Nine days ago, on November 2 nd, the Church commemorated

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1 Church of St. Ignatius Loyola 980 Park Avenue at 84th Street New York, New York (212) B u i l d i n g a C o m m u n i t y o f D i s c i p l e s Nine days ago, on November 2 nd, the Church commemorated all those who have died and gone before us marked with the sign of faith (from the First Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass). This day used to be known as All Souls Day. More recently is has been renamed the Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed. The change of name was very apt. The newer title for the day shows that we are remembering persons that day, not just their souls. For the entire month of November, Catholics remember in a special way all these beloved dead who have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again (from the Second Eucharistic Prayer). The Funeral Mass is considered the heart of the funeral rites. While we are still in the month of November, I thought it would be a good time to review our understanding of the traditional Catholic funeral rites, especially for the sake of those who have yet to experience the death of a loved one. The death of a parent or a close family member is normally our first experience of the full force of death. And the days immediately following are a time of profound emotional upheaval. It is important and comforting to know that the Church has time honored rituals that are meant to honor the dead and help survivors cope with their loss. Honoring the Dead November 11, 2007 Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time The love which we are called to show to one another in life continues in death through our reverent burial of the dead and our prayers for their eternal rest. The Church s rituals at the time of death involve three separate happenings. First, there is a gathering of family and friends (often referred to as a wake service), usually at the funeral home. A priest or deacon or lay minister will conduct a brief prayer service in the presence of the body of the deceased. After the wake service, the body is brought to the church for the Funeral Mass. The Funeral Mass is considered the heart of the funeral rites. For this reason, families are encouraged to participate in the planning of the liturgy with the priest who will be presiding. The choice of music and Scripture Readings, the possible participation of lectors and gift bearers, and the issue of whether a family member or representative will deliver a eulogy are all matters that can be appropriately discussed prior to the Funeral Mass. After the Funeral Mass, the body is taken to its final resting place. The family has decisions to make in preparation for each of these happenings. Let me mention some of the more important decisions. The Christian rituals that surround death have several important purposes. They are meant: + To offer praise and thanksgiving to God for the gift of a life which has now been returned to God. + To commend the dead to God s merciful love and to plead for the forgiveness of their sins. + To affirm the Church s belief in the sacredness of the human body and the resurrection of the dead. + To bring hope and consolation to the living. When shall we have the wake? For how long? There is a tendency among some Catholics today to want to omit the wake service. Apart from special circumstances, I think this would be a mistake. There is great benefit to be had in giving people the opportunity to gather together and to offer their sympathy to the family before the Funeral Mass. This can be a very supportive and strengthening experience for the mourners at a time when they most need this consolation. Grief is always better borne when it can be expressed and shared. And wakes give us time for this mourning.

2 Another key decision to be made regards the reverent disposition of the body. Is the body to be buried or cremated? One hopes that a person would make his/her own decision on this matter beforehand and make that decision known Burial gives hope for the resurrection of the body. to the proper persons. In 1963, the Church lifted its long-standing ban against cremation. At that time, the Church clearly stated its preference for burial or entombment. This is because a burial of the body best imitates the burial given to Jesus himself. Burial also gives fuller expression to our belief in the resurrection of the body to everlasting life. Christian hope is not for a formless immortality of the soul, but for the resurrection of the body so that the whole person will live on eternally. This is one of the chief reasons the Church has always looked upon the human body with great honor and respect. If economic or family factors make cremation of the body the only feasible choice, then the preferred sequence for the funeral rites is the celebration of the Funeral Mass with the body of the deceased person present, then cremation, and then the reverent burial of the cremated remains in a cemetery, or their entombment in a mausoleum or columbarium. Such a sequence respects the integrity of the funeral rites and gives relatives and friends the occasion to pay proper respect to the body of the deceased before it is cremated. The cremated remains of a loved one deserve the same dignified burial accorded to the corporal remains of a human body. Certain practices - like the scattering of ashes on land or at sea, or the keeping of ashes in an urn on the mantle at home, or just leaving them at the mortuary - do not afford this dignified burial. Anthropologists tell us that one important way we discover precious information about the beliefs and quality of civilization in any culture is by learning the way it treats its dead. Our Catholic tradition urges us to face death with the reverent rituals that preserve its Christian and human values. The celebration of these funeral rites helps to promote a healthy grieving process that can lead to deep levels of personal conversion and spiritual growth. On the other hand, the omission of any of these funeral rites can have the unwanted effect of short-circuiting grief and healing. Not an appealing prospect. Father William Bergen, S.J. Calendar at a Glance TODAY, SUNDAY, November 11 1:30PM Infant Baptism 8:30PM Sunday Social follows 7:30PM Mass. 6PM-7:15PM The Ignatian Young Adults Spiritual Conversation Group. Details in this bulletin THIS WEEK AND BEYOND Monday, November 12, St. Ignatius Benefit Cabaret Rendezvous. For tickets call: or for more information go to: Tuesday, November 13, at 7:30PM The Woodstock Forum: On Immigration Policy. November 14 Jewelry Sale begins at The St. Ignatius Day Nursery. Call for times: (till 11/16). 7PM St. Vincent de Paul Society Meeting. All are welcome. Also meets November 28. 6:30PM St. Ignatius Loyola Book Club: A Jesuit Off- Broadway, by Fr. James Martin, S.J. Thursday, November 15, 29, 3-5PM God s Club 8PM Guest Concert: Academy of Choral Art, Moscow. For tickets call , or visit our concert website: Friday, November 16-Sunday, November 18 Shelter season begins. Call to volunteer. Saturday, November 17 9:45AM Wedding Conference. Call Joanne Cunneen if you plan to attend or for further information. 4PM-8:30PM Ignatian Young Adults Day of Reflection. See details in this bulletin. 5:30PM Ignatian Teens Social follows the Mass. 7PM Opera Gala Benefit. Saint Ignatius Loyola Grammar School. Advance tickets only: call Sunday, November 18, at 12 PM Ignatian Social Justice Meeting. All are welcome. Monday, November 19*, 7PM Parish Family Night of Prayer in Wallace Hall. (*corrected date). Thursday, November 22, at 9:30AM Thanksgiving Day Mass. Parish House will be closed. Sunday, November 25, Sunday Social after the 7:30PM Mass. Hosted by the Ignatian Young Adults. Tuesday, November 27, 5:30PM Ignatian Teens Meeting 7:15PM St. Ignatius Spiritual Reading Group. Book selection is Born in Beirut...A Priesthood by Rev. Charles Breindel. Contact jtcjane@aol.com. 7:30PM Pax Christi Film Discussion Wednesday November 28, 7:30PM Ignatian Young Adults. Adults Vocation Information Meeting Friday, November 30, 7PM Evening Prayer Service

3 N O V E M B E R H I G H L I G H T S A N D B E Y O N D.... SPECIAL COLLECTION NEXT WEEKEND Catholic Campaign for Human Development Imagine life below the poverty line, where one in eight Americans struggles every day to hang on. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development helps people to create permanent solutions to the problem of poverty in their communities. Be part of the numbers that care; give generously to the CCHD Appeal next weekend. Visit povertyusa.org for further information. ITIGNATIAN TEENS SATURDAY NIGHT SOCIAL NOVEMBER 17th Follows the 5:30PM Mass Meet at the Parish House for food and fun! Questions? Contact Alison: donohuea@stignatiusloyola.org CONCERT Thursday, November 15, at 8:00PM The acclaimed Academy of Choral Art, Moscow, will present an a cappella concert of sacred Russian choral music by Rachmaninov, Bortnyansky, Balakirev and Russian and Ukrainian folk songs. Tickets are $45 (preferred), $35 (general), $25 (students/seniors) and are available in the Parish House, by calling or online at BOOK CLUBS Wednesday, November 14, at 6:30PM St. Ignatius Loyola Book Club: A Jesuit Off- Broadway, by Fr. James Martin, S.J. Discussion led by the author himself! All are welcome. Tuesday, November 27, at 7:15PM St. Ignatius Spiritual Reading Group. Book selection is Born in Beirut...A Priesthood by Rev. Charles Breindel. We welcome new members. Contact Jane at jtcjane@aol. ANNUAL OPERA GALA Saturday, November 17, at 7PM Saint Ignatius Loyola Grammar School and the Bruschi family extend a cordial invitation to the Parish community to join them at the annual Opera Gala, a benefit to support the works of Padre Pio and the Grammar School. The evening begins with a program that includes vocal and dance performances followed by dancing throughout the evening. Hors d oeuvres and coffee will be served; drinks and refreshments can be purchased from the bar. Tickets are $30 per person, with sponsorship opportunities as follows: Benefactors: $100, includes 2 tickets, and Patrons: $75, includes 2 tickets. This benefit is for adults only and seating is limited. If you wish to attend, please call the Development Office at 212/ , ext Cities for Life - Cities Against the Death Penalty No justice without life November 30, at 7:30PM PRAYER VIGIL at Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola Co-sponsored by: Community of Sant Egidio, Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, NYC Catholic Workers, Pax Christi Metro New York, Judson Memorial Church Reflections by Sr. Camille D Arienzo For information about this event contact Mary Naughton at the Parish House or you may her at: naughtonm@stignatiusloyola.org CALLING ALL SENIORS!! The St Vincent de Paul Society invites all seniors to attend our annual Christmas Party, Saturday, December 1st at 1:00PM, Wallace Hall. There will be good friends, great food and wonderful music! Please call the Parish House to reserve your place. RSVP by Monday, November 26th. SOUP KITCHEN UPDATE A reminder to all our wonderful Saturday Soup Kitchen volunteers; We will not be working at the soup kitchen in November; we will be at the soup kitchen twice in December, the third and fifth Saturdays (December 15th and December 29th). Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

4 For Young Adults An Evening of Reflection For Young Adults hosted by The Ignatian Young Adults Ministry A prayerful evening of reflection on the themes of thanksgiving and gratitude. The evening takes place in the Parish Lounge and includes quiet meditation, a presentation led by Fr. George Witt, SJ, individual reflection, small group sharing, Mass and dinner. When: November 17, 2007, 4PM-8:30PM Where: In the Parish Lounge of the St. Ignatius Loyola Parish House How: $20 suggested donation for dinner, payable at the door. Scholarships available. RSVP: Space is limited. RSVP to Patrick Nolan at Patrick s address by Monday, November 12. YOUR MOST IMPORTANT WORK MAY BEGIN AFTER YOU RETIRE The New York City Chapter of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps will host an information session for retired men and women at St. Ignatius Loyola Church, 980 Park Avenue on Thursday, November 15, from 2PM-3:00PM in the Parish Lounge of the Parish House. We are currently accepting applications for the year. Ignatian Volunteers are semi-retired and retired adults age 50 and older who serve two days a week, mid- September through mid-june, at local nonprofits volunteering with those who are impoverished or marginalized. They contribute skills as lawyers, teachers, tutors, nurses, social workers, tech/business professionals, engineers, accountants, along with a host of other talents. Currently, we partner with over 25 agencies in the New York Archdiocese and the Brooklyn Diocese with sites in Manhattan, Queens, Bronx, and Brooklyn. Ignatian Volunteers work for a more just society and to grow deeper in their Catholic Christian faith through faith sharing in the Ignatian tradition. Volunteers meet monthly at the Jesuit Residence on East 83rd Street for reflection, prayer and discussion. For further information, please contact: Elizabeth McMahon, IVC Regional Director for NY and NJ at or at emcmahon@ivcusa.org or ELECTRONIC OFFERTORY GIVING NOW AVAILABLE! Electronic Offertory Giving Now Available! Just as you rely on your Church for your spiritual needs, your Church relies on you for your regular support to cover its operating expenses. Please consider signing up for ParishPay, an online program that automates your monthly contributions, as well as offerings to special collections throughout the year. Your participation in this program will help cut expenses for bi-monthly mailing of offertory envelopes and the need to dedicate personnel to manually count and deposit collections received at the Church. For further information, or to enroll (whether you are a registered parishioner or not), please visit and click on About Us: Stewardship/Giving then follow the link to Regular Offertory Giving. We Pray for the Faithful Departed William J. Condren Giro Zullo May They Rest in the Peace of the Risen Lord

5 Thanksgiving Food Drive The St Vincent de Paul Society will be collecting food to benefit the Yorkville Common Pantry and our sister Parish, St. Ignatius Loyola, Brooklyn. The Yorkville Common Pantry, located in East Harlem, provides 1,250,000 meals annually to anyone who enters their doors in need. St Ignatius Loyola, Brooklyn is a fellow Jesuit Parish. St. Ignatius runs a small food pantry at the church, offering food staples to their parishioners and other neighbors in need. Please bring your new food items to the Parish House between Sunday November 11, and Wednesday November 14. Items most in demand include, rice, beans, (either canned or dried), soups of any variety, canned tuna, pasta, canned meats, canned vegetables, pasta sauce, etc. If you would prefer to help out by way of a check, please make your check payable to The St. Vincent de Paul Society and leave it at the Parish House. Thank you for remembering those in need during this holiday season. St Vincent de Paul Society PASTORAL VISITING AVAILABLE FOR HOMEBOUND AND ILL PARISHONERS Parishioners have been trained for the ministry of pastoral visiting to the homebound and chronically ill in our Parish. If you are interested in having a visit arranged for yourself or another person, please contact Sr. Kathryn King at the Parish House. Any parishioner who is interested in training for pastoral visiting to parishioners, or to Goldwater Hospital, please also contact Sr. Kathryn King. She can be reached at the Parish House at or by at: kingk@stignatiusloyola.org. Six Minute Reflections A small booklet of prayers and reflections for the Advent season is on sale at the Parish House for one dollar. Did you know that many Catholics join the Church as adults? We have the privilege at St. Ignatius of welcoming many visitors and new parishioners. We especially welcome those who may be thinking about becoming Catholic. If you feel attracted to the Catholic faith, we want you to know that a group will meet at the Parish -- to inquire into Catholic faith, to come to know Jesus through the Gospels, to pray and to prepare for the Easter Sacraments. This process is also open to Catholic adults who have not received the Sacraments of First Communion or Confirmation. Please call Maureen Fullam at or church@stignatiusloyola.org for more information. We look forward to welcoming you! ARE YOU A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT who has not yet been confirmed? If you would like to find out more about the process, please Alison Donohue at donohuea@stignatiusloyola.org. We are gathering a small group of high school students who are interested in being confirmed at this year s Easter Vigil. Sessions to begin in January.

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7 O U T S I D E A C T I V I T I E S O F I N T E R E S T ST. ALBERT S DAY LECTURE At Church of St. Vincent Ferrer 869 Lexington Avenue (at 66th Street) Thursday, November 15, at 7:30PM Making Morally Informed Decisions about Medical Treatments When Facing Sickness or End of Life Situations Lecturer: Rev. Tad Pacholczyk, Ph.D. Lecture is free and open to the public. For information call: Corpus Christi Chapter 529 West 121 Street. International Thomas Merton Society The Awakened Heart: Thomas Merton, The Contemplative Activist Led by: Rev. George A. Kilcourse Saturday, November 17, 9:30AM-4:00PM Donation $20. A light lunch will be provided. Please register by November PERSONNEL LISTING The National Pastoral Life Center seeks a Director of Development to lead all fundraising efforts to support the mission of promoting effective, reflective, vibrant parish life in the United States. Founded in 1983 at the suggestion of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, NPLC serves as a resource and research center for dioceses, parishes, and pastoral ministers across the country. It works with the Catholic Church in the U.S. at every level and addresses almost every issue of parish life as it supports ministry to the diverse subgroups that compose our church. To apply: Send resume and cover letter to syarri@nplc.org (preferred) or mail to Stephen Yarri, National Pastoral Life Center, 18 Bleecker Street, New York, NY No phone calls. SENIORS! Need assistance with organizing your monthly bills? We would be able to assist you in reviewing and paying your bills with our Daily AARP Money Management Program At the Carter Burden Center for the Aging 1484 First Avenue Call The World Community for Christian Meditation presents LAURENCE FREEMAN, OSB Aspects of Love: Meditating & The Human Search Thursday, November 15, 7-8:30PM Church of St. Luke in the Fields, 487 Hudson Street Laurence Freeman, OSB, teaches that the goal of human life is to learn to love - in all its aspects. His talk will focus on understanding the path of meditation and the way that meditation influences all our relationships: with self, with others and with God. For information contact: wccmynevents@aol.com or call Donation: $10. THE GATES OF PARADISE Exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art SYMPOSIUM NOVEMBER 16 After more than 25 years, the conservation of Lorenzo Ghiberti s doors for the Baptistry in Florence called the Gates of Paradise now in the Museo dell Opera del Duomo, is nearing completion. This exhibition provides the American public with an unprecedented opportunity to see three of the doors famous narrative reliefs, with their masterful retelling of Old Testament subjects, as well as four figural sections from their opulent surrounding frames, before they are permanently installed in the museum. The panels and elements from the doorframe two of its supremely elegant figures of prophets and finely modeled heads set in roundels represent the sculptor s intense involvement in this project, a seminal monument of the Italian Renaissance, during the 27 years ( ) of its creation. Accompanied by a catalogue. NOTE: A symposium will be held in connection with this exhibition on Friday, November 16, Free with Museum admission; tickets and reservations not required. For more information, please contact: lectures@metmuseum.org. FROM BROADWAY TO BEETHOVEN A Concert at St. Malachy s Church (the Actor s Chapel) 239 West 49th Street Featuring FR. JOHN SHEEHAN, S.J. with Woody Regan on the piano Monday, November 19, at 7PM Admission is free but reservations are required. Call or johnrsheehan@yahoo.com and leave your name and or contact phone number. All reservations will be confirmed, and a waiting list created once all seats have been assigned. Please don t wait until the last minute to make your reservations.

8 Church of St. Ignatius Loyola 980 Park Avenue at 84th Street New York, New York (212) Fax: (212) BULLETIN BOARD Elizabeth Seton Women s Center 133 West 70 Street Women in Transition A Sacred Journey A Monthly Spiritual Gathering Thursday, November 15, 6:30-8:30PM Facilitator: Carolyn D. Townes, S.F.O. Suggested Donation: $25 One Man s Personal Journey of Faith, Couage and Action A Presentation by Deogratias Niyizonkiza, and American citizen who grew up in Burundi, a survivor and witness to the horrific genocides that occurred in both Burundi and Rwanda in 1993 and Monday, November 19, at 7PM Church of St. Thomas More 65 East 89 Street Free will offering accepted. The Yorkshire Club Annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner at O Flanagans - 1st Avenue and 66 Street From soup to nuts approximately $22 per person. A large crowd is expected. Bring your family members and friends. Call Bill at for reservations. Can you provide the gift of Homework Help? Mercy Center in the Bronx provides help and hope to those in need. Volunteer one or two afternoons a week or give the gift of your English language skills to teach an ESL class. Mercy Center is conveniently located near the #2, #5 and #6 trains. Call to volunteer: Pilgrimage to the Holy Land February Spiritual Director: Fr. Dominic Legge, O.P. For information contact: legge@opfriars.org or call Elizabeth at: Catholic Single Professionals Enjoy social, cultural, spiritual, theatre, travel and community service activities. Take advantage of our special new membership rate. Visit online at: newyorkcac.html PARISH STAFF Pastor Rev. Gerald Blaszczak, S.J. Pastoral Associates Joanne Cunneen, M.A., M.S. Kathryn King, F.S.P. Mary Naughton, M.A. Rev. George M. Witt, S.J. Senior Priest Associates Rev. William Bergen, S.J. Rev. John F. Replogle, S.J. Assisting Priests (Sunday) Rev. Stephen Katsouros, S.J. Rev. James Martin, S.J. Music Ministries Kent Tritle, Director Nancianne Parrella Renée Anne Louprette Roger Gillen Mary Huff Philip Anderson Erin Acheson, Administrator Staff information: on the website at music/music staff Pastor s Assistants Diane M. Boyle, M.L.S. Patricia Schneider, M.A. Director of Youth Ministries Alison Donahue Director of Communications Robin Zeamer, M.A. Development Associate Kathy Robinson, M.B.A. Director of Facilities Sona M. Olson Events Coordinator Vitina Varone Treasurer Fernando Castro Weekday Masses (includes Saturday) 8:30AM, 12:10PM and 5:30PM Masses for Next Weekend: Saturday: Sunday: 5:30PM Fr. Blaszczak 8:00AM Fr. Blaszczak 9:30AM Fr. Replogle Wallace Hall Mass 11:00AM Fr. Blaszczak Solemn Mass: 11:00AM Fr. Bergen 7:30PM Fr. Bergen Music Information: (212) music@stignatiusloyola.org Religious Education for Children Joanne Cunneen, M.A., M.S., Director (212) St. Ignatius Loyola Grammar School Ms. Grace Cavallo, M.A., Principal 48 East 84 Street New York, NY (212) Fax: (212) St. Ignatius Loyola Day Nursery Ms. Theodora Crist, M.S. Executive Director 240 East 84 Street New York, NY (212) Fax: (212) Children s Liturgy of the Word: Sundays at the 9:30AM Mass and the 11AM Mass in Wallace Hall. Eucharistic Adoration: Fridays at 9AM and First Saturdays at 9AM (Lady Chapel) Centering Prayer: Mondays and Thursdays at 6:30PM. Confessions: 5PM Saturday or by appointment. Communal Penance Services are celebrated during Advent and Lent. Baptisms: Please call the Parish House to arrange for a Baptism and the preparation given prior to Baptism. Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults: Contact Maureen Fullam, M.A., Director, at the Parish House. Marriages: The Bride or Groom is to call the Parish House to begin preparation for Marriage, normally one year in advance. Visits to the Sick: Please contact the Parish House between 9AM-9PM.