September 2, 2018 Holy Family Church 129 Winthrop Street, Watertown, NY 13601 Phone: 315-782-2468 E-Mail: hfchurch@twcny.rr.com Website: www.holyfamilywatertown.org PASTOR: IN RESIDENCE: DEACONS: TRUSTEES: SCHOOL BOARD: PARISH STAFF Pastoral Associates: Rev. Steven M. Murray Rev. Leo A. Wiley Rev. Msgr. Paul E. Whitmore Deacon Edward R. Miller Ret. Deacon Michael J. Allan Mrs. Maureen Van Wormer Mr. John Eisenhauer Mr. Michael Ledoux Sr. Angelica Rebello, SCC Patrick Bates Christian Formation Director: Sr. Angelica Rebello, SCC 782-6750 R.C.I.A. Director: Kathy Allan 315-785-8576 Business Administrator: Carol Brown 315-408-6301 Secretary: Organist: Judy Geng Edward Kemp IMMACULATE HEART CENTRAL SCHOOL School Pastor: Rev. Msgr. Robert H. Aucoin 315-629-4678 School Principal: Mrs. Lynise Lassiter 315-788-4670 Vice Principal:(7-12): Mr. Geoffrey Andrews 788-4670 Vice Principal (4-6): Mrs. Annette Connolly 788-3935 Vice Principal (K-3): Mrs. Kari Conklin 788-7011 BAPTISM: Baptisms are generally scheduled on Sunday. Parents must attend a class held on the second Monday of the month at 7:00 PM. WEDDINGS: Arrangements should be made six months In advance by calling for an appointment with a priest or deacon. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION: Confession/Penance - Saturday 4-5 P.M. SACRAMENT OF THE SICK: Upon Request - Please call Fr. Murray if you are planning on having any surgery and he will be happy to anoint you. Holy Family Church Welcomes Everyone No matter what your present status is in the Catholic Church; no matter your family or marital status; no matter where you are in the practice of faith; no matter what your self image may be; you are invited, welcomed and loved at Holy Family Church.
RECTORY OFFICE HOURS Monday, 12:30PM- 4:00PM; Tuesday Thursday, 9:00AM-4:00PM, closed for lunch noon-12:30pm; Friday, 9:00AM-1:00PM. BAPTISMAL PREPARATION CLASS The next class will be Monday, September 10, at 7PM in McGivney Hall. Please call the Rectory at 315-782-2468 during business hours to sign up if you are planning on attending this required class. Thank you. THIS WEEK IN OUR PARISH Sunday September 2, 2018 TWENTY- SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 9:00 Ruth Nevin by Bill and Florence Heldt 11:00 Peter and Kathleen O Brien by Josephina Burgess 5:15 People of the Parish Monday September 3, 2018 Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church 9:00 Frances McGowan and Deceased Members of the McGowan Family by the Estate of Frances McGowan Tuesday September 4, 2018 Weekday 9:00 Eleanor Murray by Her Son 10:00 Frances McGowan and Deceased Members of the McGowan Family by the Estate of Frances McGowan (at the Summit) Wednesday September 5, 2018...Weekday Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Religious 9:00 For the Souls of James and Joan Connelly and Bernard Palumbo by Jack and Christine Palumbo Thursday September 6, 2018...Weekday 9:00 Deceased Members of the Dubrey and Varin Families by Joyce and Sam Surace Friday September 7, 2018...Weekday 9:00 Betty Dier by Vince Marzano Saturday September 8, 2018 Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 5:15 Edmund A. Becker by Ed Becker and Daughters Sunday September 9, 2018...TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 9:00 Babou Nebie by His Son and Granddaughters 11:00 Pat Fallon by His Wife Terry and Family 5:15 John Thomas by the Thomas Van Wormer Family Sunday: September 2nd 12:00 noon Coffee Hour (Gathering Area) Monday: September 3rd Rectory Closed Tuesday: September 4th 10:00AM Mass (Samaritan Summit Village) Wednesday: September 5th 10:00AM Legion of Mary (McGivney Hall) Thursday: September 6th Friday: September 7th Saturday: September 8th 4:45PM Praying The Rosary (Church) INQUIRY If you are interested in the Catholic Faith or know of someone who is, please contact our R.C.I.A. Director Kathy Allan at 315-785-8576 for an appointment. Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time September 2, 2018 Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. Jesus is the Word who calls you to serve Him in truth. Is He inviting you to priesthood, diaconate or the consecrated life? Talk to Fr. Steven Murray at 315-782-2468 or Fr. Doug Lucia at 315-386-2543/ dlucia@rcdony.org or Cathy Russell, the Diocesan Vocation Coordinator at 315-393-2920, ext.1450/ crussell@rcdony.org. See us also on Facebook or at www.myvocation.net. ALTAR SERVER SCHEDULE SEPT 8th & 9th 5:15 9:00 Jack and Samuel Charlebois, Julian Zikowitz 11:00 Christopher, Nolan and Sarah Hennessey 5:15
ACTIVITIES AHEAD IN OUR PARISH REGISTRATION FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION for grades K-10th will take place at The Greystone Building on Sunday, September 9th at 10:00AM. Religious Education Classes will begin Sunday, September 16th 10:00AM-10:50AM, Confirmation Year I Class will begin Sunday, September 16th and Confirmation Year II will begin Sunday, September 30th. Both Confirmation classes are at 11:00AM-2:00PM in the Greystone Bldg.. Teachers are needed for our Religious Education Program for the 7th and 8th grades. Classes are Sunday mornings at 10:00AM-10:50AM beginning September 16th. If you are interested, please contact Sister Angelica at 315-782-6750 or email her at holyfamilyre@yahoo.com. PENNIES FROM HEAVEN The Knights of Columbus will be at the doors of the Church after the Masses the weekend of September 8th and 9th collecting for our Seminarians. Please be as generous as you can for this collection. Please keep our Seminarians in your prayers and that more will be called to this Vocation. IMPACT Youth Group meetings for both Middle and High School students will be every Tuesday evening from 6:00PM-7:30PM in the Greystone Building. The first meeting of the school year will be Tuesday, September 11th. Dinner is provided, so if you plan on attending the next meeting, please email impactwatertown@gmail.com or call Sarah at 315-783-9631. PARISH PICNIC will be Sunday Sept. 23rd after the 11AM Mass on the grounds of the Greystone Building. Hamburgers and hotdogs will be provided. Families with the last name beginning with A-J please bring a salad to pass, K-P, please bring fruit or snacks to pass; and Q-Z please bring a dessert to pass. Everyone is invited (including our adopted Army Platoon.) Call the Rectory at 315-782-2468 to let us know how many families will be attending. Bring your picnic blanket, drinks and kiddie games. ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OUR PARISH SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH invite you to a meeting on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018 from 1:30 to 4:00 at their Motherhouse, Watertown. If you are interested in learning about our Lay Associate Program, Associates meet once a month to learn about the spirituality and history of the Sisters, pray together, and discuss ways to deepen one s spiritual life. This group is open to men and women. If you are interested, please call Sr. Kathleen, Sr. Norma, or Sr. Mary William at 782-3460. LORD, TEACH ME TO PRAY A Spiritual, Journey with St. Ignatius of Loyola will be Sunday, September 9th 12 noon at the Greystone Building across the street from Holy Family Church. (This location is for this meeting only.) Part 1 Praying Christian Virtues will introduce you to the meditative and contemplative way of prayer, enabling you to further develop your prayer life. This 12 week program is facilitated in a group setting, meets for 2 hours once a week and requires 15 minutes of daily prayer on assigned scriptures. OUR MOTHER OF THE EUCHARIST PRAYER GROUP will meet Thursday, September 13th, 6:30PM- 8:00PM in Msgr. Sechi Hall at St. Anthony s. Come join us for song, praise and worship. Any questions contact Lourdes Hough at 315-788-0604. All are welcome! A short summary about the CD Living Life by Design, Not Default by Fr. Mike Schmitz. With so much technology at our fingertips, it s tough not to get swept away in all the noise and clutter. In our society there s often a tendency to live passively by simply going with the flow. In this talk given at a FOCUS national conference, Fr. Mike Schmitz explains how we need to live an intentionally Christian life within a technological age. Parishioner Comments: An engaging talk for our time! Teens, parents everyone will hear the challenge. I did! As usual, Fr. Mike Schmitz gives a dynamic, funny and relevant talk. He tells it like it is regarding the consequences of the techie lives we lead! CHECK OUT THE NEW CDS FROM CATHOLIC LIGHHOUSE IN THE GATHERING AREA OF THE CHURCH (Each CD is $4.00. Please consider sharing your CD once you ve listened to it!) 1. Living Life by Design, Not Default by Fr. Mike Schmitz 2. I m Not Being Fed by Jeff Cavins 3. True Worship by Fr. Mike Schmitz 4. Jesus the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told By Dr. Brant Pitre 5. The Face of God by Blessed Mother Teresa 6. Evangelizing Catholics by Dr. Scott Hahn 7. Reaching Out to Today s Culture by Fr. Robert Barron 8. God s Plan for Love: Humanae Vitae, Sex and Authentic Freedom by Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, STL 9. Humanae Vitae 50 Years Later: History of Dissent and Defense by Dr. Janet Smith 10 Say Yes to Christ: Allowing Jesus to be Lord of Your Whole Life by Dr. Scott Hahn 11.Protecting Innocence: Parenting, Your Kids and the Internet by Matt Fradd 12.Understanding the Lord of the Rings as a Catholic Book by Joseph Pearce
Note From the Pope, The pain of the victims and their families is also our pain, says Pope Francis in this letter written to the people of God which states, With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives. We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them. The Holy Father recognizes the wounds caused by sexual abuse never go away. He makes it clear that no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient, and no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated. Pope Francis' message is blunt: The heart-wrenching pain of these victims, which cries out to heaven, was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced. To prevent this from happening again, the pope proposes putting an end to the culture of omission as a response, and implementing one of solidarity that seeks to condemn whatever endangers the integrity of any person. Thus, he calls for the engagement of all, saying, The only way that we have to respond to this evil that has darkened so many lives is to experience it as a task regarding all of us as the People of God. The Holy Father blames clericalism on a peculiar way of understanding the Church s authority, an underlying problem that supports and helps to perpetuate many of the evils that we are condemning today. He asserts, To say 'no' to abuse is to say an emphatic 'no' to all forms of clericalism. Pope Francis says it's essential that we, as a Church, be able to acknowledge and condemn, with sorrow and shame, the atrocities perpetrated by consecrated persons, clerics, and all those entrusted with the mission of watching over and caring for those most vulnerable. Thus, the pope calls the Church to beg forgiveness for our own sins and the sins of others. To conclude, from a spiritual perspective, the Holy Father suggests an attitude of penitential prayer and fasting so that we may grow in the gift of compassion, in justice, prevention and reparation as a way of combatting all forms of the abuse of power, sexual abuse and the abuse of conscience. OUR TITHING PARISH TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME This Year $ 6,352.50 Last Year $ 8,020.00 Youth $ 18.50 Thank you for your continued generosity! CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UPDATE Total Pledges and One Time Gifts $385,000. Total Participating Households 146 Let s keep up the good work! Our goal is $750.000. Note From the Pastor, I always make it evident how much I love all the children and indeed all people. I believe that is one of the reasons God called me to the priesthood. So the abuse of any child causes me great pain and makes me very angry. However, after all this time it seems to me too little attention has been given to the victims and their well being. We need to pray and act in a way that helps the victims of these horrible acts. I firmly believe that the perpetrators of these crimes will be brought to justice even if they are deceased, for we must all stand before the judgment seat of God. Google Fr. Mike Schmitz on the Pennsylvania crisis. I really liked what he had to say. Thank you to everyone who has increased their weekly giving. If you have not increased your weekly contributions, please prayerfully consider doing so. You all know only too well that expenses keep rising even though we try to be very frugal. Some increased costs are unavoidable. However we certainly understand if you are not able to increase. Fr. Steven Murray PLANNED GIVING: Capital Campaign When you are prayerfully considering your gift for the It s Our Church, It s Our Future Capital Campaign, there will be a variety of giving options for you to think about. There is a pledge option of up to four years with payments ranging from monthly, quarterly, semiannually or annually. A one-time gift option is also available. As you reflect upon your level of support, please remember that the 2018 Bishop s Fund Appeal is included in this gift. The Bishop s Fund Appeal will return in September 2019 to provide its support to the annual ministries and program needs of the Diocese. Methods of Giving Can Include: Pledges via cash, check or credit/debit cards. Gifts of Securities. Gifts of qualifying Retirements (IRA s). Gifts of Property, Life Insurance, Wills, Bequests, etc. For further information on ways to give, contact Scott Lalone at 315-393-2920 or slalone@rcdony.org.
NEXT SUNDAY S READINGS Isaiah 35: 4-7a Psalm 146: 7-10 James 2: 1-5 Mark 7: 31-37 The advent of the age of salvation is upon us: the deaf hear, the blind see, and those bowed down are raised up (1, Ps, 3). The kingdom is made manifest around the Eucharistic table, where rich and poor alike are invited to feast (2). OUR PARISH SCHOOL NEWS Beverly Donohue Elizabeth Betty Alden Collin Hess OUR FAITH COMMUNITY NURSES NOTES Free Cancer Screening is now available to area residents by calling 1-866-442-2262. The call is free. You can also call Lewis County Public Health at 315-376-5453 or 1-877-449-6626. Advice to Life Open your arms and your heart to change. It is part of life. We are pleased to announce the annual Consecrated Religious Jubilee Mass will be combined this year with the annual Marriage Jubilee Mass. The Marriage and Consecrated Life Jubilee will be celebrated on Sunday, September 23, 2018 at 2:30pm by Bishop Terry R. LaValley at St. Mary s Cathedral. The Mass is to honor the Religious Sisters for their decades of service to the Church and all married couples celebrating their anniversaries (from one year and up). The Religious Sisters celebrating special jubilee anniversaries are the following: 40 years Sister Cindy Sullivan, BVN Sister Elizabeth Washburn, APB 50 years Sister Jennifer Votraw, SSJ 60 years Sister Mary Louise Fiedler, SSJ Sister Marilyn McGillan, APB Sister Mary Patrick Murphy, SSJ Sister Elizabeth Menard, OP Sister Claire Michel Fortier, SCSL 70 years Sister Mary Teresa Magdalen Nichols, SSJ Sister Mary Monica Flaherty, SSJ Married couples wishing to attend, receive a certificate from Bishop LaValley and have their names included in the program, will need to register for the Mass on or before Friday, September 14, 2018. Couples can register with their parish. Please complete the attached registration form and email to rgrizzuto@rcdony.org or fax to (866) 314-7296. Couples can also register themselves at https:// www.rcdony.org/marriagejubilee. Allison Christine Lara Christopher Alexander Lara PLANNED GIVING: What is my tax situation for 2018? If your income has been particularly high this year and you expect it will decline, it might be a good time to increase giving before December runs out. You could even prepay some of your 2018 gifts or pledges to be able to capture this year s tax benefits. ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation are working with recycling industry stakeholders, municipalities, academic institutions, and others to sustain recycling markets in NY and improve the quality of recyclable materials. Remember to "recycle right" and avoid contaminating your recyclables- when in doubt, leave it out. https://on.ny.gov/2mswdsi
August 23, 2018 Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ: The Body of Christ is hurting so terribly. I can t begin to imagine the lifelong pain endured by the victims and the families of those who have been sexually abused by the clergy. Just when I thought (and prayed) that new revelations of such crimes were history, news broke of the credible allegation of sexual misconduct against a Cardinal of the Church, Theodore McCarrick and the Grand Jury report from Pennsylvania was released. Revelations about the past egregious behavior of some clergy (priests and bishops) in our Church have caused us all such great personal shame and profound sorrow for their victims. I struggle with much anger. When a cleric abuses, it is not just sexual abuse, as sickening as that is, it s also spiritual abuse, an individual is robbed of his or her faith and of sacred trust in the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church. The whole Body is wounded grievously by each of these betrayals. The continuing revelations of the fracturing of this sacred trust is paralyzing the mission of the Church. The hurt inflicted upon us in our experience of the Church can shipwreck our Christian faith. Like the corrosive nature of rust on iron, such scandal can eat away at our faith. Yet, the very fact that the Church in its current state, with her human imperfections, is a cause of dismay to some; that we are angry, disgusted, or shameful are all palpable signs that we care, that the reality of the Church matters to us, that it matters right down to our very core. Recently, as I was reflecting on the current crisis in the Church and wallowing in in a moment of self-pity, I remembered a Christmas card I received years ago that caught my attention. There were neat personal notes on the card written to me by the children of this family. The parents then wrote about my priestly ministry, particularly about the consecration at Mass. Their teenage son told them that he really felt the bread and wine changing into the Body and Blood of Christ when I voiced the Eucharistic Prayer. That snapped me out of my pity party and reminded me what the priesthood is all about. I m proud to be a Roman Catholic priest. I feel humbled and so very privileged to be a priest. There s nothing in this world that I would rather be. The anointed hands of a priest are the hands that consecrate the Eucharist, the hands that absolve sin, the hands that comfort the ill and the dying, the hands that baptize and bless. If a person can feel safe and welcomed any place in this world, it ought to be in the Church under the care of her priest. The protection of our children is paramount. Our vigilance in providing safe environments for all who come to us has not waned. The members of our diocesan lay review board have been invaluable in their frank and very insightful counsel as we continue to address this horror in our diocese. The faithful have a right to be assured that the Church has an effective zero tolerance policy that deals promptly with allegations of sexual abuse of minors by the clergy priest and bishop. I will soon share with you a summary of our experience in reaching out to victims through our Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program as this particular program nears its completion here in the Diocese of Ogdensburg in mid-september. Since the scandal surfaced several years ago, I have been so affirmed by the ongoing support and trust of faith-filled parishioners. The priests have a right to receive from their bishop encouragement and support when the behavior of some causes such distress and shame for the hard working and faithful priest. Thank you for your ongoing prayers for your priests who give God s holy people a shepherd s love and care. The faithful have a right to receive an apology from the Church when sacred trust has been betrayed and that the Church is doing all within its power to prevent that from ever occurring again. We pray for those who have suffered such heinous sinfulness by clergy as we seek forgiveness for the failure of Church leadership to address this tragedy effectively. Yes, we care and we ache for a Church that today more often puts on display its sinners rather than its saints. What can we do? In his letter of August 20, the Holy Father asks us to consider doing prayer and penance. He wrote: I invite the entire holy faithful People of God to a penitential exercise of prayer and fasting today we are challenged as the People of God to take on the pain of our brothers and sisters wounded in their flesh and in their spirit. With this in mind, I am asking all our pastors to designate in their parishes a day of Prayer and Penance in September for the victims of clerical abuse. This could be an occasion for parishioners to come together for a special Mass for healing (Eucharistic Prayer IV for Various Needs is appropriate) or a Holy Hour in reparation for the sins committed against the innocent. I invite you to join me in penance and prayer for the renewal of holiness among us. Know that this local Church continues to work hard to be rid of the scourge of clergy sex abuse and be an instrument of reconciliation and peace. God s grace will provide. That s our hope. That s our belief! God s grace will provide. Faithfully yours in Christ, Most Reverend Terry R. LaValley Bishop of Ogdensburg