Christmas Liturgies and Services in Schenectady
  • Tuesday, December 25th: Solemnity of the Nativity of our Lord – Shepherd’s Holy Mass/Pasterka at Midnight. Service of Worship and Holy Communion for Christmas Day starting at 10am.
  • Wednesday, December 26th: Feast of St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr – please keep the persecuted Church in your prayers.
  • Thursday, December 27th: Feast of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist – Service of Worship and Holy Communion and Blessing of Wine at 7:30pm.
  • Friday, December 28th: Commemoration of the Holy Innocents – please keep all children in your prayers.
  • Sunday, December 30th: Solemnity of the Humble Shepherds – Service of Worship and Holy Communion starting at 9:30am. First ever Soup on Sunday – Ministry from 11:30am until 1:30pm.
  • Monday, December 31st: Solemnity of the Holy Family – please pray for God’s blessings upon all families.
  • Tuesday, January 1st: Solemnity of the Circumcision of our Lord – Service of Worship and Holy Communion starting at 10am.
  • Wednesday, January 2nd: Solemnity of the Holy Name of Jesus – Service of Worship and Holy Communion starting at 7:30pm.
  • Sunday, January 6th: Solemnity of the Epiphany of our Lord – Service of Worship and Holy Communion with blessing of chalk, charcoal, and incense starting at 9:30am. Holy Mass at 11am.
  • Sunday, January 13th: Solemnity of the Baptism of our Lord – Service of Worship and Holy Communion starting at 9:30am.

Special Note – Events and Times for Sunday, December 16th

Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out – Acts 3:19

Next Sunday, December 16th, we observe the Third Sunday of Advent, the lighting of the Third Advent Candle. On this Sunday we traditionally add to our Advent preparations during Holy Mass with a special Advent Penitential Service.

Proper Advent preparation requires that we free ourselves of sin. This is our opportunity. In this special preparatory moment we are better able to examine our conscience and put forth our best effort to make things right with God and our neighbor. These special penitential services occur only twice a year – so it is vitally important that we attend, participate, and celebrate together.

Following Holy Mass we will take time to enjoy fellowship, our Youth Christmas presentation, and join in preparing all those wonderful meatless dishes we will share with each other at our Vigil Dinner starting at 11:30am.

To allow sufficient time for our Penitential Service, Holy Mass, our Youth Presentation, and our Vigil Dinner we will begin at 8:45am with the lighting of the Advent Wreath immediately followed by our Penitential Service, receipt of the Sacrament of Penance, and Holy Mass. We are pleased to have Fr. Rafał Dadiełło from Holy Spirit Parish in Little Falls join us to administer the Sacrament of Penance and to offer Holy Mass.

St. Paul reminds us: All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation — 2 Corinthians 5:18. God gave His Holy Church the power to loose us of our sins -– come and be made free once again in the love of God who has reconciled all things to Himself in Christ Jesus. Then free, join in celebrating the coming season with each other.

Advent Charity – food gathering and fresh water wells

Rather than lamenting the trends of society, and complaining about the secularization of Jesus’ birth, let’s resolve to do something positive.

Let our preparation focus first on prayer – a prayer of hope and anticipation for God’s coming among us. Pray for reconciliation and an end to greed.

Let us then also sacrifice for those in need.

This Advent we will put out a donation basket. Our contributions will be used toward the purchase of a well for people in need of fresh water through Operation Christmas Child/Samaritan’s Purse. Women and children in developing countries usually walk miles to reach the nearest water source—which might be a stagnant pond or polluted stream. Samaritan’s Purse is working to solve this problem by building and repairing hundreds of wells, along with providing pumps and other equipment, across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Costs range from $400 for a hand-dug well serving a few families to $10,000 for a deep-drilled well serving an entire community.

We will also be collecting food, gloves, and hats for those in need in our immediate community. Canned, dried, and non-perishable foods, as well mittens, gloves, and hats are all needed. The latest U.S. census figures show an alarming statistic — 50.8 percent of Schenectady’s children live below the poverty line. For a family of four, that means a yearly income of less than $22,350. That number, provided as part of the 2011 American Community Survey, puts Schenectady 13th in the nation for highest childhood poverty rate among cities over 65,000 in population.

God bless you for your generosity and sacrifice in preparation for Jesus’ coming.

Month of All Souls – remember the souls of your family and friends

As the days of October pass the days grow shorter, the colors of autumn take hold, and our thoughts turn to the Commemoration of All Souls. The Holy Church sets aside the month of November to commemorate those who have preceded us in holy death.

As Christians we recognize that death is not an ending, but rather a change. We pass through death into everlasting life. We remain joined with all those who have died. We rely on them for their intercession on our behalf. They rely on our prayers and intercession to ease their transition, their journey into the glory of heaven.

We will remember our dearly departed during the month of November according to age old Catholic custom of commemoration and prayer…a custom known as “wypominki.”

If you would like the souls of loved ones to be remembered during the Commemoration of All Souls and at all services throughout the entire month of November, please send the names of these loved ones to Deacon Jim by Sunday, October 28th. Alternately, you can E-mail the names of those you wish commemorated by E-mail to Deacon Jim.

We will celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints on Thursday, November 1st at 7:30pm followed by the the reading of the names of all the faithful departed.