FifthSundayofLent March13,2016

Bronx, New York

VIGIL HOLY MASS (SATURDAY-March 19th) 5:30 p.m. - Albanian 7:00 p.m. - English

PALM SUNDAY-March 20th 8:00 a.m. – Italian (Church)

9:00 a.m. - Spanish (Auditorium) 9:15 a.m. - English (Church)

10:30 a.m. - English (Church) 12:00 p.m. - English (Church)

12:00 p.m. - Spanish (Auditorium) 1:30 p.m. - Albanian (Church)

2:00 p.m. - Spanish (Auditorium)

HOLY THURSDAY - March 24th 9:00 a.m. - Morning Prayer (Church) 7:00 p.m. - Celebration of the Lord’s Supper (Church) 8:30 p.m.-12 a.m. - Transfer and Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament (Auditorium)

GOOD FRIDAY-March 25th

9:00 a.m. - Tenebrae Service 12:00 p.m. - Stations of the Cross

3:00 p.m. - Celebration of the Lord’s Passion (English) 5:00 p.m. - Celebration of the Lord’s Passion (Spanish)

HOLY SATURDAY March 26th

9:00am

Tenebrae Service

2:00pm - 4:00pm (School)

Blessing of the Food

EASTER VIGIL-March 26th

7:30 p.m. (Church)

EASTER SUNDAY-March 27th

8:00 a.m. - Italian 9:00 a.m. - Spanish (Auditorium)

9:15 a.m. - English (Church) 10:30 a.m. - English (Church) 12:00 p.m. - English (Church)

12:00 p.m. - Spanish (Auditorium) 1:30 p.m. - Albanian (Church)

2:00 p.m. - Spanish (Auditorium)

Monday - March 21st

Confessions - 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

833 Mace Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467 718-882-0710 - 718-882-8876 (fax)

FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT - MARCH 13, 2016

FifthSundayofLent March13,2016

Monday- March 14, 2016 - Lenten Weekday 8:00 a.m. Caroline Nevins 9:00 a.m. Dila Syku

Tuesday- March 15, 2016 - Lenten Weekday 8:00 a.m. Special Intention 9:00 a.m. Giuseppe Greco

Wednesday- March 16, 2016 - Lenten Weekday

8:00 a.m. Kristjan Keka 9:00 a.m. Luisa DeBellis

Thursday- March 17, 2016 - Lenten Weekday -

St. Patrick, Bishop 8:00 a.m. Kristjan Leka 9:00 a.m. Marie & Fran Marashi 7:00 p.m. Librada Hernandez

Friday- March 18, 2016 - Lenten Weekday -

St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

8:00 a.m. Giuseppe, Anna, & Emilia DiFlora 9:00 a.m. Simon & Prena Gazivoda

Saturday- March 19, 2016 - St. Joseph, Spouse of the

Blessed Virgin Mary 8:00 a.m. Giuseppe Greco 9:00 a.m. Peter & Lena Shkreli 5:30 p.m. Lula Juncaj 7:00 p.m. Bernard Lewis & T. Lewis Frances

Sunday- March 20, 2016 - Palm Sunday of the

Passion of the Lord 8:00 a.m. Margarita & Pasquale Vitiello 9:00 a.m. Margarita Cortez & Agustin Martinez 9:15 a.m. Simon Prekpalaj

10:30 a.m. For all Parishioners of St. Lucy’s Parish 12:00 p.m. Alfred & Sophie Baldino 1:15 p.m. Javier Gomez & Rogelio Flores

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — The LORD does something new for the chosen people (Isaiah 43:16-21) or Ezekiel 37:12-14. Psalm — The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy (Psalm 126) or Psalm 130. Second Reading — The supreme good is knowing Jesus as Lord (Philippians 3:8-14) or Romans 8:8-11. Gospel — A woman caught in the act of adultery is brought to Jesus. He challenges anyone without sin to throw the first stone (John 8:1-11) or John 11:1-45 [3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45]. The English translation of the Psalm Responses from the Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

Requiescant in Pace Please remember in your prayers the parishioners, friends,

relatives and benefactors who recently died especially, Teresa D’Agnelli

May they rest in Peace, Amen.

We welcome

Ava Algarin & Jenna Bojku.

Baptized on March 6, 2016

into the Roman Catholic Church and

our Parish community of St. Lucy

Our parish relies on the Easter and Christmas offerings to accomplish the necessary work that needs to be done in the parish. Please be as generous as your means will allow in the Easter Flower and Easter Sunday offerings. May God abundantly bless you for your generosity!

St. Lucy’s Church/School 50/50 Raffle Tickets are available and can be purchased at the Rectory, School, Gift

Shop and after Sunday Masses. Please support our parish/school fundraiser.

FifthSundayofLent March13,2016

Dear Parishioners of St. Lucy’s, Last week, I found in my mailbox a unique letter from an unknown prison inmate. I was surprised because I did

not know the person and did not expect any letter of this kind. His letter moved me deeply. The man spent twenty-four years in prison for taking the life of a young woman. I could read the torment he felt

for his past crime, a constant pain which is with him still. He said that he could never bring her back to life and never ease the suffering of her family, after tragically loosing their dear daughter and sister. His letter continued that after completing twenty-four years in prison, he would be set free, and would return home to the Bronx where he grew up.

During his years in prison, he was involved in Catholic ministry work with other Catholic inmates. His experience of faith was the only refuge he had, to offer him strength and hope in prison, and to continue living, with deep remorse and painful emotions from his tragic past. The reason he was writing to me as a pastor was to ask if he might come and introduce himself here at St. Lucy’s, and to hope the parishioners of our Catholic church might be kind enough to offer him a welcome, and allow him to continue his life in freedom, despite his past.

I read and reread his letter several times. Then I went to the small chapel in our rectory to pray. What should I write to this man who we have never met before? As I was looking at the tabernacle, feeling Christ’s presence, and trying to place this person before Him, I was able to receive a fuller picture of this painful reality.

In my mind came the famous Gospel passage of Saint John (8:1-11) when the woman caught in adultery was brought before Jesus. The temple authorities wanted to stone her to death for her sins. The man who spent 24 years in prison was accused of murder, the most serious of crimes. Yet it is still human sin, and we are all sinners.

I tried to imagine this man, perhaps in his fifties now, alone with Christ during his last days in prison, waiting to be released. In those moments of silence and peace I felt deeply in my heart and soul the image of Christ looking at the man with his painful past, and penetrating his whole being with the power of His presence! Silence! During these twenty-four years, Christ has spoken to him in many ways, and has very likely held him back from the sin of despair, the sin of losing one's soul. Yes indeed Christ was looking at him as Christ looked at the woman in the New Testament story about adultery. She did not try to excuse herself from her sinful past. She stood in silence and humiliation and shame. Yet she also stood in the living presence of Christ Jesus our Lord. He was the only one to forgive her, and bring her back to a life of grace and peace.

Perhaps in the same way, the man in prison who wrote to me, in that moment, that deep silence before Christ, was not defending himself from his tragic past either, but was looking to Christ for mercy and love?

It was a very powerful experience of prayer picturing the unknown man in our private chapel before Christ. This is the place where I found refuge in the real presence, the soul, body, blood, and divinity of Christ, where I felt the same words of Christ addressed to the adulterous woman: Go and do not sin anymore! Yes the time spent in silence and looking at the tabernacle of our rectory chapel helped me to enter into that powerful scene of Christ and the one who waits to be embraced by His love and mercy. Surely, we all would like to be embraced by His love and mercy?

After this time in prayer, I wrote to man in prison, who soon would be released. I told him that we, as a parish, would welcome him in the spirit of Christ, as our brother in Christ. I told him that the tragic memory of his past crime would be with him for the rest of his life. However, the consoling words of Christ "go and sin no more" are a powerful refuge for the salvation of our broken souls, along with the sacraments of confession and the Holy Eucharist.

Pope Francis has called this year an extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy. Now we have an opportunity to put this loving spirit into practice. Through a simple piece of mail from a person we do not know, Our Dear Lord has invited me, and all of us, into a new relationship with this famous Gospel passage from Saint John. He has invited me, and all of us, to examine our own sinful selves, and to discover ever again how much we too are in need of God’s saving grace and mercy.

I hope and pray that we as a faithful people, who walk on through this valley of tears, might be strong in our journey of faith, and may also be understanding of those who have stumbled along the way. May we be guided by the words of Saint Paul, in the second reading this, the fifth Sunday of Lent, from the letter to the Philippians: Brothers and sisters I consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, depending on faith to know Him and the power of His resurrection, and to accept and share in His suffering! Yes indeed, we hope to live and witness the power of His resurrection during this special year of Mercy, and also His power to raise up others to a new life in His Name. Amen.

Message from Father Pergjini:

FifthSundayofLent March13,2016

Queridos feligreses de St. Lucy, La semana pasada, me encontré en mi buzón una carta única de un preso desconocido. Me sorprendió porque yo no conozco a la persona y no esperar ninguna carta de este tipo. Su carta me conmovió profundamente. El hombre pasó veinticuatro años de prisión por aceptar la vida de una mujer joven. Podía leer el tormento que sentía por su crimen pasado, un dolor constante que es con él todavía. Dijo que nunca podría traerla de vuelta a la vida y nunca aliviar el sufrimiento de su familia, después de haber perdido trágicamente a su querida hija y hermana. Su carta continuó que después de completar veinticuatro años en la cárcel, que sería puesto en libertad, y que volvería a casa para el Bronx donde creció. Durante sus años en prisión, se vio involucrado en el trabajo de ministerio católico con otros internos católicos. Su experiencia de la fe era el único refugio que tenía, para ofrecerle la fuerza y la esperanza en la prisión, y para seguir viviendo, con profundo remordimiento y las emociones dolorosas de su pasado trágico. La razón por la que estaba escribiendo para mí como pastor fue preguntar si podía venir y presentarse a sí mismo aquí en St. Lucy, y la esperanza de los fieles de nuestra Iglesia Católica pueden ser tan amable de ofrecerle una bienvenida, y le permita continuar su vida en libertad, a pesar de su pasado. Leo y releo sus tiempos de letras varios. Luego fui a la pequeña capilla en nuestra rectoría para orar. ¿Qué debo escribir en este hombre que nunca hemos visto antes? Como yo estaba buscando en el tabernáculo, sintiendo la presencia de Cristo, y tratando de colocar a esta persona delante de él, yo era capaz de recibir una imagen más completa de esta realidad dolorosa. En mi mente vino el famoso pasaje del Evangelio de San Juan (8: 1-11), cuando la mujer sorprendida en adulterio fue llevado ante Jesús. Las autoridades del templo querían su piedra a muerte por sus pecados. El hombre que pasó 24 años en prisión fue acusado de asesinato, el más grave de los crímenes. Sin embargo, todavía es pecado humano, y todos somos pecadores. Traté de imaginar a este hombre, tal vez de unos cincuenta años ahora, a solas con Cristo durante sus últimos días en la cárcel, a la espera de ser puesto en libertad. En esos momentos de silencio y la paz que sentí profundamente en mi corazón y el alma la imagen de Cristo mirando al hombre con su pasado doloroso, y penetrando todo su ser con el poder de su presencia! ¡Silencio! Durante estos veinticuatro años, Cristo ha hablado con él de muchas maneras, y muy probablemente le ha retenido desde el pecado de la desesperación, el pecado de perder la propia alma. Sí que es Cristo lo miraba como Cristo miró a la mujer en la historia del Nuevo Testamento sobre el adulterio. No trató de excusarse de su pasado pecaminoso. Se puso de pie en silencio y la humillación y la vergüenza. Sin embargo, ella también estuvo en la presencia viva de Cristo Jesús nuestro Señor. Él era el único que la perdonara, y traerla de vuelta a la vida de la gracia y la paz. Tal vez de la misma manera, el hombre en la cárcel que me escribió, en ese momento, que en el fondo silencio antes de Cristo, no se defendía de su trágico pasado bien, pero estaba mirando a Cristo por la misericordia y el amor? Fue una experiencia muy poderosa de la oración que representa el desconocido en nuestra capilla privada antes de Cristo. Este es el lugar donde he encontrado refugio en la presencia real, el alma, el cuerpo, la sangre, y la divinidad de Cristo, en el que sentí las mismas palabras de Cristo dirigidas a la mujer adúltera: Ve y no peques más! Sí, el tiempo pasado en silencio y mirando a la tienda de nuestra capilla rectoría me ayudó a entrar en esa escena potente de Cristo y el que espera para ser abrazado por su amor y misericordia. Sin duda, a todos nos gustaría ser abrazado por su amor y misericordia? Después de este tiempo en la oración, escribí al hombre en la cárcel, que pronto sería liberado. Le dije que, como parroquia, podríamos darle la bienvenida en el espíritu de Cristo, como nuestro hermano en Cristo. Le dije que la memoria trágica de su crimen pasado estaría con él durante el resto de su vida. Sin embargo, las consoladoras palabras de Cristo "Vete y no peques más" son un poderoso refugio para la salvación de nuestras almas rotas, junto con los sacramentos de la confesión y la Santa Eucaristía. Papa Francisco ha llamado este año un año extraordinario Santo de la Merced. Ahora tenemos la oportunidad de poner esto en práctica el espíritu de amor. A través de una simple pieza de correo de una persona que no sabemos, nuestro amado Señor me ha invitado, y todos nosotros, en una nueva relación con este famoso pasaje del Evangelio de San Juan. Se me ha invitado, y todos nosotros, para examinar nuestras propias vidas pecaminosas, y para descubrir cada vez más cuánto nosotros también estamos en necesidad de la gracia salvadora de Dios y la misericordia. Espero y rezo para que nosotros, como un pueblo fiel, que caminan a través de este valle de lágrimas, podría ser fuertes en nuestro camino de fe, y también puede ser la comprensión de aquellos que han tropezado en el camino. Nos guíe por las palabras de San Pablo, en la segunda lectura de este quinto domingo de Cuaresma, de la carta a los Filipenses: Hermanos y hermanas estimo todas las cosas como pérdida por el bien supremo de conocer a Cristo Jesús, mi Señor . Para quien lo he aceptado la pérdida de todas las cosas y las considero tanta basura, para ganar a Cristo, y ser hallado en él, dependiendo de fe para conocerle, y el poder de su resurrección, y para aceptar y participar en su ¡sufrimiento! Sí, por supuesto, esperamos para vivir y presenciar el poder de su resurrección durante este año especial de la Merced, y también su poder para levantar a otros a una nueva vida en su nombre. Amén.

Mensaje del Padre Pergjini:

FifthSundayofLent March13,2016

To date our parish has received $16,897 in pledges/gifts toward the 2016 Cardinal’s Appeal, from

53 families. For this Appeal to be truly successful, we must have support from all of our families. The Appeal is a vital source of funding for the programs and ministries that sustain the parishes across our Archdiocese. It is not too late to make your gift. Please be as generous as you can. Thank you for your kind support.

$16,897 - pledged to date (34% of goal) 53 - gifts - $51,000 - our parish goal

Hasta el día de hoy nuestra parroquia ha recibido $16,897 en promesas/regalos para la Campaña de Corresponsabilidad del Cardenal

2016, por parte de 53 familias. La Campaña es un recurso vital de fondos para los programas y ministerios que mantienen a nuestras parroquias a través de la Arquidiócesis. Todavía están a tiempo para hacer su regalo. Por favor, sean tan generosos como les sea posible. Muchas gracias por su amable apoyo.

$16,897.00 $ - comprometido hasta la fecha (34% de la meta) 53 - regalos - $51,000 - meta de nuestra parroquia

St. Lucy Parish

Holy Thursday Vigil

Note* There will be a five minute space of silence in between groups.

8:35 p.m. to 8:50 p.m. – Prayers in Italian 8:55 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. - Prayers in English 9:20 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. - Daughters of Mary / Hijas de Maria 9:35 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. - Holy Name Society 9:50 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. - Sagrado Corazon 10:05 p.m. to 10:20 p.m. - Circulo de Oracion 10:25 p.m. to 10:40 p.m. - Cursillistas 10:45 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. - Grupo Guadalupano 11:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. - Holy Hour in Silence

Nota importante* Habra una pausa de 5 minutos de silencio entre cada grupo.

VOLUNTEERS FOR GOOD FRIDAY, WAY OF THE CROSS PROCESSION

We need parish volunteers to help coordinate the Way of the Cross procession on Good Friday: parishioners, ushers, teenagers and you! We depend on your selfless support to help celebrate the event that changed the world. Please join us on Tuesday, of Holy Week, March 22 at 7 p.m. at St. Lucy’s auditorium. Thank you and God Bless.

VOLUNTARIOS PARA LA PROCESION DE VIERNES SANTO

Necesitamos la ayuda de todos los parroquianos que puedan asistir a la Procesion de Viernes Santo: necesitamos ujieres, jóvenes, hombres, damas, para los personajes. Contamos con su apoyo incondicional a realizar el evento que cambio el mundo para siempre. Nos reuniremos el Martes de la Semana Santa, Marzo 22 a las 7 p.m. en el auditor io de la escuela. Les esperamos y contamos contigo. Gracias y Que Dios le bendiga.

Monday, March 21, 2016 is designated by Cardinal Dolan as Reconciliation Monday. Our Diocese will join the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Diocese of Rockville Centre in celebrating Reconciliation Monday. On this special day, all the churches of our dioceses will offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation in all parishes between the hours of 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. It is an excellent opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation as we prepare for the holy days of the Paschal Triduum.

Stations of the Cross Every Friday during Lent

8:30 a.m. in Italian 9:30 a.m. in English 6:30 p.m. in Albanian 7:00 p.m. in Spanish (Auditorium)

Sunday, April 3rd is Divine Mercy Sunday

We will have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Divine Mercy Chaplet

and Benediction from 3:00-5:00pm

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