Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.  As you recall from last week’s newsletter, Cardinal Tobin transferred the celebration this year to Sunday.  It should be noted that the Archdiocese of Newark has been one of only six (arch)dioceses in our country who have kept the observance on Thursday. The other five (arch)dioceses are Boston, Hartford, New York, Omaha, and Philadelphia.  The reason for the transfer to a Sunday is so that as many people as possible can celebrate this important event.  

In his Ascension to his heavenly Father, Jesus commissions his disciples to baptize in his name, reminding them that he is always present through his Spirit.  Having ascended to his Father amid cries of gladness, we are to be his witnesses for we have been gifted with his Spirit.  Let us, therefore, live in a manner worthy of the call we have received.

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1. If you are ill in any way, please stay home until you are well.  If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, please stay home until you have completed the recommended quarantine.

2. If you are at high risk due to age, if you have underlying medical conditions, if you have a fever or exhibit signs of any illness, you should not come to church at all during this time. 

3. While the church will be cleaned, even with the best health practices and strict social distancing, anyone who enters any public space, including a church, should recognize that there is a risk of contracting viruses.  We will be cleaning our worship space, but no one should expect that they will be any safer from germs than in any other public spaces.

4.  Only 10 people are permitted in the church at any time.  You may be required to wait outside until space is available.  If necessary, please line up (keeping a social distance of 6 feet) along the white fence of the playground.  Follow the directions of the staff and/or ministers of hospitality. 

5. Visits are meant to be brief.  In consideration of others, please visit for prayer for no more than 10 minutes.  As one person leaves, another may enter at the discretion of the staff and/or designated minister of hospitality.

6. Everyone entering the church must wear a mask.  Please bring one with you from home.  In addition, parishioners should bring their own hand sanitizer and Clorox/Lysol wipes.  You are encouraged to wear gloves and even use hand sanitizer when wearing gloves.   Please note that there will be hand sanitizing dispensers available, but you are still encouraged to bring your own.  Please use hand sanitizer upon entering and leaving the church.

7. The front doors of the school and the main doors into the gymnasium must remain open allowing you to have “hands-free” access.  Avoid touching all surfaces as much as possible. The doors are always to be kept open, regardless of the weather outside or the temperature inside.  

8. Keeping a social distance of 6 feet is required. Congregating in the gym or anywhere on the property in order to chat or gather is not permitted.  Please note that as our church does not have pews, we are able to accommodate the social distance of 6 feet with the folding chairs.  Please do not move the chairs.

9. Holy water fonts will remain empty and holy water will not be available to take home.

10. The celebrations of public liturgies, devotions, or group prayer are not permitted.  For example, a group cannot gather in the gymnasium to recite the Rosary.  Walking the Stations of the Cross will not be permitted.  Churches are open for private, personal prayer only.  Maintain a prayerful silence the moment you enter.

11. Restrooms will remain closed during this time.

12. Leaving any pamphlets, brochures, prayer cards or materials of any kind on the folding chairs or anywhere in the gymnasium and vestibule is prohibited.

13. Anyone who is non-compliant with any of these directives will be asked to leave out of respect for those who want to pray safely and within the limits necessary at this time.

• Desserts that are individually wrapped (in foil/plastic bags) ready for handout.  Dunkin donuts, brownies, cookies are all suggestions.  Please wear gloves and follow safety measures when handling food.
• Cases of water bottles (Family promise has requested at least 100 bottles).
• Utensils (fork, spoon, knife wrapped in a napkin).  Please wear gloves and follow safety measures when handling utensils.

 
To cover the $1,350.00 cost of the meals we are asking for monetary donations.  Any amount will be graciously accepted and appreciated.  All money collected will be used for the meal on June 6, and any extra will be donated to Family Promise.
 
If you can provide a donation, please send checks made payable to Most Blessed Sacrament to either Patricia Howland or Toni Wagner at the addresses below.  In the memo section, please include “Walk In Dinner Program”
 
If you can donate desserts, water, or utensils, please contact either Toni or Tricia to let them know.  They can arrange for delivery or pickup of the items.  The items are needed by 10:00 am on June 6, 2020.
 
 Thank you for your ongoing support of this ministry. 
 
Toni Wagner                                                              Tricia Howland
1020 Colonial Road                                                  766 McCoy Road
(201) 248-7254                                                         (201) 874-2296
Wagner5@optonline.net                                        patriciaartellihowland@gmail.com
 

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Parish Website: I encourage you to please log on to the parish website: www.mostblessedsacrament.ws for the latest updates of parish news and activities.  To help your participation at our weekend Masses, click on the “Worship Aid” option so that you can join us in word and in song during our Masses. This weekend’s aid contains the hymns we will be singing as well as the prayer of Spiritual Communion. We hope you find this helpful. 
 
On-Line Bulletin: Please be sure to log on to the website to access our on-line bulletin for the weekend of May 23rd and 24th.  Now our bulletins are conveniently found on the first page of the website.   
 
Update on Building a Church…Continuing the Mission: A comprehensive and lengthy Needs Assessment Report has been prepared by our architect.  The report is based on all of the parish meetings (both in person and virtual) which have been conducted since February.  To access the document, log on to our website: www.mostblessedsacrament.ws and click on the link located on our homepage.  It is a highly informative (and lengthy) report!
 
Parish Center:
The Most Blessed Sacrament Parish Center will not be open to the public.  Please contact the office by phone (201-891-4200) or staff email. Staff will be able to access their messages remotely.
     
Parish Finances:
As it is for your own family, finances are a concern to our parish family, the Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament.  I know that you are aware that because of the pandemic, our income is decreased.  The parish has been extremely conservative in its expenses, but there are expenses that are necessary to pay:  contracted and professional services, plant related repairs and maintenance, utilities, supplies and equipment, in addition to many others.
 
I am very grateful to all of you who are doing your best to assist the parish financially at this time: by mailing in your envelopes; dropping off the envelopes through the mail slot on the Franklin Lake Road side of the Parish Center; by enrolling in on-line giving through Parish Giving; or by participating in our parish’s GoFundMe page.   Links to all of the options for making contributions are found on our website.

I also wanted to mention my gratitude to the parish for your continued participation in the annual Archdiocesan Appeal: Shining the Light of Christ.  As you have been reading in the parish bulletin, we continue to increase in the percentage needed to reach our goal.  Currently, we are at the 79% mark which means that, in pledges, we have $63,200 toward our goal of $80,000.  Remember that 100% of every dollar raised above the goal will be returned to the parish.  Thank you for your continued support of the ministries of the Archdiocese and of our own parish.  To make a contribution you can visit www.rcan.org/sharing.
 
With all these tremendous efforts, that you for your generosity!
 
Have a blessed Seventh Week of Easter!  As we hear in this weekend’s second reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians, “may the eyes of (our) hearts be enlightened” to the call we have received from Jesus our Lord.

May 19, 2020
 
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
 
As I indicated to you in my on-line newsletter for May 15, 2020, Cardinal Tobin has given permission for churches in the Archdiocese of Newark to be open for private prayer on a limited basis.  While this may seem as a “small step,” it is still a great step. We look forward to seeing you.
 
Considering our current situation at Most Blessed Sacrament, our “worship space” or “church” is the gymnasium in our school.
 
After consultation with our parish’s “Re-Open Task Force,” Most Blessed Sacrament Church will be open for private prayer on Sundays from 9am to 1pm beginning with Sunday, May 24^th, 2020, the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.
 
Confession will be available on Sundays as well from 9am to 1pm.  Anyone wishing to celebrate this sacrament should contact Father John (jjob@mbschurchnj.org)  to set up an appointment.  Social distancing will be maintained, and masks must be worn by the confessor and the penitent.
 
As they did prior to the cancellation of Masses, our Art and Environment Committee has worked very diligently to transform our gymnasium into a worship space conducive for prayer.  The tabernacle will be present in the gymnasium during the Sunday prayer hours.
Please note that our parish Masses and other services will continue to be broadcast as usual on our parish website and Facebook page.
 
Because of the serious health concerns related to the Coronavirus, there will be numerous restrictions, expectations, and warnings that I must share with you in order that we ensure the health and safety of all who wish to visit the church.
 

1. If you are ill in any way, please stay home until you are well.  If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, please stay home until you have completed the recommended quarantine.

2. If you are at high risk due to age, if you have underlying medical conditions, if you have a fever or exhibit signs of any illness, you should not come to church at all during this time. 

3. While the church will be cleaned, even with the best health practices and strict social distancing, anyone who enters any public space, including a church, should recognize that there is a risk of contracting viruses.  We will be cleaning our worship space, but no one should expect that they will be any safer from germs than in any other public spaces.  As a courtesy, you should clean the folding chair and anything else that you touch (with a disinfecting wipe) before and after your time of prayer.

4. Only 10 people are permitted in the church at any time.  You may be required to wait outside until space is available.  If necessary, please line up (keeping a social distance of 6 feet) along the white fence of the playground.  Follow the directions of the staff and/or ministers of hospitality.

5. Visits are meant to be brief.  In consideration of others, please visit for prayer for no more than 10 minutes.  As one person leaves, another may enter at the discretion of the staff and/or designated minister of hospitality.

6. Everyone entering the church must wear a mask.  Please bring one with you from home.  In addition, parishioners should bring their own hand sanitizer and Clorox/Lysol wipes.  You are encouraged to wear gloves and even use hand sanitizer when wearing gloves.   Please note that there will be hand sanitizing dispensers available, but you are still encouraged to bring your own.

7. The front doors of the school and the main doors into the gymnasium must remain open allowing you to have “hands-free” access.  Avoid touching all surfaces as much as possible. The doors are always to be kept open, regardless of the weather outside or the temperature inside.  

8. Keeping a social distance of 6 feet is required. Congregating in the gym or anywhere on the property in order to chat or gather is not permitted.  Please note that as our church does not have pews, we are able to accommodate the social distance of 6 feet with the folding chairs.  Please do not move the chairs.

9. Holy water fonts will remain empty and holy water will not be available to take home.

10. The celebrations of public liturgies, devotions, or group prayer are not permitted.  For example, a group cannot gather in the gymnasium to recite the Rosary.  Walking the Stations of the Cross will not be permitted.  Churches are open for private, personal prayer only.  Maintain a prayerful silence the moment you enter.

11. Restrooms will remain closed during this time.

12. Leaving any pamphlets, brochures, prayer cards or materials of any kind on the folding chairs or anywhere in the gymnasium and vestibule is prohibited.

13. Anyone who is non-compliant with any of these directives will be asked to leave out of respect for those who want to pray safely and within the limits necessary at this time.

All of these expectations and requirements – just to visit the church in order to pray for a brief time - may seem burdensome and onerous.  Nevertheless, they are necessary in order to maintain a safe environment.  If we have a positive experience with our initial implementation of “re-opening” the church, we will consider additional hours during selected days of the week.  Of course, all of this depends on everyone working together in a spirit of patience and charity.  Remember, we will get through this.  We are MBS strong.  Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for our parish community!
 
 
Union of prayers,
 
Father John
 
Reverend John R. Job
Pastor

The New Jersey Catholic Conference issued an Action Alert today, modeled on the Catholic Charities USA Alert, calling on Congress to provide emergency aid to charities and nonprofits.  Below is the link to the Action Alert and an easy form letter for your completion. All are encouraged to respond and to share with your communities. 
 
www.votervoice.net/mobile/NJCC/campaigns/72824/respond

Rejoice in the Lord is Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin’s newsletter to all the faithful in the Archdiocese of Newark.

Click here to read the newest edition of the newsletter...

Click here if you would like to learn more about the newsletter or to read previous editions of the newsletter...

Father John Job and the staff of the Most Blessed Sacrament Church are very appreciative for the outpouring of support and prayers from not only our parishioners, but also the community.

Many people have reached out to us in regard to donating for the restoration of the Church. If you would like to make a donation, you can mail a check to Most Blessed Sacrament Church, 787 Franklin Lake Road, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417. Please make sure to specify "MBS Restoration" on your donation.

Thank you.

Click here to view the worship aid for the Mass for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord - May 24, 2020.

Click here to view the worship aid for the Mass of the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima.

Click here to view the worship aid for the Litany of Loreto.

Click here to read the Needs Assessment Report prepared for our parish by Foresight Architects. 

On Friday, May 1^st, the Archdiocese of Newark joined with other dioceses throughout the United States and Canada in a formal reconsecration of our countries to Mary, Mother of the Church. During a brief Prayer Service in The Lady Chapel in the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Cardinal Tobin said, “An act of consecration is meant to be a reminder to all of us of the Blessed Mother’s witness to the Gospel and to ask for her intercession before her Son on behalf of those in need. The Word of God we just heard (Jn 19:25-27) tells us why we can make this new act of consecration with humble confidence.”

Click here to read Cardinal Tobin's homily. 

Here's How You Can Help!

• Online giving through Parish Giving...a convenient and secure way to make your weekly offering by using a credit card or bank transfer. Click on the "Parish Giving" button below to sign up.

  

• Online giving through PayPal...a newer option for our parish. For more information or to sign up, click the "Donate" button below.

• Online giving through GoFundMe. Click on the "GoFundMe" button below to visit our parish page and to share this link with your friends on social media. 

• Sending your envelopes or checks by way of the mail or dropping them off in the mail slot on the door of the Franklin Lake Road side of the parish center.

Reverend John R. Job, Pastor
Most Reverend John W. Flesey, S.T.D. D.D., Pastor Emeritus
*Listen to Bishop Flesey's Homilies
Sister Rose Marie Kean, S.S.J., Pastoral Associate