News - March 2018 RSS Feed

The entire staff of OLM extends to the parish their best wishes for a Holy and Happy Easter.

The Living Stations were the perfect way to begin Holy Week. Thank you to all the players, musicians, directors and crew who devoted their precious time to make it a wonderful production.

Claire Davin, a senior at Fairfield University, was one of 38 seniors inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. She is majoring in economics and is looking for a job. Elle Tharby and Aiden Duffy, eighth graders and members of OLM CYO basketball teams, are the recipients of the Greg Slyfield Memorial Award for 2018.

The Project Faith collection is always on the first Sunday of the month which this year is Easter Sunday. This collection goes to the Diocese to help pay our assessment.

Please ensure that you have completed the registration process by following the link sent to you by Flocknote and adding your name and email to our database. If you have any questions, please call the rectory and we can help you out.

The Baltimore Catechism No. 1 contains 420 questions which the Third Council of Baltimore considered basic to the Catholic faith. Bishop Serratelli selected 67 questions and 7 basic prayers which he wants “every young Catholic in our Diocese to know and to internalize” before they are confirmed. Copies have been sent home to the parents of our Confirmation candidates. Our sophomores are to be confirmed on September 15, 2018. This means there are 5 months and 15 days to learn the answers to the 67 questions and the words to 7 basic prayers: the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, the Act of Contrition, the Sign of the Cross, the Apostles Creed and Prayer for Eternal Rest. While some may not agree with the pedagogy, is it really too much to expect our youth (who are Catholics from birth) to know? When these children were baptized, the priest or deacon mentioned that “(parents) are the first teachers of their child in the ways of faith. May they also be the best of teachers bearing witness to the faith by what they say and do.” Parents, this is your opportunity to teach your children something about their Catholic faith and at the same time to brush up on the basics yourself. Anyone who has children who are not yet in the confirmation program, but are interested, can request a copy of the questions by sending an email to Grace Davin at youth@olmchurch.org

The OLM Eva’s Kitchen commitment is Sat., April 14th. Please take a pan/recipe and add your name to volunteer list and drop off frozen casserole at OLM parking lot between 8:30-8:45 on Sat., April 14th. If unable to drop off on April 14th you may drop off pan at rectory at any time during business hours. Thank you. Any questions call Kathy and Joe Gravino at 973-830-0559.

We wish all our parishioners a Good Palm Sunday. A Special THANK YOU to Edna Cucciniello who handmade the beautiful palm frond for our Palm Sunday Masses. Edna is 98 years young and the mother of Bob Cucciniello. We greatly appreciate this special gift for our Palm Sunday celebrations.

These three days of Holy Week are one continuous celebration of our salvation. They begin with Holy Thursday and end with the Easter Vigil. Parishioners are invited to attend all three days of the Triduum. On Holy Thursday, parishioners are invited to bring bells to the Mass of the Lord’s Supper and ring them during the singing of the Gloria. After Mass there will be a procession to the Chapel where the Blessed Sacrament will be reserved until midnight for adoration. On Good Friday, confessions will be heard from 12noon until 2:30pm before the celebration of the Lord’s Passion and Death at 3pm. In the evening the Stations of the Cross will be recited. On Saturday after sundown at 7:30pm, the Easter Vigil will commemorate the Resurrection of Christ. At this celebration we will welcome three new members into the Catholic faith.

On Sat., March 31st, the Easter flowers will arrive at Church at approximately 8am. Volunteers are needed to help transfer the flowers from the truck to inside the church/chapel. If you can help, please call the rectory 973-838-6838 ext. 103 or email secy@olmchurch.org.

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday when the Church celebrates the Lord’s entrance into Jerusalem. Palms are blessed and distributed to parishioners as they participate in this celebration. The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ is recited at every Mass and The Living Stations of the Cross will take place in the evening. On Monday, at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, Bishop Serratelli will bless the holy Oils to be used by parishes throughout the Diocese of Paterson. All are welcome to attend at 7pm.

Filled cartons may be placed in the large box marked “Rice Bowls” in the narthex

We wish a very Happy St. Patrick’s Day, (3/17) and St. Joseph’s Day (3/19) to our parishioners who celebrate these feast days.

Msgr. Carroll and his sister will be in Florida visiting their brother and sister in law from 3/13 to 3/20. Fr. Lukasz is in charge.

Your are invited to join Msgr. Carroll for a dinner meeting on Thurs. 3/22 at 7pm at Cypress Tavern to celebrate your ministry and learn more about security at weekend Masses. Please RSVP to George Casagrand in the Parish office.

There are 100 Palm Crosses on sale in the narthex for a donation of $10. The entire proceeds go to St. John’s Cathedral in Paterson.

To honor a custom of our Polish Parishioners we will bless Easter Baskets on Holy Saturday, March 31st at 12:30pm in the Church. All are welcome. To learn more about this Easter custom please visit http://broadwayfillmorealive.org/2.0/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/polish-easter-basket.pdf

On Monday, March 26 at 7pm in St. John’s Cathedral, Paterson, Bishop Serratelli will bless all the oils that are used during the celebration of the Sacraments during the next 12 months. It is called Mass of Holy Chrism or the Chrism Mass. All are welcome to attend this beautiful Mass. You won’t be disappointed.

Ushers will be needed for Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. A sign-up sheet is in the narthex of the Church. For any questions, please contact Bob Morrisroe at bobmorrisroe@optonline.net

Donations of non perishable to the Fr. English Food Pantry will help clients enjoy an Easter Holiday meal.