138 Washington Avenue, Cobleskill, NY 12043

(518) 234-2892

Website: stvincentdepaulcobleskillny.com Email: vincentdepaul@albany.twcbc.com

Masses: Saturday Vigil at 3:45 p.m., Sunday at 8:30 a.m.

Parish Office Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 3 pm

Closed Friday

Reconciliation: Available before 3:45 p.m. Mass weekly; seasonal communal services

Sacrament of the Sick: Celebrated communally several times yearly and upon request

Parish Registration, Baptism and Marriage preparation: Please contact the Parish Office.

Engaged couples need to contact the parish at least SIX months before the proposed wedding date.

Godparents must be confirmed practicing Catholics over 16 years old.

Faith Formation and Youth Ministry: Please contact the Parish Office or check website for registration.

Parish Staff

Rev. Joseph Arockiasamy, Pastor

Gary Surman, Deacon

Kathy Burgin, Music Director

Rachael Surman Rys, Office Manager

Veronica Schmidt-Henzler, Bookkeeper

Karen Brueck, Trustee

Connie Vrooman, Trustee

Deb McAllister, Faith Formation Facilitator

Greg Rys, Campus Ministry, SUNY Cobleskill

Patrick Kilpeck, Youth Ministry

Please access our website

stvincentdepaulcobleskillny.com

for more detailed information about our parish,

Sacramental and Liturgical celebrations, committees, parish events, and

Prayer and Scripture groups,

and for Parish/Faith Formation registration forms.

THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL COBLESKILL, NY

"I would like to pray today for pastors who need to ac-company the people of God during this crisis. May the Lord grant them the strength and the ability to choose the best ways to help." Pope Francis - March 13, 2020 Dear parishioners of St. Vincent de Paul Church, It is my hope that this letter finds you and your family cop-ing well with the current health alerts around Covid-19 and its extraordinary impact on everyday life. As Pastor and Deacon, Father Joe and Deacon Gary are here to be your spiritual guides as we weather this emergency together. Please consider our parish as part of your extended family, not just for this situation but throughout the ups and downs of life, wrapping you in God's loving arms. This serves as a good reminder of some of the ways our parish can serve you and our local community during times of joy and of struggle:

A. Prayers and Intentions - Fr. Joe will continue to offer Mass (without parishioners) for our intentions, and hope-fully it will be able to be broadcast. Mass is also available to watch through various sources which can be found on the Diocesan website, rcda.com. There are many online re-sources for Catholic prayers.

B. Faith Formation - Keep an eye out for links to activities and readings for your children to be sent by email or Face-book. First Eucharist students will be receiving a packet through the mail.

C. Ministry - Volunteers are available to obtain needed items for healthy, self-isolating seniors. Please leave a mes-sage at the parish office and you will be connected to a vol-unteer.

Just as this national emergency is having a negative economic impact on families and businesses, so it is on our parish offertory, which is our principal source of revenue to fund our church. Along with our utilities and other bills, we have repairs to the parish house (rectory) that are essential. We ask for your prayerful consideration to continue your offertory support by mailing your offertory envelopes to the parish office. We extend our deepest gratitude for your generosity and kindness.

This health emergency is unique in that it is something we are all experiencing together simultaneously. While we may not see our parish family at Mass every week until the situa-tion improves, please know you are being prayed for. And please reach out if you are in need. Yours in Christ, Father Joe Arockiasamy

PRAYER AND WORSHIP

All Masses, prayer services, Scripture study, Faith Formation, and other worship gatherings

are CANCELLED at this time.

Bishop Scharfenberger has issued a statement temporarily suspending the obligation to

attend Mass until further notice.

In addition, all meetings, programs, and social gatherings, such as choir rehearsal

and the Nimble Fingers needlework group, are also cancelled until further notice.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

A message from our pastor, Fr. Joseph Arockiasamy:

I am here for the people of Cobleskill and Worcester. You have been longing for a pastor, and Bishop Schar-fenberger has answered your prayers. I welcome you with open arms; you are all my family. I am happy to work with you and I want you to work with me - we need people, need all of you, to work together for our church. I look forward to meeting each of you.

I will be offering Mass (no congregation) for you at St. Vincent's and praying for you.

I can be reached by calling either parish office: Saint Vincent's office: 518-234-2892 Saint Joseph's office: 607-397-9373

Address: Father Joseph Arockiasamy Saint Joseph Rectory 201 Main Street Worcester, NY 12197

__________________________________________________________________________________________

If we are to have Holy Week liturgies, as of now they will be: Holy Thursday: 7:15 PM Good Friday: 7:15 PM Easter Vigil: 8:00 PM Easter Sunday: 8:30 AM

5TH SUNDAY OF LENT MARCH 29, 2020

Stewardship

Offertory Collection:

March 14-15: $2594.00 March 21-22: $0.00

Thank you for your generosity!

Average monthly offertory needed to cover net operating expenses: $13,661.52. Current total: $9949.00. -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Please take seriously God’s call to share your talents and treasure as a responsible community member. Our parish administration, service programs, and outreach efforts are possible only through your regular participation and contributions.

Please consider remembering your parish community in

your will. -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As discussed in the letter from Fr. Joe, we all are

aware that these are difficult and uncertain economic times. This is true for our church, as well.

Without our weekly offertory, our income is zero. But the utilities and bills still need to be paid, and

there are many repairs to the parish house that are essential if Fr. Joe is to come live in Cobleskill.

If possible, please mail your offertory contributions to St. Vincent de Paul at:

138 Washington Ave. Cobleskill, NY 12043

As always, THANK YOU for your generosity! =============================================

Christian Service Support Team

If you need help in any way or if you know someone who needs a helping hand, please call the church office at 518-234-2892 and we will try get someone to assist you. Even if you are not sure if it is some-thing we can help you with, please call and let us decide - we want to help. This service is free of charge and open to all. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Christian Service Support Team would like to start up a “buddy system” for older parishioners with health conditions who need to self-isolate due to coronavirus concern. Anyone interested would have the name and phone number of someone they can rely on to pick up basic essentials and prescriptions for them. If you are interested in taking part, please call the parish office. *This is not for parishioners who are actively ill with respiratory symptoms - you should call the Schoharie County Health Department if you think you may have the coronavirus.*

All Faith Formation classes are cancelled

until further notice.

This includes preparation for sacraments,

including First Eucharist, Confirmation,

and RCIA.

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

Gary Zakrzewski was with us this past week securing

advertisers for our weekly bulletin. We would like to

thank all the advertisers who have renewed their ads

for the upcoming year and also thank all the new

advertisers who have generously committed to the

bulletin for this year. If you’re interested in

sponsoring an ad for your business or on behalf of

your favorite charity/organization, there is still time.

Please contact Gary at 518-810-7001.

As a reminder, we ask that all of our parishioners

patronize these advertisers whenever possible. It is

their generosity that provides the weekly bulletin at

little or no cost to our parish. Please use the bulletin

as a resource whenever you are in need of products

or services. Let them know we truly appreciate their

loyal support of our weekly bulletin.