This week we celebrate two special feasts days, in honor of St. Patrick and St. St. Joseph, respectively. St. Patrick is the
patron saint of our churches in Aurora and Moravia, and St. Joseph is the patron saint of the Universal Church. This year the Feast
day of St. Joseph takes on takes on a special reason for rejoicing as Bishop John Bonnici will be installed as the tenth bishop of the
Diocese of Rochester. Please keep Bishop Bonnici in your prayers as he begins shepherding the people of our Diocese that God
may fill him with a deep faith and lively courage so he may teach, sanctify and govern wisely those entrusted to his pastoral care.
Please pray also for Bishop Salvatore Matano and Father Frank Lioi who will both will be entering Senior Priest status.
Bishop Matano has been the ninth Bishop of Rochester since January 2014. It was Bishop Matano who appointed me as pastor of
Good Shepherd Catholic Community. I am grateful to him for his support and for the opportunity to serve the good people of this
parish. Bishop Matano will be taking up residence at St. Mary’s Rectory in Auburn.
Father Lioi has served the parishioners of the Auburn area for many years, first as pastor of St. Mary’s, then taking on the
pastorate of Ss. Mary & Martha serving the parishioners at St. Hyacinth and St. Francis of Assisi. Father Lioi then also took on the
additional Pastorate of Our Lady of the Snow, serving the parishioners at St. Joseph Church, Weedsport and St. Patrick Church,
Cato. I first met Father Lioi when I entered St. Bernard Seminary in 1977, Father Lioi was the Rector of the Seminary. I thank him for
the guidance he gave me in my seminary years, and for the priestly example he continues to give. Father Lioi will continue to reside
in the Auburn area.
Father Daniel White will be the new pastor of St. Mary & Ss. Mary & Martha & Our Lady of the Snow parishes. Father White
has served Bishop Matano faithfully as Priest Secretary for the past 14 years. This will be Father White’s first pastorate. Please pray
for him as he makes this transition.
As I write this message our boiler is still down at St. Patrick Church, Aurora . We are working on the problem. Hopefully, the
church building warms up with the warmer weather, as I write this it is 69 degree at 6:00 pm on Monday, but the forecast is saying the
warmer temperatures will not last through the week. Please pray we can resolve this issue soon.
As the wars around the world continue, please pray a daily rosary for peace.
Mary Queen of Peace, Pray for us. God’s blessing and peace, Father Bill

Journey through Lent
Lent calls us to remember that we as church and as individuals we are in a constant need of conversion and renewal. On
Ash Wednesday as ashes were placed on our heads as a sign of repentance and renewal, the words are spoken, “Repent and believe in the Gospel”. Repentance is always the starting point for conversion of our hearts to take place. It is an acknowledgement that at times we have fallen to the idols of this world and haven’t been faithful to Jesus’ commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves. Repentance alone can still leave our hearts incapable of being as loving as Jesus calls us to be. We also need to recognize our powerlessness to change ourselves and our need for the power, love and grace of God to change our hearts and set us on the right path.
Believe in the Gospel, believe in the Good News! That is the second part of what we are called to as we receive ashes on
Ash Wednesday. We are called to believe that out of God’s love for us He sent his Son to die on the cross to take away our sins, to give us a new beginning, a fresh start to live our life in God’s love! In Lent we are called to remember what Jesus did for us as he died on the cross as Our Savior. Belief in the Gospel calls us to acknowledge that Jesus is the Savior of the World and our personal Savior as well. He has taken away our sins through His victory on the cross to help us be New Creations in His love. But the Good News does not stop there! Jesus continues to pray for us at the right hand of God the Father that we be One with Him through the gift of the Holy Spirit that Jesus and the Father continue to pour down upon us who believe in Him. A gift that gives us the power, love and grace of God to change our hearts, and to allow constant conversion and renewal to take place in our lives. We only need to believe and to invite God to come and dwell with us!
As we journey through Lent may we open our hearts and lives to God’s love that we may live always as the People of God and as evangelizers to one another and to the world.
Have a blessed and joyful Lent, Father Bill

This Wednesday, February 18, we will begin our forty-day Lenten journey towards the celebration of our Lord’s resurrection on
Easter Sunday. The symbol of ashes that we receive on Ash Wednesday is a reminder to us of our mortality and the call to repent, to
turn away from sin and the temptations that lead us to sin, and to believe the Good News. Lent is a time for us to take stock of ourselves;
a time to make a personal inventory of how we are responding to the call of the Lord to live a life of holiness as children of
God led by the Holy Spirit. The forty days of Lent can be a time of great personal and spiritual growth if we take the time to work on
our relationships with God, and with one another. To assist you in your daily prayer during Lent, The Little Black Book, and The
Word Among Us, devotional booklets are available at our churches for a freewill offering.
I encourage you to make some personal decisions as to how you might grow in your faith and in your relationship to God
during Lent. Some things to consider doing during Lent might be: participating in a weekday Mass, spending some time each day in
personal prayer, visiting the church and praying before the Blessed Sacrament, taking time as a family to reflect on Bible stories or
readings, praying the Stations of the Cross, praying the rosary daily for peace in our world, praying together as a family or as a
couple, learning more about injustices in the world and what you can do to address them, reaching out to a person in need, visiting a
housebound parishioner or neighbor, participating in CRS Rice Bowl.
First, pray about what personal decisions you can commit to during Lent, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to discipline
yourself to do them. You might find that the discipline of Lent will fill your lives with many blessings, and your hearts with peace. A
schedule of Lenten events is enclosed in this bulletin.
God’s Blessings and peace, Father Bill

Recently two parishioners came up to me after Mass and asked to be anointed because they were going in for surgery. I
said I would be glad to and I went and got the Oil of the Sick and anointed each of them with the holy oil as I administered the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. I was grateful that they gave me the opportunity to pray with them before surgery.
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament that is based on the healing ministry of Jesus and the teaching of
the church found in the Letter of James. James 5:14 teaches,” Is anyone among you sick? He should summons the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.”
In the past people looked at this Sacrament as one that you received as you prepared for death; it was called Extreme Unction, or Last Rites. The Sacrament today is called the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, and while it is still received by those
who are close to death, people are also encouraged to receive this sacrament who are dealing with serious illness, surgery, and those who are dealing with various chronic illnesses, especially the elderly.
If you are in need of receiving the Sacrament of the Sick, I encourage you to do so. You can call the church office (364-7197)
to schedule a time to meet with me either at church, or if you are homebound, at your house. If you are able to attend Mass you can ask me to anoint you after Mass. I encourage this approach especially when you are going in for surgery or some other serious medical procedure or course of treatment.  Also, if you or a member of your family is homebound and cannot attend Mass, please let us know if you or they would like to receive Holy Communion at home and arrangements will be made.
Many members of our parish family have been dealing with illnesses recently. Please keep the sick in your daily prayer.
God’s blessings and peace, Father Bill

The Winter storm that hit our country last weekend with it’s bitter cold, destructive ice and blanketing snowfall caused tremendous damage. But as destructive as the storm was, it pales in comparison to the destruction that ICE agents are doing to our country
and our democracy. The ICE agents, who supposedly are removing violent criminals from our country, criminals who are murderers
and a threat to the our citizens, should begin by locking themselves up. Their tactics are violent and degrading with no regard for
human dignity, human life. The senseless shootings, that have brought about the deaths of protesters in Minneapolis, need to stop.
These shootings need to be investigated by authorities other than the DHS for whom the shooters were acting as agents. Right now it
appears that they think the laws of the nation do not apply to them, that they have blanket immunity from prosecution of their actions.
The voices of the protesters who were silenced in Minneapolis by an array of bullets still need to be heard. Each of us as disciples of Jesus needs to speak up for justice, speak up for demoracy. As a youth, I always wondered how the people of Germany or of
Russia allowed dictators to ascend to power. Dictators who would show little respect for humans rights, humanity dignity and human
life itself and who targeted minorities. Would their rise to power have been stopped if more people made their voices of protest
heard? Jesus calls us to be Priests, Prophets and Kings. May we pray for justice and peace, speak His truth, and exercise the
authority He has given each of us to build his kingdom of love. God’s Blessings and peace, Father Bill

On January 7, 2026, His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, accepted Bishop Matano’s resignation in accord with canon 401 §1 of the Code
of Canon Law. We are deeply grateful to Bishop Matano for his faithful apostolic service to our Diocese over these past twelve years
and assure him of our gratitude and remembrance in our prayers.
On the same day, our Holy Father announced the joyful news that he has nominated Bishop John S. Bonnici, Auxiliary Bishop of
the Archdiocese of New York, as the Tenth Bishop of the Diocese of Rochester. Bishop Bonnici will be installed on March 19, 2026, the
Solemnity of Saint Joseph, and until that time, Bishop Matano will serve as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Rochester.
Please keep Bishop Matano in your prayers as he prepares for the next stage in his life and ministry, and for Bishop Bonnici as
he prepares for his installation as the Tenth Bishop of the Diocese of Rochester; may God fill him with a deep faith and lively courage
so he may teach, sanctify and govern wisely those entrusted to his pastoral care.

DIOCESE OF ROCHESTER PERMANENT DIACONATE: The deacon is a man of faith, who is called from the community
that already recognizes his dedication to service. He makes a lifetime commitment to serving the People of God by proclaiming the
Word, assisting and presiding at liturgies, and ministering in the areas of charity and social justice. A deacon gives witness to his availability
to the community by addressing present and emerging needs of the Church. The Diocese is inviting Interested men of strong and active
faith, who can demonstrate a record of service in the communities in which they live, work and worship, who may wish to explore a possible
call to ordained ministry as a permanent deacon, to first speak with their pastor for an initial conversation. They may also contact Deacon
Edward Giblin, Director of the Office of the Permanent Diaconate, at edward.giblin@dor.org, for additional information. A potential candidate
must be at least 35 years of age and no older than 62 years of age at the time of ordination after a five (5) year period of formation. He
must be in good health, emotionally mature, have stable relationships and must have the wholehearted support of his wife (if married) and
family to enter the phase of inquiry. Because the parish is the primary experience of Church for most inquirers, the parish community is
asked as well to invite from among its members men who exhibit strong faith and a spirit of service and encourage them to consider a
possible vocation to the permanent diaconate. The Diocese anticipates that the next formation class will begin in Fall 2027, with the application
process beginning in early 2027

When does Christmas come to an end? The answer is different depending on the mindset, customs and traditions of
Christians. One way of telling when people think that Christmas is over is to look at the curbside in front of houses. When is the
Christmas Tree discarded? I have noticed that for some people it must be the day after Christmas because that is when they discard
their Christmas Tree ! Others seem to tie it into the New Year celebration as more trees are seen at the curbside on January 2. Still
others seem to look at Epiphany, or “Little Christmas” as the end of the season. When I was a boy after the Feast of Epiphany, which
fell on January 6th, we would take our tree and stick it in a snow bank in the backyard and throw any stale bread we had on it for the
birds to eat in the cold winter days.
Pope Paul VI revised the Liturgical Calendar, and set the date for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord as the first Sunday
after January 6th. Some countries though, like the United States moved the celebration of Epiphany from January 6th to a Sunday, in
that case Epiphany can vary between January 2 and January 8th. When Epiphany is celebrated on Sunday, January 7th or 8th, the
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated the next day, a Monday. The date of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord also varies
each year depending on when we celebrate Epiphany, but it is never celebrated after January 13th. Whether it is celebrated on a
Sunday or a Monday, it marks the end of the liturgical season of Christmastide.
As we celebrate this weekend the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord we are reminded of how the Holy Spirit came down
upon Jesus as he was baptized in the Jordan. Following the lead of the Holy Spirit, Jesus began His ministry on earth, a ministry that
would lead to the ultimate giving of His life on the cross for us. The mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection opened for us the greatest gift of God’s love, the gift of the Holy Spirit. We have received this gift of God’s love through the waters of our own baptism, a
baptism that calls us to be priests, prophets and kings for the Lord.
Like Jesus who responded to the call of the Holy Spirit to begin His life of service, we too are called to respond to the
promptings of the Holy Spirit in giving of the gift of ourselves in loving service. We are called by the Holy Spirit to look at the blessings
and talents that we have received from God and to follow the Spirit’s lead in offering them back to the Lord. As we journey through
the this new year may we serve the Lord, by helping and praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those in great need.
God’s blessings and peace, Father Bill

May the Blessings of the Christ Child be with you.
This Christmas will be my twelfth at Good Shepherd Catholic Community and I am amazed each year at the spirit of giving and
love that is revealed in so many beautiful ways during the Advent/Christmas season. Thanks to all who took tags from the giving tree and donated Christmas gifts A special thanks to all who donated to the Christmas flower fund and to the local food pantries. Thanks in advance to all the people who so beautifully decorate our churches, and all who helped to provided music and song at the Masses. Hearing the Christmas hymns each year makes the Christmas liturgies special. Thanks as well to the liturgical ministers who helped at the Christmas Masses. Your ministries throughout the year help to make our liturgies a joyful expression of our faith. As we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Christmas is fast approaching. May we use the last days of Advent to invite Jesus into our heart anew.
Wednesday evening, we will begin the celebration of Our Savior’s Birth. My prayer for you is that the Holy Spirit may continue to
grow in your hearts to bring the healing grace of Jesus upon you and your families. Mary, the Mother of God, gave birth to Jesus
through the power of the Holy Spirit. May the Spirit of God rest upon you to enable you to make Jesus present to others through your compassion, love, and mercy. May God’s Spirit help you each day in your efforts to bring about the justice and peace of God’s kingdom.
The Christmas season is a time when we gather as a faith community for many special liturgical celebrations. The season
begins with the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses and continues next weekend on the Feast of the Holy Family. It is a day to reflect on the family of our origin and pray that Jesus will touch our family with his healing love and enable us to live each day in unity and peace. Masses will also be celebrated New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day for the Feast of Mary, Mother of God. May we begin the New Year honoring Mary, the Mother of God, and praying together that the Peace of Christ will be experienced in our world, in our country and in our own heart. The following weekend, January 3/4, we celebrate Epiphany, and we close out the Octave of Epiphany and the Christmas Season on January 10/11 with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. May we celebrate all these special feasts, during the Christmas Season, in the joy of knowing that Jesus has come to live with us, and in us, until the end of time.
On behalf of the parish staff of Good Shepherd Catholic Community, I wish all of you a Blessed Christmas. I thank God for
the privilege of serving such wonderful people of faith. Merry Christmas, Father Bill

The Third Sunday of Advent is Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday we light the pink candle on the Advent wreath. Gaudete is
from the Latin verb gaudere (to rejoice). It is a command ordering us to rejoice! May we rejoice in the Lord always as we reflect on
the gift of Jesus our Savior. During the last days of Advent we reflect on the meaning of the first Christmas, that Christ’s birth
brought salvation to his time, to our time and to all time. From December 17-24, the O Antiphons are used in the liturgical prayers of
the church. The Antiphons name the Christ who came into our world to set us free. Most of us are familiar with the hymn, “O Come,
O Come Emmanuel” a hymn based on the O Antiphons. The seven traditional “O Antiphons” are actually more than a thousand
years old. They have long been used as Antiphons for the “Magnificat” prayed during Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours.
Since the Second Vatican Council, they have also been adapted for the “Alleluia Verse” sung before the gospel at Mass. Each Antiphon invokes the coming of the Messiah, beginning with a biblical title and closing with a specific petition. As we journey through
these last days of Advent may we use these Antiphons as our prayer to invite Jesus to come anew into our hearts and lives.
The O Antiphons
O Wisdom, O Holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to
salvation.
O Sacred Lord of Ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain:
come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.
O Flower of Jesse’s Stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples: kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow
down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.
O Key of David, O Royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of heaven: come break down the prison walls of death for
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.
O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of Justice: come, shine on those who dwell in the darkness and the shadow of death.
O King of the Nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the Mighty arch of man, come and save the creature you
fashioned from the dust.
O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people: come and set us free, Lord our God.
God’s blessings and peace, Father Bill

The Season of Advent begins this weekend. I would like to share with you again this reflection for the Advent season as we
watchfully wait and pray for the coming of the Lord.
Advent is a season when we prepare for the annual celebration of the Nativity of Our Savior. It is also a time when we prepare for
the Second Coming of Our Savior and Lord. When I think of preparing for the celebration of the birth of Jesus, I often reflect on how expectant parents prepare for the birth of a child into their lives. When parents find out that a child has been conceived they cannot hurry up the process. They have to wait for nine months for their child to be born. The waiting is filled with expectations for their child.
As they wait, they begin to prepare for the reception of the baby into their lives and home. They begin to prepare room for the baby, a nursery is made or sleeping arrangements for the family are rearranged. They also have to begin to prepare for the changes that they will face personally. After the birth of their child they will have to be ever alert and attentive; watching out for the needs of their newborn.  Their time will be less their own, their lives will now be lived in service of a fragile human being.
As they pray and hope that the baby will be healthy and be born safely into this world, they experience and watch the child developing in its mother’s womb. As they watch and wait, they often wonder will I be a good Mother, will I be a good Father? As the waiting draws to a close as the day of birth draws near, a full realization dawns upon them. The birth of our child is just the beginning! We are looking at a lifetime of being parents! A task that looks overwhelming! They pray to God for the grace to be good parents. In faith I believe that God answers the prayers of fearful parents as they look at the road of life that lies before them. I believe that day by day God will provide the grace for parents and for each one of us who asks for God’s help in prayer. Why? Because God’s love is everlasting. Out of God’s love for us he sent us His only Son. Jesus’ birth into our world marked the beginning of a fragile human life. But it would be a life of service, a life of love for us all, and a life that would end on the cross as sacrifice for our sins. But, the death of the Child of God was just the beginning! His Resurrection would give a Second Birth to all who believe and follow Him!
Jesus calls us to a lifetime of service as His disciples; a task that can seem at times to be as overwhelming as parenthood. May
we remember to prayerfully ask for the grace we need day by day to be his disciples. As we watch and wait for His Second Coming, may we always remember His love for us is everlasting. 

Have a blessed Advent & Christmas season, Father Bill

When I walk through the village parks in the towns and villages where I have lived, I notice that so many of the
communities have memorials to those members of the community that had served their country in wartime. I am always
amazed when I read the lists of names of those who served in the various wars. But I am struck by how many times we
have had to send the youth of our country off to war. Our nation began by fighting the Revolutionary War with England,
followed by the Barbary Coast War, War of 1812, the Mexican American War, the American Civil War, the SpanishAmerican War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War. All these wars as well as the wars against the Native American tribes, took the lives of so many young
Americans.
But the horrors of war do not end on the battlefields, so many soldiers are affected by the trauma of what they
experienced and saw for the rest of their lives. It is a sad fact that more American servicemen who served in Vietnam
died from suicide after their return home from war than were killed in combat. The suicide rate of soldiers who have
served in Iraq and Afghanistan continues to be alarmingly high.
War can often be made to look so glamorous in the movies or on the small screen, but the reality of war is far
from glamorous. As we celebrate Veterans Day this week may we keep in mind all those who have served our country in
the armed forces. May we pray for those who have died that they rest in peace, and may we pray for all the men and
women who are still hurting physically and mentally from the trauma and injuries of war.
Please continue to support our Veterans especially our wounded Veterans who are daily dealing with the effects
of war. Below is a Veterans Day Prayer I encourage you to offer for our Veterans and pray as well for peace in our world
that future generations will not have to go through the horrors of war.
God’s blessings and peace, Father Bill

Feasts of All Saints Day and All Souls Day
Next weekend we celebrate the feasts of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. These are special days when we remember
those that have gone before us. All Saints Day this year is not a holy day of obligation since it falls on a Saturday, but a Mass will be
offered on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. at St. Patrick, Aurora, to honor the saints who have gone before us. Each of our lives has
been touched by holy men and women who have allowed the love of God to flow through them in ways that have strengthened our
own faith. We thank God for the example of holiness that they gave us and we ask all the saints to pray for us that we in turn may be
examples of faith and love forthose we meet each day.
With All Souls Day falling on a Sunday the normal Sunday Masses for the Thirty-first Sunday of the year are superseded by
the celebration of All Souls Day Masses. We remember on this day the souls of all the departed, especially members of our parishes
and families who have died this past year. During the month of November, additional masses will be celebrated in our parishes for the
souls of all the departed, especially those whose names are mentioned on your All Souls Day envelopes, and the All Souls Day
Remembrance Books that have been placed at the church entrances.
The weekend of Nov. 8/9 we will be celebrating another feast day: the dedication of the Lateran Basilica. November 9th marks
the anniversary of the dedication of the cathedral church of Rome; the Basilica is honored as the episcopal seat of the Pope as the
Bishop of Rome.
Month of Remembrance
November is a month of remembrance in many ways. Besides remembering our deceased on All Saints and All Souls days,
we are called to remember to vote on Election Day. May we pray that all those who are elected to public office may be people of honesty, justice and peace who always remember the needs of the poor and the powerless and who strive to promote the common good
of all peoples. As we celebrate Veterans Day, we are called to remember those who have served our country in the military. We pray
for those who have died in the service of our country and we pray for all the men and women who are currently serving in the armed
forces. November is also the month we celebrate Thanksgiving, may we remember all the blessings God has bestowed upon us and
give thanks to our creator. The starkness of November also helps us to remember what our world looks like without the flowers of
Spring, the green of Summer, the color of Fall leaves, or the brightness of Winter snow. It is a month that helps me to put into proper
perspective the gifts of nature with which God so graciously blesses the earth. May we all take time to remember and thank God for
all our blessings each day.
Catholic Ministry Appeal Update
The 2025-2026 Catholic Ministry Appeal is underway! When you contribute to the Catholic Ministry Appeal, your generosity works in so many different ways! It supports people in need, helps nurture our youth, assists in communicating the good news
throughout the diocese, and provides much-needed support for our parishes. It fosters the Gospel message of stewardship – a message that reminds us that all we are and all we have are gifts from God.
I thank those who have already responded to the Catholic Ministry Appeal with your generous support. If you have not yet given your
support to the CMA this, please consider doing so today. Your gift helps to continue to spread the good news of Jesus our Lord from
one generation to the next. God’s blessings and peace, Father Bill

October is designated by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops as Respect for Life Month. We are challenged
to reflect on the sacredness of life and to have a respect for life from the moment of conception through natural death. Our respect for
life at all stages calls us to have a consistent life ethic that opposes abortion, capital punishment, assisted suicide, and euthanasia
and unjust war. These respect life issues are aspects of the large social teachings of our faith which challenge us to work for justice,
peace and human development. The following are excerpts from the USCCB on Catholic Social Teaching.
“Catholic social teaching is a central and essential element of our faith. Its roots are in the Hebrew prophets who announced God’s
special love for the poor and called God’s people to a covenant of love and justice. It is a teaching founded on the life and words of
Jesus Christ, who came “to bring glad tidings to the poor . . . liberty to captives . . . recovery of sight to the blind” (Lk 4:18-19), and
who identified himself with “the least of these,” the hungry and the stranger (cf. Mt 25:45). Catholic social teaching is built on a commitment
to the poor. This commitment arises from our experiences of Christ in the Eucharist.
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, “To receive in truth the Body and Blood of Christ given up for us, we must recognize
Christ in the poorest, his brethren” (no. 1397).
Catholic social teaching is based on and inseparable from our understanding of human life and human dignity. Every human being is
created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, and therefore is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the
human family. Every person, from the moment of conception to natural death, has inherent dignity and a right to life consistent with
that dignity. Human dignity comes from God, not from any human quality or accomplishment.
Our commitment to the Catholic social mission must be rooted in and strengthened by our spiritual lives. In our relationship with God
we experience the conversion of heart that is necessary to truly love one another as God has loved us.“ USCCB
To help us as Good Shepherd Catholic Community to carry out the social teachings of our faith I would like to reinstitute the
Justice, Peace and Human Development Committee. This committee had previously been called the Social Ministry Committee.
This committee with be involved in issues of justice, peace and addressing the root causes of poverty through advocacy and charity
helping to alleviate the conditions of poverty and social injustice. The committee’s work was interrupted when Covid hit and the
committee stopped meeting. It mission statement is: The Peace, Justice, and Social Ministry Committee of Good Shepherd
Catholic Community will identify opportunities and support ongoing efforts to create awareness and implement solutions to social
concerns fulfilling the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We would like to start up the Justice, Peace and Human Development Committee again. If you would like to be a member of
this committee, please call Father Bill at 315-364-7197. God’s blessings and peace, Father Bill

• In 1926, Pope Pius XI instituted World Mission Sunday. He asked for prayer, animation, celebration, and offerings for the
  Missions. His concern was to engender a sense of responsibility in people for supporting the Missions throughout the world. The first
  commemoration was in 1927 and the Pope asked that it would be observed in every diocese, parish, and institute. It was to be a true
  World Mission Sunday. The collection on the first World Mission Sunday, like today, is for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith,
  providing support for the life-giving and hope-filled work and witness of priests, religious, and lay pastoral leaders in mission churches.
  In his message for this World Mission Sunday, Pope Francis urged the community of the baptized to “participate actively in the
  common evangelizing mission of the Church by your witness of life and prayer, by your sacrifices and your generosity.” Pope Leo XIV,
  echoing that call, reminds us that The Pontifical Mission Societies are “the primary means for awakening missionary responsibility
  among all the baptized [and for] supporting ecclesial communities in areas where the Church is young.”
  In a recent letter from Bishop Matano, he speaks to us about World Mission Sunday:
  This year’s theme, “Missionaries of Hope Among the Peoples, “ invites us to rediscover our role as bearers of hope
  rooted in Christ. It is especially meaningful that this World Mission Sunday will be the first under the pontificate of
  Pope Leo XIV, who spent most of his priestly ministry as a missionary in Peru, serving communities in the Andean
  highlands and rural villages, always with humility, joy, and pastoral care.
  Pope Leo XIV has called The Pontifical Mission Societies “the primary means for awakening missionary responsibility
  among all the baptized (and for) supporting ecclesial communities in areas where the Church is young.” His words
  encourage us to recognize our vital role in sustaining the life and growth of the Church in over 1,124 mission territories
  across Asia, Africa, Latin America, Oceania, and parts of Europe and the Middle East.
  The collection we take up on World Mission Sunday is not just financial—it is a living sign of our communion with the
  universal Church. It supports the formation of seminarians, religious sisters, and catechists; the building of chapels,
  schools, and clinics; and the ongoing evangelization of peoples who may be hearing the Gospel for the first time by
  bringing the light of Christ to places marked by material poverty, persecution, or spiritual longing.
  I respectfully ask you to respond generously to this invitation. Let us also unite in prayer for the success of the
  Church’s missionary activities and for the missionaries themselves, who sacrifice much and dedicate their lives to
  spreading the Gospel.
  Renewing my deep gratitude for your generosity on October 19th, as well as your support of the missionary activities
  of the church throughout the year, I remain with an assurance of my prayers, Sincerely yours in Christ,
  The Most Reverend Salvatore R. Matano
  Bishop of Roch

Parishioners from time to time ask questions about how we do things in the parish, so I
thought it would be good to share with you some of our parish procedures.
People have raised the question how can I get in touch with a priest if I need one? The easiest way is to call the church office in
Aurora. The church office number is 315-364-7197. If you cannot reach anyone and it is an emergency, you can text me at 607
-761-6117 or email me at fr.bill.moorby@dor.org.
Mass cards for the deceased or for the living can be obtained at the church office in Aurora. Also, Mass cards can be picked
up at any of the churches. In order to arrange a date for a Mass to be celebrated we ask you to call the Parish Office in Aurora.
Robin Driskel, the office administrator, will schedule the Masses for you.
Regarding visitation of the sick and the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. I try to visit parishioners in the hospital when I
am informed they have been hospitalized. When you or a member of your family is hospitalized, especially if they enter the
hospital through the emergency room, please inform the admissions office of the hospital that you are Roman Catholic and a
member of Good Shepherd Catholic Community parish, and that you would like someone from the church to visit you. With the
new privacy laws without your permission the hospital cannot give us information that you are in the hospital. Please also call
the parish office to inform us when a family member is in the hospital so we can visit. If you are going to have surgery, I encourage you to ask for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Many people schedule to receive the sacrament after Mass
on the Sunday before their surgery. I periodically anoint all our parishioners and Catholic residents residing at Northwoods
Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Moravia, when we celebrate the monthly Mass there on the second Tuesday of the month.
If anyone is in need of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, please call the church office so arrangements can be made.
Regarding Church Envelopes: Envelope packets are sent to parishioners every two months. We encourage all parishioners to
use the church envelopes on a regular basis. The regular Sunday collections are the primary way that monies are raised to
meet the parishes operating expenses. If you are not currently receiving envelopes, we encourage you to do so by calling the
parish office. Beside the regular Sunday collection envelopes, there are also envelopes for second collections. Many of these
are national or world-wide church collections like: Peter’s Pence, World Missions Sunday, and Campaign for Human Development. Once a month there is an envelope for a second collection that supports the church locally. Four times a year there is a
collection for fuel (Utilities/Energy) to help meet the high cost of keeping our churches warm in the winter. Four times a year
there is a collection for the Cemeteries to help with the maintenance costs of our five cemeteries. Twice a year there is a Catholic Courier collection to help defray the cost of our diocesan newspaper, and there are flower collections for Easter and Christmas. There are also envelopes for the Feast days that are the usual holy days of obligation during the liturgical year. Finally
there is a Vacation Make-up envelope to allow you to give support for the weeks you were away from the parish.
We can also receive your offerings on-line through WeShare Church Donations. If you would like to sign-up to make your
weekly or monthly offering to the parish on-line you can do so on our parish website. www.thegoodshepherd.cc
Whether you contribute online or at church through the Sunday offerings, your ongoing financial support throughout the year is
greatly appreciated. Thank you for your generosity.
Remember whenever you have questions about the parish or need information please call the church office and we will do our
best to address your needs. God’s blessings and peace, Father Bill

I hadn’t yet reached my first birthday when one of the most painful days in Dodgers history took place. I am referring to Bobby
Thomson’s “shot heard around the world;” his home run that beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1951 National League playoff series,
which sent the New York Giants to the World Series against the New York Yankees! What made it such a devastating event for the
Dodgers was the fact that they had a 13 game lead in the standings over the Giants on August 11. They saw the lead dwindle away, and the Dodgers and Giants ended the regular season in a tie for first place, setting up a 3 game playoff for the chance to face the Yankees.
The Dodgers and Giants split the first two games of the playoff series, the Giants winning game one and the Dodgers bouncing back to win game two by a score of 10-0. So, it all came down to game three to determine who would be the National League Champion. The Dodgers entered the final Inning with a 3 run lead, setting the stage for Thomson’s heroics. Ralph Blanca was brought into the game to pitch against Thomson. Thomson answered the challenge and hit a home run into the left field stands, the “shot hear around the world” that was followed by announcer Russ Hodges screaming voice saying, The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!
As I said, I wasn’t even a year old when that game took place, but with my Dad being a Dodger fan. the memory was drilled into my
head at an early age as the day the Dodgers lost the pennant. We got our first television in 1954 right before the World Series that
year, and I began seeing black and white repays of that famous home run. The image of Thomson jubilently rounding the bases became etched in my mind, when I became a Dodger fan myself, as a day of sorrow. The Giants ended up losing to the Yankees in the 1951 World Series, but they would sweep the Cleveland Indians in the 1954 series. One of my earliest memories was watching the game on our new TV and seeing Willie Mays making an unbelievable over the head basket catch at the Polo Grounds!
Our memories, whether they are of happy times or sad and trying times, help form us in life. The Pashcal Mystery, Jesus’ suffering,
death and resurrection, are the memories of Sorrow and Joy that forms us in the life of Christ. May we always remember what Christ
has done for us! He may not have hit a season winning Homer, but He won for us the Victory of the Cross, Eternal Life.
God blessings and peace, Father Bill

I am blessed living at the rectory in Aurora. Being on the east side of the lake, I am able to witness many beautiful sunsets. This past week I was vacationing with some of my priest classmates from St. Bernard Seminary. We all were graduated
from St. Bernard Seminary in 1981, the last class to do so before the seminary was closed. We have vacationed together a number of
times through the years at various locations. In recent years we have often gathered together on one of the Finger Lakes. This year, I
was able to view the sunset on Seneca Lake rather than my usual view of the sunset on Cayuga Lake as we stayed at a cottage on
the east side Seneca Lake. I of course had the shortest trip to make to get to our vacation spot; Father Michael Rose, from the
Worcester Diocese had the longest journey. But, whether we came from near or far, the gathering allowed us to enjoy each others
company and relax and visit some of the wineries. God’s blessings and peace, Father Bill