Saint Lawrence Church

1000 North Greece Road Rochester, NY 14626 585-723-1350

12 July 2020 FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

MUSINGS

By Father Lee Chase

www.stlawrencegreeceny.org ・ www.stlawrenceschool.org

Church and School Re-opening Updates

I want to let you know what is happening at our parish and school regarding the reopening during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Our re-opening is slow. Utmost in our minds is the safety and health of all people who come here. • Until further notice, only essential activities are happening here at St. Lawrence . These include Sunday

and weekday Masses, funerals, and the counting of the collection. • For the summer, we continue to keep Deacon Hall, the White Building, and the school building closed

to the public. All parish and school events, meetings, and happenings are cancelled until further notice. As we move into the late summer, we will evaluate the situation and update as needed.

• The parish office is open for regular summer hours (M-Th 9 a.m. to Noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to Noon). Please come only when absolutely necessary. Mass Cards and Memorial Society Cards can be arranged over the telephone. When coming, please observe the listed hours and try not to come during the lunch hour so the staff may have their lunch. When coming, you must wear your face-mask while in the office and only one party may come into the office at any one time, other than the staff.

• Most of the parish staff is back to working their regular hours. • We are spending the next three weeks to prepare the school building for reopening. This is a very in-

volved process. We will update you as time goes on. • As of this writing, we are allowed 33% capacity in our Church, or about 250 people. • Please, when coming to Church, use the hand sanitizer when entering, your facemask must be on at

all times, covering both your nose and your mouth. • When coming to Holy Communion, please wait at the rectangular floor decal when you are ready to

receive. It is there where you say Amen. When coming forward to receive the host from the priest or deacon, please do not speak.

• Thank you to all of you who are staying after the Masses to assist in cleaning. We greatly appreciate this helpful and necessary action!

• We will continue to have quiet Masses with no music except for funerals and weddings. Depending on how things go, we may return to some music at some Masses in the Fall.

• The obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation continues to be suspended. If you are sick, in fear of contracting illness, about to have or are recovering from surgery, and/or in a vulnerable group - please stay home and watch the Mass on television or the computer and receive Spiritual Communion.

• You are allowed to receive a Spiritual Communion even if you are present at Mass. • Please, do not gather to visit in the Church or any rooms in the Church or the Church vestibule. If you

wish to visit, do so outside, thank you.

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THIS WEEK’S PRAYER

This week, we light the

Sanctuary Lamp in Memory of

Agnes Gravino & David Chikovsky

By the family

Readings for the week of July 13, 2020 Monday, July 13: Is 1:10-17/Mt 10:34—11:1 Tuesday, July 14: Is 7:1-9/Mt 11:20-24 Wednesday, July 15: Is 10:5-7, 13b-16/Mt 11:25-27 Thursday, July 16: Is 26:7-9, 12, 16-19/Mt 11:28-30 Friday, July 17: Is 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8/Mt 12:1-8 Saturday, July 18: Mi2: 1-5/Mt 12:14-21 Sunday, July 19: Wis 12:13, 16-19/ Rom 8:26-27/Mt 13:24-43

Monday, July 13

Weekday 8:30 a.m. Mass for special intentions of Jean Zannie by Calleen White

Tuesday, July 14

Saint Kateri Tekawitha, Virgin 8:30 a.m. Mass for Sherri Compson by Pat & Tony Cinotti

Wednesday, July 15

Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church 8:30 a.m. Mass for David Tucker by John & Mary O’Connell

Thursday, July 16

Weekday No Mass Communion Service

Friday, July 17

Weekday No Mass Communion Service

Saturday, July 18 Weekday

4p.m. Mass for the deceased members of the Glogowski family by the family

Sunday, July 19 Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

8:00a.m. Mass for Louis Mangano by daughter, Suzanne

9:30a.m. Mass for St. Lawrence Parishioners by Father Chase 11:00a.m. Mass for Michael Rizzo by the Sweeting family

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STEWARDSHIP

Mass Schedule Saturday 4:00 pm Sunday 8:00 am 9:30 am 11:00 am Monday - Friday 8:30 am Holy Days of Obligation As scheduled, please see bulletin.

Confessions Saturday 3:00 pm

Anointing of the Sick Please call us if you or a family mem-ber wish to be anointed.

Baptism Parents should contact us as soon as they know they are expecting.

Marriage Engaged couples should contact us at least one year in advance of their de-sired date.

Office Hours Monday - Thursday 9 a.m. - Noon, 1 pm - 4 pm Fridays 9 a.m. - Noon Phone: 723-1350 fax: 723-1361

St. Lawrence School 585-225-3870

Internet Connections

Email - rstlawre@dor.org website - stlawrencegreeceny.org Facebook - www.fb.me/STLGreece Twitter - @STLGreece

We are a Stewardship Parish committed to giving our time, talent , and resources for others!

Virtual Collection Basket!

Did you know you can support the Church, School, and CMA online?

Go to our website : www.stlawrencegreeceny.org

June 27-28 2020 Collection

Amount Weekly Surplus Received Budget (Shortfall) Sunday Collection $12,499.47 $16,200.00 $(3,700.53) General Maintenance $508.00 $1,040.00 $(532.00) School Support $88.00 $360.00 $(272.00)

Attendance for June 27-28 2020 Total 397

Attendance for July 4-5 2020 Total 292

July 4-5 2020 Collection

Amount Weekly Surplus Received Budget (Shortfall) Sunday Collection $14,220.07 $16,200.00 $(1,979.93) General Maintenance $1,080.00 $1,040.00 $40.00 School Support $480.00 $360.00 $120.00

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CRS Rice Bowl – Lent 2020

Catholic Relief Services is counting on our Rice Bowl alms to help brothers and sisters in-need around the world, especially in these challenging times. Please consider mailing your CRS Rice Bowl alms to the parish office. Please convert the coins from your box into a check payable to the parish and note on the check, CRS Rice Bowl. Thank you for your many sacrifices during Lent. Through these alms given to Catholic Relief Services, we become a blessing for others. What we gave up for Lent will change lives!

St. Lawrence CYO Soccer Registration

Fall 2020

Girls & Boys 3rd and 4th Grade

Dates: Tuesday August 18th

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Coach: Coaches needed, please contact Donna Gray

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Girls & Boys 5th and 6th Grade

Dates: Monday August 17

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00PM

Coaches: Andrea McLaren (615-0458) & Casey Samentello

Please Note:

*There are a lot of unknowns with Youth Sports programs at this time due to the coronavirus but our Diocese has given

us the go ahead

to begin CYO registrations*

Athletic teams are open to all St. Lawrence School students, parishioners and our neighboring parishes who do not have

a CYO Soccer Program.

If you are not able to make these registration dates, have questions about St. Lawrence’s CYO program or would like to

volunteer please contact : Donna Gray, Youth Minister, CYO Director (585-225-1485, donna.gray@dor.org)

“The specific purpose of the CYO athletic program is to develop in youth a sense of self-esteem, self-discipline, coopera-

tion and fair play by providing a competitive team sport activity through which they will practice the teaching of their

faith.”

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FIRST READING (Isaiah 55: 10-11 ) Thus says the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (PS 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14) R. (Lk 8:8) The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest. You have visited the land and watered it; greatly have you enriched it. God’s watercourses are filled; you have prepared the grain.R.

Thus have you prepared the land: drenching its furrows, breaking up its clods, Softening it with showers, blessing its yield. R. You have crowned the year with your bounty, and your paths overflow with a rich harvest; The untilled meadows overflow with it, and rejoicing clothes the hills. R. The fields are garmented with flocks and the valleys blanketed with grain. They shout and sing for joy. R. SECOND READING (Romans 8:18-23) Brothers and sisters: I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us. For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,

we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. GOSPEL (Matthew 13:1-23 or 13:1-9) On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.” The disciples approached him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted, and I heal them.“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. “Hear then the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

Readings for the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time

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It has long been a Catholic understanding that

when circumstances prevent one from receiving

Holy Communion, it is possible to make an

Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of

grace.

Spiritual Communion is “an ardent desire to re-

ceive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lov-

ingly embrace Him” at a time or in circumstances

when one cannot receive Him in sacramental

Communion.

(Saint Thomas Aquinas).

The most common reason for making an Act of

Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot

attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion in-

crease our desire to receive sacramental Commun-

ion and help us avoid the sins that would make us

unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Prayer for Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the

Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things

and I desire to receive You in my soul. Since I can-

not at this moment receive You sacramentally,

come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace

You as if you were already there and unite myself

wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

Parish Staff Rectory Office 723-1350 Rev. Lee P. Chase, S.T.L. Pastor, x 207 Frank Arvizzigno School Principal, 225-3870 Marisa Stieve Finance Director, x.206 Pastoral Ministry Deacon David Squilla Pastoral Associate, x. 212 Rev. Scott Caton, Ph.D. Assisting Priest, x. 201 Deacon Manny Asis Parish Deacon, x. 201 Administrative Staff Wendy Speciale Office Manager, x. 201 Kerry Nolan Office Assistant, x. 205 Bob Gray, Jim Grotke Maintenance , x. 201 Faith Development Ministry Jamie O’Mara Faith Formation , 225-7320 Donna Gray Youth Ministry/CYO, 225-1485 Debbie Cichelli Office Manager, 225-7320 Music Ministry M. Virginia Pierce Music Director 4 p.m. Mass Choir, 227-7236 Susan Judkins 9:30 a.m. Mass Choir Young People’s Choir, 797-3719 Mary Kay Huber Young People’s Choir, 957-8947 Steve Amico 11:00 a. m. Mass Choir, 225-7338