Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Deceased Priests

Please pray for Father Fabian Lopez, classmate of Father Tom Byrnes and Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in NYC. He has died after a courageous battle with cancer. Also, please pray for the soul of Father Robert Hickey. May they rest in peace.

Funeral Mass - Josephine T. Tinnirello

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for the repose of the soul of Josephine Tinnirello on Saturday, April 26 at 10:30 a.m. Please pray for her and for her family.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Funeral Mass - Dane A. Henry

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for the repose of the soul of Dane Henry on Tuesday, April 22 at 10:30 a.m. Please pray for him and for his family.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

The Resurrection!


Congratulations to Marlene, Flutura and Lorraine, who will be baptized and receive First Communion tonight. Marlene will also receive the Sacrament of Confirmation
Remember playing Flashlight Tag  -  Red Light, Green Light   -  Freeze Tag?

There are moments in all of our lives that are frozen in time and frozen in our memories. They can be good moments, or bad moments. Moments of utter joy and moments of profound grief.

Remember?

That first kiss.   -   Yes, I will marry you.

A look on the doctor's face.   -   The birth of a child       Loss of a job

Graduation  -   The end of a life.

"DEFINING" moments some folks might call them. As we gather on this Easter we celebrate THE DEFINING moment of our Christian faith –

We call it - the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What Is the Resurrection?

-         Some say it is a metaphor – Jesus was still alive in their hearts and minds. He will live on in your memory

-         Some – another way to speak of the rebirth of nature after the death of winter. caterpillars to butterflies and frozen earth to green shoots.

-         Some – his legacy will live on. Jesus will live on, just like the writings of Shakespeare or the music of Beethoven.

Although it is comforting -    THIS IS NOT ENOUGH

First - Understand that Jesus was not asleep. He was dead, really dead. The Romans knew what they were doing.  He died on the Cross. His mother held him in her arms. His body was placed in a tomb.

On the first day of the week they came to the tomb and it was empty – most logical that the body was stolen – what other explanation could there be?

The angel said: “He is not here. He has been raised!”

Something new and overwhelming had happened. The one who was dead WALKED OUT OF THE TOMB. He took on a completely new form of human life. Not a return to normal life – subject to death – but a new life – no longer subject to death. He was truly there, alive. He spoke to them, ate with them – they touched him – yet he no longer belonged to this world.

This DEFINING MOMENT changed them forever –

Peter – crucified upside down, Paul beheaded – almost all of the Apostles martyred – for a metaphor, a nice idea or a worthy cause? – no = Because He is Risen!

Last night, the Pope had the Stations of the Cross in the Coliseum – amazing when thousands of Christians died there 2000 years ago – why – because he is Risen!

Why on earth would you become a priest and waste your life – because He is Risen!

Why do you try to live according to the teachings of Jesus? – because He is Risen!

Why do you do charitable works for your neighbor? – because He is Risen!

Why do you believe that you will live forever?  - because He is Risen!

Tonight – Marlene, Flutura and Lorraine will be Baptized. Why?  Because He is Risen.

Tonight – is a defining moment for 3 women. They will now be known as Catholics, as Christians. And from now on, they will be able to touch, to receive, the glorified Body of Jesus in the Eucharist. Why? Because he is Risen!

St. Augustine once said – I can now catch sight of my homeland from afar> How do I get there? The One who is our Goal came to us. He brought us the plank to make our passage.” And now with St. Thomas we can say – My Lord and My God!”

Monday, April 14, 2014

Reconciliation Monday - From Cardinal Dolan

I hope that our non-Catholic friends will pardon many of us Catholics today.  They will probably sense that we’re a bit jittery:  This is Holy Week, and, today is Reconciliation Monday throughout all five boroughs, Long Island, and seven counties north of the Bronx, reaching almost to Albany.  Sometime this week, especially today in the Archdiocese of New York, Diocese of Brooklyn, and Diocese of Rockville Centre (as every parish in those three dioceses has confessions available from 3:00-9:00) many of us will approach the sacrament of penance to conclude Lent and be ready for Easter.
So, we’re a little nervous.  Going to confession is like a trip to the dentist:  we know it’s good for us, and we sure feel better afterwards, but we’re anxious about doing it.
The simple truth is, we are sinners.  We Catholics – - like all Christians, and our Jewish neighbors – - acknowledge that our sins not only offend our loving God and harm ourselves, but that they hurt everybody else.
We claim to be people of love, and, I’m afraid, sometimes are hateful; we pretend to be selfless, and often are the opposite; we say we’re honest, and on occasion lie and cheat; we’re supposed to be for peace, and end-up fighting and arguing. We say we’re humble, but are all too often cocky and arrogant.  As is evident from what Pope Francis expressed Friday, we remain sickened and sorry for such a horror as the abuse of minors by priests, and negligence by bishops, however tiny a percent of clergy they may be.  We have disregarded the commandments, the beatitudes, the Bible, and the teaching of Jesus and His Church.  We admit it.  We’ve hurt God, ourselves, and our neighbors.  We’re sorry.
We know God forgives us when we ask Him to, because He told us so.  We experience that in Confession.  We find it hard at times to forgive ourselves.  And we ask those whom we have offended to pardon us for our failure to practice what we preach.
I guess that’s why we describe ourselves as “practicing Catholics,” because we keep trying to get it right.
So, this week finds us somber, as we recall what our sins did to Jesus that first Good Friday.  Jesus, on his way to His cross, fell three times, which means, in the Bible, “a lot.”  We slip and fall a lot too!
But, this Holy Week finds us ultimately joyful, grateful, renewed as we celebrate His resurrection from the dead this Easter Sunday.
Today finds us jittery as we prepare for confession on this “Reconciliation Monday.”
So, to our non-Catholic friends who read this blog, I say thanks for your patience with us, not only today, but every day, as we often stumble and fall in what I hope is our ongoing journey to follow Jesus more faithfully and generously.
And, to my fellow Catholics, I strongly urge you to take advantage of this most wonderful sacrament.  If you’re in New York, Brooklyn, or Rockville Centre, stop by any Church between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. today, and a priest will be waiting to hear your confession.  If you’re outside the New York metropolitan area, I am sure your local parish will have additional opportunities to receive the Sacrament.
Happy Passover to our Jewish neighbors!
Happy Holy Week and Easter to our Christian neighbors!

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Holy Week and Easter 2014


PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION – April 13
Saturday Vigil - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday – 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.

CONFESSIONS (HOLY WEEK)
Reconciliation Monday, April 14    3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
No Confessions on Holy Saturday

HOLY THURSDAY – April 17
Office of Readings and Morning Prayer – 8:30 a.m.
Mass of the Lord’s Supper – 7:30 p.m.
Adoration until Midnight in the Atrium

 GOOD FRIDAY – April 18
Day of Fasting and Abstinence From Meat
Office of Readings and Morning Prayer – 8:30 a.m.
Children’s Service of the Passion – 12:00 noon
Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion – 3:00 p.m.
Stations of the Cross – 7:30 p.m.

HOLY SATURDAY – April 19
Office of Readings and Morning Prayer – 8:30 a.m.
Blessing of Easter Food – 12:00 noon
The Easter Vigil – 7:30 p.m.
(No 5:00 p.m. Mass)

EASTER SUNDAY – April 20
7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.
Additional 10:30 a.m. Mass in school gym