Saint Mary Parish. April 17, Fourth Sunday of Easer. 9am 3:00 pm, Monday Friday (Closed weekends and Holidays)

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1 MASS SCHEDULE Monday Friday: 6:30 & 9:00am Saturday: 8:00am & 5:30pm (Vigil Mass) Sunday: 7:00, 8:30, 10:00, 11:30am & 5:30pm RECONCILIATION Saturday: 4:00 5:00pm STAFF Father Corey V. Piccinino Pastor Father Robert Wolfe Parochial Vicar Deacon John DeRoin Deacon Tony Caraluzzi Kate Fitzgerald: Parish Secretary & Bulletin Editor Peggy Gavin: Parish Secretary Julie Doerner: Business Manager Paul Orsino: Property Manager ST. MARY SCHOOL ( ) Greg Viceroy: Principal RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ( ) Mary Ferri: Director Elizabeth Cuneo: Secretary RCIA: (203) (Call if you are interested in becoming a Catholic or completing your initiation as a Catholic with Confirmation and/or Eucharist) YOUTH MINISTRY (203) MUSIC MINISTRY Michael Ferrari: Music Director Elizabeth Barnes: Choir Director Karen Mattera: Children s Choir FINANCE COMMITTEE Bob Kozlowski: Chairman ( ) BAPTISMS Most Sundays at 12:45pm. Please call the Rectory at least six weeks in advance to schedule your Baptism and to sign up for the New Baptism Class that is required for both parents and Godparents. These classes are offered on the first Sunday of each month. Anyone requesting a Sponsorship form must be a currently registered and practicing Catholic, and they must attend one of the New Baptism Classes to receive it. There is a 3-month waiting period for a sponsorship form for the newly registered. The Catholic requirements for a Godparent/Sponsor are: you must be at least 16 years old; received the Sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation in the Catholic Church; attend Mass regularly on Sundays and on Holy Days of Obligation; receive the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion regularly; sincerely try to follow the moral teaching of the Catholic Church; and if married, was married in the Catholic Church. ARRANGEMENTS FOR MARRIAGE All couples must meet with a parish clergyman at least six (6) months before the marriage is to be celebrated. PASTORAL CARE AT DANBURY HOSPITAL Prior to Your Hospitalization: You or a family member should notify the Rectory. Saint Mary Parish 26 Dodgingtown Road, Bethel, CT Phone: (203) Fax: (203) Visit us on Facebook: StMaryChurchBethel PARISH OFFICE HOURS: 9am 3:00 pm, Monday Friday (Closed weekends and Holidays) April 17, 2016 Fourth Sunday of Easer READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Acts 11:1-18; Ps 42:2-3; 43:3, 4; Jn 10:11-18 Tuesday: Acts 11:19-26; Ps 87:1b-7; Jn 10:22-30 Wednesday: Acts 12: :5a; Ps 67:2-3, 5-6, 8; Jn 12:44-50 Thursday: Acts 13:13-25; Ps 89:2-3, 21-22, 25, 27; Jn 13:16-20 Friday: Acts 13:26-33; Ps 2:6-11ab; Jn 14:1-6 Saturday: Acts 13:44-52; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 14:7-14 Sunday: Acts 14:21-27; Ps 145:8-13; Rv 21:1-5a;

2 St. Mary Catholic Church Fourth Sunday of Easter FATHER COREY S EPISTLE I am continuing the story of Bl. Clemens August Cardinal von Galen, the Lion of Münster from last week s column: Like many of his fellow Germans, including the Nazis, he found the Treaty of Versailles punitive and thus unjust. Unlike the Nazis, he condemned race baiting and demonization of the Jews for the nation s problems. Hitler took power on January 30, Von Galen began criticizing the Nazis the next year (he had been consecrated bishop on October 28, 1933), showing he took seriously his episcopal motto: Nec Laudibus, Nec Timore (loosely translated: Neither the praise nor the fear of men will make me deviate from God s ways ). Specifically it was one day shy of a year later January 29, 1934 that he released a pastoral letter condemning the Nazis belief on the superiority of the so-called Arian race. He edited a book of essays excoriating the National Socialists main philosopher Alfred Rosenberg. In 1936, he gave a sermon in the cathedral at Xanten denouncing the imprisonment and even killing of Christians. (This preceded Kristallnacht, which took place in 1938.) Because of his outspokenness, Pius XI invited him to Rome in 1937 to consult with him on the German situation. It was there that he, along with now-cardinal Pacelli and four other of his nation s bishops that von Galen had a hand in writing Pius s anti-nazi encyclical Mit brennender Sorge ( With Burning Concern ). To this day it is the only one ever written in German. Bl. Clemens exhorted Catholic parents to insist on a Catholic education in the schools for their children. Whereas such an education was eliminated in other parts of the nation, von Galen succeeded in keeping it in place in schools within the diocese. The Reich s local minister of schools wanted religious instruction coupled with talk about the demoralizing power of the people of Israel. Von Galen rebuffed him. When the Nazis took crucifixes down off of classroom walls, Bl. Clemens protests resulted in public demonstrations against the regime. Then in 1941, he gave a series of three sermons. He had wanted the German episcopal conference to stand in unison against the state, but none of his brother bishops had the courage. Therefore he decided to go it alone. The first sermon criticized arrests of certain Jesuits as being purely politically motivated. He publicly criticized the Gestapo for arresting people in the middle of the night and not giving those arrested trials. The Gestapo, he argued, reduced even the most decent and loyal citizens to fear of ending up in a cellar prison or a concentration camp. In the second, given a week later, July 20, 1941, he condemned confiscation of Church property by the Gestapo. He argued that the police state was doing more damage to Germany than Allied bombs In the third, given August 3, he denounced in the most vocal terms possible the euthanization of those with mental or physical deformities. The chaplain at Marienthal children s home for the mentally retarded had told him of their removal, their murder, and cremation with their ashes scattered in remote places throughout the Reich. He also condemned forced sterilization and concentration camps. Regarding the taking of human life, he said the right to life, to inviolability, and to freedom is an indispensable part of any moral social order, [and any government that punishes without court proceedings] undermines its own authority and respect for its sovereignty within the conscience of its citizens. These are people, our brothers and sisters; maybe their life is unproductive, but productivity is not a justification for killing. The Attorney General had said these people were being killed because they were no longer productive and that their being liquidated was no different than scrapping an old machine or putting to sleep a horse whose limbs had been broken. Von Galen retorted, No, I will not take this comparison to its conclusion, so fearful is [this sense that doing wrong is justified] and its clarity! This is not about machines. It is not a horse or a cow No, these are people, our neighbors, our brothers and sisters! Poor people, sick people, unproductive people, [for the sake of argument]! But [because of that] they have lost the right to life? Have you, have I only the right to live so long as we are productive, so long as we are recognized by others as productive? Sunday, 4/17 Monday, 4/18 Tuesday, 4/19 Wednesday, 4/20 7:00am, 8:30am, 10:00am, 11:30am Masses 7:00pm Women of Faith 4:45pm Children s Choir Rehearsal Recycling Truck

3 St. Mary Catholic Church April 17, 2016 FATHER COREY S EPISTLE His denunciations (and those of Protestant Bishop Theophil Wurm of Württemberg) raised awareness of what the government was doing to the mentally challenged. As a result, public opposition was stoked, and it was furious. His sermon was reproduced and tens of thousands of copies distributed throughout the nation. This surprised his episcopal peers who thought him of limited intellectual capacity and attributed his eloquence to the Holy Spirit. His work prompted Ven. Pius XII (Pacelli had become Pope in 1939) to write him, For us it is always a comfort when we become aware of the open and courageous words of a German bishop you, venerable brother, [by contrast] are the last, we need to mention this specifically. His prophetic voice may also have goaded the German episcopate into action. Or maybe it was that by then the Nazis crimes had become so difficult to ignore that even the most timid could no longer remain silent. Regardless in September 1943, Germany s bishops released a pastoral letter. They wrote, Killing is bad in itself, even if it is allegedly committed in the public interest. Von Galen became so popular by raising awareness and giving voice to the opposition that existed within Nazi Germany that the regime dare not arrest him. It wanted to. In official reports he was said to have a staatsabträgliche Gesinnung (a mind deleterious to the state), which was a death sentence for most people. He knew officials wanted him arrested as early as 1936, as evidenced by instructions he wrote on what to do if he was disabled. But while they didn t arrest him, they did arrest and deport 24 diocesan and 18 religious priests, 10 of whom died as martyrs. It greatly distressed His Lordship that his children were sacrificed as a substitution for him. We should note that the Nazi s reluctance in imprisoning the bishop didn t mean the regime had no plans for him. Had they won the war, Bl. Clemens would have been hung. Hitler said, The fact that I remain silent in public over Church affairs is not in the least misunderstood by the sly foxes of the Catholic Church, and I am quite sure that a man like Bishop von Galen knows full well that after the war, I shall extract retribution to the last penny. However Hitler lost the war, and following cessation of hostilities, von Galen changed the target of his protests to the Allies. He complained of Russians raping German women and about Allied and British troops entering his fellow citizens home and acting with impunity based on the false view that all Germans are criminals and deserve the most severe punishment, including death and extermination! He told reporters in front of the British, Just as I fought against Nazi injustices, I will fight any injustice, no matter where it comes from. And indeed, on July 1, 1945, he protested British behavior in a sermon that was copied and distributed throughout Germany. They told him to renounce his words. You can probably guess his response. By the time Ven. Pius made him a cardinal on February 5, 1946, he had become a worldwide celebrity. Thus when the Pope placed the red hat on his head, the applause in St. Peter s Basilica was thunderous and lasted for several minutes. Before he returned to Germany, Cardinal von Galen visited German POWs at camps in Taranto and Bari, Italy, and during his talks to prisoners, he seemed to prophecy his death. He told them, My time is almost over, and when I m up there, just speak to me. Upon his arrival at Münster, huge crowds met him. In a speech given before the bombed out hull of his cathedral, he told the people that it was only the consent and attitude of the faithful allowed him to fight. With his voice cracking, however, he also lamented that he had been denied the crown of martyrdom. He died of a ruptured appendix days after returning from Rome. His last words were, Yes, yes, as God wills it. May God reward you. God protect the dear fatherland. Go on working for Him Oh, You dear Savior! It is interesting to note that Cardinal von Galen s episcopate began nine months after Hitler came to power and ended ten months after the Third Reich s demise. Some believe this was providential. At his core, Bl. Clemens was a believer who placed himself always at the feet of God, and it was this foundation that explains his Thursday, 4/21 Friday, 4/22 Saturday, 4/23 Sunday, 4/24 7:00pm Choir Practice 8:00am Communion Service 8:30am Men s Ministry No Confessions 5:30pm Mass 7:00am, 8:30am, 10:00am, 11:30am & 5:30pm Masses 6:30pm Senior Youth Group

4 FATHER COREY S EPISTLE fearless witness before men. He prayed each day before the Blessed Sacrament. He made pilgrimages to the shrine of Our Lady at Telgte to beg her protection from the malignant foe. He regularly attended the sacrament of reconciliation with great duty and devotion and attention. As one Italian writer has put it, today we may not suffer from the tyranny of a dictator and his party. But we do labor under the tyranny of a society that veritably commands us to say yes to whatever is fashionable, whatever is deemed the current conventional wisdom, even if that means we say no to God. For this sort of tyranny, Bl. Clemens serves as a model of charitable yet firm Christian frankness, and he gives us an icon of great faith and devotion from which we can draw strength. WOMEN OF FAITH Our next meeting is on Tues., April 7:00pm in the Parish Hall. Each morning, Monday through Friday at 8:35am, just before the 9am Mass, there is a recitation of the Most Holy Rosary. All are invited to spend this time honoring God, through his Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. ST. MARY MEN S MINISTRY Join us Sat. morning, April 23 for a talk about the Theme of the Sunday Mass. All Men s Ministry Meetings are held on Saturday mornings in the Parish Center from 8:30am to 10am. For more information, contact Jim Buzak at (203) Our next meeting of the LITTLE FLOWERS GIRLS CLUB is on Mon., April 25 at 6:00pm in the Parish Hall. The Little Flowers is a fun, flexible and Faith-filled Catholic Club for girls ages 5 and up and their Moms. Any questions, call Mary at ST. MARY BOOK CLUB: Our next book is The Long Loneliness by Dorothy Day. Join us on Wed., May 25 at 7pm in the Children s Room. Visit our FAMILY FAITH CENTER in the vestibule of the Church for ideas and activities to bring your faith home! Each week we will feature something new to enrich your faith with your family! This week we will learn about Jesus and His flock! SAT., APRIL 16 5:30 + Joseph & Lucille LeBlanc Families SUN., APRIL 17 7:00 + Cathryn Z. Costello 8:30 + Ernie Leclercq Debbie & Ed Kasinskas 10:00 + Hugh & Mary Ellen Lee Sherrie & Tom Lee 11:30 + Robert Benedict, Jr. Mary, Jim & Maggie Benedict 5:30 + Charles & Doris Caffrey Family MON., APRIL 18 9:00 + Elizabeth Bierowski The Smith Family TUES., APRIL 19 9:00 + Jeannette Helgert Family WED., APRIL 20 9:00 + Donald Cleary Sr. Family THU., APRIL 21 9:00 + Frances Piccinino Grace & Tom McGuire FRI., APRIL 22 9:00 + Helen A. Piacquadio Family SAT., APRIL 23 8:00 Communion Service (No Mass) 5:30 + Richard Neptune Friend SUN., APRIL 24 7:00 + Michael O Connor The DeRoin Family 8:30 + Ernest Rotermund Kevin & Zona O Hare 10:00 + Margaret Pluff Sherrie & Tom Pluff 11:30 + Megan Lusita Eleanor Roche & Family 5:30 + Carlos Torres Francesco & Dianne Mastracchio YOUTH GROUP The SENIOR YOUTH GROUP will meet Sunday, April 24 after the 5:30pm Mass in the Parish Hall. ANNUAL CATHOLIC APPEAL The Office of Faith Formation in the Secretariat of Catholic Education and Faith Formation includes ministries of Childhood Formation, Youth and Young Adult Formation, and Family Formation. Three coordinators work in the field with parishes and Cathlic schools to bring spiritual renewal and opportuinities to serve and grow in relationship with the Lord. The office also coordinates the Marriage Preparation Program, Family Catechiesis, RCIA/Rite of Election and Women s and Men s conferences and parners with parishes to enhance spiritual growth and formation for families and individuals who seek to learn more about their faith. Your gift to the Annual Catholic Appeal helps support these vital ministries. Thank you for your support.

5 There will be NO CLASSES Monday, April 18th through Friday, April 22nd for Spring Break. Classes will resume on Monday, April 25th. St. Mary School is proud to present PETER PAN. This year s play will be held on May 6th and 7th. Tickets will be sold after Mass the weekends of April 23rd/24th and April 30th/May 1st. Mark your calendars for our 40th ANNUAL ST. MARY SCHOOL CARNIVAL May 18th through May 22nd at the Clifford J. Hurgin Municipal Center 1 School Street. REGISTRATION for students entering Pre-school through Grade 8 is ongoing. Please call the school at or our Director of Enrollment, Linda Garvey, at lgarvey@stmarybethelct.org for information. You can also visit our website at for school and registration information. (Please note that although our Pre-K 4 class is full, you can be put on a waitlist by contacting Linda Garvey at Lgarvey@stmarybethelct.org). We do have availability for Pre-K 3. Religious Ed Office hours Mon. through Thurs. 9:30am-2pm IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER: First Communion Practices on April 29 & May 6; First Communions on April 30 & May 7 Confirmation Penance on April 26; Confirmation Practice on May 9; Confirmation on May 11 REGISTRATION has begun for the School Year. You can download the forms from our website Call the Religious Ed office for more info. KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Our next meeting will be on April 25 at 8:15pm in the Parish Hall. We will say the Rosary at 7:45pm in the Church. Welcome to those newly Baptized Nicholas Owen Libardi Lucas Domenic Varano St. Mary School 40 th CARNIVAL Could you spare a couple of hours volunteering? The Carnival needs you May 18 thru May 22. If you are interested in volunteering at this year s Carnival, please Kathleen@MarieNugent.com or call the school at and leave your name and number and someone will call you back. ALL SHIFTS AVAILABLE! Any hours to give are greatly appreciated! So grab some friends and come join us!! ALL ARE WELCOME!! Seeking Carnival Sponsors! Are you a local business owner in search of greater exposure in the Bethel community? The St. Mary School Carnival has sponsorship opportunities available, starting at only $125. For more information, please contact Katherine Tucker at katgiovannone@hotmail.com. AROUND THE DIOCESE DEFENDING OUR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY If you haven t done so already, please voice your opposition to the federal health care mandate by calling U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell at , and your elected state representatives. Let them know that the mandate is in violation of our First Amendment right to religious freedom. OFF THE STREETS needs many hands in this ministry to help homeless people transition to a place of their own. Please join us on Thurs., April 21 at 6:30pm in the Congregational Church in Danbury. Park on the left side of the Church) across from City Hall) and upon entering the building behind the sanctuary, go to the Pilgrim Room. For more info, see Off The Streets website at CURSILLO The next Ultreya meeting is Thurs., April 21 at 7:00pm in the Parish Hall. To learn more about Cursillo and their three day weekends designed for Catholics who desire to strengthen their faith, call Mary Guertin at or mguertin.home@gmail.com. April is ONLINE GIVING MONTH at St. Mary Church Online Giving is a web-based offertory solution that allows parishioners to contribute from any location at any time. Online Giving is available 24/7 and requires no special hardware or software. There are only 3 easy steps: Step 1: visit Step 2: on the FAR LEFT, click the ONLINE GIVING icon Step 3: on the FAR RIGHT, click the ONLINE GIVING icon Then, simply set up your account (name, address, payment info & weekly amount). That s it you re done!

6 Saint Mary VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL July 11 - July 15 9:00-11:45am Ages 3-8 years old $30.00 per child Child s Name Age Child s Name Age Child s Name Age Address Parent s Name Phone # Cell # Emergency Contact Phone # Cell # List any medical conditions, food restrictions, or allergies below: I understand that neither St. Mary Church, nor any of its employees or volunteers is responsible for any injury sustained by my child. I accept full responsibility for any medical expenses as a result of any such injury. (Parent/Guardians Signature) To purchase tickets, please stop by the school or fill out the form below and send to: St. Mary School c/o Disney s Peter Pan Jr. Tickets, 24 Dodgingtown Road, Bethel.Please make checks out to St. Mary School Theatre. Friday, May 6 - # of Tickets: Saturday, May 7 - # of Tickets: Total # of Tickets: Total $$: May 6 th & 7 th 7:00 PM School Gym Admission $10 Name: A ddress: Phone: (Tickets will be mailed to you.) (Fill out and return this form to the Parish Office)

7 STANLEY H. KESSLER, D.D.S. DR. KENNETH SANGIACOMO DR. JOANN PERROTTA 27 Grassy Plain St. (203) The Most Complete Online National Directory of Catholic Parishes CHECK IT OUT TODAY! BETHEL S FAMILY DENTIST 14 ELIZABETH STREET BETHEL, CONNECTICUT (203) Bethel Visiting Nurse Assoc. Home Health Care WINES & SPIRITS Ask for us by Name Catering to Catholic events B Stony Hill Rd Stony Hill Come Sail Away on a 7-night Catholic Exotic Cruise. Prices begin at $1045 per couple which includes all port fees and taxes. Daily Mass and Rosary offered. Deposit of only $100 per person will reserve your cabin. Space is limited. Thanks and God Bless, Brian or Sally, coordinators an Official Travel Agency of AOS-USA PROTECTING SENIORS NATIONWIDE PUSH BELARDINELLI TALK... 24/7 HELP... TIRE COMPANY Goodyear Dunlop Kelly Pirelli Complete Auto Care Emissions Testing Facility 7 Beech St. Bethel START RIGHT. START HERE.SM Greenwood Ave Following Jesus Every Day: GOSPEL MEDITATIONS FOR DAILY LIVING Ninety days worth of Gospel verses and reflections including a meditation, a prayer, a simple activity for the day and a related verse from the Old Testament. Ideal for Lent and Eastertime, or for any time of year! Honan Funeral Home Family Owned And Operated Daniel T. Honan MARTIN J. LAWLOR, JR. Funeral Director, Owner & Manager $19.95*/Mo. + 1 FREE MONTH No Long-Term Contracts Price Guarantee American Made TOLL FREE: *First Three Months 58 Main Street ~ Newtown ATTORNEY AT LAW G E N E R A L P R A C T I C E fax: GREENWOOD AVENUE T E L E P H O N E : (203) honanfuneralhome@sbcglobal.net Advertising Sales DO YOU HAVE SALES EXPERIENCE AND ENJOY CALLING ON LOCAL BUSINESSES? WE MAY HAVE AN IDEAL POSITION FOR YOU. $55K to $60K earning potential BECOME AN ADVERTISING SALESPERSON FOR J.S. PALUCH COMPANY, NATIONAL PUBLISHER OF CHURCH BULLETINS. Excellent Commission Compensation Program Medical Benefits, 401K, Life & Disability Insurance Available An Architectural Glazing Company St Mary Church (B) If interested, call Bob Bober x209 or resume to boberr@jspaluch.com For Ads: J.S. Paluch Co., Inc

8 Alex and Ani Hauser Chocolates Blessing Bracelets Personalized Gifts John Streaman Agency Right Choice Jay Streaman Jay Streaman giftcottage.com HOLTON TRAVEL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL & ESTATE PLANNING Barbara Holton Parishioner 35 White Street Plaza Ste. #8 Danbury, CT David C. Whitmore, Jr. MSFS, CFP, CLU BOB NELSON / MIKE NELSON A. CARALUZZI & SONS (203) Portofino Phone/Fax RESTAURANT & WINE BAR Residential & Commercial Holiday Parties Gift Certificates When Quality Cleaning Matters. Bethel, CT Full Cleaning Janitorial Services CT Licensed & Insured E Catering Available IN-HOME SENIOR CARE We Make Moments Matter. Interactive Caregiving is Comfort Keepers philosophy of care that is incorporated into our companionship, homemaking, and personal care services. Heating Air Conditioning Temperature Controls 21 Thompson Rd. Branford (203) Greenwood Avenue Bethel FINE ITALIAN DINING PLUMBING HEATING PUMPS Your JACK J. DEMO ad (203) HCA CK Franchising, Inc. Each office independently owned and operated. could be in this space! Pre-Cast Steps Iron Railings Bilco Doors Auto, Home and CA P R I P I Z Z E R I A Business Insurance 182 Old Hawleyville Rd. & Rt. 6 Bethel, CT New York Style Pizza & Full Menu Eat In Or Take Out Open 7 Days 11 AM-10 PM or Consider BETHEL Remembering Your Parish in FUNERAL HOME Your Will. Servicing Homeowners And Contractors Since TROWBRIDGE DR BETHEL, CT (FRANCIS J CLARK IND PK) 215 Greenwood Ave., Bethel HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTOR # (203) Greenwood Ave. 6 Stony Hill Road, Bethel For further information, please call the Parish Office. ITALIAN GRILL Catering Banquets Catholic Events Dodgingtown Rd. Newtown Saint Margaret Sunday Missal nion sonarl Compa r e P Your Praye through 2030 Designed to be Readings Reflections Prayers In Stock & Ready to Order Today. CALL OR ORDER ONLINE. $ St Mary Church (A) An Independent Insurance Agency Serving the Community Since NICKY S HAIRCUTTERS Styling for Men Women Children Greenwood Ave. Bethel BOYLAN CHIROPRACTIC DONNA M. BOYLAN, D.C. Bethel s Family Chiropractor (203) 743-BACK (2225) GREEN FUNERAL HOME Danbury, CT For Ads: J.S. Paluch Co., Inc