Church of the Sacred Heart, New Brunswick, NJ

ROMAN MISSAL UPDATE - PART 2

2011-07-21T11:08:00.001-04:00

Preparing for Changes Following up on last week’s article, the second possibly confusing change in the Roman Missal concerns the priest’s repetition of Christ’s own words at consecration of the chalice. In the phrase “this is the cup of my blood… which will be shed for you and for all,´ the last word will be changed from “all” to “many” (in accord with the Latin term multis). When Pope Benedict

Feast Day of Blessed Kateri Tekawitha

2011-07-14T11:07:00.001-04:00

"Kateri was a child of nature. Her sainthood will raise the minds and hearts of those who love nature and work in ecology." Bishop Stanislaus Brzana, Bishop of Ogdensburg, N.Y. Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680), also known as Blessed Catherine Tekakwitha, is honored by the Catholic Church as the patroness of ecology, nature, and the environment. Tekakwitha's baptismal name is Catherine,

Roman Missal Update

2011-07-12T19:19:00.002-04:00

In mid-August, we will begin to prepare for the changes that will take place at Mass in the new translation of the Roman Missal. The “official” date of transition will be Sunday, November 27, 2011 – the first Sunday of Advent. The majority of the changes will affect the priest. However, several changes will be for the people. “And with your spirit” The first change concerns our response to

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

2011-06-21T09:19:00.000-04:00

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga was born Luigi Gonzaga on March 9, 1568 (Castiglione delle Stiviere, Italy) and died June 21, 1591 (Rome) at the age of 23. He is the Patron of youth; students; Jesuit novices; AIDS patients; AIDS caregivers; sufferers of pestilence. He was beatified on October 19, 1605, by Pope Paul V and canonized on December 31, 1726, by Pope Benedict XIII.

Saint Anthony of Padua

2011-06-13T11:26:00.003-04:00

Saint Anthony was born in Lisbon, Portugal in 1195. Although associated in devotional prayer with the finding of lost objects, Saint Anthony was in fact an extremely gifted preacher and teacher of God’s word. He did seek out those lost in unbelief and denial and brought them back to the fold of faith by the power of the word he preached. Saint Anthony of Padua or Anthony of Lisbon, O.F.M., (

PENTECOST SUNDAY

2011-06-12T09:03:00.001-04:00

Today, Pentecost Sunday, marks the end of the Easter season and celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary. By the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Christ’s paschal mystery was brought to its completion. The Holy Spirit prepares us with his grace in order to draw us to Christ. Luke gives us a dramatic picture of the event:

Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter

2011-06-11T10:10:00.002-04:00

SAINT BARNABAS On this Eve of Pentecost, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Barnabas. He was a just and faithful servant to whom the success of the Gospel was far more important than his own. He willingly sought and sponsored Saint Paul without any thought of seeking a competitive edge. Humility in God’s service brings its own success. Born in Cyprus, Barnabas is numbered among the first

Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

2011-06-10T17:25:00.000-04:00

Acts 25:13-21 　 "Do not forget all the gifts of God." (Psalm 103:2) Since Easter Monday, the Mass readings have been following the story of the early church as it unfolds in the Acts of the Apostles. We have gone from Pentecost to Paul’s imprisonment. We have seen Peter’s role in his mission to the Gentiles. We have followed the initial growth of the church in Jerusalem and watched it extend to

Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter

2011-06-09T12:53:00.003-04:00

Three days short of Pentecost Sunday, today, June 9th, we celebrate the memory of St. Ephrem. Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven. ~ Saint Ephrem Saint Ephrem was born of a Christian family in Nisibis around the year 306. Ordained a

Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter

2011-06-08T14:26:00.007-04:00

Acts 20:28-38 “We must help the weak.” (Acts 20:35) As we continue to wind down to the end of the Easter Season, today’s reading gives us a final farewell from St. Paul. He had not only founded the church at Ephesus but lived among the believers for three years. During that time, “God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul.” As a result, “the word of the Lord grew and prevailed mightily

Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter

2011-06-07T10:31:00.003-04:00

Acts 20:17-27 “But now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem.” (Acts 20:22) Every Sunday at Mass we affirm our belief in the Holy Spirit when we pray the Creed: “We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets.” Such powerful words—and so

Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter

2011-06-06T12:55:00.003-04:00

Acts of the Apostles (19:6) "When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them." We are only days away now from Pentecost. It is time to shift our focus and pay attention to the words of Scripture in Acts while keeping an eye on the way the Holy Spirit worked powerfully in the apostles in all they said and did. In today’s reading, when Paul encountered believers in Ephesus who

The Seventh Sunday of Easter

2011-06-05T09:39:00.003-04:00

John 17:1-11a "I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began." There is one week until Pentecost Sunday and it is after the Ascension. The remaining apostles "have kept the Father’s word;" "they have believed that the Father sent Jesus." They witness to God’s glory by

Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter

2011-06-04T07:46:00.000-04:00

"Ask and you will receive." (John 16:24) At the Last Supper, Jesus promised his disciples that he would give them the Holy Spirit. But how would they—and how would we—know the love and help that the Spirit has come to give? Jesus’ answer is simple: Ask! So what will we receive if we ask for the Spirit? First, and most important, we will receive revelation. One of the Spirit’s most vital

Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter

2011-06-03T16:13:00.000-04:00

Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions - Memorial Owing to religious hatred, many faithful Christians were killed in Uganda by King Mwanga during the yeas 1885 to 1887. Some of them had enjoyed the good graces of the king at his court, and some were even related to him. Among the, Charles Lwanga and his twenty-one companions, adhering steadfastly to the Catholic faith, were put to death, some by

Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter

2011-06-02T09:27:00.003-04:00

THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD "You will see me." (John 16:16) What a promise! Jesus was going away, but he promised that he would come back, and the apostles would see him once more. These words brought them a great measure of comfort. And yes, they did see Jesus again—on Easter Sunday, when he appeared to them in the upper room. But the "seeing" Jesus was speaking of here meant more than just

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

2011-06-01T09:43:00.000-04:00

Saint Justin Memorial Saint Justin, philosopher and martyr, was born of pagan parents in Flavia Neapolis in Samaria at the beginning of the second century. Following his conversion to faith, he wrote many works in defense of religion, of which we have only two: The Apology and the Dialogue with Trypho. He also opened a school in Rome in which public debates were held. Justin was martyred

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

2011-05-31T11:53:00.001-04:00

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Unlike a visit that we may make to a friend or a loved one, a visitation is different owing to the purpose intended. A visitation aims to accomplish something. Specifically, it is an encounter that carries within it a meaning that is exceptional. In the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that meaning is not a message, but rather the

Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter

2011-05-30T11:16:00.001-04:00

John 15:26-16: 4a Jesus promises that when he sends "the Spirit of Truth," the Spirit "will testify to me." The Spirit does not come to bring us something different from what Christ brought us, but rather to help us make Christ ours - to make it possible for everything that we have encountered in Jesus to become more and more our own. Let us invite the Spirit to open our hearts so that we can

The Sixth Sunday of Easter

2011-05-29T20:47:00.000-04:00

Acts of the Apostles 8:5-8, 14-17 When Philip "proclaimed the Christ" to the crowds, "with one accord" they "paid attention to what was said." Their full acceptance of the word of God provoked Peter and John to go to them and lay hands on them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. This fulfills what Jesus promised us the night before he died: "The Father will give you the Spirit of

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter

2011-05-29T20:41:00.000-04:00

Acts of the Apostles 16:1-10 "Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number."This was due in large part to Paul and Timothy's attentive docility and obedience to the Holy Spirit. They had been "chosen out of the world" by Jesus. When we act out of that belonging, conscio that we do not "belong to the world," we change the world.

Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter

2011-05-29T20:37:00.001-04:00

Saint Augustine of Canterbury Saint Augustine was sent in 597 from Saint Andrew's monastery in Rome by Saint Gregory to Great to preach the Gospel in England. He was aided there by King Ethelbert andchosen bishop of Canterbury. He converted many to the faith and established many dioceses, especially in the kingdom of Kent. He died on May 26, about the year 605.

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter

2011-05-29T20:32:00.000-04:00

Saint Philip Neri Saint Philip Neri was born in Florence in 1515. He went to Rome and began to work with young men among whom he fostered Christian life and formed an association for the poor and the sick. Ordained to the priesthood in 1551, he founded the Oratory where spiritual reading, singing, and works of charity were practiced. He excelled in his love of neighbor and in evangelical

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

2011-05-29T20:09:00.000-04:00

Saint Bede The Venerable Saint Bede was born in the neighborhood of the Wearmouth monastery in 673. He was trained by Saint Benedict Biscop and later entered the monastery. Ordained to the priesthood, he spent his ministry teaching and writing. Saint Bede wrote theological and historical works in the patristic tradition and explained sacred Scripture. He died in 735.

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

2011-05-24T17:43:00.002-04:00

John 14:27-31a "Do not let your hearts be troubled…” Today’s Gospel, which is often heard read at funerals is one that gives us hope and comfort. I recently attended a funeral and after every reference to Jesus' promises, the homilist repeated Jesus’ words - “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Right there in the midst of grief and loss, just hearing his words silenced the sobs around me. As

Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter

2011-05-23T13:03:00.001-04:00

John 14:21-26 Jesus said to His disciples: “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Words alone will not be enough. But, where there is real love, Jesus will return that love by coming with his Father to dwell in that person. In this verse of John’s Gospel, it is Jude’s

The Fifth Sunday of Easter

2011-05-22T10:37:00.000-04:00

John 14:1-12 Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9) An old saying tells us that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, meaning that children are likely to take on their parents’ features, philosophies, and behaviors. And though some apples roll far from the parental tree, the likeness can still be quite remarkable. Even so, nothing can compare to the “like Father, like Son”

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter

2011-05-21T15:54:00.001-04:00

Psalm 98:1-4 “Sing a new song to the LORD.” (Psalm 98: 1)Why should we sing? Because singing engages our hearts and emotions as well as our minds, and God cares about our whole person, emotions included. Lucky for us we have a musically talented man who attends our Bible Study sessions and behind the scenes was busy writing songs about us and our studies! On our last night of the current

Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter

2011-05-20T11:03:00.005-04:00

John 14:1-6 I am the way and the truth and the life. "Let not your heart be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter

2011-05-19T14:04:00.002-04:00

Acts 13:13-25 “God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.” (Acts 13:23)Isn’t it amazing that we tend to focus on what’s right in front us, but lose sight of God’s plan for our lives? This is so true when it comes to our own acts of faith. We are so worried about getting to Mass and saying our prayers that we miss their significance or power. Or we can be so intent on

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

2011-05-18T11:35:00.000-04:00

John 12:44-50 “… I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.” John’s Gospel summarizes Jesus’ teachings - that He has come as the light of the world – to dispel darkness, not to judge, but to save it. To live in darkness is to refuse to become drawn into an intimacy with Jesus’ identity and a refusal to engage with the activity of the one has

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

2011-05-17T12:38:00.002-04:00

John 10:22-30 The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area of the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “how long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

2011-05-16T16:51:00.000-04:00

John 10:11-18 "They will hear my voice." (Jn 10:16) In today’s Gospel, Christ tells us that He is the Good Shepherd who gave his life for us. Jesus, the Good Shepherd knows his own, and they know him! He promised "they will hear my voice" He didn’t say maybe they will or I hope they will. He just said "They will." As long as we quiet the busyness and distractions in our lives and give him

Fourth Sunday of Easter

2011-05-15T09:22:00.004-04:00

John 10:1-10 "The sheep hear his voice." (John 10:3) The people who first heard Jesus compare him to a shepherd. They had some background knowledge that we are unfamiliar with. They knew that when shepherds brought their sheep in for the night, they put them into pens with other flocks. They were able to distinguish their sheep from all the others when it was time to go out to pasture again.

Saturday of the Third Week of Easter

2011-05-14T08:34:00.004-04:00

Today is also the feast of Saint Matthias. Because he had been a witness to the resurrection, he was chosen by the other apostles to take the place of Judas. The Acts of the Apostles tells of how he was numbered among the twelve. Acts 1:15-17,20-26 St. Matthias The lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:26) This is exactly what the apostles did in today’s

Friday of the Third Week of Easter

2011-05-13T16:27:00.002-04:00

Acts 9:1-20 "Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, ‘Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way.’" (Acts 9:17) Saul and his friends never got tired of telling the story of his conversion. Barnabas uses it to explain why the Christians no longer need to fear this man (Acts 9:26-29). Paul tells it to those who want to arrest him (22

Friday of the Third Week of Easter

2011-05-13T16:04:00.002-04:00

Today is the anniversary of the Blessed Mother's first appearance at Fatima, Portugal. Let us remember the continued importance of these approved apparitions and the great Miracle of the Sun which was given to us at Fatima.

Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

2011-05-12T11:55:00.000-04:00

John 6:44-51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.” To be nourished and fed by the “Bread of Life,” is to draw Jesus into yourself and to be united with him. The old adage, “You are what you eat,” becomes more true here than in any cafeteria or kitchen in the world.

Wednesday in the Third Week of Easter

2011-05-11T11:02:00.000-04:00

John 6:35-40 “I am the bread of life.” (Jn 6:35) Have you ever wondered what Jesus meant by this? How is he the bread of life for us, and what kind of “life” does he give? “The Fathers of the Church took the example of physical nourishment to explain this mystery. It is the stronger form of life, they said, that assimilates the weaker and not vice versa. The vegetable world assimilates minerals

Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter

2011-05-10T10:23:00.004-04:00

John 6:30-35 “Give us this bread always.” (Jn 6:34) The crowd was excited. Jesus had just used a couple of fish and a few loaves of bread to feed thousands! Now, having eaten their fill, you can almost hear them thinking: “Maybe we could get him to keep on providing for us just as Moses kept giving our ancestors manna. We would never have to worry about food again!” Jesus is well aware that we

Monday of the Third Week of Easter

2011-05-09T10:31:00.001-04:00

"Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life." (John 6:27) Easy to say, but not so easy to do when we get caught up in wanting to possess the latest technology or a new outfit. Isn’t it funny that we are initially happy and excited, but then they soon lose their attraction? Despite what we hear and see in TV ads, our lives are much richer when we invest

The Third Sunday of Easter

2011-05-08T09:45:00.000-04:00

"God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses." (Acts 2:32) The resurrection of Jesus was at the heart of Peter’s message on Pentecost, and it became his mission statement for the rest of his life. Two thousand years later, God still wants the resurrection to be at the heart of our faith. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: "The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of

Saturday of the Second Week of Easter

2011-05-07T13:40:00.000-04:00

"It is I. Do not be afraid." (John 6:20) Just what were these seasoned fishermen afraid of? Surely not a storm on the lake! They had seen that before. No, John tells us that the disciples "began to be afraid" when they saw Jesus walking toward them on the water (John 6:19). It wasn’t until they heard Jesus’ voice that their fears faded. It wasn’t until his words reached them that they could look

Friday of the Second Week of Easter

2011-05-06T18:32:00.004-04:00

John 6:1-15 "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?" (Jn 6:5) In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks Philip what to do in a challenging situation. Philip quickly estimates the size of the crowd and calculates the cost of feeding them. "Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little bit," he exclaims (Jn 6:7). Jesus listens respectfully, hoping the

Thursday of the Second Week of Easter

2011-05-05T08:31:00.000-04:00

John 3:31-36 "The one who comes from above is above all... whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him." Belief is certainty that God has shown himself and has opened up for us the view of truth itself. (Pope Benedict XVI) God has shown himself in the different humanity of Peter and the apostles. Their

Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter

2011-05-04T08:51:00.001-04:00

John 3:16-21 ... the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light because their works were evil ... whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God." We are among those who "prefer the darkness." But if we "live the truth" we find in our heart, we know that our first preference is for everything about this life. Jesus

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter

2011-05-03T09:00:00.001-04:00

Saint Philip Saint James Today, Tuesday of the second week of Easter, is the feast of Saint Philip and Saint James. Philip was born in Bethsaida. He was a disciple of John the Baptist. He became a follower of Christ. James, a cousin of the Lord and the son of Alphaeus, ruled over the Church in Jerusalem. He wrote an epistle and converted many of the Jewish people to the faith. He led an

Monday of the Second Week of Easter

2011-05-02T10:25:00.000-04:00

Tucked in the beginning of this Second Week of Easter is the feast of Saint Anthansius. He was born in 295. He accompanied Bishop Alexander to the Council of Nicea and succeeded him as Bishop of Alexandria. He fought courageously against the Arian heresy. For this he suffered many hardships and was exiled several times. His writings are outstanding in their explanation and defense of the

Second Sunday of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday

2011-05-01T09:53:00.001-04:00

On this Second Sunday of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday 2011, the light of Blessed John Paul II continues to burn in the world; for the former Pope was one who, always with charity and love, repeatedly articulated the message of Christ's mercy in great and penetrating depth. Through his love for Jesus and through his love for Mary whose "fiat" brought Mercy into the world, he will be forever

Saturday in the Octave of Easter

2011-04-30T10:17:00.000-04:00

Acts 4:13-21 Peter and John cannot be silenced by the leaders, elders and scribes in their praise for Jesus, saying "...it is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard."They pay Peter and John the highest tribute that can be given to any Christian: "They recognized them as the companions of Jesus." In your daily interaction with people, do you remain silent when

Friday in the Octave of Easter

2011-04-29T12:08:00.000-04:00

John 21:1-14 John does not tell us why the disciples are back in Galilee, but in fact Jesus had told them to return there, where he would meet them. They seem to have been sitting around, unsure of what to do, until Peter decides to go fishing and the others come along. Peter is taking the lead, but what sort of lead is it? Some see this act as "aimless activity undertaken in desperation" that is

Thursday in the Octave of Easter

2011-04-28T13:11:00.000-04:00

Acts 3:11-26; Luke 24:35-48 When we, like the disciples in today’s Gospel, are troubled, what restores our peace? The humanity of Jesus Christ. The risen Lord says to the distressed disciples, “Look at my hands and my feet… Touch me and see.” To prove that they are not “seeing a ghost,” Jesus takes the piece of baked fish given to him and eats it in front of the disciples. Jesus woos us away

Wednesday in the Octave of Easter

2011-04-27T10:16:00.000-04:00

Luke 24:13-35 Today's Gospel tells the story of Jesus meeting two disciples on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus a few days after his resurrection. Luke indicates that there was a great deal of confusion and sadness concerning the events of Jesus' death and resurrection. Jesus admonishes the two men for their lack of faith and understanding concerning his suffering, death and resurrection. It

Tuesday in the Octave of Easter

2011-04-26T17:23:00.000-04:00

Acts 2:36-41; Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 and 22; John 20:11-18 Mary doesn’t recognize Jesus until he calls her name. Maybe she was crying too hard to recognize him. Or maybe what she saw wasn’t what she was looking for. She thought she knew what that would be – a body wrapped in linen. The remains of her friend Jesus. The one she thought she knew; would always recognize. The familiar one. Maybe

Monday in the Octave of Easter

2011-04-25T14:52:00.000-04:00

Psalm 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 "All the good things I have come from you""So I am thankful and glad and I feel completely secure.""You will show me the path of life and your presence fills me with unending joy." God is the ultimate giver - all the good things in our lives come from Him. We are given these gifts as well as the wisdom to use them to benefit ourselves and others, and to give

Lenten Prayers and Devotions

2011-03-31T10:24:00.004-04:00

Here are ways to boost your spiritual life during Lent: * Begin each morning with the prayer: "Lord, I offer you this day, and all that I think, and do, and say." * Attend Daily Mass as often as possible. * Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. * Make the Stations of the Cross at home or in a parish celebration. * Read Scripture for 10 minutes every day. * Pray the Seven

Black History Month Celebration at Sacred Heart Feb. 19

2011-02-10T11:31:00.000-05:00