SAINTS SIMON & JUDE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Established 1897

185 Van Sicklen Street, Brooklyn, New York 11223

Telephone: (718) 375-9600 Fax: (718) 375-6642

E-mail: rectoryssj@optonline.net /www.stssimonjude-brooklyn.org

Rev. John Maduri, Administrator Rev. Sijo George, CMI-Parochial Vicar

Deacon Andrew Mastrangelo, Pastoral Minister/Business Manager

Ms. Sara Nespoli, Director of Faith Formation

SUNDAY MASSES : Saturday evening at 5:00pm

Sunday morning at 8:30am(Italian/English), 10:15am & 12:00pm

Misa en Espanol-Cada tercer Domingo del mes a las 5:00pm

WEEKDAY MASSES: Monday – Saturday at 9:00am

HOLYDAY MASSES: 7:30am, 9:00am, 7:30pm (Except Christmas and New Year’s Day)

DEVOTIONS: Chaplet of The Divine Mercy: Monday after the 9 am Mass

Circulo de Oracion Carismatico en Espanol- Todos los Lunes de las

7pm a las 9pm en la parte baja de la iglesia. Para mas informacion,

favor de llamar a la Sra. Teodora Aquino 347-355-5715. Miraculous Medal Novena: Tuesday after the 9 am Mass

Rosario in Italiano ogni Mercoledi alle 7:30pm (Settembre– Giugno).

St. Jude Novena: Friday after the 9 am Mass

Holy Hour / Benediction: 8:00am-9:00am every Saturday

RECONCILIATION (Confession): Saturday: 4:00pm-4:45pm

Other times by appointment.

RECTORY OFFICE HOURS: Monday to Friday: 9:30 am -4:30 pm (CLOSED for lunch from 12pm-1pm) Sunday: 9:30am to 1:30 pm RECTORY/CHURCH STAFF: Bookkeeper / Bulletin Coordinator: Nicole Compagnone Parish Secretary: Antoinette Capobianco Maintenance and Custodians: Nelson Bobe and Eraldi Leka Cook and Housekeeper: Angelica Compagnone Sacristan: Lilian Acevedo Sunday Receptionist: Marie Gatto Youth Minister: Diego Araujo

PARISH REGISTRATION: We are happy to welcome all newcomers to our parish! Join our parish family by registering at the rectory during office hours. Current parishioners who change address, phone number or are moving away are asked to contact the rectory, so we can keep our files up to date.

BAPTISM: Congratulations on the birth of your child! Parish Baptisms are on the 3rd Sunday of each month at 2:00pm (except during Lent) Please call for an appointment to register and make arrangements for your child’s Baptism.

OFFICE OF FAITH FORMATION: To register for religion classes grades K through 8, children’s First Communion, or Confirmation, call 718-372-0733 in the rectory lower level.

Secretaries: Nina Varone and Nelly Yepez (para hablar en Espanol).

ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION:

Teens over 14 and Adults who are interested in becoming a Catholic or who have been baptized Catholic but never received Holy Communion or Confirmation should be part of our RCIA program. Leave your name and phone number at the Office of Faith Formation for Sara Nespoli. Catholic Adults who have received Holy Communion and desire to receive Confirmation should also leave their name and phone number at the Office of Faith Formation for Sara Nespoli.

MARRIAGE: Plan to make your wedding both a JOYFUL and a HOLY event! Couples must call for an appointment at least 6 months prior to the planned wedding date and partici-pate in the parish and diocesan marriage preparation program.

ANOINTING OF THE SICK: We celebrate this sacrament of healing grace at the 9:00am Mass on the first Saturday of each month. Please join us at that Mass if you are ill. You may also call and arrange with a priest to receive this sacrament at other times.

PASTORAL CARE OF THE SICK: Please contact the rectory if you are home-bound, and would like to receive the Holy Eucharist on a regular basis.

MASS INTENTIONS

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 19

5:00 NICOLA LUPO

SUNDAY, JANUARY 20

8:30 GIUSEPPE, AMELIA & LINO MARINO

10:15 PEOPLE OF THE PARISH, CONSTANCE CIGNA

& RONNIE SHAMMAS

12:00 ANNA PAGLIARO & JOSEPH COUTSOUROS

MONDAY, JANUARY 21

9:00 OLGA, ANTONIO & DOMENIC LEPORE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22

9:00 JULIA TRICOMO

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23

9:00 ROSE, VINCENT, GRACE, ONOFRIO & NANCY

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24

9:00 ALFONSO RICAPITO

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25

9:00 FOR ALL OF THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26

9:00 MARIA DE LOS ANGELES CERVANTES SANCHES

5:00 ROSE SANTO

SUNDAY, JANUARY 27

8:30 JOSEPH MORRONE

10:15 PEOPLE OF THE PARISH,

MATTHEW CLEDARAS,

KATIE & DOMINICK CREA

12:00 ALFREDO & CARMELA MONACO

5:00 SPANISH MASS

IN OUR PRAYERS May the Holy Spirit bring healing comfort to all of our sick, especially:

Jeanine Ardizzone, Camille & Anthony Chiusano, Annette Puglisi, William

Tirelli, John Belezio, Denise Pizzullo, John Geraci, Antoinette Marino, Anna

Iacopelli, Jeanina Caceres, Millie Piccarelli, John DzHon Vong, Gina

Morselli, Mary Ann Barry, Susan Fischetti, Dominic Nunziato,Linda Vis-

cardi, Maria Sciarrino, Mary Antico, Maria Selca Maher, Angelo D’Attoma,

Joseph DiBella, Frances Mattera, Ella Spina, Carmela Maccia, Rose Co-

lombo, Theresa Pagani, Roza Camaj-Ivezaj, Richard Bubello, Joseph Nuci-

fora, Grayce Prestipino, Howard Passman, Frank Apsel, Isabella DiNiso,

Jeanne Turzilli, Larry Lembo, Gesterkent Jaro, Antonino Curatolo, Robert

Cusimano, Michael Fiore, Karen Giachetta, Mary Jencsik, T. Guida, Rich-

ard & Gary Prestipino, Carol Marcinsky, Pietro Grippo, John Paul Harris,

Reid Moritz, Julia Bruzzese, Angela Nucifora, Stephen DiBella, Maria Pic-

carelli, Russ Pennington, Dorothy Vallone Iaconis, Jacinta Duenas-Ladd, Sal

D’Aquino, Josephine Gioia, Giada Cravelli, Frances Bowen, Evan Zitchic,

Rose Galia, John Edmonds, Isabella Grace Colucci, Diane DiMonda, Sabrina

Giangrande, Leonard Currea, Eddie Stack, Mandy Crupi, Marie Filosa,

Tara Horowitz, Steven Markoulis, Rosalie O’Hara,

Nick Compagnone, Monica Morales, Frank Gramegna & Joe Mastrianni

May God bring safely home all of our deceased family and friends:

Anthony Joseph Mancuso, Alfred Schiros & John Panicola

MEMORIALS FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 20 - JANUARY 26, 2019

THE GIFTS OF THE BREAD AND WINE ARE DONATED IN LOVING MEMORY OF

JOSEPH & MARIA STELLA

REQUESTED BY: LOVING FAMILY

THE TABERNACLE CANDLE IS DONATED IN LOVING MEMORY OF

ALFONSO RICAPITO

REQUESTED BY: MR. & MRS. BENNY DAGOSTINO &

MR. & MRS. DOMINICK DENINNO

THE ALTAR CANDLES

ARE DONATED IN LOVING MEMORY OF

JERRY, GIUSEPPE & VINCENZA CARUCCI

REQUESTED BY: MR. & MRS. ANTONIO CAGGIANO

THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS CANDLE IS DONATED IN LOVING MEMORY

SPECIAL INTENTION REQUESTED BY:

STS. SIMON & JUDE PURGATORIAL SOCIETY The Purgatorial Society of Sts. Simon & Jude parish for the month of

January includes the following members who were enrolled last month:

Richard F. Hopkins

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

STS. SIMON & JUDE

NEW SPANISH MASS SCHEDULE

Sunday, January 27th at 5:00pm

Saturday, February 2nd at 6:30pm

Sunday, February 3rd at 1:30pm

ANNUAL MEMORIAL CANDLE RENEWALS

The Rectory Office is still accepting renewals for the Annual

Memorial Candles by the shrines of our Blessed Mother, St.

Joseph, Our Lady of the Rosary, St. Simon & St. Jude for 2019.

Also, there are some candles still available by the

shrine of St. Simon

if anyone would like to memorialize them. If anyone would like to renew or purchase a new candle please

come to the rectory during office hours or call 718-375-9600.

They are still $150 for the year. Thank you!

RECTORY CLOSED The rectory office will be CLOSED this Monday, January 21st

for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.

CHANGES IN THE NEW YEAR Please note that there will be a few changes to our Parish sched-

ule, effective as of February 2019.

PARISH BAPTISMS

Parish Baptisms will be moved to the 3rd Saturday of every

month at 12noon, beginning in February.

SPANISH MASS

The once a month Spanish Mass at 5pm has been changed to

ONCE A WEEK on Sundays at 1:30pm beginning February 3rd.

There will not be a 5:00pm Spanish Mass going forward, only

Sundays at 1:30pm.

CAMBIOS EN EL NUEVO AÑO Por favor tomar nota que habran unos cambios en el horario de

nuestra Parroquia a partir de Febrero, 2019.

BAUTIZOS EN LA PARROQUIA

Los Bautizos en nuestra Parroquia seran cambiados al 3er Sabado

de cada mes a las 12 del medio dia comenzando en el mes de

Febrero, 2019

MISA EN ESPAÑOL

La misa mensual de los Domingos a las 5:00pm en español ha

sido cambiada a UNA VEZ A LA SEMANA los Domingos a la

1:30pm comenzando en Febrero 3, 2019. No habra mas misa los

Domingos a las 5:00pm de aqui en adelante, solamente cada Do-

mingo a la 1:30pm.

MISA EN ESPAÑOL EN HONOR A LA FIESTA

DE LA PRESENTACION DEL SEÑOR Habra una Misa Especial en honor de la Fiesta De La Pre-

sentacion del Señor el Sabado Febrero 2 a las 6:30pm. Todos son

Bienvenidos!

There will be a special Mass in honor of the feast of the Presenta-

tion of the Lord on Saturday, February 2nd at 6:30pm. All are

welcome!

FURNITURE FOR SALE One of our parishioners is in the process of selling his home. He

has some furniture, in good condition that he would like to sell. If

anyone is interested, please call the rectory office for more infor-

mation.

OUR LADY OF GRACE

CATHOLIC ACADEMY REGISTRATION FOR 2019-2020 IS NOW OPEN AT:

OUR LADY OF GRACE CATHOLIC ACADEMY

Don’t miss out on scholarship opportunities and need-based

tuition assistance available for eligible K-8 Families

www.futuresineducation.org To learn about the benefits of a Catholic education, please call

Principal Kelly Wolf at 718-375-2081

385 Avenue W-Brooklyn, N.Y 11223

Olgbk.org

OUR LADY OF GRACE

OPEN HOUSE

JANUARY 27, 2019

11:00AM-3:00PM

Come meet teachers, students and the principal

WE’RE SAVING A SEAT FOR YOU!

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

CAR/ GIVE BACK VEHICLE

OUTREACH PROGRAM Associated Vincentian Charities of Brooklyn gives back. For

every car, truck or van, running or not, the Associated Vincentian

Charities will give back to your parish $75. to $200. per vehicle.

If you, a family member, or a friend have an old or neglected ve-

hicle that is not being used, please call 718-491-2525 or visit

SVDPAUTO-BROOKLYNQUEENS.ORG

IRS TAX DEDUCTION, FREE TOWING, ANY CONDITION

MTA REDUCED-FARE METROCARDS FOR

SENIORS & PERSONS WITH DIABILITIES Assemblyman Colton announces the MetroCard Mobile Staff will

be available on Friday, January 25th from 10am-12pm on 155

Kings Highway between West 12th & West 13th Streets. The

MetroCard Mobile staff will assist those who are eligible-senior

citizens aged 65 and over and people with disabilities in obtaining

their reduced fare metro cards. For more information please call

718-236-1598. Appointments are not necessary.

JANUARY 20, 2019

The Mustard Seed Contact us @ 718-372-0733

Or email us at faithformssj@optonline.net

THE WEDDING FEAST OF CANNA In the Gospel today we hear about Jesus’ first public miracle; the wedding feast at Cana. Jesus,

Mary and the disciples are at a wedding, and the wine runs out. Mary tells Jesus about the problem

and at first he seems like he does not want to be bothered, but Mary tells the disciples do whatever

he says. Mary knew that Jesus was the Son of God, and his Apostles were learning that; but this

incident gives them a glance at his divinity through the miracle.

This Gospel passage also gives us great insight into our faith. First it shows us that Mary will inter-

cede for us to her Son. It also shows that Mary will always lead us to Jesus; she directs the Apostles

to listen to him.

DO YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE RIGHT?

In the letter to the Corinthians Paul tells us that all of our gifts come from the same Spirit. This reading is especially important to us today

because we are always looking to be better than someone else. We live in a very competitive society; we want to outshine the next per-

son. We need to be smarter, richer, have a bigger house or just have more material wealth than someone else. St Paul is reminding us that

everything we have comes from God. We are each different, with different gifts and talents, but they all come from the same place. These

differences don’t make us better than the next person, it just means we each accomplish things differently. All of our greatness should

ultimately give glory to God. Instead of trying to outshine someone, let their light shine differently but just as bright as yours.

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY At the 12 PM Mass we will be baptizing 2 of our Communion program students. We welcome Andrew Cajamarca and

Alejandro Martinez into our parish family. Please keep them in your prayers.

MARTIN LUTHER KING On Monday we observe Martin Luther King Day. As we all know Martin Luther King peacefully fought for civil rights. He believed, as

we Catholics believe, that all men are created equal. We know that God created all of us in his image, to deny someone their civil rights

is to deny this truth we know to be true. Let’s celebrate this MLK Day with an open heart and pray that people all over the world are fi-

nally treated the way God intended.

CONVERSION OF PAUL On January 25 we celebrate the feast of the conversion of Saint Paul. Before he became St Paul and was baptized into the faith he was

known as Saul and was a devout Jew who was persecuting Christians. On his way to Damascus he was thrown from his horse and made

blind; he heard the voice of Jesus crying out “why are you persecuting me?” After this experience and being baptized by Ananias, he

began preaching about Jesus. He traveled extensively sharing the Good News of Jesus and was imprisoned many times, he was finally

martyred for his faith. St Paul wrote many letters to encourage the Early Church, we hear these letters at Mass very often.

CO-WORKERS WITH GOD

IN THE WORK OF RENEWAL

This weekend’s first reading comes to us as a message

of abiding hope. With all the struggles and infidelities of

God’s people He is still ready to not only forgive but

also to renew and restore. He does this for two reasons.

First to show his own glory as a God who loves his peo-

ple and desires all good things for them. Second, to

show forth His loving fatherhood to his sons and daugh-

ters. As we have seen time and again in the history of

His people Israel, their struggles and sufferings were

largely due to their infidelity to the covenant. God’s de-

sire is for their restoration as we see clearly this Sunday.

In fact, it is not only restoration but deep union that God

wants with His people Israel as one to a spouse. The

covenant that God has made with His people, and has

made with us, is one that invites us to communion with

Himself in a bond of love that is total gift.

The covenant of union that God makes with us shows

the entire nuptial meaning that God has placed into the

human experience itself. As God espouses himself to

Israel, and as Jesus espouses Himself to the Church, so

we see in the Gospel reading today husband and wife

espousing themselves to each other in the bond of mar-

riage love. At the wedding feast of Cana we see that our

Lord is intimately involved in all aspects of covenant

relationships including married love. It is here that Jesus

begins his public ministry elevating marriage to a fore-

taste of His marriage with His bride the Church. Notice

how in the Old Testament God does not want His people

to face embarrassment at the hands of their enemies. Nor

does Jesus want His church to face any embarrassment

at the hands of her enemies. So too our Lord, through

our Lady’s intercession, is present to make sure the

bride and groom are not embarrassed by a shortage of

wine. This clearly shows that God is the Lord of all holy

relationships as He is love itself.

It is important to note that this restoration of Israel, the

Church, and the marriage covenant is never brought

forth by God in isolation of men and women. God works

through the prophets in the Old Testament period and

then through the disciples and the saints in the period of

the Church. At the wedding feast of Cana He works

through Mary’s intercession. So too the covenant rela-

tionship between Christ and His bride the Church must

now be renewed on the part of the Church because just

like Israel of old the Church, at least in her institutional

side, has become in many ways unfaithful. This re-

quires a new generation of prophets and saints to do the

work of renewal as well as a new generation of interces-

sors in imitation of Mary’s presence before Jesus at

Cana. In other words, it requires us. We are called to be

prophets. We are called to be saints. We are called to be

intercessors. All of this is done for the renewal of the

Church as God once renewed His people Israel. God

cannot bring about - nor will He bring about - a restora-

tion of the Church and the world in which we live with-

out our cooperation. Salvation history has shown that

with our cooperation God can do immeasurably more

than anyone could hope for or imagine. We are chal-

lenged today to ask ourselves whether or not we are up

to the task. Our Blessed Mother, the prophets and saints,

and God Himself await our answer.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. John Maduri,

Pastor/Administrator

FORMS OF PRAYER:THANKSGIVING & PRAISE

Everyone loves Thanksgiving: the food, getting to see

family we may not have seen in a while, a break from

work; all of these make the day something to look for-

ward to for people across America. At Thanksgiving, we

also “give thanks” to God for all of the great blessings

that we have in our life. But in reality, we are called to

be grateful people every day. We should have what I like

to call an “attitude of gratitude”.

Thanksgiving is actually a specific type of prayer. We

see countless examples in Scripture of Biblical figures

“giving thanks”. St. Paul demonstrates it for us at the

beginning and end of several of his letters, and in his first

letter to the Thessalonians (verse 18), he tells us “Give

thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you

in Christ Jesus”. This is right after verse 17 which simply

reads, “Pray without ceasing.” It seems as if Paul is con-

necting the two. If we are to pray without ceasing, we

will naturally begin to be grateful. There seems to be a

direct correlation between how close someone is to God

and how grateful of a spirit they have.

This is a key to understanding why God asks us to give

thanks in all circumstances. He is not asking us to be

grateful for His benefit. He has everything he needs; he

is not trying to fulfill some desire to be appreciated in the

way we might experience it. Rather, he asks it of us be-

cause he knows it will transform us from the inside out

and make us grow closer to him and become more like

him. If we become a more grateful people, we also be-

come a more joyful people. God our Father wants to see

his children be a people of joy.

This also applies to what we call prayers of “praise”.

Praise is simply praising God for all the wonderful things

he’s done. While thanksgiving is like saying thanks;

praise is more like saying, “wow, you’re so cool!”. The

same rule applies: God does not want us to praise out of

a selfish desire. He simply knows that the act of praising

opens us up to better receive him. It doesn’t change him

or his love for us, which is constant no matter our situa-

tion. It changes us and gives us life. As we empty our-

selves through our praise of God, he fills us with his

Spirit.

There are several types of prayer of praise that we may

be drawn to. In the Mass, as well as in the Liturgy of the

Hours (or Word Among Us, Magnificat, and resources

similar to them) there are many prayers of both praise

and thanksgiving. However, if we don’t pray during the

week and take time to grow close to God, we may strug-

gle to open ourselves up and get our hearts involved in

the prayer. There are also many Psalms which are filled

with praise and Thanksgiving that we can pray through.

One of my favorite ways to praise God is through the

gift of music. Music is powerful, and for many people it

strikes the heart and helps them learn how to open it up

to engage their whole self into the prayer. As a young

boy, I would often listen to a Christian radio station or

Christian album in the car or before bed. It was a way of

praying for me which helped me, and still helps me to

this day, keep God close to my heart throughout the day.

It has also helped me enter more deeply into the Mass

and silent prayer and meditation, because it helps me

draw closer to God and walk with him throughout the

day.

Everyone prays a little bit differently. No two prayer

lives will look exactly the same. However, it is impor-

tant to work prayer of praise and thanksgiving into your

life in whatever way that may be, be it daily Mass, silent

prayer in your heart, praying the Divine office, or listen-

ing to music. May we always allow God into our heart

in new ways, and may we open ourselves as we praise

him who created it all. God bless!

Supplementing CCC 2637 - 2649

Jonah Soucy

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

MONDAY, JANUARY 21

RECTORY CLOSED –Martin Luther King Jr. 9:30am: Chaplet of the Divine Mercy (CHU)

7:00pm: Circulo de Oracion - (UC)

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22 9:30am: Miraculous Medal Novena (CHU)

7:00pm: CCD Classes (SCH)

7:00pm: Circulo de Oracion Dance Rehearsal (LC)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23 12:00pm-3:00pm: Golden Age Club (LC)

6:30pm: Al E Mo Square Dance (LC)

7:00pm: Circulo Chorus Rehearsal (CHU)

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24 9:30am: Legion of Mary (LC)

4:00pm: Italian Rosary (CHAP)

7:00pm: Youth Group (LC)

7:30pm: AA Meeting (OFF)

7:30pm: RCIA

8:00pm: Folk Group Rehearsal (CHU)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25 9:30am: St. Jude Novena (CHU)

7:00pm: Reunion de Servidores Meeting (LC)

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26 8:00am: Holy Hour (CHU)

9:00am: Mass (CHU)

10:00am: Conf 2 Retreat (OFF)

4:15pm: Confession (CHU)

5:00pm: Mass (CHU)

8:00pm: AA Meeting (OFF)

SUNDAY, JANUARY 27 8:00am: Rosario Italiano

8:30am/10:15am/12:00pm: Mass (CHU)

10:00am: CCD Classes (SCH)

10:00am: Communion Program (LC)