CHURCH OF SAINT MARY

SCAM ALERT
 A fake email is going around claiming to be from the pastor requesting a "favor."
Do not fall for the scam!
  No priest will email, text, or try to contact you to ask help with a pressing need.
Pray for the people doing these things as they are committing an objectively grave sin in trying to deceive and steal based on the good will of others.

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Saturday, January 22, 2022
Holy Hour
11 am to 12 noon

PRAYER AND FASTING TO END ABORTION
 Cardinal Dolan is asking us to join him in prayer and fasting on the 22nd of each month  until June 2022 when the Supreme Court may overturn the erroneous Supreme Court decision of Roe v Wade.
  The possibility for future laws protecting the unborn hangs in the balance.  
It is suggested that:

• We limit ourself to one meal and two smaller meals on that the 22nd of each month, or refrain from social media, videos,music, etc. as a sacrifice.
• We pray the rosary alone or together with family or friends for this intention.

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Sunday, January 23, 2022
MASS SCHEDULE
Saturday: 5:30 pm (Vigil)
Sunday: 8 am, 10am, 12am

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CARDINAL'S APPEAL 2022

Cardinal’s Annual Appeal For 2022 Has Begun
 The funds that together we will give to this year’s Appeal will be used for the following needs in the Church of New York:

(1) Assistance for Financially Vulnerable Parishes
(2) Charitable Outreach and Pastoral Support
(3) Evangelization, Communications, and Catholic Education
(4) Formation of New Parish Priests
(5) Care for Retired Priests

Many parishioners already participate in the Appeal every year. Those who did not participate last year or that have never participated, we ask you to please seriously consider this invitation. Our goal as a parish is for every family and parishioner to participate in some way.

Our parish goal for the Appeal this year is $74,500.
The overall goal for all parishes in the archdiocese combined is $21 Million dollars.
Last year 288 parishers raised $72,365.
Just imagine if all of our parishioners participated by sacrificing one Dunkin Donuts coffee a week.  We would easily reach our goal this year and help those in need.

Although we hope to achieve our goal, the beautiful part of the Cardinal's appeal is that we each have the opportunity to respond to Cardinal Dolan, our spiritual father's request for help.  It sounds cliche, but it is true that what matters is not how much we give, but the spirit with which we give what we can.  Over course, those who know their blessings give generously.  Even if all we can realistically afford to give to the Cardinal's Appeal is a dollar a week, ($52 total), our participation would show our support for our Cardinal Archbishop and remind him that we a living and active parish which cares about the needs of others.

You should have already received a letter from our Cardinal Dolan, with a pledge card to consider making a gift which you do not have to pay right now.
If you have not, please, let us know.

Thank you and God bless you for your generous response.

For more information, click here: Cardinals Annual Stewardship Appeal - New York, NY (cardinalsappeal.org)

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DECEMBER 2021  UPDATE 
NEW YORK STATE MASK MANDATE

 • Effective Monday, December 13, 2021, all parish office staff and visitors must wear masks at all times when in public spaces.

 • All parishioners are asked to wear masks while in church 

• Non-comp​​liance will be subject to a $1,000 fine by the state

The governor of New York has issued a statewide vaccine/mask mandate which takes effect Monday, December 13, 2021.  It will be reassessed on January 15, 2022.

Wearing a mask will be required in any public space unless a place that place has a proof of vaccination requirement for entry.   

All persons over age 2 years old, regardless of vaccination status shall wear an appropriate face covering/mask while in any indoor public place such as the church, parish offices, and meeting spaces, unless a doctor gives an exemption.

His Eminence has asked for all pastors to announce the mandate at all parish Masses throughout the archdiocese as it will be in effect as of Monday.


 • There are no capacity restrictions on houses of worship. (NYS June 16, 2021)

THE MASS OBLIGATION
The obligation to participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
primarily by presence and attentiveness
 begins at 4 pm on Saturday and ends at Midnight on Sunday.

THERE IS NO GENERAL DISPENSATION FROM ATTENDANCE AT MASS.

Watching Mass virtually is one way to make sure Sunday is kept as a day of prayer and rest, but it certainly does not fulfill the Mass obligation if you you are able to attend Mass in person.
 
Serious illness is a valid reason not to attend Mass and other church gatherings.
Any individual who - is sick or has flu-like symptoms (cough, fever, sore throat, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell) should stay home.  One who is of advanced age, believes he or she may have a condition that puts him or her in a high risk category for vulnerability to contracting the COVID-19 (i.e., advanced age, chronic medical conditions such as chronic lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and a weakened immune system) can stay home.
One who must give fulltime care for a person who is sick is also exempt.
Necessary travel which overlaps with the Mass obligation can exempt one. 
Necessary work (i.e. work to support one's family when one cannot change the date of work, or public services such as Police, Fire Figthers, Doctors, Nurses, EMS, etc.) is also a valid reason.  If one is able to change shifts, one should try.  However, truly necessary work exempts one from Mass attendance if it is a grave inconvience.
That said, if one goes to stores, restaurants, theaters, or other public places, one will find it hard to be justified in good faith to exempt oneself from the Mass obligation. 
If you are unsure, call your parish priest.

New Procedure at Holy Mass for receiving Holy Communion.

As you know we have been careful in following CDC and ARCHNY regulations since the restart of public Masses in June 2020 (see below).  However, some members of our parish have expressed private concerns.  To calm these worries, we will try the following procedure beginning Saturday evening, September 12:
1. The communion line on the pulpit (School) side will be dedicated to those who choose to receive Holy Communion in the hand.
2. The communion line on the priest's chair (Clinton Street) side will be for those who either choose to receive Holy Communion on the tongue or those who choose to receive in the hand.  

Whether we receive in the laudable traditional way or in the recently permitted way, we should reflect on the fact that when we receive Holy Communion, we are receiving Christ our God.  We may have fear of catching covid, but even morseo, we should all approach with holy fear because we will be receive the living God.  Physical sickness and death are bad, but even worse would be spiritual sickness and death if we were to receive our Lord unworthily, that is, in a state of mortal sin.

For this reason, St. Paul wrote: "Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the Body and Blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the Body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. (1 Cor 11:27-30)
As we make sure to clean our hands, let us not neglect to clean our souls through tears of penance in a frequent good confession.

HOLY SACRIFICE AND SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
• Holy Mass has infinite value a prayer. It is the same Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross now offered in an unbloodymanner. Holy Communion is the fullest participation in Mass for a soul that is in the state of grace and disposed by prayer and fasting to receive our Lord. While there is no obligation to receive Holy Communion at every Mass, for those who are prepared to do so, our Lord’s Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity will be administered at the usual time.

PLENARY INDULGENCE