Parish Mission Statement Immaculate Conception Catholic Church celebrates the Eucharist and proclaims the gospel—in worship, through our love of God and for each other, and with our ministry to the marginalized. We journey together in our faith, united by our trust in Christ’s love and mercy and the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Staff Connection... March 18, 2018

Lent: a Time for Renewal

We are past half-way through our Lenten journey. Everything about Lent suggests that it is a special, sacred time set aside to renew in us a spirit of prayer, fasting and alms-giving. As we approach the end of this season, ask yourself these questions: did you in any way immerse yourself in prayer? Has your fasting been life- giving? At the end of this season, will your alms-giving make a difference to the needy?

At our parish we try to always make spiritual opportunities abundant, and especially during this season of Lent. We have Mass every day during the week, Stations of the Cross on Friday, Holy Hours on Thursdays, first Fridays and first Saturdays of the month and extended hours for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Christ life sessions were wonderful. Many thanks to the volunteers who continue to work so tirelessly to ensure that these spiritual programs succeed. What you do for our faith community out of love is much appreciated.

Our spiritual renewal should include: Intentional outreach. I call on all our parishioners to consider this call; to gently and joyfully invite family and friends to the table of the Lord, to the life of Christ and all that it entails to be a disciple of our Lord. Out- reach initiatives by all of us will bring many to the faith and add to the dwindling numbers of Sunday attend- ance. The youth of our parish are very active and faith-filled. I make this appeal to you; bring your peers to our youth programs. Tell us what your spiritual needs are. Bring questions that you need answers for. We want to help you grow in your faith. You are the Church of today and tomorrow!

Parish Financial stability: This is another vital aspect of our parish that we need to focus on during Lent. We need funds to run our parish programs. First, I thank you all for your financial support to our parish. Your loy- alty and love for our parish is unquestionable. Our parish has faced tough times financially in the recent past due to the low Mass attendance, high cost of running a large campus with old buildings and paying for unem- ployment benefits occasioned by the staff turnover and the closing of our school.

Special CMA appeal. We are at 74 % of our goal. The short fall is $15,000. Thanks to the two hundred gener- ous contributors thus far to this appeal. The Diocese depends on us to meet its pastoral obligations. Our partici- pation rate in this endeavor has been extremely low. I appeal for your help. Please help us meet our goal before the due date– end of May. Give what you can. I count on your generosity. Thanks in advance for your gener- ous response to this appeal. I strongly believe that together we can renew the life of our parish.

May the grace of God and the renewal of our lives and our parish during this holy season lead to confidently look forward to the joys of Easter! Mungu ni mwema . Fr. Chumo

Sacraments Baptism: A preparation session is required Mass Schedule before the baptism of your child. Monday & Thursday—12:10PM Please call 273-6121 prior to your due date for an Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday—7AM appointment. Vigil Mass Saturday—4:30PM Reconciliation: Saturday 2:30P—4PM Sunday—8:30 & 10:30AM Marriage: Please call 273-6121 at least 6 months in Immaculate Conception Church advance of your anticipated wedding date. George Green Parish Center 113 North Geneva Street Anointing of the Sick: Call 273-6121 to Ithaca, NY 14850 *** 607/273-6121 request this sacrament. Hours: Mon.—Fri. 8:00AM—4:00PM Hospitalizations: Call 273-6121 if your loved one is in the hospital.

NEXT SUNDAY—MARCH 25, 2018 PALM SUNDAY Page 2

Date Mass Intentions The Week Ahead...

Sunday 8:30AM—Tony Chiesa (3rd Anniversay) from His Family SUNDAY, MARCH 18 3-18 10:30AM—For Parishioners 11:45A—HS & MS YTH GRP-CH TUESDAY, MARCH 20 Monday 12:10PM—June “Judy” Protts from Maureen McCabe & Donald Power 1:00P— FOOD PANTRY 3-19 5:30P—ADULT CHOIR-CH Tuesday 7:00AM—Mary Gallagher from the Welch Family WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21 3-20 3:00P—PIETRA FITNESS-PH Wednesday 7:00AM—Eleanor Romanowski from Joseph & MaryAnn Patterson 5:00P—CONTEMP. GRP-CH 3-21 7:00P—KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS-PH THURSDAY, MARCH 22 Thursday 12:10PM—Bill Ehmsen from Kathleen Ehmsen 11A-12 NOON-EXPO/BENED.-CH 3-22 7:00P—LITURGY COMMITTEE-PC Friday 7:00AM—Rinaldo & Giovanna Bordoni and Edwardo & Natalina Porcari FRIDAY, MARCH 23 3-23 From Louise Cornish LENTEN RETREAT@ CASOWASCO Saturday 8:30AM—Edward & Mary Schano from Catherine Schano Lama 5:30P—STATIONS OF THE CROSS-CH 3-24 4:30PM—For Parishioners SATURDAY, MARCH 24 LENTEN RETREAT @ CASOWASCO Sunday 8:30AM—Theresa Flacco from Betty George 8:30AM—MORNING MASS 3-25 10:30AM—Nancy Petricola from Stephen & Nancy Parrott

Stations of the Cross Holy Week Schedule Stations will be held EVERY Friday during March 29 Holy Thursday 7:00pm-Mass of the Lord’s Supper Lent at 5:30pm. This week’s Stations will be 9:45pm—Night Prayer led by the Mercy Associates. March 30 Good Friday 3:00pm—Good Friday Service Bishop Matano’s Visit to our Parish 7:00pm—Living Stations of the Cross The Bishop is visiting our parish on Palm Sunday, March 25. He will preside at 10.30 AM Mass. We are March 31 Holy Saturday 12:00 noon—Easter Food Blessing fortunate to begin Holy Week with his blessings. Plan 7:00pm—Easter Vigil on attending and bring a friend. April 1 Easter Sunday 8:30 & 10:30am—Easter Sunday Mass

Parish Lenten Retreat Easter Flowers & Decorations Have you and/or your family been running non-stop? Do you If you wish to contribute ($10) toward the purchase feel like you haven’t had time for yourself or to connect with of Easter Flowers & Decorations in memory of a each other as a family in a long time? Why not clear your loved one, please contact the Parish Office, 273- calendar and come to our Parish Lenten Retreat! This year’s 6121, or fill out and return the special marked blue retreat will be held March 23-25 at Camp Casowasco in envelopes now available in the rear of church. These do not Moravia, NY. This is a beautiful camp right on the shores of automatically renew, so you must contact the office if you Owasco Lake. There will be time for prayer, faith-learning, wish to have your intention included. Deadline: March 19, Mass, fun and just time to be with other parishioners and/or 2018 together as family. We are also hosting a separate Teen Re- treat which will be facilitated by former parishioner and Im- CEMETERY CLEAN UP maculate Conception Youth Ministry Volunteer, Ryan Barba. All plastic flowers, wreaths & containers need to be removed A small deposit is required to hold your reservation. Regis- from loved ones’ graves no later than Friday, March 23. tration Forms can be found at our parish website, After that date, these items will be removed by our cemetery www.immconch.org, in our parish office or by contacting caretaker in an effort for our Spring Clean-up to commence. Rich Rasmussen at [email protected]. We hope you Thank you for your cooperation with this. can join us for this fun, faith-filled weekend. Our Offering to the Lord CMA 2017-2018 March 11, 2018 CMA has gotten underway. Our grati- Collection 2018 $7,265 tude to everyone who has already made *********************************************** their pledge and contributed. Here is Catholic Relief Services $1,815 our current standing. *********************************************** Attendance 531 (Please make checks payable to Catholic Ministries Appeal)

Goal $60,246

Current status: 201Families 74.65% $43,908

NEXT SUNDAY—MARCH 25, 2018 PALM SUNDAY Page 3

He’s a pretty normal 11 year old kid. He loves sports, music, televi- Learn Swahili with Fr. Chumo sion, video games and most other things that an 11 year old would like. There is one thing that set William Maillis apart from other 11 Bwana utuhurumie = Lord have mercy year olds. He graduated high school at the age of 9 and now attends Kristu utuhurumie = Christ have mercy Carnegie Mellon university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . Okay, so Mwana kondoo = Lamb of God that’s two things. That’s not all. His big dream is to become an as- trophysicist and prove that God does exist. When he was asked why he wanted to make this his mission in life he said “Well because Day 33 THROUGH 40 there’s these atheists that try to say that there is no God, when in "But, I can pray at home.. God is everywhere.".. Very true, but Your reality it takes more faith to believe that there’s no God than it does PRESENCE, Your Witness of HOPE will touch many more while on to believe that there is a God… Because it makes more sense that the street praying… The Lord might be asking YOU to step out of something created the universe than that the universe created itself. the boat and "walk on the water"--to stand in the public view to DE- It takes more faith to say the universe created itself than to say FEND LIFE and save women and men from a lifetime of regret. We something other created the universe because that is more logical.” are the body of Christ. Let us be hope to each other. Parish Day of Prayer continues Thursdays. Join Carolann for Divine Mercy Chap- The faith and conviction of this 11 year old is absolutely something let and Stations of the Cross @ 3PM at the Vigil site, across the to behold. To have that kind of faith is something that we all can hold up as an example and to aspire to. The science vs. faith debate street from Planned Parenthood Closing Prayer 3/24@ 10 am. . is and age old one and has inspired such films as God’s Not Dead and God’s Not Dead 2. It is also one that we have addressed in youth group recently and one in which we look to offer to the parish Our Sanctuary Lamp as a whole in the months to come via adult faith formation. will Burn this week in Memory of However, the faith and conviction of this 11 year old is absolutely Jim & Carole Harvill something to behold. To have that kind of faith is something that we From Mary Edsall-Golway all can hold up as an example and to aspire to. May we all continue to place our faith in our God and Creator of all things good. Notre Dame H.S. Enrolling For 2018-2019 Notre Dame High School, Grades 7-12, is now accepting registra- tions for the 2018-2019 academic year. Tours and shadowing ex- periences are highly encouraged. Prospective students can choose Chickens for Charities! to spend a half or full day at Notre Dame attending classes, making Get out of cooking AND support a great cause. On Saturday, new friends, touring the school and enjoying lunch. Tours and March 24, from noon until gone, the Eagles Club of Ithaca will be shadowing experiences may be scheduled by contacting Michelle hosting a delicious chicken BBQ to benefit Catholic Charities’ Barkley at 734-2267 ext. 321. An application for admission can be work in Tompkins County. Cost is $10 per dinner, which in- obtained at www.notredamehighschool.com. A busing option is cludes: half BBQ chicken; salt potatoes; baked beans; roll and available for students residing in Ithaca and the surrounding com- dessert. We’ll also have fun raffle baskets. The Eagles Club is munities; the bus ride is approximately 40 minutes. Currently located at 161 Cecil Malone Drive, behind Wegman’s. Advanced Notre Dame has students from Trumansburg, Lansing, and Ithaca. tickets aren’t needed but they sure are helpful. They’ll be on sale after the Masses this weekend and at Catholic Charities (324 W. Buffalo St., Ithaca or by calling 272-5062 ext. 12.) and at the Ea- Women’s Weekend Retreat at Notre Dame Retreat House gles Club. Eat in or take out. 5151 Foster Road, Canandaigua, NY 14424 April 13—15, 2018 PARISH STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION “Faith, Hope and Love” Main Office 607/273-6121 The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that “The theo- logical virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity.” Fr. Augustine Chumo ext. 105 Fax: 607/273-0185 This year’s retreat will focus on building a firm foundation of Pastor www.immconch.org

Faith in which Hope and Love will grow. Join us as we discover [email protected] [email protected] www.facebook.com/immconch how these three virtues, “inform and give life to all other virtues.” Erika Linsdell ext. 101 Contact: Maureen Seeley at [email protected] or 607-589-6453 Parish Administrative Assistant YOUTH & FAMILY [email protected] Rich Rasmussen ext. 102

Pastoral & Catechetical leader Yes! I'd like to learn more about Parish Pastoral Council. Gary Vrabel ext. 111 [email protected] Music Ministry Name: [email protected] Dan Hurley-Deacon 585-319-8205

E-mail: [email protected] Phone: David Zellinger Finance Director [email protected] *Please cut out and place this slip in the collection basket by BULLETIN REQUESTS: Sunday, April 1 to be contacted. Kathleen Adessa E-mail: Bookkeeping [email protected] Alternatively, you may also email this information to the Parish [email protected] no later than Mondays @ 4p Pastoral Council chair directly to [email protected] Calvary Cemetery 272-5780 Thank you for your interest! 638 Five Mile Drive, Ithaca

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