The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass Sat. 5:00pm & 6:30pm

Sun: 7:30am; 9:00am (Latin) 10:30am & 12:00noon

Daily: Mon.– Sat. 8:00am Monday & Friday 12:00 (Latin)

Eucharistic Adoration: Monday 8:30am-7:00pm

Novena Mass; Mon., Wed. 7:00 pm; Sat. 8:00 am

Confessions: Sat. 3:00 -4:00

Parish Staff Pastor: V. Rev. Daniel C. Hesko, VF Deacons Rev. Mr. John Orlando Rev. Mr. John McGrath (retired) Religious Education: Mrs. Jackie Callahan, M.A. Mrs. Kathleen McGuire Parish Office: Mrs. Julie Fehlhaber Mrs. Kathleen Toomey Music Director: Mrs. Karen Ohrn

St. C

atherine Labourse Church M

iddletown, N

.J. S

unday 24, 14 after Pentecost: Septem

ber 15, 2019

TODAY’S LITURGY: 24th Ordinary Sunday

READINGS: RED HYMNAL # 941

Processional Hymn: CREDO # 268 Glory be to God the Father

Gradual Psalm (51) I will rise and go to my father. (Lk 15:18)

Offertory Hymn: CREDO # 507 The Lord’s my Shepherd

Communion Hymn: CREDO # 513 You are Near

Recessional Hymn: CREDO # 434 O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

THE INTERCESSIONS:

P: With all our hear t and with our mind let us pray to the Lord who is rich in compassion and ready to forgive all who turn to Him in faith. Our response will be: LORD HAVE MERCY

We pray O God for all who teach in the Church, that guided always by Your truth, they bring to all people the message of forgiveness. Hear us as we pray: LORD HAVE MERCY

For those who hold authority of government in our land, inspire them in the way of Your Holy Spirit to work tirelessly for the common good. Hear us as we pray: LORD HAVE MERCY

Hear our prayers for all who are poor and suffering in our world, make us by our words and deeds to be instruments of Your peace and reconciliation. Hear us as we pray: LORD HAVE MERCY

Bless with strength and peace those who serve this nation in our military at home and abroad, and for all who serve within our communities. Hear us as we pray: LORD HAVE MERCY

Grant to those hardened by bitterness and fear, grace to embrace Your forgiveness. Help us to recognize Your merciful love in all we do. Hear us as we pray: LORD HAVE MERCY

Be strength for the sick, and for all who have asked for our prayers, grant them comfort and peace in their trials. Hear us as we pray: LORD HAVE MERCY

For all who have died in Your faith and fear, grant them eternal rest and peace in Your Kingdom. Hear us as we pray: LORD HAVE MERCY

P: O God, You are the author of peace and lover of concord, to know You is eternal life, and to serve You is perfect freedom: defend us, Your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in Your defense, may not fear the power of any adversary; but by Your grace advance in truth and charity as we journey towards Your Kingdom, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN

WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS Monday, September 16th Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian 8:00am Robert Polsen, Jr. by Mary Ellen Branin Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament all day. 12:00noon Elizabeth Ganning by Friends @Well’s Fargo 7:00pm Nancy Docke by Liz & Jack Brooks Tuesday, September 17th, St. Robert Bellarmine 8:00am Anthony Scorzelli by Barbara Kehoe Wednesday, September 18th 8:00am Kathleen Cockings by cousin, Joan 7:00pm Charlie Bolin by Bob & Doreen Takacs 7:45pm Bible Study resumes Thursday, September 19th St. Januarius 8:00am Liv.Int. Michael Wlosek (bthdy) by Aunt Sharon Friday, September 20th Sts. Andrew Kim and Korean Mtyrs 8:00am Chuck Bolin (bthdy) by Family 12:00noon Latin Mass families by John & Carole Deignan Saturday, September 21st St. Matthew/BVM 8:00am Mary Ann Takacs by Bob & Doreen Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 5:00pm Mary & Charles Frattini (bthdy &Anniv.) by Family 6:30pm Elizabeth Scanlon by Helen Scandariato, Carliene Christiansen by Anne & Angelo Pacifico, Ruth Giordano by Catherine Loccisano, Edward Corbliss, Jr. by Joyce & John Kaiser, Mary Scherzinger by Alberta, Bob & Al. Sunday, September 22nd 7:30am Ellen Mary Ciok by Michael 9:00am Liv. Int. Katrina Murray by Karen Murray 10:30am Pro Populo 12:00noon Colleen Kane by Joe & Mary Ellen Santilli

WEEKLY OFFERING The first collection last week: $7,767.00. The second collection : $1,635.00. The second collection today: Parish Utilities. Thank you for your support of your parish. Fr. Dan Hesko God is generous to the generous of heart.’ Let us be generous in what we are and what we have, our time, talents and treasure.

For those not receiving Holy Communion . My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen (St. A lphonsus Ligouri)

PARISH OFFICE HOURS: Monday-Friday 8:30am- 4:00pm OFFICE ADDRESS: 130 Bray Avenue, Middletown N.J . CONTACT: Parish Office: 732-787-1318 Fax: 732-787-2851; Rel. Ed/Ministry: 732-495-7779; Parish Hall: 732-787-2869; Thrift Shop: 732-787-2836; Web Site: www.stcathek.org; Email: stcathek1@aol.com

Ministry to the Sick and Homebound: To arrange Communion for the homebound, or for the Sacrament of the Sick, call the parish office.

Sacrament of Baptism: Arrangements must be made through the parish office. Infants should be baptized as soon as possible.

Sacrament of Matrimony: According to Diocesan policy, marriage arrangements must be made at least nine months prior to the wedding date through the parish office. Either the man or woman must be registered in our parish.

Annulment Advocacy: To discuss Church Annulment procedure, or for information concerning Church Validation of a civil marriage, call the parish office to arrange a meeting with Fr. Dan.

FORMED: A Catholic Media Program you can access 24/7 from your computer , I-phone etc. Go to www.stcathek.formed.org click ’register’ follow prompts and enjoy.

Banns of Christian Matrimony

I Brittney Croce & James Brown III Rebekah Wong & Joseph Lopez If anyone knows of just cause why they. may not be joined in Christian Matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.

CCD NEWS

CCD RESUMES THIS COMING TUESDAY

OUR OPENING DATES for the 2019/2020 School Year WILL BE:

Tuesday, September 17th Grade 2: 3:45 to 5:15pm Grades 5 & 6: 5:30 to 7:00pm

Wednesday, September 18th Grades 3 and 4: 3:45 to 5:15pm Grades 7 and 8: 5:30 to 7:00pm

Tuesday, October 1st Grade 1: 3:45 to 5:15pm

One final note we sure could use more teachers and catechists for All grades. We will happily train you. The rewards for sharing the love of Jesus with our children and their families are beyond imaginations. For more information please call 732-495-7779

P.S. When you come into the school please note the brand new face of the front. Thank you Fr. Dan, Mr. Marinelli and parishioners for the new doors and all the new glass in the front of the school.

O Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness

The Sanctuary Lamp will burn this week in memory

The Blessed Mother Votive Light in memory of

The Sacred Heart Votive Light will burn this week in honor of Vincent Corio.

Saturday, October 5th. Tickets are $35.00 each and include traditional Oktoberfest menu, beer, wine and soda. Tickets go on sale September 21st or call

Lillian @732-787-3782.

SAVE THE DATE Rosary Altar Society

In your charity please remember to pray for: Shirley Oswald, Alberta Jaconski, Paul Apoka, Jean Lytwyn, Joseph J. Hartnett, Michael D’Annunzio, Kevin Moran, Ed Cooney, Rachel O’Brien, Elayne Allen, Judy Maxcy, Kevin Daniely, Pat Welch, Stacey Welch, Gina Tobia, William Walsh, Alan Peterson, Kathy Yannibelli, Janice Henar, Patrick Lipka, Talia, Baby Victoria Powers, Ann Bolger, Karen Conte, Jim Murphy, Monica Gilk, Maria Lonseth, Marge Brand, Ruth Alaia, Kathleen Toomey, Julia Fehlhaber, Rev. Josh Keeran, Susan Rick, Ryan Hansen, Kerri Black, Ellie Julien, Sara Jane Mauer, Thomas D. Murphy, Ana Oliveira, Michael Brothers, Theresa Marks, Sheila Buxton, Taryn Hussey, Maureen Farrell, Rich Callahan, and for the faithful departed: Patricia D’Agostino. God, our loving Father, look with kindness on our brothers and sisters who seek Your care. In Your mercy grant health to the sick; comfort to the sorrowful, peace to the troubled, joy to the weary and eternal rest to those whose work on earth is done, and all for Jesus’ Amen

Prayer for those serving in our Military

Please remember to pray for our parish-ioners and friends serving this nation at home and abroad. CDR Michael Dwan; USN Major Mark Paige; USMC Patrick Gallagher; Staff Ssgt. Matthew Santilli; Master Ssgt. Al-bert DiMaggio; Lieutenant Colonel Bayard Smith; Dallas Jamison & Sgt.

Timothy Hayes, Major Carlo Brancato, USMC, Sgt. Brian Ruane Prayer: O God who art the lover of peace and con-cord. Grant to these thy servants who serve this nation, grace and strength. Preserve them we pray and shield them from all danger of body and soul; and hasten the day when they shall return to their homes and loved ones, through Christ our Lord. Amen

PRAYER FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS

O Almighty God, Whose great power and eternal wisdom embraces the universe,

Watch over all policemen and law enforcement officers everywhere. Protect them from harm. In the performance of their duty to stop crime, robbery, riots and violence. We pray, help them keep

our streets and homes safe, day and night. We commend them to your loving care because their duty is dangerous. Grant them strength and courage in their daily assignments. Dear God, protect these brave men and women. Grant them your

almighty protection. Unite them safely with their families after duty has ended. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

We Need Altar Servers. See Fr. Dan for more information. If you are unable to serve your assigned Mass try to get a replace-ment and notify the parish office of your replacement. TODAY 5:00pm Fr . Dan 6:30pm Fr . Michael 7:30am Fr . Dan 9:00am Fr . Dan 10:30am Fr . Mat 12:00noon Fr . Mat Altar Servers: 5:00pm A. Alex, A. Alex A. D’Annuzio 10:30am L. Lusquinos, S. Wickham

September 21st/ 22nd 5:00pm Fr . Dan 6:30pm Fr . Dan 7:30am Fr . Michael 9:00am Fr . Dan 10:30am Fr . Dan 12:00noon Fr . Dan Altar Servers: 5:00pm A. D’Annunzio, A. Gibilisco, A. Gibilisco 10:30am P.Edinger, S.Wickham

THAT MAN IS YOU TMIY have resumed for Season 5

Saturdays; 6:30am-8:00am Year 5 is called The Fight of Faith!

Right now, our parish is running a men’s program that is spreading around the world and is truly changing men and their families. This program is the That Man Is You! Program and I want to per-sonally invite all adult men to be a part of it. We had an amazing experience last year and those that completed the program have truly been impacted. I know for me personally, I have learned so much about what it is to be a better husband and father. We want to invite all of the men of the parish to join us on this new year of TMIY unlike any other. It is different than all of their other pro-grams and is made up of 9 different speakers. If you have never attended at all, or simply came to a couple of meetings, you can jump into this new content without any issue. In joining us this Fall, you will be one of over 25,000 men going through the TMIY program this year across the country. You will be joining a band of brothers that will support you on your journey. It is a powerful thing when you gather with a group of other men striving to do right by God and their families. I know life is busy, but we just ask that you give the program a try. The program is held every Saturday at 7:00am in the school building. Breakfast starts 6:30am and we will make sure to have you out by 8:00am. The content and the fellowship can be truly transforming! Please stop by our table in the back after all Masses on August 31st and September 1st if you are interested or need more information . Thank you Steven Mendez, TMIY Leader

ATLANTIC CITY BUS TRIP The Holy Name Society will sponsor a bus trip to the Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City on Sunday, October 20th the cost is $25.00 with $20.00 in slot cash back. For more information call Rich at 732-787-1953.

ARE YOUR LOVED ONES FIGHTING AN ADDICTION?

You are not alone. A self-help group for sharing, support and information is being presented by the Faith In Our Future Cohort parishes. Anyone 18 years and older are invited to attend. Meetings will begin. September 24th and will run every last Tuesday of the month from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. The meetings will be held in St. Catherine’s Parish Hall, 9 Shore acres Avenue, Middletown. Plan to attend this free, welcoming and helpful evening.

YOUTH GROUP NEWS

PARISH BIBLE STUDY RESUMES Our Wednesday Evening Bible Study will begin the Fall sessions on

September 18; 7:45—8:30 pm In the Church

Immediately following the Evening Mass Plan to attend as we Study God’s Holy Word The Bible

Our Study This Season Led by Father Dan will focus on the Minor Prophets, no need to bring anything except a Bible.

The Eucharist and Sanctity Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. Part II Why Do We Believe? Why do we believe that the selfsame body that Christ had in His visible stay on earth is the body, now glorified, we now worship and receive invisibly on earth today? You see, Christ is on earth! The final reason is, of course, because this is what He told us. What He said must be true because Christ who is God cannot lie. But why do we believe in terms of the promises He made? What bless-ings and benefits did He assure those who believe in this Eucharistic Mystery? All the blessings that Christ promised to those who believe in the Holy Eucharist are summed up in His own masterful promise of life. Those who believe will receive life and the life that He promised was zoé – the kind of life that belongs to God, the kind of life that Father, Son and Holy Spirit shared and interchanged from all eternity. Those who believe will receive this life. Those who do not believe will die. What kind of life was Christ talking about? It must have been the super-natural life of grace in our souls, of partaking or participation in His own divine life. Suppose we go on asking a series of questions where the answer can be yes or no: Is it possible for a person to be physically alive, but spiritually dead? Yes or no? YES. Is it possible for a person to be just barely alive? Yes or no? YES. Is it possible for a person to be more alive than just scarcely breathing supernaturally? Yes or no? YES Is it finally possible for a person to be very alive with divine grace, vitally alive, brimming, tingling, vibrating, bursting with God's life in his soul? Yes or no? An emphatic YES This, in homely language, is what the Savior promised those who be-lieved in His Real Presence. He assured them and, therefore, assures us, that we shall be not only alive, but filled with His life, full to brimming and flowing over with strength and power and wisdom and peace and all manner of holiness. This is what sanctity is all about. It is the much-ness of the good things of God. It is the more and more and still more of the life of God in our souls. More still, He promises that, provided that we believe in Him in the Eucharist, He will sustain this life in our souls into eternity. In other words, being alive now we shall never die. And most marvelous, He will even make this life pour from our souls into our bodies risen from the grave on the last day and glorified by the vi-sion of God. No wonder the Eucharist is called panis vitae, the Bread of Life. It is that, and let us remind ourselves, and here is the condition, one condition, that before we eat this bread with our lips, we take it by faith into our hearts. Indeed, unless we first have faith, we shall, as Paul tells us, "eat it to our malediction." Only believers can benefit from this Bread of Life, only believers can profit from the Blessed Sacrament, and only believers can grow in spirit by partaking of the Eucharist de-pending always on the measure of their faith. Those who believe deeply in the Real Presence will benefit greatly from the Real Presence; those who believe weakly will also benefit accordingly. The Eucharist is ca-pable of working miracles in our lives. So it can – after all, the Eucha-rist is Jesus. He worked – change the tense – He works miracles, but as it depended then (remember, Christ could not work miracles in certain places for lack of faith), the same now. It depends on the depth and degree of our faith. How To Believe? This must seem like an odd question: how are we to believe in the Real Presence? By believing, we might answer. How else do you believe? True enough. But more concretely, how are we to express our belief? We are to express our belief by doing on our part what Christ does on His part. He comes to us. So we must come to Him, and this is not loco-motion through space. He comes down to us. We must come up to Him. He is present in the Eucharist in order to be near to us. We must be present – change the accent – we must be present to the Eucharist in order to be near to Him. He went to the superhuman length of becoming man, then changing bread and wine into Himself, then giving His Apos-tles the power to do the same, then giving them the power to pass on this power to others to do the same. And in virtue of that power, He is now here with us. He wants us, in turn, also now, here, to be with Him. And here nobody cheats. It is impossible in human terms to exaggerate the importance of being in a church or chapel before the Blessed Sacra-ment as often and for as long as our duties and state of life allow. I very seldom repeat what I say. Let me repeat this sentence. It is impossible in human language to exaggerate the importance of being in a chapel or church before the Blessed Sacrament as often and for as long as our

duties and state of life allow. That sentence is the talisman of the high-est sanctity. What I am expressing is not a pious practice or a luxury of the spiritual life. I am talking about its essence. Those who believe what I am saying and act on their belief are in possession of the greatest treasure available to man in this valley of tears. As by now thousands of saintly men and women have testified from experience, this is somewhere near the key to holiness. For this reason, I strongly recommend that each of us make a resolution – no matter how much the decision may cost us – to make a holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved at least once a month or, if possible, once a week, and if we have the grace and our vocation in life permits it, even several times a week. Think of the empty hours that people spend weekly before the television screen – an average I am told of some twenty hours per man, woman and child in America. God help America! Someone may object, "But you are talking about mystics or saints, and I am neither. I am just an ordinary Catholic trying to save my soul." My reply: there can be no ordinary Catholics today, not with the revolution through which society is passing and the convulsion in the Church on every level. The Church today needs strong Catholics, wise Catholics, Catholics who are not swayed by public opinion or afraid to stand up for the truth. She needs Catholics who are willing to suffer for their convictions and, if need be, shed their blood for the Faith. Where, we ask, can they obtain this strength and wisdom, this patience and conviction and this loyal love of God that is faithful unto death? They can obtain it from the one who said, "Have courage, I have over-come the world." He is not two thousand years away, or absent from the earth in a distant heaven that cannot be spanned. No, He is right here in the Eucharist. And He wants nothing more than that we also be with Him as much as we can. If we are, and the more we are - as the great Eucharistic saints tell us – He will not only make us holy, but He will use us as He used those in Palestine who, when He first made the prom-ise of the Eucharist, did not walk away. He will use us as channels of His grace even to the ends of the earth and until the end of time. TESTIMONY OF THE EARLY CHURCH THE DIDACHE The Didache or "The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles" is a manuscript which was used by 2nd century bishops and priests for the instruction of catechumens. Many early Christian writers have referenced it making this document relatively easy to date. "Let no one eat and drink of your Eucharist but those baptized in the name of the Lord; to this, too the saying of the Lord is applicable: 'Do not give to dogs what is sacred'". Ch. 9:5 "On the Lord's own day, assemble in common to break bread and offer thanks; but first confess your sins, so that your sacrifice may be pure. However, no one quarreling with his brother may join your meeting until they are reconciled; your sacrifice must not be defiled. For here we have the saying of the Lord: 'In every place and time offer me a pure sacrifice; for I am a mighty King, says the Lord; and my name spreads terror among the nations.'" -Ch 14 ST. CLEMENT OF ROME St. Clement was the third successor of Peter as Bishop of Rome; other-wise known as the third Pope. "Since then these things are manifest to us, and we have looked into the depths of the divine knowledge, we ought to do in order all things which the Master commanded us to perform at appointed times. He commanded us to celebrate sacrifices and services, and that it should not be thoughtlessly or disorderly, but at fixed times and hours. He has Himself fixed by His supreme will the places and persons whom He desires for these celebrations, in order that all things may be done pi-ously according to His good pleasure, and be acceptable to His will. So then those who offer their oblations at the appointed seasons are ac-ceptable and blessed, but they follow the laws of the Master and do not sin. For to the high priest his proper ministrations are allotted, and to the priests the proper place has been appointed, and on Levites their proper services have been imposed. The layman is bound by the ordinances for the laity." Source: St. Clement, bishop of Rome, 80 A.D., to the Corinthians "Our sin will not be small if we eject from the episcopate those who blamelessly and holily have offered its Sacrifices." Source: Letter to the Corinthians