ESOPUS — On Friday, June 7, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Presentation-Sacred Heart Church (Port Ewen-Esopus) invited local Catholics to the celebration of its co-patronal feast at one of its two churches, Sacred Heart at Esopus.

“Over the last few years, we believe that the union of local Catholic communities into one parish permits the fostering of devotions particular to each church that may enhance the faith of the Catholic community in general,” Father Arthur Rojas, current pastor of the combined parish, explained, referring to the merger of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church at Port Ewen with Sacred Heart Church at Esopus several years ago.

Among the means of harmonizing the different local devotions within the parish was to hold the renewal of promises by the local Seven Sisters and Fasting Brothers apostolates at Sacred Heart Church on June 7 at the 11:30 a.m. Mass and the main patronal Mass at 6:30 p.m. 

Joined by Seven Sisters members from St. Catherine Laboure-St. Colman Parish (Lake Katrine-East Kingston) at the 6:30 p.m.Mass, dozens of Catholic women who belong to Seven Sisters units at the two Masses made or renewed their annual pledges to pray for their assigned bishop or priest and the protection of his vocation and for any other needs of the bishop or priest. The prayers of a team of Seven Sisters may be fortified by the fasting and abstinence of a team of Fasting Brothers, of which the team of men at Presentation-Sacred Heart Parish is led by Deacon Timothy Dean.  

Also on June 7, a renewal of promises was held at Ellenville as part of the parish’s Forty Hours Devotion in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which in part was dedicated to the cause of priestly and religious vocations and also to the defeat of the so-called “Equal Rights Amendment” to the New York State constitution pending on this year’s ballot in November.

Presentation-Sacred Heart Parish serves the town of Esopus. For more information, visit their website. For more information on the Seven Sisters and Fasting Brothers apostolates, please visit the website.