My dear friends,
Due to the state of current world events, please join me tomorrow evening, Tuesday at 7:30pm, in the Church for a Rosary as we pray for world peace.
Given the Presidents' Day Holiday weekend, a number of you may have missed this important announcement:
After 10 years of service here at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, His Eminence Cardinal Dolan has assigned Father Gerard Rafferty as Parochial Vicar in Larchmont at Sts. John and Paul and St. Augustine, effective March 1st. Father will be assisting the new Auxiliary Bishop John Bonnici, Pastor in Larchmont, who will be taking on more responsibilities in Westchester and Rockland Counties. We will miss Father Rafferty and want to express our gratitude for his decade of faithful and steadfast service here at IHM. Father is scheduled to celebrate the 5:30pm Vigil Mass this upcoming Saturday and the 12:00 noon Mass on Sunday.
After Father Rafferty settles into his new assignment, we look forward to inviting him back for a proper parish farewell Mass to express our gratitude!
Ash Wednesday begins March 2nd! Please consider the following to assist you to enter more deeply into the Lenten Season and prepare for Jesus' Passion, Death and Resurrection:
- Daily Mass, Confessions offered each week in the Marian Chapel (Monday 8-8:50pm, Saturdays 9am and 4-5pm)
- Thursday, March 3rd, Vincent Castaldi, who previously explored Jesuit Religious Life for a few years, will be offering a 45 minute presentation on Prayer, specifically Ignatian Prayer, at 9:45am in the Lower Church and 7:00pm in the School Auditorium.
- Stations of the Cross in the Church every Lenten Friday through Good Friday at 7:00pm starting on March 4th.
- Saturday, March 5th, Men's Retreat sponsored by the Holy Name Societies of IHM and Annunciation/Fatima with two reflections given by yours truly. From 9:30am in the Lower Church following the 8:30am Mass and 9:00am Confessions. Refreshments for breakfast and lunch at the conclusion of the retreat will be offered. A Virtual option will also be available. Please contact the Rectory for more details and to register.
- also on Saturday, March 5th at 11am in the School Auditorium, the kickoff for 40Days for Life of Prayer and Fasting to beseech the Lord to end abortion specifically in White Plains.
- Thursday, March 10th, from 7:00-8:00pm in the School Auditorium, our very own Dr. Laurie Adamo, IHM Director of Music, will be presenting on Oratorios, including how the Church played a part in their development as an art form.
Two renditions from the Elijah Oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn, depicting events in the life of the Prophet Elijah as told in the books 1 and 2 Kings, will be sung by Larry Harris ("It Is Enough") and the IHM choir ("Lift Thine Eyes").
A free will offering will be accepted for the special evening.
- Adoration during weekdays will look to add evening hours for those who work or are unavailable in the day.
I look forward to being with you for these various events.
In Christ,
Msgr. Luke Sweeney