This past Sunday, October 1, 2023 was Respect Life Sunday. The entire month of October is Respect Life Month. During Respect Life Month, all are asked to focus on, reflect on and pray that the dignity of human life, from conception until natural death, be safeguarded and protected. Respect life for life includes so many important issues in our world today: abortion, contraception, post-abortion healing, fertility/infertility, adoption, foster care, immigration, gun control, capital punishment, human trafficking, racism, mental health, addiction, those with disabilities, assisted suicide, euthanasia, end of life care, bioethics and so many more. We are called to build and protect a culture of life. Let us pray today and always for respect for life and let us do all that we can to respect every life.
Many things will be a part of our observance of Respect Life Month. On Saturday, October 7, 2023, at 9:45 am we will have the Respect Life Holy Hour. Please join us as we pray for respect of life. On the weekend of October 14/15, 2023, the Knights of Columbus will have their Roses for Life sale to support respect life efforts. On the weekend of October 28/29, 2023, New Jersey Right to Life will be selling their car raffle tickets to support respect life efforts. Throughout the month, we will be collecting physical donations for babies and the elderly. Thank you for all you will do for our respect life efforts.
On another topic, we will be bringing back “Hospitality Sundays” beginning next Sunday, October 8, 2023. Immediately after our 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM Sunday Masses we will provide beverages and crumb cake immediately following Mass, weather permitting, outside, or in the Burke Center Reception area. For those of you who have attended in the past, you will remember that the crumb cake we provide is absolutely delicious. While this is so, I want to emphasize that this is a time to bring us all together, to re-connect with new and old friends and to welcome everyone to our parish community who has joined us for Mass, especially those new to our community. We heard at our Synod Listening Sessions that when one is new to the community, it can be challenging to meet new people. So, let us gather in fraternity with each other and extend a warm welcome to each other. Let us introduce ourselves to others we may not know so well and let all our parishioners the warmth and hospitality here at Saint Helen.
For the most part, the “Hospitality Sundays” will be held on a monthly basis through May. Our next “Hospitality Sunday” will be November 12th. We will skip December due to all our Advent events. A special thank you to Jacque Bourke, her team and all the ministries of the parish that will plan and make them happen.
God Bless You All,
Msgr. Tom
