St. Joseph Parish Council
The meeting was called to order by President, Jack Marinella, at 7:10 p.m. in the Parish Hall Basement. Minerva Rodriguez led the meeting in prayer.
Attendance: Msgr. Dominic Bottino, Marti Badagliacco, Richard Blasberg, Pat Campanella, Anthony Capella, Sal Capelli, Frank Carrelli, Madge Codone, David DiMeglio, Tom Durney, Mary Kryvoruka, Hugh LaMonaca, Maryann Laslie, Joseph Olive, Anthony Padovani, Burwell Porter (Trustee), Burwell Porter (Trustee), Elvera Porter, Minerva Rodriguez (Trustee), Agustin Saldana, Sr. Dorothy Toussaint
Excused: Ron
Chance, Alex Tigro Absent: Nimia Bermudez, Pat Rodio
Ways and
Means Committee: Anthony Capella,
chairperson, Anthony Padovani, Nimia Bermudez, Pat Rodio
A license is being sought for the
annual $100 a ticket raffle. Dolores Salvo will aid in this activity. The
drawing will take place at the Clam Bake. There will also be a Ways and Means
booth at the July 16th Feast to sell the tickets.
Ecumenical Committee: Joe Olive, chairperson, Nimia Bermudez (No Report)
Education Committee: Anthony Padovani, chairperson, Richard
Blasberg (No Report)
Liturgical Committee: Marti Badagliacco, chairperson, Ron Chance
St. Joseph Mass, procession, and social were successful after the 9 a.m. Mass on St. Joseph Feast Day.
Altar server trainees have been serving 6:30 Mass and doing very well. Twelve Servers will be invested on Sunday, April 10, 2005, at the 10:30 a.m. Mass.
Holy Week and Easter bilingual services moved along smoothly and were well accepted.
At the next meeting, the Mt. Carmel Feast liturgies will be planned.
Maintenance
Committee: Sal Capelli, chairperson,
Anthony Capella, Ron Chance, Dave DiMeglio, Agustin Saldana
Thanks to Bob Capoferri and Ken Messina for the use of their equipment and time in the removal of the air condition unit from the roof and the removal of the bell.
Thanks was also given to Dave DiMeglio for his equipment and labor in the removal of the rest of the shrubs along French Street and the shrubs that were removed at the convent to make room for the new site of the Blessed Mother statue. He also removed the remainder of the concrete from the demolished house.
A special thank you to Jim Peterson of Egg Harbor who will be moving the statue on Wednesday, April 4, 2005, to its new site. Thanks also to the Crescenzo family for their consent in the moving.
Another thank you to John Mazzeo for the plumbing work done in the rectory and the church.
Plans are underway to construct a 24 x 60 foot Pole Barn at the cemetery which should be completed by the end of May. All the chicken coops will be removed. A large amount of cement (approximately $5,000 worth) will be needed at this site along with labor. The Guadalupe Society is willing to help with their services. Parishioners will be informed on how they can help through the bulletin, sign-up sheets, and through announcements made by Monsignor after the Masses.
Thank you to George Hummel for the electrical work done both at the church and the school. The cost is for materials only.
Placement of electrical panels for the feast will be studied. Anthony Capella was able, at no charge, to obtain 4000-watt bulbs to light the area for the feast.
Thanks to Lou Santanello for landscaping the front of the school and to the G Boys for removing the Green House behind the school
Jim Ford donated his services to correct the heater problem in the Parish Hall basement.
Sewer and water lines at cemetery are being worked on. Spigots will be placed at each end of the Cemetery, one on First Road and the other on Chew Road. Other details are being worked out by Dave DiMeglio, Sal Capelli, and Monsignor Bottino.
Much work is being done in the grade school on Third Street. Air conditioning for part of the building was installed, walls are being added/removed to prepare for Pre-School. Other projects include the cleaning of the gym and locker rooms and the installation/renovation of bathrooms.
Anthony Padovani and Monsignor Bottino informed the committee that the Casino Industry has a commitment to Atlantic City, Atlantic County, and the State of New Jersey (in that order) to aid in community-based needs projects. Our Parish Hall needs to be renovated or replaced. Since it is used for community-based projects, such as, blood Drives, Senior Citizens, AA, Youth Group, Spanish Community activities, distributing food baskets at Thanksgiving and Christmas, etc., we may be eligible to receive all or part of the funds needed to erect a Parish Hall. Anthony Padovani will pursue this issue.
Social
Activities Committee: Elvera Porter, chairperson, Mary Kryvoruka, Marti
Badagliacco, Madge Codone, Pat Campanella
“Spring Fling” arrangements are being finalized. Adeline Grillo has made tickets available through parish council members, the office, and after the Masses. Prizes will be given and flower arrangements, made by Marti Badagliacco, will be raffled off. A DJ (Rob Con Salvo) will include Spanish music for evening entertainment. The activities will be publicized in the Hammonton News, Gazette, and Star Herald. Flyers will be placed in other area churches. April 10, 2005, is the cut off date for the ticket sales.
Monsignor Bottino complimented the Social Activities Committee as well as others for their work in providing social activities for the parish. He indicated that our parish, compared to others, is to be commended for the many social activities that are provided. He expressed his gratitude to the many volunteers who run the socials.
Monsignor informed the committee that a Mass book is kept in the Rectory. It includes all the activities that are going on so that conflicts can be avoided. He is concerned that attendees have to clean up after an enjoyable evening because activities were not scheduled properly.
Youth Ministry Committee: Rich Blasberg, chairperson, Maryann Laslie
Plans are being finalized for the NJ Catholic Youth Rally to be held at Six Flags on May 15, 2005. All Dioceses of NJ participate in this rally. The committee is looking to have the Youth Group, Altar Servers, CCD, and Catholic school children attend this rally with a chaperone for every five young people. Notices will be in the bulletin and announced after the Masses by Monsignor Bottino.
Religious
Celebrations Committee: Frank Carrelli, chairperson,
Maryann Laslie, Alex Tigro, Rick Blasberg
The appeal for envelope stuffing, one shift in the daytime the other at nighttime, was a huge success. Many volunteers showed up to help save the parish money for this project. The mailings will leave on time. The company that was willing to do this service would have charged $10,000.
Stand placements are being worked on. Tentatively the Red Stand will be on the corner of the Parish Hall, next to it the Beer Garden, and then the Spanish Stand up to the kitchen. The Candle stand and Religious Article Stand will be on the convent lawn along with the Funnel Cake stand, and the Car Stand. The Cookie stand will be by the choir exit of the church. The back of the Bingo Hall will be used for activities for children.
New Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Novena booklets will be ready to use for this year.
All vendors from last year will be coming back this year.
Monsignor Bottino will compose a letter giving Frank Carrelli authorization to solicit donations for the Volunteer T-shirts.
Red building across from grade school will be leveled and used for trash bins and port-a-potties. These will be cleaned daily during the feast.
The Mt. Carmel Society offered to donate to St. Joseph Parish $1 for every Carnival pre-ticket sold.
Monsignor Bottino intends to keep the schedule of Masses for the Feast the same as usual with an anointing of the sick service after the 1:00 p.m. Mass. The procession will begin at approximately 4 p.m., and there will be a Mass after the procession. Bishop Galante has been asked to celebrate the 11 a.m. Mass and Fr. Joseph Capella will celebrate a Mass in Italian.
The band will begin at 8 p.m.
Evangelical Committee: Hugh LaMonaca, chairperson, Pat Campanella
Three meetings of people who have shown an interest in forming a parish chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society have been held. The first two meetings were of an orientation nature conducted by Rich and May Ellen Travaline of Woodbury Heights. They covered the purpose and history of the society, how a parish chapter is organized, and some of the kinds of charitable works that are undertaken by the society. It is an organization that performs outreach to the poor and needy of the community. It assists people in need in connecting with government social services where possible and provides direct cash assistance when necessary. Other kinds of projects might include the operation or support of a food pantry, used clothing/furniture store, providing transportation for shut-ins or job counseling for the unemployed. Since the committee is now completely on its own, a meeting with Monsignor Bottino is needed to iron out issues regarding how the society would interact with the new Catholic Charities office that is being set up and the parish food bank, as well as sources of revenue that the society could use to develop a fund to assist the needy.
By Laws Committee: Hugh LaMonaca, Alex Tigro, Ron Chance (No Report)
New Business:
Anthony Capella will look into getting a PA system with 8 receivers for use in the processions and Stations of the Cross by the Spanish community.
Frank Carrelli reported that the speed of cars in front of the church needs to be addressed to allow people to cross the street safely after the policeman has left. Sal Capella will take care of this issue.
Monsignor Bottino informed the council that we met our House of Charity goal; however, because one donor gave $10,000, Monsignor is concerned about the parishioners who did not participate – a better base needs to be put in place. He will reinforce the issue that the parish will receive 10% back when the goal is reached and 75% back for all money over the goal. More voices need to be heard in 2006 regarding the House of Charity as well as in other activities of the parish. Collections, for which Monsignor is very grateful, are going very well.
By the end of the summer three sisters will be coming to our parish instead of four.
Monsignor Bottino informed the committee that there will be no Phase 2 effort. Instead, there will be a Catholic Education drive. This will allow people to donate to the school of their choice. This may help to lower the parish assessments.
The CCD program will have many changes made. Registration for CCD will take place in enough time to get a head count and order materials. CCD fees will be charged per family. The Sacraments of Holy Communion and Reconciliation will be made in the 3rd Grade and Confirmation will be made in 6th grade. A strong Youth program which will include prayer groups, activities, fun, service, development into young Catholic adults. This program will need money, a budget, a coordinator, etc.
Because of the obvious changes in the number of priests and sisters, changes in the town, added demands on the few priests, etc., Monsignor Bottino is preparing the laity for their greater role in the parish. This will free the priest(s) to perform the religious needs of the parishioners. The future shows that the laity will have to perform the administrative demands of the parish. Therefore, the next two meetings will be used to instruct the council on how to set up a 5-year budget plan. When the budget is complete, the entire parish will receive a copy. There will be no minutes printed for the May and June meetings.
To commemorate the death of John Paul II, the rosary will be said after each of the Masses.
Burwell Porter indicated that three companies are looking into the Mausoleum project. Soil, pinelands, drain run-off, codes, etc., are being considered.
The next meeting will be held in the Parish Hall on May 2, after 6:30 p.m. Mass. Frank Carrelli will prepare the opening and closing prayers. Every effort to attend Mass before the meeting should be made.
At 9:40 p.m. a motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Mary Kryvoruka and seconded by Anthony Padovani. Minerva Rodriguez led the closing prayer.
Respectfully submitted,
Sr. Dorothy Toussaint