St. Anthony's Church - Oceanside, NY

09/08/2026

A Local Connection to St. Peter Claver

Tomorrow, September 9, the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Peter Claver, a 17th-century Jesuit priest who dedicated his life to serving enslaved Africans and defending their human dignity.

His legacy has an interesting connection to our own Catholic history here on Long Island.

Servant of God Monsignor Bernard J. Quinn was a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn, which at the time included all of Long Island. He served as pastor of St. Peter Claver Parish in East New York, which he founded in 1922 to minister to Black Catholics.

Fr. Quinn later founded Little Flower Children’s Home in Wading River to care for Black children in need. Despite fierce opposition, including the destruction of the orphanage by fire twice, Fr. Quinn persevered and rebuilt.

Fr. Quinn died in 1940 at just 52 years old. Today, his cause for sainthood is being pursued, and he is buried right here on Long Island, behind St. Brigid’s Church in Westbury.

As we celebrate St. Peter Claver tomorrow, it is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Monsignor Bernard Quinn and this remarkable piece of our local Catholic history.

“I love you, I am proud of every one of you and I would willingly shed to the last drop of my life’s blood for the least among you.” – Fr. Quinn, in his first pastoral letter to...

09/08/2026

In Sunday's Gospel, Jesus speaks about something we all experience: conflict.

Jesus doesn't tell us to ignore it.
He tells us to go to one another.

To speak honestly.
To listen.
And, whenever possible, to seek reconciliation.

But then Jesus says something that can sound harsh:

“Treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.”

But how did Jesus treat Gentiles and tax collectors?

He welcomed them.
He ate with them.
He loved them.

Even when reconciliation is difficult, Jesus never gives us permission to stop loving.

St. Paul makes that unmistakably clear in Sunday's second reading:

“Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another... Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Love doesn't mean ignoring wrongdoing. Sometimes love requires us to speak truth and challenge one another.

But it never gives us permission to stop loving.

We were reminded this weekend that all of us have a responsibility to help create the community we call Church: a community where truth is spoken, injustice is challenged, forgiveness is possible, and no person is ever considered a lost cause.

And Jesus leaves us with this promise:

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:15–20

09/06/2026

Mark your calendars! 📅

The Office of Evangelization and Catechesis has a wonderful lineup of events and opportunities planned for Fall 2026.

We hope you’ll find an opportunity to learn, grow in faith, and connect with others throughout our diocese this fall!

Please feel free to share!

09/03/2026

Welcome Home Sunday is almost here!

Join us as we gather as one parish community for a special Outdoor Mass on the Parish Green, celebrated by Bishop John O. Barres, during which Father Christopher Costigan will be formally installed as Pastor of St. Anthony’s Parish.

📅 Sunday, September 13
🕧 12:30 PM

Mass will be followed by our Annual Parish BBQ & Ministry Fair.

If you’re able, please consider making a donation to help support the cost of Welcome Home Sunday.
Every contribution, big or small, is greatly appreciated.

Donate here: https://my.cheddarup.com/c/welcomehomesunday2026/items

To volunteer or help out, please contact [email protected].

See the attached image or the bulletin for the all the details:
https://sacli.org/bulletins

We look forward to gathering together and celebrating this special day in the life of our parish!

09/02/2026

On September 11, we remember. 🇺🇸🙏

As we mark the 25th anniversary of September 11, the Diocese of Rockville Centre will celebrate a special Mass of Remembrance at the Cathedral of St. Agnes at 12:10 PM, with Bishop John O. Barres as celebrant and homilist.

Please see the flyer below for details.

May we continue to pray for all those who lost their lives, their families and loved ones, and all whose lives were forever changed that day.

08/30/2026

“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” — Matthew 16:24

We often think of “our cross” as the suffering or difficulties that come into our lives: illness, grief, disappointment, family struggles.

But today’s Gospel invites us to think about the cross in another way:

The cross is what happens when love costs us something.

It is standing beside someone when others have walked away.

It is speaking when silence would be easier.

It is choosing compassion when fear would be more popular.

It is defending the dignity of the immigrant, the poor, the homeless, the prisoner, the refugee, the elderly, the person who is different from us, and anyone whose dignity has been forgotten.

Because Jesus does not call us to a faith that only comforts us.

He calls us to a faith that changes us.

A faith that asks something of us.

A faith willing to love even when that love comes at a cost.

Peter wanted to protect Jesus from the suffering that lay ahead. But Jesus knew that following the will of the Father would require sacrifice. There could be no resurrection without the cross.

The same is true of discipleship.

Following Christ will not always be comfortable. There will be moments when living the Gospel asks us to stand somewhere unpopular, to speak when we would rather remain quiet, to forgive when we have been hurt, or to love someone the world has decided is undeserving of our concern.

That is not always easy.

But perhaps the question for us this week is not simply, “What cross am I carrying?”

Perhaps it is:

Where is Christ asking me to love when loving will cost me something?

And when we recognize that moment, may we have the courage to choose love, take up our cross, and follow Him.

08/23/2026

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples a question that reaches far beyond Caesarea Philippi:

“But who do you say that I am?” — Matthew 16:15

Peter answers, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

It is a profession of faith we know well. But today, Jesus asks the same question of each of us.

Who do YOU say that I am?

Our faith cannot simply be something we profess with our words. It must shape our lives.

As we were reminded in today’s homily, being Christian is a call to service. What God gives us is not meant only for ourselves. We are called to use it, with humility, justice, patience and love, to build others up.

And perhaps that is one way we answer Jesus’ question.

Not only by saying who He is, but by allowing our belief in Him to influence how we live and how we treat others.

Do we recognize Christ in the person who is struggling?
In the immigrant?
In the person experiencing homelessness?
In the families suffering because of war and violence?
In the neighbor who feels forgotten?
In the person whose life, beliefs or experiences are different from our own?
In the person we find difficult to understand or difficult to love?
In the person whose suffering makes us uncomfortable?

It is easy to say that Jesus is the Christ.

The harder question is whether our lives reveal that we believe it.

If Jesus is truly the Christ, then His Gospel cannot remain something we hear only on Sunday. It must shape how we see one another, how we respond to suffering, how we welcome, how we forgive, how we serve and how we love.

08/17/2026

In Sunday’s Gospel, a Canaanite woman comes to Jesus asking Him to heal her daughter.

She is an outsider. The disciples want to send her away. But she persists:

“Lord, help me.”

And Jesus ultimately responds, “O woman, great is your faith!”

This Gospel reminds us that God’s love and mercy extend beyond the boundaries we so often create. No one is outside the reach of His love.

We are also reminded that our faith cannot be something we practice for an hour each week. It must be “like the air we breathe,” present in every part of our lives.

If we are faithful Catholics on Sunday morning, that faith should follow us into the rest of the week. Into our homes, our workplaces, our schools, our communities, and every encounter with another person.

Pope Leo reflected on this Gospel with a simple but powerful reminder: God’s table is set for everyone. No one is left with only the crumbs. Every person has a place with the Father.

And if we truly believe that, it should change the way we see and treat one another.

May our faith be visible in the way we welcome, love, and uphold the dignity of every person we encounter.

08/15/2026

Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

On this day, we celebrate our belief that, at the end of her earthly life, Mary was assumed body and soul into the glory of Heaven.

Mary’s life was a profound yes to God. A life of faith, courage, humility, and trust that always points us toward her Son.

Today, we ask for Mary’s motherly intercession for our parish, our families, our community and our world, and we pray that her example may help each of us place our trust more fully in God.

Blessed Mary, Mother of God, pray for us. 🙏

08/11/2026

SAVE THE DATE!

Mark your calendars for Welcome Home Sunday at St. Anthony’s.

📅 Sunday, September 13
⏰ 12:30 PM
🌿 Outdoor Mass on the Parish Green
🍔 Annual Parish BBQ immediately following Mass

We hope you’ll join us as we celebrate Mass, reconnect after the summer, and gather together as one parish family.

📖 And don’t forget: you can always find the latest St. Anthony’s bulletin online here: https://sacli.org/bulletins