April 23, 2017 Divine Mercy Sunday

Sunday, April 23: 9:30 + Katarzyna Szwaja by Tadeusz 11:00 + (Spanish) Jozefina Rodriguez by sons, Anibal and Victor 12:30 + Zofia Weglarz by Maria Monday, April 24: 8:15 + John Joseph Flanagan by Joan Walsh 12:15 + St. Expidite by Ana Ferreira Tuesday, April 25: 8:15 For the Special Intentions of Fr. Davy and Fr. Anthony by Joan Branigan 12:15 + Jimmy Boffey by Edward Killip Wednesday, April 26: 8:15 For the People of the Parish 12:15 + All Souls in Purgatory by Ana Ferreira Thursday, April 27: 8:15 + The Fernandes Family by the Matedim Family & Michael Fernandes and Family 12:15 Special Intentions for the D’Annunzio- Karamouzos Family by Family Friday, April 28: 8:15 + Hedwig Wojciechowicz by the D’Annunzio-Karamouzos Family 12:15 + Aureliane Medina de Ferreira by Ana Ferreira 7:30 + (Spanish) Otilio Gonzalez by daughter, Isolina Saturday, April 29: 8:15 + Mr. Henry Goode by Wife 5:30 + Hugh A. Reid by Sally Breen Sunday, April 30: 9:30 + Katarzyna Szwaja by Tadeusz 11:00 + (Spanish) Jozefina Rodriguez by sons, Anibal and Victor 12:30 + Zofia Weglarz by Maria

Please remember those on our sick list in your prayers: Levieva Svetiana, Molly Tybur-czy, Julissa Garcia, Carolyn Lattanzio, James Cahill, Joan Dobkin, Laurie Rueckheim, Roman Rurak, Judith Ballester, Steve Belus, Janice L. Whelan, James Cunniff, Joseph Buenos, Patty Behan, Donald Buddenhagen, Matthew Co-lasanti, Roza D’Souza, Ann Kalter, Julia Bis, Bob Quagan, Elizabeth Kies, Joseph Anthony D’Avino, Laura Borruso, Amy Pisarki, John Slattery, Joseph Lauron, Patricia Riordan, Car-melo Reyes, Marylou Ryan, Patricia Tarano-vich, Eugene Stonebreaker, Zofia Orlowska, Mary Sanz, Richard Schlopp, Robert Keenan, Ryan Marshall, Anne Marie Stampf, Edward Pertell, Genowefa Biernaca, Elizabeth Malenik, Theresa Kujawa, Kataryna Gierczynska, Caitlyn Geer, James Buddenhagen, Gracielo Mero, Bill Wisniewski, Gary Normandia, Lucy D’Avino, Eleanor Heiberger, Brian Francis Campion, Gemma Ferrara, Joseph Micatonick, Hank Wisniewski, Frank Sarlie, Peggy Mae, Edwin Soto, Irene Cahill, Lawrence O’Donnell, Chris-tine Mascia, Marie Mascia, Julia Silva, Anthony Kimkowski, Theresa Good, Mary Knapp, George Koslab, Robert Trotta, Juano Cano, Michael Anobile, Michael Aiello, Yolanda Aiello, Diane Arzon Rodriguez, Martha Banfield, Gus-tavo Guerra, Michael Conboy, Jaylin Figueroa

BREAD AND WINE The bread and wine at all the Masses from April 23rd to April 29th, will be offered in memory of John Joseph Flanagan by Joan Walsh.

Divine Mercy Chaplet Sunday, April 23rd, is the Feast of Divine Mercy. The Divine Mercy Chaplet will be prayed at 3:00 p.m. in the Upper Church.

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

The Feast of the Divine Mercy is celebrated in the Catholic Church on the First Sunday after Easter. The focus of this Feast is the depths of the tender mercies of the Lord. The faithful are invited to meditate on the inconceivable mercy of the Lord, great and generous invitation by the Lord to poor sinners. Jesus promises to pour out a whole ocean of graces on all souls who approach the fount of His mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. Even though our sins be as scarlet, Lord lovingly invites us to come to Him without fear. God's mercy is so great that no mind will be able to fathom it. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the fount of God's Mercy. We can receive the amazing mercy of God by doing deeds of mercy and through the reception of the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion.

This can be considered as a “straight ticket to Heaven” if we should die today in this perfect state of sanctifying grace. “God refraining from harming or punishing offenders”, is the sense of this Feast. It was in the Great Jubilee Year 2000 that Saint Pope John Paul II established this Feast. But in a short time this has become so popular among the Catholic faithful around the world. That simply explains that humanity is looking for a means to come out of the clutches of sins and punishment.

The Feast tells us of a God who is eager to pour out His Mercy on each and every one of us. Among the Old Testament people there was the Feast of Atonement which is celebrated today by the Jews as "Yom Kippur". This is to celebrate God's forgiveness. So this Feast of Divine Mercy is something like a celebration of the Day of Atonement. The aim is to get perfectly right with God. Before the Passion, at the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Holy Communion. After the Resurrection of Jesus when he appeared to the disciples, he instituted the great Sacrament of Confession.

These two Sacraments comprise the Fount of the Divine Mercy of God. These two Sacraments are needed to receive the total forgiveness of sins and punishment on this Divine Mercy Sunday. Ven-eration of the Divine Mercy image or picture and praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet are Catholic practices on this Feast. The Catholic Church believes and teaches that the Blood and Water that gushed out from Jesus on the Cross are the Sacraments of the Church. The Water is what makes the souls righteous and the Blood is the life of souls.

In the Divine Mercy image, Jesus is moving towards us and asking us to trust in Him, in His Divine Mercy. He is asking us not to be afraid to approach Him and to ask Him for His Mercy in the Sacra-ment of Confession. He is calling us to wash away our sins and to receive Holy Communion without stain of sin. Let us accept His loving invitation and receive His Mercy. God bless you all. Fr. Antony Vadakara CMI

WEEKLY OFFERING

Palm Sunday Weekend - April 8 - 9, 2017

Attendance - 1,093

Collection - $ 4,976.00 Parish Easter Gift - $ 3,706.00

Votive Candles - $ 483.00

Last year’s attendance - 1,004 Last year’s collection - $ 4,189.00

Last year’s Parish Easter Gift - $ 4,278.00 Last year’s Votive Candles - $ 783.00

Easter Sunday Weekend - April 15-16, 2017

Attendance - 1,407

Collection - $ 6,985.00 Parish Easter Gift - $ 622.00 Retired Priests - $ 2,664.00 Good Friday - $ 1,643.00

Food Basket Blessing - $ 496.00 Votive Candles - $ 1,137.00

Last year’s attendance - 1,146

Last year’s collection - $ 6,146.00 Last year’s Retired Priests Collection -

$ 2,382.00 Last year’s Good Friday Collection - $ 1,375.00

Last year’s Food Basket Blessing - $ 307.00 Last year’s Votive Candles - $ 1,065.00

Church Roof Repair: Donations received this week:

NAME AMOUNT

Mrs. Goode $5,000.00 M/M C. Martinez $ 400.00 The cost of the roof repair is $413,000.00. To

date, we have raised $92,064.00

St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry

Our food pantry is in need of the following items: coffee, cereal, canned meats, canned

beans, peanut butter, jelly, and rice.

2017 Annual Catholic Appeal “Live in Faith, Give in Love”

Update as of April 10, 2016:

Goal: $26,854.00

Received to date: $ 6,805.00

We ask every household to consider a pledge to the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA). If you have not yet made a pledge to the Annual Catholic Appeal, envelopes are available in church or at the rectory.

“No gift is too small.”

Generations of Faith Update as of April 17, 2017

Parish Goal: $335,000.00

Pledged Amount: $455,430.00 Paid to date: $112,203.72

Please remember to send in your pledges.

Worldwide Marriage Encounter

“You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.”

Enliven and find more joy in our marriage by attending a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend (WWME). The next WWME Week-ends are September 15 - 17, 2017 in Hunting-ton, NY. For more information, call Richard & Karen Roginski at 877-697-9963 or visit us at https://bg-wwme.org.

50/50 CLUB 50/50 envelopes are in your monthly envelope packet sent to your home. Additional envelopes are available in back of the church. Please feel free to take additional envelopes for neighbors and friends.

Minimum donation is $2.00 Donacion menos $2.00

$2.00 = 1 chance to win

$5.00 = 3 chances to win $10.00 = 6 chances to win

All monies collected will be divided equally 50% to our Parish and 50% to the winner. All pro-ceeds from the 50/50 Club will be put into our Elevator Fund.

Special Request from Antoine Kasandra: This May, Focus Missions and the Sisters will lead a pilgrimage for young women to Fatima in honor of the 100th anniversary. Because of Mother Mary's healing presence in my life, I de-sire to answer her call for peace and healing for this world. She transformed my life to one of service. In fact, I spent 5 years serving both in South Korea and Africa. In order to better min-ister to women and those marginalized, I am joining a Masters program in Divinity at Boston College. Mother Mary transformed my life. I am discerning my vocation to religious life, I hope that this pilgrimage with the Sisters of Life will bring greater clarity. I hope you can participate on this pilgrimage with me by saying yes to being a mission part-ner. I need to raise $3,500 by early May to at-tend. Thus any financial contribution would help me answer this call. Even if you cannot con-tribute at this time, please pray for me. We need prayers for a fruitful and peaceful pilgrim-age. And if I am able to attend, I would like to bring your prayer requests to Our Lady. Hope-fully, you can support me as I say yes to Mother Mary's call for peace and a deeper con-version. I will be at all Masses in the weekend of April 29/30.

BAPTISM

Baptisms are celebrated in English on the last Sunday of the month at 1:30 p.m. and Spanish baptisms are celebrated on the first Saturday of every month. Arrangements must be made at

the rectory in advance. The birth certificate must be presented. Instructions are required for

parents and godparents before Baptism.

MARRIAGES

Arrangements should be made six months in advance. Pre-Cana Conferences are part of

preparation. The website address is: http://www.pre-cana.org/

MINISTRY TO THE SICK

Priests are available anytime. Ministers of the Eucharist can be invited to bring Communion to

the home of the sick.

SCHOOL OF FAITH FORMATION

Wednesday: Pre-Communion and Communion Classes

5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Thursday: Continuing Classes to Confirmation, Pre-

Confirmation and Confirmation 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

PARISH MEMBERSHIP

Please register at the Rectory. Any letters for Sponsorship, Baptism/Confirmation, as well as a letter for Immigration, you must be a regis-

tered member of the Parish.

CHOIR

Meets each Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in Church.

#006099 St. Anthony—St. Alphonsus 862 Manhattan Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11222 718-383-3339 Contact: Christine Bianculli Software Using: Win XP Pro SP2 Publisher 2007 AA9 Transmission Time: Wednesday afternoon Pages Sent: 6 Bulletin for: April 23, 2017 Special Instructions: