St. John the Baptist R. C. Church 895 Piermont Avenue, Piermont, New York 10968

www.stjohnspiermont.org stjohnspiermont@optonline.net 845-359-0078

March 6, 2016, Fourth Sunday of Lent

Rev. Tom Kunnel, C.O.

Administrator

frtomkunnel@gmail.com

Deacon John Cunningham

Deacon Robert Pang

Kathleen Dunn

Religious Education Director

May Pang

Parish Admin: maysoohoo@optonline.net

MASSES

Saturday: 5:00 PM

Sunday: 8:00 AM, 10:30 AM

1:00 PM (Spanish)

Weekdays: 8:00 AM

Saturday: 9:00 AM

Holy Days: As Announced

Rectory

Mon – Fri 10:15 AM – 4:00 PM

Sat 10 AM – 12 Noon (Spanish)

Dear Parish Family, When hearing the story of the Prodigal

Son, we often think of the compassionate

father waiting at the gate of his mansion

peering into the distance for the glimpse of his son’s return or

the desperate son writing the script of his return speech amid the

noise of the unruly swine herd. Luke reminds us that the parable

of the prodigal was occasioned by the grumbling of the Phari-

sees about the partying habit of Jesus with those on the fringes

of the social milieu. So may be today we could look at ourselves

through the mindset lens of the elder brother. He is unwilling to

dance or eat at the coming home of his brother. His younger

brother disgraced the family, blew up a lot of wealth and most

importantly cause pain to his father.

We like the older son, might be observant, collecting graces and

obedient though we don’t like to do it. “I’ve slaved for you. ... ”

I don’t enjoy this life, but I am still hard at it … not out of love

in any way! And we forget what is already ours - the gift, the

grace, the kingdom, the love not earned but lavishly given. Be-

fore long, our labors become slavery; our accomplishments,

chains.

When we sin, it is usually because we try to convince ourselves that something, which we know is wrong, is, in this instance, right. If we have enough courage to admit it, we soon realize that we are no longer happy. We can't be at war with God and at peace with ourselves. We can try, but it won't work. And when we are not at peace with ourselves, we are overwhelmed with what we perceive is the darkness of others. This is simple trans-ference, transference of our feelings about oneself onto others. We are masters of transference. As a result we have a difficult time seeing beauty, truth and goodness in the world. But when we can muster up the courage to say to God, "Father, I'm sorry," and realize that God responds, "You are forgiven,” we become happy with ourselves and with our world. Yes, we still recognize sin in the world, but this negativity takes a back seat to our sense of the overwhelming goodness of God’s creation. The joy of having guilt removed is the focus of this Sunday with its rose vestments, Laetare Sunday (Rejoice Sunday). Today is a good day to do some soul searching to find-out why the joy of life has fizzled out and what prevents us from enjoying the dance and the feast in honor of the life of our brother or sister.

Fr. Tom Kunnel C.O.

THE SANCTUARY LAMP Is Being Offered this week

In Memory of

Msgr Robert Ford

By Janet Zahn

Please remember in your prayers the Sick and/or Homebound of our Parish Family. Theresa Veen, John Miraglia, Bill Stein, Ginny Tercer, Marcelo Giuliante, Elizabeth Flynn (Msgr Mulligan’s cousin), Caroline Kelly (M.Oslica’s niece), Nick Bruni, Mary & Joseph Iorio (Lee Garvey’s Parents).

As a Parish Family, let us remember in our prayers all our beloved departed members of our Parish Community, Fortuna Maney (sister of Lucy Bosco), George Scofield (father of Amy Ramundo), Anne Di Francesca, Bo Di Frances-ca, Catherine Lesica, (mother of Carol Conklin-Spillane). Eileen Keane, Msgr Robert Ford, Lois Holmes, Raquel Roseta.

PLEASE ADVISE THE RECTORY (359-0078) WHENEV-ER A PARISHIONER BECOMES HOMEBOUND, ILL, OR HOSPI-TALIZED SO ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE FOR A PRIEST,

Sat 3/5 5:00 PM Miguel Caro by Eileen Murray

Sun 3/6

8:00 AM Rose Bosco by Lucy Bosco

10:30 AM Marie Meyer by CDA

Mon 3/7 8:00 AM Fr. George Torok by Catherine O'Brien

Tue 3/8 8:00 AM Fr. Francis Conka By Catherine O'Brien

Wed 3/9 8:00 AM Fr. Tom Kunnel by Catherine O'Brien

Thu 3/10 8:00 AM Andrew Oslica by Mildred Oslic

Fri 3/11 8:00 AM Fred Withus By Mildred Oslica

Sat 3/12

9:00 AM James Murray by Eileen Murray

5:00 PM Jean & Arthur Simon by Eileen Simon

Sun 3/13

8:00 AM Sam DeLongis by Jean DeLongis

10:30 AM Mary & Bill Parry by Eileen & Rick Moson

THE GOOD NEWS FROM OUR SCHOOL OF RELIGION

LITURGICAL MINISTERS - March 12-13

Day Time Lectors Eucharistic Ministers Altar Servers

3/12 5:00 PM Carol Conklin-Spillane Brian Spillane Gianluca Gonzalez

Nico Gonzalez

3/13

8:00 AM Sal Caruana Lynne Dennerlein Gabriel, Peter Ramundo

Hannah Ramundo 10:30 AM Mary Lo us Bill Lo us Peter, Ma hew Shine

Ryan Brady 1:00 PM Rilma Mazariego Alex Aguilar Pedro Aguilar Yolanda Zamora Emmanuel Nova Marily Palma Jackie Mazariego Ana Sanabria

Be sure to drop by today to see our Lenten season displays following Fami-ly Mass.

Word is that our friend the Easter Bunny will make an appearance at hospitality next Sunday and he never comes empty handed.

Keep on praying, fasting & giving to the poor.

Sun 3/6

9:45AM Religious Ed - English

9:30AM Spanish RCIA

11AM Baptism Prep Spanish

11:30AM Legion of Maria

11:30AM Religious Ed - Spanish

7PM AA Meeting

Mon 3/7 1PM CDA Knitting

6:30PM Relig Ed

Tue 3/8

7PM Altar Server Prep and Practice

7PM Baptism Prep

7PM Spanish Scripture Study Group

7PM Bible Study Spanish

Wed 3/9 1:30PM Piermont Sr Meeting

7PM Spanish Choir Practice

Thu 3/10

9:45am Outreach Ministry Meeting

1PM CDA Knitting

7PM Rios de Agua Viva Group

7PM Spanish Choir Practice

Fri 3/11

8:30AM Stations of the Cross

10AM Friday Renew Group

7PM Spanish Stations of the Cross

7PM Spanish Adult Prayer Group

7:30 Youth Group

Collection for 2/28 $4043

2/28 #265 Carolyn Yates

300 Club

Catholic Daughter Sunday Court St. Anne

Invites you to meet us Sunday, March 13 after 10:30 Mass

Meet CDA members and learn more about the largest Catholic Women’s organization, exist-

ing over 100 years. Women in Court St. Anne increase their

spiritual life and perform charitable works both locally and in far reaching areas.

You could be part of this!

We meet on the first Tuesday of each month in Connelly Hall.

Contact: Mary @ 358-2730

Upcoming Events

3/18 Songinspiration 6:30 PM Join us for an hour of musical meditations

3/20 Communion Breakfast at the View

After 10:30 Mass at the View

3/21 Confessions 6-8PM A gift of Mercy

3/22 Christian Seder 6:30 PM

Reserve your ticket now—Limited seating

3/24 Holy Thursday Mass 7:30 PM

3/25 Mary’s Way of the Cross 2PM Veneration of the Cross 3PM

Spanish Live Station of the Cross 6:30 PM

3/26 Easter Blessing of the Food 4PM Confessions 5-7PM

Easter Vigil Mass 8PM

Do you want a used Upright Piano in good condition?

Please call Rectory—845 359 0078

Wedding Banns

1. Jith Joseph & Joseph Pacione

Sunday, March 20

Annual Communion Breakfast

At the View following 10:30 Mass

Sponsored by the St. John’s Men’s Club

Easter Flower Envelopes

In memory of a loved one

are available in the Vestibule.

Thank you!

This week we will be doing the in-pew solicitation pledges at all the Masses. As we consider our pledges to the 2016 Cardinal’s Appeal, we recognize that all we have is our gift from God. As a sign of our gratitude, we can respond with a gift to the Appeal which helps all Catholics do their work of ministering the needs of God’s people. As you consider your gift of thanksgiv-ing, please realize that you are not alone in this effort. Thank you for your pledge and donation!

Cooking Guide for LENT

Easy Lo Mein

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces angel hair spaghetti 1 tablespoon canola oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups mushrooms, sliced 1 red bell pepper, julienned 1 carrot, julienned 1/2 cup snow peas 3 cups baby spinach

FOR THE SAUCE

2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce, or more, to taste 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste DIRECTIONS: 1. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger and Sriracha; set aside.

2. In a large pot of boiling water, cook spaghetti according to package instructions; drain well.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, bell pepper and carrot. Cook, stirring fre-quently, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in snow peas and spinach until the spinach has wilted, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Stir in spaghetti and soy sauce mixture, and gently toss to combine.

5. Serve immediately.

Noodles and spaghetti are found in most parts of the world in one

form or another. The ingredients that are put into them create a

kind a medley of shapes and colors. We could thank God for the

variety of people and creatures as we sit down for this meal.

PRAYER BEFORE MEALS

Bless us O Lord, and these your gifts, which we are about to receive, from your bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Goal $41,000 Current Pledge: $1600.

One secret in making the Lo Mein deliciously silky and smooth is to toss into wok just before serving! In life we do not like to be tossed around. But the Lord might be reaching out to us with some spe-cial flavor in life if we can find his will in tough situations … we grow stronger in those patches of our life.

Contributed by Jill Ammerman

UNSCRAMBLE THE WORDS

FIND A MESSAGE using the ‘letter’ in the “( )”.

Clue: GOD’S AIM FOR ALL SINNERS

Answers are words from this week’s readings.

M E E C L O W ( _ ) _ _ _ _ _ _

G R N I ( _ ) _ _ _

E M I F N A _ _ _ _ _ ( _ )

W E S I N _ _ _ ( _ ) _

C O J E I R E _ _ _ _ _ _ ( _ )

( __ ) ( __ ) ( __ ) ( __ ) ( __ ) = __ __ __ __ __

Answers on Page 7 below the cartoon.

LECTURAS DE HOY: Josué 5:9a, 10-12 o 1 Sa-muel 16: 1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Salmo 33 o 22; Corintios 5:17-21 o Efesios 5:8-14; Lucas 15:1-3, 11-32 o Juan 9: 1-41 [1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38

LECTURAS DE LA SEMANA Lunes: Is 65:17-21; Sal 30 (29):2, 4-6, 11-13b; Jn 4:43-54

Martes: Ez 47:1-9, 12; Sal 46 (45):2-3, 5-6, 8-9; Jn 5:1-16

Miércoles: Is 49:8-15; Sal 145 (144):8-9, 13cd-14, 17-18;

Jn 5:17-30

Jueves: Ex 32:7-14; Sal 106 (105):19-23; Jn 5:31-47

Viernes: Sab 2:1a, 12-22; Sal 34 (33):17-21, 23; Jn 7:1-2, 10,

25-30

Sábado: Jer 11:18-20; Sal 7:2-3, 9bc-12; Jn 7:40-53 Domingo:

Is 43:16-21; Sal 126 (125):1-6; Fil 3:8-14; Jn 8:1-11;

Lecturas alternativas (Año A): Ez 37:12-14; Sal 130

(129):1-8; Rom 8:8-11; Jn 11:1-45 [3-7, 17, 20-27,

33b-45]

UN DOMINGO PARA ALEGRARSE

Pocas parábolas del Evangelio son tan queridas por el pueblo cristiano como la del hijo pródigo. Nos podemos identificar con todos sus personajes, y con las emociones que se entrecruzan entre ellos. El dolor del padre por la avaricia y desconsideración de su hijo se convierte en alegría al verlo regresar. El dolor del hijo por haber perdido todo lo que tenía –dinero, familia, amigos– se convierte en alegría delirante al ver como su padre lo recibe.

Pero también comprendemos el desconcierto del hijo mayor ante la generosidad de su padre. Para el hijo mayor, la virtud no es su propia recompensa. Ha trabajado duro, y ha sido un hijo leal, pero eso no se celebra con fiestas ni banquetes. Pero su padre es un padre pródigo, y prodiga su perdón y su misericordia. Y espera que su hijo mayor tenga esa misma generosidad. Quiere que todos se regocijen porque el que estaba perdido ha sido hallado.

Este es un domingo para alegrarse. Es día de hacer una pausa, y de considerarnos y alentarnos unos a otros. Porque todos somos hijos pródigos, en el camino de re-greso al hogar de nuestro padre. Y debemos también ser hermanos mayores, pero hermanos mayores que esperan junto con el padre ansioso, mientras vislumbra el horizon-te. En Cristo Jesús nos vemos reconciliados, con Dios Pa-dre, y con nuestros hermanos. En su Muerte y Resurrec-ción hemos pasado de la muerte a la vida. Somos una nue-va creación. Y esto nos llena de alegría.

Para los cursos pre-bautismales llamar a: Alex Aguilar 845-480-1502 y Natalia Lemus 845-480-1682. Los cursos se dan previa cita los martes 7pm y domingos 11am.

Esta semana estaremos haciendo las promesas de condi-

ciones en las bancas en todas las misas . A medida que consideramos nuestras promesas a la Campaña 2016 del

cardenal , reconocemos que todo lo que tenemos es nues-

tro regalo de Dios . Como muestra de nuestro agradeci-miento , podemos responder con un donativo a la Cam-

paña que ayuda a todos los católicos a realizar sus fun-

ciones de ministrar las necesidades del pueblo de Dios .

Al considerar su regalo de agradecimiento , por favor darse cuenta de que usted no está solo en este esfuerzo . Gracias por su compromiso y donación !

March 2016:

3/13 Venta de comida 2pm 3/18 Cantos de inspiracion 6:30 pm 3/19 Taller para servidores 9am - 4pm 3/22 Cena pascual 6:30pm 3/24 Jueves santo misa 7:30pm

Cuarto Domingo de Cuaresma Este es el domingo Laetare, nos ale-gramos así como Jesús que en el Evan-gelio de Lucas proclama que Dios es infinitamente misericordioso. La pa-rábola del hijo prodigo que regresa a casa, no propiamente arrepentido sino desesperado, después de haber gastado en prostitutas (como lo dice su her-mano mayor) su herencia que equivocadamente pidió a su padre aún vivo. Este hijo egoísta solo piensa en un rit-ual seguro de "vergüenza" cuando su padre se "demerita" así mismo al correr a abrazarlo, interrumpiendo su "acto de contrición" ya preparado. Desafiando a confesores y a todos nosotros, para ser signos de, dice el Papa Francisco, "ser siempre, en todas partes, en cada situación y a pesar de todo, el signo del primado de la misericordia". Al evi-tar la dureza del hijo mayor, el Papa Francisco nos ad-vierte, "que se quedó afuera, incapaz de alegrarse, para explicarle que su juicio severo es injusto y no tiene ningún sentido delante de la misericordia del Padre que no conoce confines" (Misericordiae Vultus, 17). En caso que se proclame el Evangelio de Juan el pueblo "religiosamente obediente" en ese texto sirve como ejem-plo para advertir de juzgar con dureza a los demás, el hombre ciego que recobró la vista es expulsado de la sina-goga mientras que en ellos su propia ceguera de corazón permanece. --Peter Scagnelli

ANO JUBILAR DE LA MISERICORIA

P A R I S H M I N I S T R I E S & C H A I R Buildings & Grounds Pat Miele, Alex Aguilar, Paul Johnson Deanery Maureen O’Connell Eucharistic Adoration Dcn Robert Pang Health Mary Loftus Hispanic Community Micaelina Maldonado/ Geny Aguilar Hospitality Robin Miller Men’s Club Bill Loftus. Ralph Olsen Ushers Jake Miraglia Music Chris & Carolyn Yates Spanish Choir Carlos Cerna Outreach Maria Nest Parish Council Scott Giblin Parish Worship Dcn John Cunningham Religious Education Kathleen Dunn RCIA Dcn Robert Pang, Jose Bolaños Right to Life Scott Giblin Social Kelli Chilson Spiritual Life Johanna Krumm St. Vincent De Paul Fr. Tom Kunnel

P A R I S H C O U N C I L Kelli Chilson, Kathleen Dunn, Scott Giblin. Paul Johnson, Andrew Lee,

Martina Lynch, Cruz Molina, Maria Nest , Ralph Olsen, May Pang,

Amy Ramundo, Carolyn Yates, Janet Zahn

T R U S T E E S Phil McCartin James Pontone

Our Sacramental Life

Baptism: Please call the Rectory well in advance of the expected day of

Baptism to arrange an appointment for an interview. Pre-baptismal meeting for parents is required. Godparents must be confirmed, practicing Catholics.

Generally Baptisms are celebrated the third Sunday of each month at 12:00 pm.

Reconciliation: Confessions are heard from 4:30-5:00 pm on Saturday.

You may also make an appointment with Fr. Tom. Spanish confessions is

available on 1st Fridays of the month at 7 PM and from 12:30–1:00 PM on Sundays.

Marriage: Marriages should be arranged at least six months in advance.

Participation in Pre-Cana is essential. Please call the Rectory to schedule an

appointment with Fr. Tom.

Anointing of the Sick: Before you enter the hospital for elective surgery

or other serious treatment, and for those who have need of spiritual healing. In an emergency, call Fr. Tom’s mobile 845 608 9358.

Holy Orders: Any gentleman interested in exploring the question of voca-

tion to the priesthood or the permanent diaconate should contact Fr. Tom

Kunnel. We would also be happy to direct anyone interested in living their

lives as Religious Sisters or Brothers.

Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults: For instruction for Baptism,

Confirmation and Eucharist for adults and to learn about Catholic Faith. If interested please contact Dcn Robert Pang.

For more details and forms—www.stjohnspiermont.org

Parish Registration: All adults (over age 21) should register in the parish themselves and should use envelopes or parishpay.com. Tithing is 5% of income. This registration is our only means of certifying anyone as a member of the parish, especially for Baptism and Confirmation sponsorship

The message is: R E N E W WELCOME, RING, FAMINE, SWINE, REJOICE

The family of

Msgr. Robert A. Ford

acknowledges with grateful appreci-ation the kind expression of your

sympathy:

To All St. John the Baptist Parishioners:

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you. Your thoughts, prayers and love towards Msgr. Ford were always so gen-erous. Your parish had such an important role in Msgr’s life. We will be forever grateful for the time he spend at St. John’s. We will

continue to “look for the flags” every time we cross the TZ bridge.

All Our Love,

The Ford Family