Thursday, February 5, 2026

IV Week in Ordinary Time

St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

This Saturday there will be no confessions

as we have a visiting priest who is not available at that time.

There will be no exposition next Friday, February 13

Ash Wednesday, February 18, a day of fasting and abstinence, begins our Lenten season. We will have the following liturgies to receive ashes.

• 7:30 AM Mass & Ashes

• Noon Mass & Ashes

• 7:00 PM Liturgy of the Word & Ashes

During Lent there will be opportunities to deepen your faith

and renew your conversion to the Lord.

• Sunday Solemn Vespers at 3:00 PM
• Wednesday Confessions 5:30 pm to 6:30 PM
• That Man is You (Wednesday mornings)
• Thursday Bible study in the PLC at 10:00 PM
• Thursday morning men's Gospel discussion
• Friday Stations of the Cross at 7:00 PM
• Women's Lenten Soup Supper Soup (Date TBD)

Volunteers Needed for Church Carpet Cleaning

The church carpets, including the chapel, the Bethany Room, and the sacristy, will be cleaned on Tuesday February 10, 2026, at 9:00AM. The building and grounds committee has requested volunteers to help move furniture and equipment to the vestibule. We will begin moving items after the 7:30AM Mass on Tuesday.

We also need volunteers for 2:00PM on the Wednesday February 11^th to move the furniture and equipment back in place.

Please note the church doors will be closed after the cleaning on Tuesday until Wednesday at 2PM. There will be no Mass on Wednesday February 11, 2026, as the carpets need time to thoroughly dry.

Thank you in advance for helping with this project. The carpets have not been cleaned for well over a decade and will now be prepared for the Lenten and Easter seasons.

Thank you, Building and Grounds Committee

Loaves and Fishes

The drop off schedule dates for the next month are Feb 6th and 20th.

We meet from 0930 to 1000 at the PLC.

For Saint John’s Hospice our normal collection is for lunches, casseroles, and other suggested items. 

• A lunch consists of a PBJ sandwich, a granola or protein bar, a juice box or water bottle and a small piece of fruit if you can add it, the fruit is optional. Another reminder - to help keep the sandwiches from getting soggy spread the peanut butter on both pieces of bread and then spread the jelly in between. 
• We can store casseroles in the deep freeze in the PLC kitchen so you can drop-off at times that fit your schedule. A casserole should be of your choice, cooked, then frozen. Casserole recipes are available on the saintjohnshospice.org website. Also the recipes have been loaded on the St. Cornelius website, look under ministries, catholic relief services, loaves & fishes and you should see casserole recipes. Remember we have casserole pans in the office at the PLC. If anyone needs help with recipes feel free to email joburns66@gmail.com.
• Other items that St. John’s could use are bags of apples and oranges, boxes of protein or granola bars, water, and chapstick.
• At this time of year hats, and gloves are appreciated.

For YoungMoms are preferred Diapers sizes are 5,6,7.

If you have a student who is helping and need their volunteer hours validated, simply email joburns66@gmail.com for assistance.  

Knight of Columbus

The next membership meeting of the Knights is Thursday, February 12, at 7 pm in the PLC. We will have pizza and assorted beverages for a period of fellowship following our meeting. We had 20 men attend our January meeting. Please come join our growing Council!

The Knights will be leading the Stations of the Cross on February 27 during Lent.

The Knights continue to serve as Greeters at all Masses. The men of Saint Cornelius are welcome to join the Knights and help us serve in this important ministry.

If you are a Catholic man 18 years or older, you may join the Knights of Columbus. The St. Cornelius Council invites you to become part of this vibrant fraternity. You may join online at kofc.org/join and use our council number, [12391], to connect with us.  New members may join for free using the promo code BLESSEDMCGIVNEY in honor of Blessed Michael J. McGivney, the Founder of the Knights.

Come grow in faith, build lasting friendships, and serve our community as a Knight! God bless you!

CRS - Meals from Around the World

This Lent, we’re invited to prepare simple meatless meals on Fridays as a gentle way to stand in solidarity with those around the world who face daily hunger. By eating simply and donating the money we save to CRS Rice Bowl, we help provide food, hope, and brighter futures for families in need. Small sacrifices, shared in love, can make a big difference.

Join the CRS group after the February 15, 11:00am Mass to sample a few meatless recipes.

Meatless Meal Recipes

 You can make a donation to CRS using

the St. Cornelius Rice Bowl Page

Theology on Tap (Young Adults 18 - 35)

After a couple of cancelations, including snowmageddon, we are now confident that the long-awaited discussion and talk with Kevin and Janelle Shaw, will actually happen. Kevin and Janelle will share their experiences of faith and commitment to raise a family in the Catholic faith.

Kevin is the point person for our Wednesday morning men's program “That

Man is You!”. Please consider joining this growing group of young parishioners in the Parish House basement on February 24th at 7:00 PM. Snacks & drinks.

Theology on Tap

Parish Pro Life Group

Join our Parish Pro-Life Group in the church on Sunday, February 15, at 11:45 AM, as we pray a Rosary and the Litany of Loreto for the unborn and an end to abortion. It is a perfect way to perform a spiritual work of mercy for the most vulnerable.

 

The St. Cornelius Literary Society

The Next Book is Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt

 After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.

Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible. 

Our next meeting is Sunday February 22^nd. We meet at 2:00 PM in the Parish Life Center.

Food Drive - Benefiting Chester County Food Bank

Community Outreach - Chester County Food Bank - Feb 7 & 8

Our first Food Drive in 2026 is this weekend February 7 & 8 and will benefit the Chester County Food Bank.  Please click on the link below to access the flyer which includes suggested donations. We will have volunteers at the PLC before all the masses that weekend to accept your donations. Our Outreach Ministry and charities are very grateful for your continued generosity.

We still need help this weekend collecting and 'sorting' at several masses and loading on Monday afternoon. Please if you can spare 30 minutes, use the link below to sign up. Your help is very much appreciated!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805044BA5A92FA13-61873421-food

Thank you for your support!!

Chester County Food Bank

The School of Nazareth - A Spiritual Journey with St. Joseph

Pope St. John Paul II said: "The Holy Family is the beginning of countless other holy families." Pope Paul VI said: "Nazareth is a kind of school where we may begin to discover what Christ's life was like and even to understand His Gospel."

Please join us for a 30-Day journey leading up to the Feast Day of St. Joseph on Thursday, March 19. "The School of Nazareth - A Spiritual Journey with St. Joseph" book will be our guide:

We will pray together and share our reflections on the readings and how we are personally getting to know St. Joseph in a deeper spiritual manner.

We will meet at 8:00 pm via Zoom on the following dates:

• Tuesday, February 17

• Wednesday, February 25

• Wednesday, March 4

• Wednesday, March 11

• Wednesday, March 18

If you are interested in getting to know more about St. Joseph and, hopefully adopt some of his wonderful Christ-like qualities - humility, silence, patience, just to name a few - please contact Agnes or Kevin to sign up and receive more info:

Agnes Arkus, agnesa324@verizon.net, 302-290-3486

Kevin Shaw, kevins8371@gmail.com, 703-405-7579

Camp Cornelius

St. Cornelius Early Learning Center is thrilled to announce that we will be offering summer camp at our school again this summer. We are excited to be offering extra weeks as well!

Camp Cornelius will run from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm with morning care and aftercare available.

Week of June 8th- Pre-K only

AGES 3-10

Week of June 15

Week of June 22

Week of July 6

Week of July 13

Week of July 20

Please contact Abigail McCusker at Akohlbrenner@scornelius.org or Debbie Anderson at Danderson@scornelius.org with any questions or for a registration form.

Meal Packing Event Returns!

Registration is open!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 28 when we once again "return to the tables" as a parish community to help fill the food gap that so many face in our world.

If you haven't participated in this event in previous years, I encourage you to view the slides from last year and see the great work, and fun, that is enjoyed by everyone.

Follow the link below to view the slides from our 2024 event and to register for this year’s Meal Packing. You can also view the instructional video that can provide insight to the fun and good work that is accomplished.

Meal Packing Registration - Go Now and register!Is there such a thing as a good snow flake?

Faithfully,

 Msgr. Diamond