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Dear Parishioners, Let me begin by thanking all of you for your continued support of Fr. Greg, Fr. Peter, and myself, and most importantly for your support of our parishes. When we began the Road to Renewal, we knew that we would eventually have to revisit our Mass schedule once the number of available clergy fell to two. We are now forced to address this issue since Fr. Peter will be leaving at the end of this month. Below is a new Mass schedule which will go into effect on Friday, November 1st. Click on title for complete post.

Psalm 90: “Fill us with Your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy! Click on title for complete reflection.

Psalm 128: “May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.” Click on the title for the complete reflection.

EMCC BAPTISM CLASS Oct. 9 FOR 1ST TIME PARENTS Wed., October 9th at 5 pm BSMA Bradley Centennial Hall Waterford Room First time parents should call the EMCC Parish Office Ext. 116 to register for the class.

DIOCESAN FINAL DECISION CONCERNING MERGERS AND CLOSURES OF PARISHES On Tuesday (Sept. 17, 2024), the diocesan leadership met with members of the clergy. All of the documents that were given to the pastors are on the Road to Renewal website, and I strongly recommend reading them. They can be found under the “Merging and Closing Resources” tab. Click on the orange title for complete update. https://roadtorenewal.org/rightsize-and-reshape/merging-and-closing-documents/

Psalm 54: “The Lord upholds my life.” Click on the title for the complete reflection.

In the Gospel this week, Jesus tells His disciples, “Whoever receives one child such as this in My name, receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but the One who sent Me.” Click on the title for the complete reflection.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STEPHEN MINISTRY and GRIEF SHARE Getting help from a Stephen Minister:  EMCC has trained caregivers who come alongside people during difficult times. A Stephen Minister meets regularly with a person on an individual basis to listen, care for, encourage, and provide emotional and spiritual support with empathy. It is high quality care and completely confidential. A few examples are.: 1) someone with health problems, or taking care of someone ill; 2) grieving the loss of a loved one; 3) having financial setback or loss of a job; 4) birth related issues; 5) loneliness; 6) major life transitions; 7) and many other issues. Getting help from GriefShare: GriefShare is for people who have lost someone they love through death, and are looking for help and support to work through their terrible pain of grief. They meet in a group setting, watch short videos, and have discussions. They learn how to walk through their grief in order for joy to come back into their lives and find a new normal. Call the EMCC Parish Office to share a message with either a Stephen Minister or GriefShare.

Last weekend, Bishop Fisher announced the final decisions concerning closures and mergers of parishes throughout the diocese. Concerning St. John, the final decision was that St. John would merge with the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, and be placed on a one-year watch list to determine whether or not the parish would remain open.

Psalm 116: “I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.”

What makes the Galarraga near-perfect game so intriguing is that it hinges on what should have been the last out of the game – number 27 – when first base umpire Jim Joyce missed the call on a ground ball play by Jason Donald calling him safe instead of out that would have resulted in Major League Baseball’s 21st perfect game. At the time, there was no instant replay for calls on the base paths. The Galarraga game quickened that into happening. For the complete reflection, click on the title above.

ROAD TO RENEWAL UPDATE FAMILY 24--Final Decisions by DOB Projected number of active priests for this family by 2030 = 2 (one Franciscan) 1. St. John the Evangelist, Olean merges with the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, Olean and becomes a secondary worship site. 2. St. John the Evangelist site will be on a one-year watch list to see if viability is evident and school plan changes the location of the school. 3. Closure and sale of Sacred Heart, Portville 4. Sale of Vandalia Church and property 5. Sale of vacant lot near the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels Parishes Open in Family: Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, Olean St. Bonaventure Parish, Allegany Secondary Worship Site: St. John the Evangelist, Olean Parishes Merging/Closed: None

Psalm 146: “Praise the Lord, my soul!”

Please note effective Saturday, September 7th, the confession times at St. John the Evangelist Parish are changing to Saturday 3:30-4:15 pm. The confession times for St. Bonaventure Parish are changing to Saturday 3:00-3:45 pm.

St. John the Evangelist and St. Bonaventure Parish Offices are permanently closed effective Sept. 1st. Please visit the Enchanted Mountain Parish Office located at 205 West Henley St., Olean, NY 14760. Use the Irving Street entrance (off street parking lot) behind red brick Parish Life Center (handicap accessible) next to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. This new EMCC Parish Office Hub is available for all your parish needs..

Reflect this week that it’s a good practice to pray for humble awareness of our own faults and weaknesses. We mustn’t cultivate a belief or attitude within ourselves that we’re better than others, or better than we are. For the complete reflection, click on the title.

As the summer days fade and the excitement of a new school year begins to take hold, it's a time of fresh beginnings and renewed purpose. For students, teachers, and parents alike, this season offers an opportunity to grow academically and spiritually. The Catholic Church views education as a profound journey beyond acquiring knowledge to encompass the formation of the whole person in truth, virtue, and faith. Click on title for complete reflection.

Psalm 34: “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” For complete reflection, click on the title above.