• Share in the Spirit Collection During the weekend of September 23-24, the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington will conduct its annual collection for tuition assistance. Please support the mission and ministry of our schools by assisting those parents who seek a Catholic education for their children, but who struggle to afford the full cost of tuition. Share in the Spirit.

• Maui Fire Relief Parishioners who are interested in helping with donations to the disaster in Hawaii can visit Catholic Charities USA Disaster Response to donate to the recovery effort. Thank you in advance for any donations.

• Middle School Youth Group SMM students and parishioners in grades 6^th-8^th are invited to join us for our youth group meeting September 10^th from 6 to 7:30 PM. Pizza and snack will be provided. If you have any questions, please reach out to Beth Smith at [email protected]

• 22^nd Annual September 11^th Interfaith Memorial Service Parishioners are cordially invited to the 22^nd Annual September 11^th Interfaith Memorial Service at The Guardian of Defenders Memorial on Monday, September 11^th, 2023, at 7PM on the grounds of Grubb-Worth Mansion (3210 Philadelphia Pike Claymont, DE 19703). It is the First National Memorial in the First State, honoring all those who gave their lives in the Global War on Terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq.

• SMM Hires New Finance Manager Following multiple interviews and after consultation with our Parish Finance Council, we are pleased to announce the hiring of Maegan Cobb as our Parish Finance Manager. Maegan holds an MBA from Goldey-Beacom College (2023) with a concentration in Financial Management.  Her courses of interest include Managerial Accounting, Strategic Human Resource Management, Computerized Accounting, and Business Law. Maegan, and her two-year-old son, Henry, are very active members of Holy Family Parish in Newark, Delaware.  She is also an avid fan of all Philadelphia sports venues. If you wish to contact her, she can be reached by phone at the Parish Office 302-652-6800 or at [email protected]. Welcome to SMM, Maegan!

• Mass Intentions Our Mass Intentions Book is now open for the 2024 calender year. You are able to reserve intentions online or in person. You are able to reserve a maximum of 5 masses.

• PREP Prep class registration can be done online. If you have a child entering first grade in a public or non-Catholic school, they need to attend PREP classes this year to be ready for the sacraments in 2^nd grade.

• Collection of Flags for Retirement If you would like your old flag properly disposed of by the scouts, you can place it in the container in the main church vestibule. Event will take place October 15, 2023.

• BackPack Blessing Students are encouraged to bring their backpack to Mass on August 26th (4:30pm) or August 27th (both masses) for the Blessing of Backpacks. Students will receive a thoughtfully created ID tag for their backpack!  Please join us for coffee and donuts following the 8:30 Mass on Sunday!

• Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Tuesday, August 15th is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We invite you to celebrate this Holy Day of Obligation with us at our 8:30am Mass. If you need to attend mass at a different time, please consider the other local parish mass times: IHM - 6:30am, 9am, and 7pm; Holy Child - 9am and 5:30pm; St. Ann's - 6:30am, 8am, 5:30pm.

• Delmarva Blood Drive Sunday August 13, 2023 SMM will be holding a mobile blood drive in the school gym from 9am to 3pm. If you are able to give, reserve your time slot now! Link will also be in our weekly email.

• Envelopes There has been a small delay in the delivery of offering envelopes from our supply company. We have contacted them and the envelopes should be arriving at your homes in the next few days. You can use any envelope until you receive yours to make your offertory. Please make sure your name and parishioner ID number are written on the envelope. If you do not know your parishioner ID number, please call the office and we will provide it for you

• Wine & Cheese Event Save the date! Our Annual Midsummer Wine and Cheese Event is planned for Saturday, July 22, 2023 immeditately following 4:30 Mass. This is a family friendly event! Come join us! Registration link is live!

• VBS 2023 Thank you to everyone who made Vacation Bible School a success this year! Be sure to take a look at our album full of fun photos from our week together.

• Parish Office Hours The parish office will be closed in observance of the holiday on July 3rd and July 4th. We will resume regular hours on July 5th.

• Food Drive Please help us stock the food closet at Holy Rosary Church through June 4^th. Items can be dropped off on the round table in the SMM church vestibule. Specific items needed are pasta, spaghetti sauce, jelly, canned tuna, crackers, elbow macaroni, rice and boxed cereal. Thank you for helping others in our community!

• Corpus Christi - Mark your calendar to join us at the 10:30am Mass on Sunday, June 11th as we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi. Following the mass, we will make a 1/2 mile procession to act as a witness to the Eucharistic faith and the gratitude that God is with us and our community.

• High School Volunteers Needed to Help Live Stream Mass We cannot continue the practice without some additional hands.  We are looking for high school students or adults with some basic tech skills who would be willing to assist us with streaming.  The time commitment is the length of Mass, and you wouldn't need to commit to every weekend.  We offer a small stipend for each mass streamed.  For more info, email Melissa Pollio, Director of Technology at [email protected].  

• Bingo Our last bingo, before we break for the summer, will be June 1^st.
   
• Memorial Day This Memorial Day, remember and honor all who have served and sacrificed for our freedom.

• Children's Liturgy of the Word There will be Childrens Liturgy of the Word THIS weekend at the 8:30am Mass (5/28). This will be our last gathering as we pause for the summer. Children will be invited to come down to the church hall for singing, prayer, and hearing Gods Word. They will rejoin their families in church before Holy Communion

• Mother's Day Rose Sale to benefit Birthright of DE. Roses will be available at all the exits this weekend. You can also make a donation to Birthright in lieu of purchasing roses. Your help will truly make a difference, thank you!

• May Crowing to be held on Monday, May 15th at 1:30pm. Additionally, the Blessed Mother statue will be placed at the center aisle for all weekend masses. Any parishioners who would like to participate in the tradition of honoring the Blessed Mother by bringing flowers & placing them at her feet are welcome to do so at any of the Masses. 

• Corpus Christi - Mark your calendar to join us at the 10:30am Mass on Sunday, June 11th as we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi. Following the mass, we will make a 1/2 mile procession to act as a witness to the Eucharistic faith and the gratitude that God is with us and our community. 

• Birthright of DE will host it's Annual Mother's Day Rose Sale at SMM after all Masses on Mother's Day Weekend (5/13-14). Purchase roses for Mom or simply make a donation to support their crisis pregnancy center. 

• Faith & Charity Catholic Appeal - was conducted across the Diocese of Wilmington this past weekend (4/29-30). Thank you so much for your generous participation. If you haven't yet made a pledge and wish to do so, please visit our Faith & Charity page HERE.

• Blessing of the Babies April 28^th at 10:00am - The SMM kindergarten class will hold the Blessing of the Babies Prayer Service in the church on April 28th at 10am.  We would like to extend an invitation to all mothers and their babies born in 2020-2023, as well as expectant mothers! If you plan on attending, please RSVP to Melissa Pollio at [email protected].

• Shining the Light of Christ - 2023 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal - The 2023 Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal will be conducted in parishes throughout the diocese next weekend. Once a year, our Bishop asks each of us to make a commitment to support the work of diocesan programs and ministries that provide services that no one parish can offer on its own. Your gift helps our Church to serve the poor, the sick, the distressed, our children and our elderly. Please prayerfully consider your generous gift to this Faith and Charity Catholic Appeal. Kindly decide ahead of time the contribution you wish to make this year and come to church next week prepared to complete your pledge and offer your support to our parish, and the Diocese of Wilmington. 

• High School Volunteers Needed to Help Live Stream Mass
  We cannot continue the practice without some additional hands.  We are looking for high school students or adults with some basic tech skills who would be willing to assist us with streaming.  The time commitment is the length of Mass, and you wouldn't need to commit to every weekend.  We offer a small stipend for each mass streamed.  For more info, email Melissa Pollio, Director of Technology at [email protected]. 

• Holy Week 2023 - Join us this Holy Week for the Sacred Paschal Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.  All 3 days of the Triduum will be in person & live-streamed, available on our You Tube Channel after they air.  Our Easter Sunday 10:30am Mass will also be live-streamed.
  • Links to the live streams and Easter Bulletin:  

• Holy Thursday 7pm live stream

  Good Friday 3pm live stream

  Easter Vigil 8pm live stream

  Easter Sunday 10:30am live stream

  Easter Bulletin 

• 2023 Lenten & Holy Week Schedule - Our entire schedule of Lenten parish activities can be found HERE.

• Easter Dinners - Thank you to all who donated toward Easter Dinners that will be provided to those in need in our community. We appreciate your generosity and thank you for blessing others this Easter.

• Pascal Candle - Our 2023 Pascal Calendar was donated by Jim & Nancy Valentine in loving memory of the Valentine Family & Petrilla Family.

• Thank you! - to Richard Heiss for his artistic vision as well as his crew of volunteers in decorating the church for Lent, Palm Sunday & Easter Sunday!

• Palm Sunday Procession - Children participating in Children's Liturgy of the Word on Sunday, April 2nd are invited to be part of the Palm Sunday Procession with Father Kirk. Children will enter the procession, behind the Cross bearer, and walk forward bearing Palms. Father Kirk will perform the opening to Mass, bless the palms and provide the opening prayer. After the prayer, children will then follow the leader carrying the Lectionary towards the back of the church, as usual. Parents are welcome to process with their children if they might need encouragement. If joining the procession, please meet in the vestibule around 8:20am. 

• The Final Living Stations will be presented March 31st at 12:45pm. Come witness the stations acted out by 3rd grade students from SMM school. Our last Stations of the Cross for the Lenten Season will be held March 31 at 6pm.
   
• Blessed Palm will be at the exits at Masses this weekend. Any palm left at the conclusion of all Masses will be available in the Parish Office Mon-Thu 8:30-3:00pm

• Reconciliation Monday - Prepare your heart for Easter and plan to join us for confession on Monday, April 3rd. Confessions will be heard from 3-8pm. 

• 2023 Chrism Mass will be held on Tuesday, April 4th at 7pm at Holy Cross in Dover.

• Covering of crucifixes and statues starting 5th Sunday of Lent - While it may appear counterintuitive to veil statues and images during the final weeks of Lent, the Catholic Church recommends this practice to heighten our senses and build within us a longing for Easter Sunday.

• Stations of the Cross this weekend - Join us tonight for Stations of the Cross at 6pm. Witness this 14 step Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christs last day on Earth as a man.  Additionally, the final Living Stations will be presented next Friday, March 31st at 12:45pm. Come witness the stations acted out by 3 grade students from SMM school. Our last Stations of the Cross for the Lenten Season will be held on Friday, March 31st at 6pm.

• House Bill 74 - CDOW issues an official statement regarding proposed Delaware bill that repeals the priest-penitent privilege in some instances in the Sacrament of Confession. Additionally, a full article recently published in The Dialog gives background to the proposed bill as well as the Diocesan-issued statement.

• Stations of the Cross this weekend - Join us for our Youth Led Stations of the Cross this Friday evening (3/10/23) at 6pm. Additionally, we will hold Marian Stations Saturday morning (3/11/23) after the 8:30am daily Mass. These stations, sometimes called Mary’s Way of the Cross, attempt to present that viewpoint. In these stations, we see through Mary’s eyes what Jesus was going through on the way of Calvary.

• Children's Litugy of the Word will be held again this weekend, 3/12. We will gather again on 3/19, 3/26, 4/2 & 4/30. 

• Dispensation for the Feast of Saint Patrick - This year the Feast of St. Patrick falls on a Lenten Friday. Bishop Koenig has granted dispensation from Friday abstinence to all Catholics in our diocese. All who chose to enjoy the favor of the dispensation by partaking in the eating of meat are urged to undertake a work of charity, an exercise of piety or an act of comparable penance on some other occasion during this Third Week of Lent.  

• This Sunday is Scout Sunday (2/26/23). Join us at the 8:30am Mass to celebrate our Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts. Coffee & Donuts will be served after Mass in the church hall.

• Children's Litugy of the Word will be held this weekend, 2/26. We will gather again on 3/5, 3/12, 3/19 and 3/26. 

• Bingo is Back! - Thursdays from 1pm – 3pm in the Church Hall.  We are excited to offer this ministry again.  Senior Bingo is a group of seniors from SMM and the surrounding area that gather for Bingo and light refreshments. Dues are $5 from Sept. - May.

• The 2023 Mass Intention Book is FULL - We are unable to issue Mass Intention cards until we open the 2024 Mass Intention Book in early September 2023.  This will be announced online, in the bulletin and in weekly email updates.  

• Feast of St. Blaise - Friday, Feb. 3rd, is the Feast of St. Blaise, the patron saint of throat illnesses. The Catholic rite of Blessing of Throats will take place at the 8:30AM daily mass and Father will be blessing throats at the weekend masses as well, Feb. 4th and 5th.

• Catholic Schools Week 2023 - Catholic Schools Week will kick off next weekend, January 28^th and 29^th.  Students will be involved in the various ministries during Mass.  There will be a Coffee and Donuts after the 8:30am Mass near the SMM School entrance.  SMM School will have an Open House on Sunday, January 29^th from 9am to 12pm.  Please come see our school!  Prospective, current, alumni, and parish families are encouraged to walk our halls to see Catholic education in action.  Guided tours available from current school students.  We hope we see you there!

• The Little Sisters of the Poor will be joining us at Masses this weekend, January 21 & 22.

• Knights of Columbus Membership Drive - The Bishop Curtis Council, Knights of Columbus are holding a membership drive the weekend of Jan. 21 & 22.  Members will be available to answer questions after each of the weekend masses.  Our activities are focused primarily on church, family, youth, and community programs.  If you have any questions, please stop by and talk to one of our members.   For additional info contact Jerry Poore.

• Tax Donation Letters -  2022 tax donation letters were emailed on Jan. 12th to parishioners that previously requested annual statements.  Email Kristy Farrell or call the parish office 652-6800 for your 2022 tax donation letter.

• Live Stream - We are aware and apologize for the sound quality in our stream January 7th.  We have ordered a new part that will allow us to stream in HD sound and are waiting for that to arrive.  Our plan is to begin streaming again in February and will provide links in our weekly email, and on our website and facebook.

• Epiphany Blessing Kits - We ran out of Epiphany Blessing Kits on Epiphany weekend but have since made extra.  If you would like one, they are available at church exits and in the parish office.  One per family please.   

• We welcome Stephen McKinley to our staff as the new Business & Finance Manager.  Stephen is an active parishioner, along with his wife Katie (SMM School teacher) and children Natalie & Stephen.   He holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance.  Please help us welcome Stephen! He has been shadowing Marc Minnick on the weekends since Nov. & started full time Jan. 3rd.

• Thank you to Marc Minnick for his years of service as our Business and Finance Manager!  We appreciate your dedication and guidance throughout the years and staying on to help transition your role.   We wish you luck in your new role as Dean of Business & Applied Technology at Harford Community College.

2022 Parish Updates

2021 Parish Updates

2020 Parish Updates

Our approach:  to have a safe and gradual reopening, making changes as needed, ensuring the best practices are utilized.  Phase 1 began when we opened our doors again on 6/4/20, with additional daily masses added 7/14/20.   After consulting with several groups & individuals, SMM Parish began Phase 2 on Saturday 8/1/20 which included the addition of more daily masses as well as more weekend masses, which is our current schedule.  

Up-to-date info on coronavirus within the State of DE: de.gov/coronavirus