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.
In our Gospel parable this weekend, we proclaim this incredible line: “While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.”
Picture in your mind’s eye a wealthy Jewish landowner, used to the finest things in life. His daily life at his estate was surrounded by servants and workers, and when he said “jump” they would ask “how high?” Such wealthy landowners in Jesus’ time simply didn’t “run;” they had people to do that for them.
What the parable tells us buried in these two sentences can be taken as showing the radical love and attention of God for us. While the son was “… still a long way off …” invites us to imagine that every day, probably for most of the day, the father was standing out on the brow of the hill, searching down the road in the direction from where he hoped his son would return. Every day … God is searching for us to turn around and begin our journey to get closer and return to him.
And when we even hint at turning once again toward God, He runs to greet us! God rejoices in us; He clothes is in royal garments as the princes and princesses of the Kingdom of Heaven and places a ring on our finger as a sign that we are part of His family.
As you and I journey through not just the Lenten season, but through this Jubilee Year of Hope, God continuously invites us to radical discipleship. This doesn’t require us to become missionaries in foreign lands, but it should compel us to serve as ambassadors for Christ in our own family, in our workplaces, our community, and to others who we encounter daily.
- Father Jim
P.S. from Rome: As you read this note in the bulletin, I will be leaving Rome this Sunday and continuing on to Assisi, where we will celebrate Mass in the beautiful St. Mary of the Angels Basilica. I look forward to carrying your prayers to the towns where St. Francis of Assisi and St. Catharine of Siena both encouraged the faithful to be Christ to one another!
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
