Church of (516)the 354-0359 Holy Spirit August 4, 2019 Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time MASS SCHEDULE BAPTISMS Saturday: Vigil Mass 5:00 PM Baptisms are held on the second Sunday, and Sunday: 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM, fourth Saturday, of the month. 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM Please contact: Deacon John Hogan at: [email protected] Monday Through Saturday: 8:30 AM to make arrangements for your child’s baptism Holy Days: As announced SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY CONFESSIONS Arrangements must be made at least one year Saturday: 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM prior to the ceremony and before arrangements are made for the reception. Please contact: Fr. Grieco at [email protected] 16 South 6th Street, Rectory Hours Church Hours New Hyde Park, NY 11040 Monday – Thursday: 9 AM to 8 PM Monday - Thursday: 7 AM - 8 PM Rectory Phone: 516-354-0359 Saturday: 9 AM to 5 PM Friday: 7 AM - 5 PM Fax: 516-354-2611 Closed on Fridays and Sundays Saturday: 7 AM - 6:15 PM Website: www.holyspiritnhp.com Sunday: 7 AM to 2 PM A SHORT AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MY LIFE By Fr. Binoy “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.” (Ps 136:1). Dear Friends in the Lord, It is a pleasure for me to tell you about my life and the diocese in which I work. When writing a biography of ourselves, we realize that our life is a gift of God. I would like to narrate the story of my life in a nutshell. I am the second child among the six children of my parents. My parents are alive, but my youngest brother passed away at the age of 10 due to illness. Now I have two brothers and two sisters. My parents were laborers, and struggled to raise us, as a result. My elder sister, Mercy, is a nun. She belongs to a religious congregation named Sisters of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (SABS). Though I completed my 10th Grade in 1988, I couldn’t continue with my studies due to compelling family problems. Like my parents, I too became a laborer. Being a laborer as a young boy was a painful experience. One day, as I was working in a rubber shop I received a phone call from the Provincial Superior of my sister. She asked me whether I was interested in visiting Nagaland, the state where my sister has been working. Though it is 2,311 miles away from my home town, I immediately accepted the invitation, and within three days got ready for the journey. I started my journey by train on January 26, 1995. I reached Dimapur, the commercial city of Nagaland, on January 30. It was a long and tedious trip. When I arrived, I was taken to a remote parish by a nun from my sister’s congregation, who introduced me to the parish priest. He asked me about my qualifications and told me to teach in a village school of the parish situated far away from the parish. I hesitated to teach in the school because I was not told about it before leaving my hometown, and, the classes were taught in English, which I was not able to speak. So, he allowed me to stay in the parish for six months to learn English, then sent me to a village called Mopong, where the school was situated. The village school was up to 6th grade and had around 160 students. There were six villages in that neighborhood. Most of the villagers were living in extreme poverty. 2 Each year a number of students and people died due to malaria, jaundice, typhoid and pneumonia. There was no hospital in that area, so people depended mostly on priests and sisters for their medicine. A sister (who was also a nurse), as well as a priest, visited us once a month. They would leave us with some medicines that we would give to the people. Life was going on in this way for me. I realized in this village that there were many people who were living in very deplorable conditions. I used to think, what can I do for them? This, as well as the fear of getting sick, made me pray to God every day. One day as I was reading the Bible, Jeremiah 29:11, it struck me. “I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.” I never thought of becoming a priest before coming to Nagaland. The reading of Jeremiah 29:11, as well as my life in that particular village with the people, gave me a desire to become a priest and work for these brothers and sisters of mine. So, in 1996, I wrote an application to the Rector of the seminary expressing my desire to join the seminary and become a priest. I was denied entry, since the diocese had been planning to stop taking candidates from outside the state as there were sufficient local vocations. The following year, I approached once again, with the support of some priests, and finally I was granted permission to enter into seminary life. Consequently, I joined the seminary on June 13, 1997, at the age of 25. It took 13 long years for me to become a priest. I was ordained a priest on January 4, 2010, and was appointed as an Assistant Pastor in the parish where I worked as a teacher. It was a home coming experience for me. A number of times during rainy season we used to go to the villages on foot, which were 20 to 30 miles away from the parish, for Holy Eucharist. The life there was really challenging, but at the same time fulfilling. During my stay, a small village consisting of 30 families accepted the Catholic faith. After three years of living there, I was transferred to the minor seminary as Dean of Studies in 2013. I worked there for two years and was then transferred to another parish, as an Assistant Pastor in 2015. Then in 2017, I was sent to Rome for studies. In Rome, I did my Licentiate in Pastoral Theology of Human Mobility (Theology of Migration) in the Pontifical University of Urbaniana. Last year, when my bishop visited Holy Spirit he requested Rev. Fr. Grieco accommodate me in this parish for a few months. Rev. Fr. Grieco accepted my bishop’s request, and now I am here in this lovely parish. I am grateful to Rev. Fr. Grieco, and all of you, for your acceptance of me. God Bless You All, Fr. Binoy 3 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS ATTENTION ALL VIRTUS TRAINED Over the next few months, Holy Spirit will be reviewing its The Holy Spirit Players are having auditions records to ensure we have all for the musical the paperwork required by the “Beauty and the Beast” Diocese’s Office for the Protection of Children/Young People, for all ALL PARTS ARE OPEN our Virtus trained volunteers who are still actively involved in the Performance dates are: November 15, 16 & 17th parish. Auditions will be held at 7:00 PM If any paperwork is missing, you in Holy Spirit Auditorium will be contacted. on the following dates: Tuesday, August 13, Thank you in advance for your Thursday, August 15, and cooperation. Tuesday, August 20. PLEASE COME AND AUDITION FOR THIS PARISH OFFERING FOR LAST WEEK: JULY 28, 2019 “TALE AS OLD AS TIME” $8,713 Marilyn McClean Your kindhearted generosity to Holy Spirit Church is Director very much appreciated. Teen Movie Night Save the Date: The next teen movie night will be held on Sunday, August 25 at 7:00 PM If you have suggestions for a movie, email Bob Hodgson at [email protected], and Monica Gannon at [email protected]. 4 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS Holy Spirit’s Annual 9/11 Mass will be held Sunday, September 8, 2019 at 11:00 AM If you have a loved one that you would like to have remembered during this special mass of remembrance, please email their names to Monica Gannon at [email protected], no later than September 3. Thank you! Mass intentions are still The Diocese of Rockville Centre available for 2019. Golden Wedding Anniversary Liturgy Honoring Couples Married Fifty Years We would like to fill these before opening the 2020 Mass book. This Fall, couples who have been married fifty years will be honored at a Mass on Sunday, Please come to the Rectory, during November 3, 2019, at Maria Regina Roman regular office hours, to request Catholic Church in Seaford. Mass will begin a Mass intention for any of the remaining dates available in 2019. at 2:00 p.m. Bishop Andrzej Zglejszewski will preside. Thank you! Registration forms and complete instructions can be obtained at the rectory. Space is limited, Sacrament of Confirmation registration will be accepted on a first come first Fall 2019 served basis. The forms can also be found on our website Save the Date! www.drvc-faith.org. If you have any questions, For those receiving the Sacrament of you may call 516-678-5800, extension 223. Confirmation at Holy Spirit this fall, it will be celebrated on 125th Anniversary Photo Album Wednesday, October 23, 2019 A copy of the 125th Anniversary photo album is available for each family, or at 3:00 p.m. individual, who had their photo taken for the album. Bulletin Announcements To pick up your copy, please stop Send all bulletin requests to both: by the rectory Tuesdays through [email protected] Thursdays, between 9 a.m.