Anastasi

A
church
saint

4545-14 245th Street

Douglaston, NY 1136211362-1135
Phone: (718) 631631-4454
Fax: (718) 631631-1774
Email: info@stanastasia.info

Douglaston-Little Neck
Salus Animarum Suprema Lex

www.stanastasia.info

November 30, 2008

First Sunday of Advent

Rev. Msgr. George J. Ryan, Pastor

Rev. William A. McLaughlin
Rev. Chris J. Piasta, OFM
Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Cantley, S.T.D.,

Pastor Emeritus
Rectory Office Hours:
Monday to Friday 9:15 AM to 8 PM
Saturday 9:15 AM to 1 PM
Mrs. Betty Harris, Secretary
Mrs. Ann Larkin, Accounting Admin.
St. Anastasia School:
45-11 245th Street
Mrs. Lucy Mihulka, Principal
Mrs. Cindy Roma-McCann, Assist. Princ.
Phone: (718) 631-3153; (718) 631-3155
Email: school@stanastasia.info
Religious Education & CCD Office:
Mrs. Janine Kramer, Directress
Phone: (718) 225-5191
Email: dre@stanastasia.info
Music Minister:
Mr. Joseph C. Extejt
Weekend Masses:
Saturday Vigil at 5:30
Sundays 8 AM, 10 AM, 12 PM & 5 PM
Weekday Masses:
Monday thru Saturday at 8:30 AM
Sacrament of Reconciliation:
Saturdays 44:30 PM
Holy Days and Special Liturgies:
Mass schedules will be printed in the
Bulletin at the appropriate time.
Devotions:
Miraculous Medal Novena:
Mondays after 8:30 AM Mass

PARISH MEMBERSHIP:
All new families are welcome to the Parish and every family should be properly registered.
Registration forms are available at the Rectory.
Use of the electronic giving (Faith Direct) or envelope system is required if statement of
contribution is sought for tax purposes. All parishioners should use either one of the donation forms. If you move or change your address, please notify the Rectory by mail.
SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM:
First Sunday of each month at 1:30 PM only. Parents should make arrangements by calling the Rectory no later than 2 weeks before the Baptism.
Parents must attend the Baptism instructions before Baptism
SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY:
Time available: Saturday 11 AM-3 PM; Sunday 2:30 PM-3 PM
Couples must make arrangements six months prior to the selected date of their marriage
and fully participate in the Pre-Cana Parish at home.
R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
It is the process for adults wishing to become Catholic, complete their sacramental initiation, or attain full membership in the Church. For further information, please contact
Ms. Janine Kramer

 ANNOUNCEMENTS
Choir News

omeless men living under

Flushing Meadow
Bridges need clothing
For a number of years now and
thanks to the generosity of our
parishioners; every Sunday
morning during the winter
months, we bring hot chocolate, a sandwich and some
warm clothes to a group of
homeless men living under the
bridges and surrounding areas
of Flushing Meadows Corona
Park. These are men who for
different reasons have given up
on life and seen unable to cope
with it. As the cold weather
approaches, once again we are
preparing to start our mission
and we need clothing. If you
have warm clothes and blankets that are clean and in good
condition and would like to
donate them please call us and
we will pick them up. For more
information call Jorge at (718)
224-8187 or (718) 423-5988.

Singles Fellowship Lunch

t. Aloysius Singles Fellowship Lunch will take place

on Sunday, December 8th at
Tulips Restaurant at 4 Welwyn Road in Great Neck at
12:00 Noon. For more information call Joan (516) 4872864.

Annual Coat Drive

he coats are dropped off to

needy parishes in Queens
and Brooklyn, visiting Nurse
Early Head Start program in
Rockaway, St. Johns Bread
and Life Ministry, and other
spots that are in need of help.
The coats can be left at my
office at Bryce Rea Associates,
or if you cant come to me I
will go and pick them up; just
call my cell phone: Carolyn
Meenan at (917) 796-2990.
Thank you again for your generous help by keeping someone
warm this winter.

ST. ANASTASIA BULLETIN

seniors and their families ready

access to senior services offered throughout Brooklyn and
Queens by the Catholic
Church. Seniors and their families can now find information
on: Alzheimers and dementia
services, social services, home
care, services for homebound
elderly, health insurance hospice care, nursing and rehabilitation programs, affordable
senior housing, and senior centers. To visit the Web site, go
to the Catholic Charities
Brooklyn and Queens home
page at: www.ccbq.org. The
Blessed John XXIII Senior
Services link is on the left hand
side.

owe next April. The higher

your tax rate, the more your
gifts will save. If you are subject to the alternative minimum
tax rate (AMT), you may be
surprised to learn that charitable deductions serve to reduce
the amount of both regular
income tax and the AMT. Most
charitable gifts are made in the
form of cash and checks. When
you itemize your tax reductions, gifts of cash may serve
to reduce taxes on up to half of
your adjusted gross income
(AGI). This is a great way to
continue to help the ministries
of St. Anastasia!

www.stanastasia.info

Help the Homeless

November 30, 2008

t. Anastasia Choir is looking to expand its members.

If you are interested and like to
sing we need you and your
voice! Please call Joseph Extejt, our Music Director at
(718) 631-4909.

Need a ride to Church?

entury Car Service is offering a special rate to

parishioners who need a ride to
Sunday Mass. This offer is
only available to get to St. Anastasia Church for Sunday
Mass. The fee is $5.00 plus
any gratuity they choose to
give. (This is a 16% reduction
in their usual rate. Just advise
the dispatcher that you are going to St. Anastasia Church in
Douglaston in order to get the
discount.) Century Car is located at Springfield Blvd and
Union Turnpike in Bayside
Call: (718) 740-6600 or (718)
428-1010.

Christmas Giving Tree

he Giving Tree which has

gift tags is once again a
Reminder of the rapid approach of Christmas. It is very
important to remember that we
would like to get the wrapped
gifts back by Monday, December 15th, so that all those people that you are helping will
get the gifts before Christmas.
Please remember that you are
doing a good thing giving a
part of yourself by shopping,
wrapping, & returning back to
us. You will be blessed for
your kindness. The tree is located in the hallway next to the
Church please stop after Mass
to pick up your tag (s).

Maximize Tax Savings

hose who enjoy charitable

giving may wish to examine the amount and timing of
their gifts in order to make the
most of their tax savings this
year. Your charitable gifts are
one of the few tax savings opportunities that remain completely within your control.
Remember that only those gifts
made by December 31 can help
reduce the amount of taxes you

Correction

here is a correction on the

Tomato Soup Cake recipe
of last week: it should have
read 1 cup of raisins OR 1 cup
of nuts.

Senior Services Website

ishop Nicholas DiMarzio

is delighted to introduce
the Blessed John XXIII Senior
Services Website, providing all

Why did the house go to the doctor?

To get a cure for its window pane.

 FROM OUR PASTOR, MSGR. RYAN:

Dear Parishioners,

Msgr. George J. Ryan

Pastor, St. Anastasia Parish

he new liturgical year begins this weekend with

the Season of Advent. The green Mass vestments of Ordinary time give way to the rich purples of Advent. This season has a twofold character: as
a season to prepare for Christmas, when Christ's first
coming among us is remembered and as a season when
that remembrance directs the mind and heart to await
Christ's second coming at the end of time. Advent is
thus a period for devout and prayerful preparation. Let
me state the various ways this preparation will take
place at St. Anastasia.

rama of salvation history. It will be presented on Sunday, December 7th at 3:00 pm in the Church.
Finally there will be our Communal Penance
Service on Monday evening, December 22nd at 7:30 in
the Church. As usual we are inviting some guest priests
to join us as we offer all parishioners the opportunity for
the Sacrament of Penance.
As this is a busy season please note these events
in your calendar so that your Advent will be both devout and joyful!

t Mass, the priest-presider wears two vestments

to distinguish himself as presider: the stole
which hangs around his neck and hangs down
in front and the chasuble worn over the stole. The color
and forms of these vestments are part of the ritual experience essential to the festive character of the liturgical celebration. The vestments usually belong to the
parish. If the individual vestment is of high quality and
is well cared for, it could last at least a couple of lifetimes.
This time of joyful expectation is marked with
the use of the Advent wreath with its circle of evergreens and four candles. Our Advent wreath is located
in the church near the baptismal font. It will be blessed
at every Mass on the first Sunday of Advent. An additional candle will be lit each week. At the conclusion of
Advent, the wreath will give way to the Nativity Crib
which will take its place.
Fr. Bill McLaughlin is offering a prayerful, reflective series entitled "Keep Christ in Advent" on the
Tuesday evenings of Advent. It will take place in Father
Smith Hall from 7:30--9:00 pm. All are invited.
The "Giving Tree" is set up for parishioners to
buy a specific gift for a needy person. This practice
helps to echo in our lives God's gift of His Son to us.
Our choir has prepared a Ceremony of Lessons
and Carols which offers in song and Scripture a pano-

Recently I ordered some new vestments for the

parish. I went up to St. Joseph Trappist Monastery in
Spencer, Ma. The monks there have been making
church vestments for almost sixty years. They are
known for their simplicity of design, quality of materials and excellent craftsmanship.
If any parishioners would like to donate a vestment in gratitude or in fond memory of a loved one,
please see me or call me at the rectory for specific details. An embroidered label will be sewn into the vestment to acknowledge the generosity of the benefactor or
the person remembered.

 FROM THE DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION:

Janine Kramer
DIRECTOR
OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

ear Friends,

Last week as a Parish Community we participated in the Welcoming

Rite of the RCIA. RCIA is the process
adult converts go through to come into
full communion with the Catholic
Church. Those who have not yet been
baptized are called catechumens and

those who have been baptized in another

church are called candidates. The Rite
of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
is a restoration of the ancient practice of
initiation in the Church. The candidates enter into an extended period of
formation and conversion through
prayer and reflection on the Gospels.
This year at St. Anastasia's Parish, we
are blessed to be on an RCIA journey of
faith with three individuals!
Since RCIA is not a program
but a sacramental process it is divided
into several phases. Progression from
one phase to the next is celebrated during Mass amid the parish community
because it is also a communal journey.
Last Sunday, at our 12:00 Mass, we

welcomed Pauline Healy and Carol Ng

into the period of Catechumenate
(allowing them to now be called Catechumens). We also welcomed Christopher Wong as a Candidate for the completion of his initiation into the
faith. May God bless them greatly on
their journey.
As we journey with our candidates we, as a Church community,
should celebrate our own continuing
conversion along with offering our
prayers and blessings for our Catechumens and Candidate.
Peace be with you,
Janine Kramer

GOOD NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, MRS. MIHULKA

Congratulations to Danielle
Morelli of the 7th grade who won first
place in the Peace Around the World art
contest sponsored by the Lions Club.
Mr. Charles McBride, the President of
the Little Neck/Douglaston Lions Club
will present Danielle with a $25 check

Lucy Mihulka
PRINCIPAL, ST. ANASTASIA SCHOOL

e hope to see you at the annual Christmas Fair on Saturday, December 6th in Father Smith Hall. It is a great way to start
the holiday season. Thank you to all the
parents who support this traditional
event that brings so much joy to the
community.
Report cards will be distributed
on Friday, December 5 from 2-4PM and
5-7PM for grades PreK to 8. Nursery
will distribute report cards in January.
The second Home School Association
meeting took place in November under
the leadership of the Mrs. Eileen Cunniff, the President. New initiatives were
presented. Then William Clifford, Associate Superintendent of Technology,
led an excellent workshop on Internet
Safety.

grade and Lynnie Chong of the 4th

grade. Christina won an FYE gift card
and Lynnie won a Toys R Us gift card.
Thank you for your support and please
remit proceeds as soon as possible if
you have not done so already. Thank
you to Mrs. Colletti and Mrs. Valenti
who co-chaired this important fundraiser for the school.
Thank you to all who have
participated in the new school fundraiser by buying Religious Christmas
cards (keeping Christ in Christmas).
We still have some boxes left. A box
of 20 cards is being sold for $8. Please
contact the office if you are interested in
purchasing a box. They will also be
sold at the Christmas Fair on December
6th.
Lucy Mihulka

and certificate and her poster will be

displayed at the Lions Club Midwinter
Conference.
Our candy sale fundraiser is
over and the proceeds are still coming
in. Congratulations to the top selling
class, 3rd grade. They will be given a
pizza party. Congratulations to our two
top sellers: Christina Coleman of the 8th

MOVIE CLUB

Nell

Nell is raised in the remote backwoods of

North Carolina, never having met anyone
except her mother. When her mother finally dies, Nell must confront the outside
world. Since her mother's speech was
distorted by a stroke, Nell has never
heard real English spoken and has developed her own unintelligible language.
Nice country doctor Jerome Lovell wants
to help Nell adjust in her own protected
surroundings, while psychology student
Paula Olsen and her heartless boss Alexander Paley want to study this rare 'wild
child' in their laboratory. But how long can
Nell's world remain isolated?
Starring: Jodie Foster, Liam Neeson and
Natasha Richardson
USA 1994 PG-13, 1:53 hr

Thursday, December 4 at 7 PM
Youth & Young Adults Center
Entrance adjacent to the church, 2nd floor

$3 cover wine, soda & snacks

Movie Club is offered to adults only. We are selecting movies that are interesting, inspiring,
sometimes forgotten, thought-provoking and artistically significant. We use the Youth Center, which
is equipped with AC, comfy couches, decent stereo sound and big-size projection screen. Snacks,
wine and soda are served.

YOUTH GROUP

iLock - Winter Lock-in

It is winter, which means, it is a
time for the Youth Group to
have its Lock-in retreat. This
time it will take place on Saturday night, December 13, 2008.
The lock-in begins at 3 PM at
the Youth Center. We will wrap
up on Sunday around 10 AM.
The program will be loosely
made to give us the comfort of
enjoying the time together, eating together, playing some
games and watching movies.
Sometime at night we will celebrate candle-lit Mass, which
traditionally is one of the most
memorable features of the retreat. This time the title of the lock-in is
iLock, which combines contemporary technology and means of communication with our retreat. In a session and following discussions we
will address the issue of people, both young and not-so-young, communicating and at the same time having ever more growing hunger for real
communication and relationship. Many dont know how to have a conversation, yet feel very comfortable in hi-tech communication style. How to
believe in God in such complicated world and have with Him a good conversation? In a worst case scenario, this retreat will give us an opportunity to talk, discuss and hopefully communicate well
Bring your sleeping bag and other sleeping accessories you might need,
be ready for pizza, ping-pong, and some scrambled eggs in the morning.
The price is $15 per person, which covers snacks, Saturday dinner, Sunday breakfast and drinks. Have your medicine with you. Have your
homework done before you come; you might be deadly tired on Sunday!
More information, consent form and everything else about our youth
group is available at www.matthew267.net.
St. Anastasia Youth Group is open to youth 8th grade through highschool. We are open to Catholics and non-Catholics alike, as long as
they respect our faith and tradition. Our regular meeting time is Sunday
at 68 PM at the Youth Center, which is located on the second floor of
St. Anastasia School (door adjacent to the church).

BLOOD DRIVE

I would like to thank all of you, who have made our Annual Blood Drive
another successful event. We have collected 57 pints of blood, which is
only one pint short from our last years record. Thank you: donors, New
York Blood Center with newlywed Joseph Ferraraour coordinator
(congratulations!), Youth Group, Confirmation Candidates, Janet HartDurso, and all of you who have helped us this year. We have responded
again in a very Christian way, by giving blood to those in need.
Thank you,
Fr. Chris

Monday, Dec. 1
8:30 AM Mass
Tuesday, Dec. 2
8:30 AM Mass
1:45 PM Leisure Club (Fr. Smith Hall)
7:30 PM Keep Christ in Advent (Fr. Smith Hall)
Wednesday, Dec. 3
8:30 AM Mass
11:00 AM Mommy & Me
2:30 PM Religious Ed Classes
7:00 PM Religious Ed Classes
8:30 PM RCIA
Thursday, Dec. 4
8:30 AM Mass
7:00 PM Spanish Prayer Group (Church)
7:00 PM Movie Club (Youth Center)

December 2008
Tuesday, Dec. 16
8:30 AM Mass
1:45 PM Leisure Club (Fr. Smith Hall)
7:30 PM Keep Christ in Advent (Fr. Smith Hall)
Wednesday, Dec. 17
8:30 AM Mass
11:00 AM Mommy & Me
2:30 PM Religious Ed Classes
7:00 PM Religious Ed Classes
8:30 PM RCIA
Thursday, Dec. 18
8:30 AM Mass
7:00 PM Spanish Prayer Group (Church)

Friday, Dec. 5
8:30 AM Mass
7:30 PM Al Anon (Annex)

Friday, Dec. 19
8:30 AM Mass
7:30 PM Al Anon (Annex)

Saturday, Dec. 6
8:30 AM Mass
9:00 AM Christmas Fair (Fr. Smith Hall)
4:00 PM Reconciliation
5:30 PM Mass

Saturday, Dec. 20
8:30 AM Mass
4:00 PM Reconciliation
5:30 PM Mass

SUNDAY, Dec. 7
8:00 AM Mass
10:00 AM Mass (Coffee & donuts after Mass)
12:00 PM Mass
3:00 PM Ceremony of Lessons and Carols (Church)
5:00 PM Mass
6:00 PM Youth Group (Youth Center)
Monday, Dec. 8 THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
9:00 AM Mass
Holy Day of Obligation
7:30 PM Mass

SUNDAY, Dec. 21
8:00 AM Mass
10:00 AM Mass
12:00 PM Mass (Coffee & donuts after Mass)
5:00 PM Mass
6:00 PM Youth Group (Youth Center)
Monday, Dec. 22
8:30 AM Mass
7:30 PM Communal Penance Service (Church)
Tuesday, Dec. 23
8:30 AM Mass

Tuesday, Dec. 9
8:30 AM Mass
1:45 PM Leisure Club (Fr. Smith Hall)
7:30 PM Keep Christ in Advent (Fr. Smith Hall)

Wednesday, Dec. 24
8:30 AM Mass
4:00 PM Christmas Vigil Mass
6:00 PM Christmas Vigil Mass

Wednesday, Dec. 10
8:30 AM Mass
11:00 AM Mommy & Me
2:30 PM Religious Ed Classes
7:00 PM Religious Ed Classes
8:30 PM RCIA

Thursday, Dec. 25 CHRISTMAS

12:00 AM Christmas Midnight Mass
8:00 AM Christmas Mass
10:00 AM Christmas Mass
12:00 PM Christmas Mass

Thursday, Dec. 11
8:30 AM Mass
7:00 PM Spanish Prayer Group (Church)
Friday, Dec. 12 OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
8:30 AM Mass
7:30 PM Al Anon (Annex)
Saturday, Dec. 13
8:30 AM Mass
3:00 PM Youth Group Lock-In (Youth Center)
4:00 PM Reconciliation
5:30 PM Mass
SUNDAY, Dec. 14
8:00 AM Mass (Coffee & donuts after Mass)
10:00 AM Mass
12:00 PM Mass
5:00 PM Mass
Monday, Dec. 15
8:30 AM Mass

Friday, Dec. 26 STEPHEN, FIRST MARTYR

8:30 AM Mass
7:30 PM Al Anon (Annex)
Saturday, Dec. 27 JOHN, APOSTLE, EVANGELIST
8:30 AM Mass
4:00 PM Reconciliation
5:30 PM Mass
SUNDAY, Dec. 28 FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY
8:00 AM Mass
10:00 AM Mass
12:00 PM Mass
5:00 PM Mass
6:00 PM Youth Group (Youth Center)
Monday, Dec. 29
8:30 AM Mass
Tuesday, Dec. 30
8:30 AM Mass
Wednesday, Dec. 31
8:30 AM Mass

ST. ANASTASIA SCHOOL

CHRISTMAS FAIR
Great Raffles
Wreaths
Sports Stuff
Beauty Products
Kids Accessories
Ladies Wear
Irish Gifts

Italian Pastry
Poinsettias
Ornaments
Jewelry
Gift Baskets
Doll Clothing
Pasta

Pictures with Santa 12:00 Noon2:00 PM

SATURDAY
DECEMBER 6, 2008
9:00 AM6:00 PM

Father Smith Hall

Alameda Avenue & 245th Street

MASS INTENTIONS

Bread & Wine

Memorial

November 29December 6, 2008

SATURDAY

WEEKDAY

5:30 PM Michael St. John, Vincenzo Mastromarco

IN THANKSGIVING FOR

*** Henry J. Orlowski ***

NOVEMBER 30DECEMBER 6, 2008

{ Remember }

SUNDAY

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

8:00 AM
10:00 AM
12:00 PM
5:00 PM

Catherine Gallagher
Santoro, Perrone, and Mainolfi Families
Richard Lynch and Anna Nacinovich
Dominick Raffa

MONDAY

ADVENT WEEKDAY

8:30 AM Ann & John Daly

TUESDAY

ADVENT WEEKDAY

8:30 AM Ralph Delise and Angelo, Joseph, and Michael Corso

Please remember in your prayers all the sick of our
Parish Community, especially:

Francis Xavier died in 1552 at age of 46; one of

the founding Jesuits; preached in India, Sri
Lanka, Malaysia and Japan; co-patron of Apostleship of Prayer and of the foreign missions.

Ruth Marchese
Annette Montello
Mary Ann Inguagiato

and those who have died, especially:

WEDNESDAY FRANCIS XAVIER, PRIEST

8:30 AM Luciano Schiff

THURSDAY
Eileen Rita Smith

8:30 AM Irene Baker

FRIDAY
This week:

Leisure Club on Tuesday

Religious Education Classes on Wednesday
RCIA on Wednesday
Spanish Prayer Group on Thursday
Movie Club on Thursday
Christmas Fair on Saturday
Coffee and donuts after 10 AM Mass
Lessons and Carols on Sunday
Youth Group on Sunday

A Ceremony of Lessons and Carols

will take place at St. Anastasia Church

Sunday, December 7 at 3:00 PM

Please join us to herald in the Advent and Christmas season by hearing the prophets of old as well
as the Christmas story. These nine readings will be
interspersed with Advent anthems and Christmas
Carols performed by our music minister and the
Choir.

ADVENT WEEKDAY
ADVENT WEEKDAY

8:30 AM Ann Marie McGee

SATURDAY

ADVENT WEEKDAY

8:30 AM Arthur OMalley, Jr.