Daylight Saving Time Begins at 2:00AM – Sunday, March 14. Please remember to turn your clocks ahead one hour.
My dear friends,
We are more than half-way to Easter - keep the course or begin again with God's grace this Laetare (Rejoicing) Sunday, akin to the 3rd week of Advent with Rose-color vestments!
This weekend, however, also coincides with the beginning of last-year's lockdown in New York due to COVID. Let us keep up our vigilance and our prayers for an end to the pandemic afflicting us, for all on the front lines, for all who suffer from the Virus and it's effects, and for all who have died and loved ones mourning their loss.
I would like to thank Steven Bryde for his service as Trustee of our Parish and also for the incredible ways he has served our parish! May God give him many graces for his generosity!
Thank you to Elise Kuhn for accepting my nomination to be our second lay trustee! She will join John Perna in this important parish role. In New York State each Parish is individually incorporated with 5 board members; the Archbishop as President, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese as Vice President, the Pastor as Secretary-Treasurer and 2 Lay Trustees. IHM now awaits the formal approval of Cardinal Dolan for Elise.
This past Tuesday night, I met with our new Finance Council for the first time. Initially, on a monthly basis, and then on a quarterly basis, I look forward to presenting the various facets of the parish so that I may benefit from the Council's expertise, wisdom and counsel. Members include our two Trustees together with Mark McCarthy, Joe Murphy, Jr., and Theresa Nicholson. The Pastor is considered the President of the Finance Council and I have appointed John Perna as Chair.
Please be very careful when receiving Holy Communion that the Sacred Host does not break with a piece falling to the ground. In these pandemic times, the Archdiocese has asked for the reception of Holy Communion in the hand, offering this as a prudential preference, but not a mandated practice. When receiving in the hand, the best practice is to pull down (not up) face masks to consume our Lord in the Eucharist so as to see and to ensure that the full Sacred Host is received. Please note that some Hosts can be more brittle than others.
Our attendance at Sunday Masses is not nearly at the maximum allowable with proper distancing for our church, but recently we are seeing a wonderful increase in numbers as some are returning after being away for the past year. To help us accommodate the fullest numbers safely allowable at each Mass, we would ask individuals, couples and families of three to avoid pews that are designated to accommodate 4-6 family members or 8-10 family members (indicated my the consecutive number of crosses or post-it notes). Thank you.
Please join me for Mass offered for Life, reparation for the evil of abortion and conversion of hearts, at 7:00am on Saturday, March 20th, before we head to a prayerful 8:00am Vigil and Witness to Life with Fr. Fidelis Moschinski, CFR, at Planned Parenthood (175 Tarrytown Rd, White Plains, NY).
This week we celebrate both the Solemnity of Saint Patrick (since he is our Patron Saint in the Archdiocese) and the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, the Husband of Mary, when we will unite prayerfully with His Eminence in consecrating the Archdiocese and parish to Saint Joseph. When a Solemnity falls on a Lenten Friday, as does March 19th this year, the obligation to abstain from meat is not observed. Cardinal Dolan, however, requests that we abstain from meat or poultry on another day this week. Happy Feast Days - Buona Festa!
An update on Father Lynch from his family: Father is in the hospital and, although he has experienced some setbacks, he is stable. Let us continue our prayers for his strength and full recovery!
A blessed Sunday everyone!
IHM Lenten Presentations: March 15 & 22
IHM Parish will host Lenten Presentations on the following Mondays of
Lent during the 8:00PM Adoration in the Church.
Monday, March 15
Monday, March 15
Topic: St. Joseph
by Carlos Germosen
Seminarian
Monday, March 22
Topic: “By His Wounds We are Healed”
by Sr. Nancy Kellar, S.C.,
House of Prayer
by Carlos Germosen
Seminarian
Monday, March 22
Topic: “By His Wounds We are Healed”
by Sr. Nancy Kellar, S.C.,
House of Prayer
Please join us or watch on live-stream!
LENT: Prayer – Fasting – Almsgiving
to prepare for Easter
1. Prayerful Devotions in Lent:
- Sacrament of Reconciliation: Mondays 8:00-8:45pm, Saturdays after the 8:30am Mass and from 4:00-5:00pm and by appointment.
- Our parish will have a special Reconciliation Monday of Holy Week on Monday, March 29 from 4:00-8:00pm.
- Stations of the Cross: Fridays of Lent at 7:15pm
- Adoration: Mondays 8:00-9:00pm and Fridays 9:30-10:30am
- Holy Mass: Sundays: 8:00am, 10:00am & 12noon and Saturday Vigil at 5:30pm, Daily Monday-Friday 6:45am and 9:00am, Saturdays and holidays 8:30am. Kindly pre-register.
- Easter Duty: The time for fulfilling Confession & Receiving Holy Communion extends from February 21 - First Sunday of Lent, to May 30 - Holy Trinity Sunday
2. Lenten Fast and Abstinence:
- During the Season of Lent, the Church urges all the Faithful to reflect a spirit in penance in their daily life through performing acts of fast and abstinence
- ABSTINENCE: All Friday's of Lent (with the exception of FRIDAY, MARCH 19, The Solemnity of Joseph when we feast) we abstain and forego meat and poultry as a sign of Jesus' Sacrifice on this sacred day of the week. On GOOD FRIDAY we both Abstain and Fast.
3. Almsgiving
MASS ATTENDANCE SAFETY PROTOCOLS
As we seek to renew our practices to keep everyone safe, please remember to disinfect when you enter the church and wear masks properly covering your mouth and nose, particularly if you should cough or sneeze. Always feel free to excuse yourself if you need to or if you feel unsafe. Regardless of where you may sit for daily Mass or outside of the pandemic, to accommodate greater numbers of faithful returning to Sunday Masses, please follow the directions of the ushers as we maximize space with 6' of spacing between households, seeking to put groups of 1, 2 or 3 at opposite ends of the same pews alternating with a pew for families of 4, 5 and 6 in the middle of pews. Families of 7, 8, 9 and 10 will normally be situated on the sides of the front of the church or in the Adoration Chapel. We encourage everyone to arrive 5-10 minutes before Mass so as to assist in smoothly seating all and to prevent your reserved seats from being given to others when Mass starts. For those arriving after the start of Mass, please enter through the main vestibule area of the church (unless handicap entrance is needed). After Mass, to avoid congregating, please exit by the closest door. Thank you for your attention to these reminders and to your understanding.
SUNDAY, MARCH 13/14 MASS SIGNUP
If you missed the Mass Signup that went out in Monday's Flocknote, please use the signup below.
Please note: to simplify Mass Signup for Parishioners who regularly attend a specific Mass each week, we created a Recurring Weekly Mass Signup. If you are already on the Recurring Weekly Mass list, then there is no need to complete a new signup below. If you plan to attend the same Mass weekly, please contact the rectory at 914-723-0276 to be added to the list.
IHM Public Masses Sunday March 14, 2021
Please follow safe distance protocols - Wearing a mask in church is required - Please follow directions from ushers and observe signs about seating - At this time the Archdiocese of NY recommends that Holy Communion be received in the hand. If you are ill or have any symptoms of the Virus, please know that Mass is available online.
IHM Saturday Mar 13, 5:30pm
IHM Sunday Mar 14, 8:00am
IHM Sunday Mar 14, 10:00am
IHM Sunday Mar 14, 12:00pm
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES COLLECTION
This week, we are taking up The Catholic Relief Services Collection. This collection helps six Catholic agencies to provide relief and support to struggling communities and to work toward peace and reconciliation among our marginalized brothers and sisters here and around the world. Please prayerfully consider how you can support the collection. Learn more at www.usccb.org/catholic-relief.
BLYTHEDALE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
THANK YOU TO IHM
March 5, 2021
Ms. Tracy Keelin
Immaculate Heart of Mary School
201 Boulevard
Scarsdale, NY 10583
Dear Ms. Keelin,
Thank you and Immaculate Heart of Mary School for your in-kind gift to the Blythedale Children's Hospital of clothes tightly-packed into three large boxes and one bag. As collected during Catholic Schools Week. We appreciate not only the generosity of your school community, but also how they ensured that children at Blythedale of all ages and sizes could benefit from donations. In these times of uncertainty, we are comforted, encouraged, and humbled by donors like you who are dedicated to Blythedale's mission of providing our patients and their families with the services and support that they so desperately need.
Please share our appreciation to everyone involved!
Warm regards,
Lisa Koch, MBA
Vice President, Development
This driver was in collaboration with the
One Community Parish Committee of IHM.
The College Evenings will take place every other week. The next one will take place on Wednesday, March 24 from 7:30-8:00PM on Zoom. CLICK HERE to sign up, to join the email list or for more information.
An Irish Prayer
As I arise today,
may the strength of God pilot me,
the power of God uphold me,
the wisdom of God guide me.
May the eye of God look before me,
the ear of God hear me,
the word of God speak for me.
May the hand of God protect me,
the way of God lie before me,
the shield of God defend me,
the host of God save me.
May Christ shield me today.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,
Christ when I stand,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Amen
may the strength of God pilot me,
the power of God uphold me,
the wisdom of God guide me.
May the eye of God look before me,
the ear of God hear me,
the word of God speak for me.
May the hand of God protect me,
the way of God lie before me,
the shield of God defend me,
the host of God save me.
May Christ shield me today.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,
Christ when I stand,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Amen
Few organizations were as well-equipped to respond to the needs of the community at the peak of the pandemic as the Catholic Church, but the work is far from over. The geographic reach of the archdiocese coupled with the existing network of parishes and charitable organizations meant that we had a presence in most neighborhoods in three of the boroughs of New York, and all the way from Staten Island to Dutchess, Sullivan, and Ulster counties. We are able to serve not only the faithful, but our neighbors and all who approach our church doors in their time of need with spiritual, physical, and medical support. Visit cardinalsappeal.org to learn more or to make a gift!
CONSECRATION OF THE
ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW YORK TO ST. JOSEPH
His Eminence will offer the Consecration of the Archdiocese of New York to St. Joseph on Friday March 19 following the 7:00 am Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The Mass and consecration will be live streamed and archived on the web page at www.saintpatrickscathedral.org. The consecration prayers can be found on the website of the archdiocese at www.archny.org.
PRO LIFE CORNER
To aid in deepening our communion with the Passion of Christ in a more modern-day Calvary, with the parish's Pro-Life Committee, Msgr. Sweeney will offer Mass at 7AM on Saturday, March 20, before we head to a prayerful Vigil and Witness to Life with my classmate (in 2001 we were ordained priests at St. Pat's Cathedral together!)
:
Fr. Fidelis Moschinski, CFR
Where: Planned Parenthood (175 Tarrytown Rd, White Plains, NY)
When: Saturday, March 20, 2021 at 8:00AM
"We seek to join the Blessed Mother and St. John at the foot of the Cross, the modern-day Calvary at the abortion mills, where the image of Christ among us today is being crucified." -Msgr. Philip Reilly
Please consider joining us or praying in solidarity for reparation and conversion of hearts.
“You are called to stand up for life! To respect and defend the mystery of life always and everywhere, including the lives of unborn babies, giving real help and encouragement to mothers in difficult situations. You are called to work and pray against abortion.” Pope John Paul II
Now through March 28, you’re invited to join other Christians for 40 DAYS FOR LIFE – 40 days of prayer and fasting for an end to abortion. You’re also invited to stand and peacefully pray for one or more hours in the public right-of-way outside the Planned Parenthood at 175 Tarrytown Road in White Plains and to help spread the word about this important effort to save lives. If you’d like more information, and especially if you’d like to volunteer to help, visit 40daysforlife.com/whiteplains, or email 40DFL.WP@gmail.com. All are welcome!
For further information, contact Joe McCourt of the IHM Pro-Life Committee at ihmchurch@ihmscarsdale.org.
HOPE COMMUNITY SOUP KITCHEN
NEEDS YOUR HELP!
- We are looking for more volunteers to cook for the HOPE Community Supper Program. The need is greater than ever. Cooking is done at home and delivered to the Church, it is then picked up and delivered to HOPE Community Services in New Rochelle (www.hopecommunityservices.org).
- Timing: Held every third Friday, and also the occasional 5th Tuesday of the month. NEXT HOPE SOUP KITCHEN Drop off: FRIDAY, March 19 by 12noon – if you have perishable food and can bring close to noon, please do so.
- If cooking is "not your thing" we could use help with shopping for other food items
- Contact: Lynne Richy at (914) 772-8348 to sign up or ask questions.
SISTERS OF CHARITY OF NY:
REVEALING GOD’S LOVE
Since its founding by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in 1809, Sisters of Charity has been prodigious in its mission to reveal the love of Christ by helping people in need. Throughout the New York region, you’ll find schools, hospitals, housing projects, shelters, soup kitchens – and even an organic community farm – founded or sponsored by the order. The Covid-19 pandemic is not the first major public crisis the sisters have responded to in the past two centuries.
“When Covid-19 appeared at our doorstep in midMarch, life as we knew it immediately changed,” says Sr. Donna Dodge, president of Sisters of Charity of New York. “We continued to respond to needs but in a new way. St. Joseph Medical Center in Yonkers stands out because of their untiring efforts to directly care for those with Covid-19. The dedicated and skilled front-line workers were amazing.”
The pandemic affected many programs. For example, Casa de Esperanza, the Sisters of Charity multi-service center, had to continue addressing the needs of its many immigrant families for food, rent, medical assistance and ESL classes, despite the closure of the schools where its services are ordinarily provided. Communication with families by phone became essential.
Life Experience and Faith Sharing Associates (LEFSA) carried on its services to those living on the streets by safely distributing food, delivering prayer booklets to shelters, and reaching out to community members in apartments to ensure that they have food and other necessities. At Sisters Hill Farm, a community of volunteers stepped up to help pack farm shares and deliver them to families in need.
For the sisters, perhaps the most difficult part of the crisis has been the physical isolation from one another, especially those who are in nursing homes. “Like so many families living through this pandemic,” Sr. Dodge says, “I feel powerless in not being able to provide comfort to those with dementia or to be and pray with those sisters succumbing to the virus or dying of natural causes. We were unable to give them the send-off they so genuinely deserve after their years of dedicated service.”
Anticipating a continuing economic crisis, the Sisters of Charity are ready for the work still to come. “Since all of our ministries focus on working with those on the margins, we will continue to address the many needs that emerge,” Sr. Dodge says.
Typically, she looks for grace amid the tragedy and rancor of recent times. “I think, or at least I hope, that our world may be coming closer together and, perhaps, heading toward becoming more empathetic and understanding.” Beyond the apostolic work of the order, she says, “There is little else to do at this time except to speak out for what we believe and to continue to pray.”
Archways Magazine | Winter 2021
FEARLESS RETREAT DAY
Fearless Retreat Ministries will be hosting a Retreat Day in collaboration with the Archdiocese of NY Youth Ministry on April 10. The entire event will be held outside on the beautiful grounds of the Graymoor Retreat Center. Due to renovations at Graymoor, we will not be able to host it overnight. The day is open to all youth in 7th-12th grade, with the option for their families to join if they wish. We are happy to be able to offer talks from Fr. Joe Espaillat and the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal! See the flyer and register here. Pre-registration will be required. If you are over 18 and would like to volunteer, please sign up here. This day will be a phenomenal opportunity to come together right after Easter and celebrate the joy of the Resurrection!
Parishioners who attend DAILY MASS, can sign up to receive an email each day for the readings of the day. If you would like to subscribe to the emails for the daily readings, Click HERE
For THIS SUNDAY's Readings, March 13/14, 2021, Click HERE
Please be advised that you can print them out at home or you can use your phone or tablet to follow along with the readings in church or at home.
SUNDAY, March 14, 2021
Fourth Sunday of Lent | Laetare Sunday, Rejoicing Sunday
5:30PM - Inez F. Connolly
8:00AM - Frank Mannion
8:00AM - Frank Mannion
10:00AM - Bart Mitchell
12:00PM - Florian Gabriele
12:00PM - Florian Gabriele
The weekly intention for The People of Immaculate Heart of Mary will be offered privately by the Pastor
MONDAY, March 15, 2021
6:45AM - Jeanette Daniele McGinness
9:00AM - Michael Murphy
TUESDAY, March 16, 2021
6:45AM - Thomas Meehan
9:00AM - Delfina & Domenico DiBattista
WEDNESDAY, March 17, 2021
St. Patrick
6:45AM - Tara Keane Jacobson
9:00AM - Esterina Caruso
THURSDAY, March 18, 2021
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
6:45AM - Sheila O’Callaghan
9:00AM - Catherine Zutell
FRIDAY, March 19, 2021
St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
6:45AM - Matthew Hayes
9:00AM - In Honor of St. Joseph For The Intention of The Giordano Family
9:00AM - In Honor of St. Joseph For The Intention of The Giordano Family
SATURDAY, March 20, 2021
8:30AM - Angela Mascia
5:30PM - Giorgio & Mariantonia Zeolla
Please Remember in Your Prayers
The Sick of Our Parish
Fr. Thomas Lynch
Msgr. Pat Keenan
Sr. Mary Tommasino, S.C
Louis Ranucci
Angela Lifrieri
Laura Hernandez
Nicholas Di Marzo
Anthony Guiliano
Barbara Grossberg
Gina Cocciolillo
Carmine Gagliardi
Elizabeth Sheey
Jason Bergen
Christian Hansen
Biaggio Ferarro
John Powers
Cecilia Gayanelo
Tadeus Gayanelo
Nora Huvane
Nancy Herran
For all those suffering with the Virus
The Deceased of Our Parish
Ronald Morzillo
Nicholas F. D’Auria
Augustine Trapasso
Catheriine Mayetta
Henry J. Humphreys
All Victims of the Virus
KIDS KORNER
Please see this week's "Kids Korner"
prepared by our bulletin publisher, Bon Venture.
EMAIL: IHMCHURCH@IHMSCARSDALE.ORG
914-723-0276
BULLETIN ADVERTISEMENTS
The printing of our Church Bulletin is sponsored by the advertisers on the back pages. Until public masses resume, please check out the advertisements below.
Thank you to our local merchants for
supporting our electronic bulletin!
