Dear Parishioners, 

                 It was with deep sadness that we learned of the tragic death of our good parishioner, Don Barber.  Don was a legend in this town!  He and Nancy comforted so many families from our area during their years at Barber Funeral Home.  Don was very active in our parish, serving as a Eucharistic minister, usher, and a member of the men's spirituality group.  Don helped with parish dinners, parish picnics, and many other parish activities.  He was a well-known musician and recording artist in the area touring and recording with Don Barber and the Dukes for almost 60 years.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Nancy, his children, their spouses, and the rest of Don's family.  We will truly miss him.  May he rest in peace.
Ordinary Time... After our participation in the forty days of Lent, the Triduum, and the fifty days of Easter, we now return to counting the number of weeks in the rest of our liturgical year.  Ordinary time will take us through the summer and fall.  The liturgical color is green.  As the summer passes, we continue to hear from the Gospel of Mark.  Who was St., Mark? According to the New Testament, he was the son of a wealthy lady from Jerusalem whose name was Mary.  Their house was a meeting place for the "home church" after the resurrection (as recorded in Acts 12:12). 
From the very beginning, Mark was brought up in the very center of Christian fellowship and liturgy.  Mark was also the nephew of Barnabas, and when Paul and Barnabas set out on their first missionary journey, they took Mark with them to be their "recording secretary" and attendant (Acts 12:25).  Mark was also in prison in Rome with St. Paul (Colossians 4:10).  Mark learned about the life of Jesus directly from St. Peter, in fact, Mark was so close to Peter, so near to his heart that Peter called him "Mark, my son" (1Peter 5:13).  Therefore, Mark's gospel is of supreme importance.  It is the earliest of all the gospels, probably written just after St. Peter died, around 65 A.D.  Mark is the nearest approach we will ever possess to an eyewitness account of the life of Jesus.
This Sunday we celebrate the second solemnity during this period of Ordinary Time in the liturgical calendar. Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This day was once called Corpus Christi, which is Latin for “Body of Christ.” In the revised Lectionary, the name for this day is expanded to reflect more completely our Eucharistic theology.  In the elements of bread and wine, Jesus’ Body and Blood are truly present. When we share in the Body and Blood of Christ, Jesus himself comes to dwell within us. This communion with the Lord makes us one body, brings us eternal life, and sends us forth to be Christ’s Body in the world.  "Take and eat, take and drink!"
Last weekend, Fr. Joseph Phillips announced his retirement as the Administrator of St. Patrick's Church in Truxton and St. Lawrence Church in DeRuyter.  The Pastoral Plan of our diocese calls for these churches to come under the administration of the pastor of St. Margaret's  (yours truly!).  St. Patrick's will become an "oratory" which means there will no longer be a Sunday Mass there.  Funerals, weddings, and church gatherings will continue.  St. Lawrence will continue to have one Sunday morning Mass which I will celebrate each week.  Our Mass here at St. Margaret's will remain at 10:30 a.m.  My administration of St. Patrick's and St. Lawrence churches will take effect on July 1.  I ask for your prayers for the people of these parishes during this time of transition, and please pray for me as I take on this new responsibility.
Hope Appeal... Don't forget to send in your donation that will help thousands in our Diocese.  You can bring your offering to church and deposit it in the collection, or mail it in with the envelope provided.  Many thanks for your generosity. 

Many thanks. God Bless You,  Fr. Paul J. Alciati