The Saint Monica Guild will conduct a bake sale on Saturday and Sunday, December 18 & 19 in Hayes Hall following the Holy Masses. The ladies provide a wide variety of cakes, cookies and candy – all homemade! This could be a great gift as you visit with family and friends. Your support assists this parish society in its work for our parish.

Join us for an outdoor night of Christmas carols around a fire pit with hot chocolate and cookies too on Tuesday, December 28th from 7 to 8 pm at the parish parking lot (behind the rectory). A suggested donation of $5 per family will benefit the Rockaway Food Pantry. What a great way for us to come together as a family of faith to sing the Lord’s praises and to enjoy one another’s company. I think the kids will love it! – Father Zig

Our annual parish Christmas Concert will take place on Sunday, December 19th in the church beginning at 7 o’clock in the evening. Our music minister, Chuck Linnell has prepared a wonderful program of Christmas music which will be performed by our choir and a number of guest singers and instrumentalists. Come join us in a beautiful program of sacred song as we ready ourselves for the upcoming feast.

Once again we will observe an Italian tradition known as “Bambinelli Sunday.” This will be held on Sunday, December 12th (and Saturday eve Masses on December 11th). The faithful are encouraged to bring to Mass the “Bambinelli”, that is the statue of the Christ Child, from your home Christmas Nativity set for a blessing. What a wonderful sacramental to have in your home for the Christmas celebration!

A parish wide penance service will be held on Tuesday evening, December 21st at 7 o’clock. 8 priests will be available that night for confessions for both adults and children. All of us should prepare a “soul clean of sin” for the feast of the Lord’s Nativity.

During the Advent season the 6:30 a.m. weekday Mass will be celebrated in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The first Mass during Advent recalls Our Lady’s special role in salvation history as the Mother of God who gave birth to the Eternal Word, Christ our Savior.

After consultation I have decided to end our outdoor 12:15 p.m. Sunday Mass at the parish cemetery for the season. We will resume the outdoor Masses at the cemetery in the spring. – Father Zig

We will be having our Craft and Vendor Fair on Saturday, November 20th from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm in St. Cecilia Church Hayes Hall. For further information, please email saintceciliarosarysociety@gmail.com

The feast of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr, is Monday, November 22nd. Join us for the 8 o’clock morning Mass which will feature music and the blessing with the relic of Saint Cecilia, patron saint of church music.

The 6:30 a.m. Mass will not be celebrated on Friday, November 26th. Only one Mass will be celebrated on this day at 8 o’clock. The 6:30 a.m. Mass will resume on Monday, November 29th.

Holy Mass on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 25th will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Only one Mass will be celebrated on this day. The blessing and distribution of bread for your holiday dinner will be distributed at the Mass.

We will observe the Feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary on the vigil of the feast, Wednesday, October 6th at 7 o’clock in the evening. Weather permitting, we will gather to pray the Rosary in front of the church before the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary (in the event of inclement weather we will pray the Rosary in the church).

The Rockaway-Denville Catholic Respect Life Ministry is sponsoring a pro-life evening on Friday, October 8th in Hayes Hall beginning at 7 o’clock. The featured speaker will be our retired Bishop, the Most Reverend Arthur Serratelli who will address the abortion-euthanasia culture. Mrs. Jennifer Nelson will also give a presentation on Saint Gianna Molla. Refreshments will be served. Please join us in a thoughtful and prayerful reflection on the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

Catholics of Rockaway will gather at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church on East Main Street on Saturday, October 16th at 12 Noon to pray the Rosary outdoors, weather permitting (if not in the church). This is a nationwide event sponsored by the “America Needs Fatima Foundation.”

Come join us for ALPHA every Thursday evening beginning at 7 o’clock in Hayes Hall. We begin with food, fellowship and good conversation regarding topics of faith. All are welcome age 18 and up. You won’t regret the experience!

This year’s blessing of pets in commemoration of the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi will take place on Saturday, October 2nd at Sacred Heart of Jesus Churchyard on East Main Street. This ceremony, combining both Sacred Heart Parish and Saint Cecilia Parish, will begin at 12 Noon with Father Matt and Father Pawel officiating.

SPECIAL COLLECTION NEXT SUNDAY – His Excellency, Bishop Kevin Sweeney is inviting us to participate in a special collection next Sunday, September 4-5, to assist those in Haiti who continue to suffer from the recent earthquake and hurricane. Also included in this collection will be assistance to the people of Cuba. The collection will go to Catholic Relief Services and organizations that can assist the Haitian people as well as the Cuban people in their struggle for liberty and emergency relief. Please make your check payable to: ST. CECILIA CHURCH and in the memo: SECOND COLLECTION.

Father Zig will serve as the spiritual director for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land sponsored by 206 Tours, February 28 to March 9, 2022. There are about 9 parishioners who have already registered for this pilgrimage which will be made up of people from throughout the United States. All information and registration must be done through 206 Tours and not the parish office. Please see the website at: www.pilgrimages.com/frpeplowski. This 10 day pilgrimage is entitled, “Explore the Holy Land From Jerusalem” and is a Catholic tour with daily Mass and devotions at the holy sites.

We will be having our Craft and Vendor Fair on Saturday, November 20th from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm in St. Cecilia Church Hayes Hall. For further information, please email saintceciliarosarysociety@gmail.com

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be celebrated on Saturday (evening) and Sunday, August 14 and 15. The green vestments of Ordinary Time are placed aside for the color white. The reading from the 6th chapter of the Gospel of John is interrupted for the lections for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Mother of God.