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Key Dates11/23 - 12:15pm Dismissal - Parent/Teacher Conferences
11/24 Thanksgiving Retreat - 12:15pm Dismissal (No Aftercare)
11/25 - Happy Thanksgiving
11/26 - No School
11/27 - Fall Festival Craft Show 9am-4pm -
Bishop's Message
Video
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Thanksgiving is a day we are called upon to give thanks to God even amidst this continuing pandemic and dealing with the aftereffects of Hurricane Ida which have caused untold difficulties, sacrifices and losses. For some, these may have caused a change in their daily routine, in the balance of school, work or home responsibilities, or in not being able to see and hug loved ones. For others, it may have meant coping with depression, isolation, or addiction; dealing with the loss of a job; or grieving the loss of a loved one. I join you in prayer today to support you with God’s loving divine assistance.
The pandemic has pushed many to their limits in their capacity to handle any more than they already have – any more sickness, devastation, pain or loss. But at the same time, we have also been pushed towards grace, in our ability to handle more than we ever thought possible, all with God’s help, of course. We have been given a gift in this time in our lives, to look to our loving Father even more closely and regularly, to rely on Him and to deepen our friendship with Jesus, the only One who can help us through our struggles.
Yes, we have been challenged and changed, yet we have much for which to be thankful. When we were forced to attend Mass virtually, we experienced a true and deep longing and desire to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, not just spiritually but physically. It was a challenge, yet now it is an important reminder to us that we should not take Jesus for granted. He desires to be with us too…always!
We are indeed blessed, each of us, even if we sometimes fail to see it. God is working in us and through us and that is something which we can and should always be grateful for, as we discern ways to bring Him to those we encounter throughout our day. As we celebrate and give thanks to God this Thanksgiving, I pray we will let Him enter deeper into our hearts.
In our Gospel for Mass on Thanksgiving, we are reminded to always remember to be grateful for the blessings we have in life. They do not come to us by mistake or by our efforts alone but rather through God’s grace, and we should always remember that, and thank God for that! So many in our world don’t recognize God’s goodness to them, and it is a grace we personally should not take for granted. I know you don’t, and I am so grateful for your commitment to the greatest thanks we can give, the Eucharistic sacrifice. I thank God for your commitment this Thanksgiving, for each of you recognizing this in your own lives and striving to build up His Kingdom right here in our midst!
We have just started our 40th anniversary year as a diocese and that is certainly a time for us to give thanks too. One of our priorities for the year will be to focus on prayer, deepening our friendship with Jesus. Perhaps attending Mass more often, even during the week, is a good place to start. Also, this weekend we will start the season of Advent; a season of hope as we prepare our hearts for the Birth of our Lord. And we will be called to focus even more intently on Him and His coming more fully into our world and our lives. He has so much to give us. He is the answer to all our struggles, so let’s not lose sight of Him and all the hope He gives to each of us and to our world; and let’s spread that hope in Him.
Know of my love and prayers for you and your families. Remember that our Lord is with you always. I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving and a blessed start to the Advent season.
With renewed best wishes, I remain
Yours in Christ,
Most Reverend James F. Checchio, JCD, MBA
Bishop of Metuchen
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