Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, is calling for a Day of Fasting and Prayer on Friday, October 27, 2023 for Peace in the World, particularly in the Middle East. Bishop Matano asks that we share this request of His Holiness with your parishioners. You can find a letter from Bishop Matano about this request and a prayer for peace from Pope Francis below.

It was good to engage in the New York State Eucharistic Congress with so many of you around our diocese who joined us on a cold, and drizzly but JOY-FILLED weekend! From my place in the Exhibitor's Tent, where many of you stopped to say hi, I was able to meet and greet so many wonderfully faith-filled Catholics of all ages who saw great hope in the gathering and found the weekend to be a deeply spiritual experience.

My favorite moments:

• Hearing the tinkle of a bell as the Eucharist was transferred at the end of the day and seeing the canopy aglow as the procession walked in the darkness of the night
• Watching the throngs of faithful follow the monstrance through the sacred grounds
• Listening to praise and worship music in the stillness of the rustic coliseum
• Glimpsing families and young children interacting with religious and clergy all throughout the grounds
• Hearing the prayers of people who shared their hopes for the Revival with me
• Meeting the exhibitors who have devoted their lives to sharing the Gospel in many good and necessary ways
• Trading rosaries with young teens
• Talking to young adults about their joy in attending and their commitment to the faith
• Witnessing the deep faith of each and everyone at Mass
• Running into Katie Prejean McGrady outside the food tent and engaging in an impromptu chat, showing commemorative merchandise to Tim Glemkowski (Executive Director of the National Eucharistic Revival) and nearly bumping into Fr. Dave Dwyer of Busted Halo and then laughing as we both tried to turn the same way to right ourselves.

Though there were thousands present, the Shrine felt intimate, friendly, and filled with God's love whether we were workers in the vineyard, national voices, or the smallest children who would come to share a hello, receive a rosary, and continue on their way!

Were you there? I'd love to hear about your favorite moments! Send me an email leslie.barkin@dor.org

Let's continue to pray for the goodness of the Eucharistic Revival and its fruitfulness and the blessing of our time on that Holy Ground.

Encourage Scouts in your parish who are high school seniors in the 2023-2024 school year, dedicated to service and planning to go on to college to apply now for an NCCS Scholarship. The new online application is open now! Eligible applicants must be a practicing Catholic registered and actively involved with a Scout Troop, Venturing Crew, or Sea Scout Ship. They must also have earned the earned the Eagle Scout, Summit Award, or Quartermaster Award AND the Ad Altare Dei, Pope Pius XII, or Light is Life (Eastern Rite) Religious Emblem. The deadline to apply is March 1. Invite eligible Scouts to find out more and apply online now.

The Hands of Christ is a recognition program, sponsored by the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, in which the Bishop of Rochester affirms high school seniors of our parishes who have been the “Hands of Christ” in their churches, homes, schools and communities. Hands of Christ recipients:

• Have consistently demonstrated a Christian attitude by word and example.
• Have been actively involved in the parish as well as their school or community.
• Have been a positive role model to their peers, younger children and adults.
• Are a practicing Roman Catholic in a parish in the Diocese of Rochester and attend Mass.
• Are currently a high school senior.

If you have any questions or would like more information about the Hands of Christ recogntion, please email Mark at Mark.Capellazzi@dor.org

Our sincerest condolences to former Catechetical Leader, Barb Matterazzo, whose husband, Bernie, went home to the Lord this month. We also pray for the repose of the soul of Ray Tette, dad of Catechetical Leader, Jessica Tette. We hold both families in prayer and wish them healing and deep peace.