Catholic Church of
St. John the Baptist &
Transfiguration of
Our Lord Parish
Rome, NY
August 2020
Our annual parish picnic is cancelled for this year.
Mass
It was announced that Houses of Worship in NYS are permitted to use 25% capacity of their buildings for religious
services. Therefore, all churches in the Diocese of Syracuse are allowed to celebrate Mass indoors at 25% capacity of your
buildings.
Masses will resume here at St. John the Baptist Church.
· Weekday Mass: 8:00 am
· Saturday at 4:30 pm
· Sunday at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 am
To attend Mass of (100 people) please call the parish office: (Monday—Friday: 8:30 am—11:30 am) 315-337-0990
to reserve you day and time.
PARISHIONERS
Each parishioner must do the following: Seek information from his/her parish regarding the Mass schedule, registration for Mass, and policies/ procedures for attending Mass
· Remain home if sick, symptomatic or vulnerable (i.e. 65 and older with an underlying health condition or immune deficiency)
· Wear a face mask in church (required) and, if possible, bring personal hand sanitizer
· Observe the commands on the posted signage and follow the directives of the ushers
· Acknowledge that seating will be different from the “usual” pew
Be aware that during this period, there will be:
· No holy water in fonts
· No choirs
· No offertory procession
· No passing of the collection basket; baskets will be made available for offerings
· No physical exchange of the sign of peace
• No hymnals or missalettes
· No congregating in the church: in the narthex, at the doors, in parking lots, etc.
Prepare for the reception of Holy Communion:
· Masks will be worn by all: clergy, ministers, and the faithful • Direction will be provided for those receiving
· The Precious Blood will not be offered
· Reception will involve: receiving the Body of Christ in the hand, stepping aside, removing the mask, consuming the Eucharist, returning the mask (no gloves) and leaving after.
Sunday Mass will continue to be recorded and viewed on Facebook, website and YouTube.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday from 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm at the grotto.
First Communion & Confirmation - Plans will be announced later.
St. John's Church
Ascension Thursday is not a day of obligation this year.
The Adoration Chapel is now closed until further notice.
The parish office is closed until further notice.
The church will be open each day from 8:30 am - 11:30 am beginning Monday, April 13th.
Masses are now also celebrated and recorded here at St. John's Church and can be viewed on Youtube, Facebook and our website.
Masses celebrated and recorded at St. Mary's/St. Peter's Church: Please go to:
https://www.stmarysstpeters.com/
Each Wednesday Fr. Paul Angelicchio will have updated video on our Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and website page.
God bless.
We want to hear from you if you are a:
• priest/deacon/ministry leader who has moved a ministry or program online or who is offering a new online ministry/program for the first time
• teacher who is offering virtual instruction, or who would like to provide some suggestions for newly "homeschooling" parents
• mental health professional who can provide insight on coping with isolation
• medical professional or hospital chaplain/spiritual care staff member who is actively serving patients
• jail chaplain/minister who is continuing to serve
• parishioner who is continuing to volunteer for a church ministry
• Good Samaritan witness (you saw or were the recipient of someone's kindness in this crazy time)
You can reach the Sun editorial staff at news@thecatholicsun.com.
Please visit www.syrdio.org to find updates in detail.
The most recent updates from the Syracuse Diocese - 3/24/20:
Lenten Mission With Bishop Lucia -- Live Streamed:
Walking With Christ, From Our House to Yours: A Lenten Mission With Bishop Lucia
Tuesday, March 31:
Day 1 Adoration:
Speaker: Chris Padgett, a popular speaker, musician, and author who has traveled around the world for over two decades, giving concerts, talks, parish missions, and retreats to all ages about the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
Jeremy Bobak, Worship Leader
Wednesday, April 1
Day 2 Penitential Service:
Speaker: Friar Rick Riccoli, OFM Conv. Pastor of Assumption Church, Syracuse
Jeremy Bobak, Worship Leader
Thursday, April 2
Day 3 Mass for the Sick
Speaker: Fr. Christopher Celentano, Pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church, North Syracuse
Also, Jeremy Bobak, Worship Leader
Live streamed at 3pm @ youtube.com/user/syrdio each day.
Signs of Hope
Blessings and forgiveness abound! In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis will give an extraordinary blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) at 6 p.m. Rome time March 27.
The formal blessing — usually given only immediately after a new pope’s election and on Christmas and Easter — carries with it a plenary indulgence for all who follow by television, internet or radio, are sorry for their sins, recite a few prescribed prayers and promise to go to confession and to receive the Eucharist as soon as possible.
With the public joining him only by television, internet or radio, “we will listen to the word of God, raise our prayer (and) adore the Blessed Sacrament,” he said. “At the end, I will give the benediction ‘urbi et orbi,’ to which will be connected the possibility of receiving a plenary indulgence.”
An indulgence is an ancient practice of prayer and penance for the remission of the temporal punishment a person is due for sins that have been forgiven. In Catholic teaching, a person can draw on the merits of Jesus and the saints to claim the indulgence for themselves or offer it on behalf of someone who has died. (Source: Catholic News Service)
Common Question:
Funeral Information under Governor Cuomo's Executive Order
In accordance with the most recent Executive Order from the Governor’s office (effective 21 March 2020 beginning at 8:00 PM) immediate family are permitted to gather at the funeral home (by way of extension, the church) for a private viewing/ceremony (e.g., Mass). Moreover, the Department of Health recommends that disposition of the body take place now but will allow the family to wait if proper storage is available. Furthermore, the Cemetery Association has said that family members may be present at committals and graveside services.
Can church buildings remain open under the Governor Cuomo's Executive order? The answer is yes. The building can be open for private prayer keeping within the 10 and under capacity, allowing for social distancing. Please sanitize your church area before and after the opening of your buildings.
Assumption Food Pantry & Soup Kitchen in Need of Volunteers:
The Franciscan Friars are keeping these essential ministries open during the pandemic. The friars are also assisting with keeping the All Faiths Food Pantry open as well. But they need your help with preparing food, packaging and distribution at the door. Volunteers who deal with the public maintain CDC recommended distances, wear gloves and surgical masks which prevents them from touching their mouths. If you know people who are interested in volunteering please let them know. Volunteers are needed 7 days a week in the mornings. Please call Friar Greg at 518-573-1649
Signs of Hope
The Coronavirus may have shut everything down, but it cannot stop our favorite season - winter - from reappearing! It is even more powerless in the face of the healing power of Christ, demonstrated in today's gospel (http://usccb.org/bible/readings/032320.cfm), as he heals the royal official's servant from a distance. The physical separation from the Mass and the sacraments caused by this pandemic cannot stop the saving power of God from working in your life! Ask for and invite that power to come and heal you.
Updated announcement from the Diocese of Syracuse:
Effectively immediately, all Catholics entrusted to my care as well as those who are within the territory of the Diocese of Syracuse are hereby dispended from the obligation of abstaining from meat on Good Friday as well as on the remaining Fridays during Lent. The purpose of this dispensation is to assist those for whom the practice of abstinence is difficult at this time, for example, because of the current shopping situation. However, those who can abstain from meat are encouraged to do so. Additionally, the law of fasting of Good Friday remains for Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59. It is important that the remaining days of Lent continue to be days of penance and prayer.
All public gatherings for Mass, prayer, Faith Formation and certain parish activities remain cancelled and the faithful remain dispensed from the obligation to participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Sundays. In light of what is know about Covid-19 and its duration, the following provisions for Holy Week and Easter must now also be made:
The Light is On campaign is cancelled. General Absolution is not permitted.
All public liturgical celebrations and gatherings, specifically, Palm Sunday, The Chrism Mass, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday are cancelled. They are to be celebrated by priests in private. Further guidance will be provided in the days ahead of the Office of Liturgy.
Regarding the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, the elect are dispensed from two of the scrutinies and the celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation may take place outside of the Easter Vigil, namely , on any Sunday up to and including the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.
Further guidance will be provided in the days ahead by the Office of Liturgy and the R.C. I. A.
Celebrations of First Holy Communion and Confirmation are postponed.