The Most Reverend Edward B. Scharfenberger, D.D. Bishop of Albany The Very Reverend David R. LeFort, S.T.L., V.G., Rector The Reverend John Tallman, Parochial Vicar In residence The Most Reverend Howard J. Hubbard, D.D. Bishop Emeritus Religious Education and Faith Formation Dr. Thomas Fowler Cathedral Social Services Department Sister Margaret Mary Hohl, D.C. Director of Music and Organist Dr. Brian F. Gurley Coordinator of Development / Public Relations / Events Mr. Thomas M. Prindle Administrative Assistant Mrs. Lucy McHenry Parish Bookkeeper Mrs. Kathy Zorian Facilities Manager Mr. Kurt Schlachter Sacristans Mr. Brian Cosgrave Mr. Martin Powell Trustees Mrs. Debra Bleezarde Mr. Claude Rounds Parish Council Chair Mrs. Gerry Johnson Rectory and Cathedral Offices 125 Eagle Street Albany, New York 12202-1718 Phone: 518-463-4447 Email: CICAlban@rcda.org Fax: 518-514-1441 Web address: www.cathedralic.com Follow us on facebook! https:://www.facebook.com Religious Education Office Email: tfowler1@verizon.net Church Music Office Phone: 518-463-4447 ext. 5 Email: brian.gurley@rcda.org Social Services/Food Pantry Office Sister Margaret Mary Hohl, D.C. 93 Park Avenue, basement office Phone: 518-463-2279 Email: socser@nycap.rr.com Cathedral Convent 93 Park Avenue Albany, New York 12202 Phone: 518-436-7697 Development / Public Relations / Events Office Mr. Thomas Prindle Phone: 518-453-6657 Email: thomas.prindle@rcda.org CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION in the city and Diocese of Albany Established 1848 Corner of Eagle Street and Madison Avenue (at the Empire State Plaza), Albany, NY Mission Statement We, the worshipping community of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, rooted in the Gospel and the celebration of the Eucharist, seek to make known God s love in the world through serving one another, sharing our faith and welcoming all. Schedule of Liturgical Celebrations The Holy Eucharist (Mass) Sunday Masses: (Anticipated Mass) 5:15 p.m. on Saturday 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Sunday Weekdays: Monday-Wednesday-Friday 12:15 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday 7:15 a.m. The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) Monday-Wednesday-Friday: 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Saturday: 4:00-5:00 p.m. and by appointment The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony Religious Education To register, and for information, call: Parish Food Pantry 93 Park Avenue; Basement, Entrance at north side of building Food and personal care items collected on the last Sunday of the month. Food distributed Monday-Friday l0:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon. Pastoral Visits Contact the rectory office to schedule a tour. Personal amplifying units for the hearing impaired are available in the sacristy. Tours of the Cathedral available by appointment Please pass the bulletin on to a neighbor or friend. Handicapped-Accessible www.cathedralic.com
OF THE IMMACULATE Third Sunday in Ordinary Time First Reading: Jonah 3:1-5, Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 Gospel: Mark 1:14-20 The readings from Jonah and the Gospel describe instantaneous and positive responses. Jonah is give the task of preaching conversion to hitherto unrepentant Nineveh. The demand for repentance barely leaves Jonah's lips, and the city rises up to obey. The people repent in sackcloth and ashes. In the Gospel for this day, Jesus is walking the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Not once, but twice, he encounters a set of brothers, who abandon their nets at Jesus' call. Such spontaneous and obedient responses appear rarely. And today we get two such incidents in a row. We must not miss the point. God expects such a response from us. This is our chance, our big chance. God knows this, and if we are not too dull of spirit, we know it, too. God's call is Good News that we can seize. This may imply surrendering the bad news of our easy and trivializing habits, not someday or tomorrow, but right now. Making such a response to God's offer of Good News calls for faith, yes, but more than that, it calls for freedom. God's call invites our free response. That is why Paul summons us in the second reading to travel light, to lead lives unburdened of those things that threaten to drag us down and keep us there. It would be drawing the wrong conclusion to infer that Paul is denigrating marriage or any other human good. Rather, he is simply calling attention to the fact that responding to Christ's summons means achieving a perspective that focuses the stuff of human life toward God. Reflection We know, of course, that the people of Nineveh responded immediately, but alas! Jonah didn't. He dragged his anchor, for sure. He had to be tossed overboard and coughed up on shore before he finally got himself turned around in the direction that led to the fulfillment of his prophetic mission--the conversion of the willing and pliable people of Nineveh. Mark's account of the call of the disciples shows them accepting their mission instantly. The disciples abandon their old way without a second thought. Imagine yourself leaving your workplace at the drop of the hat without announcement or future plan or further thought. People who knew you well would search for a reason, a deep motivation. Jesus' call to the disciples touched their deeper sense, stirred something in the very soul of Israel and of its faithful people. The disciples recognized the one truth that was meant for them. This was the promised one of God and they were on their way. They discovered in him the freedom of the sons and daughters of God. In this new undertaking they were finally free. Not merely free from fish and fishing, but free to serve the Lord in a new and undreamed of, but wished for, way. Paul describes this sort of freedom in acceptance of the Lord's mission. He tells us that people who take up the mission of Jesus Christ must be free from the day-to-day worries that can drain the life out of a person. As we have noted, the person of mission--the Christian--is not called to detach himself or herself from the world, from family, from relationships. Rather, the Christian must involve himself or herself in these very worries and concerns so that they can be shaped and managed to serve the work of Christ on this great old joyful and painful earth. Christians are called to use all the tools at hand. Only then will the Christian be free, and only then can he or she help in the work of freeing others and helping them see and experience the presence of God, not by transcending this world, but by creatively taking it on. 2
THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Stewardship of Treasure The collection for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary time, January 14, 2018 was $3,480.00. The attendance was 395. Next week s 2nd Collection is for Restoration. Social Services/Food Pantry 2018 started off with a wonderful donation from St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Delmar. Their Youth Ministry had a Bowling for Beef event that raised $633.45. The money went to purchasing 89 packages of two pounds of ground beef. One youth member was unable to participate but donated $10.00 toward the purchase of the Beef. The guests were delighted with the beef that they used to feed their families. This contribution from the Youth Ministry at St. Thomas was a wonderful blessing to begin the New Year! Thank you for all you have given to the Cathedral. 2017 Tax Statements As we end another calendar year, so too another tax year. For those who have shared financial gifts with our parish, thank you. If you wish to receive a statement of your contributions to the Cathedral made during 2017, please contact the office by phone When we have inclement weather and schools are closed our guests need more food and snacks for their families. We need: peanut butter, cereal, soup (chicken noodle) microwave popcorn and any healthy items children would like to eat. If you know of any of the persons listed having been restored to good health, or if any of our Soldiers are no longer serving, please contact the rectory office at 518-463-4447. Thank you and God Bless you and the St. Thomas the Apostle Youth Ministry! SISTER MARGARET MARY Worldwide Marriage Encounter For the world in its present form is passing away. If change in our lives is our lot, let us learn how to change with and for our spouses by attending a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. The next Weekends are Feb 2-4, 2018 in Manchester, CT and Feb 9-11, 2018 in Huntington, NY. For more information, call Ed & Rhonda Staats at 518-279-3243 or visit them at https://www.wwmenyalb.org. WE PRAY TO THE LORD For Our Sick: Jeffrey Abraham, Peter Brosnan, Robert Buell, Loretta Carney, Shirley Anderson, Lucy Apisa, Stephen Beattie, Grace Isabelle Caruso, Carmella Cervera, Mary Faith Colvin, Theresa Cooney, Sr., Gertrude Cosenke, RSCJ, Marc Daniels, John Dare, Jr., Denise Degasparis, Michael Dolan, Ann Doherty, JoAnn DeLucia, Susan Dzurica, Diane Fontanelli, Angelo Frattianni, Peter Fulgan, Janette Fusco, Michael Gilman, Bernice Girma, Karen Goral, Carol Greenshields, Jean Gutbrodt, Bryan Hanley, Sophie Hanley, Jacqueline Heisler, Kenneth Hockeson; Douglas Hoffeler, Dorothy Jordan, Reny Jose, Bill Keane, Amy Keegan, Mary Lauria, Donald Law, Gayle Leonard, Rebecca Leno, Diane Lo Prete, John McGrath, Sr., Maria Mercurio, CSJ, Stephanie Merenda, Diane Mueller, James Murphy, Mary Murphy, Joseph Oathout, Shane O Donnell, Josephine Pitcherale, Marcia Pedone, Catherine Rappazzo, Mark Roman, Matthew Rosato, Anna Ruggeri, Megan Ruthman, Joe Shea, Elaine Spoor, Jane Strodel, Adam Ventura, Sebastian Vicencio, Richard Warner, Raphael Warner Spring Enrichment 2018 Companions along the journey, May 16 18, at the College of Saint Rose, Albany. Wednesday, May 16, Remembering the Past with Gratitude...Featuring Most Rev. Howard J. Hubbard and Fr. Richard Fragomeni. For more information www.rcda.org Due to HIPPA regulations, we are not always aware of parishioners who are in the hospital or nursing homes. If you know of a parishioner who would need a Priest or Deacon to visit, please call the rectory at 518-463-4447 or email the rectory office at ecathedr@nycap.rr.com For Our Soldiers: 2018 Eucharistic Congress Save the date: join Bishop Scharfen- berger and Catholics throughout the diocese for an historic Diocesan Eucharistic Congress, a day of inspiring talks, worship and Adoration of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament on September 22, 2018 at our own National Shrine of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, NY. 2 Anthony S. Royal, Richard Powell, Jessica Cameron, Nicole Dunford, Tara Kinchen 3
January 21, 2018 Cathedral Liturgical Celebrations, meetings and Mass Intentions for the week of January 20-28, 2018 Saturday, January 20, 2nd Collection, Restoration 5:15 p.m. Vigil Mass Sunday, January 21, 2nd Collection, Restoration 9:00 a.m. Mass 11:00 a.m. Mass Intention Anthony P. Campeta Requested by JoMarie and Sal Alessi 12:00 p.m. Bioethics meeting (rectory) 12:30 p.m. Baptism 5:00 p.m. Mass Intention Julie Revera Requested by Daniel Tietz Monday, January 22 Intention Michael Robert Murphy Requested by The Murphy Family Tuesday, January 23 7:15 a.m. Mass Wednesday, January 24 Intention Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Golden Mr. & Mrs. William Golden Requested by A Friend 3:45 p. m. Training Choir Thursday, January 25 7:15 a.m. Mass 5:00 p.m. Children s Choir 7:00 p.m. Choir Friday, January 26 Saturday, January 27 11:00 a.m. Cathedral Tour with JoAnn DeLisle 5:15 p. m. Vigil Mass Sunday, January 28 9:00 a.m. Mass Intention Estelle Murphy Requested by Paul Stringer 11:00 a.m. Mass Intention Michael Robert Murphy Requested by The Murphy Family 2:00 p.m. CATHOLIC SCHOOLS MASS 5:00 p.m. Mass Catholic Schools Mass, Sunday, January 28, 2018 2:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Bishop Edward Scharfenberger, Presiding 2016-2017 Catholic School Awards will be presented at this Catholic School Liturgy 4A
January 21, 2018 From Father LeFort Last weekend, we said farewell to Fr. William Pape, our Cathedral Rector over the past 24 years. I am sure Fr. Pape appreciated all your well wishes. We re re-printing his address here in case you want to drop him a note: 4303 Stonegate Drive Rensselaer, New York 12144 Let us all keep Fr. Pape in our prayers for an enjoyable retirement for years to come. A few weeks ago, our facilities manager Kurt Schlachter facilitated the removal of five stained glass windows from the Jefferson Street sacristy. Over many years they were beginning to buckle severely, and with recent damage by vandalism, they were crying out for restoration. Each month, we re- ceive a 2nd collection from you for the ongoing restoration of our Cathedral. Some have asked what work is done. This is one of the projects that benefits from your generosity. Along with monies raised each year from our Cathedral Classic golf outing (incidentally, save the date for this summer s outing: June 25), the restoration of these windows is estimated at $22,000. As always, I am grateful for your ongoing generosity. Altar Servers If you enjoy our liturgical celebrations, one of the ministries you no doubt find quite impressive is the ministry of altar server. The talented women and men, boys and girls, are a vital part of our liturgical life. On February 4th, following the 11am liturgy, Fr. LeFort and Judy Raphael will be updating current servers on the duties of their role. Additionally, if anyone is interested in joining the ranks of altar server, please do not hesitate to contact the rectory. We ll enjoy some training and well-deserved pizza. And if you are unsure whether you would make a good server, not to worry, we love the fact that you wish to assist. And, of course, Fr. LeFort s motto for our liturgical ministers is always comforting: This is the Cathedral: we don t make mistakes here, we simply make adjustments! 4B