Our Parish Picnic is coming up on Sunday, September 27th, and we need your help to make it a wonderful day for our parish community! There are many ways to get involved, whether you can donate items or help create raffle baskets, assist with games and activities, sell raffle tickets, or lend a hand with set-up and clean-up. No matter how much time you can give, your help will make a difference. We invite parishioners of all ages to join us in making this year’s Parish Picnic a fun and memorable celebration for everyone! Please click the title above to sign up for a volunteer spot.

Please join The Saint Alphonsus Book Club on Monday, September 28, as we discuss The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. In Maine in 1789, midwife and healer Martha Ballard examines the drowned body of a respected member of her small town and concludes that his death is not an accident, but murder. Our meeting begins promptly at 7:00 pm in the Parish Hall, but please feel free to come early for a chat. For more details, contact Joan Wolff at [email protected]. Until then, happy reading!

Prayer is more than something we do—it’s a conversation that God Himself desires to have with us. And there are many ways He wants to engage our hearts. We invite you to join the parish community for the How to Pray Challenge on the Hallow app, starting August 31st. Wherever you are—at home, at work, or on the go—you can join us in this shared journey of prayer and discovery. Visit our parish page on the Hallow app by searching for us or clicking the title above to join the waitlist.

The Tuesday Morning Bible Study Group (BSG) will resume its study of the Ascension Press award-winning Bible Timeline Series on Tuesday, September 15th. BSG meets from 7:30AM to 8:45AM in the Narthex Meeting Room. New members are welcome. All that is needed is the Bible Timeline workbook, which can be purchased online from Ascension Press. For more information, contact Dave White ([email protected]) or Deacon Peter([email protected])

Join us this fall as we read Touching the Divine, a study of the Gospel of John. Meetings are on Wednesdays, September 16th through December 2nd, from 7:00pm-8:30pm in the Parish Hall (School Cafeteria). New this fall, we will offer a second study on Mondays, September 14th through November 23rd, from 1:30pm-3:00pm, in the narthex meeting room. Join us as we read Opening Your Heart. Everyone is welcome; please register by using our sign-up form found by clicking the title above.

Parish Giving offers secure, flexible Online Giving for our parishioners who would like to make their donations online using a credit card or bank transfer. You never have to bring cash or checks to church. Online Giving helps the church save money and plan the budget. Click the title above for more information!

Effective May 4th, the Parish Office hours will be Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 5:00 pm.  This change of schedule will allow our parish and missionary staff to attend the 9:00 am daily Mass, united in prayer with one another and for the mission of our parish.

Click the title above to read an article by Catholic Philly covering our new program, Nourish for Caregivers, here at Saint Alphonsus. Our parish will be one of five Nourish groups in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia—two of which, also in Montgomery County, were started by Amy Juarez. Our Nourish group will meet on the third Thursday of each month from 3:00–4:15 PM in the church narthex meeting room. Each gathering will focus on a faith‑based caregiving topic.

The Tuesday Morning Bible Study Group (BSG) invites our parishioners and friends from other parishes to join us each Tuesday morning from 7:30 AM to 8:45 AM to increase our faith and fellowship by learning the Bible. We are currently studying the Ascension series “The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation.” No prior Bible Study experience or skills necessary, simply an eagerness to hear our Lord’s Word and grow in your faith with your brothers and sisters. The best time to join was last week; the next best time is this week. Whenever you are ready, we welcome you to join us on this faith journey. For more information click the title above!

HTN (Helping Thy Neighbor) Ministry is now collecting furniture for needy families for their Spring session. Furniture especially needed: bedroom dressers, chests, and nightstands (no mirrors), kitchen/dining room tables and chairs; living room chairs (no recliners), living room sofas and loveseats, coffee and end 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.

Parishioners are invited to borrow our new Saint DVDs from the library: I Am With You: A Documentary on Saint Carlo Acutis and Sanctity Within Reach: Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati. This is an inspiring opportunity to grow in faith through the witness of these modern saints! Click the title above to reserve your week.

The Saint Alphonsus Chamber Ensemble would like to invite instrumental players to join our group. We provide accompaniment music during Mass. The ensemble practices 2-3 Sunday afternoons a month from Sept to June. All players from junior high age through adult are welcome. Please contact Jennifer Nemeth-Seay ([email protected]) for more information.

Our Spring session is scheduled for Friday, March 13th, evening, and Sunday, March 14th. Friday evening is an informal hour to get to know the married and soon-to-be married couples participating, and typically lasts from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM. Saturday's session is from 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM and includes discussions and interactive sessions to help engaged couples with a deeper understanding of marriage and each other. Click the title above for more information and to register!

The Health and Wellness Ministry would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the dedicated volunteers who have given their time and energy to support our ministry. Your compassion and commitment make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful and blessed Christmas filled with peace, health, and happiness. Look for an announcement in the new year for an upcoming event for our volunteers. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please reach out via email to [email protected] by clicking the title above!

If you haven’t already, please mail back or drop off your completed census form. Even if you believe nothing has changed, it helps us keep accurate records and is vital to our operations as a parish community. If you have not yet received your census letter in the mail, please contact the Rectory Office as we may have outdated information!

Please join us on Monday, December 15th as we discuss The Christmas Spirit by Debbie Macomber. Best friends, one a pastor (Peter) and the other a bartender (Hank), agree to switch their very different jobs until Christmas Eve. The results are surprising! Please note: this meeting is our annual Christmas Party & Pollyanna and will not take place in the Parish Hall. For more details, contact Joan Wolff at [email protected]. Until then, happy reading!

The Saint Alphonsus Health and Wellness Ministry will be hosting a program on Healthy Habits for the Holidays on Monday, December 1st, at 6:30PM in the Narthex. Learn important tips for ways to stay healthy during the holiday season. Take advantage of this exciting program! Contact the Rectory Office via email at [email protected] or via phone at 215-646-4600 to save your spot.

Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers for making this year’s Book Fair a success—especially our Book Fair Chairs, Maryanne Burgmann and Donna Ierardi, for their leadership and hard work. We’re grateful for everyone who helped, visited, or supported the fair in any way.  Thanks to your generosity, the portion we receive from the sales will help us purchase new books for our parish library and the Kids’ Corner. If you didn’t get a chance to visit, missed something, or want to browse hundreds of additional titles—including many for adults—you can still order online by clicking the title above!

If you haven’t already, please mail back or drop off your completed census form. Even if you believe nothing has changed, it helps us keep accurate records and is vital to our operations as a parish community. If you have not yet received your census letter in the mail, please contact the Rectory Office as we may have outdated information!

Please join us on Monday, November 24th as we discuss Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion by Wendy Suzuki. Using the premise that anxiety is “a key component of our ability to live optimally”, a preeminent neurologist offers ways to harness anxiety for good, stop the negativity, and welcome joy into our lives. Seems a perfect read for the busy holiday season. For more details, contact Joan Wolff at [email protected]. Until then, happy reading!