Text Box: 5000 Mt. Read Blvd. Rochester, NY 14612 Phone: 585-663-5432 Fax: 585-663-7683 Text Box: Mission Statement Our Mother of Sorrows is a welcoming Catholic Faith Community that is proud of its rich heritage on Paddy Hill. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and through the intercession of Mary, we live and share Christ’s gospel message through joyful celebration of the sacraments, life-long Faith Formation, commitment to Stewardship and generous service to each other and the world in which we live. Text Box: Weekend Masses Saturday: 5:00 p.m. Sunday: 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m. Daily Masses & Holy Days: Please consult bulletin Text Box: A Word Or Two From Fr. Alex in New Zealand Twenty-five years of Priesthood - Jubilee June 22, 2010, the Feast of SS. John Fisher and Thomas More, is the twenty-fifth anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood, my jubilee. I will be back at Our Mother of Sorrows by that date, returning to the rectory on the evening of June 20. I am still in New Zealand at the time of writing this bulletin article after an unforgettable six months on sabbatical. What better way could I have spent six months of my twenty-fifth anniversary year. I could not be more grateful to Bishop Matthew Clark, my beloved parishioners at Our Mother of Sorrows, the rectory, the ministerial, administrative, housekeeping and maintenance staff, Fr. Win, Fr. Ted, as well as Fr. Sam from Ghana, and, of course, the sabbatical committee of the diocese, who made this possible. These last six months have been a priceless gift to me with memories which I will keep for the rest of my life. All the experiences were an unqualified success: the renewal program at Hawkstone Hall, the retreat at St. Beuno’s the visiting of family, relatives and friends in Brazil, United Kingdom, France, South Africa, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and in a few days from today in California. Thank you, one and all, for making all this possible. It was just wonderful, from start to finish, a treat by which I have been truly blessed. Text Box: As I look back on my twenty-five years of priesthood, the joy of ministry has been such a source of happiness and grace beyond anything I could ever have imagined. There is no blessing greater in this life than to love and serve God, who called me to the priesthood. The joy and happiness of the priesthood is experienced in the day to day activities of ministry, especially in the service of my parishioners and in the privileged access that the priesthood provides into their lives. To preside at the Eucharist and the other sacraments of the church is an honor like no other, because they are all actions of the community as a whole. We are a community of faith, of brothers and sisters in Christ and therefore any celebration of the liturgy of the church, honored as I am to be presider, depends entirely on the community gathered together. To experience the community as a vibrant body of people, full of the Holy Spirit, is life-giving to all of us. We are called to be stewards and when we live out that stewardship together, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are all empowered to live full, good, graced lives. The challenge is there. It never ceases. We can only do it together, supportive of one another, with encouragement, love, peace, compassion and hope. Most especially our vitality as a community hangs together because of our faith in Jesus Christ, our love of God and our mutual fellowship in the Holy Spirit. _______________ FR. ALEX (Page 4)

June 27, 2010