First Sunday of Lent March 10, 2019

Transcription

1 First Sunday of Lent March 10, 2019

2 Remembering February 4 9 MONDAY (CSG) 7:00 AM James T. O Malley The Family (OLS) 12:10 PM Patrick O Malley The Family TUESDAY (CSG) 7:00 AM Doris Milani Dr. Frank Milani (OLS)12:10 PM Theresa Sheehan The Family WEDNESDAY (CSG) 7:00 AM Girard Donahoe M/M Peter O Donnell (OLS)12:10 PM John Stracham Wife, Nora THURSDAY (CSG) 7:00 AM Biancardi, Memolo & Beccaris Families The Family (OLS) 12:10 AM Anna Picca Goldate Family FRIDAY (CSG) 7:00 AM Judge Richard P. Conaboy D/M Jeremiah Eagen (OLS) 12:10 PM Monsignor James J. McGarry SATURDAY (CSG) 5:00 PM Monsignor John H. Louis M/M Frank Dougherty We believe Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith and the center of our parish life and mission! Even the devil can quote Scripture. So simply knowing Scripture does not guarantee one s right relationship with God. Luke s version of the temptation of Jesus is more elaborate than the story we find in Mark, which Luke used as a source. In fact, Mark tells the story (if we can even call it that) of the temptation in two verses whereas Luke uses thirteen (cf. Mark 1:12-13). Luke gives us a dialogue between Jesus and the devil that is completely absent in Mark. To each of the devil s temptations, some supported by Scripture, Jesus retorts with Scripture. The scene is almost one of a theological debating club. Luke expanded on the story he inherited from Mark to convey theological insights and truths rather than compose a journalist s description of what really happened. Early church fathers recognized this immediately when they asked how the devil could take Jesus to a place where he could show him all the kingdoms of the world in an instant when no such place exists. The church fathers knew that this story was meant to convey theology, and it was meant to be read metaphorically rather than literally. By this story Luke tells us a number of things, not least of which is that Jesus was tempted by the devil. And Luke s expansion of the story from what he inherited read more like debating societies than true temptations. As a master storyteller, Luke concludes the episode with three words that set the stage for later drama, namely, that the devil departed from him for a time. We know that this was not to be the last encounter between the devil and Jesus. This first encounter with its triple temptations ultimately would lead to the Last Supper, the agony in the garden, the passion, and the cross. 2

3 Mission Statement Parish Partners Our lady of the Snows The Church of Saint Gregory Father Erik Lenhart OFM THE PARISH COMMUNITY OF ST. GREGORY, GUIDED BY CHRIST S GOSPEL MESSAGE OF LOVE AND NOURISHED FOR MISSION AT EUCHARIST WELCOMES THE WORLD WITH OPEN ARMS, FAITHFUL HEARTS AND HANDS March 31, April 1 & 2 OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS CHURCH AT 6:00 PM Sunday, For Starters: Let Peace Begin with Me! Monday, Moving Forward: Forgiveness in Peace. Tuesday, Onward: Go in Peace. Finding Peace in Christ We recognize God s call to serve our parish family and neighbors near and far! Special Lenten Experiences Booklet Living Lent as Living Stones is a special prayer resource for the Church of Saint Gregory family and friends written by members of our parish community. Day of service The parish Community of Saint Gregory s will be invited to participate in a Day of Service ARE YOU NEW TO ST. Gregory s? WE RE GLAD YOU RE HERE! The Church of St. Gregory is a diverse and vibrant community of faith that offers many opportunities to enrich your spiritual life, serve those in need, educate your family, and most importantly, to belong. You may fill out an online registration form at Thechurchofstgregory.com or download 3

4 Stewardship Daily Mass MONDAY THRU FRIDAY 7:00 AM (CSG) AND 12:10 PM (OLS) Love and generosity start here at home. We are grateful for your faithful stewardship which sustains the life of the parish, supports our outreach and ministries, as well as maintains the level of staffing needed to put our mission into action: welcoming the world with open arms, faithful hearts and hands ready to serve. Thank you for your gift of treasure and commitment to do God s work here at the Church of Saint Gregory offered on the weekend of March 2 & 3, Sunday Offering $15, Building Fund Payments $2, Care & Education Hands Ready To Serve Pivotal Players Bishop Barron presents CATHOLICISM: The Pivotal Players a multipart film series that illumines a handful of saints, artists, mystics and scholars who not only shaped the life of the Church but changed the course of civilization. This video and discussion series begins Thurs- day, March 14 and meets once a week for four weeks in the OLS Gathering Room from 6:30 until 8:00 PM. Mar 14 Mar 21 Mar 28 Apr 4 St. Augustine St. Benedict St. Catherine of Siena St. Francis of Assisi Lenten Food Drive Non perishable food items will be greatly appreciated. Here are some suggestions for collection next weekend Peanut Butter and Jelly Pasta and Pasta Sauce Canned Fruit and Vegetables Soups and Rice Canned Tuna Breakfast Foods Baby Cereal Baby Food and Baby Juice Drop off near Library tables in back of Church! The Light is on for You The Light Is On For You will take place again this year at Our Lady of the Snows. Monsignor Quinn, Father Babu and Father Lapera will hear confessions every Monday in Lent beginning on Monday March 11, and continuing through Monday of the last full week of Lent, April 8. Confessions will be heard from 5:30 until 7:00 PM. Come and avail yourself of this incredible source of God s grace, mercy and healing. Canned Tuna Donations this week will be offered to United Neighborhood Centers. Donations of pet food will always 4 Our Community extends a special note of thanks to Monsignor Quinn and the OLS parish family for hosting The Light Is On For You, Lent 2019: Finding Peace in Christ, Stations of the Cross and Pivotal Players at Our Lady of the Snows Church during construction of the Ministry Center. Your cooperation and support is deeply appreciated!

5 Giving Up Envelopes for Lent offered some of the benefits of establishing automatic recurring offertory gifts with a bank account, credit or debit card: Intentionality - By having your I read a stewardship article with a clever Lenten twist: It suggested encouraging parish families to simplify their giving by replacing checks with electronic giving. Fast. Pray. Give up envelopes! The article weekly or monthly offering taken out of your account on a recurring basis, you are giving your first fruits to God. Scheduling your donations in this way helps you make giving We invite your kind cooperation during the construction phase of our Ministry Center. Please do not park in the main driveway. Everyone s safety and access to our campus is our primary concern. We apologize for the added inconvenience. It is temporary! OLP parking lots are always available. We cherish our relationship with Jesus and strive to make the gospel relevant to our daily lives! back a priority. Simplicity - You won t have to worry about whether or not you remembered your checkbook or cash. When you go out of town or miss a Mass for any reason, your gift to St. Gregory s will continue automatically. No distractions - On Sunday mornings you can come ready to worship without the distraction of writing a check or digging in your wallet since you know your gift has been taken care of. Environment - Electronic giving helps us save money and protect the environment by elimi- nating the cost of providing envelopes, postage and other paper resources. Consistency - Giving online creates a consistent stream of income and stabilizes our offertory, allowing us to budget and make plans for all our ministries. It s easy to switch: visit the churchofstgregory.com or call our office to set up your online giving. As you begin reflecting on your Lenten sacrifices for this year, I invite you to give up envelopes for Lent by making the permanent switch to electronic giving. Valet For anyone who needs assistance when attending mass while we are under construction, help is here! We ask you to please pull your car up to the sidewalk entrance on the OLP side of the rear parking lot at the rear of the rectory. One of our hospitality ministers will meet you to assist your passenger into church while you park your car. You may call in advance during the week and request help for a particular Mass. Father John OLS & St. Greg s The gifts of Bread and Wine are offered in Memory of FRIDAYS OF LENT 12:40 PM AND 5:30 PM AT OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS CHURCH ONLY! 5

6 Leadership Teams Pastoral Council Michele Musheno, Theresa Robinson, Scott Pettinato, Marjorie Barlow, Joe Hogan, Donald Broderick, Ted Tomaszewski, Mary Ann Morgan, Logan Lombardo, Deacon Bob, Gemma Chuff, Mary Chuff, Matthew Walsh, Theresa Acla, John Zaums, Marian Farrell, Barbara Bratz, Chris Behan, Perry Rose, Fr. John Finance Council Bill Burkavage, John Devine, Paul Gerega, Deacon Bob, Yvonne Cronkey, Ken Paulino, Jim Fleming, Father John. Lenten Retreat master Father Erik was born in Hagerstown, MD. CYFM was his first encounter with the Capuchins, when he was a cadet at West Point (USMA). He was a Cap Corps Volunteer from , and joined the order in Fr. Erik was ordained in 2015 after finishing studies at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. Creative Team for Booklet Prior to his appointment as chaplain at CYFM he served as Parochial Vicar at St. Pius X in Middletown, CT. He also taught preaching and moral theology at Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, CT. He enjoys playing piano, writing musicals, hiking, and tennis. A sincere word of thanks to Daniel Marx, Maria Traino, and Darlene Milas for putting together this wonderful Lenten book of stories and prayers. Every daily reflection has been lovingly written by members of Saint Gregory s. We hope that you enjoy this special gift and it brings you much fulfillment as we make our Lenten journey together. Lent: A Time for Inner Cleansing Every year my mother would rearrange the furniture in the living room and family room and change the drapes. Then she would open the cupboards and drawers in the kitchen, remove all the dishes, glasses, cups, goblets, plates, pitchers, platters, bowls, casseroles, china, and silverware to clean them. It was as if we were preparing for the biggest banquet of the year. She called this cleansing fury spring cleaning. FRESH BREWED COFFEE IN ST. JOE S CAFÉ EVERY SUNDAY FROM 8:00 AM TO NOON AND WEDNESDAY MORNINGS AFTER MASS. Every year at this time the Church gives us the opportunity to do some inner spring cleaning. In fact, the word Lent is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word meaning spring. Lent is a prime time to rearrange our priorities, to open the cupboards of our hearts and hold our egos to the light to see those areas that need to be cleaned and polished. Inner cleansing, or conversion, has always been at the heart of Lent. In the early Church, Lent was the final leg of the journey for the catechumens preparing for Baptism. It was also a time when already baptized penitents, isolated from the assembly because of their sins, would prepare to be reconciled to God and the community. The journeys of the catechumen and the penitent were related in that both embraced conversion. As the catechumen looked forward to Baptism, the penitent looked forward to reconciliation. To this day, the focus of Lent remains both baptismal and penitential. Return, repent, reconcile, and renew are words that we hear in the liturgies of Lent. A common factor among these words is the prefix re-. That prefix expresses the meaning again, as in words such as redo, remake, and revise; but it also indicates withdrawal or backward motion, as in words such as return, revert, and remember. During Lent, we are called to change by going back to childlike innocence, simplicity, and joy. 6

7 We believe that our Baptism forms us into a family joined together to love God and one another! Prayer peels away the masks we wear and the layers of ego defenses we think we need to survive. Prayer tells us that it s okay to be who we really are. Prayer changes us. Fasting helps us to return to childlike simplicity. Fasting challenges us to trust that God will provide all that we need. Fasting helps us to sort our priorities. Because the digestive system doesn t have to work as hard when we fast, we have more energy to focus on what matters. Fasting creates a hunger for God. Fasting changes us. your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret (Matthew 6:2). True humility always leads to joy. Almsgiving changes us. It is God who calls us to conversion, and it is God s transforming grace that accompanies us on the Lenten journey as we pray, fast, and give alms. Let us pray for the courage to be open to this grace that we might come to Easter, the biggest banquet of the liturgical year, with hearts cleansed and spirits renewed. Kathy Kuzka WHETHER YOU RE INTERESTED IN SERVING, CONNECTING WITH OTHERS, WORSHIPPING, GIVING, OR GROWING SPIRITUALLY, WE OFFER MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULTS OF ALL AGES AND YOUTH TO CHOOSE FROM. THIS BULLETIN ALONG WITH OUR WEBSITE IS THE BEST SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR THOSE WANTING TO ENGAGE. Almsgiving helps us to return to childlike joy. Almsgiving moves us to acknowledge how much we have been given and that fills us with gratitude and praise. Almsgiving frees us from fear by compelling us to surrender what we have and who we are to others. Almsgiving requires humility. As Jesus said, When you give alms, do not let 7

8 Baptism Baptisms are normally celebrated on the Third Sunday of every month during or following the 12 noon liturgy. Baptisms may be arranged at other times when necessary. Parent and Godparent preparation may be scheduled by calling the rectory for an appointment. Angels at the Doorstep Anointing of the Sick Veterans Ministry Please contact the rectory at anytime for the celebration of this sacrament. This ministry seeks to raise awareness of the growing problem of homelessness of veterans within our local community and serve residents at St. Francis Commons. For more information please Marriage A team of volunteers who provide comfort, a meal or assis- tance with parishioners and neighbors suffering loss or illness of any kind. Arrangements should be made six months prior to the desired wedding date. Please contact Father Lapera. Refugee Family Ministry Music Ministry Rehearsals This team will encourage parish support for refugees arriving in our community from all over the world in cooperation with CSS of the Diocese of Scranton. (Both) Spirit Song Ensemble and Voices of Faith Choir: Wed. 7:00 p.m. Genesis Children s Choir: Wed. 4:00 p.m. Art and Environment A team of volunteers who provide appropriate ideas and design for the decoration of our worship space. Ministers of Hospitality Ministers of Hospitality are the welcoming ambassadors of our parish family at liturgy. Please contact our office for more information. Communion Calls Holy Grounds Family, friends and visitors are welcome for coffee after Mass in St. Joe s Café on Wednesday and Sunday mornings. Women s Guild Guild meetings take place the first Thursday of every month from September through May, with the exception of January. Meetings begin at 7:00 PM and are held in the rectory. saintgregoryswomensguild@gmail. com Community Table A team of Extraordinary Communion Ministers visit our homebound with Communion every month. For more Information please contact Deacon Robert Sheils at rsheils1@comcast.net A social gathering to foster fellowship, friendship and parish family for all parish adults. The community table meets at a different venue monthly. Information will be published in the Green Dialog or you may judywalsh730@gmail.com. Rosary Groups Religious Education Every Tuesday morning at 10:00 AM, every Tuesday afternoon at 5:15 PM and every Wednesday morning at 9:00 AM. Our Religious Education program takes place every Sunday Morning at 11:05 AM at Our Lady of Peace School for grades 1-8. Kindergarten Class is held at Our Lady of Peace School. Hospital Visitation Holy Cross School System If anyone has a family member, relative or friend in any of the area hospitals and would like them to have a visit, please call the rectory. Our Lady of Peace School 410 N. Abington Road, Clarks Green, PA Mrs. M. Colleen Jumper, Principal - St. Joseph s Outreach Holy Cross High School 501 E. Drinker Street, Dunmore, PA Our parish partners with St. Joseph s School in Uganda. Donations are always welcome in support of student tuition. Heavenly Paws A pet group that collects food and supplies for the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter. For more information please contact Lisa Thomas at lmt01@comcast.net Hands Ready To Serve Weekly donations may be left in the closet to your left as you come in the new entrance on the OLP side. There is a wagon inside the door for all donations. See page 4 for a list of items we are collecting each week. There are also four large annual collections. Prayer Shawl Ministry The prayer shawl ministry meets the second Thursday of every month at 7:00 PM in the rectory. Mr. Benjamin D. Tolerico, Principal - R.C.I.A. There currently is an R.C.I.A. team ready to welcome anyone interested in becoming a Catholic or to learn more about their Catholic faith. Please Connie at rsheils1@comcast.net Family Faith Formation Seasonal Faith Formation opportunities for all ages are offered throughout the year. Men s Prayer Group Prayer and Faith Sharing on the Sunday Scripture is scheduled generally on the First Saturday of each month in the Church at 7:30 AM. You may contact the rectory on Friday afternoon for confirmation of monthly date. Coordinating Teams WORSHIP David Hemmler, Marion Eagen, Nina Magnani, Cindy Dick, Debbie Colarossi, Ron Grambo, Donna Nasser, Judy Grambo, Danny Marx. SERVICE Julie Nastasi, Carol Strauch, John Devine, Kate Sebring, Chrissy Jacoby, Deacon Bob, Meg & John Hambrose, Jane Farr, Judy Burkavage, Susan Scanland, Ken Walsh, Doris Sanner. The Service Team has a complete list of service connected opportunities. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Julie Nastasi at Julie.nastasi@gmail. com. COMMUNITY Tracy Bannon, Saul & Lisa Rigau, Yvonne Cronkey, Bridget Walsh, Bill Durdach, Danelle Hogan, Molly Johnson, Pam Jones, Mary Griffin, Joe Hogan, Judy Walsh Nina Magnani. Parish activities and sign-up sheets may be found on the Welcome Cart. For more information, please contact Tracy Bannon at tracybannon@stjosephscenter. Org WORD Ruth Fried, Bob Barry, Jack Rubano, Connie Sheils, Patti Staples, Fred Mercandante, Dr. Ted Tomaszewski, Carlon Preate, Dan Haggerty, Bob Sheils, III, Cristen Klamp. To learn more about the Word Coordinating Team, please contact Patti Staples at thstapes@comcast.net.