The month of June is dedicated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The litany to the Sacred Heart will be prayed at the conclusion of the 8 o’clock morning Mass Monday through Friday. “Most Sacred Heart of Jesus-Have Mercy on Us.”

COME TO THE PICNIC – Our parish and Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish will hold our annual parish picnic on Sunday, June 4th. The event begins immediately following the 12:15 p.m. Mass (at 1:15 pm) in Hayes Hall, as well as outside. Food and beverages will be sold very inexpensively; music and children’s activities will also highlight this fun-filled event. Come and enjoy some good Christian fellowship. The event will conclude at 3:30 p.m.

The Solemnity of Our Lord’s Holy Body and Blood, commonly called CORPUS CHRISTI will be celebrated on Sunday, June 11th. Our parish choir will present festal musical selections at the 12:15 p.m. Mass. The traditional Corpus Christi procession will take place at 2 o’clock at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church on East Main Street. This is a Sacred Heart AND SAINT CECILIA event to which all are invited to participate. In this year of Eucharistic Revival in our country, let us locally celebrate our faith in the Lord Jesus present body, soul and divinity in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

The Diocesan Vocations Office is hosting the annual “Quo Vadis Retreat” on Thursday, June 29th. This one day gathering of high school age young men will take place at Camp Shiloh in Hewitt. The day begins at 9 am and concludes at 8 pm. Bishop Kevin Sweeney will be in attendance. Food is provided by the members of the Knights of Columbus. Please talk with Father Zig or Father Matt for additional information or go to the website: PatersonVocations.org.

Holy Mass on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29th, will be celebrated at the parish cemetery at 9 o’clock in the morning. (The 6:30 and 8 o’clock morning Mass will not take place on Memorial Day.) Please bring a lawn chair for the outdoor Mass. In the event of inclement weather the Mass will take place in the church.

Rockaway Township will commemorate the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 4th with a prayer service beginning at 12 Noon at the Peterson Field flagpole (Fleetwood Drive). Father Zig and Father Matt plan to attend, hope you will too!

You are invited to pray before the official statue of Our lady of Fatima which comes from the shrine in Portugal. She will be visiting Saint Mary Church (GPS address: 371 South Main Street, Wharton) from May 10-14. There will be daily Mass, Rosary and opportunity for silent prayer and reflection. The highlight will be a Mass to be celebrated by Bishop Kevin Sweeney on May 13th at 5:30 p.m. Please see www.stmarysdover.org for other details.

Next Sunday, April 30th, the 5TH SUNDAY OF THE MONTH ROSARY will take place at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church on East Main Street beginning at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. All are welcome to pray the Rosary along with the Divine Mercy Chaplet. This event is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, Council 3359.

SAVE THE DATES – Mom and dad please save these dates to enroll your children in this year’s summer Bible Camp which will take place Tuesday, July 11th – Saturday, July 15th. The program is for children ages 4-10. Registration and additional information may be found on the parish website. You may call the parish office to speak with our faith formation director, Jim Clancy for details.

The parish mission has been rescheduled to Monday and Tuesday, May 22 and 23. Bishop Emeritus Arthur Serratelli will serve as the speaker at the evening service which will begin at 7 o’clock. Plan to join us for this time of spiritual renewal.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) will be held  on Mondays: February 27-March 27, from 7:00 pm -8:30 pm in every parish in the Diocese of Paterson. This is a wonderful opportunity to come to Confession as a family or to invite a friend who you know has not had the opportunity to go to Confession in some time.  Don’t be afraid!  Information will be provided.  Ask the priest to help you. Experience the gracious mercy of God!  www.WelcomeHomeToHealing.org

Every Friday evening during Lent Stations of the Cross are prayed in the church at 7 o’clock beginning on Friday, February 24th. Please join us on the prayerful journey to Calvary where Jesus gave His life for our salvation.

The Holy Season of Lent begins on Wednesday, February 22nd. Holy Masses on this day will be celebrated in the morning at 6:30 and 8 o’clock. The evening Mass will be celebrated at 7 o’clock. Ashes will be distributed at all Masses including the Liturgy of the Word service which will take place in the afternoon at 4:30. Let’s begin the holy season in church!

You are invited to participate in the 5 week “Lenten Challenge” which will take place on the Thursdays of March ( 2,9,16,23,30). We begin at 6:30 pm SHARP with soup and bread; followed by one of a 5 part video “No Greater Love”; followed by discussion and concluding with Night Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. We will conclude by 8:15 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Make this Lent a holy experience, join us for fellowship and prayer!

A Lenten parish mission will take place over two nights, Monday and Tuesday, March 13 and 14th. The speaker will be Bishop Emeritus Arthur Serratelli. The service will begin each night at 7 o’clock. Join us for the Bishop’s powerful message which is sure to inspire us during the holy season.

The Novena to Saint Monica will be prayed at the conclusion of the 8 o’clock Mass on Saturday, January 28th. Join us as we pray especially for those who have left the Church or who are suffering from an addition.

FIFTH SUNDAY ROSARY – The 5th Sunday of the month Rosary will be prayed on Sunday, January 29th in Sacred Heart of Jesus Church on East Main Street beginning at 3 o’clock. In addition to the Holy Rosary the Divine Mercy Chaplet will also be prayed. This event is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, Council 3359. All are welcome to join in prayer!

The blessing of the throat in commemoration of the feast of Saint Blasé, Bishop and Martyr will take place on his feast day, Friday, February 3rd and at all Masses for the weekend of February 4-5. HOLY MARTYR BLASÉ-PRAY FOR US.

The annual Rockaway March for Life will take place on Saturday, January 21st. We begin with the 8 o’clock Morning Mass followed by a brief program in Hayes Hall. The March around Park Lake begins about 9:30 with the praying of the Holy Rosary for the defense of human life from conception to natural death. Join us in this witness to the sanctity of human life in Rockaway!

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the patronal feast for the Church in the United States and is observed on December 8th. The Vigil Mass for this feast will be celebrated on Wednesday, December 7th at 4:30 pm. Holy Masses on Thursday, December 8th will be celebrated at 6:30 and 8 o’clock in the morning and at 7 o’clock in the evening. The parish office is closed for the feast. Divine Mercy Academy is also closed for the feast.