Seventh Sunday of Easter

My dear parishioners,

Today we observe the Seventh Sunday of Easter as we celebrate the Lord’s Day! In today’s Gospel reading we hear part of what is called “the high priestly prayer” the Lord Jesus offered on the night of the Last Supper. The Lord offers this prayer for His disciples whom He will soon leave as a result of the Paschal Mystery of His suffering, death and Resurrection. His glorification will mean that the disciples will now go into the world proclaiming the Good News of salvation.

As many of you know I am not in Rockaway but rather in Italy on our parish trip to see the Holy Shroud of Turin, believed by many to be the burial cloth of our Lord Jesus Christ. This we will visit on Wednesday and I will be sure to remember all of you in my prayers before this holy image. Today we are making our way to Venice made popular because of its canals. For believers this city is the place where the relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist are to be found.

It is Mark’s Gospel which we are reading at our Sunday Masses during Ordinary Time which resumes on June 14th. I am looking forward to coming home on Thursday and being with all of you for the wonderful events which will occur next weekend.What a wonderful time for the Church of Paterson as Bishop Serratelli ordains 14 young men to the holy priesthood on Saturday.

Among the group are our two deacons, Jakub Grzybowski and Lukasz Iwanczuk. Both Father Jakub and Father Lukasz will celebrate their First Holy Mass together in Saint Cecilia Church next Sunday, May 24th at 12:15 p.m. Following the Mass all are invited to a luncheon in Hayes Hall. I know that you will want to support these two new priests by being in attendance. The kindness and generosity you show our two young priests will truly be blessed by God.

This week the Church observes its first novena, nine days of prayer, as the Risen Jesus directed His disciples in anticipation of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Next Sunday is the 50th and final day of Easter, the Solemnity of Pentecost – THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! In our fervent prayer this week let us remember our new young priests whom God is sending us. May these new shepherds be men of prayer who will serve God’s flock with love and joy.

Happy Easter! – Christ is Risen!
Father Zig