Our Lady of Lourdes Pilgrimage to the Passion Our Lady of Lourdes, 390 County Road 523, P. O. Box 238, Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889 P: 908.534.2319 F: 908.534.5670 W: ollwhs.org
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Clergy PASTOR Very Rev. Leonard F. A. Rusay x 11, pastor@ollwhs.org PASTORAL SUPPORT Rev. Greg Uhrig DEACONS Mr. Charles Paolino and Mr. Al Adolfo Liturgical Celebrations WEEKEND LITURGIES Saturday 5:30 pm; Sunday 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 am WEEKDAY LITURGIES 8:30 am except Thursday at 12:00 pm HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION Please refer to the Bulletin. Office Hours Parish Staff PASTORAL ASSOCIATE Joline Frank x 12, pastoralassociate@ollwhs.org PARISH CATECHETICAL LEADER Nina Forestiere x 17, faithformation@ollwhs.org LITURGICAL MUSIC DIRECTOR James Cole x 19, music@ollwhs.org PASTORAL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Doreen Budris-Kovacs x 13, parishadmin@ollwhs.org PASTORAL FINANCE ASSISTANT Christine DeLessio x 15, finance@ollwhs.org COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR & PCL ASSOCIATE Bridget Hackman x 14, bulletin@ollwhs.org PASTORAL SECRETARY Madeline Fisher x 21, receptionist@ollwhs.org MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY - 9 am to 4 pm; FRIDAY - 9 am to 1 pm Visitation Hours CHURCH Daily 9 am to 5 pm SACRED HEART CHAPEL Monday to Thursday - 8 am to 4 pm; Friday 8 am to 1 pm PENANCE Saturday 4:30 to 5 pm and by appointment Faith Formation PCL ASSISTANT Janice Tressito, ffassist@ollwhs.org MAINTENANCE Colman Connolly Spiritual Direction - Individual directed prayer life is offered by our Priests and Pastoral Associate. Charismatic Prayer Group - This prayer community meets Tuesdays at 7 pm in the Sacred Heart Chapel. YOUTH FAITH FORMATION Religious education classes are held from September through May, for students in the First through Fourth grades on Monday and Tuesday from 4:30 to 5:45 pm and for students in the Fifth through Seventh grades on Monday and Tuesday from 6:30 to 7:45 pm. Twelve Confirmation Prep sessions are required for Eighth graders who wish to receive the Sacrament. CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS The process where those inquiring about becoming a Roman Catholic are invited to journey with Church members in sharing their faith, while discerning God s call to conversion. Please contact the Parish Office for further information. Parish Membership New members need to contact the Parish Office to register for an Evening of Welcome at which time the process of formally becoming a parishioner will be initiated. We receive many requests for certificates of sponsorship for Baptism and Confirmation. Certificates can only be given to registered members of the parish who actively practice their faith. Members are those who regularly attend Mass and participate in and support the life of the Church. Sacraments Prayer Opportunities BAPTISM The Rite of Baptism is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month following the 11:00 am Mass and the third Sunday of the month at the 11:00 am liturgy, except during Lent. Parents must attend an obligatory preparation session prior to the child s birth. Arrangements for a Baptismal date are made at that session. MATRIMONY In accordance with Diocesan policy, couples wishing to be married at OLL must participate in a one-year preparation program, which includes FOCCUS, Pre-Cana, God s Plan for a Faith-Filled Marriage, and required paperwork. Please confirm the date with the Church prior to making other plans. Marriages take place on Fridays and Saturdays no Sunday weddings. Page 3
A Note From Fr. Len Today we begin the first week of Lent. With our parish theme of Pilgrimage to the Passion, we start our journey of openness, acceptance, and trust. How we do this is up to each and every one of us. Some will give up something that distracts us from our mission of carrying our crosses, others will take time for prayer and reflection on our mission of mercy and hope, while others will open their minds and hearts to the word of God in a myriad of ways. Our parish offers different ways to accomplish all of the above. One can attend an extra Mass during the week, the Stations of the Cross on Fridays at 7:00 pm, or the Parish Lenten Retreat (March 27 to 29 at 7:00 pm) as a means of giving up idle time. One can take time to pray the rosary or meditate on the events that led to Christ s Passion. One can attend our weekly Adult Faith Formation class (Tuesday at 10:00 am or Wednesday at 7:00 pm), read and reflect with Deacon Chuck s Lenten Book, or read the handouts found in the magazine rack in the Narthex. All these opportunities are there to help you walk with our Lord as we prepare to remember his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Let us not be led into temptation but instead open our hearts and minds to the hope and joy found in our Savior. PRAYER TO BE GENEROUS Thank you, dear God, for all the things you have given me: family, food, clothing, and home. You have given me health, a mind, and free will. Best of all, dear God, you have given me the gift of true faith. Help me to share with others the love you give to me. Amen. Lenten Obligations are as follows: 1. The days of fast and abstinence are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. 2. All other Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence. 3. The obligation of fast applies only to Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59. Fasting in the Catholic tradition means to limit oneself to one full meal and two smaller meals which together are not equal to a full meal, so as to experience hunger. 4. The obligation of abstinence applies to all Catholics who have reached the age of 14. Abstinence in the Catholic tradition means to abstain from meat. As you may know, the Memorial of St. Patrick falls on a Friday this year. For members of the faithful celebrating this Memorial and who desire it, Bishop Checchio has commuted the penitential obligation on March 17 to the obligation to abstain from meat on another day that same week. You have heard of Saturday Night Live Why not try Luke Live! Our Parish Mission on the Gospel of Luke is coming. Entitled Luke Live - a dramatic proclamation for people of all ages by Paulist Fr. James DiLuzio, Paulist priest, missionary, and actor. Fr. James works out of New York City, traveling throughout the country with his powerful recitation of Luke s Gospel. Don t miss this opportunity to encounter the Gospel the way the early generations of Christians encountered it: stories about Jesus shared from the heart with hymns, songs and preaching. Mark your calendars for Monday through Wednesday evenings, March 27 to 29 at 7:00 pm in the Church. Fr. DiLuzio will inaugurate the Mission by preaching at all Masses the weekend of March 25 & 26. Also morning Mass will be celebrated by Fr. James Monday through Wednesday of that week. For more details, see the website www.lukelive.com Parish Family Pasta Dinner Mark Your Calendar Join us for an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner prepared by our own Chef Todd Terricone on Friday, April 7. Details to follow! Page 4 Monday 6 Tuesday 7 Wednesday 8 Lv 19:1-2, 11-18/Ps 19:8-10, 15/ Mt 25:31-46 Rose West r/b West Family 4:30 pm Youth Faith Formation 6:30 pm Youth Faith Formation 7:00 pm Rosary Altar Society Meeting, Community Hall Lente Weekday Is 55:10-11/Ps 34:4-7, 16-19/Mt 6:7-15 Thomas Gilroy r/b Gloria Rallo 10:00 am Adult Faith Formation with Joline, Old Church Hall 2:00 pm The Parish Office will be closed till 3:30 pm for a Staff Meeting. 4:30 pm Youth Faith Formation 6:30 pm Youth Faith Formation 7:00 pm Prayer Group, Chapel Jon 3:1-10/Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19/ Lk 11:29-32 Betty Glennon r/b Richard & Mary Joe 7:00 pm Evening of Welcome, Community Hall Adult Faith Formation with Fr. Greg, Old Church Hall
Faith Formation Compassionate Care and Social Justice Thursday 9 Friday 10 Saturday 11 Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25/Ps 138:1-3, 7c-8/ Mt 7:7-12 12:00 Noon Mass: Deceased Members of the Nello & Jennie Caparelli Families r/b Frank Caporelli Liturgy RCIA Update This Sunday, our candidate Olivia Lorenzo and our catechumen, Al Stankevich will pass yet another milestone on their journey toward full communion in the Catholic Church. During the 5:30 pm Mass on Saturday, we celebrated the Rite of Sending. Sunday, we will celebrate the Rite of Election/Call to Continuing Conversion at the Cathedral of St. Francis Assisi in Metuchen. Bishop Checcio will formally recognize their progress and will accept our catechumen as the Elect chosen by God to receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil this year. He will call our candidate to continuing conversion leading up to the Sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil. Next Sunday, during the 11:00 am Mass, we will celebrate the first of three Scrutinies for our Elect, Al Stankevich, who is preparing for Baptism. In answer to our prayers, God will pour out His grace to prepare him for spiritual cleansing and healing. Please continue to pray for our candidate and catechumen. Living Stations of the Cross Good Friday, April 14 at 7:00 pm Join us for a special event! Volunteers are needed to reenact the events leading up to Christ s Crucifixion. We need adults for the following parts: Pilate (male), Veronica (female), One Woman, 2 Demons (male or female or both), 2 Different Soldiers (male), Joseph of Arimathea (male), John the Beloved Apostle (male), and Spotlight (male or female) A rehearsal will be held on Saturday, April 8 at 12:00 Noon. Please contact Christine at finance@ollwhs.org to volunteer. Catholicism...the Pivotal Players Bishop Barron is on a new journey to unlock the truth behind the Catholic Church's most influential people. You'll discover the places where Blessed John Henry Newman and G. K. Chesterton lived, ministered, learned, and prayed. And through unprecedented HD footage, marvel at the extraordinary art of Michelangelo, from his David statue in Florence, to the Pietà at St. Peter's, to the Sistine Chapel. We are continuing this very successful series! Join Father Greg on Wednesday, March 8 at 7:00 pm as he finishes his discussion on G. K. Chesterton or meet with Joline on Tuesday, March 7 as she begins to explore the life of Blessed John Henry Newman at 10:00 am. Both Fr. Greg and Joline will hold their classes in Old Church Hall. Acquire the Fire Acquire the Fire, the young adult group, will be meeting tonight, March 5 at 7:00 pm in Old Church Hall. Join us for a night of fellowship, games, and snacks. Save the date for our next meeting on March 26. To join the list serve, please email Susan at acquirethefire@ollwhs.org. The Death of a Loved One is a life changing event that can leave any of us feeling many different emotions. As we mourn our loss, it feels like no one in the world can understand what we are going through - the pain, sadness, anger, loneliness, and other sensations of overwhelming loss. Pathways Towards Peace, a bereavement group, is designed to help the participants, within a welcoming and non-threatening framework, deal with the sometimes complicated feelings that are part of the grieving process. The eight-session series begins on Thursday evening, March 16 at 7:00 pm. in the Parish Library. Contact Joline at 534-2319 x 12 or pastoralassociate@ollwhs.org. Ez 18:21-28/Ps 130:1-8/Mt 5:20-26 Fred Freitag r/b Bob & Christine and Family 9:00 am Women of Grace, Community Hall 6:30 pm Communion Blessing Cup Retreat, Old Church Hall 7:00 pm Traditional Way of the Cross, Church Dt 26:16-19/Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8/ Mt 5:43-48 Frances Lazur r/b Peggy & Leslie Newmark 5:30 pm Mass: Fr. Len Deceased Members of the Knights of Columbus Page 5
Bishop James F. Checchio's First Pastoral Letter, Lighting a Fire in the Heart of our World Published in a special March 2 edition of The Catholic Spirit, the letter is a reflection of Bishop Checchio s pastoral visits to parishes, Catholic schools, institutions and ministries of the diocese since his May 3, 2016 ordination and installation. Based on his conversations with clergy, religious, the lay faithful and his personal observations, it outlines the priorities that emerged and which call for our attention as we go forward. Please pick up a copy of Bishop Checchio's Pastoral Letter after Mass today or read it online at diometuchen.org and catholicspirit.com. 2017 Bishop s Annual Appeal...Ambassadors for Christ By now you have received a letter from Bishop Checchio inviting your participation in the 2017 Bishop s Annual Appeal. The diocesan ministries supported by the Appeal directly impact many of the parishioners here at Our Lady of Lourdes. Your gift provides formation opportunities for our Catechists, Deacons, youth, and young adults. Among other important ministries, your sacrificial giving also allows our Hospital Chaplains to minister to those experiencing physical and emotional pain and helps to prepare our Seminarians for a life in the priesthood. If you have yet to make your pledge to this year s Bishop s Annual Appeal, you will have the opportunity to do so next weekend, March 11 & 12, which has been designated as Bishop s Annual Appeal In-Pew Weekend. Please prayerfully consider a gift to the Bishop s Annual Appeal to help our parish reach its goal. If we can exceed our goal, 50% of the amount collected over the goal will be returned to our parish in the form of a rebate. Just as important as our financial goal is our goal of reaching 100% participation. Every gift, no matter the size, is important and greatly appreciated. Thank you! Community Life Rosarian Gift Shop The Gift Shop will reopen March 19. See our collection of First Eucharist items including: white ties for the boys, bling & special hair bows for the girls, First Eucharist Bibles, cake toppers, greeting cards, invitations, and much more. Looking for a housewarming gift, military send off, Confirmation or Baptism gift... check out the gift shop first! Special order items are available with a two-week window for delivery. Interested in reading some local history, come check out books written by local Hunterdon historian, Stephanie Stevens. Mrs. Stevens, OLL parishioner, has written books about the history of Round Valley (pre-reservoir), Pittstown, local Jewish history, and several others. Your support of the gift shop aids the Rosary Altar Scholarship Fund. Scholarships are given to graduating seniors who are active volunteers in our parish. Contact Ruth Stieh at rastieh@gmail.com or 534-4039 with questions or to schedule an appointment. Thank you for your support! Knights of Columbus Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner The Knights of Columbus will hold their annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner Saturday, March 18 at 6:30 pm in Community Hall. The menu includes: Corned Beef and Cabbage, beverage, and dessert; $20.00 per person, $18.00 for seniors, and $10 children under 12. Pay at the door. The Knights thank you for your continued support! For additional information call Roman at 256-9760 or romanhnidj@verizon.net. Next Week s Second Collection Next week, our parish will take up The Catholic Relief Services Collection (CRSC). Funds from this collection help provide food to the hungry, support to displaced refugees, and Christ s love and respect to all people here at home and abroad. Next week, please give generously to the CRSC and help Jesus in disguise. Learn more about the collection at www.usccb.org/ catholic-relief. Sunday, March 12 Second Sunday of Lent Gn 12:1-4a/Ps 33:4-5, 18-20, 22/ 2 Tm 1:8b-10/Mt 17:1-9 Catholic Relief Services Second Collection 8:00 am Mass: Fr. Len People of the Parish 9:15 am Family Ministry, Community Hall 9:30 am Mass: Fr. Greg Anne Stieh r/b Don & Ruth 11:00 am Mass: Fr. Greg Drew O Donoghue r/b The Nealon Family Noah s Ark Weekly Tithe 5% of next week s collection will be donated to the Catholic Relief Services Operation Rice Bowl Many Thanks to This Week s Advertiser ~ David Laggini Senior Specialist at Re/Max Tabernacle Lamps Burn in Honor of: Tim Piazza George Budavari Timothy Piazza The Sacred Heart Lamp Burns in Honor of: Health & Blessings to Barbara Kearns Page 6