128 West 37th Street (West of Broadway) , New York, NY 10018
Tel: (212) 279-5861
Fax: (212) 714-9313
www.innocents.com
THE FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS
DECEMBER 28, 2014
REGULAR MASS SCHEDULE
SUNDAY:
10:30 am: Latin Missa Cantata
12:30 pm: Mass in English
MONDAY-FRIDAY:
7:30 am, 12:15 pm,
6:00 pm (Traditional Latin Mass )
SATURDAY:
12 Noon: (on 2nd Saturdays only)
1 pm: Traditional Latin Mass
4 pm: Vigil Mass for Sunday
DEVOTIONS
The Liturgy of the Hours:
Mondays & Fridays 12:00 Noon
Vespers: Sundays 2:30 pm
The Rosary:
Tue, Wed & Thu: 12:00 Noon
Mon-Fri: 5:20 pm, Sun: 2:15 pm
Exposition of The Blessed
Sacrament:
Weekdays after the 12:15 pm Mass
Benediction: Weekdays 5:45 pm
The Divine Mercy Chaplet:
Monday—Friday: 3:00 pm
PARISH CLERGY:
Overnight Prayer Vigil: First
Father Leonard Villa, Pastor (ext. 240)
Friday of the month - 7pm-6am
2000 Hail Marys: Second Saturday Father Louis Van Thanh (ext. 217)
of the month 7am (see page 6)
IN RESIDENCE:
The Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs
RECONCILIATION
Father Oliver Chanama (ext. 216)
Fridays: 12-2pm (English/Español) VISITING CLERGY:
Father Owen Laffertyh
and 5:30-6:00pm
Father James Goode, OFM er
Saturdays: 12:30-1:00,3:30-4:00
Sundays: 10:00-10:30 am, 12-12:30
CHURCH OFFICE: (ext. 210)
Vijay Wijesundera
SACRISTANS:
Liliana Calderon, William Delgado,
Agustin Terron
HOUSEHOLD:
Aracely Barrezueta
ISAIAH HALL: (ext. 226)
John Azzarelli
The ProPro-Life Mass & Rosary Procession for the
Feast of the Holy Innocents was held yesterday, December 27th.
All of us at the Church of the Holy Innocents sincerely thank
The Franciscan Friars & Sisters of the Renewal,
the Priests for Life, the Sisters of Life, and all ProPro-Life coco-workers
who attended & assisted.
Welcome Father Villa!
Father Leonard F. Villa has been appointed as
the new Administrator of the Parish of the
Holy Innocents, effective, December 26th,
2014. He will reside at the rectory here.
Thanks & Goodbye Father Rutler!
Father George Rutler will continue to be the
Pastor of St. Michael’s Church at 424 West 34th Street
Since June 2014, he has been the Administrator
of St. John the Evangelist Church in Goshen.
Prior to that, Fr. Villa had been pastor of
St. Eugene’s parish in Yonkers since 1998. Since
March of 2011, he also has served as regional
vicar of Yonkers. He was parochial vicar at
St. Eugene’s, 19941994-1997, and administrator,
19971997-1998. He was a parochial vicar at
St. Dominic’s, the Bronx, 19921992-1994, and at
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Bronx,
19861986-1991.
A lawyer, he practiced as a judge advocate in
the U.S. Navy before entering St. Joseph’s
Seminary to study for the priesthood. He did
Scripture studies at the Biblicum in Rome,
19911991-1992. He studied for the priesthood at
St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie,
and was ordained in 1986.
Frs. Leonard Villa,
Louis Van Thanh,
Oliver Chanama
and the Staff of
The Holy Innocents Church
most cordially wish you
and your loved ones a
Very Merry Christmas
and a
Happy New Year!
READINGS FOR THIS SUNDAY: JEREMIAH 31:15-17 / PSALM 124 / REVELATION 21:1-7 / MATTHEW 2:13-18
LEBANESE PARISH REACHES OUT TO
CHRISTIAN IRAQI REFUGEES FOR
CHRISTMAS
difficulty, with a significant burden of debt." He attributed
the situation to unapproved financial activity by some friars
as well as non-Franciscans and said the curia had retained
lawyers and contacted civil authorities. The announcement
was published as an open letter on the order's website,
www.ofm.org, Dec. 17. The announcement included a plea
to Franciscan superiors around the world for "your
understanding and for a financial contribution to help
address the current situation, which involves also the
repayment of significant debts."
MAY CHURCH BE LIFE-GIVING MOTHER,
NOT POWER-HUNGRY 'BUSINESS'
BEIRUT (CNS), Dec 16, 2014 — As an expression of solidarity
and to share the hope of Christmas, the Maronite Catholic
Cathedral of the Resurrection in Rabieh, an affluent suburb
north of Beirut, hosted the group of Christian Iraqi refugees.
VATICAN CITY (CNS), Dec 19, 2014 — A church concerned
with power and self-interest ends up looking like a business
rather than what it is called to be: a generous mother open
to the surprise and life-giving miracle of the Holy Spirit.
Pope Francis said. "The church is mother and it becomes a
mother only when she is open to the newness of God, to the
power of the Spirit," he said Dec. 19 at his morning Mass in
the Domus Sanctae Marthae. The pope's homily focused on
the day's readings from the Book of Judges (13:2-7, 24-25)
and the Gospel of St. Luke (1:5-25), which talk about God's
role in conceiving new life in the womb of two women
believed to be barren: the mother of Samson, and Elizabeth,
the mother of John the Baptist. Pope Francis said these
biblical accounts of sterility and fertility symbolize how
humanity is "unable to take the next step" alone and must
open itself up to God.
Some of the refugees had arrived in Lebanon only days or
weeks before, their hopes for a safe future overshadowed by
CUBA, US: HOW THE HOLY SEE WAS
memories of their expulsion from their homes in Mosul and
the areas of the Ninevah Plain last summer, when Islamic
BEHIND THE SCENE FOR 50 YEARS
State militants seized the areas and ordered minorities to
convert to Islam, pay a protection tax, or face death.
VATICAN CITY, Dec 18, 2014(CNA/EWTN News) — The
The priests and volunteers of the parish, who together had announcement that the US and Cuba will enjoy warmer
planned every detail of the gathering for the Iraqi Christian relations follows more than 50 years of Vatican diplomacy,
refugees as well as other events during Advent, eagerly which was ramped up by St. John Paul II during his 1984 visit
to nearby Puerto Rico. The Church’s commitment for Cuba
welcomed their guests.
has a twofold path: on one side, the relations that bishops,
"You have suffered so much," Father Elie Sfeir, pastor of the especially from the US, had with Cuba, thus ‘de facto’
church, said in his homily, "but do not be afraid, because creating a bridge between two worlds divided by the
Jesus is here for you." After the Our Father, the priest embargo; and on the other side, the Holy See's diplomatic
invited the Iraqi guests to recite the prayer together in their effort, backed by St. John Paul II.
Chaldean language. Downstairs at the banquet after Mass,
the volunteers and priests lavished hospitality upon their Cuba is the only communist nation with which the Holy See
never broke off diplomatic relations. The US broke off its ties
guests.
with the island in 1961, and during the October 1962 missile
crisis St. John XXIII wrote to both John F. Kennedy and Nikita
'QUESTIONABLE' FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES Khruschev to avert a war.
LEAVE FRANCISCANS IN SERIOUS DEBT
In 1996, Fidel Castro was received by St. John Paul II in the
Vatican, a signal that the dialogue was strengthened. This
was the climate that led to St. John Paul II's historic visit to
Cuba in 1998. The first Pope ever to step foot in Cuba, St.
John Paul II said in Havana that “Cuba needs to open herself
to the world, and the world needs to draw close to Cuba.”
VATICAN CITY (CNS), Dec 19, 2014 — Ineffective budgetary
oversight and "questionable" financial activities have plunged
the Order of Friars Minor into significant debt and an
extremely serious financial situation, its Minister General
said. Following an internal investigation into the order's
finances, U.S. Franciscan Father Michael Perry, the superior, Benedict XVI's trip in 2012 marked a step toward a new
announced to all members of the order that its general curia opening of Cuba to the world. This is the path that brought
"finds itself in grave, and I underscore 'grave,' financial to historic choice of re-opening US-Cuba relations.
3
Saints of the Week
December 28
THE HOLY INNOCENTS
Herod “the Great,” king of Judea, was unpopular with his
people because of his connections with the Romans and his
religious indifference. Hence he was insecure and fearful of
any threat to his throne. He was a master politician and a
tyrant capable of extreme brutality. He killed his wife, his
brother and his sister’s two husbands, to name only a few.
Matthew 2:1-18 tells this story: Herod was “greatly
troubled” when astrologers from the east came asking the
whereabouts of “the newborn king of the Jews,” whose star
they had seen. They were told that the Jewish Scriptures
named Bethlehem as the place where the Messiah would be
born. Herod cunningly told them to report back to him so
that he could also “do him homage.” They found Jesus,
offered him their gifts and, warned by an angel, avoided
Herod on their way home. Jesus escaped to Egypt.
Herod became furious and “ordered the massacre of all the
boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under.”
The horror of the massacre and the devastation of the
mothers and fathers led Matthew to quote Jeremiah: “A
voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children...” (Matthew 2:18). Rachel
was the wife of Jacob/Israel. She is pictured as weeping at
the place where the Israelites were herded together by the
conquering Assyrians for their march into captivity.
December 29
ST. THOMAS BECKET
(1118-1170)
His career had been a stormy one. While archdeacon of
Canterbury, he was made Chancellor of England at the age
of 36 by his friend King Henry II. When Henry felt it
advantageous to make his chancellor the archbishop of
Canterbury, Thomas gave him fair warning: he might not
accept all of Henry’s intrusions into Church affairs.
Nevertheless, he was made archbishop (1162), resigned his
chancellorship and reformed his whole way of life!
Troubles began. Henry insisted upon usurping Church rights.
At one time, supposing some conciliatory action possible,
Thomas came close to compromise. He momentarily
approved the Constitutions of Clarendon, which would have
denied the clergy the right of trial by a Church court and
prevented them from making direct appeal to Rome. But
Thomas rejected the Constitutions, fled to France for safety
and remained in exile for seven years. When he returned to
England, he suspected it
would mean certain death.
Because Thomas refused
to remit censures he had
placed
upon
bishops
favored by the king, Henry
cried out in a rage, “Will
no one rid me of this
troublesome priest!” Four
knights, taking his words
as his wish, slew Thomas
in
t he
Ca nt e rb u r y
cathedral. Thomas Becket
remains a hero-saint down
to our own times.
January 2
ST. GREGORY NAZIANZEN
(329-390)
After his baptism at 30, Gregory gladly accepted his friend
Basil’s invitation to join him in a newly founded monastery.
The solitude was broken when Gregory’s father, a bishop,
needed help in his diocese and estate. It seems that Gregory
was ordained a priest practically by force, and only
reluctantly accepted the responsibility. He skillfully avoided
a schism that threatened when his own father made
compromises with Arianism. At 41, Gregory was chosen
suffragan bishop of Caesarea and at once came into conflict
with Valens, the emperor, who supported the Arians. An
unfortunate by-product of the battle was the cooling of the
friendship of two saints. Basil, his archbishop, sent him to a
miserable and unhealthy town on the border of unjustly
created divisions in his diocese. Basil reproached Gregory for
not going to his see.
When protection for Arianism ended with the death of
Valens, Gregory was called to rebuild the faith in the great
see of Constantinople, which had been under Arian teachers
for three decades.
January 2
ST. BASIL THE GREAT
(329-379)
Basil was on his way to becoming a famous teacher when he
decided to begin a religious life of gospel poverty. He
founded what was probably the first monastery in Asia
Minor. He is to monks of the East what St. Benedict is to the
West. He was ordained a priest, assisted the archbishop of
Caesarea (now southeastern Turkey), and ultimately became
archbishop himself.
The heresy of Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ,
was at its height. Emperor Valens persecuted orthodox
believers. Basil remained firm, and Valens backed down.
When the great St. Athanasius died, the mantle of defender
of the faith against Arianism fell upon Basil. He strove
mightily to unite and rally his fellow Catholics who were
crushed by tyranny and torn by internal dissension. He was
misunderstood, misrepresented, accused of heresy and
ambition. Even appeals to the pope brought no response.
“For my sins I seem to be unsuccessful in everything.”
He was tireless in pastoral care. He preached twice a day to
huge crowds, built a hospital that was called a wonder of
the world (as a youth he had organized famine relief and
worked in a soup kitchen himself) and fought the
prostitution business. Basil was best known as an orator.
Though not recognized greatly in his lifetime, his writings
rightly place him among the great teachers of the Church.
January 3
MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS
The letters IHS are an abbreviation of Iesous, the Greek
name for Jesus. Although St. Paul might claim credit for
promoting devotion to the Holy Name
because Paul wrote in Philippians 2:9 that
God the Father gave Christ Jesus “that
name that is above every name”, this
devotion became popular because of 12th
-century Cistercian monks and nuns but
especially through the preaching of St.
Bernardine of Siena, a 15th-century
Franciscan. Bernardine used devotion to the Holy Name of
Jesus as a way of overcoming bitter and often bloody class
struggles and family rivalries or vendettas in Italian cities.
4
Mass Intentions for the Week of December 28, 2014
(The Masses listed in italic are Tridentine Latin Masses)
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28 - FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS
10:30 - In Honor of the Holy Family by Josephine Zingale
12:30 - For the Parish of the Holy Innocents
MONDAY, DEC. 29 - 5th Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
7:30 - Mark Bustamante (RIP) by Susan & Fred London
12:15 - Catherine, Mary and O'Connor Family (RIP)
6:00 - Hope Marie Skodacek (RIP - Unborn Child 01/21/2003)
TUESDAY, DEC. 30 - 6th Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
7:30 - Chung Yi (RIP) by the Deraney Family
12:15 - Rose Degnan (RIP) by Flora Gabriel
The Sanctuary
Lamp is
Dedicated by the
Leith family
6:00 - Rev. Canon Jean Marie Moreau (Living) by Patricia DeCarlo
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31 - 7th Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
7:30 - Frank W. Nolan, Sr. (RIP) by Mr. & Mrs. Orchard
12:15 - Special Intention of Thresiamma George
6:00 - For conversion of sinners and for Holy Souls in Purgatory by A. Chrin
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1 - Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God
HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION
HAPPY NEW YEAR! – PUBLIC HOLIDAY – RECTORY OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED
12:15 - Lena Salerno and son Paul Salerno (RIP)
1:00 pm - Charlotte Doyen (RIP) by her parents
FRIDAY, JANUARY 2 - Sts.
Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen,
Bishops & Doctors of the Church
7:30 - Maria Christina Reyes (RIP) by Infante Family
12:15 - Mrs. Maria Garay (RIP)
6:00 - Margaret Wells (RIP) by Barbara Wells
Bread & Wine
are Offered
by the
family of
Bruno Panes, Sr.
FIRST FRIDAY OVERNIGHT PRAYER VIGIL - ends with Traditional Latin Mass at 5am
SATURDAY, JAN.3 - CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY, The Most Holy Name of Jesus
5 am - Special Intentions Ingrid Gerber & Family
1:00 - Joseph Hawkins (RIP - 50th Anniversary of Death) by son Edward
4:00 - Benedict Rotondo (RIP) by Cucciniello Family
Upcoming Masses Next Week ...
SUNDAY, JANUARY 4 - THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
10:30 - Alice E. Ritchotte (RIP) by Thomas Vaniotis
12:30 - For the people of the parish
MONDAY, JANUARY 5 - St. John Neumann, Bishop
7:30 - Gerry Brennan (RIP) by Michael Banyra
12:15 - Jeannette Delia (RIP)
6:00 - Dominga Corazon Chua (RIP) by sister Narcisa Chua
The Eternal
Flame is
Dedicated for
Peter Paul
Bobalki
(RIP - 4/12/2008)
5
PARISH BULLETIN BOAR
BOARD
D
Fr. Leonard Villa
has been appointed the new
pastor of Holy Innocents,
effective Dec. 28th; he will
celebrate his first Mass on
Sunday, Dec. 28th at 10:30 am.
Fr. Jim Goode, OFM,
is recuperating following
heart surgery.
Please keep him
in your prayers!
He paid us a visit a week ago, and expects to come here
as soon as his health permits
Fr. Owen Lafferty,
is in NYU Hospital for
treatment of a lung ailment.
Please keep him
in your prayers!
OVERNIGHT PRAYER VIGIL
VIGIL
First Friday of every month
7pm - 6am
(begins after the Friday 6:00pm
Latin Mass, and ends with a
Saturday 5:00 am Mass)
2000
Hail Marys
before the
Blessed Sacrament
SECOND SATURDAY
OF EVERY MONTH
January 10, 2015
6:15 am — Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament &
20 Decades of Pro-Life Rosary for the Unborn
8:00 am — 2000 Hail Marys — 20 petitions
12 Noon — Mass in Honor of Blessed Virgin Mary
2:30 pm — Confessions
3 pm — Divine Mercy Chaplet, Litany of the Passion
3:50 pm — Benediction
4:00 pm — Vigil Mass for Sunday
Devotees are advised to bring their personal petitions to be
prayed over during the vigil. This is a powerful devotion that
is pleasing to God, because you are not only praying for your
own petitions, but are also praying for other people and all
the problems in the world. Lunch will be provided.
The Cenacle World Prayer Group: 718-381-4419
Website: www.cenacleworldprayergroup.com
E-mail: [email protected]
YOUNG ADULT HOLY HOUR
HOUR
Every Thursday evening
7-8 pm
Social to follow at 8pm
More info: 212-279-5861 x226
Church of the Holy Innocents
128 West 37th Street
(between Broadway & 7th Ave)
Good News
for Bad Days
Limited number (30-40) of copies of this book
by Fr. Paul Keenan, who was a priest here at
Holy Innocents 20 years ago, is available for
sale at $15 each by Mr. Frank Ruta, a
parishioner. If you would like to purchase a
copy, please call him at 212-764-1605 (MonThu), or leave your contact information
at the church office 212-279-5861.
The treasured Candlesticks and Candelabras in the
church sanctuary were recently professionally refinished
at a cost of over $10000. Your donations are most
needed and welcomed to cover the church expenses.
The Shrine to the Unborn
Blessed by Cardinal O’Connor on December 28, 1993
The Shrine is dedicated in Memory of the Children
Who Have Died Unborn
We invite you to name your child(ren)
and provide the opportunity to have
your baby's name inscribed in our “Book of Life".
Prayer to the Holy Innocents
Holy Innocents, you died before you were old
enough to know what life means, pray for all
children who die young that God may gather
them into His loving arms.
Holy Innocents, you were killed because one
man was filled with hatred, pray for those who
hate that God may touch their hearts and fill
them with love.
Holy Innocents, you experienced a violent death,
pray for all who are affected by violence that
they may find peace and love.
Holy Innocents, your parents grieved for you
with deep and lasting sorrow, pray for all parents
who have lost young children that God may wrap
a warm blanket of comfort around them.
The Rosary Wall for Children
and the Tree of Life
Located in the foyer of our church, the Rosary
Wall for deceased Children and the Tree of Life
provide a lasting tribute to your deceased
children, parents, and to the benefactors and
friends of Holy Innocents. You may also
memorialize a person’s name by using a phrase
from scripture on the plaques shaped in leaves,
stones and acorns. $300 to memorialize one
person and $500 to memorialize two persons.
Holy Innocents, those around you certainly felt
helpless to prevent your deaths, pray for all who
feel helpless in their circumstances that they
may cling to God for courage and hope.
Holy Innocents, you who are now in Heaven,
pray for all of us that one day we may join you
there to bask in God’s love forever.
Amen.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNBORN
UNBORN CHILD
The 40-week series
describing the stages of
development of an
unborn child, sponsored
by the Knights of
Columbus, Regina
Coeli Council # 423,
culminates this week.
7
in the Lower Level of Church
OPEN WED-FRI, 12:00 NOON TO 6:00 PM
Social Hall, Religious Articles & Books,
and Thrift Store featuring brand new clothing.
Donations Welcome! Hall available for Events.
RELIGIOUS ARTICLE SHOP
To Advertise in this weekly Bulletin,
please call 212-279-5861
“A tree is known by its fruit; a man
by his deeds. A good deed is never
lost; he who sows courtesy reaps
friendship, and he who plants
kindness gathers love. ”
– St. Basil the Great
ABC’s of Catholic Relief Services:
This week - CRS/ Honduras… Violence drives young
Hondurans to leave home and travel north. Many are
mere children. American Catholics via CRS help at
risk youth in some of the toughest neighborhoods in
Central America. Helping street children stay in
school and reducing child labor.
For more info visit: www.crs.org
Please consider donating your religious articles to
our shop. We are looking for books, statues,
rosary beads, pictures, etc that you may wish to
share with others.
Please call 212212-279279-5861 ext. 226.
Thrift Shop
Our thrift shop always needs and
gratefully welcomes new clothing
donations from the Garment
District business community.
Also welcomed are Computers, FlatFlat-panel Monitors
and Laser printers to upgrade our computer classroom.
If your company or a company you know would like
to help us, please contact
John Azzarelli at (212) 279279-5861 x 226
Compliments of
LESLIE STUART, INC.
149 West 36th Street 8th Floor, New York, NY 10018
Tel : 212-629-4551 x 102 / Fax: 212-629-4625
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.donnadegnan.com
SAMPLE, PATTERN & PRODUCTION
PROMPT PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Tel : (212) 869-2699 / Fax: (212) 869-2737
269 West 39 Street 3rd Fl., NYC 10018
English
&
Spanish
Booklet
Missals
FOR PRAYING THE TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS
are now available at the Rectory office at cost of $4.
Our Traditional Latin Mass Schedule:
Sundays
10:30 am
Weekdays
6:00 pm
Civic Holidays 1:00 pm
Saturdays
1:00 pm
Daily Mass Propers can be found online at:
maternalheart.org/propers.html
Check out the photos
from special events at
Holy Innocents through
the link on our website,
innocents.com
or directly at:
bit.ly/1mr1cDX