Abundant spiritual opportunities

Mass schedule

Friday (12/26) 7:30am

Saturday (vigil) (12/27) 4:30pm

Sunday (12/28) 8:30am and 10:30am

Monday (12/29) 12:10pm

Tuesday (12/30) 7:30am

Wednesday (12/31) 7:30am

Thursday (1/1: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God) 10:30am

Friday (1/2) 7:30am

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

(12/28)

Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

~Ps: 128:1-2, 3, 4-5

The source and summit

The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1324)

In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith: “Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1327)

Adoration and prayer

Rosary after daily Mass

Daily Mass: on Monday and Thursday 12:10pm and Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 7:30am, the rosary is said after each Mass.

Mondays at 5:00pm: rosary in spanish

Rosary in Spanish every Monday at 5:00pm

Mondays at 6:00pm: Holy hour

Holy Hour on Mondays will begin at 6:00pm.

All attendees of the Monday evening Holy Hour will now need to enter strictly through the side door (parking lot side). Front doors will be locked.

Thursdays at 11:00am during Advent: Adoration

Looking for a quiet time to pray during Advent? Time available for Adoration without Benediction, just Exposition and quiet prayer on Thursdays of Advent, beginning December 4, 2025, from 11am to 12pm, followed by the 12:10pm Mass.

Thursdays at 8:00pm during Advent: Nightsong

Nightsong Thursdays at 8:00pm

Saturdays 2:00pm-3:00pm Eucharistic Adoration with Confession

Saturday Adoration starts at 2:00 – 3:00 PM with confessions available.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions: Saturdays 2:00pm-3:30pm, Holy Rosary 2:30pm

Regional First Saturday Marian Masses at 9:00am

Our usual 9:00am Marian Mass on First Saturday will now become a Regional Mass. We will still feature our wonderful Children’s Choir. It’s a great way to start out the weekend. Bring your children, bring your families!

Monthly prayer requests for priests

Visit the calendar webpage.

How do you spend one hour in the presence of Jesus?

The Eucharistic Revival Team has asked me to share how I pray in the presence of Jesus during Adoration. Well, this is how I have prayed many times: I begin with deep gratitude for the gracious presence of the Lord who shows up for me in all His glory and for the world. He longs to be with me more than I long for him. After prayer of gratitude, which is often spontaneous, I pause for an extended silence, knowing He is there with me. Silence is not easy but necessary. This is followed by examination of conscience, repentance and resolution to be faithful. Before concluding my hour, I make prayer of petitions: for the sick, poor, the homeless, the elderly who are lonely, for our parish and for all parishioners, for the Church and for the mission of Christ in the world. My conclusion always contains words of more gratitude and renewed commitment to love the Lord deeply and to serve Him and His people with greater love.

Fellowship

Immaculate Conception Book Club: 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:30pm-9:00pm

The Immaculate Conception Book Club will begin monthly meetings in January, all readers welcome: a mix of fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary, secular or spiritual-with-a-Catholic bent. There’s no longterm commitment. Participate in as many or as few discussions as you like. Meetings will be held in the parish hall on the second Thursday of every month, beginning January 8, 2026 from 7:30pm-9:00pm.

For more information or to get on the mailing list, please contact David Guaspari at [email protected]

To get things underway, a small committee of readers has chosen the first three books. Members (which is everyone who joins the mailing list) will vote to choose books for the rest of the year.

*January 8*:

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store: A Novel

by James McBride

Winner of the 2024 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. On the Best Books of the Year lists of NPR/Fresh Air, Washington Post, The New Yorker, and Time Magazine.

“A murder mystery locked inside a Great American Novel … Charming, smart, heart-blistering, and heart-healing.” – Danez Smith, The New York Times Book Review

*February 12*:

That We May Be One: Christian Non-Duality

by Father Thomas Keating

A transcript of a conversation between Father Keating and friends at St. Benedict’s Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado about meditation and contemplative prayer (Centering Prayer) from a Christian perspective.

*March 12*:

The Control of Nature

by John McPhee

Humanity’s never-ending struggles against powerful forces of nature: rivers (attempting to contain the Mississippi), volcanoes (redirecting lava flows from an Icelandic volcano), surviving debris flows from the San Gabriel Mountains into the exurbs of LA.

Exodus 90 begins on January 5th

The Exodus 90 program for Catholic men is
designed to help you break out of the spiritual
doldrums and to grow closer to the Lord. The
program comprises of a 90-day period of prayer,
asceticism and fraternity. All these elements taken
together lead to freedom; the freedom to say NO
to those things that enslave us and to say YES to GOD, your family and your community.
To learn more about the program contact Deacon
Rick Burgess ([email protected]). The program begins January 5, 2026, and runs for 90 days, culminating on Easter Sunday. Come join us!
Group will meet via Zoom on Saturday mornings.

Fiat 90 begins on January 5th

With Christmas right around the corner, ’tis the season to think about the new year, resolutions, and fresh starts. Last year, a small group of us did the Fiat90 program, and found it to be a great way to grow in the spiritual life and prepare for Easter.

Fiat90 is modeled after the famous Exodus90 program for men, but designed for women, following the example of the Blessed Mother’s “yes” or “fiat” to God. It is a program of growing in love of God and neighbor through asceticism, detachment, and prayer. This of course isn’t an easy task, but it is eased by building a community of women doing this together and supporting each other. I think that most of us who did it last year found that it was the support that really helped us get through the hard weeks, and keep God at the center of our focus, with Mary as our model.

For anyone who has done Fiat90 already, and is interested in a different program, some of us are going to simultaneously do Magnify90. It is a similar concept, but with some modifications and a slightly different focus.

The current plan is to have weekly check-in meetings on Saturdays at 7:00pm or so, for which I hope to have both in-person (in the Immaculate Conception Parish Hall) and Zoom options.

If you are interested in joining us on this journey of spiritual growth and renewal, please contact Mary Therese Holzhauer at [email protected].

Parish pilgrimage

Our parish is planning a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Ma. Date and details are yet to be determined. If you are interested in joining for this event, please contact Luke Dumouchel; [email protected] or Jan Nye; [email protected], or call the parish office.

Endow study women's program: Wednesdays at 7:00pm

The women’s ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women) group meets on Wednesdays at 7:00pm in the Parish Hall. New members are welcome. Please contact Trish at [email protected] if you would like more information on the group or would like to join us.

Divine Mercy Cenacle: 1st & 3rd Thursdays at 5:30pm

Do you want to deepen your faith and progress on your journey to sainthood with a small group of faithful Catholics? If so, consider joining us to follow the path of Divine Mercy as taught by Saint Faustina and instituted by St. John Paul II. We will study the Diary of St. Faustina, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and scripture to enrich our faith and prayer life and to reflect on the meaning and impact of divine mercy in our lives. We follow a created curriculum and do a small amount of reading to prepare for our meetings. We meet every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 5:30pm in the Parish Center. For more information, including materials about Divine Mercy, send an email to [email protected] or text
607-227-3884.

Wisdom of the Church: Sundays after 10:30am Mass

You’re invited to take part in a new adult faith formation opportunity at our Parish called “Wisdom of the Church”. We’ll be studying Church teaching that focuses on living our faith in the world. This new group will start by reading some shorter writings by St. Pope John Paul. All are welcome. If you’ve never read a papal document, or if you’ve read all of them, this is the group for you! Just come with a willingness to listen, discuss, and grow in faith with others. The sessions take place on Sundays right after the 10:30am Mass (approximately 11:40am) in the conference room in the Parish Center.

Beyond our parish

Presentation Jan 14 at St. Francis Solanus, Interlaken

On Wednesday, January 14 at 9:30am at St. Francis Solanus Church, St. Bernard’s School of theology will be sending
from Rochester, Dr. Matthew Kuhner who will give a presentation on Evangelization and Catechesis: Proclaiming the Truth of the Gospel with Joy, Humility, and Love. Dr Kuhner has a
special way of presenting Catholic thought an history in a profound, down-to-earth style. Please visit
www.marymotherofmercy.com for more information

Birthright Diaper Drive 12/7 - 12/21

Donate diapers to those in need!

We are looking for diapers in any size (but particularly preemie, newborn and size 5!) Donations will be distributed to Birthright. Collection date: 12/7/2025-12/21/2025

Branches Retreat Center

Lakeside Day Retreats: Branches Christian Rest and Renewal Centers, Inc. invites you for a day of rest and renewal at our Seneca Lake property.

For more information visit the Branches Christian Rest and Renewal Centers, Inc. website, call/text: (716) 901-4313, or email: [email protected].

Notre Dame Retreat House

Looking for a great retreat opportunity? Visit the ND Retreat House Website for retreat options.

Catholic Courier ads

Are you a local business owner who’d like to gain more customers while supporting our diocese? Catholic Courier ad revenue stays within our diocese, and its ads reach 175,000+ print readers and 40,000+ unique monthly website visitors. If you’d like to learn more, please contact parishioner April Krueger at 607-216-5853 or [email protected].

Visit our Mary shrine and prayer garden

Virgin Mary statue surrounded by brick and stone with Ave Maria Gratia Plena marker among a garden. — Ave Maria Gratia Plena

curved garden path with plant labels and Blessed Mother Shrine — Curved garden path leading to the Mary Shrine.

grass with curved gardens — A hint of what is to come as we enter the Prayer Garden.

Join a small catholic community

Divine Mercy Cenacle

Following the path of Divine Mercy as taught by St. Faustina.

Coordinator: Bridgid Cooper

Do you want to deepen your faith through study of scripture and Catechism of the Catholic Church, progress on your journey to sainthood by following the path of Divine Mercy as taught by St. Faustina? Do you want to join a small group of fellow parishioners to pursue these goals, as well as to share song, prayer, personal insights from the readings and works of mercy? If so, Immaculate Conceptions Divine Mercy Cenacle is for you. The Cenacle meets every other Tuesday evening at 6pm in the Parish Center. Contact [email protected] for more info and how to get started.

Endow

A Catholic women’s program.

Coordinator: Trish Burgess

Endow (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women) is a Catholic apostolate originating in the Archdiocese of Denver. Endow calls women together to study the important documents of the church as well as the lives of the female Doctors of the Church. Through Endow groups, women encounter their identity as daughters of God, enabling them to grow in their faith and ultimately discover their mission in life. As a group we strive to cultivate deep friendships through our readings and discussion. Each Endow Study is an 8-12 week commitment. The Method is simple: gather together, read the chapter aloud and discuss the questions at the end of each section. There is no preparation and no homework required. Please see Endow Groups for more information and for study guide topics. Most recently we studied the lives and teaching of St.Therese of Liseaux and St. Teresa Benedicta of the Child Jesus (Edith Stein). Our local Endow group is in its third year, and we are a mix of women – some of us new to the faith, new to Immaculate Conception and others who have grown up in this parish. If you are looking for a place to grow in faith and relationship with Christ and others, please contact Trish at [email protected] and join us on Wednesday evenings.

“It’s not just a study group–I feel my spiritual life has grown/deepened from hearing others’ experiences and being able to share some of my own. And I’ve made new friends through the group.”

-long-time parishioner of Immaculate Conception and Endow group member

Exodus 90

A Catholic men’s program.

Coordinator: Rick Burgess

The Exodus 90 program for Catholic men is designed to help you break out of the spiritual doldrums and to grow closer to the Lord. The program starts 90 days before Easter, and combines prayer, asceticism and fraternity. All these elements taken together lead to freedom: the freedom to say NO to those things that enslave us and to say YES to GOD, your family and your community. Though we began the 90 day exercise in January, it is not too late to join us during Lent! We have one group based solely in Ithaca that meets in person and one that includes men from both Ithaca and around the region that meets via zoom. Both groups meet on Saturday mornings. The zoom group continues meeting year-around as a men’s prayer group when we are not doing the Exodus 90 exercise. To learn more, contact Rick Burgess at [email protected].

Fiat 90

A Catholic women’s program.

Coordinator: Mary Holtzhauer

Prayer Shawl Ministry

Sharing love and warmth through knitted and crocheted prayer shawls.

Coordinators: Chris Wells and Mary Edsall-Golway

We are looking for people who would be willing to knit or crochet prayer shawls for distribution, with prayers, to people who would benefit from the love and warmth knitted or crocheted into these shawls. You could make these on your own, or in a group, using patterns provided or your own. IF YOU DON’T KNIT OR CROCHET – Perhaps you would be willing to donate toward the yarn, needles, etc. for use by a knitter or crotchetier? Contact Chris Wells or Mary Edsall-Golway

Seven Sisters Apostalate

Committed to praying for priests.

Coordinator: Jan Nye

The Mission: The Seven Sisters Apostolate is a call to strengthen the church by ensuring that a Holy Hour is prayed each day of the week for the sole intention of a specific priest or bishop—a “holy wasting” (cf. Matthew 25:10) or lavishing of prayer for his deeper conformity to Christ. Each participant commits to one hour of prayer, one day a week for the pastor of their church. At Immaculate, we use the hour to pray for Father Chumo and his intentions, as he shepherds our church and parishioners.

Although the ministry is called “Seven Sisters”, it is not restricted to women. Men may also participate. We ask each participant to commit to a specific day of the week, but the time is decided by the participant. Ideally, the prayer happens in the parish church in front of the Tabernacle, but the holy hour can be prayed in any quiet location if it’s not possible to get to the church. The Apostolate has suggestions for prayers, but there are no rules or specific prayers that must be said. The participant decides how and what s/he wants to pray. The only requirement is that the hour of prayer is dedicated to the parish priest. We currently have commitments for all seven days of the week, but if you’re interested in participating in the ministry as a substitute, or possibly in the future, please contact Jan Nye at [email protected].

A Prayer for Priests, (USCCB):

Gracious and loving God, we thank you for the gift of our priests. Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments. Help our priests to be strong in their vocation, set their souls on fire with love for your people. Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Christ. Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom. Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel. Allow them to experience joy in their ministry. Help them to become instruments of your divine grace. We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest. Amen.

Immaculate Conception Book Club

All readers welcome.

Coordinator: David Guaspari

St. Joseph Prayer Group

Coordinator: Liz Burns

Wisdom of the Church

Resources on the web

Sripture studies archive

External resources- local

External resources-global

Seven habits of a practicing catholic

1. Morning offering

As soon as you arise from sleep, offer everything you do in your day to God. Here is one example of a Morning Offering prayer that places us in union with Jesus and Mary and covers a complete list of needs and intentions. See if this Morning Offering works for you, or share your version of this prayer with others:

O My God, I offer You all my prayers, works, joys, sacrifices and sufferings in union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for :

1) the Intentions in which You plead and offer Yourself in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass,

2) in thanksgiving for Your favors,

3) in reparation for our offenses,
4) in humble supplication for our temporal and eternal welfare,

5) for the needs of Holy Mother the Church,

6) for the conversion of sinners, and

7) for the relief of the poor souls in Purgatory.

I wish to gain all the indulgences I can from the good works I perform today. Amen.

2. The Angelus

Follow your Morning Offering with the recitation of The Angelus. The Angelus is typically prayed at rising, noontime and at the end of your day. At times God may seem light years away, but Jesus is truly present here with us, in the messes of each day. When pondered carefully The Angelus can bring you closer to the Mystery of the Incarnation, how our Lord “put some skin into the game” and how you can do the same for God! Thanks to His Incarnation and His suffering on our behalf, we may someday be brought to Eternal Life.

The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
And she conceived by the Power of the Holy Spirit, Hail Mary….
Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to Your Word. Hail Mary…
And the Word was made Flesh. And dwelt among us. Hail Mary…
Pour forth we beseech Thee O Lord Thy Grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of the Angel, may we by His Passion of the Cross be brought to the Glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord, Amen.

3. Biblical, scriptural reading, and/or uplifting spiritual writings

For a Catholic, the choices are abundant, but when in doubt, it’s best to check that the sources you read are in conformity with Catholic teaching. Your Bible for instance will note on the first pages the phrase, Nebi/ Obstat, indicating that a Catholic theologian has examined the book and finds nothing objectionable. The word “Imprimatur” tells you a Catholic bishop has given his ’stamp of approval’. If you carefully listen to the Word of God at Mass, to the daily/weekly Lectionary (Readings, Psalms, the Gospels over a 3-year period), you will be well grounded in Scripture. However, there are still plenty of books in the Bible to explore not covered by the Lectionary. From Genesis to the Book of Revelations, the Bible is a “library’, a collection of books inspired by the Holy Spirit. But just as you wouldn’t try to read all the books of a physical library from one shelf to the next, it is best to ‘break open’ the particular book you have chosen by taking into account the context, history and other aspects. Following a Bible-in-a-Year program can be helpful. Journaling what your have read can also be very useful. If you wish to begin simply however, take up a chapter of the Proverbs each day in a month of 31 days. At the end of the month you will have completed the Book of Proverbs!

Aside from Sacred Scripture, or following the 3-Year Lectionary, there is an inexhaustible collection of Catholic writings, Encyclicals, Lives of the Saints stories, etc. that are inspirational and written at many levels of understanding. You also don’t have to limit your experience to only reading, since there are many great Catholic audio books/podcasts and Catholic movies to learn more about your Faith. With our parish subscription to FORMED.org you can choose various topics such as the Sacraments, Eucharistic Revival, Children and Youth programs, feature movies of Saints, Te Chosen and more. Finally, know that in a very real sense, “you are what you read” and remember the expression, “the eyes are the windows to the Soul”. Make every attempt to nourish yourself with a solid Catholic understanding of our Faith, not only to sustain yourself, but to provide enlightenment to everyone with whom you meet in your day.

4. Silent prayer and meditation on scriptural reading

There is an abundance of methods to choose in the Catholic tradition regarding Silent Prayer and Meditation. Within the Mass itself, you should search for quiet moments, particularly after the reception of the Eucharist where our silent prayer is most powerful since we are so close to Our Lord at this time. Stay a few moment in silence even after Mass has been dismissed, and speak directly to Jesus, Whom you have just received. If you attend a daily Mass you will quickly notice a deeper sense of quiet in the daily Liturgy, compared to weekend Masses. Spend as much time as you can in the Presence of the Lord in sight of the Tabernacle. For as much as he accomplished in a day, St. Teresa of Calcutta was known to spend an hour of Adoration after morning Mass before she would begin her busy schedule and many revered saints also maintained this same practice.

If it is not possible to attend daily Mass ot be in the Presence of Our Lord, set aside a time or place in your home, at your desk, in front of a Crucifix, with a Rosary or some other blessed Sacramental in hand to help calm your mind, body and spirit. Pause and read a line of Scripture that calls to you and listen to what Our Lord Jesus has to say through the Scripture, rather than start right away with your list of prayer needs. Say instead to Our Lord:”What would You want of me Jesus?”

5. Vocal, communal prayer

Here again, the list of possibilities abound for Catholics, starting with the Sacrifice of Mass. Throughout the Mass there are call back and response prayers, which encourage participation between the priest, lector, cantor, Eucharistic minister and the laity, whether it be during the Liturgy of the Word (eg. Psalm verses and responses) or the Liturgy of the Eucharist, Memorial Acclamation, the “Great Amen” for example). Most people might agree that the ultimate communal prayer is there citation of the Lord’s Prayer. What is your favorite communal prayers aid during the Mass? Apart from Mass, Catholics have many other vocal prayers such as the Rosary, the Divine Chaplet or other Chaplet prayers, Litanies, Novenas just to name a few.
Aside from these more structured forms of worship, don’t forget simple and spontaneous prayers lifted up to God, such as “God Bless you’, “Help me Jesus!” “Thanks be to God”. Keep such short and simple expressions and others in your ‘prayer toolbox’ throughout the day and use them frequently, whether spoken or in silence. can be practiced in solitude and/or in community. Challenge yourself this week to pray silently and vocally, at Mass, or outside.

6. Daily/regular reception of the eucharist

Our discussion regarding Communion can be two-fold: 1) The reception of Communion, also known as The Eucharist, is crucial to a Catholic’s spiritual nourishment. It is a Sacrament that should be received on a regular basis throughout one’s life, daily, or as often as is possible, provided we are in a proper state of Grace to receive. We will talk about being in this proper state at the next opportunity. Simply and profoundly stated, The Eucharist IS the Real Presence of Our Lord.

When Catholics receive the Eucharist, the bread and wine offered up at Mass is transfigured into the Body and Blood of Jesus. We become what we receive, to quote a popular hymn, hence must receive Jesus in our most reverent manner. Daily reception of the Eucharist might not be always possible, but weekly reception at Vigil of Sunday (“the Sabbath” Masses) is a habit to maintain throughout one’s life. For the homebound, it might not be possible to receive on a such a regular basis. That is why the ministry of visiting the sick and to those confined at home is so crucial, offering the Eucharist to willing recipients.

2) In a second context, Frequent Communion refers to living together in harmony, “in communion” and is to be encouraged, both in terms of the family and in larger societal structures. In the second chapter of Genesis, God first created humankind in a state known as Original Solitude. Solitude is a gift to be appreciated. It is the ability to realize one’s own self-worth and autonomy. But solitude is not to be equated with selfish independence, which can lead to loneliness. When God said, “It is not good for man (humankind) to be alone”, God wanted us to live in communion with each other. Jesus re-iterated what His Father said when He sent out the disciples ‘two by two’ and promised that “where two or more are gathered, there am I’. Please reflect on the importance of the sixth good Habit of a practicing Catholic (Frequent Communion) and the impact of receiving the Eucharist in your life, that you may be a faithful witness to others.

7. Examination of conscience and act of contrition

The last Good Habit in this series is a nightly Examen, followed by an Act of Contrition. An Examen helps us focus on a particular feature or defect in our behavior. Our souls grow in the state of Grace if we take time to review how we ‘missed the mark’ during the day.

As you think back of the events of your day be aware of God’s presence and review your day with gratitude. Pay attention to your emotions experienced and pray about what was happening at that time. Finally, always look forward to tomorrow to begin again. These steps help us form an Examination of Conscience, which is used in preparing for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. An Act of Contrition prayer should conclude our Examen. This prayer can also be used for the Sacrament of Reconciliation:

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You and I detest all my sins, because of Your just punishment. But most of all, because I have offended You, who is worthy of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your Grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen

Directions to our church

113 North Geneve Street, Ithaca NY 14850