CHRIST the KING

NOVEMBER 26, 2006

(M - Memorial, A - Anniversary)

 

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27

                    6:45       ARTHUR C. PHILLIPS, JR.--M

                                           req. by the Clergy & the People of  Sts. John & Paul Parish

                  9:00       JOSEPHINE and CORNELIUS SHIELDS, PAUL V. SHIELDS, and AILEEN SHIELDS                      BRYAN--M

 req. by the Shields Family                   

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28

                 6:45 SPECIAL INTENTION for the LIVING:

                        EUGENE, MEGGIE, KATIE & BETSY MAGUIRE and the SANTORO FAMILY

                        req. by Cecilia Maguire Coleman

                 9:00 CATHERINE B. DONAHUE--M

                        req. by Steve & Peggy Marchini

                     

   WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29

                 6:45 MARGARET MAGUIRE--M

                        req. by the Clergy & the People of Sts. John & Paul Parish

                 9:00 DOROTHY HOVEY REIMERS--M

                        reg. by all the Juergens

                       

      THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30

ANDREW, the apostle

                 6:45 AGNES DORAN--M

                 9:00 WINNIFRED PIERCE--M

                        req. by the Family

 

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1

                 6:45 SPECIAL INTENTION for the LIVING: BETTY KELLACKEY

                        req. by Anne Ritz & Family

                 9:00 GERARD AMBROSIO--M

                        req. by the Family

                     

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2

             9:00 WILLIAM NIKL--M

                        req. by Bill & Nancy Winnis

                  5:30 AILEEN SHIELDS BRYAN--A

                                req. by the Shields Family

 

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3

                 7:30 JOSEPH JAMISON—M

                          req. by the Rende Family                           

                 9:00 ANTOINETTE and LOUIS MANGIERI—M

                          req. by Carmela Mangieri

              10:30 MSGR. LAMONT HAMILTON--A

                          req. by the Sts. John & Paul Parish

               12:00 FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE PARISH

    5:00 DANTE and LINDA MATTIOLI--M

             req. by Adriana Mattioli

          

PRAYERFUL REMEMBRANCES

Your prayers are requested for the sick at home, and in the hospitals, especially: Samuel Etre, Brenda  McWeeney, Lenny Cavalieri, Jenna Mussolini, Teresa Cervera, 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,  and those who have no one to pray for them; and for the honored dead of the Armed Services.

 

 

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 2006. The dates for the upcoming classes are as follows:  January 6^th and February 3^rd, 2007

 

BANNS of MARRIAGE

II – Martin C. Torelli – Karen T. Schiele

 

 

FOOD BANK NEWS!!!

The Christmas signup sheets will go up on the bulletin board this weekend. It is much more difficult to fill up the list for Christmas – everyone is so------busy!

Christmas collection will be Sunday, December 17^th – Monday, December 18^th.

 

 

EUCHARIST HOLY HOUR

The Knights of Columbus are sponsoring a Holy Hour devoted to the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It will be held every Friday at 7:30 PM in the Church.

 

FR. BRIAN’S BIBLE CLASS

Father Brian’s Bible Class will be held on Monday evening, November 27th, at 7:00.  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 group meets each Tuesday evening at 7:30 in the rectory.

 

THE LIVING ROSARY

On Wednesday, December 6^th, the young people of the parish will present The Living Rosary at 7:45 PM in the Church. They will dramatize the new Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, accompanied by song and narration. This is a wonderful way to enrich the Advent season for your entire family and learn the Rosary at the same time! Please come and show your support for the young people who devote their time to this meaningful presentation.

 

THE HOLLY PARTY

The St. Augustine’s Ladies Auxiliary invites you to their annual HOLLY PARTY, which will be held on Friday, December 1, 2006, at St. Augustine’s Auditorium starting at 12:00 Noon.

If you are interested in attending, please send your reservations with a check for $10.00 per person (payable to the Ladies Auxiliary) before November 27^th to Anna Lea Ricci, 8 Iden Avenue, Larchmont, NY 10538

It is a tradition to bring an unwrapped gift (wrapping pare separately) to the Holly Party for under the Christmas tree to benefit the children of the incarcerated mothers at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women. The gifts are for children ages infants to 16 year old adolescents!

 

CATHOLIC FAMILY NETWORK

This group will hold a luncheon and guest speaker on Thursday, December 7^th, at 12 Noon in the RMR. The topic will be: Three “R”s of Discipline: Regroup, Reclaim, Redirect.  What is more effective than ’Time Out’?? Regroup, Reclaim, Redirect is a method parents can use to teach a child to rethink an objectionable action and make a decision to replace it with better behavior. To pre-register, please call 833-2310 or 833-3123 by Tuesday, December 5^th. The cost is $10.00 (luncheon- babysitting). Please park on the street as the school children use the parking lot for recess.

 

A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE

The Sisters of Bethlehem earn their living by working with their hands. Through their artwork they seek to convey God’s beauty and truth. On the weekend of December 2^nd and 3^rd, the Sisters’ work which includes crèches, crucifixes, medals, statues and icons will be on sale in the back of Church. Come and visit the display that weekend and help support the Sisters.

 

 

SALE of CHRISTMAS WREATHS

Fr. Dominic will sell Christmas wreaths after the Masses the weekend of November 25 and 26. The Youth Group will return the weekend of December 2^nd and 3^rd to sell more wreaths. He would like to thank you for supporting his youth ministry at Salesian High School.

 

THE PASTOR’S COLUMN

   The Feast of Christ the King marks the end of the liturgical year. At first blush, it might seem antiquated to consider the Son of God in such a fashion. The trappings of royalty have been thrown off not only in our own country but throughout most of the civilized world. Where it still exists, its powers are limited by democratic institutions. I believe, however, that examining the concept as it has been understood in historical contexts will permit us to grasp the nature of our relationship with the Savior.

   We first become acquainted with the role of a regal leader in the Old Testament. In its pages, we read of a spiritual debate between those who favor a monarchical form of government and those who consider it almost blasphemous. Having been led by Judges, the proponents of centralized leadership addressed the man of God with their desires stating that all of their neighbors have a king. Because of this fact, their argument went, they were more unified. This gave them strength and less likely to be conquered. Those who opposed the idea saw that a man who possessed absolute power was apt to be arbitrary in his rule. The prophet presents the view that God looks upon the request for a king as a rejection of divine rule. The Pillar of Fire which led Israel through days of slavery and freedom, from a nomadic existence to the Promised Land, turning defeat to victory was no longer perceived as the operative principle of a prosperous existence. Human political forces which mirror other cultures were seen more useful. A divine warning is given: when one commits to a leader he might require a fealty which becomes a great burden: sons take up arms against the king’s foes, the production of food for his table would be the agricultural priority, and the financial support of his kingdom. These issues seemed to matter so Samuel was charged with the obligation to anoint first Saul and then David. We are all aware of the greatness of these men as well as their weaknesses. Their successors endured many hardships as well as caused Israel great harm. Their weaknesses resulted in foreign rulers gaining the upper hand in a series of battles and wars. When Christ entered Jerusalem, it was the Roman Emperor who thought he possessed all power of life and death. Neither he nor the people recognized the authority of Jesus who ruled from the throne of the Cross.

   Down through the centuries, other kings would come. In fact and in fiction, we would read of their exploits. Some protected the rights of citizens, especially, the defenseless poor while others subjugated them mercilessly. Some sought to enhance their people’s lives with educational opportunity and social advancement while others saw ignorance as a toll to keep the populace in its place. Some were led by the principles of Christian faith and were willing to sacrifice their kingdoms and comfort in its defense while others hypocritically lived existences which put a lie to their words. Memory conjures images of Arthur and His Knights, Henry and His Conscience: Sir Thomas More, and the Sun King: Louis XIV and His Versailles. Saints and sinners have exercised governance. Kingship was and is a mixed blessing depending on who reigns and who obeys. In Christ, there need not be any discernment in the acceptance of the members of His kingdom. He is the foundation of our hope and salvation. He is the origin of all good gifts and will never deny us what is beneficial to us.

   As our King, He protects us from the strategies of the evil one. He sends His angels to guide us. Our conscience, informed by grace, assists us in ascertaining right from wrong. When He assumed His throne in heaven, He did not abandon us. His Church is His presence among us. Its celebration of the Eucharist is the unique point of contact: for the Word proclaims His will and the Sacrament nourishes us and enables us to fulfill it. When we drift from His way, the Sacrament of Reconciliation assists in eradicating any dissension and re-orients us toward the Divine. In our coming to the King in prayer, we recognize His providential care and unceasing generosity.

   As people of the New Covenant who recognize that the King has fulfilled all of the stipulations of any liege and more, what might be seen as our obligation to Him? In one sense, His kingdom requires no defense for He is the All-powerful One. However, as followers the Lord and members of His Kingdom on earth, we are challenged to go forth and confront those aspects of human existence yet to be informed by it. For instance, most recently the Second Vatican Council called upon all those baptized in Christ to bring to social, educational, and political venues values which recognize the stewardship of creation and the support of human life. This commitment has no conditions attached to it. No matter where we are our responsibilities are the same.

   Fr. Kevin O’Sullivan reflected on this feat: “It is very fitting that the Church should dedicate the last Sunday of the liturgical year to honoring Christ, her founder and Savior, as King of the universe. Through the divine intervention, in the Incarnation of the Son of God in human history, mankind has been raised to the sonship with God which was planned before creation began. The sins of the world have been atoned for, and men are made citizens of God’s kingdom on earth with the promise of citizenship in the eternal kingdom if they do the little that is expected of them while they are on earth.

   We have every reason, therefore, to rejoice in Christ today and to render him all the gratitude and glory of which our human nature is capable. We have the great blessing of being members of his kingdom after death. Christ lived and died for us. He lived to teach us the truth and show us the way to heaven. He died to conquer our death and earn for us eternal life. He rose from the dead to prove he had overcome sin and death and to open the gates of heaven for us. Christ is “the way, the truth and the life.” If we follow him we are following the king who can lead us to victory.

   Let us thank our Savior for all he has done for us. Our thanks will be sincere only if we renew our pledge of loyal service to him. Earthly kings regulate the temporal lives of their subjects; Christ is preparing for us an unending life. Earthly kings sometimes reward their outstanding subjects; Christ has promised everlasting reward to all who serve him – the lowly of the world as well as the highest in the land. Only those who refuse to have him reign over them – those who have no king but Caesar – will fail to receive his reward.

   Christ is our king in this world. Let us make sure that he will be our king for all eternity by doing our best to be his loyal subjects here on earth.”

   Have a great week. Be prepared for Advent.

Jesus vivat

Fr. Brian