Category: Uncategorized

Pope Leo XIV appoints Bishop Saporito as the Sixth Bishop of Metuchen

Posted on by Jan Armelson Magcawas

“I am 64 and this is my last run; I am not going anywhere…I’m gonna give you every power I have left, every bit…’Go and make disciples of all nations…that is the essential mission of the Church…Our schools, our parishes don’t just exist but that they thrive…'”
These are among the words of the newly appointed Bishop Michael A. Saporito during the press conference held at St. John Neumann Pastoral Center upon the announcement of his election as the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen.

Parish Picnic 2026

Posted on by Jan Armelson Magcawas

My dear friends,

I want to express my deepest gratitude to all of you who were involved in the preparation and organization of our picnic and Spanish heritage celebration. What a beautiful opportunity the Lord gave us to share as a parish family. I truly believe there is no better tool to bridge gaps within communities than food.

Events like this show our commitment to continuing to build our parish community as one. They also reflect our dedication to God’s commandment of loving one another.

I want to thank, in a special way, those who were in charge of the various booths; thank you for your generosity, as we had plenty of food to share. That leads me to say thank you to everyone who donated food or money toward the event. The success of this parish gathering would not have been possible without the generosity of all of you.

I want to extend a special thanks to our Spanish Committee for all the work they put into it, to all the Hispanic groups for their commitment, and in a very special way, I want to recognize Julian Mahecha and Luz Escobar for their dedication and hard work. In all fairness, I also want to recognize the men of our Hermandad de Emaús. Brothers, what an example of generosity and love for our parish you all are; your strength and faith were the driving force behind this entire event. I cannot thank you enough for all your help.

May God continue to help us convert our hearts, spread the Gospel, and continue building His kingdom right here in North Plainfield, Plainfield, Green Brook, the surrounding areas, and the whole world. May our love for Jesus and Holy Mother Church continue to move our parish and make us the men and women God calls us to be.

God bless,

Fr. Mauricio

Mis queridos amigos:

Quiero expresar mi más profundo agradecimiento a todos ustedes que participaron en la preparación y organización de nuestro pícnic y la celebración de la herencia hispana. Qué hermosa oportunidad nos dio el Señor para compartir como familia parroquial. Verdaderamente creo que no hay mejor herramienta para acortar distancias dentro de las comunidades que la comida.

Eventos como este demuestran nuestro compromiso de seguir edificando nuestra comunidad parroquial como una sola. También reflejan nuestra dedicación al mandamiento de Dios de amarnos los unos a los otros.

Quiero agradecer de manera especial a quienes estuvieron a cargo de los diferentes puestos; gracias por su generosidad, ya que tuvimos comida de sobra para compartir. Esto me lleva a dar las gracias a todas las personas que donaron comida o dinero para el evento. El éxito de este encuentro parroquial no habría sido posible sin la generosidad de todos ustedes.

Quiero agradecer especialmente a nuestro Comité Hispano por todo el trabajo que realizaron, a todos los grupos hispanos por su compromiso y, de manera muy especial, quiero reconocer a Julián Mahecha y a Luz Escobar por su dedicación y arduo trabajo. En toda justicia, también quiero reconocer a los hombres de nuestra Hermandad de Emaús. Hermanos, qué ejemplo de generosidad y amor por nuestra parroquia son todos ustedes; su fortaleza y su fe fueron el motor detrás de este evento. No tengo palabras para agradecerles toda su ayuda.

Que Dios nos siga ayudando a convertir nuestros corazones, a difundir el Evangelio y a continuar construyendo su reino aquí mismo en North Plainfield, Plainfield, Green Brook, las zonas circunvecinas y el mundo entero. Que nuestro amor por Jesús y por la Santa Madre Iglesia siga moviendo a nuestra parroquia y haga de nosotros los hombres y mujeres que Dios nos llama a ser.

Dios los bendiga,

Padre Mauricio

PARISH YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS GATHERINGS

Posted on by Jan Armelson Magcawas

Young friends, don’t wait until tomorrow to contribute your energy, your audacity and your creativity to changing our world. Your youth is not an “in-between time”. You are the now of God, and he wants you to bear fruit. For “it is in giving that we receive”. The best way to prepare a bright future is to experience the present as best we can, with commitment and generosity. (POPE FRANCIS, Christus Vivit no. 178)

AMARE ET SERVIRE: A LENTEN RETREAT FOR ALTAR SERVERS

Posted on by Jan Armelson Magcawas

TO LOVE AND TO SERVE THE LORD! On Saturday, March 21, 2026, thirty-eight (38) of our altar servers gathered for AMARE ET SERVIRE: A Lenten Retreat for Altar Servers at St. Luke’s Church. It was a day of prayer and reflection, fellowship and friendship in the spirit of the Lenten Season.
What a sight to behold these young people enjoying their ministry! They are a blessing to our Parish and we continue to pray for them in their generous self-giving to ministry.
We also are indebted to the parents who guide and encourage them in their journey of faith!

PARISH RETREAT

Posted on by Jan Armelson Magcawas

Our Parish Retreat, entitled Our Saints: Saint Joseph and Saint Luke, sponsored by the
Spirituality Committee, was held on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at Saint Lukes. Forty-six
people from Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, and various other churches attended. Msgr. John Fell
was the keynote speaker. The evaluations and comments were overwhelmingly positive.
Many attendees voiced gratitude and pleasure in meeting new people, especially other
parishioners from our newly combined parish.
We would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to Msgr.Fell, Father Mauricio and
Father Jan for their help and support. We would also like to thank Bob Christie, Gerry
McKenna, Joe Castro, Pete O’Connell and the table discussion leaders for their important
roles. Also, thank you to all of the attendees.
And, of course, every kind of get-together needs good food. Thank you Lena Eder, Maureen
Barry and Elena Gulyas for the tasty breakfast and lunch.
The Retreat was truly a wonderful Parish event.
The Spirituality Committee:
Maria D’Antuono, Mary Gladney, Marilyn Mayer, Liz Rifino, & Bettina Willis