Dear Friends,

Advent is here! The word itself speaks to us of the coming of Christ. Is this about Christmas coming next? Yes and no. Yes, because that’s what the focus of these next four weeks is all about - getting us ready for a holiday of family and friends, giving and receiving. No, because preparing for Christmas isn’t just a holiday. It’s a holyday! Do you know what happened? The Google spell check didn’t recognize holyday as a word! It’s gone from our culture. We’re losing what it means to focus on what is holy. This is what the reading from Matthew’s gospel wants us to notice. In it, Jesus warned those listening to him that the coming of the Son would not be recognized: “As in the days of Noah, before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until Noah entered the ark and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away.” Now this isn’t just about doomsday. The doom isn’t just about the end of the world. It’s also about the disastrous effect this ignorance has on our daily lives right now. What is the disaster? Notice, these people weren’t doing anything evil. They were like us. They were simply living their daily lives! The disaster was that they were meant for so much more. They were meant for a deeper and better life and they missed that entirely...and so do we.

What makes this a disaster is that without a sense of the holy in our lives, we become less human. That was the problem in Noah’s day. God saw that people were destroying themselves and the rest of creation. He had to do something to save his beloved world. The reason the Bible gives is that humanity had lost its center, its sense of the holy. It had forgotten its higher calling to be the Creator’s stewards of his creation. Humanity had made itself its own center and we are just too small, in the scheme of things, to hold that center steady. That’s why Advent is more important than preparing for a holiday. So, this weekend, the First Week of Advent, we’ll start a Preaching Series, entitled “What Does Christmas Do To God?” The holyday of Christmas, the birth of the Son as the little infant Jesus, changed how human beings experienced God. One of the things this did to God is that it changed how we find him. In the midst of an ordinary human conception, gestation, and birth, God made himself known to us. This means that he continues to make himself known to us in the midst of our ordinary lives. The Son is still coming! We need to heed Jesus’ call to stay awake to the ordinary. So, a Jewish surgeon prays the Prayer of Purification as he washes his hands before an operation. St. Therese asked the Lord to help her wash the dishes carefully and thoroughly. What daily task do we do so mindlessly that we miss a chance be alert to Christ’s call to care? Christmas changes how we worship. It calls us to see the holy in the ordinary. This way we won’t get so caught up in our projects that we miss our calling to worship God who really is everywhere. 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: Carmelo Seragusa, Jim Wrynn, Howard Wilkes, 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 Fedourchik, 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 † Maria Granata and Fanny Achtau

The Bread and Wine will be offered this week in loving memory of Joseph & Ilona Magyar as requested by family of Montepara

& Magyar.

The Altar Candles will burn this week in loving memory of Marie & Louis Disco as requested by Joy. The Sanctuary Lamp will burn this week in loving memory of James Molphy as requested by his daughter.

Monday, November 28th

7:30 – George & Anna Rafferty – Niece, Mildred Placa Sal Graniero - Family 8:45 – Jeannie & Don Barnett (Living) – Ladies of 8:45 Mass Lorrie Walther – Peggy Dalton Kristen Casanova – Peggy Dalton

Tuesday, November 29th

7:30 – Thanksgiving to Infant Jesus of Prague – Mark Patricia Larger – Mildred Placa 8:45 - Kristen Casanova – Emily Fusaro Grace Avanzato – Sam & Lucy DePadova

Wednesday, November 30th

7:30 – John & Catherine O’Halloran – Granddaughter, Mildred Placa Carmelita Merino – Deacon JC Merino 8:45 - Grace Avanzato – Lucy Fassak Estela Slowey – Ralph & Barbara Rudnick

Thursday, December 1st

7:30 - Kristen Casanova – Peggy Morandi Jean Hixenbaugh – Peggy Morandi Jack O’Neil – Peggy Morandi 8:45 – Gloria A. Olson – John Frick Lilio Fe Alpuerto – Teresa Dee

Friday, December 2nd

7:30 – John & Maria Wlazlo – Daughter Thanksgiving to St. Anthony – Mark Margaret Raucci “6

th Anniv.” - Family

8:45 - Gloria Olsen – Jim & Diane Whalen Dorothy Pyryt (Living) – A Friend

Saturday, December 3rd

8:45 – Edward Bender – Wife, Barbara Cathy Burke-Dooley – Dalton Family Holland & McCarthy Families – Dan & Joan 5:15 – Marie & Louis Disco – Joy Giovanni Parisi – The Ferrara Family Patricia Guinan – The Massone Family Dennis Patrick Quinn – Alan, Joe & Monroe

Sunday, December 4th

7:30 – Alfred & Carmela Marinelli – Frank Marinelli Harold Vogel – Wife Jeannie Marie Warkala – DiCosmo Family 9:30– James P. Whalen – Chevrier Family Gabrielle Arcangeli – Kitty & Maryann Tom Bostley – Eileen Margaret Crowley – Scott & Laure Osback Dolores Balmaceda – Sobha Palatty 11:30 – Francisco Diaz – Daughter, Claudia Charlotte & John Kearney – Family Bob Morris – Diana & Joe Torregrossa Maria Soto – Miriam & Jose Lopez-Isa 6:00 pm – People of St. Anne’s 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).

During November, Pope Francis asks us to pray especially …that the countries which take in a great number of displaced persons and refugees may find solid support for their efforts.

BACK TO OUR ROOTS BTOR will NOT meet this week!

We will meet again on Thursday, December 15th from 1:00-2:00 pm in the Faith Center.

All are welcome!!

The photos that were placed in the sanctuary, at the altar of Saint Joseph, for the All Souls Mass can now be picked up in the Rectory during regular hours!

REFLECTION The World I Live In Mary Oliver

I have refused to live

locked in the orderly house of

reasons and proofs.

The world I live in and believe in

is wider than that. And anyway,

What’s wrong with Maybe?

You wouldn’t believe what once or

twice I have seen. I’ll just

tell you this:

only if there are angels in your head will you

ever, possibly, see one.

STEWARDSHIP REFLECTIONS

1st Sunday of Advent

“For you do not know on which day your

Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42)

People who have had health issues or near-death experiences generally have a greater appreciation for each day being a gift from God. The rest of us usually take for granted that we will be around tomorrow. But when you start to look at each day as a gift, you realize all the little miracles that happen daily and grow in gratitude for all that we have been given.

Eucharist Adoration

Friday, December 2nd 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Concluding with Benediction at 6:00 pm. Please volunteer to pray

one hour before our Lord. Sign-up sheet in the church vestibule.

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 Family Fun Nights – The Class of 2017 is sponsor Family Fun Nights on Monday,November 28th and Tuesday, November 29th at Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza at the Promenade in Fair Lawn. 20% of tracked dine-in and carry out sales will be donated to the Class of 2017. Be sure to tell your server you are dining to Support St. Anne School Class of 2017!!!

“I'm a new student at St. Anne's and I feel very welcome. It's great here. I came in as an eighth grader which was very hard for me. My classmates welcomed me in and included me in things. The education is very well taught. My favorite subjects here are math, language arts, literature, and history. I feel like I'm going to be well prepared for high school. St. Anne's has given me a home.” Oliver Cruz

www.stannenj.com Follow us ….@StAnneFairLawn

FAITH FORMATION NEWS

FALL FAITH NEWS - November Sunday/Tuesday Faith schedule:

Sunday Faith: no classes November 27; classes resume December 4

Tuesday Faith: classes meet November 29

CONFIRMATION NEWS - Attention NEW candidates: Our 1st session is Sunday, December 4 @ 7pm in the

Church Hall! Watch for an email with more Confirmation prep info.

HOME STUDY: UPCOMING SESSION - Home Study 3 will meet Tuesday, November 29 in the school

cafeteria at 7pm (enter door #5, back parking lot next to playground).

Our service project will be a glove & mitten drive for the children of OASIS in Paterson. Please bring a NEW

pair of children’s mittens or gloves to the session.

SUMMER FAITH: ADVENT - The Summer Faith Advent Return session is Sunday, December 11 in the

Church Hall from 10:30-11:30a (immediately following the 9:30 Family Mass). Families that signed up for the

Advent Return session will receive an info email.

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

Many of our shelves are still empty. Please remember us when doing your food shopping and drop off a can or

two of nonperishable food at the rectory. Most of all, remember us in your prayers so we can continue to do our

job with your blessings.

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. Pick up dates begin December 8th

and go on until December 19th

.

Please do not drop clothes, books, baby items, house hold items off at the rectory without checking with

Michelle at ext. 217 first.

Harrison House Feeding Program:

We have openings for Harrison House feeding program: once a month during 2017. Available dates are

2/19, 3/19, 4/16 (Easter), 5/21, 6/18 (Father’s Day), 7/16, 8/20, 9/17,10/15, 11/19 and 12/17. This is a great

family project. It is also a good Confirmation service hour project. Your family would have to shop, cook and

deliver a prepared meal to the seven people who reside at Harrison House in Paramus, a 20 minute ride, located

on the grounds of Bergen Regional Medical Center. The menu suggestions and directions to Harrison House

will be emailed to you 2 weeks before the date you signed up for. Hope you will join us and be a member of this

giving community. Call Michelle at 201-791-1616 ext.217. Leave a message with name, date and telephone #.

God bless you and yours…Shalom

ST. CAJETAN MINISTRY for the Unemployed & Under-employed

We meet every two weeks as follows: St. Catharine’s Ministry Center - next meeting: Thursday, Dec. 1st - first floor meeting room 7-9PM and at St. Anne’s Rectory on Saturday, Dec. 3rd - 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

ST. ANNE PARISH GIVING TREE

TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

WE ARE AWAITING GIFTS THAT HAVE

NOT YET BEEN RETURNED. WE STILL HAVE TO SORT AND BAG

THE GIFTS IN THE RIGHT FAMILY BAG. PLEASE GET THOSE

GIFTS TO THE RECTORY ASAP SO SANTA CAN PROVIDE A

WONDERFUL AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS FOR ALL.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR

CONTINUED SUPPORT AND GENEROSITY.

GOD SAW EVERYTHING THAT HE HAD MADE, AND INDEED, IT WAS GOOD.

(Genesis 1:31)

God's creation is in crisis, and we, the stewards of His creation, must act NOW...before it's too late...for us and for future generations.

Join us on the evening of Wednesday, November 30th at 7:00 PM in the Church Hall to view and discuss the award-winning documentary,

An Inconvenient Truth, narrated by Al Gore. The evening's program will be presented by the Social Justice Team from St. Mary's in Pompton Lakes.

Don't miss this opportunity to raise your awareness about global warming and the imminent disaster facing our planet.

SEE YOU THERE!

The choirs of St. Anne Church…..

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

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, Peggy Long, Joe Murray, Joan Piela,

Stephanie Kedersha, Joe Barone and Terence Curley

EVENTS FOR THIS WEEK Sunday, November 27th Monday, November 28th Seniors Meeting – 1:00 pm - CH Choir – 7:30 pm - C AA – 7:30 pm – LCR

Tuesday, November 29th Men’s Group – 6:00 am – FC Faith Formation – 4:00–5:15 PM-CAF/SCH/CH Home Study – 7:00 pm – SCH/CAF Choir – 7:30 pm - C Wednesday, November 30th Play Group – 9:30 – 11:00 am – CH Bible Study – 7:00 pm - FC An Inconvenient Truth – 7:00 pm - CH Thursday, December 1st

Parent Teacher Conf. – SCH Cub Scouts – 6:30 – 8:30 pm – CH/CAF Friday, December 2nd Eucharist Adoration – 12:00 – 6:00 pm – C BOLD Middle – 7:00 pm - CH Saturday, December 3rd FAAFL – 7:00 pm - CH 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 7th 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.

Rosary News

Our next meeting is December 6th at 6:00 p.m. We

will be celebrating our Christmas Party which will

be held in the Church Hall. We are serving a hot

buffet meal. BYOB if you’d like! Tickets are

$15.00. Don’t forget to bring a dozen cookies for

our homebound Rosarians. We will be placing them

in tins and delivering them to their homes.

Eucharistic Adoration will be December 2nd from

12:00 until 6:00 p.m. Sign up sheets will be in the

back of the church.

DIVINE MERCY FILM We are proud to announce that a new Knights of Columbus-produced documentary film on Divine Mercy is airing across the country on ABC-affiliated stations. Narrated by actor Jim Caviezel, The Face of Mercy explores the history and relevance of Divine Mercy by exploring the powerful visions of a merciful God revealed to St. Faustina, the key role played by Pope John Paul II who propelled the message of Divine Mercy onto the world stage, and the Year of Mercy bestowed upon the Church by Pope Francis. Filmed in stunning 4K and seamlessly weaving together theology and history with modern testimonials and visual effects, this stirring film creates a remarkable tapestry of what constitutes the face of mercy in our modern world. For more information about the film, including broadcast times and the DVD release, visit faceofmercyfilm.com This will be shown locally on Sunday November 27, 2016 @ 5 am.

CHRISTMAS CRAFT SHOW - On Sun., Dec. 4th,

St. Joseph Regional HS in Montvale will be hosting its

annual Christmas Craft Show from 10 am-4 pm,

showcasing the talents of over 125 juried crafts people

and fine artists. Admission is $2.00. Children and senior

citizens (65+) are free. NO STROLLERS PERMITTED.

www.saintjosephregional.org

7th Annual

Bagel Breakfast with Santa Hosted by St. Anne Church Family Ministry

There will be music, food, crafts and lots of photo opportunities!

Don’t forget your camera!

When: Saturday, December 10, 2016

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Where: St. Anne Church Hall

Cost: $15 per family – 1 child

$20 per family – 2 or more children

You can register one of two ways: drop off payment at the Rectory using the bottom

of this form, or send your payment by mail using this form to address listed below.

Payment is due no later than Tuesday, December 6th.

Due to high levels of interest, payments received after that date will not guarantee your

family’s inclusion. No payments will be accepted at the door.

Call Laurie Hessman for more information: (201)791-1616 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adult name for check-in: _________________________________________________________

Email Address: ________________________________________________________________

Phone: _______________________________________________________________________

# of Attendees: ______adults ______children under 13 (important for chair, food and craft count)

I need a gluten free option for ______adults ______children under 13

Total payment ($15 or $20): ___________________

Make checks payable to: St. Anne Church

Please send payment (cash or check) to: St. Anne Rectory, Attn: Santa Breakfast

15-05 Saint Anne Street, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410

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.

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!