Dear OSJ Family,

Thanks again to all who joined last week for our prayer commemoration of the victims of the horrible Orlando massacre. We are grateful to the members of our Parish Pastoral Council, in particular to Rana McNamara, for helping to prepare the service. We are grateful to our lectors and ushers who helped to serve this prayer, and we are grateful to parishioner Tom Farris who tolled the church bell for the start of each service.

Many have asked for a copy of the introduction that I prepared for the service and I happily share those words with you here:

Today we, the faithful of Old Saint Josephs Roman Catholic Church, pray in solidarity with all  those who denounce  the  unspeakable violence this past week in Orlando.

           Those that were killed or injured were men and women, black, white, Native American, Latino and Asian. They were Christians, Hindus, Jews and Muslims. They were Democrats and Republicans, teachers and students, young and old, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters, married and single, straight and LGBT, all precious and loved children of God.

        We know that they were singled out because of their sexual identity and we ask God, in His compassion, to help us all to work to put an end to homophobia and all and any bias, hatred and prejudice that does harm to God’s people.

       We ask God to forgive the grave sins of Omar Mateen and to judge him according to God’s mercy and justice.

        Our prayers are with the innocent victims, their families and all those affected by this terrible act. The merciful love of Christ calls us to solidarity with the suffering and to ever greater resolve in protecting the life and dignity of every person and so we pray.

After this introduction, we heard a beautiful reading from the first letter of Saint John (1 John 4:   7-14) and then reverently read aloud the names of all 49 victims who lost their lives. We concluded with the Lord ’s Prayer and a blessing.  It was very moving!

One parishioner, Heather Squire, who is active in our Young Adult Community, noted of this service on social media:

I am grateful to be a part of the welcoming and affirming community at Old St. Joseph’s. Last night after Mass (and at each of the earlier Masses) we held a prayer vigil outside for the victims and for greater conversion within each of us that we may more resolutely answer our most important calling – to love one another as God loves us. We took turns shouting out the names of every one of the people who lost their lives to the attack and prayed not just the resigned “thoughts and prayers” for souls, but really for that inner revolution of love that Dorothy Day talks about. A courageous and loud love that is not silent in the face of human suffering.

Lets us continue to work for justice, peace and healing!

Fr Phil Florio, SJ

321 Willings Alley
Philadelphia, PA 19106
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office@oldstjoseph.org

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Mass Schedule
Sunday at 7:30 AM, 9:30 AM and 11:30 AM

Tues., Wed., & Thurs. at 12:05 PM

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