Bulletin for February 26, 2017 ~ Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Live the Liturgy—Inspiration for the Week:
The providential love of God is without end and God’s eternal mercy is shown to every creature. Even in times of pain and difficulty, we are called to trust in God’s mercy and love. In the Gospel today, Jesus reminds us that we are worth more than the birds of the air or the flowers of the field.

Catholic Quotes—Words to Inspire the Faithful:
“It is a lesson that we all need–to let alone the things that do not concern us. He has other ways for others to follow him; all do not go by the same path.” ~St. Katharine Drexel

Upcoming Events:

• RCIA Program, Convert Classes: Sundays, 12:00 noon, at St. James the Apostle Pine Room. Classes are open to all.
• Scripture study classes of the Gospel: on Tuesdays after the 9:00 a.m. Mass at St. James the Apostle church.
• 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. (March 7 and 21). The food pantry is at the Interlaken Reformed Church on Fridays, 3:00 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. (February 27 and March 13).
• Visiting Priest: Fr. John Mellitt, OFM Cap., will be visiting the parish while Fr. Bernard is away, from February 8–March 1.
• Weekend Backpack Program Project: final collection date is February 26.
• Notre Dame High School’s  Ithaca Information Night: Tuesday, February 28, at 6:00 p.m. in the Immaculate Conception School library in Ithaca.
• Ash Wednesday: March 1
• Parish Choir Rehearsal: The next rehearsal date is Tuesday, March 7, at 6:30 p.m. at the Parish Center, Interlaken, in preparation for the liturgical services of Lent and the Easter Triduum.
• Planning for Your Legacy: Two free seminars, one on March 13 at St. Francis DeSales Parish Center, 130 Exchange Street, Geneva; and second at St. Mary’s of the Lake Parish Center, 905 N. Decatur St. Watkins Glen. Both seminars will be at 7:00–8:30 p.m.
• Fourth annual Rochester Catholic Women’s Conference: March 18 at the Aquinas Institute
• Day of Penance in the Diocese: On March 28 the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available at the Parish Center in Interlaken from12:00 noon until 7:00 p.m.
• Spring Enrollment Open House: Thursday, March 30, at 9:00 a.m at Immaculate Conception School, Ithaca
• Communal Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation with private confession: Monday of Holy Week, April 10, at 7:00 p.m. at St. Francis Solanus.

Ash Wednesday:
Ash Wednesday, March 1, is the beginning of the season of Lent. Why ashes? On this day the Church invites us to receive a cross of ashes on our foreheads as a sign that during the season of Lent we will make sincere efforts to cleanse our lives of sin and to discipline ourselves through prayer and fasting.

Parish Distribution of Ashes:

• St. James the Apostle: 9:00 a.m. Mass and 7:00 p.m. Mass
• St. Francis Solanus: 8:00 a.m. Mass
• Holy Cross: 12:00 Noon Ecumenical Service and 6:00 p.m. Mass

Who May Receive Ashes:
Baptized individuals who have reached the age of reason. Babies and young children who have not yet received the Sacrament of Penance should not be presented to receive ashes. Ashes are intended for those who are capable of personal sin. The keeping of Ash Wednesday is for leading the baptized members of the Church to repentance and renewal of baptismal promises at Easter.

Ashes and the Word of God:
As with all material things that are used as religious symbols, the symbolism of ashes is complex. In themselves ashes have little meaning. But received in light of God’s revealing Word, ashes can become for Christians the biblical symbol they are intended to be—a sign of our desire to turn back to God. It is for this reason that the Church has placed the reception of ashes within the framework of the reading of Scripture. Ashes are reminders of mortality and the fleetingness of life. God’s Word reminds us that it is not the death of the body, but rather the death of the soul that is to be feared. Through the Scripture readings God calls us to turn to Him with our whole heart and be faithful to the gospel again. In the light of these readings the reception of ashes becomes for us the symbol of hearts that desire to turn to God, a God who is “gracious and merciful, rich in kindness and relenting in punishment.”

Lenten Reminders and Devotions:
The season of Lent runs from Ash Wednesday (March 1) until the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday (April 13). “Alleluia” is not sung or said from the beginning of Lent until the Easter Vigil. During Lent the altar is not to be decorated with flowers. Musical instruments may be played only to give necessary support to the singing. The readings for the Lenten Masses have been chosen in relation to the themes of baptismal renewal and conversion. The Easter celebration is: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, called the Easter Triduum (Three Days of Easter). During the season of Lent, the Church urges all the faithful to reflect a spirit of prayer, penance (conversion), and charity.

Stations of the Cross:
Thursdays, 7:00 p.m., with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at the Parish Center in St. Francis Solanus Church.

Diocesan Day of Penance and Mercy:
The diocesan day of penance and mercy will be Tuesday, March 28, when, throughout the diocese, priests will be available at the parishes for confession. A priest will be available at the Parish Center in St. Francis Solanus Church, Interlaken, from12:00 noon until 7:00 p.m.

Communal Celebration of Reconciliation:
There will be a communal celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, with opportunity for private confession, on Monday of Holy Week: April 10, at 7:00 p.m. at the Parish Center in St. Francis Solanus Church, Interlaken.

Fast and Abstinence:
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fast and abstinence Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence, i.e. meatless days. Abstinence prohibits individuals from eating meat on a particular day. Abstinence obliges all those who have reached the age of 14 and continues to oblige throughout one’s entire life. Those not specifically obliged to abstain from eating meat are encouraged to join in this discipline to the extent that they are able. Fasting requires that only one full meal be taken per day. Two other smaller meals may be taken during the day to maintain physical strength, but these two meals together should not equal a full meal in quantity. Fasting obliges all those who have reached the age of 18 and continues to oblige until age 59. Those not specifically obliged to fast are encouraged to join in the discipline of fasting to the extent that they are able.

Easter Duty:
According to church law #920: “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. In reference to this law the Easter season is considered from the First Sunday of Lent until Trinity Sunday” (this year June 11).

Lenten Daily Meditations
Two booklets are available for you in the church. One is The Magnificat Lenten Companion and the other is The Word Among Us—Complete Catholic Mass and Daily Meditations. Please take one or the other but not both. A nominal offering will be posted for the booklets. The offering may be put in the weekend collection basket in an envelope marked Lenten Meditations Booklet. Thank you.

Parish Choir Rehearsal:
All parishioners are welcome to be part of the parish choir. The next rehearsal date is this Tuesday, March 7, at 6:30 p.m. at the Parish Center, Interlaken in preparation for the liturgical services of Lent and the Easter Triduum.

Weekend Backpack Program Project:
Parishioners are invited to help support this program. Currently over fifty children in the South Seneca School District benefit from the project. If you wish to write a check, write it to Weekend Backpack Program. You can put the check in the donation jar located in the church or mail it to Ovid Federated Church, PO Box 340, Ovid, NY 14521. Food items donated must be single serving size. The collection dates will be from the weekend of February 12 through February 26.

Requesting a Sunday Bulletin Announcement:
Please send requests for bulletin announcements to our parish email address: [email protected]. The announcement is to be written as you wish it to appear in the Sunday Bulletin. The announcement must be submitted ten days before it is to appear in the bulletin.

Parish Office Hours:
The parish center office hours changed beginning on February 13. The new hours are Wednesday, 9:o0 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The parish center office is located in the St. Francis Solanus annex.

Town of Covert 1817–2017:
The Town of Covert has planned bicentennial events beginning in March. For a listing of the events please watch the newspapers and TOC200 Facebook page for details.

Immaculate Conception School:
Immaculate Conception School is hosting a Spring enrollment open house on Thursday, March 30, at 9:00 a.m. Immaculate Conception School continuously accepts registrations for all of our academic programs, pre-K through sixth grade. Tuition assistance and parish subsidy are available. Call the school at 273-2707 or visit icsithaca.org for more information and visit www.facebook.com/ICSIthaca

Notre Dame High School in Elmira:
Notre Dame High School (ND), with classes for grades 7–12, is hosting an “Ithaca Information Night” on Tuesday, February 28, at 6:00 p.m. in the Immaculate Conception School (ICS) library in Ithaca. This meeting is for students and families interested in learning about enrollment at Notre Dame and the busing that is available for local students. ND administrators and faculty will give a brief presentation and answer any questions. Current Notre Dame students and families will be present to talk about their experiences and light refreshments will be served. Please use the Plain Street parking lot/playground entrance to ICS. Notre Dame High School is currently accepting applications for the 2017–2018 academic year. An application for admission may be found on the home page of the school’s web site: www.notredamehighschool.com. If you would like to schedule a tour and/or shadowing experience or if you have questions regarding the application process, please contact Michelle Barkley at 607 734 2267 ext. 326. The school is located at 1400 Maple Ave, Elmira, NY 14904.

2017 Rochester Catholic Women’s Conference:
The fourth annual Rochester Catholic Women’s Conference will be held March 18 at the Aquinas Institute.  This year’s half-day program begins with 8:45 a.m. Mass celebrated by Bishop Salvatore R. Matano, and features the internationally renowned Immaculée Ilibagiza; author of seven books, motivational speaker, and Roman Catholic. A Rwandan genocide survivor, Ms. Ilibagiza persisted through 91 days in hiding with seven other women in a 3′ x 4′ room during the massacre.  Her message on forgiveness has been applauded around the world, and has earned her the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reconciliation and Peace. You will not want to miss her dynamic and inspiring presentation which will include her story, information on Our Lady of Kibeho, and leading the hundreds in attendance with saying the rosary—something she did dozens of times a day and which sustained her during her difficult captivity.  This year’s conference is offered for just $25 for adults and $15 for students (including college students), and includes Benediction, a continental breakfast, and book signing. For more information or to register, please visit www.rochestercwc.org. Don’t forget to register online by March 10 (or mail-in by March 3) for the Rochester Catholic Women’s Conference to be held on March 18. Thank you!