St. Lucy's Church

06/22/2026

Saint Thomas More is the patron saint of politicians, so fitting that he is celebrated on June 22 which is during the Primary Election season here is NYS. (Early voting has ended and Primary Day is tomorrow, June 23.)

Made famous by his own holy life and featured in the movie "A Man for All Seasons," Saint Thomas More is the patron of those in the legal profession. Husband, father, chancellor, and lawyer, Thomas More was reluctantly martyred by King Henry VIII in 1535.

06/19/2026

June 19 is the day we remember Venerable Matt Talbot, who is the Patron Saint for those recovering from substance abuse and addition. Many churches and other organizations host Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, including St. Lucy's Church. For meeting locations and times, please check https://www.aa.org/ or https://na.org/

Perhaps no one has done more to address the issue of alcoholism than Venerable Matt Talbot. An active alcoholic himself, he designed a program of support that has helped millions. Many are thankful.

06/19/2026

"We pray for those who continue to suffer from the effects of systemic injustice, and we ask for your strength and guidance as we strive to build a more just and equitable world for all. May we be instruments of your peace, working towards a future where the promise of freedom and equality is a reality for everyone. " Amen.

06/16/2026

This is Refugee Week and June 20 is World Refugee Day, both of which are celebrated by over 20 countries. Our St. Lucy's neighborhood has been blessed by the refugees who call the Near West Side home. We believe that our community is better with them here.

Thanks to Refugee Week for the graphic.

06/13/2026

Coffee Hour continues after the Sunday 10 a.m. mass through the end of June (6/14, 21, & 28). We will take the summer off then resume again in September. Coffee Hour is held downstairs. If you don’t know how to get there, ask someone near you to take you there! There will be coffee, tea, and sweet treats...something for everyone.

Thanks to Dorothy and her team of volunteers for creating this welcoming spot for us to gather as community! 😊

06/12/2026

In June, many people are aware of Pride Month and Juneteenth, but fewer are aware "Loving Day." Loving Day takes its name from Mildred and Richard Loving, an in*******al couple from Virginia whose landmark legal battle changed the course of U.S. civil rights.

In 1958, the Lovings were married in Washington, D.C., but were subsequently arrested and threatened with jail time for returning to live in their home state of Virginia, which had an anti-miscegenation statute. Their legal battle ended in an unanimous June 12, 1967 Supreme Court ruling, which declared these bans unconstitutional. June 12th is now widely recognized as a day of visibility, education, and community.

By the way, when the case was before the U.S. Supreme Court, a “friend-of-the-court” brief (called an amicus curiæ) was submitted by 2 Catholic social services agencies and 11 bishops in the states of the United States that still had laws prohibiting in*******al marriage.

06/09/2026

In commenting on Acts 16 and the imprisonment of Paul and Silas, Tyler Staton wrote, "When they sang in that jail cell, they were dragging heaven into a dark corner of earth, and it changed the atmosphere." (Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools, p. 65)

What places or situations do we need to drag heaven into? What would that look like?

06/04/2026

Three days of events planned for opening of "Cayuga People, We Returned" exhibit at the Schweinfurth Art Center, https://www.schweinfurthartcenter.org/cayuga-people-returned According to their press release:

The West End Arts Campus is hosting a three days of activities celebrating its new exhibition “Sa:gwáyoˀ Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ/Cayuga People, We Returned” starting this Saturday, June 6.

All of Saturday’s activities are planned for the grounds around the Schweinfurth Art Center and Cayuga Museum of History & Art, 203-205 Genesee St., Auburn. The celebration, set for 10:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., will move inside in case of rain.

Here is the schedule of events:

10:30 a.m.: Ganǫ́hǫnyǫhk (also known as the Thanksgiving Address) by Soyǫ́:wi:s Sam George (Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ/Cayuga, Bear Clan), Carriage House Theater

10:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.: Art vendors will be set up throughout the West End Arts Campus

11 a.m. – noon: Our Sacred Responsibility to Place, a welcoming talk by Dan Longboat Roronhiakewen (Ganyę́gehó:nǫˀ/ Mohawk), Carriage House Theater

12:30 until gone: Sample traditional Hodinǫhsǫ́:nih Corn Bread compliments of Rick Lazore (Ganyę́gehó:nǫˀ/ Mohawk) and Traditional Hodinǫhsǫ́:nih Corn Soup, Hot Scones & Strawberry Drink compliments of Hazel Powless (Onę́yotga:ˀ/Oneida) and Will Powless (Onę́yotga:ˀ/Oneida) in the parking lot behind the Schweinfurth

12:30 – 1:15 p.m.: Solo performance by Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ/Cayuga flute player Dan Hill, in the performance area

12:30 – 1:45 p.m.: Make-and-take beaded bracelets with Melissa Sprague-Mcann (Onę́yotga:ˀ/Oneida), in the children’s tent

1:30 – 2:15 p.m.: Chris Thomas (Onǫdagehónǫˀ/Onondaga) and the Smoke Dancers, in the performance area

2:00 – 3:15 p.m.: Make-and-take Cornhusk Dolls with Bernadette Scott (Onǫdawáˀga:ˀ/Seneca) in the children’s tent

2:30 – 3:15 p.m.: Onę́yotga:ˀ/Oneida storyteller Melissa Sprague-Mcann sharing traditional Hodinǫhsǫ́:nih stories in the performance area

3:30 – 4:15 p.m.: Chris Thomas (Onǫdagehónǫˀ/Onondaga) and the Smoke Dancers, in the performance area

3:30 – 4:45 p.m.: Make-and-take raised beadwork with Doose Shenandoah (Onǫdagehónǫˀ/Onondaga). For older children (ages 9+) and adult

Opening events continue at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, with a panel discussion featuring three perspectives on the forced displacement and return of the Cayuga People to their lands. Speakers are Peter Whiteley, from the American Museum of Natural History in NYC; Steve Henhawk, Research Associate with the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program at Cornell University; and Professor Kurt Jordan, from Cornell University. This event will be held at the Carriage House Theater.

All the events are free and open to the public. For more information on any event, visit the Schweinfurth website at schweinfurthartcenter.org or the Cayuga Museum website at cayugamuseum.org.

Sa:gwáyoˀ Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ/Cayuga People, We Returned is hosted by the Schweinfurth Art Center and the Cayuga Museum of History and Art from May 30–September 19, 2026, in Wahsgǫhǫ:, present-day Auburn, New York.

06/03/2026

The Agape Shop at St. Lucy's Church is open on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. The shop is located in the basement of the "school" at 422 Gifford St. You enter through the front door and go straight down the stairs into the shop. The shop includes several spacious rooms.

What does the Agape Shop carry? The shop carries a wide variety of items - new and gently used - including clothing (men's, women's, and children's), household and kitchen items (including dishes), and linens (e.g., sheets). The shop asks that donated items are clean.

When the Agape Shop sells something, what happens to that money? It is used to support Bread of Life, which is the Wednesday community lunch held in St. Lucy's gym. 120-180 people come to the Bread of Life each week for a delicious, nourishing lunch and time to talk with neighbors in a casual atmosphere.

If you have not visited the Agape Shop, you are welcome to stop by on Wednesday. If you are interested in volunteering at the shop, talk to someone there about what they need.

06/01/2026

In June, we celebrate two important holidays, First, we celebrate Pride Month, which celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community, its history, and culture. The celebration is held in June in commemoration of its roots in the Stonewall Riots of June 1969. Information on local events can be found on the CNY Pride website, https://www.cnypride.org/.

Second, we celebrate Juneteenth. June 19th, 1865 was when federal troops arrived in Galveston, TX and finally liberated those who had been continued to be enslaved there even though the Emancipation Proclamation freed everyone on January 1, 1863. Information on local Juneteenth events can be found at https://syracusejuneteenth.com/ Note that Juneteenth is a federal holiday.