St. James Roman Catholic Church

DRVC Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection

October 1, 2020

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today, I have some important but difficult news to share with you. Earlier this morning,

the Diocese of Rockville Centre has filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of

the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. This decision was not made lightly. However, in the year since the

passage of the Child Victims Act, more than 200 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse have been filed

against the Diocese of Rockville Centre. What became clear is that the Diocese could not continue

to carry out its spiritual, charitable and educational missions while also having to shoulder the

increasingly heavy burden of litigation expenses associated with these cases.

Filing for Chapter 11, we believe, is the only way for the Diocese to ensure a fair and equitable

outcome for everyone involved. That is because the bankruptcy court will centralize all litigation and oversee a settlement that ensures that no survivor is left out or gets unfair compensation at the expense of another survivor.

During this period of restructuring, most Diocesan operations and ministries will continue without

interruption. We anticipate that current and future financial liquidity will be sufficient to fund

normal operations and services during this restructuring process. Our employees will be paid their

normal wages. Benefit programs will continue, uninterrupted. Our vendors will be paid for all

goods and services after filing, and ordinary operations will continue as before.

We know that most people experience the life of the Church through their parish, so it is important

to note that the good work of our parishes and Catholic schools is expected to continue as normal.

Since the parishes and schools of the Diocese of Rockville Centre are separate legal entities,they are not included in this Chapter 11 filing. But it is also the case that after Chapter 11, the Diocese will have fewer financial resources to help struggling schools and parishes.

I also would like to stress that the practice of our Catholic Faith and administration of the

sacraments continues just as it has and will not be affected by this legal filing. It is my hope and

prayer that operations will be unaffected during the restructuring process as we work to maintain

the stability of our many ministries. We will certainly need to prioritize the charitable missions

that are essential to Long Island, but the work of the Church must continue. Catholic evangelization must and will continue.

We know that this is hard for people across the Diocese to digest and especially difficult for the

many people of Long Island, both Catholic and non-Catholic, who depend on the Church in so

many ways. Parishioners will certainly have many questions, so it is important for everyone to

understand what this decision means, to avoid any misconceptions.

A settlement will be determined based on the assets of the Diocese and will not include any parish

offertory donations collected during Mass or any contributions to the Catholic Ministries Appeal.

Our financial and legal advisors are maximizing the availability of insurance coverage and

investment proceeds. It is important to note that in bankruptcy, all assets of the Diocese are part

of the court record and therefore publicly available and that the process is completely transparent.

All public information relating to the filing can be found on a dedicated Chapter 11 website, which

can be found by clicking on the Chapter 11 icon found on the diocesan website at

www.drvc.org.

For the Diocese, fair and equitable treatment for survivors of sexual abuse has always been a top

priority. That is why we created the Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program in

2017. Since then, the program has assisted approximately 350 survivors of sexual abuse. But that

program also has greatly depleted our financial resources, leaving us with fewer resources to be

able to litigate the CVA cases.

Over the last year, our advisors have studied our financial and legal situation extensively and

concluded that a Chapter 11 filing was the only way to ensure an equitable settlement for abuse

survivors, help us manage litigation expenses and carry out our essential mission and ministries.

We will work diligently with all survivors, creditors and ministries to maintain open

communication while we work toward our goal of completing a settlement and a restructuring plan

that includes a comprehensive resolution for those suffering survivors. Our Diocese underwent

extensive reforms in 2003 with the creation of our Office for the Protection of Children and Young

People. We will continue to be vigilant in our commitment to child protection.

I ask each and every Catholic on Long Island during these painful times to embrace the power of

the Cross of Jesus Christ and His Divine Mercy, and to help others carry their crosses, especially

survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Together, we ask for the intercession of our Blessed Mother

Mary, Mother of the Church, that she continue to intercede for a spirit of holiness and mission in

this Diocese and the raising up of a new generation of saints on Long Island to serve the Church

and the world. All of us, as members of the faithful, are called to find strength in the Word of God

and the Sacraments and to live Christ’s spirit of humility, charity, compassion, sensitivity and

courage. We ask for the intercession of our patroness, the courageous martyr Saint Agnes, for the

fortitude to joyfully and charitably proclaim the Gospel and the Splendor of Truth in every public

square.

Please know that I am praying for each and every one of you and your families and in a special

way for the survivors of clergy sexual abuse. I also pray that through this restructuring process,

the Diocese can emerge stronger, having resolved these issues with dignity and

fairness and put everyone in a better position to move forward and heal.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend John O. Barres

Bishop of Rockville Centre

Call to Prayer Safety Issues

Mask It or Casket! A reminder about the importance of wearing a mask in church.

Please be advised that in accordance with CDC guidelines and our previously announced requirement that all who choose to attend Mass at St. James MUST wear either a mask or other face-covering that covers the mouth and nose is mandatory and no exceptions will be made.

Anyone observed not wearing a mask/face covering will be asked by an usher to either don a mask or immediately leave the church. Should that individual refuse to comply with the usher’s request, the ushers have been directed to interrupt the presider, who will publicly address the situation with the offender.

The wearing of face coverings has been shown to reduce transmission of droplets that may carry the coronavirus or other illnesses. As such, it is a simple and effective sign of courtesy and respect towards others in our midst.

Your cooperation is vital in order for us to continue to publicly celebrate Mass during the ongoing pandemic.

Ecumenical Corona Wedge Humor

The lockdown caused by the ongoing pandemic has affected the majority of houses of worship, regardless of their specific faith tradition. The struggle to provide safe ways to bring people back to church is universal and has resulted in some humorous approaches to the issue. Here's what one Episcopal priest has done to entice his parishioners back to church services: ( be sure to have your volume on!)

https://url.emailprotection.link/?bn_93kyX_OdPIEsr4ju0Qfeu3ok6nvk6FfpqFgbmWrsLwzwwmO22ORizjp-ajKaggtO7eTAClhJwpH1UDDi4HNEQIbtAZjUYrxRUOmYqaTsSYiQtt2HKhwFHQv1-_okoeg1pD27VxDKJhvNoU4ZzpYrR6CYmwvZU9VYd8hTQxy7Q~

Sunday Mass has resumed at St. James

From the Pastor’s Desk

I am pleased to share with you the latest information from our diocese relative to the resumption of public worship in our churches. Our current schedule of public Mass is Saturday at 5pm, and on Sunday at 9:30am with the following restrictions:

We are limited to 120 people at each Mass. All in attendance MUST wear a mask or face covering and all are required to practice the current CDC guidelines to maintain social distancing and remain 6 ft apart. You will find that certain pews have been roped off while others have been marked to indicate where you may be seated. In the interest of safety, please sit only in those pews that are open and appropriately marked.
Entrance to the church will be only through the new sacristy entrance, where you will find ushers at the doors keeping count of people entering the church. While we prefer that you exit via the sacristy doors as well, the other doors may be utilized for this purpose.
Please feel free to utilize the hand sanitizer stations located throughout the church.
The 5pm Mass will be live streamed and taped for broadcast on our website and Facebook pages.
Daily Mass will continue at 8am, Mon-Fri; no morning Mass on Saturday.
The resumption of our regular Mass schedule will be revisited in the coming weeks as we continue to monitor not only Mass attendance, but the number of COVID cases in our area. The health and well being of our parishioners remains our top priority.

We have also been given the go-ahead to resume private baptisms (one family at a time), an adjustment to our previous practice of celebrating the sacrament with multiple families; if you are interested in scheduling a baptism, please call the office as soon as possible to discuss the schedule and available dates. Weddings and funerals will also resume, again following CDC guidelines related to masks, social distancing, and reduced attendance in the church.

As I’ve mentioned in earlier communications, the church we are returning to is, in so many ways, different from the church we attended a few months ago. We have endured physical separation from each other and had some of our most beloved traditions upended, specifically surrounding the Triduum days and Easter. Yet, throughout this entire ordeal, our faith has sustained us and we will once again be able to gather around the Table of the Lord within the walls of our church.

Some physical changes to the church include the long awaited replacement of our air conditioning units which took place this week; the electrical work will not take place until next week, so we ask for your patience as the workers make every effort to complete this job as quickly and safely as possible.

In addition, the new/refurbished tabernacle is in place, having been pulled forward from the alcove in which the previous tabernacle was housed. A wall has been installed that now encloses the alcove, allowing us to create additional much needed storage space. The finishing touches on this project will soon be in place, but again, I ask for your continued patience.

Amidst all of this good news, we unfortunately are faced with a deficit of $85,000 in our collections (year to date). These past months have been challenging for all of us, and the financial issues brought about by the pandemic cannot be taken lightly. As our economy begins to reopen, please continue to remember how vital your financial support is to the survival of our parish.

Finally, please allow me to not only thank all of your for your support and prayers, but to also ask you to remember that the resumption of in person celebration of Mass and all that is associated with it, is a process, and will, of necessity, continue to evolve as the weeks unfold before us. We will make every effort to keep you informed of additional changes, and invite you to regularly visit the parish website for the latest information on this rapidly developing situation.

Pax et bonum,

~Fr. Jim

Virtual Masses

Looking for our virtual Masses during the COVID 19 Health Emergency? Look at our banner at the top of this page where you will find links to Holy Week celebrations as well as our weekly Masses.

For your convenience, you will also find above, links to homilies by both Fr. Jim and Fr. Fitz.

Help for Our Daily Bread

A special request for help from the staff at Our Daily Bread

Dear Fellow Parishioners,

May God bless and protect you and your families during this challenging time. While we are all impacted by the changes to our lives caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, some people are particularly vulnerable. Among those are the homeless, the poor, and the unemployed. Additionally, many of the small businesses in our community are facing severe hardship.

We continue to see an increase in the number of people coming to Our Daily Bread for assistance and once again ask for your assistance in keeping our pantry stocked with non-perishable items such as peanut butter, jellies/jams, beans, canned tuna or chicken, canned fruits, pasta, mac and cheese, cereal, rice, tomato sauce. Personal care/toiletry items are also needed, including toothpaste, soap and toilet tissue.

Thank you for your generosity, and stay safe and healthy.

Our Daily Bread Volunteers

Message from Fr. Jim re: DRVC filing

October 2020

Dear Fellow Parishioner,

I write to inform you of a major legislative policy that will be affecting the Church on Long Island and consequently, all of her parishes. As you are likely aware, on Thursday, October 1, 2020, the Diocese of Rockville Centre filed for Chapter 11 as a result of the claims filed against her via the NY State Child Victim’s Act.

The NY State Child Victim’s Act took effect on August 14, 2019; (the legislation was signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo on February 14, 2019). The CVA (Child Victims Act) is designed to protect victims of childhood sexual abuse, by making significant changes to victims’ ability to bring civil actions for such abuse.

Under the Child Victims Act, victims of childhood sexual abuse may bring civil lawsuits for such abuse until the date on which they turn fifty-five (55) years of age. Previously, any such civil lawsuits were required to be brought by the time the victim turned twenty-three (23) years of age. In addition, the Child Victims Act amends Section 3813 of the Education Law, as well as Sections 50-e and 50-i of the General Municipal Law, eliminating the notice of claim requirements for claims of childhood sexual abuse. Finally, the Child Victims Act also provides for a one (1) year window, commencing on August 14, 2019, during which victims of childhood sexual abuse may bring a civil lawsuit for such abuse, regardless of whether the statute of limitations for their claims have expired and/or regardless of whether they had previously brought lawsuits that were dismissed based upon the expiration of the then statute of limitation and/or the failure to file a notice of claim.

As a consequence of the longer statute of limitations that now applies to claims of childhood sexual abuse, the elimination of the notice of claim requirements for such claims, and the revival of previously expired and/or dismissed claims, a significant number of people may now come forward alleging past sexual abuse. Moreover, defending against these claims may be extremely difficult. Witnesses, including the alleged offenders, may be unavailable or, even if available, their recollections may have faded. Likewise, evidence such as student records and/or witness statements may no longer exist.

*The Child Victims Act also amends the criminal procedure law, extending the statute of limitations for bringing criminal prosecutions for sexual offenses committed against children by five (5) years, until the date that the victims turn twenty-eight (28) years of age. The previous statute of limitations expired after the victims turned twenty-three (23) years of age.

S809 … Child Victims Act amends the civil practice law and rules, the criminal procedure law, the court of claims act, and the general municipal law, in relation to the timeliness for commencing certain civil actions related to sex offenses.

Part of the CVA reality calls for all parishes, even if an accused priest was not stationed there, are equally vulnerable to be caught up in the settlement process. The Diocese had forewarned us to look into a re-organization mode to protect ourselves should the need arise for them to file a Chapter 11. The Diocese filed for Chapter 11 protection to assure funds for settlement but also to assure funds to continue carrying on the ministries of the Diocese. For the same reason, we as a parish needed to protect ourselves, so that we could continue to minister to the people of God in the Three Village area and have a voice at the table, through separate legal representation.

Therefore, in consultation with the Pastoral Staff, the Finance Committee, our Parish Trustees, the Pastoral Council and the CYO Board of Directors, in my capacity as Secretary-Treasurer of the legal entity of St. James Parish, I signed papers of agreement, retaining the firm of Cullen and Dykman LLP of Garden City as legal counsel. This was done in order for us to secure a ‘channeling injunction,’ which channels any pre-petition claims covered by the injunction against the participating entities, exclusively to funds earmarked to pay such claims, from which any third-party challenges might arise and from which all legal settlements would be paid.

This is a legal maneuver used as a prophylactic measure to protect our assets, to ensure our ability to continue our ministries from future unknown sexual abuse claims, and to gain for us a voice as to the amount of money we would ‘gift’ to the ‘assessment estate’ of the Diocese for such claims. Please be assured that as a result of this action on our part, any and all funds for our Capital Campaign are off the table in these negotiations as are our parish managed cemetery funds.

We continue to move forward with trust in God’s mercy, healing, and deliverance.

Pax et Bonum-

Reverend James-Patrick Mannion

Pastor

Secretary-Treasurer of the Corporation of St. James RC Parish

RECTORY OFFICE HOURS

Please be advised that our rectory office has resumed regular office hours and our staff will be available to assist you in person or on the phone during the following times:

Monday-Friday: 9am-4pm (closed for lunch 12-12:30)

Saturday: 9am-2pm

In accordance with CDC guidelines, we ask that you wear an appropriate face covering when visiting the office.

Thank you for helping to keep everyone safe and healthy!

Coming Soon ! Additional Masses Will Resume

Mark your calendars for the return of the Sunday 8am Mass starting on August 23, 2020. This will be in addition to the currently offered 9:30am on Sundays and 5pm on Saturdays. It has yet to be determined when we will resume the 11:30 on Sundays.

On Saturday, September 5, we will also resume the 8am Mass on Saturdays.

The return of the 11:30 Sunday Mass will be dependent upon attendance at other Masses. Please visit the website and parish bulletin on a regular basis for additional announcements.

VIRTUAL MASS SCHEDULE CHANGE!

We are pleased to announce that our virtual Masses will be available here on our webpage and our Facebook pages, at 5pm on Saturdays. This Mass is currently live streamed and taped for viewing at a later time for those parishioners who are unable to attend Mass in person.

The link will remain on our website homepage until 10pm on Sunday nights, after which it will be available via the "Weekly Video Mass" tab at the top of the home page.

We hope that this modification to our viewing schedule is helpful, especially for those who would typically attend the 5pm Mass on Saturdays.

Stay safe!

Televised Masses during the COVID 19 Crisis

We are happy to tell you that through the kind generosity of St. James parishioner Jim Townsend and his partner Corey Arnold, and Corey's son Justin, of Bars and Tone Media Productions, we will continue to provide our weekend celebration of the Mass at 5pm on Saturday evenings. Mass will be available on the website as well as the parish Facebook page.

The Catholic Faith Network (CFN), will continue to provide televised and online daily Masses. CFN also offers other devotional and spiritual programs. (Optimum channel 29/137; Verizon FiOS TV channel 296 and Spectrum channel 162/471)

St. James Church will continue to be open Mon-Sat 8am-5pm for private prayer, reading of scripture and adoration before the tabernacle. In accordance with the latest directives provided by Governor Cuomo on April 18, please wear an appropriate face covering/mask when leaving your homes.

A Message from our Laudato Si Ministry

September 27, 2020

The Season of Creation: Week 3

Laudato Si’ in 4 or 5 minutes!

Celebration of the Season of Creation in September originated with the issuing of Pope Francis’s first papal encyclical, Laudato Si’ (“Praise Be to you, O Lord”,) in 2015. Here are links to two, short animated videos that capture the essence of this encyclical in an engaging manner. One is for general audiences and one especially for kids (and you can mix and match them!). They were produced by CAFOD, the official agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

For general audiences (5 minutes):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3Lz7dmn1eM

For kids (4 minutes):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOgF2Kgel6k

There is lots going on in Catholic dioceses and agencies around the world during this Season of Creation. We can make a start to joining efforts to keep our common home safe and life-giving for everyone by learning more about the Pope’s message to all of us in Laudato Si’.

Mission Statement

We, the Catholic community of the Three Village area, formed as the Body of Christ through the waters of Baptism, are a pilgrim community journeying toward the fullness of the Kingdom of God, guided by the Holy Spirit, nourished by the Eucharist and formed by the Gospel.

We strive to respond to Jesus’ invitation: to be faithful and fruitful disciples; to be a Good Samaritan to (our) neighbor and enemy; stewards of and for God’s creation and living witnesses of Faith, Hope and Charity … so that in Jesus’ name, we may be a welcoming community, respectful of life in all its diversities.

Mass Times and Sacraments

While we have not yet resumed our dull schedule of Masses due to the ongoing COVID 19 public health emergency, please know that public Mass will be offered Mon-Fri at 8am; Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 9:30am.
THE PARISH OF ST. JAMES WILL RESUME OUR REGULAR MASS SCHEDULE ONCE THE HEALTH CRISIS HAS PASSED.
Weekdays and Saturdays: 8:00 am
Weekend Celebrations:
Saturday: 5:00 pm Youth Mass
Sunday: 8:00 am, 9:30 am, 11:30 am

Sacrament of Reconciliation:
Saturdays 4:00 - 4:45 pm
and by appointment. DURING THE COVID CRISIS, CONFESSIONS WILL ONLY BE HEARD BY APPOINTMENT.

One Family in Mission, Called to Evangelize

To donate, please visit: https://www.drvc.org/cma/

Give On-Line Securely

During this time of uncertainty surrounding the COVID19 virus, many of us will choose to remain at home and not venture out to church or other places where large groups of people may gather. While respecting that choice, please remember that our parish still needs our financial support in order to meet regular operating expenses such as electric bills, heating/cooling, water and payroll. If you have not already signed up for electronic giving via Faith Direct, please consider doing so now.

Thank you for your continued support of St. James.

Give securely either here on-line or by texting: 631.206.5614