From the Pastor’s Desk
Dear Parishioners,
As Catholics, we know and believe that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. Jesus is with us, body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist. How blessed we are to be with the Lord in the celebration of the Eucharist. We must never take for granted the great and tremendous gift we have in the Eucharist. We as disciples of the Lord must always preserve with deep reverence the presence of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. In each of our three churches, the tabernacle is placed in the very center. Jesus is the center of our church. It has come to my attention that there has been, at least over the last few months a lack of reverence when entering and leaving our churches. When entering and leaving our churches, we must do so with great reverence and respect. We should not be carrying loud conversations with others while in church. One of the customs that we have at Holy Rosary and St. Peter Claver church is to pray the rosary before Mass. I would ask that we prayerfully respect those who are praying the rosary with a spirit of silence as we come into church. As we leave Mass, I would ask that we do so in a spirit of prayer and reverence keeping a low tone until we are outside. Our scripture readings speak to us of the importance of prayer. It is through the power of prayer that we encounter the love of Christ. We acknowledge that we are sinners, pleading for God’s merciful help. May the Holy Spirit continue to empower us to be faithful and holy witness of Christ, the great High Priest.
Annual Catholic Appeal
I once again want to thank all of you who have made a pledge to this year’s Annual Catholic Appeal. As you know, monies that are raised through the appeal go to help support the work of the Diocese of Brooklyn, such as Catholic Charities, Catholic Migration Services and Vocations to the Priesthood. Or goal here at St. Martin de Porres is $63,586. We have pledged to date $46,897. The key to having a successful campaign is 100% participation. If you have not yet made a pledge, please consider doing so. Thank you all for you your generosity.
School of Faith Formation Registration
New registration and re-registration forms are now available for the upcoming academic year for our parish school of Faith Formation (Sunday school). Students preparing to receive First Holy Communion and Confirmation must be registered in our parish school of Faith Formation. Registration forms are available online via our parish website. The registration fee is $55. Classes have begun.
Liturgical Ministers Day of Recollection
Our annual liturgical minister’s day of recollection will take place next Saturday, October 28 at Our Lady of Victory Church beginning at 10:00AM. The presenter will be Father Michael Bruno, Dean of Seminarians and Professor of Church History at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers. We are strongly encouraging all lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, music ministers, ushers and catechists to join us for this important day. A light breakfast will be served at 9:00AM in McGuinness Hall.
Wishing you a blessed and joyful week,
Father Alonzo Q. Cox