OUR LADY OF mT. cARMEL cHURCH
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Sunday Mass - 9:30 AM
Rev. Matthew H. Frisoni
Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Albany and Pastor |
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Mass with Fr. Frisoni is posted here
every Sunday at 6:00 PM. 
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 Rev. Matthew H. Frisoni
Our Pastor's Message WHY BOTHER WITH THE DIOCESAN APPEAL? This is a fair question to ask. You may have received a letter in the US Mail in the past few days. (I received my own Appeal letter on Monday, May 12.) In our three parishes, we have demonstrated our broad support for the works of the Gospel. Our gifts and pledges to the Appeal support others in the ministry of the Church.
You have heard my own testimony at Mass. Although you did not know me twenty years ago, you supported me with the Appeal. It's true. You supported my formation for the priesthood. Tuition, room and board were not inexpensive then. The price is even more costly today. The cost of my formation from 1999 to 2005 was at least $250,000. I paid not a penny thanks to you. Later, when I was a Pastor in Delaware County, Bishop Hubbard assigned me to study canon law. This legal training lasted three years in Washington, DC. Canon law school tuition, room and board for six semesters cost the people about $300,000. I didn't pay anything for this--again, because of you. I hope you feel you have received a generous return from me on your investment! In our Tribunal, we help many people in difficult situations. Separation and divorce are very difficult experiences. Almost no one who marries intends to separate or divorce later. But difficulties occur in marriages, sometimes leading to separations. As ministers of the Gospel, we arrange for a time for healing for those who have lived through this pain. Our investment in the annual Appeal ensures the formation of today's seminarians. Soon, they will be our Pastors. Your investment does not go unnoticed in the diocese. In the past few years, about one-third of parishes in the diocese met their annual obligations. By the grace of God and your response to the LORD, all our parishes are part of this fraction. This gives us great joy. I am aware how difficult the economic challenges are. This is why our prayer is that all parishes can invest in the future through the Appeal. An Appeal investment today grows over time and reaps huge dividends for the flock of God. I will close here by writing again—thank you for your profound service to the Gospel in so many ways. Devotedly yours in Christ, Fr. Frisoni OUR STRATEGIC MISSION LISTENING SESSIONS I also shared last week that our communities will engage in the process requested by our Bishop. Later this month, all priests from our diocese will gather with Bishop Scharfenberger. We will listen more about "returning and realigning toward Christ's mission." As I will be listening to our Bishop at this meeting, I also wish to listen to you. I am sometimes asked, "Are we going to close?" Even worse, "Are they going to close?" First, all parishes are one Catholic family together in Christ Jesus. Second, no person has the answer today on which parishes will merge. This is why we must listen to each other's thoughts today. The Bishop has asked all priests to reflect on one question to prepare for our May meeting. I share this question with you from his communication for our reflection. "Is this fulfilling the mission in the best way possible and, if not, what needs to change?" The "this" in the above sentence is for us to contemplate. I invite you again to attend one of four possible listening sessions in our parishes. Regardless of the parish you call home, you can join us for any session. Three sessions are live, and one is an online video conference via zoom link. To join us online, please call or write to Gail or Kim, our secretaries. They will share with you by e-mail the ultra-long link for our online video session on Monday, June 16 at 6:30PM. Here are the other three in-person sessions: Thursday, June 5 -- 1:30-3:30PM at Mt. Carmel Parish Center Monday, June 9 -- 6:30-8:30PM at St. Paul the Apostle Parish Center Tuesday, July 1 -- 1:30-3:30PM at St. Adalbert Parish Center Please join us -- I'm all ears! God's peace, Fr. Frisoni |
