February 4, 2026

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,

As we get closer to the season of Lent, Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount, telling his disciples that they are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Elaborating further, Jesus explains that this light must shine with good deeds. 

For those of us who want more specifics about these good deeds, we can look to Isaiah’s prophetic words: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked. Hopefully these sound familiar. When Jesus speaks about the last judgment when the Son of Man will separate the sheep from the goats later in Matthew’s Gospel, works such as these mentioned in Isaiah are the litmus test. These charitable actions are the basis for the works of mercy that call us to address the physical and spiritual needs of our neighbors. Jesus tells us that these works of mercy should be a constant, visible, perhaps even central aspect of our life of discipleship. Hearing Jesus emphasize that these should be visible to others, not just done in secret, might make some of us uncomfortable. Aren’t we supposed to be humble? This doesn’t sound humble. But it is. For it is not us that should be visible but the works themselves and, as Jesus goes on to say, these works of mercy will speak to those who witness them about God and lead them to give God praise.

There are many people in our community and around the world who are in need of food, clothing, shelter, hospitality, and visiting. Let us reflect on how we are meeting these needs and consider how and whether God is inviting us to do more this Lenten season. We might consider whether we are cultivating a merciful heart – one that is attentive to the needs of those around us, one that would notice if a family member, co-worker, or neighbor was suffering or going through a difficult time and is ready to step in as needed.

In addition, in our day and age, we would also do well not to overlook Isaiah’s call to remove from your midst … malicious speech. Although most of us do not intend to be malicious in our speech, let us take care so that our words to others do not come across as thoughtless, unkind, or hurtful. Such words have no place in our life as disciples called to shine the Lord’s light through good deeds. As we receive the Lord in the Eucharist, let us ask him to illuminate our hearts that we might discern how he is calling us to live the works of  mercy, especially as we prepare to move into the Lenten season. 

God Love Ya!
Fr. Reilly




We invite you to join the Saints Peter and Paul community in honoring the Sacred Heart in Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament on Friday, February 6, at 7:00 PM. Concluding at 8:00 PM, this First Friday Holy Hour will consist of Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, Evening Prayer, the Litany of the Eucharist.





Men: Are you ready for Lent? We will discuss “How to Lent” at the next Evening Men’s Group meeting on Thursday, February 5 in the SSPP parish center. We will continue the topic of Lent at our next several bi-weekly meetings throughout Lent. Doors open at 7:50 PM, program starts at 8:00 PM. All men are welcome!



Throats will be blessed this weekend at all the Masses since the Feast of St. Blaze fell on a Tuesday.




Join us for our annual Winter Book Discussion and Potluck Lunch on Sunday, February 8, from 12:30 to 2:30 PM in the Parish Center Fr. Kovacs Room. This year, Sr. Judith Parsons, I.H.M., Ph.D., will be facilitating our discussion on Leisure: The Basis of Culture by Josef Pieper.

Please visit our parish website for more information or to register.





Enjoy a few moments of peaceful presence with our Lord. Led by fellow parishioner, mediation teacher, author, Jessica Hildebrand.

Step aside from your exhaustions, take a seat, and welcome the guidance and space to connect with the Lord.

You will receive the support to calm your busy mind and peaceful opportunity to deepen your connection with Jesus.

The sessions includes brief explanation of the meditation practice, 30 minute meditation, and time for reflection & fellowship.

Open and accessible to all, no experience needed.

We hope to have you with us as we allow our minds to rest in the loving presence of God.





Looking to be active in faith, but also physically? Come join us for Mass at 9:30 AM and then head over to the school gym for some hoops!

Location: School Gym
Time: Directly after 9:30 AM Mass
Who: Men 18 and older — all skill levels welcome

No teams? No problem. We’ll match up and run games on the spot.

Whether you haven't hit the court in a while or already in mid-season form, come out for good times, solid runs, and a healthy way to start your Sunday. Please reach out to Trevor Dameika at [email protected] with any questions as well as upcoming schedule.





Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 15 through Tuesday, February 17. You are invited and encouraged to spend some time together with our Lord at Forty Hours Devotion.  Forty Hours is a special period of continuous prayer before the Blessed Sacrament that will begin at the end of the 11:30am Sunday Mass and continue each day. Evening prayer will be held at 7:00pm, with closing Mass on Tuesday night. An explanation of the history of 40 Hours can be found in the bulletin.





Join Dr. Tim Gray as he helps us explore the Gospel of Mark like never before. We’ll dive into this action-packed narrative, which reflects St. Peter’s firsthand account of Christ’s life and teachings.

We covered the first 7 lessons in the Fall of 2025 but there is still plenty to discover as we complete the final 7 lessons, with no meetings during Holy Week. Each meeting includes a video presentation and group discussion.

Study materials will be ordered as a group. The cost is approximately $25 per person, or $35 if you would like a leader guide that includes answers to the study questions. By ordering through the parish, you will save on sales tax and shipping! If you purchased a study guide in the Fall, you will not need another! You are welcome to check it out without purchasing a study guide, if that appeals to you!

All sessions will be held in the Parish Center (the building between the Church and Boot Road). Choose between two group meeting times: 

· Wednesday, March 18 at 7:00 PM 

-or- 

· Thursday, March 19 at 10:00 AM                       

To reserve your study guide or request more information, by Monday, March 9, please contact Jane Joyce at 610.429.3973 (landline with voicemail) or [email protected].





Lent is fast approaching. Would you like this Lent to be “different” and make lasting changes to your spiritual and everyday life? Since our parish has a subscription to Formed.org, why not check out some of the videos and podcasts available? Simply go to www.formed.org and sign up as a parishioner for free access to all the Catholic content there!

For Lent, you may want to start with this new series on Formed: https://app.formed.org/app/collections/1096760

Lent would also be a great time to check out the Hallow App to see what all the hype is about! Like Formed, it truly is a wonderful Catholic resource that you can take with you on your walks, to the gym or your commute to work. Go to: https://hallow.com/.

Hallow also has special episodes for the teens in your life. They are offering a free 90-day subscription for teens that you can access by going to https://try.hallow.com/lifeteen90.

Of course, our parish will also offer the Little Black Books for Lent again this year. With a little planning and commitment, maybe this can be your best Lent ever!




Saints Peter and Paul School is looking for a Third Grade Long Term Sub to begin on March 27, 2026. 

We are asking for a reliable, faithful and enthusiastic teacher to join our school. 

Please email your resume, cover letter, clearances, and references to [email protected]. 











The men of our parish are invited to join Catholic men from throughout the Archdiocese for the 18th Annual Man Up Philly Men’s Conference on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at Cardinal O’Hara High School.

Speakers include Father Douglas McKay, Archdiocesan priest and founder of Our House Ministries; Chris Gheysens, Chairman and CEO of Wawa; and Kevin Reilly, former NFL player and inspirational Catholic speaker. Back by popular demand, Mark Forrest, internationally recognized Irish tenor, will lead our time of prayer and reflection. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available, and the Conference will conclude with Mass celebrated by our Archbishop, the Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez.

For more information and to register go to the website: www.manupphilly.com

Please contact Ed Klenk with any questions - 215.436.0956 or [email protected]