We Got Flocked!!!

Did you notice a flock of flamingos landed on our lawn the morning of Sunday, April 30th?  Yantacaw Girl Scout Troop 20099, many of whom are St.Mary's parishioners, took part in a fundraiser for the 11th Annual Nutley Relay for Life.  Since early March, the flamingos have landed on lawns all over town each night.  They only remain for 24 hours at which time the scouts would arrive to collect them and move them to the next unsuspecting neighbor.  A $25 dollar donation to the team would enable you to send the flock to surprise a friend.   Due to this successful fundraiser the girls raised over $7,200 for the American Cancer Society.   

"The Pink Flamingos"  participated in the Relay for Life at DeMuro Park on Friday May 19th and won the award for having the most team members stay overnight! 

Members of the Pink Flamingos with our Pastor Fr. Rich after St. Mary's Church got flocked.

Relay for Life Prayer Service

On Wednesday, May 10, St. Mary's Church hosted the Nutley Clergy Association's Relay for Life Prayer Service to honor all those touched by cancer.  Fr Rich was the celebrant and spoke about finding comfort in God.  The music led by Bruce Mauro, our Music Director continued this theme as we listened to a beautiful meditation song, Matt Maher's Lord, I Need You. I invite you to take a moment to play the song (below) because it is a powerful and prayerful way to invite Jesus, Our Savior into our moments of suffering and weakness.

Relay for Life helps communities to remember loved ones lost, honor survivors of all cancers, and raise money to help the American Cancer Society make a global impact on cancer. On May 19-20, Nutley held its 11th Relay for Life. 70 teams participated in this annual event, which this year raised over $73,000!   You can find out more information by checking out their page Nutley Relay for Life

It is especially fitting that it takes place in May because May 1 is the feast day of St. Peregrine, who is the patron saint for persons suffering from cancer.  

Most of us know someone who has been affected by cancer, as we stand together as a parish family let us offer our prayers to St. Peregrine that he may intercede for us to God for healing, courage and hope.


Prayer to St. Peregrine

St. Peregrine, whom Holy Mother Church has declared Patron of those suffering from Cancer, I confidently turn to you for help in my present sickness. I beg your kind intercession. Ask God to relieve me of this sickness, if it be his Holy Will. Plead with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Sorrows, whom you loved so tenderly and in union with whom you have suffered the pains of Cancer, that she may help me with her powerful prayers and loving consolation.

But if it should be God’s Holy Will that I bear this sickness, obtain for me courage and strength to accept these trails from the loving hand of God with patience and resignation, because he knows what is best for the salvation of my soul. St. Peregrine, be my friend and patron. Help me to imitate you in accepting suffering, and to unite myself with Jesus Crucified and the Mother of Sorrows, as you did. I offer my pains to God with all the love of my heart, for his glory and the salvation of souls, especially my own. Amen.

First Holy Communion

For the past three weekends we have had the joy of sharing in the celebration of 81 of our boys and girls coming to the table of the Lord's Supper for the first time.  We hope that this is a day that helps them begin their spiritual journey in an even more personal way.  Each time that we receive the Eucharist, Jesus gives us His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity to nourish us on our journey of life.  This spiritual food gives us the power to love.

Today in the Gospel of John, we hear Jesus tell his disciples that He is going to send them an Advocate to be with them. This Holy Spirit that Jesus promises is given to each of us so that we can follow Jesus’ command to love one another. Loving people sounds easy, but can be challenging to actually do. We are called to love those that hurt us or are indifferent to us. We are called to love even when it is not convenient or profitable to us. We are called to love and live out God's love each day.  That is tough stuff!!! Jesus never promises that it will be easy, but He does promise that He is there with us through it all.  He gives us not just a promise, but also the sustenance, His own Body and Blood to go through the twists and turns in life.  God also gives us the Holy Spirit to direct us and to give us the graces and gifts that we need to love as He loves us.

As we watch these young people, filled with joy and excitement for their First Holy Communion, we welcome them to the table of the Lord’s Supper.  They have heard the voice of Jesus calling them to this table so that His Body and Blood can nourish them. Let us continue to pray for them that they may always follow Jesus’ example of love.

The WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE

Here at St. Mary's, we have so many wonderful reasons to be joyful as we celebrate the reception of First Holy Communion with 82 of our young people. For these three weekends in May, we will share in the celebration of these boys and girls coming to the table of the Lord's Supper for the first time to receive Jesus' Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.  

Today in the Gospel of John, we hear Jesus tell his disciples that He is going to prepare a place for them. Thomas asks Jesus:

"Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?"
Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life.

Many times in our lives, we may be lost or unsure of what is best for us.  Sometimes, we put a lot of effort and time into things that drain the joy and love from our lives.  Jesus reminds each of us in this Gospel that:

He is the Way, when we are lost, 

He is the Truth, when we are unsure of what is right,

He is the Life, the joy and peace that God has for each of us.

Jesus never promises that it will be easy, but He does promise that He is there with us through it all.  He gives us not just a promise, but also the food for this journey, His own Body and Blood to go through the twists and turns in life.

As we watch these young people, filled with joy and excitement for their First Holy Communion, we welcome them to the table of the Lord’s Supper.  They have heard the voice of Jesus, the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE calling them to this table so that they can be nourished by His Body and Blood. Let us pray for them and their families, that they may always follow Jesus.