Current Mass Times

Saturday: 5:00 p.m.

Sunday:

7:30am, 9:30am, 11:30am, 2:00pm(español), 5:00pm

Monday-Friday: 9:00am

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 12:10pm

Watch a livestreamed or recorded Mass

Confession

Saturday: 10:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. (English)

Sunday: 3:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. (español)

 Dear Friends,

Autumn is here! Our Religious Education formation program is hitting its full stride. Having our young parishioners in person for their classes breathes life into the entire church facility. Many of our other ministries have also begun meeting more regularly. We have not seen this level of activity for several years due to the limitations caused by the pandemic. Although COVID-19 is still with us, many families are cautiously finding ways to reintegrate their in-person practices into their routines. We all recognize the importance of remaining prudent as we move forward. We hope that many of our households, especially those with children, feel more comfortable participating in parish activities, especially the Mass. We understand that some households face mitigating circumstances, including health issues. We support you as you make the appropriate decisions for your family’s situation. Please reach out to our faith formation office or the front office if we can assist your family in any way.

Mark your calendar! On Saturday, October 29, SJN is having its first fall festival. One of the reasons for having this event outside is to help young families and others feel welcome and comfortable returning to the parish and joining in activities with fellow parishioners. Please see the bulletin in the next couple of weeks as we finalize the different activities available at the festival. 

There will be something for all age groups!

Please note that our Blessing of the Animals, scheduled for Sunday, October 2 at 1:00pm has been cancelled due to the expected inclement weather.

Happy Autumn and Live Jesus,

Fr. Joe

 Fr. Michael Murray, OSFS, joined the SJN Community as a Parochial Vicar on September 7. He is from hails from Wilmington, Delaware. September 4 bulletin carried

Fr. Murray's full biography. But we caught up with him recently and learned a few details beyond the bulletin article.  

What Do you Like Most About Being a Priest?

"My favorite part of being a Priest is helping people find their way to God, always remembering that God meets us where we are."

What Do You Look Forward to Being Here in Washington, D.C.?

"Everything!" "I have lived in D.C. twice, once in graduate school and once at North East Catholic. I understand the area has grown so much since those days, and I can't wait to discover how."

Who is your favorite Saint, and Why?

"Well, I'm somewhat biased, St. Francis de Sales, of course. He was a man who spoke to us in the everyday language that we understand and relate to. He also wrote prolifically, so much of his writing speaks to us today. I have led several retreats where the participants have had genuine encounters with St. Francis, so his presence is quite real and has changed many lives for the better."

We are told you are a noted Railroad Photographer, How Did you Get Into That?

"My interest in photography came first. Someone exposed me to the wonders of 35mm photography when I was in undergraduate studies at what is now De Sales University. When I returned from my novitiate year to finish at De sales, I roamed the Lehigh Valley looking for things to photograph industries, waterways, canals – and railroads. It soon became obvious that the advantage of photographing railroading was that you could go to the same location day in and day out, and due to the nature of the industry, no two scenes would ever be the same. And so began a nearly-forty-year adventure called freelance railroad photography!"

By the Care for Our Common Home Ministry

Saint John Neumann is a “Laudato Si’ Parish”

A worldwide movement to respond to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor is officially underway, and SJN has responded to the Pope’s call to action. Pope Francis asks us to see our relationship with the natural environment and to care for the most vulnerable through the eyes of faith. Responding to the Pope’s call to action, our parish has enrolled in the Laudato Si’ Action Platform (LSAP), a unique collaboration between the Vatican, an international coalition of Catholic organizations, and “all men and women of goodwill.”

The LSAP is an outgrowth of the Pope’s 2015 Encyclical, “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home.” The Care for Our Common Home ministry is honored to administer the program with parish staff oversight and to be the link between our parish and the Vatican. The current SJN Parish Pastoral Plan includes the development of the Laudato Si’ Action Plan.

Seven Goals 

As you can see from the list of Laudato Si’ goals below, the desired result of the journey is more than achieving a sustainable lifestyle. The goals touch on the concept of “integral ecology” – a way of life in which we live and make decisions knowing that “everything is connected.” When we decide, we start to consider the impact on others on the environment. We become more mindful of our actions, more grateful for the gift of creation, and more compassionate to the vulnerable. See here for a brief explanation of integral ecology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TReVkRHEV8

Seven Groups

The Pope has called on all people of goodwill to join in the movement. He has specifically identified seven Catholic groups to embark on a journey of ecological conversion. A people’s ecological conversion means that ‘the effects of their encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in their relationship with the world around them.’ (LSi” #217) God calls us to live the vocation of being protectors of Creation. The Diocese of Arlington has also enrolled in the LSAP.

Seven Years

Once enrolled in the LSAP, a seven-year journey lies ahead. During this first year, we read, studied, prayed, and learned about the movement. We reflected on the seven Laudato Si’ goals and how our Parish embraces the themes that underlie integral ecology. You can find our reflection document here. For the next five years, we will progressively incorporate actions that will help us live out a spirit of integral ecology in our worship, education, outreach, and operation activities. The committee has developed the action plan for the first year of Our Common Home ministry in close collaboration with staff. We are setting aside the seventh year to celebrate. 

Over the next few years, the Vatican hopes that exponentially more groups will start the journey. We are pleased to be one of the first parishes (in one of the first Dioceses) to have embarked on the trip.

What’s Next

In the coming months, be on the lookout for how you or your family can also enroll in the journey. If you choose to enroll, your household/family will develop your plan to grow closer to God, to others, and God’s creation. Our committee will share Plenty of guidance and resources. We can make a holy difference by living, working, and playing with a lighter impact on the earth and a positive impact on the poor. Let’s journey together.