May the peace of Christ crucified be with you and your family. We continue on our journal of Jesus’ last days here on earth. As we have learned, Holy Tuesday was a grueling and tiresome day for Jesus. He spent the whole day in the temple teaching and preaching to His followers.

Holy Tuesday Waking up early morning, Jesus started his two-mile walk back to Jerusalem. His intent was to go back to the temple. He wanted to go there maybe to check if the business people, the merchants, money changers, robbers and thieves were back. He was on a mission to spend the whole day in the temple.

During this unusual time with Masses suspended, to those who are able, we beg that you continue to generously support your parish church financially by mailing in your weekly envelopes or by donating online. We rely on your donations to provide uninterrupted parish functions to our parishioners. We cannot do it without your help. Thank You!

May the Blessed peace of Christ crucified be with you and your whole family! During the Holy Week, the Church accentuates a very essential doctrine of our faith, which is the Paschal Mystery: the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Tomorrow is already Palm Sunday and Easter is, therefore, almost here. As we all know, before Easter we first have to go through the Holy Week. Christ first agonizes in the garden, is betrayed, shares the last supper, is given the crown of thorns, is beaten, humiliated, carries the cross, is crucified and dies… to give us Easter.

April 5 - Palm Sunday 10:00am April 6-8 -  Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 9:30am April 9 - Holy Thursday 6:30pm April 10 - Good Friday 3:00pm April 11  Saturday Easter Vigil 7:00pm April 12 - Easter Sunday 9:00am

I hope that everyone is keeping safe and in comfort with the Lord.  I am sending you this newsletter today to encourage you to watch, participate and be one with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, as he imparts tomorrow a very special blessing " Urbi et Orbi".  Urbi et Orbi is a Latin phrase which is translated: “to the city and the world”. The pope imparts this special blessing usually at Christmas and Easter from the Basilica of St. Peter’s to the city (the Vatican City) and to the world. The “ Urbi et Orbi” blessing offers plenary indulgence, forgiveness of sins to all the faithful who are present and those who are attending through electronic media.

It is good to know that many of you are happy receiving my emails and extremely appreciative, especially the recorded streaming of the concelebrated Mass of Bishop David O’Connell in our very own church in St. Ann last week. Well, you should be excited because you are going to have another concelebrated Mass this Sunday, the 5th Sunday of Lent with the Bishop and myself in our church again.

As we enter this final week before Holy Week the narrative of Jesus’ life on earth builds to a climax. In the Gospels of the last two weeks, Jesus gave water to those who thirsted and light to those who could not see.

During this unusual time with Masses suspended, to those who are able, we beg that you continue to generously support your parish church financially by mailing in your weekly envelopes, dropping them at provided drop boxes located at the church entrances, by the office or by donating online. We rely on your donations to provide uninterrupted parish functions to our parishioners. We cannot do it without your help. Thank You!

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen Let us pray….

As Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, I promulgate the following decree regarding the liturgies of Palm Sunday and Holy Week throughout the territorial Diocese of Trenton to assist the clergy and the faithful in the spiritual celebration of the Paschal Mysteries.

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., posted a letter to the diocesan faithful March 20, explaining the “unprecedented” but “necessary” steps now in place to keep people safe amid the coronavirus threat.

Dear Parishioners and Friends,  On the Solemnity of Saint Joseph (today, March 19th), it is the custom in some places to bless bread, pastries, and other food and give portions of these items to the poor. We encourage families to do this simple rite in their homes, and whenever possible share our blessings with our neinghbors who are most in need, always of course observing the protocols being imposed during this period of quarantine - social distancing and washing of hands and the like. 

The Holy See has issued a decree regarding the celebrations of the upcoming Palm Sunday and Holy Week/Easter for implementation by Diocesan Bishops throughout the world. I have issued a decree for the Diocese of Trenton, implementing the directives of the Holy See. These unprecedented measures have been deemed necessary, given the best information we have received from federal, state and local public heath authorities. Although COVID-19 has dramatically affected all of us in so many ways, I want to reach out to you with pastoral care and affection.

Follow the link to find out how to livestream Masses from Churches across the Diocese of Trenton.

In response to this pandemic and in line with our Bishop O’Connell’s latest directives dated March 16, 2020 (please see below) and the guidelines from national and health authorities, the Parish Office of Saint Ann continue to be open BUT with very limited staff only, around 1 to 3 people effective tomorrow, March 17, 2020. Office hours remains from 8:30AM to 4:30PM.

God has not abandoned us and is present among us. As we learn each day of the growing concern surrounding the spread of the coronavirus in our communities, we need to have faith and confidence in God, especially in times like these, praying that He will see us through the present adversity safely.   Continue Reading

Indeed, the whole world is shaken, shocked, confused and bewildered over the current health pandemic that is threatening our lives. We are aware that this has already caused so much pain, anguish and trepidations throughout the whole world. Still, there are so many unknowns and questions. No one seems to know the answers just yet.   Here at St. Ann’s, we too do not have the medical cure, neither do we possess the expertise on how to contain, curtail and prevent the spread of the virus. Because we do not have them, let us then leave the finding of the cure to the scientists. Let us leave care of the sick to the medical professionals. Let us leave the creation of order and enactment of regulations to our leaders and authorities. continue reading

Lord Jesus, at your command, the sick were made well! Come to our aid now, in the midst of the Global spread of the Corona Virus, that we may experience your healing love...continue reading for rest of prayer