1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

ACTIVITIES FOR THE WEEK
Monday, March 23, 2015
8:30AM MASS
Mon. Mar. 23 St. Turibius of Mogrovejo, Bishop
8:30AM Kenneth and Timothy Lake by Marge
Lake
Tues. Mar. 24
8:30AM Rudolph Spinnler by his son Gerard
Spinnler
Wed. Mar. 25 Annuciation of the Lord
8:30AM Richard Young by his wife Donna
7:00PM Parish Penance Service
Thur. Mar. 26
8:30AM John Gibson and Magdalene Koffer by
Irene and Ann Finn
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
8:30AM MASS
6:15PM RE Classes
8:30AM
5:00PM
6:30PM
7:00PM
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
MASS
RE Classes
RE Classes
Parish Penance Service
Thursday, March 26, 2015
8:30AM MASS
6:15PM RE Classes
7:30PM Music Ministry Choir Practice
Fri. Mar. 27
8:30AM NO MASS
7:00PM Stations of the Cross
7:00PM
7:00PM
Friday, March 27, 2015
Stations of the Cross
Youth Group Lock In
Sat. Mar. 28 Vigil: Palm Sunday of the Passion
of the Lord
4:00PM Stella Forte by Bill and Grace Gallagher
4:00PM
Saturday, March 28, 2015
MASS
Sun. Mar. 29: Palm Sunday of the Passion of
the Lord
7:30AM Marie DeAngelis by her son Bill
9:00AM Frank Urello by Jean Holm
11:00AM David Yates by Valerie Bellezza
The collection total for March 15 was
$14,033, the Flower collection totaled
$2,445.50. Thank you for your continued
generosity in support of your parish.
The Sanctuary Candle is offered in
loving
memory
of
Shelia
Hutchinson by Ina and Richard
Zimmer. The vigil candle before
the Blessed Virgin Mary is offered in loving
memory of Dorothy Zimmerman by Etta And
Don Marrolli. The vigil candle before St. Joseph is
offered in loving memory of Anthony DeGaetta,
Jr. by Lorraine and Lenny Edson. The vigil
candle before the Blessed Pauline is offered in
loving memory of Eileen Moretti by the Family.
Preserving the sanctity of the season
of Lent, there will be no altar flowers
until Easter Vigil.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
7:30AM MASS
9:00AM MASS
11:00AM MASS
Daily Scripture Readings
Sunday Jer 31:31-34; Heb 5:7-9; Jn 12:20-33
Monday Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or 13:41c62; Jn 8:1-11
Tuesday Nm 21:4-9; Jn 8:21-30
Wednesday Is 7:10-14, 8:10; Heb 10:4-10; Lk
1:26-38
Thursday Gn 17:3-9; Jn 8:51-59
Friday Jer 20:10-13; Jn 10:31-42
Saturday Ez 37:21-28; Jn 11:45-56
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
2nd Grade Parent Dates
Tuesday, April 28, & Thursday, April 30
6 pm to 7 pm - First Holy Communion Practice
Saturday, May 2, 2015 – 10:30 am First Holy
Communion. All Students please arrive at Church
at 9:45 am.
Sunday, May 3, 2015 – 9:00 am Mass children
attend in Communion attire for the May Crowning
of Mary.
Immediately following, Knights of
Columbus hosting pancake breakfast for First
Communion children and families.
8th Grade Parent Dates
March 31 – at 6:15 Final Exam for Tuesday and
Thursday Class
April 1 – at 6:30 Final Exam for Wednesday Class
April 25 – at 12 noon Sacrament of Confirmation.
Registration for 2015-2016
On-line Registration will open on Monday, April
13, 2015. Will email instructions and link on
morning of April, 13. All registration will be
on-line.
Mandatum
Washing of the Feet
On
Holy
Thursday,
we
commemorate the institution of
the Holy Eucharist and the
Priesthood. During the Mass, we
will perform the Mandatum or
Foot Washing ceremony in imitation of Jesus who
washed the feet of His disciples. We are in need of
volunteers to assist us with the ceremony.
Women of Nativity
Upcoming Events
April 16, 2015—Book Discussion—The Time
Keeper by Mitch Albom
For all of you who have read the book and those
who wish to read it, there will be a discussion on
April 16 in the Resurrection Room at 1:00PM.
Please call Dee—609-235-9324 by April 9 if you
can make it.
April 28, 2015—We are planning a luncheon at the
Hong Kong Palace (Formerly Little Szechuan) at
12:00PM. The meal will be served family style and
consist of four courses (soup, appetizers, main
dish, and dessert). The cost of the trip is $23 which
includes tax, tip, and entertainment. Checks made
payable to Nativity of Our Lord. Please call by
March 30: Grace Trippe 609-655-8987.
Hong Kong Palace
2050 Old Trenton Road
West Windsor, NJ
June 2, 2015 – WON invites all men and women of
the parish to join us for a day trip to:
SIGHT &
SOUND in Lancaster, PA on Tuesday, June 2, 2015
for a live performance of J0SEPH. The bus will
leave the church parking lot promptly at 9:30am &
will return approx. -7:45pm. The cost of the trip
$110.00 per person which includes admission,
round-trip bus fare & luncheon. Limited seating is
available. Tickets will be sold on a first come first
served basis. Payment in full must accompany
reservation. Please respond ASAP. Detach
&
complete the form below & include it with your
check made payable to Nativity of Our Lord
Church in an envelope labeled: “WON-Sight
&
Sound Trip-Att: Irene Marino”. Envelopes can be
dropped off in the parish office. For
more
information, contact Irene Marino at
609-2359646. Reservations NO LATER THAN Sun.
May 3rd,2015.
-----------------------------------Name __________________
In addition to the Mandatum, we need
help decorating the Church on Holy
Saturday morning after Morning Prayer.
If you are interested in participating
and/or helping us with our preparations, please
call
609-371-0499
ext.
10
or
email
([email protected]).
Address
_________________
Phone#
_______________________
Cell#
_____________________
RCIA Rite of Scrutiny
May you all be kept blameless, spirit, soul,
and body, for the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
During the last 3 Sundays of Lent our
Catechumen, Brittany O’Brien will present herself
before our Pastor for a special blessing and prayer.
The solemn celebration will take place during the
9AM Mass.
Her journey toward full reception into the Catholic
Church has been a gradual process which has
taken place here within our parish. Her catechists
and sponsors have publicly declared that she is
ready to live faithfully the commitment of the
Sacraments of Initiation.
The Rite of Scrutiny is meant to heal and
strengthen her. The Rite of Exorcism, is celebrated
in order to deliver her from the power of sin,
protect her against temptation and give her
strength in Christ.
As the church community, please pray for her
continued conversion, and that she opens her
heart to receive the gifts of our savior Jesus Christ.
Our Catechumen Brittany O’Brien will receive the
Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy
Eucharist at the great Easter Vigil.
Come join us for Bible Study on
Wednesday at 9AM and at 7PM in the
Resurrection room. Everyone is
welcome to join us. There will be no
Bible Study on March 25.
Church Activities
On Wednesday, May 13th, 2015
we have planned a trip to
Atlantic City's Taj Mahal Casino.
The cost is $22pp, with $25 slot
play bonus per person. A photo
ID is required to obtain a Trump One card to
receive the bonus. Make check payable to Church
Activities. Park in the rear of the Church parking
lot. Arrive at 9:15am. The bus will leave promptly
at 9:30am, returning approximately 7:30pm. For
reservations call Rose Ferrari at 609 395 7185.
2016 Mass Book
The 2016 Mass Book is now
open. You may email your
requests
to
[email protected] or stop in the parish
office between 9-11:30AM and between 1-4PM.
Please do not come during lunch as no one will be
available to take your Mass request during that
time.
Due to the high demand for Masses on
specific dates, there is a limit of two (2)
Masses per parishioner which includes only
one weekend or Holy Day intention. Please
come prepared with a few alternate dates in the
event that dates you request are already taken. In
order to expedite your requests, please type or
write your name, phone number, date and time of
Mass being requested, name of person(s) you are
requesting the Mass for, and name of person(s)
requesting the Mass on a full sized sheet of paper.
Chrism Mass
On Monday, March 30, 2015 Bishop
Paul G. Bootkoski will celebrate the
Chrism Mass with the priests of the
Diocese. At this Mass, the Bishop will
bless the Holy Oils which each parish
receives for the rites of anointing.
Saint Ambrose [340-397] began this custom –
which we now call the Chrism Mass – in his
Cathedral in Milan. These Holy Oils, which are
used to sanctify the Faithful, have been channels of
holiness for centuries! The Oil of Catechumens is
used to anoint the chest of infants and hands of
adults before their Baptism; the Oil of the Sick is
used on the forehead and hands of the infirm in
the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick; and
Sacred Chrism is used to anoint the head of the
newly baptized, the foreheads of confirmandi, the
hands of a priest at his ordination, the head of a
bishop at his ordination, and the altar and walls of
new churches. At the Mass, all priests make a
Renewal of Commitment to Priestly Service,
recommitting themselves to their Bishop and to
their ministry to God and His People; the Bishop
and all Priests then ask the people for a pledge of
their prayerful support. All are strongly
encouraged to join in the ancient, grace-filled
Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of St. Francis of
Assisi in Metuchen at 7:30PM.
PARISH MINISTRIES
St. incent de
aul ociety
If you are experiencing financial
hardship due to a temporary loss of
employment, illness, or disability, the St.
Vincent de Paul Society is available to provide
assistance for your everyday needs such as food,
utility assistance, or agency referrals. Please dial
the parish number (609) 371-0499, then press 6,
and leave a message with your name and phone
number. Someone will return your call. All calls
are handled in strict confidence.
CRS Rice Bowl: Hungering for a Healthy
Harvest
CRS Rice Bowl brings our Lenten journey back to
Africa this week, to the Democratic Republic of
Congo. We join our fasting in solidarity with
people who go hungry, and we remember in prayer
the importance of building a community that is
willing to support those most in need.
Guatemala Scholarship Update: We recently
sent a check for the students for half of their
school year. Two of our scholars are attending high
school now – something that would never have
been possible without our faithful donors! These
children have hope for a bright future. No one can
argue about the return on that investment! Thank
you all.
If you are interested in changing someone’s life,
$1/day will do that. Donations can be made
monthly ($30), half yearly ($180), or yearly
($360). Checks should be written to Nativity of
Our Lord with “Guatemalan Scholarship” in the
memo line. Gracias!
Prayer Shawl: Our next meeting is on March
24, 2015. We meet on the second and fourth
Tuesday of the month through June. If you would
like more information, please call Dorothy Kopil at
(609) 655-8138 or Greta Wieczorkowski at (609)
655-4262.
Elder Care:
Do you need assistance with
shopping periodically? Are you seeking a
responsible person to sit with someone in need of
supervision for a brief time? Do you require help
with minor household chores? Please call Diane
Malloy at 609-235-9480 to schedule this
service.
Caring Meals: The Caring Meals group provides
two great services. First, we deliver soup to our
homebound parishioners. Previously we delivered
soup only during the winter months, but our soup
became so popular that we have decided to cook
and deliver year round. Also, our group provides
short-term help to parishioners who are
recuperating from an illness or hospital stay with
deliveries of home-cooked meals to help
alleviate the additional burden of meal preparation
while you heal. You do not have to be
disadvantaged to benefit from this service. Nativity
of Our Lord is a family and we care about you and
your recovery. If you like to cook or know of
someone who could benefit from either of these
two services, please call Maryanne Sheerin at
(609) 409-3378. We have several volunteers
who are eager to help.
Do You Need A Helping Hand With Minor
Tasks Around The House? It has come to our
attention that some senior communities charge a
rather large fee to replace light bulbs and perform
other small household tasks. Do you need help
replacing batteries in a smoke or carbon monoxide
detector, opening and closing ceiling vents, or
hanging pictures? There are parishioners who are
willing to help in these situations. Please contact
Esther Wolff by phone on 732-521-6019 or via
email to [email protected].
Intentional Disciples
Parish Lenten Program
7:00-8:30PM
3/22 – Role of love in our personal and
spiritual lives
Penance Services – Forsgate Deanery
March 24 7PM Queenship of Mary, Plainsboro
March 25 7PM Nativity of Our Lord, Monroe
March 26 7PM St. Augustine’s, Kendall Park
March 29 7PM Corpus Christi, South River
FREE MINISTRY to traveling Catholics
For Nationwide Mass times and locations
Call 1-800-627-7846 or Internet site:
www.Masstimes.org
World Meeting of Families (WMOF) 2015
Papal Visit Information Sessions
The World Meeting of Families (WMOF) is a
gathering of Catholic families from around the
world for days of prayer, catechesis and
celebration of the gift of family. Catholics across
the country are preparing for the 8th WMOF,
which is the first to take place in the United States.
It will be held in Philadelphia from September 22 27, 2015. All are encouraged to attend. This year’s
theme is 'Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully
Alive!' Pope Francis will be attending the Festival
of Families on September 26th and celebrating the
papal Mass on September 27th.
Breakfast with the Easter
Bunny
The Ladies Auxiliary of the
Applegarth Volunteer Engine Co.
No. 1 invites you to breakfast with
the Easter bunny on Sunday,
March 22 from 8-11:30AM at 130
Applegarth
Road,
Monroe
Township. Adults are $10; children 10 and under
are $5. The price includes pancakes, eggs, bacon,
sausage, pastries, fruit, coffee and tea.
On Wednesday, April 22, 2015, information
sessions will be held at the St. John Neumann
Pastoral Center, Piscataway for Clergy, parish
staff, ministry leaders and anyone else interested
in learning more about the upcoming WMOF, the
Catechetical Themes and the Papal visit. A session
will be held 1:30PM to 3:00PM and another will be
held 7:00PM-8:30PM. Please register by calling
732-562-1990 x1629 or x1543.
HIS WORD TODAY by Rev. William J. Reilly
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT
First Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34
The Lord comforted his people, who were exiled to
Babylon, by telling them of the new covenant he
planned to make with them. The Lord declared he
would write his law upon their hearts, and that he
would forgive their evil and forget the sins they
had committed in the past.
Second Reading: Hebrews 5:7-9
Though God could have heeded his Son’s prayers
and spared him suffering, Jesus accepted his
Fathers will. Through his suffering, he learned
obedience and became the source of eternal
salvation for all people.
Gospel: John 12:20-33
Jesus was afraid of the suffering he knew he must
face. Yet he explained just as a grain of wheat must
die to be harvested, he had to face his hour of
suffering to glorify his Father’s name. Jesus
explained that once he was lifted from earth, he
could draw all people to himself, lifting them to
eternal life.
A FRESH PERSPECTIVE ON THE SUNDAY
READINGS
Fifth Sunday of Lent- March 22, 2015
“Some Greeks… came to Philip, who was
from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him
‘Sir, we would like to see Jesus.’ Philip went
and told Andrew, then Andrew and Philip
went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them,
‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to
be glorified’… ‘And when I am lifted up
from the earth, I will draw everyone to
myself.’”
Our world today is marked by networking. One
knows someone else, a good word is offered, we
get a foot in the door, and success follows. The first
step though is ‘who you know.’
Such was the case in the gospel event. Foreigners
approached Philip, who turned to Andrew, and the
consultation was made. John’s gospel once again
refers to ‘His hour’ and Jesus tells us the voice
spoke for our benefit.
What does it say? We are not unlike the pagan who
approached Philip, but we do know to whom to
turn. We have countless opportunities to see
Jesus. We find Him in the Eucharist, inviting us to
adoration. We find Him in the sacraments where
He reaches out to touch us. We find Him in the
poor, the marginalized, the ‘least of His brothers
and sisters.’
‘Sir, I too would like to see Jesus.’