Parish Bulletin Online - March 21st, 2004

OUR LITURGY

The most important part of the narrative of the Prodigal Son is the love and forgiveness of the father of the young man The father pours out his forgiveness and has such joy and happiness in the return of his son.

Liturgical Commission Publishings, Diocese of Lansing, Lansing, MI

Altar Bread And Wine

The gifts offered at our Masses this week end
are donated in Memory of:

Shirley Payne

Requested by: The Ministry of Consolation

REMEMBER OUR DEAD

Janet Percesepe, Josephine Nunziata, Donald Dehe

and our deceased soldiers, and all of our deceased relatives and friends.

REMEMBER OUR SICK

For this week, please pray for the sick, especially:

Angela Aponte Frank Belsito Maureen Ann Beradon

Jean Boland Matthew Boland Kathy Butler

John Cannizzano Jennifer Carlisle Alex Cintron

Emmanuel Coby Al Croce Josephine D’Agostino

Dylan DiLauro Wendy Eilers Maggie Errico

Anna Esposito Louis Fava Robert Filce

Mary Ellen Flynn Mary Forsythe Joseph Fortier

Ed Hansen Patti Hunt Ashlee LaRocca

Georgianna Lopez William Marisak Juliana McLarney

Marie Minto Rosann Moscato Anita L Nanry

Tom Nanry Sam Nettles Robert Lang

Salvatore Romagnuolo Joyce E. Ryan Helen Schaefer

Theresa Schiano William Schmelzer Gary X. Stadler

Maria Stadler Phyliss Stewart Linda Stultz

Stacie Tizzard George Tizzard, Jr. Marlene Urban

Mckayla Vilsant Patricia Wickers

PLEASE NOTE: To keep our prayer list current, we will keep names on the sick list for two months. We ask families to return the bulletin cut-out to include names of those who are ill for another two months.

OUR PRIEST-CELEBRANTS

(Subject to last minute changes)

This Sunday Next Sunday

Saturday

5:00 pm Fr Devaraj Fr. Devaraj

Sunday

7:00 am Fr. Rieder 7:00 am Fr. Maffeo

9:00 am Fr. Butler 9:00 am Fr. Rieder

10:30 am Fr. Devaraj 10:30 am Fr. Maffeo

12:00 pm Fr. Maffeo 12:00 pm Fr. Devaraj

5:00 pm Fr. Butler 5:00 pm Fr. Devaraj

MASS INTENTIONS

Anticipated Mass for Sunday

5:00 Deceased members of the Schena family
requested by loving family

5:00 Dorothy Falcinelli requested by Patty & Vinnie Brienzo

5:00 Linda Bueti requested by Marilyn Arroyo

Sunday- March 21- Fourth Sunday of Lent

7:00 Edie Ryan requested by Jerry & Rosemary McMenamin

7:00 For The People of the Parish

9:00 William Hanson requested by his Loving Family

9:00 Mary Warshaw requested by the Balkam family

9:00 Josephine Falco requested by the Williams Family

10:30 Vincent Kearon
requested by Helen Kelchburg & The Garnett Family

10:30 Carmela Michiello
requested by Mr. & Mrs. Riccardelli & Daughters

10:30 Vincent Delio requested by the Nunziata Family

12:00 Joanne Mercorelli requested by Jane Favale

12:00 The Cassara Brothers requested by Loving Family

12:00 Frank Cussen requested by the Rel. Ed. Community

5:00 Charles Hopper, Jr. requested by the Ferrara Family

5:00 Paul Shadlich, Rita and Bill Hubbard
requested by loving family

5:00 Stephen Hughes requested by Elizabeth Hughes-Cavallo

Monday- March 22

7:00 Mary Sena requested by the LoBianco family

7:00 For the People of the Parish

9:00 Joseph R. Saporito requested by loving wife and family

9:00 For Our Beloved Dead

12:10 Intentions of the celebrant

Tuesday- March 23- St. Toribio de Mogrovejo

7:00 Augustine Parry requested by the Dillhoff family

7:00 Intentions of the celebrant

8:45 Edie Ryan requested by Mr. and Mrs. Coppola

8:45 Nicholas Santo requested by the Antonucci family

12:10 For the People of the Parish

Wednesday- March 24

7:00 Andre Charles Barra

requested by Mr. and Mrs. R. Incorvaia

7:00 For Our Beloved Dead

9:00 Deacons of St. Patrick’s Church requested byThomas DuBritz &son

9:00 Marian Savoie requested by St. Joseph’s Catholic Seniors

12:10 Intentions of the celebrant

Thursday- March 25- Annunciation of the Lord

7:00 Anna Rampulla requested by the Hughes family

7:00 Intentions of the celebrant

9:00 Raymond Griffin, Sr. requested by loving wife and family

9:00 Lillian Dorsa requested by loving daughter and family

9:00 Susan Schubert requested by Richard & Alice White

12:10 For the People of the Parish

Friday- March 26

7:00 Roy Graepel requested by the Dillhoff Family

7:00 Intentions of the celebrant

9:00 Robert Cory requested by Mike & Geri Devenney

9:00 Edie Ryan requested by Joe & Lucy Mottola

12:10 For Our Beloved Dead

Saturday- March 27

8:00 Nicholas Montefusco requested by the Munz family

8:00 Francis P. Mitchell requested by Mom & the boys

Anticipated Mass For Sunday

5:00 George Hartmann requested by the Hartmann family

5:00 Vincent Fazzolari requested by Richard Delamater

5:00 Margaret Gugliemetti requested by the Hoos family

Sunday- March 28- Fifth Sunday of Lent

7:00 Joseph Louis Ferrar requested by loving family

7:00 For the People of the Parish

9:00 Knights of Columbus & Columbiettes

9:00 Knights of Columbus & Columbiettes

9:00 Salvatore Lordi requested by Marilyn & DomPizzurro

10:30 Jill Heller requested by John & Marie Hoffman

10:30 Suellen Donaghy & family requested by Thomas Dubritz & son

10:30 Richard Drury requested byLisa & Anthony Lupo

12:00 John Martin requested by Cathy & Jim Foy

12:00 Deceased members of the Midura and Margas families

12:00 Edna Pandole requested by Felicia Heraghty

5:00 Thomas Hodes requested byPhil & Barbara Hoos

5:00 Linda Wood requested by the Eagler family

5:00 Howard Sutherland requested by Ann Scala

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP THE GIFTS AT THE MASSES ON SATURDAY OR SUNDAY, PLEASE CONTACT ONE OF THE USHERS WHEN YOU ARRIVE FOR MASS.

From Fr. Mike’s Desk

He said to his father in reply, “Look, all these years I served you, and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns…for him you slaughter the fattened calf” “My son, you are here with me always…But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”

How many times have we heard this Gospel and identified with the feelings of the older son, and believe that the father is acting unfairly-yet he is not! Why? Well look at the story. The father is certainly not approving what his younger son has done, and we are told that he was extremely hurt by his son’s request at the start of the parable. We also see that the father is also very grateful and appreciative of the loyalty of the older son, but he is doing what any loving parent would do. He is showing love to his child who has returned home after making such a terrible selfish mistake. He is happy to have his child back, no matter what he did, and he wants all to share in his happiness! So, it is with us when God, our loving Father, sees us caught up in our sins and our own selfish mistakes. When we, like the younger son, realizing what we have done or have failed to do, know that God is there to forgive us. We can count on God’s forgiveness, without doubt, because every time we look at Christ on the Cross we see how far God goes to forgive us! Christ bore all of the penalties for our sins so we can indeed be reconciled to the Father.

Now of course, we must not be like the older son. We must not be upset when we see God’s forgiveness at work for someone else, especially when that someone is a person who hurt us, or we think is not worthy of God’s forgiveness. We must not deny to others, the very thing we are asking God for our very selves. We need to REJOICE on this 4th Sunday of Lent (we are ½ way through our Lenten Journey, and we are rapidly approaching the great joy of Easter) about the fact that God’s forgiveness and love are given out so freely especially to those in most need of His mercy. This is what a Christian does; this is what a Christian wants for all people!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who helped prepare, decorate, and attended our International Night last Saturday Night. What a wonderful job they did, and what a wonderful time we all had. Please support the Saint Joseph’s Home School Association’s Fashion Show. It will be held on Wednesday March 31st from 7-11PM at the Fabulous Villa Lombardi’s. The cost is only $45 a person, which includes dinner, beer, wine or soda, and a wonderful time. This is a major FUN and Fundraiser for our parish’s beloved school. Also, there is the BACKWARDS DRAWING which can net you a great cash prize, so what have you got to lose- all of the proceeds go to support the operation of the School.

I would also like to direct your attention to the Matching Gift Program by the Fienstein Foundation, for our Parish Outreach. During the months of March and April, every donation made to Outreach will be matched-which will help your much needed donation go farther.

Let us continue to pray for all of our troops serving overseas, especially those who are in harm’s way, and let us pray that the power of Christ’s Cross will bring about the reconciliation between warring nations and put an end to acts of terror and violence. Let us all try to be instruments of God’s peace and reconciliation.

We pray; Lord, I am a sinner, and that didn’t stop you from taking me to heart. Give me the freedom to love as you love so that stubbornness cannot keep me or your mercy from others. Amen

ROOF APPEAL—We have reached 50% of our goal.

 

SAYING A PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

Please continue to remember them in your prayers.

Cpl Jason Bertran Cpl. Michael Bruno

Cpt. Kevin Connolly Capt Edward Cuevas

Sgt Ryan Delaney Pvt. Matthew DiNardo Capt. Keith Flick SSG Jeremy Garcia

Spc. Tristin Mortensen Capt. Evan Gotkin

Capt. Jennifer Gotkin Sgt. Steven Knight

Pfc. Brian Lane Spc. Adam Mackey

Andy Mezador Cpt. Gregory Mueller

SSG Joey Napolitano COP Jonathan Norris

Spc. Brian Pacella Sgt. Rudy Schoverling

Ensign 3 Lucy P. Padro Navy Seal Paul M. Padro

PFC Christopher Reid Sg.t. Edwin Rivera, II

PO2 Roger Schoverling Pvt. James Stanek

SR. Andrew J. Szynaka SSG Thomas J. Valentino

SSG Dusty Williamson

(If you would like to include a soldier from your family who is serving our country, place their name and rank on a piece of paper in the collection basket)

RESTORATION FUND—We are always accepting pledges to our parish fund drive to carry on the work of rebuilding and restoring. To date, we have used over $960,000 to pay for various parts of the parish infrastructure. Thanks to all those who are making regular payments and to those who have increased their pledges.

St. Joseph’s School News

Enrollment still being accepted for all grades for September with the exception of Grade 8.

Home School Association

ST. JOSEPH’S SCHOOL ‘GOES HOLLYWOOD’ at its Annual Spring Fashion Show on March 31, 2004 at Villa Lombardi’s. Tickets are $45.00 each for the Show, Dinner, Beer, Wine and Soda. For more information call the school office at 588-4760 or pick up a ticket order .at the Rectory.

Religious Ed News

The Religious Ed office is open Monday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Please be aware that our office closes on 3:30, as our staff needs to be in the school buildings for class times. The office will open on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 pm.

Level 1 Activity on March 22nd at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 pm. You may take your choice of time.

Level 2 Important Parent meeting on March 25 in Church at 7:30 p.m.

Students from our Level 6 program as well as several children from St. Joseph’s school attended a Seder/video presentation. Our young parishioners learned that Jesus’ Last Supper was a Passover Seder. They were able to tie our Old Testament roots with our Mass. They learned that it is in remembering and celebrating together we are sharing in God’s loving sacrifice of his son, Jesus. It was truly an educational as well as an enjoyable evening. We thank all (parents and catechists) who came and volunteered their time and faith with us. It could not have been done without you.

Registration forms for 2004/2005 have been mailed out. Please mail them back as soon as possible. Please note the new instructions in our cover letter

Respect Life

On Saturday, February 28th, at the annual Respect Life Convocation, two nationally known speakers held us all enthralled with their knowledge concerning two vital areas of pro-life concerns – “therapeutic” cloning and embryonic stem cell research. The featured speakers were priest and bioethicist Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D., and Mr. Richard Doerflinger.

As both Fr. Tad and Mr. Doerflinger emphasized, the obsession with embryonic stem cell research can only serve to divert resources from the far more promising work being done with adult stem cells. For example, Fr. Tad observed, while actor Christopher Reeve, paralyzed some years ago, is a strong advocate of embryonic stem cell research, “his best chance” to walk again “lies in adult stem cells.” Already, Fr. Tad noted, citing cases involving such diseases as leukemia, sickle cell anemia, and spinal cord injuries, thousands of people have been cured using adult stem cells, while no human being has yet been cured of a disease using embryonic stem cells.

The morality of using embryonic stem cells comes into play because this would use “spare” embryos created through in vitro fertilization, eventually leading society into cloning, or making embryos especially for their stem cells, which as Mr. Doerflinger observed, would reduce human lives to the status of “’manufactured products”, with no worth or dignity. Cloning is basically the making of human beings by other human beings, for their use and exploitation, and then to be discarded. Mr. Doerflinger called.this practice a “new approach to human slavery”.

More than 200 people at this Respect Life Convocation heard Fr. Tad say “Human life is vulnerable and fragile and in need of advocates”, and Mr. Doerflinger concluded his remarks by saying “I hope I scared you all a little bit today” referring to his explanations of what, exactly , cloning is – the medical procedures, their potential effectiveness, and their moral consequences.

YOU’RE INVITED to attend the March 22nd (Monday) meeting of the Long Island Coalition For Life, which will be held at the St. Regis K of C Hall on Pond Road and Rosevale Avenue. The guest speaker will be the president of National Cops For Life, Mr. Vincent Ciapetta. NCL is a nationwide pro-life organization of current and former law enforcement officers. All are welcome t o attend and a special invitation is extended to people in law enforcement. The meeting will start at 7:45 P.M.

REMEMBER to join the Catholic Advocacy Network. The Network will alert you to breaking legislative developments when action is needed and provides the tools to enable you to 3-mail, phone or write ASAP on matters of concern. Join by visiting www.nyscatholic.org and clicking on “Join the Network”. Or call the NYS Catholic Conference at 518-434-6195, or mail your name, address and phone number, diocese and parish, to Kathleen Gallagher. Director, NYS Catholic Conference, 465 State Street, Albany, N.Y. 12203. There is no cost to join – simply say, “I want to join the network!”

Banns of Marriage

(Third Time)

Jacqueline O’Brien of Good Shepherd. &
Donald Peter Curry of St. Joseph’s

Stacie Desiante of St. Joseph’s
Luis Velez of St. Nicholas of Tolentine

Jessica M. Poissant of St. Joseph’s &
Joseph Sinacori of Resurrection

Shannon Siedlecki of St. Philip Neri &
Christopher Masi of St. Joseph’s

Sheryl Ann Jonap of Smithtown &
Douglas C. Osborne, Jr. of St. Joseph’s

Parish Outreach

Fienstein Matching Grant This foundation will match all dontations made to the Outreach Program during the months of March and April. This is a great way to make your contribution dollar go farther. The need is great but the supply is low.

PREGNANCY CRISIS HOTLINEWe are here to help you. Please call 981.6888.

FOOD SUPPORT—Your donations of food and staple items is always appreciated. Kindly leave them in the front of Mary’s statue in the Church before or after Mass.

Weekly Offering

Last Sunday’s collection $ 17,393

Same collection last year 17,242

Poor Box last weekend 314

Education Collection 540

We thank you for your continued and generous support!

Calendar Club

Mar 07 $50 #544 Michael Maloney

Mar 08 $25 #743 Catherine Anello

Mar.09 $25 #534 Vincent & Ann M. Cristiano

Mar 10 $25 #428 Victoria & John Ryder

Mar 11 $25 #514 Mary Ruffino

Mar 12 $25 #235 Catherine & Jim Gallagher

Mar 13 $25 #777 Clare & Lou Antonucci

Stewardship

The stewardship message in the parable of the Prodigal Son is that it is never too late to become a good steward. Blessed is the elder brother who had been a good steward all along, but blessed, too, is the prodigal who had to lose all he had in order to understand the value of what he’d been given.

Restoration Fund

Pledged to date $1,120,210

Paid to date: 982,401

Scrip Corner

Scrip sales last week $ 16,590

Same period last year 19,185

Gross Profit 790

Cub and Boy Scouting News

SCOUTING INFO AND SIGN-UP

Please visit our information table at St. Joseph School on Friday, March 26th, any time between 12:30 and 3:00 PM or 7:00 and 9:00 PM for info on Cub Scout Pack 272 or Boy Scout Troop 272 or to register your son in our program.

MISSION RETREAT—A day of Recollection and Mission Retreat with Fr. Bill Halbing March 27, 2004—Sat. 8:30am-5:00pm. Carew Hall (Church Basement).

Catholic Ministries Appeal 2004

When we have paid our goal of $65,900 St Joseph Parish will get a rebate of $13,180. Every dollar paid to the Appeal over that amount means 80 cents to the parish.

Many of the dollars collected also come back to us through our hospitals (including Good Samaritan, St Catherine, St. Francis and St Charles), our high schools (including St John the Baptist and McGann Mercy), the support for St Joseph School from the Diocese (such as last year’s $10,000 technology grant), Diocesan support of our Religious Education program, the Tribunal that helps with annulments, as well as Catholic Charities with the support it gives our parish outreach as well supporting the Diocesan Senior Citizen Housing.

 

SURFING THE WEB?

Visit

St. Joseph Parish Online

~ now even easier to find at ~

StJoRonk.org

The parish bulletin is posted on our website each week.

- also for your convenience-

You can now communicate with the parish

office by e-mail. Send your inquiries to

Info@StJoRonk.org

 

 

 

Used Inkjet Cartridges, Where are you?!

Ever wonder how to continue the useful life of that inkjet cartridge that just went dry? We have found a way to help St Joseph and keep those complicated pieces of plastic, metal and printed circuit boards out of the land fill. Drop them off (in a plastic baggie) when you come to mass. We will send them to a company who reuses them and gives the parish a bounty for each. One note, to clear confusion, if it is larger than a fist, it is not an inkjet cartridge!!!

 

One Person’s Trash, Another’s ...

BOX TOPS from cereals for Educational purposes are always welcomed. Please drop them in the collection.

DEPOSIT BOTTLES AND CANS—Please place them in the blue truck that is located on the school side of the Church on weekends (when it works) or behind the rectory during the week.

CELL PHONES—Please bring your no longer used or needed cell phones and deposit them at the Scrip table in the Church lobby.

return to your previous page