Parish Mission Statement Immaculate Conception Catholic Church celebrates the Eucharist and proclaims the gospel in worship, through our love of God and for each other, and with our ministry to the marginalized. We journey together in our faith, united by our trust in Christ s love and mercy and the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Staff Connection... March 4, 2018 Immaculate Conception Church Third Sunday Lent. This Sunday I want to focus on the second reading from St. Paul to Corinthians. The reading has only four loaded verses. The theme of the cross is the focus of the Lenten season. St. Paul outlines the main point of his preaching: Christ crucified. The negative reactions to the crucifixion can be summed up by two examples: for the Jews, Christ crucified was a scandal, and the for the pagans Greeks, foolishness or folly. The Jews expected God to work miracles and defeat enemies of his people with an army of angels. But Jesus was a loser, a man apparently accursed by God. The Greeks did not believe in miracles, trusting in reason and human wisdom. For them death of Jesus on the cross went against all logic; it was sheer madness. Do these kinds of groups exist today? Are they here in our community? It is not unusual to find modern believers who look on religion as a source of miracles, a dispenser of wonders and healing. There are those who go to Church because if they go the Lord will bless them with good health and other material benefits. We also have those who, like the Greeks, think it is possible for people to come to the faith by force of arguments. This is an impossible endeavor. The wisdom of people only finds happiness in pleasure and material wealth. What a Christian proposes of the cross of Christ is pure folly to the world but to those who believe, the cross of Jesus Christ is salvation. The cross has the power to transform us into the unselfish persons ready to serve humanity with great love and devotion. The logic of the Gospel is different from the logic of the world. This means that we must avoid the dangers of watering down the message of the cross for any reason whatsoever. We, the followers of Christ did promise to carry our crosses daily and follow our master, Jesus Christ. We must not yield to discouragement from those who refuse to listen to us or support our cause. During the season of Lent we are all called to meditate on the deeper meaning of the cross. The cross of Jesus is the supreme expression of Christ s forgiving love. He even forgave His executioners while hanging on the cross. As we pray stations of the cross on Fridays during this Lenten season, we ask for the grace necessary to be faithful disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. May our devotion and observances of Lent lead us to the joys of Easter. Amani kwenu! Fr. Chumo Sacraments Mass Schedule Monday & Thursday 12:10PM Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 7AM Vigil Mass Saturday 4:30PM Sunday 8:30 & 10:30AM George Green Parish Center 113 North Geneva Street Ithaca, NY 14850 *** 607/273-6121 Hours: Mon. Fri. 8:00AM 4:00PM Baptism: A preparation session is required before the baptism of your child. Please call 273-6121 prior to your due date for an appointment. Reconciliation: Saturday 2:30P 4PM Marriage: Please call 273-6121 at least 6 months in advance of your anticipated wedding date. Anointing of the Sick: to request this sacrament. Hospitalizations: if your loved one is in the hospital.
NEXT SUNDAY MARCH 11, 2018 FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT SECOND COLLECTION CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES Date The Week Ahead... Mass Intentions Sunday 3-4 8:30AM Mary Gallagher from Birthright 10:30AM George Ridenour from Bill & Judy Steele Monday 3-5 12:10PM Michael Welch from Connie & David Patterson Tuesday 3-6 7:00AM Susan Hastings from Pat Welch Wednesday 3-7 Thursday 3-8 Friday 3-9 7:00AM Tino Rodriguez from the Ober Family 12:10PM Eleanor Ellie Romanowski from Jack & Jan Shelton 1:30P Domenico Ciotti from Nancy Iacovelli (@ Titus Towers) 7:00AM Joseph Pokerwinski from Bill & Judy Steele Saturday 3-10 8:30AM Kathy O Grady from the Mercy Associates 4:30PM Eleanor Ellie Romanowski from the Saturday Ushers Sunday 3-11 8:30AM For Parishioners 10:30AM John Rudan from John & Josephine Churey Additional Saturday Mass during Lent During the season of Lent, from February 17 through March 24, there will be an additional Mass EVERY Saturday morning at 8:30am. Come and spend your time with the Lord to start the weekend out right. Lenten Day of Reflection at Notre Dame Retreat House March 13, 2018 9:00am-3:00pm (Morning coffee & conference/lunch/reconciliation/mass) Theme: Navigating Life s Challenges: Utilizing God s Help to Find Joy Amid the Struggles Presented by: Deacon Peter Dohr, Executive Director Catholic Charities There is a $25.00 fee. Please call 585-394-5700 or email: ndretreat@rochester.rr.com Annual Catholic Relief Services Collection Next weekend our parish will join with Catholic parishes across the Diocese and country to take up the annual Catholic Relief Services collection. This special national collection helps support the US Catholic community s global social ministry carried out in our name by 6 US Catholic agencies, including Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Migration and Refugee services, US Bishops Justice, Peace and Human development Ministry, and the Holy Father s Relief Fund. These agencies touch the lives of more than 100 million brothers and sisters all over the world annually. CMA 2017-2018 CMA has gotten underway. Our gratitude to everyone who has already made their pledge and contributed. Here is our current standing. (Please make checks payable to Catholic Ministries Appeal) Current status: 199 Families Goal $60,246 74.47% $43,128 Page 2 SUNDAY, MARCH 4 11:45A HS YTH GRP-YR 2:30P MS YTH GRP-YR MONDAY, MARCH 5 5:00P EVANGELIZATION-PC TUESDAY, MARCH 6 1:00P FOOD PANTRY 5:30P ADULT CHOIR-CH WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7 3:00P PIETRA FITNESS-PH 5:00P CONTEMP. GRP-CH THURSDAY, MARCH 8 11A-12 NOON-EXPO/BENED.-CH 1:30P TITUS TOWERS MASS FRIDAY, MARCH 9 5:30P STATIONS OF THE CROSS-CH SATURDAY, MARCH 10 8:30AM MORNING MASS 10:00A 1ST EUCHARIST PREP-PH 11:45AM CHRISTLIFE-PH Stations of the Cross Stations will be held EVERY Friday during Lent at 5:30pm. This week s Stations will be led by the Liturgy Committee. Parish Lenten Retreat Have you and/or your family been running non-stop? Do you feel like you haven t had time for yourself or to connect with each other as a family in a long time? Why not clear your calendar and come to our Parish Lenten Retreat! This year s retreat will be held March 23-25 at Camp Casowasco in Moravia, NY. This is a beautiful camp right on the shores of Owasco Lake. There will be time for prayer, faith-learning, reconciliation, Mass, fun and just time to be with other parishioners and/or together as family. We are also hosting a separate Teen Retreat which will be facilitated by former parishioner and Immaculate Conception Youth Ministry Volunteer, Ryan Barba. A small deposit is required to hold your reservation. Registration Forms can be found at our parish website, www.immconch.org, in our parish office or by contacting Rich Rasmussen at rich.rasmussen@dor.org. We hope you can join us for this fun, faith-filled weekend. Eucharistic Miracles Exhibit will be on display at St. Mar s Church in Auburn from Tuesday, March 13 to Sunday, March 18, 2018 from 9am to 5pm. St. Mary s is hosting this treasure on loan from the Archdiocese of Toronto in observance of the Year of the Eucharist in our Diocese. Our Offering to the Lord February 25, 2018 Collection 2018 $5,515 *********************************************** *********************************************** Attendance 492
NEXT SUNDAY MARCH 11, 2018 FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT SECOND COLLECTION CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES Page 3 Learn Swahili with Fr. Chumo Nendeni kwa Amani = Go in Peace Tumshukuru Mungu = Thanks be to God Mwimbieni Mungu wimbo mpya = Sing to God a new song Kwa maana ametenda mabo makuu = For He has done great wonders Day 19 through 25 40 Days for Life is a meaningful Lenten opportunity for prayer and fasting. The peaceful prayer campaign continues at the Vigil Site, across the street from Planned Parenthood abortion center. Our Parish Day of Prayer is Thursdays, from 7am to 7pm. Invite a friend. Come and pray together. Join Carolann @ 3pm Thursdays for the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Stations of the Cross. Free parking on Seneca St., east of Meadow St. For more information and printable pro-life resources, visit: www.40daysforlife.com/ithaca or contact Carolann at 607-351- 6668. Let your presence be as a light of hope. LOVE will end abortion. Cayuga Ridge Communion Ministers Needed! Perhaps you have noticed two extra Communion ministers enter the sanctuary at the 8:30am Mass on Sundays. These ministers, after receiving the Precious Body & Blood of Christ, are then sent forth to take the Real Presence of Jesus to the Catholic residents at Cayuga Ridge, a nursing and rehabilitation facility. What a beautiful gift to take to others! It takes a number of volunteers to fulfill this ministry, and we are currently in need of more volunteers. Please prayerfully consider joining this sacred ministry, and if you are interested and available on Sunday mornings, please contact Erika Linsdell for further details. DID YOU KNOW??? Our Caring Ministry Team sends cards to our parishioners who have had a spouse die, a week after the death and for the first anniversary. We remember our homebound and those in health facilities with cards on their birthdays and for Christmas. Cards are sent to couples celebrating their 25th, 50th and 60 anniversary. If you know of anyone who would appreciate receiving a card from our Team, please email Sister Edna at ednarsm1437@gmail.com with his/her name and address. We are also open to welcoming anyone interested in volunteering for our Team. Thank you from our Caring Ministry Team: Patricia Benedict, Dinah Collins, Nancy Iacovelli, and Sister Enda Lighthouse CD s Desires of the Heart: Sister Bethany Madonna shares how God not only wants us to know him, but also to give us the desires of our heart and gifts that bring purpose, meaning, and hope, making it clear that receiving is the gift that we give to the Lord and that he wants to be involved into every aspect of our lives.. Encounter Christ First, then set the World on Fire: With humor and relatable examples, Curtis Martin shares how a personal encounter with Jesus is the key to following Him with fidelity, gratitude, and joy, and how experiencing Christ before evangelizing others is the biblical model witnessed to by the Apostles, and one that is certain to bear fruit in the life of any believer.. Love-Sacrifice-Trust: He Showed Us the Way: In sharing insights on the meaning of Christ s Cross, Fr. Mike Schmitz shows how God s rescue mission for us includes the need for each person to embrace his own cross in order to reestablish trust in the Father and the understanding that love requires sacrifice. It includes a bonus segment on Stations of the Cross. SATURDAY, MARCH 17th Immaculate Conception Church CARGES HALL Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Blessing @ 5:45 p.m. Dinner Served at 6:00 p.m. PARISH STAFF Fr. Augustine Chumo ext. 105 Pastor Fr.Augustine.Chumo@dor.org Erika Linsdell ext. 101 Parish Administrative Assistant Erika.Linsdell@dor.org Gary Vrabel ext. 111 Music Ministry HolySpearRats@gmail.com David Zellinger Finance Director David.Zellinger@dor.org Kathleen Adessa Bookkeeping Kathleen.Adessa@dor.org Menu Includes: Salad, Soda Bread, Corned Beef, Cabbage, Boiled Potatoes, Carrots Coffee, Tea, Soft Drinks, and Desserts. Adults $10.00 Children (under 12) $5.00 Reservations ARE REQUIRED ** Please call the Parish Office at 273-6121 No Later Than MONDAY, MARCH 12th. ** Volunteers Needed Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga is looking for reliable and friendly volunteers to run our free clothing closet at our Ithaca office, which serves hundreds of low income people each year. Volunteers must be willing to commit to one 3-hour shift per week and have basic computer skills. Other tasks may involve sorting and organizing donations, hanging and restocking clothes. Clothing Closet hours are : Tuesday-Friday, 9:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-3:30pm. Contact Michaela at 607-272-5062 ext. 17 or Michaela.Cortright@dor.org. CONTACT INFORMATION Main Office 607/273-6121 Fax: 607/273-0185 www.immconch.org IImmacul@dor.org www.facebook.com/immconch YOUTH & FAMILY Rich Rasmussen ext. 102 Pastoral & Catechetical leader Rich.Rasmussen@dor.org Dan Hurley-Deacon 585-319-8205 Dan.Hurley@dor.org BULLETIN REQUESTS: E-mail: iimmacul@dor.org no later than Mondays @ 4p Calvary Cemetery 272-5780 638 Five Mile Drive, Ithaca Mike Moravec-Cemetery Manager
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