Diary of a Parish Priest

Sunday Update March 29th

My brothers and sisters, the Lord be with you!

It would be really a blessing to say that to you in person, circumstances are changing nearly every day.

Adoration hours will continue in church, which remains open during the day and evening hours for private prayers. Please remember to keep safe social distancing when entering and leaving the church and when choosing a pew. 

Last night I set up a camera for recording the Adoration and a private Latin Mass. I'm reviewing the recordings to examine their quality, size and feasibility for streaming and will likely be experimenting with that in the coming days. Likely they will be rough at first, but with your feedback I can work on improving them. Apparently we're not supposed to put recorded liturgies online, but that may be simply for the Easter triduum, I'm not sure. Doing recordings would be MUCH simpler than live-streaming.

Let us pray for our health and safety through the intercession of Mary, St. Michael and the 14 Holy Helpers,

Fr. Manning

 

Saturday March 28th

from a parishioner

Reminder of services today and tomorrow:

Saturday:            Exposition Holy Hour        5:00 - 6:00 PM

Sunday                Exposition Holy Hour        10:30 - 11:30 AM

                              Exposition Holy Hour        5:00 - 6:00 PM

 

The bishops are working out what is an essentially Easter Triduum without a congregation. Some of the details will emerge in the coming days. I will keep you posted.

 

 

Our Lady of Sorrows, Pray For Us

I worked on this Internet image to enhance some of its features and remove some of the details of the background. Our Lady of Sorrows is one of the images of Mary which help us invoke her intercession to her Son in times of distress.

Worship at Holy Cross Church - Wednesday 3/18/2020

• Morning and evening adoration hours seem to be going well. They will continue on weekdays. 
• Stations of the Cross are cancelled.
• Mass intentions are being fulfilled. Bishop O'Connell has indicated that he wishes this to continue and given permission for the Sunday intentions to be combined and said at one private mass.
• Today's hours of  Exposition are the usual for Wednesdays.
• Bulletin links will be placed on our webpage (as usual) and this blog. Feel free to share them.
• 24 Hours for the Lord will continue as scheduled. It looks like we have enough adorers for overnight on Friday into Saturday morning. Please feel free to join us.
• A reminder there is holy water and blessed salt available in the south transept.

Please keep everyone up to date as the situation evolves with social media links and messages to fellow parishioners.

Go And Wash in the River Jordan

In this morning's First Reading we hear about Naaman's cure by Elisha the Prophet with the relatively simple instruction to wash in the Jordan River seven times. Naaman felt slighted, expecting the cure would be far more elaborate for someone as important as himself. He was given a sense of perspective by his advisors, “if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it?" He washed in the Jordan and was cured.

We're often willing to do dramatic things rather than the simple and life-sustaining ones. Perhaps we ignore simple advice like "wash your hands," and prefer elaborate isolation precautions, spending huge amounts of money on food and supply-shopping sprees. We conjecture those politicians who love us most will be willing to spend the most money, and the most drastic public health measures show the most authentic concern. It is well not to lose perspective. 

The church provides the most basic guidance for a life-giving Lent: pray, fast, give alms. It sounds so ordinary we may have stopped listening and worse, stopped performing these simple, life-saving actions. Lent is a time to refocus and repent. Let's not waste the opportunity.

Sunday Bulletin March 14 -15, 2020

Here are some links to this Sunday's Bulletin along with excerpts from pertinent articles. Keep in mind the press deadline for each Sunday bulletin is the preceding Wednesday, so up to the minute information on COVID-19 may be out of date as published.

Download 0623 HolyCrossBulletin 15March2020

 

Mass and Communion in Diocese of Trenton

In light of the escalating concern about the spread of the corona virus (COVID19) Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., has issued the following instructions on liturgical practices to be observed in ALL parishes, institutions and organizations within the Diocese of Trenton, effective immediately until otherwise notified:
1. People who have flu-like symptoms or who are otherwise feeling sick should not go to Mass or other Church gatherings;
2. Priests, deacons and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion should practice good hygiene, washing hands with soap and water or anti-bacterial hand sanitizer, before and after distributing Holy Communion;
3. People are encouraged not to receive communion on the tongue; worthy, reverent reception by hand is preferred until otherwise notified;
4. The practice of distributing the Precious Blood from the Chalice is suspended;
5. The practice of exchanging the sign of peace by any physical contact (handshake, embrace, kissing) is suspended. 

We continue to encourage the faithful to stay informed through our diocesan communications online at  
https://dioceseoftrenton.org/coronavirus
www.TrentonMonitor.com/coronavirus as well as through the Centers for Disease Control and prevention at:
www.cdc.gov/COVID19

Communion

So few communicants received from the cups last weekend, it seems prudent to discontinue them for now. Thank you for your understanding.

Fr. Manning

 

Communion, The Flu and Coronavirus

Happy New Year!

Our Lady of the Rosary Prayers and Feast

Parishioners gathered after the 5 PM mass to pray the rosary and then enjoy some pizza. What a combo deal!

 

St. Francis Blessing of the Animals Holy Cross Rumson 2019

Beautiful weather this morning brought out a great group of pets for the St. Francis Blessing. Besides canines and felines of all ages, shapes and sizes, we had a snail, a hamster, and two turtles!

I think the smallest to largest would be the snail to the Mastiff!

All God's creatures great and small! (click on the images to enlarge and enjoy)

 

Thank You Bishop O'Connell

Bishop O'Connell visited the parish and school yesterday to bless the students, faculty and staff of the new Academy. It was an exciting day since everyone was delighted to greet the bishop and join with him in prayer.

Bishop O'Connell, Congressman Chris Smith, Daniel O'Connell
Principal Dr. Mark DeMareo, Bishop O'Connell, Mrs. Alison Mitchell

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

He who knew no sin, was made sin for us.

 

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Independence Day, But Not From God

Pray in thanksgiving for the many blessings God has given us, in gratitude for the sacrifices so many have made to preserve our liberty, in vigilance to preserve religious liberty in our nation and in hope that our nation's laws may be consonant with God's plan for all creation.

 

After All These Years, Three Boy Scout Merit Badges!

Thank you to our Boy Scout Troop 201 for the honor of the Grommets and Ashes Award. I didn't realize there were three merit badges attached when I accepted the award: Medicine, Church, and Pets!

Holy Cross in Rumson Memorial Day Parade

Patriotic Colors Bloom In Time For Memorial Day

It was a difficult to get the three colors of blooms in the same frame, since the red Knockouts only opened this morning, but there were just enough to squeeze together: Red Knockouts, White Rugosa and Blue Nepeta for Memorial Day.

Join us tomorrow in the Memorial Day Parade as Holy Cross marches or cheer us on from along the line of march. 

Red, White and Blue Patriotic Blooms for Memorial Day

Memorial Day 2019