A Blessed Advent Season
My dear friends,
I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving!
I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving!
As our Jewish neighbors celebrate Hanukkah this week, we as Catholics begin a new Liturgical Year with Advent. Saint Luke's Gospel will be the focus of the Sunday cycle of readings from now until next November.
I invite you to read about the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the relighting of the menorah in the 2nd Century before the birth of Jesus Christ from the Book of Maccabees:
Speaking of temples, you will see how work is progressing with Renew and Rebuild Phase I on the outside of our place of worship. Masonry work is almost completed on the church and rectory. Now replacement of about 15% of the slate roof is taking place. Since the wooden frames have been repaired around our two beautiful rose windows, the consequences of interior water damage is being addressed and the area is being painted. This should hold us over until the work of Phase II on the interior church commences down the line. I would like to thank our Parish R+R Committee for their continued diligence and generous work, as well as the professionalism of Parish Property Management's Construction and Roof Division.
Mother Lucy, the Superior of the Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, has informed us that due to a new mission their community has been entrusted with in their home diocese, Sr. Ana Chiara and Sr. Marguerite Marie will not be able to return to IHM and the House of Prayer in January 2022. We knew that this Fall was a period of discernment on their part and ours. We are blessed with their presence and have been enriched by their consecrated witness! It will be sad to see them go, but in all things we are to Trust in the Providence of the Lord. December 11/12 will be Sr. Ana and Sr. Marguerite's last weekend with us, and we will have an opportunity to thank them and to bid them Jesus' blessings on their next mission.
This week will be Fr. Rafferty's and Fr. Thumma's opportunity to go on retreat with the last group of New York Archdiocesan priests. His Eminence, Cardinal Dolan, Bishop Whalen, Bishop Colacicco and Bishop Byrne will leave the week. Please continue to keep your priests in prayer.
A blessed Sunday and beginning of Advent to you!
In this Edition:
- Second Collection: Catholic Charities
- IHM Counts Our Blessings Everyday Video
- Knights of Columbus Keep Christ in Christmas Campaign will take place this weekend, November 27/28
- WeShare Donor Matching Program through December 31st
- The Spirituality of Advent Webinar - Tuesday, November 30th
- Christmas Caroling Event - Saturday, December 4th
- Giving Tree at IHM - by Sunday, December 12th
The initial requests for the 2022 Book are being processed. After these are completed, another opportunity will be given for more requests. Stay tuned!
WORD ON FIRE | ENGAGE
Wake Up!
While the world likes to rush to Christmas, we Catholics are invited to take an entire season, called Advent, to slow down and prepare ourselves for the great mystery before us.
The message of Advent for us is simple: “Wake up!”
Advent is a time to be reawakened to the great mystery of the Incarnation: God became man, in time and space and in documented history over 2,000 years ago. If this is indeed true, then Jesus Christ has changed everything.
The people of Israel often grew tired in their exile and in their seemingly endless wait on the Lord. But in his time, not ours, God showed up. And he still does today. For our sake, God indeed became man.
What is our response? How will this season be different? What can I do differently? How can I put Christ at the center of my life again, or perhaps for the very first time?Let's wake up this Advent season!
"He was born so that we might be reborn!"
Questions for Additional Reflection:
- Where do you feel that you are living "on autopilot"?
- What's one practical thing you can do to make this Advent different?
MASS SEATING
1. Striving to best accommodate all seating preferences at our Masses: the School side of the church has no seating restrictions on distance and masks are optional, most of the Carman Road side offers social distancing and we ask all to wear masks on that side of church, and the Adoration Chapel offers an environment for those who are uncomfortable being in the main body of the church with unmasked individuals, therefore social distance and required masks are in order.
2. During the School Year until the Sunday before Memorial Day 2022, the Sunday Mass schedule is as follows: 7:30 AM (no music), 9:00 AM (Family Mass), 10:30 AM (Adult Choir Mass) and 12:00 noon.
We joyfully announce the forthcoming celebration of Marriage for
III Tim Goodridge & Lauren Pinto
SECOND COLLECTION:
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
Please be generous in this week's second collection for the Catholic Charities Campaign for Charity & Justice. Catholic Charities will direct the funds back to parishes & community-based organizations to fund local projects. Please prayerfully consider how you can support this collection and give people a helping hand. Learn more at www.catholiccharitiesny.org.
IHM Counts Our Blessings Everyday!
A very special “Thank You” to all who donated gift cards, cash and food supplies for our Thanksgiving collection. The Thanksgiving Season would not be complete without acknowledging your support. Your generosity has touched the lives of many in need and is sincerely appreciated.
Thank You from Religious Ed
Our food collection went very well. We want to thank you for your support and generosity. A lot of people enjoyed wonderful meals this Thanksgiving!
GIVING TUESDAY IS NOVEMBER 30th
November 30th is Giving Tuesday, a day when communities come together to support the causes they hold closest to their hearts!
CLICK HERE to make a donation to our Church.
CLICK HERE to make a donation to our Parish IHM School.
CLICK HERE to make a donation to our Parish's Religious Education Program.
It is “Thanks giving time”- from HOPE
To the IHM Community - our partners in bringing hope to HOPE:
Believe me when I say that we truly are thankful every day for your help in making HOPE's mission a reality. We know that you can't possibly do all that you do without the assistance of your many ready, willing and able members of Immaculate Heart Mary Parish. We want to convey our thanks and wishes for a Thanksgiving and Holiday Season of good health, safe times and joy in being near to those you hold near and dear, though it may just be virtually this year.
WESHARE DONOR MATCH PROGRAM
The holiday season is one of the largest giving seasons for our church. Our online giving provider WeShare is generously providing a donor match program to help us increase recurring giving. Online gifts help reduce costs and our time spent handling other forms of payment.
For every first gift from a new recurring donor that is added between November 1 and December 31, 2021, WeShare will match that first gift, up to $50, with a maximum match of $1,000 for our church. To be eligible for the matching gift, more than one installment must be set up and the first recurring gift must be transacted by December 31, 2021.
We appreciate your generosity and your support of our church. We prayerfully ask that you consider helping us meet this goal by creating your recurring online gift today.
Visit our WeShare site, ihm-parish.churchgiving.com, to set up your donation. If you need any help regarding WeShare or you have any questions, please use the button below to let us know. Someone from the IHM Rectory will contact you to assist.
KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN
Knights of Columbus, John A. Keogh Council will sell “Keep Christ in Christmas” lawn signs, car magnets & cards outside our church this weekend, November 27/ November 28 after all the Masses. Please support this worthy cause!
GIVING TREE AT IHM
Please take a gift tag, purchase a new gift and return it unwrapped under the Giving Tree by Sunday, December 12th. Gifts are for the Dominican Sisters Family Health Agency in the South Bronx; Paradise House, a residence for people with AIDS on the Grand Concourse, HOPE Community Services, a food pantry, soup kitchen and social service agency in New Rochelle and some local families.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We will be sorting Giving Tree items in the Rectory on Monday, December 6th and December 13thh after the 9AM Mass. Much help is needed!
Forming a new parish young family group!
Any father or mother of a young one who would be interested in some weekly prayer and socializing with other parents of young child(ren), please contact the rectory (ihmchurch@ihmscarsdale.org or 914-723-0281).
The Spirituality of Advent with Dr. Tim Gray
Dr. Tim Gray, President of the Augustine Institute, will offer a reflection on the spirituality of the season of Advent, focusing on how we as Catholics need to live the "pre-season" well, so we can be prepared to welcome and receive the greatest gift of peace that God the Father gives us at Christmas: His Son, Jesus. This Advent study is a free sneak peek of our monthly Mission Circle Webinar Series. Join us on Tuesday, November 30 at 11 a.m. MT. Register for free today to secure your spot live or to receive a recording of the webinar. CLICK HERE to register.
THANK YOU FROM
SR. MARIE PAULA HOLDMAN
"The wonderful Mass of November 7th at IHM has passed and I can hardly believe it is now a memory. ... IHM has been so much part of life to me and all my family. Thank you for your kindness in sharing all the parish has meant over a lifetime to me and our family. We go back to Father O'Rourke, Msgr. Little, Msgr. Belowski, Fr. Gerald Cahill and many retreats and sacraments!
Thanksgiving is a perfect time of memory!
In gratitude,
Sr. Marie Paula Holdman, S.C., Ph.D.
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY PARISH & SCHOOL
cordially invites you to our
CHRISTMAS CAROLING EVENT
Saturday, December 4th
Immediately following the 5:30PM Mass
Join us for Christmas carols in the Church
All attendees will receive a Christmas craft to create at home.
This is a free event brought to you by the IHM One Community Committee.
All are welcome. No RSVP needed.
Advent Retreat for Women
Have you embraced the Purpose for which God created you? Come, place yourself in Mary’s maternal hands. Let her example show you how to live and love in a time such as this.
Regnum Christi will be hosting this Advent Retreat for Women on Saturday, December 4th from 9:15AM to 12:00PM at the Church of the Holy Spirit, 403 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford, CT 06903. The cost is $25 per person.
CLICK HERE to register for this event. For more information, contact Linda Romagnoli at LadyYoli@aol.com
- The next Parish Council meeting via Zoom will be Monday, November 29th at 7:15PM.
- Thanksgiving Collection: In place of turkeys we would appreciate cash donations or gift cards in $10 denominations for the following stores: SHOPRITE, STOP & SHOP, De CICCO & SONS. Please place in an envelope marked “Social Ministry” & drop in the collection basket.
- High School of Religion: The IHM High School of Religion (HSOR) meets in the Lower Church on Wednesday evenings from 7:30-8:45PM. We invite all high school students to come and see the HSOR is "A night out in the middle of the week!" Some of our activities are: prayers and pizza, scavenger hunt, annual Christmas Party, faith on film & more!
- The Centering Prayer Group meets every Wednesday in the Church Library from 1-2PM. Newcomers are welcome. For more information, contact Elise Kuhn at 914-725-4728.
- The College Evenings: The next gathering is TBD! Please contact the group's Coordinator, Daniella Ashman, or the Co-Coordinator, David Pereira for more information (ihmchurch@ihmscarsdale.org). CLICK HERE to sign up for the email list.
- Registration for the 2021-22 CYO Basketball season is open on our website, IHMBASKETBALL.ORG. CYO Basketball is open to all boys and girls that are registered parishioners or IHM School students in grades 3-8. You will be contacted by your coach after registration regarding practice times. For more information on the timing of this year's CYO basketball season, please contact Greg Doyle by email - ihmchurch@ihmscarsdale.org; phone - (914) 723-0276.
- Spread the word! IHM Class of 1976 Reunion: The Class of 1976 is starting to plan a class reunion for Saturday, April 23, 2022. The tentative agenda is to hold a Mass followed by a dinner/cocktail party with music and lots of reminiscing. If you or a loved one graduated IHM in 1976, please email Kathy LiCalzi Catanzariti or Theresa Vaccaro Nicholson through ihmchurch@ihmscarsdale.org.
RESPECT LIFE CORNER
Piercing the cloud of fear
A reflection written by A Sister of Life
A reflection written by A Sister of Life
We were on the phone with Brittany, a 16-year-old senior in high school who had just discovered she was pregnant. She was terrified. She couldn’t bring herself to tell her mother, a devout Christian, and her father was pressuring her to “take care of it” before her mother ever found out. I could hear the panic in her voice when she said: “I’m only a child myself, how can I bring a child into the world?”
Read the rest of the story here...
Pray for Dobbs
We continue invite you to pray and fast for the upcoming Supreme Court case Dobbs v Jackson on the 22nd of each month for the next nine months as part of a nationwide prayer campaign. For more information about how your parish can get involved see the ADNY website. In 2018 Mississippi passed a law protecting unborn children after 15 weeks of gestation. The law was challenged and the case, known as Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, is being heard by the Supreme Court. This is truly a landmark case that could potentially overturn the decision of Roe v Wade. The possibility for future laws protecting the unborn hangs in the balance.
Oral arguments in the case have been scheduled for December 1, 2021 and a decision is expected by June 2022. For an excellent analysis of the case, see Ed Mechmann's blogpost.
IHM Parish will host a night a prayer for our parish.
It will take place on Wednesday, December 8th,
the time is TBD.
Prayer for the Supreme Court:
Holy Trinity, Source of Life and Truth, we entrust our nation to You. We ask for mercy for the decades of legalized abortion that has been permitted in our land and for healing for all those who have been wounded by it. We ask that the sacredness of every human life would be protected and upheld both in law and in culture. In a special way we commend to you the Justices of the Supreme Court. Please grant them clarity, wisdom, and courage to judge according to truth and right reason. Overthrow, at last, by Your power, the scourge of abortion in our land and usher in a new era of protection for the unborn. By the power of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection, may Your justice be established on earth.
Amen.
- The Trustees of St. Patrick's Cathedral are trying to keep our Catholic families coming to our catholic cemeteries to honor their loved ones. Gate of Heaven Cemetery is pleased to announce an extension through November 30, 2021, of their “Pre-Need Planning DISCOUNT ($500 off) for their grave/foundation package. For more information, contact the cemetery office at (914) 769-3672 or email: mark.rolston@archny.org
- The Respect Life Office and Public Policy Office of the Archdiocese are co-sponsoring a “Care & Prepare" Presentation to educate parishioners in the Westchester Area on end of life resources on November 30th at St. Augustine’s Parish in Ossining. Learn practical steps for navigating end of life decisions for yourself and for your loved ones. This free and informative workshop will give you tools to access quality care, protect your loved ones and understand Church teachings on end of life.
- A Catholic Social Widows and Widowers Group, meets on the fourth Monday of the month, at Church of St Pius X, 91 Secor Rd, Scarsdale to honor our deceased spouses with a Mass at 7:00PM in the main church, followed by a social meeting with refreshments, masks are required regardless of vaccination status. We plan activities and have meals at local area restaurants. We welcome all Catholic Widows/Widowers. For inquiries, call 914-715-5817 or email: cww10583@gmail.com.
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, November 27/28, 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, November 28, 2021
First Sunday of Advent
7:30AM - Philip J. McLaughlin
9:00AM - The People of Immaculate Heart of Mary
10:30AM - Betsy & Felix Nash
12:00PM - Peter Macaluso
10:30AM - Betsy & Felix Nash
12:00PM - Peter Macaluso
MONDAY, November 29, 2021
6:45AM - Anne DeSimone
9:00AM - Pauline Dapolito
TUESDAY, November 30, 2021
St. Andrew the Apostle
6:45AM - Margaret Callan
9:00AM - Joseph Grogan
WEDNESDAY, December 1, 2021
6:45AM - Lawrence M. Waterhouse and Gennaro & Isabella Panessa
9:00AM - Bob Dieck
THURSDAY, December 2, 2021
6:45AM - Shirley Van Setter
9:00AM - Geraldina Di Dona
FRIDAY, December 3, 2021
St. Francis Xavier
6:45AM - Rose & Salvatore Guerrieri
9:00AM - Gerard Drohan, Sr.
SATURDAY, December 4, 2021
St. John Damascene
8:30AM - John Cummingham
5:30PM - Joseph V. Corio
Please Remember in Your Prayers
The Sick of Our Parish
Fr. Thomas Lynch
Fr. Patrick Curley
Sr. Danielle Baran
Louis Ranucci
Jason Bergen
Christopher Kesicke
Barbara Grossberg
Thomas Cori
Rose Kelly
Phil Pinto, Jr.
Suzie Irwin
Ven & Priscilla Parameswaran
Thomas Mariani
Ven & Priscilla Parameswaran
Thomas Mariani
Angela Cerrato
Marine Corps Sgt. Tyler Andrews
Laura Hernandez
Joanne Keating Thompson
Kelly Clark
Fabiola Rincon
For all those suffering from the Virus
The Deceased of Our Parish
Marie Donat
Christopher Terry
All Victims of the Virus
- As part of the Communion of Saints and members of the Body of Christ, it is important for us to pray for our sick members and for those who have died.
- If you wish to be included by name, please contact the Rectory (ihmchurch@ihmscarsdale.org or 723-0276).
- If you are calling for another person, please ensure his/her permission.
- Our parish will keep the name of a deceased parishioner or loved one for 2 weeks on our bulletin and Sunday Mass lists.
KIDS KORNER
Please see this week's "Kids Korner"
prepared by our bulletin publisher, Bon Venture.
EMAIL: IHMCHURCH@IHMSCARSDALE.ORG
914-723-0276
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