Fr. Marc Oliver invites us anew to one of his wonderful Bible reflection sessions. On Saturday, December 9th from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon at Sacred Heart Church, 1055 Broadway, bring your Bible and your prayerful attention as Fr. Oliver helps us to ponder the Gospel according to St. Mark with an Advent frame of mind and heart. The session is free of charge. Please pass the word to your family and friends! Children and youth old enough to understand are welcome to attend in the company of at least one parent or adult guardian. Have a Blessed Advent! May we prepare for a HOLY as well as MERRY CHRISTMAS.

In cooperation with our local Knights of Columbus (Council #275, Kingston), Old Saint Nick or "Father Christmas" is returning to St. Leo's Hall after a wonderful debut with local children and families! Located at 209 Hoyt Street, St. Leo's Hall makes a good venue for the return visit of St. Nicholas of Myra. Our local children and their parents are welcome to enjoy a presentation about St. Nicholas of Myra, the actual personage behind Santa Claus, free pizza and treats, Advent-Christmas carols, and gifts worthy of Catholic children. Although the program is free of charge, our parish welcomes free will donations. For Catholic men who want to learn more about the local Knights of Columbus, which strives to help Catholic men become better soldiers of Christ in every walk of life, visit www.kofc275.org or contact Mr. Robert Santiago at (845) 204-4211. We are grateful also to the cooperation from our Women's Society at Presentation Church with this Advent event by and at our parish. Women who wish to grow in Christian friendship, holiness, and service may call Mrs. Linda Zifchak at (845) 706-5126. Have a Blessed Advent! Let's use Advent to prepare for a HOLY as well as a MERRY CHRISTMAS, when Christmas comes (which is not yet!). Let's show a CHRISTIAN SENSE OF TIME regarding Advent and the birthday of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have received the sad news of the passing away of Fr. Grohe (1924-2023), who enjoyed the abiding affection of many people, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, in the Town of Esopus and vicinity. Due to perfectly understandable concerns over logistics and space, the Redemptorist order to which Fr. Grohe belonged had decided to locate the wake and funeral Mass at St. Mary's Church, Kingston (160 Broadway) instead of Sacred Heart Church. Nevertheless, as the site of more than 50 years of Fr. Grohe's ministry, it is incumbent upon us parishioners at Sacred Heart Church (and, out of solidarity, from Presentation Church) to pray for Fr. Grohe's blessed repose as Father had prayed for so many of the faitful departed over more than half a century. November 29: Wake 10:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Mass 2 p.m., Burial to follow immediately afterwards at the Redemptorist cemetery at the Mount Community (once Mount St. Alphonsus Seminary), Route 9W, Esopus. Also on November 29, although daily Mass will be offered at 8 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, the Mass scheduled there that day at 11:30 a.m. is hereby cancelled. Our Lady of the Hudson, pray for Fr. Grohe! St. Alphonsus Ligouri, founder of the Redemptorist Order, pray for him! St. Eugene, pray for him! The flags at both churches of our combined parish will fly at half-mast in mourning for a while.

Since our parish is blessed with two churches, we strive to celebrate the patronal feast of each church as co-patronal feasts of our combined parish. Thus, we invite our parishioners and all people of good will on Tuesday, November 21st at 11:30 a.m. to our co-patronal Mass at Presentation Church in honor of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Thanks to the generous time and talent of our Women's Society, a luncheon will follow at St. Leo's Hall next door. As a result of this event, please note that NO MASS will be offered at Sacred Heart Church that morning, although the parish office there will be open as usual from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In an attempt to narrow the gap a bit between the monthly Holy Hour at Sacred Heart and the Vigil Mass there, on Sat., Nov. 18th, Deacon Dean will expose the Blessed Sacrament at 3:30 p.m. (NOT 3:15 p.m.) with the Holy Hour ending at 4:30. Confessions still will be heard from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m. This way, we hope to leave enough time to put away items for the Holy Hour and set up in time for Holy Mass. At Presentation, however, our First Saturday Holy Hour every month will continue on Nov. 4 after the 8 a.m. Mass. Thanks to all who pass the word and joins JESUS for quiet time with Him!

Scores of parishioners joined our Nancy Lancer and our Barbara McCabe as they were honored by the Ulster Deanery Respect Life Committee for their combined decades of pro-life activism in the Hudson Valley on October 20th at Turtle Creek Golf Course at Plattekill, N.Y. About 150 people attended the preceding Annual Respect Life Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church nearby. Our guest speaker was Dr. Joel Brind, the biochemist and Baruch College (CUNY) professor who is a leading exponent of the hypothesis that abortion causes breast cancer. Our picture of Fr. Arthur Rojas with Dr. and Mrs. Brind was taken by our parishioner James O'Connell. Thanks, Jim!

Offered at Sacred Heart Church, 1055 Broadway, Esopus, New York at 11:30 a.m. on the following dates: St. Luke the Evangelist, Wed., Oct. 18th. Ss. Simon and Jude, Apostles, Sat., Oct. 28th. All Saints Day, Wed., Nov. 1st. All Souls Day, Thurs., Nov. 2nd. All Masses in the Extraordinary Form will be preceded by Confessions from 10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Please spread the word and bring your family and friends!