Holy Name of Jesus-St Gregory the Great Parish

Sunday Mass October, 25 2020 Mass Hymns and Mass Aid Available on our website https://youtu.be/eH_AtVZaFHw

Hello Parish Family! Happy Sunday. I hope you are well and keeping safe. It is well over a month now since Fr. D’Angelo and myself arrived as the new guys replacing (as if it were possible) Fr. Larry and the Franciscan Friars here at Holy Name. I know for many of you, including the Friars, this has been a very impacting change. I hope you know and experience by now how Fr D’Angelo and I wish to build on their wonderful pastoral ministry. For the fun of it, may I offer some r...ambling thoughts about what has been going through my heart and mind these days for me personally? First, it dawned on me that I went to high school at Cathedral Prep Seminary on 87th and West End Avenue. Some great memories have come alive. I even bumped into a classmate who I haven’t seen in so many years. Now closed and a multi- million dollar housing unit, still it reminds me of taking the #1 train North as I switched from the D train South at 59th Street. I remembered specifically studying Latin on those trains for our daily exam in class! What a payoff! Second, I hope you are as impressed as I am by the wonderful staff here at Holy Name of Jesus-St Gregory. One of my constant challenges in the past was to try to bring staff and volunteers together in a common effort to serve. Here the dedicated staff are all on the same page and it makes for a well run parish that serves so diligently its wonderful parishioners in so many positive ways. Next, the poor. I recently spoke with Cardinal Dolan and when he asked me how I was doing with my new parish, I right away spoke about the profound, organized and effective outreach to the poor and those in need. From the food pantry to the sandwich line to the thrift store, not to mention the 12 step programs in the Little Room as well as the outreach to community schools looking for safe spaces, wow, it is all really impressive! The sacred music during our Masses is fantastic! The Mass coordinators and ministers and ushers stepping up as we gradually opened up to our regular schedule are simply wonderful. The diversity and fun challenges to serve together! As we move forward, I look forward to hearing their good advice of finding even more effective ways to serve. And finally you, the parishioners of Holy Name of Jesus-St Gregory, you have become my boast to my friends and family. You are so supportive of your church and your prayerfulness and spirituality is so palpable. Thank you once more for welcoming Fr D’Angelo and myself into your lives and hearts. Thanks especially for your prayers. And now as St. Francis would say, Let us begin again! Fr. Lynch

Daily Mass October 23, 2020 https://youtu.be/G3ALV-qBecs

Daily Mass October 22, 2020 https://youtu.be/GHlTILowKzI

Daily Mass October 21, 2020 https://youtu.be/YMVRbt3Qe6I

Daily Mass October 20, 2020 https://youtu.be/Ylvr9KYRd40

Daily Mass October 19, 2020 https://youtu.be/AdYTCZB8404

Sunday Mass October 18, 2020 Mass Hymns and Worship Aid available on our website https://youtu.be/_iB8kxz4B6I

Daily Mass October 16, 2020 https://youtu.be/R-iGb5d-Occ

Mass of Remembrance, November 2nd Fr. Lynch, Fr. Jimenez and the whole parish community invites you to join us at the 6:30pm on November 2nd All Souls Day to remember our parishioners who have joined the community of saints this past year, November 1, 2019 through November 2, 2020.

10/18/2020 Hello Parish Family! Happy Sunday! Why do I prefer the shadows?... Last week, I commented on St. John Henry Newman. From time to time, I plan on sharing his thoughts, prayers and observations. Lately, I have been thinking about him a great deal and the comfort his words bring. So I hope you don’t mind the following quote about his struggle with prayer. Many people have shared with me over the years the challenge of prayer with distractions. In fact, I love the section of the Catechism that illustrates prayer in our Catholic faith. The chapter is entitled, The Battle of Prayer. A great title because so many of us find that we are often battling with ourselves and not focused on God at all. Writing about prayer, I think we might have a lot in common with my good friend, Cardinal Newman. He was a deeply spiritual man as he composed many sacred poems, songs and heartfelt prayers. Yet, he also shared a great deal of his interior struggles, his distractions, his frustrations. Here is a prayer composed by Newman that speaks of the way we all too often look for something else rather than persevere in looking for God. For me, this is one of his most powerful prayers: My God, how far am I from acting according to what I know so well! I confess it, my heart goes after shadows. I love anything better than communion with Thee. I am ever eager to get away from Thee. Often I find it difficult even to say my prayers. There is hardly any amusement I would not rather take up than set myself to think of Thee. Give me grace, O my Father, to be utterly ashamed of my own reluctance! Rouse me from sloth and coldness, and make me desire Thee with my whole heart. Teach me to love meditation, sacred reading, and prayer. Teach me to love that which must engage my mind for all eternity. So join me, my friends in choosing to pray instead of choosing the shadows, in choosing God instead of choosing the distractions and amusements. God of course delivers and is faithful. Prayer helps us to wake up to that beautiful mystery. Fr Lynch

Daily Mass October 15, 2020 https://youtu.be/_c_AY-H7AdA

Daily Mass October 14, 2020 https://youtu.be/EuZfGwN2Vrk