PARISH EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Watch your mailbox! All registered parishioners will be receiving our Parish Renewal Handbook, Ministry Catalog and Annual Report, right about now. Please read it. Visit ministry leaders in the tents outside Masses next weekend and consider how you might get involved in parish life!
Join us for our monthly Taizé Ecumenical Prayer service on Monday, 15 September at 8pm in the church. Bring your friends, all are welcome!
The Knights of Columbus will be collecting donations for the Coats for Kids program this weekend and next weekend. Their goal is for no child to go without a coat during this winter season.
On November 4, Virginians will be selecting candidates for all 100 seats in the House of Delegates as well as for Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General. We will host a nonpartisan voter registration event after the 9am, 11am and before the 1pm Mass in Spanish next Sunday 21 September. The registration deadline for the general election is Friday, October 24. All materials will be bilingual.
All couples celebrating a Golden or Silver Anniversary are invited to a Wedding Anniversaries Mass on Sunday, October 19, 2:30pm at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More. Please call the parish office to register no later than Monday, October 3.
Thank you to all who have responded to our request to reduce our parish envelope costs. If you are receiving offertory envelopes but don’t use them or no longer wish to receive them, please contact our parish office so that we can remove that service from your registration file. Remember Second and Special Collections can be done electronically through Faith Direct.
FAITH FORMATION
Living the Liturgical Year:
Another week of Religious Education in the books. Please remember there are no cell phones allowed in classes, and smart watches will need to be put in “do not disturb” mode. Children should bring their book(s) in their clear plastic folder each week to class, and parents should check the folder weekly for assignments and information from the catechist. Class times on Tuesday and Wednesday are 6-7:15pm-- please arrive and pick-up on time! Students arriving more than 15 minutes late will have to be signed in by a parent at door 1.
Please remember that the Confirmation kick-off meetings are this month! It is a mandatory meeting for both parents and children held at the church from 6:15-7:15pm. Confirmation 2027 kick-off will be on September 14 and Confirmation 2026 kick-off will be on September 28.
Today, September 14, we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The feast commemorates two historic events, the discovery of the True Cross of Christ by St. Helena and the dedication of the basilica on Calvary (Church of the Holy Sepulcher) built by her son, St. Constantine the Great. You can read about the story of the discovery of the True Cross here https://faithandfabricdesign.com/2013/09/activity-feast-of-exaltation-of-holy.html and it gives you a directions of the Holy Cross activity to do with your children. Or you can go on a pilgrimage to the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in Washington, DC to see the replicas of the Holy Land shrines.
Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) is held during the Sunday 9am Mass to proclaim God’s Word to our three-to-six year old children at a level they can understand. If you would like to sign your child up, please use this link: https://forms.office.com/r/jtBEQmQ0ys or scan the QR code at left. As the CLOW team preps for the new school year, we are in need of volunteers to help teach the children and to be classroom aides. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please reach out to Kathryn Melton at yanezka@gmail.com or Lynn Jones at ljones@stbernpar.org.
Volunteers for 2025-2026 ~ As we prepare to plan for the upcoming Religious Education school year, please discern if you would like to help. We are in need of Lead Catechists and aides. If interested, please contact the Religious Education Office or fill out the Volunteer Form on the website. You will also find the QR Code at the bulletin board.
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
Come and enjoy warm fellowship and great food. No need to RSVP. For more information, please email us at women@stbernpar.org. Monday, September 15 is our next Dinner with Friends at 5pm, at Saratoga Pizzeria, 8050 Rolling Road. This casual meal is one of our normal dinners on the 1st the 3rd Monday of every
month.
NEW DATE! Our next monthly meeting will be Tuesday, September 16 at 7pm in the Bradican Room. We have a very special program tonight. Father James will favor us with a vocal and guitar performance including some self-composed songs and some more familiar and popular favorites. This will surely be an evening not to be missed!YOUTH MINISTRY
High School Socials
All high schoolers are invited to join us for Tuesday Socials every Tuesday from 7-8:30pm! Meet in the youth room (in the parish office) for games, ice cream, and a discussion on the faith.
All High schoolers are invited for dinner, games, a fellowship on Saturday, September 13. Meet in the Bradican room from 6-8:30pm!
All 9-12th grade boys are invited to join us for a bonfire, s’mores, and games on Thursday, September 25th from 7-8:30pm. Meet on the rectory patio. Contact JP McLaughlin for more information (JPMcLaughlin@stbernpar.org)
Daily Mass and Donuts - September 23 - All high schoolers are invited to take advantage of the FCPS student holiday and join us for 9am daily Mass, followed by donuts and fellowship in the youth room until 10:30.
Middle School Youth Ministry - our next gathering is 17 September
Next gathering - September 17 - All 6th-8th graders are invited for games, snacks, and fun every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month! Meet in the school gym from 6:45-8pm.
To learn more about our middle and high school ministries,
please contact Grace Mee, gmee@stbernpar.org