[Type text] [Type text] [Type text] the catholic community of OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL Volume 2, Issue 15: April 12, 2015 Second Sunday of Easter Believe Our Lady of Mount Carmel 10 County Road Tenafly, NJ 07670 201.568.0545 www.olmc.us The doubt that Thomas experienced in the face of the heartbreaking loss of Jesus is not unlike our own when facing a massive loss: despair, heartbreak, and exceeding sorrow, all of which Jesus sympathizes. But, although Thomas did, in fact, doubt the Lord’s resurrection appearance, once he saw the risen Christ, he proclaimed in faith, “My Lord and my God.” Jesus commended him for his faith, although that faith was based on sight. Doubting Christians have two things doubting Thomas did not have: the indwelling Holy Spirit and the written New Testament. By the power of both the Spirit and the Word, we can overcome doubts and, like Thomas, be prepared to follow our Lord and Savior to bring peace, joy, and love into the world each day through acts of kindness and helping our brothers and sisters, especially the most needy. Volume 2, Issue 15 Second Sunday of Easter Staff Directory Very Rev. Leonard J. Gilman, O. Carm. Pastor e - frleonard@icloud.com Masses Daily Monday – Saturday 8:30 AM Weekends Saturday 5:00 PM Sunday 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 NOON Holy Days As announced Sacraments The Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday 4:00 – 4:30 PM, or by appointment, please call the Church Office The Sacrament of Baptism The second Sunday of each month, except during Lent. Please arrange for Baptism at least two months in advance. The Sacrament of Marriage Please make an appointment with a priest or deacon at least one year in advance. The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick Please call the Church Office to request a visit from one of the parish priests. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Mission Statement “No matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done, no matter where you’re from, no matter where you’re going, no matter how good or bad things seem, you are always welcome.” New Parishioner? Welcome! Feel free to contact anyone on our staff regarding the parish and its activities. We ask that every family in the parish be registered. Registration packets can be picked up in the Church Office! Church Office Elizabeth Gardner Office Manager Mary Ann Nelson Receptionist t - 201.568.0545 f - 201.568.3215 e - rectory@olmc.us Roxanne Kougasian Secretary t - 201.871.4662 e - 4roxanneolmc@gmail.com Deacons Deacon Lex Ferrauiola e - deaconlex@gmail.com Deacon David Loman e - deacondavid@olmc.us Office of Mission Development Elliot Guerra Director of Mission Development t - 201.568.1403 e - eguerra@academyolmc.org Liturgy & Pastoral Ministry Alicia Smith Director of Liturgy & Pastoral Ministry t - 201.871.9458 e - pastoralministryolmc@gmail.com Music Ministry Peter Coll Music Director e - musicdirector@olmc.us Religious Education Office Sr. Regina M. Chassar, SSJ Director of Religious Education t - 201.871.4662 e - reled@olmc.us Academy Michael Bruno Principal t - 201.567.6491 f - 201.568.1402 e - mbruno@academyolmc.org Facilities Edward McElroy Facility Director t - 201.906.4389 2 Volume 2, Issue 15 Second Sunday of Easter April 12, 2015 Dear Parishioners, Today we celebrate the Divine Mercy, the presence of God alive and active in the world, working through the goodness of human beings making a difference in the world. Divine Mercy was founded by the inspiration of a Polish nun, Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska, who lived, like Jesus himself, only 33 years, from 1905 until 1938. She lived through the First World War and right up until the brink of the Second World War. Her entire life was filled with the sufferings of war and the need to find a Christian response to the evil of such massive killing and destruction. Her response was to be the best Christian she could be, and to pray that she would become an instrument of God’s mercy. Several years ago, when I was working with the Carmelite Missions in Kenya, I walked into a church and found that there was a service going on. I sat quietly at the back and observed. It was the reception into the Church of a young woman. It was a very nice ceremony, and afterwards, the people gathered for a reception and invited me to join them. During the reception I had an opportunity to meet this young woman. Being the shy, retiring type that I am, my first question to her was: So, why did you decide to become a Catholic? She answered, “Well, there was a woman at the shop where I work who was Catholic. And I noticed that, of all of us, she was the one who was never late for work, and never left early. And when customers came into the shop, she was the one they always wanted to be served by. And she had a loving husband and three very polite children. But what I really noticed was that she was always happy, really happy. So, one day I went and asked her why she was always happy. She said, ‘ . . . because God wants me to be happy.’ And I said, ‘What do you mean, God wants you to be happy?’ ‘Well,’ she said, ‘my favorite scripture is Philippians 4:4-9.’ And she reached for her Bible and read it to me. And at that moment, she said, ‘I knew that I wanted to be a Catholic too.’” When I returned to the village that evening I looked up the scripture passage, and this is what I read: I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord! I repeat, what I want is your happiness. Let your tolerance be evident to everyone. The Lord is very near. There is no need to worry, but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving, and that peace of God, which is so much greater than we can understand, will guard your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus. Finally, sisters and brothers, fill your minds with everything that is true, everything that is noble, everything that is good and pure, everything that we love and honor, and everything that can be thought virtuous or worthy of praise. Keep doing all the things that you learned from me, and have been taught by me, and have heard or seen that I do. Then the God of peace will be with you. The greatest mission any of us do for Jesus is to live our lives well and to show the world that it is in living the Christian life that true human happiness is to be found. We do not pretend that being a Christian will make you wealthy, or better looking, give you a higher status, or get you better grades in school. But, what we do believe is that by living the way God asks us, we can become the people God created us to be – that is, we become the best person that we can be. That is what God asks of each of us. That is our mission in the world. And, if we live it faithfully, then everyone will see in our life a way that will lead them to the Way, the Truth and the Life that will make them the people that God created them to be. Let us also pray that we may also be instruments of God’s Mercy in the World. Fr. Leonard+ 3 Volume 2, Issue 15 Second Sunday of Easter LITURGICAL DAILY READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Acts 4:23-31; John 3:1-8 Acts 4:32-37; John 3:7b-15 Acts 5:17-26; John 3:16-21 Acts 5:27-33; John 3:31-36 Acts 5:34-42; John 6:1-15 Acts 6:1-7; John 6:16-21 MASSES FOR THE WEEK MONDAY, APRIL 13th 8:30 Robert Traudt, Sr. TUESDAY, APRIL 14th 8:30 John Primavera req. Mr. & Mrs. Harold Nafash WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15th 8:30 James Bergold req. Nora Blewitt THURSDAY, APRIL 16th 8:30 Marie Cosgrove req. The Curley Family FRIDAY, APRIL 17th 8:30 Ada Isetti req. Mary Buchanan MINISTERS FOR APRIL 18th & 19th 5 PM Servers – Laurenne Bai, Jaden Mendoza, Olivia Tarabokija Lector – Chris Connolly Eucharistic Ministers – Lauretta Miller, Mae Kenny, Della Booker 8 AM Servers – Alexi Celli, John Mauro Lector – Nicole Pecoraro Eucharistic Ministers – Pat White, Rich White, Alida Kratnoff 10 AM Servers – Luke Figueroa, Abby Park, Sedona Perin Lector – Jackie Dragon Eucharistic Ministers – Jennifer Schippert, Steven Schippert, Michael Bruno 12 NOON Servers – Sofia Maravillas, Noelle Scanlon, Jake Waterman Lector – John Ogle Eucharistic Ministers – Jaga Kokosinski, Fran Mladjenovic, Anthony Inguaggiato SATURDAY, APRIL 18th 8:30 Mary Cantwell req. Margie Brennan 5:00 Gary Mioli req. Karen & Chris Anderson SUNDAY, APRIL 19th 8:00 Parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel 10:00 Edo Barzelatto req. The Hickey Family 12:00 Josephine, Anthony & Ana req. The Kokosinski Family THE BREAD AND WINE This week the Bread and Wine are in memory of Anne Miglietta requested by Her Grandchildren. THE SANCTUARY LAMP This week the Sanctuary Lamp is in memory of Kathleen E. Stevens (16th Anniversary) requested by Joan, Edward and Lillian. REST IN PEACE Please remember in your prayers all the military men and women who have died this week. Are You Being Called to Spiritual Direction? Spiritual Direction encourages us to explore a closer relationship with God. In the midst of a busy life, many of us find it difficult to notice God’s action in our daily affairs. Yet, at the deepest level, all of us long for a more conscious experience of God’s presence and love. It’s really not about being directed. Rather, it is very much about being encouraged to draw closer to God. Spiritual Direction is carried out in the context of a one-toone trusting and confidential relationship. The spiritual director is trained to be a guide who journeys with you and listens to your story with an ear for the movement of the Holy Spirit. If you think that Spiritual Direction might be a way for you to discern God’s actions in your life, contact Deacon Lex at 201-568-6819 or deaconlex@gmail.com. 4 Volume 2, Issue 15 Second Sunday of Easter RELIGIOUS EDUCATION RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM Please check the parish website www.olmc.us for the monthly newsletter and calendars. CLASS SCHEDULE Sunday, April 12th – Monday, April 13th – Tuesday, April 14th – 8:45 – 9: 55 a.m. 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. Registration for children entering the Religious Education Program in Kindergarten or First Grade will take place during May. SACRAMENT INFORMATION Confirmation Confirmation Ceremony: Saturday, April 18, 2015, 11:00 a.m. Rehearsal: Tuesday, April 14, 7:00 p.m. Candidates and sponsors (or stand-in for sponsor) must attend the rehearsal. First Eucharist First Eucharist Dates: Saturday, April 25, 2015, 11:00 a.m. Rehearsal: Thursday, April 23, 3:45 p.m. Saturday, May 2, 2015, 11:00 a.m. Rehearsal: Thursday, April 30, 3:45 p.m. RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS (RCIA) In the early Church, when a person sought to become Christian, he or she was called a catechumen and entered into a period of intense instruction within the community. When this period of instruction was completed, catechumens were baptized and received into “the body of the faithful.” The Church welcomes into the process of preparation persons who have never been baptized, those already baptized in another Christian tradition, or baptized Catholics who have not received First Eucharist or Confirmation. If you or someone you know has been thinking about becoming a member, but would first like information about the process, please call Sr. Regina at 201-871-4662. Catholicism 101: Dealing With Flawed Humans in a Beloved Church Presented by Elliot Guerra This Sunday, April 12, 2015 9:00 – 9:45 a.m. in the Titus Room Free Breakfast and Caffeinated Conversation! Bring your l ’l I ideas; bring my flaws (and coffee). Students beginning in 4th grade are invited to be altar servers. Training sessions will be scheduled. Please contact Sr. Regina in the Religious Education Office at 201-8714662 or reled@olmc.us to register for this ministry. Spring is a metaphor for change. Some changes we eagerly await, and others we resist. Some changes are planned and others arrive uninvited. To all these changes we ask the gift of Your perspective beckoning us toward expectation, hope and rebirth. May the sunlight and the rain be reminders that You are at work renewing all of Earth. As a God of Renewal, You are ever at work in our lives, too. Open our eyes and hearts to needed changes in our lives this spring. Awaken us to new life and new perspectives. Amen. −Rev. Mark Bekkedahl 5 Volume 2, Issue 15 Second Sunday of Easter ACADEMY NEWS & EVENTS ATHLETICS Get ready for summer w ith these exciting programs!! From the desk of the Athletic Director… Congratulations to all of the OLMC basketball teams on a great successful season! Thank you to all of the parents and volunteers for all of your support and help during the 2015 OLMC March Madness tournament! See you next season! Email brandi@scribbleartworkshop.com for more info. www.scribbleartworkshop.com Go Warriors! 6 Volume 2, Issue 15 Second Sunday of Easter COMMUNITY OUTREACH Please contact Alicia Smith with any questions, comments, feedback or ideas at pastoralministryolmc@gmail.com. Are you or a family member celebrating a special time? Please let us know if you are celebrating a special birthday, anniversary or milestone! We’d love to share your news at Mass!! Beautiful Easter Flowers Thank you to Bill Angresano, Vinny Antonucci, Mary Buchanan, Chris Connolly, Karyn Glover, Rosemary Russell, and Debbie and Rory Solga for giving your time and talent to make our church so beautiful for Easter. Thanks to all parishioners who donated money towards the Easter flowers. Thank you to Linda of East Hill Florals for delivering such beautiful arrangements, plants, and flowers. SENIORS MEETING Join us on Monday, April 20th in the Titus Room following the daily Mass and Novena. We’re going to vote on a group name and discuss our next outing! Coffee and breakfast treats will be served! No RSVP necessary! Pastoral Care for the Sick Any OLMC parishioner who is in need of a visit from Fr. Leonard or a Pastoral Minister, please reach out to Alicia Smith. We are here for you! County Manor Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Tenafly welcomes volunteers of all ages to visit their residents! Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church is looking to send volunteers to spend quality time with the residents: play games, watch TV, talk, read, or play music. Any amount of time you can give is appreciated! Please contact Alicia Smith at 201-871-9458 or pastoralministryolmc@gmail.com. CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD Children’s Liturgy of the Word is held September through May during the 10:00 Mass on Sunday mornings. Children are invited to hear the Word of God explained at their level. There is no registration and no fee! Come join us! We are in need of more adult CLOW catechists to start in September. The trainings for the September start date will take place in April, so please contact Alicia now to participate in this wonderful ministry. Also, starting in September we will add youth and teen CLOW assistants to the program. There will be a special and short training in late spring for all teens interested in this ministry. Thanks to our current CLOW catechists – we love you! No CLOW next Sunday; Family Liturgy and Parish Coffee. OFFERTORY GIFT BEARERS Offertory Gift Bearer sign-ups in the narthex office after all Masses! Please stop by and sign up for an April Mass! OLMC needs help at each Mass to carry the Offertory gifts to the altar. Please consider helping with special part of Mass. LECTORS & EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS If you wish to be a Lector or Eucharistic Minister at daily or weekend Mass, please contact Alicia for customized training at a time convenient for you. Coming soon to OLMC! Please call or email Alicia Smith with ideas, comments, or questions. LITURGY COMMITTEE MEETING The next Liturgy Committee Meeting is scheduled for June 17th at 7:30 p.m. in the Conference Room. All parishioners are welcome to attend and join this wonderful ministry! 7 Volume 2, Issue 15 Second Sunday of Easter THE WEEKLY RUNDOWN A T HAN K Y OU o n beha lf of Fa mily Pro mise… To All, Justin Fernandez is with us this week to play Quick Six! We want to thank all of you for cooking, setting up, serving and cleaning up. Despite being the day after Easter, the team rallied, as always, and served 100 people at the shelter in Hackensack. So many grateful folks came up to thank you all for the delicious food! Please know how much your contributions are appreciated. Our next mission will be on August 3rd. 1. 1. How many years at OLMC? As a parishioner - 18 years 2. As a student - 9 years 3. 2. Favorite movie? 4. Star Wars Episode IV: The Empire Strikes Back 3. A fun/moving/exciting OLMC memory? Traveling to New Orleans with the OLMC youth crew in February 2009 for our first service trip; growing closer to friends, witnessing the destruction left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and receiving the gratitude of those we served are just a few of the experiences I will never forget. With much appreciation, Anne Marie and Kathy MOTHER’S DAY SPIRITUAL BOUQUET Our Mother’s Day Novena will begin on Sunday, May 10th and continue through Monday, May 18th. If you would like to enroll your mother, living or deceased, envelopes and cards are available by the doors of the church. Please return the large envelope either to the Church Office or place it in the Sunday collection basket. Names of those enrolled will be placed on the altar during this Novena. 4. Last book you finished? The Merchant of Venice 5. A place you always wanted to travel to? New Zealand 6. 6. Life advice? Favorite quote? 7. "The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the stronger." – 8. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring UPCOMING PLANNING MEETINGS Wednesday, April 15th & May 6th 7:00 p.m. in the Titus Room 8 Volume 2, Issue 15 Second Sunday of Easter THE WEEKLY RUNDOWN FAMILY LITURGY & PARISH COFFEE Join us next Sunday, April 19th for a Parish Coffee after the 10 a.m. Mass. Join us fo r an AMAZING & SPECTACULAR SPECIAL COLLECTION Next Weekend Catholic Home Missions Catholic Home Missions helps to sustain nearly 45 percent of all dioceses in rural, struggling areas in the country. It helps to support evangelization, catechesis, seminarian education, lay ministry training, Hispanic ministry, and other pastoral programs for dioceses in need. Your generosity is appreciated! Please keep the following people in your prayers: RJ Sy Vito Moncello Rachel Durso Jacob Rodsan Nancy Fitsimmons Nicholas Tolliver Jane Guerra Louise Zaleskie David Maroldi 4 th birthday celebration fo r RJ Sy! When: April 19th at 1:00 p.m. Where: OLMC Auditorium −gifts & monetary donations accepted− A Benefit for Siena House Shelter for Women and Children 5th Annual Ladies Night Out Friday, May 8th, 2015 Doors open at 7:00pm Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Auditorium PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN WORKSHOP Thursday, April 16, 2015 10:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. in the Titus Room 10 County Road, Tenafly, NJ Tickets: $25.00/person (BYOB) A night of great food, friends & prizes! Tricky Tray, 50/50, and 52 Card Draw For reservations, please mail form below with payment to: This workshop is for first-time volunteers and employees as well as for those individuals seeking recertification. Pre-registration is required. First-time Volunteers/Employees: To pre-register, visit www.rcan.org and click on Protecting God’s Children at the bottom of the page. Recertification: To pre-register, please contact Sr. Regina at 201-871-4662 or reled@olmc.us. Kirsten Jaeger-Lotito 516 Olympia Ave, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010 Advanced ticket purchase only; limited space, no walk-ins. All checks should be made payable to: Siena House ___________________________________________________________________________ Name(s)___________________________________________________________________ Phone or e-mail _____________________________ Amount Enclosed _____________ Table reservation available for parties of 8 or more only Table reservations require payment in full for all guests (please include all names on reverse side) Your name(s) will be at the door when you arrive. For questions: Kirsten Jaeger-Lotito - kirstenmjaeger@gmail.com (201-805-5999) or Jennifer Schippert - jennifer.schippert@gmail.com (201-458-4512) RSVP requested by Friday, May 1st 9 Volume 2, Issue 15 Second Sunday of Easter WAYS TO GIVE Electronic Giving with Faith Direct “Faith Direct” makes it easy to make parish contributions through Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover or direct debit to your checking account. With “Faith Direct” Our Lady of Mount Carmel gains predictable cash flow that helps with budget planning. “Faith Direct” also offers personalized offertory cards to replace envelopes for the collection basket. If you find this program to be convenient for you, please visit www.faithdirect.net to enroll securely online (our parish code is NJ122) or click on the QR scan below. Introducing the easiest way to provide access to giving with your credit card. Safe. Secure. Reliable. Located in the Church Narthex and at www.olmc.us or click on the QR scan to the left. AmazonSmile is a simple way to support Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church, Tenafly each time you shop at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the same low prices and selection as Amazon.com. AmazonSmile will donate a portion of your purchase price to our parish. Simply go to smile.amazon.com and select Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church, Tenafly or click on the QR scan below.