SAINTS SIMON & JUDE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Established 1897

185 Van Sicklen Street, Brooklyn, New York 11223

Telephone: (718) 375-9600 Fax: (718) 375-6642

E-mail: rectoryssj@gmail.com / www.stssimonjude-brooklyn.org

Rev. John Maduri, Administrator Rev. Sijo George, CMI-Parochial Vicar & Rev. Gesson Agenis

Deacon Andrew Mastrangelo, Pastoral Minister/Business Manager

Ms. Sara Nespoli, Director of Faith Formation

SUNDAY MASSES : Saturday evening at 5:00pm

Sunday morning at 8:30am(Italian/English), 10:15am & 12:00pm

Misa en Espanol-1:30pm

WEEKDAY MASSES: Monday – Saturday at 9:00am

HOLYDAY MASSES: 7:30am, 9:00am, 7:30pm (Except Christmas and New Year’s Day)

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE/ PARKING LOT

DEVOTIONS: Chaplet of The Divine Mercy: Monday after the 9 am Mass

Circulo de Oracion Carismatico en Espanol- Todos los Lunes de las

7pm a las 9pm en la parte baja de la iglesia. Para mas informacion,

favor de llamar a la Sra. Teodora Aquino 347-355-5715. Miraculous Medal Novena: Tuesday after the 9 am Mass

Rosario in Italiano ogni Mercoledi alle 7:30pm (Settembre– Giugno).

St. Jude Novena: Friday after the 9 am Mass

Holy Hour / Benediction: 8:00am-9:00am every Saturday

RECONCILIATION (Confession): Saturday: 4:00pm-4:30pm

Other times by appointment.

RECTORY OFFICE HOURS: Monday to Friday: 9:30 am -4:30 pm (CLOSED for lunch from 12pm-1pm) Sunday: 9:30am to 1:30 pm RECTORY/CHURCH STAFF: Bookkeeper / Bulletin Coordinator: Nicole Compagnone Parish Secretary: Antoinette Capobianco Maintenance and Custodians: Nelson Bobe and Eraldi Leka Cook and Housekeeper: Angelica Compagnone Sacristan: Lilian Acevedo Sunday Receptionist: Marie Gatto Youth Minister: Diego Araujo

PARISH REGISTRATION: We are happy to welcome all newcomers to our parish! Join our parish family by registering at the rectory during office hours. Current parishioners who change address, phone number or are moving away are asked to contact the rectory, so we can keep our files up to date.

BAPTISM: Congratulations on the birth of your child! Parish Baptisms are on the 3rd Saturday of each month at 12:00pm. Please call for an appointment to regis-ter and make arrangements for your child’s Baptism.

OFFICE OF FAITH FORMATION: To register for religion classes grades K through 8, children’s First Communion, or Confirmation, call 718-372-0733 in the rectory lower level.

Secretaries: Nina Varone and Nelly Yepez (para hablar en Espanol).

ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION:

Teens over 14 and Adults who are interested in becoming a Catholic or who have been baptized Catholic but never received Holy Communion or Confirmation should be part of our RCIA program. Leave your name and phone number at the Office of Faith Formation for Sara Nespoli. Catholic Adults who have received Holy Communion and desire to receive Confirmation should also leave their name and phone number at the Office of Faith Formation for Sara Nespoli.

MARRIAGE: Plan to make your wedding both a JOYFUL and a HOLY event! Couples must call for an appointment at least 6 months prior to the planned wedding date and partici-pate in the parish and diocesan marriage preparation program.

ANOINTING OF THE SICK: We celebrate this sacrament of healing grace at the 9:00am Mass on the first Saturday of each month. Please join us at that Mass if you are ill. You may also call and arrange with a priest to receive this sacrament at other times.

PASTORAL CARE OF THE SICK: Please contact the rectory if you are home-bound, and would like to receive the Holy Eucharist on a regular basis.

MASS INTENTIONS

SATURDAY, MAY 18

5:00 EDWARD & GLADYS SPINETTA

SUNDAY, MAY 19

8:30 PHILOMENA & ALFONSO CIOTOLA

10:15 PEOPLE OF THE PARISH, LEONARDO

RUGGIERI & ISABELLA RANIERI, GIOVANNI

CATANZARO, CATERINA MESSINA, ROSE

IUDICI, TERESA, PHILIP LIMERI, ANTONINO

ZULLO THE DECEASED MEMBERS OF THE

CIVITELLO FAMILY

12:00 GIUSEPPE, TINA, SAL & JOSEPH

MARCHISELLO & FAMILY

1:30 SPANISH MASS

MONDAY, MAY 20

9:00 ANGELO & ANGLEA MARIA LAMATTINA &

DOMENICO & ROSA MORRONE

TUESDAY, MAY 21

9:00 NICKY DE FRONZO

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22

9:00 IN HONOR OF ST. RITA

THURSDAY, MAY 23

9:00 ENRICO & RAIMONDA FALDELLI & FAMILY

FRIDAY, MAY 24

9:00 CODISPOTI FAMILY

SATURDAY, MAY 25

9:00 ANNE LEONETTI

5:00 FRANCESCO & GIUSEPPA SINAGRA

SUNDAY, MAY 26

8:30 UMBERTO, SUSIE & FRANCO BARTOLOMEO

10:15 PEOPLE OF THE PARISH, ORAZIO

CAMPANELLA, FRANCESCA & ROSARIA RINI,

MARIA DE LOS ANGELES CERVANTES

SANCHEZ, FRAN MATTERA, ANTONINO

DINIERI, ADELINE MINORE, STEVEN

MARKOULIS

12:00 YOLANDA GRIMALDI

1:30 SPANISH MASS

IN OUR PRAYERS May the Holy Spirit bring healing comfort to all of our sick, especially:

Jeanine Ardizzone, Camille & Anthony Chiusano, Annette Puglisi, William

Tirelli, John Belezio, Denise Pizzullo, John Geraci, Antoinette Marino, Jean-

ina Caceres, Millie Piccarelli, John DzHon Vong, Gina Morselli, Mary Ann

Barry, Susan Fischetti, Dominic Nunziato, Linda Viscardi, Maria Sciarrino,

Mary Antico, Maria Selca Maher, Angelo D’Attoma, Joseph DiBella, Ella

Spina, Carmela Maccia, Rose Colombo, Theresa Pagani, Roza Camaj-Ivezaj,

Richard Bubello, Joseph Nucifora, Grayce Prestipino, Howard Passman,

Frank Apsel, Isabella DiNiso, Jeanne Turzilli, Larry Lembo, Gesterkent

Jaro, Antonino Curatolo, Robert Cusimano, Michael Fiore, Karen Giachetta,

Mary Jencsik, T. Guida, Richard & Gary Prestipino, Carol Marcinsky,

Pietro Grippo, John Paul Harris, Reid Moritz, Julia Bruzzese, Stephen

DiBella, Maria Piccarelli, Dorothy Vallone Iaconis, Jacinta Duenas-Ladd, Sal

D’Aquino, Josephine Gioia, Giada Cravelli, Frances Bowen, Evan Zitchic,

Rose Galia, Isabella Grace Colucci, Diane DiMonda, Sabrina Giangrande,

Leonard Currea, Eddie Stack, Mandy Crupi, Marie Filosa, Tara Horowitz,

Rosalie O’Hara, Monica Morales, Frank Gramegna, Joe Mastrianni,

Frances Mancuso, Carmela Guarnieri, Marie Gatto, Sal Lombardo,

Maria Marucci, Joe Kammer, Jeanette Gemma,Alicia Vicino

& Ninfa DeRossi

May God bring safely home all of our deceased family and friends:

Nello Colella

MEMORIALS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2019

THE GIFTS OF THE BREAD AND WINE ARE DONATED IN LOVING MEMORY

ANNE LEONETTI

REQUESTED BY: KINGSBOROUGH COMMUNITY

COLLEGE

THE TABERNACLE CANDLE IS DONATED IN LOVING MEMORY OF

JOSEPH CARRIERI - FIRST ANNIVERSARY

REQUESTED BY: LOVING WIFE & FAMILY

THE ALTAR CANDLES

ARE DONATED IN LOVING MEMORY OF

ANTOINETTE

REQUESTED BY: MR. & MRS. ANTONIO PARRELLA

THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS CANDLE IS DONATED IN LOVING MEMORY

CARMELA BURTONE

REQUESTED BY: LOVING DAUGHTER ROSETTA &

GRANDDAUGHTER ADELE

STS. SIMON & JUDE PURGATORIAL SOCIETY The Purgatorial Society of Sts. Simon & Jude parish for the month of

May includes the following members who were enrolled last month:

Cesar Muscatella, Rose Zembovictz, Vincenza Scibilia, Janine Liegi

& Salvatore Moscola

MISA EN ESPAÑOL

Hermanos y Hermanas les hacemos la cordial

invitaciõn, a la Misa en Español que se celebrará cada

Domingo a la 1:30pm. Todos son bienvenidos!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

ANNUAL CUSIMANO & RUSSO

MEMORIAL MASS On behalf of Cusimano & Russo Funeral Home, we invite you,

your family and friends to join us for a special Memorial Mass

in remembrance of all our loved ones who were buried from

Cusimano & Russo Funeral Home this past year. This annual

Mass will take place at Sts. Simon & Jude Church on Saturday,

June 1st at 9:00am. Please join us after Mass for some refresh-

ments in the lower church.

GLENN MOHR CHORALE AT SSJ “After the death of Jesus, the grieving apostles are confused

when they are told at the empty tomb, “He is not here, Go to

Galilee”. As this Easter production unfolds we observe the per-

sonalities and disagreements between the disciples on how to

continue their mission now that their beloved leader is gone.

Each apostle must realize they will face danger and perhaps their

own cross if they accept His call to “go and teach all nations”.

Songs from this presentation can also be found on the recording

“City on the Hill”.

All are invited to a special production “Go To Galilee” performed

by the Glenn Mohr Chorale on this Sunday, May 19th at 4:00pm

in Sts. Simon & Jude Church. Enjoy a depiction of the early min-

istry of the Apostles. A celebration told through drama, scripture

and song! All are welcome.

SPANISH BIBLE STUDY El padre Gesson va a ofrecer una clase biblica in Spanish

todos los Martes. La clase está abierta a cualquier feligrés

de la parroquia de San Simón y Judas

Dia: Martes

Primera clase: Martes 14 de Mayo del 2019

Hora: 7:00pm-9:00pm

Lugar: 185 Van Sicklen Street, Brooklyn, NY 11223

en la iglesia baja

Nota Bene/ Las fechas estan sujetas a cambio

(BIBLE CLASS CANCELED ON MAY 21, 2019)

CALENDAR REQUESTS Dear Parishioners and Ministry Leaders, in preparation of the

merger between Sts. Simon & Jude and Most Precious Blood

Parishes, we in the office, are trying to prepare in advance our

parish calendar. For those of you who would like to sponsor an

event or meeting and would like to use our lower Church or

meeting room from September 2019-August 2020 are asked to

please drop off your calendar requests to the rectory office as

soon as you can so we can get started on our calendar planning.

Thank you.

BIG BAND PARTY AT SSJ Save the date for a Big Band Party at Sts. Simon & Jude on Sun-

day, June 2nd from 2:00pm-5:00pm in the lower Church hall.

Please note that doors will open at 1:00pm. We will enjoy the

sounds of “MAS Swing” a 15 piece big band performing music

and songs from the Great American Songbook. Music will in-

clude renditions of Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman

& Tommy Dorsey. Tickets are $40 per person and includes a deli-

cious hot buffet. Tickets will be available after all weekend

Masses and at the Golden Age Club on Wednesday from 12pm-

3pm. For more information call the rectory at 718-375-9600.

ROSARY FOR LIFE DAY OF RETREAT Rosary for Life Inc. is sponsoring a Day of Retreat on Saturday,

June 15th at Resurrection Church. Rev. Monsignor Andrew Vac-

cari will lead us in the day as the Retreat Presenter. The day will

begin at 8:30am with Mass and Morning Prayer followed by Reg-

istration and a light breakfast in the Auditorium. Part I of the re-

treat will begin at 10am, the rosary will be prayed at 11:30 and

then a break for lunch at 12noon. Part II will be at 1pm, Holy

Hour at 2:30pm and then concluding with Confessions at 4pm.

The cost for the day is $30 with lunch included. Parking is avail-

able and the Church/Auditorium is Wheel chair accessible. For

reservations please contact Wyn at 718-377-6920 by June 12th. A

registration form must be filled out for each attendee. Please mail

payment with registration to Rosary for Life Inc. at 3309 Ave. P,

Brooklyn, NY 11234. No registrations will be accepted after June

12th. Cost is $30 per person and lunch is included.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA ROSARY RALLY A special thank you to Sr. Rita and Sr. Angela, daughters of

Mary Mother of Mercy, for organizing the beautiful Rosary

Rally in honor of Our Lady of Fatima. The Rosary Rally

will continue every month until the feast day celebration on

October 13th.

All are invited to a special Rosary Recitation at Sts. Simon

& Jude Church in honor of the Apparitions of Our Lady of

Fatima. “Lets’ continue to pray for peace in the world and

the purification of the Catholic Church” 20 decades of the

Rosary will be recited. All are called, all are welcome!

JUNE 13 at 3:00pm

MAY 19, 2019

The Mustard Seed Contact us @ 718-372-0733

Or email us at faithformssj@gmail.com

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE It is amazing how love is at the root of so many Gospel stories. Today we hear Jesus tells his disci-

ples, during the Last Supper, to “love one another as I have loved you.” The Israelites though of

God as a distant figure who would punish for any wrongdoing. While their God was gracious in

giving blessings and worthy of praise, he was also demanding. Jesus gives us a different picture.

God is a Father, who is merciful, forgiving and loving. Jesus’ example to us is loving compassion,

we all need to adopt his ways in order to live as God wants us to live.

DO YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE RIGHT? Today’s responsorial psalm gives us something to think about. “I will praise your name forever.” To praise someone is to give him loving

approval and admiration. Do we praise God? Do we recognize that everything we have comes from him? Do we stop to thank him for

even the little things during the day? Lots of people talk about having an attitude of gratitude; don’t you think gratitude begins with God?

This week try to make an effort to thank and praise God; it will change your whole outlook.

ST CRISTOBAL MAGALLANES On May 21 we celebrate the feast day of St. Cristobal Magallanes and companions. Born in the Archdiocese of Guadalajara into a family

of shepherds; but instead of sheep Cristobal felt he was drawn to shepherd people. He studied to become a priest and then returned to his

home time and eventually opened up a seminary. In Mexico during that time, the government banned the practice of the Catholic faith for

its people; seminaries were closed and priests and laymen were arrested and assassinated for their Catholic beliefs. This persecution,

known as the Cristero War lasted from 1924-1928. In total it is believed that 90,000 Catholics were killed, 35 people have been canon-

ized and 15 have been beatified.

FROM THE OFFICE Today is the last day of our Faith Formation Program. As you may have heard by now, this is the last year I will be the director here at

Ss. Simon and Jude. I wanted to take the time to thank you for all the support you gave to my program and children over the past 12

years. I have been blessed to meet so many wonderful people and to work with the beautiful children of our parish. God bless you all.

After 11 years, my time at Ss Simon & Jude is coming to an end. I wanted to say how grateful I am for having the opportunity to meet so

many families. I love teaching the children and watching them grow. I will miss them all. Thank you to everyone, parents, students, ex-

tended family, for always supporting Sara and myself. May God continue to watch over you and bless you.

Sincerely,

Ms. Sara Nespoli & Mrs. Nina Varone

PRAYER TO ST. MICHAEL

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle;

be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;

and do you, O prince of the heavenly host,

by the power of God,

thrust into hell Satan and the other evil spirits

who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls.

Amen

GOD’S DWELLING IS WITH

THE HUMAN RACE

For many people God is simply unknown. They

may believe in God but do not believe He is acces-

sible. More than a few of us have heard God re-

ferred to as “the man upstairs”. The basic premise

for this is that God is somewhere apart from human

life and the human experience. For others God is

mystery that cannot be penetrated, known, let alone

loved. Still others see God as a concept or idea. For

those who deem themselves spiritual but not reli-

gious God is some sort of an impersonal force that

we possess inside. For some at the extreme God is

one who is sought after for raw power. He may be

omnipotent and almighty but he is not father.

The revelation of God to the Jewish people in the

Old Testament era was of a God who is intimately

engaged in every single individual’s personal walk

through this life. He is revealed as one who is in

covenant relationship with his people. God presents

Himself as one who wants to give love and also

who invites us to love Him and one another in turn.

Our Lord Jesus Christ continues to unfold this reve-

lation by calling God His and our Father. Even mo-

reso in the incarnation He resides deeply and inti-

mately in the human experience, as Sacred Scrip-

ture tells us “in every way but sin.”

It is noteworthy that God does not reveal Himself

as unknown, as inaccessible, as total mystery, as

power, or omnipotent and almighty. To be sure

there is truth in each and everyone of these. God

cannot be fully known in this world, there is cer-

tainly an element of mystery in the reality of God.

Without doubt God is powerful, omnipotent and

almighty. Yet He chooses to reveal himself as a

companion on life’s journey and as a father. In

other words, as Saint John tells us, God reveals

himself as love.

It is interesting and somewhat ironic that more than

vast numbers of people view God in impersonal

terms. Interesting because that is not how God re-

veals Himself and ironic that in a time when there is

so much talk about charity and justice and love,

there are so many who find God as a loving, and

ever present, father difficult to understand. This

may be due to a crisis of fatherhood in our culture

or a misunderstanding of love when it gets reduced

to feelings and the sensual.

The God who dwells with us is the love that is total

self gift, total self donation. When we can under-

stand love in those terms, then acknowledging God

who loves us so much that He dwells with us be-

comes not only easy to grasp but also becomes the

very heart of our being. This is the gift that has

been revealed, this is the gift that is ours for the

asking, this is the gift that wise men and women

have sought, and by the grace of God have found,

that their joy may be complete. May we seek and

find the same truth and the same joy.

Fr. John Maduri,

Pastor/Administrator

OUR FATHER: PART 7

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD

This simply petition which we pray in the Lord’s prayer is

actually one of the most beautiful prayers we pray to God our

Father. When we pray this way, asking the Lord for our most

basic necessities, we are putting our complete trust in God. We

are saying, “Lord, please give us everything we need to sur-

vive. We are completely dependent on you.” It reminds us that

every good thing that exists comes from God, and without

him, we are nothing.

When we approach God in this way, asking him for our most

fundamental human needs, it helps us to become a more grate-

ful people. It helps us to grow in trust. There is something im-

mensely powerful about going through a struggle and making

that prayer, “Lord, please give me what I need to make it

through this”. This is the kind of faith Jesus spoke about when

he told us to have faith “like a child”. When we say “give us”

we are recalling the fact that we are in a covenant with God.

He is not some distant being; rather, he is so close to all of us.

He wants to take care of our human wants and needs. We can

approach him in prayer and make these prayers of petition.

One thing that is worth noting is the fact that when we pray the

Our Father, we are praying for God to give us this day our

daily bread. God wants to give us what we need in this present

moment. We are asking him only what we need for the day, no

more. It is an exercise in trust. Just as the Israelites wandering

the desert were only given enough manna in the morning to

last them the day, so too are we called to trust God in the mo-

ment and “not be anxious about tomorrow” letting tomorrow”

take care of itself. When the sun sets and rises once more we

turn to the Father again with this prayer, asking him for the

strength and grace for another day. This trains us to be com-

pletely dependent on him. It also helps s to realize that every

day is an opportunity for God to do something completely dif-

ferent in our lives, for “his mercies are new for us every morn-

ing” (Lamentations 3). God wants to do something new this

day in your life. And tomorrow he will do something new

again. We approach the Lord and ask him for what we need for

today, knowing that when we go and approach him tomorrow

he will give us what we need then. Even when it feels like eve-

rything is falling apart, God will pull us through one day at a

time as we continue to trust in his love and mercy.

Finally, we must reflect on the daily bread which we are ask-

ing for. In English, the word ‘daily’ has been given to us as

our translation, which once more calls to mind what we spoke

of in the previous paragraph. But it really goes much deeper

than that. The Greek word used in Scripture is epiousios, and

there really isn’t an English word that can capture the full

meaning of it (daily was as close as we could come). There is a

sort of double meaning we have with the word. The first mean-

ing would be something like “that which is necessary for life

each day”, which again calls to mind our call to trust God each

day, and that he has new mercies for us every day. But there is

also a second meaning which could be translated as “super-

as “super-substantial”. Taken this way, it is a direct nod to

the Eucharist, which is our bread which has been made into

the highest substance possible, Jesus’s true body. Throughout

history, bread has been a symbol of what is needed to survive.

It is no wonder then, that Jesus chose bread to be the food to

be transformed into his body. Wine has traditionally been a

symbol of prosperity and abundance. At every Mass, ordinary

bread and wine, symbols of that which we need to survive and

abundant life, are transformed into the Body and Blood of

Christ. The “daily” bread which we prayer for in the Our Fa-

ther, the “super-substantial” bread, is not only those things we

need to get through the day. It is also the Eucharistic bread

which we share at Mass. It is a reminder that although we are

obligated to go to Mass each Sunday, we can also go any day

of the week. Indeed, every time we go to Mass and receive the

Eucharist we become just a little bit more like Christ.

“Lord, give us this day our daily bread. Give us

what we need not just to survive, but to thrive.

Help us to receive you more faithfully when we

go to Communion, and open our hearts more

and more to your love. Amen.”

Supplementing CCC 2828-2837

Jonah Soucy

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

MONDAY, MAY 20 9:00am:Mass (CHU)

9:30am: Chaplet of the Divine Mercy (CHU)

7:00pm: Circulo de Oracion (UC)

TUESDAY, MAY 21 9:00am Mass (CHU)

9:30am: Miraculous Medal Novena (CHU)

7:00pm:Spanish Bible class CANCELED

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22 9:00am: Mass (CHU)

12:00pm-3:00pm: Golden Age Club (LC)

6:30pm: Al E MO Square Dance (LC)

7:00pm: Spanish Choir Rehearsal (CHU)

THURSDAY, MAY 23 9:00am: Mass (CHU)

9:30am: Legion of Mary (LC)

4:00pm: Italian Rosary (CHAP)

7:00pm: Youth Group (LC)

7:30pm: AA Meeting (OFF)

8:00pm: Folk Group Rehearsal (CHU)

FRIDAY, MAY 24 9:00am: Mass (CHU)

9:30am: St. Jude Novena (CHU)

7:00pm: Reunion de Servidores (LC)

SATURDAY, MAY 25 8:00am: Holy Hour (CHU)

9:00am: Mass (CHU)

4:00pm: Confession (CHU)

5:00pm: Mass (CHU)

8:00pm: AA Meeting (OFF)

SUNDAY, MAY 26 8:00am: Rosario Italiano

8:30am/10:15am/12:00pm: Mass (CHU)

1:30pm: Spanish Mass (CHU)