Rev. Nicholas Bozza, Pastor 375 Main Street, P.O. Box 730, Chester, New Jersey 07930

Coordinators of Religious Education:

Dorothy Kudron, Shannon Rossi

Cynthia Vittitow— Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Brian Flanagan — Confirmation

Kathleen Galdi — DRE, Youth Protection/Safe Environment

Music Minister: Joseph P. Tamburro

Youth Minister: Shannon Rossi

Mercy Minister: Cindy Zeis

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN: Gr. 1-7: Sun. 9:00-10:50 am (includes Mass)

Gr. 5-7: Sun. 5:00-7:00 pm (includes Mass)

Gr. 8-10: Sun. 5:50-8:15 pm (includes Mass)

CGS: Sun. 9:00-11:00 am OR Thurs. 4:45-6:00 pm

Gr. K-7: Thurs. 4:45-6:00 pm

ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: RCIA: Sundays (September-Easter)

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION: Saturday: 4:00-4:45 pm, Monday: 6:30-7:00 pm & on request.

SACRAMENT OF THE SICK: Please call the Parish Office anytime for communion calls or visitation

of the sick and elderly. Keep us informed so that we can be attentive to

those who are ill at home or in the hospital.

Parish Email: parish@stlchester.org

Parish Web Site: www.stlchester.org

Web Master: Joanne Franklin (908-879-6222)

Welcome Rosemary Lohrmann (973) 214-4806 Haiti Twinning Program Christine Colannino (201) 314-9824

Bereavement Resource Don Martone (201) 274-9723 Lectors John Kennington (908) 872-0575

Good Samaritans Patsy Soden (908) 879-3374 Eucharistic Ministers Loretta Stewart (973) 222-7492

Armata Bianca Lorna Phillips (617) 538-5567 Ushers Bob Holl (908) 876-3488

Moms & Tots Meghan Mahoney (732) 407-1618 Music Minister Joe Tamburro (347) 213-0621

Arimathaea Arlene McDonald (973) 229-9697 Spanish Ministry Louis Villafane (908) 879-3032

Liturgical Environment Joanne Carr (908) 879-5543 Youth Minister Shannon Rossi (908) 879-6714

Women’s Cornerstone Lissette Howell (973) 975-7343 Altar Servers Kathleen Garrison (973) 945-1518

Men’s Cornerstone Tommy Reynolds (908) 463-0167 Evangelization Robert Holl (908) 876-3488

Pastoral Adv. Board Jerry Frech (908) 377-2900 RCIA Jan Richards (908) 975-3555

Rosary Society Marie Holl (908) 876-3488 Respect Life Robert Holl (908) 876-3488

Barn Ministry Ray Waugh (908) 432-5046 Family Mass Social Marc McFeely (973) 222-9739

Mary’s Moonflowers Karen Jones (973) 479-5271

Parochial Vicar: Rev. Yohan Serrano

Permanent Deacon: William DeVizio

Trustees: Phil Guidone, Margie Scobell

Parish Secretary: Karen Jaworski

Accountant: Sharon McCann

MASSES: Saturday: 5:00 pm Sunday: 7:30 am, 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 12:30 pm (Spanish), 6:00 pm

Daily Mass: Mon.-Fri. 8:00 am & 9:00 am, Sat. 9:00 am

Holy Day Vigil: 7:00 pm

Holy Day: 8:00 am, 4:30 pm, 7:00 pm (Spanish)

Healing Mass: 7:00 pm every 3rd Wed. of month. Rosary at 6:30 pm

BAPTISMS: Baptism Preparation Class: Please call the Parish Office to schedule.

Baptisms: Please call the Parish Office to schedule.

SPANISH BAPTISMS: Baptism Preparation Class: Please call the Parish Office to schedule. Baptisms: Please call the Parish Office to schedule.

MARRIAGES: Please contact the Priest/Deacon whom you wish to officiate at your

wedding one year in advance to arrange for Marriage Preparation

Sessions.

PARISH MEMBERSHIP: Every family moving into the parish is requested to register. If you move

to another parish or change your address, please notify the Parish Office.

St. Lawrence the Martyr Church SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2019

MISSION STATEMENT

St. Lawrence the Martyr Roman Catholic Church is a loving and welcoming

community of disciples of Jesus who invite you to join us in becoming

disciples of Jesus. As disciples, we are faithful to prayer, to listening to

God’s Word, to meeting with Jesus in the sacraments, to building community,

and to serving others.

Parish Office: 908-879-5371 Priests’ Home: 908-879-1901 Religious Ed.: 908-879-6714 Youth Minister: 908-879-6714 Fax: 908-879-7701

Parish Ministries and Ministry Facilitators

Page Two SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2019 - THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE: DECEMBER 12, 2019 Expeditions from Spain began in the area of present day Mexico in 1519, under the direction of Hernan Cortes,

a Spanish military leader. The Spanish came to the Americas to build colonies for the benefit of their home-

land. The Spanish referred to themselves as the “conquistadores” because their mission was to conquer the in-

digenous people who lived in Central and South America and southern portions of the present day United

States. This conquest included the enslavement of the native people and claiming the land, the resources and

the possessions of the indigenous people.

In deference to the Church, the conquistadores brought with them Catholic missionaries, mostly Franciscans, who sought to

share our Catholic faith with the Aztec people. However, the efforts of the missionaries to plant the seeds of faith had little

success because the missionaries were associated with the Spanish conquest of Latin America. Quite naturally, the native peo-

ple could not accept a message of love and mercy from the Spaniards who were taking their land, enslaving them and taking

their property. In 1531, twelve years after the arrival of the Spanish, God sent a new missionary from Heaven. On December 9, 1531, Mary

the Mother of God, came to bring a message of mercy and maternal love to the Aztec people and to all of the people of the

Americas. She came as a member of the race of the Aztec people, with the features and clothing of an Aztec woman. Mary

first came to an Aztec Catholic man, Juan Diego, and she asked him to go to the Bishop of the Church of Mexico to ask the

Church to build a shrine in her honor. People would soon learn that they have a heavenly mother who loves them. Hundreds

of thousands of native people would come for baptism and membership in the Church because of the love of the Mother of the

Church. A great miracle of roses and the image on the tilma of Juan Diego would take place on December 12, 1531. Each

year we celebrate those miracles and the love of God and Mary.

Our Blessed Mother came to the Aztec people as a missionary, to bring her Son and the graces of the sacraments to the people

of the Americas. Our blessed Mother is calling us, too, to bring our families and our friends and neighbors to Jesus and Mary,

to the sacraments and to the Kingdom of God in heaven. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of the Americas and of all of

us who live here in this hemisphere. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

SHANNON ROSSI, OUR NEW YOUTH MINISTER

I am delighted to introduce to you our new parish youth minister, Shannon Rossi. Shannon comes to us with eight years’ ex-perience as a Catholic school teacher, four years in grade school and four in high school. She has experience as the chair of

the Faith Formation Team at the high school and has taught religion and theology in the schools where she has served. She is

currently working on a Master’s degree in theology with Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, CT.

Shannon and her husband, Peter, and son, Anthony, live in Chester and have been parishioners of St. Lawrence Parish since

2017. Shannon is currently the coordinator for grades five, six and seven in our religious ed. program and is completing train-

ing as a small group leader and evangelizer with our parish in the Evangelical Catholic process. Shannon is knowledgeable in

our faith, has a lively faith, is creative and compassionate and is very approachable. I am most glad to have her leading our

parish youth ministry. Welcome, Shannon, and thank you for accepting this new responsibility!

INSTRUMENTS FOR OUR SPANISH MINISTRY AND FOR A YOUNG PEOPLE’S MASS

The Spanish choir of our parish has been growing during this past year and has been getting by with a borrowed sound system

and borrowed instruments. It is time that our Spanish choir had equipment of its own. With the arrival of our new youth min-

ister, it seems time to develop a youth music ministry at the Sunday 6 pm Mass. We have an estimate that the new sound sys-

tem and instruments will cost about $5,000. About $1,900 has already been raised through the Mass of Our Lady of Guada-

lupe, through the parish picnic, and through one special donation. Next weekend, we will hold a second collection to raise the

$3,000 that we need for the expansion of our parish music ministries. I ask you to consider making a donation next weekend.

HELPING A YOUNG MISSIONARY

A young missionary is asking for our assistance. Her name is Marian Hervias and she is currently a student at Seton Hall Uni-

versity. I have known Marian for about twenty years. She has been entertaining a religious vocation for quite some time.

Most recently, she has been working with FOCUS, the fellowship of Catholic university students, which helps university stu-

dents to develop a Catholic faith. With FOCUS, Marian went to El Salvador last Spring to help university students there. She

has been invited to go to Guyana with FOCUS in 2020 to do missionary work there. She is asking for our help. If anyone

would like to join her mission support team, simply go online and donate by credit card or bank transfer at https://

tinyurl.com/MarianGuyana. Gifts made online and checks payable to FOCUS are tax-deductible, charitable gifts. Marian

would be grateful for all prayers and donations.

Father Nick

Page Three SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2019 - THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

5:00 pm

CB –

Nora

Mulligan

S1 –

Aidan

Mulligan

S2 –

Declan

Mulligan S3 –

7:30 am

CB –

S1 –

S2 –

S3 –

9:00 am

CB –

Nicholas

Weah

S1 –

Liam

Brandt

S2 -

Christian

Iannuzelli S3 –

11:00 am

CB –

Todd

Smith, Jr.

S1 –

Sadie

Smith

S2 –

Trevor

Connolly

S3 –

12:30 pm

CB –

Brianna

Carrera

S1 –

Erik

Carrera

S2 – Angel

Carrera

S3 –

Hector

Carrera

6:00 pm

CB –

Alyssa

Mayhood

S1 –

James

Mayhood

S2 –

William

Mayhood

S3 –

ALTAR SERVER SCHEDULE

December 21-22 WE PRAY FOR THE SICK . . .

Sister Eucharia, Father Joseph Farias, Father Joseph Gar-

barino, Father Gilberto Gutierrez, Father Daniel Kelly, Fa-

ther Thomas Mangieri, Father Eugene Romano, Father Stan-

islaw Wajdziak, Msgr. Eugene Boland, Msgr. Peter

McBride, Msgr. Peter J. McHugh, Msgr. Richard Rusconi,

Deacon Hector Cassillas

Joe Cillo, Mary Lynn Cincotta, Dorothy Diana, Wayne Far-

banish, Daisy Hallock, Gemma Henderson, Robert Konsig,

Camille McQueen, Pat Nappi, Conrad Spring

Help us keep our sick list up to date!

Please call 908-879-5371 or email parish@stlchester.org

to add or remove a name. All names will appear on the

list for a month. Contact the Parish Office if you would

like a name to be included for the next month.

SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS (c. 1542-1591)

December 14 How beautiful the experience of love

for God and neighbor, a fire deep

within! How disheartening when love

suddenly cools and our souls grow

dark, our prayer arid. How painful

when misunderstanding, even rejec-

tion, comes our way, sometimes from

those we least expect. For all such

“seasons of the soul,” an inspiring

fellow-pilgrim is the poet and mystic

John of the Cross. As a young Carmelite, he was recruit-

ed by Teresa of Ávila for her Discalced (“barefoot,”

evangelical poverty) Carmelite reform, striving to renew

the Church from within after the Protestant Reformation

had led countless religious away. John suffered unspeak-

ably harsh abuse, even imprisonment, from friars who

rejected this reform. Yet during these times of deepest

suffering, John composed spiritual masterpieces that still

guide souls to God, their titles reflecting his own painful

yet ultimately victorious journey: from The Dark Night of

the Soul through The Ascent of Mount Carmel to his Spir-

itual Canticle and The Living Flame of Love. John sum-

marized his spirituality simply: “Put love where there is

no love and you will find love.”

THE TEN COMMANDMENT CHALLENGE

Week 7:

1. I am the Lord your God.

You shall have no other gods before me.

2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God

in vain.

3. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.

4. Honor your father and mother.

5. You shall not kill.

6. You shall not commit adultery.

7. You shall not steal.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION THIS WEEK

Sunday

• Classes - 9:00 am, 5:00 pm

• Confirmation classes - 5:50 pm

Monday

• Family Faith Formation - 5:15 pm

Thursday

• Classes - 4:45 pm

Sunday

• No classes

MEETINGS / EVENTS THIS WEEK

Monday

• Spanish Ministry - 7:30 pm

• Posada Novena - 7:45 pm

Tuesday

• Posada Novena - 6:30 pm

• Beginner ESL - 7:30 pm

Wednesday

• Armata Bianca - 4:15 pm

• Posada Novena -6:30 pm

• Healing Mass - 7:00 pm (Rosary at 6:30 pm)

• ESL - 7:30 pm

Thursday

• Moms & Tots -10:00 am

• Posada Novena - 6:30 pm

• Adult Choir - 7:00 pm

Friday

• Divine Mercy Chaplet - 3:00 pm

• Posada Novena - 6:30 pm

Saturday

• Posada Novena - 6:30 pm

Sunday

• Posada Novena -7:15 pm

Page Four SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2019 - THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

NEW PARISHIONERS

Welcome!

Bart & Antonia Signorelli of

Hickory Drive, Chester.

Lawrence & Maria Pranzo of

Wood Stone Road, Chester.

James & Beth Jameson of Barkman Way, Chester.

YET TO DO

One never notices what has been done;

one can only see what remains to be done.

~Marie Curie

CHRISTMAS CONFESSION & MASS SCHEDULE

Confession

Mondays at 6:30 pm; Saturdays at 4:00 pm

Additional times: Sun-Mon, Dec. 22-23 at 7:00 pm

Christmas Eve Masses

4 pm, 6 pm, 8 pm (Spanish) and 10 pm

Christmas Day Masses

7:30 am, 9 am and 11 am

CHRISTMAS GIVING TREES

The Good Samaritans will be sorting and

distributing the Giving Tree donations early

this week. Please remember to return

your gift TODAY, Sunday, December 15,

as the gifts will be picked up this week by

the participating organizations so that

they have time to distribute to the families

in need. Thank you so much for your continued support

of this worthwhile project! The Good Samaritans wish

you and your families a very blessed Christmas season.

2020 CALENDARS

Available in the church and Parish Center.

Please pick one up at your convenience.

PERSPECTIVE

A mountain shames a molehill until they both are

humbled by the stars.

~Old adage

WE PRAY FOR PARISHIONERS IN THE MILITARY

Brianna Harmon, Kevin Phillips, Brad Carfaro

MASS BOOK 2020

Just a reminder that the Mass Book for 2020 is open for

your Mass intentions. Please call or visit the Parish Of-

fice to schedule your desired dates and Mass times.

OUR OFFICES WILL CLOSE

FOR CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

The Parish Office and Faith Formation Office will close

from Monday, December 23 - Wednesday, January 1

with phone messages/email checked periodically. If you

have an emergency, please leave a message for Father

Nick at both the Parish Office (908-879-5371) and the

rectory (908-879-1901).

Offices will reopen on Thursday, January 2.

RECENTLY BAPTIZED

May God hold you always in the

palm of His hand.

Logan Adam Rome, son of Jonathan &

Angel Rome of Quaker Church Road, Randolph.

SHOP RITE GROCERY CARDS

Shop Rite grocery cards are available after each Mass at

the upstairs main door of the church. They are also

available at the Parish Office during the week. Stop by

and support the parish (5% of sales) as you buy your gro-

ceries.

Last week’s sales: $3,545.00

Last week’s profit: $177.25

# families who purchased: 27

Food bank: $520.00

The Food Bank helps the needy in our community.

Thank you for your support!

Page Five SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2019 - THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2019 8:00 am - Spec. Int. of Kathryn Firestone

9:00 am - Spec. Int. of Rebecca Waite

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2019 8:00 am - Maureen Diana

9:00 am - Spec. Int. of Joseph Boyle

- Tricia Leach

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019 8:00 am - Paul Payne

9:00 am - Spec. Int. of Mary Boyle

7:00 pm - Spec. Int. of Wayne Farbanish

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2019 8:00 am - Maureen Diana

9:00 am - Spec. Int. of Mary & Alice Bankert

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2019 8:00 am - Bill McCormick

9:00 am - Robert Lederer

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2019 9:00 am - Maureen Diana

5:00 pm - Irene Skowronski

- Joseph Catherina

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2019 7:30 am - Tom & Agnes Sweeney

- Maureen Diana

9:00 am - Enriqueta Guiterrez

- Bill McCormick

11:00 am - Carol Baldowski

- James DeVizio

12:30 pm - For the Souls in Purgatory

6:00 pm - For the People of the Parish

TITHING IS GOD’S PLAN FOR GIVING.

Biblically a tithe means 10%. All are asked to consider

tithing and return 10% of our income to the Lord (5% to

the parish, 5% to God’s other charities) in gratitude. The

spiritual practice of tithing disposes us to make God first

in every area of our lives! The aim is to secure not the

tithe, but the tither. Not the gift, but the giver — for God!

Tithing Income December 8, 2019 $11,879.00

Tithing Income December 9, 2018 $10,744.00

Reflection: “You too must be patient. Make your hearts

firm, because the coming of the Lord is at

hand.” (James 5:8)

Patience is another one of those things many of us strug-

gle with. We want things to go according to our plan and

our schedule. Any change brings anxiety and fear.

Through daily prayer, we better align ourselves with

God’s will and His plan which is far better than anything

we can come up with on our own.

From Father Nick: “I thank you for your faithfulness in

giving and for the sacrifices that you make for the Lord

and His work and for our parish!”

A Testimony from Our Lady of the Magnificat Parish

in Kinnelon, NJ: “I learned the real spiritual component

of tithing and how the Lord ‘takes over’ and enables the

tithing program to care for itself. The ‘money part’ of

tithing becomes an afterthought when compared to the

blessings that come from my commitment to tithe.”

REASON TO REJOICE

Dark violet is used throughout Advent to express its

character as a season of spiritual preparation for Christ-

mas and “the coming of the Lord.” But on the Third Sun-

day of Advent, formerly known as Gaudete (Latin for

“rejoice”) Sunday, rose may be added to the liturgical

environment. The entire liturgy is infused with a spirit of

rejoicing.

Today’s first reading and Gospel proclaim the reality of

God’s saving work in our midst. Isaiah exuberantly de-

scribes the idyllic transformation of all creation as a re-

sult of God’s presence in the midst of the people. In the

Gospel, Jesus connects Isaiah’s prophecy with what is

happening in His own ministry. In addition to the list of

healings from Isaiah (the blind, the lame, lepers, and the

deaf), Jesus’ presence brings two other reasons for rejoic-

ing: “The dead are raised and the poor have the good

news proclaimed to them” (Matthew 11:5).

NEXT HEALING MASS

Wednesday, December 18

7:00 pm (Rosary at 6:30 pm)

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — The barren deserts will rejoice and

flower (Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10).

Psalm — Lord, come and save us (Psalm 146).

Second Reading — Be patient, for the coming of the

Lord is as sure as the rain (James 5:7-10).

Gospel — Tell of what you hear and see: The blind re-

gain their vision, the crippled their movement, the deaf

their hearing (Matthew 11:2-11).

MASS READINGS FOR THE WEEK

Monday:

Nm 24:2-7, 15-17a; Ps 25:4-5ab, 6, 7bc-9; Mt 21:23-27

Tuesday:

Gn 49:2, 8-10; Ps 72:1-4ab, 7-8, 17; Mt 1:1-17

Wednesday:

Jer 23:5-8; Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19; Mt 1:18-25

Thursday:

Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17; Lk 1:5-25

Friday:

Is 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-4ab, 5-6; Lk 1:26-38

Saturday:

Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a; Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21; Lk 1:39-

45

Sunday:

Is 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-6; Rom 1:1-7; Mt 1:18-24