January 1, 2023 - The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Mass Intentions for:

Saturday, December 31st - Sunday, January 8th For * Requested by

Saturday, December 31 – 4 PM Church

Dorothy ‘Deckert * John and Susan Murphy Maria A. Pellicone * Mom and Dad Greg Heh * Connie Weighell and Family

Sunday, January 01 – Church

10:00 Pro Populo Claire Kelly * Daly Family Special Intention * Bob Amling

Monday, January 02 – 9 AM Chapel

Clare S. Peckinpaugh * Jane Slattery

Jennifer Castellanos * Randy Matmon

Tuesday, January 03 – 9 AM Chapel

Joseph Kmieciak * Anna Marie and Vincent Vita

Wednesday, January 04 – 9 AM Chapel

Joan Pinney * Drs. Gener and Elvira Dapul

Thursday, January 05 – 9 AM Chapel

William R. Boffa, Jr. * Angela and Tom Kinlin

Friday, January 06 – 9 AM Chapel George Christensen * Mary and Bill Klein

Saturday, January 07 - 4 PM Church

Rev. Fr. Raymond Griffin * Rev. Fr. Jeffrey E. Lee, Staff & Parishioners

Margie Eastman * Verga Family Charlotte Clime Schatzle * Jim Schatzle and Family

Sunday, January 08 – Church

8 AM Pro Populo

Berenice Reiss Sheerin * Jane Slattery Rose Aiello * Aiello Family

10 AM Intentions of Sue Kelly and Family * Wagner Family Klara Mirkovich * Maria and Severino Salamon

12 PM Bridget Cuccia * Sena Family

Eleanor and Patrick Walsh * Maureen Beyer Tom and Bob Walsh and Rose Lunz * Maureen Beyer

Please pray for the following members of our parish family who are ill:

KathleenAmatel

MichaelBarker

JaniceBasilice

FrBillBausch

EileenBeckley

BrendaCaronna

ChristenChellis

LynetteColaco-Desouza

BlakeConley

JackCoppola

KaitlinDonahueNagle

SharonEvangellista

JoannFeliciti

CynthiaFiedler

JamesFiedler EmilyGioacchini

TomHudak

ElizabethLindHuseby

BridgetKorn

BobLind

LoriLettieri

DonnaLodi

LudwigMendola

KevinO’Shea

OwenShoemaker

VictoriaSlater

GerardP.Thompson

LaurenVinci

LeonJankowski

ElizabethDeStefano LouSchmitt

Toaddafamilymembertothesicklistfor8weeks, pleasecallor e-mailtheParishOffice.Thank you! 732-780-2666 or parishbulletin@stmaryscoltsneck.org

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

Lt. Col. John Anthony Coppola, US Army 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

Ensign 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 TSgt Stephen Witherow, USAF LCpl Edward Zarzecki, USMC

Gianna Innucci

Miranda Mason

Dianna Weber

Shawn Woodward

Lifelong Catechesis -

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

1 Sunday: The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Nm 6:22-27 / Gal 4:4-7 / Lk 2:16-21 2 Monday: 1 Jn 2:22-28 / Jn 1:19-28 3 Tuesday: 1 JN 2:29–3:6 / Jn 1:29-34 4 Wednesday: 1 Jn 3:7-10 / Jn 1:35-42 5 Thursday: 1 Jn 3:11-21 / Jn 1:43-51 6 Friday: 1 Jn 5:5-13 / M 1:7-11 7 Saturday: 1 Jn 5:14-21 / Jn 2:1-11

FOR DEEPER REFLECTION:

Question for Children: What do you want to tell others about Mary?

Question for Youth: What can you learn from Mary that will help you grow closer to Jesus?

Question for Adults: When the shepherds encountered Jesus, their lives changed forever. How has your relationship with Jesus changed your life?

SANCTUARY LAMPS 2023

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.

Requests can be made in person by stopping at the parish office, or online HERE.

The suggested stipend is $10.

Worship & Music

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

Worship@stmaryscoltsneck.org Music@stmaryscoltsneck.org

THE SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD

Mary has an important role to play in the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. She consents to God’s invitation conveyed by the angel (Luke 1:26-38). Elizabeth proclaims: “Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:42-43). Mary’s role as mother of God places her in a unique position in God’s redemptive plan.

Without naming Mary, Paul asserts that “God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). Paul’s further statement that “God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out ‘Abba, Father!’” helps us realize that Mary is mother to all the brothers and sisters of Jesus.

The precise title “Mother of God” goes back at least to the third or fourth century. In the Greek form Theotokos (God-bearer), it became the touchstone of the Church’s teaching about the Incarnation. The Council of Ephesus in 431 insisted that the holy Fathers were right in calling the holy virgin Theotokos. Centuries later, the father of the Second Vatican Council codified Mary’s role in the Church, and in Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, refer to Mary as “Mother of God” 12 times.

As this solemnity falls at the beginning of the calendar year, there are also indulgences that may be earned by the faithful. A plenary indulgence is earned for praying the Te Deum on the eve to give thanks to God for the previous year, or for praying the Veni Creator Spiritus on the day, asking the Spirit for guidance in the new year. For those who attend Mass at our parish, we will sing these prayers on their respective days during the Mass.

Saint of the Week: Marguerite

Bourgeoys, Religious, 1620-1700

Born in Troyes, Champagne, France, Marguerite was the sixth of twelve children. She was inclined to a religious life from her early years, but, at the age of twenty, she was turned down by both the Carmelites and the Poor Clares. Read more HERE.

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 is 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

Schedule: The Epiphany of the Lord Saturday, January 7th - Sunday, January 8th

Organ Host - Emily Santangelo

Tabernacle Host - Irene Weller Tabernacle Host - Susan Murphy Alternate - Louise Habrack Sunday

Organ Host - Joyce Flynn Tabernacle Host - Mike LaCava Tabernacle Host - Rosanne LaCava

- Lisa Aldridge

Organ Host - Linda Dickinson-Pancila Tabernacle Host - Carol Donahue Tabernacle Host - Gregory Calderaro Alternate - Dawn Reinhardt Sunday

Organ Host - Monica Barr Tabernacle Host - Patricia Gesner Tabernacle Host - Lee Gesner Alternate - Ron Gabbard

Baptismal Preparation Session

St Mary Parish is offering our next Baptismal Preparation Session on: TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2023 at 6:00 PM Pre-registrationisrequired aweekinadvance. ContactUs

Sacrament of Baptism Couples wishing to baptize their children must be registered parishioners of St Mary Parish. Please contact the Parish Office at 732-780-2666 x329 at least 3 months in advance of the desired date for baptism. More information can be read HERE

Liturgy of the Word Dismissal

This is the practice of having the children, 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.

Altar Server Cantor Reader 1 Reader 2 EMHC Saturday

Tonacci

Swap Requested

Julia Cullen -

Pastoral Coordinator of Faith

Formation / Religion Education

Rose FarrowCoordinator of Faith Formation / Youth & Adult Catechesis

YouthRE@stmaryscoltsneck.org 732-780-2666 X 310

Psalm 65:11

Wishing you a very happy and very blessed new year! We are officially at the half way point for Religious Education, be sure to be completing your intergenerational (1-6 gr) and service hour (7-8 gr) requirements. All Religious Education classes resume the week of January 8

We hope you enjoyed the Religious Education Christmas party as much as we did!

Thank you!!

Dear Parishioners, On behalf of Aslan Youth Ministries and myself, thanks to everyone parishioners and CCD classes who participated in the annual Sponsor-A-Family program this year. From donating to sponsoring to delivering, this program would not be successful without all of your help. This year we sponsored 34 families, another wonderful outpouring of love and kindness on your part. In a world that is still reeling from Covid, in which many families are struggling financially, you put the needs of these families before your own, making sure they had presents under the tree and food on their table. You have brought peace and joy to their lives through your love and support. Thank you very, very much. Wishing all of you a happy, peaceful, and hopeful new year.

Blessings, Kathy Maher Dina Willis

Standing Together for Life - Mass/Speaker Event in Freehold

On Friday Jan. 20, 2023, the faithful of the Diocese of Trenton will come together in prayer and solidarity to proclaim the sanctity of all human life.

All are invited to a Mass for Life celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, 61 Georgia Rd., Freehold, beginning at 11 a.m. Mass will be livestreamed on Youtube.com/trentondiocese

The Mass will be followed by a luncheon and speaker seminar in the Co-Cathedral’s Dentici Hall. Author and speaker Dr. Charles Camosy will be our keynote speaker. His talk and conversations that follow are intended to help us build a Culture of Life in this post-Roe world by working together as one church and stepping out of the politics and divisions that often separate us. Advanced registration to attend the luncheon and seminar is required by Jan. 10, 2023. Registration and information can be found here: dioceseoftrenton.org/ standing-together-for-life

Quo vadis . . .

My Dear Parishioners:

This year the Feast of the Holy Family was transferred to Friday, 30 December since it was superseded by the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God observed Sunday, 1 January 2023. This gospel for the Feast of the Holy Family relates the other three of Joseph’s dream recorded in Matthew’s gospel; the first we met on the Fourth Sunday of Advent. These dreams continue the revelation-response motif begun on Christmas Day. This is the interface of our own modern families and the Holy Family: as they did, we too all face challenges in responding to God faithfully and obediently. The holiness of a family is not dependent upon perfection or an easy road. As Mary and Joseph showed us, holiness is dependent upon faithfulness and obedience to God’s messages. Whether we are a traditional family or a single-parent family, whether we have biological or adopted or foster children or no children, whether we live in an expensive home or a subsidized rental unit makes no difference for living as a holy family. What does make a difference is hearing God’s messages and doing God’s will. Revelationresponse made the holy Family holy; it makes our families holy, too. This is paschal mystery living: responding to both hardships (dying) and God’s wonderful gifts of graces (rising) in fidelity and obedience. Trust in God’s ways.

This coming Sunday, 1 January, is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God which is the Octave (8th) Day of Christmas. This

Solemnity is a wonderful opportunity for us to gather in prayer as we begin a new civic calendar year. We entrust our hopes and anxieties to the maternal care of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Please consult the bulletin for special mass times and other particulars. We will begin celebrating DAILY MASS in the CHAPEL Monday, 2 JANUARY.

Many thanks to all those who sent greetings, gifts, culinary delights and prayerful wishes to the Parish House for the Christmas Season. Your warmth and generosity are overwhelming. You truly make our Parish a vibrant community where faith is nurtured.

Many thanks to all those who have served to make our parish community ready for these Advent-Christmas-Epiphany Liturgies. Our staff is here to guide and support the many parishioners in caring for our parish community and making things happen. Let us be mindful of the many gifts we have been given and the call for us to be a gift to one another especially in sharing our faith. Don’t forget to keep the tree and decorations up for a while. The Season of Christmas (Liturgically) continues until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (this year observed Monday, 9 January 2023). If you have not already made your Christmas Gift to our parish on Christmas Day, please do so this week so that we can prepare a report for you to review. Thanks for all that you do! Have a great week. Let us pray for one another. Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!

Temporal Admin., Stewardship & Outreach

Sharing Our Treasure

December 25, 2022 – The Nativity of the Lord

A. SevillanoTemporalAdmin@stmaryscoltsneck.org

"Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stew ards of the mysteries of God. Now it is of course required of stewards that they be found trustworthy." 1 Corinthians 4:1‐2

Our monthly Building and Mortgage Reduction collection will be taken up next weekend January 7 and 8. Our mortgage payment is $7,966.26

THANK YOU for the Sacrificial Stewardship. Offerings as we support the ministries, programs and facilities of our parish. May God Bless you for the sacrifices that you make.

Consider AYear-End Gift to St Mary Parish

As you begin year-end tax planning, take advantage of the charitable tax deduction for gifts made before December 31 and consider making a gift to St Mary Parish. Your gift to our parish can make a great difference to us and help you as well.

Online Giving is a convenient way to make your gift to St Mary Parish. To create or update your St Mary Parish Online Giving account, visit https://giving.parishsoft.com/app/giving/smcn

If you choose to make a cash donation, please prepare your check and mail it so that your envelope is postmarked or received by the Parish Office by December 31 to qualify as a gift in the year 2021. Contributions received on January 1st or after will be treated as 2022 gifts. Thank you! Your generosity has been a blessing to St Mary Parish throughout this past year. Your continued support allows us to continue our ministries and mission to proclaim the Gospel in our time.

2022 Christmas Collection:

Thank you to all our parishioners who have made your Christmas offerings. We will publish a report of donations at the conclusion of the Christmas season. If you have not made an offering yet please do so using the Christmas offering envelope or make your gift by ACH or credit card through our online giving system at http://bit.ly/2Ec6vu5.

Thankyouforyourgenerosity!

2022 End of Year Contribution Statement

Statement of charitable contributions for calendar year 2022 will be available on or about January 17, 2023. Your personal statement can be downloaded from My Own Church portal. Please follow the instructions HERE to sign up for My Own Church and retrieve your statement. If you wish to receive a paper statement of your 2022 contributions, please provide a selfaddressed stamped envelope to the parish office by mail or drop it in the collection basket by January 31, 2023. Requests will be processed & mailed by the end of January. Please do not make your request by phone.

Edwin

Volunteer Crisis Hotline Training January 2023

The next (12-week) training class for telephone volunteers for CONTACT (24-hour crisis intervention hotline) will begin on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, once a week for 12 weeks, every Wednesday from 6:30 -9:30 P.M. In person training will be held at St. Luke’s Church, 1674 Old Freehold Rd., Toms River. CONTACT, a free and confidential service, has been assisting with the needs of individuals throughout the community since 1975, by providing a safe place for callers to talk about their problems with anonymity. Information and referrals are provided when requested. For additional training information, please call the CONTACT office – 732-240-6104.

Offerings at Francis House of Prayer

Trenton Diocesan Spiritual Center and Retreat House 84 Walnford Road Allentown, NJ 08501

609-877-0509 or FHOP@verizon.net

Please check www.FHOP.org for registration, directions and for our other offerings!

ZOOM ONLY OFF TO A PRAYERFUL START FOCUSING THE NEW YEAR

Tuesday, January 3 7:00 – 8:00 PM

Start out 2023 with an evening zoom retreat to set the direction for the year. “Well begun is half done,” they say, and establishing a direction is essential for the journey. Where am I going in 2023? What is the desire of my heart, and God’s as we begin this year together? Donation: $15, includes materials.

CHOOSING SERENITY IN STRESS

Monday, January 9 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM Is stress to be banished or befriended? Can I be serene and stressful simultaneously? Can I find a serene place within me which can embrace my stressful soul and let me live more peacefully? Donation: $25, includes lunch; Zoom $20.

ZOOM ONLY MONDAYS WITH MERTON

5 Mondays 1:00 – 2:30 PM

January 16 February 6 March 6 April 3 May 1 Mystics are human! Yes, Thomas Merton was human and a mystic. Explore the work of Gregory K. Hillis who was able to see the journals left by Thomas and now, years after his death in 1968, have been open to the public. We will be enjoying Hillis’ Man of Dialogue: Thomas Merton’s Catholic Vision. Donation: $100

SPIRITUAL SORORITY

5 Tuesdays 9:30 – 11:30 AM

January 17 February 7 March 7 April 4 May 2

Join us for heart-to-heart conversations with iconic women of faith. Allow Edwina Gately’s poetry to become a doorway into the spirit found in twelve of our biblical sisters. Discover in them your own timeless wisdom. We will use Edwina’s book Soul Sisters. Donation: $100

EVENING zoom SERIES LOVE IN ACTION

5 Tuesdays 7:00 – 8:00 PM

January 17 February 7 March 7 April 4 May 2 Sometimes it seems almost impossible to make a difference in the world. Then, out of the blue, we have an opportunity to be compassionate–and the world changes. With the wisdom of Joyce Rupp’s book, Boundless Compassion, let’s explore the power of this everyday virtue. Donation: $75

Our Christmas celebration was a success- we thank all our parent volunteers, catechists, and RE students!