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 Offices
at the North and South Sites
will be closed on Fridays
during the months
of June, July and August 
starting June 1st

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:  M.Hurley@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.

“Let us not put off till the end of our life the care that we ought daily to take of our soul; let u labor while there is yet time.”

St. John Vianney

DON’T BELIEVE THE BIGGEST LIE –
 HOLINESS IS POSSIBLE!

        Matthew Kelly is an author whose books I read quite often. I enjoy reading his books because he makes excellent points which cause me to think about my life as a disciple of Jesus. Kelly writes in a simple, common sense manner, and I don’t need a dictionary by my side to understand the words he uses.
          The most recent book I just completed is titled, “The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity” and subtitled, “How Modern Culture is Robbing Billions of People of Happiness.” The title caught my attention right away, and I wanted to find our just what is that biggest lie that Kelly refers to. The answer is both troublesome, and, I suspect, largely true. Kelly suggests that the biggest lie that modern culture would have us all believe is that holiness is not possible. Kelly asks us to search our hearts and ask ourselves this question. Do I believe holiness is possible for me? I think many people would answer that they believe holiness is possible for saintly people or special Christians, but probably not possible for themselves.
          Kelly writes that nothing could be further from the truth. Not only is holiness possible for each of us, holiness is what God intends for us! We are all called by God to be saints, and our mission is to spread the Gospel of Christ throughout the world. I certainly under-stand how Kelly states that culture and modern society is robbing us of the happiness of holiness, but I believe it goes even deeper than just culture and society. I suggest the source of the lie that makes us think that holiness is not possible is Satan himself. Yes, we know that Jesus conquered Satan once and for all by his passion, death, and resurrection. That does not mean that Satan has gone away. Yes, through Christ we all have the power to resist Satan and all his temptations, but that does not mean Satan has given up. Satan likes nothing better than for us to believe holiness is not possible.
          Let’s say we all believe holiness is possible for us. The next question is how do we go about becoming holy? Matthew Kelly says the answer is in Holy Moments, and he defines a Holy Moment as this, “A Holy Moment is a moment when you open yourself to God. You make yourself available to him. You set aside what you feel like doing in that moment, and you set aside self-interest, and for one moment you simply do what you prayerfully believe God is calling you to do in that moment. That is a Holy Moment.”        
          By the grace of God, I believe we can all create Holy Moments. And here is the good news. Holy Moments are like a snowball rolling down a hill. As it rolls, it becomes larger and larger just like Holy Moments can increase more and more. My friends, let’s not believe the biggest lie in the history of Christianity. Holiness is possible! Believe it!

God Bless    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Deacon Chris 

“RE-IGNITING OUR FAITH CAMPAIGN”
Coming to Transfiguration Parish
 

            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 information 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/
 

Sacrament of the Sick

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.
 

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  

2018 BISHOP’S APPEAL
“SPREADING THE JOY OF THE
GOSPEL – IT STARTS WITH YOU!”

Next weekend is the 2018 Bishop’s Appeal Commitment Sunday. This Appeal supports all the vital ministries and programs through-out the Diocese of Albany. It is our opportunity to reach out in sup-port of all the people of God beyond the boundary of Transfiguration Parish. Pledge cards will be available at all Masses next weekend. You can make a one-time gift or make a pledge that you can pay in installments throughout the year. Your gift directly helps our parish to pay its share of the important work of the diocese. Let us strive for 100% participation: not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice!

The 2018 Bishop’s Appeal is our opportunity to unite together as one Catholic family, to answer the challenge given to us by Jesus Christ to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the afflicted, and to promote justice for every person. In these next two weeks, please take the time to prayerfully reflect on the gifts that you have been given by God and respond to the Bishop’s Appeal as generously as you possibly can.

MASS SCHEDULE CHANGE

Dear Parishioners,

SATURDAY VIGIL MASS CHANGE

By popular vote, we will change the start time for the Saturday Vigil Mass back to 4:00 PM.  Please make note that the Saturday Vigil Mass will start at 4:00 PM beginning in August with the Mass in Schaghticoke on Saturday, August 6, 2016, the Mass schedule at Transfiguration Parish will be as follows:

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

     The site of the Saturday Mass will alternate each month.  During the month of July, the Saturday Mass will be in Speigletown for the entire month.  In August, the Saturday Mass will be in Schaghticoke for the entire month.  September will be in Speigletown, October will be in Schaghticoke, etc
 

REMINDER!!!

 ****Next Weekend (08/04/18) the Vigil Mass will be in Schaghticoke and will be there through the Month of August*****

          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.
 

FAITH FORMATION REGISTRATION

Registration packets were handed out during the last few sessions. They can be placed in the collection basket in an envelope marked Faith Formation. If you need a new packet several have been placed at the entrances of the church, forms are available on the parish website, or call the office to have one sent 518/235- 0337.

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.  Bags and notices will be available at all church entrances

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