In the spirit of “New Year, New You,” the Health and Wellness Ministry invites you to a special program titled “Change Your Diet, Change Your Life” on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Narthex. This informative session will address the growing health concerns many face today, including rampant hypertension, the prevalence of heart disease—the leading cause of death for both men and women—and the alarming statistic that 40% of adults and half of those over 65 have prediabetes. Attendees will learn how food choices may influence how we age, discover simple lifestyle changes that can improve both the length and quality of life, and explore strategies for lowering blood sugar and “bad” cholesterol. The program will also cover natural ways to manage blood pressure (yes, beyond giving up potato chips!) and offer guidance on how to avoid becoming a statistic—or how to take action if you already are. Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to invest in your health. To reserve your spot, contact the Rectory Office at [email protected] or call 215-646-4600.

Did you miss our Lenten Penance Service? We will have opportunities for confession this upcoming Wednesday, April 16th, from 4:00PM to 6:00PM, Good Friday, April 18th, from 11:00AM to 1:00PM, and Holy Saturday, April 19th, from 11:00AM to 1:00PM.

Join us on April 25th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the Parish Hall! Feel free to bring chairs, sleeping bags, blankets, and snacks. Popcorn and water will be provided for the movie. Families with children of all ages are welcome! If your children are school-age, feel free to have some in the Narthex with other parents. For families with younger children, we ask that at least one parent stays in the Parish Hall. We are asking all parents to register through our signup found by clicking the title above. For any questions please contact the Rectory Office at (215)-646-4600.

Please join us on Monday, April 28th as we discuss My Father’s House (Joseph O’Connor). This novel is based on a true story and is first in the Rome Escape Line Trilogy. Set in 1940’s Rome, Monsignor O’Flaherty and a band of friends risk their lives to save victims of the Gestapo’s violence. Our meeting is located in the Parish Hall and begins promptly at 7:00 pm, but please feel free to come early for a chat. For more details, contact Joan Wolff at [email protected]. Until then, happy reading!

2025 marks the 10th year anniversary of the HTN Ministry! Click the title above to read their March newsletter and learn about the great work being done.

Caring for Friends needs your help! These frozen meals are enjoyed by our elderly and homebound year-round and are especially needed during the Lenten season. Please consider providing both meat and meat-free meals for Lent to our CFF Freezer in the Narthex kitchen closet. Trays are available in the Narthex. For any questions contact Dolores at 215-646-5325. Click the title above for meal-making tips!

Did you have the opportunity to attend the Eucharistic Miracles of the World exhibit? Perhaps you caught part of the documentary about Blessed Carlo Acutis and wished you could have seen more. We’ve purchased the DVD, I Am With You: A Documentary on Carlo Acutis, and you can now borrow it for a week to enjoy at home. To sign up, please visit our SignUp Genius page by clicking the title above, and select your preferred week, or call Lisa at the parish office (215-646-4600) to schedule.

The St. Alphonsus Health and Wellness Ministry will be hosting a “Pinochle Club,” starting March 11th and then every Tuesday, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Narthex meeting room. Whether you are a seasoned pro, a novice, or just curious and want to learn, come join us. It’ll be a time for community, sharing, conversation, and just plain old fun! A sign-up sheet will be available in the Narthex meeting room. But if you can’t decide or don’t know your schedule, just stop by. All are welcome!

Visit our Lenten Resource Table in the Narthex! There you can find many materials to journey through Lent with, including Little Black Books - 6 Minute Meditations; Little Purple Books for Children; Walking in His Ways - Family Devotions for Lent; Daily Lent Calendar for Kids; The Word Among us Daily Lenten Meditations; Bishop Barron's Lenten Gospel Reflections; and The Magnificat Lenten Companion.

Saint Alphonsus HTN (Helping Thy Neighbor) Ministry is now collecting furniture for needy families through May for their Spring session. Furniture especially needed: bedroom dressers, chest, end tables, kitchen and dining room tables and chairs; living room chairs, loveseats and small sofas; end tables and coffee tables. Please contact Helping Thy Neighbor: phone 215-346-6416 or email to [email protected] if you have any items you would like to donate. Someone will return your call/email and arrange pick up of your items. Thank you for your support.

Join Monsignor Hennessy for a conversation on the Liturgy of the Hours, the daily prayer of the Church, which allows us to make holy our day and to pray without ceasing. We will learn about the different hours of prayer and how we can pray these collections of the Psalms, Sacred Scriptures and writings of the Church and Saints. Whether by using the official books or an app on your phone or tablet, everyone can join in this prayer and give a new rhythm to their day, even by praying just one of the hours. There is 1 more session available: Thursday, March 6th from 6:30pm to 7:30pm.

The remainder of the 2025 Mass Book is now open. All dates must be submitted in person at the rectory office. There will be a limit of 3 dates per person. To view all the types of Mass Intentions we have to offer, please click the title above!

Join others in a 6-week experience and grow deeper in your relationship with God alongside other parishioners this Lent! Groups will meet once a week for six weeks at a parishioner’s home. Prayer, discussion, and fellowship will last 90 minutes. We will provide the guide,  With Jesus to the Cross: A Lenten Guide on the Sunday Mass Readings from The Evangelical Catholic. Sign up in the back of the Narthex the weekend of January 25/26.

Archbishop Pérez published a Pastoral Letter on Sunday, January 5th. This letter outlines his hopes for the Church of Philadelphia over the coming years. He is asking for your help in being a part of the process. The first thing to do is to visit www.trustandhope.org by clicking the title above; watching the video; and then reading the Archbishop’s letter to us. After that, please also sign up for one of the Archdiocesan Consultation Sessions and learn even more. We will also have local information sessions here at Saint Alphonsus Parish and we will share those dates as soon as we schedule them.

Click the title above to view our Helping Thy Neighbor's (HTN) latest newsletter!

When leaving Mass this weekend, be sure to pick up our Christmas gift book, An Introduction to Prayer by author, speaker, and theologian Bishop Robert Barron. It offers a collection of brief reflections and is filled with profound insights for those looking to further their spiritual life. An Introduction to Prayer will inspire you to seek out more frequent conversation and a deeper communion with God. A special word of thanks to Skip and Dolores Urban and their family, whose generosity has made this gift possible.

Please join us on Monday, January 27th as we discuss Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. From Tennessee in 1939 to present-day South Carolina, this saga follows a family torn apart by organizational greed and deception. Twelve-year-old Rill and her four siblings are forced into an orphanage after their mother takes ill and their father leaves to care for her. It will take Avery, a few generations removed, to solve the family’s mystery. Our meeting begins promptly at 7:00 pm, but please feel free to come early for a chat. For more details, contact Joan Wolff at [email protected]. Until then, happy reading!

Click the title above to view our Helping Thy Neighbor's (HTN) latest newsletter!

As holidays grow closer and we look forward to a new year, here’s a quick snapshot of what to be on the lookout for. Click the title above to see what our Health & Wellness Ministry is up to!

Click the title above to view a letter from Monsignor Hennessy and the 2024 Saint Alphonsus Financial Report.