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Community Events, News & Events

Bishop Checchio will ordain Ketan Christian, the first Gujarati as a Deacon along with 15 candidates and one other as a transitional Deacon.

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Bishop Checchio will ordain Ketan Christian, the first Gujarati as a Deacon along with 15 candidates and one other as a transitional Deacon. The ordination will take place on Friday, May 03, 2024, at 4:00 PM at The Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, 32 Elm Avenue, Metuchen, NJ 08840.

Bishop Checchio will ordain Ketan Christian, the first Gujarati as a Deacon along with 15 candidates and one other as a transitional Deacon. May 03, 2024

The permanent Deacon is an ordained member of the Church who has received the sacrament of Holy Orders (as does a Bishop and Priest) and is deemed a cleric. Permanent Deacons make promises of obedience to the Bishop. They also promise to pray the Liturgy of the hours each day for all the people of God. Deacons can perform Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals. A Deacon also assists Priest or Bishop at Mass and may give the Homily.

From Left Max, Stephanie, Ketan Cristian, Bishop James Checchio, Ila Christian and Christine.

My younger brother and son of Late Mr. Joseph Beda Parmar and Late Sushila, Ketan Christian is married to Ila Christian and they are proud parents of three beautiful daughters, Christine, Stephanie and Sydney living in South Plainfield for the last twenty plus years. He and his family are the members of the Church of the Sacred Heart in South Plainfield, NJ 07080. Coincidently Bishop Checchio was ordained and installed as a fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen in the same very Church of the Sacred Heart in South Plainfield on May 03, 2016. On the 8th anniversary of his ordination to bishop on May 03, 2024, Bishop Checchio will ordain Ketan as a Deacon. May 3rd is the Feast of Saints Philip and James.

Ketan and Family Invite to attend the ordination to the Sacred Order of Deacon – May 03, 2024

Link of Live streaming – https://www.youtube.com/@CathedralofStFrancisofAssisi/stream

Pease note Ketan and family is pleased to invite you for dinner after the ordination on May 03, 2024 at 6:30 PM at Royal Albert’s Palace, 1050 King Georges Post Rd, Fords 08863. Please RSVP by April 26, 2024 Call/Text (732)331-5192

Ketan and Family invite for dinner after the ordination on May 03, 2024

Traditionally, the beginning of the order of deacons is traced back to the story in Acts of the Apostles, Acts 6: 1-6. The time finally came during deliberations of the Second Vatican Council in 1963, calling for restoration of the diaconate as a permanent level of Holy Orders. In June 1967 Pope Paul VI implemented this decree of the Council when he published the apostolic letter “Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem” (“The Sacred Order of the Diaconate”) in which he re-established the permanent diaconate in the Latin Church.

Please click here to read: THE PERMANENT DIACONATE: A HISTORY.

Please click here to read: Diaconate A Short History of the Permanent Diaconate.

The very first time in US history five men from the Archdiocese of Baltimore were ordained as a Deacon On June 12, 1971 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland.

Members of the first class of permanent deacons and their wives stand outside the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in 1971. The deacons and their wives, from left to right: Charles and Janet Kruger, Hubert and Dolores Derouaux, George and Joyce Evans, Bernard and Antoinette Bak, Doris and Americus Roy, and Angelina and Richard Johe. (CR file)

Please click here to read more about the first class of permanent deacons from the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

Although a resolution was already passed by the CBCI for accepting the permanent Diaconate in India as a proper and permanent state of the hierarchy in 1966, it was only in 1982 that the CBCI finally petitioned the Holy See. A year later, the CBCI received permission from the Holy See to restore and promote the permanent Diaconate in India, with a proviso that before it could be introduced in any diocese, the bishop would consult the bishops of the region. On January 22, 2006, Bombay was the first and only diocese in India to introduce the permanent Diaconate when, the then Archbishop of Bombay, Cardinal Ivan Dias, ordained two permanent Deacons, Mr Lloyd Dias from Sacred Heart Church, Vashi and Mr Elwyn De Souza from St Joseph Church, Juhu.

Archbishop of Bombay, Cardinal Ivan Dias, ordained two permanent Deacons, Mr. Lloyd Dias from Sacred Heart Church, Vashi and Mr Elwyn De Souza from St Joseph Church, Juhu.

Please click here to read more about the above.

One more Link to read more about the above.

Please click here to read about The Diaconate within the Diocese of Metuchen.

Please save the date and join: Ketan will serve as Deacon of the Mass and preach is first homily.

Church of The Sacred Heart, South Plainfield Bulletin April 14, 2024

HOLY MASS OF THANKGIVING
Sunday, May 05, 2024 @ 11:30 AM
Church of the Sacred Heart
South Plainfield, NJ 07080

Fr. Paresh Parmar, the Episcopal Vicar of The Diocese of Ahmedabad, Gujarat will be attending all above events and will offer a Mass in Gujarati as per details below:

Fr Paresh Deacon Ketan-Guj-Mass 05-05-2024N
Fr Paresh Deacon Ketan -Meet N Greet 05-05-2024
Community Events, News & Events

UGCOA=DoGoodToAll organized a cricket tournament on Saturday, August 21, 2021 at Johnson Park, Piscataway, NJ.

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UGCOA=DoGoodToAll organized a cricket tournament on Saturday, August 21, 2021 at Johnson Park, Piscataway, NJ. Four teams participated in the “Unity Cup 2021”, ZNMD, EXODUS, GCS Guardians and UNITY. The park has two cricket pitch so two games can be played at once.

The first game was played ZNMD vs EXODUS. ZNMD made 76 runs for 8 wickets in 10 overs and EXODUS was bowled out for 43 runs in 10 overs.

Man of the match – Aron Unis – ZNMD – 28 runs in 16 balls with two sixes and one four.

The second game was played GCS Guardians vs UNITY. GCS Guardians made 105 runs for 4 wickets in 10 overs and Unity made 36 runs for 4 wickets in 10 overs.

Man of the match – Prakash Thomas – GCS Guardians – 3 wickets in 2 overs and given up 2 runs.

The third game was played UNITY VS ZNMD. UNITY made 55 runs for 2 wickets and ZNMD made 56 runs for 3 wickets in 6.2 overs.

Man of the match – Brijesh Rana – UNITY Made 10 runs in 15 balls, took 2 wickets in 2 overs and given up 10 runs.

The fourth game was played GCS Guardians vs EXODUS. GCS Guardians made 50 runs for 8 wickets in 10 overs and EXODUS made 41 runs for 4 wickets in 10 overs.

Man of the match – Johnson Christian – EXODUS – took 3 wickets in 2 overs and given up 7 runs.

Thus the ZNMD and GCS Guardians were qualified for the final. In the final game ZNMD made 81 runs for 3 wickets in 10 overs and GCS Guardians made 60 runs for 5 wickets in 10 overs. So ZNMD earned the champion trophy and GCS Guardians earned the runners up trophy.

Man of the match – Rodricks Christian – ZNMD – Made 44 runs in 30 balls with 4 fours.

Best Batsman of the tournament – Aron Unis – ZNMD – Made total 60 runs.

Best Bowler of the tournament – Prakash Thomas – GCS Guardians – Took total 5 wickets.

Player of the tournament – Aron Unis – ZNMD – Made 60 runs, most sixes (3) took 1 wicket, took 2 catches.

Please click here to view the pictures taken by Mr. Neeraj Gamadia of N & M Photography.

Community Events, News & Events

First Indian Christian Day celebrated on July 03, 2021.

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First Indian Christian Day celebrated on July 03, 2021.

For several years, July 3 has been a significant day for the Christians of India. It is the Feast of St Thomas the Apostle – one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He came to India after the Resurrection of Jesus, around 52 AD. It is historically accepted that St Thomas was martyred near Chennai in 72AD.

This year has added significance: for the first time, Christians from all Churches in India (and also Indian Christians who live in other parts  of the world) will come together to celebrate  ‘Indian Christian Day’ (Yeshu Bhakti Divas). A Declaration prepared by a small group of initiators of the Day (representing various Churches) states:

“This declaration of July 3, 2021 as Indian  Christian Day (Yeshu Bhakti Divas) as an annual day of remembrance, is for followers of  the Lord Jesus Christ of Indian origin to celebrate the person and message of JESUS  CHRIST which was brought to India in 52 AD  by one of His twelve disciples, St Thomas the  Apostle.

“This day, historically observed as St Thomas Day commemorates the martyrdom of the Apostle in 72AD near Chennai. In marking it in 2021 and every year henceforth, we as followers of the Lord Jesus also preserve our identity within the Indian cultural heritage, while uniting with all who wish to celebrate, irrespective of language, custom, creed, region or religion.