From the Desk of Fr. Adolphus Muoghalu:

Transcription

1 St. James the Apostle and Our Lady of the Lake/Mount Carmel is a Roman Catholic Parish with the Eucharist as the center of its life. Our mission, as disciples of Jesus Christ, is to build up the Kingdom of God by leading, nourishing and serving the community in Word and Sacrament. From the Desk of Fr. Adolphus Muoghalu: March 26, 2017 Jesus comes to bring us light to open our eyes that we might see and we must choose whether to do so or not. Take the Gospel lesson for today. On the simplest level, it s the story of Jesus healing a blind man and offending the Pharisees by healing the man on the Sabbath. Most anyone can understand a simple story like that. At this simple level, it resembles other healing stories in the Gospels. Jesus heals all sorts of people lepers a woman with a hemorrhage and so forth. We appreciate such healing stories, because we know that someday we might be sick. Perhaps Jesus will heal us. In our Gospel lesson today, the deeper meaning has to do with vision spiritual vision the ability to see what s really important. Jesus heals a blind man, who begins to see all sorts of things. Not only does he see trees and flowers and neighbors and loved ones, but he also sees something special about the one who healed him. That would still be a pretty simple story, but something else is going on in the background as well. The healing took place on the Sabbath. Jewish law said, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (Exodus 20:8). It forbade work on the Sabbath. That was Torah law God s law one of the Ten Commandments. So when the Pharisees learned that Jesus had healed a man on the Sabbath, they asked whether that was necessary: Was the man going to die if Jesus waited another day? No, he wasn t going to die. He had been blind all his life. What was one more day? Well, then, is there some other reason why Jesus couldn t wait until the next day? Was Jesus planning to leave town so that he would not see the blind man again? Again, the answer was no. Sabbath law prohibited travel on the Sabbath, so the blind man and Jesus would still be in the same place when the Sabbath ended. Why couldn t Jesus wait until sundown the end of the Sabbath before healing this man? The Pharisees concluded that Jesus had performed unnecessary work on the Sabbath dishonoring the Sabbath but more importantly, dishonoring God. Through it all, Christ brings us into the light. He causes the scales to drop from our eyes. He spits in the dirt, applies mud to our eyes, and sends us to the pool to wash away the darkness. Sometimes our eyes clear up immediately, and we see life in dramatically different ways. Sometimes our eyes clear up little by little, as we walk with Christ over a lifetime. Readings for this week Fourth Sunday of Lent First Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a In seeking a King for the Israelites, Samuel traveled to Jesse of Bethlehem, who had seven sons. Commanded by God to ignore the elder sons, Samuel anointed the youngest, David. Second Reading: Ephesians 5:8-14 Paul exhorts the Ephesians to live as children of light in goodness and truth and to avoid evil deeds done in darkness. Gospel: John 9:1-41 Jesus performs the miracle of giving sight to the man born blind. Because Jesus performed this miracle on the Sabbath, the Pharisees called him a sinner, but the blind man said, He is a prophet. Jesus later reveals to the blind man that He is the Son of Man. Reading for Next Week First Reading: Ezekiel 37:12-14 Second Reading: Romans 8:8-11 Gospel: John 11:1-45

2 ANNOUNCED MASS INTENTIONS ST. JAMES THE APOSTLE SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 2017, ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD 8:00AM DOLORES HARRISON 5:00PM DENNIS MCCAFFREY SUNDAY, MARCH 26, :00AM CAROL ESPOSITO 10:00AM CLAIRE LANDI 12:00PM THERESA ALBERO 5:00PM ANNETTE CELENTANO MONDAY, MARCH 27, :30AM MICHAEL ROMAN 9:00AM CHRISTINE GINESE NOON 7:30PM MADELINE KOREN MELISSA BARRY TUESDAY, MARCH 28, :30AM JIM O NEILL 9:00AM JOHN O SHEA NOON BERNADETTE GREANEY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, :30AM JOSEPH KOSTIK 9:00AM ANGELINA ZAINO NOON JOSEPH RIZZUTO THURSDAY, MARCH 30, :30AM 9:00AM NOON KRISTINA SAWYER NOELLE O DRISCOLL FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017 MICHAEL THOMAS PETARO 7:30 AM GEORGE SOCHA 9:00AM MICHAEL LYNCH NOON JOHN SULLIVAN SATURDAY, APRIL 1, :00AM 5:00PM SUNDAY, APRIL 2, :00AM 10:00AM 12:00PM 5:00PM MICHAEL KIPP PAUL SCHWARTZ BRIAN MCKEON & DENNIS BRADY ANNE FARRELL COMODY & MICHAEL FARRELL (L) VIRGIL AND VICKY MONTELEONE ROBERT NADIN OUR LADY OF THE LAKE/ MOUNT CARMEL SATURDAY, MARCH 25, :00PM NANCY TSOUBRIS SUNDAY, MARCH 26, :00AM ELEANOR MOFFA 11:00AM 12:30PM THOMAS BARRETT SATURDAY, APRIL 1, :00PM MARIE MANCINI SUNDAY, APRIL 2, :00AM 11:00AM 12:30PM JOZEF AND STANISLAWA SZCZEPANKIEWICZ (MASS IN POLISH) THE MARINO & DEHAAN FAMILIES DOROTHY GUMB JANINA GOGOJ (MASS IN POLISH) TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON AND A TIME FOR EVERY PURPOSE UNDER HEAVEN TIME TO BE BORN: BAPTISMS FOR THE WEEK TIME TO HEAL: THOSE WHO ARE ILL: TERRY SIEGEL, TERESA KOBYLINSKA, STACY BRIGANTE, WILLIAM MCGREEVY JR., JOHN MCGREEVY, KRISTEN KOMINOS, ANTOINETTE BONO, JOHN SPAGNOLI, CHARLES CLARKSON, BILL DIETERICH, MARIE BASCIANO, SAMANTHA BASCIANO, MARY BRADY, VINCE VILLANI, WILLIAM BIOLSI, GERARD BIOLSI, CLAUDE BOER, MARGARET CUNNINGHAM, PATRICIA UPTON, MICHAEL DIGNAM, THOMAS SARTORIS, TAYLOR DESALVO, SARAH FAIRBAIRN, PRISCILLA ELIZONDO, ZOFIA KOPACZ, MARK STAFFORD, SUSI SPROLE, BILL CALDERONE, PAUL JEURGENS, CARMINE STINGONE, CAMILLE SAVIOLA, MARYANN STAFFORD, RICK SCAMPOLI, ANNIE MCMORROW, PATRICIA FITZPATRICK, DYMPNA KENNEDY, JOHN KENNEDY, JAMES STEVENS, MARGARET CHILDRESS, JACK MARK, STEVE MARATTO, AUDRA RIBISI, DAN CROWLEY, TINA BORG, AL CAMONICO, MICHAEL YOUNGMAN, NANCY DUGAN, MIKE SCHMIDT, WILLIE DALBON, MARY GABRIEL, GLORIA FACENDO, JENNIFER JOHNSON, DENNIS CARABALLO, MARIANA POPOV, CRISSY HAJKOWASKI, PATRICIA VERSEA, RANDY WACHTER, AL CANONICO, MARIE DIDONATO, BETTY AUBREY, KEN HURLEY, LOUIS LEONARDI, PAUL MCSWEENEY A TIME TO DIE: THOSE WHO HAVE DIED: DAVID CARTWRIGHT, CAROL ST. AUBURN, MARIE STINGONE, MICHAEL HESSION A TIME TO LOVE: MARRIAGES FOR THE WEEK: TIME FOR WAR: A TIME FOR PEACE: PLEASE PRAY FOR ALL THOSE IN THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY CORY JAMES ESPEJO & JASON TERWILLIGER AND TIMOTHY FAY IN AFGHANISTAN. CELEBRANTS FOR NEXT WEEK ST. JAMES THE APOSTLE SATURDAY, APRIL 1, :00PM SUNDAY, APRIL 2, :00AM 10:00AM 12:00PM 5:00PM MSGR. MARTIN FR. MUOGHALU MSGR. MARTIN MSGR. MARTIN FR. MUOGHALU OUR LADY OF THE LAKE / MOUNT CARMEL SATURDAY, APRIL 1, :00PM FR. KURPIOS SUNDAY, APRIL 2, :00AM 11:00AM 12:30PM BANNS OF MARRIAGE FR. KURPIOS FR. KURPIOS FR. KURPIOS (MASS IN POLISH) 2nd Stefanie Zuccaro and Vincent Sabatini 2nd Megan Pagnozzi and Paul O Rielly

3 STEWARDSHIP IN OUR PARISH BONANZA 2017 MARCH 19, 2015 SUNDAY COLLECTION $ 16, GOLD ENVELOPES $ 1, TOTAL $ 17, CARDINAL S CAMPAIGN AS OF 3/17/17 PLEDGED $ 43, PAID $ 30, AVERAGE GIFT $ (NUMBER OF GIFTS: 155) WELCOME TO THE PARISH OF ST. JAMES AND OUR LADY OF THE LAKE / MOUNT CARMEL Thank you for joining in our Eucharistic celebration. We are glad that you are here with us today, especially if you are a visitor, and sincerely hope that you will find nourishment for your faith and life here. If you have recently moved into our Parish, please introduce yourself to the priests, deacons and parish staff. You are cordially invited to register at our Parish Office at St. James. Our parish currently has 4,500 registered families. MONDAY NIGHT NOVENA MASS Each Monday evening we gather as a community at 7:10pm to pray the Rosary together and then celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Following the Mass, we pray the Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal which affords us an opportunity to pray for our particular intentions and intercessions. All are invited. COAT of ARMS BACKDROP Are you looking for a unique gift for someone who has everything? Renovata Studios has fabricated a backdrop that adorns the statue of our Lady in Our Lady of the Lake/Mt. Carmel Church. Donations can be made in Memory or in Honor of a loved one. The cost is: $150 for 3 Line Name Plate $300 for 5 Line Name Plate To make an appointment with Donna in the Parish Office call Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. We need one more donation to complete the project and install the memorial plaque. Our $2,000 Bonanza Winner will be drawn at the Dinner Dance. Winning tickets will be re-entered for subsequent drawings. Two tickets will be drawn each week for $200 prizes until November. Additionally, there will be three $2,000 prizes drawn: St. James Feast in July Parish Dinner Dance in March Thanksgiving Eve in November Feel free to buy the tickets for yourself or your family members; to partner with family and friends; or to sell tickets to your neighbors. Extra tickets are available in the Parish Office and School Office! Please fill out the bottom portion of the ticket(s), place it with your $50 per ticket into the envelope provided and return it in the collection at Mass, by mail, or drop it off at the School or Parish Office. St. James Youth Ministry is Calling all Students in Grades 8 to 12 You are never too young to change the world, you are never too young to serve the Lord! Next Meeting April 2 nd All students in Grades 8 12 are welcome to join our youth ministry. This program will inspire youth to live their faith to the fullest as they learn to become leaders within their community. Meetings will be on the 1 st and 3 rd Sunday of each month after the 5:00pm Mass. If you have questions contact our Youth Minister, Kristina Iltcheva, at or her at Kristina.iltchev@outlook.com.

4 ST. JAMES PRAYER GROUP The St. James Prayer Group meets every Thursday at 7:30pm in the Chapel of Life. Join us for praise and worship through song, a quiet time of scripture reading, sharing and intercessory prayer. We pray for the intentions of Pope Francis, our clergy, our parish, our own intentions and for those who have asked us to pray. The Prayer Group is open to all parishioners. Please join us for a peaceful evening away from the busyness of the day to be with Our Lord. MEN OF ST. JAMES The Men of St. James come together for prayer and discussion the 2 nd and 4 th Saturday s at 7:00AM in the Carriage House. It is a place to re-kindle the fire that may have grown dim or just to meet other men who are also trying to be faithful Catholic men. RESPECT LIFE GROUP The Church is called to proclaim the gift of life, to serve life and to promote the culture of life. Life in abundance must be the heart of the new evangelization. Join the Respect Life Group every first Monday of each month at 7:30 for Mass and Novena. The meeting will follow in the Carriage House. Fr. Adolphus will facilitate the meetings. ST. JAMES ALTAR ROSARY SOCIETY All women of St. James & Our Lady of the Lake are invited to learn more about the Altar Rosary s role in our parish. Please join us at our meeting on Thursday, April 6th. We will meet at 7:00 pm in the Chapel of Life for Recitation of the Rosary and Benediction. We begin our meeting at 7:30pm in Doherty Hall. Come and hear about our future events. Refreshments will be served. Any questions, please contact Barbara Howard, at UNANNOUNCED MASSES LIVING: Marilyn Lonergan DECEASED: Elivor Arnholm, Muriel Boggio, Theresa Bowe, Geneivieve DeRose, Marie Hochenberger We would like to thank Marie Caraballo for donating the loaves of bread for St. Joseph s day. It was a great treat! ST. SEBASTIAN S TERRACE AND COLUMBARIUM 200 Purchased Niches Still Available We have celebrated Mass at the Altar of our Terrace and Columbarium many times. There are 100 niches already engraved and interred. The price of a niche is $2,500, which gives you the right to inter the cremains of two people. If you have been thinking of purchasing a niche, please call Donna McCarthy at Ext. 105, on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday to schedule an appointment. For those of you not familiar with a Columbarium, it is a Latin word that describes a collection of niches to house urns containing cremated human remains. Usually inscribed with the person s name and dates of birth and death, columbaria are constructed to serve as permanent resting places for our loved ones in a churchyard or landscaped terrace. We pray that the Lord who has blessed this project, become a final resting place for many of our loved ones. ST. JAMES PARENTING GROUP Our spring session has begun!! Parents or grandparents of infants, toddlers and preschool children are welcome! Our goal is to share ideas and grow in our faith as parents and guardians of God s children. All sessions are Thursday mornings from 9:45am to 11:00am in the lower level of Our Lady of the Lake Mount Carmel Church. $5.00 per family includes coffee, tea, snack, juice, and a craft for the kids. All families are welcome, please stop in and join us. No prior registration is required. Bring a friend! Call Monica Marsich at , or Stephanie Nix at with any questions St. James Gift Shop We are open on Sundays from 8am-1:15pm. Stop in to look at our nice selection of gifts and cards for First Holy Communion and Confirmation including First Holy Communion white ties, rosaries, veils, and prayer books. If you would like to volunteer, or have questions regarding gift shop items, please call (845)

5 Cursillo Movement Was part of your New Year s resolution to incorporate a bit more spirituality in your life? Perhaps the Cursillo Movement can help you fulfill that need. For over 60 years the Movement has been enabling Catholics to bring about changes in themselves and the world around them. Our next program is: Woman s Weekend #215: April 20-23, 2017 Both weekends begin on Thursday evening at 7PM and end on Sunday afternoon. They are given at Mount Alvernia Retreat Center in Wappingers Falls. For additional information or to register, please call Don McDonnell at or John DeJulio at You are also invited to our Cursillo meetings on every third Friday at 7:30 pm at Our Lady of the Lake Church, lower level meeting room. St. James Children Choir 2017 Schedule Director: Mrs. Mary Peters Marypmusic@comcast.net Sunday April 16 th, 2017(Easter Sunday) Practice at 9:15am in Church Mass at 10:00am in St. James the Apostle Church Sunday May 14 th, 2017 (Mother s Day and May Crowning) Practice 10:15am before the Mass Mass at 11:00am in Our Lady of the Lake Church 2 nd Graders are invited to come in their First Communion Outfits Children interested in being a reader as part of the liturgy should contact: Maura Crawford mcrawford@stjamescarmel.org Theology on Tap is back! Coming Tuesday, May 16th... Catholic in Real Life is bringing Theology on Tap back to our area! Enjoy food, drinks, and a faith-based talk. The featured speaker will be Father John DeBellis, pastor of Church of the Holy Spirit. A question and answer session will follow the talk. Open to all adults. Location details will follow. Mark your calendars! RSVP to CatholicinRealLife@gmail.com or Meetup.com/Catholic-in-Real-Life ADULT FAITH FORMATION PROGRAM PRAYER: FINDING INTIMACY WITH GOD Saint James the Apostle and Our Lady of the Lake /Mt. Carmel is offering a six week program each Monday beginning April 17, 2017 from 7PM (sharp) to 8:30 PM in Doherty Hall, free of charge. Each evening will include a 30 minute video presentation by Dr. Tim Grey, Catholic teacher and evangelist utilizing the Lectio Divina method of prayer, practiced by millions today, and countless saints down through the ages. Discussion will follow. This video series is provided to us through Formed.org, our parish resource for Catholic media, videos, movies,faith development, books, and more. This program is being co-facilitated by Karen Tunney, Tracey Kane, and Lynne Diano. To register contact Karen Tunney at or her at: ktunney1@comcast.net Reasons to Register in the Parish of St. James- OLL/Mt. Carmel 1. Enables you to obtain sponsor certificates, release letters, or any other documentation needed. 2. Enables you or any of your family to become eligible for any of the Seven Sacraments (Baptism, Reconciliation, Holy Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick). 3. Enables you to have your children registered in our Religious Education Program. 4. Gives you a sense of belonging to the Parish Family. 5. Helps to support the Church. There are several ways to support our parish. You may sign up to use the Envelope System, for your weekly contributions or enroll in ParishPay which is an on-line giving system, by calling or To register please come to the Parish Office Monday Sunday from 9am to 6pm. Call Ext. 102 if you have questions.

6 The Emmaus Ministry For Grieving Parents To meet the spiritual needs of Catholic parents whose children of any age have died by any cause-no matter how long ago-the Family Life + Respect Life Office offers the Emmaus Ministry for Grieving Parents. This unique, faith-based program provides spiritual retreats for grieving parents offered by grieving parents. The Emmaus Ministry offers a safe place where you can find peace, comfort, and hope. Join us at the following Emmaus Ministry Catholic retreat being offered in the Archdiocese of NY: A one-day retreat is offered at the Church of the Magdalene on Saturday, April 1, 2017, 525 Bedford Road, Pocantico Hills, Tarrytown, NY. To register online: or, contact Sue Disisto, Coordinator, Parenting and Family Life Education at susan.disisto@archny.org, (646) From the Parish Nurse Sleep Believe it or not, newborns need about hours of sleep! It doesn t seem like they sleep that much does it! Here s a look the average sleep needs for the rest of us: Infants (3-11 months) hours Toddlers hours Preschoolers hours School age hours Teens hours Adults-7-9 hours A few things to consider in terms of your individual needs are: Are you productive, healthy and happy with your current sleep patterns? Do you feel better (or worse) if you sleep longer or shorter? Do you have health issues such as being overweight? Do you depend on caffeine to get you through the day? Are you experiencing sleep problems? Do you feel sleepy when driving? Information Compiled by: Susan Anello, MS RN If you have any questions or suggestions for topics that you would like to see covered, leave your name and number at the parish office for Susan to contact you, or you may her at saa38@aol.com. Place Parish Nurse in subject area. ST. JOSEPH S MUSIC MINISTRIES PRESENTS A Lenten Evening of Prayer and Sacred Music Thursday, March 30th, 2017 at 7:00pm Performed by the Parish Contemporary Ensemble Join us this evening for a beautiful service of Sacred Music, Prayer and Reflection for the Lenten season. Including the prayerful music of the Taizé Community, from the French countryside. The program will include beautiful settings of the psalms, contemporary hymn arrangements, and scripture readings. Father John M. Lagiovane, Pastor, offers thoughts and reflections on the holy season of Lent. Make this evening a part of your Lenten preparations. The performance will be held in the sanctuary of St. Joseph s Church, Plum Brook Road, Somers. A free will offering is suggested. For information contact the office or visit treasurehousemusic@gmail.com. Capuchin Youth & Family Ministries presents: The Living Stations of the Cross Teens bring the journey of Christ s Passion alive! Everyone is invited to join us for this powerful prayer service reflecting on the journey of Christ s suffering and death, concluding with Eucharistic Adoration. Passion Sunday, April 9th, 3:00 pm Outdoors, rain or shine. Please dress for the weather. Capuchin Youth & Family Ministries P.O. Box Route 9D Garrison, NY (845) FORMED - The Best Catholic Content All in One Place The best Catholic movies, e-books, teaching series, bible study programs, videos and much more! All this is FREE to our Parish. The FORMED website has been purchased for each Parish in our Archdiocese, for all Parishioners to use. Presentations are by renowned teachers such as Bishop Robert Baron, Dr. Scott Hahn, Tim Gray and more. All you need to do is Register at FORMED.org and enter the PARISH CODE KD4HBW

7 Prayerfully Consider Your Sacrifice The 2017 Cardinal s Annual Stewardship Appeal serves many diverse communities across our 10 counties. As Disciples of Christ, we are called to share our gifts with our brothers and sisters. Even small sacrifices can make a big impact. Please answer the call and make your commitment today. ENRICHING OUR CATHOLIC FAITH The Cardinal s Appeal supports the many programs and ministries that nurture our faith: Adult Faith Formation Black Ministry Catechetical Office Family Life/Respect Life Hispanic Ministry Hospital Apostolate Liturgy Office Prison Apostolate Superintendent of Schools University Apostolate Young Adult Outreach 2.6 As disciples of Christ, we are called to help one another and be merciful, as Jesus taught us. It is only with your help that the Cardinal s Appeal continues its good work in our communities. Through our ministries and charities the Cardinal s Appeal continues to be a beacon of hope for our brothers and sisters in faith. MAKE AN ONLINE GIFT TODAY! Thank you to the 155 families who have already donated

8 Daily Masses during Lent Saint James Church: Monday Friday at 7:30, 9:00, & 12:00Noon Novena Mass: Mondays at 7:30 PM Rosary: 7:10 PM on Monday evenings before the Novena Mass Liturgy of the Hours: (Morning Prayer) 7:30 and 9:00 AM each morning before Mass Stations of the Cross Join in our meditation on the Passion, Suffering, and Death of Our Lord as he journeyed to Calvary. Walk the way of the cross to remember and ponder how Jesus loved us and offered Himself for our salvation. Saint James Church 1:15 PM Fridays from March 3 through April 7 Chapel of Life, First Friday - April 7 (Adoration 5:00-10:00 PM- Stations 7:30 PM) Our Lady of the Lake/Mt. Carmel 7:30 PM Fridays March 10 through March 31 Our Lady of the Lake/Mt. Carmel Wednesdays in Polish after 7:30PM Mass in Polish Reconciliation (Penance) Schedule Saint James Church: Saturdays 4:00 5:00 PM OLL/Mt. Carmel: Saturdays 3:30 4:00PM Reconciliation Monday April 10th: 3PM - 9PM in St. James Church Tenebrae Service at Our Lady of the Lake/Mt. Carmel On Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday at 9:00 AM, we will solemnly pray the Office of Readings and Morning Prayer of the Church. We will chant the deeply moving, reverential, and meditative Lamentations of Jeremiah the Prophet that lead us into the mysteries of Christ s suffering, passion, and resurrection. All are invited! Fast and Abstinence during Lent During Lent, Christians are urged to offer special prayer, to preform works of piety and charity and to mortify themselves by fulling their responsibilities more faithfully. They are likewise encouraged to perform acts of fast and abstinence. FASTING obliges from the 18 th to the 59 th birthday. ABSTINENCE forbids the eating of meat from age 14 onward. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of both Fast and Abstinence. All Fridays of Lent are days of Abstinence from meat. There is a serious obligation to observe these penitential practices in a substantial way. Individual conscience should decide proper cause for excuse, such as health impairment.