Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

My Dear Parishioners,
 
Today is the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time as we gather to celebrate the Lord’s Day. The Scriptural texts for this week speak to us about sin and the terrible effect which it has on our lives. Sin not only disrupts our relationship with one another but also with God. But the Lord does not want us to remain estranged from Him and from one another. He continually calls us back to Him so that we might live in peace with Him and one another. So many times we sinners are so proud, we refuse to come before the Lord and ask for pardon and would much rather brood in our evil ways. To remain in this condition is to remain in darkness and the shadows of death.
 
“LORD, FORGIVE THE WRONG I HAVE DONE,” is the Responsorial Psalm we sing this day when we become contrite, no longer stubborn but open to the mercy of God. In our sins we only see the sins of others and consider our own as insignificant. In reality our own sins outweigh those of others. We see this so evidently in the Gospel passage for today in which the self righteous look down on the sinful woman. Today we are once again reminded: STOP JUDGING OTHERS! – YOU ARE THE SINNER WHO NEEDS TO SEEK THE LORD’S MERCY!! We are once again reminded about the wonder and beauty of the sacrament of penance in which the Lord forgives our sins.
 
The authority the Lord Jesus bestowed upon His Apostles to forgive sins is present among us today in the ministry of the bishop and the priest. Through sacramental confession we experience the mercy of God in the remission of our sins. The presence of the ordained ministry in the Church is one in which we have to continually pray for and support. Next Sunday, Fathers Day, Bishop Serratelli as asked all of us to participate in the annual seminarian appeal which benefits the young men who will one day become our priests in the Diocese of Paterson. As your pastor, I ask that you be generous and I am sure you will be because our new seminarian MATEUSZ  DARLAK will be giving a brief talk regarding this appeal.
 
A little bit about Seminarian Mateusz, he is originally from Poland. He is a student at Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut. He will begin his 3 ^rd  year of theology in September and his expected date for ordination is in 2017. Bishop Serratelli has assigned Mateusz to our Rockaway parishes for the summer. Saint Cecilia will also serve as his HOME PARISH where he will come when school is not in session, such as holidays and breaks. I WELCOME Mateusz and I know that he will love you, the people of Saint Cecilia Parish and Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish!
 
Please join us for the final HOLY HOUR on Monday evening at 7 o’clock. Holy Hour will resume after Labor Day!
 
God bless you!
Father Zig