Our Lady of Health Syro Malabar Catholic Forane Church 201 N. University Drive, Coral Springs, FL 33071 Vol. 13 N0. 50 Website: www.syromalabarflorida.org Email: info@syromalabarflorida.org Vicar: Rev. Fr. Thomas Kadukapillil Phone: (908) 235-8449 E-mail: Kadukappilly@yahoo.com Rectory/Office Address: 217 NW 95th Terr. Coral Springs, FL 33071 Phone / Fax: 954 227 6985 Mass Schedule 7:00 AM, & 8:30AM Holy Qurbana in Malayalam 10:30AM Mass in English for CCD Children Week Day Masses Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays: 6:15PM- Holy Mass Wednesdays: St Joseph s Novena after the Holy Mass All Fridays: 6:00-7:00 Confessions 6:30PM- Evening Prayer and Rosary, 7:00PM-Holy Mass. Saturdays: 8:30AM- Rosary and Morning Prayer 9:00AM- Holy Mass and Novena of our Lady. (No Mass on Tuesdays) Third Sunday of Annunciation December 16, 2018
Vicar: Rev. Fr. Thomas Kadukapillil Phone: (908) 235-8449 E-mail: Kadukappilly@yahoo.com Pastoral Assistance: Sr. Jolly Maria SABS 954 600 7569 Sr. Elsa SABS 954 826 4964 Convent: 954-323 8373 Pastoral Council Jose Chazhoor Joy Kuttiyani Parish Kaikkarans- Antony Thottathil 954 579 3743 Binoy George 954 529 4117 Sakaria P. Chacko 305 803 9248 & Manoj Abraham 305 781 4127 Indian Catholic Association President-Benny Parathalakal 954 849 0084 Secretary-Gijo John 954 465 5771 Parish Youth Committee Arya Aranchery, Riya Babu, Joel Joy, Anjana Deepu, Dhiya Denny, Evelin Bennis, Sneha Joseph & Angely Mathew CCD Coordinator Kevin Angadiath: (954) 309 8215 Adult Choir Coordinators Elsy Vathielil & Joby Thundathil (954) 757 5450 Youth Choir Coordinator John J. Angadiath- (954) 309-7533 Siji Dennis Angel Choir Coordinators Saji Nelson Shibi George Family Coordinators Sunny & Valsa MathruSangam Coordinators Jessy Parathundil, Asha Johnson, July Tonson, Dr. Rose Joseph, Shini Jithesh & Mary Nicholas Syro Malabar Catholic Congress President Mathew Poovan 754368 0259 Secretary Jimmy Jose 954 309 5783 St. Vincent de Paul Society President : Mathew K Valloor (954) 907 9659 Board: Jose Rathappallil, Jimmy Emmanuel & Jose Prakash Web Administrator: Janeev Immanuel Jithesh Joseph josephjithesh@gmail.com Bulletin Editor: Lukose Pynumkan (561) 271 6888 Email: pynumkan@hotmail.com Pynumkan@gmail.com JOHN THE BAPTIST Message from Vicariachan He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. John1:27 My dear Children, Brothers and Sisters in Christ. John the Baptist was cousin of Jesus, born a few months before him. His father Zechariah filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the prophecy - John was the one called to make sure everyone was ready when the coming of promised Savior. He will go before the Lord to prepare His ways. John grew and became strong in spirit. He lived in the wilderness preaching the word of God. He had eaten locust and wild honey and his clothing was made of camel hair. He was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel. He knew he had to prepare for the Savior s coming, and make sure all the people were ready. John provided excellent witness to the nature of Jesus Christ. As he began to generate attention, and asked to ascertain his identity, John stated that he was not the promised Messiah. Rather, he was the fulfillment of Isaiah s prophecy, the voice of preparation for the arrival of God in the flesh. He said that he was unworthy either to carry Jesus sandals or to unloose the thongs. John characterized Jesus as the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. John preached about the coming kingdom and the need to repent. His message of repentance entailed a deep consciousness of offense to God within the sinner s heart, with a required reformation of life. John s baptism involved confession of sin and the forgiveness. When he saw superficial Hebrews submitting to his immersion, without of any radical change of conduct, he rebuked them. The approach of the Kingdom of Heaven called forth repentance in the day of John the Baptist, as it does today. When we prepare for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ, let us repent and leave our sins behind and seeking His glory. God s blessings upon you! Fr. Thomas Kadukapillil, Vicariachan DATE/DAY THIRD SUNDAY OF ANNUNCIATION BIBLE READINGS FOR DECEMBER 16-23, 2018 FEAST/CELEBRATION 1ST READING: OLD TESTAMENT 12/16/2018-SUN Third Sunday of Gen. 18:1-10/ Annunciation Judges 13:2-24 12/23/2018-SUN Fourth Sunday Gen. 24:50-67/ of Annunciation 1Samuel 1:1-18 2 2ND READING: EPISTYLES Ephesians 3:1-13 HOLY GOSPEL Luke 1:57-66 12/17/2018-MON 1Cor. 5:1-8 Luke 6:43-45 12/18/2018-TUE The Miraculous Exodus 17:4-6/ Cross at Mylapore Acts 2:29-36 Eph. 2:14-22 John 14:1-6 12/19/2018-WED 1Thess. 2:13-17 Luke 16:10-13 12/20/2018-THU Gala. 3:26-29 Luke 1:67-79 12/21/2018-FRI Colo. 1:10-16 Mark 1:1-8 12/22/2018-SAT Gala. 1:11-17 John 3:31-36 Ephesians 5:5-21 Matthew 1:18-24
CCD Corner SAINT OF THE WEEK By Fr. Thomas Kadukappillil Relieve the troubles of my heart and bring me out of my distress. Psalm 25.17 SAINT OLYMPIAS the Deaconess Feast day December 17 Olympias was born in Constantinople to very distinguished parents. Her father, Anysius Secundus, was a senator and her mother was the daughter of the famous nobleman Eulavius who is mentioned in the biography of St. Nicholas the Wonder-worker. When St. Olympias was still very young, her parents betrothed her to a nobleman. The marriage was supposed to take place when St. Olympias reached the age of maturity. However, the bridegroom died, and St. Olympias did not wish to enter into another marriage. The emperor and the other relatives pressured Olympias to enter into another marriage, but in vain. She refused them and devoted herself to God. The Deaconess: She inherited great wealth upon the death of her parents, which she began to distribute to the needy, the poor, the orphaned and the widowed. She also gave generously to churches, monasteries, hospices and shelters for the poor and homeless. In the fourth century, Patriarch Nectarius made St. Olympias a deaconess. She fulfilled her service honorably and without reproach. Serving the Church and community: St. Olympias provided great assistance to the hierarchs who came to Constantinople. She did not regard her wealth as her own but rather God s, and she distributed not only to good people, but also to her enemies. Olympias also constructed a hospital and orphanage near the convent. She regularly provided hospitality to Christian leaders from all over the East, including Gregory of Nyssa. St. John Chrysostom had high regard for St. Olympias, showing her good will and spiritual love. When he was unjustly banished, St. Olympias was deeply upset. Leaving the church for the last time, he called out to St. Olympias and the other deaconesses saying that the matters incited against him would come to an end, but scarcely more would they see him. He asked them not to abandon the Church, but to continue serving it under his successor. Summoned for trial: After St. John Chrysostom s banishment, someone set fire to a large church, and after this a large part of the city burned down. St. John Chrysostom s supporters came under suspicion, and they were summoned for interrogation. St. Olympias was summoned for trial and was rigorously interrogated. She was fined a large sum of money for the crime of arson, despite her innocence and the lack of evidence against her. Afterwards, she left Constantinople and traveled to Kyzikos on the Sea of Marmara (in present day Turkey). However, her enemies did not cease their persecution. In 405, she was sentenced to prison at Nicomedia, where she underwent much grief and deprivation. Saint Olympias entered eternal rest: In 409, St. Olympias entered eternal rest. Afterwards, St. Olympias appeared in a dream to the Bishop of Nicomedia and commanded that her body be placed in a wooden coffin and cast into the sea. Wherever the waves carry the coffin, there let my body be buried, she told him. The coffin was brought by the waves to a place named Brokthoi (Vrocthee), a suburban shore near Constantinople, where there existed a church dedicated to the Apostle Thomas. The inhabitants, informed of this by God, took the holy relics of St. Olympias and placed them in the church of the Holy Apostle Thomas. Miracles and healings from the relics of Saint Olympias: Under Patriarch Sergius, the relics were transferred to Constantinople and put in the women s monastery founded by St. Olympias. Many miracles and healings occurred from her relics. Olympias is one of the 140 Colonnade saints which adorn Saint Peter's Square. 3
Genesis 18:1-10 1 The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oak of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot. 2Looking up, he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them; and bowing to the ground, 3he said: Sir, if it please you, do not go on past your servant. 4Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest under the tree. 5Now that you have come to your servant, let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves; and afterward you may go on your way. Very well, they replied, do as you have TODAY S READINGS said. 6Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, Quick, three measures of bran flour! Knead it and make bread. 7He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it. 8Then he got some curds and milk, as well as the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them, waiting on them under the tree while they ate. 9 Where is your wife Sarah? they asked him. There in the tent, he replied. 10One of them said, I will return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son. Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, just behind him Judges 13:2-7, 24 2There was a certain man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites, * whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren and had borne no children. 3 An angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her: Though you are barren and have had no children, you will conceive and bear a son. 4 Now, then, be careful to drink no wine or beer and to eat nothing unclean, 5for you will conceive and bear a son. No razor shall touch his head, for the boy is to be a nazirite for God * from the womb. It is he who will begin to save Israel from the power of the Philistines. 6The woman went and told her husband, A man of God came to me; he had the appearance of an angel of God, fearsome indeed. I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name. 7But he said to me, You will conceive and bear a son. So drink no wine or beer, and eat nothing unclean. For the boy shall be a nazirite for God from the womb, until the day of his death. 24The woman bore a son and named him Samson, and when the boy grew up the LORD blessed him. Ephesians 3:1-13 1Because of this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ [Jesus] for you Gentiles 2if, as I suppose, you have heard of the stewardship of God s grace that was given to me for your benefit, 3[namely, that] the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly earlier. 4When you read this you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5which was not made known to human beings in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, 6that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7Of this I became a minister by the gift of God s grace that was granted me in accord with the exercise of his power. 8To me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ, 9and to bring to light [for all] what is the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past in God who created all things, 10so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the principalities and authorities in the heavens. 11This was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12in whom we have boldness of speech and confidence of access through faith in him. 13So I ask you not to lose heart over my afflictions for you; this is your glory. Luke 1:57-66 57When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, 60but his mother said in reply, No. He will be called John. 61But they answered her, There is no one among your relatives who has this name. 62So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. 63He asked for a tablet and wrote, John is his name, and all were amazed. 64Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. 65Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. 66All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, What, then, will this child be? For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. 4
On December 09, 2018 Sunday in a surprise function, the Parish Council, on behalf of Our Lady of Health Church, recognized and honored the services rendered by Jose Vadaparambil (Church yard maintenance), Lukose Pynumkan (Bulletin Editor for the last 14 years), Mathew Thuruthumalil, Mathew Kurian and other Alter Servers. The Church Calendar for the year 2019, sponsored by Thomas Pullatt and Baby Varkey, was released by Rev. Fr. Thomas on December 09, 2018. In the picture above, Vicariachan is presenting a copy to Thomas Pullatt. The calendars will be distributed to Parish Member families during Christmas Carol this month. 5
Pictures from the exposition of Relics of St. Anthony of Padua on December 07, 2018 at Our Lady of Health Church (Photo Courtesy: Helen Sebastian) Gospel Reflections December 16, 2018 Today s Gospel (Luke 1: 57-66) was mainly about the birth of John. The birth of John was a remarkable event in the bible that included three distinct features. The first part was how the old had given birth. When the time came for Elizabeth to give birth to her son, all her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy towards her. They all shared the happy news with her. God s mercy and love can be seen with Elizabeth and Zechariah. The second part was the naming of John. Naming a child was usually associated with circumcision. Law-abiding Jews would name their child at the time of circumcision. Many people wanted the child to be named Zechariah, since children were named after fathers and grandfathers. Elizabeth rejected this request and decided to name her child John. The choice of her name expresses Elizabeth s obedience to the angel and God. Sometimes, in our own lives, it is important to go the way of God and not through our friends. As the crowds protested, people asked Zechariah what the name of the child should be. Zechariah was deaf, but he answered the way of God and not by customs. This leads to the third part of the gospel. Immediately, Zechariah s mouth was opened, his tongue was freed, and he spoke the blessings of God. Zechariah s obedience to the angel gave him a special reward. The main takeaway of the gospel is the importance of obedience. In our own lives, God has a plan for us. Sometimes we may not like this plan, but by being obedient to God, we may receive graces in our life. Going in the direction of God s call means going against today s culture. Just like Zechariah and Elizabeth, let us try to be obedient to our parents and God s call. -Brian Johny 6
December 14 and 21 Fridays Holy Mass will be in the morning at 9.00am, due to Caroling. All other days as usual. December 16, 2018 Sunday: CCD Exams. December 22 Saturday: Breakfast with Santa after the Holy Mass at 9:00am. Confession from 10.30am to 1230pm and 3.00pm to 5.00pm February 17, 2019- Family Night. Please see below for details and reserve the date. Diocesan Appeal envelope to be returned with your contribution at Carol. With deep sorrow all are informed of the sad demise of of K S BABY(70), Kallidukil Thodupuzha, brother of Babu Kallidukil (ward 9) on December 10, 2018 in Kerala. Rev. Fr. Thomas Kadukapillil, Vicar and the Parish community of Our Lady of Health extend prayers for the departed souls and heart felt sympathy and condolences to the grieving family members. 7