There will be no printed Sunday Bulletin this week. This message contains a shortened digital version. Please feel free to forward to others who may not be on our flocknote list. Please visit our website for most up-to-date information: www.ihm-parish.org
Hello Everyone! Christ is risen! Indeed, he has! Thanks for your prayers and your continued support for your church. We have increased substantially the number of people on WeShare. If you go to our website, ihm-parish.org, there are easy instructions to follow in order to set up your account. On the other hand, I am happy along with Father Rafferty and Fr. Thumma to open up envelopes and scan the checks into our operating account. Thanks so much, too, for your Easter gifts. I know how tough things are for you and please God they won’t get worse. It makes me all the more grateful for your weekly donations and Easter gifts.
Do you know Peter Kreeft, philosophy professor at Boston College? His many books are straight to the point as he has become a great advocate for the teachings of the Catholic church. Here is an example of his writing from his website:
Twelve Ways to Know God
Jesus defines eternal life as knowing God (Jn 17:3). What are the ways? In how many different ways can we know God, and thus know eternal life? When I take an inventory, I find twelve.
- The final, complete, definitive way, of course, is Christ, God himself in human flesh.
- His church is his body, so we know God also through the church.
- The Scriptures are the church's book. This book, like Christ himself, is called "The Word of God."
- Scripture also says we can know God in nature see Romans 1. This is an innate, spontaneous, natural knowledge. I think no one who lives by the sea, or by a little river, can be an atheist.
- Art also reveals God. I know three ex-atheists who say, "There is the music of Bach, therefore there must be a God." This too is immediate.
- Conscience is the voice of God. It speaks absolutely, with no ifs, ands, or buts. This too is immediate. [The last three ways of knowing God (4-6) are natural, while the first three are supernatural. The last three reveal three attributes of God, the three things the human spirit wants most: truth, beauty, and goodness. God has filled his creation with these three things. Here are six more ways in which we can and do know God.]
- Reason, reflecting on nature, art, or conscience, can know God by good philosophical arguments.
- Experience, life, your story, can also reveal God. You can see the hand of Providence there.
- The collective experience of the race, embodied in history and tradition, expressed in literature, also reveals God. You can know God through others' stories, through great literature.
- The saints reveal God. They are advertisements, mirrors, little Christs. They are perhaps the most effective of all means of convincing and converting people.
- Our ordinary daily experience of doing God's will, will reveal God. God becomes clearer to see when the eye of the heart is purified: "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God."
- Prayer meets God—ordinary prayer. You learn more of God from a few minutes of prayerful repentance than through a lifetime in a library.
Unfortunately, Christians sometimes have family fights about these ways, and treat them as either/or instead of both/and. They all support each other, and nothing could be more foolish than treating them as rivals—for example, finding God in the church versus finding God in nature, or reason versus experience, or Christ versus art.
If you have neglected any of these ways, it would be an excellent idea to explore them. For instance, pray using great music. Or take an hour to review your life some time to see God's role in your past. Read a great book to better meet and know and glorify God. Pray about it first.
Add to this list, if you can. There are more ways of finding and knowing God than any one essay can contain. Or any one world!
OTHER STREAMING MASS OPTIONS
There is a daily mass being live-streamed from Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC. The Mass is available on the Catholic Channel, Sirius XM 129 and is broadcast live and on demand by Catholic Faith Network (CFN).
Loyola Press -3 Minute Retreats
3-Minute Retreats invite you to take a short prayer break right at your computer. Spend some quiet time reflecting on a Scripture passage. Knowing that not everyone prays at the same pace, you have control over the pace of the retreat. After each screen, a Continue button will appear. Click it when you are ready to move on. If you are new to online prayer, the basic timing of the screens will guide you through the experience. To subscribe, click here and select 'START YOUR RETREAT.'
POPE FRANCIS CALLS CARDINAL TIMOTHY DOLAN TO EXPRESS LOVE AND CONCERN FOR THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, released the following statement on, Tuesday, April 14, 2020.
“Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, called me this afternoon at about 2:00 p.m. to express his love, concern, and closeness to all the people of New York, especially those who are sick, during the coronavirus outbreak.
The Pope, who was calling from his residence in the Doma Santa Marta, said that New Yorkers were in his prayers in a special way at this time. He asked me to relay his prayerful best wishes to the sick, the doctors, nurses, EMT’s, medical professionals, and caregivers who are tending to them, our civic leaders, as well as our priests, religious, and lay people. He mentioned in a special way Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and the people of the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens, and I happily shared the Holy Father’s words with Bishop DiMarzio immediately thereafter.
I thanked the Pope for the leadership he has displayed during this global pandemic, and assured him of the love and prayers of the people of New York for him and his ministry.”
CONTINUED CANCELATIONS
All public celebration of Mass throughout the Archdiocese is canceled by direction of Cardinal Dolan and medical authorities. Daily/Weekend Mass will only be streamed until further notice. Adoration is suspended until further notice. School, Religious Education and CYO are canceled.
The Church will be open for Private Prayer only 8AM to 3PM.
Let us pray through the intercession of our Blessed Mother for help and healing in these complicated and difficult days.
Let us pray through the intercession of our Blessed Mother for help and healing in these complicated and difficult days.
CANCELLATION OF GOLDEN EGG EVENT
The Golden Egg Raffle Event, originally scheduled for June 5, is cancelled. As current events progress, we will review our options for re-scheduling in the fall.
With so many Church & Town organizations rescheduling events, we will have to check schedules before selecting a date. If you know of reschedule dates for any group please let us know by emailing ihmchurch@ihmscarsdale.org.
God bless you,
Natalie & Virginia
Co-Chairs
Mass intentions for this week will be moved to a private mass celebrated by one of the priests of the parish. The following people will be remembered the week of April 19, 2020.
Ricardo Pinto
Armando Frusciante
Armando Frusciante
For The Intention of Maria Cristina
Giordano & Family
Anna Di Cola
Rosalie Cofini
Tom Moyna
James McNamara
Hugo Bellingreri
Nicolaus Herbold
Peg Briody
Jerome King
Mary-Carol Miller
Pasquale Spezzano
Frank O’Neill
Jerry Hannon
Cary J. Broderick
The People of Immaculate Heart of Mary
Please Remember in Your Prayers
The Sick of Parish
Louis Ranucci
Frances Novaro
Angela Lifrieri
Laura Hernandez
Nicholas Di Marzo
Thomas Carroll
Eileen Kelly
Vincent Schaub
Xavier Flores
For all those suffering with the Virus
Our Beloved Dead
Marie Carrella
James Tierney
Deacon William Bebert
Monsignor Richard J. Guastella,
Sythe Basile
All Victims of the Virus
STAY UP TO DATE USING FLOCKNOTE
This online Bulletin is being delivered to you via flocknote. We are encouraging as many parishioners as possible to sign up for flocknote to get e-mail and/or text messages to help us all stay connected with IHM. Your information is always confidential.
Please spread the word about this service.
To sign up:
Text IHMS to 84576
Text IHMS to 84576
OR
Use the button below
IHM WESHARE
ONLINE CONTRIBUTIONS
Thank you to those who are contributing online using WeShare! This is helping offset the loss of in-mass contributions during this difficult time.
With WeShare, online giving is safe, simple and convenient. You can setup a recurring or one-time contribution to the Sunday Offertory, Easter, or any Special Collection, using a credit card or bank payment. 100% of your donation is deposited into IHM's Church giving account. Your online WeShare contributions to IHM will be combined with any in-mass or other contributions for a single annual statement.
Please use the link below to access WeShare. If you have any questions regarding this collection system, please send an email to the We Share Customer Support Team at weshare@4lpi.com or call (800) 950-9952.
MAIL IN CONTRIBUTIONS
Thank you to those who have been mailing your contributions to the Rectory! We do not have a secure drop off spot on the premises, so please do not hand deliver your contribution envelopes to the Rectory. Please continue mailing them in. We sincerely appreciate your support but we urge you to STAY HOME, STAY SAFE & STAY WELL!
Our mailing address is: IHM Rectory, 8 Carman Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583.
Check out this uplifting video!
Check out this uplifting video!
#ClapBecauseWeCare
Every night at 7:00pm please join New Yorkers as they open their windows and cheer, clap, whistle and shout their appreciation for all those who put their lives on the line to keep the state going and us safe.
Let us show our appreciation to all essential workers like: healthcare professionals, police officers, fire fighters, educators, transit workers, sanitation workers, bankers, delivery people, cashiers, pharmacists, stockers and everyone else who selfishly comes to our aid during these trying times.
RDC Center for Counseling & Human Development
During this time of isolation, fear and uncertainty, we want your parishioners to know that The RDC Center for Counseling & Human Development, (52 N. Broadway, White Plains), is continuing to see clients and is accepting new clients virtually through a secure web platform. We are here to help during this difficult time and can be reached by calling 914-949-0504. Stay safe & Stay well!
Gratefully,
Sr. Pat Sheridan
BLOOD NEEDED!
Blood is still urgently needed during the crisis, and donors can now help in a safe way and during a time that works for them. With blood donations falling by 75% as a result of blood drive cancellations, the NY Blood Center has increased the capacity at its Donor Centers by expanding their hours of operation and adding additional days. They also provide for more physical space between donors, have reduced the number of donors per hour, and take several additional sanitary measures and precautions regarding both donors and staff. In order to control donor flow, appointments must be made and walk-ins will be not accepted until further notice.
For questions regarding your last donation date, travel, medications: 800-688-0900
TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT: 800-933-2566
TO DONATE IN ELMSFORD:
TO FIND NY DONOR CENTERS BY ZIPCODE:
Convalescent Plasma Needed!
If you have recovered from COVID-19 and wish to donate plasma, please contact one of the hospitals below:
