FATHER DANIEL F. GOWEN, WHO SERVED IN MULTIPLE PARISHES THROUGHOUT THE DIOCESE OVER MORE THAN THREE DECADES, died March 9. He was 64. Funeral services will be held in St. Denis Church, Manasquan, beginning March 14, with visitation 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated March 15 at 11 a.m. Interment will be in St. Catharine Cemetery, Wall Township.
St Catharine Church in Holmdel, NJ, is searching for an enthusiastic individual to join their team as the Coordinator of Religious Education. This is a full-time position that will include occasional evenings and weekends. The program provides faith formation, catechetical instruction, and sacramental preparation to approximately 600 students and their families in grades one through eight.
In keeping with the traditional Lenten practice of almsgiving, the Diocese of Trenton will participate the weekend of March 9-10 in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ annual Catholic Relief Services Collection.
Saint Mary, Mother of God Church in Middletown, New Jersey is looking for a spirit-filled Youth Minister who will be responsible for leading successful LIFE TEEN & EDGE programs. The Mission of Life Teen is to lead teens closer to Christ. The Life Teen Youth Minister will also be an active member of the parish Committee for the New Evangelization with it’s mission to “bring the Baptism in the Holy Spirit to the whole Church.”
Our Lady of Guadalupe in Lakewood, NJ, is hiring a full-time Building and Grounds Maintenance Assistant for our school and multiple church properties, etc. This large Roman Catholic parish consists of three worship sites, a cemetery, a school, and several other buildings.
YOUNG ADULTS AGE 18-39 ARE INVITED to the Diocese’s annual young adult retreat March 2, beginning at 10 a.m. in St. Luke Parish, 1674 Old Freehold Rd., Toms River. The daylong event, hosted by the diocesan Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, will include lunch and the parish Mass at 4 p.m. at the retreat’s end in St. Luke Church. The retreat theme – “Flipping Tables” (to make room for God) – will be explored by Dan Palmieri and Anthony McCullough of JMJ Missions.
The Chancery offices in Lawrenceville will be closed Monday, Feb. 19, in observance of Presidents Day. Normal operations will resume at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
The Diocese of Trenton is currently accepting applications for the position of Associate Director for Marriage Ministries and NFP in the Office of Evangelization & Family Life. The selected candidate will support and guide marriage, family, and life issues. Additionally, the role entails coordinating and facilitating Pre-Cana ministry in both English and Spanish, conducting Re-marriage retreats, and managing various Natural Family Planning programs.
The Chancery building in Lawrenceville will be closed today due to inclement weather. Chancery staff continue to work remotely and can be reached via email. Stay warm and safe!
BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M., HAS SHARED THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE for Lent 2024. Lent is traditionally a time for prayer and fasting. This year, I am especially drawn to these words from my reading: “Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. So, if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others, you open God’s ear to yourself.”
Lent is traditionally a time for prayer and fasting. This year, I am especially drawn to these words from my reading: “Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. So, if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others, you open God’s ear to yourself.”
Sickness is always an unwelcome guest in the “home” of our bodies. Whether its visit is brief or long, expected or unanticipated, recognized or subtle, sickness’ knock on the door is one that no one wants to answer. Try as one may to keep it out, sickness eventually finds its way in and — like an obnoxious houseguest — takes over every room, leaving its hosts to wonder if it will ever leave. The analogy here, although not very poetic, makes the point for which it is intended.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish team in Maple Shade, NJ, is searching for a vibrant faith-filled person, who has a love for little ones, families, and teens. This person should have a heart for servant leadership and doing little things with great love. The role includes teaching and leading others, but also the organizational and administrative pieces behind the scenes. Sacramental preparation is crucial, but the role is more broadly about accompanying youth and families to growth in the faith. A full-time position with flexible hours, but regular nights and weekends essential.
Sickness is always an unwelcome guest in the “home” of our bodies. Whether its visit is brief or long, expected or unanticipated, recognized or subtle, sickness’ knock on the door is one that no one wants to answer. Try as one may to keep it out, sickness eventually finds its way in and — like an obnoxious houseguest — takes over every room, leaving its hosts to wonder if it will ever leave. The analogy here, although not very poetic, makes the point for which it is intended.
The Catholic Community of Hopewell Valley is in need of a person interested in caring for our 3 church buildings and grounds: St. Alphonsus, Hopewell; St. George, Titusville; St. James, Pennington. Time commitment 12-15 hours a week, with flexibility. Tasks include: garbage/recycle; table/chair set-up/break-down; carrying boxes of supplies; sweeping and vacuuming before weddings & funerals; seasonal tasks, etc. Please call the St. Alphonsus Parish Office: (609) 466-0332 MWF 9am-1pm
Each year, the Catholic Church celebrates World Day for Consecrated Life. Instituted by Pope John Paul II in 1997, the commemoration is celebrated in conjunction with the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas Day recognizing the coming of Christ, the Light of the World, through the symbolic blessing and lighting of candles
Each year, the Catholic Church celebrates World Day for Consecrated Life. Instituted by Pope John Paul II in 1997, the commemoration is celebrated in conjunction with the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas Day recognizing the coming of Christ, the Light of the World, through the symbolic blessing and lighting of candles .
When a child is baptized in the Catholic Church, his/her parents, supported by godparents, make promises to help their child grow in the Church’s faith. Parents are their “first teachers,” their “first preachers” of the faith and, as a result, the family home becomes the “first Catholic school” and a “domestic Church.”
EMBARKING ON A NEW THREE-YEAR FOCUS, the National Catholic Education Association’s Catholic Schools Week will bring together its supporters and beneficiaries Jan. 28 – Feb. 3 to recognize the irreplaceable contributions a Catholic education provides to the Church, the community and the country.