Live, Love, and Serve in the Image of Christ
Phil and Carol Haile
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Q. What do you like about St. Jude parish?
We have been members of St. Jude Parish since 1971. We have enjoyed our years of raising our three boys and helping them as well as ourselves to grow In our faith. We have appreciated the various Bible Studies, Retreats, and Ministries available to us through the years very much. Our pastors and assistants have been remarkable in their efforts to have our parish grow and to meet the needs of everyone.
Q. What role does faith play in your life and marriage, and how do you nurture it?
Our faith is very important to us. We feel that our commitment to it and to the principles that were imparted to us from our parents are the main reasons for our 54 years of marriage. We nurture our faith through weekly Mass attendance, becoming involved in the various activities and ministries in our parish, and developing friendships with parishioners who share our same values.
Q. Tell us about the Adoration Ministry, the ministry that you lead – what is its main purpose and whom does it serve?
“Adoration of the Eucharist” is the name of our ministry. It involves spending time with the Blessed Sacrament one day a week for as much time as is possible, given the busy schedules of everyone today. We have a schedule that is followed weekly, with parishioners volunteering a half hour or an hour of their time. Adoration takes place on Thursdays, beginning after the 9:00am Mass and continuing until 7:00 in the evening. At 2:00 the Novena to St. Jude takes place with the volunteers taking part in the Novena prayers. That lasts about a half hour, and the rest of the time is for private reflection for those who wish to stay. We have substitutes for our volunteers when the need occurs. But we can always use more. We also would like to see our ministry grow through new volunteers. We are happy to accommodate whatever amount of time works for the volunteer.
Q. What are some of the benefits of joining?
Some of the benefits of joining “Adoration of the Eucharist” are: Having a set time to spend with the Lord, because in our busy world, we often don’t manage to do things unless we plan them; developing a closer relationship with the Lord; and finding peace and quiet time in our day when we often experience the craziness of the world swirling around us.
Q. What would people be surprised to learn about you?
People would be surprised to know that in the 70’s the Seminary Collection was taken up door-to-door. Phil enjoyed helping with the collection as a way to get to meet new parishioners. Over the years, Phil continued to develop his love of model trains, created a train layout that he shared with over 40,000 visitors, and was featured on several Channel 6 programs. He became known as “The Train Man of Chalfont.”
Our greatest joy is sharing the company of our three sons, their wives, and our grandchildren. We enjoy our Movie Club in which we go to a movie once a month followed by dinner with our retired friends. The St. Jude Seniors is a lot of fun. We attend luncheons with them twice a month. We have met some wonderful people.
Phil enjoys reading, going to the gym and is currently working on his presentation about the history of model trains and the Pennsylvania Railroad. The pandemic has prevented his accomplishing this endeavor. However, he hopes to give his presentation to the various retirement communities in our area starting in the fall.
Carol is an avid reader, likes to do needle work and is active in the Prayer Shawl Ministry group, likes to play cards (Bridge and Pinochle), likes to walk and to dance. Music is a special love in her life and she is a member of the Bucks County Choraliers, who perform at various retirement communities in the area. They also perform their main concert for the public In May and December every year.
Thank you, Carol and Phil, and thank you for your service to St. Jude Parish and to the Lord! May many others join you in Adoration.
