Parish News & Events

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 17th (ashes will be distributed during the two Masses and the prayer service) and concludes quietly and without ceremony in the late afternoon of Holy Thursday , April 1st before the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper. The six weeks of Lent are dedicated to a deeper conversation to Christ and our spiritual growth. The Parish will offer the following opportunities for you:

 

with Mrs. Mary Naughton

Saturday, March 13.  9 AM to 12 Noon at Father Smith Hall.

Mary Naughton is a Roman Catholic lay woman; a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. For over 25 years she has been a Spiritual Director, Supervisor, and Retreat Director, with a particular interest in the interface of spirituality and social justice. She holds Master’s Degrees in English Literature and in Religious Studies /Spirituality Magna Cum Laude from Fordham University and Certificates in Spiritual Direction and Retreat Direction from the Center for Spirituality and Justice in the Bronx and has further training in Directing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius from The Jesuit Spiritual Center in Wernersville, PA. She has been a high school and college teacher, a Director of Campus Ministry, a Parish Director of Religious Education, and a Pastoral Associate in both the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Archdiocese of New York, most recently at the Jesuit Church of St. Ignatius Loyola on Park Avenue in Manhattan. She has also been a faculty member at Fordham University Graduate School of Religion, the Brooklyn Diocesan Pastoral Institute and the NY Archdiocesan Spirituality Institute and has led both Directed and Guided Retreats at several Retreat Houses in the New York area. Her articles on both youth and adult parish spirituality have been published in Church magazine and Religion Teacher’s Journal. She lives on City Island with her husband of 36 years, Bill.

by FR. CHRIS PIASTA, OFM

Dear Brothers and Sisters, In June of 2005, when I was leaving Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, for a temporary assignment in San Antonio, Texas, I little knew about Little Neck and Douglaston. I was associating Queens with awful traffic conditions, lots of concrete, and almost no trees at all. When I finally pulled over into St. Anastasia parking lot in August of 2005, I was struck by the green surrounding, (the traffic was still a little hassle on that day—I have to admit), but I liked the new place right away. Who thought it would be so beautiful in Queens? Slowly but surely, I came to know the people of St. Anastasia: Msgr. Ryan, Msgr. Cantley, Fr. George Lutjen, Fr. Ed and Fr. Bill, the staff at the Rectory and school, and of course you, dear Friends, who all have created a new and great home for me. With some of you, it became quite personal through baptisms, confirmations, reconciliations, CCD/ LAB sessions, Knights of Columbus, Youth Group, Movie Club and so many usual encounters on the street, at Stop & Shop, at 711 and elsewhere. I loved to pray with you and meet you at the altar on weekdays and holy days. Some of you I was able to meet at your homes, hospitals and nursing homes. Some, I was blessed to bury from our church and say to them “see you in heaven” from the altar. You have all become especially close to me, when over a year ago I heard about the death of my own mother. Your outpouring compassion and prayers helped me tremendously as I was walking through these difficult days. I have had many great laughs with so many of you, and sometimes we grieved together as well. I will always remember that. It seems, however, that my time as one of your priests at St. Anastasia is coming to an end.

Recently, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio has asked me to take two new assignments, and on Tuesday, January 26 he has officially entrusted to my pastoral care two Catholic Communities in our Diocese. As of Monday, February 1, I will be the administrator at St. Joseph’s Parish in South Jamaica; the other assignment will become known in the next few days and effective on February 15. It does not mean, however, you will completely stop seeing me at St. Anastasia; I will still be residing at our Rectory and fulfilling my new ministries from here, at least for a while.

At this time, I would like to thank the priests of St. Anastasia for their brotherly love and support and very fulfilling sense of working together; I would like to thank all of you, dear Brothers and Sisters for your help, love, understanding and enrichment that I have received from you throughout all these years. Forgive me, if I have ever offended, hurt or misunderstood you. I pray for you and the future of St. Anastasia’s Community, which truly deserves great priests keeping faith, hope and love alive in your hearts.

God bless,

Bishop Ignatius Cantanello will confirm the 2010 candidates from Divine Wisdom Catholic Academy and St. Anastasia Religious Education program on Sunday, May 16 at 2 PM. Please keep the candidates for the sacrament in your prayers.

We have special communion hosts available for all Masses celebrated at St. Anastasia. These hosts are made out of potatoes and rice and are gluten-, wheat-, dairy-, corn-, and soy-free. If you want to receive such host, please ask any priest, Christ the sacristan, or any minister of hospitality a few minutes before the Mass begins. All such hosts are consecrated as needed; we do not store consecrated these hosts in the tabernacle.

As you welcome and admire the new altar for our church, I thought it would be interesting to appreciate some of the elements that went into the design by Willy Malarcher. After he received the commission for an altar in St. Anastasia Church, he did some research on the life of Anastasia.

The 2010 Mass book is now open and available for intentions.  Stop in or call the rectory for information.

The 2010 Mass Book opening will take place on Saturday, October 24, 2009 in Father Smith Hall from 9 AM to 12 Noon. No dates will be given out before October 24.

Date: TO BE Announced.  Place: Saint Anastasia Church, Father Smith Hall.  Cost: $25. If you have Original MEDICARE there will be NO out of pocket cost. Medicare will be billed upon your request. (This does not apply if you have an Advantage HMO Medicare plan). Seasonal Flu shots will available to anyone age 18 years and older. For each Original Medicare Beneficiary that receives a flu shot, $1.00 will be donated to Saint Anastasia Parish. Seasonal flu vaccine will NOT protect you against the Swine Flu (H1N1).

It’s 10 AM on Sunday. Do you know where your children are? At Family Mass, the presiding priest calls the children to the front of the church. The group is led out the door by a catechist. But where do they go? What do they do? Let’s follow the children along to see what takes place “behind the scenes”