THIRD
SUNDAY of LENT
FEBRUARY
24, 2008
(M -
Memorial, A - Anniversary)
6:45 ROY DANIEL--M
req. by the Donovan Family
9:00 SPECIAL
INTENTION for the LIVING: THERESE NAHAS
req. by Fr. Joseph
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26
6:45 THE FONTANA FAMILY
9:00 CHARLOTTE and MALACHY CONANNON--M
req. by Maura &
Richard Concannon
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27
6:45 ETHEL and WALLY
WALBRIDGE--M
req. by Claire Pushkal
9:00 MICHAEL
FRANCELLA--M
reg. by Sheila Francella
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28
6:45 ALFRED LIVERZANI--M
req.
by the Clergy & the People of Sts. John & Paul Parish
9:00 CAROL
ACOCELLA--M
req.
by the Family
6:45 MARIA LEAL—M
req. By Pam Tanenbaum & Maris Vidler
9:00
TIMOTHY J. MARA--M
req. by Maura & Richard
Concannon
9:00 VINCENT FIORITO--M
req. by Grace D’Alessio
5:30 MICHAEL PAPPAS--M
req. by Anne Menno, the Faculty & the Students
of Sts. John & Paul School
SUNDAY, MARCH
2
7:30 ALFRED
LIVERZANI--M
req. by Kathy & Frank Clemens
9:00 FOR
THE PEOPLE OF THE PARISH
10:30 THOMAS
CASEY--A
req. by Terry Casey
12:00 VERONICA
MC PEAK--M
req. by the McPeak Family
5:00 JACK GARDNER--M
req. by Kathleen & peter Marcon
PRAYERFUL
REMEMBRANCES
Your prayers are requested for
the sick at home, and in the hospitals, especially: Caroline Weldon, Ralph Giampetro,
Ray Galinski, Alice Malgrande, Joan Genaro, Gabriel Fay, Barbara Santorsola, John
O’Keefe, Jean Harder, Bill Sabia, Bruno
Mazzari, Robert O. Walcovy, Rev. Robert
Gannon, Beth Hersh, Charles Donovan,
Msgr. Joseph Boyd, Joey Mileti, Theresa Astorino, Dotty Doherty, Joan Porrazzo,
Lenny Cavalieri, Jenna Mussolini, Teresa
Civetta, Frank Maiola, Aileen O’Brien, Ed Lenard, Pam Hissey, Tricia Eigo, Skylar
Bahrenburg, Mary & Tony Fraioli,
Hank Lawlor, Sarah Butler, Mimi Cosgrove, Kristen Long, Patrick Lamont,
Elizabeth Kim, for our service men and
women at home and abroad; for the faithful departed, and for those who have no one to pray for them; and for the
honored dead of the Armed Services.
SUNDAY COLLECTION
Last week’s collection: (02 – 17 – 08):
$ 9,020
H.E.L.P.: $1,669
Attendance:
884
The parish of Saints John and Paul thanks you for
your support. We are grateful to our parishioners who use the envelope system.
If you wish to receive Church support envelopes, please call the Rectory at
834-5458.
STATIONS
of the CROSS
There will be Stations of the Cross every Friday during Lent at 2:00 PM
and 7:30 PM.
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 Saturday mornings from 10 AM – 11:30 AM. Please call the rectory to attend.
Classes in 2008 will be: March 1st, April 5th, May 3rd
and June 7th.
10:30 AM
MASS MUSIC NOTES
The Responsorial Psalm
for the 3rd Sunday of Lent reads “If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts”. As we approach Holy Week, we should follow these good
words of advice and listen for the voice of Jesus. The Anthem today is “I Heard
The Voice Of Jesus” by Thomas Tallis written in 1567.
FR.
BRIAN’S CLASS
Fr. Brian’s class will
be held on MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25th, at 7:30 PM in the rectory.
IN PEW
COLLECTION WEEKEND
This weekend, February
23 and 24, we will have an “In Pew Collection” for all those who have been unable
to make a donation to the Cardinal’s Appeal. Please be as generous as possible.
Thank you!
CALENDAR
of EVENTS for the WEEK
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24th:
12 Noon GYM: Basketball
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25th:
3:00 PM GYM & AUD: PSPA
4:00 PM GYM: Basketball
7:30 PM RMR: Fr. Brian’s class
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26th:
1:00 PM RMR: Women’s Club, Opera Series
3:00 PM GYM: PSPA
4:00 PM GYM: Basketball
6:00 PM RMR: Cub Scouts
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27th:
9:00 AM RMR: PSPA Meeting
10:30 AM SARAH NEUMAN: Service followed by Mass
12:45 PM RMR: 4th grade Girl Scouts
2:50 & 7:15 PM SCH: Religious Ed. classes
4:00 PM GYM: Basketball
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28th:
4:00 PM GYM Basketball
6:00 PM AUD: Cub Scouts
7:30 PM RMR: K of C Social Night
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29th:
2:00 PM CH: Stations of the Cross
4:00 PM GYM: Basketball
7:30 PM CH: Stations of the Cross
SATURDAY, MARCH 1st:
9:00 AM GYM: Basketball
10:00 AM RMR: Baptism Preparation Class
11:00 AM CH: First Penance
LENTEN
REGULATIONS
Fridays during Lent
are days of abstinence. That means that any one over the age of 14 should not
eat meat. Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence.
BABY
SHOWER
The Women’s Guild is
sponsoring a BABY SHOWER to benefit the Daystar Program at St. Vincent’s
Hospital in Harrison on Sunday, March 2nd, after the 9:00 AM Family
Mass. The event will be in the auditorium. The Guild will be collecting newborn
and small size disposable diapers and Enfamil with Iron Powdered Formula. There
will be a collection box in the vestibule between the school and the church
where items can be left. Cash donations are accepted and checks should be made
out to GOOD COUNSEL HOMES. Thank you!
NEWS from
the KNIGHTS of COLUMBUS
“The Knights of
Columbus are looking for new members to help continue and expand their service
to our parish and community. All men over the age of 18 who value faith, family
and community (and fun); please consider joining our council, one of the
largest lay Catholic organizations in the world. Please visit our website at
http://home.catholicweb.com/larchmontknights/
ANNUAL
WOMEN’S RETREAT
The annual Sts. John
& Paul Women’s Retreat weekend, at the Passionist Spiritual Center in
Riverdale, will be held from Friday, April 11th, until Sunday, April
13th. This year’s retreat theme is “Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled
-- Come To Me – And Let us Live Life With Passion.”
The weekend retreat
donation is $175, of which $75 reservation deposit is included. There are also
reduced fees for partial attendance. 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 Lorraine Stratis (834-6012).
LENTEN
MORNING of RECOLLECTION
St. Augustine’s
Auxiliary invites all to a Lenten Morning of Recollection on Saturday, March 1,
2008, at St. Augustine’s Church. The program starts with a 9:00 AM Mass and
continues after Mass in the cafeteria with a 10:00 AM lecture by Father Richard
J. Dillon, S.T.L., S.S.D. titled: “The Christian Gospel as the Word of the
Cross (1 Cor.1:18)”. Please RSVP to Ann Meehan at 834-1230 or Anne-Mike Smeets
at 834-0194 if you would like to attend.
CATHOLIC
FAMILY NETWORK
The Catholic Family
Network of St. Augustine and Sts. John and Paul is looking for new members who
would like to share their faith with parents of young children. We will meet
with Monsignor Kelly on Monday, February 25th, from 10 – 11:15 AM in
the rectory at St. Augustine’s to plan for upcoming events. Please join us.
ANNUAL
WEEKEND RETREAT for MEN
PASSIONATE
SPIRITUAL CENTER in RIVERDALE
FEBRUARY
29 – MARCH 2, 2008
Theme: “Do Not Let
Your Hearts Be Troubled…Come To Me…Let Us Live Life With Passion”
The retreat opens
Friday evening for the Stations of the Cross at 6:00 pm, followed by dinner at
6:30 pm, and concludes Sunday morning after the 11:00 am Eucharist. Those who
wish may attend Saturday services only.
For additional information,
special requests or transportation needs, contact Joe Gryzlo at 630-4929.
CAN YOU
HELP?
The Breakfast Run
group is now looking for backpacks (new or used), men’s undershirts in L or X,
underpants, sizes 38 – 40, and men’s white socks. These can be left in the
hallway between the Church and the school
The next Run will be
on Sunday, March 2nd.
CARE
PACKAGE DRIVE at ST. AUGUSTINE’S CHURCH on SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 2008
We will again be
collecting care items and packing boxes to send to our Troops serving in Iraq
and Afghanistan on Sunday, March 16th, in the St. Augustine’s Church
Cafeteria from 10am – 1pm. Soldiers’ Wish List includes: toiletries (Chap
Stick, q-tips, razors etc.), food (gum, dry cereal, cup-a-soup, etc.), misc.
items (black socks, AA & AAA batteries, flip flops, etc.) and
magazines/newspapers (sports, fitness, comic books, etc.) The smaller ‘travel’
sizes work best.
Go to
Carepackagedrive.com if you need more information or email Jennie.McFarland@verizon.net.
THE
PASTOR’S COLUMN
Last week, some young people asked me about
the origins of the devotion that we call today the Stations of the Cross. While
we can attribute to St. Francis of Assisi and his followers the present form of
the prayer, it must be acknowledged that for centuries before pilgrims from the
known would travel for days, weeks, and even months to where Jesus lived and
died. On record are the remembrances of a fourth century woman of the Holy Week
she spent in Jerusalem and its environs. Egeria writes: “And at the first
cockcrow they come down from the Imbomon with hymns, and arrive at the place
where the Lord prayed, as it is written in the Gospel: and He was withdrawn
(from them) about a stone’s cast, and prayed, and the rest. There is in that
place a graceful church. The bishop and all the people enter, a prayer suitable
to then place and to the day is said, with one suitable hymn, and the passage
from the Gospel is read where He said to His disciples: Watch, that ye enter
not into temptation. The whole passage is read through and prayer is made.
And then all, even to the smallest child,
go down with the Bishop, on foot, with hymns to Gethsemane. There, on account
of the great number of people in the crowd who are wearied owing to the vigils
and weak through the daily fasts, and because they have so great a hell to
descend, they come very slowly with hymns to Gethsemane. And over two hundred
church candles are made ready to give light to all people.
On their arrival at Gethsemane, first a
suitable prayer is made, then a hymn is said, and then the passage of the
Gospel is read where the Lord was taken. And when this passage has been read
there is so great a moaning and groaning of all the people, together with
weeping, that their lamentation may be heard perhaps as far as the city.
From that hour they go with hymns to the
city on foot, reaching the gate about the time when one man begins to be able
to recognize another and thence right on through the midst of the city. All, to
a man, both great and small, rich and poor, all are ready there, for on that
special day not a soul withdraws from the vigils until morning. Thus the bishop
is escorted from Gethsemane to the gate, and thence through the whole of the city
to the Cross.”
Because of two reasons the practice of
celebrating the Via Dolorosa in local church flourished. As now, in the land
sacred to three religious traditions, conflict between peoples was frequent.
Possible visitors could have been intimated by circumstances. It is also true
that then and now trips to the Holy Land were and are expensive. Penitents who
were of means could walk where Christ trod so that they might have hope. The
Church wanted all to have the opportunity to meditate on the steps that led to
their salvation. It is most unfortunate that this powerful recognition of
divine love and sacrifice is utilized by most only during this time of year. In
truth, we should often reflect on each moment in which the Lord embraces the
Cross for our sake. Let us now spend some time in walking with the suffering
servant of Isaiah, the Lamb of God, and the obedient One.
Jesus is condemned to death by the governor
of the territory. Pilate seeking to ingratiate himself with the local leaders,
fearful of his Roman superiors, callously permitted the mob to work their will.
He recognized that this prisoner was likely the unfortunate loser in a
sectarian argument who should be debating religious tents rather than a person
facing execution. He takes the cross upon His shoulders only after stripes of
the soldiers’ whips were placed there at the same time He was crowned with
thorns. The sufferings visited upon Him since His arrest has so weakened Him
that the weight of the road of punishment caused Him to fall. From the
beginning of the proceedings, one who was fair-minded would realize the
injustice being experienced. But no one rose to His defense. His own apostles
abandoned Him as we sometimes lose faith when we are in adverse situations. But
like now, Mary was present to her Son. She was a source of comfort and
strength. Unafraid, she walked close, wondering about the absence of others:
those to whom He preached, for whom He worked miracles, and with whom He fed
the five thousand. The only one who would assist Him did so, at least,
initially unwillingly. But Simon’s story would ultimately result in the
Christian commitment of his sons. A simple act of kindness is memorialized as
Veronica is perceived as wiping away the dirt, grime, and blood from the Savior’s
face. So can you can see in this station an invitation to service. The most
mundane action is life giving to the person in need. As life goes, we see in
Jesus’ example of rising after His second fall that we should not be defeated
but become victorious through divine grace. All too often, we can be so self
involved that we are unaware of the trials and tribulations of others. Jesus
though His suffering is into death speaks with the grieving women who feel
helpless when viewing the results of their contemporaries’ selfishness. No
discouragement keeps Jesus from fulfilling God’s will. Sometimes we permit too
many minor obstacles keep us from what is our natural and supernatural
destinies. When Jesus is stripped of His clothing, His enemies are seeking to deny
His human dignity. We never want to be so disrespected as to lose our standing
in our family or community but too often we cause others to lose theirs. A mere
paper cut is the cause of our moaning and groaning. Do we have any appreciation
of how bolts through the wrists and feet of Jesus felt? When the Lord dies, He
shows His willingness to give all for those who did not appreciate Him or His
ministry. Should we not possess a deeper sense of gratitude for His sacrifice?
When Jesus is taken down from His cross and is prepared for his burial, Joseph
of the Sanhedrin comes forward to claim the Body and gives it a resting place.
He is a source of comfort to us for we see the truth that it is never too late
to repent of our sin and weakness. The rock against the tomb is not sufficient
to thwart the glory of God. If we believe and act upon that faith, we shall
live in glory.
Please remember that the Stations of the
Cross are prayed every Friday in Lent at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM. Please join us
for The Living Stations on Wednesday, March 12th, at 7:30 PM. Our
teenagers perform a wonderful ministry to all of us. Your attendance will truly
be a source of grace for you.
May God continually bless us!
Jesus vivat,
Fr. Brian