Bulletin for February 5, 2017 ~ Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Live the Liturgy—Inspiration for the Week:
In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls for us to be a sign of God’s revelation to the world. We come together today to be inflamed with love for God, that all we encounter might see our light and come to the Father.

Catholic Quotes—Words to Inspire the Faithful:
“It is love that gives value to all our works.” ~St. Francis de Sales

Upcoming Events:

• RCIA Classes: Sundays, 12:00 noon, at St. James the Apostle Pine Room. All are welcome.
• 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. (February 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 13 and 27).
• Souper Bowl of Caring 2017: Our parish will be participating in this event by collecting donations of non-perishable food items and collecting monetary offerings on February 5 for the local food pantries.
• Public Policy Weekend: February 4 and 5, 2017.
• Parish Choir Rehearsal: The next rehearsal date is Tuesday, February 7, at 6:30 p.m. at the Parish Center, Interlaken, in preparation for the Liturgical services of Lent and the Easter Triduum.
• 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: collection dates will be from the weekend of February 12 through February 26.
• Ash Wednesday: March 1
• 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.
• Day of Penance in the Diocese: On March 28 the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available at the Parish Center in Interlaken
• 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.

Catholics Invite Catholics:
“Come to Mass in the Lord’s house on the Lord’s day.”
A way to remind people of a way to be faithful to the third commandment: Keep holy the Lord’s Day…

Second Collection:
The monthly maintenance fund collection will be taken up this weekend. This collection helps support buildings and grounds costs. Your help is appreciated greatly.

Visiting Priest:
Fr. John Mellitt, OFM Cap., will be visiting the parish and helping out while Fr. Bernard is away from February 8–March 1. Please welcome Fr. John Mellitt.

Parish Choir Rehearsal:
All parishioners are welcome to be part of the parish choir. The next rehearsal date is this Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. at the Parish Center, Interlaken in preparation for the Liturgical services of Lent and the Easter Triduum.

Nationwide Souper Bowl of Caring 2017:
Sunday, February 5, is Super Bowl Sunday and across this nation it is also SouperBowl of Caring. Our parish will be participating in this one-day event by collecting donations of non-perishable food items. Our parish’s second year Confirmation students, as part of their community service project, will be present at the doors of the churches on February 5 to collect monetary offerings for the local food pantries as part of the national Souper Bowl of Caring Program.

2016-2017 Catholic Ministries Appeal:
Thank you to everyone who has responded with a gift or pledge. We need all parishioners to help reach our parish given goal of $29,855. A report issued on January 24, 2017 stated that our parish has pledged $24,585. We are a distance from our goal. Pledge envelopes are located in the vestibules of the church. Please respond as soon as possible.

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, N.Y. 14521. Food items donated must be single serving size. The collection dates will be from the weekend of February 12 through February 26.

Alternatives to Assisted Suicide:
Public policies regarding the end of life should focus on alleviating suffering for those who are dying, through increased access to quality palliative care. There are alternatives to physician-assisted suicide. We must do all we can to reduce suffering and promote the loving option of palliative medicine and hospice care. Check out www.dor.org and click on Public Policy (lower left sidebar) for more info. Sign a letter or petition to you legislators opposing assisted suicide on Public Policy Weekend February 4–5.

Preparing for Lent:
This year Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on March 1. Plan now to participate in one of the Ash Wednesday Masses/service proposed by the Liturgical Planning Committee and the Parish Council. The schedule is:

• 8:00 a.m. Mass at St. Francis Solanus
• 9:00 a.m. Mass at St. James the Apostle
• 6:00 p.m. Mass at Holy Cross
• 7:00 p.m. Mass at St. James the Apostle

There will be a 12:00 noon ecumenical service at Holy Cross Church with Pastor Rob Mellgard from the Ovid Federated Church presiding and Fr. Bernard M. Maloney, OFM Cap., homilist.

Stations of the Cross:
Stations of the Cross will be held on the Thursdays of Lent at St. Francis Solanus Church at 7:00 p.m. followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Still being considered is the possibility of a social gathering with a soup supper before or after the stations. If the soup supper is after the stations the time of the Stations will be earlier.

Day of Penance:
Tuesday, March 28, is a day of penance in the diocese of Rochester. Confessions will be heard in Catholic parishes throughout the diocese from 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m. For our parish the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be at the Parish Center (St. Francis Solanus Church). Together with that there will be a communal celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation with private confession on the Monday of Holy Week, April 10, at 7:00 p.m. at St. Francis Solanus.

The Easter Triduum, April 13–16:
Holy Thursday will be celebrated at Holy Cross at 7:00 p.m., Good Friday at St. Francis Solanus at 3:00 p.m., and Holy Saturday at St. James the Apostle at 8:00 p.m. The Masses for Easter Sunday will follow our regular schedule.

Lenten Study Project:
The Word Committee is looking for a Lenten study project for adults, time and place TBA. A suggested resource is: Jesus Of Nazareth: Holy Week by Pope Benedict XVI. Please pass other suggested titles/topics to a member of the Word Committee: Andy Morpurgo, Jeannie Wiggins, Pam Jasikoff, Scott Hamula. Their contact info is available on the parish council website.

Lenten Daily Meditations:
Two booklets will be available beginning the weekend of February 19. 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. An offering of $4.00 for a booklet is appreciated. The offering may be put in the weekend collection basket in an envelope marked Lenten Meditations Booklet. Thank you.

St. James the Apostle Food Donations:
Food donations may be brought to the church next weekend and placed on the table located in the front of the church. Monetary donations are accepted also.

Donations/Contributions Made By Check:
When making donations to the church, please make checks out to: the Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy. On the memo line of the check you may name of the church be it St. James the Apostle, St. Francis Solanus, or Holy Cross.

Parish Mailing Address:
When mailing items to one of the three Churches, please use The Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy’s address: P.O. Box 403, Interlaken, NY 14847 (as on the front cover of the bulletin). The Post Office is continuously encouraging that we remind parishioners to use only the new address and not the names and addresses of the churches.

Immaculate Conception School:
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 https://www.facebook.com/ICSIthaca

Notre Dame High School—Elmira:
Notre Dame High School Grades 7–12 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 website: 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.

Advocate for Refugees:
Catholic Charities is petitioning all to be a voice for those being held in refugee resettlements and to be a voice for those who have been meticulously vetted and are waiting to leave the misery of refugee camps. The invitation is to “speak up” by sending a message to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Justice for Immigrants http://justiceforimmigrants.org/category/action-alert and by phoning our Senators: Schumer at 202-456-1111 and Gillibrand at 202 224 4451 and our Representative: Reed at 202 225 3161.

Assisting Those Who Have Been Wounded by Abortion:
Are you experiencing shame, sleepless nights, guilt, or other negative emotions after abortion? You are not alone. Any woman or man who has had abortions touch their life personally is invited to contact Project Rachel, a post-abortion healing ministry. Trained, nonjudgmental staff can refer you to those who can help All contacts are confidential. Take courage or call or email us. Call Project Rachel for a confidential referral to those who can help: 585-328-3210 or email: Deacon David Snyder, [email protected] or Suzanne Stack, [email protected]

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 February 4 and 5, 2017 (first Sunday):

5:00 p.m. Mass
Lectors: Scott Hamula and Carol Kuklo (for Amy Panek)
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Barbara Willers, Robin Hamula, Kathleen Rourke

11:00 a.m. Mass
Lectors: Lynne Stager and Maria Connell
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Mark Scibilia-Carver, Glenn Stamps, Mary Szymanski

Schedule for February 11 and 12, 2017 (second Sunday):

5:00 p.m. Mass
Lectors: Kathleen Rourke and Scott Hamula
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Barbara Willers, Carol Kuklo, Robin Hamula

11:00 a.m. Mass
Lectors: Rich and Hilary Wong
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Lynne Stager, Glenn Stamps, Susan Stafford

Ministry schedule for Holy Cross: