Holy Comforter Welcomes You.

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

October 18, 2026

Entrance Antiphon, Cf. Ps 17 (16):6, 8:
To you I call; for you will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me.

Image: The Tribute Money. Source: Wikimedia

Artist: James Tissot (1836–1902)

Welcome to Holy Comforter!

The month of October is the month of the Holy Rosary. Let us take up this spiritual weapon as we meditate upon the life of Christ through the eyes of His Blessed Mother, Mary.

PULPIT ANNOUNCEMENTS

THE ROSARY

Please join us in praying the Rosary BEFORE each weekend Mass (except the 11AM, which is directly AFTER Mass). Until November 3rd, we will pray specifically for the rejection of the extreme abortion amendment in Virginia.

ROSE FOR LIFE

Holy Comforter invites parishioners to donate $10, to cover the price of a small bouquet of roses to be placed at the feet of Our Lady to call attention to the tragedy of abortion, the need to build a culture of life, and to honor a person chosen by the donor. Please call the Office before Thursday to make arrangements for the upcoming Sunday. This weekend’s Rose for Life is in memory of infant Vincent Craft Earl donated by Jeanne and Ed Mickiewicz.

ALTAR FLOWERS

Altar flowers are provided this weekend by Colette Hall and Kelton Flinn to honor the marriage of Sadia and Parwiz Waziry.

MINISTRY FAIR

The Parish Ministry Fair is after each Mass in the Commons this weekend. Please stop by the tables to learn about each ministry and how they serve our parish. We ask you to prayerfully consider how you could use the gifts God has given you to assist one of our ministries and bless our parish and community.

ADULT EDUCATION

The Adult Education ministry is offering a reading group focusing on Pope Leo's recent encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas. The encyclical addresses many of the most pressing concerns of our day, especially the challenges posed by AI and related technologies. Contact Beth Frazier for details (her info can be found in the bulletin).

SECOND COLLECTION

The Second Collection this weekend is for World Mission Sunday. Your contributions are used to grant funds to mission dioceses, which underwrite the basic physical footprint to keep missionary life going: where priests live, where religious live, where children are catechized, where formation and pastoral work can happen, and where Holy Mass can be celebrated, often for the first time. Thank you for your support!

MINISTRY NEWS

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Melinda Wells, DRE dre@holycomforterparish.org

Encyclical Reading Group
Parishioner Beth Frazier is forming a Holy Comforter Reading Group to discuss Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas. Interested? Contact Beth at eafrazier7@gmail.com or 757-675-9668 for details.

Middle School and High School Youth Groups

We meet every Third Thursday, 6-9PM at Holy Comforter. All youth in grades 6-12 are welcome. Come for Mass, Holy Hour, and/or fellowship and catechesis. Mass (6PM), Holy Hour/Confession, (7-8PM), and food, fun, and catechesis (8-9PM)! Hope you can join us! Questions? Contact: youthgroup@holycomforterparish.org or refer to the Bulletin for more details.

WALKING WITH MOMS IN NEED

Please see our website for updates on our prayer and formation campaign against the extreme abortion amendment. Encourage others to vote “No” to Questions #1 and #2 on the referendum ballot, and bring Catholic voters who need a ride to the polls.

OUTREACH

Thank you for your support of Outreach through your donations, volunteering, and contributions. We would appreciate donations of Chunky Soups during the month of October. God Bless!

- The USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY, HOLY TRINITY CONFERENCE
"Go to the poor: you will find God." - St Vincent de Paul.

Our next meeting will be on Oct 20th via Zoom. You are welcome to attend. For more information about our conference, or to donate, visit www.svdp-ht.org or email info@svdp-ht.org.

HAITI:

Thanks to the incredible generosity of an anonymous parishioner, the Haiti Ministry has received a $30,000 matching gift! Your donation can now go twice as far. Every dollar you give will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $30,000. Please consider making a gift today and double your impact in support of this ministry.

PARISH SUPPORT

OFFERTORY CONTRIBUTIONS

Week Ending October 11, 2026
Offertory Contributions

In Pew and By Mail $2,314
Online Giving $4,600

Weekly Offertory Budget ($10,000)
Below Weekly Budget ($3,086)

WEEKLY OFFERTORY BUDGET

“All good giving and every perfect gift is from above…” - James 1:17

Our parish operating budget for the current fiscal year is $520,000 which requires us to receive offertory contributions of $10,000 per week. In order to meet our financial obligations, it is necessary for our registered families to contribute $2,322 per year, or about $45 per week. Thank you for your support!

SECOND COLLECTIONS FOR OCTOBER

ALL MONTH Christian Formation + Haiti + Justice and Peace
10/11/2026 Outreach
10/18/2026 World Mission Sunday
10/25/2026 Maintenance Fund

MONEY MINUTE

Approximately one-third of contributions to our parish are received online. Online Giving is safe and convenient, and many appreciate the option to schedule recurring payments for offertory and our second collections. Last year we paid over $8,000 in fees to provide this service and now invite you to help us reduce the expense. When you log in to your Online Giving account, please agree to the $3 transaction fee, which is also a tax-deductible gift to our parish. Thank you for your support!

Online Giving

AROUND TOWN NEWS

STELLA MARIS (STAUVA) WOMENS’ RETREAT

Women at Holy Comforter! Please join us on Saturday, October 24, for another excellent retreat. We start with 8:30AM mass and continue with restful reflections, and time for confession. This half day retreat is designed to be a pause in a busy season. Led by Father Joseph Hagan, the theme is "Life Giving Words." We invite all women to be formed and restored through this time together. Nursing babies welcome! See link https://forms.gle/mtjz8Eirbo8iF6Zk8 to register. Questions? Email stauva.women@gmail.com. Hope to see you there.

MARRIED COUPLES

A Worldwide Marriage Encounter Experience gives you all the tools for a better, strong, more loving marriage. For over 50 years, Worldwide Marriage Encounter has offered marriage-focused experiences that honor both the Sacrament of Marriage and of Holy Orders, now with the endorsement of the Holy See! Upcoming experiences are:

October 23-25, 2026 - Hampton, VA (Lodging not provided)
November 6-8, 2026.- Emerald Isle, NC (Lodging provided)
February 12-14, 2027 - Waynesboro, VA (Lodging provided)

For more information please call 757-690-1369 or to register, go to WWME.org, click "Apply” and search for your desired location.

PRIESTLY VOCATIONS

Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.
- Matthew 22:21

While we make choices in our daily lives, our ultimate allegiance belongs to God. Every vocation, priesthood, consecrated life, or holy matrimony, invites us to surrender our will to His, offering our lives in loving service. Consider where God is calling you to place His will above your own. Talk to your priest or reach out to the Vocation Office at 804-359-5661 or vocations@richmonddiocese.org

HAITI: Dinner/Auction at STAUVA!

Seeking auction items of local interest, art, handcrafted pieces, vacations, etc. Volunteers are needed & mileage is deductible! October 17 at 6PM, St Thomas Aquinas Parish. The proceeds from this auction will support the St. Michel school & medical clinic in Saltadere, Haiti. Questions: contact August Sanusi at asanusi7@gmail.com or (434) 242-4882 Thanks to the incredible generosity of an anonymous parishioner, has received a $30,000 matching gift! Your donation can now go twice as far. Every dollar you give will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $30,000. Please consider making a gift today and double your impact in support of this ministry.

CHARLOTTESVILLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL

At Charlottesville Catholic School, we nurture each student’s God-given gifts by instilling acceptance, respect, and compassion. We prepare students to become advocates, leaders, and stewards—confident collaborators, achievers, and creators who make a difference in our world. Applications for the 2027–2028 School Year OPEN on October 1st. Serving students in Junior Kindergarten through 8th Grade .For more information: email admissions@cvillecatholic.org, call 434-964-0400, or visit www.cvillecatholic.org/admissions.

DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE

Bishop Barry C. Knestout invites all to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on October 24, 2026, for the Diocesan Pilgrimage.

Holy Comforter Mission Statement

As members of Holy Comforter Catholic Church, located in Charlottesville, VA, redeemed by Jesus Christ and sustained by the Word and the Eucharist, we pursue growth in holiness. We are called to worship, discipleship, evangelization, and charity, bringing the presence of the risen Christ to our parish and all those in need, consistent with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.