December 3, 2021 - Rebuild Update

November 17, 2021 - Liturgical Art Committee Report

June - October 2021 - Committee Reports

May 28, 2021 - Rebuild Committee Update

December 21, 2020

December 11, 2020

October 25, 2020

June 10, 2020

April 4, 2020

March 26, 2020

March 23, 2020

March 11, 2020

January 31, 2020

January 19, 2020

January 12, 2020

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

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.

We invite you to view Father John's letter on the beginnings of the construction of our new church as well as renderings of the interior and exterior of the church, the Chapel of Mary, our Good Mother, and our Community Gathering Hall. 

Simply click on the links below:
 

Father John's Letter

Church Renderings

As you may recall from a prior bulletin, the Christoph Paccard Bell Foundry was charged with safely removing the three bells in the tower and transporting them for storage at the Foundry which is located in Charleston, South Carolina.  The bells headed south on July 7, 2022.
           
The three large cast bronze bells were purchased by Most Blessed Sacrament in the summer of 1980 in preparation for the 1981 dedication of the former church. The bells were originally a part of Saint Alphonsus Church on West Broadway in lower Manhattan.  That church was going to be demolished since it was determined that the building was structurally unsound.  It should be noted that Saint Alphonsus Church was administered by the Redemptorists.  Our Archbishop, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., is a member of the Redemptorist Order.

The history of the three bells dates back to 1875 when they were cast at the Meneeley and Kimberly Foundry in Troy, New York.  Our records indicate that the bells weigh 550 pounds, 800 pounds, and 1,000 pounds!
             
Liz and Ralph Mastrangelo, longtime parishioners of Most Blessed Sacrament, happen to live in South Carolina for part of the year.  They decided to visit the foundry where the bells are being restored.  Stan Christoff, the president of the foundry, met them at his workshop. Stan showed them the bells, and they were even able to ring the largest bell with a gong. Stan explained that the bell strikers will be electromagnetic and will be inserted into each bell. 

Liz and Ralph were surprised to learn that the bells would not be cleaned or polished. Stan explained it could take off too much of the finish and therefore the engravings that were still visible would probably be erased. In addition, the shininess would last only a couple of weeks since the bells are exposed to the elements.

Joining Ralph and Liz were other MBS parishioners who now reside in South Carolina – Kathy and Ed Galto and Laura and Jim Dilella.

We are grateful to Ralph and Liz for keeping an eye on the bells, a precious treasure of Most Blessed Sacrament Parish.  We look forward to the bells being reinstalled at MBS in a new tower structure to make a “joyful noise unto the Lord” anew!
 

 In the history of Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, Wednesday, January 18, 2023, was an historic day.  Why? The concrete slab – upon which our new church will be built – was installed on top of the church’s foundation.

With all of the underground work complete, Donnelly Construction and their subcontractor poured 310 yards of concrete using a concrete pump truck and laser screed machine to insure the flattest floor possible. The area will now be prepared for the steel installation to begin in February. Luckily the weather was perfect for this large-scale concrete pour.

Students from the Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament, along with Father John Job (Pastor) and Mrs. Alycia Manzo (Principal) were able to witness the event in the morning of that day.  They offered prayers for the success of the process.  Mr. Timothy Goetz of Donnelly Construction (Project Executive) explained what was happening, and he discussed the various pieces of equipment that were used.

In the afternoon, the students went back to the site, accompanied by Father John and Mrs. Dawn Brizzolara, our fifth grade teacher.  They once again met with Mr. Tim who offered additional information about the work of the day. It was amazing to see that the concrete poured in the morning was already dry and solid by 2pm.  Consequently, the students were permitted to walk on the slab and actually stand in the area that will be the sanctuary of the new church.  They were able to kneel down and touch the site where the altar will be approximately installed.  It was a very moving experience.  

Reflecting on the historic day, Camryn - who is in fifth grade at AMBS - stated the following: “Students from AMBS were honored to witness the concrete pouring for our new church.  First, we went to the parish center to get hard hats.  Then we met with Mr. Tim who helped us understand the concrete pouring process.  Mr. Tim explained all the vehicles used. My favorite vehicle was the concrete pour which had a long green arm with a white tube by its side.  The white tube released all of the concrete.  Mr. Tim also explained how concrete is made. He said it was like making brownies out of the box, but it had different ingredients. This was a very memorable experience for me. I will never forget being part of such an event.”

Sabrina, who is also an AMBS fifth grader, echoed Camryn’s thoughts: “My experience of visiting the construction site made me feel so honored to be a part of the MBS community.  I am excited to witness the rebuilding of our church.  Thank you, Father John, Mrs. Manzo, and the construction crew, for allowing me this opportunity.”

On December 12, Steven Klenk took this wonderful aerial shot of Most Blessed Sacrament that shows off both the beauty of God’s creation and the promise of our new church. 

As Father John proclaimed in his homily of December 11, 2022 exactly three years after the fire, when he pulled into the parking lot, he felt “a profound sense of serenity and gratitude for so much and so many people.”  

In 2019, he encouraged us to “take comfort in knowing that the people who make up our MBS family will be together, as always, to celebrate the birth of our Savior in the company of friends, neighbors, and families.  Together, we are MBS Strong.”

Three years later, he proclaimed, “Our spirits rejoice in Jesus, who alone brings joy to the world.  And for us, he has.”

Though passersby on High Mountain Road, and even parishioners pulling into the parking lot, will have noticed a flurry of activity on the site of our new church these past several weeks, it is hard to see progress from ground level.  

Mr. Steven Klenk took these drone shots on November 20, which clearly show the location of the new building relative to the Most Blessed Sacrament campus, as well as the outline of the new church, daily chapel and community center.

The structural steel needed to frame the building is currently being manufactured, and though winter weather will no doubt be a factor in the next couple of months, everything is right on schedule as of the moment.

One of the areas for consideration when building a new church is the selection of pews.  Areas that have to be considered include: the species of the wood, the grain of the wood, whether or not the pews should have cushions, and should the new pews have hymnal racks and end-pieces.

Participating in an interview with one pew manufacturing company included the input of several parishioners:  Frank Bivona, Karyn Mucks, Dr. Lauren Longo, Mary Anne Clark, and Father John Job, Pastor of the Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament.  Included in the conversation were the President and Vice President of the Student Council at our Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Lorenzo Guarino and Devyn Nielsen. 
 
Guarino states:  "I felt very included during the meeting and talking with the pew-making company was great.  The pews we saw were beautiful, and the examples they showed were amazing.  I was very happy to be a part of the meeting, and I can't wait to see those pews in our new church."  

Nielsen echoes Guarino's thoughts: "There is so much excitement and innovation that contribute to such an important structure.  I got to see one of the most traditional components that makes a church.  It was really interesting to learn about the different pews and how they are made.  These are all considerations in interior design that have to be contemplated when designing such an inspiring structure.  Truly, there are a lot of people who are working together to make this happen."
 
The students at our Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament are getting a "bird's eye" when it comes to building a new church, and we are grateful for their insights.

 
The students and faculty of the Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament visited the site where our new church building is being constructed.

The AMBS community prayed a decade of the Rosary for the success of the project and for the safety and health of all of the construction workers.

Mr. Tim Goetz (Project Executive) and Mr. Oneil Gifford (Superintendent) from Donnelly Construction gave the students a presentation on what goes into constructing such a large edifice, including the necessity for providing a solid foundation.  "Mr. Tim" and "Mr. Oneil" handled a Q and A from the students, and they told us that we could visit again in the weeks ahead.

Our students are looking forward to their next "field trip!"