December 13, 2020

Third Sunday of Advent

Dec. 13, 2020

JUST A WORD From our Pastor (Page 9)

FIVE MINUTE JESUS (Page 8)

FROM OUR MUSIC DIRECTOR (Page 4)

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Mission Statement 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 Pastor: Rev. Donald C. Baker .......................... frdcab@stelmo79.org Rev. Msgr. Leslie J. Ivers ........................... msgrlivers@stelmo79.org Weekend Associates: ...............................................Rev. Tony Ciorra Pastoral Associate: Ms. Maryann Tyrer ........ mtyrer@stelmo79.org Pastoral Associate: Ms. Jasmine Gomez ..... jgomez@stelmo79.org Parish Manager: Mr. Michael Ward ............. mward@stelmo79.org Music Director: Mr. John Zupan .................... jzupan@stelmo79.org Wedding Coordinator: Ms. Debbi Burdett . dbweddingsnyc@gmail.com Plant Manager: Guillermo Vanegas ......... gvanegas@stelmo79.org Sacristan: Pedro Pizarro ................................ ppizarro@stelmo79.org Administrative Assistant: Gladys Tejada ..... gtejada@stelmo79.org

Mass Schedule

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, December 12th Vigil

5:30 pm

Judy Baron

Sunday, December 13th

Third Sunday of Advent

8:00 am

Michael & Bridget Hanrahan

10:00 am

Victor Vensas

12:00 pm

All Parishioners

5:00 pm

Theresa Angelillo

Monday, December 14th St. John of the Cross 12:00 pm

Patricia Medici

Tuesday, December 15th Advent Weekday 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 ............................................................. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Tuesday - Thursday ....................................... 9:00 am - 7:00 pm Friday ....................................................... Closed Saturday ................................................. 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Sunday ..................................................... Closed Closed for Lunch Weekdays......................1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

12:00 pm

Brian Thompson

Wednesday, December 16th

Advent Weekday 12 pm

Erisebert Haszar Lazio

Thursday, December 17th Late Advent Weekday 12:00 pm

Adam Armetta

Friday, December 18th Late Advent Weekday 12:00 pm

Raymond & Kevin Swanchak

Saturday, December 19th Late Advent Weekday Visit us at: www.stelmo79.org Follow us on social media by searching STELMO79

12pm

Albany Valderrama

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 Those sick with COVID-19

All Victims of Military Activities

PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED

Vito Palumbo, Sr. Eileen Clifford, Deacon Cristobal Rodriguez, Sarah Beamish, Milton Cintron, Amalia Malchiodi, John Lynch & Victoria Tiongson

Treasures of Our Tradition

FEAST OF FAITH The Shape of the Mass In the renewal of the liturgy that followed the Second Vatican Council, the full, conscious, and active participation of the assembly was the primary consideration. By participation, the Council Fathers did not mean just joining in the singing and the spoken responses, but active engagement and prayerful understanding of the rites. They envisioned a transparent liturgy, a worship that spoke so directly to the hearts and minds of the faithful that it would require no explanation at all. The liturgy itself is the best possible catechesis on the liturgy. What does the liturgy teach us? It shows us the ministry of Jesus continuing in the present. He gathers a community.

He calls us to prayer and repentance and praise. He teaches us with the very word of God. He does not send us away empty, but sets before us a marvelous banquet, feeding us with his very body and blood. Then he sends us forth to do what he has done—to give ourselves for others, not just in words, but in deeds. The Mass is the pattern of our Christian lives.

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

Today’s Readings First Reading — As a garden makes its growth spring up, so will God make justice spring up before all the nations (Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11).

Psalm — My soul rejoices in my God (Luke 1:46-50, 53-54).

Second Reading — Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24).

Gospel — I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord (John 1:6-8, 19-28).

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: Nm 24:2-7, 15-17a; Ps 25:4-5ab,

6, 7bc-9;Mt 21:23-27 Tuesday: Zep 3:1-2, 9-13; Ps 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18,

19,23; Mt 21:28-32 Wednesday: Is 45:6b-8, 18, 21c-25; Ps 85:9ab, 10-14; Lk 7:18b-23 Thursday: Gn 49:2, 8-10; Ps 72:1-4ab, 7-8, 17; Mt 1:1-17 Friday: Jer 23:5-8; Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19; Mt 1:18-25 Saturday: Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a;

Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17; Lk 1:5-25 Sunday: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Ps 89:2-5, 27,

29; Rom 16:25-27; Lk 1:26-38

A note from our Director of Music: Our Organ – Part 1 From time to time, parishioners approach me and ask about the organ in our church. They usually inquire about the age of the instrument; how many pipes are up there or even how does the organ work?

As for the age of the organ: The original organ was designed by Hilborne L. Roosevelt. It was a two-manual mechanical organ. It dates to 1883 when the Lower Church was first constructed. When the Upper Church was built, parts of the Roosevelt organ were incorporated into the new Hall Organ around 1931. Unfortunately, we do not have enough information as to what parts of the Roosevelt Organ were used in the new Hall Organ. This new organ expanded the original organ to 3-manuals with electro-pneumatic action.

Without getting too technical, an electro-pneumatic action is basically a system by which air is created from a blower which is then sent through a wooden wind trunk – think of it as an air conditioning duct made of wood – which then travels into a reservoir tank. There, the air sits at a consistent pressure ready to send air as needed into the wind chests that house all the pipes of the organ. When a note is depressed on the console, a signal is sent to open a valve in the air chest which in turn, floods the pipe with air allowing it to speak (make a sound).

The Hall Organ was working well for decades. Sadly, on August 18, 1953, a fire broke out in the attic above the organ, and the organ suffered extensive water damage. It would lie in a state of disrepair until Monsignor Modugno decided it was time to get the organ functioning again. Thank you, Monsignor! In fact, when he came in to preside at a funeral Mass recently, he told me how sad it was to go up to the choir loft and see the pipes laying all over the floor. Everything just sat there after the fire. It was a complete disaster zone up there.

So, in the early 1990s, a reconstruction of the Hall organ was begun by Mann & Trupiano of Brooklyn, who provided new chests, some new pipework, and a new terraced drawknob console built by Harris Organs, Inc., of Whittier, Calif. After several starts and stops on the project, organbuilder Timothy Fink completed the organ as financial resources became available. Timothy Fink & Company also added a Solo Tuba stop.

How many pipes?

When you look up as you leave the church you see all the large gold and silver pipes. The gold pipes on the right are not functioning pipes. They are there to balance out the organ’s aesthetics. The huge gold pipes on the left are functioning pipes. Unfortunately, they are not in good condition and have not spoken (played a sound) since the fire decades ago. The shiny silver pipes in the middle were part of the renovation that took place in the ‘90’s. You will always hear those pipes “speak” each week during Mass. But what most people do not realize is that behind those gold and silver pipes lie over 2,900 pipes! Pipes of all sizes made from metal and wood.

To be continued next month.

Parish Life The very popular reusable

SECOND SUNDAY SOCIAL!

STELMO bags will be sold at

We are hosting a live

the back of this church after all masses on December 12th and 13th. The bags, which

Second Sunday Social on

cost $5 each, make great stocking stuffers!

Sunday, December 13th at 1pm.

This is an opportunity to learn more about the parish and hear about the opportunities to get involved. If you are interested in joining, please email Pastoral Associate, Jasmine Gomez at Jgomez@stelmo79.org

The Green Team has many exciting projects lines up for the new year. If caring for our environment is something that speaks to you, please connect with them by emailing GreenTeam@stelmo79.org

ANNUAL TOY DRIVE This past week, staff from Little Sisters of the Assumption dropped by to pick up the donations collected via our Annual Toy Drive. They were delighted to see the number of gifts we collected.

Stay up to date with all things STELMO by following us on social media!

Thank you to all those who contributed and helped

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find out about events and other information by

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children and families in need.

K-8 Parish Religious Education: •

We continue to meet online each Sunday morning – but will be taking December 27 off for the Christmas holiday.

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 will meet on Sundays, Dec. 13 and 20, 10:15 to 11:30am, in the Parish Center.

Social distancing and face masks are required. Please join us!

Our Adult Faith Formation Series, Advent: Christ Comes in History, Mystery, and Majesty, continues with part three of three, this Wednesday, December 16, 7-8:30pm, in the St. Elizabeth Chapel (406 E. 80th St.), with face masks and social distancing. Please join us for a reflective evening!

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.

Bereavement Ministry

Seasons of Hope is our parish grief support group. The format is a 6-week series on Thursday evenings, led by trained facilitators, and including prayer, reflection, confidential discussion, and journaling, utilizing a program published by Ave Maria Press. We plan to meet live (socially distanced with facemasks), but we will utilize Zoom if necessary. The first series will be offered January 7, 14, 21, 28, and February 4 and 11. Please contact Maryann at mtyrer@stelmo79.org to register.

Christmas Carols on the Church Steps – Sunday, Dec. 20, 4pm

Come and get some Christmas spirit, and join members of our Parish choirs, for this free, informal concert in front of the church, prior to the Sunday 5pm Mass!

Reconciliation Monday – December 21

Confessions will be heard in the church on Monday, December 21, 4-6pm, and 7-8pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to prepare spiritually for Christmas by celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation!

Christmas Masses • • •

Christmas Eve at 5:30pm and Midnight Christmas Day at 8am, 10am, and 12noon TICKETS ARE REQUIRED for admittance! Only 150 per mass are available, so pick up your free tickets at the Parish Center this week, as they are going fast!

O Antiphons Darren Henson, STL “Oh, my goodness! It’s Advent!” That was the usual reaction I heard as a child when the long Thanksgiving weekend began to wind down.

We would make a frantic dash to the dark basement storage room in search of our Advent wreath and colored candles.

Our family had the tradition of lighting the wreath every night before supper. Our prayer was accompanied by a verse of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” It wasn’t until I was an adult that I learned that each verse of the song belongs to a particular day between December 17– 23 in the Advent calendar.

The final eight days of Advent are accentuated by these “O” statements that lead to the eight days of the Christmas octave. The weeklong prelude intensifies the longing heart for the Savior of the world.

The “O” statements are antiphons that appear at Evening Prayer before and after the Gospel canticle is prayed. The images are so rich that in the Middle Ages, they were woven into a hymn that became associated with the entire season of Advent. Today, in addition to appearing at Evening Prayer, they are also found in the daily liturgy. They take turns, one a day, serving as the verse to the Gospel Acclamation: “O Wisdom,” “O Sacred Lord,” “O Flower of Jesse’s Stem,” “O Key of David,” “O Radiant Dawn,” “O King of All Nations,” and the most expected and greatest of them all, “O Emmanuel.”

They end December 23rd, because evening prayer on December 24th is the beginning of the Christmas vigil.

The original Latin titles for these images formed an acrostic to reveal a hidden message.

The first letter of each phrase added to the next and then reversed spelled Ero Cras, or “I will come tomorrow.”

Some parishes will sing the familiar song throughout Advent, and it is one that should not be overlooked. Waiting to break out the O Antiphons until December 17 will emphasize the seasonal practice of patient waiting.

Whenever they are prayed or sung, these images

intend to inspire awe and wonder. They leave us with the speechless response of “Oh!” as we contemplate the multiple images that Christ fulfills.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION • Which image in the O Antiphons seems the most unfamiliar to you? What does it tell us about the season?

• How does your understanding of Christmas change when you ponder that Christ fulfills all seven of these O images?

• Where in your life do you need wisdom? The Lord to reveal himself? New growth? An opened door? A radiant new day?

A ruler? And God among us?

For a deeper understanding of the O Antiphons, visit http:// catholic-resources.org/Lectionary/Advent-O-Antiphons.htm., a site that lists each antiphon, its refrain, the Latin translation, the acclamation translation, and biblical references.

HOME ACTIVITIES

Create a countdown to Christmas. Beginning December 17, take one O Antiphon image each day. Use it to begin a prayer around your family’s Advent wreath, or sing the corresponding verse of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

Share with others how this image might be important to living a Christian life?

(The Web site, http://catholic-resources.org/Lectionary/Advent-OAntiphons.htm, has a chart with each antiphon with its entire refrain, the Latin translation, the Acclamation translation, and then biblical references.)

SCRIPTURE CORNER

Wisdom 9:1– 6 Sirach 24 Isaiah 9:1– 2, 11:1– 3 Slowly read and ponder these texts. Can you sense and identify with their anticipation and excitement?

DARREN M. HENSON, STL, is pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Emporia, Kansas. He serves as adjunct faculty at Loyola University Chicago, and Benedictine College, Atchison, Kansas, teaching liturgy and sacraments.

© 2007 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1800 North Hermitage Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622; 1-800-933-1800; www.LTP.org.

Art by Steve Erspamer. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Rite magazine, page 31, September/October 2007, www.ritemagazine.org.

This page may be reproduced for personal or parish use. The copyright notice must appear with the text.

It also may be downloaded at www.ritemagazine.org.

From the Pastor 12.13.2020 Reconciliation Monday It has been the custom of the Archdiocese of New York to offer the opportunity for Catholics to return to the Sacrament of Confession during the seasons of Advent and Lent by offering set hours on a day other than Saturday for people to come to church and know that a priest will be present.

This year the Advent Reconciliation Monday will take place on December 21st. In any diocesan communications the hours are from 4-8pm. However, we here at St. Monica-St. Elizabeth – St. Stephen are offering an extra hour. Thus, we will begin at 3pm. Why? Because this year, due to CoVID-19 restrictions we found it simply impossible to offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation to our school students during Advent. This extra hour is to offer the opportunity to any families who wish to come straight from school over to the church.

Msgr. and I will be in the church on December 21st in shifts, from 3-6pm, with an hour break for dinner, and we will be in the church from 7-8pm. Confessions will be socially distanced and abide by CoVID-19 safeguards.

Livestreaming One of the basic parts of our week here as members of the pastoral staff has been filming masses for online viewing. All during lockdown we recorded daily and Sunday masses. After the church reopened, we continued the taping of Sunday masses for all those who still did not feel comfortable enough to attend live mass. However, this left a lot to be desired; the quality of the sound was not always the best (we fixed that) but the biggest problem is that it was not LIVE mass; it was not a connection for all those watching with the real parish.

As of the 4th Sunday in Advent that will all change. St. Monica – St. Elizabeth of Hungary – St. Stephen of Hungary will have livestreaming capability. What that will mean is that people will be able to go to the website, click on the link and attend mass virtually. This will be available for daily as well as Sunday mass.

Of course, watching mass on a computer is not really going to mass. However, it is a substitute for those, who due to illness, age, distance or concern are not able to come together as a parish community. AS the coronavirus is conquered and our world returns to normal, this will be a valuable tool for our outreach to the larger community, and hopefully a tool for evangelization.

Before the pandemic, so many young people told me they found our church online. Being able to actually watch a mass will be an even more powerful advertisement for what is going on here.

CHURCH NAME AND ADDRESS 511510: Church of St. Monica/ St Elizabeth of Hungary / St Stephen of Hungary 406 East 80th Street, NYC., NY 10075 PHONE: 212 288-6250 CONTACT PERSON: Gladys Tejada/Office

SUNDAY DATE OF PUBLICATION: December 13th, 2020 SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: PLEASE PRINT 450 BULLETINS FOR THIS WEEK’S ISSUE