OUR SCHOOL, ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL, IS A NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL!

ST. JOSEPH CHURCH ORADELL/NEW MILFORD, NJ OUR SCHOOL, ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL, IS A NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL! Sunday 7:30 am 9:00 am 10.30 am 10:30 am MC 12 noon 25 John C. Jens, Jr. Anthony Lucinese Felice Bartolomeo Brian Patrick Coogan Brienza and Cella Families Monday 26 Albert E. Palazzo Doris Chabak Tuesday 27 In Thanksgiving for a Special Intention Prisco Castoria Wednesday 28 Special Intention of Rita Canino Perrini Family Thursday 29 Carolina & Almerindo Accomando Wedding Anniversary Remembrance Christine Filletti Friday 30 Josephine Buglino Marie Gaynor Saturday 5:00 pm October 1 Ann McPartland People of the Parish Sunday 7:30 am 9:00 am October 2 Joseph & Beatrice Korzelius Ann McPartland First Anniversary Remembrance Dorothy Gallagher Patrick Gallo Maureen Hogan 25th Anniversary Remembrance 10.30 am 10:30 am MC 12 noon The U.S. Department of Education has named Saint Joseph School of Oradell/New Milford a National Blue Ribbon School. This prestigious award, one of the highest honors in education, is given to schools that are nationally recognized as some of our nation s most successful schools. Ranked as one of New Jersey's highest performing schools as measured by state assessments in reading (English language arts) and mathematics, Saint Joseph School was nominated for national recognition by C.A.P.E. (The Council of American Private Education). The selection of Saint Joseph as one of only 304 schools in the entire country (and only 49 private schools) to receive the award, was based on the school's overall excellence. Principal Colette Vail, herself a 2003 NEA and NCEA National Distinguished Principal, noted that this great accomplishment is shared by the entire Saint Joseph School community: our outstanding faculty, hard working students and the families who are committed to the mission of St. Joseph School." Father Tom said "This is an honor for all the members of our parish. We are proud of sponsoring a Blue Ribbon School. IF YOU SING, BE SURE TO READ THIS! If you have a voice, if you want to give back to God, if you want to meet nice people, if you want to grow in your appreciation of the Mass, then consider becoming part of our parish choir. For more information, please contact Monroe Quinn, our Music Director (quinnm@sjcnj.org) or speak to him after any Mass. BREAD AND WINE INTENTIONS The Bread and Wine for the week of 25, are given In Loving Memory of William V. Brady in Remembrance of his Birthday donated and requested by Evelyn and Bruce Butzel. GIVING THOUGHT The more we love someone, the more thought we give to the kind of gift we give that person. The same is true when it comes to God. The more we love God, the more thought we give to the support of God s Church and to those who are in need. PRAYER REQUESTS Let us remember those who are ill: Ann Dimina. Let us remember the those who died recently: Barbara Marze, Gerard May, Rita Hoey, Helen Cresswell, and Mary Alice Herbert. 1

26 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME SEPTEMBER 25, SPECIAL SERIES ON THE MASS This series of articles is designed to help us grow in our appreciation of the Mass, and to help us prepare for the coming changes in the liturgy. PART ONE: SUNDAY & MASS QUESTION ONE: Can someone be a good person without coming to church on Sunday? The answer to that question is Absolutely YES! A person can be kind, loving, generous, forgiving, patient, and trustworthy without coming to Sunday Mass. QUESTION TWO: Can someone be a good Christian, a good Catholic, without coming to Mass on Sunday? The answer to that question is Absolutely NO! A person cannot be a good Christian without joining his or her fellow Catholics at Sunday Mass. For Christianity is not primarily about being kind, loving, generous, patient, forgiving, etc., though, of course, a Christian should be those things. Christianity is not about following an ethical code of conduct or just being nice. Christianity is about following a person, Christianity is about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It's about knowing him, loving him. It's about accepting the invitation that comes to us throughout our life to grow in our relationship to him. The way we come in contact with Jesus Christ and the way he most often comes to us is through His Church. Especially when the Church gathers for the celebration of Mass on Sunday. Sunday truly is the Lord's Day. It is the day the Lord acts most dramatically. Just consider the facts. Sunday was the day the Lord rose from the dead. It's interesting to note that in the story of creation found in the Book of Genesis, it says God created light on the first of the seven days of creation. God created LIGHT on the first Sunday. And it was on another Sunday, that Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, broke the darkness of death as he rose from the tomb and brought about a New Creation. Sunday was the day the Risen Lord most often appeared to His disciples after his Resurrection. Sunday was the day the Lord sent the Holy Spirit to bring His Church to life. And Sunday is the day the Lord comes to be with us in a powerful way as we gather for Mass. In the Sunday gathering of the Christian community, the Risen Lord appears once more, but now in the flesh and blood of His followers. As He said, where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am. From the earliest days of the Church, Christians have gathered on Sunday. In fact, one surprising definition of Christians is simply this, Christians are people who gather on Sunday. If we want to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we need to be with Him when He is most powerfully present, namely, in the Sunday gathering of His Church. At Sunday Mass, the Risen Lord speaks to us in His Word. In the scripture readings, the Lord comforts and consoles us and he challenges and confronts us with our sinfulness. At Sunday Mass, the example of Jesus Christ is set before us. He emptied himself in love and service, in faithfulness and obedience, even to death on the cross. In response, God the Father filled him with new life and raised him as Savior and Lord. By His example, Jesus Christ challenges us to give of ourselves, to give of our time, our talent, and our treasure, so there might be space in our heart for God to fill us, to transform us. At Mass, God gives us his very life as we share the Body and Blood of the Lord in Holy Communion. We become one with the Lord, who told us, Unless you eat my body and drink my blood you have no life in you. We need to receive the Eucharist to be connected with the Lord, just as branches need to be connected to the vine to have life. Sharing the Body and Blood of Christ also unites us with our fellow Christians who share at the same altar. We become one holy communion. When Mass ends, we are sent to love and serve the Lord. We are sent to bring his presence and his message outside the walls of the church. Sunday Mass is absolutely essential for a Catholic. In celebrating Mass we are changed and made more like Christ. As surely as a block of granite is changed by an unceasing drip of water upon it, so we are changed by Sunday Mass. Sunday after Sunday, month by month, year by year, we gather with our fellow Christians, and slowly our hearts are changed as God's grace falls upon us. Little by little we become more CHRISTian. If we want to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the one who changes our life for the better, we need to be at Mass. Without being there Sunday after Sunday, our relationship Jesus Christ fades and gradually goes away. You cannot have relationship with someone you ignore week after week. That s why, as someone put it, The devil dances for joy when a Catholic stops going to Mass. Can someone be a good person without coming to church on Sunday? The answer to that question is Absolutely YES! Can someone be a good Christian, a good Catholic, without coming to Mass on Sunday? The answer to that question is Absolutely NO! Catholics need Sunday Mass, there's no question about it! Rev. Thomas B. Iwanowski 2

ST. JOSEPH CHURCH ORADELL/NEW MILFORD, NJ RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS NEEDED CATECHISTS & ADULT ASSISTANTS OUR FIRST EVER STEWARDSHIP DAY SATURDAY AFTERNOON, OCTOBER 22 Classes have started and there remains an urgent need for catechists and adult assistants at many of the grade levels. We need your help to offer young people a quality religious education program. Catechists are given a teacher s guide and lesson plans that will give you detailed information to help you conduct your class. Adult Assistants help the catechist in the classroom. Our goal is to have two adults in each classroom. Adult Assistants are not directly responsible for teaching a class, but offer extra adult supervision for the class. After each Mass this weekend, members of the Pastoral Parish Council announced our first ever Stewardship Day set for Saturday afternoon, October 22. Booklets containing details of the service project opportunities and registration form were distributed to all interested parishioners. You can also access this information and register on line though Saint Joseph's web site. Go to sjcnj.org and click on the Stewardship tab for all the details. The registration deadline is Sunday October 9. Stewardship Day is a wonderful opportunity for all adults, youth, and families in our parish to come together and to serve our community in the true spirit of our Lord. We invite you to participate! For detailed information about volunteering, please contact the Religious Education Office (201-261-1144). Please prayerfully consider responding to this need in our parish and help our parish children learn about our faith. OUR NEW BAPTISM PREPARATION PROGRAM Our parish has a new, exciting baptism program designed to help parents reflect on this sacrament and what it means to be a part of God s Church. The program s primary purpose is not to prepare parents to celebrate the day when the waters of baptism will be poured over their child, but rather to help parents reflect on the meaning of their own baptism and on the Catholic Faith they wish to share with their child. The program, presented by members of our parish, has several components spread over a period of months beginning as soon as the third month of pregnancy. Please contact the parish office for further information, schedules, and registration. (201261-0148) or (baptism@sjcnj.org). Expectant parents should contact the office between the third and fifth month of pregnancy. Sacrament Program Reminders Registration for both the First Eucharist Program and the Confirmation Program are due. First Reconciliation Parent Meeting A meeting for parents of children in grade 2 who will be preparing to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be held Monday, October 3 at 7:30 pm in the Lower School gym. Confirmation Parent/Candidate Meeting Mon., Oct 17. TARGET YOUTH GROUP NEWS KICK-OFF BBQ TODAY TARGET, our youth program for high school students, will start up its Sunday night calendar with a BBQ in the backyard of the rectory from 4-7pm, Sept. 25. We will cook up some burgers and hot dogs, while catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. We will also look at up coming TARGET events, play some games, and pray together. All high school students are invited to attend, invite a friend or two. We hope to see you there. NEWLY BAPTIZED AT SAINT JOSEPH PARISH Hang Out Night Thursdays 7 to 9 pm TARGET Room in the basement of the Rectory GOOD NEWS FOR LITTLE ONES The Good News for Little Ones program, for children 6 months through 4 years of age, provides a safe and comfortable environment for children while their parents attend our 9 am or 10:30 am Sunday Mass. Good News for Little Ones is located in the greenhouse classroom located in the Saint Joseph Lower School on Elm Street. Ben Russell Miller child of Susan & Eric 3 Rebecca Victoria Delatorre child of Michelle & Renato

26 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME SEPTEMBER 25, A MESSAGE FROM FATHER RAUL STRATEGIC PLANNING Forward In Faith 2016 A REPORT ON SPAIN & WORLD YOUTH DAY In preparing for our parish-wide strategic plan consultation, set for Tuesday, October 4, at 7:30 pm in the school gym, we continue to review the goals that have been drafted in the next three planning areas. (continued from last Sunday s bulletin) There were close to two million pilgrims in Madrid. So, you can imagine how the street, parks, trains; and buses were all inundated with youth. Moving through the crowds was like an odyssey but we managed to arrive to our assigned spot without losing anybody. It was a real spectacle to see this crowd; people from different races, languages, cultures, ages, etc. Yet, they seemed to get along very well. This experience confirmed for me that young people are hungry for God. Someone said: where is the rock concert? I don t see any rock star or band on the stage. The youth had come to see and celebrate Mass with the Pope. They wanted to listen to him. Although it was incredibly hot, and later on the rain soaked most of us, the youth were unmovable in their zeal. The following day we attended a special vocational calling event organized by the Neocatechumenal Way and presided over by the Cardinal of Madrid. There were 5,000 young men who showed their disposition to become priests. They were joined by 3,200 young women who manifested their desire to pursue the religious life. These are only some of the fruits that I personally witnessed but I know the Holy Spirit is acting in a much larger scale than this. Peace, Father Raúl Silva This week we highlight the goals Community/Family Life, Stewardship, and Service. Once again we invite you to jot down your thoughts and insights regarding these goals. You are also encouraged to think about potential strategies to achieve these goals so they come to life and direct us to a strong and vibrant future as committed people of faith. Remember, all of us here at St. Joseph Parish need to join together in all things to be the parish where people are changed for the better! COMMUNITY/FAMILY LIFE Nurture genuine fellowship by strengthening existing social activities and creating new venues to bring people together, build strong relationships and enhance our community life. Share the hospitality of Jesus Christ with all members of and visitors to the parish, treating all with a welcoming atmosphere, dignity and respect. STEWARDSHIP Increase active participation in parish life and ministries through greater sharing by parishioners of their time, treasure and talents to effectively carry out the mission of the parish. Ensure the effective use of parish financial resources through appropriate fiscal planning and reporting to ensure financial transparency. Re-envision the use of parish property, facilities and equipment to meet future needs. Provide a qualified and well-trained staff to provide and support leadership in meeting parish needs. CATECHESIS FOR ADULTS AND YOUTH IS THERE SOMEONE YOU LOVE WHO HAS LEFT THE CHURCH? HAS DOUBTS ABOUT THEIR FAITH? IS LOOKING FOR ANSWERS TO THE MEANING OF THEIR LIFE? SERVICE Foster an atmosphere which emphasizes to all parishioners our Christian responsibility of service to others and facilitate parishioner outreach. Ensure that parish ministries meet the needs of parishioners. WOULD YOU LIKE TO DEEPEN YOUR FAITH? COME & LISTEN MONDAYS & THURSDAYS AT 8 pm Begins Monday, October 10 Share your Thoughts & Reactions to our Suggested Parish Goals Lower Church / Mary s Chapel * Child Care Available * This is an opportunity for those 13 years and older to rediscover the meaning of Baptism, provides an itinerary of adult faith formation, and answers life's deepest questions. Tuesday, October 4, 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm in the Gym of the Lower School on Elm Street For information: Contact Father Raúl 201-261-0148 (Ext. 14) Everyone is invited to join us as we go FORWARD IN FAITH 2016! The Neocatechumenal Way 4

ST. JOSEPH CHURCH ORADELL/NEW MILFORD, NJ 5