Dear Parishioners, As I mentioned in my homily last week, our Easter season continues until Pentecost, May 23rd. During these weeks of Easter, we continue to celebrate the gift of Resurrection and to try to really appreciate our role of Disciple in the world. I mailed a check to Catholic Charities last Monday for $15,000 on behalf of our Hands of St. Luke ministry. As I had mentioned, this money is earmarked for people in Paterson struggling to pay rent and to keep up with utility costs. I know that this gift from our parish will help to take the burden from many people’s shoulders and help them to realize that we, their Catholic brothers and sisters in Western Morris County care about them. I thank you for your sacrifice which as you know really helps those living on the brink. Part of the lesson, I believe is that while we spend extra time in good deeds during the season of Lent, we also sacrifice to put the focus on helping others rather than ourselves. Well done, St. Luke! During Holy Saturday night, I blessed the new Easter Water. The Easter Water, our Holy Water should be used in our homes as a sacramental to bless ourselves and help keep our homes safe. Kevin and Jackie Cronin donated the beautiful Holy Water receptacle in loving memory of George and Beatrice Cronin. A big thank you to Kevin and Jackie! Please fill one of the empty water bottles in the basket with Easter Water. Our second graders made their First Reconciliation on Saturday, the 17th and this Saturday, the 24th. Maureen and I are very proud of our 45 children. It was good to see their happy little faces as they left the church feeling the gift of God’s graces within them. A big thank you to Fr. Hubert, Fr. Alex and Fr. Maciek for helping and for being available to hear the confessions of the parents. Congratulations, boys and girls! We are very proud of you. On Sunday, I baptized A.J. Acuria, and he made his First Confession. He is wonderful; a member of our parish and attends Reverend Brown school in Sparta. Maureen and I will have a date for A.J.’s First Holy Communion very soon. Our young people are living the Antioch Retreat this weekend at our host parish of St. Lawrence, Chester. The retreat began on Friday, the 23rd and concludes with late afternoon mass on Sunday, the 25th. We keep our Antiochers in prayer and feel a sense of pride as our Antioch Team ministers to their younger peers. Congratulations on Liam O’Shea who achieved his Eagle Scout Award this past weekend. I am so proud of this wonderful young man who comes from a strong Irish Catholic family. It has been great during pandemic times to be able to have some of our Special Needs parishioners attend the 11:30 am mass on the first Sunday of the month. This Monday, April 26th, we are delighted to be able to offer the gym to these special friends and hope and pray that as more of us are vaccinated, our Special Needs Ministry will resume physically. Losing a family member to death is the most difficult part of life but sadly affects each of us throughout our life. I will begin a new Bereavement session on Monday, May 3rd at 7 pm in the parish offices. I invite anyone who is bereaved or know someone who is bereaved to please email the office so we can know how many to expect. After the long dreary winter, it is wonderful to be able to see the Spring flowers giving us a sense of new life. The buds on the trees remind us that summer is coming. What a beautiful time to live in the valley! Fr. Owen