My Friends:

Greetings in the Lord! Many great things are taking place in our parish and those throughout the Archdiocese in the Spirit of "Vines and Branches." The priests of our Deanery #4 met this past Monday at Sacred Heart Church in Saddle Brook. Many things were discussed and shared, all for your greatest good and especially for those people who have not yet returned to Mass OR have been away from the church.

Ultimately, it is our responsibility, priests, pastoral staffs and parishioners alike to do our best to bring people "back into the fold." To quote Saint Francis of Assisi, "Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received - only what you have given: a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage." Please follow your heart; listen to the Holy Spirit, and become actively involved in our church. You can do so by actively bringing those who are away from the church back home to the Lord, the Altar, the Eucharist! How? When you leave here after Mass, go back into the world and share the good news of everything that is taking place, of what great Graces are theirs to be had. In other words, spread the Good News (Gospel) in order to evangelize.

Ladies, I recently spent a day of prayer at Loyola Jesuit Center located at 161 James St. in Morristown, NJ 07960. I picked up a brochure with a listing of all their retreat opportunities. I want to say that the Holy Spirit prompted me to promote this particular weekend and especially to the women of Our Lady of Mt. Virgin Parish: Clothed in Christ: A Weekend Retreat for Women." November 5th thru November 7th. The Retreat Director is Linda Baratte. Registrations are being accepted online. Please register early. These retreats tend to fill up rather quickly. You can contact the Center online at www.loyola.org OR email them for more details at retreathouse@loyola.org OR call them at 973- 539-0740. Give yourself this gift of private personal prayer.

Fr. Richard Kelly, pastor of Sacred Heart in Saddle Brook, has invited anyone wishing to attend a presentation entitled, SOLACE, A MUSICAL MEDITATION. It will be conducted on Wednesday, October 20th at 7:30pm in Sacred Heart Church. Fr. Jim Worth, Pastor and Musician of St. Joseph's Church in Maplewood will present "An hour of sweet music to calm your weary soul."

Loving you Always,
Fr. Peter

Greetings and best wishes, as we bring to a close this Advent Season and welcome Christmas in just a few short days.
We are all overwhelmed. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on our lives and affected us physically, mentally, spiritually, and has placed us into a very difficult financial situation due to lost revenue. The overall cost to operate our Parish last year totaled, $1,348,000. We were closed down for three months. The now mandated limits on Mass attendance; the cancellation of fundraising events; and the additional cleaning and sanitation costs, has and will continue to have a negative financial impact on our Parish. In the interim, we continue to provide “virtual Mass” for those who are compromised and afraid to return just yet. I assure you we meet all the directives for your health and well-being. I appeal to you this Christmas, to be as generous as you can be. Please continue to support the parish by submitting your regular weekly offering by mail or the to the rectory or at Mass. It would be great if you go to our website at www.mountvirgin.com to register for online giving. This is a difficult time, but if everyone does their own part to support our Church, it will help to lift a burden and permit us to continue to provide for your faith and spiritual journeys for generations to come. Thanks to everyone who continue to sustain their weekly offering throughout the pandemic. Thank you all for your understanding, generosity, and most of all your prayers.
You are all in my Mass intention at Midnight Mass which is being professionally live-streamed. Here’s wishing you all a Merry Christmas and countless blessings in the New Year!   
Loving you always,
Fr. Peter

My Friends,
 
We are making great progress with our church painting project.  While we are at it, I’m having the internet/WiFi signal in church strengthened for improved live streaming of Masses; the Station lights replaced to properly enhance/highlight the 14 Stations; all old canister lighting visible to the eye removed from the Sanctuary and the proper lighting installed.  Our second AC condenser was replaced and the Freon line leak fixed today.  A flat Altar mic was ordered from Monte Brother’s, so as to eliminate all static and kick back during Mass and live streaming; Peragallo, the organ builder and company techs, are in to make necessary repairs so that baby can dance when we have our re-dedication Mass in the VERY NEAR FUTURE....  So, as my mother asked, “What do you do all day?”  Amen.  It’s all for God’s Greater Glory!  Next is filling these pews again.  BUT, that’s all our work.  Ya get my drift?  I am going to need your help in another way too.  I will be going live with the information.  Please continue to check our parish website at www.mountvirgin.com.
 
Loving you always.
 
Fr. Peter
 
 

My Friends,
I hope and pray that you are as well as can be and above all healthy in this very trying time in our world. So much has happened to "rock our world, and yes, possibly our faith. Yet, we persevere in faith because God has neither abandoned us, nor ever will. Believe this in faith and hope! This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of The Ascension of our Lord. It is always celebrated in our Archdiocese and many others on the Thursday preceding this Seventh Sunday of Easter. In Many diocese of the world this is a regular practice. Cardinal Tobin has transferred the obligation to attend the Solemnity of the Ascension to Sunday this year due to the current pandemic.
This gives all who participate the opportunity to worship this Sunday as is our obligation. We celebrate The Ascension of the Lord always during the Easter Season and The Assumption always on August 15th. Jesus ASCENDED and Mary was ASSUMED into heaven. So what is the difference? Jesus ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN forty (40) days after Easter BY HIS OWN POWER. This is mentioned in the Bible. The Blessed Mother WAS TAKEN UP TO HEAVEN BODY AND SOUL. Though there is not a direct mention of the Assumption in Scripture, there are several references to it and it is part of the Dogma of the Catholic Church. Ascension/Assumption - Jesus is always with us and His Blessed Mother continues to intercede for us. We shall know more when we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost and the sending of the Holy Spirit which is the birthday of the church and the close of Easter Season, 2020. With my continued prayers, know that I cannot wait to see you in person and am, Loving you always, Fr. Peter 
 
AD MULTOS ANNOS REV. GEORGE M. REILLY!!! 

 
We join in celebrating Fr. Reilly as he marks a milestone in his life this week. On May 28th, he celebrates the Sixtieth Anniversary of ordained priesthood in service to the Church of Newark. He was born in Bronx, N.Y on September 8, 1933. His parents then moved the family to Tenafly, N.J. Fr. Reilly did work for a very brief period of time prior to entering Immaculate Conception Seminary. He persevered and was ordained on May 28th, 1960. His first assignment was to St. Catherine's in Glen Rock for nineteen years followed by his appointment as Seminary Spiritual Director approximately ten and last as Pastor of St. Joseph Church, Oradell serving there for twenty-two years. Father retired from St. Joseph's after celebrating his fiftieth (50) anniversary. I met Fr. Reilly thirty-two years ago on August 31, 1988, when I entered the seminary. He was my spiritual director until he was transferred to become Pastor of St. Joseph in Oradell. Upon my ordination on May 29, 1993 - I was sent to serve with him. I did so until my transfer to Most Blessed Sacrament in Franklin Lakes in 1999. I said to him when leaving St. Joseph that IF I was still a priest and IF I was a pastor and IF I had the space that he was to live with me upon retirement. It all came to pass in God's Divine Providence. He joined us at OLMV in July of 2010. He asked me at that time what I wanted him to do. I simply stated, "Retire!" As a good, holy, faithful and deeply prayerful man of God he did no such this! He already disobeyed his new pastor! He entered full into the life of our church and has continued to serve our spiritual needs both on the front line and inside the rectory. I am eternally grateful to God that this has all come to pass. On the Lighter Side: In the very beginning of my assignment to St. Joseph's, my first love, I asked him if we could get a dog for the house. He simply pointed to a stuffed dog in his room and stated, "There is your dog!" I left talking to myself. You can only imagine. Use your imagination, but not too much. You know what they say about payback! Ginny was on board here and they fell in love. Nina joined the staff seven years ago and now there was competition. They both adored him as people do. They would sit at his feet or go running to him for cover when they heard me raise my voice. He was grandpa to them. He buys them treats, walks them upon demand! They go to him and not me. He will sit for them if I am away even placing sometimes two on his bed if I was away for the night or late returning home. Go figure! God has a sense of humor! I asked for one but he got two! As now his "pastor" I am eternally grateful for his presence in my life as are my family and the life of our parish. I am sure that you are too. I wouldn't have it any other way. I believe in Divine Providence for far greater reasons. Fr. Reilly - it is good knowing you. May God's continued grace and blessings rain down upon you.  Love ya.