Parish Life

Annual Blessing of Pets

Our annual pet blessing, in Commemoration of St. Francis, will take place Sunday, October 2nd at the beginning of the 11am Holy Mass. The Mass will take place in the parish hall. Well behaved dogs, cats, fish, birds and all God’s creatures are invited with their owners. The blessing will be given in Commemoration of Saint Francis of Assisi (Oct. 4). As we know, animals trusted St. Francis and he treated them with courtesy. Near the end of his life St. Francis composed a song of praise and thanks to God for all his creations, called “Canticle to Brother Sun” – also known as the “Canticle of the Creatures.” From this song we know that St. Francis did not perceive himself isolated from other creatures. He simply assumed that all creatures – not only humans – form one family of creation. So we are encouraged to bless and praise God with cats, dogs, birds and all God’s creatures.

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Ś+P John Swider

Dear Parishioners,

I kindly ask you to say prayers for our departed parishioner, John Swider (86). Our sincere sympathy to his wife, Verna, daughter Gaylene and her husband James Ambrosini, son John Jr and wife Robyn and grandchildren John III and Paige, his sister, Lee Studwell, and a niece and three nephews, other relatives and friends.
John was formerly member of the Parish Committee and active parishioner of our parish since it was built in Woodland Park in 1965-65.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

Wake Service on Thursday, September 15th, 4-8 PM (5:30 pm -prayers) at Bizub Parker Funeral Home, Little Falls, NJ

Funeral Mass on Friday, September 16th at 9 AM at Holy Cross Church

JOHN SWIDER, age 86, long time resident of Little Falls passed away on Tuesday.

Born on Nov 20, 1924 in Dupont, PA, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1941 working Montana and Washington St. as a lumberjack building fire roads. He proudly served during WWII as Petty Officer 2nd Class aboard the USS LST 269 and USS O’Hare Destroyer 889, participating in eight invasions including the Hollandia, Marianas, and Leyte Operations. During the Leyte invasion, his ship suffered mortar damage from shore based fire. John earned four (4) Bronze Battle Stars during his service.

Upon returning to the States after the war, he briefly sailed the Great Lakes aboard the Captain John Roen ore carrier. He married the love of his life, Verna Kutzer, on May 6, 1961.

John was formerly employed by Ford Motor Co and AT&T Bell Labs as a Gold Seal Stationary Engineer. He was a member of the Holy Cross Church, Woodland Park; Charter Member of the VFW Post 4909, Dupont, PA; Little Falls Jolly Seniors; and a Distinguished Brother of the Little Falls Lodge #263, F&AM.

He enjoyed hunting and fishing. John was always there for his family and friends, always ready to lend a helping hand. A beloved husband, loving father and grandfather, and a proud America, John will be dearly missed by his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife Verna, daughter Gaylene and her husband James Ambrosini, son John Jr and wife Robyn and grandchildren John III and Paige, his sister, Lee Studwell, and a niece and three nephews. He is predeceased by a sister Adele Novak.

Funeral Services will be 8:30 am Friday from Bizub-Parker Funeral Home, 47 Main St, Little Falls and 9:00 am at Holy Cross Church, 220 Browertown Rd, Woodland Park. Interment will follow at Holy Mother of Sorrows Cemetery, Dupont, PA. Visitation on Thursday from 4-8 pm with a Wake Service at 5:30 pm and Little Falls Lodge #263 Masonic Funeral Service at 7:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to the Holy Cross Church and the Little Falls Masonic Temple, 14 Lincoln Ave., Little Falls, NJ 07424.

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Help for Hurricane Irene Victims

Hurricane Irene luckily didn’t damage our church property. The window wells and sump pump we recently installed were very effective.

As you know from the mass media, there were several families and businesses flooded in Woodland Park and other towns along the Passaic River. In our town several people were evacuated and many were able to return to their homes no sooner than Friday. The devastation is terrible. In helping victims of flood we begin a Food Drive on Sunday, September 4th. Please bring non perishable food items to the parish hall which will be given directly to flooded families or through the distribution of the Borough of Woodland Park if such case will occur.

In addition to that I ask the Parish Committee Members to attend short meeting after 9 AM Mass Sunday, September 4th to make further decisions on how we can help the flooded community of Woodland Park.

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Congratulations newlyweds

Congratulations to our newlywed couple, Adam Joseph and Carolyn Marie (Hrinuk) Petruzzelli!

On behalf of Holy Cross Church, and my family, we extend congratulations to Adam Joseph Petruzzelli and Carolyn Marie (Hrinuk) who received the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony on Friday, August 26th in Holy Cross Church. Your wedding is will be remembered as the beginning of many joyous moments in your life together, the moment two people’s lives become one; where love between a man and a woman is joined, by the Holy Church, in Sacrament.

Almighty Father, we ask you to bless Adam and Carolyn with love, happiness and guidance during their married life. Bless their parents Lenny and Carolyn Hrinuk, and Suzan Pontecorvo and Late Richard Petruzzelli who gave them the gift of life and raised them to be responsible for having their own family. Bless their wedding party and all their friends.

– Fr. Joseph, Pastor

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Thank you – Drive-in organizers and participants

We thank organizers and participants of last Monday’s Drive In Movie. We watched the movie “Mars Needs Moms,” a Walt Disney Picture, by Simon Wells.

We had about 50 viewers enjoying the weather, friendship, refreshments and the movie. Several people helped to organize this fundraiser for our youth. We thank:

  • Natalie Lazar for organizing this event, producing a flyer which was included in the bulletin and on the web site. Natalie also donated bags, powdered sugar, flour, chocolate syrup, and eggs;
  • Antonio Lazar who prepared a BBQ of hot dogs and prepared other items;
  • Claire Centrella who donated hot dogs, buns, licorice, chips, popcorn;
  • Merry Sleece who donated hot dogs;
  • The Kiame family for their donation of soda and water;
  • The Fernandez family for their donation of water;
  • Kathy Villagomez who donated whipped cream;
  • Renata Cyman who donated strawberries and bananas; and
  • Karen Paulison who donated hot dog buns.

We also thank and appreciate the help offered by John and Natalie Lazar’s friend who set up the screen, projector, computer, and speakers.

Fr. Joseph.

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Sunday Holy Mass Schedule Canceled, Stay Safe

Dear Parishioners,

Most of you received a phone call in regard to our Sunday Holy Mass schedule that was changed due to the severe weather caused by Hurricane Irene.

We celebrated Holy Mass Saturday at 4:30 PM.

I thank those who made phone calls and those who attended the service.

Sunday Holy Masses are cancelled. Please stay safe and dry. Our prayers are with you.

Fr. Joseph

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Free Drive-in Movie – Mars Needs Moms

Come and join us for some end of the summer fun featuring Mars Needs Moms on Monday, August 22nd at 7:30pm (rain date: Wednesday, August 24th at 7:30pm).

Mars Needs Moms: Take out the trash, eat your broccoli-who needs moms, anyway? Nine-year-old Milo finds out just how much he needs his mom when she’s nabbed by Martians who plan to steal her mom-ness for their own young. Milo’s quest to save his mom involves stowing away on a spaceship, navigating an elaborate, multi-level planet and taking on the alien nation and their leader. With the help of a tech-savvy, underground Earthman named Gribble and a rebel Martian girl called Ki, Milo just might find his way back to his mom-in more ways than one.

Rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for sci-fi action and peril.

This is a fundraiser for the youth for upcoming outing. Your participation will be greatly appreciated so bring your family and friends. The more the merrier.

The movie is free. We will charge $1 for Hot Dogs, Pop Corn and 50 cents for soda or water.

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Ś+P Eleanor Niedzwiecki

I kindly ask you to join me in prayers for deceased parishioner, Ś.P. Eleanor Niedzwiecki,who passed away Monday, August 15th. Ś.P. Eleanor was the loving grandmother of Karen Hitchcock, a member of our Parish Committee. You are invited to attend, if possible the Wake Service, and Requiem Holy Mass.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and may the perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen.

On behalf of Holy Cross Church, Parish Committee and my Family I extend our deepest condolences to the family of Ś.P. Eleanor.

Fr. Joseph R. Cyman, Pastor

Ś.P. Eleanor was 96 years old. She was born in Brooklyn, NY and had lived in North Haledon for over 60 years. She worked as a key punch operator at Broadway Bank in Paterson. Eleanor was a parishioner of Holy Cross Polish National Catholic Church in Woodland Park, where she was a member of the Daughters of Holy Cross. Eleanor was the beloved mother of Diane Hitchcock and her late husband James of Pequannock and Ronald Niedzwiecki and his wife Sandra of New Bern, NC. Loving grandmother of Karen Hitchcock of Pompton Plains, James Hitchcock and his wife Elaine of Pompton Plains, Jennifer Bartolozzi and her husband Richard of Pompton Plains and Diane Roberts and her husband Shawn of Hanover Twp. Dear great-grandmother of James, Ryan, Logan, Kiley, Lauren and Kaylan. Dearest sister of Edmund Niedzwiecki and his wife Nancy of Haledon. Funeral will depart the Browning-Forshay Funeral Home, 557 Lafayette Ave., Hawthorne, on Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 9:15 AM for a 10 AM memorial mass at Holy Cross Polish National Catholic Church, Woodland Park. Interment will follow at Laurel Grove Memorial Park, Totowa. Memorial donations may be made to Holy Cross PNC Church, 220 Browertown Rd., Woodland Park 07424.

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