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

This past fiscal year, we have completed quite a few capital improvement projects, – – something we haven’t
been able to accomplish in recent years. This year alone we completed the following projects:

• At Our Lady of the Lake, we had a new furnace installed in the church at a cost of $9,845.
• At St. Michael Church we had brick repairs done on the windows of the church hall costing $17,000.
• At St. Patrick Rectory in Aurora a new kitchen was installed with a new ceiling and lighting, new custommade cabinets, new appliances, a stove, refrigerator, dish washer, and a microwave at a cost of $26,976.
• At St, Patrick in Moravia, new carpeting was installed in the church at a cost of $22,111.
• Also, the exterior trim of the church was painted at a cost of $19,495.
• And the exterior of the St. Patrick, Moravia, parish house was painted at a cost of $11,495.

The total cost of these projects was $106,922. The last few years we did not use much of the budgeted
monies for Capital Improvements giving us a revenue surplus last year of over $72,000. This year we had
budgeted $50,000 for Capital improvements and ran over by $56,922. But this amount was covered by last
year’s surplus.
We are currently working on new windows for St. Michael Church Hall, and we have just completed the
first phase of a parking lot project on the North side of St. Patrick Church, Moravia. The old surface was removed, the area graded, and the base surfaced was installed. In two years, the topcoat will be applied.
It is from your generosity that we are able to complete these projects. The contributions that you give
through the Buildings & Grounds Collection, help to pay for these projects. Also, you can give gifts to the
Memorial Fund and designate your gift for a capital improvement project in memory of a loved one. And
please consider including the parish in your will.
We have been budgeting monies each year to help pay for needed capital improvements. I thank you for
your weekly contribution to the parish, We could not fulfill our mission without your continuous support.
God’s blessings, Fr. Bill

Since 2020, when Marilyn Paradise retired as Religious Education Coordinator, our Faith Formation Programs have gone
through quite a few changes. Since then we have shared a Religious Education Coordinator with other nearby parishes, first with the
parishes in Northern Tompkins County with Dawn Burdick as Coordinator. Dawn held the position for the 2020-21 school year, but
sadly for us she moved on to a Rochester parish to be closer to her family. Since then we have shared a Director of Faith Formation
with many of the Auburn area parishes, St. Mary in Auburn, Ss. Mary and Martha in Auburn, and Our Lady of the Snows in
Weedsport and Cato. Carlo Stebbings was the director of the program for two years. Carlo though moved on to a different church
ministry as a Chaplain at the Auburn Correctional Facilities. Last year, Deacon Gary DiLallo, coordinated the programs until he retired earlier this year. This year Jonathan Robson holds the position of Director of Faith Formation. Jon will be speaking next weekend at all the Masses about this year’s program. It is not an easy task to plan and organize programs for so many churches. Families
have had to travel for many aspects of faith formation and sacramental preparation sessions in recent years. We though are merged
together with other parishes because of the small number of children registered and active in our churches.
As we go forward and plan for the future we need your assistance. No matter how our programs are designed, we need to
know how many children to plan for this year. So, I ask you parents to register your children for Faith Formation. We need to
know the number and ages of the children we are called to serve. Also, if you are sending your children to Catholic schools, or are
planning on doing so, please let us know by calling the parish office. (315-364-7197) Of greatest importance, to run programs, and
to give people more options on locations for sessions, we need volunteer catechists. Sharing your faith with our young people can
be very enriching for you. Please pray about being a volunteer to help strengthen and broaden our programs for our children. If you
are willing and able to assist, please call the Faith Formation office, (315-252-7593) or speak to Jon directly, (315-277-0050).
God’s blessings and peace, Father BillAccordion Content

Recently a parishioner came up to me and asked to be anointed because of some medical concerns. I said I would be glad to and I went and got the Oil of the Sick and anointed her with the holy oil as I administered the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. I was grateful that she gave me the opportunity to pray with her.
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.

The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins, Saturday, January 18 and ends, Saturday January 25. The theme
chosen for 2025 is, “Do you Believe”( John 11:26) Our world has seen so much warfare in recent times as nations fight against their neighbors, and our country has seen so much political division that causes unrest in our nation. The violence on New Year’s Day in New Orleans reminds us that our streets, neighborhoods, and schools continue to be plagued with senseless gun violence that calls out for justice for all people. These continued tensions in the human family call out for healing, unity, justice and peace. As we reflect on the theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, “Do you Believe?”, may we pray for unity not only in our faith communities, but also for our families, our country, and our world.
The churches of Union Springs have gathered in daily prayer and reflection sessions in observance of the Week of Prayer for
Christian Unity, for over forty years. Covid stopped the gatherings for prayer for a couple of years, but last year we began meeting again for prayer and reflection during the Week of Prayer but with an abbreviated schedule. This year we will do likewise.
On Saturday, January 18,at 2:00 p.m., there will be a session at the Healing Grounds, 155 Main Street, Union Springs. The
Scripture readings for that gathering are Isaiah 63:15-1t; Psalm 139: 1-3, 13, 23, 24b; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6.
On Sunday, January 19, at the Trinity United Church of Christ, on Main Street, Union Springs, there will be a dish –to- pass
meal at 6:00 p.m., followed by a 7:00pm prayer service with a reflection offered by Fr. Bill Moorby.
On Tuesday, January 21, at 2:00 p.m.at the Trinity United Church of Christ, on Main Street, Union Springs. The Scripture
readings for that gathering are Exodus 3:7-8; Psalm 16:5, 7,10-11.
On Wednesday, January 22, 7:00 p.m. at St. Michael Church, on Main Street, Union Springs. The Scripture readings for that
gathering are Ezekiel 36:24-28; Psalm 104: 24-25, 27-29. 33-34; John 3:4-8.
On Thursday, January 23, 7:00 p.m. at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Union Springs. The Scripture readings for that
gathering are Isaiah 2:2-4; Psalm 133; Ephesians 4:1-6.
On Friday, January 24, 2:00 p.m. at St. Michael Church, on Main Street, Union Springs. The Scripture readings for that gathering are Micah 7:18-19, Psalm 51:1, 7, 10, 12, Matthew 28: 16-20.
Please bring a Bible with you to the prayer and reflection sessions.
If you cannot make the gatherings, please pray for unity that we may all be one in God ‘s love. Also, a Daily Scripture and
Prayer Guide for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will be available in our churches. You are encouraged to use them at
home for personal prayer during the week or to gather as a family or with friends at home to prayerfully reflect throughout the week.
On January 20th, we honor Martin Luther King, Jr., a man who devoted his life to bring about equality by peaceful means and to stop the injustices experienced by persons of color in our society. May we pray for the necessary changes needed in our minds and hearts, as well as in the laws and systems in our society that facilitate discrimination and injustice. May we see others as our neighbors and all people as children of God. God’s blessings and peace, Father Bill

I share with you today this teaching of the church of who we are as God’s pilgrim people as we await the fulfillment of our salvation ,
the Second coming of the Lord.
From “Lumen gentium”, the Second Vatican Council’s dogmatic constitution on the Church
The eschatological character of the pilgrim Church
“The Church, to which we are all called in Christ Jesus and in which we acquire holiness through the grace of God, will reach its
perfection only in the glory of heaven, when the time comes for the renewal of all things, and the whole world, which is intimately
bound up with man and reaches its perfection through him, will, along with the human race, be perfectly restored in Christ.
Lifted above the earth, Christ drew all things to himself. Rising from the dead, he sent his life-giving Spirit upon his disciples, and
through the Spirit established his Body, which is the Church, as the universal sacrament of salvation. Seated at the right hand of the
Father, he works unceasingly in the world, to draw men into the Church and through it to join them more closely to himself, nourishing them with his own body and blood, and so making them share in his life of glory.
The promised renewal that we look for has already begun in Christ. It is continued in the mission of the Holy Spirit. Through the
Spirit it goes on developing in the Church: there we are taught by faith about the meaning also of our life on earth as we bring to fulfilment – with hope in the blessings that are to come – the work that has been entrusted to us in the world by the Father, and so work out our salvation.
The end of the ages is already with us. The renewal of the world has been established, and cannot be revoked. In our era it is in a
true sense anticipated: the Church on earth is already sealed by genuine, if imperfect, holiness. Yet, until a new heaven and a new
earth are built as the dwelling place of justice, the pilgrim Church, in its sacraments and institutions belonging to this world of time,
bears the likeness of this passing world. It lives in the midst of a creation still groaning and in travail as it waits for the sons of God to be revealed in glory.