6th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2/12/23

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 familya 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 Associate: .................................... Rev. Anthony Ciorra, IVD

Weekend Associate:...............................................Rev. Edward Beck, CP

Pastoral Associate: Ms. Maryann Tyrer ........ mtyrer@stelmo79.org

Music Director: Mr. John Zupan .................... jzupan@stelmo79.org

Wedding Coordinator: Ms. Debbi Burdett.....dbweddingsnyc@gmail.com

Parish Manager: Jennifer DeSpirito.............................jdespirito@stelmo79.org

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:

Note: Please go to page 10 for our Holiday Schedule

Monday & Wednesday................................. . 9am - 4pm

Tuesday - Thursday ....................................... 9am - 7pm

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

Saturday ................................................. 10am - 2pm

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

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

Mass Intentions

Saturday, February 11th Vigil

5:30pm John J. Downes (Living)

Sunday, February 12th

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

8:00am John Woods

10:00am Nine Souls of Lima

12:00pm All Parishioners

5pm Heidi McGrew

Monday, February 13th Weekday 12pm Peter Sammut

Tuesday, February 14th St. Cyril 12pm Dolores Kubera (Bday-Dec.)

Wednesday, February 15th Weekday 12pm Marjorie Baker

Thursday, February 16th Weekday 12pm Anna Bellevue

Friday, February 17th Weekday 12pm Michael McCarthy

Saturday, February 18th Weekday 12pm Leo Hoar

For Mass Intentions, please visit the Parish Center

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

Every Friday after the Noon Mass until 3pm in the church and live on-line

Devotions

Miraculous Medal on Mondays after Mass in the church and live on-line

Divine Mercy

Prayed every Friday at 3pm in the church and live on-line

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

Every Friday at 5:10pm in the Chapel and live on-line

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Saturdays at 5pm or by appointment

Anointing of the sick

Every third Saturday of the Month after the noon Mass.

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

Joanna Jack, Rev. Thomas Fenlon, Rev. Peter Bonventre, Cindy Garnica Castro, Madeline Tipton, Jennie Marmo and all those ill with or recovering from the COVID-19 virus and all Victims of Military Activities

PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED

Lydia Rodriguez, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Rev. Karl Bauer, Rev. Salvatore Ricardi, Deacon Arthur Cuccia, Mike Ward, Sr. Suzanne LaChapelle, Maureen Crean, Wanda Denome, Patricia Roche & Leilani Waldman

Today’s Readings

First Reading — God allows us to make choices, but we are not to choose injustice or sinfulness (Sirach 15:15-20).

Psalm — Happy are those who observe God’s commands (Psalm 119).

Second Reading — God’s wisdom is mysterious and hidden (1 Corinthians 2:6-10).

Gospel — Jesus has come not to abolish but to fulfill the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17-37)

Readings for the Week

Monday: Gn 4:1-15, 25; Ps 50:1, 8, 16bc-17, 20-21; Mk 8:11-13

Tuesday: Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10; Ps 29:1a, 2, 3ac-4, 3b, 9c-10; Mk 8:14-21

Wednesday: Gn 8:6-13, 20-22; Ps 116:12-15, 18-19; Mk 8:22-26

Thursday: Gn 9:1-13; Ps 102:16-21, 29, 22-23; Mk 8:27-33

Friday: Gn 11:1-9; Ps 33:10-15; Mk 8:34 — 9:1

Saturday: Heb 11:1-7; Ps 145:2-5, 10-11; Mk 9:2-13

Sunday: Lv 19:1-2, 17-18; Ps 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13; 1 Cor 3:16-23; Mt 5:38-48

Sanctuary Lamp

This Week’ Sanctuary Lamp

In Memory of Rosa Olga Teresa

Offered by Maria

Litrenta

Litrenta

St. Stephen of Hungary School (SSHS) offers a life changing education through a supportive, nurturing and faith-filled environment. Educating the whole child through a growth mindset, students are challenged to think critically and creatively while solving complex, real world issues in our everchanging global community.

Consider this:

• Overall proficiency in Math and ELA as per the New York State Exams and in MAP Growth Subject Assessments (Kindergarten – Grade 8) ranks SSHS in the top 5 percent of schools in the Archdiocese of New York and the top 15 percentile nationally.

• The Class of 2023 has received close to $1 million in merit scholarships at highly-rated high schools in the metropolitan area, including Regis High School, Convent of the Sacred Heart and Marymount School.

• Our dedicated and highly committed faculty work collaboratively in preparing students to be passionate leaders and life-long learners.

• Our campus features unique learning spaces including outdoor classrooms in our rooftop garden & turfed play yard.

• With a dedicated Parents Association and active SSHS Foundation, our community is truly a gem on the Upper East Side.

Choosing the right school for your children is one of the most important gifts you can bestow on them. For more information about applying to SSHS, your parish school, please email jdickson@saintstephenschool.org

Bereavement Ministry

Our Seasons of Hope support group series concludes on February 15. We meet in the Parish Center, 7-8:30pm. Anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one is welcome to join us for prayer, discussion, and group support. Our next 6-week series will begin on April 19. Contact Maryann at mtyrer@stelmo79.org for info.

Young Adult Ministry Upcoming Events

Movie Night – Thursday, February 16, in the Parish Center

Check our webpage for more details Stelmo79.org

Wine and Cheese (Mardi Gras style!) after the 5pm Mass on Sunday, February 19 in the Church – Wine and non-alcoholic beverages will be served, along with cheese, crackers, and fruit. And there will be beads, party favors, and King Cake! Join us to celebrate before we begin the Season of Lent.

(Ash Wednesday is February 22)

Save the dateOur next event will be on Friday, February 17, following the 12noon Mass!

Do you know?

Anointing of the Sick is offered at the end of the 12noon Mass every Third Saturday of the month. This Sacrament is intended for any Catholic adult with a serious illness of body, mind, or spirit.

is

February

Black History Month!

Fasting - Every person between the age of 18 and 59 must fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting consists of one full meal per day, with two smaller meals that do not add up to a full meal, and no snacks.

Abstinence

Every person 14 years of age or older must abstain from meat and items made with meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and every Friday of Lent.

Ash Wednesday – February 22

7:30am Mass

12noon Mass

3pm Prayer Service

6pm Mass

Stations of the Cross

Ashes will be distributed during the following services in the Church:

Every Friday in Lent immediately following the 12noon Mass in the Church (except March 17) Living Stations presented by our Teen Confirmation Candidates, Wednesday, March 22, 7pm, Church

Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration

Every Friday after the 12noon Mass in the Church (except March 17) Concludes with the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3pm, followed by Solemn Benediction

Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)

Every Saturday at 5pm in the Church

Reconciliation Monday, April 3 in the Church, times TBD

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

Spoken Vespers every Friday at 5:10pm in the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Chapel (406 East 80th Street)

Adult Faith Formation Opportunities

Sundays – open and ongoing Adult Faith Formation in the Parish Center following the 12noon Mass

gathering for coffee, tea, and fellowship – facilitated discussion of the Sunday Scriptures and Catholic Teaching from 1:30-3pm – join us regularly or drop in any time

Men’s Bible Study – Tuesdays at 12noon in the Parish Center

Theology Thursdays - join us regularly or drop in any time, but please sign up at stelmo79.org

February 23

no session

March 2, 9, 16, & 23 – Catholic Voices presentations and discussions – more details to come March 30

How and Why We Celebrate Holy Week

7pm in the Parish Center

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

K-8 Religious Education and Sacramental Preparation:

• Participation in Sunday (or Saturday evening) Eucharist is an integral part of Religious Education for all ages in our parish. Children’s Liturgy of the Word is on hold for now, due to renovation work in the sacristy. A Children’s Homily is offered at the 10am Mass.

• K-8 Religious Education meets at 11:10am in the Parish Center.

• Upcoming – Family Faith Formation, Saturday, March 4, 2-5pm in the Church – this event will focus on the Eucharist, and is the Family Retreat for all First Communion Candidates (parish and school) – all K-8 families are invited as well, but this is required for all who will be celebrating First Communion this Spring!

Sacramental Preparation for Children & Teens

• Please remember that the Archdiocese requires two years of Religious Education or Catholic School prior to the celebration of First Penance/First Communion (2nd grade or older), and prior to the celebration of Confirmation (8th grade or older).

Adult Sacraments of Initiation (RCIA)

• Have you ever thought about becoming Catholic? Or are you a baptized Catholic who has not yet celebrated First Communion or Confirmation? You, and your questions, are warmly welcomed! Come and share the journey with others. Please contact Maryann Tyrer at mtyrer@stelmo79.org to discuss our adult initiation process (commonly known as the RCIA). Join us on Sundays at 1:15pm in the Parish Center.

Adult Faith Formation Opportunities

• On Sundays, open and ongoing Adult Faith Formation takes place in the Parish Center after the noon Mass. We gather between 1:00 and 1:30pm for coffee, tea, and fellowship, then 1:30-3pm for a facilitated discussion of the Sunday Scriptures and the themes of Catholic Teaching that flow from those Scriptures. Drop in any time or participate regularly!

• Men’s Bible Study – our Group of Guys meet on Tuesdays at 12noon in the Parish Center – Please register online at stelmo79.org, or call 212-288-6250 so we have a head count to prepare materials.

• Theology Thursdays – every Thursday at 7pm in the Parish Center – Mini-series or standalone discussions on various topics of adult education. Check the website for more details at stelmo79.org!

Processions

Every year on the third Monday in January in the United States, communities come together to honor the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The events on this federal holiday usually include prayer services and often a unity march, which echoes those in which Dr. King participated to create awareness of and bolster support for the civil rights movement. For Dr. King, the marches were a nonviolent way to tell the world of the focus of the civil rights movement. The marches demonstrated solidarity, unity, and hope.

Like these marches, the processions during the liturgy do more than move people from one part of the church to the next. Our liturgical processions reveal who we are as a people whose focus is on Christ.

The Entrance Procession is led by the cross, the symbol of the mystery of our faith. This procession also includes the Book of the Gospels, a sign that God speaks to the faithful in the Liturgy of the Word. The procession during the Gospel Acclamation with the Book of Gospels affirms our reverence for the Word of God, revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. The offertory procession is a sign of the congregation’s willingness to offer their lives on the altar along with the sacrifice of Christ. The procession to the table of the Lord to eat and drink at the banquet is a sign that the faithful are in solidarity, and in communion with Christ and one another. The procession at the end of Mass reveals that the faithful now proceed from the church into their homes and communities to “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord” (Dismissal).

At times, liturgical processions mark specific life transitions. Processions to the baptismal font mark an encounter in the death and Resurrection of Christ. Processions at the beginning and end of a wedding mark the transition between being single and union

with another in sacramental love. Processions with a coffin or cremated remains at a funeral symbolize the transition from death to new life.

All processions, whether civil or liturgical, acknowledge that the faithful are pilgrims on a journey who have not yet reached their final destination. Dr. King knew this as he took one step at a time, stepping out in faith, marching forward with hope.

Photo © John Zich. Excerpt from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Permission to publish granted by the Archdiocese of Chicago on October 25, 2018.

Processions highlight that the faithful are on a pilgrim journey.

FIVE MINUTE JESUS

Using the Gospel for Prayer – The Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 19, 2023

It’s simple. 1. Read the Gospel for the following Sunday slowly, reflecting on the story it tells. 2. Reflect on the question s 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 5:38-48

Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand over your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. "You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Monday

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

Tuesday

From the law handed down to Moses, an “eye for an eye” meant to enact fair justice. However, Jesus’ new revision of the old law is to confront evil acts with kind acts. Am I willing to truly consider mercy as a response to wrongdoing? Even when I am harmed? Especially when I am harmed?

Wednesday

Jesus asks us to act generously with others – even those who have offended us. Is there someone against whom I am holding a grudge? How can I forgive them, make amends, and find a way forward? Even if they are unwilling to change?

Thursday

Jesus calls us not only to love our neighbor but to love our enemy. In our increasingly divided society, whom do I consider to be an enemy? Can I see them instead as a fellow child of God worthy of kindness?

Friday

Jesus asks us to pray for those wh o persecute us - even loving those who have hurt or shamed us. How can I use my own prayer life to be more “perfect” as God is perfect? Can my own failings allow me to find mercy for others as I would ask mercy for myself?

Saturday

Social justice leaders often use no nviolent responses to violent acts. Do I truly take Jesus at His word and believe that nonviolence is the answer? How can I be more of service to my community and help social justice thrive peacefully where I live?

Just a Word from our Pastor

From the Pastor 02.12.23

Longer Covid

As I write this, I have just heard that the John Cardinal O’Connor Residence is again under lock down due to Covid. Of course, this is not 2020. All the priests there, including Msgr. Ivers, have been boosted numerous times. I spoke to Monsignor, and he feels like he has a head cold. I trust that by the time you are reading this they will all have recovered.

But such outbreaks are a reminder of the nature of Covid 19. It mutates rapidly like the common cold, thus making vaccines of limited effectiveness. Moreover, its severity varies, with some people experiencing mild flu-like symptoms, others a far more serious illness. Nevertheless, our ability to treat Covid has also improved. Vaccination and boosters, like our yearly flu shot, will become the norm.

However, there is one aspect of Covid 19 that is unique. Called by doctors, “Long Covid” its constellation of symptoms continues to interfere with the quality of life of its victims for months after the infection has passed. Doctors are at a loss as to why. But Long Covid is a fact.

And so is “longer Covid”. At least that is what I call it. It is that constellation of behaviors that we have acquired after months of lockdown, social distancing, and masks. That reluctance to hug people, to shake their hands, to kiss. The way we somehow feel exposed without a mask on. The strange way in which we, especially our children, have been silenced, muzzled one might even say, after months of mask wearing. The lingering sense of isolation and even depression so make people feel.

Like with Long Covid, the severity of these social symptoms varies. But one place where we see it clearly is in church. That makes sense. Church is an intensely social experience. We sit together, we respond and sing together. We process and receive communion from the hands of the priest. And of course, when we leave, we are greeted and often speak with people.

During Covid, the mere idea of doing such things was terrifying. Two years later it still affects many. I experience it every Sunday. Before Covid, our responses at mass were strong. Now I can barely hear people say “amen” or “and with your spirit”. It was St. Monica’s son, St. Augustine, who famously said that “to sing well is to pray twice”. Here at St. Monica’s before Covid our singing was lively. Now most people barely open their mouths, and if they do, what comes out is not much more than a whisper.

Don’t get me wrong. This is not a criticism, but an observation. It is a recognition that Covid has affected us all, not just in the way we feel, but in the way we speak, sing, relate and pray. But we do have to ask ourselves, how much longer we want Covid to limit our lives, our faith and our worship. Because while curing Long Covid is the purview of doctors, curing “Longer Covid” is really up to us.

Father Baker