Salus Infirmorum Father Richard Adams, Father Harry Burke, Monsignor Charles Coen, Father Patrick Curley, Father John Fanning, Monsignor John Farley, Father Thomas Fenlon, Monsignor William Foley, Monsignor Leslie Ivers, Father Michael Keane, Monsignor Walter Kenny, Father Andrew Kurzyna, Monsignor Robert McCabe, Father Brian McCarthy, Monsignor Edward McCorry, Monsignor J. Christopher Maloney, Monsignor Walter Niebrzydowski, Father Edward O’Neill, Father Philip Quealy, Father Raym0nd Rafferty, Monsignor Edward Weber
Requiescat in Pace Father Balaraju Eturi
Required Announcement on the Protection of Children The Archdiocese of New York is committed to doing all that it can to protect children and young people from sexual abuse. As part of that effort, we periodically write to the Catholic community to advise them about whom they may contact and what steps they can take if they have suffered abuse by someone representing the Catholic church. Include an announcement in both English and Spanish 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 the office of the vicar general. Additionally, publish this announcement every May, September, and January. [Initiatives: Protection of Children].
Order of Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours and Celebration of the Eucharist On November 27, we began the new year of grace 2023 with the Sunday cycle A from St. Matthew and the weekday cycle I. Among the many useful features in the Ordo, the necrology helps us to remember in prayer the deceased bishops, priests and deacons who have lived or served in the archdiocese. What a noble practice it is to commend these loyal men to the mercy of God on the anniversary of their death as we consult the Ordo each day.
Monthly Compensation Plan for Priests Cardinal Dolan has announced the good news that he has approved a three percent cost of living adjustment for the coming calendar year, effective January 1, 2023. This is understood not to be a raise, but rather an attempt to reach parity with the priests of neighboring dioceses. See the chart included with this mailing and share with your secretaries and bookkeepers. [Update: Priest Compensation]
Days of Prayer in the Church Add these dates to your parish calendar:
- January 1: World Day of Peace
- January 18-25: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
- January 22: Legal Protection of Unborn Babies
- Third Sunday of the Church Year: Sunday of the Word of God
- Sunday Following February 2: World Day for Consecrated Life
- February 8: World Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking
- February 11: World Day of the Sick
- May 24: World Day of Prayer for the Church in China
- Fourth Sunday of Easter: World Day of Prayer for Vocations
- Seventh Sunday of Easter: World Communications Day
- Solemnity of the Sacred Heart: World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests
- September 1: World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation
- Third Sunday of September: Catechetical Sunday
- Last Sunday of September: World Day of Migrants and Refugees
- Penultimate Sunday of October: World Mission Sunday
- Thirtieth Sunday of the Church Year: World Youth Day
- Thirty-Third Sunday of the Church Year: World Day of the Poor
Share the Word Please give access to all your priests and staff members to that material which is pertinent to them, enclosed in the monthly mailing from the office of the vicar general. For it to succeed, we recommend that this Some Things to Know be posted in the public area of the parish office.
Curia Report The revised, streamlined and renamed curia report, with information about the activities of the archdiocesan pastoral and administrative offices that serve you is included in this mailing. Refer any questions to the office of the vicar general. [Updates: Curia Report].
2023 Dates for Your Calendar (subject to change)
- Ash Wednesday | February 22
- RCIA Rite of Election | Sunday, February 26
- Lenten Day of Recollection | Wednesday, March 8
- St. Patrick’s Day Mass and Parade | Friday, March 17
- Lenten Reconciliation Monday | April 3
- Mass of the Chrism | Tuesday, April 4
- Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord | April 9
- Ordination to the Priesthood, Saturday | May 27
- Golden Wedding Jubilee Mass, Sunday | June 4
- Ordination to the Permanent Diaconate | Saturday, June 17
- Jubilee Mass and Brunch for Religious | Sunday, June 18
- Columbus Day Mass and Parade | Monday, October 9
- Advent Reconciliation Monday | December 18
Who’s in your Rectory? This goes without saying, but a pastor should never accept an unknown priest for residence in or consistent service at his parish without checking with the office of the vicar for clergy. We can never receive a priest without a certificate of suitability from his home diocese or religious order. Remember how often we heard of the vagi in canon law? For a good reason.
How to Record Bonuses for Parish Employees If your parish recently participated in an internal audit, it was probably recommended that bonuses at the time of Christmas, Easter, or other occasions be issued through the payroll system with proper withholding and employer taxes rather than using cash or the Mass stipend account. Refer to the archdiocesan financial policies and procedures manual for a fuller explanation.
Office Holidays The Catholic Center will be closed on Friday, December 23, Monday, December 26, and Monday, January 2. 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. [Events: Catholic Center Holidays]
Debts to the Archdiocese Most parishes will have some additional revenue at this time of the year with a generous Christmas collection. If pastors have steep bills in pension, insurance, assessments, and cathedraticum, this may be a good time to pay some of these off. It is sound management to pay bills on time and it relieves the burden on other parishes who may be picking up the slack caused by delinquent parishes. For instance, when we don’t pay our pension for lay employees, the fund shrinks, is endangered, and all face higher rates. Thank you for considering the payment of bills this December.
Society for the Propagation of the Faith In 1853, with the opening of the New York office, the church has been seeking to foster an ever-deeper spirit of universal mission, to inform Catholics of the life and needs of the missions and to encourage prayer and financial help. The word ‘propagation’ refers to the obligation of every baptized person to share and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that more and more people will know about Jesus and how much God loves us. Each year, every parish in the archdiocese, at the direction of the Archbishop of New York participates in the Mission Cooperative Plan. Many mission dioceses and religious and lay organizations can personally appeal for prayer and financial support. This helps to increase mission awareness and to learn about mission life today. When the visiting missionary calls to arrange a date, welcome him or her warmly.
Mornings of Recollection for Priests at St. Francis of Assisi, NYC On Mondays, February 27 and May 1 at 9:45 in San Damiano Hall. RSVP www.stfrancisnyc/priestdays. [Events: SFA Mornings]
Holy Days of Obligation 2023 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, Catholics are obliged to participate in the Mass and to refrain from unnecessary work and all spiritually-distracting activities in conformity with the code of canon law. “Obligation” means “ya gotta do it!” It’s the Church’s way of stressing the importance of the mystery, person or event being celebrated. During 2023, the following days will be observed: Sunday, January 1 (Mary, the Holy Mother of God); Thursday, May 18 (Ascension of the Lord); Tuesday, August 15 (Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary); Wednesday, November 1 (All Saints); Friday, December 8 (Immaculate Conception); Monday, December 25 (Nativity of the Lord). By special indult from the Holy See in 1994, Catholics are not obligated to attend Mass when either Mary, the Holy Mother of God, the Assumption or All Saints fall on a Saturday or a Monday. Pastors, however, are encouraged to offer a convenient Mass schedule for those who wish to attend.
Dinner for Priests Father Myles Murphy, pastor of Our Lady of Victory/St. Andrew in the financial district of Manhattan is inviting all priests for an evening of fraternity on Wednesday, January 25 at 4:00 pm at a private room at Rory Dolan’s Restaurant Bar, 890 McClean Avenue, Yonkers. A generous benefactor is underwriting the cost. RSVP 917-882-7915 or [email protected].
Sacramental Report The Status Aminarum was to have been filed electronically in the office of the vicar general on Monday, November 22. Do you need help with this? Contact Fred Scialabba at 646-794-3405 (office) or 347-387-2638 (mobile); or email him at [email protected].
Sunday of the Word of God This takes place on the Third Sunday of the Church Year on January 22. With ways on how to celebrate this in our parish, refer to December’s Liturgy Update Newsletter.
The Fiftieth Annual March for Life is scheduled for Friday, January 20, 2023 on the National Mall in Washington, DC between the Washington Monument and 12th Street. The pre-rally concert will begin at 11:00 followed by the rally at noon. The march begins immediately following the rally at approximately 1:00 and ends in front of the US Capitol Building. As he has done in the past, His Eminence will offer Mass at St. Patrick Church on Tenth Street at 10:30 am before the opening rally.
Reconciliation Monday Dates Observed since 2011, Advent Reconciliation Monday is being held today from 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00 pm in the archdiocese and the Diocese of Brooklyn. Lenten Reconciliation Monday will be observed on April 3, 2023 from 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 9:00 pm in the archdiocese and the Dioceses of Brooklyn and Rockville Centre, in every parish from the east end of Long Island to the Catskills. Promotional material from the office of communications will be available as we get closer to the date.
Flowers for Holy Week Although Palm Sunday is months away, think now about your palm needs and order from ICS as soon as you can. Whenever we band with ICS, the savings are great. Collectively, the parishes of the archdiocese are a huge customer. Almost more important than the price is the guaranteed timely delivery. When the ICS order reaches one million palm strips, (a very reasonable number, actually) it qualifies for priority shipping from the producer in Alamo, Texas. This means that all the palm comes in a single dedicated refrigerated shipment. Fresh palms are delivered to our parishes. Don’t delay. See the ICS info in this mailing.
Talking Points for Pastors and Bulletins As you make your requests for Christmas contributions and for next year’s Cardinal’s Annual Stewardship Appeal, you may see a value in saying to your people that none of their donations to the appeal or to the parish will be used for settlements from sexual abuse complaints about our priests. As many families do when they are faced with large, unexpected expenses, the archdiocese has borrowed for purposes of justice and healing up to $100 million, which it will pay back from non-parish originated funds. It may help your people to know that no funds received in collections or appeals will be used to settle complaints.
Priest Personnel Records Upgrade Kate Feighery, director of archives and records management for the archdiocese will be migrating personnel records into a digital format. At the enclosed links, you will find a survey about your demographic, education, and personal history. Completing the questions will ensure that your file includes the most up-to-date contact and other information for you in our system. For diocesan priests, it can be found at https://bit.ly/ADNYPriest. Religious order priests may visit https://bit.ly/ADNYReligious. Extern priests may go to https://bit.ly/ADNYExtern. To enter the questionnaire, you will need a unique ID number, which will be sent to you in a separate email from [email protected]. If you have any questions about accessing or completing the survey, or if you need assistance, contact her at 914-476-633, x8365.
Survey on the Reevaluation of the Permanent Diaconate From 77 permanent deacons and 18 priests, we became aware of several areas of interest which have been asked to be addressed. After all these years since the restoration of this order, much work is still needed to actualize the vision of the fathers of the second Vatican council. As some of these are discussed and developed more, the outcome will be communicated to the clergy of the archdiocese:
Please Be Advised From the office of the vicar for clergy. Father Patrick Obah, a priest of the Archdiocese of Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo) does not have faculties to function in the Archdiocese of New York. He is not allowed to function in any capacity as a priest and is not permitted to participate in any way in any parish or ministry other than to fulfill his obligation to attend Mass, which he may only do from the pew and not in clerical attire. He claims to live with friends in The Bronx and frequents the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He has been informed that he does not and will not have faculties here in the archdiocese and has been told to leave. Should he contact you, call Bishop Edmund Whalen immediately.
Election of Deans to the Priest Personnel Board Monsignor William Belford, dean of Staten Island and Father Joseph McLafferty, dean of Dutchess County were the two deans elected from the 82 ballots that were cast earlier this month. The priest personnel board now consists of the five episcopal vicars, the vicar general, the two elected deans, the dean of the area of the parish being discussed, and the deans of the priests who are being considered for reassignment, if the applicant is not a pastor, his current pastor will be consulted.
Mass at the Air National Guard in Newburgh The 105th Airlift Wing at Stewart AB needs the services of a Catholic priest for its drill weekends, usually on the first Sunday of each month, to hear confessions at 7:15 and celebrate Mass at 7:45. Compensation is provided. Of course, a letter of good standing must be produced. If you can help, contact Chaplain Bob Tilli, wing chaplain at 845-542-9877 or [email protected].
Request for Authorization [RFA] The RFA process has been developed to ensure that protection is provided to the parish, its staff and, most importantly, the individual (pastor) who seeks the capital improvements. Additionally, this process ensures the contractor is correctly bonded and capable of doing the work and complies with all safety and insurance protocols. Sadly, we learned that the failure to follow this process has caused significant liability to the archdiocese over the years. Remember that an RFA is needed before any work over $30,000 is begun.
Just One More Thing A Jesuit, a Dominican, and a Franciscan were walking along an old road, debating the greatness of their orders. Suddenly, an apparition of the Holy Family appeared in front of them, with Jesus in a manger and Mary and Joseph praying over him. The Franciscan fell on his face, overcome with awe at the sight of God born in such poverty. The Dominican fell to his knees, adoring the beautiful reflection of the Trinity and the Holy Family. The Jesuit walked up to Joseph, put his arm around his shoulder, and said, “So, have you thought about where to send the boy to school?”