Bishop O’Connell has announced that there will be a Memorial Mass for the late pope this Thursday, Jan. 5, at noon in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral in Freehold. This will allow an opportunity for the clergy, consecrated religious and faithful in attendance to pray together as a diocesan family. For those who cannot attend the diocesan Mass, it will also be livestreamed at youtube.com/trentondiocese.
This gathering for RCIA Coordinators, Directors and Team Members will take place virtually. For more information and registration, go to: https://dioceseoftrenton.org/rcia-events
Entering its 49th year, the national observance of Catholic Schools Week will take place this year Jan. 29 – Feb. 4, under the theme “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.” Since 1974, the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) has hosted CSW for both elementary and secondary schools in the United States.
n 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. This celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd. This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day; the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples. The celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life is transferred to the following Sunday in order to highlight the gift of consecrated persons for the whole Church. We hope that you find the following resources helpful for your own celebrations of World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life!
If you have suffered through an abortion and have isolated yourself from healing and forgiveness, you might consider attending one our retreat weekends. For more information, contact Judy Warenkiewicz at 732-536-6871. All inquiries are strictly confidential.
If you have suffered through an abortion and have isolated yourself from healing and forgiveness, you might consider attending one our retreat weekends. For more information, contact Judy Warenkiewicz at 732-536-6871. All inquiries are strictly confidential.
If you have suffered through an abortion and have isolated yourself from healing and forgiveness, you might consider attending one our retreat weekends. For more information, contact Judy Warenkiewicz at 732-536-6871. All inquiries are strictly confidential.
National Marriage Week USA, launched in 2010, is part of an international event seeking to mobilize individuals, organizations, and businesses in a common purpose to strengthen marriage in communities and influence the culture. The Secretariat on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops offers a full set of resources to bishops, priests, deacons, married couples, and lay men and women to help celebrate and live the great gift of married life.
February 11 is World Day of the Sick, an observation introduced by Pope John Paul II as a way for believers to offer prayers for those suffering from illnesses.
World Marriage Day (Sunday, February 12, 2023) and National Marriage Week (February 7 through February 14 each year). The USCCB-sponsored theme for National Marriage Week is "Marriage...one flesh, given and received" that highlights the one-flesh union of husband and wife that is willed by God. It also indicates the personal self-gift of each spouse, one to the other. These concepts point to Christ who gives Himself under the appearance of bread and wine—as real flesh and blood and are a good way to connect the reality of marriage with the National Eucharistic Revival process. All resources can be downloaded at this USCCB web page - https://www.usccb.org/topics/marriage-and-family-life-ministries/national-marriage-week This year we are combining our World Marriage Day efforts with the launch of “The Wedding Survival Guide for Catholics – 44 Strategies to Survive Wedding Planning and Thrive in a Catholic Marriage,” and the Encouraging Catholic Weddings initiative. All World Marriage Day and National Marriage Week resources can be found on our special diocesan web pages: www.dioceseoftrenton.org/world-marriage-day www.dioceseoftrenton.org/world-marriage-day-for-parishes www.dioceseoftrenton.org/world-marriage-day-for-couples
The collection funds CRS support organizations that help those facing natural disasters and victims of war, as well as help to find housing for people fleeing violence and poverty, address pastoral needs of migrants and others lacking stable parish communities. . More information may be found at usccb.org/national- collection/catholic-relief-services-collection.
Explore ways to make the Eucharist come alive! $15 per person includes lunch & refreshments! Register 5 or more for $10 per person Questions, contact Michelle at mangelo@dioceseoftrenton.org
The collection funds CRS support organizations that help those facing natural disasters and victims of war, as well as help to find housing for people fleeing violence and poverty, address pastoral needs of migrants and others lacking stable parish communities. . More information may be found at usccb.org/national- collection/catholic-relief-services-collection.
Join us at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, Freehold Trinity Hall! The day begins with Mass at 10am, followed by lunch and talks from Msgr. Michael Walsh and Fr. Garry Koch
Friends and supporters of the Mount Carmel Guild of Trenton are invited to attend the third annual Founders’ Day Mass March 26 at 12:30 p.m. in St. George Church, 1370 River Rd., Titusville. Msgr. Thomas N. Gervasio, diocesan vicar general and pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish, Hamilton, will serve as principal celebrant and all Mercer County pastors have been invited to concelebrate. Among those invited to attend are the hundreds of Guild Mission Members and those affiliated with the Guild, including former and current staff, board members and volunteers. The Mission Members will receive a special blessing from Msgr. Gervasio. Following the Mass, a reception will be held in the home of Guild trustee Terri Olexa. For more information, on the Mass, reception and to donate, visit MtCarmelGuild.org or call 609-392-5159.
At the start of this Mass, faithful will receive palm fronds which they will use to participate in the reenactment of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem with a procession. In the Gospels, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey to the praise of the townspeople who laid palms or small branches in front of him as a sign of homage. This was a customary practice for people of great respect.
The Mass of the Lord’s Supper commemorates when Jesus gathered with his disciples to celebrate the Passover. During this Mass, Jesus instituted the Eucharist and the priesthood and washed the feet of his disciples. By washing his disciples’ feet, he set for them and for all of his followers, the example of what it means to “love one another” and to be of service to others. At the end of the Mass, the Eucharist to be administered on Good Friday is not returned to the tabernacle. Instead, the Blessed Sacrament is carried in procession by the priest. The action symbolizes Jesus’ walk to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus agonized over the suffering he was soon to endure.
Sponsored by the Franciscan Friars in the Holy Land, the annual collection helps the 250 Holy Land Franciscans to staff and maintain holy places and shrines in 11 countries, allowing both those who live there and pilgrims to deepen their faith and connection to salvation history. . More information about the collection may be found at www.myfranciscan.org/good-friday.
Good Friday, a day of fasting for the Church, commemorates Jesus’ Crucifixion and Death. The celebration of the Lord’s Passion takes place within the context of a Communion service and is held at 3 p.m., which places the prayer close to the traditional hour of Jesus’ Death. The service includes a Liturgy of the Word, the Veneration of the Cross and reception of Holy Communion. The Passion is proclaimed again, but on this day, it is from John’s Gospel account, which is more personal than the other accounts found in Matthew, Mark and Luke.
The Roman Missal explains: “On Saturday, the Church waits at the Lord’s tomb, meditating on his suffering and Death. The altar is left bare, and the sacrifice of the Mass is not celebrated. Only after the solemn vigil during the night held in anticipation of the Resurrection does the Easter celebration begin, with a spirit of joy that overflows into the following period of 50 days.”
The 21st Annual Mass and Celebration of Law Enforcement will be held at 10:30 a.m. April 13, the Thursday of Easter Week, in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, 61 Georgia Rd., Freehold. Men and women of all faiths are invited to attend this annual celebration for which Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., will be the principal celebrant and homilist. The event, also known as the Blue Mass, has been held in the Diocese to thank God for the sacrifice and service to the communities given by police officers and law enforcement agents at every level. The Blue Mass had not been held since 2019 because of COVID-19 precautions. This year’s Mass will include the reading of names of all law enforcement personnel in the Diocese who have lost their lives in the line of duty in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Those who are unable to attend the Blue Mass in Trenton are invited to watch via Livestream, which will be made available on the diocesan YouTube channel.