Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Memorial Mass - Emilio Osso

A Memorial Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Emilio Osso on Saturday, June 3 at 11:30 a.m. Please pray for him and for his family.

Funeral Mass = Edward Begosh

A Funeral Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Edward Begosh on Thursday, June 1 at 10:00 a.m. Please pray for him and for his family.

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Memorial Day

The Cluster Parishes of St. Denis, St, Columba and St. Kateri will join together to offer Holy Mass on Monday, May 29 at 9:00 a.m. at St. Denis Cemetery. (In case of rain, Mass will be in church). Please note that there will be NO MASS offered at St. Columba on Monday.

Funeral Mass - Michael DeLorenzo

A Funeral Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Michael DeLorenzo on Saturday, May 27 at 10:00 a.m. Please pray for him and for his family.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Ascension Thursday

Ascension Thursday Mass Schedule

Wednesday, May 24 - Mass at 5:30 p.m. at St. Columba & 7:30 p.m. at St.Kateri (Revive Lower Dutchess Closing Mission Mass)

Thursday, May 25 - Masses at 7:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

An Absolutely Remarkable Story

 Gianna Jessen, an American survivor of a failed saline abortion, delivered a powerful testimony in the Eternal City on Saturday, May 20, at the 7th annual Rome March for Life.
The March began it Piazza Repubblica and made its way through the streets of Rome to Piazza Venezia, where crowds listened to several testimonies.
A young woman who had an abortion spoke of how she found healing. Professor Stephane Mercier, of the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, testified to standing up for life, after almost losing his teaching post after calling abortion “murder” in one of his classes. And a young man who survived a car crash but was left for dead by doctors, spoke out against euthanasia.
In her testimony, Gianna Jessen delivered a courageous witness to faith. She also posed a “gentle” question to feminists, offered a heartfelt message to women who have had an abortion, gave wise advice to young people, and had a powerful message for men.
Speaking in Rome’s Piazza Venezia, Gianna told the crowds:
I’ll give you a brief summary of my life. It’s been complicated. But first I want to thank the brave presenters that spoke before me. I have great admiration for what you are doing and what you did. I have cerebral palsy because I survived an abortion. I didn’t have an abortion; I lived through one. My biological mother was seven and a half months pregnant and she had a saline abortion. This burns the baby. It burns the baby inside and out and blinds and suffocates the child, and then the baby is born dead within 24 hours. But instead of arriving dead, I arrived alive, and in an abortion clinic, not a hospital.
So I love to say this: I am alive by the power of Jesus Christ. I am not ashamed of Jesus and I shout his Name in the streets of Rome, so everyone can hear: Gesu, Gesu, Gesu [i.e. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus]. I know that’s not popular. Sometimes pro-life people don’t even like to speak about Jesus, but I’m telling you: I’m not ashamed of the God who saved my life. How could I be? This is a battle between life and death, and we need God’s help. It’s a broken world, and broken people need real answers that come from God.
So it says on my medical records: born during saline abortion, 6:00 am, April 6, 1977. It went on to record that she was 29 ½ weeks pregnant, and I was only two pounds. The nurse called an ambulance because the abortionist wasn’t at work yet. Had he been there, he would have ended my life with strangulation, suffocation, or leaving me there to die.
You may wonder why I have no burns on my body or why I am not blind, and it’s just a simple answer: Jesus. But I do have cerebral palsy, and I was never supposed to leave the bed; I was never supposed to hold up my head. It was caused by a lack of oxygen to my brain while surviving an abortion. So I would like to gently ask the feminists that are listening, whether online, Facebook live, in the audience: if abortion is merely about women’s rights, then what were mine?
I just have a few things to say in conclusion, and they are these: I was later adopted. As I just told you, I was told that I would never walk. But what I want to tell you is that no human being can ever tell you what your destiny is. Only God can. Also, I want to tell you: I have met my biological mother, and I have said, “I am a Christian and I forgive you.”
I want to also say to anyone who has had an abortion, or more than one abortion, or any man who has paid for one or more abortions, and to anyone who doesn’t believe in God or Jesus: The only freedom any of us will ever find from our sin is Jesus. So just give him that abortion; tell him that you’re sorry, and ask him to forgive you, and he will set you free. And if you don’t believe in Jesus, tell him you don’t believe in Jesus and he will answer you. Just talk to Jesus and he will change your life.
And the last thing, to the young people listening: listen to me, there is great honor in honoring the marriage bed. Women, young women: you are made to be loved and respected. We are not meant to be used and have the men walk away.
Men: you are made to be courageous and honorable. You are meant to be faithful and kind. And guess what: I think men are wonderful. I love men. I don’t hate men like feminists do. I think men are great. God bless the men! Men: you can only be courageous if you know who you are, and you are made in the image of God, just as women are. So stand up and be who you are born to be: protectors of women and children, and be honorable.
God bless you! Ciao, ciao

Monday, May 22, 2017

Cluster Revive Mission - Lower Dutchess Parishes

Join us Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday May 22-23-24 for our Revive Mission at St. Kateri Church in Lagrangeville. Each evening starts at 7:00 p.m. with Adoration followed by the Mission 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. At the conclusion of each night, Confessions will be available. All are welcome!
Bring a friend!

Friday, May 19, 2017

Funeral Mass - Kathleen Fusari

A Funeral Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Kathleen Fusari on Tuesday, May 23 at 10:00 a.m. Please pray for her and for her family.

Funeral Mass - Edmund Conley

A Funeral Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Edmund Conley on Saturday, May 20 at 11:30 a.m. Please pray for him and for his family.

Funeral Mass - Anthony Spano

A Funeral Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Anthony Spano on Saturday, May 20 at 10:00 a.m. Please pray for him and for his family.

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Happy Mother's Day!

On behalf of the priests, deacons, religious sisters and staff of St. Columba, we wish all of our mothers a Happy Mother's Day. May God bring you many graces and blessings this day! We also offer a heartfelt prayer for our mothers who have gone before us in faith. May they rest in peace.

Funeral Mass - Eugene Murphy

A Funeral Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Eugene Murphy on Thursday, May 18 at 10:00 a.m. Please pray for him and for his family. 

Funeral Mass - Rosemary England

A Funeral Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Rosemary England on Tuesday, May 16 at 11:30 a.m. Please pray for her and for her family. 

Our Lady of Fatima

Today marks the 100th Anniversary of Mary’s Appearance to the children in Fatima. Pope Francis traveled to Fatima this weekend to offer Mass and to canonize two of the shepherd children – Francesco and Jacinta. First time in our church history that children who were not martyrs were declared saints. St Francisco & St. Jacinta, pray for us!
Mary appeared beginning today and on the 13th of each month for 5 months – until October 13, 1917. On that day, 70,000 traveled to Fatima, including the aunt and uncle of Bishop Dominick. It had rained all morning. The people were wet and the roads and fields were filled with mud. But then came our Lady, revealed as Our Lady of the Rosary. And then came the Miracle of the Sun. The sun danced in the sky. Their clothes were completely dry and the mud was gone! Bishop and his family were very affected by the miracle – a reminder is found in the back of our church – placed by Bishop Dominick!
The children were given 3 secrets:
-         First was a vision of hell which foretold of the coming of WWII. They were encouraged to pray, especially the Rosary.    O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy.
-         Second had to do with the rise and fall of communism, and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
-         Third was written down and sealed – looked at by John 23 and Paul 6. On this exact day May 13, 1981, Pope John Paul 2 was shot 4 times. He lost 75% of his blood, but her survived. He asked to see the third secret – “Bishop dressed in white shot by bullets.”  Was asked by his assassin Ali Agca – “Why aren’t you dead?”   Pope – “A mother’s hand guided the bullets path.” On May 13, 1982, John Paul II went to Fatima and offered one of the bullets to Our Lady. It has been placed in her crown.
I have been to Fatima – it truly is a special place. I offered Mass at Cova da Iria – Vale of Peace.  Jesus said – do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God, have faith in me!
Mary said:
-         Peace is not only possible, it is inevitable. You will make it happen. Give everything over to my Immaculate Heart.
-         Nothing that hurts you, no sacrifice, no war, no fear can stand up to the peace my Son offers. The way to that peace is through the Cross, which is a key to all there is, a path to walk with me. It is not – it is never – too late.
-         Sin hurts but sinners can be bathed in mercy. Wars happen but they will not be the last act. You can drive God out of the country, but my image will stand in Red Square.”

On this Mother’s Day when we thank God for our moms, grandmothers, godmothers and foster mothers – we are reminded by Pope Francis – We have a another Mother – Mary, the Mother of Jesus - Cling to her.  Holy Mary Mother of God. . . .

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Funeral Mass - Anthony Oswain

A Funeral Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Anthony Oswain on Friday, May 5 at 11:30 a.m. Please pray for him and for his family.

Emmaus

The Road to Emmaus – Emmaus – 7 miles from Jerusalem - became famous 200 years before Christ – Judas the Maccabee (the Hammer) and his army won a victory against the Syrian forces of Antiochus Epiphanes. A few days later they took back the temple
And tore down the Statue of Zeus  – they wanted to light the candle but had only 1 flask of pure oil – 1 day’s worth – lasted 8 days - the Feast of Hanukkah – Festival of Lights

Now Emmaus seems to be a place to drown your sorrows – a place to lick wounds – a place of defeat.
Jesus is dead – Peter did speak of an empty tomb and women say something about seeing him – but it must be all nonsense.  The dream is over. Mistake – left the group, off on their own, easy to doubt.

Stranger joins them  -  why could they not see it was Jesus?
-          Resurrected body?
-          Just could not be Him!  Did not fit!

He asks – what are you discussing?    A look – what’s wrong with you? Don’t you know what happened??   – actually HE IS the ONLY ONE who really knew what happened!

Begins to make connections – helps to understand Scripture – the Messiah first must suffer!    Ignorance of Scripture is Ignorance of Christ - Jerome

Acts to go farther - stay with us – Act of hospitality -  a brilliant move – he said, when 2 or 3 are gathered, there am I!  Recall painting in St. Paul’s, London. Handle on inside!

He enters as a guest – becomes the Host -  Takes Bread – breaks it  - eyes were opened  -   They knew Him in the Breaking of the Bread – Eucharist.

Jesus revealed in Word – Eucharist – together.  Sound familiar?  God is present in many way – but in a most special way here!!!

Emmaus – where is it today?
Card Dolan in Holy Land – anything else – want to see Emmaus!
Sad – about 4 that claim it.
Could be this road – or that road.

Could be  5th Ave – I 84 – Taconic State Parkway – Rt 9 – 55 – 82???!!!


All roads can lead to Emmaus – here! -  and here our hearts will burn within us as we see Him again   -   Word + the Breaking of the Bread and one another!!!