Dear Parishioners of Our Beloved St. Paul:

Christ is Risen!  He is Truly Risen! We continue to glory in Our Lord’s Holy Resurrection as we stand in the shadow of the Easter candle.  The Holy and Glorious season of Easter will reach its culmination and wondrous conclusion on the Solemnity of Pentecost – May 24th. And Easter is made more joyous as we celebrate the liturgical commemoration of St. George which was kept on April 23rd. 

St. George is one of the most important saints in the life of the Church.  He is the patron of England, of Russia, of Greece, and of Turkey.  He is the patron of the Spanish province of Aragon and to this day it is the custom for children to make First Holy Communion on his Feast day in that province. The Cross of St. George is a red cross on a white field and it is the flag of England.  We see it in the Union Jack. There are more Churches named for St. George than for any other saint. He is the patron of the Order of the Garter and of the Constantinian Order of St. George. He is the patron of all soldiers, all scouts and our own dear Troops of St. George.

George was a soldier of the Imperial Roman Army and was martyred at the beginning of the fourth century. This was the period right before the conversion of the Emperor Constantine and, ironically, was the time of fiercest persecution of the Church.

George is always pictured riding a white horse and slaying a dragon while a maiden is in the corner whom he rescues.  Actually, this is a symbolic depiction of our great martyr.  Through his martyrdom he slays the dragon who is, of course, satan, the ancient enemy of our race.  The Empress Theodosia was so impressed with George’s courage that she herself sought baptism.  She is the maiden in the picture.

Good Shepherd Sunday: Today we also keep Good Shepherd Sunday.  We look to Christ Our God, the Good Shepherd and Guardian of Our Souls.  At the same time we pray for our priests and pray that God will give us more priests. In the words of an old French prayer: O God grant us many priests, O God grant us holy

priests, O God grant us many holy priests. By the providence of God Good Shepherd Sunday occurs on the very day of the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel.  This feast is kept in our diocese by special indult.  Because the parish of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Brooklyn provided more vocations to the priesthood and religious life than any other, the late Archbishop Molloy, decreed that the feast would be kept in thanksgiving to Our Lady.  Let us pray the day will come when one of our own sons from St. Paul will be ordained a priest, something which has never happened before.  

That great preacher of the 19th century, Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire, O.P. (1802-1861) wrote the poem, “Thou Art a Priest Forever.” We may be familiar with it. It beautifully and ideally sums up the life of the Priest in as good a way as any has ever stated: To live in the midst of the world with no desire for its pleasures; to be a member of every family, yet belonging to none; to share all sufferings; to penetrate all secrets, to heal all wounds; to daily go from men to God to offer Him their homage and petitions; to return from God to men to bring them His pardon and hope; to have a heart of fire for charity and a heart of bronze for chastity; to bless and to be blest forever. O God, what a life, and it is yours, O Priest of Jesus Christ!

Thank You: As a parish we extend sincere gratitude to two parishioners who are retiring from many years of service to the parish.  We thank John Dowd, Head Usher at the 8.00am Mass, and a founding member of the parish.  We know John from faithfully serving as head usher for many years at the 8.00am Mass.  Ralph Lombardi will now take that position.  Thank you John for your many years of service and may God bless you. We also express sincere gratitude to Rose Cevoli who is retiring as a member of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. Rose is also a founding member of the parish and has a living memory of the parish before the church was even built. God bless you and reward you, John and Rose, and may God grant you many years in health and happiness.

Next week I will be writing about our new members of both the Pastoral Council and Finance Council.

May God reward you for all you have done for me and for St. Paul’s. Christ is Risen; he is Truly Risen.

Nos cum prole pia,
Benedicat Virgo Maria!
In Jesus and Mary,

Monsignor James F. Pereda

Dear Parishioners of Our Beloved St. Paul:

Christ is Risen!  He is Truly Risen! Saint Augustine of Hippo (d. 430+) produced a voluminous number of philosophical and theological works. Still extant among them are hundreds of inspiring sermons. The following is a beautiful Easter Season exhortation to those who have been given the new life of Christ in Holy Baptism:

“Sing to the Lord a new song: His praise in the assembly of the saints. We are urged to sing a new song to the Lord, as new men who have learned a new song. A song is a thing of joy; more profoundly, it is a thing of love. Anyone, therefore, who has learned to love the new life has learned to sing a new song, and our new song reminds us of our new life. The new man, the new song, the new covenant, all belong to the one kingdom of God, and so the new man will sing a new song and will belong to the new covenant.

“There is not one who does not love something, but the question is, what to love. The psalms do not tell us not to love, but to choose the object of our love. But how can we choose unless we are first chosen? We cannot love unless someone has loved us first. Listen to the apostle John: We love Him, because He first loved us. The source of man’s love for God can only be found in the fact that God loved him first. He has given us Himself as the object of our love, and He has also given us its source. What this source is you may learn more clearly from the apostle Paul who tells us: The love of God has been poured into our hearts. This love is not something we generate ourselves; it comes to us through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

“Since we have such an assurance, then, let us love God with the love He has given us. As John tells us more fully: God is love, and whoever dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. It is not enough to say: Love is from God. Which of us would dare to pronounce the words of scripture: God is love? He alone could say it who knew what it was to have God dwelling in within him. God offers us a short route to the possession of Himself. He cries out: Love Me and you will have Me for you would be unable to love Me if you did not possess Me already. 

“My dear brothers and sons, fruit of the true faith and holy seed of heaven, all you who have been born again in Christ and whose life is from above, listen to me; or rather, listen to the Holy Spirit saying through me: Sing to the Lord a new song. Look, you tell me, I am singing. Yes indeed, you are singing; you are singing clearly, I can hear you. But make sure that your life does not contradict your words. Sing with your voices, your hearts, your lips and your lives: Sing to the Lord a new song.

“Now it is your unquestioned desire to sing of Him whom you love, but you ask me how to sing His praises. You have heard the words: Sing to the Lord a new song, and you wish to know what praises to sing. The answer is: His praise is in the assembly of the saints; it is the singers themselves. If you desire to praise Him, then live what you express. Live good lives, and you yourselves will be His praise.”


Mary M. Lai Model of Faith Award: Each year our neighbors and friends, the Newman Club, at Long Island University C.W. Post Campus presents an award to a deserving recipient who has served the Church and community in a special way. The chaplain of the Campus parish is Father Ted Brown, M.S.  This year’s honoree is our own parishioner Anne Maione.  She received the award after a Mass and reception at the University on Sunday, April 12th.  God bless you, Anne, and sincere congratulations!

St. George, the Holy and Great Martyr: On Thursday of this week we keep the liturgical commemoration of the Holy and Great Martyr St. George.  St. George is the Patron of all the military, all scouts, of England, Greece, Turkey and Russia.  He is the patron of our own parish organization, the Troops of St. George. I will write more about this great saint and martyr in next week’s bulletin.

St. Paul the Apostle, Dog Park: Once again may I ask that we follow both the Nassau County and Town of Oyster Bay statutes and ordinances and not allow dogs to wander our parish grounds.  As you know, by Town ordinance, dogs must be on leashes when they are away from their masters’ property.  Dogs are not permitted on school property and, as is well known, St. Paul’s is private property and not a public park.  The problem of walking dogs on the property grows increasingly worse.  I would like to assure the parents of our Preschool children and religious education children that their little ones would enjoy the same hygienic and safety standards here as if they were in a public school. Sadly, the presence of dogs, whose masters would not even think of walking on public school property, makes that assurance difficult. One of the signs on the property that read No Pets Allowed was forcibly dug up and thrown on the ground.  My parents always taught me to respect the property of others.  May I ask that this simple request be observed and that respect be shown to our parish ground and the pastor’s desire to create a clean and safe environment for all.

MEMORIALS: We are presently in need some items for the Church which could be given in memory of a loved one.  We are in need of another green vestment, a new censer, a censer stand, and two candelabra for the Altar of Repose on Holy Thursday.  Please call the Parish Office if you would like to donate any of these items.

May we live good lives, indeed, through the Risen One’s love at work in us.

May God reward you for all you have done for me and for St. Paul’s. Christ is Risen; he is Truly Risen.

Nos cum prole pia,
Benedicat Virgo Maria! 
In Jesus and Mary,

Monsignor James F. Pereda

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Dear Parishioners of Our Beloved St. Paul:

Christ is Risen!  He is Truly Risen! The glorious celebration of Our Lord’s Holy Resurrection is so wondrous that it is not celebrated in merely one day, but through an entire octave, i.e., for eight days.  During the Easter Octave which begins on Easter Sunday and concludes today, each day is Easter yet again.  And although the stores may advertise Easter candy at 50% off, we know that Easter has just begun.  For after the Easter Octave then we move into the Easter season which reaches its wondrous fulfillment on Pentecost Sunday and the pouring forth of the Holy Spirit upon the earth.

As is evident by the title of our meditation, there is no other Sunday in the Church’s Year of Grace with so many wondrous names.  It is, of course, the first Sunday after Easter, and thus is called the Second Sunday of Easter because it is the second Sunday in the glorious time of Easter.  During the Middle Ages in England and Ireland the Sunday was given the very charming name of Low Sunday.  It was thus called to differentiate it from the previous Sunday (Easter) which was called the High Sunday.  It is also called Quasimodo Sunday after the first word of the Entrance Antiphon in Latin, Quasimodo infantes (As infants…)  Students of literature will recall the famous novel of Victor Hugo The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Many may recall that the hunchback’s name was Quasimodo.  In the novel the future hunchback was discovered on the steps of Notre Dame in Paris on the Sunday after Easter.  The canons of the Cathedral gave the infant the name Quasimodo after the Sunday of his discovery, since they never were certain of his birthday.

Another interesting name for today is Dominica in Albis (depositis).  In English translation it would be called the Sunday of the putting away of the albs. It is amazing how much can be said in just a few Latin words.  After the catechumens were baptized on the Great and Holy Vigil of Easter they continued to wear their white robes (albis) for an entire week so all would know the great grace which had come to them.  On this Sunday they would remove their robes and place them in the wardrobe of the Church and simply wear their everyday clothing. 

In our own day, Pope St. John Paul II elevated the Sunday to the Divine Mercy Sunday.  The Mercy of God, deserved by none yet accessible to all, was poured upon the world through the resurrection of Our Lord.  On this Sunday we give thanks to God for the Divine Mercy.  You will notice an image of the Divine Mercy near the ambo (pulpit). For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and upon the whole world! We come under the Divine Mercy whenever we go to confession.  Let us all make the resolution to do so each month.

Holy Week:  Holy Week at St. Paul’s this year was most uplifting and inspiring.  For that I am deeply grateful to all of you. I was so impressed with the faith and devotion of our people.  The music was so uplifting as we heard the ancient chants of the Church.  The Palm Sunday procession, in which the choir participated for the first time,  when we followed Our Lord into His own city was so joyous and grace-filled. I was particularly moved by the Veneration of the Holy Cross on Good Friday.  The Roman Missal instructs us that there should be only one Crucifix for the veneration of the faithful.  Naturally, that takes longer but it is a time of grace that we all need to be before the Cross.  You may have noticed that our Squires held the Cross for us all and wiped Our Lord’s most sacred wounds.  What a service they did for our parish!  They took their duty in holding the Cross.  Many of you commented on the beauty of the Crucifix.  This magnificent crucifix (hand carved in the northern part of Italy by German craftsmen) was donated to our parish by a family who wishes to remain anonymous.  It was donated in loving memory of Louise Loffredo and Sharmane Cromer.  It will be venerated in our parish for generations to come.  As the sixth pastor of our beloved St. Paul’s I had the honor to carry the Cross into the Church for the first time on Good Friday and to kiss it barefoot.  During the veneration I was thinking that the 60th pastor of St. Paul’s will be barefoot before the same crucifix. This was the first Holy Week that our Choir sang.  What a blessing that we have a choir under the direction of Mr. Gary Ducoing.  Bishop Andrzej remarked that it was the finest music he has heard in Holy Week, because it was the liturgical texts that were sung. We were blessed to have the passion sung on Good Friday as its haunting melodies washed over us.  On Easter Day timpani and brass heralded Our Lord’s Resurrection.

Our altar guild, under the direction of Mrs. Ursula Coughlin did a splendid job in decorating the Church.  We did not use a professional florist.  Who would need one when we have so many talented members of the Altar Guild.  I am most grateful to our ushers, lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, sacristans and our servers.  The servers were present in large numbers.

First Holy Communion and Confirmation: Our parish will be blessed to celebrate First Holy Communion on April 25th and May 2rd.  May our little ones always be as close to God as they are on the day of their First Holy Communion. Our First Communicants will return for the 9.30 Mass on May 10th at which time they will be enrolled in the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.  This garment of grace will give them many blessings. On May 9th Bishop Murphy will administer the Sacrament of Confirmation to our eighth graders.  They have been preparing diligently for this happy day and we are grateful to Br. Joseph Bellizzi, Mrs. Shannon, and all of our devoted catechists and teachers.

Mass Manners:  I am very pleased with the reverence of our parishioners.  When sometimes we may do things that should not be done in Church, I know there is never any malice; it is simply forgetting or being unaware of some things.

I would like to address the issue of eating and drinking in Church.  Naturally we do not eat or drink in the House of God.  Sometimes there may be a presentation of a religious play or pageant in the Church.  We should not sit in the pews with coffee, drinks or food.  When there is hospitality in the Monsignor Costa Hall, we should not enter the Church with doughnuts, cookies or beverages.  Unless we have a medical condition we should not bring a bottle of water into the Church to drink during the Divine Services. Children should not sit in Church eating popcorn or other treats. Think of Our Lord’s great thirst upon the Cross and try to offer any slight inconvenience to Him in His sufferings.

This brings me to the next logical consideration.  Gum should never be chewed in the Church.  I have forgotten many of the regulations when I was in the United States Air Force, but one I will always remember is that no gum chewing was permitted on base.  (I am not sure if this was a reg in the other branches of the service).  This was because it was considered undignified to wear the military uniform while chewing gum and to safeguard the cleanliness both of the base and its personnel. While I was in the service our beloved nation was enjoying a long period of peace.  In fact we were required to wear the BDU (Battle Dress Uniform) every Wednesday just to remind us how to wear it, since there were no military interventions occurring.  Sadly, after 2001 the BDU was the normal daily uniform. Normally we wore the Class A uniform (blues) with highly shined shoes that had to be protected from gum.  Chewing gum in the Church is not appropriate. Just think that the mouth which will in a matter of moments be filled with the Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ should not be filled with gum.  Sadly, gum is often placed under the pews.

So much time, energy and effort has to be put into ridding the Church of gum.  It is placed under the pews; it is placed in the missals and hymnals.  It had been my fond hope to go forward with beautifying the Church.  It is difficult to do this when we are so preoccupied with remediating gum damage.  How sad it is to look out at the congregation and to see a good third of the people rigorously chewing gum.

That will be our one thought for mass manners this week.  Next week will be a few matters for after Mass.

May God reward you for all you have done for me and for St. Paul’s. Christ is Risen; he is Truly Risen.

Nos cum prole pia,
Benedicat Virgo Maria! 
In Jesus and Mary,

Monsignor James F. Pereda