First reading:
Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:17)
Psalm:
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. (Ps. 66)
or Alleluia
Second reading:
For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. (1 Pt. 3:18a)
Gospel:
“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live.” (Jn. 14:18-19)
Live the Liturgy—Inspiration for the Week:
Do you understand the true spiritual meaning of hope? Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness. It is found when we place our trust in Christ’s promises and rely not on our own strength, but on the help of the Holy Spirit. Hope, when seen in this way, doesn’t set its sights purely on the things of this world but on the promises of God to come. Hope always is linked with faith and love. Often our hope can become too self-focused and something that is only about me and things that matter to me. Christ’s resurrection reminds us that it is not ultimately for this purpose. What is the reason for your hope? Our Easter season provides the opportunity for us to again assess whether it is the kingdom of heaven and life eternal or something else.
Catholic Quotes—Words to Inspire the Faithful:
© Liturgical Publications Inc.
Events:
NOTE: All regularly scheduled public Masses and parish social and educational events are suspended until further notice. Please consult the parish website for more information: marymotheofmercy.com
- Food Pantries:
- Ovid Federated church: Mondays, 10:00 a.m. Food truck is every other Tuesday (May 26) 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 1, the Trumansburg Food Pantry will not be open on May 25)
- 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
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord:
It is difficult to realize that this Thursday, May 21, will be forty days since the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord. We missed gathering for the celebration of Easter and we will miss gathering for the feast of the Ascension of the Lord. Nevertheless, do celebrate this historical event in your homes by gathering for prayer in praise of God and with a special meal. The Easter season ends nine days after the Ascension with the celebration of Pentecost Sunday, this year on May 31. It remains a question if we will be able to gather for Pentecost.
Update on the 2019-2020 Catholic Ministries Appeal:
It was reported on May 7 that 112 of our parish households have pledged $26,471 toward the Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA). This represents 88.30% of our given goal of $29,979. “Thank you” to all families that have made a pledge. It is most appreciated. The appeal concludes at the end of May. If our goal is not reached by the end of May, our parish will be billed to make up the difference. Therefore, this is an urgent plea for all parish households to participate in this annual appeal. We know that if all 300 registered (active and inactive) households were to participate in this appeal we would have no difficulty in reaching our goal. Participation is primary, what is pledged is secondary. Pledge envelopes are located in the foyers of the churches or you may simply mail an offering to: Catholic Ministries Appeal, Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, PO Box 92721, Rochester, NY 14692-8821. Be sure to record that it is from “The Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy” with our parish number “368.” Thank you for your kind consideration of this request.
Parish Council Nominations:
During the month of May we ask parishioners to nominate themselves or others for membership on the parish council. Given our social distancing this year, please phone the parish office (607-294-0064) to place your name or another parishioner’s name in nomination. The council meets a minimum of four times a year. Members are assigned, after expressing their preference, to one of the standing committees: Word, Worship, Witness, or Fellowship. The term of membership is three years. The selection of new members will take place on the last Sunday of May (this year, May 31). New members will be invited to attend the council’s meeting on June 11, 2020, (hopefully we will be able to meet on that date). At that meeting, membership on the standing committees will be established.
Parish on Social Media:
Just a reminder that you can follow the parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy, on Facebook and Instagram. Both platforms will keep you updated on parish events (including photos) and the church community. It is also a good way to view positive devotional messages. There are links to the parish’s social media pages from our web site and you may also access our Facebook and Instagram pages directly by searching for MaryMotherofMercyParish. If you have something you would like to add to our parish pages, please contact Susan Guydosh at [email protected].
Parish Census:
For the past several weeks attempts have been made to get our parish census updated—a continuous endeavor. Email addresses have been corrected and added, resulting in them being used for the past several weeks to communicate with parish households. If there is a member of a household that would like to receive their own email from the parish, separate from the household’s email, please let the parish office know. Households that do not have email (about 70 households) have received parish communications through the U.S. postal system. If you have not received either an email or a postal letter, please notify the parish office as soon as possible. The parish does not want anyone to be left out.
The parish census program comprises different categories: registered-active, non-registered-active, and registered-inactive. The parish is in communication with members in each of these three categories. Unfortunately, due to a lack of information, the parish is not in communication with nonregistered-inactive households (that is, Catholics who live within our parish territory but do not have an affiliation with our parish). There are two other groups of households, “contributor” or “unknown.” These are generally people who live outside our parish territory but retain some connection to our churches.
It would be most helpful if you could please alert the parish office when you have a change of address, phone number, or email address. The pastor and his staff hope you are enjoying the recent communiqués sent to parish households during this time of social distancing. We live in the hope that social distancing will never happen again.
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].
Easter Duty:
Because of the inability to attend Sunday Mass due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Easter duty can be fulfilled by receiving Holy Communion at some time during the year. Church law allows for this. The canon reads: “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).
Free Online Access to Prayers and Readings:
Magnificat, a monthly subscription booklet, is temporarily offering the online access FREE so that anyone with a computer or smartphone can have those texts for each day at home. To access the English version: www.magnificat.com/free; for the Spanish version: www.magnificat.com/gratis.
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.
Parish Cemeteries:
Our parish has two cemeteries: Holy Cross cemetery in Ovid, N.Y., and St. James the Apostle cemetery in Trumansburg, N.Y. The cost to purchase a traditional burial plot in either cemetery is $650. St. James cemetery also has a green burial section. A plot in this section costs $950. When a person purchases a burial plot they are acquiring the right of burial, the cemetery retains title to the land and the property. Along with the right of burial is the right to place a stone marker as a memorial according to the rules and regulations of the cemetery. For inquiries and/or purchase of a burial plot (that is, the right to be buried in either of our cemeteries) please phone the parish office (607-294-0064).
Church Continues:
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to require us to maintain social distancing from one another, please be aware of the following:
- Bernard, Fr. Richard, and Bro. Antonine celebrate Mass daily at the friary praying for the well being of all and the ending of COVID-19.
- Bernard is at the parish office daily and at all times he is only a phone call away (607-294-0064).
- The Sunday bulletin is published weekly and is found on the parish website and in the foyers of each church.
- While public Masses are suspended, there is an encouragement to participate in Mass by viewing it on TV or live stream via the diocesan website: dor.org.
- Our parish ordinary expenses average $10,500 per month. Without weekend collections we are not able to meet the parish ordinary expenses.
- To financially support the parish during this difficult time please consider making donation via on-line giving by going to the giving page on our parish website, https://marymotherofmercy.com/giving, and follow the directions under the “Donate Online” section or mail a check to: the Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy, PO Box 403, Interlaken, NY 14847.
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.
