St. Vincent de Paul Parish 555 Yardville Allentown Road

Yardville, NJ 08620 Rectory: 609-585-6470 Fax: 609-585-0137 Rel. Ed. Bldg.: 609-585-5484

Email: rectory@svdpnj.org The Parish website is: www.svdpnj.org for all ministry updates as well as changes due to inclement weather. The Rectory Office is open Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Closed on Mondays.

MARCH 11, 2018 FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT

MASSES: Saturday Morning: 9:00 AM Sunday Vigil: Saturday evening at 4:00 PM Sunday Masses: 7:30, 9:00, 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM Eve of Holy Days: 7:00 PM Holy Days: 12:00 noon and 7:00 PM Weekdays: 8:30 AM except Wednesdays at 4:00 PM

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION & DELIVERANCE MINISTRY : Every First Friday evening in the Church from 6:00 to 9:00 PM CONFESSIONS: Saturday: 3:00 to 3:45 PM Sunday: 8:00 PM

DEVOTIONS: Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal after the 9:00 AM Saturday Mass. Rosary & Divine Mercy Chaplet in Rel. Ed. Building

every Friday at 3:00 PM During Lent - Stations of the Cross every Friday at 7:00 PM.

BAPTISMS: Every third Sunday at 1:00 PM Arrangements must be made in advance at the Rectory by the father or mother of the child.

MARRIAGES: Arrangements are to be made at least one year in advance at the Rectory.

SICK CALLS: Arrangements can be made at the Rectory to have a priest call on the patient.

PARISH MEMBERSHIP: We welcome new members to St. Vincent de Paul Parish and request you register as soon as possible. Sincere membership is determined by registration, faithful participation at Mass and sharing of one’s time, talent and resources with this community of faith. The parish cannot issue certification of eligibility for sacramental sponsorship if a person is not an active parishioner. The celebration of Mass for funerals and weddings is also a privilege reserved for parishioners who participate at Mass faithfully.

REV. STANLEY KRZYSTON, Pastor Rev. Rogatus Mpeka, Parochial Vicar Rev. Adam Midor, Priest in Residence

Johanna Kraemer, CRE Alice Kaczorek, President, SVDP Society (571-0934)

Patricia Peck, Parish Administrator Mariette Fernandes, Coordination Ministry

Michele Cuiule, Parish Secretary Thank you to all our volunteer office staff

for your sacrifice and service!

“Let all things be done with charity.” ~ St. Vincent de Paul

First Sunday of Advent

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MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 8:30 AM MARK RODGERS Req. Enrica Pirone TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 8:30 AM FRANCIS DOYLE Req. The Dan Doyle & Lisa Wuerch Families WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 2018 4:00 PM PATRICIA CARDUCCI Req. Louise & Mike Lettiere THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2018 8:30 AM PHIL GENTILI Req. Wife, Connie FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018 8:30 AM DECEASED MEMBERS OF ST. VINCENT’S PARISH SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2018 9:00 AM CHRIS KOZICZ Req. Friends 4:00 PM MARIA RITA VANOZZI Req. Lori McDonald & Family SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2018 7:30 AM CLAUD YARDBOROUGH Req. Jim Sincoskie 9:00 AM FRANCIS DOYLE Req. Art & Sue Bryce 11:00 AM JOHN GIAMBRONE Req. Wife & Children 7:00 PM EILEEN HALLER Req. Brigitte Formolo

The Sanctuary Candle burns for a deeper sense of gratitude to God for His mercy, patience and love.

A NOTE FROM FATHER STAN Dear Parishioners, This is a letter that the local newspaper was unable to print a couple of years ago. It must have been too religiously and politically incorrect:

I would like to offer a friendly reminder to the writer of “Welcome at church’s table?”, October 23, 2014, concerning his critical question: “How do I treat a sinner?” The simple process of how to treat a sinner goes like this: first you gently note that the person seems involved in a life of sin. The sin could be thievery, adultery, sodomy, dishonesty, jealousy, hatred etc. Then you recommend the beautiful path of spiritual renewal which is called repentance. You respectfully plead with the person to repent of their sin and turn again to the living God. In the Catholic Church the gateway moment when this dramatic change is celebrated is called the Sacrament of Reconciliation. A public example of this need for radical reorientation could be found in the life of President Barack Obama. He could one day hear the challenge of the Holy Spirit, repent of his support for the deadly sin of abortion and the popular sin of unnatural,

non-procreative sex and become a new man in Jesus Christ. Miracles occur! It could happen! Our job as people of faith is to patiently wait for these miracles, to treat all people with courtesy and kindness, and to keep our own moral and spiritual lives in order since we really are all sinners capable of the gravest errors and sins. Rev. Stanley Krzyston

The American Revolution was one fulfillment of this divine promise:

My wrath is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders;

For the Lord of hosts will visit his flock, the house of Judah,

and make them his stately war horse. From him shall come leader and chief,

from him warrior’s bow and every officer. They shall be warriors,

trampling the mire of the streets in battle; They shall wage war because the LORD is with them,

and shall put the horsemen to rout. I will strengthen the house of Judah,

The house of Joseph I will save; I will bring them back, because I have mercy on them,

they shall be as though I had never cast them off, for I am the LORD, their God, and I will hear them.

Zechariah 10:3-6

Lent is the time we face our sins “A Catholic may sin and sin as badly as anyone else, but no genuine Catholic ever denies he is a sinner. A Catholic wants his sins forgiven, not excused or justified.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Trust God God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. Thus we do not fear, though earth be shaken and mountains quake to the depths of the sea. Though its waters rage and foam and mountains totter at its surging. The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. Streams of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. God is in its midst; it shall not be shaken; God will help it at break of day. Though nations rage and kingdoms totter, God’s voice thunders and the earth trembles. The Lord of host is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. Psalm 46:1-8

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Lives of the Saints St. Vincent de Paul

Vincent was born in France in 1581. When he was still a young priest, he was captured by Turkish pirates who sold him into slavery. For two years he had to work hard for the masters who brought him. He converted his last master and was then set free. Vincent was sent to do parish work near Paris. He was a very great friend of the poor. He organized groups to look after the needy. The women nursed the sick and cooked meals for them. Men found jobs for the poor who were able to work, and gave food and clothes to those who could not work. Vincent also founded the Daughters of Charity. With the help of these Sisters he gathered money to clothe and feed the poor and to nurse the sick. He built homes for the poor, for the sick, for the aged, and for abandoned children. Vincent also founded the Congregation of the Mission, or Lazarists, a society of priests and missionaries. He was almost eighty years old when he died in Pairs, in 1660. His body was found to be incorrupt fifty years after his death. St. Vincent is called the Apostle of Organized Charity. The St. Vincent de Paul Society continues his work for the poor. Rev. Lawrence G. Lovasik, S.V.D

Love & Friendship “Don’t smother each other. No one can grow in shade.” Leo Buscaglia

What Does It Mean To Be An American? (The Second Amendment, “the right to bear arms,” is rooted in

the time when New Jersey was the occupied territory of an unjust, oppressive government)

In January 1777, it pleased the New Jersey militia to turn out. Winter was a good campaigning season for an army of citizen-farmers. These men were inspired by the American victories at Trenton and Princeton, and they were angry about the occupation of New Jersey. John Adams had long predicted that General Howe would “repent his mad march through the Jersies.” Now Adams observed that the people of New Jersey “begin to raise their Spirits exceedingly, and to be firmer than ever. They are actuated by Resentment now, and Resentment coinciding with Principle is a very powerful motive.” David Hackett Fischer

Spring’s Beauty Surpassed?

Can Spring’s surpassing beauty be matched? How we long await the day

When breezes blow so fresh and warm, Swallowing wintry winds away!

Sweet-smelling stars in grasses flowering - Peeking through the green of Spring; Showing God’s awesome handiwork,

In chorus with birds that wing!

Orchestrated all by God above Is this wondrous throbbing earth. All nature finely tuned to Him -

A separate note for each one’s birth.

Glorious crescendo as the Spring Greets in full dress admiring eye!

Yet will pale as moon to sun, When Jesus takes His saints on high!

Lynn Fenimore Nuzzi

Springtime and the Resurrection “Think of yourself just as a seed patiently wintering in the earth; waiting to come up a flower in the Gardener’s good time, up into the real world, the real waking. I suppose that our whole present life, looked back on from there, will seem only a drowsy half-waking. We are here in the land of dreams. But the new day of heaven is coming. It is nearer now than when I began this letter.” C.S. Lewis

In Lent be aware of evil and the devil: Jesus then set off on a forty-day retreat in the wilderness to fast and pray. The Gospel according to Mark reports: “The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him.” The forty days in the desert marked the turning point for Jesus. One of the main characteristics of a mind– altering retreat experience is confrontation with what is often called the “Other Side,” the side of darkness and evil, Jesus had three encounters with the devil during these forty days and through this archetypal battle a new inner strength emerged. David A. Cooper

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You Gotta Laugh: Where does a polar bear keep his money? In a snow bank.

Liturgy planning All parishioners who volunteer as sacristans, readers, cantors, ushers, Eucharistic ministers are asked to attend a meeting in the auditorium on Thursday, March 15th at 7:00 PM.

SAVE THE DATE St. Raphael—Holy Angels Parish

Lenten Parish Mission 2018 will be celebrated

March 19 through March 21, 2018 at St. Raphael Church

Mission Presenter and back by popular demand! Fr. Paul Fagan

8:15 AM and 7:15 PM (following morning/evening Mass) Fr. Paul Fagan will present The Challenge of Faith:

Living with God’s Mercy and Love

Is the Difference Between Men and Women a Figment of your Imagination?

The American Family Association reports that in a shocking policy announcement, Walgreens has now directed its stores to allow men full and unrestricted access to women’s restrooms in all of its 8,100 stores. Back in November Walgreen’s distributed a company-wide memo stating, “All individuals have a right to use restroom facilities that correspond to the individual’s gender identity, regardless of the individual’s sex assigned at birth.” Sign a petition to Walgreen’s at www.afa.net/activism/action-alerts/2018/walgreens-new-policy-welcpmes-men-into-womens-restrooms/ Respect Life Update

Wisdom of the Saints “Repentance is returning from the unnatural state to the natural state, from the devil to God. This is done through humility, discipline and effort.” St. John the Damascene Dale Apel, Daniel Applegate, Robert Carmigiani, Joseph Caruso, Nenita Covey, Jessica Davis, Dana Deidloff, Luke Deidloff, Patrick Dillon, Kathy Drew, Frank Enderlein, Doris Ferriolo, Sue Fleming. Marge Geeders, Amelia Joyce, William Kleppe, Jennifer Koren, Nancy Milacki, Theresa Minock, Lois Watlinjtou, Marc Zona, Sharon Zona