Please join us for the Rosary and Procession on Sat. September 8th at 5:15 PM as we celebrate the feast of Our Lady s Nativity.

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1 Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time September 2, 2018 Pastoral Staff Pastor Father Vincent T. Euk Parochial Vicar Fr. John Chang Weekend Assistant Fr. Bill O Brien Deacons Tom Cechulski, Sr. Charles R. Daye, Jr. John Franey Gino (Louis) Esposito School Principal Sister Cherree Power, C.R. Religious Education Sr. Ann Norton, D.R.E. Linda Clayton Business Manager Deacon Gino Esposito Director of Music Emer O Mahony Youth Ministry Coordinator Sister Ann Norton Phone Contacts Rectory Convent School Religious Education Rectory Fax Rectory Office Hours: M-F 9:00-4:30 PM Second & Fourth Saturday 9AM 12:30 PM Baptisms: Every 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month,. Please join us for the Rosary and Procession on Sat. September 8th at 5:15 PM as we celebrate the feast of Our Lady s Nativity. Weekend Masses: Saturdays: 4:00 PM Sundays: 7:30, 9:00, 10:30, 12 noon, 5PM Daily Masses: Mon-Fri 7:20 AM & 12 Noon, Sat: 8AM Holy Days: As announced in the bulletin. Healing Mass every first Friday at 7:30PM Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturdays from 3:00 to 3:45PM and before each Sunday Mass

2 Mass Intentions for this Week September 2, :00 Jack McGuire Claire McCarthy TUESDAY 7:20 Elizabeth Castello... Will & Christina Fitzsimmons 12:00 Paul Kundt & Family... Rita Marquis WEDNESDAY...St. Teresa of Calcutta 7:20 Henry Flohr Jr.... Bob & Diana Morris 12:00 Frances Hopping... Mike & Karen Puglisi THURSDAY 7:20 Frank Tortola... Sisters of the Resurrection 12:00 John Finn... O Doherty Family Events for this coming Week 8AM Tom McCarthy... Claire McCarthy 4PM Jack McGuire... Bob & Diana Morris SUNDAY 7:30 Ronald Bystrek...Al & Michelle 9:00 Int. of Maria Rodrigues... Family 10:30 For the People of the Parish 12:00 Frank Ciranni... Sophie & Al Adelhoch 5:00 Mrs. Josephine Campagna... Risicato Family Sanctuary Candle Week of September 2, 2018 For All the Sick (Ammalati).....Scotto Family Chapel Candles- Week of September 2, 2018 For All Sinners (Peccatori)..Scotto Family See our website Sacrificial Offering Update Readings for the Week of September 2, 2018 Sunday: Dt 4:1-2, 6-8; Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27; Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, Monday: 1 Cor 2:1-5; Lk 4:16-30 Tuesday: 1 Cor 2:10b-16; Lk 4:31-37 Wednesday: 1 Cor 3:1-9; Lk 4:38-44 Thursday: 1 Cor 3:18-23; Lk 5:1-11 Friday: 1 Cor 4:1-5; Lk 5:33-39 Saturday: Mi 5:1-4a; Mt 1:1-16, Sunday: Is 35:4-7a; Jas 2:1-5; Mk 7:31-37

3 Pastor s Notes Moses tells his people to observe the Torah ( instruction ) of the Lord, our God. But do not add anything to it nor subtract anything from it. This is what God wants and it is also a very reasonable request. Moses reminds them of a recent incident when a group of Israelites decided to join with Moabite prostitutes. These prostitutes convinced them to worship their god, Baal. God inflicted a plague that killed 27,000 of them. But Moses had an ulterior motive to encourage them to follow the reasonable demands of God for His people. Moses understood that if his people follow God s laws, they would not only promote harmony among themselves, but also gain the admiration of surrounding nations because they would see the real God Who is near and listening to them. They would then appreciate seeing how harmony and instruction would inspire these onlookers. Also, they would observe that even their children are being taught to love and respect these laws. This wisdom and intelligence would be evident to unbelievers and possibly draw them into the Jewish faith. However, faith and obedience to God s ways are difficult to follow because they find pagan gods and deeds as a comfort zone rather than a destructive force. The Gospel takes us to Gennesareth where the poor and uneducated Jews reside. Now the perfect Jews from Jerusalem are coming to test Jesus in the hope of snagging Him in His own words. This time manmade traditions are being passed off as just as important as the laws of Moses to catch Jesus off guard and to destroy His credibility. The issue here has to do with following new laws. Laws that are made up now by human beings that supplant what God intended. They are using these laws to tear down bridges by destroying and oppressing the inner peace of the poor and uneducated. (But do wash your hands before you eat!!!) These Jews from Jerusalem are bureaucratic officials looking to assert their power, but not do anything to promote virtue or put love into the hearts of the people. They make up annoying rules, which they take pride in following, but for the wrong reasons because they are self-serving and actually demean the people not in their class. These more important people are themselves acting like self-righteous gods. God s laws care for people. They do not control them. St. James tells us a reality that we generally do not appreciate. God has given us so many good things that we take for granted. Some of them are temporary because they are spoiled by original sin, but others are not only permanent, but also can be made better because they are part of our eternal soul. Humbly accepting our circumstances and living by Jesus standards will increase our knowledge of truth and prevent us from sinful pride in thinking we are better. Everything God has given us did not detract from God. They are merely unmerited gifts that will fulfill us in the next life and possibly even in this life. Fr. Euk Scripture Meditation Which is more important to God - clean hands or a clean mind and heart? The Scribes and Pharisees were upset with Jesus because he allowed his disciples to break with their ritual traditions by eating with unclean hands. They sent a delegation all the way from Jerusalem to Galilee to bring their accusation in a face-to-face confrontation with Jesus. Jesus dealt with their accusation by going to the heart of the matter - by looking at God's intention and purpose for the commandments. Allow God's word to shape your heart and intentions Jesus explains that they void God's command because they allow their hearts and minds to be clouded by their own notions of what is true religion. Jesus accuses them specifically of two things. First of hypocrisy. Like actors, who put on a show, they appear to obey God's word in their external practices while they inwardly harbor evil desires and intentions. Allow God's word to change your way of thinking Secondly, he accuses them of abandoning God's word by substituting their own arguments and ingenious interpretations for what God requires. They devised clever arguments based on their own thoughts rather than on God's word. Jesus refers them to the prophecy of Isaiah (29:31) where the prophet accuses the people of his day for honoring God with their lips while their hearts were far away from choosing and doing what God asked of them. Uproot wrong thoughts and attitudes before they grow Where does evil spring from and what's the solution for eliminating it from our lives? Jesus deals with this issue in response to the religious leaders' concern with ritual defilement - making oneself unfit to offer acceptable sacrifice and worship to God. The religious leaders were concerned with avoiding ritual defilement, some no doubt out of fear of God, and others out of fear of pleasing other people. Jesus points his listeners to the source of true defilement - evil desires which come from inside a person's innermost being. Sin does not happen. It first springs from the innermost recesses of our thoughts and intentions, from the secret desires which only the individual soul can conceive. Only Jesus can free us from sin and guilt God in his mercy sent his Son Jesus Christ to free us from our sinful cravings and burden of guilt, and to restore us to wholeness of life and goodness. But to receive his mercy and healing, we must admit our faults and ask for his forgiveness. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:8-9). Let Jesus be the master of your heart and desires When Cain was jealous of his brother, Abel, God warned him to guard his heart: "Sin is couching at the door; it's desire is for you, but you must master it" (Genesis 4:7). Do you allow any sinful desires to enter the door of your heart and mind? We do not need to entertain or give in to sinful desires or thoughts, but instead, through the grace of God, we can choose to put them to death rather than allow them to be the master who controls our way of thinking, feeling, and acting.

4 OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE Please Pray for Our Sick Rosary & Procession for Mother Mary's Birthday Please join us for a Rosary & Procession on Saturday, Sept 8, 2018, at 5:15 PM, after the 4 PM Mass, for the feast of Our Lady's Nativity. We will say the Rosary and have a procession from the Church to Mother Mary's grotto by the rectory. Fellowship to follow in the cafeteria. All are welcome to bring flowers for the procession and a food /snack item to share. Bring the whole family! For questions, please contact the Legion of Mary: Irma Bennett (732) or via Mary Anne M. at godis4life@optonline.net. Brunch Bunch Join us for St. Veronica s monthly brunch on Sunday September 16th at 1:15 PM. Come join us in the cafeteria after the noon Mass for food, friendship and fun for the kids. All are welcome! Veronica s Men s Group Do you want to enrich your spiritual life? Come join us, encounter Jesus and grow on your journey. Every Sunday Morning at 6:30 8:00 AM in the rectory basement. For more info contact Deacon Gino at Catholic University of America Collection Next weekend, we will be taking up the National Collection for The Catholic University, the national university of the Catholic Church. Your investment will enable the University to continue to support the Church and to advance its work of preparing the next generation of leadership, both religious and lay, of our Church and nation. Thank you for your generosity. Divine Mercy Prayers Look into My Heart and see there the love and mercy which I have for humankind, and especially for sinners. Look and enter into My Passion. (Diary of St. Faustina) Please come and join our parish family on Sunday, September 2nd at 1:30 to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Banns of Marriage Michael Kennedy & Amber Fahr (3) September 29, 2018 Healing Mass Please join us for our monthly Healing Mass on Friday, September 7th at 7:30PM in the church. All are welcome!

5 Goal- 200, Donations (Current) 88, Balance: 111, As of May 5, 2018, there will be a second collection on each Sunday that there is no Diocesan collection. This special second collection will be earmarked for our needed air conditioning system in the Church. We will continue this campaign until we reach our goal and we will keep you advised of our project status. Meanwhile, we thank all those who have made donations and for your continued support of our parish. RCIA (The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) Are you unbaptized? Or baptized & desiring completion of the Sacraments? RCIA is a process through which an adult becomes a member of the Catholic Church. It is a journey for a baptized Catholic who wants to receive the rest of their Sacraments or for anyone who is unbaptized or baptized in another faith and would like to enter the Catholic Church. RCIA classes meet this year on Thursdays starting September 27th at 6:30PM. RCIC Faith formation for children and teens who have not received all of their Sacraments will meet on Mondays at 4:30PM. If you are interested in finding out more information, please call Sister Ann at St. Veronica s Parish Dinner Dance Come join us for a night of fun, dancing and good food Nov. 10 at 6 PM Tickets are ONLY per adult. We will also have our annual Mega 50/50 Cash Raffle drawing at the dinner. Buy 5 Mega 50/50 tickets and receive 2 free dinner tickets. Don t miss it! Come join us! All are invited! Bulletin Advertising Commencing September 30, 2018, our parish will be switching to a new company to provide our weekly bulletin. Many other parishes are moving to this new format and hopefully you will like it as well. Part of being able to provide our bulletins, the printing company will now be soliciting area businesses for advertisements. If you own a company and wish to support our parish and your business, please contact Tom Zukofski at John Patrick Publishing Company, Inc. at ext. 157 or tomzuke@gmail.com as soon as possible. The bulletin company will then contact you regarding your advertisement and the size you wish to purchase. Thank you for your support of our parish bulletin and God bless you for your generosity. Deacon Gino " There are many ways of gaining heaven but the safest, easiest and shortest way is through the Holy Eucharist. St Pius X. Registered adorers insure our commitment to keep the chapel open 24/7. Give Him time and He will give Himself to you. Hours Most Needed, but you can name your hour also: Sunday : 5PM Monday: 4AM, 1PM (most urgent), 7PM Thursday: 2AM, 3AM Friday: 11AM Saturday: 5AM, 10AM, 1PM, 3PM, 7PM URGENT: HELP NEEDED SATURDAYS. 5 UNCOVERED HOURS WHERE CHAPEL MAY HAVE TO BE LOCKED. Contact Debbie drev514@aol.com or leave message Mega 50/50 Raffle Tickets are now on sale at the rectory. Drawing will be held on November 10, 2018, at 6:00PM during dinner/dance gathering in St. Veronica Gym, 4215 Hwy 9, Howell, NJ Cost: $40 per ticket. Bingo Volunteers Needed-You Can Make a Difference Each of us had the power to inspire, change and improve the areas needing help. Whether you have just a few hours or seek a long-term opportunity, every volunteer s efforts truly enriches our community and the lives of the individuals we serve and help. If you would like to have some fun while helping the St. Veronica community, consider becoming a bingo volunteer on Friday nights. To volunteer contact Mike Hubner at hubollett@optonline.net OUR NEEDS Adoration Chapel Pantry Needs Peanut butter, jelly, cereal, coffee, canned fruit, canned green vegetables, crackers