Updated as of 9:30 a.m. on Friday, January 14, 2022
Very Important; Very Time-Sensitive
Urgent Request to Contact NJ State Legislators (BY THIS MONDAY MORNING AT THE LATEST) and Urge a “NO” Vote on the Pro-Abortion Bill Suddenly Moving Through the Senate and Assembly Lame Duck Session (Senate Bill #S49; Assembly Bill #A6260)
The New Jersey Catholic Conference (the government relations office of the NJ Catholic Bishops) noitified all parishes throughout the State of New Jersey this past Friday afternoon (January 7) about a very fast-moving legislative effort that, if successful, would significantly expand abortion access in New Jersey. A vote is expected this Monday and getting pro-life/anti-abortion information out to all parish communities is critical for this weekend. The accompanying message (CLICK HERE or click below) is to be read at all Masses on January 8 and 9, and, if possible, is to be posted on parish websites and parish social media sites. Parishioners are urged to contact their NJ State Senate and State Assembly representatives no later than this Monday morning to strongly request a “NO” vote on Senate Bill #S49 and Assembly Bill #6260. Contact information for reaching the Senate and Assembly representatives is contained in the links in the third paragraph of the accompanying message. Please give this your immediate attention. And please continue to pray for an end to abortion; for conversion, reconciliation, and healing; and for compassionate and competent care for women during and after crisis pregnancies. God bless.
Saturday Vigil Masses:
4:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m.
Sunday Masses:
7:00 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 Noon, 4:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.
(Temporary) Sunday Mass at 5:30 p,.m.:
Beginning on Sunday, January 9 and until further notice, we will celebrate Mass at 5:30 p.m. This particular Mass at 5:30 on Sunday is intended for those who desire to attend Mass and to do so on the basis of cooperating with all three of the following required protocols for that Mass: (a) have been covid-vaccinated at least once; (b) wear a facemask throughout the Mass except to consume the Eucharist; and (c) receive Communion on the hand only and not on the tongue. Covid vaccination cards will NOT be required at this Mass....the honor system will be relied on. One covid vaccination is sufficient for attending this Mass, although the second and third vaccinations are strongly encouraged and preferred. Further information about this Sunday 5:30 Mass may be found in the Bulletin Supplement pertaining to our January 2, 2022 bulletin which is available on this website. All of these Weekend Masses are celebrated indoors in the Upper Church. The Saturday 4:00 p.m. Vigil Mass and the Sunday 10:00 a.m. Mass are live-streamed and available at the links noted below.
Christmas 2021 - A Musical Christmas Card From St. Michael's Church
Bus Trip to the March for Life in Washington, DC on January 21
The nearby parishes of St. Rose in Belmar and St. Teresa in Bradley Beach and Avon-by-the-Sea have seats available on their chartered bus trip to the Rally and March for Life in Washington, DC on Friday, January 21, 2022. Time is of the essence if you are interested in traveling to the Rally and March on this bus. Please click below for further information and to access the sign-up form. Please act quickly. And please continue to pray for an end to abortion; for conversion, reconciliation, and healing; and for compassionate care during and after crisis pregnancies.
(Temporary) Outdoor Availability of Holy Communion After Two Indoor, In-Church Weekend Masses:
Beginning on the January 8-9 weekend, Holy Communion will be available in the church parking lot in your cars immediately after the conclusion of the Saturday 4:00 p.m. indoor Mass and after the Sunday 10:00 a.m. Mass for those who attend and participate at those Masses in their cars by means of the live-stream video transmission of the indoor Mass being celebrated at those hours. This plan will remain in effect until further notice and is temporary and is of course subject to inclement weather (e.g. winter snow or extreme cold, etc.) that would put at risk the health of the Mass-goers, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, ushers, parking lot staff, and priests. This availability of the Blessed Sacrament is intended for those who genuinely and in good conscience find themselves unable to attend the indoor Mass and receive Communion indoors in the church. Those who avail themselves of this opportunity to receive Communion in this manner in the parking lot are expected to attend the entirety of the Mass via the live-stream transmission emanating from the church (this is not "drive-by Holy Communion") and to treat the Mass with the usual and appropriate utmost dignity and to treat the Blessed Sacrament with the usual and appropriate utmost reverence. Please remember that at these two Masses no priest will be presiding from the outdoor altar on the stage in front of the garage; the audio of the indoor, in-church Mass will not be available on radio station FM 92.1; and the live-stream may be accessed at the parish website www.stmichaelnj.com and at the parish's YouTube channel.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued last week (Nov. 17) its anticipated teaching document on the Eucharist. It is highly recommended reading for all Catholics and it may be accessed at the Bishops' website by CLICKING HERE.
A similar teaching document on the Eucharist was also issued by the USCCB in 2006. An excerpt from that document was published in the parish bulletin on Sunday, November 21, 2021. The entire text of the 2006 USCCB document on the Eucharist is also highly recommended reading and it may be accessed at the Bishops’ website by CLICKING HERE.
The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith. All are urged to be knowledgeable on what the Eucharist is (the True, Real Presence of Jesus) and on what the Eucharist is not ("a mere symbol") and everyone is urged to do a personal examination of his/her knowledgeable and well-formed conscience to assess one's own worthiness to receive the Blessed Sacrament each time one approaches the altar to say "Amen" to the Body of Christ and to all that it is and to all that it embodies.
PARISH LIVE STREAM
ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, St. Michael's Church will be broadcasting a live stream of the 4:00 P.M. MASS beginning at 4:00 P.M (an indoor Mass celebrated in the parish’s Upper Church). Click the link below to view. That live-streaming of that 4:00 Mass will be available for viewing at all times throughout the current weekend and will later be transferred to the Mass Archive on this website. Live-streaming (and subsequent archive accessibility) of our Saturday 4:00 P.M. Mass will continue indefinitely until further notice (with the help of God and with the help of our dedicated volunteers and staff).
The next weekend live stream Mass after the January 15-16 weekend will be on Saturday, January 22 at 4:00 P.M. (an indoor Mass celebrated in our Upper Church). Our outdoor Parking Lot Masses here at St. Michael's were temporarily resumed as of Saturday, September 11, 2021 and were discountinued as planned after the Parking Lot Mass on November 13. Please visit this parish website for updated information on the dates and times of live-stream Masses and for other news and information.
Saturday 4:00 P.M. Mass, January 15, 2022
Sunday 10:00 A.M. Mass, January 16, 2022
(Content will appear in the above links simultaneously with the specified start time of the particular Mass.)
Click Here to View Our Previous Mass Live Streams
Welcome to St. Michael's Parish
St. Michael's exists to be a beautiful place of worship in which we consistently encourage, uplift, and challenge you. These are words we strive to live out daily.
We seek to have a relevant and vibrant church where our members thrive, and passionately pursue the Catholic faith. Our desire is to create a place of fellowship and encourage our members to go deeper in their daily walk with Christ.
We are committed to creating a unique church where members are excited about the atmosphere and ministry that takes place here. Our hope is that you will be able to connect and grow at St. Michael's and soon call us your home.
As Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, I encourage all our Catholic clergy, religious and lay faithful to sign a petition to protect congressional legislative provisions in support of life: Click Here. Please access the New Jersey Catholic Conference website and also read the Action Alerts posted on the NJCC website: https://njcatholic.org.
Please consider writing letters in strong support of pro-life protections to our New Jersey senators and congressmen and congresswomen. Thank you and may God bless and protect you all, born and unborn.
Healing After Abortion:
Do you know someone who is carrying the grief of a past abortion? There is always hope. The pain and sorrow of abortion does not need to endure for a lifetime. A “Day of Prayer and Healing” offers the opportunity to experience the love and mercy of God and to respond to His invitation to begin the journey of healing the wound of abortion. For upcoming dates, locations, and confidential registration, or just to talk to a Sister, please call the Sisters of Life at (866)-575-0075 (toll free) orThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Know someone needing assistance with food, housing, drug addiction, mental health, domestic violence or immigration? Contact Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton.
Using the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 Vaccine
The U.S. Conference of Catholice Bishops (USCCB) issued a Statement on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 regarding moral concerns with using the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine. The Statement may be accessed by clicking below. The Statement says in part, "if one has the ability to choose a vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna’s vaccines should be chosen over Johnson & Johnson’s." The moral concern arises because the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was developed and tested and is produced with abortion-derived cell lines. The USCCB Statement also quotes the judgment of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican that "when ethically irreproachable Covid-19 vaccines are not available... it is morally acceptable to receive Covid19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process."
CLICK HERE