My dear friends,
Thank you Dr. Laurie Adamo, for your wonderful presentation on the Oratorio music form - bravissima! For the powerful job done by Larry Harris and the beautiful singing of the women of IHM Choir with selections of Mendlessohn's Elijah Oratorio - bravissimi! We will have to have future such events!
We wish Sr. Nancy Kellar, SC, a safe and wonderful trip to Ireland this week for the wedding of her relative! Bring back some shamrocks for the 17th!
I hope people are able to pray the Stations of the Cross this Lent - 7pm Fridays at IHM! I will leave some extra booklets around for people to use. One may also find ways to pray the Stations online (App Stores, download St. Alphonsus Liguori’s The Way of the Cross, etc).
It is heartening that we are a spiritually charitable parish seeking to pray for all the sick. Given that our list has grown substantially, beginning this week, current names will be listed in the bulletin and will be remembered generically in the Sunday Mass Intentions. Four names each will rotate by name. Please let us know when a loved one is better and can be removed from the list.
A Bible Study on the Gospel of Luke will begin on Tuesday, March 15th from 7:30-9:00pm in the Lower Church. It will be led by Rosemary and Tom Roche, who earned their M.A. degrees in Religious Studies from St. Joseph’s Seminary Institute of Religious Studies in Catholic Dogma and in Sacred Scriptures. This initial segment will run during Lent and the Easter Seasons.
St. Joseph Seminary's Presentation on our American Revolutionary History on Wednesday March 16th (4-6pm) looks fascinating! IHM can be proud that one of our very own, Susan Seal, is a part of organizing this event and getting this important story out!
Saturday, March 19th will be a Rosary Rally outside in front of the Blessed Mother's statue and garden. In case of inclement weather, it will be held in the church. Please come and pray for our United States of America.
The weekend of March 19th and 20th, allow me to say a few words about the Cardinal's Appeal. For all who have already contributed or pledged a gift, thank you!
We do not want Vincent Castaldi's talk on the Spiritual of St. Ignatius of Loyola to be a one-off event. Seeking to harness the desire for deeper union with the Lord Jesus, please consider the following from our seminarian:
I’m really grateful that people came for my two talks on March 3rd about Ignatian spirituality and prayer! I genuinely hope that everyone got something out of it for their Lenten journey and to deepen their spiritual lives. As I said in my presentations, this way of praying has really transformed my relationship with Christ and that’s my desire for those who experienced Ignatian prayer and spirituality for the first time or rediscovered it last week.
Since there was an expressed interest in having more sessions about Ignatian prayer and spirituality, I’d like to offer sessions on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Our next session will be offered on Tuesday, March 22nd from 8-9 PM. My hope is that we will have an intimate and prayerful setting for our next session, so I propose meeting in the parish library. If the library cannot accommodate everyone, then I’ll arrange another place to meet.
Please either email or call the rectory to RSVP by Thursday, March 17th so that I can have a general idea about the numbers of those who will be attending.
The willingness of tremendous numbers of IHM parishioners to assist the suffering people of the war in Ukraine is beautiful. Thank you to all who donated money to the emergency collection taken up last weekend! It will remain open until March 28th so please either enclose a personal envelope in the collection (indicate Ukraine on the Memo part of the check) or make a donation online through WeShare. The proceeds will all go to the US Catholic Bishops' Committee on Eastern Europe who have relationships with the Church in the affected areas of war and where refugees are now fleeing.
Knowing that our parish is also strongly committed to concrete assistance from the Giving Tree to the Baby Shower, AYFA Foundation of Yonkers brought to my attention the upcoming humanitarian trip to Poland of two local Rabbis from the Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale. Humanitarian and medical materials collected by AYFA will be placed into special duffle bags and transported free of charge by the airlines. Anyone interested in making a donation to this worthy cause can place them by the Christ the King Altar until March 15th. On March 15/16, all items will be transferred to the collection point and readied for travel. I would appreciate someone volunteering to coordinate this initiative. ITEMS NEEDED Flashlights and batteries, Baby diapers, Adult Diapers, First Aid Kits, Face Masks, Hand sanitizer, Personal Hygiene Kits - Soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, Dental floss, Deodorant, Shampoo, Razor, Shaving creamOTC Kits: Aspirin, Acetaminophen, Cough medicine, Oxymeters, Ace bandages, Compression bandages.
Please sign up for a weekly hour of Adoration before Jesus in the Marian Chapel.
This Sunday after the 9am Mass we will have 'Coffee and Donuts' courtesy of the Nicholsons! Sunday, March 27th will be a Family Mass for Scout Sunday (no Children's Liturgy downstairs).
An early Happy St. Patrick's Day - I am looking forward to walking with our IHM School Community in the Eastchester Parade this weekend! The Rectory Offices will be closed that day for our Archdiocesan Patronal Solemnity.
A blessed Sunday to you!