Salus Infirmorum Monsignor Thomas Bergin, Father Brian Brennan, Father Patrick Curley, Monsignor Michael Curran, Father Alfred D’Incecco, Father John Figueroa, Father Hugh Grace, Father Jack Hunter, Monsignor George Kuhn, Father Thomas Lynch, Monsignor Hugh McManus, Father Philip Quealy, Father Richard Seagraves.
Requiescat in Pace Monsignor Dermot Brennan, Monsignor John T. Mulligan.
Ordination to the Priesthood The class of 2021 will be ordained to the sacred order of priest at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Saturday, May 29 at 9:00 am. On behalf of His Eminence and Bishop James Massa, you are warmly invited to concelebrate at this liturgy and receive first priestly blessings from the newly-ordained. With all safety protocols in place, we estimate room for 100 priests for concelebration. Vesting stations will be clearly marked and seating will be in the ambulatory and the Lady Chapel.
For the Archdiocese of New York
- Reverend Mr. Matthew Breslin [Dunwoodie]
- Reverend Mr. Robert Carolan [Dunwoodie]
- Reverend Mr. Carmine Caruso [St. John XXIII]
- Reverend Mr. Steven Gonzalez [Dunwoodie]
- Reverend Mr. Kevin Panameno [Dunwoodie]
- Reverend Mr. Wesbee Victor [Theological College]
For the Community of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
- Reverend Brother František Marie Chloupek, CFR
- Reverend Brother Ignatius Pio Doherty, CFR
- Reverend Brother Joseph Michael Fino, CFR
- Reverend Brother Elijah Marie Perri, CFR
Memorial Day Masses at Allied Cemeteries The traditional Memorial Day Masses normally held at Ascension, Calvary, Gate of Heaven, Resurrection and St. Mary cemeteries will not be celebrated this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 compliance measures. However, these cemeteries will be open and visitation is encouraged. Check with the local parish cemeteries for this year’s policies regarding Memorial Day Mass.
Parish Profiles These six parishes are now open for application. In general, placement will be made on Thursday, July 1, 2021. Priests may apply by Friday, May 21.
- Holy Child, Staten Island
- Holy Spirit, Bronx
- Sacred Heart of Jesus, Manhattan
- St. Charles/Resurrection/All Saints, Manhattan
- St. George/St. Francis, Jeffersonville
- St. Peter, Monticello
Looking Ahead to Christmas This year, the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) falls on a Saturday and is immediately followed on Sunday by the Feast of the Holy Family. In cases of consecutive feast days, there are often questions regarding which Mass is to be celebrated on Saturday evening. In the case of Christmas and Holy Family, both are days of precept (the latter because it falls on a Sunday), but Christmas occupies a higher place on the Table of Liturgical Days. Therefore, if pastors schedule Mass on the evening of Saturday, December 25, the Nativity Mass during the Day is celebrated. Most parishes do not offer a Mass on Christmas night.
On days such as these, there are also questions regarding the fulfillment of the obligation to attend Mass. In short, each obligation (in this case, one for Christmas and another for Holy Family) must be fulfilled with a separate Mass. The fulfillment of the Mass obligation does not depend upon the Mass prayers and readings but rather on the time of day at which one attends Mass. The obligation for the Nativity may be fulfilled from the evening of Friday, December 24 through Saturday, December 25. For example, one may attend the Vigil Mass of the Nativity, or Mass during the Night (celebrated at any time), or morning/afternoon/evening Masses on December 25. The obligation for the Holy Family may be fulfilled from the evening of Saturday, December 25 through Sunday, December 26. For example, one may attend afternoon/evening Masses on December 25 (even though the Mass texts will be for the Nativity), or morning/afternoon/evening Masses on December 26. Confused? A suggestion is not to schedule Mass on the evening of December 25.
The situation with the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God on Saturday, January 1, 2022 is more straightforward. In the United States, the obligation to attend Mass on the Solemnity of Mary is abrogated when this celebration occurs on a Monday or a Saturday. In this case, because the Solemnity occurs on a Saturday and is not a day of precept this year, the Vigil Mass of the Epiphany is celebrated. Whew.
Office Holidays On Monday, May 31, the Catholic Center will be closed in commemoration of Memorial 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.
Graphics for Convalidation Awareness Campaign Included in this mailing are graphics and announcement texts for your parish digital communications and/or on your social media channels. You can use these or simply re-share the posts from the archdiocesan social media channels beginning Thursday, May 20. These will include Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Last week, all parishes have received Convalidation Awareness tri-fold marketing pamphlets in English and Spanish via USPS. Contact the Family Life office at 646.794.3188 or flrlevents@nyfamilylife.org for additional supplies.
East Coast Priest Conference, sponsored by Dr. Scott Hahn and the St. Paul Center continues to grow in popularity. In the past few years, as many as a dozen priests from the archdiocese have attended. They report that this is a wonderful opportunity for retreat or ongoing formation. Conferences are solid and insightful, liturgies and spiritual opportunities are well done and costs are reasonable. This year’s conference is entitled, Scripture and the Sacred Mysteries, extends from Monday, July 12 through Thursday, July 15 at the Oglebay Resort and Conference Center in Wheeling, West Virginia. Details may be found at https://stpaulcenter.com/2021pceast/ and registration ($575) at https://stpaulcenter.com/product/2021pceast/. For additional information or to request a scholarship application, contact Jonathan McGovern at 740-264-9535 or jonathanmcgovern@stpaulcenter.com.
Relationship with the News Media Priests are to contact the communications office of the archdiocese before providing information, interviews, or quotes to the media (newspapers, magazines, radio, television, cable programs, and web sites). It is essential that pastors notify the communications office regarding important parish issues so that it might assist them in developing a strategy for working with the media.
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.
Stipend for Binated Mass Intentions As a general rule, a priest should celebrate the Eucharistic liturgy only once a day. This faculty permits him to offer additional Masses in order to meet legitimate pastoral needs, such as Masses of Christian burial, nuptial Masses, and regularly scheduled parish Masses when another priest is not available. Although this faculty may be used whenever the need arises, its frequent use to meet a parish Mass schedule should lead to an evaluation of that schedule in the light of the spiritual needs of the parishioners. When a priest celebrates more than one Mass on a particular day, he may retain for personal use only one stipend. If one Mass is said collectively for all intentions, then only one stipend is kept. Any stipends which were accepted for the celebration of additional Masses must be disposed of in accord with archdiocesan policy (c. 951). According to the custom in New York which is prescribed by the ordinary, these are to be sent to the office of the vicar general for distribution to St. Joseph’s Seminary. This is a serious obligation that should be interpreted as strictly as possible. As a reminder, 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 him.
Trinity Automotive Services Many may be unaware of this service which is offered through Institutional Commodity Services (ICS). Sal Ervolino (516-658-6009) and Michael Chapman (917-748-4902) are available to the priests of the archdiocese who may need service or repair of their vehicles. Trinity provides a hassle-free experience when acquiring both new and pre-owned cars. For purchase, lease, service, trade-in, sale, vehicles for fund raising and fleet purchases, call 516-759-7043 or email info@trinityautomotive.com. For more information, you may also visit their comprehensive web site at https://www.trinityautomotive.com/
The Importance of a Will All archdiocesan priests are asked to complete a funeral arrangements form. This information is used for planning purposes. On this form, a priest can indicate who should be contacted at the time of death and who should be the liaison for his funeral arrangements, if other than the former. Copies of this form are to be kept among the priest’s private papers and with the person indicated on the funeral arrangement form. To update a funeral form with more current information, contact the office of priest personnel. All pastors must submit a copy of their last will and testament, which will be kept on file in the office of priest personnel. All priests are encouraged to do the same.
Just One More Thing A bear walks into a bar and says, “Give me a whiskey . . . and a cola.” The bartender asks, “Why the big pause?” The bear shrugged. “I’m not sure. I was born with them.”