EVENT MEMORIES
Our Church Family
2024
St. Michael's HUGS Ministry Honored with Unity Achievement Award
May 13, 2024
We are delighted to share the wonderful news that St. Michael's Hands of Grace Ministry (HUGS) was honored this year with the Unity Achievement Award by the Union County Relations Commission.
This esteemed award recognizes the outstanding programs, services, activities, and efforts that promote human rights and foster relations within the Union County community.
The 21st Annual Unity Achievement Award Presentation, held on Monday, May 13, 2024, at the
Kean University Stem Center was attended by our pastor Msgr. Anselm Nwaorgu and representatives of the HUGS Ministry.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who have supported and contributed to the impactful work of HUGS. Let us continue to serve and uplift our community together.
Good Friday Stations of the Cross
2023
St. Michael's Blue & White Mass
November 11
Thank you to all first responders and healthcare workers who attended the Blue & White mass today.
A big thank you also to the Praise and Worship Band, the altar servers, ushers, lector, media, Eucharistic, and hospitality ministers, and our Social Event Chairperson, Cynthia Grandeza!
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Santo Nino
Sunday, January 29, 2023
On Sunday we came together as a parish family to celebrate the feast of Santo Nino. We thank our Filipino committee for sharing this wonderful tradition and celebration with us.
Bishop Elias on his Episcopal Visit
January 20 - 22, 2023
This past weekend, we were blessed to receive Most Reverend Elias Lorenzo,
the Vicar General and Regional Bishop of Union County of the Archdiocese of Newark, on his Episcopal pastoral visit to our parish.
Peter Petrecca's Retirement Mass & Celebration
January 15, 2023
We gathered as a Church family to celebrate Peter's retirement after serving our Church as the Music Director for 33 years! Peter even got a congratulatory call from a choir member at Northeastern University!
Thank you Peter for all you have done for us at St. Michael's. You will be missed!
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Hands of Grace Ministry
January 2023
The Hands of Grace Ministry (HUGS) members would like to thank the Knights of Columbus (Union Council 4504) for organizing a successful coat drive on behalf of the ministry. HUGS Members received the donations on Sunday, January 1.
The members would also like to thank all those who dropped gifts under the HUGS pink tree in the church vestibule. The response was pleasantly overwhelming.
HUGS Ministry distributes Gift Bags once a month throughout the year. The ministry presently serves 34 families. Please get in touch with the ministry chair if you know of any family with children ages newborn to 5 years, who will benefit from the program. Registration for the monthly Distribution can be done on the parish website at https://www.stmichaelunion.org/handsofgraceform . Please help spread the word about the ministry.
For more information, about HUGS Ministry, contact Bisi (908) 247-4461 or Tania (908) 420-8659
2022
Decorations! Decorations! Decorations!
December 24, 2022
Yes, we work, we play, we eat, and we decorate, but we do it all with one intention - to make our Church as beautiful as our minds can imagine, in anticipation of the celebration of our Lord Jesus. The Church thanks the Decorations Committee for their tireless work since Thursday, and the Family Activities Committee for always giving their time and talent.
Simbang Gabi
December 19, 2022
Volunteer Party
December 11, 2022
Thank you to all volunteers who honored Msgr. Anselm's invite.
We had such a blast at the party, with lots of food, dancing, and everyone's awesome company!
A big thank you to the Social and Decoration Committee for transforming the lower church into a Christmas haven! Med Domingo and his team really outdid themselves!
We are really so blessed at St. Michael's!
Nativity Lighting and Christmas Caroling
December 8, 2022
We had such a blessed time, caroling, and then warming up while sipping our hot chocolates!
A big thank you to the organizers - The Knights of Columbus and the Family Activities Committee members for organizing such a spiritually relevant event for our community.
We were also honored by the presence of Senator Joseph Cryan.
Please contact the office at (908) 6881232, if you are interested in joining the
Family Activities Committee or the Knights of Columbus.
Celebrating Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi
December 4. 2022
We gathered together as a united Church family to celebrate the annual feast day of
Blessed Iwene Tansi, with our Nigerian Community.
St. Michael's Feast Day
September 24, 2022
Thanks to the Family Activities Committee for organizing a fantastic event packed with games, good music, lots of prizes, and an incredible magic show! The musical chairs for kids and adults were also big hits!
Thanks also CYO for coming to help out in running the event!
St. Alphonsa Feast Day
July 31, 2022
A big thanks to our Indian Church family for hosting a fantastic feast day Mass
and celebration for St. Alphonsa!
Thank you to our young adults who entertained us with perfectly choreographed Indian routines!
July 4, St. Michael's Style
February 26
Family Activities Committee Family Fun Night
The Family Activities Committee wants to thank all of the families that came out for Family Game Night! We had a fun-filled evening of games, pizza, and refreshments where we met new family friends of all ages.
2021
December 26
Hand of Grace Ministry (HUGS)
The Hands of Grace Ministry (HUGS) members would like to express their immense gratitude to the Knights of Columbus (Union Council 4504) for supporting the ministry by donating 12 winter coats from the Supreme’s “Coats for Kids” program.
We would also like to thank all those who tirelessly dropped gifts under the pink tree. The response was pleasantly overwhelming.
Both gift bag distributions were very successful! The first Christmas Distribution was done on December 24th and the second on January 6th. The families that picked up pre-packed bags were so grateful to St. Michael’s Church.
HUGS Ministry distributes Gift Bags once a month throughout the year.
Thanks to Med Domingo and the Decorations Committee, Christmas was really brought to life at St. Michael's!
A big thank you also to the Family Activities Committee for collaborating in the fun-filled project
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Family Activities Committee at the Christmas Carol with the Knights of Columbus Council 4504 at the Nativity Lighting and Blessing!
Thank you to Msgr. Anselm and the entire Multicultural Committee for organizing a very successful dinner in appreciation of those who have volunteered their time, treasure, and talent to ensure and maintain the vibrancy of our church!
The night was parked with lots of prizes in the free raffle, and lots of food and dance!
Click the icon above to view more pictures.
September 26
Feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz
August 24
Blessing of Students
August 1
Feast of St. Alphonsa
Santo Niño
January 31
2020
Holy Family on Christmas Eve
Holy Family: Justin Gawel, Juliet Gawel, and Janet Gawel
Three Kings on Epiphany Sunday
Three Kings: Anthony Barea, Michael Durugo, and Alex Lopez
Your enthusiasm and faith sharing were a beautiful manifestation of these blessed and festive celebrations!
Peter Petrecca
St. Michael's Feast Day and San Lorenzo Feast Day!
Sunday, September 27, 2020
Thank you to our Social and Multicultural Committee for a successful Feast Day!
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2019
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May 19
First Dance For A Cause
We had our First Dance For A Cause at St. Michael's on Sunday, May 19th. Tickets were sold out, and everyone had so much fun!
Thank you to all the organizers for such a wonderful family get-together and thanks to all who came out in support of the event. A special thank you goes out to all the visitors who came from cities as far as Union City. We appreciate your support for our parish.
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July 13 & 14
Rummage Sale
The rummage sale was such a huge success!
A big thank you to all who donated items and to all the tireless volunteers, who gave up countless numbers of hours of their time sorting, decorating, and preparing the Lower Church Hall for the event - from our ever so dedicated Seniors to our Teens and Young Adults, to our children who helped setting up the various train tracks for display, to all those who diligently made sure they supplied breakfast and lunch for the volunteers each day, to our Art and Craft kids who helped out in making and decorating our Rummage Sale signs.
Thanks to all the shoppers who came from various towns and counties to patronize this event.
It was truly a family event!
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December 13
Children's Christmas Party
Thanks to Kathleen Boetsch and the ever so beautiful leader and members of the Social Event Committee, the annual Christmas party was such a huge success. So many parish kids got to have fun with Santa, the Grinch, play snowballs fights, and celebrated Jesus's season.
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December 24
Hands of Grace Ministry "Grace Bags Debut"
In the spirit of Christmas, HUGS Ministry held their first 'Grace Bags" give away. Thank you to all ministry members, who diligently gave their time, talent, and treasure in ensuring that we had a successful debut. Thank you also to all the families who showed up to be graced by St. Michael's Grace Bags. And a special thank you to Detective Johnson for connecting the Ministry with the Special Victims Division. The division sent a note, which read, "The officers and detectives are very grateful and send their sincere thanks to all the hands that helped make it possible for victims of child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes to receive donations from the ministry at St. Michael's Church. You have helped put a little bright light in the lives of these victims. Thank you very much." A total of 28 Bags were given out. A big thank you also goes to all donors, who generously help to keep the ministries inventory buoyant.
2018
St. Michael's 90th Anniversary Ad Journal
February 17
Bold & Catholic
Saturday Mornings
First Meeting
March 17
Wellness Ministry.
"Living with Diabetes"
Lent and your Body
Today, we had a very informative presentation on Diabetes. Thank you to the Wellness Ministry for organizing. Thanks also to the Social Event Committee for helping out with refreshments, and to all who brought in refreshments. We would also like to say thank you to our presenter Sharon Mulzac, a Registered Dietitian with over 25 years experience in the field of Dietetics.
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The Easter blessings of food owe their origin to the fact that these particular foods, namely, fleshmeat and milk products, including eggs, were forbidden in the Middle Ages during the Lenten fast and abstinence. When the feast of Easter brought the rigorous fast to an end, and these foods were again allowed at table, the people showed their joy and gratitude by first taking the food to church for a blessing. Moreover, they hoped that the Church's blessing on such edibles would prove a remedy for whatever harmful effects the body might have suffered from the long period of self-denial. Today the Easter blessings of food are still held in many churches in the United States. (CatholicCulture.org)
March 31
Easter Blessing of Food
Decorations Ministry in Action
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To celebrate the National Dairy Month, the St. Michael Wellness Ministry collaborated with American Bone Health Association to present a very informative Calcium Challenge. Thanks to Angelica Loreti, a registered Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, for the wonderful presentation on how to determine our daily calcium intake, and for offering fun games, and wonderful gifts!
Congratulations to the parishioners who won the American Bone Health Calcium Challenge and the Raffle Draw - The Cababe's!
June 23
The American Bone Health Calcium Challenge!
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July 4
Independence Day
Family Picnic!
August 26
St. Michael's Picnic
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September 30
Selfless Stewardship
On Sunday September 30, Justin Gawel, a second grader, was presented with a Certificate of Commendation for his exemplary stewardship.
Justin made the decision to donate his First Holy Communion gifts to the renovation of the Our Lady of Fatima Devotional Stand in the church.
The certificate was presented to Justin by Bishop Manuel Cruz and Msgr. Anselm Nwaorgu at the 12 Noon mass.
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The 90th Anniversary celebration commenced with a 12 Noon mass, celebrated by Bishop Manuel Cruz, and culminated with a dinner-dance at the Westwood in Garwood, New Jersey.
Thank you to Bishop Cruz, the visiting priests, the township dignitaries, the Fire Department, friends and family members of the honorees, who flew in from various parts of the country, and parishioners, who joined us in the celebration of this great milestone.
Congratulations once again to the honorees - Fr. Charles McDermott, Roger & Kathleen Boetsch and Joseph & Carol Furnari
September 30
90th Anniversary Dinner
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The tour to the Padre Pio Cultural Center and Our Lady of Grace Chapel was a huge success! The bus was sold out and the pilgrims enjoyed their visit. They got to hear a story of love and miracles involving the Calandra family and learned about Padre Pio, who was born in Southern Italy. In his priesthood, he touched many lives. His whole life was marked by prayer. To this day, he is still working many miracles. Pope John Paul II canonized Padre Pio on June 16, 2002. There was also an exhibit of the "Real Presence in the Eucharist." This exhibit consists of over 100 panels presenting the principal Eucharistic Miracles that have taken place over centuries in various countries of the world and which have been recognized by the Church. A big thanks to Alberta Phillips for organizing such a memorable trip.
October 18
Padre Pio Cultural Center
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December 16
Welcome Cardinal Tobin!
December 19
Simbang Gabi 2018!
December 21
Christmas Party with Kathleen Boetsch!
2017
July 22
Feast of St. Alphonsa
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Simbáng Gabi (Filipino for "Night Mass"), a devotional Nine-Day series of Masses celebrated in anticipation of Christmas and to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, began in 1669. This Novena originated in the early days of Spanish rule over the Philippines as a practical compromise for farmers, who began work before sunrise to avoid the noonday heat out in the fields. This cherished Christmas custom eventually became a distinct feature of Philippine culture and became a symbol of sharing. This year, Simbáng Gabi, organized by the Filipino Apostolate of Union County, Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, is being held in 9 different churches. On Tuesday, December 19th, we hosted the 5th evening mass followed by refreshments in the Lower Church.
December
Simbang Gabi
2010 - 2016
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September 26
Feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz
2016
December 4