Pastor’s Corner . . . On October 7, 1571 the last great naval battle of oar-powered ships was fought off the Greek coast at Lepanto. The importance of the battle is that it was one of the great triumphs of Catholic forces over those of the Moslem Ottoman Empire.  Why does it always appear that the history of Catholicism is one of military battles with those whose beliefs are different?  Why can’t we all just get along!!?? The fight didn’t begin with the Church.  At heart, these battles against Islam were battles of culture against culture. At the heart of the culture of western Europe, at least until the Protestant Reformation, was the Church and the Incarnation: the reality that God became a man, suffered, died and rose from the dead, in order to share his divine life with us. Within one generation after the death of Mohammed, this was seen as an insult to God, which necessitated action. In fact, as early as 846 a.d., Moslem troops sacked Rome, despoiling the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul.  The progress of Islam is one of military conquest of the entire mid-east and north Africa., not simple conversion.
 By 1570, Sultan Selim II threatened to conquer Cyprus.  Pope Pius V formed the Holy League, a coalition of the Catholic forces of Spain, the Venetian Republic and the Papal States, to thwart the superior Ottoman forces. Protestant nations wanted nothing to do with the fight. The flagship of the Turkish Grand Admiral Ali bore a purple silk standard emblazoned with the name of Allah in gold letters. The Catholic flagship of Don Juan of Austria bore a dark blue silk standard with an embroidered image of the Crucified Lord.
At a consistory on August 27th, the Pope instructed the cardinals to fast at least once weekly, to give extraordinary alms to the poor, and to perform other acts of penance in order to obtain God's mercy and victory over the Turks. The Pope fasted three days weekly, and instructed all churches in Rome to pray for victory. As was traditional in Rome, on the first Sunday in October the local Rosary confraternities held their processions around the City. The image of Our Lady of the Rosary was similar to the traditional image of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception: taken from the biblical Book of Revelation, the Blessed Virgin Mary is seen crowned with twelve stars and standing atop a crescent moon. It was on that day that the battle was fought, and "the forces of the Cross proved victorious over the Crescent", as one historian described it. News of the victory of the Catholic forces on the afternoon of October 7th reached Rome on October 22nd. Immediately the Pope attributed the victory to the Blessed Virgin Mary in answer to the Rosaries of thousands of people prayed on the day of battle. The Feast of Our Lady of Victory, or Our Lady of the Rosary, was to be celebrated each year on October 7th throughout the world to commemorate the victory at Lepanto, through the intercession of Mary, the Mother of God.
Other battles with Turkish forces would follow. The last was at the gates of Vienna, when the Ottoman army was defeated on September 11 [9/11], 1683 by another Catholic coalition. The Battles of Lepanto and Vienna marked the beginning of the end for the Ottoman Empire, since they halted Islamic aggression into Christian Western Europe. Christian Europe has ceased to exist, but the reality of the God who became a man for us, and who continues to work in his Church, continues and is manifest is the reality of Divine Providence working in human history. The God who sent His Son to become one of us, to free us from sin and death, continues to work in the world to bring us to eternal life. The triumph at Lepanto was seen as one such instance: the Mother of the Incarnate God defending us against enemies of the Incarnation. Trust in God, and pray to Our Lady in times of need. -- Msgr. DiGiovanni

Please pray for the sick… Helen Conforti, Stanley Bozek, Frederick Naphen, Paul Eldridge, Antoinetta Fiore, John Dagostino, Drew, John Castellano. Andrew DeMott, Anita Fasanelli, Felicia Stamadini, Vinci Balbucci, Pasqualina Bruzzesi

Please pray for those who have recently died… Sr. Inez, O.SS.S., Vicki Manes Henry Saraniero, Philipe Waterbury, Michael Murray, Jennifer Tomasello, Mather Dearborn Fr. Joseph Link, Maureen Apruzzese

Banns of Marriage:   3rd Christopher L. Mason & Amy Ferraiuolo
                                    3rd  Pablo Labrosciano & Angela Piria
                                    2nd Richard Chow & Alexandra Carlson

Pro-Life Activity. . . Stamford’s Life Chain on Sunday, October 5th from 2:30-3:30 p.m. at the intersection of Atlantic Street and Tresser Blvd.  Come be a living link in our Chain of Life. For information, please call Frank Carpanzano: (203) 975-8833, ext. 3004.  Parking is available at St. John’s lot.

ROME PILGRIMAGE MARCH 16 – 24 2009
Fr. Walsh will lead a pilgrimage to Rome, March 16th, returning March 24th.  Cost: $1999, includes airfare, 7 Nights at the Visconti Palace (www.viscontipalace.com), breakfast included, in the heart of the city (Double Occupancy; the Single Supplement is $399.) Transfers to and from the airport, and Travel Insurance are also included. A $100 Deposit holds your spot and the final payment is due by December 1st.  For reservations, call Frank Carpanzano at Advance Travel at (203) 975-8833 ext. 3004.

Religion Classes for adults. . . Catholics who have not yet received Holy Communion or Confirmation, and for non-Catholics who wish to join the Church, every Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. in the rectory.  The class is on a 7 week cycle: if you miss one, we repeat it.  Interested?  Please contact Providencia at (203¬) 324 -1553 ext. 21.

20’s / 30’s Young Adults…will meet October 13th in a NEW LOCATION: “The Upper Room” at the Restaurant Columbus Park” at 6:30 p.m. – bring a friend. Jon Alcenas is our featured speaker: “The Fallacy of Global Warming”

St. John’s Bible Study…We will use The Bible Timeline Series for 25 Thursdays: we just began this past Thursday, and will continue through May 7th in the rectory at 7:30 p.m.  Interested? Please call the Parish Office, ext. 21 to register: the cost for the materials:  $40.00 per person.  All are welcome.

St. Anne Family Society . . . Meets the first Saturday of each month 5:00 p.m. in the church and parish hall. Meetings include Eucharistic Adoration in church; a potluck supper and a spiritual conference in the parish hall.  All families—including children—are invited. 1st meet: OCTOBER 4th

St. Maria Goretti Society . . . All high school girls are welcome to participate in the kick-off meeting of the year this Sunday, October 5th in the rectory from 1:15 -3:30 p.m. We'll start off by lunch and then join the parish for the Life Chain.  Join us and bring a friend.  Any questions, please contact Rosa Marchetti at (203) 348-0232.  Next meeting will be October 26th - Pumpkin Picking.

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 October 7th.

St. Monica Institute for Patristic Studies . . . Will next meet on October 8th at 7:30 p.m. in the rectory.

Sunday, September 28, 2008     $10,824.88

Sunday, September 30, 2007    $ 11,047.50
I ask you one thing: do not tire of giving to God, but do not give your leftovers.”---Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Sunday Readings for October 12th: 
Is. 25: 6-10a, Phil. 4: 12-14, 19-20, Mt. 22: 1-14 or 22: 1-10

Hymns for this weekend . . . (1) 253 (2) 146.  The Creed for the Noon Mass may be found in the hymnal at No. 289.

New Adult Choir . . . St. John’s has formed a new Adult Choir to sing for the 10:00 AM Family Mass on Sundays. Rehearsals are on Thursday evenings, 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. in the choir room. All with even a little singing experience are welcome. We especially need TENORS & BASSES! Please call Scott Turkington for more information, 324-1553, ext. 18 ... and ... The Children’s Choir has resumed its Saturday rehearsals. 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.

Choral Music for the 12:00 Noon Mass . . . Mass Ordinary: Missa Syllabica – Arvo Pärt, b. 1935. Offertory motet: Tu pauperum refugium – Josquin des Prez, c. 1450/55-1521 (Thou hast been the refuge of the poor, of the mourning and sorrowing, Thou comforter, giving courage to the laborer, helper of erring men, Source of truth and life. And now, Redeemer Lord, I take refuge in Thee alone, Thou very God do I adore. Thou art my hope, my Salvation, Christ Jesus. Be Thou my help, for without Thy watchful care, while sleeping, death would claim my soul.). Communion motet: O Lord, increase my faith – Orlando Gibbons, 1583-1625.  The Gregorian chants proper to this Sunday are: Introit In voluntate tua (All things are submitted to your will, O Lord, and no one can resist your decisions; you have made all things, heaven and earth, and all that is contained under the vault of the sky; you are the master of the universe. Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. [Esther 13:9-11; Ps. 119:1]); Alleluia In exitu Israel (When Israel went out of Egypt; the house of Jacob from a barbarous nation ... [Psalm 114:1]); Offertory Vir erat (There was a man in the land of Hus whose name was Job, a blameless, upright and God-fearing man; Satan asked to be allowed to tempt him, and the Lord gave him power over his possessions and his body; and so, he destroyed his possessions and his children, and he ravaged his flesh with horrible sores. [Job 1 and 2.7]); Communion In salutari tuo (My soul aspires after your salvation; I hope in your word; when will you judge those who persecute me? The wicked are persecuting me; come to my assistance, O Lord my God. [Psalm 119:81,84,86])

Religious Ed Catechists:
 
Each Child will receive this attendance slip during Religious Ed class.  Please have them drop it into the collection basket at Mass.


St. John’s in The Advocate... 


  . . . 100 years ago, or so:

October 5, 1914: Asked to Pray for Peace. “In St. John’s Catholic Church, at each service yesterday, the priest who officiated asked the congregation to pray for peace, as President Wilson had requested. No particular allusion was made to the war in the sermons, however. To Confirm a Large Class. Bishop Nilan of Hartford will confirm a large class of children in St. John’s Catholic Church next Saturday, at 3 p. m. The children have been preparing for several weeks, and they constitute one of the largest classes confirmed here in some time.”

October 9, 1916: SPIRE FOR CATHOLIC CHURCH. “It was announced yesterday, at all masses in St. John’s Catholic church, that a parish bazaar will be held the week of Nov. 13, to raise funds to erect a steeple on the church. Rev. J. C. O’Brien, pastor of the church, and the majority of the parishioners feel that the spire should be erected. It has been deferred because of lack of funds. It will be erected next spring, if the bazaar is a success. On Wednesday evening, in the Parish Hall, a reception will be given to Rev. Dr. Thomas J. Drennan, until recently curate in the Parish, and a concert will be rendered by well known local artists. Father Drennan and Father O’Brien and others will appear and will have something to say to the parishioners.”

October 11, 1920: 14 HOLY NAME SOCIETIES HAVE 4,000 IN PARADE. “Favored by perfect weather, upwards of 4,000 members of the Holy Name Society, representing Catholic churches in the district bounded on the east by Westport and on the west by East Port Chester, marched in a parade here, yesterday afternoon, in a public demonstration of their belief in the principles upon which their society was founded. Officials from every town and city in this district reviewed the parade from the Town Hall esplanade, as guests of the executive committee which organized the demonstration. Representative citizens and Catholic clergymen from these towns also had seats on the reviewing stand. The demonstration closed with a sermon, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and a band concert on the Knights of Columbus ground opposite St. John’s Park. In the sermon preached before the benediction, the Rev. Nicholas P. Coleman of Riverside, said that, until God is taken into the plans and deliberations of man, there will be strife and discontent. And he added that should the day ever come when as a nation, our hearts are hardened and God is expelled from our councils, on that day will come the ruin and the destruction of our beloved country.”

AUDITIONS! Parish Shakespeare Theater is open for auditions to parishioners, AGES 18 TO 35 – SATURDAY OCTOBER 11th FROM 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the rectory. Come Join our Parish theater program.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR . . . Antique Tag Sale:
Saturday, November 29th 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.: Monsignor Nagle Parish Hall, sponsored by and for the benefit of the The Historical Neighborhood Preservation Program of Stamford.  All are welcome.

Coffee Hour…Please join us downstairs after the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass in the Monsignor Nagle Hall for coffee and snacks.

Latin Mass . . . . At Saint Gabriel’s Church on Newfield Avenue, each Sunday at 12:30 p.m.  All are welcome.

Angel’s for Alzheimer’s Car Raffle and Event: Ticket Price:  $10.00 each. Tickets on sale after Masses next weekend: October 11th & 12th. Drawing at the Italian Center on October 19th at 8:45 p.m.

The Latin reading group is translating St. Augustine’s Confessions…and will meet every Wednesday evening in the rectory at 6:15 p.m.  High school Latin is all that’s needed.  Just walk in.

Mass Intentions

Saturday, October 4
4:00 +Joyce Scinto req. Dottie & Gerry
Sunday, October 5
  7:30 People of the Parish
10:00 Special Intention Richard Paul Kim req. Joseph & Mary Kim
12:00 +Jocelyn Oswald & Kilda Machado req. Lilian & Alvina Ramos
 6:00 Thanksgiving to God req. Anthony D’Ariano
Monday, October 6
  8:00 +Patrick Kane & Family req. The Estate of Catherine Kane & Family
12:10 +David Gogolak req. Nicholas & Theresa Troilo
Tuesday, October 7
  8:00 +Casey Geary req. Nicholas & Theresa Troilo
12:10 +Joseph Bonifazio req. Tricia Boyle
Wednesday, October 8
  8:00 +Maria Vu req. Thang Nguyen
12:10      Souls in Purgatory req. Fabiola C.
Thursday, October 9
  8:00 +Lorraine Cunningham req. Robert Silveri
12:10    +Amelia Capocci req. Sharon Gannon
Friday, October 10
  8:00 Special Intentionf family of Boiteau req. Maude & Paul Hughes
12:10 Special Intention Peggy Walsh
Saturday, October 11
  8:00 +Hope & Joseph McAleer req. Family
12:10     +Eugene Lupinacci req. Lenny & Irene Zelinsky

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

Pray for an end to abortion every Wednesday, 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.

St. Dominic Savio Society…For the spiritual formation of young men from 8th – 12th grades meets this Sunday, after the 12:00 noon mass in the rectory.  Any questions, please contact Frank Marchetti at (203) 434-4734.

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 (203) 324-1553 x21.

Ecclesia Domestica
(The Domestic Church)
- Fr. Terry Walsh
 
 Religious Education of children is an aspect of the vocation of Sacramental Married life that brings special responsibility to Moms and Dads. God will provide the necessary graces to parents to help them in the education of their children in the ways of faith, provided the parents cooperate with Him. It all begins with a faithful prayer life and fidelity to the Sacraments, especially Confession, Eucharist, and in the case of Parents, fidelity to the Sacramental Bond of Marriage. The conduit of grace that exists between sacramentally married couples is the well-spring of grace that flows out to the children. Paul’s 1st Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13, ought to be emblazoned upon the hearts and souls of all married persons. Unconditional love, in imitation of Christ, allows married couples to embrace their vocation in the truest sense and obviously summons the graces necessary to teach and defend the faith in the home. Indeed, parents will be held accountable for their participation in teaching their children the “Gospel of Life” – that is, the love of God and the call to discipleship. What sweet words they’ll hear from our Lord in Heaven: “Well done my good and faithful servant.”
 The Religious Education program here in the parish setting is simply meant to complement and reinforce the Truth of the Faith that the children are already learning at home. Consider the teaching of the Church: “The Christian family is a communion of persons, a sign and image of the communion of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit. In the procreation and education of children it reflects the Father’s work of creation. It is called to partake of the prayer and sacrifice of Christ. Daily prayer and the reading of the Word of God strengthen it in charity. The Christian family has an evangelizing and missionary task”(Catechism, 2205). What a beautiful vocation! What a great responsibility our Lord places on the shoulders of Moms and Dads. Jesus said, “My yoke is easy, My burden light.” He does not lay upon us more than we can handle, provided we ask for the help. When we turn to him in our need and ask for the grace of Wisdom, of Understanding, of Counsel, and so on, He will provide. We live in a troubled world that breeds confusion and obscures the path of righteousness. Children today face pretty big challenges, especially on the moral and spiritual fronts. Clearly, parents today have to be well versed in their faith so that they can teach the faith with confidence and live the faith in peace and joy – even in an unsettled environment – very much like the early Christians did so many centuries ago. Indeed, the Catechism emphasizes the special role that Moms and Dads have been assigned by our Lord: “The role of the parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute. The right and duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable”(ccc2221)…Parents should initiate their children at an early age into the mysteries of the faith of which they are the ‘first heralds’ for their children. They should associate them from their tenderest years with the life of the Church. A wholesome family life can foster interior dispositions that are a genuine preparation for a living faith and remain a support for it throughout one’s life”(ccc 2225). Pray for one another….