The feast day of Saint Padre Pio is September 23rd. Here at Saint Cecilia we are blessed to have a St. Padre Pio Prayer Group which meets the third Wednesday of the month (SUSPENDED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC). The statue of Saint Pio is prominent in the votive room (former baptistery) in our church. I share with you the following information from EWTN concerning upcoming programs regarding this wonderworker: PADRE PIO: MIRACLE MAN, Part 1, September 12 at 8 pm; Part 2, September 19 at 8 pm. ENCOUNTER WITH PADRE PIO, September 18th at 8 pm. SOLEMN MASS IN HONOR OF PADRE PIO, September 22 at 6 pm. Saint Padre Pio – Pray for us! – Father Zig

Join us on Thursday evening, October 1st at 7 o’clock in Hayes Hall for our first adult faith formation gathering. “The Sacraments,” a new video series produced by Bishop Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, will serve as our program and discussion. All are reminded to bring a facial mask and we will be socially distant in the hall.

You are invited to join with the faithful in praying the Rosary outside of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church on East Main Street on Saturday, October 10th beginning at 12 Noon. Join the 2020 Public Square Rosary Crusade today as we pray for our world and one another.

Holy Mass to celebrate the Lord’s Day will take place at the parish cemetery (across from Parks Lake) on Saturday afternoon @ 4:30 pm and Sunday afternoon at 12:15. In the event of inclement weather the Mass will be celebrated in the church. Please bring a lawn chair and a hat for the sun. (The other Masses for the weekend will be celebrated in the church.)

Due to the pandemic our fall faith formation program will be reduced. The Tuesday morning Bible Study with Father Matt and Father Pawel will not take place. The Thursday Morning Mommys Bible Study will not take place. The Thursday evening program with Father Zig will meet only on the first Thursday of the month at 7 o’clock in Hayes Hall. The topic will be the Sacrament series produced by Bishop Robert Barron. The Monday evening Bible Study will meet each week at 7:30 in Hayes Hall. ALL PROGRAMS WILL BE REVIEWED SHORTLY AFTER CHRISTMAS WITH A NEW SCHEDULE TO BE ANNOUNCED IN JANUARY. – Father Zig

Holy Hour will resume in the church on Monday, September 21st from 7 to 8 o’clock in the evening. Spend some quite time before the Most Blessed Sacrament. The sacrament of penance will be available at this time.

Due to sunset coming earlier, the Friday evening cemetery service will begin at 7 o’clock (NOT AT 8 O’CLOCK)! Join us on Friday evenings at 7 o’clock for a 30 minutes service of adoration and reflection before the Most Blessed Sacrament. Bring your lawn chair, facial covering and devotional.

Effective immediately, Holy Mass will be live-streamed from Saint Cecilia Church Monday through Saturday at 8 o’clock in the morning EXCEPT ON THURSDAY. The Sunday Holy Mass will be live-streamed at 10:45 in the morning. Please note the revised schedule. NO LIVE-STREAM MASS ON THURSDAY MORNING!

An inaugural Mass for the newly elected executive committee for the Knights of Columbus, Council #3359, will take place in our church on Monday evening, September 14th at 7 o’clock. Congratulations to our parishioner, Jeff Zuber, who becomes Grand Knight this year. God bless you, Jeff!

Couples, were you married in 1995? The Diocese of Paterson invites you to celebrate your 25th wedding anniversary during a special Mass to be offered at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, NJ. Bishop Sweeney will serve as main celebrant on this joyful occasion to be held: Sunday, November 8th, 2020 at 3:30 pm. Arrangements can be made by contacting the parish office. The deadline to register is Thursday, October 1st, 2020. You will receive additional information from the Office of Family Life once your registration has been processed. Congratulations on this joyous occasion!

This is the final weekend that Father Cerilo Javinez will be with us. Father begins his new assignment as parochial vicar at Saint Mary Church in Wharton on August 15th. We wish Father well in his new assignment and we thank him for the pastoral care he has provided us for the past three years. God bless you, Father!

Father Zig has invited our new Bishop, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Kevin J. Sweeney, Bishop of Paterson, to make a pastoral visit to our parish to celebrate our parish patron feast day. The Bishop will celebrate the 12:15 pm Mass on Sunday, November 22nd, which is the Feast day of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr. Please mark the date and plan to attend as we welcome our new Bishop to Rockaway.

Monday evening Holy Hour will resume in church on Monday, September 14th from 7 to 8 o’clock. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed during this time for adoration. A priest is also available for the sacrament of penance during this time.

Join us on Friday evenings at 8 o’clock in the parish cemetery for Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. The 30 minute service will include quiet time, reflective music and prayer for a given social concern. Please bring a lawn chair and facial covering. In the event of rain the service will be cancelled (a FLOCKNOTE of the cancellation will be sent). The final outdoor service will take place on FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11th..

The live streaming of the celebration of the Holy Mass takes place, Monday through Saturday at 8:00 a.m. with the Holy Rosary being prayed at 7:30 a.m. The Sunday Holy Mass is live streamed at 10:45 a.m. The Divine Mercy Chapel is live streamed on Fridays beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Our Diocesan-wide Corpus Christi Food Drive will conclude on Friday, but there is still time to feed the hungry throughout our Diocese. Visit www.ccpaterson.org/corpus to make a monetary donation or for more information about this important effort. Visit www.yougivegoods.com/ccpaterson-fooddrive2020 to find our parish, and shop for Catholic Charities’ pantries in need. You may also email: Info@ccpaterson.org or call (973) 737-2077 ext.403 with any questions. Thank you for supporting this important effort during this critical time. God bless you all!

Father Zig will bless an image of Saint Charles Lwanga at the 8 o’clock Mass on Friday morning, July 24th. The image is the donation of Father Zig to the parish. Saint Charles Lwanga is one of 21 Christian martyrs who lived in Uganda. He was a devout Catholic teenager who was burned alive for his refusal to deny his faith and abandon virtue on June 3, 1886. Saint Charles is the patron saint of African Catholic youth. SAINT CHARLES LWANGA, PRAY FOR US!

“Catacombs,” our parish youth group will gather on Friday evening July 24th at 7 o’clock. All protocols will be enforced to allow for a safe and enjoyable time. Contact Jim Clancy by calling the parish office for additional information.

Due to the closure of the church during Holy Week the annual Chrism Mass was cancelled. His Excellency, Bishop Kevin Sweeney has rescheduled the Chrism Mass for Wednesday evening, July 22nd at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Paterson. Due to restrictions this liturgy is by invitation only. Holy Oils will be distributed to all the parishes to be used for sacramental purposes until Holy Week 2021.

Join us on Friday evenings at 8 o’clock in the parish cemetery for Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. The 30 minute service will include quiet time, reflective music, and prayer on a specific social concern. Please bring a lawn chair and a facial covering. In the event of rain the service will be cancelled.