A Letter From the Pastor

June 4, 2023 

 

The Annual Spring Raffle is underway. Chances were mailed to all registered parishioners and friends on the parish mailing list. There are three prizes totaling $4,000. First prize is $2,500; second prize is $1,000 and third prize is $500. Chances are $10 each, 6 for $50, 12 for $100, and 24 for $150. This is our major fund-raising project, and the money raised this year will be used to help offset the cost of the new air conditioning currently being installed. The new unit replaces the original air conditioning unit and hopefully it will run more efficiently and keep us comfortable over the summer months.

I invite all parishioners to join me at the 5:15 PM Mass as I offer my thanks and gratitude to God for calling me to priesthood. I recently celebrated my golden anniversary and I’ve been privileged to spend 11 of the 50 years to date with you. A buffet dinner will follow the Mass in the parish hall. If your schedule permits you to attend, please call the Rectory Office (516-921-2334) between 9:30 AM and 4:00 PM if you plan to attend the buffet. We want to make sure we have sufficient food for
all. Please response by Thursday, June 15. I look forward to celebrating with you.

On Sunday, June 18, we celebrate Father’s Day. It’s the day set apart on which we take time to thank our fathers for all they have done for us. Our parish will have a Father’s Day Novena of nine Masses offered for those enrolled in the Novena. If you wish to enroll your father, grandfather, brother, uncle or anyone in the Novena, please complete and return the enrollment envelope. If you did not receive one, enrollment envelopes are available at the doors of the Church. If you wish to present a card announcing their enrollment, Spiritual Bouquet Mass cards are also available at the doors of the Church.

On Friday, June 16, the Church celebrates the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In 1675, Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary and asked that the feast of the Sacred Heart be celebrated on the Friday following the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ. The Feast of the Sacred Heart became a universal feast in 1856. Pope John Paul II stated that this feast “reminds us of the mystery of the love of God for people of all times.” Bishop Barres invites all parishioners to celebrate this Feast with him at St. Agnes Cathedral on Friday, June 16 at 7:30 PM.

Bishop Barres has written a new Pastoral Letter entitled Saint Philip Neri, the Second Apostle of Rome and the Reformer of the Eternal City. The Pastoral Letter is available by visiting the Diocesan website: www.drvc.org.

Bishop Andrzej has two remaining sessions as part of his in-person Liturgical Catechesis Program. On Tuesday, June 20, the theme is: Liturgy of the Eucharist Explained will be presented at Cure of Ars Church, Merrick at 7:00 PM. On July 11, the final presentation Mass: Concluding Rites Explained will be presented at Cure of Ars, Merrick at 7:00 PM. Advance registration is requested by contacting the Office of the Western Vicariate at westernvicariate@drvc.org, or by calling Suzanne
at 516-744-6850.

Fr. Sean Magaldi announced that the Diocese is sponsoring Quo Vadis, a diocesan initiative to help high school students better understand and answer the question “Where are you going?” The one-day celebration will be held at St. Anthony’s High School on Saturday, July 29 and will include talks, Mass, activities, and Adoration. For more information, please contact: www.campquovadis.com.