FILIPINO MASS

FILIPINO MASS

SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 2010
Beginning at 2:00 PM

ST. JOSEPH PARISH
767 Prospect St.
Maplewood, NJ 07040
973-7615933

As another year unfolds,
may God grant you the strength and faith

to count your blessings, not your your crosses;

count your gains not your losses.

Count your joys not your woes;

Count your friends not your foes.

Count your smiles not your tears;

Count your courage not your fears.

Count your full years not your lean;

Count your kind deeds not your mean.

Count your health not your wealth;

And love your neighbour as much as yourself.

CHRISTMAS at ST. JOSEPH PARISH
767 Prospect Street, Maplewood, nj 07040
973-761-5933
www.stjosephmaplewood.org

We welcome all to share fully in the life of our Parish Community

Schedule of Masses

Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24
4:00 pm Vigil Mass with Children’s Choir
6:30 pm Vigil Mass
Contemporary Carols led by Trinity at 6:00 pm
12:00 am Midnight Mass

Carols with Choir and Trumpet at 11:30 pm

Christmas Day, Friday, December 25
9:30 am Mass with Traditional Carols

11:30 am Mass with Choir & Trumpet

Prepare the Way of the Lord

Advent
is a period of devout
and joyful expectation.
The Son of Man calls us to holiness
and blamelessness in the sight of God.
Are we ready to meet him face to face?
All the comings of Jesus are Gospel, Good News.
God is greater than our sins, our faults and our despair
and is leading us to a greater love for the world and our own selves.

Come to our

ADVENT RECONCILIATION SERVICE

Wednesday, December 16 at 7:30 PM
This service of Sacramental Penance
will help us to make ready and straight the road to our God.

Priests will be available for individual confession.

CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT

Advent is a special time in the Church calendar. It is a time of paradoxes. We are beginning a new liturgical year while the secular world is ending one. We wait for the coming of Christ even as we acknowledge his constant presence with us. It is a time when we really experience the “already and not-yet” nature of our faith lives.

CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT is one way to experience Advent waiting and the sense of joyful anticipation. We savor the sounds of our longing while reveling that Christ is already in our midst. What better way to do this than joining us on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 beginning at 8PM at St. Joseph Church, 767 Prospect St, Maplewood, NJ and sing with us familiar Christmas carols during this Parish Evening of Reflection and look at them through the lens of Advent. Carols by Candlelight is a wonderful way for families and friends to get together and celebrate with joyful anticipation the coming of the Lord.

PASKUHAN - Filipino Mass and Christmas Party

Paskuhan 2009
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2009
beginning at 2:00 PM

St. Joseph Parish
767 Prospect St.

Maplewood , NJ 07040 * 973-761-5933

· Misa ng Bayang Filipino
· Awitan sa Paskuhan
Tayo’y sama-samang mag kantahan ng ating mga paboritong awiting Pamasko.
· Salu-Salo sa Paskuhan
Pagsaluhan natin ang ating mga paborito’t masasarap na lutong Pinoy.
Please bring a pot-luck dish for everbody to share.

· Feature Family Presentation & Salu-Salo Entertainment

WE WILL WATCH THE AMERICA ’S FAVORITE
CHRISTMAS SHOW WHICH COMES ALIVE IN DVD!!!
bringing you the magic of the
RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR
Featuring - THE ROCKETTES -

Together as a Filipino Family, we will watch the video via wide screen projection of this unparalleled show featuring the Rockettes signature eye high kicks, and precision choreography in multiple show stopping numbers. Bring your entire family! Audiences of all ages will delight in this multifaceted spectacular including the awe-inspiring Living Nativity - the beautiful story of the first Christmas. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is an enduring Christmas tradition which has dazzled and inspired for over 75 years and continues to create memories that last a lifetime.

ALL SOULS DAY - REMEMBERING OUR DECEASED LOVED ONES

REMEMBERING OUR DECEASED LOVED ONES

November is traditionally a time for praying, remembering and lighting a candle for our loved ones who have died. We give thanks for them and recall how each one brought a touch of God’s light into the world. We remember their loving deeds and rejoice in their faithfulness. As we thank God for their witness and inspiration, let us renew our desire to live lives that reflect God’s love.

If you wish to have a loved one remembered in our parish Novena of Masses which begins on All Souls Day, envelopes are available in the racks in the back of church for those who do not have one at home. Envelopes must be returned anytime before Monday, November 2. Names submitted will be entered into our parish Book of Remembrance. This will be placed by the Baptismal font during the month of November.

In a spirit of unbroken, loving connection,

our parish Ministry of Compassion invites you,

your family and friends

to come together with the faith community of Saint Joseph Parish

for a

MASS OF REMEMBRANCE

on

MONDAY, ALL SOULS’ DAY, NOVEMBER 2ND

at 7:00 p.m.

during which, we will honor the cherished memory

of all our beloved dead, especially those who died during this past year

and whose funeral rites were celebrated at St. Joseph Parish.

In addition, we would like to acknowledge your loved ones

who have died since last November

whose funeral rites were celebrated elsewhere.

Immediately following Mass, light refreshments will be served in the back of church.
-We hope that you can join us in prayer and support

St. Joseph Parishioner produced "split ends" - the movie

SPLIT ENDS - NOW SHOWING IN MAPLEWOOD THEATRE
Limited Engagement - October 25th - November 5th


http://www.splitendsthemovie.com/

Bob Pusateri - a parishioner of St. Joseph Parish in Maplewood, New Jersey, has produced and production-managed Back Pocket Productions’ short films. He brings to Back Pocket a background in feature film and commercial special effects, as well as experience in industrials for major corporate concerns. Bob has also been actively involved in the Los Angeles and New York theatre scene, enjoying the challenges of producing, directing and showcasing the acting talent those cities offer.

Bob’s background in business — more than 12 years’ experience in profit and loss responsibility, sales, marketing and business development — makes him uniquely positioned to develop independent feature film projects. Bob has a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Theater from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.

......................

NOW SHOWING IN MAPLEWOOD THEATRE - OCTOBER 25TH - NOVEMBER 5TH

SPLIT ENDS - THE MOVIE

Manningtree, New Jersey is a little town on the brink of extinction. The 19th century storefronts of Old Town are being threatened by an international development cabal, North Sea Assets. North Sea is preparing to raze Old Town and replace it with a massive mall/luxury condo complex named – incongruously – Cortona.
If Cortona is built, a dozen mom and pop businesses will be bought out and uprooted, and if anyone refuses to sell, North Sea Assets is prepared to use eminent domain law to pry the Old Towners off of their property.

When our story begins, Cortona has a great shot at being approved. Manningtree’s portly Mayor, Tiny Provenzano, has a vested interest in Cortona’s success, and North Sea’s point man, the charming Warren Brown, is determined to remove any obstacle in its way.

That obstacle is Scottish-born Lizzie Munro. She owns and operates The Paisley Set hair salon in Manningtree. Lizzie is over 40, vibrant, witty, and quite capable of attracting male attention. Her salon caters to the locals, and while Lizzie’s not making a fortune in the beauty game, she earns enough to get by and keep three local beauticians employed – worldly-wise Jacquie, bohemian waif Ashley, and a wry Pakistani immigrant, Mehar. They’re a tight group who work together and occasionally meet for a meal at MacIntosh’s, the local pub.

Lizzie’s love life is full of split ends. She has carried on with Len French, the owner of a coffee shop in Old Town, another business slated for the bulldozers. Len’s marriage to mousy DEANNE is on the rocks, or more accurately, on life support, but he is hesitant to pull the plug. His relationship with Lizzie might just be the town’s worst-kept secret. Although Lizzie is an intelligent gal, she has, like many women, settled for less than she deserves. Len has filled a void in Lizzie’s life, but now their relationship is no longer enough.

When Lizzie receives official notice from the Town of Manningtree that the powers that be intend to plop the grotesque Cortona right in the middle of Old Town, Lizzie vows to fight the invasion. Invoking the spirit of her countryman, William Wallace, aka Braveheart, Lizzie enlists the aid of antique dealer Bernie Depper, her Paisley Set staff, Tiny’s Aunt Connie Provenzano, and the whole town, in her struggle to fend off the developers.

Just when the local drama begins to heat up, a new leading man walks into Lizzie’s life. He’s romantic, considerate, passionate … and, unfortunately, the enemy. It’s none other than Warren Brown, under cover – and under the covers – in the service of North Sea Assets.
Is Lizzie headed for heartbreak? Is Old Town headed for the wrecking ball?

HOLY NAME SOCIETY PRESENTATION

The Holy Name Society of St. Joseph Parish and Our Lady of Sorrows
Presents
“MY OWN FOUR WALLS”
Next Sunday, October 18th
10:00 a.m. in Bernard Hall
Light Breakfast and Special Presentation

ALL PARISHIONERS ARE WELCOME

You may never think of homelessness in the same way again! Come for a powerful presentation that will give voice and visibility to homeless children from across the country, in towns and rural areas from coast to coast. How can we help answer their wish for a permanent place to call ‘home’?

Did you know that this week our partner parish has been hosting several homeless families in their lower church as the parents search for housing? Parishioners from our parish have supported this outreach by their welcoming presence and by cooking meals.

This video presentation and discussion is being sponsored by the Holy Name Society of St. Joseph and Our Lady of Sorrows Parishes to help us all become more aware and informed. Find out about the next dates when you can help support the Interfaith Hospitality Network. Tia Aery, Executive Director of IHN of Essex, will be our guest speaker.

HELP AND DONATE - BACK TO BACK FLOOD VICTIMS IN THE PHILIPPINES

DELUGE IN THE RAIN SOAKED PHILIPPINES

As you may know, the main island of Luzon in the Philippines was greatly affected by a Back-to-Back Typhoons KETSANA (ONDOY) on September 26 and PARMA (PEPENG) on October 9. Driving rain on the heels of back-to-back storms triggered dozens of landslides burying more than 150 people, drowning over 500 people, washing away villages and leaving almost an entire area under water which is as high 12 feet. The latest deluge brought the death toll to nearly 700 from the Philippines' worst flooding in 40 years after storms started pounding the country's north on Sept. 26. About 4 million people have been affected by the disaster.

The people are calling this the Katrina of the Philippines. More than 50 provinces have declared a "state of calamity." Heavy rains flooded 80 percent of the capital city of Manila and almost 60% in Northern Luzon destroying houses and infrasturcture leaving behind tons of mud and debris. Houses were completely submerged.

Catholic Relief Services, together with its partner, CAritas Philippines, is providing thousands of homeless families with immediate food aid as well as blankets, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, soap, etc.

Please help by channeling your donation to:

OFFICE OF FINANCE

Archdicoese of Newark

P.O. Box 9500

Newark, NJ 07104-0500

Checks can be made payable to: ARCHDIOCESE OF NEWARK - PHILIPPINE RELIEF.

You may open these links to see some footages of the calamity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAI6YtYs8kM

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=parma+and+ketsana+in+Philipines&search_type=&aq=f

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V6uRHxtQUM

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=videos&search_query=Philippine+Flood&search_sort=video_recently_uploaded>

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Philippine+Ondoy&search_type=&aq=f>

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/173284/over-100-killed-and-almost-340000-affected-by-ondoy>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_VJ5VNqYBA

FILIPINO MASS ON OCTOBER 4

Filipino Mass
at
St. Joseph Church
767 Prospect St.
Maplewood, New Jersey
Sunday, October 4, 2009

2:00 pm -Recitation of the Holy Rosary

3:00 pm - Holy Mass

4:00 pm - Filipino Fiesta

Anniversary of the Our Lord of Pardon Prayer Group
Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary
Respect Life Sunday

THE MAGIC 600 for the PARISH FAMILY PICNIC

The day is finally here!! We have been running about as hard as we can for some time now. This is because we want to thank you for all that you do for St. Joseph Church. You deserve the best.

It is time to enjoy this life with which God has so graciously blest us and not allow it to all be work. It is time to step back from our busyness and to spend quality time with our parish family and friends. This is what our parish picnic is all about.

We will have a Sunday afternoon in which we can all come together; the kids can jump and play. Adults can visit, eat and exchange pleasantries. Hangout and chat with old pals and meet new friends! We have a treat for everyone; the young and the mature, the young families and the “golden-age” couples.

There will be plenty of food to share. Get a freshly grilled hamburger or a hot dog, other favorite dishes and desserts; and something cool to drink. Tables and chairs will be provided for seniors and the infirmed. For those who are able, bring lawn chairs or picnic mats.

ADMISSION IS FREE. Please bring DESSERT for those whose last name begins with letters A to I; ENTREE for those whose last name begins with letters J to R; and SIDE DISH for those whose last name begins with letters S to Z. Donate TIME and TALENT by volunteering before, during and after the event.

If you failed to sign-up and want to join the MAGIC 600, JUST COME and join the fun!!!!!

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARISH PICNIC VOLUNTEERS

First of all, we would like to thank all of you who all these years been very very active and supportive of all our parish programs and events. Likewise, thank you for coming forward to help run this year's Annual Pairsh Family Picnic.

For those who volunteered to help, please take note of the following:

PHYSICAL ARRANGEMENT COMMITTEE:
The Boy Scouts will help in transporting the Tables and Chairs frombernard Hall. Please be at the park to help set them up at arounf 11 AM. Please see Jim Lackey, this year's Physical Arangement Committee Chair regarding other tasks during the picnic. You help is also needed for the clean up and transporting tables and chairs back to Bernard Hall.

HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE:
Please be at the Welcome Tent at 12:45.

FOOD COMMITTEE:
For those who can, some help is needed during the set-up whichbegins at 11:AM.

As you arrive in the Picnic Area, please see Hank and Patti Costa, our Food Committee Chair for instructions and assignment.

Grilling of Burgers and Hotdogs begins at 12 Noon. Please be on hand to receive the Entree, the Side Dishes and Desserts that our beloved parishioners bring to share to everyone and set them up at the Buffet Table.

Burgers and Hotdogs grilling continues till supply lasts (we have thousands of them).

ENTERTAINMENT AND GAMES COMMITTEE:
Please see Fr. Manolo and Pong Publico for instructions. We have games for all ages.

FACE PAINTING:
Please see Mary Boehner. A certain area is designated for Face Painting.

50/50
Please see Tony Leitner as you arrive in the Picnic Area.

Please pick-up your T-shirts (if you ordered) before all Masses beginning this Saturday 5:30 PM (September 19) and Sunday, September 20 at 7:30, 9:00 and 11:30 AM.

For everyone, please please bring picnic mats and chairs.

THANK YOU...THANK YOU....THANK YOU... SEE YOU ALL AT THE PICNIC

THE PICNIC T-SHIRT - RED

4TH ANNUAL PARISH FAMILY PICNIC

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2009, 1-5pm
Maplecrest Park, Maplewood, NJ

Have fun and enjoy the day with our parish family; hang-out and chat with old pals and meet new friends! We have a treat for everyone: the young and the mature, the young families and the “golden-age” couples.

There will be plenty of food to share: We provide free burgers, hotdogs, soda and water. Cost of Admission is one dish to share for 6-8 people.
· If your last name begins with letters A to I, please bring a DESSERT.
· If your last name begins with letters J to R, please bring an ENTREE.
· If your last name begins with letters S to Z, please bring a SIDE DISH.
Tables and chairs will be provided for seniors and the infirmed. For those who are able, please bring lawn chairs or picnic mats.

Visit our interactive blog for more information and photos of previous PARISH FAMILY PICNICS

http://open-doors-at-st-joseph-maplewood.blogspot.com

OUR ETERNAL FLAME, OUR CORY

When the light of Cory Aquino’s life, flickering as it had been, in the final, painful, month of her hospital seclusion, was finally extinguished, the country had been, in a sense, expecting it. Yet the news was still received with shock; and grief has settled over the nation, uniting rich and poor, old and young, the partisan and the apathetic, men and women, soldiers and civilians.

Unity is a rare thing in our country; we have it now; and adding to the feelings of grief is the wistful realization that it took the passing of Cory to reunite a divided nation.

In 1948, with trembling voice, Jawaharlal Nehru informed his people of the passing of Mahatma Gandhi with these immortal words: “The light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere.” There was no single great national figure to inform the country of Cory’s passing; instead, a quiet announcement came from her grief-stricken son, and there began the passing on of the news, and the sharing of fond memories.

It is only fitting that the Filipina who tried to institutionalize active non-violence in our bloodstained political culture inspired a similar sense of loss among Filipinos as that expressed by Nehru. Gandhi inspired Cory’s husband; and what Ninoy set out to do, she continued after his cruel murder. Non-violence has been, ever since, the dominant means to accomplish change in our country—a revolution in thought, accomplished by prayers, marches, candlelight vigils.

“The light that has illumined this country for these many years will illumine this country for many more years,” Nehru went on to say, “and a thousand years later, that light will be seen in this country and the world will see it and it will give solace to innumerable hearts.”

What was that light? It was the small but steady flame of personal conviction and conscience that never flickered even when the country and those she considered her nearest and dearest shunned her—ignoring her, even castigating her, because her husband chose to endure imprisonment rather than submit to the dictator.

It was a light that comes from a faith that led her to kneel, not in submission or surrender to the brutality and blandishments of the dictatorship, but to scrub the cell of her imprisoned husband on the rare occasions she was able to visit him; and which continued to bring her to her knees, in quiet contemplation and prayer, as she and her husband went into exile and then, in the years after his death, when his cause became hers to take up.

It was the light of liberty, the unquenchable flame of democracy, the light of optimism and faith in the Filipino, snuffed out in her husband’s case by an assassin’s bullets, but which lit so many more little flames, so that it dispelled the darkness that had engulfed the country since 1972. It was a light that could not be extinguished by coups and natural disasters, by the mocking of those who saw in her merely a woman, merely a widow, merely a person trying to return power where it belonged—in the people’s hands, to do with as they chose.

Cory Aquino’s inner light came to the fore once more, after she relinquished power—the only president in our history who never actively sought power but actively sought to relinquish it, fully and on time, once she had that power. It made her stand up whenever democracy was imperiled; she was applauded for it, and jeered for it; others still could not understand what was so clear to her. That incomprehension was born of such critics never having fully understood that inner light, which never required the active quest for popularity that marks the mere politician.

This was the light we took from Ninoy and Cory, which we passed from candle to candle, as we all proclaimed it would be better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. This was the light that was celebrated in our supreme moment of national redemption and vindication.
But for now, hearts are heavy; and there will take place the final series of farewells, from the humble to the great panoply of the honors of State; but throughout, we shall be—as she was—bringers and nurturers of the light, a light that shall never go out so long as the love of liberty burns brightly in our hearts—as it now, eternally, does in Cory’s and Ninoy’s.

As for the rest—the pomp and circumstance that surround the passing of a former head of state—her final wishes as expressed by her family are instructive. The cannons of the military boomed their hourly salute; the flags will be lowered to half staff; a simple guard of honor will keep vigil. But as for everything else, the pomp Ferdinand Marcos craved from embittered exile, Cory with utter simplicity declined. Her sole accompaniment as she goes to her final resting place beside her beloved Ninoy will be those for whom Ninoy died and for whom she lived: we, the people, without distinction as to protocol, or station in life. As in 1983, so it is in 2009: Cory, the people, together to demonstrate that the real power, glory and honors are not for officialdom to bestow, but instead, the Filipino people’s to freely give. And as it was in 1986 so it is now: united, in the streets, in remembrance and democratic dedication to our eternal flame, our Cory. So let these days of mourning be days of commemoration, of savoring, however briefly, that long-elusive sense of national unity we must aspire to always. And let us march, as we had marched,—not merely to bid farewell, but to continue along the path from which too many have strayed: the path of an uncompromising, stubborn dedication to the fight for liberty.

Editorial, Phil. Daily Inquirer (August 2, 2009)

ST. JOSEPH PARISH FREE CONCERT ON SUNDAY

Please join us for both the music
and for the coffee and dessert social, which will follow.
This is one way to thank all of you
for your gifts of Stewardship to St. Joseph Parish.
There is no cost to attend the event.

This is a final gift to the community of St. Joseph Church by our parishioners Tricia and Thomas Jöstlein. Tricia is an active freelancer in the area, and Thomas is wrapping up his time with the New York Philharmonic to assume the duties of assistant Professor of Horn at the University of Illinois in the Fall. The evening will also feature a special appearance by Barbara Currie, Fourth Horn with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Director of Music Dugan McGinley will accompany on piano. The hour-long program will be without intermission, and begins at 6:30 pm in the Sanctuary. All artists are donating their time and talents to this concert.

ST. JOSEPH PARISH SPRING RAFFLE

ST. JOSEPH PARISH RUMMAGE SALE

We will be collecting your donations in the School Gym entrance through the parking lot at the following times: June 17th, 18th, 19th: 9 a.m.-12 noon and 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.Saturday, June 20th 9 a.m.-12 noonJune 22nd to 26th from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon and 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

We can accept: Gently Used Clothing & Shoes, Toys, Strollers, Children's Books, Sporting Equipment, Tools, Bicycles, Holiday Ornaments, Small Furniture, Appliances, Housewares, Knick-knacks and Jewelry. Sorry, we are unable to accept: Computers, Electronics, Child Car Seats, Stuffed Animals, Christmas Trees, Reader's Digest Books, Textbooks, Magazines, Large Furniture, Older TVs and VCRs.

Volunteers are still needed to help with various aspects of the project in order to hold a successful sale. Any time that you can give will be much appreciated! If you have any questions, please call John Otchy at 973-762-4185 or Ernie D’Amato at 973-763-2002.

THE EVENTS OF MAY 3, SUNDAY beginning at 2:30 PM

See photos of past SANTACRUZAN and MAY CROWNING
http://picasaweb.google.com/stjosephinformationservice

THE FLOWERS OF MAY - MAY 3, 2009

A very beautiful Catholic Tradition during the month of May is to offer flowers to the Blessed Virign. At St.Joseph Chruch, this activity is integrated into one big Event honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary at the First Sunday of May. We encourage the children who made their First Communion to come back to church for this event wearing their communion dresses and participate in the Floral Offering which willtake place right after the Coronation Rites.

MAY IS THE MONTH OF MARY, COME AND CELEBRATE THIS SUNDAY,MAY 3

"The mood of springtime informs the church's interior; nature's blossoming, the warm air of May evenings, human gladness in a world that is renewing itself -- all these things enter in. Veneration of Mary has its place in this very particular atmosphere, for she, the Virgin, shows us faith under its youthful aspect, as God's new beginning in a world that has grown old. In her we see the Christian life set forth as a youthfulness of the heart, as beauty and a waiting readiness for what is to come." (Pope Benedict)

May is the month which the piety of the faithful has long dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. Our heart rejoices at the thought of the moving tribute of faith and love which will soon be paid to the Queen of Heaven in every corner of the earth. For this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration; and it is the month in which a greater abundance of God's merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother's throne.

We are delighted and consoled by this pious custom associated with the month of May, which pays honor to the Blessed Virgin and brings such rich benefits to the Christian people. Since Mary is rightly to be regarded as the way by which we are led to Christ, the person who encounters Mary cannot help but encounter Christ likewise. For what other reason do we continually turn to Mary except to seek the Christ in her arms, to seek our Savior in her, through her, and with her? To Him men are to turn amid the anxieties and perils of this world, urged on by duty and driven by the compelling needs of their heart, to find a haven of salvation, a transcendent fountain of life.

May she who experienced the cares and hardships of earthly life, the weariness of daily toil, the hardships and trials of poverty, and the sorrows of Calvary, come to aid the needs of the Church and the human race. May she graciously lend an ear to the devout pleas of those all over the world who beg her for peace. May she enlighten the minds of those who rule nations. And finally, may she prevail on God, who rules the winds and storms, to calm the tempests in men's warring hearts and grant us peace in our day. What we seek is true peace grounded on the sturdy foundations of justice and love—on a justice which recognizes the legitimate rights of the weak as well as those of the strong; on a love which keeps men from falling into error through excessive concern for their own interests. Thus each person's rights may be safeguarded without the rights of others being forgotten or violated.

Mense Maio: Encyclical of Pope Paul VI promulgated on April 30, 1965.

MAY CROWNING ON SUNDAY, MAY 3

Images of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus have been revered by Christians from ancient times. The reverence for the image is directed to the persons represented. Crowing a statue of the Lord's Mother is symbolic of the honor we give her as the one chosen by God to bear His Son, our Salvation.

During the Month of May -- a month both named for and dedicated to Mary - Catholics have long honored her by placing a crown on her image. The tradition in the United States and many other countries has been for school children to have a "May Crowning" ceremony, with a procession, pretty dresses and a wreath of fresh flowers that one child gets to place on the statue. A song for these festivals, "Bring Flowers of the Fairest", with its refrain "O Mary, we crown thee with blossoms today, Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May..." has been a familiar favorite for generations.

The queen symbol was attributed to Mary because she was a perfect follower of Christ, who is the absolute "crown" of creation. She is the Mother of the Son of God, who is the messianic King. Mary is the Mother of Christ, the Word Incarnate... "He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High; the Lord will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there will be no end" (Lk 1:32-33). Elizabeth greeted the Blessed Virgin, pregnant with Jesus, as "the mother of my Lord" (Lk 1:41-43). Mary is the perfect follower of Christ. The maid of Nazareth consented to God's plan; she journeyed on the pilgrimage of faith; she listened to God's Word and kept it in her heart; she remained steadfastly in close union with her Son, all the way to the foot of the Cross; she persevered in prayer with the Church. Thus, in an eminent way she won the "crown of righteousness" (II Tim 4:8), the "crown of life" (Jas 1:12; Rev 2:10), the "crown of glory" (I Pet 5:4) that is promised to those who follow Christ.

PRAY THE ROSARY AS A FAMILY ON SUNDAY, MAY 3

I’m sure nine out of ten parents would agree: Praying the Rosary as a family can be a participation in the Passion of Christ. It’s a form of redemptive suffering unlike any other. With the nomadic tendencies of little ones and the other struggles of family life sure to interrupt this needed prayerful meditation, we could easily ask ourselves, Why even begin a tradition of prayer which will only end in frustration? Why place ourselves upon this path of agony?

Deep down, we know that this suffering has life-giving repercussions. Let us look at the need for a parental call to prayer, the Rosary’s connection with the rhythm of life, the application of suffering, and the culmination in our resurrection with Christ.

The Call
To establish the habit of praying the Rosary as a family, the first step—and not the least daunting—is the call. Just trying to gather the children for family prayers can be quite a feat. In fact, I daresay the parting of the Red Sea can seem at times a small act of divine intervention compared to gathering all the kids into one location for a bit of prayer time.

One of the biggest challenges is simply how busy families are these days. In many homes, it is rare to have everyone gathered together for a family meal, let alone an established prayer experience. Take the simple step of picking a few nights during the week to embark on this prayer adventure. Then make the call heard throughout your homes. As the parent, it is your job to make prayer time a recognized priority. It must be as important to you as attending your child’s sports events.
As a father of eight, I know how it is to get discouraged by the seemingly endless struggle of gathering young children for the family Rosary. But consider this when you are tempted to despair after giving the call over and over . . . and over again: We exert the extra effort to prepare and gather the children for school, doctor appointments, or even a trip to the zoo. Does not their spiritual health have far greater implications than these events?

The Rhythm of Life
The Rosary has a rhythm that models our life: Joyful and sorrowful events unfold before us daily. By meditating upon the mysteries found in the Rosary, we can unite our experiences—even the experience of family prayer!—with those of the Holy Family.

Children will occasionally become distracted while praying the family Rosary—or rather, they will occasionally be engaged in prayer. All of the Hail Marys and the tedious task of incorporating both vocal and meditative prayer can challenge the attention span not just of the young ones but of all of us who have been nursed upon the electronic pabulum of our age. Kids today—and adults, too—are constantly entertained through television and computers. The Rosary, on the other hand, does not offer constant feel-good gratification, and without the glam and glitz of modern technology it can seem a bit pointless for spiritual development in young people. Isn’t there a more attractive way to invite our children into prayer? One that is “fun”?

The Rosary is hardly an invitation into the latest expression of something “fun.” But neither is it an ancient prayer needing the latest technological boost to lure the masses into its beauty. The Rosary is an opportunity for us to settle into the rhythm of God’s life through the Person of Jesus Christ. Rather than being one more thing in this world that offers to gratify our personal desires or needs, the Rosary is an exercise in self-donation. We can instill this virtue in our children by encouraging them to offer the Rosary for those with no one to pray for them.

The struggle for spiritual growth within family prayer has beautiful ramifications. We may not “feel” that our children are being touched during this time, and it may seem they are overly disinterested, but the truth is that they are formed and shaped through the repetition of these prayers and meditations upon the mysteries of the Rosary.

Pointless Suffering?
As we gather for the family Rosary in our home, exhaustion often overwhelms me the moment I sit down. I feel unfortunately very much like Peter and the disciples who fell asleep in the garden during Jesus’ agony. I have actually drifted off in the middle of a Hail Mary only to be startled awake by my wife praying a little louder, inviting me back into the land of the living.

It isn’t just a personal struggle, though. With children weeping and gnashing their teeth, instead of being a heavenly experience this prayer time seems to reflect a manifestation of purgatory. Many evenings my little ones gather into the living room with rosaries in hand not for the purpose of participating in the prayers, but with intentions of creating and implementing upon their siblings new devices of torture. Some have created what could possibly be marketed as a new workout program, enabling you to stretch your legs further than one could imagine. The preferred use of rosaries in our house has been to whip siblings into shape.

My wife and I invite the little ones to look at picture books with images of the Sorrowful, Glorious, or Joyful Mysteries, yet inevitably any given book becomes the one which every child must hold in his or her lap. It is a struggle to continue in prayer with the phone ringing, homework looming, babies crying, little ones arguing, teenagers mumbling, food digesting, and exhaustion overwhelming. And all the while we wonder: Will any of this really make a difference? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

A Resurrection Moment

On Good Friday several years ago, my 4-year-old son led the fourth sorrowful mystery for the first time. We all clapped as he finished. Everyone in the family was so proud and excited at this beautiful moment. I had known that he could pray some of the prayers before, but he had never led a mystery. That night he wanted to. It was a glorious moment that would not have come had we not been persistent in praying the family Rosary.

In the end, teaching our children to focus on the beauty of God’s love within time, and our invitation as His children to spend eternity with Him, is the catecheses we as parents are asked to convey. I am given these children by God in order to bring them to heaven.

Our children are trained by the world to embrace the popular, star athletes, or those who are financially successful. As Catholic parents, we are to instill in our children the futility of worldly attachment and approval in order that they might pursue the Pearl of Great Price. We are to lead our children to the beauty of Christ Jesus, imploring them to seek God above all else. Entrusting our families to the maternity of the Blessed Mother Mary, especially by praying the family Rosary, enables us to achieve our goal as parents. The Blessed Mother is willing and able to instruct us as we train up our children in the way they should go.

One sure way of getting in step with our Mother’s teaching is to meditate upon the mysteries of the Rosary. Leading our family into this meditation is not easy, nor is it always contemplative or the conduit for warm and fuzzy feelings. The importance and value of the Rosary is there nonetheless. Patiently finding new ways to bring out the mysteries, through Scripture reading, looking at photos, or asking for reflections after each decade are small ways to engage them into these moments of prayer.

Make the call heard in your family, invite them into the rhythm of life by meditating upon the beauty of God in time, take all of the struggles of this Rosary time and place it upon the Cross, realizing that the impact you are making in their lives is leading them to the beauty of the Resurrection.

Chris Padgett is a musician, speaker, and a devoted husband and father of eight. He resides with his family in Steubenville, Ohio. For more information about his various outreaches, visit www.chris-padgett.com.

SHARING THE JOY TO OUR SENIORS THIS MAY

My Soul Proclaims the Greatness of the Lord - these words of the Blessed Virgin Mary is being echoed by St. Joseph Parish Family by bringing joy to the Senior Citizens living in nursing homes and retirement houses. Through the initiative of the SJPM POLO (Parents of Little Ones), parishioners are asked to make small bouquets of fresh flowers to be bleed during the May Crowning and SantaCruzan events on Sunday, May 3, beginning at 2:30 PM. The blessed bouquest of fresh flowers willbe delivered personally by POLO members and their kids to the seniors.

This is a very wonderful event reachingout to those who need to feel the warmth and embrace. This is one way in saying to those in nursing homes and retirement houses that they are remembered and cherished especially during this Month that we dedicate to the Blessed Virgin Mary who, in her own way, visited her cousin Elizabeth to give her joy and assurance in times that she needed them.

MAY CROWNING AND SANTACRUZAN FESTIVAL

SUNDAY, MAY 3

See photos of past SANTACRUZAN and MAY CROWNING

http://picasaweb.google.com/stjosephinformationservice

THE RECITATION OF THE ROSARY - The word Rosary means "Crown of Roses". Our Lady has revealed to several people that each time they say a Hail Mary they are giving her a beautiful rose and that each complete Rosary makes her a crown of roses. The rose is the queen of flowers, and so the Rosary is the rose of all devotions and it is therefore the most important one. The Holy Rosary is considered a perfect prayer because within it lies the awesome story of our salvation. With the Rosary in fact we meditate the mysteries of joy, of sorrow, the glory of Jesus and Mary and the important events in the life of the Lord in the mysteries of the light.

THE FLORAL OFFERING TO MARY - Laying flowers before Mary's statue is deeply embedded in Christian tradition. We invite and encourage children to bring whatever flowers can be found: lilacs, dandelions... or even just green leaves or fresh tips of evergreens. Most little children know the joy of bringing mom a gift of a bouquet. The little bouquet stands for the love the child has for mom. This also applies to our love for Mary, Jesus' mother and our mother.

THE BLESSING OF BOUQUETS FOR THE SENIORS - This is a new introduction in our parish. If you wish to share the joy to the seniors in nursing homes and retirement houses, you can make a small bouquet of fresh flowers. These bouquets will be blessed and the members of the St. Joseph Parish POLO (Parents of Little Ones) will deliver them to the seniors. This will be the second activity by the St. Joseph parish POLO members, the first was during Christmas Season with cards made by small children of the parish. We also welcome requests from families of senior citizens who they want to receive the blest bouquet of fresh flowers on Sunday, May 3.

THE CROWNING OF MARY - May crowning became popular in the United States. This practice continues in our parish today. A statue of Mary is honored with a wreath of blossoms to indicate Mary's virtues, virtues that were to be imitated by the faithful. One of the defining aspects of being Catholic is devotion to Mary. This activity is led by the members of the Rosary Altar Society and the Catholic Daughters of America. This year, we would like to make a very special invitation to children who made their First Communion, wearing their beautiful communion dresses and coats to participate in the May Crowning.

THE SANTACRUZAN FESTIVAL - PROCESSION - The annual outdoor May Procession follows immediately after Mass. The procession will cover Hilton Ave, Tuscan Rd, Lexington Ave and Prospect St. The image of the Blessed Virgin Mary will highlight the procession. Beautiful young ladies and their escorts will walk in the parade under a beautifully decorated arches bearing the various Titles of Mary. The festivity commemorates the search of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena (Reina Elena) and her son, the newly converted emperor Constantine. After the Holy Cross was found in Jerusalem and brought back to Rome, there was a joyful celebration for thanksgiving.

THE FELLOWSHIP - The celebration always culminates with a fellowship. There will be food, music and dance. This is also the time to meet new acquaintances. This activity is open for everyone present.

THANK YOU DEAR CATECHISTS

RCIA TEAM
This past year, seven adults and two older teens came forward to complete their Christian Initiation by preparing for Baptism, Confirmation and/or First Eucharist. Their weekly gatherings helped them explore the Sunday scriptures and our Catholic beliefs. Leading them along this journey of faith were MARIE DORCE, TONY LEITNER, BEVERLY MOZONE AND MARK MUCCI. We thank them for sharing their commitment, their joy and their insights with our candidates and our catechumen.

INFANT BAPTISM TEAM
Parents seeking to baptize their first child prepare for their new and critical role of instructing their little ones in the practice of our faith. We offer our appreciation to MARY RIESETT AND RUTH SKARBEK who have come to our sessions over the past year and lovingly shared their experience and wisdom of parenting.

K-8 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM
This is the last week of formal instruction for the children enrolled in our Sunday morning classes, but we send these young people forth for the summer confident that they will stay connected to the ways of prayer, community and service which they learned about and experienced this year. Thanks to the faith, love, example and knowledge of those who guided them, they have grown in faith and wisdom. Through their outreach efforts, they have shown us that they care about the poor and vulnerable in our world. We salute with gratitude our 2008/2009 catechists and aides who so generously gave their time to our program!

LINDA KUNKA
KAYLA ROSARIO
CLAUDIA BARRETO
DIANE LEBRON
LIZ PETROCCIA
JILL LANDICHO
SANDRA KUREK
KATHERINE PAREDES
VALERIE HENNINGSEN
ALFRED BRODERICK
DEDE LACKEY
ANTHONY PAREDES
ANN-MARIE LEUNG
MARY BOEHNER
MARGUERITE WAGNER-KRET
ANDRIA SZTOJKA
CARMEN MEADES
MONICA MATOS
MARY BROWN
BETSY SOSA
SUZZETTE THOMAS
MAURA WALSH
JOANNE VEON
BRENDA ALVAREZ-LADD
CATHY DOWD
MARY PAGLIUCA
MANI ARGUELLES
LAURIE READER
ELAINE WEILAND
JIM HILTON
CHRISTINE ETIENNE
CARMINE TABONE
SUZANNE RYAN
OEDIES WILLIAMS

Our catechists are supported beyond the classroom by those who volunteer to be Sunday supervisors. We greatly appreciate the commitment and weekly presence of Barbara Murray, Mary Hetherington and Judy Erlandsen.

IF YOU FEEL CALLED TO BE A CATECHIST
please contact Diane Pew or Jennifer Leitner information on ways to share your faith with others: call 973-761-5933
or email faith@stjosephmaplewood.org

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES
Current families are reminded that their re-registration forms are now due.
New families who may wish to enroll their children, grades K to eight, in our Sunday morning Religious Education program next fall are invited to call Diane or Jennifer at the rectory for information: 973 761 5933, extension 24 or 26. This program is provided by the parish for children who are not enrolled in Catholic school. It assists parents in the religious instruction of their children and includes the background required for enrollment in First Communion or Confirmation preparation.

IS GOD GIVING YOU A NUDGE?
· Have you thought about joining the Catholic Church?
· Do you want to be baptized?
· Are you a baptized Catholic who regrets never receiving First Communion or Confirmation?
· Are you married to or dating a Catholic and feeling drawn to learn something more about your partner’s Church?
· Do you have questions about what the Church teaches and believes?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, God may be calling you to inquire about the next step. Our parish offers adult faith formation sessions, informal inquiry sessions and baptism preparation for adults. To discover what might work best for you, talk to one of the priests or contact Jennifer Leitner at the parish office for more information: call 973-761-5933, ext. 24, or email jleitner@stjosephmaplewood.org.

Annual Communion Breakfast

Sponsored by the
Holy Name Society and Knights of Columbus
Our Lady of Sorrows Parish and St Joseph Parish

Honoring
Mark Mucci- Outstanding Catholic Layman of the Year
Russell Pace – Ernie Cushing Service and Spirituality Award
Solomon Louis - Young Catholic Layman of the Year
Sunday, April 26, 2009
9:00 Mass at St. Joseph, Maplewood
Followed by Breakfast and Awards Presentations in Bernard Hall
Lower Church at St Joseph

Guest Speaker
Liliana Soto-Cabrera
Coordinator for Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Newark
“Praise His Holy Name”

For reservations, please fill out the form below and return to the Parish Office or mail to Holy Name Society, 217 Prospect St., South Orange, NJ 07079. Or call Tony Leitner (973) 762-2721 to make reservations. Please make reservations as early as possible.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Communion Breakfast – Sunday, April 26, 2009
Please make checks payable to “Holy Name Society”

Name:____________________________________________________

Number of adults ____________ @ $15.00 = $_____________

Number of children (under 12) ____________ @ $10.00 = $_____________

(Family Maximum $40) Total $_____________

CHRISM MASS, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 8PM

HOLY THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 7:30 PM

GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 3-M

EASTER VIGIL, APRIL 11, 8PM

ST. JOSEPH PARISH SUPPORTS AUTISM AWARENESS

APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH

Why should you be interested in this? The Catholic Church acknowledges that all people are made in the image of God, and further that all baptized people share in the life and mission of the Church. In affirming this, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the Pastoral Statement on People with Disabilities, which calls for the integration and fuller participation of people with disabilities into parish life. The department for Pastoral Ministry with Persons with Disabilities for the Newark Archdiocese exists to support this call for inclusion.

At all times we should live the example Jesus gave to reach out in particular to people who are excluded and to recognize the gifts that all have to share. During the month of April in particular, please pray the following for families and people living with an autism spectrum disorder. Throughout the year other special intentions will be shared with you also.

Loving Creator God,
May the full splendor of your grace abide

with all Families touched by autism spectrum disorders.
Give your children with autism the strength

they need to learn something new today.

Give their parents the wisdom to see

and nurture their potential.

Bless their teachers, supporters and friends

whose commitment echoes your own faithfulness.
Encourage all people who gather in your name

to reach out and embrace those with autism.

Help us all to see your image reflected in those

who struggle with neurological disabilities.

We ask this in the name of your Son,

who loved those on the margins as his very own.

Mary Beth Walsh, Ph.D.


For more information contact:
Anne Masters
Director, Pastoral Ministry with Persons with Disabilities
Newark Archdiocese
masteran@rcan.org 973-497-4309 www.rcan.org/disabilities

EASTER SUNDAY FILIPINO MASS - April 12

HAKBANG NI KRISTO - GOOD FRIDAY

There is no doubt that Holy Week is one of the most revered Catholic celebration in the Philippines. Holy Week is locally called Mahal na Araw, Cuaresma or Semana Santa. In contrast to other Christian countries, Filipino Catholics give emphasis on the suffering of Christ, rather than on His resurrection, on the belief that salvation comes at the end.

Religious piety is passionately displayed in different parts of the Philippines, particularly in the provinces where communities go on pilgrimage to as many churches and devotees re-enacting Christ's ordeal through real-life crucifixion under the scorching heat of the sun.

Our annual HAKBANG NI KRISTO, a Good Friday Morning of Prayer, Devotion and Reflection on the Stations of the Cross is on April 10, 2009 beginning with Morning Prayer at 9am at St. Joseph Church. This event is spearheaded by the BAYANIHAN CLUB OF UNION, in partnership with the FILIPINO MINISTRY of St. Joseph Church, the LORD OF PARDON PRAYER GROUP and the Filipino Religious Movements and Prayer Groups.

Weather permitting, the event will be done outside as last year. Temporary Stations of the Cross will be set up around the block of St. Joseph Church for the event. Everyone present will have the chance to carry the huge cross prepared solely for the event.

Please take note of the following assignment for Cross Bearers:

First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death

Bayanihan Club of Union Officers and members

SECOND STATION: Jesus takes up his Cross

Lord of Pardon Prayer Group Members

THIRD STATION: Jesus falls for the first time

Faithful from Elizabeth

FOURTH STATION: Jesus meets his Mother

Faithful from Maplewood/South Orange

FIFTH STATION: The Cyrenian helps Jesus carry the Cross

Faithful from Irvington/Hillside

SIXTH STATION: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

Faithful from Union/St. Michael

SEVENTH STATION: Jesus falls for the second time

Faithful from Union/Holy Spirit

EIGHTH STATION: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem

Young Filipinos (Youths and Kids)

NINTH STATION: Jesus falls for the third time

Faithful from

Region I: Ilocos Norte, llocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan

Region II: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino

Region III: Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales

TENTH STATION: Jesus is stripped of his garments

Faithful from

Region IV: Aurora, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Quezon,

Rizal and Romblon

Region V: Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon

Region VI: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental

ELEVENTH STATION: Jesus is nailed to the Cross

Faithful from

Region VII: Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor

Region VIII: Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar,

Samar and Southern Leyte

Region IX: Basilan, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur,

Sibugay

TWELFTH STATION: Jesus dies on the Cross

Faithful from

Region X: Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental

Region XI: Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental,

Compostela Valley, Sarangani, South Cotabato

Region XII: Cotabato, Lanao del Norte, Sultan Kudarat

THIRTEENTH STATION: Jesus is taken down from the Cross

Faithful from

Cordillera Autonomous Region: Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM): Lanao del

Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Sur

CARAGA: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur

FOURTEENTH STATION: Jesus is laid in the tomb

The Procession of Candles

FOR PHOTOS OF PAST HAKBANGNI KRISTO, please visit

http://picasaweb.google.com/stjosephinformationservice

http://open-doors-at-st-joseph-maplewood.blogspot.com