Top          

© copyright stannes4/2000

January 20th, 2002

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Let Us Pray For Those Seriously Ill

People will remain on sick list for 2 weeks unless otherwise notified:
 Meghan Smith, Susan Monilaro, Socorro Kennedy, Dorothy Ensmenger, Barbara Scocco and Angelica Krajnik.


Vocation reflections

John baptized with water so that Jesus might be made known to Israel. We, like John, are called to make Jesus known to the world. We are called to testify that Jesus is the Son of God. Does the Lord want you to do this as His Priest, Religious or Deacon?

 If you feel this call, “inquire within” and Please contact the Vocations Office the Vocations Office at (973) 497-4365 or by E-mail at kellyric@rcan.org. Or visit our web site at www.rcan.org. 

Page 2

STEWARDSHIP THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
               

COMMITMENT
Generous God,
We give our thanks to you for the gifts you have given to us - our life, our family and friends - time, talents and material possessions. All that we have comes from you. Help us to remember this always and rejoice in your generosity.
Help us on our spiritual journey, so that we may constantly renew our relationship with you and with all the people of our parish community.
Give us the strength and courage to become better followers of Jesus, to be disciples. Help us always to hear the call to live the Stewardship Way of Life.


OUR WEEKLY OFFERING
January 2002
January 12/13                          $5,530.
Month’s Total                        $11,917. 
Month’s Average                     $5,958.
Mailed in                                    $181.

We thank you!

WEEKLY AVERAGE COMPARISONS:
Month  ‘01 Monthly Avg.     ‘02 Monthly Avg.
December   $6,056.

HOLY HOUR FOR PRIESTS
  Every Tuesday the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the church from 3PM to 4PM. It is an hour of prayer for the priests and religious men and women of the church. Prayers are also said for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. We invite you to come and spend time with the Lord for these intentions and for your personal requests. The Holy Hour closes with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. If you cannot join us in church, we ask you to join us from a quiet spot in your home and pray with us, asking the Lord to guide and protect our priests. 

DUE TO FATHER JULIO ROMAN BEING ON VACATION THIS MONTH, THE HOLY HOUR WILL BE CANCELED UNTIL FEBRUARY 5th!!

Liturgy Meeting
The Liturgy Committee will have a meeting in the rectory at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, January 21st. Liturgy for Lenten events need to be discussed. Please attend.

Palms 
Ash Wednesday is less than a month away - February 13th. We are requesting that your old Palm be dropped off at the rectory to be burned for Ash Wednesday. This is the appropriate way to dispose of your old Palm and make it useful for the church.

Top
page 3

CCD News
„Confirmation Parent Meeting today at 1 p.m. in Chapel Hall for both St. Anne and Religious Education parents. 
„Extra Confirmation classes for public school students begin on Thursday, January 24th at 6:30 p.m. in Parish Center.
„Open House - All parents/guardians are requested to come to the open house on January 27th from 10:30 -11:30 a.m. to pick up your child’s report card and meet the teacher. 
„Parents are also asked to come to the CCD Office to re-register your child for 2002-03 year. All registration is to be completed by April 14th. No re-registration will take place in September. Payment can be made when class card is picked up.

Prophet’s Pilgrimage
The Romero Center in Camden, New Jersey is hosting a four-day social justice program for business persons and professionals called the Prophet’s Pilgrimage. The Pilgrimage will bring participants into close contact with the people of the city as well as some of the agencies which are helping to improve the quality of life for city residents. Presentations on Scripture and justice and Catholic social teachings as well as time for prayer and reflection are also a part of the program. This pilgrimage is scheduled for January 31st-February 3rd, 2002. If you are interested in finding out more about this program, please contact John Klein at the Romero Center at 856-964-9777 or be e-mail at Romerocam@aol.com.

Bereavement Support Group Facilitator Training
Are you interested in becoming part of the ministry to the bereaved at the parish? An eight-week training program is offered at the Archdiocesan Center and is now open for registration. Participants will explore the stages and tasks of grief and mourning and develop their communication and group facilitation skills. Sessions are offered on Tuesday mornings or on Thursday evenings and will begin at the end of February and continue through April. For registration and fee information, please contact the Office of Family Life Ministries of the Archdiocese of Newark at 973-497-4327. Pre-registration is required; class size is limited.

Retreat
Do distractions stand in the way of your obtaining a sense of peace in the direction of your life? If so...The Emmaus Retreat Experience is for you.
The Emmaus Retreat Experience is for men 18 years of age and older who are open to the possibility that the Lord may be calling them to a church vocation.
The retreat will take place the weekend of February 15-17, 2002 at the Archdiocese Youth Center in Kearny. For more information contact the Vocations Office at 973-497-4365 or by e-mail at kellyric@rcan.org. Or visit our web site at www.rcan.org.

Flea Market
Sts. John & Ann School located at 3044 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City is having a flea market on Saturday, February 9th 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors Wanted! Tables cost $15 each OR 2 for $25. Contact Donna at 201-653-4416 Monday thru Friday 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.. Please do NOT call the rectory.

Top
page 4

Our 

Top
page 5 

MONDAY 1Sm 15:16-23 Ps 50:8-9,16-17,21,23 Mk 2:18-22
TUES. 1Sm 16:1-13 Ps 89:20-22,27-28 Mk 2:23-28
WED. 1Sm 17:32-33,37,40-51 Ps 144:1-2,9-10 Mk 3:1-6 
THURS. 1Sm 18:6-9;19:1-7 Ps 56:2-3,9-14 Mk 3:7-12
FRIDAY Acts 22:3-16 Ps 117:1-2 Mk 16:15-18 
SATURDAY 2Tm 1:1-8 Ps 96:1-3,7-8a,10 Mk 3:20-21
NEXT SUNDAY - 3rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Is 8:23-9:3 Ps 27:1,4,13-14 1 Cor 1:10-13,17 Mt 4:12-23 

  Open Houses
   St. Dominic Academy, 2572 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, invites 8th graders and their parents to an Open House on Wednesday, January 23rd from 6-8 p.m.  Please call 201-434-5938, ext. 35 for more information.
   Hudson Catholic Regional High School, will host an Open House on Thursday, January 24th. Boys in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades are welcomed with their families to visit with administration, teachers, coaches and current students. For further information, please call Mr. Terence Matthews at 201-332-3429. The school is located at 790 Bergen Avenue in Jersey City. Thank you.  

 Marist High School, 1241 Kennedy Blvd., Bayonne, invites everyone to an Open House on Thursday, January 24th at 7 p.m. Sharp. Come and witness the great things happening at Marist. 
   Xavier High School - 30 W. 16th Street in New York City is having Open House on Saturday, January 26th from 1-4 p.m. For more information call 212-924-7900.
St. Peter’s Preparatory School will be holding its 2002 Winter Open House on Sunday, January 27th from 12 noon to 2:30 p.m. at 144 Grand Street in Jersey City. Sixth, seventh and eighth grade boys and their parents are invited to attend.
Members of the St. Peter’s Prep faculty and staff, as well as coaches, students and teachers, will be present to distribute information and answer questions about the school, and tours of the campus and school facilities will be provided.
For more information, or for directions, please call 201-547-6420 or visit www.stpetersprep.org.
The Academy of Saint Aloysius, an all girls, private high school in Jersey City is hosting a Winter Open House on Tuesday, January 29th from 7-9 p.m. School location is 2495 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City.
Oratory Preparatory School: Come live the Oratory experience at their Open House on Sunday, February 3rd from 3-5 p.m. Oratory is a Catholic college preparatory day school for boys in grades 7-12. The main school building is located at One Beverly Rd., Summit, NJ off Morris Avenue. For further information call 908-273-5771, ext. 11 or visit at www.oratoryprep.org.

     Helping Hands

        Sister Celeste and her “Helping Hands” group were recently in the Jersey Journal for their contribution to the senior community through knitting and/or crocheting.
Every Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m. Sister Celeste gathers in St. Anne’s Convent with those who are interested in making lap robes for nursing home patients. Come and join our afternoon social. Wool is supplied. If you wish to contact Sister Celeste, she can be reached at 201-792-5128.

Saint Anne Seniors
Meeting Monday, January 28th at 1 p.m. in the auditorium. All are welcome.
Please remember your organization donation.

Top
page 6

Top
page 7  

Page 8

Top 

Website

                 http://stannesjc.com         

When you log on and browse around you’ll see all kinds of information about our parish. Included, of course, will be the current activities for the many different organizations as well as an update as to what is going on with our parish family.
Do not let evil defeat you: Instead, conquer evil with good!!

By your wounded heart: teach us love, teach us love, teach us love..... -Daphne Fraser

An Evening With Joe Finn
On Saturday, February 16th at 6:30 p.m., Marist High School will host an evening with Joe Finn, a popular singer, performer, and graduate of the Class of 1959. The evening will include a cocktail hour, dinner, and entertainment at the cost of $35 per person. The proceeds of this event will support Marist’s academic programs.
We invite all to join us for what promises to be a very enjoyable evening. If you would like to purchase tickets, please call Nancy Lynch at Marist High School - 201-437-4544, ext. 21.

WORLD YOUTH DAY 2002
Registration Due This Month
If you or someone in your family are between the ages of 16 and 39, please take special note of the following information. World Youth Day is an international bi-annual gathering of Catholic young people (between the ages of 16 and 39) with Pope John Paul II. This year, the event will be held in Toronto from July 21-30. Cost is between $829 and $1099 plus fees. Registration and cash deposit are due Friday, January 25th, so act quickly! For more information, or a registration form, please contact your parish youth or young adult minister, or call the Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry at 973-497-4500. The registration form and information can also be found online at www.cyoalive.org.

Hudson Hospice Children’s Bereavement Program
The next 10 week session of the Children’s Bereavement Program will begin in January. The program is designed for children 4-17 years of age and their parent/significant other who are coping with the loss or impending loss of a loved one. For more information or to set up an appointment for an intake, please call the Hospice Office at 201-433-6225.
Hudson Hospice also sponsors Bereavement Support Groups. The groups are a combination of education and self-help. Each session consists of a presentation on the aspects of healthy grieving and group discussion. The groups will be held in the following Hudson County areas: St. Joseph Church in Bayonne, West Hudson Hospital in Kearny and Meadowlands Hospital in Secaucus. For more information regarding meeting times and dates call Sharon at 201-433-6225.

page 9

Top        

Personal Meditation 

January 20th, 2002
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflections

A witness testifies to facts, not only to their existence but also to their significance. How often do we reflect on the implications of the facts that are observed? We see an act of kindness and almost take it for granted, failing to appreciate the goodness of that kind person. Today's readings talk about the importance of being God's witness. They stress the importance of being a witness to God and, in turn, revealing God to others.
Isaiah discusses the witness role of Israel. The exiles returning to their homeland will be a clear sign of Yahweh's power. Even in moments of exhaustion, their discouragement must be cast aside so that God's glory might be displayed. Yahweh will be the strength the people require.
In Psalm 40, the psalmist sings of release from death -- the "death" of serious illness and of attacks from enemies. Aware of Yahweh's intervention, the psalmist breaks out into a new song -- one calculated to influence others. The author then notes that Yahweh's generosity did not go unnoticed. Instead, the author shared the divine intervention with others. 
The fourth gospel never mentions Jesus' baptism by John. In this gospel, rather, John the Baptist is John the Witness. In today's reading, he identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God, as the Preexistent One, and as the Giver of the Spirit. The final verse of the gospel reading notes, "And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God" (John 1:34).
There are abundant signs of human goodness in our world. Today's readings challenge us to observe human goodness and to see it as rooted in the Divine. Bad news will dominate the front pages until we overwhelm evil with our witness to good.
* * *
Jn 1:29-34  The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel." And John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God." Psalm 18:50 Some Important “Why Nots?” The Bible clearly and consistently reminds us that God is on our side in the battles of life. Today’s Psalm simply and straightforwardly declares that “God gives great victories." When facing a difficult and perhaps despairing challenge, ask yourself these important “why nots?”

• Why not ask God to strengthen me for the task?
• Why not invite God to help me turn an obstacle into and an opportunity?
• Why not petition God to transform adversity into advantage?
• Why not implore God to help me turn my pain into a vehicle for understanding and helping others?
• Why not beg God to empower me to change a tragedy into a glorious triumph?
• Why not ask God to help me forget what was and move on to what can be? There are times when we will not know why certain things happen to us. The key is to cease dwelling on the “whys?” and focus upon the “why nots?” When we do that, we will experience God’s great victories in our lives.
Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest of souls; characters are seamed with scars.