• EM & Lector Schedule

• Music Schedule

• RCIA Catechist Schedule

• EM Schedule for Forge Pond  & Shorrock Gardens

• Hospital EM Schedule

Music  Control 

READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday: Acts 19:1-8; Jn 16:29-33
Tuesday: Acts 20:17-27; Jn 17:1-11a
Wednesday: Acts 20:28-38; Jn 17:11b-19
Thursday: Acts 22:30; 23:6-11; Jn 17:20-26
Friday: Acts 25:13b-21; Jn 21:15-19
Saturday: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31; Jn 21:20-25
Sunday: Vigil: Gn 11:1-9 or Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20b or Ez 37:1-14 or Jl 3:1-5; Ps 104; Rom 8:22-27; Jn 7:37-39

Mass Intentions and Memorials  

Saturday May 3rd

• 4:00 PM Frank Barlowski/req. Family 

• 5:30 PM Frederick Hurler/req. Wife

HELP WANTED

Visitation Food Bank and St. Vincent de Paul would like to start a Soup Kitchen at Visitation.  This would take place once a month on a Wednesday afternoon to start.

Needed are cooks, set-up people, servers, shoppers, those who would solicit donations, clean-up people and supervisors.

If interested, please contact Frank and Isabel Kronicz at 732-255-2835.  A meeting is being planned.

An Exciting Show:

The Miracle of Christmas             Thursday, December 4, 2008  

Annual Golf Outing

Plans are underway for this year’s Annual Golf Outing. Reservations are now being taken.

• When: Monday, May 12, 2008  First Tee Time – 9:30 AM

• Where: Lakewood Country Club Lakewood , NJ

• Package Cost:  $125 
  Includes Greens fee, Cart,

• Refreshments after the 9th Hole,

• Player give away package, Door

• Prizes, Event Prizes, Buffet Dinner

• Golf Only: $100Dinner Only: $25

Sponsorship and Patron Opportunities Available
A Program Book will be prepared in conjunction with our Golf Outing.  There are opportunities for businesses to advertise as well as for parishioners to show their support as we prepare for the future.  Ads are available from $40 to $125.  Patron support is available from $10 - $30.  
Click here for lots more information.

STARING INTO THE SKY

We have choices to make in this Christian life. One choice is to be frozen, like the disciples just as Jesus ascends into heaven. They stand there and stare up into the sky, probably waiting for Jesus to return to them immediately. Too often we, too, take this stance. We stare into the sky, waiting to discover the presence of the Lord. Unfortunately, this choice will yield few results, if any. It is the Lord himself who summons us to opt for a second choice. That choice involves us turning our gaze from the sky to the world around us. He says, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations . . . And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19, 20).

GRACE BUILDS ON NATURE

A seminary theology professor of mine was always reminding us of this second choice with the words, “Gentlemen, remember that grace builds on nature.” It is through the world around us—through those God has planted into our experience—that God will be revealed. People who are involved in the Church’s work of Christian initiation learn this through their ministry. As they listen to the stories of people who are experiencing deep conversion, they begin to meet the Lord in new ways. It is as if the Lord Jesus is being born again right before their very eyes. Perhaps in the past you have heard today’s  Gospel mandate and cast it aside saying, “Oh, Jesus really meant those words for priests, and I’m certainly not a priest.” Perhaps today’s feast is the opportunity to realize that these words are meant for each one of us. If grace does  build on nature, let’s open our eyes to possibilities of discovering Christ all around us, rather than staring blankly into the sky.

Congratulations to our Music Director 
and her husband, Natalya and Richard Bencivenga on the birth of their first child. Sophia Antonina Bencivenga

Bernadette's Body after 122 years!

These are pictures of St. Bernadette who died 122 years ago in Lourdes , France and was buried; her body was only discovered 30 years ago. After  church officials decided to examine it they discovered Her body is still fresh until today and if you ever go to Lourdes , France you can see in the church in Lourdes. Her body isn't decomposing because during her lifetime, the mother of Jesus would always appear to her and give messages and advice to all mankind on the right way to live on this earth. Many miracles have taken place in this place of Lourdes and still do today.

These pictures show her body after 122 years!

Scientist have wondered because this defies the laws of nature. Instead of the expected foul smell of a decaying body there is instead, a fragrance of flowers  when the glass coffin is open. Some say they experienced by just going near the coffin. 

You can visit the Church of Lourdes, France to verify for yourself the authenticity of this truly wonderful experience, a living miracle of our times.

Complete, Video, Coverage 
April 15th - 20th, 2008 on EWTN.com
Click here to playback any of the events

Click below to see the text of Pope 
Benedict XVI messages during his visit to the United States 

• Welcome at the White House .
  Address to the Bishops of the U.S.   
  - 

• Mass Homily, Nationals Park  
  .

• Address to Catholic Educators, Catholic University of America
  .

• Interreligious Prayer Service, John Paul II Cultural Center 
  .

• Meeting with D.C. Jewish Community
  .
• Address to the United Nations General Assembly 
  .
• Greetings to UN Staff and Personnel  
  .
• Visit to Synagogue  
  .
• Ecumenical Meeting at St. Joseph's Church
  .
• Mass Homily, St. Patrick's Cathedral 
  .
• Blessing of Youth with Disabilities
  .
• Meeting with Seminarians and Youth - 19 April 2008
  .
• Visit to Ground Zero in New York - 20 April 2008
  .
• Holy Mass at Yankee Stadium - 20 April 2008
  .
• Departure Ceremony - 20 April 2008

Gas Prices?
Grin and Bear It

LIFE ISSUES FORUM
Investing in Common Sense?
By Tom Grenchik

Perhaps a little “Stem Cell 101” could clear up some common misunderstandings about stem cell research. Stem cells are biological building blocks that can be manipulated to replace many other types of cells, in the hope of repairing the human body and curing disease. Stem cells can be taken from adult tissues and umbilical cord blood without any harm to the donor, and without any moral dilemma. These are loosely called “adult stem cells,” although some come from umbilical cord blood following the delivery of a newborn baby. But stem cells can also be immorally harvested from a human embryo, which requires the destruction of the non-consenting “donor.” These are called “embryonic stem cells.”

Adult stem cells have been used to regenerate areas of damaged organs, restore eyesight, repair bones and treat rare blood disorders. A chief executive of StemCyte, a cord blood cell bank and database, was recently quoted saying: “We are practicing cellular therapy today and people wouldn’t be alive if it were not for these therapies” (Chicago Tribune, March 16, 2008). There is certainly great promise and potential here. Investors love promising research that has minimal public controversy and maximum profit potential. Adult stem cell research delivers both, and recent estimates predict that the market could be worth more than $8 billion within ten years (Chicago Tribune, March 16, 2008).

Embryonic stem cell treatments, on the other hand, have chiefly succeeded in growing tumors and killing laboratory rats. And thanks to the persistence of the pro-life community, embryonic stem cell researchers can’t hide the fact that their research requires the cannibalistic destruction of human life. Yet the ideologues who promote embryonic stem cell research continue to demand state and federal funding for their vision of a brave new world, where they hope to control life and death and survive indefinitely. But even politicians are now beginning to see the light. Strong proponents of embryonic stem cell research in the Delaware legislature recently announced that they’re giving up their efforts to push forward a bill promoting the research. Their decision followed the news that researchers have developed new, nondestructive methods for producing cells with the properties of embryonic stem cells, by “reprogramming” adult cells, without any moral dilemma. One state senator says he simply came to the conclusion that if research can move forward without destroying embryos, “I don’t see any need of pushing an issue that’s so controversial” (The News Journal – Wilmington, Delaware, March 17, 2008). Lawmakers in Maryland are currently looking to cut unsuccessful programs to reduce a budget shortfall, and are debating cutting the state’s embryonic stem cell research grant by millions of dollars. Lawmakers are now beginning to grasp what investors figured out some time ago: Morally acceptable adult stem cell research is delivering results without the moral controversy. They are investing in common sense. Ideally, we’d like to hope that our political leaders will do the right things for the right reasons, such as opposing embryonic stem cell research because it destroys human lives. But if we can at least get them to stop this grave evil because it’s not working and supporting it makes them look foolish… we’ll take it.

At 30 weeks your spiritually adopted baby weighs almost 3 pounds!

Diocesan Vigil of Pentecost Mass
Come celebrate the birth of the church at Pentecost in a Diocesan wide celebration of the Mass. Followed by teaching on the “Gifts of the Holy Spirit” and Prayers for Healing. Date/Time: Saturday May 10, 2008, 6:30PM at St. Anthony of Padua Parish, 251 Franklin Street Hightstown , NJ . Principal Celebrant: Fr. Javier Diaz, Pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Trenton and Director, Hispanic Apostolate. Homilist: Fr. Jeff Kegley, Pastor, St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, Hamilton (translation by Fr. Cesar Rubiano). 
Teaching and Healing Prayer: Fr. Dario Betancourt and Fr. Brendan Williams.
For more information, contact the Diocesan Office of Parish Life at 609-406-7400 x 5623 or Email to jparon@dioceseoftrenton.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

USED CLOTHING & MORE DRIVE
B.T.H.S. PTSA Accessibility Campaign
SATURDAY, May 10th, 2008
BTHS Café 3 (Around Back of Building)

346 Chambers Bridge Road, Brick 8AM – 2PM
We will be collecting: Wearable & Useable clothing (Men’s, Women’s & Children’s) SHOES- BELTS- HANDBAGS , COATS – JACKETS- LINENS - STUFFED ANIMALS- GAMES -HARD TOYS
*Please bring clothing items in well tied plastic garbage bags

For more information call

Terry DeCarlo-  732-920-2648

IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR MOTHERS
On Monday, May 12, 2008 at 7:00 pm, in the Risen Christ Chapel Mausoleum at St. Joseph ’s Cemetery, Toms River , we invite everyone to a special remembrance service in honor of all deceased mothers, grandmothers, and all those who nurtured us in our lives.  For details or directions, call 732-244-3008.

BLOOD DRIVE
Knights of Columbus, Council 836 will be holding a blood drive on May 27, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at their Council Home located at 1065 Cedarbridge Avenue , Brick.

PILGRIMAGE
Join Spiritual Director, Fr. Gavin Muir, July 23– August 1, 2008 on a Lourdes and Paris Pilgrimage.  The cost is $2,555.00 + Airport Tax. For more information call Lorraine Echevarria at 610-847-2306.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF OUR APRIL 50/50. 

Tom and Nancy Spinelli were the winners of $1,464.00.  Mr. And Mrs. Spinelli are annual subscribers.  Next drawing will be held on May 25, 2008.