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Dear Parishioners,
The biggest worry many people have about health care is the cost. For those who have financial means and try to save, it is a concern but not a grave worry. However, for many people who have just gotten by financially, they find either themselves or their parents in a position of difficulty. The county facilities do care for people. They are clean, well run, and efficient and for the most part kind but for anyone, on low income to receive care in a county facility, they absolutely have to have no money left. The concern is people who have a little bit of money but not enough. Hence the Little Sisters of the Poor of Totowa. In their beautiful facility in Totowa, they care for the Aged, the sick and the dying regardless of means. I have known many hard-working individuals, who have been able to find a loving home in which to spend their final years with the Sisters. I know the Sisters care for those living in abject poverty, they sit with them, they pray with them, they care about them and they make sure that they feel loved. The care of the sick and dying is particularly close to my heart. I have been a hospice priest for 31 years and through the grace of God, I have been able to give comfort and closure to many. As the weeks of Lent continue, we will give you more stories of the Corporal Works of Mercy by the Sisters and help you to understand how their sacrificial love benefits so many. As we begin this Lenten season, I ask you the adult to save a little money each week and to see how your Lenten sacrifice can be put to good use. This year, Maureen and I have devised a plan for our children from kindergarten to 10th grade. In order for the sisters to fulfill their mission, they depend on food and non-perishables and we have divided this list of needed items by grade so our children can help but also learn how they too can support the Aged. I encourage our parents as best they can afford and, children age appropriately, to give items of non-perishable foods on the list that the children can pick out themselves. Each week, take a moment to pray about this and feel excited in your sacrifice. For those of you who give through Faith Direct, you can make an additional gift to that or we will have a second collection on Palm Sunday and you can give us a cash or a check payable to St. Luke Parish and on the memo line write “Little Sisters of the Poor of Totowa”.
Last weekend, we placed for your convenience, a flyer in the bulletin which details all of our masses, confession times and prayer experiences for Lent. It is extremely important that every Catholic goes to the sacrament of Confession, and I strongly encourage you individually or as families to figure out whether a Monday, a Saturday, or the parish Penance on March 14th, best suits your schedule. This week, we have included the Stations of the Cross prayers and I encourage families to pray either a station together or more depending on your availability but as a family, with prayer and reflection, understand that Jesus’ pain and suffering frees us from our sins.
Several weeks ago, we began to highlight the staff who benefit your parishioners, Ron and Joe are our volunteer Business Managers and we are so grateful for their help. Jodi Galloway is our bookkeeper, our Diocesan Protecting God’s children coordinator and is responsible for all things financial. In a very astute and loving way, Jodi makes sure that we are cost effective in everything we do, that bills are paid on time and assist me to make sure that we are remaining in the black! Jodi has a quiet, warm, and loving personality, is proactive and a joy to work with. She always pitches in where there is a need. Jodi and her husband, Rich live in town and have three wonderful young adult children. You may recognize her as an usher at the 5 pm Saturday Mass along with Rich. We are blessed to have them both.
This weekend, our young people complete the Antioch at St. Lawrence. Please keep them in prayer. We congratulate our tenth graders who gather this Sunday for the Rite of Covenant. We wish them many blessings as they make their final preparations to receive the sacrament of Confirmation on May 16th.
Fr. Owen