RECTORY HOURS
In observance of the Columbus Day holiday,  the Rectory office will be closed on Monday, October 13 during business hours. There will be a receptionist on duty from 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM only.

ST. JOSEPH’S WEBSITE
We are in the process of “updating” our website to make it current on a weekly basis.

PARISH COUNCIL
The  next Parish Council meeting is scheduled  for 7:00 PM  Tuesday,  October 14, 2008  at the school conference room.

SACRAMENT OF THE SICK
On  Saturday, October 18  at  the 12:15PM  Mass, the  Sacrament  of  the Sick will be administered  to those in need.  If  you wish to be anointed, or  know someone who would like to be anointed,  forms  are available at the rear of the church.  You may  place the   completed   form  in  the  collection  basket  or return it to the Rectory office by October 17.

DAYS OF PRAYER AND HEALING
  Do  you  know  someone who is carrying the grief and sorrow of  past abortion?  Share with them the“good news” of God’s merciful love for women and men suffering from the effects of abortion.
For Women
For more information or to register please call the Sisters of Life 866.575.0075 or email postabortion@sistersoflife.org
For Men
For more information or to register please call 877.586.4621 or email
Lumina@postabortionhelp.org

ATTENTION MEN 18 TO 40
Is  something  missing  in your life?   Could it be a calling from God to serve either as  a Diocesan or
Religious priest or brother?  If so, please consider attending   a   free  informal  gathering  during  an afternoon  of  prayer,  reflection  and discussion at Good   Shepherd   Friary.    Meetings  are  the last
Sunday  of  every month from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. To register please contact Bro. Tim Jones OFM at 212.567.1300 Ext. 832 or brotimjonese@yahoo.com

WHAT’S FAITH GOT TO DO WITH IT?
Crossroads Cultural Center
www.crossroadsculturalcenter.org
will present a four lecture series given by Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete on the relationship between faith
and  life  Wednesday  10/15  to 11/5  2008  at 7PM, Columbia University, Jerome  Green Hall,  Rm. 101 116th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.  Lectures are open to the public and free of charge.

OPEN HOUSE
Xavier High School: Saturday October 18: 1-4PM: 30 West 16th Street: 212. 924.7900 Ext.1442
Notre Dame School: Sunday October 26: 2:30 – 5:00 PM: 327 West 13th Street: 212.620.5575.

WEEKEND COLLECTION
October 4 & October 5…$4924.00
Second Collection (St. Joseph’s School)…$1344.00

SCRIPTURE: A LOOK AHEAD
19 OCTOBER 2008
Isaiah 45:1, 4-6  Cyrus, King of Persia and friend to the Jewish people,  becomes the Lord’s anointed one, and through  God’s   intervention,  returns  the  Jews to their own country.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b  Paul rejoices that the Thessalonians,   newly   converted  to  Christianity,   are displaying  remarkable  constancy  in  their   new - found Faith.
Matthew 22:15-21  Seeking  to entrap Jesus in His speech,the hostile  and   hypocritical  Pharisees  ask  Him  this  dangerous  question  “Is   it   lawful   to  pay  tax  to  the emperor  or   not?”   Realizing   their   treacherous   motives,   Jesus   asks    for   a  Roman   coin,   and   pointing   to  the inscription  of  Caesar’s , he   answers   “Give   to  Caesar what  is Caesar’s, but give to God what is God’s.”

TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY
IN ORDINARY TIME

  Dear friends in the Lord:

  At Baptism, each of us is marked by the Lord and  entrusted  with  a  special  responsibility to tell the   world of His  “Good  News.”   We are, indeed, called to serve as His missionaries.

  World   Mission   Sunday   affords all baptized  Catholics   an   opportunity to celebrate their
  missionary  vocation in  the  Eucharist as well as  through  prayer and sacrifice for the missionary
  work of the Church.

  This  year’s World Mission Sunday,  October 19th,  Is  particularly  special for American Catholics  in  as much as it marks the 100th Anniversary of  our  “mission  independence.”   Through  1908,   the  Church in  the  United  States was the beneficiary  of the generosity of the Catholic faithful of Europe  through the Society of the Propagation of the Faith.  In  fact  two  thirds of  the  very  first  collection of the Propagation of the  Faith in 1822  was  sent  to  the  Church  in  America,  making  it  possible to build churches and  schools , educate  clergy and religious,  provide for  the good  works  of religious  communities  and support  evangelization here at home.   By  a  1908  Papal  Decree,  the  designation “ mission territory ”  was  removed  from  the  United  States.  One  hundred  years  later, as  we  recall our own mission history  we  are  called  upon  to assist both spiritually and  financially the more than 1150 “ young churches ” in Asia,  Africa,  the Pacific Islands  and  Latin America,  all of  which have the same needs that  the United States once had.

  With  this in mind, please be as generous as your  means  will  allow  so that the  Propagation of  the Faith can continue  to spread the “ Good News” to the growing  faith communities of our day.   So,  too,  following  the call of our Holy  Father, Pope Benedict XVI,  let   us pray that  our celebration of  World  Mission Sunday  will  generate  within us a renewed  awareness  of  the need to proclaim the Gospel to all corners of the world.

With prayerful best wishes, may I remain
Very truly yours in Christ,

Edward Cardinal Egan
Archbishop of New York

Daily Bread

Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
 Monday October 13: Gal 4:22-24, 26-27, 31–5:1; Luke 11:29-32
Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of the promise. We all fear failure and embarrassment and especially disappointing those who depend on our success. Even more, we live in trepidation of what we may actually be capable of if we achieve our potential. We dread the power of the possibility that we hold because we do not understand what demonstrating such competence means. We are scared of the expectations and responsibilities that such awesome promise holds. Most of us would rather go about our day-to-day existence in quiet obscurity. Yet we are notmadeforinconsequentiality. We are made for the greater glory of God, and with that comes amazing possibilities. We have been freed from the yoke of sin; we cannot be slaves to fear. For the courage to embrace the promise, we pray.

Tuesday October 14: Gal 5:1-6; Luke 11:37-41
For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. A large part of Christ’s legacy of love for us is our freedom, yet we daily relinquish this gift to various degrees. Christ has relieved the slavery of our sinfulness, but we readily submit to the chains of various masters — often with little or no fight. We yield to the repression of an impersonal and demanding society marked by consumerism and ambition. We submit to the bondage of fear, hatred and prejudice; we acquiesce to the weight of fatalism and despair. We think not of what Christ would do, but what others will think of us; we succumb repeatedly to expectations of a selfish world. However, there is promise in surrender. We simply do not give up; we give in to Christ. May our faith in Christ be unyielding, we pray.

Wednesday October 15: Gal 5:18-25; Luke 11:42-46 Teresa of Jesus, Virgin, Doctor of the Church
If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. Much good comes from works of love and charity. These acts, if pure, are outpourings of the Spirit at work within us. It does not work in reverse, though. If our motivation to serve others is external, then our objective is likely deceitful, whether we recognize this or not. Paul reminds us of the vocation of the Spirit: It is fruit, not work. Obligation, guilt and desire for recognition are not fruit. They are weaknesses of the flesh, and, despite our best intentions, if the Spirit does not take the lead, only vice follows. That we may follow the Spirit on the unique path that God has for each of us, we pray.

Thursday  October 16: Eph 1:1-10; Luke 11:47-54
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing. Great contrast exists between the blessing of God for the many gifts we have received, enumerated in Ephesians, and the antagonism of the scribes and Pharisees plotting against Jesus in Luke. We hold this same contrast within ourselves. How ready are we to offer thanksgiving for our many blessings? How much quicker are we to question or lash out in frustration, anger or disbelief? We tend to acknowledge God’s plan for our lives only when we agree with it. We truly exalt God when we accept our blessings and our trials and thank the Lord for both. Lord, grant us the grace to place our trust in your will for us, we pray.

Friday October 17: Eph 1:11-14; Luke 12:1-7
Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr
Meanwhile, so many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot. Between declining church attendance and the casual practice of those who profess to observe their faith, we have little risk of encountering crowds that flock to hear God’s word. How sad. We all know the energy of a full and enthusiastic congregation. We take much from the gifts of our fellow worshipers. Beyond what we receive from the presence of others, we desire the gift of God’s grace and protection for each other. Today’s Gospel reminds us that no one escapes God’s notice. Let’s take notice of our loved ones who have strayed from their faith and gently invite them home. That we may unite in faith, we pray.

Saturday October 18: 2 Tim 4:10-17b; Luke 10:1-9
The kingdom of God is at hand for you. Yes, you! And me, and everyone, no exceptions. It’s a universal charge. Luke the Evangelist personally took up the call to make Christ known, paying particular attention to those this world considers lowly. He spread Christ’s message of equality in discipleship and in the kingdom. It’s a call to see Christ in everyone and to look for signs of the coming of the kingdom every day. That we may rejoice in the kingdom, we pray.

BAPTISMS
2nd & 4th Sundays of each month. By appointment.
Instructions – 1st Saturday of each month.
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
Confessions – Saturdays 3:30PM – 4:00 PM. Communal Reconciliation Services each Advent and Lent.
MARRIAGES
Arrangements must be made at least six months in advance.
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS (RCIA) October – April.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN K-8
Inter-parish Religious Education Program at St. Ignatius.
HOLY HOUR
First Friday following the 12:15PM Mass. (Sept –June)
MIRACULOUS MEDAL NOVENA
Following the 9:00AM Mass on Monday.
HOLY COMMUNION TO THE HOMEBOUND
Contact the Rectory.
NEW PARISHIONERS
All parishioners should participate fully in parish life, be registered in the parish and support the parish. We often receive requests for recommendations and permissions for parishioners to serve as godparents andd sponsors. If we do not know you, we cannot give such testimony. The Chruch requires that Baptisms and Marriages should be celebrated in one's own parish. If one is not registered in a parish, problems could arise at those important times. When moving please inform the rectory office.

REMEMBER YOUR PARISH WITH
A BEQUEST IN YOUR WILL.

For more information, speak to your Pastor
or call the Planned Gifts Office
212-371-1011, Ext. 3317