EAGLE’S WINGS

 

A Bi-Annual Newsletter Published by St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church   

 

Fall/Winter 2014

Taking It To The Next Level

Confirmation Program Expanded for Youth

“…But you will receive the power of the Holy Spirit which will come on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to earth’s remotest end.” ~Acts 1:8 “Confirmation is not the same as graduation. Confirmation is the fulfillment of Baptism, bringing it to completion and perfection,” said Michelle Pirraglia, coordinator for the new One-Eight program for Confirmation. “It is the strengthening of what is already within us, a maturing of the Spirit.” Confirmations now will take place in the fall of ninth grade. Dates for Confirmation will be made available in the spring. One-Eight (taken from Acts 1:8) is the new program preparing St. John’s youth for the sacrament of Confirmation. This program is the final step in a two-year preparation period during which the students have submitted a Saint Report, completed 12 hours of community service, and participated in the Edge Program. The One-Eight program has had much success in other parishes throughout the country. One-Eight flows from the Edge program, coordinated by Heather Arciero, and bridges to the Life Teen program, headed by Youth Minister Mike Clauberg. Suzan Fitzpatrick, director of religious education, also will be assisting with the program. Crafted as a comprehensive Confirmation preparation program to engage teenagers, One-Eight offers meaningful (continued on Page 4)

Volume 18, Number 2

A Message From Our Pastor “Would the ‘Real’ You Please Stand Up?” By Fr. Walter F. Kedjierski Who are you? If you had to answer that question in one sentence, what would you say? Would you instantly mention your job? You might expect me to say, “I’m a priest.” Instead, maybe you would include your family in your identity. “I am a wife and a mother of two.” For those of you who are particularly spiritual, your response might be, “I am a follower of Jesus.” Maybe instead, you would go right into some personal characteristics, “I am a kind and loving person who cares for others.” Take a few moments to think about what your first, gut reaction to that question was. It says a lot about your priorities. Is your job the most important thing in your life right now? Is your family? Is your faith? What is really going on inside of you? The most precious commodity today is not gold or silver or oil – it is time. People seem to have so little time to do anything these days. Many children long to spend quality time with their parents instead of at the daycare center or the sports clinic. It seems as if all of us are busy; and if you should say that you are not busy, you might feel as if you do not fit into the rest of the world around you. While running around from task to task, we might start to forget to ask the deep questions in life. Questions like, who am I? God has created us as dynamic creatures that are hopefully always growing and changing. Who we were five years ago is not who we are today. When we were younger, we were students and aspiring superstars. As we got older, we became established and our goals more solidified. Yet, if we do not stop on occasion and try to discern the answer to the deep question, who am I?, we will undoubtedly eventually become disillusioned with ourselves. Human beings are not robots! We are not designed to go from task to task without thinking or expressing emotion. We (continued on Page 7)

Welcome Home Provides Fun for the Whole Family Welcome Home is an energetic group of your fellow parishioners at St. John the Evangelist Church, who help organize and host low-cost or even NO-cost events to our fellow parishioners and the community. Entering their fourth year, Welcome Home packs in wonderful Christ-centered events to entertain and sometimes educate. FEBRUARY—Blessing of the Married: A Mass will be celebrated to honor the Sacrament of Marriage. All married couples are invited to attend and receive a blessing. Afterwards, there will be complimentary refreshments in the fellowship area of the Church. MARCH—World Day of Prayer: Parishioner John Leuthardt & This is a worldwide ecumenical Fr. Walter enjoy the festivities movement of Christian women of many at the Fall Festival. traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer and action. Each year, a different country serves as the writer of the World Day of Prayer worship service. Details to follow. Easter Egg Hunt: This event takes place on Palm Sunday (March 20 this year) on the Great Lawn. APRIL—Pastor's Closet/Town Hall Meeting: Meet with Father Walter to learn more about our faith and traditions. He hosts a Town Parishioners Tim & Emily Sigerson pose with Hall Meeting answering questions regarding our faith and traditions, their children during the Fall Festival. and how they can be understood in today’s world. He further hosts a “What’s in the Pastors Closet,” for a behindthe-scenes look at the Sacristy and what is behind the closed doors. Stay tuned for the date of this year's event! MAY—May Crowning: Following the 9AM Mass on Mother’s Day, there will be the May Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This beautiful Catholic custom is part of the Church's tradition to venerate the Blessed Virgin throughout the month of May. Baby Bottle Drive: After all Masses on Mother's Day weekend, the Pro-Life ministry will distribute baby bottles to raise money for the Pro-Life movement by placing spare change in the bottles. The bottles will be collected on Father’s Day weekend. This is truly an extra special way to commemorate The annual Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession. these two holidays. Events for the months of June-December include the Eucharistic procession on Corpus Christi, which will take place on Sunday, June 7 following the 12 Noon Mass this year, the annual Parish BBQ in June and several Christmas and holiday activities in the fall and winter months, with dates to be announced. Please join us as we meet the third Tuesday of the month at 7:30PM in the red barn. Contact Christine Longo at 682-1196 or email us at welcomehomestjohns.com. Like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/welcomehomeStJohn. Hundreds of parishioners came out for the Annual Parish BBQ this ~Corinne Bernath past summer, which featured classic cars and a 1950s theme.

...those who hope in the Lord will renew their2 strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;

A Virtual Pilgrimage

Our Lady of Lourdes Comes to Center Moriches

We celebrate Our Lady of Lourdes on February 11; it is the day of the first apparition of Our Blessed Mother, who appeared to Bernadette in the little town of Lourdes, France. Special needs pilgrimages for the sick and disabled are offered annually with a team of dedicated volunteers, medical professionals and loving caregivers to assist them throughout their pilgrimage. For the past few years, Father Walter and Father Felix have helped by ministering to the seriously ill at Lourdes alongside these dedicated volunteers. Not everyone, however, is able to travel to France. Does that mean that Our Lady's invitation is lost to those who cannot go to Lourdes? Thankfully, the answer is no! By bringing Lourdes to organizations, Our Lady's invitation is extended here at home. On October 3, we had a virtual pilgrimage to Lourdes at our parish. The North America Volunteers led our journey; they extend the invitation of the Immaculate Conception by sharing the message of Lourdes through “Virtual Pilgrimage” experiences. Our parish pilgrimage began with the story of Bernadette, a peasant girl of 14, when the Blessed Mother appeared to her 18 times in 1858. She told Bernadette to pray for sinners, do penance and have a chapel built there in her honor. Bernadette entered religious life and today she remains incorrupt in Nevers, France. Our virtual pilgrimage included prayerful reflection, as the colorful slides beckoned us to the grotto. Maria Werner sang melodiously, adding to the solemnity of the experience. The grotto rock, a piece of the actual relic where the Immaculate Conception appeared, was offered to us, as we prayerfully grasped it. Authentic water from the grotto spring was gifted to all the pilgrims who attended, as we learned of countless cures, healings and conversions attributed to Our Lady of Lourdes. Our evening culminated with Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. For the first time in history, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has declared a plenary indulgence to all who make the virtual pilgrimage through July 2020 when they fulfill the usual conditions. It was truly a blessing to be part of this journey. ~Christine Longo

Lenten Mission 2015 Fr. John McCartney will be presenting a Lenten Mission at St. John the Evangelist during the week of March 1-4 at 7:30PM Fr. John McCartney (left) in the church. & Fr. Walter Kedjierski (right).

All are welcome!

EAGLE’S WINGS A Semi-Annual Newsletter

Published twice a year under the supervision of Father John Corcoran, Pastor Emeritus, and Father Walter Kedjierski, Pastor, of Saint John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, 25 Ocean Avenue, Center Moriches, New York. Printed by J. S. Paluch Co., Inc., delivered through third class mail. Editor: Elizabeth Harrington Dyer Staff: Corinne Bernath, Suzan Fitzpatrick, Chris ne Longo, Ray Parenti, Michelle Pirraglia, Mary Rodriguez, Dennis Satriano, Terry Seng, Maria Sikora, Angela Werner, Maria Werner, Kelly Zenker and Carmine Zingarino.

t h e y w i l l r u n a n d n o t g r o w w e a r y , t h e y w3i l l w a l k a n d n o t b e f a i n t . ~ I s a i a h 4 0 : 3 1

A Lenten Voyage In his Lenten message for 2014, Pope Francis asked us to take inspiration from St. Paul in three different ways. First, by “giving up” material things (including food) that are nonessential to our basics needs; next, through “taking up” charitable habits for those in need by giving alms; and lastly, “lifting up” through prayer and devotional practices. Often the above can be fairly challenging. Fasting on Fridays is a staple of the Lenten discipline for most individuals and households, as well as abstaining from certain foods throughout the season. From our childhood this is something that most of us can easily relate to. As a child, I could not wait to dive into the chocolate candy on Easter Sunday because it was “given up” for Lent. “Taking up” is a charitable habit that is directed toward helping others. This does not necessarily mean monetary contributions, but it includes sharing our time and talents with others. “Lifting Up” can incorporate a variety of resources offered during the Lenten season, such as, Adoration, Stations of the Cross, or mediating on the Sacred Scriptures. Fortunately, on Ash Wednesday 2014, we were given a gift from our Pastor, a daily reflection booklet written by CS Lewis. As I pondered how I was going to incorporate these short paragraphs into my life over the next six weeks, it quickly became abundantly clear - make it a family event! Each night after dinner, we would spend a few minutes reading the reflection for the day. The brief reading turned to contemplation, which quickly turned into a discussion. A total of only 10 minutes proved to be an enormous period of time in our personal relationship with God and with one another. Our deliberation of the CS Lewis reflections was not merely a reading of text, but contributed to a solid relationship with my family, while responding to God who was revealing Himself to us. To be able to deliberate on the content and to discover its’ meaning in our lives spoke volumes, which lasted long after Lent was gone. Whether it be a reading, a call to someone who is lonely or shut in, giving up “whining or arguing,” fasting from fast food, or from TV or electronic devices one day a week, Lent is a time of prayer, penance and sacrifice, a time for the entire family to be more attentive to the words of Jesus and to each other. ~Christine Longo

Confirmation Program... (continued from Page 1)

activities and tools that stress a deeper relationship with Jesus and the Church to prepare and challenge students to take on the greater responsibilities of living as faith-filled adults. “Our Faith is not a school subject, it is a person. That person is Jesus,” Michelle commented. “Our Faith is an encounter with Jesus, and it is our way of life as Catholics.” One-Eight takes its name and philosophy from: the mandate from Jesus to the Apostles to go forth and be witnesses, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. “We need the enthusiasm that comes from the young to keep the energy going in our parish,” Michelle said. “We are excited to be part of the faith community. We want our teenagers to feel the same excitement.” In addition, video presentations geared specifically toward young people from the Confirmation program “Chosen” (Ascension Press) will be utilized. The videos offer topical discussion combined with visually brilliant delivery. One-Eight preparation follows the structure of the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), and utilizes the same practices to foster a deeper sense of belonging to the Catholic Church. One-Eight adds to that by referencing experiences that are relevant to teenagers in delivering the message. One-Eight consists of five sessions and three distinct phases: Period of Inquiry, Period of Evangelization, and Period of Mission. The students will be divided into two groups. Following the Shrine kick-off for both students and their parents on August 23 & 30, the groups will be meeting on Sundays and Wednesdays in September-October. Each week, one group will meet to attend 12 noon Mass on Sunday followed by a One-Eight session in the school auditorium, and the other group will attend a One-Eight session Wednesday evening. The groups switch schedules for the following week, giving the opportunity to gather for Mass to each group. The first session will cover the Period of Inquiry, where students and parents commit to preparation for Confirmation. Two sessions correspond to the One-Eight program’s Period of Evangelization, a time for the students to deepen their understanding of the Catholic faith. The Period of Mission will teach how to be active in the faith, guided by the Holy Spirit. Volunteers will be needed to help make the program a success. “We need mentors and witnesses to the Faith, people of the parish fulfilling their own call in Baptism and Confirmation to serve,” Michelle explained. Volunteers are needed with a variety of talents. Contact the Office of Faith Formation for information about volunteering at 878-4141. More information on the One-Eight and Chosen programs can be found respectively at the following websites: www.lifeteen.com; www.confirmationstudy.com. ~Mary Rodriguez

...those who hope in the Lord will renew their4 strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;

OLQA Happenings

Students Create Living Rosary, Help Feed The Hungry The students and faculty of Our Lady Queen of Apostles Regional Catholic School have returned to another school year. This year will be one that continues students’ growth in the 4 R’s; Reading, Writing, ‘Rithmatic and Religion. One of the goals set for this school year is to expand on opportunities for faith development; to go beyond daily prayer and attendance at weekly mass. OLQA has been planning special events and activities in which students and their families could participate. The first event planned was a Virtual Pilgrimage to Lourdes. OLQA is very thankful to Rev. Walter Kedjierski for bringing the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality North American Volunteers to our school. Two sessions were held to accommodate both younger and older students. Each assembly offered the experience of traveling to Lourdes via pictures and discussion by participants. The children were then able to touch the rocks taken from Lourdes and were each given a bottle of water from the spring. The second event so far this year involved a bread-baking presentation by Bake for Good. Students in Grades 4-7 were given a demonstration on how to bake the perfect loaf of bread. Then each child was sent home with all of the ingredients to bake bread at home with his or her parents. Each kit baked two loaves and the children were able to keep one loaf. The other loaf was donated to the St. John’s Food Pantry. Thank you, Sr. Ann, for allowing our students to help the community. The most recent event was a first for OLQA. At the end of October, the school created a Living Rosary. Students from Kindergarten through 8th Grade participated and families were invited. Some students lead the prayers while other students created the World Mission Rosary using balloons as beads. It was a prayerful and beautiful experience. It was also a great hands-on way to teach the Rosary to the children. This will surely become an annual event. As the school year continues, there are more events planned, such as a Living Nativity and Lessons and Carols during the Advent Season. OLQA is a school where the focus goes beyond excellent academics. The school is truly an extension of the Church where children have the opportunity to celebrate their faith and give back to the community. ~Stacy Steuber, Principal of Our Lady Queen of Apostles

Holy Week 2015 Palm Sunday: March 29 Saturday Vigil Mass: 5PM, 7:30PM (Spanish Mass) Sunday Masses: *Please note the change in Mass times*

7:00AM, 9:00AM, 11:00AM, 1PM, 5:30PM Day of Reconciliation: Monday, March 30 Confessions: 12 NOON—9 PM (Church)

Holy Thursday: April 2 Morning Prayer 9AM (church) Holy Thursday Liturgy 7:30PM Adoration Until Midnight (auditorium)

Holy Saturday: April 4 Morning Prayer 9AM (church) Blessing of Easter Food 10AM (church) Easter Vigil Mass: 7:30PM *No 8AM or 5PM Mass; No Spanish Mass

Good Friday: April 3 Morning Prayer 9AM (church) Good Friday Service 3PM (church) Stations of the Cross 7:30PM (church) Taize Prayer Service 9:30 PM (church)

Easter Sunday: April 5 *Please note the change in Mass times*

7:00AM, 9:00AM, 11:00AM, 1PM, 2:30PM (Spanish) *No 5:30PM Mass —————————————————

Please Note: Holy Thursday, Good Friday & Holy Saturday

*No Morning Masses *No Scheduled Confessions

t h e y w i l l r u n a n d n o t g r o w w e a r y , t h e y w5i l l w a l k a n d n o t b e f a i n t . ~ I s a i a h 4 0 : 3 1

Dinner Dance Parish Fundraiser Highlights The Parish Dinner Dance was a great success this past fall! More than 130 guests came out and enjoyed a night of great food (provided by Buoy One of Westhampton), music and fellowship. Thank you to all who helped make this event possible!

Nuevo Programa de Confirmación “... Pero recibiréis la fuerza del Espíritu Santo, que vendrá sobre ti, y entonces seréis mis testigos en " Jerusalén, en toda Judea, en Samaria y hasta los confines de la tierra.” ~Hechos 1: 8 "La confirmación no es la misma que la graduación. La confirmación es el cumplimiento del Bautismo, llevándola a la terminación y perfección. Es la consolidación de lo que ya está dentro de nosotros, una maduración del Espíritu. "-Michelle Pirraglia, coordinador para el nuevo La preparacíon de Uno- programa para la Confirmación. Las confirmaciones se llevarán a cabo en el otoño de noveno grado. Las fechas para la Confirmación estarán disponibles en la primavera. Uno-Ocho es el nuevo programa de preparación de los jóvenes de San Juan para el sacramento de la Confirmación. Este programa es el paso final en un período de preparación de 2 años en los que los estudiantes han presentado el informe de un Santo, hecho 12 horas de servicio a la comunidad, y ha participado en el Programa de Edge. El La preparacíon de Uno- programa ha tenido mucho éxito en otras parroquias de todo el país, y fue propuesto por San Juan Evangelista tras su examen por los miembros principales de Life Teen. Uno-Ocho flujos provenientes del programa Edge, coordinados por Heather Whelan Accurio y hace el puente hacia el programa LifeTeen, dirigido por Mike Clauberg. Elaborado como un programa integral de preparación para la Confirmación de interés a los adolescentes, La preparacíon de Uno- ofrece actividades y herramientas significativas que enfatizan una relación más profunda con Jesús y la Iglesia para preparar y desafían a los estudiantes a asumir las mayores responsabilidades de vivir como adultos llenos de fe. Michelle Pirraglia habla de un debate en el que se afirmaba que "Nuestra fe no es una materia de la escuela, es una persona. Esa persona es Jesús”. Michelle continúa diciendo: "Nuestra fe es un encuentro con Jesús, y es nuestra forma de vida como católicos." Como parte de la nueva evangelización, se nos desafía en nuestra confirmación, no para "completar" la participación en nuestra Fe, sino para tomarle una medida más allá: permitir que la gracia fluya a través de nosotros para llevar a Jesús a los demás. Ahí es donde La preparacíon de Uno- lleva su nombre y la filosofía: el mandato de Jesús a los apóstoles (continued on Page 7)

...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; 6

A Message From Our Pastor... (continued from Page 1)

are not some cogs in the machine of society. This is not what God made us for. Human beings can create computers that can go from task to task without complaint (unless they are infected with a virus). Yet God chose to create human beings, not with the functionality of computers, but with the complexity of consciousness, emotions, and discernment, which make up the human soul. We want to feel as if we are a part of something greater than ourselves. As human beings, we yearn for purpose and meaning. If you were to take a step back from your life right now, and look at yourself lately, what would you think is the meaning behind your life? What is the common thread that is behind the motivations for all that you say and do? I would urge you to take some time to reflect upon the simple question: Who am I? I want you to ask yourself: Who am I really? Sometimes, we put on “shows” for our bosses because we need to look like we “have it all together,” when inside we are falling apart. Sometimes we need to look like we are “with it” to our coworkers or colleagues because we want to fit in; but in reality, we do not know what we are doing. Sometimes we smile at that annoying relative who comes over for a visit when deep down inside we are counting the hours until he or she goes home. If you were to put all of those facades aside and look at the real you, what would you see? The next question I want you to think about is an even harder one. Are you pleased with who it is you see? Even deeper still, do you think God is pleased with who you are? The most important project God has given to you in this life is to work on yourself. You have the job of molding yourself according to the image and likeness of God. God wishes us to co-create ourselves with Him. This is why He has given to us the gift of free will. We have the capacity to decide what we will do with our lives. We have the ability to make ourselves into what we want to be. If we are unhappy with our answers to the questions we thought about in this article, do not worry. There is still time! God will give to us as many chances as we need to get back to the work of co-creating ourselves in His image and likeness. One great way to do that is to take the time to come to our beautiful parish family of St. John the Evangelist and participate in the life of the parish. May the Lord bless you as you continue to co-create yourself, in a genuine way, with the God of all goodness.

Nuevo Programa de Confirmación... (continued from Page 6)

de avanzar y ser testigos, según consta en los Hechos de los Apóstoles, citado anteriormente. La preparacíon de Uno-Ocho sigue la estructura del Rito de Iniciación Cristiana para Adultos (RCIA), y utiliza las mismas prácticas para fomentar un sentido profundo de pertenencia a la Iglesia Católica. La preparacíon de Uno- suma a RCIA, referenciando experiencias que son relevantes para los adolescentes en la entrega del mensaje. Un ejemplo es mensajes de texto. ¿Cómo se sentiría si estuviera enviando mensajes de texto tras mensajes de texto a un amigo que nunca se preocupaba devolverse uno? ¿No se sentiría como su amigo le había abandonado? ¿No está Dios tratando de llegar a nosotros siempre, y no le devolvemos el mensaje de texto? Además, se presentan videos "Elegido" (Chosen), desde la Ascensión Press (http:// ascensionpress.com/). Los videos ofrecen discusión tópicas combinada con una entrega visualmente brillante, y son poderosos instrumentos utilizados para preparar los estudiantes. La saque inicial del programa Uno- Ocho está previsto en dos oleadas, el primer grupo el 23 de agosto, y el segundo grupo el 30 de agosto. La primera sesión del Uno-Ocho se llevará a cabo en el Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Isla en Eastport, donde jóvenes y sus familias asistirán. Como se analizó Michelle Pirraglia, "El período de preparación para la Confirmación es un evento familiar. Todos tenemos vidas tan ocupadas y tantas obligaciones que a veces descuidamos nuestra relación con Dios. El Uno-Ocho preparación es una oportunidad de ver a Dios trabajando en nuestras vidas y en la vida de toda nuestra familia”. El evento en el Santuario corresponde al Periodo de Investigación en el Uno-Ocho currículo, un tiempo para el estudiante y la familia de discernir preparación para el compromiso con el programa. Hay 5 sesiones de Uno-Ocho y tres fases distintas: Período de Investigación, Periodo de la evangelización, y Período de Misión. Los alumnos se dividirán en dos grupos. Semana Uno, un grupo se reunirá para asistir a la misa de 12 del mediodía del domingo, seguido de una sesión de Uno-Ocho en el auditorio de la escuela, y el otro grupo asistirá a un Uno-Ocho sesión de la tarde del miércoles. Los grupos cambian los horarios para la semana siguiente, dando la oportunidad de reunirse para la misa de cada grupo. La celebración de la Misa es clave y proporciona el modelo para el programa: Reúna (se encuentran), Proclamar (la Palabra de Dios), Compartir (Pan-Comunión), y Enviar con un desafío. Dos sesiones corresponden al Periodo de Evangelización, un tiempo para que los estudiantes profundizan su comprensión de la fe católica, y para continuar la conversión a Cristo. A medida que el estudiante continúa en el Uno-Ocho programa, las sesiones correspondientes al Período de Misión enseñarán cómo vivir y ser activo en la fe, guiado por el Espíritu Santo. Habrá una convocatoria de voluntaries. Póngase en contacto con la Oficina de Formación de Fe para obtener información sobre el voluntariado: Sra. Suzan Fitzpatrick, Directora de Formación @ 878 -4141; Sr. Michael Clauberg, Ministro de la Juventud @ 874-4910. ~Translated by Mary Rodriguez

t h e y w i l l r u n a n d n o t g r o w w e a r y , t h e y w7 i l l w a l k a n d n o t b e f a i n t . ~ I s a i a h 4 0 : 3 1

Here’s What We’ve Been Up To!

Teens learned how to get through the “jungle of life” at the 2011 Lock-In.

St. John the Evangelist Life Teen had a busy 2014 and there is plenty for our youth to look forward to in the New Year! In July, our teens joined thousands of youth for the Steubenville East Retreat. Our Kick-Off BBQ & Life Nights have offered teens a fun and safe place to grow in their faith and form solid Catholic friendships. For the new year, Life Teen is planning the 4th annual weekend retreat at Kellenberg High School for the weekend of February 27-March 1, as well as a trip to the Diocese’s Holy Hour/ Dodgeball event & Steubenville NYC. Life Teen meets every Sunday in the gym after the 5:30PM Life Teen Mass. Call Youth Minister Mike Clauberg at 874-4910.