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St. Mark Masses: Saturday Evening: 5:00 PM Sunday: 8:00, 9:30, 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM Weekdays: 8:30 AM Confessions: Saturday 3:30 to 4:30 PM

St. Margaret Mary Masses: Sunday 11:00 AM Weekdays: Wednesday 9:00 AM

Pastor: Rev. Robert Mucci Parochial Vicar: Rev. Ebenezer K Abban In Residence: Rev. Joseph P. Quigley Pastor Emeriti: Rev. Msgr. Gerard J. Arella Rev. Walter A. Mitchell

St. Mark R.C. Parish website: www.stmarkbrooklyn.org

https://www.facebook.com/stmarkchurchbrooklyn

“With God all things are possible”

St. Mark School: Mrs. Carol Donnelly, Principal (718) 332-9304 Mrs. Lori Ryan, Secretary St. Mark Religious Education: Ms. Jo Ann Pino (718) 769-6311 St. Vincent De Paul Society: Tom Scalese, President (718) 891-0443 Jean Hogan, Vice President Homebound Ministry: Maureen Genoversa, Coordinator (718) 332-2663 Ministers of Hospitality: Tom Scalese (718) 891-3100 Extraordinary Ministries of Holy Communion: Mr. Ronald Brigando, Coordinator (718) 769- 6095 Lectors: Ms. Stephanie Rizzo, Coordinator (718) 743-5338 Rosary Society: Kathy Fackovec President (718) 934 -7964 Joan Belt, Vice President (718) 646 -2176

Devotions: Miraculous Medal Novena every Wednesday after the 8:30AM Mass Litany of the Sacred Heart every First Friday 8:20AM (Each month before Mass). Marriage: Please make arrangements by calling the Rectory at least 6 months in advance. Please log on to www.pre-cana.org for complete information about marriage preparation in the Diocese, according to Diocesan Regulations. Please make your music selections with our organist Pat Marvello at (917) 650 -5704. Appointment to see a Priest: If you desire an appointment to see a Priest of the Parish please call the Rectory (718) 891-3100 during office hours: Mon. - Fri.: 9:00 AM — 5:00 PM. Anointing of the Sick Anointing of the Sick takes place every first Saturday of the month at the 8:30 AM Mass. Confessions: every Saturday 3:30PM to 4:30PM Baptisms: take place on the Fourth Sunday of each month at 2:00PM. Baptism classes take place on the Third Sunday of each month at 9:30AM in the Rectory Conference Room. Call the Rectory during office hours to make an appointment with a priest. two (2) months prior to the Baptism.

St. Mark Church St. Margaret Mary Church 2609 E. 19th Street 2609 E. 19th Street Brooklyn, New York 11235 Brooklyn, New York 11235 (718) 891-3100 (718) 891-3100

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Saturday, March 29 5:00PM Tony Venticinque Sunday, March 30 8:00AM Steven Swenson (Birthday Blessings) 9:30AM Mark Bolus 11:00AM For the people of the Parish 12:30PM Purgatorial Society Monday, March 31 8:30AM Amelia DiBernardi (Anniversary) Tuesday, April 1 8:30AM Vincent Marra Wednesday, April 2 8:30AM For the Fasano family Thursday, April 3 8:30AM Rocco & Franco Faiello Friday, April 4 8:30AM Mildred Mucci Saturday, April 5 8:30AM Nora Odevilas

St. Margaret Mary Church Sunday, March 30 11:00AM For the living & deceases members of Marek & Chrzanowski Wednesday, April 2 9:00AM For the sick of the Parish Sunday, April 6

11:00AM Filomena Volpicelli Miraculous Medal Novena Wednesday after the 9AM Mass. Homebound in Manhattan Beach: To have a Eucharistic Minister visit and administer Holy Communion, please call Gilda at 718-769-1312. Also, please advise Gilda of any sick parishioner who wishes to be included in the Prayer of the Faithful at Sunday Mass. MEMORIALS: Sanctuary Lamp Altar Bread Sacramental Wine Purgatorial Society Theresa Quaranta Joan Bonfonte Larry Mc Mahon

Weekly Offering Sunday Collection St. Mark March 23, 2014 1st Collection: $ 4,693 Avg. Weekly Expenses: $7,531 Attendance: 727 Envelopes Returned: 196 Envelopes Mailed Out: 763 St Margaret Mary Church 1st Collection: $ 484 Attendance: 55 Envelopes Returned: 19 2014 Annual Catholic Appeal The 2014 Annual Catholic Appeal is under way. Our Diocesan goals for St. Mark and St. Margaret Mary remain the same as last year. St. Mark Pledges: St. Margaret Mary Goal:$ 40,125 Goal:$ 2,354 Amount Pledged:$ Amount Pledged:$ Amount Paid:$ Amount Paid:$ Available Mass intention for the Month of April are Weekdays: Mon 7,Tues 8,Thurs 10, Fri 11, Mon 14, Tues 15, Wed 16, Mon 28, Weekends: Sat 12, 8:30; Sat 26, 8:30 Fourth Sunday of Lent March 30, 2014 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. —Psalm 23:1

Collection for the Capuchin Preachers Thanks to your usual generosity we will be sending a check for $2,100 to Fr. Richard Hart who conducted such a wonderful Parish Mission for us, to support the great works of his Capuchin order. Thanks again, Fr. Richard.

Mar 29 – April 5

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Pastor’s Column March 29 – 30, 2014 Christ Be Our Light and Help Us Share the Light of Faith

Light and darkness are very powerful symbols in the Gospel of John. In his prologue, John identifies Jesus, God’s Word, as “the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). In our Gospel this weekend

where He restores the sight of a man blind from birth Jesus says, “We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:4-5).

In the absence of the light of Christ, the world becomes engulfed in the most impenetrable darkness. We as Christians are called to illuminate the environment in which we live. The light of the disciple is the light of the Master himself. A follower of Christ necessarily gives light. As we sing in one of our beautiful hymns this weekend: “Longing for light, we wait in darkness. Longing for truth, we turn to you. Make us your own, your holy people, light for the world to see.”

An excellent way for us to be “light for the world to see” is to participate in the 2014 Annual Catholic Appeal. This year’s Annual Catholic Appeal theme, When We Give We Share the Light of Faith, challenges us to be the light of the world by sharing our faith, commitment and generosity. As a supporter of the ACA we put ourselves at the service of others, and not holding back in how we live our faith challenges us to share our gifts and our talents with the entire community.

When I announced the opening of the 2014 Appeal, I highlighted many of the important ministries, programs, and services it supports in our community and mentioned various projects I would like to accomplish with the funds in excess of our diocesan goal that come back to the parish. This weekend is commitment weekend. I urge anyone who has not yet made a pledge to the 2014 Annual Catholic Appeal to do so today. I know that each family’s circumstances are different. The size of your gift is a matter of personal conscience after a prayerful dialogue between you and God. But everyone can and should do something. Remember, no gift is too small. If we all do our part, there is no limit to what we can achieve for our Diocese and our Parish. As we pray in our hymn’s refrain: “Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness. Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today.”

Pray for the Sick Rose Gargiulo Marilynn Heath Joseph Cumella Lucy Tagliaferro Anna Maria Vozzo Diane Bridgewood Prudy Gozo Sovik Badalyon Ronald Brigando Michael Dannucci Marcia Schackner

Thank You Father Champoli Heartfelt thanks to my good friend and classmate Fr. Danny Champoli for leading us in our Lenten Day of Prayer and Recollection sponsored by our Golden Age and Rosary Societies on Saturday, March 29th. You are always most welcome here at St. Mark and St. Margaret Mary.

Bethlehem in the Holy Land Little Bethlehem Christians is a group that represents 200 Christian families who live in Bethlehem and make their living as wood carvers. The group will display in the vestibule of St. Mark Church a collection of hand-carved olive wood religious items which will be for sale after the weekend Masses April 5th and 6th. The profit goes to support Christians living in the land of Christ. You can visit their website at http://www.little-bethlehem.org/

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School News:

Principal’s List: Grade 1A: Chloe Quan Grade 1B: Olivia Young, Justin Costanzo Grade 2: Neha Mathew, Zachary Cleland, Savannah Franquiz, Jalen Lulanaj Grade 3: Jasmine Enriquez, Angelina Hernandez Grade 7: Jolina Langaman, Carlitos Rodriguez Grade 8:Sam Daniele, Jeremy Delisca, Jennifer Falco, Daniella Rodriguez 1st Honors: Grade 1A: Cobie Buckmire, Amir Mistafaev, Brianna Duffy Grade 1B: John Brektushi, Emma Perez Grade 2:Anaya Qayyum, Alejandro vanGoodman Grade 3: Nicole Palmer, Anastasiya Gavadza, Mekhi Small Grade 4: Marcus Gomez, Giancarlos Granja, Kaitlyn Lu Grade 5 :Zachary Lowe Grade 6: Gianela Campos, Ana vanGoodman Grade 7: Giselle Machin, Denis Brektushi Grade 8: Kevin Langaman, Dave Pierre, Rhianna Justiniano 2nd Honors: Grade 1A: Evan Nikolaev, Niyati Mistry, Michael Garelick Grade 1B: Michaela Bowry Grade 2: Sebastian Gonzalez, Carmelle Jean-Louis, Isoken Olu-Obazee, Nosa Olu-Obazee, Princesca Daniel, Sandra Sipolniece, Ibrahim Gondal Grade 4: Paige Costanzo, Serena Li Grade 5:Jennalynn Langaman Grade 7: Joseph Alcena, Allison Ryan Grade 8: Edit Biro, Rachel Sin Effort: Grade 2: Brianna Garelick, Marc Austin Grade 3: Nicolas Rivera, Joanna Sanchez, Frankie Santoro Grade 4: Aranka Biro, Saamia Gondal, Kenneth Prophete, Thomas Tong Grade 5: Leslie Hakim Grade 7: Eric Peterson Grade 8: Cassidy Andre, Julie Pham, Michael Frasca, Jonathan Lowe, Ronald Charles, Herman Laroche, Ty Pascal, Malicia Fong We also went bowling in support of our annual Bowl-a-thon Fundraiser. The Third Graders put on a performance called “A Living Timeline of Civil Rights.” It was very interesting and our “Civil Rights Leaders” did a great job. Congratulations to them.

Office of Faith Formation Office Hours: Phone: 718 769-6311 Sunday 9AM - 2PM Monday 1PM - 5PM Wed. & Thurs. 9AM - 2PM

Upcoming practices for Confirmation All practices are held in the church from 4:00-5:30 pm on: Thursday, April 3, Monday, April 7, Thursday, April 10. The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Saturday, April 12, at 11:00am.

The scrutinies are rites for self-searching and repentance and have a spiritual purpose. They are celebrated on Sundays and reinforced by an exorcism. The scrutinies are meant to uncover, then heal all that is weak, defective or sinful in the hearts of the elect, and to strengthen all that is upright, strong, and good. These rites complete the conversion of the elect. They inspire in the elect a desire for purification and redemption by Christ. The following is the schedule for the Scrutinies: Second Scrutiny - March 30 at the 9:30am Mass Third Scrutiny - April 5th at the 11:00 am Mass Good Friday Our Good Friday walk for peace takes place on April 18, 2014 at 10:00AM. We will begin in front of St Mark Church. MANDATORY FOR CONFIRMATION CANDIDATES AND RCIA Soup and bread to follow in the school cafeteria.

Rite of Christian Initiation: The scrutinies are celebrated on the Third, Fourth and Fifth Sundays of Lent. This is a time of intense spiritual preparation and interior reflection for the elect (those preparing to receive the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil).

The Second Trimester is off and running… We received Report Cards last week and are very proud of our students. The following students were recognized by the teachers for their outstanding academic achievements:

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St. Mark R. C. Church Rectory: PH: (718) 891-3100 FAX: (718) 891-9677 website: www.stmarkbrooklyn.org Our email address: stmarkrccbklyn@aol.com Parish Secretary: Ms. Anselma Lopez https://www.facebook.com/stmarkchurchbrooklyn

The Annual Diocesan Wedding Anniversary celebration will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at St. James Cathedral located at 250 Cathedral Place, Brooklyn, NY 11201. The Wedding Anniversary Mass will begin at 11:00AM and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio will be the main Celebrant. All Couples married in 1989 or before are invited to attend with their families. All registered couples will receive a personalized certificate and those couples in attendance will have their picture taken with the Bishop. There will be light refreshments following Mass. The fee is $35 per couple. To register, please contact the Rectory Office (718) 891-3100.

The Home School Association will be selling Palm Crosses on Sunday, April 6, at all masses. We will also be selling them on Saturday, April 12th and Sunday, April 13th. Saint Mark School wishes to congratulate both the Cadet and Intermediate Basketball Teams for winning the BCBA Basketball Championships. Congratulations to the players, Coach Wayne and Coaches Lionel and Sal!!!

https://www.facebook.com/stmarkchurchbrooklyn St. Mark is now on Facebook. Please visit us and like us. Christ is Risen: Student Easter Art Contest For Students in grades 1-12 Deadline: April 16 Sponsored by: The Tablet/Knights of Columbus Details: thetablet.org/contest For more info: (718) 517-3132 or azielinska@diobrook.org Stations of the Cross St. Mark: We are adding Stations of the Cross on Thursday evenings of Lent at 7:30PM. We will continue the Stations of the Cross every Friday of Lent at 9:00AM. Please come and join us in prayer. Everyone is welcome. St. Margaret Mary: Please come and join us after the 9:00AM Mass each Wednesday of Lent for Stations of the Cross. Everyone is welcome.

Vocation Corner Fourth Sunday of Lent March 30, 2014 “The Lord looks on the heart.” Are you being called to do the deeds of Christ as a

priest or in the consecrated life, proclaiming the reign of the loving mercy of God our Father? contact the Vocation Office at (718) 827-2454 or email: vocations@diobrook.org

Aloha! Aloha! Aloha! St. Mark School 20th Annual Card Party Saturday, April 5th 2014 Doors open: 11:00AM Price: $22.00 Lots of prizes to be won Lunch will be served

Tickets are now available at St. Mark School.