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. K-4 & CGS 1: Sun. 9:00-10:45 am Gr. 1-8: Thurs. 4:30-5:45 pm

Gr. 5-8: Sun. 4:30-5:45 pm OR Mon. 7:00-8:15 pm Gr. 9-10: Sun. 5:40-8:00 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 Janet Villafane (908) 879-3032 Haiti Twinning Program Christine Colannino (201) 314-9824

Bereavement Don Martone (908) 879-7957 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 (908) 453-3302

Arimathaea Arlene McDonald (973) 584-7319 Spanish Ministry Louis Villafane (908) 879-3032

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

Women’s Cornerstone Judy Irwin (201) 400-7847 Altar Servers Chuck Feller (908) 768-2838

Men’s Cornerstone Marc McFeely (973) 222-9739 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 Jeanne McCormick (908) 879-6884 Barn Ministry Ed Wieczorek (908) 300-0098

Mary’s Moonflowers Karen Jones (973) 479-5271

Rev. Rolands Uribe, Parochial Vicar

Deacon William DeVizio, Permanent Deacon

Trustees: Phil Guidone, Jeanne McCormick

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, MARCH 4, 2018

MISSION STATEMENT St. Lawrence the Martyr Church is a community of Catholic Christians who gather

together to celebrate the Eucharist, their love of Jesus Christ and their love of one another

as children of Christ. We are a diverse community focused on creating an enthusiasm for our faith and enriching the lives for all who come to worship in our parish. Inviting and

welcoming liturgies, multiple youth and young adult activities and adult enrichment

programs all help make the Word of Christ a living reality at St. Lawrence.

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, MARCH 4, 2018 - THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

GOD IS CLEAR. WE MUST CARE FOR THE POOR!

This past Thursday’s Gospel reading at Mass contained a story that Jesus

told His disciples. You might know it as the story of the rich man and Laz-

arus, the poor man. It can be found in the Gospel according to Saint Luke,

Chapter 16, verses 19 to 31. Simply, the story reports how the rich man had

many pleasures and ignored the suffering of the poor man. Jesus reports

that God makes up for the poverty of the poor man in the afterlife and for

the affluence and cold-heartedness of the rich man by placing the rich man

in a place of suffering and flames in the netherworld after his death. One

lesson we can all take from Jesus’ story is that we must not ignore the suf-

fering of the poor. We must do something for them in this life or we will

suffer consequences for our neglect of the poor in the next life, namely, in

purgatory or hell.

A similar story is contained in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, Chapter 25, verses 31 to 46. This is the

famous story of the Final Judgement of the Nations. In this teaching, Jesus, the Son of God, tells us that we

must care for the “hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, the naked, the sick and the imprisoned,” or we will “go

off to eternal punishment.” God is very clear in this story that He expects us to care for the poor and needy or

we will suffer painful consequences after we die.

During Lent, we examine our present lives in the light of the Gospel and we make the necessary changes in

preparation for our entry into heaven. Clearly, God has expressed Himself clearly and firmly that we must do

what we can for the poor.

God bless.

Father Nick

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION

If your parish is reading from Year B of the Lectionary today, and not Year A, as is normally done when there

are elect present for the scrutinies and preparing for Easter baptism, you hear about Jesus driving the money-

changers from the temple. If you wished to get as close as possible to this site today, you would in fact be at a

Muslim shrine, the Dome of the Rock, built on the ruins of Herod’s temple. Archeologists believe that this

striking, gold-domed crown of a shrine is set precisely where the Holy of Holies once was. Jews believe that

the rock is the exact spot where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice Isaac. It is not a mosque, as some think,

but a shrine, the oldest one in the Muslim world. For them, the rock is the place from which the Prophet Mo-

hammed ascended on a visit to heaven. The Crusaders mistook the shrine for the actual Temple of Solomon,

and the infamous Knights Templar used it as their headquarters and model for their churches elsewhere. The

geometric perfection of the shrine is a mathematician’s dream. The inscriptions are not exactly hospitable

though, since they encourage Christians to “depart from error” and declare that “Jesus son of Mary was only a

messenger of God.” In ancient times, those who prayed here after walking around the rock were given a certif-

icate entitling the bearer to admission to paradise. The ticket had to be buried with them.

GIFT

What I am is God’s gift to me. What I become is my gift back to God.

~Anonymous

Page Three SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2018 - THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION THIS WEEK

Sunday

• CGS

• Gr. K-4

• Gr. 5-8

Monday

• Gr. 5-8

Thursday

• Gr. 1-8

Sunday

• CGS

• Gr. K-4

• Gr. 5-8

• Confirmation Session #10

MEETINGS / EVENTS THIS WEEK

Sunday

• Antioch Follow-Up - 7:00 pm

Monday

• Confession at all Paterson Diocese churches - 7-8:30 pm

• Haiti Committee - 7:00 pm

Tuesday

• Finance Committee - 7:00 pm

Wednesday

• Sins/Virtues - 8:00 am, 7:00 pm

• Mary’s Moonflowers - 7:00 pm

• ESL - 7:30 pm

• Bold PST - 8:00 pm

Thursday

• Moms & Tots - 10:00 am

• Bell Choir - 6:00 pm

• Adult Choir - 7:00 pm

Friday

• Divine Mercy Chaplet - 3:00 pm

• Stations of the Cross - 7:00 pm

• Bold Middle Funplex Trip

Saturday

• Pre Cana - 9:00 am

Sunday

• Antioch Follow-Up - 8:00 pm

WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE SICK . . .

Kirsten Mumma, William Ware, Julio Carrera, Sebastian

Quinn, Ralph Bozza, Sister Eucharia, Bishop Frank Rodi-

mer, Father Rolands Uribe, Father Eugene Romano, Father

Paul Knauer, Father Rafael Perez, Msgr. Martin Rauscher, Msgr. Richard Rusconi, Msgr. Peter McBride, Patrick John

Moran, Ann Kelly, Lloyd Matsamoto, Helen Crowe, Jane

Alt, Patrick Pronio, Allison Spina, Lesley Pawar, Tom

Walsh, Steve Briggs, Brian Graham, Colleen Saito, William

Kelly, Mary Norwood, Mary Lanzara, Rocco Colantuono,

Diane Verge, Cade Feitel, Christine Ambrosino, Carole

Stessl, Kathy Bollwork, Dick Goodwin, Nicholas Brown,

Jane Rufino, Kevin Callahan, Judith Stampone, Jeanette

Mahoney, Paul Fitzgerald, Charlotte Poth, Colleen Looby,

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

Jerry Green, Mary Constantinople, Dan McGuigan, Patricia

Gilvey, Daisy Hallock, Ryan Menzel, Vincent & Giuliana Petane, Betty Macaluso, Dorothy Powers, Ellie Cowie, Wes-

ley Snawder, Jeanne McCormick, Tom Murray, Eidelia

Jimenez Martinez, Mila Balicki, Timothy Gearty, Consiglia

Erdenberger, Arnold Family, Connie Dziomba, Bonnie

Lieberworth, Barbara Drive, Jack Ratti, Finn Michael, Oliv-

ia Gill, Teresa Smith, Frances Ferreri, Katelin Riggs, Teresa

Colamonaco, Baby Gianni Mazza, Carol Mattone, Anna

Birsilli Garich, Greg Villafane, Anne Owens McGrath, Janet

Courtland, Jackie Donnelley, Jack Arnold, Peter Haynes,

Lily Barbero, Hunter Barbero

FORGIVENESS

If a bad person wrongs you, forgive the person,

lest there be two bad people.

~ Anonymous

ALTAR SERVER SCHEDULE

5:00 pm

CB – Evan Tusa

S1 – Kath-leen Tusa S2 –

7:30 am

CB –

S1 – S2 –

9:00 am

CB – Katie Vaillancourt

S1 Maken-na Spence S2 – Gwen Spence

11:00 am CB – Har-lan Iverson

S1 – John Iverson S2-Liam Brandt

6:00 pm

CB William Mayhood

S1 – James Mayhood S2 – Alyssa Mayhood

TRAVELING MARY Our “Traveling Mary” is a statue of

Our Lady of Fatima which will spend

the week in your home. We are asking

that families say the rosary together during that week. Please find a promi-

nent place to set up the statue so that

everyone in the family may see it daily. Along with the statue are some pam-

phlets on how to say the Rosary, a

DVD for younger children and some rosary beads for you to use during the

week. Pick up and drop off will be dur-

ing any of our Faith Formation Class

sessions or during normal business hours. If you are in-terested in taking part in this program, please contact the

Faith Formation Office at 908-879-6714.

FLORAL REMEMBRANCE

PROGRAM

Parishioners have the opportunity to spon-

sor a floral arrangement for the church

altar ($125), the tabernacle ($75) or the chapel altar ($100) in memory/honor of a

loved one. If interested, please call the Parish Office at

908-879-5371 to choose an available Sunday (other than Easter or Christmas) .

Page Four SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2018 - THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

LENTEN PROGRAM:

BISHOP BARRON’S SEVEN DEADLY SINS

Join us this Lent for an engaging video presentation of

Bishop Barron’s Seven Deadly Sins. Each week we will

explore one of the deadly sins. Bishop Barron presents these sins as patterns of dysfunction within us that will

lead to unhappiness. He will show us how to counteract

these seven sinful patterns through a conscious process of opposition, which are the “seven lively virtues." The

seven lively virtues offer antidotes to each sin and help

set us on the right path to healing and happiness. Dis-cussion to follow.

Two sessions will take place on Wednesday

After the 8 am Mass and at 7pm

Parish Center - Classroom 12

March 7 - Anger and Forgiveness

March 14 - Sloth and Zeal

March 21 - Avarice and Generosity March 28 - Gluttony and Ascetcism

April 4 - Lust and Chastity

DINING WITH THE DEACONS

Friday, March 23

(after Stations of the Cross)

Come join us as we spend time to-

gether as a community of faith while being treated to a delicious “meat-

free” dinner prepared especially for

Lent by our deacons. After dinner we will hear from our special guest, Dan Venezia. Dan will

share his incredible journey on how he learned the true

blessing of forgiveness; perfect for a Lenten reflection. He is a popular public speaker as well as a former profes-

sional baseball player who has appeared frequently on

national television and radio. This will be an evening to

remember. Contact Karen Jaworski at 908-879-5371 or kjaworski@stlchester.org to register.

Middle School Students Cooking For CASH

(Chester Area Senior Housing)

IDEAS FOR HOLINESS IN THE

ORDINARINESS OF LIFE

• Do small gestures . . . let someone go ahead of you in

traffic or in line

• Pray a Rosary of gratitude . . . think of something

you are grateful for on each bead

• Multitask with CD’s, podcasts or Catholic radio . . .

while doing chores

• Keep prayers handy . . . read during traffic jams,

waiting for the microwave, when on hold

• Ask for help . . . from the saint of the day

• Talk to your guardian angel . . . every day

• Take a pilgrimage . . . to a nearby shrine or cathedral

• Fast daily . . . skip the fries or dessert

• Set an alarm daily for 3 pm . . . to pray the Chaplet of

Divine Mercy

• Pray for those that irritate you . . . it makes God hap-

py and you holy

• Pay others back . . . with an hour of adoration of the

Blessed Sacrament

• God bless everyone . . . say a little prayer for them

• Stand up for God . . . make the Sign of the Cross or say God’s last name isn’t “damn” when others use

His name in vain

RECENTLY BAPTIZED

May God hold you always in the palm of Hand.

Raffaele Daniel Haight, son of Michael & Maaike

Haight of Hillside Road, Chester.

LENT REMINDERS . . .

Confession Mondays at 7-8:30 pm. Saturdays at 4-4:30 pm.

Stations of the Cross

Fridays at 7 pm. Church (English), chapel (Spanish).

Lenten Rice Bowls

Available at the church entrances.

From the Cross to the Empty Tomb book

Available at the church entrances for a $3 donation.

Page Five SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2018 - THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018 8:00 am - Spec. Int. of Greg Villafane

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

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2018

8:00 am - William Mackey

9:00 am - Josephine Loprest

- Ida Basso

- Max Kubler

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018 8:00 am - Basia Jaworski

9:00 am - Spec. Int. of John Ambrosino

THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018 8:00 am - Spec. Int. of Barbara Farbanish

9:00 am - Maureen Makris

FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018 8:00 am - Patricia Vandenbree

9:00 am - Spec. Int. of Knapik Family

SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2018

9:00 am - Frank Fila 5:00 pm - Ruth Colantuono

- William Welch

- James Welch

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2018 7:30 am - Jim Pasapane

9:00 am - Russell McGee

-Spec. Int. of Arnold Family

11:00 am - John Rodzinka

- Catherine Basso

12:30 pm - For the People of the Parish

6:00 pm - Marilyn Koren

- Brian Cutalo

KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH There’s no better way to deepen our Lenten practice than

to review the Ten Commandments. The first three, having

to do with our right relationship to God, get the most ink.

The one we busy people probably have the most problem with is keeping holy the Sabbath.

If we take this commandment literally, babies will go un-diapered and dishes will stay on the table, or perhaps

meals will not be served. The sick will go unattended and

nothing that has anything to do with physical labor will be done. Is mental labor really work? How about changing

that dirty diaper (poor baby!)?

We need to depend on God to discern how to observe real Sabbath time in our lives. The point of this commandment

is that God has given us a great gift: one whole day per

week when we are free to rest, worship God, sing, feast, love, and rejoice. As Psalm 19 proclaims: “The law of the

LORD is perfect, / refreshing the soul” (19:8). Our Sab-

bath rest is a great gift, to be received from God with joy, not with nitpicking.

THE SURLY BIRD Some doctors say that cheerful people resist disease bet-

ter than grumpy ones. The surly bird catches the germ.

~ Anonymous

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — God gives the law through Moses (Exodus 20:1-17 [1-3, 7-8, 12-17]) or Exodus 17:3-7. Psalm — Lord, you have the words of everlasting life (Psalm 19) or Psalm 95. Second Reading — We proclaim Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:22-25) or Romans 5:1-2, 5-8. Gospel — Many began to believe in Jesus’ name when they saw the signs He was doing (John 2:13-25) or John 4:5-42 [5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42].

MASS READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: 2 Kgs 5:1-15b; Ps 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4; Lk 4:24-30 Tuesday: Dn 3:25, 34-43; Ps 25:4-5ab, 6-7bc, 8-9; Mt 18:21-35 Wednesday: Dt 4:1, 5-9; Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20; Mt 5:17-19 Thursday: Jer 7:23-28; Ps 95:1-2, 6-9; Lk 11:14-23 Friday: Hos 14:2-10; Ps 81:6c-11ab, 14, 17; Mk 12:28-34 Saturday: Hos 6:1-6; Ps 51:3-4, 18-21ab; Lk 18:9-14 Sunday: 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23; Ps 137:1-6; Eph 2:4-10; Jn 3:14-21 Alternate readings (Year A): 1 Sm 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Ps 23:1-6; Eph 5:8-14; Jn 9:1-41 [1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38]

NEXT HEALING MASS

Tuesday, March 20

Rosary at 6:30 pm followed by Mass at 7:00 pm

Bring your prayers for physical, mental, financial, rela-tional and spiritual healing and place your needs before

the Lord. The Healing Mass takes place every third

Tuesday of the month. All are welcome!

TITHING: GOD’S PLAN FOR GIVING

Tithing Income February 25, 2018 $10,549.00

Tithing Income February 26, 2017 $11,940.50

FROM FATHER NICK: “44 times in the Bible, God

invites and encourages us to try Him on tithing. He ad-

mits that it is a sacrifice and a stepping out in faith. He

explains that we are helping Him in His care for the poor

by ‘filling up His storehouse.’ He promises, too, to re-

ward us with many blessings for trusting Him!”