Virtual Retreat for Those Grieving the Loss of a Child: The Cross of Motherhood
Father Jim will be presenting a virtual retreat on Thursday evening, February 27th, at 7:30 PM, in conjunction with Red Bird Ministries, to assist families who may have lost a child in the womb, or early in life. Preregistration for this Virtual Retreat can be done by going to www.RedBird.love if this may be of help to you. The program is expected to last approximately 60-90 minutes.
Daily Rosary
We welcome all to join us after each 9:00 AM Daily Mass to pray the rosary. We especially need prayer during these troubling times!
Pray the Miraculous Medal Novena with us following the 9:00 AM Mass in the Main Church from Friday, November 29th through Sunday, December 8th (Excluding Sunday, December 1st).
We will continue this devotion every Monday throughout the year following Morning Mass. Please join us in praying this powerful Novena. You may find the Novena prayer as well as further information about the Miraculous Medal by visiting the Miraculous Medal Shrine website: click here for the website.
Easter! We move from the “Hosanna” of Palm Sunday through the “Crucify Him” shouts of Good Friday to the “Alleluia” of that first Easter. Our Gospel this morning begins with Mary of Magdala going, early on Sunday morning, to the tomb of Jesus.
Her reason for going was not the Resurrection; she went to complete the burial rites for her friend, Jesus of Nazareth, because they had to hurry and place Him in a borrowed tomb before sundown on the Passover Sabbath. Her friend, crucified on the cross at Calvary, deserved the completion of the Jewish burial rites. Peter did not go, because that was “… women’s work…” to care for the dead. Peter followed later, after Mary came back to the Upper Room and announced that someone had taken the body of their Lord.
And history changed forever.
We have “A.D.” and “B.C.” (or BCE) because of Jesus’ Resurrection; we have the separation between the Old Testament and the New Testament. We have the immensity of change in our outlook, understanding and relationship with God, because in the Resurrection, the human race now truly began to realize the presence of God in the world, not just in Heaven; this kindly, caring, loving, forgiving carpenter from Nazareth was so much more than a man; Jesus and God are One.
Centuries of intellectual wrestling would follow as Christian leaders and faithful tried to put into words what it means that God chose to enter into our human life, into human history, to model for us the tenderness of God, and to show us with His very life what the commandment to “Love God and love one another” really means.
It means to set aside my priorities for the will of God. That means I must spend time to ask not what I need to do to build a career, or to be a good father, mother or spouse, but to ask of God: “What do you want of me, Lord?”
In the weeks ahead of our Easter Season, we will hear Jesus ask Peter, three times, “Do you love me?” I hope that every one of us would answer that question from our hearts with an emphatic “Yes!!”
And then, as He did with Peter, Jesus will instruct us to do something for Him in the world today. Ask Jesus to illuminate our hearts so that we know what He asks of us, and may the Holy Spirit bestow the grace of courage so we may respond “Yes” to that invitation to be Christ in the world today.
- Father Jim
To learn more about the 2025 Annual Catholic Appeal and to donate online, please click here.
Hospice Care Information
Faith at Home
These links provides you with the latest one-page resource for families, Faith At Home; it connects to the theme of the upcoming Sunday Liturgy. This resource is updated each week and can be found on the diocesan webpage at www.dioceseoftrenton.org/faith-at-home and en Español at www.dioceseoftrenton.org/fe-en-casa.
May God continue to bless us and keep us close to Him.
Please support the Society of St. Vincent de Paul so that together we can help local families in need. Those needing help should call the SVDP helpline at 856-291-7313.
Local food pantries include:
St. Matthew's Church, 318 Chester Ave.
First Baptist Church, 19 West Main St., Moorestown
Bethel AME, 512 N. Church St., Moorestown
Prince of Peace 61 E Rte 70, Marlton, NJ 08053
SVDP also has Thinking of You cards available. A gift can be given to the poor in the name of someone special at your
request. You will be remembered in the prayers and works of the Moorestown Vincentians. We are so very grateful for your
generous ongoing donations.
Our Promise to Protect
The Diocese of Trenton is committed to the initiatives outlined in the U.S. Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in regard to the reporting and investigation of sexual abuse allegations involving minors. The Diocese has in place a Victim’s Assistance Coordinator, who is available to obtain support for your needs and help you make a formal complaint of abuse.
If you have been sexually abused as a minor by a member of the clergy or anyone representing the Catholic Church, or if you know someone who was, you can report that abuse through the diocesan Abuse Hotline: 1-888-296-2965 or via email at abuseline@dioceseoftrenton.org.
The Diocese encourages anyone with an allegation to also report that abuse to their local law enforcement agency. The Diocese reports all allegations received to the appropriate county prosecutor’s office.
ONLINE GIVING OPTIONS
please click on the corresponding hyperlinks below
