News - December 2016 RSS Feed

His Excellency, Bishop Arthur Serratelli will make a pastoral visit to our parish on Saturday, January 7th and celebrate the 5 o’clock vigil Mass. We welcome our Bishop and pray that many blessings will fall upon our parish as a result of his visit.

“Bethlehem” literally means “House of Bread.” It has this name because of its location in the grain producing region of Old Testament times. How appropriate that Jesus is born here. After the multiplication of the loaves and fish, Jesus identified himself as “the bread that came down from heaven,” (Jn 6:41). As bread satisfies our hunger and strengthens us physically, Jesus fills our empty hearts with the love and wisdom of God. We feast on his every word. As Scripture says, “Not by bread alone does man live but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord” (Dt 8:3).  

TODAY we celebrate Christmas and the Lord’s Day!  The Western Church and some Churches of the East commemorate on this weekend the Nativity of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We sing in the Responsorial Psalm for the vigil Masses, “Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.” It is this miracle of the Incarnation which set into motion the economy of salvation. The taking on of flesh of the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, has brought about the coming of the Kingdom of God. In Jesus the forces of evil are conquered and the reign of sin is dispelled,   

St. Cecilia’s Christmas Mass Schedule

 Many thanks to a parishioner who wishes to remain anonymous for their donation of $1,000 for the church renovation fund. May Christ the Savior richly bless them for the generosity shown to His Church.

Thank You for supporting our senior religious. A sister from Indiana writes, “Because of your kindness, our elderly sisters will have the comfort, security, and joy of living out their remaining years here at home. You truly honor them and their many years of service by your generosity.” Religious across the United States offer sincere thanks for your generosity to last week’s collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious.

We have arrived at the Fourth Sunday of Advent and the celebration of the Lord’s Day. Next Sunday we will celebrate the feast of our salvation, the Nativity of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Of the four Evangelists only Luke and Matthew tell the story of the birth of the Savior. In today’s Gospel we hear Saint Matthew’s version of this event and of the prominent role Saint Joseph plays within it. Joseph is the quiet man, the obedient man who is faith-filled and open to the bidding of God. Like his spouse, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Joseph places his life in God’s hands even though he is unsure of what will be. Saint Joseph is a loving husband who goes to great lengths to protect his wife and the child who will be born to them. He is the protector of this Holy Family, its guardian and strength.

A new outdoor stable to house the Nativity statues has been built by Joseph Maulbeck. The outdoor crèche is a wonderful witness of our faith in “the Word made Flesh.” our thanks to Joe for building and positioning the crèche in front of the church for us. May God bless him!

The Kindergarten at the Divine Mercy Academy received an Elf on the Shelf from Santa today!! They named him Mike!!

The winners of the 2016 New Jersey Right To Life, Respect Life Raffle, are as follows: 1st PRIZE – Volvo - Barbara Ellis, Bedminster  2nd PRIZE - $1,000 Shop Rite GC - Vince Giallorenzo, Wyckoff 3rd PRIZE - $750 Shop Rite GC - John Corcoran, River Vale 4th PRIZE - $500 Shop Rite GC  - Dan Zorovich, Allentown.

In our gathering to celebrate the Lord’s Day we also mark the Third Sunday of Advent. This day is also known as GAUDETE SUNDAY. This is a day of rejoicing as we are so very near to the celebration of the Nativity feast. The use of rose color vestments is a visible sign during the liturgy of this joy. This is the Sunday on which the Pope blesses the images of the Christ Child which will appear in the Nativity scenes and crèches in Rome. This is a tradition which we bring to Rockaway this year and I am hoping that many will respond to the invitation I extend last Sunday to bring in their statues today for a blessing which will be taken back home for Christmas.

Banns of Marriage, Angela Osario & Christopher Hoffman will be married December 17, 2016 at 1:00 PM

Please join the Women Society for hospitality after the 10AM mass next Sunday, December 18th.  Additionally, the weekend of December 17-18th is our monthly food drive for the Rockaway Food Pantry. Canned goods, cereal, peanut butter, pasta, etc. Last month we had a wonderful donation to the pantry. Thank you.

The Sacred Heart Women’s Society is inviting all women of the parish to a Christmas Party on Monday night, December 12th at 7 PM in the Rectory basement.

Oplatek, the traditional bread used for the Christmas Eve Vigil Supper, can be found at the side altar in the church. Your donation may be placed in the basket located next to the Oplatek.

Advent is a time of prayer and reflection. How do I welcome “the one who is to come”? What has brought me joy thus far in this Advent season?   Advent represents our expectation, anticipation, and preparation for who Christ is and what He has done for us. He arrived into the world as a human being, being fully God and fully man. He came to identify as one of us, as the Son of Man, as a baby born in a manger. He came for us, He came for you and He comes into our lives and into our hearts. He is coming again in great power and glory to bring His Kingdom into completion.

The 1st night of the traditional novena of Masses before Christmas (Simbang Gabi) will be celebrated at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church on Thursday, December 15 at 7:00 in the evening.

Interfaith Food Pantry thanks the parishioners of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish for their recent donations of coats, hats, gloves, & boots during the Women’s Society Coat Drive. Your support truly helps to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Sacred Heart Church 12/7 -7:00 PM 12/8 -12:00 PM

Your donation works for aging religious. “I read that roughly 95 percent of donations to the Retirement Fund for Religious aid senior religious,” a donor writes. “That’s wonderful when we truly want our donations to work.”