St. Lucy's Parish in Newark NJ: Parish Announcements

St. Lucy's Church
118 7th Avenue
Newark NJ 07104
(973) 482-6663

NATIONAL SHRINE OF ST. GERARD

118 7th Avenue, Newark NJ 07104

Parish Announcements

May12, 2008 - May 18, 2008

SPECIAL THANK YOU: To the St. Lucy Family, Food for the Poor wishes to thank you for the welcome you extended to Father Villarreal on his recent visit to your parish. On behalf of our less fortunate brothers and sisters of Latin America and the Caribbean, we thank you for having shared in their lives. They, and you, are blessed by your generosity.

-In Christ, The Food for the Poor Family

PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: We are in need of Adorers for the following: Friday: 8:00PM. If interested, please call Agnes (973) 759-8533 or Maria (973) 697-3872.

If you have only one adorer on your hour, please list the day you will be away on the Substitute List outside the chapel and call your Division Leader or Hour Coordinator to notify them to monitor coverage and/or help you find a substitute.

"This Perpetual Adoration truly is a work of grace. By means of Perpetual Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, families, parishes and neighborhoods will grow in love of God and one another and will help bring peace on earth." (Bl. Teresa of Calcutta)

ATTENTION ADORERS: It is absolutely necessary that the Blessed Sacrament not be left unattended. If for any reason you have to leave, please call the rectory and one of the priests or sisters will come.

CALENDARS: The 2008 Church Calendars are now available in the Sacristy.

BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP FACILITATOR TRAINING COURSE: Are you interested in becoming part of the ministry to the bereaved in your parish? An eight-week training program is offered by the Office of Family Life Ministries of the Archdiocese of Newark 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 continue into May and are offered on Tuesday mornings or on Thursday evenings. For class locations, 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.

ANNULMENT INFORMATION EVENING: An Annulment Information Evening is scheduled for Wednesday, May 14, 2008. A canon lawyer from the Archdiocese of Newark will discuss the most recent theology, guidelines and requirements for obtaining a Church annulment. The information will be presented in terms that all can understand. A question and answer period will conclude the session. Pre-registration is not necessary. This evening of information will be held at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament RC Church, (Founders’ Hall), 28 Livingston Avenue, Roseland, at 7:30PM. For additional information, please call the Office of Family Life Ministries at 973-497-4327.

CANDLELIGHT PROCESSION: A candlelight procession in Honor of Our Lady of Fatima will be held on Wednesday, May 14th at 7:30PM. Coffee “and” will be available after the procession in the Italian Museum located in the Community Center. All are welcome.

DONATE USED BOOKS FOR A GREAT CAUSE - EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE!: Lacordaire Academy is accepting donations of gently-used hardcover, paperback and audio books for its annual book sale to benefit technology upgrades at the academy. It’s So Easy! Think of us during spring cleaning and drop off your books any time under the covered porch at the front door of the high school - 155 Lorraine Avenue (at Park Street), Upper Montclair. Lacordaire’s Annual Used Book Sale will take place Thursday - Sunday, May 15 - 18, 2008. For more information call 973-744-1156, Ext. 27.

BUS RIDE TO THE PADRE PIO CENTER: The Order Sons of Italy, Padre Pio Lodge, East Hanover, New Jersey is sponsoring a bus ride to The Padre Pio Center, Barto, Pennsylvania on Saturday, May 17th.

The bus departs at 7:45AM at the West Orange City Hall, Main Street in West Orange and is scheduled to return at approximately 5:30PM. At the Padre Pio Center the schedule includes Prayer Service and blessing with the Relic of Padre Pio, tour, movie and Gift Shop visit. Lunch will be at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant and is not included in the cost of the trip. The trip cost is $25.00 per person including light refreshment on the bus. For reservations and further information, please call Suzanne Benevento at 973-884-0421.

MAY CROWNING: On Sunday, May 18th, at the 11:00 Mass we shall have our beautiful tradition of the Crowning of Our Blessed Lady.

VISIT OF THE INTERNATIONAL STATUE OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA: The International Statue of Our Lady of Fatima is scheduled to arrive at St. Lucy’s on Thursday, May 22nd at 11:00AM. There will be a special Mass with Benediction at 7:30 PM. The statue will depart at 11:00AM on Friday, May 23rd. It is indeed an honor and a privilege to have the statue visit at St. Lucy’s. We do hope many of you will be able to attend the Mass.

LIVING ROSARY: On Wednesday, May 28th, the Rosary society will honor Our Lady by having the Living Rosary at 7:30PM in Church. All members are requested to gather in the rectory basement at 7:00PM.

TRICKY TRAY: On Friday, May 30th, McKinley Elementary School will be having a Tricky Tray in our Community Center. They will have approximately 100 baskets, food, beverages, prizes, door prizes. Donation is $5.00. Any questions please call Parent Liaison, Ms Motley 973-268-5111. All are welcome!!!

JUSTFAITH GROUP MEETING IN NEWARK: The Archdiocesan Human Concerns Office wishes to invite interested parishioners to participate in JustFaith, an extraordinary program designed to empower and transform people of faith to develop a passion and thirst for justice and peace in the world. This program asks a lot, but the outcome is worth the cost.

JustFaith participants will meet through June 2008 at the Archdiocesan Center on Tuesdays from 4:30 to 6:30PM. The program includes readings, videos, conversations about some difficult topics, face-to-face encounters with those who are poor, and an investigation into the intersection of spirituality and Christian activism. For more information or to sign up for JustFaith, contact Kay Furlani in the Human Concerns Office at 973-497-4341 or email furlanca@rcan.org.

ST. MICHAEL SOCIETY: We are working on a revival of the St. Michael Society. Anyone interested is asked to contact either Mike Foggio or Deacon Louis Loffredo.

FIRST FRIENDS: First Friends, a ministry to people seeking asylum in the U.S. and being held at the Elizabeth Detention Center, is calling for volunteers to visit and write detainees on a regular basis. They provide training and orientation for volunteers. For more information about First Friends and its training program, contact them by phone at 908-965-9469.

MARRIAGE REFLECTION: According to David Blankenhorn, author of “The Future of Marriage,” marriage is socially approved sexual intercourse between a woman and a man, conceived both as a personal relationship and as an institution, primarily such that any children resulting from the union are - and are understood by the society to be - emotionally, morally, practically and legally affiliated with both the parents. That’s what marriage is. It’s a way of living rooted in the fundamental physiological and biochemical adaptations of our species, as developed over the course of our long prehistory. For more information, go to www.foryourmarriage.org.

PLANT A TREE IN ST. GERARD PLAZA: Plant a tree in memory of a loved one in St. Gerard Plaza. Trees are available now for $575.00 which includes a bronze plaque with your personal inscription. For more information call Michele at the rectory (973-482-6663) or Greg Palma at 973-902-8185.

WORLD YOUTH DAY GLOBAL PILGRIMAGE: Catholic Relief Services and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops invite all young people and families to participate in a year-long online World Youth Day Global Pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is a call to journey beyond the familiar and to immerse ourselves in sacred spaces. The year-long global pilgrimage web site will help you learn about the cultures of some of the people the U.S. Catholic Church serves around the world. You are invited to begin this journey with this web site http://education.crs.org/wyd.

AMERICORPS: AmeriCorps, the domestic Peace Corps, is seeking recent college graduates to assist people in need throughout northern New Jersey. AmeriCorps members earn a generous living allowance, health benefits, and a grant of $4,725 to pay off student loans. The program runs until through August of 2008. For more information, please call Jennifer at 973-413-1623.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AMERICA CAMPAIGN: This is a national movement to support the involvement of families in their children’s education. All parents are being asked to escort their children to school. There is a special interest in having fathers take part because their role is vital in their child’s academic achievement. Parents should meet and greet principals, visit their child’s classroom and meet their teacher, obtain information about volunteering and school activities.

URGENT APPEAL FOR BLOOD DONATIONS: New Jersey’s eight blood collection organizations, the NJ State Department of Health, and the state’s hospitals have teamed up to make an urgent appeal for blood donations. The summer season stretches already limited blood supplies to a critically low point. Fact is, the simple act of donating blood helps save lives. Parishioners should contact local hospitals and blood centers to schedule a donation. Please consider giving the gift of life.

O SACRUM CONVIVIUM (Hymn by St. Thomas Acquinas in Honor of the Holy Eucharist): How Sacred this banquet In which Christ is consumed His Passion is recalled Grace fills our hearts and we receive a pledge of future glory.

MOTU PROPIO: (Art. 5 Par. 1) “In parishes, where there is a stable group of faithful who adhere to the earlier liturgical tradition, the pastor should willingly accept their requests to celebrate the Mass according to the rite of the Roman Missal published in 1962, and ensure that the welfare of these faithful harmonises with the ordinary pastoral care of the parish, under the guidance of the bishop in accordance with canon 392, avoiding discord and favouring the unity of the whole Church.”
In light of the above, I consider a stable group to be 50 people. Please sign up. I would choose the 9:00AM Mass on Sunday as the Traditional Latin Mass. However, in the spirit of unity, if anyone who has an intention for the 9:00AM Mass and does not wish Latin, we must accede to their wishes. In due time if all goes well, the 9:00AM Sunday Mass will be in Latin.

EVANGELIZATION WEBSITE: There is a new website used as a tool for Evangelization: www.rcan.org/evangelization. Join the “Evangelization Community” of the Archdiocese of Newark through its new Evangelization website. Click on the Evangelization Community link for the latest events sponsored by Archdiocesan offices, apostolates and local parishes. Site updated frequently - keep posted.

LEGAL CENTER FOR DEFENSE OF LIFE: The Legal Center for Defense of Life, Inc., located in Morristown, has been serving New Jersey citizens pro bono since 1989 in defense of their pro-life activities. If you are in need of legal services, are an attorney interested in becoming involved or would like to support our work, please contact us at 973-984-0725.

TRAVELING CATHOLICS: Free ministry to traveling Catholics. For nationwide Mass times and locations, call 1-800-Mass Times (1-800-627-7846).

THANK YOU: The Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children would like to thank the parishioners of Saint Lucy’s Parish for making it possible for us to continue our very worthwhile mission that will benefit the future of the children being helped, the Catholic schools they attend, as well as all of our communities.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA STATUE: Anyone interested in having the statue of Our Lady of Fatima visit their home for one week is asked to contact Joan Donato 201-998-3886.

GIFT SHOPPE: The St. Gerard Gift Shoppe is open on Sundays from 9:00AM-1:00PM. Please come and see the many religious articles.

PRAYER TO ST. GERARD FOR A SPECIAL FAVOR: I thank you, O Most Holy Trinity, for the graces granted to St. Gerard, especially for the virtues with which You adorned him in life and for the glory which You have given him in heaven. Since these favors were granted to him for the edification of Holy Church and for his glorification before men, grant me by his merits, through the merits of Jesus and Mary the grace...And you, St. Gerard, my charity. I place this urgent need of mine in your hands. Prostrate yourself, therefore, before the throne of the Divine Mercy and do not depart until you have obtained for me the favor that I ask. Amen.

HYMN TO ST. JOSEPH: O Blessed St. Joseph, how great was thy worth. The one chosen shadow of God upon earth. The father of Jesus, oh then will thou be. Sweet spouse of Our Lady, a father to me.

For thou to the pilgrim, are father and guide. And Jesus and Mary felt safe at your side. O Blessed St. Joseph how safe should I be. Sweet spouse of Our Lady, if thou were with me.

FEBRUARY 50/50: The winner of February’s 50/50 raffle was Maureen McNany; ticket no. 1297. The amount: $865.00. The ticket was sold by Bill Smith. Congratulations to our winner!

PARISH E-MAIL: There are forms located at the entrances of the Church for anyone who would care to give us their e-mail address so we could communicate with our parishioners on a more efficient level. This will enable us to establish a parish e-mail list. You may also send a blank e-mail to receive the contents of the mailing list.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR MILITARY: Let us remember and pray for our military men and women who are making the sacrifice to ensure our safety and freedom. During this holiday season when we celebrate with family and friends, we should put aside some time to remember our military personnel.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR DECEASED PARISHIONERS: Eleanor LaScala, Louis Linfante, William Mastriano, Stella A. Soriano

(Please remember to notify us when a name should be removed from the prayer list. Thank you.)

Please direct any and all corrections by e-mail to Web Director

Please direct any names that should be removed from the prayer list by e-mail to Web Director