Transfiguration Parish

  We  are a Catholic community united by love, illuminated by the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We gather as a People of God seeking unity through the Holy Spirit to Worship through the Sacred Liturgy, Prayer and Sacraments, and to proclaim the Christian message which promotes Justice, Reconciliation and Service through Evangelization, Faith Formation and Discipleship

Transfiguration Parish is committed to continual growth in the Catholic Faith through a lifelong union with Jesus Christ, and in service to others through the ministry of the Church. We spread the Good News of His love and promote His Word through evangelization, education, reflection, and daily witness. As faithful stewards we pledge to direct and develop the spiritual, human, financial, and material resources of the Church. We respond to His love with gratitude and prayer, with compassion-ate service, generous sharing, reconciliation and equality for all.

Transfiguration Parish – South Site, Speigletown (Administrative Offices)
50 Hillview Drive, Troy, NY 12182
Phone: 518-235-0337
Fax: 518-235-8726
Office Hours: Monday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Tuesday thru Friday, 9:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.

Transfiguration Parish – North Site –
17 South Main Street, Schaghticoke, NY 12154
Phone: 518-753-4554  
Fax: 518-753-0456
Office Hours: Monday and Thursday,  9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Friday - Closed

Parish Life Director:
Deacon Christopher Keough
Deacon_Chris@transfigurationparish.net

Assisting Priest:
Fr. Dominic Ingemie:
dingemie1@nycap.rr.com

Deacon Charles Valenti: Deacon_Charlie@transfigurationparish.net

General Office Inquiries: general_office@transfigurationparish.net

Office Support:
Mary Clemente M.Clemente@transfigurationparish.net

Bonnie Coraldi:  B.Coraldi@transfigurationparish.net

Bulletin:  B.Coraldi@transfigurationparish.net

Baptismal Preparation: (contact office )
Phone: 518-235-0337 (So.Site)
Phone: 518-753-4554  (No. Site)
general_office@transfigurationparish.net

Director of Religious Education:      E.Thayer@transfigurationparish.net

Parish Nursing and Pastoral Care: P.Hebert@transfigurationparish.net

Special Activities and Fundraising: E.DeBonis@transfigurationparish.net

Knights of Columbus:
Bryan Purtell, Grand Knight
BryanP78@hotmail.com

• Alzheimer's Suport Group
• A Rosary Ministry
• Two by Two Faith Action Team
• Parish Nursing Program
• Prayer Chain Tree

WELCOME

No matter what your present status in the Catholic Church; no matter what your current family and martial situation; no matter what your personal history, age, race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, physical condition; no matter what your self-image; you are invited, No matter what your present status in the Catholic Church; no matter what your current family and martial situation; no matter what your personal history, age, race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, physical condition; no matter what your self-image; you are invited, welcome, accepted, loved, and respected here at Transfiguration Parish.

The site of the Saturday Mass will alternate each month.
In November it will be in Speigletown the entire month.
In December the Mass will be in Schaghticoke.

 
                 Saturday Vigil Mass – 4:00 PM (Alternate Sites by Month)
                        Sunday Masses – 8:30 AM in Schaghticoke
                                                       10:15 AM in Speigletown

  Tuesday Communion Service – 9:00 AM in Schaghticole
Thursday Communion Service – 9 AM in Speigletown
     

“God wanted to set us free, and the way He chose was to become one of us.”

– St. Leo the Great

CHRIST OUR KING
 

     This weekend is the last weekend of the Church year. Next weekend, we will begin Year C of the three-year cycle of readings with our Sunday Gospel readings coming primarily from the Gospel of Luke. Next weekend will also be the first weekend of Advent, and our focus will be on prayerful preparation for the Nativity of Jesus Christ. We remember St. John wrote at the beginning of his gospel, “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
  
   It seems most appropriate that this Sunday is the celebration of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. We often shorten that to the Feast of Christ Our King, who we know as the second person of the Holy Trinity. I got to thinking about how much difference there is between Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, and all other kings throughout history.
     
   The Bible tells us the Hebrew people first appealed to Samuel to have him appoint a king for them. Beginning in chapter 8 of the first book of Samuel, the people continually insist that Samuel give them a king like all of the other nations. Even though Samuel tells the people they have no need for a king because they have a covenant with Almighty God who will protect them, and provide for all their needs, the Hebrew people will not take no for an answer. Finally, Samuel reluctantly anoints Saul as king of the Hebrew nation, and the people rather quickly learn that having a human king is not necessarily a blessing for them.
 
     I suggest that the most obvious difference between Christ Our King and all of the other kings is the fact that Jesus was both human and divine. We know that Jesus was fully human in all ways but sin, while all of the other Hebrew kings were fully human, but prone to selfishness and sin. Even King David who the Hebrew people consider their greatest king committed a most serious sin by sending Uriah the Hittite into the front lines of battle, knowing he would die and David could then take Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, for his own wife.  
 
     Yes, Our Lord Jesus Christ is the King of the Universe, and His Kingdom is like no other because it is a kingdom of loving service. Jesus loves us so much that He gave his very life for our sins and, by virtue of our Baptism, we are all part of His Kingdom. We call His Kingdom Heaven, and some day we will join Jesus our King in the joy of eternal life. May we never forget that Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe loves us, and calls us to His Kingdom.

God Bless   

Deacon Chris 

Last summer, Bishop Edward Scharfenberger announced the launching of the “Re-Igniting Our Faith Campaign.” The purpose of the campaign is to help strengthen our parishes for the future. In the coming weeks there will be more informa-tion and opportunities for every household within our parish to hear about the campaign. The funds raised will focus on the needs of our parish, as well as some diocesan-wide initiatives, mainly being, support of the priests’ retirement, increased vocations, and addressing new innovative ways of promoting evangelization within our parish and in our community.
    We hope that every parishioner will take the time to learn about the campaign to help fulfill our parish mission and vision.
    Recently a letter from Deacon Keough was mailed to every registered family/parishioner at our parish introducing the “Re-Igniting Our Faith Campaign.” More information will follow regarding this exciting opportunity to benefit our parish and its programs.
    For more information on the overall campaign, please visit the “Re-Igniting Our Faith” Foundation’s website: https://re-ignitingourfaith.org/

“RE-IGNITING OUR FAITH”
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN PRAYER
Father, we know you accept our gifts, great or small, and do great things with them.
Help us to remember that you have done so much for us. In return, what can we give back;...
our time,... our talent,... our treasure? What is the right answer for each of us?
To discern what is best, as a parish we seek the help of your Holy Spirit to help each parishioner
with their decisions concerning this "Re-Igniting Our Faith" Capital Campaign.
Father, you know the needs of everyone. You also know the desires of all who want to give back
in some way. Please help each parishioner discern what will be best for them.
We ask this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

 
 The Daily Prayer for PriestsThe Daily Prayer for Priests

By St. Therese of the Child Jesus
 

O Jesus, I pray for your faithful and fervent priests;
For your unfaithful and tepid priest;
For your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields.
For your tempted priests;
For your lonely and desolate priests;
For your young priests;
For the souls of your priests in Purgatory.
But above all, I recommend to you the priests dearest to me:
The priest who baptized me;
The priests who absolved me from my sins;
The priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion;
The priests who taught and instructed me;
All the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way (especially …)
O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart,
And bless them abundantly in time and in eternity.

Amen.

I found this in a book written by Father Ronald Rolheiser titled, “Sacred Fire, A Vision for a Deeper Human and Christian Maturity.”  This begins chapter six in the book which is titled, “Drawing Strength From Prayer.”  I think it is worth sharing.
 

Deacon Chris

The Difference
 
By Grace L. Naessens
 
I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day;
I had so much to accomplish, I didn’t have time to pray.
 
Problems just tumbled about me and grew heavier with each task;
Why doesn’t God help me, I wondered; He answered, “You didn’t ask.”
 
I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, gray and bleak;
I wondered why God didn’t show me – He said, “But you didn’t seek.”
 
I tried to come into God’s presence; I used all my keys at the lock;
God gently and lovingly chided, “My child, you didn’t knock.”
 
I woke up early this morning and paused before entering the day;
I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray.

Prayer for Persecuted Christians
 
O God of all the nations,
the One God who is and was and always will be,
in your providence you willed that your Church
be united to the suffering of your Son.
Look with mercy on your servants
who are persecuted for their faith in you.
Grant them perseverance and courage
to be worthy imitators of Christ.
Bring your wisdom upon leaders of nations
to work for peace among all peoples.
May your Spirit open conversion
for those who contradict your will,
that we may live in harmony.
Give us the grace to be united in truth and freedom,
and to always seek your will in our lives.
 
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

     I found this in the book, “Everything Starts from Prayer, St. Mother Teresa’s Meditations on Spiritual Life for People of All Faiths.”  In the words of St. Teresa of Calcutta:     

     “Wherever they are, the Missionaries of Charity start the day’s work with the same prayer from their community prayer book: 
 

Dear Lord, the Great Healer, I kneel
before you, since every perfect gift
must come from you.  I pray, give skill to
my hands, clear vision to my mind,
kindness and meekness to my heart.
Give me singleness of purpose, strength
to lift up a part of the burden of my
suffering fellowmen, and a realization
of the privilege that is mine.  Take from
my heart all guile and worldliness, that
with the simple faith of a child, I may
Rely on you.
Amen. 

 
A good prayer to start our days.  God bless   
 

Deacon Chris  

The Sacrament of the Sick conveys several graces and imparts the gifts of the strengthening of the Holy Spirit against anxiety and fear for those who are ill or who for those who have the potential for illness (e.g. the elderly). IT IS NOT ONLY FOR THOSE AT THE POINT OF DEATH. If you or a loved one would need the benefits of this great Sacrament, please contact the Parish Offices or any of the Parish Clergy to make arrangements.

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

The Christmas Pageant will be presented on December 24 at the 4:00 Mass in Speigletown. Children in grades K – 3 are invited to participate in the pageant, youth in grades 4 and up participate in the choir.
Practice will be at 7:00PM at Speigletown on Thursdays  December 6, 13, and 20. All participants will need to be at the Speigletown site December 24 by 3:15.
If you have any questions, please contact Beth Thayer at 235-0337.  
 

CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY

All new and improved this year!
The Children’s Christmas Party
December 9th 2:30 - 4:30PM
Games, Crafts and more!
 
Everyone and anyone is welcome!!!!
A fun day for all your relatives, friends & neighbors

FAITH FORMATION

Faith Formation Sessions for 2018 – 2019 have begun. If you have not yet registered it is not too late! See Beth Thayer after the 8:30 or 10:15 Mass to register your child. If you have questions call Beth at 518 235 0337.

CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD

Children’s Liturgy of the Word is a program to assist the youngest members of our congregation in hearing the Word of God. This program is open to children who are
Pre-K, K and First Grade age. When a child is in the Second Grade they need to be fully participating in the Mass as they are preparing for First Eucharist.
 

CAN AND BOTTLE DRIVE CONTINUES

Thank you for your continued support of our Bottle and Can Drive. Please consider asking neighbors and family members to collect for our youth ministry. 

Thank you for support in the past and your continued support in the future.
Contact Beth Thayer 235-0337 or e.thayer@transfigurationparish.net

          As you know, the Church is experiencing a shortage of priests. As a result, there have been times when priests have not been available to celebrate Saturday Vigil Masses or Sunday Masses. 
   
          In order to address the needs of the faithful in light of the shortage of priests, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has approved a liturgy known as the Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest. This liturgy is based on the Liturgy of the Hours which has been prayed by the faithful for centuries and it includes the regular Mass readings. It may also include the distribution of the Holy Communion, depending on availability of consecrated hosts. It is important to note that the Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest fulfills the obligation of the faithful to attend the Saturday Vigil or Sunday Mass. This liturgy can be conducted not only by a deacon, but also by a trained layperson.    

          While the Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest liturgy is not a Mass, it is a practical solution to the priest shortage. Yet it is more than that. This liturgy is another opportunity for the laity to share their gifts and talents with others. It is another opportunity for the laity to fulfill the privileges and responsibilities which they assumed at their baptism. The Church has been enriched by the many ways the laity has taken part in the life of the Church.   
 
          Attending a Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest may not be as spiritually fulfilling as attending a Mass, but we must accept the fact it is a part of our prayer life in today's Church. Let us not forget that God is present in this liturgy, as well as He is in the Mass.
      
          Let us pray for an increase in vocations, but let us also pray that God sends His grace upon both clergy and laity during this time of challenge.