COLLECTION FOR FEBRUARY 16-17 2019:

Will be reported in next week’s bulletin!

Would you like to begin receiving offertory envelopes? Give the Parish Office a call at 518-489-5408 to

register for your set of envelopes! You may also sign up for e-giving on the website at:

http://stvincentalbany.org/donate

BIG THANK YOU!!

Chocolate Sunday and Chili Cook-Off raised $1,433 for the youth ministry trip to Erie, PA this summer!

Thank you so much for your generous support!

Thank you to everyone who donated a baked good and/or chili, we couldn’t have done it without you!

And thanks to Eileen Hempstead for her coordination and Nancy Quimby-Picchione for

her eye for details!

Congratulation to Ayla and Naomi on their winning chili- Ayomi Love (no. 4)!

Family Faith Formation Mardi Gras Event!

Come and celebrate Carnival on Sunday, March 3 from 12:15-2:15 before the start of Lent! Join us for lunch, prayer, carnival games and activities. Middle school and high school age youth are needed to help with activity stations. Contact Tahlia or Ellen for more

information.

While we are always accepting new volunteers in all Liturgical Ministries we are especially seeking

the following:

Minister of Hospitality- Enjoys interaction, comes to church early enough to greet parishioners as they arrive for Mass, is attentive to latecomers and directs them to seating, takes up the collection and ushers Communion. Distributes bulletins as the assembly leaves the church.

Adult Acolyte- For women and men who have been confirmed and are well-acquainted with the action of the liturgy. These people have the ability to think on their feet, assist the presider, read the general intercessions and cue the altar servers as needed.

Counter- Counters work in teams of two or three, counting the collection after the 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. Masses. Background check will be required.

Ash Wednesday Schedule

March 6 is Ash Wednesday when we begin the season of Lent. Our services are as follows:

10:00 a.m. Liturgy of the Word with distribution of ashes – Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes (corner of

Ontario and Yates St.)

12:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Word with distribution of ashes – Hubbard Interfaith Sanctuary,

College of St. Rose

6:00 p.m. Mass with distribution of ashes – St. Vincent DePaul Church

Thank you from Puerto Rico

The Catholic Church Pedro Y Pablo in Puerto Rico has written to thank St. Vincent DePaul for our

financial support in helping them to fix their church following Hurricane Maria. We dedicated part of the

proceeds from one of our 2018 Youth Ministry fund raisers last year to this effort.

Cats in Need of a Good Home

Parishioner, Elizabeth Martinez is returning to Puerto Rico to help her mother and is looking for a new home for her two sweet cats that have been together since the beginning. She will provide abundant supplies to assist

the transition. If you can help, please call Elizabeth at 518-892-1152.

Practicing Courageous Hospitality

From time to time we have visitors joining us for Mass or Mass and Coffee who make monetary

requests of parishioners. The parish is prepared to address emergency needs with bus passes, grocery

store gift cards, gas cards and other forms of assistance. While you may help, if you like, please do not feel obliged. Instead, you may direct the individual to Elizabeth or another staff member who will be

happy to provide what is needed.

Catholic Charities Liturgy

Wednesday, February 27 at 6:30 pm to thank and celebrate those who contribute to the ministry of Catholic Charities. Bishop Scharfenberger will be

presiding. Light reception immediately following. RSVP appreciated

to cc.development@ccrcda.orgor 518-453-6629.

7th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - February 24, 2019

Racism and the Criminal Justice System Prepared by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

In the November 2018 Pastoral Letter Against Racism, Open Wide Our Hearts, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops urge all Catholics to acknowledge “the scourge of racism” that still exists in our hearts, words, actions, and institutions. Racism is rooted in a failure to acknowledge the human dignity of people of a different

race. Racism does not reflect the inner life of God—the Triune unity of three-in-one— that we are called to imitate. Racism manifests itself in sinful individual actions, which contribute to structures of sin that perpetuate

division and inequality, as has been seen throughout our nation’s history and into the present. One such structure in need of conversion is the criminal justice system.

In Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and the Criminal Justice system, the U.S. Catholic bishops wrote, “Racism and discrimination that continue to haunt our nation are

reflected in similar ways in the criminal justice system.” For decades, the bishops have recognized the limited utility of mandatory minimum sentencing for drug and non-violent offenses. Recognizing that the default response

to social ills such as mental illness, drug addiction, homelessness, unemployment and illiteracy is too often incarceration, the bishops have advocated for sentencing reform and increased use of rehabilitative and restorative

justice programs that focus on education, literacy, job-placement, and substance-abuse treatment.

Over the past four decades, there has been a 500% increase in the number of people incarcerated in the U.S., which now totals roughly 2.2 million. Contributing factors to this increase include mandatory minimum sentences, harsher sentences for non-violent drug offenses, “three-strikes” laws, and changes in policing. The United States

now has the highest rate of incarceration in the world. With 5% of the world’s population, the United States houses roughly 25% of the world’s prisoners.

Currently, African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos make up 56% of prisoners but are only 28% of the U.S.

population. Although “color blind” on the surface, racial disparities appear in every stage of the criminal justice system, which has built the resulting prison and jail population over decades.

• Whites and African Americans engage in drug use at similar rates, but African Americans are much more likely

to be arrested for it. • Although the gap among incarceration rates of different races has narrowed somewhat in recent years, African

Americans are still incarcerated at more than five times the rate of whites. • African Americans are more likely to experience traffic stops, searches, and juvenile arrests, and receive harsher

sentences and greater length of sentencing. • Recent headlines have also raised questions about treatment by law enforcement of persons of color, with

studies pointing to racial disparities in use of non-lethal force against African Americans and Hispanics.

We must continue to work and pray against the evils of racism, particularly as it may manifest in our criminal justice system and in the way that laws are enforced.

“We read the headlines that report the killing of unarmed African Americans by law enforcement officials.

In our prisons, the numbers of inmates of color, notably those who are brown and black, is grossly disproportionate. Despite the great blessings of liberty that this country offers, we must admit the plain truth

that for many of our fellow citizens, who have done nothing wrong, interactions with the police are often fraught with fear and even danger .”

– U.S. Bishops, Open Wide Our Hearts

MASS SCHEDULE

Saturday 5:00 P.M. Vigil Sunday 8:30 & 11:00 A.M. 6:30 P.M. (September-May)

PARISH CENTER 984 Madison Avenue FOOD PANTRY Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 12:30-2:30 PM ~ (518) 694-3153 PRESCHOOL (518) 482-5346 www.stvincentspreschool.com OFFICE HOURS Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM– 3:00 PM EMAIL secretary@stvincentalbany.org FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/stvincentalbany

PLEASE CALL THE PARISH OFFICE FOR:

♦ Pastoral Care - Visits to homebound parishioners, hospi-tal patients or nursing home residents.

♦ Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults - Membership in the Roman Catholic Church.

♦ Infant Baptism - Celebrated monthly (except during Lent) ♦ Reconciliation - By appointment or 4:45PM Saturdays ♦ Matrimony - At least 6 months prior to your hoped for date. ♦ Bereavement Ministry - is available through the parish

office. Please call and ask for Sr. Eleanor Guerin. ♦ Making Funeral Arrangements in Advance -The death

of someone we love is a deeply painful and trying time. Making funeral arrangements when family members live out of town or have conflicting ideas can add further dif-ficulties. St. Vincent’s invites you to consider preparing your funeral arrangements in advance. This might mean selecting readings, music and ministers for the liturgy. These choices can always be adjusted, too, if

circumstances change.

Gluten Free Hosts & Personal P.A. Receivers are available.

Church of Saint Vincent De Paul

900 MADISON AVENUE ALBANY, NEW YORK 12208

WEBSITE www.stvincentalbany.org

PHONE (518) 489-5408 FAX (518) 489-5474

PASTORAL TEAM: Parish Life Director Elizabeth Simcoe pld@stvincentalbany.org

Sacramental Ministers Reverend Leo P. O'Brien lobrien26@nycap.rr.com 518-640-9582 Reverend Michael Farano

Faith Formation Ellen Kueterman k-5faithformation@stvincentalbany.org

Youth Ministry Tahlia Hadley youthministry@stvincentalbany.org

Food Pantry & Angela Warner Peace & Justice socialjustice@stvincentalbany.org

Liturgical Ministries Meg McCarthy liturgy@stvincentalbany.org

Music & Liturgy Marie Bernadett music@stvincentalbany.org

Senior Ministry and Sr. Eleanor Guerin, RSM Pastoral Outreach pastoraloutreach@stvincentalbany.org

Bookkeeper Veronica Schmidt-Henzler businessmanager@stvincentalbany.org

Maintenance Rich Nagengast maintenance@stvincentalbany.org

Parish Secretary Rebecca Cribbs Rice secretary@stvincentalbany.org

Custodian Carlos Baez

ST. VINCENT'S PRESCHOOL: Director Eileen Jaklitsch st.vincentspreschool@gmail.com www.stvincentalbany.org/preschool

PARISH TRUSTEES:

Paul Larrabee Katrina Consiglio

THE COLLEGE OF ST. ROSE: Office of Spiritual Life: 454-5250

Website: www.strose.edu/officesandresources/spiritual_life

Director of Joan Horgan Campus Ministry HorganJ@mail.strose.edu

Readings for the Week of February 24, 2019

Sunday: 1 Sm 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23; Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13; 1 Cor 15:45-49; Lk 6:27-38 Monday: Sir 1:1-10; Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5; Mk 9:14-29 Tuesday: Sir 2:1-11; Ps 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40; Mk 9:30-37 Wed: Sir 4:11-19; Ps 119:165, 168, 171, 172, 174, 175; Mk 9:38-40 Thursday: Sir 5:1-8; Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6; Mk 9:41-50 Friday: Sir 6:5-17; Ps 119:12, 16, 18, 27, 34, 35; Mk 10:1-12 Saturday: Sir 17:1-15; Ps 103:13-14, 15-16, 17-18; Mk 10:13-16 Next Week: Sir 27:4-7; Ps 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16; 1 Cor 15:54-58; Lk 6:39-45

2/27 Catholic Charities Mass 6:30PM (C) 2/28 Staff Meeting 1:30PM (L) 3/2 Mass 5:00PM (C) 3/3 Mass 8:30AM (C)

Adult Faith Formation 9:45-10:45AM (MTG 1) RCIA 9:45AM-12:00PM (L)Mass 11:00AM (C) Family Faith Formation Day 12:15-2:15PM

(PH)

(C) Church, (G) Grotto, (PC) Parish Center, (PH) Parish Hall, (L) Lounge,

(MTG 1) Meeting Room 1, (MTG 2) Meeting Room 2

7th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - February 24, 2019

Saturday, March 2

5:00PM Rev. Michael Pufferd Addie James Williams

req. by The Kelly-Haller Family

Sunday, March 3

8:30AM Nemisa R. Vera Cruz req. by Loida Vera Cruz Rina V. Libarnes req. by Loida Vera Cruz

11:00AM Alma Cosgrove req. by Tom & Sharon Vaughan Max Bassinson req. by Meg Bassinson

Liturgical Ministers for March 2-3 Baker: Mary Oill Writer: Kathy Schongar Writer for March 10: Shylah Addante

Saturday, 5:00 pm Presider/Homilist: Fr. Leo O’Brien Acolyte: Mary Morris Readers: Patrick Cullings, Maria Harple Eucharistic Ministers: Barbara Bailey, Anne Tyrrell,

Michael Pastore, Eileen Larrabee, Madeline Cafiero

Liturgical Coordinator: Eleanor Guerin Driver for Fr. O’Brien: Jim Cribbs

Sunday, 8:30 am Presider/Homilist: Fr. Rick Shaw Acolyte: Shylah Addante Altar Servers: Charlie Smith, 1 Needed Readers: Dennis Guyon, Jim Ruud Eucharistic Ministers: Kathy Kelly, Marggie Skinner,

Joanne Martin, Thomas Masawi, Rosa Veltman, Clare Pelkey

Liturgical Coordinator: Joanne Martin CLW– School Age: Colleen Flynn Thapalia Ministers of Hospitality: Dave Vollaro, Sandy Vollaro Coffee Hour: Ann Marie Lizzi Rizzo,

Natalie Criscione Counters: 3 Needed

Sunday, 11:00 am Presider/Homilist: Fr. Rick Shaw Acolyte: Ed Falterman Altar Servers: Madeline Penna, Daniel Penna Readers: Juanita Powers, Steve Powers Eucharistic Ministers: Twiggy Collen, Ron Jones,

Kate Burgess, Ray Cardona, Meghan Popcun, Robert Ward, Paul Zullo, Ruth Smith, Jo Ann Bennett, Angela Warner

Liturgical Coordinator: Jack Consiglio CLW– Small Children: Katrina Consiglio CLW– School Age: Deb Ungerer Ministers of Hospitality: Joan Marso, Owusu AnAne,

2 Needed Coffee Hour: Maria Guyette, Laurie Kirchman Counters: Phyllis Cardona, Joann Crupi,

Richard Medvetz Veronica Ministry: Bill Dollard

Hospital Visitation: Week of February 24, 2019 SPH - Lisa Nolan, Leslie Phelan AMCH - Kathy McCoy, Eleanor Guerin