Second Sunday of Lent
1 March 2015
Saint Luke Church, Whitestone, New York
From the Pastor -“And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them…
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Rabbi, it is good that we are here!”
(Mark 9:2-10)
On this the Second Sunday of Lent, the church each year retells the story of the
Transfiguration of Jesus to Peter, James and John. In this way the church presents the goal of
our Lenten journey - the glory of Easter morning with the Resurrection of Jesus from the
dead. Yet we know only too well that there would be no Easter victory without the hill of
Calvary. For us Christians this pattern of Christ’s death and resurrection (the Pascal
Mystery) is then the pattern of all Christian living. Lent challenges us to embrace the reality
of our own suffering and death as the only path to resurrection and new life. Such a pattern
of life is that into which we were born through the water of Baptism. It is a life renewed
through the tears of penance and mortification. In today’s Gospel God the Father commands:
“This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.” May our observance of Lent attune the ears of our
heart to listen more carefully to the Lord Jesus. For Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life
that leads us to our true home - heaven.
Such is the prayer found in the 1st Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation:
“Help us to work together for the coming of your kingdom,
until the hour when we stand before you,
Saints among the Saints in the halls of heaven…”
May this Lent assist us in listening to Christ so that we may die with Him and one day
know the joy of eternal life in heaven - Saints among the Saints.
God bless you.
Let us pray for one another,
“The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus.
Those who accept this offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness.
With Christ joy is constantly born anew.”
Pope Francis
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OF MANY THINGS -1. I will be speaking this weekend at all the Masses at the direction of Bishop DiMarzio as
the Diocese announces the Annual Catholic Appeal 2015. The theme for this year’s appeal
is “Share the Joy of the Gospel”. Yes, through the good works supported by your gift to
the Annual Catholic Appeal, the joy of the Good News is put into practice for so many
people. Through the many ministries of the diocese and parish the Gospel takes flesh in
addressing the many needs of the church and human family.
Once again, the Bishop and I seek your generous support in reaching our parish goal of
$100,580 which remains the same as last year. Confident in your goodness, I know you
will respond generously as you have in the past to this important appeal. Let us together:
SHARE THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL.
2. You are invited -On Sunday, March 22, 2015 at the 11:45am Mass at Our Lady of Grace Church in
Brooklyn, Father Vincent Chirichella will be installed as pastor by the Most Rev. Paul
Sanchez, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn. Father Vincent invites everyone to share
in the Installation Mass and lunch to follow as he remembers his years of service here at
Saint Luke.
Our Lady of Grace Church
430 Avenue W
Brooklyn, New York 11223
3. Save the Date -- Come Celebrate
Feast of Saint Patrick - Tuesday, March 17th
Masses at 8:30am and a special Solemn Mass at 12 noon
followed by light refreshments in the Pastoral Center.
Feast of Saint Joseph - Thursday, March 19th
Masses at 8:30am and a special Solemn Mass in English at 12 noon
followed by light refreshments in the Pastoral Center.
And a Solemn Mass in Italian at 7:30pm
followed by light refreshments in the Pastoral Center.
All are invited to honor these saints of the church.
4. Forty Hours Devotion - March 8 - March 10
This Eucharistic Devotion has become an important part of the parish life - a time of
special graces and blessings for the parish and all our parishioners. But we need your
help - come to visit and pray before the Blessed Sacrament some time during the
Forty Hours. If you wish to take a specific hour, day or night, please call
Mary and Sean Brett 718-352-8769. See the announcement in today’s bulletin
for additional details. “This is my Beloved Son. Listen to Him.”
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FORTY HOURS DEVOTION
The parish will celebrate Eucharistic
Devotion for Forty Hours beginning on Sunday,
March 8th and concluding on Tuesday,
March 10th at a special Solemn Closing Mass
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW
at 7:30pm.
ALTAR SERVERS!
Please mark your calendar and plan to
spend some amount of time in prayer and
We thank them for stepping forward to thanksgiving before the Lord Jesus present in
serve our parish and their families for their
the Blessed Sacrament. This devotion is a time
support! God bless you all!
of special graces for our parish as we honor our
Eucharistic Lord.
Isabella Amato
Emily Mauro
We are especially in need of people to be
Laura Arestin
Bianca Mendez
with the Blessed Sacrament during the hours of
John Bartolotta Tristen Mendez
the night - Sunday night to Monday morning
Jessica DeRosa Brendan Stephenson
and Monday night into Tuesday morning. If
Anthony J. Forte Brandon Somoza
you wish to commit yourself to a particular
Michael Lugo
Julianne Tricarico
hour, day or night, please call Mary or Sean
Matthew Marin Peter Zuccarello
Brett at 718-352-8769 or call the rectory.
Forty Hours Devotion
************************************ Sunday, March 8 starting at the 5:00pm Mass
Tuesday, March 10 closing with 7:30pm Mass
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EXPOSITION OF THE
BLESSED SACRAMENT
All are invited to spend some
time in prayer with the Lord present in
CONGRATULATIONS -the Blessed Sacrament on the First FriPlease keep these couples in your
day of each month. The Exposition of
prayers as they prepare to receive the
the Most Blessed Sacrament follows the
Sacrament of Marriage here in our parish.
8:30am Mass until 9:00pm when it will close
with Benediction.
Saturday, March 7th at 1pm
The next Exposition of the Most Blessed
GEOFFREY EMMERICH
Sacrament will be on Friday, March 6, 2015.
&
Why not take some time to be with the
LUISA OSORIO
Lord in thanksgiving and praise for His
goodness to each of us?
Friday, March 20th at 2pm
**************************************
GERARD N. CAVERA
THANK YOU to all those who supported the
&
special collection for Black & Indian Home
ROMINA L. CAPORRINO
Missions last weekend. Through your
generosity a total of $1,623 was collected.
God bless!
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COLLECTIONS
February 21 & 22
Amount Needed
Ash Wednesday
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$ 8,838
$13,425
$ 4,558
Envelopes Mailed
Envelopes Received
2,031
451
MISSION STATEMENT
As a community of believers in Jesus Christ and in Communion with the universal church, we
strive to follow the Lord’s command to love God and one another. Rooted in word and sacrament, we
grow together as a Eucharistic community inviting all to the Good News of Jesus.
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP
The next meeting of the Bereavement Group will be held on Tuesday, March 3rd at
7:30pm in the St. Cecilia Room. Please contact Sister Theresa at (718) 746-8531 for more
information about the group or for individual sessions for bereavement counseling.
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36th ANNUAL ITALIAN DINNER DANCE IN HONOR OF SAINT JOSEPH
Sunday, March 15, 2015 from 4:30pm to 8:30pm
Douglaston Manor, Douglaston, New York
Tickets - $75 per person
For tickets and more information, please call Damiana Testa at 718-746-6269.
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Grace Episcopal Church Presents
A Classical Guitar Concert Performed by Kevin Sherwin
Sunday, March 1, 2015
4:00pm-5:30pm
$10 Admission, tickets at the door
Refreshments will be available
Grace Episcopal Church - 14-15 Clintonville St., Whitestone
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The parish will have the opportunity to express their thanks and bid
Father Bruno farewell at a special Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday,
June 14th at the 11:45am Mass. A parish reception will follow in the
Pastoral Center. All are invited!
VOCATION REFLECTION -Second Sunday of Lent
“If God is with us, who can be against us?” Is the Lord strengthening you to consider the
grace of a vocation to the priesthood or consecrated life? Call the Vocation Office at
718-827-2454, or email: [email protected]
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LENTEN REGULATIONS 2015
With the celebration of Ash Wednesday, which this year falls on February 18th, we will once again
enter into the grace-filled season of Lent. Throughout our Lenten journey, in preparation for the celebration
of our Lord’s resurrection, we are invited to enter into a more intense period of prayer, penance, and
almsgiving. Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, in his Lenten message to the Universal Church, encourages all
of us to enter fully into this time of spiritual and personal renewal by confronting what he terms the
“globalization of indifference.” God’s love and interest in each one of us does not allow for indifference,
therefore, we cannot be indifferent to those around us.
In order to assist the faithful of the Diocese of Brooklyn to take full advantage of the Lenten season,
our Bishop, Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, would like to remind us of the following:
ABSTINENCE - All the faithful who have reached 14 years of age are required to abstain totally from meat
on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent.
FASTING - All the faithful between the ages of 18 and 59 inclusive are bound to fast on Ash Wednesday and
Good Friday. This practice involves limiting oneself to a single full meal and avoiding food between meals.
Light sustenance may also be taken on two other occasions during the day.
EASTER DUTY - After they have been initiated into the Most Holy Eucharist, all the faithful are bound by
the obligation of receiving Holy Communion at least once a year. This precept must be fulfilled during the
Easter season, unless for a good reason it is fulfilled at another time of the year. By special indult, in the
United States, the time period for fulfilling this precept has been extended to include the period beginning the
First Sunday of Lent (February 22, 2015) to Trinity Sunday (May 31, 2015).
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BAPTISM PROGRAM
When preparing for the Baptism of your child, parents must attend a Pre-Baptism Class.
Godparents are welcome and encouraged to attend. The class is held once a month usually on
the third Monday night of the month at 7:30pm. The Baptismal Liturgy is usually celebrated
on the second and fourth Sunday of the month at 3pm. No Baptism can take place until the
church receives a copy of the child’s Birth Certificate as required by the diocese. If you are
planning a Baptism, please note the following dates:
Baptism Sunday
March 8 & 22
April 19 & 26
May 3 & 17
June 14 & 28
Baptism Class
March 9
April 13
May 11
June 15
When considering godparents, please understand that a Godparent should:
1. be a firm and enthusiastic believer, ready, willing, and able
to help his or her godchild live a Christian life.
2. be at least sixteen years old.
3. lead a life in harmony with the faith and the role to be undertaken.
4. have received all three of the Sacraments of Initiation:
Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.
5. not be the child’s parent.
For more information and to schedule a baptism appointment, please call
Sister Theresa at (718) 746-8531.
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ST. LUKE SCHOOL
WHERE FAITH AND KNOWLEDGE MEET
718-746-3833
www.slswhitestone.org
Celebrating 104 Years of Excellence in Catholic Education
1910—2015
Join us in congratulating 8th grader, Gina LiCalzi,
for her recent accomplishment in
The Tablet’s Keep Christ in Christmas Contest.
This year the Tablet received over 700 entries. We are proud to announce that
Gina LiCalzi was awarded a Certificate of Honorable Mention for her
illustration that clearly depicts the theme.
You can see Gina’s entry and the other winners by logging onto:
www.thetablet.org.
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Pre-K 2 loves winter!
We enhanced our learning by applying it to things we like about Winter.
We read The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats and brought in our own
snowy day pictures to start making our own class book! We talked about
some of our favorite things to do in the winter and snow. One of our favorite things is drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows! After we finished
our math activity of counting out marshmallows, we were able to enjoy
some real hot chocolate; perfect for the coldest day of the year!
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Ms. Lynch’s Pre-K is 100 Days Smarter!
Our class celebrated the 100th day of school with many different activities. First,
each child came in dressed as if they were 100 YEARS old! Then, we finished a
crown with 100 dots, which was made with 10 strips of paper, each with 10 dot
markers on them. Finally, we made a self-portrait of what we think we’ll look like
when we actually are 100 years old!
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Flushing First Friday Club
Will meet on Friday, March 6th at 12 noon at Verdi’s Restaurant, Whitestone. The cost is $27.
The guest speaker will be Msgr. Alfred LoPinto, Vicar for Human Services at Catholic Charities, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Knights of Columbus Msgr. Francis J. Dillon Council Presents
The 5th Annual Saint Patrick’s Dinner Party - Saturday, March 14, 2015
Holy Trinity Catholic Academy, 14-45 143rd St., Whitestone, NY
Celebrate an enjoyable evening of great Irish fun and dancing for everyone featuring lively
musical entertainment, corned beef and cabbage dinner, raffles, 50/50 chances and fun children’s activities and games. Seating is limited so call early to reserve. Admission tickets:
$40 Adults ($45 at door), $15 Children (age 4-15), Children under age 4 FREE. For tickets
please call Edward Weisenburger (917) 667-2835 or Ralph Cefalo (917) 743-8592.
The Catholic Widows/Widowers of Queens
Will hold their next meeting in St. Kevin’s School Cafeteria located at 45-50 195th St.,
Flushing on Monday, March 9, 2015 at 7pm. Parking is available in the school yard on
195 Street. Please call Augustine Young at 718-296-4642 or Nancy Bongiovi at
718-353-1045.
Pilgrimage to Fatima & Barcelona
May 24 - June 1, 2015 Spiritual Director, Rev. Peter Gillen. Price: $2,899PP - DO
For more information call A & G Peace Tours, Inc. at (718) 423-5077
40th Annual Irish Cultural Day at St. Mel’s Church
Will be held on Sunday, March 1st from 1pm to 5:30pm. Continuous live Irish music, song
and dance featuring the music of Susan Gillespie and Gerard Corbett, the Kelly Fitzpatrick
School of Irish Stepdancing, the Nial O’Leary School of Irish Stepdancing & Ceili dancers,
Pipers, and Exhibits. Donation $7.00, kids under 12 free. Free refreshments. Sponsored by
Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Div. 15. For more information, please call (718) 7463837.
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
Mon. - Dn 9:4b-10; Lk 6:36-38
Tues. - Is 1:10,16-20; Mt 23:1-12
Wed. - Jer 18:18-20; Mt 20:17-28
Thurs. - Jer 17:5-10; Lk 16:19-31
Fri. – Gn 37:3-4,12-13a,17b-28a; Mt 21:33-43,
45-46
Sat. - Mi 7:14-15,18-20; Lk 15:1-3,11-32
ANNOUNCED MASSES
FOR THE WEEK OF
March 2, 2015
Monday, March 2
7:00 Nicholas Nubile
12:00 Antonia Trdoslavic
WE PRAY FOR THE SICK:
GEORDANO GALEOTTI
MARIE CESTRO
GERADINA D’ANGELO
SUE WINSHIP
MARY MIRRO
JOHN MARTINELLI
PATRICIA A.
ANNA BRANDT
ENRICO GABRIELLI
FATHER PETER COFFEY
Tuesday, March 3
8:30 Ivan Glavan & Petar Dobra
12:00 Franco Castronovo
AND FOR THE DECEASED
JOSEPH L. GIGLIO
JULIA COVIELLO
GEORGE MARONE
MARGARET GERAGHTY
Friday, March 6
7:00 Antonino Neglia
8:30 For the People of the Parish
12:00 Michael Vitelli (Anniversary)
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MEMORIALS
The Altar Bread is given in memory of
FRANCES MARY HERZOG (Birthday)
requested by
Valerie & Sal Balsamo & Family
The Sanctuary Lamp is given in memory of
LOUIS ANTHONY NICOLOSI
requested by his mother.
The Altar Candles are given in memory of
LOUIS ANTHONY NICOLOSI
requested by
his sister Tina
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Wednesday, March 4
7:00 Gaetano & Primittina Delle Donna
12:00 Rosemarie & Frank Molfetta
Thursday, March 5
8:30 Frances Mary Herzog (Birthday)
12:00 Dec. Members of the Lauri
& O’Connor Family
Saturday, March 7
8:30 Mario Cerasuolo (Anniversary)
.
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