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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Second Sunday in Ordinary Time–January 19th, 2020
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. TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — The glory of the LORD shows through Israel, a light to all nations, that salvation may reach to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:3, 56). Psalm — Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will (Psalm 40). Second Reading — All those who call upon the name of the Lord are called to be holy (1 Corinthians 1:1-3). Gospel — John the Baptist testifies: The one who comes after me, on whom the Spirit comes down and remains, is the Son of God (John 1:29-34).
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:
1 Sm 15:16-23; Ps 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23;Mk 2:18-22 Tuesday: 1 Sm 16:1-13; Ps 89:20-22, 27-28;Mk 2:23-28 Wednesday: 1 Sm 17:32-33, 37, 40-51; Ps 144:1b, 2, 9-10; Mk 3:1-6, or any of a number of readings for the Day of Prayer Thursday: 1 Sm 18:6-9; 19:1-7; Ps 56:2-3, 9-13;Mk 3:7-12 Friday: 1 Sm 24:3-21; Ps 57:2-4, 6, 11; Mk 3:13-19 Saturday: Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22; Ps 117:1bc, 2;Mk 16:15-18 Sunday: Is 8:23 — 9:3; Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14; 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17; Mt 4:12-23 [12-17]
SATURDAY 5:30PM
January 18thVigil Mr. Vernon Sarath
SUNDAY
January 19th Second Sunday in Ordinary Time In honor to Our Lady of Las Mercedes
8:00AM 10:00AM 12NOON 5PM
James J. McLaughlin All Parishioners The Nine Souls of Lima
MONDAY 9AM
January 20th Weekday Leka Caca j
TUESDAY 12NOON
January 21st St. Agnes Irwin Kirschenbaum
WEDNESDAY January 22nd USA day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of the Unborn Children 12NOON Matthew Anderson THURSDAY 12NOON
January 23rd Weekday Irwin Kirschenbaum
FRIDAY
January 24th St. Francis de Sales Steferino Santos
12NOON SATURDAY 12NOON
January 25th Conversion of St. Paul John Ivers
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 are in session each Sunday, 10:15-11:45am in the Parish Center. • No sessions on February 16 – Winter Break st • Our next Family Faith Formation will be on Sunday, March 1 , 9-11:45am. Mark your calendars! 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. Make a New Year’s resolution to deepen your faith! • Save the dates for our next Icon Painting Workshop – March 2-6! More details will be coming soon. 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! Ordinary Time • The Christmas Season officially ended last Sunday with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Today (January 19) is the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, since the First Week of Ordinary Time began last Monday. • “Ordinary” is this use means “ordinal” or “counted,” and refers to the way in which we “count” the Sundays in this season. • Green is the color of Ordinary Time – a color that signifies life and growth. How do you hope to grow your faith this season?
January 22 is the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 373, designates January 22 as a particular day of prayer and penance, called the “Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children”: “In all the Dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or January 23, when January 22 falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion.”
For the legal protection of unborn children, and for loving support for their mothers before and after their births, we pray to the Lord…. May all who suffer from participating in abortion turn to God’s loving forgiveness, we pray to the Lord…. May friends and families of women with difficult pregnancies provide loving, life-affirming support for both mother and child, we pray to the Lord…. For public servants, may God grant them the humility, wisdom, and courage to defend all human life, we pray to the Lord…. For our nation, may God unite us in peace and respect for each other and reverence for all human life, we pray to the Lord….
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 Antonio Crispino, Patricia Kaye, Eileen Maloney, Aura Jimenez, Zulma Power, Antoinette Paone, Christopher Sanchez, Richard Baldwin, Fr. Jim O’Shea, Mary Scrapits, Judith Baron, Glenn Allen & Jean Stephens
ALL VICTIMS OF MILITARY ACTIVITY
PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED Please pray for our deceased parishioners and family members Adriana Vellucci, Pietro Cicaglione, Sophia Kaszinski, Albert Walsh, Austin Mulhern, Scott Principe, & Jose Gutierrez
TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION SAINT AGNES (died 304) January 21 Writing about Saint Agnes in the year 377, Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, declared: “This is a virgin’s birthday into heaven: let us imitate her chastity! And a martyr’s heavenly birthday: let us offer ourselves in sacrifice!” Chastity: mastery of oneself in order to give of oneself whether in the priestly, religious, married, or single state. Sacrifice: “to make holy,” to set someone or something apart for service. Ambrose knew these virtues indispensable for discipleship, but challenging to practice in his world—or our own. Barely a teenager, Agnes faced gruesome tortures bravely and, when ordered to worship pagan gods, boldly made the Sign of the Cross instead. Thus, her youthful courage strengthened adult believers who wavered under persecution or grew indifferent when persecutions passed. To bestow on Agnes its highest honor and keep her witness fresh in believers’ hearts, the Church inscribed her name at the heart of the Eucharistic liturgy, in the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I), until Vatican II the Roman Church’s only Eucharistic Prayer. —Peter Scagnelli, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.
SAINTS & SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday:
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time; Julian Calendar Theophany (Epiphany) Monday: St. Fabian; St. Sebastian; Martin Luther King Jr. Day Tuesday: St. Agnes Wednesday: Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children Thursday: St. Vincent; St. Marianne Cope Friday: St. Francis de Sales Saturday: The Conversion of St. Paul; Week of Prayer for Christian Unity ends
Care for Our Common Home ("Green Team") There is broad consensus among policy makers and scientists that converting to renewable energy sources is the #1 thing we can do to reduce carbon in the atmosphere and slow the effects of climate change. If you're reading this, chances are Con Edison is your electric company, since they have a license from the state to operate as a monopoly for electricity distribution in New York City. What many people don't realize, however, is that this monopoly does not cover electricity generation.
In other words, you can choose to buy electricity that is generated from renewable sources like solar and wind. You will still receive a bill from Con Ed, but you are actually buying the electricity from another provider. And, by purchasing from a wind or solar energy provider, you increase the demand for and help fund the development for further Green Energy infrastructure! The Green Team here at St. Monica’s does not endorse any particular provider, but you can learn more about how to choose a renewable provider at https://www.coned.com/en/our-energy-future/renewable-energy-systems Also, the State of New York has a Green Power program to help residents navigate their choices. Please Google "NY Green Power Program" to learn more (the website address is too long and complicated to be useful in this printed bulletin). Prayer Vigil for Life at St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Prayer Vigil for Life
St. Patrick’s Cathedral Mass with Timothy Cardinal Dolan Music by the Sisters of Life
Wednesday, January 22, 2020 the 47th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
6:30PM - Holy Hour led by the Sisters of Life 7:30PM - Holy Mass celebrated by Cardinal Dolan The Church has designated January 22nd - the anniversary of Roe v. Wade - as a day of prayer for the protection of the unborn and penance for sins against the dignity of the human person. Join us at St. Patrick’s Cathedral for a vigil of prayer on behalf of life. All are welcome and no RSVP is necessary.
From your Pastor January 19th, 2020 Monsignor Ivers Over the past Christmas and New Year’s holidays many of you asked me how Msgr. Ivers is doing. He says he is doing much better. He tells me that he expects to be away for about three months, and that when he leaves treatment, he hopes to come back to us all. Of course, I hope so too. I have known Msgr. Ivers for 25 years. He was my pastor as a newly ordained priest, and I learned so much from him in those early years. We have remained close and there are many things that I admire about him. One of those things is his honesty. As I said when I announced the reasons for his departure last November, Monsignor Ivers asked that I publicly tell you not only that he was stepping back for a time, but the reasons why. Why would he want that? Just look around. The Catholic Church is in a terrible state, and a fundamental part of the problem has been dishonesty. People are abused, and the abuse is covered up; scandals occur, and they are not addressed; priests are suddenly transferred, and no one knows why. In the absence of the truth rumors begin to circulate.
Msgr. Ivers knew that he would be leaving right as the Child Victims Act resulted in the removal of priests who have been accused of abuse. He did not want any of us to think that THIS was the reason for his departure. And because Msgr. is an honest man, knows that his treatment is nothing to be ashamed of and has nothing to hide, he wanted us to know why he would not be here for a while. I repeat this because, while so many of you have expressed your support of Msgr. Ivers and have commended his honesty, a few have taken issue with my announcement. You have accused me of invading Msgr. Ivers’ right to privacy. But of course, I have not. What I did do was respect his wishes. Sadly, not everyone is comfortable with such honesty.
In my 25 years of priesthood I have learned that what a couple of people say, more might think. Moreover, if every time I write or say anything about Msgr. Ivers and his progress, I will be once again accused of violating his privacy, then I want to set the record straight: Before publishing this column, I asked Msgr. to read it. I told him it would not be printed without his consent. If you are reading it, it is because he gave his permission. Because we are celibate, we priests develop strong attachments to people we serve. Parishes become a kind of a family, and for Msgr. Ivers we are that family. I am in regular contact with Msgr. Ivers and send him his mail every couple of weeks. If you want to contact him, you can just drop a letter or a card by the parish center. Your expressions of support mean the world to him. Afterall he is a part of our family and we look forward to his returning to us soon. Father Baker