Notre Dame of Mt. Carmel

09/07/2026

This Labor Day, we give thanks for the gift of work—for the opportunity to use our God-given talents and charisms, serve others, provide for our families, and contribute to the communities around us. May we also remember that all work, when offered to God, can become an act of love and service.

Wishing all a blessed, safe, and restful Labor Day!

09/06/2026

23rd Sunday - "TAKE THE FIRST STEP"
Gospel: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/18?15

“A father and his adult son had a disagreement. It was not a huge argument, just a few angry words. But neither one wanted to apologize. The father thought, “He should call me first. I’m his father.” The son thought, “He hurt me. If he wants to talk, he knows where to find me.”
Days became weeks. Weeks became months.
One Christmas, the whole family gathered around the table. Everyone was there except the relationship between the father and the son.
They sat only a few feet apart, but there was a wall between them. Finally, the father looked across the table and said just three words:
“Son, I miss you.” Those words broke the wall.
The son began to cry. The father reached across the table, and they embraced. Nothing about the past could be changed. But someone finally had the courage to take the first step.
Brothers and sisters, sometimes the distance between two people is only one sentence away from being healed.
Today’s Gospel speaks about something very human: what we do when someone hurts us.
Jesus says, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.” Not with anger or confrontation, but with humility and love.
That sounds simple, but in reality, it can be very difficult.
When someone hurts us, we often do the opposite. We become silent. We distance ourselves. We talk to other people about what happened. We replay the situation in our minds and convince ourselves that the other person must make the first move.
But Jesus says: Go to your brother. Go to your sister. Take the first step.
Why? Because Jesus is more interested in healing the relationship than in proving who is right.
Think about how many relationships are damaged not because of one great tragedy, but because of small hurts that were never addressed. A harsh word. A misunderstanding. A disappointment. Something someone said - or failed to say.
Sometimes we can live in the same house, sit at the same table, attend the same church - and yet our hearts are far apart.
Of course, reconciliation does not always happen immediately. Sometimes wounds are deep. Sometimes trust must be rebuilt slowly. And forgiveness does not mean ignoring injustice or allowing someone to continue hurting us.
But Jesus asks us not to allow resentment and anger to control our hearts.
Then Jesus gives us one of the most beautiful promises in Scripture:
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
We often hear this verse when we gather for prayer. But look at the context: Jesus says it while speaking about conflict, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
It means that when we come together and sincerely try to heal what is broken, Christ is there.
When a husband and wife choose to forgive, Christ is there.
When a parent and child begin to speak again after a painful disagreement, Christ is there.
When brothers and sisters put aside an old resentment, Christ is there.
When our parish chooses unity instead of division, Christ is in our midst.
We may not be able to solve everything today. But perhaps we can take one small step.
Brothers and sisters, sometimes the greatest act of faith is not holding on to our anger but choosing to let it go.
Let us pray today for the courage to take that first step.
May Christ heal our wounded relationships, soften our hearts, and teach us to choose reconciliation over resentment, forgiveness over revenge, and love over division.”
Fr. Vidal

09/06/2026

Miracles abide 🙏

Dominic Auricchio, a 13-year-old from Westfield, New Jersey, has felt called to the priesthood since early childhood. At age four he dreamed that God told him to become a priest—a conviction that has remained steady ever since.

In December 2022, Dominic began suffering severe headaches. An MRI revealed a large brain tumor. Doctors considered surgery, but the location made the procedure risky. While the family weighed options and Dominic continued praying, he experienced what he describes as a visit from the Virgin Mary in May 2023.

“She was dressed just like we imagine her… and she told me that everything would be OK,” he recalled.

The following month a scan showed the tumor had significantly reduced. Surgery was no longer necessary. Today, follow-up MRIs show only a small residual mark.
Despite ongoing challenges, including seizures whose cause remains unclear, Dominic remains deeply committed to his faith. He serves as an altar boy at St. Helen’s Church and helps as a “buddy” for children with disabilities at inclusive Masses. His father is a Marine who served in Iraq, and Dominic has spoken of possibly serving as a Marine before entering seminary.

This year he won the Cardinal Joseph Tobin Essay and Video Contest sponsored by the Archdiocese of Newark. In his entry he shared both his ordinary teenage interests—family, hockey—and his spiritual experiences, including the vision of Mary and his lasting desire for the priesthood.

“Priesthood is a life of service, sacrifice and joy, centered on Jesus,” he said. “I trust that God is guiding me step by step.”

For Dominic, the difficulties have deepened his empathy and trust. “Even if something bad happens,” he said, “it’s part of his plan, so you just have to go with it.”

09/06/2026

“We can try to hide our sorrows and pain, but they will eventually seep out. All the resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, neglect, abuse, and fear that we have experienced in our lives are the source of our sorrows, and they are not healed simply by the passing of time. Only by facing them as the Blessed Virgin Mary did will we be healed. By latching onto God’s grace and mercy, we can be freed. By knowing Jesus Christ as his mother does, we can know joy.” Fr. Daniel Brandenburg, LC

Join us in praying the Novena to Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, beginning tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 6. Her feast day is Tuesday, Sept. 15.

Explore the Nine Days with Our Lady of Sorrows, a powerful devotional journey reflecting on Mary's suffering and deep connection to Christ's Passion.

09/05/2026

Prepare for Mass: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090626.cfm

Question: Father, in today’s Gospel, Jesus says that when someone sins against us and refuses to listen—even after we bring witnesses—we should“tell the Church.”⛪ But what “Church” was Jesus talking about? There were no parish churches, dioceses, or Vatican yet! And does this tell us something about what Jesus intended His Church to be? 🤔📖

Answer: Those three words—“tell the Church”—are surprisingly important.

The Greek word used here is ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia), meaning an assembly or gathered community. Here is something fascinating: among the four Gospels, the word ekklēsia appears only in Matthew—and only three times, all in two passages.

We heard the first occurrence just two Sundays ago, when Jesus told Peter:
“Upon this rock I will build my Church.” (Matthew 16:18) 🪨🔑

Now, in Matthew 18, Jesus uses the word twice more.

Jesus describes what to do when a “brother” sins. First, speak to him privately. If he will not listen, bring one or two others. If he still refuses to listen, Jesus says:
“Tell the Church.”

Think about that for a moment.

For someone to “tell the Church,” the Church must be something recognizable—something that can be approached, can listen, and can exercise judgment.

Jesus does not describe His Church merely as an invisible spiritual bond between believers. He speaks of a visible community with real responsibility and authority.⛪

And then comes an even more interesting connection.

Jesus immediately says:
“Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Sound familiar? 🔑

In Matthew 16, Jesus had said this specifically to Peter, after giving him the keys of the Kingdom. Now, in Matthew 18, Jesus speaks of binding and loosing to the disciples together.

This helps us understand the Catholic structure of the Church. Christ gave Peter a unique responsibility—symbolized by the keys—while also giving real authority to the other Apostles together with him. The Catechism preserves precisely this distinction (Catechism of the Catholic Church 553, 1444–1445).

This matters because sometimes Christianity is reduced to “Just Jesus and me (no Church in between).”

Certainly, every Christian must have a personal relationship with Jesus. ❤️ But Jesus Himself did not leave us only with individual believers reading Scripture and deciding everything independently.

He said:
“I will build my Church.”

He gave Peter the keys. 🔑
He gave His disciples authority to bind and loose.
And when serious disagreement remained, He said: “Tell the Church.”

The Church, therefore, is not something Christians invented centuries later.

Before there were parish buildings, cathedrals, or the Vatican, there was already something far more important: Christ’s intention to gather a visible people, give them shepherds with authority, and remain in their midst.

And perhaps the most beautiful line comes last:

“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” ❤️

That is the heart of it.

The Church has authority not because her human members are impressive, perfect, or incapable of making mistakes.

She has authority because Christ established her, entrusted her with a mission—and promised to remain in her midst. ⛪✝️🙏

09/04/2026

https://beaconnj.org/hanover-priests-rejoice-bringing-christ-to-others-on-mission/

This summer, the missionary heart of Notre Dame Mount Carmel Parish, located in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, N.J., came alive in two very different places. On July 26, a team of nearly 50 Notre Dame parishioners and friends traveled to Preston County, W.V., for Operation Appala...

09/04/2026

A Blessing for the New School Year!

In anticipation of the new school year, children were invited to bring their backpacks to the Family Mass this past Sunday for a special Blessing of the Backpacks. The blessing included praying for the students, teachers, and parents.

For extra protection and guidance, each child received a St. Michael the Archangel backpack tag and a child-friendly prayer to St. Michael.

After Mass, the children were encouraged to write what they were thankful for about school. Answers included seeing friends, learning, lunch, and teachers. You can read all the responses on the blue board in the gathering space.

Our prayers extend to all students returning to school—from elementary through college, especially those heading off to college and beginning a new chapter away from home. May the Lord watch over and protect them, guide their steps, surround them with good people, and bless them with a fruitful, joyful, and grace-filled school year. 🙏

09/03/2026

The Third Commandment tells us, “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day” (Ex 20:8). As Catholics, we keep the Sabbath holy by fulfilling our obligation to attend Sunday Mass. This command can be fulfilled in the Spirit—or without truly entering into its spirit. When we attend Mass simply to fulfill an obligation, without understanding the beauty and mystery of what we are celebrating, it can become a burden—void of joy, spiritual life, and fruitfulness.

Understanding can lead to genuine desire. As we come to understand the Mass more deeply, our hearts can open to an encounter with the person of Jesus. Then, what may have begun as an obligation becomes something far more beautiful: a genuine desire and life-giving need to be with Him.

As part of our partnership with , we invite you to go deeper with “A Biblical Walk Through the Mass,” an 8-session collection beginning Wednesday, September 9, on the Hallow App. This great resource can help us discover the biblical roots and profound meaning of the Mass and, in doing so, strengthen our prayer life and spiritual journey.

Take advantage of this resource and discover the Mass in a new way!

- Download the Hallow app to your phone.
- Open the app and create a free account (skip the payment prompt).
- Go to the Church tab at the bottom of your screen.
- Select “Join a Church” and search for our parish by name or ZIP code (07927).
- Join!
- Join the Biblical Walk Through the Mass challenge and follow each day, beginning Sept. 9!

08/28/2026

Prepare for Sunday Mass: August 30, 2026, Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083026.cfm

Question: Father, last Sunday Jesus called Peter the “rock” 🪨 and gave him the keys of the Kingdom 🔑. Yet only a few verses later Jesus says, “Get behind me, Satan!” 😳 Did Jesus really call Peter Satan? And if Peter could be corrected so strongly, how can Catholics still defend the Papacy? 🤔✝️

Answer: Yes—Jesus really uses the word “Satan.” But understanding what that word means changes everything.

The Greek text says:
Σατανᾶ (Satana) 😈

The word comes from the Hebrew śāṭān (שָׂטָן), meaning “adversary,” “opponent,” or one who stands against another.

Jesus is not saying that Peter has literally become the devil. Rather, Peter has momentarily placed himself in the position of an adversary to God’s plan.

Why?

Jesus has just announced that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and rise again. Peter cannot accept this. He takes Jesus aside and actually rebukes Him: “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you."

Peter means well! ❤️ He loves Jesus and does not want Him to suffer.

But without realizing it, Peter is proposing something dangerously similar to Satan’s temptation in the desert: Messiahship without suffering, glory without sacrifice, a crown without the Cross. 👑🚫✝️

That is why Jesus’ response is so severe.

But notice His exact command:

“Get BEHIND me, Satan!”

That word “behind” matters.

Peter has tried to stand in front of Jesus and tell the Master which direction He should go. Jesus puts Peter back where every disciple belongs:

behind Him—following Him. 🚶♂️✝️

And immediately afterward Jesus says, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”But what happened to Peter’s keys? 🔑

Nothing!

Jesus does not say, “Give them back.” He does not revoke Peter’s office or withdraw His promise that Peter is the rock. This actually helps us understand Catholic teaching about the Papacy.

The Pope is not sinless. Papal infallibility does not mean that every thought, opinion, decision, or action of a Pope is correct. Peter himself could misunderstand Christ and require correction.

Yet his weakness did not erase the authority Christ had entrusted to him.

Later, despite knowing Peter would deny Him three times, Jesus still tells him, “strengthen your brothers” (Lk 22:32).

After the Resurrection, Jesus again entrusts His flock specifically to Peter: “Feed my sheep” (Jn 21:17). 🐑

So Peter being called “Satan” does not disprove the Papacy.

It teaches us what the Papacy is not.

Peter is not Christ’s replacement. The Pope is not the master of Christianity. Even the man carrying the keys must remain behind Jesus.

Because Peter may hold the keys 🔑—

but Christ is still the King. 👑✝️

08/28/2026

Let us pray for vocations and for those who’ve answered the call!