SPECIAL LITURGIES

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
         Eucharistic Adoration is celebrated once a month. Parishioners are urged to commit themselves to spend one hour with the Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament for the purpose of adoration, reparation, petition and thanksgiving that they might more fully live their faith and be witnesses of Jesus.
         Eucharistic Adoration is held on one Friday each month. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed following the 6:45 a.m. Mass, and Adoration ends with Benediction at 7:30 p.m.

 LITURGY OF THE WORD WITH CHILDREN
         At various times throughout the year, a Liturgy of the Word with Children.

ADVENT SHARING TREE
         On the First Sunday of Advent, names of needy children and adults are placed on "Sharing Trees" in the Little Church and Auditorium Church. Parishioners are asked to take a tag from the tree, buy and wrap a gift, and bring it to Mass on "Sharing Sunday", the Third Sunday of Advent. The gifts are delivered in time for Christmas.

FEAST OF SAINT BLASE
         Throats are blessed on the Feast of St. Blase, February 3, at daily Mass.

ASH WEDNESDAY
          On Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent, ashes are distributed at the regular daily Masses as well as at a Liturgy of the Word service at 3:30 p.m. and at 7:00 P.M. Mass.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS
         On the Fridays of Lent, we gather to pray together the Stations of the Cross in the Little Church. On Good Friday, members of our youth groups present Living Stations of the Cross in the Auditorium Church, a reflection through meditation, prayer, song and action on the events of Jesus' journey of love to Calvary. 

HOLY WEEK
         Palm Sunday begins this holiest week of the year. Palms are distributed and blessed during the Sunday Masses. It is the custom within the Archdiocese of Newark to celebrate the Chrism Mass on Monday evening of Holy Week at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.

SEDER SUPPER
         The annual Seder Supper, a Christian seder meal, sponsored by the Rosary Society, is served during Holy Week in the cafeteria.

EASTER TRIDUUM
         These sacred "three days" are the culmination of the entire liturgical year. We solemnly celebrate Jesus' passion, death and resurrection.
         On Holy Thursday! our Lord instituted the Eucharist and washed the feet of his disciples. The Mass of the Lord's Supper is celebrated at 8:00 p.m. in our Auditorium Church. With no Mass on Good Friday or during the day on Holy Saturday, our attention is focused on the sacrifice of the cross. As we relive this agony and glory during the parish services, we strengthen our faith and renew the presence of Christ in our lives.
         The Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday is the essential paschal celebration. The Vigil is arranged in four parts: the Service of Light, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of Baptism, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

MAY CROWNING
         The Rosary Society sponsors a May Crowning and Living Rosary during the Month of May in the Little Church.

MEMORIAL MASS FOR DECEASED MEMBERS OF THE POLICE, FIRE DEPARTMENT AND RESCUE SQUAD
         This annual Memorial Mass to honor the township's deceased public servants is celebrated on the first Sunday of May at the 9:00 Mass.

MOTHER'S DAY LITURGY
         At each Mass on Mother's Day weekend, all mothers are honored. They are given special recognition and a blessing.

FATHER'S DAY LITURGY
         At each Mass on Father's Day weekend, all fathers are honored. They are given special recognition and a blessing.

MARRIAGE ANNIVERSARY LITURGY
         A special anniversary Mass is celebrated each year to honor parish couples who celebrate a wedding anniversary in multiples of five years (5/10/15/20, etc.) and every anniversary of fifty years or more. A reception follows in the cafeteria.

GRADUATION LITURGY
         On a Sunday in June during the 10:30 Mass, we honor members of our parish who are completing middle school, high school, college and post-graduate studies. They receive a special blessing and a commemorative gift. A reception for the graduates and their families follows the Mass.

R.C.I.A. / CATECHETICAL SUNDAY
         Catechetical Sunday is celebrated annually on the third Sunday of September throughout the United States to honor and bless all those involved in the catechetical ministry in parishes.
         This is also the Sunday on which our parish invites those interested in becoming a Catholic or completing their initiation into the Catholic Church to become a part of the R.C.I.A process.

FEAST OF THE LITTLE FLOWER
         In celebration of the feast day of our parish patron, St. Therese, on October 1, various activities, both spiritual and social, are planned each year.

BLESSING OF ANIMALS
         On the Sunday nearest to the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (October 4 ), we celebrate a special blessing of animals in the Auditorium Church parking lot at 1:00 p.m. This is an opportunity to share God's love with our pets.

MINISTRIES SUNDAY
         On this Sunday, scheduled in the fall of each year, the parish extends an open invitation to all its parishioners to be- come involved in one or several of our many ministries.
         Representatives of the various ministries are available on this Sunday to explain what is involved in being a minister and to offer our parishioners an opportunity to indicate an interest.
         Training for the individual ministries will follow, and our
new ministers will be installed on the Feast of Christ the King, just before the beginning of Advent.

ALL SOUL'S MASS OF REMEMBRANCE
         On All Soul's Day, November 2, we celebrate a Mass of Remembrance for all our parishioners and members of their families who have died during the past year.

THANKSGIVING DAY MASS
         On Thanksgiving Day, at 8:30 a. m. in our Auditorium Church, we celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving. We invite all parishioners to come and give thanks to the Lord for all his blessings.

INSTALLATION AND COMMISSIONING OF MINISTERS
On the Feast of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the liturgical year, all those involved in formal ministry within the parish are installed and commissioned at all the Masses.