Dear Friends,

This is the last in our series of Advent reflections for 2016. Over the past three weeks, we’ve seen that Christmas alters our experience of God by showing that God is with us in our most ordinary moments; that he is there to share his very self with us; that he does this so that we might know that our life purpose is to build with him a world where all of creation is to be renewed. With this final weekend, Christmas shows us how God renews us: from the inside out. He does this, unexpectedly, by entering into what we most dislike about ourselves: our sinful condition.

We usually think of sin as doing bad things, like lying, cheating, being violent, or unfair, or cruel. We think of people like Hitler or Stalin, as the embodiments of sinfulness. Sins are actions that individuals do to harm others.

While that’s not wrong, it doesn’t fully capture what the Bible equates with sinfulness. There, sinfulness is more a condition than an action. Acts are sinful when they flow from the condition that is sinful. What is that condition? It’s something we share with each other. We reinforce in one another the fear that we’re alone, unloved, insignificant and without purpose or meaning.

When we believe this bad news, we fall into idolatry. Out of our fear, we end up creating a version of meaning that is incomplete. We give exaggerated importance to needs that then become the gods of the social order we create: power, status, money, security, and intimacy. There’s nothing wrong with such needs in themselves.

However, through advertising, social media, and mass media, we come to believe that our lives can’t be fulfilled without them. We then find that we live with others more for our good than for theirs. We’re encouraged to compete with each other over them. We end up making the needs more important than the call of God to be of

service to others and to his creation. We worship them instead of the true God.

St. Matthew tells us this in Sunday’s gospel. Joseph knew the social significance of both the Mosaic Law and of being married. He found these expectations shattered when Mary became pregnant without him. He tried to walk a fine line between the two: his security as an Israelite by being true to the Law and his emotional ties to Mary.

He was in turmoil, pulled in two directions by conditions not of his making. Where did his allegiance lie? Whom should he serve - the Law or Mary? This was the meaning of the sinful situation for Joseph, and for us - the social expectations (the gods of order) demand allegiance. In this instance, some of them were in conflict. Yet, they both would exact a price for disobedience.

That’s what makes Joseph’s dream so important. In it, he found God in the midst of his struggle, not apart from it. He was not alone. In effect, Joseph was asked to reach beyond what was familiar, to let go of his attachments to what he knew about life and have faith in God’s call to something new.

The child to be born would join us all in our struggles with the false gods of our cultures. Through Jesus, God would give humanity the opportunity to share divine power, to enable us “to love Him above all and to love our neighbor as ourselves.” He would be for us, not against us, to save his people, and all people, from their sins by being Immanuel, God with us, until the end of time...and beyond.

We can experience this now, this Advent, as Christ comes into our lives. Take a moment to share with him your struggle with the gods of our culture. Let go and let him carry with you the burden of the needs that dominate you. Shut off the TV. Spend time with the one who “became sin to save us from our sins.” Now that’s a different experience of God!

Love,

Fr. Joe

Worship… Called and formed by the Word of God, we

worship our Lord primarily in the Mass. The Eucharist is the

center of our Christian life. It grounds everything else we do,

from prayer to our daily tasks to our ministries. If you have any

comments, please feel free to contact any of the following

Pastoral Council Representatives: Fr. Colin Kay, Deacon

Rich McGarry and Michael Kohler.

Pray for the recovery of: George Geissner, Jennifer Crespo, Marg Daleo, Emma Weidner, Jim Wrynn, Jimmy O’Hanlon, Patricia Sisti, Albert Gravel, Sally Morris, Richie Oetting Jr., Margaret Hoether, Janet Sheahan, Edna Tuchler, David Guerra, Jessica Pavoni, Debbie Carlotti, Jake Rudd, Stephanie Zoccoli, John Bohlig, Baby McKinley Kelleher, Cynthia Pensabene, Kathleen Bueschen, Jayden J. Miranda, Baby Hudson Brozyna, Tommy Killeen, Pauline McCarthy, Patrice Foster, Frank Barone, Michael Reyes, Michelle Seymour, Frank Morano, Sr., Bill Keegan, Richard Kennelley, Julie Zinzi, Charles Cummins, Veronica Reichert, Robert O’Byrne, Julia Fedorchik, Jillda DiNardo, Marie Brancato, Dylan Ochanski, Helen Konarski, Sharon Breheny, Mary Ludlow, Timothy Dolan, Manny Chirico, Margaret Chirico, Facundo Daniel, Nicki Conaway, Ray Hofmeister, Jason & Justin Leider, Kevin Barnett, Dianna Miranda, Brandon Higgens, Ann Millstein, Carol Gravel, Wendy Gratale, Richie Policastro, Jackie Manning, Stanislaw Tecza, Jean Calabrase, Louis Frances, Jarret Adamo, Matthew McGovern, Sarah Valenti, Stan Tomon, Violeta Arva, Ken Macagna, Todd Hodge, Vickie DePadova, Emily Rao, John Rao, Carol Verbovsky, Kenneth Bodzak, Janice Ward, Anne Llewellyn, Amy Joosten Butler, Les Wolf, Gary Beal, Diana Lambouras, Thomas Brown, Mary Ann Cavana, Nicole Schepps, John Falcone, Elise Bord, Vicki Purpura, Liz Morano, Baby Regan Doyle, John Cooney, Brenda Reef, Mary Garripoli, Kenneth Michael Bodzak, Kelly Ann Ross, Kay McAteer, Michael T., Mildred Adamo, Patricia Salvi, Aliysha Malone, Peter Mastrangelo and Olga Marino.

†Pray for the happy repose of † Georgette Tortorici, Teresita Lapid, Dale Hallion,

Josephine Hetcko and Howard Wilkes

The Bread and Wine will be offered this week in loving memory of Lee Pensac as requested by his family.

The Altar Candles will burn this week in loving memory of Michael & Harriett Fochi as requested by their family. The Sanctuary Lamp will burn this week in loving memory of Lee Pensac as requested by his family.

Monday, December 19th

7:30 – Esther Carnevale – Kristin Finnegan Alfred Fusaro – Family Anne Bogues – Tom & Bridie 8:45 – Anthony Tantillo – Mom Patrice Foster (Living) – Pat Muse Maggie Crowley – Angela Palmeri

Tuesday, December 20th

7:30 – Marion Garvey – Rita Marion Elizabeth Polifron – Family Peter Britz – Lillian & Peter Britz 8:45 - Edward Niemiec – Wife Frank Amalfitano (Living) – Family Halina Pasmonde – Genevieve Paulhus

Wednesday, December 21st

7:30 – John Abate – Abate Family Allan Reduce – Abate Family Anne Bogues – Tom & Bridie 8:45 - Frank & Frances Hlava – Family Joseph Petrullo & William Sheeler – Peter & Lillian Britz Carol Crosson – Jim & Family

Thursday, December 22nd

7:30 - Kevin Escorcia – Family Lisa Thornberry - Paul 8:45 - Danny Sullivan – Peggy Sullivan John Croker – Wife Gerhardt & Margaret Schneider– Bobbie Protano

Friday, December 23rd

7:30 – Steve Amato – Mom Jason Dawson – Stack-Makoe Families John & Anna Zboray - Son 8:45 - Sam Hansen – Perry & Pina Michael Setteducato – Family Deborah DiMauro - Mom

Saturday, December 24th

8:45 – William Fowler – Wife Maria Gorete Goncalves – Family Josephine & Jack Quartarone – Family Carol Crosson – Family 4:00 – People of 6:00 - Saint Anne 10:00 - Parish

Sunday, December 25th

8:00 – People of 10:00 – Saint Anne 12:00 – Parish

Let us pray for those in our armed forces especially

for: Cpl Bobby Cimmino, USMC; PFC Richard

Marchese, US Army; Pvt. John Pagios, US Army; Pvt.

Kristoffer Burger, US Army; SPCE4 Kyle Milnes, US

Army; PO 2nd Cl Jimmy Guerra, US Navy, PO 1st Cl

Nicholas J. Vanni, US Navy; Major Gregory Sugalski,

US Army; MM2 Nicholas J. Magarelli, USN, Master

Sgt. Michael VanPamel, USAF; Sgt. Michael Bourke,

US Army; PFC Lindsay Newarski, US Army; Staff

Sgt.. Matthew Bauer, USAF; Brandon Motto, USMC;

Lt. Marc Sabatino, USN; LCPL Storm Odom, USMC;

Airman Michael Diffin, USAF; CPL Justin Scales,

USMC; LCPL Dominick Rizzo, USMC; PFC Jonathan

C. Sulinski, Warrant Officer Alan Harty, US Army;

Sgt. Bert J. Frullo, US Army; LCPL. Harrison James

Bruining, USMC; LCPL Steven D’Argenio, USMC;

Capt. Kip Rainey; SP4 Monica Saucier, US Army;

Spec. 4 Brian Tarantino, US Army; PO 1st Cl. Mike

Tarantino, USN; Lt. Col. Marshall Denney; Lance

Corp. Marshall Denney IV; Col. Patrick Frank; Capt.

Daniel Curtin, US Army; Staff Sgt. Joseph Sullivan,

USMC; A1C Richard Baldassari, USAF; Capt.

Donald Pump, USMC; and all those serving in Iraq

and Afghanistan.

ALTERNATIVE TO ABORTION If you know

someone who is considering having an abortion,

here is a number they might call that could be of

help to them to consider an alternative to this

practice. The number is 1-800-395-HELP (4357).

For the month of December, Pope Francis asks us to pray ...that the scandal of child-soldiers may be eliminated the world over.

BACK TO OUR ROOTS BTOR will NOT meet this week.

The next meeting for BTOR will be January 12th.

Women’s Cornerstone is hosting a book chat on

Saturday Morning, February 25, 2017 If you want to get a head start,

The book is titled: The Art of Hearing Heartbeats

By Jan-Phillipp Sendker

REFLECTION THE HOLY ONE Denise Levertov

“The Holy One, blessed be he, wanders again,

said Jacob, He is wandering and looks for a

place where he can rest.”

Between the pages

a wren’s feather

to mark what passage?

Blood, not dry,

Beaded scarlet on dusty stones.

A look of wonder

barely perceived on a turning face –

what, who had they seen?

Traces.

Here’s the cold inn,

the wanderer passed it by

searching once more

for a stable’s warmth,

a birthplace.

STEWARDSHIP REFLECTIONS

4th Sunday of Advent “When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the

Lord had commanded him and took his wife into

his home.” (Matthew 1:24)

Putting our complete trust in the Lord without expecting anything in return. Striving to put God first in all things and follow Him wherever He may lead us. As we prepare for the birth of our Lord, pray for the strength and courage to be a model of discipleship, just as Joseph was.

Bethlehem? Nazareth?

Jerusalem? Come walk where Jesus, Mary and

Joseph walked.

A pilgrimage to the Holy Land

November 4-13, 2017

with Father Colin

Brochures available at the rectory.

Word… St. Anne’s is a family of faith formed by the Word of God, especially as this is expressed in the person of Christ, in the

Scriptures, and in the Tradition of the Church. As we hear this word and take it more and more deeply into our lives, we become ever

more truly the People of God. If you have any comments, please feel free to contact any of the following Pastoral Council

Representatives: Donna Stickna, John Hill, Melissa Rovetto-Ruffner & Marianne Cummins .

SAINT ANNE SCHOOL NEWS

“I've been at St. Anne School for nine years and what I like most is that the teachers make learning fun and simple. My school is really friendly. I also like the many activities we do in and out of school like the S.T.E.M. Fair, class trips, and the events during Catholic Schools Week. If you don't understand something in class, there are teachers who can help and guide you. My teachers are helpful and funny. I am now in my last year at St. Anne School and I have many good memories with my friends, the teachers and the staff.” Ricky Garcia

www.stannenj.com Follow us ….@StAnneFairLawn

FAITH FORMATION NEWS

FALL FAITH NEWS - December Sunday/Tuesday Faith schedule:

Sunday Faith: classes meet December 18; no classes December 25 & January 1

Tuesday Faith: no classes December 20 & 27; classes resume January 3.

CONFIRMATION NEWS - January schedule:

January 8 & 22 @ 7pm, school (enter through door #4). Bring your book!!

FIRST RECONCILIATION - All completed Reconciliation books were due on the Faith Formation Office

on December 1. Please submit your child’s completed book now.

OUR CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS TREE IS UP!! It can be found in the St. Anthony shrine. This year, we are asking the children to hang new socks on the tree—socks for men, women, & children. The socks will be distributed to the Food Pantry clients. Thanks in advance!

Service… Impelled by the Spirit of Jesus, St. Anne’s strives to reach out to others. In works on behalf of justice, charity, and human development,

we seek to imitate Jesus in bringing glad tidings to the poor, liberty to the oppressed and captives, and healing to the blind and the sick.

If you have any comments, please feel free to contact Fr. Joe or Fr. Colin.

FROM THE OFFICE OF HUMAN CONCERNS

FOOD PANTRY NEEDS: ITEMS MOST NEEDED: PEANUT BUTTER, JELLY, CANNED

VEGETABLES, CANNED FRUIT AND TOILET PAPER. Instant potatoes, pasta, pasta sauce, white rice

(small bags), small packets of instant dry milk, soup, mayo, sugar, jello or pudding mix, coffee, pancake mix,

syrup, cookies, healthy snacks, cake mix, icing, deodorant, facial soap, shampoo & conditioner, tooth paste,

tooth brushes, paper towels, saran wrap, baggies, dish soap, laundry detergent and house cleaning products.

Please donate the brown paper bags you get from the supermarket. We are in need of these bags! Even though

we ask the supermarkets for donations, they are very hard to get from them!

Please check the dates on your donations prior to donating them. We do not hand out expired food. You can

drop off food anytime at the rectory. Check out the Dollar Stores for dollar deals.

Our pantry clients come in all through December to pick up their monthly food packages as well as their giving

tree packages. Please do not drop clothes, books, baby items, household items off at the rectory without checking

with Michelle at ext. 217 first.

ST. CAJETAN MINISTRY for the Unemployed & Under-employed

We meet every two weeks as follows: St. Catharine’s Ministry Center - next meeting: Thursday, Dec. 29th - first floor meeting room 7-9PM and at St. Anne’s Rectory on Saturday, Dec. 31st - from 10am-12 noon. If you think you may be interested please contact Ed Grzesiak 201-321-5144, John Lederer 201-286-9354, Lou Cuomo 201-657-3838, Eamon Jennings, 917-841-2558, Steve Zmuda 201-819-9026, Jim Trousdale 917-363-9977 or Joe Bonis 201-390-7169. You can also email us at stcajetan@stannefairlawnnj.org

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY FEATURING THE ALAN QUINN ORCHESTRA

AT ST. ANN’S KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

When: December 31, 2016 8pm – 1am

Cost: $85 per person

Includes: full open bar, white glove butler pass hors d'oeuvres, formal buffet dinner, music, dancing & more

Where: Knights of Columbus Hall 16-16 Maple Ave, Fair Lawn

Deadline: Reserve by 12/22

Contact: Frank Sylvester 201-966-5433 Please make checks payable to St. Ann’s K of C #2853.

No Refunds…No Walk Ins!

The choirs of St. Anne Church…..

will present our 27th Annual Christmas Concert “God Is With Us”,

this Sunday, December 18th

at 5:00 pm in the Church. The concert will feature the combined voices, more than one hundred strong, of the adult, children’s, contemporary and festival choirs singing traditional carols and new selections with orchestral accompaniment. Come, add your voice to the over 100 voices of St. Anne’s Choirs and celebrate the spirit of the season!

ANGEL BREAD!

Many families observe the centuries-old home tradition of OPLATKI, which means “angel bread.” These wafers are broken and shared among the members of the family as a sign of love and unity. Envelopes of Christmas Oplatki are available in the rectory.

ST. ANNE PARISH GIVING TREE

The time has come to say….. THANKS TO ALL!!

You have no idea how many people you have touched with your

glorious gifts that are filled with joy and love.

Our team of workers are the best elves…selfless with the amount of time and energy they have

donated. Their dedication to making sure that the right gifts went into the correct families’ very

large black bags, is unsurpassed. That is a chore that sounds simple, but it really is not an easy

task.

Thanks again and God bless you all.

Have a blessed Christmas and healthy New Year!

Community… Formed by the Word and by the Eucharist, St. Anne’s builds

community in the ways that we live and work and celebrate

together. In these ways, we experience the living presence of

Christ. If you have any comments, please feel free to contact

any of the following Pastoral Council Representatives:

Junie Fuertes, Laurie Hessman, Joe Murray, Joan Piela,

Stephanie Kedersha, Joe Barone and Terence Curley

EVENTS FOR THIS WEEK Sunday, December 18th Faith Formation – 10:45 am – 12:15 pm – SCH Parish Christmas Concert – 5:00 pm - C Monday, December 19th Seculars – 7:00 pm – CH RCIA – 7:00 – 8:30 pm - CR Choir – 7:30 pm - C AA – 7:30 pm – LCR Tuesday, December 20th Men’s Group – 6:00 am – FC Wednesday, December 21st Play Group – 9:30 – 11:00 am – CH Simban Gambi – 7:00 pm - C Thursday, December 22nd

Family Choir – 4:15-5:15 pm – C Cub Scouts – 6:30 – 8:30 pm – CAF/CR Adult Choir – 7:30 pm - C Friday, December 23rd

Saturday, December 24th AA – 7:30 – 8:30 pm – CAF

Are you a stay-at-home mom or dad of children age 5 and under? Or perhaps you care for your

grandchildren during the week? If so, come join us for our weekly Play Group this Wednesday, December 21st from 9:30-11:00 am for about 90 minutes in the Church Hall. For more information, please contact Ali Curley at 201-693-3474.

HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS - This holiday season, there will be a number of changes to the office hours here at the Rectory. This applies to times that the front desk is staffed for Mass cards, info., etc. Priests are always available for emergencies, and can be reached by calling the Rectory number (201-791-1616).

Fri., Dec. 23rd – will be open 9 am – 1 pm Sat., Dec. 24th thru Mon., Dec. 26th – CLOSED Fri., Dec. 30th – will be open 9 am – 1 pm Sat., Dec. 31st thru Mon., Jan. 2nd - CLOSED

2016 ADVENT/CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE

Sunday, December 18th Christmas Concert 5:00 pm

(No 6:00 pm Mass)

Saturday, December 24th **4:00 pm – Family Choir** **6:00 pm – Adult Choir**

10:00 pm - Solemn Mass

Sunday, December 25th Christmas Day

8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 Noon

Saturday, December 31st

Vigil of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God 5:15 pm

Sunday, January 1st Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

8:00 am and 10:00 am

The St. Anne's Senior Club The 2017 year will begin with a meeting on January 9 at 1 pm in the Church Hall. Members are $20. If you would like to join the Senior Club, please call Lucy at 201-791-3440. Activities for the year will include hot lunches, bus rides to Atlantic City and interesting speakers. Please attend a meeting to see if you would like to join. Meetings are the second and fourth Mondays of the Month. May everyone have a Blessed Christmas and a healthy New Year.

Finance/Administration… A Christian community strives to steward its resources so that they can provide the material by which its various ministries can reflect the

parish’s mission to reflect Christ’s presence in all that we do and say. Finance Committee Members: Ed Hughes, Bill Ball, Sally

Quinn, Sheila Abate, Ed Trawinski, Loretta Stachiotti, Kristie Bednarz, Karen Gillies, Steve Palermo and Jerry Cunningham.

Buildings/Grounds: Carl Shoemaker, Dave Lee, Kate Humble, and Steve Zmuda.

We are grateful to the 1,630 people who worshipped with us last weekend and contributed $12,744.00 in the offertory and $2,107.00 through Online Giving offertory, which along with

other fees and donations, totaled $19,833.00. Our weekly expenses average out to $20,348.00.

Heating & Air Conditioning ~ Everyone knows that there are some months in which our electricity bill or heating bill is higher than

others. Well, it’s the same with the Church. As you know, we use an additional way of paying for our extra

energy months. In the back of the church each Sunday you will find separate ENERGY envelopes. If you should

happen to hit the jackpot that week, and wish to throw a dollar or two in that envelope, we’d greatly appreciate

it! You can throw these special envelopes right in the collection with your regular envelope. The energy

envelopes will not be mailed to you. They will simply be in the back of the church, so if you don’t spot them, be

sure to ask the ushers at your Mass. Thanks so much. And special thanks to those who have already been doing it

regularly. It makes a difference!!!

Online Giving…

You have the opportunity to make donations to our Sunday collection online! To sign up, go to the St. Anne website – www.stannefairlawnnj.org

There are several ways to access the system: 1. Underneath the scrolling slideshow on the home page, on the bottom right-hand corner, you will see a

light blue icon with a $ sign. Click that icon to go directly to the system.

OR

2. From the homepage, check the left-hand menu options. The second to last menu option says

“envelopes & online giving.” Click that link, and a page with various giving options will appear. Select the

Online Giving option to be taken directly to the system.

Once you are taken to the new site, click on the section that says Create New Account. Next you will see New User Account Registration. Fill out the form and click “submit.”

When you are enrolled, you can go into Manage My Account, where you will see My Payment Methods. Here you can choose to have the funds deducted from your checking or bank account (you will need your routing and account numbers on hand). Under Manage My Account, you will also see Give a New Gift. There you will decide when and how much to give. (In the list, Offertory Collection means the Sunday collection.) You can select recurring or one time gifts. You also have the option to access all the other special envelopes you would normally find in your envelope packet and which are generally one-time donations.

Each time you go to Mass, get a card that says “I have made my donation online” and put it in the collection when the usher comes around. Thanks so much for giving online!