Dear Parishioners,  

Our bishop recently announced new pastoral appointments for several parishes in our diocese.  The linking of parishes continues as some of our older priests (80+) retire on June 30th.  All of the new pastors that were appointed have more than one parish assigned to them.  Presently there are 108 full-time active priests in the diocese of Syracuse (spread over 7 counties).  They serve 127 parishes and other core ministries.  As the year progresses, 44 of the current 108 would be above the       retirement age of 70.  There are other challenges that we can't foresee, such as health issues, that may further reduce the number of active priests.  Our parishes have to continue to work together to collaborate and cooperate with each other in the various Pastoral Care Areas of our diocese.  We have nine young men in the seminary at present, and one ordination to the diaconate and one ordination to the priesthood this year.  While we continue to pray for vocations, more and more lay leadership will be needed in our  parishes.  Let us continue to pray for one another.
Happy Mother's Day to all of our Moms, Grandmothers, Godmothers, Foster Mothers and all who nurture our children. The modern holiday of Mother's Day was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother at St Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. St Andrew's Methodist Church now holds the International Mother's Day Shrine. Her campaign to make "Mother's Day" a recognized holiday in the United States began in 1905, the year her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died. Ann Jarvis had been a peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War and created Mother's Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. Anna Jarvis wanted to honor her mother by continuing the work she started and to set aside a day to honor all mothers, because she believed that a mother is "the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world".
In 1908, the US Congress rejected a proposal to make Mother's Day an official holiday, joking that they would have to proclaim also a "Mother-in-Law's Day". However, owing to the efforts of Anna Jarvis, by 1911 all US states observed the holiday, with some of them officially recognizing Mother's Day as a local holiday, the first being West Virginia, Jarvis' home state, in 1910. In 1914, Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother's Day, held on the second Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honor mothers.        
Next weekend, Maryknoll's Eastern Regional Director of Mission Education, Deacon Paul Bork, will speak at our weekend liturgies.  He will give our parishioners an opportunity to take part in the vital work of bringing Christ's name and Christ's message to all people.  Paul has traveled to Maryknoll missions across the globe from China to Mexico and Jamaica.  Those who wish, will be invited to sign up for the Maryknoll magazine.  While at our parish, Deacon Paul will be happy to talk with any parishioners who are interested in doing overseas mission work as a lay missioner.  This is our annual Propagation of the Faith Appeal.  A freewill offering will be taken up at our Masses.                                   

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