The Roman Catholic Parish of St. Vincent de Paul 250 Bebout Avenue, Stirling, New Jersey 07980 Phone: (908) 647-0118 Fax: (908) 647-5992 Parish Office—908-647-0118 After office hours in an Emergency call 973-222-0720 Parish website: stvincentschurch.org Parish Email: [email protected]PASTORAL STAFF Fr. A. Richard Carton, Pastor [email protected]Vincent G. Clarke, Music Ministry 908-647-4926 Sr. Nadine Fodor OP Licensed Counselor 551-655-4943 Sr. Elsa Jeronimo, C.S.JB. Director of Social Outreach [email protected]Deirdre Nemeth Director of Religious Formation 908-647-6772 [email protected]Amilee Bishop Youth/Confirmation Coordinator 908-295-8104. [email protected]Peter O’Neill, Deacon [email protected]Parish Trustees Alan Tangreti Timothy Wallisch PARISH OFFICE STAFF Maria DeLuca Religious Formation Secretary Tonianne VanDerveer Parish Secretary Mary Woods Parish Finance Coordinator PARISH SCHOOL 908-647-0421 Fax 908-647-3878 Website www.stvdp.org John Paul Crescenzo Principal Vera Castagna School Secretary Staci Ciamei School Finance Coordinator We are a Catholic community rooted in the Eucharist and committed to the poor. Sunday Mass Schedule (Vigil Mass) Saturday —5 PM Sunday 8:30 AM, 10:30AM and 6:00 PM Confession—Saturday at 4 PM at other times by appointment. Weekday Mass Schedule 8:30 AM Monday - Saturday “It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do so without the Holy Mass.” St. Padre Pio
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The Roman Catholic Parish of St. Vincent de Paul
250 Bebout Avenue, Stirling, New Jersey 07980
Phone: (908) 647-0118 Fax: (908) 647-5992
Parish Office—908-647-0118 After office hours in an
MONDAY January 25th The Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle
8:30 AM Albert Ostermann Patricia Filippone O’Neill Orlando Cacciato
TUESDAY January 26th Saint Timothy and Titus, Bishops
8:30 AM Robert Slyker (Living) Jerome Stephans John J. Meade
WEDNESDAY January 27th Saint Angela Merici, Virgin
8:30 AM Brianna Boland Living) Brian Meade John J. Burke
THURSDAY January 28th Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and
Doctor of the Church
8:30 AM Karl Schlegel (Living)
Holy Souls in Purgatory
Margarida Ho
FRIDAY January 29th
8:30 AM Msgr. Patrick Brown (Living) Peter Steger Richard VanDerveer Robert Alan Kelly
SATURDAY January 30th
8:30 AM Phebe Husek Joseph, Ralph and Emil Mafucci Rudy Heller
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
5:00 PM (Saturday) Frances Lorfink Anna and John Silva Paul Scanlon
SUNDAY January 31st
8:30 AM: Andrew Yacykewych Ann Allegra Anastasia Jefferies 10:30 AM Willard Dolman Juanita Kuechler Suzanne Dapkins
6:00 PM Kevin John Parisi Lucy Burns Anthony Klapperich
Coffee and… for all parishioners starting at 11:30 AM on January 31st. The School will be hosting
this event as a kick off to Catholic Schools week. It will be held in our School gym. Please stop by and meet your fellow parishioners and see how wonderful our parish school is and what it has to offer. Please call the school at 908-647-0421 to R.S.V.P.
COFFEE AND...
The weekend of January 16th and 17th Total amount in 261 envelopes: $ 8,719 Loose: $ 3,183 Online Parish Pay: $ 1,626 —————————————- Total offered: $ 13,528 Prudent Stewardship … You may want to consider a simpler, more convenient way to support your parish: electronic giving — Parish Pay. Sign up online at ParishPay.com or call 1-866-727-4741. To learn more, please contact our parish bookkeeper Mary Woods, at 908-647-0118, or via email: [email protected]
FOOD PANTRY NEEDS
On Wednesday January 27, at 9:30am the Food Pantry will be having its annual meeting in the Church meeting room (lower room in Church narthex). Anyone who is interested in joining this ministry is invited to attend. We will be reviewing the prior years food giveaways, food drives, changes, as well as signing up for days to work. The Food Pantry giveaway is on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 9:30 am to 12pm. If you are interested in helping at the food pantry giveaways but are unable to attend the meeting please contact Randa Wallisch at [email protected] or at 908 647-1977. The Food Pantry is currently in very short supply of white rice (2 or 5lb bags), dry black beans, dry small red beans, spaghetti sauce and pancake mix. As always your generous donations are greatly appreciated.
PALM FOR ASH WEDNESDAY
Palm which was blessed last Palm Sunday may be brought back to the vestibule of the church before Monday, February 8th and placed in the basket there. It will be burned and prepared for use as ash on Ash Wednesday, February 10th. After that time blessed palm from last year may be buried or burned in order to be disposed of properly. Please do not return last year's palm to the church after February 8th. Thank you.
Pope Francis is certainly making good use of this Year of Mercy. According to Vatican news reports the Holy Father in addition to his regular schedule has chosen to carry out a work of mercy once a month on a Friday. Called “Fridays of Mercy”, so far he has visited 33 residents in a local nursing home and 7 persons in a vegetative state in the same facility. The official website of the Jubilee of Mercy said, “This improvised visit took everyone by surprise and helped people understand the importance of the words spoken by Pope Francis against a ‘throwaway culture,’ and the great value the elderly and grandparents have in the Church and society.” It is important when opportunities are offered that we like the Holy father make good use of them. Each of us can do something to embrace this Year of Mercy perhaps most especially as we will soon be approaching the Lenten Season. Recently in class with the 7th grade I was teaching about the works of mercy: corporal and spiritual. Part of our class was identifying the ways in which we as a faith community carry out the works of mercy and how they could do the same. The corporal works of mercy are: (1) Feed the hungry, (2) Give drink to the thirsty, (3) Clothe the naked, (4) Shelter the homeless, (5) Visit those in prison, (6) Comfort the sick and (7) Bury the dead. The spiritual works of mercy are: (1) Admonish sinners, (2) Instruct the uninformed, (3) Counsel the doubtful, (4) Comfort the sorrowful, (5) Be patient with those in error, (6) Forgive offenses and (7) Pray for the living and the dead. A fuller explanation of each will be offered as we go through the Year of Mercy. Often while we may identify that the works of mercy are happening it may be that other people are making it happen not necessarily ourselves. Some parishioners bring food to the food pantry when they come to church, imagine if everyone did. Some clean out their closets and put extra clothing and such items in the white boxes on our property, imagine if everyone did. Many pray for the sick, those imprisoned by addiction, depression and others areas of difficulty, imagine if everyone did. Each of us has something to offer and starting with the works of mercy we can find so much that will allow us in word and deed to act in imitation of God who is all merciful. In planning events with staff members for the Year of Mercy I am pleased to let you know that we will be presenting a series of talks focusing on the topic of Mercy. Our first one, which we are calling, “Mondays of Mercy” will be presented by Sr. Nadine on Monday, February 8th, under the title, The Healing Power of Mercy: Mercy within, Mercy Between, Mercy Among. A description of Sister’s talk is in this bulletin. On Mondays during Lent the focus will once again be the Sacrament of Reconciliation which will be offered in every parish within our diocese each Monday. Our parish series will continue on April 11 with a presentation by Deirdre Nemeth, our Director of Faith Formation on the topic of Divine Mercy, on Monday, May 9th Sr. Elsa, Director of Social Outreach will speak on the Corporal Works of Mercy, on Monday, June 13 Amilee Bishop and Jeffrey Beer in Youth Ministry will speak on Catholic Social Teachings and Mercy. While there will not be sessions in July and August we will resume on September 12th when I am scheduled to present. I have ideas but have not settled on a specific topic yet—I
have time. Please note these dates in your personal calendar and more information will be forthcoming.
I like to provide opportunity for faith formation, especially during Lent. Beginning on Wednesday, February 17th from 7:30—9 PM and continuing each Wednesday in Lent I will lead sessions under the topic of Catholicism 101. Basically the format will be discussion based on questions you pose and formulate about our Catholic faith. A question box will be placed in the vestibule of the church for you to place questions which you would like to discuss/have more insight and information pertaining to Catholicism. Each week answers and insight will be offered on the questions posed. In addition Mass will be offered Monday through Friday at 7 PM during Lent with Stations of the Cross each Friday after the evening Mass. There is much we can do in this Year of Mercy. Let us not waste time.
Peace,
Fr. Richard
January 23rd / January 24th Page Four
MONDAY’S OF MERCY NEXT SUNDAY MASS READINGS
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME First Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19 God tells Jeremiah that he was chosen to be a prophet to the nations before he had even been born. He also promises him strength and protection, providing Jeremiah does as God asks. Second Reading: I Corinthians 12:31—13:13 Paul discusses the importance of love and claims that one who possesses any gift, but lacks love, has nothing. He explains that true love never fails, although knowledge or other talents can fail to endure in the same manner. Paul says that three things last: "faith, hope, and love, the greatest of these being love." Gospel: Luke 4:21-30 Jesus spoke in the synagogue at Nazareth, at first appealing to all who were present. But he knew that they would be expecting him to do the things he had already done in other towns. He reminded them of other prophets who had preached and gained acceptance in foreign places instead of their home towns. This angered the people, who expelled him from town.
Those parishioners who have returned baby bottles for Good Counsel Homes will be pleased to know that Chris Bell, Founder and Director, sent a letter thanking you for $ 2, 873.47 from those bottles. Your donation is allowing Chris and his staff to shelter pregnant women who have no place else to turn in choosing to keep their babies. Consider taking a baby bottle—your loose change is saving life—an act of mercy.
GOOD COUNSEL HOMES THANK YOU
The Healing Power of Mercy
Mercy within, Mercy Between, Mercy Among
When Pope Francis announced his intention to call for an Extraordinary Jubilee, he said, “It shall be a Holy Year of Mercy,” a time for animating “a new stage in the journey of the Church on its mission to bring to every person the Gospel of Mercy.” This Jubilee Year of Mercy can be a time of great grace and conversion. To bring mercy to every person, an important starting point for reflection may begin by asking if I ever thought of showing mercy to myself. During this session we will “dig deep” into the questions: (1) When have I experienced God’s mercy and forgiveness? (2) How willing am I to show mercy to myself and others? (3) How can I become an agent of God’s mercy during this Jubilee Year? The prophetic gospel message of centuries ago still echoes what God wants of us today: “Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Matthew 9:13 Sister Nadine Fodor, OP is an experienced Licensed Professional Counselor, spiritual director and educator. Come join us, Monday February 8th—7:30 PM in the Church meeting room.
THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
Reborn through the waters of Baptism and the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit, we embrace,
Madison Elizabeth Sepelya Daughter of Peter and Danielle
Mason Gerard Neri son of Stephen and Theresa
claimed now by Christ for the
fullness of Eternal Life.
PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS
Those who serve in the military: Sean Milde, James Minogue, Greg Scaduto, Frank Fasano, Marcia Fernandes, Richard Lister, Eric Leverone, Jay Donato, Frank Messina, Eileen Murphy, Peter Giovanni, Brian Reynolds, John E. Siedler IV, and Alex Slevens.
Those who are ill: Jack and Maria Bickel, Bob Mikulyak, Barbara Engle, Marilynn Fogarty, Cecile Fountain-Jardim, Msgr. Patrick Brown, Mary Keller, Richard, Scherer, Dorothy Paul, Givi Trauwaert, Ruth Ann Rahe, Daniel Nastarowicz, Jonathan and John Tantaros, Mary Bigelis, George Armenti III, MaryAnn Paster, Anne Galdieri, Terry McCloskey, Patricia Caruso-Minicozzi, Susan Holmes, Pat Moran, Carmel Connolly and Eric Binner.
Those who have died to this world
Joseph Fallon Requiescat in Pace
May all the faithful who have departed this world rest in your eternal peace. Amen.
January 23rd / January 24th Page Five
FAITH FORMATION
As part of the 1st-8th grade Faith Formation curriculum this year, families have been given a different part of the Mass to learn about and reflect on each week before Mass in order to enrich everyone’s understanding and appreciation of the Mass. In the fall, we learned about the Liturgy of the Word and this winter, we are focusing on the Liturgy of the Eucharist. This week’s lesson is about the Holy, Holy, Holy:
Please notice the first time you find yourself kneeling during the Mass. It is after we sing “Holy, Holy, Holy.” As part of this prayer, we say “Hosanna in the Highest.” Hosanna is an expression of praise. People shouted “Hosanna” and blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” when Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. We say these words now at Mass because Jesus is about to become present in the Eucharist on our altar. We kneel to show our respect.
NOTIFICATION OF HOSPITALIZATION ILLNESS OR IMPENDING SURGERY
Hospitals are required to observe confidentiality and privacy laws and are not permitted to inform us of admissions of parishioners to their facility. It is now necessary for the patient, a family member, or a health care proxy to notify the parish at the time of hospitalization. Arrangements then can be made for hospital/ health care facility visits once we are notified. Because of privacy laws we do not publish the names of the sick in our bulletin or announce them at Mass unless the patient or a family member gives us permission to do so. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick will be administered upon request prior to a scheduled hospital admission or before any elective surgery. Please call the parish office 908-647-0118. All calls are kept confidential.
