First reading:
Thus the Lord passed before him and cried out: “The Lord, the Lord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.” (Ex. 34:6)
Psalm:
Glory and praise for ever! (Dn. 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56 (52b)
Second reading:
Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Cor. 13:11b)
Gospel:
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. (Jn. 3:16)
Live the Liturgy—Inspiration for the Week:
Today we celebrate the Divine dance, a perfectly choreographed interplay of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Together they dance and move as one though three unique Persons with distinctive, yet harmonious, patterns and steps. They provide a mirror into our soul. Within each one of us, the Divine dance continues, and the music of God’s love continues to inspire, sustain, and recreate us with every step and melody. Can you hear the music that the Triune God is playing? Where is the dance leading you? Our minds can never truly understand or know God. But our hearts can seek and find Him. From beginning to end, God is one and, at the same time, Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. God’s holy Trinitarian dance is calling you to holiness. Join in and dance!
Catholic Quotes—Words to Inspire the Faithful:
© Liturgical Publications Inc.
Events:
NOTE: All weekend public Masses and parish social and educational events are suspended until further notice.
- Food Pantries:
- Ovid Federated church: Mondays, 10:00 a.m. Food truck is every other Tuesday (June 9) at 3:00 p.m. in the parking lot at South Seneca high school
- Interlaken Reformed church: 3:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m., Fridays
- Trumansburg Food Pantry: Methodist church 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 5:15-6:00 p.m., every other Monday (June 15)
- Bishop’s Sunday Mass: 11:00 a.m., live stream from Sacred Heart cathedral
- Fr. Bernard is Available: 6:30 p.m., Fridays, St. Francis Solanus
- Parish Churches: Opened daily for private visiting and prayer
Parish Deaths:
With sadness the parish notes the recent deaths of Joan Craig, age 92, who died on May 24, 2020, and Ellen Rider, age 77, who died on May 27, 2020. Joan was a parishioner most of her adult life and Ellen was a parishioner from childhood. Both attended the parish church of St. James the Apostle. Another recent death was of William (Bill) McNamara, age 95, who died on May 25, 2020. Bill was a well-known and active parishioner at St. James the Apostle until his move to Ithaca. Religious services for all have been postponed until a future date.
Parish Council Selections:
Last Sunday, the last Sunday of the month of May, the following were selected to be alternates to the Parish Council: Bill Masterson, Donna Ryan, and Martha Wooledge. An alternate has a one-year term as a member, participates in all council meetings, is assigned to a standing committee, and takes the place of a council member who is unable to fulfill their term. A “thank you” to the 26 parishioners who were nominated and considered serving, especially those who accepted the nomination and whose names were placed in a basket for drawing.
2020–2021 Parish Council Membership:
In addition to the three new alternates mentioned above, membership on the Parish Council for the term that runs from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021, includes the following parishioners: Marc Albanese, Timothy Davis, Laurenda Denmark, Thomas Duff, Gerald Frank, Susan Guydosh, Scott Hamula, Leo Kawczenski, Jacqueline Leidenfrost, Andrew Morpurgo, Charles Mullins, Richard Pell, Kathleen Rourke, Lynne Stager, and Barbara Willers.
Parish Council Meeting:
The next Parish Council meeting was scheduled for this Thursday, June 11, in the St. Francis annex. Given the COVID-19 social distancing directive, this meeting will be rescheduled. This will be the last meeting of the year and, at the conclusion of the meeting, the nomination and election of the 2020–2021 executive committee (chair, vice-chair, and secretary) will take place. The formation of the Parish Council standing committees and election of the chairpersons for those committees will take place after the elections. Alternates and council members will be invited to express their preferences to serve on any one of the following standing committees: Word, Worship, Witness, and Fellowship.
Parish Exceeds CMA Goal:
The parish surpassed the given goal of $29,979 for the Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA), which concluded on May 31, 2020. It was reported on May 28 that 114 parish households pledged a total $30,841. A “thank you” to all who made a pledge—a pledge that helps support our diocese that in turn helps support our parish in a multitude of ways. The Lord bless and reward you for your generosity. It is greatly appreciated.
Daily Mass to Resume:
The civil authorities, as of May 22, now allow 10 people to gather in churches to participate in Mass. Therefore, beginning June 8, we will resume our daily Mass schedule at 8:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, at St. Francis Solanus church in Interlaken. There are several directives to be followed as we restart daily Mass. No more than ten people are allowed in a church and each has to wear a cloth face covering. They will need to sanitize their hands at the entrance of the church and remain six feet away from others in all directions, though families of the same household may sit together. There will be no social gathering before or after Mass. Be aware that in the church all hymnals, prayer cards, and other paper resources, including the “Book of Intentions,” will be removed from the pews and the church building. Holy water fonts will be empty. Congregational singing is not allowed. There will be only one lector and altar servers are not allowed to serve. The priest presider is to proceed from the sacristy directly to the altar and, after Mass, will return directly to the sacristy. The holding of hands during the Lord’s Prayer, not part of the Roman Rite, is strictly forbidden, and the invitation to exchange a sign of peace is omitted. It is strongly encouraged that you receive Communion in your hand (the earliest and longest tradition in the Church) while maintaining six feet distance from one another. During distribution of Holy Communion you may lower your mask to receive the Eucharist. Those preferring to receive the Eucharist on the tongue are to come last to receive and the priest will sanitize his hands before distributing Holy Communion to each person who receives on the tongue. The reception of the Precious Blood is not offered nor are the faithful to receive by intinction. The priest will wear a mask during the distribution of Holy Communion.
Parish Website Mass:
Sunday and holy day Masses, not yet allowed in person, are now available via videotape. The Masses have been videotaped at our parish churches and Fr. Bernard is the presider. Please join in thanking Alan and Joan Gelatt for initiating, supporting, and arranging for this to happen. We also thank Tom Duff who stepped forward to coordinate the audio portion of the tape.
To All Parish Households:
In recent weeks, households have become more aware of themselves as domestic churches. To help support the church at home, the Diocese of Rochester’s Office of Evangelization and Catechesis provides families with weekly gospel reflections, catechesis, ideas for family time, parent support, and more. Each week a newsletter titled Family Zone is posted on the diocesan Facebook page. The newsletter may also be obtained by searching on the web for the Family Zone newsletter/evangelization and catechesis or by clicking on the link on our parish’s web page. The newsletter is proving to be a great resource and it has something that appeals to people of all ages. Even if you are living alone, you will find it of great interest, both stimulating and inspirational. Simply check it out and see for yourself.
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].
Needing Assistance:
During this pandemic of COVID-19 the town of Ulysses is working with Tompkins County to coordinate access to community resources that are available for people, from food assistance to mental health. Simply phone 2-1-1 to connect with a wide range of resources.
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 Sr. Anne Marie Burns will be praying for the parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy, during 2020. In gratitude, let us pray for Sr. Anne Burns and all the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Employment Opportunity:
Could you use a little extra income? The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting thousands of people to collect important information for the 2020 census in their own communities. These are temporary, part-time, or full-time positions with flexible hours. The hourly wages are $17 an hour for an enumerator/lister and $18.50 for a census field supervisor. Mileage is reimbursed at $0.58 per mile. No experience or educational requirement is necessary. If you are interested or have questions go to https://2020census.gov/en/jobs. This is your chance to be a part of history!
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.
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.
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.
