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,

God’s presence and his invitation to be in relationship with him can be difficult to explain. Jesus often used parables to give us an insight into this mystery and its importance in our lives. Today, we hear two of those parables: the pearl of great price and the overflowing fishing net.

The first teaches us that God’s presence and the relationship that flows from it is like a valuable pearl for which we must be willing to give up everything. Once we truly recognize what a difference God’s presence makes in our lives, we will not want to be without it even for the shortest time.

Of course, there is the danger of taking our relationship with God for granted or losing sight of it in the busyness of life. Jesus recognizes this danger as part of our broken humanity. Yet he challenges us to see our relationship with God for what it is and what it demands of us. It gives us everything, but it also demands all we have and all we are.

In the second parable, Jesus uses the image of a net brimming with fish. One can imagine the task of sorting through that catch. Some will be kept and sold, others will be thrown back into the sea. As people who seek God’s presence through faith we also need to sift through our life experiences to perceive what is of God and what is not. Like Solomon in our first reading, we need the gift of wisdom to be able to discern and perceive what God’s will is. Of all the gifts that Solomon could have asked for, he chose wisdom: not the wisdom of this world, but the wisdom that comes from God alone. We, too, should ask for this gift from God.

The gifts of wisdom and discernment are essential because God’s manner of operating and his presence in our lives isn’t always obvious. Especially when we’re facing challenges, we might wish that God would reveal himself and his will

more clearly. But God wants us to grow, to come freely to an ever deeper understanding of our identity and relationship with him. God wants, even demands, that we work at our relationship with him. All human growth involves good and bad experiences: to be able to sift through them and come to see the very hand of God in our lives.

Let us ask Jesus, the very wisdom of God, to fill us with the gift of his presence and help us to discern properly the things of God as we seek to follow him each day of our lives. 

God Love Ya!
Fr. Reilly



The Missionary Sisters of The Holy Rosary wish to thank you for your generous response to our mission appeal. Your interest and concern is a real source of encouragement to us and our various missionary endeavors throughout the world. Please be assured of a continuous remembrance in the prayers of all the Sisters. May God continue to bless you and your families.



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.



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.