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MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Sunday, January 3, 2010 – The Epiphany of the Lord
9:00 For the Deceased Members of the Sodality of Mary
10:30 Alma
Vignola
12:00 Dorothy & Tom McCabe
Monday, January 4,
2010 – St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
12:05 Darwin Farber
Tuesday, January 5, 2010 – St. John Neumann
12:05 Filippo
Procacci
Wednesday, January 6, 2010 – Christmas Weekday
12:05 St. Maria Goretti
Thursday, January 7, 2010 – St. Raymond
de Peñafort
12:05 Pietro and Udilia Gobbato
Friday,
January 8, 2010 – Christmas Weekday
12:05 Nunziato DiPerna
Saturday, January 9, 2010 – Christmas Weekday
No Mass
Sunday, January 10 , 2010 – The Baptism of the Lord
9:00 Salvatore, Maria, Joe, John and Tom Riccobene
10:30 40th
Anniversary – Ringraziamento Italo Botti & Clodia Sclarandis
12:00
Beatrice Grazado
LECTORS THIS SUNDAY
9:00 Gerry Oliveto
10:30
Marco Randazzo and Adriano Romano
12:00 Alex LoBianco
EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
In today’s Gospel, Matthew tells the story of how
a star guides gentile wise men to the Messiah, looking ahead to the
acceptance of Christ by non-Jews. Yet these wise figures - seekers,
might we call them? –still need instruction about from where the
Messiah is to come. Their honest faith and seeking contrasts with the
cunning of Herod, a figure suspect in the eyes of Jews and fearful of
any talk of kings other than himself.
Openness to guidance,
willingness to learn, good faith: These qualities then and now make
for disciples who wish to let the presence of Christ shine in their
lives.
EPIFANIA DEL SIGNORE
Nel Vangelo di oggi, St. Matteo racconta la
storia di come una stella guida i Magi al Messia, anticipando
l’accettazione di Cristo da parte dei non-ebrei. Ma questi ricercatori
sapienti hanno ancora bisogno di essere istruiti su dove il Messia
sarebbe nato. La loro fede onesta e la loro ricerca contrastano col
perfido Erode, una figura sospetta agli occhi degli ebrei e pauroso di
ogni menzione di re che non fosse lui stesso.
Apertura ad essere
guidati, volontà d’imparare, fede viva: Queste qualità allora come
oggi creano dicepoli che desiderano che la presenza di Cristo
risplenda nella loro vita.
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 Magi
from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king
of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him
homage." - Mt 2:1b-2
Readings for the Week of
3 January 2010
Sunday: Is 60:1-6/Eph
3:2-3a, 5-6/Mt 2:1-12
Monday: 1 Jn 3:22---4:6/Mt
4:12-17, 23-25
Tuesday: 1 Jn 4:7-10/Mk 6:34-44
Wednesday: 1 Jn 4:11-18/Mk 6:45-52
Thursday:
1 Jn 4:19---5:4/Lk 4:14-22a
Friday: 1 Jn 5:5-13/Lk
5:12-16
Saturday: 1 Jn 5:14-21/Jn 3:22-30
Next Sunday: Is 42:1-4, 6-7 or 40:1-5, 9-11/Acts 10:34-38 or Ti
2:11-14; 3:4-7/Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL
In the Gospel of St. Matthew, we are told that Jesus said, “You cannot
serve both God and money” and, “It is easier for a camel to go through
the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”
The “prosperity gospel, an insipid heresy whose popularity among
American Christians has boomed in recent years, teaches that God
blesses those God favors most with material wealth. The ministries of
three televangelists commonly viewed as founders of the prosperity
gospel movement – Kenneth Hagan, Kenneth Copeland, and Frederick K.C.
Price – took hold in the 1970’s and 1980’s. One of the oldest and best
known proponents of prosperity theology, Oral Roberts –the television
faith healer who in 1987 told his flock that God would call him home
if he didn’t raise $8 million in a matter of weeks – died at 91 two
weeks ago. But the past decade has seen this pernicious doctrine
proliferate in more mainstream circles. Joel Osteen, the 46-year-old
head of Lakewood Church in Houston, has a TV ministry that reaches
more than 7 million viewers, and his 2004 book “Your Best Life Now: 7
Steps to Living at Your Full Potential,” has sold millions of copies.
“God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to
fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us,” Osteen wrote in a 2005
letter to his flock. As crass as that may sound, Osteen’s version of
the prosperity gospel is more gentle, (and decidedly less sweaty) than
those preached by such co-religionists as Benny Hinn, T.D. Jakes and
the appropriately names Creflo Dollar. Few theological ideas ring more
dissonant with the harmony of orthodox Christianity than a focus on
storing up treasures on Earth as a primary goal of faithful living.
The gospel of prosperity turns Christianity into a vapid bless-me
club, with a doctrine that amounts to little more than spiritual
magical thinking: If you pray the right way, God will make you rich.
But if you’re not rich, then what? Are the poor cursed by God because
of their unfaithfulness? And if God were so concerned about 401(k)s
and Mercedes, why would God’s son have been born into poverty? Nowhere
has the poverty gospel flourished more than among the poor and the
working class. Told that wealth is a sign of God’s grace and favor,
followers strive for trappings of luxury they can little afford in an
effort to prove they are blessed spiritually. Some critics have gone
so far as to place blame for the past decade’s spending binge and
foreclosure crisis at the foot of the prosperity gospel’s altar.
Jesus was born poor, and He died poor. During His earthly tenure,
He spoke time and again about the importance of spiritual wealth and
health. When He talked about material wealth, it was usually part of a
cautionary tale. (Cathleen Falsani The WP, 12/20/09)
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THE SECOND COLLECTION
TODAY is for the Renovation Fund. Our next ambitious project is
the restoration of the Lower Church Hall. Please, be generous.
THE HOLY NAME SOCIETY
will meet today after the 9:00 a.m. Mass in the Lower Church Hall.
THE SODALTIY
will meet Sunday, January 10, 2010 after the 9:00 AM Mass in the Lower
Church Hall.
TODAY EVERYONE IS
INVITED TO OUR BEFANA. The children will be blessed at the 12
noon Mass, after which all will go to Casa Italiana to await the
arrival of the Befana with gifts for those children who have been
good.
ADULT FAITH FORMATION:
Holy Rosary Church is resuming its courses for Adult Faith Formation
TODAY from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Each course lasts six weeks. All adults
are welcome to attend.
THE OFFERING ENVELOPES
FOR 2010 are now available and can be picked up at the
entrance of Casa Italiana. Taking them personally saves the Church the
expense of mailing them. Envelopes are also available for new users.
Extra calendars can also be picked up in the same area. We have them
both in English and in Italian.
THE 2010 CALENDARS HAVE
BEEN MAILED OUT to all our parishioners and friends. Please,
return your Christmas offering in the enclosed envelope. Needless to
say, the Church depends heavily on this collection to meet its
year-round expenses. Thank you!
LEAVE A LEGACY:
Your church has been there for you throughout your lifetime; you can
be there for your church’s future. Leaving a bequest in your will to
the church allows you to leave your legacy to an institution that has
meant so much to you and thousands of others. Bequests permit you to
make a gift without any loss of comfort or security during your
lifetime, while allowing you to take advantage of estate tax savings.
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LA SECONDA COLLETTA OGGI
è per il Fondo Restauri. Il nostro prossimo ambizioso progetto è il
restauro della sala sotto la Chiesa. Siate generosi!
LA SOCIETÀ DEL SANTO NOME
si riunisce oggi dopo la la Messa delle ore 9 nella sala sotto la
Chiesa.
IL SODALIZIO si
riunirà la prossima domenica dopo la Messa delle ore 9 nella sala
sotto la chiesa.
OGGI TUTTI SONO INVITATI ALLA
NOSTRA BEFANA. I bambini saranno benedetti, dopodichè tutti
andranno in Casa Italiana per aspettare l’arrivo della Befana che
porterà regali ai bambini buoni.
ISTRUZIONE RELIGIOSA PER
ADULTI: La Chiesa del Santo Rosario resume oggi i corsi di
istruzione religiosa per adulti dalle 10:30 alle 11:30. Ogni corso
dura sei settimane. Tutti gli adulti sono benvenuti.
LE BUSTE PER L’OFFERTA
DOMENICALE PER IL 2010 sono ora disponibili all’entrata di
Casa Italiana. Se le prelevate voi stessi, si risparmiano le costose
spese di spedizione. Ci sono pure scatole di buste per nuovi utenti.
Sempre all’entrata di Casa Italiana si possono trovare extra calendari
in inglese e in italiano.
I CALENDARI PER IL 2010 SONO
STATI SPEDITI a tutti i nostri parrocchiani e amici. Favorite
usare la busta allegata per mandare il vostro dono di Natale alla
parrocchia. La vostra offerta natalizia è davvero essenziale per poter
andare incontro alle spesse di tutto l’annno. Grazie!
ASSICURATI UN’EREDITÀ:
La chiesa è stata lì per te per tutta la tua vita. Tu puoi
essere lì per la tua chiesa nel futuro. Lasciando un lascito nel tuo
testamento alla chiesa ti permette di lasciare la tua eredità a una
istituzione che significa così tanto a te e a migliaia di persone.
Lasciti ti permettono di evitare tasse sulla tua proprietà.
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