St. Veronica Church 4215 Route 9, Howell, NJ 07731 732-363-4200 www.stveronica.com Fourth Sunday of Lent March 15, 2015 Pastoral Staff Pastor Father Vincent T. Euk Parochial Vicar Fr. Vicente Magdaraog Weekend Assistant Fr. Bill O Brien Deacons Tom Gene Cechulski, F. Moir, Sr. Sr. Charles James Littlefield R. Daye, Jr. John Tomasz Franey Cechulski Gino Charles (Louis) R. Daye Esposito Jr. John Franey School Gino (Louis) Principal Esposito Sister Cherree Power, C.R. School Principal Religious Sister Cherree Education Power, C.R. Brenda Heffernan, D.R.E. Susan Religious Vella Education Parish Brenda Administrator Heffernan, D.R.E. Deacon Lauren Gino DeMaio, Esposito C.R.E. Director Parish Administrator of Music Nancy Leonard Condardo P. Weg Director of ACTS Deacon Director Tom of Music Cechulski Bozena Nancy Condardo Cechulski Coordinator of Youth Ministry Director of ACTS Deacon John Tom Franey Cechulski Bozena Cechulski Phone Contacts Rectory 732-363-4200 Coordinator of Youth Convent 732-364-2361 Ministry Deacon John Franey School 732-364-4130 Religious Phone Contacts Education 732-364-4137 Rectory 732-363-4200 Cafeteria 732-364-9455 Convent 732-364-2361 Fax 732-370-3891 School 732-364-4130 Religious Education Rectory Office Hours: 732-364-4137 M-F 9:00-4:30 PM Cafeteria 732-364-9455 Second & Fourth Saturday ACTS Office 732-364- 9AM 12:30 PM 2936 Fax 732-370-3891 Please join us for Stations of the Cross Friday Night 7:30PM 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 March 15, 2015 MONDAY 7:20 Holland Donan... Marion & Robert DeMatteo 12:00 Joan Imparato... Linda & Michael Bolch TUESDAY 7:20 John O Sullivan... John & Sheila McBride 12:00 Mary O Sullivan... John & Sheila McBride WEDNESDAY 7:20 Jack Cyran... Laura & Richard Africk 12:00 Debbie Sisk... Medina Family THURSDAY 7:20 Ira Owens... Bob & Diana Morris 12:00 Grandma Pauline... Weg Family FRIDAY 7:20 Charles Gagliardi....Rosenberg Family 12:00 Frances Butkus..Ornstein Family SATURDAY 8:00AM Int. of Catherine Reiff...McCauslin Family 4:00PM James McGuffie...Denise & Brian Curran SUNDAY 7:30 Alva Lauder..Daughter, Tracy 9:00 John Dobek... Wife & Sons 10:30 James McDevitt... Hyland Family 12:00 Josephine & John Cronin... O Doherty Family 5:00 PM For the People of the Parish Events for this coming Week See our website www.stveronica.com Sacrificial Offering Update Last Weeks Offering: $17,108.00 Thank you for you continued generosity. Readings for the Week of March 15, 2015 Sunday:... 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23/Eph 2:4-10/Jn 3:14-21 Monday:... Is 65:17-21/Jn 4:43-54 Tuesday:... Ez 47:1-9, 12/Jn 5:1-16 Wednesday:... Is 49:8-15/Jn 5:17-30 Thursday:2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16/Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22/Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a or Lk 2:41-51a Friday:... Wis 2:1a, 12-22/Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 Saturday:... Jer 11:18-20/Jn 7:40-53 Next Sunday:... Jer 31:31-34/Heb 5:7-9/Jn 12:20-33
Pastor s Notes The Chronicles are two books of the Bible which describe the succession of very brief reigns of kings who displeased God. Usually the corrupt kings were carried off and the people were not harmed. But in this instance, King Zedekiah also corrupted the people. The people became unfaithful to God by copying the shameful practices of the surrounding nations, especially idolatry even to the point of defiling the Temple of God in Jerusalem. While God continues to feel sorry for His people, His wrath finally falls upon their abstinence. Chaldeans invade and destroy the Temple and sack the City of Jerusalem. The surviving people are taken away to Babylon to be enslaved for 70 years, fulfilling Jeremiah s prophecy. After the 70 years a benevolent king, Cyrus, lets them return to Jerusalem where they started afresh in the ways of God. Jesus likens Himself to the bronze serpent lifted up in the desert. The people who were bitten by serpents got very sick and many of them started to die. Moses was instructed to make this bronze serpent for the people to look at and thus be spared death. Jesus is pointing out that if we look upon Him on the Cross, like the good thief, we too, in faith, can be cured of our sinfulness and gain salvation. But what kind of faith in Jesus do we have? Is it on our terms or His? Christ s self-surrender is a pressing call to us. He calls us to respond to Him in a similar fashion amid our everyday trials. But why do we choose not to respond to this love? Why do we do things that prevent us from reflecting on His love for us? Why do we continually walk away from our greatness, our human respect and our dignity? These are the gifts granted to us by the Redemption of Christ to be experienced now. Jesus demands that we have faith in Him. Faith brings us out of darkness into the wonderful light of Christ. We cannot undertake faith on our own. We need Christ to direct us and that direction comes from the Church. Otherwise we can just make up things for our convenience and deny ourselves our share in the Cross. As sinful as we are, it is incomprehensible how much God loves us despite it. His mercy is so easy to get by saying we are sorry for the evil we have done and are willing to try to stop doing that evil. We also come to recognize that we, by ourselves, cannot stop committing evil. We require God s grace and mercy to do it. The expression, there but for the grace of God go I bears this significance. We must cooperate with God s grace in order to stop sinning. This requires humility and lots of patience. Fr. Euk Scripture Meditation "But whoever lives the truth comes to the light." Think about the sun for a moment. The light from this gigantic celestial orb provides so many things for us. Most obviously, it provides brightness by which we see, by which we work, play, and navigate the world around us. It also provides the warmth necessary for our comfort and our survival. The sun sustains plant life, which in turn sustains our lives as well. It helps us mark the passing of time, the change of seasons, and the rhythm of every day. The sun is a tremendous gift from God, and our lives --just like our planet--quite literally revolve around it. When Jesus uses the image of light in today's Gospel, it may help us to understand him if we think of the sun. Just as this magnificent star nourishes our physical existence, so too Jesus, "the light [who] came into the world," nourishes our spiritual existence. He gives us the "brightness" to see the right choices in front of us through his teaching and his example. He warms our hearts through his mercy and forgiveness, changing our coldhearted sinfulness into burning charity. He sustains our spiritual lives by offering us the gift of salvation: eternal life in heaven that never sees death. And he helps us mark the passing of time as we grow ever closer to him, entering more and more deeply into the knowledge and love of our Lord. But of course, just as we are free to hide in a dark room with the shades drawn, so too we are free to "shade" ourselves from the light of Christ: "for everyone who does wicked things hates the light." To choose wickedness is to cut ourselves off not just from light, but from life. May we choose instead to stay always in the light of the Son. Third Friday Gathering This Friday, we will gather together for Stations of the Cross, in lieu of our regularly scheduled meeting.
OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE Please Pray for Our Sick Monica Drumm Tom Lovito Lorraine Groh Robert Sewing John Grad Mark Stoughton Michael Kuras Marge Koury Susan Termine Erin Haber Kathy Pfeifer Milly Wade Elaine Fiet Carol Gale Rita DiRienzo Denise Bergeron Cosmo Verdesco Joseph Neglia Kevin Corcoran Christopher Gatti Kenneth Morone Carmen DeVone Anne Biegen Michael Morse Vita O Kane Kenneth Vigilo Anthony Leone Theresa Norton Victoria Burke Alice Hanvey Summa Guzman Thomas DiPaolo Ross Johnson Jody Melano-Gomez Margorie Paulmann Matteo Coco Joey Weikel Paula Baiga Tessa Marie Eby Joe Cagiano Judy Silagi Patricia Kerod John Taverner Kristina Arcona Barbara Matuscak Raymond Poyer David Henriques Beverly Canzoneri Brian Fallen Michael Cohen Frances Dolan Please Pray for our Parishioners Serving our Country: LCpl. Sean T. Curran PV2 William Wotton Sft. Krystyna Cechulski S.R. Steven Brennan Sgt. Matthew Myers Corp. Luke Wlodkowski 1st Lt. Ash Young Could you not watch on hour with me? (1/168th of your week?) If then My people, upon whom My name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14) NEW ADORERS URGENTLY NEEDED: Sunday: 1AM; Monday: 10AM; Saturday: 1PM Contact Debbie drev514@aol.com, or 732 367 7750 Inner Healing Available Inner healing available. To schedule an appointment, please contact Deacon Tom and Bozena at bozenacech@optonline.net or call 732-961-3657. Sgt. Brennan Six GSMI Sandro Farduchi Capt. Julio Collazos Sgt. Gregory Hiller PFC Zackary Burkey 2nd Lt. Robert F. Farrell Staff Sgt. Mark Towle Baptism St. Veronica s Parish Family wishes to welcome those who have become members through the Sacrament of Baptism: Samantha Rose, daughter of Philippe & Rosemary Barbosa Lennon Francis, daughter of Christopher & Allison Murphy Thank you for the gift of life! Easter Basket Request In order to provide a Happy Easter for the needy children of this community, Catholic Charities is again requesting donations of preferably made up Easter Baskets this year. However, any donations of stuffed bunnies, jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and other candies to fill the baskets, as well as baskets, cellophane paper and grass will also be greatly appreciated. Thanking you in advance for your kindness. Please drop off your donations to the rectory by March 27th. Our Lady s Rosary Makers Thanks to all who made rosaries with us through the year. We have made over 3,500 rosaries and are so very thankful for your help. We are currently making rosaries for Croatia, an orphanage in India and the Philippines. All are welcome to join us on Fridays at 3:30 in the school cafeteria. We also need people to string rosaries from home. (No experience needed). If you are able to do this, please contact Mary Anne at 732-367-0284. Thank you. Our Lady Undoer of Knots Please join us as we raise our voices in supplication to Our Lady Undoer of Knots. Next meeting to be held on Friday, March 20, 2015 in the narthex of Saint Veronica' s Church at 6:30pm. All are welcome. Please call Sheila Maloney at 732-364-5566 if interested so enough materials will be available. Thanks! PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY UPDATE The Prayer Shawl Ministry began its sixth year with the January 17 meeting. To date over 660 prayer shawls, lap robes, and baby blankets have been donated to organizations and individuals. Over 1000 Pocket Prayer Patches have been sent to our troops and given to the Legion of Mary and individuals who have requested them. Also, hats and scarves have been made for the homeless and organizations that care for preemie babies. Anyone who would like to share their talent of knitting, crocheting, or quilting with people who need comforting is invited to join the ministry. Meetings are held on the third Monday of the month at 2:00 in the narthex. If you know of a person who would appreciate receiving a prayer shawl or any of the other items that the ministry makes or if an organization would like to request specific items, please call Anne at 732-370-0260. Donations of yarn and religious medals are gratefully accepted. Please drop them off at the Rectory. Thank you and God bless.
Seder Meal-Passover Celebration Date: March 25, 2015 7:00 PM (Please note that it is scheduled for the week before Holy week.) Tickets available after all the Masses, THIS weekend of March 14th and 15th. Cost is $5.00 Celebrating the Seder Meal is a traditional and most pleasant form of fellowship and shared learning experience. It is a meal that not only commemorates the Jews deliverance but also hope for the coming kingdom of God. It draws relationships between the Passover and important New Testament truths. For additional information please call Maria Dublon @ 848-221-5980 or Barbara Medina @ 732-610-0342. Legion of Mary Acies Sunday, March 15, 2015, 2pm St. Robert Bellarmine Church, Freehold NJ The Legion of Mary, Immaculate Conception Curia, covering Monmouth and Ocean Counties, is inviting all to the "Acies", our Annual Re-consecration to Mother Mary, on Sunday, March 15, 2015, 2:00 pm at St. Robert Bellarmine Church, Freehold NJ. The Rosary will be said and a Mass and Consecration procession will be held. Fellowship to follow. This also is our celebration of the Feast of the Annunciation. All individuals and families especially those with a devotion to Mother Mary and especially our Auxiliary/ praying members, are most welcome. For questions, please contact Irma Bennett, Legion of Mary, (732) 363-8386 or email: rangeles14@yahoo.com. Legion of Mary Legion of Mary is in need of used and new religious items and Bibles. If you are able to donate, please contact Mary Anne at 732-367-0284. Thank you. St. Mary s Ministry of Consolation Invites you to participate in a nine week program for those who are grieving the death of loved ones and want to work through the tasks of grief in a structured way using The New Day Journal, A Journey from Grief to Healing. The sessions include readings, reflection, sharing and journaling. For information and pre-registration, please call Barbara Varga at 732-544-8415 or Marilyn Simone at 732-462- 8088. The program begins Tues. April 14th and ends Tuesday June 2, 2014. We will meet in the Spiritual Center s Chapel, 1 Phalanx Rd., Colts Neck, NJ at 7PM.. PLEASE SUPPORT ST VERONICA SCHOOL AT JERSEY MIKE'S in HOWELL! Wednesday March 18th - SVS will receive 20% donation on all purchases Wednesday March 25th - SVS will receive 100% donation on all purchases Little Flowers Religious Article Sale The St. Veronica's Little Flowers Girls Club will be holding their 2nd Annual Religious Article Fundraiser after all masses on March 14th & 15th in the church narthex. Religious Art (10x18 Canvas Wrapped Prints), Handmade Rosaries & Chaplets, Saint Statues, Communion & Confirmation gifts, and so much more will be available for purchase. All proceeds will be used to fund our program. Thank you in advance for your support! A Retreat for Widows April 10-12 Marianist Family Retreat Center, Cape May Point, NJ 609-884-3829 Join with other widows as we look at our own individual stories for courage and wisdom. We hope to discover how in the sharing of our stories we continue to find strength and hope. There will be time for sharing in small groups, Eucharist and other appropriate liturgies. Beach walks, socials and fun are also included! Cost: $130 pp, double occ. Visit: www.capemaymarianists.org Parish/Faith Community Nursing Certification Program Nurses-A great opportunity to parlay your nursing skills into a means of serving your parish community while maintaining and promoting health and wellness. This series of Faith Community Nursing Certification will be held on 4/16, 4/25, 5/2 and 5/16 at the at Diocese of Trenton Chancery. Cost includes all materials and 33.25 contact hours. Please call 609-599-5282 for more information. OUR NEEDS Donated 26 TV Philips; 52 console TV RCA. Great working condition. NOT FLAT SCREEN * Will need a truck. Please call Debbie after 6PM @ 732-370-2319 Needed A washing machine. Please call Ana at 732-370-0548. Food Pantry Needs- Our pantry services the needy in our area. Items needed most: canned fruit, hot cereal, jelly, mayonnaise
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