EPIPHANY
of the LORD
JANUARY
7, 2007
(M -
Memorial, A - Anniversary)
BAPTISM of the LORD
6:45 THE WENZEL
FAMILY
9:00 BERTHE and
LOUIS BREUIL--M
req. by the
Shields Family
TUESDAY, JANUARY 9
6:45 MARGARET MAGUIRE--M
req. by the Webler Family
9:00 GREGORY BRUDER--M
req. by the Degen Family
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10
6:45 DECEASED MEMBERS
of the FRANCOEUR FAMILY
req.
by Ralph Santoliquido
9:00 ARTHUR
E. QUINN--M
reg. by Virginia L. Quinn
THURSDAY, JANUARY 11
6:45 MARGARET DYER--M
req.
by Pat & Jack Foley
9:00 ETHEL
and WALLY WALBRIDGE--A
req. by Claire Pushkal
6:45 MICHAEL RIGAUX—A
req.
by Jim & Claudine McCauley
9:00 IRENE TOFFEY--M
req.
by Terry Casey
HILARY, bishop, doctor
9:00 ANTHONY J.
TEPEDINO--M
req. by Genevieve Tepedino
5:30 MRS. ENNIS K. AIGELTINGER and
MRS. KARL N. BECKER--M
req. by Ennis Aigeltinger
SUNDAY, JANUARY
14
7:30 FOR
THE PEOPLE OF THE PARISH
9:00 THERESA
ROMANO--M
req. by Valerie & Nicholas
Mastronardi
10:30 EDWARD
GARBA--M
req. by Martha Garba
12:00 GEORGE
DE FRANCESCO--M
req. by the Family
5:00 THOMAS CULLIMORE--M
req. by Mr. & Mrs. William
Zaccagnino
PRAYERFUL
REMEMBRANCES
Your prayers are requested for
the sick at home, and in the hospitals, especially: Theresa Astorino, Josephine
Pace, Joseph Mileti, Dotty Doherty, Caroline Weldon, Brenda McWeeney, Lenny
Cavalieri, Jenna Mussolini, Teresa Civetta, Frank Maiola, Aileen O’Brien, Sister Margaret Coakley, Pat Bonner, Ed
Lenard, Pam Hissey, Tricia Eigo, Frank
Diaz-Balart, Alice Nasta, Mildred Traub, Catherine Ann Brennan, Mary & Tony
Fraioli, Hank Lawlor, Sarah Butler, Mimi Cosgrove, Kristen Long, Patrick
Lamont, Elizabeth Kim, Eloise Selby, Thomas M. Lamb, for our service men and
women at home and abroad; for the faithful departed, DR. ANTHONY POSTERARO, REV.
DONALD GOLLINGE, REV. CHARLES P. MC HALE, REV. MSGR. JOSEPH J. RAIMONDO, REV. MSGR. EDWARD J. MONTANO, and those who have no one to pray for them;
and for the honored dead of the Armed Services.
SUNDAY COLLECTION
Last week’s collection (12—31—07)
$16,469
Attendance: 969
The parish of Saints John and Paul thanks you for
your support. We are grateful to our parishioners who use our envelope system.
If you wish to receive Church support envelopes, please call the Rectory at
834-5458.
10:30 AM MASS MUSIC NOTES
Today’s Anthem is “I Wonder As I Wander”, an
Appalachian Carol from “Songs of the Hill-folk”. It’s haunting melody and
lyrics are especially meaningful today as we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord.
BAPTISM PREPARATION for PARENTS of INFANTS
To arrange for a Baptism, please call the rectory and you will be given
an appointment with one of the parish priests.
Water in
the Word
Baptismal
Preparation Session Schedule
All sessions are offered on the following Saturday mornings from 10 AM
– 11:30 AM. Please call the rectory to attend. We will begin new sessions in
2007. The date for the upcoming class is as follows: February 3rd, 2007
ALTAR
SERVERS EPIPHANY PARTY
Just a reminder to all Altar Servers that there will
be a Epiphany Party after the 5:00 PM Mass this Sunday, January 7th.
This will be a fun time for all the Servers.
ALTAR
SERVER INFORMATION
Anyone beyond the 5th grade interested in becoming an Altar
Server should contact Fr. Joseph A. Nahas as soon as possible at 834-5458. New
Altar Servers can also join by coming to Altar Server practices, which take
place every Thursday at 3:30 PM in the Church.
TRIP TO ERIN’S ISLE
Fr. Brian will be leading a pilgrimage throughout
Ireland for ten days this April. He will be holding an information meeting
about this trip in the Rectory Meeting Room on Thursday, January 11th,
at 7:30 PM. All parishioners and their friends are invited to hear more about
this lively opportunity of fellowship.
CALENDAR of EVENTS
for WEEK OF JANUARY 7TH:
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7th:
10:10 AM SCH: Religious
Education classes
12 NOON GYM: Basketball
6:00 PM RMR: Altar Servers
Epiphany Party
MONDAY, JANUARY 8th:
7:00 PM AUD: Teen play
rehearsal
7:00 PM SCH CONF. RM.: Boy
Scouts
7:30 PM RMR: K of C
Meeting
7:30 PM RECTORY: Fr.
Brian’s class
TUESDAY, JANUARY
9th:
4:00 PM GYM: Basketball
6:00 PM RMR: Cub Scouts
7:00 PM AUD: Teen play rehearsal
7:30 PM RECTORY: RCIA
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10th:
9:15 AM SCHOOL: Open House
11:00 AM SARAH NEUMAN: Mass
12:45 PM RMR: 3rd grade Brownies
2:50 & 7:30 PM SCH: Religious Education classes
7:00 PM AUD: Teen play rehearsal
THURSDAY, JANUARY
11th:
3:30 PM CHURCH: Altar Servers
7:30 PM CH: Youth Lectors
7:30 PM RMR: Informational meeting about Fr. Brian’s
pilgrimage to Ireland
FRIDAY, JANUARY
12th:
4:00 PM GYM: Basketball
7:30 PM CHURCH: Adoration
SATURDAY, JANUARY
13th:
9:00 AM GYM: Basketball
YOUTH
GROUP NEWS
The next meeting of the Youth Group will take place on Sunday, January
20th, after the 5:00 PM Mass in the rectory meeting room.
SPIRITUAL
NEWS…
The Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ Novena will be held at
7:30 PM every Friday.
The weekly recitation of the Holy Rosary takes place in the Church each
Thursday at 5:15 PM. The church community continues to pray the Rosary every
Wednesday following the 9:00 AM Mass. Every one is encouraged to pray the
Rosary.
LECTORS’
PRACTICE
Lectors’ and Youth Ministry Lectors’ practice will simultaneously
continue to take place in the Church on Thursdays at 7:30 PM, unless otherwise
notified. New members are still welcome!
FR.
BRIAN’S BIBLE CLASS
Father Brian’s Bible Class will be held on Monday evening, January 8th,
at 7:30. The topic will be the Gospel
of Matthew. Come one and all even if you have not been previously attending.
This program takes place in the rectory meeting room.
RCIA
The RCIA class will be held n Tuesday, January 9th, at 7:30
PM in the rectory.
STS JOHN and PAUL SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE
Sts. John and Paul School will have an Open Hose for
all those interested in sending their child/children to the school in the
upcoming year, 2007/2008.
DATE: Wednesday, January 10th
TIME: 9:15 AM
Come meet the principal, the teachers and parents
and learn from them about the exciting happenings that are taking place at the
school.
KNIGHTS of
COLUMBUS FREE THROW CONTEST
The Larchmont Council of the Knights of Columbus is sponsoring a “Free
Throw” contest in the gym on Monday, January 15, 2007. It will begin at 9:00 AM
and is opened to both boys and girls ages 9 - 14. Come join in the fun and you
might just be a winner.
THE
PASTOR’S COLUMN
The feast of Epiphany
celebrates the manifestation of Jesus as the Savior of all humankind. In these
opening days of this year, we are once again challenged by Holy Mother church
to witness to the world the Good News of redemption. We know that the strength
for such a call comes with our reception of the Eucharist. In their most recent
meeting, the bishops of our country issued a pastoral letter: “Happy are those
who are called to His Supper.” Though it did not cause a stir in the press for
it lacked controversy, this document is exceedingly important for our community
of faith. It reiterates the meaning of this “source and summit” of our Catholic
existence. It reminds us of the requirements for a fruitful participation in
the sacrificial nature of the sacred meal initiated by Jesus.
In the face of the doubts of
too many of our co-religionists, the hierarchy of the United States teaches
once again: “Holy Communion is a sharing in the Eucharist in which Christ is
truly present. The priest, recalling the words and actions of Jesus at the Last
Supper, consecrates the bread and wine, which are changed, by the power of the
Holy Spirit into the Body and Blood of Christ. This is why the Church has
traditionally employed the word ‘transubstantiation’ to describe the change
that takes place. The substance (what something is) of bread and wine is
totally changed into the substance of Christ’s Body and Blood. While the
appearances of bread and wine remain, the Risen Lord is actually present, and
so it is He who is actually received in Holy Communion --- Body and Blood, soul
and divinity.” This reality should create in us what Rudolf Otto called
”fasciens” or awe. Time and space have no meaning as we receive the Master’s
gift of Himself. More initimate than the burning bush of Moses, gentler than
the wisp of wind of Isaiah, and more powerful than the slingshot of David, the
divine presence enters the believer and nourishes him.” Receiving Jesus in Holy
Communion is then the foremost source and expression of our communion with the
Blessed Trinity and with one another. Holy Communion is truly a foretaste of
heaven – where together all of the Father’s children will become fully one with
his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the love of the Spirit.”
The Bishops then address in a
very sensitive and pastoral way the question as to who may receive Holy
Communion. It carefully instructs all concerning who might refrain from such
reception but does not call upon the individual minister to judge the
worthiness of those who approach the table of the Lord. “With few exceptions,
only those who are members of the Catholic Church may receive Holy Communion at
a Catholic Eucharist liturgy. Being baptized and sharing in the Church’s faith
are, therefore, conditions for full participation in the Sacrament of Holy
Communion. These principles are further enunciated in two appendices of the
document which remind all of what has been previously taught as to the
eligibility of those belonging to the Orthodox Churches as well as pointing out
the limitation on Catholics vis a vis participation in non-catholic worship. In
the seasonal missalette, you can read about the above matter.
One certainly must
acknowledge the concern of the country’s hierarchy about the unworthy reception
of the sacrament because of the lack of proper disposition i.e. the presence of
mortal sin. Though the vast majority of attendees approach the altar for
communion, they are aware, as we all are, of the lack of attention to the
necessity of confessing our sins before God and the Church. And lest there be
any misunderstanding, they enumerate two common areas of sin and weakness. They
note “objectively certain thoughts, actions, and omissions entail grave sin
matter…Believing in or honoring as divine anyone or anything other than the God
of the Holy Scpritiure…Failing to worship God by Missing Mass on Sundays and
holy days of obligation without a serious reason such as illness or the absence
of a priest…Acting in serious disobedience against proper authority;
dishonoring one’s parents by neglecting them in their need or
infirmity…Committing murder, including abortion and euthanasia; harboring
deliberate hatred of others; sexual abuse of another, especially a minor or
vulnerable adult; physical or verbal abuse of others that causes grave physical
or psychological harm…Engaging in sexual activity outside the bonds of a valid
marriage…Stealing in a gravely injurious way, such as robbery, burglary,
serious fraud, or other immoral business practices…Speaking maliciously or
slandering people in a way that under mines their good name…Producing,
marketing, or indulging in pornography…Engaging in envy that leads one to wish
harm to someone else.” The Bishops do not intend this list to be exhaustive but
certainly having given us ample material to contemplate. They add two other
areas of concern. “If a Catholic in his or her personal or professional life
were knowingly and obstinately to reject the defined doctrines of the Church,
or knowingly and obstinately to repudiate her definitive teaching on moral
issues,… he or she would seriously diminish his or her communion with the
Church. Reception of Holy Communion in such a situation would not accord with
the nature of the Eucharistic celebration, so that he or she should refrain…
When a person is publically known to have committed serious sin or to have
rejected definitive Church teaching and is not yet reconciled with the Church
reception of Holy Communion by that person is likely to cause scandal for
others. This is a further reason for refraining from receiving Holy Communion.
More positively, the Bishops
offer guidance to the faithful for a more fruitful experience of receiving
Christ sacramentally. They encourage all to have a healthy prayer life in which
the Scripture has a privileged place. They urge that in the fulfillment of all
our tasks: spiritual and corporal their dedication is exhibited which gives
praise to God and assists the community. In addition to experiences of
sacramental absolution in the confessional, all make daily an act of true
contrition and atonement. In coming to the actual celebration, our shepherds
urge us to participate fully in the rituals of the Mass in word and action.
They ask us to recall the fast that should take place before receiving
Communion of at least one hour. The manner of dress was also pointed out as a
matter of concern.
Let the feast of the Epiphany
manifest our gratitude to the Lord for all that He grants us, especially the
gift of the Eucharist.
Jesus vivat
Fr. Brian