Volume 5 Issue 4 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 1 April 2014 St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 14640 Soucy Place, Centerville, VA-20120 Mass Schedule: TUESDAYS : 7:30 PM FRIDAYS : 7:30 PM SATURDAYS : 8:00 AM SUNDAYS : 3:00 PM Sunday School : SUNDAYS : 1:50 PM MESSAGE FROM TIJOACHAN Dear Saint Jude Family, Wishing you all a great Holy week and blessed Easter! May our Lord who suffered, died and resurrected be praised and glorified! for our sins The mystery which must conquer us at this time of the year is the Crucifixion of our Lord. We find answers for all our questions in Christ, who was crucified, died and resurrected. It is the Blood of Jesus which cries for our forgiveness. The cry of the Most Pure Blood, the Most Holy Blood, and the Most Precious Blood cannot go unheard. Our Lord s Prayer in the midst of his sufferings on the cross, forgive them, father, helps us understand what His Blood longed for. St. Gregory the Great fittingly speaking about the Blood of Jesus has said: of Abel s blood Scripture had written: The voice your brother s blood cries out to me from the earth. The Blood of Jesus calls more eloquently than Abel s, for the blood of Abel asked for the death of Cain, while the Blood of Jesus has asked for, and obtained, life for his persecutors. The Cry of Jesus blood would go without effect in us when we do not imitate what we received and proclaim it to all, says St. Gregory. Let us recall the parable of the servant who received forgiveness from his master and did not imitate what he received. The forgiveness did not have any effect. (Mathew 18, 21-35) Many Holy weeks has passed us without touching us to the core. It s been just so many rituals for us. Easter has transformed just an occasion for us to eat and drink. The Joy of receiving and returning forgiveness is forgotten. The joy of the sacrament of Penance is long forgotten!! Our Lord s Blood today cries for forgiveness and obtain the same in the Confessional. How many of us go there frequently with the awareness that the Most Precious Blood is shed for our sins? Do we really seek forgiveness from the Lord? I strongly encourage St. Jude family to take confession seriously and go for a meaningful confession at least once a month. Take a moment to meditate the Precious Blood of Jesus and our sins. Let the Sacrament of penance not be a routine or a sacrament to avoid or postpone; but an occasion to know the forgiving love of Jesus. Let this Holy week be a spiritually renovating and a joyful Holy week for us, receiving forgiveness from our Lord. I am grateful to everyone in St. Jude family. You are in my prayers every day. May Good Lord who was crucified, died and resurrected, bless you always! May the Good Lord bless you all and grant you a fruitful Lent. Sincerely yours in Christ our Savior Tijoachan Website : www.stjudenva.org/ Email: parish@stjudenva.org Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/pages/st-jude-syro-malabar-catholic-church-northern-virginia/405878242858297 Mission Director: Fr. Tijo Mullakkara (703 957 8242) Trustees: Jophy Jose (585 750 9202) Sujith Abraham (703 310 9985) Our Vision is to create a vibrant Syro-Malabar community that nurtures spiritual growth, celebrates the sacraments, and fosters community ties and leadership
Volume 5 Issue 3 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 2 LENTEN MESSAGE (PARTIAL) OF OUR HOLY FATHER FRANCIS 2014 "Dear brothers and sisters, may this Lenten season find the whole Church ready to bear witness to all those who live in material, moral and spiritual destitution the Gospel message of the merciful love of God our Father, who is ready to embrace everyone in Christ. We can do this to the extent that we imitate Christ who became poor and enriched us by his poverty. Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to help and enrich others by our own poverty. Let us not forget that real poverty hurts: no self-denial is real without this dimension of penance. I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt. Kids Corner Please provide your completed entry to any of the bulletin team members. All the school age kids 3rd grade and above are eligible to participate in this activity. Last date for submission is April 27, 2014. All participants with correct entries will receive a surprise gift. Name of participant: Age of participant:
Volume 5 Issue 4 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 3 Syro-Malabar Diocesan news Sainthood for Chavara Kuriakose Elias Achan and Evuprasiamma Blessed Kuriakose Elias Blessed Euphrasia CMC Chavara (1805-1871) Elavathunkel (1877-1952) The Vatican has decided to bestow sainthood on the Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Blessed Evuprasiamma after approving their miracles. Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara, T.O.C.D., was the co-founder and first Prior General of the first congregation for men in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, now known as the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I), and of a similar one for women, the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (C.M.C). Blessed Sister Euphrasia of the Sacred Heart of Jesus C.M.C. was a Carmelite Religious Sister of the Syro- Malabar Church. Despite her Mother Superior duties, she endeavored to lead a life of constant prayer and of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, becoming known by many people as the "Praying Mother." Mother Euphrasia spent much of her day in the convent chapel before the Blessed Sacrament, to which she had a strong devotion. She also nourished a great love and devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary. With this, the total number of persons elevated to the coveted status from Kerala has become three. Saint Alphonsa is the first one from Kerala to be proclaimed a saint. The Lord is risen! As Christ's disciples, we are called to go forth and spread the good news of His Resurrection. Our parish's many ministries are examples of how many of you answer that call. Our ministries require not only gifts of time and talent, but also of financial help. Please prayerfully consider supporting St. Jude Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission with electronic donations through Faith Direct. You can sign up online at www.faithdirect.net using our church codeva492 or mail in an enrollment form from the parish office. Sincerely yours in Christ, Tijo Mullakkara Bulletin Appeal
Volume 5 Issue 4 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 4 Family Night March 2014
Volume 5 Issue 4 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 5 Do You Know that... 1. The only apostle who was not chosen personally by Jesus to be among the twelve disciples was Matthias. According to the Acts of the Apostles, Matthias was chosen by the remaining eleven disciples to replace Judas Iscariot. Matthias was chosen after the Ascension of Christ into Heaven and after the descent of the Holy Spirit among the apostles. 2. The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I) was the first Catholic religious congregation and the first Syro Malabar congregation founded in India. The congregation was founded by Fathers Palackal Thoma Malpan, Porukara Thoma Kathanar and Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara on 11 May, 1831. Saint's corner: St.Catherine of Siena Feast Day : April 29/April 30 Contributed by Ashlynn Marie Cherian When Saint Catherine was about 6 years old she had visions about God, Christ, Mary, and most of the saints. She was one of the most educated theological minds in her early days, and she was extremely intelligent. Our Lord had given her the power of the Stigmata. Her religious director was Blessed Raymond of Capua. St. Catherine s wonderful treatise is called The Dialogue of Divine Providence. On 18 June 1939 Pope Pius XII named her a joint Patron Saint of Italy along with Saint Francis of Assisi. On October the 3rd 1970 she was proclaimed as a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI. In October 1999 Pope John Paul II had anointed her as one of the 6 patron Saints of Europe along with Nursia, the Saints Cyril and Methodius, Bridget of Sweden, and Edith Stein. She died on April 29, 1380 and was canonized by Pope Pius II on 29 June 1461. She dedicated her life to the people and served God with immense loyalty. In memory of her, we celebrate her feast day on April 29th. She lived every day to fulfill her devotion to the Lord and carried out His work on a daily basis with great passion and love. She truly is an iconic figure in the Catholic Church. Please provide your completed entry to any of the bulletin team members. Kids 2nd grade and below are eligible to participate in this activity. Last date for submission is Apriil 27, 2014. All participants with correct entries will receive a surprise gift. Name of participant: Age of participant:
Volume 5 Issue 4 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 6 Account Information - March 2014 Church Collection Offertory 1,110.47 Building Fund 1,500.00 Family Night 2,240.00 Thirippanam 450.00 Retreat 750.00 St.Vincent De Paul Charity 1,500.00 Kids Ministry Charity 299.93 4 Life 250.00 Richmond 700.00 Snacks 375.00 Total 9,175.40 Faith Direct Building Fund 2,255.00 Offertory 4,215.00 Priest Residence 455.00 Priest Car 240.00 Total 7,165.00 Grand Total 16,340.00 Forthcoming Events Thank you everyone for your generosity. We would recommend every one in our parish community to join Faith Direct. We currently have 55 parishioners contributing through Faith Direct. How to join Faith Direct : Those who have not registered with Faith Direct so far, please visit www.faithdirect.net to sign up today. Our parish code is VA492. Faith Direct enables us to make our church contributions to directly debit from your checking account. A weekly offering of $25 is recommended towards Land & Building fund. Date Time Event Venue 4/12/2014 9 AM to 5 PM Pilgrimmage to Emmitsberg Emmitsberg 4/13/2014 Confession: 2 PM, 4:30PM Osana Sunday St. Andrews 4/17/2014 7:30 PM Holy Thursday Boyd School 4/17/2014 After the evening ceremonies at Boyd School Night Vigil 4/18/2014 7:30 PM Good Friday Boyd School 4/19/2014 8 AM Baptism Renewal 4/19/2014 8 PM Easter Vigil Boyd School 4/26/2014 2:00 PM Onwards ECKC Easter Celebrtion 5/3/2014-5/4/2014 5/17/2014-5/18/2014 9 AM - 8PM on Saturday 9AM-3PM on Sunday followed by Qurbana at St.Andrews 06/29/2014 2:45-6:00 PM Youth Annual Retreat Pastoral visit by His Excellency Bishop Paul Loverde, Bishop of Arlington St. Thomas Indian Orthodox TBA St. Andrews There will be Stations of the Cross and Message on all Fridays of Lent at. Thank you St Jude community extends our heartfelt thanks to all members of All Saints Family Unit members for sponsoring refreshments during the month of March. Birth Announcements for March 2014 1. Irene, born to Hanosh and Dhanya.
Volume 5 Issue 4 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 10 2014 PARISH COUNCIL Fr. Tijo Mullakkara Mission Director 703 957 8242 Sujith Abraham Trustee 703 310 9985 Jophy Jose Trustee 585 750 9202 Sony Kuruvilla Secretary 510 461 0790 Antony Powathil Ward Representative 703 503 1030 Bejoy Thomas Ward Representative 703 774 0145 Elsamma Manalel Woman Representation 703 631 4580 George Chettupuzha Ward Representative 703 822 1418 Gregory Kalarikunnel Nominated Representative 571 331 5910 Jimmy Jose Ward Representative 703 459 4778 Jomy Methipara Youth Representative 847 989 8233 J Joseph Ward Representative 703 623 9137 Mary James Ward Representative 571 206 2866 Nibu Wilson Ward Representative 703 226 9671 Nissy Varghese Pious Organization Representative 571 274 7447 MINISTRIES Mass Coordinator Sergin John 703 395 2469 Lectors Rincy Jimmy 703 437 5396 Cultural Coordinator Soya Reji 319 210 1989 Youth Coordinator Jomy Methipara 847 989 8233 Hospitality Coordinator Jerril Philip 571 246 0670 Choir Coordinator Shaju Joseph 703 901 6504 Bulletin Coordinator Asha Tony 703 893 0203 Web Coordinator Rajesh Joy 703 543 5955 St Jude Library Sismi Menachery 703 971 4394 Marian girls & boys Giji Sajan 703 728 0168 Little Flowers Roselyn Tomy 703 470 0708 Angels Army Jyothi Varughese, Jisy Joseph 510 862 8608 Charity Wing Sherly Vadakkoot 703 272 7257 Women s Forum Nissy Varghese 571 274 7447 St. Jude FC Shajan Paul 703 459 4002 Preena Sony Woman Representative 703 793 2989 Couples Ministry TBD Rajesh Alex Nominated Representative 703 652 4295 Renny Joy Woman Representative 703 728 7102 Rony Thomas Sajith Thoppil Nominated Representative Land and Building Representative 571 261 9221 571 224 5067 Smitha Saju Ward Representative 703 659 0874 Tomy Paul Catechism Representative 703 470 0708 Tony Thomas Ward Representative 202 714 8683 New to Parish? We extend a warm welcome to all our new members! Please contact trustees or any council member if you have any questions. Do also reach out to them to understand how to get involved and become active members in the parish. To become a member of our St. Jude Church please complete the registration form and submit it to Fr. Tijo Mullakara personally or email it to frtijojoy@gmail.com. The registration forms are available at our church or can be downloaded from our church website: www.stjudenva.com St Jude Library Available materials can be found under: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc? key=0aqawcarly79fdernsjfrd1nzq2ryzufeqnzqrvpfqmc&usp= drive_web#gid=0 If interested to borrow any material or contribute to book bank please send an email to stjude-library@googlegroups.com. Altar servers Charismatic prayer group Sergin John, Chris Jose 703 395 2469 J Joseph 703 623 9137 SPECIAL OFFICES Auditor Paul Pottanat 703 790 1933 Auditor Jojo Mathew 703 659 0874 Accountant Sojan Alex 703 281 1020 Legal Advisor Johnson Myalil 703 464 0831 EDITORIAL BOARD Asha Tony 703 893 0203 Rajesh Joy 703 543 5955 Deepa Sergin 703 395 2469 Baiju Thomas 703 474 6341 Sismi Menachery 703 971 4394 Felix Simon 703 342 9242 Pilgrim Statue Visitation We received the Pilgrim Status of Our Lady of Fatima. If interested in spending a week with our Blessed Mother in your home, please sign up using the link below. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc? key=0anndknwt2n7xde1mbznoy3hodhfjcxvoddzez1bpd0e#gid=0
Volume 5 Issue 4 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 11 Mass Schedule Sunday Readings April 06, 2014 First Reading : Joshua 21: 43-22:5 Second Reading : Romans 14: 13-23 Gospel : John 10: 11-18 April 13, 2014 First Reading : Zac 9: 9-12 Second Reading : Romans 11: 13-24 Gospel : Matthew 21: 1-17 April 20, 2014 Day Schedule Location Tuesday Friday Saturday 7:00 pm: Adoration 7:30 pm: Mass 8:15 pm: Novena to St. Jude 7:30 pm: Mass 8:15 pm: Adoration 8:30 pm: Confession 7:30 am: Adoration 8:00 am: Mass Confession Schedule Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained (John 20:22-23) First Reading : 1 Sam 2: 1-10 Second Reading : Romans 6: 1-14 Gospel : John 20: 1-18 April 27, 2014 First Reading : Acts 4: 32-37 Second Reading : Col 1: 12-20 Gospel : John 20: 19-29 Prayer Meeting Schedule Friday Friday 8.15pm to 9.15pm Saturday 7.30am to 7.55am Saturday 10.30am to 11.30am Address: 43130, Amberwood Plaza, Suite 150, South Riding 20152 Church Setup Help Schedule Family Unit Name City Month 1st Saturday - Gainesville/Centreville/ Woodbridge Perpetual Help/St. Sebastian/ St. Mary s Tysons Corner/Falls Church/Alexandria January/July 2nd Saturday - Herndon 1/Herndon 2 Tysons Corner/Falls Church/Alexandria St. Alphonsa/St. Thomas/St. George Gainesville/Centreville/ Woodbridge February/August 3rd Saturday - Ashburn/Leesburg All Saints South Riding/Aldie March/September 3rd Sunday - South Riding/Aldie St. Antony/St. Joseph Herndon 1 & 2 April/October 4th Saturday - Chantilly/Fairfax English Mass and Youth Meeting There will be mass in English every month lead by the youth and also a youth meeting. For more information please contact Jomy Methipara (847 989 8233) St. Aloysius Ashburn/Leesburg May/November Sacred Herat/Little Flower Fairfax/Chantilly Marriage Preparation Course Schedule Dates Venue Contact June/December 06/20-06/22 St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Church, Dallas, TX Fr Kurian Neduvelichalunkal, 510-688-7805; frneduveli@gmail.com Ms Elsy Philip: 817-235 -4469; etphilip@hotmail.com
Volume 5 Issue 4 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 12