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. Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time February 9, 2014

2 A WORD FROM OUR PASTOR Dear Parishioners, Catholic Schools Week began Monday, January 27. Most exciting about Catholic Schools Week at OLC was our very special guest, Archbishop Bernard Hebda. When Archbishop Myers retires, Archbishop Hebda will succeed him as Archbishop of Newark. Archbishop Hebda spent Monday morning and a good part of the afternoon with the children and with the staff. He participated in the school s daily prayer service, fielded questions from the students, sat in on a student presentation and ate lunch with the students. It was noted that he was very personable and he was greatly impressed by the presentation made by the 7 th grade class detailing the issues of Child Labor in the turn of the 20 th century. This year s theme for Catholic Schools week was Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service. The school focused on how we can share our Faith, Knowledge and Service with our community. They participated in a variety of activities and events. There were several aspects of Catholic Schools week that made the week very fun filled. On Tuesday Students were encouraged to wear a shirt with their favorite character from a book. This is a dress down day. Wednesday was Wacky Wednesday, A Sports Day: With the Super Bowl just days away, children were allowed to wear their favorite sports team shirt/jersey to school. Thursday was Crazy Sock Day: Students wore their full uniform; however, they wore the craziest socks ever! Friday featured a School Meeting with our students from Pre-K4 through eighth grade, celebrating a special Chinese New Year performance by our fourth grade OLC s Rock Band. Additionally, there was a Teachers vs- Students Kickball Game. Students and teachers put their sneakers on for the much anticipated game. While I highlighted the fun aspects of the week, the educational experiences were very much in keeping with the theme of Catholic Schools Week. 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: March 2, 2014, May 4, 2014, July 6, 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: April 6, 2014, June 1, 2014, August 3, 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. ARCHBISHOP S ANNUAL APPEAL OLC will conduct Pledge Sunday for the 2014 Archbishop s Annual Appeal this weekend. The theme of the 2014 Appeal is When I Called, You Answered. It comes from Psalm 138 where the Psalmist thanks God for hearing his prayer. God Calls us also, and we answer in many ways. The Archbishop s Annual Appeal (AAA) provides the primary funding for most of the educational and social programs managed by the Archdiocese of Newark. The lives of thousands of people are touched and, in some cases, profoundly impacted by the outreach that could not be possible without the appeal s financial support. The appeal starts in February and the majority of the gifts are received within the first six months. However, with payments plans, follow-up and yearend giving, it is a yearlong Appeal, ending in December. Please, be generous in making a pledge or donation. Thank you. SAINT DOMINIC ACADEMY OPEN HOUSE Saint Dominic Academy, Jersey City will host a 7 th and 8 th Grade Open House, Tuesday, February 11, 6:30 p.m. The events will feature complete information about the accelerated program for young girls, including curriculum review, project presentations, tours of the school and details about the application process for Grades 7 and 8 for September Information about the 7 th and 8 th grade Entrance Exam scheduled for February 22 will also be available at the Open House. Information can also be found on the website ( Questions can be directed at any time to Andrea Apruzzese, Director of Admissions, , ext. 14 or aapruzzese@stdominicacad.com. Saint Dominic Academy, 2572 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City.

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 2 nd Grade Reconciliation Class: Group A will meet February 16, Group B February 23, 8:45 AM. 8 th Grade Confirmation Class: Next class, February 16, 11:00 AM. Mass beforehand at 10 AM Senior s Meeting: Valentine s Day/Mardi Gras meeting will be held in the church hall at 1 PM, Wednesday, February 12. Lunch will be served. Cost to be determined. Senior s Luncheon: February 18 at Ginger Restaurant, 227 Franklin Avenue, Nutley. Cost is $10. Bus will pick up at 11 AM from 221 Warren St., then to 72 Montgomery, 100 Montgomery, lastly 500 Manila Ave. Children s Liturgy: Every Sunday during 10 AM Mass for 20 minutes. Ages 2 and older. Parents are welcome. No registration required join in! SUNDAY SCRIPTURE READINGS Reflect on today s readings. Prepare for next Sunday Sunday, February 9, 2014 Is 58:7-10; 1 Cor 2:1-5; Mt 5:13-16 Sunday, February 16, 2014 Sir 15:15-20; 1 Cor 2:6-10; Mt 5:17-37 IMMIGRATION LEGAL ASSISTANCE A non-profit, social services organization affiliated with the Archdiocese of Newark can provide immigration legal assistance at reduced rates. The organization employs licensed attorneys. If you have an immigration case, please call Joseph Volcy at for an appointment at our Jersey City office, 591 Summitt Avenue, 7 th floor. They will consider evening hours based on needs. They handle green cards, deferred action, deportation, work permits, an other parts of the immigration process. 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 February 2/3, 420 people attended Mass. The collection amounted to $6,673 of which $2,129 was contributed by those using ParishPay. This is $673 above our weekly goal. Contributions for the Christmas Gift Appeal have risen to $62,013. This is a very good first step in reaching our goal of $75,000. We have reached 83% of our goal. With only $13,000 left to meet our goal, could you make a Christmas Gift to the parish to help us reach our goal? If you haven t given, now is the time. We thank you for being so generous. If you are moving out of the parish please inform the rectory 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. His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan will be the Keynote speaker at the Archdiocese of Newark Catholic Men s Conference on 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 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 registration please visit their website at Tel CatholicMen@rcan.org OLC 2013 TAX STATEMENTS Keep a look-out for your OLC 2013 Tax Statements, which we put in the mail last week. If you participate in ParishPay you will get a separate tax statement from them. Thank you for generously supporting OLC in 2013!

4 MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK Saturday February 8, :00 pm Veronica Malta From Michael Kirpan Sunday February 9, :00 am Special Intention 7:00 pm People of the Parish Monday February 10, 2014 Tuesday February 11, :30 pm Helen Gabrush From Leona Kyc Wednesday February 12, :30 pm Communion Service Thursday February 13, 2014 Friday February 14, :30 pm George Anthony Koch, 18 th Ann. Love Mom & Eddie Saturday February 15, :00 pm Rozalia Gradowska, 41 st Ann. From Terri & Ted, children Sunday February 16, :00 am Special Intention 12:30 pm Tanios Kerbaj From Kerbaj family 7:00 pm People of the Parish Attend daily Mass. It will make a difference in your life! STEWARDSHIP Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. MATTHEW 5:16 The generosity of being a good steward of your gifts has a positive effect on people and it is contagious! Good works encourages more good works. Let your light shine! Be careful to recognize that God is working through you and don t put yourself above the people you have been called to help. FAITH AND SAFEY WEBSITE There is a new website from the USCCB to help keep children and families safe online: The website is a partnership with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and it is designed to be a place where families learn to see technology through the eyes of faith and stay safe online. The site offers guidance on how to use the internet, cell phones and video games safety, as well as protecting children s privacy.

5 A CHRISTMAS TRADITION of GIVING TO OLC Even though the Christmas Season has passed, we continue our Christmas Gift Appeal. As we made gift-giving a part of our Christmas experience, we undoubtedly remembered those important to us. Our traditional Christmas Gift Appeal has allowed OLC to flourish because of the generous gifts of its Parish family members. This is the time of the year that we asked you to make a Christmas Gift to your parish. Your Christmas Gift will go a long way in making improvements to the Church such as repairing the church doors, fixing the church hall kitchen and more. Our Christmas Gift Tradition goes back many years. This Tradition has been very successful making it possible to make major repairs and improvements in the church without conducting a capital campaign. However, we need everyone s support in making this year s Christmas Gift goal. Perhaps you were away for Christmas, don t think it is not too late to make your Christmas Gift now. We still need additional donors, and your gift will make a difference. To make it easier to make a gift, either from yourself or in memory of a loved one, you may make two or more payments. Please use the Christmas envelope(s) or the pledge cards found in the back of Church. Gifts may also be made online through Parish Pay by selecting the Donation s tab on Presently, your Christmas Gift donations have amounted to $62,0013. We only need about 31 more gifts (a suggested gift being $400.) to make our goal of $75,000. Presently, we have reached more than 83% of our goal. If you have not contributed, please step up and make your gift today! Be one of our donors. Thank you. HURRICANE SANDY ASSISTANCE The Hudson County Long Term Recovery committee (HCLTRC) was established after Superstorm Sandy to support and coordinate the area s long term recover effort. It is a voluntary association of members representing many nonprofit agencies, faith-based groups, and social service organizations. Hudson County residents who were affected by Hurricane Sandy are eligible for (HCLTRC) services, with particular attention to the needs of low-income and disabled residents. They can help you with finding out about resources, provide advice on your recovery, help with home repairs, and provide goods and financial assistance. Services are provided on a case-by-case basis and many vary depending on your needs and the resources that are available. For questions and additional assistance, please dial 211(Catholic Charities) and ask for a disaster case manager or hccasemanagement@gmail.com