The lottery for the two tickets that St. Mary's has available for Bishop Mark's installation Mass will be held on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 PM, NOT after the 10:30 AM Mass on Sunday, November 30 as Deacon Andy announced over the weekend. If you would like to be entered in the lottery please call the office before 3:00 PM on Tuesday. Thank you

Jesus said in Mark 6:31: “Come with me to a quiet place and rest awhile.” What a great idea during this hectic time of year. Please give yourself and your family this gift of quiet and peace that Our Lord Jesus wants you to have. Join Fr. Jim for Eucharistic Adoration every Monday of Advent at 6:30 PM at St. Mary's Church, Crescent. You are also invited to join in praying the rosary each Tuesday at 6:30 PM.

Join us in giving thanks to God for His many blessings! Our Thanksgiving Eve Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary’s Crescent on Wednesday, November 26th at 6:30 PM. You are also invited to attend Thanksgiving Day Mass at St. Edward the Confessor on Thursday, November 27th at 10:00 AM (We will not have Daily Mass at St. Mary’s this day). These celebrations are a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season—gathering in gratitude, prayer, and community as we begin this special time of year.

POSTPONED: Out of an abundance of caution due to the impending weather, we will be rescheduling our Senior Tuesday Holiday celebration for Tuesday, January 6th at 1:00pm. We hope you will still join us as we continue to celebrate the Christmas Season!

We’re once again partnering with the Albany City Mission to provide Thanksgiving baskets for families in need—and this year, the need is even greater. Last year, we helped serve over 400 families, and we look forward to continuing this tradition of care and generosity. Please consider donating any of the following “fixings” by November 18th: Box of instant mashed potatoes Can/jar of gravy (preferably cans) Can of cranberry sauce Cans of corn and green beans Box/bag of stuffing mix Box of brownie or dessert mix Donations can be placed in the purple collection bin in the gathering area or dropped off during regular office hours. Together, we can help our neighbors enjoy a warm and plentiful Thanksgiving meal.

Join us at noon on October 4th for our annual Blessing of the Animals, held on the cobblestones in front of the church. All creatures great and small are welcome! 🐶🐱🐰🐢 Bring your furry, feathered, or scaled friends for a special moment of love and gratitude.

A Note From Our New Bishop My brothers and sisters in Christ, Peace be with you. Earlier today, the Vatican announced that Pope Leo has named me your new bishop. I am humbled and excited and anxious to get to know all of you. Today I will be present at the Pastoral Center to meet with those that work there and then I will be introduced to the media and the People of God in Albany. I am told it will be streamed on Facebook and eventually on our website. This is not the time or place to lay out some kind of plan for you. I will have plenty of time to get to know you and hear you and begin to love you before I will be able to articulate any kind of vision beyond pointing to Jesus and His mission for us all. Instead, I just wanted to greet you all and assure you that you are already central in my thoughts and in my prayers. When I was named a bishop in 2016, I said, "I have always been a happy priest, and I plan on being a happy bishop." Let me tell you, whatever challenges come our way, together we will face them, together we will grow, together we will become stronger in the Lord, and I plan on being a happy Bishop of Albany. Yours in Christ, Bishop Mark (I like to be called "Bishop Mark" - you can still call me "Bishop O'Connell" if you prefer)

We express our sincere gratitude to Richard Putorti for his years of faithful ministry at St. Mary’s. His dedication and service have greatly blessed our parish community. We offer him our prayers and best wishes as he begins his new ministry.

We will celebrate Halloween on Tuesday, October 28th at 1:00 PM in our parish hall. Come in full costume, come wearing a few decorations, or come as you are! Lunch is Halloween themed, so we'll leave it up to your creativity. Hope you can join us for some fun and good food.

Join us for a festive tradition of “tailgating” on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM in the parish hall. We’ll be indoors but will still experience the same camaraderie and variety of foods as though we were sitting at makeshift tables on vehicle tailgates outside a sports arena. Not into sports? That’s ok – come and join us anyway for some good food and company.

COME LEARN ABOUT GIFT Curious about our new era of faith formation, GIFT? Join us for one of our upcoming Town Hall sessions to learn more! Each session will follow the GIFT format—Mass, a meal, and a meaningful message—and will take place on: Saturday, August 9th at the 4:30 PM Mass Sunday, August 17th at the 10:30 AM Mass Registration is needed to ensure we have enough food—please sign up on the sheet in the gathering area. All are welcome!

A Shrimp Italiano dinner will be held on Saturday, September 6, 2025 at 5:30 PM in the church hall. The dinner will consist of shrimp scampi (olive oil & garlic), shrimp marinara, ziti, tossed salad, Italian bread, and ice cream with cookies. Ticket prices are: $12.00 for adults, $5.00 for children 12 and under, $25.00 for a family. Tickets will be sold on the weekends of August 24th and August 31st in the gathering area of the church or during the week in the parish office. Take out orders (must specify shrimp scampi or shrimp marinara) will be available but need to be ordered in advance. We ask that all tickets be purchased and take outs be ordered no later than Wednesday, September 3rd.

A Message from the Bishop: Matthew 20:28 “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Many have been asking how they can help our brothers and sisters in Texas as they struggle to recover from deadly and devastating flash floods. At least 120 deaths have been confirmed and more than 100 people are still missing. Recovery will take time. Catholic Charities USA has set up a relief fund and you can find a donation link on its website https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/. It says 100% of donations go directly to helping survivors. If you prefer to write a check, you can send it to Catholic Charities, Albany with Texas in the memo. The address is Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany, 40 North Main Ave., Albany, NY 12203. I thank you for any help you can offer. I also encourage you to pray for the families impacted. As all in our Diocese consider how we can be Remade for Mission, I pray that God grants each of us the grace to see the needs, not just in our parishes or our communities, but across our nation, even the world. I pray that He also graces us with the compassion to do all that we can to meet those needs. May the world meet Christ in each of us. Yours in Christ, Bishop Edward Scharfenberger

Welcome to the GIFT Era!

🕊️ “Come, Holy Spirit… renew the face of the earth.” After this weekend’s violence in the Middle East, Pope Leo called the world to choose dialogue over destruction. As Catholics, we echo his plea in prayer: Lord, make us instruments of Your peace. ✝️

We learned so much earlier this week at the Rebuilt Conference and we are excited to bring it home to St. Mary’s Crescent! #rebuiltconference2025

You Are Your Child’s First and Most Important Teacher! #ThisIsTheGIFTEra

ALL ARE INVITED! Join us on Sunday, June 8th after the 10:30 AM Mass for a summer feast of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, salad, corn on the cob, baked beans, watermelon, ice cream, and beverages. Take chances on a number of raffles that will appeal to all ages, relax, reconnect with old friends, meet new friends, and have fun. Food will be served from 11:30AM until 1:30 PM. Ticket prices are: Adults - $10.00, Children 12 & under - $5.00, Families - $25.00. Tickets will be sold after Masses on the weekend of May 31/June 1 and during the week in the parish office.

Our Knitting & Crocheting group makes a variety of items such as baby hats, sweaters, blankets; hats, mittens and scarfs for children and adults; lap afghans and prayer shawls. These items are donated to extended care facilities, hospital maternity units, cancer treatment centers, Birthright, community out reach programs and our home bound parishioners. If you would like to join the group but need refresher instructions or would like to learn how to knit or crochet, just ask as several of our members are willing to give lessons.

With joy, we welcome **Pope Leo XIV**, the first pope from the U.S.! As one body in Christ, let us pray for unity, wisdom, and strength as he leads the Church forward. 🙏 **Lord, guide Pope Leo XIV in fostering unity among Your people. May he lead with compassion and courage. Amen.**

Holy Week commemorates the seven days leading up to Easter. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day and the pinnacle of the liturgical years. It begins with the commemoration of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, marks the betrayal of Jesus on Spy Wednesday (when Judas betrayed Jesus), and climaxes with the commemoration of the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday and the Passion of Jesus on Good Friday. On the holy night of Easter Vigil, the Church keeps watch, celebrating the Resurrection of Christ in the sacraments and awaiting his return in glory.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.🙏 We pray for the repose of Pope Francis’s soul while giving thanks for the legacy he leaves behind him as the first pope from the Americas. He strove to be a humble shepherd who led with compassion and unwavering faith. His dedication to the Gospel by always seeking to serve the poorest of the poor inspired millions, calling us to mercy, service, and deeper trust in Jesus Christ. As we pray for his soul, let us also reflect on his legacy of hope and unity. May his words and witness continue to guide us on our journey of faith. May the soul of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, our faithful Pope Francis, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. St. Francis, pray for us.

Holy Week commemorates the seven days leading up to Easter. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day and the pinnacle of the liturgical years. It begins with the commemoration of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, marks the betrayal of Jesus on Spy Wednesday (when Judas betrayed Jesus), and climaxes with the commemoration of the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday and the Passion of Jesus on Good Friday. On the holy night of Easter Vigil, the Church keeps watch, celebrating the Resurrection of Christ in the sacraments and awaiting his return in glory. Join us here at St. Mary’s Church, Crescent, as we celebrate the greatest moments in the liturgical year. Thursday, April 17th 7:00 PM: Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper Friday, April 18th 12:00PM: Stations of the Cross 7:00 PM: Friday of the Passion of the Lord (Good Friday) Saturday, April 19th 8:00 PM: Easter Vigil

Easter Blessings to you, your family, and all those you hold dear in your heart! -The staff at St. Mary's Crescent

Lent isn’t just for adults—it’s a beautiful season for kids to grow in faith too! Through simple acts of prayer, fasting, and giving, children can deepen their love for Jesus in ways that are fun and engaging. 🌿✨ Whether it’s small acts of kindness, creative crafts, or special family traditions, there are so many ways to help kids experience the meaning of Lent. 🙏

Our parish ministries will present a Call To Ministry after all the Masses March 15/16 in the Parish Hall. How might you answer that call? Our Call to Miniatry will be an opportunity to meet and talk with your fellow parishioners who already serve the parish. And, as you might expect; there will be food and drink to enjoy as well. As we say in our parish prayer “Out ministries will bring life to the parish, if I bring life to the ministries.” What ministry might God be calling you to? What life can you bring to our ministries?

Our annual Lenten food drive is happening this weekend! There’s still time to donate—all food collected will be divided equally between the food pantries of Holy Trinity, Cohoes, and The Mechanicville Community Center. Donations will be delivered next week. Both food pantries need non-perishable food items, personal hygiene products, and cleaning supplies. The Mechanicville Community Center also accepts donations for their pet pantry. Grocery store gift cards are a welcome addition, helping those in need purchase perishable food items.

The Knitting & Crocheting ministry makes a variety of items such as baby hats, sweaters, blankets, lap afghans and prayer shawls. These items are donated to extended care facilities, hospital maternity units, cancer treatment centers, Birthright, community outreach programs and our home bound parishioners. The group meets on the 1st Thursday of each month from 7:00pm—9:00pm in the Parish Hall to share ideas, yarns, patterns and to build a sense of community. If you would like to join the group but need refresher instructions or would like to learn how to knit or crochet, just ask. Several of the members are willing to give lessons. If you would like to make items at home and drop them off at the parish office during regular business hours, they will be included with the donations. If crafting is a gift you have or would like to learn, please consider joining this ministry! The group will meet next on Thursday, February 6th in the Parish Hall at 7pm.

A Polish dinner will be held on Saturday, March 29, 2025 at 5:30 PM in the parish hall. The dinner will consist of a Polish sampler plate (golumki, pierogi, kielbasy and sauerkraut), bread, dessert, and beverages. Ticket prices are: adults - $10.00, children 12 and under - $5.00, family - $25.00. Tickets will be sold after masses on the weekends of March 15/16 and March 22/23 and during those weeks in the parish office. Take outs need to be ordered in advance. We ask that all tickets be purchased and take outs be ordered no later than Wednesday, March 26th .

In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the parish office will be closed on Monday January 20th. Regular office hours will resume on Tuesday, January 21st. Let us take this day to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy of justice, peace, and equality.

Join us on Wednesday, January 1st at 10:30 AM as we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, a Holy Day of Obligation. This feast, one of the oldest in the Church, honors Mary’s role in God’s plan of salvation as the Mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The title "Mother of God" (Theotokos) was affirmed at the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD, emphasizing Mary’s role in the mystery of the Incarnation. Celebrating this solemnity on New Year’s Day invites us to begin the year under Mary’s maternal care, entrusting ourselves to her intercession for peace and blessings in the year ahead. As the Christmas season continues, this feast reminds us of the central role of Mary in the story of Christ’s birth and God’s immense love for humanity. Let us come together in prayer and thanksgiving to honor our Blessed Mother and seek her guidance for the coming year.

Every Mass is a chance to grow closer to God and grow in faith - homily length and all! Join us this weekend to see what God has in store for you! Weekend Mass Times: Saturday - 4:30pm Sunday - 8:00am & 10:30am

Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all the joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Merry Christmas from all of us at St. Mary's, Crescent.

Join us after both Masses on Sunday, January 12th in the gathering area for our monthly social. Coffee and donuts will be served!

"Little Christmas" is another name for the 12th day of Christmas, the traditional date for the feast of the Epiphany. Seniors, join us on Tuesday, January 7th at 1:00 PM in the parish hall as we share some of our favorite holiday foods at a "Holiday Brunch". We hope to see you then as we celebrate the Christmas holiday season.

“Spending time in Eucharistic Adoration with our Divine Lord and Friend is a good place to go to ask what he wants with our life.” (USCCB) Come be in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament along with song, prayer, and quiet. Spend time adoring the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist. You really don’t have to “do” anything during adoration. Take the time to be with Him. Youth from our Faith Formation program as well as some from our network parishes will participate. Following the music, Youth will go to the hall for fellowship and small group sharing. All are welcome to remain a while longer in silent prayer.

Ready your hearts for the coming of Christ!

Review & Rewind Your Weekly Homily Refresher Second Sunday of Advent What does God want us to know? Where is God leading us? God calls us out of darkness into the light. We therefore are to then bring light to the world. Be confident that God is always leading.

You’re invited to join us this Christmas as we gather to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Whether you’re a longtime member of our parish or visiting for the season, we welcome you to share in the peace, love, and hope of this holy time. Come and experience the beauty of the liturgy, the warmth of our community, and the true meaning of Christmas. 📍 86 Church Hill Rd, Waterford, NY 💒 All are welcome—bring your family and friends! Let’s come together to reflect on the gift of God’s love and celebrate the light that shines in the darkness. 🌟

Review & Rewind Your Weekly Homily Refresher First Sunday of Advent In these days of Advent we not only await to celebrate the birth of Jesus but also prepare for his 2nd coming. Stay awake. Be ready. Be open to surprises. Do not be afraid. Trust in God. God will always be faithful to us, even when we are not. God will raise us up.

Mark your calendars for an exciting and brand-new-to-the East Coast upcoming event! On Sunday, December 1, at 2PM, three of our network parishes (St. Edward's, Corpus Christi, and St. Mary's Crescent) will combine efforts to present "Chant Meets Jazz," an innovative and unique concert at St. Edward's Church. Richard Putorti, along with Mary Jo Brue and Andrew Sutton from St. Edward's, experienced this as part of the NPM Church Music Convention this past July in Kansas City. They weren’t sure what to expect, but they thought it sounded interesting. It turned out to be one of the highlights of their week! Kansas City is where the "wedding" of chant and jazz first began some years back. Wayne Hawkins, Music Director at Corpus Christi, was one of the original members of that Kansas City jazz ensemble and a pioneer in this musical area. He will be playing piano and leading the jazz portion of this concert at St. Edward's. On December 1st, you will hear a men's schola first sing and introduce a traditional chant. Then the all-star jazz ensemble of local players will riff on that chant tune. Do not miss this awesome opportunity - mark your calendar for Sunday, December 1, at 2PM at St, Edwards, for the premiere of "Chant Meets Jazz." Bring your chant friends, jazz friends, Catholic and non-Catholic friends and music lovers to this first ever experience! All are welcome!

Add Evening Prayer to your Advent Experience. Celebrate Advent as you listen, sing, and hear the Word of God and a message in preparation for the Savior's birth. Following Evening Prayer you are welcome to stay to pray the Rosary!

Review & Rewind: Your Weekly Homily Refresher In the ancient times of today's readings there was much political persecution of the Jews and anyone who did not follow the one religion imposed by the ruler of the lands.In today's world there are trials and tribulations in our Church, our country, and our world. Despite the times of stress and division whether in ancient times or today and even though we might abandon one another, know that God does not abandon us. Look at the world in terms of God. What does God ask of us in dealing with these issues? Pray and seek God's grace

🕯️ This year, Thanksgiving feasts lead us right into the season of anticipation! 🍂🎄 As we enjoy the blessings of the holiday, let’s also prepare our hearts for the hope and joy of Advent!

Happy World Kindness Day! 🌍💙 As Catholics, we are called to love and serve one another. Today, let’s go the extra mile to spread kindness in our homes, communities, and beyond. A simple smile, a helping hand, or a kind word can reflect Christ’s love to those around us.