SIXTH
SUNDAY in ORDINARY TIME
FEBRUARY
11, 2007
(M -
Memorial, A - Anniversary)
6:45 LOUIGI LEONE--M
9:00 JANE and
MICHAEL HARDIMAN—M
req. by Mary Jane & Paul Krebbs
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13
6:45 MIGNON BAILEY--M
req. by Ralph Santoliquido
9:00 JOSEPHINE and CORNELIUS SHIELDS, PAUL V. SHIELDS and AILEEN SHIELDS BRYAN--M
req. by the Shields Family
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14
CYRIL and
METHODIUS, bishops
6:45 JOHN and ANNE
MARIE MCWEENEY—M
req. by Fr. Brian
9:00 MADELYN FAY--M
reg. by Maureen F. Morris
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15
6:45 ROBERT
GOMPRECHT, M.D.--M
9:00 VERA
and PETER KREBBS--M
req. by Mary Jane & Paul
Krebbs
6:45 NICHOLAS
DANIELLO--M
req.
by Fr. Joseph
9:00 THE SAPORITO and LOIACONI FAMILIES
req.
by the Saporito Family
SEVEN SERVITE FOUNDERS
9:00 SPECIAL
INTENTION for the LIVING: RALPH J. RESCIGNO
req. by Arleen M. Nick Clingerman
5:30 JOHN BARBERIO--M
req. by Pat Barberio
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY
18
7:30 FOR
THE PEOPLE OF THE PARISH
9:00 CARMINE
PORRETTO--M
req.
by Valerie Moore O’Keeffe
10:30 CARMIE
MANGIERI--M
req. by Charlotte King
12:00 STASIA
RIGANO--M
req. by Denise
5:00 MARGARET MAGUIRE—M
req. by Cecilia Maguire Coleman
PRAYERFUL
REMEMBRANCES
Your prayers are requested for
the sick at home, and in the hospitals, especially: Earl Travers, Msgr. Joseph
J. Boyd, J. Kevin Dymes, Jr. Winnie Mullin, Ramona Murill, Debra Abrahamsen, Patricia
Kuhr, Theresa Astorino, Joseph Mileti, Dotty Doherty, Caroline Weldon, Brenda McWeeney,
Lenny Cavalieri, Jenna Mussolini, Teresa Civetta, Frank Maiola, Aileen O’Brien,
Sister Margaret Coakley, 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, NICHOLAS CONDRO, FRANK ABBATE,
DEACON JOHN SIMPSON, EARL TRAVERS, DEACON NUNZIO SORRENTINO and MARY RUTH
AITICHISON, 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 (2—O4—07)
$10,911
Maintenance:
$ 3,618
Attendance: 1,066
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
The First Reading today says “Blessed is the one who trusts in the
Lord, whose hope is in the Lord”. In the Anthem today, “O Taste and See” by R.
Vaughan Williams, the choir sings “O taste and see how gracious the Lord is;
blest is the man that trusteth in Him”.
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: March 3rd,
April 14th, FRIDAY, MAY 4th
at 7:30 pm, and June 2nd.
ST.
URSULA’S LEARNING CENTER
St.
Ursula’s learning Center, a school for learning disabled children ages 8 – 13,
will have a few openings for the 2007/08 school year. St. Ursula’s is a private
Catholic school dedicated to providing an excellent differentiated
instructional program using multisensory approaches in reading and writing. The
students are exposed to a full academic curriculum modified to the goals and
objectives of their IEP.
For
further information, please call Sister Marie Morris at 212-371-1011 x2854 or
Mrs. Donna Taylor at 664-6654 or
email sturslc@adnyschools.org.
CALENDAR of EVENTS for WEEK OF FEBRUARY 11th:
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11th:
SRA BAKE SALE after all the morning Masses
10:10 AM SCH: Religious Education classes
12 NOON GYM: Basketball
6:00 PM AUD: Mardi Gras
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12th:
6:30 PM RMR: Safe Environment
7:30 PM RECTORY: Fr. Brian’s class
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13th:
4:00 PM GYM: Basketball
6:00 PM RMR: Cub Scouts
7:30 PM RECTORY: RCIA
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14th:
11:00 AM SARAH NEUMAN: Mass
12:30 PM RECTORY: Liturgy Committee Meeting
12:45 PM RMR: 3rd grade Brownies
2:50 & 7:30 PM SCH: Religious Education classes
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16th:
4:00 PM GYM: Basketball
7:30 PM CHURCH: Adoration
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17th:
9:00 AM GYM: Basketball
9:00 AM: Youth Group Trip to New York City
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.
FR.
BRIAN’S BIBLE CLASS
Father Brian’s class on
the new Catechism for Adults will be held on Monday evening, February 12th, at
7:30. 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, February 13th, at 7:30 PM in the rectory.
SAINTS
JOHN and PAUL SCHOOL REGISTRATION
Registration is under
way at Saints John and Paul School for the 2007/2008 school year. If you are
interested in having your child/children attend our school, please call the
office at 834-6332 for more information.
WITH
GRATEFUL APPRECIATION!!!
Thank you to all who
contributed to the Baby Shower for Daystar. We collected 76 packages of
disposable diapers and 38 cans of formula. The staff and residents of Daystar
were very appreciative.
CYO
BASEBALL/SOFTBALL
All boys and girls, 5th
through 8th grade, are invited to play on Saints John and Paul CYO
baseball and softball teams. We will have two teams in teach sport – JV (5th
and 6th graders) and Varsity (7th and 8th
graders). Season runs from April to early June.
If interested, please
contact John Hannaway at 914-948-2540 or hannawayjj@aol.com.
RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION NEWS…
ST.
VALENTINE’S BAKE SALE
MARDI GRAS
is coming!
The Religious Education Program’s SRA Board is planning its annual
Mardi Gras Celebration for Sunday, February 11th, from 6 – 8pm in
the auditorium. (Note the new date and time!) Please come out with your family
and enjoy Pasquale’s pasta, scrumptious salad and delectable desserts,
children’s Mardi Gras crafts and colorful costume parade (we provide the
masks!), a live magic act at 7 pm, convivial conservation and real carnival
music!
Your child brought home invitations with an RSVP to return with a check
– or call Joann Anile at 381-2723 (day or evening) to leave a message and then
pay at the door ($5/person or $20/family).
CONFIRMATION
NEWS…
The next and last meeting for all Confirmation candidates and their
parents will be on Tuesday, February 27th, at 7:30 pm in the
Auditorium.
Sunday classes for Confirmation preparation are beginning on February
11th; Wednesday classes are beginning on February 28th.
(All students from the private schools other than our parish school should
contact the Religious Education Office at 834-4597 to learn of their class
assignment.)
PROGRESS
REPORTS
Please check your mail in the upcoming week for your child’s first
semester progress report. (Please call 834-4597 if you do not receive one.)
JOHN
TREACY EGAN to perform at the EMELIN
John Treacy Egan will
perform at the Emelin Theater on Saturday, February 17h, as part of the program
“At This Performance”. For more information, please the box office at 698-0098.
RETREAT
NEWS for MEN
There will be a
retreat for men the weekend of March 2 – 4th at the Passionist
Spiritual Center in Riverdale. Retreatants will have the opportunity to meet in
private sessions with members of the Passionist retreat team, attend
conferences, prayer sessions, workshops, Reconciliation, and enjoy quiet time.
The suggested offering
for the two nights lodging, five meals and staff costs is $175 which includes a
$75 deposit.
For additional
information, please contact Joe Gryzlo at 630-4929.
LARCHMONT
K of C DISTRICT FREE THROW CHAMPIONSHIP
Congratulations to the
following boys, representing the Larchmont Council, who won their respective
competitions at the K of C District Free Throw championship:
Brandon Damiano, age
11
Bobby Santariello, age
12
Peter LaBella, age 13
Each of these boys now
moves on to compete at the next regional level of the K of C statewide
tournament.
ANNUAL
WOMEN’S RETREAT
The annual Sts. John
& Paul women’s retreat weekend, at the Passionist Spiritual Center will be
held from Friday, April 13th, until Sunday, April 15th.
This year’s retreat theme is :”For God So Loved The World…”
The weekend retreat
donation is $175, of which a $75 reservation deposit is included. If you have
not received your reservation form or are interested in attending for the first
time, please contact Karen, reservation secretary (718-549-6500) or Linda Heine
(698-7664).
THE
PASTOR’S COLUMN
This week we pause to appreciate the
significance of others in our lives as we celebrate Saint Valentine’s Day. Its
religious aspect should not be ignored. Though his life is clouded by various
legends and traditions the personage honored is reputed to have been a Roman
soldier who came to the Christian faith. Though he desired to remain in the
service of his country, he would not participate in the deification of the
Emperor. This positive cost him his life. Like many others, he joined the army
of martyrs in legion with Christ. His passionate for the Savior is mirrored in
our fulfillment of the Great Commandment.
The connection between the ancient saint
and the contemporary commemoration of his feast is somewhat tenuous but should
not negate its observance. Nor should we limit our attentions to spouse or
significant other. Day after day we encounter individuals who brighten our day
and ease our way. Though a material gift might not be called for, a word might
be extended which reveals our recognition of another’s contribution to our
life. I recall when I was a student my summer employment was as an elevator
operator/doorman. Some of our very well known tenants were very distant,
scarcely a word would pass their lips: not even a please or thank you. Others
would exchange pleasantries, comment on the weather, or ask after our family.
How do we approach the ticket clerk at the railroad station or the conductor on
the train? How do we act with that purveyor of our first (or second) cup of
coffee and bagel? How do we regard the staff we work with or our colleagues?
It is unfortunate that too often it takes a
holiday such as this for us to focus on our family and friends. We are daily
recipients of great attention from them and yet we take them for granted. A
cartoon I saw some years back brings this to mind in terms of what happens
sometimes between spouses. In the first square, a husband standing over his
seated wife who is doing some paper work asks “I’m sorry. I just have so much
to do.” He then questions in the next section: “Suppose you were single and a
man suggested you spend some time together…” In the final picture the two are
hand in hand strolling in a park. Regrets are often expressed when the time has
passed when communication was possible. “I should have told him how proud I was
to be his father.” Or “I never said to her how much I loved her and how much a
difference she made in my life.” Such examples are countless.
We have to start somewhere in displaying
our gratitude that others have blessed our existence with their presence. And
St. Valentine’s Day is as good a time as any other. If we are to gift someone,
what do they mean? Most popular, of course, are roses. These are the most
beautiful of flowers. Their scent engulfs a room. Their beauty frequently overwhelms.
The person we endow with such floral tributes know that you realize that any
task or accomplishment takes on a special character because of them. Even the
thorns can be meaningful. They can represent the willingness of people to strengthen
each other in the worst of times. The very color red though caught up with the
imagery of heart-felt emotion should also recall the martyrs’ death. For a
relationship to have a quality of depth there must be a there must be a
willingness. To look beyond one’s own needs and be sacrificed in terms of our
actions as well as words. One could only guesstimate the tons of candy that is
given and received on February 14th. It is much appreciated (except
by diabetics) as a sign of the grace that is experienced by personal
interaction. Other little symbols are given so that others might realize that
there is present a continuing hope of association. But other elements beyond
material can be shared beyond this unique time.
In his beautiful encyclical: Deus
Caritas Est. Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that humanity is called to
imitate divine passion. Our love for others should have the same qualities as
God’s love for us. Our passion, strengthened and governed by our will and
intellect must be the basic motivation of our existence. He writes: “It is
clearly revealed that love is not merely a sentiment. Sentiments come and go. A
sentiment can be a marvelous first spark, but it is not the fullness of love.
Earlier we spoke of the process of purification and maturation by which eros comes fully into its own, becomes
love in the full meaning of the word. It is characteristic of mature love that
it calls into play all man’s potentialities; it engages the whole man, so to
speak. Contact with the visible manifestations of God’s love can awaken within
us a feeling of joy born of the experience of being loved. But this encounter
also engages our will and our intellect. Acknowledgement of the living God is
one path towards love, and the “yes” of our will to his will unites our
intellect, will and sentiments in the all-embracing act of love. But this
process is always open-ended; love is never “finished” and complete; throughout
life, it changes and matures, and thus remains faithful to itself. “Idem velle atque idem nolle” – to want
the same thing, and to reject the same thing – was recognized by antiquity as
the authentic content of love: the one becomes similar to the other, and this
leads to a community of will and thought. The love-story between God and man
consists in the very fact that this communion of will increases in a communion
of thought and sentiment, and thus our will and God’s will increasingly
coincided: God’s will is no longer for me an alien will, something imposed on
me from without by the commandments, but it is now my own will, based on the
realization that God is in fact more deeply present to me than I am to myself.
Then self-abandonment to God increases and God becomes our joy. Love of
neighbor is thus shown to be possible. It consists in the very fact that, in
God and with God, I love even the person whom I do not like or even know. This
can only take place on the basis of an initiate encounter with God, an
encounter which has become a communion of will, even affecting my feelings.
Then I learn to look on this other person not simply with my eyes and my
feelings, but from the perspective of Jesus Christ. His friend is my friend.
Going beyond exterior appearances, I perceived in others an interior desire for
a sign of love, of concern. This I can offer them not only through
organizations intended for such purposes, accepting it perhaps as a political
necessity. Seeing with the eyes of Christ, I can give to others much more than
their outward necessities; I can give them the look of love which they crave. Here
we see the necessary interplay between love of God and love of neighbor.”
Enjoy St. Valentine’s Day and its Christian
significance.
Jesus vivat
Fr. Brian