BULLETIN OUR LADY OF MERCY 40 Sullivan Drive, Jersey City, NJ 07305 • www.olmnj.org

December 24, 2017 • Fourth Sunday of Advent

FROM THE DESK OF THE PASTORDear Parishioners of Our Lady of Mercy:

Merry Christmas! While this bulletin is distributed on the weekend of Fourth Sunday of Advent, I already want to wish you all a blessed and joy-filled Christmas. It is a very busy weekend (of all weekends) because Christmas Day is the next day after the last Sunday of Advent. And I commend you to our Savior Jesus

Christ for your eagerness to celebrate His birthday tirelessly. It shows in your smile as you come in the house of God, your second home, The Church. Truth is, that’s the spirit in you that we all want to see every time you come to Mass. That’s the kind of attitude that God wants from you, to have that joyous disposition inside of you whenever you come to Church in giving Him thanks for all you have, to praise and worship Him in spirit and in truth and to receive Him in the Eucharist for your spiritual energy to go on living this precious gift of life.

BULLETIN

INTENTIONS OF POPE FRANCIS FOR DECEMBER 2017Pope’s Universal Intentions: The Elderly

That the elderly, sustained by families and Christian commu-nities, may apply their wisdom and experience to spreading the faith and forming the new gen-erations.

STEWARDSHIP REFLECTION: DECEMBER 24, 2017 “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” - LUKE 1:28

Faith is a gift from God. Take time in silence and thank Him for all the gifts He has given you. Try to set aside any anger or resentment you have and really open your heart to receive the gift of God’s mercy and forgiveness. We can’t give what we don’t have. We need to receive God’s mercy and forgiveness first before we can give it to others.

SCRIPTURE PASSAGES: FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENTReading 1: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 / Responsorial: Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29 / Reading 2: Rom 16:25-27 / Gospel: Lk 1:26-38

Merry Christmasand a Happy New Year!

MASS SCHEDULE FOR THE FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILYSaturday, December 30 - 5:00 pm

Sunday, December 31 - 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 noon, 7:00 pm

MASS SCHEDULE FOR FEAST OF MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GODSunday, January 1, 2018 - 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 noon

(from the Desk of the Pastor)Brothers and sisters, God so loved the world that He sent His Son Jesus, born of the Blessed Virgin Mary on that Christmas morning, to live like us human beings. He is the reason why we celebrate this season. We heard this many times. But, let us be reminded of this (myself included) once again… that it is out of His LOVE that Jesus came into this world. And so in return, you and I are called to show that love by being faithful to Him and by loving each and every people around us. In the name of the staff of Our Lady of Mercy Church, I wish you all a joyous Christmas! Thank you and God bless you all!

Love,+Father Marty

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK: Paul Calefati, Elaine Staltari, Othelia G. Laurena, Jean Karycinski, Dorothy Darcy, Erlinda Jacinto, Leonora Loyola, Eric Bautista, Lilian Kryczkowski, Ellen Iorio, Jessica Pavone, Ian Malesiewski, Ruben Catipon, Angela Salvador, Clarita Sal-vador, Teresita Cordon , Vincent Mastria, Maria Svaligma, Bill Macchi, Craig Rutkowski, James Seaman, Makenzie Cadmus, Manuel J.Juson, MD, Gina Marquez, Maurita Reyes, Daniel Tamayo Santos, Marie Ronzitti, Lucia Vanderburg, Betty Scerbo, Philip Scerbo, Alejandra Ancheta, Cindy Popolo, Mario Banaag, Oscar Alladin, Antonio Roldan, Esperanza Galarza, Carmen Tuazon, Susan Ranola Rivera, Conrado “Boy” Tanada, John Broderick, Joanne Diaz, Ligaya Tan, Leonarda DeCarlo, Dolores Steinhauser, Eugenio Cacananta, Austin Macalintal, Eduviges Ledesma, Carolyn Taliaferro, Nonong Dava, John Gaito, Elsa Concepcion, Ricardo Vales, Virginia T. Mercurio, James Leung, Tran Phouc, Sophia Gonzalez, Father Tom Roberst, Jocelyn Tu-azon, Florentino Chanco, Edgardo Cruz, Luchie Vivas, Deacon Nick Fargo, Mark Dudek

UPDATE ON CAPITAL CAMPAIGN: “WE ARE LIVING STONES”

You may recall that the Case Items for Parish Portion are the following: • Purchase and Installation of a gas generator • Repointing of the Church • Replacement of windows on the school’s 3rd floor • Repairing the boiler in the school • Debt reduction As far as the school boiler repair is concerned, we have spent a total of $41,675.00 for the three repairs we have done. This figure will be disbursed from the Capital Campaign, which is one of the items mentioned above. Pray, dear broth-ers and sisters, that there will be no more school boiler repairs in the near future. Thank you for your generosity!

STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE FOR DEC. 17, 2017

Regular Collection $ 10,214.00 Maintenance Collection $ 733.00 Thank you for your generosity and support to our community!

OUR LADY OF MERCY AND AMAZON SMILE

We are rolling out a novel way of supporting Our Lady of Mercy Parish through your purchases. Please note instruc-tions prepared by Peachy Molina, a member of our Adult Music Ministry. Please remember to: 1. Use an internet browser, not a mobile app 2. Log on to smile.amazon.com 3. Choose Our Lady of Mercy Jersey City as your charity 

REGISTER YOURSELF IN THE PARISH

To be a registered parishioner means that you really belong to the parish family. You enjoy all the benefits of being a family member. Those who are not registered are invited and encour-age to do so. A Registration Form is available at the vestibule of the Church, in the Parish Office and Online atolmnj.org.

ADVERTISE YOUR COMPANY

I appeal to those who want to advertise your company or your business to please do so. It will be a very big help to make our bulletin better (in color if possible) so we can give you more information and knowledge about all the goings-on or hap-penings in our communities. You can call Dave Chameides at 1-203-641-6051 or email: dchameides@4Lpi.com.

JOIN THE COMMUNICATIONS MINISTRY

The mission of the Communications Ministry is to act as an avenue for the parish to convey information to its parishioners and the community in general. The Communications Ministry’s tasks will focus on: Parish Bulletin, Parish Website, Documentation (photography and vid-eo) of Parish Activities and Ministries, and Education of Parishio-ners on Technology Issues. If you are interested in joining this new ministry, please email Dominic Rivera at dominic@minic.co.

JOIN THE BEREAVEMENT TEAM

We are in need of volunteers to be part of Bereavement Team. For those of you who feel like you have a gift to console those who are grieving due to loss of loved ones, please step up. See Father Marty or Mr. Edwin Dava.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will be every FIRST FRIDAY from 9:00am until 12 noon only in the Chapel.

IS YOUR MARRIAGE VALID? If you were married civilly, that is, not in the Catholic Church before a priest or deacon, it might not be a valid marriage. Some couples believe that a marriage before a Justice of the Peace or a non-Catholic minister is valid. For a marriage to be valid in the Catholic Church, the marriage must be in a Catholic Church or Chapel and officiated by an authorized Catholic priest or deacon along with 2 witnesses. (There are limited interfaith exceptions with proper permission.) We invite you to speak with one of our priests if there are any questions or if indeed you wish to validate your marriage. The process can be very simple and your marriage will now be blessed by the Church.

HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE

There will be a trip to the Holy Land in November 4-15, 2018 with Father Marty. Father Marty is thrilled to go back for another spirit-filled experience by walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Please see flyers at the vestibule of the church for details.

THE LESSON OF CAROLS by Fr. Tom Iwanowski

If we wanted to grow in our understanding of the mean-ing of Christmas, if we wanted to learn more about what the Church celebrates every December 25, we could do so in a variety of ways. We could pick up a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and read what the Church believes about Christmas. We could consult books and articles by noted theologians who have been writing about the meaning of Christmas for the past 1,950 years. We could visit various churches during the Christmas season and listen to the homilies and sermons preached from their pulpits. We could ask our fellow Christians to share with us their understanding of Christmas. We could stand before the Christmas crèche and meditate on the scene before our eyes. We could do any of those things to discover more about Christmas. But there is yet another way to learn about this holy day. We can simply listen to the sacred songs that are sung during the Christmas season. In those songs, in those carols that the Church has made part of its musical treasury, the Church sings what it believes about Christmas. The Church sings its faith. Those carols tell us that Christmas is about that Silent Night, that holy night, in the Little Town of Bethlehem where Away in a Manger, Upon a Midnight Clear, While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night, Christ the Savior was born. His coming caused Angels from the Realms of Glory to “proclaim Messiah’s birth.” That proclamation caught the atten-tion of all who heard it. Hark, the Herald Angels Sing. That news brought Joy to the World and caused Shepherds to Rise Up and Follow and strangers to arrive in Jerusalem announcing We Three Kings from Orient Are as they came

bearing gifts from afar. All this caused the people of Israel to ask in amazement, What Star is This with Beams So Bright? What Child is This? The Church sings its belief that God so loved the world that God broke down the wall of sin that had separated human-ity from its Creator. God came among his people. “Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die, born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.” (Hark, The Herald Angels Sing) Those carols tell us that the Son of God also came to reveal a way of living that brings Joy to the World and peace to people of good will. A way of living that he revealed by the manner in which he lived his own life and by the Gospel he preached. The songs of Christmas also proclaim something that is of-ten forgotten. They proclaim that Christmas is not a past event, but a present reality. Christmas continues to happen today. Christ continues to be born into our world. Consider the words from the carol, O Little Town of Beth-lehem, “O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray. Cast out our sin and enter in; Be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels, The great glad tidings tell, O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel.” The God who came in flesh that first Christmas desires to continue to come into our world through us. The more we open the inns of our hearts, the more Christ can enter and dwell in us. More people seem willing to do that at Christmas, more than at any other time of the year. That is why the world feels different at Christmas. There is more joy, more generosity, more friendliness. Even strangers greet strangers. There is less violence, less hatred, less selfishness. Even the secular songs we sing proclaim It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Jesus Christ, born that first Christmas, remains with us. As he told us at the moment of his Ascension, “I will be with you always, even until the end of time.” But for the Lord to be seen in our day, we need to give him flesh and blood. We need to allow the Lord to be born in us in our acts of kindness, love, compassion, and forgiveness. If we do, there will be joy in the world, for Christ the Savior will be born again, born again in us. If we want to learn more about Christmas, we just need to listen to the carols that we sing. What the Church sings at Christmas helps us to understand what the Church believes. Those Christmas carols are a Christmas lesson! © 2017 Rev. Thomas B. Iwanowski

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PRESENT AND POTENTIAL LECTORS

All lectors / readers of our parish who have not yet attended the Lector Workshop sponsored by the Archdiocese of Newark are encouraged to attend the workshop described below. This workshop is also for anyone, at least 16 years of age, who may be interested in serving our parish by proclaiming the scripture readings at Sunday Mass. The workshop, which will take place at the Archdiocesan Center in Newark, will cover three areas: Scripture & Liturgy; the Role of the Lector; and Public Speaking. The workshop is scheduled for Saturday, January 20. We will leave OLM for the workshop at 8 am Saturday, January 20, and return by 1 pm. The parish will cover the registration fee. If you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, please contact Father Tom by calling the parish office (201-434-7500, Ext 14), sending him at an email (olmchurchmail@gmail.com) or speaking to him after Mass. Don’t miss this workshop. It will not be repeated until the fall of 2018.

SATURDAY, December 235:00pm SIMBANG GABI: MaryAnn Bernero r/b FamilyCHRISTMAS EVE: SUNDAY, December 248:00am Teresita Resurreccion r/b Resurreccion Family10:00am Barrett Family12:00pm Edwin Eastman r/b Marge & Barbara Eastman7:00pm Mr. & Mrs. Ernesto Balingit & Family r/b John Balingit10:00pm For The PeopleNATIVITY OF THE LORD: MONDAY, December 258:00am Dr. John Colucci & Family (L) r/b June Tolentino10:00am Guiz & Gigi Macalintal12:00pmStanley & Daisy Sajkowicz r/b Diane Carpinelli7:00pm NO EVENING MASSTUESDAY, December 267:00am NO MASS8:30am Eugenia Cacananta r/b Jane LimWEDNESDAY, December 277:00am Jesus Paclarin (L) (Birthday) r/b Socorro Paclarin8:30am Anthony Blunda, Sr. r/b Nancy BovassoTHURSDAY, December 287:00am Adela Balcos r/b Wilma Gonzales8:30am Delia Lavilla (L)(Birthday) r/b Oliver FamilyFRIDAY, December 297:00am Annabelle Alo, In Thanksgiving for All the Blessings Received8:30am Rizalito Cailles (Birthday) r/b Susan CaillesSATURDAY, December 308:30am Purgatorial Society5:00pm Oniths & Jeng Villa (L)(15th Wedding Anniversary) r/b Villa FamilySUNDAY, December 318:00am Alina, Balbastro & Roxas Families, In Thanksgiving for Blessings Received10:00am Dimapilis & Garcia Families, In Thanksgiving for Blessings Received12:00pm Carmela Frisina r/b Franchesca Ranieri7:00pm For The PeopleBREAD & WINE: The offering for the bread to be used this week at our Eu-charistic Worship was given in memory of Frank and Angela Garofalo. The offering for the wine to be used this week at our Eu-charistic Worship was given in memory of Frank and Angela Garofalo.SANCTUARY LAMPS: The lamp burning over our tabernacle in the Church this week is offered for Bernadette ‘Maya’ Vibar. The lamp burning over our tabernacle in the Chapel this week is offered for Christine De Bello.

Mass Intentions

Parish Offices

Our Lady of Mercy Parish40 Sullivan Drive, Jersey City, NJ 07305

Phone: 201-434-7500Web: olmnj.org | Email: olmjcnj@aol.com

Office Hours:Monday to Friday 8:00am – 3:00pm

Saturday 9:00am – 1:00pm

Pastor:Reverend Father Marty B. Jacinto

Parochial Vicars:Father Thomas Iwanowski Father Ranulfo D. Docabo

Sunday Associate:Father Renato J. Bautista

Permanent Deacon:Deacon Nick Fargo (Emeritus)

Deacon Meynardo Espeleta

Pastoral Associates:For Faith Formation

Regina ‘Jeng’ Matias-Villa

Director of Music Ministries:Michael Rivera

Youth/Young Adult MinistriesDirector of Youth/Young Adult Ministries:

Regina ‘Jeng’ Matias-Villa

Parish Trustees:Presy Lorenzo Renato Tuazon

Mass Schedule: Saturday: 5:00pm

Sunday: 8:00am / 10:00am / 12noon / 7:00pm

Weekday Mass ScheduleMonday – Friday at 7:00 am and 8:30 am

Saturday at 8:30 am

Reconciliation: Saturday: 3:30pm - 4:30pm Anytime by appointment.

Ministry to the Sick and Homebound:

If you, a family member or neighbor is hospitalized and wish a visit from a Parish priest, call the Parish Office or email us at olmjcnj@aol.com. The Sacrament of the Sick: Any home-bound or hospitalized parishioner may request this Sacra-ment by calling 201-434-7500.Visitation of the Sick: Please contact any priest, deacon or pastoral associate or call the Parish Office at 201-434-7500. Priests’ Hospital Assignments: If you, a family member or neighbor are hospitalized and wish a visit from a Parish priest call or e-mail us at olmjcnj@aol.com.

Parishioners of OLM gathered for the last evening of the Advent Parish Mission (Preparing for the Prince of Peace: Reflections on the Peace Prayer) at OLM with Friar Johnpaul Calfiero, OFM (Photos by Gigi Macalintal and Lainnie Lim)

OLM’s new Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist Ranulfa (Ronnie) Dizon. She was commissioned last December 18, 2017 at the celebration of The Eucharist. It’s great to have people volun-teering to help.