Stations of the Cross
March 7
Every Friday during Lent, at 7:30 pm in the Church.

Discover the "Big Picture" of the Bible
March 8
Join Jeff Cavins, renowned Catholic Bible teacher from 9 am to 5 pm at the Retreat Center in Kearny. Call 973-497-4353.

Lenten Mini-Retreats with Fr. Tom: The Writings of St. Paul
March 11 & 18
Held in the Parish Center, from 7:30 - 8:30 pm. No registration required. Come one, some, or all nights. Topics as follows:

Stations of the Cross
March 14
Every Friday during Lent, at 7:30 pm in the Church.

Lenten Mini-Retreats with Fr. Tom: The Writings of St. Paul
March 18
Held in the Parish Center, from 7:30 - 8:30 pm. No registration required. Come one, some, or all nights. Topics as follows:

Taize Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament
April 6
Join the Felician Sisters at their Immaculate Conception Chapel on the Lodi campus on Sunday evening from 7:00 - 8:00 pm, for quiet prayer.

Taize Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament
May 4
Join the Felician Sisters at their Immaculate Conception Chapel on the Lodi campus on Sunday evening from 7:00 - 8:00 pm, for quiet prayer.

Taize Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament
June 1
Join the Felician Sisters at their Immaculate Conception Chapel on the Lodi campus on Sunday evening from 7:00 - 8:00 pm, for quiet prayer.

Ongoing Events

Children's Programs:
Children's Liturgy of the Word I Rainbows
Outreach:
Brown Bag Sunday I Old Computer? I Box Tops and More
Social:
Bingo I Hospitality Sundays
Spiritual:
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Pro-Life Holy Hour I Eucharistic Adoration

Eucharistic Adoration
Mondays through Friday, 12noon to 10 pm
In the Church, there is exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 12 noon to 10 pm. Come spend an hour with Jesus. Adoration runs mid-October through May.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Pro-Life Holy Hour
First Friday of each month
In the Church, there is exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 7 pm to 10 pm, on the First Friday of each month. The parish Pro-Life Holy Hour takes place from 8 to 9 pm.

Children's Liturgy of the Word
Sundays, 10:30 am Mass
Adult ministry teams will lead children from Mass to hear the Gospel explained for young children. Activities and materials to enhance the meaning of the Word will be used. Children have an opportunity to contribute to the homily by answering basic questions that tie into the readings. For children from 4 to 10 years of age.

Hospitality Sundays
Second Sunday each month, after the 9 & 10:30 am Masses
All parishioners and visitors are welcome to join parishioners and the Stewardship Council in the cafeteria after the 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Masses on the second Sunday of each month.

Rainbows
Wednesdays
Rainbows is a peer support program for children who live in step-families, single parent homes, or changing families. Rainbows helps children to share their feelings with other children their own age. The program is open to all children of Corpus Christi Parish. Parents who are interested in registering their children for this program, should complete a sign-up sheet and drop it off in the Rainbows box in the Chapel lobby.

Bingo
Tuesdays and Saturday evenings
7:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria. More information.

Brown Bag Sunday
Last Sunday of each month
Help your neighbor. Bring non-perishable foods, soap, and paper products to mass with you. Items will be distributed to the needy. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Old Computer? Donate It!
Ongoing
The Exempt Firemen's Association, Inc., of Hillsdale, New Jersey, accepts old computers. They then refurbish them and pass them on to impaired and handicapped children. For more information, call 201-664-7651, weekdays, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Box Tops and Labels for Education
Ongoing
Do you eat cereal, soup, or granola bars? Do you use flour, breadcrumbs, or a multitude of other products? If so, you can help support Corpus Christi School. Simply check and save the labels on products from General Mills, Tyson, and Campbell. Also, by joining the Grocery Gift Card and Certificate Fundraiser program (at no cost to you! It is a dollar for dollar exchange.), the school receives 5% of the gift cards and certificates purchased. For more information, call 201-288-0614.

Recent Events

Feast of Corpus Christi & Parish Picnic
June 22

Consecration to the Sacred Heart
Corpus Christi Parish was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ on this day. Message from our pastor, Father Lew, June 22, 2003.

"May the Lord's blessings be on all of us as we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi and consecrate ourselves as a parish to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ. You may be asking yourselves why are we making the consecration on this day? What is the connection between Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart? Besides the fact that this is one of the feast days recommended for making the consecration to the Sacred Heart, I would like to offer two other reasons.

"First, over the centuries there have been several Eucharistic miracles in which the Body of Christ, Holy Communion, has actually turned to flesh. In scientific studies there have been several common conclusions: 1) It is human flesh. 2) The blood is AB negative, a rare blood type. 3) In each case, it is flesh from the heart muscle. These studies make a clear connection between flesh and the heart. They are both expressions of God's love for humanity in the person of Jesus. The Eucharist is the sacrament of love in which God so loves us that He gives us his Son in his Body and his Blood. The Heart of Jesus is also a symbol of God's love.

"Secondly, the image of Jesus painted for the parish also expresses the connection between the Sacred Heart and the Eucharist. From the Heart of Christ flow two rays, one white and the other red. The white symbolizes the waters of baptism, while the red symbolizes the Body and Blood of Jesus. The Blood of Jesus flows to us in the Eucharist.

"The image is a painting of a vision St. Faustina, a Polish contemplative nun, had of Jesus early in the last century. Christ requested she have the vision painted. However, she was disappointed by the final results because it did not come near the reality of seeing Jesus face to face. In response Jesus told her: 'Not in the beauty of the color, nor of the brush lies the greatness of this image, but in My grace.'

"I am grateful to Ray Lapatinca for pouring so much life and beauty into St. Faustina's image of Jesus. For each of us may this painting open us to the grace of a deeper trust in Jesus Christ and His Presence in the Eucharist. Happy Feast Day!"

Feast Day
Message from our pastor, Father Lew, June 29, 2003.

"God is so good! He certainly blessed our feast day both spiritually and socially. I believe if we continue to open our hearts to the love and mercy that flows from his Sacred Heart He will be faithful to His promises to bless our families and our parish.

"He did not give us the sunny day we were hoping for but He gave us the type of day we needed to grow as a parish: weather for an indoor picnic. Several parishioners mentioned that having it inside enabled everyone to be closer together, meet new people and share a common experience which would have been more difficult if we were spread all around the parish grounds.

"The day was also a fine balance of God's people having fun and expressing their faith. In the lower and upper cafeteria there was plenty of room for eating, camaraderie and activities for the children to have fun, while at the same time having the opportunity to visit the Chapel to gaze on the face of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Both young and old enjoyed the day.

"The day was a success because we worked together as Corpus Christi (the Body of Christ), with each of us using our time, talent, and treasure for a common purpose. It was stewardship in action with each member of the body of the parish working together.

"I would like to thank the many parishioners who used their time and talent for the feast day:
* to the committee of over 20 parishioners who planned and organized the picnic
* to those who worked long hours cooking in the kitchen, serving, cleaning up, and doing so many other chores behind the scenes
* to Life Teen who organized games and activities for the children as well as made cotton candy, pop corn, and ice cones
* to our singing groups who inspired us with their music
* to those who spent time praying before the Blessed Sacrament
* to the over 200 parishioners who participated in the day
* and to the Hasbrouck Heights Police Department for their cooperation in blocking off Washington Place

"I would also thank several families who used their treasure in covering many of the expenses for the food, supplies, and the food carts.

"During the processional at the 6 pm Mass two members of the Life Teen Core group carried the magnificent painting of the Merciful Heart of Jesus to the vestibule of the Chapel where it was enthroned for all to see as we enter the Chapel. What a warm, divine welcome! Once again I would like to thank another family of the parish who donated this beautiful painting.

"In conclusion I would like to honor our chairperson Jennifer Jinks who orchestrated all the committees to make the picnic a success. She and Life Teen worked many long hours in preparation for the picnic. We should be proud of our teenagers and young adults who gave us a wonderful example of service to the parish. Thank you. Yes, God is so good!"

Parish Entrustment to Mary
October 25-26
Corpus Christi Parish was entrusted to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In doing so, explains Father Lew, "We are imitating God the Father who showed his utter confidence in entrusting his only Son Jesus Christ to Mary. We do the same by entrusting the parish, our families, and our lives to Mary, Mother of Jesus and Mother of the Church." This weekend ended the Year of the Rosary. Ray Lapatinca, who painted the Merciful Heart of Christ for us, also painted a portrait of the Madonna and Child that is hung in the vestibule of the Chapel. During the Prayer of the Faithful, the parish joined together in entrusting Corpus Christi Parish to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. On Sunday afternoon, the Rosary Society lead us in the Living Rosary after the 12 noon mass. "I believe that this Entrustment to Mary, joined with our consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June, if lived out in our personal, our family, and church life, will bring great blessings that will enable us to fulfill God's plan for the parish."

Entrustment is Total Giving
Father George Kosicki writes: "Consecration to Mary is also spoken of as an 'entrusting' of our lives to Mary. The word 'to entrust' is used in a very strong and full way by Pope John Paul II. It is a word that could well translate the motto of Pope John Paul II, "Totus Tuus", I am totally given, totally entrusted to you Mary, I am all yours. In his 'Letter To All Priest', our Holy Father 'entrusts' all priests to Mary the Mother of Christ and asks each priest to entrust himself in a solemn yet simple way according to his own heart. Pope John Paul II understands the need and meaning of living in union with Mary and entrusting our all to her. He has lived out this consecration to Mary since the day of his ordination. As Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, he said that 'the need of entrusting oneself to Mary' flows directly from the integral logic of the faith, from rediscovery of the whole divine economy and from undertanding of its mysteries.' He went on to explain that, 'The Father in heaven demonstrated the greatest trust in mankind by giving mankind his Son (John 3:16). The human creature to whom he first entrusted him was Mary, the woman of the 'proto-evangelium' (Gen. 3:15), then Mary of Nazareth and Bethlehem, and until the end of time she will remain the one to whom God 'entrusts the whole of his mystery of salvation.' "