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Welcome to NY Apreiškimo Parapijos English Language Bulletin “ŽINIOS”
YEAR OF THE DIVINE MERCY
Jesus said: „Speak to the world about my Mercy; let all mankind recognize My my unfathomable mercy.“ Let us come to KNOW Christ, the Divine Mercy. Let us accept the Divine Mercy of Christ by conversion, and confess our sins. Let us,then, on our part, be merciful to others.
January 1, 2012 – Feast of Mary the Mother of God. KAVINE
January 6, 2012 – Feast of the Epiphany, „Little“ Christmas
January 8 – Commemoration of Epiphany 11:00 AM- Parish Lower Hall, Ateitininkai Youth Food Drive- Church Vestibule, Spanish Community- THREE KINGS Parish Lower Hall, Celebration 1:00 PM
January 15 – Kavine, Commemoration of the TV Tower Disaster, Parish Lower Hall
January 16 – Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Observed, AMERICAN NATIONAL HOLIDAY Fly Old Glory!
January 22 – Kavine, Memorial of the Roe v. Wade- Abortion Decision in the US….. PRAY FOR THE UNBORN MURDERED EVERY DAY!, Parish Lower Hall
January 29 – Kavine, Parish Lower Hall
February 2 -Feast of the Purification (Grabnycios), GROUNDHOG DAY
February 5 – Kavine, Parish Lower Hall
Happy New Year! Made your resolutions yet? Most of us make the lose weight and get organized resolution that mostly is broken before January is out! How about, maybe, making a resolution to increase your loyalty to your parish, wherever in the world that might be, by faithfully hearing Holy Mass, recieving the sacraments, (which are God‘s gift), offering your hands in assistance to those who make the events and programs of the parish possible, and above all, praying for one another, for your country, for peace on earth, for vocations, for an end to abortion, and, according to church tradition, especially in January, praying for Christian Unity………that we may again be One Bread, One Body………..
ATTENTION!!!! Sunday, January 8, The parish will celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, also called Trys Karaliai, or Three Kings Day. This is the feast when the coming of the Christ to the Gentiles is commemorated with the arrival of the Magi and their gifts of Gold, symbol of Kingship, Frankincense, symbol of Wisdom, and Myrrh, symbol of Death. The kings represent US coming to the light of the Coming of the Messiah, and fortell His Death for our sakes. A joyous feast, Indeed!
Annunciation‘s celebration will begin before Mass…. The Ateitininkai Youth Group will be collecting donations of canned or boxed foods before Mass, to be carried to the altar at the Offertory, symbolic of OUR bringing gifts to the Christ Child, that He may feed the hungry of our parish through the Mt. Carmel Food Pantry. PLEASE BRING A BOX OR CAN OR TWO to place in the boxes that will be provided in the church Vestibule. Support this effort of our parish children and youth! (You can help by mail, if you prefer—send to 275 N. 8 St., Brooklyn 11211.)
The celebration will continue in the Parish Hall after 10:00 AM Mass, where there will be surprises for EVERYBODY! BE THERE! Following the Lithuanian Community‘s Epiphany Party, the Spanish Community will have a traditional THREE KINGS Celebration after 11:30 AM Mass!
January is the month for you to pay your PARISH DUES. Parish Dues is a very old tradition. Annunciation Dues are $10. Send your check, marked DUES to the parish office (See above)
December was busy as usual at Annunciation. Sunday, December 4, an enthusiastic group of adults and children learned to make straw ornaments with members of the New York Chapter of the Lithuanian Folk Art Institute. Monsignor Calise even came to see how it was done!
On December 11, Professor Aldona Lingertaitis joined us for a Lithuanian language MINI-ADVENT RETREAT. Professor Aldona is well known teacher in the Boston area. Professor Aldona taught us the value of silence and the value of repetition……how spending a bit of time just reading a scriptural passage more than once can open our minds and hearts to the comfort that the Word of God has for us. We learned from Aldona, and prayed together for one another, for ourselves, our families, our friends, and those standing in the need of prayer. Both Father Volertas and Monsignor Calise paid a visit to our mini-retreat, gracious acts of kindness and respect to our guest.
The traditional “Bendros Kucios”, sponsored by the parish, Maironis School, and the Lithuanian Scouts Association, took place on December 18. Almost 250 people filled Mt. Carmel Hall. The Maironis and Scouts Association Parents decorated the hall with snowflakes and greenery. Splendid traditional food was donated by parishioners and Maironis and Scout Association families. In memory of Vladas Sidzikauskas Sidas, his family donated ALL the plotkeles. The Kugelis Queen is also the Centerpiece Queen! Josefina Senken produced beautiful centerpieces for the tables. The Schoolchildren, under the splendid direction of Gintare Bukauskas and Birute Mockus, put on a delightful performance of songs, stories and poems. Many moms assisted behind the scenes, and some baby brothers and sisters even joined the festivities! School principal Fausta Sinkunas was the gracious “Emcee” for the day.
Consul General and Dr. Sarapinas were in attendance, as was NY District Council President Ramute Zukas and Kaledu Senelis (AKA Santa Claus!) assisted by his “helper”, Vytautas Cereska. Salvijius Kungys gave the Invocation Prayer in the absence of Fr. Volertas. Monsignor Calise came to visit, as did Father Lynch, who brought his brother and nephew to see the beautiful Christmas tree, decorated with siaudinukai made by the Folk Art Institute Members, and observe some of our beautiful kucios customs.
When people who nearly filled the church arrived for the Shepherd’s Mass the evening of December 24, they were greeted with a beautifully and traditionally decorated church. Joe Rudis and his helpers Phil Caponegro and Dr. Algis Lukosevicius had the crèche placed “just right” on the altar, the green wreaths and roping strung from pillar to pillar in the nave, and poinsettias surrounding Our Lady of the Annunciation and Our Lady of Lourdes above the High Altar. On each side of the altar were two BIG Christmas trees that shimmered with white mini-lights. Each of these trees was covered……..COVERED!…… with glorious white straw ornaments made by the members of the New York Chapter of the Lithuanian Folk Art Institute. The chapter members, including Rasa Sprindys, Dainora Mlynskaitė, Asta Bublienė, Patricija Sidienė, Aldona Rygelytė, Asta Zmitrytė and Marytė Oželytė, made ALL of these ornaments and decorated the trees under the direction of Chapter president Laurynas Vismanas. The ornaments are a gift from the Folk Art Institute to Annunciation Parish!
Very special thanks for making the Shepherd’s Mass profoundly spiritual and beautiful go to Father Volertas, chief celebrant, and Monsignor Calise, who took time from his exceptionally busy Christmas Eve to concelebrate the Mass. Maestra Asta Barkauskas and Annunciation Lithuanian Choir provided a mini-concert for arriving parishioners before the Mass. Soloist Astra Butkute made the rafters resound (and surely brought not a few people to tears) with her rendition of the beloved French carol, O Holy Night. Organist Vilma Taraskeviciute presided at the Mighty Austin Organ, which sounded particularly good due to her gifted fingers (and feet!) and the work or our volunteer organ curator, Saulius Janusas.
After Mass, almost 200 people filled with the joy of Christmas came to greet one another and celebrate in a more secular fashion in our Parish Hall. HUGE kudos go to Raimundas Slizys, who almost singlehandedly did the decorating. He was assisted by the Bell family—Tracey’s brother, wife and children, who were visiting New York for Christmas!
Josefina Senken and Milda Palubinskas came early to help get the cakes cut and the coffee table set. The Butkus family came early, too, and put out the tablecloths and centerpieces. LOTS of people generously brought cakes! Others pitched in to make sure everything was ready BEFORE Kavine, and that everything was cleaned up AFTERWARDS! A Big, BIG ACIU to all of you! Another “ACIU” goes to Faith and Robert Fisher, cousins of Pat Sidas, who donated all the greenery for the centerpieces. Faith is half Lithuanian, on her Mother’s side!
January Coming Event: Sunday, January 15, the New York District Council and the Lithuanian American Community Chapters of Brooklyn/Queens, Great Neck, and Manhattan will join together to commemorate the terrible day when Societ tanks crushed Lithuanian Freedom Defenders guarding the Vilnius TV Tower at and after 10:00 AM Mass. For more information contact Ramute Zukas at ramu...@hotmail.com. Volunteer Candle Bearers will be needed…they volunteered….can‘t you?
Volunteers are always needed in a place like a parish……………someone to read at Mass, someone to sing in the choir, someone to wash a pot or set a table once in a while. Someone to make a centerpiece. Someone to decorate the altar. Someone to teach the children; someone to organize a picnic or a lottery. Maybe, couldn‘t YOU make a New Year‘s Resolution to volunteer just once in a while so the work does not always fall on the same generous souls? The list of who to contact is on the last page…….CALL!
ALL the sacraments are celebrated at Annunciation Parish: The Eucharist is celebrated every Sunday. Father Volertas hears Confessions before Mass Sundays in Lithuanian and English EVERY Sunday. If he is not in the confessional, he will be waiting in the sacristy, bless him! For Baptisms and Weddings, or for the Sacrament of the Sick, and “Last Rites”, just call Msgr. Calise (718-384-0223 )or Fr. Volertas (718-326-2236). When the need arises, be sure to specify ANNUNCIATION to the Funeral Director, so the funeral can be held in your own parish.
RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION for Children in preparation for First Penance/First Communion, Confirmation, contact Raimundas Šližys Lithuanian), or Rose Marie Walsh (718-384-0223, XT 28, English.) HOME STUDY opportunities are available! Childrens’ Liturgy, in Lithuanian and English, takes place the FIRST SUNDAY of the month. Contact Dr. Milda Palubinskas. Arrangements can be made for instruction for Adults who wish to become Catholics, or for Baptized Catholics who have not received the sacraments of Penance, Eucharist, or Confirmation. Contact Raimundas Silzys or Pat Sidas any Sunday at Kavine.
Children who want to serve as Altar servers should contact Dr. Algis Lukoševičius. Schedules for serving are flexible. The same flexible scheduling is available for ladies and gentlemen who would like to serve as Lectors at Mass, or who would like to help out as Ushers. Bill Kumet will show you the ropes and help you schedule your time to serve! Call him at 718-846-3829. To join Annunciation Parish Lithuanian Choir, please come to the Loft any Sunday to meet Organist and Choir Director Asta Barkauskas. The choir rehearses after Mass in the Loft or Lower Hall.
FREE tutoring programs in any subject, at any grade level, including preparation for the SAT exams are available through www.Teachersoflight.org, or call 347-342-8354 for information.
Maironis School News: Contact school principal Fausta Sinkunas.
Lithuanian Scouts Association News: For more information about the Lithuanian Scouts Association, contact Tomas Lora or Aldute Belzer.
Sick call list: Elvira Vilineskis, Phyllis Macenas, Liuda Gudelis, Joe Levonas, and Anele Steponis are suffering the assaults of age. Gloria O’Brien, Edward Diskevich, and Jerry Cernauskas also need our prayers. Simon Ulcickas has suffered a setback, but is coming out of it. Please pray for him as he fights off the cancer, and for his mother and father, Frank and Candy, and his wife and child. Frank and Candy, although resident in New Hampshire, have been longtime supporters of our parish, finding us when Simon was a student in Brooklyn! Arturas Jautakas is still VERY sick….Bless her, Monika Vygantas Sabalis coordinated a collection for the family that yielded about $500 from our generous parishioners!
KAVINE NEWS: If you want to provide something special at Kavine, please contact Kavine Committee chairman Pat Sidas so she can help you coordinate your donation. Blessed candles are available at Kavine. Catholic families should have a blessed candle at home. There is no charge for them, but a donation is appreciated. God Bless the KAVINE SET-UP AND CLEAN-UP COMMITTEE. To join it — it is NOT hard work! – contact Vida Jankauskas or Pat Sidas. All you have to do is come half an hour early once in a while to set up the hall, and stay 15-20 minutes longer to clear the tables, fold the cloths, and “wash” the coffee and tea pots. THANK YOU to Ramute and Ricardas Hopanas, who have joined the committee, to Elena Andrusis, who donated MILK, and to Jean Pietrusiewicz and Lisa Centore, her daughter, who donated special cakes and cookies!
SPECIAL NOTE: PLEASE LABEL anything you put into the refrigerator, so someone else does not take or use it. Unlabeled items will be removed after a week.
RADIO MARIJA is a source of religious information and programming: www.marijosradijas.lt
Order blanks to subscribe to BRIDGES, the journal of the Lithuanian American Community, are available on the SHARE table, or contact www.lithuanian-american.org to order a subscription.
May she rest in peace in the arms of the angels! Julia Cohen, a long, longtime parishioner who also helped out in the parish rectory, has died. Until physically unable to do so, she came to Mass in her beloved Annunciation Church, even when there was no longer an English language Mass…….Word from Mt. Carmel office that Andrew Keines, an Annunciation parishioner, was buried from our church in December. May he rest in peace.
Ever hear of the lichen/fungus Lepidostroma Vilgalysi? Name sound a bit “familiar”? IT SHOULD! The students of biology professor Dr. Rytas Vilgalys, son on Jonas and the late, lovely Irena, named the newly discovered living thing after him! What an honor! Annunciation is proud!
News from the Diocese Office of Migration. Diocese Office of Migration . To find vocational classes, English classes, and citizenship classes. 718-236-3000. Reach the LITHUANIAN APOSTOLATE, via Father Volertas, or Advisory Committee members Vida Jankauskas, Malvina Klivecka, or Joe Rudis at Kavine.
Diocesan Catholic Charities Family / Counseling Centers help with mental health issues for children and adults, and employment counseling. For information go to www.ccbq.org or call 718-281-9540.
Churches United offers FREE CLASSES to people looking for work, classes in English, and a FREE LEGAL CLINIC. (718-388-3774). For translation help, contact the Lithuanian Apostolate (See Above).
News from Mt. Carmel: Mt. Carmel Serenity Sunday 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”. Next Serenity Sunday will be February 5. Support Group for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community meets the second and fourth Monday of each month.
LAK News: For information about the NY Lithuanian Athletic Club and its activities, contact Jonas Jankauskas, LAK president. For information about YOUTH BASKETBALL, contact Joe Milukas, or go to the LAK website www.lithnyc.com, or NY LAK Blog website.
Camp Neringa News: www.neringa.org Funds are still desperately needed to make flood repairs! You can also find the 2012 CAMP SCHEDULE there now. Neringa is a great place for Kids! There are sessions for both Lithuanian speaking and NON-LITHUANIAN SPEAKING Children!
Attention dancers ages 5 to 100! The 14th Lithuanian Dance Festival will be held July 1, 2012 in Boston.. If you want to participate, or would like information, contact Cheryl Milukas or go to www.2012sokiusvente.org.
Our Lady of Vilnius News: The Supreme Court of the State of New York has denied the appeal of the Save Our Lady Of Vilnius, paving the way for the Archdiocese of New York to tear down the building and dispose of the property. We are all saddened by this turn of events. Pray such a thing never happens to our beloved parish!
Welcome to our new readers: Aldona Vaiciunas, Angele Miknius. WELCOME BACK to Liuda Balcius, who is back on line again and feeling better!
News from STEEL WOLF 2000 BAND! The band will be performing at FUZZY’S, 239-21 Braddock Avenue, Bellerose 11426 January 21st at 10:00 PM!! For information contact Mark Adomaitis at stee...@optonline.net .
Rasa Bobelyte-Brittan writes that Ice Dancer Aleks Brittain was written up in South Jersey Magazine! Read all about it at www.sjmagazine.net!
TO REGISTER yourself and your family at Annunciation Parish call 718-384-0223 or e-mail. You can also register at Kavine. See Joe Rudis 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
Parish Trustees:
Eric Arango, Raimundas Šližys
Lithuanian Affairs:
Vida Jankauskas
Committee:
Raimundas Šližys
Lectors, Ushers:
Bill Kumet – 718-846-3829
Annunciation Parish Lithuanian Choir:
Asta Barkauskas, Just Come to the loft!
Kavine:
Pat Sidas – 203-762-9726
Lithuanian/English Bulletin Editor:
Vida Jankauskas
Parish Website Administrator:
Arūnas Tirkšliūnas
Decorating the Church:
Joe Rudis, Lidia Santos – 718-438-4649
Acolyte:
Father Volertas, Dr. Algis Lukoševičius. See either one after Mass
Religious Education:
Dr. Milda Palubinskas, Salvijus Kungys, Dana Račiūnas Norvila, Raimundas Šližys, Rosemarie Walsh (English) – 718-384-0223, ext. 28
Ateitis:
Dr. Algis Lukoševičius
Children’s Chapter:
Dr. Milda Palubinskas
Spanish Affairs Committee / Bulletin:
Leticia Serrano
Annunciation Parish Spanish Choir:
Antonio Arenas – See him after 11:30 am Mass
Guadalupe Committee:
Clemente Randon
Queen of The Rosary Academy:
Sr. Joan Losson, OP – 718-782-1110
Diocesan Migration Office:
Msgr. Ralph Marino – 718-236-3000
Serenity Sunday / LGBT Ministry:
Msgr. Joseph Calise – 718-384-0223
KNIGHTS OF LITHUANIA: Council 12: Elaine Derso, tel. 212-874-2506. Council 110: Dr. P. Kazas. Council 152: Julia Schroeder.
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.
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.
To schedule an event in the Parish Lower Hall, please contact Raimundas Šližys.
Want to get on the ENVELOPES List? Envelopes are a very convenient tradition of the Church in the US that makes it easy to make your weekly donation to the support of the parish. You receive an envelope packet monthly by mail with an envelope for each Sunday and for any scheduled special collections. To get on the list, con tact MARY ANN at the office… 718-384-0223 .
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, AUŠROS VARTŲ, PRAY FOR US!