January 24, 2021

Parish life Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jan. 24 2021

JUST A WORD From our Pastor (Page 9)

PARISH LIFE (Page 5)

FIVE MINUTE JESUS (Page 8)

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Mission Statement

Mass Schedule

The Roman Catholic Parish of St. Monica-St. Elizabeth of Hungary-St. Stephen of Hungary opens its doors to welcome and embrace all in our community. We strive through worship, hospitality and service to receive those seeking a spiritual home. In the midst of diversity of thought, life style, nationality, economic status & age, we endeavor to live as a community of faith and invite you to join our family - a family seeking to know and love Jesus Christ.

Parish Staff

Daily Mass: Mon-Sat, 12 noon Saturday Vigil: 5:30pm Sunday: 8am, 10am, 12pm & 5pm Confessions: Saturdays at 5pm or by appointment

Mass Intentions

Saturday, January 23rd Vigil

5:30 pm Michael Kubera Pastor: Rev. Donald C. Baker .......................... frdcab@stelmo79.org Rev. Msgr. Leslie J. Ivers ........................... msgrlivers@stelmo79.org Sunday, January 24th Weekend Associates: ...............................................Rev. Tony Ciorra Pastoral Associate: Ms. Maryann Tyrer ........ mtyrer@stelmo79.org Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Pastoral Associate: Ms. Jasmine Gomez ..... jgomez@stelmo79.org Mary J. Reilly Parish Manager: Mr. Michael Ward ............. mward@stelmo79.org 8:00 am Music Director: Mr. John Zupan .................... jzupan@stelmo79.org Wedding Coordinator: Ms. Debbi Burdett . dbweddingsnyc@gmail.com 10:00 am Kathleen O’Connor & Joan Leane Plant Manager: Guillermo Vanegas ......... gvanegas@stelmo79.org All Parishioners Sacristan: Pedro Pizarro ................................ ppizarro@stelmo79.org 12:00 pm Administrative Assistant: Gladys Tejada ..... gtejada@stelmo79.org 5:00 pm Seamus Downes & Family (Living) Church Address: 413 East 79th Street, NY, NY 10075 Parish Center Address: 406 East 80th Street, NY, NY 10075 Tel: 212-288-6250 Fax: 212- 570-1562 Email: info@stelmo79.org Our Offices are open:

Monday, January 25th Conversation of St. Paul 12:00 pm

Tuesday, January 26th St. Timothy & Titus 12:00 pm

Friday ....................................................... Closed

12 pm

Closed for Lunch Weekdays......................1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Anna Corra

Thursday, January 28th St. Thomas Aquinas

Saturday ................................................. 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Sunday ..................................................... Closed

12:00 pm

12pm

Thanksgiving

Friday, January 29th Weekday

12:00 pm Visit us at: www.stelmo79.org Follow us on social media by searching STELMO79

Angela Mackem

Wednesday, January 27th Weekday

Monday ............................................................. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Tuesday - Thursday ....................................... 9:00 am - 7:00 pm

John Ivers

Thanksgiving to St. Agata

Saturday, January 30th Weekday Ignatius Giorgio

For Mass Intentions, please visit the Parish Center.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament Every Friday after the Noon Mass to 3:00 pm.

Devotions Miraculous Medal on Mondays after each Mass

Divine Mercy The Divine Mercy Chaplet is Prayed each Friday Afternoon at 3:00 pm.

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturdays at 5pm or by appointment

Baptisms & Marriages: Please call the rectory office for more information.

Communion for the Homebound: If you know of anyone who cannot attend church because of illness or age, and world like to have communion brought to them, please contact the Parish office, so that we can arrange for a Eucharistic Minister to bring communion to them.

PRAYERS FOR THE SICK For all who are sick with the COVID-19 Virus especially, Angelica Zarate, Lucille Claps, Joan McKegney, Marcos Gonzalez, Mary Perocho & Ruth Nelson

All Victims of Military Activities

PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED George Parashaklis, Lynn Lemay, Albeito Areiza Cano, Monsita Irrizarry, Vito Palumbo, John Lynch, Ama Bremont, Gloria Duffy, Denise M. Johnson, Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicnick, Flora Perez, and Fr. Trent Watts

Treasure of Our Tradition

The Penitential Rite Standing together in the presence of the Lord, we acknowledge our weakness, our sins and faults and failings.

But the penitential rite is really less about our sins than it is about God’s mercy. It is not a time for individual confession, like a mini-sacrament of reconciliation. It is, rather, a preparatory rite, preparing us to praise the mercy of Christ as we acknowledge our own weakness. When Simon Peter witnesses the miraculous catch of fish— when he realizes who is in the boat with him—he falls at Jesus’ feet with the words, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). We are like Peter. The more aware of the Lord’s presence we become, the more awareness we also have of our sinfulness, our weakness.

The penitential rite of the Mass takes several forms, from the traditional Confiteor or “I confess” to a litany, spoken or sung by the deacon or cantor with responses by the entire assembly. The penitential rite always includes the words Kyrie, eleison; Christe, eleison—Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy. This ancient Greek prayer came to the Roman liturgy from the East, and still echoes in many of the litanies of the Eastern Rite Churches. These words turn our gaze from our own weakness to the gentleness, the kindness, the forgiving love of Christ.

—Corinna Laughlin, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Today’s Readings First Reading — The Ninevites turn from their evil ways in response to Jonah’s message (Jonah 3:1-5, 10).

Psalm — Teach me your ways, O Lord (Psalm 25).

Second Reading — The world in its present form is passing away (1 Corinthians 7:29-31).

Gospel — Jesus proclaims, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” The new disciples abandon their nets and follow him (Mark 1:14-20).

The English translation of the Psalm Responses from the Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

Readings for the Week Monday: Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22; Ps 117:1bc, 2; Mk 16:15-18 Tuesday: 2 Tm 1:1-8 or Ti 1:1-5; Ps 96:1-3,

7-8a, 10;Mk 3:31-35 Wednesday: Heb 10:11-18; Ps 110:1-4; Mk 4:1-20 Thursday: Heb 10:19-25; Ps 24:1-6; Mk 4:21-25 Friday: Heb 10:32-39; Ps 37:3-6, 23-24, 39-40; Mk 4:26-34 Saturday: Heb 11:1-2, 8-19; Lk 1:69-75; Mk 4:35-41 Sunday: Dt 18:15-20; Ps 95:1-2, 6-9; 1 Cor 7:32- 35;Mk1:21-28

Parish Life The Green Team will meet on Thursday, February 4th at 7:30pm.

This environmental group meets via Zoom every first Thursday of the month and new members are always welcome. If you want to join or just submit an idea, please email greenteam@stelmo79.org The Saints adorning the walls of the Church of St. MonicaSt. Elizabeth of HungarySt. Stephen of Hungary Beg for acknowledgment.

A series of short talks on each saint will be featured in the “Prayers & More” section of on our website at the end of January 2021.

Please see the schedule below.

WEEK OF: January 25: Our Lady of Perpetual Help & Mary Magdalene February 1: St. Elizabeth Seton February 8: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini February 15: St. Teresa of Calcutta February 22: St. Francis of Assisi & St. Anthony of Padua If you have an idea or suggestion for social media content, please email Pastoral Associate for Parish Life, Jasmine Gomez at jgomez@stelmo79.org

On Thursday, January 28th at 7pm, the Young Adult Ministry will be hosting a talk entitled, Grounding Myself in the Word of God:

How Lectio Divina can help you live with more joy!

Join us for this virtual conversation, led by Anna Wulfekuhle, as we explore how this ancient practice can help us connect more deeply with God and help us during these pandemic times.

About the Speaker: Anna Wulfekuhle is a lover of the Divine Artist, actor, writer, and collaborator originally from the Pacific Northwest. Following several years as a barista/bartender/nanny/karaoke host/traveling tech contractor, she is delighted to put her gifts to use for God as the Office Administrator for the Archdiocese of New York’s Office of Young Adult Outreach. She continues to enjoy artistic collaboration and her current works-in-progress include an original movement and monologue piece on her best Saint friend, Joan of Arc. Register by visiting STELMO79.org

K-8 Parish Religious Education:

• We continue to meet online each Sunday morning at 10:15am. Zoom links are emailed each week to all registered families.

Adult Faith Formation:

• Our Sunday morning Adult Faith Formation, an informal discussion of the Sunday Scriptures, led by a facilitator, is open to all. We meet on Sundays 10:15 to 11:30am, in the Parish Center. Social distancing and face masks are required. Please join us! No registration is required – you can drop in any Sunday. Learning more about your faith as an adult is an awesome New Year’s resolution!

Adult Sacraments of Initiation (RCIA):

If you have ever thought about becoming Catholic, or if you are a baptized Catholic who has not yet celebrated First Communion or Confirmation, please contact Maryann Tyrer at mtyrer@stelmo79.org to discuss our adult initiation process (commonly known as the RCIA). You can begin this process at any time throughout the year, and options are available for face-to-face or Zoom meetings.

We pray for our young people from our Parish Religious Education Program, from St. Stephen of Hungary School, and from The Caedmon School, who will be celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time on Saturday, January 30. May you always be open to the love and forgiveness of our God!

At the 12noon Mass on Sunday, January 31, we will celebrate the Rite of Acceptance and Welcome with our adult parishioners who have been preparing over the past year to join the Catholic Faith.

Ronald Barth, Alissa Cherry, and Bob McCasky are preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion at the Easter Vigil on April 3.

Caitlin Hairr, Merrill Healy, Lauren Basit, and Brandon Bush, are already baptized in other Christian denominations, and will make a Profession of Faith, be confirmed, and receive First Communion during the Easter Season this Spring.

“Christ will be your strength!

Learn to know and follow Him.”

Sunday of the Word of God The Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

Hearing the Word of God

"When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his word, proclaims the Gospel" (GIRM, no. 29).

These words from the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) set before us a profound truth that we need to ponder and make our own. The words of Sacred Scripture are unlike any other texts we will ever hear, for they not only give us information, they are the vehicle God uses to reveal himself to us, the means by which we come to know the depth of God's love for us, and the responsibilities entailed by being Christ's followers, members of his Body. What is more, this Word of God proclaimed in the liturgy possesses a special sacramental power to bring about in us what it proclaims. The Word of God proclaimed at Mass is 'efficacious' that is, it not only tells us of God and God's will for us, it also helps us to put that will of God into practice in our own lives.

How, then, do we respond to this wonderful gift of God's Word? We respond in word and song, in posture and gesture, in silent meditation and, most important of all, by listening attentively to that Word as it is proclaimed.

Following each reading we express our gratitude for this gift with the words "Thanks be to God" or, in the case of the Gospel, "Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ," and it is appropriate that a brief period of silence be observed to allow for personal reflection. Following the first reading we sing the Responsorial Psalm, a meditation on God's word through the inspired words of one of the psalms from the psalter, the Bible's prayer book.

The Gospel is the highpoint of the Liturgy of the Word. The readings from the Old Testament tell us of God's promises and his preparation of his people for the coming of his Son; the epistles and other pre-Gospel New Testament readings offer the reflections of St. Paul and other contemporaries of the Lord on the life and message of Christ; in the Acts of the Apostles we have a history of the early Church. We believe that all Scripture, the Old and New Testaments, is inspired by the Holy Spirit, but the Church has always given special honor to the Gospel because in the Gospel we have not simply the preparation for and prefiguring of Christ, nor reflections on his message, but the words and deeds of Christ himself. The proclamation of the Gospel is surrounded with marks of respect and honor: the Gospel is read by an ordained minister, the deacon, or, when no deacon is present, by a priest; the Book of the Gospels is carried aloft with honor in the entrance procession and placed on the altar until the Gospel reading to show the unity of Scripture and Eucharist, of the table of the Word and the table of the Christ's body and blood; just before the Gospel is read the Gospel book is carried in procession to the ambo to the accompaniment of an acclamation sung by the people; it may be incensed before the reading and is kissed at its conclusion; finally, all stand as the Gospel is proclaimed. Through this posture and through the honor paid to the book containing the Gospel, the Church pays homage to Christ who is present in his Word and who proclaims his Gospel. We should listen as we would if Christ himself were standing at the ambo, for in fact it is God who speaks when the Scriptures are proclaimed.

The Word of God, then calls for our listening and our response in silent reflection, as well as in word and song.

Most important of all, the Word of God, which is living and active, calls each of us individually and all of us together for a response that moves beyond the liturgy itself and affects our daily lives, leading us to engage fully in the task of making Christ known to the world by all that we do and say.

(Source: https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/order-of-mass/liturgy-of-the-word/hearing-the-word-of-god)

FIVE MINUTE JESUS Using the Gospel for Prayer – The Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time JANUARY 31 It’s simple. 1. Read the Gospel for the following Sunday slowly, reflecting on the story it tells. 2. Reflect on the questions assigned for each day. 3. Make some resolution about how what you read can be lived that day. 4. Then thank God for speaking to you through this reflection.

Gospel Mark 1:21-28 Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught.

The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

Sunday Was there something in this reading that spoke to me? Challenged me? What was it? Why did it have this effect on me?

Monday Today we hear of Jesus’s authority over evil. A new authority filled with courage and wisdom. How can I emulate Jesus and spread the good news of God’s kingdom today?

Tuesday This passage from Mark confirms the truth that Jesus Christ has authority over us. Have I completely surrendered myself to him?

Wednesday Through his authority, Jesus shows us how to be compassionate to those who suffer evils. What forms of evil do we see today in our world? How can I be more like Jesus?

Thursday Jesus came to bring God’s healing touch to heal the wounded world. How can I help others who are suffering reach out to him today?

Friday The unclean spirit represents forces that pull us away from God. Whatever darkness may surround us Jesus will be there to free us. When have I been pulled away from God? What brought me back?

Saturday When Jesus was baptized, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit he was able to demonstrate a new authority. We too, through our baptism are strengthened with the Holy Spirit. How can I use that strength to spread the message of the kingdom of God in my community?

From the Pastor 01.24.2021 Lent is Coming . . . We Hope!

Last year Lent had only just begun when the pandemic forced the closure of our churches. We lost out on the live celebrations of some of the most important events of the Christian faith: The last meal Jesus celebrated with his disciples, his institution of the priesthood and the commandment to love one another, expressed by the washing of feet on Holy Thursday; Jesus’s suffering and death on the Cross on Good Friday; and his resurrection and appearance to his disciples on Easter Sunday. These celebrations are far more than just historical remembrances, they are sacramental participations in the events they celebrate. Most of us do not think much about their significance; that is, until they are taken away and we realize how important they are to us.

Church is open for business, but we have had to adapt as the pandemic is still with us. We still must wear masks, keep social distance, use hand sanitizer. Some things can go on as before, other things have had to be adapted and changed, to follow the restrictions of the pandemic and honor our faith. Lent begins in less than a month: February 17, 2021 and begins with Ash Wednesday.

All during the season of Lent we will have to continue that adaptation of the rites and rituals of our Lenten observances, and the first adaptation comes on Ash Wednesday.

According to Catholic custom ashes are imposed on the heads of worshipers as a sign of repentance from sin and the desire to renew their faith. In the United States, that imposition takes the sign of a cross, drawn on the foreheads of those present with moist ashes by the thumb of the celebrant.

However, this is not universal. Other cultures distribute ashes in different ways. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, which is the Vatican office which controls how we worship, has offered an instruction as to how to distribute ashes in a time of pandemic and quarantine. They suggest that this year we distribute ashes the way they do it in Rome every year: The penitent comes forward with head bowed, and the priest or minister sprinkles ashes on top of the head of the penitent. In this way the distribution is contactless: there is no damp ash being carried by the minister’s thumb from penitent to penitent.

This will not be satisfactory for all of us. Some of us will want to wear the sign of the cross on our foreheads like we always do. Others perhaps will be relieved, afraid of close physical contact during this time.

Nevertheless, we must adapt our practices to celebrate them safely and to show respect for those who are frightened and more cautious than we are.

Either way, it is only for one year. I will speak more on this and we will hear much about it as we approach Ash Wednesday. I don’t know about you, but I am thrilled that Lent is approaching. Because at the end of that season of repentance comes Holy Week and Easter. It will be wonderful to celebrate it together again.

Father Baker

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