Heavenly Father, we come to you with humble hearts, asking for your mercy upon all mankind. Let your peace flow through nations, across borders, and into every home. Calm the storms of hatred, silence the drums of war, and replace pride with compassion.

Heal our broken world. Let us not grow tired of praying, hoping and believing. May we, in our little ways, be instruments of your peace and love.

Amen.
~ St. Padre Pio


Dear Parishioners,

Anyone who has attempted to follow Jesus’ example of spending quiet time alone in prayer has probably experienced the challenge of remaining focused and open to the Lord’s movement during that time. Our minds easily wander. Whether

it is noise, suddenly remembering something we need to get done, nodding off because we’re tired, or other worries on our mind, a challenge we all face is learning how not to let those things distract us from remaining focused on the Lord.

In the Old Testament, the Lord instructed Elijah to come out of the cave when he, the Lord, passed by. Elijah waited in the cave, watchful and attentive. But when the wind, the earthquake, and the fire came, he discerned that the Lord

wasn’t present in any of them. So he remained watchful and attentive, until finally the Lord came by in a whispering sound. It was then that he recognized the Lord’s presence and stepped out. 

Recognizing the Lord’s presence is a skill, and one that we all can develop and hone. Elijah had spent years listening to and obeying the Lord’s commands, coming to know him. At this point in his journey, Elijah was able to sort out the noise and not let it distract him from what was truly important. We can learn this skill in prayer as well. But it takes time and practice.

In the Gospel, Jesus comes toward the disciples walking on water. Peter boldly asks to join him. When Jesus beckons for him to come, Peter steps out of the boat and, initially, his attention is focused on Jesus. The wind was blowing and the waves were crashing against the boat, but as long as Peter kept his attention on Jesus, all was well. The moment his attention veered away and he noticed the wind, fear had an opening and moved in. Peter began to sink.

There will be many times in our prayer when the storms of our lives pull our attention away from the Lord and fill us with fear and dread. Like Peter, we might feel as if we are sinking. When this happens, it is easy to become discouraged. It can be tempting to abandon prayer because it seems a waste of time when important needs are clamoring for our attention.

But prayer is not useless. Prayer is what keeps us afloat amid the storms of life. Prayer, or rather, time with the Lord, is what drives away fear, anxiety, and dread. And when prayer becomes a struggle, we can call out to the Lord for help, as Peter did, and the Lord will immediately come to our aid, as he came to Peter’s. With the Lord’s help, we can trust that the day will come when we are more like Elijah and those storms don’t distract us from what is truly important: keeping our attention fixed on God’s presence in our lives.

God Love Ya!
Fr. Reilly



The Archbishop has requested we take up a special second collection to provide assistance to the many people devasted by the powerful earthquakes in Venezuela last month.

This special collection will take place August 15, 16. If you would like learn more about the critical work of Catholic Relief Services, please visit: www.CRS.org.

May Our Lady of Coromoto, Patroness of Venezuela, be especially close to her children at this time.

Thank you for your consideration and generosity.



The Bucket Brigade usually meets after the 8:30 AM Mass on Monday mornings.

We are a crew of cleaners who chose to honor Our Lord by cleaning His Home. From the front doors to the Altar and everything in between that needs cleaning or straightening, we keep our sacred space shining!

With our dedicated and fun team, we do our best to keep our Church looking it's best!

If you would be interested in joining us, or would like some more information, please feel free to contact: Pat Connelly at 610.696.8195 or [email protected].


The fifth annual Father Bill Atkinson Pilgrimage will take place on Thursday, September 17, 2026. The Pilgrimage is a journey of faith and friendship seeking the intercession of S.O.G. Father Bill Atkinson.

We will begin at St. Thomas of Villanova Church on Villanova's Campus at 3:30 PM with a prayer service led by Father Rob Hagan, O.S.A. We will then begin a 4-mile accessible walk to Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Wayne.

Please register today and find more information on our website: www.friendsoffatherbill.org.



We are in desperate need of your help to re-stock the Caring For Friends freezer.

All the instructions and tins are in the locker in the freezer room. We do not have enough meals to meet the needs of our parishioners.

Any help you can give us is greatly appreciated by the coordinators and parishioners!

Thank you.



Our Hope Ministry cares for parishioners who are homebound, elderly, or ill. Our volunteers are happy to offer rides to medical appointments or the grocery store, grocery shop for you, or simply spend time with a friendly home visit.

Inspired by Jesus' call to care for one another, we reach out with compassion, kindness, and a loving presence.

If you or someone you know could use support, or if you would like to learn more about our service, please contact Loretta Bevilacqua at 610.529.1991.



Men, mark your calendars for That Man Is You! which is coming to SS Peter & Paul parish starting Wednesday Sep. 16. That Man is You! gives men an opportunity to have honest discussions about the challenges and issues men face in our modern culture, especially those relating to our roles as husbands and fathers. The weekly program blends current social and medical science with the teachings of the Church and the wisdom of the saints to develop the vision of man as he was meant to be.

This early morning program is open to all men. Breakfast provided! Register at this link. For program details, see our parish website.