ear Parishioners and visitors,

On this Sunday, September 20, Father Joseph will be leaving on a pilgrimage to Fatima and Lourdes. He will be accompanied by pilgrims. Please keep Father Joseph and his fellow pilgrims in your prayers for a safe, holy and uplifting pilgrimage.

I also want to invite you to participate in the Prayer Service remembering the death of St. Francis of Assisi. We celebrate, and remember his faith-filled and faithful life, as well as the end of his earthly pilgrimage here on earth. The service will be held on Friday, October 2, at St. Ann Church. Join as we honor this great saint of the Church.

This week we celebrate Catechetical Sunday. Thank you to our Religious Education director and staff, our Catechists, aides, and monitors, who help to ensure that our program teaches Christian doctrine and values and ensures the safety of our children. Thank you to all those who help make our program a success, especially to Mrs. Gordon for all her hard work and efforts.

We are still a “work in progress” as far as our Capital Campaign is concerned. We are continuing to move forward with both  planning and soliciting. I am very grateful for the openness of our parishioners and the willingness to assist with their prayers and financial support.

I have been asked if and when Our Lady of Guadalupe will become a parish on its own. I know of no such plan and if I were asked my opinion, I would not be in favor of doing that for the foreseeable future. Also, remember that St. Ann Church was originally built as a mission church of St. Edmund, Rehoboth Beach. Every thriving parish of today usually starts with very humble beginnings and grows to meet the needs of the time. We had humble beginnings with our original small mission church. We have grown over the years and now we consist of St. Ann Church, Our Lady of Guadalup Church, Blessed Michael McGivney Adoration Chapel, Delaney Hall, Masterson Center, parish office and rectory. Out of sand our predecessors built a thriving, active, faith-filled parish.

It is now our time to prepare for and build for the future. We want to ensure that St. Ann Parish continues to let the Light of Christ to burn very brightly for generations to come. It is up to all of us now to GROW, to BUILD and to SERVE. I invite all of us to pray our Campaign Prayer on a regular basis for the success of our campaign.

 Have A Great Bethany Beach Week!
Stay Safe! Stay Healthy!

Campaign Prayer

Giver of all good things, with grateful hearts we humbly ask You
 to send forth Your Spirit upon us that we may
come together as one community of believers.

Open our hearts to be immensely generous with all You have given us,
so that we may build our new Parish Center
and renovate our beloved St. Ann Church.

Unite us as one community of faith,
given to the common purpose of praising and serving You
through our ministries, our worship, and
our support of our neighbors in need.

Grant us the fortitude and sacrificial love of our patron, St. Ann,
and our much loved Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Let us Grow in Faith, Build His Kingdom, and Serve His People.

This we ask through Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Click here for more Catholic prayers