Interstate Catholic

I wish this guy was running

2012-01-24T17:01:00.000-05:00

Run Jeb, run!

Megadeth seminarian

2012-01-20T11:30:00.000-05:00

David Ellefson plays bass for Megadeth.

Mr. Ellefson is taking online courses to become a Lutheran pastor.

The new Megadeth tour starts in a few weeks. And yes, he is touring with the band.

Some catholics will remember Brother Bonizzi, aka Brother Metal. Now retired from the band, he could belt out a heavy metal tune. He must have been interesting at vespers.

So it seems that there are some metal heads in every denomination.

Don't let this happen to you!

2012-01-18T02:25:00.001-05:00

The rest of the story

2011-12-01T15:27:00.000-05:00

Holy Family Middle School

So the Diocese of Rochester is closing Holy Family Middle School in Elmira, NY. The 6th graders are going to St. Mary's School (bad move). The 7th and 8th grade students are going to be at Notre Dame High School. Declining attendance and high maintenance costs. Cut and dry. Nothing else to report on.

On the contrary.

It seems that the number of students at Notre Dame High School has been declining for the past several years as well. Thus the available space for the 7th and 8th graders. So catholic education as a whole is having problems in the Elmira area.

Also, it seems that "representatives" of the diocese have been regularly visiting Elmira the past several months look at the whole configuration of churches in the Elmira area. The closing of the Holy Family Middle School is just the first shot in what appears to be a downsizing of the churches in the Elmira area.

Stay tuned.

New York's bishops begin Vatican visit :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

2011-11-24T15:40:00.000-05:00

New York's bishops begin Vatican visit :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Mass and a protest

2011-11-05T16:32:00.000-04:00

Occupy Rochester has taken up residence in Washington Square Park in the city.

St. Mary's Church in downtown Rochester sits behind the park. How convenient.

I can go to mass or the mid-day prayer service, and then right to the park to protest the "corporate" DoR.

Oh, they're protesting about something else?

I think you have to go to St. Joseph's Park (remember Jim Callan's breakaway announcement there) to conduct a religious protest.

The sociologist in me says it's time to take a drive down there to see what exactly is going on. Maybe next week. If I go, I'll give a report.

Probably just a coincidence

2011-11-04T11:00:00.001-04:00

An asteroid will be close to the earth on November 8th.

A country wide test of the emergency alert system will be November 9th at 2:00 p.m. which will last for 3 minutes.

It probably is just a coincidence. Unless you're reading those papers in the checkout line at the grocery store.

We'll see.

News Item: Cardinal Law turns 80

2011-11-04T02:40:00.001-04:00

Cardinal Law is no longer eligible to vote in a papal election. I don't see that as a bad thing.

The whine will be flowing

2011-10-26T01:34:00.000-04:00

Bring on the giant puppets!

It's time for the Call to Action convention, being held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on November 4th thru November 6th 2011.

From what I read they are not happy campers when it comes to the 3rd edition of the Roman Missal. There's a surprise.

I'm sure the DoR (past and present members) will be well represented.

Just go away!

2011-10-19T19:38:00.000-04:00

Schismatic Bishop Richard Williamson

Susan Sarandon

Birds of a feather when it comes to insulting Pope Benedict XVI.

Rejected CMA 2011 slogans

2011-10-12T13:27:00.001-04:00

The Catholic Ministries Appeal in the Diocese of Rochester is well under way. As I prayerfully contemplate how much to give, I offer you a list of CMA slogans that were rejected by the diocese.

"Chasing away the orthodox since 1979."

"A little like Spiritus Christi."

"Give before your church closes."

"Priests Wanted."

"Liturgical dance the night away."

"Pastoral Planning is awesome, dude!"

"Kinda like the United Way."

"Meet the goal or I'm not retiring."

"In communion with Pope what's-his-name."

"Let's make lots of money."

A new ministry for Dennis Shaw

2011-10-07T18:12:00.000-04:00

http://auburnpub.com/news/local/article_89918ed0-eca2-11e0-8a4b-001cc4c002e0.html

It's Catholic Ministries Appeal time again

2011-09-19T02:36:00.001-04:00

Giving thanks for fewer catholic schools, churches, and priests.

Give, give, give.

In Appreciation

2011-09-03T03:14:00.001-04:00

St. Andrew Church

Rochester, NY

Didn't need major repairs

2011-09-03T02:29:00.000-04:00

The former Church of the Annunciation on Norton Street. The gift of bad pastoral planning that keeps on giving.

Pray for God's mercy

2011-08-26T19:10:00.000-04:00

Hurricane Irene and still the possibility of aftershocks from the earthquake. Time for prayer. We will all be affected by this storm.

Hopefully the DoR bought the extended warranty

2011-08-15T18:00:00.000-04:00

There was a malfunction of the Halloran-All Saints organ at the Cathedral yesterday. I don't know what happened, all I heard was a hissing sound and then it was turned off and not used for the rest of the 11:15 mass.

Can we get our money back?

Will they use the new missal as well?

2011-07-13T19:48:00.001-04:00

I'm speaking of the hundreds of churches out there that call themselves catholic but are not in communion with Rome. How about it Spiritus Christi? Anything St. Mary Magdalen? Ray?

Music to bounce around to

2011-07-02T01:38:00.001-04:00

There's phishing in Watkins Glen this weekend!

I think I'll dedicate this to those who had to "bounce around" this past Tuesday and at 6:00 p.m. began their new pastoral assignments in the Diocese of Rochester. Good Luck! I'll continue to bounce around some Sundays, visiting different DoR churches when possible.

Girls will be boys and boys will be girls

2011-06-24T23:13:00.001-04:00

100th anniversary mass at Ss.Peter and Paul Church

2011-06-19T23:04:00.001-04:00

Next Sunday June 26th at noon, 725 West Main Street, Rochester, NY. Bishop Clark will be the celebrant.

I was at the church for its closing mass. It is a beautiful church. Hope to be there next Sunday. I actually see myself in this picture!

Batting Average .000

2011-06-12T03:04:00.001-04:00

I'm in a deeper slump than Jason Bay.

Wanted to go to the diaconate ordination at the cathedral last weekend. Didn't make it.

Wanted to go to Brother Isaac's ordination to the diaconate at the Abbey of the Genesee two days ago. Didn't make it.

Wanted to go to Scott Caton's ordination to the priesthood yesterday. Had a prior commitment, couldn't make it.

Three strikes, I'm out!

Well, back to cutting grass with Archbishop Sheen. Thank God for catholic radio.

Congratulations to all the above who have been ordained to serve God and His people.

To wear or not to wear

2011-05-25T16:55:00.000-04:00

It's new, he has to wear it at least once to see if it fits.

I used to listen to this guy?

2011-05-21T02:52:00.001-04:00

There actually is a revelation on this May 21st, 2011. I used to listen to Harold Camping. Hearing his voice, it finally hit me.

In the early 90's when I used to drive home from Rochester NY, I would listen to this guy on christian radio. I didn't seek it out, I was just channel surfing. And in the early 90's, he was predicting the end of the world in 1994. Of course it didn't happen and the radio show went on. After all, the ministry still needed donations. And now with the Internet, it really is a big deal. A larger outlet. Larger donations! Some say around 72 million. But he has been preaching the end of the world for decades. He isn't the only one using this concept. If the world is ending, you might as well give the preacher your money. Funny how the preachers never give up their possessions.

The "End Times" have always been a big and profitable business for some Christian leaders. Unfortunately, most of the money has come at the expense of the poor, the elderly, and others who could least afford to make a sizable donation.

Head Jesus' free advice. Be on constant guard, for you know not the day or the hour. Or what time zone.

...and I feel fine

2011-05-19T22:08:00.002-04:00

I'll save that REM song for the first Sunday of Advent.

Another important ordination in the Diocese of Rochester

2011-05-19T15:47:00.000-04:00

From the Abbey of the Genesee website:

Home For The Summer

Late yesterday evening Br. Isaac returned from his final semester for the academic year at Catholic University armed with a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree (S.T.B.), a degree required for ordination to the priesthood. Moving right along to that end he will be ordained to the diaconate here at the Abbey by Bishop Matthew Clark on Friday, June 10th. Later in the summer he will return to Catholic University to study for a Licentiate in Sacred Theology prior to ordination to the priesthood sometime next year. Do keep him in prayer as he prepares for ordination.

It seems like it was yesterday that Brother Isaac was an observer at the abbey. And now he is one year closer to being ordained a priest for the monastic community. Congratulations to Brother Isaac.

News Item: A survey finds that young New Yorkers are planning to leave the state.

2011-05-13T22:30:00.004-04:00

Lack of jobs and high taxes. Nothing to do with gay marriage.

It's a good day

2011-05-01T02:10:00.000-04:00

Blessed John Paul II

Pray for us

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T01:48:00.001-04:00

Servant and Steward: Bishop Paprocki authorizes St. Michael Prayer afte...

2011-04-22T22:53:00.000-04:00

Servant and Steward: Bishop Paprocki authorizes St. Michael Prayer afte...: "His Excellency the Most Reverend Thomas John Paprocki, Bishop of Springfield in Illinois, has authorized the public recitation of the Prayer..."

Brockport parishioner to be ordained to the priesthood - in Buffalo

2011-04-22T22:28:00.000-04:00

The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Brockport has an article in their bulletin stating that parishioner Dan Serbicki is being ordained to the priesthood on June 4th, 2011 at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Buffalo, NY.

Congratulations to Dan and best wishes for a good and holy priesthood. And congratulations to the Brockport catholic community.

Good Friday

2011-04-22T02:48:00.000-04:00

Bring your helmet to the meetings

2011-04-20T20:01:00.000-04:00

"One priest described the pastoral planning in this diocese like crouching in a foxhole with bullets whizzing overhead."

Fr. Mike Mayer, current sacramental minister at St. Pius the Tenth in Chili, has a new blog. Glad he is back in the blogging business. Check it out.

http://www.faithfillednotes.blogspot.com/

I still like this song years later

2011-04-13T14:49:00.001-04:00

A shortage of volunteers

2011-04-12T02:11:00.000-04:00

How much will I get paid? Nothing!

There was an article in the local paper about the shortage of volunteer firefighters and how fire companies are out looking for new members to beef up their ranks. No money, but the opportunity to make a difference in the life of their community is the selling point.

It also looks like the church is short on unpaid volunteers as well. Church bulletin after church bulletin has articles asking for volunteers to perform a variety of ministries.

Not everything in life can be measured in dollars and cents. Some of the best rewards come when you give of your time.

I'm not going to write about what you should do in the church. Just remember that some of the most important ministries in the church are the unpaid ones. Find something you like and get involved.

This old church

2011-04-12T01:47:00.000-04:00

I'm not talking about the buildings. I'm talking about the people.

I've attended two Lenten presentations in the past few weeks, one in Rochester and one in the Southern Tier. And they both had one thing in common. Both had an older crowd. And I mean, an older crowd. At 52, I was one of the younger ones. There were a few younger than me but not many. Most were of the Social Security age group.

We are definitely in a battle with the modern world in regards to involving our younger Catholics in the life of the Church.

News Item: Irondequoit's population remains steady in census report 2000-2010

2011-04-05T16:58:00.000-04:00

Around 50,000+.

Can't use the population is declining excuse to explain the closing of St. Thomas and St. Salome, or in the decline in mass attendance over the past 10 years. I'm still wondering where these parishioners are attending church these days. If you are a parishioner, drop a comment on where you are attending church these days, if you are attending church at all.

St. Bernard's to open extension site in Syracuse Diocese

2011-03-30T17:24:00.001-04:00

There has been no official announcement, but if all goes as planned, St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry will be opening an extension site at Lemoyne College in Syracuse, NY. If all goes as planned, courses may begin as early as this fall. They already have an extension site in the Albany Diocese.

More as it becomes available.

Maryknoll gives Bourgeois notice of removal from order

2011-03-30T13:23:00.000-04:00

Maryknoll gives Bourgeois notice of removal from order

Reading the e-mail from parishioners in the Diocese of Rochester

2011-03-21T11:19:00.000-04:00

You're attending a bad Lenten soup supper

2011-03-17T02:59:00.000-04:00

ZENIT - China's Bishop Xiwanzi Dies at 95

2011-03-13T18:54:00.000-04:00

ZENIT - China's Bishop Xiwanzi Dies at 95

Pa. bishop appeals rare Vatican ruling on closed churches :: The Republic

2011-03-12T02:19:00.000-05:00

Pa. bishop appeals rare Vatican ruling on closed churches :: The Republic

Thou art dust

2011-03-07T12:48:00.001-05:00

And the older I get, the closer I get to becoming dust.

Another Ash Wednesday is upon us in two days. One of the latest starts to the holy season of lent that I can remember. Ash Wednesday is the true sign that spring is close at hand, even though it continues to snow outside.

A snowy day is a good day to bulletin browse on the Internet. It seems that Ash Wednesday is more well attended in some parishes than in others. I have read about parishes where there are very few masses, to parishes that are having several masses in addition to liturgy of the word services with ashes. And from what I have been reading, the soup suppers will be plentiful this Lenten season. It seems every parish is having a soup supper this Lent.

I find it somewhat funny that grown adults will still give up items such as candy or deserts for Lent, the same practice that they have been doing since they were children. Time to get out of that rut, Catholics. And then there is the no drinking during Lent crowd with their St. Patrick's Day exemption.

I still have no idea how my Lent is going to go this year. I will leave that to the Holy Spirit. Some years it goes well, in other years it goes not so well. So I hope and pray that this isn't one of the bad years. I'll still go to the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral during Holy Week. I wonder who the dancer(s) will be this year? I'll just sit there and offer it up. But before the mass starts, I can spend some time in the corner before the Blessed Sacrament.

May you have a prayerful holy season of Lent.

BREAD OF LIFE: SPLINTER CATHOLICS HAVE IT THEIR WAY

2011-03-01T02:37:00.002-05:00

BREAD OF LIFE: SPLINTER CATHOLICS HAVE IT THEIR WAY: "by John Burger The map at the subway station on Manhattan's East Side shows it as St. Michael's LiberalCatholic Church. Liberal ..."

The Spiritus Christi piece is dated, but the rest of the article is good reading. Just a reminder of what is out there for "Catholic" churches on the far left and far right that are not in communion with Rome.

Pope John Paul II beatification events to last three days, all events free :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

2011-02-22T20:12:00.001-05:00

Pope John Paul II beatification events to last three days, all events free :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Bishop Matthew Clark will be celebrating with the St. Stanislaus, Rochester NY parish community, offering a mass of thanksgiving on May 1st, which is also Divine Mercy Sunday.

This could (does?) apply to the Catholic Church as well

2011-02-15T17:52:00.001-05:00

The other Spiritus Christi

2011-02-15T02:33:00.000-05:00

http://www.spirituschristifairfield.org/

Vatican denies clampdown on liturgical reform :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

2011-02-10T12:47:00.000-05:00

Vatican denies clampdown on liturgical reform :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Update: Expert weighs in on Pittsford man's prediction that the world ends May 21st. | www.WHEC.com

2011-02-09T22:39:00.000-05:00

Update: Expert weighs in on Pittsford man's prediction that the world ends May 21st. www.WHEC.com

Jesus didn't know the day or the hour but this guy does?

Maybe this is the day that a coadjutor is named for the DOR.

Wanna buy into a baseball team?

2011-01-28T18:46:00.000-05:00

I'm a little short in my offer of two cents.

Boo-hoo, Bernie Made-off with my baseball team.

Making a comeback?

2011-01-28T02:15:00.000-05:00

Yeah I know the blog has been crap lately.

I blame it on writer's block.

Anyway, the Rochester mayoral special election is getting very interesting.

Remember, you too could be mayor of Rochester, New York.

But you have to be appointed by the pope to be its bishop.

John Paul II's beatification approved for May 1, Divine Mercy Sunday :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

2011-01-16T21:15:00.001-05:00

John Paul II's beatification approved for May 1, Divine Mercy Sunday :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

It will be hard for those parishes who tend to ignore Divine Mercy Sunday to do so this year. They have mass but you never hear them mention or preach about Divine Mercy.

It also will be a joyous time for the parishioners from that church on the corner of Hudson Ave. and Norton St. as well. IC is especially happy for the polish people of St. Stanislaus.

"Money For Nothing" censored in Canada

2011-01-16T12:30:00.001-05:00

I agree with this decision. Chicks are never free. I'm glad they censored that line.

Oh wait, they censored something else in the song. These days its called the "F" word.

I'm not sure if the other dozen bands that have that word in their songs have been censored as well.

Say a prayer for Sister Grace Miller

2011-01-10T12:38:00.000-05:00

Sister Grace Miller of the House of Mercy on Hudson Ave. in Rochester was injured in a one car accident in Corning, NY yesterday. She had to be cut out of her vehicle. Sister is currently a patient at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA.

One last look at Christmas

2011-01-10T12:19:00.000-05:00

The church "goes green" starting today.

Where's the Media? L.A. Att'y Declares Many Abuse Accusations Against Catholic Priests Are 'Entirely False'

2011-01-04T22:16:00.001-05:00

Where's the Media? L.A. Att'y Declares Many Abuse Accusations Against Catholic Priests Are 'Entirely False'

Is anybody really surprised? Greed is also a deadly sin last time I looked.

'Battle' of the Marinis revisited in the news

2010-12-26T21:57:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T15:57:00.000-05:00

A Blessed Christmas to you and your families.

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/

2010-12-22T02:50:00.002-05:00

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/

Good ole New York. The Empire State. A whole 2.1% increase in population. I wonder what the upstate/downstate population divide is these days?

New Priest Administrator in Auburn

2010-12-16T03:29:00.001-05:00

Fr. Michael Conboy has been named administrator of Holy Family Church in Auburn.

My guess is that this is a temporary position until after the new year. Fr. Conboy is a retired priest of the DoR.

If the Auburn pastoral plan is followed, I expect to see a reduction in masses being offered in the Auburn churches in the coming year with one less active priest available.

They're moving fast

2010-12-10T21:53:00.000-05:00

From the Our Lady of Perpetual Help website in Rochester, NY:

"Anyone wishing to see the Church before it's imminent closing, should probably plan to come to the only Mass for Christmas, which is the Midnight Mass (yes, Midnight). Rumor has it that the change in Mass schedule for the newly created St. Francis Xavier Parish (Corpus Christi, St. Michael's, and Annunciation) will take effect the middle of January. We officially received the "sealed" letter from the Bishop about the new Parish effective December 13th."

Still For Sale by the DoR

2010-12-05T04:13:00.000-05:00

Most Precious Blood property $985,000.

St. George Lithuanian property $390,000.

St. John the Evangelist School on West Ridge Road $1,390,000. The original church is for sale or lease as well.

I know there are other church and school properties available and will be available in the future but this is just an idea what the going price is for church real estate these days. As with all real estate it's location, location, and location.

There is a difference

2010-11-28T21:14:00.000-05:00

CHURCH: the consecrated building where the parish community
gathers to celebrate the Eucharistic Liturgy, the Sacraments and
their life together as the Body of Christ.

WORSHIP SITE: an auxiliary location where Eucharistic Liturgy is
celebrated when either the distance to the parish Church is
prohibitive or the Church lacks adequate capacity to accommodate
parishioners attending the Liturgy.

Source: http://www.savestmarys.net/

So the next time the DoR talks about worship sites in your planning group, throw these definitions at them.

"Light of the World" on my shopping list

2010-11-28T02:30:00.001-05:00

I'm looking forward to reading the latest offering of the Holy Father.

News Item: UN removes 'sexual orientation' from execution proscription

2010-11-27T21:41:00.020-05:00

This execution pictured is of two homosexual teenagers that took place in Iran in 2005 for the "crime" of homosexuality.

In favor of the amendment to remove sexual orientation from the UN resolution on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions (79 nations):

Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Brunei Dar-Sala, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Comoros, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Now let me hear it again how the Roman Catholic Church and the United States is so intolerant of Gays and Lesbians. Seems like the UN is the intolerant body here.

CBC News - Windsor - Edmund Fitzgerald sinking mystery endures

2010-11-10T19:09:00.007-05:00

CBC News - Windsor - Edmund Fitzgerald sinking mystery endures

35 years ago today. Just played the song by Gordon Lightfoot as a tribute to this brave crew.

Bishop Clark studied here

2010-11-09T22:27:00.000-05:00

The Blue Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral the other day reminded me of this.

This aerial view is of the New York State Department of Corrections training academy in Albany, NY.

So what's the connection to Bishop Clark?

The main brick building you see in this picture is the former Mater Christi Seminary which was the seminary for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. The seminary closed in 1969 and the property was leased and ultimately purchased by the NYS Department of Corrections for their training academy. Bishops Clark and Hubbard both attended Mater Christi as seminarians.

Monroe-Clinton Catholic Churches reducing mass schedules next year

2010-11-05T23:00:00.000-04:00

Starting at the end of June 2011, the three churches in the Monroe-Clinton pastoral planning group will reduce their mass schedule. Currently, there are nine masses at three worship sites, those being at Blessed Sacrament, St. Boniface, and St. Mary. The number of masses will be reduced to six total. Two priests will be serving these three churches.

Source: St. Mary's Bulletin 11/7/2010

The debate rages on

2010-11-04T20:17:00.000-04:00

Is IC on the reading list of the DoR? Not a chance!

That out of the way, I would like to say that this was one month that I actually read most of the Catholic Courier. I blame Fr. Hart. I loved his line about schisms being more about egos than theological differences. I concur.

I answered all of the questions on the front page of the paper on the different issues facing catholics today. Answering these questions didn't really label me conservative or liberal in the end. It did remind me how diverse Catholics really are. For better or worse, we have people sitting in the pews next to us that will not totally agree with us on every religious or social topic. But it makes for great debates from the pews, to the parish councils, to the pastoral center, to the blogs. Some debates have been going on since the early days of the Church. Thank God for the gift of the Eucharist because the church would have splintered more than it has throughout the centuries without it.

The debate on what the Church will (should) be will continue long after we are gone. I think we can all agree that it is better to debate than not to care at all. The debate used to be between the clergy. Now it's between all Roman Catholics. You can thank Vatican II for that.

Rochester -- A shrinking city | www.WHEC.com

2010-11-01T19:02:00.002-04:00

Rochester -- A shrinking city www.WHEC.com

And what are you going to do for upstate, NYC politician(s)?

100 years ago, railroads brought people upstate. A century later, the interstate highways are taking people out of upstate.

How many catholics do you know that left upstate?

The best Halloween horror show in town

2010-10-31T16:57:00.000-04:00

We are in the final days- of the Buffalo Bills.

Same old election crap?

2010-10-30T22:14:00.000-04:00

Cuomo wins the Governor's race.

Young people graduate college and leave NY for other states.

It's the 80's all over again.

I doubt Andy is going to reform his daddy's policies.

There will still be 10 masses in Northeast Rochester

2010-10-27T16:26:00.001-04:00

Assuming 6 masses, using 3 worship sites planned for the clustered churches is approved, there will still be 10 masses in the Northeast Rochester City region. Last time I looked, St. Stanislaus was still in Northeast Rochester and is included in this 10 mass schedule. I only say this because some media people are saying that only three churches will be left in the northeast part of the city. The schedule could look like this:

5 masses in English
3 masses in Spanish
1 mass in Polish
1 mass in Latin in the Extraordinary Form

Plenty of opportunities for worship and social ministry.

The NE City Pastoral Plan

2010-10-25T23:49:00.002-04:00

So the plan is out. First of all, I want to congratulate the pastoral planning team. You did in four months what most planning groups do in one year or longer. And did most of it in the summertime. I'm sure it wasn't an easy task.

So will it work? Time will tell.

It appears to me that previous sacrifices were taken into account when deciding worship sites. Take the Church of the Annunciation (Light of Christ). They sold their modern church and moved into the parish hall. Our Lady of the Americas went from three worship sites to one site, Corpus Christi Church. Having said this, it will be interesting to see if they will survive. Especially Our Lady of the Americas with their $500,000 debt.

With outside help (major fundraiser?), I'm convinced that St. Michael Church can survive. I've written this before and I'll repeat it. A closed St. Michael's would be a disaster, not only for the diocese, but for the City of Rochester as well. Most out of town visitors think that it is a cathedral. It is one of the most historic buildings in the county, if not the state.

It is sad that St. Andrew Church (Light of Christ) and Our Lady of Perpetual Help will be closing. Both worship sites are a victim of declining attendance and higher costs. Both churches are close to other catholic churches. But both have vibrant, faith filled parishioners. The new parish will need their talents.

The plan is now in the bishop's hands. Whatever happens, it is good to know that the social ministries will continue and may even expand. Let me say it again. And I'm including St. Stanislaus Church in this as well. Catholic social ministries in the city are second to none, thanks to your parishes and parishioners. You have every reason to be proud of your accomplishments now and in the future.

Words of comfort in these difficult days

2010-10-25T18:51:00.002-04:00

"The greatest thing is helping people." "I'm not into building buildings. I'm into building people."

-The late Fr. Neil Miller, former pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Rochester NY.

"GOD, and GOD ALONE, IS OUR HOPE AND OUR SALVATION"

-Fr. Mike Mayer, former pastor of Light of Christ Parish, Rochester NY.

http://www.faithperformances.blogspot.com/

Pray for the parishioners of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Light of Christ @ St. Andrew.

They almost closed 30 years ago

2010-10-22T03:11:00.001-04:00

I'm talking about Corpus Christi Church and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Rochester, NY.

Both churches were on the chopping block 30 years ago. Declining revenues and attendance almost closed these two church buildings in the early 80's. Both made a "comeback" in the 80's and 90's but have been in a slow decline the past 10 years.

Now in the year 2010, we see both churches facing the same problems that they were facing 30 years ago. But now they are part of a cluster and an upcoming pastoral plan. Will they survive this time? Based on finances and attendance, it doesn't look promising.

I wonder where they went to mass?

2010-10-09T03:43:00.000-04:00

I know it's still early but where did the displaced parishioners in Irondequoit go to mass last weekend?

They didn't go to the other Irondequoit Catholic Churches.

The new mass schedule is off to a slow start.

I was expecting at least a little spike in the attendance at the remaining churches with St. Salome ending weekend masses and St. Thomas down to one Sunday mass. Boy, was I wrong!

It's going to be a long, bumpy ride for the new parish. Down almost 500 people for weekend mass is not a good start.