News - May 2017 RSS Feed

Third Grade Life Science fun! --Mrs. Patel fancied up our ecosystem unit by having her students create an edible food chain. She passed out chocolate pudding cups, green sprinkles, animal crackers, and gummy worms. After a few guesses, they started to shout out "Oh, I get it! Producers, decomposers, and consumers!"

At all Masses on Sunday, May 14th the “Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary” will take place in celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. The ushers will be handing everyone the text prepared by Bishop Serratelli as they enter the church next Sunday.

We gather on this the Fifth Sunday of Easter to celebrate the Lord’s Day. In our reading from Acts of the Apostles we come to the account of the ordination of the first deacons. They were seven in number who were chosen to assist the Apostles in providing pastoral care for the “Hellenists.” This order was instituted to enhance the ministry of the Apostles so that all could be served in the name of Jesus. The ministry of the deacons began with service at the table but developed into much more. We find the Deacon Stephen preaching, and the Deacon Philip evangelizing and baptizing. It will be the Deacon Stephen who will become the first martyr, the first to die for Christ.

The combined Sacred Heart and St Cecilia Parish Picnic will be held on Sunday June 4th  at Fireman's Field on Beach Street, starting with Mass at 12:15 PM.  The picnic portion will follow and continue until 5 PM.  Please plan to join for a fun day.  If you want to help out, contact Jim Gallagher at (973-366-9699) or Jack Zayac at (973-625-4572).

The Catholic Schools Office of the Diocese of Paterson is seeking applicants for the 2017-2018 school year.

For all who are in need of healing, spiritual, physical, mental or emotional, there will be a Healing Mass at St. Cecilia Church on Saturday, May 20 at 11:00 AM sponsored by the Christian Care Committee.  All are invited to attend.

The Parish Picnic team will meet this Saturday, May 20th  in the basement of St. Cecilia's Church at 8:30 AM, to discuss our upcoming parish picnic. If you are a member of the team or would like to become a part of the team, or just give your input, please feel free to attend the meeting. We need leaders and helpers from both Sacred Heart and Cecilia's churches.

Everyone is invited to a light lunch which will be served at Saint Cecelia’s Hayes Hall on Sunday, May 14th immediately following the 12:15 PM Mass at St. Cecilia (1 pm) to honor the newly ordained deacons: Joseph Boykow and Matt Darlak. Your presence will mean a great deal to the deacons and will give you the opportunity to personally congratulate them.

Jesus says “I am the way, the life and the truth!” Three important words. Without the way we cannot walk. Without the truth we cannot be certain. Without life, there is only death! Jesus explains that he is the way because “No one can come to the Father except through me!” He is the door through which the sheep enter and leave. Jesus is the truth because seeing him we see the image of the Father. “If you know me, you know my Father too!” Jesus is the life because if we walk in his footsteps we shall be united to the Father and shall have life in us.

The Rockaway Catholic Respect Life Ministry, comprised of several Catholic Churches in the Rockaway, NJ area, in partnership with the youth of Divine Mercy Academy, are sponsoring a fundraiser on May 13th  and 14th , 2017, to benefit several Crisis Pregnancy Centers and the Rockaway Catholic Respect Life Ministry.

One photograph is all that it takes for you to become visible in the Living Crown of Mary. We invite you to join the Pauline Fathers & Brothers from the American Czestochowa located in Doylestown PA, as they resolve to honor Mary in this Jubilee year of the 300th anniversary of the Coronation of the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Czestochowa.

Join us For Divine Mercy Academy’s First Annual Golf Outing fundraiser, on Monday, May 22nd , 2017, at 1:00 PM at the Farmstead Golf & Country Club. Tickets are $110 per Golfer or $400 per Foursome. After April 12th the price increases to $120/golfer and $480 per foursome. Register early! Tickets includes greens fees, cart, buffet dinner, beer & soda pitchers.

Bishop Serratelli will be the Spiritual Director of a trip this summer to Fatima and Southern Spain. The Pilgrimage will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Apparitions in Fatima and then continue on to Spain. 

Celebrate America with Breakfast at Appleby’s, on Saturday May 27th at 8AM to 10 AM. Tickets are $10.00. Please call Pat Zayac at 973-625-4572 for information or tickets. The event is sponsored by Saint Monica Guild.

The 1st Annual BEEFSTEAK DINNER, held last Saturday, was a great success! Highlight of the event: the photo booth, the DJ, and the all you can eat Filet Mignon!!

Today as we gather to celebrate the Lord’s Day we also observe the Fourth Sunday of Easter. This Sunday is traditionally called, “Good Shepherd Sunday” due to the Gospel reading coming from the 10th chapter of John in which our Blessed Lord refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd. We find “pastoral” themes throughout the Liturgy of the Word: in the Scripture periscopes, Responsorial Psalm, Alleluia Verse, and the orations during the Mass.

Sacred Heart/St. Cecilia's Bible camp will take place on Friday, June 23rd and Saturday, June 24th at Divine Mercy Academy. All children Pre-K to Grade 3 are invited. Adult volunteers and teen helpers are needed. Please call the rectory for more information.

Everyone is invited to a light lunch which will be served in Hayes Hall next Sunday, May 14th immediately following the 12:15 PM Mass (1 PM) to honor the newly ordained deacons: Joseph Boykow and Matt Darlak. Your presence will mean a great deal to the deacons and will give you the opportunity to personally congratulate them.

-Jesus says: I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved- - In Jesus we have the new model of the true shepherd. In him is fulfilled the expectation of the Good Shepherd promised by God. - The shepherd enters through the gate to take care of the sheep, not to oppress them. In fact, the sheep recognize his authority and follow him. - Jesus leads the people to take them out of the darkness, because such is the work which the Father has entrusted to him. - Jesus is the new gate in regard to every person. It means to “get close to Him”, “to trust Him”, to follow Him and to allow ourselves to be guided by His message to participate in the dedication of Jesus so that the true happiness of man may be accomplished.

During Lent, Divine Mercy Academy held a "Hunger Banquet" for the students in grades 1-8. The students were randomly separated into 3 groups. 10% were given a nice table and snacks, 30% were given a plain table with light snacks, and 60% were given no table and just a small cracker and little water. They experienced the unfairness of the situation and discussed how each group represented the different categories of nations (wealthy, somewhat stable, and under-developed).