MASS SCHEDULE

Saturday: 7:00 & 8:00 AM 6:00 PM (Vigil Mass) Sunday: 7:30 & 9:30 AM English 11:00 AM Italian 12:30 PM English (Family Mass) 7:00 PM Portuguese Holy Days: 6:30, 8:00, 10:00 AM & 7:30 PM Weekdays: 7:00 & 8:00 AM Other Services & Activities: Monday to Saturday: 7:40 AM Morning Prayer Tuesdays: 9:00 AM Legion of Mary 7:30 PM St. Padre Pio Group (Jan 27) 7:30 PM H.R.S.—Church Hall (Feb 24) 8:00 PM Holy Rosary in Portuguese Wednesdays: 7:30 PM Holy Rosary in Italian Thursdays: 2:00 PM Bible Study in Italian 6:15 to 7:15 PM Holy Hour for Vocations (Jan 22 & 29) 7:30 PM Bible Study in English (Jan 8) 7:30 PM V.A.U.S. 8:30 PM Rosary by Brazilian Men (Jan 8) Fridays: 8:30 PM Brazilian Prayer Group 1st Fridays: 5:30 to 8:30 PM Bl. Sacrament Adoration (January 2)

Served by the Vocationist Fathers Fr. Stephen Ehiahuruike, S.D.V., Pastor Fr. Louis Caputo, S.D.V., Parochial Vicar Fr. Chris Iwunze, S.D.V., Parochial Vicar Church & Rectory 442 E Brinkerhoff Ave Palisades Park, NJ 07650 Tel. 201-944-1154 Fax. 201-944-9510 Email. stnicholas07650@live.com Website. www.stnicholasrcchurch.org Office Hours Mon, Wed, Thu & Fri 11:30 AM - 6:00 PM Tuesdays 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Mornings by appointment only)

ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS Baptisms: On any available Sunday during the 11:00 AM (Italian), 12:30 PM (English) & 7:00 PM (Portuguese) Masses. Please, contact the rectory at least one month prior to desired date. Confessions: Saturdays 5:00 to 5:45 PM, or during the week by appointment. Marriages: Please contact the rectory at least six months prior to desired wedding date. Sacrament of the Sick: If you are hospitalized or un-able to come to Church for health reasons and would like to be visited by a priest for Confession, Commun-ion, or Anointing of the Sick, please call the rectory. Religious Education Program (CCD): For children 1st to 8th grades who are not attending Catholic School. Classes are held on Sundays from September to May at 11:30 AM, with attendance to the 12:30 PM Family Mass. Confirmation: Teens will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on 8th grade. They will attend classes at 11:30 AM from September to December; and from January to April classes will start at 11:00 AM in the church hall, with attendance to the 12:30 PM Family Mass.

ST. NICHOLAS RC CHURCH

4th Sunday of Advent December 21, 2014

Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word (Luke 1:26-38).

ST NICHOLAS RC CHURCH Parish Trustee: Giovanni Simone & Michael Massaro Parish Secretary: Débora Moreira Music Ministry: Addie Luers, Giovanni & Karen Simone, and Kelly Oliveira Vocationist Sisters Community Sr. Benedita Carvalho, S.D.V., Superior & Pre-K Director; Sr. Antonietta Cioce, S.D.V., Sr. Meltiana Ding, S.D.V. and Sr. Sali Antony, S.D.V. 223 14th Street - Palisades Park, NJ Tel. 201-947-2413 Parish Pre-K “Fr. Justin Learning Center” Tel. 201-944-1376 NOTRE DAME ACADEMY 312 First St—Palisades Park, NJ 201-947-5262

MASS INTENTIONS SATURDAY, December 20 7:00AM Maria Mircovich by M/M Zdenko Mirkovich 8:00AM Robert Hroncich by parents 6:00PM Pete & Jennie Pallotta by Bob & Nancy SUNDAY, December 21 7:30AM Agripina Ochoa & Alfonso Espinosa by daughters 9:30AM Isabella Berardi by Simone family 11:00AM Maria Morin by daughter Maria & family 12:30PM Maria Lechich by daughter & family 7:00PM People of the Parish MONDAY, December 22 7:00AM Dinko Picinic by M/M Zdenko Mirkovic 8:00AM Gregory Mattessich by M/M Joseph Hroncich TUESDAY, December 23 7:00AM Mario Lisica by M/M Zdenko Mirkovic 8:00AM Domenica Vunic by John & Dina Mircovich WEDNESDAY, December 24 7:00AM Maria Mircovich by Cynthia & Christopher Piccini 8:00AM Domenica Vunic by Gaudenzia Mattessich 6:00PM Mary & Phillip Guastella by Bob & Nancy 12:00AM John Ferraioli by family THURSDAY, December 25 7:30AM Nick Castranova by Loretta Martini 9:30AM Maria Mirkovich by daughter Gaudenzia 11:00AM Natalina Piccinich by M/M Gregory Mattessich 12:30PM Cosimo Palombini by family 7:00PM People of the Parish FRIDAY, December 26 7:00AM Frank Silva by Yolanda V. Lorfink 8:00AM Mattea Piccinich by M/M Anthony Piccinich SATURDAY, December 27 7:00AM In honor of St. Lazarus by Eduardo Lorenzo 8:00AM Gregory Mattessich by Antonia Mattessich 6:00PM Albert Giannantonio by Ronald & Carmela Kida SUNDAY, December 28 7:30AM Elena Morin by M/M Anthony Picinich 9:30AM Antonio Tarabocchia by M/M Mario Hroncich 11:00AM Alberto Ranaudo by Assunta Peluso & family 12:30PM Maria Tarabokia by Eleonora Hroncich 7:00PM People of the Parish

Fr. Stephen and the parish staff wish all parishioners and their

families a

Merry & Blessed Christmas!

CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE

Wednesday, December 24 6:00 PM - Vigil 11:30 PM - Christmas Carols 12:00 AM - Midnight Mass

Thursday, December 25 CHRISTMAS DAY 7:30, 9:30 AM & 12:30 PM 11:00 AM (Italian) & 7:00 PM (Brazilian)

Wednesday, December 31 — 7:00 & 8:00 AM

Thursday, January 1, 2015 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God — 7:00, 8:00, 10:00 AM & 7:30 PM 11:00 AM (Italian)

CONFIRMATION 2015 - Our 8th grade teenagers will receive their Sacrament of Confirmation on Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 3:00 PM by Archbishop Bernard A. Hedba. The CCD Class will be at 11:00 AM starting January 4, with obligatory attendance to 12:30 PM Mass.

There will be NO CCD CLASSES on December 28. Classes resume on January 4.

News of the Parish

Holy Hour for Vocations Every Thursday from 6:15 to 7:15 PM in church

~ Except on eve of first Fridays ~

In Memory ALTAR CANDLES

donated this week in memory of John Ferraioli

by sister & brother-in-law

BREAD AND WINE donated this week in memory of

Angelo Cecere by wife & children

SANCTUARY LAMP donated this week in memory of

John Ferraioli by sister & brother-in-law

Ministers’ Schedule for December 28

6:00 PM: Lector - Carmela B. E.M. - Claudia 7:30 AM: Lectors - Michael and Linda 9:30 AM: Lectors - Suzanne E.M. - Gina, Sr. Sali and Sr. Meltiana 11:00 AM: Lectors - Maria and Italia E.M. - Carmela A., Sara and Antonia 12:30 PM : Lector - Isaiah and John E.M. - Rita, Wendy and Roberto 7:00 PM Lectors - Katia, Laine and Patricia E.M. - Candinho and Cida

Page 3 December 21, 2014

4th SUNDAY OF ADVENT

ECHOING MARY'S

DECISION

The angel Gabriel today c o n f r o n t s Mary with a mystery. The mystery of salvation in Christ is not a mystery t h a t i s solved, but a reality beyond our comprehension that we must choose to enter into. In the liturgy of the Eastern Church, everyone waits to see if Mary will enter into the mystery: God waits, Adam and Eve and all the souls of the dead who long for paradise wait, angels wait for new heavenly companions. And there is much rejoicing when her decision is "yes."

We have less dramatic choices offered to us, but the mystery of our salvation in Christ is by no means "solved." We may understand it a bit better due to Mary's "yes." We may be a bit closer to it through the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But it still remains a mystery to which we all must give our own "yes." Soon we will be singing "O come, let us adore him." May our Advent prayer, our echo of Mary's "yes," continue then, so we may enter into the mystery of our salvation in Jesus Christ, God among us. Copyright (c) J. S. Paluch Co.

CHRISTMAS IN THE HEART Christmas! 'Tis the season for kindling the fire of

hospitality in the hall, the genial fire of charity in the heart.

--Washington Irving

Pastoral Care Holy Communion was brought last week to: Valentine Miele, Alexander Mauro, Sheila Hutchinson, Arthur and Amelia Mazzarella, and Gloria Pezzolla.

Pray for our sick: Mateus Ribeiro, Domenica Dinaro, Pete Giannantonio, Anne Ring, Lorenzo Cafasso, Josephine Dolberry, Eileen Murphy and Mercedes Schindler.

STEWARDSHIP OF TIME & TALENT

We are thankful to the our CCD parents who have supported our Religious Education Program by

bringing their children to church on Sundays and attending mass together as family. And to our Catechists who dedicate their Time & Talent

instructing our children in God’s ways.

We pray that the Lord will continue to bless their lives with good health, peace and love, and keep in their hearts the desire to serve Him and His church

even more everyday.

Merry Christmas!!

NEW SHOES — Little girls love to totter about in their mothers’ shoes, pretending to be grown-up. One day they will be ready to wear adult shoes for real. Shoes come in many different sizes. Hand-made shoes are crafted for a particular individual, and that’s how God prepares work for us in the church - work that fits us perfectly as we grow.

Take a moment this Advent season to consider how well your spiritual shoes fit you. You may be satis-fied with your current role. But could it be time to slip on a larger pair of shoes? When shoes start to pinch at the toes, we buy our child a new pair. Perhaps you have grown in your experience and now it is time to shoulder more responsibility. God is maturing you so that your skills may bless more people. Like new shoe leather, you may need “breaking in” to your new position. It might feel a stretch as you learn to adapt to be-come more fruitful, but you know that, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. ” (Philippians 4.13)

Growing up in Christ means bravely stepping out to share more of what God has given to us with others

Vocationist Corner

O Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, model and

exemplar of supernatural life in its greatest fullness and

splendor; O exemplar of the grace of Divine Union with the

Most Holy Trinity, be my family!

O Jesus, Mary and Joseph, O my Holy Family, for all eternity you remain destined to receive as your

members all the Elect, regardless of any bond of flesh or blood, be my family!

O Joseph, O Mary, O Jesus! Not even the state of the Risen Body can give us an adequate idea of the

spirituality of your Virginal Flesh, of the senses and acts of your body, of the life of your family.

Blessed Fr. Justin Russolillo, SDV, Spirit of Prayer, page 146

IF YOU FEEL YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE about a vocation to priesthood or religious life,

you may speak to Fr. Stephen, Fr. Louis or call 973-966-6262

Join Fr. Stephen Ehiahuruike, SDV and Fr. Dwayne Davis

Pilgrimage to the Holy

Land

February 12 to 20 of 2015

Cost: $3,190.00 Double occupancy room For more info: Mrs. Michelle Bove

Tel. 718-680-5600 michelle.bove@aol.com Or call the rectory’s office at 201-944-1154

ST. NICHOLAS FUNDRAISING EVENT

SPRING AUCTION 2015

We are collecting items to be auctioned — NOT USED, UN-OPENED gifts, toys, games, electronics, kitchen

appliances, home decoration, paintings, books, jewelry, etc. Open your heart, cleanup your closets and donate to

our church! All donations are tax deductible! Please call the rectory’s office for more information

201-944-1154 (For safety reasons we cannot accept used clothes,

shoes or any opened toys)

Donation for the Poinsettias decorating the altar

this Christmas

From: ___________________________________

In loving memory of:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Donation of $ ___________

Please return this slip with your donation to the rectory office

or drop in the collection baskets in church

If you or someone you know is sick, home bounded, can-not attend Masses and would like to receive the visit of a priest or Eucharist Minister to bring Holy Communion, please call rectory office at 201-944-1154

Brazilian New Year’s Party Enter 2015 surrounded by friends and family.

Delicious dinner with DJ music to dance and enjoy.

Tickets are $50 (children ages 7 to 12—$25) (Tickets on sale in the rectory’s office.)

ATTENTION: Please be aware that in case of heavy snow and ice on the ground,

the 7:00 AM weekday Mass will be canceled. You may attend the 8:00 AM Mass.

If in doubt, call the rectory before leaving your house or check our website www.stnicholasrcchurch.org

If you wish to receive the Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima into

your home for the year 2015, please fill in your name and phone number

for the week of your choice on the calendar at the entrance of the

church.

Celebrate with us the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ! Come to church for the

Christmas Carols December 24 at 11:30 PM

followed by the Midnight Mass

The number one way to keep Jesus Christ in your Christmas celebrations is to have him present in your daily life. Keeping Christ in Christmas is more about the way you live your life than the things you say—such as "Merry Christmas" versus "Happy Holi-days." Keeping Christ in Christmas means daily reveal-ing the character, love and spirit of Christ that dwells in you, by allowing these traits to shine through your actions. Here are simple ways to keep Christ the cen-tral focus of your life this Christmas season: 1) Give God one very special gift just from you to him Let this gift be some-thing personal that no one else needs to know about, and let it be a sac-rifice. David said in 2 Samuel 24 that he would not offer a sacrifice to God that cost him noth-ing. Maybe your gift to God will be to forgive someone you've needed to forgive for a long time. You may discover that you've given a gift back to yourself. Per-haps your gift will be to commit to spending time with God daily. Or maybe there is something God has asked you to give up. Make this your most important gift of the season. 2) Set aside a special time to read the Christmas story in St. Luke 1:5-56 through 2:1-20 Consider reading this account with your family and discussing it together. 3) Set up a Nativity scene in your home It is beautiful to have a scenery that depicts the mo-ment of our Lord’s birth. Ask the children to help with new ideas. 4) Plan a project of good will this Christmas Do you have an elderly neighbor in need of home re-pairs or yard work? Find someone with a genuine need, involve your whole family and see how happy you can make someone this Christmas. 5) Take a group Christmas caroling in a nursing home or a children's hospital One year the staff at the office where I worked decided to incorporate Christmas caroling at a nearby nursing home into our yearly staff Christmas party plans. We

all met first at the nursing home and toured the facility while singing Christmas carols. Afterwards, we headed back to our party with our hearts full of tenderness. It was the best staff Christmas party we'd ever had. 6) Give a surprise gift of service to each member of your family Jesus taught us to serve by washing the disciples feet. He also taught us that it is "more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35 - The idea of giving an unexpected gift of service to members of your family is to demon-strate Christ-like love and service. You might consider giving a back rub to your spouse, running an errand for your brother, or cleaning out a closet for your mother. Make it personal and meaningful and watch the blessings multiply.

7) Set aside a time of family devotions on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning Before opening the gifts, take a few minutes to gather together as a family in prayer and devotions. Read a few Bible verses and discuss as a family the true meaning of Christmas.

8) Attend Mass together with your family If you are alone this Christmas or don't have family living near you, invite a friend or a neighbor to join you. 9) Send Christmas cards that convey a spiritual message This is an easy way to share your faith at Christmas-time. If you've already bought the reindeer cards—no problem! Just write include a personal religious message with each card. 10) Write a Christmas letter to a religious person, a priest or nun: Receiving a letter always fells like opening a priceless gift on Christmas morning, no matter what day it is. Many of them are unable to travel home for the holi-days, so it can be a very lonely time for them. Write a special Christmas letter to religious person of your choice, thanking him or her for giving their life in service to the Lord. Trust me—it will mean more than you can imagine!

10 Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas 10 Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas 10 Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas Simple steps to make Christ the center of your Christmas Simple steps to make Christ the center of your Christmas Simple steps to make Christ the center of your Christmas