Tickets are $25 per person and will be available in the parish office.
Come enjoy a wonderful evening while showing our gratitude to those who give so much in service to the Church. We hope you’ll join us!