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May 5, 2013
Sixth
Sunday of Easter
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
Starting this Saturday, May 4th, we
will enter into the “First Communion Season”! What
better way to conclude these last three weeks of Easter.
This Saturday, next Saturday May 11 and May 18th will be
celebrating our Saturday First Communion Masses. What a
wonderful time in the life of a parish as the community
of faith welcomes those baptized as infants to now share
in the fellowship of the heavenly banquet at the
Eucharistic table. What a wonderful time for the
children and their families, as these children now
deepen their intimacy and union with the Lord Jesus by
partaking of the gift of His Body and Blood!
This is also a time for each of us to
deeply reflect and appreciate just who it is and what it
is we are receiving each and every Sunday; Jesus, the
Lord. In his encyclical on the Eucharist “Ecclesia De
Eucharistia, Blessed Pope John Paul II wrote
“incorporation into Christ, which is brought about by
our Baptism, is constantly renewed and consolidated by
sharing in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, especially by that
full sharing which takes place in sacramental communion.
We can say not only that each of us receives Christ, but
also that Christ receives each of us.
He enters into friendship with us:
“You are My friends” (Jn 15:14). We congratulate and
pray for all our First Communicants and their families
during these joy-filled resurrection days of Easter
Time!
WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND OUR
FACILITIES
We are slowly making steady progress on the damage
caused by “Superstorm Sandy”. A new fence just went up
around the convent. Work still needs to be done on the
exterior of the Church over the sacristy. We are still
unsure as to the source of the leak. The convent also
needs pointing and some exterior work. This will be
a bit expensive, but it must be done at some point. Any
help with donations is greatly appreciated!
THANK YOU TO OUR YOUTH MINISTRY
A big thank you goes out to all those involved with our
growing Youth Ministry Program who helped work on the
International Festival of Hispanic Heritage. I recently
received a wonderful note which applauded your work. The
woman who sent the note, felt that this event helped
bring the parish together. She also suggested more
events like this. Keep up the good work! Felicitaciones!
Congratulations!
May God bless you and Mary keep you
and your families always! St. Ignatius, pray for us!
SAVE THE DATE -
In celebration of the Year of Faith, the Diocese of
Rockville Centre offers this Pilgrimage to the Basilica
of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Washington, D.C. Please save the date and join us,
together with faithful from all across our diocese, on
Saturday, September 28, 2013 for a day-long experience
filled with opportunities for prayer, reflection,
reconciliation and fellowship. More
information will be coming soon from the Office of the
Bishop and the Office of Worship. Please watch your
bulletin and the diocesan website,
www.drvc.org, for
details!
Fr. Jim,
Pastor
April 21, 2013
Fourth Sunday of Easter
World Day of Prayer for Vocations
Acts 13:14,43-53;Rev 7:9-17;Jn 10:27-30
Dear Parishioner in Christ,
In this bulletin, you will find an
insert stating the Financial and Spiritual Report for
the fiscal/pastoral year that ended August 31, 2012. The
report was submitted to the Diocese of Rockville Centre
in October, 2012.
My hope is that this report will help
all of us appreciate the efforts of our people, the
strengths of our parish and the challenges, both new and
continuing, that lie ahead. It is your support and love
of our parish, St. Ignatius Loyola that has helped us
build God’s Kingdom for all of our parishioners and
families. It has been quite a year for all of
us--both filled with joy and sorrow. The closing of our
beautiful Catholic School has impacted all of us in some
way. It will be a challenge to use and maintain the
space of both school buildings in helping our parish to
thrive.
Since my arrival back in June, 2011,
I have been moved by a core group of families and people
who support the parish with their time and their
treasure. You recognize that all you have and are comes
from Almighty God. What God has given you, you return by
your thoughtful giving to the parish. However, there are
also many of us who need to do more.
In 2012, we were fortunate to
experience a surplus of $52 thousand due to significant
one-time grant, bequests and a mild winter. We are
anticipating a surplus in 2013. However, this is mainly
due to $150 thousand of savings from our receiving a one
year exemption from paying an assessment equivalent to
15% of our collections to support Diocesan Catholic
schools on Long Island.
Although our parish has beautiful and
unique buildings, we are frequently reminded of their
age. Last year we replaced our convent roof because it
was in dire need of repair. We secured a loan from the
Diocese to help us with the costs, but that must be paid
this year. We also continue to struggle to make progress
in reducing the burden of our long term debt which
accrues interest of $60,000 per year. Given a lack of
available reserves, our great concern is the ability to
meet the needs for preventative maintenance and
necessary structural repairs for the aging buildings.
The parish has been receiving some
rental income from ACDS for the use of the school..
However, the costs of insuring and maintaining the
underutilized school buildings are a significant
challenge. The parish has been working with Diocesan
professionals to help in seeking and assessing potential
tenants. This is where we can all come together
and help our parish. Christ, as the Good Shepherd, calls
each of us to listen to His voice and follow Him. One
way to follow Him is through our financial giving to the
parish. Perhaps, this year each of us, including
me, could give just $2.00 more in the collection than we
did last year. Every little bit counts and makes a
difference.
We have been very blessed with
wonderful parishioners, guided by a committed parish
staff , sisters and priests here at St. Ignatius Loyola.
May we continue this tradition and be a community that
strives to follow the goal of our patron, St. Ignatius
Loyola who said “teach us to give and not count the
cost.” We are to do all things for the greater glory of
God.
May God bless you and Mary keep you
and your families. St. Ignatius Loyola, pray for us!
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Jim
Pastor
April 14, 2013
Third Sunday of Easter
TO ALL EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF
HOLY COMMUNION (Formerly known as EM’s)
As you look at the altar, you may
have noticed that there is a small glass door on the
right that contains certain oils. This is known as the
Ambry. The Ambry holds the oils that are used for
Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and the
Sacrament of the Sick.) The oils in the Ambry are
Chrism, Oil of the Sick and Oil of Initiation.
Currently, there are Purell bottles that were placed
there for the convenience of EM’s to use before the
distribution of Holy Communion. All EM’s are asked to
make sure that their hands are clean and purified. The
Purell bottles will be moved to an area behind the
tabernacle so as not to crowd the sanctuary and to place
proper respect to the Ambry. Please make a note of this.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MINISTRY FUNCTIONS
Next weekend, Sat/Sun. April
20th-21st, two of our ministries will be hosting
fundraising events.
On Saturday April 20th, The Catholic Daughters
will be hosting their annual “Pot Luck” Supper from 6pm
in the New School Cafeteria.
On Sunday April 21st, Our Youth Ministry will be
hosting an “ International Festival” to help defray the
costs of their pilgrimage to Brazil for World Youth Day
to see our new Holy Father, Pope Francis. The event will
be held in the Old School -Msgr. Tarrant Hall during the
day. Please come and support these ministries so that
they can share in the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and
spread His word to all generations both young and old.
May God bless you and Mary keep you
and your families. St. Ignatius, pray for us!
Fr. Jim,
Pastor
April 7, 2013
Second Sunday of Easter
Divine Mercy Sunday
Acts 5:12-16; Rev.1:9-19; Jn 20:19-31
THANK YOU AND HAPPY EASTER - CHRIST IS RISEN, ALLELUIA!
I
want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who had
a part in working on the beauty of the liturgy and the
church during the Easter Triduum. You all did a
wonderful job in showing your love for the Risen Lord
whether it was through the music, the choir, serving,
decorations, sacristy ,distributing Holy Communion,
ushering and/or participating. May God bless you for
your work and your service!
When
something happens in a family that is special, we want
to do our best in celebrating the event. In the
Catholic Church, Easter is the central focus of our
faith. The Church has set aside 50 days to mark the
event of the Lord’s Resurrection! Please read the
reflection below, taken from a liturgical source, on the
50 Days of Easter.
Easter is not just on Easter Sunday alone! Every Sunday
is considered a “little” Easter. We pray that we
will continue to spread the joy of the Risen Lord during
this special season of the year.
DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
Today is called Divine Mercy Sunday as promulgated by
Blessed Pope John Paul II. He created this day based on
the diary of Sr. Faustina Kowalska in Poland. In the
1930’, Sr. Faustina was told by the Lord to spread His
message of Mercy. There are certain prayers that one can
say on this day and every day called the Divine Chaplet.
This is a private devotion and anyone is invited to
pray.
Most
importantly we are to remember that since the Lord was
merciful to his disciples after the resurrection, we too
are to practice mercy with one another. We sure need it
in the world today!
May
God bless you and Mary keep you and your families!
St. Ignatius Loyola, pray for us!
Fr.
Jim ,
Pastor
March 31, 2013
EASTER SUNDAY
Acts 10:34-3; Col 3:1-4 or Cor 5:6-8; Lk 24 1-12;Jn
20:1-9
I
recently, I had the opportunity to see the movie “The
Impossible”. This is a true story about a family (Maria,
Henry and their three sons) who went on a Christmas
vacation to Thailand back in 2004. If you recall, on the
morning of December 26, 2004 a major natural catastrophe
occurred from an earthquake and a tsunami that destroyed
many countries along the Asian Pacific rim and took
countless numbers of lives with it.
Maria, Henry and their family were separated by walls of
water coming up from the ocean and the mayhem of tens of
thousands of strangers clamoring for help and looking
for their lost, mostly dead loved ones. It was only
through a miracle of God that the family is re-united
again. When it seemed that all was lost, hope and
new life sprout up for them again. It truly was “The
Impossible.”
It
seemed that for the women at the tomb along with Peter,
Beloved Disciple (Most say who is John) and the rest of
the disciples, that all was lost. Their Lord, Master,
Teacher and Friend was taken from them, tried as a
criminal and left on a cross to die. All that Jesus did
and taught seemed to go up in smoke.
However, The Impossible happened— when they discovered
that the body of Jesus was no longer in the tomb. When
the women in the Gospel of Lk (24:1-12) came to do their
usual business of placing spices in the tomb of Jesus,
they were greeted by Angels who said “why do you seek
the living one among the dead. He is not here! He has
been raised.” Mary Magdalene , Peter and the beloved
disciple, John see a tomb that is empty. The body of
Jesus is no longer there. The truth is the impossible
did happen. Human beings could never overcome the great
evil of death on their own. But God can and God did in
and through His beloved son Jesus.
Jesus lived, died and rose so that we might live, die,
and rise to eternal live with Him. It is because of our
relationship through baptism to Jesus Christ that we can
now overcome death too. It is because Christ Risen, that
resurrection can happen in our lives here and now. It
may be Good Friday in our life, but Jesus’ Resurrection
means Easter is coming!
If
we really believe that Jesus was raised from the dead,
then we need to start living like it. Easter summons us
to spend the rest of our lives walking away from the
empty tombs of death, despair, anxiety, and fear toward
the hope and possibility of new life. One way of doing
this is by our faith, trusting that the Risen Christ is
with us and in us continuing to call us out of our
graves. It is our faith that helps us to have an open
heart to receive the power of the Risen Christ and see
Him in our midst. Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus, wrote
“the Risen One must be seen, must also be perceived by
the heart, in a way that God may take up his abode
within us. The
Lord does not appear as a thing. He desires to enter our
lives….., which presupposes an open heart. Only in this
way, do we see the Risen One.”
Another way is to share the Good News with others that
Jesus has risen for them too. If you have not been in
our Church building for a while, take the time to come
back again next Sunday and the Sunday after that.
You will see the Risen Jesus come every week through the
Eucharist! Invite others to enter and share this joy
each Sunday. A third way of walking away from the empty
tombs of death is by getting involved in our parish.
Spreading the Gospel that Jesus is ALIVE cannot be done
by the priests, sisters or me alone. It needs to be
accomplished by you too. We can all work together. This
is how we can proclaim that Jesus is alive in us, both
you and me! Then we too, like Jesus, and with God’s
help, can accomplish the impossible.
On
behalf of Frs. Saul, Jerome, Msgr. Bennett, Srs. Mary,
Cathy, Karen , Joan and the entire parish staff, may I
wish you, your family and friends a Happy and Blessed
Easter. May the Risen Christ dwell in your hearts
forever!
Christus surrexit,sicut dixit,alleluia! Christ is risen
as he said! Alleluia!
If
you are wondering about the gold and white bunting on
the front of our church, it is to welcome and announce
our new Holy Father, Pope Francis! May God bless him
throughout his pontificate.
May
God bless you and Mary keep you and your families! St.
Ignatius Loyola pray for us!
Fr.
Jim,
Pastor
March 24, 2013
PALM
SUNDAY
HOLY WEEK
It
is difficult to believe that we are concluding our
Lenten Season as we now journey into Holy Week. My
hope is that this Lenten season has been fulfilling and
grace filled in helping you come closer to God. If
you feel these past few weeks have not been as
successful as you planned do not fret, you still have
this final week, Holy Week. This is the week that
changed and saved the world.
We
begin this Holiest of weeks with Palm Sunday where the
journey of Jesus toward His passion starts with His
triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We join with Jesus as he
prepares for the final walk to the Cross. In today’s
Gospel of Luke, the people name Jesus as King and
Messiah. They shout “Blessed is the King who comes in
the name of the Lord” (Lk 19:38). The irony is that this
same crowd who lauded Jesus as a King on Sunday killed
him on Friday. The Passion Narrative continues with
Jesus instituting the Eucharist at the Last Supper,
being betrayed by one of his own, captured, put on trial
as a criminal and nailed to a cross left to die.
Finally, the body of Jesus is buried and His mother and
the disciples go away sad and discouraged. This story
seems to end in failure and tragedy. However, we know
the rest of the story. This is not the final end because
Jesus’ death is triumphed by the power of His
Resurrection. We are forgiven of sin and given a special
share in God’s new life which lasts forever. Jesus died
for us because he loved us to death. His example shows
us that love is stronger than death.
This
period of Holy Week is a time for us to weep and to be
grateful for the pain and suffering that Jesus endured
for us. It is also a time for us to weep where Jesus
continues to be nailed to a cross in us. Even
though Jesus died once and for all, He continues to
suffer in us whenever we are seriously ill, have
experienced a tragedy, a loss of a loved one,
unemployment, hospitalization, being homebound and when
we distance ourselves from Him through our hurtful words
and actions. Jesus’ journey to Calvary is as much our
journey as it is His. Any crosses that we carry in our
lives, are helped by the fact that we do not carry them
alone. Jesus is right there alongside us. We can shift
its weight to Him because we are intimately united with
Him through the Paschal Mystery (suffering death and
resurrection). Since he overcame the cross, we realize
that we too can face any obstacles that life places on
our path.
Toward the end of Holy Week we will be entering into the
Triduum (the 3 Days) where we can best express our
thanksgiving to Jesus for his ultimate sacrifice of
giving his life for us. We invite you to participate in
the Mass on Holy Thursday at 7:30pm, the Celebration of
the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, await the
Resurrection at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday
(7:30pm) and rise with Him on Easter Sunday at Mass
during the day. With Jesus, our Calvary becomes the
pathway to personal transformation that opens us to the
fullness of the resurrection in God forever.
HABEMUS PAPAM- WE HAVE A POPE
We give thanks to Almighty God for the gift of Pope
Francis I, the 266th Successor of St. Peter, the Vicar
of Christ on earth. Pope Francis I, formerly Cardinal
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the first non-European and
Hispanic to receive this holiest of offices. What is
exciting for our parish, is that he is a Jesuit, whose
teaching and philosophy is based on our patron, St.
Ignatius Loyola. We join the Church in prayer for our
new Holy Father as he begins his new ministry. I truly
feel that as a Jesuit Father and with a name like
Francis, he will bring reforms that will help our Church
heal, simplify it from the complexities of life, and
continue to build God’s Kingdom here on earth.
May
God bless you and Mary keep you. St. Ignatius Loyola,
pray for us!
Fr.
Jim
Pastor
March 17, 2013
Fifth
Sunday of Lent
Is 43:16-21; Phil3:8-14; Jn 8:1-11
SECOND CHANCES
How
often have we failed because of our own sinfulness and
wanted a second and even a third chance to start all
over again? Many times however, we may feel shame which
prevents us from starting all over again and causes us
to go into an unending destructive cycle. This is
experienced by people who have addictions whether to
alcohol, gambling, drugs, sex, pornography or anything
that makes us less than who are to be. They feel so
alone that there is no hope. Their shame has created a
prison wall right around their hearts. So they return
back to the action they think may help them, only to add
more harm to their lives. We must not despair however,
because there is hope for us.
For
the past three weeks, our Gospel readings have focused
on repentance that brings forth the mercy of Christ that
leads to a new life. In John’s Gospel today, we come to
a climax on repentance where God gives us second chances
despite our sinfulness. While Jesus is teaching, a woman
caught in the act of adultery (not Mary Magdalene), is
thrown right in front of Him. The punishment for
adultery is the death penalty which is stoning. This
penalty still exists today in many communities across
Africa and the Middle East. It is part of the Muslim
Sharia Law which we have heard or read about in the
news.
We
see that there are two trials here, one against Jesus,
to see what he was going to do, and the other against
the adulterous woman. The scribes and Pharisees want to
see if Jesus will approve the death penalty prescribed
by the Law of Moses (Det 22:21; Ezek 16:38-40) so that
they could perhaps brand him a law breaker . When the
accusers ask Jesus what should be done with the woman,
He does not respond, but simply bends down and writes in
the sand. He then gets up and says “Let he who is
without sin cast the first stone.” Slowly, one by one,
the woman’s accusers, beginning with the elders, throw
their stones down and walk away. Only Jesus and the
woman are left. St. Augustine writes about this scene
well with the caption “there are but two left,
affliction and mercy.” Jesus asks the woman a question
and then tells her that he does not condemn her and that
she is not to sin anymore. His compassion toward the
woman liberates her and helps her to turn her life
toward a God of love. She is now on a completely
different path, because in mercy, God gave her a second
chance helping her to change.
Jesus gives us second chances too, despite our sinful
acts. He wants us to look at our sins, be sorry but stop
beating ourselves up, stop the sin and give it to God.
Then we are given the grace to seek a new path of life.
What better way to express our sorrow than through the
Sacrament of Reconciliation? This is our way through the
Church to experience Jesus’ compassion through the
priest and come back to God and the community. This is
the Lord’s way of removing what Bishop Emil Wcela called
the “barbed wire” that keeps us away from God’s
presence.
It
is so easy to condemn a person. But who are we to
condemn, since we all are sinners alike. We cannot judge
what is happening in a person’s heart because we do not
know. Only God knows. We can only surrender that
grievance to God for healing. We need to look past the
act and try to see that God is a part of every person.
Then we can put down our big stones and reach out and
help lift away the junk that burdens a person’s soul so
that they too can see what God sees in them. When we
give others a second chance, they have mercy and so do
we.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP DURING MSGR. TARRANT’S FUNERAL
Thank you to all who worked so hard in making sure that
Msgr. Tarrant had a beautiful send off at his funeral on
March 4th & 5th, most especially to the Knights of
Columbus 2520, Columbiettes and the Activities
Committee.
HOLY
WEEK & POPE ???
Please join us for Holy Week Masses and Services. The
Church is open all day Good Friday.
Pope??? Hopefully by the time you read this column, we
will have a new Holy Father. In the mean time, continue
to pray for the Church that she listens well to the Holy
Spirit!
God
bless you and Mary keep you and your families! St.
Ignatius Loyola, pray for us!
Fr.
Jim
Pastor
March 10, 2013
Msgr.
Edward L. Tarrant
Last Wednesday, I had the opportunity to visit with
Msgr. Ed Tarrant, the Ninth Pastor of St. Ignatius
Loyola, at the St. Pius X Residence for retired priests
in Amityville. Even though he was in pain, he could not
have been more gracious and thankful of my visit. We
spoke briefly, then he informed me of his funeral
arrangements. He was very organized and ready to greet
the Lord and to make sure that we were prepared as well.
He had everything planned down to a T. He wanted to be
buried from St. Ignatius! The next day, Msgr.
Tarrant died at 12 noon, ironically about 2 hours before
then Pope Benedict XVI retired from his papal office.
Before Msgr. died, he instructed me with these profound
words “continue to love your people.”
When many of you heard the news of Msgr.’s death, you
had enlightened me with the beautiful stories and
qualities of this man and this priest who had been a
wise and humble servant at St. Ignatius Loyola. Even
though Monsignor’s body was buried this past Tuesday in
Holy Rood Cemetery, many treasures remain reminding us
of his work and love for the Church and our parish. The
first is you, who were baptized, married, had family
members and friends who were buried and participated in
Mass led by Msgr. Tarrant. Msgr. Tarrant had a wonderful
way of helping people to feel that they were a part of
the parish community. Perhaps it is because of him that
you are here today. The second is the altar and
sanctuary area that were renovated under his care. He
and all the communion of saints surround us at the altar
every time Mass is celebrated. The third is the
Adopt-a-Garden that has now become Jane’s Garden, named
after Jane Schreiber who came to Msgr. Tarrant with the
idea to take care of the landscaping around the parish.
When spring arrives and the flowers and trees bloom, it
will remind us that Msgr. Tarrant
has also bloomed into the fullness of eternal life being
now with God. A fourth reminder is the gym in our school
that was named after him - Msgr. Edward L. Tarrant
Parish Center. Every time we gather for a meeting , see
or play a sporting game, celebrate Mass, share a meal or
just have fun, Msgr. Tarrant is there. He loved life to
the fullest and he wants us to do the same in the spirit
of Jesus Christ and his Mother, Mary.
If there is one description that can best describe Msgr.
Ed Tarrant, it is from Fr. Jerry Gordon’s funeral homily
that spoke of him as a parish priest. As Pope John XXIII
said, being a parish priest is the greatest gift of all.
Msgr. Tarrant, for being that hardworking and good
parish priest, may you hear the words of scripture which
says “well done my good and faithful servant, enter now
into the kingdom of
paradise, that kingdom that has been prepared for you
from the foundation of the world” (Mt. 25:31).
LENTEN SPIRITUAL EVENTS : Please join us for our annual
Lenten Mission. This year, it will be conducted by
Bishop Emil Wclea, retired Auxiliary Bishop of the
Diocese of Rockville Centre. Bishop Wcela is a
scripture scholar and an excellent speaker. His topic is
“Imagining the Unimaginable.” He will be speaking at all
the Masses this weekend and on Mon thru Wed. March
11th-13th after the 9am Mass and at 7:30pm. This is a
great way to enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus
as we prepare to walk with him to Calvary.
GOOD FRIDAY SCHEDULE: You may have noticed a change in
the Good Friday Schedule concerning the Liturgy of the
Lord’s Passion and Death. Instead of the traditional
3pm, I have decided, for pastoral reasons, to make the
service at 5pm. This will give more opportunity for
those of us who are working on Good Friday to
participate in the service. Unfortunately, not everyone
gets a holiday on this most holy of days. We also want
our Hispanic brothers and sisters to have an opportunity
to worship in their own language in the evening. Thank
you for your understanding and support in this matter.
May God bless you and Mary keep you and your families.
St. Ignatius Loyola, pray for us!
Fr. Jim,
Pastor
March 3, 2013
Third
Sunday of Lent
Ex 3:1-8;Cor 10:1-12; Luke 13:1-9
PARISH STAFF CHANGE
Rosemary Cassese, our Pastoral Assistant, has been with
us for at least 10 years here at St. Ignatius Loyola.
Many times we do not realize what people do behind the
scenes in any form of business or organization, most
especially a parish. Rosemary, like our other Parish
Staff members, has performed many tasks and much more to
make sure that our office and our parish runs smoothly.
Many of you know Rosemary’s work by your constant
contact with the parish. On a personal note, Rosemary
has helped me to navigate my way through St. Ignatius
Loyola being that I am relatively new and that this
parish is my first pastorate. For that and many things,
I am most grateful to her for her work.
This
past week, Rosemary announced that she is taking a leave
of absence for at least 3 months for her family.
She and her husband, Bob, have decided to take care of
her mother-in-law, Helen, who is coming out of
rehabilitation. As many of you know, there comes a
time when our parents and grandparents can no longer
take care of themselves. It is up to us, children
and grandchildren, to do the best we can to take care of
them as a gift to how much they have done for us. My mom
and dad took care of my grandmother for at least 20
years. She lived with us for at
least 15 of those 20 years. I believe that it is because
of their care, that she lived to the “young age” of 103.
Rosemary’s story serves as an example for all of us
that, during the season of Lent, there are some things
we may need to cut out of our lives so we are free to
help others. Jesus said we “come to serve but not to be
served”. Perhaps during this Third week of Lent, we can
think about how we are living out that 4th Commandment
of honor thy Father and Mother. The 4th Commandment is
not just for children, when they are young, but for all
of us who mature and grow up. We never stop being our
parents’ children no matter what happens in life. Is
there someone that I need to care for and give up some
of my personal time? This is one way we can prune our
life of sin and weakness and bear fruit as the Gospel
tells us this Sunday. All of us are the fruits of our
parents for better or worse. May God continue to bless
Rosemary, Bob and their family and on all families who
have made the sacrifice to take care of their parents
and grandparents in their twilight years of life.
BENEDICT XVI, POPE EMERITUS
Many of us have been asking now that Pope Benedict has
renounced the papacy (resigned) what do we call him?
After he resigns, the Holy Father will be known as “His
Holiness, Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus (retired) or Roman
Pontiff Emeritus. The Holy Father will dress in a simple
white cassock without the mozzetta, the elbow length
cape worn by pope. Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus has
chosen to wear simple brown shoes which were given to
him during his Apostolic visit to Leon, Mexico, last
year, and will not wear the traditional red shoes. He
will not longer use the Fisherman’s Ring, and instead,
will use an Episcopal ring being that he is still a
Bishop (retired). The ring and the lead seal of Benedict
XVI’s seal will be destroyed by the Cardinal Camerlengo,
temporary administrator, and his assistants.
God
bless your holy servant Benedict XVI who has given his
life for the Church as the vicar of Christ for 8 years.
LENT
Please join us in these enriched spiritual activities:
Christian Simplicity Workshop God’s Creation and our
Response -Rooms E& F Old School Bldg. Mondays, March
4th, 18th and 25th at 7:30pm. We have had a great
response!!!
Lenten Mission: March 11th-13th 9:30am and 7pm -
Bishop Emil Wcela
Stations of the Cross on Fridays during Lent except
March 15th
Youth Holy Hour for Vocations 3rd Friday of the
Month! Youth from 8th grade up are invited.
Lenten Soup Supper-Food for the Soul Friday, March
22nd at 6pm -Msgr. Tarrant Hall
Choral Way of the Cross –Friday, March 22nd
May
God Bless you and Mary keep you and your families. St.
Ignatius, pray for us!
Fr.
Jim
Pastor
February 24, 2013
Second Sunday of Lent
Gen. 15:5-18; Phil 3:17:1-4:1;Lk.9:28-36
On
the second Sunday of Lent, we are given the opportunity
to listen to the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus.
This story, while focusing on Jesus, also says something
about His disciples and us. Jesus was on the way to His
crucifixion to Jerusalem and Calvary. While traveling,
he knew that his disciples would face suffering, trial
and tribulation. While on Mountain (many say Mt. Tabor
and some Mt. Hermon) and in prayer, His clothes became
dazzling white. He experienced a total change of form
and substance. Moses, representing the law and
Elijah, representing the prophets, were also present.
Then a voice came from God the Father which said “This
is my Beloved Son, listen to Him.” Jesus’
transfiguration happened to show a glimpse of His
resurrection and the glory of God to come for Him, for
His disciples and for us.
Though the disciples had competing voices of the
Pharisees and of the suffering to come, they do not need
to fear. They too will share in glory not only in the
future, but also in the present. God is with them. The
same can be said for us.
There are times in our lives where we experience the
“God-given” moments that bring us hope and we are not
alone. Resurrection happens for us now and will be
complete once we depart from this earth. Despite the
challenges and the competing voices of our society, may
we take this second week of Lent to pay more attention
to how God makes His presence known to us.
One
moment of glory that I experienced this past week was at
our first session on the Lent 4.5 Christian Simplicity
workshop. I was very excited to have 32 participants.
This was a great showing of our desire to move closer to
God, closer to one another and simplify those things in
life that keep us from focusing on God’s voice in our
lives. We meet every Monday (except March 11th) in the
Old School, rooms E&F at 7:30pm.
Please join us. We invite you to a whole slew of Lenten
activities here at St. Ignatius Loyola that will bring
us some of God’s glory. Please make every opportunity to
take advantage of them with your families and your
friends.
May
God bless you and Mary keep you and your families! St.
Ignatius pray for us!
Fr.
Jim
Pastor
February 17, 2013
First Sunday of Lent
It is hard to believe that even
though we have just finished Christmas, here we are
right in the season of Lent. Every year, we always think
about “what am I going to give up?” Fasting is more than
just saying I’ll give up chocolate, candy, cakes and
soda. It is about renewing our relationship with Christ
Jesus and one another.
Perhaps we can focus on the words of
our Holy Father, Pope Benedict who announced this past
week of his resignation from the Holy See of St. Peter.
Even though many of us are surprised and saddened by the
Pope’s decision, he is a witness to the world and a
reminder to us what leadership in the Church is all
about: humble, courageous, and selfless service to the
People of God. The Pope has taken this dramatic
decision, as he said, in “full freedom” the freedom that
comes with humility and the loving concern of a true
Pastor. He is a true model of what it means to give
something up and surrender to the presence of the Lord.
In the Pope’s Own Words -“After
having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I
have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an
advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate
exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that
this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature,
must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but
no less with prayer and suffering. However, in
today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and
shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of
faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and
proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are
necessary, strength which in the last few months, has
deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to
recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the
ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and
well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full
freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop
of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter …” As we pray for Pope
Benedict and the Church in this period of transition,
trusting in the Holy Spirit, we recall the words of
Jesus at the Last Supper: “So when He had washed their
feet and put his garments back on and reclined at the
table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I
have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’
and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the
master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to
wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to
follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also
do.” John 13: 12-16.
May each of us, especially those who
are in any form of leadership, follow our Pope’s example
of leadership as humble, selfless service of our
brothers and sisters in Christ.
Catholic Ministries Appeal :
As a parish, we would like each of us to deeply consider
giving to the Catholic Ministries Appeal as an act of
sacrifice for the season of Lent. The Catholic
Ministries Appeal (CMA) helps about 600,000 people per
year. This past year, through the great work of Catholic
Charities, it aided hundreds of people whose lives were
turned up-side-down by Hurricane Sandy. Every year we
have a goal. If each of us gives at least $100 this year
(only $10 for 10 months) then we can make a difference
and make it easier to make our goal. Please read
the column in this bulletin about the CMA for further
details.
May God bless you and Mary keep you
and your families! St. Ignatius pray for us!
Fr. Jim.
Pastor
February 10, 2013
How many times have you thought, life
should not be so complicated? This Lenten Season, be
part of the Christian Simplicity movement. Abstain from
those daily choices and habits that can harm God’s
beautiful creation for us or from taking more than your
fair share of that great gift.
JOIN US!
6 Monday evenings - 7:30pm - Rooms E& F in the Old
School for:
God’s Creation and Our Responsibility
February 18th -Christian
Simplicity/The Spirituality of Compassionate Living
February 25th –The Spirituality of Buying and
Consumption
March 4th -The Precious Gift of Water: Conserving and
Protecting God’s Creation
March 18th: -Energy: Choosing Efficient and
Clean/Transportation: Getting Around
March 25th Holy Week -Gratitude & Generosity: Putting
the Gospel to Work
***Free will offerings accepted toward
the materials for these sessions***
Unable to participate on these dates
at St. Ignatius? You would be most welcome to attend any
of the following sessions, beginning the week of
February 18th :
7 Mondays, 1:00 p.m. - Parkway Community Church
(938-1233)
7 Tuesdays, 10:00 a.m. - Our Lady of Mercy Church
(931-4351)
7 Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. - St. Stephens Lutheran Church
(931-0710)
Any questions? Please contact Fr. Jim
here at the rectory (516) 931-0056.
SIMPLIFY your Lent - Make it real and be involved!
God bless you and Mary keep you. St. Ignatius Loyola,
pray for us!
Fr. Jim.
Pastor

February 3, 2013
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jer. 1:4-5,17-19; 1Cor12:31-13:13; Lk 4:21-20
It is hard to imagine that the season
of Lent is just 1 ½ weeks away beginning with Ash
Wednesday, February 13, 2013. Our parish of St. Ignatius
Loyola will be offering a variety of opportunities for
us to enter into this holy season to help us deepen our
relationship with the Lord and one another through His
Church.
One opportunity to help make Lent
more meaningful is to participate in a Lenten series
entitled Lent 4.5 Christian Simplicity. This program
will be shared by some of the other Catholic parishes
and Christian churches here in the Hicksville area to
help bring all Christians closer together. As St. Paul
wrote last week “we are all one body in Christ.”
When we think of Lent, we usually
think about what we are to give up; desserts, soda or
candy such as a chocolate bar. Lent is more than giving
something up. Its ultimate goal is to change our lives
by a change of heart. This leads us into a deeper
baptismal commitment to walk in the footsteps of Jesus
by living in harmony with God, creation, and the entire
human family.
Join us for only 6 Monday evenings
at 7:30pm Rms E& F in the Old School for Lent 4.5
Christian Simplicity.
Each evening has a unique Lenten focus:
February 18th -Christian Simplicity/Compassionate
Living (Ash Wed preparation)
February 25th -Food: Buying and Eating are Moral
Acts &-Consumption: Buying Less, Wasting Less
March 4th -Water: Conserving and Protecting
March 11th-13th-Parish Lenten
Mission-Bishop Emil Wcela –9:30am and 7:30pm-Church
March 18th: Energy: Choosing Efficient and
clean/Transportation: Getting Around
March 25th Holy Week -Gratitude & Generosity:
Becoming Involved
If you are unable to participate at
St. Ignatius on Monday evenings, then you are invited to
join the Parkway Community Church on Monday at 1pm, Our
Lady of Mercy on Tuesdays at 10 am or St. Stephen’s
Lutheran Church on Thursdays beginning at 7pm. More
details to follow.
Please fill out the form below and
drop it in the collection basket or bring it to the
rectory office. We are also looking for people to help
lead the discussion. Trainings provided. Discussions
will be set in groups of 8 to 12 people. If you have any
questions, please contact me here at the rectory (516)
931-0056. Don’t let Lent come and go. Make it real and
be involved!
God bless you and Mary keep you. St.
Ignatius Loyola, pray for us!
Fr. Jim
Pastor

January 27, 2013
3rd Sunday In Ordinary Time
January 27, 2013
Neh 8:2-4,5-6,8-10;Cor 12:12-30; Lk 1:1-4,4:14-21
This past week, we saw, witnessed and
heard the pageantry of inauguration of the 44th
President of the United States, President Barak Obama.
It is a time when the country can put aside differences
and come together. One of the highlights of the
inauguration is the President’s speech. It lays out his
plan and vision for the country for the next four years.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus gives
an inaugural address of His own in the synagogue laying
out his vision for the people as the Messiah and Son of
God. He reads from the passage of Isaiah Chs. 4:18-19 &
61:1-2a. As He reads the passage Jesus, creates a
feeling of hope and expectation. Jesus’ mission is not
about Himself or just the Jewish people. His role is to
focus on taking care of others including the Gentiles,
the non-Jews. Jesus wants to establish the Kingdom of
God to the ends of the earth. All who clam a
relationship to Jesus must follow this path. Jesus
established a new way of life for all of us where we
come not to be served, but to serve most especially the
poor, the outcast and the vulnerable.
In his speech, the President spoke
about our responsibility to take care of all, especially
the poor children of our country. What he left out
however, are the vulnerable unborn children who are
victims of abortion. Since the passage of Roe Vs. Wade
in 1973, our country has killed 54,559,615 unborn
children. How can we speak about freedom, peace
and getting rid of gun violence, if we as a country
cannot speak up about the unborn, who have no voice?
What are we saying to mothers by allowing violence to
happen to their bodies. Mother Theresa once said "Any
country that accepts abortion, is not teaching its
people to love, but to use any violence to get what it
wants."
This past Friday I joined many of our
parishioners on the March for Life in Washington D.C. It
is a time where Catholics from all over the country
speak out to change the law of abortion and provide
alternatives for both mother and child alike. It is an
event which the press rarely reports on because of its
fear of doing away with what they call “reproductive
rights.” If we are serious in listening to Jesus’ own
inaugural speech, then we must be serious about a stand
as Catholics for the dignity of human life from womb to
tomb. If we do not take care of life, most especially at
its beginning, then how can we protect it overall in
this world.
JOIN US FOR MARDI GRAS
Our activities committee is working on putting a Mardi
Gras together for all parishioners and families. It will
be held on Saturday February 9, 2013 beginning at 6:15pm
following the 5pm Mass. If you are interested in helping
out, please contact Michele DiSanto at (516) 695-6835.
We need your help. A celebration like this cannot take
off with just a few people. Thank You.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU
Thank you to all the ladies who helped to decorate the
rectory at Christmas. It was a delight to have your
help. God bless you!
WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND OUR FACILTIES
The sidewalk in front of the convent has finally been
done. The fence will be taken down. Work needs to be
done on the Church roof once again.
May God bless you and Mary keep you
and your families. St. Ignatius Loyola, pray for us!
Fr. Jim
Pastor
January 13, 2013
Feast
of the Baptism of the Lord
Is 42 1-7; Acts 10:34-38 ; Lk 3:15-22
Welcome Bishop Dunne
This weekend we welcome Auxiliary Bishop John C. Dunne
who is making a parish visitation. Bishop Dunne
will be speaking to us and listening to us about the
state of our parish since the beginning of my tenure
here in June of 2011. Usually one is done every 5 years.
We celebrate today the Feast of the
Baptism of the Lord. During the time of Jesus, people
were baptized by John the Baptist as a sign of cleansing
and repentance.
If Jesus was sinless and born as the
Son of God, why was He baptized by John? The Gospel of
Matthew tells us that Jesus wanted to be baptized to
show obedience to His Father’s will. Jesus is first of
all a servant who, as the prophet Isaiah tells us, is
willing to give up His life on behalf of the people to
lead them out of the darkness of slavery into the
freedom of light.
Jesus was baptized to express His
oneness with all the people who confessed their
sinfulness by seeking John’s baptism. He was saying by
His baptism that he was one of them, and one with us,
sinners all. This humility so pleased His Father that
a voice was heard from heaven: “You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). And it has also
saved us by making us sons and daughters of God in
Jesus, the Son of God.
Baptism is a central sacrament in our
lives. Without Baptism, we would be unable to form
a special relationship with Christ. Archbishop Charles
Chaput of Philadelphia, in a homily during evening
prayer for our new Bishops said “the most important
event in our lives as a priest is our baptism even
before our ordination.” It is at Baptism where our life
begins.
The sacrament of Baptism gives us a
special share in the life of Christ where we unite
ourselves with Him in his death and resurrection.
Baptism is not just a naming ceremony or an excuse to
have a party, it is an ongoing commitment that we make
each day to live as sons and daughters of God in faith,
word and deed until we reach our eternal home in Heaven.
What’s Happening Around Our
Facilities
At this time of the year we are often
invited to people’s homes. We would be respectful by
being neat and clean. However, at a movie theater, we
may feel different because there is no connection to any
host. It is a commercial space. That is why many leave
popcorn and soda on the floor.
In our Church, we are all guests of
the home where the host is Jesus. We need to treat our
Church as we would any friend’s or relative’shome.
Recently, however, the Church has
been treated more like a movie theater than a home. As
we begin this new year, may each of us take the time to
pick up anything from where we are worshipping, put the
hymnals back in their proper place, make
sure there are no tissues or papers on the seat or floor
and that there is no gum on or underneath our pew or
chair. It is very hard on our limited maintenance staff
to make sure the Church is clean the rest of the week.
Parish Facebook Page
I am interested in starting a Parish
Facebook page to help spread the message of the Gospel
here at St. Ignatius. If there are any stay-at-home moms
or dads who are interested in building and maintaining
this site, please contact me here at the
rectory.
Thank you ….Thank you….Thank you
A great thank you to all of you who
have been so generous in your gifts and cards to us
priests at Christmas. You have been a true gift to us.
May God bless you for your kindness!
May God bless you and Mary keep you
and your families. St. Ignatius, pray for us!
Fr. Jim,
Pastor
January 6, 2013
The Epiphany of the Lord
A Gift for the Wise Men
A rather liberal priest was teasing
one of the women of the parish, asking, “How do we know
the Wise Men weren’t Wise Women?” She answered, “If they
were, they’d have brought bottles, diapers, and a
bassinet, instead of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
Maybe they were wise enough to know that Mary could have
bought a lot of diapers with the gold.
The gifts, of course, are symbols of
who Jesus is: a king who is both God and human. And I
wonder what our gifts to the Lord say about our faith in
Him. Remember the song about the little drummer boy, who
had no gift to bring but his ability to play the drum?
Or the parable of the woman who brought two small coins
to donate at the temple (Mark 12:42)? They both remind
us that a person who gives all they have, no matter how
little it seems, is the most generous.
So what do we bring to the newborn
king? I can give my time by coming to church
for the feast of Epiphany and actually paying attention.
How often do I sit in the pews, answer the prayers by
heart, and suddenly realize that I can’t remember what
the first reading was, or what the homily was about?
Just making the effort to listen to the words of
scripture, to hear what God may be trying to tell me,
could be a great gift. Or I could bring someone in our
family, or a friend, who doesn’t go to church very much.
Now let’s not forget the meaning of
“Epiphany.” In ancient times, it meant the appearance or
manifestation of a divine being. In the early church,
the feast included the baptism of Christ (with the voice
of the Father and the Spirit as a dove) and the miracle
at Cana, as well as the visit of the Magi. So what we
celebrate is not so much our gifts or those of the Wise
Men, as it is a gift from God, manifest in Jesus. Maybe
a way to celebrate the Epiphany is to reflect on how God
has been made known to me. Simple things, like a hug
from a friend or an answered prayer, or major events
like a wedding, the birth of a child, or a funeral, can
all be ways to experience the Lord. The Wise Men
received the gift of an epiphany by following a star.
May the light of Christ lead you to Him also.
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