SALUS INFIRMORUM Father Brian Brennan, Father Harry Burke, Father Steven Clark, Father Patrick Curley, Father Thomas Curley, Father Richard Dillon, Father Patrick Dunne, Monsignor John Farley, Monsignor Peter Finn, Monsignor William Foley, Father Hugh Grace, Father Bernard Heter, Father Jack Hunter, Father John Kostek, Father Thomas Lynch, Father Joseph McAndrew, Monsignor Edward McCorry, Monsignor John Meehan, Father Angelo J. (“AJ”) Micciulla, Father Joachim Olendzki, Father James O’Shaughnessy, Father Philip Quealy, Father Leonard Villa, Monsignor Edward Weber.
REQUIESCAT IN PACE Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Monsignor Ferdinando Berardi, Monsignor Thomas Modugno.
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.
÷ ÷ ÷ ÷ ÷ ÷ ÷
“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.”
CATHOLIC CENTER HOLIDAY SCHEDULE During 2022, the Catholic Center will observe the following holiday schedule: January 17, February 21, March 17, April 14 (1:00), April 15, April 18, May 26, May 30, June 20, July 4, August 15, September 5, October 10, November 1, November 11, November 23 (1:00), November 24, November 25, December 8, December 23, and December 26. It will also close at 1:00 on the ten summer Fridays (July 1, 8, 15 22, 29, August 5, 12, 19, 26 and September 2. 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.
CATHOLIC TELEPHONE GUIDE For more than 80 years, Catholic Telephone Guide has served the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut tristate area as the only complete and up to date directory of churches, schools, hospitals and thousands of other Catholic organizations. Most of the listings change from year to year. Be sure to keep your parish’s information current and accurate by submitting your revisions by the required deadline using the form and the self-addressed envelope that will be sent to you this month.
FORTY DAYS FOR LIFE This life-saving prayer campaign will take place again throughout the archdiocese from March 2 through April 10. It consists of forty days of prayer, fasting and peaceful vigil at abortion facilities. It is proven to work. When prolife people show up outside clinics, the ‘no-show’ rate goes up to almost 75%. Many abortion-minded women have left facilities and chosen life during Forty Days for Life thanks to parishioners witnessing outside the clinics and services provided by the Sisters of Life and our pregnancy centers. For more information, visit https://www.40daysforlife.com/en/spring.
CHRISTIAN UNITY OCTAVE Tomorrow begins the 113th Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with the theme, “We Saw the Star in the East, and We Came to Worship Him.” During this period, special intentions for Christian unity may be included in the universal prayer. Masses may be selected from Masses for Various Needs and Occasions (nos. 17, 18, 19) in accordance with liturgical norms (cf. GIRM, 373-374).
JUNE SOLEMNITIES IN 2022 On Friday, June 24, the solemnities of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Friday after Corpus Christi Sunday) and the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist (June 24) fall on the same date. It has been determined that Sacred Heart will be observed on Friday, June 24, and the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist will be transferred to the preceding Thursday, June 23. However, in places where Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of a nation, diocese, city, or religious community, the order of the two celebrations is to be reversed, keeping the Nativity on June 24 and transferring Sacred Heart to June 23 instead. Since this exception does not apply to parish churches, those communities in the archdiocese whose church’s titular saint is John the Baptist (in Manhattan, Rockland and Yonkers) will celebrate their patronal solemnity on Thursday, June 23 for this year only.
SAFEGUARD YOUR SACRAMENTAL REGISTERS In accordance with the code of canon law, each parish is to maintain registers for recording baptisms, marriages and deaths. Generally, registers for confirmation, first holy communion, RCIA and the anointing of the sick are also maintained. In the baptism register are also to be noted confirmation and those things which pertain to the canonical status of the Christian faithful (marriage, adoption, reception of holy orders, perpetual profession in a religious institute, or change of rite). These notations are always to be included on the baptism certificate. Each parish is to have its own seal. Documents regarding the canonical status of the Christian faithful and all acts which can have juridic importance are to be signed by the pastor or his delegate and impressed with the parochial seal. As new registers need to be ordered, if at all possible the pages should be made of acid-free paper. As registers become worn, they are to be rebound by a professional binder. Sacramental registers are to be stored in a locked, secure place, preferably one which is fire-proof or fire-resistant. The registers may be removed only by authorized personnel. The loss or destruction of any sacramental register should be reported immediately to the office of the vicar general.
ADVISORY FOR BLESSING OF THROATS With concerns about the coronavirus still with us, the Blessing of Throats on Thursday, February 3 might simply be offered with hands extended over the assembly (cf. Book of Blessings, no. 1628). If offered within Mass, it may be prayed after the general intercessions or may take the place of the final blessing (BB no. 1626)
CARDINAL’S ANNUAL STEWARDSHIP APPEAL Although we have faced many difficulties over the past year, thank you for your commitment to the appeal which has exceeded $21 million in pledges with 43,541 participants. This was largely due to the leadership of our pastors and committee members. A successful appeal is directly affected by the involvement of the pastor. Many showed great creativity in spreading the word about the appeal even during this time of uncertainty, through digital efforts, the use of QR codes for in-pew weekends and extensive personal outreach. For most of our parishes, the 2022 appeal was kicked off yesterday. Campaign managers are working hard to support our pastors, so rely on them as a resource. As in 2021, they will encourage highly personalized outreach to your parishioners, especially those who are loyal supporters, those who may have not participated last year, and parishioners who have completed their Renew + Rebuild pledges. The development team can also support online giving, digital communications, and parish-based planned giving. Thanks for your leadership on the appeal which allows our Church to remain financially viable and supports the vast pastoral, charitable, and educational outreach efforts of the archdiocese.
OFFICE HOLIDAYS On Monday, January 17, the Catholic Center will be closed in observance of the birthday of Reverend Martin Luther King. On Monday, February 21, it will be closed for Presidents’ 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.
2021 INCOME TAXES FOR PRIESTS ONLY Institutional Commodity Services (ICS) is again offering at a discount the latest version of Scott Hoselton’s familiar manual, 2021 Income Taxes for Priests Only. Again this year, there are several new changes in tax law. This manual will continue to help you or your accountant sort out how to report federal stimulus payments, paycheck protection program loans, COVID-19 sick leave and above-the-line charitable deductions for those who do not itemize. As you know, priests are subject to special income tax rules. Information on how to order is included in this mailing. You can order online here or call the ICS customer care team at 646-794-2600.
NO ONE TO ANSWER THE PARISH TELEPHONE? With modern technology today, an urgent contact with a priest should be easily facilitated, especially whenever there is no secretary at the parish office. Different churches use different systems, such as commercial answering services, a dedicated “duty priest” mobile phone, call forwarding, etc. What should be avoided is any parish system where no priest can be contacted for several hours for a crucial matter.
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT, HEALTH CARE PROXY, FUNERAL MASS ARRANGEMENTS Each time we call attention to the need for a Last Will and Testament, priests do have one drawn and a copy deposited on file with the office of the vicar for clergy. When doing so, you might consider naming a brother priest as executor. One can only imagine the pain that survivors endure when one of us dies without a Will. A Last Will and Testament is required of all pastors. But it is desirable for all of us, along with health care proxies and plans for the funeral Mass and burial.
SHARE THE WORD Please give access to all your priests and staff members to the 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.
JUST ONE MORE THING Apropos to yesterday’s gospel. One morning, a priest was running late and was driving faster than usual on the highway. He was pulled over, and as the trooper approached his car, he spotted an empty bottle on the front seat and thought he smelled wine on the priest’s breath. “Father, have you been drinking?” the officer asked. The priest, crossing his fingers, replied, “Oh, just water.” The trooper then asked, “Well, why do I smell wine?” Thinking quickly, the priest exclaimed, “Praise be to God! Jesus has done it again!”