St. John the Baptist R. C. Church 895 Piermont Avenue, Piermont, New York 10968 www.stjohnspiermont.org [email protected] 845-359-0078

Holy Mary, Protect all Mothers

May 13, 2018 7th Sunday of Easter

Rev. Tom Kunnel, C.O. MASSES Administrator Saturday: 5:00 PM [email protected] Sunday: 8:00 AM, 10:30 AM Deacon John Cunningham 1:00 PM (Spanish) Deacon Robert Pang Weekdays: 8:00 AM Saturday: 9:00 AM Kathleen Dunn Holy Days: As Announced Religious Education Director Rectory May Pang Mon – Fri 10:15 AM – 4:00 PM Parish Admin: [email protected] Sat 10 AM – 12 AM (Spanish)

May Sponsor: Jonathan, Dominika, Ella & Maya Fanning

In Memory of

Patricia & Bill Fanning DOWNLOAD OUR FREE APP ‘ST JOHN PIERMONT’ Dear Parish Family, In the Upper Room, on the eve of his Pas- sion, Jesus prayed for his disciples. At the same time he looked ahead to the community of disciples of all centuries. In his prayer for Sat 5/12 5:00 PM Magnolia Velez the disciples of all time, he saw us too, and By Diana Gensel he prayed for us. Let us listen to what he asks for the Twelve and for us, “Consecrate them in truth…. Make them holy. AS you sent me into 8:00 AM Mother's Day Novena the world, SO I send them into the world. “To consecrate myself Sun 5/13 10:30 PM Francis Prunty means to give myself to God as his property, so that I no longer belong By Armstrong Family to myself but to God. means giving myself over to the Mon 5/14 8:00 AM Mother's Day Novena living God so that I am immersed in God. Tue 5/15 8:00 AM Mother's Day Novena The Lord prays that God himself draw us towards him, into his holi- ness. He prays that God take us away from ourselves to make us his Wed 5/16 8:00 AM Mother's Day Novena own property. I can actually be transformed into God’s own being. Thu 5/17 8:00 AM Mother's Day Novena This is so wonderful that it is almost unbelievable. We simply allow Fri 5/18 8:00 AM Mother's Day Novena God to do this act of sanctification, this consecration. Yet, there are steps I can take to allow God to work within me. We can follow the 9:00 AM Mother's Day Novena example of Mary and the Apostles after the Lord’s Ascension. Sat 5/19 5:00 PM Eileen Keane & Jean Simon They returned to the upper room where they had celebrated the Last By Eileen Simon Supper and gathered in prayer with Mary, the women, the apostles and 8:00 AM Mother's Day Novena many disciples. They spent these days on retreat praying for the Holy Spirit. Although Jesus would no longer be with them as he had been, Sun 5/20 10:30 AM Fr. Robert Aufieri By Janet Zahn he would continue to be with them as they celebrated the Eucharist and would be with them through his Spirit whom they would receive at Pentecost after this time of prayer together. While prayer is principally to make us more open to God, to help us respond better to God’s grace in our lives, we also believe that God’s THE SANCTUARY LAMP love leads him to hear and answer our prayers of petition. Each one of Is Being Offered this week for us knows people whose prayers seem to be always answered, and then they are asked to pray for others also. People often ask and sis- Lady of Fatima ters to pray for their intentions and ask priests to offer Mass for their intentions; that is good, but it is also good that each of us prays for Pray the Rosary for the ourselves. Prayer is an expression of our consecration and necessary Conversion of Sinners for our sanctification. We are being fashioned by prayer. If we do not pray every day there is a huge void in our lives and we cannot hope to Requested by Nijole Paronetto be happy. Not all prayers are answered, or I should say, not answered in the way we wanted. Even though not all prayers are answered in the way we desired, hopefully we can see that we have received graces we proba- Please remember in your prayers the Sick and/ bly would not have received had those prayers been answered as we or Homebound of our Parish Family. Thomas wished. We have plans and sometimes our plans are not fulfilled. Our Mooney, Molly Robinson, Cameron Robinson, lives can sometimes revolve around ‘me’ or ‘I’ or ‘myself. But God Madlen Moson, Ron Rebers, Anne Bazala, Helen has still more wonderful plans for us if we will allow them to be ful- Koza, Marge Culletto, Bill Loftus, Carolyn, Marga- filled. It is only in the next life that we will fully understand God’s ret O’Brien , Elaine Laurino plans. Even after Jesus’ resurrection some of Jesus’ disciples asked him when he would restore the kingdom to Israel as we heard in the As a Parish Family, let us remember in our prayers first reading for the Ascension (Acts 1:6). They still believed he was a all our beloved departed members of our Parish Messiah to drive out the Romans from Israel and did not yet fully un- Community, Patrick McQuaid, brother of Helen derstand that he was a Messiah to save us from our sins. They would Bark, Eleanor Jurasek, Edward Fabry—father of understand Jesus only when they would receive the Holy Spirit at Pen- Tom Fabry, Robert Olsen, brother of Ralph Olsen, tecost. They needed the grace of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to fully Theresa Malatinsky, Elaine Dealing, Francis X. understand Jesus. Mascola, father of Ted Mascola, Lisa Cannava, During this week before Pentecost I ask you to please pray like Mary, Elaine Morrissey, mother of John Morrissey, Javier the women, the apostles and disciples for a renewed outpouring of the Monzon, Antoinette Galella, Ted Simone’s aunt, Holy Spirit on the Church and on all of us that we may respond to God better. Pray in a special way for our teenagers who will receive the Clarita Silva, mother of Freida Soriano, Kevin Ram- Sacrament of Confirmation on 19 May, so that they too will cultivate a say,, son of Richard Ramsay, Charles Pane, John life of prayer as they face a world that is so confused about Truth and Set, uncle of Dcn Rob real Happiness. PLEASE ADVISE THE RECTORY (359-0078) WHENEVER A PARISHION- ER BECOMES HOMEBOUND, ILL, OR HOSPITALIZED SO ARRANGE- MENTS CAN BE MADE FOR A , DEACON OR EUCHARISTIC Fr. Tom Kunnel C.O. MINISTER TO VISIT AND BRING COMMUNION TO THEM. 9AM Religious Ed 10:30AM Family Mass Sun 13-May 11:30AM Legion of Mary 7PM AA Meeting Mon 14-May 6:30PM Religious Ed 10AM Scripture Class We thank all the First Communion teachers and parents 7PM Altar Server Prep who helped make the day such a success. In addition, Tues 15-May our gratitude goes out to the Catholic Daughters, to Chris 7PM Directiva Meeting and Carolyn Yates and the musicians at the 1 pm mass. 7PM Baptism Prep Our May Crowning takes place at 9:30 am this morning. Wed 16-May 7PM Amigos de Jesus Choir Practice A May Crowning is a traditional Catholic ritual which hon- 7PM Servidore Meeting ors Our Blessed Mother. Please feel free to join us. Thu 17-May 7PM Mesajeros de Jesus Chour Practice Confirmation practices take 10AM Fri Renew Group place tomorrow and Tuesday evening Fri 18-May 7PM Pentecost Vigil Spanish from 5-6:30 pm. The big day for our Confirmation Candidates is 7:30PM Youth Group this coming Saturday at the 5 Sat 19-May 5PM Confirmation pm mass.

Our last classes for 2018 are Sunday, May Readings No. 843B 13 and Monday, May 14. Please register 7th Sunday of Easter for 2018-2019 ASAP.

Oh Mary, we crown thee with blossoms today, Queen On Smart TV or Computer go to the Link of the angels https://www.sundaystreams.com/go/stjohnpiermont queen of the On ‘ROKU’ Select “SUNDAY STREAMS” Select the Channel “STJOHNPIERMONT” May... First Live Stream: Easter Morning 01 April at 10.30 AM

Liturgy Schedule May 26/27

Time Lector Eucharistic Minister Altar Servers Saturday 5:00 PM Oscar Nordstrom Jackie Schaefer 5/26 8:00 AM Fran Loftus Lucy Bosco 10:30 AM Johanna Krumm May Pang Gianluca Gonzalez Sunday Nico Gonzalez 1:00 PM Kelley Perez Santiago Nova Cindy Ortiz 5/27 Ayleen Sicha Amy Cajamarca Evelin Palma Nathalie Cajamarca Bethzy Aguilar TODAY'S READINGS COMMISSIONED TO LIVE IN THE WORLD In today's scriptures we hear two different stories about com- 5/13 $5,323 missioning. In the Acts of the Apostles Peter leads the assem- bly in prayer that the Lord will choose and commission the person to replace Judas among the Twelve. In the Gospel Je- sus prays that his chosen disciples might be consecrated, or made holy. Will be reported next week Jesus does not ask his Father to keep the disciples separate from the world, but instead sends them out into the world. While we might think that holy people are set apart from the READINGS FOR THE WEEK world, we cannot hear today's scriptures without realizing Monday: Acts 1:15-27, 20-26; Ps 113:1-8; Jn 15:9-17 that God's holy, chosen people are commissioned to live in the Tuesday: Acts 20:17-27; Ps 68:10-11, 20-21; Jn 17:1-11a midst of the world, where they can reveal the love of God that Wednesday: Acts 20:28-38; Ps 68:29-30, 33-36ab; Jn makes the entire world holy. 17:11b-19 TODAY'S READINGS Thursday: Acts 22:30; 23:6-11; Ps 16:1-2a, 5, 7-11; Jn First Reading -- Matthias was added to the eleven apostles 17:20-26 (Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26). Friday: Acts 25:13b-21; Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab; Jn Psalm -- The Lord has set his throne in heaven 21:15-19 (Psalm 103). Saturday: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31; Ps 11:4, 5, 7; Jn 21:20-25 Second Reading -- If God so loved us, we also must love Sunday: Vigil: Gn 11:1-9 or Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20b or Ez one another (1 John 4:11-16). 37:1-14 or Jl 3:1-5; Ps 104:1-2, 24, 35, 27-30; Rom 8:22 Gospel -- Holy Father, keep them in your name, so that they -27; Jn 7:37-39 may be one just as we are one (John 17:11b-19). Day: Acts 2:1-11; Ps 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34; 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Gal 5:16-25; Jn 20:19-23 or Jn 15:26-27; 16:12-15

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life So there is only one Way, one Truth, one Life, The highway to heaven had been closed for centu- one Priest who offers a perfect sacrifice for sins. ries. God did not set up the road block. We So how can it be that we are called a royal priest- did. But the barriers that we erected were immov- hood (I Peter 2)? How can it be that we who able. At least by us. God was the only one who believe in Him are to do greater works than he? could open the way. (John 14:11-12) There was a problem with truth and life as It’s simple. Once we’ve been baptized, there is well. Oh, people had some ideas about God. But no longer a separation between us on the one the ideas were shadowy and fragmentary and hand and Him on the other. We are baptized into mixed with distortions. Everyone in the ancient him, become members of his body, so he begins world knew the divine had created the universe to live his life and exercise his priesthood and that worship was a duty. But some thought through us. If we let him, he will use our lips to homage required human sacrifice. And most spread his truth, our lives to show the way, and thought that there were many gods. A few, like Aristotle, realized that there our love to give others life. And the works He could only be one God, but imagined this God to be remote and aloof from will accomplish through us will far surpass what human affairs. he did in his three short years of public minis- try. More hungry will be fed, more sick healed, Finally there was the issue of life, divine life. Even those possessing the most more books written. Tyrannical, atheistic em- truth about God, the Jews, had a problem here. They knew what God required, pires will even be brought down. The Good but even the best among them lacked the power to do it. Take David for in- News will be preached not just in Galilee, but all stance. When the chips were down, he proved defenseless against the power of over the world, not just in person, but touching lust, deceit, and even murder. millions at a time through radio, TV, and inter- Jesus is the way. Indeed he is a two way street. In him, God comes to meet us, net. holding back, offering everything of who he is and what he has. Through Him But the greatest work that He will accomplish and Him alone, we have access to God to such a degree that we can now call through us is to teach us too to be priests, to offer him Abba, Father. the spiritual sacrifice of our own lives (Romans Jesus is the truth. Not just some truth but the entire truth. He is God’s defini- 12:2) to the Father through tive and perfect Word expressing who God is, what He’s like, who we are, and Him, with Him, and in what we need to do to be saved from misery and futility. Him. For the meaning of hu- man life is to love, and the And Jesus is the life. He gives us not only commandments and noble ideals, greatest gift we’ve received but also the power to live them out, the power to become new people. That from Him is the power to give Power is the Lord and Giver of Life Himself, the Holy Spirit, who Jesus pours ourselves away. out on those who accept Him. Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio

LECTURAS DE HOY ENVIADOS PARA VIVIR EN EL MUNDO En las lecturas de hoy escuchamos dos relatos diferentes rimera lectura -- Los Apóstoles eligen a Matías para rem- sobre los que son enviados. En los Hechos de los Apóstoles plazar a Judas y seguir con doce miembros Pedro guía a la asamblea en oración para que el Señor elija (Hechos 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26). y designe a la persona que reemplazará a Judas entre los Salmo -- El Señor puso en el cielo tu trono Doce. En el Evangelio Jesús reza por que los discípulos que eligió sean consagrados o santificados. (Salmo 103 [102]). Jesús no le pide a su Padre que proteja a los discípulos del Segunda lectura -- La persona que vive en amor vive en mundo, sino que los envía al mundo. Aunque pensemos Dios y Dios vive en ella (1 Juan 4:11-16). que las personas santas están alejadas del mundo, no po- Evangelio -- "Padre, cuida en tu nombre a los que me has demos escuchar las lecturas de hoy sin comprender que las personas santas elegidas por Dios son enviadas a vivir en el dado para que sean uno" (Juan 17:11b-19). mundo, en donde pueden revelar el amor de Dios que san- tifica al mundo entero. Kevin C Rhoades TRADICIONES DE NUESTRA FE El día 15 de mayo los campesinos de Ichocán, Perú LECTURAS DE LA SEMANA adornan sus yugos, y las puertas de sus casas con el Lunes: Hch 1:15-27, 20-26; Sal 112:1-8; Jn 15:9-17 fruto de sus cosechas en honor a san Isidro Labrador. Martes: Hch 20:17-27; Sal 67:10-11, 20-21; Jn 17:1-11a Muchos países Latinoamericanos celebran esta fiesta. Miércoles: Hch 20:28-38; Sal 67:29-30, 33-36ab; Jn 17:11b En un continente donde la agricultura es tan im- -19 portante no hay que sorprenderse de la importancia de este santo español del siglo XII. Además san Isi- Jueves: Hch 22:30; 23:6-11; Sal 15:1-2a, 5, 7-11; dro se parece a mucha gente de Latinoamérica: es de Jn 17:20-26 padres campesinos, de familia pobre y religiosa, no Viernes: Hch 25:13b-21; Sal 102:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab; Jn fue a la escuela, quedó huérfano y se empleó como 21:15-19 peón de campo, ayudando en la agricultura. Sábado: Hch 28:16-20, 30-31; Sal 10:4, 5, 7; Jn 21:20-25 Se casó con María la cual también llego a ser santa. Domingo: Vigilia: Gn 11:1-9 o Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20b o Ez 37:1- Tuvieron un hijo. Los tres fueron reconocidos como 14 o Jl 3:1-5; Sal 103:1-2, 24, 35, 27-30; Rom 8:22-27; Jn piadosos y generosos. Gracias a Dios, la santidad se 7:37-39 encuentra en todo tipo de persona. Los casados y pa- dres y madres de familia también llegan a ser santos. Día: Hch 2:1-11; Sal 103:1, 24, 29-31, 34; 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12- Después de su muerte en 1130 se descubrió que su 13 o Gal 5:16-25; Jn 20:19-23 o Jn 15:26-27; 16:12-15 cuerpo estaba milagrosamente incorrupto. En 1622 el Papa canonizó a este humilde campesino junto con Para los cursos pre-bautismales llamar a: .Alex Aguilar 845 algunos grandes religiosos como santa Teresa, san -480-1502 y Natalia Lemus 845-480-1682. Los cursos se dan Ignacio y san Francisco Javier. previa cita los martes 7pm y domingo 11am.

La verdadera libertad abraza la verdad

Existe una fuerte tendencia en nuestra cultura a considerar la ley moral como algo en conflicto con la libertad humana, cuando, de hecho, la ley de Dios promueve la libertad humana. No reduce ni elimina la libertad hu- mana. Un problema que cada vez nos encontramos más en nuestra cultura hoy en día es un malentendido de la libertad. Nuestra cultura estadounidense valora mucho la libertad. Nuestra nación fue fundada sobre el principio de la libertad. La historia de nuestra nación ha estado marcada por batallas para defender la libertad. Pero hoy la noción de libertad ha sido distorsionada de muchas maneras bajo la influencia de las filosofías del relativismo y el subjetivismo. Nuestros padres fundadores nunca consideraron la libertad como algo inde- pendiente de la verdad moral. Reconocieron la dependencia de la libertad de la verdad, particularmente las verdades de la ley natural, que llamaron "evidente por sí misma", la ley escrita y grabada en el alma de cada persona por el Creador.

Cuando la libertad es entendida y promovida como una licencia para hacer lo que queramos, incluso el mal, ya no es una verdadera liber- tad. La libertad humana encuentra su cumplimiento auténtico y completo precisamente al aceptar la verdad de la ley moral dada por Dios. Lamentablemente, algunas corrientes de pensamiento de hoy incluso cuestionan o niegan la existencia de la verdad moral y de las normas morales universales e inmutables. Para su propia supervivencia, la democracia necesita una sólida base moral. La ley natural es la base necesaria para el derecho civil. No puede haber libertad aparte de o en oposición a la verdad. Un concepto completamente individualista de libertad contradice su propio significado y dignidad. Bp. Kevin C Rhoades PARISH MINISTRIES & CHAIR Our Sacramental Life Buildings & Grounds Pat Miele, Alex Aguilar Eucharistic Adoration Dcn Robert Pang Baptism: Please call the Rectory well in advance of the expected day of Health Mary Loftus Baptism to arrange an appointment for an interview. Pre-baptismal meeting Hispanic Community Mario Zamora, Marili Mendoza Palma for parents is required. Godparents must be confirmed, practicing Catholics. Ministerios Marianos Luis y Aida Cachichabla Generally Baptisms are celebrated the third Sunday of each month at 12:00 Hospitality Robin Miller pm. Men’s Club Bill Loftus. Ralph Olsen Ushers Jake Miraglia Reconciliation: Confessions are heard from 4:30-5:00 pm on Saturday. You Music Elise Espinosa, Chris & Carolyn Yates, may also make an appointment with Fr. Tom. Spanish confessions is availa- Ted Simone & Eileen Petersen ble from 12:30–1:00 PM on Sundays. Spanish Choir Carlos Cerna, William Martinez Outreach Maria Nest Marriage: Marriages should be arranged at least six months in advance. Parish Council Ralph Olsen Participation in Pre-Cana is essential. Please call the Rectory to schedule an Parish Worship Dcn John Cunningham appointment with Fr. Tom. Religious Education Kathleen Dunn Anointing of the Sick: Before you enter the hospital for elective surgery or RCIA Dcn Robert Pang, Jose Bolaños other serious treatment, and for those who have need of spiritual healing. Right to Life Scott Giblin In an emergency, please call Fr. Tom’s mobile 845 608 9358. Social May Pang Spiritual Life Johanna Krumm : Any gentleman interested in exploring the question of vocation St. Vincent De Paul Fr. Tom Kunnel to the priesthood or the permanent diaconate should contact Fr. Tom Kunnel. PARISH COUNCIL We would also be happy to direct anyone interested in living their lives as Alex Aguilar, Kathleen Dunn, Jonathan/Dominika Fanning, Religious Sisters or Brothers. Lucia/Sal Caruana, Alex Flores, Andrew Lee, Rafael Mazariego, Maria Nest, Ralph Olsen, May Pang, Ray/Beverly Sambrotto Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults: For instruction for Baptism, Confirma- TRUSTEES tion and Eucharist for adults and to learn about Catholic Faith. If interested Phil McCartin James Pontone please contact Dcn Robert Pang.

For more details and forms—www.stjohnspiermont.org

Parish Registration: All adults (over age 21) should register in the parish themselves and should use envelopes or parishpay.com. Tithing is 5% of income. This registration is our only means of certifying anyone as a member of the parish, especially for Baptism and Confirmation sponsorship letters and for scheduling Baptisms and Weddings.

True Freedom Embraces Truth There is a strong tendency in our culture to consider the moral law as something in conflict with human freedom, when, in fact, God’s law promotes human freedom. It does not reduce or do away with human freedom. A problem we increasingly encounter in our culture today is a misunderstanding of freedom. Our American culture highly val- ues freedom. Our nation was founded on the principal of liberty. Our nation’s history has been marked by battles to defend freedom. But today the notion of freedom has been distorted in many ways under the influence of philosophies of relativism and subjectivism. Our founding fathers never considered freedom as independent from moral truth. They recognized freedom’s dependence upon truth, particularly the truths of natural law, which they called “self-evident,” the law written and engraved in the soul of every person by the Creator. When freedom is understood and promoted as license to do whatever we please, even evil, it is no longer genuine free- dom. Human freedom finds its authentic and complete fulfillment precisely in accepting the truth of the moral law given by God. Sadly, some currents of thought today even question or deny the existence of moral truth and of universal and unchanging moral norms. For its very survival, democracy needs a solid moral foundation. The natural law is the necessary basis for civil law. There can be no freedom apart from or in opposition to the truth. A completely individualistic concept of freedom contradicts its very meaning and dignity. How often the great John Paul II reminded us that “when freedom is made absolute in an individualistic way,” it “negates and de- stroys itself” and becomes “a factor leading to the destruction of others.” This happens “when it no longer recognizes and respects its essential link with the truth.” Pope John Paul taught that “this view of freedom leads to a serious distortion of life in society.” Of course, we see this happening in society when the original and inalienable right to life is denied or not safeguarded. Pope John Paul wrote in his great encyclical The Gospel of Life that “to claim the right to abortion, infanticide and euthanasia, and to recognize that right in law, means to attribute to human freedom a perverse and evil significance: that of an absolute power over others and against others. This is the death of true freedom.” The democratic ideal, he said, is betrayed in its very foundation when it does not acknowledge the dignity of every human person. Both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have spoken of the dangers of moral relativism, in which everything is negotiable, even the most fundamental human rights. Moral relativism undermines the common good which the state has the role to defend and promote.. Bishop Kevin C Rhoades