August 23, 2020

Twenty-First Sunday In Ordinary Time

Aug. 23, 2020

JUST A WORD From our Pastor (Page 9)

MUSIC MINISTRY (Page 4)

FIVE MINUTES JESUS (Page 8)

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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, August 22nd, Vigil

5:30 pm

Sunday, August 23rd, Twenty First

Sunday In Ordinary Time

8:00 am

Mary Mitchel

10:00 am

Edith Costello

Our Offices are open:

5:00 pm

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

Thanksgiving to St. Agata

Monday, August 24th St. Bartholomew

12:00 pm

John Downes (Living)

Tuesday, August 25th Weekday

12:00 pm

Adam Armetta

Wednesday, August 26th Weekday

12:00 pm

Thursday, August 27th St. Monica

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

12:00 pm All Parishioners

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

Irene O’Brien

12:00 pm

Sunday ..................................................... Closed

Anna Corra

Friday, August 28th St. Augustine 12:00 pm

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

Rick Raimundez

Jeanette Sawicki

Saturday, August 29th Visit us at: www.stelmo79.org Follow us on social media by searching STELMO79

The Passion of St. John Baptist

12:00 pm

Luz Elena Vanegas

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.

Please remember in your prayers PRAYERS FOR THE SICK Gilberto Rodriguez, Ellen Anderson, Dough Knox, Billy Banks, Jennifer Sayte, & Dennis Cronin All victims of military activity

PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED Theresa McNamara, Josefa Castellanos, Robert Castro & Judith Baron

Treasures of our Tradition August 27 She had smiles for the neighbors, though her husband found her religion and the charity it inspired annoying. She made tearful prayers in private for a son, outwardly self-assured but, as his mother knew, inwardly restless, and whose girlfriend of a dozen years had borne his child out of wedlock.

Though not the first or last such mother and son, Monica and Augustine are the Church’s most famous, so we keep their feast days back to back, with Monica’s, fittingly, first.

To Rome she followed Augustine, then to Milan, where years of prayer—and nagging—finally bore fruit in his conversion by Saint Ambrose. For six months, mother and son enjoyed the blessing of rediscovering each other. Just in time! On the way home to North Africa, Monica took sick and died near Rome. No child who has mourned a parent can read, unmoved, Augustine’s tender account, in his Confessions, of Monica’s last days. At this time of the year, when parents watch apprehensively as children leave for school, may Monica’s perseverance and Augustine’s longprayed-for conversion ease anxiety and kindle hope.

—Peter Scagnelli, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Today’s Readings First Reading — Eliakim is destined by God to be a father to those who live in Jerusalem (Isaiah 22:19-23).

Psalm — Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands (Psalm 138).

Second Reading — How deep are the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! (Romans 11:33-36).

Gospel — Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Christ” (Matthew 16:13-20).

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

Readings for the week Monday: Rv 21:9b-14; Ps 145:10-13, 17-18; Jn 1:45-51 Tuesday: 2 Thes 2:1-3a, 14-17; Ps 96:10-13; Mt 23:23-26 Wednesday: 2 Thes 3:6-10, 16-18; Ps 128:1-2, 4-5; Mt 23:27-32 Thursday: 1 Cor 1:1-9; Ps 145:2-7; Mt 24:42-51 Friday: 1 Cor 1:17-25; Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11; Mt 25:1-13 Saturday: 1 Cor 1:26-31; Ps 33:12-13, 18-21; Mk 6:17-29 Sunday: Jer 20:7-9; Ps 63:2-6, 8-9; Rom 12:1-2; Mt 16:21-27

St. Stephen of Hungary School Pre-K through 8th Grade Catholic Parochial School 408 East 82nd St., New York, NY 10028 (212) 288-1989 • Fax: (212) 517-5788 Principal: Ms. Kelly Burke www.saintstephenschool.org Interested in admissions to our parish school? admissions@saintstephenschool.org

IMPLEMENTING ARCHDIOCESAN GUIDELINES FOR SINGING AT MASS DURING COVID Two of the recommended archdiocesan guidelines are: 1.

As we enter the church, we always need to social distance and wear a mask.

2.

We can sing, “however, parishes are advised to limit the amount of congregational singing and to avoid music that calls for more robust vocal participation.”

Masks! One of the biggest challenges for all of us is wearing a mask. Whether we are running down the hall to discard our refuse, shopping at our local bodega, or strolling out for a walk because we just cannot stay inside a minute longer, we have become mask aware. The CDC has advised us that wearing a mask can help stop the spread of the coronavirus that travels in miniscule droplets that are expelled when we exhale. The more forceful air, the more droplets. So how do we come to church and pray in word and song with those darn masks on?

I admit, I find it very distracting. As I participate in the Mass, I constantly find myself adjusting that mask quite a lot. I have observed many of you doing the same especially when singing. I see some tilt their mask down; some angle it up; and some pull it out further away from their face, so they do not feel like they are swallowing their mask. I get it. Unfortunately, praying with masks will be a new reality for the foreseeable future.

In limiting congregational singing, we have implemented the following: We will reduce the use of singing hymns in what we call strophic form, which is just verses of a song with no refrain. We have begun singing hymns with antiphons and refrains only. Sadly, many of our “robust” hymns like In Christ There Is No East Or West and All Are Welcome will have to wait until the virus is under control.

At our masses now, the entrance hymn is replaced by the Introit. The Introit – from Latin: introitus, "entrance" – started in the Middle Ages. For centuries this was the way we began every Mass. It started with an antiphon, then psalm verses followed by the Gloria Patri (Glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit). At our Masses, the cantor will sing the entrance antiphon and psalm verses. We will all sing the congregational refrain and we omit the Gloria Patri.

The Introit settings that we are using is from Saint Meinrad Archabbey. The texts for the antiphons are taken directly from the Roman Missal, Third Edition. The melodies for the antiphons are inspired by the old Latin Gregorian chants found in the Roman Gradual - the official liturgical book of the Roman Rite which contains the Introits.

The last change is the omission of the Recessional Hymn. This may or may not come as a surprise to you but in the liturgical documents, there is no recessional hymn or psalm appointed. The Mass simply ends and we as Catholics are sent forth into the world to spread the Gospel message.

So, the good news is that we can sing, and we are encouraged to do so. We just need to do it in a different way.

By making these adjustments, we can help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. And through our conscientious effort we will one day return to singing mask free!

John Zupan, Director of Music

Parish Life

The Young Adult Ministry is a curated space for those ages 18 to 39. With

events like our Wine & Cheese, Theology Talks, and more, we gather for

fellowship and to deepen our faith. We open our doors to all young adults; It

does not matter where you come from, whether you are Catholic or not,

ALWAYS welcomed in this place! If you are interested

what lifestyle you lead, how much money you make or how little- you are

in connecting with this group or attending our events, please visit https://www.stelmo79.org/ya-ministry

If you have an idea for a Parish-wide event or project, you can make the suggestion to Pastoral Associate, Jasmine Gomez jgomez@stelmo79.org Remember that this is YOUR parish and we welcome new ideas and opportunities that will enable us to grow as a community.

Generally, our seniors are retired members of our community who have time during the day to worship, to meet and discuss God’s Word, to share stories of God’s faithfulness in their lives and to articulate their needs and aspirations presently. If lively conversation, film viewings and community are what you are looking for, this is a sure fit!

Contact the group at Seniorministry@stelmo79.org

This ministry is new to our parish. The team is dedicated to education, service, and advocacy on behalf of the natural world, following the teachings of Pope Francis. If you are interested in joining, please email GreenTeam@stelmo79.org

Sacramental Celebrations that were postponed in the Spring have been rescheduled as follows: • St. Stephen of Hungary 1st Communion – Saturday, September 19, 10am o Rehearsals will be during school days • Parish Religious Ed and Caedmon 1st Communion – Sunday, September 20, at the 10am Mass o Rehearsal for candidates and a parent– Thursday, September 17, 4pm • Confirmation for SSH group and parish group – Sunday, October 4, 2pm o Rehearsal for candidates and sponsors – Saturday, Oct. 3 at 10am

K-8 Religious Education • K-8 Religious Education will be online (via ZOOM) this Fall! We hope this will make it easier for your

children to participate regularly, and allay your fears about the COVID-19 pandemic. We simply do not

have the space to allow for necessary social distancing. No ZOOM account is necessary - you will be

sent a link to connect each Sunday morning. All you need is internet access and a tablet or computer.

This method of delivery has been approved by the Archdiocese of New York and by our pastor, and it

will fulfill all Archdiocesan and parish requirements.

• Registration is now open. You may download the form on our website, complete it, attach a check, and

mail it in, OR, you may register in person and pay fees at the parish center. New registrations must

include a copy of the child’s baptismal certificate.

• Once you have completed registration, you will be notified of the dates when you can pick up your

child’s textbook and support materials. Parent meetings will be offered in September via ZOOM. • The first K-8 Religious Education session is Sunday, October 4, 2020, at 10:15am. Registration must

be completed by October 1. We hope the delayed start will allow everyone to settle in at school and

prepare for the new religious education format.

Sacramental Preparation for Children and Teens not attending Catholic School • First Penance, First Communion, Confirmation o The Archdiocese of New York requires two years of either Catholic School or Parish Religious Education immediately before the reception of First Communion (2nd grade or up) or Confirmation

(8th grade or up). o First Penance and First Communion have an at-home component that is to be completed in addition

to regular participation in Religious Education.

Adult Faith Formation – open to all adults!

• Sunday Morning Scripture Discussions resume on October 18, 10:15-11:45am at the Parish Center • Friday Evening Prayer year round in the chapel at 5:10pm each week – all are welcome Adults who are thinking about becoming Catholic, or Catholic adults who are missing First Communion and/or Confirmation - contact Maryann Tyrer, Pastoral Associate, to discuss our adult initiation process. You can begin the process any time throughout the year - we’d love to welcome you!

Want to volunteer? Many different opportunities are available, with various time commitments – Contact Maryann to discuss how your gifts might meet our needs.

BEREAVEMENT MINISTRY

We are launching a new ministry here at the parish this fall for anyone who has lost a loved one over the past couple of years. Programming will begin in November, but we need to begin now to recruit and form a team for this ministry. If you feel God calling you to assist those who are grieving, to listen to their stories with compassion and affirmation, please contact Maryann Tyrer for further discussion. No prior experience is needed, although it would be welcomed. The Archdiocese will provide training once we have formed a team.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Contact Maryann Tyrer at mtyrer@stelmo79.org if you are interested in learning more about any of the following opportunities to get involved in our Lifelong Faith Formation programs. Training and resources provided – no experience needed. Screening and background check required for all volunteers.

•

Catechists and assistants for elementary and junior high students and families– teach our faith online (for now) and in person (once it’s safe to gather in groups.) Usually Sunday mornings; occasional Saturday events.

•

Assistants and discussion group leaders for adult faith formation and adult sacramental formation (RCIA) – assist lead catechists and facilitate small group discussions. These groups meet in person, practicing social distancing. Sunday mornings, Saturdays, or weeknight evenings.

•

Hospitality assistants (will begin once social distancing rules have loosened) – assist with set up, re freshments, and clean up for Lifelong Faith Formation events (both adult and family.) Sunday mornings, Saturdays, or weeknight evenings.

Five Minute Jesus

Using the Gospel for Prayer – 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – August 31, 2020 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.

The Gospel according to Matthew 16:21-27 Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct.”

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

Monday This Gospel follows directly after last week. Last week Jesus is proclaimed that he is God’s chosen one by Peter. Today Jesus reveals what he is chosen to do; suffer, be killed and rise from the dead. Many Jews in Jesus day believed that at the end of the world, the dead would be raised; the old world would be judged, purified and a new world would come into being. Thus, Jesus’ Resurrection meant that God was beginning to make the world the way God wants it to be. What does Jesus’ resurrection mean for me? Is it important to me? If so, what promise does it hold for me? And why?

Tuesday Despite the fact that Jesus told Peter he would be raised. Peter was not happy. He refused to accept that such a thing would happen to Jesus. Because it meant that first he would have to suffer and die. We would have probably reacted the same way. What do suffering and death mean for me? Can I see something good coming out of them? IF so what? If not, why not?

Wednesday Jesus goes from calling Simon Peter the “rock” on which he will build his Church, to Satan, the obstacle that tries to trip Jesus up as he seeks to follow the path the Father has laid for him. The figure of Satan has evolved tremendously in the 2,000 years since this story was first told. For some of us Satan is almost a second God; an evil one in opposition to the Father. For others Satan is just an empty myth we use to shift the blame for our actions off of us (the Devil made me do it). What is my understanding of Satan and evil in this world? What role does it play in my faith? Do I try to shift blame to the devil when things go wrong in my life? If so, why?

Thursday Most of us have grown up relatively comfortable. We have had the advantage of health care, education, clean water, housing. Moreover, if we want something we can normally get it, if we have the money or the resources.

WE do not like the word “denial”. Yet Jesus says we must deny – OURSELVES! What do his words mean to me? Are their relationships that I would be better off ending; changes I would be better off making; Are there things that I can live without – and probably should? IF so what are they? And how do I go about denying myself these things so that I might follow Jesus?

Friday Most of us a have a cross. It hangs on our wall or around our neck. It is a symbol of our faith, and often a treasured possession. Not for Jesus and the first Christians; for them it was a form of execution so terrible that the Romans only used on non-Romans; never on Roman citizens. For centuries Christians avoided using the cross as a symbol of the faith; it was like if we used a hangman’s noose as such a symbol. And yet the cross became THE symbol of our faith; not just because of what happened on it; but because of what happened after; Jesus’ resurrection. What does the cross mean to me? How can I regain some of the understanding of it that the earliest Christians had? How does that affect my relationship with Jesus who carried that cross. . . as asks me to do the same?

From your Pastor August 23rd, 2020 The Virtual Parish Back in 2005, when I was on the Lower East Side, I got a letter from a former parishioner. He was a young man who had spent 6 months in New York as an intern in a financial firm, and towards the end of his time here, he stumbled upon St. Teresa’s. He soon left, but six months later he wrote. He was living in Atlanta, GA and wanted to thank me for the time he was able to worship with us. He said he wished there was some way he could have continued to, because he found no other parish in Atlanta like St. Teresa’s.

What if there were some way for us to create around the group of parishioners who worship physically with us in church each week, another group of people who have been a part of us but have moved away, are too old or infirm to come, or who have simply heard of our parish and want in some way to be a part of us? I have wanted for years to create something I called the “Virtual Parish” on the Internet, which would enable us to do precisely that.

We have taken some steps towards that goal. Jasmine Gomez, our Pastoral Associate for Parish Life, has as part of her job description our on-line and social media presence. However, the full roll-out of an on-line virtual parish has always been something of a dream.

Fast forward to March of 2020 and CoVID-19. As a result of the quarantine, many parishes were forced to move on-line to continue ministry. Jasmine’s work has expanded as now, in addition to social media, she is filming and editing the masses we continue to put on-line for those unable or unwilling to come to mass due to the pandemic. IT is a lot of work. So, we are looking towards taking the next step in offering masses LIVE STREAMED on Sunday morning. That would mean our Sunday mass would be broadcast on the Internet as it happened. IT would then be available on-line for people who wish to view it later. We would also be able to have talks and lectures live streamed using this platform. Our Parish Manager Michael Ward, Our Music Director, John Zupan Jasmine and I are currently investigating systems and businesses that oversee parish live streaming.

It will be a while before we actually install the equipment necessary to do this well. Money in this economy is certainly a factor. However, as more and more people move away, get older and become homebound, this is the next logical step in ministering to as many parishioners as possible. I love the idea that someday, a person who lived in this neighborhood for a time and worshiped with us does not have to give us up with their move, and that our parish’s welcome can spread beyond the physical boundaries of our church, our neighborhood and our city.

Judith Baron 1947-2020 People who have been active in the parish over the past several years perhaps remember Judy; she was the weekend receptionist and coordinated all the minister’s schedules here. She served on the altar for a time, and was active in some of the parish events like the icon painting seminars and adult faith formation opportunities.

After a long illness, Judy died last June. While we normally do not get enough lead time to announce deaths in the bulletin before the funeral mass, since Judy was cremated, and since her ashes could not be interred right away because of the pandemic, we can announce that her funeral has now been scheduled for 9am on September 12, 2020 here in St. Monica Church. All are invited to attend.

Father Baker

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