BLESSED SACRAMENT PARISH Staten Island, New York Reverend Monsignor Peter G. Finn, Pastor Reverend Francisco Lanzaderas Reverend Albin Roby Reverend Monsignor Francis V. Boyle, Pastor Emeritus MASSES: Saturday in the Church: 5:00 PM (Vigil), Sunday 8:00, 9:30, 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM. Weekdays in the Church: 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM. Saturday in the Church: 9:00 AM. Holy Days in the Church: 7:00 PM (Vigil), 7:00, 9:00, 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Saturday: 12:00 to 1:00 PM; 4:15 to 5:00 PM. Anytime upon reasonable request. SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Sunday at 2:00 PM. (Except during July & August, then only on the First and Third Sunday and other specified days) Arrangements should be made at least one month in advance with the priest of the Parish. Parents of a first child and parents who are new to Blessed Sacrament must attend a Baptism Instruction Class which is held the second Wednesday evening of every month (except July and August) at 7:30 P.M. in the Parish House Meeting Room. Godparents should be Practicing Catholics, and must obtain a Sponsor Certificate from their Parish. SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY Arrangements should be made about six months in advance, with a priest of the Parish. Couples must attend PreCana Conferences. SICK CALLS - At any time. MIRACULOUS MEDAL NOVENA - Every Monday after the 9:00 AM Mass. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION - First Friday from 12:00 Noon to 2:00 P.M. NEW PARISHIONERS - Welcome to our Parish. We invite all parishioners to participate fully in our spiritual and social life. If you are new in the parish, please introduce yourself after Mass and register at the Parish House Office weekdays 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Kindly notify us if you change your address. PARISH HOUSE 30 Manor Road 442-1581 http://www.blessedsacramentchurchsi.com SCHOOL Mr. Joseph Cocozello Principal 830 Delafield Avenue 442-3090 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Sister Anne Dolores Van Wagenen, C.S.JB. - D.R.E. 830 Delafield Avenue 448-0378 PAGE TWO DECEMBER 28, 2014 WE ARE GOD’S HOLY FAMILY The scriptures of Israel are filled with many stories of barren couples who were miraculously granted the gift of children by God. Surely the best known among these is the first reading from today, from which Luke took inspiration when he recounted the miraculous birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah and Elizabeth, and the more miraculous birth of Jesus to Mary and Joseph. In each instance, we are given examples of role models of those who trusted in God. More than examples of those who trust, they are models of self-surrender. They abandoned their own presuppositions and prejudices about the workings of the world and turned their lives over to belief in a God who can make life grow where none ought to; a God who can turn death around into a new and unimagined life; a God who can, today, take a tiny child of humble parents in an insignificant town and make him into a light for all the world. This is what we, as God’s holy family, are called to do each day: to trust not in ourselves and the way we think things should be, but to open ourselves and surrender ourselves in faith to a God of endless promise. Copyright J.S. Paluch Co. PRAY FOR THE SICK The sick are comforted just knowing that you pray for them In your charity please remember: Margaret Pittman-Boyle, Douglas Pfleging, Jr., Phyllis Ribaudo, Ann Socci, James Burghardt, Concetta Chicolo, Kelly Ward, Catherine Crane, Amelia DiMauro, Lisa Barlow, Mary Kenny, David Averack, Kathryn Haring, Jean Carter, Stephanie Barry, Jane Redmond, Carolyn DeStefano, Robert Tursi, Deirdre Westergren, Betty O’Brien, Nicholas Toto, Marykate Rose, Carlo Fumando, Peggy Travers, Mary Anne Blaine, Jean Cunningham, Jean Elmadary, Jameson Riley David, Alan March, Sebastian Lattuga, Grayce Novaro, Angela Siuzdak, Helen Ramsey, Katherine Barbera, Phyllis Scharfenberg, Phyllis Giambruno, Margaret Romani, Phyllis March, Br. William Herbst, Barbara Brown, Michael Caruso, Patricia Connelly, Eugene Esposito, Hugh Kiernan, Mary Belli, Mark Volpe, Elaine Lydersen, Linda Hansen, Dean Robert Ziegler, Susannah Yates, Carol Stoltzfus, Harvey Minars, , Marco Antonio Gonzalez, Grace Leddy, Margaret King, Joseph D’Amico, Infant Twins, Allison & Adrianna, and Kathy Quinlan. SYMPATHY Remember the souls of George Kahles, Armando Carles and the souls for whom Mass will be offered during the week, especially: MONDAY 7:00 James Finn 9:00 James L. Deignan TUESDAY 7:00 Burton Cohen 9:00 Gustave Grecsek, Sr. WEDNESDAY 2015 On behalf of Fr. Frank, Fr. Roby, Mr. Cocozello, Principal, Sister Anne Dolores, Director of Religious Education and our Parish and School Staffs, I would like to wish our Parish Family the blessings of a Holy, Happy and Healthy New Year. Msgr. Finn THE SANCTUARY LAMP KEEPS ITS SILENT VIGIL BEFORE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT IN LOVING MEMORY OF ANTHONY MAZZA 7:00 John Driscoll 9:00 John Schwarz 5:00 Vigil Mass – Christmas Novena Intentions THURSDAY Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God 8:00 Christmas Novena Intentions 9:30 Anna Giorgio & Christmas Novena Intentions 12:30 John Schwarz & Christmas Novena Intentions FRIDAY 7:00 John E. Finn, Jr. (Living Intention) 9:00 Joselito & Marietta Ybanez SATURDAY 9:00 Robert W. Durr (Living Intention) 5:00 Al & Ann Gaudet SUNDAY 8:00 Emily Marie McQuade 9:30 Donna & Steven Ancona 12:30 John Schwarz PAGE THREE THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY & JOSEPH SCHEDULE JANUARY 4, 2015 5:00 PM Vigil 8:00 AM 9:30 AM 11:00 AM 12:30 PM ALTAR SERVERS Team 10 Team 6 Team 7 Team 8 Team 9 LECTORS T PARISH NURSE PROGRAM The Parish Nurse’s office hours are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. If you wish to make an appointment with the Parish Nurse, Peggy Smith, please call her at 718-4479657. FEEDING OUR NEIGHBORS An Archdiocesan-Wide Drive to Replenish Food Pantries Sunday, January 25, 2015 to Sunday, February 1, 2015 Nearly 325,000 children have difficulty affording food, that’s 22% of children in the 10 counties of the Archdiocese. Do your part to make sure no hungry neighbor is turned away from Sunday, January 25th through Sunday, February 1st for the Feeding Our Neighbors Campaign. The three simple ways to participate and contribute to the Campaign are: --Donate to a collection of money to support emergency food programs --Participate in the Food Drive at our Parish --Volunteer at a Food Pantry EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS T B B A A PLEASE NOTE: The Parish House Office will close at 1:00 P.M. on December 31st and will be closed on January 1, and 2, 2015 in observance of the New Year Holiday. COLLECTION FOR THE CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN will take place on January 4, 2015. This Collection helps to share faith, demonstrate worship and be a witness of God’s love through social media, television, radio and print media. COLLECTION FOR THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA will also take place on Sunday, January 4, 2015. The Catholic University of America is the national university of the Catholic Church in the United States located in Washington, D.C. It provides an academically rigorous education guided by Catholic intellectual tradition to nearly 7,000 students every year. Several thousand students receive scholarship aid from this Collection. The Catholic Communications Campaign and The Catholic University of America are a combined Diocesan Collection. SUNDAYCOLLECTION COLLECTION SUNDAY 2014 2010 2009 2013 $8535.00 (Weekly) $6384.00 (Weekly) $5495.00 (Weekly) $6144.00 (Weekly) $3070.00 <Second Collection >$1901.00 $1961.00 (AirCondition) $2136.00 (AirCondition) ATTENDANCE ATTENDANCE 2014 2010 782 (Adults) 776 (Adults) 153(Children) (Children) 179 935 955 2013 2009 791 (Adults) 755 (Adults) 149(Children) (Children) 198 940 953 JANUARY 1, 2015 PAGE FOUR FROM THE PASTOR “Twilight comes, everything ends Till Tomorrow….” Resolutions with a Higher Purpose As the calendar counts down ever faster to 2015, you may be wondering what kind of New Year’s resolutions you should make. In his best-selling book “You Can Change the World,” The Christophers founder, Father James Keller, had some ideas you might want to consider. Though they weren’t specifically resolutions (he called them “Reminders for a Christopher”), they’re ideal to think about at this time of year because they’ll result in both a better you and a better world. Father Keller’s first piece of advice was: “Depend more on God, less one self. All of us should pray as if all depended on God and should work as if everything depended on ourselves…The more we realize our strength is rooted in God, the more we will acquire, and be inspired by, an exhilarating assurance that nothing can daunt us.” Another one of Father Keller’s central beliefs was: “Aim to serve, not to be served.” He goes on to quote American drama critic and author John Mason Brown, whose statement about living a selfless life resonated with him. Brown wrote, “No one, I am convinced, can be happy who lives only for himself. The joy of living comes from immersion in something that we know to be bigger, better, more enduring and worthier than we are. People, ideas, causes-these offer the one possible escape not merely from selfishness but from the hungers of solitude and the sorrows of aimlessness.” Since the concept of lighting a candle rather than cursing the darkness was always at the forefront of Father Keller’s thoughts, he also suggested looking for the best in others even when it’s easier to see the worst. He wrote, “There’s a bit of nobility in the worst of human beings because all are made in God’s image and that image can never be completely lost. Never write anybody off! There’s always hope! Even the man who has decided to have nothing whatever to do with God isn’t frozen in that state of mind. Deep in the very roots of his being, and just because he is created in the Divine Image, there is an ever-present tug toward God. It is the privilege of Christophers to help him become aware of this tremendous tug. For this very reason…Christophers can honestly say to anyone, ‘There is a lot of good in you!’” Finally—and this may be the hardest resolution of all—Father Keller said, “Don’t flee suffering; use it.” A perfect illustration of this principle comes from The Christophers’ ”Three Minutes a Day” book which provides stories and reflections for each day of the year. One of them is about U.S. Army Sgt. J.D. Williams, who stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Kandahar Province of southern Afghanistan. According to Sgt. Williams, the blast launched him 20 feet in the air and left a six-foot crater in the ground. At a hospital in Germany, they young soldier found out that he would need to have his right arm and both legs amputated. After his surgeries, Sgt. Williams was sent to an Army medical center in Texas to recover. Throughout his recovery, Sgt. Williams expressed thanks that he stepped on the IED himself instead of one of his fellow soldiers. He believes he is a lucky man and has said, “I really think God has a purpose for me on this planet. I will find it, whatever it is.” Whatever resolutions you choose for the coming year together with Jerry Costello, Tony Rossi, and all The Christophers, Blessed Sacrament Parish Family wishes you the blessing of a Happy and Healthy 2015. GOD BLESS YOU, MSGR. FINN
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