July 25, 2010 - Seventeenth Sunday In Ordinary Time

"Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread." - Lk 11:1b-3

ST. MARY’S-STONY HILL FUNDRAISING/”FUN-RAISING” QUESTIONNAIRE
St Mary's - Stony Hill Stewardship Committee is looking for your thoughts, opinions, ideas and feedback about our parish Fund raisers, "Fun" raisers and community gatherings/events.

Please take the time to complete the Questionnaire that you can pick up at church or complete by clicking here. Please drop in the collection box located in the Narthex of the church , mail back to the parish at 225 Mountain Boulevard, Watchung, NJ 07069 attention Stewardship Committee or you can scan and email back to nancy@stmaryswatchung.org

Thank you for taking the time to help the Stewardship Committee better serve the people of St. Mary's-Stony Hill.

ST. ANN’S SOUP KITCHEN
St. Mary's now has a link on the parish website to St. Ann's Soup kitchen (click on the link to Social Ministries or click here). You can download a volunteer application form and also find a list of the most current needed items by the clients of St. Ann's.

The website is updated weekly. Below summarizes the current needs at St. Ann's that has been updated to include a request for sofa beds, futons, hide-away beds, regular beds of all different sizes and bedding (sheets, comforters, blankets).

BE A BLOOD DONOR
St. Mary’s and Wilson Memorial are having an urgent Blood Drive:

SUNDAY, AUGUST 15 - 8:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. FIREMEN’S EXEMPT HALL 31 MOUNTAIN BLVD., WATCHUNG

Please remember to bring ID and have plenty to eat and drink the day of the drive. You must be in generally good health, weigh 110 pounds or more and be at least 17 years of age or 16 with parental consent. Summer is a crucial time and blood supply gets low. Please set some time aside and donate to this life saving cause. The sign-up sheet can be found in the Narthex.0

Thank you and God bless you.
St. Mary’s & Wilson Memorial Covenant Committee

MOUNT ST. MARY HOUSE OF PRAYER
Mount St. Mary House of Prayer is offering the following programs. Registration is required for all programs. Call 908-753-2091 or e-mail: msmhope@msmhope.org

Hearts Centered in God-Welcoming You to a Deeper Spirituality. Year-long adult contemporary spirituality program. For more information call us now! Program begins in September (Limited to 16-Register early).

Centering Prayer- Pray this ancient form of prayer and breathe in God’s peace. Tuesday, August 3, 7:30-9pm. (Free-will offering).

Six-Day Directed Retreat: August 13-20, Registration required. An experience of personal prayer based on Scripture. Daily spiritual direction. Atmosphere of prayerful quiet. Adaptable to the needs and desires of each individual. $420/week; non-refundable deposit: $80 Arrival 7pm. Departure 11am.

OUR LADY OF THE MOUNT – Neighbor to Neighbor Employment Network
Join us. Our job search/networking group meets in the Father Peter room every Wednesday @ 7pm. We are open to anyone; employed, unemployed, under-employed or those willing to help. Our aim is to mentor job seekers and match them with employers. For more info, please call 908-647-7885.

RUTGERS
Going to Rutgers in New Brunswick? The Catholic Center at Rutgers, located at 84 Somerset Street on the College Avenue Campus, is looking forward to welcoming you to the New Brunswick/Piscataway campuses.

Please check us out at the Involvement Fair on August 30th. You can visit us online at www.catholic-center.rutgers.edu, for all information.

IN AND ABOUT THE DIOCESE OF METUCHEN
• SILVER & GOLD WEDDING ANNIVERSARY You are warmly invited to celebrate your 25 or 50 Wedding Anniversary with the Church of Metuchen. Renew your marriage vows and receive a personalized certificate from Bishop Bootkoski at a special Evening Prayer Service in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi. The date is Sunday, September 26 @ 4:00 p.m. You can get an application from your pastor or log on to http://www.diometuchen.org/deptsministries/family-life  and click on box for Silver/Gold Application Form. All forms will be accepted by the Family Life Office until Friday, Sept. 3.

• “The Twelve Keys to Spiritual Vitality” – For Maturing Adult Catholics 55+ Only!!! – The Family Life Office is sponsoring the popular new series that is guaranteed to put a positive and spiritual light on the aging process! The 12 sessions begin with a Scripture quotation and a theme. Subjects such as “celebrating your faith”, “discovering the deeper meaning of life”, are just a few of the topics to be explored.

 “12 Keys to Spiritual Vitality: Powerful Lessons on Living Agelessly” 10:30am – 12Noon
 Thursday mornings-August 26-November 11 (excluding Oct. 14)
St. John Neumann Pastoral Center
The cost is $5 per session or $50 for all 12 sessions if payment is received before August 15. (financial assistance available upon request). For more info, call 732-562-1990 or visit www.diometuchen.org/deptsministries/family-life.

• Retrouvaille (Rediscovery) -a lifeline for troubled marriages: This program is sponsored by the Family Life Office/Diocese of Metuchen. The next program begins the weekend of September 17-19. All inquiries are confidential. Please call 732-562-1990 ext. 1624 or Tom & Pat McTague 732-582-4468 for further information.

POPE BENDICT: REMEMBER TO TAKE GOD ON VACATION- Encourages Meaningful Activity

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, JULY 18, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is underlining the importance of using summer vacation and times of rest from work to grow closer to God and reflect on his Word.

The Pope stated this today in an address before praying the midday Angelus together with those gathered in the courtyard of the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.

"We are already in the heart of the summer, at least in the northern hemisphere," he noted. "This is the time in which the schools are closed and in which most vacations are concentrated." "Even the pastoral activities of the parishes are reduced, and I myself have suspended audiences for a period," the Pontiff said.

He continued, "It is therefore a favorable moment to give first place to what is effectively the most important thing in life, that is to say, listening to the Word of God." The Holy Father spoke about today's Gospel, about the visit of Jesus to Martha and Mary.

 He observed that "after Jesus is accommodated, Mary sits at his feet and listens to him, while Martha is completely absorbed with much serving, which is certainly due to the exceptional guest." "One sister is very busy and the other is enraptured by the presence of the Master and his words," Benedict XVI added.

Eternal: He noted that Christ reminds Martha of "the one thing that is truly necessary," that is, "listening to the Word of the Lord." "Everything else will pass and will be taken away from us, but the Word of God is eternal and gives meaning to our daily activity," the Pope affirmed.

He noted that "this Gospel passage is very important at vacation time, because it recalls the fact that the human person must work, must involve himself in domestic and professional concerns, to be sure, but he has need of God before all else, who is the interior light of love and truth."

The Pontiff continued: "Without love, even the most important activities lose value and do not bring joy. "Without a profound meaning, everything we do is reduced to sterile and disordered activism."

The Holy Father concluded, "So let us learn, brothers, to help each other, to cooperate, but first of all to choose together the better part, which is and will always be our greater good."