Our Lady of Czestochowa Catholic Church

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1 Our Lady of Czestochowa Catholic Church 120 Sussex Street, Jersey City, NJ Our Mission The mission of our Parish is to reach out to all people and encourage them to join us in joyfully giving praise and glory to God; to build a Christian community that, with trust in God, embraces the future, and in doing so, is a beacon of faith, hope and love on the Jersey City waterfront. Our History Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, or OLC, was founded in 1911 to serve Polish immigrants to Jersey City. Today, OLC is growing and changing as it seeks to serve all those who now live in our neighborhood. The Church takes its name from a city in Poland that houses a cherished icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A copy of that icon is centrally located in our historic Church Very Rev. Thomas J. Ciba, V.F. Pastor Rev. Michael Braden, SJ Weekend Assistant Rev. Anthony Azzarto, SJ Weekend Assistant Mrs. Anna Mae Stefanelli Principal Mr. Jonathan Blevis Pastoral Associate Mr. Ben Rauch Director of Music Ms. Kathleen Church, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Parish Office Fax pastor@olcjc.org bulletin@olcjc.org Websites Counseling The OLC School Little Harbor Academy Mass Schedule Monday - Friday: Saturday: Sunday: Note: 12:30 pm (Church open from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm) 5:00 pm, Sunday Vigil Mass 10:00 am, 12:30 pm and 7:00 pm St. Anthony of Padua, 330 Sixth Street, Jersey City, the Center for Polish Ministry in Jersey City, offers a Polish Language Mass at OLC, Sundays at 8 am. Faith Formation during 10 am Mass We provide a Faith Formation program called Children s Liturgy of the Word for children 2 years of age on up during the Sunday Mass. We dismiss the children from Mass after the Opening Prayer to the church hall, returning before the Offertory. Parents are welcome to accompany their child if they wish. Confessions/Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm in the church & at other times by appointment with the pastor. Weddings Those interested in celebrating the Sacrament of Marriage should contact the parish office one year in advance of their proposed date of marriage. Infant Baptisms Preparation for Baptism should ideally begin before the birth of the child. Expectant parents should visit the parish website for more information. The OLC School Quality Education on the Waterfront 248 Luis Marin Blvd., Jersey City, NJ Grades 1-8 Accredited by The Middle States Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools The Little Harbor Academy The Early Childhood Division of The OLC School 186 Grand Street, Jersey City, NJ Programs: Kindergarten; Pre-Kindergarten Program for 3 & 4 year olds; Montessori Toddler Program for 2 year olds The OLC Counseling Center Well Being on the Waterfront 120 Sussex Street, Jersey City, NJ Individual, Marriage, and Family Counseling To Register and Be Part of OLC We welcome you to register and to be part of our parish family. Please contact the parish office to arrange an informal appointment with the pastor. Saints Peter and Paul Church, Hoboken and OLC Church, Jersey City We work together to proclaim and live the Gospel on the Hudson River Waterfront by sharing our time, energy, and resources and in doing so, we more powerfully witness the presence of Christ. The Epiphany of the Lord January 5, 2014

2 A WORD FROM OUR PASTOR Dear Parishioners, The OLC Christmas Holiday Season was again spectacular. It began with our 18 th Annual Festival of Christmas Song. We published photographs of the event in last weekend s bulletin. We continue to be blessed with talented vocalists. Ben Rauch, with the help of some parents, worked with our precious children s choir. Their performance was also a big hit. Under the direction of Ben Rauch, the entire performance was outstanding. Our choir returned for Midnight Mass and began the celebration at 11:30 pm with caroling. One can never say that the music at OLC is any less than spectacular. We have always enjoyed the ministry of outstanding Directors of Music, cantors, choir members and instrumentalists. Our choice of musical selections for worship continue to be uplifting and inspirational. They are easy to sing and we are grateful that so many in the congregation do sing in church which adds to the spirit of the Liturgy. I would ask that you never take our Music Ministry for granted. Just go to Mass at some other parishes and compare, and you will quickly realize that there is no comparison. So, I hope you do appreciate our Music Ministry and I hope you show it through your financial support. This year we were blessed to have a number of volunteers to decorate the church for Christmas. Our tree is 12 6 with over 1,000 lights. Our volunteers worked on Saturday morning before Christmas. They included Aneshka Collins, Trish Dy, Doris Emden, Kim Mom, Don Puckey and Carol Tuzinkiewicz. They did a great job working as a team. Several words of gratitude are given to Mike Gonzalez who helped me get our 12½ foot Christmas Tree. The trip turned into an ordeal as Mike s vehicle broke down and he arranged to borrow another vehicle. Delays and frustrations abounded that day. I also thank all those parishioners who contributed generously so we were able to pay for all the decorations. May you enjoy a blessed New Year, BAPTISM PROGRAM & SCHEDULE AT OLC GATHERING TO REJOICE is the first component of our Baptism Program. This component is intended for those preparing for the birth of their child. It is required that you pre-register for this program, or notify the rectory that you will attend. To register, go to our website, olcjc.org and reference Formation and Sacraments. Follow the link to Baptism of Children, or call the rectory. Upcoming dates are: January 5, 2014, March 2, 2014, May 4, 2014, GATHERING TO UNDERSTAND is the second part of our Baptism program. If you are preparing for the baptism of your child, this program is required. It addresses theology, the responsibilities and requirements of parents and Godparents, etc. You can register for this program by going to the parish website or calling the rectory, or you can just walk in (however, preregistration is extremely helpful). Please refer below for a list of up-coming dates and plan to attend accordingly: February 2, 2014, April 6, 2014, June 1, 2014 Please register to be parishioners before attending the baptism classes. You can register in the rectory Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. till 5 p.m. CHRISTMAS GIFT APPEAL The Christmas Season is a time of gift giving. As we undoubtedly remembered those important to us, OLC asks that you make a sacrificial gift to the parish through our Annual Christmas Gift Appeal. This Appeal has helped your parish make substantial improvements to your aging church over the years without conducting a capital campaign. We do not constantly ask for money, but in the spirit of Christmas giving, we ask our parishioners to make a special Christmas Gift to their parish. Your Christmas Gift will allow us to make more improvements to the parish such as repairing the kitchen in the church hall, refurbishing the pews and repairing (or even replacing) the church doors. This year we have a goal of $75,000 for our Gift Appeal which is realistic. To meet this goal we are suggesting a $400 Christmas Gift from each family. We understand that there are those who cannot give this amount, but if you are doing well occupationally and financially, you may be very capable of giving much more. Thank you and may God bless you. BAPTISM AT OLC The parish family of OLC welcomes Jeffery Royston Anto Vince The son of Anto Vince Peter Thilagaraj & Maria Jebastine Our faith community congratulates the parents of our newly baptized. We celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism Sunday, December 22, 2013.

3 MASS INTENTIONS Remembering someone in our prayers (whether alive or deceased) is always important. Because the celebration of the Mass is the highest form of worship the Church celebrates, the practice of having a Mass offered for an individual, deceased or living, or for a particular intention, is an excellent way of bringing our intentions to God. This is a long standing tradition in the church. It is also a devotional practice whereby we keep alive the memory of our loved ones. Through this practice we can maintain that loving bond between ourselves and those whom we love. A Mass can be offered on the anniversary of death or on a person s birthday, or at any time. You may also have a Mass celebrated for someone who is ill, in thanksgiving and for special intentions for family and/or friends. If you wish to have a Mass celebrated, simply stop by the rectory, call us at or send an e- mail to: secretary@olcjc.org EVENTS AT OLC Seniors Meeting: Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at 1 PM, in the church hall. 2 nd Grade Reconciliation Class: Group A will meet January 12, Group B January 19, 8:45 AM. 8 th Grade Confirmation Class: Next class, January 19 at 11:00 AM. Mass beforehand at 10 AM Children s Liturgy: Every Sunday during 10 AM Mass for 20 minutes. Ages 2 and older. Parents are welcome. No registration required join in! Coffee & Donuts: Follow the announcements at the end of Mass. SUNDAY SCRIPTURE READINGS Reflect on today s readings. Prepare for next Sunday Sunday, Jan 5, 2014 Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6, Mt 2:1-12 Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 Is 42:1-4, 6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Mt 3:13-17 JOIN A PARISH MINISTRY IN 2014! Please consider joining one of our parish ministries, which are always in need of new members. Schedules for Masses are flexible and take your preferences and availability into account. For information, call the rectory, speak to Fr. Tom after Mass, or contact one of the following persons: Altar Servers Sarah at the rectory, Choir Ben Rauch/ Directorofmusic@olcjc.org Eucharistic Ministers Sarah, rectory, Lectors Pat Duemig, Serve Donuts After 10 AM Mass Sarah, rectory. WEEKLY OFFERING Thank you so much for your financial support and for living your financial commitment to your parish. We are grateful for those who are especially generous and who wish to remain anonymous. We need your support for us to achieve our weekly collection goal of $6,000 per Sunday. Reaching this goal, and exceeding it, is essential to the financial health of your parish. For the weekend of December 21/22, 361 people attended Mass. The collection amounted to $6,833 of which $2,303 was contributed by those using ParishPay. This is $ 833 above our weekly goal. We thank those who are so generous! CATHOLIC MEN S CONFERENCE Be not afraid! This is the theme of the annual Catholic Men s Conference, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Newark this year. It will be Saturday, March 15, 2014, at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. This can be a prayerful, spirit-filled, life changing experience! The day begins at 8:00 AM and ends around 4:00 PM. Mass will be celebrated by Most Reverend Archbishop John J. Myers along with our local Bishops and Priests concelebrating. A dynamic line-up of speakers is scheduled for this day! They include His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Fr. Larry Richards and Gregory Floyd There is a ticket price of $25 for adults, $20 for students and senior citizens. This includes breakfast and lunch. For early bird registration please visit our website at for a $5.00 discount before February 1. Tel CatholicMen@rcan.org CHILDREN S CHOIR During Children s Liturgy at the 10 AM Mass, Ben Rauch, the OLC music director practices a song with the kiddos. Once they have perfected the song the children perform for the congregation, which is usually once a month. If you would like to be on Ben s list he will send out the song he is currently working on, and your child/children can practice at home. You can Ben at directorofmusic@olcjc.org. LECTOR WORKBOOKS Lector workbooks for the 2014 liturgical year are available in the sacristy. All lectors should take a moment after mass to take their copy. Thank you.

4 MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK Saturday January 4, :00 pm Gene Daquila From Marie Daquila Sunday January 5, :00 am Ronald Romanski From John and Jonathan Pridy 12:30 pm Deceased of the Kyc family From Family 7:00 pm People of the Parish Monday January 6, :30 pm Special Intention Tuesday January 7, :30 pm John Craig Chowanec From Schultz Family Wednesday January 8, :30 pm Communion Service Thursday January 9, :30 pm Cecelia Wendolowski From Mr. & Mrs Richard Olenhaus Friday January 10, :30 pm Eugene Wydrzynski From Mark Romanski Saturday January 11, :00 pm Julia Kyc, 28 th Ann. From Family Sunday January 12, :00 am Special Intention 12:30 pm Josephin Kunkiewicz From Catherine Drabik 7:00 pm People of the Parish Attend daily Mass. It will make a difference in your life! STEWARDSHIP Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. MATTHEW 2:11 The image of the Magi kneeling before the infant Jesus and opening their treasure chests for Him is an image that we should all try to follow. Each of us is called to open our gifts before Jesus, offering Him what He needs. If you have trouble with this idea, keep one of the Magi from your Nativity set on your desk all year as a reminder to bring your gifts to Jesus PARISH CALENDAR Our Beautiful 2014 Parish Calendars are now all gone. They came compliments of the Bromirski Funeral Home. Thank you.

5 FAITH WORKS Last weekend was our collection for the food bank. If you forgot it is not too late to donate a non-perishable food item. Leave your donation on the table in the rear of the church. If you have a tendency to forget to bring something, assign one of your children to remember. Suggested donations include: jelly, peanut butter, canned vegetables, canned and dried soups, cereals, pastas and noodles, brown gravies, gravies, toiletries (soap, shampoo, tooth paste, etc.), canned meats and tuna fish, condiments (mayo, mustard, ketchup, salt, pepper, etc.). CATHOLIC ADVOCATE If you wish to read The Catholic Advocate, the Archdiocesan newspaper for December, use this link: REGISTER WITH YOUR PARISH! All Catholics should be registered with a parish. If you have been attending OLC it is fairly simple to make it official. Come to the OLC Rectory any time between the hours of 9:30 AM 5 PM, Monday Friday, and fill out a registration card. If you have any questions do not hesitate to call MARRIAGE ENOUNTER How do you rate your marriage? Excellent Good Average So So If you have checked any of the above, you are great candidates for a marriage enrichment presentation by Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend! It s a beautiful weekend experience designed for couples of all ages and backgrounds. It will take you from where you are to another level! Make 2014 special by devoting one weekend to one of the most important relationship in your life. For more information call Mike and Eileen Morgan at ext.7 or njwwme@peoplepc.com Military families, are you getting ready to deploy? Is your family trying to reconnect after deployment? Marriage Encounter offers tools of communication that have kept many military marriages strong and happy through out the ups and downs of military service. Contact your local chaplain or call ext. 7 for more information. SHOPPING CAN EARN MONEY FOR OLC! If you shop online, you can benefit OLC at no cost to you. Most major retailers participate in Goodshop.com. Select OLC, shop through Goodshop, and a percentage of your purchase will be donated to OLC. You can even download a toolbar to make it easier. You can also earn a penny per internet search using Goodsearch.com. If you have a Target RedCard, you can benefit OLC School by designating the school. 1% of your purchases on the card will be donated to the School, at no additional cost to you, through the Take Charge of Education program.