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Dear Brothers and Sisters of Our Lady of Lourdes,
A MESSAGE ABOUT GOOD SHEPHERDS
Woe to the shepherds ! (Jeremiah 23:1)
A true shepherd cares about the environment, not only in
appearance but in actual reality. Jesus the Good Shepherd cares for
us. I suggest we could reflect on this as an ecosys-
tem with these examples, (a) the “PRIUS” ecosystem (Toyota); (b)
the “PASTOR” ecosystem (church); (c)
“PERSONAL” ecosystem
The PRIUS is a car. In April 2011, Toyota sold its 1 millionth
hybrid Prius car in the U.S. In 10 years, this strange-looking
vehicle with the revolutionary engine had a spot among the
best-selling cars. (Freakonomics Blog, “Conspicuous Consumption and
the Prius Effect” April 21, 2011) While impressive, the car was
phenomenal in another way. Researchers noticed that Honda, Ford,
Nissan and other car makers sell hybrids, but the hybrid and
non-hybrid version are identical. A Nissan hybrid driver is NOT
marked obviously as someone who cares about the environment.
Meanwhile, a Prius driver is. It’s an act of “conspicuous
conservation,” a sort of “keeping up with the Joneses”-type concept
but applied to efforts to make society better. I compete with my
neighbors to donate to a charity, for instance, or to reduce energy
conservation or environmental impacts. The Toyota Prius researchers
noticed that some people were only willing to sacrifice, say,
comfort for the sake of a healthy environment if someone noticed.
I’m not saying any of you do this, but some people bought the
Toyota Prius to get noticed. Some Toyota dealerships even marketed
the car with this message “Celebrities who drive a Prius.” (Of
course, you can Google anything!) This is just an example. I’m not
anti-Toyota or anti-Prius. On a personal level, I suggest this
means we are not simply called to be GIFTED (noticed) but to be
truly GOOD. Pastors are shepherds and are called to be good, not
gifted. The message of “woe to the shepherds” (Jeremiah 23:1) or
[warning to the shepherds] is not a just a pop-up-ad on our
screens, but personal call to our consciences, and for the
ecosystem and habitat of the church. To remember that speaking the
truth, or sacrificing our-selves for another and real SALVATION is
not being
16 SEPTEMBER 2018 GIFTED but being good. Not about being
VICTORIOUS, but being VIRTUOUS. Parents, you teach your children
about care and caring for others – people and environment/ecosystem
– but not just to get noticed or known. Not to show that they are
GIFTED, but to give without counting the cost. It is better to give
than to receive. It is better to give than to be gifted. And, yes,
the news about our former Archbishop –Theodore McCarrick – and of
clergy/priests who took advantage of their office and children and
people in their care is an outrage. As priests, as shepherds, we
rely on you, we rely on your trust, your commitment to faith and
the parish family. I share this as a personal ECOSYSTEM example.
Over the years, I am grateful to my parents, teachers, priests,
friends who have been shepherds to me. In other words, they
reminded me it does not matter how smart I may think I am. In every
subject in school or work, I have to do my homework. Or, as
Monsignor Joe Petrillo was often quoted as saying, “Nothing just
hap-pens.” We work to make things happen. But, sometimes, we can
allow bad things to happen by omission or indifference. It does not
matter how GIFTED we are. Good-ness is more important. Or how
SERIOUS and SUCCESSFUL we are. You or I can still lose our souls or
hurt someone else. Jesus is not the gifted shepherd. He is the good
shepherd. Jesus is the giving shepherd; he is not the gifted
shepherd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who leads us to streams of
everlasting life and who lays down his life and gives us an example
so that we may go and do likewise, to make a true gift from
ourselves, of ourselves. I invite you to continue to pray for our
Church and I thank you for your vigilance and prayers for our
children and those in our care. Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for Us.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Pray for Us. In Christ’s Peace, Father
Jim Ferry
For Your Stewardship of Time, Talent and Treasure
FISCAL YEAR STARTING JULY 2018 WEEKLY GOAL $ 6800 Collection:
August 25-26* $ 3840 Deficit: $ 2960
* Includes Online Giving Weekly Average Deposit
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LITURGICAL MINISTERS— SUNDAY 23 SEPTEMBER
Mass Lector Eucharis c Ministers Altar Servers
5:30 pm
Pat Sigalas Marge Chris ano Emily Kunz Frank Refinski Eileen
Reilly
David Broking Jordan Broking Liam Cunningham
7:30 am Bless Bernardo Howard Casey Mary Cassels
Tim Brennan
9:30 am Choir
JoAnn Melhorn JoAnne Chiaramonte Joseph Petrillo Ann Pflug John
Pflug
Natalie Heurtelou Volunteer
11:30 am
Wendy Sheyka Virginia Dimapilis Carmelita Dizon Nancy Lanfrank
Sharon Rosario
Andrew Onubogu William Onubogu Faith Nzegwu
11:30 am Children’s Liturgy - Julie Nzegwu
10:30 am RCIA Sacred Heart Room - Will Return in September
SATURDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 8:30 am 5:30 pm
Chris an Okeke Alma Laing
SUNDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 7:30 am 9:30 am
11:30 am
People of the Parish Deceased Members of the Pflug &
Napolitano Families Jaroslav & Rose Konvalinka
MONDAY 17 SEPTEMBER 8:30 am
Tony Peluso
TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 8: 30 am
Veronica Hirsch (1st Ann.)
WEDNESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 8:30 am
Ma lda O’Boyle
THURSDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 8:30 am
Mauroso Chiovaro (Ann.)
FRIDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 8:30 am
Tony Peluso
SATURDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 8:30 am 5:30 pm
For Our Lady of Lourdes Veronica Hirsch
MASSES FOR THE WEEK
SUNDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 7:30 am 9:30 am
11:30 am
People of the Parish Dr. Anthony Oropollo & Pavone Family
John Brennan
PRAY FOR THE SICK Vincent Aiello, Anna Andreas, Sean Bailey,
Josefina Balerdi, Suzane Ball,
Gina Cammarata, Darlene Cangialosi, Teresa Carbin, Josephine
Ciullo,
Tom Collinson, Jeannie Cox, Ramona De Castro, Peggy Dolan,
Pierre Ferrus, Helen Filan, Anna Frazzano, Catherine Gascoyne, Al
Gebhardt, Judy Givas, Alberta Greco, Michael Harris,
Marissa and Richard Hedstrom, Jovann Henry, Yann Henry, Glenn
Holland, Prepty Joint, Bruce Kiefer, Tim Klein, James Leung, Adella
F. Love,
Rose Mateus, Marion McConville, Mary McGuiness, Stephanie
Montano, Noreen
Meyers, Liam Morley, Florence Olabiyi, William Ollenschleger, O
lia Ortega, Idelourdes Pe on,
Patrick Pierre, Mark Quarno, Thelma Ramaglia, Amy Ricciardi,
Mary Lou Ruppel,
Marie Salvatoriello, Vincent Santucci, Jr., Heather Scoffone,
Patricia Seib,
Natalie Sims, Marie Stopfer, Jimmy Tiernan, Robin Tobia, Ann
Whelan, Michael Whelan,
Dolores J. Williams.
If you wish to have a loved one prayed for, please call the
rectory at 973.325.0110.
THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR OF EVENTS
SUNDAY 16 SEPTEMBER
SHOP RITE CARDS SOLD AT ALL MASSES
MONDAY 17 SEPTEMBER 5:30—7:15 pm
7:00 pm 7—8:30 pm
Family Catechesis—Hall 1st Penance/Reconcilia on Mee ng - Hall
M/HS Religious Ed—School Chapel
THURSDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 10:00 am
6:00 pm 7:00 pm 7:30 pm
Deadline for News & Announcements for September 30th Bulle n
email: lourdesbulle [email protected] Choir Prac ce Chris an Book Club—KOC
Financial Council Mee ng—Connor Hall
SATURDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 11 am—1:30 pm
2:30—6:30 pm
Soup Kitchen-St. Vincent DePaul @ Holy Trinity Church Confirma
on Retreat—Chapel/Church
SUNDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 9:30 am
10:30 am
Mass of Inscrip on for 1st Penance/Communion Students Kick Off
Social
This week’s Sanctuary Candle, a gi of J. A. Konvalinka, is in
memory of JAROSLAV & ROSE KONVALINKA
This week’s Bread and Wine, a gi of J. A. Konvalinka, is in
memory of JAROSLAV & ROSE KONVALINKA
This week’s Altar Candles, a gi of J. A. Konvalinka, is in
memory of JAROSLAV & ROSE KONVALINKA
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THEROSARYALTARSOCIETYis selling Shop Rite Gift Cards to be used
as CASH to bene it Our Lady of Lourdes Church.
Giftcardsareavailableonthe3rdweekendofeachmonthbeforeandafterall
Massesor by calling the Rectory at 973.325.0110,
Monday-Friday,9:00am-2:00pm.OurnextShopRiteCardSaleDateis
September15-16Thank you for your support.
“Whoever wishes to come a er me must deny himself, take up his
cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8:34)
When we truly believe that all we have is a gi from God, then we
must be willing to give up some things so that we can share our
blessings as God intended. Living a stewardship lifestyle means not
only being responsible for our own life, but the lives of others as
well.
St. Vincent DePaul Society is hos ng the soup kitchen on
Saturday, September 22nd from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm at the Holy
Trinity Episcopal Church. If anyone is interested in preparing or
serving food, please call Rosanne Bruno at 973-243-0679.
Help support Boys Scout Troup 6 by buying Popcorn!
Please stop by our table a er Mass on Saturday, Sept. 15th and
Sunday, Sept. 16th.
Troop 6 is also suppor ng Popcorn for our Troops. Donate a gi of
popcorn for military men and wom-
en, their families and Veteran's Organiza ons .
“IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR….”
These are the words of a very joyous and popular Christmas Song.
Some parents feel a similar joy at this time of year as students of
all ages return to school. For some people who have difficulty
finding a break in life, joy is most fleeting. Catholic Charities
helps people in all circumstances find hope which leads to joy.
Please help us to bring hope by contributing the
following to the donations bin: used clothing, small appliances,
shoes, linens, sheets, towels, stuffed animals, novels and
children’s books.
Thank you.
The Community of God’s Love presents
Bishop Robert Barron’s Catholicism Series
THE PIVOTAL PLAYERS September 21st—St. Thomas Aquinas—The
Theologian
October 19th—St. Catherine of Siena—The Mys c November 9th—Bl.
John Henry Newman—The Convert
7:00 PM each night a light supper will be served followed at
8:00 PM by the video and a discussion.
At the Community of God’s Love Visita on House 70 W. Passaic
Avenue (corner of Mor mer)
Rutherford, NJ 07070 Free will offering. All are welcome to a
end.
Please call the CGL Secretary at 201-935-0344 or email
[email protected] for further informa on and reserva ons.
AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE
ORATORY PREPARATORY SCHOOL
We invite you to our OPEN HOUSES on Sunday, Sunday, September
30, 2018 from 1-3 pm and on
Thursday, October 25, 2018 from 6:45 - 8:15 pm.
Oratory Prep is located at 425 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ. No
appoint-ment necessary. For further informa on call: 908-273-5771,
ext. 1 or visit us at www.oratoryprep.org.
FOOD FOR THE NEEDY September 29-30 is our monthly food
collec-
on for St. John’s Church, Newark. Please bring non-perishable
food and place it in the bins in the Church lobbies. Thank you.
Our Lady of Lourdes will hold its Annual Communion Breakfast
on
Sunday, October 7, 2018 following the 9:30 a.m. Mass in Connor
Hall.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO JOIN US.
Our guest speaker will be Rev. Msgr. Edward G. Bradley,
Director
of Ministry to Re red Priests, Archdiocese of Newark. For
reserva ons @ $25 per person, please call Ann Pflug at
973-325-2212. Sponsored by the Rosary Altar Society.
2018 Fall
SUNDAY October 14th 1:00—4:00 PM at the School’s Campus in
downtown Jersey City
Facutly and staff as well as coaches, students and parents, will
be present to answer ques ons about the school, and tours of the
campus will be provided. Founded in 1872 Saint Peter’s Pep is an
independent, college preparatory school for boys and it remains New
Jersey’s only Jesuit high school. For more informa on, please call
201-547-6389.
At
Saint Peter’s Prep Jersey City
http://www.oratoryprep.org.
