Enjoy your Summer!!!

Summer has finally arrived!!! Hopefully, you and your family have plans to take time to enjoy God's gift of creation in some way and relax, refresh, and rejuvenate before school begins in September. No matter where you go or what you do, be sure to take time to thank God for the love he shows us through the spectacular sunsets, the powerful ocean, the majestic sea of stars in the night sky, the cool breezes, and the laughter we share with friends and family.

My summer will include some trips to the shore (my favorite place!), spending time with friends, watching baseball and preparing for the new addition to our family. For those of you who haven't seen us at Mass, my wife, Megan and I are expecting our first child in August. Mom to be and baby are both doing well and we are happy and very excited for Baby Armando's arrival. Please keep us all in your prayers.

The staff and I have been planning the up-coming year for Religious Education and are excited about some of the additions and changes that we making.  One new addition this year will be in grades 3-5 where we will be adding videos on the lives of the saints. Hopefully, our students will be inspired by the lives of these holy people and will find their own ways to serve God and his people.

Thank you to everyone who has registered for classes in the fall. So far we have 200 students registered, which is a little less than half way. If you have not yet registered for Religious Education classes, please do so before August 1. This will ensure that everyone is placed on the day and class that they have requested.

Confirmation and 1st Holy Communion Registration packets have been mailed out, please be sure that you have received them and return them as soon as possible.
All registration forms are available by coming into the Parish Center (M-Thursday 9-4pm) or you can download them from the column on the right of this website.

Finally, we are in need of catechists for both Sunday and Tuesday classes in all grade levels.  Do to classroom size and space, our goal is to keep class sizes smaller. This also allows for students to receive more attention from their catechist and makes the experience better for all involved. So if you are looking for a way to give of your time and talents, please contact me or speak to one of our priests after Mass.

Summer Days....

I love summer. There is no getting around it. To me, summertime is the time of year when I have the opportunity to recharge, rejuvenate, and rekindle.  It is a chance for me to spend time with family and friends and God. My summers always included a trip down to Wildwood, NJ. My family and I have been going there since I was a baby and now I am blessed to continue that tradition with my wife and both of our families.  There are always so many new memories made, laughs shared and time spent together that it makes the summer go by too fast. 

The shore is also a place where I really encounter the presence of God. The joy and love that I share with my family and friends is a reminder of the same love God offers me each day.  At the beach, I encounter God in the vastness and power of the ocean and despite all of that, it can provide calmness and peacefulness. Now anyone who has been to the shore in the summer knows that it may be difficult to find quietness at the beach with hundreds of people surrounding you, seagulls on the hunt for food, and the sounds of the boardwalk and other amusements around, but somehow God knows how to speak to me through all of it. In the wonderful colors of the sunrises and sunsets, in the calmness and strength of the ocean, and in the countless stars that can be seen at night, I can hear God's voice in my heart. It is a reminder to me that God, the Creator and our Father is behind it all. All I need to do is "be still and listen."

So while the summer may be fading into a new school year, I am ready for all the excitement that comes with it. I hope you too had the opportunity to recharge, relax, and rejuvenate your soul. I look forward to a new year of deepening our faith and building a relationship with the God who loves us. I hope you enjoy seeing some of my highlights from this summer and I'd love to hear about some of your favorite memories and moments.

Taking part in the Blessing of the Sea 

on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary.

Family dinners at the Crab House.

 

Watching my goddaughter play in the sand. 

Taking in a few games at Yankees Stadium
 during Derek Jeter's final season

Playing golf with my father-in-law and friends.