Parish life Fourth Sunday of Lent
Mar.14, 2021
From the Pastor (Page 9)
Lent 2021 ( Page 7)
Five Minute Jesus ( Page 8)
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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 family a 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 Associates: ...............................................Rev. Tony Ciorra Pastoral Associate: Ms. Maryann Tyrer ........ mtyrer@stelmo79.org Pastoral Associate: Ms. Jasmine Gomez ..... jgomez@stelmo79.org Parish Manager: Mr. Michael Ward ............. mward@stelmo79.org Music Director: Mr. John Zupan .................... jzupan@stelmo79.org Wedding Coordinator: Ms. Debbi Burdett . dbweddingsnyc@gmail.com 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:
Monday ............................................................. 9am - 5pm 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 Intentions Saturday, March 13th Vigil 5:30pm Robert Atkinson Sunday, March 14th Fourth Sunday of Lent 8:00am Lucia Roman 10:00am Arlene Hardy 12:00pm All Parishioners 5:00pm Glen Allen Monday, March 15th Lenten Weekday 12:00am
Helen & Richard Kirwan
Tuesday, March 16th Lenten Weekday 12:00pm Bessie Jones Wednesday, March 17th Lenten Weekday
12:00pm Walter & Mary Ferber
Thursday, March 18th Lenten Weekday 12:00pm Kathleen M. Reddington
Friday, March 19th
St. Joseph Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary 12:00pm Mary J. Kelly Saturday, March 20th Lenten Weekday
Mass Schedule
Daily Mass: Mon-Sat, 12 noon Saturday Vigil: 5:30pm Sunday: 8am, 10am, 12pm & 5pm Confessions: Saturdays at 5pm or by appointment
12:00pm Angela Popolo 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
Sanctuary Lamp This Week’s Sanctuary Lamp In Memory of Arlene Hardy Offered by Maria Litrenta
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 Berry, Andres Rodriguez, Eileen Sullivan, Anna Sandel, Jasmine Gomez, James Mooney, Marcia Power, Denise Perez & all those ill with or recovering from the COVID-19 virus and all Victims of Military Activities PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED Rafael Romero, Emil De Spirito, Greg Malloy, Nora Hickey & Pascuale Ionta
Today’s Readings First Reading — The wrath and the mercy of the Lord are revealed in the exile and liberation of the chosen people (2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23) or 1 Samuel 16: 1b, 6-7, 10-13a. Psalm — Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you! (Psalm 137) or Psalm 23. Second Reading — By grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:4-10) or Ephesians 5:8-14. Gospel — The Son was sent by God so that the world might be saved through him (John 3:14-21) or John 9:1-41 [1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38]. The English translation of the Psalm Responses from the Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.
Readings for the Week Monday: Is 65:17-21; Ps 30:2, 4-6, 11-13b; Jn 4:43-54 Tuesday: Ez 47:1-9, 12; Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; Jn 5:1-16 Wednesday: Is 49:8-15; Ps 145:8-9, 13cd-14, 17-18; Jn 5:17-30 Thursday: Ex 32:7-14; Ps 106:19-23; Jn 5:31-47 Friday: 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16; Ps 89:2-5, 27, 29; Rm 4:13:16-18, 22; Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a or Lk 2:41-51a Saturday: Jer 11:18-20; Ps 7:2-3, 9bc-12; Jn 7:40-53 Sunday: Jer 31:31-34; Ps 51:3-4, 12-15; Heb 5:7-9; Jn 12:20-33 Alternate readings (Year A): Ez 37:12-14; Ps 130:1-8; Rom 8:8-11; Jn 11:1-45 [3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45]
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 Mission The Saint Stephen Advantage of educating the “whole child”… Founded in 1928, Saint Stephen of Hungary School is a Pre-K through 8th grade award-winning Catholic school with a rich heritage of academic excellence. By nurturing each student’s mind, body and spirit in the Franciscan tradition, Saint Stephen School prepares its students to be passionate leaders and self-confident life-long learners. Our holistic, differentiated approach to learning creates an environment where students are supported to take calculated risks and explore the world around them. Students are challenged to think critically and creatively in order to solve complex real-life problems. Working collaboratively students learn to clearly communicate diverse opinions and resolve conflict. Students are celebrated for their unique differences and curriculum is tailored to meet the needs of each individual student. Through a self-reflective process, students are empowered to be active participants in their own decision making abilities. Saint Stephen School provides students with the skills to be successful in our ever-changing global community. Interested in admissions to our parish school? admissions@saintstephenschool.org
Parish Life
Do you have ideas for Social Media Posts? Would you like to take pictures to capture the life of this vibrant Parish? Perhaps you are interested in helping us with the Livestream of Mass? Join the Digital Media Ministry by contacting Jasmine jgomez@stelmo79.org! No experience necessary! Jasmine will train you
You can go to ANY school building for FREE takeout meals! On weekdays, between 9am – 12pm, families & students can pick up free
grab-and-go meals On weekdays, between 3pm-5pm, multiple meals (breakfast & lunch) are available to the general public. ✔NO identification or registration is necessary ✔Vegetarian meals are available at all locations
K-8 Parish Religious Education: •
•
We continue to meet online each Sunday morning at 10:15am. Zoom links are emailed each week to all registered families. (We will not meet March 28 or April 4.) Check out the awesome Stations of the Cross Dioramas made by our Religious Education Families following our Virtual Family Faith Formation event earlier this month. They are on display in the back of the church throughout Lent.
Adult Faith Formation: •
Our Sunday morning Adult Faith Formation, an informal discussion of the Sunday Scriptures, led by a facilitator, is open to all. We meet on Sundays 10:15 to 11:30am, in the Parish Center. Social distancing and face masks are required. Please join us! No registration is required – you can drop in any Sunday. Learning more about your faith as an adult is an awesome Lenten practice! (We will not meet March 28 or April 4.)
Adult Sacraments of Initiation (RCIA):
If you have ever thought about becoming Catholic, or if you are a baptized Catholic who has not yet celebrated First Communion or Confirmation, please contact Maryann Tyrer at mtyrer@stelmo79.org to discuss our adult initiation process (commonly known as the RCIA). You can begin this process at any time throughout the year, and options are available for face-to-face or Zoom meetings.
We continue to pray for our Elect, Ronald Barth, Alissa Cherry, and Robert McCasky, who will celebrate Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist at the Easter Vigil on April 3. “Christ will be your strength! Learn to know and follow Him!”
FINDING HOPE AND PEACE IN A TIME OF TRANSITION LENT 2021 Fridays in Lent – Each Friday in Lent, we offer the following: 12noon Mass, followed by Stations of the Cross, followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and time for private Adoration until 3pm. At 3pm, members of the community pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, which is followed by Solemn Benediction. All of this takes place in the church. Every Friday, we offer Vespers (Evening Prayer of the Church) at 5:10pm in the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Chapel (406 E. 80th St.) All are welcome to this lovely 20-minute service of psalms, prayers, song, and silence. Saturdays through March 20 – we will have Solemn Vespers (Evening Prayer of the Church) at 5pm in the church. Confessions are also heard in the church during this time. The Vigil Mass for Sunday follows at 5:30pm. Tuesdays in Lent - Let Us Dream: The Path to a Better Future • A 3-part Adult Faith Formation Series by Msgr. Leslie Ivers, • Based on Pope Francis’ book, responding to the global pandemic • Live-streamed on our website, www.stelmo79.org • Reading the book in advance is recommended, but not required Part Three: A Time to Act Tuesday, March 16, 7pm Wednesdays in Lent – The Social Justice Ministry in collaboration with Thrive For Life Prison Project invites you to pray Vespers on Wednesday nights during Lent via Zoom, starting Wednesday, February 17, 8-9pm. Register at STELMO79.org to receive the Zoom link. Thursday, March 18 – Pope Francis declared this to be the Year of St. Joseph, (whose feast day is March 19). Join us in the chapel at 7pm for Evening Prayer and a special presentation on St. Joseph by Fr. Antonio Altamonte, chaplain at Lenox Hill Hospital. Live and livestreamed. Live attendance limited to 12 persons – RSVP at the Parish Center to reserve your seat!
Holy Week 2021
Passion (Palm) Sunday – March 27/28 – Regular Mass Schedule – Palms available for pick up in the church vestibule between the noon and 5pm Masses on Sunday for those viewing Mass from home. Reconciliation Monday – March 29 – Confessions in the church 3-9pm Tenebrae Service – April 1, 2, and 3 at 9am in the Church – as service of Psalms and prayers, followed by Confessions Holy Thursday – April 1 – Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7:30pm – tickets required! – Adoration in the church continues until 10pm. Good Friday – April 2 – Stations of the Cross at 12 noon, Commemoration of the Passion of the Lord at 3pm – tickets required! – Stations of the Cross with Holy Communion at 7:30pm Holy Saturday – April 3 – Blessing of Easter Food at 3pm – Easter Vigil at 7:30pm – tickets required! (no 5:30pm Mass on April 3!) Easter Sunday – April 4 – Masses at 8am, 10am, and 12noon (no 5pm) – tickets required! Tickets for restricted liturgies are available at the Parish Center during office hours at no charge.
Five Minute Jesus
Using the Gospel for Prayer – Fifth Sunday in Lent - March 21, 2021 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. The Gospel according to John 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45* The sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus, saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.” When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise.” Martha said, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” He became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?” So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him. Monday 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 This story deals with the death of a loved one. Mary and Martha loved their brother Lazarus. Jesus loved him too. Have I ever experienced the death of a loved one? What did I do to hold on to the one I loved and keep them from dying? How would I have felt hearing Jesus’ response to Martha and Mary’s plea to come and heal their brother? Wednesday Jesus sees glory in Lazarus’ illness and death and tells his disciples and Martha and Mary as much. Have I ever seen God’s hand at work in my suffering or illness? Have I seen God’s presence even in death? If so, how? And how did that transform the experience for me? Thursday In Martha and Mary’s world, a woman without a husband, father or some man to protect her, was as good as dead. Lazarus’ death meant that for all intents and purposes, Martha’s and Mary’s lives were over as well. Jesus was Lazarus’ friend but Lazarus is dead four days by the time Jesus arrives. He was not there to comfort them, he was not there to heal him. Why did Jesus wait? Have I ever felt abandoned by God? How did God finally show up? How did I greet God then? Friday It is said that the shortest verse in the entire Bible is, “Jesus wept”. Why did Jesus weep? What do his tears tell me about who he is, and how he feels about us all? Would he weep for me as his friend? If so, why? If not, why not? Saturday At the end of the gospel, Jesus raises his friend from the dead. Lazarus exits the tomb, still bound in his burial shroud, and Jesus commands “Untie him and let him go”. Lazarus is not merely alive, he is freed. With this the point of the story becomes clear: Jesus, whom we have journeyed with all through Lent, is not merely a prophet or a healer, but is the one with power even over life and death. John wants us to know that even in the face of death, Jesus is in control. Have I ever had to face death; the death of a loved one, or even my own? How did my faith help me? From what do I need to be “untied” so that I can be free to live?
From the Pastor 03.14.21 In honor of St. Patrick Every so often a parishioner will want to know why we did not celebrate a particular Saint on their feast day. The Catholic Church has a whole calendar of such days, celebrating saints who the Church holds up as intercessors and role models. It goes without saying, that not all saints on the universal calendar are equally important. So, the Church “ranks” these saints’ days; some are obligatory – that is they must be celebrated, and others are optional – the priest can decide if remembering this particular saint is warranted. It also lets individual parts of the Catholic Church decide which saints’ days are which. Which brings us to St. Patrick, whose feast day is this Wednesday. St. Patrick’s Day is in almost all of the United States and in most parts of the world, an optional memorial. Moreover, since it almost always falls during Lent it gets reduced even further; We can mention him in the prayers but none of the special parts of the mass for his feast day can be used. But here in New York it is different. Why? Because of the Irish. St. Patrick was proclaimed as the Patron Saint of the Archdiocese of New York centuries ago. (A Patron Saint is a kind of special friend in heaven before God much in the same way an earthly patron would do). As a result of that, St. Patrick’s Day is raised to the HIGHEST form of Church celebration- a Solemnity. In the Archdiocese of New York, it is like a Sunday: special prayers are used at the mass, the Glory to God in the Highest is sung, the Creed is recited. And if the day falls on a Lenten Friday, there is NO abstinence from meat. (Fun fact: because Brooklyn and Queens are in another diocese, for them St. Patrick’s is a memorial, and thus whenever St. Patrick’s falls on a Friday in Lent I have friends who come to NYC on St. Patrick’s because they want to eat their corned beef!) Founded as the “Irish church” in Yorkville, it is no surprise that there is a stained-glass window of St. Patrick. It depicts the encounter of the Saint Patrick with the pagan King Laeghaire on Easter Sunday, at Tara, county Meath in Ireland at which time Patrick explained to him and his court the Catholic faith. In his hand he holds the threeleafed shamrock, which tradition has it he used to explain the mystery of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A dog is present, which perhaps symbolizes the many stories told about St. Patrick and dogs, and how savage dogs became tame and docile in his presence. There is a harp, the traditional symbol of Ireland, a man kneeling next to it, perhaps one of the pagan bards present at court in Tara, but in this case, he is not singing but listening. Church windows have been called “stories writ with glass”. In this window we see Patrick as a teacher, sharing his faith with the Irish people. Years ago, it reminded people sitting in our pews of their Irish heritage and their Catholic faith. But today? Perhaps today it can remind us that the real reason for this celebration is not so we can drink and party (as fun as that all is!) but so that we can remember this holy man, the faith he spent his life sharing with others and we can consider it as an invitation to do the same. Erin Go Bragh! Happy St. Patrick’s Day Father Baker
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