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Deacon Alan Bridges concludes his summer assignment in our parish this weekend. He will soon return to Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, MD to complete his final year of theological studies in preparation for Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood. We offer our thanks to Deacon Alan for giving so much of himself to us over these weeks, and we hope that he will return to us when the seminary is in recess for holidays during the academic year.

Our celebration of Pentecost takes on the added joy of witnessing the beginning of the diaconal ministry of Nelson Abreu. Completing five years of academic and spiritual formation, he makes his generous “Yes” to the Lord. He will be assisting at the 4:00 pm and 11:00 am Masses. Let us support him with our fervent prayer asking the Lord to make his ministry fruitful.

Among those being ordained next weekend will be Alan Bridges, our diocesan seminarian and student of Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, MD. Alan will be ordained as “transitional deacon” i.e., one on the path to priestly ordination next year. We are delighted that Bishop O’Connell has chosen to assign Deacon Bridges to our parish for this transitional year.

Everyone will have an opportunity to congratulate Deacon Nelson on his Ordination following the 11:00 AM Mass next Sunday, May 19! Please join us!

Please keep our Deacons—Kevin O’Boyle, Salvatore Petro, and Joseph Jaruszewski—in prayer. They will be attending the convocation of deacons in Princeton on Friday and Saturday (October 20 & 21).

...to all fathers, godfathers, stepfathers, foster fathers, father figures, grandfathers, great grandfathers, and spiritual fathers (from priests to pontiff!)!

Fr. Alabré and I, along with our parish staff, sincerely thank all those who remembered us in this holy season. Your cards, spiritual bouquets, homemade treats, and gifts were most thoughtful. May the Lord bless you abundantly for your kindnesses.

We offer our prayerful congratulations to Nelson on receiving the ministry of Acolyte from Bishop O’Connell at St. Ann’s Church, Lawrenceville, on December 13. It is a final step toward Nelson’s eventual Ordination as a Deacon. Congratulations to our ever faithful Nelson. May the Lord grant you the grace of perseverance and joy in serving Him! Click here to find out what an acolyte does!

Kindly remember in your prayers the Deacons of our parish who will be attending their annual Convocation in Princeton, Friday and Saturday, October 21 and 22.

Our parish congratulates Nelson Abreu, a candidate for the permanent diaconate, upon being called by our bishop to the ministry of lector, a further step on the journey to ordination. Click the article title for more information.

...to Deacon Luders Desire, Deacon Dennis Slavin, and Deacon Jeffery Pierfy, all of whom are celebrating special anniversaries of their ordination to the Permanent Diaconate. Click the article title for more information.

Our Diocese rejoices this Saturday, June 20, when His Excellency, Bishop David O’Connell, will ordain six men as deacons at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, Freehold. For details, click the article title.

We offer our heartfelt congratulations and prayerful best wishes to Stephen Sansevere, who was ordained a priest at the hands of His Excellency, Bishop David O’Connell on Saturday, June 27, at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine in Freehold. A Jersey City native, Father Sansevere comes to the Priesthood at age 67. Click the article title for more information.

Let us remember in prayer Deacon Joseph Peissner with gratitude for his witness and ministry at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish. We commend him to the love and mercy of the Lord who called Deacon Joseph to himself on November 10, 1992.

If you get an email supposedly from Msgr. Gervasio (or any other OLS-SA staff member), that asks you to do him a favor, buy gift cards for him and send him the PIN numbers of the cards, ignore it...or report it to the police. This is a scam. Msgr. Gervasio would never ask you to do this!

In order to allow for parish participation in both Loaves and Fishes (on June 29) and Kelli Pierfy's Memorial Mass, the Memorial Mass has been scheduled for July 13. Click the article title for more information.

It is which great sadness that we learned of the death of Kelli Pierfy, the beloved daughter of Deacon Jeffery and Jean Pierfy. Kelli was called by the Lord on the Feast of the Visitation of Our Lady, May 31. May the Lord sustain and comfort the Pierfy family and welcome Kelli into the joys of heaven. For information on where to send condolences, click the article title.

Our parishioner, Salvatore Petro, is preparing for Ordination to the Permanent Diaconate. We are happy to share the news that Sal has fulfilled a significant component of the program which is principally academic—a three year study of theology. On May 22, Sal was awarded a Master of Arts degree by Georgian Court University! Click the article title for more information.

Click the article title to see a thank you letter from Deacon Jeff and Jean.