RCIA Reflection
An Anchor In Times of Turmoil We find ourselves in a world where nothing seems permanent, where we are confronted with violence and the threat of destruction. Psychology tells us that in times of turmoil we can maintain our stability by anchoring our life to something unshakable. Jesus calls us to anchor our life in fidelity to the Lord and his way of life. To learn more about living a life of faithfulness to our God through the focus of the Catholic faith we invite you to meet with us at an Inquiry Session. All who are unbaptized, baptized in another Christian denomination, or baptized Catholic but have never received the Sacraments of Confirmation AND Eucharist are invited. Inquiry sessions do not assume a commitment to join the Catholic Church. They are for those who wish to inquire, explore, and search for ways to grow in relationship with God. For more information, call our parish RCIA contact at 732-764- 0264.
RCIA Reflections 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Conquering Fear
Fear is not only one of our deepest instincts; it is generally one of our most constant companions in life. We fear all kinds of things - heights, crowds, confined places, leaving the house, etc. Other fears are more common. We may fear bad health, making ends meet, losing employment, what other people think, how our children will turn out. Fear of change is nonproductive and crippling. It has little tolerance for risk and the unknown and is the single most significant factor preventing our spiritual growth and the quality of our lives. In today’s gospel, Jesus tells us “do not be afraid any longer" - but how do we do that? How do we end fear, or at least bring it under control? If you, or someone you know would like to hear more about how our Catholic Faith can be an antidote to fear, we invite you to join us at an inquiry session. Inquiry sessions do not assume a commitment to join the Catholic Faith family. Inquiry sessions are opportunities to ask questions about God, Jesus, the Catholic Faith family. All who are unbaptized, baptized into another faith denomination, or baptized catholic but have not received Eucharist or confirmation, are invited. Inquiry sessions are for those who wish to inquire, explore, and search for ways to grow in relationship with God. For more information, call our RCIA contact at 732-764-0264.
If we were to evaluate the principles governing our culture, we would likely concur that they are overly materialistic. We are people with a passion for things. The primary agenda for many of us is to be a consumer. The real "spiritual problem" is not that we are consumers, but that we have learned to identify with our possessions; our self-esteem is associated with what we own. We buy more and more in hopes of elevating our status in our own eyes and in the eyes of others. We compare what we have with what others have. Jesus teaches that effective living means living authentically. He tells us that an enriched life is living up, as best we can, to our God-given potential. If you, or anyone you know, would like to hear more about how Jesus helps us to come to terms with our true essence as human beings, we invite you to join us at an Inquiry Session. Inquiry sessions DO NOT assume a commitment to join the Catholic Faith family. Inquiry sessions are opportunities to ask questions about God, Jesus, the Catholic Faith. All who are unbaptized, baptized into another faith denomination, or baptized Catholic but have not received Eucharist or Confirmation, are invited. Inquiry sessions are for those who wish to inquire, explore, and search for ways to grow in relationship with God. For more information, call our RCIA contact at 732-764-0264.
RCIA Reflections
Is following Jesus Always Peaceful?
People are in need of comfort when facing illness, loss of a loved one, or some other misfortune. Many Christians affirm that religion is one of their greatest comforts in life. But we Christians ought never to expect that discipleship makes life "comfortable" and easy. To follow Jesus is to carry significant responsibilities, and to risk being misunderstood. Are you feeling "uncomfortable" about inviting someone who seems to be searching for God, for Jesus, for spiritual development? Take the risk - invite them to join us at an Inquiry Session. Inquiry sessions DO NOT assume a commitment to join the Catholic Faith family. All who are unbaptized, baptized into another faith denomination, or baptized Catholic but have not received Eucharist or Confirmation, are invited. For more info, call our RCIA contact at 732-764-0264.RCIA
Reflection: 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time
We are all made equal in that no one is blessed with a problem-free life. Where we differ is in the kinds of problems we have, and especially in how we face our problems. Jesus' teachings provide directives for a more aggressive approach to life's challenges. If you, or anyone you know, would like to hear more about how Jesus' teachings help us to deal with the problems in our lives, we invite you to join us at an Inquiry Session. Inquiry sessions DO NOT assume a commitment to join the Catholic Faith family. Inquiry sessions are opportunities to ask questions about God, Jesus, the Catholic Faith. All who are unbaptized, baptized into another faith denomination, or baptized Catholic but have not received Eucharist or Confirmation, are invited. Inquiry sessions are for those who wish to inquire, explore, and search for ways to grow in relationship with God. For more information, call our RCIA contact at 732-764-0264.
"Life is what you make it" because life is fundamentally the result of choices we make. There are many circumstances in life over which we have no control, but how we allow circumstances to affect us is also a matter of our own choosing; we make or break ourselves by the attitudes and perceptions we choose to maintain. Making choices among many good options is always easier if we are clear about our priorities. What really counts in life? What really matters? In the long run what better serves our development and happiness? On our deathbed, what will we repent not having done? If you, or someone you know would like to hear more about how our Catholic faith family helps us to answer those questions and set priorities in favor of enhanced living, we invite you to join us at an inquiry session. Inquiry sessions do not assume a commitment to join the Catholic faith family. Inquiry sessions are opportunities to ask questions about god, Jesus, the Catholic faith family. All who are unbaptized, baptized into another faith denomination, or baptized Catholic but have not received Eucharist or Confirmation, are invited. Inquiry sessions are for those who wish to inquire, explore, and search for ways to grow in relationship with God. For more information, call our RCIA contact at 732-764-0264.
15th Sunday of Ordinary Time Are You Willing to Take a Risk?
Jesus' message is very simple - everlasting life is ours - if we are willing to take the risk of sharing our love. Our world tells us that love must be selective and carefully parceled out - after all, we have only so much to give. It is easy to confess love for "mankind" in general - but not so easy to love individuals, especially "certain" individuals, specifically. Jesus teaches us that anyone who needs our love is our neighbor. Isn't there someone in your world - home, family, work, school, neighborhood, acquaintance, whom you can love enough to invite to hear more about Jesus and His message of love and the Catholic Faith Family whose mission it is to live out Jesus' love? We invite you and your "neighbor" to an RCIA Inquiry Session. Inquiry sessions DO NOT assume a commitment to join the Catholic Faith family. Inquiry sessions are opportunities to ask questions about God, Jesus, the Catholic Faith. 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 our parish RCIA contact at 732-764- 0264.
RCIA Reflection: 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time
For Mature Adults Only
Catholic Christians are called and empowered by our baptism to be disciples of Jesus. Jesus calls us to take our spiritual development seriously and embark on our spiritual journey from an adult perspective. This usually entails forsaking many sentimental ideas about religion we may have picked up in our training as children. Many of us may look upon God, for example, as a "sugar daddy" in the sky, and become angry and disillusioned with religion when God doesn't give us everything we want. If you, or anyone you know, would like to hear more about the Catholic Faith Family from a mature, adult perspective, we invite you to join us at an Inquiry Session. Inquiry sessions DO NOT assume a commitment to join the Catholic Faith family. Inquiry sessions are opportunities to ask questions about God, Jesus, the Catholic Faith. All who are unbaptized, baptized into another faith denomination, or baptized Catholic but have not received Eucharist or Confirmation, are invited. Inquiry sessions are for those who wish to inquire, explore, and search for ways to grow in relationship with God. For more information, call our parish RCIA contact at 732-764-0264.
RCIA
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is preparation and formation of all those who wish to become fully initiated members of the Catholic Faith Family.
If you are considering becoming a Catholic or if you are Catholic but have not received the Sacraments of Eucharist and/or Confirmation, we invite you to join our RCIA/Adult Faith Formation program. Please contact Anthony Pangi at 732-764-0264 or a.pangi@aol.com for more information about this program.
All who are not baptized, baptized into another faith denomination, or baptized Catholic but have not received Eucharist or Confirmation, are invited. Inquiry sessions are for those who wish to inquire, explore, and search for ways to grow in relationship with God.
Scripture Study
Periodic sessions are held throughout the year that offer opportunities to learn more about the history of the church and study scripture. Please check our website or read the church bulletin for events conducted by the parish.
Lenten Programs
During the Lenten season St. Mary’s sponsors various Lenten programs. Please check our website or read the church bulletin for events conducted by the parish or sponsored by the Diocese of Metuchen.