October 18, 2020

Twenty Ninth Sunday In Ordinary Time

Oct. 18, 2020

JUST A WORD From our Pastor (Page 9)

MUSIC MINISTRY

(Page 4)

FIVE MINUTE 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 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

Mass Intentions

Saturday,October 17th, Vigil

5:30 pm

Saturday ................................................. 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Sunday ..................................................... Closed Closed for Lunch Weekdays......................1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

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

Mass Schedule

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

Sunday, October 18th Twenty Ninth Sunday In Ordinary Time

8:00 am

Helen, John Flack & Family

10:00 am

Francis Joseph Reynolds

12:00 pm

All Parishioners

5:00 pm

Thanksgiving

Monday, October 19th

Ss. John de Brebeuf & Isaac Jogues 12:00 pm Pablo Damian Litrenta (Living)

Tuesday, October 20th Weekday

12:00 pm

Mary McCarthy

Wednesday, October 21st Weekday

12:00 pm

Tuesday - Thursday ....................................... 9:00 am - 7:00 pm Friday ....................................................... Closed

Hannah Klug

Kathleen M. Reddington

Thursday, October 22nd Weekday

12:00 pm

The Anderson Family

(Living & Deceased)

Friday, October 23rd Weekday

12:00 pm

Jozsef Tamahastch

Saturday, October 24th Weekday

12:00 pm Liliana Rosa Caniggia Litrenta (Living)

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 Frank Penepento, Matthew D’Ortona, Lirika Buzhala, Kip Silverman, Mona Gilsenaine, Joanne Jack, Jennifer Garcia & Lucille Clats

Treasures of our Tradition SAINTS ISAAC JOGUES (1560-1646) AND JOHN DE BRÉBEUF (1593-1649) AND THEIR COMPANIONS October 19 Their mission was to New France, but these missionaries found in present-day New York State and the province of Ontario a world wildly different from the homes they left behind. Six Jesuit priests, Fathers Isaac Jogues, John de Brébeuf, Anthony Daniel, Gabriel Lalemant, Charles Garnier, and Noël Chabanel—and Jesuit lay volunteers René Goupil and John LaLande—shared the gospel with the Native Americans they met, in languages they painstakingly learned, and through images they creatively adapted to the indigenous cultures (for example, John de Brébeuf’s “ ’Twas in the Moon of Wintertime: the Huron Carol”). But their evangelization was caught up in turmoil beyond their control: a smallpox epidemic, battles between French and English trading interests—the traders united only by their willingness to exploit the Native Americans—and conflict among the tribes themselves, Huron, Mohawk, Iroquois. The missionaries’ perseverance despite exhausting hardships, their steadfast courage in facing unspeakable tortures, and undaunted love even for those who martyred them, bore fruit, immediately in Kateri Tekakwitha’s sanctity, eventually in the Catholicism that still flourishes in the United States and Canada.

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

Today’s Readings First Reading — The LORD said to Cyrus, his anointed, “I am the LORD, there is no other” (Isaiah 45:1, 4-6).

Psalm — Give the Lord glory and honor (Psalm 96).

Second Reading — Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians: We thank God always for all of you (1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b).

Gospel — Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s (Matthew 22:15-21).

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.

PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED Sarah Beamish, Edward Moreno, Mary O’Brien,Victoria Tiongson, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Neil Petti, Judy Baron & Robert Castro

Readings for the week Monday: Eph 2:1-10; Ps 100:1b-5; Lk 12:13-21 Tuesday: Eph 2:12-22; Ps 85:9ab-14; Lk 12:35-38 Wednesday: Eph 3:2-12; Is 12:2-3, 4bcd-6; Lk 12:39-48 Thursday: Eph 3:14-21; Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 18-19; Lk 12:49-53 Friday: Eph 4:1-6; Ps 24:1-4ab, 5-6; Lk 12:54-59 Saturday: Eph 4:7-16; Ps 122:1-5; Lk 13:1-9 Sunday: Ex 22:20-26; Ps 18:2-4, 47, 51;

1 Thes 1:5c-10; Mt 22:34-40

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 THE MUSIC MINISTRY DURING COVID

Here at St. Monica – St. Elizabeth of Hungary – St. Stephen of Hungary our music ministry is a vital and integral part of our praying community. To be a part of the music ministry means acting as leaders of sung prayer. We become a musical ensemble that gives our assembly the confidence to sing with full voice.

Our mission is to enhance each liturgy and create a shared prayer environment.

However, due to the coronavirus, we sadly cannot meet in person. Hopefully, a vaccine will be approved soon and then distributed. Once that happens it will not be long before we will be able to meet in person and pray and sing together again.

I am happy report that we will be meeting online for our choirs. The new online format will consist of ear training, sight singing, theory and learning new music. It will be different, and it will certainly be a challenge. But I am up for this challenge. My hope is to train singers to be better musicians.

Any parishioners who are interested in joining one of our choirs or interested in learning music theory, how to read music, sight singing and group vocal work please contact John Zupan at jzupan@stelmo79. org for more information.

Adult Choir – will meet online on Wednesday evenings from 7–8:30pm. From 7-8pm we will work on musicianship skills. And then from 8-8:30pm I will rehearse with individual sections. That will rotate monthly: sopranos, altos, tenors & basses.

For info please email: adultchoir@stelmo79.org

Children’s Choir – will meet online on Wednesday afternoons from 4 pm – 5pm. During the hour, the children will learn good healthy singing habits. They will also work with solfeggio (do-re-mi) to develop their musical ear and learn how to sight sing. And of course, we will work on learning church music. For info please email:

childrenschoir@stelmo79.org

Contemporary Ensemble -this ensemble is relatively new. It is geared to our young adults. If you have any interest in meeting online and develop your musical skills please email: contemporaryensemble@stelmo79.org childrenschoir@stelmo79.org

Parish Life Today, Sunday, October 18th, the Young Adult Ministry is hosting its first Bike Pilgrimage. The group seeks to provide a curated space for the Young Adults of this parish. If you wish to be kept up to date with the group’s activities, visit STELMO79.org/ya-ministry

In 13th, Filmmaker Ava DuVernay explores the history of racial inequality in the United States, focusing on the fact that the nation’s prisons are disproportionately filled with African Americans. Join us as newly ordained Deacon, Zach Presutti (founder of Thrive for Life Prison Project), provides reflections from a theological & social work perspective. Ask questions and listen to insights from Parishioners at St. Monica-St. Elizabeth of Hungary-St. Stephen of Hungary AND St. Ignatius Loyola!

Please watch the film before the event and be sure to register at STELMO79.org to join us.

Confession is available every Saturday at 5pm in the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Chapel (enter at 408 East 80th Street) or by appointment!

Baptism Announcement K-8 Parish Religious Education: Our Sunday morning program is online via Zoom this Fall, and began on October 4. IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO SIGN UP. You can register via our website (www.stelmo79.org), or download the forms there and deliver them with payment at the Parish Center (406 East 80th Street.)

The Archdiocese of New York requires two years of either Catholic School or Parish Religious Education before the reception of First Communion or Confirmation. We will accept registrations throughout the month of October.

Adult Faith Formation: Our Sunday morning Scripture Discussions resume THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18 AT 10:15PM in our Parish Center (with masks and social distancing). You are invited to join us any Sunday to learn more about your faith, and how the Sunday Mass Scripture readings can be a guide for living our faith in today’s world. No registration required – simply come to the Parish Center (406 East 80th Street) and ring the doorbell.

Adult Sacraments of Initiation: 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 no commitment is required during the initial phase of Inquiry. Face to face gatherings (with masks and social distancing) begin this Sunday, October 18, immediately following the 12noon Mass, at the Parish Center.

PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO THE 2022 OBERAMMERGAU PASSION PLAY – get your deposit in to Maryann Tyrer for this once in a decade opportunity to see the famous Passion Play, and to tour Bavaria and Switzerland with Fr. Baker and Collette Tours. The trip isn’t until July 2022, and you can pay in installments over time before the trip. Early reservations are necessary to secure play tickets and area accommodations, as about 750,000 are expected to attend the Passion Play over its 5-month run in 2022. For more information, visit: gateway.gocollette.com/link/938182 BEREAVEMENT MINISTRY – Save the dates: • Memorial Mass for Covid-19 victims – Monday,

November 2 at 6:30pm in the church.

• Morning of Reflection – “Facing the Holidays

After the Loss of a Loved One” – Saturday,

November 14, 10am – concluding with the

12noon Mass – in the church.

Next Sunday, October 25th, there will be a baptism service during the 10AM Mass At this service we will be baptizing: Isabelle Marie James Please join us in congratulating: Evan W. James & Erin M. Semler on their child’s new life in Christ.

Baptism Services are open for members of the parish to join in the welcoming of our newest members.

Fordham Prep School

Fordham Preparatory School Forming Leaders in Faith, Scholarship, and Service since 1841 For details on admissions, including virtual events, visit: fordhamprep.org/admissions Admissions Office Contact Information 718-584-8367 Admissions@fordhamprep.org

Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship Reflections from the U.S. Bishops for the upcoming election

Catholics have a long tradition of engagement in the public square. Sometimes that engagement requires making difficult moral decisions that impact our own lives and those of others. Our conscience can help guide the decisions we make. The Second Vatican Council guides us: “Always summoning (one) to love good and avoid evil, the voice of conscience can when necessary speak to (one’s) heart more specifically: do this, shun that” (Gaudium et Spes 16). However, our conscience doesn’t just come to us when we are born. We must work throughout our lives to form it through prayer, learning, and conversation.

How do I form my conscience?

It takes time to form our consciences so that we can make well-reasoned judgements about particular, real-life situations. The Church teaches that it is important to work continually on conscience formation so we can be prepared to make decisions whenever the opportunity arises. Some specific ideas to form your conscience are: 1.

Begin by being open to the truth and what is right.

2.

Study Sacred Scripture and the teaching of the Church.

3.

Examine the facts and background information about various choices and be discerning in where we

gather information.

4.

Prayerfully reflect to discern the will of God.

(Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, no. 18) Additionally, it is important to consider how our community of faith can help us form good consciences through some of these steps: 1.

Seek the prudent advice and good example of trusted leaders and others to support and enlighten our conscience.

2.

Learn about the authoritative teaching of the Church.

3.

Pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to help us develop our conscience.

4.

Regularly partake in an examination of conscience to hear God’s voice in your life.

(Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1777) Doing the work of forming our consciences can seem daunting. Fortunately, we have many church teachings that can help us in this important task. Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship is an important resource for U.S. Catholics and helps us prayerfully reflect on how we can apply Church teaching in our civil life.

“Conscience is not something that allows us to justify doing whatever we want, nor is it a mere “feeling” about what we should or should not do. Rather, conscience is the voice of God resounding in the human heart, revealing the truth to us and calling us to do what is good while shunning what is evil.”

(Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, no. 17) Here are some questions for further reflection: 1.

When has my conscience guided me to “do good and avoid evil”?

2.

What are some key resources I can use to form my conscience?

3.

Forming conscience is a “lifelong task.” What do I do regularly to form my conscience? What more

should I do?

Copyright 2019, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. All rights reserved. This text may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration for nonprofit educational use, provided such reprints are not sold and include this notice. Find this resource and others at www.FaithfulCitizenship.org.

FIVE MINUTE JESUS Using the Gospel for Prayer – The Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time OCTOBER 18 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

Matthew 22:15-21

The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion, for you do not regard a person's status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?" Knowing their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax." Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar's." At that he said to them, "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." 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 There was great animosity between the Pharisees who were against the Roman Empire and the Herodians who were willing to collaborate with the Romans hoping to gain benefits. However, they team up to trap Jesus because they hated him more. They present him with a yes or no question. But Jesus was too smart for them.

Can you think of a time in your life when you collaborated with someone you did not care for hoping to gain an advantage of someone else? If so, what was the outcome?

Tuesday Jesus’ response was simple. We all have a dual citizenship – one that is spiritual and one that is temporal. We are responsible for both. For our temporal citizenship it is our duty to pay taxes, to take care of our roads, educate our citizens and help those in need. We must always obey our civic duty. However, there are times when our civic duty can conflict with our Christian responsibilities. Sometimes we need to stand up for those who are oppressed and speak out against unjust laws that may challenge our government’s policies. In today’s world how do you respond to that call of Christian citizenship?

Wednesday For our spiritual citizenship, the image of the coin is powerful because it represents the power of God. We are all made in the image of God. God has stamped each of us in baptism to profess our faith. As a witness of Christ, how do I bring God’s presence to those around me?

Thursday Jesus’ opponents tried to trap him in a no-win situation. If he said Caesar, then he was going against his own people. If he said God, they could have him arrested for sedition. However, they did not understand that we can be both a good citizen and serve God. There is no contradiction. For God works through all of us to build communities of love. How can I help build a better community of love today?

Friday Jesus preached justice for all. He reached out to the poor and destitute. He calls for us to hear the cry of the poor. Today the coronavirus is afflicting disproportionate numbers of black and brown communities. How can you be more like Christ and reach out to help them?

Saturday We are made in God’s image. All that we have and all that we are belong to God. Since we bear God’s image, it is only right that we give ourselves back to God. It is only right that we share our talents and give of our time.

How can you give back to God today?

From your Pastor October 18th, 2020

Confirmation finally Even though it happened a couple of weeks ago, the way these columns are written only allows me now in this space to congratulate all our children from the parish and the school as well as the young people from St. Jean Baptiste who made their confirmations here on October 4th. Thanks to Ms. Joan Prety and Ms. Maryann Tyer, who shepherded their respective groups in the parishes of St. Jean and St. Monica-Elizabeth of Hungary-Stephen of Hungary, to Mr. John Mulvey who teaches religion to our Confirmation students in the school, to Ms. Jasmine Gomez who functioned as sacristan and oversaw the social media angle of the celebration, and to everyone who volunteered in the serving and organizing of the day. Thanks to Mr. John Zupan for the amazing music. Our confirming bishop, Bishop Edmund Whelan, wrote me afterwards thanking us for a wonderful celebration. He said that it was wonderful to see a parish that works! Indeed, it does, and I thank everyone who makes that possible.

Thanksgiving 2020 In this extraordinary fall as we hurtle towards an uncertain election in the midst of a pandemic, we can forget that soon we will find ourselves celebrating Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas! This past week the members of our Liturgy Committee to begin to discuss how we will handle the challenges this year presents us. This “holiday season” will be like no other in recent memory. We are working all the harder this year to see to it that the events surrounding us do not overwhelm the HOLY in “holiday” this season.

More on this to follow in subsequent bulletins; however, the first difficulty we face, before any of the other holiday celebrations, is Thanksgiving.

We will have our normal Thanksgiving mass on Thanksgiving Day at 9am. However, our parish also has the tradition, inherited from St. Stephen of Hungary, of calling together the members of the larger Yorkville community for a community Thanksgiving Dinner, celebrated in the Auditorium of St. Stephen of Hungary School on Thanksgiving Day. This dinner was the creation of Fr. Angelo Gambatese, OFM, former pastor of St. Stephen. We have continued the celebration in memory of him and in service to our community.

Needless to say, the meal cannot take place in the way it has in past years. However, we have been working with the organizers of the meal and a local restaurant to offer a Thanksgiving take home meal to those who want it.

There will be more details to follow, but I wanted to reassure those who have begun to ask, that we will continue to honor the vision of Fr. Angelo of a community where all are welcome by this year offering a takehome meal, and then next year, God willing, we will return to our annual custom of turning our parish into a place where the people of Yorkville can come together and give thanks.

THE MUSIC MINISTRY DURING COVID Here at St. Monica – St. Elizabeth of Hungary – St. Stephen of Hungary our music ministry is a vital and integral part of our praying community. To be a part of the music ministry means acting as leaders of sung prayer. We become a musical ensemble that gives our assembly the confidence to sing with full voice. Our mission is to enhance each liturgy and create a shared prayer environment.

However, due to the coronavirus, we sadly cannot meet in person. Hopefully, a vaccine will be approved soon and then distributed. Once that happens it will not be long before we will be able to meet in person and pray and sing together again.

I am happy report that we will be meeting online for our choirs. The new online format will consist of ear training, sight singing, theory and learning new music. It will be different, and it will certainly be a challenge. But I am up for this challenge. My hope is to train singers to be better musicians.

Any parishioners who are interested in joining one of our choirs or interested in learning music theory, how to read music, sight singing and group vocal work please contact John Zupan at jzupan@stelmo79.org for more information.

Fr. Baker

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: October 18th, 2020 SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: PLEASE PRINT 450 BULLETINS FOR THIS WEEK’S ISSUE