FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT MARCH 5, 2017

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1 MONDAY, March 6, :00 AM Charles Eichler, r/o O Donnell Family 8:45 AM Roger Post, r/o Kathy Cholewa TUESDAY, March 7, :00 AM George E Tardiff, r/o William Krohne 8:45 AM John Thomas Tkach, r/o J. Tkach & Family WEDNESDAY, March 8, :00 AM Anne Manfredi, r/o Hopke Family 8:45 AM Frank Comito, r/o Wife and Children THURSDAY, March 9, :00 AM Lina Barth, r/o The Curto Family 8:45 AM Joan MacDonald, r/o Jack Cassidy FRIDAY, March 10, :00 AM Gladys Russo, r/o Family 8:45 AM Carolyn Kearney, r/o SJV Altar Rosary Society 7:00 PM Stations of the Cross SATURDAY, March 11, :00 AM Enrico, Milagros & Rolando Sr. Pagulayan, r/o Greta Galope 5:00 PM Joe Faccone, r/o Wife Louise & Children 7:00 PM Rev. Robert A. Pachana, r/o Aunt Joan & Uncle Bob SUNDAY, March 12, :00 AM Living and Deceased Members of our parish 9:00 AM Carol Gracessle, r/o Helen Volpi 10:45 AM Patrick & Mary Devlin, r/o Family 12:15 PM Douglas Staunton, r/o Maureen & Tom Cusmano Remember and pray for the sick of the parish, those who are hospitalized, and their caregivers: Andrew Rodriguez, Rose Thompson, Tommi Cipas, Hailey Noble, Annie Panaccione, Hugh McCague, Salvatore Aloe, Michelle Valian, Josh Estenes, James Red Dwyer, Nicholas, Doug Beach, Jacqueline McDonough, Mary Bowkley, Baby Matteo, Ronald Kutsy, George Wittmann, Andrew Merlo, Millie Calandriello, Rosie Catalon, Terry Briante, Lisa Auerbach, Judith McCabe, Danny Sheldon, John Mihalko, Artie Palumbo, Audrey Angrisani, Eileen Reilly, Baby Lucas DeCarlo, Bethany Ciccarelli, and please remember our service men and women in your prayers. The Bread and Wine have been offered in loving memory of Maria Stingeni From Anne Marie Nappi The Sanctuary Light Has Been donated in loving memory of Frances Mart From Tom & Linda Dunbar SPECIAL COLLECTION THIS WEEK This week, we are taking up the Catholic Relief Services Collection to respond to Jesus in disguise. This collection helps six Catholic agencies to provide relief and support to struggling communities and to work toward peace and reconciliation among our marginalized brothers and sisters here and around the world. Please prayerfully consider how you can support the collection. Learn more at and click on the How to Give link on the left. GOD S PLAN FOR GIVING Collection for the weekend of 2/26/17 was $13, May God bless you for your generosity. ATTENTION! Anyone wishing a record of their Church contributions for the year 2016 is asked to send in a stamped selfaddressed envelope with their envelope number to the Rectory or drop it into the collection basket. Next Baptismal class will be March 21st, Please call the Rectory to register. RICE BOWL ENCOUNTER LENT We encounter the Singh family in India, where a mother and father are using innovative farming techniques to feed their family amidst a flood. How is God inviting us to think outside the box in service to others this Lent? Visit crsricebowl.org for more. Let us pray for our recently departed brothers and sisters, especially: Alice Smith and reward them a place in heaven and eternal rest. MARK YOUR CALENDARS! PARISH MISSION AT ST. JOHN VIANNEY APRIL 3 5 Fr. Edwin Leahy will be speaking on a Lenten theme. More information to come.

2 Adult Faith Program What makes us Uniquely Catholic Join us as we discuss the ways in which our Catholic faith is the fullest realization of the original church founded by the Apostles. Too many times we forget how unique our Catholic faith is compared to the many other Christian and non- Christian religions. The Catholic Church has faithfully retained the beliefs of the original church founded by the Apostles. Come join us as we uncover what makes us unique, especially as compared to the other Christian churches that surround us in our world today. 1 Sunday Evening - March 26th 6:30pm to 8:00pm Register via to: adultfaith@sjvs.net or call ST. VINCENT de PAUL SOCIETY The February Poor Box contained $1, Thank you for your thoughtful and on-going financial support Bishop s Annual Appeal Ambassadors for Christ By now you have received a letter from Bishop Checchio inviting your participation in the 2017 Bishop s Annual Appeal. The diocesan ministries supported by the Appeal directly impact many of the parishioners here in St. John Vianney Parish. Your gift provides formation opportunities for our catechists, deacons, youth and young adults. Among other important ministries, your sacrificial giving also allows our hospital chaplains to minister to those experiencing physical and emotional pain and helps to prepare our seminarians for a life in the priesthood. If you have yet to make your pledge to this year s Bishop s Annual Appeal, you will have the opportunity to do so next weekend, March 11/12, which has been designated as Bishop s Annual Appeal In-Pew Weekend. Please prayerfully consider a gift to the Bishop s Annual Appeal to help our parish reach its goal. If we can exceed our goal, 50% of the amount collected over goal will be returned to us in the form of a parish rebate. Just as important as our financial goal is our goal of reaching 100% participation. Every gift, no matter the size, is important and greatly appreciated. Thank you. St. John Vianney School News God bless our second grade students who will be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation this week. Students in 2A will be receiving the sacrament on Monday, March 6, at 6:00 PM, and students in 2B will receive the sacrament on Thursday, March 9, at 6:00 PM. The spring Book Fair will take place from Monday through Wednesday this week. All classes have been assigned a time when they will be able to shop for books. If you want your child to purchase books, please send the money in an envelope with their name on it. Families can also shop on Monday from 2:30-5:00 PM, Tuesday from 2:30-8:00 PM, and on Wednesday from 2:30-4:00 PM. Tuesday, March 7, is the HSA General Meeting at 7:30PM in the Cafeteria. You will also be able to purchase books from the Book Fair before and after the meeting. Don t forget to send in your order for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts! Orders are due by Friday, March 10. Pick up will be on Friday, March 17, from 1:00-6:00 PM. If you haven t already done so, please complete the reregistration forms and return them to school as soon as possible. The textbook and busing forms were due back on Feb. 28. We must have the forms back in order to get them to the proper districts. If you have any questions, please call the school office. CATHOLIC SCHOOL TUITION ASSISTANCE ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS OPEN Families interested in applying for tuition assistance to attend an eligible Diocese of Metuchen Catholic elementary or high school may do so beginning January 30, The application process is online through FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment. Online applications must be completed (including supporting documentation) by no later than Friday, March 31, Applications are available in English and Spanish. Families that need assistance completing the online application, or need access to the technology to apply, may register for one of the five Application Workshops, which will be held in four locations within the Diocese in February and March by going to and following the Workshops link.

3 MUSIC MINISTRY NEWS Adult Choir We are now practicing music for the upcoming Lenten season!! We are also preparing for our parish presentation of Lenten and Holy Week music which will be held on Sunday March 26 th at 3:00 PM in the church. We are always looking for new people to join with our very dedicated group!! We welcome all adults (and high school students) to be part of our choir! We practice each Wednesday from 7:30 to 9:00 Pm in the church. Our next rehearsal will be on Wednesday March 8!! Children s Choir Our children s choir is now practicing for the Lenten season as well. We practice on Tuesday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:00 pm in the church. We sing twice a month at either the 9:00 or 10:45 am mass! All students from grade 2 and up are welcome to join our group!! Our next rehearsal will be on Tuesday March 7th!! We sing again next Sunday March 12 th at Folk Group Our Parish Folk Group enhances the 12:15 liturgy each week. The Folk Group is under the direction of Ms. Jennie Esposito. Rehearsals are held weekly at 11:15 Am in the conference room adjacent to the church gathering area. Jennie is always looking for more singers as well as instrumentalists to join with the Folk Group! Teenage/College Group This group of young adults in the parish generally enhances the 12:15 Pm mass on the fourth Sunday of each month. Rehearsal is held at 11:15 am in the conference room. If you sing or play an instrument, then this group is for you!! Please speak to Jennie Esposito after 12:15 pm for more information on both groups!! You can contact me at jframeiii@yahoo.com with any questions, Jamie Frame, Director of Music/Organist PRO LIFE Next Pro-life meeting is Tuesday, March 28 at 7pm in the lower church meeting room. Maternity donations can be dropped in the crib in the foyer of the church. Both new (especially diapers size 3 to 6) and gently used items are accepted. Please continue to remember the children and families who are helped with your donations. If you have larger items, please call Carolyn at to arrange for pickup. Thank you for your continued generosity. PILGRIMAGES WITH FATHER JOSEPH POLAND S BEST MAY 26 JUNE 4, 2017 & FATIMA, LOURDES WITH BARCELONA OCTOBER 15 24, 2017 Contact Fr. Joseph at or Phyllis Gomulka at Website: BLOOD DRIVE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COUNCIL 6571 SUNDAY MARCH 5, :00 AM 1:30 PM The blood mobile will be stationed in the SJV parking lot. All donors will receive a complimentary cholesterol screening. Donors need to weigh at least 110 lbs, bring ID, eat and drink before donation. Thank you and God Bless! YOUTH MINISTRY Come to our meeting this Sunday, March 5th and sign up for the Late Night Ministry mini retreat! The retreat is scheduled for Friday, March 24th in the Upper Room of St. John Vianney Church. Mark your calendars, this is going to be awesome, don't miss it!

4 Bishop Checchio has now visited the 90 parishes CALLING ALL YOUNG ADULTS served by the Diocese of Metuchen and is ready to (18-39)! share observations from his visits and his priorities and plans for the diocese. They will be published in What is your deepest desire? Bishop Checchio's first pastoral letter to be presented Is it to live a happy and in a special issue of The Catholic Spirit on March 2. Be meaningful life? sure to pick up a copy the weekend of March 4-5. The Pastoral Letter will be available on the diocesan website: diometuchen.org and on The Catholic Spirit's website: catholicspirit.com. Marriage Encounter Weekend A Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend gives you the time and tools to revitalize romance, deepen communication, and nourish the spirituality in your marriage. The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend will be held April Early registration is advisable as space is limited. Phone for registration and information. Visit us at: for more information. 7th Annual Catholic Deafest Sponsored by Pastoral teams throughout New Jersey who work with the Deaf, this event will take place at Our Lady of Peace Parish, 1740 US-130 North, North Brunswick, NJ 08902, on Saturday, March 25, Doors open at 9 am and the day concludes with Mass at 5:30pm. Free Admission. Free Lunch. Lots of special exhibits of interest. The special presenter will be Father Ray Fleming, a deaf priest from the Diocese of Rochester, NY. To register please catholicdeafestnj@gmail.com or call (ask for Kate). Deadline to register is March 12, It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve. MATTHEW 4:10 Tempted between the riches and power of this world and service to God, Jesus chose service to His Father. If we wish to truly follow Jesus, we, too, must decide to turn away from power and riches and put God at the center of our lives. How is God calling you to serve? This retreat series is for all young adults who want to live life to the fullest in peace and joy! Consisting of 5 afternoons of prayer between October and June, the series has been revitalized from previous years and each afternoon will focus on one aspect of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. Suggested Offering for Sunday afternoons $10. Sunday, March 19, :00 7:00pm The Examen Sunday, June 4, :00 7:00pm Love & How God Loves Us June 23-25, 2017 Weekend to End the Series All retreats will be held at Loyola Jesuit Center, 161 James Street, Morristown, NJ. To register, please call , retreathouse@loyola.org or visit

5 Lenten Obligations 1. The days of fast and abstinence are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. 2. All other Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence. 3. The obligation of fast applies only to Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59. Fasting in the Catholic tradition means to limit oneself to one full meal and two smaller meals which together are not equal to a full meal, so as to experience hunger. 4. The obligation of abstinence applies to all Catholics who have reached the age of 14. Abstinence in the Catholic tradition means to abstain from meat. As you may know, the Memorial of St. Patrick falls on a Friday this year. For members of the faithful celebrating this Memorial and who desire it, Bishop Checchio has commuted the penitential obligation on March 17 to the obligation to abstain from meat on another day that same week Bishop s Annual Appeal Prayer Ambassadors for Christ Lord God, you appointed St. Paul your apostle to preach the good news of salvation to the nations. May his example and prayers inspire the faithful of the Diocese of Metuchen to become Ambassadors for Christ. Fill our hearts with the spirit of your charity so that we may please you in our thoughts, words and deeds and be witnesses to the hope that does not disappoint. You have given each of us different gifts and made us your stewards to generously share on earth the blessings we have received through your goodness so that the world may be reconciled to you. May the prayers of St. Paul and all the saints be our constant encouragement so that we may be worthy ambassadors for your Son. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.