First Reading:
The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. (Acts 3:15)
Psalm:
Lord, let your face shine on us. (Ps. 4)
Or
Alleluia.
Second Reading:
He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world. (1 Jn. 2:2)
Gospel:
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name.” (Lk. 24:46-47)
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass ©2001, 1998, 1970 CCD. The English translation of Psalm Responses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.
©LPi
Live the Liturgy—Inspiration for the Week:
When the greeting “Peace be with you” is sincerely offered to a person, it can resonate very deep within, bringing comfort and reassurance. When someone possesses the power to bring peace, it brings us to a place of safety and fills us with joy. The resurrected Christ has this power. God can open our minds so that we can more fully understand the meaning of Sacred Scripture and God’s compassionate, loving, tender, and untiring embrace constantly present and offered to people throughout history. Without the anchor of truth that only God can provide, we can easily become startled and terrified at the sight of what life brings us. Being open to God’s offer of peace, we can turn away from old habits and short-sighted vision and experience the gladness and joy of God’s gift. Only then can what is wounded and broken be mended and reconciliation achieved. We are the resurrection witnesses called to proclaim the Good News.
©LPi
Catholic Quotes—Words to Inspire the Faithful:
© Liturgical Publications Inc.
Events:
- Food Pantries:
- Ovid Federated church: Mondays, 10:00 a.m.
- Food truck: Every other Tuesday (April 27), 4:00 p.m., South Seneca high school parking lot
- Interlaken Reformed church: Fridays, 3:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.,
- Trumansburg Food Pantry: Every other Monday (April 26) 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 5:15–6:00 p.m., Methodist church
- Family Hope Center: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:00–4:00 p.m., Holy Cross
- AA Meetings:
- Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m., St. Francis Solanus, Interlaken
- Thursdays, Noon, St. James the Apostle, Trumansburg
- Fr. Bernard is Available: Fridays, 6:30–7:30 p.m., St. Francis Solanus
- Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy’s Sunday Mass can be viewed at our parish website: marymotherofmercy.com
- First Holy Communion 2021 Meeting: April 18,10:00 a.m., St. James the Apostle
- Catholic Home Missions Appeal Offering: April 17 and 18
- Easter Sacraments presentations: 7 p.m., St. Francis Solanus
April 27: Baptism
May 4: Confirmation
May 11: Eucharist
Funeral:
A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. James the Apostle Church for Carolyn S. Cogan on Friday, April 9, 2021. Carolyn was 85.
2020/2021 Catholic Ministries Appeal:
The Appeal will conclude in seven weeks. Our given Appeal parish goal is $29,979. As of April 8, one hundred and fourteen parish households have pledged $29,601 which represents 98.74% of goal. Participation in the Appeal is primary, what is pledged is secondary. Please do what you are able. To make your gift, please use the CMA pledge envelopes located in the foyers of the church or go online to www.dor.org/cma. Thank you for considering this request.
Easter Duty:
“All the faithful, after they have been initiated into the Most Holy Eucharist, are bound by the obligation of receiving Communion at least once a year. The precept must be fulfilled during the Easter season unless it is fulfilled for a just cause at some other time during the year.” (Church law #920) In reference to this precept the Easter season is considered the First Sunday of Lent until Trinity Sunday (this year May 30).
Catholic Home Missions Appeal:
Next week is the collection for the Catholic Home Missions Appeal. Today, over 40% of dioceses in the United States and its territories are unable to fund the essential pastoral work their communities need. Your support of this appeal helps them meet these faith formation and sacramental needs. Please prayerfully consider how you can support this appeal. More information can be found at www.usccb.org/home-missions. (No collections can be taken up in church during pandemic times. Please make your donations to the Home Missions Appeal as you do your Sunday offering. Thank you.)
The Easter Sacraments:
Fr. Bernard will give a presentation on the Sacraments of Initiation (also referred to as the Easter Sacraments) on three consecutive Tuesday evenings at the Parish Center, Interlaken, beginning at 7:00 p.m: — Baptism, April 27; Confirmation, May 4; and Eucharist, May 11. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be included with the presentation on Baptism. All are welcome.
First Communions:
Three parishioners will celebrate their first communion on Sunday, May 2, at the 9:00 a.m. Mass at St. James the Apostle Church. They are: Christopher Clarke-Cabezas, Grace Guydosh and Porter Landon.
Thank you:
The parish has received “Thank you” notes from both the Trumansburg Food Pantry and the South Seneca Ecumenical Food Pantry with the words, “Thank you for your continued support. You are a blessing to the community.”
National Blue Sunday:
The last Sunday of April is a day of prayer for abused children. Blue Sunday is a national faith-based movement when churches take time to pray for victims of child abuse and for those who rescue them. This year it will be April 25, 2021. There are over 3 million confirmed cases of child abuse in our nation annually and 1640 child deaths from child abuse (most were under the age of three).
Good News:
The HALT Solitary bill has become law and will end the use of solitary confinement for young, old, ill and pregnant prisoners and limit its use among other prisoners in NYS prisons. Additionally, Nourish NY, the program we advocated for during Public Policy Weekend, has gotten significant funding and has been voted into being a permanent program of NYS Dept. Agriculture and Markets.
World Day of Prayer for Vocations:
Next Sunday, April 25, the church has set aside to highlight vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and life as a sister or brother in a community of religious. The day is highlighted to remind Catholics that every day we are to encourage and support young people who might be called to dedicate their lives to God in his holy church. Part of the encouragement is to personally and continually pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
“Lord, when did we see You… in prison?” Matthew 25:39:
We might ask ourselves how often our own outreach concerns extend to our incarcerated brothers and sisters and their families. America’s rate of incarceration is greater than any other nation in the world: although our country has 5% of the world’s population, it has 25% of is prisoners. Sentence length and time served are much longer in the US than elsewhere, and include more solitary confinement, less rehabilitations, and poor re-entry assistance. A crime data expert at the Brennan Center for Justice recently observed, “It is really a system that sets people up for failure.” (America, August 2020). As we continue to struggle with our own confinements during the pandemic, let us deepen our understanding of the sufferings of our incarcerated sisters and brother and pray to know how we can best care for them. In the coming weeks of this Easter Season, our Diocesan Public Policy Committee will be providing further information and assistance to parishes in these efforts.
Year of St. Joseph:
Pope Francis initiated the Year of St. Joseph in recognition of the 150th Anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as patron of the Catholic Church. This year is dedicated to increase our love for this great saint, to encourage us to implore his intercession and to imitate his virtues and his zeal.
Donating to Your Parish:
Online giving by WeShare is safe, simple and convenient. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3:
- Visit the parish website’s giving page: https://marymotherofmercy.com/giving.
- Follow the directions under the “Donate Online” section.
- Set up your donation or payment.
That’s it! Your account will be created and you can put away your checkbook. If you experience any problems, please email Eileen at [email protected].
The Bishop’s Reminder:
Due to the prevalence of the Coronavirus, the obligation to attend Sunday Mass is suspended until further notice. Those who are at a higher risk of COVID-19 and those concerned for their health are urged not to come to church for Mass. Those who feel in any way sick should not enter any parish building or church.
Mass Intention Requests:
Parishioners requesting a Mass intention for a particular date and time can do so by completing the “Mass Intentions Request Form” located in the foyers of the churches. Mass intentions may also be requested by phoning the parish office.
Offertory Collection:
During this time of the pandemic, offertory collections cannot be taken up. When parishioners attend Mass, please place your offertory in the new collection stand at the entrances of the church. The new stand replaces the baskets at the entrances and offers security to your offering.
COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program:
This program is designed to provide up to three months of rent relief to eligible households who have experienced a loss of income related to the public health crisis. To learn more or apply, visit ithacanhs.org/rentalassistance or phone 607–277–4500. Assistance is available to renters in four counties including Seneca, Schuyler, Tioga, and Tompkins.
~Please take time this week to pray the rosary for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. ~
Prayer Intentions:
Since we presently cannot have the prayer request books in our churches, do know that the prayer requests of fellow parishioners are still being listed on the parish website (see PRAYERS in top bar). If you would like to add a request, please email the parish at [email protected] or phone the parish office at 607–294–0064 and it will be added to the list.
Prayers from the Sisters of St. Joseph:
The Sisters of St. Joseph have a prayer ministry for the Diocese of Rochester. They have informed our parish that Sisters Anne Marie Burns and Dolores Bachman will be praying for our parish and parishioners throughout 2021. Let us keep in our prayers the two sisters praying for us and for all the Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester.
Pregnancy Care Center of the Finger Lakes:
The Pregnancy Care Center of the Finger Lakes is located at 551 Exchange St. in Geneva with an office in Ovid at 7231 Main St. “If you regret your abortion, you are not alone. Let us help you learn to forgive yourself.” For more information phone 315 789 0708, text: 315-945-1019, or e-mail [email protected].
Cancer Services Program (CSP):
Cortland and Tompkins Counties offer free cancer screenings to those who are uninsured or have health insurance that does not cover these screenings. The screening services are provided in local health centers, doctors’ offices, and hospitals. For more information, contact CSP at 866 442 2262.
Diocese of Rochester Request:
Victims of sexual abuse should always report to the civil authorities. To receive help and guidance from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, contact our Victim Assistance Coordinator: Deborah Housel, 585–328–3228, ext. 1555. Toll-free 1–800–388–7177 ext. 1555 or by email to [email protected].
