In the news

Parishioners were interviewed at WETM channel 18 last night. Here's a link to the video. You may have to look in the list to the left and click on the appropriate link.

Here's another clip from YNN channel 7.

Hopeful News

The Diocese of Rochester has released a statement to a local news organization, YNN channel 7, that states the sale of St. Vincent's to Providence Housing Development Corporation is not a done deal.

This is very hopeful news.

Don't miss Sunday's meeting at the Corning Library, from 2-4 p.m. This is your opportunity to brainstorm and discuss alternatives to the proposed sale.

Interview on Family Life Network

Today at noon and again at 5 p.m. on FLN radio is an interview with a couple parishioners about the sale of St. Vincent's and Sunday's community meeting at the library. Try 90.3 FM or 88.3 FM on the radio dial. Reception differs a little depending on where you are located.

10 people, 10 days, 10 signatures

If 10 people were determined to get 10 signatures a day for the next 10 days, that would add up to 1,000 signatures.

If you would like to help with the petition, email admin@savingourparish.com for a pdf copy. When it's ready to be turned in, email us back and we'll arrange to come pick it up.

Every. Signature. Counts.

We respectfully request....

Here's a link to an online petition requesting that the sale of St. Vincent's be withdrawn. There will also be parishioners around town in the next several days with paper petitions you can sign. Please only sign once, either the paper petition or the online petition. If you have questions or want to sign the paper version but haven't had the opportunity, email us at admin@savingourparish.com and we will arrange to get one to you.

The petition (both paper and online) states the following:

PETITION

To the Diocese of Rochester and Providence Housing Development Corporation

WE, the undersigned, are residents of the Corning-Painted Post area and its Catholic community. We respectfully request that the sale of St. Vincent’s Catholic Church to Providence House or any other buyer, be withdrawn at this time. We believe there are serious concerns about the process used to determine its sale, and that other viable alternatives were not satisfactorily explored or presented to parishioners. Also, we believe the sale of St. Vincent’s Catholic Church will further divide and diminish All Saints Parish for years to come. For more information visit SavingOurParish.com or the Saving All Saint’s Parish Facebook page.

Your input needed

Based on what you know right now, and assuming you had been included in the process, what suggestions might you have offered to the problems facing our parish? No snark here, please!

How could we bring more income to the parish? There used to be annual and even weekly fundraisers that brought needed income to the parish. Would you bring those back, or look for new sources of funding?

As a parish, how should we go about bringing in the many Catholics who don't attend mass? or those who have left out of hurt and frustration?

If you knew of the considerable maintenance and repair issues for our churches, what would you have done to solve the problems?

How could we, as a parish, better support All Saints Academy?

We could/should do ___________________ about __________________.

Gather your thoughts and be ready to share at the September 12 meeting.

And now on the lighter side...

To Robin and his band of merry men. An inspiration to us all!

All Saints Academy

School time has come round again. Do go to the All Saints Academy website and view their video. I dare you to have a dry eye after watching it and seeing those children. Prayers going up now for the students and staff to have a great year.

Moving forward

I had to delete a few posts in the blog below. Most of what they contained was not out of line, but sometimes a zinger can undo the good in the rest of a post. One post I had to delete only because it referred to another deleted post and would've confused a new reader.

It seems to be time to begin moving past anger and accusations. Time to look at solutions. That's what the Sept. 12 meeting is about.

If we can make our posts more about fixing and not so much about finger-pointing, I think constructive solutions will start surfacing.

That doesn't mean we don't point out problems (though let's not point them out over and over again), it just means that we need to keep to the facts and not get unduly personal.

Community Meeting Planned

A meeting has been set up for all those who are interested in alternative solutions to the sale of St. Vincent's Catholic Church. Set for Sunday, Sept. 12, from 2-4 p.m. at the Steuben County Library in Corning, the meeting will include discussion on solutions related to St. Vincent's, as well as disseminate information and share specific actions parishioners can take to become involved. Go to SavingOurParish.com for a printable flier.

All are welcome.

In addition, a bank account has been set up at M&T Bank with the name Saving Our Parish. Donations can be made directly to the bank and checks should be made out to Saving Our Parish. This account will be used for such things as purchasing signs and printing fliers. Unused funds will be donated to All Saints Academy.

Gandalf speaks wisdom

And now for some timely inspiration from J.R.R. Tolkien, Catholic.

Facilities Plan Notes -- UPDATE

Hi all,

Information is coming out about the facilities plan. We've begun posting notes from parishioners who have attended. Go to the Articles page at SavingOurParish.com. Realize that what was provided to the parishioners was a piece of paper and a pen. The paper said, "What did you like about the plan? What would you improve?"

To post your notes, send them in an email to admin@savingourparish.com. The more information available, the better. Please take notes if you plan to attend a meeting. And do ask all the questions you've been asking here.

UPDATE: Notes #2 are up. Must read.

Wisdom

A friend sent along these words from our patron saint.

"To rely on our talents is a cause of great loss. When someone places confidence in his own prudence, knowledge, and intelligence, God, to make him know and see his insufficiency, withdraws from him His help and leaves him to work by himself. This is often why our undertakings miserably fail. "

~ St Vincent de Paul

Aligned on Him

From morning prayer of the Divine Office, a reminder to us all that our cornerstone is Christ:

Ephesians 2:19-22
You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.

And there's an article on prayer as our weapon over at SavingOurParish.com. Wow, I needed that! Lord have mercy.

For the sake of His sorrowful passion....

There are many praying for healing in our parish, and for every parishioner. One beautiful prayer devotion is the Divine Mercy Chaplet. It is often said at 3 p.m. Part two follows below to complete the Chaplet.