427 Stanhope Road Sparta New Jersey 07871

973-729-1682 www.saintkateri.org email: [email protected]

LOVE GOD, LOVE OTHERS AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

FEBRUARY 14, 2021

WELCOME:

New parishioners are asked to register by calling or visiting the office or by speaking to one of the parish staff. You can also visit our website and register. WHY A CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE A REGISTERED PARISHIONER The precepts of the Church explained that: we need to belong to a parish (your parish is the Church in the City where you are domiciled) and to contribute to its support. Everyone should do this ( 107).

To identify yourself with a worshipping community of faith. Salvation comes to us by God in community. Religion is not meant to be individualistic. Membership in a parish community is the norm. To allow the priest of the parish to know Sacrament of Baptism: Baptism will be celebrated every 1st you so that Letters of Recommendation Sunday & 3rd Sunday of the month at 1:00pm. Please call can be given when needed. eight weeks in advance of the date of baptism or email: (Sponsorship/certificates) [email protected].

For those who are Sacrament of Marriage: Arrangement should be made attending Mass in person one year in advance of the marriage date. Please call the or visiting for private office. prayer, please be mindful that a mask must be worn Eucahristic Adoration: Every first Friday of the month from in the Church at all times. 2:00pm. Ending with evening prayer, prayer novena to St. During Communion, please continue to wear Kateri and benediction at 7:00pm. your mask as you receive the Holy Eucharist and then step aside and lift your mask momentarily to consume the Body of Christ. We must continue to be vigilant and protect our community and fellow parishioners. Thank you for your cooperation with these guidelines. Parish Staff PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH Fr. Vidal Roberto Gonzales, Jr. Pastor Hail, Guardian of the [email protected] Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed * * * Deacon Drew Calandriello Virgin Mary. Deacon Glen Murphy To you God entrusted his only Deacon Bruce Olsen Son, in you Mary placed her * * * Jeanne Hoskin trust; with Christ became man. Office Manager Blessed Joseph, to us too, show [email protected] * * * yourself a father and guide us Jennifer Dottinger in the path of life. Obtain for us Administrative Assistant grace, Mercy and courage, and [email protected] * * * defend us from every evil. Amen. Tina Jurgaitis With his announcement of a Year of Bookkeeper St. Joseph, Francis has invited us [email protected] WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONSth * * * to commemorate the 150 anniversary Cheryl Wallace of Blessed Pius IX's proclamation of DRE and Pastoral Associate St. Joseph as the Patron of Catholic [email protected] Church. He offers us this year, in our * * * Dawn Green Parishes, our of Paterson and Administrative Assistant the universal Church, to draw closer Youth Protection / Safe Environment to the one who loved Jesus "with a [email protected] Father’s heart." * * * Marc G. Dalio Be in good spirits under the fatherly mantle Music Director of St. Joseph, a place of safest refuge [email protected] * * * in trials and tribulations. Mike Sawey - St. Joseph Marello Carlos Gomez Maintenance * * * PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS THOSE WHO ARE SICK Cathy Pivowar We pray for: Patricia and Tom Sartain, Taylor Donnelly, Robert Medina Robert VanHoene, Kathy Hartwick, Rob McGurrin, Trustees Brian Naccarelli, Bill McCrossan, Carol Mohr, Graydon McVicker, Edward Wallace, MaryAnn Eifler, Christopher Robak, Margie Frazier, Patrick Dillsworth, Chris Auger, Margaret Brennan, Brittany Johnson, Michael Cordero.

ACTIVE MILITARY LIST

Please pray for our Active Military: Sean Schoch, Infantry Second Lieutenant, SSgt Daniel Joseph (DJ) Duguay, US Air Force; James Schoch, Infantry Second Lieutenant; Frank Cutrone, First Lieutenant, US Army; LtCol Dan Murphy, US Marine Corps; LTJG Katherine Garza, US Navy; LTJG David Garza, US Navy; LCpl Josh Jackson US Marine Corps. May God keep them safe and protect them from all harm. If you would like a love ones name added to the prayer list for the military, please call the parish center, 873-729-1682.

WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS We are grateful to all those who have signed up for Electronic Giving and those who continue to Feb. 13, - 5:00 pm +Santo Scaglione mail in or drop off weekly donations. We truly appreciate your ongoing support and want to Feb. 14, Sunday 6th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME let you know we’re here for you. You are a 7:30 am Special Intention: Elmer Maximo valued members of our church family. Your 9:00 am +Chuck &Maureen D’Angelo Sunday offering Even though our church is 10:30 am Volunteer Catechists quiet, facility utilities do not go away. Needs of our community, 12:00 nn People of the Parish ministry, and families still remain as well. We cannot meet such Feb. 15, . 8:15 am Msgr. Marc Giordani needs without your help. As we are not able to serve in large groups Feb. 16, . 8:15 am +Sheri Merchant or in person, our gifts of prayer and treasure are ever so important, Feb. 17, ASH WEDNESDAY even crucial to get us through this difficult time. If you haven’t 6:30 am +Teresita Gonzales already, please consider setting up a recurring gift online. It takes 8:15 am +Alfredo Julao two simple steps and the rest is seamless, automatic, and very 12:00 nn. +All Souls in Purgatory flexible. Please visit our page at: 4:30 pm. Special int.: People of the Parish www.saintkateri.org/electronic-giving You can also continue to mail Feb. 18,. 8:15 am Special intention: Corazon T. Rivera your gifts and envelopes to the parish at: 427 Stanhope Rd, Sparta, Feb. 19,- 8:15 am. +Eddie Dela Cruz NJ 07871. May God bless you and your loved ones. Feb. 20, - 5:00 Special Intention : STAFF and Weekly Month of February VOLUNTEER MEMBERS of the parish Feb. 21, Sunday FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT Regular Collections $11,093 7:30 am + Deceased members of the Parish Week Ending 02/07/2021 9:00 am + Dale Kobler Regular Collection 11,093. 10:30 am Vocation to the Priesthood & Rel. Life Maintenance 455 12:00 nn + David Perrelli Snow Removal 140 THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY Please consider making a donation to benefit the people in the Philippines, devastated by the multiple typhoons that have struck their country. See the table set up by the vestibule and for $10 per FACE MASK, we hope to send some relief to those who continue to suffer greatly. Thank you. RENEW COMMITTEE

When you give blood you give another birthday, another anniversary, another talk with a friend, another laugh, another hug, another chance. St. Kateri's next Blood Drive is on Saturday, Feb 20th from 7:45 am to 1:45 pm. Appointments are strongly recommended. Walk-ins can be taken as long as social distancing can be maintained. Please remember to eat, drink and bring you ID card or ID with name and photo. Schedule your appointment online at: nybc.org/njdrive Sponsor Code 15978. For more information call Mary Stanek at 973-349-9191. To the 69 donors and all who support this ministry: Thank you making our January drive such a success. More than 225 lives are better because of you. I Do Will It! 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” Mark 1:40-41

“I do will it.” These four little words are worth digging into and pondering. At first, we may read these words quickly and miss their depth and significance. We may simply jump to which Jesus wills and miss the fact of His willing itself. But His act of willing is significant. Sure, that which He willed is significant also. The fact that He cured a leper has great meaning and significance. Certainly it shows us His authority over nature. It shows His almighty power. It shows that Jesus can heal all wounds that are analogized by leprosy. But don’t miss those four words: “I do will it.” First of all, the two words “I do” are sacred words used at various times in our liturgies and are used to profess faith and commitment. They are used in marriages to establish an unbreakable spiritual union, they are used in baptisms and other sacraments to renew our faith publicly, and they are also used in the ordination rite of priests as he makes his solemn promises. To say “I do” is what one may call “action words.” They are words that are also an act, a choice, a commitment, a decision. They are words that have an effect on who we are and what we choose to become. Jesus also adds “…will it.” So Jesus is not just making a personal choice here or a personal commitment about His own life and convictions; rather, His words are an action that is effective and makes a difference for another. The mere fact that He wills something, and then sets that will into motion by His words, means something happened. Something changed. An act of God was accomplished. It would be of great benefit to us to sit with those words and ponder what sort of significance they have in our lives. When Jesus speaks those words to us, what is He willing? What is the “it” He is referring to? He definitely has a particular will for our lives and He is definitely willing to enact it in our lives if we are willing to hear those words. In this Gospel passage, the leper was completely disposed to Jesus’ words. He was on his knees before Him as a sign of complete trust and complete submission. He was ready to have Jesus act in his life and it is this openness, more than anything else, that evokes these action words from Jesus. The leprosy is a clear sign of our own weaknesses and sin. It’s a clear sign of our fallen human nature and weakness. It’s a clear sign that we cannot heal ourselves. It’s a clear sign that we need the Divine Healer. When we acknowledge all of these realities and truths, we will be in a position, just like this leper, to turn to Jesus, on our knees, and beg His action in our lives. Reflect, today, upon Jesus’ words and listen to what He is saying to you through them. Jesus wills it. Do you? And if you do, are you willing to turn to Him and ask Him to act? Are you willing to ask for and receive His will? Lord, I do will it, I do. I acknowledge Your divine will in my life. But sometimes my will is weak and insufficient. Help me to deepen my resolve to daily turn to You, the Divine Healer, so that I may encounter Your healing power. Help me to be open to whatever Your will includes for my life. Help me to be ready and willing to accept Your action in my life. Jesus, trust in You. SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time First Reading: Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46 Sun.: Lv 13:1-2, 44-46; 1 Cor 10:31-11:1; Mk 1:40-45 The Lord tells Moses and Aaron that anyone bearing the sore of leprosy must first be seen by Aaron or one of the other priests, Monday: Gn 4:1-15, 25; Mk 8:11-13 and that as long as the sore is upon him, “He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.” Tuesday: Gn 6:5-8, 7:1-5, 10; Mk 8:14-21 Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:31—11:1 Paul instructs the Corinthians to do everything for the glory of Wednesday: Jl 2:12-18; 2 Cor 5:20-6:2; Mt 6:1-6, God, to avoid offending others, and to be imitators of Christ. 16-18

Gospel: Mark 1:40-45 Thursday: Dt 30:15-20; Lk 9:22-25 Jesus takes pity on a leper and cures him of his disease with a warning not to say but to show himself to the priest and make an Friday: Is 58:1-9a; Mt 9:14-15 offering. Instead of remaining silent, the leper greatly publicized the healing, making it impossible for Jesus to enter the town Saturday: Is 58:9b-14; Lk 5:27-32 openly.

Saint Kateri Faith Formation – 2021!

Dear Saint Kateri Faith Formation Families and Parishioners: We are so excited to share at least 3 things with you! First: Our SK Family/Home Mass/Bible Lesson for this weekend is available on our website. Here is the link. Please send me a quick email if you'd like me to mail you the document. Our 1st and 2nd grade families continue to focus on their workbook lessons as their priority. Second: I am so excited to share with you an amazing series which is a marvelous teaching tool for your whole family-- and it is entertaining at the same time! The series is called The Chosen available via an app called Vid Angel. The Chosen is a beautiful, inspiring, binge-worthy walk through Jesus' life stories. If you are watching it with your young children, I recommend starting with the Season 1, Episode 3 (Jesus Loves the Little the Children). For older children (6th and up), you will likely want to watch the whole Series 1, and you will be excited to watch the next series when it is released! https://www.vidangel.com/show/the-chosen-a7284/season/1 Finally, I would like you to be aware that our parish has signed up for FORMED--a streaming service. FORMED is akin to a Catholic "Netflix" but with more: not just entertaining full length movies and binge-worthy series, but audio books, books for Kindle and eReaders, etc. A GREAT thing for you to tap into as we are home during the cold weather--and for other reasons this crazy year. Via this service, you will have access to all of this entertainment and catechesis for FREE through Saint Kateri Parish. Sign in with your name https://formed.org/signup (it takes one second to find our parish), and you will be allowed to browse the whole service freely.... ENJOY WATCHING AND STREAMING! : ) Once you are signed up: For our elementary children, especially our K-6th Graders, I would like you to view: Adventure Catechism, Episode 1 (Watch until the 3 minute mark; break, then watch the last 4 minutes) https://watch.formed.org/adventure-catechism/videos/adventure-catechism-1-who-made-the-world-1 Other children videos for you to browse: https://watch.formed.org/kids-1 For older children, teens, adults--explore all and enjoy! We will point you towards certain offerings on FORMED during Lent and throughout the rest of the year. Please stay safe and warm, explore these wonderful options with our parish, and God bless you!! Confirmation students we are so proud to hear of the good deeds you are doing for others this year. Keep sharing these with me! Cheryl Wallace

Director of Religious Education and Pastoral Associate Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, 427 Stanhope Road Sparta, NJ 07871 [email protected] (973) 729-3021

Free Membership Offer Extended The Knights of Columbus is an international Order of Catholic men who are called to lead with faith, protect our families, serve others and defend values in a busy changing world. The founder of the Knights, Blessed Father MMichael J. McGivney was recently beatified on October 31, 2020. To honor Father McGivney’s dream of growing the Knights of Columbus, the Knights are offering FREE online membership now through June 30 for 2021. If you would like to join simply go to KofC.org/joinus and enter promo code MCGIVNEY2020 along with requesting to join Council #13677. On Friday, February 19 & Friday, March 19, our council will be hosting the Charity, Unity & Fraternity degree in the church which upon completion will make the new member a full-fledged 3rd degree Knight. New members sign in time is 7:00 PM. Degree start time is 7:30 PM. Kindly contact Grand Knight Greg Risco at 908-619-1263 with any questions and/or to confirm your attendance on either date.

As We Approach The Season Of Lent, Please Attend To The Following:

Ash Wednesday - All parishes and institutions of the Diocese of Paterson will implement the measures directed by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments as follows: The Priest says the prayer for blessing the ashes. He sprinkles the ashes with holy water, without saying anything. Then he addresses all those present and only once says the formula as it appears in the Roman Missal, applying it to all in general: "Repent, and believe in the Gospel", or "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return". The Priest then cleanses his hands, puts on a face mask and distributes the ashes to those who come to him or, if appropriate, he goes to those who are standing in their places. The Priest takes the ashes and sprinkles them on the head of each one without saying anything. Welcome Home to Healing – “Welcome Home” is a diocesan initiative to invite all Catholics to experience the grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Confession is a wonderful opportunity to set aside our sinful ways and to draw closer to our Lord. Confessions will be held Every Monday during Lent, starting February 22 through March 22, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. with social distancing and face coverings. Stations of the Cross - The Stations of the Cross will be held each Friday at 7:00 pm. with social distancing and face coverings.

Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It's a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at Easter. During Lent, we seek the Lord in prayer by reading Sacred Scripture; we serve by giving alms; and we practice self- control through fasting. We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully. We recall the waters of baptism in which we were also baptized into Christ's death, died to sin and evil, and began new life in Christ. Many know of the tradition of abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent, but we are also called to practice self-discipline and fast in other ways throughout the season. Contemplate the meaning and origins of the Lenten fasting tradition in this reflection. In addition, the giving of alms is one way to share God's gifts—not only through the distribution of money, but through the sharing of our time and talents. As St. John Chrysostom reminds us: "Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs." (Catechism of the , no. 2446). In Lent, the baptized are called to renew their baptismal commitment as others prepare to be baptized through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, a period of learning and discernment for individuals who have declared their desire to become Catholics.

SAINT VALENTINE: Feastday: February 14; Patron: of Love, Young People, Happy Marriages; Death: 269 Saint Valentine, officially known as Saint Valentine of Rome, is a third-century Roman saint widely celebrated on February 14 and commonly associated with "courtly love." Although not much of St. Valentine's life is reliably known, and whether or not the stories involve two different saints by the same name is also not officially decided, it is highly agreed that St. Valentine was martyred and then buried on the Via Flaminia to the north of Rome. In 1969, the Roman Catholic Church removed St. Valentine from the , because so little is known about him. However, the church still recognizes him as a saint, listing him in the February 14 spot of Roman Martyrolgy. The legends attributed to the mysterious saint are as inconsistent as the actual identification of the man. One common story about St. Valentine is that in one point of his life, as the former Bishop of Terni, Narnia and Amelia, he was on house arrest with Judge Asterius. While discussing religion and faith with the Judge, Valentine pledged the validity of Jesus. The judge immediately put Valentine and his faith to the test. Thomas F. Collins, Jr. 973-663-0233 GOOD SHEPHERD Vogel, Chait, Collins, Schneider CATHOLIC CEMETERY A Professional Corporation A new Catholic Cemetery in our area located at Creek Rd. Attorneys At Law & Airport Rd. (603) Green Township, New Jersey 25 Lindsley Drive · Morristown For Information Call Our [email protected] • 973-538-3800 5 BOWLING GREEN PARKWAY Cemetery Office at 973-786-5811

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