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
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 in Ordinary Time
January 19, 2025
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 that is on file.
- Notification on website: www.stmarycoltsneck.org
Parish Office Hours
Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays 9:00 am to 2:00 pm Tuesdays 2:00 pm to 7:30 pm.
The Parish Office is closed Fridays and Saturdays. The Parish Office will also be open Sunday December 8, 9am - 1pm
Any questions, please call the office at (732)-780-2666.
Mass Intentions for:
Saturday January 18 2025 - Sunday January 26 2025
Saturday, January 18- 4PM
Beloved parents, Peter & Marion Di Sciullo, & Aunt Vera
Kaney * Di Sciullo family
Peggy DeVito * Michele Telesca
Sergio Dos Santos & Antonio Ferreira * Dos Santos Family
Sunday, January 19 - 8AM
Michael McGreevy * John & Molly Aiello
John Terselic * The Evankow Family
10AM
Lois Palladino * Regina Castronuova
Kathleen Bligh * The Burtone Family
Kathleen Amatel * The Cook Family
12PM
Pro Populo
Thomas David Jacobson * Mark & Nancy Duffy
Antoinetta Salvatore Lardieri * Lardieri Family
Monday, January 20 - 9AM - Chapel
Joan Brando * Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Visci
Tuesday, January 21– 9AM
Diane Aromando * Michele Telesca
Clare Peckinpaugh * Jane Slattery
Wednesday, January 22 - 9AM
Ginny Hamlin * Carol Donahue
Neil Slattery * Jane Slattery
GROTTO CANDLES
The Grotto Candles are available for your prayer intentions. Offering is $3.00 per candle
Thursday, January 23- 9AM - Chapel
Louise Agoglia * Capardi Family
Friday, January 24 – 9AM - Chapel
Robert O'Brien * Ann Marie Dayton
Saturday, January 25- 4PM
Pro Populo
Frances Fiedler * Susan & James Gobat
Gerald Louk * Rorie & Jack Coppola
Sunday January 26 –8AM
DeStefano/Albruno Families * Franceschetti Family
Helen Abdalla * Joyce & Jay Flynn 10AM
Barbara Critchley * Neal & Susan Brunner & Family
Kathleen Amatel * Donna & Frank Sikorskas
Rev Robert Navins * Kelly Famil 12PM
Inez Marie Fieramosca * Family
Elisha Fazio * Anna Zanobi
Tom Walsh * Maureen Beyer
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.
MASS INTENTIONS AND SANCTUARY LAMPS (MEMORIALS)
Mass intentions for all occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, sickness, etc.) for the deceased or living can be requested online HERE . Please scroll down to the preferred date and time, whether daily Mass or weekend Mass. Intentions are available from the next couple of weeks until December 2025. The stipend per mass intention is $10
Consider requesting a Sanctuary Lamp in memory of a deceased person or in honor of a living individual. Sanctuary lamps burn permanently in the Church and Chapel. Requests can be made for a week, starting Sunday and ending the following Saturday. The stipend per sanctuary lamp is $25. Requests can be made online HERE.
Mass intentions and sanctuary lamps can also be requested in person at the Parish office during business hours.
Lifelong Catechesis - Week of January 19 January 25
READINGS FOR THE WEEK:
SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Is 62:1-5/1 Cor 12:4-11/Jn 2:1-11
MONDAY January 20
Heb 5:1-10/Mk 2:18-22
[
TUESDAY January 21
Heb 6:10-20/Mk 2:23-28
WEDNESDAY January 22
Heb 7:1-3, 15-17/Mk 3:1-6
THURSDAY January 23
Heb 7:25 8:6/Mk 3:7-12
FRIDAY January 24
Heb 8:6-13/Mk 3:13-19
SATURDAY January 25
Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22/Mk 16:15-18
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
Col. John Anthony Coppola, US Army
TSgt Stephen Witherow, USAF
LCpl Edward Zarzecki, USMC
FOR DEEPER REFLECTION:
Question for Children: What is one special gift that God has given to you to share with your friends or classmates?
Question for Youth: Jesus got his start in ministry through the urging of his mother. Who urges you to pray, go to Church, and do good works?
Question for Adults: God fills each of us with grace (miracles) and gifts, what is one grace (miracle) or gift that you have shared with your family?
Life Long Catechesis
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
Pleaseprayforthefollowingmembersofourparishcommunitywhoareill:
Jack Coppola
Kaitlin Donahue Nagle
Nancy Niven
David Niven
Lori Lettieri
Lauren vinci
Dawn Reinhardt
Helen Prill
Gerard Thompson
Rose walch
Joyce daniel
Robert a . monaco, md
Jeff McBride
Owen Shoemaker
Peter Vickers
Debby Tanico
Toaddorremoveafamilymemberfromthesicklistpleasee-mailONLY parishbulletin@stmaryscoltsneck.org. Please,also,keepusupdatedonyourlovedone’shealth. Nameswillberemovedfromthelistafter3months.ThankyouforkeepingourParishinformed.
Andrew
J.
Macirowski
Pastoral Coordinator for Worship & Music / Principal Organist Worship@stmaryscoltsneck.org Music@stmaryscoltsneck.org Worship & Music
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The Beginning of Ordinary Time
Ordinary, in this case, means “ordered”, not “plain”.
During Ordinary Time, the Gospel readings are essentially sequential, picking up on one Sunday where we left off the Sunday prior. The same is true of the Epistle, with excerpts being taken sequentially from the letters to the Corinthians, Ephesians, the letter of St James, etc.
This provides a strong sense of continuity in the readings for the Sunday congregant. The Gospel narratives, when told in sequence like this, give us a greater understanding of the life of Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry.
From a musical perspective, our pool of possible music choices is much greater than in a season such as Advent or Christmas, etc, the passages from scripture offer a more narrow focus on a given day, which, in actuality, greatly lessens the available repertoire from which to draw, if we are striving to have the music match the scriptures as closely as possible.
One way we handle this is by utilizing the propers of the Mass - specifically the antiphons prescribed by the Roman Missal for the Entrance, Offertory, and Communion processions, and use those a basis when selecting the music for that week’s liturgies. Another method involves the pairing of the scripture passages with compositions that use those passages as inspiration, or direct quotation. Other times, we will sing the antiphons themselves, which is the most preferred option. At weekend Masses, our setting of the Ordinary is the chants from the Roman Missal. At weekday Masses in the chapel, we utilize The Mass in Honor of the Immaculate Conception, another chant-based setting composed by Peter Latona, of the National Shrine in Washington, D.C..
This year, make an effort to pay close attention to how the readings and music complement each other, and don’t forget to raise your voice in song and praise to the Lord.
Anthony the Abbot, Ascetic, 251-356
The death of his parents while he was still a teenager left Anthony with a large estate and a younger sister to care for. Some months later while attending Mass, Anthony heard in the Gospel, Christ’s word to the young man, “Go, sell what you have, give the money to the poor, and follow me” [Mt 19:21]. Although the young man in the Scripture did not follow Jesus’ advice, Anthony knew that those words were directed at him.
Signing over the best of his lands to his neighbors, Anthony sold the rest and gave most of the money to the poor, keeping only enough for the care of his sister and himself. They began to live an austere life of prayer and sacrifice.
Again, a few months later, he heard the words of Jesus, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat...” [Lk 12:22]. Anthony gave away his few remaining possessions, put his sister into a convent and became a hermit. He lived a life of prayer, penance, and the strictest austerity, eating only bread and water, and that only once a day. Even this he considered too soft and so, after a few years, he moved to an old fort on top of Mount Pispir in Egypt. Here he lived in complete seclusion, eating only what was thrown over the wall to him
Liturgy of the Word Dismissal
This is the practice of having 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.
Saturday , 25 4 PM
Ministry Schedule: January 25 & 26
Joseph Brando Anthony Gruenling
Diane Dragone Michele Gruenling
Paul Tonacci
Sunday, 26 8 AM
Jack Main NOT FILLED Carly York
Joe Ventura
Kevin Swan
OH - Jane Slattery
TH - Emily Santangelo
TH - Monica Barr
ALT - Susan Murphy
Sunday, 26 10 AM
Elizabeth Rumbsy Tesya Yaninas Carly York
Steve Rumbsy
Matt Yaninas
OH - Mike LaCava
TH - Cindy Ventura
TH - Marsha Grigoli
ALT– Joyce Flynn
Sunday, 26 12 PM
Jonathan Stubbs NOT FILLED
Bridgett Farrow
Charles Young Jennifer Stubbs
OH - Linda Dickinson-Pancila
TH - NOT FILLED
TH - Sue Fitzpatrick
ALT– Maureen Geiger
February 2nd - Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
12 noon Mass - Blessing of Candles
If you have devotional candles at home that you would like blessed, bring them to this Mass. Following Mass, there will be exposition of the Blessed Sacrament until 3pm. Come and spend some time with the Lord.
February 3rd - Memorial of Saint Blaise 9am Mass (Chapel) - Following tradition, the blessing of throats will occur at the 9am Mass.
OH - Lee Gesner
TH - Patricia Gesner
TH - Irene Weller
ALT– Tom Nathanson
Second Sunday after the Epiphany
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. . (LectionaryPage.net)
Baptismal Preparation Session
St Mary Parish is offering our next Baptismal Preparation Session on: SUNDAY, February 2, 2025 Pre-registrationisrequired aweekin advance. Contact Us
Faith Formation Julia Cullen - Pastoral Coordinator of Faith Formation / Religion Ed
ReligiousEd@stmaryscoltsneck.org 732-780-2666 X 309
Religious Education Program 2025/2026 Overview
As we plan for our 25/26 school year, listening to our families and recognizing their needs, adjustments are always being made. Our mission is to form our young parishioners with a good foundation of faith.
Our course progression is as follows:
First Holy Communion Prep (FHC) 1 & 2
Continuing Faith (CF) A, B, C & D
Confirmation Prep (CP) 1 & 2
Summer Intensive 2025 :
July 14-25, M-F, 9 AM to 12 PM, live google classroom
August 4-15, M-F, 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, in person on campus
For students in FHC 1 & 2, CF A, B, C & D
Fall Program 2025:
FHC 1 & 2: Tuesday’s 4:50 PM to 6:00 PM weekly, in person on campus
CF A, B, C & D: Tuesday’s 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM weekly, live google classroom
CP 1 & 2: bi-monthly either Sunday’s 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM, live google classroom OR Tuesday’s 4:15 PM to 5:45 PM, in person on campus Runs September 2025-May 2026
Summer Intensive
EARLY Registration/Re-Registration opens 2 February 2025, please see page 7 for more details
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION LINKS
2024 - 2025
• 2024 - 2025 RE Calendar grades 1-8
• 24/25 Fall RE Calendar grades 1-6
• Parent - Student 24/25 Handbook
• Intergenerational List
• Intergenerational Recording link
Religious Education Calendar
21 January 2025
RE Class #17 - Grades 1-6, Virtual/On Campus
26, 28 January 2025
Confirmation Prep Class-Virtual/On Campus
28 January 2025
RE Class #18 - Grades 1-6, Virtual/On Campus
2,4 February 2025
Confirmation Prep classes
23 February 2025
Confirmation Prep Student Retreat (7&8 grade) Begins with 12 PM mass and continues in Madonna Hall
SERVICE HOUR OPPORTUNITIES
Confirmation Prep– 7 & 8 grade VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Please print out your service log as it is due the end of 8th grade, in preparation for Confirmation.
• Valentine Collection for Naval base. See page 8 for details and service hour requirements
• Tuesday Elementary RE class assistant or helper. Contact Religious Ed office for details.
• Summer RE assistant teacher Virtual or on-campus; sign-up link will be posted Feb 2025
more Christian service opportunities on website
Religious Education 2025/2026
To all Religious Education Families,
EARLY Summer Intensive Registration/Re-Registration opens on:
Sunday, 2 February 2025 at 9 AM
For your convenience, the link to register can be found on our website homepage and in the digital bulletin on the religious education page.
Early Registration/Re-Registration is reserved for fully registered parishioners who have completed new parishioner orientation. Stewardship of time, talent and treasure, which includes regular mass attendance, participation in parish life and being signed up for regular on-line giving, all encompass a bona fide parishioner.
Once these requirements are met, it is first come, first serve. You will receive an email confirmation of your child’s class placement once processing is complete.
The Summer 2025 Religious Education Intensive program dates/times are as follows:
July 14-18 & 21-25, 2025 - 9am to 12pm VIRTUAL
August 4-8 & 11-15, 2025 - 8:30am to 12:30pm ON CAMPUS
Blessing mass: July 13th & August 3rd, 12 PM mass thisistheopening mass for each session
Orientation is mandatory as all Religious Education requirements are discussed and materials are distributed. For your convenience, there are two orientation options:
Sunday, 22 June, 2025 beginning at the 12pm mass or Sunday, 29 June, 2025 beginning at the 10pm mass Orientation sign-up will be included on the registration form
Julia Cullen
Pastoral Coordinator of Faith Formation/Religious Education
THE PARISH OF SAINT MARY
One Phalanx Road Colts Neck, New Jersey 07722 www.stmaryscoltneck.org
ReligiousEd@stmaryscoltsneck.org
732-780-2666 X. 309
Pastoral Care
Rosemarie Farrow - Pastoral Coordinator of Pastoral Care & Outreach
R.Farrow@stmaryscoltsneck.org
732-780-2666 x 310
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Free discussion guides are available
Jubilee of Life
Mass for Life
Mark your calendar for the 3rd annual Standing Together for Life event!
Friday January 24, 2025 - Co-Cathedral, Freehold 11:00am: Mass for Life with Bishop O'Connell 12:00 noon: LIFE EXPO! - an exhibit hall featuring groups and organizations dedicated to promoting human dignity throughout all stages of life.
Location: Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Rd., Freehold, NJ Refreshments will be available
All welcome - no rsvp necessary
Questions - contact Rachel Hendricks, rhendr@dioceseoftrenton.org
9 Days for Life starts next week on Thursday, January 16!
9 Days for Life is the U.S. Catholic bishops' annual novena surrounding the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.
Please invite your friends and family to join you and THOUSANDS of Catholics in prayer for the protection of human life.
Quo vadis...
My Dear Parishioners:
Today we celebrate the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Belief entails a Who rather than a What. Our own encounters with Jesus (in prayer, through others, in struggling with daily dying) are truly epiphanies of God’s glory which also invite us to respond to divine Presence with belief. These epiphany signs might come in many ways through others in a cry for help, in a lonely person’s plea for companionship, in the spontaneous laughter of delight, in the beauty of nature. The challenge to us is to see these as revelations of God’s glory, as epiphanies of God’s love for us, and an opportunity to respond in belief. Yes, these common, ordinary signs of God’s love and glory are all around us. By responding to other persons (recognizing them as revelations of God to us) we also become signs of God’s in-breaking, epiphanies for others. We ourselves are the good wine kept until after Jesus’ ascension when we take up Jesus’ mission as disciples. Living the paschal mystery means that we empty ourselves in order to be filled with the goodness of God’s glory.
As we begin the Season of Ordinary Time let us be mindful of the need for all of us to gather for the regular celebration of Eucharist. It is the Eucharist that remains the fundamental act of the Christian Community. How we prepare for Eucharist, how we dress, what time we arrive, how we sing and prayerfully participate in the prayers of the mass all speak of our faith and the reverence that we must model for one another. To many, thank you for all that you do to make our liturgical prayer meaningful to all who gather with us. I would encourage anyone who wishes to become more involved to please do so by contacting any of our parish staff persons. The liturgy is the responsibility of the entire community of faith. Let us always be willing to give our very best as we adore and praise the Lord during
our celebration of Sunday Eucharist.
As a way for us to offer the greatest level of accountability to you, a report of our 202 Christmas Collection will be included in the coming week’s bulletin for your review. Once again our Advent Giving Programs were a tremendous success. THANK YOU ONE AND ALL FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND SHARING. I would like to remind you of the continued need for food each and every week. We have a large bin in the gathering area for you to deposit non-perishable food items that can be delivered to local agencies for distribution. We are really good for the “big holidays”. I think we need to be more conscious that the need exists year round, perhaps even more so when there is less attention. Thank you for helping us to make a difference in our Monmouth county communities.
This week we observe the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 18-25 January. Let us pray for all Christian People, that God might lead us to overcome the scandal of division that scars the body of Christ. We have made significant progress these past 50 years or so. However, there is much more to be done. Let us be open to God’s grace as we pray for greater tolerance among Christians and a willingness to overcome those historic divisions. We are also reminded of the need to pray for an increased reverence of all human life from conception though natural death.
This coming week our country will receive a new President and Vice-President…the results of our electoral process. Let us prayerfully support these and all of our elected leaders and those who collaborate with them in serving the citizens of our great nation. Let us remember one another in prayer. Happy Sunday. Peace. Father Jeff
Temporal Admin., Stewardship & Outreach
Sharing Our Treasure Sunday, January 12– The Baptism of the Lord
"John said 'One mightier than I is coming; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire'. " Luke 3:16
2024 Christmas Collection:
If you haven't made your Christmas offering to the Parish, kindly use the Christmas offering envelope or make your gift through our online giving system at http://bit.ly/2Ec6vu5.
We will provide you with a report of this collection at the conclusion of the Christmas Season. Thankyoufor yourgenerosity!
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 Connect Now Giving App for Android or iOS.Thank you for your continuous support!
2024 End of Year Contribution Statement
Please remember the Parish of Saint Mary in your will..
By naming St. Mary in your will or trust, you will provide a lasting gift that will greatly help St. Mary and our parishioners. Thank you for your consideration.
Statement of charitable contributions for calendar year 2024 will be available on or about January 17, 2024. 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 2024 contributions, please provide a self-addressed stamped envelope to the parish office by mail or drop it in the collection basket by January 31, 2024.
Requests will be processed & mailed by the end of January.
Please do not make your request by phone.
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 dates, registration, directions and for our other offerings! All programs will be offered online and in-person unless otherwise indicated.
ST. TERESA’S INTERIOR CASTLE
Friday, January 31 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Travel through Saint Teresa’s castle for the day! She leads us with great astuteness into the center of our souls by guiding us through the seven rooms or mansions of the castle. If you've always wanted to read The Interior Castle, this retreat day will be a good introduction for you. Donation:$40, includes materials/lunch. Zoom: $20
ART JOURNALING
Tuesday, February 4 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM
The retreat will help you express the content of your prayer in color. You will be surprised as you journal with art, rather than words. God is the greatest artist who expresses his loving creation in color. Learn a new way to express your experience of God. Donation: $30, includes materials and lunch.
PERSONAL RETREAT DAY
Wednesday, February 5 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Come to Francis House for silence, personal prayer and optional spiritual direction. The day begins and ends with a brief prayer together. Please bring a bag lunch. Donation: $10; $40 with spiritual direction.
EVENING ZOOM ONLY
MEETING CHRIST IN PRAYER EXPERIENCE OF THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES
8 Mondays 7:00 – 8:30 PM
March 10, 17, 24, 31; April 7, 14, 21, 28
This is a shortened version of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. You will be invited to pray about 30 minutes each day. You will learn to pray more deeply; grow in friendship with God; come to know Jesus more intimately; savor the Word of God as a primary means of recognizing the presence and action of God. Donation: $150
