ext2 - St. Peter The Apostle

In 1841 the German Catholic community of Philadelphia was outgrowing its small parish church, Holy Trinity, on 6th & Spruce Streets. The expanding population was moving northward, beyond the old limits of the city, and the German Catholics wanted the Church to follow them. The immigrants petitioned their bishop, Francis Kenrick, for a parish church in their new neighborhood. Seeing the faithful people’s need, the bishop invited the Redemptorists to come to the diocese and assist their fellow German speakers. In keeping with their mission to preach the gospel to the most abandoned, the Redemptorists said “Yes” to serving an immigrant church. They bought land in 1842 and worked with the bishop and the people to found the Parish of St. Peter the Apostle. They began holding church services in a wooden building on the property in 1843, while they quickly went about constructing the magnificent edifice we see on the corner of 5th & Girard today. These many years later, the Redemptorists are still hard at work at St. Peter’s.

The Redemptorists

Who are the Redemptorists?
Redemptorists serve the poor and most spiritually abandoned. We work in parishes and shrines, minister to immigrants, preach parish missions and retreats, promote devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, and evangelize through traditional and new media. Following in the footsteps of St. Alphonsus Liguori and 17 other confreres who have been canonized or beatified, approximately 5,300 Redemptorists serve in 82 countries throughout the world. Our brothers and priests bring a message of hope and Good News to everyone they encounter: “In Him there is plentiful redemption” (Psalm 130:7).

Founding and history
St. Alphonsus Liguori was born in Naples, Italy, in 1696. He left a promising legal career against the wishes of his family and became a priest. Alphonsus dedicated himself completely to the service of the poor and most abandoned, and in 1732 he founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer: The Redemptorists. Alphonsus and his companions preached the Word of God in rural and isolated communities around Naples. He died in 1787 at age 90 and was declared a saint in 1839. His feast day is August 1st. By the early 19th century Redemptorists were serving in central Italy, Poland, Germany, Belgium, and Holland.
In 1832 six Redemptorists traveled to the United States at the request of American bishops and began their first missionary work outside of Europe. They worked first among Native Americans and then with Irish, German, and Slavic immigrants. They ministered to the people and opened parishes and schools, often teaching immigrants the English language.
In 1847 St. John Neumann, born in Bohemia and the first Redemptorist to profess vows in the United States, was appointed superior of all Redemptorists in America. Five years later he was consecrated the fourth bishop of Philadelphia.
He died in 1860 and in 1977 became the first American bishop to be canonized. His feast day is January 5. In 1850 the Redemptorists’ American Province, consisting of nine houses, was established from the Belgian Province and headquartered at the Redemptorist seminary in Baltimore. Redemptorist ministries soon spread throughout the United States and Canada. Missions were established in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the Virgin Islands, Brazil, and Paraguay.

Our Spirituality
The Redemptorists have a special devotion to the crib of Bethlehem, the cross of Calvary, the Eucharist, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Our structure
In the United States the Redemptorists are divided into two provinces (Baltimore and Denver) and a vice- province (working for the Vietnamese). A province is financially self-sufficient and staffed with sufficient priests and brothers to do the work entrusted to it by its founder and rule of life. The Vietnam Vice-Province was created to work with Catholic Vietnamese and Japanese who fled to the United States after the fall of Saigon in 1975. The Baltimore Province in the northeastern Unites States is the oldest province in North America and has the greatest number of priests and brothers. Despite its name, our headquarters are in Washington, DC. Attached to East Coast Province are the Caribbean Region (established in 1999), including the islands of St. Vincent, St. Lucia, and Dominica.
Keep us in your prayers as we celebrate 288 years of foundation, so we can keep the spirit of St. Alphonsus alive in all our works.

~Fr. Richard~

Quiénes somos los Redentoristas?
Los redentoristas servimos a los pobres y a los más abandonados espiritualmente. Trabajamos en parroquias y santuarios, ministrando a inmigrantes, predicando misiones parroquiales y retiros, promoviendo la devoción a Nuestra Madre del Perpetuo Socorro, y evangelizando a través de los medios tradicionales y nuevos medios de comunicación. Siguiendo los pasos de San Alfonso de Ligorio y otros 17 hermanos que han sido canonizados o beatificados, aproximadamente 5.300 Redentoristas servimos en 82 países de todo el mundo. Nuestros hermanos y sacerdotes traen un mensaje de esperanza y la Buena Nueva para todos los que encuentran que: "En él hay abundante redención" (Salmo 130: 7).

Fundación e historia
San Alfonso de Ligorio nació en Nápoles, Italia, en 1696. Dejó una prometedora carrera jurídica en contra de los deseos de su familia y se convirtió en sacerdote. Alfonso se dedicó por completo al servicio de los pobres y más abandonados, y en 1732 fundó la Congregación del Santísimo Redentor: Los Redentoristas. Alfonso y sus compañeros predicaron la Palabra de Dios en comunidades rurales y aisladas de Nápoles. Murió en 1787 a los 90 años y fue declarado santo en 1839. Su fiesta es el 1 de agosto. A principios del siglo XIX, los Redentoristas estaban sirviendo en el centro de Italia, Polonia, Alemania, Bélgica y Holanda.
En 1832, seis Redentoristas viajaron a los Estados Unidos a pedido de los obispos estadounidenses y comenzaron su primera obra misional fuera de Europa. Trabajaron primero entre nativos americanos y luego con inmigrantes irlandeses, alemanes y eslavos. Ellos ministraron a la gente y abrieron parroquias y escuelas, a menudo enseñando a los inmigrantes el idioma inglés.
En 1847 San Juan Neumann, nacido en Bohemia y el primer redentorista en profesar votos en los Estados Unidos, fue nombrado superior de todos los redentoristas en América. Cinco años más tarde fue consagrado como el cuarto obispo de Filadelfia.
Murió en 1860 y en 1977 se convirtió en el primer obispo estadounidense en ser canonizado. Su fiesta es el 5 de enero.
En 1850, la Provincia Americana de los Redentoristas, que constaba de nueve casas, se estableció de la Provincia de Bélgica y tiene su sede en el seminario Redentorista de Baltimore. Los ministerios redentoristas pronto se extendieron por los Estados Unidos y Canadá. Se establecieron misiones en Puerto Rico, República Dominicana, Islas Vírgenes, Brasil y Paraguay.

Nuestra espiritualidad
Los Redentoristas tenemos una devoción especial a la cuna de Belén, a la cruz del Calvario, a la Eucaristía y a Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro.

Nuestra estructura
En los Estados Unidos, los Redentoristas nos dividimos en dos provincias (Baltimore y Denver) y una viceprovincia (que trabaja para los vietnamitas). Una provincia es económicamente autosuficiente y cuenta con suficientes sacerdotes y hermanos para realizar el trabajo que le ha encomendado su fundador y regla de vida. La Viceprovincia de Vietnam se creó para trabajar con católicos vietnamitas y japoneses que huyeron a los Estados Unidos después de la caída de Saigón en 1975. La provincia de Baltimore en el noreste de los Estados Unidos es la provincia más antigua de América del Norte y tiene el mayor número de sacerdotes. y hermanos. A pesar de su nombre, nuestra sede se encuentra en Washington, DC. Adjunta a la provincia de la Costa Este se encuentra la región del Caribe (establecida en 1999), donde se incluyen las islas de San Vicente, Santa Lucía y Dominica.
Manténganos en sus oraciones mientras celebramos 288 años de fundación, para que podamos mantener vivo el espíritu de San Alfonso en todas nuestras obras.

~Padre Richard~

Who may receive Holy Communion?

Scripture teaches: 'Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and the blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself .' (1 Corinthians 11:27-28a). In order to worthily receive Holy Communion in a Catholic Church, a person must:

(1) be Catholic (either by baptism or by being received into the Church;

(2) have attained the age of reason (about seven) and be aware of what they are doing, and

(3) not be aware of grave unconfessed sin.

The first two criteria are clear. But what is 'grave unconfessed sin?'

A grave sin, also called a mortal sin, is a sin which is objectively serious as defined by the Church, and which has been committed after sufficient reflection with full consent to the will. It is important to note that it is the Church, not the individual, which pronounces whether a sin is grave or not. The Church makes this determination based on its Scripture and its Sacred Tradition, not on the basis of individual choices or opinions.

While the gravity of a sin is objective, only the individual can assess whether the sin was committed after sufficient reflection and with full consent of the will. A priest in confession or counseling can help a person to sort out the seriousness of his or her sins.

People who come to receive communion are presumed to be acting in accord with Church teaching. In general, clergy and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion do not 'read' the state of a person's soul when they come up to receive Holy Communion. It is not known when the person went to confession last, whether they have truly repented their sins. The priest may not know whether a person is in a marriage recognized by the Church. A priest may refuse Holy Communion to a Catholic only when he has a good reason to believe that the sacrament would be profaned, or when serious public scandal may result from giving Communion to a particular person because of that person's notorious public sin. Such circumstances arise very infrequently.

It may be that the bishops will provide some guidance in the future about the reception of Holy Communion by some public persons who have taken positions contrary to Catholic faith and morals. That remains for the future.

The more important question, for each of us, is 'What is the state of my soul?' We should always encourage each other in faith, hope and charity, and pray for all persons to grow in holiness. We ought not to be preoccupied with the real or presumed sins of others.

Contact the Office of Religious Education for details.

How do I perform confession?

Some Catholics have been away from the sacrament of Confession (also called Reconciliation or Penance) for a long time. Many who have not taken advantage of this sacrament feel awkward when they consider going to Confession. But there is no need to feel awkward or embarrassed. This sacrament is an encounter with the loving Lord, who looks for us to turn to him and who is always ready to forgive. When a person returns to Confession after a long absence, the angels dance!

If you've been away for a while, or even if you go regularly, a brief review of what to do may be helpful.

First, the priest and penitent often exchange a greeting, or make the sign of the cross. Then the penitent tells the priest approximately how long it has been since his or her last confession. The penitent then may share any fact about himself or herself that is relevant to the confession. For example, I tell the priest that I am a member of a religious order and a priest.

The penitent then confesses his or her sins. The sins are identified by general type, with some indication of how frequently the sin was committed. You don't have to include details, except when the detail affects the gravity of the sin. For example, if a person confesses 'fighting' they might add whether this was a verbal fight, or a physical fight, and whether injury resulted.

The priest may give words of advice or encouragement. Some priests do this frequently, others do not. If the penitent desires a more conversational discussion with the priest, it is best to schedule an appointment for confession rather than to try to do this during the scheduled times 'in the box.' The priest then gives a penance. The penance is usually a prayer or prayers, although the priest may give a penance of a work of charity or restitution based on the sins that were confessed.

The penitent says an Act of Contrition. So many people are afraid to go to confession because they cannot remember the Act of Contrition! But even if the penitent cannot remember a single word of a memorized prayer, the priest will help him or her with this. And anyone can just 'make up' an Act of Contrition on the spot. It just must express sorrow for sin and an intention to try to avoid sin in the future. Some Acts of Contrition are included at the end of this column.

The priest then says the words of absolution (forgiveness), speaking in the name of Christ himself: 'God the Father of Mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; though the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.'

Acts of Contrition:

"My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy."

Or - "O my God I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because of your just punishment, but most of all because they offend you my God, who are all good and worthy of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace to sin no more and to avoid whatever leads me to sin."

Or - "Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Diocesan priest and Religious order

The large majority of priests worldwide are diocesan priests. These men are ordained to work in a particular diocese or archdiocese. At the time of their ordination as deacons (usually about a year before their ordination as priests) they promise respect and obedience to the diocesan bishop and his successors. They also promise to live in chastity, and according to the status of clergy (which includes a comparatively simple life). Diocesan priests do not make vows, technically speaking, and do not promise poverty. Therefore, they may own their own property, such as cars, and handle their own financial affairs.

At deaconate ordination, the bishop accepts the promises of the deacon and priest, and thereby incardinates them into the diocese. This gives the transitional deacon and diocesan priest certain rights - such as the right to be supported by the diocesan church - and imposes on them the obligation to work for the diocesan church under the leadership of the bishop. This is a life-long commitment of mutual responsibility, although there are procedures in place by which a diocesan priest may choose to seek a transfer to a different diocese. Because most of the work of a diocese is done in parishes, a diocesan priest usually works in a parish. Some diocesan priests work in Catholic schools, as hospital chaplains, in administrative offices of the diocese, or in other places. Sometimes diocesan priests are called secular priests, because their main work is pastoral, i.e. to assist people who work in the contemporary world (Latin saeculum=world, the times).

Some priests are members of religious orders or institutes. A religious order or institute is an association established by the Church to promote a particular style of life or expression of spirituality, or to perform a specific type of work. Most religious communities of men work in more than one diocese, and many work worldwide. Each religious community has its own constitutions, and its members live according to a rule of life. All members of a religious community make vows or promises of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Some religious communities of men work in parishes, others do not. Religious priests work as hospital chaplains, retreat givers, teachers, itinerant preachers, parish priests, missionaries and in many other fields. Each community has its own charism, or gift of the Spirit. Priests who are members of a community bring that charism to their work.

The diocesan bishop supervises religious order priests when they are engaged in active ministry in his diocese, and no community can work in a diocese without his permission. The religious community's superior supervises the internal workings of the community. If a religious community serves the needs of a particular parish, it does so based on an agreement with the diocesan bishop.

What are some of the Catholic religious communities?

All religious communities of men and women must be authorized by the Church and cannot exist apart from such authorization. Each community follows a rule of life, and constitutions that implement the rule. Some approved rules are hundreds of years old and are very general in nature. The constitutions are updated periodically, help define the spirit and charism of the community, specify its organization and governance.

Some religious communities are contemplative. These groups separate themselves from the world in order to engage in a full time ministry of prayer and reflection, supplemented by work done internally within the cloister in order to support themselves. Examples of such communities are the Trappists (both monks and nuns), and Poor Clare and Discalced Carmelite nuns. Members of contemplative orders seldom leave their monastery, and they almost never engage in parish ministry. Some communities have strong contemplative traditions, but over the years have accepted some outside work, including parishes. This is particularly true outside of Europe. In the US, for example, Benedictine monks and nuns regularly work in parishes and other active ministries.

Other religious communities are active. Their rule and constitutions oblige them to work in the world. Many of these communities were founded to do some particular job, such as teaching, care of the sick, etc. For example, the Salesians of St. John Bosco were founded to work with poor and working class young men, and they staff orphanages and schools. Other active communities are more generalist in their approach, and their members take on a wide variety of tasks. Many communities of sisters that were originally founded for one particular work are now working in many areas of life.

A third type of religious community strives to live a mixed life. Their members work in active ministry, but also try to balance their activity with a strong contemplative focus. St. Thomas Aquinas called this the best and most difficult type of religious life. Examples of communities trying to live a mixed life are the Dominicans (St. Thomas Aquinas was a Dominican) and the Franciscans, including the Capuchins. Members of these communities work in many areas.

Many religious communities are worldwide (such as the Capuchins), and are organized into geographic units called provinces. Many other communities exist in only one country, or in even only a particular diocese.

Communities of men may consist of priests and lay (unordained) brothers. Some communities are nearly entirely lay (e.g. the Christian Brothers), and others have very few lay members (e.g. the Jesuits). The Capuchins consider themselves to be a community of brothers, many of whom are ordained.

Are you being called?

Go to redemptorists.net to find out.

When and how is the Annointing of the Sick administered?

This is perhaps the most misunderstood of the seven sacraments. It is - and it is not - "last rites?" for the dying. This sacrament heals the sick spiritually, and is intended for anyone who is seriously ill. The Anointing of the Sick may be given to the dying, but is certainly not limited to the dying. The sacrament is commonly administered. Seldom does a priest go a week without anointing at least one person. The sacrament can be repeated each time a person falls seriously ill, or when an illness takes a turn for the worse. Certainly anyone diagnosed with cancer, another life-threatening illness, or who faces major surgery should be anointed. Only a priest or bishop may administer this sacrament.

Anointing of the Sick is authorized by Scripture. We have, of course, multiple instances of praying for the sick in the ministry of Jesus himself, as well as many other Old and New Testament examples. The clearest warrant for the sacrament comes from the Letter of St. James: "Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters (priests and bishops) of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven" (James 5: 14-15).

This sacrament may be celebrated anywhere, and the ritual book gives the priest longer or shorter options for its celebration. The essential part of the sacrament is the placing of a small amount of blessed oil on the person (usually on the forehead and the palms of the hands when that is possible), while saying the words: "Through this Holy Anointing, may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord, who frees you from your sin, save you and raise you up."

What are the effects of this sacrament? The Council of Trent said that the sacrament provides: "the grace of the Holy Spirit, whose anointing takes away sins, if any still remain, and the remnants of sin. This anointing also raises up and strengthens the soul of the sick person, arousing a great confidence in the divine mercy. Thus sustained, the sick person may more easily bear the trials and hardships of sickness, more easily resist the temptations of the devil . . . and sometimes regain bodily health, if this is expedient for the health of the soul."

If you or someone close to you is a proper candidate for this sacrament, please do not wait until you are hospitalized or dying to request anointing. Modern hospitals work efficiently, and there usually is not time for anointing between admission to the hospital and surgery. It is always better when the anointing takes place while the recipient is conscious and aware, and when they are surrounded by family and friends who are praying together. If you need this sacrament, talk to one of the priests here at St. Peter's, or the priest in your own parish if you are a visitor.

Emergencies & Hospital Visitation: Please contact the Rectory office:

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