Souper Bowl of Caring in Schenectady

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It is projected that over 150 million people will be tuning in to watch the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks in the 49th Super Bowl game on Sunday, February 1st, while 50 million Americans will be struggling with hunger. Souper Bowl of Caring gives people the chance to help those who are in need and to think of those who do not even have a bowl of soup to eat.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the first Souper Bowl of Caring, when 22 churches in Columbia, SC raised $5,700 for local hunger-relief charities. Since then, young people have rallied schools, churches, businesses and community leaders to work together to raise over $106 million. Like in 1990, Souper Bowl of Caring has remained true to the first collection: 100 percent goes to the charity each group chooses.

Holy Name has supported local charities in Schenectady, NY for the past thirteen years through Souper Bowl of Caring. This year, our Church’s National United Youth Association is joining in the fight against hunger and has joined Souper Bowl of Caring in celebrating its 25th anniversary.

About Souper Bowl of Caring: Souper Bowl of Caring is a national youth-led movement of schools, businesses, community organizations, places of worship and compassionate individuals joining together to fight hunger and poverty in their local communities, transforming the time around the Super Bowl into the nation’s largest celebration of giving and serving. Since the program started in 1990, volunteers have collected more than $100 million in dollars and cans, with 100 percent of all donations going directly to community food banks, soup kitchens or other charities chosen by each group.

Fabulous Valentine’s Raffle — Support our Youth

Make February 2015 – the month of love – a month to win in more ways than one!

The Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle

This summer we will once again be sending our young people to the annual KURS summer encampment and we are saving for CONVO 2015 in the eastern Diocese.

We need your support to give our young people a great beginning in 2015. To start them off right we are holding a month long Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle this coming February to support our youth. Each raffle ticket gives the purchaser a chance to win up to $1,180. The Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle will include drawings for $40 daily prizes and a $100 daily prize on Valentine’s Day. The raffle is drawn each day of the month, giving the ticket holder 28 chances to win! Winners are returned to the raffle bucket, making them eligible to win again and again. Your support will help cover our young people’s summer expenses with the ultimate goal of paying their way completely.

Tickets cost only $10 each. Feel free to contact Fr. Jim at 518-372-1992, Stephanie Dominy at 518-369-1346, or any parish member to purchase a ticket.

We thank you for your support of Youth Ministry and the School of Christian Living at Holy Name of Jesus parish in Schenectady and wish you good luck!

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January 2015 Newsletter – Happy New Year! Happy Abundant Life!!!

January, we are left with a question. For all we have learned about abundant life in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will we decide to participate in that abundance? The New Year always presents an opportunity to make a turn, to pledge our lives to Christ and to membership in His Holy Church. This January we continue our celebration of the forty days of Christmas, we expand our Holy Mass schedule, and we continue our charitable work. Come be lavished with abundant life in your church – right here in Schenectady.

You may view and download a copy of our January 2015 Newsletter right here.

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Prayers for our Bishop

When the crowds learned it, they followed him; and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God, and cured those who had need of healing. — Luke 9:11

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Eternal Father, in Whose hands are hidden the ultimate mysteries of life, we call upon Thee in this hour of Thy servant and bishop’s affliction. Thou art concerned for the physical welfare of Thy children, for Thy Son did not hesitate to show compassion to those who were weighed down with physical ills and suffering. Our minds do not understand why some must endure such hardships while others escape them, but we pray that a lack of understanding will not cause faith to grow less. Instead, may this illness cause us to realize more surely our frailty and need for utter dependence upon Thee.

It is Thou who has made us and not we ourselves, and therefore we place all trust and confidence in Thy loving care and mercy. We ask that if it be thy will, this servant of Thine, +Bernard, may be healed of this present affliction and that he may continue to be a blessing to Your Holy Church and his fellow men. We beg these bequests in the name of Him, Who was Himself the great Physician. Amen.

2014 VA “Adopt -A-Vet” Holiday Program

remember-vetswithbow_225x225_thumbThe annual Holiday gift donation program for HUD-VASH & Veterans in need is now underway. Each year has been more successful; the first year the VA helped 8 Veteran families, last year, VA employees and many other community groups and agencies helped a total of 40 Veteran families in HUD-VASH and other programs. This year the VA has a list of over 40 Veterans in need who have requested items for their families this Holiday Season.

This donation program is part of Voluntary Services Holiday outreach for Veterans. A “needs” list of gifts that can be donated is being be maintained by Mike Fitzpatrick and Noney Grier. If you wish to fulfill a Family’s needs or a portion of it, or have any questions, please contact Mike Fitzpatrick at 518-626-6919 or Noney Grier at 518-626-5507.

All gifts must be brand new in original packaging and unwrapped. Gifts can be dropped off at the: Stratton VA Medical Center, 113 Holland Avenue, Room 304 or 305 “B” wing (Voluntary Services), Albany, NY 12208

In addition, rolls of wrapping paper will also be accepted and the VA will be scheduling volunteer “working parties” to help wrap the gifts at the VA prior to distribution out to Veteran families.

Thank you in advance for your continued support of our Veterans!

Are You Observing Lent in Schenectady?

If you are, come and join with us and we can increase our Lenten prayer, sacrifice, fasting, charity, and forgiveness together.

ash_wednesdayThe season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, March 5th with our Service of Worship at 7:30pm at which ashes will be blessed and distributed. On this day we consciously receive ashes on our heads to symbolize penitence, humility and mortality. The powerful reminder in these ashes calls us into a Lent filled with sacred opportunities to return to a right relationship with Jesus.

We offer the Lenten Devotion of Stations of the Cross every Friday at 7:30pm – a great opportunity to add to your prayer life this Lent.

During Lent our Directed Giving program helps us to focus on sacrifice and charity as we gather food for those in need locally. Bring canned and dry goods each Sunday as an offering for those in need.

We also fast and abstain from meat every Wednesday and Friday in Lent and from Holy Wednesday through Holy Saturday. This practice helps us to remember Jesus’ sacrifice every time we sit down to eat a meal. By this small sacrifice we train with the easy stuff (but it seems so hard) so we can better fight the really tough things that try to draw us away from Jesus.

We hope and pray that you will join with us as we use these 40 very special days to the greatest possible good.

March 2014 Newsletter (almost a full day early)

This month we enter the Lenten season and consider how Jesus stands by us through all the ups and downs of life. We seek to use this walk through Lent to strengthen our faith and reliance on Jesus, on His word, on His grace, and on our family in faith. We invite you to take part in increased prayer, sacrifice, fasting, charity, and forgiveness. We offer you the opportunity to attend Stations of the Cross every Friday at 7:30pm and to take part in our directed giving program. Lots of other news too including the March 2014 Newsletter.

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February 2014 Newsletter is here

This month we leave the Christmas season and begin our walk toward Lent, yet this is not a time to be somber because as the family of faith we attain a glimpse of heaven. Check out the latest parish newsletter to see how you can get that glimpse of heaven. Plus, our newsletter is chock full of announcements, good reading, community events, the Souper Bowl, and other worthy information. You may view and download a copy right here — February 2014 Newsletter.

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Souper Bowl Weekend – Feeding Those in Need

Be part of a movement that is sharing God’s love with those in need. Please give generously in church on Super Bowl Sunday – February 2nd.

For the 13th year in a row, our parish is participating in the Souper Bowl of Caring. Through the Souper Bowl of Caring we are providing food help for those in need in our local community. We ask for your support and deeply appreciate your generosity!

Your monetary and food donations in church will support the work of Schenectady Inner City Ministry.

Scripture asks us to be attentive to the needs of others.

  • For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. — Matthew 25:35
  • John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.” — Luke 3:11
  • If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? — 1 John 3:17

Listening to the voice of the Lord, more than 20 years ago the Souper Bowl of Caring began with a simple prayer from a single youth group:

“Lord, even as we enjoy the SuperBowl football game, help us be mindful of those without a bowl of soup to eat.”

In 2013 more than 7,000 groups participated in Souper Bowl of Caring, collecting more than $7.3 million in dollars and food for local hunger-relief charities. Since 1990, more than $97 million has been collected for hunger-relief charities across the country. Souper Bowl Sunday has become a powerful movement that is transforming the time around SuperBowl weekend into the nation’s largest celebration of giving and serving.

Be part of this movement that is sharing God’s love with those in need. Please give generously in church on Super Bowl Sunday – February 2nd.

Souper Bowl Sunday