SECOND SUNDAY of ADVENT
DECEMBER 10, 2006
(M -
Memorial, A - Anniversary)
DAMASUS I,
pope
9:00 BERTHE and LOUIS BREUIL--M
req. by the Shields Family
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12
OUR LADY of GUADALUPE
6:45 DECEASED MEMBERS of the
FRANCOEUR FAMILY
req. by Ralph Santoliquido
9:00 VERONICA MC PEAK--M
req. by the McPeak Family
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13
LUCY,
virgin, martyr
6:45 ROSEANN
ZACROLLI--M
req. by Ralph & Arlene Reseigno
9:00 ROY
BAKER--M
reg. by Maureen Morris
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14
JOHN of
the CROSS, priest, doctor
6:45 MARY A. and
EDWARD LADIN and ROSE DUDEK--M
Req.
by the Ladin Family
9:00 DECEASED
MEMBERS of the HALPIN FAMILY
req. by Alice Mulderrig
6:45 AGNES DORAN--M
9:00 GERARD MC CLELLAND--M
req.
by Clem & Carol DeFelice
9:00 JAMES LYNCH--M
req. by Fran & Joe Tyrrell
5:30 FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE PARISH
SUNDAY, DECEMBER
17
7:30 PAUL
L. JUAN--M
req. by Ro & Jack Regan
9:00 RALPH
CERBONE--M
req. by Jeanne Longhitano
10:30 JAMES
LYNCH--M
req. by Robert, Michelle &
Matthew
Kryger
12:00 BERNARD
BROOKS--M
req. by the Family
5:00 LOUISE QUINN—M
req. by Virginia Quinn
PRAYERFUL
REMEMBRANCES
Your prayers are requested for
the sick at home, and in the hospitals, especially: Caroline Weldon, 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, DEACON ALAN HUDSON, FRANCIS
J. ABRAHAMSEN, and ROBERT CALLAGY, 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—03—06)
$14,243
Maintenance:
$ 3,823
Attendance:
915
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.
CHRISTMAS FLOWER MEMORIALS
Once again, in response to
people’s requests for Christmas Flower Memorials, we are making them available.
Envelopes for this can be found in the rear of the Church. We suggest a $15.00
donation for each memorial (In Memory Of) or dedication (In Honor Of). This
list will be published in the bulletins throughout the Christmas season.
10:30 AM MASS MUSIC NOTES
A voice of one crying out in
the dessert in today’s Gospel Reading was the inspiration for the Anthem –
“Springs In The Desert” by Arthur B. Jennings, Jr.
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 6th and February 3rd,
2007
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
Children of the parish are presenting the story of
Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem’s own Sts. John and Paul Church. Please join us on
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15th, at 7:30 PM to recall and relive the true
meaning of Christmas together with a group of young children! Come, let us
adore Him and sing His praises – and share Christmas sweets afterward in the
gym. (Please bring an unwrapped gift for a child in need.)
HANDICAPPED PARKING
Please do not park in the blue-stripped space
between the handicapped spots in the church parking lot. It is NOT a parking space; a handicapped
parishioner has been unable to get out of his vehicle or into his vehicle
because of the car which consistently parks in the blue space.
CALENDAR of EVENTS for WEEK OF DECEMBER 10th:
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10th:
GIFT SUNDAY: Wrapped Christmas gifts for children can be
brought to each Mass and placed on the Altar
10:10 AM SCH: Religious
Education classes
12:00 GYM: Basketball
3:00 PM CHURCH & AUD: Rehearsal
for Religious Ed. Christmas Pageant
MONDAY, DECEMBER 11th:
3:00 PM GYM & AUD:
PSPA After school activities
4:00 PM GYM: Basketball
7:00 PM AUD: Teen play rehearsal
7:30 PM RMR: Fr. Brian’s Bible class
TUESDAY, DECEMBER
12th:
3:00 PM GYM & AUD: PSPA After school activities
4:00 PM GYM: Basketball
6:00 PM AUD: Cub Scouts
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13th:
11:00 AM SARAH NEUMAN: Mass
12:45 PM RMR: 3rd grade Brownies
12:45 PM GYM & AUD: PSPA After school activities
2:50 & 7:30 PM SCH: Religious Education classes
7:00 PM RMR: Boy Scouts
THURSDAY, DECEMBER
14th:
12:45 PM AUD: SJP School’s Christmas Show
3:30 PM CHURCH: Altar Servers
6:30 PM RMR: Youth Lectors
FRIDAY, DECEMBER
15th:
4:00 PM GYM: Basketball
7:30 PM CH: Religious Ed Christmas Pageant
SATURDAY, DECEMBER
17th:
9:00 AM GYM: Basketball
6:30 PM: “Light Up for Christmas”, K of C
FOOD BANK NEWS!!!
We’re be doing it all over
again – we need your money and your assembling of actual food baskets. Charts went
up December 2nd – baskets will be collected Sunday, December 17th
from 4 - 5 PM and Monday, December 18th from 8 – 9:30 AM.
Food can always be brought
to Mass every week – it comes in and goes right out again.
KNIGHTS of COLUMBUS
– LIGHT UP for CHRISTMAS
On Saturday, December 16th,
after the 5:30 PM Mass, the Knights of Columbus will hold their annual “Light
Up for Christmas” activity. Everyone will proceed from the Church to the
outside crèche which is located on the hill next to the gym. There will be
singing of Carols during the procession and then Fr. Brian will say prayers as
the Crèche is lit. Refreshments will be provided in the rectory meeting room
afterwards with Christmas story telling and Santa might even show up.
All parishioners are most
cordially invited to participate in this very moving event.
BREAKFAST with SANTA
Come celebrate the season with your fellow
parishioners on Sunday, December 17th, after the 9:00 AM and 10:30
AM Masses. Enjoy a cup of coffee, donuts, bagels and breakfast cake while the
children enjoy crafts, stories and a visit with the Big Guy himself! Tickets
are $5.00 per person/$20.00 per family in advance and $7.00 per person/$25.00
per family at the door. Mail your reservations to Breakfast with Santa, c/o
Ginny Escobedo, 32 Brookside Pl., New Rochelle, NY 10801. Please make checks
out to Sts. John & Paul. Thank you.
YOUTH GROUP NEWS
All Youth Group members who wish to attend the Ski
Trip at Shawnee Mountain, January 26-28, 2007, should have their deposits and
permission slips handed in/mailed to the rectory no later than December 12th.
Parents who want to help as chaperones are asked to contact Fr. Joseph A. Nahas
at their earliest convenience.
All youth group members who wish to sign up for the
Youth Group Day in NYC should contact the rectory ASAP.
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.
SPIRITUAL NEWS…
The Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Novena will return to its regular time of 7:30 PM next Friday and all
consecutive Fridays.
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, December 11th, 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.
A SPECIAL TALK by FR. BRIAN
All are invited to a talk on Medical Ethics on
Tuesday evening at 7:30 on December 12th at Our Lady of Fatima
Church in Scarsdale. Our Pastor will speak to the topic: “Whose Body is it
Anyway?” Various scientific and technological developments in the area of life
and death will be covered.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
The parish community
congratulates all the members of the Youth Group and parents who assisted and
participated in the recitation of The Living Rosary last Wednesday evening.
THE PASTOR’S COLUMN
Last week,
at the family mass, one of our children told the congregation that one of the
best ways to prepare both for Christmas and the coming of the Christ in glory
is to go to confession. Needless to say, I couldn’t agree more. Though the
purposes of the Sacrament of Reconciliation are well known, it might be
beneficial for a few moments to call them to mind. Let us do so in the context of
the rite in which the Lord and His people come together. As in human
relationships, we begin with a greeting. Sometimes such a moment when we meet
an acquaintance or friend might be awkward. We might recall the last time we
might have been with them. Perhaps sharp words were exchanged. Perhaps some
accusations were made. Perhaps doors were slammed on each other, literally and
figuratively. Initially, no thought was given to ever speaking again but
contact came about by chance or one party or the other felt that a deep void
had to be filled. With the Incarnate One, we are keenly aware that all
misgivings are on our part. We might think that there is little hope since so
much time has passed. In fact, it is decades since we entered the confessional.
How would one remember all of the offenses committed against God and Man? And
if one did recall the sins, could they be properly enumerated? And finally, a
few were so horrendous, how could forgiveness be granted? The Father sent His
Son with the specific purpose to save us from our sins and cause heaven to be
opened to those such as us. The Divine does not look for ways to trip us up but
as Francis Thompson wrote pursues us throughout our lives and seeks us to
surrender to His everlasting affection for humankind.
After our initial approach, we can
confidently confess our sins and weaknesses. Sometimes the latter might include
those occasions when we were called upon by circumstances to take positive
action or perform an act of charity and failed to respond. For instance, in
conversation we might hear people denigrating religious values, in general, or
our Catholic beliefs, in particular. Did we remain silent in the conversation
or worse, did we join in and add to the negativity? Also, in our daily
interactions with our neighbors, did we become aware of someone’s illness and
their need for assistance, but did nothing? Within our own family, did we,
through a lack of properly setting priorities, ignore a spouse’s need to be
heard or a child’s need to be led? It is important to share with the priest the
nature of our prayer life. Do we raise our minds and hearts to God only when we
“have the time” or only when we are pleading for a divine favor? When admitting
our faults, we try to recall the frequency as best we can. The purpose is
clear. In order for the confessor to give some useful advisement, it is
necessary for him to understand that a particular failure was a momentary lapse
or a prevailing behavior which might require vigilance and some proactive steps
in the future. For example, to miss Sunday Mass deliberately at any time is a
mortal sin. However, there are points to be made when one states that in a six
month period, they were absent only once. Obviously, the Mass is important to
the penitent. The warning might be aptly given that care should be taken so
that this behavior should not become habitual. On the other hand, if the
individual has been profligate for months and years concerning the Eucharist,
it might be appropriate to recommend that some spiritual reading might be done
and that if one finds themselves falling back into bad habits, then they should
repair to the Sacrament of Reconciliation as soon as possible. Many times, we
hear in the confessional two statements which should be examined: “Well, I didn’t
kill anyone or steal anything.” While society might be grateful for that, it
must be recognized that our spiritual life is often weakened not by the
outrageous but by the minor infractions which almost go by unnoticed. For
example, the constant taking of the Lord’s name in vain, the use of profane
language, the frequent exaggerations of our own importance which offends the
truth, and the unceasing effort to share details about other’s lives are
offenses which put roadblocks in our path towards union with God and can become
serious enough that they distract us entirely from our eternal destiny. A
further remark that is often stated is:”I don’t know why I go to confession. I
keep falling into the same sinful traps.” To such words, I respond first: “Can
you imagine then how bad things would be if you did not receive the sacramental
grace available from the Good Shepherd?” It must also be noted that our
humanity does witness to the reality that bad habits are harder to change than
to maintain good habits. The Apostle Paul confirms this in his Epistle to the
Romans. Finally, on this point, it must be acknowledged that we all have a
spiritual Achilles’ heel: an area of tremendous struggle centering around a
primal desire. The Evil One knows us and seeks to exploit it and attempts to
discourage us. Let us not give him the victory. Forgiveness is always there
when sought.
Having
given the priest insight into our spiritual inventory, we listen to his
admonition about future direction. He might ask us a couple of questions to be
able to assist in the formation of a plan which will enable us to live more in
union with God, man, and in some ways most importantly, with ourselves. In
regard to the latter, we must accept that no matter what we have done in the
past, if we have confessed our sin, we have been forgiven. God does not look
back; He doesn’t bear a grudge; we must not either live in the past or punish
ourselves. The scrupulous person is not closer to God; he is being abused by
the Evil One. The penance we are given serves as a reminder that we are called
to be one with the Trinity of Persons as well as others. It is a sign of our
willingness to be reconciled.
Absolution
is given by the priest who not only represents God but stands in the place of
the entire faith community. He is fulfilling the Gospel mandate first given to
the Apostles: Receive the Holy Spirit whose sins you forgive are forgiven,
whose sins you retain they are retained. The sacred reconciler is not such
because he has reached perfection. In fact the direct opposite is true. He is a
fellow traveler on the spiritual journey. He has stumbled and, at times, has
fallen. He has been a receiver of the very sacrament he dispenses.
Many of
you have received our Christmas Mass Schedule. Please heed the times for the
Sacrament of Reconciliation. On each occasion, we will stay as long as you keep
coming. Please make this holy season special. The Lord awaits us as we await
Him.
Jesus vivat
Fr. Brian