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It is finally beginning to feel like summer out there and it has been wonderful. We have hit the mid-point in July and the slide to the fall is quickly upon us. Soon many of our young adults will be moving on out – off to college or other points beyond. Two years ago we inaugurated our first college send-off Mass and party for those leaving for the first time. This year we decided to modify that send-off for a couple of reasons. Read more.

This weekend we welcome Father Michael McCormack, O.P. who is preaching the annual Pontifical Missionary Society’s appeal. Father will speak on the work of his religious order, the Dominicans, and it’s mission territory throughout the world. As always, our attentiveness and support are deeply appreciated.

We have been blessed with three weddings already this June – July season and have several more on the books for the rest of the year. This is a great blessing to our parish and a hopeful sign of things to come. I know that many parishes would not be very impressed with three weddings at this time of the year, but that is two more than all of last year and one more than all of the year before. Read more.

The Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church calls for two consultative bodies to be present in each parish: 1) a Finance Council, which is an obligation of each parish and stands on its own within a parish; and 2) a Pastoral Council, which is the personal and pastoral board of consulters to the pastor. A Pastoral Council requires a pastor to be in place. There is actually no such body as a Parish Council envisioned by the law. Read more.

This weekend we are launching the Annual Catholic Appeal in our parish. While we normally do so in February with the rest of the diocese, because we were in the midst of the Faith to Move Mountains campaign we were granted an extension. Read more.

This weekend we are happy to welcome seminarian Frank Flaherty for the summer. He will be here on a pastoral assignment from June 10th until July 23rd. Frank just completed his first year of theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. Read more.

Another Sunday afternoon, another call from Bay Shore Community Hospital, another overdose from heroin, yet another family huddled around a gurney awaiting the results of testing. Whether or not the patient survives her life and the lives of her family, friends, boyfriend, will be changed forever. While this might – hopefully – be the rock bottom moment needed to confront the addiction for this one person, the chances now of life returning to a familiar normal seem unlikely.

Worship and ministry are, of course, the heart of the parish. While “dispensing the mysteries of God” is always our first call, the parish has always stood as the foundation of community. As you travel through Europe you get a sense of that feeling as the churches stand as the central focus of the town or villages. Read more.

Has Spring finally arrived? It’s been an unusual weather season so far, and it has certainly taken its toll on some of our plans. Unfortunately the May Crowning, which we intended to celebrate at the statue of Mary in the prayer garden, had to be inside as the heavy rains hit us. Hopefully, the end of school events, many of which are outside activities, can go forward as planned. Read more.

Next Saturday, May 20th, Michael DeSaye will be ordained a transitional deacon for the Diocese of Trenton. You have seen Michael around here when he is on break from seminary (Mount Saint Mary’s, Emmitsburg, MD). Most recently he assisted us as master of ceremonies during the Triduum Rites. Read more.

If you were not with us last weekend and missed the presentation and announcement on our parish’s subscription to Formed please check further on in this bulletin for an explanation as to this initiative. Put simply, we are offering a comprehensive Catholic website free to all parishioners (indeed to anyone who even lives in our parish). Read more.

This weekend and next weekend are very busy and exciting times here at the parish as we celebrate the First Communions of 121 members of the parish and school community. While this is a very memorable and exciting time, when families get together and we have great new special clothes, professional photographers and great parties, we cannot fail to remember the somberness and solemnity of the occasion as well. Read more.

Today we celebrate the Octave Sunday of Easter, what has come to be known in the Church since 2000 as Divine Mercy Sunday. An explanation of the day, from the Decree on Divine Mercy issued by the Apostolic Penitentiary, is extracted here...Read More

Resurrexit Sicut Dixit, Alleluia! He is Risen as He Said – Alleluia! The central tenet of our faith – Jesus Christ is first born from the dead. Today all of creation proclaims anew – ALLELUIA! While Lent might have seemed to fly by for many of us, we now enter the longer and more celebratory period of our Easter joy. It is my fervent hope that all of you had a blessed Lenten journey with us, and that you had the opportunity to share in at least one of the offerings we celebrated during the Season. While Easter Season might be less intense, we still do have opportunities for everyone.

Twice this week we will hear the solemn proclamation of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: this weekend we hear the narrative from Saint Matthew and on Good Friday the narrative from Saint John. While they each offer specific details not found in the other, they share the common point of emphasis – Jesus is betrayed, denied, abandoned and left for dead. Read more.

The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, led by Father Francis Mary and Father Pio, offered us a very moving and enlightening parish mission this past week. Read more.

The light is at the end of the tunnel! We have reached the mid-point of Lent which is why you might see the rose colored vestments this weekend instead of the usual violet color. Read more.

Enclosed is a summary of the parish financial report for 2015 – 2016 fiscal year. I am so delayed in this presentation because, as I previously explained, with the changing of business administrators and the switch over to new software as mandated by the diocese, there was much work to catch up on before we could prepare this summary for you. Read more.

Last weekend we had a very successful Ministry Fair for the parish. A good number of parishioners attended and many have expressed their interest in exploring new ways to be involved in the various ministries of the parish. We are always looking for new people to be involved and new ways of exercising our ministries here, so it is not too late to consider signing up. Read more.

Although this had been my third time in the Holy Land, I must say that visiting and praying at the various historical and traditional sites of the events of the life of Jesus, the apostles, and the ancient Israelites never ceases to amaze, awe, and inspire. It is a pilgrimage that I believe every Catholic should endeavor to make at least once in a life time. It is impossible to ever listen to the Gospels the same old way again once you have walked the land, viewed the mountains and valleys, and entered the waters of the Jordan River. Read more.