FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - October 28, 2025

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 30, 2025

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

Please mark your calendars for our annual Homecoming celebration on November 23rd!  St. Elizabeth Catholic Church is a parish with much history and we invite former parishioners and students of the St. Elizabeth Catholic School that closed in 1982 to join us for Mass and a reception after both the 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Masses.  I welcome you to invite any friends and family who were members of the Parish or attended the former school to join us for Mass and the reception.  After the 10 a.m. Mass that Sunday we will hold the drawing for the Annual Raffle!  There are four weeks left to purchase your tickets so visit the front of the Church after Mass any Sunday until Homecoming to get your tickets.

We will need volunteers to assist with the set-up, cleanup and serving of food during the receptions.  If you are interested in helping, please let Eva in the Parish Office know:  evabalkarli@stelizcc.org 

The Funeral Mass for our Brother in Christ, Burton Robinson, will be on October 31st at 12 p.m.  Because of this, there will not be a weekday Mass on Friday, but all are invited to the Funeral Mass.

By decision of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and confirmed by the Holy See, whenever the Solemnities of Mary, Mother of God (January 1), the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 15) or All Saints (November 1) fall on a Saturday or a Monday, the obligastion to attend Mass is lifted.  This year, All Saints Day is on a Sunday so there will not be a Mass on November 1st.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

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FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time - October 19, 2025

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 19, 2025

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

I thank Msgr. Walter Barrett for celebrating our Masses this Sunday.  Earlier this past week, I was attending convocation for the priests in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond.  After convocation, I left for Michigan as my niece got married this weekend.  I am thankful for the time spent with my family.

I will not return to Richmond until Thursday, October 23rd so there will be no weekday Mass on Wednesday, October 22nd.

The weather is getting colder, the seasons have changed and we are quickly approaching the end of Ordinary Time.  We only have 5 Sundays left until we celebrate Christ the King Sunday which marks our last Sunday before Advent starts.  During this time let us continue to reflect on the life of Christ in the Scriptures.  This liturgical season is a time for growth and maturation.  What have we learned during this time?  What lessons have we imparted from the Scriptures and the teachings of Christ that we can make efforts to implement in our lives?

Today is the third Sunday of the month so we are taking up our second collection for Haiti.  For more information about what our support does for our twinning partner, Beyond Borders, please see this bulletin!

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

  

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St. Elizabeth parishioner, Cathy Woodson, shares photos of her visit to St. Joseph Oratory, Montreal ~ Commentary by Cathy Woodson

 St. Joseph Oratory of Mount Royal

Montreal, Canada

October 2025

I recently visited St. Joseph Oratory of Mount Royal in Montreal.  It was a powerful experience.  Here are several pictures.  St. Joseph's was founded by Saint Andre and dedicated to St. Joseph.  

(Click photos to enlarge)

 ~ Photos by Cathy Woodson

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time - October 12, 2025

ST. ELIZABETH CATHOLIC CHURCH 

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 12, 2025

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

 Greetings,

We are called to be witness and live out our baptismal promises to reject evil and sin and believe in the light of Jesus Christ which NO darkness can extinguish.  We live in challenging times but as Catholic Christians, may we be united with people of good will to stand firm against the evils of discrimination and racism.

"First they came for the Socialists and I did not speak out because I was not a Socialist.  Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.  Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.  Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me."

- Martin Niemoller - German theologian in the 1930's

VATICAN CITY - Pope Leo urged the worlld's 1.4 billion Catholics to care for immigrants, pressing ahead a message of welcome for immigrants.  Pope Leo, the first U.S. Pope told thousands of pilgrims celebrating Mass at St. Peter's Square that immigrants should not be treated with the coldness and indifference or discrimination.  The Pope called on Catholics to "open our arms and hearts to welcome them as Brothers and Sisters."

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

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FATHER JIM'S JOTS ~ St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - October 5, 2025

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 5, 2026

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

It is now October!  Wow, the time is going by fast!

First, I would like to congratulate the Gospel Choir for their wonderful concert last week and thank all the groups that performed with them!

This upcoming Saturday is Catholic Fest!  This celebration, held by the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, will last all day at the Diamond.  There will be food, music, fun for all, and Mass with Bishop Barry Knestout.  This is a free, all-day event on October 11th from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.  Scan the QR on the other page of this bulletin to learn about the schedule, what you can and can't bring with you and for information on how to get there!

After Mass on October 12th, I will be leaving Richmond to attend the Diocese's convocation for priests.  Because of this, there will be no weekday Masses on October 15th or October 17th.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim., Pastor

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St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Season of Creation Pilgrimage at St. Michael's - October 4, 2025 ~ Photos and Commentary by Connie Hom

 St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

   Season of Creation Pilgrimage at St. Michael's

October 4, 2025

Pilgrims of Hope with St. Elizabeth Catholic Church and St. Michael's around the Lake House at St. Michael's.  A pilgrimage in celebration of the Jubilee Year "Season of Creation" and St. Francis of Assisi.

It was a beautiful blue sky morning with Father Jim Arsenault, pastor of St. Elizabeth and began with a prayer and blessings.  Reflections were read throughout the walk. By the grace of God, a rainbow appeared!

What a wonderful way to reflect on the beauty of creation that surrounds us.  

(Click on photos to enlarge)

 

  

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - September 28, 2025

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 28, 2025

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!

I would like to invite everyone to the concert that our Gospel Choir is holding to celebrate their 47th Anniversary!  It will be later today in the church at 4 p.m.  There will also be music performed by our Swahili Umoja Choir, the choirs of Holy Rosary and St. Bridget Catholic Churches, and The Chapel.  There will be a light reception in the Parish Hall afterwards.  Congrats to the Choir!

I am encouraging everyone who is interested to sign up for the Catholic Funeral Planning Seminar next Sunday.  We need to estimate how many people are planning on attending to make sure there will be enough materials and refreshments for everyone.  To sign up, call Eva in the Parish Office (804-329-4599 ext.10) or send her an email (evabalkarli@stelizcc.org).  This is a free seminar and lead by Maggie Keenan, Director of Planned Giving for Catholic Community Foundation of the Diocese of Richmond.  The information provided in the seminar will be helpful for Wills, Trusts, Catholic Advanced Medical Directives, Catholic Funeral Mass & Burial Planning and Guardianship.  I encourage you to attend and sign-up today!

Lastly, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the Haiti collection last Sunday.  The total collected was $788.00.  These funds will be used to support our twinning partner organization, Beyond Borders.  Thank you for your prayers and financial support!

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

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FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - September 21, 2025

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 21, 2025

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!

Today we celebrate the groundbreaking of Commonwealth Catholic Charities Affordable Housing Project, Greenway Village.  I would like to welcome Bishop Barry Knestout and Deacon Bob Young, as well as Deacon Ron Reger and the rest of our guests who are here on behalf of CCC.  Affordable Housing is something that Richmond and our Highland Park neighborhood needs and we are delighted to be collaborating with CCC to make this project a reality.  There will be a reception after this Sunday's 10 a.m. Mass.  All are invited to attend.

This Sunday is the Third Sunday of the month, so we also have a second collection for Haiti this weekend.  Our Haiti Ministry partners with the organization, Beyond Borders.  Beyond Borders is a Haiti-based group that helps people build movements to liberate themselves from oppression and isolation.  In Haiti and the United States, they are bringing people together for just and lasting change.

They support movements in Haiti to:  End child servitude, guarantee universal access to quality education, prevent violence against women and girls, replace systems that oppress the poor with systems that support dignified work and sustainable livelihoods.  Our Parish sponsors a family in Haiti and supports Beyond Borders via a monthly contribution because of the wonderful generosity of our parishioners.  Thank you for your contributions to this collection, whether through financial support or your needed prayers.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

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