Author: claireh@nativitychurchnj.org

The Church of Nativity Book Club will meet on Monday, January 29 at 7pm in the Parish Library. Our book for January is What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman.

The breakout novel from The New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan Collector, What She Left Behind weaves together riveting stories of past and present, exploring the strength of women in two different times as they face adversity in two very different ways. Go inside the horrifying walls of a 1920s New York asylum as a wrongly imprisoned woman fights for what is most important to her—and meet the young woman confronting the pain and mystery of her own family’s mental illness two generations later.

Ten years ago, Izzy Stone’s mother fatally shot her father while he slept. Devastated by her mother’s apparent insanity, Izzy, now seventeen, refuses to visit her in prison. But her new foster parents, employees at the local museum, have enlisted Izzy’s help in cataloging items at a long-shuttered state asylum. There, amid piles of abandoned belongings, Izzy discovers a stack of unopened letters, a decades-old journal, and a window into her own past.

Young flapper and suffragette Clara Cartwright is caught between her overbearing parents and her desire to be a modern woman. Furious when she rejects an arranged marriage, instead finding love with an Italian immigrant, Clara’s father sends her to a genteel home for nervous invalids. But when his fortune is lost in the stock market crash of 1929, he can no longer afford her care—and Clara is committed to the public asylum.

Even as Izzy deals with the challenges of yet another new beginning, Clara’s story keeps drawing her into the past. If Clara was never really mentally ill, could something else explain her own mother’s violent act? Piecing together Clara’s fate compels Izzy to re-examine her own choices—with shocking and unexpected results.

Click here to see what other books we’ll be reading this year.

Questions about Book Club? Contact Liz Jacobelli at lizjacobelli@aol.com.

 

The “12 Knights for Christmas” campaign continues again this year throughout December and into the New Year. As a Knight myself, I remain powerfully and deeply grateful to the work done by the Knights in our local Council 3187. This year, I continue my journey in the Knights as Council Chaplain as well as recently attaining the 4th Degree, the highest local rank for Knights.

Founded on the principles of charity, unity and fraternity, the Knights of Columbus was established in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney, assistant pastor of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, CT, and a group of parishioners. In 2023, Knights come from every stage of life, and from all corners of the world. Today, more than ever, our Church needs men to lead, to serve, to protect and defend…to join together as husbands, fathers, sons, neighbors committed to Fr. McGivney’s vision of active discipleship through acts of charity, fraternity and love of neighbor.

Examples of Council 3187 charitable activities and service include: ARC, Special Olympics, Coats for Kids, Local Food Banks Collections, NJ Covenant House, NJ Birthright, Local High School and University Scholarships, and many more! In addition, the Knights serve the pastors of Nativity and Holy Cross.

Over the next few months, it is my hope that we can add at least 12 new Council 3187 members to help support the needs of our parishes and surrounding communities. Please join me in my hope and prayer that this goal will be achieved. I hope that you will answer my call and join today. It only takes a few minutes to complete the online application and if you join now through January 31, 2024, you can become a member of the Knights of Columbus for FREE.

Click here to join.

Use Promo Code BLESSEDMCGIVNEY, specifying Council 3187.

– Fr. Chris

The Notre Dame Club of the Jersey Shore and the Church of the Nativity are hosting a Dorm Mass for college students returning to campus after winter break. All are welcome!

Sunday, January 7, 2024 at 4pm
Church of the Nativity
180 Ridge Road
Fair Haven, NJ

Pizza will be served in the Parish Hall following Mass.

What is a Dorm Mass?

Each week on the Notre Dame campus, every residence hall celebrates Mass in its own chapel, fostering the atmosphere of student camaraderie through the sacrament of the Eucharist.

The Notre Dame Club of the Jersey Shore and the Church of the Nativity are partnering to bring this prayerful experience to local college students and their families.

If you would like to attend, please complete this survey to help us with our planning (and pizza order!).

Questions? Contact Claire Harbeck at claireh@nativitychurchnj.org or 732-741-1714 x220.

While you are out shopping this holiday season, please remember we are seeking donations for the Nativity Women’s Group Mardi Gras Dinner, Bingo and Gift Baskets. We will gladly take any re-gifting items as well!

Items may be dropped in the Parish Office. Please mark items “Women’s Group.”

Did you know that in the United States, 4.2 million youth experience a period of homelessness every year? Some are from right here in Monmouth County. In the past 2 years Covenant House NJ served over 125 young people from Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex Counties.  

This March, the Church of the Nativity and Knights of Columbus 3187 are participating in the annual Covenant House New Jersey Sleep Out Community Event.

We would love for you to join our Nativity Knight Owls team or support us financially!

Sleep Out: Covenant House Asbury Park Community Edition
Church of the Nativity
180 Ridge Road
Fair Haven, NJ

Start time: Friday, March 1, 8pm
End time:  Saturday, March 2, 7am

Join Our Team

The Sleep Out is a transformative overnight experience where youth, adults, volunteers, and staff come together at the Church of the Nativity to participate in a series of impactful programs and workshops. We will have an opportunity to meet the staff and youth from Covenant House and learn more about the work being done with youth overcoming homelessness and human trafficking survivors. Then we have the option to sleep out at Nativity in the parking lot, our own car, or if we choose we can go home and sleep out on our porch, backyard, couch or floor. In the morning there is a time for reflection with everyone that is always very moving.

Each team member is required to fundraise. The suggested fundraising goal is $300 for ages 12-21 and $1,500 for adults.

Support Us Financially

Don’t want to sleep on the cold hard floor of the Parish Hall? That’s ok – you can still support us! Click on the link below for more information about making donations. You can support our team as a whole by choosing “Support Us,” or you can support an individual team member by choosing “Roster.”

Click here to Join Our Team or Support Us

Questions? Please contact Claire Harbeck, Nativity Knight Owls Team Captain, at 732-539-6070 or claireh@nativitychurchnj.org.

Covenant House is a 501(c)3 organization that has opened its doors to over 1.5 million young people experiencing homelessness and trafficking since its founding in 1972. In 34 cities across six countries, more than 2,000 young people sleep in a Covenant House bed each night. No one is ever turned away without support of some kind. Covenant House meets immediate needs for food, clothing, safety, and medical and mental health care. It has specialized programs for young parents and their small children and for human trafficking survivors. And it helps young people experiencing homelessness to advance their goals and achieve sustainable independence with education, job readiness, and career pathways programs.