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ICNU Moments Good disciples are always looking for ICNU (I see in you) moments, “I see in you” a need for Jesus! If you are having a conversation over the back fence, and your neighbor shares a grief or hardship, that’s an ICNU moment to say, “If I were facing that difficulty, I would find strength in Jesus . . . and find Him at St. Mary of the Lakes.” And see where that leads. It may go nowhere, but if it were to go somewhere . . . a nice follow up might be, “Why don’t you come to Mass with me next Sunday?” If saying something similar would be pushing “your” envelope, then an easier approach might be to spread the word regarding three “Mass Mobs” that will be offered at St. Mary of the Lakes in March. Mass Mob Masses will be offered on: Sunday, March 10 at 9:00 a.m. with the Adult Choir Sunday, March 17 at 10:30 a.m. (Children’s Mass) Sunday, March 24 at 12: 00 p.m. with Redemption, our contemporary music group.

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 another session on February 21: 10 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the PREP Conference Room and 6 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. in the PREP Conference 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

The Parish Office snow closings follow the school. If school is closed, the parish office is closed. If school has a delayed opening, the parish office has a delayed opening. When the Governor declares a state of emergency, SML always follows his directive and the parish office and school are closed, and Masses/confession are cancelled. Otherwise, Father Dan will decide if Masses/confession are cancelled based on the condition of the parking lot and sidewalks. Father's decision will be noted in the greeting when you call the parish office.

Grade 1 learns to spell, pronounce and define TRANSUBSTANTIATION !

Father Dan will offer a four week adult scripture study “Jesus of Nazareth Part II - Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection,” based upon Our Holy Father Emeritus Benedict XVI’s recent book by the same title, on Mondays, March 11, 18, 25 and April 1 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Parish Meeting Room at St. Mary of the Lakes School. To register, please contact St. Mary of the Lakes Parish Office at 609/654-8208 x110 or email parish office@smlparish.org, or sign the roster in the Parking Lot Entrance. Please BYOB (Bring Your Own Bible) If you need a Bible, New American Bibles will be sold for $6.00 at the class.

Y.E.S. Habitat for Humanity 2019 (June 24-28, Baltimore, Md.): The Habitat for Humanity Application is available by clicking on the title above or going to the Faith Formation tab. Our annual YES sponsored trip is open to any teen registered in the parish, 16 years of age or older. First preference, is given to teens who are active participants in the YES ministry. Applications are due on or before March 4. Adult volunteers are welcome to join us, but must be fingerprinted and Virtus trained to attend. This year’s trip will be to Baltimore Md. - partnering once again with Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake. We leave SML on Monday, June 24, and return Friday, June 28. Questions contact yes@smlaparish.org

Congratulations to Maria King for being honored as the Volunteer of the Year during the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner/Dance on Friday, February 8, at the Indian Spring Country Club. To see photos of the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner/Dance, please go to the News/Events tab above and click on Photo Album.

ChristLife participants learning and praying together in our battle against the world, the flesh and the Devil.

On Saturday, February 9, the Diocesan Youth Conference was held with teens from our parish and school in grades 8-12 who joined Youth Minister Linda Xerri at Holy Cross Prep Academy.

His Excellency the Most Reverend David M. O’Connell, CM, Bishop of Trenton, celebrated the end of Catholic Schools Week at the noon Mass on Sunday, February 3, in the Church. To read the article in The Monitor on Catholic Schools Week and the Mass celebrated by Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., please click on the title above.To see photos of the Bishop's Mass, please go to the News/Events tab above and click on Photo Album.

Youth Lead Stations of the Cross Calling all children in grades 4-12! We are looking for volunteers to participate in the youth lead Stations of the Cross presentation on Friday, March 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the Church. A mandatory Rehearsal will take place on Friday, March 1, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. in the Church. There are four non-speaking parts and 11 Speaking parts. This is a great opportunity to participate in the life of the parish during Lent! We also need some students who like to sing, to lead the songs! For more information contact Linda Xerri at yes@smlparish.org. Those in grades 6-12 who participate will receive Confirmation or NHS service credit.

YES thanks all who baked, purchased items and helped at the recent Super Bowl Bake Sale - $1,057.90 will go towards the YES donation to the Chesapeake Bay Habitat for Humanity chapter, who we will partner with in June for our annual summer service trip! A special thank you to Bishop O’Connell who also donated!

Private First Class Brett Koerner (right) a PREP alumni with Fran Iula ( SML School alumni) during visit with First Grade Prep class, where Rose Iula is a teacher, earlier this week. Thank you Brett !

The Knights of Columbus supported the St. Mary of the Lakes School by sharing profits from the Christmas Tree sale with a check on the first day of Catholic Schools Week.

Knights of Columbus Council 6520 congratulates the following men for earning their First Degree: Rob Garner, Dom Golato, Pat McGovern, Ken Nelson, Bob Nixon, Mike Pohlman, and Bill Schmidt. Each degree focuses on the one of the four core principles of the Knights: charity (Frist), unity (Second), fraternity (Third), and patriotism (Fourth). If you want to help those in need, serve your parish, and grow in your faith, then join the Knights of Columbus. Membership is open to men age 18 or older who accept the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspire to live in accord with the precepts of the Church, and are in good standing with the Church. For more information, contact Bill Mazzio at williammazzio@yahoo.com or visit www.medfordknights.org. Vivat Jesus!

The Martin Luther King Day of Service Meals Marathon was held at the St. Mary of the Lakes School Auditorium on Monday January 21 . YES and volunteers made 2,000 bagged lunches and 260 snack bags for Sacred Heart Church in Camden. Also fleece blankets were distributed to local shelters, soup kitchens and social service agencies in Burlington County, Camden County and Philadelphia. To see photos of the MLK Day of Service, please go to the News/Events tab above and click on Photo Album. To see a video, please click on the title above. Please read The Monitor article at: https://trentonmonitor.com/main

Save the Date! Fr. William Garrott, OP,will lead our mission April 8 – 10 in the church at 7:00 p.m. Mark your calendars now and start praying about who God wants you to ask to join you!

It is my sad duty to announce the death on Jan. 22, 2019 of the Most Rev. John Mortimer Smith, Bishop Emeritus (2010-2019) and Ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton (1997-2010), former Coadjutor Bishop of Trenton (1995-1997), former Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee in Florida (1991-1995) and former Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark (1988-1991).  Bishop Smith died in Morris Hall Meadows, Lawrenceville, after a long illness. He was 83 years old.   Born June 23, 1935, in Orange, to Mortimer and Ethel Smith, both now deceased, Bishop Smith was the oldest of three children with two brothers, the Rev. Andrew Smith, O.S.B., and Gregory Smith. Bishop Smith attended St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, and John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio.  He entered Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University in South Orange in 1955 and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark on May 27, 1961.  A graduate of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., Father Smith obtained a doctorate in Canon Law in 1966.   In the Archdiocese of Newark, Father Smith held several positions, among them Assistant Chancellor, Tribunal official, parish priest, Director of the Cursillo Movement and Dean of Bergen County.  In 1971, Father Smith was named a Monsignor by now-Pope St. Paul VI.   In 1982, Monsignor Smith was appointed to the faculty of the Pontifical North American College in Rome where he served until his return to Newark in 1986.  He was appointed Pastor of St. Mary Parish, Dumont, and, later, as the Archdiocese’s Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia.  On Dec. 1, 1987, he was named Auxiliary Bishop of Newark, and was consecrated Jan. 25, 1988.    Bishop Smith was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee on June 25, 1991.  He returned to New Jersey as Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton in 1995 where he succeeded the late Bishop John C. Reiss In 1997.  He served as Bishop of Trenton for 13 years until his retirement at age 75 in 2010.   Bishop Smith is survived by his two brothers.   Bishop Smith’s body will be received in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral in Trenton on Friday, Jan. 25 at 3 p.m. and will lie in repose until the celebration of the Mass of Jesus Christ the High Priest at 7 p.m.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, Jan. 26 at 11 a.m.  Bishop Smith will be entombed in the Mausoleum of St. Mary Cemetery in Trenton following the Mass.   May he rest in peace.   Most Reverend David M. O’Connell, C.M. Bishop of Trenton

St. Mary of the Lakes joined four area parishes as we marched in Washington D.C. to demonstrate our commitment for LIFE on Friday, January 18. To see photos of the March for Life, please go to the News/Events tab above and click on Photo Album.

Join us for parish pickup basketball games on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. at SML School gym. Any questions, contact Kevin Callahan at Kcallahan@smlparish.org for more information.