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@gmail.com / www.stssimonjude-brooklyn.org

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

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-1:30pm

WEEKDAY MASSES: Monday – Saturday at 9:00am

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

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE/ PARKING LOT

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-4:30pm 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 Saturday of each month at 12:00pm. Please call for an appointment to regis-ter 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

SATURDAY, MAY 11

5:00 MICHAEL & MARIE ADDEO &

THE NAPPI & McHUGH FAMILIES

SUNDAY, MAY 12

8:30 FOR ALL MOTHERS & GLORIA PAVLIK

10:15 PEOPLE OF THE PARISH, HOLY NAME SOCIETY FOR ALL MOTHERS, PHYLLIS RIVIECCIO, FRAN

MATTERA, ANTONINO ZULLO, KEN KIRWIN,

ANTHONY GALLETTI, WILLIAM & FILOMENA

RICCIO, BENJAMIN & JUSTINA, BENEDICT &

ELIZABETH OBIAJUNWA & ANGELA BONELLO

12:00 FOR ALL MOTHERS, IN HONOR OF THE

BLESSED MOTHER, MARGHERITA BONOMO

& MARIA LOPOPOLO

1:30 FOR ALL MOTHERS & FOR JOSE LOURIDO

MONDAY, MAY 13

9:00 ROSARIO, PASQUALINA & ADOLFO CAGGIANO

TUESDAY, MAY 14

9:00 CALOGERO BADALAMENTI

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15

9:00 MARIA & NICK YURJEVICH

THURSDAY, MAY 16

9:00 DECEASED MEMBERS OF THE MORABITO FAMILY

FRIDAY, MAY 17

9:00 DANIEL BREEN

SATURDAY, MAY 18

9:00 MARIA DE LOS ANGELES CERVANTES SANCHEZ

5:00 EDWARD & GLADYS SPINETTA

SUNDAY, MAY 19

8:30 PHILOMENA & ALFONSO CIOTOLA

10:15 PEOPLE OF THE PARISH, LEONARDO RUGGIERI, ISABELLA RANIERI, GIOVANNI CATANZARO,

CATERINA MESSINA, ROSE IUDICI, TERESA &

PHILIP LIMERI & THE DECEASED MEMBERS OF

THE CIVITELLO FAMILY

12:00 GIUSEPPE, TINA, SAL & JOSEPH MARCHISELLO & FAMILY

1:30 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, Jean-

ina Caceres, Millie Piccarelli, John DzHon Vong, Gina Morselli, Mary Ann

Barry, Susan Fischetti, Dominic Nunziato, Linda Viscardi, Maria Sciarrino,

Mary Antico, Maria Selca Maher, Angelo D’Attoma, Joseph DiBella, Ella

Spina, Carmela Maccia, Rose Colombo, Theresa Pagani, Roza Camaj-Ivezaj,

Richard Bubello, Joseph Nucifora, 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, Richard & Gary Prestipino, Carol Marcinsky,

Pietro Grippo, John Paul Harris, Reid Moritz, Julia Bruzzese, Stephen

DiBella, Maria Piccarelli, Dorothy Vallone Iaconis, Jacinta Duenas-Ladd, Sal

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

Rose Galia, Isabella Grace Colucci, Diane DiMonda, Sabrina Giangrande,

Leonard Currea, Eddie Stack, Mandy Crupi, Marie Filosa, Tara Horowitz,

Rosalie O’Hara, Monica Morales, Frank Gramegna, Joe Mastrianni,

Frances Mancuso, Carmela Guarnieri, Marie Gatto, Sal Lombardo,

Maria Marucci, Joe Kammer, Jeanette Gemma,Alicia Vicino

& Ninfa DeRossi

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

Adeline Minore, Vincent Ciaramitaro & Remo Bonacchi

MEMORIALS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 12 - MAY 18, 2019

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

MARIA & JOSEPH STELLA

REQUESTED BY: LOVING FAMILY

THE TABERNACLE CANDLE IS DONATED IN LOVING MEMORY OF

NICKY DE FRONZO

REQUESTED BY: LOVING PARENTS

THE ALTAR CANDLES ARE DONATED IN LOVING MEMORY OF

SPECIAL INTENTION REQUESTED BY:

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

May includes the following members who were enrolled last month:

Cesar Muscatella, Rose Zembovictz, Vincenza Scibilia, Janine Liegi

& Salvatore Moscola

MISA EN ESPAÑOL

Hermanos y Hermanas les hacemos la cordial

invitaciõn, a la Misa en Español que se celebrará cada

Domingo a la 1:30pm. Todos son bienvenidos!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

SPECIAL ROSARY RALLY

All are invited to a special Rosary Recitation on this

Monday, May 13th at 3:00pm in Sts. Simon & Jude

Church in honor of The First Apparition of Our Lady

of Fatima. “Lets’ continue to pray for peace in the

world and the purification of the Catholic Church” 20

decades of the Rosary will be recited. All are called,

all are welcome!

SPANISH BIBLE STUDY El padre Gesson va a ofrecer una clase biblica in Spanish

todos los Martes. La clase está abierta a cualquier feligrés

de la parroquia de San Simón y Judas

Dia: Martes

Primera clase: Martes 14 de Mayo del 2019

Hora: 7:00pm-9:00pm

Lugar: 185 Van Sicklen Street, Brooklyn, NY 11223

en la Rectoria

Nota Bene/ Las fechas estan sujetas a cambio

CALENDAR REQUESTS

Dear Parishioners and Ministry Leaders, in preparation of the

merger between Sts. Simon & Jude and Most Precious Blood

Parishes, we in the office, are trying to prepare in advance our

parish calendar. For those of you who would like to sponsor an

event or meeting and would like to use our lower Church or

meeting room from September 2019-August 2020 are asked to

please drop off your calendar requests to the rectory office as

soon as you can so we can get started on our calendar planning.

Thank you.

DIOCESAN WEDDING ANIVERSARY

CELEBRATION All couples who have celebrated their marriages in the Catholic

Church are invited to the Annual Diocesan Wedding Anniversary

Celebration on Saturday, May 18th at 11:00am in

St. Thomas Aquinas Church-

1550 Hendrickson Street, Brooklyn 11234.

Special recognition will be given to the couples who are cele-

brating their 25th, 50th and 75th Anniversary. Registration fee of

$35 per couple. To register please contact Martha Hernandez at

718-281-9540 or email mhernandez@diobrook.org

ANNUAL CUSIMANO & RUSSO

MEMORIAL MASS On behalf of Cusimano & Russo Funeral Home, we invite you,

your family and friends to join us for a special Memorial Mass in

remembrance of all our loved ones who were buried from Cusi-

mano & Russo Funeral Home this past year. This annual Mass

will take place at Sts. Simon & Jude Church on Saturday, June 1st

at 9:00am. Please join us after Mass for some refreshments in the

lower church.

GLENN MOHR CHORALE AT SSJ All are invited to a special production “Go To Galilee” performed

by the Glenn Mohr Chorale on Sunday, May 19th at 4:00pm in

Sts. Simon & Jude Church. Enjoy a depiction of the early minis-

try of the Apostles. A celebration told through drama, scripture

and song! All are welcome.

BIG BAND PARTY AT SSJ Save the date for a Big Band Party at Sts. Simon & Jude on Sun-

day, June 2nd from 2:00pm-5:00pm in the lower Church hall. We

will enjoy the sounds of “MAS Swing” a 15 piece big band per-

forming music and songs from the Great American Songbook.

Music will include renditions of Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller,

Benny Goodman & Tommy Dorsey. Tickets are $40 per person

and includes a delicious hot buffet. Tickets will be available after

all weekend Masses and at the Golden Age Club on Wednesday

from 12pm-3pm. For more information call the rectory at 718-375

-9600.

ROSARY FOR LIFE DAY OF RETREAT Rosary for Life Inc. is sponsoring a Day of Retreat on Saturday,

June 15th at Resurrection Church. Rev. Monsignor Andrew Vac-

cari will lead us in the day as the Retreat Presenter. The day will

begin at 8:30am with Mass and Morning Prayer followed by Reg-

istration and a light breakfast in the Auditorium. Part I of the re-

treat will begin at 10am, the rosary will be prayed at 11:30 and

then a break for lunch at 12noon. Part II will be at 1pm, Holy

Hour at 2:30pm and then concluding with Confessions at 4pm.

The cost for the day is $30 with lunch included. Parking is avail-

able and the Church/Auditorium is Wheel chair accessible. For

reservations please contact Wyn at 718-377-6920 by June 12th. A

registration form must be filled out for each attendee. Please mail

payment with registration to Rosary for Life Inc. at 3309 Ave. P,

Brooklyn, NY 11234. No registrations will be accepted after June

12th. Cost is $30 per person and lunch is included.

MAY 12, 2019

The Mustard Seed Contact us @ 718-372-0733

Or email us at faithformssj@gmail.com

SHORT AND TO THE POINT Today we hear one of the shortest Gospel readings of the liturgical year. In the last line Jesus tells

us of his divinity; he and the Father are one. Most times we struggle to comprehend the Gospel pas-

sages, but this one is straight to the point. We understand through these few lines that Jesus is Lord

and through him we have received our salvation.

DO YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE RIGHT? In the first reading today we hear about the troubles of Paul and Barnabas. They are travelling and trying to share the Good News with

the Jews they encounter; but they want to hear none of it. Instead of being converted they criticized and denounced all that they were say-

ing. They then began to preach to the Gentiles who happily embraced the promise of salvation. How many of us, being privileged in our

faith take it for granted or reject it? We have the hardened hearts of the Jews, ready to criticize and condemn rather than embrace our re-

demption. We need to be open to the message, we need to be as enthusiastic as the Gentiles.

MOTHER’S DAY Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers, godmothers, aunts, grandmothers and all women who have nurtured someone. Many of us have been

blessed with love and nurturing from family members, friends and even teachers who put our needs above their own. God bless you all

and know that we love and appreciate you.

ST MATTHIAS On May 14 we celebrate the feast day of St Matthias. Matthias became an Apostle after the Ascension, to replace Judas. He had to con-

tinue the mission of the Apostles, preaching the Good News of Jesus. Having been baptized, Matthias was a disciple of Jesus, keeping his

commands and practicing fellowship. It was the natural choice since he was living a life according to Jesus’ way.

HAIL, HOLY QUEEN May is the month of Mary. We remember her in a special way tomorrow as we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. An apparition

of Mary appeared to three children in Fatima, Portugal. She appeared to them 6 times from May to October. Her request was that the chil-

dren would pray the Rosary for peace in the world. All of us should continue to follow the Blessed Mother’s instructions and pray the

Rosary to the end all the suffering in this world.

PRAYER TO ST. MICHAEL

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle;

be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;

and do you, O prince of the heavenly host,

by the power of God,

thrust into hell Satan and the other evil spirits

who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls.

Amen

That You May Be An Instrument Of My Salvation

When we as Christians think of the word

“salvation” we automatically think of our Lord Je-

sus Christ and the gift of salvation that He won for

us in His suffering, death and resurrection. This is

certainly true as our entire Christian faith and hope

are centered in the promise of eternal salvation.

What many Christians fail to realize is that we play

an essential role in salvation. The gift was pur-

chased by the Blood of the Lamb but how are peo-

ple to know this unless it is first believed and then

proclaimed.

An instrument is defined as a tool or device to do a

work. When Paul and Barnabas in today’s first

reading from the Acts of the Apostles call their lis-

teners to be instruments of the Lord‘s salvation they

are calling them and us to a twofold work. The first

work is that of growing in our Christian faith. This

work entails fidelity, prayer, and an openness to the

Holy Spirit who reveals Jesus as Lord and Savior.

This work of growing in faith, which is a response

to grace, is foundational to the work of proclama-

tion. Without this deep and abiding faith and rela-

tionship with the Lord the proclamation will be half

hearted at best. The old expression, we can’t give

what we don’t have, plays itself out. Many Chris-

tians know about Jesus but how many of us truly

know Jesus? In the time that Paul and Barnabas and

the other disciples were preaching a great many

people knew about our Lord but did not know Him.

Paul and Barnabas are calling their listeners to a

deeper union with our Lord Jesus Christ. This is

why we find them proclaiming the Lordship of Je-

sus so that their listeners, touched by grace and the

Holy Spirit, may come to that faith in Jesus Christ

as Lord and Savior.

While there are certainly great numbers of Chris-

tians who have responded to the gift of grace and

the Holy Spirit, the second work which is of procla-

mation, is not always at the level it should be. Paul

and Barnabas had to confront the doubts, the inse-

curities, and the fear that many of their listeners,

even though they came to be believers, still har-

bored. Nevertheless, they continued to challenge

their listeners to be instruments of salvation by pro-

claiming Jesus Christ raised from the dead as the

reason for our hope and the only name by which we

are saved.

As with those early Christians, we can have our

doubts and insecurities that we can be effective in-

struments of the Lord’s gift of salvation. We can

also have our fears due to the hard fact that we live

in a society that is growing more hostile to Christi-

anity in particular and faith in general. Yet we are

reminded in today’s second reading from the Book

of Revelation that “the Lord will shepherd us and

bring us to life-giving waters.” In the Gospel from

Saint John the Lord promises us that he will give us

eternal life, that no one can take us out of His

hands, and that none of us will perish.

At the end of today’s first reading from the Acts of

the Apostles we read that “the disciples were filled

with joy and the Holy Spirit,” and this after a perse-

cution was being stirred up against them. For non-

believers it remains a source of astonishment that

anyone could be filled with joy in the midst of per-

secution. However, Paul and Barnabas show us that

in knowing, living, and loving Jesus as Lord and

Savior and faithfully making that proclamation in

the power of the Holy Spirit is found the only

source of true joy. The invitation for us is to nour-

ish the faith that filled Paul and Barnabas and to ask

for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. When this

faith in Jesus, and the Holy Spirit who strengthens

and enlivens that faith, become the heart and soul of

our lives then we can live that same joy as we make

the proclamation that Jesus has been raised. It is

true.

Fr. John Maduri,

Pastor/Administrator

OUR FATHER : “THY WILL BE DONE”

When we pray the words, “Thy will be done on Earth as

it is in Heaven” we are, in a sense, making a small act of

surrender. If we are honest with ourselves, there are

many times in our life when the will of God and our hu-

man will are at conflict with each other. This is no differ-

ent than any other relationship. In marriage or friendship,

in the relationship of a parent to child or between sib-

lings, there are times when what we want and what the

other person wants may be at odds with one another. It

may be something as simple as where we want to go for

dinner, or as deep and intimate as whether or not we are

ready for our family to grow with another child. When

the two separate wills want different things, it is easy for

conflict to arise.

There is a key difference however, when we look at our

relationship with God: God is perfect. His will is that we

will be fully alive in him; that we may have invincible

joy and perfect peace to last forever. When our will con-

flicts with God’s will, we are desiring something which

isn’t going to satisfy us as much. Like a good parent who

desires their child to be successful, God desires that

which is best for us. This is true even when our own dis-

ordered desires want to take us down a path of sin. When

we fall into sin, our wills become compromised and we

can become slaves to that sin.

God’s will is perfect. He wants what is best for us, in

every situation. We know that God desires that every

person turn to him and be saved from their sins, yet we

know that this isn’t the case. People turn away from God.

I am sure there are countless times in each of our lives

where we have chosen our own will over God’s will for

us. When we pray “Thy will be done”, we are giving

God permission to let his will be done in our life. We are

saying “Lord, I know that my will can be disordered. I

know that I sometimes want things that aren’t good for

me. Let your will be done in my life.” We enter into Je-

sus’ prayer in the garden, “Lord, not my will but yours.”

When we pray the Lord’s prayer, are we consciously

making this intention known in our hearts and in our

minds? Are we recognizing what we are saying? What

we are surrendering? Like Christ, we are giving our will

to God. We are uniting our will to God’s will, or at least

praying for the strength to do so. It is not an easy task,

but it is one worth undertaking, as it is a path to sure joy

in this life.

To unite our will completely and totally to the will of

God seems an impossible task. To be truly honest with

you, in this life it is. Or, at least it would be if not for

Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Son of God taking

flesh created the path for us to reach God. In the Sacra-

ments, we are united to Jesus Christ. By frequent recep-

tion of Holy Communion and Reconciliation, we can

unite ourselves more fully to God. We can be trans-

formed from the inside out. The Holy Spirit which

dwells in us makes us children of God. We can be made

new, every day. We are given the strength to surrender.

Supplementing CCC 2822 - 2827

Jonah Soucy

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

MONDAY, MAY 13 9:00am:Mass (CHU)

9:30am: Chaplet of the Divine Mercy (CHU)

7:00pm: Circulo de Oracion (UC)

TUESDAY, MAY 14 9:00am Mass (CHU)

9:30am: Miraculous Medal Novena (CHU)

7:00pm: Spanish Choir Rehearsal (LC)

7:00pm: CCD Classes (SCH)

7:00pm:Spanish Bible class (RB)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15 9:00am: Mass (CHU)

12:00pm-3:00pm: Golden Age Club (LC)

1:00pm-3:00pm: SSJ Food Pantry (OFF)

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

7:00pm: Spanish Choir Rehearsal (CHU)

THURSDAY, MAY 16 9:00am: Mass (CHU)

9:30am: Legion of Mary (LC)

4:00pm: Italian Rosary (CHAP)

7:00pm: Youth Group (LC)

7:30pm: AA Meeting (OFF)

8:00pm: Folk Group Rehearsal (CHU)

FRIDAY, MAY 17 9:00am: Mass (CHU)

9:30am: St. Jude Novena (CHU)

7:00pm: Reunion de Servidores (LC)

SATURDAY, MAY 18 8:00am: Holy Hour (CHU)

9:00am: Mass (CHU)

12:00pm: Parish Baptisms

4:00pm: Confession (CHU)

5:00pm: Mass (CHU)

8:00pm: AA Meeting (OFF)

SUNDAY, MAY 19 8:00am: Rosario Italiano

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

10:00am: CCD Classes—Last day of school (SCH)

1:30pm: Spanish Mass (CHU)

4:00pm-7:00pm: Glenn Mohr Chorale “Go To Galilee” (CHU)