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Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church

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.

HOLY THURSDAY, MARCH 28

9:00 AM Morning Prayer Service  

7:00 PM  Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper  

Mass of the Lord’s Supper commemorates Christ’s washing of the feet and the Eucharist’s institution during the Last Supper. During this Mass, in imitation of Jesus’ humility and actions at the Last Supper, Fr. Kris, our Padoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament untill 11:00 PM with the conclusion of the Night Prayer.

GOOD FRIDAY,
March 29

9:00 AM Morning Prayer Service

3:00 PM  Liturgy of the Passion and Death of the Lord

7:00 PM  Stations of the Cross

Fr. Kris, our Pastor, will preside at the 3 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion at Holy Spirit Church to commemorate Christ’s suffering and death through prayer, silence, and Adoration of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross will be celebrated at 7 p.m.

HOLY SATURDAY, MARCH 30

9:00 AM Morning Prayer Service

11:30 AM Blessing of Food

8:00 PM  Easter Vigil Mass  

The Easter Vigil, which begins after nightfall, is the first and most important celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection. At this liturgy, Catholics will celebrate the festival of light, symbolizing the Light of the Resurrection seen in the new fire, the Easter or Paschal candle lit within a darkened church. The “Alleluia” will be praised for the first time since the start of Lent. New members of the Catholic Church — the RCIA catechumens — also will be welcomed into the faith at this Mass and will receive the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation.

EASTER SUNDAY, MARCH 31

Masses: 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 NOON

The Easter Sunday Mass adheres closely to the traditional liturgical format, so it does not include the solemn ceremonies featured in the Easter Vigil. However, each liturgy commemorates the miracle of Christ’s Resurrection.

 Triduum: A Spiritual Pilgrimage  

Triduum: A Spiritual Pilgrimage is a beautiful, 30 minute contemplative documentary. This film cinematically walks through the locations of the Holy Week story, re-presenting the most important days of human history. Immersed in the real and sacred places of the Holy Land, the pilgrim faithful is brought tangibly nearer to the story, the landscape, and the reality of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Triduum draws Catholics and those with open hearts and minds to experience a deeper understanding of these events and places, and offers rich meditations for the pilgrimage of daily life.

Now more than ever, as many of us are confined to our homes, journey along this spiritual pilgrimage and be drawn more deeply into the life and love of God.

“To go on pilgrimage is not simply to visit a place to admire its treasures of nature, art, or history. To go on pilgrimage really means to step out of ourselves in order to encounter God where he has revealed himself, where his grace has shone with particular splendour and produced rich fruits of conversion and holiness among those who believe. Above all, Christians go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, to the places associated with the Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection.” -- Pope Benedict XVI

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

View from the Pew

Dear  Holy Spirit Family,

The central event of Easter is the resurrection of Jesus as written in Gospel of Matthew 28:6 "He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay."

As we all know, Easter Sunday is not the same each year. So how is Easter Sunday determined? Well, we start with the rules established by the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon. The use of the Paschal Full Moon is part of the computus, the process of calculating the date of Easter, which also takes into account factors like the vernal equinox, the Golden Number (a 19-year cycle used to track phases of the moon), and the Epact (the age of the moon on a particular day).

This concept used in the calculation of the date for Easter in the Christian calendar is deeply rooted in the traditions of the Catholic Church. It is defined as the first full moon occurring after the vernal equinox. The vernal equinox is the point in time when day and night are approximately equal in length. 

Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. During our Mass, palms are blessed, and processions take place, symbolizing the crowds that welcomed Jesus with palm branches. This echoes the biblical account in Matthew 21:9 "The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, 'Hosanna to the Son of David!' 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Hosanna in the highest heaven!'"

Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday, the focus is on commemorating the Last Supper. This day includes the Mass of the Lord's Supper, where the institution of the Eucharist is remembered. The Gospel of Matthew 26:26-28 captures this pivotal moment: "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'"

Good Friday is a solemn day that observes the crucifixion of Jesus. It is a time of fasting and abstinence, with the Passion of Christ often being read. The Veneration of the Cross, a ritual where worshippers express reverence for the cross, is a significant component of the Good Friday service. Reflecting on the sacrifice made on the cross, we find solace in the words of Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

On Holy Saturday, the Easter Vigil is celebrated after sundown. This marks the transition from the penitential season of Lent to the joyous Easter season. The Easter Vigil involves the blessing of the Easter fire, the lighting of the Paschal candle, and the proclamation of the Resurrection, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and life over death. This moment is captured in the exultant proclamation of the Easter Vigil: "Christ is risen! He is truly risen!"

Let us savor and cherish this joyous day with loved ones. Enjoy the warmth of family and the delights of a shared meal. May the Easter Bunny bring you all the sweet delights you desire.

Happy Easter from the Pew! 

Joe Marateo

Spring Bible Study

We are excited to announce that beginning on Tuesday, April 9th and continuing thru May 14th Father Kris will offer a six (6) week Bible Study at 6:30 PM in Drexler Hall. If you are interested in attending, please contact the Parish Office at 908-687-3327 to reserve a spot!

Parousia: The Bible and the Mass

Why return to Mass? Our very lives depend on it. It’s the summit of God’s plan for our salvation.

Where do we find the Mass in the Bible? What is the relationship between the two?

In six weeks of the Bible Study based on the latest video Bible study from the St. Paul Center, we will discover why the liturgy is a major theme that runs through the entire Bible, from Genesis to the Book of Revelation. We will not only look to the Law, the Prophets, and life and teachings of Jesus, we’ll also lean on the Doctors of the Church to enhance our understanding of the Mass. We’ll see how the New Testament is concealed in the Old, the Old is revealed in the New, and why both point directly to the Mass, the sign of the New Covenant.

 


Holy Spirit’s goal for the 2024 Annual Appeal is $58,136.00. To date, 91 donors pledged $29,638.00 which equals to 50.98% of our goal, of which $23,020.16 has been collected. If you have not yet pledged to the Annual Appeal, will you prayerfully consider making a gift so that we can meet our Parish goal. The 2024 Annual Appeal will fund essential program programs and ministries at the heart of our Catholic mission in our four counties – namely to proclaim the gospel, to pass on the faith to future generations, particularly through 

the celebration of the sacraments, and to care for the poor and those on the margins. Now more than ever, especially during this health crisis, our ministries and programs need your support. Thank You in advance for your generosity.

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

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Saint of the Day

Mar. 28 Holy Thursday of the Sacred Triduum, Triduum

The last three days of Holy Week are referred to as the Easter or Sacred Triduum (Triduum Sacrum), the three-part drama of Christ's redemption: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

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Mar. 27 Wednesday of Holy Week, Holy Week

Wednesday of Holy Week is traditionally known as Spy Wednesday, to commemorate the treachery of Judas, who made a bargain with the high priest to betray Jesus for 30 silver pieces (Matt 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:1-6). This ends the official Lenten period; tomorrow we enter into the Holy Triduum, the three great liturgical days: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

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Mar. 26 Tuesday of Holy Week, Holy Week

This Holy Week Mass brings us the second description of the Christlike Suffering Servant of the Lord. It is almost a portrait of Jesus during Holy Week. These final three Lenten Gospels all describe a dinner with Judas present. Today's Gospel is that sad scene of betrayal at the Last Supper.

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