Parish News & Events
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Image by Dorothée QUENNESSON from Pixabay
Renovations
Let there be light! ~Genesis 1:3
This photo by William Brooks is the stained glass window that was peeking out from the wall above the Sacristy and is now in full view after beautifully being restored.
For logistical information about the renovations, follow along in the bulletin.
CONTACT THE TEAM:
If you have comments, concerns or you want to help in any way with our renovations, kindly talk with any of the buildings and grounds team: Tom Robinson, Anne Adesso, Marie Terlizzi, Matthew Hall, Margaret Carney or Fr. Chumo at any time. We are at your service in Christ.
Highlights from the most recent bulletin are provided below for your convenience. See the bulletin for additional information.
Announcements
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING FLU SEASON
As we are in Flu Season, and with COVID variant still prevalent, we continue to urge maskwearing and refrain from shaking hands during the Sign of Peace. Anyone feeling ill is urged to stay home. Let’s get through this season safely! Thank you so much for your cooperation in this matter.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Birthday Blessings to these special Parishioners celebrating March Birthdays:
Carmen Brewer, Mick Linsdell, Mary Ellsworth, Teresa Pietrasz, Jackie Gillogly and Beatrice Schwoerer
FRIDAYS DURING LENT
We will be praying Stations of the Cross every Friday of Lent, except for Good Friday. Various groups will be leading this Lenten devotional. This week’s Stations will be led by the Knights of Columbus. The service will start at 6:00 p.m., shortly after the conclusion of the daily mass. Please help us in praying this solemn, ancient devotion.
LENTEN COLLECTION BAGS
The three tenets of Lenten practice are: prayer, fasting and alms giving. The parish will once again be collecting money for Catholic Charities of Tompkins County as a way to fulfill almsgiving. The Service Team will have white handle bags by the entrances for you to take home. Please put your goodwill sacrificial offerings in the bag throughout Lent. We will collect the bags during Holy Week. May God bless you with a fruitful Lent.
THANK YOU FROM CATHOLIC CHARITIES
We’re so grateful to Immaculate Conception parishioners for contributing to the Lenten Collection Bags to support our work in Tompkins County. Our agency serves thousands of low-income and marginalized people each year, including elders, homeless women, families with young children, people with disabilities, immigrants from around the world, and young men learning to be more engaged and loving fathers. Your generosity helps us to maintain our many programs and activities. Thank you for being part of serving our neighbors in need.
LENTEN PRACTICES
All Fridays of Lent are days of Abstinence.
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of Fasting and Abstinence.
Fasting practices —those between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to FAST—one full meal a day is allowed with two lesser meals and only liquids in-between meals.
Abstinence practices—those 14 years of age and older are obliged not to eat meat on the days appointed.
(If, due to medical reasons you cannot fast, the regulation does not apply to you.)
VENUE FOR EASTER MASSES
We will celebrate all Easter Masses in the Parish Hall. The substantial completion of our renovations will be May 19th. Note also that we will not be collecting money for Easter flowers this year. Kindly donate for Liturgical elements that we will need for the renovated sanctuary in memory of your loved one. Blue envelopes with be available for your convenience. Your patience, and understanding is greatly appreciated.
CRS RICE BOWLS
4th Sunday of Lent March 18/19
Sharing Success
Turkana, Kenya is very hot and dry. Temperatures reach the mid-90s year-round. Most people in this area raise livestock such as goats and camels, and a few are farmers. But the cli[1]mate makes this work difficult—and climate change is making it even harder. Rebecca and her husband, Ltiang, have farmed and raised goats for years. They rely on rain and river water to irrigate their crops and feed their animals. But it is raining less and less in Tuirkana, and-when it does rain-it can be unpredictable and intense, leading to floods that wash away the seeds. Rebecca and Lotiang participated in a Catholic Relief Services program that installed a water well and a solar[1]powered pump and taught them new farming techniques. Now they can irrigate their fields regularly, take care of their goats and grow kale, which provides nutrition for the family and can be sold at the market for a high price. Rebecca, grateful that her family can eat healthy food every day and they have money to send the children to school, is sharing what she learned with her neighbors.
Prayerfully consider a Donation to the CMA
Current Stats:
Goal: $64,000
Donations: $45,015
Donors: 149
Percentage of Goal: 70.34%
We would like to thank all those who have contributed to CMA campaign. Our participation rate is very low. We encourage everyone who has not contributed to do so. It is critical that we make our goal. Any dollar amount will be appreciated. CMA envelops are available on the tables by the main entrances of the hall. Thank you for your support.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We are looking for 12 volunteers to sign up to have their feet washed on Holy Thursday. Kindly call the parish office Monday through Thursday 8.00 am— 4.00 PM. to register. The deadline for registration is March 25th. Training session will be provided before Holy Thursday. Thank you so much in advance for your cooperation.
THANK YOU
Thank you to everyone who assisted in our retreat including the Hospitality Committee, Knights of Columbus Ithaca Council, staff and volunteers, and all who attended to make this retreat the success it was. May the blessings of our first retreat after three years or so bear fruits in our lives and help us to be better disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. Continue to share the wonderful retreat message with family and friends. Remember to pray for Brian and Mary Beth in their ministry. Thank you, all again so very much.
EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL COMMITTEE NOTES
Our Lenten Retreat was held on Saturday, March 11th and led by Brian Pusateri of Broken Door Ministries. The summary of Brian’s message is that we Catholics are called to be Eucharist for others by radiating Christ through our actions and outreach, yet our sins-our brokenness-causes us to delay. We try to make our lives better, more aligned with Jesus’ teachings and His plan for us. Brian’s “Parable of the Broken Door” paints the picture of a house we work to fix, become a place as a suitable entry to the immense view of God’s handiwork. But the parable highlights how we may never-no, likely-will never get there. Instead, we need to learn to be the broken door through which others may enter to experience His awesomeness. We need to learn to help others share what’s on their purple paper with others, so they can heal and in turn, be Eucharist to others. The feedback on the retreat has been very positive. Please ask others who attended what they took away from the day. And if you were unable to attend and would like to learn more, you can purchase Brian’s book “Blessed, Broken, and Scared” on Amazon.com or at his website at BrokenDoorMinistries.com The ERC would like to thank everyone who helped make our retreat a success including the Hospitality Committee who provided wonderful food for nourishment and fellowship, the Knights of Columbus Council 277 for financial support for tv/video technology and sponsoring the lunch, our office staff supporting announcements, teams to set up and break down the room arrangement, marketers for the event and Fr. Chumo for encouraging everyone to attend.
THERE ARE STILL OPPORTUNITIES
We still have many opportunities to financially participate in the restoration of our church especially in the following areas: Sacrificial Altar, pews & sanctuary furniture, Liturgical elements, two of the new opened Sanctuary stained glass windows, painting of the new stations of the cross, furniture for the nursery and many more. If you are interested in participating in this historical restoration contact one of the buildings and grounds team or Fr. Chumo for more information. We sincerely thank for all your prayers, and financial support.
Announcements Beyond Immaculate Conception
GREENER LENT
Greener Lent is a Lenten program focused on justice for the poor who are most affected by climate degradation. By increasing the rigor of our traditional Lenten fast, we substantially reduce our personal environmental impact. This, plus our commitment to prayer and almsgiving, help turn our hearts to Christ as we prepare for his resurrection at Easter. Go to www.GreenerLent.org to sign-up to reduce your consumption of meat during these 40 days, give alms to Catholic Relief Services, and pray the Greener Lent prayer each day.
MARCH LECTURES AT COLLIS INSTITUTE MARCH 13 AND 22
COLLIS Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture at Cornell University will be hosting two public lectures this March. On Monday, March 13, Prof. Kim Haines-Eitzen will present on “The Sacred and Sonorous Desert: Acoustic Ecology and the Monastic Tradition” (5:15pm, 230 Anabel Taylor Hall). This talk will use field recordings from modern desert environments, and the field of acoustic ecology more broadly, to help shed light on the monastic traditions of late ancient Egypt, Palestine, and Sinai. More info at https://collisinstitute.org/publiceevents Prof. Joseph Mudd will be speaking on “The Eucharist, Physics, and Metaphysics:(Mis)understanding the Real Presence,” on Wednesday, March 22. Participants are invited to attend the 5:15pm Cornell Catholic Mass in Anabel Taylor Chapel, followed by dinner and the lecture in 230 Anabel Taylor Hall. The lecture will begin at 6:15pm. Please RSVP for dinner at https://collisinstitute.org/publicevents
WOMEN’S RETREAT WEEKEND MARCH 24 – 26
Save the Date….
March 24-26, 2023
Notre Dame Retreat House in Canandaigua, NY will be
hosting a Women’s Retreat Weekend.
Theme: “Keep Hope Alive!”
RETROUVAILLE – A LIFELINE FOR MARRIED COUPLES – APRIL 21
Do you feel alone? Are you frustrated or angry with each other? Do you argue or have you stopped talking to each other? Does talking only make it worse? Are you going in circles at counseling? You Can Help Your Marriage! Retrouvaille (pronounced retro-vi, meaning rediscovery) helps couples through difficult times in their marriages. So many couples struggle alone with their difficulties. Retrouvaille offers those stuck in a rut, the chance to rediscover a loving relationship in their marriage by connecting with other couples who made it through their difficulties. In 2023, we have two programs beginning with a weekend on January 27th or April 21st, please call 585-293- 1552 with confidential questions or visit the web site.