Monday-Thursday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am to 12 Noon Only
The parish office is closed on National Holidays and Catholic Holy Days of Obligation.
Sunday Mass
Saturday: 5:30pm (For Sunday obligation)
Sunday: 8:00am, 10:00am and 12:00Noon
Daily Mass
Monday - Saturday: 8:30am
Holy Days: As announced
Reconciliation
Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 8:20 am
Saturday: 8:00 am - 8:20 am and 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Mass For Our Country
September - June: First Thursday of the Month
Patriotic Rosary at 7:00 pm and Patriotic Mass at 7:30 pm
First Friday
First Friday of the month to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at 9:00 am (after 8:30 am morning Mass)
First Saturday
First Saturday of the month to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at 9:00 am (after 8:30 am morning Mass)
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Divine Mercy Chaplet on the Third Sunday of the month at 3:00 pm
Novena to BVM and St. Jude
Novena to Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Jude
September - June: Every Monday after 8:30 am Mass
UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS
Holy Spirit Church Presents
“Spirit 500"Raffle September 21, 2024
$10,000 GRAND PRIZE!
PLUS 2 CONSOLATION PRIZES $1,250 ea.
(Based on the sale of 500 tickets)
Price per ticket: $50.00
– CLICK HERE –
for more info and Ticket Application
Fr. Mike Schmitz's full speech at the National Eucharistic Congress
View from the Pew
Labor Day
Today, we gather not only to worship and give thanks to God but also to reflect on a special occasion in our nation's calendar, Labor Day. This holiday, celebrated on the first Monday of September, honors the contributions of American workers and the labor movement, recognizing the hard work and dedication that have built and continue to sustain our country.
Labor Day's origins are deeply rooted in the labor movement of the late 19th century, a time when industrial workers faced grueling hours, poor working conditions, and meager wages. It was a period of great struggle, as workers organized strikes and demanded fair treatment and just compensation. The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City on September 5, 1882, organized by the Central Labor Union. It became a national holiday in 1894, following the tragic events of the Pullman Strike, where workers' protests led to widespread unrest and highlighted the urgent need for labor reforms.
As we reflect on the significance of Labor Day, let us turn to the Scriptures, where the value of work and the dignity of labor are affirmed time and again. In Genesis 2:15, we read, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." From the very beginning, God designed work as a noble and integral part of human life. It is through our labor that we participate in God’s creation, stewarding the resources He has entrusted to us.
Proverbs 14:23 reminds us, "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." This verse underscores the principle that diligent work yields rewards, while idleness and empty words lead to lack and want. It is a call to approach our tasks with commitment and excellence, recognizing that our efforts, no matter how small, contribute to the greater good.
As we celebrate Labor Day, I would like to remember and honor the struggles and achievements of those who fought for workers' rights, ensuring safer working conditions, reasonable hours, and fair pay. Let us also recommit ourselves to valuing the dignity of all labor and advocating for justice in the workplace. In doing so, we reflect the heart of God, who cares deeply for the well-being of every worker.
Why do Catholic laborers make good comedians?
Because they always deliver punchlines with divine timing!
May we carry these reflections into our daily lives, working diligently and ethically, and recognizing the divine value of our labor. Let us pray for strength and wisdom to fulfill our vocational callings with excellence and to stand in solidarity with those who seek justice and fair treatment in their work.
Amen.
Joe Marateo
As Christians, as Catholics, we all know that Jesus is at the very heart of our Faith. Indeed, many of us know a great deal about Jesus, but do we really “know” Jesus himself? If we wish to have an intimate, life-changing relationship with Jesus, then we need to be reintroduced to him in a fresh and compelling way, in a way that helps us come face to face with the Incarnate Son of God.
Starting on Wednesday, September 11, at 9:30 AM, we invite you to join a 10-week video study program: Jesus: The Way, the Truth, and the Life. Anchored in the life of Christ as presented in the Gospels, this study explores the entirety of Jesus' life – who he is, what he is really like, what he taught, what he did for our salvation, and what all of this means for us as Catholics today.
Presented by Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Jeff Cavins, and Dr. Edward Sri, this study was filmed in the Holy Land so Catholics can experience the extraordinary world in which Jesus lived and taught–the historical context, the politics, the clashing cultures, the history, and the ancient land–and see where the most significant events of his life took place, from his infancy to his ascension.
Parish Membership
Our parish family invites all of its members to participate fully in our spiritual and social life. Every family moving into the parish is requested to register at the Parish Office. If you move, please let us know. Certificates of Eligibility (Godparent/Sponsor certificate) will only be given to registered parishioners. Please, click here for Parish Registration Form.
Join the Choir
The Music Ministry supports the singing and worship of the congregation. Such a wondrous ministry requires many gifts of talent, time, and treasure. We strive to put our parish’s many gifts to work so that our most important work may be made possible to engage fully through service and participation in our worship as the Body of Christ.
Religious Education - CCD
Our religious education program is offered for the children of our parish. The classes taught in the CCD Confraternity of Christian Doctrine program not only educate children about Jesus and the Catholic faith but, also, prepare children to receive the sacraments of Penance (Confession), the Eucharist (Holy Communion), and Confirmation. The schedule follows the Union Public School schedule as closely as possible. Information regarding registration is published in the church bulletin. Click here for the CCD class schedule.
Baptism
The Sacrament of Baptism is normally celebrated on the second Sunday of each month. A Preparation Program is required for first-time parents. New parents should register for the Baptism as soon as possible after the child’s birth by contacting the Parish Office. Please, click here for the Baptismal Registration Form.
For information on who can be a sponsor (godparent) of the baptized child, please, click here.
Archdiocese of Newark
171 CLIFTON AVENUE
P.O. BOX 9500
NEWARK, NJ 07104
TEL | 973-497-4000
www.rcan.org
Knights of Columbus
1034 Jeanette Ave.
Union, NJ 07083
908-686-4504
www.kofc4504.org
Events
- Sep 21 2024 4:00 pm - Reconciliation
- Sep 23 2024 9:00 am - Novena to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Jude
- Sep 28 2024 4:00 pm - Reconciliation
Bulletin
Weekly reading
Readings for the week of September 15, 2024
- Sunday: Is 50:4c-9a / Ps 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 (9) / Jas 2:14-18 / Mk 8:27-35
- Monday: 1 Cor 11:17-26, 33 / Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17 / Lk 7:1-10
- Tuesday: 1 Cor 12:12-14, 27-31a / Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5 / Lk 7:11-17
- Wednesday: 1 Cor 12:31—13:13 / Ps 33:2-3, 4-5, 12 and 22 / Lk 7:31-35
- Thursday: 1 Cor 15:1-11 / Ps 118:1b-2, 16ab-17, 28 / Lk 7:36-50
- Friday: 1 Cor 15:12-20 / Ps 49:6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20 / Lk 8:1-3
- Saturday: Eph 4:1-7, 11-13 / Ps 19:2-3, 4-5 / Mt 9:9-13
- Next Sunday: Wis 2:12, 17-20 / Ps 54:3-4, 5, 6-8 (6b) / Jas 3:16—4:3 / Mk 9:30-37
Saint of the Day
Sep. 20 Memorial of Sts. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest, & Paul Chong Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs; Ember Friday, Memorial
09/20/24 12:00 am
Today is the Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs. During the 17th century the Christian faith was brought to Korea through the zeal of lay persons. From the very beginning these Christians suffered terrible persecutions and many suffered martyrdom during the 19th century. Today's feast honors a group of 103 martyrs. Most were murdered during waves of persecutions in 1839, 1846 and 1867. Notable of these were Andrew Kim Taegon, the first Korean priest, and the lay apostle, Paul Chong Hasang. Also among the Korean martyrs were three bishops and seven priests, but for the most part they were heroic laity, men and women, married and single of all ages. They were canonized by Pope Saint John Paul II on May 6, 1984.
Read MoreSep. 19 Thursday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time; Optional Memorial of St. Januarius, Bishop and Martyr, Opt. Mem.
09/19/24 12:00 am
Today is the Optional Memorial of St. Januarius (d. 304). Very little is known about this martyr saint. He was Bishop of Benevento in Campania. He died near Naples, about the year 304, martyred under the persecution of Emperor Diocletian. Around the year 400 the relics of St. Januarius were moved to Naples, which honors Januarius as a patron saint. He supposedly protected Naples from a threatened eruption of the volcano Mt. Vesuvius. The "miracle of Januarius" has world-wide fame. At least three times a year--on his feast day, December 16 and the first Sunday of May--the sealed vial with congealed blood of the saint liquifies, froths and bubbles up. This miraculous event has occurred every year, with rare exceptions. Popular tradition holds that the liquefaction is a sign that the year will be preserved from disasters. (In 1939, the beginning of World War II, the blood did not bubble up. But the blood does not always liquefy, and failed to do so September 1939, 1940, 1943, 1973, 1980, and in December 2016 and 2020.)
Read MoreSep. 18 Wednesday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time; Ember Wednesday, Weekday
09/18/24 12:00 am
The Roman Martyrology commemorates St. Joseph of Cupertino (1603-1663), who was born at Cupertino, Italy, and died in Osimo. He was of lowly origin and had little formal education. In his youth he was employed as an apprentice to a shoemaker. He joined the Conventual Franciscans as a lay brother but was later ordained a priest. He was noted for his great austerities, his angelic purity, his great devotion to Our Lady and especially for his ardent love of God.
Read More