St. Margaret of Cortona Parish

Welcome to the Parish Family of St. Margaret of Cortona

in Little Ferry

ANNOUNCEMENTS

All Saints Day, November 1

Holy Day of Obligation

Mass Times: 8:00 am • 12:10 pm • 7:00 pm

Mass with the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick will be offered on Saturday ~ November 5, 2022 at 12 noon.

To support and strengthen those who are sick, the Church gathers to pray and anoint those who are ailing with the healing oil of the sick. This oil symbolizes the presence of God at a time of great physical and emotional need and assures the recipient of God’s love and healing presence to give strength and hope. According to the Letter of James 5:14-16, the people are to bring the sick to the priest so that they can be anointed and prayer can be offered on their behalf. Jesus showed great care for those who were sick and was concerned with

their bodily and spiritual well-being. Because of this, the Church has developed a ritual to pray with and for those who are ill. It is our belief that through the Sacrament of the Sick, Christ strengthens those who are ill so that they might be at peace and have the courage to fight their illness 

The Anointing of the Sick conveys several graces and imparts gifts of strengthening in the Holy Spirit against anxiety, discouragement, and temptation, and conveys peace and fortitude. Anointing with sacred oil is a sign of blessing by the Holy Spirit of the one who is sick. Oil of the Sick, which receives a different blessing from the Chrism oil used during Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders, recalls the community’s sharing of the Holy Spirit and the sick person’s connection to the entire Body of Christ and Communion of Saints.

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We encourage you to participate in the Sacrament of the Anointing the Sick if you are: ill, of advanced age, have had health issues, enduring chronic illness, a young child with a life threatening illness, an older child who requires adult care, or anyone preparing for an operation or a general anesthetic. This sacrament is able to be received more than once in your life time. It may be received on any occasion that you find yourself to be in one of the above circumstances. The sacrament provides grace to endure your infirmity, unites your sufferings to the Passion of Christ, and prepares the soul for everlasting life with our God.

Thursdays from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm

All are welcome!

Call Eileen at 201-843-1097 or see her after mass.

Religious Education Schedule 2022-2023

Grades 1, 4 & 5 - Tuesday Afternoons - 3:30 - 4:30 PM 

Grades 6,7 & 8 - Tuesday Evenings - 6:30 - 8:00 PM

All sessions are held on Tuesdays in the Parish Center

September 27

October 4,18, 25

November 1, 8, 15, 29

December 6, 13, 20

January 10, 24, 31

Advent begins on November 27

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Home Study Schedule 2022-2023

All sessions are held on Sunday in the Parish Center on the dates listed below.

Classes are from 10:45 a.m. to 11:55 a.m.

Attendance at the 12 noon Mass on these dates is required.

Grade 2 - 

September 25, October 23, November 20, December 11, January 8, February 19, March 12, April 2, May 21

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Grade 3 -

October 2, October 30, December 4, December 18, January 15, February 26, March 19

April 23, May 21

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Advent begins on November 27

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Registration Forms can be requested from the office or downloaded from the links below.

Registration form 

Re-registration form

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Please call Sister Dorothy for any questions.

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2022 Annual Appeal - Archdiocese of Newark

The Annual Appeal will fund essential programs and ministries at the heart of our Catholic mission  – namely to proclaim the gospel, to pass on the faith to future generations, particularly through the celebration of the sacraments, and to care for the poor and those on the margins.

Now more than ever, especially during this health crisis, our ministries and programs need our support. At St. Margaret's we will be placing the donation envelopes in the pews and collection baskets.

Please play the video to learn more.

We will be placing the donation envelopes in the pews and collection baskets.  Please take them on your next visit.

Please click here to go to our Annual Appeals page

Help Families Affected in Ukraine 

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As Ukrainians flee their homes due to the conflict with Russia, CRS partner Caritas Poland assists Ukrainians crossing into Poland for safety. 

Click here to go to the Catholic Relief Services website to make a donation

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Catholic Church in New Jersey stands ready to help Moms and Mothers-to-be in need

A joint statement from the New Jersey Catholic Bishops on Governor Murphy's proposal that all health insurers in NJ provide coverage for abortion services. Click here to read the full statement.

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Grow + Go Bulletin

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We subscribed to a weekly Grow+Go bulletin designed to help parishioners understand what it means to be evangelizing disciples of Christ. Using the Sunday Scriptures as the basis for reflection, the bulletin offers insight into how parishioners can more fully GROW as disciples and then GO evangelize, fulfilling Christ's Great Commission to "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19)

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This will be regularly updated so check back for new content!  Click here for the latest bulletin

Father & Son First Communion Breakfast circa 1959

We found this picture in our archives, held at Sokol Hall, May 17, 1959.  Perhaps you know someone here or maybe were here yourself? Click on the image to see a larger view.  Feel free to send us a comment! 

POSTER BOARD

St. Francis of Assisi

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(c. 1181–Oct. 3, 1226) is the Roman Catholic Church's patron saint of animals, merchants, and ecology. He abandoned a life of luxury after reportedly hearing the voice of God, who commanded him to rebuild the Christian church and to live in poverty. St. Francis is remembered for the miracles that people say God performed through him and for his compassion for the vulnerable, especially poor people, sick people, and animals.

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Fast Facts

St. Francis of Assisi Known For: Patron saint of animals

Also Known As: Francesco (or Giovanni) di Pietro di Bernardone

Born: c. 1181 in Assisi, Italy

Parents: Pietro di Bernardone, Pica de Bourlemont

Died: Oct. 3, 1226 in Assisi, Italy Notable

Quote: "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible;

and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

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Early Life

Francis was born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone in Assisi, Umbria, a region in central Italy, around 1181. His father, Pietro di Bernardone, was a wealthy cloth merchant, and his mother was a French noblewoman. His father was traveling when he was born, and his mother had the baby christened Giovanni, the Italian name for John the Baptist. His father wanted a man of business, not of God, and renamed his son Francesco, or Francis, reflecting his love of France. The boy grew up in wealth, learning archery, wrestling, and horsemanship, but fell in with a group of young people prone to wild parties. Francis reportedly said later, "I lived in sin" during that time.

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Life - Changing Experience

He was expected to follow his father into the textile business, but the thought of that life bored him. He dreamed of a future as a knight—in effect, a medieval action hero. So by 1202, he had joined a militia to fight for Assisi in its war with the Italian province Perugia. The Assisi forces lost and Francis was captured.

By his dress and equipment, his captors knew Francis was from a wealthy family and was worth a ransom, so they let him live. A year later his ransom was paid; in the interim, as he later reported, he began receiving visions from God.

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After returning home, he came across a leper in the country. Instead of ignoring him, Francis, changed by his experience as a captive, embraced and kissed the man and was filled with sensations of sweetness and joy.

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Life of Service

Francis became convinced that God wanted him to help poor people, so he abandoned his possessions. At a Mass in 1208, Francis heard a gospel in which Jesus Christ tells his disciples to minister to people: “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff." Those words confirmed his calling to live a simple life, preach the Gospel to those in need, and rebuild the Christian Church.

Despite his vow of poverty, Francis needed money to rebuild the church, so he sold some of his father's cloth and a horse. His father took him before the local bishop, who told Francis to return his father's money. Francis stripped off his clothes and gave them and the money to his father, saying God was now his father. This event is credited as Francis' final conversion.

The bishop gave Francis a rough tunic and, dressed in these humble clothes, he began his work. Francis inspired other young men to abandon their possessions and join him, working with their hands, sleeping in caves or huts, talking about God’s love and forgiveness, praying, and ministering to the poor, including lepers.

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Miracles for People

Francis prayed that God would perform miracles through him. Once he washed a leper and prayed for a tormenting demon to leave his soul. As the man healed, he felt remorse and reconciled with God.

Another time, three robbers stole food and drink from Francis' community. He prayed for them and sent a friar to give them bread and wine. Moved by Francis' actions, the robbers joined his order and spent their lives giving instead of taking from people.

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Miracles for Animals

Francis saw animals as his brothers and sisters and prayed that God would work through him to help them. Birds sometimes gathered while Francis spoke and listened to him. Francis began preaching to them about the ways that God had blessed them.

When Francis lived in Gubbio, in the province of Perugia, a wolf was attacking people and other animals. He met the wolf to try to tame it. The wolf charged Francis, but Francis prayed and moved toward the wolf. The wolf obeyed Francis' commands, closing his mouth and lying at Francis' feet. Francis promised that the townspeople would feed the wolf regularly if it promised never to injure another person or animal. The wolf never harmed people or animals again. Death

While ministering to the poor and sick, Francis contracted conjunctivitis and malaria. Later, as Francis was approaching death, he went back to Assisi. He was seen as a saint awaiting only formal canonization, so knights were sent to guard him and make sure that no one could carry him off after death. The body of a saint was seen at the time as an extremely valuable relic.

When Francis died on Oct. 3, 1226, at the age of 44, people reported a flock of larks swooping near and singing at the moment of his death.

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Legacy

Some thought Francis was a fool or delusional, but others saw him as one of the greatest examples of living the Christian ideal since Jesus Christ. Whether he was touched by God or madness, Francis of Assisi was well known throughout the Christian world. Because of his attention to animals, Francis is recognized by the church as the patron saint of animals.

The community started by Francis and his followers became the Franciscan Order of the Catholic Church, whose priests are distinguished by the rough robes they usually wear. The order still serves the poor worldwide.

In 1228, only two years after his death, Pope Gregory IX canonized Francis as a saint based on evidence of miracles during his ministry.

Hopler, Whitney. "Biography of St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Animals." Learn Religions, Feb. 8, 2021, learnreligions.com/st-francis-of-assisi-patron-saint-124533

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