16TH Sunday in Ordinary Time 07/23/2023

Parish life SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 07/23/2023

Faith Formation ( Page 6)

Cross Catholic Outreach ( Page 9)

Just a word ( Page 11)

The Roman Catholic Parish of

St. Monica St. Elizabeth of Hungary St. Stephen of Hungary

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Mission Statement

Mass Intentions

Saturday, July 22nd Vigil 5:30pm John Delaney

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.

Sunday, July 23rd Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:00am Mary Reginio 10:00am Monica Wiards 12:00pm All Parishioners 5pm Joan Ryan

Parish Staff

Monday, July 24th Weekday 12pm Ricky Kavanaugh

Pastor: Rev. Donald C. Baker ............................ frdcab@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, NYC 10075 Parish Center: 406 East 80th Street, NY, NY 10075 Tel: 212-288-6250 Fax: 212- 570-1562 Email: info@stelmo79.org Our Offices are open: 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

Tuesday, July 25th Weekday 12pm Alice Ham Wednesday, July 26th St. Joachim & Anne Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary 12pm Imelda Carolina Litrenta Thursday, July 27th Weekday 12pm Kay Perry Friday, July 28th Thanksgiving to St. Agata 12pm Thanksgiving to St. Agata Saturday, July 29th 12pm Anne Cecilia Ferraro

PRAYERS FOR THE SICK Caroline Yurkutat, Christopher Elliot Lewis, Maurine Lynch, Danielle Boros, Linda Clarke, Mary O’Connor Lynch, Bruno Franco Adame, Susan Bacerra, Michael Reilly, Dorothy Condon, Marcelle Ferrier, Joanna Jack, all those ill and Victims of Military activities PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED Mary Reginio, Thomas Acheson, Margaret Biggs, John Paul Chihorek, William Bahr, Juzefa Rezgiene, Patrick P. Keating & Eugene Flynn

Weekly Readings & Observances

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

Readings for the week of July 23, 2023

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Wis 12:13, 16-19/Ps 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16 (5a)/Rom 8:26-27/ Mt 13:24-43 or 13:24-30 Monday: Ex 14:5-18/Ex 15:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6/Mt 12:38-42 Tuesday: 2 Cor 4:7-15/Ps 126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6/Mt 20:20-28 Wednesday: Ex 16:1-5, 9-15/Ps 78:18-19, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28/Mt 13:1-9 Thursday: Ex 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b/Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56/Mt 13:10-17 Friday: Ex 20:1-17/Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11/Mt 13:18-23 Saturday: Ex 24:3-8/Ps 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15/Jn 11:19-27 or Lk 10:38-42 Next Sunday: 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12/Ps 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130 (97a)/Rom 8:28-30/ Mt 13:44-52 or 13:44-46

Saturdays at 5pm or by appointment

Observances for the week of July 23, 2023

Anointing of the sick

Sunday: Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday:

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

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.

Sunday:

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time St. Sharbel Makhlūf, Priest St. James, Apostle Sts. Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Thursday: Friday: Saturday: Sts. Martha, Mary and Lazarus Next Sunday: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time ©LPi

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. Allyson Genova-Hall www.saintstephenschool.org Interested in admission to our parish school? admissions@saintstephenschool.org

Touring Tuesdays this summer!

Visit your parish school.

Email admissions@saintstephenschool.org for details.

FINDING OUR WAY IN THE CHURCH OF TODAY AND TOMORROW We are all familiar with the contemporary challenges of religion and, in particular, the Catholic Church today. To mention only a few areas of concern: the declining number of ordained clergy, the absence of the younger generation in active membership in the Church, the opportunity of greater participation of male deacons and the prospects of women being engaged in roles of greater service in and for the Church. Participants may wish to introduce other themes for discussion.

This seminar of four meetings, 90 minutes each, will offer the participants an opportunity to reflect on the theme and these topics. We will examine the personal, social, emotional, and spiritual/religious dimensions as they developed and have been experienced individually and communally.

Fr. Jim Dugan, SJ, invites you to participate in the remaining session on Monday July 24, 7-8:30pm, in the Parish Center (406 East 80th Street.) Please register on our website stelmo79.org or call the Parish Center at 212-288-6250. Please note there is no session on July 31st as previously announced!

Is God calling you to be a catechist?

Volunteers are needed to help to pass on the faith to the next generation of children and teens, to help form adults who are preparing for sacraments, and to assist with adult faith sharing. No experience needed – all training and materials are provided. Current openings include: Lead Catechists (pre-school, middle school and adult are most urgent), Assistant Catechists (can be high school students or adults), and Program Assistants (door and hall monitors, youth ministry chaperones, and special event assistants.) Contact Maryann at mtyrer@stelmo79.org to learn more!

Shopping for School Supplies? Pick up something for our Annual School Supply Drive for the families in East Harlem served by the Little Sisters of the Assumption, which runs AUGUST 19-27. Please bring NEW backpacks and school supplies for K-12 students to the church only between August 19th and August 27. Thank you as always for your annual generosity!

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&Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ĚĞƚĂŝůƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ ŐŽ ƚŽ͗ ŚƩƉƐ͗ͬ​ͬǁǁǁ͘ũĞƐƵŝƚƐĞĂƐƚ͘ŽƌŐͬĂďŽƵƚͲƵƐͬũŽďͲŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐͬ

Catholic Outreach/Rev. Steve LaCanne

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FIVE MINUTE JESUS Using the Gospel for Prayer – The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time July 30, 2023

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 13:44-52 Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. “Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”

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 What does the hidden treasure and the fine pearl teach us about the worth and value of the kingdom of heaven? How can I apply this understanding to my life?

Wednesday One who seeks finds: Am I still seeking and searching? Or am I content with all I have?

Thursday Why is it important to emphasize the separation of good and bad fish? How does this challenge me to examine my life and choices considering the coming judgment?

Friday From this parable what common themes emerge regarding the kingdom of heaven and discipleship.

What is my response to God’s invitation? How can I actively live out these teachings in my daily life?

Saturday The final parable talks about a householder who brings out both new and old treasures from storage.

How can I cultivate a balanced understanding of the old and new teachings of God’s word?

Just a Word From the Pastor 07.22-23.2023 Eucharistic Revival (Continued) TRANSUBSTANTIATION. What is in a word?

We have all heard them: Studies which report that Catholics do not know their faith. I never found these reports fair. Not because they weren’t true, but because they weren’t honest. Although years ago Catholics had the truths of the Catholic faith drilled into them through memorization, whether they understood what they learned was often doubtful.

One subject that gets a large amount of attention in these studies is Catholic belief in the Eucharist. Some Catholics could probably repeat the Baltimore Catechism: The Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament which contains the body and blood, soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ under the appearances of bread and wine. However, when asked what that means, a few said they did not believe in the “real presence” of Jesus in the bread and wine at all. Others said it was symbolic. Others thought that it was merely to remind us of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Only a few “got it right” according to the Catechism.

Many see this as proof of apostasy and heresy. However, is it? Catholic belief in the Eucharist is rooted in the words of Jesus, reported by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and the Apostle Paul. They all report that on the night of his betrayal, Jesus took the bread and wine of the Passover meal and changed their meaning – he said that they would now become his body and blood, which would seal a New Covenant with his people like the Covenant made between God and Israel of old.

That we believe the bread and wine to be Jesus’ “Real Presence” is clear. It is our understanding of how that can be that has changed over time. In the Middle Ages the Church came to define that presence using the philosophy of Aristotle. He asked how we know what things are. To explain this, he divided up the world into two things: That which makes something what it is – Which he called Substance, and the things which can be different between things of the same substance – he called those Accidents. He said that we know what things are because we can perceive their substance, beneath (the “sub” in substance) its appearances, its” accidents”. An apple can be big or small, red, or yellow or green.

BUT WE KNOW IT IS AN APPLE. We perceive its “apple-ness” despite its color, size, weight etc.

Understanding reality in this way helped theologians in the Middle Ages explain what happens in the Eucharist. The accidents of bread and wine remain the same, but the substance is transformed into the substance of the body of Christ.

This explanation is called the doctrine of transubstantiation. It is the official Catholic explanation of what happens to the bread and wine. There is only one problem: it does not explain how. When asked how the substances of the bread and wine are transformed into the substance of a 33-year-old Jewish male who was murdered 2,000 years ago, rose from the dead and ascended to heaven (wherever THAT is), the Church will simply say, “it is a miracle”.

Sigh. No wonder then that despite the clarity of Catholic dogma, many people struggle to express it even when at the core they believe in it. And perhaps that is precisely the point. The Church emphasizes belief as assent to correct doctrine. Perhaps the major emphasis of the “Eucharistic Revival” the Church is calling for, is to hammer home the importance of the doctrine of transubstantiation. Many seem to believe that the drop in church attendance and the drift away from the Catholic faith is because we no longer have right doctrine. In its mind, believing leads to belonging.

But I can’t help but wonder if we could go back 100 years and ask the Catholic faithful to define transubstantiation, whether we would get the same kind of answers we do today. And yet despite being a little cloudy on the definition, they worshiped and prayed with a dedication that many of our bishops would envy. And maybe that is because correct belief does not lead to faithfulness. Rather, faithfulness creates the context in which correct belief is nurtured, modeled, and internalized. In short, Believing does not lead to belonging, belonging leads to believing.

We know this. It is why families which practice their faith and integrate it into their daily lives have a higher probability of transmitting that faith to the next generation. It is why parishes that welcome people to experience their worship and share their faith with visitors grow. It is why Jesus, when he encountered his first disciples, did not sit them down and explain anything, but simply said, “Come and See.” (John 1:39).