Dear Friends,

When Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight. Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll: Behold, I come to do your will, O God.’“

These words come from a part of the New Testament that we don’t often hear. It’s called “The Letter to the Hebrews.” It’s a reflection on the meaning of Christ for people who had lost their fervor. Their spirits were giving up.

We can all feel this way. The daily work we face, the constant bombardment of threatening news stories, and just the pressures of keeping up, especially at this time of the year, can sap our strength of purpose. It’s in times like these that we need to refocus our energies, to let Christ help us be wide awake for him.

So, try to reread this passage and the story of Mary visiting Elizabeth in today’s gospel. They can wake us up to the immediacy of God. He’s not up in the sky only. He’s right here in our midst. If you listen to what these authors are saying, you can reach out and touch him!

Hebrews tells us – it’s not the offerings of animals as a substitute for ourselves, but “a body you prepared for me.” Mary visits her cousin and Elizabeth hears the voice of the younger woman, prompting her to exclaim “My baby leaped in my womb with joy!” This sentence is repeated twice in the passage. We’re meant to be struck by how down to earth this moment was.

Both passages stress the same thing – the place to experience Christ is in the place where our bodies bring us together, in the space where we can touch one another. It’s that physical…and that spiritual.

Our culture makes a big deal of the appearances of our bodies - how attractive, how in shape, they are. This overlooks a deeper quality about them: they are symbolic of who we are to each other. After all, our bodies make us present to each other. That word “present” has two meanings: both as the immediacy of the moment, the now when we’re with another and as the gift (or present) we can be for each other. Both are connected to how awake we are in the time we are with each other.

This is what the Hebrews’ passage highlights about Christ. Unlike the obligatory presents at Christmas, Christ never did anything half-heartedly. Through his body, through his actions of healings, befriending, and preaching, he made physically real, he symbolized, God’s genuine desire to give himself for us. His whole life was that kind of sacrifice. The Cross was the full embodiment of that desire.

Mary and Elizabeth’s visit also reveals the same thing at the beginning of Jesus’s life: the pregnancy in Mary evokes in the pregnant Elizabeth the physical reaction of her baby. What this is telling us is that when Mary extended herself for her older cousin, the Lord was immediately in that moment. Even in that tiny physical state, divine love was having an effect.

The same Christ, now risen, still shares our flesh and blood. Isn’t that what Holy Communion is about? So we, through our bodies, make real Christ’s gift of himself through the giftedness of ourselves.

This Christmas, as we gather with our families and friends, it is the prayer of Fr. Colin, Fr. Jeremiah, Msgr. Ziccardi, Deacon Rich and I, and all of us who work here at St. Anne, that these visits be visits of the living Christ. May He bless us through each other’s presence!

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: Mary Ludlow, Margaret Schneider, Dave Owens, Sam Samir, Craig Buksar, Ven Hammonds, Fr. Jim Moran, Timothy Dolan, Manny Chirico, Margaret Chirico, Facundo Daniel, Helen Kohler, Nicki Conaway, Ray Hofmeister, Virginia Sprague, June Passarelli, Barbara Spreer, Ron Barbarulo, Janet Blumka, Emma Marie Wyman, Evelyn Hedderich, Jason & Justin Leider, Kevin Barnett, Dianna Miranda, Jack Hermans, Joanne DeCaro, Brandon Higgens, Ann Millstein, Carol Gravel, Wendy Gratale, Richie Policastro, Jackie Manning, Stanislaw Tecza, Jean Calabrase, Louis Frances, Jarret Adamo, Matthew McGovern, Gloria Ranieri, Sarah Valenti, Dennis Crosby, Stan Tomon, Violeta Arva, Ken Macagna, Todd Hodge, Vickie DePadova, Louise Garcia, Emily Rao, John Rao, Carol Verbovsky, Kenneth Bodzak, Janice Ward, Carol Crosson, 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, Msgr. Joseph Slinger, Jayden J. Miranda, Brenda Reef, Mary Garripoli, Kenneth Michael Bodzak, Kelly Ann Ross, Kay McAteer, Frank DiGiaimo Jr., Michael T., Mildred Adamo, Patricia Salvi, Aliysha Malone, Peter Mastrangelo, Olga Marino, Tyler Dixon, Richard DeLorenzo, Brandon Patory, Alice Giegler, Ruth Rizzo, Patrice Foster, Gertrude Mahon, Sean Cox, Ken Lisa, Kevin Considine, Baby Kaedon Ross, Glenn Endresz, Sarah Wilder, Krista Jentzsch, Patricia Hinchliffe, Helen Krajacic, Robert O’Byrne, Andrew D’Amico Sr., Anthony Frank, Janet Blumka, Anna Coletti, Patricia Castiglia, Linda DeLorenzo, Jean Conerly, Ruth Corsi, Rick Owen, Jeannie Girovasi, Natasha Santana, and Jay Paolella.

†Pray for the happy repose of † Josephine Quartarone, Caroline Marchuk and

Mary Staniszewski

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

The Altar Candles will burn this week in loving memory of Marie & Louis Disco, as requested by their daughter Joy.

The Sanctuary Lamp will burn this week in loving memory of William Fowler, as requested by his wife.

Monday, December 21st

7:30 – John Abate – Abate Family Allan Reduce – Abate Family 8:45 – John Dodge – Frank O’Brien John Croker – Wife, Elena

Tuesday, December 22nd

7:30 – Madeline & Anthony Bonomolo – Dennis Kevin Escorcia - Family 8:45 – Danny Sullivan – Peggy Sam Hansen – Anthony & Vittoria

Wednesday, December 23rd

7:30 – Augustin Astudillo (Living) – Marie Patricia Caporale - Mother 8:45 – Tom Bostley – Eileen Michael Setteducato – Family Alberico Marinelli – Anthony & Vittoria

Thursday, December 24th

8:45 – William Fowler – Wife Frances J. Hlava – Family 4:00 - People of 6:00 - Saint Anne 10:00 - Parish

Friday, December 25th

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

Saturday, December 26th

8:45 – John R. Callahan – Family Edward Niemiec – Dolores Niemiec 5:15 – Francis & Stephen Rosty – Rosty Family Alessandra Hudgins – Mary & Joanne Ludlow Maria McNamara – Roseanne & Family James Holahan – John & Mary Ann Steffanie

Sunday, December 27th

7:30 – Maria Gorete Goncalves – Family Virginia Pires - Family 9:30 - Tom Bostley – Eileen Marie & Louis Disco – Joy Deborah DiMauro – Mom Salvatore Barone – Wife & Children 11:30 – Michael Burke – Family Thanksgiving Mass – 36

th Wedding

Anniversary for the Arnesto Family (Living) Angela Fornelius – Maria & David Lombardi Giovanni Ingui – Marie Libak 6:00 PM – People of St. Anne Parish

Let us pray for those in our armed forces especially

for: PFC Richard Marchese, US Army; Lt. Col.

Phillip Christy, US Army; Army Natl. Guard; Pvt. John

Pagios, US Army; Pvt. Kristoffer Burger, US Army;

SPCE4 Kyle Milnes, US Army; PO 2nd

Cl Jimmy

Guerra, US Navy, PO 2nd

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; PFC Jason Dawson,

US Army;Staff Sgt.. Matthew Bauer, USAF; Brandon

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

Odom, USMC; Airman Michael Diffin, USAF; Sgt

Major Joseph R. Lobban, US Army; 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; EO2 Michael Yondolino,

USN; Col. Patrick Frank; Capt. Daniel Curtin, US

Army; Capt. Erik Mineo, 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 December, Pope Francis asks us to pray especially

...that all may experience the mercy of God, who never tires of forgiving.

BACK TO OUR ROOTS

Will not meet this week.. BTOR will resume on January 14th

from 1-2 PM in the Faith Center

MEDITATION

GOD’S OPENNESS (anonymous)

“My name is I am.” He paused I waited. He continued, “When you live in the past, with its mistakes and regrets, it is hard. I am not there. My name is not I was.

When you live in the future, With its problems and fears, It is hard, I am not there. My am is not I will be.

When you live in this moment, It is not hard. I am here. My name is I am.

STEWARDSHIP REFLECTIONS 4th Sunday of Advent

“For behold, when the voice of your greeting

came to my ears, the babe in my womb

leaped for joy.” –Luke 1:44

When you hear the scripture readings and Gospel

reading each Sunday, do you “leap for joy?” If not,

don’t blame the lector or priest, rather look inside

yourself. Do you prepare for Mass each week or do

you just show up and expect to be entertained?

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). Thurs., Dec. 24th thru Sat., Dec. 26th – CLOSED Thurs., Dec. 31st thru Sat., Jan. 2nd - CLOSED

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, Carmie DeMerchant, Melissa Rovetto-Ruffner & Marianne Cummins

SAINT ANNE SCHOOL NEWS

Sunday, January 31, join us for mass at 9:30 am to kick off Catholic Schools Week then stop at the school for a student-guided tour and a chance to meet the principal, teachers, and current parents.

It’s time to begin thinking about the upcoming school year. St. Anne School offers an amazing preschool with several attendance options as well as full-day Kindergarten. Both will put your child on the right track to the outstanding academics that continue in all grades.

FAITH FORMATION NEWS

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!

RECONCILIATION PREP Completed Reconciliation books are due in the Faith Formation Office NOW!

SUNDAY/TUESDAY FAITH NEWS Here is the schedule of classes for the next few weeks…

Sunday: Classes meet on December 20; no classes December 27; classes resume January 3

Tuesday: No classes December 22 & 29; classes resume January 5. All Sunday/Tuesday Faith students will be bringing home progress reports: please sign and return at the next class!

Merry Christmas to all!

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!

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: HOT & COLD CEREAL, CANNED VEGETABLES, PASTA, PASTA SAUCE, MAC/CHEESE, LAUNDRY DETERGENT!! Also need rice, instant potatoes, canned vegetables, canned fruit, pancake mix, syrup, cake mix, tuna, healthy snacks, cookies, face soap, deodorant, napkins, paper towels, house cleaning products. 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.

ST. CAJETAN MINISTRY

for the Unemployed & Under-employed

We meet every two weeks as follows: St. Catharine’s Ministry Center - next meeting: Thursday, Jan. 7th - first floor meeting room 7-9PM and at St. Anne’s Rectory on Saturday, Jan. 9th - 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. You can also email us at stcajetan@stannefairlawnnj.org

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.

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY

WITH THE ALAN QUINN FIVE PIECE ORCHESTRA AT

ST. ANN’S KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS HALL

When: December 31, 2015 8pm – 1am Cost: $75 per person Includes: Open bar, 5 course buffet dinner with appetizer, champagne toast at midnight music, dancing & more Where: Knights of Columbus Hall 16-16 Maple Ave, Fair Lawn Deadline: Reserve early, seating is limited Contact: Frank Sylvester 201-966-5433 Please make checks payable to St. Ann’s K of C #2853. No Refunds…No Walk Ins!

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, Eamon Jennings, Danielle

Douglass, Stephanie Kedersha, Joe Barone and Terence

Curley

EVENTS FOR THIS WEEK Sunday, December 20th Cheerleaders – 2:00 – 5:00 pm - CH BOLD Cast – 7:00 - 8:30 pm - CH Monday, December 21st SFO – 7:00 pm – CH RCIA – 7:00 pm - CR AA – 7:30 pm – LCR Choir – 7:30 – 9:00 pm – C Tuesday, December 22nd

Wednesday, December 23rd

Thursday, December 24th – Christmas Eve Mass at 4:00, 6:00 & 10:00 pm

Friday, December 25th – Christmas Day Mass at 8:00 am, 10:00 am & 12:00 Noon Saturday, December 26th 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 a weekly Play Group. We will meet again after the holidays on Wednesday, January 6th at 9:30 am for about an hour in the Church Hall. Hope to see you there! For info, please email Meghan at meghan.lobue@gmail.com

2015 CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE

Thursday, December 24th 4:00 pm - Christmas Vigil

6:00 pm – Children’s Mass Solemn Mass at 10:00 pm

Friday, December 25th Christmas Day

8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 Noon Thursday, December 31st

Vigil of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

5:15 pm Friday, January 1st Solemnity of Mary,

Mother of God 8:00 am and 10:00 am

GROW (God Reaches Out to Women)

Looking for a stocking stuffer for a special woman in your life? Get her the book “When the Heart Waits” by Sue Monk Kidd. GROW will be hosting a Book Chat in February, featuring this book.

Dried-out Christmas trees are a post-holiday hazard – Fair Lawn’s Mayor and Council hope our residents have a joyous Christmas and remind everyone to not neglect fire safety in the post-holiday season. Although residents are encouraged to check the tree’s water level and add water twice daily, trees will however dry out altogether and pose a tremendous fire hazard. And that becomes obvious by the increasing volume of needles that accumulate on the floor. To avoid a tragedy, residents are urged not to be lazy about removing a dried out tree from the home and to dispose of it properly. For further information on Christmas trees or any other fire safety matter, please contact Fire Marshal Jay Bender at 201-794-5408. FireMarshal@FairLawn.org

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 1,539 people who worshipped with us last weekend and contributed $12,229.00 in the offertory and $2,100.00 through Online Giving offertory, which along with

other fees and donations, totaled $18,029.00. 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!