PASTORS CORNER…

For those who have been unable to join us for the Lenten Book Club I thought you might benefit from some points made by Ronald Rolheiser in his book, The Holy Longing. He addresses the topic: So Why Go to Church? and offers responses which I have condensed for your reflection:

Because It Is Not Good to Be Alone: We are essentially social by nature. To attempt to make spirituality a private affair is to reject part of our very nature and walk inside of a loneliness that God himself has damned.

To Take My Rightful Place Humbly Within the Family of Humanity: The church- infinitely more inclusive than blood family and infinitely less abstract than humanity- offers us that place. The church gives us the place to die to elitism.

Because God Calls Me There: The call of God is double: Worship divinity and link yourself to humanity. There can be no real Christian spirtuality divorced from ecclesiology. To deal with Christ is to deal with church.

Because Ten Thousand Saints Have Told Me So: The saints of old and the saints of the present day are fairly unanimous regarding the importance of church.

To Help Others Carry Their Pathologies and to Have Them Help Me Carry Mine: I go to church so that other people might help me carry what is unhealthy inside of me and so that I might help them carry what is unhealthy inside of them.

To Dream with Others: The first thing I should do, if I hope to help bring about some justice and peace on this planet, is to begin to dream with others within a worldwide body of persons committed to the same dream. If I hope to do that I should go to church.

To Practice for Heaven: Heaven, the scriptures assure us, will be enjoyed within the communal embrace of billions of persons of every temperament, race, background, and ideology imaginable. A universal heart will be required to live there. Going to church is one of the better cardiovascular spiritual excercises available.

For the pure joy of it…because it is Heaven! In the end, we go to church for the same reason that we continue to have Christmas dinner together as a family – for the pure joy of it.

Ronald Rolheiser, The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality, pages 134-140. (New York: Doubleday:1999)

Peace,

Father Richard

MEMORIALS

The Bread and Wine are given in Memory of Renato Febbi by the DiGiacopo Family.

REQUIESCAT IN PACE

Please remember in your prayers the soul of Lorraine Calitri, whom the Lord has called out of this life to Himself. May she rest in the eternal peace of Christ.

PARISH INCOME

March 7, 2010........$ 12, 315

Thank you for your generosity.

The estimated weekly cost of running the parish is

$13,500 for this fiscal year of 2009/2010.

"Can my Lent be saved?" We're halfway through Lent and how are we doing? If we're feeling like the things we promised we'd do or the habits we promised we wouldn't do are lost and gone by the wayside, don't give up! We can say to ourselves, "Did I open my eyes this morning?" Then that means I am alive and God is giving another chance to take a stab at getting back on track. Our greatest prayer may be, "Help me Lord!" and let Him take it from there. May St. Patrick and St. Joseph, whose feast days we celebrate this week, pray for us.

The 11th session of the series will take place on Sunday, March 21st, 2010.  The topic will be: Life after death.  The sessions are also open to adults who want to grow in their faith. Each session begins at 6:30PM and ends at 8PM.

If you are reading this bulletin or a copy of The Beacon in church please take it with you afterwards. Please do not leave them in the pews for others to clean up. Thank you.

SAVE THE DATE

Sunday, May 16th Catholic Daughters Annual Luncheon after 11:15 AM Mass at Matta Donna, Myrtle Ave, Boonton. Guest Speaker: Fr. Tom Fallone, Vocations Director.

SAVE THE DATE

OLMC’s 3rd annual Casino Night - May 15 - Rockaway River Country Club, 7:00 – 11:00 p.m.  Tickets $75 per person are available from Debby Christensen at 973-476-4554. For business advertising opportunities, please call Mary Ellen Zung at 973- 299-7307.

The School Casino Night Committee would like to thank the event table sponsors. Thank you to Country Road Automotive and the DeStefano Family, The Padded Wagon Moving & Storage, Prequient Inc., Anthony & Sons Bakery and the Dattolo family, Union Center National Union Bank and Maverick Funding Company. If you are interested in becoming a table sponsor for the event on May 15, or have questions about Casino Night, please contact Mary Ellen Zung at 973-299-7307.

LECTORS AND ALTAR SERVERS NEEDED

If you are comfortable speaking in front of others, have the ability to be articulate and a desire to proclaim the Word of God at Mass please consider the ministry of Lector.

If you are in grades 3 and above with a desire to serve the Lord at Mass please consider becoming an Altar Server. Please contact the parish office in order that training sessions may be set up.

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

Sunday: Jer 17:5-8; 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20; Lk 6:17, 20-26

Monday: Jas 1:1-11; Mk 8:11-13

Tuesday: Jas 1:12-18; Mk 8:14-21

Wednesday: Jl 2:12-18; 2 Cor 5:20—6:2; Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Thursday: Dt 30:15-20; Lk 9:22-25

Friday: Is 58:1-9a; Mt 9:14-15

Saturday: Is 58:9b-14; Lk 5:27-32

RESPECT FOR LIFE – A REFLECTION

"Either all human life—from unborn children to demented mothers and fathers—is created … and therefore infinitely precious, or humans are nothing but the result of mere chance, indistinguishable morally from a sand flea. The choice society makes will determine whether the most vulnerable among us will be respected and protected … or whether we will ‘put them down’ when they become a burden."

Chuck Colson, author and founder of Prison Fellowship.

FATHER HINDS REMEMBRANCE BOOK

We have loved them in life; let us not forget them in death – St. Ambrose

The words of St. Ambrose are significant. In our fleeting world it is sometimes easy to forget and the memory of loved ones who have passed from this world should be maintained. If you would like to contribute a story, photo or other special memory of how the life and ministry of Fr. Hinds impacted you please email it to Fran or Jack Mesagno at fran12jack@earthlink.net or jmesagno@yahoo.com.

or drop it off or mail it to the rectory:

Father Hinds Remembrance Book

910 Birch St.

Boonton, NJ 07005

We would like to have all remembrances submitted by the middle of April so that we can publish it for the anniversary of Fr. Hind’s priestly ordination in May.

CHANGE FOR HAITI

During the Lenten season a container will be in the vestibule to receive change (coins) which at the end of Lent will be counted and sent to CRS for continuing aid in Haiti.

EARTHQUAKE RELIEF IN HAITI UPDATE

Even as Catholic Relief Services/Caritas Haiti continues to deliver relief supplies to the Haitian people, they are working on long-term recovery plans for this country, which was devastated by the January 12 earthquake that killed over 200,000.

With the rainy season approaching, the focus of CRS/ Caritas Haitis relief effort is moving from food CRS/ Caritas Haiti has fed some 600,000 people to transitional shelter. Many Port-au-Prince residents, their homes either destroyed or unstable, are living beneath sheets and curtains that provide no protection against inclement weather. At the same time, a tremendous amount of work is being done in the areas of health, hygiene, cash for work (employment), the protection of children, and safety.

Thank you for the tremendous outpouring of prayers and support for the Haitian people. For information on CRS relief efforts in Haiti as well as prayer resources, educational resources, and information on how you can help with the long-term rebuilding process, please go to www.crs.org or call 877-Help-CRS (877- 435-7277).

OPERATION RICE BOWL

The story of the Prodigal Son helps us refocus on the meaning of Lent. This is a time to change our ways, to turn back to God our Father, and to appreciate and share the gifts we have received. As we begin the second half of our journey with Catholic Relief Services' Operation Rice Bowl, we remember that we are called to be stewards of what God has given us, and we connect our prayers and fasting with our giving.

MORNING OF REFLECTION FOR EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION

Next Saturday March 20th those who serve in the ministry cited above are asked to join for Mass at 8AM and then process to the parish hall afterwards for a Lenten morning of reflection ending at Noon. Those ministers who cannot attend are asked to call Peggy in the office and let her know.

MINISTRY SCHEDULE FOR

 March 20-21, 2010

5:15PM

Priest: Fr. Richard Carton

Lector: Rita Foegen

Altar Servers: Jamie & Katie Terrone

Eucharistic Ministers: Jack & Eileen McNally, Juanita Galluzzi

7:30AM

Priest: Fr. Thomas Fallone

Lector:  Jim Wendt

Altar Servers: Tyler & Kaitlin Wendt

Eucharistic Ministers: Pat Fichtner, Wendy Wendt, Georgia Sessa

9:00AM

Priest: Fr. Richard Carton

Lector: Chaz Calitri

Altar Servers: Jocelyn Rogalo, Roseria Riccobono

Eucharistic Ministers: Frank & Jo Bevacqua, Leigh Rogalo

11:15AM

Priest: Fr. Richard Carton

Lector: Claudia Esker

Altar Servers: Zachary Esker, Frank DeLuca, Jr., Tim Hughes

Eucharistic Ministers: Betty Feehan, Denise DeLuca, Mary Ann Regan, Chris Pruden, Virginia

Hughes

THE SEASON OF LENT 2010

DAILY MASS SCHEDULE IN LENT: Monday - Friday Masses at 8AM and 12:05

EACH FRIDAY IN LENT: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after 8AM Mass until 6PM. At 6PM sung Evening Prayer and Benediction followed by Stations of the Cross.

LENTEN BOOK CLUB: Discussion on the writings of Fr. Ronald Rolheiser in his book, The Holy Longing. Sessions will meet on Wednesday evenings from 7:30-9 or on Thursday morning from 10:30 ending at 11:45 for Mass at 12:05. Feel free to join either session.

In preparation for the next session participants are asked to read Part 2 (pages45-81).

THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION is offered in every parish of our diocese on Mondays during Lent from 7-8:30PM. 

BIBLE STUDY - Tuesday evenings during Lent from 7:30 -9PM.

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE 2010

Palm Sunday, March 27/28th:

Vigil Mass Saturday -5:15PM

Sunday Mass – 7:30 and 9AM

11AM - Procession from school gym to Church for Mass at 11:15AM

Monday, March 29th:

Chrism Mass at 7:30PM in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. All are welcome.

Tuesday, March 30th:

Parish Penance Service with individual confessions at 7:30PM.

Holy Thursday, April 1st:

Mass of the Lords Supper at 8PM

followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until Midnight.

Good Friday, April 2nd:

Passion of the Lord at 3PM; Stations of the Cross at 7PM.

Holy Saturday, April 3rd:

Blessing of Easter Food at Noon;

The Great Vigil of Easter at 8PM.

Easter Sunday, April 4th:

Masses at 7:30AM, 9:00AM and 11:15 AM.

Please note: There are no morning Masses on Holy Thursday, Good Friday or Holy Saturday.