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
Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, October 4, 2026
6:30 PM
Church Parking Lot
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.
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 October
For mental health ministry
Let us pray that the mental health ministry be established throughout the Church, helping to overcome the stigma and discrimination of persons with mental illnesses.
POSTER BOARD
October: Month of the Holy Rosary
The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary.
By tradition, the Catholic Church dedicates each month of the year to certain devotion. The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary, one of the best known of all Catholic devotions. October includes the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7).
The best way to celebrate the month is, of course, to pray the Rosary
But why is it that on October 7th the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary? On October 7, 1571, a great victory over the mighty Turkish fleet was won by Catholic naval forces primarily from Spain, Venice, and Genoa under the command of Don Juan of Austria. It was the last battle at sea between "oared" ships, which featured the most powerful navy in the world, a Moslem force with between 12,000 to 15,000 Christian slaves as rowers.
The patchwork team of Catholic ships was powered by the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Knowing that the Christian forces were at a distinct material disadvantage, the holy pontiff, St. Pope Pius V called for all of Europe to pray the Rosary for victory.
We know today that the victory was significant, prevented the Islamic invasion of Europe, and evidenced the Hand of God working through Our Lady.
At the hour of victory, St. Pope Pius V, who was hundreds of miles away at the Vatican, is said to have gotten up from a meeting, went over to a window, and exclaimed with supernatural radiance: "The Christian fleet is victorious!" and shed tears of thanksgiving to God. What you may not know is that one of three admirals commanding the Catholic forces at Lepanto was Andrea Doria.
He carried a small copy of Mexico's Our Lady of Guadalupe into battle. This image is now enshrined in the Church of San Stefano in Aveto, Italy.
Not many know that at the Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Spain, one can view a huge warship lantern that was captured from the Moslems in the Battle of Lepanto.
In Rome, look up to the ceiling of Santa Maria in Aracoeli and behold decorations in gold taken from the Turkish galleys.
In the Doges' Palace in Venice, Italy, one can witness a giant Islamic flag that is now a trophy from a vanquished Turkish ship from the Victory.
At Saint Mary Major Basilica in Rome, close to the tomb of the great St. Pope Pius V, one was once able to view yet another Islamic flag from the Battle, until 1965, when it was returned to Istanbul in an intended friendly token of concord.
At Lepanto, the Victory over the Moslems was won by the faithful praying the Rosary. Even though they had superior numbers, the Turks really were overmatched. Saint Padre Pio, the Spiritual Father of the Blue Army, said: "The Rosary is the weapon," and how right he was!
The Battle of Lepanto was at first celebrated liturgically as "Our Lady of Victory."
Later, the feast of October 7th was renamed "Our Lady of the Rosary" and extended throughout the Universal Church by Pope Clement XI in 1716 (who canonized Pope Pius V in 1712).
And with that we are back to Fatima, Portugal where Our Lady, when asked her name, said: "I am the Lady of the Rosary." At Fatima, Our Lady taught us to pray the Rosary every day.
Heaven presented its peace plan at Fatima and truly gave us hope for the world.
Conversions were promised at Fatima: the conversion of sinners; the conversion of Russia; and what also appears to be the conversion of Islam.
Our Lady of the Rosary, Pray for us!
"He has commanded his angels to keep you in all your ways; they shall bear you upon their hands lest you strike your foot against a stone." Psalm 91:11-12
October 2nd is the Feast of the Guardian Angels. Although Guardian Angels have been venerated since the early days of the Church, it wasn't until the 17th century that Pope Clement X extended the feast day to the universal Church. It comes just two days after the Feast of the Archangels Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael.
On this Feast of the Guardian Angels in 2011, Pope Benedict XVI said,
“Dear friends, the Lord is always near and active in human history, and follows us with the unique presence of His angels, that today the Church venerates as 'Guardian,' in other words those who minister God's care for every man. From the beginning until death human life is surrounded by their constant protection.”
And in a previous homily for the Feast of the Guardian Angels ~ Pope Francis has remarked,
“Ask yourself this question today: How is my relationship with my guardian angel? Do I listen to him? Do I say good morning to him in the morning? Do I ask him: Watch over me when I sleep?’ Do I speak with him? Do I ask his advice? He is by my side. We can answer this question today, each of us: how is our relationship with this angel that the Lord has sent to watch over me and accompany me on my journey, and who always sees the face of the Father who is in heaven?”
So, tell your guardian angel "Thank You" for their daily guidance, and to show gratitude to God for assigning a powerful heavenly protector for your personal care. It is also a good time to make the resolution to pray to your Guardian Angel daily as our Holy Father admonishes us.
It might be a good idea to keep a guardian angel sacramental handy to increase your devotion to your guardian angel and help you to remember to stay closely connected with them throughout the day.
Guardian Angels in the Bible
Although not a dogmatic article of the faith, it is yet a firmly established Catholic belief that each individual person has their own guardian angel assigned to watch over their soul. There are three important verses in the Catholic Bible from which this belief is drawn:
1. Psalm 90:11: "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways."
2. Matthew 18:10: "See that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."
3. Hebrews 1:14: "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?"
These verses have led St. Jerome, one of our early Church Fathers and Doctors, to conclude,
"How great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from his birth an angel commissioned to guard it."
How Do Guardian Angels Work?
Many other Doctors of the Church wrote about our guardian angels, including St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil, and St. Thomas Aquinas, whose metaphysical unpacking of these mysterious beings is the most thorough and authoritative.
According to Aquinas, our guardian angels have a good influence over us, but they cannot control our free will. Guardian angels influence or guide us by acting upon our intellect through our senses and our imagination. When they do this, they are influencing our will to do good and avoid evil. Their job is to help you get to heaven.
Thus guardian angels do not control us by any means, but they do greatly assist us in finding and doing God's will. Our guardian angels are also able to protect us from danger as well as assist us in prayer and meditation on the divine things of God.
The Saints on the Guardian Angels
We don't only have the Scriptures and the Doctors of the Church who tell us about our Guardian Angels. We also have the saints, some of which actually witnessed their guardian angel in action. In many cases their Guardian Angel was visible to them.
Saints who wrote about these experiences include St. Padre Pio, who could see his guardian angel would often send him on special missions; St. Faustina Kowalska, whose Guardian Angel accompanied her to observe the pains of the Holy Souls in Purgatory; and St. Gemma Galgani, to name a few.
St. Gemma Galgani wrote much about her Guardian Angel in her autobiography, including this account:
“One evening, when I was suffering more than usual, I was complaining to Jesus and telling him that I would not have prayed so much if I had known that He was not going to cure me, and I asked Him why I had to be sick this way. My angel answered me as follows: “If Jesus afflicts you in your body, it is always to purify you in your soul. Be good.”
So let us give thanks to God for these amazing ministering spirits, and be open to the ways your guardian angel is daily helping you to do God's will.
In the Liturgy of the Hours for this feast day, the Office of Readings includes a portion of a beautiful sermon on Guardian Angels by St. Bernard of Clairvoux:
“He has given his angels charge over you to guard you in all your ways”. These words should fill you with respect, inspire devotion and instill confidence; respect for the presence of angels, devotion because of their loving service, and confidence because of their protection. And so the angels are here; they are at your side, they are with you, present on your behalf. They are here to protect you and to serve you.
But even if it is God who has given them this charge, we must nonetheless be grateful to them for the great love with which they obey and come to help us in our great need. So let us be devoted and grateful to such great protectors; let us return their love and honor them as much as we can and should. Yet all our love and honor must go to him, for it is from him that they receive all that makes them worthy of our love and respect.
We should then, show our affection for the angels, for one day they will be our co-heirs just as here below they are our guardians and trustees appointed and set over us by the Father. . . Even though we are children and have a long, a very long and dangerous way to go, with such protectors what have we to fear? They who keep us in all our ways cannot be overpowered or led astray, much less lead us astray. They are loyal, prudent, powerful. Why then are we afraid? We have only to follow them, stay close to them, and we shall dwell under the protection of God’s heaven."
