Our Lady of Mercy Church Park Ridge, New Jersey 07656 January 11, 2015 The Baptism of the Lord Rev. Charles P. Granstrand, Pastor Rev. Robert T. Ulak, Parochial Vicar Rev. Msgr. James C. Turro (Weekends) Rev. Msgr. Carl D. Hinrichsen (In Residence) Rev. John Chadwick (Weekends) Joseph Romano, Deacon Gary Tankard, Deacon John Rokoszak, Pastoral Associate Debra Wyka, Minister of Music Amy Ballanco, Religious Education Coordinator Jennifer Kavanagh, Youth Minister Donna Quinn, Business Manager RECONCILIATION Saturday: 9-9:30AM & 1-1:30PM Monday: 7-7:30PM MASS SCHEDULE Saturday Evening: 5:30PM Sunday: 7:30AM, 9:30AM, 11:00AM, 12:30PM Daily: 6:30AM, 8:30AM Saturday: 8:30AM BAPTISM The Sacrament is celebrated one Sunday every month. Parents should contact the rectory prior to the birth of their child for dates of Baptism Preparation Sessions. MARRIAGE Couples planning to be married should contact the rectory at least ONE YEAR PRIOR to the wedding date. Rectory Websites School 201-391-5315 UROLM.org 201-391-3838 2 Fremont Ave. OLMAcademy.org SCHOOL Our Lady of Mercy Academy 2011 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence 25 Fremont Avenue, Park Ridge, NJ 07656 Laraine Meehan, Principal CATECHETICAL MINISTRY Grades K-6: 4-5PM Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Grades 7-8: 3:45-5:15PM Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Catechetical Center 201-391-3590 201-802-1771 Music Minister E-Mail 201-358-2994 [email protected] [email protected] OUR LADY OF MERCY PARISH MISSION STATEMENT Our Lady of Mercy Parish is a Catholic community that worships God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, celebrating Mass, proclaiming the Gospel Message and uniting in prayer. We strive to welcome all and to educate ourselves and others in the Good News of Jesus Christ. We support one another in times of joy and sadness and attempt to serve each other by reaching out to those in need in our community and beyond. We are imperfect people on a journey. Our goal is that the life of each person leads to the Lord. MASS SCHEDULE SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 5:30 Philip Jay The Baptism of the Lord SUNDAY, JANUARY 11 Is 42: 1-4, 6-7/ Acts 10: 34-38/ Mk 1: 7-11 7:30 People of the Parish 9:30 Ida Antonelli 11:00 Caroline Miller 12:30 Joseph Farinelli MONDAY, JANUARY 12 Heb 1: 1-6/ Mk 1: 14-20 6:30 Nina Carlini 8:30 Joseph Sangallo St. Hilary TUESDAY, JANUARY 13 Heb 2: 5-12/ Mk 1: 21-28 6:30 Debbie Fitzpatrick 8:30 Stanley Lukasewicz WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14 Heb 2: 14-18/ Mk 1: 29-39 6:30 Laura Humble 8:30 Mary Vitale 2pm Mass at the Plaza Regency in Memory of: Madeline Field THURSDAY, JANUARY 15 Heb 3: 7-14/ Mk 1: 40-45 6:30 John Johnson 8:30 Marie Praias FRIDAY, JANUARY 16 Heb 4: 1-5, 11/ Mk 2: 1-12 6:30 Nicholas Mellas 8:30 Anne Vaccaro St. Anthony SATURDAY, JANUARY 17 Heb 4: 12-16/ Mk 2: 13-17 8:30 Nancy Lovett 5:30 John Kashickey, Sr. Second Sunday in Ordinary Time SUNDAY, JANUARY 18 1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19/ 1 Cor 6: 13c-15a, 17-20/ Jn 1: 35-42 7:30 People of the Parish 9:30 Daniel & Gertrude Clements 11:00 Donald & Kathleen Tonner 12:30 Maureen Ferguson LET US PRAY In your love and kindness please pray for the sick especially: Ella Gamble, Brian Long, Colleen Strabone, Fr. Peter Funesti, Claire Mangieri, Lek Nikolla, Teresa Hurd, Patricia McGowan, Violet Squellante, and Vincenzina Mazza. Please also remember the deceased of our parish and their families, especially: Barbara DePalma, James Strabone, Dominick Calabro, Deborah Kay, Angela Malara, George Roy, Patricia Eichenlaub, Gertrude Dukes, Michael Pansini, Margaret Pusterla, and Stephen Asanio. Please join with us in praying one OUR FATHER per day for all those who have no one to pray for them. THE SANCTUARY LAMPS burn this week in memory of: Patricia King, Patricia Foley, and for Joseph & Catherine Pezza. If you would like more information about reserving a Sanctuary Lamp in memory of a loved one or for a Special Intention, please call the rectory office at 201-391-5315. GOD’S PLAN FOR GIVING – Tithing Christmas Collection to date: $102,444 December 28 Collection: $ 15,187 January 4 Collection: $ 17,192 The collection totals for Christmas and December 28 will be posted in a future bulletin. Tithing is God’s plan to support His Church. Full tithing means 10% of gross income to God. We ask half of this, or 5%, for your Parish church. The other 5% goes to your favorite charities. SCRIPTURE SHARING GROUP with Deacon Gary Meets every Monday after the 8:30am Mass in the Gathering Space. As has been the custom, the scripture reading of the Mass of the day will be used. All are welcome. THE FAMILY OF GOD PRAYER GROUP meets every Tuesday at 7:30PM in the chapel to praise God and pray for special intentions. ABUNDANT LIFE PRAYER GROUP meets Thursday mornings at 9:30am in the Chapel. THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL NOVENA will be recited each Saturday in the Sacred Heart Chapel immediately following the 8:30AM Mass. PASTOR’S COLUMN Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, Today as we remember and celebrate the Baptism of the Lord Jesus by John, we also complete the Christmas Season according to the calendar of the Church. What we celebrate is a further manifestation, or showing, of Jesus the beloved Son of God the Father. After Mary and Joseph completed their difficult journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem and struggled to find a suitable place for Mary to give birth, they shared the awesome experience of a new born child but so very soon they were given signs of how special He would be. Angels appearing to shepherds, announcing the birth and telling them to seek out the humble location to worship Jesus, followed later by strangers from the East who come to honor the new born King of the Jews, and then another angel messenger tells them to flee the violence of King Herod. As Jesus grows up we only hear about the pilgrimage to Jerusalem when He is twelve and the parents go through the painful experience of missing him during the return journey. The young Jesus gives Mary and Joseph a clear statement that He has a mission to fulfill; He must be about his Father’s business. Now with the event of the Baptism, the unfolding of God’s plan truly goes public. The calling of disciples picks up speed as Jesus travels through Galilee and people begin to seek him out in great numbers. All of this remembering that what we do in the rhythm of the Church’s year of worship gives us the opportunity to go deeper and deeper into the mystery of Jesus who came to save all people. As we return to Ordinary Time we are invited to reaffirm our desire to be more effective disciples of Our Lord. Just as John the Baptist in his unique way prepared the way for Jesus and pointed him out to the people, even sending some of his own disciples to contact Jesus directly. Each of us by our baptism is called to witness to Jesus by our lives, encouraging one another by word and example to live our faith with courage and mercy. In the next two weeks I will be away from the parish for a mix of events. First, I am leaving early Monday morning for a gathering of former colleagues from my years on the formation faculty of the North American College in Rome. Six of us will meet on the campus of the University of San Diego for four days. I sure hope we enjoy typical southern California weather. Then I am going to visit my nephew Rob who is now working in Phoenix and he assures me we can get on a golf course. If all goes well with flights, I arrive back in Newark early on Tuesday the 20th. The next adventure is to be part of our parish delegation to Haiti leaving early on Wednesday the 21st and returning the following Wednesday. Please pray for our safe journey and for the well being of our friends in Vallieres. Thank you for the wonderful response at Christmas in support of our scholarship program. Peace in the Lord, THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD Friend or Foe? Water is a rich and potent symbol. We all know that no life on earth would be possible without it. We use it for our sustenance, our cleansing, our relaxation; it touches nearly every facet of human life, and its absence is soon noted. Without it, the grain, wine, milk, and other “rich fare” from Isaiah would not be possible. The messianic age is characterized as a time of abundance and fertility, not attainable without water. It was a precious commodity in Jesus’ world. Water has its dark, dangerous side as well—the chaos of the dawn of creation was symbolized by water, the earth was destroyed (and still knows destruction) by the waters of the flood. Israel risked it all in the waters of the Red Sea as they fled Egypt and entered the desert. In similar fashion, today Jesus risks it all in his calling as Son of God and, like the Israel whose son he also was, he will enter the desert in the next few verses of Mark’s Gospel. Thicker Than Water Another powerful life symbol is blood. Like water, it is essential. John’s letter today tells us that three things testify to Jesus as the Son of God: water, blood, and the Spirit. Today’s feast forms a hinge of sorts between the two great “water and blood” moments in the life of Jesus. It is the culmination of the season of the Nativity, the time when we remember and celebrate that Jesus came into the world as a fully human being, in water and blood. It is also the day on which he begins his public ministry of calling Israel to repentance by proclaiming the reign of God, a ministry that will ultimately end in water and blood as he is crucified. But hovering over all of this is the Holy Spirit. It is by the Spirit that Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary; it is the Spirit who guides his entire ministry from Jordan to Calvary; and it will be the Spirit who brings his resurrected life back to the world, who continues it to this very day in the waters of baptism and the blood of disciples, by which his Body, the Church, is still proclaiming the reign of God to the world. Copyright © 2005, World Library Publications. All rights reserved. UN-TRIM THE CHURCH - If you would like to help untrim Our Lady of Mercy Church on January 12th at 7p.m., please call the Rectory. This is an ideal service project for High School students and Confirmation candidates. BIBLE STUDY—Eucharistic Ministers! Deepen your love for Christ in the Blessed Sacrament by participating in the spring bible study, “The Eucharist In Scripture.” To register and get more information, come to the Gathering Space on the weekend of January 1718 or see the web site. Study begins the week for February 2. NEXT BI-LINGUAL MASS—January 18th at 12:30pm. CHILDREN’S LITURGY—Join us during the 9:30 Mass as we gather the children in the chapel after the Opening Prayer. They will listen to the same liturgy as the regular Mass, but in a way they can understand with stories, coloring, and songs. The children will then return to the church during Offertory. Best for ages 3 to 8 years old, but older siblings are welcome to help out. N.I.C.E. “Liturgy of the Word With Special Needs” SESSIONS CALENDAR 2014-2015 JANUARY 11, 18, 25 FEBRUARY 1, 8, 22 MARCH 1, 8, 15, 22 No sessions on Palm Sunday or Easter Sunday APRIL 12, Last Session (Autism Awareness Month) A resource table will be set up in the Gathering Space ALL DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. If you are coming for the first time, please call to be sure we are in session and for further instructions. Religious Education Office 201-391-3590 Amy Ballanco/DRE No fee required. Donations accepted. OUR LADY OF MERCY ACADEMY A National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence celebrates Catholic education Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service Are you looking for a better education experience for your child? Along with an outstanding Preschool Program, Our Lady of Mercy Academy offers an excellent full day Kindergarten– 4th Grade Primary School Program, a stand alone Grade 5-8 Middle School Program, a Before/After School Program and additional enrichment programs. We follow the curriculum guidelines of the State of New Jersey and the Archdiocese of Newark. Our students' standardized test scores are well above national norms. Catholic Schools Week Open Houses Sunday, January 25th 10:30am – 12:30pm Tuesday, January 27th – Wednesday, January 28th 9:30am-11:00am & 1:00pm-2:00pm Bring your child or come alone. Take a tour of our school and have all your questions answered by members of the Home-School Association. On Tuesday and Wednesday we will have classroom visitation in addition to school tours. Questions? Call the school office at 201.391.3838. Visit our website www.olmacademy.org. www.urolm.org OurLadyofMercyChurch07656 is on Facebook. Like us to get information about upcoming events, parish news, parish programs and inspirational messages. R.C.I.A The group will meet after the 9:30 Mass in the Parish Center on January 11, 25, February 8, March 8, 22, May 3, June 7. For more information, or if you are unable to make a Sunday Session, please contact John Rokoszak at 201-391-3590 or call/text 201-2646376 or email [email protected] OUR LADY OF MERCY BEREAVEMENT MINISTRY Wednesday, January 14, 2015 7:30pm – 8:45pm Managing grief after the loss of a loved one Often after the loss of a loved one, there are feelings, and issues left unresolved. If you have experienced the loss of a loved one, please join us for the evening. Our Bereavement Group will meet in the Parish Center (former Convent). For more information call John Rokoszak at 201-391-3590. The Acoustic Café Music Series at OLM is looking forward to our first show of the year on Saturday, January 24th when we welcome critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Ellis Paul! Ellis has won 15 Boston Music awards, has 19 record releases, a documentary film, a book of poems & short stories, an award winning children's book project, as well as songs featured on Hollywood soundtracks. More info about Ellis here:www.ellispaul.com Special guest 17 year old emerging artist Hayley Reardon will open the show. Proceeds benefit the Vallieres, Haiti Scholarship Fund. 8 PM in OLM Academy. Get your tickets now - $20 advance online, $22 at the door. www.cafeacoustic.org 201-573-0718 Refreshments, accessible. THE OLM FALL NEWSLETTER can be viewed on line at www.urolm.org. THE OLM MASSBOOK for February 2016 will open on Sunday, January 11th. If you would like to schedule an intention, please stop by the Rectory Office during Rectory hours: Monday—Friday 9AM—7PM. Saturday 9AM—1PM. Sunday 9AM—-1:30PM 2015 MARCH FOR LIFE—The annual March For Life will be held in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2015 on the 42nd anniversary of the US Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade legalizing abortion on demand. The chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, said before last year's March that the over 55 million abortions since the decision reflect “with heartbreaking magnitude” what Pope Francis means by a “throwaway culture. Yet our society relegates abortion to a matter of personal choice, often denying the integrity and even the recognition of the personhood of unborn children." If you are interested in attending the March contact Art Lavis at 201 391-6431 for information.
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