Sometimes called the "First Apostle," Andrew characteristically brought people to Christ, including his brother St. Peter.
This statue depicts him holding the X-shaped cross on which he was reportedly crucified.
Readings from the Book of Revelation invite us to imagine the end time heavenly banquet. Van Eyck's famous altarpiece shows his vision of it. Today's reading from Revelation contains the very invitation we hear at the Mass just before Holy Communion - blessed are those who are called to the table of the Lamb.
The images on the Miraculous Medal are rich in meaning. On the face of the medal is The Immaculate Conception, including the date the image was revealed to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. The oration around the image (this medal in French), "O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."
On the reverse of the medal, the Marian symbol M is intertwined with the mystery of the cross, surrounded by 12 stars (apostles) with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Please be alert to a person and vehicle of the following description who has been visiting and robbing parishes all over Monmouth County, including Holy Cross.
Female, Caucasian, 40's, slim, long straight hair pulled back, glasses, satchel with chest strap, jeans. Carries cell phone which she uses to illuminate slots on poor boxes. Drives a blue, Chevy Equinox, NJ Z85-JKN
Visits are only 5-10 minutes. There have been dozens we have found on tape since we began looking. Blesses herself with holy water and then makes rounds in the church, depending on whether anyone is present, she will check poor boxes and votive candles and use a tool to remove any paper which shows through the donation slot.
She was here again as recently as last Friday. If you see her or the car, please call the parish office (during hours) and/or the Rumson Police. It appears she has been arrested before for thefts of not only funds, but chalices, apparently entering unlocked sacristies.
As you may know, all donations to our poor boxes go toward purchasing food cards from local supermarkets or one-time payments of rent/utilities for families in need who approach Holy Cross for help. The candle money is used to replenish the votive candles themselves and supplement our liturgical expense budget with which we purchase hosts, communion wine, linens, worship aids, etc.
St. Gertrude the Great was a nun who after an early period in her life when she focused on secular studies, became devoted to the study of theology and more intensely prayerful.
She was an early adopter of piety to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a devotion to Christ's passion including the Five Wounds of Christ and a concern for the souls in purgatory.
This stained glass window depicts her joyful spirit and her reported embrace of the stigmata.
This statue of St. Albert the Great outside the University of Cologne shows the two worlds a scholar/teacher inhabits: the theoretical and the practical. The very best teachers we've had can bring both together to inspire love for God and the world God created.
Archbishop of Dublin and Papal Legate to Ireland, Laurence was known for his holiness and simplicity of life and his courageous peace-keeping efforts. As you may recall, a reliquary containing his heart was stolen some years ago but recently returned to the church from which it was taken.
St. Josaphat
Lynched by an angry mob in his own episcopal residence, St. Josaphat worked towards unification of the disputing factions of the Catholic Church in the East.
We don't celebrate a building today, per se, but three images in the mass readings are given to us for reflection: the Heavenly Jerusalem, the Mystical Body of Christ of which we are all a part, and Christ's Resurrected Body.
St. John Lateran, the pope's cathedral with his cathedra or chair, symbolizes our unity with the Bishop of Rome, head of the church on earth.
Students of church history know that some views that are mocked and condemned are eventually embraced as church teaching. Such was the case with the Franciscan Duns Scotus, who defended the idea of the Immaculate Conception before it was accepted by the universal church. One sticking point was whether Mary could be conceived without original sin by virtue of the merits of Christ's passion, death and resurrection which had not yet happened in time. The resolution was to insist that Mary, like all of us humans, was redeemed by Christ's merits, but outside of earthly time.
Both John Paul II and Benedict XVI have also recently embraced another opinion of Duns Scotus that Jesus's Incarnation had been a plan of God all along, not only after Adam and Eve's sinful disobedience led to "the fall." This to fully sanctify human nature and become one with us.
Sometimes, with humility and trust in God, you have to be willing to be wrong for a very long time!
Both St. Paul and Jesus have encouraging words for us in today's Scriptures: keep trying, be encouraged, don't give up!
Achieving anything worthwhile is difficult - moral goodness is no exception. One important way to keep encouraged is by prayer, especially Eucharistic Adoration.
Stop in and spend some quiet time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament on Wednesdays during the day or on Thursday evenings. Even one hour will make a tremendous difference to your entire week.
Thank you to all those parishioners, who having prayed a Mass of Christian Burial this year at Holy Cross for a family member or friend, returned to share Eucharist with us on All Souls Evening. After the homily, each family lit a candle on the Tree of Life in memory of a deceased family member.
Hospitality and refreshments were provided after the mass in the St. Joseph's Room downstairs.
One of Gustav Dore's illustrations for Dante's Divine Comedy showing the climb through Purgatory.
Today we pray for the faithful departed who are on their journey toward heaven. Our prayers and penance encourage them and speed their journey.
On All Saints Day we commemorate the Communion of the Saints and pray united with them for our world. We ask their prayers on our behalf and for their sanctity to inspire us in word and deed to reach our goal with them in heaven.