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8/1/2021 Father Owen's Bulletin Message
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Dear Parishioners,
I arrived back from my trip to Alaska very late on Friday night. I look forward to telling you about all these wonderful places in the weeks to come. Fr. Hubert and I extend a very warm welcome to Brother Tom, our mission appeal presenter for this year. Fr. Tom is staying with us at the rectory and will speak at all the masses. We look forward to hearing about the joys and challenges that his Order of St. John of God face on a daily basis.
I am thrilled to formally announce the co-leaders for the St. Luke/St. Lawrence Antioch retreat next month and we look forward to hosting the retreat on September 24-26th. We have chosen Matthew Ashburn and Alyssia Malanga to lead our Antioch into an amazing retreat experience. Matt and Alyssia are regular ushers, readers and extraordinary ministers at our Sunday 6 pm Mass and exemplify strong Catholic values and devotion to living their faith. It is very important to me that these two strong Catholics can now encourage their younger peers to know and love God as they do in their daily lives through deep devotion, the sacraments, weekly mass and active participation in church life in a tangible way. Our team and I have also chosen our young leadership junior leaders. My expectation this year is that each of our leaders who is indeed a junior shepherd will encourage our young candidates to emulate them in their relationship with Christ and in seeking that relationship every week, at the St. Luke 6 pm mass or the St. Lawrence 6 pm mass.
As I mentioned previously, Fr. Marchin and I on behalf of the Catholic parishes of Long Valley have restructured our outreach to the Catholic seniors living in Heath Village. We have begun monthly masses on the first Monday of the month in the new care facility. Three Sundays a month, Deacon Ray, Rich G. Jeanne H., Marie P., and Eileen will preside at a Communion Service. They will be assisted by several extraordinarily ministers and will be able to bring the Blessed Sacrament to the seniors, many of whom feel isolated and lonely. Thankfully, we have a large group of volunteers which means that our extra-ordinary ministers would be able to spend a little quality time with each resident, befriending them in the name of Christ. A big thanks to our new parishioner, Rick Gebbia who is coordinating this ministry. We look forward to having our 7:30 am music minister, Rich Ortiz play and sing for the residents as often as possible. Fr. Lance, a retired priest from Nazareth Village with another team of Bill and Ed as assistants are providing mass on a weekly basis for the more mobile residents in the old Heath Village facility. If anybody who has a family member or friend in any local care facility and indeed, in the areas of Washington Township, Tewksbury or Califon and would like to have a priestly visit, please contact me directly.
As August begins, try to take time to enjoy the weeks ahead.
Fr. Owen