MASS SCHEDULE
Monday – Friday: 6:30 & 9:00am
Saturday: 8:00am & 5:30pm (Vigil Mass)
Sunday: 7:00, 8:30, 10:00, 11:30am & 5:30pm
RECONCILIATION
Saturday: 4:00 – 5:00pm
STAFF
Father Corey V. Piccinino Pastor
Father Rolando Arias
Parochial Vicar
Father Chris Perrella
Parochial Vicar
John DeRoin
Deacon
Kate Fitzgerald: Parish Secretary & BulleƟn Editor
Pat Jackson: Parish Secretary
Julie Doerner: Business Manager
Paul Orsino: Property Manager
ST. MARY SCHOOL (744-2922)
Sister Anne McCarthy: Principal
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (743-4557)
Mary Ferri: Director
Elizabeth Cuneo: Secretary
RCIA: (203)744-5777 (Call if you are interested in
becoming a Catholic or compleƟng your iniƟaƟon as
a Catholic with ConfirmaƟon and/or Eucharist)
YOUTH MINISTER
Dean Aufiero
MUSIC MINISTRY
Michael Ferrari: Music Director
Elizabeth Barnes: Choir Director
Karen Ma era: Children’s Choir
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Bob Kozlowski: Chairman (794-8512)
BAPTISMS
Most Sundays at 12:45pm. Please call the Rectory at
least six weeks in advance to schedule your Bap sm
and to sign up for the New BapƟsm Class that is required for both parents and Godparents. These classes are oﬀered on the first Sunday of each month.
Anyone reques ng a Sponsorship form must be a currently registered and prac cing Catholic, and they
must a end one of the New Bap sm Classes to receive it. There is a 3-month wai ng period for a sponsorship form for the newly registered. The Catholic
requirements for a Godparent/Sponsor are: you
must be at least 16 years old; received the Sacraments
of Bap sm, First Holy Communion and Confirma on
in the Catholic Church; a end Mass regularly on Sundays and on Holy Days of Obliga on; receive the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion regularly;
sincerely try to follow the moral teaching of the Catholic Church; and if married, was married in the Catholic Church.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR MARRIAGE
All couples must meet with a parish clergyman at
least six (6) months before the marriage is to be celebrated.
PASTORAL CARE AT DANBURY HOSPITAL
Prior to Your HospitalizaƟon: You or a family member should noƟfy the Rectory.
Saint Mary Parish
26 Dodgingtown Road, Bethel, CT 06801
Phone: (203)744-5777 Fax: (203)744-3740
www.stmarybethel.org
Visit us on Facebook: StMaryChurchBethel
PARISH OFFICE HOURS:
9am –3:00 pm, Monday – Friday (Closed weekends and Holidays)
February 8, 2015
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday:
Gn 1:1-19; Ps 104:1-2a, 5-6, 10, 12, 24, 35c; Mk 6:53-56
Tuesday:
Gn 1:20 -- 2:4a; Ps 8:4-9; Mk 7:1-13
Wednesday: Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17; Ps 104:1-2a, 27-28, 29bc-30; Mk 7:14-23
Thursday: Gn 2:18-25; Ps 128:1-5; Mk 7:24-30
Friday:
Gn 3:1-8; Ps 32:1-2, 5-7; Mk 7:31-37
Saturday: Gn 3:9-24; Ps 90:2-6, 12-13; Mk 8:1-10
Sunday:
Lv 13:1-2, 44-46; Ps 32:1-2, 5, 11; 1 Cor 10:31 -- 11:1; Mk
1:40-45
St. Mary Catholic Church
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
FATHER COREY’S EPISTLE
♦ Ever since the tragic events of terrorism in Paris during the week of January 7, 2015, there has been a great deal of discussion
about freedom and freedom of speech. From the murders at the Charlie Hebdo publishing magazine oﬃces, to the Jewish supermarket, the killing of the police oﬃcer on the streets of Paris, we have seen demonstra ons, opining and movements about freedom of speech.
We, as ci zens of the United States of America hold as sacred the right to freedom of speech. The First Amendment (Amendment
I) to the United States Cons tu on prohibits the making of any law respec ng an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably
assemble or prohibi ng the pe oning for a governmental redress of grievances. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, as one of
the ten amendments that cons tute the Bill of Rights. (As an aside, no ce the 1st Amendment does not use the term ‘separa on
of church and state.)
Men and women have given their lives for this freedom and it is indeed a treasure that can help to express ourselves, peacefully
change laws and policy as well as other wonderful things in our country. As people around the world con nue to experience freedom, truth can be shared, prejudice and injus ce can be banished and equality among peoples can and should be promoted.
There is something important to consider when thinking about freedom and freedom of speech. It is important to understand and
digest what true freedom and freedom of speech are and should be. St. Pope John Paul II said “Freedom consists not in doing what
we like, but in having the right to do what we ought. “ In his first encyclical Redemptor Hominis (1979) John Paul II quoted the
words of Christ, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” He added: “These words contain both a fundamental
requirement and a warning: the requirement of an honest relaƟonship with regard to truth as a condiƟon for authenƟc freedom,
and the warning to avoid every kind of illusory freedom, every superficial unilateral freedom, every freedom that fails to enter into
the whole truth about man and the world.” In Evangelium Vitae (1995) the Pope reaﬃrmed the unbreakable link between freedom and truth.
The Second Va can Council document Gaudium et Spes states: In the depths of his own conscience man detects a law which he
does not impose on himself, but which holds him to obedience. Always summoning him to love good and avoid evil, the voice of
conscience can when necessary speak to his heart more specifically: “Do this, shun that.” For man has in his heart a law wriƩen by
God. To obey it is the very dignity of man; according to it he will be judged (GS 16). A freedom that dispenses itself from concern
with truth could only be a false and illusory freedom.
John Paul also said: “True freedom is not advanced in the permissive society, which confuses freedom with license to do anything
whatever and which in the name of freedom proclaims a kind of general amorality. It is a caricature of freedom to claim that people
are free to organize their lives with no reference to moral values, and to say that society does not have to ensure the protecƟon and
advancement of ethical values. Such an aƫtude is destrucƟve of freedom and peace.”
Pope Francis also received a great deal of cri cism when he spoke about freedom of speech. The Holy Father made it perfectly
and absolutely clear that it is never acceptable to use violence in protest or in objec on to the speech, wri ngs, or drawings of
others. The pon ﬀ said that both freedom of faith and freedom of speech were fundamental human rights and that "every religion
has its dignity." But controversially he stated that there are limits to freedom and freedom of speech.
This statement riled some and led to some incorrect assump ons of what the Pope was saying. To insult for the sake of insul ng,
to ridicule simply to denigrate another faith, country or person, to say things to provoke regardless of the truth of those statements is not freedom but incitement and nega vity for the sake of promo ng one’s self and the idea of hur ng or oﬀending simply
to be confronta onal, inflammatory, rabble-rousing, aggressive, and aggrava ng.
Are people ‘free’, meaning is it within the law to express this kind of speech… the answer is ‘yes’. But, as people of faith, people of
Sunday, 2/8
Monday, 2/9
Tuesday, 2/10
Wednesday, 2/11
7:00am, 8:30am, 10:00am,
11:30am, 5:30pm
6:30am Mass
6:30am Mass
6:30am Mass
9:00am Mass
9:00am Mass
9:00am Mass
1:00pm Confirma on Retreat
6:00pm Li le Floweres
6:00pm Youth Group
8:15pm Knights of Columbus
Women of Faith Bake Sale
4:45pm Children’s Choir
St. Mary Catholic Church
February 8, 2015
FATHER COREY’S EPISTLE
good will, people who adhere to the natural law, the ques on becomes, “Is what I say, what I do, what I draw, what I write, how I
demonstrate or protest, is this inƟmately and absolutely connected to the truth, the moral good, that which is accurate and honest?”... then it is an ac on in freedom that a person should take. This doesn’t apply to just Chris ans, or people of faith ….this theory comes from the natural law which urges us to speak out against evil, work for good and always mark our ac ons by their direct
connec on to the truth.
Things in our country or for that ma er in our world might be legal but let’s face it they are not always moral. Slavery was legal in
the world and in our country…legal?...yes; were people free to own slaves?… yes;... should that freedom have been used?... we
can all agree, absolutely NOT. Abor on is legal in the United States. Is it a freedom of which we should use?…NO! Not because
we are Catholic but because it is not connected to the moral natural law that every person has a right to life from concep on to
natural death. Freedom and freedom of speech is an inalienable right but it is a right that comes with great responsibility. May we
all take the me and energy to understand this great right we have.
♦ Servant of God Aloysius Schwartz is one of the 11 causes for canoniza on that Pope Francis advanced and will be granted the
tle “Venerable” with the pon ﬀ’s recogni on of his heroic virtue. Pope Francis approved the advancement of the causes for canoniza on during a private January 22 audience with Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congrega on for the Causes of
Saints. Father Schwartz, also referred to as “Father Al,” was born in Washington D.C. in 1930 and ordained a priest in 1957. Six
months a er his ordina on to the priesthood he moved to Korea as a missionary, and lived a life devoted to helping poor children.
He dedicated his life to the Virgin of the Poor a er making several visits to a shrine where she had appeared in Belgium while he
was in the seminary there. In 1964 the priest founded the Religious Sisters of Mary in Busan Korea, and in 1981 founded the
Brothers of Christ in the South Korean capital of Seoul.
Together with both of his orders, Fr. Schwartz also helped to establish Boystowns and Girlstowns in order to educate, care for and
help foster a brighter future for orphans and abandoned children, as well as those coming from extremely poor families. He also
worked in the building of sanatoriums and hospitals for the needy, hospices for the homeless and handicapped, as well as for mentally challenged youth and unwed mothers. He would o en beg for funds in order to allow the poor to enter free of charge. In
1989, he was diagnosed to have a terminal illness. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He accepted it with joy, serenity and courage, and regarded it as a gi from God. In spite of his deteriora ng health, he established Boystown and Girlstown in Mexico,
which he called his “unfinished symphony”.
With humility, courage, and unwavering faith, he suﬀered and accepted a lot of humilia ons, cri cisms, pains, incredible trials, and
diﬃcul es. He did his best to relieve the suﬀering of the poor. His illness made him immobile, s ll even on a wheelchair, he con nued to fulfill his du es with joy. He spent hours before the Blessed Sacrament, praying the rosary, hearing confessions, and preaching in words and examples the virtues of truth, jus ce, chas ty, charity and humility, penance and for tude. His love for God and
the poor consumed him. He did not only help the poor but also he lived poorly. He died in 1992 and his cause for canoniza on
opened in Manila, where his work had spread, in 2003.
♦ A young Catholic priest who enjoys rap music had a few confessions about his faith and his music: He didn’t like the Catholic
Church as a youth, and he doesn’t want to simply be known today as the “Rapping Priest.” At 27, the Rev. Joshua Johnson, of
Christ the King Catholic Church at LSU, is the youngest priest in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Johnson is in his first year as a priest
a er trying for years to run from his calling to minister in the Catholic Church.
“I was raised Catholic, but I just never liked the Catholic Church growing up. I thought it was boring, and I didn’t understand it,”
said Johnson, a na ve of Baton Rouge who recently garnered a measure of renown on YouTube and social media for his rapping
talent. He hosts the hip-hop show “Tell the World” on Catholic radio.
If your kids like rap music visit Fr. Joshua on YouTube.
Thursday, 2/12
Friday, 2/13
Saturday, 2/14
Sunday, 2/15
6:30am Mass
6:30am Mass
8:00am Mass
9:00am Mass
9:00am Mass
8:30am Men’s Ministry
7:00am, 8:30am, 10:00am,
11:30am, 5:30pm
7:00pm Choir Rehearsal
6:30pm Bed me Bible Stories
4:00pm Confessions
6:30 Senior Youth Group
5:30pm Mass
The Women of Faith group will be hos ng a BAKE
SALE a er all the Masses (except 5:30pm Sun.) this
week-end.
Our next mee ng of the LITTLE FLOWERS GIRLS’
CLUB is on Mon., Feb. 9 at 6:00pm in the Parish Hall.
The Li le Flowers is a fun, flexible and Faith-filled
Catholic Club for girls ages 5 and up and their Moms.
ques ons, call Mary at 203-743-4557.
Any
BEDTIME BIBLE STORIES Children of all ages, join us
on Fri., Feb. 13 from 6:30-7:30pm in the Parish Hall.
Children can come in PJs and bring their favorite
stuﬀed animal and blanket for Arts & Cra s and a
Bible story!! Call Mary at 743-4557 for more info!
ST. MARY MEN’S MINISTRY Our next mee ng is on
Sat., Feb. 14 at 8:30am in the Parish Hall. For info,
call
Eric
Keener
at
(203)730-0468
or
[email protected].
WOMEN OF FAITH Join us for a Potluck Dinner on
Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 6:30pm in the Parish Hall! Bring a
tasty dish to share! All women of the Parish are welcomed!!
Join us for our next BIBLE STUDY on Wed., Feb. 25 at
7:00 pm in the Parish Hall class on the "Acts of the
Apostles" wri en by Saint Luke. Contact Rick Lawlor
at [email protected] or 204-470-8084 for more info. You
don't need to a end every session to learn something new, so
please join us. All are welcome!
ST. MARY BOOK CLUB: Our next book is “”Would You
Bap ze An Extraterrestrial?” by Br. Guy Consolmagno,
JS & Fr. Paul Mueller, SJ. Join us on Wed., Feb. 25 at
7pm in the Children’s Room.
Women Take Note: If the man in your life is ji ery
and nervous from business and family worries,
encourage him to make the ST. MARY PARISH
MEN’S RETREAT. It will restore his peace of mind and allow
him to face his day-to-day challenges with tranquility and composure. The retreat begins on Friday evening, February 27th at
Holy Family Retreat House in West Har ord. Call Nick Santarelli
(203-470-7102) or Richard Schlemmer (203-948-1820) for reserva ons.
ADULT CONFIRMATION CLASSES will begin in February here at
St. Mary. Please call the Parish Oﬃce at 744-5777 by Friday,
February 13 if you are interested.
ON-LINE GIVING IS HERE AT ST. MARY
PARISH!!! It is a secure internet-based
method of making your oﬀertory and other contribu ons directly to St. Mary
Church even when you are away! Go to
stmarybethel.org and click on the on-line
giving icon on the right side of the page to sign up! Don’t
forget to indicate your envelope number when you register.
SAT., FEBRUARY 7
5:30 + Clay Hines, Sr. — Peg & Shay Gavin
SUN., FEBRUARY 8
7:00 + Elizabeth Howell — Eileen Freebairn
8:30 + Kerri Holbrook — Linda & John Curry
10:00 + Barbara Patricia Ward — Lawrence Havey
11:30 + Janet Ponzoni — The Wakeman Family
5:30 + Dianna Carragher — Chris ne Rostafin
MON., FEBRUARY 9
6:30 + Danny Smith — Asta Smith
9:00 Sr. Anne McCarthy (Blessings) — Marie Miller
TUES., FEBRUARY 10
6:30 + John & Ann Hafner — Asta Smith
9:00 + Richard Becher — St. Mary School Community
WED., FEBRUARY 11
6:30 + Susanne Sarkisian — The Bri on Family
9:00 William Scollan (Blessings) — Barbara Holton
THU., FEBRUARY 12
6:30 + Eileen Clark — Jenn Ki redge
9:00 + Devan Nisbet — The Cuneo Family
FRI., FEBRUARY 13
6:30 + Louis DiMa eo — The DiMa eo Family
9:00 + Gerald Chrusciel — The Chrusciel Family
SAT., FEBRUARY 14
8:00 + Gerald Chrusciel — The Chrusciel Family
5:30 + Dorothea Schaub — Mary & Mike Marinaccio
SUN., FEBRUARY 15
7:00 + George Woleck — The Pijnenburg Family
8:30 + Kerri Holbrook — Jean Magner
10:00 + Edward J. Gallagher, Sr. — The Gallagher Family
11:30 + Link Hurgin (4th Anniv.) — Jeanne Hurgin
5:30 + David Gall — Susan & Neil Callaghan
Religious Ed Oﬃce hours
Mon., Tues., Wed., and Thurs. 9:30am-2pm
“ChrisƟanity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” C. S. Lewis
SENIOR YOUTH GROUP - We will be mee ng in the Parish Hall
tonight, Sunday, Feb. 8 aŌer 5:30 mass
REMINDER TO ALL PARENTS — If there is a snow day or early
dismissal of Bethel Public Schools there is NO Religious EducaƟon! Check our website at stmarybethel.org for updates on
cancellaƟons
ATTENTION CONFIRMATION STUDENTS.!!! Reminder
of the CONFIRMATION RETREAT today, Sunday, February 8 from 1:00-5:15pm. Meet in the Parish Hall.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!!! The Annual ST. MARY
MISSION TRIP/RETREAT is being planned for SunAROUND THE DIOCESE
day, June 21 to Wednesday, June 24 in the Stamford
area. Info mee ng will be on Wed., Feb. 25 at 7pm in the DEFENDING OUR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY During his homily at the
Holy Mass and canoniza on of Blessed Joseph Vaz in the PhilipChurch. Interested teens should a end with a parent.
pines, Pope Francis stated that religious freedom is a fundamenFor more informaƟon about our youth group or to volunteer
tal human right. Each individual must be free, alone or in associcontact our youth minister, Dean Aufiero at
a on with others, to seek the truth, and to openly express his or
[email protected]
her religious convic ons, free from in mida on and external
compulsion. As the life of Saint Joseph Vaz teaches us, genuine
worship of God bears fruit not in discrimina on, hatred and violence, but in respect for the sacredness of life, respect for the
SAVE THE DATE – Our Annual St. Mary School Auc on is dignity and freedom of others, and loving commitment to the
Coming Home! It will be held on April 25th from 6pm welfare of all. If you haven't done so already, please voice your
opposi on to the mandate by calling President Obama at the
to 11pm in the school.
White House at 202-456-1111 or U.S. Secretary of Health and
REGISTRATION for students entering Pre-school through Grade Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell at 202-205-5445. Let
8 is ongoing. Please call the school at 203-744-2922 or email them know that the mandate is in viola on of our First Amendour
Admissions
Coordinator
Linda
Garvey
at ment right to religious freedom.
[email protected] for informa on. You can also visit
our website at www.stmarybethelct.org for school and registra- NEW DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT FREE PHONE APP will be available early February 2015! The mobile App will feature Mass
on informa on.
mes, news, calendar events, video and photos, and parish inThere will be NO CLASSES on Monday, February 16th and Tues- forma on. Details are on the Diocese of Bridgeport website and
day, February 17th for President’s Day.
January 17 issue of the Fairfield County Catholic!
Students will a end 9am mass on ASH WEDNESDAY, February St. Catherine Center for Special Needs, located in Fairfield, will
18th.
oﬀer a RELIGIOUS FORMATION PROGRAM (RCIA) FOR ADULTS
AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, ages 18 and older,
Our next mee ng will be on Mon., Feb. 9 at who wish to receive Sacraments of Bap sm, Eucharist, and/
8:15pm in the Parish Hall.
or Confirma on. Tuesday’s from 6:30-7:30pm at Saint CatheThe Knights of Columbus is a fraternal organiza- rine’s Center for Special Needs in Fairfield. For info or to sign up
on open to Catholic men 18 years of age or old- call Michelle O’Mara at 203-540-5381 ext. 2012 or
er. If you are of age and think you may be inter- email: [email protected] or
ested in joining our ranks, call John Licari at (203) PROJECT RACHEL - Free and confiden al help for those seeking
791-8682.
healing a er abor on. Do you know someone who is carrying
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS APPLICATIONS FOR THREE
SCHOLARSHIPS at $4,000 each, to be awarded by
Pavia Council #48, are now available. An eligible
applicant must be a resident of Bethel or a daughter/son of a current or deceased member of Pavia Council, as
well as an ac ve Catholic. High School seniors may pick up an
applica on at their school guidance oﬃce or at the Rectory. For
informa on contact Eric Keener at (203) 739-0468, or by email
at [email protected]. Deadline: 4/6/15.
Oﬀertory for the weekend of January 31/FEBRUARY 1
Regular Oﬀertory: $12,698.00
Online-Giving: $3,126.00
grief and sorrow over past abor ons? Project Rachel is the postabor on ministry of the Catholic Church seeking to assist those
suﬀering from a past abor on come to healing in Christ. “Do
not give in to discouragement and do not lose hope…the Father
of Mercies is ready to give you His forgiveness and His peace in
the Sacrament of Reconcilia on.” -Blessed John Paul II. Contact
Project Rachel (203) 416-1619 or [email protected] .
The St. Mary team at the DOROTHY DAY HOMELESS SHELTER in
Danbury is in great need of a couple more men who would be
willing to stay with the homeless at the shelter only about six
mes per year. If you feel called to this great way of serving the
Lord by serving others, please call Phil Palermo at 942-7108.