AN INVITATION TO YOUNG CATHOLIC ADULTS

Young Adult Ministry
Are you a Catholic in your late teens, twenties, or thirties;
single, married, divorced, or widowed? If so, you are a
Young Adult Catholic. As a Young Adult Catholic do you
also seek to connect your life with your Catholic faith? If
you are a Young Adult Catholic and you are wondering
what it means to be a Catholic in your everyday life, then
the pastors of Jefferson County would like to talk to YOU!
You are invited to an organizational meeting to discuss
ministry and faith-sharing opportunities for you. Please
join us for pizza and discussion at Pete’s Restaurant on
September 29, 2016 at 6:00 pm. For more information or
to RSVP please call Msgr. Robert Aucoin at 315-782-1190
or msgraucoin@mac.com.

An Invitation

Although the poster below is addressed to a particular audience, I believe that as many people as possible should be able to attend in order to make the message more well-known.  If you wish to attend, please let me know, and I will make arrangements.

PIVOTAL PLAYERS

Click on the above video and get a glimpse at a wonderful opportunity that we will have in the parish.
Pivotal Players is a video-based study series on those who have been leaders, movers, and shakers in the Catholic Church from the early days of the Church up to our present time.  In the fall there will be six sessions following the schedule below.  On each date you can attend either session.  You do not have to commit to attend all the sessions.  You only have to come with the desire to learn about how others lived their Catholic faith and how we can do the same today.  These pivotal players will show all of us the many different ways that we can achieve sanctity.  Not all sanctity is the same!  Give this series a try and you, too, might become a pivotal player!! The sessions are all on Mondays at 9 am and 6 pm.  The 9 am sessions are in St. Patrick's Chapel; the 6 pm sessions are in Msgr. Sechi Hall.

September 26 - St. Francis of Assisi

October 3 - St. Thomas Aquinas

October 10 - St. Catherine of Siena

October 24 - Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman

October 31 - G.K. Chesterton

November 7 - Michelangelo

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

I

In both parishes we are blessed to have many Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.  We often call them Eucharistic Ministers or Lay Ministers of Holy Communion.  No matter the title their ministry is priceless especially to the homebound, those in the hospital, and those in nursing homes.  To be able to receive the body and blood of Christ when not able to go to church is a great blessing.  In fact, the reservation of the Eucharist in tabernacles began in order to bring Holy Communion to those who could not come to the Eucharistic Assembly because of illness.
     I would like to meet with all those who bring Holy Communion to those who are not able to come to Sunday Mass.  The purpose of the meeting would be to:
1)  provide direction on good procedures to follow
2)  provide appropriate prayers and readings that could be used when visiting the sick and homebound
3)  make sure that everyone has a proper pyx in order to carry out this ministry
4)  make sure that in our parish records we have the names, addresses, and phone numbers of those receiving Holy Communion outside of the Sunday celebration.
5)  allow participants the opportunity to ask any questions they may have.

The sessions will be held at:
9 am at St. Patrick's Chapel on September 22
6 pm at Msgr. Sechi Hall on September 22

Participants may attend either session.  The contents of the sessions will be the same.
   I look forward to seeing you then to help your with this most treasured ministry.

Embarassed

A whole summer has gone by, at least almost, without my making any entries into this blog.  So, let
me chat about a few things.
   First of all, many have asked if I am going to have surgery on my back.  Some have noticed that I walk differently and seem to limp.  I categorize it as walking like an old man!  When I went to the doctor and said that I am walking like an old man, he asked what is unusual about that.  After all, I am 72.  In any case, about 30 years ago when I was at St. Patrick's I had a ruptured disk, and was operated on at Mercy Hospital.  Since then I have done pretty well.
   However, an MRI and a nerve conduction study have revealed spinal stenosis and the extent of it.  The doctors have spoken about surgery and also about less aggressive measures.  I am trying a medication that, so far, has provided quite a bit of relief and allows me to stand in one place without feeling much pressure.  One of the side effects for some using this medication has been drowsiness.  So far, I have noticed that side effect.  Hopefully, you have not noticed it either!
     We had a very successful Mount Carmel Feast this year.  Great attendance!  Great participation of so many parishioners and the Men's Mount Carmel Society to help make the 100th anniversary so successful.  A full financial report was provided in the parish bulletin a few weeks ago.
     Also, here on the website you can download the 2015-2016 financial statements for both parishes. Under the "new" link there is a link for the financial statements.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
     We had a beautiful parish picnic at the end of July for both parishes on the grounds of St. Anthony's.  Lots of food and entertainment and enjoying one another's company.  We also used this event as an official good-bye to Fr. Christy who has returned to India.  We are all so grateful to him for being with us for almost two years.
     We have recently welcome Fr. Das to our parishes.  Father is learning his way around Watertown and around the two parishes.  I have asked him to focus much of his attention to the sick and homebound of whom there are many in both parishes.  Please make sure that you take a moment to introduce yourself to Fr. Das.
     We also had our annual pilgrimage and picnic to Dablon Point.  It was a perfect day to be there.  We celebrated the Eucharist on the lawn of the camp of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.  Unfortunately, at the last minute our caterer fell ill.  So, we had to disperse to our own locations without a picnic.  We'll try again next year!
     Of course, Immaculate Heart Central has opened its doors again this year.  Over the summer there was a major renovation of the floors at the primary building (the former Holy Family School).  In addition, at the intermediate building (the former St. Patrick's School) the gymnasium floor was removed and replaced with a new hard wood floor.  Also, the bleachers were refurbished and now work properly with the help of an electric mechanism.
     Our Faith Formation programs at the parishes began on September 11.  On September 18 we recognized the work of our catechists with an official commissioning ceremony.
     The month of September brings each year the Bishop's Fund Appeal.  I will write more about that in another blog post.