Memorial Day Mass: 9:00 AM
Sunday Parish Mass: 11:00 AM

Parish Update

July 28, 2021

St.  Innocent I, Pope

Today's Saint

Pope St. Innocent I was born at Albano, Italy. He became Pope in the year 401. During his pontificate, he upheld the papal prerogative that the Apostolic See be the ultimate resort for the settlement of all Church disputes, prompting St. Augustine to remark, “Roma locuta est, causa finita est.” [Rome has spoken, the matter is ended.] Innocent condemned the heresy of Pelagius who taught that human beings could come to salvation through their own efforts and that Original Sin did not affect humanity, thus denying the necessity of infant baptism. Pelagius also reduced grace to the good example provided by Christ. He strongly favored clerical celibacy and defended the rights of St. John Chrysostom who was unjustly deposed from his diocese by the emperor. The Catholic priest-scholar Johann Kirsch described Innocent as a very energetic and highly gifted individual "...who fulfilled admirably the duties of his office". Innocent died on March 12, 417.

Memories….A Documentary

Many parishioners may recall Trenton’s annual feast and procession in honor of Our Lady of the Assumption, Patroness of Casandrino, Italy. This century-old tradition was held under the auspices of St. Joachim Church from 1906 through 2006. Mr. Joseph Pica recently completed a documentary video on this religious observance that was often referred to as the “Feast of Lights.” The video-documentary of the history of this century-old celebration can be viewed by visiting www.thefeastoflights.com

 

From the Most Reverend Bishop

Governor Murphy and Commissioner Persichilli
Strongly Recommend Masking in Indoor Settings with Increased Risk

Following yesterday's announcement by the Centers for Disease Control regarding masking, Governor Phil Murphy and New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli today strongly recommended that both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents wear masks in indoor settings when there is increased risk.

Examples of such situations include:

• Crowded indoor settings
• Indoor settings involving activities with close contact with others who may not be fully vaccinated
• Indoor settings where the vaccine status of other individuals in the setting is unknown
• Where an individual is immunocompromised or at increased risk for severe disease

Governor Murphy and Commissioner Persichilli made the following statement:

“Our metrics are trending in the wrong direction, and new data suggests the Delta variant is more transmissible even among vaccinated individuals, which is why we are making this strong recommendation.  

“Fortunately, our numbers are a fraction of those in many other states, most of which have significantly lower vaccination rates. Should our numbers reach those levels, we reserve the right to take more drastic action, including a statewide mask mandate. 

“We have crushed this virus repeatedly like no other state in the nation, and we are proud to boast among the country’s highest vaccination rates. But at this point, given where our metrics are now, we feel the best course of action is to strongly encourage every New Jerseyan, and every visitor to our state, to take personal responsibility and mask up indoors when prudent. 

“And we equally encourage every unvaccinated resident or visitor to get vaccinated. The vaccines are proven safe and highly effective, and are the surest way we can end this pandemic.”
 

Confession Concerns

Among the sacramental opportunities we restored to our schedule are confessions at Our Lady of Sorrows on Saturday afternoon from 3:45 to 4:30 pm.  While many take advantage of the confession time in the morning following the 9:00 am Mass, this is not the case at all in the afternoon.  In fact, there have been a couple Saturdays when no one came in the afternoon. Please spread the word that confessions are held at St. Anthony’s AND Our Lady of Sorrows on Saturday afternoons. The current schedule is: 

Saturdays
9:30 am (OLS)
2:45-3:30 pm (SAC)      3:45-4:30 pm (OLS)
Also by appointment

This schedule will remain in place for the time being, as people make their return to their regular spiritual practices. Otherwise, we shall adjust the schedule as need warrants.

Sunday 8:00 am Mass –Trial Return
August 8 through October 24

We are pleased to reinstate the 8:00 am Sunday Mass, albeit on a trial basis. Placing a Mass time on a fixed schedule should be matched by a level of attendance that justifies it. We have been hesitant to reinstate the full pre-COVID schedule since Mass attendance while improved, is not what it was prior to the pandemic. We all have our favored Mass time of course, but a parish cannot meet every person’s preference. Still, we have determined that returning an 8:00 am Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows merits a trial. It will be celebrated August 8 through October 24. Keeping it depends upon adequate attendance, i.e., about 100 persons or more. Prior to the pandemic, average attendance at this Mass time was 240 persons.

Statue of St. Anthony

Grandparents/Grandchildren

Altar Servers Needed

In a Hurting Marriage?

Please Be Generous

Dear Parishioners,

Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has declared today “World Day of Prayer for Grandparents and the Elderly.” He has placed its observance on this day (July 26), which is close to the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandparents of Jesus. [I hasten to add in the “Year of St. Joseph” that they are Joseph’s “in-laws!”]

The Pope instituted this as an annual observance because “grandparents are often forgotten, and we forget this wealth of preserving roots and passing on” what the elderly have received. “Grandparents and grandchildren,” he urges, “should get to know one another.”

Tomorrow, on the Memorial of Sts. Joachim and Anne, we will celebrate a special Mass at 12:15 pm at St. Anthony’s Church with Fr. Gene Savarimuthu as celebrant and homilist. Light refreshments will follow for those who have “registered” their attendance in advance.

We are delighted to host this event prepared by our parish Marriage Ministry Team. We will be joined by our fellow “Lumen Christi” cohort parishes—St. Gregory the Great and St. Raphael-Holy Angels.

Saints Joachim and Anne pray for us!

With affection,
Msgr. Gervasio

Chè Pawasyen-m yo,

The Diocese of Trenton is committed to the norms of the U.S. Bishop’s Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in regard to the reporting and investigation of sexual abuse allegations involving minors.  If you have been sexually abused as a minor by anyone representing the Catholic Church, or if you know of someone who was, you can report that abuse through the diocesan Hotline: 1-888-296-2965 or via e-mail at abuseline@dioceseoftrenton.org.  Such allegations are reported to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

The scammers are at it again! If you receive an email message like the one below

Let me know if you are not occupied at the moment, I need you to do me a favor real quick. Email me back immediately you receive this message.

(or anything similar), purportedly from Monsignor Gervasio, Fr. Joseph (or any other OLS-SA staff member), please do not respond to it. Instead, report it to the Hamilton Township police.