Established July 4, 1926
Dear Brothers and Sisters of St. James of the Marches Parish and Academy
In addition, to the beautiful prayer penned by our Holy Father, Pope Francis, as well as the one written by our Shepherd, Bishop Serratelli, I offer you another prayer for your consideration.
Prayer for a Pandemic
May we who are merely inconvenienced, remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.
May those who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent.
May those who have the flexibility to care for our children when schools close remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel a trip remember those who have no safe place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all.
May those who settle for quarantine at home remember those who have no home.
As fear grips our country, let us choose love during this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other, let us find ways to be the loving embrace to God and our neighbor.
- Prayer by Cameron Wiggins Bellm
Certainly, prayer is needed now. It is especially important we do so, since we are unsure of the duration of time before the intense threat to our health are diminished. Please Lord, may the duration of time be less than what some people have predicted.
Each day, with the help of God continue to do everything with carefulness and lovingly. Your health is a treasure to be preserved for the future, as you live loving those who love you.
Be vigilant against opportunities schemed by the Evil One which lead into sin. When we experience vulnerability, the Devil arrives to tempt us. Don’t let the one who plots our spiritual failures be successful. Remain armed with the Lord, Our Blessed Mother, the Saints and your Guardian Angel.
Once again, know Fr. Henry and I pray for you. We miss you. And, we look forward to being with you again.
God bless you.
Fr. Marc
I am reaching out to each of our parish and Academy families to assure you that your priests are still here for you, checking on your well-being and being available to receive any phone calls for support during this time of isolation and loneliness for all of us. We can pray with you. We can talk to you. We can be there for you.
Moreover, there are online religious services. As you know, our parish has its own Facebook page. Its title is St James of the Marches Church. Live-stream Masses can be found there. Our parochial school has a Facebook page. Its title is The Academy of St. James. And, plentiful information is located on our own web page, https://stjamesofthemarches.com. Finally, the latest updates from Bishop Serratelli can be found on the Diocese of Paterson website, https://rcdop.org
If you wish to provide your continued financial support of our parish through online donations, please do so. Or, you may forward it via regular mail. Either way, whatever you can give will certainly help continue all the good St. James Parish does in our community.
There may be a family or resident of our community having a very difficult time meeting the needs of day-to-day living. Perhaps, our parish can help, especially with providing food from our Parish Pantry. If so, please contact the rectory, without any hesitation (973.790.0288, Extension 10).
These are troubling times. But, we trust that God will help us. Let us walk together in hope we find and embrace news ways to stay connected, comfort one another, and reach out as one people seeking the Lord’s healing of our lives.
God bless you always.
Fr. Marc
If you have any concerns about the Catholic Church, our parish, and/or a struggle in your faith during this experience of hardship due to the global pandemic, please be assured you may contact Fr. Henry or I.
My solemn promise is we will try our best to address your concerns to the best of our ability as your parish priests. Call (973) 790-0288 or send an email today.
May God bless and sustain you.
We continue to pray for you and your family.
Fr. Marc
The following is a prayer I recommend each parent offers every day for their most beloved children, especially during this time of the pandemic.
Apart from this beautiful Parent’s Prayer, there are others online. Just search “Catholic Prayer for Families.”
May God blessing be with you.
Fr. Marc
A Parent’s Prayer
Loving God,
You are the giver of all we possess,
the source of all of our blessings.
We thank and praise you.
Thank you for the gift of our children.
Help us to set boundaries for them,
and yet encourage them to explore.
Give us the strength and courage to treat
each day as a fresh start.
May our children come to know you, the one true God,
and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
May your Holy Spirit help them to grow
in faith, hope, and love,
so they may know peace, truth, and goodness.
May their ears hear your voice.
May their eyes see your presence in all things.
May their lips proclaim your word.
May their hearts be your dwelling place.
May their hands do works of charity.
May their feet walk in the way of Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord.
Amen.
Don’t let COVID-19 “take you down.”
Indeed, the COVID-19 virus can have a serious impact on us physically. And, we must continue to do everything we can to avoid it. Absolutely!
However, as devastating as it could be on us physically, at this time, let the following recommendations be practiced daily, so it doesn’t mentally “take us down.”
Keep the faith.
Remember, there is nothing you and God cannot do together.
Peace,
Fr. Marc
When you miss someone you love, you truly do not feel like yourself. Emotional drain may occur during the time of separation. And, in the midst of being separated, mental energy is lessened. For healing to happen, one thing is needed. Closeness is necessary with him or her.
You may not be truly feeling like yourself because the Jesus you love cannot be received in Holy Communion at daily Mass now. In addition, emotional drain may have increased and mental energy has lessened in your day-to-day living, because all public worship is cancelled. For healing to occur in your life, there is an antidote. It is closeness with Him, the Lord you love.
Therefore, come to our parish church for private prayer and be with Jesus, the One I am sure you love. I promise that every day you will find the lights on and the doors unlocked from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm. Moreover, there will be Eucharistic Adoration from 12 noon to 3:00 pm every weekday and Saturday, as well as each Sunday, from 9:00 am-Noon.
He has not left us during this time of hardship. He is with you and me. May each of us who love Jesus draw closer to Him, in accord with the opportunities offered at our parish church.
Peace,
Fr. Marc
Unprepared and unaware it would arrive, the teenage, virgin Mary suddenly was faced with an extraordinary challenge in her life. What was her reaction, as a sincere believer of the Lord God? See Luke 1:26-38.
Unprepared and unaware it would arrive; the just and faithful Joseph was faced with an extraordinary challenge in his life. What was his reaction, as a sincere believer of the Lord God? See Mathew 1:18-25.
Unprepared and unaware it would arrive; the rich young man was faced with an extraordinary challenge in his life. What was his reaction, as a sincere believer of the Lord God? See Mark 10:17-22.
Today and maybe for at least another several weeks, each of us surely will be faced with at least one extraordinary challenge in our lives, as the pandemic continues. Perhaps, it will be an invitation to do something for someone, which not anyone else you know is willing to do. Or, it could be saying something to someone, others would not say.
Whatever, whenever and however you are faced with an extraordinary challenge today and tomorrow, will you be going away sad, due to the fact at this time of the Coronavirus outbreak, you are being asked too much? Or will you behave like a sincere believer, mirroring the courage of the teenage, virgin Mary and the just faithful Joseph?
Peace,
Fr. Marc
Sometimes in our lives there is less pressure from others on our precious time, than during other times in our lives. Right now, due the present pandemic, we have less pressure from others on our precious time, even though life is far from easy, as we try to be safe and healthy.
Interestingly, the precious time given to us now, which seems to feature less pressure and more flexibility, may be utilized in ways which would make the Lord even more proud of you.
While each of us are marching through the days of the presence of the pandemic, why not consider enhancing the following three “Bes” in your good life?
Jesus said, “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever, (John 2:17).” At this time, with seemingly less pressures placed on us, in spite of the fact life is far from easy, as we try to stay safe and healthy, God could be leading you to most precious moments today and tomorrow of doing His will. And, in truth, there is not much more we can do that is more precious with our time, if it is His will to spend it for the enrichment of someone else, thoughtfully, charitably, kindly and fulfilling their greatest need.
Peace
Fr. Marc
In the Gospel of John, chapter 20, the early disciples securely locked themselves away to be protected from an impending threat to their well-being. The impending threat to the early disciples was the possible harm which could be caused by enemies of Jesus. Nevertheless, while securely locked away, the risen Lord Jesus came and stood among them and said “Peace be with you.” The gospel passage teaches us, while the early disciples were moved to take the action of protecting themselves from an impending threat to their well-being; a gift was given to them by the risen Lord Jesus, with the purpose of transforming their fear into the gift of divine and enduring peace.
As we have been learning day by day for the past several weeks, a threat to our good health looms large to harm us, especially the most vulnerable. Most recently, we have been advised to securely lock ourselves away to be protected against an enemy named the Human Coronavirus. Wisely and prudently, those who have our trust as civil and ecclesiastical authorities instructed we do all humanly possible to prevent the aforementioned enemy from doing harm to us. There have been designated times when we can be away from our homes. And, there have been designated times when we must return and remain home. We should be thankful to the said authorities for all they are doing during this time of hardship.
However, let us not forget, as it was for the early disciples, it is for us. The necessity to lock ourselves away from an impending threat to our well-being is also our experience now. The enemy looms outside of our doors. During the times when we must remain at home, seeking protection from the present “enemy,” may it not be forgotten; the Lord Jesus will not be separated from us. He is present to transform our fear into the gift of divine and enduring peace, while there.
And, when the designated time for us to be away comes each day, seek Him, even for a few minutes, at our Parish Church. The doors are open all day for private prayer. In addition, online, at our website, there is information about Holy Hours before our Eucharistic Lord, at St James Church.
May God bless us.
St. James of the Marches, pray for us.
Fr. Marc
Pastor