Dear Parishioners,

We met people who are extremely unhappy, bitter, and disappointed with the direction of their lives. When they cross our path, we wisely retreat, since we do not want to be infected by their negativity and gloomy outlook at themselves and us. We do not want to become just like them.  We feel the danger of wasting our time and opportunities and we flee away from them as far and as soon as possible.

Then we have a different type of people. There are those around whom we feel good, comfortable, and safe with. Their positive attitude, grace, and shining personality makes us feel better about ourselves. Time with those people is never wasted. We want more of them. We crave their attention, time and attitude. We want to have the same self-confidence, happiness, and healthy attitude in our lives as they project. We may even start to imitate them consciously or not, in their words, actions or even thoughts or pattern of talking. We are impressed by them, we want to become like them, as we say jokingly, when we grow up.  We know that they are the bunch we shall associate with. Seeing them, talking to them makes us happy, optimistic, and full of hope.

For a moment think about somebody in your life from the first group of people. How and what do you feel? Does the thought about that person make you anxious, disappointed, fearful? Then move to the second group of people described above. Imagine the one person who makes you feel good and positive and respected. What are your thoughts when you think about that person? How does she/he make you feel? How does it affect your mood and self-image?

Doing this simple exercise, you only may confirm what you want in your life. You may even have a smile on your face. Why? Because the person or people who makes you feel good and secure put this smile on your face. Just simply by this mental exercise, thinking about those people and how they effect and treat you, you think much higher and better about yourself.

Why am I writing this? In our lives we make daily choices. We make choices of who we want to become. The choices of who we want to be in the far future and for today. The choices of today that make the way of tomorrow. We can become one of these unhappy grumps, bitter and aggressive or we can choose to be positive, delightful, and full of hope and faith. It is our choice in which group we will end up. We may not control where and when we are born, who are our parents, what is the color of our skin, ethnicity, etc. We may even not control anymore things which are already chose in our lives years ago such as; path of our career, spouse, place of living, but what we can choose is here and now. Here and now to be happy, positive and self-confident.

Whether we like it or not we make choices in our lives. We are forced by the nature of life to choose all the time. Even if we do not choose, it become our choice that constitutes and determines our future choices and outcomes. Lock of choice is a choice itself. So why not choose hope, faith, and love over stress, disappear, and fear? Why not choose confidence, assurance, health, and pride over inferior complexes, anxiety and fearfulness?

God is giving us grace to be who we want to be. The choice is given to us. Nothing is predetermined. Nothing is impossible. We can squander the opportunity or with God’s help, his grace, his leadership, we can become who he wants us to be; the best version of ourselves. Let God guide us in this process. The reward is unbelievable. The gift of the believing in God and believing in ourselves is there. Do you have courage and confidence to go on the journey to the place of bright lights and better you? Do you have enough faith and courage to trust in God’s providence and the plan He has for you?

Courage and self-confidence is already in you. Allow yourself to reach out for it and start living the life you have always dreamed about.

God bless,

Fr. Pawel

-------------------------------------------------- Thank you for your prayers and financial support. While the Church is closed, keep these reminders in mind: Please remember you can still order the mass intentions; they are going to be celebrated by Fr. Pawel in his private chapel in the rectory. Thank you for your continued financial contribution. You can support our parish by giving online or by simply mailing or dropping off your envelopes to the black mailbox by the parish office. Please read Fr. Pawel’s article about the Spiritual Communion and Act of Contrition. It may help you grow spiritually.   Revisit Fr. Pawel's Letters of Encouragement during these uncertain times and keep your spirit up. -------------------------------------------------- LIVE STREAM LINKS -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE DIOCESE The Solemnity of the Ascension The Bishops of New Jersey have agreed to transfer the celebration of the Solemnity of the Ascension from a holy day of obligation observed on Thursday, May 21, 2020, to the Seventh Sunday of Easter, May 24, 2020, replacing the Mass and readings of the Seventh Sunday of Easter. The transfer of the feast is for this year only. The bishops felt this necessary to accommodate priests who found the livestreaming of Mass difficult. As you are well aware, the obligation of the faithful to attend Mass remains suspended for the present time. On Thursday, May 21, 2020, the Mass of Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter is celebrated or the Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Magallanes, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs is observed with the Mass being taken from the Common of Several Martyrs. On May 23rd in the evening, the Mass of the Vigil of the Ascension is celebrated and on the following day, May 24th, the Mass of the Solemnity of the Ascension and the readings proper to the Ascension are used. The readings for the Vigil of the Ascension and the Mass of the Day are the same. ---------------- Soon, the arrangements and date for the Ordination and Installation of Bishop-Elect Sweeny will be announced. Please pray for the Bishop-Elect. You may find this prayer useful. Prayer for the Bishop-Elect Good and gracious God, we stand on the threshold of a new time for our diocese. As we cross that threshold in thankfulness, we ask you to pour out an abundance of grace on our Bishop-Elect Kevin Sweeny that he may faithfully assume his ministry among us and that, together with him, we may work for the building up of our local church. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. --------------------------------------------------

Catholic News & Perspective

Good News From the Beacon Virtual field day Published: May 21, 2020 Socks, a towel, some oversized clothes. These sound like items for the laundry but for one day, they became something more. They were essential things around the house that made a virtual field day possible. Every spring at Assumption School in Morristown, the students look forward to its annual field day filled with friendly competitions of three-legged and potato sack races. Keeping up with this tradition even during this time of social distancing with school buildings closed, Assumption School still hosted the field day. [Read More] Remote learning Published: May 21, 2020 All Saints Academy in Parsippany is home to a faculty, staff, and student body that has embraced the distance eLearning platform. Founded in 2009 as a merger of the former St. Peter the Apostle and St. Christo­pher schools, both located in Parsippany, All Saints Academy is AdvancEd accredited, and was the first elementary school in the Diocese of Paterson and Morris County to become a nationally-certified STEM school. [Read More] Providing support during pandemic Published: May 21, 2020 Arlene Sullivan, a Wayne resident and visual/graphic arts teacher at Morris Catholic High School in Denville, delivered 200 transparent medical masks to facilities in need this past week. Masks were given out to Wayne healthcare workers in Care One, thanks to the request of Gary Marchese, a volunteer, and to Preak­ness Healthcare Center/William Paterson University testing site, thanks to County Freeholder John Bartlett. [Read More]   Daily Readings and Prayer

LIVE STREAM LINKS:

Links to local daily Masses livestreamed at different times

ALL REGULAR EVENTS SCHEDULE IS SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

If you need our assistance, please call us at 201-248-2201  or email us at  office@stcatherineofbologna.org

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Regular Mass Schedule 

Saturday:  5:00PM (Vigil Mass)
Sunday: 7:30AM | 9:00AM | 11:00AM | 6:00PM
Weekdays: 9:00AM

Holy Days of Obligation:
Please see Bulletin for detailed mass times
 

Confession

Saturdays: 4:00PM - 4:30PM 
First Fridays: 6:00PM - 6:45PM

Eucharistic Adoration

Fridays: 9:30AM - 10:30AM 
First Fridays: 9:30AM - 1:00PM and 6:00PM - 7:00PM

Pope Francis Reflections