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SCHOOL CHOICE; WHAT IS IT, AND IS IT CONSTITUTIONAL?

Put simply, supporters of school choice embrace the belief that parents are entitled to a government-funded education for their children through grade 12, regardless of race, creed, color, disability, economic status or address. That education may be provided in traditional public schools, charter schools, non-public schools or home schools, according to the needs of the child.
The question of the constitutionality of school choice was answered resoundingly in 2002, when the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision by upholding the Cleveland voucher program in the Zelman v. Harris decision. This landmark decision is consistent with a long series of Supreme Court opinions, including a 1983 ruling which upheld Minnesota's income tax deduction for educational expenses, including private school tuition. Although some states have "Blaine amendments" in their state constitutions which would affect school choice legislation in those states, New Jersey has no such impediment. Thus, based on recent rulings by the Supreme Court, school choice legislation would be constitutional if it met the following three criteria:
  1. If parents make the decision which non-public school their child attends;
  2. If there is no financial incentive to attend a religious school over a public school; and
  3. If the program does not allow undue government interference with religious schools.
In defending the primary role of parents in the education of their children, the Catholic Church supports true school choice as a cost effective means of providing parents with the best educational setting for their children.

What is Marriage?

Marriage, as instituted by God, is a faithful, excluslve, lifelong union of a man and a woman joined in an intimate community of 11fe and love. They commit themselves completely to each other and to the wondrous responsibility of bringing children into the world and caring for them. The call to marr[age is woven deeply into the human spirit. Man and woman are equaL However, as created, they are different from but made for each other. This complementarity, including sexual difference, draws them together in a mutually loving union that should be always open to the procreation of children (see Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], nos. 1602-1605).

Some past messages....

From your Valentine

St. Valentine was a priest who was executed around 270 A.D. There are many things we dont know about this martyr, but there are numerous, sometimes conflicting, stories about his life and death. One says that he was slain for performing weddings in secret after the Roman Emperor, Claudius II, had outlawed them. Another legend says it was because he helped Christians escape from brutal Roman prisons.

In 498 A.D., just over 200 years after Valentine's execution, Pope Gelasius declared Februany 14 as St. Valentine's Day. Valentine's love for God and humanity has made him "the patron of love' in the Roman Catholic Church and for peop e around the world.

By the mid-1700's it was common practice for friends and sweethearts to exchange trinkets made in the shape of heads or to send handwritten notes of affection on February 14. It's believed that Valentine himself sent the first "valentine" while imprisoned. He is said to have written a letter to a young girl who visited him in prison just before his death. He signed the letter, "From your Valentine," a sentiment still used today.

LENT

Lent has been observed by Christians since the fourth century. It is a time of reflection, penitence and spiritual renewal before Easter. Lent ends at midnight on Holy Saturday, the night before Easter Sunday.
During Lent some Christians focus on giving up something. Is it absolutely necessary for the observation of Lent to give up a delicacy or a bad habit or an hour of sleep in order to pray? Who can truly say? What one does during the Lenten period should be a matter between a Christian and God. Some may decide to do something extra for their spiritual growth. Others may indeed '~give up something that's a hindrance to the spiritual life. Some may make a special sacrifice of some sort. And some may decide to improve their communication and fellowship with God by having special times of prayer throughout the day, or vow to worship in the church at every service held.The important thing is to make Lent a special time, a memorable time. A time so meaningful that it sets the tone for the rest of the entire year. At the very least it should be a time of sincere spiritual growth.

Saint Patrick's Day
March 17th
St. Patrick's story is full of adventure, heroism, and above all, faith. Patrick was born in the year 385 on what is today know as the west coast of England, and grew up in a religious family, though he himself was not particularly religious. When he was only 16, Patrick was captured by raiders and taken to Ireland where he worked as a servant tending sheep. During that time, Patrick learned to value his faith and he became a very prayerful man.
After six years of servitude, Patrick escaped and happily returned to Roman England. However, in a dream he heard God calling him to return to Ireland to teach and convert people to Christianity. So Patrick studied for the priesthood and was eventually made a bishop. In the year 432 he returned to Ireland, this time not as a servant but as a missionary bishop.
The best known legend of St. Patrick is that he charmed all the snakes in Ireland into the sea where they drowned. The snakes were symbolic of the evil being driven out of the country when Patrick converted Ireland to Christianity.
It is said that Patrick caused Christ's Gospel to be welcomed far and wide and eventually led to Ireland's conversion. Another legend has it that he once used a green shamrock to show the people how God can be three persons in one. Each of the three leaves represented the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. The stem represented the Godhead from which the three proceed. This led to the popular custom of the "wearing of the green" on March 17th, the date of Patrick's death. He faced many dangers and much opposition in his missionary work, but he always believed that God had called him to his ministry. How fitting it is that we should rejoice and celebrate on March 17, St. Patrick's Feast Day. He is a great model of faith for all of us.

Special Lenten Dispensation For Saint Patrick's Day!

AREA CATHOLICS MAY EAT MEAT THIS FRIDAY! Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio has issued a personal Dispensation to all Catholics living in the Diocese of Camden. A personal Dispensation means that even if one is not physically in the diocese at the time, they may still eat meat this Friday. This dispensation is granted in recognition of the large number of Catholics ofIrish descent in the region who honor St. Patrick as their patron saint. Corned Beef and cabbage is a traditional Irish dinner.
Catholics who eat meat on St. Patrick's Day should substitute some other act of penance or charity.

First Sunday of Advent

During Advent We Wait With 'A Promise In Our Hearts'
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. For you I wait all the long day, because of your goodness, Lord. Psalm 25:5

Waiting is essential to the spiritual life. But waiting as a disciple of Jesus is not an empty waiting. It is a waiting with a promise in our hearts that makes already present what we are waiting for. We wait during Advent for the birth of Jesus. We wait after Easter for the coming of the Spirit, and after the Ascension of Jesus we wait for his coming again in glory. We are always waiting, but it is a waiting in the conviction that we have already seen God's footsteps.
Waiting for God is an active, alert -yes, joyful waiting. As we wait we remember him for whom we are waiting, and as we remember him we create a community ready to welcome him when he comes. Lord, by your grace may I learn the art of waiting for you and your gifts with an eager and joyful heart.

THE ADVENT WREATH SYMBOLISM

THE ADVENT WREATH BLESSING

(This prayer may be made by any member of the household.) God our Father, we have been redeemed by the coming of your Son, the eternal Light, into our world of darkness and sin. May this Advent wreath be blessed (+) in your name. Throughout this holy season may these ceremonies deep in our conviction in the power of his redeeming presence. May Advent move us to be l~is light to the confused and blind, his warmth to the cold and indifferent, his flaming pillar to the wandering and lost. We ask these favors of you. Father, through Christ, Light of the world, in his Spirit of love, forever and ever. Amen!

Our Readings at Mass
Beginning on the First Sunday of Advent, November 28, 1998, we will begin to use the new translation of the Sacred Scriptures. However, you will notice that the old translation is still used in our missalettes, as the new translation was approved too late for publication in the missalettes. The new translation will be included in the misalettes beginning with the Easter publication. In the mean time, it is a good idea to just sit back and listen rather than to try to read along with the lector and allow the fullness and richness of the Word of God fill our spirit; for as St. Paul says, "Faith comes through hearing."
Some frequently asked questions about the new Lectionary:
1. What is the Lectionary for Mass?
After the Second Vatican Council ended in 1965, all books used for the liturgy were revised. The Lectionary (book of readings for the Mass was published in 1970. This Lectionary included a wide range of readings from the Bible, with several cycles of readings for Sundays and weekdays, and was revised by the holy See in 1981.
2. What's new in this Lectionary?
Additional cycles of readings for some solemnities and additional options for Masses for Various Needs and Occasions have been introduced. An extensive introduction provides theological and practical background on the Lectionary along with lectionaries for all the ritual books which have been published in the last thirty years.
3. What about inclusive language?
The new Lectionary strives for maximum possible fidelity to the biblical text. When that text is not gender specific, the new Lectionary is gender specific. While certain tools are appropriate to achieve such inclusivitv (for example, whoever, the one, anyone, etc...), other tools (for example, change of person and number) change the meaning of the biblical text. The new Lectionary never changes the biblical text in order to make it more "inclusive".
4. May a reader change the text in proclamation?
No. Just as the Church is obligated to faithfully proclaim the Bible as it has been passed on, the reader is obliged to faithfully proclaim the biblical text exactly as it appears in the Lectionary Mass. The homily is the proper place to explain biblical texts which are unclear or appear to be inconsistent with contemporary sensitivities. We can never change the Bible because it is the Word of God.
5. Is this the same Lectionary used throughout the English speaking world?
While various translations of the Bible in English and other languages may be employed in each country Lectionary, the choice of the readings is the same throughout the world. This Lectionary is the typical edition of the Latin Ordo Leclionun, Missae authorized for use in the United States.
8. Who chose this Lectionary?
This Lectionary was approved by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (with more than two thirds majority vote) and confirmed by Congregation or Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments oil behalf of the Holy See. Once the second volume of the Lectionary has been published, it will become the only Lectionary text which may be used in the United States.

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