St. Elizabeth & St. Brigid Parish

My dear friends in Christ,

            Sister Maria Faustina, born Helena Kowalska, died on October 5, 1938 of tuberculosis. Born into a poor Polish family, she had less than a grade school education. She had mystical experiences, beginning as a child. Having worked as a servant for some time, she was directed by Christ to go to Warsaw and enter the convent. She entered the congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady Of Mercy on August 1, 1925. As Sister Faustina, she had from the Savior directives to spread devotion to His mercy. She was to have a picture of Christ prepared as he appeared in a vision to her, showing red and white rays, symbols of the blood and water, emanating from his heart. He also taught her the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, of which He said:      

 “Encourage souls to say the Chaplet, which I have given you… Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death… When they say this Chaplet in the presence of dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as to Just Judge, but as the Merciful Savior… Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner, most hardened, if He were to recite this Chaplet, only once, He would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable grace to those souls who trust in My mercy … through the Chaplet, you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will.”

            The Novena of the Divine Mercy, celebrated in many churches in preparation for this Sunday, and the Chaplet, were, for a time, banned by the Vatican, while these and Sister Faustina, herself, were being evaluated. That was in 1958. Cardinal Wojtyla, later Pope John Paul II, was instrumental in having these devotions declared acceptable in 1978, and, as Pope, he canonized Sister Faustina in 2000.

 We may all profit by using the devotions and often saying the phrase printed with the image of divine mercy, “Jesus, I trust in you.”

In Christ Jesus, Our Lord,

Reverend John G. Hillier, Ph.D.

I am pleased to announce that Bishop Checchio asked that I remain as Administrator at St. Elizabeth-St. Brigid Parish AND continue my work at the Diocese as Director of the Office of Pontifical Missions, Director of the Office for Persons with Disabilities, Director of the Office of Deliverance Ministry, and Censor Librorum (reviewing books and others texts before publishing for doctrinal accuracy in order to grant the nihil obstat and imprimatur). Given my dual roles (at the Parish and Diocese), Bishop Checchio will also assign a Parochial Vicar to assist with the priestly responsibilities in our parish. Bishop Checchio also affirmed that he will name me Pastor of St. Elizabeth-St. Brigid Parish within a year or so.

Father Hillier nor the parish will ever request assistance in the form of gift cards or other charitable requests via e-mail or text messages. There are a number of fraudulent emails and texts being sent requesting such assistance with the name “Pastor” or Father Hillier in the gmail address. Should you receive such emails-texts or have any questions about this, please contact the parish office at 908-234-1265. Do not respond to such emails/texts.

Jesus, you came that we might have life

—and have it in abundance. 

Together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, 

you form us in our mothers' wombs 

and call us to love you for all eternity. 

As your most precious gift of human life is attacked, 

draw us ever closer to your Real Presence in the Eucharist. 

Dispel the darkness of the culture of death, 

for you are the light that shines in the darkness,

and the darkness cannot overcome it. 

By the power of your Eucharistic Presence, 

help us to defend the life of every human person 

at every stage. 

Transform our hearts to protect and cherish 

all whose lives are most vulnerable. 

For you are God, forever and ever. Amen.

Reverend Monsignor Arduino “Edward” Puleo who passed away peacefully at home on October 25, 2024.
 
Born in Queens, NY, beloved son of the late Salvatore Puleo and Silvana (nee D’Amico). Devoted brother of the late Anthony. Dear Uncle of Steven, Taryn, and Joseph. Loving nephew of Maria DiVerde, Johanna D’Amico and Peter Puleo. Fond cousin and relative to many. 
 
Upon graduation from McClancy High School Monsignor Puleo entered the Brothers of the Sacred Heart and after his profession, served as a teacher in several of his community’s schools in New York and New Jersey. He would later enter the seminary and on May 28, 1988 be ordained to the holy priesthood by Bishop Edward Hughes for the Diocese of Metuchen. 
 
During his years of priestly ministry, he would serve in several parishes within the Diocese. In 1995 he was named pastor of the parish of St. Joseph and later St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Carteret. In 2007 Monsignor was named pastor of the parishes of St. Elizabeth of Far Hills and St. Brigid in Peapack where he served until his passing. 
 
In 2012 the Holy Father would name him Prelate of Honor with the title “Monsignor”. In addition to his ministry as a parish priest he served at the pleasure of three bishops as Priest Personnel Director and most recently Episcopal Vicar for Clergy and Religious. 
 
During the course of his illness over the past 3 years, Monsignor Puleo, assisted by Reverend John Hillier, would continue the work of shepherding souls in his parish assignment. The devotion of the people in praying a weekly novena for Monsignor’s intentions was evidence of the love they had for their parish priest. 
 
Monsignor Puleo was a Knight Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepluchre of Jerusalem.
 
In 2022 Monsignor Puleo was named New Jersey Knights of Columbus 4th  Degree Chaplain of the Year.
 
Visitation took place at St. Elizabeth Church, Far Hills on Wednesday, October 30th, from 2-7 PM.  A Vigil Mass was celebrated at 7 PM by Bishop Paul Bootkoski, Bishop Emeritus with Reverend Monsignor Ronald Marino as the homilist.

The Mass of Christian Burial (Funeral Mass took place on Thursday, October 31, a St. Brigid Church with Most Reverend James F. Checchio, Bishop of Metuchen as the celebrant and Reverend John G. Hillier, PhD as the homilist.
 
 
In lieu of flowers, Monsignor Puleo requested that donations be made to:
 
Religious Education Fund or Hope Through Education
 
Sent in care of:
 
St. Elizabeth-St. Brigid Parish
PO Box 33
Peapack, NJ  07977
 
 

 

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You.
You know how easily I abandon You.

Stay with me Lord, because I am weak,
and I need Your strength,
so that I may not fall so often.

Stay with me Lord, for You are my life,
and without You, I am without fervor.

Stay with me Lord, for You are my light,
and without you, I am in darkness.

Stay with me Lord, to show me Your will.

Stay with me Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You.

Stay with me Lord, for I desire to love you very much,
and always be in Your Company.

Stay with me Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.

Stay with me Lord, for as poor as my soul is,
I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of Love.

Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late,
and the day is coming to a close,
and life passes, death, judgment, eternity approach.
It is necessary to renew my strength,
so that I will not stop along the way and for that,
I need You.
It is getting late and death approaches.
I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows. O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile.

Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all its dangers,
I need You.
Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of bread,
so that the Eucharistic Communion
be the light which disperses the darkness,
the force which sustains me,
the unique joy of my heart.

Stay with me Lord, because at the hour of my death,
I want to remain united to you,
if not by Communion, at least by grace and love.

Stay with me Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation
because I do not merit it, but the gift of Your presence,
oh yes, I ask this of You.

Stay with me Lord, for it is You alone I look for,
Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart,
Your Spirit, because I love You
and ask no other reward but to love You more and more.

With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart
while on earth and continue to love You
perfectly during all eternity.
Amen.
 

We’ve adopted a new and improved way of communicating that will make it much simpler for you to get the information you want from us! It’s powered by a service called Flocknote. Like sending a "note" to your "flock". 
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Pregnant and parenting moms in need are in our parishes and our neighborhoods. As Pope Francis reminds us, our parishes need to be “islands of mercy in the midst of a sea of indifference.” Everyone in the parish community should know where to refer a pregnant woman in need.

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The 25th anniversary of Evangelium vitae gave us a wonderful opportunity to begin to assess, expand, and communicate resources to pregnant moms and families in need. Parishes are invited, through the support of their bishop and pastor, to join this nationwide effort entitled, Walking with Moms in Need.

For More Information click below:

Walking With Moms In Need

Dearest Lord Jesus, our Divine Physician,
fill your servant(s) _____________with your healing presence
as they do their part to fight this horrifying disease within them.
Shine your healing power into their bodies, hearts and souls.
 
With humility, as they seek your comfort and mercy,
allow the best of who they are as your followers,
to remain steadfast for the sake of their families, friends
and others they have yet to meet.
 
With the help of your Holy Spirit,
remove all cancerous invaders
that have overrun their bodies; your temple.
Replace all deadly, cancer cells with good, wholesome cells.
 
Aided by the powerful intercession of your heavenly helpers,
Our Lady, Queen of Peace, Saint John Paul II and Blessed Michael McGivney, keep them faithful in the hope —
that “whatever you ask from the Father He will give it to you”
(John 15:23).
 
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
 
© Reverend John G. Hillier
    November 4, 2021
 
 

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
We have tried so many times and over so many years 
   to resolve our conflicts by our own powers
   and by the force of our arms.
How many moments of hostility and darkness have we                 experienced?
How much blood has been shed?
How many lives have been shattered?
How many hopes have been buried?
But our efforts have been in vain.

Now, Lord, come to our aid! 
Grant us peace, teach us peace; 
    guide our steps in the way of peace. 
Open our eyes and our hearts, 
    and give us the courage to say: "Never again war!"; 
"With war everything is lost". 
Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to
  achieve peace.

Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, 
   you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. 
Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; 
   enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our
   brother or sister.
Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens 
   who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of     peace, 
  our trepidation into confident trust, 
  and our quarreling into forgiveness.
Keep alive within us the flame of hope, 
  so that with patience and perseverance 
  we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. 
In this way may peace triumph at last, 
  and may the words "division", "hatred" and "war" 
  be banished from the heart of every man and woman. 

Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. 
Renew our hearts and minds, 
  so that the word which always brings us together will be 
  "brother", 
   and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace,   
   Salaam!
 Amen.

Food Drive is held in the first weekend of the month benefiting the Somerset County Food Network Food Pantry.
Canned and Non Perishable items needed.  Monetary donations accepted.
 

Jesus reminds us that there is no greater live than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends; if we do so our joy will be complete. Have you ever considered giving yourself to the service of your sisters and brothers as a priest or religious? If so, call the Vocations Office @ (732) 562-2453 or e-mail us at [email protected]. Or you can visit our website at www.diometuchen.org/vocations. Turn your life over to the Lord today.