1200
S HIPPAN A VENUE, S TAMFORD, CT
06902
Parish Office: 203.324.4634
Office Hours: 10:00am-5:00pm Mon & Fri 10:00am-4:00pm Wed
April 19, 2015
Pastor: Rev. Peter K. Smolik, [email protected]
Pastor Emeritus: Msgr. Edward Surwilo, [email protected]
Deacon: Gauthier Vincent, [email protected]
DIRECTORY
MASSES
Saturday Vigil
Sunday
Weekdays (Mon– Fri)
Holy Days
5:30 pm
9am & 11 am
8 am
8 am 12pm & 5:30 pm
Bob Unnold 203.359.8641
Parish Council: Joe Dineen 203.323.3219
Finance: Rich Kondub 203.357.8973
CONFESSIONS
Saturday
or by appointment
Trustees: Sam Cingari 203.324.5492
4:30-5 pm
Virginia Gerardi 203.964.4915
Parish Office: Natasha Papageorge 203.324.4634
BAPTISMS
Celebrated each Sunday after the 11 am Mass. Please
call the Parish Office to schedule. New parents must
attend a Pre-Baptismal class arranged through the
Parish Office.
MARRIAGE
Please call the Parish Office before finalizing any
other arrangements.
Director of Music: Ruth Rolander 203-981-2510
Children’s Choir : Natalia Anderson 203-276-0151
Faith Formation: Dee Fumega 203.969.7778
Youth Ministry: Gauthier & Valerie Vincent
203.977.8691
School Principal: Phillip Adzima 203.348.1155
WWW.OURLADYSTAROFTHESEASTAMFORD.ORG
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
The Sanctuary Candle burns this week
For Lucyna & Stefan Smolik
SATURDAY, APRIL 18
Acts 6:1-7/Jn 6:16-21
5:30pm Patrick Queally
(req. by Betty & Sean Queally)
SUNDAY, APRIL 19
Acts 3:13-15, 17-19/1 Jn 2:1-5a/Lk 24:35-48
9:00am Marie Sarni (req. by Dorothy Rich)
11:00am Elena Villareal Reyes (req. by family)
MONDAY, APRIL 20
Acts 6:8-15/Jn 6:22-29
8:00am Ray Carrano (req. by MariKay & Bill Willson)
TUESDAY, APRIL 21
Acts 7:51—8:1a/Jn 6:30-35
8:00am Frank Cavaliere (req. by Elizabeth Mocarski)
WENESDAY, APRIL 22
Acts 8:1b-8/Jn 6:35-40
8:00am Mary Lou Kerr (req. by Jane Maikish)
THURSDAY, APRIL 23
Acts 8:26-40/Jn 6:44-51
8:00am Stephen Murray (req. by Fine/Tellini)
FRIDAY, APRIL 24
Acts 9:1-20/Jn 6:52-59
8:00am John Mahan (req. by family)
SATURDAY, APRIL 25 ST MARK
1 Pt 5:5b-14/Mk 16:15-20
5:30pm Victor Portanova (req. by family)
SUNDAY, APRIL 26
Acts 4:8-12/1 Jn 3:1-2/Jn 10:11-18
9:00am Karen Murphy (req. by Virginia Gerardi)
11:00am Adelina Canneto (req. by Lindell family)
WEEKLY SANCTUARY CANDLES INTENTIONS
What better way to remember a friend or loved one
then with a candle? Till now Our Lady Star of the
Sea had only the Blessed Mother candles available,
yet they are lit for only an hour and a half. Please
notice that the Church Sanctuary Candle burns the
entire week for individual intentions noted in our
bulletin during the week requested.
We’re on Facebook!
We have a facebook page which we will update with
what’s going on around our parish!
www.facebook.com/pages/Our-Lady-Star-of-the-Sea
WEEKLY COLLECTION:
Last week: 3,958; Last year: 6,073 (Palm Sunday);
YTD: -4.0%
From the Pastor’s desk: I hope you had a great week. Today is the Third Sunday of Easter. Our gospel account
describes Jesus’ appearance to his apostles in their hiding place in the Upper Room. It tells us again how Jesus
removed the doubts of his apostles about his resurrection
by inviting them to touch Him and by eating a piece of
cooked fish. Jesus explained to them how the Old Testament had been fulfilled in Him. Then, he commissioned
them to bear witness to Him and preach “repentance and
forgiveness of sins in His name after receiving the Holy
Spirit.” Now, the Easter season is the time, just as it was
for the disciples, to allow the fruits of Jesus’ Resurrection
to unfold in our lives.
The Ester (Pascal) Candle
The use of the Paschal Candle has origins
reaching at least to the third century, and may
have a more ancient connection to the Jewish
practice of lighting a candle at the end of the
Sabbath. The blessing of the Paschal candle at
the Easter Vigil and its use throughout the year
is rich in symbolism and important to the sacramental life of the Church.
The candle must be made of pure wax representing the sinless flesh Christ took on from Mary. The flame represents his divinity and the wick his humanity. Interestingly, the candle
itself is not blessed, but rather the fire from which it is lit. At the beginning of the Easter Vigil, a “blazing fire” is lit outside the church. The fire
represents the glory of Christ’s resurrection after the darkness of the
church following the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday night.
The priest first blesses the fire, praying that through the paschal celebrations, the people will be “inflamed with heavenly desires.”
The candle remains in the sanctuary or near the ambo for the rest of
the Easter season and may be used throughout the year for baptisms,
funerals and some other special occasion. Its very first duty though is
later during the Easter Vigil, when it is used to bless the water with
which the catechumens will be baptized.
Just before the catechumens are to be baptized, the water is blessed
and the priest literally plunges the base of the candle into the font three
times praying that “the power of the Holy Spirit . . . come down through
your Son into the fullness of this font.” As the candle raised from the
water, the congregation acclaims, “Springs of water,
bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.”
The Annual Catholic Appeal (Building Communities of Faith) is in
full swing and I am hoping that you will support this important fundraiser. Please keep in mind that while Our Lady Star
of the Sea Parish is our spiritual home, the Appeal is a great
opportunity to look beyond our parish. Together we can do so
much to help so many. Please know that at this point of
the campaign 88 families have raised $79,170 bringing our
parish to 75.40% of its $105,000 goal. Thank you to all who
have responded.
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
EASTER IS A SEASON
Just as Sunday is one day out
of seven, so the Easter season, a period of 50 days, is
approximately one-seventh of
the year. The Easter season
is a time of special rejoicing
and celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord. The liturgical prayers and readings
focus on the Resurrection and the effects that it has on
believers and on the world. The Acts of the Apostles is a
book of Scripture that provides the source of most of the
readings of the Easter Season, and it shows how the
apostolic Church proclaimed the Resurrection and
brought many to the waters of baptism to share the new
life of Christ. May this season of celebration of life leads
us all to a deeper commitment to proclaim, celebrate,
and serve the gift of human life.
VIII World Meeting of Families
-Philadelphia 2015 –
with Pope Francis in attendance!
Philadelphia is proud to welcome families
from around the world to this event on September 22-27, 2015. The theme is “Love Is
Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.” Families
can look forward to speakers, celebrations,
activities for kids, and prayer, all of which
will bring renewal and transformation for you, your loved
ones, and the world. Visit the official World Meeting of Families website at: WorldMeeting2015.org to learn more and to
sign up for regular updates on how you can participate.
The Diocese of Bridgeport will be organizing a group to attend
this exciting event. For details please contact Angela Mantero,
diocesan Director of Marriage and Family, at
[email protected] or 203.416.1627.
SAVE THE DATE!
SYNOD CLOSING MASS
Saturday, September 19, 2015.
Watch for details.
Lauralton Hall offering an Entrance Exam for
7th grade girls on Saturday, May 2 at 8:00 am.
Pre-register for the exam online at
www.lauraltonhall.org. Any questions, please
call LH Admissions Office at 203.878.3333
When a woman's CHOICE is LIFE,
she finds support at MALTA HOUSE.
Help Malta House provide a nurturing home environment to young
mothers and their babies.
Could you:
• spend some time in our on-site
childcare?
• become a Mother Mentor?
 spearhead a collection for our
babies' needs?
To volunteer: Joan Howard (ext. 13)
To tour or donate: Arlene Peterson (ext. 21)
www.maltahouse.org - 203-857-0088
The Shippan Point
Garden Club
Tag Sale Fundraiser
Saturday, May 2, 2015
The Shippan Point
Garden Club
May Market Fundraiser
Saturday, May 9, 2015
9:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.
Location: Our Lady
Star of the Sea
1200 Shippan Avenue
Wedding Jubilee Mass
St. Theresa Church, Trumbull
Sunday, May 17, 2015 at 3:00 pm
The Diocese of Bridgeport will
celebrate a Mass commemorating
significant wedding anniversaries!
Bishop Caggiano will be the Principal Celebrant at
this Mass which will include the renewal of marriage
vows and presentation of commemorative certificates. Couples who have or will be celebrating an anniversary ending in “0” or “5” beginning with 10
years, or anyone celebrating 50 PLUS years during
the months of January - June are invited to register
with the parish office by May 8.
On Saturday, April 25th from 1pm to 4pm, Friends of Cummings, West & Czescik's Parks and Brownie Troop 50022 will be
working hard to clean up the parks and beaches in honor of Earth
Day. If you can help for an hour or two, you will receive many
thanks from many people. Everyone is gathering at Cummings
Beach Pavilion to enjoy light refreshments before heading off to
work. Rain boots are recommended for the clean-up. Please follow this link to sign-up to help: http://www.signupgenius.com/
go/10c0e44ada62fabfc1-beach1 THANK YOU! Please email Lisa
Coggins if you have any questions [email protected]