Bulletin - page 1

Second Sunday of Lent - February 28, 2010 - page 1

PD’S REFLECTIONS

The Gospel for the Second Sunday of Lent is the familiar account of the Transfiguration. The placement of this story in this season of Lent may be surprising, since it is such an upbeat description of this important event in the life of the apostles, Peter, James and John. The Transfiguration has its own Feast Day, August 6 and is the fourth of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. Sometimes we think that Lent should be a sad time, but we should remember the Gospel we heard on Ash Wednesday in which Jesus tells us that when we fast we should not look gloomy.

The experience of the Transfiguration took place on a mountain top. Often in the Scriptures and in our own lives the mountain is a place where we encounter God. For some people, the quest to climb the highest peaks in the world can be a perilous adventure but all of us have likely had opportunities to climb, drive or take a tram to the top of a mountain and God can seem so close to us there. We can look out on a clear day and see vast distances and gain new insights into our lives.

Jesus led Peter, James and John to a mountain top and it was good for them to be there. They also saw Moses and Elijah conversing with Jesus and Jesus was transfigured in their sight and they heard the voice of the Father saying, “This is my Chosen One. Listen to him.” We hear the story as we gather to celebrate the Eucharist this weekend. Recently I have wondered why most churches built more than 50 years ago or more have a lot of steps, an obstacle for me for several months, but perhaps it is the a symbol that we are climbing to a higher place to see Jesus more clearly.

STEWARDSHIP:
Last Sunday’s Collection/Colecta del Domingo Pasado: $9189.28 Last Year’s Collection/Colecta del Año Pasado: $9319.00 Priests’ Retirement/Jubilación de los Sacerdotes: $3543.50

AAA
If you have not done so, please remember to return your completed pledge envelope for the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. You may place the envelope in the collection basket or bring it to the office. For those who have already made a contribution, thank you for your support.

Our Parish Community prays for the sick:
Paul Ackermann, Mary Badaracco, Robert Lewis, Arlene Risky, Marie Zinzi, Phyllis Maher, Betty Benson, Grace Aqualina, Laura LaGreca, Al Gambuti, Sr., Mary Briggs /Milagros Galea, Michael Bohan, Marie Jacques, Janie Clark//Chibuzo Anyanwu, Jennifer Barrow Douglas, Baby Elijah, Sr. Mary Morris, Murray Family, Taylor Family, Mrs. Skevin///Felix Campos, Marianna Vargas, Anita Campos, Micheael Kennedy////Fr.James Boyce, OCarm

A Prayer for Our Troops
Lord God, Almighty Father, Author of peace, always mindful of the cost paid for the liberty we possess, we ask you to bless the members of our armed forces. Give them courage, hope and strength. And may they ever experience your firm support, gentle love and compassionate healing. Be their power and protector, leading them from darkness to light. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Please pray for the recently deceased & their families
Fr. Zygmunt Pikula

Upcoming Meetings
Pastoral Council - Mar 18 - 7:30 - Rectory Spiritual Life Committee - Mar 15 - 7:30 - Convent Social Concerns Comm. - Mar 08 - 7:30 - Convent Liturgy Committee - Mar 22 - 7:30 - Rectory Finance Council - Mar 04 - 7:30 - Rectory Rosary Society - Apr 12 - 7:30 - Queen of Peace Trinity Leisure Club - Mar 08 - 11:30 - Parish Hall Knights of Columbus - Mar 08 - 8:00 - School Respect Life Committee - Mar 17 - 7:30 - Rectory St. Vincent de Paul - Mar 16 - 7:30 - Rectory

Attention!
Extrordinary Ministers of Holy Commuion and Readers (of English Masses)
There will be a long awaited meeting on Monday, March 1st at 7:30 PM in the church. This will be an opportunity to pray together, coordinate our efforts and reaffirm our commitments. It is important that we all attend this meeting.

Attention all Committees & Clubs of the Parish
Atención todos Comités y Clubes de la Parroquia
The Pastoral Council meets monthly to discuss the future of the parish and connect the various committees and clubs so that we all are communicating and coordinating our efforts. I want a representative from each group to attend the Pastoral Council so that he/she can report on what is happening in the parish. This is an efficient and necessary way of communicating.

Scouting, TLC, Respect Life, Rosary, Social Concerns, Spiritual Life, KofC, St. Vincent de Paul, Ushers, EMs, Readers, Choir, and any and all Hispanic Ministries, too.

YOUTH NEWS
KUDOS
Congratulations to John Eyerman and Katie Ribustiello for making Honor Roll at Paramus Catholic High School.

Steve Angrisano comes to Bergen County on March 1st and 2nd at 7:00 PM to St. Francis of Assisi Church. Steve is a recognized dynamic and effective communicator with Christian Youth. For more information call Jenn Ferraiolo at 201-641-6464 or at jaft429@msn.com

EUCHARISTIC HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS
“The Priesthood is the Love of the Heart of Christ”
March 11 at 8:00 PM at St. Joseph of the Palisade Church, West New York, NJ. Join us during this Year of the Priest as we pray for the young men of our Archdiocese for an increase in vocations to the priesthood.

A priest? A sister? Perhaps God is calling you.
¿Un sacerdote? ¿Una hermana? Quizás Dios te llama.
Contact the Vocations Office at 973-497-4365 or speak to one of the priests or sisters.
Contacta la Oficina de Vocaciones a 973-497-4365 o habla con un sacerdote o una hermana.

Spiritual Events/Eventos Espirituales
Respect Life: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. " (John 10:10)

Spiritual Adoption
Our babies: Watch me grow!
Between 5 and 6 weeks the human being begins to move both spontaneously and reflexively— in response to touch the developing child will withdraw.

Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. Deuteronomy 30:19-20

You can touch your spiritually adopted child’s life with prayer. Please pray the following prayer daily:

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I love you very much. I beg you to spare the life of [baby’s name] the unborn baby that I have spiritually adopted who is in danger of abortion.” - Prayer of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen "Give us the grace - When the sacredness of life before birth is attacked, to stand up and proclaim that no one ever has the authority to destroy unborn life."

~ Pope John Paul II, from a homily given in 1979 ~

The vigil at Women’s Choice continues on Zabriskie Street.
For more information call Lorraine at 201 384-3947 or email: 40daysforlife.hackensack@gmail.com www.40daysforlife.com/hackensack

Divine Mercy Conference
The 5th Annual Divine Mercy Conference will be on March 27, 2010 at Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx. The day is sponsor by the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, the Friars of the renewal, and the Diocese of Brooklyn. For more information phone 201-446-9653 or email Ed Miller at bogeypar@aol.com

The Spirituality of Learning:
Faith Formation with Adults”
is the focus of an exciting workshop to be offered by Sr. Donna Ciangio, O.P. on March 3 at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center in Newark. The workshop will investigate the place of learning in Christian life, how adults learn differently from children, and how parishes can support ongoing faith formation for adults. Sr. Donna, a Caldwell Dominican, is a nationally recognized presenter and author. She has most recently co-authored with Fr. Thomas Iwanowski Open Our Hearts: A Small-Group Guide for an Active Lent. The workshop is sponsored by the Archdiocesan Catechetical Office in collaboration with RCL/Benziger Publishing. For more information check the web site www.rcan.org/catechet or call 973-497-4288.

A Lenten Prayer Service
Lent is a time for prayer and reflection. On Tuesday, March 9, 2010 a special prayer service utilizing the tradition of Taize will be held in Our Lady’s Chapel at 7:30 p.m. All are invited to join other members of our parish community in prayer and reflection on the scriptures.

Marriage Troubles?
RETROUVAILLE is a lifeline for troubled marriages. For many, the joy of a loving marriage is a distant memory. Loving, caring relationships take work. This program of the Catholic Church helps married couples work at putting back the pieces and restoring their relationships. This program is three-fold and begins with a weekend experience on March 19-21, 2010. For more info, please call the Office of Family Life Ministries at 973-497-4327.

MARRIED COUPLES - IT'S LENTEN RESOLUTION TIME. Resolve to start a new love affair with your spouse that's beyond your wildest dreams, a sign of Christ's Love for the Church. It can happen on a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. Sign up soon so you can renew your love for one another. For more info Sal and Sylvia Vasallo at 1 800 823-Love or email sylviav12@aol.com

Social Events/Eventos Sociales
Filipino American Ministry (Fil-Am)
Thank you to all our Fil-Am parishioners who have indicated support for the opportunity to serve our parish community and at the same time celebrate their traditional heritage like the Simbang Gabi, their first initiative, to be held on December 16-24, 2010. As they look forward to their organizational meeting, they would like to reach out to more fellow Filipino-Americans. Please contact any of the following persons: Delfin Estanislao at 201-780-7567, Elena Marcelino at 201-488-0117, or Virgil Dumlao at 201-446-7054. They will be available after the 5:30 p.m. Mass this Saturday, February 27th, and the 9:45 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Masses on Sunday, February 28th to provide information.

Anniversary Liturgy
Golden Anniversary/Silver Anniversary/5th Anniversary
Are you celebrating that special anniversary (5, 25, or 50) this year? Come to Sacred Heart Cathedral for a special Mass to bless your marriage and give thanks to God. The Archbishop invites all those celebrating their 5th, 25th, or 50th anniversary to come and be recognized by the greater Church community.

Golden Anniversary Mass - June 6 – 3:00 PM
Silver Anniversary Mass - April 11 – 3:00 PM
5th Anniversary Mass - April 11 – 3:00 PM
Registration deadline is April 2, 2010. Please call the rectory to register at 201-343-5170.

Life Source Hospice is seeking volunteers to be part of its patients’ end of life experience. Volunteers visit hospice patients in Bergen County nursing homes, private homes, and Bergen Regional Medical Center. Volunteers determine their own hours, usually 2 hours per week. They receive on-going training and support. For more info call Stephanie Kip at 201-967-4313

In the Catechism
“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.”

What did Jesus Christ reveal to us about the mystery of the Father?
Jesus Christ revealed to us that God is “Father”, not only insofar as he created the universe and the mankind, but above all because he eternally generated in his bosom the Son who is his Word, “ the radiance of the glory of God and the very stamp of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3).

Who is the Holy Spirit revealed to us by Jesus Christ?
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Most Blessed Trinity. He is God, one and equal with the Father and the Son. He “proceeds from the Father” (John 15:26) who is the principle without a principle and the origin of all trinitarian life. He proceeds also from the Son (Filioque) by the eternal Gift which the Father makes of him to the Son. Sent by the Father and the Incarnate Son, the Holy Spirit guides the Church “to know all truth” (John 16:13).

How does the Church express her Trinitarian faith?
The Church expresses her Trinitarian faith by professing a belief in the oneness of God in whom there are three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three divine Persons are only one God because each of them equally possesses the fullness of the one and indivisible divine nature. They are really distinct from each other by reason of the relations which place them in correspondence to each other. The Father generates the Son; the Son is generated by the Father; the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.

How do the three divine Persons work?
Inseparable in their one substance, the three divine Persons are also inseparable in their activity. The Trinity has one operation, sole and the same. In this one divine action, however, each Person is present according to the mode which is proper to him in the Trinity. “O my God, Trinity whom I adore...grant my soul peace; make it your heaven, your beloved dwelling, and the place of your rest. May I never abandon you there, but may I be there, whole and entire, completely vigilant in my faith, entirely adoring, and wholly given over to your creative action.” (Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity)

What does it mean to say that God is almighty?
God reveals himself as “the strong One, the mighty One” (Psalm 24:8), as the One “to whom nothing is impossible” (Luke 1:37). His omnipotence is universal, mysterious and shows itself in the creation of the world out of nothing and humanity out of love; but above all it shows itself in the Incarnation and the Resurrection of his Son, in the gift of filial adoption and in the forgiveness of sins. For this reason, the Church directs her prayers to the “almighty and eternal God” (“Omnipotens sempiterne Deus...”).

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