The Holy Family Church - Nutley, New Jersey

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Dear Friends,

On Saturday morning, 17 men were ordained as priests for the Archdiocese of Newark. Among them were two men who served here at Holy Family as part of a seminary internship. Fr. Zeljko Guberovic, who was assigned as a seminarian here a year ago, and Fr. Giandomenico Flora, who served as a deacon during this past year. Fr. Giandomenico will celebrate his first solemn Mass here today at 12 Noon. We welcome his family from Praia a Mare in Calabria. Following Mass, there will be a reception in the school gymnasium.
This weekend, Fr. Giovanni Rizzo celebrates his 6th Anniversary as a priest (he was ordained on May 27, 2000) and I observe my 35th Anniversary (I was ordained May 29, 1971).
Archbishop Myers has assigned another transitional deacon, Rev. Mr. Manuel Duenar, who comes from Burgos, Spain, as does his classmate, Rev. Mr. Sebastian Garcia, who served here as a seminarian this past year. Deacon Sebastian will serve at St. Anthony of Padua, Union City, for his diaconate internship. We are also happy to welcome Kevin Waymel, a seminarian assigned to us for the summer internship program. Holy Family should be proud to be chosen to play a part in the formation of these men on their journey to priesthood. We pledge them our support.
As we continue our novena to the Holy Spirit, in preparation of Pentecost, we see in these men who are willing to serve our Church a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. We pray, along with the Church today, the priestly prayer of unity found in the Gospel today. Jesus prays in a specific way for the apostles and those same words speak to the needs of our modern day priests:
"Consecrate them in truth. Your Word is truth. As You sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth."

Peace,
Msgr. Paul

UPCOMING EVENTS…MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Wednesday, May 31: Tredicina (13 days) in honor of St. Anthony of Padua. Join us at 7:45 PM each night until June 12th.
Sunday, June 4: SOLEMNITY OF PENTECOST - PLEASE WEAR SOMETHING RED NEXT WEEKEND. A solemn, concelebrated 12:00 Noon Mass, for RCIA Confirmation and Baptism.
Monday, June 5: 7:00 PM Graduation Exercises for Good Shepherd Academy at Holy Family Church.
Tuesday, June 13: Feast of St. Anthony of Padua - Masses: 7:00 PM & 8:45 AM and 7:00 PM Solemn concelebrated Mass in English & Italian followed by candlelight procession with the statue of St. Anthony.

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Sunday, May 21, 2006

Dear Parishioners:

In a letter sent to all parishes from Archbishop Myers this past week, we were asked to make our voices heard to our elected officials regarding the "Marriage Protection Amendment." This month, the US Senate has begun deliberating on a matter of the highest urgency of all of our society - - the Protection of Marriage Amendment. This Amendment states clearly that the natural institution of marriage has been, is, and always must be, a union between a man and a woman. The Senate is expected to vote on the Amendment sometime in June.
As Catholics, we believe that the natural institution of marriage has been blessed and elevated by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament. The love of one man and one woman who join in the union becomes a living image of the way in which the Lord personally loves His people and is united with them. God is the author of marriage. It is both a relationship of persons and an institution of society.
The Bishops of New Jersey are urging all Catholic people to join with us in informing our two Senators to vote in favor of the Protection of Marriage Amendment by completing the postcards available in Church this weekend and returning them in the collection basket. The parish will arrange to mail them to Senators Lautenberg and Menendez this week.
Today we have the opportunity to make not only the strongest possible statement about the Sanctity of marriage as God intended it, but also to demonstrate our strength as people of faith and faithful citizens. Help us to make this campaign for the Protection of Marriage Amendment a success.
Also this weekend, the controversial movie, The DaVinci Code, made its debut in movie theaters around the nation and the world. In my own opinion and that of the other priests, it is "counter productive" to tell people not to see the movie. Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has spoken of our need to have a "mature adult faith." Many Catholic commentators who spoke about the movie have strongly recommended that the popularity of The DaVinci Code with its errors, its confusion between fact and fiction be seen as an opportunity to explore our faith and what it teaches on a deeper level. In this past week, various newspaper articles have pointed out the discrepancies in what The DaVinci Code presents and what scholars present regarding topics like the Divinity of Christ and the formation of the Scriptures.
For example, The DaVinci Code contends that the Emperor Constantine convened the Council of Nicea in 325 AD (from which the Nicene Creed we profess each Sunday came) in order to endorse the idea that Christ was divine in order to unify the Roman Empire. Scholars state that Constantine did convene the Council of Nicea but the early Christians, for several centuries, had already believed in the divinity of Christ. The controversy at the Council of Nicea was over how Jesus could be divine and human - - a debate that led to the doctrine of the Trinity.
Both the "Marriage Protection Amendment" and a proper understanding of our faith in approving the film The DaVinci Code help us to live out the command to love God, others and ourselves by our actions and not merely our lip service.

SAINT PIO CELEBRATION TODAY
May 25th is the anniversary of Padre Pio's birth. Our Padre Pio Prayer Group will observe this celebration with a solemn Mass in Italian and English this afternoon at 4:00 PM, followed by a procession through the streets of our parish and refreshments in Good Shepherd auditorium will follow.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN REPORT (as of May 17, 2006)
GOAL: $750,000.00
PLEDGED (to date): $903,343.67
Number of Pledges: 330

Redemption Phase:
Thank you for making this campaign the success it has been. Although the campaign office is officially closed, new pledges can still be made. We are grateful to Lynch Development Associates, Inc., for all their hard work.

Stone Pavers for "Our Journey continues…" Centennial Walkway
Our Financial Council and Development Committee will publish a form with the cost and dimensions of smaller pavers and bricks in next week's bulletin. The larger memorials; Foundations Gifts ($15,000 or more), Benefactor Gifts ($7,500-$14,999), Patron Gifts ($3,000-$7,499) and Steward Gifts ($2,400-$2,999) have been advertised in the Centennial Campaign brochure and many have already been taken.

ASCENSION THURSDAY, MAY 25 - HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION
Mass Schedule: 7:00 PM Vigil Mass on Wednesday, May 24th
7:00 AM, 8:45 AM, 10:30 AM (School Mass) and 7:00 PM Bilingual

ORDINATIONS
Pray for the 18 men who will be ordained priests for the Archdiocese of Newark at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, this coming Saturday, May 27, at 10:00 AM.
Included among the 18 deacons being ordained priests are: Fr. Giandomenico Flora who served his diaconate here at Holy Family this past year and Fr. Zeljko Guberovic who served as a seminarian here in 2005-06.
Fr. Giandomenico will celebrate his first solemn Mass here at Holy Family next Sunday, May 28, 12:00 Noon. A reception will follow in the Good Shepherd Academy auditorium and everyone is invited!

Peace,
Msgr. Paul