March 25, 2018 St. Lawrence the Martyr Page 1 The Parish of St. Lawrence the Martyr THE PASTORAL STAFF Rev. Brian J. Ingram, Pastor Rev. Thomas Pers, Associate Pastor Deacon Patrick J. La Bella Rev. Msgr. Thomas D. Candreva, Weekend Assistant Mrs. Loren Christie Parish Secretary Mrs. Maria Davidson, Director of Faith Formation Mr. Christopher Koch, Cemetery & Business Manager Mrs. Lorraine Magyar, Director of Parish Outreach Mr. Joseph Mankowski, Director of Music Mrs. Jean Rico, Assistant Director of Faith Formation Mrs. Gloria Ryan, Baptism Coordinator Mrs. Jeanmarie Smith, Pastoral Associate Mrs. Marie Winn, Parish Organist THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM: Arrangements for preparation and celebration of infant baptism may be made by calling (631) 589-8934, Monday through Thursday. THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE: Arrangements should be made with the church at least six months prior to the wedding celebration. Either the bride or the groom, or one of their families, should be associated with the parish. THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION: (Confession) Celebrated each Saturday in church from 3:45-4:45 P.M., or by appointment with one of the priests. VISITATION TO THE SICK: May be arranged through the rectory office for the purpose of Holy Communion or the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. For emergency sick calls, phone the rectory at any time. COMMUNAL ANOINTING OF THE SICK: Celebrated communally immediately following the 9:00A.M. Mass on the first Saturdays of December, February, April and August. Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord March 25, 2018 PARISH PHONE NUMBERS RECTORY OFFICE (631) 589-0042 RECTORY FAX (631) 589-5318 FAITH FORMATION OFFICE (631) 589-3160 CEMETERY OFFICE (631) 589-3887 OUTREACH OFFICE (631) 589-6155 To place an announcement in the bulletin please email: bulletin@stlawrencesayville.org 240 West Main Street, Sayville, New York 11782 Parish Website: www.stlawrencesayville.org (631) 589-0042 Email us at: office@stlawrencesayville.org
March 25, 2018 St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish Page 2 MASS SCHEDULE GENERAL INFORMATION The celebration of the Eucharist will be offered in a special way for each of the names or intentions listed below. The donation received for each of these Mass intentions helps support the work of the parish, and our priests who minister at the Lord s altar. Saturday March 24, 2018 9:00 Intentions of Ivana Bartosik + 5:00 Charles Schlener + Ann Pagano + Michael Tornabene + Msgr. Thomas J. Colgan + Santo Damone + Sunday March 25, 2018 7:30 All Our Parishioners 9:00 Daniel Delise + 11:00 Peter Maione + Monday March 26, 2018 9:00 William F. Garbarino + THE RECTORY OFFICE : Open Monday to Friday, from 9:00 A.M. to 12 Noon and 1:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.; Saturdays by appointment. THE FAITH FORMATION OFFICE : Open Monday through Thursday, from 9:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., and Friday by appointment. PARISH OUTREACH (SOCIAL MINISTRY): Open Monday through Friday, from 10:00A.M. to 12 Noon; Closed on weekends and holidays. THE PARISH CEMETERY OFFICE: Open by appointment weekdays from 9:00 A.M. to 12 Noon Tuesday March 27, 2018 9:00 William Shelbourne + Barbara Shaughnessy + Joseph Niemeier + Wednesday March 28, 2018 9:00 Virginia A. Caulfield + 12:00 Lottie Giordano + Thursday March 29, 2018 9:00 Morning Prayer 7:30 The Intentions of St. Lawrence the Martyr Clergy Living & Deceased Friday March 30, 2018 9:00 Morning Prayer 12:00 Outdoor Stations of the Cross 3:00 Solemn Commemoration of the Lord s Passion 7:30PM Choral Stations of the Cross Saturday March 31, 2018 9:00 Morning Prayer 7:30 The Intentions of the Newly Initiated Sunday April 1, 2018 7:30 John & Marion Cohalan + 9:00 Living & Deceased Members of The LaBella Family 11:00 Claire Jeanne Jackson + 12:30 All Our Parishioners Weekly Collections How shall I make a return to the Lord, f or all the good he has done for me? Regular Sunday, March 11, 2018: $ 12,550.50 (includes Faith Direct) Amount budgeted for the current fiscal year: $13,078.00 Catholic Relief Services: $2,876.00 SAINT LAWRENCE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: Meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. Please call (631) 317-9027 for more information. SAINT LAWRENCE COLUMBIETTES: Meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month. for information or email stlcol.pres@gmail.com PARISH DEVOTIONAL LIFE THE ROSARY: Prayed in common from Monday through Saturday immediately following the 9:00 A.M. Mass in the church. CHARISMATIC PRAYER GROUP: Meets in the school on Mondays at 7:30 P.M. QUEEN OF PEACE ROSARY AND MIRACULOUS MEDAL NOVENA: Mondays in church 6 to 7:15 P.M. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: Come worship the Eucharistic Lord on the First Friday of the month, from 12noon to 3:30 P.M., with the Divine Mercy Chaplet recited at 3:00 P.M. There is also a holy hour every Wednesday, dedicated to prayer for priests and priestly vocations, from 6 to 7:00 P.M.. MINISTRY OF PRAISE: Members pray at home for the intentions of the Church and parish. Designed for the homebound, senior citizens, etc. CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER GROUP: An ancient form of prayer that sets aside words and images in favor of sitting silently and receptively in the presence of God. Please contact Mrs. Barbara Shea at (631) 589-5257.
March 25, 2018 St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish Page 3 A Message from Father Brian ~ In a small box of keepsakes, I have a tiny cross made of palm given to me here at St. Lawrence years ago by a very thoughtful boy named Michael. The cross is no bigger than a half dollar, but it s near perfect in its balance and careful design. We ll see loads of palm crosses this weekend and in the weeks to come, especially if we choose to visit the grave of a loved one, but I treasure this tiny, fragile gift from a 10 year old boy. It reminds me how full of meaning Palm Sunday is, and that like the little cross, our faith is both beautiful and delicate. It needs to be treasured, kept safe, and lovingly preserved. Having arrived at the festive liturgies of this weekend obviously a favorite for many Catholics we enter into the richest and most spiritually profound week of the entire year. Today we walk alongside Jesus, as he makes his triumphant way into ancient Jerusalem, and then listen in disbelief as the very same crowds who welcomed him into the city are shouting for his blood. I usually become very caught up in the high drama of Palm Sunday, especially the solemn reading of the Lord s Passion, but I m also haunted by how quickly once everyone leaves, and the church is locked up you and I can slip back into our ordinary routine. The week we re just beginning isn t just the last week of March, and it s anything but ordinary; these are by far the most sacred days of the entire Christian calendar. On Holy Thursday, we recline with the Lord at table in the Upper Room, as he bathes his disciples feet and then gives his own flesh and blood to them as the food of everlasting life. We grieve in horror as we see his shattered body hanging limp from the cross on Good Friday, and we stare wide-eyed at a tomb that is inexplicably empty on that first Easter Sunday. These are the events the mysteries that have literally changed the course of human history, and lifted a fallen world out of shadow and into the bright promise of endless joy. So why do only a modest number of parishioners attend the liturgies of Holy Week? Most of us wouldn t dream of skipping Mass on Christmas, but these beautiful and stirring services are just as sacred even more so. To those who couldn t imagine missing the Mass of the Lord s Supper on the evening of Holy Thursday, the parish staff and I extend a welcome to participate yet again this year. To the many more who have seldom (if ever) attended the Church s services on that evening, or the afternoon of Good Friday, or the night before Easter please join us! These are the holiest of holy days, and should occupy the sacred center of our worship for the whole year. Please save the schedule of liturgies and prayer services taking place throughout the coming week (see page 5 of today s bulletin, or go to the homepage of the parish website), and resolve to be a part of as many of them as you can. For Holy Week newbies, how about choosing just one of the services, and making that time in church your personal gift to God? May the mysteries of this Holy Week awaken in each of us a fresh devotion to the Father s Suffering Servant, and lead us with hearts renewed and forgiven to a joyful Easter. May our brother and patron, St. Lawrence, pray for us. God love you! The Altar Rose, which stands to the left of the tabernacle as a reminder of our prayers for the unborn, is donated in memory of: A. John & Margaret Giuliani; Joan T. Lutz; Mildred Bagnato; Florence Carupella; Evelyn Castrataro; Irene Discipolo Remembering Our Departed Loved Ones We lift up our hearts in prayer for our brothers and sisters who have died, in the sure hope that they will see the Lord face to face: Josephine Saccocio Please Pray for the Sick Michael Schindlar; Steven Michael Keenan; Peter Hlywa; Gina Blenk; Jim & Lorraine Mattimore; Andrew Wittman Jr.; Everett Maxwell; Bruce Weiler; Eileen Devlin; Kathleen Yaccarino; Gloria Portman; Suzanne McCarthy; Sr. Barbara Gerardi; Donald Lang; Bill Beaudry; Jane Vlokhos; Jennifer Wittman-Cahill; Josephine Lowth, Michael Gallagher; Allison Ruddick; Jack Lewis; Barry Fitzpatrick; Joe O Hara; Richard LaFrance Jr.; Vito Guzzo; Mary Elizabeth Bachmann; Paul Vogt; Bonnie Lem; Ellen DiAntonio; Catherine Foudy; Thomas Zambito; Emily Higgins; Claire Gallo; Janet Elias and Lucille Rinaldi [Please call the Parish Office if you wish to place someone on our Sick List. The request to have a name placed on the list must be made by the sick person himself or herself, or by an immediate family member.]
March 25, 2018 St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish Page 4 NEVER BEEN CONFIRMED? Quite a few Catholics have not had the opportunity to receive this beautiful sacrament, and for any number of reasons. We would like to make it possible for any adults or young adults to be confirmed on Pentecost Sunday, May 20 th. In preparation, the staff here at St. Lawrence will be offering a series of 6 or 7 meetings, beginning in April (day and time TBA). Participants would need to be baptized Catholics, who have already received Holy Communion. For now, we d like to know who is interested. Please contact the rectory, and leave a message for Fr. Tom (589-0042 x 17). Experience The Power of Forgiveness Monday, March 26th Diocesan Day of Reconciliation 4:00-5:30P.M. and 7:00-8:30P.M. Tuesday, March 27th after the 9:00 A.M. Mass Wednesday, March 28th from 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. Confession Schedule for Local Parishes on March 26th St. John Nepomucene Church, Bohemia 3:00-9:00PM Our Lady of the Snow Church, Blue Point 3:00-9:00 PM St. Mary s R.C. Church, East Islip 3:30 PM- 8:00 PM CRS Rice Bowl ENCOUNTER OUR NEIGHBORS We encounter Jesus this week in Jerusalem, a community he knew well. We prayerfully enter our own communities too, encountering those who are hungry and thirsty, those who need our help. How does our Lenten journey motivate us to serve those we meet in our daily lives? Visit crsricebowl.org for more. A Special Choral Stations of the Cross Good Friday, March 30th 7:30P.M. in the church YOUR GIFT MATTERS MORE THAN YOU KNOW Next Sunday we celebrate Easter, the feast of the Lord s Resurrection and the holiest day on the Christian calendar. As you and your family make plans to join us for Easter Mass, please don t forget to support our parish with as generous an Easter gift as you can. Many parishioners would be surprised at how much the parish depends on the financial support we receive on just that one day (as at Christmas). Please give some thought to what you are able to contribute as we celebrate the Lord s Easter triumph, and help St. Lawrence continue to thrive in 2018. Thank you! Fr. Brian
March 25, 2018 St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish Page 5 CELEBRATING HOLY WEEK, 2018 Palm Sunday of the Lord s Passion, March 24th-25th Masses with Distribution of Palm on Sat. at 5:00 P.M., and Sun. at 7:30, 9:00, & 11:00 A.M. Holy Thursday, March 29th 9:00 A.M. - Morning Prayer 11:00 A.M. - Mass of Chrism (St. Agnes Cathedral, Rockville Centre) 7:30 P.M. - Mass of the Lord s Supper, followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Bethany Center until 11:00 P.M. Good Friday, March 30th 9:00 A.M. - Morning Prayer 12:00 Noon - Outdoor Stations of the Cross, beginning in church 3:00 P.M. - Solemn Commemoration of the Lord s Passion with Adoration of the Cross and Holy Communion 7:30 P.M. - Choral Stations of the Cross (in church) Holy Saturday, March 31st 9:00 A.M. - Morning Prayer 7:30 P.M. - The Easter Vigil (Note: there is no 5:00 P.M. Mass on Holy Saturday.) Easter Sunday, April 1st Masses at 7:30, 9:00, & 11:00 A.M., and at12:30 P.M. Good Friday Collection In these challenging times in the Middle East, your support means that our church will conduct parish ministry, provide Catholic education, feed the hungry, build housing for Christians, maintain shrines and operate refugee centers in the Holy Land. Christians, along with all of the clergy and religious who serve in the Holy Land, will deeply appreciate your prayers and financial help! The political, religious and military challenges in the Holy Land are more complex than ever. The wars, unrest and instability have been especially hard on Christians. Our parish will support Christians in the Holy Land through the Good Friday Collection, as requested by Pope Francis. Like Simon of Cyrene, you can help carry the cross under very difficult circumstances in the Holy Land.
March 25, 2018 St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish Page 6 MINISTERING AS AN EXTRAORDINARY MINISTER WE NEED YOU!! In a parish as sizeable as ours, there is always need for more people both young and old to share themselves as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. As any of our current EMs will tell you, this is an especially beautiful role to take in the celebration of the Mass, and one that almost always enhances the spiritual life of the minister himself or herself. Please don t get tripped up by an I m not worthy to do that mentality... none of us is deserving of the opportunities God places in our path, but he calls as generous stewards to use our gifts as best we can. With Diocesan training sessions coming up soon (the first of several is April 14 th ), we invite interested parishioners to contact Fr. Tom NOW at the rectory (ext. 17). A very brief interview will be scheduled, after which you will participate in a one-day Diocesan training session. There is no fee... all that s required is your openness to allowing the Lord to use you as his instrument in sharing his precious Body and Blood. Young parishioners are more than welcome Extraordinary Ministers must be entering their junior year of high school. THE QUESTION BOX Just for fun and some ongoing education each week s bulletin offers a question on our Catholic spirituality and tradition. Enjoy! Q: When exactly does Lent end? (a) on Good Friday morning (b) on the afternoon/evening of Holy Thursday (c) at dawn on Easter Sunday (d) on the eve of Palm Sunday A: The season of Lent comes to an end with the beginning of the Paschal Triduum the great days in which the Church commemorates the Lord s Passover from death to life. The Triduum (Latin, for three days ) begins with the evening Mass of the Lord s Supper on Holy Thursday. Hence, Lent ends on the afternoon/evening of Holy Thursday. You are invited to Outdoor Stations of the Cross Good Friday at Noon IRA CHARITABLE ROLLOVER = GREAT OPPORTUNITY UNDER NEW TAX LAWS Whether you itemize or not in 2018, this unique opportunity allows you to make a charitable contribution through a direct IRA transfer while reducing your adjusted gross income. If you would like to make a gift to our Parish using your IRA and if: 1. You are at least 70 1/2 years old on the date you make your gift 2. Your IRA is a traditional (some Roth IRA s may qualify) 3. You don t exceed your personal maximum of $100,000 per year in qualified charitable distributions You will not have to report your distribution as income. It will be free of federal and New York State income tax, and it will count toward your required minimum distribution (RMD). The best way for you to start is with your IRA custodian. Tell them you want to make a "qualified charitable distribution". In most cases you will only have to fill out a simple form. VERY IMPORTANT!! Your gift must go directly from your IRA to our Parish. If you receive the money first then you ll be taxed on it like any other distribution. Bill has a $125,000 in a traditional IRA and would like to contribute $5,000 as his yearly gift to his Parish. Upon hearing of the Charitable IRA Rollover opportunity, he directs the custodian of his IRA to transfer this amount not later than December 31, 2018 directly to the Parish as the family s 2018 gift. He will not be subject to income tax on the $5,000 donation. Those interested contact the Business Office 631-589-0042, or the diocesan CMA office 516-678-5800 ext.257 This information is not intended and should not be construed as legal, tax or investment advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney, tax advisor or investment professional.