THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT DECEMBER 15, 2019

SACRED HEART CHURCH established 1914

Parish Center 102 Park Street, Haworth, NJ 07641 201-387-0080 Fax 201-439-1395 Hours: Monday-Thursday: 9-4

Emergencies: 201-401-9792

Email : shhaw@aol.com

Website: www.sacredhearthaworth.com

Pastor

Rev. Robert Wolfee

Weekend Assistants

Rev. Ashley Harrington

Rev. Jack O’Connell

Pastoral Associate

Sr. Joanne Picciurro

Catechetical Leader

Sr. Regina McTiernan

Office Personnel Linda Ferrara

Gerrie Motichka

Joan Marie O’Neill

Corinn Somers

Facilities Manager/ Youth Group Minister Alan Pitman Trustees Leo Corrigan Lee Kosmac Hospital Coordinator Ron Green Parish Nurse Katherine Flattery Children's Choir Director Mariann Annecchino Music Ministers Corinn Somers Kathe Carson Peter Greco

Reconciliation Saturday: 4:00-4:45

Rectory 100 Park Street Haworth, NJ 07641 201-387-0470

Reading 1: Isaiah 7: 10-14

Reading 2: Romans 1: 1-7

The Gospel: Matthew 1: 18-24

NEXT SUNDAY’S READINGS

Dear Friends,

Do you have expectations of yourself and others? Are they realistic, too high, too low? Perhaps, you

don’t have any expectations at all. You may take people as you find them. In the Gospel, John the Baptist,

the one God sent to prepare the Jewish people for the coming of the Messiah, sends his disciples to ask

Jesus if he is the one. John is expecting a Messiah who comes with judgment against unrepentant sinners.

Jesus’ attitude and behavior does not fit that description. John’s disciples ask Jesus if He is the Messiah or

shall they look for someone else.

Jesus answers by quoting Isaiah which we hear in the first reading. He says, “…the blind regain their

sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good

news preached to them. (Matthew 11: 4-5) That is a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. The Jewish people

were thinking that the Messiah would be a political warrior, overturning the Romans and other foreign op-

pressors. Jesus takes their image and turns it upside down!

Jesus comes from a town in Galilee that had no real significance. He is a carpenter. He has to discern his

own vocation from God. He spends much time praying and struggling in the desert. Jesus is called to

model the loving and compassionate God. His teaching, healing, and relationships with the outcasts and

the poor make him an enemy to the religious leaders. Eventually, he is arrested on false charges and cruci-

fied. But do they finally get rid of Him? No! He is raised from the dead. In doing so, He destroys the

ultimate power of sin and death because love and life are stronger. It is through Jesus, that death is not

final. We live again and so do all those who come before us and after us.

This is too good to be true. But it is! As baptized Catholic Christians, we are called to imitate this Jesus as

well. Be kind? Forgive? Do something for someone else—no strings attached? Be grateful? Work for

justice? Help those who are poor? This flies in the face of power, privilege, and wealth.

Can we surprise people by greeting them or thanking them, or holding the door, and giving them the right

of way while driving, etc.? The list goes on. Make your day one of happy surprises for people who expect

being ignored, rejected, taken for granted, and regarded as insignificant. We have the gift and grace to

model the love of Christ for each person. How great is that?

There are 25 people in the parish who are homebound. Each year, my planning committee, in the name of

the parish, gives them a specially designed Christmas card, cards from the children and a gift. They are

not forgotten. They are prayed for at each liturgy and they pray for the needs of the parish as well.

We rejoice that we have someone in our RCIA who would like to be baptized. We are so happy. He is

beginning the process this month. We thank Angie Girardin, Barbara LaPorte, Mary Ann Mastrangelo,

and Peter Mandalakis for being part of the team.

I wish each of you a blessed, peace-filled Advent. In the midst of the busy-ness, I suggest that you

breathe, rest, and say “thank you”. Remember—“Jesus is the reason for the season”.

Peace,

Monday, December 16 8:30am Henry Gripenburg

Tuesday, December 17

8:30 James Pallotta

Wednesday, December 18 8:30 Joseph Mastrangelo, Sr.

Thursday, December 19

8:30 Jorge Martinez

Friday, December 20 8:30 Yolanda Parapar

Saturday, December 21

5:00 Peter Joyce

Sunday, December 22 8:00 Ruth and Joe Benvent

10:00 Cira Carrizzo 12:00 Susan B. Reimer

6:30 Diella Drejaj

December Donations:

The bread & wine have been

donated in loving memory of the Salandra, Chiara, and Melillo Family

MASS INTENTIONS

Third Sunday of Advent

“You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.” JAMES 5:8

Patience is another one of those things many of us struggle with. We want things to go according to our plan and our schedule. Any change brings anxiety and fear. Through daily prayer we better align ourselves with God’s will and His plan, which is far better than anything we can come up with on our own.

STEWARDSHIP REFLECTIONS

*LOVE AND SUPPORT*

ALL ARE WELCOME: On December 21, 2019 at 12pm, His Eminence, Archbishop Cardianl

Tobin will be celebrating a special Mass—at the Church of St. Mary, 20 Legion Place in Closter—

for the support, healing, and recovery of not only those who are directly affected with the abuse of

alcohol and/or drugs, but also for anyone involved in the life of the alcoholic or drug addict. An

open support group, Meeting of Hope, will follow the Mass—Refreshments will be served. For more

information please call: 201-768-7565.

REUNION OF HEARTS: Support groups for families dealing with estrangement are held at St.

Thomas Church, 5635 Berkshire Valley Road, Oak Ridge, NJ on Thursdays from 7-8:30pm, January

9—March 12, 2020. Call or text Janet at 201-213-8499 or Janet@PfeifferPowerSeminars.com.

PRAYER NEEDED: Please pray for the release of Mr. Yele Soware, falsely imprisoned in Nigeria,

and for his family.

ADULT CHOIR: We are so excited that several have joined the Adult Choir to sing on Christmas

Eve!!! It is not too late to join us in preparing music for Christmas, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE

YOU! Please see Corinn after Mass, or call her at the Parish Center.

CAROL SING-ALONG: This year, the Carol Sing-Along will take place inside—in the Parish Hall

on 12/22 at 7:30pm. We hope you will join us for a fun evening of singing carols with members of

The Slacks band, Peter Greco, the Sacred Heart Choir, and don’t forget hot chocolate, cookies (bring a

plate of your favorites to share), and a visit from Santa! Hope to see you there!!!

MANY THANKS!!: This picture shows just some of the stockings that were made

from Sacred Heart donations to the Adopt-a-Soldier program. You have made many

soldiers smile through your efforts! Parishioners have been so gracious throughout

the year, enabling us to ship to the soldiers on a monthly basis! Thank you and have

a very Blessed and Merry Christmas! Marie Grieco (and elves)!

DONATIONS NEEDED: On a daily basis, Catholic Charities assists the underprivileged in society.

Please help by contributing clothing, shoes, small appliances, linens, towels, stuffed animals, books,

etc., to the white donation bin across from the Parish Center.

EARLY BULLETIN REQUESTS: Following is the early bulletin request schedule due to the publisher’s Holiday deadlines:

Weekly Bulletin Regular Schedule: Request due the Monday before the bulletin is distributed.

For the December 29th and January 5th Bulletins: Requests due by Monday—12/16

*THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT*

Good Counsel Homes staff, volunteers, and mothers and babies thank you for all your kindness and

support during our return visit to Sacred Heart Church. There were several baby bottle envelopes

taken, and so far we have collected $965. We are truly humbled by your generosity and commit-

ment to the unborn, and the willingness to help the less fortunate. If you took an envelope, please do

not forget to mail it in, and please consider becoming a monthly donor. Your continued support and

prayers for our mothers who have chosen to give their baby life, offers a future of hope because of

your selfless giving. May God continue to bless you, Tara Ingebritsen: 609-387-2928 or

tara_ingebritsen@goodcounselhomes.org

DATES TO REMEMBER

December 16th (Monday), 7:30pm

Joint Reconciliation Service

(at St. Mary’s in Closter)

December 22nd (Sunday), 7:30pm

Carol Sing-along - (Parish Hall)

December 24th (Tuesday), 4:00pm

Children’s Christmas Eve Mass

9:15pm

Songs of the Season with the Adult Choir (Church)

10pm

Christmas Eve Mass

December 25th (Wednesday)

8am, 10am, 12:00pm

Christmas Masses

MASS SCHEDULE—3rd WEEK IN ADVENT

December 16, 2019

8:30am

December 17,. 2019

8:30am

December 18, 2019

8:30am

December 19, 2019

8:30am

December 20, 2019

8:30am

December 21, 2019

5pm

December 22, 2019

8:30am, 10am, 12pm, 6:30pm

*AROUND TOWN*

TRANSFIGURATION ACADEMY’S ALUMNI MASS & BRUNCH: The 2020 Alumni Mass & Brunch will

be held on Saturday—January 5, 2020 beginning with the 12pm Mass at St. John’s Church, with brunch follow-

ing in Conlon Hall. This event will honor Sr. Madeline Mary Hanson’s many years of service as well as the

memory of 2013 alumna Charli Roberts. Tickets are $10, and can be purchased by visiting http://

www.transfigurationacademy.org/tfa/Alumni.

JOHN LEAPS EVANGELIZATION PRESENTS: Faustina, a live drama, shown at Felician University Lodi

Campus—Breslin Performing Arts Center, 262 S. Main Street, Lodi, NJ 07644. Buy tickets at johnleaps.com,

or 800-313-6933. Showings: 1/10 at 7pm, 1/11 at 1pm and 7pm. $25 general admission—$15 kids 8-14.

EPIPHANY PRAYER SERVICE AND SACRED MUSIC: On Sunday, January 5, 2020—3pm— at Immac-

ulate Conception Convent Chapel, 260 S. Main Street in Lodi, NJ, the Felician Sisters will have an Epiphany Pray-

er Service with Sacred Music. For more information contact Sr. Mary Virginia, 862-238-7493.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL FESTIVAL: On January 5, 2020, the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Chil-

dren, which provides partial tuition scholarships for low income students will hold it’s annual High School Basket-ball Festival at the Hardwood Arena in Kean University. Girls: Oak Knoll vs. Union Catholic; Boys: St. Joseph

vs. St. Thomas Aquinas, Hudson vs. Union Catholic, Seton Hall Prep vs. Immaculate Conception, and St. Bene-

dict’s Prep vs. Carsie High School. For game times/event info: Barbara.Cortes@rcan.org or 973-497-4184.