Posts from 2020
An Update on the Sick List at St. Damien Parish
Hi folks – Max here, bulletin editor and webmaster at St. Damien Parish. I wanted to share an update on one of the most important aspects of the bulletin: our sick list. As of the December 6th, 2020 bulletin, we have transitioned to our new sick list format. What does that mean for you? Names will now appear on our sick list indefinitely, giving you much more control over how long names appear in the bulletin. Twice per year, we…
Coronavirus: An Update from Fr. Tom Newton
Good morning everyone. Thanks for all of your prayers and support over these past ten difficult and challenging days. I want to give you an update. According to the guidelines that I received from the Cape May County Health Department, my isolation period can end and I can now return to normal activities if: A) no fever (temperature above 100.4 for 24 hours and no use of fever reducing medicineANDB) at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appearedANDC)…
Coronavirus: An Update from St. Damien Parish
This week, our pastor, Fr. Tom Newton, tested positive for COVID-19. He is doing well and recovering in the rectory where he will follow CDC guidelines to quarantine. He asks everyone to say an extra prayer for a speedy recovery. In response, we will be closing our Parish Office to the public throughout the remainder of this week. We plan to thoroughly sanitize the building and have our employees take COVID-19 tests. We will reopen to the public on Wednesday,…
From the Pastor’s Desk: A Note About Church Names
Soon after I arrived at St. Damien Parish, I thought that it was important to continue to work to unify the St. Damien community. One way that I thought we could do this was to stop referring to the three parish worship sites by their old parish names since those parishes do not exist any longer. However, I came to realize and actually came to understand the importance of those church names to many members of our parish community. It…
Know Your Fellow Parishioner: Marge Hagan
Having a mystical encounter with the Blessed Mother was not what Marge Hagan expected when she traveled to Ireland in 1993 to attend a wedding in Sligo. Afterwards, she agreed to accompany some Irish friends to the Knock Shrine in Mayo County. “I always loved Jesus,” explained the lifelong devout Catholic. “But I was so attached to my own mother that I felt less devotion to the Blessed Mother.” That relationship changed when Marge stepped out of a car at…
Know Your Fellow Parishioner: The Rice Family
As the Saint Damien Parish religious education program begins with all-remote learning this fall, parent volunteers Lorie and Brad Rice are optimistic. “We have a beautiful, new curriculum,” Lorie explained. “Every grade will be learning the same thing at the same time, just at different age levels, so it should really bring families together.” As the parents of eleven-year-old Anna and nine-year-old Rocco, the Rices gained insight into remote learning when the Ocean City public schools went to all on-line…