Welcome to St. Virgil’s Parish

Mass Intentions for the Week Sat., April 13 5:00 PM Palma Antonaccio

Michael Cattano Margaret Schrak Special Intentions

Sun., April 14 7:30 AM Frank Burrini 9:00 AM Rosemary Milanaik 10:30 AM Robert Della Russo 12:15 PM Anthony Fiore

Teresa & Domenico Procopio—Special Intentions Ivana & Rosario Giglio—Special Intentions

Mon., Apr. 15 6:30 AM Daniel P. O’neill—Special Intentions Lawrence Hateb

12:10 PM Marie Santofiore—11th Anniversary Patricia M. Heady Teresa & Domenico Procopio—Special Intentions Ivana & Rosario Giglio—Special Intentions

Tues., Apr. 16 6:30 AM Lee & Lynne Scarpone—Special Intentions

12:10 PM Teresa & Domenico Procopio—Special Intentions Ivana & Rosario Giglio—Special Intentions

Wed., Apr. 17 6:30 AM Art Vigilante 12:10 PM Thank you to St. Jude

Phyllis “Pinky” Ryerson Teresa & Domenico Procopio—Special Intentions Ivana & Rosario Giglio—Special Intentions Jacqualine Alcock

Thurs., Apr. 18 9:00 AM Morning Prayer 8:00 PM Mass of the Lord’s Passion

Joseph & Bridget Haugh Anthony Haugh Santo Sciabica

Fri., Apr. 19 9:00 AM Morning Prayer 3:00 PM Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion Sat., Apr. 20 9:00 AM Morning Prayer 8:00 PM Brother Anthony D’Souza Sun., Apr. 21 7:30 AM Dec’d Members of the

D’Annunzio & DeRienzo Families Hank Landi Frank Landi

9:00 AM Bob Thomas 10:30 AM Helene Hallett

Harold Benz 12:15 PM Carl Reasor

New Parish Email: Please make note of the new parish email:

svparishoffice@gmail.com.

Holy Week Schedule

Holy Thursday, April 18 Morning Prayer, 9 AM

Mass of the Lord’s Supper, 8 PM Adoration till Midnight

Good Friday, April 19 Morning Prayer, 9 AM

Liturgy of the Passion, 3 PM Stations of the Cross, 7:30 PM

Holy Saturday, April 20 Morning Prayer, 9 AM

Blessing of the Easter Foods, 12 noon Easter Vigil Liturgy & Mass, 8 PM

Easter Sunday, April 21 Masses: 7:30 AM, 9 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:15 PM

This Week at St. Virgil’s

Palm Sunday, April 14 (Please note the usual 12 noon Mass will begin at 12:15 PM)

Choir Rehearsal, 9 AM, CR Youth Band Practice, 5 PM, Church

Living Stations, 7:30 PM, Church Monday, April 15

Miraculous Medal Novena following the 12:10 PM Mass Jr. High PREP, 7 – 8:15 PM, School Men’s Cornerstone, 7:30 – 9 PM, TC

Tuesday, April 16 Return Support Group, 11 AM, TC

Wednesday, April 17 Children’s’ Choir, 5 PM, Church

Appalachia Leader Meeting, 7:30 PM, FISH Room Holy Thursday, April 18

Morning Prayer, 9 AM, Church Bible Study, 10:30 AM, TC Choir Rehearsal, 6 PM, CR

Mass of the Lord’s Passion, 8 PM Good Friday, April 19 Morning Prayer, 9 AM

Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion, 3 PM Stations of the Cross, 7:30 PM

Holy Saturday, April 20 Morning Prayer, 9 AM

Blessing of the Easter Foods, 12 noon Easter Vigil, 8 PM

Please pray for all those serving in defense of our Country, both at home and abroad, especially: Second Lieutenant Ryan Feeney Lieutenant Commander Daniel M. Leahey Lieutenant Patrick J. Leahey Lieutenant Mark C. Leahey Lieutenant R. Andrew McGuinness Lieutenant Mark Van Orden Major Gary Windt Petty Officer 2nd Class Timothy Butchko Master Sergeant. T.J. Hopkins

Lieutenant Kelsey Bergh

Among Ourselves

Please remember in your prayers: James Irvin, Marie E. Logan, Margaret Ellis, Mary Eileen Prisinzano, Eileen Langan, Bob Taylor, John & Elizabeth Zisa, Kamasha Redhead, Stephen Burke, Sandra Buck, Janet Dittrich, Mallory Miller, Miah Tully, Domenico & Teresa Procopio, Anne Benson, Baby Emma Scannelli, Barbara Bock, Mary Maffeo, & Rose Marie Warrick.

We are very grateful for your on-going generosity during the year. The regular collection for the weekend April 6/7 was $12,175. ($10,450 from in pew donations and $1,725 from Faith Direct). We thank you for your generosity.

Ministry Schedule for Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday 5:00pm Vigil 7:30am 9:00am 10:30am 12:15PM Cantor Jonathan Blanco

Riti Suresh Nina Rangel Janet Winston Nina Rangel

Lector Helen Ann Pinto Elaine Scott

Louis Pavia John Trombetta Judy Spinola Dave Burrows

Altar Servers Luken Biggan Michael Gopon Jake Kosadowski Jake Gringeri Ally McLoughlin Bobby McLoughlin Extraordinary Jane Flynn Jackie Donnelley Phyllis Bonanno Renee Gopon Marianne Altrui Ministers Debbie Richenaker Jane Fischer Barbara Fisher Tina & Kevin Gopon Marie Aloia Gary Richenaker Shirley Fleury Eileen Fogleman Maureen Kelly Kelly Burrows Lydia Sesso Beverly Morgan Melissa Gringeri Frank Miller Matt Fallivene Grace Walsh Rosemary Paulison June Sambrowski Sue Carol & Jim Scannelli Linda Marcantonio Mary Jo Tufaro Kathy Sisler Angela Ranel

Palm Sunday begins the most Holy and most solemn Week of our Catholic worship: The Passion of Jesus Christ. This weekend we will receive blessed palms - a reminder that we welcome Christ into our church, our home, our world. However, these palms are not

decorative strands of greenery. They are positive signs of our desire to witness to the presence and action of Christ in our lives.

On Holy Thursday we have the unique opportunity to have our feet/hands wash. The cleansing and the refreshing feeling that water offers us wants us to experience God’s personal and individual care of each of us. Our God who in Jesus shares His life with us calls us now to do the same to others: Love others as He loves us; serve others as He serves us; sacrifice as He sacrifices Himself for us.

Good Friday is Jesus’ unique journey with His cross. Participating in the Passion reading, we become not mere spectators or just the audience. We hear and respond, we are given an insight into Jesus’ suffering and called to realize that He did it for “me” and for “us”. When we embrace the cross and kiss the “wood of the cross”, know that we will be participants in our own human sufferings - like it or not. Will we make the manner of Jesus’ acceptance of suffering our own?

Holy Saturday - Easter Vigil - we are given a candle to receive the light of Christ. Baptism - Confirmation - Eucharist are the highlight of this sacred night brought out in symbols of fire, water, bread and wine.

Welcome to Holy Week. This not a retelling of the Lord’s suffering, death and resurrection - the Paschal Mystery - but God’s entry into our lives, and our immersion into God’s love for each of us. We are embracing a winner, a hero, one who claims us as His own. Holy Week allows us to know and realize this essential

fact: I belong to God. God who has created us, now re-possesses us through the loving sacrifice of His Son: Jesus Christ.

Take the Palms home and be reminded that you have welcomed Jesus into your life. Come on Holy Thursday and experience Jesus’ personal welcome of you. Take time to be with Jesus on Good Friday and walk with Him the journey of His Cross. Then, may Easter fill you with new Life, new Hope and new Grace because you have Jesus’ light in you.

I pray that each of us through our participation in this Holy Week will come to know God’s particular love for us and His continuous joy in our salvation.

God bless us all and grant us a lively experience of this Holy Week - Fr. Lance

CHURCH REGULATIONS REGARDING FAST & ABSTINENCE

Abstinence from meat (beast & fowl) is to be observed by all Catholics 14 years and older on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of Lent. The obligations prohibit the eating of meat, but not eggs, milk products, or condiments of any kind, even though made from animal fat.

Fasting means limiting oneself to one full meal on a given fast day. Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On fast days, two additional smaller meals are permitted if necessary, to maintain strength. However, the two smaller meals together may not equal one full meal. Moreover, eating solid foods between meals on fast days are not permitted.

At least 12 Volunteers are needed for the Washing of the Feet on Holy Thursday, April 18, at the 8 PM Mass. If you are interested, you can

sign up on the poster by the Baptistry or call the Parish Office at (973) 538-1418.

Fr. Lance’s Letter

Parish Postings

May Crowning Drawing Invitation to the Parish Women

The Rosary Society invites all women of the parish who wish to be part of the drawing for the Crowning of Our Lady on Thursday, May 2, to either contact Betty O’Keefe (973-267-7760) or fill out the form below and put it in the weekly collection basket. This includes Rosary Society members as well. The cut-off date is Wednesday, April 24.

When leaving a telephone message, please include your name and telephone number so we may contact you if your name is drawn.

Name_____________________________________________ Telephone Number___________________________________

May Crowning of Our Lady May 2, 2019

All are invited to the May Crowning, sponsored by the Rosary Society, on Thursday, May 2, in the church. We will arrive at 6:45 p.m. to recite a decade of the rosary dedicated to Our Lady. Mass will begin at 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served in the Tracy Center immediately following Mass.

ATTENTION ALL PRIME TIMERS! Our next meeting will be on April 26 at 1 PM in the Tracy Center. Please note this is the 4th Friday of the month, as our usual 3rd Friday is Good Friday this year. We have an enthusiastic group of young people who will be joining us on April 26. They represent the Appalachia 2019 team that we help send to Kentucky during the month of July, with a monetary donation as well as our prayers. Please come out and welcome them. We will also have a surprise treat in store for all, as well as our usual 50/50 drawing, our collection for the Interfaith Food Pantry and, of course, our delicious dessert table. Hope to see you all on Friday afternoon, April 26, and in the meantime have a happy, blessed Easter.

43rd Annual St. Virgil’s Carnival May 8, 9, 10, 11

The signs are up; the mailing is out; and the Carnival is just around the corner. We need your help to make it all a success. You have probably received our request in the mail this week for sponsors and volunteers. Sign up for volunteering is easy with Sign Up Genius. Go to: https://www.signupgenius.com /go/30E084CACAF29A46-2019 and fill in your preferred slot.

Advance Ride Tickets are available in the Parish Office until Tuesday, May 7. The cost is $30 for a card of 30 tickets. These ride tickets can be used any night of the Carnival.

Join us for a Divine Mercy Sunday Devotional Prayer Service

Sunday, April 28, at 3:00 PM

Please join us for a beautiful service of prayers and reflections from the Diary of St. Faustina as we honor the hour of God’s great mercy for the whole world. The service will include the The Divine Mercy Chaplet in song, veneration of the Divine Mercy image and Benediction. (This service WILL NOT include Holy Mass or Confessions.)

EASTER FLOWERS

Each year, our flower memorial allows us to offer to God the best of what we can in worship, and it also

allows us to remember loved ones. If you wish to remember loved ones (living or deceased) or to make a gift in your family’s name, please complete this form and return it to the Parish Office by Monday, April 15. A free-will donation will be accepted.

In memory of / For the special intention of: __________________________________________________ Given by: _________________________________________________

Pilgrimage to The Divine Mercy Shrine in Stockbridge, Massachusetts on Friday, June 14

The grounds of the National Shrine consist of 375 acres of land nestled in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains in Western Massachusetts. The name of the property is called “Eden Hill” because of its natural beauty. On the grounds of Eden Hill, you

can explore the National Shrine Church which offers daily Mass, confessions, adoration, rosary, benediction, the chaplet of Divine Mercy, the blessing of religious articles and a blessing with a first-class relic of St. Faustina. There are five outdoor shrines including life-size Stations of the Cross. Their gift shop is the largest religious articles store in New England.

Plan to join our Parish Pilgrimage on June 14. Bus transportation and a box lunch will be provided for $45. Bus leaves at 9 AM and returns approximately 8 PM. If you are planning to join us, fill out the form below and return it to the Parish Office with your cash or check made payable to St. Virgil’s Church.

Divine Mercy Pilgrimage Reservation

Name____________________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________

Email _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Faith Formation

Religious Education Schedule for April

First Eucharist on Saturday, May 4

Jr. High PREP 5-8 Monday: 7 – 8:15 PM

April 15

Youth Masses 12:00 Noon

April 28

On Thursday, April 11, we had the pleasure of welcoming Bishop Arthur Serratelli for the Confirmation of 38 of our teens. Please join us in welcoming them as newly-Confirmed members of our parish:

Brigid Atkins Tyler Bautista Emily Bocchino Thomas Burns Victoria Coté Joseph Coughlin Olivia Del Giorno Michael DeSantis Charlotte Donnelly Clayton Emge

Grace Feeney Michael Felix MacKenzie Fitzgerald Leah Frascati Olivia Goglia Isabel Gringeri Michael Holland Olivia Hornyak Stephen Hornyak Connor Joel

James Joyce Jack Keller Grace Landi Sophia Lehman Gina Maniscalco Lauren McCarthy Joseph Messana Alyssa Morgan Ebube Ona Alice Qvotrup

Billy Scanlon Olivia Scott Kevin Soutar Shawn Stavrou Nicholas Steele Marielle Sturno Anthony Tonini Katherine Webster

Ministries & Outreaches

Family Promise Homeless Shelter Help

During the year, SVC is a supportive parish of the Family Promise Homeless Shelter in Chatham. Always a Thursday evening about 3 times a year, SVC donates food for a meal to serve about 15 people and schedules volunteers to supervise the guests overnight. Help with either service is always needed. To become a part of the distribution list, please email stephcrowley@optonline.net. A week prior to our scheduled date, a signup sheet is forwarded to volunteers to register online for their donations of food or time. Food is dropped at volunteer's home who is attending the dinner and SVC volunteers serve and enjoy an evening with the guests. The dinner and overnight stay at the United Methodist Church in Chatham on Main Street. Food is dropped the evening before or day of the dinner by 3pm. Volunteers for the overnight choose their shifts and arrive as scheduled. To get more information on supervising, please email kathybutchko@aol.com.

Rosary Society – May Outreach

To celebrate Mother’s Day, the Rosary Society is collecting NEW baby clothes and accessories for Birthright International in Dover, NJ. Birthright offers medical, legal and psychological services free-of-charge to any woman or girl regardless of age, race, religion, marital or economic status. It also recommends a wide range of community support services such as financial assistance and housing. All services are provided in a caring and non-judgmental environment. Additional information is available on its website www.birthright.org.

Please remember these mothers and their babies by purchasing one or more items from the list below. Please provide only the items and sizes requested.

Clothing for boys and girls - all sizes 6 mo to 2T

Summer outfits (short & long pants) Socks Onsies (short & long sleeves) Bibs Desitin®/diaper rash cream Crib sheets Baby towels with or without hoods Wash cloths

All parishioners are invited to participate in the collection. Please bring your gifts to the Parish Office no later than Wednesday, May 15.

Thank you for supporting these women and girls during this difficult time of their lives.

Appalachia Outreach 2019

Appalachia Youth Leaders Mtg April 17 @ 7:30PM

Cardboard City April 27 & 28

Thank you to everyone who supported our donut sale this past Sunday. The rewards were sweet!!! We have been asked to do another sale and are looking at June to bring back the donuts. We will keep in touch.

Our Go Fund Me page for our mission trip is now active. If you prefer to donate on line, the Go Fund Me page is quick and easy. You can sponsor a team through the site or packets are still available at the doors of the church for individual sponsorship of a team member. Your support, in donations and prayer, are so important to the success of our mission trip. Thank you for all your support. https://www.gofundme.com/gfp74-appalachia-2019

Our team will be bagging at the Shop Rite of Greater Morristown on April 27. Please let us help bag your groceries!!! We promise we won't put the eggs on the bottom.....

On April 27, our Appalachia Team will be participating in our 4th annual Cardboard City. At Cardboard City, teens build a shelter out of cardboard boxes and sleep out overnight to bring awareness to hunger and homelessness in our community. We ask you to be part of our retreat by bringing a bag of groceries to church on the weekend of April 27 and 28 to support the Interfaith Food Pantry. (please see the Interfaith wish list in the bulletin) We will also be collecting funds for our partners at Homeless Solutions. Both service partners are dedicated to helping the less fortunate in our community. The teens say this year’s city will be the best yet!!! Please stop by and say Hello!

Please remember the Interfaith Food Pantry while you are doing your grocery shopping. Pantry needs are extensive this time of year. Current needs are: canned

fruit, spaghetti/pasta sauce, tomato products, cereal-low sugar, high fiber, pasta / whole wheat pasta, white and brown rice, dry milk, dry milk (1 qt. package), evaporated milk, calcium-fortified milk alternatives, canned beans (pork & beans, pinto, red or white kidney) , tuna fish, canned meats and meals, Rice-A-Roni, Pasta-Roni, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, Macaroni & Cheese, all varieties of soups, Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3 baby food, baby cereal, baby wipes, reusable grocery shopping bags, Boost or Ensure regular and glucose control.

Around the Diocese & Around Town

Mount St. Dominic Academy, Caldwell, NJ, is honored to announce the 5th Annual MSDA Meghan Doyle ’05K Run/Walk on Saturday, May 4, 2019, with a starting time at 10AM. This is a USATF Grand Prix race with a cash prize to the top 3 females and top 3 males, founded in honor of Meghan Doyle, member of the MSDA class of 2005 who passed away suddenly in 2013. One hundred percent of the proceeds, which to date have totaled more than $86,000, will benefit the Financial Assistance Program at Mount St. Dominic Academy. For further information, please visit https://runsignup.com/Race/NJ/Caldwell/MtStDominicAcademy5KRunWalk or call (973) 226-0660 x 1134.

Divine Mercy Sunday April 28, 2019 "I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners." Join us at the Blue Army Shrine, 674 Mountain View Road East, Asbury, NJ to celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy. 1pm: Confessions; 2pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary. 2:30pm: Speaker - Rev. James Walling CPM; 3pm: Divine Mercy Chaplet, Litany of Divine Mercy, Veneration of the Divine Mercy Image, Benediction, followed by Veneration of The Sacred Relic of St. Faustina. For info (908) 689-1700 ext 224.

Weekly Reflection

PALM SUNDAY - PASSION SUNDAY Isaiah 50:4-7; Luke:23:1-49

Palm Sunday leads us into Holy Week, when the predictions of the Old Testament prophets were fulfilled with the Passion and Death of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Isaiah wrote: “The Lord God is my help; therefore, I am not disgraced; I have set me face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.”

The New Testament represents the heart of our learning who Christ was. Luke’s Gospel of His Passion and Death, as we discussed when observing the Year of Mercy, is known as the Gospel of Mercy, or the Gospel of Compassion. The longest reading gospel of this Liturgical Year, Luke’s account of Christ’s Passion and Death gives us the entire Passion of Christ and great insights into this Man we are following. Luke has given us many examples of the mercy that Christ showed during His life and death.

In this week’s Gospel, Luke’s account of Christ’s terrible march to His death, we see no anger, and no accusations toward those who treated Him so terribly. He only offered consolation and love to those who performed such terrible acts toward Him. He never called down the wrath of God on those who whipped Him, on those who were hung beside Him, on those along the road who cheered for His execution, or on His apostles, His friends and chosen followers who disappeared when the soldiers came to take Him!

It might be helpful for us if, in observing this most solemn Holy Week, we reread this passage during the week and look for all the times that Christ showed mercy to those He encountered on the road to his Death. Let us compare it to the times we manage to take offense at the smallest of things. If we look not at the ugliness shown to Christ, but rather how He reacted to what was happening to Him, there is much for us to ponder, and from which we can learn. Let us read it slowly, not like we know the next line. Let us look at what this Man of compassions taught us until His last breath. We are shown all we need to know from this Great Man’s life and death.

Lord, help us to live as You did, with compassion towards all those we meet.