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Some Things to Know

New York Catholic Bible Summit 2021, We are people of hope!

We are less than a month away! Our well-known speakers will present on topics related to the Sacred Scriptures, evangelization, and this year’s theme of hope. We are honored to announce that we will have Sherry Anne Weddell as our keynote speaker. As supportive speakers, we will have Fr. Giuseppe Maria Siniscalchi, Fr. Dempsey Rosales Acosta, Ms. Bertha Peralta, and Fr. José Antonio Caballero LC for the English track. Our Spanish keynote speaker is Ximena DeBroeck. As supportive speakers, we will have Fr. Dempsey Rosales Acosta, Bertha Peralta, Fr. José Antonio Caballero, and Marisally Santiago.  Please share the attached flyer with your parishioners! 

National Collections for 2022 Memo

Included in this memo is the 2022 National Collection Chart for use in the parishes throughout the archdiocese. Communicate this to your secretary and enter the dates into the parish calendar. We Share and envelope companies have already been notified.

Salus Infirmorum   Monsignor Thomas Bergin, Father Brian Brennan, Monsignor John Brinn, Father Patrick Curley, Monsignor Michael Curran, Father John Figueroa, Father Hugh Grace, Father Jack Hunter, Monsignor George Kuhn, Father Richard LaMorte, Father Thomas Lynch, Monsignor Hugh McManus, Father Philip Quealy, Father Richard Seagraves.

Requiescat in Pace   Father Alfred D’Incecco, Father Gerard DiSenso.

Letters of Good Standing   This is required for any ministry outside the archdiocese. Incardinated priests and deacons will need to complete the request form by clicking on this link here and submitting the completed form to the office of priest personnel ([email protected]). Request the letter well before the event. While this may not always be possible with funerals, immediate responses are difficult, as there is an internal process to authorize and produce the letters.  Priests of religious institutes or from other dioceses working in New York must request the letter of good standing from their proper provincial or ordinary.  Similarly, extern priests should procure a letter of good standing from their proper ordinary.

Independence Day   This year, July 4 is the Fourteenth Sunday of the Church Year. As such, the Mass formulary for Independence Day may not be used in lieu of the Sunday prayers and readings. However, the homily and the universal prayer may appropriately reflect the prayer intentions of the United States.

Columbus Day Mass will be celebrated at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Monday, October 11 at 9:30 AM and reflects the millions of men, women and children who came to America in pursuit of freedom and opportunity, and the faith that helped them endure hardship and adversity.  Tickets are available to enter the cathedral until 9:15, at which point it becomes general admission.

Negotiations between United Health Care (UHC) and Montefiore Health Systems   UHC, our health plan’s network provider and Montefiore Health Systems have been attempting to reach an agreement on in-network contract pricing since the fourth quarter of 2020.  Montefiore has been seeking an 8% increase each year for 2021-2025 which is very high for our self-insured medical plan.  Because these negotiations have not been fruitful, in 2021, doctors and hospitals in the Montefiore Health System are not considered in-network providers, except when visited because of an emergency or as part of a regimen of treatment that began during 2020 and is ongoing in 2021.  In light of these ongoing negotiations, priests who would normally use a Montefiore hospital or doctor have a number of alternatives if they need non-emergency medical care:

  • Continue to use the current Montefiore provider through the plan’s out-of-network coverage option;
  • Use another UHC in-network provider (UHC and the Benefits Office can supply you with the names and contact information for in-network doctors/specialists/hospitals);
  • For an annual physical, utilize Executive Health Exams (EHE) at 212-332-3700, or 800-362-8671 or online at https://my.ehe.health.

For additional information, contact Mr. David Caulfield at 646-794-3052 or [email protected].

The Catholic Center   After one year of staggered A and B teams, the Catholic Center reopened on Monday, June 14, with its full staff.  Shifts begin at 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00 am and the building will close at 7:00 pm.  The traditional “half-day Fridays” will run from July 2 through September 3.  Call us at 212-371-1000 if you have a need for assistance.  The phone at the vicar general’s office is 646-794-2900.  On Monday, July 5, the Catholic Center will be closed in commemoration of Independence Day.  You may always leave your message in the department’s voice mailbox and it will be returned on the next business day.  To reach the chancery after hours and on weekends, call Community Answering Service at 877-582-2996.  Add this number as “Chancery Emergency” to the list of contacts in your mobile telephone.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WEEK 2021:  Solidarity in Freedom   The days from June 22 (the feasts of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More) to June 29 (the feast of Ss. Peter and Paul), Catholic people across America are asked to participate in this great hymn of prayer for our country.  Our liturgical calendar celebrates a series of great martyrs who remained faithful in the face of persecution by political power: St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More, St. John the Baptist, Ss. Peter and Paul.  This special period of prayer and public action would emphasize both our Christian and American heritage of liberty.  People of faith are committed to serving others in God’s love in healthcare, child welfare, migration and refugee resettlement, education and more.  To all our fellow Catholics, we urge an intensification of your prayers and fasting for a new birth of freedom in our beloved country.  Learn more at www.usccb.org/religiousfreedomweek.

Lay Trustee Nomination Form   Every year in June, we seek your help with the annual election of two lay trustees to serve your church.  We are hoping to receive them from you by Friday, July 30.  It is six weeks away.  In case you misplaced it, you may call Dorothy (646-794-2901) for another copy.  Help us as we try to be in compliance with the New York State Religious Corporation Law.  Once we receive your nomination, the original will be returned to you with the authorized signatures of His Eminence and the vicar general.  You may file it in the parish corporate minutes’ book.  A copy will be retained in the chancery files.

Stipend for Binated Mass Intentions   There was a reminder in last month’s notes prompting us that whenever a priest celebrates more than one Mass on a particular day, he may retain for personal use only one stipend.  Any stipends which were accepted for the celebration of additional Masses must be disposed of in accord with archdiocesan policy (c. 951).  The custom in New York is for the support of our archdiocesan seminary.  Rather than mail these to the vicar general (as suggested in May), these may be payable to St. Joseph’s Seminary (with “binated Mass intentions” noted in the memo of the check), and sent to 201 Seminary Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10704.  In addition, every pastor is mandated to offer the Mass for the people of his parish on Sundays and holy days.  This Missa pro populo is the personal obligation of the pastor.  He may delegate it to a visiting priest or a parochial vicar and give him the appropriate stipend to satisfy the duty for himself.

Resources from Franciscan University   Elizabeth from the adult faith formation office is able to provide us with various offerings from Steubenville.  Included is a listing of resources that may be helpful in our parishes.

  • Conference Institute offers conferences for groups of varying vocations.  Possibility for ADNY: Department heads, Seminarians, Priests
  • Catechetical Institute for the formation of ministry leaders.  Possibility for ADNY: we currently have courses in our Catechetical and Adult Faith Formation Office for Catechist formation
  • School of Spiritual Direction to form spiritual directors.  Possibility for ADNY: we could send interested deacons, priests, sisters.
  • Institute for Diaconal Formation.  Possibility for ADNY: we have our own diaconal formation.
  • Parish Renewal Model where a team from the university accompanies parishes in a process of renewal and focus on evangelization and forming of disciples.  Possibility for ADNY: we could offer this to our parishes.
  • Parish missions where a mission team from Franciscan University works with a parish to put together a mission for their parish.  Possibility for ADNY: we could offer this to our parishes.
  • Discipleship Quads, a year-long small group faith-sharing model for parish implementation with a focus on evangelization and discipleship formation.  Possibility for ADNY: we could offer this to our parishes.

Voluntary Collection for India’s Massive COVID-19 Surge   A reminder that funds collected for the people of India suffering from the surge in COVID-19 cases may be sent to the finance office, room 1940, payable to the “Archdiocese of New York.”  In the note section, write “India.”    We will be responsible for forwarding the total to the Catholic Near East Welfare Association.  As of last week, $110,055.75 has been received from 67 of our 288 parishes.  In the coming week, we will do better.

Our Catholic Schools   An email was sent a few days ago to the greater Catholic schools community with a video message of gratitude from Mr. Michael J. Deegan, marking the end of the school year. We invite you to view the expressions of thanks to principals, pastors, teachers, students, families, and benefactors.  The email also contained a link to the fine opinion piece from earlier last week by a graduate of Good Shepherd, whose children now attend that storied school in Inwood.  If you would like to share with your parishioners the good things that are happening for students in our archdiocesan schools, visit https://catholicschoolsny.org/ to read the latest edition of the newsletter that is being sent to Catholic school parents. This is available in both English and en Espanol.

Archdiocese’s Most Wanted:  The ‘Perps’ Corner   Be aware that Father Benedict Andersen, OSB, who until recently was at Silverstream Priory in Stanmullin, County Meath, Ireland, may present himself for ministry here in the archdiocese. He is not allowed to serve in any capacity in any parish or institution here.  Be attentive, too, that “Father” John Voglio represents himself as a Catholic priest and has been reported to be supplying burial services for a fee of $75 in the Westchester/Bronx area.  Voglio is a former Salesian of Don Bosco who subsequently incardinated into the archdiocese.  When questioned, he claimed to work with a local charity.  Funeral homes in the area have been hiring him to perform Catholic burials.  However, he was removed from ministry, laicized and is included in the archdiocese’s April 26, 2019 list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.  Should you have any contact with either, please contact Bishop Edmund Whalen at the office of the vicar for clergy immediately.

Just One More Thing   Shortly after tying the knot, a young married couple started arguing over who should make the coffee. Being a good Christian woman, the wife went to the scriptures for her answer. She said that the Bible specifically stated that men should be the ones to make the coffee.  Puzzled, the husband asked her where in the Bible it said that. Very confidently, the wife opened up her Bible and said: “It’s right here – He-Brews.”

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