Church of St. Ephrem 929 Bay Ridge Parkway ⬧ Brooklyn, New York 11228 Stephrembklyn St
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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 March 7, 2021 Very Rev. Robert B. Adamo, V. F., KCHS, Pastor Third Sunday of Lent 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. 2 Third Sunday of Lent “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” John 2: 13-25 Dear Parishioners: In today’s gospel we are watching Jesus drive the money changers and the merchants from the temple. John’s gospel, Jesus’ cleansing of the temple is at the beginning of the gospel instead of the end, where the other gospels have placed it. We find within the account another revelation of who Jesus is as the true temple of the Lord-a temple that, even when destroyed, will be raised “in three days.” By his “parable in action,” Jesus momentarily terminates the temple worship, reclaims it from chaos and commerce, and cleanses the privileged piece of creation that is his Father’s house of prayer. No doubt a few hours later the tables were again in place, animals led back in, coins exchanged – with plenty to talk about! Yet the disturbing Jesus does not disappear from the scene; he has more “table turning” to do. He stays to answer the criticism of his opponents who can see no further than the temple built over forty-six years by human hands or who refuse to imagine or tolerate any alternatives to the religious practices and institutions that they consider faultless and unchangeable. In this Jesus stands in the line of the Hebrew prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and Amos, who angrily and zealously denounced triumphalism and authoritarianism in worship. Jesus, too, will suffer the fate of so many prophets before and after him: rejection, persecution, even death. Jesus dares to name himself as the new and living temple in which the divine presence dwells. Ultimately, the sanctuary of his body will be destroyed in his passion and death, only to be raised again in three days. It is only after these events that his disciples will remember and understand Jesus’s words. For us who are living stones in the temple of Christ’s Body, Lent is also a time for cleansing the deep personal sanctuary of our hearts, for driving out of our lives whatever clutters our discipleship, blocks our ears to the word of God and the prophets, and distracts us from trading justly and lovingly with the gifts God has given us. In the Good Shepherd, Sign-Up and Be Part of the Group at Celebrating the www.stephremparish-brooklyn.org Sacrament of Reconciliation A new feature of our Parish Website offers the ability Please remember the children of our parish in prayer to email those who sign-up to be part of the group. as they will be celebrating the Sacrament of What are the advantages to being ‘Part of the Group?’ Reconciliation for the first In short—Communication! Even if you are already time throughout the month registered parishioners, “Sign-Up” and be in the loop! of March. May they How do you sign-up? always trust the mercy of Go to the site above! In the God in their lives. right hand corner, click on the Their journey continues as blue box that says, “Sign-Up.” they prepare to receive Follow the prompts and com- First Holy Communion at plete the entire form. Be sure Mass on April 24th & 25th to click on what you are al- and May 1st & 2nd at the ready involved in and what you 5:00 p.m., 10:00 a.m. and might like to get involved in— 12:00 Noon Masses. then look for mail from us. 3 The Annual Catholic Appeal seeks to raise a minimum of Each year St. Ephrem $8 million to provide pro- and the Diocese of Brooklyn engage in the Annual Catholic Appeal which grams and ministries supports Catholic programs throughout Brooklyn and Queens and affects the lives throughout the Diocese and of countless individuals and families living in our neighborhoods in addition to support the local efforts of benefiting our parish. parishes like ours. How Does Our Parish Benefit? The goal at St. Ephrem In order for our parish to function, we need well trained priests and deacons who is $104,198.00 can celebrate the sacraments and administer the parish. Without the $2.5 Million from the Appeal allocated to vocations, we would not have the clergy our parish Once we exceed our goal, needs. we will then receive 100% Our Children are the future of our parish and we are called to support them as of all funds raised above they grow in faith. The Appeal provides funding which supports every parish this figure directly back to religious education program as well as tuition assistance to those seeking our parish. Catholic Education at Catholic Academies and Schools. Over $2 million from the Appeal is invested in the faith of our children in addition to also providing adult faith formation. Instruction programs for lay people, including those in For questions regarding the our own parish, provide training in ministries such as Eucharistic Ministers and Annual Catholic Appeal, Lectors or prepare others for sacraments. or to schedule an appoint- ment to make a gift to the The Appeal also provides the salaries for the trained Youth Ministers working in parishes throughout Brooklyn and Queens. $150,000 each year from our parish, please contact the donations sustains the Youth Ministry Initiative, which has been supported by Parish Office Generations of Faith, ensuring that young people encounter Christ through the 718-434-2090 Church, forming life-long bonds of faith which will sustain our parishes for years to come. WE ARE Christ Himself has called all of us to care for those among us in need, but as one THE CHURCH, parish we lack the time, space, skills and volunteers that it takes to address the needs of our brothers and sisters who need our help. This is why, through the TOGETHER Annual Catholic Appeal, our parish supports the work of Catholic Charities and Catholic Migration Services which receive a total of $1.4 million from the Appeal. Together we are able to welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, feed the hungry and shelter the homeless in the name of our Church.