The Most Holy Trinity 6/4/2023

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

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

Mass Intentions

Saturday, May June 3rd Vigil 3rd

5:30pm Rober ta Chapey (Living) Roberta

Sunday, June 4th 4th

T he Most Hol y Trinity The Most Holy

8:00am Tracey McDer mott 8:00am McDermott

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

10:00am Lillian & Ralph Ag oglia,

10:00am Lillian & Agoglia, Ste phen & Jose phine Maschi Stephen & Josephine Maschi

12:00pm Michael J. (Mike) Ward 12:00pm Michael J. (Mike) Ward 5pm Lucia Roman 5pm Lucia Roman

Monday, June 5th St. Bonif ace 5th St. Boniface

Ninth Weekday in Ordinar y Time Ninth in Ordinary Time

12pm Fr. Joe Francis (Living) Fr. Francis

Tuesday, June 6th Weekday June 6th

12pm Walter & Mar y Ferber Walter & Mary Ferber

Wednesday, June 7th Weekday June 7th Weekday 12pm Tom Aikenhead Tom Aikenhead

T hur sday, June 8th Weekday Thursday, June 8th 12pm Jose Gutier rez Jose Gutierrez

Friday, June 9th Weekday June 9th

12pm Noreen Eg an (Living) Noreen Egan

Saturday, June 10th Weekday June 10th 12pm T hanksgiving Thanksgiving

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

Michael P. Keating, Danielle Boros, Linda Clarke, Anne Jason, Mary O’Connor Lynch, Gloria Velez, Rosalba Paniagua, Roberto & Gloria Garcia, Bruno Franco Adame, Susan Bacerra, Michael Reilly, Dorothy Condon, Marcelle

Ferrier, Joanna Jack, Cindy Garnica Castro and all those ill with or recovering from the COVID-19 virus and all Victims of Military Activities

PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED

William Bahr, Bessie Lancaster McKeane, Mike Ward, Michael O’Connell, Rafael Parra, Maria Feges, Robert Anello, Michael O’Connell & Eugene Flynn

Weekly Readings & Observances

Readings for the week of June 4, 2023

Sunday: Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9/Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56 (52b)/2 Cor 13:11-13/Jn 3:16-18

Monday: Tb 1:3; 2:1b-8/Ps 112:1b-2, 3b-4, 5-6/Mk 12:1-12

Tuesday: Tb 2:9-14/Ps 112:1-2, 7-8, 9/Mk 12:13-17

Wednesday: Tb 3:1-11a, 16-17a/Ps 25:2-3, 4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9/Mk 12:18-27

Thursday: Tb 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a/ Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5/Mk 12:28-34

Friday: Tb 11:5-17/Ps 146:1b-2, 6c-7, 8-9a, 9bc-10/Mk 12:35-37

Saturday: Tb 12:1, 5-15, 20/Tb 13:2, 6efgh, 7, 8/Mk 12:38-44

Next Sunday: Dt 8:2-3, 14b-16a/Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20 (12)/1 Cor 10:16-17/ Jn 6:51-58

Observances for the week of June 4, 2023

Sunday: The Most Holy Trinity

Monday: St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

Tuesday: St. Norbert, Bishop

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday St. Ephrem, Deacon and Doctor of the Church

Saturday:

Next Sunday: The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

©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

EDUCATION. SERVICE. ADVOCACY. PRAYER.

“EACH COMMUNITY HAS THE DUTY TO PROTECT THE EARTH AND TO ENSURE ITS FRUITFULNESS FOR COMING GENERATIONS.”

--

POPE FRANCIS

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TDg3RY4s6Ja2ddeBqOZxCCJZxJTHKW3c?usp=share_link

Why Do People Process with the Body of Christ on the Solemnity of the Most

Holy Body and Blood

Kristopher W. Seaman

Among my childhood memories are the local parades. I have never cared for televised parades, because it was so much fun to be on the streets as the floats and bands moved by my family and me. So that we would have a good spot, my mother would gather the family together early, with lawn chairs for her and my grandfather. Of all the local civic parades, the Fourth of July was always the most lavish and festive. The parade contained local civic workers such as police officers and firefighters, as well as other organizations that gave back to the community. There was always music. Local bands played as they marched down the street. All those parading on feet or on floats were there to show their pride in the community and/or nation.

The Catholic Church has a similar ritual event called a “eucharistic procession.” In many respects, it is our custom of “parading.” Most of us are familiar with the eucharistic procession on Holy Thursday. After the communion procession, the body of Christ is processed by priest and people to a place of reservation, where the faithful gather for prayer through the evening. In a eucharistic procession, the body of Christ is placed within a monstrance (a device that holds the consecrated host in order for it to be seen and most often used for adoration). After the Communion procession, the monstrance is carried in procession through the streets of the city or town, as people pray and sing. In well-prepared processions, a canopy covers the monstrance and alongside it are candle bearers and an individual incensing from a thurible. Sometimes the streets will be decorated with flowers, banners, or other meaningful items to show the importance of this procession.

of Christ?

Ideally, the procession moves from one church to another. Today, with the vast distance between churches, the procession often returns to the church of origin. When the procession arrives at the ending place, the people are blessed with the body of Christ.

The most common option for a eucharistic procession outside of Holy Thursday is on the solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This solemnity, which was given formal and universal status in the Roman Catholic Church in 1264, celebrates the real presence of Christ under both species. In procession, however, only the consecrated host is processed in the monstrance. A eucharistic procession is fitting for this solemnity because the solemnity and the procession both celebrate the liturgical assembly’s belief in the real presence of Christ. The people give their public witness to that faith by processing through the streets praying and singing and honoring Christ Jesus. In procession are a pilgrim people processing with Christ Jesus, who is present not only in their hearts but also in the sacred host. Each time we receive Christ’s body and blood and leave the worship space, we process with Christ who transforms us more and more into his holy pilgrim people in order that we might give daily witness to Christ.

KRISTOPHER W. SEAMAN is the associate director for the Office for Divine Worship in the diocese of Gary, Indiana.

Fr. Jim Dugan, SJ returns, and will offer a seminar in July!

FINDING OUR WAY IN THE CHURCH OF TODAY AND TOMORROW

We are all familiar with the contemporary challenges of religion andtheCatholic Church today. To mention only a few areas of concern: the declining number of ordained clergies, the absence of the younger generation in active membership in the Church, the opportunity of greater participation of male deacons and the prospects ofwomen 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 andthese 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 4 sessions on the Mondays of July 3, 10, 17, and 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.

Five Minute Jesus

Using the Gospel for Prayer - The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) June 11, 2023

It is 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 John 6:51-58

Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: I am the living bread that came down from heaven: whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.

Monday, June 5th

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

Tuesday, June 6th

Two weeks ago, Jesus challenged me to consider the bread I eat. Is it perishable or does it endure to eternal life? Today Jesus declares himself to be the bread of life. He remarks, ‘Eat me; Drink me’ telling me that this is the only way I will have life within me. Do I have the life within me of which he speaks? How does it manifest itself in my life?

Wednesday, June 7th

‘Eat,’ ‘live,’ and ‘abide’ are all words that call me to live in Jesus. He invites me to bring anything in my life that disturbs or unsettles me to him. What, at this time, can I ask him to help me with?

Thursday, June 8th

In Hebrew, the expression “flesh and blood” means the whole being. While Jesus’ presence at the Eucharist is not easily understood, we do experience it. Repeatedly he asks, “abide in me.” What does that phrase, that experience mean to me on a very personal level?

Friday, June 9th

The term ‘living’ bread is profound. It implies that there is a life-giving relationship between Jesus Christ and me. Think about this relationship. How might I describe this relationship?

Saturday, June 10th

What shall I return to the Lord for all his reward to me as expressed in today’s Gospel?

Just a Word

From the Pastor 06.04.23

The Ward Room

It is part of Catholic custom and Law, that a weekly mass is offered for the intentions of the parishioners. For us, that mass is always the 12 noon Sunday mass.

However, that custom can be altered, as it is today. Today we offer the 12-noon mass for the repose of the soul of Michael Ward. Mike was our parish manager from 2015 -2022. He came with me to St. Monica-St. Elizabeth of Hungary-St. Stephen of Hungary. Together we realized the potential the parish and school had for growth. We put together a development plan, which was immediately approved by the Archdiocese.

So much of what you see around you as you sit here at worship: renovated pews and kneelers, new lighting, new sound system, new confessionals, and devotional spaces, - not to mention the air conditioning! - What you see in the former St. Monica Convent: renovated as the Parish Center with its chapel and its meeting spaces such as the Angelo and Modugno Rooms - What you don’t see but benefit from in the structured investments, derived from the sale of the church’s air rights in 2018, that PAY for the ministries and the music which we so often take for granted, are the fruit of Mike’s work, following the plan we set out years ago.

Mike left our employ in May 2022. He died in December. Mike was a dear friend and close collaborator – his loss made me feel like I had lost, not just a Parish Manager, but a limb. I am thankful that Jennifer DeSpirito, former Admissions Director for St. Stephen of Hungary School, who was a friend and coworker with Mike, was able to step into his role, continue the financial management of the parish, and work with me to complete the development plan.

We still have a way to go on that. The parish hall beneath the church, with its unsafe floor and run-down conditions, was to be the next major project we would have tackled. However, when we discovered the church roofs needed replacing, and in preparing for that job discovered that the façade of the church was falling off, all plans for that last major project had to be shelved. The money we had allocated for the hall had to be redirected to these emergency repairs.

Our development plans were never just about bricks and mortar, however. Everything Mike and I did was to provide resources for the growth of church ministry. For years our Pastoral Associate for Christian Formation, Maryann Tyrer and I wanted to provide a sort of “children’s church” for the small children of parents who come to mass. Mike, with two small children of his own, understood how great it would be for children to have their own age-appropriate worship and learning, while their parents were at mass. The rear sacristy was a former school classroom, used mostly for storage, which we dreamed of renovating for this purpose. This winter we found the money, mostly through generous parishioner donations, and renovated this space. We will begin using it in the fall for our small children.

Today at the conclusion of the 12-n oon mass we will dedicate this renovated space as the “Ward Room”, the name a play on his family name and the meaning of a Ward as it was formerly used in our city and in the police department. One of Mike’s former jobs was as a police officer, and so it fits. But what fits even more is that this room expresses so much of what Mike’s time here was about; providing modern facilities for parishioners and their families to learn, to worship, to pray, and grow.

Thank you, Mike, you will always be missed. But you will never be forgotten.

Father Baker