• EM & Lector Schedule

• Music Schedule

• RCIA Catechist Schedule

• EM Schedule for Forge Pond 

• EM Shorrock Gardens

• Hospital EM Schedule

• CCD Schedule

Mass Intensions

SATURDAY, JULY 24
4:00 PM Louis Salerno/req. Family
5:30 PM Kathleen DeTuro/req. Cindy & Brian Maguire

SUNDAY, JULY 25
6:45 AM People of the Parish
8:00 AM Walter Keily/req. Tom & Venus Leahy
9:30 AM Rachel Piazza/req Mary Kelleher
11:00 AM Rosemary Gatyas/req. Husband & Family
12:30 PM Agatina “Tina” Salvemini/req. Cindy Maguire
3:30 PM Polish Community

Jesus taught us how to pray. Asking his Father for our daily needs. 

That all baptized in Christ become living examples to one another of prayer and reconciliation; We pray to the Lord.

For every nations and leaders of the world to renounce violence as the means they use to achieve their ends ; We pray to the Lord

That we will have the grace to respond to the Lord's invitation to give ourselves away for all who are poor and weak, especially the dying, the forgotten, and the unborn;; We pray to the Lord.

For the Safety of those who serve in the armed forces, and the well-being of their families We pray to the Lord.

For all God’s Gifts especially our health and for those who need to be restored to health especially those listed in our Parish bulletin; We pray to the Lord.

For those who are nearing life’s end, that the Lord will give them guidance and   strength, and for those who have passed from us especially; Robert Dierolf, Jr., Leonard Fanelli; We pray to the Lord.

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Our Parish Concerns

These are some of the activities our faith family is looking forward to:  

1. The elevator is up and running now. The Handicap Parking outside the elevator entrance will now be strictly enforced. The elevator will go from ground level to church proper and also down to the church auditorium. 

2. We Care is a new ministry at Visitation providing for our troops overseas. See the list of needed items in the vestibule on the tote. This tote is to be used for items for our troops, not food for the food bank.

3. Throughout the month of August, you are invited to participate in the parish summer choir at the 11:00 am mass. Practice will be held at 10:30 in the Music Room in the church.

4. The women’s prayer and praise group will be meeting every Thursday, in the Daily Chapel from 11:00 to 12:00. All women are invited to attend.

5. A summer program entitled “Living in Continual Conversion” will be offered on Thursday evenings during the summer beginning August 5. The program will be based on a video series by Father Benedict Groeschel and Father Michael Himes. Please see the parish bulletin for times, dates, and location.

6. Friday, August 13, Fr. Will Dunlap will be installed as Pastor of St. Agnes & Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Atlantic Highlands. There will be a mass at 7:00 pm at St. Agnes with light refreshments to follow. Visitation will secure a bus for the trip to Atlantic Highlands if there are enough people interested in going. The bus will leave Brick at 5:00 pm and leave Atlantic Highlands at 9:00 pm. The cost is $17.00 roundtrip. Please call Denise at the rectory office at ext 201 to secure your seat.

7. Today is Community Sunday. Please join us downstairs for refreshments and fellowship. Fr. Al will be there to meet and greet all who attend. There is a collection of books available for you to take for your reading pleasure. And remember, the elevator is up and running.

Visitation BLOG Page.  Our  BLOG is intended to provide a means for parishioners, staff and others to exchange ideas, ask questions and share experiences in our journey to walk in the path of our Lord Jesus Christ. So Click above and let us know what you think.

JIGSAW PUZZLE By Sally I. Kennedy July 23, 2010 Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.....each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34 Life was a slow, easy pace, at the cottage on the lake, where I spent many summers as a child. There was always a jigsaw puzzle on the card table. Somehow it was like a magnet, drawing me as I passed by, “Sit down, and put that one piece in.” Early on, we had photos of puppies and kittens in baskets with large pieces. Later, country landscapes with tiny pieces. As soon as we’d finish one, we’d begin another. Dump out the box. Save any pieces already stuck together for a head start. Prop up the lid so the finished picture was visible. Soon puzzle pieces would be scattered everywhere on the table top. Mom taught us, “Separate the pieces with straight, outside edges. Find the four corners, and make the frame before starting the rest.” What if there had been no cover picture to guide us and help put the pieces together? We don’t have a lid to look at, with a finished photo, for the puzzles of our lives. God, however, knows exactly and precisely what the picture looks like. I recall my little sister would pick up a piece and determinedly declare, “This fits!”, as she would try and force the cardboard into the space. How often I try to sqeeze something into my life that is not supposed to be there, not designed for that particular time and place. One day at a time, as we turn our lives over to Him, the Lord give us a piece for the day. “It’s a puzzlement!”...the King of Siam, to Anna, in the musical, The King and I. Yes, well, not to Someone. That’s good news.

If you would like to comment on anything or comment on the views already posted go to our BLOG (click above) and select comments for the entry or Email lbarbuscio@comcast.net and I will post them to the BLOG for you.

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Changes in the Parts of the People in the Revised Order of the Mass in the Roman Missal, Third Edition

The Roman Missal, Third Edition, the ritual text containing prayers and instructions for the celebration of the Mass, has been approved by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Here are some of the changes in the peoples parts of the Mass.

For a printable list of all of the changes in the peoples parts of the mass click here for more information visit the US Bishops website:
http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/

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Here I am.... Now What?

VISITATION PASTORAL COUNCIL

In an effort to understand the spiritual needs of our parishioners, in the context of what God wants for our parish, the Pastoral Council has designed a pre-printed index card. To contribute, please ask any member of the Pastoral Council for a card. An e-version of the card is also available on the Parish website. Please include contact information so that we may get back to you. The completed cards may be returned to any council member or enclosed in an envelope addressed to the Pastoral Council and placed in the collection basket. We look forward to hearing from you!

A Pastoral Council page has been added to the website. Use the Pastoral Council button on the side menu or Click here to submit an E-Card

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WE CARE FOR OUR TROOPS

“We Care” is a new ministry at Visitation Church .  We collect donations and send them to our troops overseas.

In the vestibule of the church, in front of the poster with pictures of our parishioners who are in the military, there is a plastic tote and lists of suggested items that are needed by our men and women overseas.

Some of the items listed are for our wounded in the hospital and some are for an orphanage that is near the base at Kandahae, Afganistan.

If you have, or know of, someone overseas, and you give us their address we will see that they receive a care package.

Thank you for caring with us and God bless your generosity.

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New Women's Prayer Group

The new group announced at all masses this week will meet for the every Thursday at 11AM in the Daily Chapel (not in the church as previously announced).

In this weeks Gospel Jesus tells Martha that Mary has chosen the better part. Ladies take a break from your routine and spend some time at the feet of Jesus.

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NOTICE: MASS INTENTIONS
There are still many weekday and shared Sunday 8:00 AM Masses available for intentions. The offering for these Masses is $10.00. Please stop by the Parish office for Mass cards during regular business hours. 

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NEW HANDICAP PARKING
NOW IN EFFECT

As you may have seen we have additional handicap parking spaces located on the east side of the church where the elevator entrance is located.

Since the elevator is now up and running the Handicap Parking outside the elevator entrance can no longer be used as regular parking. The handicap signs have been unveiled and you must abide by the laws for handicap parking.  This will be strictly enforced. Rejoice this is the moment we have all been waiting for.

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WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE DO NOT TALK IN CHURCH. SOME ARE PREPARING FOR MASS WHILE OTHERS ARE GIVING THANKS. PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES WHILE IN THE CHURCH WORSHIP SPACE. THANK YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU.

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LAST WEEK If you missed last weeks issue of Front Page here's a second chance.

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We would appreciate any comments or suggestions about this page. Send Email to lbarbuscio@comcast.net

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Please support our website sponsors below.

 

SPECIAL THANKS

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each of you for extending a warm welcome upon my arrival to Church of the Visitation. I look forward to meeting each of you during what I hope to be many years at Visitation.

Please join me at the July 25 Community Sunday. I will be there after all masses to meet with you.

Hope to see you there.
God bless,
Fr. Al

TODAY'S READINGS

Genesis 18:20-32 Again he spoke to him, and said, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it."
Psalm 138:1-3, 6-8 On the day I called, thou didst answer me, my strength of soul thou didst increase.
Colossians 2:12-14 This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Luke 11:1-13 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

You were buried with him in baptism,
in which you were also raised with him
through faith in the power of God,
who raised him from the dead.
– Colossians 2:12

LISTENING TO GOD
Familiarity, in the case of the Lord’s Prayer, probably hasn’t bred contempt in most of us, but it certainly can breed a kind of inertia. The words we speak in prayer run the same risks as all our other
human words: they can be spoken hastily, thoughtlessly, carelessly. In a manner parallel to the words we say in  Lord’s Prayer—“forgive us as we forgive others”—today might be the day to invite God to “listen to us as well as we listen to you.” Today might be the day to listen to the Lord’s Prayer with newly attentive ears.

Let us learn from the example of Luke’s Jesus, who would not instruct others how to pray until he himself had been a man of prayer. Moreover, listen carefully to the follow-up Jesus gives for the prayer itself. In our quick-fix society we must heed the call to persistence; in a world that puts glib explanations on difficult situations we must continue to seek and knock; in our all-too-humanness, we must be open to the patience, grace, and wisdom of the will of God. Do we want the Lord to listen to our voice? Maybe we can start by listening to God’s.

Monday: Jer 13:1-11; Mt 13:31-35
Tuesday: Jer 14:17-22; Mt 13:36-43
Wednesday: Jer 15:10; 16-21; Mt 13:44-46
Thursday: Jer 18:1-6; Jn 11:19- 27 or Lk 10:38-42
Friday: Jer 26:1-9; Mt 13:54-58
Saturday: Jer 26:11-16, 24; Mt 14:1-12
Sunday: Eccl 1:2; 2:21-23; Ps 90; Col 3:1-5, 9-11; Lk 12:13-21

Salt and Light TV reports on  Monday through Thursday at 7pm ET with a 5-minute daily current affairs edition of “Perspectives”. (see direct feed above)

On Fridays, there is a new version of Perspectives: The Weekly Edition, a 30-minute program featuring in-depth discussions on the week’s hot topics, with host Pedro Guevara Mann and special guests.

Bishops Concerned Over Federal Court Rulings Rejecting Marriage as Between One Man, One Woman

Fabric of Society Depends on Basic Legal Definition of Marriage
Position Protects Roles of Fathers, Mothers
Marriage Existed Before State, Not Open To Redefinition

WASHINGTON—Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, expressed grave concern regarding recent rulings by a federal judge in Massachusetts rejecting the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.

Archbishop Kurtz offered his remarks after two rulings on July 8 that held that section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. Section 3 provides that for purposes of federal statutes, regulations, and rulings, “marriage” means the legal union of one man and one woman.

“Marriage – the union of one man and one woman – is a unique, irreplaceable institution. The very fabric of our society depends upon it. Nothing compares to the exclusive and permanent union of husband and wife. The state has a duty to employ the civil law to reinforce – and, indeed, to privilege uniquely – this vital institution of civil society. The reasons to support marriage by law are countless, not least to protect the unique place of husbands and wives, the indispensable role of fathers and mothers, and the rights of children, who are often the most vulnerable among us. And yet, a judge has decided that a marriage-reinforcing law like DOMA fails to serve even a single, minimally rational government interest. On behalf of the bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, I express grave concern over these dangerous and disappointing rulings which ignore even the most apparent purposes of marriage and thus offend true justice,” he said. 

The court rulings were based on two separate lawsuits which had been filed in Massachusetts. One ruling states that section 3 of DOMA violates the equal protection principles of the Fifth Amendment Due Process Clause (see Gill v. Office of Personnel Management). The other ruling holds that section 3 of DOMA violates the Tenth Amendment and the Spending Clause (see Commonwealth of Mass. v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

In the Gill ruling, U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro commented that, “as irrational prejudice plainly never constitutes a legitimate government interest,” section 3 of DOMA is unconstitutional.

“To claim that defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman is somehow irrational, prejudiced, or even bigoted, is a great disservice not only to truth but to the good of our nation,” Archbishop Kurtz said. “Marriage exists prior to the state and is not open to redefinition by the state. The role of the state, instead, is to respect and reinforce marriage. Thursday’s decision, by contrast, uses the power of the state to attack the perennial definition of marriage, reducing it merely to the union of any two consenting adults. But only a man and a woman are capable of entering into the unique, life-giving bond of marriage, with all of its specific responsibilities. Protecting marriage as only the union of one man and one woman is not merely a legitimate, but a vital government interest.”

The USCCB Office of General Counsel noted that the two court rulings are mistaken, both on the basis of the unique meaning of marriage, and because nothing in the Constitution forbids Congress from defining “marriage” – as that term is used in federal statutes, regulations, and rulings—as the union of one man and one woman.

Here is a great page for parents and kids. It has bible stories, puzzles , games, coloring book pages, questions kids ask, jokes and a host of other items with a religious theme. Click on the logo above to check it out. We will be featuring a taste of the content in this spot for the next few weeks.

BIBLE STORY:
Who Is God?

Lots of people say they believe in God, but they don’t really know who he is.

Suppose one day a little girl named Abbey walked past the place where you live.

“Someone must live there,” she thinks to herself.

And she would be right - YOU live there! But then suppose she thought you had long, pointy ears, and yellow teeth, and furry feet; and that you hated dogs; and all you did was sit around all day eating ice cream and playing video games.

That wouldn’t be you at all!
....except maybe for the video games part.
That is sort of God’s problem.

People see the moon and the stars and they think, “Someone must live there!” And they would be right. God does. But then they get all kinds of different ideas about who God is. And most of those ideas aren’t really who God is at all.

Abbey and her friends might sit around at lunch and talk about the person who lives in the place where you live, and in one way they all are right. Someone DOES live there. But if Abbey thinks you have furry feet, and one of her friends thinks you are just a kid who likes to play basketball, they aren’t really talking about the same person at all.

That’s how it is for God.

People say they believe in God. But what if one person thinks that God is the all-loving, all-powerful person who created everything there is. Then another person thinks that God is an old man with a white beard sitting up in a cloud somewhere. And then another person thinks that God is the statue of a cat he has sitting on his dresser. They aren’t really talking about the same person at all.

God had to find a way to let us know who he really is. That’s why God chose Abraham.
God TOLD Abraham who he was.
Abraham and his family became God’s “Chosen People.”

It’s not that they were better than anyone else. No, God chose them not because they were so great, but because God is so great.

God chose Abraham and his family to show us who he really is. When God blessed them with good things, we see that God is good.

When God punished them, we learn what God thinks is right and what he thinks is wrong.

When we hear the stories of the things God has done, that’s how we know that God is real. That’s how we know who God is.

But even more important than that, through all the stories of Abraham and his family we come to know Jesus.

We come to know that Jesus really IS God's son, and that he came to earth to make a way for us to live with God forever. And that's what everything in heaven and earth is all about.

It's all about just how much God loves us!

Bible Places - 2

Next weekend  is  our silent collection upgrade. This is a monthly collection which well help the parish meet its fiscal obligation. Please try to increase your offering by $2.00 TO $5.00. 

Our church subsists by the contributions of its members.  
Thank you for your kind generosity.

This corner is dedicated to all of you people in your 20s and 30s. The decedents of the "Baby Boomers", the first of the "Latch Key generation", "Generations X and Y", the millennial generation etc. In short people in there 20s and 30s married or Single

July 8th, 2010
Tips for Summer Spirituality
The Highlight Reel

The Fourth of July has come and gone and the temperatures are soaring; it’s clear that summer is officially here! That means BBQs, baseball and very busy schedules. Sometimes our faith life can take a back seat as the demands for our time grow, so we want to offer you a condensed version of Fr. Jim Martin’s Tips for Summer Spirituality.

Just last week Busted Halo® hosted our first ever Busted Halo® Behind the Scenes event with Fr. Jim Martin, SJ. It was a great success with over 150 people attending in person, and over a thousand tuning in online to watch the live-streaming event. Busted Halo Editor-in-Chief Bill McGarvey interviewed Fr. Martin about his new book The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, and the two bantered about tips for summer spirituality and lots of other tangentially related topics.

Attention Engaged Couples: Do you want to learn the secret to a life-long, happy marriage? You are invited to attend “God’s Plan for a Joy-filled Marriage,” a - Pre-Cana program based on Theology of the Body, which gives couples the knowledge and skills needed to build a marriage based on dee p intimacy and unconditional love. The next available programs will be held Saturday, July 24th at St. Gregory the Great Parish in Hamilton Square , 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The cost is $150 per couple. To register online go to www.dioceseoftrenton.org/go/joyfilled. or call Donna Goodwin at 609-406-7400 ext. 5592.

From the desk of Father Trammell

Dear Friends,
As you may know the Office of Life and Justice Ministries operates under a three-year strategic plan that builds on our preceding work. It is developed and implemented with the assistance of our diocesan steering committee. At this time I would like to share some of our new objectives with you. Over the next year we will be focusing on strengthening our parish liaison program. We find that many parishes no longer have liaisons to our office. For others, it is time to refresh the training that we provide in the development of parish committees. We will also ask people to consider the benefit of allying Respect Life and Social Justice ministries.

Another objective is to reinvigorate our nationally-recognized website www.RespectLifeToday.com. We will be striving to create an issues page to explain Church teaching in a variety of areas of Catholic social teaching that relate to the mission of our office. We will attempt to make the website more inclusive of the aims of the entire office which now serves the needs of the Respect Life, Social Concerns, and Jail and Prison ministries.

Finally, we will be working on prayer and witness by encouraging parishes to work together in each county of the diocese to sponsor 40 Days for Life next Fall. Please check out the website www.40daysforlife.com for additional details. I can say from personal experience that this is a valuable opportunity for raising awareness and our own spiritual growth.

Please continue to support our office as we look forward to another successful year! May you and your families enjoy a relaxing and safe summer.

In Him,
Reverend Ian Trammell,
Director, Office of Life and Justice Ministries
701 Lawrenceville Road,
Trenton, NJ 08648
itramm@dioceseoftrenton.org
609-406-7400 ext. 5559
Fax 609-406-7403

Events

Every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
Public Witness and Prayer at abortion clinic
A serious concern has arisen in the Toms River area for which we ask your assistance. An abortion clinic has opened and is operating in the community. We will provide a prayerful presence at the American Women's Center, 651 Route 37 West, Toms River on Wed. from 4:30 to 6 pm, and Fri. and Sat, 1 pm to 5 pm. Feel free to arrive and depart as your schedule allows. If you would like more information, contact M. Sherry 732-350-5474 or E. Spirko at 732-350-7447.

Every Saturday
Pro-Life Prayer Witness
Please join representatives of a number of local respect life organizations at a brief weekly prayer witness at 9:45 a.m. each Saturday morning at the Planned Parenthood facility in Trenton at State and Clinton. We only recite the Rosary, so it is not a huge time commitment, and then we leave. If you would like to get a ride, please call 609-896-3206.

July 28-30, 2010
The National Theology of the Body Conference - Receiving and Proclaiming the Gift

Normandy Farm Hotel & Conference Center, Blue Bell, PA (Philadelphia Area)

Join Cardinal Justin Rigali, Fr. Brian Bransfield, Dr. Jane Smith, Dr. Helen Alvare, Bill Donaghy, Damon Owens and many more!  The National Theology of the Body congress promises to be the most expansive United States gathering of experts, enthusiasts and popularists in the history of this extraordinary teaching.  Hosted by Theology of the Body Institute, the Congress will feature many of the world’s leading experts who will gather to teach and network with educators, activists, and devotees to apply this teaching to many facets of the Catholic faith and everyday life.  For additional information or to register visit www.TOBcongress.com.

MASS WITH HEALING PRAYER
Tuesday July 27 12PM St. Peter's Church
Pt. Pleasant Beach

Celebrant - Fr. John Connor C.SS. R.
Join as we seek Our Lord's Healing for the Spiritual, Emotional and Physical needs of ourselves, our families and friends. Contact Dawn Rusinko at 732-892-0049 ext 23 for further information

Mark your calendars for the following events being planned for 2010

• September 19 Annual Family Carnival Super 50/50 Drawing

• November 6 Autumn Gift Auction

Watch the weekly Church Bulletin for details.
Dates and events subject to change

Vacation Bible Study
THE HIGH SEAS is the theme for Vacation Bible School this summer.  It will be held from Monday, July 19 through Friday, July 23 beginning at 9:00 AM until Noon right here at Visitation Church .  Registration will be held Monday June 28 through Friday July 2 from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM and on Saturday, July 3 from 2:00 PM until 5:00 PM in the rectory downstairs Room “C”. The fee is $25.00 per child.  If you need more information, please call Nancy Grodberg in the Religious Ed Office at 732 477-5217. Or click here for Registration Information.

VOLUNTEERS ARE IN NEED AT PROVIDENCE HOUSE OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES

Providence House Domestic Violence Services (PHDVS) of Catholic Charities is in need of volunteers to assist with childcare, fundraising, office work, and preparing for it’s annual Gift Auction. Volunteers are also needed to help staff directly assist clients in the Ocean County Superior Court and on Domestic Violence Response Teams (DVRTs). DVRTs are teams of volunteers who respond directly to police stations to talk to victims after an incident of domestic violence. Volunteering can be personally rewarding and enables people to be able to make a real difference in the lives of individuals, families, and communities. Anyone that is interested in volunteering or would like further information may contact Marcia Fishkin, Community Liaison, at 732-350-2120 x233.

BOSTON MARKET FUNDRAISER

Please join the Boston Market  Fundraiser to benefit Troop 38 Boy Scouts, sponsored by the Holy Name Society.  15% of all proceeds from the following Boston Market nights will be donated to Troop 38 - Boy Scouts organization.    Come enjoy a night out of dining at Boston Market in Brick while supporting Troop 38.  Hours are from 4:00 to 8:00 PM.  Boston Market Nights are held once a month on Thursday, nights,  July 8 and August 12.