Mission Statement

Our Vision Friends and neighbors joyfully sharing and living the Gospel and the transforming love of Jesus Christ through our Parish Family



Our Mission To invite and welcome people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life to embrace and celebrate our vocations.  "To be Christ to the world.”

Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

May it be done to me according to your word."

Then the angel departed from her.

~ Luke 1 

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

This Sunday, December 8^th we celebrate the Second Sunday of Advent.   Normally the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception would be observed on this day, but because this feast is transferred to Monday, December 9^th, Monday is a Holy Day of Obligation.   

Masses at CTK will be at 9am and 12 noon.  7pm will be at SMM.

Originating in the 7^th century, the Solemnity of the "Conception of Mary by St. Anne," was established by Pope Clement XI, in his proclamation "Commissi Nobis."  The Pope established this Solemnity for the entire Church in 1708. 

150 years later, in 1854, Pope Pius IX declared officially from the chair of

St. Peter that Mary was conceived without sin.  This understanding was always a belief from the earliest days of the church and is now an official dogma of Catholic church teaching.  

Four years later, the Blessed Mother would appear a to young girl named Bernadette at Lourdes.  When St. Bernadette asked the lovely lady who she was, Mary joined her hands, raised her eyes towards heaven, and said,

“I am the Immaculate Conception.”

Blessed Mary is considered the patroness of the United States of America and also of Spain, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

May God bless you!

 Fr. Gonyo

Liturgy of the Eucharist (Part III)

Following the conclusion of the Liturgy of the Eucharist with the Prayer After Communion, we proceed to the final part of the Mass, the Concluding Rites.

The Concluding Rites include the final blessing and the dismissal. The final blessing is when the priest blesses the assembled community with the Sign of the Cross. Sometimes, the priest will use a Solemn Blessing which is based on the mystery we are celebrating on a particular day. Following the blessing, the priest or deacon gives the dismissal. The dismissal always begins with the command: Go! In Latin, the phrase is: Ite, missa est. Ite is the second person plural imperative of the verb “to go” – roughly translated “Y’all go”. It is with this final command that the work of the Mass truly begins.

What happens at Mass cannot be kept at Mass, it must animate every aspect of our lives. Having received Jesus in the Eucharist, we are sent forth to be his presence in the world. If the Mass does not lead us to live out our faith each day of our life, we have missed the whole point. The Mass becomes the launchpad from which we go forth in mission: to bring Christ to the world.

I would like to conclude this series on the Mass with the words of Lumen Gentium, which describes the mission and role of the laity to be leaven from within society. It states, “The laity, by their very vocation, seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according to the plan of God. They live in the world, that is, in each and in all of the secular professions and occupations. They live in the ordinary circumstances of family and social life, from which the very web of their existence is woven. They are called there by God that by exercising their proper function and led by the spirit of the Gospel they may work for the sanctification of the world from within as a leaven. In this way they may make Christ known to others, especially by the testimony of a life resplendent in faith, hope and charity” (Lumen Gentium, 31b).

 Fr. Aaron, Parochial Vicar

Congratulations and may

God’s blessings be upon these children:

Please remember in prayer our Beloved who have recently passed away:

Irma Hardock 

Christine Cocilova

Phillip Livecchi  

This week, the Sanctuary Candle at Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Parish at Christ The King burns in memory of Vincenza and Alfonso Cappello from Sarina Fiorica (sister/aunt)

During the upcoming holiday season, gift card scams will be on the rise.

No member of the Saint Kateri Staff or Clergy will email or text you to purchase a gift card and send us the card number!

If you get such a call, text, or email it is a scam.

"Thank you!

Last week the Parish provided over 350 gifts and over 4,000 items of food to families in need. 

With over $1,500 in donations, we were able to purchase fresh food items (ham, butter, apples, potatoes, onions and bread) from Herrema's Marketplace at cost and provide them to the families. 

All of these donations went to benefit families associated with the Villa of Hope, the House of Mercy and St. Francis Xavier Cabrini. And like last year, due to your overwhelming generosity, there was additional food collected that we were able to donate to the Irondequoit Community Cupboard and St. Andrew's Food Cupboard. 



Thank you again to all the Parishioners who were able to donate their time, talent and treasure in support of the 2024 Giving Tree Program, which has helped these families to have a Merry Christmas."

Wednesday Evening Discussion Group

All are invited to join us on Wednesday evenings for faith-based discussions.

Every Wednesday

7:00 - 8:30 PM

In the

Saint Kateri Center

Beginning Wednesday, December 4th

We will be discussing

The Reed of God

by Caryll Houselander

Available from Amazon

or other fine booksellers

Contact Mark Keller (mark.keller@dor.org) for more information

Saint Kateri Parish offers a variety of

Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation programs for your family

Faith Formation:

(Religious Education for children enrolled in Public School)

*For children in Pre-K through Grade 7, this program is offered during the school year, September - May. We partner with parents and guardians in supporting and continuing their child’s faith journey. This program consists of monthly meetings and extra faith-filled activities.

Contact Anna Steele Anna.Steele@dor.org.

Sacramental Preparation:

First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion:

For children in Grade 2 and over, to help them prepare to receive the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. Celebration of First Reconciliation is in

the fall and First Holy Communion is celebrated

parish-wide in May.

Contact Anna Steele Anna.Steele@dor.org.

Confirmation:

A two-year journey for those in Grade 8 and older to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Contact Christine Bondi Christine.Bondi@dor.org.

OCIA:

This process is for anyone over the age of 16 that wants to become fully initiated into the faith of the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation or any combination of the three.

Contact Mark Keller mark.keller@dor.org

Order of Christian Initiation of Adults

OCIA is a process of spiritual formation which prepares adults for full initiation into the faith.

At Saint Kateri Parish, we meet as a small group to explore and discuss the foundations of our Catholic faith and help each other to grow in our relationship with the Lord.

OCIA is for:

• Anyone who is curious about the Catholic Church
• Anyone who is interested in becoming Catholic
• Adult Catholics who have not completed the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, First Communion, or Confirmation).

Parishioners are welcome to join any of our sessions.



 Thursdays

7:00 PM

In the

Saint Kateri Center at Christ the King

December 12, 2024

(We will meet in the Faith Formation Office)

The Early Church

Church History

December 19, 2024

 The Sacraments: An Introduction

December 26, 2024

Christmas Break

January 2, 2025

New Year's Break

For more information contact

Mark Keller

Mark.keller@dor.org

(585) 544-8880

585.544.8880 | Email | Website