JULY 1, 2018 The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The Lord is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. Psalm 146 Dear Parishioners and Friends, The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is for all those who are ill, aged or infirmed and facing significant mental duress or grief. This Sacrament is deeply rooted in apostolic tradition and practice found in the New Testament Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. James 5:13-15 As Jesus would cure with the laying of his hands, so too does the church continue in his mission. A week or so ago, we had the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick in church, inviting anyone needing the Sacrament to attend. Afterwards we finished with a wonderful Strawberry Social. I love strawberries - especially fresh strawberries; sliced or whole, whipped cream topping or not, it doesn t really matter. I wouldn t mind strawberry socials every week! This weekend, we welcome Fr. Mike Mayer, who has a close connection to Webster. Please read his introduction below. He will be joining us as Parochial Vicar at St. Rita Church and living at the rectory. He will be preaching at all the masses and will provide us a chance to welcome him! May God bless you this week, Fr. Gonyo From the Desk of Fr. Mike Mayer... My assignment as Parochial Vicar at St. Rita is something of a homecoming for me. I spent most of my childhood in Webster. My parents were married at Holy Trinity, my older brother and I were baptized at Holy Trinity and we both graduated from St. Rita School. One thing is sure, however: the Webster my family left fifty years ago is not the Webster of 2018! But Webster is still where life is worth living. After attending LeMoyne College in Syracuse I entered the Paulist Fathers and studied at the Washington Theological Union in Washington, DC. I was ordained a transitional deacon in 1981 in Austin, TX, but left the Paulists the following year. From 1982-1994 I lived and worked in Washington, DC as an administrative aide, a teacher at Gonzaga College High School, and as the program director for The National Alliance to End Homelessness. I left Washington in 1994 and spent three months as an observer at the Trappist abbey of the Holy Cross in Berryville, VA. In 1996 I was accepted as a diocesan seminarian in Rochester and lived for two years at Theological College in Washington while studying at The Catholic University of America. I was ordained a priest in 1998 by Bishop Clark. I tell people that mine was not a delayed vocation, but an interrupted one! My first assignment in Rochester was St. Pius Tenth Church in Chili. In 2001 I was appointed pastor of St. Andrew and St. Philip Neri Churches in the city. Shortly after St. Philip Neri was closed I also became pastor of the Church of the Annunciation. St. Andrew and Annunciation eventually merged as Light of Christ Church. In 2011 I served as assisting priest at St. Pius Tenth and left there in 2013 for Our Lady of Peace Church in Geneva. During my time at Our Lady of Peace I began programs for men and women, evangelization and rosary-making. In 2014, I sponsored a basic evangelization training by Adam Janke of St. Paul Street Evangelization and initiated the Rochester chapter of the organization. Members evangelize at the Rochester Public Market, the Geneva Farmers Market, Frontier Field and other venues. Several years ago, I initiated The Margaret Home, Inc. in East Rochester. The Margaret Home is a not-for-profit, long-term residential program for single pregnant women and children. The former St. Jerome convent is currently being renovated and will house The Margaret Home. I can also be heard regularly on The Station of the Cross as a guest on The Catholic Current, a show which can be heard on the radio AM 1460 or FM 92.9 Monday through Friday from 5:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. I look forward to my ministry at St. Rita and in Webster. I have always found it a privilege to get to know the people of a parish and to have the opportunity to share in their joys and sorrows. I pray that we will all continue to grow as committed disciples always ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks for a reason for our hope in Jesus Christ. Welcome! Father Mike
EUCHARIST INTENTIONS Among the intentions for those who gather for the Eucharist this week will be MONDAY, JULY 2, 2018 8:15AM JOHN TRIVIGNO Peter Cimino TUESDAY, JULY 3, 2018 8:15AM BARRY HEDDON Wife WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018 8:15AM FRED KARWAS Wife, Wanda THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2018 8:15AM IN THANKSGIVING FOR DEAR FRIENDS Marge DiSalvo FRIDAY, JULY 6, 2018 8:15AM FRANK DE SARRO Family SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2018 5:00PM MARIAN E. (VICK) ALLEY Casale Family SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2018 7:30AM JOSEPHINE MANUSE Husband & Family 9:00AM AMBROSE J. RYAN Wife, Peg 10:30AM PETER DI GIORGIO Wife & Kids * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * This week our Tabernacle Light will burn in loving memory of Ron Donato * * * * * * The next schedule for Leaders, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, and Altar Servers includes the months of August, September, and October. If there are dates you are not available, if you are no longer able to serve, or if you would like to serve at a different Mass, please let Elizabeth know by Monday, July 16. Call 671-1100 x 14 or by email to Elizabeth.Kwiatkowski@dor.org. REGISTER NOW FOR CYO SOCCER CYO soccer registration for the upcoming fall season has begun! Boys and Girls from St. Rita Parish in Grades 3-6 may sign up for this league, which will play in September and October. Please register and pay online at www.saintritawebster.org/cyosoccer. The fees are: $60 for 3 rd & 4 th Grade players and $80 for 5 th & 6 th Grade players. There is a $140 family maximum. Deadline to register is Monday, August 13. ST. RITA SCHOOL Spirit of Learning Corner Here s What s Happening... + The halls of St. Rita School are much quieter now that students and teachers are on their much-deserved summer vacation. + St. Rita School has amazing Girl and Boy Scout Troops and leaders. This year the 4th grade Junior Girl Scout Troop contributed 100 boxes of Girl Scout cookies and handmade thank you notes to Blue Star Mothers. These cookies and letters will be included in Fourth of July care packages to our troops overseas. + Each week over the summer we will be including trivia questions or information about St. Rita School. Answers to these questions will be in the following week s bulletin and Parish E-News. We hope you enjoy playing along: 1. Which parent/alumni made the current St. Rita School logo while a student at the school? 2. What year did St. Rita School open? IT S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER FOR ST. RITA SCHOOL! St. Rita School registration forms for PreK3 through Grade 5 are available at the School Office or by downloading the forms on the school website at stritawewbster.org/school. There are many different options available: PreK (2 Day, 3 Day, 5 Day, Half Day, Extended Day) Before Care (starting at 7:00am) After Care (ending at 6:00pm) for PreK Grade 5. Please contact our School Office at (585) 671-3132 for more information or to schedule a school tour. St. Rita School Where Faith and Knowledge Meet! SUMMER CARE PACKAGES Let us ask our Lord to help us understand that love is service, love means taking care of others. Pope Francis Please stop by the display in the greeting area next weekend to pick up a specific donation request for one of our summer care packages that will be distributed to families in need around our community. Thanks in advance for your generosity! The Parish offices will be closed on Wednesday, July 4 in observance of our Independence Day Holiday
PLANS FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 1, 2018 WEDNESDAY 7/4 8:45am Pray the Rosary Church 8:45am Reconciliation Available after 8:15am Mass SATURDAY 7/7 8:15-8:45am 3:30-4:30pm Pray the Rosary Church Reconciliation Available in Church PARISH SUPPORT For the Weekend of June 23 & 24 Total Budget Variance $ 12,248 $ 13,051 - $803 Year to Date Year to Date Budget Variance $ 702,953 $ 722,500 - $19,547 (Our fiscal year is 7/1/17 6/30/18) THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY! We all grow spiritually when we share. Back to School Supply Collection for those in Need Over the next few months please take advantage of special sales! In order to assist those in need in our area, we will be collecting school supplies until September. You can help with your donation of pens, pencils, crayons, highlighters, markers, dry erase markers, colored pencils, pencil cases, composition notebooks, binders in 1½ inch, 2 inch and 3 inch, filler paper in regular and college lines, colored folders, 3-5 subject spiral notebooks, dividers and book bags. There is a bin for these items in our greeting area in church. Thank you! * * * * * * EUCHARISTIC ADORATION SCHEDULE (year-round) at Holy Spirit Church 1355 Hatch Road All are Welcome! Monday 2:00-9:00pm Our Mother of Perpetual Help Devotion at 8:00pm Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 9:30am 9:00pm 9:30am 4:00pm 3:00-9:00pm 9:30am -9:00pm Divine Mercy Devotion at 3:00pm Holy Rosary Hour at 8:00pm 8:30am 2:30pm 2:00-9:00pm BIBLE READINGS: 1 Sun The 13 th Sunday in Ordinary Time Wis 1:13-15; 2:23-24 Ps 30:2,4-6,11-13 2 Cor 8:7,9, 13-15 Mk 5:21-43 2 Mon Am 2:6-10,13-16 Ps 50:16-23 Mt 8:18-22 3 Tue St. Thomas Eph 2:19-22 Ps 117:1-2 Jn 20:24-29 4 Wed Am 5:14-15,21-24 Ps 50:7-13, 16-17 Mt 8:28-34 5 Thu St. Anthony Zaccaria; St. Elizabeth of Portugal Am 7:10-17 Ps 19:8-11 Mt 9:1-8 6 Fri St. Maria Goretti Am 8:4-6,9-12 Ps 119:2, 10,20,30,40,131 Mt 9:9-13 7 Sat Am 9:11-15 Ps 85:9-14 Mt 9:14-17 8 Sun The 14 th Sunday in Ordinary Time Ez 2:2-5 Ps 123:1-4 2 Cor 12:7-10 Mk 6:1-6a * * * * * * CARE FOR GOD S HOUSE: Week of July 1 LINENS: Week of July 8 Parish Family Maureen Morehouse * * * * * * ALTAR SERVERS SCHEDULED NEXT Weekend ~ July 7 & 8 Saturday, 5:00pm: Julia Collins, Daniella Fico, McKenna Loncao, Giulia Puccio Sunday, 7:30am: Ian Avery, Kateri White, Tommy White, Blaise White Sunday, 9:00am: Anna Riedl, Emma Riedl Matthew Frontuto, Nicholas Frontuto Sunday, 10:30am: Holly Peckham, Giana Lombardo, Joey Baller, Kristina Baller Thank You... Thank you to everyone for your faithful support of the HOPE Ministry. We would not be able to help all those in our Webster area who come to us in need, if it wasn t for your generous donations of food and clothing as well as your financial help. Because of your kindness, we are able to assist families with food, clothing, car repair, rent, and other basic necessities. * TRAVELING THIS SUMMER? Nationwide Mass times & locations for traveling Catholics: Call 1-800 MassTim(es) or Go online to www.masstimes.com * PARISH OFICE HOURS Monday Thursday 9:00am 4:30pm Friday 9:00am Noon
CONFIRMATION REGISTRATION For Kindergarten thru Grade Seven Enrollment has begun for Faith Formation classes for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year. Students in Grades Kindergarten 7, who do not attend a Catholic school, are strongly encouraged to be enrolled in our parish Faith Formation Program. If your youth is in 8 th Grade or above and has received the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Reconciliation, he or she will be ready to start preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. This is a two year program. It will start in mid-september. The registration form is on the parish website and you can register and pay on-line. The form is due no later than September 1, 2018. If you have any questions, please contact Marie Marton at marie.marton@dor.org or (585) 671-1100 x 22. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * You may enroll and pay for Faith Formation and Sacraments on-line at our parish website: www.saintritawebster.org Enrollment Forms for new students are available in the Greeting Area and on the Parish Website. Enrollment Forms were e-mailed home to parents of returning students. A choice of two sessions are offered weekly: Session 1: Mondays: 4:30-5:45 pm (Grades K-6) Session 2: Mondays: 6:15-7:30 pm (Grades 1-7) Please return your enrollment form or register on-line by Thursday, June 21 FAITH FORMATION CATECHISTS (TEACHERS) AND HELPERS ARE NEEDED! Our Faith Formation program thrives on the support of parents and friends who have a desire to share their love of their faith by guiding and teaching our children about our wonderful Catholic faith. If you are interested in sharing your faith, or would like more information about Faith Formation, please contact Anita Wagner at 671-2079 or anita.wagner@dor.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * FIRST EUCHARIST and FIRST RECONCILIATION First Eucharist candidates must be in Grade 2 or higher and be enrolled in either the Faith Formation Program or attend a Catholic school. Children enrolled in the First Eucharist Program will also be preparing for and making their First Reconciliation. If you would like more information about Faith Formation, First Eucharist or First Reconciliation Preparation, please contact Anita Wagner at 671-2079, or email anita.wagner@dor.org St. Rita s Vacation Bible School Monday, August 6 Friday, August 10 9:00 am 12:00 pm for Ages 4-10 $25 per child or $60 max per family Join us for a week of activities this summer where we will make new friends, serve our neighbors, and learn that Jesus is always there for us! Register your family and/or volunteer online at www.stritawebster.org/vacationbibleschool. Please contact Elizabeth at Elizabeth.kwiatkowski@dor.org or call 671-1100 x 14 if you have any questions. All are Welcome! Check out the Vacation Bible School Programs at our neighboring Webster churches Holy Spirit Church 1355 Hatch Road - 671-5520 Monday, July 30 - Friday, August 3 9:00-12:00pm $45 per child or $100 per family Go online for more information and to register at https://churchofholyspiritwebster.orgvacation-bibleschool. St. Paul s Church 783 Hard Road 671-2100 (Kim) Monday, July 16 - Friday, July 20 9:00am - 12:30pm Grades Pre-K to 5 $60 per child / $150 max family Register online at: stpaulfaithformation.org Holy Trinity Church 1460 Ridge Road 265-4750 (Mary) Tuesday, June 26 - Friday, June 29 9:00am to Noon Ages 4 9 $20 per child / $50 max per family Register online at: http://www.holytrinityweb.com/ weekly/childrens-faith-formation-news/#vbs
From the Desk of Marie Marton... MYSTAGOGY & GOD S SENSE OF HUMOR Last weekend, the youth who received their Sacrament of Confirmation this past April were invited to enjoy a day at Webster Town Park to share their experiences upon being Confirmed, to have an opportunity to consider God s Sense of Humor, enjoy a great lunch and then spend the afternoon fishing off the shore on Lake Ontario. Unfortunately, the program was cancelled, as too few were able to attend. However, I think the lesson is still worth sharing and, hence, this little article. Sometimes, it is difficult for us to consider God having a sense of humor. Yet, we know that God made us in His image. In Genesis, we learn that, after God created the earth, sea and all of the animals and plants, God says: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground. God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. (Gen 1:26-27). That means we have components of even our personality that came first from God. Since the majority of people have stated that the most important quality they look for in a friend or spouse is a sense of humor, it would be hard to imagine that this desire just developed out of a vacuum. It had to be an aspect of God s personality first and foremost. Don t take my word for it! Consider the story of Elijah and Ahab in the Old Testament. To get the full story, please make sure you read 1 Kings 18:16-39 when you get back home today. However, in a nutshell, Elijah was frustrated with the Israelites being drawn to worship false gods. He confronted the prophets of Baal and issued a challenge. Both Elijah and these prophets were to have a fire making challenge kind of like when there is a tie on Survivor and two of the castaways are forced to make fire first. Elijah told the prophets of Baal to go first. He gave them as much time as they wanted and they were allowed to go first. Nothing happened and Elijah kept telling them to call loudly to their god since he must either be asleep or indisposed. Hours and hours they tried everything they could think of: yelling to their god, dancing around the wooden altar, slashing themselves with swords and knives. Nothing worked. Finally, Elijah decided it was time to prepare his altar. However, once it was completed, he told the prophets of Baal to cover his altar with 12 jars of water. There was so much water, that it developed a moat around the altar. As soon as Elijah called out, God immediately sent down fire from heaven, which, not only consumed the altar, but dried up all the water in the trench. It is really a story worth reading much gets lost in my simple translation- so do make sure you read this story in your home Bible and enjoy a laugh at how God handled this with such humor and grace. Even Jesus displayed His great sense of humor. In Matt 17:24-27, Jesus and three of His disciples, including Peter, had just come down from the mountain after the Transfiguration. Within minutes, He is confronted by a father who tells him that the remaining 9 disciples were unable to help him with a desired cure for his son. Jesus expressed a bit of frustration with the lack of faith of the crowd when He states: [y]ou unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? (Matt 17:17). He then cures the boy. While Jesus and the apostles are walking away, some collectors of the temple tax confront Peter and ask him if Jesus has paid the required tax. Peter is a bit frustrated and tells them that He did. But, now, Peter is in a bit of a pickle, since he really has no idea if Jesus has paid the tax and he knows that He must ask the already frustrated Jesus if they need to pay up. Just as Peter walks into the room, Jesus looks at him and, without Peter telling Him the nature of the conversation he had with the tax collectors, tells Peter to go fishing and He will find the necessary coins for, not only Jesus tax, but also his own. Could Jesus have possibly said this with a straight face? How do you think Peter responded to this statement from Jesus? Awe that Jesus already knew what had transpired? Relief that he didn t have to explain what had happened? With a fist thrown into the air, wide eyes and an exuberant grin? Do you think he might have looked quickly to James and John to see if they might join him? I don t think Peter s pace was as slow leaving that room as it had been when he first entered. Take the time to read these particular stories from the Bible. If you can think of some more examples, please feel free to email me the citations. I am always up for a good laugh!