Our Parish Mission Statement “Immaculate Conception parish is a warm and caring Roman Catholic faith community where all of God's people are welcome. We strive to bring Christ to all people through spiritually vibrant and

uplifting liturgies, ministry, service and outreach.”

Parish Contact Information: Parish Office .............................................. 716-731-4822 Parish Fax ................................................. 716-731-4911 Faith Formation Office ................. 716-731-4822 ext. 106 Parish Website ............................ www.icransomville.org Parish Bulletin ...................... available on parish website Parish Email .......................... icransomville@yahoo.com Parish Facebook ........ www.facebook.com/icransomville

Parish Staff: Rev. James Bastian (ext. 102) ................................. Pastor Dcn. Paul Stankiewicz ......................................... Deacon Mrs. Mary Zastrow (ext. 101) ................... Parish Secretary Mrs. Laurie Muth (ext. 103) .................. Pastoral Associate Mrs. Judith Kirkpatrick ..... Safe Environment Coordinator Mr. Gordon Ross ......................................... Maintenance

Outreach Program - Primary Contacts: Mr. Michael Shaw ...................................... 716-481-9001 Mr. Howard Morgan ................................... 716-417-7584

Parish Trustees: Mrs. Kiersten Ryndak Mr. Michael Shaw

FORMED Parish Code: X7RQGP

Al-Anon: Meetings take place on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha room.

Ministry to the Sick: Home visitations are available for all parishioners who are confined to their homes because of any illness or other infirmity. Call 731-4822 to make arrangements.

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday .................................................... 3:15 - 3:45 p.m. Wednesday ............................................... 6:00 - 6:25 p.m. By appointment .................................... Call 716-731-4822

Prayer Service Schedule: Tuesday, Friday .................................................. 9:00 a.m.

Mass Schedule: Saturdays ............................................................ 4:00 p.m. Sundays ........................................... 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m. Monday, Thursday .............................................. 9:00 a.m. Wednesday ......................................................... 6:30 p.m. Holy Days ................................. call Parish Office for times

Church Address: 4671 Townline Road, Ransomville, N.Y. 14131

December 31 & January 1, 2017 Happy New Year!

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH RANSOMVILLE, NY

Mass Intentions

Saturday December 31 4:00 pm In memory of Bernie Shanahan req. by wife Lurana and family Sunday January 1 8:30 am In memory of Arlene McQuay req. by Estate 11:00 am In memory of Deceased Loved Ones req. by Parishioners Monday January 2 9:00 am No Services. Office Closed Tuesday January 3 9:00 am Morning Prayer and Communion Service Wednesday January 4 6:30 pm In memory of Fr. Herold Nuwer req. by Mary Zastrow Thursday January 5 9:00 am In memory of Deceased Loved Ones req. by Parishioners Friday January 6 9:00 am Morning Prayer, Communion Service and Adoration Saturday January 7 4:00 pm In memory of Deceased Members of the Ruszkowski & Wesolowski Families req. by Dorothy and family Sunday January 8 8:30 am In memory of Cynthia LoTempio req. by Jerry & Judy Vollmar 11:00 am In memory of Matthew Marin req. by Marin Family January Masses Available: 9:00 a.m. Weekday Masses Jan. 2,9,12,16,18, 19,23,26,30 6:30 p.m. Weekday Mass Jan. 25

9th Grade Teacher Needed Do you have a love for the celebration of the Mass and the Catholic Faith? We are in need of a Religious Education teacher to help the 9th graders grow deeper in their understanding of Holy Mass. The class in-volves watching a DVD series and talking openly about our faith journey as Catholics. If you feel that this is something you are called to do, please contact the parish office as soon as possible. Classes resume January 8th.

Religious Education

*PARISH INCOME FOR DECEMBER 17 & 18, 2016 Offertory Collection ..................................... $4,050.90 Retirement Fund For Religious (Addt’l) ......... $131.00 Children’s Collection .......................................... $2.00 Renovation Fund ........................................... $824.00 Christmas Flowers (Addt’l) ............................... $44.00 Holy Day ........................................................... $7.00 * Due to holiday, Dec. 24/25 stewardship totals will be available in the next bulletin.

Stewardship

A Message Regarding Mass Intentions

 

Catholic tradition teaches that individuals can be assisted by the prayers of others, a belief that goes back to Old

Testament times and also finds expression in the New Testament.

A celebration of a particular Mass intention is among one of the many expressions of our Catholic tradition and piety.

Masses can be offered for a number of various intentions:

For a deceased loved one, a family member, or a friend who has died, as well as on the anniversary of the death of the deceased;

To invoke the Lord’s special graces and blessings for a friend or loved one;

To petition the Lord for the good health of someone ill or to pray for the suc-cessful surgery and speedy recovery;

To ask the Lord’s blessings for a couple celebrating their wedding anniver-sary;

In this commendable practice of devotion and piety, individuals provide an offering for particular Mass intention. In the Diocese of Buffalo, $15 is the recommended offering per Mass intention. Anyone interested in offering a Mass for a loved one should contact Mary Zastrow in the Parish office at 731-4822.

A NOBLE HOLY CUSTOM 

Retrouvaille

Retrouvaille… A lifeline for marriages A program to help couples renew

their marriages.

Do you feel lost, alone or bored in your marriage?

Are you frustrated hurt or angry with your spouse?

Are you constantly fighting? Or do you simply shut down?

Have you thought about separation or divorce?

Does just talking about it only make it worse?

Retrouvaille provides marriage help!

Next Retrouvaille Buffalo weekend is January 20-22

For confidential information or to register for the weekend visit: www.HelpOurMarriage.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR! DECEMBER 31 & JANUARY 1, 2017

I.C. Impact Youth Group hosts

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser

FEBRUARY 4 5:30PM

Tickets will be available after Masses in mid January

Immaculate Café to reopen mid January! The café will offer hot drinks and

baked goods for purchase. FUNDRAISER FOR YOUTH GROUP

Bible Study: Gospel of

John Mark your calendar for Fridays

beginning February 24 until May 5 for a DVD bible study series on

the Gospel of John.

125 Anniversary Mass April 23, 2017

11:00 AM

Mass Celebrated by Bishop Grosz Followed by:

Anniversary Banquet at Sanborn Fire Hall 1:00 PM

All parishioners past and present are invited to attend !

APPRECIATION BREAKFAST

FEBRUARY 11 9:00AM

In gratitude for your service to Immaculate Conception, all Extraordinary Ministers, Lectors, Ushers, Greeters, and Music Minis-ters are invited to an appreciation breakfast in the Fr. Nuwer Hall. Please RSVP to Laurie Muth at lmuth@icransomville.org

Keep Checking the bulletin or visit our website at http:/icransomville.org for upcoming events throughout the year! You can also find us on

Mark your calendar for these 2017 upcoming events...

Daily Scripture Readings

MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD DECEMBER 31 & JANUARY 1, 2017

Parish Activities

If you would like to have a name added to or taken off of the prayer list, please call the parish office at 731– 4822.

Please Pray For ... Marilynn, Jeff Antoncich, Vernly Antoncich, Chase

Garret Austin, Lionel Barrick, Christine Blagus, Carol Boyle, Robert Bridgeman, Cheryl Cicero,Cathy Czapla,

Janice DePlato, Lauren Devin, Maureen Devin, Jen-nette DiLorenzo, Diane Fallgotter, Faye Finley, Chuck Fitzgerald, Abbe Gillingham, Haven Hiller, Judy Hicks, Art and Joanne Johnson, Norbert Kaleta, Donna Keen-er, Archie Kisloski, Happy Klan, Thomas Mayer, Chris-topher McGillion, Peter Modaffari, Karon Morehouse, Debbie Nolan, Kimberly Northem, Heather Nugent, Luke Pogram, Helen Portfilio, Dennis Shaw, Patti

Shepherd,Noah Shelvay, Andrew Stack, Mary Siemucha, Aileen Suita, Kim Vallaincourt, Karl

Wagner, Charlotte Wimett, Mark Zastrow

Sat. Dec. 31- 1 John 2:18-21; Psalm 96:1-2, 11-12, and 13; John 1:14 A, 12 A; John 1:1-18 Sun. Jan. 1- Nehemiah 6:22-27; Psalm 67:2-3, 5,6,8; Galatians 4:4-7; Hebrews 1:1-2; Luke 2:16-21 Mon. Jan. 2- 1 John 2:22-28; Psalm 98:1, 2, 3AB, 3CD-4; Hebrews 1:1-2; John 1:19-28 Tue. Jan. 3- 1 John 2:29-3: 6; Psalm 98: 1, 3CD-4, 5-6; John 1:14 A, 12 A John 1:29-34 Wed. Jan. 4- 1 John 3:7-10; Psalm 98:1, 7-8, 9; Hebrews 1:1-2, John 1:35-42 Thu. Jan. 5- 1 John 3:11-21; Psalm 100: 1B-2, 3, 4, 5; John 1:43-51 Fri. Jan. 6- 1 John 5: 5-13; Psalm 147: 12-13, 14-15, 19-20; Mark 9:6; Mark 1:7-11 Sat. Jan. 7- 1 John 5:14-21; Psalm 149:1-2, 3-4, 5 and 6A and 9B; Luke 7:16; John 2:1-11 Sun. Jan. 8- Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13;Ephesians 3:2-3A, 5-6; Matthew 2:2; Matthew 2:1-12

SUN. Jan. 1— Happy New Year. Regular Mass Times MON. Jan. 2— Office Closed TUE. Jan. 3—Caritas Bowling 10:00 a.m.Lewiston Event Center

TUE. Jan. 3— Martha’s Movers from 10:00 a.m.- noon. TUE. Jan. 3—Martha’s Movers from 3:15-5:00 p.m. WED. Jan. 4—Martha’s Movers from 10:00 a.m.- noon. WED. Jan. 4—Zumba from 10:00-11:00 a.m WED. Jan. 4—Martha’s Movers from 3:15-5:00 p.m. WED. Jan. 4—Confession from 6:00-6:25 p.m. THU. Jan. 5— Martha’s Movers from 10:00 a.m.- noon. THU. Jan. 5—Knitting Group 1:00p.m THU. Jan. 5—Martha’s Movers from 3:15-5:00 p.m. FRI. Jan. 6—Eucharistic Adoration 10:00 a.m.– 4:00 p.m. SUN. Jan. 8—125 Anniv. Banquet Planning Meeting– 12:15pm

FROM THE OFFICE STAFF Fr. Jim Bastian Deacon Paul Stankiewicz Mary Zastrow Gordon Ross Laurie Muth Judy Kirkpatrick

A Message from Fr. Jim

Dear Parish Family, Something came across my desk this week that I found incredibly interesting and I wanted to share it with all of you. Did you know that this year, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah directly corresponds with the days of the Octave of Christmas? I am passing along this message that came to me in an e-mail hoping that you find it as enlightening as I did.

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Tem-ple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. Hanukkah is ob-served for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of the month of Kislev according to the He-brew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. It is known as the Festival of Lights and the Feast of the Dedication.

~ Fr. Jim

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! RANSOMVILLE, NY

Respect Life Committee

On the evening of January 22 Light a candle for Life

Respect Life Committee invites you to join them in:

Light a Candle For Life: Place a Candle in your front window of your home at sundown on Sunday January 22. The candle (battery operated if safer for you) serves as a reminder of the mil-lions of unborn and almost born who have been aborted since the heinous Supreme Court decision Roe Vs. Wade. Night of Prayer for the March for Lifers: Receive a Special Blessing at Mass if you are going to the March and then stay, and pray the Rosary after Mass on Wednesday January 25th for the safety and impact of those participating in this life changing demonstration.

During the holiday season, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is heard everywhere from shopping malls to televi-sion commercials. Everywhere you go, you can hear about Two Turtle Doves, Seven Swans-a-Swimming, and Eleven Pipers Piping. But what does any of this mean and what does it have to do with Christmas? One theory, however, connects the carol to the era when Catholicism was outlawed in England, from 1558 to 1829. The carol was a catechism song for Catholics to learn “the tenets of their faith,” as they could not openly practice in the Anglican society. Here are the verses of the song, along with their symbolism:

While these verses are what most of us associate with the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” the phrase re-fers to an actual 12 day period. The 12 days of Christmas are the days from Dec. 25, celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ, to the Epiphany, celebrated on Jan. 6 as the day when the manifestation of Christ’s glory was realized. -Deacon Paul

The 12 Days of Christmas

A Partridge in a Pear tree – Jesus Christ Two Turtle Doves – The Old and New Testaments Three French Hens – The three virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity Four Calling Birds – Four gospels, Mat-thew, Mark, Luke, and John Five Golden Rings – First five books of the Old Testament

Seven Swans-a-Swimming – Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit Eight Maids-a-Milking – Eight Beatitudes Nine Ladies Dancing – Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit Ten Lords-a-Leaping – Ten Commandments Eleven Pipers Piping – Eleven faithful disciples Twelve Drummers Drumming – Twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed

Start the New Year Off with FORMED