Dear Friends,

The spiritual writer, Mark Link, tells the following story:

A parish priest climbed his church’s steeple to

get nearer to God. He reasoned that if he was

closer he could hear God’s word more clearly so

that he could then be better able to share it with

his fellow parishioners.

But the higher he climbed, the further from God

he seemed to get. Finally, in desperation, the

priest cried out from the top of the steeple,

“God speak to me! God, where are you?”

And at that moment, the priest heard a voice

crying out from far below, “My son, here I am!

Down here among my people.”

In Matthew’s story, the Magi were caught up in the

wonder they felt at the sight of the star. It led them to

search for its destination. When they reached that place,

they realized that the child fulfilled the longing in their

hearts. They fell down in worship of what he revealed:

God was indeed among his people.

This is the meaning of the “good news” Jesus proclaimed

- we don’t have to look for God. God is already in union

with us! The sad thing is that like Herod, we’re afraid

that we have to create our own kingdoms and do what

we can to protect them because we think the world is

hostile.

So we set up boundaries to our love, limiting ourselves

to one group or another. Matthew was saying

something else. In Jesus, there are no

boundaries to God’s presence to us, After all, it was

foreigners who sensed the truth: God is in union with all

of us. We are all sharers in his love. Thus, as Thomas

Merton once wrote: “What we have to be is what we

already are.”

One way we can experience this fact is to pay attention

to the gifts we receive like the magi did. Wonder,

beauty, truth, gratitude, care... these are things we

sense before we realize that we’re immersed in them.

They move us outside of our small worlds into the larger

world around us, into the Christ.

Allow me to register our shared gratitude for all those

who helped us be more aware of his constant presence

this Christmas.

Our Christmas Concert gifted us with the beauty and

wonder of music and helped usher in the season. Our

Mailing Team assembled the Christmas Programs. So

many used their gifts to set up the exterior and the

interior Manger Scenes and to give our church its

warmth this Christmas season. Our Lectors, Eucharistic

Ministers, our Ushers, our Welcoming Ministers, Altar

Servers, and Sacristans cared for us with dignity and

grace. Our wonderful Choirs and Leaders of Song helped

us worship the Lord with their very special gifts. Our

Giving Tree Committee and our Kids Corner made it

possible for us to help those less fortunate in our midst.

Fr. Colin, Deacons JC and Rich, and I also want to thank

all of you who contributed so generously to the

Christmas collection this year. Finally, we and

Fr. Jeremiah and Msgr. Ziccardi want all of you to know

how blessed we are for all of you and for your

kindnesses to us. It is our prayer that all of us may notice

the ever-present love of Christ in and through each

others lives in 2017.

Love,

Fr. Joe

Worship… Called and formed by the Word of God, we

worship our Lord primarily in the Mass. The Eucharist is the

center of our Christian life. It grounds everything else we do,

from prayer to our daily tasks to our ministries. If you have any

comments, please feel free to contact any of the following

Pastoral Council Representatives: Fr. Colin Kay, Deacon

Rich McGarry and Michael Kohler.

Pray for the recovery of: Nellie Salazar, Ann Garripoli Petrie, John Coons, Joyce Rizzo, Baby Eden Parker, Theresa Barker, Regina Meade, Rita Uriarte, Jennifer Crespo, Emma Weidner, Jim Wrynn, Jimmy O’Hanlon, Patricia Sisti, Albert Gravel, Sally Morris, Richie Oetting Jr., Margaret Hoether, Janet Sheahan, Edna Tuchler, David Guerra, Jessica Pavoni, Debbie Carlotti, Jake Rudd, Stephanie Zoccoli, John Bohlig, Baby McKinley Kelleher, Cynthia Pensabene, Kathleen Bueschen, Jayden J. Miranda, Baby Hudson Brozyna, Tommy Killeen, Pauline McCarthy, Patrice Foster, Frank Barone, Michael Reyes, Michelle Seymour, Frank Morano, Sr., Bill Keegan, Richard Kennelley, Julie Zinzi, Charles Cummins, Veronica Reichert, Robert O’Byrne, Julia Fedorchik, Jillda DiNardo, Marie Brancato, Dylan Ochanski, Helen Konarski, Sharon Breheny, Mary Ludlow, Timothy Dolan, Manny Chirico, Margaret Chirico, Facundo Daniel, Nicki Conaway, Ray Hofmeister, Jason & Justin Leider, Kevin Barnett, Dianna Miranda, Brandon Higgens, Ann Millstein, Carol Gravel, Wendy Gratale, Richie Policastro, Jackie Manning, Stanislaw Tecza, Jean Calabrase, Louis Frances, Jarret Adamo, Matthew McGovern, Sarah Valenti, Stan Tomon, Violeta Arva, Ken Macagna, Todd Hodge, Vickie DePadova, Emily Rao, John Rao, Carol Verbovsky, Kenneth Bodzak, Janice Ward, Anne Llewellyn, Amy Joosten Butler, Les Wolf, Gary Beal, Diana Lambouras, Thomas Brown, Mary Ann Cavana, Nicole Schepps and John Falcone.

†Pray for the happy repose of † Ruth Newland, George Geissner Matt Hales and Rocco Inglese

The Bread and Wine will be offered this week in loving memory of Lorraine Murawski as requested by Rosemary Anderson.

The Altar Candles will burn this week in loving memory of Carmelita Merino as requested by Deacon JC Merino. The Sanctuary Lamp will burn this week in loving memory of Luelly Lichtmann as requested by JoAnn & Marie.

Monday, January 9th

7:30 - Mr. & Mrs. William Strangway Jr. – Anna Macanka The Nguyen Family – Daughter & Family 8:45 – Luis Yerovi – The Marin Family Anthony & Madeline Bonomolo - Dennis

Tuesday, January 10th

7:30 – In Thanksgiving to Our Lady – Anna Nancy Scheeler – Lillian & Peter Britz 8:45 - Faye Vita - Family

Wednesday, January 11th

7:30 – Debra Ann Johnson – Mildred Placa Luis Merino (Living) – Deacon JC Merino 8:45 - Louis Insinga - Family

Thursday, January 12th

7:30 - Juelly Lichtmann – Joyce & Justin Toledo Debra Ann Johnson – Philip Johnson Benjamin Macanka – Wife, Anna 8:45 - Patrick McHugh - Peggy

Friday, January 13th

7:30 – Lorrie Walther – Linda Lazina Tommy Frank – Mark Luis Merino (Living) – Deacon JC Merino 8:45 - Maria Duyet – Daughter-in-law & Family

Saturday, January 14th

8:45 – Rose Husni – Karen Gerbosi 5:15– Dorothy Imperatore – Genevieve Paulhus Sigmund Golabek – Family Kristin Casanova – Diana & Joe Torregrossa Mary Ferris – Husband, Daniel

Sunday, January 15th

7:30 – Col. Jack O’Neil – Terri & Karl Eder Kristin Casanova – Marianne Cummins & Carol Conte Dorothy Harris – CWV #1076 9:30 – Antonino Randazzo – Daughter Annette Schurman – Suzanne Koike Helen Buonicore – Ken & Dorothy Sullivan Richard Pinto – Myra & Kenny D’Silva 11:30 - Jack O’Neil – Sam & Lucy DePadova John Tarakjian – The Maikis Family John Smith – Nicole Monastersky Virginia Mulry – Basile Family 6:00 - People of St. Anne Parish

Eucharist Adoration Friday, January 13th

12 pm – 6 pm

Concluding with Benediction at 6 pm. Please volunteer to pray

one hour before our Lord. Sign-up sheet in the church vestibule.

Let us pray for those in our armed forces

especially for: Cpl Bobby Cimmino, USMC; PFC

Richard Marchese, US Army; Pvt. John Pagios, US

Army; Pvt. Kristoffer Burger, US Army; SPCE4

Kyle Milnes, US Army; PO 2nd

Cl Jimmy Guerra,

US Navy, PO 1st Cl Nicholas J. Vanni, US Navy;

Major Gregory Sugalski, US Army; MM2 Nicholas

J. Magarelli, USN, Master Sgt. Michael VanPamel,

USAF; Sgt. Michael Bourke, US Army; PFC

Lindsay Newarski, US Army; Staff Sgt.. Matthew

Bauer, USAF; Brandon Motto, USMC; Lt. Marc

Sabatino, USN; LCPL Storm Odom, USMC; Airman

Michael Diffin, USAF; CPL Justin Scales, USMC;

LCPL Dominick Rizzo, USMC; PFC Jonathan C.

Sulinski, Warrant Officer Alan Harty, US Army;

Sgt. Bert J. Frullo, US Army; LCPL. Harrison

James Bruining, USMC; LCPL Steven D’Argenio,

USMC; Capt. Kip Rainey; SP4 Monica Saucier, US

Army; Spec. 4 Brian Tarantino, US Army; PO 1st

Cl. Mike Tarantino, USN; Lt. Col. Marshall

Denney; Lance Corp. Marshall Denney IV; Col.

Patrick Frank; Capt. Daniel Curtin, US Army; Staff

Sgt. Joseph Sullivan, USMC; A1C Richard

Baldassari, USAF; Capt. Donald Pump, USMC;

and all those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

ALTERNATIVE TO ABORTION If you know

someone who is considering having an abortion,

here is a number they might call that could be of

help to them to consider an alternative to this

practice. The number is 1-800-395-HELP (4357).

During the month of January, Pope Francis asks us to pray especially ...that all Christians may be faithful to the Lord's teaching by striving with prayer and fraternal charity to restore unity among Christians, and by working together to meet the challenges facing humanity.

BACK TO OUR ROOTS BTOR will resume meeting this Thursday, January 12th at 1:00 in the Faith Center

Church Calendars with listings of church feast days are available in the church. These calendars are provided for us by the Caggiano Family of Vander Plaat–Caggiano Funeral Home, Inc. of Fair Lawn.

REFLECTION Silence Murray Bodo, OFM

Could God be silence, after all?

After all the words, rituals

Proclamations, incantations?

After the hymns and processions

After tears and lamentations,

Could silence be the answer?

Silence loud with divinity

No words, no thoughts, no images

Could silence be the God of prayer?

As when, silent, he wrote in sand

And she – smelling his feet – heard.

STEWARDSHIP REFLECTIONS

Epiphany of Our Lord

“Then they opened their treasures and offered

him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11)

The image of the Magi kneeling before the infant Jesus and opening their treasure chests for Him is an image that we should all try to follow all year long. In gratitude for all that we have been given, we are called to generously share all of our gifts, not just the ones we pick and choose. God wants us to be the most generous with that one thing that means the most to us.

Bethlehem? Nazareth?

Jerusalem? Come walk where Jesus, Mary and

Joseph walked.

A pilgrimage to the Holy Land

November 4-13, 2017

with Father Colin

Brochures available at the rectory.

Word… St. Anne’s is a family of faith formed by the Word of God, especially as this is expressed in the person of Christ, in the

Scriptures, and in the Tradition of the Church. As we hear this word and take it more and more deeply into our lives, we become ever

more truly the People of God. If you have any comments, please feel free to contact any of the following Pastoral Council

Representatives: Donna Stickna, Melissa Rovetto-Ruffner & Marianne Cummins .

SAINT ANNE SCHOOL NEWS

“I've been at St. Anne School for nine years and I have come to appreciate many things here. I appreciate how small the classes are in my school. A smaller classroom lets students focus on their work. Another thing I appreciate is how friendly everybody is and how there are no bullies. I also like how friendly all the teachers are.” Daniel Kaczmarczyk

www.stannenj.com Follow us ….@StAnneFairLawn

FAITH FORMATION NEWS

FALL FAITH NEWS

Progress reports will be distributed in the 1st session of the year; please sign & return ASAP!

CONFIRMATION NEWS

January schedule:

January 8 & 22 @ 7pm, school (enter through door #4). Bring your book!!

HOME STUDY SCHEDULE

ALL Home Study sessions meet in the school cafeteria on Tuesdays from 7-8:30pm (enter through door #5).

Online chapter reviews for chapters 9-14 are due one week before your family’s session. Don’t forget your

donations of tuna, peanut butter, jelly!

Home Study 1 meets January 10

Home Study 2 meets January 17

Home Study 3 meets January 24

FAMILY CATECHESIS

If your family missed FC 7 or 8 last week, please contact the Faith Formation office immediately!

SUMMER EPIPHANY RETURN SESSION

Email reminders have been sent to all families scheduled to attend the Epiphany Session on Sunday, January 15

@ 10:30am (immediately after the 9:30am Mass). Please bring your donations of bars of soap, toothbrushes, &

toothpaste.

Service… Impelled by the Spirit of Jesus, St. Anne’s strives to reach out to others. In works on behalf of justice, charity, and human development,

we seek to imitate Jesus in bringing glad tidings to the poor, liberty to the oppressed and captives, and healing to the blind and the sick.

If you have any comments, please feel free to contact Fr. Joe or Fr. Colin.

FROM THE OFFICE OF HUMAN CONCERNS

FOOD PANTRY NEEDS:

ITEMS MOST NEEDED: PEANUT BUTTER, JELLY, PASTA AND FACE SOAP. Canned vegetables,

canned fruit, instant potatoes, pasta sauce, white rice (small bags), small packets of instant dry milk, sugar, jello

or pudding mix, coffee, pancake mix, syrup, cookies, healthy snacks, cake mix, icing, shampoo & conditioner,

tooth paste, paper towels, dish soap, laundry detergent and house cleaning products.

Please donate the brown paper bags you get from the supermarket. We are in need of these bags!

Please check the dates on your donations prior to donating them. We do not hand out expired food. You can

drop off food anytime at the rectory. Check out the Dollar Stores for dollar deals.

Please do not drop clothes, books, baby items, household items off at the rectory without checking with Michelle

at ext. 217 first.

Harrison House Feeding Program:

We have openings for Harrison House feeding program: once a month during 2017. Available dates are

2/19, 3/19, 6/18 (Father’s Day), 7/16, 9/17,10/15, 11/19 and 12/17. This is a great family project. It is also a

good Confirmation Service Project. Your family would have to shop, cook and deliver a prepared meal to the

seven people who reside at Harrison House in Paramus, a 20 minute ride, located on the grounds of Bergen

Regional Medical Center. The menu suggestions and directions to Harrison House will be emailed to you 2

weeks before the date you signed up for. Hope you will join us and be a member of this giving community. Call

Michelle at 201-791-1616 ext.217. Leave a message with name, date and telephone #.

God bless you and yours…Shalom

ST. CAJETAN MINISTRY for the Unemployed & Under-employed

We meet every two weeks as follows: St. Catharine’s Ministry Center - next meeting: Thursday, Jan. 12th - first floor meeting room 7-9PM and at St. Anne’s Rectory on Saturday, Jan. 14th - from 10am-12 noon. If you think you may be interested please contact Ed Grzesiak 201-321-5144, John Lederer 201-286-9354, Lou Cuomo 201-657-3838, Eamon Jennings, 917-841-2558, Steve Zmuda 201-819-9026, Jim Trousdale 917-363-9977 or Joe Bonis 201-390-7169. You can also email us at stcajetan@stannefairlawnnj.org

Women’s Cornerstone is hosting a book chat on

Saturday Morning, February 25, 2017 at 9:15 a.m. (following the morning mass)

A Continental Breakfast will be served.

The book choice is:

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats

By Jan-Phillipp Sendker

All are Welcome!

Christian Foundations For Ministry

An Adult Education Program

You are invited to join in an eight week program on the New Testament at St. Catharine’s Parish, Glen Rock. We shall study and discuss the ministry of Jesus and how it relates to our ministry as His disciples. The program is sponsored and accredited by the Catechetical Office of the Archdiocese of Newark.

Topic: New Testament

Date: Tuesdays from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. - January 10…17…24…31 February 7…14…21…28

Place: Charity Room – Parish Center - St. Catharine, Glen Rock

Enter through the doors under the bell tower to the far right of the Church.

Fees: for St. Anne parishioners are covered by a gift to the parish for that specific purpose.

This course may be taken for personal enrichment or for credit toward ministerial certification from the Archdiocese. You can feel free to drop in for a session to get a “taste” of what we do.

The For further information please contact Aileen Giannelli at 201-794-0317 or at aileengiannelli@optimum.net.

Rosary News: There is no meeting in January. Eucharistic Adoration will be held on January 13

th from 12:00 until 6:00 p.m.

Sign-up sheets will be in the back of the church.

Our next meeting is February 7th at 7:00 p.m. Fr. Colin will be our speaker for this meeting.

We still have several openings for next year which we need to fill. We need someone to be our new Treasurer. For this

job, you need to attend meetings, be able to sign checks for purchases, process any money transactions and deposit them

into our bank account, give a monthly report to our members as too how much money is spent each month and what

amount is in our accounts, as well as keep our checking account updated. We are also looking for someone to take over the

Hospitality area. For this job you would need to arrive by 6:00 pm on meeting nights and set up the coffee as well as

prepare the cake for that night. We are looking for someone to work with Pat Muse, Membership, and take this position

over also. Please speak to either Michelle or Ellen if you are interested.

Community… Formed by the Word and by the Eucharist, St. Anne’s builds

community in the ways that we live and work and celebrate

together. In these ways, we experience the living presence of

Christ. If you have any comments, please feel free to contact

any of the following Pastoral Council Representatives:

Junie Fuertes, Laurie Hessman, Joe Murray, Joan Piela,

Stephanie Kedersha, Joe Barone and Terence Curley

EVENTS FOR THIS WEEK Sunday, January 8th Coffee Sunday/BP – 8:00 am – 1:00 pm - CH Holy Name Society – 10:30 am – 12:00 pm – CR Faith Center Open – 8:30 am – 1:30 pm - FC Monday, January 9th School Adv. Board – 7:30 pm – CH Bereavement Group – 7:00 pm – CR RCIA – 7:00 – 9:00 pm - FC AA – 7:30 pm – LCR Tuesday, January 10th Men’s Group – 6:00 am – FC Faith Formation – 4:00-5:15 pm – CAF/SCH/CH Home Study – 7:00-8:30 pm – CAF Pre-Baptism Mtg. – 7:30 pm – CH Men’s Cornerstone – 7:30 pm - CR Wednesday, January 11th Women’s Cornerstone – 7:30 pm – CR Welcoming – 7:30 pm – SFR PTG – 7:00 pm - CAF Thursday, January 12th

FC Board – 7:30 pm – FC SCC – 7:30 pm - CR Cub Scouts – 6:30 – 8:30 pm – CAF/CH Friday, January 13th Eucharist Adoration – 12:00 – 6:00 pm – C Stages – 7:00 – 9:00 pm – CH Cub Scouts – 9:00 – 11:00 pm - CH

Saturday, January 14th Cub Scouts – 9:00 am – 4:00 pm - CH AA – 7:30 – 8:30 pm – CAF

Are you a stay-at-home mom or dad of children age 5 and under? Or perhaps you care for your

grandchildren during the week? If so, come join us for our weekly Play Group this Wednesday, January 11th at 9:30-11:00 am for about 90 minutes in the Church Hall. For more information, please contact Ali Curley at 201-693-3474.

Coffee Sunday Volunteers Needed Do you enjoy Coffee Sunday? Do you like to organize and coordinate events? Then the Coffee Sunday team needs you! The team is looking for a group of individuals to work with the organizations that sponsor Coffee Sunday each month. This is a great and easy way to serve our parish! If you are interested, please call the Rectory at 201-791-1616.

The Bereavement Support Group will meet on

Monday January 9, 2017 at 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the rectory. All are welcome and there is no need to register. Your loss does not have to be recent, if you have lost a loved one and are still grieving, then come and join us. Each session is facilitated by registered nurses who are certified Bereavement Support Group Facilitators. The topic for this session is Caregiver Loss an excellent video from Paraclete Press followed by discussion. Each of us who have lost a loved one has been a caregiver at some point, even if you have lived some distance from your loved one. If you are grieving, start the New Year with a new outlook, join us and you will meet others who are working through their grief. For more information contact Margaret Howard at 201-796-9365.

The St. Anne's Senior Club It's here - our first meeting of the new year! January 9 at 1 p.m. the St. Anne's Senior Club will meet in the church hall. Membership in the club is $20 for the year. All members will receive a calendar of events for 2017 and a membership list containing names and address of their fellow members. Activities planned for this year will be hot dog lunch, pizza, speciality sandwiches, Anniversary dinner, bingo and horse races are just a few of the activities for this year. All guests are welcome to come and see if they would like to join. Any questions, please call Lucy at 201-791-3440.

HOLY NAME SOCIETY The next Holy Name Society meeting will be on January 8th with Mass at 9:30 and all members are requested to proceed down the aisle together. Meeting to follow in the Cornerstone Room. For further information, contact Sal Scialdone at 201-794-3485.

Finance/Administration… A Christian community strives to steward its resources so that they can provide the material by which its various ministries can reflect the

parish’s mission to reflect Christ’s presence in all that we do and say. Finance Committee Members: Ed Hughes, Bill Ball, Sally

Quinn, Sheila Abate, Ed Trawinski, Loretta Stachiotti, Kristie Bednarz, Karen Gillies, Steve Palermo and Jerry Cunningham.

Buildings/Grounds: Carl Shoemaker, Dave Lee, Kate Humble, and Steve Zmuda.

Heating & Air Conditioning ~ Everyone knows that there are some months in which our electricity bill or heating bill is

higher than others. Well, it’s the same with the Church. As you know, we use an additional way

of paying for our extra energy months. In the back of the church each Sunday you will find

separate ENERGY envelopes. If you should happen to hit the jackpot that week, and wish to

throw a dollar or two in that envelope, we’d greatly appreciate it! You can throw these special

envelopes right in the collection with your regular envelope. The energy envelopes will not be

mailed to you. They will simply be in the back of the church, so if you don’t spot them, be sure

to ask the ushers at your Mass. Thanks so much. And special thanks to those who have already

been doing it regularly. It makes a difference!!!

Online Giving…

You have the opportunity to make donations to our Sunday collection online! To sign up, go to the St. Anne website – www.stannefairlawnnj.org

There are several ways to access the system: 1. Underneath the scrolling slideshow on the home page, on the bottom right-hand corner, you will

see a light blue icon with a $ sign. Click that icon to go directly to the system.

OR 2. From the homepage, check the left-hand menu options. The second to last menu option says

“envelopes & online giving.” Click that link, and a page with various giving options will appear.

Select the Online Giving option to be taken directly to the system.

Once you are taken to the new site, click on the section that says Create New Account. Next you will see New User Account Registration. Fill out the form and click “submit.”

When you are enrolled, you can go into Manage My Account, where you will see My Payment Methods. Here you can choose to have the funds deducted from your checking or bank account (you will need your routing and account numbers on hand). Under Manage My Account, you will also see Give a New Gift. There you will decide when and how much to give. (In the list, Offertory Collection means the Sunday collection.) You can select recurring or one time gifts. You also have the option to access all the other special envelopes you would normally find in your envelope packet and which are generally one-time donations.

Each time you go to Mass, get a card that says “I have made my donation online” and put it in the collection when the usher comes around. Thanks so much for giving online!