The Roman Catholic Parish of
Saint Monica Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Saint Stephen of Hungary ————————————————————————————————————— Church : 413 East 79th St. New York, NY 10075 Parish Center: 406 East 80th St. New York, NY 10075 Tel.:(212) 288-6250 Fax: (212) 570 - 1562 www.STELMO79.org www.facebook.com/stelmo79
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First Sunday of Advent–December 1st, 2019
Office Hours
Parish Staff
Our Offices are open: Mo. 9am – 5pm Tu.-Th. 9am – 7pm Fri. Closed Sat. 10am -2pm Sun. Closed Our offices close for lunch: 1pm – 2pm daily
Pastor:
Rev. Donald C. Baker
frdcab@stelmo79.org
Associate:
Rev. Msgr. Leslie J. Ivers
msgrlivers@stelmo79.org
Weekend Associates:
Parish Manager: Music Director:
Rev. Jim O’Shea Rev. Tony Ciorra Ms. Maryann Tyrer Ms. Jasmine Gomez Mr. Michael Ward Mr. John Zupan
mtyrer@stelmo79.org jgomez@stelmo79.org mward@stelmo79.org jzupan@stelmo79.org
Wedding Coordinator:
Ms. Debbi Burdett
DBweddingsnyc@gmail.com
Pastoral Associates:
Mass Schedule Saturday Vigil: 5:30pm Sunday: 8:00am,10:00am,12:00pm,5:00pm Monday – Saturday: 12:00pm Confessions: Saturday: 5:00 – 5:30pm and by appointment Our church is open: 7:15am – 3:30pm daily for private prayer Vespers (evening prayer): 5:10pm Fridays in Parish Center Chapel St.
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
S
MISSION STATEMENT The Roman Catholic Parish of St. Monica, St. Elizabeth of Hungary and 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 and 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.
SATURDAY 5:30PM
November 30th Vigil Andrew Jozsef
SUNDAY
December 1st First Sunday of Advent
8:00AM
Megan, Matthew, Sarah & Ryan Juan Ayastury Litrenta (Living) All Parishioners Christopher Wagner
10:00AM 12NOON 5PM MONDAY 12NOON
TODAY’S READINGS
TUESDAY
First Reading — All the peoples shall stream toward the LORD’s house (Isaiah 2:1-5). Psalm — Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord (Psalm 122). Second Reading — It is the hour to cast off the dark and clothe ourselves in the light (Romans 13:11– 14). Gospel — Stay awake! Be prepared! The Son of Man will come when you least expect (Matthew 24:37-44).
12NOON
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.
FRIDAY
READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Tuesday:
Is 4:2-6; Ps 122:1-9; Mt 8:5-11 Is 11:1-10; Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17;Lk 10:21-24 Wednesday: Is 25:6-10a; Ps 23:1-6; Mt 15:29-37 Thursday: Is 26:1-6; Ps 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a;Mt 7:21, 24-27 Friday: Is 29:17-24; Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14; Mt 9:27-31 Saturday: Is 30:19-21, 23-26; Ps 147:1-6; Mt 9:35 — 10:1 Sunday: Is 11:1-10; Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17;Rom 15:4-9; Mt 3:1-12
December 2nd Advent Weekday Thanksgiving to St. Agata December 3rd St. Francis Xavier Judith McQuown
WEDNESDAY December 4th Advent Weekday 12NOON Carla Betiana Litrenta (Living) THURSDAY 9AM
December 5th Advent Weekday Anna Drapola
9AM
December 6th Advent Weekday Kathleen M. Reddington
SATURDAY 12NOON
December 7th St. Ambrose Clemencia Benardino (Living)
SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Friday: Saturday:
First Sunday of Advent; World AIDS Awareness Day St. Francis Xavier St. John Damascene St. Nicholas; First Friday St. Ambrose; First Saturday; Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
If you wish to add the name of a loved one to the prayer list, please notify the parish center: (212) 288-6250
K-8 Religious Education • We’re in session, and meet 10:15-11:45am in the Parish Center (406 East 80th Street). Registration is closed for this year. • Parents who were unable to join us for the parent meeting, please come in and pick up your Parent Folder with the calendar for the year and other important information. • No K-8 Religious Education or Adult Faith Formation on Sunday, December 1, due to the Thanksgiving weekend, or December 22 and 29, due to the Christmas Holidays. Adult Faith Formation • Our Sunday Morning Scripture Discussion Group is in session, and runs 10:15-11:45am in the Parish Center each Sunday that Religious Education is in session. This group is open to any and all adults – you can become a “regular,” or just drop in occasionally as your schedule allows. • Advent Scripture Discussion – Thursdays, December 5, 12, and 19, 7pm in the Parish Center Chapel – all are welcome to these evenings of Advent reflection! Adult Sacraments • Adults thinking about becoming Catholic, or Catholic adults who have missed First Communion or Confirmation – it’s never too late! Contact Maryann Tyrer, Pastoral Associate, to discuss our adult initiation process. You can begin the process any time throughout the year. Sessions are held on Sunday in the Parish Center following the noon Mass. All inquirers are welcome! Happy New Year! • The Church’s Liturgical Year begins on the First Sunday of Advent (December 1 in 2019.) • The Season of Advent December 1-24, 2019) is an opportunity to prayerfully prepare for the Season of Christmas (December 25-January 12, 2019.) • Our Lectionary (the Scriptures prescribed for each Mass) runs on a 3-year cycle, beginning each First Sunday of Advent. On December 1st this year, we begin Year A, and our Gospel readings are primarily from the Gospel of Matthew. • Just as we make New Year’s Resolutions on January 1st, the beginning of a new Liturgical Year may call us to make spiritual resolutions. What is one thing you could commit to this year to strengthen your relationship with God?
A Prayer for World AIDS Day (December 1st)
SPECIAL DEVOTIONS After all weekday masses Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament Every Friday after the Noon Mass to 3 PM, with Benediction following the Divine Mercy Chaplet Devotions Miraculous Medal on Mondays after each Mass Divine Mercy The Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed each Friday afternoon at 3 PM Sacrament of Reconciliation: 5:00 PM on Saturdays Anytime 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 would 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 Please remember in your prayers Judith Baron, Charles Senner, Anania Angeles, Maria Escobar, Martha Gil, Gerard Baray, Isabella De Sola, Emma Baruffi, Richard Baldwin, Glenn Allen, Jean Stephens & Albert Walsh.
ALL VICTIMS OF MILITARY ACTIVITY PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED
Please pray for our deceased parishioners and family members Mona Senner, James Francis Dana, Priscilla Morse, Lincoln Werden, Kathleen DelGaudio, Sam La Forte, Deacon Robert Esposito, Deacon Michael J. Hall, Adriana Marcella Velluci, Irene Bornheimer, David Johnson, Barbara Gordon, Esther Kaploun, Maria Altamirano, Ruth Roe & Msgr. George Thompson
FROM OUR MUSIC DIRECTOR A NEW MASS SETTING Starting on the First Sunday of Advent, we will be singing a new Mass setting. It is called Mass of Joy and Peace by Tony Alonso. The music can be found in our Ritual Song hymnal starting at #284. The acclamations that we will learn first will be: • Gospel Acclamation (#287) • Holy, Holy, Holy (#290) • Memorial Acclamation A (#291) • Amen (#294) • Lamb of God (#295) The Mass of Joy and Peace is a relatively easy Mass setting to learn. We will start to rehearse these acclamations before each Mass. If you can, please try and arrive a few minutes early so we can all learn this wonderful new Mass setting together. “He who sings prays twice” – St. Augustine
Baptism Announcement Next Sunday, December 8th, there will be a baptism service at 12:00 noon Mass At this service we will be baptizing: Julia Abigail Banaga
Please join us in congratulating: Joel Banaga & Arlene Santos on their children’s new life in Christ. Baptism Services are open for members of the parish to join in the welcoming of our newest members.
Bread & Wine This Weeks’ Sanctuary Lamp In Memory of Olga Teresa Litrenta Offered by Maria Litrenta
The Parish of St. Monica, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Stephen of Hungary PRESENTS OUR
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT 8PM WITH HOLIDAY COCKTAIL PARTY AND SILENT AUCTION TO BENEFIT THE MINISTRY PROGRAMS OF OUR PARISH
SATURDAY DECEMBER 14TH, 2019 5:30—7:30 PM Tickets $100.00
Includes Vip Cocktail Party / Silent Auction Access Reserved VIP Concert Seating (Concert starts at 8PM) Tickets and information available via. the Parish Office at (212) 288-6250.
From your Pastor December 1st, 2019 Servers Starting this weekend, we will begin to install our new lectors, Eucharistic ministers, hospitality ministers and altar servers. These are the almost 50 people, young and old, who responded to the call we made for new volunteers during Ministry Month this past October. The only exception is the altars servers. There were so many new applicants that we have had to divide their training into two sessions – one group is being installed next Saturday at the family mass, and the other half will be installed at the end of January! While the numbers are always changing, as people move or pull back due to health issues, right now we are on track to have close to 140 people engaged in service at the altar or in church on Sundays. And that does not count the volunteers who work in religious ed, sing in our choirs, or are members of various parish groups. When you consider that we have a weekly worshiping community of about 800, that is a wonderful level of commitment. Thank you to everyone who serves our parish in whatever capacity. You make this place the welcoming, inclusive Catholic parish it is. Judy Baron I have had so many people ask that I thought I should say a word about our nighttime and weekend receptionist, Judy Baron. Judy has had to resign due to health issues. We have hired Maryann Castro as her replacement. We will miss Judy but are glad to have Maryann. Welcome Maryann! Christmas Concert & Cocktail Party Every year St. Monica has been famous for its annual Christmas Concert – This year will the concert will take place on December 14th @ 8pm. Our Music Director John Zupan has promised a wonderful mix of traditional and modern classics, plus numbers by our school and children’s Choirs. If you want to make a real evening of it, come to the Cocktail Party in the parish center beforehand! A fundraiser for the parish, it hosts a silent auction for some really spectacular gifts, there are hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and then select seating at the concert for all who attend. Tickets are available at the parish center on 80th St. Just call for more information. Christmas Bazaar Several people called and inquired why there was no Christmas Bazaar/Flea Market this year. IN previous columns I have commented on our collaboration with Caedmon School to renovate the parish hall under the church, turning it into a beautiful multipurpose space which both institutions will share. We originally had thought work would have already begun but as things stand actual work is delayed until the spring (though the design process is well underway). Thus we did not begin to plan for the bazaar in late summer as normal. However, there is another reason and that is the state of the parish hall itself. The installation of air conditioning revealed many problems with the parish hall, most notably the need to completely replace, not just the floor covering, but the old wooden flooring itself. While a person can walk across the floor safely (if they mind the occasional hole) the beams supporting the floor are rotten places, the floor is soft and spongy, and it would just be too risky to invite large numbers of people to use the space at this time. However, we are hopefully on track to open the new and renovated parish hall next fall. Father Baker