August 24, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Numbers is the name of the 4th book of the Bible. The Hebrew name for the book means “in the wilderness” and the main numbers or statistics you will encounter relate to the physical and spiritual challenges the people faced on their journey to the Promised Land. God orders a numbering of the people by census before they set out on this journey. Some of the people want to return to Egypt , and God assures that none of these will reach the Promised Land—thus, the 40 years of wandering in the desert until no one of that ilk remains. You'll read about silver trumpets, water coming from a rock, sneaky snakes in the desert (that was the passage I had to preach my very first homily on back in the seminary in 1977), and even a geographical place called the “Ascent of the Scorpions” (though some Bibles leave this place name untranslated as the “Akrabbim Pass”). Suffice it to say, it won't be a dull ride—though parts are a bit gruesome along the way. When you finish this book, you will have read 4 (5.5%) of the 73 books of the Bible, yet 153 (11.5%) of the 1,334 chapters of the Bible. As an aside, if reading the 5 or so chapters a day is too much to complete this book this week, you actually have all the way up until Columbus Day to start reading an even 3 chapters a day to read the whole Bible by December 31, 2009. And, if you'd prefer to do a different type of Bible study (or something in addition to these daily passages), there is another type of Scripture study offering on page 4 of today's bulletin which you might consider. Meanwhile, we will keep plugging along with this one-book-a-week orientation in this column for those already on this 73-week journey from cover to cover of Holy Writ's pages.
In our daily news, it was on this date in 1949 that St. James was incorporated, so the 60th year of the life of this site of Peace of Christ Parish will conclude on August 24, 2009. Tomorrow gives us all just 4 months ‘til Christmas—we really DO need to get ready! Tuesday marks both the 88th anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment allowing women's right to vote and the 10-week mark for the countdown to Election Day 2008. Wednesday would have been Mother Teresa's 98th birthday. May her example continue to inspire us all. Thursday will conclude the Democratic National Convention. Friday, Michael ( Jackson ) turns 50! Saturday marks the 45th anniversary of the installation of the hotline between the White House and the Kremlin—may it be wisely used even amidst current events! And next Sunday brings us to the end of the 2nd third of the year.
Lastly, as I've mentioned a bit in recent columns, we are in the midst of beginning a process of laying out before all parishioners the most transparent picture of our Peace of Christ infrastructure and what its chief needs are via a comprehensive five-year plan. Whatever this requires of us will be linked to this Fall's Catholic Ministries Appeal. Early returns prior to the formal kick-off have been most promising, and I'm sure we'll start to see those new “Trees of Life” at each site come to life. Stay tuned, and may we please keep it all in our prayer!
— Father Schrader
August 17, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Leviticus will be the 3rd book we encounter in our Bible reading. At 27 chapters, it's our shortest yet: only 4 chapters a day instead of the 6 that Exodus required (of course, if you've opted for a straight 3 chapters a day throughout this Scriptural journey we're on, you'll still be in Genesis for a few more days, but you will catch up to—and even pass—those reading a book a week before the end of next year). Leviticus gets its name from the priests who served the liturgical needs of God's people as they dwelt for a year in the shadow of Mount Sinai in the early 13th Century B.C. The Levites were descendants of the tribe of Levi, one of the 12 sons of Jacob. One might say that all Levites had Levi's genes (if one were to make an attempt at some Scriptural shtick). You will read in its 27 chapters how all fat goes to God (ch. 3—no divine cholesterol here!); how priests were ordained (ch. 8—again, I much prefer our modern methods); how that little gecko in the car insurance commercial is categorized in the Bible (ch. 11); how the term “scapegoat” came about (ch. 16); and how the term “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is really a merciful expression (ch. 24). The book also covers wizards, magicians, and cannibals. When you finish it, you will have read 3 (4.1%) of the 73 books of the Bible, yet 117 (8.7%) of the 1,334 chapters of the Bible.
This weekend, on Saturday we have the Full “Sturgeon” Moon, may its light illuminate our nocturnal steps! On Sunday, the “Cat Nights” commence (the “Dog Days” ended back on August 11th). Monday begins the 30th year of the Dempster Highway to the arctic (anybody driven it lately?). Tuesday is the anniversary of the 1977 death of Groucho Marx, a cast iron likeness of whom you can see every day here in Peace of Christ Parish as you drive down Akron Street between Main and Atlantic (west side near the bend). Wednesday is the feast of St. Bernard, patron of Rochester 's former seminary where most of us ordained up to the early 1980's received our formation. Thursday begins the 50th year of Hawaii 's being a state. Friday, the octave of the Assumption (the 4th Glorious Mystery of the Rosary) is the feast of the Queenship of Mary (the 5th Glorious Mystery of the Rosary). Saturday, our Parish Pastoral Council will be gathered for a day of prayer, sharing a meal, and reflection on our tasks for the year ahead. We will be praying for all in the parish; please, pray for all on Council as you go through that day. It is also the day of the 50th Jubilee of one of our Sisters at St. Ambrose Convent, Sister Magdalena Kellner, SSJ. Congratulations, Sister, and many happy returns! And next Sunday—besides being the 2nd anniversary of the “Planet” Pluto begin expelled from our solar system—begins the 60th year of our St. James Church site here in Peace of Christ Parish—the 60th anniversary is at the end of that year on August 24, 2009.
SPECIAL NOTE : Those who contribute by electronic check, due to some changeovers at the bank as Peace of Christ formally becomes recognized in their records, some automatic payments may have been returned to you. Thanks for your patience (and make-ups) this month !
— Father Schrader
August 10, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Exodus is our next book to read in the Bible. By the way, since our goal is to complete reading the Bible by December 31, 2009, and since that day is in the middle of a week, if you haven't finished Genesis yet, you've still got several days to do so. This column each week will simply give a few reflections about the next book to be read, but you don't even have to start it until toward the end of the week. Now, Exodus is 20% shorter than Genesis (40 chapters instead of 50—a chapter is usually only a couple columns on a page), so in your Exodus week you need read only 6 chapters a day (your 7th day will have only 4 to read). Indeed, we're getting two of the biggest books read right off the bat: though you will have read only 2 of the 73 books (2.7% of the Bible's books), you will have read 90 of the 1,334 chapters (6.7% of all the Bible's chapters)—so the heaviest reading is largely right up front in our journey through the Bible.
Again, if you don't have a Bible, you can use one free on line at http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible or see a staff member to get one.
The title “Exodus” means “way out,” for God is showing the people enslaved in Egypt a way out to freedom. Perhaps we will find a way out of what enslaves us as we read this book's pages. We will read about the plagues in Egypt , the escape through the Red Sea, the trek to Mount Sinai, the reception of the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai , the burning bush, the ark of the Covenant, and God's loving presence among a sinful people. Note that the order of the 10 Commandments doesn't match our Catholic numbering of them in our catechism (we use the order found in Deuteronomy 5). Some familiar place names arise: we have the Elim Bible Institute in Lima , NY . What is Elim in Exodus (ch. 15)? Also we get a description of the ordination rite (ch. 29)—every time I read that section, I am SO glad that I was ordained in New Testament times and ways. Be sure to jot down points for your own pondering to come back to for reflection. You'll find things you never realized were in the Bible.
Speaking of finding things, you've probably found the new trees that appeared in church during the past few weeks. They are mounted near one of the entrances in each of our three churches. These are called “Trees of Life” (like in Genesis 2:9) and are related to the annual Catholic Ministries Appeal which this year will be linked with an opportunity to address some needs around the parish. The trees will afford us an opportunity to acknowledge support given during the campaign as well as to memorialize loved ones in the years following the campaign. More to come in the weeks ahead.
A few other notes for this week. Happy Birthday, Monday, to Fr. Werth! Can't sleep? Go outside Tuesday morning between 1:30 A.M. and dawn to see the annual Perseid Meteor Shower (one per minute). Wednesday, Annie Oakley would have been 148. Happy Birthday, Thursday, to Herm of the Peace of Christ maintenance staff! Friday is the Assumption, a Holy Day of Obligation (Masses are 6:30 A.M. at St. James, 12:10 P.M. at St. Ambrose, 7:00 P.M. at St. John ).
— Father Schrader
August 3, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Genesis is the first book in our Catholic Bibles. Beginning this week, this column will comment on each of the 73 books of our Bible. Timothy P. Schehr's The Bible Made Easy: A Book-by-Book Introduction— ISBN 978-0-86716-598-2 in case you wish to get your own copy either from your favorite book store or via our parish web site at http://peaceofchristparish.org/books.php —will be a main resource. Reading one book a week, we'll finish the Bible the last week of 2009, Year #2 (The Year of the Bible) of our diocesan spiritual renewal program, Spirit Alive . Other Bible study offerings will be available throughout this next year as well. Now, since some books of the Bible have 150 chapters and other only have 1, some weeks will be more challenging than others—and we'll actually be halfway through the Bible by the first week of this January. To finish Genesis by next week, read 8 chapters today and 7 chapters each on Monday-Saturday. If you'd prefer to read the whole Bible more evenly, read 3 chapters a day six days a week and use the seventh day either to catch up or simply to reflect on any notes you've taken. If you haven't yet gotten a Bible, see http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/ or myself.
One more aside: You may want to establish a time of day that will work best for you so that you can be as regular in your reading as possible. Say a prayer first to ask God to help you best to understand what God is saying to you in what you read. Indeed, I would advise you keep a pad and pen handy and note particular verses you may want to come back to after you finish each day's section. There is a process called “Lectio Divina” which calls for four steps for the best pondering of Scriptural verses: first, read the passage (lectio); second, meditate on it (meditatio); third, speak to God about the passage and what is significant about it to you (oratio); and fourth, rest with God and ponder what God may be saying to you (contemplatio). Doing this with that verse or two you mark each day will let your Bible reading really be God's Word speaking to you.
The book of Genesis is not a science book about the world's beginnings, but a book of faith: God is seen as the source of everything, and everything created by God is good. Your Bible should tell you more about the date and origins of this book (or you can go on line—see Bible site reference above—to find out such info), but as you read, what most calls out for your meditative attention? Note the ages (especially of Methuselah) and how they diminish as you read on. Who planted the first vineyard in the Bible? Note how tithing began way back there in the Bible's first book (and not with our Finance Council!). What other things do you note for the first time? Why not get together with a few other Bible-reading friends to share your insights—and questions. Make this an enjoyable and profitable journey!
A few other notes. Summer Session is this week. Thank you to all our many volunteers who help to make it happen! Also, as we try to take good care of our piece of creation here in Peace of Christ, we'll get updated at appeal time on our temporal needs. Pax to all!
— Father Schrader
July 27, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
World Youth Day was quite the event-filled week for those who were able to catch any of it on TV or radio. The faith and energy of our Church's youth from around the world ignited hope and enthusiasm for all that we are about in sharing the Gospel message in our time. I'm sure as the pope returned to Rome on this past Monday, he was encouraged by what he experienced as well.
While typing this column early this past Tuesday, I received an e-mail from David Tedesche, the Becket Hall student of this past year who did his field ed. work here at Peace of Christ Parish under the tutelage of Father Werth and in conjunction primarily with Pat Lawlor in working with our youth in Faith Formation. David also arrived in Rome this past Monday where he will now be in seminary formation for priesthood in our diocese at the North American College for the next five years. David reports that there are some 60 incoming students in his class, and that his first day of just walking by St. Peter's Basilica and seeing the view of Rome from the rooftop of the college was “incredible” and “amazing.” May we keep David in our prayers in these weeks ahead as he strives to learn Italian before classes start in September (all taught in Italian), and in these years ahead as he prepares to serve our local Church of Rochester here back home.
While we're on the topic of young people, a big thanks to all our wonderful volunteers who ministered so energetically among our own youth in Vacation Bible Camp a little over a week ago. It was truly wonderful to see the 54 teenage helpers who worked with Pat Lawlor, Alison LeChase, Vicki Iannettone, and Janet Andrychuk-Tedesco of our parish staff and with all the adult volunteers to help punctuate the summers of so many of our little ones with a focus on Jesus and the FUNdamentals of our faith. We have a very lively parish and with much hope for the future!
While Father Werth is away this weekend, we have Father Ray Quetchenbach, S.V.D., with us from Techny , Illinois . We welcome him back and appreciate his assistance.
Today, by the way, is the 100th anniversary of the birth of St. James' founding pastor, Father Francis Feeney. May we remember him in our prayers and know that he remembers us as well. A special coffee hour will take place after the 8:00 A.M. Mass today.
Today is also the grand finale of this year's Parish Garage Sale. All things are HALF-PRICE! Be sure to stop by in Dailey Hall at St. Ambrose between 11:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. to secure some special treasures—and to thank our wonderful volunteer treasures themselves.
Other points this week: Habitat begins building their house Tuesday, August 19th — a change in the start date. Call Pat Callahan (482-7352) or Pete Chesterton (482-1955) to volunteer. Then, Wednesday is the last day to order tickets for our 8/8 parish outing to the Red Wings (just drop off $5 at the office). Next Sunday is August already (Building & Maintenance envelope) and we'll begin Bible reflections in this column. Also, watch for special “trees” to appear in these mid-summer days. More on that to come!
— Father Schrader
July 20, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
This weekend, Sister Rosemary Burgio is celebrating 80 years of being a Sister of St. Joseph. Until this past year, Sister lived at St. Ambrose Convent. Now residing at her congregation's motherhouse on French Road , we keep her in our prayers on this momentous occasion.
As I mentioned last week, I'll begin a guided tour through the Bible in this column beginning in two weeks and going through the end of 2009, one book per week. If you are able to come along for the ride, be sure to get your Bible ready for the journey, or buy a new one for this “pilgrimage” during the “Year of the Bible” of the diocese's Spirit Alive three-year spiritual renewal. The main thing I would offer by way of a suggested edition of the Bible to have as your companion is to make sure it is a Catholic Edition so it has all the books we hold to be a part of the Bible (check for an Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat in the first few pages); secondly, it should have good footnotes at the bottom of each page (and, hopefully, references to parallel texts in other books of the Bible somewhere on each page); and thirdly, it should be a readable text (unless you like a lot of thee s and thou s).
As for our more corporal works of mercy, there is much in the bulletin today about ways to get physically involved in our parish and community life, whether in helping to build a house with our Habitat for Humanity group (page 6) or helping out with our annual Garage Sale (page 7). These types of activities are always best when many hands make light work. Even if you can give only an hour, it is appreciated. Thanks!
There are also signs of things to come inside this bulletin: a new bereavement group is starting up (page 3) as well as the summer session for children's faith formation, confirmation opportunities for both children and adults, and reconciliation preparation—not to mention “Theology on Tap” for our young adults starting next month at Johnny's Irish Pub right on Culver Road (all on page 4). Also approaching are our annual parish picnic and a golf classic (page 5), soccer registration (page 6), and our annual outing to a Red Wings Game with fireworks (page 7). Who said things slow down in the summer?!
Also, as we move ever closer to the Fall and the months ahead, we will be looking (in this, our fifth year as a three-site parish) at our various options for best securing our future. We can all be grateful for one another's annual Time-Talent-Treasure commitments which help so much each year to support our parish's ministries, presence, and treasury to pay our bills. A related thought comes to mind as I type because earlier on this day of my typing I received a call from an attorney for someone who was updating their will and wanted to know how to word a bequest to help the parish after they pass on. Our proper legal name is now “Peace of Christ Roman Catholic Parish of Rochester, N.Y.” It's quite a mouthful, but if everyone were to include some remembrance in their wills, it would help greatly in the future. As to the nearer future, our facilities committee has put together a 5-year plan of things needing doing. More on that to come!
— Father Schrader
July 13, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Summer is a good time for spiritual reading. We've added the
following books to our parish web site should anyone desire to pursue
them yourselves (see http://peaceofchristparish.org/
books.php ). If you buy them through our web site, amazon.com
gives a percentage of each sale to the parish. Here are four of merit:
The Bible Made Easy: A Book-by-Book Introduction by T imothy
P. Schehr, St. Anthony Messenger Press, Cincinnati : 2006,
$16.95, 246 pp., ISBN 978-0-86716-598-2
This is the book I mentioned last week. Bible Study programs
will be encouraged in Year Two of Spirit Alive . A simple, albeit
challenging, personal Bible study program for Year Two of Spirit
Alive would be to buy a good Bible and this book. Start on the feast
of the Transfiguration (8/6/08) and read one book of the Bible each
week. You'll conclude on the last week of 2009 (Year Two). Schehr
takes each book of the Bible and—in just 4 pages or so—gives a
summary of it, an outline of its structure, the main characters, the
timeline of both its content and its authorship, reflection questions
for group discussion, and three spiritual lessons from each book. A
plan!
Redeemed: A Spiritual Misfit Stumbles Toward God, Marginal
Sanity, and the Peace That Surpasses All Understanding by
Heather King, Viking, New York : 2008, $24.95, 238 pp., ISBN 978-
0-670-01863-5
Written by a lawyer-turned-writer who now is a commentator on
NPR's All Things Considered and is a regular post-RCIA communicant
at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Los Angeles , Heather King
covers many bases starting with the same wonder as that of many
new to the Church: “I had always secretly suspected that everyone
but me had been handed a rule book at birth.” (p. 12) Humorous &
engaging!
Founding Faith: Providence , Politics, and the Birth of Religious
Freedom in America by Steven Waldman, Random House,
New York : 2008, $26.00, 208 pp., ISBN 978-1-4000-6437-3
In this book—written by the former national editor of U.S. News
& World Report and the current editor-in-chief, president, and cofounder
of Beliefnet.com—we learn much about our country's religious
roots. Be surprised at what our forebears really said and
wrote!
Big Russ & Me—Father and Son: Lessons of Life by T im
Russert, Hyperion, New York : 2005, $13.95, 336 pp., ISBN 1-4013-
5965-5
Tim Russert was as real off camera as on it. Many will identify
with his everyday existence in our neighboring Buffalo . His fatherson
relationship provides a springboard for a whole plethora of life
lessons for us all. You'll not be disappointed w ith this read.
A good week to you all—and Happy Reading !
— Father Schrader
July 6, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Spiritually, Peace of Christ Parish will have much to offer in the
year ahead. As you know from last weekend, Pope Benedict has declared
that we are now in the Year of St. Paul (until the end of next
June). We'll address Paul a little more specifically as the year goes
on (particularly next Lent), but right here within our own diocese, we
are preparing for Year 2 of Spirit Alive , a 3-year spiritual renewal
process for all parishes and parishioners within our 12-county Diocese
of Rochester . Year 2's theme is Holy Scripture.
Catholics have traditionally lagged behind our Protestant counterparts
in reading the Bible, but many Catholics have said from time to
time that they would love to read the whole Bible some day. Well,
why not let “some day” be today?! It is amazing the things that jump
out at you for the first time even when you re-read the same verses.
If you would like to read the Bible during this Year 2 of Spirit
Alive (which goes through the end of 2009), here's a suggestion: If
you were to commit to reading one book of the Bible (there are 73 of
them) each week and you started one month from today (Feast of the
Transfiguration), you would finish just before the end of 2009. Now
since some books are longer (150 chapters) than others (1 chapter),
this will create some busy weeks and some light ones. If you wanted
to even it out a bit more, just read 3 chapters a day—that way, you'll
finish all 1,331 chapters even before Advent of 2009.
Whichever way you go, the first thing you need to do is get a Bible.
Make sure it is a Catholic edition since non-Catholic ones do not
include all the books we do. Second, I would advise you get one that
has good footnotes so when a confusing passage comes along, there
will be a footnote to explain it. The New American Bible is the translation
used in church in the English language Lectionary published in
the United States . These have good footnotes. The New Revised
Standard Version is the translation used in church in the English language
Lectionary published in Canada . It is more inclusive in nature,
but be sure to check the bottoms of pages for footnotes to be sure
you're getting a helpful edition. My favorite is the New Jerusalem
Bible which also is inclusive and has (in its “Standard” edition, not its
“Reader's” edition) the best footnotes of all, though it may be more
expensive than the others. Just go to one of the big bookstores and
look through their Bible section to pick one that is right for you. An
additional helpful resource would be The Bible Made Easy: A Bookby-
Book Introduction by Timothy P. Schehr, St. Anthony Messenger
Press, Cincinnati : 2006, $16.95, 246 pp., ISBN 978-0-86716-598-2.
Temporally, we are now in our new fiscal year. Thank you for
your recent T ime-Talent-Treasure commitments. Today is the day to
commence our new levels of giving. If any did not return a commitment
card for this year, a simple adjustment of just one additional dollar
a week will help us keep pace with inflation. For all, thanks!
— Father Schrader
June 29, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Happy Anniversary to us all! It was four years ago this evening at 6:00 P.M., that Father Bob Werth and I arrived and were installed here as part of the brand new Winton-Culver Catholic Community! We have traversed a lot of pastoral terrain since then. May the Lord continue to bless all of the journey that lies yet ahead!
Monday is June 30th, the end of the first half of 2008, and the end of our fiscal year as a parish corporate entity. Thank you for all that you have done by way of sacrifice in the past year to enable the work of our Peace of Christ Parish to go on. Your generous gifts of Time, Talent and Treasure are what allow daily ministry to people's pastoral and spiritual needs to be possible. Thank you, too, for returning your Time, Talent and Treasure forms for the new fiscal and ministerial year beginning tomorrow. If we had not received one from you last month, you would have received a reminder this past week. Hopefully, you brought it to church today to drop into the collection. If not, if you could, please , mail it or drop it off at the office by the end of this week. These help us greatly in planning responsibly for the new parish year now beginning. You may have noticed in our bulletin each week the weekend collection amounts and variance from budget. We have trimmed our budget at Finance Council for the year ahead, but we also need everyone's help as well. Trying the tithing approach (even at a beginning level of 1% or 2% of our income the first year) will help erase deficits. And for those who are unable formally to tithe this particular year ahead, if as little as $1 more each weekend could be given, our variance can tip from negative to positive—but only if ALL of us do so. Further, these amounts address mainly the pastoral staffing and programming of the parish. We will address our facility needs in the Fall at the time of the annual appeal. (If the cost of gas has had an effect on your household, just imagine what it does to an entity the size of our parish serving everyone from I-490 to Norton Street !) Thanks for whatever you can do—but please indicate the intention of doing it this week .
Tuesday is Canada Day. Regards to our neighbors up North!
Wednesday brings a New Moon—the sky will be nicely dark for this weekend's fireworks and rings of fire around our Finger Lakes .
Thursday begins the “dog days” of summer which will extend to August 11th (from 20 days before until 20 days after the conjunction of Sirius [the “dog star”] and the sun).
Friday is Independence Day. Our annual 4th of July Mass in the Father Edward Zimmer Peace Garden at St. John the Evangelist on Humboldt Street (next to the Sullivan Center at 150 Floverton Street) will be at 9:00 A.M. Bring a lawn chair, and stay for refreshments.
Though our independence was declared in 1776, it was not until 15 year later that we got our first British ambassador to the United States . Saturday is George Hammond's 217 th anniversary of “Day 1.”
Only 80 years ago next Sunday the first all-sound feature picture, The Lights of New York , premiered on screen. How far we've come!
— Father Schrader
June 22, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Our Orthodox brothers and sisters today celebrate their All Saints Day—ours in November 1st. Indeed, it is not too much to have two annual reminders of the call to holiness extended to us all!
Here at Peace of Christ Parish, we celebrate this day with our annual Strawberry Social. It will take place in Dailey Hall at 6:00 P.M. right after our 5:00 P.M. Mass at St. Ambrose. So plan to have your dessert with us this evening (details, page5).
Monday, our hardworking Liturgy Committee has its final meeting of the season, actually more in the form of a picnic at 6:00 P.M. We can all be grateful for the dedicated gift of their Time, Talent and Treasure in this area of our parish life.
Speaking of Time, Talent and Treasure, a follow-up mailing will be mailed this week to parishioners from whom we have not yet heard regarding their intended commitments in these areas for the year to come (July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009). Thank you to everyone for getting all forms returned before June 30th.
Tuesday, our parish Men's Club has its annual Bocce Tournament. The large lawn at St. James receives it annual workout from all our earnest playing of this sport on its verdant terrain. Details are on page 5 for all who dare to compete.
Wednesday brings the 58th anniversary of the commencement of the Korean War. May we pray for an end to all such conflict still present in our world!
Thursday, our parish Women's Evening of Reflection takes place at 7:00 P.M. in St. James Hall. Details are on page 7. Also, it was 29 years ago this Thursday that Bishop Clark was installed as the 8th Bishop of Rochester.
It has come to my attention that our new parishioner, Mary Smith (whom many of you met at our recent Volunteer Appreciation Party), celebrates her birthday on this Friday. Of course, the exact age is a mystery known only to God, but we wish Mary well as this milestone (whatever it is) is reached.
On Saturday, Deacon Edison Tayag of our diocese will be ordained a priest. Edison has been studying at the North American College in Rome , and he will return there in the Fall to complete his licentiate (pontifical academic degree) in Sacred Scripture. Returning with him will be incoming seminarian, David Tedesche, who had been with us this past year. We wish them both well in these formative years for their ministerial service.
Next Sunday is the 4th anniversary of the start of the Winton-Culver Catholic Community. Let's pause to give thanks for all that has been, and trust hopefully for all that will be. Peace!
— Father Schrader
June 15, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
A very Blessed Father's Day to all who occupy that role in your family system! Today is also Pentecost Sunday for our Orthodox brothers and sisters who follow the Julian Calendar and not the Gregorian one as we Roman Catholics do. We wish them well, and pray with them throughout the year for the guidance of the Spirit in all of the decisions we must make personally, as a Church, and in the world.
Speaking of decisions, I type this just following our Pastoral Council meeting held at St. James this past Tuesday, June 10th (the 75th anniversary of the ordination of that church's founding pastor, Father Francis Feeney). At that meeting, we welcomed our incoming members (Joanne Insull, Rena LaBue, and Janice Plummer), thanked our outgoing members (Ken Colombo, Karen Francati, and Marc Zicari), elected next year's Chairperson and Vice Chairperson (Fred Rion and Ann Holstrom), and thanked our outgoing officers (Karen Francati and Jennifer Case) and our wonderful continuing recording secretary (Terri Perticone). Continuing also next year will be Jennifer Case, Joe Dilal, Ed Doty, Carol Haefner, Dick Kurz, Sarah Lane-Ayers, Marty Moynihan, and our two Youth Delegates, Lauren Bestram and Zoe Johnson. Staff Judy Brawley, Laurie Maier, Sister Marlene Vigna, as well as Fr. Bob Werth and myself also sit on this wonderful body of councilors. Thanks to all for your kindly service!
Thanks, too, to all who worked so diligently and/or attended our annual Parish Festival this weekend—and to those who supported visiting missionary, Father John R. Whitley, last weekend (over $4,000 was raised through your generosity for the Basilian Missions).
Our collection counters gather every Monday, and they have been finding your Time-Talent-Treasure commitment forms coming in over the past several weeks. Thanks so much, and as this fiscal year draws now quickly to a close, thank you for returning the rest of these, hopefully by next weekend. Thanks, too, for any Partners in Faith payments received. The parish will receive a check in July from the diocese for one-half of all PIF funds received April-June.
Tuesday, it will be 3 dozen years since “Watergate.” Let us pray for civility in our 2008 elections—Election Day in 20 weeks!
Wednesday is the Full “Strawberry” Moon. It also is our Finance Council meeting. Continuing members Ron Bess, Ray Brecker, Tom Kubus and Andy Zona will welcome incoming members Chad Scoma and Gary Smith who succeed the many dedicated years of service of outgoing members Bill Boyle and Joe Ryan.
Thursday, congratulations to all St. John Neumann School 6th graders who have their Moving-On Ceremony, and Happy Birthday to Alison LeChase, our Director of Youth Ministry.
Friday, summer begins at 7:59 P.M.!
Saturday's 4:30 Mass will honor St. James School Class of 1958!
Next Sunday is our Ice Cream Social following the 5:00 P.M. Mass! It will be in Dailey Hall at St. Ambrose. A good week to all!
—Father Schrader
June 8, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
We are pleased to welcome as guest preacher among us this weekend Father John R. Whitley, a Basilian priest (originally from Rochester), who is making this year's annual missionary appeal as part of the “Missionary Co-op Program” of the local office of the Propagation of the Faith. Usually, this takes place in July or August, but it can occur anytime from June through September. This year, we have been chosen for an earlier timeframe. Father Whitley will speak at all Masses this weekend about the work of the Basilian Fathers' Missions among the poor and needy whom they serve in their Latin American Apostolate.
Health, nutrition, poverty, crime and violence are major problems that begin at birth, are ever-present throughout life, and are reflected in the faces of the poor, the hungry, the sick, the suffering, the homeless, and the disenfranchised in the mission areas served by the Basilian Fathers' Missions. Our gifts will go a long way toward relieving their hunger pangs, clothing them, and releasing them from the grave of self-doubt, loneliness and fear. It was at the request of beloved Pope John XXIII that the Basilians began to minister to the needs of the poor in Mexico and Colombia . We support them with our prayers as well as with our donations.
Our 2nd collection today will help them in their efforts to bring the Gospel of God's love to these poor and needy. Please, let us all be generous in our prayers and sacrifices. By the way, I know that we all have envelopes for today's June 8th Catholic Communications Campaign collection in our packets. These can be placed in the first collection today with our regular envelopes. The second collection today is solely for the missions. A special thanks today as well to Father John Lynch who will preside at the 8:00 A.M. Mass at St. James and to Father Edward Zenkel who will preside at the 9:45 A.M. Mass at St. Ambrose. They are covering for Father Werth who is away to preside at a wedding in another diocese.
Lastly, FESTIVAL is this coming weekend , Friday and Saturday, June 13-14. The Festival, once a St. Ambrose fundraiser, is now an event for all of Peace of Christ Parish. Still held at St. Ambrose site, it is staffed by Peace of Christ parishioners from all 3 sites—and benefits the entire parish. Please, check out all the info inside today's bulletin, and be sure to come support the Festival, rain or shine. There is still time to get a raffle ticket for the special hybrid Toyota ! See you there at Festival 2008!
—Father Schrader
June 1, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
As we gather on this first Sunday of June, we return to liturgies of Ordinary Time and the wearing of the green. The first week of June also brings us to the annual Retreat for Priests of the Diocese of Rochester. Father Werth and I will be attending it at Notre Dame Retreat House in Canandaigua from this evening through Thursday Noon. Our retreat director this year is Abbot Paul Aidan Shea of St. Anselm's Benedictine Abbey in Washington , DC . There are some four dozen of us registered for the retreat at this writing. Please, keep us in prayer throughout this week, and know that you will very much be in ours at the other end. I am deeply grateful for Father Robert Bradler for his assistance in covering any funerals that may come up during these days, and for our pastoral staff and volunteers for providing Communion Services at all the normal Mass times, Monday through Thursday, in Peace of Christ Parish.
Monday, we welcome Ms. Carmen J. Sanchez as our new Peace of Christ Business Manager. She succeeds Carol Wynne who has been with us since before Peace of Christ even came to be.
Tuesday, the 3rd, marks the 90th anniversary of the First Pulitzer Prize to be awarded to one of our state's preeminent newspapers, The New York Times . (I believe a few others have been won since then.)
Wednesday is Ascension Eve for the Orthodox who follow the Julian rather than the Gregorian Calendar. May their celebration be rich in graces for all who partake!
Thursday brings us to one week from Lunch Bunch. Information on page 6 of today's bulletin tells how to register for this event.
Friday brings us to one week from our Peace of Christ Festival. Though this originated as a St. Ambrose event, it now benefits the entire parish—and it's FUN!!! Hope you'll mark it down, maybe even volunteer. See page 5 for more info on this amazing effort.
Each year, each parish of our diocese hosts an annual visit by a missionary to make the annual missionary appeal as part of the “Missionary Co-op Program” of the local office of the Propagation of the Faith. Usually, this takes place in July or August, but it can occur anytime from June through September. This year, we have been chosen for an earlier timeframe. So, NEXT WEEKEND, June 7-8, we are delighted to welcome among us Father John R. Whitley, a Basilian Father who is native to Rochester . He will be here to speak at all Masses (a feat in itself!) about the work of the Priests of the Basilian Fathers' Missions among the poor and needy they serve in their Latin American Apostolate. There will be a special collection to help them in their efforts to bring the Gospel of God's love to the poor and needy. Please, let us all be generous in our prayers and sacrifices. By the way, I know that we all have envelopes for the June 8th Catholic Communications Campaign collection in our packets. These can be placed next week in the first collection with our regular envelopes. The second collection next week will be solely for the missions. Pax!
—Father Schrader
May 25, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Please, know that all 2007-2008 Catholic Ministries Appeal PLEDGES ARE NOW DUE . Any payments for pledges received at the diocese after this Friday will be counted towards next year's appeal. At this writing, there are some $ 6,573 of our pledges still outstanding. Our Peace of Christ Parish will be billed for that amount next week unless payment is received at 1150 Buffalo Road by this Friday . Thank you for honoring whatever pledges you may have made so we do not incur further deficit spending.
Thank you, too, for the return of so many of the completed “ Description of Stewardship Opportunities ” forms and “ Sacrificial Giving Program ” commitment cards last week and this week via the collection. Our commitments on these forms are really our commitments to God and to one another. “Peace of Christ” would be just a name without the pouring out of so many generous commitments. May we minister well together to the people of our area by the sacrifices of our Time, Talent, and Treasure on as regular a basis as the sharing with us all of air for us to breathe by our God!
Today, we welcome the American Legion at our 9:45 A.M. Mass for Memorial Day weekend. May we be mindful of all who have given their lives for their country, and all those still in its service.
Also today is Father Werth's 29th anniversary. He was ordained on this night in 1979 at St. Andrew's on Portland Avenue . Many blessings upon you, Bob, this day and throughout the year ahead!
Monday is Memorial Day itself. Our annual Mass in the Father Zimmer Peace Garden next to the Sullivan Center at St. John's will be at 9:00 A.M. followed by refreshments for all present. If it rains, we'll be in the church. Monday is also Sr. Marlene Vigna's birthday. We wish you well, Marlene, and God's abundant blessings—you get a whole holiday for this year's anniversary of your birth!
Tuesday is the 29th anniversary of Bishop Clark's ordination as a bishop. We wish him continued healing and restoration to full service! Our Budget Committee also meets this night. Pray that we find a balanced path to next year's bottom line.
Wednesday would have been the 100th birthday of Ian Fleming (creator of James Bond).
Thursday, Bob Hope has Ian beat by 5 years: born 5/29/1903.
Friday is the birthday of our own Jim Whitaker, Musical Coordinator at St. John the Evangelist. Best wishes, Jim, from us all!
Saturday, Brian Carpenter (who served here as a seminarian intern in the summer of 2005) will be ordained a deacon (priest next year).
And next Sunday, June 1st, our housemate here in the rectory, Fr. Charles Latus of St. Rita's, celebrates his 40th. Ad multos annos!
A safe, blessed and happy holiday weekend to you all!
—Father Schrader
May 18, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Thank you to all who today return (completed) the “ Description of Stewardship Opportunities ” form and “ Sacrificial Giving Program ” commitment card sent to each of us in our 2008 Time-Talent-Treasure mailing of this past week. Having placed these two items in the envelope that was enclosed, we may simply drop them into the collection basket along with our offerings today at Mass. I am so very grateful for the very personal and telling Witness Talks given by 6 wonderful parish families at the end of each Mass over the past two weekends. Our commitments on these forms today will really help determine just how we will be Peace of Christ Parish for and with each other for the coming year. If you did not bring yours with you to Mass today, please mail or drop it off at the office or bring to church by next week. Thanks so much. May it be a blessed year ahead for us all!
On this Trinity Sunday, we have more First Communions, this week at some of our Masses (see p. 2). Congratulations to all, and may this now be a weekly meeting for you with the Lord! Congratulations, too, to Norm and Kathleen Babij who today celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary at the 8:00 A.M. Mass. Many happy returns! We also have Baptisms at the 8:00 and the 9:45, and our parish Pre-Cana Team will meet to plan next year's sessions this afternoon as well. So much life—all based in the sacraments—that we have all around us.
It is also Diocesan Missions Sunday. It is on this day each year that we support by way of our prayers and offerings in the Second Collection our diocesan Sisters of Mercy and Sisters of Saint Joseph who work in mission settings in South America . May they know of our prayers, love, and support on this special weekend!
Also, some have inquired how to provide relief for those in Myanmar or other disaster areas in the news of late: Catholic Relief Services, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090, Memo line: Southeast Asia Natural Disaster (or whichever need you are aiding), or call 1-877-HELP-CRS, or make a secure donation online at www.crs.org .
Monday, Spirit Alive's Call-In one-day answer line for all your faith questions will be active: 1-888-477-1718, 2:00-8:00 P.M.
Tuesday (Full “Flower” Moon), the Men's Club meets at 7 pm.
Wednesday, pray for our hardworking Finance Council!
It was 100 years ago Thursday that Wilbur & Orville Wright patented their 4-year old flying machine (oil was about $13 a barrel).
URGENT: payment of all Catholic Ministries Appeal pledges is due to the diocese by May 31 . We surpassed our pledge goal of $123,022, but some $8,000 is still owed on them. Please, mail any outstanding balance by Friday so the parish will not be billed. Thanks.
Saturday begins Memorial Day Weekend. May it be a safe one!
Next Sunday, the American Legion will be with us at the 9:45 A.M. Mass. It will also be Father Werth's 29th anniversary. Kudos!
—Father Schrader
May 11, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
A very Blessed Pentecost Sunday to you all! And a very Happy Mother's Day to all who serve their family in that loving capacity!
Last weekend, we heard some very personal, yet powerful, talks from the Grosodonia, Driscoll, and Cichanowicz households regarding the concept of “stewardship” and how it has affected them in their faith life as Christians. Today, St. John's Carley household, St. James' Case household, and St. Ambrose's Kellog household are sharing Witness Talks. May is the month to ponder how we each give back to God by way of our Time, our Talent, and our Treasure. All we have is gift! What use do we make of these three gifts in our service of God, one another, and the world? Each of us is now asked to make our 2008-2009 commitment to Peace of Christ Parish based on what the Lord has given to us, individually and as a family.
During this week ahead, you will receive in the mail a request for your own commitment of TIME, TALENT and TREASURE in a more formal way. On behalf of all Peace of Christ parishioners and neighbors whom we are here to serve, I am asking each of us to:
— Read and sign the “ Description of Stewardship Opportunities ” form. Review the Stewardship opportunities there for Time and Talent and select those best suited to you. If you are already committing your Time and Talent, include your current parish involvement.
— Complete the “ Sacrificial Giving Program ” commitment card included in the mailing. Consider a percentage of your annual income as your level of giving. The financial commitment between you and the parish is a confidential matter.
— Use the envelope that is included to return the above form and card next week when coming to Mass. Just drop it in the collection .
Please, be generous with your time, talent, and treasure commitments. For your own spiritual growth and also for the parish's overall growth, it is important that everyone in the parish be involved in stewardship. We need your commitment to continue building a community of faith!
Other notes: Happy birthday Monday to Carol Wynne, our Business Manager! Tuesday is Pastoral Council at St. James (Open Forum is at 7:15; we'll then also cover the results of our recent Communications Survey, hear Committee Reports, and look with Karen Rinefierd from the diocese to visioning for our future). Wednesday is an Ember Day (as is Fri. & Sat.) and we have Stewardship Committee at St. James at 7:00 P.M. Thursday is the 15th: we only have 1/2 month left to pay our CMA pledges (we reached our goal of $123,022 in pledges, but still owe $8,614). If pledges aren't paid by May 31, the parish will have to pay it creating that much more of a deficit. Friday, why not fill out your Stewardship form and card and get it ready in your envelope for church next weekend . Saturday is Armed Forces Day: pray for our troops! Next Sunday is Diocesan Missions Sunday when we support our own local missionaries in South America . Pax!
—Father Schrader
May 4, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Congratulations to the 17 children receiving their First Eucharist this weekend here at Peace of Christ Parish. Others will receive it on other weekends near this one, but we offer our prayers of support for you all. May weekly reception of Jesus in Communion be a strength!
Today, St. John's Grosodonia household, St. James' Driscoll household, and St. Ambrose's Cichanowicz household are sharing Witness Talks with us on the concept of stewardship and how it has affected them in their faith life as Christians. May is the month to ponder how we give back to God by way of our Time, our Talent, and our Treasure. All we have is gift! What use do we make of these three gifts in our service of God, one another, and the world? Jesus said in Luke's gospel: “Give and it shall be given to you...For the measure you measure with will be measured back to you.” (6:38)
—For many of us, Time is our most precious commodity. The demands of work, school, community, parish and family are overwhelming at times. Occasionally, when we feel out of control, we must get off the merry-go-round and rethink what life is all about. We must balance our time against what we know we must do. May we all examine our priorities to give more of our time to our parish and the larger community.
—Every one of us has a Talent of some type. It may be in music, art, writing, organizing, planning, driving a car, supervising a project, or even making other people laugh. Our parish provides each of us with an opportunity to use any talent we have. May we consider committing a greater share of our talents with our parish and community.
—Our financial support by way of our Treasure is a major reason why we are able to continue to provide our religious, educational and social ministries. The primary source of our parish's financial support is the weekly offertory collection. Stewardship of treasure involves committing a regular portion of our income to our church and our community. It is important that a portion of this go to our parish. I hope we will all consider committing a percentage of our annual income to our parish and making our contribution on a regular basis.
Next weekend we will be hearing from the Carleys at St. John's , the Cases at St. James, and the Kelloggs at St. Ambrose regarding their personal experiences with stewardship. May we and our households prayerfully reflect on our own stewardship relationship with our God.
Today, I'm in the CROP Walk for Hunger, and next Saturday, I'm in the Run for the Young. Thanks for sponsoring! Monday, 2008's Festival Captains meet. Thursday is the birthday of Colleen Griffith in our front office, and also the day Bishop Clark has his hip replacement. Prayers for both. And, CMA pledges are due May 31st.
St. John Neumann School's Playground Committee has been seeking support lately by way of selling bricks in their walkway—for just a fraction of our economic stimulus checks (hint). Also, we will need a new Business Manager as of June 1. See page 4. Peace to all!
—Father Schrader
April 27, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Today, the Sunday before Ascension Thursday, traditionally is
called “Rogation Sunday”—Jesus “asks” the Father to send the Spirit.
For the Orthodox (who are on the Julian and not the Gregorian Calendar),
today is Easter Here in the U.S. , it is also Catholic Home Missions
Sunday when we support (by our prayers and offerings in the
special second collection) the life of the Church in the mission areas
of our own country: Alaska , Appalachia, the Deep South , the Rocky
Mountain States, the Southwest, Puerto Rico and the island dioceses
of the Pacific and Caribbean . Here at Peace of Christ, it is also the
springtime Sunday for the Sacrament of the Sick which will be administered
this afternoon at St. John the Evangelist at 2:00 P.M. Also
today in our bulletin is this month's listing of all Catholic Ministries
Appeal donors. All payments are due May 31. Thanks so much!
Monday, we have our Pot Luck Supper. Hope to see you there.
Tuesday is our Volunteer Appreciation Party. See you there, too!
Wednesday brings us to the end of April. I give special thanks for
the blessed visit of Pope Benedict to America , and for our thoughtprovoking
retreat with Fr. Michael Crosby on “Repairing Relationships:
The Path to Peace.” May they continue to bear fruit ahead!
Thursday, a National Day of Prayer, is the ASCENSION, a Holy
Day of Obligation . Check the bulletin for Mass times.
Friday is Holocaust Remembrance Day. May our striving for the
Peace of Christ keep any such thing from ever happening again!
Saturday begins our First Communions of May (2 at 4:30 Mass).
Sunday continues this with 15 at the 9:45 Mass. That afternoon is
the annual CROP Walk for Hunger. Thank you for all your pledges!
Lastly, next weekend begins our looking ahead to next year (July
2008-June 2009) with regard to our intended “Time-Talent-Treasure”
commitments of support for the ministries of our parish. As Christian
stewards, we receive God's gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly,
share them lovingly in justice with others, and return them with
increase to the Lord. During the next few weeks, we will be hearing
more about stewardship and what it means in terms of our personal
spiritual lives. We will be asked to reflect on three areas of stewardship
and how they are lived out in our life:
—Time: How much time do we set aside each week in prayer
and involvement in volunteer activities in our parish and community?
—Talent: How are we using our talents for the betterment of our
parish family and for the community as a whole?
— Treasure: What percentage of our yearly income do we presently
give to support our church and community activities?
Next weekend we will be hearing from the Grosodonias at St.
John's, the Driscolls at St. James, and the Cichanowiczs at St.
Ambrose regarding their personal experiences with stewardship. May
we and members of our households spend time in prayerful thought
about stewardship and our relationship with our God. Peace to all!
—Father Schrader
April 20, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
We welcome Rev. Michael Crosby, OFM Cap. with us today, both as our preacher at all six of our Peace of Christ Masses and as our Eastertide retreat director. Father is a Capuchin priest from St. Benedict Friary in Milwaukee , Wisconsin , a Doctor of Theology, and author of 16 books, including Spirituality of the Beatitudes and The Paradox of Power: From Control to Compassion . He will offer three presentations during his retreat for us, which has as its overarching theme how to actualize what “Peace of Christ” is really all about: Repairing Relationships: The Path to Peace . His talks, all at St. John :
Tonight, 7-9 P.M.: “An Overview on Repairing Relationships.”
Monday, 12-2 P.M.: “My Struggles With Being a Peace-Maker.”
Monday, 7-9 P.M.: “Repair and Reconciliation.”
A $5 donation is suggested for attending each talk. Since I know of no retreat available anywhere for a total of just $15, this is quite a bargain for such a national speaker and author—and this will help greatly in defraying his travel costs and providing an offering. But, whether you can offer more or less, be sure to come. Also, if carpooling is possible, space may be limited for the Noon talk—and other parishes have also been invited, so come early. Don't let this tremendous opportunity (being delivered right to our very door!) get away from you.
On Tuesday, our diocesan 3-year spiritual initiative has a special event for all. It is the “ Spirit Alive Call-In.” You may call toll-free at 1-888-4-SPIRIT any time between 2:00 and 8:00 P.M. with any question you want to ask about matters of faith, the Church, the sacraments, our beliefs, our practices, our infrastructure, etc. I'll be answering the phones part of the time myself (I'm not telling you what part ? ). So, if there's anything you ever wondered about but didn't know who to ask, call in and wonder no more!
Wednesday is Administrative Professionals Day. Thank you to all who keep our offices and businesses functioning in a meaningful manner. Know that you are appreciated for so very many things!
Thursday evening at 6:00 P.M. at St. Ambrose, our administrative professionals at Peace of Christ Parish (and some additional very helpful hands) will do the annual scheduling of meetings and activities taking place July of 2008 through June of 2009 anywhere on our three parish sites. If you are on a committee or in a group that meets regularly throughout the year, hopefully you got your dates in to the office by now. Any conflicts will be addressed at this session.
Friday is Arbor Day. If that's not enough to make you celebrate, it's also (according to a book I recently received with the ISBN of 978-0-517-22631-5) the birthday of Oliver Cromwell, Guglielmo Marconi, Edward R. Murrow, Ella Fitzgerald and Al Pacino! Whoa!
Saturday, happy birthday to our own staffer, John Griffith!
Next Sunday (Orthodox Easter), the Catholic Home Missions Appeal supports our missions right here in the U.S. Also, the Sacrament of the Sick will be administered at 2:00 P.M. at St. John's . Welcome!
—Father Schrader
April 13, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
On this 4th Sunday of Easter, I would like to thank you for your
many kind wishes recently for Easter, as well as for my anniversary
and my birthday. These days seem to roll around faster every year!
May we always stay mutually supportive in our prayers for one another!
Today itself is World Day of Prayer for Vocations. I am pleased
to share with you that David Tedesche—who has been working with
us since last September by way of his pastoral assignment from
Becket Hall while discerning a vocation to the ordained priesthood—
has been accepted by Bishop Clark to begin seminary studies, and will
do so this Fall at the North American College in Rome . Congratulations,
David, and we wish you well as you begin the theologate portion
of your preparation.
Our Pastoral Council will meet Monday evening at St. James at
7:00 P.M. Among other things, we will have our Open Forum at 7:15
P.M., and discussions on our parish Covenant at 7:35 P.M., on funding
for the next 5 years of our capital needs at 8:15 P.M., and on the
recent Communications Committee survey responses at 8:50 P.M.
Tuesday, not only will our Peace of Christ Parish Men's Club be
meeting at St. James at 7:00 P.M. and our Liturgy Committee be
meeting at 7:00 P.M. at St. Ambrose, but (according to a reference
tome I received for my birthday last week) it will also be the 215th
anniversary of the Bank of England's issuing the first 5£ notes. Now
you can sleep tonight!
I have mentioned in the past the National Advisory Council on
which I currently serve a 4-year term. On Wednesday, I will be honored
to be with them on the White House Lawn at 10:30 A.M. for the
Welcome Ceremony for Pope Benedict XVI. If rain cancels this
outdoor event, I will be going on a book-buying binge at the Newman
Book Shop (described as “the best Catholic book store in the nation”)
at 3025 4th Street NE instead. Either way, it will be quite the day,
and probably viewable on EWTN, channel 74. Hopefully, I'll be back
here by coffee hour that night at St. James.
Thursday, Pope Benedict addresses Catholic educators, and Sr.
Janice Morgan, SSJ, from our Catholic Schools office will be there.
Friday, the main event of Pope Benedict's trip will take place as
he addresses the United Nations in New York .
Saturday is the 3rd anniversary of Pope Benedict's election to the
papacy. May we pray for safety and blessing on his visit among us.
Sunday, with the Full “Pink” Moon on the First Day of Passover,
brings Pope Benedict's visit to an end, and begins our 2-day Easter
Retreat here at Peace of Christ. Capuchin Father Michael Crosby will
preach all our Masses and his first talk is at 7:00 P.M. at St. John's .
. —Father Schrader
April 6 , 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
The transitory nature of things is astounding! As I type this on Divine Mercy Sunday, it is the night before heading to Auburn for the 2008 Convocation of Bishop Clark with his priests and pastoral administrators from around the diocese, there is snow on the ground outside my window as we ready for temps around 60 ° in the days ahead, and I hear an occasional cough from down the hall where Fr. Bob Werth is resting restlessly with his diagnosed walking pneumonia.
By the time you all read this, the Convocation will be over, the snow will be melted, and health will have hopefully fully returned to our parochial vicar. New transitory things will have taken the place of all of the above, and we will have moved on to whatever next is claiming attention on our daily agenda.
The passing of time is very much on my mind for other reasons this week as well. On Monday, I will mark—by the grace of God—the 30th anniversary of my receiving the sacrament of Holy Orders. What makes this anniversary particularly significant to me is that, since I was one day shy of 29 when I was ordained a priest back then in 1978, I have now been a priest longer than I had been alive at the time I was ordained. And, like most of you who have been in a relationship of any type for such a duration, I certainly could not back then have imagined all that I would experience between then and now.
As in this year, in 1978 Easter came early. April 7, 1978 was the 2nd Friday after Easter. As with this year, it was also the feast of St. John Baptist de la Salle, the principal patron saint of all teachers of the young. Since he had so much to do with Catholic schools in his day, I asked the children in the school at Holy Family Parish where I was ordained to color all the covers of my ordination program with their crayons and then to sign their name on the inside of the cover. A request printed in there asked recipients of each program to drop their artisan a note of support in care of the school. How surprised was the recipient of the note from Bishop Hogan who sent his artist greetings!
Shortly after my ordination, I was assigned to St. Monica's with Father Edward Zimmer. Who would have known all the connections with him that would transpire over the years! The next year, in fact, he was transferred to St. Mary's in Auburn to become the pastor of the newly ordained Fr. Robert Werth. After several years at St. Theodore's in Gates and then as Priest Personnel Director while living at Our Lady of Lourdes just to our south, I myself went to St. Mary's in Auburn to succeed the retiring Father Zimmer who moved to St. John the Evangelist on Humboldt Street where both us Fr. Bobs now live.
As I ponder the present and fathom the future, there will always be full plates of challenges to address, wonderful people amongst whom and with whom to minister, and I am sure many more curious intersections of life experiences with so many along the way. Know that I pray daily for each and every one of you. May our prayer for one another be always much more than transitory. God bless us all!
. —Father Schrader
March 30 , 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. Last year on this feast, Bishop Clark here to celebrate Mass and then bless our newly consolidated Peace of Christ Parish Offices. How quickly our first year has gone!
Indeed, it is strange just being at a full week past Easter already and still being in the month of March. As I type this, I am still caught up in amazement at how beautiful all of our Holy Week and Easter liturgies were this year. The vast amount of energy and effort that went into the planning (and then the proclaiming) of the Word, the practicing (and then the performing) of the music, and the setting up for (and then the ministering at) the services by so many of our wonderful parishioners was truly astounding. What we celebrated really came alive in multi-dimensions, and we can all be thankful to those who cared enough to invest so much of themselves to make it so.
We can also be grateful to one another for reaching our goal for commitments to this year's Catholic Ministries Appeal. In this, our inaugural year as Peace of Christ Parish, our goal was $123,022. The diocesan web site says that we have now surpassed that amount in pledges. We can be appreciative of all those listed on pages 6-8 of today's bulletin in helping to make that so. By the way, if you made a pledge but do not see your name on those pages, somehow your pledge has not yet been credited to Peace of Christ Parish. Be sure to call us so we can check it out with the diocese. Sometimes an errant key gets punched with keying in people's gifts. It's easily corrected, but we need to be notified so we can make the correction. Now, we have until two months from tomorrow, May 31st, to pay our pledges. Thanks so much, both for pledges made, and now for honoring them. Tomorrow, we have our regular Monday morning services, and then Fr. Werth and I head to Auburn for the annual Convocation with Bishop Clark. May we stay mutually in prayer in these days.
Tuesday, our Masses will become Communion Services (9:15 A.M. at St. Ambrose and 10:30 A.M. at Blossom Nursing Home) due to Fr. Werth and I being at the Convocation; also on Wednesday (7:45 A.M. at St. James and 12:10 P.M. at St. John the Evangelist).
Wednesday evening , we should be back for the Community Coffee Hour at St. James at 7:00 P.M. All types of people will be there! Stop down to enjoy treats, meet folks, share ideas, and just relax!
Lastly, now that April is on our doorstep, “wedding season” once again is upon us! We have many couples receive the Sacrament of Matrimony each year, and part of their preparation involves spending a day with married couples (our Pre Cana Team) to explore much of what lies ahead for them all. If you'd be interested in helping with this important and enjoyable ministry, call me this week (288-5000, ext. 124). Orientation is provided. Divine Mercy be on you all!
. —Father Schrader
March 23 , 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
A very Blessed Easter to you all! And a special welcome to our four “neophytes” who receive their sacraments of initiation into our Roman Catholic community at the Easter Vigil on Saturday of this weekend. Their names are on page 3. May we continue to support them with our prayer and our community of faith.
This is the earliest Easter has been since 1913, the only time in the 20th Century that Easter fell on this date. Today is the only time in the 21st Century it will fall on this date. The next time is in 2228. Easter actually can fall one day earlier—but not in our life times. The last time it was on March 22 was in 1818, and the next time will be 2285. Ironically, one of the latest Easters will be in just three years: April 24 in 2011 (the latest it can be is April 25, but not until 2038).
So, celebrate the specialness of this Easter in whatever way will help you to remember that you were here when it came so early! Indeed, last week with Palm Sunday being just before St. Patrick's Day (that hasn't happened since 1940), it was very interesting looking out at the congregation from my vantage point in the sanctuary: some were dressed in red for Palm Sunday, others were dressed in green for St. Patrick. It sort of looked like Christmas (especially with the snow coming down outside).
As we continue on through our church year now past Easter, things both spiritual and temporal call out to us.
On the spiritual plane, we have just completed a Lenten season with beautiful liturgies, retreat offerings, Passion presentations and a deep annual look at how we each are doing on our path to eternity. Some have read Soul Provider: Spiritual Steps to Limitless Love by Edward L. Beck, ISBN 978-0-385-51552-8, which provided a series of wonderful meditations for each of Lent's 40 days. Now, as we go through Easter's 50 days, I might suggest again another book for a small daily dose of spiritual thought. It is How Big Is Your God? The Freedom to Experience the Divine by Jesuit Father Paul Coutinho, ISBN 978-0-8294-2481-2. Check our parish web site regarding how to get it at http://peaceofchristparish.org/books.php . During this first of three years of the diocese's Spirit Alive spiritual renewal, both the above books serve well to strengthen our relationship with Jesus. Don't forget, too, our upcoming Eastertime Fr. Crosby retreat (p. 7).
On the temporal plane, we can all be grateful for one another's financial support of the church and its ministries. You are always most generous on this day, and it does help us greatly in meeting all the parish's expenses. Regarding the diocese, as I type this, we are only $24 in pledges away from reaching our $123,046 Catholic Ministries Appeal goal, and only days away from the next quarterly end (3/31) for our Partners in Faith payments. St. John Neumann School is also healthily filling up. Register soon for next year! Peace to all!
. —Father Schrader
March 16, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
A very Blessed Palm Sunday to you all! Today begins our holiest
week of the year. Hopefully, you all received our schedule for this
week which was mailed to each registered parishioner a few weeks
ago. If not, additional copies are available in the vestibules of the
church, and all the information is in this bulletin as well. I wish to
express special appreciation to our parish staff and all our ministers
and choir members for their preparations for the special services of
this week. An additional thanks is in order for Gloria Ulterino and her
casts of dozens who have been working ardently since before last
Thanksgiving to make our presentation of the Passion today and on
Good Friday—as well as certain parts of the Liturgy of the Word at
Saturday's Easter Vigil—particularly reflective for us all.
A special congratulations to all our youth who made their First
Penance this weekend as well. May the Lord heal and comfort you
often by your regular reception of this beautiful sacrament!
This afternoon, Sr. Marlene and Fr. Bob Werth and I (and many
others of us) will be bowling at 12:30 P.M. in the Mercy Bowl-a-thon.
Thanks so much for your support.
Then at 2:00 P.M., the Passion Mime will be presented in St.
Ambrose Church. A big thanks to Alison LeChase and to all the
Siena Catholic Academy 8th graders working with her in providing
this prayerful presentation.
Monday we have our last Lent Penance Service. It will be at 7:00
P.M. at St. John the Evangelist. Though it's also St. Patrick's Day,
we celebrated that in Peace of Christ Parish last Friday with our special
Mass and dinner. Many thanks to all who worked so hard on it!
Tuesday, our parish Men's Club meets at St. James at 7:00 P.M.
Many also will attend the Chrism Mass at 7:30 P.M. at Sacred Heart
Cathedral—a beautiful service if you have a chance to go.
Wednesday, our last Passion Mime is 8:00 P.M. at St. Ambrose.
Thursday, Spring arrives at 1:48 A.M. Though evening services
are at St. John the Evangelist, all three sites will have a repository to
visit from 8:30 P.M. until the time listed in the schedule (see page 5).
Our parish office closes today at 3:00 P.M. for the weekend.
Friday, we have the Full “Worm” Moon at 2:40 P.M. (though you
won't see it ‘til it rises that evening). Services (Noon to 3:00 P.M.,
and 7:00 P.M. for Tenebrae) are at St. James (see p. 6).
Saturday, there's no confessions or 4:30 P.M. Mass, but do welcome
our new Catholics at the 7:30 P.M. Easter Vigil at St. Ambrose!
Easter Sunday Masses are normal, plus an additional Mass at
11:30 A.M. at St. James. Come, and bring a friend!
Lastly, thank you for making up any envelopes missed because of
storms (our bills arrive, snow or shine), for any Catholic Ministries
Appeal gifts (we're 99%+ there!), and for anything toward Partners in
Faith (we get ½ back of all January-March gifts in early April). Pax!
. —Father Schrader
March 9, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Hopefully, all remembered to “spring ahead” last night. If people
were coming out of church, though, as you were going in, just check
the next Mass on the schedule to the left (if you missed the Sunday
5:00 P.M. Mass, please know there is a 6:00 P.M. Mass at our
neighboring parish, Annunciation [north on Culver/Waring, and left at
Norton]). I myself am in Baltimore this weekend for the Spring meeting
of the National Advisory Council. This is the 2nd year of my 4-
year term on that body which advises the United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops regarding the items on their semi-annual meeting
agenda. See http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2008/08-027.shtml
for this year's new members. I am grateful to Fr. Robert Bradler for
covering for me at St. James' 8:00 A.M. Mass and the two Masses at
St. Ambrose. Also, see p. 7 for some mid-Lent almsgiving needs.
Today we begin a new practice which will hopefully be of service
to many new people throughout the year. On the Sunday immediately
preceding our Pastoral Council's monthly (2nd Tuesday) meeting, a
representative from the Council will be present at a “Welcome Desk”
after each Mass. This will serve the double purpose of facilitating
registration in the parish for any folks at Mass who are desiring to join
Peace of Christ Parish, AND it also provides a readily identifiable
place and person for you to provide input on any of the Council
agenda items for that week's meeting or on any other items you believe
should come to the Council table. I am grateful to our dedicated
Councilors (who serve us all so well throughout the year) for their
willingness to go this extra step to provide this valuable service for us
all. Also, thank you for the many c ommunications survey forms completed
and returned last week at Mass. If you did not have an opportunity,
though, to complete one yourself, copies are available at
church and the committee will make sure your feedback is included in
their analysis. Further (speaking of communications), we now have a
hearing assistance system at St. James. For those desiring this additional
assistance in hearing what is said from the microphones, please
see one of the ushers or one of us on staff before Mass. Hearing assistance
systems have been in place for a while at St. Ambrose and St.
John the Evangelist. Ask one of us if there's any questions.
Also: Monday is our final retreat session on the “Spirituality of
the East.” Tuesday is Pastoral Council at 7:00 P.M. at St. Ambrose—
we'll be discussing modes of funding needed capital improvements,
working on a vision statement, and forming a nomination committee
for next year's council). Wednesday is our Regional service of Hope
and Healing (with individual confessions, spiritual counsel, etc.) at St.
Joseph in Penfield (see p. 6). Thursday we have our 1st of 3 Lent
Penance Services and another Open House at St. John Neumann
School. Friday we celebrate St. Pat's. Saturday is First Penance and
our 2nd of 3 Lent Penance Services. Sunday we have Bowl-a-Thon,
Passion Mime, & Catholic Relief 2nd collection. Peace to all!
. —Father Schrader
March 2, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Today is “Laetare (Rejoice) Sunday.” It receives its name from the Entrance Antiphon of today's Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Lent: “Rejoice, Jerusalem ! Be glad for her….” from Isaiah 66:10-11. The rose color of vesture denotes a less somber tone, for we are now past the halfway mark to Easter. Our RCIA participants receive their Second Scrutiny on this day. May we continue to keep them in mind and in prayer throughout this Lenten season as they make ready for their Easter sacraments. Also, this afternoon, couples preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony will gather for preparation by our parish Pre-Cana Team. May we keep them in prayer as well.
The fourth session of our Peace of Christ Lenten Retreat is on Monday, at 11:00 A.M. with a repeat session at 7:00 P.M. Deacon Don Germano will speak on “Charismatic Prayer.” The 11:00 A.M. session will be in the form of a Prayer Meeting. The 7:00 P.M. session will be in the form of a Charismatic Mass.
Tuesday we have our monthly Blossom Nursing Home Mass at 10:30 A.M. If you wish to sing in our Peace of Christ Choir for this celebration, just show up at Blossom by 10:15. Thanks! Liturgy Committee meets Tuesday night at 7:00 P.M. at St. John the Evangelist.
Wednesday, why not take a mid-Lenten coffee break and come down to our Community Coffee Hour, 7:00-9:00 P.M. at St. James. Bring a board game, a deck of cards, or just yourself.
Thursday may be a good day to take stock of your spiritual reading material on hand. A number of you have said that you are reading Soul Provider by Edward Beck, a Passionist priest. It's one I suggested for reading during Lent, and I hope that you have found it helpful. Of course, there's nothing specifically Lenten about it, so if you haven't read it, just check the “Recommended Reading” section of our web site (see bottom of column to the left). Whether you read that book or not, though, I'll here recommend one for reading during the Easter Season ahead so you can order it and have it by Easter. It is How Big Is Your God? The Freedom to Experience the Divine by Paul Coutinho, SJ, Loyola Press, Chicago: 2007 ($18.95). [161 pp.]
ISBN 978-0-8294-2481-2. The Eastern writing of this Indian Jesuit will both challenge and inspire. There are 48 bite-size chapters of 3 or so pages each, one for each day between Easter and Pentecost. Why not form little groups of 3 or 4 to meet once a week to review each person's gleanings. Order via our web site's Readings section.
Friday is a Lenten Day of Abstinence from meat.
All Partners in Faith pledge payments received by month's end will benefit the parish in our first quarterly check from the diocese. Perhaps Saturday you could mail any outstanding balances. Thanks!
Next Sunday begins Daylight Savings Time. Also, we'll have a Welcome Desk where folks can register or speak with a Councilor. Pax!
—Father Schrader
February 24, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Our RCIA participants receive their First Scrutiny today. May we keep them in mind and in prayer throughout this Lenten season as they make ready for their Easter sacraments.
Monday, our very dedicated and talented Web Site Committee meets prior to evening retreat time to continue developing our parish web site. I mentioned last week their addition of a “Recommended Reading” button at the left side of its opening screen. When you go there, you'll see a number of books published in the past few years and offered here by way of spiritual reading possibilities for yourselves. My understanding of how this option is set up is that you may actually purchase copies of these books right through this web site link to Amazon.com. When you do so, Peace of Christ receives 4% of your purchase price as a donation to the parish. In fact, purchasing any book (even if it's not among the recommended ones) through our web site will yield at least a 2% donation, so be sure to spread the word. The list of recommended books will grow constantly. The first batch on there are simply ones I have read since the year 2000, and I offered them to the Web Site Committee to get the ball rolling.
At 11:00 A.M. and again at 7:00 P.M. on Monday, we have the third of our five weekly Lenten Retreat presentations on the theme of “Paths To God: Ways Of Communing With The Divine.” Sessions are usually 90 minutes long, and all are being held at St. John the Evangelist in the church. This week's presenter is Mary Patricia Bauman on “Centering Prayer.” Mary is on the staff at Mercy Prayer Center . Let's make time in our week for this period of God making time for us. If we don't, nobody will!
Tuesday is the 15th anniversary of the 1st bombing of the World Trade Center , killing 6 and injuring over 1,000. There also seems to have been a rash of violence in the news of late. May we keep victims of such tragedies in our prayers, and pray for such to diminish.
Wednesday our staff meets as we do each month. In a report I recently received, no other parish in the diocese has more funerals than we, and we are in the top 10 for weddings (5th) and baptisms (9th) as well. These and the many other sacraments and religious and social activities of the parish require enormous amounts of time by the members of this very dedicated staff. Pray for them (us) daily, please! Also, remember our Lenten Soup Supper is this night, 6:00, St. James.
Thursday might be a good day to contact the school (288-0580) with any questions regarding registration for the 2008-09 school year.
Friday is our CYO Banquet. Many thanks to all who work so ardently all season long to make CYO a possibility for so many of our youth. Friday is also Leap Day. Three saints (that I know of) died on that day: Romanus of Condat (ca. 460), Pope Hilarus (468), and Oswald of Worcester (992).
Saturday brings March 1st (St. David) and the first weekend of the month (Buildings and Maintenance weekend). Lent peace to all!
February 17, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Today is our final Fuel Collection of the heating season. Our systems have certainly gotten a workout in recent weeks. Thanks for your special gifts to help us pay our utility bills for you!
Monday, come enjoy some of that heat we are all paying for at our Lenten Retreat: “Paths To God: Ways Of Communing With The Divine.” Sessions are usually 90 minutes long, and all are being held at St. John the Evangelist in the church. You may attend either at 11:00 A.M. or at 7:00 P.M. Both sessions are the same. Sister Marlene gave us a wonderful reflection on various prayer sources last week, and this week's presenter is Bonnie Matthaidess on “Guided Meditation.” Bonnie is on the staff at Mercy Prayer Center . Make time in your week for this period of God making time for you. You'll be glad you did!
Tuesday, our parish Men's Club meets in St. James Hall at 7:00 P.M. Father Bob Werth is their Chaplain, and I am their Spiritual Advisor. We try to keep them under control at their meetings, and most of the time we are successful. God bless this long-time club of our parish!
Wednesday, we have a treat in store for us all. Not only will we have the Full “Snow” Moon (aptly named) at 10:30 P.M., but while it is full, it will also be eclipsed. You'll start to notice it around 8:43 P.M. and it will be fully occluded from 10:01 to 10:52 P.M.
Thursday, you can catch the eclipse's conclusion as long as you look up in the sky by 12:09 A.M.—weather permitting!
Friday is our 1st President's 276th birthday. It is also a feast of our 1st Pope: The Chair of St. Peter. Just don't party too much: it's still Lent (and there's no meat on Friday).
Saturday is the 53rd anniversary of the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima . May we remember our troops who continue to serve our nation around the world.
This whole week is Winter Break Week. Whenever weather or such breaks keep you from being with us (see collection box on page 3 regarding last week), know that we can all be most appreciative of each other's subsequent use of any missed envelopes. Thanks so much. It really is important.
Lastly, we have a new feature on our web site: If you click on “Recommended Reading,” you'll see some book suggestions for spiritual growth. Some can be gotten for as little as 1 ¢ ! I've reviewed them all myself (since 2000). There's a wealth there to edify everyone. A peaceful Break Week to you all!
—Father Schrader
February 10, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Today is World Marriage Day. God's blessings on all our parishioners who have celebrated the Sacrament of Matrimony, and on those many couples currently preparing to celebrate it in the months ahead!
Confirmation recipients of January 16th, as you gather today for your final session by way of follow-up to your reception of that sacrament, may the Spirit continue to abide with each of you in all the challenges and joys of your lives!
This evening, our Peace of Christ RCIA participants (catechumen Michael Fulton, and candidates Jessica DePuy, Steven Gundrum, and Laura Snyder) will experience their Rite of Election by Bishop Clark —along with many other individuals from around the diocese—at Sacred Heart Cathedral. May we all keep them very much in our prayers as they prepare to receive their Easter sacraments.
Monday, being the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, is World Day of the Sick. God's healing through Mary's intercession has been a powerful presence for many over the years at that special French pilgrimage site. We always have a number of our own parishioners who are in the hospital at any one time. Let's pray for them and for those who care for them.
On Tuesday, Abraham Lincoln would have been 199s year old. I'm sure there will be special commemorations next year for his 200th but may we give thanks for the freedoms that are ours in this country and for all involved this year in the political process, that those who are elected may serve their constituencies faithfully. Tuesday evening is our February Pastoral Council meeting. Keep our dedicated councilors in your prayers and feel free to contact them with concerns at any time. You may do so most easily through our web site.
Wednesday evening, both our Finance Council and our Stewardship Committee meet. By the way, since school is not in session next week due to Winter Break Week, today might be a good day if you haven't already done so to contact St. John Neumann School to check out registration options for next year.
Thursday is Valentine's Day. How are we most loving of our neighbor and how are we being called this Lent to expand our sense of neighbor as Jesus challenged us to in the Gospel?
Friday is Susan B. Anthony's birthday (born in 1820). If we weren't registered to vote as of Primary Day, now would be a good time to do so in order to be ready for the General Elections in the Fall.
Saturday (like Wednesday and Friday of this week as well) is an Ember Day. How are our Lenten resolutions holding up at the end of the first 10 days? Time to renew and surge on toward Easter.
Lastly, next Sunday is the final Fuel Collection of this heating season (the 3rd Sundays of November-February). Thank you for your offerings to date, and for whatever you may give next week as well. If you'll be away for Winter Break, any anticipatory gift beforehand (or makeup gift afterwards) is warmly welcomed! Thank you.
—Father Schrader
February 3, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Today is “World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life.” We give thanks for all of our religious in the parish—on our staff, in our convents at St. Ambrose and St. James, at the Andrews Center at St. James—and all the religious who have touched our lives in the various schools and ministries which have been part of our journey!
Today is also “Scout Sunday,” and we ask God's providence over all of our many scouts and their dedicated parents and leaders.
Today is also the Feast of St. Blase. Since it is on a Sunday, throats will be blessed within Mass (not individually, but everyone's all at once).
Today is also the first Sunday of the month. Thank you for your monthly offerings in the 1st Sunday's second collection for Buildings and Maintenance needs for our twelve buildings on our three sites.
Monday is a good day to make sure you're all ready for Lent. I mentioned last week a good book for your reading during this season: Soul Provider: Spiritual Steps to Limitless Love by Edward L. Beck, Doubleday , New York : 2007, $22.95 (though cheaper copies are available at online stores), 290 pp., ISBN 978-0-385-51552-8. We often renounce things for Lent. Why? Page 16 of this books tells us: “Renunciation exists for the sake of freedom. It liberates us and ultimately allows us to love more wholeheartedly. Who of us doesn't want that?” We also look for quiet time to pray in Lent. Why? Page 128 of this book tells us: “Stillness gives us distance from what we cannot see when trapped in the never-ending swirl of diversion.” This book also tells us the only reason that money is valuable; what we should have on slips of paper in our two pockets; what gratitude is the result of; and so much more that you may never have stopped to ponder. It's worth the cost even at full price.
Tuesday is Mardi Gras. Party (responsibly), and then settle in for Lent.
Ash Wednesday is a day of Fast & Abstinence (see page 2). Masses and Ashes are at 6:30 A.M. (St. James), 12:10 P.M. (St. Ambrose), and 7:00 P.M. ( St. John the Evangelist).
St. John Neumann School 's Open House is Thursday, 6:30-7:30 P.M. With tuition cuts of $1,100 and possible “economic stimulus” checks of $1,500 for a working couple with a child, a year's tuition could come only to $1,450 ($950 for transfer students from closing schools). With possible financial aid, it could practically be free. Now is the time to support and promote Catholic School registration!
First Eucharist prep starts Friday at 7:00 P.M. (see page 4).
Thanks to all the coordinators of Saturday's Fruit of the Vine do!
Next Sunday is the final gathering of those who received their Confirmation on the 16th. See you at St. James at 2:30 P.M. Peace!
—Father Schrader
January 27, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
This weekend, we welcome six young individuals for the first time to the Table of the Lord. Katelyn Dentinger will make her First Communion at the 4:30 P.M. Mass at St. James, and Cecelia Elliott, Grace Myers, Nathaniel Tse, Natalie Tse, and Nicole Tse will receive First Eucharist at the 11:00 A.M. Mass at St. John the Evangelist.
Also this weekend, our January “Roster of Appreciation” for those who have pledged for this year's Catholic Ministries Appeal appears in this bulletin. If your name is not here and you pledged a while ago, please call the office at 288-5000 and we'll check to be sure that your gift was credited to Peace of Christ Parish (parish #348). By the way, we are only $1,528 from our goal—the closest we've ever been since being together. If all who gave last year (and haven't yet this year) gave now, we would be over. Thanks so much!
Monday begins Catholic Schools Week . We have much for which to be grateful this year. Yet this is not a time to sit back and be any less vigilant. Hopefully, we will be proactively hospitable in inviting displaced students to come to St. John Neumann School . Moreover, now that the diocese has taken such a huge step to control tuition hikes—and even lower tuition by $1,100 (27%)—it is the school's hope that many of our own families will now sign their children up for our local Catholic School. Only by doing better at filling our desks on a permanent basis can we be best assured that those desks will be there for the long haul. Please, be encouraged to register!
Monday is also the Community Life Committee's Chili Supper at 6:00 P.M. in St. James Hall, a great meal on a cold winter's night!
Tuesday brings us to only one week before Mardi Gras, the day before Lent. Are we ready for that season! Several weeks ago, I gave a recommendation of a book for January: Make Room For God: Clearing Out The Clutter .” For Lent, let me offer one more. It is Soul Provider: Spiritual Steps to Limitless Love by Edward L. Beck ( Doubleday , New York : 2007), $22.95 (though you can get it for half-price at www.amazon.com )—ISBN number 978-0-385-51552-8. If you read one of its short chapters on each weekday of Lent starting the day after Ash Wednesday, you'll finish on the day before Holy Thursday—a great at-home retreat! You've cleared out. Now fill up!
Thursday is our Catholic Schools Week Mass at 6:30 P.M. in St. Ambrose Church. Come pray for ALL in Catholic Schools! It is also the 10th anniversary of Fr. Feeney's passing . May he rest in peace!
Friday brings us to 19 weeks and counting for Festival 2008. See p. 5 to help. We'd love to have some new teams to sign up. Thanks!
Lastly, next week is our monthly Building & Maintenance 2nd collection. Thanks, too, for whatever we all can do to make up for the cold weather's effect on last week's collection (see page 3). Peace!
—Father Schrader
January 20, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Septuagesima, Shrovetide, the Pre-Lenten Season, Ordinary Time. All of these are names for this period between the Christmas and Lenten Seasons of our liturgical year. Septuagesima Sunday used to be the title of today, the third Sunday before Ash Wednesday. It basically means 70 days (just as next Sunday's Sexagesima title means 60 days and the one after that, Quinquagesima, means 50 days) and it denotes the time remaining before Easter. That is, today is the Sunday within the 7th decade of days (61-70 days) before Easter Sunday (it is actually 63 days before that feast). It really is much easier just using the free parish calendar we all received to keep track of all these dates.
Today being also the 3rd Sunday of the month, our special monthly (November-February) Fuel Collection will take place (except at the 4:30 P.M. Mass on Saturday where it was taken up last week—if you attend that Mass and have your Fuel Collection envelope with you today, just drop it in the single collection at that service. Indeed, whatever you donate in this regard is greatly appreciated: the monthly RG&E bill which came last week for our three sites amounted to $23,087.58.
Monday is the national observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and our parish office is CLOSED. Please, call Tuesday with any needs. Of course, emergency calls may always be made via the number at the bottom of the column to the left: 585-482-4280.
Tuesday is a Day of Penance—for violations to the dignity of the human person. It marks the 35th anniversary of the legalization of abortion in the United States . May we all pray and work to assure options (and knowledge of them) by way of alternative choices. Tuesday also brings the Full “Wolf” Moon. May its brightness in the long, cold winter's night be a sign of hope for brighter, warmer days ahead!
Wednesday evening, our Finance Council will gather. Please, keep these dedicated individuals in your prayers as they work with me in striving to keep our books balanced, our costs down, and our income sufficient for the ministry we are here to provide for so many.
Thursday evening, our Social Ministry Committee meets. They are involved in vast numbers and types of outreach and care for those in need. If ever you were looking for a channel of involvement—especially with Lent soon upon us—I'm sure they would welcome your inquiries and participation.
Friday is the end of this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. It also falls on the 49th anniversary of the summoning of the Second Vatican Council by Pope John XXIII.
Next weekend, we have several First Communions. Also, our January “Roster of Appreciation” for all contributors to this year's Catholic Ministries Appeal will be in next week's bulletin. We are so VERY close to reaching our goal. Thanks for any pledges this week!
—Father Schrader
January 13, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Peace of Christ Parish has received notice from the Town of Irondequoit that there will be a hearing at the Town Planning Board tomorrow (Monday) evening at 7:00 P.M. at the Town Hall (1280 Titus Avenue) regarding whether a Walgreen's Drug Store may be built on Empire Boulevard directly across the street from St. Ambrose Church and St. John Neumann School (replacing the funeral home and the two homes to its east, and closing off access to Deerfield Drive from Empire Blvd.). In response to the town's invitation for input, please indicate your approval or disapproval by signing one of the two petitions at church today. These will be forwarded to the town. Indeed, the town invites the presence of anyone at either that meeting itself (“All interested parties are entitled to be heard.”) or at the Town Board meeting on Tuesday evening. You may call 336-6015 or 336-6017 for more information. So, please sign today that your voice be heard.
Today itself is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord which brings our Christmas Season to a close (Lent starts in 24 days!). This feast begins National Vocations Awareness Week, a time for us not only to pray for more vocations to the priestly and religious life but also to ask ourselves (and others in whom we detect a possible vocation) whether we (or they) might have such a vocation. Be encouraged to check out the diocesan vocations web site at www.dor.org/vocations and/or call the Vocations Office at 461-2890.
On Monday, our Catholic Ministries Appeal Team meets to review our progress in reaching our goal. Just a reminder that all new pledges received this week will be acknowledged in our January “Roster of Appreciation” which will be in the bulletin 2 weeks from today on January 27th. Thanks for your support. Then, on Monday evening, we have in St. James Hall, a meeting of representatives of our various parish committees with our Pastoral Council to look at the best ways of communicating and working with one another and with the parish as a whole. Remember, too, the meeting of the Irondequoit Town Planning Board is at 7:00 P.M. this night at the Town Hall.
On Tuesday, we will be celebrating with the other churches of our area, an early Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service. This will be at St. James with a soup supper and table discussion at 6:30 P.M. (Just come: our parish Men's Club is kindly cooking up some fine soup!), followed by the prayer service upstairs in the church at 7:30 P.M. Come eat and pray with us this night. Remember, too, that the Irondequoit Town Board meeting is at the Town Hall this night at 7:35 P.M. This will be the main time for our feedback (see Sunday above).
Wednesday, congratulations to those receiving Confirmation at Sacred Heart Cathedral. See pg. 4 for their names . Spirit, be with you!
Lastly, please know that some of our envelope packets are missing next weekend's Fuel Collection envelope. We will try to have some available at church by then, but since this is the second last one of these collections for the season, thank you for your help. Peace!
—Father Schrader
January 6, 2008
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Merry Little Christmas to you all! On this “Twelfth day of Christmas,” we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany when we commemorate the visitation of the magi to the manger. It is traditional on this feast to mark with chalk the lintel of the main doorway into our home. This year we would do so with 20 + C + M + B + 08 . The numbers consecrate the year, and the letters stand for the initials of the traditional names given to the magi, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. They also stand for the Latin motto Christus mansionem benedicat which means “May Christ bless this house.”
Given the migratory nature of this visitation, the Church in the United States has declared this to be National Migration Week. There is plenty of web site information to ponder on this commemoration at http://www.usccb.org/mrs/nmw/bulletin.shtml and that would be a good way to address this issue most productively.
Locally, this being the first Sunday of January, our special first-Sunday-of-the-month 2nd collection is for Building & Maintenance needs. In the past month alone, repairs have had to be done to address a leak in the ceiling over the tabernacle at St. Ambrose, the speaker in the choir area at St. James, and water damage in the roof and wall area above the choir loft at St. John the Evangelist. These are normal wear-and-tear items but need to be addressed as they occur. Thank you for whatever special gifts you can give in this special collection.
Monday is the 7th anniversary of Father Edward Zimmer's passing. I think he would be pleased to know that a large segment of eastern Christianity—which follows the Julian calendar and not the Gregorian one that we do—celebrates Christmas on this day.
Tuesday, we have our monthly Mass at Blossom Nursing Home at 10:30 A.M. To help celebrate, come 15 minutes early to warm up with the choir (normally, this is on the 1st Tuesday of the month, but due to that being New Year's Day, this time it's on the 2nd Tuesday). Then, our first Pastoral Council meeting of 2008 is Tuesday evening at 7:00 P.M. in St. James School Resource Room. We'll have some follow-up on finances, the school playground proposal, the monthly “Registration Sunday” idea, and some opportunity for further visioning for the year ahead. Open Forum is 7:15-7:25 P.M.
Wednesday, sunrises begin to start earlier. In the evening, Stewardship Committee meets at St. James at 7:00 P.M. Community Coffee Hour resumes 7:00-9:00 P.M. as well. Join us for both!
Thursday begins MuHarram, Islamic new year 1429.
Friday, why not set aside some time to pray and/or to read that book I mentioned last week, Make Room for God: Clearing Out the Clutter by Susan Rowland. She writes on page 4, “The principles in this book work because they allow each of us to make the changes we need to make, one change at a time, and most importantly, when we feel ready to make these changes.” Can't get any more user-friendly!
—Father Schrader
December 30, 2007
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
At the beginning of this final column for 2007, I wish to extend a heartfelt thanks to all who helped to make Advent and Christmas so beautiful and meaningful for us all. The liturgies of this past month—be they Penance Services, Masses, Eucharistic Processions—all took a lot of time to prepare and then carry out. We certainly have a lot of talent and creativity amongst our parishioners, and we can all be grateful for all we do for one another.
A thanks also (on behalf of myself as well as all others at the rectory and on the parish staff) for those many treats conveyed to us during this special season, especially if the item was simply marked “from Santa” or if the tag fell off somehow in transit. It is always our intention to convey appreciation. In those cases where this was not possible, please know our gratitude as well.
While we're on the topic of thanks, please know that the Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA) “Roster of Appreciation” normally updated in each week's bulletin will not appear in updated form until next weekend due to holiday bulletin production schedules. Starting in January, this page will appear monthly instead of weekly. Thank you, though, for helping to make this year's appeal for the funding of these needed resources as successful as it has been thus far. We're not quite at goal yet, but if all who pledged last year do so again this year, that's all it will take to get us there. Thanks for that which you can do. Indeed, thanks for whatever year-end gifts you are making this weekend (for the parish, the CMA , Partners in Faith , etc.). Such timing can be of help for your taxes and certainly is a help for us as well.
This weekend is the feast of St. Thomas Becket (Sat., Dec. 29), the patron of Becket Hall. Let us keep David Tedesche—our vocation discerner from Becket Hall helping out here in the parish 10 hours a week (especially in the Confirmation preparation program)—in our prayers. Sunday of this weekend is the feast of the Holy Family. May it be a time to give thanks for the family particular to us each.
Monday and Tuesday, our parish offices are closed due to the holiday. It is also a HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION . Experience has taught us that two Masses should be sufficient to accommodate us for this feast: Monday 12/31 at 4:00 P.M. at St. Ambrose and Tuesday 1/1 at 10:30 A.M. at St. James. And happy birthday to staff members Chung Ma on 1/1 and Augie Misiurewicz on 1/2.
The new year also brings a beginning to the diocese's 3-year spiritual renewal initiative, Spirit Alive . More will be forthcoming on this, but one thing I will be doing each month is to offer a book suggestion for that month's use as we proceed through this time. Our web site will soon host such suggestions as well. My first one is Make Room For God: Clearing Out the Clutter by Susan K. Rowland (St. Anthony Messenger Press, Cincinnati : 2007; $10.95, 128 pp. ISBN# 978-0-86716-778-8). God can't even get at us until we clear a path. This can be an excellent new year's resolution book for us all!
—Father Schrader
December 23, 2007
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Christmas Week greetings to you all! On behalf of all of us here at Peace of Christ Parish, I extend to you and yours wishes for a very Blessed Christmas!
Today brings our Advent weekends in preparation for Christmas to a close. Yesterday's winter solstice means the days will now get brighter. Indeed, the night will be brighter this evening with the Full “Cold” Moon—aptly named. May it be an external sign of the brightness of hope that Jesus wants to bring to each of us at this holy time of year!
It is amazing how many ups and downs we can experience within a relatively short period at this time of year, whether it be related to shopping or travel or relationships or so many other things. The secret is to hold on when things are down, and be simply grateful when things are up.
A little over a week ago, I was working on my computer at the office and my e-mail program would not open. I tried everything, and even waited for a few days before calling tech support. When I did, they guided me through about a half an hour's worth of “corrective measures” at the end of which, voila, my e-mail program opened—and was completely empty. Now, mind you, I am the equivalent of an electronic packrat. When I say it was “empty,” I mean that I lost approximately 7,000 e-mails going back as far as 1999. It was like losing a file cabinet in a house fire. Gone! Now, I had been meaning to clean out that program a bit, but never in my wildest imaginings had I anticipated doing so entirely. At first, of course, it was a bit “upsetting.” As the irreversible reality of what had just happened sank in, I came to see the entire episode as a blessing: a clean slate. I guess that's what God wanted for me anyway.
Then, last Sunday, I was looking at my calendar and realizing that I literally did not have time to do all the things needing to be done before Christmas. I started to resign myself to that fact when, voila again, the “official storm warning” was issued by the National Weather Service and everything I had on my calendar for Sunday afternoon and evening was cancelled. Between the 9:45 A.M. Mass and the 5:00 P.M. Mass, I holed-up in my office and cleared the desk (much like my e-mail program had been cleared just days before). Now I am truly sorry for all who had prepared the various activities I had intended on attending, but in its own way this eventuality was also very much a needed gift.
Well, hopefully Christmas will bring such gifts to you all as well. Times were certainly much simpler in Jesus' day. May his spirit touch us all as we worship on Christmas Eve or Day (schedule inside), and thank you ever so much for all of your generosity toward the parish at this time of year. We survive to provide the ministry of the parish on your offerings and special gifts. May you, too, experience a generous dose of love from all whom you encounter this week!
—Father Schrader
December 16, 2007
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Thank you so much to all who made our Italian Cultural Celebration with Mass and St. Lucy's Dinner last weekend such a very positive event. We truly have much to celebrate when we all come together.
Today, the Third Sunday of Advent, is Gaudete Sunday— Rejoice Sunday—and is a bit more joyful with its lighter rose colored vestments and liturgy of joy itself. Indeed, why not make it a very joyful day by attending our Lessons and Carols service at 2:00 P.M. this afternoon at St. John the Evangelist on Humboldt Street ! It is a fitting way to begin the 9-day celebration of Los Posados which is the celebration reenacting the story of Mary and Joseph trying to find a place to lodge for the night. They travel to each house holding lighted candles and are turned away until they reach the house where the festivities of the night are being held. At this house, they are welcomed to go in and join in the celebration for the evening.
Monday, we have our 2nd of three Advent Penance Services. It will be at 7:00 P.M. at St. John the Evangelist. Monday also begins the “O Antiphons” which are prayed during Evening Prayer each day from December 17th through December 23rd inclusive. They recall the titles of our Lord , and when taking the first letter of each in Latin, one comes up with a “reverse acrostic” which spells ero cras (“Tomorrow, I will come.”) Google it to see what all those words are—or just sing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and you'll find them all in there.
Tuesday, is one week before Christmas. Hopefully, everyone's spiritual preparations are coming along nicely. Be sure to carve out a quiet moment or two to soak in the real meaning of the events of this season and to ask for the grace of peacefulness to abide through it all.
Wednesday is the 45th anniversary of Bishop Clark's becoming a priest. May we keep him in prayer all day long!
Thursday and Friday are fairly quiet around the parish. Given the nearness of the end of the year, please be encouraged to look over the information in today's bulletin from our Finance Council about ways to help the parish at this special time: making that year-end donation will help us greatly and may help your taxes as well; making your Catholic Ministries Appeal pledge (even if you can't pay it until after the first of the year) will put us over the top and let us wrap up the appeal once and for all; paying off your Partners in Faith pledge will bring the parish a helpful check in the middle of January. PLEASE, do whatever is possible to help us meet our many needs. Thanks so very much!
Saturday, we have our final Advent Penance Service at 11:00 A.M. at St. Ambrose. It is also the first day of Winter. The days get longer from this point on.
Best wishes to all as we come now to the home stretch of this season of preparation. Let's all keep our heads above the water and look forward to the Peace of Christ that first Christmas brought long ago!
—Father Schrader
December 9, 2007
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Time is running out—on several scores:
—If you have any final instructions regarding your listing in the Pictorial Directory, they are due today. It goes to press this week.
—If you are desiring to have a positive effect on your taxable income for 2007, now is the last month to make a year-end donation:
—Catch up on your envelopes.
—Pay off your Catholic Ministries Appeal pledge.
—If you haven't made a pledge yet, please do so now (we are so close!). The weekly “Roster of Appreciation” will cease at the end of the month. (Make pledges/payments to “Catholic Ministries Appeal” and be sure to indicate it is for to parish #348. Thanks!)
—Pay off your Partners in Faith commitment (the parish will receive a check in January for one-half of any funds received on your pledges between October 1 and December 31).
—A number of other ideas were shared in last week's bulletin and will be repeated in next week's as well. Remember, come January 1st, it's too late!
—If you haven't begun your own part of “spiritual renewal” (as spoken of last week) for Advent, St. John the Baptist reminds us today to “Prepare the way of the Lord...the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” What one simple thing can each of us do to grow spiritually between now and Christmas? Hopefully, whatever we start will