Finance Committee Corner Last Sunday $7,922 was received in the offertory baskets at Mass and $4,598.5 was received through Parish Pay, for a total of $12,520.5. However, the weekly operating costs to run our parish, such as salaries, benefits, utilities, office and program expenses, etc., are approximately $20,000. This means
we had an operating deficit of $7,479.5 this week. The second collection in support of St. Joseph’s Seminary totaled $1,898.
The third collection to help the people of
Haiti recover from their catastrophic loss totaled $1,322. Thank you for your generosity.
COFFEE HOUR Parish coffee hour is a great way to get to know your fellow parishioners and is held the first Sunday of the month after all the morning Masses. If you are interested in baking something for the November 6th coffee hour, please get in touch with James Palazza at 646-456-8878.
RCIA is the process designed by the Church for adults to receive the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion. The goals are to give a complete overview of Catholic teaching and practice and to begin to deepen a Christian spiritual life centered in the Sunday Scripture readings. The sacraments are received at the Easter Vigil Mass.
It is open to adults who:
Have never been baptized; they would be preparing for all three sacraments.
Were baptized in a non-Catholic Christian denomination who are interested in becoming Catholic; they would be preparing for Confirmation and First Communion.
Were baptized Catholic but never received Confirmation and/or First Communion; they would be preparing for the sacraments they have not yet received.
Inquiry discussions at Blessed Sacrament began on Monday, October 3 at 6:30 pm in the rectory. If anyone is seeking more information or wishes to register, please call Tina Silvestro at 212-877-3111.
Sunday 12:30 PM Choir The parish is grateful to all those who have so generously volunteered their time and talent to help enrich our worship at the Sunday 12:30 Mass each week by singing in the choir. We would like to see this choir continue its presence and even expand. If you are interested in singing please call the Rectory with your name, phone number, and email.
The church dictates the month of October to Our Lady of the Rosary. So, please join us in the recitation of the Rosary after the 5:30pm Mass from Monday through Friday during the month of October! Also, everyone is invited to remain with us on Fridays for the Fatima Holy Hour in the rectory. Retreat Day: Saturday, November 12. In celebration of Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Corpus Christi Chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society will host an all-day retreat entitled
“In Everything Mercy: Thomas Merton and Pope Francis on the Merciful Heart of God” presented by Dr. Christopher Pramuk, Professor of Theology and Spirituality at Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH. Honored as Xavier's 2015
Teacher of the Year, Dr. Pramuk will lead a sustained meditation on Mercy in Merton's writings as the very Name and Life of God, and the difficult but beautiful call to become ourselves Mercy as our "Kairos" and path to peace. Corpus Christi Church, 529 West 121st Street @ Broadway. 9:30 - 4:00 p.m. Pre-registration required. To reserve a place, please visit
http://www.thomasmertonnyc.org/events.
OCTOBER GAY FELLOWSHIP MEETING Please join us after the 5:30PM Mass this Sunday evening October 23rd for the first Fall meeting of the Gay Fellowship. The meeting will be held on the 2nd floor of the rectory from 6:45PM-8:15PM. Refreshments served. The group is a safe and comfortable place to share and meet other LGBT Catholics. All are welcome. For more information, please call John Gasdaska at 646-345-7350.
The
Dialogue Drop-in Discussion Group continues to meet each Sunday from 2:00PM to 3:30 PM in the Rectory to explore our conscious and unconscious prejudices. Come when you can and share your views on this.
Sunday’s first reading tells us, “They who serve God willingly are heard; their petition reaches the heavens.” Very comforting words, but how are they heard by those who serve willingly and pray faithfully, yet struggle against hunger, homelessness, unemployment, illness, conflict, or a combination of these afflictions? Likely their faith is challenged. Then the Gospel tells us that a seemingly righteous man who is not greedy, dishonest or adulterous is not “justified” by God. How does that make those who strive to live equally righteous lives feel? Likely quite upset. What’s going on here? Perhaps we need to consider humbly and honestly why such things as hunger and homelessness persist? How righteous are we? Is there something more we can do to help alleviate them? Maybe we can’t give more in goods, but maybe we can give more in prayer and presence to nourish faith and extend mercy. ~Pax Christi Metro New York