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PLEASE HELP VICTIMS OF FLOODING: As you know from news
accounts, many parts of the Southern Tier have been devastated
by flooding in recent days. Bishop Clark has asked all parishes
to conduct a Second Collection at all weekend Masses Sept.
24/25, 2011, to provide emergency and longer-term assistance to
those affected in Chemung, Tompkins and Tioga counties. Please give
generously!

If you donate by check, please make it out to your
parish with “Flood Relief” in the memo field. All funds collected
will be sent to Diocese of Rochester Catholic Charities and used
for emergency assistance.

If you wish to send a contribution directly (checks only, with “flood relief” in the memo field), please send it to:

Catholic Charities Flood Relief
Diocese of Rochester
1150 Buffalo Road
Rochester, NY 14624

For more info, call 585-328-3210, ext. 1323.

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Catholic Courier’s Event Calendar. View, find, search, and sort events.

ew York’s Catholic Bishops say that the passage by the Legislature of a bill to alter radically and forever humanity’s historic understanding of marriage leaves us deeply disappointed and troubled.

Statement of the Bishops of New York State on same-sex “marriage” vote

The passage by the Legislature of a bill to alter radically and forever humanity’s historic understanding of marriage leaves us deeply disappointed and troubled.

We strongly uphold the Catholic Church’s clear teaching that we always treat our homosexual brothers and sisters with respect, dignity and love. But we just as strongly affirm that marriage is the joining of one man and one woman in a lifelong, loving union that is open to children, ordered for the good of those children and the spouses themselves. This definition cannot change, though we realize that our beliefs about the nature of marriage will continue to be ridiculed, and that some will even now attempt to enact government sanctions against churches and religious organizations that preach these timeless truths.

Diocese appoints new principal at
Siena Catholic Academy in Brighton

Anne Willkens Leach, superintendent of schools for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, has named Vincent Tata to serve as the new principal at Siena Catholic Academy in Brighton. Tata will succeed Tim Leahy, who is retiring after serving as principal for the last 11 years.

Tata, who resides in Rochester, has been the assistant principal at Siena since 2007. He has also held a variety of administrative and teaching positions in Rochester, Penfield and at Monroe 1 and Orleans-Niagara BOCES.

“I am very excited to take on this new challenge,” said Tata. “I believe strongly that all students can learn given a positive learning experience that welcomes exploration and enhances student confidence through active participation.”

Tata received a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Sports Medicine and a Master of Science in Educational Administration/Supervision from Canisius College in Buffalo.

For more information on Catholic schools in the Diocese of Rochester, visit www.dorschools.org

The 17th Annual Diocesan Catholic Schools Golf Classic will be held on Monday, June 24, 2013, at Greystone Golf Club in Walworth, Wayne County.

Proceeds will be used to provide tuition assistance for exceptional hardship cases for students in any of the 20 schools in our 12-county diocese.

Teams, sponsors and donations of auction items and raffle prizes are being sought to help raise funds. For more information, please call 585-328-3228, ext. 1294, or e-mail .

You may also

• Download a brochure
• Download a flyer
• Register Online Here

Most Rev. Matthew Clark, Bishop of Rochester, will ordain four men to the diaconate. The men will be ordained at a special 10:30 a.m. Mass tomorrow  at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Flower City Park.

The candidates are Eric A. Bessette of Pittsford (Bushnell’s Basin); Donald D. Eggleston of Greece; John C. Hoffman of Honeoye Falls; and Robert E. Lyons of Brighton

A permanent deacon – most often a married man – is ordained for service within the church, according to Deacon David Palma, director of deacon personnel for the diocese.  A deacon’s ministry ranges from Service of the Word (proclaiming the Gospel message, teaching, conducting retreats and counseling), Service of the Altar (assisting at Mass, witnessing marriages, baptizing and presiding at wakes and funerals) to Service of Charity (building up human dignity as ministers of charity and justice).

Candidates for the permanent diaconate must participate in four years of formation at St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry.  Many deacons complete a master’s degree in pastoral studies.

The Diocese of Rochester has more than 100 deacons.

Dept. of Catholic Schools
St. Michael School statement

May 26, 2011– Based on recommendations from the leaders at St. Michael’s Church and the Diocese of Rochester Catholic School Board, Bishop Clark has made the decision to close St. Michael School in Newark at the end of the current academic year. This decision was not made lightly and comes after careful consideration and much prayer.

We were heartened to see the strong community support that St. Michael received in its effort to stay open and viable. Unfortunately, despite all of their efforts, the steady decline in enrollment has continued over the last several years. The parish can no longer continue to incur considerable debt to operate the school.

We believe strongly in the virtues of a Catholic education and will continue to do all we can to support the remaining schools across the Diocese of Rochester.

A landmark study by researchers at John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York, which examined the causes and context of the clergy sexual abuse crisis in the U.S. Catholic Church, was released nationally on May 18, 2011.

Read the News Release from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Read the Study
Read Bishop Clark’s Statement and Diocesan Initiatives
Visit the Diocese’s Creating a Safe Environment website

Victims of abuse should always report to the civil authorities. To report a case of possible sexual abuse and to receive help and guidance from the Diocese of Rochester, victims are encouraged to contact the victims’ assistance coordinator appointed by Bishop Clark:

Barbara Pedeville
Phone ( 585) 328-3228, ext. 1215
Toll-free 1-800-388-7177, ext. 1215
E-mail:

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Bishop Clark to be honored for lifetime achievement at GRCC’S Faith in Action dinner

When: Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Where: Diplomat Party House 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

The GRCC Faith In Action Network will hold its 20th Annual Faith In Action Celebration on June 7, 2011, at the Diplomat Party House, 1956 Lyell Avenue, Rochester.

Bishop Clark will be honored for Lifetime Achievement. The Interfaith Next-Geners will receive a Community Action Award and recognition for their interfaith bridge-building.This year’s Metropolitan Award recipient for faith in action will be posthumously given to Ms. Alberta Moss, who dedicated her life to children and young adults, paving a way for their success and welfare.

Each year, GRCC/FAN is proud to honor members of the community who exemplify a life of faith and service. Individuals from a broad cross-section of churches, mosques, temples and religious organizations in the greater Rochester area will be recognized for their important contributions to our community.

A gathering and raffle auction will begin at 5:30 p.m., with dinner and program to follow at 6:15 p.m.

The cost of this event is $40 for individuals, $60 at a patron level; (includes dinner, program & special auction). Tables of 10 are available for groups celebrating their special honorees. Sliding scale is available upon request.
Proceeds of a special auction will benefit dinner scholarships and other costs of this celebration. Donations will be accepted for the newly created Alberta Moss Children’s Scholarship Fund.

For more information, call 585-254-2570 or visit http://www.grcc.org. E-mail inquiries can be addressed to

ELEVENTH ANNUAL WESTSIDE BENEFIT CONCERT

Save the date and plan to attend the Eleventh Annual Ecumenical Benefit Concert sponsored by the Westside Coalition of Christian Churches on Sunday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m., at Pearce Memorial Church, 4322 Buffalo Road, NorthChili (near Roberts Wesleyan College).

This group of churches initially gathered to support the building of a Habitat for Humanity House, and the music ministries have presented an annual benefit concert each year since 2001, raising over $17,650 for different charitable organizations. Our concert this year features choirs and instrumentalists from Community Christian Church, Elmgrove United MethodistChurch, Holy Ghost Catholic Church,

Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Open Door Baptist Church, Pearce MemorialChurch, St.

Stephen’s Episcopal Church, and Trinity Emmanuel Lutheran Church.

Choirs from each of the churches and the combined vocal, men’s and women’s choirs will present sacred choral selections.

The concert is free and open to the public, and Pearce Memorial Church is handicapped accessible. Free will donations will be accepted with all proceeds going to SWEM (Southwest Ecumenical Ministries), 350 Chili Avenue in Rochester.

Along with the free will offering, a canned food donation will be accepted. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will match all contributions, donating one dollar for every three dollars collected. You won’t want to miss this very special event! Come, and bring a friend!

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El Mensajero Católico wins press association honors

El Mensajero Católico, which serves the Hispanic community of the Diocese of Rochester with a Spanish-language newspaper and bilingual website,  has won two awards from the New York State Press Association.

The NYPA, a trade organization representing the state’s non-daily community newspapers, presented the awards April 8-9 during its annual convention in Saratoga Springs.

El Mensajero won the following awards:

First Place, News Story (Division 2, 5,001-9,000 circulation): To Annette Jiménez for her story “Programas ayudan a los latinos a vencer las adicciones de substancias” (“Programs help Latinos overcome substance abuse”), which was published in November 2010. “This story was compelling, moving, well-reported and well-written — all reasons for a 1st place (nod),” the judges wrote. “Tackling this subject matter from the eyes of those most impacted makes it a must read. A real gem among so many quality entries.”

Best Newspaper Web Site (all circulation divisions): El Mensajero’s website (http://en.elmensajerorochester.com/) received second place among all competing non-daily newspapers in the state. “The site is beautifully straight forward and simply designed,” the judges wrote. “Visitors know exactly where to go to find what they want and the size of the main picture appropriately captures our attention. The dimming effect on photo slideshows is a nice touch.”

“We are proud to serve the Latino community of our diocese and grateful for this recognition from NYPA and for the support by our growing number of readers,” said Karen Franz, the newspaper’s editor and general manager. El Mensajero Católico is published by the Rochester Catholic Press Association Inc., which also publishes the Catholic Courier.

Established in 2005 to serve the growing Catholic Latino population in the Diocese of Rochester, El Mensajero Católico quickly received recognition as one of North America’s finest Spanish-language Catholic publications. It has received numerous awards for reporting, graphic design and photographic excellence. El Mensajero’s community-based, in-depth coverage continues to emphasize such vital issues as immigration, health care, education, social justice and crime prevention. It also includes personality profiles, stunning photo spreads, and feature stories about cultural and religious celebrations both in the print edition and on its website, which was launched in 2010.