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PAGE TWO MARCH 25, 2018 FAITH FORMATION PROGRAM Registration for new students will take place on Sunday, April 15th from 10:30am until 12:00pm in the Parish House Meeting Room. You must be a registered parishioner of Blessed Sacrament Church and must supply us with your envelope number at the time you are registering a new student in our Faith Formation Program. Kindly bring a copy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate; and for an older child, please bring the date of First Reconciliation and a copy of the First Eucharist Certificate. Registration fee will be $35.00 per family and can be paid by check (made payable to Blessed Sacrament Faith Formation Program) or in cash. Sr. Anne Dolores, C.S.JB. LETTER FROM THE CARDINAL Dear friends in the Lord:

On Good Friday, a special collection is taken up in all parishes throughout the Catholic world to help support the Church in the Holy Land.

Sometimes, it is identified as a collection to support the “holy places.” In actuality, through the good works of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land and the Holy Father’s Congregation for Eastern Churches, support is given not only to the holy sites of our faith, but also to every aspect in the life of the Church in that beleaguered part of the world.

For example, the contributions of the Good Friday Collection help to sustain Catholic primary and secondary schools in the Holy Land, the Catholic University in Bethlehem, and a whole network of clinics and healthcare facilities in the Holy Land. Even special projects for social development are assisted by the collection.

Right now, the Christians of the Holy Land are a small minority. They very much need our help, especially in these difficult days. Please be as generous as you can be to this year’s Good Friday Collection.

With prayerful best wishes, may I remain, Faithfully in Christ, Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan

Archbishop of New York

THE SANCTUARY LAMP KEEPS ITS SILENT VIGIL

BEFORE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT IN LOVING MEMORY OF

CAMILLE & MARY BUSCEMA

PRAY FOR THE SICK The sick are comforted just knowing that you pray for them In your charity please remember: Margaret Pittman-Boyle, Douglas Pfleging, Jr., Phyllis Ribaudo, Ann Socci, Concetta Chicolo, Mary Kenny, Jean Carter, Jane Redmond, Carolyn DeStefano, Robert Tursi, Nicholas Toto, Marykate Rose, Peggy Travers, Mary Anne Blaine, Jean Cunningham, Jean Elmadary, Alan March, Sebastian Lattuga, Grayce Novaro, Angela Siuzdak, Helen Ramsey, Katherine Barbera, Phyllis Scharfenberg, Margaret Romani, Br. William Herbst, Barbara Brown, Michael Caruso, Patricia Connelly, Mary Belli, Mark Volpe, Linda Hansen, Dean Robert Ziegler, Danielle Ziegler, Marco Antonio Gonzalez, Larry Taylor, Jr., Kathy Quinlan, Katie Hanley, Jose Ruiz, Rosemary Callahan, Elizabeth Coyne, Robert Hammerton, Catherine Vitale, Capala Lusi, Jack McGarry, Robert McQuade, Brian Nelson, Julia Micol, Molly Cafaro, Bob Miuccio, Maryann & Danny Brown, James McGarrigle, James Finnigan, Robert Blake, Lelia Moran, Gail Kees, Michelina Farley, Cara Healy, Eileen Doran, Phyllis Morrell, Marion Coolen, Michael Roskowinski, Barbara Braisted, Jeff Orr, Debbie Caporale, Ana Ely Diaz, Ruth Orr, John G. Ferriera, Gina King, Anna Scampas, Millie Shea, Kaitlyn, Elinor Walshe, Jerry Scully and Debra Olsen.

SYMPATHY Remember the souls for whom Mass will be offered during the week, especially: MONDAY 7:00 Marcus Langle (Living) 9:00 Alice Cavicchio 7:00 Ines Amato TUESDAY 7:00 Bishop Patrick Ahern 9:00 Vincent Dicks 7:00 Carl Goetz WEDNESDAY 7:00 Arthur & Ann Dickman 9:00 Camille & Mary Buscema 7:00 Michael McCarthy THURSDAY 9:00 Tenebrae 7:00 Mass of the Lord’s Supper FRIDAY 9:00 Tenebrae 12:00 7 Last Words of Jesus 3:00 Liturgy of the Passion and Death of Our Lord 7:30 Living Stations of the Cross SATURDAY 9:00 Tenebrae 8:00 Easter Vigil SUNDAY 8:00 No 9:30 Mass 12:30 Intentions

PAGE THREE PALM SUNDAY SCHEDULE FOR APRIL 1, 2018, EASTER SUNDAY ALTAR SERVERS LECTORS EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS 8:00 PM Vigil Team 5 Leddy, Conigatti, Kelly, Helbock, Hansen J. Spach & M. Spach Hanley, Maj, Boyd 8:00 AM Team 1 C. Burns A. Coscia & E. Hodgens 9:30 AM Team 2 M. Peries J. Ryan & K. Ryan 11:00 AM Team 3 L. Pillarella J. Boyle & K. Boyle 12:30 PM Team 4 R. Semon M. Hudson & M. Hudson

WELCOME NEW PARISHIONERS

Mr.& Mrs. Philip Brittain Mr.& Mrs. William Burt Mr.& Mrs. Gilbert Gomez Mr.& Mrs. Alex LaGrecca

Mr.& Mrs. Emmanuel Mercado Mr.& Mrs. John Olsen Mr. Michael Williams

If you are new to the area and are considering

Blessed Sacrament as your parish family, please stop by the Parish Office to register. Or, go to our

parish web site, click on the Parish Registration link and return the completed form to us by e-mail, mail

or drop it in any Sunday Offertory Basket. TITAN LEAGUE BREAKFAST CLUB The Titan League Breakfast Club will meet on Thursday, March 29th at 10am at the Dakota Diner. PARISH NURSE PROGRAM The Parish Nurse’s office hours are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. If you wish to make an appointment with the Parish Nurse, Peggy Smith, please call her at 718-447-9657. ARCHDIOCESAN HYMN FESTIVAL Join fellow choir members and cantor from around the tri-state area in discovering and singing the “hidden gems” of Catholic hymnody as well as beloved favorites. All voices are welcome at this exciting evening of music making and fellowship Church of St. Joseph (Somers) on Monday, April 16th, 7pm to 8:30pm. Suggested donation: $15 (participants keep all distributed music). For more info and registration: nyliturgy.org/workshops or call 914-968-6200, X8177.

FROM THE PASTOR Palm Sunday commences the most solemn and sacred time of the Christian Year. Together with Jesus, we travel the road to Calvary, Crucifixion and Resurrection. On that journey we join the Apostles and Disciples on Holy Thursday at the Last Supper and institution of the Holy Eucharist - the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the General Audience on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018 during the encounter held in the Paul VI Hall the Holy Father continued his series of catechesis dedicated to the Mass. His words are profound, meaningful and a wonderful meditation for all of us to ponder during this Holy Week. Pope Francis speaks of:

“The first altar was the Cross”

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning! Let us continue with the catechesis on the Holy Mass. The Liturgy of the Word - on which I focused in the last catecheses - is followed by the main part of the Mass which is the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In it, through its holy signs, the Sacrifice of the new covenant sealed by Jesus on the altar of the Cross is made continually present by the Church (cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, 47). The Cross was the first Christian altar, and when we approach the altar to celebrate Mass, our memory turns to the altar of the cross where the first sacrifice was made. The priest, who represents Christ in the Mass, does what Christ himself did and entrusted to the disciples at the Last Supper: he took the bread and the cup, gave thanks, gave it to his disciples and said: “Take, eat…drink: this is my body…This is the cup of my blood. Do this in memory of me”.

PAGE FOUR Obedient to Jesus; commands, the Church organized the Eucharistic Liturgy into moments which correspond to the words and he actions performed by him on the eve of his Passion. Thus in the preparation of the gifts, the bread and the wine - that is, the elements which Christ took into his hands - are brought to the altar. In the Eucharistic Prayer, we give thanks to God for the whole work of redemption, and the offerings become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. This is followed by the breaking of the Bread and Communion, through which we relive the experience of the Apostles who received the Eucharistic gifts from Christ’s own hands. (cf. General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 72). Jesus’ first gesture: “he took the bread and the cup of wine, this corresponds to the preparation of the gifts. This is the first part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. It is praiseworthy that the faithful should present the bread and wine to the priest because they symbolize the spiritual offering of the Church assembled for the Eucharist. It is good that the faithful themselves bring the bread and wine to the altar. “Even though the faithful no longer bring from their own possessions the bread and wine intended for the liturgy as in the past, nevertheless the rite of carrying up the offerings still retains its force and its spiritual significance.” And in this regard, it is significant that in ordaining a priest, when the Bishop gives him the bread and wine he says: “Accept from the holy people of God the gifts to be offered for the Eucharistic sacrifice” (cf. Pontificale Romanum - Ordination of Bishops, Priests and Deacons). The People of God who bring the offering, the bread and wine, the great offering for the Mass! Therefore, in the symbols of the bread and wine, the faithful place their offering in the hands of the priest who places them on the altar, or the Lord’s Table, “which is the centre of the whole Liturgy of the Eucharist” Thus, the centre of the Mass is the altar and the altar is Christ. We must always look to the altar which is the centre of the Mass. In the “fruit of the earth and the work of man” the commitment of the faithful to obey the Divine Word is offered as a “sacrifice acceptable to the Almighty Father”, “for the good of all his holy Church”. Thus, “the lives of the faithful, their praise, sufferings, prayer and work, are united with those of Christ and with his total offering, and so acquire a new value” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1368). Certainly our offering is small but Christ needs this small amount. The Lord asks little of us and he gives us so much. He asks for little. He asks us for good will in our ordinary lives; he asks us for an open heart; he asks us to seek to be better in order to welcome the One who offers himself to us in the Eucharist; he asks us for these symbolic offerings which will become his Body and Blood. An image of this offering of prayer is represented by incense which, consumed by fire, releases a perfumed smoke that rises upwards: incensing the offerings, as is done on feast days, incensing the Cross and the altar, the priest and the priestly people visibly manifest their bond of offering which unites these realities to Christ’s Sacrifice. And do not forget: there is the altar which is Christ, but always in reference to the first altar which is the Cross and, upon the altar which is Christ, we bring our small gifts, the bread and wine which will become so much: Jesus himself who gives himself to us. And all of this is also expressed in the prayer over the offerings. In it, the priest asks God to accept the gifts offered by the Church, invoking the fruit of the extraordinary exchange between our poverty and his richness. In the bread and wine, we present to him the offering of our life so that it may be transformed by the Holy Spirit in the Sacrifice of Christ and become with him a single spiritual offering pleasing to the Father. While the offerings conclude the preparation of the gifts, they prepare us for the Eucharistic Prayer. May the spirituality of self-giving that this moment of Mass teaches us illuminate our days, our relationships with others, the things we do, the suffering we encounter, helping us to build up the earthly city in the light of the Gospel. May your Holy Week be centered on Calvary, Cross, the Mass and Christ. Joyful Holy Week Msgr. Finn

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