Our New Parish – Our Patron Saint

Posted by Arul Rajan Peter on 8/30/19

Someone asked me, “What is a patron Saint?” A patron saint is a canonized saint designated to a parish, region or country as a special intercessor with God and the proper advocate. The practice of adopting patron saints goes back to the building of the first public churches in ... Read More »

Back to School

Posted by Arul Rajan Peter on 8/23/19

Teachers, parents, and students are already on their ‘back to school’ preparations. Business firms seem to be more excited than anybody else:  “You are one in a million – make your school bag truly yours.” “Head – to – toe fashion.” “Find wear-on-repeat faves and sweet first-day looks.” “We’ve ... Read More »

Our New Parish - I saw Mother Teresa

Posted by Arul Rajan Peter on 8/12/19

I came to know about Mother Teresa when I was in my 7th grade. In the catechism text book there was a lesson on Mother Teresa – an incident in her life. One day mother was attending to an elderly man who was at the point of death. She ... Read More »

Our New Parish - Catholics and Pews

Posted by Caitlin Riley on 7/27/19

For pastors, one of the unsolvable mysteries is this: Why are the first pews empty during Mass? or rather why do people prefer the last seats? Could it be that our parishioners literally practice the words of Jesus in Luke 14:10 – ‘take the last seat?’

Another interesting feature ... Read More »

Our New Parish - What is a parish?

Posted by Arul Rajan Peter on 7/13/19

We have a new parish. What is a parish? According to Canon Law 515-1, a parish is a certain community of Christ's faithful stably established within a particular Church, whose pastoral care, under the authority of the diocesan Bishop, is entrusted to a parish priest as its proper pastor. ... Read More »

Our New Parish - One Parish with Two Churches

Posted by Arul Rajan Peter on 7/10/19

Since July 1, 2019, St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish, duly established according to Church and State laws, has two churches namely St. Joseph’s Church, Chester and Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Essex.  How are we, the people of God, going to run one parish with two worship sites or ... Read More »

Our New Parish - St. Teresa of Calcutta

Posted by Arul Rajan Peter on 6/30/19

As of July 1, 2019, our two parish corporations will be merged into one parish corporation according to the State law. It had already been established as a parish by our Bishop under the patronage of St. Teresa of Calcutta on December 3, 2018 according to the Church law. ... Read More »

From one Catholic to another

Posted by Arul Rajan Peter on 4/25/19

Recently I preached about the impact of Clergy sex Scandal on our people. In response to that a parishioner gave me a letter. The letter reflects a heart and the words reveal earnestness. 

I wish that you read the letter and come with your thoughts and suggestions. Please click ... Read More »

CCD Parents and Mass Attendance

Posted by Arul Rajan Peter on 1/11/19

It has been a perennial problem in most of the parishes: Many parents do not register their children in the CCD program. Most of those who register their children in the program do not attend Mass. When pastors apply strict regulations they tend to lose CCD students. 

What should ... Read More »