Holy week begins with Palm Sunday which marked the start of what is often called “Passion Week,” the final seven days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Palm Sunday was the “beginning of the end” of Jesus’ work on earth. It commemorates the triumphal entrance of Christ into Jerusalem when palm branches were placed in His path, before His arrest on Holy Thursday and His Crucifixion on Good Friday. During this final week of Lent Christians celebrate the mystery of their salvation through Christ's Death and His Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Red is the color used this day to symbolize the shedding of Christ’s blood. It is also used on days commemorating other martyrs who offered their lives for the faith
Peres is a wonderful addition to the growing Giuliano House family with a special place in the hearts of the residents. She is always willing to go above and beyond is. Her exemplary patience warm smile inspires confidence in the residents and helps them to grow.
This week in Lent started with Laetare Sunday, a happy day of encouragement in the midst of the long fast. In contrast to the stark and somber weeks past, this weekend we found flowers on the altar with the priest and deacon wearing rose-colored vestments. Hear God’s joyful encouragement to you this day as we look toward the joy of Easter Sunday!
On Wednesday, March 2, 2016, the Barnet House was host to a birthday celebration for Fr. Joe Juracek, O.F.M. who is a Parochial Vicar at Saint Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes.
"Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?"
At a recent Program Directors Meeting Jim's successful completion of the "College of Frontline Supervision and Management Training" was acknowledged. It is because of people like Jim, who is committed to providing excellence that the DPD is able to provide the outstanding level of care that it does. Our congratulations and admiration goes out to him.
Forms of the word “delight” (delight, delighted, delighting, delightful…) occur over a hundred times in the Bible. Many relate to delight in the Lord and most of those specifically relate to delight in God’s word. If you take delight in the Lord, He will tend to the desires of your heart. So does that mean He’ll give us everything we ask for in prayer? Not necessarily. The scripture doesn’t promise that God will give us everything we ask for, but it does say that He will tend to the desires of our heart. And so we pray as we begin a new week: “Help us to trust you to know what we truly need, and to be content with the blessings you choose to send our way.”
A lovely part of our Catholic heritage is the tradition of blessing of the home in the beginning of the New Year. Thanks to Fr. Greg (Grzegorz) Golba from Our Lady of the Lake Church in Sparta and Fr. Jhon Madrid from Saint Thomas the Apostle in Oak Ridge who recently visited five of our group homes for a blessing.
Jefferson Township High School and the Department for Persons with Disabilities held their 3rd Annual “Dunk for Disabilities” Fundraiser. The students from Jefferson Township High School have given back to DPD in many capacities however; this event was also a great opportunity for raising awareness for our cause and honoring individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities!
Matthew 5: "Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:"
On the liturgical (Church) calendar we return to Ordinary time. Ordinary Time is called "ordinary" because the weeks are numbered. The Latin word ordinalis, which refers to numbers in a series, stems from the Latin word ordo, from which we get the English word order. Thus, Ordinary Time is in fact the ordered life of the Church—the period in which we live our lives neither in feasting (as in the Christmas and Easter seasons) or in more severe penance (as in Advent and Lent), but in watchfulness and expectation of the Second Coming of Christ. Green is the color used to signify this time between liturgical seasons.
Although the secular calendar recognizes Christmas as December 25th as Catholics we continue to celebrate the Birth of Jesus for the next seven days in our liturgies and prayer. For most people, the significance of events like Easter and Christmas cannot be absorbed in one day. It’s like trying to comprehend the grandeur of the Grand Canyon in a brief visit or St. Peter’s Basilica in one walk-through. It’s not possible. We have to return. So it is with the Nativity and the Passion of Christ. We need more time to comprehend that Resurrection morning, more time to understand the virgin birth and God coming down to earth as man. As a result, the Church gives us seven additional days to contemplate these divine mysteries. These extra days on the liturgical calendar, eight in total, are the octaves.
Congratulations Joseph Mundhe Employee of the Month – November 2015. We are delighted to have Joseph as part of the DPD family and are inspired by him and his dedication to the most vulnerable among us.