The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Holy Name Society of our parish will sponsor Stations of the Cross on the Fridays of Lent at 7 pm. Because of the current pandemic these services will be online. To participate, go to our parish website (olmnj.org) and click on FACEBOOK|LIVESTREAM. The Stations will take place on the following Fridays of Lent at 7 pm

February 19, 2021 – 7:00pm EST
February 26, 2021 – 7:00pm EST
March 5, 2021 – 7:00pm EST
March 12, 2021 – 7:00pm EST
March 19, 2021 – 7:00pm EST
March 26, 2021 – 7:00pm EST

Let us journey with Jesus Christ this Lenten season. Praying the Stations of the Cross brings us closer to Jesus as we meditate on the great love he showed us in his suffering and death!

This Wednesday, February 17, is Ash Wednesday. On this day, Christians receive ashes as a sign of our desire to make good use of the season of Lent to turn from sin and to grow in our faithfulness to the Gospel.

Because of the current pandemic ashes will be distributed in a different manner. The priest will say the words, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel,” only once over the entire congregation. Then ashes will be sprinkled on the heads of those who come forward. While sprinkling ashes on the head is not a common practice in the United States, it is common in Europe and elsewhere. The sprinkling with ashes will take place this Wednesday, February 17, during the Masses and the Prayer Service listed below.

7:00 am – Mass
8:30 am – Mass
3:00 pm – Scripture Service
7:00 pm – Mass

1. Ash Wednesday (February 17) and Good Friday (April 2) are days of Fast and Abstinence.

2. All the Fridays of Lent are days of Abstinence.

3. A Day of Fast means that only one full meal is permitted. Two smaller meals may be eaten. There is no food taken between meals. Those between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast, though others are encouraged to fast. The
days of fast are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

4. On a Day of Abstinence, no meat may be eaten. Those 14 years of age and older are obliged to abstain from meat. For a serious reason, Church Law allows the pastor to dispense an individual from refraining from meat on a Friday during the Lenten Season.

5. The obligation to observe the laws of Fast and Abstinence “substantially” or as a whole, is a serious obligation.

6. Catholics should go to Holy Communion at least once between the First Sunday of Lent (February 21) and Trinity Sunday (May 30). If necessary, they should celebrate the Sacrament of Penance. Individual confessions are heard here at OLM Monday through Friday from 9 am to 9:30 am and Saturday from 4 pm to 4:30 pm in the former daily Mass chapel.

From the Pastor

Dear Parishioners of Our Lady of Mercy,

I hope this finds you well and safe.

This weekend is World Marriage Day. It is so appropriate that it falls on February 14, the Memorial of Saint Valentine of Rome who died in the year 496. You can google Saint Valentine to find out more about him. Saint Valentine is said to be the patron saint of lovers, epileptics, and bookkeepers.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all married couples! You certainly know what it is to love one another through thick and thin. This year’s theme for World Marriage Day is “To Have, To Hold, To Honor.”

This would be a perfect day for you to recall the promises you made to one another on the day of your marriage. Meditate on how you are living out those promises in your daily lives. Reflect on how you have grown together since your wedding day. Consider how you can continue to grow in loving and honoring your spouse. Please know that you are all in my prayers as you continue your journey of faithfulness and love with your children and your children’s children.

On February 17, our Lenten season begins with Ash Wednesday. Please read our bulletin and pay close attention to our announcements as we move through this holy season. We include our calendar of events in our bulletin so that you have an idea of what is taking place in our parish.

Because of the current Covid-19 pandemic our celebrations of Holy Week will be slightly different. The little changes will help to keep everyone safe and protected from the virus. So, I ask for your utmost cooperation and compliance.
Also, please be sure to follow all the directions our ushers give you. We are doing this, more so now, because the number of Covid-19 cases is getting higher. Wear masks or face coverings the whole time you are in church, observe social distancing, and sanitize your hands.

For those of you who missed seeing the Annual Appeal video, you can view it on our parish Facebook account or website (olmnj.org). You may notice some familiar faces and places as you watch the video. I encourage you to consider supporting this Annual Appeal for the Archdiocese. If we go over our goal of $42,122, the surplus will come back to us 100%. You may place your pledge cards in the collection box by our baptismal font or bring them to the parish office.

Thank you and God bless you all.

Love,

Father Marty