In and Around the Diocese

RESPECT FOR LIFE MASS
Please consider joining us for the Annual Diocesan Respect Life Mass on Sunday, January 22, 2023 at 12:00 noon at the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, Metuchen. Bishop James F. Checchio will be the celebrant. Youth who have been active in pro-life volunteering will be recognized. There will be a light reception immediately following the Mass. All are welcome to attend. For more information, contact [email protected] or 732-562-1543.

STRESS IN YOUR MARRIAGE?
Stress In Your Marriage? · Do you feel lost, alone or bored in your marriage? · Are you frustrated, hurt or angry with your spouse? · Have you thought about separation or divorce? · Does talking about it only make it worse? RETROUVAILLE is a Lifeline to Help Couples Heal and Renew their Marriages sponsored by the Office of Family Life, Diocese of Metuchen, NJ. RETROUVAILLE consists of a weekend experience for married couples (no group discussions) with six follow-up sessions. The upcoming weekend is February 3 – 5, 2023. All inquiries are confidential. For further information, please contact Rich Colasuonno 732-236-0671 or Annette Colasuonno 732-672-0748 or email [email protected]

SAVE HYDE. SAVE LIVES.
For 45 years, the Hyde Amendment and similar laws have protected taxpayers from being forced to pay for elective abortion. The Hyde amendment has been signed into law every year since 1976, whether the Congress and the White House were led by Republicans or Democrats. An overwhelming majority of Americans, including low-income women and women of color who are most impacted by it, support the Hyde Amendment and laws that prevent government-funded abortion.

The Hyde Amendment has saved nearly 2.5 million babies and mothers in difficult circumstances from the tragedy of abortion.

Pope Francis has said, “the future of humanity is fundamentally in the hands of people and their ability to organize.”

To ensure that the Hyde Amendment and all similar life-saving appropriations riders remain in place during the 117th Congress and beyond, we must oppose any bill, including any appropriations bill, that expands taxpayer funding of abortion. Americans ought not be forced to subsidize the taking of innocent life. Please visit the website: No Taxpayer Abortion (https://www.notaxpayerabortion.com/)

Bishop Checchio and I invite parishioners to join our diocesan response to sign a petition to express your disapproval for tax dollars being spent to pay for elective abortions.

You can also contact our elected officials:

Senator Robert Menendez
528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-4744 https://www.menendez.senate.gov/contact/email

Senator Corey Booker
717 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-3224 https://www.booker.senate.gov/contact/write-to-cory

Tom Malinowski
75-77 North Bridge Street
Somerville, NJ 08876
Phone: (908) 547-3307
https://malinowski.house.gov/contact

Your assistance and cooperation are appreciated. It is hoped that millions of Catholics across the country will make their voices heard – let’s do our part here in Blessed Sacrament Church and the Diocese of Metuchen.

Open Your Heart and Home to a Foster Child.
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen is seeking loving families to foster children of all ages, who have been abused, neglected or have had multiple out of home placements, through its Treatment Family Homes Program, contracted by New Jersey’s Department of Children and Families. Applicants must have adequate space for a child and complete a home study which includes background checks, references, interviews, and a home inspection. All Catholic Charities licensed families receive iniƟal and ongoing specialized training, 24 hour emergency access to staff, respite services, monthly reimbursement for the child’s expenses and support from experienced families. For more information about the program, please visit www.ccdom.org or contact Miguelina Nunez at 866-247-HOME (4663) or at [email protected]..


How to Report Sexual Abuse
If you were sexually abused by a member of the clergy or anyone representing the Catholic Church, or you know of someone who was, you are encouraged to report that abuse to local law enforcement, the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency at 1-877-NJ ABUSE (652-2873) or 1-800-835-5510 (TTY/TDD for the deaf), and also the Diocesan Response Officer at (908) 930-4558 (24 hours/7 days a week). For more information on how to report abuse, visit our diocesan website: diometuchen.org/healing.

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen
Please consider supporting our local poverty relief services by donating gently used clothing, shoes, household items and small appliances to Catholic Charities-Diocese of Metuchen. Clearly marked donation boxes are available in more than 30 locations throughout our four-county diocese. For a complete list of drop-off locations, visit https://ccdom.org/clothing-donation-drop-boxes. If you have an item that is too big to fit in a donation box, call 877-343-3651 to arrange for a free pick up at your home.

Bishops Emergency Disaster Fund

We offer our prayers to those families who have witnessed and suffered from the devastating impacts of natural disasters, among them Hurricane Laura and the California wildfires. The U.S. Bishops are inviting all to participate in a special collection for the humanitarian, long-term recovery, and Church needs arising from these calamities. The funds collected in this special appeal will become part of the Bishops Emergency Disaster Fund and will be used to support the efforts of Catholic Charities USA and/or Catholic Relief Services, the official relief agencies of the U.S. Catholic Church.   Click the following link to donate: online donation

Pray for vocations!
Bishop James F. Checchio recently ordained five men to the priesthood during a Mass of the Rite of Ordination. Please pray for our new priests Rev. David Edward Keyes, Rev. Thomas William Lanza, Rev. Gustavo Andres Rodriguez-Perez, Rev. Gilbert Zachariah Starcher and Rev. John Fredy Triana-Beltran, C.O. as they begin their priestly ministry and please pray for a continual increase of vocations in our Church.

Volunteers Needed
We are looking for volunteers to participate in one-to-one activities and become a mentor to the youth of Middlesex County and Franklin Township. Do you want to make a difference in a child’s life? Have a minimum of three hours a week to offer to a child? If you are interested in this great program, contact Jeanette Cullen at 732-738-1323.