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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,
As we now move to the Fifth Sunday in Lent, you will notice a shift in the emphasis of the season. We now begin what used to be called “Passiontide” which means that we now begin looking ahead to the upcoming observances of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord. Prayer, fasting, almsgiving and repentance are still a part of the journey, but as of today we also take on the upcoming mysteries as part of the Lenten message.
Some of you may remember many years ago when you would enter church today and all the statues and images would be covered. This was a very dramatic way of removing all distractions from the Mass and forcing us to concentrate on the mysteries of the altar. How many distractions still exist in our lives which draw our attention away from God? What can I do in the remaining days of Lent to distance myself from these things and draw closer to the love that God offers me?
Next Sunday is Palm Sunday, and with it the start of Holy Week. Please make it a priority to keep Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday free so that you may join us here for the extraordinarily beautiful liturgies of Holy Week. Every year it saddens me deeply to see how many people simply ignore the importance of these days and liturgies. Even sadder is the excuse that many don’t come because the services are long. What else should we be doing on those days?
I would also invite you to please attend the Chrism Mass which is celebrated at 8:00 p.m. on the Monday of Holy Week at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. This is the most impressive liturgy of the year and it is concelebrated by the Cardinal, all the bishops and almost all of the priests of the Archdiocese. You owe it to yourself and your family to attend this at least once in your life.
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 27 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!
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1
7pm– Final Lenten Confessions
HOLY THURSDAY, APRIL 2
8am-Morning Prayer
7pm-Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Adoration at the Altar of Reposition until
Night Prayer at 10pm
GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 3
8am-Morning Prayer
3pm-Commemoration of the Passion and
Death of our Lord & Communion
7pm-Stations of the Cross
HOLY SATURDAY, APRIL 4
8am-Morning Prayer
11:30am– Blessing of Food
(No Confessions and no 5:30pm Mass)
8:00pm—The Easter Vigil
EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 5
7:30, 9:00, 10:30, 12Noon
2026 ANNUAL APPEAL
The 2026 Annual Appeal is underway. We are over 80% 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
