Church of the Holy Spirit 16 South 6th Street, New Hyde Park, New York 11040 Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time November 15th, 2015 LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS PASTORAL STAFF Rev Frank Grieco, Pastor Ext. 116 Mass Schedule Saturday: 8:00AM EMAIL: [email protected] Sunday: Saturday Vigil Mass 5:00 PM PASTORAL STAFF AND MINISTRIES 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM Monday Through Friday: 8:00 AM Deacon Lachlan Cameron Ext. 112 Holydays: As announced Family Mass: 9:30 AM Mass EMAIL: [email protected] Confessions Deacon Douglas Ferreiro Ext. 171 • Saturday: 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM Email: [email protected] • Call for an appointment (call the rectory to arrange a mutually convenient time.) Music Director: Mary Bolan Baptisms Please contact the rectory to make arrangements for your child’s baptism. PARISH CONTACTS Religious Education Office Ext. 132 Sacrament of Matrimony Arrangements must be made at least six months prior to the ceremony and before EMAIL:[email protected] arranging the reception. Bulletin Email: [email protected] Rectory Office Carolyn Mueller Ext 117 Phone: 516-354-0359 EMAIL: [email protected] Fax : 516-354-2611 Rectory Hours: Parish Social Ministry Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri: 9:00am - 8:00pm Wednesday: 3:00pm - 8:00pm Mr. Tom Friel, Director Ext. 138 Saturday: 9:00am - 5:00pm EMAiL: [email protected] Church Hours: CYO Coordinator Monday Through Friday 7:00am -8:00pm Saturday: 7:00am-6:15pm Deacon Douglas Ferreiro Ext. 171 Sunday: 7:00am- 2:00pm EMAIL: [email protected] Emergency call (516) 880-2936 PASTOR’S PAGE Dear Parishioners, - In last week’s Gospel we heard about the widow who gave two coins, her entire liveli- hood. I thank each of you for your generosity to our Parish. We are on the right track; we have made tremendous progress, financially, and it is because of all of you. - On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, December 1st, 2nd and 3rd, Fr. Kennen Peters will be offering a Parish Mission for the Seniors of Holy Spirit Church. Although everyone is welcome, Fr. Kennen will gauge his talks to seniors. He will begin with Mass at 12:15 in the afternoon, followed by his message. Each day will be approximately one hour. Please save the date and join us, it will be worth your time. - Three parishioners of our Parish: Joan Nolan Eliot, Frank Morris and Emily Walsh, have successfully completed the training for Eucharistic ministers. I have received their official card from Bishop Murphy and, within the next week or two, they will -re ceive the card and a blessing at a Sunday Mass. On behalf of our Parish, I congratulate them and I look forward to them serving as Extra-Ordinary ministers of the Eucharist for Holy Spirit Church for many years. - Mass of Remembrance: Our annual Mass of Remembrance is scheduled for this Wednesday, November 18th @ 7:30 P.M. in the Church. At this Mass the names of all deceased parishioners from our Parish, during the last twelve months, will be publicly read and prayed for. Everyone is welcome! This is a beautiful Mass and a wonderful way to show support for the deceased members of our Parish and their family mem- bers. - Thanksgiving Mass is Thursday, November 26th @ 9:00 A.M. Please join us; it’s a won- derful way to give thanks to God for our many blessings. - If you are an Altar Server and would like to serve a Christmas Mass, please send me an email: [email protected] - You will find in this bulletin two performances from some of our young people of our Parish and local areas: 1) the musical production of Carnival – next week and 2) a Christmas Concert by the Countless Wonders, in the Church on December 11th. Please support their efforts as I’m sure, in both cases, you will be happy you did. Thank you! Peace, Fr. Grieco -2- DEACON LACHLAN We are still in the month of the Holy Souls, a month where we pray in a particular way for those who have died, especially our family members. We pray for ‘All Souls’ those who have yet to attain the beatific vision and who still need our prayers. We pray also for ‘All Saints’ those who are in heaven but are not formally recognized by a feast day. Today I’d like to tell you about someone whom I’m certain ranks among ‘all saints’ but someone who one day will undoubtedly have her own special feast day. Her name is Chiara Corbella Petrillo. Chiara was born in 1984 near Rome. She died in 2012. In those short 28 years she married her husband Enrico, and gave birth to three children. On the face of it….a sad story. However there is so much more to her story, and neither Chiara or Enrico would agree that it was a sad story, or that she was indeed a victim of the cancer that claimed her life. Chiara and Enrico met in Medjugorje, and on their return to Italy began to date. Like many of us, the courtship did not run smoothly. They had their fights, ‘broke up’ got back together again…..broke up again and so on. Not untypical of many young people today. Eventually they realized through the grace of God, that they belonged together. After dating for a few years they were married, and a short time later conceived their first child. A time of great joy. A few months into the pregnancy doctors informed them that there were problems and that the baby would not live outside the womb. Rather than abort the baby, Chiara carried her to full term, and held her briefly while the couple’s friend Fr. Vito, baptized Maria Grazia Letizia. In less than one hour, she passed into eternal life. A short time later Chiara became pregnant again. In the middle of the pregnancy doctors informed her once more that the child would not survive outside the womb. Again she carried the baby to full term. Davide Giovanni lived for 38 minutes, and he too was baptized by Fr. Vito. At this time Chiara and Enrico told their friends….. “God gave us two special children, but He asked us to accompany them only until birth. He allowed us to hold them, baptize them, and return them to the hands of the Father. There was a peace and joy that was unlike anything else we had experienced.” What incredible faith! What gratitude! What love for God! At this point the story takes on a new dimension. For a third time Chiara conceived a child. And this child was healthy and growing. But in the middle of the pregnancy the doctors informed Chiara that while the child was well, it was she who was sick with cancer. Because of the intensity of the prescribed treatments Chiara decided to postpone them until her son, Francesco, was born in order to ensure that he would in fact be born and have life. Baby Francesco arrived happily and healthily, and Chiara began her treatments. Soon it became clear that death was imminent for Chiara, so she prayed, “Lord, you can ask me anything, but I can’t do it if I am surrounded by such sad faces.” Her prayers for joyful visitors were answered, and with much peace she bore her suffering. Enrico tells us, “I spent a lot of time this year reflecting on this phrase from the Gospel that says the Lord gives a cross that is sweet and a burden that is light. When I would look at Chiara when she was about to die, I obviously became very upset. But I mustered the courage and a few hours before – it was about eight in the morning, Chiara died at noon – I asked her. ‘But Chiara, my love, is this cross really sweet, like the Lord says? She looked at me and she smiled, and in a soft voice she said, ‘Yes, Enrico, it is very sweet.’” There is so much more to this story but not enough space. For us the thing to remember is that we all have Chiara and Enrico’s in our life. We all have people who sacrifice so much for their children and their families. We all have saints in the making, just like Chiara, who are examples to us of self-sacrificing love, the love that Jesus showed for us when he gave up his life for us. We all have our cross to bear, but if we put our trust fully in the Lord……. as Chiara told Enrico… …’Yes this cross is very sweet.’ -3- DIOCESAN LETTER -4- HOLY SPIRIT PLAYERS THE HOLY SPIRIT PLAYERS PRESENT THE MUSICAL PRODUCTION OF DATES: Fri. 11/20 at 7:30 PM Sat. 11/21 at 7:30 PM Sun. 11/22 at 2:00 PM PLACE: Holy Spirit Auditorium 13 South 6th Street, NHP TICKETS: $13 Adults, $8 Seniors/Child TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED THIS WEEKEND, 11/14-15/15 OR CALL MAUREEN HOGAN AT 516-302-8197 -5- SCRIPTURE READINGS HOLY SPIRIT FOOD PANTRY NOVEMBER 15th - NOVEMBER 22nd We want to thank all who participated in our recent food drive. We received many bags of SUNDAY: DN 12:1-3; HEB 10:11-14, 18; food and personal items that will keep us going MK 13:24-32 through the Holidays. MONDAY: 1 MC 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63; The Boy Scouts did a great job of giving out the LK 18:35-43 bags and doing all the heavy lifting, bringing all TUESDAY: 2 MC 6:18-3; LK 19:1-10 the food over to the Pantry.