“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:
May 20, 2022
St. Bernardine of Siena Day
Dear Parish households,
The Lord is risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus, in more than one place in the gospels, proclaims he was sent by the Father. He says it again in this Sunday’s gospel (John 14:23-29) during the last supper discourse. He was sent to teach, and his teaching is not his but the Father’s. He was referred to, even by those who opposed and rejected him, as the “Teacher.” He taught not only in words, but equally by his behavior. In words and behavior, he revealed our heavenly Father’s love for humanity and how we can love God in return by responding to the truth, the way, and the life he reveals. His teaching mission had a purpose, that is, to form the Kingdom of Heaven on earth whose members would be dedicated to promoting unity and peace, that is, people living in harmony and enabling all people, without exception, to prosper in this world. Jesus instructs the apostles that if they adhere to his teaching and imitate his behavior, they would be loved by the Father. He further instructs that in the Father’s love for the members of his kingdom, the Father and he would come to that person and make their dwelling with that person. Jesus teaches that his disciples are always to be aware that God not only loves and delights in them but that he dwells in them. This is a cause for great rejoicing.
When we, the disciples of Jesus, gather for Mass and an ordained minister (priest or deacon) greets the assembled with, “The Lord be with you” we are to be aware it is not only a greeting, but a reminder we gather in celebration of the Father and Son’s love and their dwelling in each person. The people respond to the ordained minister with, “And with your spirit” to celebrate God’s dwelling in the minister also. At various times when we gather for prayer, like when we gather for Mass, we begin in joyful celebration of God’s love for us and his presence with us.
With love for you all,
Fr. Bernard, OFM Cap.
P.S.
- “Keep holy the Sabbath day,” the third commandment of God.
- Please share this letter with other members of your home. Thank you.
- This weekend’s bulletin is available here.
- The Parish Council has made it a priority to improve our electronic communications. Thank you for visiting the parish web site where there are many helpful links here and on our weekly bulletin page. We are increasing activity on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Visiting and “liking” our pages on these social media platforms helps us to engage and reach new parishioners.
Gospel Meditation—Encourage Deeper Understanding of Scripture
May 22, 2022 ~ Sixth Sunday of Easter
Jesus tells his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” The peace that Jesus gives is far different than the kind that comes from the absence of war, conflict, or affliction. The peace that God offers is found alongside suffering and hardship, not necessarily in their absence. St. Teresa of Avila offers us a bit of wisdom regarding peace:
“May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love. It is there for each and every one of us.”
In order for us to experience the divine peace that Jesus offers, we have to allow God’s presence to settle into our bones! It is only when this happens that we can be truly taught by the Holy Spirit to discern the true path to peace and find ourselves with untroubled hearts. The world and our lives are so unpredictable and changeable. If we look for a source of lasting and real peace only there, our search will never be satisfied. Something will always unsettle and disturb us. The Jewish disciples could really relate to what Jesus was saying about peace (shalom). They already knew that it was more a matter of achieving wholeness and well-being than anything else.
Wholeness and well-being are precisely what is uncovered when we begin to really see and know the height, depth, and breadth of God’s presence and promise. The elegance of God’s Divine life flows through our blood and the marrow in our bones. It is that close and deep. As we breathe in and exhale God’s life, peace becomes what we know within and what is exhaled out. This remains in the midst of intense conflict, persecution, suffering, rejection, and even death.
©LPI
Whoever Loves Me Will Keep My Word:
In the readings in these weeks ahead, you will hear the phrase above; so the question stands, how do you keep to God’s word? There are many ways the practices of our faith focus on God’s word, but the most obvious one is study of the Bible. The Liturgy of the Word in the Mass helps us to both learn about and apply God’s word to our lives. You may find that you hear a reading once and connect to one message and then, at another point in your life, hear something completely different in God’s word. That is why we are encouraged to keep listening, keep learning and keep searching for the answers God places before us; faith formation is a lifelong experience of growing closer to God!
This edition of The Family Zone will focus on two important Catholic observances in the month of May. As we head toward the end of the Easter season, we observe the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. We also count the month of May as a special time for us to focus on Mary. We hope you will learn more about both this week!
Below are just some of the items available in the latest issue of the Family Zone. Go visit the web page to see so much more including a podcast from GODSPLAINING, focused on The Solemnity of The Ascension of the Lord; video links about the Blessed Mother; more activities for kids; and an article for parents on how Mary help us as our Spiritual Mother.
Pray a Child’s Prayer to Mary:
Below is a simple prayer to teach children. 
Holy Mary, mother fair,
Filled with love for God,
Pray for us in all our needs.
Pray for us today.
There is a rich assortment of prayers invoking the intercession of Mary in our faith. Find more at: catholicdoors.com/prayers/marian.htm
Our word of the week is Theotokos, a Greek word meaning “Mother of God.” This is a title given to Mary.
Teachable Moment: Why is the Virgin Mary always wearing blue? You may have wondered that before! Biblically, blue is named as the color of the people of Israel in the book of Numbers. This violet blue color was to be worn as a sign of obedience to God, and Mary surely demonstrated obedience to God at the Annunciation. Blue is also the color of the sky, so it is seen as a heavenly color!
Live the Eucharist: Join us as we prepare for the Eucharistic Revival in the United States!
Live the Eucharist this month by applying God’s word at Mass to your life. Each week, listen for the “kernel of wisdom” that stands out to you in the first and second readings or the Gospel. How can that message be applied to your life in the week ahead? Being sent forth at the end of Mass calls us to keep living as disciples out in the world. How can you make God’s word a living presence in your life this week?
Wonder:
- What would it have felt like to be one of the disciples when Jesus ascended into heaven?
- Would you have been scared? Would you have believed your eyes?
- The story says that two men in white were present. Who were they?
Be Well: Birds are often associated with the Feast of the Ascension, as they have the ability to fly up to the heavens! This week, get out on a birding adventure as a family! Bird-watching can be a great hobby to get kids out in the fresh air and allow them to de-stress and nurture their curiosity! The birds are enjoying spring and many have new babies! How many can you spot? The Family Zone page has a link to download a bird-watching bingo board to guide your family adventure!
The Family Zone, produced by the Diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, 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 formators 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.
Join Us on the Way!
Come to Mass as the Easter season continues, celebrating the hope and promise of Jesus’s resurrection. It all happened out of love for you…
As our Bishop wrote in his Holy Week message: “The Son of God has conquered death and opened for us the gates of heaven. This light of the Paschal Candle, the Light of Christ, now shines through the darkness of this life’s many hardships and acts of inhumanity. The light shines if only we allow it to burn in our hearts and take our places as Christ’s disciples wherever we live, work or find ourselves. We are called to be the bearers of life and light, proclaiming the message of Jesus.” Join us in sharing the light of Christ!
With the Coronavirus restrictions in New York State lifted, our parish’s church buildings can now be filled to full capacity. People who have not been vaccinated are asked to continue to wear masks. The reception of Holy Communion will be under one form: the Sacred Host. The exchange of the sign of peace (which is always optional) is will be done without shaking hands and all holy water fonts are to remain empty.
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 Holy Cross, St. Francis, and St. James!
Our Parish
Welcome to the web page for the parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy. This parish has three churches:
- Holy Cross in Ovid, New York;
- St. Francis Solanus in Interlaken, New York; and
- St. James the Apostle in Trumansburg, New York.
The title Mother of Mercy is thought to have been first given to Blessed Virgin Mary by St. Odo (d.942), Abbot of Cluny. It is a fitting title of Our Lady both because she brought forth for us Jesus, the Christ, the visible manifestation of the mercy of the invisible God, and because she is the spiritual mother of the faithful, full of grace and mercy. In recognizing Mary as a mother of mercy, it is easy to approach her in prayer with confidence and joy. Please join us in faith and in prayer at any of our three churches which are open each day for private devotions.
Pastor: Fr. Bernard Maloney, OFM Cap.
Pastoral year: Br. Francisco Serrano, OFM Cap.
The parish office is located at the Parish Center: 3660 Orchard St., Interlaken, New York.
To join the parish community or to celebrate the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, anointing of the sick, or marriage, please phone the parish office (607 294–0064) or email: [email protected] to make arrangements.
Father Bernard is available for confessions at St. Francis church in Interlaken every Friday from 6:30–7:30 p.m. (social distancing will be respected). You may also phone the parish office (607 294–0064) to make an appointment to receive the sacrament of reconciliation with a priest.
Also in residence at St. Fidelis Friary in Interlaken and part of our faith community:
- Fr. Richard Crawley, OFM Cap., chaplain at Cayuga Correctional Facility, Moravia, N.Y.; and
- Br. Antonine Lizama, OFM Cap.
Mass Intentions at St. James the Apostle in Trumansburg, Holy Cross in Ovid, and St. Francis Solanus in Interlaken for the week of May 21 – 29, 2021:
| Saturday, May 21 | St. Francis, 4:00 p.m. | Parishioners and benefactors |
| Sunday, May 22 | St. James, 9:00 a.m. |
Joan Hogan from Rick and Barb Willers |
| Holy Cross, 10:30 a.m. | Special intention | |
| Monday, May 23 | St. James, 8:30 a.m. | Special intention |
| Tuesday, May 24 | St. Francis, 8:30 a.m. | Special intention |
| Wednesday, May 25 | St. Francis, 8:30 a.m. | Special intention |
| Thursday, May 26 | St. James, 9:00 a.m. | Rogelio Vargas from Carol Ann Kuklo |
| The Ascension of the Lord | Holy Cross, 7:00 p.m. | Special Intention |
| Friday, May 27 |
St. Francis, 8:30 a.m. | Ellen Rider from Roy and Doreen Doty |
| Saturday, May 28 | St. Francis, 4:00 p.m. |
Parishioners and benefactors |
| Sunday, May 29 |
St. James, 9:00 a.m. | Joan Hogan from Anne Haus |
| Holy Cross, 10:30 a.m. | Joseph Colonna from Connie and Edward Conroy |
Those wishing to have someone remembered at a Mass on a particular day and time and place may phone the parish office (607-294-0064) expressing their request. You may also print out the Mass Intentions Request form, fill it out, and mail it to the parish office. All of the Mass intentions presently scheduled can be seen on the parish calendar.
Sanctuary Lamp Intentions:
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.
Hail Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To you do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To you do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.
Amen
