Blessing of the Animals
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On the eve of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, bring your furry, feathered, and four-legged friends to St. Eleanor’s for a special Blessing of the Animals!
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Saturday, October 3 | 1:00 PM
St. Eleanor’s Parking Lot
647 Locust Street, Collegeville
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Join us as we celebrate St. Francis’ love for all of God’s creation and give thanks for the animals who bring so much joy to our lives.

The Cloud of Unknowing invites readers into a deeper relationship with God through contemplative prayer, teaching that God is known not through thoughts alone, but through love and trust. This timeless 14th-century spiritual classic offers practical guidance for anyone seeking a richer prayer life and closer union with God.

Purchasing the book is not required to participate in this Fall Series. All are welcome to join the discussion and reflections.

The Cloud of Unknowing: Part 1 - October 7, 2026 

The Cloud of Unknowing:  Part  2 - October 14, 2026 

The Cloud of Unknowing : Part 3 and Part 4 - October 28, 2026 

 Exterior Caulking Work

Beginning next week, Shaw Roofing will begin exterior caulking work at Saint Eleanor Church, the Parish Offices, and Holy Cross Regional Catholic School. Parishioners, staff, and school families may notice workers, lifts, and equipment around the exterior and roof areas of our buildings. This preventative maintenance will help protect the buildings from water intrusion and weather-related deterioration. Work will be coordinated around Masses, school activities, and other campus events. 

Exterior Directional Signage Being Installed

Beginning Friday, October 2, and continuing through Monday, October 5, Reed Signs will be installing new directional signage throughout the campus.

 During this time, you may notice work crews, equipment, and temporary disruptions in some areas. Please use caution when traveling around campus and follow any posted directions or temporary signage.

 Thank you for your patience as we complete these improvements to help make our campus more welcoming and easier to navigate for all visitors.

A Fall Invitation to Care for our Parish Home

Dear Parishioner,

There were only a dozen Catholic families in the area known as Collegeville in the late 1800’s. They gathered for Mass in a local hotel. The first resident priest arrived in 1911.

Those Catholic families multiplied and continued to come together to worship. When we outgrew the hotel, we bought new ground and built a new Church. Over time, those Catholic families became us … over 4500 registered Catholic families of the Church of St. Eleanor. And we continue to grow!

That’s why it’s so important that our current families take the time to update their information for our parish files. Equally important is to remember the needs of our Parish as we begin our customary Fall Census Appeal.

I remember when I was little, every Fall weekday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. the priests would walk through the neighborhoods of our parish visiting each family block-by-block. Father would update our census information, enjoy some conversation, bless our home, and – if his timing was right – even manage a quick dinner before continuing his important visits. Part of those encounters often included a donation by each family to support the extraordinary needs of the parish. We used to call it the Block Collection. Today we call it the Census Appeal, with those personal visits replaced by this letter. It’s unfortunate but necessary -- as I’m sure you understand. Equally necessary is my obligation to provide context for this annual appeal.

Before I do that, I’d like to share the fruits of your generosity since the conclusion of our Lenten Appeal. The list of completed projects is impressive:

• Repairs and drain work for our parking lots
• A new fire alarm system for the Church and the parish office buildings
• Enhanced outside lighting
• Installation of stair railings
• Additional defibrillators
• Excess snow removal due to multiple winter storms

This summer we moved into a second phase of addressing deferred maintenance. Belt tightening and a security grant are helping us address these projects currently underway or planned for completion this year:

• Extensive sidewalk replacement
• New audio system for the Church
• Campus signage
• Replacement of the posts and chains along the roadsides
• Security upgrades for all Church and parish office doors.

It’s worth noting that a generous parishioner dedicated his time and materials to recently paint the entire interior of the church -- including hours of repair to sections of dry wall due to previous water leaks. He wishes to remain anonymous, but our gratitude for him and his fine work is strong. So is the mission of our beloved Church. 

Those old trails have become roads. Generations continue to walk through the doors of the Church of St. Eleanor for Baptism, Confession, First Communion, Matrimony, Funerals, and to unite in community. This Fall we will launch our Pastoral Plan to emphasize Jesus Christ at the center of our lives. Of course, while we no longer walk our parish block to block, our priests are available at any time visit and bless your homes! And while a “block collection” is no longer practical, the extraordinary needs of our parish remain a reality.

Please be mindful of this Fall Census Appeal and consider a donation that will help address these upcoming maintenance projects:

Church building caulking -- $50,000.00

Roof Seam repairs on the Church building -- $7,500.00

Parish Office Caulking -- $7,500.00

Church Main Hot Water Heater / Parish Office -- $6,000.00

Chimney Crown repair on the Church -- $5,000.00

Total: $76,000.00

To make a gift please use the enclosed envelope that was sent to homes and deposit it in the basket on Sunday, click the link below or scan the QR Code:

Click Here to Donate: Fall Census Appeal  

I have been your pastor for over a year and I’m so grateful for your kindness and generosity. Today, our pastoral work continues in the same spirit since the first resident priest arrived in Collegeville 115 years ago. Thank you for growing together!

Together with Fr. Bordonaro, Msgr. Murray and our excellent Finance Council of parishioners, thank you for your exceeding generosity, which literally paves the way to our continued and rapid growth. 

Gratefully in Christ,

Rev. Msgr. Brian Bransfield

Pastor

Child and Youth protection is a most sacred responsibility. Our teams work very hard to keep this solemn responsibility across all facets of our pastoral work. Please see attached the July 21, 2026 letter of Mr. Robert Blake, Assistant Director of the Office for Child and Youth Protection by which is conveyed the result the onsite Safe Environment audit.

The Church of Saint Eleanor was found to be in compliance with the audit.

I am grateful to all who worked so hard to assure this compliance. I am especially grateful to Mrs. Sharon Cavanaugh, our Safe Environment Coordinator, for her dedication to this crucial work.

Read more ...

GLOW Night—standing for God Lights Our Way—is a youth ministry event focused on teaching that God provides guidance, light, and direction in our lives. GLOW Nights include themes of light, hope, and following God’s path.
Open to all ages!
7:00 pm praise & worship (chapel)
8:00 pm socializing & snacks 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88541757616?pwd=dPYQzzTorogbYLN8lm9EYQuavTZz7s.1

Meeting ID: 885 4175 7616

Passcode: pray250

The St. Eleanor Summer Spirit Shop is LIVE!

Show your parish pride all season long with our exclusive summer collection! From comfy quarter zips to stylish gear, there's something for everyone.

 Shop now through June 28th

Browse the full collection here: https://stechurchjune26.itemorder.com/shop/sale/

 Don’t miss out—grab your favorites while they last and represent St. Eleanor in style!

A Special Week for St. Eleanor CYO!

We are excited to share that both our Varsity Softball and Varsity Baseball teams have advanced to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Championship Games—a rare and wonderful accomplishment for one parish community!

As Matt Hasher, Head of Athletics for AOP/CYO, shared:

“We’ve only had a handful of instances where one parish has both boys' and girls' teams in the same final… it’ll definitely be a fun two days for the community!”

 Come out and support our teams:

Girls Championship

Tuesday, June 9 | 6:00 PM

Villanova Softball Complex
vs. Saint Monica (South Philadelphia)

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 Boys Championship

Wednesday, June 10 | 6:00 PM

Pope John Paul High School
vs. St. Thomas the Apostle (Glen Mills/Chester Heights)

We are incredibly proud of our athletes and grateful for the leadership of coaches Dan Jusko and Steve Mogg, along with their dedicated coaching staffs. They have built teams that truly reflect the spirit of CYO—faith, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

Please keep both teams in your prayers this week, and join us if you can to cheer them on!

Go St. Eleanor!