SAINT MARY S PARISH For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. We wish you joy and peace this Christmas and throughout the New Year The Nativity of the Lord December 25, 2016
Weekly Mass Schedule Weekday Masses are held in the Parish Center Chapel Saturday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) 5:00 PM People of the Parish 10:00 PM People of the Parish Sunday, December 25 (Christmas Day) 7:30 AM People of the Parish 9:00 AM People of the Parish 10:30 AM People of the Parish 12:00 PM People of the Parish Monday, December 26 9:00 AM Joseph Hanaway Tuesday, December 27 9:00 AM Sebastian F. Santiago and Antonio Almeida Pires Wednesday, December 28 9:00 AM Deacon John Coffey (8 th Anniversary) Thursday, December 29 9:00 AM Florence Moore (Anniversary) Friday, December 30 9:00 AM Lillian D Amico (Anniversary) Saturday, December 31 9:00 AM John Casiello 5:30 PM Domenico Miano Sunday, January1 (Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God) 7:30 AM Peter Fazio 9:00 AM Members of the Rosary Society 10:30 AM The Poor Souls in Purgatory 12:00 PM Alice Harrison (1 st Anniversary) Hosts for each Mass have been donated by the Rosary Society Sanctuary Lamp donated in Memory of Joyce and Gruber Families Chapel Lamp donated in Memory of Clare Ziobro Holy Father's Prayer Intention We pray that the scandal of child-soldiers may be eliminated the world over. We also pray that the peoples of Europe may rediscover the beauty, goodness, and truth of the Gospel, which gives joy and hope to life. Save the Date: O. Allen Beyer Memorial German Knight January 28 th, 2017 Advance Ticket Sales Call Kevin Mauro at 973-235-0608 Parents Grieving The Loss of a Child The needs of parents who have suffered the loss of a son of daughter are unique. The Office of Family Life Ministries of the Archdiocese of Newark sponsors support groups for Parents Grieving the Death of a Child. The groups are led by trained facilitators, parents who have personally experienced the death of a child. Groups meet at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Parish Center, 60 Byrd Ave., Bloomfield, NJ on the First Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm and at St. Peter the Apostle Church, Rectory Basement, 445 Fifth Ave., River Edge, NJ on the Third Monday of each month at 7:30 PM. There is no fee to participate and preregistration is not needed. Please call Lauren Egan at 973-497-4327 or email eganlaur@rcan.org for further information. Supplementing Retirement with a Planned Gift Are you nearing retirement or are already retired and are looking to make a year-end gift? If so, a Charitable Gift Annuity can be a way to supplement your retirement income and help your parish at the same time. Also, if you are 70 ½ or older, don t forget about the IRA Charitable Rollover. Let the Archdiocese of Newark help you set up a Charitable Gift Annuity by contacting Theresa Lynch in the Planned Giving Office. She can be reached at 973-497-4042 or by email at lynchthe@rcan.org. 656 Page 2
Preserving a Proud Tradition Saint Mary s Capital Campaign Update! We are so close to our Goal of $900,000.00! Total Pledged Commitments: $857,815.43. Generosity Progress Report! * School Elevator: Completed! * Church air-conditioning: Front Church & Sanctuary completed. * Monsignor Walsh Hall: Bathrooms: Renovations Completed! Elevator: Projected February 1 st start date. Kitchen: To begin soon! * Rectory Air-Conditioning: Completed. * Our Lady of Fatima Garden: Statue repaired. Stone paver walkway completed. Family engraved stone pavers installed when $1800.00 donation level is reached. Have you made your Capital Campaign Pledge? Every donation is critical to our success! If everyone makes a pledge we will reach our goal! A pledge at the FOUNDER LEVEL, ($50.00 a month for three years) will entitle you to an engraved stone paver in our new walkways in the Our Lady of Fatima Garden outside the Church. This is a great way to attach family history to the history of Saint Mary s Church. Please make your pledge today! Please contact the Parish Office for more information! Saint Mary s Church THANKS YOU for your generosity and your continuing commitment to fulfill your campaign pledge to our parish community! May God Bless you always! 656 Page 3
Religious Education Upcoming Dates There will be No Religious Education Classes until after Wednesday, January 4. Thursday, January 5 - Confirmation Class Sunday, January 8 - Class Tuesday, January 10 - Class On our website this month, you will find prayers for Advent and different occasions (Blessing of a Christmas Tree, Blessing of the Christmas manger or nativity scene) that you and your family can do together to make the time of preparation, one that also helps you to prepare your heart. Join us for Family Bingo Night! Saturday, January 21 st at 7 PM On Saturday, January 21 st at 7 PM we will have our annual Family Bingo Night in Monsignor Walsh Hall. Come enjoy a night of fun with your family and friends from St. Mary s Parish. Feel free to bring snacks to enjoy and share but be sure to save room for our ice cream sundae bar! The Parish Center will be accepting donations of gifts (recycled Christmas or any other small gift) to be used as prizes. Gift cards in small denominations are also welcome. We hope to see you there! Social Concerns Team In January, St. Mary s will be forming a social concerns team. We will be looking for ways that we can actively work toward the building of Christ s kingdom here in Nutley and beyond. Please contact Bruce Mauro for more information at b.mauro1@yahoo.com. Start the New Year with Discovering Christ The Discovering Christ program will be starting January 10 th at Immaculate Conception Church, Montclair. Discovering Christ, is a seven-week experience of spiritual renewal that focuses on one s relationship with Christ through the fellowship of a meal, prayer, song, a dynamic presentation and small group discussion. Sessions will be held on Tuesday evenings January 10 February 21 from 6:45 9:15 p.m. in Madonna Hall at Immaculate Conception Church, Munn Street entrance. The program will also include a retreat day on Saturday, February 11. For more information or for a copy of the registration form and schedule please see the parish website at www.mtcimmaculate.org or contact the Parish Office at parishoffice@mtcimmaculate.org or 973-744-5650. Make a resolution this year to DISCOVER CHRIST. 656 Page 4
It is Thursday, December 15 and I am in what have begun to refer to as "minus-time." This is when the day s to-do list continually gets pushed to the next day like a personal game of "kick the can down the road." One of the things that will not wait is the bulletin deadline and the Christmas bulletin is due today. For those of you who are visiting St. Mary s, I have served as the director of music for the past three years. This weekly column is my way of sharing the connection between the music I select and the weekly scripture readings. (Except for when the Holy Spirit or some other event leads me on a tangent.) So, here I am in minus-time overwhelmed by the threads of multiple ideas rolling around my head. With each new thought the feeling grows like an icicle hanging overhead that is ready to come crashing down. This is important; it's the Christmas bulletin. So I do what I always do. I look back to the readings. For the past few weeks I ve been drawn to a particular verse as I planned, rehearsed and played. Perhaps our Marian novena had some influence in leading me in this direction. Amidst all of Isaiah's prophecy and Matthew and Luke's stories of angels and dreams this gem shone through: But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19 Then I look at the musical selections. I see words like: Joyful, Faithful, Triumphant, Sing, Adore and Glory. Isn t this why many of us return to St. Mary s and churches around the world on this day? Are we not looking to uncover and rediscover and ponder the things we treasure? My hope is that the music and spirit of our worship will help you recall the Christmas memories you treasure and grace-filled possibilities for you and those you love in the upcoming year. Blessed to spend another Christmas at St. Mary s, P.S.: Merry Christmas to all. P.P.S.: Happy birthday, Mom. Thank you for supporting my musical training and work. 656 Page 5
St. Mary s Church is served by: Rev. Richard Berbary, Pastor Rev. Thomas Nicastro, Parochial Vicar Anthony G. Armando, DRE/Youth Minister, 973-667- 8239 armandoa@stmarysnutley.org Bruce Mauro, Music Director, b.mauro1@yahoo.com Patrick Perrone, Trustee Anne Scheidel, Trustee Mass Schedule Sundays 5:30 (Sat. evening) 7:30, 9:00, 10:30, 12:00 Weekdays Masses in Parish Center Chapel 7:30, 12:10 (Monday - Friday), Holy Days 7:30 AM, 12:10 AM, 7:00 PM National Holidays 9:00 AM Parish Business Hours Parish Center: M-F, 9-4 Church Vestibule: Sat. 3-7 PM Sun. 9 AM-1 PM Phone Number: 973-235-1100 A Time of War and Peace We pray that our troops serving our country may be protected by the Holy Spirit, especially for Patrick Connors, Evan Keating, Collin Keating, Mark Nostro, Greg O Connell, David Nostro, Douglas Reiman, John Thompson and James Zaremba. A Time to Heal For all those who are sick or suffering, especially Mary Pedalino and all those listed on our webpage at http://stmarysnutley.org/prayerpage.shtml A Time to Die For all those who have entered into eternal life, especially Joseph Tomasella and George J. Glomb A Time to be Born For all those who have joined us in Baptism Readings for the Week of December 25, 2016 Monday: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Ps 31:3cd-4, 6, 8ab, 16bc, 17; Mt 10:17-22 Tuesday: 1 Jn 1:1-4; Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12; Jn 20:1a, 2-8 Wednesday: 1 Jn 1:5 2:2; Ps 124:2-5, 7b-8; Mt 2:13-18 Thursday: 1 Jn 2:3-11; Ps 96:1-3, 5b-6; Lk 2:36-40 Friday: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 or Col 3:12-21 [12-17]; Ps 128:1-5; Mt 2:13-15, 19-23 Saturday: 1 Jn 2:18-21; Ps 96:1-2, 11-13; Jn 1:1-18 Sunday: Nm 6:22-27; Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21 JPPC Confessions Saturdays, 4:30 to 5:15 or by appointment Novenas Miraculous Medal: Mon., 12:00 PM before Mass Our Lady of Perpetual Help: Weds., 7:00 PM in chapel Devotion to the Divine Mercy: Fri., 7:00 PM in chapel First Friday Novena: 1 st Friday of Month, 7:00 PM in the Chapel RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) Adults who wish to receive Baptism, First Communion or Confirmation should contact Kristen Gawlik at the Parish Center or email kristen@stmarysnutley.org. Baptisms Baptisms are the third Sunday of each month, at 1:30 PM. Please call at least a month in advance to make arrangements. Baptismal prep classes will now be held on Saturday, the week before Baptisms (the second Saturday of the month), at 1:00 PM in the Parish Center Parish Membership Parishioners should register and should inform the Parish Center when moving from the parish. Parish Collections: The December 11 th Collection was $14,290.00. We thank you for your generosity! Good Shepherd Academy (973-667-2049; www.gsanutley.org) Our Catholic grade school sponsored by the Archdiocese of Newark Religious Vocations If you think you may have a vocation, speak to one of our priests, or call the Archdiocesan Vocations Office (973-497-4366). Care of the Sick Communion will be brought to any parishioner confined to home, upon request; those who are seriously ill, or weak from the burden of years, should request the Anointing of the Sick. Urgent calls will be attended immediately. Marriage Contact a priest to make arrangements. The Bishops have directed that the normal preparation time is a year or more. 656 Page 6