Monday-Thursday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am to 12 Noon Only
The parish office is closed on National Holidays and Catholic Holy Days of Obligation.
Sunday Mass
Saturday: 5:30pm (For Sunday obligation)
Sunday: 8:00am, 10:00am and 12:00Noon
Daily Mass
Monday - Saturday: 8:30am
Holy Days: As announced
Reconciliation
Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 8:20 am
Saturday: 8:00 am - 8:20 am and 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Mass For Our Country
September - June: First Thursday of the Month
Patriotic Rosary at 7:00 pm and Patriotic Mass at 7:30 pm
First Friday
First Friday of the month to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at 9:00 am (after 8:30 am morning Mass)
First Saturday
First Saturday of the month to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at 9:00 am (after 8:30 am morning Mass)
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Divine Mercy Chaplet on the Third Sunday of the month at 3:00 pm
Novena to BVM and St. Jude
Novena to Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Jude
September - June: Every Monday after 8:30 am Mass
Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Novena to to Our Lady of Perpetual Help on the Third Wednesday of the month at 9:00 am (after 8:30 am morning Mass)
UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS
Dear Friends,
It is with great enthusiasm and dedication that we announce our upcoming Tricky Tray event, scheduled for Sunday, January 19, 2025. This event will become a beloved tradition in our parish and a significant funding source for the essential repairs and renovations required to maintain our beautiful facilities. As we strive to ensure the safety and comfort of our congregation, these repairs have become increasingly necessary. Holy Spirit Catholic Church is a non-profit charitable organization, recognized as a 501(c)(3) entity. Our mission revolves around serving the spiritual, emotional, and material needs of our community members, regardless of their background or circumstances. Our commitment to these ideals is unwavering, and we remain steadfast in our efforts to preserve our sacred space. To make our Tricky Tray event a resounding success, we seek support from generous individuals and organizations like yours. Your contribution would be invaluable in helping us achieve our fundraising goal.
To purchase admission ticket,
please click the poster or scan QR Code.
Thank you.
Here's how you can help:
Gifts-in-Kind: We welcome donations of goods or services that can be included in our Tricky Tray auction.
Donation Online using our shopping list at (click the link below):
OR you can use t
he QR code on the right.
Monetary Donation: Your financial support in the form of a monetary donation would be greatly appreciated. Any amount, whether big or small, will contribute to the success of our event. To make a donation or inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please feel free to contact us at holyspiritnjevents@gmail.com or call us at 908-687-3327. We are also happy to arrange to pick up physical donations if needed.
We sincerely hope you can join us in this noble endeavor to support the Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Your generosity will not only help us maintain our beloved church but also strengthen the bonds within our community. Together, we can ensure that the Holy Spirit Catholic Church remains a beacon of faith, hope, and love in our community for years to come.
Thank you for considering our request.
Yours in Christ,
V. Rev. Krzysztof K. Maslowski, V.F.
Pastor
View from the Pew
Season of Advent
As the Holy Spirit family gathers during this sacred season, it’s important to pause and reflect on the true meaning of Advent. For us Catholics, Advent is not only a time of preparation for the celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas but also a time of anticipation for His second coming at the end of time.
The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, meaning "coming." It marks the beginning of the liturgical year in the Catholic Church and spans the four weeks leading up to Christmas. Advent invites us into a spirit of expectant waiting and joyful preparation, much like the ancient Israelites who waited for the Messiah, and like us today, who await Christ’s return in glory.
A key Advent tradition is the lighting of the four candles on the Advent wreath. The wreath itself, circular in shape, symbolizes God’s eternal love—without beginning or end. Each candle represents one of the four weeks of Advent, and each carries a specific meaning:
-
The First Candle is the Candle of Hope. Lit on the first Sunday of Advent, it symbolizes the hope Christ brings into the world, both in His first coming and in His return.
-
The Second Candle is the Candle of Peace. Lit on the second Sunday, it reflects the peace that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, offers to our hearts and to the world.
-
The Third Candle is the Candle of Joy. Lit on the third Sunday, the pink candle signifies joy—a departure from the purple candles of penance. It reminds us of the joy that Christ’s birth brings to the world.
-
The Fourth Candle is the Candle of Love. Lit on the fourth Sunday, it represents the love that God has shown us through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. As the Bible tells us, “God is love” (1 John 4:8), and through Jesus, God teaches us how to love one another.
These four themes—Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love—are not just reflective of the New Testament but are deeply rooted in the Old Testament as well. The prophets, especially Isaiah, foretold the coming of the Messiah, who would bring light and salvation to the world.
As we light each candle on the Advent wreath, let us remember the deep significance of these symbols. They remind us that Advent is not only about preparing for Christmas but is also a time to renew our faith, deepen our hope, and open our hearts to the peace, joy, and love that Christ brings.
Advent is a time of waiting but also a time of active preparation, as we ready our hearts to welcome the
Savior. May this Advent season draw us closer to Christ, and as St. John writes: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:5). Let us prepare to receive that light as we await the fulfillment of God’s promises through the birth of Jesus and His ultimate return.
Merry Christmas to all!
Joe Marateo
Parish Membership
Our parish family invites all of its members to participate fully in our spiritual and social life. Every family moving into the parish is requested to register at the Parish Office. If you move, please let us know. Certificates of Eligibility (Godparent/Sponsor certificate) will only be given to registered parishioners. Please, click here for Parish Registration Form.
Join the Choir
The Music Ministry supports the singing and worship of the congregation. Such a wondrous ministry requires many gifts of talent, time, and treasure. We strive to put our parish’s many gifts to work so that our most important work may be made possible to engage fully through service and participation in our worship as the Body of Christ.
Religious Education - CCD
Our religious education program is offered for the children of our parish. The classes taught in the CCD Confraternity of Christian Doctrine program not only educate children about Jesus and the Catholic faith but, also, prepare children to receive the sacraments of Penance (Confession), the Eucharist (Holy Communion), and Confirmation. The schedule follows the Union Public School schedule as closely as possible. Information regarding registration is published in the church bulletin. Click here for the CCD class schedule.
Baptism
The Sacrament of Baptism is normally celebrated on the second Sunday of each month. A Preparation Program is required for first-time parents. New parents should register for the Baptism as soon as possible after the child’s birth by contacting the Parish Office. Please, click here for the Baptismal Registration Form.
For information on who can be a sponsor (godparent) of the baptized child, please, click here.
Archdiocese of Newark
171 CLIFTON AVENUE
P.O. BOX 9500
NEWARK, NJ 07104
TEL | 973-497-4000
www.rcan.org
Knights of Columbus
1034 Jeanette Ave.
Union, NJ 07083
908-686-4504
www.kofc4504.org
Events
- Dec 14 2024 4:00 pm - Reconciliation
- Dec 15 2024 3:00 pm - Divine Mercy Chaplet
- Dec 16 2024 9:00 am - Novena to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Jude
Bulletin
Weekly reading
Readings for the week of December 8, 2024
- Sunday: Bar 5:1-9 / Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 (3) / Phil 1:4-6, 8-11 / Lk 3:1-6
- Monday: Gn 3:9-15, 20 / Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 / Eph 1:3-6, 11-12 / Lk 1:26-38
- Tuesday: Is 40:1-11 / Ps 96:1-2, 3 and 10ac, 11-12, 13 / Mt 18:12-14
- Wednesday: Is 40:25-31 / Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10 / Mt 11:28-30
- Thursday: Zec 2:14-17 or Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab / Jdt 13:18bcde, 19 /
- Lk 1: 26-38 or Lk 1:39-47
- Friday: Is 48:17-19 / Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 / Mt 11:16-19
- Saturday: Sir 48:1-4, 9-11 / Ps 80:2ac and 3b, 15-16, 18-19 / Mt 17:9a, 10-13
Saint of the Day
Dec. 14 Memorial of St. John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor, Memorial
12/14/24 12:00 am
Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. John of the Cross (1542-1591). He was born and died in Spain. His parents were poor and could not give him training in any trade, hence he became the servant of the sick in the hospital of Medina. In 1563 he offered himself as a lay brother to the Carmelite friars, who, however, perceiving his unusual talents, had him ordained a priest. When he was about to join the more severe Order of the Carthusians, St. Teresa of Avila persuaded him to remain and help her in the reform of the Carmelite Order. This reform of his order caused him such sufferings and brought him many trials. But his sufferings served only to detach him from creatures. He had a great devotion to Our Lord's Passion and voluntarily sought out humiliations. When Our Lord asked him what reward he would ask for his labors, John answered: "To suffer and to be despised for Thee." He died of a very painful disease, erysipelas, while embracing the crucifix. Because of his profound treatises on mystical theology Pope Pius XI proclaimed him Doctor of the Church in 1926.
Read MoreDec. 13 Memorial of St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr, Memorial
12/13/24 12:00 am
Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Lucy (283-304). St. Lucy (or Lucia) was born in Syracuse, Sicily, where she also died. She was of a noble Greek family, and was brought up as a Christian by her mother, who was miraculously cured at the shrine of St. Agatha in Catania. Lucy made a vow of virginity and distributed her wealth to the poor. This generosity stirred the wrath of the unworthy youth to whom she had been unwillingly betrothed and who denounced her to Paschasius, the governor of Sicily. Tradition has passed on details of her martyrdom. When it was decided to violate her virginity in a place of shame, Lucy, with the help of the Holy Spirit, stood immovable. After torture which included taking out her eyes, a fire was then built around her, but again God protected her. She was finally put to death by the sword. Her name appears in the second list in the Roman Eucharist Canon.
Read MoreDec. 12 Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (USA), Feast
12/12/24 12:00 am
In the USA the Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, elsewhere it is an Optional Memorial. Our Lady appeared to an Indian convert named Juan Diego on December 9, 1531. She left a marvelous portrait of herself on the mantle of Juan Diego. This miraculous image has proved to be ageless and is kept in the shrine built in her honor, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 1910, Our Lady of Guadalupe was declared Patroness of Latin America, and in 1945 Pope Pius XII declared Her to be the Empress of all the Americas.
Read More