St. Margaret of Cortona Parish
Serving the Catholic Communities of Little Ferry and Moonachie
in Ministry, Education and Service Since August 24, 1912
31 Chamberlain Ave Little Ferry, NJ 07643
Phone: (201) 641-2988 Fax: (201) 322-0172
Welcome to the Parish Family of
St. Margaret of Cortona
in Little Ferry
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Father Kevin's 40th Anniversary
Father Kevin will be celebrating his 40th Anniversary of his Ordination to the Priesthood.
Sunday ~ November 22, 2026 at the 11:30 AM Mass
Please save the date.
'On Eagle's Wings' turns 50: The journey behind the song that has consoled the world
Click here to learn more: https://www.ncronline.org/news/eagles-wings-turns-50-journey-behind-song-has-consoled-world
2026 Archdiocese of Newark Annual Appeal
We Are His Witnesses: A Pastoral Letter from Cardinal Tobin
As we welcome the New Year, Cardinal Tobin invites all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Newark to read We Are His Witnesses, his pastoral letter outlining new pathways for the future of the Archdiocese. Rooted in Pope Francis’ call for pastoral conversion, missionary discipleship, and synodality, the letter reflects on our shared journey of faith and calls us to embrace renewal, collaboration and missionary outreach. This multi-year initiative will guide us in shaping a vibrant, hopeful future for our Church community.
Click to read We Are His Witnesses and join this journey of faith as we respond to Christ’s call to be His witnesses in the world.
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities USA supports a national network of agencies committed to encountering those along the margins, regardless of their faith.
Want to help victims of recent hurricanes? Click on this link: https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/
Welcome New Parishioners
Register with us by filling up this form and dropping it in the collection basket or at the Parish Office. Click on the form below to download.
Music is an extremely important part of liturgy at the Parish of St. Margaret of Cortona and we are looking for enthusiastic music lovers and musicians to join our music ministry.
ALL ARE WELCOME!
St. Margaret of Cortona’s choir sings at the 11:30 Mass every Sunday and at other liturgies throughout the year. Rehearsals are held every Thursday at 7:30 pm beginning in September and through the month of June. No experience is necessary. Let us make a joyful noise to the Lord! Call Eileen - 201-843-1097 or see her after Mass!
Jersey Catholic
Jersey Catholic is the news site of the Archdiocese of Newark and brings you top news from around the Archdiocese, our Catholic schools throughout the U.S., and the Vatican.
Visit https://jerseycatholic.org/ for the latest local and global Church news.
Donate to St. Margaret's
Here are some ways that you can help our Parish during these trying times:
ParishSoft - Click here to go to the giving site.
You can also give via text to (201) 689-5641, just enter the amount you want to donate in the message. You will need to create an account if you haven't done so yet. Click here if you need help creating an account.
Step-By-Step Walk Through the Mass
Click on this link to go the website: https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/blog-categories/series-on-the-mass
SCHEDULES
Mass Schedule
Saturday ~ 5:30 pm
Sunday ~ 9:00 am and 11:30 am
Weekdays:
Monday through Friday:
12:00 PM
First Saturday Mass
12:05 PM in the Church
Holy Days
(Except Christmas and Easter): 8:00 AM, 12:05 PM, 7:00 PM
Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)
Saturdays 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Experience God’s Mercy. Celebrate the Grace-Filled Sacrament of Reconciliation
Contact Us
Parish Center (Monday through Thursday 10 am till 4pm. Closed on Fridays)
Tel: 201-641-2988
Fax: 201-322-0172
Rectory (By appointment only):
201-641-2988
Religious Education (Sunday to Thursday):
201-641-3937
New in the Area?
If you are new in the area, why not join our ever-growing Parish family. Stop by the Parish Center any weekday and register. Click on this link to download the form or call us at 201-641-2988
Pope Leo's Prayer Intention for September
For the care of water
Let us pray for a just and sustainable management of water, a vital resource, so that everyone may have equal access to it.
POSTER BOARD
Why is September Dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows ?
As with all the monthly devotions in the Catholic Church, the development took place over time. Devotion to Our Mother of Sorrows, supported in Sacred Scripture, dates back to the early Church Fathers contemplating Mary’s sufferings at the foot of the cross. Throughout Church history, various orders and saints have had a special devotion to Our Lady under this title and as such, have focused their ministries on prayer and penance. September eventually became known as the month of Our Lady of Sorrows because Her feast day of that title had been fittingly appointed for September 15th, the day following The Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Although The Blessed Virgin endured more interior pain than we can comprehend, the Church has given us seven sorrows on which we can meditate in identification with Our Mother of Sorrows. Our Lady herself has promised graces to those who honor Her in this way.
The Seven Sorrows are:
St. Simeon’s Prophesy
The Flight into Egypt
The Loss of Jesus in the Temple
The Meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross
The Crucifixion
Mary Receives the Body of Jesus taken down from the Cross
The Burial of Jesus
7 Ways to Grow in Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows this September
Here are a few ideas to help you honor Our Lady of Sorrows and grow in devotion to her.
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Meditate on each of the Seven Sorrows of Mary.
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Learn the Seven Promises given to those who meditate on Our Lady’s Sorrows (see below).
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Learn the Four Graces given to those devoted to Our Lady and her Sorrows.
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Memorize Scripture verses that highlight the sorrows Mary experienced like, Luke 2:34-35 and John 19:25-27
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Place an image or icon of Our Lady of Sorrows next to a crucifix in your home.
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Read the Revelations of Saint Bridget: On the Life and Passion of Our Lord and the Life of His Blessed Mother to learn about this saint and meditate on the sufferings of Jesus and Mary.
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Unite your own sufferings with those of Jesus and Mary, a meritorious action pleasing to Our Lord and Our Lady.
Further Reading on Our Lady of Sorrows
everal books provide valuable insights for those interested in deepening their understanding of this devotion.
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Contemplating the Seven Sorrows of Mary – Sophia Institute Press, by Joseph Hallcraft and Ruth Berghorst, guides the reader in mental prayer meditating on the Seven Sorrows of Mary with St. Alphonsus Liguori.
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Devotion to the Sorrowful Mother, by the Benedictine Convent of Clyde, is a prayer booklet explaining Our Lady’s sorrows and the importance of growing in love for Mary through devotion to her seven sorrows.
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The Glories of Mary, by St. Alphonsus de Liguori, shares the four principal graces the Lord promised to those devoted to Our Lady and her sorrows.
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Our Lady of Sorrows – Sophia Institute Press, by Patrick O’Hearn. A book for children to be read as a family to teach and instill a love for Mary in her sorrows.
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Praying With Our Sorrowful Mother: Reflections on the Seven Sorrows of Mary, by Fr. Jacob Powell, explores the riches of the interior life of Mary and how, through her seven sorrows, the Blessed Virgin’s soul is uniquely opened to humanity.
Prayers Honoring Our Lady of Sorrows
There are several prayers dedicated to honoring Our Lady of Sorrows in the Catholic tradition. Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows Dear Mother Mary, your heart was pained so much on your earthly pilgrimage by the sufferings your family and your nation endured. A sword of sorrow pierced your loving heart each time you experienced the pain of sin which wounded your innocent Son and all those around you. We need you, Mary, to be with us in our sorrows, that we may not give up or despair, but keep hoping in God’s love for us, and in the fulfillment of His promises. We too want to console your tender heart, so pained by our sins, which continue so grievously against your Son today. Sweet Mother of Sorrows, we love you.
Amen.
Prayer of St. Alphonsus Liguori to the Sorrowful Mother
O, my afflicted Mother! Queen of martyrs and of sorrows, thou didst so bitterly weep over thy Son, who died for my salvation; but what will thy tears avail me if I am lost? By the merit, then, of thy sorrows, obtain me true contrition for my sins, and a real amendment of life, together with constant and tender compassion for the sufferings of Jesus and thy dolors. And if Jesus and thou, being so innocent, have suffered so much for love of me, obtain that at least I, who am deserving of hell, may suffer something for your love. “O Lady,” will I say with St. Bonaventure, “if I have offended thee, in justice wound my heart; if I have served thee, I now ask wounds for my reward. It is shameful to me to see my Lord Jesus wounded, and thee wounded with Him, and myself without a wound.” In fine, O my Mother, by the grief thou didst experience in seeing thy Son bow down His head and expire on the cross in the midst of so many torments, I beseech thee to obtain me a good death. Ah, cease not, O advocate of sinners, to assist my afflicted soul in the midst of the combats in which it will have to engage on its great passage from time to eternity. And as it is probable that I may then have lost my speech, and strength to invoke thy name and that of Jesus, who are all my hope, I do so now; I invoke thy Son and thee to succor me in that last moment; and I say, Jesus and Mary, to you I commend my soul.
Amen.
Let’s Answer the Call
The devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows is a rich tradition stemming from the earliest moments of the Church, and now it is enveloped in the entire Month of September. Our Lady has asked us to meditate on her sorrows and provided promises to those who will be faithful to this devotion. This month, let’s take the opportunity to answer the call, praying and reflecting on her sufferings and what they teach us about sacrifice, compassion, and trust in God’s will amidst the challenges and contradictions of this life. As we accompany Mary in her sorrows, we will discover the hope and strength we need to face our own trials and an enduring reminder that we are cradled in the arms of a compassionate Mother, whose love and intercession know no bounds.
Fulton John Sheen
Also called: Bishop Fulton Sheen or Venerable Fulton J. Sheen
Born: May 8, 1895, El Paso, Illinois, U.S.
Died: December 9, 1979, Manhattan, New York (aged 84)
Fulton J. Sheen An immensely popular Roman Catholic priest and radio and TV personality, Fulton J. Sheen was once called “the greatest communicator of the 20th century” by fellow evangelist Billy Graham...
“Fulton J. Sheen American religious leader and radio personality.”
Fulton J. Sheen (born May 8, 1895, El Paso, Illinois, U.S.—died December 9, 1979, Manhattan, New York) was an American religious leader, evangelist, writer, Roman Catholic priest, and radio and television personality. His popularity among Americans is credited with helping to break down anti-Catholic bias in the United States and paving the way for the election of John F. Kennedy, the first Catholic to serve as U.S. president. Sheen will be beatified, the second step toward canonization as a saint, in September 2026.
Sheen was the oldest of four children born to Newt Sheen, a farmer, and his wife Delia (née Fulton) Sheen. As a child, he served as an altar boy at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Peoria, Illinois. Sheen attended parochial school and then attended St. Viator College, in Bourbonnais, Illinois, where he earned a B.A. in 1917 and an M.A. in 1919. He was ordained a priest later that year. Sheen pursued further studies, earning a bachelor’s degree in canon law from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in 1920; a Ph.D. in philosophy from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium in 1923; and a Doctor of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome in 1924. After another year of study in Belgium, he served as a priest in London for one year before returning to Peoria in 1926 to serve as a parish priest. Later that year he left Peoria to join the philosophy faculty at the Catholic University of America, where he taught until 1950.
Sheen was not only a respected teacher but also a gifted orator. The rising popularity of radio in the early 20th century provided Sheen with an opportunity to gain a wide audience. In 1930 he began his 22-year radio career on the program The Catholic Hour, which reached an estimated four million listeners at the height of its popularity. In 1951 Sheen became a titular bishop, and he served as auxiliary bishop of New York (1951–66). During much of his tenure in New York, he hosted a weekly television series, Life Is Worth Living (1951–57), that attracted about 30 million viewers. On that show the bishop, often speaking without a script and appearing at his characteristic chalkboard, discussed practical matters of faith and sharply criticized communism.
Sheen was appointed national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in 1958, a position he held until 1966, when he was appointed bishop of Rochester, New York. From 1961 to 1969 he hosted another popular television show, The Bishop Fulton Sheen Show. He also wrote various books and a syndicated newspaper column. In 1969 he was appointed archbishop of Newport, Wales. From 1976 until his death three years later, Sheen served Pope Paul VI as assistant to the Pontifical Throne, a position that authorized him to stand by the papal throne during official ceremonies. He died shortly after open-heart surgery in 1979 at the age of 84. Among his many books are Communism and the Conscience of the West (1948), Way to Inner Peace (1955), and The Power of Love (1965).
Path to beatification
Sheen was declared “Venerable,” or officially recognized for having lived a life of holy virtue (a major step toward canonization), by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. In July 2019 Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to Sheen, making possible his future beatification. The beatification ceremony was postponed, however, because of allegations that Sheen may have mishandled an accusation of sexual abuse against a local priest during Sheen’s tenure in Rochester. In addition, a dispute about his remains arose between the dioceses of Peoria and New York.
In 2019 Sheen’s body was moved from St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City to his childhood parish in Peoria. Meanwhile, an investigation by several dioceses and the state of New York concluded that Sheen had neither attempted to cover up abuse nor put any children in harm’s way. His cause for beatification was therefore approved, with the ceremony scheduled to take place in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 24, 2026.
