PARISH EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS – 20 September 2026
Rise Against Hunger / Saint Bernadette Dining Nights Out
Monday, 21 September, Silver Diner, Springfield Shopping Center
present our flyer or mention Saint Bernadette when ordering!
ANNOUNCEMENTS for the 25th Week in Ordinary Time
This is Commitment Sunday! Review our Parish Renewal Handbook, Ministry Catalog and Annual Report and commit to how you will be involved in parish life and ministry this year!
Join us for our monthly Taizé Ecumenical Prayer service on Monday, September 21 at 8pm in the church. Bring your friends, all are welcome!
Concerts at Saint Bernadette presents internationally prize winning flutist Guilherme Andreas, David Mathers, piano. Friday, Sept. 25 at 7:30pm. A light reception will follow.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) will be selling raffle tickets after all Masses on September 26/27 for a trip for to to Ireland! Tickets are $10 or 3 for $25. Cash and checks accepted. Proceeds are used to fund our charitable giving to include 8th grade graduation scholarships, Mary’s Comfort, Project St. Patrick (Seminarians) and our annual St. Patrick Coloring Contest. Try your luck of the Irish.
Help fill the St. Lucy Food Project warehouse with much needed food for hungry children. Please mark your calendar for our next St. Lucy Project Food Drive the weekend of September 26/27.
All couples celebrating a Golden or Silver Anniversary are invited to a Wedding Anniversaries Mass on Sunday, October 18, 2:30pm at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More. Please call the parish office to register no later than Monday, Oct. 2.
Please note the change in Date and Time for the Blessing of the Animals. We will gather at the grotto Friday evening, October 2nd at 6pm due to our Lord of the Miracles Celebration the following morning.
Our parish thrives because of the gifts and generosity of its members. We invite you to explore the many volunteer opportunities available and consider how you might share your time and talents in service to our parish community. Whether you want to just stick your toe in or jump in the pool, there is an activity that can bring out the best in you! Discover where God may be calling you to serve. Please visit the parish website for more information or complete an interest form HERE.
We are pleased to introduce Tap to Give, a convenient and secure way to make electronic donations through our ParishSOFT Giving platform. To use the Tap to Give feature, simply tap your NFC-enabled smartphone or smart-watch on the Tap to Give device. Make sure NFC is enabled on your device. (Bluetooth is not required for NFC payments.) ParishSOFT Giving supports both Apple Pay and Google Pay, making your donations fast, secure, and convenient. Thank you for your continued generosity and for supporting the mission and ministries of Saint Bernadette Parish.
Please plan to join us for our Rise Against Hunger Dining Out Nights. Participating restaurants include Silver Diner, Malek’s Pizza Palace, McAlister’s Deli, Delia’s, Milano’s, El Paso, and Saratoga Pizzeria. Each restaurant will generously donate a portion of their proceeds from meals purchased by our parish families. A complete Dining Nights calendar and flyers which you will need to take with you are available in the church vestibule and on the parish website.
FAITH FORMATION
Volunteers for 2026-2027 ~ If you feel called to help with the Religious Education program, we are in need of volunteers on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6–7:15pm (arrive by 5:45pm). For Tuesday: hallway helpers, sixth grade (first year Confirmation) lead, and four aides for various classrooms. For Wednesdays, Fourth Grade Lead, sixth grade (first year Confirmation) lead, one hallway monitor, and three aides for various classrooms. Feeling called to help? Need to know more? Please contact Lynn Jones at ljones@stbernpar.org or 703-451-8576 ext. 136.
Living the Liturgical Year - On September 21, we celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist. He was an apostle and one of the writers of the Gospel. Did you know he was a tax collector who became an apostle? Tax collectors in Jesus’ time were despised and put in the same category as sinners. They were seen as traitors to their nation. You can find activities to teach your kids about St. Matthew here: https://catholicprintableclub.com/blogs/september-feast-days/how-to-celebrate-the-feast-of-st-matthew-september-21
Children’s Liturgy of the Word - Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) is a program for 3-6 year olds. The children leave the 9am Mass with their catechists during the Liturgy of the Word so they can hear the Word of God at their level. Child-ren return to Mass during the offertory and worship with their families for the remainder of the Mass. The program is held most Sundays from September through July except holiday weekends.
Please remember there are no cellphones and electronic devices allowed in the classroom. 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
Upcoming schedule
Regular classes: Sept. 15/16, 22/23, 29/30
SPRED Classes: Sept. 12, 19
Family Mass Learning: Sept. 19/20 after all Masses
Family Faith Formation: Sept. 20
Sunday Doughnut Social: Sept. 27
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
Come and enjoy warm fellowship and great food. For more information, please email us at women@stbernpar.org
Tuesday, October 6 is our next Dinner with Friends at 5pm, at Saratoga Pizzeria, 8050 Rolling Road. We meet for this casual meal on the 1st and the 3rd Tuesday of every month. No need to RSVP.
YOUTH MINISTRY
High School
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. Contact Grace Mee for more information!
Join high schoolers all throughout the diocese of Arlington at RALLY on October 25 from 11am-9pm. RALLY is an all-day event that includes Mass with Bishop Burbidge, speakers, music, games, and more! Check out the Youth Ministry page on the parish website for more information and permission slips.
Middle School
All 6th-8th graders are invited for games, snacks, and fun every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month, beginning in September! Meet in the school gym from 6:45-8pm.
CYO Sports - Winter Sports Registration is now OPEN
Joining sports teams can be a rewarding experience for young athletes. Saint Bernadette's CYO sports offers a variety of options, including cross country, tennis, track & field, basketball, cheer, and volleyball, fostering both physical fitness and teamwork. Participating helps in developing athletic skills but also emphasizes the importance of faith, sportsmanship, discipline, and community involvement. These programs often create a supportive environment where players can build lasting friendships and learn valuable life lessons. CYO sports are open to children who attend Saint Bernadette’s school or are enrolled in the parish’s religious education program this school year.
Registration for basketball and cheer is now open. Register for basketball by 10/19 and cheer by 11/1.
Please register at - https://reg.sportspilot.com/106541/leagues(opens in new tab)
If you have any questions, please reach out to your parish CYO Reps - Gina Soriano (gvsoriano@gmail.com(opens in new tab)) or Catherine Luby (catherineeluby@gmail.com(opens in new tab)).
To learn more about our middle and high school ministries,
please contact Grace Mee, gmee@stbernpar.org