01/22/2026
Dear Parishioners of Our Lady of the Visitation Catholic Church,
{**long message warning...not super long, but just longer than normal!}
Because of the impending snowstorm this Sunday, January 25th, we will not only be canceling religious education classes (all parents will get a separate email about this as well from Mrs. Jamie La Vergne) and canceling coffee and donuts on Sunday morning, but we will also be rescheduling our visit from Bishop Timothy Senior to a later date this Spring or early Summer.
Two quick invitations and clarifications for you all:
First, the National March for Life is happening tomorrow, Friday, January 23rd around 1:00 pm in Washington D.C. You can find more information here ( https://marchforlife.org/national-march-for-life/ ), and we have a number of big buses going down from parishes within our Diocese, and you can always find those groups and join up with them for the March if you end up going down! For those who are in Shippensburg tomorrow, we will have adoration all day from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, and it is a beautiful day to come to the Church and pray for healing, an outpouring of mercy, and an end to Abortion in our nation and in our world. Please contact me if you would like to me to sign you up for 30 minutes or an hour slot for adoration OR just stop by when you can to pray in the church for this most important issue.
Second, because of the weather, you are certainly, gently encouraged to attend the 5:00 pm Vigil Mass on Saturday, January 24th here at the parish (I assume that will be rather crowded this weekend!). Just to be clear, I will be here and will be celebrating the 8:00 am and 11:00 am Masses as usual if anyone walks or feels truly safe driving through the snowstorm [our parking lot will not be plowed/cleared on Sunday morning]. The Catholic Church is very clear in its teaching on the Sunday obligation, which means that we should attend Mass every Sunday and Holy Day as following the commandment of God to keep Holy the Sabbath Day. If the weather is too dangerous, (or another serious reason such as a serious illness for example), then the obligation to attend Mass no longer bounds you to attend. In addition, if you are at home and not able to attend Mass, then you are still encouraged to read the Sunday readings or watch the Mass online or on TV https://www.youtube.com//streams (even though this does not substitute for the Sunday obligation in normal circumstances) or to do something to rest in God and receive God's grace. Thank you all once again, and God Bless you this weekend!
Father Ben Dunkelberger
Our Lady of the Visitation Catholic Church, Shippensburg, PA Catholic Campus Ministry at Shippensburg University Homilies, Thoughts, Reflections Jesus Christ!
