Become spiritually renewed in Lent
March 13, 2025 at 10:30 a.m.
The Season of Lent offers the faithful an opportunity to become spiritually renewed as they prepare for Easter. Attending Mass, the Stations of the Cross, retreats and days of recollection are among the ways that Catholics can grow in their faith. Following are some offerings available around the Diocese. More can be found at TrentonMonitor.com>Faith&Culture>Seasons&Celebrations.
Going on pilgrimage with Station Churches of Mercer County
The tradition of the Station Churches of Mercer County is continuing in 2025, giving parishioners and other faithful from around the Diocese, an opportunity to have a prayerful pilgrimage experience during the Lenten season.
As in past years, the participating parishes are welcoming pilgrims for the celebration of Mass, offer a tour of the church and provide a history of the church.
For this year’s schedule, an adjustment has been made to incorporate the Jubilee Year and its theme of hope. While numerous parishes are participating, each Thursday evening Mass, however, will be celebrated in St. Anthony Church, Hamilton, the designated pilgrimage church for Mercer County. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be held from 6:30 to 7 p.m., followed by Mass. All other parish Masses are at 7 p.m.
Though Station Church gatherings were held March 6, March 10 and March 11, the remainder of the schedule is as follows:
March 13, St. Anthony Church, Hamilton; March 17, St. Raphael-Holy Angels Church, Hamilton; March 19, Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, West Trenton; March 20, St. Anthony Church, Hamilton; March 24, St. Gregory the Great Church, Hamilton Square; March 25, St. Ann Church, Lawrenceville; March 26, Sacred Heart Church, Trenton; March 27, St. Anthony Church, Hamilton; March 31, St. Paul Church, Princeton
Masses in April will be: April 1, St. James Church, Trenton; April 3, St. Anthony Church, Hamilton; April 7, St. David the King Church, Princeton Junction; April 10, St. Anthony Church, Hamilton
Parishes to host Lenten missions and retreats 
Sacred Heart Parish, Riverton, will hold a Lenten Mission March 12-14, each evening at 6:30 p.m. Presenter Father Martin O’Reilly, pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, Bordentown, and episcopal vicar of Burlington County, will focus on the theme, “Eucharist: The Sacrament of Hope.” Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated March 14. For more information, call 856-291-0480 or [email protected].
St. Mary of the Lakes Parish, Medford, will hold a Lenten Parish Mission March 16-18, each evening at 7 p.m. in the church. Presenter is Dr. Roy Schoeman, an MIT/Harvard educated Jewish convert to Catholicism. His presentations will focus on his journey to the Catholic faith and the relationship of the Jewish and Catholic faiths. On March 1, the focus will be on the two “supernatural experiences” that led Dr. Schoeman’s unanticipated conversion to Catholicism. On March 17, the presentation will highlight how Judaism and the Catholic Church are not two distinct religions but two phases of one. The link between the Exodus, Passover and the Seder to the coming of the Messiah will be discussed. On March 18, the discussion will center on the role of the Jews in bringing about the first coming of Christ, the mystery of the failure of the Jews to recognize Christ and the second coming of Jesus.
Lawrence Council, Knights of Columbus, will hold a Lenten retreat March 15 from 9 a.m. to noon in the Pope John Paul Community Room of St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville. Presenter Msgr. Thomas Mullelly, diocesan episcopal vicar of Clergy and Consecrated Life and director of seminarians, will focus on the theme “God’s Plan: The Path to Heaven.” To register in advance, email [email protected]. In-person registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the retreat. There is no admission charge but a freewill offering will be collected.
St. Joseph by the Sea Retreat House, South Mantoloking, will hold “Lenten Saints to Celebrate,” which will serve as the theme of a retreat March 27 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The saints to be discussed will be Patrick, Joseph, Mother Cabrini and Brigid of Ireland. Janice Santanello is the presenter. Cost is $65 and includes lunch. Mass will be celebrated. To register, call 732-892-8494.
Stations of the Cross for Married Couples
Husbands and wives in the Trenton Diocese have four unique opportunities this Lent to participate in special Stations of the Cross for Married Couples.
Prepared by the diocesan Department of Evangelization and Family Life, the Stations will take place at 7 p.m. in the following parishes: March 21, St. Isaac Jogues, Marlton; March 28, St. Luke, Toms River, and April 4, St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold. The first gathering for married couples was held March 7 in St. Paul Church, Princeton.
Based on a text published by Magnificat, these Stations of the Cross are designed to be prayed particularly by married couples. The evenings will be led by married parishioners in each location, including some from parish pre-Cana teams. At the end of the Stations, couples will have an opportunity to receive a special blessing and renew their marriage vows as a sign of their love and commitment.
Couples are asked to register in advance of the gathering they wish to attend. Registration can take place by using the QR Code or by contacting Nick Petrillo, associate director of Marriage Ministries and Natural Family Planning, at 609-403-7128 or [email protected].
Stations of the Cross in diocesan mausoleum
Faithful are invited to pray the Stations of the Cross for the Holy Souls of Purgatory each Friday during Lent at the Diocese’s mausoleum in Mount Laurel.
Led by Deacon David O’Connor, diocesan director of the Department of Catholic Cemeteries, the Stations are prayed every Friday at 3 p.m. in Jesus Bread of Life Cemetery and Mausoleum, 3055 Fostertown Road, Mount Laurel. While the first gathering was held March 7, the remaining dates are March 14, 21, 28, April 4 and 11.
During Stations of the Cross, participants will have the opportunity to recall loved ones who have died and keep in mind the departed who may have no one to pray for them; reflect on the reality of purgatory; remember the Passion and Death of Christ, and pray that the same Christ may soon welcome the souls of the faithful departed.
The Stations are being sponsored by the diocesan Department of Catholic Cemeteries. For more information, contact Marybeth Montgomery at [email protected] or 609-403-7159.
Princeton Junction parish to host Lenten Mission April 8-9
Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio will lead a two-day Lenten Mission on the “Seven Deadly Sins – Virtues, Vices, Sin & the Conscience” April 8 and 9 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the St. David the King Church, Princeton Junction.
Father Jason Parzynski, parish pastor, said the topic for the mission was chosen based on questions people have been asking and “since Lent is a time of personal reflection and spiritual growth, this topic felt particularly relevant.”
Father Parzynski added, “The theme of virtues and vices speaks directly to the Lenten call to conversion, making it a meaningful focus for reflection.”
D’Ambrosio is a senior fellow of The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a scholar specializing in the interpretation of Scripture and Tradition. He is also a popular speaker, retreat leader and pastoral minister with a special interest in teen evangelization and Hispanic ministry.
D’Ambrosio’s book, “Exploring the Catholic Church,” has been used in hundreds of parishes all throughout the English speaking world. He also contributed to Abingdon’s Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation.
The founder of Crossroads Initiative, an apostolate of Catholic renewal and evangelizations, his writings have been published in the international journal Communio, The Tablet, Catholic Digest, Our Sunday Visitor and Catholic News Service’s syndicated column “Faith Alive.” He often appears on the international Eternal Word Television Network and is regularly heard on the nationally syndicated radio show “Catholic Answers Live.“
St. David the King is located at 1 New Village Rd., Princeton Junction.
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The Season of Lent offers the faithful an opportunity to become spiritually renewed as they prepare for Easter. Attending Mass, the Stations of the Cross, retreats and days of recollection are among the ways that Catholics can grow in their faith. Following are some offerings available around the Diocese. More can be found at TrentonMonitor.com>Faith&Culture>Seasons&Celebrations.
Going on pilgrimage with Station Churches of Mercer County
The tradition of the Station Churches of Mercer County is continuing in 2025, giving parishioners and other faithful from around the Diocese, an opportunity to have a prayerful pilgrimage experience during the Lenten season.
As in past years, the participating parishes are welcoming pilgrims for the celebration of Mass, offer a tour of the church and provide a history of the church.
For this year’s schedule, an adjustment has been made to incorporate the Jubilee Year and its theme of hope. While numerous parishes are participating, each Thursday evening Mass, however, will be celebrated in St. Anthony Church, Hamilton, the designated pilgrimage church for Mercer County. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be held from 6:30 to 7 p.m., followed by Mass. All other parish Masses are at 7 p.m.
Though Station Church gatherings were held March 6, March 10 and March 11, the remainder of the schedule is as follows:
March 13, St. Anthony Church, Hamilton; March 17, St. Raphael-Holy Angels Church, Hamilton; March 19, Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, West Trenton; March 20, St. Anthony Church, Hamilton; March 24, St. Gregory the Great Church, Hamilton Square; March 25, St. Ann Church, Lawrenceville; March 26, Sacred Heart Church, Trenton; March 27, St. Anthony Church, Hamilton; March 31, St. Paul Church, Princeton
Masses in April will be: April 1, St. James Church, Trenton; April 3, St. Anthony Church, Hamilton; April 7, St. David the King Church, Princeton Junction; April 10, St. Anthony Church, Hamilton
Parishes to host Lenten missions and retreats
Sacred Heart Parish, Riverton, will hold a Lenten Mission March 12-14, each evening at 6:30 p.m. Presenter Father Martin O’Reilly, pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, Bordentown, and episcopal vicar of Burlington County, will focus on the theme, “Eucharist: The Sacrament of Hope.” Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated March 14. For more information, call 856-291-0480 or [email protected].
St. Mary of the Lakes Parish, Medford, will hold a Lenten Parish Mission March 16-18, each evening at 7 p.m. in the church. Presenter is Dr. Roy Schoeman, an MIT/Harvard educated Jewish convert to Catholicism. His presentations will focus on his journey to the Catholic faith and the relationship of the Jewish and Catholic faiths. On March 1, the focus will be on the two “supernatural experiences” that led Dr. Schoeman’s unanticipated conversion to Catholicism. On March 17, the presentation will highlight how Judaism and the Catholic Church are not two distinct religions but two phases of one. The link between the Exodus, Passover and the Seder to the coming of the Messiah will be discussed. On March 18, the discussion will center on the role of the Jews in bringing about the first coming of Christ, the mystery of the failure of the Jews to recognize Christ and the second coming of Jesus.
Lawrence Council, Knights of Columbus, will hold a Lenten retreat March 15 from 9 a.m. to noon in the Pope John Paul Community Room of St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville. Presenter Msgr. Thomas Mullelly, diocesan episcopal vicar of Clergy and Consecrated Life and director of seminarians, will focus on the theme “God’s Plan: The Path to Heaven.” To register in advance, email [email protected]. In-person registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the retreat. There is no admission charge but a freewill offering will be collected.
St. Joseph by the Sea Retreat House, South Mantoloking, will hold “Lenten Saints to Celebrate,” which will serve as the theme of a retreat March 27 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The saints to be discussed will be Patrick, Joseph, Mother Cabrini and Brigid of Ireland. Janice Santanello is the presenter. Cost is $65 and includes lunch. Mass will be celebrated. To register, call 732-892-8494.
Stations of the Cross for Married Couples
Husbands and wives in the Trenton Diocese have four unique opportunities this Lent to participate in special Stations of the Cross for Married Couples.
Prepared by the diocesan Department of Evangelization and Family Life, the Stations will take place at 7 p.m. in the following parishes: March 21, St. Isaac Jogues, Marlton; March 28, St. Luke, Toms River, and April 4, St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold. The first gathering for married couples was held March 7 in St. Paul Church, Princeton.
Based on a text published by Magnificat, these Stations of the Cross are designed to be prayed particularly by married couples. The evenings will be led by married parishioners in each location, including some from parish pre-Cana teams. At the end of the Stations, couples will have an opportunity to receive a special blessing and renew their marriage vows as a sign of their love and commitment.
Couples are asked to register in advance of the gathering they wish to attend. Registration can take place by using the QR Code or by contacting Nick Petrillo, associate director of Marriage Ministries and Natural Family Planning, at 609-403-7128 or [email protected].
Stations of the Cross in diocesan mausoleum
Faithful are invited to pray the Stations of the Cross for the Holy Souls of Purgatory each Friday during Lent at the Diocese’s mausoleum in Mount Laurel.
Led by Deacon David O’Connor, diocesan director of the Department of Catholic Cemeteries, the Stations are prayed every Friday at 3 p.m. in Jesus Bread of Life Cemetery and Mausoleum, 3055 Fostertown Road, Mount Laurel. While the first gathering was held March 7, the remaining dates are March 14, 21, 28, April 4 and 11.
During Stations of the Cross, participants will have the opportunity to recall loved ones who have died and keep in mind the departed who may have no one to pray for them; reflect on the reality of purgatory; remember the Passion and Death of Christ, and pray that the same Christ may soon welcome the souls of the faithful departed.
The Stations are being sponsored by the diocesan Department of Catholic Cemeteries. For more information, contact Marybeth Montgomery at [email protected] or 609-403-7159.
Princeton Junction parish to host Lenten Mission April 8-9
Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio will lead a two-day Lenten Mission on the “Seven Deadly Sins – Virtues, Vices, Sin & the Conscience” April 8 and 9 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the St. David the King Church, Princeton Junction.
Father Jason Parzynski, parish pastor, said the topic for the mission was chosen based on questions people have been asking and “since Lent is a time of personal reflection and spiritual growth, this topic felt particularly relevant.”
Father Parzynski added, “The theme of virtues and vices speaks directly to the Lenten call to conversion, making it a meaningful focus for reflection.”
D’Ambrosio is a senior fellow of The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a scholar specializing in the interpretation of Scripture and Tradition. He is also a popular speaker, retreat leader and pastoral minister with a special interest in teen evangelization and Hispanic ministry.
D’Ambrosio’s book, “Exploring the Catholic Church,” has been used in hundreds of parishes all throughout the English speaking world. He also contributed to Abingdon’s Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation.
The founder of Crossroads Initiative, an apostolate of Catholic renewal and evangelizations, his writings have been published in the international journal Communio, The Tablet, Catholic Digest, Our Sunday Visitor and Catholic News Service’s syndicated column “Faith Alive.” He often appears on the international Eternal Word Television Network and is regularly heard on the nationally syndicated radio show “Catholic Answers Live.“
St. David the King is located at 1 New Village Rd., Princeton Junction.