St. Veronica Church 4215 Route 9, Howell, NJ 07731 732-363-4200 www.stveronica.com Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time February 12, 2017 Pastoral Staff Pastor Father Pastor Vincent T. Euk Father Vincent T. Euk Parochial Vicar Fr. Parochial Vicente Vicar Magdaraog Fr. Vicente Magdaraog Weekend Assistant Fr. Weekend Bill O Brien Assistant Fr. Bill O Brien Deacons Tom Deacons Cechulski, Sr. Charles Gene F. R. Moir, Daye Sr., Jr. John James Franey Littlefield Gino Tomasz (Louis) Cechulski Esposito Charles R. Daye Jr. School John Franey Principal Sister Gino (Louis) Cherree Esposito Power, C.R. Religious School Principal Education Sr. Sister Ann Cherree Norton, Power, D.R.E. C.R. Linda Clayton Religious Education Business Brenda Heffernan, Manager D.R.E. Deacon Lauren Gino DeMaio, Esposito C.R.E. Parish Administrator Director Leonard P. of Weg Music Emer O Mahony Director of Music Youth Nancy Ministry Condardo Coordinator Sister Ann Norton Director of ACTS Phone Deacon Tom Contacts Cechulski Rectory 732-363-4200 Bozena Cechulski Convent 732-364-2361 School 732-364-4130 Coordinator of Youth Religious Ministry Education Deacon John Franey 732-364-4137 Rectory Phone Contacts Fax 732-370-3891 Rectory 732-363-4200 Rectory Office Hours: Convent 732-364-2361 M-F 9:00-4:30 PM School 732-364-4130 Second & Fourth Saturday Religious Education 9AM 12:30 PM 732-364-4137 Baptisms: Cafeteria 732-364-9455 Every 2nd and 4th Sunday ACTS Office 732-364- of each month,. 2936 Fax 732-370-3891 Weekend Masses: Saturdays: 4:00 5:00 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 third Tuesday at at 7:30PM 8PM. Sacrament Sacrament of Reconciliation of Reconciliation Saturdays Saturdays from 4:00 from to 4:45PM 3:00 to or 3:45PM call to schedule and before an each appointment Sunday Mass with a priest.
Mass Intentions for this Week February 12, 2017 MONDAY 7:20 Sr. Roberta Mozdziak... Bob & Terri Haemmerle 12:00 Vickie Forlenza... Pauline & John Horne SATURDAY 8:00 AM Richard Laino... Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Napolitano 4:00PM Angela Bettyas...Tom & Pat Gillis TUESDAY.Sts. Cyril, monk & Methodius, b. 7.20 Kristen Butterfield... Mark & Karen Bonjavanni 12:00 Thomas & Frances Finnegan... Weg Children WEDNESDAY 7:20 Sam Fonte... Karen & Mark Bonjavanni 12:00 Frank DiGiovanni...Deacon Gino & Rosaria Esposito THURSDAY 7:20 Kenneth Lutz, Sr Joann Lamaruggine 12:00 Francisco Rotta.Deacon Gino & Rosaria Esposito FRIDAY 7:20 Rodney Norton.Ilene & Jillian 12:00 Vickie Forlenza.....Ed & Mary Althaver Events for this coming Week SUNDAY 7:30 For the People of the Parish 9:00 Frances Stoughton... Pat & Nick Pandalfo 10:30 Int. of Kaitlyn Reiff... Christa McCauslin 12:00 Joan D Addessa... Susan & Vinny Lucante 5:00 Mary Ingram... MMS Kitchen Staff Sanctuary Candle Week of February 12, 2017 Int. of Gino & Rosaria Esposito.John & Maryann Butterfield Chapel Candles Week of February 12, 2017 In memory of Ann Delaney....Deacon Gino & Rosaria See our website www.stveronica.com Sacrificial Offering Update Last Week s Offering: $18,648.00 Special Collection: $3887.00 Thank you for your continued support. Readings for the Week of February 12, 2017 Monday: Gn 4:1-15, 25/Ps 50:1, 8, 16bc-17, 20-21/Mk 8:11-13 Tuesday: Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10/Ps 29:1a, 2, 3ac-4, 3b, 9c-10/Mk 8:14-21 Wednesday: Gn 8:6-13, 20-22/Ps 116:12-15, 18-19/Mk 8:22-26 Thursday: Gn 9:1-13/Ps 102:16-21, 29, 22-23/Mk 8:27-33 Friday: Gn 11:1-9/Ps 33:10-15/Mk 8:34 9:1 Saturday: Heb 11:1-7/Ps 145:2-5, 10-11/Mk 9:2-13 Next Sunday: Lv 19:1-2, 17-18/Ps 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13/1 Cor 3:16-23/Mt 5:38-48
Pastor s Notes Sirach reminds us that God knows everything. Whatever actions we do, He knows exactly what our motives and circumstances are. Because of our fallen nature, we try to justify our deeds, but God has clearly told us what we are required to do. He does not give license to our sinfulness. We have the gift of free choice only to do good and not evil. He has spelled out for us Catholics the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes and the Precepts of the Church (CCC 2041-2043). The Gospel is from Jesus Sermon on the Mount. It shows how demanding God is of us. In fulfilling the Law, Jesus is now not only demanding objective obedience, but also obedience in the heart. In other words, Jesus is asking us to retool our desires to fashion His way of thinking. Only through the supernatural assistance of Baptism, Penance and the Holy Eucharist can we achieve these demands. Without this assistance, it is impossible to meet what He wants of us. To teach our children less will also place a severe penalty on us. It is not enough to choose not to kill our enemies or those whom we dislike. The dignity of man is so great that being unreconciled with our neighbor is the same as being unreconciled with God. The paradox in the spiritual life is that the one most likely to help us is our enemy or those whom we dislike. These people are messengers sent to reveal and expose those areas of our hidden self where rage and fury lurk. These messengers lead us to that place in our heart where we and our enemies are one. In sin we stand before the Cross and in reconciliation we are showered with Divine love, mercy and forgiveness. Gehenna, the local smoldering garbage dump outside of Jerusalem, is a symbol of hell. Jesus uses exaggeration to get His point across. While we are forbidden to destroy healthy organs, Jesus exaggerates the deadliness of mortal sin. Adultery in one s heart is a very significant term. Jesus is telling us that we must control our fallen instincts and tendencies to avoid the pains of hell. He demands a perfection in our behavior that is impossible to achieve unless we rely on His supernatural powers to assist us. These powers will only come if we remain in the state of grace. But do not expect the temptations to disappear. We are stuck with temptations as long as we live in this present life. Our past sins can make this a very difficult task. This is why we promote Catholic education to cultivate our young in virtue so they will be less inclined to fall into these traps. In this passage Jesus points out two spiritual killers pornography and masturbation. These two sins are the seed bed for adultery in the heart. Jesus refines the indissolubility of marriage. When a couple makes a covenant in marriage before God, it is unbreakable. Marriage is a Sacrament which places demands on us of mutually exclusive fidelity, a commitment for life and the possibility of sharing these stabilizing factors with the gift of children. In our frail human condition, we need the supernatural power of God to survive the challenges of the present secular world which is destabilizing the first Sacrament God gave us in Genesis (Gn 2:24). In our secular society many young people, caught in the vices of free speech, easily develop a distorted view of Marriage, leaving them in confusion. While there is no sin in being divorced, there may be sins that lead to divorce. Divorced people can receive Communion provided they be in the state of grace. Jesus says that it is adultery for divorced people to remarry, without annulment. In the case of cohabitation it is forbidden to take Holy Communion unless, with permission of the Bishop, they choose to live as brother and sister for the rest of their lives and in a way that prevents scandal. Jesus points out that divorce for lewd conduct is possible. The Greek word, porneia, means an incestuous union. This is often translated as lewd conduct. Some marriages can be found to be defective for various reasons and they can be declared invalid after a careful examination by judges on a Church tribunal. Consulting a priest can help civilly divorced people to see if they qualify for an annulment. Jesus tells us that Christians do not need to take oaths because we must always speak the truth. Jesus says to say yes when we mean yes and no when we mean no. Christians are permitted to take oaths to acknowledge that they are bound by faithfulness to God to speak the truth. Christian morality poses requirements for a life lived in Christ. We are called to holiness, a life of struggle. This requires the supernatural means found in frequent sacramental confession and frequent reception of Holy Communion. Living in Christ will never be fully realized in this life, but it will be if and when we get to Heaven. In the mean time, God can give us great consolations when we realize that where we are weak, He personally steps into our lives and makes us strong. When we come to realize this, we begin to experience the joy that the world cannot give. Fr. Euk Scripture Meditation Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus presents two paths for us today: we can break his commandments or obey them. And the result corresponds to our choice. If we decide not to follow God s guidelines, we will not enjoy the fullness of the kingdom of heaven. But if we choose otherwise, eternity will look much brighter for us! Of course, it s easy to know in our minds what the right choice is. But putting this into practice is another matter. The commandments Jesus gives in today s Gospel are not easy to follow. He takes the ancient Ten Commandments to a deeper level of commitment. He says more than do not kill. Rather, do not even harbor anger in our hearts. He says more than do not commit adultery. Rather, do not even indulge in lustful thoughts. He says more than do not lie. Rather, do not even swear. Undoubtedly, Jesus is asking us to chart a challenging course. But he would not expect us to follow these directives if it were impossible to do so. And it s important to bear in mind that Jesus doesn t set high standards to test or punish us. His love for us is at the root of everything he teaches us. Following these commandments, challenging though they may be, will in fact make us happier people, both now and in eternity! As with so many good things in life, committed effort on our part is necessary whether it be maintaining good health, accomplishing a certain skill, or earning a sought-after award. So too with a soul that is truly free. We need to exercise a life of virtue by taking the advice of Jesus Christ, the best life coach we could ever hope to have.
OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE Please Pray for Our Sick Tom Lovito Lorraine Groh Marjorie Paulmann Mark Stoughton Vinny Placanica Mia Castellan Michael Kuras Susan Termine Connie Camilleri Erin Haber Jan Fleming Elzbieth Jagoda Paula Baiga Diane Cudhedy Bonnie Yuro Bob Yuro Michael Connolly Joe Oates Jane Oates Ann Donovan John Kerod Robert Farrell Christine Clements John Rodrigues Cathy Forman Ed Kelly Dennis Hayward Kathy Hayward Claire Archer Vincenzo Centineo Greg Mador Brayden Walton Victoria Burke Robert O Malley Sr. Karen D Souza-Casiero Mary Althaver Gianna Faith Malen Debbie Mossa Kevin Corcoran Barbara Sewing Rose Perrotta Sharon Calabria Nicole Kessner Joanne Oates Carmen Devone Please Pray for our Parishioners Serving our Country: Sgt. Sean T. Curran Sgt. Brennan Six PV2 William Wotton GSMI Sandro Farduchi Sgt. Krystyna Cechulski Capt. Julio Collazos S.R. Steven Brennan Sgt. Gregory Hiller Corp. Ethan Bolger PFC Zackary Burkey Sgt. Luke Wlodkowski 1st Lt. Robert F. Farrell 1st Lt. Ash Young Sgt. Paul Coyle LCDR Matthew W. Smith Church and Chapel Sanctuary Candles If you would like to donate a Sanctuary Candle for a loved one, please contact the rectory office (732-363- 4200). Candles will be in memory of or intentions of the named individual for one week (Sunday to Saturday) and announced in our bulletin. Weekly Donation: Church Candle $15 Chapel Candles $20 (2). Baptism St. Veronica s Parish Family wishes to welcome those who have become members through the Sacrament of Baptism. Charlie Phoenix, son of Stephen & Christine Abbaticchio Willow Shea, daughter of Christopher & Allison Murphy Jenessa Emily, daughter of Jillian & Johnny Duprey Thank you for the gift of life! 2018 Mass Book Our 2018 Mass Book is now open. Limit 2 Masses per person Lecture on the Theology of the Body The lecture series will take place on Sundays at 6:30 PM in the narthex. The topics are as follows: 2/12 Reductive Aspects of Concupiscence 2/19 The Moral Aspects of Desire 2/26 Heretical Thinking Regarding Human Sexuality St. Veronica Presents: High School Youth Ministry!! Every other Sunday. Time: Begins with 5PM Sunday Mass, followed by dinner and activities in the school cafeteria, ending at 9:00PM. Age Group: Grades 8 through 12 Grow in Catholic discipleship while enjoying fun activities, serving others and meeting new people. There is no cost, but you must be registered to attend. Please download forms at stveronica.com and return them to the parish office or to Sr. Ann in the Religious Ed office. New members always welcome. Next Meeting is February 12th. St. Veronica presents: Junior Youth Ministry! Beginning: Friday, March 3, 2017 One Friday per month Time: 7-9 PM Place: St. Veronica School Gym Age Group: Grades 5, 6, and 7 Grow in Catholic discipleship while enjoying fun activities, serving others, and meeting new people! There is no cost, but you must be registered to attend. Please download forms at stveronica.com and return them to the parish office or to Sr. Ann in the Religious Education office. The Diocesan Youth Conference (DYC), a yearly conference for the teens of the Diocese of Trenton, is an opportunity to encounter Jesus in a very real and dynamic way. Come and enjoy an exciting day with upbeat music, fellowship, talks, Adoration, Confession, and a closing Mass with our Bishop, David O Connell. When: Saturday, March 4th, 2017 Place: St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church, Hamilton, NJ Time: leaving St. Veronica at 9:30AM and returning at 7PM. Age Group: Grades 8 to 12 Cost: $30 per Teen (includes transportation and lunch) To register, please contact Sr. Ann Elizabeth at 732-364-4137 or sr.ann@stveronica.com. Teens must be registered by March 1st, 2017. Faith to Move Mountains Update On Behalf of Fr. Euk, we would like to thank you for your support and contribution to the Faith to Move Mountains Campaign. The total amount pledged by our parishioners was $850,216.00, Congratulations! This week we received a rebate check in the amount of $53,989.00, which represents 30% of the paid pledges to date. Your generous support makes it possible for us to reduce old debt owed to the Diocese, while continuing to make our community a great place to live and worship. Thank you and God Bless, ~ Deacon Gino
Our Lady Undoer of Knots Please join us for the next rosary and novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots on Friday, February 17, 2017, at 6:30PM in the narthex of St. Veronica s Church. All are welcome. If interested, please call Sheila Maloney at 732-364-5566 so enough materials will be available. Thanks and we hope to see you then! St. Veronica Healing Mass Feb. 21, 2017-7:30 PM Exodus 15:26 - For, I, the Lord, Am your healer Come join us; pray for the healing for yourself, family and friends. Celebrant: Fr. Jeff Kegley Catholic Men for Jesus Christ Conference Attention men! Catholic Men for Jesus Christ will host their 20 th Annual Men s Conference on Saturday, February 25, at St. Joseph Parish in Toms River. This is the oldest and largest Catholic men s conference in New Jersey and you don t want to miss it. The theme of this year s conference is Into the Breach. Come join your brothers in the diocese to hear top-notch, inspirational speakers and enjoy fellowship with other men who are looking to grow in their walk with Jesus and dynamically live out their Catholic faith. For more info please see www.catholicmenforjesuschrist.org Race For Life The Knights of Columbus Council 6201 of Jackson & Howell will be holding their 17 th Annual Race for Life Benefit. The event, to be held at the Council home on Bartley Road in Jackson on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at 11 AM, is run to benefit local victims of cancer and their families. Every year, this fundraiser is held during the broadcast of the Daytona 500 NASCAR Race. There will be a gift auction, 50/50 s, door prizes, kids games, cash bar and plenty of food. Adults $12, Children 12-18 $6 and children under 12 free. This year s recipient is 3 year old Mia who was diagnosed with T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at 15 mos. old. She recently had a bone marrow transplant and will receive another one in February. Come down and help make a difference in this little girl s life. Holy Land Pilgrimage Msgr. Peter Kochery once again will be leading us on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Please save the dates: Oct. 23rd Nov. 1st 2017. The cost is $3000 pp double occupancy. Health insurance included. For more info contact Deacon Tom at 732-610-5434 or 3marysway@optonline.net Adoration Chapel " Through Perpetual Adoration a Parish gives the King all the love He truly deserves. Perpetual Adoration is the Divine romance between Jesus and His people." Fr. Martin Lucia Help us at St. Veronica maintain perpetual adoration by signing up for any hour. Hours Urgently Needed: Sunday noon and 5PM Monday 4PM, 1AM, 7AM Thursday 5PM Friday 7PM Saturday 6PM Contact Debbie drev514@aol.com or leave message 732 367-7750. Health Care Proxies (End of Life Decisions) Father Euk will be giving a talk on Health Care Proxies in the Narthex at 1:30 PM this Saturday, Feb. 18th. All are welcome. St. Veronica s Parish Lenten Mission What does the Holy Trinity have to do with you? Why and how is it misunderstood today? Why and when was it misunderstood in the past? Why has the doctrine lasted? Why is it important to us and to the world today? Are there any hints in the Old Testament about the Trinity? Why did Jesus refer to the First Person as Father? What was fatherhood like in the days of Jesus... what is it like today? How does Jesus illustrate the nature of his Father? What are we to understand about this teaching? How is it relevant to us today? Come to the Parish Mission at St. Veronica to gain insight into these questions. March 5-8, 2017. Save the Date!! St. Veronica Vacation Bible School Monday July 10th through Friday July 14th.Diocese of Trenton s Young Adult Night Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing 1Thes 5:11 Dinner/Fellowship/Praise and Worship Feb. 17, 2017 6PM to 10PM Monmouth University Catholic Student Center 16 Beechwood Ave., Long Branch, NJ. Let s come together as a group of new found friends and enjoy our lives, our faith and our existence in Christ!! Now that s how you spend a Friday night...with dinner of course!! For more info go to Dioceseoftrenton.org/yam
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