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All Masses and Parish Activities Suspended Through April 14 

 

A Message From the Pastor

Holy Week Message

We adore you O Christ and we praise You, because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. Amen.

We begin Holy Week and this year it is a week like no other. Our Good Shepherd is at our side during these challenging weeks. We walk with him now through the drama of Holy Week.

We mark Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.

This Palm Sunday we will remember our Lord's passion at our homes. Sadly we cannot give out palms due to the health directive about community spread. The safety and health of all is always the top priority.

This week may we especially unite our prayers with the Universal Church, Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, our bishop, John Barres, our fellow Long Islanders and our fellow members of Good Shepherd parish.

We unite in prayer via our own Catholic Faith Network, (CFN) on cable TV and EWTN and the many links on the internet. The programs, Masses and other devotions they offer are exceptional. I hope everyone had the opportunity to watch the Holy Father from Rome on Friday 27 March as he blessed the whole world.

We unite as one Church, as one diocese and as one parish in prayer.

Lord Jesus, Our Good Shepherd walk with us. You walked the road to Calvary. Walk with us now as we carry a great cross during this health emergency.

I encourage all of us to reach out to family and neighbors and fellow parish members. Send an email. Give a call. Send a note. Say a prayer. Daily refer to the links on our parish webpage or www.drvc.org
The Cross of Jesus Christ won victory over sin and death. Unite your cross with His this Holy Week.
My prayers for you and your family and the prayers of the entire parish staff.

God bless you,
Bishop Coyle 

 

Easter Message From Bishop Barres

March 29, 2020 Fifth Sunday of Lent 
To the Faithful of the Diocese of Rockville Centre 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As we carry the cross together, facing the devastating effects of COVID–19, please join me in thanking and praying for our first responders, dedicated doctors, nurses, staff and volunteers at Catholic Health Services and all of our wonderful hospitals across Long Island. Their sacrificial and heroic dedication during this unprecedented time is an inspiration and a sign of hope. Please join me in also praying for the incredible team at Catholic Charities who is on the front line of our response to the surge in need from the people of Nassau and Suffolk Counties. All of these brave men and women carrying out the Corporal Works of Mercy are a sign of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives.

We must remember that, although we are being asked to distance ourselves physically, from each other, we remain joined, deeply in faith, to our brothers and sisters in Christ and in the mission of mercy of the Church we love.

I received an email from Auxiliary Bishop Richard Henning that I would like to share with you: “I am speaking with pastors and seeing an explosion of efforts to share, communicate and practice the Faith. God does indeed work in strange ways, and this terrible, grievous moment appears to be shaking many of us out of complacency. There is an energy and urgency that lifts my spirit.”

Seeing the number of faithful who are now virtually participating in Mass, Holy Hours and Lenten retreats through their local parish and via the Catholic Faith Network is inspiring and I encourage you to continue to do so. I am also inspired by the rapid response of our pastors and parish leadership to care for the needs of their parish and to make this a reality. Our dedicated pastors and priests are serving in countless ways, never imagined in their seminary training.

We hear of so many special acts of kindness: people collecting food for outreach programs and needed medical equipment for our hospitals; stories of parishioners shopping and checking in on their elderly neighbors, and reaching out to Catholic Charities to help financially or by volunteering their time.

Pope Francis tells us to “remain united - to make our closeness felt to those who are alone and to those who are most stricken”. So many of you are exemplifying that call and I thank you.
From the beginning of the outbreak, our Diocese has monitored our procedures for our parishes, schools and ministries. We have adhered to all directives by the authorities and our health organizations. The spiritual wellbeing and safety of our community is our main priority.

Just as you and your family are now struggling with new challenges, our parishes are as well. Now, perhaps more than ever, your parish needs your help. It cannot survive without you.

Appreciating the anxieties you are facing, we urge you to please continue supporting your parish with weekly offertory donations. These funds are critical for the continued operation of your parish. Every day, your parish provides for the pastoral and spiritual care of its parishioners. It is there in the happiest moments in your life - weddings, baptisms, first Communions - and is a source of comfort during the most challenging times such as our current crisis or the death of a loved one. There are senior services, food pantries, youth ministries, schools, and on-going religious education. All of this depends on you! We ask that you please consider making the sacrifice, at a minimum, to continue your current weekly level of support.

One easy way to do so is through your parish's online giving provider. Your parish may have an online giving account that can be accessed through the parish website. We have also developed a “Text to Give” option for each of our parishes enabling you to make a weekly donation on your smart phone. To access information regarding this innovative form of giving, please go to the following website https://www.drvcmissionarygrowth.org/text2give. (To give to Good Shepherd text the keyword 127parishgoodshepherd  to (516) 271-3338).

At the same time, I ask our loyal supporters of the Catholic Ministries Appeal, who aid our ministries including Catholic Charities, to continue to support us if you are able. We are so grateful to those of you who continue to send in your pledge payments. We are seeing many of our ministries pivot to support those most impacted by COVID-19 and we rely on your support both in the short-term and long-term. All gifts – no matter the size – make a difference to those in need.

I truly hesitated in sending a request for support at this time, knowing the anxieties we are all facing. But as the needs of our community grow, we must ensure that our Church can continue to meet the needs of our people throughout this crisis. We must also prepare to fully reemerge when the crisis is over and we are able to join together again as the Body of Christ. I know that the faithful on Long Island understand this and will and respond as you always do in times of crisis.

If you or a family member is in need of assistance, please contact Catholic Charities at (516) 733-7045.

​
Thank you for embracing the mission of the Church. May the Holy Spirit lift our spirits so that we may see with supernatural vision the opportunities to share our Catholic Faith in these challenging times. You and your family are remembered in my daily prayers.

Sincerely in Christ,
Most Reverend John O. Barres Bishop of Rockville Centre 

To assist the Faithful that may be struggling during this crisis, Bishop Barres has issued a general dispensation from the law of abstinence (refraining from eating meat) for Good Friday 2020. All are reminded however, that Good Friday remains a day of fasting and penance. 

 

Offerings

Mass Intentions

Sunday - April 5
​​7:00 a.m.  People of Good Shepherd Parish  8:30 a.m. Theresa Gertz 10:00 a.m. Mass Guild Members 12 Noon Johanna Raygada  ​​5:00 p.m. Catherine Ferguson

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Monday - April​ 6
​​​​​​​​​​9:00 a.m. Rocco Yannucci 

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Tuesday - April​ 7
​​​​9:00 a.m. Georgie Vilim

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Wednesday - April 8
​​​​9:00 a.m.  Donald Bunora

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Holy Thursday - April 9
​​​9:00 a.m. People of Good Shepherd Parish

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Good Friday -  April 10
​​​​9:00 a.m. People of Good Shepherd Parish

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Saturday - April 11
​​​​Easter Vigil  People of Good Shepherd Parish

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Mass Guild Members
April 5, 2020

Michael Frustaci     Alexis Lamb     Dottie Priest     Gisele M Mouscardy     Jesus N. Turla     Frank & Paul Sokolowski     Veronica Black     Thomas Murphy 

Gifts of Bread and Wine

In Memory of:
Rocco Yannucci

Donated by:
Loving Family

​If you would like to make a Gift of Bread and Wine, please contact the parish office at (631)588-7689

 

Reading and Saints of the Week

Monday

St. Peter Regalado





Listen to Monday's Reading

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Reading 1
Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62
In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim,
who married a very beautiful and God-fearing woman, Susanna,
the daughter of Hilkiah;
her pious parents had trained their daughter
according to the law of Moses.
Joakim was very rich;
he had a garden near his house,
and the Jews had recourse to him often
because he was the most respected of them all.

That year, two elders of the people were appointed judges,
of whom the Lord said, “Wickedness has come out of Babylon:
from the elders who were to govern the people as judges.”
These men, to whom all brought their cases,
frequented the house of Joakim.
When the people left at noon,
Susanna used to enter her husband’s garden for a walk.
When the old men saw her enter every day for her walk,
they began to lust for her.
They suppressed their consciences;
they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven,
and did not keep in mind just judgments.

One day, while they were waiting for the right moment,
she entered the garden as usual, with two maids only.
She decided to bathe, for the weather was warm.
Nobody else was there except the two elders,
who had hidden themselves and were watching her.
“Bring me oil and soap,” she said to the maids,
“and shut the garden doors while I bathe.”

As soon as the maids had left,
the two old men got up and hurried to her.
“Look,” they said, “the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us;
give in to our desire, and lie with us.
If you refuse, we will testify against you
that you dismissed your maids because a young man was here with you.”

“I am completely trapped,” Susanna groaned.
“If I yield, it will be my death;
if I refuse, I cannot escape your power.
Yet it is better for me to fall into your power without guilt
than to sin before the Lord.”
Then Susanna shrieked, and the old men also shouted at her,
as one of them ran to open the garden doors.
When the people in the house heard the cries from the garden,
they rushed in by the side gate to see what had happened to her.
At the accusations by the old men,
the servants felt very much ashamed,
for never had any such thing been said about Susanna.

When the people came to her husband Joakim the next day,
the two wicked elders also came,
fully determined to put Susanna to death.
Before all the people they ordered:
“Send for Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah,
the wife of Joakim.”
When she was sent for,
she came with her parents, children and all her relatives.
All her relatives and the onlookers were weeping.

In the midst of the people the two elders rose up
and laid their hands on her head.
Through tears she looked up to heaven,
for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly.
The elders made this accusation:
“As we were walking in the garden alone,
this woman entered with two girls
and shut the doors of the garden, dismissing the girls.
A young man, who was hidden there, came and lay with her.
When we, in a corner of the garden, saw this crime,
we ran toward them.
We saw them lying together,
but the man we could not hold, because he was stronger than we;
he opened the doors and ran off.
Then we seized her and asked who the young man was,
but she refused to tell us.
We testify to this.”
The assembly believed them,
since they were elders and judges of the people,
and they condemned her to death.

But Susanna cried aloud:
“O eternal God, you know what is hidden
and are aware of all things before they come to be:
you know that they have testified falsely against me.
Here I am about to die,
though I have done none of the things
with which these wicked men have charged me.”

The Lord heard her prayer.
As she was being led to execution,
God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel,
and he cried aloud:
“I will have no part in the death of this woman.”
All the people turned and asked him, “What is this you are saying?”
He stood in their midst and continued,
“Are you such fools, O children of Israel!
To condemn a woman of Israel without examination
and without clear evidence?
Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her.”

Then all the people returned in haste.
To Daniel the elders said,
“Come, sit with us and inform us,
since God has given you the prestige of old age.”
But he replied,
“Separate these two far from each other that I may examine them.”

After they were separated one from the other,
he called one of them and said:
“How you have grown evil with age!
Now have your past sins come to term:
passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent,
and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says,
‘The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.’
Now, then, if you were a witness,
tell me under what tree you saw them together.”
“Under a mastic tree,” he answered.
Daniel replied, “Your fine lie has cost you your head,
for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from him
and split you in two.”
Putting him to one side, he ordered the other one to be brought.
Daniel said to him,
“Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah, beauty has seduced you,
lust has subverted your conscience.
This is how you acted with the daughters of Israel,
and in their fear they yielded to you;
but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness.
Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together.”
“Under an oak,” he said.
Daniel replied, “Your fine lie has cost you also your head,
for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two
so as to make an end of you both.”

The whole assembly cried aloud,
blessing God who saves those who hope in him.
They rose up against the two elders,
for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury.
According to the law of Moses,
they inflicted on them
the penalty they had plotted to impose on their neighbor:
they put them to death.
Thus was innocent blood spared that day.

Or 13:41C-62

The assembly condemned Susanna to death.

But Susanna cried aloud:

“O eternal God, you know what is hidden
and are aware of all things before they come to be:
you know that they have testified falsely against me.
Here I am about to die,
though I have done none of the things
with which these wicked men have charged me.”

The Lord heard her prayer.
As she was being led to execution,
God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel,
and he cried aloud:
“I will have no part in the death of this woman.”
All the people turned and asked him,
“What is this you are saying?”
He stood in their midst and continued,
“Are you such fools, O children of Israel!
To condemn a woman of Israel without examination
and without clear evidence?
Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her.”

Then all the people returned in haste.
To Daniel the elders said,
“Come, sit with us and inform us,
since God has given you the prestige of old age.”
But he replied,
“Separate these two far from each other that I may examine them.”

After they were separated one from the other,
he called one of them and said:
“How you have grown evil with age!
Now have your past sins come to term:
passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent,
and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says,
‘The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.’
Now, then, if you were a witness,
tell me under what tree you saw them together.”
“Under a mastic tree,” he answered.
Daniel replied, “Your fine lie has cost you your head,
for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from him
and split you in two.”
Putting him to one side, he ordered the other one to be brought.
Daniel said to him, “Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah,
beauty has seduced you, lust has subverted your conscience.
This is how you acted with the daughters of Israel,
and in their fear they yielded to you;
but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness.
Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together.”
“Under an oak,” he said.
Daniel replied, “Your fine lie has cost you also your head,”
for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two
so as to make an end of you both.”

The whole assembly cried aloud,
blessing God who saves those who hope in him.
They rose up against the two elders,
for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury.
According to the law of Moses,
they inflicted on them
the penalty they had plotted to impose on their neighbor:
they put them to death.
Thus was innocent blood spared that day.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 23:1-3A, 3B-4, 5, 6
R. (4ab) Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.

Verse Before the Gospel
Ezekiel 3:11
I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord,
but rather in his conversion, that he may live.

Gospel
John 8:1-11
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area,
and all the people started coming to him,
and he sat down and taught them.
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman
who had been caught in adultery
and made her stand in the middle.
They said to him,
“Teacher, this woman was caught
in the very act of committing adultery.
Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.
So what do you say?”
They said this to test him,
so that they could have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.
But when they continued asking him,
he straightened up and said to them,
“Let the one among you who is without sin
be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
And in response, they went away one by one,
beginning with the elders.
So he was left alone with the woman before him.
Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,
“Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?”
She replied, “No one, sir.”
Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.
Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

Tuesday

St. Stephen of Mar Saba





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Reading 1
Numbers 21:4-9
From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road,
to bypass the land of Edom.
But with their patience worn out by the journey,
the people complained against God and Moses,
“Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,
where there is no food or water?
We are disgusted with this wretched food!”

In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,
which bit the people so that many of them died.
Then the people came to Moses and said,
“We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.
Pray the LORD to take the serpents away from us.”
So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses,
“Make a saraph and mount it on a pole,
and whoever looks at it after being bitten will live.”
Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole,
and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent
looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21
R. (2) O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
O LORD, hear my prayer,
and let my cry come to you.
Hide not your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me;
in the day when I call, answer me speedily.
R. O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
R. O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.

Verse Before the Gospel
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;
all who come to him will live forever.

Gospel
John 8:21-30
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“I am going away and you will look for me,
but you will die in your sin.
Where I am going you cannot come.”
So the Jews said,
“He is not going to kill himself, is he,
because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?”
He said to them, “You belong to what is below,
I belong to what is above.
You belong to this world,
but I do not belong to this world.
That is why I told you that you will die in your sins.
For if you do not believe that I AM,
you will die in your sins.”
So they said to him, “Who are you?”
Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning.
I have much to say about you in condemnation.
But the one who sent me is true,
and what I heard from him I tell the world.”
They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father.
So Jesus said to them,
“When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM,
and that I do nothing on my own,
but I say only what the Father taught me.
The one who sent me is with me.
He has not left me alone,
because I always do what is pleasing to him.”
Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

Wednesday

St. Hugh of Grenoble





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Reading 1
Genesis 17:3-9
When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him:
“My covenant with you is this:
you are to become the father of a host of nations.
No longer shall you be called Abram;
your name shall be Abraham,
for I am making you the father of a host of nations.
I will render you exceedingly fertile;
I will make nations of you;
kings shall stem from you.
I will maintain my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
throughout the ages as an everlasting pact,
to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
I will give to you
and to your descendants after you
the land in which you are now staying,
the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession;
and I will be their God.”

God also said to Abraham:
“On your part, you and your descendants after you
must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations –
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

Verse Before the Gospel
Psalms 95:8
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.

Gospel
John 8:51-59
Jesus said to the Jews:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever keeps my word will never see death.”
So the Jews said to him,
“Now we are sure that you are possessed.
Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say,
‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?
Or the prophets, who died?
Who do you make yourself out to be?”
Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing;
but it is my Father who glorifies me,
of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’
You do not know him, but I know him.
And if I should say that I do not know him,
I would be like you a liar.
But I do know him and I keep his word.
Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day;
he saw it and was glad.”
So the Jews said to him,
“You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
before Abraham came to be, I AM.”
So they picked up stones to throw at him;
but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

Thursday

St. Francis of Paola





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Reading 1
Genesis 17:3-9
When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him:
“My covenant with you is this:
you are to become the father of a host of nations.
No longer shall you be called Abram;
your name shall be Abraham,
for I am making you the father of a host of nations.
I will render you exceedingly fertile;
I will make nations of you;
kings shall stem from you.
I will maintain my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
throughout the ages as an everlasting pact,
to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
I will give to you
and to your descendants after you
the land in which you are now staying,
the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession;
and I will be their God.”

God also said to Abraham:
“On your part, you and your descendants after you
must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations –
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

Verse Before the Gospel
Psalms 95:8
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.

Gospel
John 8:51-59
Jesus said to the Jews:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever keeps my word will never see death.”
So the Jews said to him,
“Now we are sure that you are possessed.
Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say,
‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?
Or the prophets, who died?
Who do you make yourself out to be?”
Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing;
but it is my Father who glorifies me,
of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’
You do not know him, but I know him.
And if I should say that I do not know him,
I would be like you a liar.
But I do know him and I keep his word.
Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day;
he saw it and was glad.”
So the Jews said to him,
“You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
before Abraham came to be, I AM.”
So they picked up stones to throw at him;
but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

Friday

St.Benedict the African





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Reading 1
Jeremiah 20:10-13
I hear the whisperings of many:
“Terror on every side!
Denounce! let us denounce him!”
All those who were my friends
are on the watch for any misstep of mine.
“Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,
and take our vengeance on him.”
But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:
my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.
In their failure they will be put to utter shame,
to lasting, unforgettable confusion.
O LORD of hosts, you who test the just,
who probe mind and heart,
Let me witness the vengeance you take on them,
for to you I have entrusted my cause.
Sing to the LORD,
praise the LORD,
For he has rescued the life of the poor
from the power of the wicked!

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 18:2-3A, 3BC-4, 5-6, 7
R. (see 7) In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
The breakers of death surged round about me,
the destroying floods overwhelmed me;
The cords of the nether world enmeshed me,
the snares of death overtook me.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
In my distress I called upon the LORD
and cried out to my God;
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

Verse Before the Gospel
John 6:63C, 68C
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.

Gospel
John 10:31-42
The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.
Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father.
For which of these are you trying to stone me?”
The Jews answered him,
“We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy.
You, a man, are making yourself God.”
Jesus answered them,
“Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ‘You are gods”‘?
If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came,
and Scripture cannot be set aside,
can you say that the one
whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world
blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me;
but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me,
believe the works, so that you may realize and understand
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
Then they tried again to arrest him;
but he escaped from their power.

He went back across the Jordan
to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.
Many came to him and said,
“John performed no sign,
but everything John said about this man was true.”
And many there began to believe in him.

Saturday

St. Isidore of Seville





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Reading 1
Ezekiel 37:21-28
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I will take the children of Israel from among the nations
to which they have come,
and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land.
I will make them one nation upon the land,
in the mountains of Israel,
and there shall be one prince for them all.
Never again shall they be two nations,
and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.

No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols,
their abominations, and all their transgressions.
I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy,
and cleanse them so that they may be my people
and I may be their God.
My servant David shall be prince over them,
and there shall be one shepherd for them all;
they shall live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees.
They shall live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob,
the land where their fathers lived;
they shall live on it forever,
they, and their children, and their children’s children,
with my servant David their prince forever.
I will make with them a covenant of peace;
it shall be an everlasting covenant with them,
and I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever.
My dwelling shall be with them;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD,
who make Israel holy,
when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.

Responsorial Psalm
Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12ABCD, 13
R. (see 10d) The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.
Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
proclaim it on distant isles, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd his flock.
R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.
The LORD shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the LORD’s blessings:
The grain, the wine, and the oil,
the sheep and the oxen.
R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.
Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

Veres Before the Gospel
Ezekiel 18:31
Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD,
and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit

Gospel
John 11:45-56
Many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees
and told them what Jesus had done.
So the chief priests and the Pharisees
convened the Sanhedrin and said,
“What are we going to do?
This man is performing many signs.
If we leave him alone, all will believe in him,
and the Romans will come
and take away both our land and our nation.”
But one of them, Caiaphas,
who was high priest that year, said to them,
“You know nothing,
nor do you consider that it is better for you
that one man should die instead of the people,
so that the whole nation may not perish.”
He did not say this on his own,
but since he was high priest for that year,
he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,
and not only for the nation,
but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.
So from that day on they planned to kill him.

So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews,
but he left for the region near the desert,
to a town called Ephraim,
and there he remained with his disciples.

Now the Passover of the Jews was near,
and many went up from the country to Jerusalem
before Passover to purify themselves.
They looked for Jesus and said to one another
as they were in the temple area, “What do you think?
That he will not come to the feast?”

Sunday

St.Vincent Ferrer





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At The Procession With Palms — Gospel
Matthew 21:1-11
When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem
and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,
Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them,
"Go into the village opposite you,
and immediately you will find an ass tethered,
and a colt with her.
Untie them and bring them here to me.
And if anyone should say anything to you, reply,
'The master has need of them.'
Then he will send them at once."
This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet
might be fulfilled:
Say to daughter Zion,
"Behold, your king comes to you,
meek and riding on an ass,
and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden."
The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them.
They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them,
and he sat upon them.
The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road,
while others cut branches from the trees
and strewed them on the road.
The crowds preceding him and those following
kept crying out and saying:
"Hosanna to the Son of David;
blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord;
hosanna in the highest."
And when he entered Jerusalem
the whole city was shaken and asked, "Who is this?"
And the crowds replied,
"This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee."

Reading 1
Isaiah 50:4-7
The Lord GOD has given me
a well-trained tongue,
that I might know how to speak to the weary
a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
he opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
All who see me scoff at me;
they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:
"He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,
let him rescue him, if he loves him."
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Indeed, many dogs surround me,
a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;
They have pierced my hands and my feet;
I can count all my bones.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
They divide my garments among them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.
But you, O LORD, be not far from me;
O my help, hasten to aid me.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
I will proclaim your name to my brethren;
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:
"You who fear the LORD, praise him;
all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him;
revere him, all you descendants of Israel!"
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Reading 2
Phillipians 2:6-11
Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Alleluia
Phillipians 2:8-9
R.Alleluia, alleluia
Christ became obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.
R.Alleluia, alleluia

Gospel
Matthew 26:14-27:66
One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,
went to the chief priests and said,
"What are you willing to give me
if I hand him over to you?"
They paid him thirty pieces of silver,
and from that time on he looked for an opportunity
to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
the disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Where do you want us to prepare
for you to eat the Passover?"
He said,
"Go into the city to a certain man and tell him,
'The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near;
in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples."'"
The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered,
and prepared the Passover.

When it was evening,
he reclined at table with the Twelve.
And while they were eating, he said,
"Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."
Deeply distressed at this,
they began to say to him one after another,
"Surely it is not I, Lord?"
He said in reply,
"He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me
is the one who will betray me.
The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,
but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.
It would be better for that man if he had never been born."
Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply,
"Surely it is not I, Rabbi?"
He answered, "You have said so."

While they were eating,
Jesus took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and giving it to his disciples said,
"Take and eat; this is my body."
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,
"Drink from it, all of you,
for this is my blood of the covenant,
which will be shed on behalf of many
for the forgiveness of sins.
I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine
until the day when I drink it with you new
in the kingdom of my Father."
Then, after singing a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus said to them,
"This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken,
for it is written:
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed;
but after I have been raised up,
I shall go before you to Galilee."
Peter said to him in reply,
"Though all may have their faith in you shaken,
mine will never be."
Jesus said to him,
"Amen, I say to you,
this very night before the cock crows,
you will deny me three times."
Peter said to him,
"Even though I should have to die with you,
I will not deny you."
And all the disciples spoke likewise.

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane,
and he said to his disciples,
"Sit here while I go over there and pray."
He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,
and began to feel sorrow and distress.
Then he said to them,
"My soul is sorrowful even to death.
Remain here and keep watch with me."
He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying,
"My Father, if it is possible,
let this cup pass from me;
yet, not as I will, but as you will."
When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep.
He said to Peter,
"So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?
Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again,
"My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass
without my drinking it, your will be done!"
Then he returned once more and found them asleep,
for they could not keep their eyes open.
He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time,
saying the same thing again.
Then he returned to his disciples and said to them,
"Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?
Behold, the hour is at hand
when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.
Get up, let us go.
Look, my betrayer is at hand."

While he was still speaking,
Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived,
accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs,
who had come from the chief priests and the elders
of the people.
His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying,
"The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him."
Immediately he went over to Jesus and said,
"Hail, Rabbi!" and he kissed him.
Jesus answered him,
"Friend, do what you have come for."
Then stepping forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.
And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus
put his hand to his sword, drew it,
and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his ear.
Then Jesus said to him,
"Put your sword back into its sheath,
for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father
and he will not provide me at this moment
with more than twelve legions of angels?
But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled
which say that it must come to pass in this way?"
At that hour Jesus said to the crowds,
"Have you come out as against a robber,
with swords and clubs to seize me?
Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area,
yet you did not arrest me.
But all this has come to pass
that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled."
Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Those who had arrested Jesus led him away
to Caiaphas the high priest,
where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
Peter was following him at a distance
as far as the high priest's courtyard,
and going inside he sat down with the servants
to see the outcome.
The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin
kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus
in order to put him to death,
but they found none,
though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward who stated,
"This man said, 'I can destroy the temple of God
and within three days rebuild it.'"
The high priest rose and addressed him,
"Have you no answer?
What are these men testifying against you?"
But Jesus was silent.
Then the high priest said to him,
"I order you to tell us under oath before the living God
whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"You have said so.
But I tell you:
From now on you will see 'the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power'
and 'coming on the clouds of heaven.'"
Then the high priest tore his robes and said,
"He has blasphemed!
What further need have we of witnesses?
You have now heard the blasphemy;
what is your opinion?"
They said in reply,
"He deserves to die!"
Then they spat in his face and struck him,
while some slapped him, saying,
"Prophesy for us, Christ: who is it that struck you?"

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.
One of the maids came over to him and said,
"You too were with Jesus the Galilean."
But he denied it in front of everyone, saying,
"I do not know what you are talking about!"
As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him
and said to those who were there,
"This man was with Jesus the Nazorean."
Again he denied it with an oath,
"I do not know the man!"
A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter,
"Surely you too are one of them;
even your speech gives you away."
At that he began to curse and to swear,
"I do not know the man."
And immediately a cock crowed.
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken:
"Before the cock crows you will deny me three times."
He went out and began to weep bitterly.

When it was morning,
all the chief priests and the elders of the people
took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.
They bound him, led him away,
and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned,
deeply regretted what he had done.
He returned the thirty pieces of silver
to the chief priests and elders, saying,
"I have sinned in betraying innocent blood."
They said,
"What is that to us?
Look to it yourself."
Flinging the money into the temple,
he departed and went off and hanged himself.
The chief priests gathered up the money, but said,
"It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury,
for it is the price of blood."
After consultation, they used it to buy the potter's field
as a burial place for foreigners.
That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah
the prophet,
And they took the thirty pieces of silver,
the value of a man with a price on his head,
a price set by some of the Israelites,
and they paid it out for the potter's field
just as the Lord had commanded me.

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him,
"Are you the king of the Jews?"
Jesus said, "You say so."
And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders,
he made no answer.
Then Pilate said to him,
"Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?"
But he did not answer him one word,
so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast
the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd
one prisoner whom they wished.
And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them,
"Which one do you want me to release to you,
Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?"
For he knew that it was out of envy
that they had handed him over.
While he was still seated on the bench,
his wife sent him a message,
"Have nothing to do with that righteous man.
I suffered much in a dream today because of him."
The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds
to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus.
The governor said to them in reply,
"Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"
They answered, "Barabbas!"
Pilate said to them,
"Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?"
They all said,
"Let him be crucified!"
But he said,
"Why? What evil has he done?"
They only shouted the louder,
"Let him be crucified!"
When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all,
but that a riot was breaking out instead,
he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd,
saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood.
Look to it yourselves."
And the whole people said in reply,
"His blood be upon us and upon our children."
Then he released Barabbas to them,
but after he had Jesus scourged,
he handed him over to be crucified.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium
and gathered the whole cohort around him.
They stripped off his clothes
and threw a scarlet military cloak about him.
Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head,
and a reed in his right hand.
And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying,
"Hail, King of the Jews!"
They spat upon him and took the reed
and kept striking him on the head.
And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the cloak,
dressed him in his own clothes,
and led him off to crucify him.

As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon;
this man they pressed into service
to carry his cross.

And when they came to a place called Golgotha
—which means Place of the Skull —,
they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall.
But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.
After they had crucified him,
they divided his garments by casting lots;
then they sat down and kept watch over him there.
And they placed over his head the written charge against him:
This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
Two revolutionaries were crucified with him,
one on his right and the other on his left.
Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,
"You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
save yourself, if you are the Son of God,
and come down from the cross!"
Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said,
"He saved others; he cannot save himself.
So he is the king of Israel!
Let him come down from the cross now,
and we will believe in him.
He trusted in God;
let him deliver him now if he wants him.
For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'"
The revolutionaries who were crucified with him
also kept abusing him in the same way.

From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon.
And about three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?"
which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Some of the bystanders who heard it said,
"This one is calling for Elijah."
Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge;
he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed,
gave it to him to drink.
But the rest said,
"Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him."
But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice,
and gave up his spirit.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

And behold, the veil of the sanctuary
was torn in two from top to bottom.
The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened,
and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection,
they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus
feared greatly when they saw the earthquake
and all that was happening, and they said,
"Truly, this was the Son of God!"
There were many women there, looking on from a distance,
who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.
Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph,
and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

When it was evening,
there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph,
who was himself a disciple of Jesus.
He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus;
then Pilate ordered it to be handed over.
Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen
and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock.
Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb
and departed.
But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary
remained sitting there, facing the tomb.

The next day, the one following the day of preparation,
the chief priests and the Pharisees
gathered before Pilate and said,
"Sir, we remember that this impostor while still alive said,
'After three days I will be raised up.'
Give orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day,
lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people,
'He has been raised from the dead.'
This last imposture would be worse than the first."
Pilate said to them,
"The guard is yours;
go, secure it as best you can."
So they went and secured the tomb
by fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard.

Or Matthew 27:11-54
Jesus stood before the governor, Pontius Pilate, who questioned him,
“Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus said, “You say so.”
And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders,
he made no answer.
Then Pilate said to him,
“Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?”
But he did not answer him one word,
so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast
the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd
one prisoner whom they wished.
And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them,
“Which one do you want me to release to you,
Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?”
For he knew that it was out of envy
that they had handed him over.
While he was still seated on the bench,
his wife sent him a message,
“Have nothing to do with that righteous man.
I suffered much in a dream today because of him.”
The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds
to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus.
The governor said to them in reply,
“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”
They answered, ABarabbas!”
Pilate said to them,
“Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?”
They all said,
“Let him be crucified!”
But he said,
“Why? What evil has he done?”
They only shouted the louder,
“Let him be crucified!”
When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all,
but that a riot was breaking out instead,
he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd,
saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.
Look to it yourselves.”
And the whole people said in reply,
“His blood be upon us and upon our children.”
Then he released Barabbas to them,
but after he had Jesus scourged,
he handed him over to be crucified.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium
and gathered the whole cohort around him.
They stripped off his clothes
and threw a scarlet military cloak about him.
Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head,
and a reed in his right hand.
And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying,
“Hail, King of the Jews!”
They spat upon him and took the reed
and kept striking him on the head.
And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the cloak,
dressed him in his own clothes,
and led him off to crucify him.

As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon;
this man they pressed into service
to carry his cross.

And when they came to a place called Golgotha
— which means Place of the Skull —,
they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall.
But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.
After they had crucified him,
they divided his garments by casting lots;
then they sat down and kept watch over him there.
And they placed over his head the written charge against him:
This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
Two revolutionaries were crucified with him,
one on his right and the other on his left.
Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,
“You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
save yourself, if you are the Son of God,
and come down from the cross!”
Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said,
“He saved others; he cannot save himself.
So he is the king of Israel!
Let him come down from the cross now,
and we will believe in him.
He trusted in God;
let him deliver him now if he wants him.
For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
The revolutionaries who were crucified with him
also kept abusing him in the same way.

From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon.
And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”
which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Some of the bystanders who heard it said,
“This one is calling for Elijah.”
Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge;
he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed,
gave it to him to drink.
But the rest said,
‘Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.”
But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice,
and gave up his spirit.

And behold, the veil of the sanctuary
was torn in two from top to bottom.
The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened,
and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection,
they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus
feared greatly when they saw the earthquake
and all that was happening, and they said,
“Truly, this was the Son of God!”

 

Faith Formation

Journey to Jerusalem had been Cancelled

 

Adult Faith Formation

Why Do I Need the Church?
Postponed for the month of March

Learn about the Sacraments, the Mass, the Holy Spirit and the Life of Grace . Sessions will be from 7PM to 8:30PM in Fellowship Hall. Videos presentations by Dr. Edward Sri. Contact Joe and Charlene Raygada at 631-567-6847 or sign up online through the Online Bulletin.
Click here for more information

 

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Jubilee Dinner Postponed

Due to current COVID-19 circumstances, our June 24, 2020 Jubilee Dinner has been postponed. Many thanks to all who have volunteered to assist in its' planning. Another date will be selected and we will joyously celebrate at that time!

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GARDEN MINISTRY COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Below is a list of project dates. Any student who wants to check on the details or status of this service date can contact me directly at 631-588-0163. ​​

May 2, 2020 Saturday 8 am Offloading and sorting plants
May 16, 2020 Saturday 8:30am Spring grounds work for planting
June 6, 2020 Saturday 8:30am spring planting

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Dan Schutte in Concert
An Evening of Song and Reflection

Good Shepherd Parish is proud to be hosting Dan Schutte on Friday - June 5th, 2020 at 7:30pm. Dan is one of the best known and critically acclaimed composers of liturgical music in the country. With a musical legacy of 50 years his music has been an integral part in shaping the liturgical life of the English-speaking Church. Dan has graced us with many fine works of music including – Here I Am, Lord; Blest Be the Lord; Sing a New Song; Only This I Want; You Are Near; City of God; Send Us Your Spirit; Gather the People; Give Thanks to the Lord; Table of Plenty; River of Glory; Sing, O Sing; God’s Holy Gifts; These Alone Are Enough and many others. This event is one of several planned events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of our parish.

We expect many people within and outside our parish community will want to experience this special evening and we are hopeful that our Good Shepherd parishioners, family and friends will be on hand to celebrate and share our sense of community and hospitality to all. Tickets are only $20. We are offering our parishioners an opportunity to reserve tickets in advance by stopping at the church office and placing your name and contact info on the Dan Schutte Advance Tickets List. We will contact you in mid-April when tickets are available for pre-sale. Tickets may also be purchased at the door, subject to availability.

Special Note to All Liturgical Ministers - On Saturday, June 6th, from 9:30am - 12:30pm, Dan will present a special workshop for all liturgical ministers and share some of his insights and thoughts on the liturgy and how we can be more effective in our respective roles as we strive to serve others. All liturgical ministers are welcome and encouraged to come. The fee for the workshop is $10.00 and includes breakfast. Attendees can pay at the door. For further information you may contact James Marino - Director / Folk Group via email at: giacomo0726@gmail.com

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Click here for more information

 

Our office is reaching out to you or anyone you know in our area that is in need of assistance for food, temporary financial help, counseling, advice or referrals, or is sick, homebound, lonely, and hurting.  If in need of our services, please call our office at 585-4544. All information taken is treated privately and confidentially except where disclosure is made at your request or with your permission.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Gang

The PB&J Gang Ministry will not be meeting during the month of April. Please hold all donations until further notice.

During the month of March, the PB&J Gang made 1080 sandwiches and 200 wash-up kits. Thank you for your help & support!

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Friendship Garden
All meetings are cancelled through April 14

Friendship Garden is a place where women come to share love and laughter. We meet each Thursday morning at 10am in Fellowship Hall. Everyone is made to feel welcome. We share our stories of life, faith and our crocheting and knitting skills. We are always ready to support any needy cause within our Church community. So if you need a place to just be, come join us! We would love to have the chance to meet you!

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Senior Group
All meetings are cancelled through April 14

The months are flying by and this month we celebrate birthdays for Bill R., Liz K., Terry C., Caroline A., Stan G., Cathy Y., Joann M. and Loretta D.
We'll also be celebrating St. Patrick's Day with a party, of course!!!
We welcome seniors 55+ to join us any Tuesday after the 9:00 mass.

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Food Pantry

Thank you for your generosity.

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Sign Language

If anyone is in need of sign language interpretation for Mass, please leave a message for Deacon Tom at the main office - 631-588-7689.

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Life Center

The Life Center of Long Island is in need of new and gently used baby clothing, 0-3 months – 3-toddler. They will be donated to help mothers and born and “soon to be born” babies. Mothers can come to the Life Center one month prior to their delivery date and every three months until the child reaches the size of 3T. Please label your donations with a “Life Center” tag and place them in the outreach bins. Thank you for your much-needed support.

 

 

 

Ministry Spotlight

Did you know that there are over 40 active ministries here at Good Shepherd? While some are familiar to all who attend mass (Greeters, Lectors, Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, etc.) there are many more ministries that also help mold and shape our parish into the wonderful community of faith that it is today.
Periodically, we will spotlight one of our ministries here at Good Shepherd so that the congregation can see the good works being done here as well provide opportunities for parishioners to join in.
​
This month we share information on our Pre-Cana Ministry which is facilitated by Dennis and Barbara Fretto. 

MARCH 22, 2020
PRE-CANA OPENING
10 AM MASS
Dennis & Barbara Fretto's 45th Wedding Anniversary

Celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage 
For 35 out of 45 years of our marriage, Barbara and I have been serving in the Pre-Cana Ministry. 25 of those years have been here at Good Shepherd. Barb and I agreed to say yes to this ministry because we believe in the Sacrament of Marriage. We know that we are not a "perfect" couple, but we do believe that God so loves us that He gives us the "perfect" gift of each other. His presence in our lives makes our ordinary lives extraordinary, special, and life giving. The presence of the Holy Spirit has lifted us through difficult times and our ability to pray has helped us to communicate better with each other and with our God. The unconditional Love we experience in our Eucharist helps us to forgive each other and grow. The community we have shared this ministry with helps us to experience church and enrich our spirituality. 

The Pre-Cana Ministry of Good Shepherd parish is a witness of our parish mission & vision statements. It truly is a privilege and a responsibility of love and service. We welcome Married couples who share our belief to come grow with us in this ministry and invite all who have attended Pre-Cana Prep with us to join us at the 10:00 AM mass and coffee to follow on the 22nd. 

THE CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD MARRIAGE PREPARATION
2 to 3 Sessions per year
Opening Mass 10 AM at Good Shepherd

4 in Home Meetings
"Communications"
"Decision Making"
"Intimacy"
"Spirituality"

Closing Mass & Dinner
5:00 PM at Good Shepherd

Pre-Cana Ministry
Call Dennis and Barbara Fretto for More Information
(631)803-2257

 

Community News

50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration

This Spring, couples who have been married fifty years will be honored at a Mass on Sunday, May 3, 2020 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Smithtown. Mass will begin at 2:00 p.m., Bishop Robert J. Coyle will preside. Registration forms and complete instructions can be obtained at the rectory. Space is limited, registration will be accepted on a first come first served basis. The forms can also be found on www.drvc-faith.org. If you have any questions you may call 516-678-5800, extension 223.

 

At the Movies With Donna

March 2020

Bad Boys For Life
The Miami detectives are back together again in this third installment, as they investigate the murders of high profile people who were involved in an old case, including the attempted murder of one of the detectives. As usual, there is excessive violence, crude language, and lots of bloodshed. A movie that is not for everyone. However, putting that aside, the relation- ship between the two detectives is real and the two leads (Will Smith and Martin Lawrence) have great chemistry and are fun to watch. 

The Last Full Measure
In 1966, during one of the bloodiest missions of the Vietnam War, US Air Force Pararescueman William Pitsenbarger is killed in combat. This true story follows the 34 year quest by the men who served with him on that day to see that he is awarded the Medal of Honor. Truly a story of valor, bravery, selflessness, sacrifice, heartbreak, brotherhood and devotion. Well written and directed by Todd Robinson. An outstanding cast of actors including Sebastian Stan, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Plummer, William Hurt, Ed Harris, Peter Fonda, Diane Ladd and John Savage. Each one of these actors gives a stellar stand alone performance in this film. One of the best movies made about the Vietnam War. It is such a well-made film and deserves to be seen by all.

The Gentleman
Michael Pearson wants to sell his marijuana empire to fellow gangster Mat- thew. Add in two rival Chinese underworld figures, a boxing trainer and a private detective with his own agenda. What follows is what we would expect from writer-director Guy Ritchie, lots of violence, crude language and a fast-paced, funny and interesting story from beginning to end. Al- though not for everyone, this movie knows its fans. Great casting with Matthew McConaughey, Hugh Grant (who is so good), Colin Farrell, Charlie Hunnam and Michelle Dockery. 

Call of the Wild
Adapted from Jack London’s 1903 classic tale, Buck, the big hearted St. Bernard, is kidnapped from his happy life in California and taken to the Alaskan Yukon in the 1890’s. A story about love, friendship, and respect, this movie is heartwarming and highly entertaining. Although Buck is created by CGI technology and has no dialogue, he is an interesting character with human-like qualities. Beautifully filmed, this movie is well-directed by Chris Sanders with terrific writing by Michael Green. Add in an excellent performance by Harrison Ford as Buck’s friend, who helps him find his true place in the world. 

The Way Back
A former top high-school basketball player, who threw away a full scholarship and chance to go pro, is asked to coach the struggling team at his alma mater. Ben Affleck stars in this heart-breaking story about alcoholism, despair, redemption, and hope. There are two stories going on at the same time here - the underdog high school team who gives their coach a new sense of purpose and the broken-man who desperately needs help. There is much religious symbolism throughout this film with many references to faith. Good direction by Gavin O’Connor and well written by Brad Ingelsby. Affleck gives a genuine performance. You will find yourself begging for this character to get the help he needs to make him whole again. 

I Still Believe
This is the true story of Christian music star Jeremy Camp and his wife, Melissa, who was diagnosed with cancer before they were married. A touching, heart-warming, emotional story about love, heartbreak, hope, doubt and faith. Well directed by brothers Andrew and Jon Erwin and emotional written by Jon Gunn, with good performances by KJ Apa, Britt Robertson, Nathan Parsons and Gary Sinise. “Hasten the day”. “The God of a trillion stars knows my name and he has a destiny for me.” 

We Remember

May the good Lord bless all the faithful departed. May their souls rest in peace. ​
All Loved Ones

Pray for the Sick

Pray for our Military