MESSAGE TO OUR PARISHIONERS 

WELCOME TO ADVENT !

Advent is here. During these days we put on the purple, the Church’s color of waiting, preparing, watching for the coming of Jesus. We put on the purple and we put on Advent, this beautiful beginning of a new Church year, this joyful season which brings us to the coming of Jesus at Christmas.

          Thank God for Advent.  Simply put, we need Advent. For Advent is the Season of Hope. .And certainly we all need hope.

It was that way in the first Advent two thousand years ago as two humble people, Mary and Joseph, traveled to Bethlehem knowing that the Child Mary was bearing would be the hope of the world . We need that hope during this Advent. We need hope for those who are sick. We need hope for those who have lost loved ones, which is especially hard at this holiday time. We need hope for doctors and nurses and EMT’s and so many valiant people who are helping so many so valiantly every day. And we need hope for ourselves, for our families and for our children. It is so easy to let the things we have to face dishearten us, even depress us.  But Advent is the Lord’s reminder to us not to be disheartened because in the midst of all of this, He is here. He is here to strengthen us, to help us do what we must to get through. He is here to enlighten us not only to take care of ourselves, but to take care of one another.

          Yes, we need  Advent. We need our Advent hope. And  the reason for our hope is that Jesus is here and we are not alone. Think for a moment: during the first Advent, Mary and Joseph were traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Outwardly they were obeying the decree of the emperor that everyone should register for the census in the town where his or her family was from. But Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem for another reason , a more important reason. They went to Bethlehem knowing that Mary’s Child was to be born in the city of David, the new King born in the city of the old king David. But think for a moment: yes, Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem to have Jesus. But they already had Him, there in Mary’s womb, there in their hearts. It is the same for us. During Advent we prepare to observe the anniversary of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. But all during Advent and, for that matter, every day of our lives we have Jesus in our hearts. And that is why we can have hope. For if we have Jesus, we can have the greatest hope. If we have Jesus, we have everything.

          I always remind people to pray to a special saint during Advent and that is St. Joseph. Other than Our Blessed  Mother Mary, no one knew Advent and no one knew Christmas better than good St. Joseph. Here is this ordinary man, a working man, a carpenter, not renowned as far as the world was concerned, not rich or famous,  but special in the eyes of God. Of all the men on the earth, God the Father chose St. Joseph to be the foster-father of Jesus God’s Son. He did not pick a king; He picked a carpenter. And why? Because St. Joseph, this just man, already had welcomed Jesus to his heart. And good St. Joseph invites us to do the same. Just as St. Joseph during the first Advent was traveling to Bethlehem, let him help you to travel to Bethlehem too.

Let St. Joseph be your special “Advent friend.” And let St. Joseph help you to find Christmas and even more let St. Joseph help you to find Christ Our Lord.

Happy Advent!                     

Father Thomas B. Derivan



 

 
                                                                                               
                                                                     

                
            The Eucharistic Renewal

 
Dear Friends,
 
Our Church is observing a special time throughout our country. It is called the Eucharistic Renewal, a time to renew our love and devotion to Our Lord Jesus in Holy Communion. You will notice the banner in front of church, encouraging this Eucharistic Renewal.  It reads:
 

 
The Eucharistic Renewal;
a time of growing in our love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
 
Our theme is;
 “Jesus in the center of the Church,
Jesus in the center of our lives.”
 

 During this special time, the Church wants us all to reflect on the great mystery of the Holy Eucharist and to grow in our appreciation of Our Lord giving Himself to us in this holy sacrament.
 
SOME THOUGHTS ON THE EUCHARISTIC RENEWAL FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT:
 
1.     Remember what the Holy Eucharist is: it is the Body of Jesus Himself. It is not just a symbol of His Body. It IS His Body because He said to the apostles at the Last Supper, “This IS my Body which will be given up for you.”  Unfortunately many people do not understand this. Hopefully we all  do and hopefully during this year we will thank Jesus more and more for giving Himself to us in this holy Sacrament.
 
2.      We should realize how privileged we are to receive Jesus Himself in Holy Communion at Mass.  Our own St. Theresa put it this way, “For it is not to remain in a golden vessel that He comes down each day from Heaven. He comes to find another Heaven, the Heaven of our souls.” The Lord wants to come to us in Holy Communion every Sunday. Our attitude should not be, “I have to come to Mass.” Instead you should want to come to Mass to receive Jesus Himself who is the strength of our life.
 
3.      If we are honest with ourselves, we know t hat we need special strength to keep on the right path of Christian life as we go on in  life. There are so many things that can prevent us from following Jesus’ way. Remember there is no greater strength that we can have to continue to live a good Christian life than by receiving Our Lord in Holy Communion. Holy Communion helps us to remember, as our banner in front of church says, “Jesus is in the center of the church. Jesus is in the center of our lives.”
 
4.      If you have been coming to Mass and receiving Holy Communion every Sunday, God bless you!  The Lord says to you, Keep up the good work!  If you have not been doing so, let this time of the Eucharistic Renewal be a time of coming home to Mass and Holy Communion. On the banner if front of church, you see Our Lord holding the Blessed Sacrament out to all of us.  Remember He is holding His Sacrament out to you. Welcome Him!
 
 God bless you!
Father Thomas B. Derivan

• Saturday, 5:00PM
• Sunday, 7:30AM; 9:00AM (Italian); 10:30AM; 12:15PM; 1:30PM (Spanish) and 5:00PM

If you are new to our neighborhood, we want you to know that St. Theresa’s Church has a warm welcome for you.  Come!

For Traveling Catholics-

If you are traveling and are looking for a Catholic Church and the times of the Masses, you can consult the  site, CatholicMassTime.org Go to Catholic Church Near Me and put in the zip code near where you are staying. 

 
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lovingly embrace him at a time or in circumstances when one cannot receive Him in sacramental Communion. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid the sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,
Come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there
And unite myself wholly to you. 
Never permit me to be separated from you.
Amen.

St. Theresa's Catholic Church
2855 St. Theresa Avenue
Bronx, NY 10461

CONFESSIONS IN OUR CHURCH
The Cardinal has allowed the resumption of confessions in church.  Both St. Theresa Church and Our Lady of the Assumption Church will be having confessions on Saturdays at 4:00PM, beginning on June 6^th.
The following procedures will be followed in our church:
1. All persons must wear protective masks.
2. You will see two confession stations in the church, one by hallway near the sacristy and the other  in the front of church. We will not be using the confessionals for safety reasons.
3. When you come to confession, you may either stand or kneel.
4. Those who are waiting for confession should stand at a respectful distance to preserve confidentiality.  Also while you are waiting, please observe the proper social distancing as marked by the blue tape in the aisles.
5. Please speak loudly enough for the priest to hear, but not too loudly  so that others may hear you.
6. After your confession, you may remain in the church for private prayer. Please sit or kneel only in places  marked with the blue tape.