St. Mary's Parish

08/23/2026

Blessed Sunday to all from St. Mary’s Parish!

08/20/2026

The Blessed Virgin Mary is repeatedly referred to in the Catholic Church as "Queen," and often called the "Queen of Heaven and Earth." There is even a Feast of the Queenship of Mary, celebrated each year on August 22. Why is that? First of all, the Catechism states that "the Immaculate Virgin, prese...

08/19/2026

Praying for vocations is easy: start with a Hail Mary!

08/19/2026

08/18/2026

Message from the Pastor
Very Rev Eustace Edomobi D.Min. V.F.

“O woman, great is your faith!”
Matthew 15:28
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

In Sunday's Gospel, we encounter a woman making a deeply good and noble request. Her daughter is suffering terribly from demonic oppression, and she turns to Jesus for deliverance. She is not asking for anything selfish or evil; she simply wants her child to be healed. Yet, the scripture presents us with a jarring reality: "But He did not say a word in answer to her."

What do we do when God greets our most heartfelt prayers with silence?

The Gospel gives us the answer through this woman’s actions: she kept calling out. She refused to walk away. She was persistent. When God seems silent, we do not stop praying; we keep praying. Jesus echoes this truth elsewhere in the Gospels when He commands us to ask, seek, and knock. He actively invites our persistence.

This passage reveals that God's silence is not a rejection, but an invitation for two profound gifts to mature within us: humility and faith. The woman responds, "Even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters." So, she is willing to humble herself completely, letting go of pride to beg for mercy. Humility is the foundational soil of spiritual and material blessings.

When you face quiet times of prayer, do not lose heart. Let us imitate this woman's humble persistence and lively faith, trusting that Jesus will always show us His mercy and love in His perfect time.

Have a blessed week!

08/12/2026

Message from the Pastor
Very Rev Eustace Edomobi D.Min. V.F.

Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid!
Mt. 14:27

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

In this Sunday's message, Jesus asked the Apostles to cross by boat to the other side. On the way, they encountered a storm, but Jesus there to calm it down. It is therefore an encouragement to have confidence in God who is there for us in times of trial and tribulation.

Think of your life like a journey across the sea, we are travelling in the boat like the Apostles of Jesus. The boat is the Church; the sea is the World. In the church we are like family travelling together. Just like the Apostles, and like Elijah in the first reading, we face trials and tribulations of life. The storm of the sea (world) are the violent things that can come in different shapes and sizes – heath, marriages, finances and, even today, wars everywhere. But one thing common to all is that problems do not last forever. Again, in all of them, Jesus is there to help us. They will come and go; the challenges you face today shall also pass.

This week, ask for grace to always trust and, like Peter, cry out to Jesus at every moment of your life: Lord save me! Obey the Lord; if He asks you to walk on water, simply walk.

Blessings for the week!

08/12/2026

08/04/2026

Today the Church honors St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars, patron of parish priests.

"St. John Vianney, pray for us. May we be pastors after the heart of Jesus. Help us to stay close to Him and to the people we serve." — Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin

As we celebrate his feast day, we give thanks for the faithful ministry of priests throughout the Archdiocese of Newark and pray that God will continue to bless them in their vocation.

St. John Vianney, pray for our priests.

08/04/2026