January 25, 2026 • Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
Dear Parish Family:
This is an exciting and historic time for Good Shepherd!
2026 is the 75th Anniversary of our parish. 2027 marks the 50th Anniversary of our Trindle Road campus. Now is the time to renew, restore, and rejoice.
To honor these first 75 years of our parish, we will renew our worship space to praise God for three-quarters of a century of blessings and graces. Jesus, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, is the heart of our parish. The word Eucharist means thanksgiving. In gratitude for all that has been, we will renew the place where the Eucharist is celebrated, received, and adored. As our church on Trindle Road turns 50 years old, we will restore our physical assets. This includes mechanicals, structures, systems, property, and equipment that have served us well for 50 years but need updating and replacement. We will also improve accessibility.
The renewal of worship space in thanksgiving of the 75th Anniversary of Good Shepherd parish includes replacing our movable, wooden altar and ambo with fixed marble ones, as preferred by liturgical law. The altar and ambo that will be introduced to our church are from Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. These Carrera and Siena marbles were in the seminary’s Saint Martin of Tours chapel, at the seminary’s former location in Overbrook, outside of Philadelphia. These beautiful masterpieces fit well into our church’s design. They also come with an incredible heritage. Saint Mother Theresa, Saint Pope John Paul the Second, Pope Benedict, and Pope Francis were all at this altar and ambo when they visited the seminary.
Because several of Pope Leo’s predecessors either celebrated Mass at our new altar or spoke and presided at the altar at various gatherings at the Seminary, notably Pope Saint John Paul II (1979), Pope Benedict XVI (1991), and Pope Francis (2015), on behalf of our parish, I have asked that our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV bless the altar stone (the piece of the altar’s mensa (table top) at the center of the altar). Bishop Senior made this request to the Papal Household at the Vatican, and it was granted. I am deeply humbled to bring the altar stone to Rome for Pope Leo to bless on February 4, 2026. Many thanks to Monsignor Quinlan for helping to facilitate this historic moment.
I will be in Rome from January 28 through February 4. Please know that I will carry you and your intentions with the altar stone and share your greetings and love with Pope Leo.
Grace and peace!
Father Neil Sullivan