the catholic community of our lady of mount carmel the...

10
[Type text] OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL Volume 6, Issue 48: December 1, 2019 First Sunday of Advent the catholic community of 10 County Road Tenafly, NJ 07670 201.568.0545 www.olmc.us Christmas Masses Tuesday, December 24, 2019 (Christmas Eve) Mass Times – 4 PM, 6 PM, 12 MIDNIGHT Wednesday, December 25, 2019 (Christmas Day) Mass Times – 10 AM & 12 NOON Advent Parish Penance Service at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church 120 Monroe Avenue, Cresskill Tuesday, December 10, 2019 Service Time – 7:30 PM

Upload: others

Post on 23-Apr-2020

8 views

Category:

Documents


1 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: the catholic community of OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL the ...Olmc.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BULLETIN-12.1.2019-WEB-PDF-1.pdfDeacon Lex Ferrauiola e - deaconlex@gmail.com e - Giuliano7@aol.com

[Typetext] [Typetext] [Typetext]

OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

Volume 6, Issue 48: December 1, 2019 FirstSundayofAdvent

the catholic community of

t h e c a t h o l i c c o m m u n i t y o f

10 County Road Tenafly, NJ 07670 201.568.0545 www.olmc.us

Christmas Masses

Tuesday, December 24, 2019 (Christmas Eve)

Mass Times – 4 PM, 6 PM, 12 MIDNIGHT

Wednesday, December 25, 2019 (Christmas Day)

Mass Times – 10 AM & 12 NOON

Advent Parish Penance Service

at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church 120 Monroe Avenue, Cresskill

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Service Time – 7:30 PM

Page 2: the catholic community of OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL the ...Olmc.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BULLETIN-12.1.2019-WEB-PDF-1.pdfDeacon Lex Ferrauiola e - deaconlex@gmail.com e - Giuliano7@aol.com

Volume6,Issue48 FirstSundayofAdvent

2

Masses

Daily Monday – Saturday 8:30 AM

Weekends Saturday 5:00 PM Sunday 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 NOON

Holy Days As announced

Sacraments

The Sacrament of Reconciliation

Saturday 4:00 – 4:30 PM, or by appointment; please call the Church Office

The Sacrament of Baptism

The second Sunday of each month, except during Lent. Please arrange for Baptism at least two months in advance.

The Sacrament of Marriage

Please make an appointment with a priest or deacon at least one year in advance.

The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick

Please call the Church Office to request a visit.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Mission Statement

“We are the Roman Catholic Community of Our Lady of Mount Carmel based in Tenafly, New Jersey.

Our mission is the promotion of the holiness of life through the celebration of the Sacraments, the sharing of the Gospel

and the promotion of Catholic values. We offer pastoral care through ministries that provide education, healing, spiritual growth

and social outreach in the Carmelite tradition.”

“No matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done, no matter where you’re from, no matter where you’re going,

no matter how good or bad things seem, you are always welcome.”

Pastor Fr. Mark Schaffner, O.Carm. t - 201.568.0545 e - [email protected]

Pastoral Associate Fr. Anthony Armstrong, O.Carm. e - [email protected]

In Residence Fr. Emmett Gavin, O.Carm. e - [email protected]

Church Office Barbara Tamborini, Church Bookkeeper e - [email protected]

Mary Ann Nelson, Administrative Assistant t - 201.568.0545f - 201.568.3215 e - [email protected]

Roxanne Kougasian, Secretary t - 201.871.4662 e - [email protected]

Deacons Deacon Lex Ferrauiolae - [email protected]

Deacon Michael Giuliano e - [email protected]

Mission DevelopmentElliot Guerra, Directort - 201.568.1403e - [email protected]

Music Ministry Andrea Covais, Music Director e - [email protected]

June Marano-Murray, Organist

Religious Education Office Sr. Regina M. Chassar, SSJ, Directort - 201.871.4662e - [email protected]

Confirmation Program Elliot Guerra, Director Justin Fernandez,Confirmation Staff t - 201.218.8956e - [email protected]

Academy

Barbara Verdonck, Interim Principal t - 201.567.6491 f - 201.568.1402e - [email protected]

Lisa Knowles, Administrative Assistant t - 201.567.6491

Peggy Rizzo, Academy Business Manager e - [email protected]

FacilitiesEd McElroy, Facility Director t - 201.906.4389 e [email protected]

Staff Directory

Page 3: the catholic community of OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL the ...Olmc.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BULLETIN-12.1.2019-WEB-PDF-1.pdfDeacon Lex Ferrauiola e - deaconlex@gmail.com e - Giuliano7@aol.com

Volume6,Issue48 FirstSundayofAdvent

3

All gifts are due back to the Church on December 7th and 8th. Please be sure gifts are wrapped with the ORIGINAL GIFT TAG taped to the OUTSIDE of the package.

SERVICE DAY: Sunday, December 8th – Families are invited to the Church to help sort and pack gifts at 1 PM. Enjoy Christmas carols, hot chocolate and sweets! This is an opportunity for families to serve together and for middle school students to accrue service hours.

CHRISTMASATCARMEL

Worship Serve Celebrate BREAKFAST WITH SANTA – Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019 – 9 AM – Auditorium WOMEN’S ADVENT RETREAT – Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019 – 8:15 AM to 1 PM – St. Cecilia Church, Englewood

SERVICE DAY – Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019 – 1 PM – Cafeteria CONCERT – ADULT CHOIRS OF OLMC & ST. ANASTASIA – Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019 – 4 PM – Church

ADVENT PARISH PENANCE SERVICE – Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019 – 7:30 PM – St. Thérèse Church, Cresskill ACADEMY CHRISTMAS CONCERT – Friday, Dec. 13, 2019 – 6 PM – Auditorium

PARISH COFFEE – Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019 – 11 AM – Cafeteria

SIMBANG GABI – Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019 – 5 PM Mass – Church / Reception follows – Auditorium

WALK-IN DINNER – Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2019 – 4 PM – Bergen County Human Services Center, Hackensack

CHRISTMAS EVE PRELUDE CONCERT – Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2019 – 11:30 PM – Church

CHRISTMAS MASSES – Christmas Eve – 4 PM, 6 PM, 12 MIDNIGHT / Christmas Day – 10 AM, 12 NOON

NEW YEAR AT CARMEL – Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020 – 6 PM to 8 PM – Auditorium

Sunday, December 8 – Our OLMC Adult Choir will be joined by the Adult Choir of St. Anastasia in Teaneck for an Advent/Christmas concert at 4 PM in the church. The concert will feature both choirs, soloists, a children’s quartet and will close with a carol sing-a-long! Please join us for this wonderful way to celebrate the coming of Christ at Christmas!

Friday, December 13 – Concert begins at 6 PM in the Parish Auditorium/Odyssey Theatre. Everyone is invited to enjoy the performance by our talented Academy students!

Christmas Eve Prelude Concert – At 11:30 PM on Christmas Eve our music ministry will perform a Christmas Prelude Concert in preparation for the 12 Midnight Mass. The concert will feature a string quartet, soloists, our organist June Marano-Murray, and the OLMC Adult Choir. All are welcome!

Music of the Season

God of power and mercy, open our hearts in welcome. Remove all things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy so that we may share his wisdom and become one with him when he comes in glory, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Page 4: the catholic community of OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL the ...Olmc.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BULLETIN-12.1.2019-WEB-PDF-1.pdfDeacon Lex Ferrauiola e - deaconlex@gmail.com e - Giuliano7@aol.com

Volume6,Issue48 FirstSundayofAdvent

4

WELCOME

TODAY’S GOSPEL MESSAGE Sunday, December 1st

Matthew 24:37-44

“Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.”

“Jesus warns his disciples that the Son of Man will come ‘at an hour you do not expect’ (Matthew 24:44). If we are honestly preparing our hearts to receive Jesus, we must stop doing things that injure or demean others and ‘put on the armor of light’ (13.12). If we wouldn’t want it ‘brought to light,’ that’s a sign we shouldn’t do it.”

Source: Pastoral Patterns, Winter 2019-2020

v

DAILY READINGS FOR THE WEEK

Monday Isa 4:2-6; Matt 8:5-11

Tuesday Isa 11:1-10; Luke 10:21-24

Saint Francis Xavier, Priest (Memorial) – Canonized in 1602, he is the patron of all foreign missions.

Wednesday Isa 25:6-10a; Matt 15:29-37

Thursday Isa 26:1-6; Matt 7:21, 24-27

Friday Isa 29:17-24; Matt 9:27-31

Saturday Isa 30:19-21, 23-26; Matt 9:35—10:1, 5a, 6-8

Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Memorial) – He excelled as a preacher, teacher and pastor and influenced the conversion of Saint Augustine.

v

“During the four week Advent season that begins the Church year we prepare for the coming of Jesus by remembering his birth in Bethlehem (past), anticipating his coming in glory (future) and by celebrating his coming to us in word and sacrament (present). The first Sunday of Advent focuses on the coming of Christ at the end of time—the second coming or parousia.”

Source: Advent: He is Coming was written by Steve Mueller, © Copyright 2017 by All Saints Press, St. Louis, MO

v

“Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

Romans 13:12

Whether it be teaching, working with our hands or providing comfort to others, each of us has something to offer.

Source: 12 Reasons to Be an Active Church Member, ©2013 Channing Bete Company, Inc., 2018 Edition

To register with Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, please contact the Church Office at 201-568-0545 or find our form online at www.olmc.us. Click on ‘Welcome’ and scroll down to ‘Parish Registration.’ Also, please see page 2 of this bulletin for our schedule of Masses and Sacrament information.

v

Please see page 10 of this bulletin for a reflection of OLMC’s Medical Mission to Peru from Mike Bruno, Parish Advisory Board.

Sharing your unique gifts helps you—and your church—grow.

Pope Francis’ Prayer Intention for December:

The Future of the Very Young

“That every country take the measures necessary to prioritize the future of the very young, especially those who are suffering.”

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO BUILD THE CRÉCHE!

Join us on Saturday, December 7th at 9 A.M. in front of the Church. No RSVP needed.

Page 5: the catholic community of OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL the ...Olmc.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BULLETIN-12.1.2019-WEB-PDF-1.pdfDeacon Lex Ferrauiola e - deaconlex@gmail.com e - Giuliano7@aol.com

Volume6,Issue48 FirstSundayofAdvent

5

MASSES FOR THE WEEK

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2nd 8:30 Dustin Drapkin Requested by His Mother, Bernice Drapkin

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3rd 8:30 Eloi Tran Long Nghi Requested by Marie Tran

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4th 8:30 Flora J. Armendi Requested by Andrea Covais

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5th 8:30 Matthew Cuaycong Requested by Allison Snyder

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6th 8:30 Robert Mouracade Requested by Eileen & Frank Conover

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7th 8:30 Jack Zurlini Requested by Chris Santilli

5:00 John Loughlin Requested by His Family

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8th 8:00 Joseph Barbuto Requested by The Dente Family

10:00 Parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

12:00 Janet Amoral Requested by Mount Carmel Choir

MINISTERS FOR DECEMBER 7th & 8th

5 PM Altar Servers – Eliza Thek, Anne Lee

Lector – Sharon Hajjar

Eucharistic Ministers – Russ Luppino, Kathleen Wall, Bob Toro, Ruth Howard

8 AM Altar Servers – Kailyn Cho, Alex Herrera, Mikhayla Herrera, Michael Hamilton

Lector – Brenda Brunelle

Eucharistic Ministers – Raymond Glover, Fran Mladjenovic, Elissa Lang, Patricia Levins

10 AM Altar Servers – John Martinez, William Reiser, Ondrej Reiser, Kendall DiRese

Lector – Paul Takacs

Eucharistic Ministers – John Barrett, Michael Bruno, Jeanne Nafash, Wanda Ferrauiola

12 NOON Altar Servers – Isabella Repoli, Charles Piluso, Sofia Ferreira

Lector – Tony Inguaggiato

Eucharistic Ministers – Kathy Inguaggiato, Gina Luppino, Toni Essman, Maria Luppino

THE BREAD AND WINE This week the Bread and Wine are in memory of

Tillie Frankenberg requested by Her Family.

v

THE SANCTUARY LAMP This week the Sanctuary Lamp is in memory of

John B. Moscone, Sr. requested by His Loving Wife, Barbara.

v

REST IN PEACE Please remember in your prayers

Nunzia Buzzerio (mother of Corrado Buzzerio) and all the military men and women who have died this week.

LITURGICAL

FIRST FRIDAY EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

Friday, December 6th after the 8:30 AM Mass

followed by Benediction at 3 PM

What is Eucharistic Adoration? A priest or deacon removes the sacred host from the tabernacle and places it in the monstrance on the altar for adoration by the faithful. Eucharistic Adoration is adoring, or honoring, the Eucharistic Presence of Christ. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament flows from the sacrifice of the Mass and serves to deepen our hunger for communion with Christ and the rest of the Church.

Please call Mary Buchanan at 201-871-9667 to schedule a time to spend in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

Page 6: the catholic community of OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL the ...Olmc.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BULLETIN-12.1.2019-WEB-PDF-1.pdfDeacon Lex Ferrauiola e - deaconlex@gmail.com e - Giuliano7@aol.com

Volume6,Issue48 FirstSundayofAdvent

6

WEEKLYRUNDOWN

Upcoming Events At Other Parishes . . .

Cathedral Basilica Concert Series – ‘Navidad Latina 2019’ – Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, 89 Ridge Street, Newark – Friday, December 6th at 8 PM. The Cathedral Spanish Choir along with singers and instrumentalists from other Latin American communities of the Archdiocese of Newark presents a program of Christmas music. Free will offering.

Christmas Shop Fundraiser – St. Cecilia Church, 55 West Demarest Avenue, Englewood in the Carmelite Spiritual Center – Saturday, December 7th from 1:30 PM to 6:30 PM and Sunday, December 8th from 8:30 AM to 2 PM. Shop for Christmas items and relax with a cup of coffee. All proceeds will go to the Carmelite Missions and the Carmelite Spiritual Center at St. Cecilia Church. Donations are welcome. For information, please call 201-567-0596.

Make New Friends And Enrich Your

Spiritual Journey Today!

Join Us For One Of Our Faith Sharing Groups

MEN’S CORNERSTONE GROUP meets every other Wednesday at St. Mary’s Church, Closter. Our next meeting is Wednesday, December 4th at 7:30 PM. Please call Deacon Michael Giuliano at 201-983-1591 or Bill Angresano at 201-370-2698 if you have any questions.

v

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION encourages us to explore a closer relationship with God and is carried out in the context of a one-to-one trusting and confidential relationship with the spiritual director. If you think that Spiritual Direction might be a way for you to discern God’s actions in your life, contact Deacon Lex at 201-568-6819 or [email protected].

v

WOMEN’S CORNERSTONE GROUP meets monthly. Please call Sr. Regina at 201-871-4662 for more information or to join this group. Or, join us for our Women’s Advent Retreat on December 7th. Please register using the form on this page. Additional registration forms are located in the kiosks in the Church.

v

WOMEN’S SHARING GROUP meets monthly. Our next meeting is Wednesday, December 18th. Please call Sr. Regina at 201-871-4662 for more information or to join.

Women’s Advent Retreat of Prayer & Reflection

Savoring God’s Grace: Boundless Compassion

Presented by Sharyn Tondel

Saturday, December 7, 2019 8:15 AM – 1 PM

(Retreat follows the 7:30 AM Mass at St. Cecilia Church.)

Carmelite Spiritual Center at St. Cecilia Church 55 West Demarest Avenue, Englewood

Fee: $10 Payable to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church

____________________________________________________________

To register, please complete form and return with payment by Monday, December 2nd, to: Sr. Regina Chassar, OLMC, 10 County Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.

Name _________________________________________________________

Email _________________________________________________________

Phone _________________________________________________________

CHRISTMAS TREE SALE

Tenafly Boy Scout Troop 86 is having a Christmas tree sale November 30th – December 15th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM weekdays and from 10 AM to 6 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. The sale will take place at the Municipal Lot on the corner of Franklin and Clinton avenues. To pre-order, go to www.troop86trees.org.

Page 7: the catholic community of OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL the ...Olmc.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BULLETIN-12.1.2019-WEB-PDF-1.pdfDeacon Lex Ferrauiola e - deaconlex@gmail.com e - Giuliano7@aol.com

Volume6,Issue48 FirstSundayofAdvent

7

Please keep the following people in your prayers:

Leonard Abbruzzesi Wendy Jane Larre

Bernadette Alvarado Elon Lages Lima Arturo Benemerito Deacon David Loman Brian Bingman Joanne Mitchell Maria Capo Vito Moncello Sr. Pat Coyle Aaron Monteagudo Maria DeAngelis Anthony Passaro Remedios De Guzman John Prunty

Rachel Durso Anthony Salvatore Peter Gagne Jason Scalora Edwin Grube Dominic Tavormina Joan Hargett Liza Ty Blasca Adam Kokosinski Giselle Velez Rumi Kubo

Please contact the Church Office at 201-568-0545 if you need prayers for a loved one and would like that person’s name placed on our prayer list. Also, please let us know if a loved one’s name is to be removed from our prayer list.

WEEKLYRUNDOWN

Make a purchase at Metropolitan Plant & Flower Exchange valued at $50 or more and Metropolitan will donate $10 to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Tenafly.

Complete Form Below & Present at Time of Purchase Expires 12/31/19

*Cannot be combined with any other offers.*

Name______________________________________________________

Address____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Email______________________________________________________

(For Store Use)

Order #____________ Total $_____________ Date____________

2125 Fletcher Ave. 471 Mt. Pleasant Ave. 840 Route 17 N Fort Lee, NJ West Orange, NJ Paramus, NJ 201-944-1050 973-736-0049 201-445-7101

Visit Metropolitan Plant & Flower Exchange or place an order by calling 1-800-METRO-13

CHRISTMAS ALTAR FLOWERS

If you would like to make a donation to help with the cost of flowers that will decorate our church for Christmas, please fill out the form below. Donations may be made in memory of a loved one or for a special intention. Checks should be made payable to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and can be placed in the collection basket or returned to the Church Office.

– PLEASE PRINT –

Donated by______________________________________

Email__________________________________________

Phone #_________________________________________

In Memory of: ________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Special Intentions for:

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Page 8: the catholic community of OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL the ...Olmc.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BULLETIN-12.1.2019-WEB-PDF-1.pdfDeacon Lex Ferrauiola e - deaconlex@gmail.com e - Giuliano7@aol.com

Volume6,Issue48 FirstSundayofAdvent

8

RELIGIOUSEDUCATION

Continuous Religious Instruction For The Faith Development Of Your Child

The Religious Education Program is a curriculum of continuous religious instruction for students beginning in kindergarten and continuing each year through eighth grade. “Childhood is a critical time. It is when the foundation is set for lifelong faith and devotion to God.” (Source: Being involved in Your Child’s Faith Formation, ©2010 Channing Bete Company, Inc., 2017 Edition) Attendance at each grade level is important in order to establish a firm foundation in the faith, build upon it at each grade level, and prepare for the Sacraments.

Religious Education Classes

Sunday, December 1st (NO CLASS) Tuesday, December 3rd (3:30-4:45 PM) Sunday, December 8th (8:45-9:55 AM) Tuesday, December 10th (3:30-4:45 PM)

“Jesus touches our lives through the sacraments. Our celebrations of the sacraments are signs of Jesus’

presence in our lives and a means for receiving his grace.”

Source: www.loyolapress.com

Sacrament of First Reconciliation

The celebration of First Reconciliation will take place on Saturday, January 11th at 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM in the Church. Parents are reminded to work on the preparation material with their child and review how to meet the priest for the confession of our sins.

v v v

Sacrament of Confirmation

Our next Confirmation session will be held on January 12th. Remaining sessions thereafter are January 26th, February 2nd and February 9th. Other important dates are listed below; details for each will be provided as we get closer to those dates:

Confirmation Retreat Sunday, March 15

Confirmation Rehearsal Wednesday, March 25 at 7 PM

Confirmation Liturgy Sunday, March 29 at 2 PM

Happy New Liturgical Year! There are four Sundays of Advent, so this year December 1st marks the beginning of the new Church year and the liturgical season of Advent. The liturgical year is the Church’s calendar during which there is a cycle of special prayers and Bible readings to help us recall various mysteries of Jesus’ life—his birth, suffering, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. We also celebrate feasts honoring the Blessed Mother and saints. Each liturgical season is marked by a special color of vestments worn by the priest. Purple or deep blue are Advent colors.

Parents have a responsibility to teach their children about God.

Children follow the example set by their parents. As a result, what you do and say have a direct impact on your child’s relationship with God and long-term behavior and values. The choices your child will make as an adult, including the decision to live a Christian life, will be largely influenced by the example you provide.

Source: Being involved in Your Child’s Faith Formation, ©2010 Channing Bete Company, Inc., 2017 Edition

There is no Children’s Liturgy of the Word this Sunday, December 1st. Join us next Sunday when CLOW resumes.

CLOW Catechists – Sunday, December 8th: Promise (PreK – Gr. K) − Marge DeSavino Good News (Gr. 1 & 2) − Regina Saladino Venture (Gr. 3, 4 & 5) − Jim Brooks

Page 9: the catholic community of OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL the ...Olmc.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BULLETIN-12.1.2019-WEB-PDF-1.pdfDeacon Lex Ferrauiola e - deaconlex@gmail.com e - Giuliano7@aol.com

Volume6,Issue48 FirstSundayofAdvent

9

ACADEMY/ATHLETICS

A Message From Barbara Verdonck, Interim Principal

Dear Parents,

December is here and we find ourselves deep in the spirit of Christmas.

As a Catholic school we have the privilege to enter this season with an attitude of prayer and deep reverence. Next Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception honoring the purity of Mary. Let us take all of our worries and cares to her. We have entered the Season of Advent and this is a time in the liturgical calendar to focus on the real meaning of Christmas. As a school community, we will light the Advent candle each morning in the auditorium and visibly see the passage of time.

Activities continue to roll from one day into the other. The highlights from last month were our Varsity Volleyball team capturing 1st place as well as a 1st place finish for our eighth grade students who participated in the Saint Joseph Regional High School Academic competition.

This month will be no different! Report cards will be distributed on Friday, December 6th. We will induct our newest members of the National Junior Honor Society on December 11th and our Christmas Concert will be held on Friday, December 13th. Completion of high school applications, on behalf of our eighth graders, is well underway. The high school application process is quite a daunting one and each school has its own procedures. Many children are in the midst of shadowing and doing interviews. I congratulate all of the students for their hard work. We will put it all in God’s hands now and believe that the children will end up in the high school that will empower them to be the best version of themselves.

Our winter sports season has begun. I want to thank everybody who contributes to our athletic programs. It is a huge time commitment of practice and games and we always have so many people step up to fill all positions. I am grateful to each of them for all of the love, patience and passion that they put into making the season an enjoyable and successful one. I know that this athletic season is one that really contributes to the great community spirit that exists among our students. They work very hard as a team on the floor and this translates to them working hard as a team in the classroom. We are winners all around! Let’s go Warriors!

Let’s not forget about Santa’s Secret Workshop and Breakfast With Santa!!! Please continue to help support our school and build the healthy OLMC family that we love and appreciate.

Take time to breath in and soak in some spiritual blessings this week. May God surround you and your families with much peace, love, and joy.

“To be entrusted with the

teaching of the young is a great gift

and grace of God.”

—Saint John Baptist de La Salle

WELCOME HOME, WARRIORS!

Once a student, always a Warrior!

For over 140 years the Academy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel has been graduating young men and women. Please feel free to contact Elliot Guerra, Director of Mission Development, at 201-568-1403 or [email protected] for a personal tour or to host a reunion for your class or group of friends. Remember, at OLMC you were once a student but always a Warrior!

Page 10: the catholic community of OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL the ...Olmc.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BULLETIN-12.1.2019-WEB-PDF-1.pdfDeacon Lex Ferrauiola e - deaconlex@gmail.com e - Giuliano7@aol.com

Volume6,Issue48 FirstSundayofAdvent

10

GIVING&GRATITUDE

Peru Medical Mission

It’s hard to believe that our second medical mission to Peru is now behind us. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church has once again shared its abundant blessings with people in need thousands of miles away from home. We know that as Catholics, we are called to the service of others. Scripture tells us “Each of you should use whatever gifts you have received to serve

others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10-11). The doctors, nurses and staff of this mission continue to use their “gifts” to serve others; it’s another example of how our parish answers the call to service time and time again.

I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to play a small role in this extraordinary journey. It is only through the grace of God that our team of medical professionals, translators and support staff are able to touch the more than 1,300 people we come in contact with. You can actually feel His presence throughout the mission each day. You see Him in the boundless energy of the nuns and others who assist us, in the faces of the people who come for treatment and in their stunningly beautiful children. The very elderly patients who come have tremendous difficulty just walking; we had to actually carry a few in and out of the sites. However, their weathered faces always manage a smile as they thank us for helping them, many saying “God bless you” as they leave.

His grace is clearly evident in the residents of the rehabilitation center we visit. Though patients themselves, these men work with us setting up and preparing the sites. They spontaneously sing songs of praise to God and the Blessed Mother despite the terrible addictions that brought them there in the first place. Some share their stories with us, giving insight into the depth of their personal struggles.

Notwithstanding the desperately poor conditions they live in, the Peruvians are a strong, happy, family-oriented people who don’t complain about their situations. They are genuinely excited to see American physicians, waiting on long lines for the opportunity. It’s been my honor to watch our talented doctors and nurses extend themselves beyond their limits, striving to treat as many people as possible despite long days under less than optimal conditions. Our skilled translators allow us to communicate with everyone we encounter; they are a critical component of this mission. It bears mention that a few of our group even became quite sick themselves, some requiring medical treatment from the other doctors. All of our “missionaries” came together as a team with the singular goal of helping people in need; this is truly our faith in action.

This was Fr. Dan’s vision; to have our church extend itself beyond its walls to help others and what a success it’s been! It is not just the small group of us who travel to Peru who bring that vision to life, it is the entire parish community. We proudly represent ALL of the people who make this happen—those who made donations, others who worked tirelessly behind the scenes on the fundraisers, planning and more.

Although we’re back home now, the mission isn’t really over and the work hasn’t ended yet. We continue to finalize records, compile reports and the planning will soon be starting for the next mission. One thing is certain: Everyone comes away with a renewed sense of how richly blessed we are in our own lives and a strong commitment to return to continue this important mission. When you’re thanking God for all of your blessings this holiday season, take a moment to remember the people of Peru and ALL people in need. Keep them in your hearts and in your prayers.

—Mike Bruno, Parish Advisory Board

Visit our Web site www.olmc.us to view photos of OLMC’s Medical Mission to Peru.

“Each of you should use

whatever gifts you have received to serve others, as

faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

1 Peter 4:10-11