The Thursday evening faith formation class will resume on February 18th and will meet every Thursday evening during Lent in Hayes Hall from 7 to 8:30. Father Zig will announce the topic for the program within the next week.

Saint Cecilia’s continues to support the ROCKAWAY FOOD CLOSET which is an ecumenical food pantry serving our community located at the First Presbyterian Church, our neighbors across the street. Your donation of food may be brought to Hayes Hall when you come to church. Your generosity is a blessing to those who are unable to adequately feed their families. May God bless you.

The annual blessing of the throat in commemoration of the Feast of Saint Blasé, Bishop and Martyr, will take place at the Masses on February 6 and 7. Due to the pandemic the faithful will not receive an individual blessing but rather a “community blessing” this year.

A Holy Hour for Life will take place on January 22nd at St. Mary's in Denville from 12:30 - 1:30, following the noon Mass.

The 11 o’clock Mass on Friday morning, January 1st will be live-streamed and can be viewed by going to our parish website. On New Year’s Day we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The 12:15 p.m. Sunday Mass at our parish cemetery has been very popular with an average attendance at 150 people. The weather has gotten colder but parishioners are still attending. One parishioner told me, “Father, if we can sit outside in a stadium to watch a football game- we can sit at the cemetery for the Holy Mass which lasts 3o minutes!” THEREFORE, I will try to continue the 12:15 Sunday Mass at the cemetery IF …there is no snow on the ground AND IF the temperature is not below freezing! I know that many parishioners appreciate being outdoors and I will try to do all that I can to make this happen, God willing! FLOCKNOTE is the communication I will use to inform you of the Sunday Mass at the cemetery! SIGN UP FOR FLOCKNOTE by going to the parish website for a text or email, it’s easy! Of course, the 12:15 Mass will be celebrated in the church when not at the cemetery. - Father Zig

Holy Mass on Christmas Eve at 7:00 pm will be lived streamed as well as the 10:45 a.m. Mass on Christmas Day. Please go to the Saint Cecilia website for access.

Bishop Sweeney is inviting you to attend this year’s diocesan Christmas concert on Friday, December 18th at 7 p.m. This year’s concert will be live-streamed by visiting: www.patersondiocese.org.

Due to Covid 19 restrictions this year’s Advent Tree project will take on a different format. You are asked to participate and help those who come to the Father English Community Center, run by Catholic Charities, for assistance. Please check the needed items and bring them UNWRAPPED to the designated areas in the church (or bring them to the parish office) prior to December 20th. May the Lord bless your generous Christmas spirit!

“Advent with Mary: Virgin and Mother” is the title of this year’s Advent retreat which will take place on Saturday, December 5th. The morning retreat will be presented by Sister Diane, Sister John Paul and Sister Paulina. This year’s retreat will be virtual with participants viewing the retreat on our parish website from 9 to 11 a.m. Retreatants are invited to attend the 8 o’clock morning Mass in church and then return home for the retreat program on line. The Sisters have prepared a wonderful morning of prayer, presentations, videos and in-house discussions which will ready you for the holy season of Advent and beyond.

The Knights of Columbus, Council 3359, will conduct a food drive to benefit Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Paterson on Sundays, December 6th and 13th, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. The Knights will accept the donations at the table located outside of the church. The food pantries of Catholic Charities are in desperate need of our help. May God bless you for your generosity and kindness.

Join us for the 6:30 morning Mass, Monday through Friday, for the “Rorate” Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This traditional Mass during the Advent season is celebrated in the early morning before the sun rises recalling the Blessed Virgin Mary’s role in our salvation.

Oplatek, Christmas wafers used for the traditional Christmas Eve Supper, are available at the altar of Saint Joseph. Your offering will be appreciated and can be placed in the basket located near the oplatek.

The sacrament of penance will be celebrated in the church on Saturday morning, December 12 and 19, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Our priests will be available for confessions at this time in addition to the afternoon schedule beginning at 3:30. Let us prepare our souls for the coming of Our Lord at the Christmas celebration.

Next Sunday, November 22nd, the 12:15 p.m. Mass will be live-stream AND NOT THE 10:45 A.M. MASS AS NORMAL. This change will allow more parishioners to view the Mass which will be celebrated by Bishop Kevin Sweeney. This will be our new Bishop’s first visit to Saint Cecilia’s. The live-stream of the 10:45 a.m. Mass will resume the following Sunday, November 29th.

Next Sunday, November 22nd is the feast of our patroness, Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr. Next Sunday is also the Solemnity of Christ the King which takes prominence over our patronal feast. However, we will pay tribute to Saint Cecilia with an instrumental presentation which will take place in the church prior to the Mass beginning at 11:45 a.m. come early to hear the beautiful sounds which will be raised for the glory of God and in honor of Cecilia. (Saint Cecilia is the patroness of church music.) At the conclusion of Mass Bishop Sweeney will bless us with the relic of Saint Cecilia.

Holy Mass on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26th, will be celebrated in the church at 9 o’clock in the morning (if warranted, Mass will also be celebrated in Hayes Hall at the same time). The 6:30 and 8 o’clock Masses will not be celebrated on Thanksgiving. ALSO, THE 6:30 AM MASS WILL NOT BE CELEBRATED ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH! Only one Mass that day at 8 a.m.!!

“Advent with Mary: Virgin and Mother” is the title of this year’s Advent retreat which will take place on Saturday, December 5th. The morning retreat will be presented by Sister Diane, Sister John Paul and Sister Paulina. This year’s retreat will be virtual with participants viewing the retreat on our parish website from 9 to 11 a.m. Retreatants are invited to attend the 8 o’clock morning Mass in church and then return home for the retreat program on line. The Sisters have prepared a wonderful morning of prayer, presentations, videos and in-house discussions which will ready you for the holy season of Advent and beyond.

Due to the weather, Faith Formation class scheduled for Thursday evening, October 29th, has been cancelled.

The live-streaming of the 10:45 a.m. Sunday Mass has resumed. I apologize for any inconvenience to our viewers at home. – Father Zig