BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH
MISSION STATEMENT
We, the people of Blessed Sacrament, being centered in Christ,
nurtured by the Eucharist, are called to extend Christ's peace and
compassion to all. The mission of our parish is to be a loving
vibrant Catholic community of faith, dedicated to the growth of
God's Kingdom and the living gospel. We are committed to
spiritual growth through prayer, education, worship and service.
3127 JAMES STREET ● SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 13206
October 11, 2015
PASTORAL STAFF:
Pastor: Rev. Peter Reddick
Deacon: Daniel Stevens
In Residence: Rev. Joseph O'Connor
Rev. Msgr. Timothy Elmer
School Principal:
Andrea Polcaro
Faith Formation Coordinator:
Donna Hurn
Confirmation Coordinator:
Maureen Giocondo
Parish Outreach Coordinator:
Janice Corcoran
Minister to Sick, Elderly & Homebound:
John Macko
Minister of Music:
Mary Lynn Giacobbe
Secretary: Mary Rougeau, Jack-Lynn
Corcoran
Bookkeeper: Marie Tassone
MASS SCHEDULE: See Inside
TELEPHONES:
Rectory .............................. 437-3394
School ............................... 463-1261
Convent ............................. 437-4623
Parish Outreach ................ 437-4462
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION:
4:00 to 4:45 p.m. Saturdays
BAPTISM:
Parents must attend baptismal class.
Please call the Rectory for an
appointment.
MARRIAGE:
Arrangements should be made at
least six months in advance.
WEBSITE ADDRESS & E-MAIL:
BlessedSacramentSyracuse.com
email: bsc00105@aol.com
DIOCESE OF SYRACUSE WEBSITE:
www.syrdio.org
AUNT TEE
Maya Angelou, the American poet who died last year, told a story about her
Aunt Theresa, whom she called Aunt Tee, who worked as a housekeeper for a
couple in Bel Air, California. She lived with the couple in their fourteen-room
ranch house. They were a very quiet couple, and as they had gotten older they
had stopped entertaining their friends and even spoke less to each other. Aunt
Tee, on the other hand, enjoyed entertaining her friends on Saturday evening.
She would cook up a feast, her friends would come over, and there was always
plenty of laughter coming from her room. One Saturday evening, as they were
playing cards, the old couple called her. They said:" Theresa, we don't mean to
disturb you. We hear you and your friends laughing every Saturday night and
you seem to be having such a good time – could we come over and just watch?"
Aunt Tee said her heart went out to them. They had a spacious house,
swimming pool, three cars - but no joy.
The old couple sounds very much like the rich young man in the Gospel
reading today. There was something missing in his life and he couldn’t put his
finger on it. He apparently wasn't an evil person; he was a good person
honestly seeking the right path. Jesus didn't disapprove of his life style, and he
certainly approved of his attitude. The Gospel says that Jesus "looked on him
with love." He is the only person in all the Gospels whom Jesus calls
personally, and who personally rejects Jesus' call. Jesus spoke sadly of the
man's handicap; that he had too many things in his life to distract him from what
would really make him happy. He was in his comfort zone but it wasn't giving
him the comfort he expected; he knew that there must be something more.
When Jesus told him how to get it he went away sad, because he felt trapped.
He couldn't take the risk and let go of the things that were making him unhappy
because they were too comfortable and too familiar.
Some of us might find ourselves in the same position as that young man.
Maybe some of our possessions, as good as they might be in themselves, do
nothing more than distract us from our families, our jobs, our responsibilities.
Maybe some of our attitudes or values which we have picked up along the way
are now unhealthy or destructive to ourselves or others. Perhaps we need to
pray, as Solomon did in the first reading, for Wisdom and Understanding and
Insight. Perhaps we need to look at the things that we are hanging on to that
might be distracting us from our families, responsibilities, God: the real
happiness that by nature we have been created to seek. Perhaps we need to
ask for the courage and strength to identify these things or attitudes that are
making us unhappy and pray for the grace that we can, unlike the young man in
the Gospel reading, simply let these things go.
Fr. Peter
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH
MASS INTENTIONS
WEEKEND MASS
CHAPEL
Monday, October 12
8:00 am – Bob and Deceased Members of the Decker
Family – Joan Decker
Tuesday, October 13
6:45 am – Ken VanFleet - Karl Knittel and Mary Farrell
Wednesday, October 14
8:00 am – Michael LaFex – Elena DeVita
Thursday, October 15
6:45 am – Elizabeth Duprey - Karl Knittel and Mary Farrell
Friday, October 16
8:00 am – James DiBello – Family
MASS INTENTIONS
WEEKEND MASS
CHURCH
Saturday, October 17
5:00 pm – Elgia and Anthony Cannavino – Maria Cafferelli
Sunday, October 18
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
7:30 am – Tony Garafalo – 3rd Anniversary - Wife
9:30 am* – Deceased members of the Basile and DeSocio
Families – Dolores Basile
*Interpreted Mass for Hearing Impaired
11:30 am – People of the Parish
WEEKEND MASS – ST. VINCENT'S
Saturday at 4:00 pm; Sunday at 9:30 am
SANCTUARY LAMPS IN MEMORY OF:
Timothy Leogue – Pat & Dennis Leogue, Parents
Michael Patrick McCormick – Family
Harriet Bonfe - Sue Bauer
We are grateful for your
offertory on October 4 of
$9,655.00.
-
OCTOBER EVENTS CALENDAR
Tuesday, October 13
5:00 p.m. – Youth Ensemble Rehearsal – School
Wednesday, October 14
7:00 p.m. – Confirmation II – Evening of Reflection with
Sponsors – School Cafeteria
Thursday, October 15
6:00 p.m. – Children's Choir Rehearsal - School
7:30 p.m. – Adult Choir Rehearsal – School
Sunday, October 18
10:30 a.m. – Faith Formation Classes – School
10:30 a.m. – Coffee and Donut Hour – School
6:00 p.m. – Confirmation II - Cafeteria
Tuesday, October 20
5:00 p.m. – Youth Ensemble Rehearsal - School
Thursday, October 22
6:00 p.m. – Children's Choir Rehearsal - School
7:30 p.m. – Adult Choir Rehearsal – School
Friday, October 23
6:30 p.m. – Haunted House Events– School Gym/Cafeteria
Saturday, October 24
6:30 p.m. – Haunted House Events– School Gym/Cafeteria
Sunday, October 25
10:30 a.m. – Faith Formation Classes – School
10:30 a.m. – Coffee and Donut Hour – School
6:00 p.m. – Confirmation I - Cafeteria
Tuesday, October 27
5:00 p.m. – Youth Ensemble Rehearsal - School
Thursday, October 29
6:00 p.m. – Children's Choir Rehearsal - School
7:30 p.m. – Adult Choir Rehearsal – School
Saturday, October 31
5:00 p.m. – All Souls Remembrance Mass
NOTE: There are no Faith Formation classes and Coffee
Hour on October 11.
HAUNTED HOUSE
Anyone who will be attending a weekend Mass at St.
Vincent's, please place your offertory envelope into their
basket. It will be returned to us and you will be given credit.
MARRIAGE BANNS
Third:
October 11, 2015
Kathryn McDaniel and Ted Lambert
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray for David Gromada, Corey Clarke, Antoinette
Malone, Harold Thompson, Shari Rustay, Miriam Kelly,
Dorothy Wells, Norma Hamilton, Norman Snyder, Anthony
Pelose, Agnes Maley, Ted Niedzwiecki, Lucy Niedzwiecki,
Ray Brunet, Peter Vercillo, Betty Jarvis, Joseph Jarvis,
Carolyn Armstrong, Jeff Worth, John Gersbacher, and
Grace McNamara.
(These prayer requests will remain for one month on the list and for
them to continue or to be removed, or to add a new name, please
contact the rectory.)
Blessed Sacrament's PTA Spectacular Haunted House is
October 23 and 24 from 6:30-9:00 in the school gym. The
most spectacular, scary, spooky, FUN haunted house in
Central New York! Food, fun and games for young and old
in the cafeteria. Come one, come all and enjoy.
CYO BOYS BASKETBALL
The Blessed Sacrament/St Vincent’s CYO Basketball for
boys in grades 9-12 will hold an open gym Sunday,
November 1 at 6 pm in the Blessed Sacrament school gym.
Coaches are needed for both the JV and Varsity teams. If
you have an interest in coaching, helping with game duties,
or need volunteer time for school, please contact James
Moran at 315.214.3498.
HARVEST FESTIVAL
Transfiguration Church, 740 Teall Avenue, on Sunday,
October 11 from 12Noon until 3PM. Polish Dinner Plate or
Kielbasy Sandwich. Crafts and Cake/Baked goods sale.
Adults - $13 / Children under 12 - $5 / under 6 – free.
BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
WHOLE COMMUNITY CATECHESIS
Supporting the Whole Community of Faith
Like many of us, the man in today’s gospel lived a good life
and was obedient to God. He probably felt pretty confident
in what Jesus’ answer would be when he asked what he
had to do in order to be part of God’s Kingdom. Jesus
questioned him asking if the man lived according to God’s
laws. The man was a good man and said that he did.
Jesus took interest in the man and even invited him to be a
follower. But Jesus asked the man to do the hardest thing.
Jesus asked the man to give away all his possessions and
then come follow him. It was a sad moment for both Jesus
and the man, because the man owned many material
goods and could not part with them.
We live in a time when material possessions are easy to
accumulate. Their quality and inventory may vary from
family to family, but it’s safe to say that most of us own
more, wear more, drive more, and eat more than we need
for survival. From time to time, it’s good for us to take stock
of the things surrounding us and notice what it is we hold on
to. Why do we hold on and would it be better to let go of
some things? Sometimes our possessions can make us
slaves to them.
Adults: How can worldly comforts be barriers to my
relationship with God?
Children: Am I willing to share my favorite toy/game, with
someone?
BRINGING THE GOSPEL INTO YOUR LIFE
Take some time as a family to sort through closets,
cupboards and drawers. Make sure that outgrown clothes
or unused items are clean and in good shape. Take them
to a church or location that collects gently used items for
others. Be generous in what you decide to part with. Most
of the things you give away you will have decided you don’t
really need. Especially avoid the temptation to replace it
with a similar or substitute item.
HOPE APPEAL UPDATE
As of last week, we have collected 96% of our 2015 Hope
Appeal assessment and we thank all of you who
participated for such a wonderful response. This leaves us
about $2,387 short of our goal. If you have not yet fulfilled
your pledge we ask you to do so within the next month if
possible. If you haven't taken the opportunity to contribute
to the Hope Appeal this year it is not too late. Only when
we reach our assessment can we be eligible for about
$12,000 worth of grants from the diocese that enable us to
provide services for our evangelization and Outreach
programs. Again, thank you for your generous response
this year. Fr. Peter
JOSEPH'S HOUSE
Joseph's House is taking applications for a live-in house
manager! If you are a faith-filled Catholic looking for a
wonderful opportunity to serve God and his children, please
contact Kitty Spinelli at 315-288-0319 or kitty@jhfw.org.
October 11, 2015
PAPAL VISIT 2015
Time Warner Cable News Channel 1020 will provide
documentaries and papal visit programming through
November 30.
EASTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
You or your loved one can become a permanent part of the
Eastwood Neighborhood Association (ENA)’s Memorial
Garden, leaving a lasting memory for you and future
generations to enjoy. The Memorial Garden will include
pavers, which are available for you to have engraved.
Additional information and order form available on our
website, eastwoodneighbor.com.
CATHOLIC WOMEN'S CONFERENCE
Don't miss the popular Syracuse Catholic Women's
Conference on Saturday, November 7 at the OnCenter.
Superb Speakers and Mass. For more information and to
register online, visit www.syracusecwc.com.
BISHOP LUDDEN EVENTS
15TH ANNUAL CRAFT SHOW: Saturday, November 7,
2015, 10am - 4pm. Get an early start on your holiday
shopping with crafts from our talented vendors. Questions
or would like to be a vendor? Please call Maria Walsh at
652-6306 or e-mail luddencraftshow@twcny.rr.com.
USED BOOK SALE: Friday, October 23 from 6-8pm,
Saturday, October 24 from 9am -3pm and Sunday, October
25 from Noon–3pm. All books are 50 cents!! (Sunday will
have a “fill a bag sale”). If you have questions or wish to
donate books, please contact 468-2591.
ST. VINCENT'S MYSTERY THEATER IS BACK!
Reserve your tickets for this year’s Mystery Theater on
October 23 and 24 before they sell out. Doors open at
5:15pm, dinner is at 6pm and the play begins at 7pm. The
price is $25.00 per person which includes appetizers,
dinner and the play. What a great way to have an
enjoyable evening while supporting St. Vincent’s parish.
Tickets are available – call Madeline Przybylski at 432-0597
between 10am and 8pm.
CHICKEN AND BISCUIT DINNER
St. John the Baptist Church/Holy Trinity Church – Saturday,
October 17 from 4-7pm in the Parish Center. Adults are
$8.00, children 5-12 $4.00. Children under 5 are free.
Dinner includes chicken, biscuits, potato, tossed salad,
dessert, coffee, tea.
THE HOLIDAYS ARE JUST AROUND THE CORNER!
Mark the date! On November 21, beginning at 6PM,
Blessed Sacrament School will be holding the annual
Holiday Auction. Watch the bulletin for more information!
CHRIST THE KING RETREAT CENTER EVENTS
October 16-18: Retreat for Persons in Recovery
October 18-23: Directed Retreat
October 20: Spirituality of Aging. 10AM-3PM
Contact Christ the King Retreat Center at 446-2680 for
more information.