Celebrating God s Forgiveness

Transcription

1 Church of St. Ignatius Loyola 980 Park Avenue at 84th Street New York, New York (212) B u i l d i n g a C o m m u n i t y o f D i s c i p l e s Celebrating God s Forgiveness March 14, 2010 Fourth Sunday of Lent What has become a common form of the sacrament of Reconciliation for Roman Catholics is its communal celebration. In our Parish this is held twice a year, during Advent and Lent. This form of the sacrament was introduced to the Church by Pope Paul VI in December of 1973 as part of the revision of the sacrament of Confession. Aside from celebrating Mass, I think the most important work a priest does is to offer people God s forgiveness for their sins through the sacrament of Reconciliation. God s forgiveness is different from the forgiveness we show to one another. When we forgive another there is always the possibility that if a later hurt is done to me by the same person it will dredge up the past, and a second show of forgiveness will be all the more difficult to offer. When God forgives, however, God wipes clean the record of all of our past sins. It is as if they had never happened. Once they are forgiven, they are forgotten. I think of two verses from the prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah. I will forgive their iniquity and never call their sins to mind, and You have thrust all my sins behind your back. A retreat director I once had used to say that God has amnesia with respect to our past sins! Jeremiah and Isaiah would agree, I am sure. This Monday evening, March 15, at 7:30 PM, we will hold our annual Lenten Reconciliation Service here in the church. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience the sacrament in a setting that is quite different from the usual Saturday afternoon setting. If you have been away from the sacrament for a long time, a communal penance service would be a good way to come back. The format is simple and resembles the first part of any Mass. There is a hymn, a prayer, a Scripture reading and a brief homily. Then about a dozen Jesuit priests, most of whom work in Jesuit apostolates throughout the city, will position themselves in pews around the perimeter of the church to provide absolute privacy for individual confessions. You will be invited, though not obliged, to come and make a personal confession of your sins. When most confessions have been heard, we will conclude with a prayer and blessing. The service lasts for no longer than an hour. As with any sacrament, one should spend some quality time preparing for Reconciliation. Since my last sacramental confession, what have been the serious sins that weigh on my conscience? All serious sins stem from what have long been termed the seven capital sins (from the Latin word caput, meaning head ). These sins are pride, envy, anger, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust. I need to reflect not just on what I have done, but also on what I have failed to do (as the penitential prayer at the beginning of Mass puts it). Perhaps my biggest sin is that I didn t do what I should have done! The ritual prayer of absolution which the priest prays at the conclusion of the sacrament is this: God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection o f h i s S o n, h a s r e c o n ciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins. Through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. I urge you to hear these words spoken to you on Monday evening, and to go home knowing that your sins have been forgiven and forgotten. Fr. William Bergen, S.J. Associate Pastor

2 THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE Sunday, March 14th 6:30-7:15 PM. Parish Lounge. Ignatian Young Adult Lenten Series. Details on page 5. Parish Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation Monday Evening March 15th at 7:30 PM Church of St. Ignatius Loyola Includes the opportunity for individual confession Tuesday, March 16th at 7:30 PM in the Parish House. St. Ignatius Spiritual Community Reading Group. Details on page 4. Wednesday, March 17th at 7:00 PM Conference Room. Society of St. Vincent de Paul Meeting. All are welcome. Wednesday, March 17th at 7:15 PM Meeting Room. Lenten Reflections. Presented by Fr. Robert O Brien, S.J. 5th Week: Jesus and the Adulterous Woman: In the Temple Area. Let the one who is without sin be the one to throw the first stone (John 8). Details on page 5. Thursday, March 18th at 1:00 PM. Parish Lounge. Ignatian Volunteer Corps Information Session. IVC provides men and women, age 50 and over, the opportunity to serve the needs of those who are economically poor, to work for a more just society, and to grow spiritually by reflecting and praying in the Ignatian tradition. For more information, or to confirm your attendance, please contact IVC Regional Director Liz McMahon at emcmahon@ivcusa.org or Thursday, March 18th, 3:00-5:00 PM Parish House. God s Club. A place for children 3-5 years of age and their parents or caregivers to enrich their faith through art, stories and songs. Thursday, March 18th, 7:00 PM. Wallace Hall. Financial Forum sponsored by Boomers & Beyond. Details on page ARCHDIOCESAN STEWARDSHIP APPEAL This weekend is Commitment Weekend. At all Masses you will have an opportunity to make your pledge to the Appeal. The Stewardship Appeal supports our needy parishes and schools, formation of our clergy, retired priests and religious, and important works of charity throughout the Archdiocese. For more information, or to make your pledge online, please visit: NEXT WEEKEND SVdP Blood Drive Sunday, March 21st McKinnon Hall 9:00 AM 2:00 PM Every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood. The New York Blood Center requires 2,000 donations daily to meet the transfusion needs of our community. Please be a part of our Blood Drive on March 21st. Your donation may enable a premature baby to live, a burn victim to recover, a cancer patient to be treated, an accident victim to survive, or a transplant candidate to have life-giving surgery. It s Girl Scout Cookie Time! Cookies will be on sale next weekend in Wallace Hall after the 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM Masses. Please support our Grammar School Girl Scout troops! Welcome, Fairfield University! On Saturday, March 20th, Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., President of Fairfield University, will be the presider at the 5:30 PM Mass. We welcome Father von Arx and all of the members of the Fairfield University Community (Board Members, Faculty, Students, and Alums) who will be joining us that day. PLEASE OPEN FOR PAGES 3 AND 4 2

3 LECTURES An inter-parish social and community service organization for single Catholics who are over 50 Financial Forum for all those who are 50+ (whether single or married): New Strategies for Getting Your Wealth Back on Track Thursday, March 18th 7:00 to 9:00 PM Wallace Hall (Doors open at 6:45 PM) Guest Speaker: CNBC s LARRY KUDLOW on his spiritual journey from Washington to Wall Street. Plus, a panel of financial experts. Tickets: $15 each/$25 couple ($20 and $30 at the door) RSVP by Monday, March 15th Tickets are available online: Make checks payable to: Church of St. Ignatius Loyola (write Boomers & Beyond in the memo section). Mail or hand deliver to: Boomers & Beyond, Parish House, 980 Park Ave. For further information: or boomersandbeyond.eastside@gmail.com (preferred) or call How the American Catholic Church Might Become More Democratic, Transparent, and Accountable to the Folks in the Pews Rev. Mark Massa, S.J., Th.D. The Karl Rahner Professor of Theology, Fordham University Monday, March 22nd at 7:30 PM Wallace Hall Many American Catholics feel that their own Church seems unresponsive to their intellectual and emotional needs, and that it appears unable to pass on a vibrant faith to young people - or at least does so in a haphazard way. Others feel that it lacks transparency in its financial and staffing processes. Still others feel that, in not sufficiently addressing a clergy shortage soon to become a crisis of major proportions, it has undervalued and underutilized the expertise and gifts of its own lay people. One way of addressing these problems (real and perceived) is to recover Catholicism s more democratic and populist traditions of spirituality and lay involvement, evinced in both the spirituality of the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola, and in the tradition of trusteeism of the 19th century American Catholic Church. This talk will address both perceived problems and some possible solutions. LOOKING AHEAD... Woodstock Forum: God and the Bomb: Deterrence, Disarmament, and Human Security. Tuesday, April 13th at 7:30 PM in Wallace Hall Moderator: John P. Langan, S.J. Panelists include: - His Excellency, The Most Reverend Celestino Migliore, Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations - Douglas B. Shaw, an expert in nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament, George Washington University - Maryann Cusimano Love, Professor of International Politics at Catholic University. This Forum is co-sponsored by St. Ignatius Loyola Parish, Loyola School, and Woodstock Theological Center Picasso in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Monday, May 10th at 7:00 PM in Wallace Hall Lecturer: Ian Alteveer, Research Associate, Department of Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Picasso exhibit will be on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art from April 27 - August 1, MUSIC SMSS CONCERT Wednesday, March 24th at 8:00 PM featuring Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Requiem in D Minor, K. 626 Frank Martin Mass for Double Chorus (a cappella) Martin s stunning Mass blends the Renaissance with 20th century nuance to create one of the most exquisite a cappella works of the modern day, paired with one of the most beloved compositions of all time - Mozart s riveting Requiem. Concert tickets are $50 for preferred seating and $40 or $30 (student/senior) for general seating. Please visit or call to order. 7:00 PM Pre-Concert Organ Recital Works of J.S. Bach, Rheinberger, Tournemire and Vierne Hervé Duteil, Concert Organist 3

4 IGNATIAN TEENS Calling all Teens (grades 9-12) March Service Opportunities To register, please call x610 or Meals-on-Heels Saturday, March 20th Meals-on-Heels works out of the Carter Burden Center, 351 East 74th Street. Meet at 9:00 AM in the Parish House and go as a group to the Carter Burden Senior Center. After a brief orientation, we will help deliver meals to homebound seniors in the neighborhood. Meals are delivered from 10:00 AM until about noon. We will return to the Parish House after all deliveries have been completed. Register by Thursday, March 18th. Mercy Center Saturday, March 27th Saturday Reading Enrichment Program. We are looking for 5-6 teens to work with children in grades K-5 who are scoring low in their reading tests. This is a wonderful opportunity! Meet at 8:30 AM in the Parish House and travel to the Mercy Center in the Bronx by subway. Register by Thursday, March 25th. PARISH LAY MINISTERS SAVE THE DATE for this season s final LAY MINISTERS ENRICHMENT PROGRAM Saturday, April 10th 9:30 AM 3:00 PM A look at the many faces of the one Catholic Church. presented by Rev. Ugo Nacciarone, S.J. and Sr. Kathryn King, F.S.P. Lay Ministers Enrichment is a program designed by Parish Staff and Lay Ministers in response to Lay Ministers requests for additional opportunities to explore their ministry and their identity as ministers. The program begins with a continental breakfast and includes lunch. The day will conclude with a liturgy of the Eucharist. All Lay Ministers are invited to attend this program. Additional details to follow... BOOK NEWS ST. IGNATIUS SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY READING GROUP Tuesday, March 16th at 7:30 PM in the Parish House Please read the first half of The Historical Jesus: An Essential Guide by James H. Charlesworth in preparation for our discussion. For additional information, contact Jane Campbell at jtcjane@aol.com or New members are always welcome! Just Released and On Sale at the Parish House: The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life by Fr. James Martin, S.J. Cost: $20.00 BEREAVEMENT MINISTRY EMMAUS BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP A support group for persons who have suffered the loss of a significant person in their lives will begin on Monday evening, March 15th from 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the Parish House. For further information and registration, contact Sr. Kathryn King, F.S.P., at the Parish House: or kingk@stignatiusloyola.org Easter Memorial Liturgy Monday, April 12th at 7:00 PM Our annual liturgy to remember parishioners and family members who died in You are invited to submit the names of deceased loved ones to Sr. Kathryn King no later than Friday, March 26, Sr. King can be reached at or kingk@stignatiusloyola.org 4

5 LENT Lenten Series for Ignatian Young Adults Sundays during Lent: February 21st - March 28th 6:30 to 7:15 PM in the Parish Lounge This year s series will be centered around Show Me the Way, a book of daily readings by renowned spiritual author, Henri Nouwen. Meetings will include a featured speaker, time for reflection, and group discussion. To register, Matt Porcelli at matthew.porcelli@gmail.com Copies of Show Me the Way are available at the Parish House. Cost: $15 Fr. Robert O Brien, S.J., of the St. Ignatius Jesuit Community, will be offering reflections on the Sunday Scripture readings for the six weeks of Lent. Father O Brien is Professor E m e r i t u s o f P h i l o s o p hy a t LeMoyne College and for the past 12 years has been leading Sunday Scripture readings at Holy Innocents Church in NYC. This Week: Wednesday, March 17th at 7:15 PM - Meeting Room Jesus and the Adulterous Woman: In the Temple Area Announced Masses and Scripture Readings for the Week Monday, March 15th (Monday, Fourth Week of Lent) Isaiah 65:17-21 Psalm 30 John 4: :30 MEM Lucia Vargas 12:10 MEM Jack O Leary 5:30 MEM John F. Murphy Tuesday, March 16th (Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent) Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 Psalm 46 John 5:1-16 8:30 MEM John & Nora Reilly 12:10 MEM Joseph Buffa 5:30 MEM David Oing Wednesday, March 17th (St. Patrick) Isaiah 49:8-15 Psalm 145 John 5: :30 MEM John L. Sullivan 12:10 MEM Mary Hogan 5:30 MEM Dr. Arthur Oberle LENTEN CROSS SERVICE PROJECT Please pray for the 276 individuals and families who have made a total of 717 pledges to service, prayer, advocacy and private Lenten devotions. Their commitment ribbons have been placed on the stole of the Lenten Cross, which will remain in the Narthex throughout the Lenten Season. CHANGE FOR CHANGE: We will be collecting donations throughout Lent for the Jesuitsponsored Fe y Alegría schools in Haiti. Collection period runs from Ash Wednesday to the end of April. Loose change, bills and checks are welcome! Please bring donations to the Parish House in care of Joanne Cunneen. Sunday, March 21st at 1:00 PM STATIONS OF THE CROSS for Children and Families Monday, March 29th at 7:00 PM STATIONS OF THE CROSS for the Parish Community Thursday, March 18th (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) Exodus 32:7-14 Psalm 106 John 5: :30 MEM Margaret Casey Reilly 12:10 MEM Richard McMahon 5:30 MEM Eufrocina Delfin Friday, March 19th (St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary) 2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16 Psalm 89 Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22 Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a 8:30 MEM The Choix, Gordon and Zullo Families 12:10 MEM Quentin & Lorraine Kane 5:30 MEM John K. Figge Saturday, March 20th (Saturday, Fourth Week of Lent) Jeremiah 11:18-20 Psalm 7 John 7: :30 MEM Helen & Hubert Gormley Sunday, March 21st (Fifth Sunday of Lent) Isaiah 43:16-21 Psalm 126 Philippians 3:8-14 John 8:1-11 5

6 Church of St. Ignatius Loyola 980 Park Avenue at 84th Street New York, New York (212) Fax: (212) Vatican II: After 40 Years of Implementation, Looking to the Future is the theme of Lenten Sunday Vespers at Corpus Christi Church, 529 West 121st Street. Sunday, March 14th at 4:00 PM: How Will the Church Worship, Rev. Raymond M. Rafferty, Corpus Christi Church. For more information, call or visit How to Locate Community Resources for Family Caregivers: Lecture by Rosemarie Gambale Greene, LMSW. Monday, March 22nd at 1:00 PM. St. Francis House, 135 West 31st Street. Fee: $ Register before Thursday, March 18th by calling , x354. Easter Triduum Retreat: Bethany Spirituality Center, Highland Mills, NY. April 1st to 4th. Begins with Holy Thursday dinner and concludes with breakfast and morning prayer on Easter Sunday. Suggested offering: $195. For further information, please call (845) or visit the website: Jesuit Environmental Work Day: Improving Our Environment/Serving the Poor Save the Date Saturday, April 17th. The NY Jesuits are sponsoring an environmental work day where individuals will have an opportunity to do hands-on work to improve the environment in low-income communities. The work portion of the day will last from 10 AM to 4 PM. It will be followed by Mass for Sunday, a light supper, and time for reflection on the day. If you are interested, please contact: Fr. Mark Hallinan, S.J or hallinan@nysj.org Jesuit Parish on Staten Island seeks immigration counseling for its parishioners. If you have experience in immigration law and can volunteer time, please contact: Fr. Mark Hallinan, S.J or hallinan@nysj.org PARISH STAFF Pastor Rev. George M. Witt, S.J. Pastoral Associates Joanne Cunneen Kathryn King, F.S.P. Associate Pastors Rev. William J. Bergen, S.J. Rev. James L. Dugan, S.J. Rev. Ugo R. Nacciarone, S.J. Assisting Priests (Sunday) Rev. Philip G. Judge, S.J. Rev. Stephen Katsouros, S.J. Rev. James Martin, S.J. Music Ministries Kent Tritle, Director Nancianne Parrella Renée Anne Louprette Robert Reuter Mary Huff Philip Anderson Erin Acheson, Administrator Staff information: on the website at music/music staff Assistant to the Pastor Diane M. Boyle Administrative Assistant Patricia Schneider Director of Facilities Sona M. Olson Events Coordinator Emily Holtz Treasurer Fernando Castro Weekday Masses Monday-Friday 8:30AM, 12:10PM and 5:30PM Saturday: 8:30 AM Masses for Next Weekend: Saturday Vigil: 5:30PM Fr. von Arx Sunday: 8:00AM Fr. Witt 9:30AM Fr. Witt Wallace Hall 11:00AM Fr. Bergen Solemn 11:00AM Fr. Ugo 7:30PM Fr. Ugo Music Information: (212) music@stignatiusloyola.org Religious Education for Children Joanne Cunneen, M.A., M.S. Director (212) St. Ignatius Loyola Grammar School Ms. Mary Larkin, M.S. Ed. Principal 48 East 84 Street New York, NY (212) Fax: (212) St. Ignatius Loyola Day Nursery Ms. Theodora Crist, M.S. Executive Director 240 East 84 Street New York, NY (212) Fax: (212) Children s Liturgy of the Word: Sundays at the 9:30 AM Mass and the 11:00 AM Mass in Wallace Hall. Eucharistic Adoration: Fridays and First Saturdays at 9:00 AM (Lady Chapel) Centering Prayer: Mondays and Thursdays at 6:30 PM Confessions: 5:00 PM Saturday or by appointment. Communal Penance Services are celebrated during Advent and Lent. Baptisms: Please call Joanne Cunneen at the Parish House to arrange for a Baptism and the preparation given prior to Baptism. Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults: Contact Maureen Fullam, M.A., Director, at the Parish House. Marriages: The Bride or Groom should call Joanne Cunneen at the Parish House to begin preparation for Marriage, normally one year in advance. Visits to the Sick: Please contact the Parish House between 9:00 AM-9:00 PM.