BULLETIN ANNOUNCEMENTS Updated: February 9, 2021 ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin on weekends in Lent: Lenten Obligations So that the Church of Metuchen may be spiritually one in a common observance of Lent, the following days of fast and abstinence are to be observed by all Catholics of the Diocese who enjoy the blessings of good health: 1. The days of fast and abstinence are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. 2. All other Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence. 3. From the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday until the celebration of the Easter Vigil on the evening of Holy Saturday, the Easter fast should be observed so that, with uplifted and welcoming hearts, we may be ready to celebrate the joys of the Resurrection. This ancient tradition, intimately connected with the Rites of Holy Week and the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, is encouraged, especially in those places baptizing catechumens at the Easter Vigil. The obligation to fast applies only to Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59. To fast in the Catholic tradition means to limit oneself to one full meal during the day so as to experience hunger. The obligation of abstinence affects all Catholics who have reached the age of 14. Abstinence in the Catholic tradition means to abstain from meat. The obligation of fast and abstinence, as a whole, is a serious obligation. While failure to observe any penitential day in itself may not be considered serious, the failure to observe any penitential days at all, or a substantial number of them without good cause, would be considered a grave matter. Those unable to abstain for a valid reason on any given Friday of Lent are asked to perform some other penitential act, or to abstain on another day. ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin the weekend of February 20/21: *For Parishes with No Elect: February 21, 2021 1st Sunday of Lent A NEW BEGINNING Lent can often be a new beginning. Have you or someone you know been coming to Mass even though you are not part of the Catholic family. Do you feel the Spirit urging you to consider being a member of this family. Now might be the time to Come and See. Join us for an Inquiry Session. The RCIA Inquiry Sessions are opportunities to gather, ask, learn, pray, ponder and discern. We invite all who are unbaptized, baptized into another Christian denomination, or baptized Catholic but have not received BOTH Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. For more information call RCIA at (contact information). ----- *For Parishes with Elect and Candidates: February 21, 2021 1st Sunday of Lent RITE OF ELECTION RITE OF ELECTION: On the first Sunday of Lent, in every diocese throughout the world, catechumens celebrate, with their Bishop, the Rite of Election. This year, pandemic restrictions will inhibit a diocesan celebration. Bishop Checchio has given delegation to the pastors of the Diocese to celebrate a Parish Rite of Election. Our Parish Rite of Election will be celebrated today at the (time) Mass with our catechumens (Names): Their journey to Reception into the Catholic Church has been a gradual process which has taken place within this parish. The Rite of Election, for the catechumens is one of the various steps in that process and it marks the end of the catechumenate phase and the beginning of the next phase, called purification and enlightenment; a more intense preparation for the sacraments which coincides with the Lenten Season. We, the entire parish community, have the primary responsibility for the preparation of (Names) through our prayers, our example and our participation in the various Rites. Today we invite (Names) to fuller participation in our parish community's work: preaching the Good News, prayer, reconciliation, worship and service - for the life of the world. (Names) who will be baptized at the Easter Vigil, now known as a Catechumen, will, after the Rite of Election, be called an Elect. (Names), already baptized, will be received into the Catholic Church and receive Confirmation and Eucharist during the Easter season on (date, time of Mass) (If applicable) On (date and time of Mass) we celebrate the PENITENTIAL RITE for our candidate, (Names), who is preparing for the reception of Confirmation and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. The moving and powerful prayers of this Rite evoke the baptismal graces which (Names) has already received and ask for God’s help for his spiritual growth and for his spiritual healing. ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin on weekends in February: Women's Lenten Group All women are invited to join in a virtual Lenten spirituality group beginning on Sunday, February 21 on Zoom. The group will meet each Sunday of Lent at 2:30 p.m. using the Ascension Press "Lenten Companion" book. For more details or to join, please contact Cristina D'Averso-Collins, Director of Family Life, at cdaverso@diometuchen.org. ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin on weekends in February: *Note: This group will be conducted in Spanish Meditando Juntos en Cuaresma Acompaña a Allan Caballero, Director de Evangelización Hispana, en el grupo virtual de meditaciones de cuaresma que iniciará el Lunes 22 de Febrero en Zoom. El grupo se reunirá cada Lunes de Cuaresma a las 7:30 pm y usará el libro "De las Cenizas a la Luz" de la editorial Agustin Institute. Registro gratuito en: diometuchen.org/hispanicevangelization Al registrarse recibirá un libro gratis. Cupo Limitado Información en: hispanic.ministry@diometuchen.org ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin on weekends in February: *Note: This group will be conducted in English Meditating Together in Lent Join Allan Caballero, Director of Evangelization, and Megan Vanslot, Director of Youth Evangelization, in a virtual Lenten meditation group beginning on Tuesday, February 23. The group will meet on Zoom each Tuesday of Lent at 7:00 p.m. using "The Tears of Christ," a book from the Augustine Institute. Register and receive a free book. Space is limited. For more information, email acaballero@diometuchen.org. Register by visiting www.diometuchen.org/evangelization. ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin on weekends in February: Join Allan Caballero, diocesan director of the Office of Evangelization, for a webinar on "The Church’s Use of Online Learning Tools for the Faith Formation of Hispanic Catholics." The webinar will be held on Tuesday, February 23, at 2:30 p.m. and include a roundtable of the topics by a team of Hispanic faith leaders such as Dr. Hosffman Ospino, Alejandro AguileraTitus and others. The seminar is open to ministers and lay leaders in all locations. For more information contact Allan Caballero at acaballero@diometuchen.org. Register by visiting: www.diometuchen.org/hispanicevangelization ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin on weekends in February: Living Lent after Ash Wednesday Join Rev. Timothy Christy, Vicar General of the Diocese of Metuchen, for a talk and reflection on our journey during these 40 days of Lent. Through this talk, to be held virtually on Thursday, February 25 at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom, you will be invited to follow Jesus into the desert – in a spiritual sense. This spiritual journey takes people away from the commotion of the world to a quiet place where we can hear God and be purified and prepared by Him for Easter and the mission He is calling us to. The journey involves temptations, prayer, fasting and almsgiving, but also freedom and grace through detachment. Register by visiting: www.diometuchen.org/evangelization ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin the weekend of February 27/28: *For Parishes with No Elect: February 28, 2021 2nd Sunday of Lent IT IS GOOD THAT WE ARE HERE Sometimes we are in a place where we feel so very comfortable, peaceful, comforted - a place where we feel that we really belong. If you are a non-Catholic, and you have experienced that while attending a Mass, or were simply present in our Church – perhaps you might want to hear a little about our loving and merciful God, Jesus, some of the Saints, what it is like to be a member of the Catholic family. We invite you to Come and See. Join us for an Inquiry Session. The RCIA Inquiry sessions are opportunities to gather, ask, learn, discern. Commitment is not required to Come and See. We invite all who are unbaptized, baptized into another Christian denomination, or baptized Catholic but have not received BOTH sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. For more information, call RCIA at (contact information). ----- *For Parishes with Elect and Candidates: February 28, 2021 2nd Sunday of Lent R.C.I.A. (if applicable) On (date and time of Mass), we celebrate the PENITENTIAL RITE for our candidates, (Names), who are preparing for the reception of Confirmation and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. The moving and powerful prayers of this Rite evoke the baptismal graces which (name) has already received and ask for God’s help for their spiritual growth and for their spiritual healing. On (date and time of Mass), our elect, (Names) will celebrate the FIRST SCRUTINY. The scrutinies are among the most ancient prayers in the Christian liturgical tradition. As early as the second century, Christian communities would help those who had been chosen for Baptism to prepare for their initiation by laying on hands and by prayers for protection and deliverance from evil. Today we continue to celebrate these powerful rituals. We will use the Lectionary’s “scrutiny readings” from cycle A at the Mass. All are invited. ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin on weekends in February: *Note: This talk will be presented in Spanish Viviendo la Cuaresma después del Miércoles de Ceniza Acompaña al Padre Juan Carlos Gaviria, Coordinador de Formación Laica Hispana de la Diócesis de Metuchen, a una charla y reflexión sobre nuestro camino durante estos 40 días como miembros de una comunidad de fe. Martes, 2 de Marzo a las 7:30 PM Por Zoom Registro en: diometuchen.org/hispanicevangelization ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin the weekend of March 6/7: *For Parishes with No Elect: March 7, 2021 3rd Sunday of Lent WHO IS THIS JESUS Some people look for signs – and some people look for wisdom. But we Christians look to Jesus as the power of God and the wisdom of God. Would you, or someone you know, like to know more about this Jesus as seen through the eyes of the Catholic Church. Would you like to learn more about our loving and merciful God, our Saints, what it is like to be a member of the Catholic faith family? We invite you to Come and See. Join us for an Inquiry Session. Commitment is not required to Come and See. The RCIA Inquiry sessions are opportunities to gather, ask, learn, discern. We never require commitments. We invite all who are unbaptized, baptized into another Christian denomination, or baptized Catholic but have not received BOTH sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. For more information, call RCIA at (contact information). ----- *For Parishes with Elect and Candidates: March 7, 2021 3rd Sunday of Lent R.C.I.A. Today (date and time of Mass), the first of three scrutinies will be celebrated with the elect of our parish (who will be baptized at the Easter Vigil Mass), (Names). The scrutinies afford the elect and the community the opportunity to examine our hearts and minds by the light of the gospel. Scrutinies are intended to heal what is weak, defective and sinful, and to protect the elect from temptation and to strengthen them in Christ. The first scrutiny focuses on the gospel story of the Samaritan woman at the well. That gospel story allows us to encounter the sins that prevent us from quenching our thirsts with the "Living Water", who is Jesus our Redeemer. Please pray for (Names) as they journey towards baptism. Next Sunday they will celebrate the second scrutiny at the (date and time of Mass). Please remember to pray for our elect as they prepare to receive the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil and the candidates who will receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist on (date and time of Mass). Is there someone you know who is inquiring about God, Jesus, or our Catholic faith? Share the gospel message. Bring that person to an RCIA Inquiry session, where they can seek to find the answers to their questions. Inquiry sessions DO NOT infer a commitment to join the Catholic Faith Family. Inquiry sessions are for those unbaptized, baptized into another Christian denomination, or those baptized Catholics who have never received BOTH Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. At Inquiry Sessions, they can inquire about God, Jesus and the Catholic Church. For more information call (contact information). ***** Please insert the following information into you bulletin on weekends in February: Taller para Ministros Extraordinarios de la Sagrada Comunión: Testigos de la Presencia de Dios Vivo Sábado 13 de Marzo de 2021 9:00 am - 12:30 pm Por Zoom Valor: $5 (Solo registro) $10 (Registro+Manual para Ministros Extraordinarios de la Sagrada Comunión) Registro en: www.diometuchen.org/hispacnicevangelization Información: Hispanic.ministry@diometuchen.org ----- (English Translation of Announcement) Workshop for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Witnesses to the Presence of the Living God Saturday, March 13, 2021 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM By Zoom Cost: $5 (Registration) $10 (Registration+Guide for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion) Registration at: www.diometuchen.org/hispacnicevangelization Information: Hispanic.ministry@diometuchen.org ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin the weekend of March 13/14: *For Parishes with No Elect: March 14, 2021 4th Sunday of Lent A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS This Pandemic has often seemed like “dark times”. When we are in the dark, we usually stumble, grope, and have difficulty navigating. Scripture tells us that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, Jesus, so that those who believe in him might find light in their darkness. Would you, or someone you know, like to know more about this Jesus as seen through the eyes of the Catholic Church. Would you like to learn more about our loving and merciful God, our Saints, what it is like to be a member of the Catholic faith family? We invite you to Come and See. Join us for an Inquiry Session. The RCIA Inquiry sessions are opportunities to gather, ask, learn, discern. Commitment is not required to Come and See. We invite all who are unbaptized, baptized into another Christian denomination, or baptized Catholic but have not received BOTH sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. For more information, call RCIA at (contact information). ----- *For Parishes with Elect and Candidates: March 14, 2021 4th Sunday of Lent R.C.I.A. Today (date and time of Mass), the second of three scrutinies will be celebrated with the elect of our parish, who will be baptized at the Easter Vigil Mass, (Names). Today's scrutiny calls upon the elect, and the community to recognize how we choose blindness...blindness to good, blindness to truth and blindness to values. Next Sunday the third scrutiny will be celebrated at the (time of Mass). Please remember to pray for our elect as they prepare to receive the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil and the candidates who will receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist on (date and time of Mass). Isn't there someone in your life, one unbaptized or baptized into another Christian denomination, or even one who has been baptized Catholic but has never received BOTH sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist, who has been inquiring about God's love, or about Jesus, or about our Catholic Faith family. With the help of God's grace, invite them to an RCIA Inquiry Session. Call (contact information). ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin the weekend of March 20/21: *For Parishes with No Elect: March 21, 2021 5th Sunday of Lent A CROWD DRAWER During his day, Jesus was quite a phenomenon. Crowds followed him wherever he went. People wanted to see and hear him – to be in his presence. Is there someone you know who wants to know more about Jesus. Invite him/her to Come and See – at an RCIA Inquiry Session. We talk about Jesus, our loving and merciful God, our Saints, our Catholic Faith Family. Commitment is not required to Come and See. The RCIA Inquiry sessions are opportunities to gather, ask, learn, discern. We invite all who are unbaptized, baptized into another Christian denomination, or baptized Catholic but have not received BOTH sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. For more information, call RCIA at (contact information). ----- *For Parishes with Elect and Candidates: March 21, 2021 5th Sunday of Lent R.C.I.A. At the (time of Mass) this Sunday, the third of three scrutinies will be celebrated with the elect of our parish, who will be baptized at the Easter Vigil Mass, (Names). Today's scrutiny calls upon the elect, and the community to examine the death dealing power of the spirit of evil and to proclaim the power of Jesus Christ to remove the stones that hold us back from life, to break the ties that bind us, and to set us free to live life fully. Please remember to pray for our elect as they prepare to receive the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil and the candidates who will receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist on (date and time of Mass). Now that Easter is coming, isn't there someone to whom you can tell the Good News. Invite them to an RCIA Inquiry Session, where they will hear more of the Good News and about the Catholic Faith family who is trying to live the Good News. All who are unbaptized, baptized into another Christian denomination, or baptized Catholic but have never received both Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist are invited. For more information, call (contact information). ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin the weekend of March 27/28: *For Parishes with No Elect: March 28, 2021 Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion DEATH ON A CROSS It is difficult to read about the Passion of Christ. It is difficult to understand how a crowd who gathered with palm branches to greet him as he rode into their city, could, in a few short days, turn on him and cry “crucify him”. If you, or someone you know, would like to hear more about Jesus’ story, as told through the Catholic Church – Come and See. Join us at an RCIA Inquiry Session. We discuss Jesus, our loving and merciful God, our Catholic Saints, what it is like to be a member of the Catholic faith family. Commitment is not required to Come and See. The RCIA Inquiry sessions are opportunities to gather, ask, learn, discern. We never require commitments. We invite all who are unbaptized, baptized into another Christian denomination, or baptized Catholic but have not received BOTH sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. For more information, call RCIA at (contact information). ----- *For Parishes with Elect and Candidates: March 28, 2021 Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion You are cordially invited to the celebration at the Easter Vigil of the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist to be received by: (Names) To be celebrated on April 3, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. Because of pandemic restrictions, seating will be limited. The Easter Vigil Mass will include the above celebration and will be longer than the normal Sunday liturgy. ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin, when space permits, on weekends in February, March, and April: Life-Giving Wounds Virtual Retreat The Diocese of Metuchen's Office of Family Life will sponsor a Life-Giving Wounds retreat, designed for anyone over the age of 18 whose parents are no longer together. The virtual retreat will be conducted over the course of 3 Saturdays: April 17th, April 24th and May 1st. On the first 2 Saturdays, participants will attend via Zoom from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and on the 3rd Saturday, a Mass will be celebrated for all adult children of divorce. People of all backgrounds attend, but together they have one key thing in common: they have lost the love of their parents together. Topics will include discussing anxiety, anger, sin, temptation and forgiveness. All presentations are given by trained, expert speakers who are children of divorce. So whether a person’s parents divorced decades ago or last week, the retreat content will apply to them. The retreat is also for people whose parents are separated (but not legally divorced), received a declaration of nullity, or were never married (maybe never even “together”) and are now broken up. For more information and to register, please visit: www.diometuchen.org/adult-children-ofdivorce ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin on weekends in February: New Jersey Reproductive Freedom Act On October 8, 2020, The Reproductive Freedom Act (RFA) S3030 was introduced in the New Jersey State Senate and was referred to the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. If passed, the RFA would codify into New Jersey law the findings of Roe v. Wade, meaning that abortion would remain legal in New Jersey even if the case were overturned by the Supreme Court. The RFA would also strip safeguards and regulations on the abortion procedure, making New Jersey a more dangerous place for women and their unborn babies. The Assembly companion bill is A4848. The Diocesan Office of Human Life & Dignity has been working closely with the New Jersey Catholic Conference (NJCC) on this issue to develop resources and monitor the bill. Here is the link to NJ Catholic Conference's updated Reproductive Freedom Act resource page: https://njcatholic.org/reproductive-freedom-act. Please check this website frequently for updates. Also, please make sure to sign up on the above website to receive action alerts. A webinar has been recorded which focuses on providing an overview of the legislation, an update on the bill's legislative status, and suggestions on action steps people can take at this time. This is something you can use to help educate family, friends and fellow parishioners. You are encouraged to watch it so you can understand the radical nature of this measure. The link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kshuo78QZdA&feature=youtu.be For more information contact: human.life.and.dignity@diometuchen.org. Thank you! ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin when space allows: Volunteer to Make Pocket Rosaries for Law Enforcement The Office of Family Life is pleased to announce the creation of the Blue Rosary Guild. The purpose of the Guild is for community members of all ages to make pocket Rosaries for law enforcement officers, providing them with support and spiritual strength and promoting devotion to the Rosary among all the faithful. All materials and instructions will be provided and a Zoom virtual tutorial will also be scheduled. Anyone interested should contact Cristina D'Averso Collins, Director of the Office of Family Life at cdaverso@diometuchen.org. ***** Please insert the following information into your bulletin when space allows: Walking with Moms in Need – A Year of Service Pregnant and parenting moms in need are in our parishes and our neighborhoods. As Pope Francis reminds us, our parishes need to be “islands of mercy in the midst of a sea of indifference.” Everyone in our parish community should know where to refer a pregnant woman in need. Join this nationwide effort from March 25, 2020 to March 25, 2021. For more information please visit www.walkingwithmoms.com ***** ATTENTION BULLETIN EDITORS: please insert the following announcement: How to Report Sexual Abuse If you were sexually abused by a member of the clergy or anyone representing the Catholic Church, or you know of someone who was, you are encouraged to report that abuse to local law enforcement, the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency at 1-877-NJ ABUSE (652-2873) or 1-800-835-5510 (TTY/TDD for the deaf), and also the Diocesan Response Officer at (908) 930-4558 (24 hours/7 days a week). For more information on how to report abuse, visit our diocesan website: diometuchen.org/healing. ***********