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From the Pastor’s Desk (January 17, 2021)
Happy New Year. It is my hope and prayer that this year, 2021, will be a time of peace, joy and good health for you and your family. I have just completed my first six months as the pastor of St. Damien and I offer a word of gratitude to all of you for your welcome and goodness to me. I know that I have made some changes that not everyone has been able to embrace and I am sorry…
Catholic Bishops Urge Opposition to NJ’s “Reproductive Freedom Act”
(Don’t be fooled by the title – It’s not freedom) This legislation if enacted would codify: Allowing late-term abortions up to birth Permitting nonphysicians to perform abortions Elimination of any legislative requirements for parental notification Elimination of any conscience protection legislation for health care workers Mandating state taxpayer funding for abortion services Prohibiting any future laws, regulations, etc. conflicting with this legislation New Jersey Bishops in their statement on The Reproductive Freedom Act: “… urge all Catholics … to reject…
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)…
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…
Know Your Fellow Parishioner: Ursula Russo
Say hello to Ursula Russo, the newest adult Catholic in Saint Damien Parish. Ursula’s confirmation was delayed when the coronavirus pandemic shuttered the church during Lent. But in June, when masses resumed, she was received into the church. Her sponsor was her daughter, Christine Leonetti. In the Fall of 2019, Ursula entered into the process known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), a period of study and reflection that she called “stimulating” and “enlightening.” She was led through…
Know Your Fellow Parishioner: Ginny & Joe Sosnowsky
Every morning Ginny and Joe Sosnowsky dip into their collection of holy water, gleaned from their travels to shrines and basilicas, and bless each other. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord’s face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord look on you kindly and give you His peace. “It is our way of remembering that God is the most important person in our lives,” Ginny explained. The blessings that the Sosnowskys…
Know Your Fellow Parishioner: Gerry Barsotti
Some people know her as the Haiti Lady who collects school supplies and shoes for children in need. But, in fact, Gerry Barsotti loves the whole world. Gerry’s involvement with the Haitian community of Lamontagne Jacmel began through her son Domenic, who helped to install water purification systems in the remote village when he was in college. After college, he continued to volunteer with a non-profit organization based there. With his encouragement and the blessing of Father Michael Rush, Gerry…
Know Your Fellow Parishioner: Rosalia Gil
When Rosalia Gil faces a problem, she talks it over first with her best friend–God. “Maybe later I will talk with my family,” she explained, “but God first.” Living close to God has become a way of life for Rosalia and her family. She is an altar server and lector at the Spanish-language Masses at St. Frances Cabrini Church and a weekday altar server at St. Augustine Church. Her husband, Armando Flores, is a Eucharistic minister. Her older daughter, Melanie, is also an altar…
Know Your Fellow Parishioner: Becky Albertson
Sometimes God works through miscommunication. As a godparent to four children enrolled in religious education classes, Becky Albertson thought she was supposed to help them find a yearlong service project. By the time she discovered that the requirement was for only one day of service, it was too late. Becky had given her heart to The Branches, an outreach center for the homeless in Rio Grande. Becky contacted The Branches at a time of critical need. Still a new organization…
From the Pastor’s Desk: Greetings from Fr. Tom Newton
With extreme gratitude to Bishop Sullivan, I begin my new assignment as the pastor of St. Damien Parish. As I wrote to my family and friends when I shared with them my new appointment, I am filled with feelings of profound excitement for this new adventure. I come to this position after being the pastor of Christ Our Light in Cherry Hill for eleven years and, prior to a merger, the pastor of St. Peter Celestine in Cherry Hill for…