Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday Schedule

On Ash WednesdayFebruary 17, 2021, ashes will be distributed by sprinkling them over one’s head so as to make it contactless.  Ashes will NOT be imposed on foreheads this year to avoid contamination of the priest or ministers and congregants. Ashes will be distributed inside the church at 8 am Mass and 12:15 pm Mass, and at two Word Services outside the front of the Church at 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm with distribution of Ashes from 4:30 pm to 5 pm and 5:30 pm to 6 pm.

 * Ministers will be at the main entrance of the Church. Entry into the Church is not required,  however you may come in for private prayer, if you wish.  *Please Note: You may stop by anytime within the “outside” time frame to receive ashes, perhaps on your way home from work.

Our Parish During COVID

The year 2020 brought hard times to our Parish and the world with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Near the onset of the crisis, Lent, Holy Week, and Easter at St. Boniface were celebrated in innovative and moving ways in order to keep our parish and community safe.

Onset of Crisis

The parish’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Party was, by chance, celebrated rather early in 2020, on March 1, a few days after Ash Wednesday. Few, if any, present that day foresaw that it would be the last social occasion they would be able to celebrate in physical proximity to each other for a number of months.

Early in Lent the Diocese of Rockville Centre had announced that it was joining surrounding Dioceses in suspending the public celebration of the liturgy and all other public gatherings. Within a week, most religious entities in the United States had taken the same step.

Safe Together at Home for Lent and Easter

The balance of Lent and Easter was celebrated by the parish from the safety of home by parishioners lucky enough to be able to shelter there, praying for the safety of friends and relatives who were members of groups especially endangered by the virus and others around the world came to revere under the heroic title of “front-line” servants to their community.

These brave people included physicians, nurses, EMTs, and other medical personnel, first responders, sanitation and utility workers, restaurant and retail employees, and all manner of public servants. Like everyone else, parishioners were inspired to describe them as “essential” to society, or, as our church teaches: people using their God-gifted charisms to build up the Kingdom.

The Parish reminded the neighborhood about these special people by ringing the church bells every afternoon at 3 PM.

How St. Boniface Prayed and Stayed Together

St. Boniface had long had in place a “virtual” online infrastructure which parishioners, staff, and clergy now pushed into high gear in order to celebrate Lent and Easter while unable to congregate physically together.

The parish had established a website soon after the dawn of the internet and had embraced other elements of social media, particularly Facebook, as they developed. These tools were invaluable in allowing the parish to gather as well as it could under the unprecedented circumstances thrust upon it by the COVID-19 health crisis.

Meetings and Retreats were held via “Zoom” conferences, allowing participants to see and share directly with each other online. Zoom also allowed parishioners and friends to pray Lenten Stations of the Cross as if they were present in the church building.

Sunday Mass was live-streamed online. Parishioners who had not previously felt called to embrace social media, particularly senior citizens, now appreciated the semblance of community it provided, particularly for the observance of the Easter Triduum and related devotions.

The St. Boniface Youth Group also met via Zoom, young people being already familiar with it since all middle, high school and college classes were being held using such tools because of the crisis.

Fathers Kevin Dillon, Chinthaka Perera and Azubuike Igwegbe, concelebrated Holy Week and Easter Masses, often in the presence of members of the Sisters of Jesus the Savior residing at St. Bonface in attendance and proclaiming the readings. Musical Director, Jeff Schneider, played the organ, and Cantor, April Beisser, sang on Easter Sunday and on other Sundays providing some sense of “normalcy”.

A multi-lingual interfaith service, hosted by St. Boniface and the other eight-member churches of the Committee for the Community Easter Dawn Service, was streamed online on Easter Sunday 2020.

Streamed Easter Vigil 2020

VIRTUS Update

Child Protection at St. Boniface

The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People promulgated by the Bishops of the United States in 2002 outlines specific practices and guidelines providing standards of safety in parishes and diocese throughout the United States.

In an effort to remain in compliance with these directives we are updating our records.

The process has been streamlined and the volunteer application, code of conduct and background screening can be accomplished online at www.Virtus.org. You will need your user name and password to update your account. If you need assistance please contact Virtus at 1-888847-8870 or helpdesk@vitus.org.

Active Volunteers:
If you are an active volunteer you may receive an email from Sterling Volunteers who will be asking you to update your background screening application on-line.

Please be aware that this is not a scam nor has your e-mail been hacked. It is merely a way for the parish to make sure its files are accurate and up to date.

Once you have accessed your account, review the information for accuracy and make any changes necessary by hitting the TOOLBOX tab at the top of the screen and choose Update My Account.

Any further questions please contact Christine Whited, our VIRTUS coordinator at stbonvirtus@gmail.com.

How the Diocese of Rockville Centre Has Been
Addressing Child Protection and
the Clergy Abuse Scandal

Scripture Study Group

St. Boniface Martyr Parish Scripture Study Group

Join us via Zoom on Thursdays at 7:30 pm. For more information and the Zoom link, please call Rosemary and John Murello at 516-676-2767.  

Charismatic Prayer Group

St. Boniface Martyr Parish Charismatic Prayer Group

Looking for a deeper relationship with God?  Join us Mondays from 7:30 to 8:30 pm via Zoom.  All disciples are invited to be enriched by God’s love through praise, music and Scripture.  For more information and the Zoom link, please call Rosemary and John Murello at 516-676-2767.  

Looking for a deeper relationship with God? You are invited to be touched by God’s love in a weekly evening of prayer with contemporary praise and worship music.


Streamed Christmas Masses

Severe Weather Alert

On Thursday, December 17, 2020, all Parish Offices will be closed because of severe winter storm conditions. No 8 AM daily Mass and 10 AM Funeral Mass for Karen Schenck postponed until Friday, December 18 at 10 AM.

Christmas Around the World

The virtual Christmas Around the World on December 5, 2020 was a success.  Here is the link to the video that we aired on the livestream.  You can watch it by clicking this link or catching the replay on our Facebook page.  You will see a couple of guest appearances!!!
Click Here To View: Christmas Around The World 2020 ~ 5th Anniversary Virtual Event

The Christmas Around the World 5th Anniversary was a Virtual Facebook live-stream compilation of acts and representations from around the globe. 

All Souls Day

Special All Souls Day Mass

There will be an All Souls Day Mass at 4pm on Sunday, November 1,  to remember all those who have died during this past year. The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day) is Monday, November 2. Mass will be celebrated at 8am.

St. Elvis Final Vows

Streamed Live on our Parish Facebook Page

A recording of the streamed Mass may be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/220100611333286/videos/619302388751168