July 23, 2017 ~ Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year of the Eucharist June 18, 2017 ~ June 3, 2018

First Reading:
But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency, and with much lenience you govern us; for power, whenever you will, attends you. (Wis. 12:18)

Psalm:
Lord, you are good and forgiving. (Ps. 86)

Second Reading:
Brothers and sisters: The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. (Rom. 8:26)

Gospel:
“The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Mt. 13:41-43a)

Live the Liturgy—Inspiration for the Week:
Today we are presented with the parable of the weeds and the wheat. We struggle with the imperfection that exists in our world. This imperfection shows itself in human sinfulness with its consequences–disease, natural disasters, suffering, and even death. We wonder why God did not simply make everything perfect right from the beginning so that harmony, peace, and tranquility would be the norm. God builds free will into us and into our world so that we can learn to freely love him. Anything less than this would not provide the freedom to choose to acknowledge and develop our relationship with our Creator. For now, the weeds and the wheat must coexist. Our faith teaches us that we live and walk in hope that when the harvest comes only the wheat of God’s love will remain.

Words to Inspire the Faithful:
“The word of God is a light to the mind and a fire to the will.” ~St. Lawrence of Brindisi

© Liturgical Publications Inc.

Upcoming Events:

• AA Meetings: St. Francis Church, on Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.
• Food Pantries: Ovid Federated Church on Mondays, 10:00 a.m. The food truck is available to everyone every other Tuesday, 3:00 p.m. (July 25 and August 8). The food pantry is at the Interlaken Reformed Church on Fridays, 3:00–6:00 p.m. The Trumansburg food pantry is at the Methodist Church every other Monday 1:00–2:00 p.m. and 5:30–6:00 p.m. (July 31 and August 14).
• Fill the Bus: Beginning July 1 and ending the weekend of August 12 both Holy Cross and St. Francis Solanus churches will be collecting school supplies for Seneca County students
• Feast Day of St. James the Apostle is on July 25: There will be a 7:00 p.m. Mass (therefore no 9:00 a.m. Mass that day) followed by an ice cream social.
• Mass for Barbara Mearse: The Mass for a Deceased Person will be celebrated on Thursday, July 27, at 9:00 a.m. at St. James the Apostle.
• Summer Program at Branches Lakeside Retreat on July 28: “Amazing Grace” facilitated by Fr. Brendan P. Buckley, OFM, Capuchin
• Seneca Summer Music Festival: July 29 at 7:30 p.m. at the South Seneca High School auditorium, Ovid
• Summer Program at Branches Lakeside Retreat on August 5: “Sin and Mercy” facilitated by Ann Kern on Saturday
• Summer Religious Education Program: running from August 7–11
• Summer Program at Branches Lakeside Retreat on August 15: “Most Holy Rosary” facilitated by Donna Wieand
• Parish Celebration: the second Sunday of September (this year September 10) will be the day we annually celebrate our parish.
• Solanus Casey, OFM Cap., Beatification: November 18 in Detroit, MI. 

Year of the Eucharist:
“When we approach the Eucharistic celebration, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we enter into an encounter with the Lord, like no other, and it demands our very best in prayer and participation. Among our people there is a deep appreciation for, and desire to renew a sense of the transcendent and awesome nature of the Most Holy Eucharist. The liturgical prayers of the Mass proclaim the doctrine, the truths of the creed which are the very foundation of our Catholic Faith. We do not create the Mass or own the sacraments; the Eucharist, the sacraments, are Jesus’s gift to His Church. Jesus is the one who instituted the Eucharist and now in time has shared this gift of Himself with us. St. John Chrysostom confirms this teaching: ‘It is not man that causes the things offered to become the Body and Blood of Christ, but He who was crucified for us, Christ Himself. The priest, in the role of Christ, pronounces these words, but their power and grace are God’s. This is my body, he says. This word transforms the things offered.’ ” (Taken from Bishop Salvatore R. Matano’s pastoral letter announcing a “Year of the Eucharist” in celebration of the 150 [Sesquicentennial] anniversary of the diocese. The full pastoral letter is available on the diocesan website.)

St. James Feast Day:
This Tuesday, July 25, is the feast day of St. James the Apostle. There will be a 7:00 p.m. Mass (therefore no 9:00 a.m. Mass that day) followed by an ice cream social. Rita Demerest, Laurenda Denmark, Gerri Todi, and Barbara Willers are preparing this event. Bring the children. All are invited. A free will offering will be accepted.

Young People (Ages 16–29):
Pope Francis has requested worldwide feedback concerning issues that will be addressed at the October 2018 Synod of Bishops on “Young People, Faith, and Vocational Discernment.” To prepare for next year’s Synod, Pope Francis has written a “Letter to Young People” (ages 16–29). The letter is available through a link on the Diocese of Rochester homepage website www.dor.org. The letter is also available in the foyer of our churches. In response to the Holy Father’s request, the diocese invites the young to respond to an online questionnaire at www.surveymonkey.com/r/TXNSXP5. Please encourage young people to take time to answer the questionnaire. One does not need to answer all the questions, just answer as many as possible based on one’s experiences. It is not a lengthy questionnaire.

Faith Formation Summer Program:
Registration is now open for children grades 1–7 for the Religion Education Summer Program which runs from Monday, August 7, through Friday, August 8. The program begins at 8:30 a.m. each day and concludes at 3:30 p.m. It will be held at St. Fidelis Friary Boat House, 7790 County Road 153, Interlaken. The fee is $40 per family payable on the first day of classes. Arrangements can be made if this fee creates a hardship for any family. If this is the case, please talk with Father about options. Please register by Friday, July 28. Parents register on line at the address given in the mailed email communiqué. If you need more information please contact Andy Morpurgo, [email protected]. Children attending should bring a packed lunch, water bottle, swim suit, towel, and, a must: water shoes, and sunscreen.

Mass for Barbara Mearse:
Barbara Mearse, a faithful parishioner, died on June 28, 2017. There was no funeral Mass at the time of her death due to various circumstances. Instead the Mass for a Deceased Person will be celebrated for her on Thursday, July 27, at 9:00 a.m. at St. James the Apostle.

Seneca Summer Music Festival:
The Seneca Summer Music Festival Orchestra will be conducted by S. Sade Zajac on Saturday, July 29, at 7:30 p.m. at the South Seneca High School auditorium in Ovid. Admission is free. Donations will go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It is always a great event and all are welcome.

Fill the Bus School Supply Collection:
Beginning July 1 and ending the weekend of August 12 both Holy Cross and St. Francis Solanus Churches will be collecting school supplies for the Fill the Bus Collection for Seneca County students. We are in need of glue sticks; pencils; blue and black pens; rulers; thick and thin magic markers; crayons; one subject spiral notebooks; composition books; loose leaf paper; 1, 1 ½, and 2 inch binders; tab dividers; two pocket folders; and pencil cases. All supplies will be collected at the Fayette Fire Department on August 16 and then taken to the four school districts in the county. We will need volunteers to help sort and box the collected supplies on August 16. If you’re able donate an hour or more of your time to help, it would be greatly appreciated as always. Please contact Gerald Frank 869-5009 or email [email protected].

Gardening Enthusiasts Needed:
St. James is in need of help with our Building and Grounds Committee and welcome all to join our group. The committee is especially interested in volunteers to help make the grounds beautiful. You don’t need to join the committee to help make the grounds lovely. Maybe you would enjoy taking a small area and designating it as your own to plant and garden as you wish. You could also get together with a few friends to plant your favorite flowers and bushes. If interested please contact Kathleen Rourke at [email protected] or Sandy Tielens at [email protected], co-chairs of the St. James Building and Grounds Committee. We look forward to hearing from you. We need you!

American Red Cross:
The Finger Lakes Chapter reaches from Steuben County up to the northern shores of Wayne County. They need many volunteers. Volunteers touch lives in the community every day and they are the heart and soul of the Red Cross. There are so many ways one can help. If you have any questions or if you would like further information please contact [email protected] or phone 607 936 2428.

Extra Vegetables and Fruit:
Don’t let your veggies grow up to be compost! Donate extra produce (vegetables, fruit, and eggs) from your garden or CSA share at 94 West Main Street Trumansburg every Monday 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. until October 1. It will be distributed to a local family the next day. No donation is too small. For more information visit http://friendshipdonations.org/hubs/

Branches Lakeside Day Retreats:
Branches Christian Rest and Renewal Center, Inc. invites you for a day of rest and renewal at our Seneca Lake property. Our 2017 summer retreat schedule is: “Amazing Grace” facilitated by Fr. Brendan P. Buckley, OFM, Capuchin on Friday, July 28; “Sin and Mercy” facilitated by Ann Kern on Saturday, August 5; and “Most Holy Rosary” facilitated by Donna Wieand on Tuesday, August 15. Each retreats runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a donation is $30 (which includes light breakfast, snacks, drinks, and lunch). For more information visit branchescenter.org or contact Donna Wieand (716) 901-4313, email: [email protected]. 

Great Links:
The New York State Catholic Conference has an excellent website at http://www.nyscatholic.org. It is a good way to stay informed of the issues and to quickly notify your legislators regarding issues that concern you. Another information link is the Catholic Charities USA website which offers a variety of helpful programs. See https://catholiccharitiesusa.org/advocacy-and-policy.

The Jacksonville Attic Thrift Shop:
A fresh supply of household item, camping supplies, books, craft supplies, and glassware cover the tables and fill the shelves. The clothing closet room holds an assortment of spring and summer clothes and toys just waiting for you and your family, including a large stock of next-to-new summer children’s clothing. Donations gladly received during business hours. They are open Tuesdays from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Attic Thrift Shop is located in the Old School House next to the Jacksonville Community United Methodist Church at 1869 Route 96 in Jacksonville.

Parish Feast Day Celebration:
In the Church’s calendar of feast days there is no date given for Mary, Mother of Mercy. Other churches having that name choose their own date to celebrate. After discussion with the Parish Council in early April and a brief discussion at the June meeting, the Worship Committee met on June 13 and recommended to Fr. Bernard that the second Sunday of September (this year September 10) be the day we celebrate our parish feast day. Suggestions have been made to have an outdoor Mass (weather permitting) at St. Fidelis Friary in early afternoon followed by our annual parish picnic at the boathouse.

Ministry Fair:
The Worship Committee has begun planning for a Ministry Fair for late September—the beginning of October. The Ministry Fair provides opportunities for parishioners to volunteer for Liturgical ministries and other areas of parish life depending on volunteers.

Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester:
The sisters have a prayer ministry and throughout 2017, Sister Dolores Bachman and Sister Anne Marie Burns will be praying for our parish and parishioners. Let us keep the sisters in our prayers as an expression of gratitude. Sisters of St. Joseph website: www.ssjrochester.org.

Pregnancy Care Center of the Finger Lakes:
Pregnancy Care Center of the Finger Lakes, located at 551 Exchange St. in Geneva, is offering a “Forgiven and Set Free” post abortive ten-week session beginning October 4 until December 13. There is no cost involved. “If you regret your abortion, you are not alone. Let us help you learn to forgive yourself. Pleased join us for this healing ministry program.” For more information phone 315 789 0708.

Toiletries and Hygiene Products:
There is a basket in the vestibule of St. James church for donations of toiletries. The request comes from Catholic Charities which is in need of items like shampoo, toothpaste, diapers etc. The items will be transferred to the Catholic Charities office in Ithaca.

Cancer Services Program (Cortland and Tompkins Counties):
This a program that provides free cancer screenings (breast, cervical, and colorectal) to women from ages 40–64 and men ages 50–64, who are uninsured or have health insurance that does not cover these screenings and who meet income eligibility requirements. These services are provided in local health centers, doctor’s offices, and hospitals. For more information call 1-866 442 2262.

Ministry Schedules for St. James

Schedule for July 29 and 30, 2017 (Fifth Sunday):

5:00 p.m. Mass
Lectors: Barbara Willers and Kathleen Rourke
EM: Traci Bump, Carol Kuklo, Robin Hamula

11:00 a.m. Mass
Lectors: Beth Duff and Tim Davis
EM: Mark Scibilia-Carver, Mary Szymanski, Tom Duff

Schedule for August 5 and 6, 2017 (First Sunday):

5:00 p.m. Mass
Lectors: Scott Hamula and Amy Panek
EM: Barbara Willers, Robin Hamula, Kathleen Rourke

11:00 a.m. Mass
Lectors: Lynne Stager and Maria Connell
EM: Mark Scibilia-Carver, Glenn Stamps, Mary Szymanski

July 2017:

August 2017:

Ministry Schedules for St. Francis Solanus Church

Lector Schedule

July – August – September 2017

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion 

July – August – September   2017

REMEMBER: to take Communion to Richard Suchocki and Maryann Dendis before giving to congregation.

Altar Server Schedule:

July – August – September 2017

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