Pastor’s Corner…Saint Augustine died in 430 a.d. as the Catholic bishop of Hippo in Roman North Africa. He is one of the most influential of the Church’s theologians, whose writings and thoughts continue to form both Catholic theology and western culture.  He was not always a “fervent Catholic.”
 Despite the earnest urgings and tearful prayers of his sainted mother Monica, Augustine steadfastly refused to submit himself to Christ or to his Catholic Church. He judged he couldn’t be Catholic because the Bible, upon which the Church’s teachings are based, was so poorly written.  Such clumsy grammar could never be the conduit for divine revelation or Truth, or so he proposed. And he should have known, since he was the smartest man in the ancient world—and he knew it!
 So, for decades he searched for Truth, on his own terms, and moved from one philosophical school to another, alighting upon whichever intellectual system he determined embodied or led to Truth.  He was the touchstone for determining Truth, at least in his own mind. In reality, he was not searching for objective. No, he searched for truth that was convenient for him—philosophical or theological schools were true if they flattered his intellect, permitted him to continue a promiscuous lifestyle, and, of course, furthered his career ambitions, all while permitting him to think of himself as religious. His final attachment, prior to his conversion to Christ and baptism, was with a group called the Manicheans. The Manicheans could be useful in helping him in his intellectual career since it was filled with the ancient equivalent of movie stars and society’s glitterati. With such important people as members, it must be true. Augustine knew he’d discovered Truth—until he began asking questions, and found it was just a bunch of intellectual and religious mush only, which allowed its adherents to pursue anything they wanted in daily life, under the cover of searching for Truth.
 The Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, stirred the political/theological pot this past week with her comments on Meet the Press in answer to a question when human rights begin in life. Gearing up for the Democratic Convention, she felt the pinch, I’m sure, because her garbled answer belied her fears about making anything that might be misinterpreted as a policy statement of the Democratic Party about abortion. 
 Her insistence that she is a faithful Catholic while holding to the legitimacy of legalized abortion is similar to Augustine’s early stance about Truth—you may claim to be in search of Truth, but it shouldn’t affect the way you live. In the end, Truth is what you make of it—not! A similar logic could be applied to politicians during Hitler’s regime and the murder of Jewish people throughout Europe; or Stalin’s slaughter of millions during the Cold War; or the horrors of slavery and the Jim Crow laws in American South. Murder may be wrong, but not here and not now. Human life, and human rights, begin in the womb at the moment of conception: it’s not just a clump of cells that one day magically transmute into a human being, as opposed to a giraffe or a guppy. It’s a human being from the beginning; not fully developed, but a human being, nonetheless. You may consider yourself a fervent Catholic and hold that abortion is morally acceptable—but in reality, you’re not a fervent Catholic at all. St. John says so in his first letter: “If you say you know Jesus but break His commandments, you are a liar.”[I Jn 2: 4] Abortion—the killing of children, like the killing of Jews by Hitler; the killings by Stalin; or slavery and the segregation-driven crimes in the South, is always and everywhere wrong—this is an objective Truth, not a mere opinion. No matter what the politics, it’s never OK, simply because the government or we say it’s OK. There is objective Truth—like it or not.
 At the end of his life, Augustine wrote about the one element essential to the search for Truth: “Attempt not to attain true wisdom by any other way than that which God has enjoined. This is in the first, second and third place, Humility. . . Not that there are no other precepts: but unless humility go before, accompany and follow after, all that we do well is snatched out of our hands by pride. So, if you would ask me concerning the precepts of the Christian religion, I should answer you, nothing but Humility.”
[Letter 56, to Discords, 56]
 To have true humility means we listen first to God and to the Church through which He continues to teach us. And then, have the guts to be true to it, no matter what.  So long as we determine we know it all, or that we determine what is True and Good, we have lost, because we move through life seeking to satisfy ourselves and our ambitions first, leaving much pain and suffering in our wake.
--Mons. DiGiovanni

Please pray for the sick…  Drew, John Castellano. Andrew DeMott, Anita Fasanelli, Mather Dearbone, Felicia Stamadini, Vinci Balbucci, Pasqualina Bruzzesi, Carmella Micik, Eleanor McNamee, Nancy Geikie, Vicki Manes, Jennifer Tomasello Anthony Sansone, Paul Forte, Anne Marie Brutus, Gelanie Lops,

Please pray for those who have recently died… Maureen Apruzzese, Jerry Allen, Susan Wilhelm, Margaret Timon, Felix Fiore, Estelle Burke, Margaret Barko, Margaret Roth, Jane C. Hlavaty, Joan Bankowski,

Religious Education . . . Classes begin on Sunday, September 21st at 8:30 a.m.  All classes will be held on Sunday mornings.  Please find registration forms in the vestibule of the church, or stop by the office during the week to register:  Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m.

NOT YET CONFIRMED?  WANT TO JOIN THE CHURCH? “R.C.I.A” classes for both adult Catholics who have not yet received Holy Communion or Confirmation and for non-Catholics who wish to join the Church, as well as for anyone who would like a refresher course in their Catholic Faith, will begin on September 30th at 7:30 p.m. in the rectory.  Interested?  Please contact Providencia at
324 -1553 ext. 21.

The Latin reading group is translating St. Augustine’s Confessions…and will meet every Wednesday evening in the rectory at 6:15 p.m.  If you’ve studied only high school Latin, you’ll be fine; we all help each other; please join us: you know more than you think! Following the Latin reading group, stay and join us for:

St. Monica Institute for Patristic Studies: will next meet on September 3rd, at 7:30 p.m. in the rectory, to begin our study of John Cassian’s Spiritual Conferences.  All are welcome. 

New Testament Greek . . . anyone interested in an introductory simple Dick and Jane New Testament Greek Grammar study group, please contact Monsignor DiGiovanni. We’ll begin in October, depending on interest.  One parishioner has suggested that we meet on Sunday mornings at 8:30 am, while religious education classes are going on.  I’m open to suggestions—what do you think??

Latin Mass . . . Last year, Pope Benedict XVI gave permission that the Latin Mass in its 1962 form could be offered.  I’m still interested, and if you are too, please let me know.  Msgr. DiGiovanni

Moms & Tots . . . a group of moms and children meet with Fr. Walsh each first Tuesday of every month at 10:30 a.m. in church for Eucharistic adoration, followed by snacks in the parish hall. Please join us.  Our next meeting will be on September 2nd.

Sunday, August 24, 2008 $ 11,290.16

Sunday, August 26, 2007 $ 10,237.16   
I ask you one thing: do not tire of giving to God, but do not give your leftovers.”---Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Hymns for this weekend . . . (1) 222 (2) 65.  The Creed for the Noon Mass may be found in the hymnal at No. 289.

New Adult Choir . . . St. John’s is pleased to announce that we will form a new Adult Choir to sing for the 10:00 a.m. Family Mass on Sundays. Rehearsals will be on Thursday evenings, 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. in the choir room, beginning Sept. 11th.  All with some singing experience are welcome! AND,
The Children’s Choir . . . The Children’s Choir will resume on Saturday, Sept. 6th at 1:00 p.m.  Now in its 10th year (!), the St. John’s Children’s Choir sings for the 10:00 a.m. Family Mass on Sundays, alongside our newly-formed Adult Choir. Rehearsals, at which children learn about singing and reading music, are held each Saturday from 1:00-1:45 p.m. The choir is open to boys and girls, ages seven and above, who can match a pitch and who are willing to make a weekly commitment. Please call Scott Turkington for more information, 324-1553, ext. 18.

Banns of Marriage:  1st Gregory Ladato & Flavia Moraes

House Blessings . . . throughout this Year of Saint Paul
(June 29, 2008-June 28, 2009), the priests of the parish will bless parishioners’ homes.  Please check the parish website:  www.stjohnsstamford.com for the list of streets we’ll visit this month. A new list will be published each month. To schedule a blessing, please call the rectory: 324-1553, ext. 21.

Parish Picnic SEPTEMBER 14th… From 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Cove Beach at the Pavilion.  There is plenty of parking and there is no cost.  Hamburgers and hot dogs will be provided.  Please bring a side dish, salad or desert.  Fun and games. Please call the rectory at 203-324-1553 X 21 and let us know how many family members will be attending so we may plan accordingly. 

20’s / 30’s Young Adults…will meet SEPTEMBER 8th in a NEW LOCATION: “The Upper Room” at the Restaurant Columbus Park” at 6:30 p.m. – bring a friend

Baby Sitter. . . We are looking for a junior high or high school student to play with a 5-year old girl with special needs for about 1-hour on weekday afternoons in Stamford. Flexible hours and schedule. Please call Hope: 323-1403.

St. John’s Bible Study… New and Improved: We will use The Bible Timeline Series for 25 Thursdays beginning September 25th through May 7th in the rectory at 7:30 p.m.  If you are interested, please call the Parish Office to register: the cost for the materials will be about $40.00 per person. 

St. Anne Family Society . . . will be on the first Saturdays of each month. Our first meeting: Saturday, October 4th, at 5:00 p.m. in the church and parish hall. Each meeting will include Eucharistic Adoration, a potluck supper and a spiritual conference.  All families—including children—are invited.

St. John’s in The News...
  . . . 100 years ago, or so:

The Stamford Advocate:
 September 1, 1863:  “On Saturday last, the schools connected with the Roman Catholic church, made an excursion to Jones Wood, New York. There were several hundred – men, women and children – and as they marched to the depot, preceded by a fine band of music, we never saw a neater or more orderly procession. A special train of 13 cars was filled with the excursionists. The day was remarkably fine, and no accident occurred to mar their enjoyment.”

The Stamford Advocate:
September 7, 1900: FATHER ROGERS IS HOME. “Rev. William H. Rogers arrived at the rectory of St. John’s R. C. Church at noon today. He had been away from town since June 24 last. He left Cherbourg last Thursday on the Trave, and arrived in lower New York Bay at 6 o’clock this morning. There was only a brief delay at quarantine, as the ship had a good bill of health, and the steamer put into Brooklyn wharf at 9 o’clock. Father Rogers started for the Grand Central station immediately and caught the 11 o’clock train for home. Dr. F. J. Rogers (Father Rogers’ brother), Father Sullivan, Joseph Picker, John Reedy, and several others went down to meet Father Rogers, but the steamer had docked sooner than they expected, and they missed him. They started for the Grand Central Station at once, and Dr. Rogers avers that he just caught a glimpse of his brother’s coat-tails as the 11 o’clock train was pulling out. The party came home on the next train, arriving here a 1 o’clock, but they were by no means the first to shake hands with their pastor. Father Rogers gave this concise and exceedingly interesting account of his travels to an Advocate reporter: “I can say that I enjoyed the trip very much, Ireland, perhaps, pleased me more than any other country, although all have their claims to beauty and grandeur. Belgium is both antique and modern; Antwerp is ancient; Brussels is more modern; Germany is full of life, much like our own country, and then, of course, the Rhine has its unequaled castles and ruins; Switzerland is beautiful and prosperous; Italy is slow, but very interesting in every spot – the vine-clad hills, the olive groves, the classic monuments, the grand edifices, the tombs of saints and martyrs, all these possess charms for the traveler and foreigner. However, despite all these, I am glad to again be back in America. Father Rogers was accompanied by his sister, Mrs. Tobin of Bristol, R.I.”

Pro-Life Activity. . . Stamford’s Life Chain on Sunday, October 5th from 2:30—3:30 pm, at the intersection of Atlantic Street and Tresser Blvd. It is a friendly way to engage adults, teens and youth groups in the Pro-life movement. Come be a living link in our Chain of Life. For information, please call Frank Carpanzano: 203-975-8833, ext. 3004.  Parking available at St. John’s lot.

St. Maria Goretti Society . . . for the spiritual formation of young ladies of the parish, from 8th - 12th grades. Questions, please contact Rosa Marchetti at 348-0232.

St. Dominic Savio Society…For the spiritual formation of young men from 8th – 12th grades meets monthly in the Rectory.  Any questions, please contact Frank Marchetti at 434-4734.

Labor Day. . . Monday, September 1st: the parish office will be closed.

Coffee Hour. . . Anyone interested in volunteering to help with the weekly coffee hour following the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass, please call Janet Lancaster 203-637-3301.

Mass Intentions

Saturday, August 30
4:00 +DeGuardia Family req. Millie & George

Sunday, August 31
  7:30 +Joan Pastiva req. by Mother
10:00 God’s Blessings Edward & Christina Strain req. Diane Strain
12:00 +Carolyn Short req. Friend
 6:00 +Patrick Kane & Family req. Estate of Catherine Kane & Family

Monday, September 1
  8:00 Thanksgiving req. Thang Nguyen
12:10 +Mario Imbrogno req. Eugenio & Rosira Marsico

Tuesday, September 2
  8:00 +Margaret Curtis req. Mary Maloney
12:10 +Patrick M. Warager req. Gabriella Styler

Wednesday, September 3
  8:00 +Frank Skehan req. Maureen & Rick Carpinello
12:10      Special Intention Antonio & Erica Marchetti

Thursday, September 4
  8:00 +Alice Driscoll req. Tricia Boyle
12:10  Thanksgiving to our Lady & The Saints req. Diane

Friday, September 5
  8:00 +Charles Michael req. by Logsdail Family
12:10 +Frank Skehan req. Maureen & Rick Carpinello

Saturday, September 6
  8:00 Souls in Purgatory req. Diane
12:10    Thanksgiving to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament

Miraculous Medal Novena: Mondays, 8:30 a.m.

Pray for an end to abortion every Wed., 7:00 - 10:30 a.m., at Planned Parenthood, 1039 East Main St, Stamford. 

Eucharistic Adoration:  Fridays, 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon

Are you a registered parishioner? … If not, please visit the parish office Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. or call the office for more information [ext 21 or 17].

Sponsor Certificates for Baptism or Confirmation…are happily given to parishioners of St. John’s, i.e. Those who are registered members; those whose regular Mass attendance is known to the priests, or whose parish membership can be verified by the records of the weekly offertory (envelopes).        

Holy Name Society . . . for all men of the parish: the rectory every Friday morning for coffee, Eucharistic adoration benediction & prayer, from 7:00 - 8:00 a.m.

Lost and Found . . . The parish has a collection of items left behind in church.  If you have lost something, you may find it at the parish office in the rectory:  Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m.  - 4:00 p.m.

Credit Card Offertory…Make weekly or monthly donations by credit card. You can set up recurring credit card donations with the church secretary.  She can take your information over the telephone.  Call 324-1553 x21.

               The Pearly Gates         -Fr Terry Walsh
“And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a great voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes…” (Revelation 21). In his vision, John goes on to tell us that the walls of the Heavenly Jerusalem will be built of the greatest jewels such as jasper, sapphire, emerald, topaz, amethyst and others. The city itself will be of pure gold, clear as glass, and each of the monumental 12 Gates will be made of a single pearl. Ah, the Pearly Gates of Heaven. The Scriptures reveal a glimpse of the Heavenly Kingdom through the prophets, Isaiah and Ezekiel, as well as St. Paul, St. John the Evangelist, and others. Indeed, we hear “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it so much as dawned on man what God has prepared for those who love Him.” In your mind’s eye, have you ever sneaked a peek inside the Gates? Have you thought about what it might be like to dwell in Heaven? What do you see and hear? What do you taste and smell? What must it be like? The created world is indeed beautiful, after all, God made it. Consider the beauty of the Giant Sequoias that tower over the mossy ground far below, or the snow capped Rocky Mountains glistening under a beautiful sunset, or perhaps the explosion of color  in the Hills of New England on a crisp autumn afternoon surrounded by water rushing into an icy pond, reflecting a beautiful landscape. There is so much beauty here. But, in the big picture, it’s all dust. Truly, while Creation reveals something of God’s magnificence and benevolence, it is merely a passing shadow of “what He has prepared for those who love Him”. And yet, how attached, even possessive, we can become to the things of this world, even to our detriment. The danger is to fall victim to worshiping created things, especially holding onto particular attachments (various vices), rather than worshiping the Lamb of God who has come to Redeem us, the One who invites us into His home, in Heaven, the One who created all things, “Out of Nothing.” It reminds me of a little story I heard a priest tell some years ago about an elderly Irish man who was about to breath his last breath. He called his 4 sons into the small farm cottage and asked if they would be so kind as to lift him up, carry him outside, and lay him upon the lush green sod that he so dearly loved. As he lay upon the soft grass of Ireland for the last time, he dug his hands into the fertile soil and grasped two fists full of the old sod, and drew his last breath. Now, when he arrived at the Pearly Gates, St. Peter welcomed him with great joy. ‘Ah, Paddy, we’ve been expecting you, we’re so glad you’ve finally arrived. There are so many waiting to see you! Come in! As the Gates were about to open, St. Peter noticed that Paddy was holding on to something and asked, ‘What have you brought with you?” “O, I have here in my hands my prize possession, two fists full of the Old Sod from my beloved Ireland.” Naturally, St. Peter explained that Paddy would have to leave all his possessions behind in order to enter the Gates of Heaven. But Paddy dug his heels in and pleaded with St. Peter, explaining how dear Ireland was to him and, after all, it was a very small possession. St. Peter simply shook his head, but Paddy refused to let go of his precious possession. St. Peter had no choice but to leave him outside the gates. Various friends came out to plead with Paddy to let go of the dirt and come inside the Gates; so many were waiting for him, but he refused. Finally, his little granddaughter who had died the year before came rushing out, “Grampa! Grampa!”  As she leaped toward his arms, Paddy opened his hands and the old sod fell to the ground. Immediately, the Gates were opened and all of Ireland lay before his eyes. When he finally let go of his puny prized possession, he received an infinitely greater gift. Our life here on earth is indeed a great gift. But, it’s meant to draw our attention to the One who provided it – the One who gives us everything, even His own beloved son, if we give ourselves to Him.