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Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Saturday, August 15, 2020 Mass Times: 9AM & 12:10 PM While the Solemnity falls on a Saturday and is not a Holy Day of Obligation (requiring Mass Attendance) this year, a prayerful, Scriptural reflection, and Act of Spiritual Communion is strongly encouraged if you are unable to attend Mass. As the “general dispensation” from Cardinal Tobin continues on through the pandemic times, we encourage you to remain spiritually connected to our Parish Family. We hope you will join us soon for our liturgical and sacramental life!  The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is God's crowning of His work as Mary ends her earthly life and enters eternity. The feast turns our eyes in that direction, where we will follow when our earthly life is over. The Assumption looks to eternity and gives us hope that we, too, will follow Our Lady when our life is ended.
Read more about the Solemnity of the Assumption here.  Over the last few years, priests and parish ministers are experiencing family members of deceased Catholics forgo a Roman Catholic Funeral Mass for their loved ones. These Catholics practiced their faith which gave them joy, strength and the compass to raise a Catholic family. Some family members say: "Well, we just want something private, Mom/Dad were low key people", or "Most of their generation has already passed, so not many people would attend", "Mom was a saint, she doesn't need our prayers" or "I'm not a Catholic, why would I have a Mass?"
These are real sentiments, but we must understand what the Funeral Mass is and what it is not. It is not a "memorial service," it is not exclusively for the living, it is not a "tribute" to the deceased. There is another time and place appropriate for those wonderful gatherings. Let's look at what the funeral Mass is. The Church through its funeral rites commends the dead to God's merciful love and pleads for the forgiveness of their sins. At the funeral rites, especially at the celebration of the eucharistic sacrifice, the Christian community affirms and expresses the union of the Church on earth with the Church in heaven in the one great communion of saints. Though separated from the living, the dead are still at one with the community of believers on earth and benefit from their prayers and intercession. (Timothy II: when Paul prays for someone who died named Onesiphorus, saying: “May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day.”) At the rite of final commendation and farewell, the community acknowledges the reality of separation and commends the deceased to God. In this way it recognizes the spiritual bond that still exists between the living and the dead and proclaims its belief that all the faithful will be raised up and reunited in the new heavens and a new earth, where death will be no more. Have you expressed to your family in writing your wish to have the Roman Catholic Funeral Mass celebrated at your death? You cannot assume that they will understand your wish to be accompanied by the prayers of the Church. Learn more about the Catholic Funeral Mass HERE. (Article by Louis Scarpa)  "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me."
-Matthew 25:40 For a printer-friendly version of Phase 2-3 Guidelines for STM, click here.   For "5 Things to Expect When Public Mass Resumes" by the
Archdiocese of Newark, click here. We will stand united in prayer... As the situation revolving around the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) continues to unfold, St. Thomas More Parish stands committed to our mission to build up the Kingdom of God and the Body of Christ in Fairfield. (Or, Scroll down for our schedule, helpful instructions, and offertory information.) Streaming ScheduleSolemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - August 15, 2020 @ 9AM * * After this Mass, we will be discontinuing our live-streaming. Our volunteers who have been assisting us will be returning to college and are no longer available to help with streaming. For more information & access to resources, please click here. Live-Stream GuideFor our complete Live-Stream Guide including tips and troubleshooting, features, prayerful insights, and offertory information, click here. OffertoryThe mission of STM continues through the COVID-19 pandemic. Your generous support to our parish is essential to help us persevere in our mission through this shutdown. To make your offering to our Regular Sunday Collection, please use our GoFundMe page. Click here to go to the page. Any gift offered through our GoFundMe page goes directly to STM and will not be assessed by the Archdiocese. If you prefer, you can mail in your offertory envelopes to the rectory (210 Horseneck Rd., Fairfield, NJ 07004) or use myEoffering as usual. Whatever is most convenient for you is greatly appreciated! May God bless you for your dedication to our parish!
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