JANUARY 11, 2026 - BAPTISM OF THE LORD
Friends,
This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, a moment that marks the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry and reminds us of our own call to live as beloved sons and daughters of God. As we reflect on Christ stepping into the waters of the Jordan, may we also renew our commitment to follow Him with faith, humility, and joy. This feast invites us to remember the grace of our own baptism and the mission we share as a community of disciples.
Today also marks the end of the Christmas season. I would like to offer a heartfelt word of gratitude to everyone who helped make our Christmas liturgies so prayerful, joyful, and beautiful. From those who decorated the church so lovingly, to our musicians, lectors, altar servers, ushers, and all who served behind the scenes—your dedication allowed our parish to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord with reverence and warmth. Thank you for sharing your time, talent, and love for our community.
Please join me in extending our prayers and best wishes to Fr. Thumma as he departs for his annual month‑long vacation in India. May his travels be safe, his time away be restful, and may he return to us renewed in spirit and energy. We are deeply grateful for all he does for our community, and we hope this time brings him joy, peace, and well‑deserved refreshment.
During his absence, we are blessed to welcome Fr. Philip Caruso, who will be assisting us here at the parish. Please join me in offering him a warm and enthusiastic welcome. We are grateful for his willingness to serve our community, and we look forward to praying and worshiping with him in the weeks ahead.
Thank you all for your continued support, kindness, and dedication to our parish family. May God continue to guide and bless us all.
Faithfully in Christ,
Rev. Stephen Ries
Pastor
2026 at IHM School
Annual Pilgrimage to the March for Life
Friday, January 23, 2026
As in years past the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul and The Montfort Academy have chartered a coach bus to Washington, DC for the annual March for Life which will take place on Friday, January 23rd.
The bus will leave the church parking lot in Mount Vernon at 5am and return home by 10pm. During the day, participants will attend the NY Pilgrim's Mass at St. Patrick's Church in Washington and then walk to the Mall for the Rally and March to the Supreme Court.
There are still seats available and the cost of a ticket on the bus is $60.
If you are interested in attending please contact
Don Alleva at the Sts. Peter and Paul Rectory Office 914-668-9815 or email
Marla Greco mgreco@themontfortacademy.org as soon as possible.
Sunday, January 11, 2026 | Feast of the Baptism of the Lord| Matthew 3:13-17
Friends, Matthew’s account of Jesus’ baptism points to the significance of this foundational sacrament.
Listen to the great theologian Gregory of Nazianzen: “Baptism is God’s most beautiful and magnificent gift. . . . It is called ‘gift’ because it is conferred on those who bring nothing of their own; ‘grace’ since it is given even to the guilty.” Jesus said, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.” Baptism is the sacramental ratification of that choice.
Listen to the great theologian Gregory of Nazianzen: “Baptism is God’s most beautiful and magnificent gift. . . . It is called ‘gift’ because it is conferred on those who bring nothing of their own; ‘grace’ since it is given even to the guilty.” Jesus said, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.” Baptism is the sacramental ratification of that choice.
And this is why we speak of Baptism as justifying us and washing away our sin. We are—all of us—born into a deeply dysfunctional world, a world conditioned by millenia of selfishness, cruelty, injustice, stupidity, and fear. This has created a poisonous atmosphere that conditions all of our thoughts and moves and actions.
Do you see why the stress on grace is so important? Baptism is the moment when the Holy Spirit draws us out of this fallen world and into a new world, the very life of the Trinity. That’s why Baptism involves being born again, lifted up, enlightened, transformed, saved—and why the Church speaks of the baptized as a “new creature.”
Bishop Robert Barron
The Parish Family of Immaculate Heart of Mary congratulates Br. Finbar Kantor, O.P on the occasion of his Solemn Profession of Vows.
We thank God for his vocation and pray for him on this joyous occasion.
Thank you to the many parishioners who contributed donations to our Christmas Flowers. Your generosity added to the beauty and joy of our Christmas celebrations. You, your loved ones, and your special intentions were placed on our altar and remembered at our Masses throughout the Christmas season. Finally, a word of gratitude to the Saint Veronica Guild for their dedication to beautifying and caring for our Church and sanctuary.
You may view the list of those who donated at the button below.
Please feel free to take home a poinsettia plant after Mass.
Below is a Message from our Parish Donation Envelope Company
Due to unexpected machinery issues, our production schedule has been disrupted, and we are currently behind on some orders.
At this time, your mailing may be delayed by up to two weeks past the scheduled start date. We know that timing matters, and we understand the strain this can place on your planning and your own commitments.
The good news is that we have an engineering specialist and technicians scheduled to be on-site next week (Jan. 6) to complete repairs and help restore full production capacity. In the meantime, our team is working daily to stabilize production and minimize the impact on your job as much as possible.
Thank you for your patience. If you have questions, or concerns, please reach out directly—we want to help however we can.
Janelle Badger
Senior Account Manager
Cathedral Letter Concepts
REMEMBRANCES FOR THE WEEK
Week of January 11th
Church Sanctuary Lamp Intention for:
Filomena and Fernando Fagnani by Cynthia Matishek
Bread & Wine Intention for:
Angelo "Chico" Velez (Anniversary) by the Velez Families
Altar Candles in Our Lady's Chapel for:
Veronica Lago (Birthday) by Agustin Lago and Gloria Gomez
Church Altar Flowers Intention for:
Gloria Logan Donnelly by the Lenzo Family
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
SUNDAY, January 11, 2026
Baptism of the Lord
5:30PM - Patrice Conboy by the Keelin & Piscopo Families
7:30AM - Ligia Jimenez-Sanchez by Judith M Molina (4th Anniversary)
9:00AM - The People of Immaculate Heart of Mary
10:30AM - William Gross by Fr. Ries
12:00PM - Rose DeBellis Gouveia by Rosemarie Lacerra
MONDAY, January 12, 2026
6:45AM - Christopher Wright (Birthday) by Wayne & Laura Wright
9:00AM - Giovanni Mastronardi by Rosaria Mastronardi
TUESDAY, January 13, 2026
6:45AM - James Kerrigan by Kevin Meade
9:00AM - Robert McDermott by Barbara Henry
WEDNESDAY, January 14, 2026
6:45AM - Patrick Wright (Birthday) by Wayne & Laura Wright
9:00AM - Louise Visaggi by Nicole Visaggi
THURSDAY, January 15, 2026
6:45AM - Anthony LoBono by Joseph LoBono
9:00AM - Andrew R. White by the White Family
FRIDAY, January 16, 2026
6:45AM - Thomas D. Reynolds by Karen Reynolds (his daughter)
9:00AM - James P. Sheerin by the Camisa Family
SATURDAY, January 17, 2026
8:30AM - Elaine Ferrara by Deborah and Philip
5:30PM - Giacomo Del Vecchio by Carmela Del Vecchio
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY UPCOMING EVENTS
We are going to discontinue Charismatic Morning of Renewal at the House of Prayer on Thursdays until Thursday, February 19th. Thank you for all you do and Happy New Year!
In harmony with Pope Leo XIV’s Monthly Prayer Intentions for the Year 2026 the IHM Bible Discussion Group invites all fellow parishioners to fulfill Pope Leo’s Month of January prayer petition to Pray the Word of God.
Please join us Tuesday evenings at 7PM in the lower Church to pray the Sacred Scriptures. On Tuesday, January 6th we will reflect on Chapter 9 of I Corinthians and will continue to pray another chapter of the Word of God each Tuesday through June 2026. If you are unavailable Tuesday evenings please take advantage of the at home option that allows you to reflect on the Word of God with your family at your convenience, just sign up for the weekly email with questions on that week’s chapter. Even the most seasoned Bible student will find the occasional gem they previously missed. A few weeks ago the group prayed St. Paul’s treatise on the Holy Spirit as we reflected on Chapter 2 of I Corinthians, specifically I Cor 2:6-16.
We hope to see many new faces praying the Scriptures in accordance with Pope Leo’s directive to build up our communities with the Word of God!
The IHM High School of Religion (HSOR) welcomes all high school students to our weekly gatherings on Wednesdays from 7:30- 9:00PM in the lower Church Hall. We offer a fun and relaxing faith community of service projects, Prayer & Pizza, Game Nights, Sacraments, lively discussions and Open Gym.
Come see why our students say HSOR “is a night out in the middle of the week!”
Click the button below if you would like to enroll or for more information from our coordinator, Nancy Vericker
Come see why our students say HSOR “is a night out in the middle of the week!”
Click the button below if you would like to enroll or for more information from our coordinator, Nancy Vericker
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, January 16th 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
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.
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
Leslie Vaccaro
Cindy Whelan
Joan Marie Boccardi
Frank C. Greco
Conrad Knowlton Harris
Peter McGuire
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.
- Catholic Widows and Widowers of Yonkers will meet on Thursday, January 15th, 12:30PM at St. Ann's Church (Fr. Anthony Hall, 31 College Place, Yonkers). For more information, please call (914) 423.5331. New members are always welcome!
- There are countless enjoyable and entertaining activities for senior residents held throughout the year in Westchester County parks and facilities. Activities include pool parties, golf tournaments and dancing at the annual Salute to Seniors or Golden Harvest celebrations among others. For more information about events for seniors in Westchester County, click here to visit the Department of Senior Programs and Services.
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