The Knights of Columbus and YES held their annual Breakfast with the Bunny Sunday morning.To see photos from Breakfast with the Bunny, please go to the News/Events tab above and click on Photo Album.

To see more photos from Friday nights Sleep Out For Homeless Youth with YES and Covenant House, please go to the News/Events tab above and click on Photo Album.

St. Mary of the Lakes Council, Knights of Columbus, Medford, will host its 12th annual charity golf tournament June 10 at Medford Village Country Club, benefiting three charities. To read the story in The Monitor, please click the title above.

A first class relic of St. John Paul II was in the St. Mary of the Lakes Church for veneration all day on Wednesday, April 10.

Thank you to all who joined us for three evenings in the church for the iMercy Lenten Mission offered by Father Bill Garrott. O.P.The mission opened on Monday, April 8 with "The Father Blesses." The mission continued Tuesday, April 9 with "The Son Heals" and concluded Wednesday, April 10 with "The Spirit Strengths." To see photos from the Mission, please go to the News/Events tab above and click on Photo Album.

If you are on the fence, before you decide, see the movie "UNPLANNED." If you know someone contemplating an abortion ... suggest they see UNPLANNED first! It may save two lives, one from death and the other from a lifetime of regret. IMMEDIATE HELP is available. You and you baby deserve better. Call: OPTIONS for WOMEN  856-795-0166 or Helpers of God's Precious Infants  856-321-0411

Calling ALL St. Mary’s parents! Cub Scout Pack 108 needs your kiddos for our “Pokemon Showdown” on Thursday, April 18, at 6:45 p.m. If the thought of joining Scouts has ever crossed your mind, you do not want to miss this evening of game-playing (a.k.a., our monthly pack meeting). Location – SML School Auditorium. Answer trivia questions for the chance to win a few of those highly-coveted Pokemon cards and then trade them with a brand-new buddy. Leaders will be on-hand to answer all parent questions and discuss the amazing adventures we have in store for next year. We could really use a “St. Mary’s Team” table. But be ready for questions of a higher power! If friendship development, character-building values, and practical skill building sound good to you, please RSVP to ktezla@yahoo.com.

A wonderful morning Mass with our retreat master, Fr. Bill Garrott, O.P.! Fr. Bill will be celebrating the 9:00 a.m. Masses at SML Church the next two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) as well, followed by confession. The mission starts tonight! Can’t wait! Fr. Bill will be leading the Rosary at 6:40 p.m. Each evening with the mission starting at 7:00 p.m. Each morning and evening after Mass and the evening message, Fr. Bill will be hearing confessions. This evening the topic is: iMercy:The Father Blesses. Tonight’s Scripture verse is Luke 12:29-32. Fr. Bill will be blessing participants with the Oil of St. Joseph. If you have a loved one who can’t attend, bring a picture. Hope to see you there! The mission talks are good for anyone 2nd Grade and older!

There was Confirmation for 8th Grade School and PREP students at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the Church Thursday. To see photos of the two Confirmation ceremonies, please go to the News/Events tab above and click on Photo Album.

Volunteers are need to have their feet washed during the Holy Thursday evening Mass at 7:30 p.m. in the Church. Please contact Sister Regina at rmccalla@smlparish.org.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Operation Rice Bowl is the agency’s Lenten faith-in-action program which the Diocese of Trenton is asking all parishes/schools to participate in this Lent. It offers an opportunity for families to engage daily with the spiritual pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Throughout Lent, our parish has many opportunities for families to come together as a community and reflect on what it means to live out our gospel call and go out and encounter those most in need. In support of CRS Operation Rice Bowl, collection “bowls” are available at the doors of the church. We encourage you to take one home and fill it each week with a monetary offering that will then go directly to CRS. Filled collection “bowls” can be placed in the boxes at the JRE or returned to the Parish Office, PREP Office or School Religion Office during regular business hours. If you prefer to give your donation by check, please place it in an envelope, and make it payable to St. Mary of the Lakes with the word “CRS Operation Rice Bowl” on the memo line and envelope. Any questions about the CRS Operation Rice Bowl, please contact yes@smlparish.org or call the YES Office at 609-654-8208, ext. 111

VIRTUS is a national program designed to equip adults with the tools to recognize inappropriate behavior towards children and vulnerable adults. The Diocese of Trenton requires anyone over the age of 18 who participates in one or more ministries to attend a 3–hour VIRTUS session every four years. Therefore, every adult who currently volunteers for SML Church, School, and/or PREP and has not previously attended a VIRTUS session, or who has not taken a refresher course within the past four years, must attend a class in order to participate. VIRTUS Training Sessions are offered at parishes throughout the Diocese. St. Mary of the Lakes will offer the following class on: • May 20, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. – Location: Parish Meeting Room. Pre-registration is MANDATORY at virtusonline.org. Space is limited, so please register as soon as possible. No Walk-ins will be accepted Please note when registering for your VIRTUS account to use your Legal Name, be sure to include any information on your account as applicable (i.e. driver’s license or passport name must match) Email questions to frontdesk@smlparish.org

A second collection for all Easter Masses will support YES Outreach efforts.  Money collected will go towards the Covenant House Sleep Out for Poverty Event on April 12 and the Habitat for Humanity Mission Trip scheduled for June 24-28.  Thank you !

Fr. Dan’s Sunday homilies are posted weekly on YouTube as well as the parish website. Please visit the St. Mary of the Lakes parish YouTube site or just search for "Father Dan” or go to www.smlparish.org and click on the ABOUT tab below the SML logo on the home page and then click PASTOR and then scroll down to Fr. Dan’s Video Homilies.

Another Mass Mob Mass was celebrated Sunday, March 24 at 12: 00 p.m. with Redemption, our contemporary music group. Last week, a Mass Mob Masses was celebrated at the 10:30 a.m. Children’s Mass.The first Mass Mob Mass of March was celebrated at the 9 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 10, with an initiation ceremony for the RCIA candidates.

High School choristers in Diocese of Trenton invited to audition for national camp, tour. Read The Monitor article by clicking on the title above.

Sisters Regina and Judy renewed their vows as Sisters of St. Joseph and received a gift from Father Roy on behalf of SML. The SSJ Associates also renewed their promises Tuesday on the Feast of St. Joseph.

Dynamic Catholic is an organization with a mission to re-energize the Catholic Church in America by developing world-class resources that inspire people to rediscover the genius of Catholicism.  To keep our parish aware of these resources Barbara Potts signed up to be a part of Dynamic Catholic Institute’s (DCI) Parish Champion Outreach.   What is a Parish Champion?   • Barbara will pray for Father and our parish intentions • Share with Father and parish council FREE DCI resources we can use as a parish • And distribute a FREE case of 44 books or 50 CD’s to parishioners periodically. (As quantities are limited, you can order free books and CD's with S&H, on their site below) If you would like to be a part of Barbara’s prayer team, contact her bacp@comcast.net / 609-859-0317  or the parish office 609-654-8208. To learn more about Dynamic Catholic's Mission and why they offer this outreach, visit ‪www.DynamicCatholic.com.

An email scam is being perpetrated on numerous parishes in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and one parish in the Diocese of Trenton. The scammers use the pastor’s name/email address or some slight variation of it to solicit funds from parishioners in the form of gift cards or cash donations. Father Dan does not solicit gifts for St. Mary of the Lakes using email. Please delete the email if you receive one.

Photos by former parishioner Dave Hernandez from the Ash Wednesday 9 a.m. Mass can be seen on the Burlington County Times website by clicking the Ash Wednesday title above.