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200 MONMOUTH ROAD, ELIZABETH, NJ 07208 + 908-351-4444
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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 this Third Sunday of Lent we journey further into this season of repentance and prayer. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to the Samaritan Woman at the well and tells her everything she has ever done. Upon hearing this, she is deeply ashamed at what she hears and uses that moment to turn her life around and begins to bring others to know Jesus. This powerful moment of repentance and conversion changes the trajectory of her entire life and serves as a wonderful example for all of us.
During this season of Lent, we are each called to encounter this same reality: to admit our sinfulness and to beg for God’s mercy and forgiveness. Every Saturday we have the opportunity to approach our Lord in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. How many of us take advantage of this marvelous grace freely given to us? Are we so proud that we cannot humble ourselves before God? Are we so convinced of our own perfection that we refuse to even admit the possibility that we may need to be forgiven? There is an old proverb which states that you cannot be cured un
less you first admit that you are sick. In the same way, you cannot be forgiven unless you first admit that you are a sinner.
In addition to our regular Saturday 1:00 p.m. confessions, we have added an extra time on Wednesday night, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. This will be the final opportunity for confession prior to Easter.
As I announced last weekend, today we are taking up a special collection to help offset the huge expense we have encountered for snow removal and extra heating of the church. All parishes budget for a “normal” heating and snow season, this year has been anything but normal. I thank you for your concern and your generosity.
As always, during Lent, please remember all those men and women who are preparing to celebrate Sacraments at Easter, especially those in our own parish.
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.
SAVE A LIFE
Your Help is Needed to Save the Life of a 15 year-old A 15 year –old boy named Max began 9th grade this year and is critically ill. He desperately needs to find a bone marrow match to save his life. Max loves tennis and music. He is a talented pianist and composes his own scores. This is some information about joining a bone marrow registry.
Apparently, the chances of finding a match are high correlated to one’s ethnic background—for Max that means anyone with Caribbean or South American roots between 17—35. Completing the swab test takes only minutes. If you are hesitant due to fears of government, in the address section you could put the parish address . “Gift of Life” is fine with this. They will contact people if they are a match via phone or email.
A single person will ultimately be the difference between life and death for Max. Let’s pray a match is found soon. https:/www.giftoflife.org/dc/SwabforM
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.
SCOUTING NEWS
Children Invited To Make and Race Cars
Cub Scout Pack 23 would like to invite boys and girls in Kindergarten through 5th grade to take part in an exciting annual event—the Pinewood derby. Cub Scouts are given a kit that includes a block of wood, plastic wheels and axles.
With help from a parent, they transform the block into a race car and then race it against their friends’ cars, down a 30 –foot long track. Trophies are presented to the winners.
We would like to invite all boys and girls to join in the fun, even if they are not in Cub Scouts! The Pinewood Derby race will be held on Sunday, March 22 in St. Genevieve’s Church hall, from 3 to 5pm. Derby kits will be distributed in the church hall on Sunday, March 8 from 1 to 3pm, during a Pinewood Derby Workshop, or on Wednesday, March 11 from 7:15 to 8:30pm.
At the Workship, the rules of the race will be handed out and reviewed. That will be followed by a workshop in which we’ll explain how to design and build a car. We’ll have tools and materials on hand for anyone who wants to build their car right there, up to the point of being able to paint it.
Pinewood Derby car kits are free to Cub Scouts, and $5 to all other children. Questions can be directed to Cubmaster Dan Bernier at (908) 451-1948.
