Welcome Deacon Matthew Pfleger - Our Lady of Good Counsel
Welcome Deacon Matthew Pfleger - Our Lady of Good Counsel
Welcome Deacon Matthew Pfleger - Our Lady of Good Counsel
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Vol. 4 No. 2 | April 26, 2012 | 75 cents<br />
<strong>Good</strong>-Bye Father<br />
Jim! God’s<br />
Blessing Be<br />
Upon You!<br />
See page 2<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
Alleluia<br />
Christ the Lord is Risen Today<br />
See pages 11-14 for<br />
Triduum Coverage<br />
Non-Pr<strong>of</strong>it<br />
US Postage<br />
Paid<br />
cherry hill, NJ 08034<br />
Permit #149<br />
<strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> CHURCH<br />
42 W. Main Street<br />
Moorestown, NJ 08057<br />
<strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Deacon</strong> <strong>Matthew</strong> <strong>Pfleger</strong><br />
Bishop David O’Connell<br />
has appointed <strong>Deacon</strong><br />
<strong>Matthew</strong> J. <strong>Pfleger</strong> to<br />
serve at <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong>’s parish<br />
as an associate. He will<br />
commence his assignment<br />
on June 30th, following his<br />
June 9, 2012 ordination at<br />
the Cathedral <strong>of</strong> St. Mary <strong>of</strong><br />
the Assumption in Trenton.<br />
<strong>Deacon</strong> <strong>Matthew</strong> was<br />
born in Livingston, New<br />
Jersey and grew up in<br />
Lakewood at St. Mary <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Lake Parish, attending Holy Family Elementary School<br />
and Monsignor Donovan High School, in Toms River.<br />
He attended college at Rowan University in Glassboro<br />
majoring in Communications, with a minor in English<br />
Literature.<br />
After working at the Ocean County Library System<br />
and as an editor for the Department <strong>of</strong> Defense, <strong>Deacon</strong><br />
<strong>Matthew</strong> entered St. Mary Seminary & University<br />
studying for the Diocese <strong>of</strong> Trenton.<br />
During his seminary years, <strong>Deacon</strong> <strong>Matthew</strong> has<br />
served in Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton; St. Benedict<br />
Church, Holmdel; St. Dominic, Brick; and he is now<br />
serving his year as a transitional deacon at St. Catherine<br />
Parish, Spring Lake.<br />
He is the nephew <strong>of</strong> Rev. Phillip C. <strong>Pfleger</strong>, Pastor <strong>of</strong><br />
St. Isaac Jogues Church in Marlton. <strong>Welcome</strong> <strong>Deacon</strong><br />
<strong>Matthew</strong>, our thoughts and prayers will be with you on<br />
June 9th. May God continue to bless you. See you soon!
2 | The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 2 | April 26, 2012<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
<strong>Good</strong>-Bye Father Jim! God’s Blessing Be Upon You!<br />
It is difficult to fathom but Father Jim<br />
O’Neill has been with us for five years now!<br />
Father Jim has received a new assignment as<br />
parochial vicar at Visitation Parish in Brick<br />
Township.<br />
How do we thank Father Jim for his time<br />
with us in celebrating Sabbath liturgies,<br />
Penance Services, Priest Appreciation Day<br />
liturgies, healing masses, school masses,<br />
daily mass, and especially ministering to<br />
us in Father Damian’s time <strong>of</strong> bereavement,<br />
particularly at Christmas this year.<br />
Father Jim remarked to the parish staff after<br />
the 4:00 Mass on Christmas Eve, “ What will you do next year without a<br />
priest who was a math major” Staff reply: “Save all the memos!” Father<br />
is phenomenal in organizing multiple liturgies and logistics. He has a<br />
gift <strong>of</strong> thinking mathematically and is most organized when it comes to<br />
formatting, editing, planning, and pro<strong>of</strong>reading.<br />
We have appreciated and benefitted by these abilities and his presence<br />
among us as he goes about anointing the sick and visiting the elderly.<br />
St. John Henry Newman has written, “ Faith by its very nature is the<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Afternoon Bible Study<br />
acceptance <strong>of</strong> a truth that our reason cannot attain simply on the basis <strong>of</strong><br />
testimony.”<br />
Father Jim gives us tremendous faith witness through his priesthood,<br />
his testimony on pro-life issues, and his dedication to Catholic education.<br />
Many children <strong>of</strong> the parish wrote Priest Appreciation Cards to him. Mrs.<br />
Robenhymer’s seventh grade RE class wrote, “ We know that you have not<br />
been at this Church quite as long as Father Damian but we think you have<br />
quite lived up to the expectation <strong>of</strong> our parish. We think you have a great<br />
job in building our Church as a whole.”<br />
His exemplary homily on Christmas, “ Be still and know that I am<br />
God” still resonates with us. Thank you, Father Jim!<br />
Father Jim was awarded the <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> medal for five<br />
years <strong>of</strong> faithful service at the catechist dinner in January. The parish will<br />
host a farewell social for him on the same Sunday as the Baccalaureate<br />
Mass for graduating seniors. Father Jim has been most active with the<br />
parish Youth Group and they will take this opportunity to render thanks to<br />
him as well.<br />
Father Damian will present a gift from the parish to him and all<br />
parishioners may wish him well on a personal level at the Gathering Time<br />
which will follow the 10:30 liturgy on Sunday, June 3.<br />
May God’s blessing be upon you!<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>Good</strong> News put forth in the Bible. The Afternoon Bible Study<br />
group helps us to unravel the sacred mysteries <strong>of</strong> our faith and ultimately<br />
understand God’s everlasting love for us.<br />
As we study together, we grow closer in our Christian family, the Body<br />
<strong>of</strong> Christ. We anticipate and look forward to the next season’s scripture<br />
theme, when we begin again.<br />
Please come, join us for an hour or two <strong>of</strong> sharing our faith and<br />
Christian camaraderie, as we continue to break open the Bible and<br />
discover the prophetic messages revealed for us through the scripture<br />
readings.<br />
By Lorraine Santarlas<br />
“Afternoon Bible Study Group” read and re-read the scriptures, for<br />
each <strong>of</strong> the Sundays <strong>of</strong> Lent and Palm Sunday.<br />
We initiated each <strong>of</strong> the Sunday Gospel readings with a Lectio<br />
Divina type meditation. The Gospel passage was read aloud, next we<br />
concentrated on the word or phrase that spoke to our heart with a few<br />
moments <strong>of</strong> meditative music. The sessions continued with discussion,<br />
spiritual reading and insights gained through articles from the “<strong>Good</strong><br />
Ground Press” pamphlets.<br />
Each season as we pray and read the scriptures, we are reminded<br />
Who are the Knights<br />
By Joe Graham, Grand Knight<br />
We are <strong>of</strong>ten the man sitting next to you in church. We may<br />
be the men serving you at the Pasta Dinner or Pancake Breakfast<br />
or someone you played golf with at our annual golf outing.<br />
Occasionally, we are the men standing outside church after Mass<br />
collecting money for various causes. You have been generous to say<br />
the least and we think you deserve an accounting <strong>of</strong> your money.<br />
This year, the Golf Outing amounted to $5,181.00 pr<strong>of</strong>it, <strong>of</strong><br />
which $2,591.00 went to Catholic Charities Emergency Services.<br />
Providence House received $1,295.00 and <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Homes<br />
also received $1,295.00.<br />
The God’s Special Children Drive receipts were $2,363.00. St.<br />
Vincent DePaul Society received $307.00, Options for Women<br />
$500.00, OLGC School Spirit Award $100.00 and a $1,000.00<br />
scholarship went to a graduating high school senior. Also, we gave<br />
$120.00 to a Boy Scout candidate for his Eagle Scout project. There<br />
were smaller gifts for Mass cards and gifts to priests totaling $360.00.<br />
We trust that every dollar went to something worthwhile.<br />
<strong>Our</strong> Fourth Degree Assembly members, who sell the Cruise-Raffle<br />
tickets outside <strong>of</strong> church in May, are responsible for 34 seminarians<br />
receiving checks for $750.00. The checks were presented at a dinner<br />
in their honor on March 14th. This money is for their daily living<br />
expenses as they continue their journey to priesthood. In addition,<br />
our council presented checks for $500.00 each to three seminarians.<br />
We helped prepare for and conducted the Church phase <strong>of</strong><br />
The Options for Women Annual Baby Bottle drive which this year<br />
amounted to $11,257.00.<br />
Moorestown Council #1082 has received the support <strong>of</strong> the<br />
parishioners <strong>of</strong> OLGC since our incorporation in 1905.
April 26, 2012 | Issue 2 | Vol. 4<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
Meet <strong>Our</strong> EMs who Serve the Nursing Homes,<br />
Homebound and Hospital Ministries<br />
(Final Article in a Series <strong>of</strong> Seven)<br />
Compiled and Edited by Toni Mulqueen<br />
We would like to introduce to you some <strong>of</strong> the EMs that<br />
are committed to serving the elderly, sick and infirmed <strong>of</strong> our<br />
Parish and beyond. This article completes our sharing <strong>of</strong><br />
the inspiration and a bit <strong>of</strong> the personality <strong>of</strong> more than 50 <strong>of</strong><br />
your fellow Parishioners.<br />
Suzanne Wilson<br />
I am serving as an EM for about one year because God called me to do so.<br />
When I registered with the parish, I asked about service organizations and was<br />
told to go to the church website to learn about the different ministries within<br />
the church.<br />
The next Sunday, Father Damian spoke about the good work done by<br />
people <strong>of</strong> the parish, and he wanted to mention one specific ministry that was<br />
very important, those <strong>of</strong> the Extraordinary Ministers <strong>of</strong> Holy Communion that<br />
visited the nursing homes!<br />
“I am inspired by my<br />
son’s dedication <strong>of</strong> time<br />
helping others; my<br />
mother’s patience and<br />
unconditional love; my<br />
father’s persistence; my<br />
aunt’s generosity <strong>of</strong> spirit.”<br />
I just happened to sit next to an<br />
EM that distributed Communion that<br />
Sunday. After Mass, I sought her out<br />
and told her that I had been looking<br />
for information about the nursing<br />
home ministry and asked if she knew<br />
who I could talk to about it. She<br />
smiled warmly and said, “Yes I do.<br />
That would be me.”<br />
Toni Mulqueen navigated me<br />
through all I needed to do. I received<br />
training and have been serving the Residents at the CareOne facility for about a<br />
year. It is a very rewarding experience.<br />
I am inspired by my son’s dedication <strong>of</strong> time helping others; my mother’s<br />
patience and unconditional love; my father’s persistence; my aunt’s generosity<br />
<strong>of</strong> spirit.<br />
I am currently a Marketing Manager for a corporation in Mount Laurel.<br />
An interesting fact about me is I recently received my MBA from Drexel<br />
University.<br />
I enjoy traveling, reading, playing cards, visiting with my family.<br />
Cindy On<strong>of</strong>rio<br />
I have served as an EM for about 6 years and it is a blessing and an honor<br />
to serve God in this special way. Being able to bring the Eucharist to the<br />
homebound has helped me in so many ways. I am blessed to share my faith<br />
and prayers with those who are<br />
homebound. The priceless moments<br />
serving Communion and praying<br />
with others brings clarity to my own<br />
life.<br />
I am inspired by all things holy<br />
in everyday living from the tiniest<br />
insect to the graceful clouds in the<br />
sky. The sacred wealth <strong>of</strong> God’s<br />
creation takes my breath away.<br />
Currently I am employed by<br />
“I am inspired by all things<br />
holy in everyday living from<br />
the tiniest insect to the<br />
graceful clouds in the sky.<br />
The sacred wealth <strong>of</strong> God’s<br />
creation takes my breath<br />
away.”<br />
Freedom Mortgage Corp. as a Funder. An interesting fact about me is I was the<br />
first woman volunteer fireman for the Grenloch Fire Company back in 1979.<br />
I enjoy Singing! Also I love to read. I am a certified hobby ceramics<br />
teacher, enjoy knitting and I collect rosary beads.<br />
My experience <strong>of</strong> serving Communion to the homebound is a strong bond<br />
and lasting friendship that develops as a result <strong>of</strong> this honorable service. As<br />
I help others, amazing grace is what I feel. Unworthy as I am, pleasing God<br />
and service to His children is so fulfilling an experience. What a rewarding<br />
Ministry!<br />
Joann Cervantes<br />
I first served as an EM when Chris Dixon was here and was originally<br />
trained by him to do Prayer Services at Moorestown Estates.<br />
I love to bring “Jesus” to the sick. They are always grateful and I hear<br />
“thank you” all the time. I think I get much more than I give. It is also great to<br />
The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier | 3<br />
be a part <strong>of</strong> a team <strong>of</strong> EMs who support each other at times when we are unable<br />
to make our commitment.<br />
My inspiration came one Sunday many years ago during a Sunday Mass<br />
in Sea Isle City, NJ. I heard a priest say immediately before the consecration<br />
“I love to bring “Jesus” to<br />
the sick. They are always<br />
grateful and I hear ‘thank<br />
you’ all the time.”<br />
Joan Seddon, Suzanne Wilson and Gina Lario.<br />
“Lord, I believe, help thou mine<br />
unbelief.” At that moment, I was<br />
healed <strong>of</strong> my own doubt about<br />
Communion. Shortly after I heard <strong>of</strong><br />
a need for EMs, I answered the call.<br />
I worked as a Licensed Practical<br />
Nurse, LPN in hospitals and<br />
eventually a few years in nursing homes. I think it is cool to have 6 children<br />
ranging from the ages <strong>of</strong> 30 to 11.<br />
My hobbies are definitely, art, art, art, creating watercolor paintings, and<br />
drawing in my sketchbooks. My other hobby is writing. I have written over<br />
1,000 poems and two, complete- unpublished books.An interesting fact about<br />
me is I once gave a speech to an art association on opening day <strong>of</strong> baseball. I<br />
was asked to pick the 50/50 before my speech. A woman was waving her hand<br />
and saying, “pick me, pick me.” I pointed at her like Babe Ruth, swung an<br />
imaginary bat, and proceeded to pick her ticket.<br />
Chuck Gidel<br />
I have served as an EM for 9 years because I consider it both an honor and<br />
privilege to help administer the sacraments to those who want to receive them<br />
but are unable to attend Mass to do so.<br />
I am inspired that we as ministers<br />
carry the living Christ to people that<br />
would not otherwise receive Him<br />
that day. Words cannot describe the<br />
reception I receive from so many <strong>of</strong><br />
those awaiting the Blessed Sacrament<br />
when they realize why I am there.<br />
“I am inspired that we as<br />
ministers carry the living<br />
Christ to people that would<br />
not otherwise receive Him<br />
that day.”<br />
Prior to retiring, I had a career in broadcasting. I retired from CBS in 1997<br />
and held the position <strong>of</strong> VP Employee Relations, Radio and TV Station Group.<br />
Helen and I have been members <strong>of</strong> OLGC since 1972. I am a substitute for<br />
regular EMs at CareOne when we are in New Jersey.<br />
Since retiring in 1997, we live in St. Augustine, Florida about eight months<br />
<strong>of</strong> the year. We are members <strong>of</strong> St. Anastasia Parish there where I serve as an<br />
EM each week.<br />
I was an avid sailor until I sold my boat three years ago. We sailed the<br />
Chesapeake for almost 25 years. Off shore adventures included a trip to<br />
Bermuda and several trips to New England which took us to Nantucket Island,<br />
Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod.
4 | The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 2 | April 26, 2012<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
OLGC School PTA News<br />
Leslie Pellegrino<br />
PTA President<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
I hope that you and your families enjoyed<br />
a restful and joyful Easter. Summer will be<br />
here before you know it!<br />
Quickly approaching is the 54th Annual<br />
Fashion Show, “Shore to Please,” which will<br />
be held on Thursday, May 10 at The Merion<br />
in Cinnaminson. Please purchase your tickets<br />
if you haven’t done so already. It is an event<br />
not to be missed! Thank you to Kellie Kiefner<br />
and Angela Capozzoli for chairing this<br />
event and to all <strong>of</strong> the committee members<br />
and volunteers for their enthusiasm and<br />
dedication in making this event enjoyable<br />
and successful.<br />
I would like to congratulate all <strong>of</strong> our basketball teams for a fantastic<br />
season! <strong>Good</strong> luck to the baseball and s<strong>of</strong>tball teams this spring!<br />
The 8th grade students presented the Living Stations during Holy<br />
Week. The performances were inspiring and beautifully done.<br />
Congratulations and God bless our 2nd graders on receiving the<br />
sacrament <strong>of</strong> Holy Communion on April 21.<br />
Congratulations also to the cast and crew <strong>of</strong> “Thoroughly Modern<br />
Millie, Jr.” who gave wonderful performances that were enjoyed by many<br />
on April 20 and 21.<br />
Thank you for your continued support <strong>of</strong> the PTA. May God continue<br />
to bless you and your families with peace, health and happiness.<br />
Learning the Seven Sacraments<br />
Phyllis Schantz and her fifth graders<br />
weekly converge in Religious Education to<br />
study the sacraments. Recently, Mrs. Schantz<br />
presented their information through an infoboard<br />
array <strong>of</strong> posters and oral presentations.<br />
Dr. Dix was invited to the class and<br />
the posters were placed on display in the<br />
chapel to welcome back Father Damian and<br />
enhance the celebration <strong>of</strong> the 9:00 Mass<br />
worship experience. Mrs. Schantz has a great<br />
mnemonic device by which her students<br />
memorize the seven sacraments: “Be excited.<br />
Phyllis Schantz<br />
Come and Receive My Heart.” Translation:<br />
Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Anointing <strong>of</strong> the Sick, Reconciliation,<br />
Matrimony, and Holy Orders.<br />
Mrs. Schantz believes that Jesus invites us to receive the seven<br />
sacraments and in doing so, we receive his love and grace. We are<br />
brought closer to Christ and come to know his love. Mrs. Schantz recently<br />
accompanied the parish mission team for the first time to Jamaica.<br />
Principal’s Post<br />
By Jerry McGowan<br />
<strong>Our</strong> parish school is preparing for<br />
re-accreditation by the Middle States<br />
Association (MSA) Commission on<br />
Elementary Schools. The MSA accreditation<br />
process requires us to engage in a year<br />
long period <strong>of</strong> self-evaluation or selfstudy.<br />
Upon completion <strong>of</strong> the selfstudy<br />
a visiting MSA evaluation team<br />
<strong>of</strong> 4 educators will conduct an on-site<br />
inspection over a period <strong>of</strong> three and a<br />
half days next year at a time still to be<br />
determined.<br />
<strong>Our</strong> Self-Study year began at the<br />
first faculty meeting in September when<br />
information about the overall organizational plan <strong>of</strong> the process along<br />
with the formation <strong>of</strong> a 6 member steering committee composed<br />
<strong>of</strong> teachers and a school board member, the assignment <strong>of</strong> every<br />
teacher to one <strong>of</strong> the various sub-committees, the targeted timelines<br />
to complete each phase <strong>of</strong> the process and the identification <strong>of</strong> the<br />
specific State <strong>of</strong> the School areas and MSA Standards to be evaluated<br />
were presented.<br />
<strong>Our</strong> current Strategic Plan for 2009-2013 plays an important part<br />
in our self-study. As you may recall our school community spent a<br />
significant amount <strong>of</strong> time involving well over 80 teachers, school<br />
board members, parents and parishioners formulating our very<br />
successful Strategic Plan under the leadership <strong>of</strong> Mrs. Roxanne Adinolfi<br />
and Planning Consultant Dick Smith. We are very fortunate that much<br />
<strong>of</strong> the self-study work for Middle States parallels the work already in<br />
progress with our Strategic Plan.<br />
<strong>Our</strong> first task was to revisit our school’s foundation documents,<br />
namely, our school’s Mission, Beliefs / Core Values and Graduate<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>ile. Once these foundation documents were debated and<br />
approved by the faculty they were then presented for School Board<br />
approval. The second task was to survey all school families to get<br />
their input on different aspects <strong>of</strong> the school i.e. the school’s Catholic<br />
<strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong><br />
School is an exceptional<br />
learning institution providing<br />
a superb environment for the<br />
academic, spiritual, and moral<br />
development <strong>of</strong> our children.<br />
Identity, Academics,<br />
Student Activities, School<br />
Community , Finances<br />
and Facilities. The results<br />
<strong>of</strong> these surveys would<br />
provide necessary feedback<br />
in helping us to assess<br />
the 10 State <strong>of</strong> the School<br />
areas identified by the MSA<br />
and our school’s compliance with the 12 MSA Standards. As for the<br />
surveys you may recall that all families received 6 surveys in October.<br />
They were the exact same 6 surveys given to parents 3 years ago. Last<br />
time we received back 130 surveys. This time we received back 160<br />
surveys. In a comparison <strong>of</strong> results this year’s surveys clearly indicate<br />
a significant increase in higher satisfactory scores in almost every<br />
category – perhaps indicating that our strategic plan is working very<br />
effectively.<br />
With these results in hand our sub-committees went to work on<br />
the next 2 tasks. At every faculty meeting and in-service day so far this<br />
year our teachers have been working on both the 10 MSA State <strong>of</strong> the<br />
School areas and the 12 MSA Standards. Upon completion <strong>of</strong> each step<br />
along the way the entire faculty has reviewed, discussed and endorsed<br />
the final assessment. We are now working on our last but most<br />
significant task <strong>of</strong> the self-study process where our teachers will identify<br />
3-4 school goals along with specific action steps on how to achieve<br />
them over the next 3 years.<br />
It is our hope that the overall outcome <strong>of</strong> our self-study work and reaccreditation<br />
by Middle States will enable us to be a truly outstanding<br />
21st Century Catholic elementary school and will validate our belief<br />
that <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> School is an exceptional learning<br />
institution providing a superb environment for the academic, spiritual,<br />
and moral development <strong>of</strong> our children.
April 26, 2012 | Issue 2 | Vol. 4<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier | 5<br />
PLEASE JOIN IN SUPPORTING OUR YOUNG MUSICIANS<br />
AS WE CELEBRATE our second annual<br />
OLGC Youth CONCERT<br />
Sunday, May 6, 2012<br />
7:00 PM, IN THE CHURCH<br />
Yes, I would like to receive information and a schedule for the 2012-2013<br />
school year! Please check the ministry you are interested in.<br />
____ Children’s choir, GRADES 2 –4, meets every<br />
Thursday, 3:45-4:45 pm<br />
____ Youth choir, GRADES 5 –9, meets every<br />
Wednesday, 5:00-6:10 pm<br />
“Make A Joyful<br />
Noise Unto<br />
The Lord”<br />
Reception in the cafeteria to<br />
follow featuring:<br />
• THE CHILDREN’S CHOIR<br />
• THE PRAISE BAND<br />
• THE STRING ENSEMBLE<br />
• GIRLS’ CHAPEL CHOIR &<br />
THE YOUTH CHOIR<br />
For more information contact Mrs.<br />
Paula Quann at the music <strong>of</strong>fice;<br />
235-5395.<br />
____ String ensemble, GRADES 7 –12, meets every<br />
Thursday, 6:45-8:00 pm; intermediate to advanced players<br />
____ praise band, GRADES 9 – 12, meets every<br />
Monday, 7:00-8:15 pm; singers and instrumentalists<br />
Please return entire page to:<br />
THE MUSIC OFFICE - heritage house, 122 W. Main St.<br />
Child’s name_________________________________Grade (2012/13)____<br />
Parent’s name___________________________________________________<br />
Address (street, town, zip)________________________________________<br />
Home Phone #________________Email_______________________________<br />
Information and schedules will be sent in mid august.<br />
For more information contact Mrs. Paula Quann @856-235-5395<br />
children & youth<br />
MUSIC MINISTRY
6 | The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 2 | April 26, 2012<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
6th grade JV<br />
Boys Basketball<br />
The 6th grade JV Boys won<br />
the Burlington County CYO JV<br />
Big Team Championship, Sunday<br />
night, March 4, 2012 at Holy Cross<br />
High School by defeating St. Mary<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Lakes 43-36.<br />
All these boys played with<br />
their hearts and souls to win this<br />
championship. We are all blessed<br />
to have a gifted group <strong>of</strong> athletes.<br />
Bottom row from the left are Andrew<br />
Gallagher, Matt Ingersoll, John Kueny,<br />
Aidan Brown, Colby Clayton. The middle<br />
row is Jake Topolski, Vincent Lamina,<br />
Hunter Corragio, Brett Gallagher, Nick<br />
Procacci, Brandon Sheppard, Lucas<br />
D’Antonio. In the back row is Principal<br />
Jerry McGowan, Phil Sobosinski, Brock<br />
Jablonski and Coach Jerry Lamina.<br />
Missing is Asst. Coach Joe Procacci.<br />
The Mighty Macs - Revisited<br />
By Father Jim O’Neill<br />
<strong>Our</strong> parish had eight basketball teams during this last season. To my<br />
pleasant surprise, the basketball play<strong>of</strong>fs were rather exciting. I was able<br />
to attend several <strong>of</strong> the games including all four <strong>of</strong> the championship<br />
games. The most exciting game, for me, was the 5th grade girls<br />
championship win. After the game a woman I didn’t recognize called out<br />
to me, “Jimmy.” My extended family calls me, “Jim.” Only my immediate<br />
family and a few other relatives call me by the more familiar, “Jimmy.”<br />
She explained that she’s my Uncle Tom O’Grady’s sister, Kathy. Uncle<br />
Tom’s wife, Sue, is my mother’s sister, my godmother, and one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Mighty Macs. Of course, Kathy would know me as “Jimmy.”<br />
Kathy O’Grady LaRosa was there watching her granddaughter,<br />
Katie English, play in the finals for <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong>. When I explained to<br />
Katie that we have the same Aunt Sue who played for the Mighty Macs<br />
and that the movie was just released on dvd, she was astounded. So, was<br />
I. After the game and at the banquet, I talked with Katie’s mother, Joanne,<br />
who is younger than me and looks very much like our common first<br />
cousin Susan O’Grady DiMaio. Joanne is related to Susan via Uncle Tom<br />
while I’m related via Aunt Sue.<br />
The connection continues beyond the discovery that Katie English,<br />
a 5th grade basketball player, and I share the same Aunt Sue, a Might<br />
Mac, from the first women’s collegiate championship team. Katie’s<br />
great-grandmother, Margaret O’Grady, turned 95 around Thanksgiving.<br />
Growing up, I saw Margaret many times at Forsyth parties. Katie was at<br />
her great-grandmother’s birthday party with my first cousins who are also<br />
her mother’s first cousins. They had sprung Margaret from the nursing<br />
home where my grandmother lived until she passed from this life. My<br />
mother continues to visit Little Flower to see her siblings and Margaret.<br />
She’s going to visit Katie’s great-grandmother again on April 13th.<br />
<strong>Our</strong> players pictured here with Fr. Jim and Mrs. Sullivan are as follows: Top Row Left<br />
to Right--Katie English, Lauren Monahan, Ashley Benson, Isabelle Kuzy, Brijit Corej,<br />
Gloria Hopkins, Maura Gallagher, Bottom left to right, Grace Hill, Victoria Sciortino,<br />
Olivia Hansen, Daniella Hernandez, Ava Antonucci, Olivia C<strong>of</strong>fey, Grace Kelly, and<br />
Sarah Burghardt. Coaches: Denise Monahan and Dave Benson<br />
Fifth Grade Basketball<br />
The 5th grade girls basketball team finished the regular season<br />
with a record <strong>of</strong> 8-3 and won the JV Small Championship. They won<br />
the deciding game defeating St. Mary’s by a score <strong>of</strong> 21-10. <strong>Our</strong> girls<br />
scored 13 points in the second half and held St. Mary’s to only 3 points<br />
during the same timeframe.<br />
The girls displayed great attitude, effort and togetherness all season.<br />
<strong>Our</strong> team was very grateful for the support we received from our<br />
school, parents, family and friends.<br />
Father Jim lead us in prayer before our Championship game and<br />
we were cheered on by many OLGC fans at Holy Cross high school. It<br />
was an exciting night and all the girls celebrated a well deserved team<br />
victory. Three representatives from our team, Victoria Sciortino, Maura<br />
Gallagher and Olivia Hansen, were named to the All Star Team.
April 26, 2012 | Issue 2 | Vol. 4<br />
6th Grade<br />
Basketball<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier | 7<br />
By Coach Cathy Radley<br />
The 6th grade JV Girls team<br />
finished their season with a 6-5<br />
record. They fought<br />
hard each game and had some<br />
tough 2 and 3 point nail biters that<br />
certainly made the<br />
season exciting!<br />
The best part about the team<br />
was the girls’ positive attitudes,<br />
along with their<br />
enthusiasm for learning the<br />
game (5 <strong>of</strong> the players had never<br />
played basketball before!). They<br />
quickly became a TEAM unit and<br />
supported each other throughout<br />
the season.<br />
On March 5th, the girls<br />
attended a basketball clinic before<br />
the Atlantic 10 Championship<br />
game at St. Joseph’s University.<br />
It is a testament to the character<br />
<strong>of</strong> these girls, that at the clinic,<br />
they were recognized by former<br />
Immaculata coach, Cathy Rush,<br />
for initiating supportive cheers <strong>of</strong><br />
the other girls attending the same<br />
clinic.<br />
No one told them to cheer, but<br />
cheer they did...for other girls they<br />
didn’t even know! They led by<br />
example that evening and the over<br />
Sitting: Ellen Annas. Kneeling (L to R): Olivia Boucher, Kate Vasell, Kayla Baylock, Isabel Kelly, Lindsey D’Ambrosio, Julia Radley.<br />
Standing (L to R): Riley Snowden, Kaitlyn Tomes, Joanie Hartman, Meghan McLaughlin, Angela DiNunzio, Maggie Roccato, Madison<br />
Baylock.<br />
500 people in attendance followed<br />
their lead.<br />
In 11 years <strong>of</strong> coaching, it was<br />
absolutely one <strong>of</strong> my proudest<br />
moments! After the clinic, the girls<br />
got to watch the championship<br />
game together. For some, it was the<br />
first college women’s basketball<br />
Competitive Edge<br />
Sports Camps<br />
Summer Kick-Off Tournament<br />
Saturday & Sunday, June 16 & 17, 2012<br />
9:00 a.m. each day at EASTERN HIGH SCHOOL, Voorhees, NJ<br />
Tournament Format:<br />
- Each team GUARANTEED 5 Games<br />
- Each Game will consist <strong>of</strong> two 20 Minute halves<br />
- All Games will be Running Time<br />
- All Games will be Full Field<br />
game they had ever seen. It was a<br />
wonderful way to cap <strong>of</strong>f a great<br />
season.<br />
LLC.<br />
Registration Process Details:<br />
- Individuals MUST register with a team<br />
- Teams will be accepted on a first come first serve basis<br />
- Teams must consist <strong>of</strong> at least 12 field players and a goalie<br />
- The deadline for early registration is May 16, 2012<br />
Entry Fee: $75 per player if postmarked by May 16; $90 after May 16.<br />
2012 Field Hockey Camps<br />
Top: Assistant Coach Jim Moran, Mackenzie Moran, Elizabeth Radley, S<strong>of</strong>ia D’Avanzo,<br />
Head Coach Catherine Overbeck; Middle: Vivian Overbeck, Tatum Dougherty, Mia<br />
Scott, Gianna Horsley; Bottom: Jackie Scarlett, Erin Feeney, Allison Risell, Mary Kiefner<br />
(Missing is Erica Wallace)<br />
8th Grade Girls Varsity Basketball<br />
The 8th Grade Girls Varsity Basketball Team ended their season with<br />
a record <strong>of</strong> 11 - 9. The team has many accomplishments to be proud <strong>of</strong><br />
this season. They ended in 3rd place by winning the consolation games<br />
in both the Holy Cross Preseason Tournament and the Paul VI Holiday<br />
Tournament.<br />
Upsetting the first place team by a 19 point margin in the<br />
semifinal round <strong>of</strong> the BCCBL Play<strong>of</strong>fs, the <strong>Lady</strong> Chargers advanced<br />
to the championship game and also earned a spot in the Diocesan<br />
Tournament. The <strong>Lady</strong> Chargers, seen here, with their BCCBL 2nd place<br />
trophy.<br />
FEATURING<br />
Danyle Heilig<br />
TopOfTheCircle.com “Coach <strong>of</strong> the Decade”<br />
Head Coach, Eastern H.S.<br />
July 9 – 13, 2012 Eastern High School, Voorhees, NJ<br />
Junior Division, Grades 1 – 5, 8:30 to 11:00 a.m.<br />
Senior Division, Grades 6 – 12, 9:00 to 12:00 p.m.<br />
13 consecutive Group VI State Championships<br />
National Record, 153 games, unbeaten streak<br />
#1 TEAM in the country, 2011, NOW 4 TIMES!<br />
AND Instructors from Top Division One Programs<br />
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- Coach Heilig’s Instruction Will Be Enhanced by Top Division One Players<br />
Eligibility: 2011/2012 School Year, Grades 9 – 12. MUST HAVE Varsity Experience<br />
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www.compedgecamps.com
8 | The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 2 | April 26, 2012<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
Education is a Human Right<br />
By Dr. Linda M. Dix<br />
“To reach peace, we must teach peace,” proclaimed Cora Weiss,<br />
President <strong>of</strong> the Hague Appeal for Peace, amid a thundering applause at<br />
the annual CTAUN Conference at the United Nations on Friday, February<br />
3, 2012. Three hundred eighty-eight educators attended, including two<br />
parishioners: Roxanne Adinolifi and Dr. Linda M. Dix. The 2012 theme<br />
“Education is Human Right” brought forth a myriad <strong>of</strong> educational issues<br />
from the speakers and panel <strong>of</strong> assembled presenters. Foday Soko Sackar,<br />
a Graduate Student from Columbia University and a Liberian refugee<br />
survivor spoke to the issues <strong>of</strong> schools in Africa, particularly Zimbabwe<br />
stating that in crisis, “schools can lose their souls.” His passionate<br />
address touches the core <strong>of</strong> the UNICEF endeavor. He cited several ways<br />
which can improve schools in the African countries. These include:<br />
“Education is a tool to<br />
human development, social<br />
and economic growth.”<br />
outcome based approaches<br />
and curriculum development,<br />
training and re-training <strong>of</strong><br />
teachers, knowledge based<br />
systems which would include<br />
libraries and the internet access<br />
and adequate teaching materials and textbooks. Meg Gardinier as the<br />
chair <strong>of</strong> the United States Campaign to ratify the Convention on the<br />
Rights <strong>of</strong> the Child asked participants to see themselves “as human rights<br />
defenders who have the right to persuade the United Sates Senate to ratify<br />
The Convention on the Rights <strong>of</strong> the Child with all deliberate speed.”<br />
Dr. Ashiro-Rose Migir, the first woman to be Deputy-Secretary-<br />
General, recognized that education is integral to the pace and the<br />
development <strong>of</strong> democracy. “Education is a tool,” she said, “to human<br />
development, social and economic growth. It brings a sense <strong>of</strong> normalcy<br />
during crisis and the UN emergency operations now include educational<br />
tools to enable children to fell a sense <strong>of</strong> belonging, safety, and structure<br />
in crisis situations. Education enables children to relate to each other<br />
and grow into responsible citizens.” UNICEF circulated information<br />
on “child-friendly” schools <strong>of</strong> which Schools for Africa was citied. CFS<br />
fosters “equality, respect for human rights and participation <strong>of</strong> all children<br />
along with instructional programs that promote relevant life skills such as<br />
HIV/AIDS prevention, community involvement and participation and a<br />
child-centered style <strong>of</strong> teaching and learning.”<br />
Parishioners Roxanne and Linda are involved in the Schools for Africa<br />
incentive through DKG, a teachers’ honor society, as President and UN<br />
Liaison, respectively. Schools for Africa is a joint campaign funded by<br />
UNICEF, the Nelson Mandela Foundation, and the Hamburg Society to<br />
promote education for children in Africa. The campaign increases access<br />
to quality basic education for children with a special focus on girls,<br />
orphans, and vulnerable children. Presently, the endeavor is building<br />
and rehabilitating nearly 1000 schools, training almost 100,000 teachers,<br />
providing school supplies, and ensuring that schools have safe drinking<br />
water as well as separate bathrooms for boys and girls. It benefits five<br />
million children by increasing access to education in 11 <strong>of</strong> Africa’s<br />
neediest countries which include: Angola, Burkina, Faso, Ethiopia,<br />
Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, South Africa,<br />
and Zimbabwe. Ninety million dollars thus far has been raised totally for<br />
this project.<br />
Sister Joan Chittister has written that “Life is not an endurance test; it<br />
is a journey to goodness through a world full <strong>of</strong> the poor who wait for<br />
the word that they are loved through the love they seen in us.” Through<br />
personal experience in promoting literacy efforts in the developing world,<br />
I have seen this goodness exuded by those who truly take to heart the<br />
responsibility <strong>of</strong> improving education wherever possible. I once worked<br />
with a government representative in Jamaica, Elaine Foster Allen, who<br />
encouraged teachers with these words: “The pr<strong>of</strong>ession <strong>of</strong> teaching<br />
carries the burdens <strong>of</strong> a nation on its shoulder. Education is a major<br />
antidote to fight the social toxin <strong>of</strong> poverty.”<br />
As a UN Liaison, I certainly feel the responsibility to return to the<br />
vineyard <strong>of</strong> my influence, to work harder in the field <strong>of</strong> international<br />
literacy, and to share what I learn each year from UNICEF. Each person<br />
has a role in establishing education as a human right for all. We are<br />
ambassadors, promoting critical, collaborative, and creative thinking not<br />
only in the classroom but beyond those walls into the world focusing not<br />
only on access <strong>of</strong> education to 69 million children not in school but also<br />
on the quality <strong>of</strong> education which is presently provided to improve the<br />
educational experience for all global learners.
April 26, 2012 | Issue 2 | Vol. 4<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
Ellis Island: Gateway to a Dream<br />
The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier | 9<br />
The third grade classes enjoyed a trip to see Ellis<br />
Island: Gateway to a Dream in Voorhees on Monday,<br />
March 19th. The play was a musical journey that follows<br />
a group <strong>of</strong> immigrants during their time on the Island.<br />
Their experiences are typical <strong>of</strong> the many, thousands<br />
who came to America in the early 1900’s.<br />
From the excitement and delight <strong>of</strong> a young woman<br />
who proclaims that in this land she too can “Run A<br />
Machine” to the humorous confusion <strong>of</strong> an interviewer<br />
who cannot pronounce an immigrant’s name; from the<br />
happiness <strong>of</strong> a mother about to be reunited with her son;<br />
to the poignant reflections <strong>of</strong> the father starting anew,<br />
their stories are varied and filled with wonder.<br />
The children learned that Ellis Island is a symbol <strong>of</strong><br />
every person who ever came to the shores from a far<br />
away place to make a new home. They learned that Ellis<br />
Island was a gateway to dreams for many, but not all, for<br />
some immigrants were sent back to their homelands if<br />
they were considered too sick to enter America.<br />
The children were able to witness the courage, hope<br />
and challenges <strong>of</strong> the immigration experience through<br />
this high-spirited musical.<br />
Business Corner: Affording a Long Life!<br />
By Daniel Roccato,<br />
MBA, CPM<br />
I hope you are sitting down for this one.<br />
According to a recent MetLife survey, the average<br />
cost <strong>of</strong> a private room in a nursing home is now<br />
$70,080 per year. Instead <strong>of</strong> worrying about<br />
whether they will have enough money to retire,<br />
Baby Boomers are now wondering whether they<br />
have enough money to live!<br />
We’ve all heard or experienced depressing<br />
stories <strong>of</strong> families watching a lifetime <strong>of</strong> savings<br />
become depleted in order to provide nursing care<br />
for an elderly relative. The truth is that most people<br />
will never be able to save enough – or buy enough insurance – to protect<br />
against all possible scenarios. But you can take practical steps to help<br />
minimize the potential financial tsunami.<br />
Long Term Care insurance policies may be part <strong>of</strong> the plan. These<br />
are insurance policies that are designed to pay a future benefit if skilled<br />
nursing care is needed. Though theoretically sound, these may not be<br />
the perfect solution for many people. First, they may be too expensive or<br />
unavailable due to medical reasons.<br />
The owners <strong>of</strong> these policies <strong>of</strong>ten experience unforeseen premium<br />
increases in future years as insurance companies try to recoup their costs<br />
associated with the high cost <strong>of</strong> skilled nursing care.<br />
Several insurers faced with the grim economics <strong>of</strong> the business,<br />
have even stopped <strong>of</strong>fering the product. Indeed, despite a widespread<br />
recognition <strong>of</strong> the value <strong>of</strong> this type <strong>of</strong> insurance, only 7 million policies<br />
are in force in the U.S. We suggest that you check to see if your employer<br />
<strong>of</strong>fers this type <strong>of</strong> benefit as it may be cheaper than buying your own<br />
policy.<br />
But American ingenuity is at work. Faced with 10,000 baby boomers<br />
turning 65 every day, the insurance industry is beginning to create<br />
new innovative products. For example, it’s now possible to purchase<br />
life insurance with a rider that provides some long term care benefits.<br />
Similarly, there are a new crop <strong>of</strong> annuities being introduced that provide<br />
some long term care benefits.<br />
To date, our conclusion is that there is no perfect, affordable product<br />
that will work for everyone. While there has been some progress, most<br />
<strong>of</strong> these products are still expensive and overly complex. As always, we<br />
caution you to be especially careful (and skeptical) with annuities.<br />
Out <strong>of</strong> necessity, there will be further innovation. For example,<br />
we envision a rapidly expanding home health care industry and new<br />
community care initiatives. Senior housing communities will continue<br />
to evolve featuring on-site skilled care. The changing economy may<br />
also result in more multi-generational households where family<br />
members provide care for elders (similar to Japan) supported by outside<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essionals.<br />
Exploring potential insurance products, modifying your home to be<br />
“senior” friendly, changing your living arrangements and <strong>of</strong> course saving<br />
more money may all be part <strong>of</strong> your personal plan.
10 | The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 2 | April 26, 2012<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
Freedom and the Resurrection<br />
By Father Jim O’Neill<br />
What is freedom Elements in society would have us believe that freedom<br />
is to do what we want. While that is an aspect <strong>of</strong> freedom, it is not enough and<br />
sometimes even detrimental to true freedom. We see a better, deeper, and truer<br />
answer in the Compendium to the Catechism <strong>of</strong> the Catholic Church, question<br />
#363.<br />
Freedom is the power given by God to act or not to act, to do this or to<br />
do that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one’s own responsibility.<br />
Freedom characterizes properly human acts. The more one does what is<br />
good, the freer one becomes. Freedom attains its proper perfection when<br />
it is directed toward God, the highest good and our beatitude. Freedom<br />
implies also the possibility <strong>of</strong> choosing between good and evil. The choice<br />
<strong>of</strong> evil is an abuse <strong>of</strong> freedom and leads to the slavery <strong>of</strong> sin.<br />
God the Father sent His Son to redeem us - to set us free from the slavery <strong>of</strong> sin<br />
so that we might experience the fullness <strong>of</strong> freedom, joy, peace, and love with Him<br />
in Heaven. We see this more clearly in the Resurrection stories we hear during<br />
the Easter season. Jesus appears to His disciples several times to forgive them,<br />
strengthen them, and commission them to proclaim Him to all the world. Jesus<br />
desires that all <strong>of</strong> us become freer, choose Him, and ultimately be with Him in<br />
Heaven.<br />
I recently heard about a survey regarding Heaven on the EWTN show, “Living<br />
Right with Dr. Ray.” People were asked to rank several celebrities on the likelihood<br />
that they would go to Heaven. Mother Teresa (who was living at the time) ranked<br />
first at 87%. They were also asked the likelihood that they themselves would go to<br />
Heaven. That came out to 92%. How could we as a society rate ourselves holier<br />
than Mother Teresa Dr. Ray <strong>of</strong>fered his idea that many in our society think that we<br />
can define what is good for ourselves.<br />
The reality is that God is the one who defines what is good. He is the ultimate<br />
good Himself. If we want to be truly happy and free, then we ought to seek out<br />
the ultimate good, the One who is already seeking us. He is ready to forgive us,<br />
strengthen us, and share His life with us. He already does so most especially in the<br />
Eucharist as preparation for seeing Him face to face.<br />
Prayer for the Protection <strong>of</strong> Religious Liberty<br />
O GOD OUR CREATOR,<br />
from your provident hand we have received<br />
our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit <strong>of</strong> happiness.<br />
You have called us as your people and given us<br />
the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God,<br />
and your Son, Jesus Christ.<br />
Through the power and working <strong>of</strong> your Holy Spirit,<br />
you call us to live out our faith in the midst <strong>of</strong> the world,<br />
bringing the light and the saving truth <strong>of</strong> the Gospel<br />
to every corner <strong>of</strong> society.<br />
We ask you to bless us<br />
in our vigilance for the gift <strong>of</strong> religious liberty.<br />
Give us the strength <strong>of</strong> mind and heart<br />
to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened;<br />
give us courage in making our voices heard<br />
on behalf <strong>of</strong> the rights <strong>of</strong> your Church<br />
and the freedom <strong>of</strong> conscience <strong>of</strong> all people <strong>of</strong> faith.<br />
Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father,<br />
a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters<br />
gathered in your Church<br />
in this decisive hour in the history <strong>of</strong> our nation,<br />
so that, with every trial withstood<br />
and every danger overcome—<br />
for the sake <strong>of</strong> our children, our grandchildren,<br />
and all who come after us—<br />
this great land will always be “one nation, under God,<br />
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”<br />
We ask this through Christ our Lord.<br />
Amen.<br />
THE BIBLE: Acts <strong>of</strong> the Apostles<br />
By Richard J. Lohkamp<br />
In the weeks following Easter, the<br />
first readings in the Sunday liturgy are<br />
selections from Acts. They are mostly<br />
excerpts from the early testimonies <strong>of</strong> eye<br />
witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection. While it<br />
is placed after the Gospel <strong>of</strong> John in the<br />
Bible, Acts is actually the second volume<br />
<strong>of</strong> a two volume work by Luke. The first<br />
volume is the Gospel according to Luke.<br />
Luke begins Acts as follows:<br />
“In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt<br />
with all that Jesus did and taught until<br />
the day he was taken up, after giving<br />
instructions through the Holy Spirit to<br />
the apostles whom he had chosen. He<br />
presented himself alive to them by many<br />
pro<strong>of</strong>s after He had suffered, appearing<br />
to them during forty days and speaking<br />
about the kingdom <strong>of</strong> God.”<br />
“While meeting with them, He<br />
enjoined them not to depart from<br />
Jerusalem, but to wait for ‘the promise <strong>of</strong><br />
the Father about which you have heard me speak’”<br />
“… you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and<br />
you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria,<br />
and to the ends <strong>of</strong> the earth.’ ’When He had said this, as they were<br />
looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.”<br />
(Acts 1:1-9)<br />
After the account <strong>of</strong> the Holy Spirit’s coming, Acts is the story <strong>of</strong> Peter<br />
and Paul with cameo appearances <strong>of</strong> other Apostles (James, Philip). It<br />
provides a broad survey <strong>of</strong> the spread <strong>of</strong> “the Way” from Jerusalem where<br />
the eleven retreated after Jesus was taken up to Paul’s first imprisonment in<br />
Rome, the point at which the book abruptly ends.<br />
Acts chronicles Paul’s work – his visits<br />
to the churches that he started in Greece,<br />
Macedonia, and Asia Minor. When read<br />
in conjunction with his epistles (letters<br />
that he later wrote back to these churches)<br />
you can see how Paul’s thinking about<br />
Christ and the “Way <strong>of</strong> Christ” develops.<br />
Acts ends with Paul in prison in Rome<br />
(about 50 AD). Rome was considered the<br />
“ends <strong>of</strong> the earth” suggesting that Luke<br />
believed that Paul had fulfilled Christ’s<br />
commission to preach to the “ends <strong>of</strong> the<br />
earth.”<br />
Acts, then, is the story <strong>of</strong> how the<br />
Christian Way began as a “sect” <strong>of</strong><br />
Judaism with a small band <strong>of</strong> followers<br />
<strong>of</strong> Jesus in Jerusalem. The book tells how<br />
this small group learned by its uncanny<br />
experience what the “Way” really entails<br />
and that it was intended to be shared with<br />
other people who were not Jews and who<br />
did not have the Jewish heritage.<br />
Luke is very careful to point out that<br />
this “experience” and this learning process <strong>of</strong> the followers <strong>of</strong> Jesus is<br />
energized by the Holy Spirit, the Power from on high promised by Jesus.<br />
Through this Power, Jesus leads and guides the apostles and their fellow<br />
followers <strong>of</strong> Jesus. It is the power <strong>of</strong> the Spirit imparted by the risen Jesus<br />
that empowers their actions.<br />
If “Theophilus” is each one <strong>of</strong> us, then the promise <strong>of</strong> the Spirit is<br />
made to each <strong>of</strong> us, and the power exhibited in Acts is promised to each<br />
<strong>of</strong> us according to the role and vocation that we have. This Power and<br />
this learning through life experience are not reserved to the first century.<br />
People like Peter and Paul learned through prayer and honest, non-selfserving<br />
reflection to hear and to trust this Guide.
April 26, 2012 | Issue 2 | Vol. 4<br />
Palm Sunday<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
Mission Team Preparations During Holy Week:<br />
An Experience <strong>of</strong> Eucharist<br />
The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier | 11<br />
By Dr. Linda M. Dix<br />
“We send them forth as messengers <strong>of</strong> salvation<br />
and peace marked with the sign <strong>of</strong> the<br />
cross.” Commissioned as the parish missionaries<br />
sent forth to the parish missions <strong>of</strong> Kingston,<br />
Jamaica, Father Damian pr<strong>of</strong>oundly prayed<br />
these words over 20 mission volunteers preparing<br />
to leave during the week <strong>of</strong> April 8-15 at the<br />
4:30 pm Sabbath liturgy on March 31, 2012.<br />
The commissioning Mass was followed by a<br />
dinner in Heritage House where the team gathered<br />
for the final departure information, packing<br />
instructions, and blessing <strong>of</strong> our pastor. Going<br />
forth is more complicated than it sounds. Bags<br />
need to be kept to a 50 lb. minimum and when<br />
so many supplies are needed by those we serve,<br />
sharing the load is the only way we can manage<br />
the task.<br />
The time spent at dinner is also a way <strong>of</strong><br />
bonding with those on the journey as once we<br />
land in Jamaica, we hit the ground running,<br />
working in the centers, bathing and feeding<br />
children, and helping the religious brothers and<br />
sisters with rice, clothes, and bread lines. By<br />
the time we arrive, we are a closely- knit group<br />
ready to help wherever needed and work long<br />
hours to accomplish that purpose.<br />
We are so thankful to Father Damian and the<br />
parishioners <strong>of</strong> the parish for their donations <strong>of</strong><br />
money, religious goods, medical and literacy<br />
supplies. Without their help much <strong>of</strong> what we<br />
do could not get done at the missions. This<br />
sacrifice <strong>of</strong> the people is received with so much<br />
thanksgiving by our team and the people <strong>of</strong><br />
Jamaica. This also becomes a time <strong>of</strong> recollection<br />
and memorial as well.<br />
“We mark a time to remember how far we’ve<br />
traveled, and to appreciate those who shared<br />
the journey with us.” This is my sixteenth year<br />
<strong>of</strong> serving in the parish missions and so many<br />
memories come flooding back. One in particular<br />
from last April is etched in my memory. My<br />
late husband, Greg, and I found ourselves back<br />
in the shelter where we first began: Faith Center.<br />
The children with whom we had worked<br />
were now teenagers, so they looked forward<br />
to our coming, knowing that we bring not only<br />
crayons and paper but frisbies and baseballs as<br />
well. Greg always wore a baseball hat when he<br />
visited the centers—a sign that he would play<br />
ball with them so when we arrived, they came<br />
running with their baseball bats and balls. Greg<br />
had been ill and we were so lucky to be able to<br />
have made the trip at all. He could not play ball<br />
with them last year. They immediately recognized<br />
that, so without any complaints, they<br />
disappeared with the baseball equipment and<br />
re-appeared with a video and held that out to<br />
him. That he could do.<br />
As the heat <strong>of</strong> the day increased, Greg actually<br />
closed his eyes and tired while watching<br />
the video and when I looked over, there were<br />
the children we had once held, encircling him<br />
with their arms as they propped him up watching<br />
the video together. How like the God we<br />
know and love who encircles us with His Love.<br />
What a sense <strong>of</strong> peace came over me.<br />
They became a metaphor for me <strong>of</strong> God’s<br />
unconditional love that simply surrounds us<br />
with a total sense <strong>of</strong> peace in challenging times.<br />
Teilhard de Chardin has written, “Grant me to<br />
recognize in others, my God, the radiance <strong>of</strong><br />
your own face.” In those children, that day, I<br />
saw the face <strong>of</strong> God.<br />
A great biblical scholar, Walter Brueggemann<br />
writes in his newest book An Unsettling<br />
The members <strong>of</strong> the missionary team.<br />
God: The God <strong>of</strong> Ancient Israel: “Relationships<br />
are intrinsic to the existence <strong>of</strong> God and human<br />
beings. They can bring peace to us and to those<br />
with whom we are in relationships.” God’s<br />
partnership with each human being becomes<br />
even deeper with Jesus, our partner, who died<br />
for us and rose to glory, which we celebrate<br />
this Easter season. This partnership, Brueggemann<br />
explains, is the only thing that travels<br />
with us through the passage <strong>of</strong> death to everlasting<br />
life.<br />
I know I will feel Greg’s presence in the<br />
Communion <strong>of</strong> Saints among us as we travel<br />
to the mission sites and with that a “peace that<br />
leads to the surrender to all that is and will<br />
be.” (1Cor. 1: 3-9) May this trip be a source <strong>of</strong><br />
peace, love, and service to all those with whom<br />
we travel and meet this coming week. Please<br />
keep us in prayer!<br />
The Parish <strong>of</strong> <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> recognizes<br />
the twenty mission volunteers <strong>of</strong> 2012:<br />
Tejumade Adesina, Lisa Baxter, John Bertagnolli,<br />
Annemarie Brownmiler, Angelo d’Antonio-Bertagnolli,<br />
John Vito d’Antonio Bertagnolli , Sondra<br />
De Antonio, Linda Dix, Claudio Fernandez,<br />
Elizabeth Jasolosky, Fatmata Kabia, Fyar Kabia,<br />
Donna Pherribo, Gordon Pherribo, Phyllis<br />
Schantz, Rebecca Stansbury, Lisa Trapani, Sarah<br />
Van Wagner and Brittney Zafonte.<br />
Father Damian blesses the missionaries going to Jamaica.<br />
Father Damian blesses the palms on Palm Sunday.
12 | The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 2 | April 26, 2012<br />
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www.olgcnj.org<br />
The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier | 13<br />
The Crucifixion <strong>of</strong> Jesus<br />
Chrism Mass<br />
By Colby Clayton, 6A<br />
“CRUCIFY HIM!<br />
CRUCIFY HIM!”<br />
My ears suddenly<br />
opened when I heard<br />
the word “crucify.” I<br />
was leaning against a<br />
small stone building<br />
next to a small fruit cart and tried to<br />
somehow find a way to glance over the<br />
large crowd to see what was going on. I<br />
got on the tips <strong>of</strong> my toes; I tried to stand<br />
up on the fruit cart next to me until the<br />
merchant shoved me <strong>of</strong>f onto the hot,<br />
bumpy road. I didn’t see anything that<br />
was going on except the heads <strong>of</strong> the<br />
crowd turning to look at each other. My<br />
left check rested on the road for a few<br />
seconds feeling the warmth the road had<br />
to <strong>of</strong>fer.<br />
It was a hotter day than usual, the sun<br />
beat down waves <strong>of</strong> heat so you could<br />
see them on the road which was getting<br />
warmer by the second. I decided the best<br />
option I had was to squeeze through the<br />
crowd. I held out my right arm and started<br />
to gently nudge people out <strong>of</strong> the way.<br />
Some <strong>of</strong> the people didn’t appreciate my<br />
rudeness as I stepped on their feet, and<br />
I apologized as they swore at me. Now<br />
I was close enough to see that a man in<br />
shining armor with a large, sharp sword,<br />
stood there next to an innocent looking<br />
man with slightly long hair, a short<br />
beard, and his hands cuffed. “He shall be<br />
crucified!” the man in armor exclaimed<br />
and the entire crowd cheered, everyone<br />
except me. I starred hard at the innocent<br />
looking man trying to recognize him.<br />
Then it suddenly hit me as if someone<br />
threw a rock at my head and said “It’s<br />
Jesus!” Jesus Jesus! The name Jesus<br />
echoed through my brain. The one who<br />
comes in the name <strong>of</strong> the Lord; known as<br />
the Messiah. I’ve known about Jesus ever<br />
since the time my brother was fatally ill.<br />
It was a hot day and my brother lay<br />
in his bed with his eyes closed. My<br />
mother was <strong>of</strong>f trying to find a doctor<br />
or someone who could help my brother<br />
Tom. I sat in a wooden chair next to his<br />
bed being there for him in case he needed<br />
something. Every few minutes he would<br />
make a request like “Patrick, could you<br />
please give me some water” or “Can<br />
you get me another blanket” I obeyed<br />
the request and provided it as quickly as<br />
possible. Suddenly, my mother walked<br />
into the bedroom where Tom was resting<br />
with a man. “This kind sir’s name is Jesus,<br />
and he is willing to help us revive Tom,”<br />
My mother said gently. I lifted myself out<br />
<strong>of</strong> my seat and looked at him, his eyes<br />
staring into mine. “Do you have faith<br />
that I can do this” He asked. “I do,” I<br />
said back to him. “Alright then,” he said<br />
as he touched Tom’s forehead. “Rise,” he<br />
commanded to Tom and Tom obeyed. Tom<br />
stood up looking better than he had ever<br />
in his life. We all stood in amazement.<br />
Jesus is condemned to death, Eric Sobocinkski,<br />
Troy Bloesch and Nick Belecanech is Pontius<br />
Pilate.<br />
A few years passed and his healing<br />
Ministry had grown. Jesus was known for<br />
the miracles he had performed. Now they<br />
are going to kill him for blasphemy. As<br />
the crowd cheered on like warriors who<br />
had won a battle a soldier standing in the<br />
crowd stood forward<br />
with a whip in his hand.<br />
He began to whip poor<br />
Jesus and I watched in<br />
horror as each whip at<br />
him was harder. I had to<br />
do something. I shoved<br />
through the crowd and<br />
started to make my way<br />
to the stone staircase to<br />
the large temple until<br />
two large soldiers twice<br />
the size <strong>of</strong> me stood in<br />
my path. “What do you<br />
think you’re doing” One says to me in a<br />
booming voice. I try to run past the two <strong>of</strong><br />
them without an answer but they are too<br />
quick. One grabs me and the other throws<br />
a giant fist into my face and before I could<br />
feel the impact, I was out. I wake up lying<br />
on the hot road again. This time the crowd<br />
is flowing up the hill to Calvary where<br />
criminals go to be crucified. But Jesus<br />
was no criminal. I race through the streets<br />
Veronica wipes the face<br />
<strong>of</strong> Jesus Eric Sobocinski,<br />
Allison Risell is Veronica.<br />
Resurrection <strong>of</strong> Jesus! Eric<br />
Sobocinski is Jesus.<br />
crashing into people not caring that they<br />
curse at me. I run up the steep, sandy hill,<br />
some <strong>of</strong> the crowd members are walking<br />
down the hill, until I finally get to the top<br />
to see what is happening.<br />
Most <strong>of</strong> the crowd has left, but now<br />
there are only the ones<br />
who are crying. I look up<br />
to see that Jesus’ lifeless<br />
body is dangling from a<br />
cross with nails driven into<br />
his feet and hands. Blood is<br />
dripping from large gashes<br />
on his body and a crown<br />
<strong>of</strong> thorns is on his head.<br />
Tears slowly drip down my<br />
cheek as I try to choke them<br />
back. Never once have I<br />
seen death and I don’t wish<br />
to ever see it again. I can’t<br />
look at his body anymore so I walk down<br />
the hill almost tripping. I sit down on a<br />
sandy patch at the bottom <strong>of</strong> the hill and<br />
try to process what had just happened.<br />
As I think <strong>of</strong> Jesus, I think <strong>of</strong> one positive<br />
thing. All <strong>of</strong> the miracles he performed<br />
were true and his death was his biggest<br />
miracle. He may not have given faith to<br />
all, but he had given it to me.<br />
Source: Bible Luke, John<br />
Parishioners and confirmands from<br />
the parish attended the Chrism Mass on<br />
Monday evening, April 2, 2012 at the<br />
Cathedral <strong>of</strong> St. Mary <strong>of</strong> the Assumption.<br />
Most Reverend David M. O’Connell,<br />
Bishop <strong>of</strong> Trenton, was the main<br />
celebrant and homilist.<br />
The sacred oils were blessed for the<br />
coming year and all priests renewed<br />
their personal dedication to Christ. The<br />
renewal <strong>of</strong> commitment ended with an<br />
invitation from the Bishop to all present<br />
to pray, first for the priests <strong>of</strong> the Diocese,<br />
and then for him.<br />
Stephen Lucasi, the music director for<br />
our parish also leads the Diocesan Festival<br />
Choir and Dr. Martha Mercantini, cantor<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong>’s Parish, also cantored the<br />
Chrism Mass.<br />
All present were invited for light<br />
refreshments in the Dining Hall<br />
immediately following the Chrism Mass<br />
where a picture was taken with Bishop<br />
O’Connell, Father Damian, Father Jim,<br />
and the soon to be ordained, Rev. Mr.<br />
<strong>Matthew</strong> <strong>Pfleger</strong>, newly assigned as the<br />
Parochial Vicar <strong>of</strong> <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong>’s Parish as <strong>of</strong><br />
July 1.<br />
The following parishioners and<br />
students attended the Chrism Mass: Dr.<br />
Linda Dix, Laura Kowalick, Jean Kutter<strong>of</strong>f,<br />
Mary Kiefner, Morgan Snowden, Courtney<br />
Pellegrino, Katherine, Elizabeth, Natalie,<br />
Lucy, and Joel Graham,<br />
JoAnne Campbell, Annemarie<br />
Brownmiller, Sharon Brdlik,<br />
John Scanlon, Jeff Gueiss,<br />
Susan Dowiak, Kay and Frank<br />
Feeney, Julia Majewski, Bo<br />
and Norma Minnick, Carol<br />
Nash, Sister Rosemarie, Betty<br />
Wagner, <strong>Deacon</strong> Ed Heffernan<br />
and John and Maureen Sherry.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Group at the Chrism Mass with Bishop O’Connell.<br />
Holy Oils and the Youth Group Presenters.
14 | The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 2 | April 26, 2012<br />
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April 26, 2012 | Issue 2 | Vol. 4<br />
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The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier | 15
16 | The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 2 | April 26, 2012<br />
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Congratulations and <strong>Welcome</strong> to the Church<br />
By Jane McCorkell<br />
At the Easter Vigil Mass six<br />
adults entered into the Catholic<br />
faith. We would like to welcome:<br />
Laura Altobelli, Jackie Cross,<br />
Jeffrey Gueiss, Jennifer Juice, Alicia<br />
Lee, and Wendy Mullen. We are<br />
excited to have them join us at the<br />
Table <strong>of</strong> The Lord.<br />
Two adults, Angeline Masishin<br />
and James Venito received the<br />
sacrament <strong>of</strong> confirmation along<br />
with our young teens: Dante<br />
Figureroa, Christine Kirmsse, John<br />
Scanlan, Kathryn Tsai, and Ian<br />
Verdon.<br />
The Easter Vigil wasn’t complete<br />
until we heard the waters <strong>of</strong><br />
baptism flowing when Anjelina<br />
Figueroa, Marissa Lance and<br />
Colin Thomas were baptized<br />
into our faith. We completed the<br />
sacraments when Samuel Scanlan<br />
received his first Eucharist.<br />
<strong>Our</strong> parish would like to thank<br />
the catechists who spent many<br />
hours with tender care giving<br />
their time and talents to see these<br />
candidates to the Easter Vigil:<br />
Terry DiBlasio, Terry Wiebalck,<br />
Kristen Seltzer, Annemarie<br />
Brownmiller, JoAnne Campbell,<br />
Linda Dix, Jane McCorkell,<br />
Susan and John Scanlon. Guess<br />
speakers were so important to our<br />
process and provided outstanding<br />
presentations: Father Damian,<br />
Father Jim, <strong>Deacon</strong> Jim Grogan,<br />
and Richard Lohkamp. <strong>Deacon</strong><br />
Dave Papuga and Father Jim<br />
presided over our special rites<br />
in the evening and we thank<br />
them for providing a welcoming<br />
atmosphere.<br />
<strong>Our</strong> hospitality following the<br />
Vigil was directed by Sharon<br />
Brdlik who did an outstanding job<br />
providing refreshments after a long<br />
Mass. Thank you to all our bakers<br />
who are so faithful in providing a<br />
bountiful table <strong>of</strong> delights.<br />
A special thank you to<br />
the choir, under the direction <strong>of</strong><br />
Mr. Steve Lucasi , who provided<br />
original music each week at the<br />
10:30 Mass as the candidates<br />
were dismissed to go to Heritage<br />
House to reflect on the readings <strong>of</strong><br />
the day.<br />
Following are a few reflections<br />
by our new Catholics on their<br />
journey through the RCIA<br />
Dr. Jennifer Juice MD:<br />
“The RCIA process has been a<br />
huge blessing! It has ultimately<br />
strengthened my relationship with<br />
God and has helped me find peace<br />
and joy in my life. It has also<br />
given me the privilege <strong>of</strong> meeting<br />
so many wonderful people, who<br />
with I will always share a special<br />
Left to right first row: Alicia Lee, Laura Altobelli, Jennifer Juice and Jackie Cross. Left to right second row: James Venito, Angeline<br />
Masishin, Wendy Mullen and Jeffrey Gueuss.<br />
bond”.<br />
Alicia Lee “I have been<br />
attending Mass every Sunday and<br />
have thought about becoming<br />
Catholic but I just didn’t know<br />
how or when this was going to<br />
happen. I spoke with a friend who<br />
mentioned taking RCIA classes.<br />
At the time I found out I was<br />
expecting a baby<br />
boy and realized<br />
that this was my<br />
calling from God,<br />
my chance to<br />
become what I’ve<br />
been practicing<br />
and to raise our<br />
family in the same<br />
way. It has been<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the best<br />
decisions I’ve<br />
made and has<br />
changed the way I<br />
go about my daily<br />
life. I find myself<br />
praying more each day and on a<br />
deeper level and it helps me find<br />
peace in my life. The RCIA team<br />
here is amazing and so supportive,<br />
same with the other candidates, it’s<br />
like having another family”.<br />
Jeff Gueiss said “I had<br />
contemplated RCIA in the past<br />
but never experienced a defining<br />
moment that would move me to<br />
conversion. My wife had grown<br />
up in the Catholic Church and<br />
attended parochial school, we<br />
were married in the Catholic<br />
Church, and our children were<br />
baptized Catholic. After much<br />
contemplation last year, we<br />
decided to enroll our children<br />
Hannah and Harrison into OLGC<br />
School. This was an important<br />
year because they received two<br />
sacraments: Penance and First<br />
Communion. The defining moment<br />
came to me during my daughters’<br />
First Holy Communion; I was<br />
so emotionally moved when<br />
I witnessed her receiving the<br />
Eucharist for the first time. Then<br />
it hit me—this was the moment<br />
that I had<br />
been waiting<br />
16 years for!<br />
I immediately<br />
enrolled in the<br />
RCIA process.<br />
This has truly<br />
changed<br />
my life in<br />
every way<br />
imaginable.<br />
I have found<br />
the peace that<br />
comes with<br />
daily prayer.<br />
I feel that I<br />
am truly trying to live my life as a<br />
disciple <strong>of</strong> Christ. The catechists<br />
are amazing, the process has<br />
been life changing, and most <strong>of</strong><br />
all – I look forward to the Easter<br />
Vigil when I receive my First<br />
Communion and Confirmation.<br />
Then I can truly say, “I am a<br />
Catholic.”<br />
Laura Altobelli said, “I wanted<br />
to join OLGC to share in the faith<br />
<strong>of</strong> my husband, Jerry, and to raise<br />
our son Ryan Catholic. I have<br />
attended services at many houses<br />
<strong>of</strong> worship but felt for years that<br />
something was missing from my<br />
life. I finally feel at peace and that<br />
I have come home.”<br />
Jackie Cross reflection on<br />
her time in the RCIA stated that<br />
“she have been to many different<br />
churches, but always felt like a<br />
visitor and never a participant. In<br />
the Catholic Church I finally feel<br />
that I belong to the Body <strong>of</strong> Christ<br />
and can worship and serve the<br />
Lord in the way He has called me.<br />
<strong>Our</strong> two adults, James and<br />
Angeline who were preparing for<br />
the sacrament <strong>of</strong> confirmation,<br />
sat in on the teaching aspect <strong>of</strong><br />
our sessions and would like to<br />
share their reflections about their<br />
experience in the short time they<br />
were with us.<br />
Angeline Masishin reflects,<br />
“Becoming part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
confirmation program at <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong>’s parish has<br />
been an inspirational experience.<br />
The warmth and welcome by all<br />
made an environment that fostered<br />
learning, growth and understand.<br />
I am truly excited to be confirmed<br />
and to continue my spiritual<br />
journey”.<br />
James Venito adds his thoughts,<br />
“I attended OLGC through 5th<br />
grade and to return as an adult<br />
has truly been an awakening<br />
experience. Being a part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
confirmation prep has created<br />
a desire to become a more<br />
active member <strong>of</strong> the church,<br />
as well as an urge to further<br />
develop my spiritual growth and<br />
understanding. I look forward<br />
to many rewarding years as a<br />
member <strong>of</strong> the OLGC community.<br />
If you know <strong>of</strong> someone<br />
who would like to complete<br />
their sacraments or to enter the<br />
Catholic faith please contact Jane<br />
McCorkell at 235-2374 or email<br />
mccorkellj@olgcnj.org
April 26, 2012 | Issue 2 | Vol. 4<br />
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The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier | 17
18 | The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 2 | April 26, 2012<br />
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Sister Rosemarie, Myles Drayton, Brigid Falese, Tula Maria Pappas, Collin Cribben, and<br />
Mrs. Mary Rose Adams in front <strong>of</strong> the altar.<br />
The children in pre-k and kindergarten at the Early Childhood Center<br />
participated in an Easter Prayer Service on April 2nd. They led the<br />
congregation in prayer, sang songs and presented paper butterflies listing<br />
their good deeds for Lent.<br />
From right to left Madeline Csolak at microphone, Brenden Berna, Lia Sanfilippo, Jake<br />
Lenox, Daniel Cantwell, Jennifer Higgins.<br />
Don’t<br />
Keep It To<br />
Yourself<br />
Have an idea<br />
for a story or article...<br />
perhaps there’s<br />
something you’d like<br />
to see in the pages<br />
<strong>of</strong> our<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier.<br />
Well don’t keep<br />
it to yourself...<br />
let us know about it.<br />
Send me an e-mail to<br />
deaconheffernan<br />
@comcast.net<br />
or call me on my cell<br />
856-905-5019.
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The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier | 19<br />
The children in<br />
Kindergarten A<br />
and B enjoyed an<br />
Easter egg hunt on<br />
Wed., April 4 on<br />
the grounds <strong>of</strong> the<br />
rectory. Photos by<br />
Michelle Molz<br />
Mrs. Mary Rose Adams and<br />
the children from KB show<br />
<strong>of</strong>f the eggs they found.<br />
Children from KB line up<br />
after the egg hunt.<br />
Sister Rosemarie and Mrs. Kathy<br />
Cummings with the children from<br />
KA after the hunt.
20 | The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 2 | April 26, 2012<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
Baskets <strong>of</strong> Easter Joy<br />
By Mrs. R.A. Conners, Grade 8 ILA Teacher,<br />
Student Council Moderator<br />
In the parable <strong>of</strong> the Multiplication <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Loaves and Fishes, Jesus feeds a multitude <strong>of</strong><br />
people by miraculously transforming several<br />
loaves and a few fish into so much food that<br />
several large baskets were needed to hold the<br />
leftover food after the hunger <strong>of</strong> the crowd who<br />
had come to hear Jesus speak had been satisfied.<br />
During this Lenten Season, our school students,<br />
their parents, and the Student Council <strong>of</strong><br />
Bancr<strong>of</strong>t School participated in an event which,<br />
while not a miracle, was something just short <strong>of</strong><br />
miraculous.<br />
On Friday, February 17, 2012 I received an<br />
email from Mrs. Darlene Altschuler, the mother<br />
<strong>of</strong> two <strong>of</strong> our students, asking if our school<br />
would be willing to once again participate<br />
in a fund raising activity that would benefit<br />
Catholic Charities Food Bank and the students<br />
at Bancr<strong>of</strong>t School, a school which educates<br />
students ages 3 to 21 with multiple disabilities<br />
who cannot be educated in a typical classroom.<br />
Proceeds from the sale <strong>of</strong> baskets made by the<br />
Bancr<strong>of</strong>t students would be used for “Walk<br />
Now for Autism Speaks”.<br />
With Mr. McGowan’s approval the Student<br />
Council, under my direction, and the Student<br />
Council members at Bancr<strong>of</strong>t School, under the<br />
direction <strong>of</strong> Ms. Donna Vukicerich, Supervisor<br />
<strong>of</strong> Bancr<strong>of</strong>t Student Council and Administrative<br />
Assistant to Bancr<strong>of</strong>t Principal Bob Lenherr,<br />
began a joint project which culminated in the<br />
collection <strong>of</strong> 100 Easter Baskets donated by the<br />
parents <strong>of</strong> <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong>’s school. In addition to<br />
those 100 baskets, our parents also purchased<br />
and then donated 150 baskets which were<br />
made by the Student Council members at Bancr<strong>of</strong>t<br />
School.<br />
As the days passed and the baskets started<br />
filling up my classroom it became increasingly<br />
difficult to walk across the front <strong>of</strong> my room or<br />
write on the chalkboard. We had baskets on<br />
bookshelves, windowsills, and chairs. If I left<br />
the door to my classroom open, I could hear<br />
the students passing in the hallway exclaiming<br />
to each other about the growing number <strong>of</strong><br />
baskets each day. Dare I say the baskets were<br />
multiplying like rabbits The students whom I<br />
teach began checking the baskets and trying to<br />
decide which was their favorite.<br />
In previous years, we collected baskets<br />
and then the Student Council members would<br />
load them on a truck and they would go <strong>of</strong>f to<br />
Catholic Charities and that would be the end <strong>of</strong><br />
things. This year we put a new twist on things.<br />
On Tuesday, April 3, Ms. Vukicevich and seven<br />
(7) Student Council members from Bancr<strong>of</strong>t<br />
came to our school to meet our Student Council<br />
members and to show them some <strong>of</strong> the baskets<br />
they had made.<br />
The meeting took place in my homeroom<br />
and it was a wonder to behold.<br />
The students from Bancr<strong>of</strong>t, who were<br />
very excited to meet with our students, were<br />
met with smiles and waves. One young man<br />
from Bancr<strong>of</strong>t walked right into my classroom<br />
and introduced himself to Mr. McGowan, my<br />
students, and me and then directed his fellow<br />
students to line up for pictures in a fashion<br />
Right: Student Council<br />
from Bancr<strong>of</strong>t School<br />
and OLGC, along with<br />
Mrs. Rosemary Conners<br />
with the Easter baskets<br />
collected from the<br />
school.<br />
Middle: Student Council<br />
members load the vans<br />
with Easter baskets<br />
Bottom: Left to right:<br />
Mrs. R.A. Conners,<br />
Lauren Belecanech,<br />
Grade 8 Home Room<br />
Student Council<br />
Representative, Dominic<br />
Colon, Grade 8 Student,<br />
Erin Feeney, Student<br />
Council President.<br />
similar to the way our students were arranged<br />
and pretty much made sure things went as they<br />
should. His enthusiasm was infectious and he<br />
had our students and the adults laughing as they<br />
followed his directions. Mrs. Altschuler later<br />
told me that the Bancr<strong>of</strong>t students felt they had<br />
made many new friends that day.<br />
After several moments <strong>of</strong> picture taking, the<br />
students carried the baskets out to the playground<br />
where they loaded them onto trucks for<br />
delivery to Catholic Charities Food Bank. Two<br />
<strong>of</strong> our Student Council members, Erin Feeney<br />
and Robert Sheppard, were given permission to<br />
accompany Dr. Dix and Mrs. Laura Kowalick to<br />
the Food Bank. This was a unique opportunity<br />
for our students who reported, “The people at<br />
Catholic Charities were very surprised to see<br />
how many baskets we brought, so many baskets<br />
that we lined the hallway and filled the <strong>of</strong>fices<br />
<strong>of</strong> the people working there. When we left, we<br />
felt very happy because we did a nice deed for<br />
others.”<br />
<strong>Our</strong> students and the students at Bancr<strong>of</strong>t<br />
School combined their efforts in a project which<br />
had far reaching effects on our home, school,<br />
and local communities. The students at Bancr<strong>of</strong>t<br />
used their skills to create beautiful Easter<br />
baskets for others, our parents purchased and<br />
donated those baskets, and our students helped<br />
with the collection and delivery <strong>of</strong> those baskets.<br />
The ripple effect <strong>of</strong> those simple acts is<br />
wide spread. <strong>Our</strong> students benefitted by helping<br />
others, Bancr<strong>of</strong>t students benefitted by developing<br />
real life work skills, Catholic Charities<br />
and the food bank benefitted from our donation<br />
<strong>of</strong> baskets, and “Walk Now for Autism Speaks”<br />
also benefitted. This one “nice deed” touched<br />
the lives <strong>of</strong> hundreds <strong>of</strong> people.<br />
So, following in the footsteps <strong>of</strong> Jesus, all<br />
involved contributed in a variety <strong>of</strong> ways to take<br />
one simple act and multiply the effects <strong>of</strong> that<br />
act to impact the lives and well being <strong>of</strong> hundreds.<br />
With a grateful heart I would like to <strong>of</strong>fer<br />
a sincere “Thank you!” to all involved.
April 26, 2012 | Issue 2 | Vol. 4<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier | 21<br />
8th Grade Battle <strong>of</strong> the Books<br />
The 8th Grade Battle <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Books team participated in the<br />
regional competition held at<br />
Burlington City Junior School on<br />
March 27, 2012. <strong>Our</strong> team came<br />
home with third place medals after<br />
answering almost 120 questions on<br />
the fifteen book they had read.<br />
Pictured here are OLGC’s proud and happy team members: standing are Robby<br />
Sheppard, Vivian Overbeck (team captain), and Michael Altschuler; sitting are Liz Radley<br />
and Abby Mullen (team secetary).<br />
Never say never: Text Messaging in the Classroom<br />
By Larry Pizzi<br />
Students are permitted to have a cell phone at school but the cell<br />
phone must be turned <strong>of</strong>f and kept in the book bag at all times while at<br />
school. Text messaging is never allowed. (Parent-Student Handbook, p.<br />
11.)<br />
Never say never.<br />
Check out the photo, and you can clearly see an entire seventh grade<br />
class breaking the rules. Or are they <strong>Our</strong> seventh grade Language Arts<br />
class recently experimented with using cell phones and text messaging<br />
to analyze and understand the plot and characters in the novel, The<br />
Outsiders.<br />
Reading S. E. Hinton’s novel <strong>of</strong> teens struggling with cliques, violence,<br />
loneliness, school and love is a rite <strong>of</strong> passage for thousands <strong>of</strong> middle<br />
school students across the nation every year. It has been a staple for<br />
OLGC seventh graders for five years.<br />
Normally, after finishing the novel, students write several essays to<br />
explore and demonstrate their knowledge <strong>of</strong> the characters and themes.<br />
This year, students accomplished these goals in an exercise designed<br />
to take advantage <strong>of</strong> their primary means <strong>of</strong> communication outside <strong>of</strong><br />
school: text messaging.<br />
The novel takes place in 1967. Students transported the setting to 2012<br />
and asked the question, “What if the major characters had cell phones<br />
What would they text to each other” The rules were simple: do not<br />
change the novel’s plot or change a character’s personality. Students were<br />
paired <strong>of</strong>f as characters and assigned an event in the novel. They then<br />
were given time to text each other. Afterwards, they presented their text<br />
conversations to the class.<br />
The results were encouraging. Each text conversation showed<br />
significant insight into the characters’ thoughts and feelings The<br />
presentations were quite animated. Students critiqued their classmates,<br />
which brought out further insights. Students were able to connect those<br />
insights to the themes <strong>of</strong> the novel and then to their own lives.<br />
The experiment went so well that the next day we repeated the<br />
exercise using different characters and settings, this time for a grade.<br />
Besides the slightly guilty pleasure <strong>of</strong> using their cell phones in school,<br />
students were excited. Afterwards, they anonymously wrote their thoughts<br />
about the test.<br />
One student wrote, “The texting made it easier because I got to build<br />
<strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> what the other character was saying.” Another student noted, “I had<br />
to understand the character to text his words. I also had to understand the<br />
character I was sending my text to.”<br />
Many students wrote that because the exercise was fun, they learned<br />
better. One even said, “I completely forgot that I was taking a test!”<br />
Seventh grade students continue to write weekly assignments using<br />
paper and pen. Traditional writing is still the backbone <strong>of</strong> learning<br />
to write and think. As time passes, though, technology must play an<br />
increasing role in student learning. Regardless <strong>of</strong> method, only one thing<br />
is important: authentic, real-life learning must occur.<br />
Did it this time One student summed it all up: “If I had not done this<br />
exercise, I probably would not have learned as much as I did. It made me<br />
want to learn. And I did!”<br />
Andrew Gallo (l) and Dominic Lario create a text conversation between two characters in<br />
a novel they have just read.<br />
Seventh grade students use text messaging to explore character development in the<br />
novel, The Outsiders.
22 | The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 2 | April 26, 2012<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
News from 1A<br />
The children in 1A completed several creative writing projects related<br />
to Saint Patrick’s Day. They each wrote directions for how to catch<br />
a leprechaun, made a list <strong>of</strong> what they would do with a pot <strong>of</strong> gold,<br />
described what they would wish for on a four leaf clover, and wrote a<br />
journal story about a leprechaun visiting their homes.<br />
We also read about Saint Patrick and made Holy Trinity Shamrocks to<br />
illustrate the concept <strong>of</strong> Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three in one.<br />
They practiced their estimation skills by participating in The Great<br />
Estimation Challenge. Using a small jar containing ten beans as a<br />
reference, the children estimated the number <strong>of</strong> beans in progressively<br />
larger jars.<br />
They also recently completed a science unit about how simple<br />
machines help us do work. At our Invention Convention they had the<br />
opportunity to build and explore some <strong>of</strong> the principles using ramps,<br />
marble, wooden blocks, Kinex, and gears. Master Builder Jack Paddock<br />
and assistants built a swing and seesaw set to demonstrate how a lever<br />
(seesaw) and pendulum (swing) work with their muscle power.<br />
Pictured demonstrating several writing projects are (from left to right) Luke Sisolak,<br />
Lauren Buono, Sophia Gonzalez, and Dylan Moran.<br />
The Great Estimation Challenge<br />
Pictured are the students whose estimate was closest to the target for each jar. From left<br />
to right are Fiona Torchia (with the reference jar), Joseph Cortez, Jude Perrucci, Thomas<br />
Kohler, Malulani Mountcastle, and Brandon Foster.<br />
From left to right are Robert Les, Francesca Ward, Jack Paddock, and May Sukkarieh.<br />
News from 1B<br />
Can you hear me now<br />
Mrs. Biancaniello’s first grade class uses “Whisper Phones” to practice reading in class.<br />
Lukas Christ, Courtney Snyder, Will Kelly, Adriana Kirwin,<br />
Marley Carolan.<br />
Elle Rufino, Isaac Havener, Michael Caulder, Autumn Brutschea.<br />
Don’t<br />
Keep It To Yourself<br />
Have an idea for a story or article... perhaps there’s<br />
something you’d like to see in the pages <strong>of</strong> our <strong>Good</strong><br />
<strong>Counsel</strong> Courier. Well don’t keep it to yourself...<br />
let us know about it.<br />
Send me an e-mail to<br />
deaconheffernan@comcast.net<br />
or call me on my cell 856-905-5019.
April 26, 2012 | Issue 2 | Vol. 4<br />
Korean Culture Day in First Grade<br />
By Linda Halpin<br />
First Grader Grace Halpin was born in Seoul,<br />
South Korea. Every year she likes to share her<br />
Korean heritage with her classmates. This year<br />
Grace wanted to teach her first grade classmates<br />
about Korean food and traditions. She<br />
was joined by 4th grader Jay Kim and 7th grader<br />
Casey Lee who are also Korean.<br />
Grace wore her hanbok, the traditional<br />
Korean dress. She taught the class that the<br />
Korean meal starts with small side dishes called<br />
“pajeons”. At the Korean table, children must<br />
wait for the elders at the table to start to eat.<br />
Then the children can begin to eat. This is a<br />
sign <strong>of</strong> respect for their elders. Rice and a spicy<br />
cabbage dish called Kimchi is eaten with every<br />
meal. Bulgogi is a common beef dish served in<br />
Korean homes and restaurants.<br />
Grace demonstrated to the class how to<br />
prepare the marinade for bulgogi. Casey told<br />
the story that at McDonald’s in Korea, you<br />
can order a sandwich with bulgogi instead <strong>of</strong><br />
hamburger. Jay explained about the traditions<br />
<strong>of</strong> food served at the time <strong>of</strong> funerals. Grace,<br />
Jay and Casey talked about Rice Cake Soup and<br />
the traditions <strong>of</strong> Lunar New Year, the biggest<br />
holiday in Korea.<br />
The first graders had the chance to taste<br />
some Korean food. They had rice, dumplings, a<br />
noodle dish called jap chae, fruit salad and Korean<br />
cookies. The children enjoyed eating their<br />
food with chopsticks.<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
The day was a wonderful opportunity for<br />
Grace to share her Korean heritage with her<br />
classmates. She was happy that Jay and Casey<br />
were able to join her and share their knowledge<br />
and experiences <strong>of</strong> Korea and the Korean<br />
culture.<br />
Grace Halpin in her hanbok, the traditional<br />
Korean dress.<br />
The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier | 23<br />
Grace and her mother show her classmates how to prepare a<br />
Korean meal together.<br />
Jay Kim, Grace Halpin and Casey Lee.<br />
100th Day <strong>of</strong> School<br />
Mrs. Biancaniello’s first grade class celebrates the 100th Day <strong>of</strong> School.<br />
They made necklaces with 100 beads and shared their collections <strong>of</strong> 100<br />
things from home. Nice job 1B !!!!<br />
Lukas Christ, Marian Howson, Will Kelly, Adriana Kirwin, and Isaac Havener show <strong>of</strong>f<br />
their 100th Day glasses.<br />
Bishop Eustace’s Spring Production was recently held at the Scottish Rite Theatre in<br />
Collingswood. Pictured are graduates <strong>of</strong> <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> School from left to<br />
right Liz Homer, Samantha Testa, John Elmer, Anthony Lario, Kim Johnson and Rachel<br />
Kueny all <strong>of</strong> whom attend Bishop Eustace Preparatory School. These students were<br />
active in the successful Theater Program at <strong>Our</strong> <strong>Lady</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> School run by<br />
MTC and their involvement and love <strong>of</strong> theater continues... Congratulations!<br />
Grace Halpin, Autumn Brutschea, Courtney Snyder, Alexandra Petroski, Marly Carolan,<br />
and Taylor Pitts (back row left to right). Tyler Mendys and Michael Caulder (front row left<br />
to right) with their collection <strong>of</strong> 100 things from home.<br />
Don’t Keep It To Yourself<br />
Have an idea for a story or article...<br />
perhaps there’s something you’d like to see<br />
in the pages <strong>of</strong> our <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier.<br />
Well don’t keep it to yourself...<br />
let us know about it.<br />
Send me an e-mail to<br />
deaconheffernan@comcast.net<br />
or call me on my cell 856-905-5019.
24 | The <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 2 | April 26, 2012<br />
www.olgcnj.org<br />
Fashion Show<br />
Tickets to the 54th annual PTA fashion show<br />
are on sale now! This year’s theme is, “Shore to<br />
Please,” and will be on Thursday, May 10th at The<br />
Merion.<br />
<strong>Our</strong> auction baskets promise to be better than<br />
ever featuring baskets from our favorite shore<br />
towns. The silent auction includes a one-week stay<br />
at a beautiful Stone Harbor shore house as well<br />
as tickets and tailgate package to a Notre Dame<br />
football game. You will not want to miss this year’s<br />
show!<br />
To purchase tickets, please contact Nancy<br />
Sheppard at (856) 914-0030 or e-mail to<br />
shep715@comcast.net . If you are interested in<br />
advertising in our program book, contact Andrea<br />
Vlastaris at (609) 702-5905 or e-mail acvlastaris@<br />
yahoo.com.<br />
If you would like to donate merchandise or<br />
a gift certificate to our auction baskets, contact<br />
Linda Halpin at (609) 694-5199 or e-mail linda.<br />
olgc@gmail.com.<br />
Those in the Parish who died<br />
in our parish:<br />
Rita Verderome 2/7/12<br />
Muriel Leslie 2/13/12<br />
Bernice Hubbs 2/24/12<br />
Charles Barry Middleton 2/23/12<br />
James McGorry 3/2/12<br />
Bernard Hynes 3/6/12<br />
Mary Cassidy 3/ 14/ 12<br />
Rita Volpe 3/27/12<br />
Philip Green 3/27/12<br />
Margaret Slook 3/29/12<br />
Bernard O’Reilly 3/31/12<br />
Ruth Anne Moccia 4/2/12<br />
Robert Middleton 4/10/12