Dear Parishioners,
The change from the yellow to the green phase will have little impact on our Mass schedule or seating capacity due to the configuration of our Church, which limits our maximum capactiy to 50%. No w that restrictions are easing across the State, we hope to see you return to church soon and look forward to welcoming you back to the celebration of Mass, as we strive to provide and safe and reverent atmosphere for worshipping God together. There are three principles governing the safety of the public celebration of Mass: sanitation, social distancing, and occupancy. Each of these principles is addressed throughout the directives below, which are effective for the duration of the green phase and based upon directives and guidelines established by the CDC and local and State government officials.

Mass Schedule

We will continue to follow the normal weekend Mass schedule (5 PM on Saturday, 8 AM, 10 AM, and 12 PM on Sunday). We will also continue to live stream Sunday Mass at 10 AM. 8 AM Daily Mass resumed June 8.

• All Masses, including daily Mass will be held in the main church.
• The church chapel will remain closed during the green phase.
• The sacristy will remain closed to the public during the green phase. Only the clergy, lectors, and altar servers will be permitted in the sacristy at this time.
• Archbishop Perez has continued dispensation of the faithful from attending Sunday Mass during the green phase.

Saturday Confessions

• Please note that Saturday Confessions will be in the auditorium below the Church from 4:00 PM to 4:45 PM.
• Please enter through the side doors facing the main parking.
• Please note that church will be inaccessible via the back stairwells during the yellow phase. If you will be staying for the 5 PM Mass following confession, you will need to exit the auditorium via the side door facing the main parking lot and enter the church via the main front entrance.

Arriving for Mass

• Everyone must enter AND exit the church via the front entrance closest to the parking lot.
• The side stairwell entrances will be locked from the outside.
• You must wear a mask upon entering the church and the mask must remain on at all times.
• There are hand sanitizing dispensers located in the entrance of the church. Please sanitize your hands upon arrival. You are welcome to bring and use your own sanitzer.

Seating

• Our seating capacity during the green phase cannot exceed 50% due to the configuration of our church.
• Pews are marked in order to maintain proper social distancing.
• Members of the same household will be seated together in the same pew.
• Please follow the directions of volunteers who will be on hand to direct you to a seat.

Reception of Holy Communion

• Holy Communion will be distributed via the center and side aisles. Those seated in the center aisle are asked to exit into the center aisle and return to their pew via the side aisle.
• Please maintain proper social distancing as you come forward for Holy Communion.
• Your mask may be removed just prior to receiving Holy Communion and then must be immediately put back on following reception of Holy Communion as you return to your pew.
• Holy Communion must be received in the hand at this time. If this presents a serious problem for you, please contact the priests at the rectory to discuss your situation.

Sanitation

• The church will be sanitized after each Mass. It will be closed 15 minutes following Mass and will reopen 15 minutes prior to Mass to allow volunteers sufficient time.
• Please note that lack of availability of essential cleaning supplies or volunteer may necessitate a future change in Mass schedule.

Should I Attend Mass?

As the Archbishop has dispensed the obligation to attend Mass for the faithful during the green phase, the decision to attend Mass is up to the individual. However, please adhere to the following when considering whether or not to attend Mass:

• If you are ill in any way, please stay at home.
• If you are fearful or nervous about returning at this time, you are not obligated to attend.
• If you are at risk for infection due to age or preexisting conditions, please stay at home.
• While the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday is dispensed, the obligation to keep the Lord's Day Holy is not. If you are unable to attend Sunday Mass, please make sufficient time for prayer or attend a virtual Mass.

Final Word

Again, we are eagerly looking forward to your return to worship the Lord with us.

Saint Albert the Great, pray for us!

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us!

• The Rectory Office is now open for business.
• Weekend Masses will continue to follow our normal Sunday Mass schedule.
• St. Albert Live Stream of Sunday Mass at 10 AM via Facebook Live
• 8 AM Daily Mass will continue to be celebrated in the main church.
• Saturday confessions will continue to be held in the auditorium from 4:00 - 4:45 PM. Please enter through the side doors facing the main parking.
• Tuesday confessions will continue to be held in the main church from 7:00 - 7:45 PM.
• Scrip sales are now available M - F from 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, M - Th from 5:00 - 8:00 PM, Saturday from 10 AM - 6 PM, and on Sunday from 9 AM - 1 PM. All sales are now in the rectory office.
• Baptisms, Confessions, Marriages, and Funerals will take place as usual but with due regard for the limitation of participants and reasonable social distancing. Contact the rectory office at 215-947-3500 for information on those limitations.
• The parish men's spirituality group will continue to meet virtually on Friday mornings - for information contact Dennis M. Mueller.
• The parish women's spirituality group will continue to meet virtually on Thursday evenings - for information contact Christine Regan.
• The weekly parish Bible study will be offered virtually on Wednesday mornings from 9 - 10 AM - for information contact Dennis M. Mueller.
• Weekly Adoration will be held on Tuesdays in the main church chapel from 8:30 AM until 8:00 PM.

What is NOT available during the Green Phase?

• Our Annual Festival of Choirs, scheduled for December 20, has been cancelled.
• The church chapel will be closed during weekend Masses.
• Friday morning adoration remain suspended until further notice.
• Communion calls to hospitals, nursing homes, and the home bound remain suspended until further notice. However, priests will be available to celebrate the Sacraments for those in immediate danger of death.
• All meetings and events at the parish remain cancelled/suspended until further notice.
• The rectory chapel remains closed until further notice.
• All Fall CYO sports have been suspended throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
• The Gymnasium remains closed to the public.

Virtual Masses

Daily Mass

• @ 8 AM on EWTN
• @ 8:15 AM with Bishop Barron
• @ 7 PM Daily Live Stream with Dominican Friars

Sunday Mass

• @ 8 AM on EWTN
• @ 11 AM with Archbishop Perez
• @ 12 PM on EWTN

Scripture Reflections

• St. Albert's Sunday Gospel Reflection
• Opening the Word on FORMED.org
• Free Magnificat Offer!

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

• 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM on Sunday St. Albert Rectory Chapel
• 9 AM - 6 PM on EWTN
• Perpetual Adoration (24 Hours Daily) - Holy Spirit Sisters of Adoration

Virtual Devotions

• 7 AM Daily Morning Prayer with Fr. Matt Guckin
  also available here
• 12 PM Daily Live Stream Rosary with Domincan Friars
  
• Stations of the Cross with Video
• Stations of the Cross - Text Only
• Divine Mercy Chaplet - Text Only
• Divine Mercy Chaplet - with Video
• 9 AM Daily Live Stream Divine Mercy Chaplet @ Miraculous Medal Shrine
• 3 PM Daily Live Stream Divine Mercy Chaplet with Dominican Friars

Virtual Formation

• FORMED.org Free Access. Register for Free! Already a subscriber? Login here.
• CIS Courses - Free Online Correspondence Courses through the KofC Catholic Information Services.

Saint Albert the Great Youtube Channel

• SATG Youtube Channel

O Mary,
You shine continuously on our journey
as a sign of salvation and hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who, at the foot of the cross,
were united with Jesus’ suffering,
and persevered in your faith.

“Protectress of the Roman people”,
you know our needs,
and we know that you will provide,
so that, as at Cana in Galilee,
joy and celebration may return
after this time of trial.

Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform ourselves to the will of the Father
and to do what Jesus tells us.
For he took upon himself our suffering,
and burdened himself with our sorrows
to bring us, through the cross,
to the joy of the Resurrection.
Amen.

We fly to your protection,
O Holy Mother of God;
Do not despise our petitions
in our necessities,
but deliver us always
from every danger,
O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.

The most common occasion for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when we cannot fulfill our obligation to attend Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation, whether because of illness or bad weather, or some other reason outside of our control.

You can make an Acts of Spiritual Communion at any time and make multiple times a day—even on days when we have been able to receive the Eucharist.

Each Act of Spiritual Communion that we make increases our desire to receive sacramental Communion, and protects us until we can receive Holy Communion sacramentally again.

ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION (St. Alphonsus Ligouri)

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

Join us Thursday, November 26 at 9 AM, for our annual Thanksgiving Day Mass. Please note that there is no 8 AM Daily Mass on Thanksgiving Day.

Join us Thursday, December 3, as we welcome Sr. Marganne Drago, SSJ, who will lead us in an evening of reflection on the significance and challenges of “waiting.” Through the eyes of Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary, Sr. Marganne will help us to prayerfully see how their example can assist us during these difficult times of waiting that we find ourselves in today. Sr. Marganne is a frequent presenter in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, especially on liturgy and liturgical music. The evening will be held at 7 PM on December 3 in the main Church to ensure proper social distancing, and will also be broadcast via Facebook Live. We hope that you’ll be able to join us for this special evening.

Our annual Advent Giving Tree will be available Thanksgiving Day through December 20. The list of organizations that we are assisting this year may be found here. For those who wish to participate in the giving tree but are not yet comfortable returning to Mass due to the pandemic, you may make a donation for one of the organizations and send your donation into the rectory office addressed to the attention of Mr. Dennis M. Mueller. Any checks should be made payable to St. Albert the Great.

Sadly, our annual Festival of Choirs is cancelled this year due to concerns over the pandemic.

Statement of Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez Regarding the Upcoming General Election

Archbishop Pérez has issued a statement in relation to the upcoming general election. The full text may be obtained here

Statement of Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez Regarding the Death of Walter Wallace, Jr. and its Aftermath

In recent days emotions have again flared and spilled into the streets in the City of Philadelphia as people collectively struggle with the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of Walter Wallace, Jr. I express my deepest and prayerful condolences to Mr. Wallace’s family loved ones and all of those seeking to cope with a variety of complex feelings at this time. Like many Philadelphians I have been watching the news with growing anxiety and sadness as civil unrest ensued again in our beloved City. We must not allow the negative and destructive actions of a few to distract from issues and questions that need to be addressed. Violence in any form has no place in our hearts and deepens wound rather than heals them. May God bring peace to the City of Philadelphia. May He fill our hearts with goodness so that we might see the Lord in all of our brothers and sisters and treat one another with charity, dignity, and respect.

Statement of Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez Regarding Terror Attack in Nice, France

I was deeply saddened and troubled to learn of the attack that recently took place at Notre Dame Basilica in Nice, France. Terrorist acts of violence, especially within a sacred space, are simply evil. Each life lost was a precious gift from God. In the name of the clergy, religious, and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, I pray for the souls of those who died so senselessly. May they rest in the peace of the Lord and may all those in mourning find strength, comfort and peace in the wake of this dark tragedy.

Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez
Archbishop of Philadelphia

Attention parents! If you have a child in 7th grade who attends a private school, please contact Mr. Dennis M. Mueller at dre@satg1.org or 215-947-3641 to make sure that you receive the latest information on preparation for Confirmation. The sacrament is scheduled to be celebrated at St. Albert the Great on Thursday, April 15, 2021 at 4PM.

At this very moment, stop and ask the Holy Spirit to come to you! If you allow him, the Wild Goose (an ancient symbol of the Holy Spirit) will lead you on an adventure greater than you can imagine. The Spirit will lead you to a place of mercy, healing, peace, and presence. The Holy Spirit will lead you to the Heart of God. The Wild Goose series will help you experience a deeper relationship with the Person of the Holy Spirit as you come to experience God’s presence, love, and transforming power.

This series is free and will be conducted remotely via Zoom on Thursday evenings at 7pm beginning September 17. If you’re interested in participating, contact Christine Regan at the Rectory or at mrsregan@satg1.org

Each year on Holy Saturday during the Easter Vigil, thousands are baptized into the Catholic Church. Parishes welcome these new Catholics through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). RCIA also welcomes individuals into full communion with the Catholic Church! This includes those who were baptized Catholic as a child, but have not received the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist.

If you are interested in becoming Catholic or entering into full communion with the Church, we are hosting virtual inquiry sessions to talk about RCIA and answer your questions. Saint Albert the Great Parish is here for you! For more information or to schedule a session, contact Christine Regan at 215-947-3500 or mrsregan@satg1.org.

Our pastoral staff has produced a series of videos for each set of the Mysteries of the Rosary. These videos include a reflection by a staff members for each mystery and the recitation of the Rosary prayers. These videos will be made available via our parish YouTube channel and links to the videos will be posted here, as well as on our Facebook and Instragram pages as they become available. Please be sure to subscribe to receive the lastest updates when videos are posted.

• Glorious Mysteries
• Sorrowful Mysteries
• Joyful Mysteries
• Luminous Mysteries