St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church 1500 DePaul Street Elmont, N.Y A Parish with Heart

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1 St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church 1500 DePaul Street Elmont, N.Y A Parish with Heart Pastoral Staff Rev. Msgr. Richard M. Figliozzi, Administrator (516) Outreach Services (516) Parish Social Ministry Coordinator Maureen Russell Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

2 Second Sunday of Advent December 7, 2014 From Msgr. Figliozzi Scriptural Reflection for the Week Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. (see 2 Peter 3:8-14) These things which Saint Peter refers to is a world and a time governed by the Lord s justice. This is the promise of God a time when His justice will reign over the earth. Two points to meditate on here. Firstly, is this time that Peter describes being anxiously awaited for by us? Or are we content with the status quo with mankind s life separate or apart from God is accepted as the norm? God promises new things and a new way of living but it seems we have grown used to and accustomed to, and maybe even prefer, the present state of things! Once we realize that we truly prefer and want God s way to reign rather than godless men s ways then we have to wake up and change! And this is the second point for meditation. Peters words indicate that we can only be at peace when we own up to what is wrong and sinful inside us and seek then the way of God - Conversion. The Advent Season is the time to be serious about seeing the reality of my life as it is and then realizing with each lighting of a candle on the wreath that only Christ s way is the truth for us. Doesn't it take a piece of brillo to wipe away difficult stains? Don t be afraid of this type of cleansing. Invite the Lord to make you clean, without spot or blemish, at peace! Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Monday, December 8th is a HOLYDAY of OBLIGATION. Mass is at 8:30am. Additional Masses at St. Catherine s are at 12Noon and 7:00pm. From the Preface Prayer of this Mass: For you preserved the most Blessed Virgin Mary from all stain of original sin, so that in her, endowed with the rich fullness of your grace, you might prepare a worthy Mother for your Son, and signify the beginning of your Church, his beautiful Bride, without spot on wrinkle God s Greatest Gift The Christmas Story at St. Catherine s will be performed by the members of our Morning Star Youth Ministry and the St. Vincent de Paul Choir on Sunday, December 14 th at 7pm. Tickets are available after Masses this weekend. Christmas Concert at St. Catherine s We welcome back Natalie Salemmo and Christopher Colmenero who will offer us a selection of classical, sacred and seasonal music on SUNDAY, December 28 th at 3pm in the church. Tickets will be available the next two weekends after Masses and at the doors on December 28 th. Last Weekend s Collection and Attendance Parish: $3, Thanksgiving to Parish Outreach: $1, Attendance: 4:00pm 149 8:30am :30pm 133 Total: 455 Thank you for your support. One Final Thought People who really and truly love each other are the happiest people in the world. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Advent Examination of Conscience Do I lie? Have I gossiped or spread rumors? Have I talked about others behind their backs? Am I sincere and genuine with others? Am I pessimistic, always looking for the worst in things and other people? An Act of Contrition Lord Jesus, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Times for Confession After the 4pm Mass on Saturdays. Also, by appointment. Please call the Parish Office.

3 MASS INTENTIONS for this Weekend Saturday December 6 4:00 pm Marie Moraski; Anthony Spina; Bruce Horshinski; Frank Conti; Alessandra Ferrandina Sunday December 7 8:30 am Simone Deverson 12:30 pm Living & Deceased Members of The Gasperoni & Rossi Families; Isabel Mejias; Janine Perdue-Brooks SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: Second Sunday of Advent; Monday: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Tuesday: St. Juan Diego Wednesday: International Human Rights Day Thursday: St. Damasus I Friday: Our Lady of Guadalupe Saturday: St. Lucy MASS INTENTIIONS for the Week Monday December 8 8:30 am Peter Regina & Luigi Mastroserio Family Tuesday December 9 8:30 am Philip Zachariah Wednesday December 10 8:30 am Ronnie & Joseph Donahoe Thursday December 11 8:30 am For the People of the Parish Friday December 12 8:30 am Living & Deceased Members of the Knights of Columbus Council #1035 Saturday December 13 4:00 pm Sunday December 14 8:30 am Clara & Frank Morea 12:30 pm Carole Pravato; Maria Orlando ALTAR CANDLES For the week of December 7 thru December 13 Is in loving memory of Janine Perdue-Brooks As requested by Sandra Perdue BREAD & WINE For the week of December 7 thru December 13 Is in loving memory of Elizabeth Cusack As requested by Tom Cusack Jr. The Mass Intention Book is open for 2015 For your Intentions Also Bread & Wine & Altar Candles MISSION STATEMENT As members of St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Parish, we are committed to assisting our members in both the spiritual and temporal needs of life. We are a parish with heart who are committed to Let all things be done with Charity and show we are disciples of Christ by our love for one another.

4 Please Pray for our sick Relatives and Friends: Rev. Msgr. Thomas Hartman Matthew Haygood ; Anthony Gangemella Madelyn Kushner; Veda Francis; Maria Scuccimarra Linda Rome; Charlotte Orlando; Bob Soveign Patricia DeRosa; Sean Bennett; Kaelyn Judith Donlon Larry Blumberg; Ann Mitarotonda; Margaret McCabe Arlindo Marcelino Jack Musolino; Janet Falco Diane Drescher; Ralph Wilson; Diane Wilson Brittany Wilson; Raul Matos; Mary Italo Penny Wyckoff; Matthew Noah; Karen Hoffmeyer Tommy Lannan; Vincente Mejias; William Ross George McAuliffe; Michael O Malley; Karen Carlucci Ann Donahue; Thomas McCreight; Dominick Consolazio Theresa Chevalier; Frank Saccone; Eugenia Lane Barbara Ostipwko; Dorie Harbin; Carlos Mackey Shane Harbin; Gerry Petrella; Veronica Dixon Opal May; Bill Gilbert; Madeline Corrigan Tom Camberiarti; Maria Rossi Pashayen; Howard Wirth Albert Bartlett Joan Lannan; Anna Marie Orlando Dorothy Mink Honald; Ann Parazelli Maria Gloe; Helen Strohm; Joan Francis Please Pray for our Men & Women in the U.S. Armed Forces: Diane Rosemary Patrick, USAF Aaron J. Shattuck; Thomas Bradshaw Arlindo Almida; Thomas Lainis; Peter Dilos Frankie Umile; Rev. David Kruse (Chaplain) Joseph Giordano, USMC John Marco Militano, USA Joseph A. Galante, USMC; Jimmy Bustamante Latasha Coward; Nicholas Russo James E. Allen PARISH IN HOME PRAYER PROGRAM Host Family/Individual: PILGRIM STATUE OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA Concepcion Santamaria St. Vincent de Paul Society & Parish Social Ministry (Outreach) The Outreach office is grateful to announce that we were able to feed approximately 500 people with a month s worth of food this past November. With the combined effort of St. Vincent de Paul Society, school and parish donations our trusted volunteers were able to get out many baskets. We sent out 117 Thanksgiving baskets with pleasure on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. We would like to thank all those who contributed to our baskets, a special thanks to our drivers. Our wonderful and generous parishioners who gave more than we could ever ask. You are truly inspiring. All of you who gave may never know the person who you helped just know that we have seen the faces and the gratitude of those who received the box full of food. There was so much joy! We want to thank John Street School, Covert Avenue School, Dutch Broadway, Sewanhaka High School, New Hyde Park Memorial High School, Floral Park Memorial and Elmont Library, a big thank you to all who donated so much food! All of the students that donated and the teachers that helped coordinate need to know how grateful we are. God Bless you all! Faith Formation News Today is the second Sunday of Advent Tomorrow, December 8th, is the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation. Please try to attend Mass. Faith Matters Faith Matters will take the place of Grade Level Parent Meetings and will be once a month on Thursdays. Mom, dad or both, other family members (if you don t have a babysitter, you can bring the kids) can come and have some spiritual renewal and rejuvenation for one hour. These are stressful times. We will always have different topics and these will be advertised on our website. Faith Matters we need it today more than ever. Come together and let s share our Faithcoffee, tea and dessert. Level 1 Mass All first grade students and their families are invited to attend Mass on: Sunday, December 14th 9:30am Sienna Center at St. Catherine s

5 PRAY & PREPARE FOR THE LORD By Rev. Johnny R. Mendonca As we journey between the first coming of Jesus when he was born at Bethlehem and his Second Coming at the end of time when he will come as Judge of all, this time of Advent offers us an opportunity to reflect on the Second Coming of Jesus and thus prepare. His second coming and our waiting is the central theme in liturgy and prayer. In two of the Eucharistic Acclamations we profess our faith in Jesus Second Coming: - We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again. - When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, O Lord, until you come in glory. In the Creed which we profess every Sunday we proclaim: He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. During the early part of Advent (until December 16th) the Church asks us to reflect on the Second Coming of Jesus, and not just to reflect on it but to prepare for it. "Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: Watch! (Mark 13:33-37) The readings of the first Sunday of Advent each year invite us to watch for the Second Coming of Jesus and the readings of the Second Sunday of Advent invite us to prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus. That is why each year on the Second Sunday of Advent the Gospel is John the Baptist asking us to prepare a way for the Lord. And on the third Sunday of Advent each year we can detect some of the readings encouraging us to be patient for Jesus Second Coming. So the Church invites us to long for and prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus. How do we prepare for it? Let us place God first in our lives and love our neighbor as ourselves. Let us cleanse our hearts from sin. The second reading during the first three Sundays of Advent each year has much encouragement to prepare our hearts and lives as we await the Second Coming: " I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus (Christ). God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" 1 Cor. 1:4-9. "The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard "delay," but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out. Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought (you) to be, conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace" 2 Peter 3:9-14. " Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: Watch! " Mark 13: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. Lord, may our love for each other ever increase more and more as we await the coming of Our Lord Jesus. St. Vincent de Paul Parish Office (516) Hours: Monday thru Thursday - 9:00 am to 2:00 pm Saturday - 9:00 am to 2:00 pm Friday and Sunday Closed Fax (516) svdp1500@optonline.net Web: For Emergency relating to death or dying after 2 pm call St. Catherine of Sienna - (516) We Celebrate the Eucharist Saturday Vigil 4:00 pm Sunday 8:30 am & 12:30 pm Weekdays: Monday thru Friday 8:30 am Holy Day Mass Schedules will be announced in the Bulletin on the prior Sunday. We Celebrate the Sacraments Sacrament of Reconcilia on Saturdays immediately after celebration of the Vigil Mass, or by calling the Parish Office for an appointment with a Priest. Sacrament of Bap sm call the Parish Office to arrange for an interview. This should be done while awaiting the birth of your child. Sacrament of Marriage call the Parish Office to make an appointment with a priest before making social arrangements. Visitation of the Sick and Homebound call the Parish Office to arrange for a visit by a Priest to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, and also to receive Holy Communion. Holy Hour on the first Friday of the month after the 8:30 am Mass with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and concluding with Benediction. Devotions The Rosary is recited daily before the 8:30 am Weekday Masses. Miraculous Medal Novena and Special Prayers to St. Anthony are said on Thursdays after the 8:30 am Mass. The Clergy from St. Catherine of Sienna who serve us here at St. Vincent de Paul are as follows: Pastor/Administrator Rev. Msgr. Richard M. Figliozzi Associate Pastors Rev. Allan Arneaud Rev. Johnny Mendonca Rev. Charles N. Srion Deacons Joseph Benincasa Frank Gonzalez

6 T hanksgiving at Pope Francis Hospitality Centre

7 The Foundation of Prayer for Priests In 2007, in light of increasing attacks on the priesthood from within and without, and particularly after the scandals that had done such damage to the Church, the Vatican s Congregation for the Clergy saw the need to begin a global movement of prayer for priests. To that end, the Congregation issued a booklet to the bishops of the world, entitled Eucharistic Adoration for the Sanctification of Priests and Spiritual Maternity. In the booklet s introduction, Cláudio Cardinal Hummes, then Prefect of the Congregation, wrote: We intend in a very particular way to entrust all priests to Mary, the Mother of the Eternal High Priest, bringing about in the Church a movement of prayer, placing 24 hour continuous Eucharistic adoration at the center, so that a prayer of adoration, thanksgiving, praise, petition, and reparation will be raised to God, incessantly and from every corner of the earth, with the primary intention of awakening a sufficient number of holy vocations to the priestly state and, at the same time, spiritually uniting with a certain spiritual maternity at the level of the Mystical Body all those who have already been called to the ministerial priesthood and are ontologically conformed to the one High and Eternal priest. This movement will offer better service to Christ and his brothers those who are at once inside the Church and also at the forefront of the Church, standing in Christ s stead and representing Him, as head, shepherd and spouse of the Church. In 2013, Kathleen Beckman, L.H.S, a retreat director and Catholic radio host who had spent the past decade working with priests in the ministry of healing and deliverance, was inspired by the second edition of the Congregation s booklet to turn the prayer initiative into a formal movement. And so in July 2014, Beckman established the Foundation of Prayer for Priests with support from the Congregation for the Clergy. As the excerpt above indicates, Beckman s apostolate is fundamentally Marian and Eucharistic. The FPP particularly encourages Eucharistic adoration and the rosary as ways of praying for priests. Though the movement is for men and women equally, a special aspect of this work for women is the focus on spiritual motherhood of priests. This means uniting oneself with Mary s universal motherhood of priests and participating in this life-giving function through communion with Mary, the most powerful form of which is the consecration to Jesus through Mary. This spiritual maternity was practiced by many women saints, such as St. Catherine of Siena and St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Another great source of inspiration in this area is Venerable Concepción Cabrera de Armida ( ). Conchita, as she is also known, was a Mexican mystic who inspired the creation of several apostolates in her home country. On many occasions she heard God speaking to her, and Jesus gave her the mission of being a spiritual mother of thousands of priests and priests-to-be. Conchita practiced this spiritual maternity by prayer, suffering and reparation for the sins of priests. Coordinated with the establishment of the Foundation of Prayer for Priests was the release of Kathleen Beckman s excellent book, Praying for Priests: A Mission for the New Evangelization (published by Sophia Institute Press). In it, she explains why priests need the prayers of the laity, and gives real-life examples of the efficacy of intercessory prayer in increasing vocations, strengthening priests who are suffering, and even bringing priests who have abandoned their vocations to repentance. Beckman is at her best when writing about Mary s special love for priests and the work of spiritual motherhood united with her. These chapters will increase the reader s devotion both to Mary and to the priesthood, and will be of particular interest to lay women. There is also a beautiful chapter on how to make a holy hour for priests. The book includes a number of prayers for priests, notably three scriptural Rosaries: one for priests, another for vocations, and a third in reparation for the sins of priests. These include not only meditations from Scripture but passages from two apostolic letters of St. John Paul II: Pastores Dabo Vobis, dealing with the formation of priests, and Salvifici Doloris, on the Christian meaning of human suffering. Those who wish to learn more about this crucial apostolate can also visit the website of the Foundation of Prayer for Priests, which offers a myriad of resources on the priesthood, spiritual motherhood, spiritual fatherhood, and various forms of intercessory prayer for priests.

8 Pope's Video Message at Vigil for Beginning of Year of Consecrated Life "May this be an 'intense time' to celebrate with the whole Church the gift of your vocation and to revive your prophetic mission" Vatican City, November 30, 2014 (Zenit.org) Here is a translation of Pope Francis video message by which he participated in Saturday evening s prayer vigil to begin the Year of Consecrated Life. The Pope was unable to lead the celebrations since he is today returning from a three-day visit to Turkey. Dear Brothers and Sisters, Even though physically far away because of my service to the universal Church, I feel profoundly united to all consecrated men and women at the beginning of this year, which I wish to have dedicated to consecrated life. I greet affectionately all the members of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and all those present in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, under the tender gaze of the Blessed Virgin, Salus Populi Romani, for this Vigil of Prayer. With you I also greet all the consecrated men and women who live and work in the world. My first words, on this occasion, are of gratitude to the Lord for the precious gift of consecrated life to the Church and to the world. May this Year of Consecrated Life be an occasion for all members of the People of God to thank the Lord, from whom every good comes, for the gift of consecrated life, appreciating it appropriately. To you equally, dear brothers and sisters, goes my gratitude for what you are and what you do in the Church and in the world. May this be an intense time to celebrate with the whole Church the gift of your vocation and to revive your prophetic mission. I repeat to you today what I have said at other times: Awake the world! Awake the world! How? Put Christ at the center of your existence. The essential norm of your life being to follow Christ as taught by the Gospel (Perfectae Caritatis, 2), consecrated life consists essentially in personal adherence to Him. Seek Christ constantly, dear consecrated, seek his Face, may He occupy the center of your life in order to be transformed in living memory of Jesus way of living and acting, as Incarnate Word before the Father and before brothers (Vita Consecrata, 22). Like the Apostle Paul, let yourselves be conquered by Him, assume his sentiments and his way of life (cf. Ibid., 18); let yourselves be touched by his hand, led by his voice, sustained by his grace (cf. Ibid., 40). It is not easy; let yourselves be touched by his hand, led by his voice, sustained by his grace. And, with Christ, begin always from the Gospel! Assume it as a way of life and translate it into daily gestures marked by simplicity and coherence, thus overcoming the temptation to transform it into an ideology. The Gospel will keep your life and mission young, and it will render it timely and attractive. May the Gospel be the solid terrain where you advance with courage. Called to be living exegesis of the Gospel, may that be, dear consecrated, the foundation and ultimate reference of your life and mission. Come out of your nest to the fringes of the man and woman of today! Therefore, let yourselves be encountered by Christ. The encounter with Him will drive you to encounter others and will lead you to the neediest, to the poorest. Reach the fringes that await the light of the Gospel (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 20). Inhabit the frontiers. This will require your vigilance to discover the novelties of the Spirit; lucidity to recognize the complexity of the new frontiers; discernment to identify the limits and the appropriate way to proceed; and immersion in reality, touching the suffering flesh of Christ in the people (Ibid., 24). Dear brothers and sisters: presented before you are many challenges, but these exist to be surmounted. Let us be realistic, but without losing joy, audacity and dedication full of hope! Let us not be robbed of the missionary force! (Ibid., 109). May Mary, woman in contemplation of the mystery of God in the world and in history, diligent woman in helping others with haste (cf. Luke 1:39) and, therefore, model of every missionary-disciple, accompany you in this Year of Consecrated Life, which we put under her maternal gaze. To all of you, participants in the Vigil of Prayer at Saint Mary Major, and to all consecrated men and women, I impart my heartfelt Blessing, and I ask you, please, to pray for me. May the Lord bless you and may Our Lady protect you. [Original text: Italian] [Translation by ZENIT] Christmas is upon us! What a wonderful time of the year. There is the shopping, baking, writing cards and decorating. Speaking of the decorating, we will be decorating the church on Dec.13 & Dec. 20. We can use help. We will be meeting at 9:30 in the lower church in both dates. On the 13th we will be about 2 hours, on the 20th we will be longer. The more hands we have the more fun we have and we get done more quickly too! Everyone is welcome, no experience is needed. Hope we will see you on the 13th & 20th!

9 News & Upcoming Events THIS WEEKEND Boy Scouts of America Troop 294 Saturday, December 6th Sunday, December 7th After all the Masses Wreaths $15.00 Cemetery Blankets $30.00 THIS SUNDAY MORNING STAR YOUTH MINISTRY St. Catherine of Sienna Presents Sunday, December 7, :30am 2pm School Cafeteria (1510 De Paul Street) Elmont You can save up to 3 Lives Please give the gift of life! Eligibility Criteria: Bring Valid ID Minimum weight 110 lbs. Age (16 year olds need parental consent, 76 and older need doctors note) East well (low fat) and drink fluids No tattoos for past 12 months (Christmas story) on Sunday, December 14, 2014 at: 7:00pm Sharp in: Saint Catherine of Sienna Parish Auditorium Reserve your seat today - Donation is $5 per person Tickets on sale after Masses and at Welcome Desk