A Message from our Pastor

EFFECTIVE APRIL 1 st @ NOON

ALL CHURCHES IN THE DIOCESE OF TRENTON

WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

(Sadly, this means the church will be closed during the Easter Triduum and Easter Sunday)

There will be no distribution of palm at this time

Letter from the pastor

For your safety and the safety of our clergy, it will not be possible to celebrate public Mass during the

Sacred Triduum and Easter this year. However, if you have a computer, you can go to the diocesan web

site (dioceseoftrenton.org) and see Mass as it is live streamed. The schedule is provided below:

PALM SUNDAY

Parish Closed… No public gatherings (inside or outside Churches, in cars, etc.).

The Mass for Palm Sunday will be celebrated by the Bishop without a congregation, with palms blessed,

and broadcast via the live-stream internet on the Diocesan websites at 11 am on Sunday, April 5, 2020.

CHRISM MASS

The Chrism Mass will be postponed and re-scheduled for another date/time with the renewal of priestly

commitment and the blessing/consecration of oils occurring at that time.

HOLY THURSDAY

Parish Closed… No public gatherings (inside or outside Churches, in cars, etc.).

The Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper will be celebrated by the Bishop without a congregation and

broadcast via the live-stream internet on the Diocesan websites at 7 pm on Thursday, April 9, 2020.

GOOD FRIDAY

Parish Closed… No public gatherings (inside or outside Churches, in cars, etc.).

The Commemoration/Celebration of the Lord’s Passion will be celebrated by the Bishop without a

congregation and broadcast via the live-stream internet on the Diocesan websites at 3 pm on Friday,

April 10, 2020.

HOLY SATURDAY

Parish Closed... No public gatherings (inside or outside Churches, in cars, etc.).

The Easter Vigil will be celebrated by the Bishop without a congregation and broadcast via the live-

stream internet on the Diocesan websites at 7 pm on Saturday, April 11, 2020.

EASTER SUNDAY

Parish Closed… No public gatherings (inside or outside Churches, in cars, etc.).

Mass for Easter Sunday will be celebrated by the Bishop without a congregation and broadcast via the

live-stream internet on the Diocesan websites at 10 am on Sunday, April 12, 2020.

If you do not have a computer, EWTN will also be broadcasting Masses on television.

Please know that the priests at St. Thomas More Parish have been celebrating Mass each day in private

and have been fulfilling the assigned Mass Intentions. We are praying for you and your families!

Please stay safe and healthy as we experience a Holy Week and Easter that we will never forget!

Rev. Mark W. Crane

A Message from our Pastor

Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order #107 restricting movement in the State of New Jersey effective March 21 @ 9 PM. This greatly impacts the Church since we can no longer do Weddings, Baptisms, Masses or Funerals until the order is lifted. This will be painful for those who lose a loved one. Funeral Homes cannot have wakes or Services. Only burials or cremations are permitted. A priest may perform the Rites of Burial at the cemetery (if it is open) however we must wear gloves and mask, stay 6 feet from anyone and make no physical contact.

The dying can be accompanied by phone, we will ask families to place us on speaker phone and we can all pray together using existing technologies to come together in prayer. Modern means allow us to be together without being physically present.

Under current circumstances Anointing of the Sick can only be done in a hospital where proper precautions and specialized protection is available. In home is simply not safe. Even in the hospital it can only be given using a Q-tip. We must work together to prevent the spread of the virus and prevent our health care systems from being overwhelmed.

Stay home, stay safe, and be patient. This pandemic is going to be with us for many weeks if not months to come. Please continue to pray that our Lord will show us the light at the end of the tunnel.

Rev Mark W. Crane

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