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October, the Month of the Holy Rosary, is also Pro-Life Awareness Month. We are grateful to Deacon Rich for his efforts in coordinating the parish activities and events that focus our attention on the multifaceted nature of pro-life activities. Read more.

The last weekend of September has arrived and the Autumn Season has begun. It seems like the year is moving quickly to a close. Since things seem more normal than they have been, we are working on and planning more parish activities now than we have been able to have over the past two years. Read more.

This weekend we observe Catechetical Sunday. This is a way for us as a parish to recognize the hard work and dedication of the teachers in our school and the many volunteers who step forward to assist both in the Summer Religious Education Academy and the traditional programs throughout the year. The prayer of blessing, recognition by those assembled at the 9:30 am Mass, and Knights of Columbus breakfast, do not even touch the amount of debt and gratitude that we as a parish owe to them for their commitment. I want to thank Mrs. Lori McCahill who oversees the catechetical programs for the school and Mrs. Nancy Arkin who serves as parish Director of Faith Formation. Nancy not only oversees all of the teachers and the programs, including most of those listed below, but she is also responsible for the adult faith formation programs of our parish. Much planning and logistical work goes in to making this a success. Read more.

Today we observe the twenty-first anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and those who died in Shanksville, PA. It is hard for those of us who remember that infamous day so well to believe that a generation has passed since the events of that day and its consequences. While at the time we as a country rallied around the president and our shared national identity and goals, we are painfully far from that sense of unity today. We pray today for the souls that were lost on September 11, 2001 and for all those who died as a result of that day. So many lives were lost from medical conditions, as a result of mental health issues, and in the wars that were fought in the aftermath of the attacks. The toll on our country is immeasurable but never insurmountable. We pray that we might find a unity of purpose and direction as a nation, so that we can hand on to the future generations the freedoms and rights that we have. Read more.

Happy Labor Day weekend! While this has become the unofficial “end of summer” Labor Day is a reminder to us of the important role that the Labor Unions played in our country to protect the rights, safety, and dignity of workers. Pope Saint John Paul II wrote extensively on this topic in his 1981 encyclical Laborem Exercens. There he reminds us that our work -- whatever form of work that may be -- is a dignity given to us by God and that we deserve to work in safe conditions, in solidarity with other workers, and earning a just wage and benefits. It is the worker, and not either the corporation or the state that should benefit most from our labor. This is a polarizing issue in our country these days, and something that impacts the wallets of each of us. Read more.

The teachers here at SBS will be on the campus on Tuesday for the orientation to the new school year. It seems hard to believe that the summer has sped by so quickly, but at the same time, it seemed nice and relaxing. While the parish was busy, and there were several adjustments to make to the facilities, faculty, and schedule, all now seems to be in order. It looks like, as of this writing that we are opening with 459 students, which is a healthy increase from the 423 that we opened with last year. This is certainly a strong and positive trend for our school. We have a strong and committed faculty, and our administration: Principal Kevin Donahue and Assistant Principal Christine Keeling, do an exceptional job in their ministry and the management of our school. Read more.

This is the last week of preparation for the opening of school. I am sure the students are feeling it; I know the teachers are anticipating it, and I am certain that the parents are ready for it. We have been able to accomplish much here, though we did have fewer projects this summer than in some previous years. Through the generosity of several donors, and the commitment of girl scouts working on their Gold Award, we have been able to install a dedicated playground at the Dr. Robert H. Harris Pre-K-3 Early Learning Center. We will dedicate the playground on September 16th. We are also in the process of constructing a security station for the school. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, we have hired a full-time security guard for the school. With the assistance of state security money we have installed forty cameras around the property, and have other alert and lockdown technology in place. Security is certainly of paramount concern for parents and our teachers these days. We cannot be too careful. Read more.

As I mentioned last week, we will celebrate a Mass of the Anointing of the Sick on Tuesday, August 16th, at 1:00 pm. If there are any members of our parish community who are homebound and would like to receive the anointing, please make contact with the parish office. It is good for us to get to visit the sick a couple of times a year, and it is certainly best not to wait until we are in an end-of-life scenario. Similarly, we will be visiting our health care facilities and offering the anointing to the Catholic residents there as well. Read more.

The announcement last week of the introduction of a 5:00 p.m. Mass on Sunday sparked some positive reactions and interest, and for that I am grateful. Please keep this in mind and share it with your neighbors and friends. Hopefully we will be able to utilize this as an opportunity to continue our efforts at evangelization here in the Bay Shore. Read more.

We have concluded the Summer Religious Education Academy, and, overcoming some small hiccups along the way, we have had three excellent weeks of religious education and faith formation. We are most grateful to the tireless work and efforts of Nancy Arkin and Ciro Saverino, along with the bevy of teachers, staff, and volunteers who worked so hard to make this a successful adventure. The feedback has been very positive, and we are looking forward to the family days throughout the year. Read more.

We have truly hit those “dog days of summer!” As we enter the last full week of July we are reminded of how quickly the summer is speeding along. Hopefully everyone has been able to stay cool during the heat wave this past week. I know it looks like we will get some relief this week. I expect that many of us, myself included, will be able to get away for some time in August, so that we can arrive refreshed and ready for the beginning of Fall and the start of school. Read more.

This week begins our three-week session of Summer Religious Education. Nancy Arkin, Director of Faith Formation, Ciro Saverino, Director of Youth/Young Adult Ministry and the coordinator of the Confirmation Program, and a host of volunteers of all ages, are poised and ready to walk with the youth of our parish on their journey of faith. Almost 500 students are registered for the three weeks. There is still some space in weeks two and three if you have yet to register. The Registration for the traditional program and the Confirmation Program on Sunday evenings are also now open. Read more.

A most blessed Fourth of July Weekend to all. This observance reminds us of the uniqueness of our history as a nation and the fundamental principles that guided the vision of the Founders of this country. Among the rights enshrined in the Declaration of Independence are: “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Read more.

The summer seems to be moving along at a fast clip, as we enter in to the last week of June and then celebrate Independence Day next weekend. We are contemplating some projects around here this summer. The first thing that has already been done is expanding the hours of operation for the Food Pantry. Now, with more volunteers, and in response to a growing need for material assistance, this is an important way for us to serve the community and expand the mission of the parish. Read more.

Today, Corpus Christi Sunday, marks the end of the special solemnities that follow the Easter Season, so next week we are back to the Sundays of Ordinary Time. Read more.

This Sunday and next stand in the liturgical year as special solemnities within Ordinary Time. Last week at Pentecost we saw the end of the Easter Season. Yet, instead of returning to the green vestments of the season, this week and next week we again wear the celebratory white vestments, signifying something special is going on. Read more.

A most blessed Pentecost to everyone! We are reminded this weekend of the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and most certainly as he guides our church. This brings an end to our Easter season. Tomorrow we return to ordinary time, although we know that nothing about the time is really ever ordinary. Indeed, it feels in someways that we live in extraordinary times. Not necessarily good times, nor really bad times, but our time. What we do with this time that we have, how we transform the world in which we live, how we respond to the needs of others, lays groundwork for the future. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in and through us that we, as Catholics, believe that the kingdom of God advances in the world. Let our prayer then be this Pentecost Sunday that the Holy Spirit will continue to enkindle in us the power of his love. Read more.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend and welcome to the official start of the summer season. Coming through a rough winter for all of us, this is a most welcome time of the year. Of course, we are called in a special way this weekend to remember those who gave their lives in service to our country. Originally known as “Decoration Day” many people still visit the cemeteries and place flowers and other mementos there to honor their loved ones. Most specifically, however, veteran’s groups place American flags on the graves of our veterans. It is good for us to be ever mindful of those who have died in defense of our freedom, and others who have sacrificed their lives to secure the freedom of others throughout the world. We are especially cognizant of those who are now in harm's way in Eastern Europe, and we fervently pray that efforts to bring an expedient and peaceful end to the Ukrainian crisis will be fruitful. Read more.

As the usual rhythm of the liturgical year is ingrained in our hearts and lives we are all expecting to celebrate the Feast of the Ascension this Thursday (May 26th). However, as I mentioned in an earlier missive, the Catholic Bishops of New Jersey have voted to permanently transfer the holy day to the following Sunday. Therefore, this Thursday is not a holy day of obligation, but rather Thursday of the Sixth Sunday of Easter and the memorial of St. Philip Neri. While not a fan of the decision personally, we must continue to follow the liturgical norms of our place. Read more.