June 12, 2020 | eNewsletter
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Limited Public Mass Will Begin Tomorrow
Please keep in mind that Bishop O’Connell has granted a dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday/Holy Day of Obligation Masses until at least September 7, 2020. Our live-stream Mass will continue at a
new time
: 9:00am Sunday.
We appreciate your
strict adherence
to the Guidelines
as we move towards a smooth reopening. Mass times are included in the Guidelines.
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Live-Streaming at a
New Time: 9:00 AM
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A Note from Fr. McClane
We hear on Sunday in St. John’s Gospel:
“Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me”
(Jn 6:57).
We are so blessed to be able to take the body and blood of Christ into our bodies! We literally have the life of Jesus and the Holy Spirit flow into us in communion. It takes faith to believe this of course, but this doctrine of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist has been part of our Tradition from the very beginning. As a priest I know I am so privileged to be able to touch these holy elements and to celebrate the Mass. I am sure you feel blessed to receive communion as well. For those who are currently taking part in spiritual communion because of the pandemic, I hope that you will be able to receive the Eucharist again soon.
The Eucharist is love. When we see divisions and hatreds, we know that the answer to them is found in the Body and Blood of Christ. There is so much grace found in that one host, more than enough to move the most hardened heart to mercy, forgiveness and peace. I think it is so beautiful that the Church ends this week with the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday and then the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday, feasts that celebrate hearts that have more charity than we can even imagine.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. McClane
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There will be no Private Prayer in the church on Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13 as we prepare for the opening of the church for Mass.
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Thank you for your unrelenting efforts to submit your donations each week by mail, in-person drop off or with online giving. If you are not already registered, please consider opening an account by going to the Parish website. You can set up donations on a recurring basis or as a one-time gift.
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You are invited to join us for a Virtual Episode with the Legacy of Life Foundation called Seeing is Believing: The Ultrasound. This episode will highlight the ultrasound appointment with women in crisis. You will learn about the role the ultrasound plays in transforming a woman's heart from abortion-minded to saying YES to life after a woman meets her baby for the first time on an ultrasound. You’ll hear from our ultrasound technician telling the stories of hope and miracles. We will interview the Knights of Columbus about their role in making ultrasound possible at our centers and finish up with Q&A for all at the end. Won’t you join us for an exciting evening full of hope and miracles?
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A Call To Charity
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, which has closed our schools, churches, and places of business, the Knights of Columbus have been busier than ever doing charitable works for our community.
For all men over 18 who feel the call to help their fellow neighbor, now is the time to join the Knights of Columbus. Our initiation ceremony is totally online, and new members can earn their first, second, and three degrees in one sitting. In the last month alone, over 2,000 men nationwide became Knights. Now is your time.
If you would like to speak to someone about becoming a Knight, please contact Tom Lencovich, Chancellor, at
tom@experiencedbrokerage.com
for further details.
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Food and Clothing Drive
Food Donations:
The Knights of Columbus are outside St. Gregory the Great Church every Saturday from 9 am to 11 am to collect food from your car.
*Please note there will be no food collection Saturday, July 4, 2020.
Clothing Donations:
If you're using this time to do a little spring cleaning and have gently used clothes you would like to donate, our clothing bins on St. Gregory the Great campus are open. Please feel free to drop off your clothes at your convenience.
If you or your family are in serious need of food and are unable to purchase what you need, feel free to contact John Zubricky, St. Gregory the Great Food Pantry Coordinator, at 609-275-9157. Please leave a message and your call will be returned.
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Hearing the Cry of the Poor in the Garden
It is the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ Encyclical on the relationship of people to the environment. The Encyclical built on the work of many past popes, including Pope Francis’ immediate predecessor, Pope Benedict.
The Encyclical calls us to a deep sense of caring for all of God’s creation, people and nature alike. What better place than our Community Garden to begin this! Here we grow fresh produce to help those who are hungry become healthier and stronger—even more important now as we all face the threat of the pandemic.
This is a picture of our garlic plants, getting near the time for harvest (with baby squash plants in between, which will take over the garden bed when we harvest the garlic). Our students in St. Gregory the Great Academy planted them last fall. We are looking forward to sending those in need something they don’t get very often, and wouldn’t buy for themselves.
And we are looking forward to seeing our tomato, pepper, squash, potato, and cucumber plants produce nice harvests later this summer for the hungry. We are putting in beans right now, too!
Please consider helping with the ministry, or purchasing a bag of potatoes or apples or something similar to help with our hunger ministries at St. Gregory. To donate time, produce or in kind/monetary donations to support us, please contact Megan Dinh,
mas5p@aol.com
.
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Gain access to Catholic audio talks, movies, ebooks & video-based studies with FORMED
Registering for FORMED is FREE and easier than ever:
- Go to formed.org/signup
- Select St. Gregory the Great 4620 Nottingham Way, Hamilton Square, NJ
- Register with your name and email address
- Check that email account for a link to begin using FORMED
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Counseling Services
Parishioners seeking help through difficult issues such as: marital problems, raising children, eldercare, bereavement/grief, or the stress of job loss that can be successfully addressed by brief counseling support.
Through a joint effort of the Diocese of Trenton and Catholic Charities, licensed professional counselors are available to help.
You must be a parishioner in a parish of the Diocese to take advantage of this program, which can
be accessed by contacting on
e of our priests who will provide additional information and a referral.
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Church of St. Gregory the Great
Rev. Michael McClane, Pastor
4620 Nottingham Way, Hamilton Square, NJ 08690
609-587-4877
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