St. Mary’s Parish in Pompton Lakes, N.J. has several remaining events it is holding to coincide with the universal Church’s commemoration of the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s death. The parish is administered by the Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The remaining events are:
Tuesday, Aug. 11, Feast of St. Clare. John Kruse, director of the Neumann Institute for Franciscan Studies and a theology professor at Neumann University in suburban Philadelphia, will speak on “The Transformative Essence of Liminal Experiences: Insights from Francis and Clare of Assisi,” at 7 p.m. in the Carnevale Center. A liminal experience is when a person is “in between” states of being, remaining longer in a former state and not yet in a new one. St. Francis and Clare of Assisi’s own experiences of liminality can provide people with inspiration for navigating the in-between experiences of their lives.
Thursday, Sept. 17. Franciscan Father John Aherne, pastor of St. Mary’s, will reflect on the San Damiano Cross during a presentation at 7 p.m. in the church.
Friday, Oct. 2. St Mary’s Chamber Choir will perform the Faure Requiem during the parish’s celebration of the Transitus of St. Francis at 7 p.m. in the church. The Transitus is the annual worldwide Franciscan observance that commemorates the passing of St. Francis from earthly life to eternal life.
Saturday, Oct. 3, celebration of the Feast of St. Francis, observed on Oct. 4. A petting zoo and family activities will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Bring your pets in costume. An outdoor Mass will occur at 5 p.m. The Blessing of the Animals will take place at 6 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 4, the Feast of St. Francis. The Blessing of the Animals will be held at 1 p.m.
For more information about these events, call St. Mary’s at (973) 835-0374
Venue location:
St. Mary’s Parish
17 Pompton Ave, Pompton Lakes, N.J. 07442
Diocesan Pilgrimage Site
Also, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney designated St. Mary’s as one of five St. Francis-related parishes in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., where the faithful can gain a plenary indulgence by making a prayerful pilgrimage to any of them during the anniversary until Jan. 10, 2027.
A plenary indulgence is remission of temporal punishment that may remain after sacramental confession.
In addition to St. Mary’s, Bishop Sweeney designated the following other St. Francis-related pilgrimage parishes for the 800th anniversary: St. Francis of Assisi in the Haskell neighborhood of Wanaque, N.J.; St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Butler, N.J.; St. Clare Parish in Clifton, N.J.; and St. John Kanty Parish in the Athenia neighborhood of Clifton.
For more information about the Paterson Diocese’s 800th anniversary observance, how to gain a plenary indulgence, and the pilgrimage parishes, including Mass and confession times, visit Discover St. Francis through Jubilee Year pilgrimages and prayer opportunities.
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