DECEMBER 14, 2025 - THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Friends,
As we enter the Third Sunday of Advent—Gaudete Sunday—we are invited to rejoice. The word Gaudete means “Rejoice!” and it reminds us that even in the midst of waiting, longing, and enduring trials, joy is not only possible but essential to our Christian life. The rose-colored candle we light this week is a sign of hope breaking into the darkness, a reminder that Christ’s coming is near.
We know that many among us are carrying heavy burdens—personal struggles, family challenges, and the weight of uncertainty in our world. As a parish, we too face our own trials. The reality of bankruptcy has brought anxiety and sorrow to our community, and we cannot pretend these difficulties are not real. Yet Advent does not ask us to ignore these realities. Instead, it calls us to persevere with faith, trusting that God’s promises are true. St. Paul tells us, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). This joy is not shallow optimism, but a deep confidence that Christ is with us, even in suffering.
Gaudete Sunday teaches us that joy and perseverance go hand in hand. Joy strengthens us to endure trials, and perseverance allows joy to take root even when circumstances are difficult. The rose candle is not lit because all is perfect, but because we believe that the light of Christ is stronger than any darkness—including financial hardship.
So let us encourage one another:
- To remain steadfast in prayer, even when answers seem delayed.
- To support one another in community, bearing each other’s burdens—including the parish’s financial challenges.
- To keep our eyes fixed on Christ, who is both the reason for our rejoicing and the source of our strength.
May this Gaudete Sunday be a reminder that joy is not postponed until everything is resolved—it is a gift we can embrace now, because Emmanuel, God-with-us, is near. Even in bankruptcy, we are not bankrupt of hope, faith, or love. These treasures endure, and they will carry us forward.
With prayers for your perseverance and peace,
Faithfully in Christ,
Rev. Stephen Ries
Pastor
Below are the various communications sent out regarding our parish this past week:
A heartfelt thank you to the good people of Bennett Funeral Home of Scarsdale and Westchester Funeral Home of Eastchester, who once again have sponsored our 2026 Church Calendars.
2026 Church calendars are available at the doors of the Church!
Sunday, December 14, 2025 | Third Sunday of Advent | Matthew 11:2–11
Friends, in today’s Gospel, John the Baptist asks if Jesus is “the one . . . or should we look for another?” When this inquiry is conveyed to Jesus, the Lord does not respond theoretically, but rather by pointing to things that are happening.
“Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.”
Was Jesus doing all of this in the literal sense? Yes! That he was a miracle worker and a healer was one of the most fundamental perceptions regarding Jesus. When God came among us in Christ, he effected the work of repairing his broken and hurting creation. He is not interested simply in souls but in bodies as
well.
And so we hear indeed of the man born blind, of Bartimaeus, of the paralyzed man lowered down through the roof to Jesus, of the woman with the flow of blood, of the man who is deaf and dumb to whom Jesus says “Ephphatha!” (Be opened!). We hear of Lazarus and the daughter of Jairus and the son of the widow of Nain.
“Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.”
Was Jesus doing all of this in the literal sense? Yes! That he was a miracle worker and a healer was one of the most fundamental perceptions regarding Jesus. When God came among us in Christ, he effected the work of repairing his broken and hurting creation. He is not interested simply in souls but in bodies as
well.
And so we hear indeed of the man born blind, of Bartimaeus, of the paralyzed man lowered down through the roof to Jesus, of the woman with the flow of blood, of the man who is deaf and dumb to whom Jesus says “Ephphatha!” (Be opened!). We hear of Lazarus and the daughter of Jairus and the son of the widow of Nain.
Bishop Robert Barron
REMEMBRANCES FOR THE WEEK
Week of December 14th
Church Sanctuary Lamp Intention for:
Living and Deceased Members of the Terribile Family by Laura Wright
Bread & Wine Intention for:
Living and Deceased Members of the Wright Family by Laura Wright
Altar Candles in Our Lady's Chapel for:
Living and Deceased Members of the Mulvey Family by Laura Wright
Church Altar Flowers Intention for:
Living and Deceased Members of the Howes Family by Laura Wright
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
SUNDAY, December 14, 2025
Third Sunday of Advent
5:30PM - Kuhn and Otto Families, living and deceased (Special Intention)
by Elise and Bjoern Kuhn
by Elise and Bjoern Kuhn
7:30AM - The People of Immaculate Heart of Mary
9:00AM - Edwin and Patria Lopez by Raquel Quesada (brother and mother)
10:30AM - Dominick Zarola by the Cohen Family
12:00PM - Louis Valentine by Maria Valentine
MONDAY, December 15, 2025
6:45AM - Isabel and Natalia Lago (Special Intention) by Gloria Gomez
9:00AM - Carmine Gizzo (13th Anniversary) by Maria Cristina Giordano, his daughter
TUESDAY, December 16, 2025
6:45AM - Thanksgiving (Special Intention) by Sheila M Fane
9:00AM - Anthony & Julia Tagliamonte by Anthony & Sebastiana Tagliamonte
WEDNESDAY, December 17, 2025
6:45AM - Rosario DeVico by Antoinette DeVico
9:00AM - Jack & Anthony and Rae Vasso by Kathryn Esposito
THURSDAY, December 18, 2025
6:45AM - Matt Roche (Birthday) by Family
9:00AM - Carl Soranno by the Coco Family
FRIDAY, December 19, 2025
6:45AM - Joseph Flanagan by the Milaccio Family
9:00AM - Mary and Christopher Pisano by Angela C. Pagano
SATURDAY, December 20, 2025
8:30AM - Joseph Ferrara (Anniversary) by Deborah Ferrara
5:30PM - Joseph Roche (Birthday) by Family
Immaculate Heart of Mary
2025 Christmas Schedule
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Reconciliation Monday, December 15th | 2:00-4:00PM; 6:00-8:00PM
Wednesday. December 17th | 7:00-8:00PM
Saturday, December 20th | 9:00AM; 4:00-5:00PM
Saturday, December 20th | 9:00AM; 4:00-5:00PM
Christmas Eve Masses
Wednesday, December 24th
4:00PM, 6:00PM, 9:00PM, 12:00AM Midnight Mass
Christmas Day Masses
Thursday, December 25th
8:00AM, 10:00AM, 12:00 Noon
Sunday, December 28th
Feast of the Holy Family
5:30PM - Vigil (Saturday, December 27th), 7:30AM, 9:00AM, 10:30AM, 12:00 Noon
Thursday, January 1st, 2026
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Holy Day of Obligation)
5:30PM Vigil (Tuesday, December 31st), 9:00AM, 12:00PM
For up-to-date information, please visit the Parish website, www.IHM-Parish.org or call the Rectory (914) 723-0281
Holiday travel is up this year, and we want to help you celebrate the sacraments this season - everywhere you go!
FindAMass.org allows us to find local Mass, Adoration, and Confession times wherever we travel. Now, you can stay connected to the sacraments while on the road!
Thanks to the efforts of the ENTIRE parish, our inventory for Midnight Runs has been substantially replenished! An urgent call for men's jeans was answered by a Weekend Mass Jeans Drive by the School of Religion and attracted enough notice that over 80 pairs of jeans were donated. Coats, hats, gloves and scarves were collected from all corners of the parish as well as sneakers and hoodies. The generosity of IHM is awesome and heartwarming!
As you know, there is tremendous need all year round and a Midnight Run is usually held every 6-8 weeks to try and meet that need. We thank you all for keeping us in mind as the seasons and your wardrobe change!
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY UPCOMING EVENTS
GIVING TREE AT IHM
Gifts are for the Dominican Sisters Family Health Agency in the South Bronx; Paradise House, a residence for people with special needs on the Grand Concourse, HOPE Community Services, a food pantry, soup kitchen and social service agency in New Rochelle, Catholic Guardian Services, a foster care agency and some local families.
Please Return unwrapped gifts under the Giving Tree
by Sunday, December 14th
by Sunday, December 14th
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: We will be sorting Giving Tree items on
December 15th at 9:45AM.
December 15th at 9:45AM.
Contact the Rectory if interested, 914-723-0276 or IHMChurch@ihmscarsdale.org
Adopt a family: We have requests from several families for Christmas Gifts.
If you would like to help, please call Dotty Meehan at (914) 552-7628.
The generosity of IHM's Giving Tree is making its way to those in need this week. A big thank you to Dotty and Dennis Meehan and their fellow volunteers who have been carrying the donated items to the lower Church and then sorting and bagging the items before they get picked up. It is a labor of love and it will bring joy to so many for Christmas! Thank you!
Advent Morning of Renewal
Thursday, December 18th at the House of Prayer
9:00AM - Mass and Rosary - Coffee & Buns
10:00AM - Talk by Sister Mary "Trusting in the Promises of God"
10:40AM - Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Intercessory Prayer
11:00AM - Scripture Sharing
11:30AM - Conclusion
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, December 19th by 11:00AM
- If cooking is "not your thing" we could use help with shopping for other food items
- Contact: Lynne Richy call or text (914) 772-8348 to sign up or ask questions
Holy Communion for those with Gluten Sensitivities
For any who have sensitivities to Gluten, know that Low Gluten hosts (containing less than 0.002% gluten, <20ppm, fully in accord with Church Canon Law) are available for receiving our Lord in Holy Communion. For those unable to have any gluten, we are happy to offer Holy Communion from a separate Chalice. Please speak with a priest before Mass.
Young Members:
IHM Religious Education Grade K to 8
IHM Catholic School Grades K to 8
IHM High School of Religion (HSOR)
IHM Boy Scouts Troop 2
Scarsdale/Edgemont Girl Scouts
Prayer Groups:
Adult Faith Formation:
IHM Bible Discussion Group
IHM School of Community
Order of Christian Initiation of Adults: The OCIA (formerly RCIA) is the process by which we receive adults and children of elementary school age or older who wish to enter the Catholic Church.
Get Involved! Various organizations at IHM provide an opportunity for our parishioners to contribute their talents for the good of others.
Be Aware - Scam Alert: Parishioners are being targeted by fraudulent emails or texts claiming to be from our parish or directly from our Pastor. These messages typically demand urgent action—such as purchasing gift cards and sending the codes electronically. These messages come from fake accounts impersonating our church. Please know we will never ask for gift cards or similar assistance in this way. If you receive an email or text like this, do not respond. Instead, check the sender’s information and contact the Rectory if you have any doubts. IHM is a generous parish, committed to helping those truly in need—always with charity, never through trickery. Let us pray for those who perpetrate such scams, and remember that our decisions, moral and spiritual, should never be made under pressure or coercion.
Please Remember
in Your Prayers
The Sick of Our Parish
Jason Bergen
Joan Boccardi
Gino Catalano
Joan Boccardi
Gino Catalano
Anthony D’Agostino
Sean Fogarty
Emily Gosewehr
Dr. Peter Healy
Wayne Skarberg
Michael Mirabella
Michael Mirabella
Cindy Whelan
Margaret Mary Ambrose
Elizabeth Ann Bagnuolo
Patrick Briody
Patrick Briody
Mary Connolly
John Dunleavy
Kathleen Ferrandi
Pren Gjdoda
Ruth Hoffman
Rosa Pagiarulo
Nicola Brusco
Fr. Stuart Sandberg
Susan Schoetz
Christopher Walsh
Michael Thomas Walzer
If you wish to be included by name, please contact the Rectory: ihmchurch@ihmscarsdale.org or 914-723-0276
If you are calling for another person,
please ensure his/her permission.
- The Little Sisters of the Poor on Schurz Avenue in the Bronx have a part time (8-16 hours/week) job opening for a Development Database Assistant. Responsibilities include a variety of fundraising related tasks, especially accurate data entry. Hours are flexible. Please contact Sr. Charles Patricia at bxdevelopment@littlesistersofthepoor.org for more details.
- Christmas Around the World Crèche Display Open Daily: 10AM–3PM Located on the 5th floor - The Atonement Friars invite you to contemplate the amazing gift of Christ’s birth through our annual Christmas Around the World Crèche Display. A long-standing tradition, the display features 150 crèches with unique designs reflecting diverse cultures. At the same time, these examples from Japan, Italy, Nigeria and other countries reflect a common theme: love and adoration for the baby Jesus. Details:
- Starts: Saturday, November 29 | Ends: Tuesday, January 6, 2026
- HOLY MOUNTAIN FRANCISCAN RETREAT CENTER
- 40 Franciscan Way Garrison, NY 10524 United
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