Dear Parishioners,
On behalf of the entire parish staff here at St. Martin de Porres, I want to wish all of you a happy and blessed Easter Sunday. Over these last weeks of Lent, we have been in spiritual preparation for the celebration of Easter. We come to this day with the joy of the risen Lord. As we gather on this Easter Sunday, we hear in today’s gospel of how the disciples find the empty tomb. They find the burial cloths rolled up and the stone rolled away. Jesus has broken the chains of death and has been raised from the dead. On this Easter Sunday, we thank Almighty God for the gift of his son Jesus, our risen Savior who continues to reveal himself to us.
I also take this opportunity to thank all of those who made our Holy Week liturgies to prayerful and beautiful. I thank our altar servers, lectors, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion for their ministry. I also want to thank our ushers who welcomed and greeted all of you and our visitors to our three beautiful churches. I also want to thank our parish choir under the direction of Ms. Joan Delahunt and Mr. Joseph Murray for lifting our voices to the heavens over these last days. Each of our three churches are decorated so beautifully. I thank the volunteers from each of our churches who worked so hard to exquisitely decorate our churches.
Divine Mercy Sunday
Next Sunday, April 11 is Divine Mercy Sunday. As is the custom, we will have Eucharistic Adoration with the recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00PM at Our Lady of Victory Church. The service will be live-streamed, but all are welcome to join us in person.
Sacrament of Confirmation
This Saturday, April 10, our young boys and girls will receive the sacrament of Confirmation. It will take place at 11:00AM at Our Lady of Victory Church. We are very happy to welcome His Excellency, Most Reverend James Massa as the presiding prelate. Because of the COVID-19 regulations, the sacrament of Confirmation will take place within a prayer service ceremony, not a Mass. All parishioners are welcomed to join us as we pray for our young boys and girls who will receive the sacrament of Confirmation.
2021 Diocese of Brooklyn Annual Catholic Appeal
I wish to thank all of you who have already contributed to this year’s Annual Catholic Appeal. As you know, the ACA supports the workings and programs of the Diocese of Brooklyn such as Catholic Migration Services, Vocations to the Priesthood, Hospital Chaplains and Youth Ministry. Our goal here at St. Martin de Porres is $63,586. The key to having a successful ACA is participation. We are asking everyone to participate in this year’s ACA that we will be able to achieve our goal. Any monies collected beyond the goal comes directly back to the parish. I thank each of you for your financial support here at St. Martin de Porres.
Queen of Heaven, rejoice. Alleluia. For He, whom you did merit to bear. Alleluia. Has risen as He said. Alleluia. Pray for us to God. Alleluia. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary. Alleluia. Because the Lord is truly risen, Alleluia
Father Alonzo Q. Cox.