Archdiocese Of Philadelphia: Reviewing 14 More Parishes For Possible Merger, Closure

Weeks after completing its last round of parish mergers and closures, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced Sunday that 14 more parishes in Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Delaware Counties could be combined with nearby churches or shuttered.

This time, the archdiocese is targeting three clusters of churches for cutbacks:

In Delaware County’s Springfield Township, the parishes of St. Francis of Assisi, Holy Cross, and St. Kevin.

In Montgomery County, the parishes of St. Alphonsus in Maple Glen, St. Anthony of Padua and St. Joseph in Ambler, St. Catherine of Siena in Horsham, St. Genevieve in Flourtown, and Holy Martyrs in Oreland.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20141013_Archdiocese_of_Philadelphia__reviewing_14_more_parishes_for_possible_merger__closure.html#u17H63eOuBCeur6k.99

U.S. Catholics Back Pope Francis On Changing Church’s Focus

CHICAGO, IL — Pope Francis‘ comments that the Catholic Church should not focus so much on homosexuality, abortion and contraception have met with strong approval from U.S. Catholics, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Friday.

Sixty-eight percent of American Catholics agree with comments the Pope made to that effect in an interview published last month in the Jesuit magazine Civilta Cattolica, while 23 percent disagreed, according to the poll. There was little difference in opinion between observant and less-observant Catholics, women and men, and among age groups, the poll found.

American Catholics also like their new pope, with 89 percent having a “favorable” or “very favorable” opinion, and only 4 percent voicing an unfavorable opinion, the poll found.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/mc-usa-catholics-pope-francis-20131004,0,236895.story#ixzz2gleE6dyM
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Pope Francis Leads Massive Peace Vigil For Syria

VATICAN CITY — Tens of thousands of people answered Pope Francis’ call for a four-hour Syria peace vigil in St. Peter’s Square late Saturday, joining Christians and non-Christians alike in similar vigils around the world.

About 70,000 people, according to an estimate by the Vatican, were present at the start of the vigil. It was believed to be one of the largest rallies in the West against proposed U.S.-led military action against the Syrian regime following the Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack near Damascus.

Francis spent most of the vigil in silent prayer, but during his speech he issued a heartfelt plea for peace, denouncing those who are “captivated by the idols of dominion and power” and destroy God’s creation through war.

“This evening, I ask the Lord that we Christians, and our brothers and sisters of other religions and every man and woman of good will, cry out forcefully: Violence and war are never the way to peace!”

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/news/814491/Pope-leads-massive-peace-vigil-for-Syria

Stop the Drugs, Stop the Violence Crusade In Pottstown

Lancaster Bible College Investing Its Trust In Downtown Lancaster

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Trust Performing Arts Center has been open less than a month, but it’s fitting quite nicely into the downtown arts scene.

During its first First Friday, April 5, more than 600 people came to check out the place.  And that makes the folks at the Lancaster Bible College, which runs the Trust, quite happy.

“There’s something very vibrant about downtown Lancaster, and we want our students to be a part of that,” says Robert Bigley, head of the music performance program at Lancaster Bible College.  “We want them to get out of the church bubble, to get out in the real world.”

Like Millersville University, which runs The Ware Center, located across a parking lot from the Trust, LBC wanted a satellite location that would engage students and audiences apart from the campus.

Coming downtown was the goal.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/842459_LBC-investing-its-Trust-in-downtown-Lancaster.html#ixzz2Rri6xzvW

New World Pope

emblem of the Papacy: Triple tiara and keys Français : emblème pontifical Italiano: emblema del Papato Português: Emblema papal. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

VATICAN CITY – Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina was elected pope Wednesday, becoming the first pontiff from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium.

He chose the name Francis, associating himself with the humble 13th-century Italian preacher who lived a life of poverty.

Francis shyly waved to the crowd of more than 100,000 people who packed a rain-soaked St. Peter’s Square for the announcement, marveling that the cardinals needed to look to “the end of the earth” to find a bishop of Rome.

In choosing a 76-year-old pope, the cardinals clearly decided that they didn’t need a vigorous, young pope who would reign for decades but rather a seasoned, popular and humble pastor who would draw followers to the faith and help rebuild a church stained by scandal.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=458749

No Religion: Pew Study Finds Rapid Rise In Americans Without A Particular Faith

The number of Americans who say they have no particular religion has grown rapidly in the last five years, a trend that researchers say has significant implications for coming elections and American culture more broadly.

A report released today by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life found that 20 percent of Americans say they do not belong to any religion or are atheist or agnostic, the highest percentage ever recorded in Pew polls and about 5 percent more than those who said they had no religious affiliation five years ago.

Researchers attribute the growth in the ranks of the religiously unaffiliated – or “nones” as they are sometimes called – to changing patterns of religious participation and belief among younger generations and a “softening” of commitment to religion among some older Americans.  People who rarely or never attend church are also more likely to say they are not affiliated with any religion than in the past.

A third of adults under 30 say they have no religion, a much higher percentage than is found among older generations or was measured among young people in past decades.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/no-religion-pew-study-finds-rapid-rise-in-americans-without-a-particular-faith-1.1385152

Cedarville UMC Pork & Sauerkraut Dinner January 1, 2012

With so many natural disasters continuing to occur around the world and the need for assistance ever-increasing, Cedarville United Methodist Church has chosen to reach out to an area that has slipped out of the current headlines but continues to be in need.

The Central Gulf Coastof the United States was devastated in 2005 by the Hurricane Katrina disaster.  Today, the people in that area are still hurting and there continues to be much work that needs to be done. Gulfport, Mississippi will be the destination of Cedarville’s 2012 Adult Mission Trip.  In Gulfport alone there were 29,970 homes that were destroyed, 3,600 sustained major damage and 1,800 had minor damage.

To help in our mission of sharing the love of God in ways that make a Christian difference, we are raising funds thru a Pork & Sauerkraut Dinner on January 1, 2012.  Worship service will be at 10:00 a.m. on January 1^st.  The meal will be served from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and all are welcomed to either or both.  Dinner tickets for Adults are $8.00 and Children under 10 are $4.00.  Advanced dinner reservations are being taken by contacting (484) 944-4751 and tickets will be sold at the door.

Pottstown Churches Holding Day Of Prayer

Pottstown, PA – You are invited and encouraged to attend a day of prayer, this Saturday, September 24, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, in the main sanctuary of Grace Lutheran Church, 660 N. Charlotte Street, Pottstown. The event is titled A Call for Divine Intervention and focuses on Isaiah 64:1, O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence—. Meditation, music, and prayer will bring clarity in our day to Isaiah’s council and plea for God’s presence and intervention in what we have made our business. Come and join in this community building and strengthening event.