Rev. Nicholas Bozza, Pastor 375 Main Street, P.O. Box 730, Chester, New Jersey 07930

Coordinators of Religious Education:

Carla Fuscaldo, Dorothy Kudron, Terry Leing

Cynthia Vittitow— Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Brian Flanagan — Confirmation

Kathleen Galdi — DRE

Music Minister: Joseph P. Tamburro

Youth Minister: Brian Flanagan

Mercy Minister: Cindy Zeis

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN: Gr. 1-8: Sun. 9:00-10:45 am (includes Mass)

Gr. 5-8: Sun. 5:00-7:00 pm (includes Mass)

Gr. 9-10: Sun. 5:50-8:15 pm (includes Mass)

CGS: Sun. 9:00-11:00 am OR Tues. 4:30-5:45 pm

Gr. K-8: Thurs. 4:45-6:00 pm

ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: RCIA: Sundays (September-Easter)

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION: Saturday: 4:00-4:45 pm, Monday: 6:30-7:00 pm & on request.

SACRAMENT OF THE SICK: Please call the Parish Office anytime for communion calls or visitation

of the sick and elderly. Keep us informed so that we can be attentive to

those who are ill at home or in the hospital.

Parish Email: parish@stlchester.org

Parish Web Site: www.stlchester.org

Web Master: Joanne Franklin (908-879-6222)

Welcome Rosemary Lohrmann (973) 214-4806 Haiti Twinning Program Christine Colannino (201) 314-9824

Bereavement Resource Don Martone (201) 274-9723 Lectors John Kennington (908) 872-0575

Good Samaritans Patsy Soden (908) 879-3374 Eucharistic Ministers Loretta Stewart (973) 222-7492

Grocery Cards Jean Ward (908) 334-3442 Ushers Bob Holl (908) 876-3488

Moms & Tots Melissa Altieri (908) 797-0676 Music Minister Joe Tamburro (347) 213-0621

Arimathaea Arlene McDonald (973) 229-9697 Spanish Ministry Louis Villafane (908) 879-3032

Liturgical Environment Joanne Carr (908) 879-5543 Youth Minister Brian Flanagan (973) 946-8770

Women’s Cornerstone Lissette Howell (973) 975-7343 Altar Servers Chuck Feller (908) 768-2838

Men’s Cornerstone Don Scobell (908) 507-3145 Evangelization Bob Holl (908) 876-3488

Pastoral Adv. Board Jerry Frech (908) 377-2900 RCIA Jan Richards (908) 975-3555

Rosary Society Marie Holl (908) 876-3488 Respect Life Connie Wieczorek (908) 879-6453

Media Ministry Carla Fuscaldo (908) 879-7647 Barn Ministry Ed Wieczorek (908) 300-0098

Mary’s Moonflowers Karen Jones (973) 479-5271 Family Mass Social Marc McFeely (973) 222-9739

Parochial Vicar: Rev. Yohan Serrano

Permanent Deacon: William DeVizio

Trustees: Phil Guidone, Margie Scobell

Parish Secretary: Karen Jaworski

Accountant: Sharon McCann Business Manager: Bill McCormick

MASSES: Saturday: 5:00 pm Sunday: 7:30 am, 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 12:30 pm (Spanish), 6:00 pm

Daily Mass: Mon.-Fri. 8:00 am & 9:00 am, Sat. 9:00 am

Holy Day Vigil: 7:00 pm

Holy Day: 8:00 am, 4:30 pm, 7:00 pm (bi-lingual)

Healing Mass: 7:00 pm every 3rd Tuesday of month. Rosary at 6:30 pm

BAPTISMS: Baptism Preparation Class: Please call the Parish Office to schedule.

Baptisms: Please call the Parish Office to schedule.

SPANISH BAPTISMS: Baptism Preparation Class: Please call the Parish Office to schedule. Baptisms: Please call the Parish Office to schedule.

MARRIAGES: Please contact the Priest/Deacon whom you wish to officiate at your

wedding one year in advance to arrange for Marriage Preparation

Sessions.

PARISH MEMBERSHIP: Every family moving into the parish is requested to register. If you move

to another parish or change your address, please notify the Parish Office.

St. Lawrence the Martyr Church SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2018

MISSION STATEMENT

St. Lawrence the Martyr Roman Catholic Church is a loving and welcoming

community of disciples of Jesus who invite you to join us in becoming

disciples of Jesus. As disciples, we are faithful to prayer, to listening to

God’s Word, to meeting with Jesus in the sacraments, to building community,

and to serving others.

Parish Office: 908-879-5371 Priests’ Home: 908-879-1901 Religious Ed.: 908-879-6714 Youth Minister: 973-946-8770 Fax: 908-879-7701

Parish Ministries and Ministry Facilitators

Page Two SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2018 - SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

THE HOLY SEASON OF ADVENT

Advent is the first season in the Church’s liturgical year and is the season that

helps us prepare both for our celebration of Christ’s birth and for our meetings

with Him. The name Advent comes from Latin roots that mean that Jesus is

coming to us. During Advent, we recall that Jesus will come at the end of

time to judge the living and the dead, that He came among as a divine and hu-

man person in the Middle East 2,000 years ago, and that He comes to us regu-

larly now when we pray and celebrate the Sacraments. In the spirit of Advent,

we prepare ourselves for our meetings with the Lord Jesus.

When Jesus comes to us, we prepare for the coming of a most special and beloved guest. We beautify our

souls in preparation for His coming through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession), through acts of

love like personal prayer, the sacraments and by acts of charity and mercy toward others in need.

A beautiful Advent prayer that we may pray is Maranatha, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12

This coming Wednesday, we will celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Our Lady of Guadalupe is

the patron of the Americas and the patron of the unborn. The celebration will begin with Mass at 6:00 pm

and will be followed by a social in the Church Hall following the Mass. As she is the patron of the Americas,

I ask that we all make an effort to attend.

A TIP OF THE HAT

Last week, I was riding in a funeral procession from our church to the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Chester. In

the course of our procession, we passed a man in front of his house, raking leaves. I noticed that he stopped

his work as we approached and removed his hat out of respect for the deceased and for the mourners in the

procession. I was pleased to see that sign of respect. The gentleman who removed his cap planted a good

seed of inspiration and example that day for those who saw his gesture of respect.

THE BISHOP’S ANNUAL APPEAL

It is so easy to put letters and bills aside and then not have time to return to them to complete our task. I want

to remind you of the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, just in case you have not yet made your pledge or offering.

Please keep in mind that our donations to the Annual Appeal assist our Catholic Charities Agencies, our inner

city Catholic Schools, seminarian education, support of Nazareth Village and half of the overage comes back

to our parish. Thank you for your generosity!

God bless.

Father Nick

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK

Page Three SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2018 - SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

RECENTLY JOINED OUR PARISH

We welcome you!

Kevin & Tara Kelly and their children

Jack and Tess of Barberry Row, Chester.

John & Allyson Flanigan and their daughter Olivia of

Mile Drive, Chester.

WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE SICK . . .

Kirsten Mumma, William Ware, Julio Carrera, Sebastian Quinn,

Sister Eucharia, Bishop Frank Rodimer, Father Eugene Romano,

Father Paul Knauer, Father Rafael Perez, Father Daniel Kelly, Fa-

ther Joseph Farias, Msgr. Richard Rusconi, Msgr. Peter McBride,

Deacon Hector Cassillas, Patrick John Moran, Ann Kelly, Lloyd

Matsamoto, Helen Crowe, Jane Alt, Patrick Pronio, Allison Spina,

Lesley Pawar, Tom Walsh, Brian Graham, Colleen Saito, William

Kelly, Mary Norwood, Mary Lanzara, Cade Feitel, Carole Stessl,

Dick Goodwin, Nicholas Brown, Jane Rufino, Kevin Callahan,

Judith Stampone, Paul Fitzgerald, Charlotte Poth, Colleen Looby,

George Serafin, Charlie Romano, Salman Javed, Joe Cillo, Jerry

Green, Mary Constantinople, Dan McGuigan, Daisy Hallock, Ryan

Menzel, Vincent & Giuliana Petane, Betty Macaluso, Dorothy

Powers, Wesley Snawder, Tom Murray, Eidelia Jimenez Martinez,

Mila Balicki, Consiglia Erdenberger, Arnold Family, Bonnie

Lieberworth, Barbara Drive, Jack Ratti, Finn Michael, Olivia Gill,

Teresa Smith, Frances Ferreri, Teresa Colamonaco, Baby Gianni

Mazza, Carol Mattone, Anna Birsilli Garich, Greg Villafane, Anne

Owens McGrath, Janet Courtland, Jack Arnold, Lily Barbero,

Hunter Barbero, Robert LeFrancis, Moire Riley, Brian Spring, Jim

Robertiello, Doug Blessen, Barbara Davis, Jim Kielley, Jimena

Garcia, Jorge Lombardo, Janice Thurston, Matt Adonis, Jim Balic-

ki, Bill Renzetti, Bill Pigot, Rosa Salgado, Vera Sax, David Gou-

lart, Christine Clark, Winnie Knapik, Kolbe, Paul Maurer, Joanne

Seiller, Gail Anderson, Phillip Heery, Frank Loprest, John Memo-

ra, Buddy Black, Annerys Castillo, Jesus Serrano, Teresa Toro

Penagos, Kitty, Susan Novick, Stephanie Gonda, Bob Sircovich,

Camille McQueen, Brayden Michael, Cassie Bollwork, Julie

Hasbrouck, Stanley Kudron, Michael Mooney, Ed Poto, Thomas

Kennedy

Please help us keep this list up to date! Call 908-879-5371

and let us know if a name should be added or deleted.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION THIS WEEK

Sunday

• Classes - 9:00 am, 5:00 pm

• Confirmation Classes Session #5 - 5:50 pm

Thursday

• Classes - 4:45 pm

Sunday

• Classes - 9:00 am, 5:00 pm

MEETINGS / EVENTS THIS WEEK

Sunday

• Parish Christmas Concert - 3:00 pm

Monday

• Good Samaritans - 7:00 pm

Tuesday

• Tutoring - 4:30 pm

• Beginner ESL - 7:30 pm

Wednesday

• Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration - 6:00 pm

Thursday

• Moms & Tots - 10:00 am

• “Messiah” Concert - 7:30 pm

Friday

• Divine Mercy Chaplet - 3:00 pm

Saturday

• Advent Novena begins

ALTAR SERVER COORDINATOR NEEDED

We are requesting someone to take over the job of Altar

Server Coordinator at St. Lawrence Church. This position

offers a rewarding opportunity to work with the youth of

our parish. This includes scheduling them for Masses and

ensuring that new servers are trained. If interested, please

contact Karen at 908-879-5371 in the Parish Office.

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION

Look around most Catholic churches, and you will dis-

cover an image of John the Baptist, often in the old bap-

tistery, or in a window near where the font is or was lo-

cated. He has two feast days in the calendar: one com-

memorating his birth, and the other his death. There are

only three nativities in our calendar: for Jesus, for Mary,

and for the Baptist. John’s birthday is reckoned according

to the schedule given in Luke’s Gospel of the angel’s an-

nouncement to Mary. The angel tells her that her cousin

Elizabeth is in the sixth month of pregnancy, and so Mary

hastens to help her. Reckoning Christmas as December

25, we count backwards nine months to March 25 for the

Feast of the Annunciation. Then we count forward three

months to June 24 for John the Baptist’s birth. Halfway

to Christmas, his nativity gives ample reason for rejoicing

in the summer, and his symbols of fire and water are used

playfully in bonfires and dives into the sea. Even at the

polar opposite of Christmas in the calendar, the energy of

Christ’s birth in the Incarnation provides cause for rejoic-

ing.

ALTAR SERVER SCHEDULE

December 15-16

5:00 pm

CB – Nora

Mulligan

S1 – Aidan

Mulligan

S2 – Declan

Mulligan

7:30 am

CB –

S1 –

S2 –

9:00 am

CB – Kylie

Blackwell

S1 –

S2 –

11:00 am

CB – Har-

lan Iverson

S1 – John

Iverson

S2 – Trevor

Connolly

6:00 pm

CB William

Mayhood

S1 – James

Mayhood

S2 – Alyssa

Mayhood

Page Four SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2018 - SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

WE WERE ASKED TO ANNOUNCE

“Messiah” Concert

Mendham High School will present “The Messiah” at St.

Lawrence Church on Thursday, December 13, at 7:30 pm.

Always exquisitely performed! Not to be missed!

Loyola Day of Prayer: ‘What’s On Your Christmas List

This Year?”

Come away for the day to contemplate the gifts we long for

this Christmas, the priceless gift God desires to share with

us, and the extraordinary gift we are invited to give away

this Christmas season.

Monday, December 10, 9:30-3:00 pm

Loyola Jesuit Center, Morristown

Cost: $40 (Includes breakfast and lunch, Reconciliation and

Mass)

Led by: Rev. George Collins, S.J.

Register at www.loyola.org

CALENDARS FOR NEXT YEAR

Calendars for 2019 are now available.

Be sure to pick one up after Mass.

CHRISTMAS GIVING TREES

There are still some tags left on the Giving

Trees. If you haven’t done so already, please

consider participating in St. Lawrence

Church’s Annual Christmas Giving Tree and

help make someone’s Christmas special!

Also, please remember to place your gift cards in the

regular weekly collection basket with the original tag

attached by next Sunday, December 16. The gifts are

sorted here at St. Lawrence Church and will be

picked up by the participating organizations during

the week of December 16 so that they have time to

distribute to their families before Christmas.

CHRISTMAS CONFESSION & MASS SCHEDULE

Confession

Mondays at 6:30 pm; Saturdays at 4:30 pm

Additional times: Fri., Dec. 21 & Sat. Dec. 22 at 7:00 pm

Christmas Eve Masses

4 pm, 6 pm, 8 pm (Spanish) and 10 pm

Christmas Day Masses

7:30 am, 9 am and 11 am

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS

Parish Christmas Concert: TODAY!

The annual parish Christmas concert

takes place on Sunday, December 9,

at 3:00 pm in the church. Come enjoy

the sounds of the season performed by

our adult and children’s choirs accom-

panied by our instrumentalists.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

will be celebrated at St. Lawrence

Church on Wednesday, December 12.

The festivities will begin with Mass at

6:00 pm followed by a gathering in the

Church Hall with Latin food and mu-

sic. All are welcome!

HOSPITALIZED OR HOMEBOUND

Please let us know if someone is hospitalized or home-

bound. Many would be grateful for a visitor and the op-

portunity to receive communion. Thank you for helping

us help others.

YET TO DO

One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done.

~Marie Curie

FIRST COMMUNION CLOTHING DONATIONS

A big Thank You to everyone who donated gently used

First Communion clothing to help the children in the

Newark diocese. Your generosity will allow many chil-

dren to feel special as they Celebrate the Sacrament of

First Eucharist. Blessings to all!

Page Five SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2018 - SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 8:00 am - Spec. Int. of Jean Ward

9:00 am - Millie Cook

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2018

8:00 am - Ralph Bozza

9:00 am - Deceased Members of Bozza Family

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018 (Our Lady Of Guadalupe)

8:00 am - Ralph Bozza

9:00 am - Spec. Int. of Litz Magtoto

6:00 pm - For the People of Parish

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018 8:00 am - Michael Levato

- Bill Novick

9:00 am - Spec. Int. of Kathleen Patricia O’Connor

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2018 8:00 am - Don Jones

- William & Bill Novick

9:00 am - Antoinette DeFazio

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2018

9:00 am - John Murray

5:00 pm - Ella Bolio

- Spec. Int. of Moreno & Simons Families

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2018 7:30 am - Ralph Bozza

- John Maguire

9:00 am - For the People of Parish

11:00 am - Jeanne McCormick

- Michael Murphy

12:30 pm - Spec. Int. of Spring Family

6:00 pm - Gary Langan

- Margarete Erwin Hartmann

TITHING IS GOD’S PLAN FOR GIVING.

Biblically a tithe means 10%. All are asked to consider

tithing and return 10% of our income to the Lord (5% to

the parish, 5% to God’s other charities) in gratitude. The

spiritual practice of tithing disposes us to make God first

in every area of our lives! The aim is to secure not the

tithe, but the tither. Not the gift, but the giver — for God!

Tithing Income December 2, 2018 $13,584.00

Tithing Income December 3, 2017 $12,648.00

Reflection: “And this is my prayer: that your love may

increase ever more and more in knowledge and every

kind of perception, to discern what is of value…”

PHILIPPIANS 1:9-10

Glittery holiday ads can blind us to our stewardship val-

ues and distort our needs and wants. It is important that

during this season of endless buying we remember that

each of us also has the need to give back to God and to

those that are in need.

From Father Nick: “I thank you for your generosity to

God and our parish in the weekly collection. May God

bless you abundantly for your love and trust in Him!”

Testimony from a Parishioner at St. John Vianney

Parish in Orlando, FL: “My family prayed about this

and financially it will be a burden, but we’re to give back

to God for seeing us through these difficult days and

bringing us this far. So we’ve started our tithing and I

know God will bring us through.”

AWAITING THE SALVATION OF GOD The world does not seem big enough to contain the jubi-

lation of the first reading. In the Gospel reading, the Ro-

man empire isn’t big enough either. The great powers of

Rome are named and made to stand waiting for the arri-

val of God’s salvation. And we find Paul meditating joy-

fully on what really matters.

According to Baruch, the city of Jerusalem is like a per-

son standing on tiptoe looking for God’s salvation, which

is coming from the east. Those who were led away on

foot, heads down, now come back, a proud people. Why,

the very way is smoothed out. The path is lined with fra-

grant, lush trees.

It can’t get any better than this, can it? Well, yes, it can.

For a voice calls out in the desert. Here is the beginning

of the salvation of God.

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — Take off your robe of mourning and misery;

put on the splendor of glory from God

(Baruch 5:1-9).

Psalm — The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled

with joy (Psalm 126).

Second Reading — I am confident that the one who began a

good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of

Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11).

Gospel — The winding roads shall be made straight and the

rough ways made smooth (Luke 3:1-6).

MASS READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Is 35:1-10; Ps 85:9-14; Lk 5:17-26

Tuesday: Is 40:1-11; Ps 96:1-3, 10ac, 11-13;

Mt 18:12-14

Wednesday: Zec 2:14-17 or Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab;

Jdt 13:18bcde, 19; Lk 1:26-38 or Lk 1:39-

47, or any readings from the Common of

the Blessed Virgin Mary, nos. 707-712

Thursday: Is 41:13-20; Ps 145:1, 9-13ab; Mt 11:11-15

Friday: Is 48:17-19; Ps 1:1-4, 6; Mt 11:16-19

Saturday: Sir 48:1-4, 9-11; Ps 80: 2ac, 3b, 15-16,

18-19; Mt 17:9a, 10-13

Sunday: Zep 3:14-18a; Is 12:2-6; Phil 4:4-7;

Lk 3:10-18

NEXT HEALING MASS

Tuesday, December 18, 7:00 pm

(Rosary at 6:30 pm)