Report broken links to webmaster
 | ||||
200 MONMOUTH ROAD, ELIZABETH, NJ 07208 + 908-351-4444
| ||||||
HELPING HANDS
Food Collection to Help Local Families
St. Genevieve’s Helping Hands Group is seeking food and paper product donations to support local families in need. Note: If you are a person or family in need, we can help you. Donations of checks/ food gift cards also accepted. Checks payable to: St. Genevieve Helping Hands and sent to the Rectory.
Dear Parishioners,
On the church calendar, the 4th Sunday of Lent is referred to as “Laetare (lay-tar-ae) Sunday, another Latin word that means “rejoice.” Exactly like the Third Sunday of Advent, today is one of those days where the liturgical color is rose and the tone of the liturgy lightens just a bit. It is a slight reprieve from the rigors of Lent and a brief opportunity to look ahead to the upcoming joy of Easter.
Today also serves as a two minute warning that this holy season is, in fact, coming to an end quickly. If you have done little, or nothing, to turn your life around, or you have made no sacrifices, done no penance, helped no one else, what are you waiting for? Many of us like waiting for the last minute to do anything; the last minute of Lent is fast approaching. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we have tomorrow to begin the road to repentance; the reality is that we are not guaranteed five more minutes.
In today’s Gospel, we encounter the wonderful story of the Man Born Blind. In it, we come face to face with the age old question of why do bad things happen to good people? Jesus answer is wonderful.. He tells us that no matter how or why things happen, He is the solution to the problem. He comes to enlighten our darkness and to bring sight to all who walk in the blindness of sin. However, we must first acknowledge our sinfulness in order to be cured.
My deepest and sincerest thanks for your assistance in last weeks special snow clearing collection.. Your generous response was overwhelming and will help tremendously to keep our budget in line. God bless you always!
As always, during Lent, please remember all those men and women who are preparing to celebrate Sacraments at Easter.
Fr. Armand
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal organization for Catholic men. All men of the parish are invited to join. For information please contact : Council 253 at (908) 355-2253 or Chris at (908) 351-4444.
CAFÉ GENS IS BACK!
Join us after the 9:00 and 10:30 Masses to enjoy coffee, tea or juice and a bagel, roll or pastry with your family, friends, and future friends. Children of all ages are invited to enjoy games, puzzles, crafts and other activities during Café Gens in Karen’s Corner. These supervised activities are provided after the 10:30 Mass until noon each week. Please join us and bring a friend!
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
LENTEN DINNERS
The Elizabeth Knights of Columbus Council 253 will host a fish fry on Friday, March 20 from 5:30pm to 8pm. The cost is $15 per dinner—fish or ziti—and will be available for eat in or take out. The Council is located at 328 Union Ave in Elizabeth. Please call the Council at 908-355-2253 to place take-out orders. .
NORWAY TRIP
Tired of Winter already? Need something to look forward to? Ready to do something extra special for yourself? If the answer to any of these is YES, I have very good news for you: There’s a fjord in your future!
Following up on last years wonderful trip to Alaska, this year we are very pleased to present a beautiful voyage to the magical fjords of Norway. Join us from July 2-10, 2026 as we cruise through the magnificently beautiful Norwegian countryside being cared for by the crew of a Holland-America Line Cruise Ship.
Our journey begins in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and goes to Bergen, Alesund, Olden and Eidfjord Norway. Our very reasonable fares include round trip airfare, 2 nights hotel in Rotterdam a 7 day cruise on Holland-America Line, in your chosen cabin grade, with all meals and entertainments and some surprise extras. Space is limited, and already filling quickly, so please contact the rectory, or speak to Fr. Armand, for a full color brochure and further information. I hope you are able to join us!
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY LITURGY
We are happy to announce that we are once again preparing the annual tradition of honoring those couples in the Archdiocese who will be celebrating five, twenty-five and fifty and 60+ years of Catholic marriage!
Once again there will be ONE anniversary liturgy for all couples from all counties. This liturgy will be celebrated by Cardinal Joseph Tobin on Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 3pm at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. All clergy and family
members are welcome.
It is our desire that every couple in the Archdiocese celebrating their 5th, 25th, 50th, or 60+ wedding anniversary be present at this special liturgy. The presence of these couples and their families is a beautiful witness to the strength and stability of Christian marriage in today’s society. To register please call the Rectory at 908-351-4444.
2026 ANNUAL APPEAL
The 2026 Annual Appeal is underway. We are over 75% of our goal!! The outpouring of support from many parishioners like you helps sustain the important ministries across the Archdiocese of Newark. These programs help to make our own parish a more vibrant place of worship.
If you have yet to give, please pick up a pledge envelope at the back of the church or visit www.rcan.org/sharing.
ARCHDIOCESE OF NEWARK
2026 LENTEN REGULATIONS
1. The days of both Fast and Abstinence during Lent are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily His Resurrection. The other Fridays of Lent are days of Abstinence.
On a day of Fast, only one (1) full meal is permitted, and two (2) smaller meals, which, if added together, would not exceed the main meal in quantity.
On a day of Abstinence, no meat may be eaten. Those who have reached the age of 14 are obliged by the law of abstinence.
2. The obligation to observe the laws of Fast and Abstinence “substantially”, or as a whole, is a serious obligation.
3. The Fridays of the year, outside of Lent, are designated as days of penance, but each individual may substitute for the traditional abstinence from meat some other practice of voluntary self-denial as penance.
4. The time for fulfilling the Paschal Precept (Easter Duty*) extends from the First Sunday of Lent, February 22 to the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, May 31, 2026.
* Canon 920, §1. All the faithful, after they have been initiated into the Most Holy Eucharist, are bound by the obligation of receiving Communion at least once a year.
BOY SCOUTS
SELLING PALM CROSSES
The Boy Scouts of St. Genevieve’s Troop 23 will be selling Palm Crosses and Easter flowers outside the Church after all Masses on the weekends of March 21/22 and 28/29.
Though traditionally used to decorate graves, they are now being used to proclaim the joy of Easter in and outside of homes. Put one on your lawn, your front door, or mantel.
Please support the activities of our award-winning Scout troop—For more information please contact Scoutmaster Dan Bernier 908-451-1048 or webfoottroop@gmail.com
