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, Father John Kostek, Monsignor George Kuhn, Father Richard LaMorte, Father Thomas Lynch, Father Angelo J. (“AJ”) Micciulla, Monsignor Hugh McManus, Father Philip Quealy, Father Richard Seagraves, Monsignor Edward Weber
Requiescat in Pace Father Raymond Nobiletti, MM
Required Announcement on Financial Integrity Hotline The Archdiocese of New York is committed to safeguarding the stewardship of its people. As part of that effort, we periodically write to the Catholic community to advise them whom they may contact and what steps they can take if they have suspicion of financial impropriety.
Please find an announcement in English and Spanish to be included in your Sunday bulletin. Its wording was approved by the presbyteral council. If your parish uses another language, i.e., Chinese, French, German, Italian or others, I am asking that you have it correctly translated and send a copy of your bulletin with these translations to my office. Additionally, publish this announcement every February and August.
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“The Archdiocese of New York takes stewardship of your donations seriously. If you have knowledge of or reason to suspect misconduct, please report your concerns via a toll-free hotline at 877-820-0541 or on the internet at http://www.reportlineweb.com/ADNY. Both are available 24 hours per day.”
“La Arquidiócesis de Nueva York toma la administración de sus donaciones seriamente. Si usted tiene conocimiento o una razón sospechosa del mal manejo financiero, por favor reporte sus inquietudes a través de la línea gratuita de atención telefónica al 877-820-0541 o en la Internet, en http://www.reportlineweb.com/ADNY. Ambos están disponibles las 24 horas del dia.”
Recovery Sunday As you know, Recovery Sunday is a national day of prayer during the month of September for those troubled with and in recovery from addictive illnesses. It was inaugurated in 1999 by Cardinal O’Connor, continued by Cardinal Egan and reintroduced in 2016 by Cardinal Dolan. Statistics tell us that more than 20 million Americans are struggling; nine million children live in homes with one parent who has an addiction commonly associated with alcohol and illicit drug use, and increasingly with gambling, sex, social media, food, shopping, and pornography. It is a reminder of the plight of those dealing daily with addiction and recovery issues, and those who love and support them on the difficult journey to healing. It is an opportunity to recall the true meaning of freedom, as material abundance and spiritual emptiness too often lead to addictive behaviors. Most importantly, the observance is a powerful vehicle for prayer for families and communities in need. Consider designating a weekend in September as Recovery Sunday in your parish, perhaps on September 12 (while avoiding Catechetical Sunday and the collection for St Joseph’s Seminary). Resource material is available from the Family Life office.
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 Saturday, July 31. 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.
Family Day: Making Every Day Special® is a National Center on Addiction Substance Abuses initiative to promote simple, everyday things parents can do to build a strong, healthy relationship with their kids that prevents future drug use. Family day will be celebrated nationwide on Monday, September 27, 2021. To learn more or to join parents all across America in taking the Family Day STAR pledge, visit www.casafamilyday.org. You may also find family day on Facebook and Twitter.
Baldwin Organ Available An estate would like to donate this organ and pay for all moving costs. If you are interested, call Margo at St. John the Evangelist, Manhattan at 212-753.8418.
2-Day Certification Class for Retired Law Enforcement Parish Security Officers Open to retired law enforcement personnel who are licensed to carry firearms and are registered parishioners at an archdiocesan parish. All attendees must be pre-approved by the parish pastor to register. Monday and Tuesday, August 2 and 3 from 5:00 – 10:00 pm at St. Joachim School and Church, 51 Leonard Street, Beacon, NY. Meals and refreshments will be provided. Please contact Frank Napolitano at frank.napolitano@archny.org (646-794-3024) to register attendees for the course. There is no charge for this training. Attendance is limited to 12 per session.
Status Animarum (the state of souls). This is an annual report on the sacramental participation in your parish. Every year, we collect Mass attendance numbers, sacramental figures, religious education and regional or parish school enrollment, staffing and volunteer personnel data for each parish church and worship site. This accurate reporting is very helpful to us in our culture of parish planning. This October, for efficiency and ease, we will again gather the data electronically. When we all return in September, more information will be available.
The Kenedy Official Catholic Directory (OCD) Each pastor should have received correspondence from the OCD either by email or letter requesting updates for the 2022 edition of The Official Catholic Directory. If you have not received this, contact Dorothy at dorothy.francke@archny.org or (646) 794-2900. Visit ocdedits.com/login to review and update your organization’s information. This needs to be completed by November 1.
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 required to enter the cathedral until 9:15, at which point it becomes general admission. We encourage you to distribute this information in your upcoming parish bulletins.
Presbyteral Council Selections It is time again to think about choosing priests to fill vacancies on the presbyteral council. Terms are for three years. His Eminence has underscored the importance of this council in his administration. He expressed his hope that priests would make themselves available to serve on this senate and he urges the widest possible engagement in the selection process. He wants to be assured that the make-up of the council is truly representative. Your active participation is clearly desired. Deans are encouraged to discuss these vacancies with their constituencies. Areas open for election or reelection are Bronx East, Bronx Northeast, Bronx South, Education Priests, Manhattan Central Harlem, Manhattan West, Staten Island, Ulster County, Westchester Central, Westchester Sound Shore, Westchester Yonkers.
Executive Health Exams Each of us has been touched by COVID-19 in one way or another. Scientific evidence tells us that this virus more seriously affected individuals who have existing health factors known as co-morbidities (weight, blood pressure, diabetes, lung disease, and kidney disease) and that simple routine prevention is essential. Recently, EHE examined close to 40,000 patient visits in 2020 and were struck by how many fewer co-morbidities were present in repeat EHE Health patients vs. new patients. Preventive health matters now more than ever. Protecting your future begins with understanding your health today. The first step is visiting EHE Health for your comprehensive exam, which is covered by our United Health Care insurance benefits. Book your exam today at www.ehe.health/prevention or 844-947-0638.
Consider a Change in Mass Schedule With people very gradually returning to church, some pastors have reported that they don’t need as many Masses that they had back before the quarantine because our attendance numbers have dropped. This may be a good opportunity to consider an adjustment to your schedule. Perhaps you were thinking of reducing your Sunday or weekday Masses but were waiting for the right time. In these summer months, with limited or no help available, you may need to make modifications. Always discuss any proposed alteration with your trustees and pastoral and finance councils. Explain your particular need and get their input. This way when you announce it to your people you can also tell them that you consulted with your advisors and they concur. Maybe you might also canvas some of the faithful worshipers. Cluster parishes are encouraged to work together in creating a convenient Mass schedule for a particular area, with an early Mass in one church and a later one in the other. We can use this time prudently and wisely as we plan for the future.
Come Home to Mass Campaign To encourage Catholics to return for Sunday Mass in parish churches as the COVID-19 crisis recedes, the archdiocese has a homepage with links on the website, and is using social media sites on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to promote the campaign. The overall goal is to have people come back into the parish environment, helping them to re-engage in person. Since the pandemic has ended, Cardinal Dolan has made it a priority to have people return to a weekly celebration of Mass in their parish church. A homepage for the Come Home to Mass campaign includes links to additional resources such as finding a parish and a “Why I’m Going Back to Mass Blog Series” with entries from parishioners and individuals employed in archdiocesan ministries. Information: https://archny.org/come-home-to-mass/
Annual Convention of Pastors 2021 Reserve four days during the week of October 18 for this popular gathering of priests who are serving as pastors of parishes. The essentials of the program are still being prepared and will be sent in early September. This will be held in addition to the three priest retreat weeks that are scheduled in the Fall.
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 memo section, write “India.” We will be responsible for forwarding the total to the Catholic Near East Welfare Association. As of last week, $125,411 has been received from 69 of our 288 parishes. In the coming week, we will do better.
Half Day Fridays at the Catholic Center When calling for someone to assist you, we want you to be aware of the custom of closing early at 1:00 PM on the ten Fridays of the summer, from July 2 through September 3. There is always the opportunity to leave a voice mail message which will be returned on the next business day. All are reminded of the after-hours phone number in case of emergencies (877-582-2996).
Pastoral Handbook This handy manual is gathering dust on many a parish bookshelf. Last revised in 1996 and in need of updating, it may be of use to some pastors and priests. It contains information on the administration of the sacraments, and other aspects of parish life. If you are looking for yours and can’t find it, a copy is included in this monthly mailing.
Resources from St. John Vianney Center
Our Journey with You For most bereaved people, grief that is all consuming and debilitating eventually fades. But for many, grief can remain unresolved and raw for years and even decades. Many of us are experiencing an inability to move on after COVID, but when is it time to be concerned? The good news is that effective treatment for this has been developed. This brief podcast will outline what prolonged or complicated grief is, how to recognize it, and how to move on to a full and joyful life. Click here to listen. Find all of our Wellness Journey podcasts on our website, as well as on Spotify, iHeartRadio, and iTunes – SJVC Podcasts.
Seven Tips to Catch More Sleep Sleep is as important to keeping you healthy as exercising regularly, eating a well-rounded diet and maintaining a healthy weight, according to an article in Healthy Balance from UVAHealth. It states 50% of adults have occasional insomnia, and more than 20% have chronic trouble. A chronic lack of sleep may lower your productivity, make you more prone to accidents and put you in a bad mood at the very least; in addition, it may increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other health issues. What to do? Check out these 7 valuable tips for better sleep. Click here.
Prayer for Healing Grace Lead me Lord Jesus, in the way of your healing grace. May my body, mind, and heart be ever aligned patiently with you in deepest faith and gratitude, so that pain and suffering of every kind can be healed….in your way and in your time, by your generous love. Amen. Shrine of St. Jude For prayer card, click here.
Dunwoodie Anniversary Events An exhibit for the seminary’s 125th anniversary is being planned for the coming year. One area of interest would include prominent alumni and faculty. A few names have been suggested, but most of them are from very early in the last century. Do you have more recent names that might be included? Kate at the archive center would appreciate any suggestions. Contact her at kate.feighery@archny.org.
Just One More Thing After having children, Adam and Eve started getting a lot of questions from their kids about why they no longer live in Eden. Adam has a simple answer for this: “Your mother ate us out of house and home.”