If Ithaca City Schools CLOSE due to winter weather, the Office will also CLOSE, and the 7:30am Daily Mass is cancelled. Check the MyParish app as all updates will be listed. You can download the parish app by going to the app store on your cell phone and search for MyParish App. Once it is loaded, search for Immaculate Conception Church, Ithaca. Click on the parish and you are all set.

Ash Wednesday March 5th Masses:

7:00 AM, 12:10 PM and 7:00 PM

Stations of the Cross:

Friday, March 7th. 12.10 PM led by Mercy Associates. The rest of the Fridays stations of the cross will be held at 5.30 PM. All ministries are requested to help lead the stations on Fridays. Call the parish office to sign up. Weekly Monday Adoration 6.30 PM— 7.30 PM

Holy Hour:

Thursdays: 11 AM-12.00 PM prior to the 12.10 PM Mass

LENTEN PRACTICES

 All Fridays of Lent are days of Abstinence.

 Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of Fasting and Abstinence.

Fasting practices —those between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to FAST—one full meal a day is allowed with two lesser meals and only liquids in-between meals.

Abstinence practices—those 14 years of age and older are obliged not to eat meat on the days appointed. (If, due to medical reasons you cannot fast, the regulation does not apply to you.)

The Prayer Booklets for Lent are now available in the church. These will guide you spiritually through the Lenten Season.

The Service Team’s Bags for Lenten Almsgiving are available in church for you to take home. The donations support our local chapter of Catholic Charities. Bags will be returned during Holy Week.

We are accepting donations for Easter Flowers and Decorations in Memory/Honor of Loved Ones. For those who have not received the special included collection envelopes, extra envelopes have been provided for your convenience by the Church entrances. Or you may call the Parish Office. Suggested donation: $10  

The Knights of Columbus seek men of all ages willing to lead more faith-filled lives through companionship and mission, and we invite you to join our fellowship. Council members will be in the Parish Hall before and after all masses next weekend, March 29 & 30, to share a few videos and discuss your interests and how the Knights can be part of your vocation in faith. For a quick overview, watch this 3-minute video https://youtu.be/kQtsDEMy2Hs?si=t7XB93pqhO9B-r-E.

Many thanks and much appreciation to the organizing team of this year’s St. Patrick’s Dinner Fundraiser for the Food Pantry, and all those who attended. Thanks to Tom Robinson who cooked everything to perfection, his wonderful team of cooks and helpers who gave service with a smile and a good time was had by all. All donations greatly assist our Food Pantry.

After Masses next weekend, we’ll have the opportunity to speak out against hunger. Our parish will be joining in the Offering of Letters to our members of Congress on critically important nutrition programs. Please plan to participate.

Outreach and community building continued

Our parish is committed to building a strong community of believers by bringing people together in many ways. This can be accomplished by everyone spending time together in prayer and in social activities.

 There are many opportunities for us to get together including participation in our various ministries, participation in community prayers, like the Stations of the Cross during Lent, Holy hours and benedictions, and other special prayer services and musical meditations.

Social activities are also great ways for us to get to know one another, welcome new parishioners and create those church family bonds. Our recent pasta and St. Patrick’s Day dinners are examples as are our coffee hours and the annual parish picnic.

Our parish picnic will be held on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at the large Stewart Park pavilion. So, please mark your calendar now to save that date!

If you made a gift to the CMA or Catholic Ministries Appeal over the last years, you should have received a letter outlining the programs the diocese supports through the appeal. If you did not receive a letter or are new to our parish/diocese you may wonder what the CMA is and how it benefits the church. Some highlights to last year’s campaign: ordination of one priest with five seminarians continuing their education; five deacons in formation, 260 high school students received the Hands of Christ award acknowledging their ministry and leadership; 840 Confirmations from 67 parishes and faith communities; 5023 youth participating in religious education programs; and 250,000 people assisted by our Catholic Charities agencies throughout the diocese. Some additional ways the CMA supported the parishes are: Prepared 275 engaged couples for God-centered marriages, funded programs that give our young adults on college campuses a connection to the church and spread the Gospel through communications media. This is important work that needs to be continued. Ways to make your donation to the CMA: 1) Online in the Secured Donation Portal visit www.dor.org/cmagive. 2) Text GIVECMA to 585-502-9124 to donate from your phone 3) Call 585-328-3210 extension 1298 to use a credit card 4) Checks made payable to CMA and mailed to Catholic Ministries Appeal, Diocese of Rochester, PO Box 6841, Ithaca, NY 14851-6841. 5) If you choose to remain anonymous, you can send your donation restricted to the Catholic Ministries Appeal through the parish and it will be forwarded to the diocese. For proper credit to the Immaculate Conception Church in Ithaca, use code 266 on your donation.

CMA Goal: $64,000

Current  Status: Donors – 162 Percentage: 74.3% $47,555

Kindly visit the lost and found basket in the northern corner of the front entrance of the church and check it out. There are some precious items in the basket. The basket is pretty full, and it needs to be emptied. Thank you!  Items not removed will be donated to the Homeless Shelter.

IMPORTANT NOTICE . As we are in Flu Season, and with COVID variant still prevalent, we continue to urge people to refrain from shaking hands during the Sign of Peace. Anyone feeling ill is urged to stay home. Let’s get through this season safely! Thank you so much for your cooperation in this matter.

The Care and Concern Committee of the Church sends cards to church members in nursing homes. However, often people in our congregation are in the hospital, healing at home or are at rehabilitation centers to gain strength. We want to be sure that our church family knows that we’re thinking of them and praying for them. If someone you know would be blessed by receiving a card, please send the contact information (name and address) to cbgracem@gmail.com…so the Holy Spirit can touch lives one card at a time.

Is there someone you know who could use a warm, cozy shawl that comes with a prayer to help brighten their day? We have Prayer Shawls available for people to hand out. These shawls have been knitted by members of the parish with love and hope that they can help make a difference in someone’s life. Please contact the Caring Team or Parish Office  607/273-6121 if you would like one.

Your voice matters. If you have a suggestion, good idea around the pastoral goals of the parish; spiritual opportunities, outreach/community building, youth and family, buildings/grounds, cemetery and financial matters, kindly stop by the pastoral council meetings that occur every first Thursday of each month. You will be listened to because you love your parish.

Confessions are heard every Saturday from 2:00pm-3:30pm in the Church.

Call 273-6121 to receive this Sacrament or if your loved one is in the hospital.

For Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation email Rich at rich.rasmussen@dor.org for information or to register.

Call 607-273-6121 at least 6 months in advance of your wedding date.