February 25, 2024 - Second Sunday of Lent

The parish of saint Mary

A Catholic Community Proclaiming the Greatness of God in our Time

OnePhalanxRoad,ColtsNeck,NJ07722

Phone:732-780-2666 Fax:732-780-0394

parishoffice@stmaryscoltsneck.org

Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton: Most Reverend David M. O’Connell, C. M.

Pastor: Reverend Fr. Jeffrey E. Lee

Pastor Emeritus: Reverend Fr. William J. Bausch

Parish Trustees: Annette Raynor & Roger Zurro

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT - FEBRUARY 25, 2024

Reminder, Office Hours are 2:00 PM to 7:30 PM every Tuesday and 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM every Monday, Wednesday, & Thursday. NO Friday’s or Saturday’s. Also, one Sunday a month from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Next month will be Sunday, March 3.

Mass Intentions for:

Saturday, February 24, 2024 - Sunday, March 3, 2024

Saturday, February 24 - 4PM

Pro Populo

Joseph Merck *Barbara Saake

Lauren Harrington *Rorie and Jack Coppola

Sunday, February 25 - 8AM

Joyce Homich *Alice Ganley

Helen DeCerce *Jane Slattery

Eamonn Fitzsimons *Hugh & Phyllis Murphy

10AM

Timothy Foley III *Laura Sheehy

Helen O'Doherty *Jane Slattery

Antonio Piccinich *Severino & Maria Salamon

12PM

Daniel P. McGarry *Rosa Maria McGarry

Eleanor and Patrick Walsh *Maureen Beyer

Deacon Anthony Mustillo *The Gruenling Family

Monday, February 26 - 9AM

Suzanne Fedele *Severino and Maria Salamon

Tuesday, February 27 - 9AM

MaryAnn Barone *Cynthia Barone-Mazzola

Wednesday, February 28 - 9AM

Beatrice Ann Roach Corcoran *Kevin Roach

Thursday, February 29 - 9AM

† Helen O'Doherty by Angela and Tom Kinlin

Friday, March 1 - 9AM

Mary Dohan *Jack and Rorie Coppola

Helen DeCerce *Rorie and Jack Coppola

Saturday, March 2 - 4PM

James Resko *Jon & Mary Kopko

Albert Herman *Michele Telesca

Lillian Ward *Family

Sunday, March 3 - 8AM

Pro Populo

Darrell Peckinpaugh *John and Molly Aiello

Joseph A. McIlvaine, II *Jane Slattery

10AM

Frank Baron *Dickinson-Pancila Family

Helen O'Doherty *Deirdre O'Doherty

Eric O'Doherty *Michela and Isabella O'Doherty

12PM

Int. of Fr. William Bausch

*Fr. Jeffrey E. Lee, Staff and Parishioners

Special Intention *Bob Amling

Robert A. & Mary Joan McNamara

*The McNamara Family

Mass Intention Requests Requests can be made in person by stopping at the parish office, or online HERE. The suggested stipend is $10.

Pleaseprayforthefollowingmembersofourparishcommunitywhoareill:

Jack Coppola ~

Bill Donahue ~ Kekoa Xael ~

Kaitlin Donahue Nagle

Lori Lettieri ~ Francis Patrick Albano ~

Kevin O’Shea ~

Lauren vinci

Elizabeth DeStefano ~ TOM JACOBSON ~

Dawn Reinhardt ~

Gloria Ziemienski

Jeff McBride ~ Owen Shoemaker ~

Ginny Hamlin

Toaddorremoveafamilymemberfromthesicklistpleasee-mailONLY parishbulletin@stmaryscoltsneck.org Please,also,keepusupdatedonyourlovedone’shealth. Nameswillberemovedfromthelistafter3months.ThankyouforkeepingourParishinformed.

Lifelong Catechesis - Week of February 25 to March 2

READINGS FOR THE WEEK:

25 Sunday: 2nd Sunday of Lent

Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18/Rom 8:31b-34/ Mk 9:2-10

26 Monday: Dn 9:4b-10/Lk 6:36-38

27 Tuesday: Is 1:10, 16-20/Mt 23:1-12 [Saint Gregory]

28 Wednesday: Jer 18:18-20/Mt 20:17-28

29 Thursday: Jer 17:5-10/Lk 16:19-31

1 Friday: Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a/ Mt 21:33-43, 45-46

2 Saturday: Mi 7:14-15, 18-20/Lk 15:1-3, 11-32

Almighty and eternal God, those who take refuge in you will be glad and forever will shout for joy. Protect these soldiers as they discharge their duties. Protect them with the shield of your strength and keep them safe from all evil and harm. May the power of your love enable them to return home in safety, that with all who love them, they may ever praise you for your loving care. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Pray for Military & First Responders

AMT Colton Boag, USCG ~

LCpl Devon Francis Chrzan, USMC ~

Col. John Anthony Coppola, US Army ~

TSgt Stephen Witherow, USAF

LCpl Edward Zarzecki, USMC

FOR DEEPER REFLECTION:

Question for Children: Name or draw a picture of a time you knew that Jesus was with you.

Question for Youth: The disciples had a very intense experience of Jesus on the mountain. Have you ever had a "mountain top" experience? What was it like for you?

Question for Adults: In what ways does Jesus speak today, ways in which you can truly "listen to him?"

Lt. Col. Douglas Coppola, US Army

Lt. Mary Herman, USN

~

SN Christian Houlihan, USN

~

LT. Jason Joseph Howe, USN ~

SPC Michael John Mento, US Army ~

LTJG Matthew Motola, USN

LCpl Bradley O’Ree, USMC ~

SPC Nicholas Poskonka, US Army ~

Captain Richard Savo, US Army ~

1st Lt. Adam Sjoholm, US Army ~

Captain Ryan Tanguay, US Army

Speak with a Priest

 Struggling with a life event and in need of spiritual assistance?

 Want to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance outside the normal Confession times?

 Trying to find your way back to engagement with the Church?

 Discerning vocation?

 Looking to complete your Sacraments of Initiation and wish to chat about the journey?

St Mary is offering the opportunity for parishioners to chat with a priest who are only indirectly engaged with the parish. If interested please contact Fr. Mike Walsh by phone (732) 780-2666 x205 or email Frmike.walsh@stmaryscoltsneck.org

Worship & Music

Why sing the psalms?

Andrew J. Macirowski - Pastoral Coordinator for Worship & Music / Principal Organist

Worship@stmaryscoltsneck.org Music@stmaryscoltsneck.org

The psalms are a direct link to our ancestors and their lives in worship at the time before Christ walked the Earth. Mostly attributed to King David, but also co-authored by 10 or more elders, the content of the psalms fall into 5 broad categories:

Praise to God * Lament/Sorrow * Kingship of God * Thanksgiving * Wisdom and Prophecy

The Scriptures encourage us to sing "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Col. 3:16) The psalms were originally written with the intent that they be SUNG, they were not merely poems. Rather, they were spiritual in nature, but using poetic language instead of historical prose, like most of the Hebrew Scriptures.

That tradition continues to the modern day, with many composers creating many musical settings of the psalms, from ancient chants that still survive, to Renaissance motets, to modern chants and metrical settings. It is imperative that we continue to sing them in our modern age, as they are the prayers of the people, and in communal worship they become powerful.

The next time you are at Mass, be sure to sing the antiphon of the psalm, let us have the whole congregation join in song! And, listen to the text of the verses, and how it relates both to the reading before it, and to your life today.

Please remember in your prayers those who have recently died.

PasqualePace

NewParishioner Orientation

Sunday,May5,2024,11:00AM atMadonnaHall

Attendance is mandatory for those wishing to become parishioners at the Parish of St. Mary.

For more information click HERE

Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs, d. c. 203

Perpetua was a young woman of noble birth and the mother of an infant son. She was arrested in Carthage during the persecution of Christians by Emperor Severus, along with several other catechumens who included Felicity, a slave. Perpetua kept a record of the trials and sufferings which the group endured while imprisoned and of the visions which she experienced. This journal, which ran up to the day before their deaths, was completed by an eyewitness. (A more complete transcription of Perpetua’s diary is found in Butler’s Lives of the Saints.) Perpetua wrote of the discussions that she held with her father, an old man at this time and a pagan. Perpetua was his favorite child and he tried very hard to convince her to give up her faith. “Father,” she said to him, “Do you see this vessel, a waterpot? Can it be called by any other name than what it is?” “No,” he replied. “So also I cannot call myself by any other name than what I am a Christian.”

The Christians were brought before Hilarian, the procurator of the province, who, failing to shake their faith, sentenced them to be killed in the amphitheater by – Read More HERE.

Ministry Schedule: ThirdSunday of Lent March 2 & 3

Altar Server Cantor Reader 1 Reader 2 EMHC/Ashes

OH - Monica Barr

Saturday, 2 4PM 2 SERVERS NEEDED Carly York Jennifer Stubbs Kathy Maher

Sunday, 3 8AM

Alexander Lennon & Sophia Lennon Carly York Rita Duneas Charles Young

Sunday, 3 10AM Rj Vaina & Chloe Cullen Carly York Carl Simone Julia Cullen

TH - Louise Habrack

TH - Susan Murphy

ALT - Martha Cowles

OH - Joyce Flynn

TH - Mary Aiello

TH - Mike LaCava

ALT - Gina Shute

OH - Carol Donahue

TH - Maureen Geiger

TH - Emily Santangelo

ALT - Sue Fitzpatrick

LWD - NEEDED

OH - Patricia Gesner

Sunday, 3 12PM 1 SERVER NEEDED CHOIR Paul Tonacci Richard Gerbino

Liturgy of the Word Dismissal

Ages 4-12, leave the Sunday assembly during the Liturgy of the Word (readings) and gather in a separate environment to engage in the Liturgy of the Word at a level more appropriate to the children’s understanding.

Every Sunday at the 10am mass.

Become more involved at The Parish of Saint Mary! Pleaseconsider

becominganAltarServer

Please contact Andrew Macirowski at worship@stmaryscoltsneck.org to let us know you are interested!

TH - Lee Gesner

TH - Tom Nathanson

ALT - Irene Weller

Bishop David M. O’Connell has the following message to share for Lent 2024…

Lent is traditionally a time for prayer and fasting. This year, I am especially drawn to these words from my reading: “Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. So, if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others, you open God’s ear to yourself.”

They are the words of St. Peter Chrysologus, one of the Church Fathers who lived in the late fourth and early fifth centuries (Sermon 43: PL 52, 320, 322), and are found in the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of Hours for Tuesday of the third week of Lent. Pope Benedict XVI also quoted them in his Lenten Message 2009.

St. Teresa of Calcutta once remarked, “As Lent is the time for greater love, listen to Jesus’ thirst… ‘Repent and believe’ Jesus tells us. What are we to repent? Our indifference, our hardness of heart. What are we to believe? Jesus thirsts even now, in your heart and in the poor. He knows – Read the rest HERE.

Faith Formation

Julia Cullen - Pastoral Coordinator of Faith Formation / Religion Education

RE CALENDAR:

i = Intergenerational Grades 1-6

S = Service Project Grades 7 & 8

25,26 February, 2024

Confirmation Prep Class

10,11 March, 2024

Confirmation Prep Class

17 March, 2024

i Lenten Penance & Reconciliation Service

24 March, 2024

i Palm Sunday Weaving 11:00 AM, followed by 10:00 AM Mass. Sign up HERE

28 March, 2024

i Holy Thursday in the Church

Mass of the Lord’s Supper 7:00 PM

29 March, 2024

i Good Friday

Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion, 12 PM Outdoor Stations of the Cross, 3:00 PM

30 March, 2024

Morning Prayer & Blessing of Food Chapel, 9:00 AM

i Easter Vigil Church, 7:00 PM

March 29 - April 5, 2024

EASTER BREAK

For our Palm Sunday INTERGENERATIONAL

We will be palm weaving March 24 at 11:00 AM, Followed by the 12:00 PM Mass. We will meet in Madonna Hall where you will receive your materials and palm weaving instructions!

ReligiousEd@stmaryscoltsneck.org

732-780-2666

X 309

In this season of Lent, as we pray a little more, and give a little more, we ask all of our RE families to participate in our Lenten Service Project, and pick up their rice bowls. More Information is on page 8. Summer registrations/re-registrations are being processed. We still have spots available in both our July VIRTUAL & August ON-CAMPUS intensive programs for grades 1-6. Please reach out to the RE office with any questions. Please, also RSVP for upcoming INTERGENERATIONALS, including Palm Sunday Palm weaving and our annual Easter Egg Hunt. We also encourage all RE families to attend the Lenten Penance and Reconciliation on 17 March 2024 at 3:00PM.

Easter Egg Hunt Sign Up!!

We need volunteers April 7, 2024 at 11:00 AM before the 12:00 PM Mass to help set-up, run the event and clean up for the Easter Egg Hunt. Your help is greatly appreciated and necessary for this exciting event to commence each year.

To RSVP, click HERE.

RSVP to attend the event HERE!

To sign up as a volunteer, click HERE.

PREPARATION

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to stuff Easter Eggs! Service hours will be awarded. Parents are encouraged to volunteer. Flexible days and times available. Sign-up HERE!!!

“In the beginning I was trying to go it alone. I was reading the Bible by myself, and even though it s a very strong time and emotional time to sit and read the Bible, I learned that you can’t go it alone. You need community. To be part of the Catholic Church is that bigger part that was missing.” – Kyle

Being a Catholic means being part of a spiritual family. Often, it can be your flesh-and-blood family, or it can be a close friend who invites you to “come and see.” As you enter the Church, the parish community and the RCIA Program will walk with you on your journey of faith.

Please prayerfully support…

Tanner Grigoli, Ryder Grigoli, Kimberly and Christopher Cascone

as they prepare for the reception of Sacraments for full initiation into the Catholic Church. If you or someone else you know is interested in becoming Catholic or completing their Sacraments of initiation, please contact us at (732)780-2666.

Through this year’s Fishers of Men Diaper Drive, the Parish of St. Mary donated

2,640 diapers and 2,480 wipes to the Diaper Bank at Childcare Resources of Monmouth County. Thank you to all parishioners who contributed and to Deacon Matthew Nicosia of St. Thomas Moore parish who helped coordinate the drive.

Thank you to everyone who participated!

Lenten Confessions, Holy Hours & Stations of the Cross

Lenten Holy Hours - St. Catharine

February 28 - 7:00PM

March 6 - 6:00PM

March 13 - 7:00PM

Stations of the Cross, St. Catharine

Friday evenings - 7:30PM

February 23 - 6:30PM, NO 7:30PM [March 1, 8, 22]

Living Stations - March 22

CRS RICE BOWLS LENT IS HERE!

Join During this holy time, we are called to pause and pay closer attention to our relationship with God and our neighbors. Reflect on how the Lenten pillars of prayer, fasting and almsgiving can guide your journey and how the Eucharist helps us to live in solidarity with our sisters and brothers around the world.

DONATE HERE

And visit crsricebowl.org to learn more and read this week’s Story of Hope.

Confessions

Sun., March 10, 2:30PM - 4:00PM - St. Benedict

Sunday, March 17, 3:00PM - St. Mary

Thursday, March 21, 7:00PM - St. Catharine

Wednesday, March 27, 7:00PM – St. Gabriel

Second Sunday of Lent Prayer

“Lord, your commandment of love is so simple and so challenging. Help me to let go of my pride, to be humble in my penance. I want only to live the way you ask me to love, to love the way you ask me to live.

I ask this through your son, Jesus, who stands at my side today and always.

Amen,” (Creighton University).

Lenten Regulations - Guidelines of the Universal Church

The Catholic Church in the United States requires of us as baptized Catholics to observe the following: Thedaysoffast(onlyonefullmealperday)andabstinence(nomeat)areAsh Wednesday(February14)andGoodFriday(March29). AllotherFridaysofLent(February16 throughMarch22)aredaysofabstinence(nomeat).

Fast consume only one full meal. Water may be taken throughout the day

Abstinence– consume no meat; this obligation prohibits the eating of meat but not eggs, milk products or condiments of any kind, even though made from animal fat.

Baptized Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast and those from the age of 14 are also obliged to abstain Those who are automatically dispensed from fast and abstinence regulations outside the age limits noted above include: the physically or mentally ill, especially individuals suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes. Also included in the dispensation are women who are pregnant or nursing. In all cases, common sense should prevail and ill persons should not further jeopardize their health by fasting.

Allareencouragedtoembracethesepracticesaspartofourspiritualjourney.

My Dear Parishioners:

Today we celebrate the Second Sunday of Lent. When we make it a habit to key into the dying and rising of the paschal mystery we begin to see its rhythm everywhere. In this Sunday’s gospel it plays out between transfigured glory in the first part of the gospel and the allusion to Jesus’ dying in the last part. In our daily lives it might play out between work and leisure, between times with loved ones and times away, between success and failure, between doing something we would enjoy and doing something someone else would enjoy more. One thing Scripture bears out for us: whenever there is evidence of dying, there is equal evidence of rising. In our own lives we must begin to look for both the dying and the rising. As we see the paschal mystery unfolding more and more in our daily living, the distance between the religious and secular spheres of our lives becomes less and less. Instead of putting religion in a neat box it becomes truly the very way we live. Then it becomes easier to let go of ourselves and let God lead us whether that is to a mountain of testing or a mountain of dying. We can let go, because we know without a doubt that new life and glory await us.

Many thanks to our Parish Religious Education Program families for offering food donations on Ash Wednesday to be distributed to the poor and needy. It is so edifying to me to observe how we as a parish community are growing in our awareness of the needs in our midst. This is clearly another sign of how we continue to grow in our stewardship of the many blessings we receive from God.

Registration for the Summer Session Religious Education Intensive is well under way. Classes are filling up quickly. Please do not procrastinate in making your decisions. There is a limited number of openings for this formational opportunity. Please make your decisions now and register. Preparations for Holy Week have begun. Consider participating in these opportunities for communal prayer as a way to deeper your understanding of God’s creative and redemptive activity for the life of the world.

The Parish Lenten Confessions are scheduled for Sunday, 17 March at 3:00pm in our parish church. We try to schedule 12 or so priest confessors for your convenience. Please put this date into your personal schedules and plan to participate. Parents I encourage you to bring your children to this service as we celebrate God’s mercy and forgiveness. What a great way to honor Saint Patrick!

This weekend we kick off the 2024 Annual Catholic Appeal. Our goal remains unchanged at $75,000.00. Letters have been sent out and the Bishops video will be shown this weekend. To those who have made their gift…Thank you. If you have not done so, please do so as soon as possible. Consider joining us for Daily Mass during this Lenten Season. It is such a great gift to have access to the mass and reception of Holy Communion. Have a great week. Let us remember one another in prayer. Happy Sunday. Peace.

Father Jeff

Quo vadis for February 25.

Temporal Admin., Stewardship & Outreach

Sharing

Our Treasure

February 18, 2024 –First Sunday of Lent

$500wenttowardtheBlackandNativeAmericanappeal. Thankyou.Pleasecontinuetobegenerous. OurmonthlyBuildingandMortgageReductioncollection isnextweekendMarch2&3.Ourmortgagepaymentis $7,926.66.Pleasebegenerous.

""He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me. And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.' " Mt 25:45-4

EMERGENCY CLOSING INFORMATION:

In the event that the Parish Office is closed and Religious Education classes or Masses must be cancelled due to inclement weather, loss of power, etc., we will attempt to keep you informed as follows:

- Updated outgoing announcements on our main telephone line - (732) 780-2666.

- Parish-wide email sent to email address is on file- Notification on website: www.stmarycoltsneck.org

Edwin A. SevillanoTemporalAdmin@stmaryscoltsneck.org

Sign-in for our Online Giving system to make your parish offerings from your bank account or Credit Card!

To set up an online giving account please visit https://giving.parishsoft.com/smcn

Alternatively, just Text SUNDAY to (732)-889-7800 and follow the instructions to complete your offering. Should you require our assistance setting up your new account, please call the parish office at (732)-780-2666.

You can also download the ConnectNow Giving App for Android or iOS.

Thank you for your continuous support!

As of February 18, 2024

Goal: $75,000

Pledged: $4,415

% of goal: 6%

# donors: 6

Average gift: $441.50

Paid to date: $4,415

If you have not yet made a gift, there are pledge forms available in the back of church, or you can visit www.dioceseoftrenton.org/catholicappeal to send your gift electronically. Make sure to select St. Mary Catholic Church, Colts Neck in the Parish Affiliation box so we can receive credit for your gift. Your gift will truly make a difference.

Thank you for your prayers and support.

NEW TO COLTS NECK? Join Saint Mary Parish!

We welcome you and invite you to register as parishioners of St Mary! Please find our registration guidelines on our website under About Us/New Parishioners

Sanctuary Lamp

Consider donating the sanctuary lamp that burns in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the Church or Chapel in honor of a living or deceased loved one. One intention is accepted per week (Sunday - Saturday) for the Lamp. The suggested donation is $25.

Request online HERE.

"Caring for People by People Who Care" Serving Monmouth and Ocean Counties

I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Dena Glynn, Director of Development at Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey. We are thrilled to have you as part of our coalition of caring!

• Medical Transportation: Door to door transportation to medical appointments

• Grocery Shopping: Volunteer is assigned to do in person food shopping bi-monthly

• Companionship Home Visits: Weekly visits offering friendship

• Caregiver Canines®: Pet Therapy weekly visits from a certified therapy dog

• Caregiver Respite: Support and weekly visits for those living with dementia or other chronic illness to give the family caregiver a break

• Connect thru Music: A beautiful music program designed to connect dementia clients with their former self

• Handy Andy: Simple home repair & maintenance services, in & out doors

• Healthy Hop: Free on demand door to door transportation using Uber

• Reassurance Phone Calls: Weekly calls to reduce social isolation

We Trust in Jesus because:

- “He will let you find him.”

- “When you pray, He will listen to you.

- “His plan is better than your plan!”

- “Christianity is a person who loves us.”

- “Christianity is Jesus Christ!”

Divine Mercy is:

- “Greatest attribute of God.”

- “Source of miracles and wonders.”

- “Embracing us especially at the hour of our death.”

- Shielding us from the fires of Hell.”

Next round of small groups coming soon….

Lord Jesus,

We worship You in the Blessed Sacrament.

Bless our work of reviving a true and lasting devotion to You in the Sacrament of Your Body and Blood. Help us bring others to perceive with the eyes of faith, Your Real Prescence in the Holy Eucharist. Enlighten the minds of Your people and set our hearts on fire with love for You, O Jesus. Fill us with the desire to receive You often in Holy Communion. Amen.

Wehavetwogroupsinprogressnowwithafewmorebeingplannedforthespring. AllarewelcometojointhisamazingstudyontheEucharist!Sign-upscomingsoon!

To find more information about the movement, click HERE.

HELP SAVE LIVES IN MONMOUTH COUNTY!

Protect mothers and children by joining this worldwide witness of prayer, fasting, peaceful vigils, and community outreach.

Take part in 40 Days for Life in Monmouth County Vigil

Location: Planned Parenthood at 69 E. Newman Springs Road, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702.

Vigil Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Saturday / Sunday - at will.

Local Contact:

monmouth4life@hotmail.com

Learn More...

40daysforlife.com/shrewsbury heck our Resources for Educational Information, Prayer and Pregnancy Resources. Come and Bring a Friend... or 2... or 3! 40 Days For Life/Shrewsbury is a peaceful, prayerful witness. There is no shouting, foul language or graphic signs. As always, stay on the sidewalk or public right of way. Do not go on private property, block driveway or park in Planned Parenthood lot. Please follow current COVID-19 Protocols.