“We do not want a Church that moves with the world.
We want a Church that will move the world.” ~G. K. Chesterton
A Letter from Our Pastor:
April 19, 2024
Dear Parish households,
This Sunday is called “Good Shepherd Sunday.” The gospel of John 10:11-18 is proclaimed. It contains Jesus referencing himself as the Good Shepherd because he lays down his life for his sheep. The reasons he gives for laying down his life are for the safety and well-being of the sheep and that he can take up his life again. He says, “I have the power to lay it (my life) down, and power to take it up again.” He demonstrated what he claims in the way he willingly was crucified, died, and rose from the dead. What kind of person would not want him to be the Shepherd of their life? A question is raised, “Do I look upon Jesus as the Shepherd of my life?”
During the celebration of the Easter Season, the Church’s liturgy uses many acclamations and responses expressing the joy of Jesus victory over sin and death. These acclamations and responses are also offered for meditation. Here are a couple:
God raised up Christ from the dead, alleluia.
R/So that all our faith and hope might be in God, alleluia.
God has raised the Lord to life, alleluia.
R/Through his power he will also raise us up, alleluia.
From the time of the apostles, Catholics celebrate the Lord’s Day by going to Mass. One is missed when he/she is not present. A fact, in our parish we are missing people who are Catholic and are not present. One’s Catholicity is demonstrated by being in the habit of going to Mass in celebration of the Lord’s Day.
The study, “Jesus, and the Eucharist” has four remaining sessions. Each session is different. One can jump in at any time. If your daily schedule allows, the following are the days and times offered. Please take advantage of these opportunities. Attend the study and socialize. Those who have attended find them enjoyable and informative. Try it. I expect it from you.
Sundays 1:00 p.m. St. James the Apostle
2:00 p.m. by Zoom
Wednesdays 10:00 a.m. Holy Cross
Thursdays 9:15 a.m. St. Francis Solanus
1:00 p.m. St. James the Apostle
Saturdays 9:00 a.m. St. Francis Solanus
With love for you all,
Fr. Bernard, OFM Cap.
P.S.
- Click here for the link for the Zoom Session (session #3), this Sunday, beginning at 2:00 p.m.
- I am available every Friday from 6:30–7:30 p.m. at the Parish Center. No appointment is required.
- The bulletin for this Sunday, April 14, is available on the bulletin page or by viewing it from this link: Bulletin for April 14 2024.
Gospel Meditation—Encourage Deeper Understanding of Scripture
Fourth Sunday of Easter ~ April 21, 2024
Recently I was with my little dog Libby at a retreat center in the Arizona desert. I sat in a chair near a ravine filled with shrubs. Unbeknownst to me, Libby wandered down there and disappeared. Suddenly an animal’s wild shriek erupted from the area. Without thinking, I bolted down into the ravine fully expecting to see coyotes, javelinas, or rattlesnakes. I didn’t care. I desperately wanted to get Libby out of there, without any self-regard. Before I could face whatever danger lay hidden, my dog blissfully trotted out from an entirely different area, utterly unaware that I had (quite heroically) just placed my life on the line.
When the adrenaline wore off, I thought to myself: how far would I have been willing to go to save her? I don’t know. But I do know, if I had literally died, my friends and family would have certainly thought me insane for dying for a dog. No offense, Libby.
How passionately Jesus wants us to know him and his willingness to die for us! This week he says, “I know my own and my own know me,” and “I lay down my life for the sheep.” Here we encounter an insanely excessive love for us. Christianity is a relationship and not simply a religion or ethical code. In Jesus, God rescues and saves us. He laid down his life for you and me—and he has taken it up again. So often we are like Libby—blissfully ignorant of the reality of both our spiritual danger and his saving love. This Easter season, the risen Jesus calls us to be more conscious than ever before about his love. He never ceases to lay down his life for us.
~ Father John Muir
©LPi
Mass Class, First Reading Shift During the Easter Season: At Mass, in the Easter season, you may have noticed that the First Reading shifts from the Old Testament to the Acts of the Apostles, in the New Testament. These readings help us to focus on the work of the early Church after Jesus’s Resurrection. Here is a link to an article from the Catholic blog Busted Halo to help you learn more about the Easter season shift.
Share Your Faith: The Family Zone provides a link for the readings that you will hear at the Sunday Mass for the coming two weeks. This will give you a chance to prepare your heart and mind for full and active participation in Mass this weekend. Picture Jesus sitting next to you as you review the readings. What would you say to him about what you read?
Family Faith Conversation: Next Sunday, we will hear the Gospel of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. The beauty of this Gospel is that it reminds us of how treasured and loved we are in God’s eyes. As a family, we are the face of God to one another. Have a family conversation about what makes each of you feel most loved. What can you do to show one another how deeply you care? Can you name a time that you have felt loved by God? Ask your children what they love most about your family and share some treasured memories and thoughts about your love and life with one another!
Connect to Our Church Calendar: April 21 is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. We all share a common call to holiness. Some are called to the vocation of marriage, while others are called to the priesthood, to consecrated life in a religious community or even to committed single life. Through all of these vocations we are called to serve God in special ways. Below are some resources to better help you understand vocation and how you might encourage a response to God’s call in your children, as they grow. Pray with us, as we observe the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Here is a link for activities and free downloads for coloring activities and other ideas to help Catholic kids think about God’s call!
Prayer to Protect Our Clergy: In the name of Jesus, we confidently ask Divine protection for our bishops, priests, deacons, and seminarians.
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle,
be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host,
by the power of God, cast into hell Satan
and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls.zAmen
Build Traditions: Where did you see God in your day? When the disciples were walking on the road to Emmaus, they did not recognize God in their midst. How about you? Do you see God at work? Do you help your kids recognize Jesus, risen, and working through your lives? Do you acknowledge Holy Spirit moments? Build a new tradition, during the Easter season, of ending your day by sharing where you saw God at work. As this process catches on, you might find it is some of the most meaningful prayer and conversation time you can have with your children as you discover together all the many ways God reaches out a hand to each of us and longs for us to be in communion with Him!
Sent Forth to Help Others, Spring Cleaning: Perhaps you know of a neighbor, family 
member, or friend who could use some help with spring clean-up inside or out! This is a great way for your family to serve together and learn valuable life skills in the process! You might even check with a local charitable organization such as a hospice, food cupboard or your own parish; these places generally have buildings and property to maintain and could use the extra hands! Share the joy of the Easter season!
The Family Zone is a newsletter for families to bring the faith alive at home and is brought to you by the Diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis. It is an online newsletter designed to help you prepare for full and active participation in the liturgy as well as formation within your families. It is an interactive newsletter that “takes parents directly to online sites they can use, themselves, to be the primary instructors of their children’s faith.” To stay up to date with opportunities around the diocese, sign up for the Family Zone newsletter on their web page.
“Christ is Always with Us”
The National Eucharistic Revival is a three-year movement to “renew the Church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.” (Mission Statement for the National Eucharistic Revival, The Secretariat of Evangelization & Catechesis USCCB)
The National Eucharistic Revival: June 19, 2022–Pentecost 2025
Parish Eucharistic Revival: June 11, 2023–June 2024
Here is a link to the schedule for our parish’s discussions for the Jesus and the Eucharist Study sponsored by the National Eucharistic Revival organizers.
Go here to find out more about what our diocese is doing to participate in this important movement.
Will you join us?
“It is in knowing and in loving the Jesus of the Eucharist that you will have the means to understand life, to find security, to be a people with roots. It is Christ who sustains and supports us in the many trials, struggles, challenges, transitions and happenings of our human existence,” wrote our Bishop wrote in his pastoral letter on the Eucharist. “Join us in sharing the light of Christ!”
Those who cannot attend Mass in person are encouraged to check out the diocese’s list of Masses that are available online. Additionally, the diocese provides a variety of virtual events for “prayer, worship, and faith sharing.”
We look forward to seeing you Mass at any of our three churches: Holy Cross in Ovid, NY; St. Francis in Interlaken, NY; and St. James the Apostle in Trumansburg, NY!
Mass Intentions at St. James the Apostle in Trumansburg, Holy Cross in Ovid, and St. Francis Solanus in Interlaken for the week of April 20–28, 2024:
| Saturday, April 20 | St. Francis, 8:00 p.m. |
Parishioners and benefactors |
| Sunday, April 21 | St. James, 9:00 a.m. |
Bro. Paul Crawford, OFM. Cap from Rick and Barb Willers |
| Holy Cross, 10:30 a.m. | Special intention | |
| Monday, April 22 | St. James, 9:00 a.m. | Communion service |
| Tuesday, April 23 | St. Francis, 8:30 a.m. | Special intention |
| Wednesday, April 24 | St. Francis, 8:30 a.m. | Special intention |
| Thursday, April 25 | St. Francis, 8:30 a.m. | Special intention |
| Friday, April 26 |
St. Francis, 8:30 a.m. | Special intention |
| Saturday, April 27 | St. Francis, 4:00 p.m. |
Robert Pritchard from his parents, Bill and Caroline Pritchard |
| Sunday, April 28 |
St. James, 9:00 a.m. | Maria Giuseppina Swenson from Gerry Todi and family |
| Holy Cross, 10:30 a.m. | Kaili M. Collins and Tom Margeit from Dan and Eileen Collins |
Mass intentions: Those wishing to have someone remembered at a Mass on a particular day and time and place may fill out a Mass Intentions Request form which is automatically submitted to the church office. You may also phone the parish office (607-294-0064) with your request or fill out one of the paper forms available in the foyer of each church and either mail it to the parish office or put it in the collection. All of the Mass intentions presently scheduled can be seen on the parish calendar.
Sanctuary Lamp Intention:
A donation may be made to the parish for a sanctuary lamp to be lit for your intention in any one of our three churches. Contact the parish office to make your request known.
Prayer to Mary, Mother of Mercy
Blessed Virgin Mary, who can worthily repay you with praise and thanks for having rescued a fallen world by your generous consent! Receive our gratitude, and by your prayers obtain the pardon of our sins. Take our prayers into the sanctuary of heaven and enable them to make our peace with God.
Holy Mary, help the miserable, strengthen the discouraged, comfort the sorrowful, pray for your people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all women consecrated to God. May all who venerate you feel now your help and protection. Be ready to help us when we pray, and bring back to us the answers to our prayers. Make it your continual concern to pray for the people of God, for you were blessed by God and were made worthy to bear the Redeemer of the world, who lives and reigns forever.
Amen.
~Saint Augustine of Hippo
Earth Day is officially April 22 but every day is earth day!
