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Welcome to Apreiškimo Parapijos English Language Bulletin
MARCH, 2011
March 4 – FEAST OF ST. CASIMIR, PATRON SAINT OF LITHUANIA
March 6 – Kavine, Parish Lower Hall
March 8 – MARDI GRAS FAT TUESDAY
March 9 – ASH WEDNESDAY, DAY OF FAST AND ABSTINENCE
March 13 – First Sunday in Lent- Kavine, Parish Lower Hall
March 13 – KAZIUKO MUGE – Mt. Carmel Hall
March 19 – FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH, PATRON OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH
March 20 – Second Sunday in Lent- Kavine, Parish Lower Hall
March 20 – Kovo 11 Commemoration 1:30 PM, Mt Carmel Hall
March 20 – FIRST DAY OF SPRING!
March 25 – FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION, Mass 7:30 PM
OUR PARISH TITULAR FEAST- Annunciation Church
March 27 – Third Sunday of Lent Kavine, Parish Lower Hall
April 3 – Fourth Sunday in Lent, Laetare Sunday, Parish Lower Hall
March 9 is ASH WEDNESDAY, the first day of the penitential season of Lent, a day of Fast and Abstinence for Catholics 14-59 years of age. All Catholics above the age of 7 are required to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays in Lent.
Vida Jankauskas has been diligently searching for a retreat master for our annual Parish Lenten Retreat. At present, no date has been set, as finding a retreat master has proved complicated due to illnesses and other impediments.
FRIDAY, MARCH 25, is the Feast of the Annunciation….our parish’s Titular Feast. In recognition of that day, Monsignor Calise will be saying MASS (English) at Annunciation Church at 7:30 PM (There will be Stations of the Cross, in ITALIAN, at 7:00 PM.) Monsignor Calise and your Parish Lithuanian Affairs Committee cordially invite YOU to come. Annunciation Parish has been home to German speaking, English Speaking, Italian Speaking, Lithuanian Speaking, and Spanish speaking Catholics for almost 148 years………..Čia Marijos žemė, ir vaikai mes jos…Here is Mary’s land, and we are her children………..Please try to be there!
On Sunday, February 6, Annunciation Choir prepared a beautiful luncheon at Kavine in celebration of the life of the late Regina Bork, who was a gifted musician herself. (Thanks to Vida Jankauskas for organizing the luncheon!) Also celebrated that day was the GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY of Saulius and Grazina Janusas.
Sunday, February 13, Lithuanian Independence Day was celebrated. Mass was said at Annunciation, as usual, at 10:00 AM, with numerous organizations and Consul General and Mrs. Sarapinas in attendance. Following the Mass, a wonderful Independence Day Banquet took place in Annunciation Parish Lower Hall. Many thanks and much praise for an excellent meal and for decorating the hall go to The Brooklyn-Queens Chapter of the Lithuanian American Community, Vida Jankauskas, President. The Kugelis Queen Josefina reigns supreme once more! Following lunch, an academic and cultural program was presented at Mt. Carmel Hall, sponsored by the Joint Committee for Lithuanian Independence Day. Featured speaker was Consul General Sarapinas. Master of Ceremonies was Salvijus Kungys, president of the Lithuanian American Council, NY Chapter. Opening speaker was Dr. Giedre Kumpikas, president and Chairman of the Lithuanian National Foundation (Tautos Fondas), this year’s Joint Committee Chairman. Closing speaker was Ramute Zukas, New York District Council of the Lithuanian American Community President. There was a photo of the event in the February 18 issue of THE TABLET. Thanks for that press “coup” go to Msgr. Calise!
Sunday, March 6, has been designated, by Bishop Di Marzio as LAY MINISTRY SUNDAY, a day set aside for parishioners to say a great big AČIU to their fellow parishioners who so generously give of their time, talent, and even, on occasion, treasure, to serve Almighty God, Holy Mother The Church, and Annunciation Parish. Need to know who to THANK? Go to Page 6 of ZINIOS…the people listed there are where you should start!
March 13 KAZIUKO MUGĖ will take place in Mt. Carmel Hall. The yearly New York Lithuanian Scouts’ St. Casimir Festival will begin on Sunday, March 13th, following the 10AM Mass at Annunciation. Muge will be held at Mt. Carmel Hall, 275 North 8th Street (Corner of 8th and Havemeyer)Having the larger hall available for MUGE means more space, more fun, more vendors, more surprises! The festival will have games for kids, lottery, vendors and crafts, along with a delicious Lithuanian lunch available for purchase, desserts, and more! Come and support Lithuanian Scouting Activities in Greater New York! (Vendors with questions can contact Tomas Lora at 914-948-6769 or tlora@optonline.net). Need more information? Scout Tauras Vebeliunas can help you budek@nyc.rr.com
Sunday, March 20 – the 20th Anniversary of Kovo 11 , date of the Restoration of Lithuanian Independence, will be commemorated. Arvydas Vilcinskas will present a musical program at 1:30 pm at Mt. Carmel Hall. For more information please contact NYLB Apygarda president Ramute Zukas at president@nylithuanian.com.
Do you need a record of your donations to Annunciation parish for your tax records? To obtain your copy, please contact MAUREEN at the Mt. Carmel office at 718-384-0233. It would help her if you have your envelopes number handy when you call. REMINDER: If you do not use envelopes for your donations, you can send your Annual Parish Dues (still only $10.00!), and any other donations to Maureen at 275 North Eighth Street, Brooklyn, NY 11220.
Speaking of Donations. Congratulations sort of to our parish for having donated $5,260.00 to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal. That only TWENTY EIGHT families got around to donating is not encouraging. Surely, Annunciation can do better for the 2011 Appeal. No one expects you to give BIG, BIG donations. But, surely, we can all find a way to make a donation toward the good works of our Bishop Di Marzio. Our quota was $3,745.00. The difference between the quota and the actual donations will come BACK TO US for our own parish needs. If you want to see how the funds of the diocese are distributed and used, please see the January 22 issue of THE TABLET, available online at www.thetablet.org .
Other Diocesan News: Bishop Di Marzio has inaugurated a NEW PROGRAM! (Your donations at work…) A new Catholic Association, made up of volunteer teachers, called TEACHERS OF LIGHT, is making itself available to parishes who need extra help in creating programs for religious instruction, etc., and for FAMILIES and INDIVIDUALS who need access to free tutoring in all subjects (for all ages), in test preparation for the Scholastic Aptitude Tests, and for the tests required for seeking admission to Catholic Schools in greater New York. Mt. Carmel Parish is one of the inaugural sites, so, if YOU have children or young people who need help preparing for those tests, or who need tutoring in any subject at any grade level, please go to the TEACHERS OF LIGHT website at www.Teachersoflight.org , or call 347-342-8354. A SAT preparation class is already arranged at the school at Mt. Carmel Saturdays at 9 AM. IT IS FREE. This is a great opportunity for Annunciation Youth. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!
The 2011 DIOCESAN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION for those couples celebrating 25th,30th,40th,and 50th anniversaries will take place Saturday, April 30. To register for the celebratory Mass and Reception, please call Ana Puente at 718-281-9540.
RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION: Please contact lithny@aol.com for information on arranging instruction for YOUR child. If you wish an English-only class for your child, please contact Rose Marie Walsh at 718-384-0223. Tell her you are from Annunciation’s Lithuanian Community. She will help you. There are HOME STUDY opportunities for Religious Instruction. Do not allow your children and grandchildren to be without the Sacraments and without instruction in our Holy Faith.
Are you an adult who has never received the Sacrament of Confirmation? Access to a CONFIRMATION CLASS FOR ADULTS (English or Lithuanian) can be arranged. Contact Pat Sidas at Kavine or at sid100@aol.com if you are interested. All Catholics should receive the sacrament of Confirmation. Should it happen that you or a member of your family has not been baptized, or received First Holy Communion, your parish is more than ready and willing to help you with instruction so that you can be fully received into our Holy Faith. Contact Pat or any parish religious instruction teacher. (See P. 6)
VAIKU LITURGJIA, Childrens’ Liturgy, is celebrated the first Sunday of the Month during the 10:00 AM Mass. ALL children are welcome. English-Only Children are accommodated, too! Milda Palubinskas and her husband Rany Chakar are the leaders of Annunciation’s Childrens’ Liturgy program.
Remember, Annunciation Children have the right to register (as parishioners) at Queen of the Rosary Academy (Formerly Mt. Carmel School). Registration is now open for Pre-k through 8th Grade for 2011-12. Please contact St. Joan Losson, OP, for information about registration (718-782-1110).
ALL the usual sacraments are celebrated at Annunciation Parish…….Baptism, Matrimony. The Eucharist, Penance. Both Father Volertas and Monsignor Calise are available for anointing of the sick, and both will open their hearts to discussion of vocations to the holy priesthood. No one who is a Catholic in good standing and member of Annunciation Parish will be denied the sacraments. To arrange for Funerals, Baptisms and Weddings, just call the parish office at Mt. Carmel at 718-384-0223.
Sick call list: Elvira Vilineskis, Phyllis Macenas, Liuda Gudelis, Vito Senken, Joe Levonas, and Anele Steponis are suffering the assaults of age. Gloria O’Brien, Richard Legeckas, and Laura Mc Carthy need prayers, as does Marie Strimaitis McCauley. Bernard Scheibis is recovering from bypass surgery. News from London…Simas Ulcickas, son of Frank and Candy, who often visit from New Hampshire, has shown improvement! THANK YOU, God! May God bless them all with improved health!
KAVINE NEWS: A big Kavine THANK YOU to Renata Alinskis for her donation of tea, and to Vida Jankauskas for her donation of plates to Kavine! The Ausros Vartu folk donated “donut holes” left over from their commemoration of the FOURTH year of the locking of their parish church. Blessed candles are available at kavine. Every Catholic family should have a blessed candle at home to use when greeting a priest or Eucharistic Minister who might come bearing the Blessed Sacrament for someone homebound, to burn in times of great fear or suffering, to place beside the body of someone who dies at home. There is no charge for them, but a donation is appreciated. God Bless the KAVINE SET-UP AND CLEAN-UP COMMITTEE and all who come forward to join it! To do so — it is NOT hard work!—contact Vida Jankauskas or Pat Sidas.
Demetrios Vonusas, husband of Ramute Matulaityte, has died after a very long illness. Also deceased is Augustinas Rackauskas. This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the death of a beloved parishioner and physician, Dr. Aldona Sliupas. Dr. Sliupas, who also had a distinguished medical career in Lithuania, served the many Lithuanians of Williamsburg in the aftermath of WW II. May they rest in peace!
Like to play CHESS? Kazys Butkus, Matas Slizys , Milda Stanislauskas, Paulius Sabalis, and Antanas Bublis and others await challengers Sundays at Kavine! For those who might like a less exotic challenge, the Kavine Committee has CHECKERS!
HELP! Joe will need some bodies for decorating the church for Easter. Call him at 718-438-4649.
HEADS UP! Annunciation Parish and the Lithuanian Folk Art Institute, New York Chapter, will provide a workshop in making the traditional VERBOS on Sunday, April 10, at Kavine. Many, many dried flowers are needed, and lots of crepe paper flowers. You can help by drying flowers like liatris and baby‘s breath and bringing them to the workshop. If you are willing to help make the hundreds of crepe paper flowers needed, please contact Pat Sidas. She will explain how to make them (EASY!) and help you with materials. Lithuanian people carry the VERBOS in the Palm Sunday procession and then often bring them to the cemetery to mark the graves of loved ones. Lithuanian Easter Egg making for adults and children will take place Sunday, April 17. Please consider donating a dozen hard boiled eggs. If YOU are an expert marguciai maker, please feel free to bring a few to show……..and go into the basket that will be given Msgr. Calise for Easter!
Pianist Gabrielius Alekna will make his New York „debut“ on Thursday, April 7 with the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra. For Ticket information, go to www.gabrieliusalekna.com . Maestro Gabrielius has performed both as soloist and accompanist at several Lithuanian events!
Attention, New Jersey Readers: OVIDIJUS VYSNIAUSKAS.will present a concert March 5 (8PM) in the Polish Cultural Center, 177 Broadway, Clark, NJ. For more information please contact Zilvis Bublis at zilvisbublis@ yahoo.com , or 732-713-5018.
Our Lady of Vilnius News: Our Lady of Vilnius/Ausros Vartu Commemoration:
Saturday, February 26, marked the fourth anniversary of the locking of our church. Parishioners gathered at 12 noon to: 1) celebrate the life and history of the parish, 2) call the roll of those who have gone before us, and 3) pray for the future of the parish, a source and symbol of goodness, peace and strength in a vast city that grows taller, faster and harsher every day. The event was sponsored by the Save Our Lady of Vilnius Committee. Contact us: c/o Elaine Derso, Chair, PO Box 230253, NY, NY 10023. Email: olvnyc@gmail.com. Website: https://sites.google.com/site/ourladyofvilniusnyc.
Sunday meditation and prayer continue at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and in front of the closed church, as they have for the past FOUR years! Pray our parish never has to suffer such a fate. Visit www.ourladyofvilnius.org or http://ausrosvartunyc.blogspot.com for more information.
News from Mt. Carmel: Serenity Sunday http://ausrosvartunyc.blogspot.com/is an evening of prayer, fellowship and healing for people recovering from addictions, and for those who love them. Mass at 5:00 pm, “pot luck” supper after, followed by “meetings” according to the precepts of “AA”. Do you know someone so afflicted? Suffer yourself? Come to Serenity Sunday! Next Serenity Sunday will be March 6. Mt. Carmel Parish has organized a Theatre Group. For information about their productions, go to www.mctheatrecompany.org
Maironis School News: For information about Maironis School, including adult education classes, please contact school principal Fausta Sinkunas at director@nymaironismokykla.org.
ANNUNCIATION SCHOOL CLASS OF 1963 wants to reunite! Larry Kiceina would like to be in touch if you were a ameber of the class. He can be reached at azflcowboy@yahoo.com.
LAK News: Adult Basketball takes place in the gym at Mt. Carmel (275 North 8th Street) at 7:00 pm Friday nights. For information contact Stasys Kavaliauskas at herbysta@yahoo.com New LAK president Jonas Jankauskas was interviewed recently for an extensive article in the EAST COAST section of AMERIKOS LIETUVIS.
Interesting websites: New Online Magazine! www.vilnews.com
Apostolate of Lithuanian Catholics Living Outside Lithuania has a website, www.sielovada.org.
http://www.versme.lt/sav_a.htm is a link to the Lithuanian Army’s 1918 list of Volunteers.
Try www.lacgifts.com for the best in Lithuanian Culture Internet Shopping!
www.theessenceoflithuania.com (www.dalelelietuvos.lt ) also has Lithuanian items for sale.
LITUANUS is a Lithuanian Academic Journal (in English). Visit the website at www.lituanus.org.
CAMP NERINGA NEWS: The Camp Session Dates are available on the Neringa Website: www.neringa.org. There are camp sessions for families, for Lithuanian speaking children, and for ENGLISH ONLY children….and they FILL QUICKLY……….! HEADS UP! Traditional WOMENS WEEKEND, April 29-May 1, WORK WEEKEND, June 3-5. See website for counselor position applications for all camp sessions!
You can ask a Mass be said in Annunciation Church. Joe Rudis has the Mass Book Sundays after Mass in the Parish Hall. The usual stipend is $50. You can also have a Mass said via the MASS INTENTIONS PROJECT. Your Mass intention will be placed with a Lithuanian priest in financial need. The usual stipend is $15. Send your check, payable to Msgr. A. Bartkus, to him at 64-25 Perry Avenue, Maspeth, NY 11378.
For information about the DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN OFFICE OF MIGRATION contact http://www.dioceseofbrooklyn.org/cmo.aspx This site can help you find vocational classes, English classes, and citizenship classes. Questionable immigration status does NOT bar you from the services of the Diocesan Migration Office, (718-236-3000), or the Lithuanian Apostolate. For information about the LITHUANIAN APOSTOLATE, contact Father Volertas at volertas@aol.com , or Advisory Committee members Vida Jankauskas, Malvina Klivecka, and Joe Rudis.
Welcome new readers: Rita S., from Ausros Vartu
TO REGISTER yourself and your family at Annunciation Parish call 718-384-0223 or e-mail olmcn8th@yahoo.com . You can also register at Kavine. See Joe Rusdis for a registration form. The more registered, the more secure our parish. NUMBERS COUNT!
COME VOLUNTEER FOR YOUR PARISH! Come help do His work on Earth!
Administrator:
Msgr. Joseph Calise – 718-384-0223
Associate Priest and Lithuanian Apostolate:
Rev. Vytautas Volertas – 718-326-2236
Parish Trustees:
Eric Arango, Raimundas Slizys
Lithuanian Affairs:
Vida Jankauskas - lcra@earthlink.net
Committee:
Raimundas Slizys - lithny@aol.com
Lectors, Ushers:
Bill Kumet – 718-846-3829
Choir:
Asta Barkauskas, Just Come to the loft!
Kavine:
Pat Sidas – 203-762-9726 sid100@aol.com
Parish Bulletin Editor:
Vida Jankauskas – lcra@earthlink.net
Decorating the Church:
Joe Rudis – 718-438-4649
Acolyte:
Father Volertas, Dr. Algis Lukosevicius. See either one after Mass
Religious Education:
Dr. Milda Palubinskaite MildaPalubinskas@yahoo.com, Salvijus Kungys SalvijusK@yahoo.com, Dana Raciunas, Raimundas Slizys lithny@aol.com
Ateitis:
Dr. Algis Lukosevicius - algirdas212@yahoo.com
Children’s Chapter:
Dr. Milda Palubinskas - mildapalubinskas@yahoo.com
Spanish Affairs Committee:
Leticia Serrano - arilet@aol.com
Guadalupe Committee:
Clemente Randon - c12g4h9a6s@aol.com
Queen of The Rosary Academy:
Sr. Joan Losson, OP – 718-782-1110
Diocesan Migration Office:
718-236-3000
FATHER VOLERTAS IS AVAILALE TO HEAR CONFESSIONS BEFORE MASS. BLESS HIM, HE COMES EARLY EVERY SUNDAY!
Are you unable to get to Mass? Eucharistic Minister Vytautas Cereska will bring the Body and Blood of Christ to you. Call Vytautas at 646-246-8270. Father Volertas (718-326-2236) is, of course, also available to bring the Sacraments and anoint the sick and frail. Do not be without the Sacraments, or let your loved ones be bereft either!
If you want to schedule an event in the Parish Lower Hall, please do so as far in advance as possible. There are many, many demands on our limited facilities! (lithny@aol.com ) (For those organizations needing access to the Halls at Mt. Carmel, that calendar opens JUNE 1.)
IF ALL OF US CAME TO MASS JUST ONCE A MONTH, OUR BEAUTIFUL CHURCH WOULD ALWAYS BE FULL!
MASS IS SAID AT 10:00 AM IN LITHUANIAN,
AND AT 11:30 AM IN SPANISH
ANNUNCIATION PARISH IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING AT
NORTH FIFTH AND HAVEMEYER.
COME BE A PART OF IT!
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY OF THE ANNUNCIATION, PRAY FOR US!
OUR LADY OF ŠILUVA, PRAY FOR US!
OUR LADY OF VILNIUS, AUSROS VARTU, PRAY FOR US!