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February 23rd, 2003

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Schedule of Masses Week of February 24th - March 2nd, 2003
Day	Time	Requested for	Requested by
Mon Feb. 24th	7 A.M.	Mr. & Mrs. Manzi	Family
Mon Feb. 24th	9A.M.	Liv Christopher Edelman	Mom
Tues Feb. 25th	7 A.M.	Lucille Cherry	Family
	9 A.M.	Stephen Aubry	Caroline & Fredrick Dish
Wed Feb. 26th	7A.M.	Lucille Cherry	Family
	9A.M.	Ruperto Pojas	Cecelia Juanites
	7 P.M.	Joseph Rao	Carol & Bob Bukowski
Thurs Feb. 27th	7A.M.	Catherine Wojciechowicz	Frank Eng
	9A.M.	John Delgado	Wife Aniceta
Fri. Feb. 28th	7A.M.	Lucille Cherry	Family
	9A.M.	Albert Muzikar	Wife Frances
Sat. March 1st	9 A.M.	Constancia Endozo	Emma & Family
	6 P.M.	James Bald	Dot & Don Wetzel
	7:30PM	For the People of the Parish
Sun. March 2nd	7:30AM	Ruth Weber	Nancy, Jim & Pop
	9 AM	John Hanley	Family
	10:30AM	Anthony DeLuise
	12 PM	Pastor Gonzalez	Gonzalez Family

Sanctuary Gifts February 23rd - March 1st, 2003
Gift	In Memory Of	Requested By
Altar Wine	Marie Starz	Ro Vaccarella
Altar Bread	Marie Starz	Janice Fiorese
Sanctuary Lamp	Gaetano Colaneri	Madeline Gerrity
Altar Candles	People of the Parish

Let Us Pray For Those Seriously Ill
Frank Plantamura, Joan Wheeler, Marie Starz, Anthony Pristera, Bruno Spazian, and Angela Krajnik, Diane O'Sullivan, James McGrath, Mary Coughlin, Barret Family, and Antonet Witkowski.

Vocation reflections

In today’s Gospel, Jesus not only forgives the sins of the paralytic man, he also gives him the ability to stand and walk-He gives him new life. Are you willing to offer God’s people new life, to help him stand boldly in their faith?

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.

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STEWARDSHIP

STEWARDSHIP SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
In our repentance, the Lord remembers not our offenses. God, who is forever faithful, has sent us his Son. He is the sign of God’s never ending healing love and forgiveness

Our Weekly Offering

February 2003

February 15/16 $ 4,866.

Month’s Total $ 15,912.

Month’s Average $ 5,304.

Mailed in, thank you $ 102.

WEEKLY AVERAGE COMPARISONS:
Month ‘01 Monthly Avg. ‘03 Monthly Avg.
January $5,657. $5,383.

February $5,841.

HOLY HOUR FOR PRIESTS

DUE TO THE EXTREME COLD, HOLY HOUR WILL BE CANCELLED FOR AND WILL RESUME ON MARCH 4TH!

Every Tuesday the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the church from 3 to 4 p.m. It is an hour of prayer for the priests, DIVINE MERCY 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.

Palms

We are requesting that your old Palm be dropped off at the rectory to be burned for Ash Wednesday, March 5th. This is the appropriate way to dispose of your old Palm and make it useful for the church.

Ash Wednesday

Wednesday, March 5th, is Ash Wednesday.

Ashes will be distributed after ALL Masses, 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 7 p.m. and at the 3 p.m. Service for Distribution of Ashes.

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ARCHBISHOP JOHN J. MYERS

Reprinted from The Catholic Advocate 2/5/03

Reports on policies for funeral liturgies need clarification

February 5, 2003 THE CATHOLIC ADVOCATE • PAGE 23

In the past couple of weeks people in the Archdiocese of Newark and around the

country have received misleading information about the directive I gave to the priests

of the Church of Newark concerning the practice of eulogies at funerals.

I am sorry that these reports have caused upset to some. Please be assured that all of

us who minister to families and friends at the time of a death — clergy, religious, and lay

people alike — know full well the range and depth of emotion when a loved one passes

away. We ourselves have felt these same emotions when members of our own families

have died. We know the need for family and friends to express their feelings to one

another at this time. The Christian funeral offers worship,

praise and thanksgiving to God, the creator of all life; it commends the deceased person

to God’s merciful love; it affirms the bond between the living and the dead in the communion

of saints; it brings hope and consolation to the bereaved; it celebrates Christ’s

Passover and our participation in it through Christian initiation. (See Order of Christian

Funerals (OCP) 1-7.)

The Christian funeral is not a celebration of the life of the person who has died, even

though we honor and express gratitude for all God’s gifts to that person. While the

presider is to keep in mind with delicate sensitivity not only the identity of the deceased

and the circumstances of the death, but also the grief of the bereaved (Ordo Exsequiarum

18), the focus of the Christian funeral rite is the saving mystery of Jesus’ death and

resurrection. Attentive to the grief of those present, the homilist should dwell on God’s

compassionate love and on the Paschal Mystery of the Lord, as proclaimed in the

Scripture readings (OCF 27). The liturgical books are clear: there

should always be a homily but there should never be a eulogy of any kind. (See

Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani, popularly known as the General Instruction of the

Roman Missal IGRM 382; OCF 27). The Order of Christian Funerals, which celebrates

stages in the funeral journey, beginning with the Vigil Service and concluding

with the Rite of Committal, makes provision for family members to speak words of

remembrance at an appropriate moment. But this is not to be a biography of the person

— such information can be printed in a participation aid. Nor should it become a

eulogy — a speech in praise of the person who has died.

While eulogies are common at the funeral services of many faith traditions, they are

not traditional Catholic practice. It is only in recent years that some have insisted on

delivering, or have even been urged to deliver, a eulogy during the Funeral Mass. The

revised Order of Christian Funerals (1989) allows for someone to "speak in remembrance

of the deceased." Because so many have expressed serious concerns about the

content of the words of remembrance spoken in churches, I am asking that these

words of remembrance not be spoken during the Funeral Mass.

There are other appropriate times and places where these words can and should be

spoken. I personally understand how speaking about the life of the deceased is necessary

and is part of the healing process. It must be remembered that, according to the

Order of Christian Funerals, words spoken "in remembrance of the deceased" are to be

spoken in the context of the Church’s celebration of the saving mystery of Jesus’ death

and resurrection, and should reflect the deceased person’s faith and participation in

the Paschal Mystery.

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Consequently, on January 2, 2003, I made the following provision regarding the issue of "eulogies":

The homily, which should not be a mere eulogy, is to be delivered only by the celebrant,

another priest or deacon. Any messages delivered by family members or

friends shall be limited to the visitation or the graveside service and ordinarily shall be

limited to a single person.

Some parishes have found other appropriate places and times that do not interrupt

the flow of the Funeral Liturgy. However, for a number of months now, many priests

of this Archdiocese have asked for guidance from me about how to respond to requests

for a "eulogy" at a funeral, or how to counsel families about reflections that go beyond

a few minutes, or even about the content of an individual’s reflection. I can sympathize

with these concerns. We can all recall reflections that have been inspiring, and others

that have been disjointed or embarrassing. Some speakers, even with the best intentions,

may not be able to complete their reflection because their emotions understandably

overcome them.

This policy is based on the conviction that the liturgy of the Church, the Order of

Christian Funerals, when celebrated as the Church intends will meet the spiritual and

emotional needs of mourners. Catechesis on this matter is necessary; it should be well

thought-out and planned. It should be gradual, given at appropriate times, and

might be accomplished best prior to the experience of death. I am asking pastors,

parochial vicars, and all those involved in helping families in preparing the Funeral

Liturgy to be pastorally sensitive in explaining how family members and friends can

better speak words of remembrance at other appropriate times outside of the Funeral

Mass.

In light of this need for clarification, I am extending the period of time for the January

2, 2003 decree to be required in the Archdiocese of Newark. Since so many

have written to me and have expressed confusion I am happy to allow additional time

for our parish staffs to catechize the people of this Archdiocese, extending it until July

1, 2003. The Worship Office of the Archdiocese will be providing further information

in the coming weeks to parish staffs that will aid in the implementation of this

policy.

Again, I regret any confusion this may have caused and I hope this clarifies the reasons

why I, and many others, feel this interpretation is necessary at this time.

Related references:

General Instruction of the Roman Missal 2000

382. At the funeral Mass there should, as a rule be a short homily, but never a eulogy

of any kind....

Order of Christian Funerals

27. A brief homily based on the readings is always given after the gospel reading

at the funeral liturgy and may also be given after the readings at the vigil service; but

there is never to be a eulogy.

VIGIL AND RELATED RITES AND PRAYERS

62. ... After this prayer (Prayer of Intercession) and before the blessing or at

some suitable time during the vigil, a member of the family or a friend of the deceased

may speak in remembrance of the deceased.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

1688. The liturgy of the Word during funerals demands very careful preparation....

The homily in particular must avoid the literary genre of funeral eulogy (OCF

41) and illumine the mystery of Christian death in the light of the risen Christ.

SINCERELY IN THE LORD

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Our Web Site

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

Rosary Society

Bake Sale/Flea Market

St. Anne’s Rosary Society will be having their Annual Bake Sale/Flea Market Saturday, April 12th (following 6 p.m. Mass) Sunday, April 13th (following ALL masses).

Anyone wishing to donate baked goods or items for the flea market (PLEASE...NO CLOTHES OR BOOKS), may drop them off at the auditorium on Saturday, April 12th after 4 p.m or any time Sunday, April 13th up to 2 p.m. We appreciate your support. See you at the Sale

Marriage Encounter Weekend

Jesus went into the desert for forty days and nights to deepen his relationship with his Father and prepare himself for the task ahead. The Church has always viewed the season of Lent as a time of renewal for the most important relationship in our lives. Wouldn’t Lent be the perfect time to renew and enrich your marital relationship?

You don’t have to go to the desert (you can stay in a comfortable hotel room), and it won’t be for forty days (only a Friday night to Sunday afternoon), but it could change your life.

You are invited to participate in a Marriage Encounter Weekend on April 4-6, 2003. Marriage Encounter: helping to make good marriages better. For more information and to register, please call Jim & Pat Detura at 1-800-823-5683 or (201) 384-8497.

From Generation To Generation, We Share Our Faith

Saint Anne’s 100th Anniversary News Update

Parishioners are asking, “How do I contribute to the Centennial Fund?” At the request of the Centennial Committee, Father Vic has established a special Centennial Fund. Our goal is to raise $100,000 to completely renovate the Parish Auditorium to have it ready for the Anniversary Celebrations. We hope to complete the Fundraiser within 100 days. You will soon be receiving a letter with the exact dates of the Drive and the details of the plan. We are still looking for Memorabilia...Do you have First Communion pictures, Wedding pictures, Confirmation pictures? We will scan and then return originals to you. All pictures so far submitted have already been returned to owners. These pictures will be used for displays and possibly for the Anniversary Book. Thanks to all who have already sent in their pictures. We’re off to a great start.

“Let us pray together that the Faith we share will continue to grow.”

Spirituality Convocation at the College of St. Elizabeth

Wonderful speakers, workshops, and prayer experiences will be a part of the Spirituality Convocation on April 5, 2003. The Convocation is a great opportunity of spiritual renewal and refreshment. Please call the Center for Theological and Spiritual Development at the College of St. Elizabeth at 973-290-4300/4364 for a brochure, or visit our website at www.csespirit.org.

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READINGS FOR THE WEEK

MONDAY Sir 1:1-10 Ps 93:1-2,5 Mk 9:14-29

TUES. Sir 2:1-11 Ps 37:3-4,18-19,27-28,39-40 Mk 9:30-37

WED. Sir 4:11-19 Ps 119:165,171-172, 174-175 Mk 9:38-40

THURS. Sir 5:1-8 Ps 1:1-4,6 Mk 9:41-50

FRIDAY Sir 6:5-17 Ps 19:12,16,18,27,34,35 Mk 10:1-12

SATURDAY Sir 17:1-15 Ps 103:13-18 Mk 10:13-16

NEXT SUNDAY - 8th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Hos 2:16b,17b,21-22 Ps 103:1-4,8,10,12-13 2Cor 3:1b-6 Mk 2:18-22

Bid For Student Success

The Felician College Alumni Association and Council of Regents invite you to come to the auction block and make a bid for student success at a live auction and dinner. Join us on Saturday, March 8 in the cafeteria on the Lodi campus and bid on vacations, sports memorabilia, electronics, tickets to shows and events, celebrity autographed collectibles, and many other fabulous items. Preview begins at 5 p.m. and the dinner and live auction begin at 6:30 p.m. Tickets - including dinner, dessert, beer, wine, and soda - are $50 per person, and are advance sale only. For reservations, please call 201-559-3315. Please reserve your space by February 17th. Proceeds benefit the Felician College Student Scholarship Fund.

Business Degree Program

Would you give up one night a week to complete your college degree? Enroll in Felician College’s accelerated business degree program and complete your bachelor’s degree in organizational management in as little as 18 months if you have an associate’s degree or a minimum of 60 college credits. As part of this innovative program, you’ll benefit from a unique distributed learning program that combines traditional classroom instruction with on-line learning. By attending class one night a week, one five-week course at a time, you can complete your degree in just 18 months. Classes begin February 13. Call 201-559-6055 to learn more!

CALDWELL COLLEGE will host the Summer semester Open House for the Adult Learner on Tuesday, April 3, 2003 starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Theatre Building. Complete your bachelor degree through various customized programs that offer options for the busy adult. Call 973-618-3385 and ask for an adult admissions packet. Personal appointments are available. Make your educational goals become reality.

2003 Offering of Letters Workshop

Put your Citizenship into Action - You are invited to participate in an Offering of Letters Workshop on Saturday, March 8th, at the Archdiocesan Center in Newark from 8:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.. At this workshop you will learn: (1) how U.S. foreign assistance aid program works; (2) reasons why this Offering of Letters campaign is important and deserving of your support; and (3) how you and your church community can be involved in building justice and peace in some of the poorest countries in the world.

At this workshop you will be equipped to join thousands of Christians across the U.S. in using the gifts of your faith and citizenship to build a more just society. For more information or to register, call the Archdiocesan Office of Human Concerns at 973-497-4341.

CCD News

- Confirmation Enrollment Ceremony February 23rd at 9 a.m. Mass. Parents & Sponsors are to attend. Sponsor meeting at 1 p.m. in Chapel Hall.

- Date for Villa Roma Trip - June 22nd-27th, 5 nights/6 days (Sunday thru Friday) Price includes: hotel accommodations, meals, activities, night entertainment, tips, tax, and transportation - Adults $540. + 40 transportation, Children up to 3 yrs. Free, 4 to 10 $150. + 40 transportation, 11 to 17 $175. + 40 transportation.

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Personal Meditation

February 23rd, 2003

Gospel Reading

After some days Jesus returned to Capernaum. As the news spread that he was at home, so many people gathered that there was no longer room even outside the door. While Jesus was preaching the Word to them, some people brought a paralyzed man to him.

The four men who carried him couldn't get near Jesus because of the crowd, so they opened the roof above the room where Jesus was and, through the hole, lowered the man on his mat. When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven."

Now, some teachers of the Law who were sitting there wondered within themselves, "How can he speak like this insulting God? Who can forgive sins except God?"

At once Jesus knew through his spirit what they were thinking and asked, "Why do you wonder? Is it easier to say to this paralyzed man: 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say: 'Rise, take up your mat and walk?' But now you shall know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins."

And he said to the paralytic, "Stand up, take up your mat and go home." The man rose and, in the sight of all those people, he took up his mat and went out. All of them were astonished and praised God saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

Reflection

In today's story we seem to have a miracle occurring almost independently of the man being cured. His sins are forgiven and he is cured, but specifically because of the faith of his friends. What we have here then is a form of faith we sometimes forget about but plays an important role in our lives. When my faith is weak, I need your faith to support me. When your faith is weak, you need my faith to support you. This underscores our mutual support in facing life's challenges. No one in an island. No one stands alone. Each one needs each other.

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ASH WEDNESDAY—March 5TH

Gospel Reading

Jesus said to his disciples, "Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets in order to be praised by the people. I assure you, they have been already paid in full.

"If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift remains really secret. Your Father who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.

"When you pray, do not be like those who want to be seen. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees what is kept secret will reward you.

"When you fast, do not put on a miserable face as do the hypocrites. They put on a gloomy face, so people can see they are fasting. I tell you this: they have been paid in full already. When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but for your Father who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees what is kept secret will reward you."

Reflection

Ash Wednesday begins the great season of Lent, when we are invited to "rend our hearts and not our garments" and to "offer to God a sacrifice of a humble and contrite spirit." As we enter into the spirit of this season, it is good to remind ourselves of the truthfulness and honesty that Jesus asks of his followers-one that suggests an almost child-like disposition. A child is spontaneous and free in what he does. In a way, our way of living our faith should be the same, spontaneous, free, child-like, honest, and true. The world must know of our faith and our commitment to it. We must not hide the fact that we follow in the footsteps of Christ. But what Jesus was really warning against was not so much the external manifestations of our faith, but the internal dispositions that lead one to them. What one's motives and intentions are makes all the difference. For Jesus, it is what lies deep in our hearts that is of the greatest importance.

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