Salus Infirmorum Father Harry Burke, Monsignor Patrick Carney, Father Edwin Cipot, Monsignor Charles Coen, Father Robert Dunn, Father John Fanning, Monsignor John Farley, Monsignor John Ferry, Monsignor William Foley, Father Edmundo Gomez, Bishop John Jenik, Father Michael Keane, Monsignor Walter Kenny, Father Andrew Kurzyna, Monsignor John Meehan, Monsignor Robert McCabe, Father Edward O’Neill, Father Philip Quealy, Monsignor John Sullivan, Monsignor Desmond Vella, Father Andrew Walsh, Bishop Gerald Walsh, Monsignor Edward Weber
Requiescat in Pace Father John Pinterbone
Safeguard the Parish Mass Stipend Account We priests have a heavy responsibility to properly maintain the parish stipend account and all the money entrusted to us. [Library: Stipend Account Safeguards]
Presbyteral Council Selection Vicars Forane have been reminded of the need to select a new member of the presbyteral council or reselect the incumbent for a three-year term beginning with the November 2 meeting. Open areas are Bronx West [Father George Stewart], Dutchess/Putnam Counties [Father Hartley Bancroft], Orange County [Father Fernando Hernandez], and Rockland County [Father Bill Cosgrove]. Officers on the presbyteral council are also up for election.
Reconciliation Monday Dates Observed since 2011, Advent Reconciliation Monday will be held on December 18, 2023 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 March 25, 2024 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 marketing office will be available as we get closer to the date.
The Kenedy Official Catholic Directory (OCD) Each pastor will receive correspondence from the OCD by email requesting updates for the 2024 edition of The Official Catholic Directory by the end of October through mid-November. Visit ocdedits.com/login to review and update your organization’s information. If you have not received this, contact Dorothy at [email protected] or (646) 794-2908.
Archived Library A feature in the monthly combined mailing was added in May which could be of help to many. Recurring publications and forms are retained in one place each edition for you to access as you need them. Visit this folder from time to time.
LiveOnNY November has been designated as National Donor Sabbath by the organization LiveOnNY, the federally designated organ procurement organization for New York City, and is dedicated to elevating the power of faith-based communities to bring hope to those waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. Here in New York, there are nearly 10,000 children and adults on the organ transplant waiting list. Being a registered organ donor gives us the opportunity to provide our vulnerable brothers and sisters with a second chance at life. Some of them are our own brothers in the priesthood. Thanks to LiveOnNY, the organization that oversees organ donation in the greater-New York area, for reminding us about how precious life is and how we can help extend that preciousness to others.
Executive Health Exams (EHE) In the interest of overall bodily wellness, we want to remind all priests to schedule their annual comprehensive physical through Executive Health Exams (EHE). The American Medical Association has frequently stated that a comprehensive physical performed annually is extremely important for ongoing wellness and for detecting/mitigating latent health conditions at an early stage. If you have not yet scheduled with EHE, you may contact their office directly at 212-332-3700, or 800-362-8671; or online at EHEIntl.com/Enrollment.
Upcoming National Collections The collection for World Mission Sunday will be on October 22; and the Campaign for Charity and Justice on November 19. War Relief in Israel at the discretion of the pastor.
Committee on Divine Worship Newsletter for September is included in this month’s combined mailing. [Updates: CDW Newsletter]
Office Holidays The Catholic Center will be closed for All Saints’ Day on Wednesday, November 1; Veteran’s Day observed on Friday, November 10; and the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24. 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 chancellery after hours and on weekends, call Community Answering Service at 877-582-2996. Add this number as “Chancellery Emergency” to the list of contacts in your mobile telephone.
The Fifty-First Annual March for Life, the second post-Roe march will be held as planned on Friday, January 19, 2024. Refer to the letter for more information. [Events: Respect Life Activities].
All Souls’ Day Masses at our Cemeteries By tradition, we honor our beloved dead on November 2, with Masses celebrated at the allied cemeteries of the archdiocese: Gate of Heaven, Hawthorne [Westchester County]; Ascension, Airmont [Rockland County]; Calvary, Woodside [Queens]; Resurrection, Pleasant Plains [Staten Island]. Family and friends are encouraged to visit the cemeteries to remember and pray for those whose rest in these beautiful, sacred grounds. Cardinal Dolan will preside at Gate of Heaven at 10:30. Masses at Ascension, Calvary, and Resurrection will be at 11:00. Masses are also celebrated at local parish cemeteries.
Status Animarum From the Latin meaning state of souls, this accounting is a register of people living in a parish and events related to them. It is also called the annual sacramental report. 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. Since we are in the “culture of planning” throughout the archdiocese, be as accurate as you can with your report. The Mass attendance numbers will be reported for Sunday, October 29, 2023, the xxx Sunday of the Church Year, including the anticipated Masses on Saturday evening. For the sacramental and other data, report for the period requested. The information that you provide is helpful for parish planning in the archdiocese and for responding to the reports that are required by the Holy See and the Episcopal conference. We will be pleased to receive your statistics by Monday, November 20. For assistance, contact Fred Scialabba at 646-794-3405 (office) or 347-387-2638 (mobile) or email [email protected].
Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees All parishes are required annually by New York State Religious Corporation Law and the Archdiocese of New York Uniform By-Laws to hold an annual meeting of the trustees by the second Wednesday of November (this year, it is November 8) at the parish corporation’s principal office. At this meeting, the pastor, as corporate secretary and treasurer and the two lay trustees shall review and accept the annual financial report. Following the meeting, kindly send the year-end financial report to the finance office. The minutes of the annual meeting must be kept on file at the parish office. This is not necessary to send to the chancellery. [Updates: Trustee Minutes].
Domestic and International Wedding Files If your parishioners plan to marry outside of the archdiocese, whether in the United States or abroad, their wedding file cannot be sent directly to the church of marriage. It must be seen and sent by the New York chancery to the chancery of the (arch)diocese where the marriage will take place. To have sufficient time to properly process these files, they must be received by the New York chancery at least two months prior to the proposed date of the wedding. Remember to include the customary FedEx fee for this transmittal, i.e., $50 for domestic weddings and $150 for international weddings, payable to the Archdiocese of New York. Also be sure to send the wedding file to Msgr. Douglas J. Mathers at the office of canonical services. You can access a list of required documents for these files on the archdiocesan website (archny.org) under the office of canonical services, or click here.
St. Joseph’s Seminary and College Alumni Evening Cardinal Dolan and Bishop Massa invite all priests to this year’s Alumni Evening on Thursday, November 9 for solemn vespers at 5:00 followed by hors d’oeuvres at 5:30 and dinner in the refectory at 6:30. Annual dues (suggested donation) are $100 per person. Checks are payable to St. Joseph’s Seminary and College (memo line – alumni) to the attention of Father William Cleary. We are asked to send a reply by next Tuesday, October 24 to [email protected] or visit https://PriestAlumniEvening.eventbrite.com. With questions, contact Father Bill Cleary at 917-574-5912 or Danielle Pizzola or Sandra LaBlanc at 914-367-8201.
Cathedral College/Cathedral Prep Alumni Association Christmas Mass So many of our priests received their early formation at “555”. Consider coming to the annual Mass and dinner on Tuesday, November 28 at 6:00 will be held at the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 59 East Main Street, Elmsford. Dinner will follow at Casaletto Ristorante, 15 South Central Avenue at 7:00. Donation for the Mass and dinner is $70 (plus $20 annual dues). Visit the Internet resources at http://stlukes-parish.org/cathedral; https://www.facebook.com/groups/1031291000372044/; and http://www.cpcc555.org. [Events: Cathedral College Mass]
Ordination of Transitional Deacons Two seminarians from the archdiocese, along with three others from neighboring dioceses will be ordained to the transitional diaconate at St. Joseph’s Seminary on Saturday, November 4 by Bishop John Barres. With the help of God, they are expected to be ordained to the priesthood on May 25 by His Eminence, Cardinal Dolan. They are Jonathan Castro and William Mendoza. They join their classmates, the Reverend Messrs. David Birkdale, Vincent Castaldi and Paul Kucharski who were ordained to the diaconate back in June; and the Reverend Mr. Viktor Gjergji who was ordained on September 28 in Rome. May Christ the Good Shepherd continue to accompany, bless, guide, and shape their hearts after His Sacred Heart with great pastoral zeal in the service of the Church in New York.
Scallywags and Scoundrels Be advised that Father Joachim Achibibi, a priest of the Diocese of Umuahia, Nigeria, is not permitted to function in any ministerial capacity in any church or facility of the archdiocese. He is not permitted to reside in any rectory or church owned or sponsored building and is not to have any role in any parish or Catholic sponsored activity within the confines of the archdiocese. Father Achibiri was told to leave the archdiocese in 2015 yet remains here and attempts to function as a priest. He is 66 years old and a naturalized citizen. He is believed to reside in Lower Westchester and is trying to function in parishes in the Bronx and Lower Westchester. Father Justin-Anthony Ekene Anene is a priest of the Diocese of Issele-Uku, Nigeria, who recently has come to New York with the hope of receiving a posting here. We cannot assume that a priest has faculties for the celebration of the sacraments. A letter of good standing from the proper ordinary or provincial is required for any activity associated with the parish. Should you encounter him, notify the office of the vicar for clergy immediately at 646-794-3360 or [email protected].
Reminder of Reporting Requirements for Child Abuse or Maltreatment If archdiocesan personnel receive a report of alleged child sexual abuse, regardless of where or when it occurred or who the perpetrator is, they shall immediately:
- Advise the person (or their parent or guardian) to report the incident to the appropriate district attorney’s office or other law enforcement agency.
- If the child is in imminent danger, call 911.
- Report the incident to the New York State Child Abuse Hotline (800-342-3720), regardless of whether the person is a mandated reporter under the law.
- Notify the office of legal affairs or the safe environment office.
- If the report alleges child sexual abuse by a member of the clergy, refer the person directly to the archdiocesan victim’s assistance coordinator.
An online form has been created for reports of child sexual abuse and sexual misconduct: https://archny.org/report/. The archdiocese will also report all cases involving sexual offenses against minors to the appropriate district attorney’s office. Whenever there is reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused or maltreated, archdiocesan personnel shall make a report to the New York State Child Abuse Hotline: 800-342-3720.
Forty Days for Life This life-saving prayer campaign is taking place again throughout the archdiocese from September 27 through November 5. 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. Since 2007, at least 23,525 unborn children have been saved from abortion during these campaigns, 251 abortion workers have quit, and 142 facilities have closed. For more information, visit https://www.40daysforlife.com/en/.
Building the Kingdom In mid-November, we will be sending a copy of Building the Kingdom: The History of the Archdiocese of New York to each parish. In the popular graphic novel format, this is an accurate description of the rich history of the Church in New York. You might consider ordering copies as gifts or perhaps as a fund-raising tool for your parish and religious education program. More information is in the Initiatives section of this combined mailing.
From the Development Office Renew + Rebuild rebates are disbursed on a quarterly basis and are calculated on cash received, not pledges. Since the archdiocesan fiscal year operates from September to August, the disbursement schedule reflects the fiscal year calendar. “September” rebates have been disbursed for money raised in the months of July and August; “December” rebates for money raised in September, October, and November; “March” rebates for December 2023, January 2024 and February 2024; “June” rebates for March, April and May; and “September” rebates for the months of June, July and August 2024.
Administrative Fees for Marriage Annulments Back in 2015 in the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis asked that annulments be granted free of charge. After that year, administrative fees were reinstated. Beginning November 1, the fees will change again. For a formal case, the application fee will be $100 and the administrative fee (the proceeding itself) will be $900. For a lack of canonical form (c. 1108), the fee will be $100. Always remember that no one is ever turned away from the tribunal because of an inability to pay. Annulment forms may be found at https://archny.org/ministries-and-offices/tribunal/ or by clicking here.
Are Sunday Masses Just Too Long? See this thought-provoking essay from Cardinal Dolan which appeared in The Good Newsroom on September 20 in which he wonders whether Sunday Mass is just too long. His two other recent articles on COVID-19 and the number of seminaries in the northeast are also in the archived library. [Initiatives: Is Mass Too Long?]
Pilgrimage to the Dominican Republic All are invited to join the Archdiocese of New York on a special pilgrimage to the Dominican Republic for four days from February 22-25, 2024. Promotional material was sent to every parish at the end of September and is included in this monthly mailing. [Updates: Dominican Republic Pilgrimage].
Complimentary Meals and Restaurant Discounts on Veterans Day To honor members of the military, free and reduced meals and purchases are available to veterans, active duty personnel, national guard, and reservists on or around November 11. The list will be updated regularly as new discounts come in. To learn more, visit https://www.military.com/veterans-day/restaurants-veterans-day-military-discounts.html.
Giving Care to the Sacred A retired priest who offers Mass in several parishes noted the stained altar linen and worn-out memorial chalices from our sacristy cabinets that are often set out for a visitor. Their poor condition is embarrassing and can easily go unattended. Bare metal inner cups ought not be holding the Precious Blood. Take an inventory occasionally and recycle what should no longer be used for the liturgy.
Share the Word Give access to the priests and staff members of your parish to the material enclosed in this combined mailing which may be pertinent to them. For it to succeed, we recommend that Some Things to Know be posted in the public area of the parish office.
Just One More Thing At the fitness center, I remarked to a group of people that I was surprised at how winded I was by the exercise. The personal trainer said, “But Father, this was just the tour of the gym.”