929 Bay Ridge Parkway Brooklyn, New York 11228
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Church of St. Ephrem 929 Bay Ridge Parkway ⬧ Brooklyn, New York 11228 www.stephremparish-brooklyn.org stephrembklyn St. Ephrem Catholic Church Dyker Heights Parish Staff January 10, 2021 Very Rev. Robert B. Adamo, V. F., KCHS, Pastor Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Rev. Msgr. Peter V. Kain, Pastor Emeritus Rev. Anthony S. Chanan, Parochial Vicar Mr. Robert Cote, Youth Minister Mrs. Michele James, Business Manager Rev. Msgr. Theophilus Joseph, Parochial Vicar Sr. Mary Ann Ambrose, C.S.J., Director of Faith Formation Mr. Thomas Marchesiello, Director of Music/Liturgy Deacon Kevin McLaughlin, Permanent Deacon Mr. Craig Mercado, Academy Principal Sr. Ann Martha Ondreicka, O.P., Director of the Spirituality Center Mrs. Lisa Pinsky, Parish Secretary Deacon Anthony Stucchio, Permanent Deacon Rectory Office Spirituality Center Faith Formation Office 929 Bay Ridge Parkway 935 Bay Ridge Parkway Third Floor of Academy 718-745-7486 718-833-1010 718-921-9518 [email protected] Fax 718-921-5232 St. Ephrem Catholic Academy 924 74th Street, Brooklyn, New York 11228 ⧫ 718-833-1440 ⧫ www.stephremcatholicacademy.org Schedule of Masses Baptism Saturday Vigil 5:00 PM Parents should call the rectory to make an appointment. Sunday 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12 Noon and 5:00 PM Please note that there are no baptisms during the season of Weekdays Monday through Friday 7:00 AM & 8:45 AM Lent. Saturday 8:45 AM Rectory Office Hours Marriage Monday—Thursday: 9:00 AM—12 Noon The Sacrament of Marriage requires a time of serious spiritual 1:00 PM—5:00 PM preparation. Couples should make arrangements for their Friday: 9:00 AM— 12 Noon marriage at least six months before the date of the wedding by 1:00 PM—4:00 PM making an appointment with a priest or deacon. Please log on Saturday No Office Hours to www.pre-cana.org for complete information about marriage preparation in the Diocese. Sunday No Office Hours Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) Parish Registration Saturday 3:30 –4:30 PM. All are welcomed and invited to register at the Parish Office and By appointment for all other times. participate in our parish. Devotions Anointing of the Sick/Communion To make arrangements for communion to be brought to any Miraculous Medal Novena, Mondays following the 8:45 AM Mass parishioner who is seriously ill or confined to the house, Recitation of the Rosary at 8:15 AM before weekly morning Mass. or if they wish to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing Divine Mercy Chaplet every Friday following the 8:45 AM Mass of the Sick. To see a particular Staff Member, please call First Friday Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament following for an appointment. the 8:45 AM Mass and Benediction at 12:30 PM. Our Mission Statement We, the parish family of St. Ephrem, baptized into the life of Jesus Christ and nourished by the Word and the Eucharist, strive to be a welcoming and responsive Roman Catholic faith community. Together we are committed to put our faith into action by: Responding to the spiritual and physical needs of the community through service and charity. Reaching out to those who are searching for a faith community, including the young and those seeking to re-kindle their relationship with God. Reaching out to all without distinction. Passing on our faith and traditions through teaching by word and example. Connecting to where people are on their faith journey. Actively participating in the worship, sacrament and devotional life of the church. The Baptism of the Lord January 10, 2021 “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.” Dear Parishioners: In today’s gospel from Mark, we are given the account of Jesus’ baptism. At the time of John the Baptist, baptism was performed as a ritual of cleansing and repentance. The one who entered the waters was publicly proclaiming his or her sin and desire to be washed clean of its effects. In today’s gospel, John identifies the difference between the baptism he performs and the one that will be offered by Jesus. In Jesus, there is not only the cleansing from sin but also newness of life. In our Christian baptism, we enter into the death and resurrection of Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit become a new creation in Christ. This gospel is a declaration of who Jesus is to Mark’s community. It is a statement of their self-understanding as disciples of the new messianic times who are sons and daughters of the Father because they are baptized into the Spirit-filled and Beloved Son and commissioned to serve in his name. Throughout Mark’s gospel, those who follow Jesus will struggle to understand and accept the implications of accepting one who is Son and Beloved; to understand what is revealed to Jesus as he rises from the waters: that humanity, despite its sinfulness, is loved with the prodigal love of God. The first human being in the gospel who professes faith in Jesus as the Son of God and recognizes the heavens torn open in the torn body of the crucified One is the Gentile centurion. We are caught up in the same struggle of faith. Baptism demanded everything of Jesus-as it does of us. In the Good Shepherd, ‘Sister Edyth’ The Work of Christmas Who lived a life that was When the song of the angels is stilled, Simple, when the star in the sky is gone, Prayerful and when the kings and princes are home, Compassionate. when the shepherds are back with their flocks, the work of Christmas begins: St. Ephrem Parish Family to find the lost, invites you to join the to heal the broken, Sisters of St. Joseph at a Memorial Mass to feed the hungry, as we Celebrate the Life and Love of to release the prisoner, S. Edyth Therese Fitzsimmons, CSJ to rebuild the nations, Saturday, January 16, 2021 at 11:30 a.m. to bring peace among the people, in St. Ephrem Church to make music in the heart. Mass Reservations are required via our website: Howard Thurman www.stephremparish-brooklyn.org Mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 2 COVID-19 UPDATE Moral Considerations Regarding Diocese of Brooklyn the New COVID-19 Vaccines Initiates Contact Tracing Chairmen of the Committee on Doctrine and the Committee on Pro-Life Activities United States Conference of Catholic As you are aware, we have Bishops required Mass Reservations from On December 14, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort the time public worship resumed Wayne-South Bend, chairman of the U.S. Conference of in July 2020. These reservations Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Doctrine, have enabled us to maintain a and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in count of those wishing to attend. Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro- In addition, if necessary, we Life Activities, issued a statement on the new COVID- could contact individuals who attended a particular 19 vaccines. In their statement, the bishops address the mass if we learned of someone who attended and tested moral concerns raised by the fact that the three vaccines positive for COVID19. We are so very grateful that we that appear to be ready for distribution in the United have not been in this situation at all since July 2020. States all have some connection to cell lines that Bishop DiMarzio is asking parishes to participate in this originated with tissue taken from abortions. initiative. This form will be included in your With regard to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, they Reservation Confirmation page –near the middle you concluded: will see: ‘Click here to complete the form.’ You will be asked to answer four yes/no questions and then click “In view of the gravity of the current pandemic and the submit. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. lack of availability of alternative vaccines, the reasons You must include your email in the Mass Reservation to accept the new COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Form. Moderna are sufficiently serious to justify their use, despite their remote connection to morally compromised cell lines. “Receiving one of the COVID-19 vaccines ought to be understood as an act of charity toward the other members of our community. In this way, being vaccinated safely against COVID-19 should be A Prayer for Putting on a Face Mask considered an act of love of our neighbor and part of our moral responsibility for the common good.” Creator God, as I prepare to go into the world help me to see the sacramental nature of With regard to the AstraZeneca vaccine, the bishops wearing of this cloth. Let it be a tangible found it to be “more morally compromised” and and visible way of living love for my consequently concluded that this vaccine “should be neighbors, as I love myself. avoided” if there are alternatives available. “It may turn out, however, that one does not really have a choice of Christ Jesus, since my lips will be covered, vaccine, at least, not without a lengthy delay in uncover my heart, that people would see my smile in immunization that may have serious consequences for the crinkles around my eyes. Since my voice may be one’s health and the health of others,” the bishop muffled, help me to speak clearly, not only with my chairmen stated. “In such a case … it would be words, but with my actions. permissible to accept the AstraZeneca vaccine.” Holy Spirit, as the elastic touches my At the same time, the bishops also warned that Catholics ears, remind me to listen carefully and “must be on guard so that the new COVID-19 vaccines caringly to all those I meet.