NO COMPARISONS
How many times have we read or heard about someone who's gotten into trouble—maybe even fired from a job—because of a brush with the law? While our “Christian” minds tell us to be sorry and even pray for the person, a little voice inside our heads may also be saying, “I'm glad I would never do anything like that.”
And perhaps we wouldn't. But are there some things we do that are still not pleasing in God's eyes? Today's readings caution us not to look so intently at someone else's wrongdoing that we overlook our own weaknesses and shortcomings. When we measure ourselves against the worst people we can think of, we come out looking pretty good. There is a danger, however, in using someone else's behavior as a way of reflecting our own goodness.
© Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest until it reaches its goal, nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds. —Sirach 35:17-18a
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES
Sunday: Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time;
World Youth Day
Wednesday: Halloween
Thursday: All Saints
Friday: The Commemoration of all the Faithful
Departed (All Souls); First Friday
Saturday: St. Martin de Porres; Blessed Virgin Mary;
First Saturday
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday: Rom 8:12-17; Lk 13:10-17
Tuesday: Rom 8:18-25; Lk 13:18-21
Wednesday: Rom 8:26-30; Lk 13:22-30
Thursday: Rv 7:2-4, 9-14; 1 Jn 3:1-3; Mt 5:1-12a
Friday: Wis 3:1-9; Rom 5:5-11 or 6:3-9; Jn 6:37-40,
or any readings from no. 668 or from the
Masses for the Dead, nos. 1011-1016
Saturday: Rom 11:1-2a, 11-12, 25-29; Lk 14:1, 7-11
Sunday: Wis 11:22 — 12:2; Ps 145;
2 Thes 1:11 — 2:2; Lk 19:1-10
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY'S READINGS
First Reading — The Lord is not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint (Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18).
Psalm — The Lord hears the cry of the poor (Psalm 34).
Second Reading — The Lord will rescue me from every threat (2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18).
Gospel — All who exalt themselves will be humbled; all who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 18:9-14).
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Congress passed an energy bill in 2005 extending daylight savings time by a month. Effective in 2007, DST started the second Sunday of March and will end on the first Sunday of November. Remember to turn your clocks back next weekend at 2 a.m. on November 4th.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 May the special graces of baptism, through water and the Holy Spirit lead you to everlasting life. Our parish community rejoices with you and gives praise to God for this new gift of life. God bless…
Lucian Carlo D'Ambrosi
son of Nicole and Carlo
Congratulations and may our Lord continue to bless you, guide you and keep you in His loving care!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And the two shall become one...
Best wishes to the families of
Christina Pisani and Adam Ligas
united in marriage on October 27th
May your lives be blessed with
everlasting love and contentment.
Congratulations!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our parish community congratulates Eric and Cyndi Curtis
as they renew their Wedding Vows in celebration of their 25th Wedding Anniversary
May God bless you with many future years filled with blessings, contentment and joy!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sacrificial giving nurtures the spirit of the giver and helps to build a better world. Thank you for your support and generosity for last week's collection.
Last Sunday's Collection: $5,098.00
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2007 Bishop's Annual Appeal
IN GIVING … WE RECEIVE
The Catholic Charities agencies of the Paterson Diocese do not serve just one particular area, but instead can be found helping people in every corner of our Diocese. Examples of the outreach include the adult day center in Sussex County, group homes for disabled adults in Morris County and drug and alcohol counseling services in Passaic County. Your gift to the Bishop's Annual Appeal reaches beyond parish boundaries to bring Christ's love to our brothers and sisters in need. Please consider just how valuable your participation can be and give generously to the 2007 Bishop's Annual Appeal. Thank you!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanksgiving Ecumenical Service
Once again, we are organizing our annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Children's Choir which will sing on Tuesday evening, November 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church on Main Street. Youth from our parish and area congregations are invited to participate in joyful song for this annual joyous community event. Children of all ages are most-welcomed!
Three important practices will be held on Tuesdays, October 30, (no practice on November 6), November 13, and on the day of our Service, November 20. We practice from 4:45 to 5:30 inside our Church. Some bright new music plans are in the works! Please MARK YOUR CALENDAR with these rehearsal dates today! Let's introduce Fr. Bogie to our community traditions with the rousing participation so indicative of all our dedicated Youth Music Ministers!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Attention Singers!
Lessons and Carols choir practice begins this Sunday, October 28 in the church from 6:00—8:00 p.m.
Adults and teens are encouraged to participate in our annual celebration of the holy season's readings and song. The only requirement for participation is the ability to consistently attend weekly practices until the performance date. Lessons and Carols will take place on Sunday, December 2 at 7:00 p.m.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Help reduce poverty in the United States
“Poverty Around Us”
It's a fact of life that people with health insurance have a better chance to be healthy. The number of Children in New Jersey without Health insurance rose by 37% between 2000 and 2005 while the national rate dropped by 9%. To learn more about poverty visit

• www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/poverty


• www.actnow.org/docs/07/First-Things-First-New-Jersey.pdf


• www.lsnj.org/PDFs/budget/FinalBenchmarksReport012507.pdf


• www.njpp.org/rpt_fallingshort.html

Catholic Charities USA
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Sunday Social
Stop by the Lyceum after the 10:30 a.m. Mass to enjoy a light breakfast with Fr. Bogie and fellow parishioners.
The Parish community expresses deep gratitude to all of the parishioners who volunteer to help with the preparations each week.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Prayer Shawl Ministry Meetings are held in the Ministry House once a month. The next Prayer Shawl meeting will take place on Monday, November 19th at 7:30 p.m. New members are always welcome. No knitting/crochet experience necessary. Come join us to knit and pray as we create mantles of caring for the person who will receive the shawl.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Children's Liturgy of the Word
Ministers are needed to teach Children's Liturgy. Children's Liturgy is offered at the Saturday, 5:00 p.m. Mass, and at the Sunday 9:15 and 10:30 a.m. Masses. If you have interest in becoming a minister for Children's Liturgy please contact Cynthia at 827-9575.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Parish Cookbooks
make great gifts!
We have plenty of Parish Cookbooks available. Each book is only $10.00 and make nice gifts. To purchase, contact rectory at 973-827-9575.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please Consider Helping Meals on Wheels!
Become a volunteer for Sussex County Meals on Wheels. By donating one hour a week of your time to help deliver meals in your community, you will enhance the wellbeing of a homebound senior citizen. For more information call 973-209-0123 and speak with the Volunteer Recruiter.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOUPer Sunday Food Drive Today
The last Sunday of every month is designated as SOUPer Sunday. Donations of non-perishable food items, toiletries, cleaning products and scripts are needed.
Contributions are brought to the Partnership for Social Services Family Center's Food Pantry. Through your good will, generosity and kindness we will be helping to meet the needs of the less fortunate families in our Community. As always, we thank you for your continued support and whatever you can offer will be greatly appreciated.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silence is a gift of God, to let us speak more intimately with God. — St. Vincent Pallotti
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LIFENET will be holding an adult training seminar for youth leaders, teachers, parents and people with a heart for youth called “True Love Waits 1” which is a program to empower young people to save sex for marriage. Come and be trained to present this 5-session program to your youth group or high school and jr. high school age students and see resources to help you communicate the message of sexual purity in an interesting and positive way. Saturday, November 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at St. Mary's Church in Denville. Sponsored by LIFENET. For further information call 732-264-1865 or visit www.lifenetnj.org.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Announcing Sr. Helen Prejean
“Dead Man Walking:
The Journey Continues”
St. Mary's Parish in Pompton Lakes is pleased to announce that Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ, will visit on Nov. 9th to talk about the death penalty. Sr. Helen's talk “Dead Man Walking: The Journey Continues” will enlighten all. This internationally know speaker and author of “Dead Man Walking“ and “The Death of Innocence: an Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions” is a sought after lecturer. Donation: Adults $10, Seniors/Students $7
Friday, Nov. 9 at 7:00 p.m.
in the Carnevale Center at St. Mary's Parish
10 Lenox Ave., Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442
Join us to hear this impassioned speaker and best selling author who with restrained outrage brilliantly dismantles the legal and religious arguments that have been used to justify the death penalty.
Sr. Helen will be available after her talk to personally autograph copies of her books.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wallkill Valley Regional High School
Project Graduation Committee
offers tickets for the
“Simon Evening of Giving”
at Rockaway Mall on Nov. 18th 6:30-10:00 Rockaway Mall closes to the public and is open exclusively to ticket holders for an evening of promotions, wine and cheese, family entertainment, and more! Tickets are $10.00 with a $7.00 return to support Project Graduation. Contact Michelle Sydoryk at 827-5491 for tickets and further information.
Throughout the year Project Graduation raises funds to provide the students with an evening of fun and entertainment at a local health spa facility on their graduation night where they are together, safe, away from substance abuse, alcohol, and off the roads. Supporting Project Graduation supports parent's hopes and may save lives and future dreams of our youth.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First keep peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others. — Thomas Ü Kempis
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Please remember to pray for our parishioners and friends who are ill:
In Nursing Homes: Ceil Williams, Pauline Trofimuk, Anna Elekes, Betty Swetz, Frank Kalafut and Mary Devine.
At Home: Loraine Schenker, Maria Woppel, Diane Sidoli, Robert Zeuner, Evelyn Caljean, Danielle Dionisio, Thomas Dionisio, Jr., Steven “Itchy” Novak, Flo Yurchak, Ethel Segarra, Mary Carmody and Lisa Stine.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please continue to keep all those serving in the military in your thoughts and prayers especially:
Jamison Micke, Stephen Saski, Jr., Christopher Faber, SFC Morgan McHose, LCPL William Mathes, LCPL Ernest Mathes, Karen Hassler and Tom Oroho.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Family Perspective
The bragging Pharisee and the humble tax collector were not the main characters in today's gospel. God is, because what God does within us is more important than what we do. Let go of your agenda and allow His agenda (Grace) to change you and your family. By Bud Ozar
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's time for our
Thanksgiving Food Drive
Our parish Thanksgiving Food Drive will begin next weekend!
Your response to help the many needy families in our community has always been very generous and so very much appreciated.
Donations of food or gift certificates to local food stores may be brought to the Church anytime until Sunday, November 18th. The goods will be distributed to those in need the week of Thanksgiving. Perhaps you would like to put a Thanksgiving dinner together … whatever you give will be greatly appreciated!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Attention Parish Ushers
A meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 7th at 7:30 p.m. in the Church.
All current Ushers and parishioners who are interested in becoming an Usher are asked to make every effort to come to this meeting. Please call the Rectory, 827-9575, to confirm your attendance.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All Saints Day
Masses offered for All Saints Day
Wed. Oct. 31—Vigil Mass at 7:00 p.m.
Thur. Nov. 1—Mass at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RECOGNIZING THE KILLING FROST
Last night while we all slept the killing frost came upon us, just as we knew it would. So this morning the colors are a bit less so, and the morning chill knows it's won. The tomato plants are limp, too, and the palette of summer's flowers has surrendered to autumn's hardier hues. That's what the killing frost does to our lives. It slips in while we sleep.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
INSIDE THE READINGS
Today's first reading from the book of Sirach sets the stage for the parable of Jesus to follow: "The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds" (Sirach 35:17). Today's Gospel is a perfect example of how the prayer of the humble effects justification.
Earlier in the Gospel Jesus declared, "I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners" (Luke 5:32). The Pharisee and tax collector are types of the self-righteous and the sinner. Clearly not all Pharisees are self-righteous, but as a group they have become the model of that attitude. The man in the parable lists his virtues, justifying himself before God. For example, he goes farther than the Mosaic law demands in fasting and tithing. But he has disdain for the tax collector and "the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous" (18:11).
By contrast, the tax collector also appears before God in the temple with all the signs of true repentance. He "would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, '0 God, be merciful to me a sinner'" (18:13). He leaves judgment to God. Jesus as the Son of God declares the tax collector justified.
Luke wants his Christian readers to learn the lesson from the parable. Humility is required, not self-exaltation. All followers of Jesus should approach him with the tax collector's humble and contrite prayer of petition, "O God, be merciful to me a sinner" (18:13).
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THOUGHTS FOR ACTION
In some ways, we're like the Pharisee of this week's Gospel. He was a very good man, he really was. He just didn't know that the killing frost had slowly settled into his life. He never felt the ice in the garden of his soul. In other ways, we're like the tax collector. He knew the killing frost had come, but was unsure about whether God would really be merciful to him, a sinner. If we're honest with ourselves, we are both sinful and graced—it's good to admit to both. None of us is ever completely one or the other. We are both, and neither side is self-sufficient or without hope as long as we can turn to Jesus.
 
Excerpted and edited from LIVING THE WORD for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time commentary by Msgr. Ralph Kuehner and Rev. Joseph Juknialis, © 2007 by J. S. Paluch Co., Inc. 10/28/07
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

---