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29th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C
A woman in my parish has an adult son who has rejected his faith. She prays for him every day. She lights candles, says rosaries, and asks God again and again to bring him back. But nothing changes. Is God listening? Is He delaying? She told me once that she feels like the widow in Jesus’ strange parable — crying out for justice, but hearing only silence. And yet, she said, she is at peace. I asked why. She responded, “God is already answering. I just can’t see it yet.” She embodies something of the mystery in Jesus’ parable this week in Luke 18. A powerless widow demands justice from a corrupt judge. This isn’t about wearing God down until He gives in. It’s about faith in the justice that is already coming. The widow isn’t just persistent; she believes that justice is inevitable. And when Jesus points to the judge’s words — his fear of being “struck” — He hints at something deeper: God’s justice does not creep in gradually. It strikes. It comes like lightning. Blessed Mary is, of course, the ultimate widow demanding justice. At the foot of the cross she stands before what looks like the ultimate injustice — the brutal execution of her son. But she did not despair. She did not beg for a last-minute rescue. She knew that justice was not delayed. In fact, it was happening. The power of the cross was already unleashing justice upon the world — suddenly, decisively, like a blow that would topple every corrupt power, making even the most corrupt fear her strike. This parable asks us: will the Son of Man find faith on earth? Or will we mistake God’s silence for absence? The cross proves that justice is not slow. It is only hidden. The lightning has already struck. In the cross, justice is speedily being done. — Father John Muir
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
This past Tuesday I spent the day at my mom’s house putting up the fall decorations and planting the fall flowers/plants. Each year there are three times I work on my mom’s garden and outside decorations, one being the fall as I just mentioned, the second being Christmas and the third is spring. Whichever one I am working on, it always has me thinking to myself that before I know it, I will be working on the next. It seems that the seasons and the time pass so quickly. I did find myself thinking as I worked on the fall stuff that I would be doing the Christmas decorating and then spring decorating in the blink of an eye as usual, but I also found myself thinking about my dad. You see each time I went to work on the garden/decorating I would make my parents leave because I did not want them to see me putting it together but rather just see the finished project. I still do the same with my mom, but I miss having my dad being with her to react to what I have done. It reminded me that as fast as the seasons go, so do our lives. Time moves fast and with the passage of time we will experience the loss of loved ones in our lives, so let us be ever grateful for the people we have in our lives while they are in our lives and be sure to let those who we love know that we love them before there is another change of season and they are gone from our lives.
God Bless you and have a wonderful week,
Fr. Michael
PRAYER REQUESTS
That God will relieve their suffering and restore them to health. Please pray for:
Kellie Salata, Kelly Chinchar, Jessica, Daniel Breslin, Stanley, Joseph Marrone, Anthony, Michael, Joseph, Jessica Esopo, Steve, Audra, Bernadette, James Weiss, Baby Ford, Rosemary Malangone, Elizabeth Malangone, Sue West, Danny, Colleen Emery, Richard, Joan Russo, Christina Martin, Mornia Evans, Valerie Valverde, Diana McGuckin, Manny Scarangella, Cheryl Prinjinski, Ron Barth, Stephen West, John K. Hammel.
Holy Name Medical Center is looking for Eucharistic Ministers, volunteers, who are willing to help out in giving out Holy Communion to their patients. If you are interested, you can email them at pokafor@holyname.org or call their office at 201-833-3243 or stop by their Pastoral Care Office, behind the chapel, lobby/ground floor at Holy Name Medical Center.
St. Peter’s Preparatory School will hold its Fall Open House on Sunday, October 19, from 1-4pm at the school’s campus in historic downtown Jersey City. Faculty and staff as well as coaches, students and parents, will be present to answer questions and tours of the campus will be provided. St. Peter’s Prep is an independent, college preparatory school for boys and it remains NJ’s on Jesuit high school. For more info, call 201-547-6465 or visit www.spprep.org.
SAFE ENVIRONMENT CORNER
Mental Health Sunday is observed on October 12, 2025, as a moment of grace and healing in our parish community. Today’s readings remind us of God’s healing presence and strength found in hope and perseverance during times of suffering. These messages offer comfort not only to those who are struggling, but also to those who accompany them with compassion and faith. Anyone with knowledge of an act of sexual misconduct is asked to inform us so that we may take appropriate action to protect others and to provide support to survivors of sexual abuse. Call the Coordinator for the Office of Accompaniment in the Archdiocesan Department for the Protection of the Faithful at 201-407-3256.
SCRIPTURAL REFLECTIONS ON STEWARDSHIP
“…proclaim the word, be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient…”
It is not always convenient to be a good steward, especially when all the temptations of our busy and materialistic world get in the way. Now add our own pride and ego into the equation and living a stewardship lifestyle may be downright uncomfortable! Remember, God didn’t call us to be comfortable. He never said that we would have an easy life. Rather, He called us to be faithful!
The gift of Bread & Wine for the first two weeks of September has been given in memory of Louise & John Hansen by Mr. & Mrs. Raymond DeRiso. The last weeks of September is in honor of St. Padre Pio.
The Sanctuary Lamp for the month of September has been given in memory of Cecelia Jashembowski by Linda J. Sylvestri.
Please consider sponsoring our Bread & Wine, Altar Flowers, and the oil for the Sanctuary Lamp.
Opportunities for Parish Support
There are several ways you can help support our parish and honor loved ones at the same time. As you may have noticed on the first Sunday of every month in our bulletin, we thank the donors of our Altar Gifts. You can donate the Bread & Wine, Altar Flowers, or the Sanctuary Lamp in a two-week block for $50 in someone’s memory. We have blocks open for this year. We also need to purchase a new Easter candle each year (the tall candle on the altar) for $300-$400 which can also be donated in someone’s memory. You do not have to fund the entire amount, anything you wish to donate towards the purchase of our Easter candle is appreciated. We also have masses available for your intentions. If you wish to honor someone in any of these ways, please call the rectory.
Prayer for our Nation
God our Father, giver of life, we entrust the United States of America to your loving care. You are the rock on which this nation was founded. You alone are the true source of our cherished rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Reclaim this land for your glory and dwell among your people. Send your Spirit to touch the hearts of our nation’s leaders. Open their minds to the great worth of human life and the responsibilities that accompany human freedom. Remind your people that true happiness is rooted in seeking and doing your will. Through the intercession of Mary Immaculate, patroness of our land, grant us the courage to reject the “culture of death.” Lead us into a new millennium of life. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Praying the ROSARY
The Rosary is a meditation, a time to recall and think about the life of Jesus as seen and experienced by Mary. As the model of faith, Mary’s life sets a pattern that we strive to follow: saying ‘yes’ to God’s will in our lives and sharing His love and message with others. The Mysteries of the Rosary form a mini lesson of faith, using the highlights and significant moments of the life of Jesus. Like paging through a family scrapbook, we see in brief the events of salvation history that are the core of our belief and the hope of our eternal life.
WE NEED BULLETIN ADVERTISERS!!
We would like to thank all the advertisers who have supported us throughout the past year. Our parish benefits greatly from the ads you see in the bulletin. The revenue pays for the printing which is an important means of communication for the parish. If we do not have enough advertisers, the cost of our bulletin goes up. We thank the local businesses that advertise with us especially in these tough economic times. We have some spaces on the back of our bulletin that need filling so if you would like to advertise your business as well as benefit your church, please contact John Patrick Publishing at 1-800-333-3166.
Please support our advertisers at the back cover of bulletin.