LET ALL BE WELCOMED AS CHRIST!

Transcription

1 The Parish of the Holy Cross 95 Nichols Road + Nesconset, NY LET ALL BE WELCOMED AS CHRIST! When I prove my holiness among you, I will gather you from all the foreign lands; and I will pour clean water upon you and cleanse you from all your impurities, and I will give you a new spirit, says the Lord. Ezekiel 36:23-26 Come and pray with us! Third Sunday of Lent - February 28, 2016 WE CELEBRATE EUCHARIST Monday Thursday: 9:00 A.M. (Chapel) Saturday: 5:00 P.M. Sunday: 8:00 A.M. + 9:30 A.M. + 11:30 A.M. WE CELEBRATE BAPTISM Baptisms are celebrated on the second and last Sunday of each month at 1 P.M. Please contact the Parish Office for more information. WE CELEBRATE RECONCILIATION Saturday: 3:45 P.M. 4:30 P.M. or call Father Michael for an appointment. WE CELEBRATE WEDDINGS Couples should contact the Parish Office at least six months in advance of the proposed wedding date.

2 We are here for you! Fax pothc@optonline.net Parish Office Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (closed 12:15-1:00 PM) Rev. Michael F. Holzmann Pastor Ms. Ellen Fox Director of Religious Education Mrs. Connie Calabro Mrs. Mary Anne Mc Culloch Co-Coordinators of Parish Outreach Mrs. Judith Pickel Pastoral Associate Mrs. Jane Wirth Parish Secretary Mr. Edward Guise Mr. Gerald Farrell Custodians PASTORAL TEAM PASTORAL STAFF Dr. Vincent Mazurek Music Minister Deacon Ralph Rivera Pastoral Minister Mrs. Elizabeth Shea Business Manager Mr. Brian Reich Director of Music Ministry Mr. Salvatore Finocchiaro Coordinator of Youth Ministries Mrs. Mary Inghilterra Weekend Sacristan Mr. James Reiss Religious Education Secretary (hcreled@optonline.net) Celebrants for Next Weekend s Masses March 5th/6th 5:00 PM Msgr. Kenneth Boccafola 8:00 AM Fr. Michael 9:30 AM Fr. Michael 11:30 AM Fr. Michael Remembering our Sick Please pray for the sick of the parish, their families and caregivers: Candice Clifford Vivianna-Jo Galgano Barbara Haug Cheryl Maniaci Stephanie Tipping Stewardship Corner How does the Parable of the Fig Tree help you see the patience and mercy of God in your life? 2 Mass Intentions Schedule Week of February 28th, 9 AM Mass Mon. Stephen Proniewych Tue. Blanca Rodriguez Wed. Gemma & Carmine Cusano Thu. Vito & Florence Campanale (living) New Life in Christ Saturday, March 5th, 5 PM Mass Arthur Marooney, Walter Price, Barbara Amoruso Sunday, March 6th, Fourth Sunday of Lent 8:00 AM People of the Parish 9:30 AM Judith Patchell 11:30 AM Margaret Mary Fitzpatrick, Carolyn Wagner, Julia Alvarez, Talia Martiano, Jeannette Lucas Scripture Readings for March 6, Joshua 5:9, Corinthians 5: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

3 Some Amazing Reading by Father Michael This week in the office a closet was being cleaned out. A box full of cards and envelopes was pulled out. At first glance it appeared to be just trash, but upon examination it was a neat piece of parish history. The box contained all the pledge cards and volunteer worksheets that were used for the fundraising campaign to build the Church and offices. I spent hours going through the box. Although it was just cards and envelopes, it revealed a wealth of information about the early days of this parish community. It looks like there were 25 captains. Each captain had 4-8 workers assigned to them. Each worker had 6-10 families to contact. The number of people involved in this effort was amazing. There was a stack of envelopes which identified the gifts and pledges that were made. So many parishioners gave generously to literally raise up from the midst of the woods, a place that would become our spiritual home. We need to be grateful for all those who responded to that invitation. Many of you are still here, some have moved away, and still others have returned to the Lord. We benefit from the sacrifices of those who have gone before us. There were also hundreds of cards with notations of those who were not able to give. Issues of 25 years ago are still present today. Many people reported financial limitations due to illness, unemployment, being on a fixed income, etc. There were some who were angry or disenfranchised with the Church. And some who simply did not want to participate. There were requests by some to talk with one of the pastors or members of the Pastoral Team. It was more than a fundraising effort; it was a true outreach to the community. I am so happy to have discovered this chapter from the early days of Holy Cross. You may notice a new name on the list of priests for next weekend. I am happy that Msgr. Kenneth Boccafola will be joining us. Msgr. Boccafola is a priest of the diocese who spent most of his ministry serving in Rome as a Canon Lawyer. He is now retired and lives in the area and has offered his assistance when it is needed. Welcome Msgr. Kenneth. This week is our Parish Lenten Mission. We are delighted to welcome Fr. Kenan Peters, who will be leading us through these days of prayer. I m confident that his reflections will bring us to a deeper awareness of how God is at work in our lives. I hope you can join us for this opportunity for spiritual nourishment. Holy Hour for Peace - Saturday, March 5th, 3:45-4:45PM in the Worship Area Anointing of the Sick - Sunday, March 6th in the W/A after the 9:30AM Mass 3

4 PARISH NEWS Join us at Holy Cross for our Lenten Mission Feel God s Love in your life! The Journey to God Presented by Father Kenan Peters 7:30PM Monday, February 29 - Thursday, March 3 Deepen your trust in God! Girl Scout Sunday When: March 6 th at 9:30 Mass (arrive 15 minutes before to sign in) Where: Parish of the Holy Cross, Nesconset Who: All Scouts and their families are invited to attend. What to wear: Girl Scout Uniform / Sash Text, call or any questions you may have: Kim Loh Bodor Christine Farrugia Janine Mehlinger akjlb23@optonline.net libraryhorse@yahoo.com cheecheej9@aol.com Attention Liturgical Ministers! We are preparing for Easter and are in need of the following help. Please let us know ASAP if you are available! Junior Lector for 11AM Mass Easter Sunday Eucharistic Ministers for Easter Sunday (circle Mass preference) 11AM 12:30PM Altar Servers for Easter Masses (circle Mass preference) Easter Vigil 8AM 9:30AM 11AM 12:30PM Ushers for Easter Masses (circle Mass preference) Easter Vigil 8AM 9:30AM 11AM 12:30PM Name Phone # 4

5 VISIONING 2016 Upcoming Town Hall Meetings There is a tangible spirit that makes Holy Cross the amazing community it is. Yet, the recent parish survey revealed that most members of the parish do not know what the vision is for the future of Holy Cross. Over the last several months, the Parish has begun a process to tap into the enthusiasm, hope and energy that lie at the foundation of Holy Cross to plan and articulate a vision for the years ahead. When our parish was created in 1988, founding pastors and founding members journeyed together with enthusiasm and grace to identify the values and mission that would define us. The Parish Mission Statement (printed on the next page) reflects what was envisioned and what Holy Cross is today: a place where everyone is welcomed, everyone is valued equally, where people are non-judgmental, and where a core value is love and service to the poor. As shared in a November Founders Meeting, there was a desire to create an atmosphere where there was no fear of failure, no boundaries (including geographical), and an opportunity to grow in our Catholic faith in a new way. The founders envisioned a church that would be an integral part of parishioners lives, where they would journey together in faith, a parish where they prayed, worked and played together. The Parish of the Holy Cross has grown. The world is changing. We face challenges that could hardly have been anticipated. As Pope Francis has made abundantly clear, we need to identify ways to address global and local challenges, fears and needs with mercy and generosity. Our Mission Statement calls us to do all those things that the Holy Father has called us to do. But how do we do that, here at Holy Cross, in this decade? What is our vision of how to achieve the ideals set forth in our Mission Statement as we prepare to meet the future? What are the needs of our parish and the larger community in the coming years? How will we at Holy Cross answer the Holy Father s call? A facilitated meeting of ministry co-chairs and parish staff was held in January to start the visioning process. Now, three dates have been set aside for parish-wide Town Hall meetings to answer the question: What should Holy Cross be or look like five years from now? Our goal is to articulate a written Vision Statement to help guide future planning. Please set aside one of these dates and join with us as we work together to continue to achieve the ideals that were set out in our Mission Statement by the founding members of this holy community. Join us for hospitality. Join us in prayer. Join with us to share our needs and hopes and ideas. We -- together-- are the future of Holy Cross. Saturday, March 5th following the 5 PM Mass (6 PM 8 PM with a light dinner) Sunday, April 3rd following the 11:30 AM Mass (12:30 PM 2:30 PM with a bagel brunch) Monday, May 9th at 7 PM (7 PM 9 PM with coffee and cake) Please check the bulletin for invitations to each event. 5

6 PARISH MISSION STATEMENT With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the people of the Parish of the Holy Cross will strive to work together to achieve the following ideals: To create an environment of Hospitality where all people of every age, sex and background are always welcomed and treated with the dignity of a child of God. A welcoming environment will foster a sense of belonging and will encourage ownership, responsibility, and empowerment as these principles relate to the life of the parish. A spirit of hospitality will also support a sense of acceptance. Gifts will always be valued and encouraged, shortcomings forgiven and spirits healed. To create an environment of Growth where renewal and enrichment are encouraged on a personal, spiritual, and relational level through liturgy, prayer, spiritual exercises, education, and fellowship. To create an environment of Service where the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of the community and those beyond the parish are responded to in a compassionate, non-judgmental manner. To create an environment where Love of God and Love of Community are fostered, where relationship with God and relationship with our brothers and sisters are intertwined, where Worship and Service in the name of God go hand in hand. ******Visioning 2016****** As a follow up to last year s parish survey, Fr. Michael and the Pastoral Team would like you to answer the question: What should the Parish of the Holy Cross look like or be five years from now? Through consultation with a group of parishioners who were instrumental in its founding, it became clear that decisions of this magnitude have always been made as a community. Please join us for a Town Hall style meeting so that your voice can be heard. If you are able to attend our first event, please fill in the tear-off below, so that we may properly prepare. Names are not necessary just numbers attending. You may place the tear-off in one of the baskets on the bulletin tables. If you are unable to attend on March 5th, please check future bulletins for invitations to our April 3rd and May 9th gatherings. I/We will attend on Sat., March 5, after 5:00PM Mass, with a light dinner from 6 8 PM Number of people 6

7 PARISH OUTREACH Eat Simply Ideas Here are some ideas to consider using for your family s participation in our Eat Simply program. We welcome you to share how your family is finding ways to sacrifice this Lent. To include ideas or recipes in future bulletins, please to hcoutreach@optonline.net. If you give up sweets for Lent, donate the money saved so that we can purchase cookies and snacks for a family. Discuss what a simple meal means in your household. Is it soup and bread? Is it a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Our simple meals can be a gourmet feast for some families struggling to make ends meet. Rather than having your Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts coffee, make your morning coffee at home. The money you donate could buy a can of coffee for a family. Use coupons when you shop and donate the money that you saved. Make a large pot of soup to eat for two nights. If you go out to dinner, have coffee and dessert at home and donate what it would have cost you at the restaurant. Envelopes are available on the bulletin tables; you may return your envelope in the basket on the pillar by the Altar or in the collection basket. Thank you so much for prayerfully participating in our Eat Simply program, so that others may simply eat! Food Pantry Next Saturday and Sunday, March 5/6 will be our monthly Food Drive for our Parish Outreach Pantry. The following items would be most helpful: Healthy Cereals, Oatmeal Peanut Butter Jelly Boxed Rice, Boxed Potatoes No canned vegetables are needed at this time. Please check expiration dates! It will greatly assist the volunteers who stack the pantry with your donated goods. Thank you! 7 Macaroni & Cheese Cookies, Crackers, Snacks Canned Fruit Paper Towels, Toilet Paper, Tissues

8 PARISH OUTREACH LONG ISLAND CARES FOOD DRIVE Who are the hungry on Long Island? We share some facts compiled by Long Island Cares: Approximately 283,700 people on L.I. receive emergency food each year that s 64,900 every week. 39% of Long Islanders who receive emergency food are children under 18 years old. Nearly half - 48% - receiving emergency food assistance are the working poor, households that include at least one employed adult. Nearly half report having to choose between paying the rent or utilities and paying for food. The elderly make up 4% of Long Island s hungry. Some of the reasons for this are: not having enough income to afford nutritious food; suffering from depression and loneliness; experiencing the side effects of medications. Many are too proud to request help. About 6% of Long Islanders receiving food assistance are homeless and are made up of individuals who are the victims of abuse. Many of these individuals are also mentally, physically, emotionally or socially disabled and face limited employment opportunities. Food banks are by far the single most important source of food for agencies with emergency food providers, accounting for 69% of food distributed by pantries, 39% of the food distributed by soup kitchens and 45% of the food distributed by shelters. As we have done for the last few years during Lent and as part of our Baptismal call to live out the Beatitudes, our parish will sponsor a food drive on behalf of Long Island Cares. Long Island Cares is an organization that collects and delivers food to more than 300 community-based agencies in Nassau and Suffolk. In a typical year, it distributes over 2 million pounds of food. Please bring your non-perishable food items to Mass on the weekend of March 12/13th and place in the barrels in the Atrium. We thank you for being a community that consistently stocks our own food pantry, reaches out to our surrounding communities and finds ways to assist our global family (through Heifer International). 8

9 Hi Everyone! Here is a picture of the Youth Group helping out at the Nesconset Nursing Home. The teens did an amazing job giving the residents inspiration during this Lenten season. Are you in high school? Do you want to make new friends as you play fun games and activities? Do you want to build more of an understanding about yourself and your faith? Then, check out the Holy Cross Youth Group! Here are our upcoming Youth Events: YOUTH MINISTRY Sunday, February 28: Youth Night, 6-8PM. Saturday - Sunday, March 5-6: 11:30AM Mass with the Youth Band & Youth Day Event 12:30-2:30 PM! There will be a Parent Retreat Meeting following Mass, 12:30-1PM. Also, the Youth Group has their Youth Bake Sale! / Retreat Donation Board this weekend! If you would like to support the Youth Group on their upcoming Spring Retreat, come and enjoy a baked good for a sweet cause! :-) So, if you are thinking about coming to the church to see what we are all about...do it! You will not regret it. Come with a friend or family member, and join us as we continue to grow in the endless love of Christ. If you have any questions or concerns, or if you are thinking about joining us, please do not hesitate to contact Sal Finocchiaro, the Coordinator of Youth Ministries at HCyouthgroup@hotmail.com, or call the parish office. Women s Retreat The women of Holy Cross are planning a Retreat at the Bishop Molloy Retreat Center: March 11-13, 2016 A Journey Worth Taking We will trust the Holy Spirit as guide while we reflect on our life s journey and our destiny. If you would like to attend or if you have any questions, please contact Barbara at Join us for our next Men s Fellowship meeting on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at 9AM in the Fr. Joe Room, where we will read and discuss Scripture readings of the coming week and talk about matters of interest to the group.

10 CASH CALENDAR More Chances this Month to Win Big Prizes!!! 10

11 MEETINGS THIS WEEK Saturday, February 27th WOMEN S ENRICHMENT Sunday, February 28th 10:00 AM Fr. Joe Room 1:00 PM BAPTISMS Worship Area YOUTH NIGHT 6-8PM Atrium Monday, February 29th 1:1 CLASS PARISH MISSION Tuesday, March 1st PARISH MISSION Wednesday, March 2nd SENIORS PARISH MISSION Thursday, March 3rd RCIA PARISH MISSION Saturday, March 5th 5:00-6:00 PM All Areas 7:30PM Worship Area 7:30PM Worship Area 11 AM-2:30 PM Atrium 7:30PM Worship Area 7:00 PM Conference Rm. 7:30PM Worship Area 9:00 AM MEN S FELLOWSHIP Fr. Joe Room HOLY HOUR FOR PEACE 3:45-4:45PM Worship Area LEVEL 8 LETTERS TO PASTOR 5PM Worship Area RCIA DISMISSAL Sacristy K OF C DANCE TICKET SALE Atrium TOWN HALL MEETING 6PM Atrium Sunday, March 6th All Masses LEVEL 8 LETTERS TO PASTOR Worship Area K OF C DANCE TICKET SALE Atrium GIRL SCOUT SUNDAY 9:30AM Worship Area ANOINTING OF THE SICK Worship Area YOUTH DAY 12:30-2:30PM Atrium Special Collection Next weekend at the Offertory we will also be collecting for Catholic Relief Services. CRS works with organizations around the world to help poor and vulnerable people overcome emergencies, earn a living through agriculture and access affordable health care. COMMUNITY NEWS Knights of Columbus Save the Date! The Knights of Columbus of Holy Cross and St. James Church invite all parishioners and friends to join them for a dinner dance on: March 19, PM 10PM St. James R.C. Church, Setauket The evening includes dinner, music, wine, soda and beer. Cost is $25/person. Tickets will be on sale in the Holy Cross Atrium the weekends of March 5/6 and 12/13. Join us for a fun evening! DIOCESE OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE Golden Wedding Jubilee This spring, couples who have been married fifty years or more will be honored at liturgies on Sunday, April 10 at the Church of St. Lawrence the Martyr in Sayville and on Sunday, April 24 at the Church of Maria Regina in Seaford. Both liturgies will begin at 2:30 PM. Couples may register for one liturgy. Registration forms and complete instructions can be obtained at your parish office. Registration must be received by the Office of Worship by March 25 for the April 10 liturgy and by April 8 for the April 24 liturgy. If you have any questions, please call x

12 12