Fr. Rob’s Sabbatical
Fr. Rob’s upcoming sabbatical (March 24 – June 24, 2026) is a time for renewal and rest. Fr. Rob and Fausto will be going on a Carmelite pilgrimage and retreat in Spain.
The Carmelite order was reformed by St. Teresa of Avila and St. John the Cross in the 16th century. His first retreat will be in the Carmelite community that was built over the spot where Teresa was born, and his second retreat will be in Segovia, which was built over the tomb of St. John the Cross.
There is time for rest as well. Fr. Rob and his family will walk the Camino de Santiago via the Portuguese route, walking from Porto to Santiago de Compostela, taking the Spiritual variant. Another retreat is planned at a Cistercian convent before arriving in Santiago de Compostela.
While Fr. Rob is away, those of us back home will be exploring Carmelite spirituality:
- Philip Muniz will lead us in various Carmelite spiritual practices on the Third Wednesday evenings of April, May and June. He will lead the Rosary on First Wednesdays
- We will explore the spirituality of a pilgrimage by an intergenerational walk of our Labyrinth, which may include some “sprucing up” of the Labyrinth as well
- A Peace Walk with our neighbors is planned
- Children in our Sunday School and Montessori School will be creating a Peace Shelf – which is a tool to help children discover and practice the powers of peacemaking and love in the world.
Fr. Rob will return in June, but we will all gather sometime in late August or early September to share our experiences.
Barbara Butler, our senior warden, will be point person while Fr. Rob is away. If you have any pastoral need or concern, contact her and she will be able to direct you to a deacon or priest for assistance. She can be reached at 908-526-1350 or stmartinschurchnj@gmail.com.
8:15 and 10:30 services will continue until the end of May- sometimes Mass with a priest, sometimes the Liturgy of the Word with Communion from the Reserved Sacrament officiated by Deacon Maureen. You can find the supply schedule below.