Immaculate Conception Church
208 7th Avenue West
Hendersonville, NC 28791
Church Office
611 North Church St.
Suite 101
Hendersonville, NC 28792
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We are a joyful Catholic community of disciples of Jesus Christ, moved by love, to seek the lost and the broken and bring them home |
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Dear Parishioners,
The Easter season continues on this Fifth Sunday of Easter, but we start to turn our attention to the upcoming Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord in two weeks, followed by Pentecost. On Ascension we will recall our Risen Lord ascending to His Throne in Heaven, and on Pentecost we recall the Holy Spirit then descending upon the Apostles.
We are also looking forward to progress on the secular side of things, as the State of North Carolina looks forward to (possibly) easing pandemic-related restrictions in June. We are monitoring guidance, but we hope to be able to start moving toward restoring some of our practices.
Look for information on expanding the availability of daily Mass, the restoration of our 7:00am Mass on Sunday, and for greater seating capacity at Sunday Masses. While we do not have date-certain for those events, I feel confident that we will starts rolling those things out soon.
A new day in coming, both in our liturgical calendar and in our hopes for an end to this pandemic. Let us all focus on practicing the virtues of faith, of being charitable to one another, and especially let us improve on the virtue of patience. Let us continue to pray for one another, as we continue to recognize the Risen Lord in our midst.
In Christ, through Mary Immaculate,
Fr. Cook
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PARISHIONERS OF THE MONTH
Jay & Nancy Thorndike
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Born in opposite parts of the country, Jay in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and Nancy in Jackson, Mississippi, the couple met in Atlanta, Georgia, and were married in 1972. They moved to Hendersonville in 1980 to continue Jay’s career with General Electric (GE), and joined Immaculate Conception Parish.
This was not Jay’s first time in Hendersonville, however. His family moved here in 1956, and he attended Immaculata School. After graduating from UNC-CH, in 1967, Jay went to work for GE. “I moved to Chattanooga, TN, in 1969,” Jay explains, “and after getting married, Nancy and I lived there until returning to Hendersonville in 1980,” He then spent the next 29 years of his career with GE at the Hendersonville plant.
“I was a sales manager for GE Lighting Systems in various parts of the country,” he says. While working with GE, Jay spent significant time in all 50 states. Meanwhile, Nancy maintained their home in Hendersonville, supporting their 2 children, working a few part-time jobs, and converting to Catholicism.
Both Nancy and Jay are active members of Immaculate Conception Parish. Before the pandemic, they were sacristans for a number of years. Jay was Capital Campaign co-chair of the “Faith Grows Here” Parish Campaign. He presently serves on the new Stewardship Committee. “I also volunteer with the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority (Travel and Tourism), and Interfaith Assistance Ministry (IAM),” he shares. He was also on the Hendersonville Planning Board for 12 years, volunteered at Pardee Hospital, and with Nancy, were Board members of the Carolina Concert Choir Board. “We were not singers,” he stresses, “just on the Board!”
Nancy serves with the Feed the Kids Program, Linen Ministry, and Rose’s Ministry here at the Parish. “These have all been disrupted by Covid,” she says regretfully.
In their spare time, “We love to travel by ship!” they say together, “Though at the moment we’re frustrated that Covid has interrupted the cruise industry.” Both are into college sports – basketball, football, and baseball – and love watching the games on TV as well as attending games when possible. Nancy plays tennis regularly and is learning to play pickle ball.
They also love traveling to visit their son Jamey and his family in GA, and daughter Suzanne and her family in Virginia. “Our five grandsons range in age from 10 to 18, and it’s been such fun to watch them as they grow up,“ Nancy says proudly.
The couple “ loves meeting new and interesting people at the Parish, and doing our part to make Immaculate Conception a caring and welcoming place to worship!”
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On Sunday, May 23, we will celebrate the Birthday of our Church, the Feast of Pentecost, the gift He promised us.
“And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.” John 14:16. What I find amazing about this scripture is that it is Jesus himself making us this promise. Jesus made certain that we have what we need as the Holy Spirit, our Helper, is with us always. The Holy Spirit has many gifts and charisms to help us along the way of life as we desire to deepen our relationship with Him.
In 1998 Pope St. John Paul II said these words to 500,000 members of lay movements within the Catholic Church: “Today I would like to cry out to all of you gathered here in St. Peter’s Square and to all Christians. Open yourselves up to the gifts of the Spirit! Accept gratefully and obediently the charisms which the Spirit never ceases to bestow on us.”
"I plead with you-never, ever give up hope, never doubt, never tire and never become discouraged. Be not afraid.”
---Pope St. John Paul II
Below are 3 scriptural references you can read and meditate on. As you read them, pray asking the Holy Spirit to be a part of your life-with His presence and love.
1 Corinthians 12:1,7-11
1 Galatians 5:16-22
1 Peter 4:10-11
God Bless you and yours- Dave Coe
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The past year has been full of challenges, worries, changes, grief, inconveniences, and the constant question, “When will this be over?”
Here at Immaculate Conception Parish we have seen Masses cancelled and then restricted in attendance. We have seen meetings, activity groups, ministries, and socialization forced to stop by the virus. We miss singing at Mass, hugging one another, seeing one another’s faces and smiles, but, with faith, hope, love, and perseverance from all of us, our parish has survived!
We have all “stepped up to the plate” as they say. We’ve worn our masks, signed up to attend weekend Masses, sanitized our hands, sat socially distant during Mass, helped to clean the pews after Mass, held Bible study, meetings, Faith Formation classes on Zoom, kept our school open --the list goes on and on!
Through it all, we have gained an appreciation for what we had a year ago. Attending Mass has become a privilege, not an obligation. Greeting one another has become more heartfelt. Serving one another in small ways has become God made present, not just an every so often nice thing to do.
Our parish family has grown, flourished, and become more sanctified during this past year. Our unified efforts have allowed our faith-filled community to survive and look forward to the future!
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The Knights of Columbus will be conducting a Food Drive the weekend of May 22-23 to benefit Interfaith Assistance Ministry (IAM). Please bring nonperishable food items before Mass the weekend of May 22-23 or make a cash donation to IAM.
For more information contact Jim Welter at
828-329-1391 or j.welter@morrisbb.net.
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My purpose for this article is two fold. First, I would like to thank all those who support the Good Samaritan ministry. Without your donations and help, we would not be able to help so many.
Second, I would like to share with you some of the many miracles that we witness at the Attic.
Parishioner Dave Johnson happened to be at Goodwill when a sleeper sofa was being delivered. Goodwill refused to take it, so Dave told him about the Attic, and escorted him to our door. The gentleman was so impressed with the ministry that he returned with a truck load of furniture and a promise of more to come. When we opened on Wednesday, that very sofa was given to someone in need.
One day a pregnant lady came who needed a bed. We had no mattresses and had to turn her away. As she was leaving, a truck pulled up with a mattress and box spring, and we moved it from one truck to the other. She left the Attic in tears of joy.
We received a call from someone who wished to donate a stove. Since we don’t take large appliances, we took the phone number in case we knew of anyone who needed one. The same day we received a call from someone who was cooking on a hot plate and desperately needed a stove.
When we run low on inventory we worry that we will not have enough to service our customers, but the Holy Spirit always provides what we need when we need it.
There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit is truly in this place.
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Immaculate Conception Church
myParish App
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Are you using myParish App? If not, here are some of the benefits to using the App. If you have an Android or Apple tablet or phone you can access myParish App.
Click on Next Mass or My Next Confession to view scheduled Mass times or available Confession times.
Need to contact a staff member? Go to the Parish Info button, click on directory.
Sign up for Sunday Mass by using the Mass Sign Up button or the link on the Messages button.
Click the Rosary button to learn about why we pray the Rosary from Fr. John Ricardo and pray along.
Check the News button for news provided by The Catholic News Agency.
Set a reminder to pray through the Prayers button or send in a prayer request to the parish.
Read (or listen) and learn about the Saint of the Day from the Today’s Saint button.
The Liturgy of the Hours is available in the Divine Office button.
Want to listen to Bishop Barron’s homilies, click on WOF Homilies.
Travelling and can’t find a Catholic Church, no problem. Click on the Discover Mass button.
Also available are the readings, daily inspirations, daily Mass, messages for parishioners and more.
If you have any questions contact Margaret Cavagnaro at m.cavagnaro@morrisbb.net or 828-280-1298.
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As we celebrate our mothers and all they do for us this month, see how many of these questions you can answer correctly! Answers can be found at the end of the newsletter.
1. On what day is Mothers’ Day celebrated in the U.S., Australia, and Canada?
2. What president made Mothers’ Day an official national holiday in the U.S.?
3. What flower is the traditional Mothers’ Day flower in the U.S.?
4. What is the highest documented number of children born to one mother?
5. On average, how many diaper changes per day will a mother make?
6. What popular Beatles song was inspired by Paul McCartney’s mother?
7. What day of the week is statistically the most popular day for having a baby in the U.S.?
8. What is the first name of Bart Simpson’s mother?
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Carol moved to Flat Rock on December 23, 2020 from nearby Lake Lure/Rutherfordton area, where she and her husband Ed, were active members of Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City. Carol is a retired New York State school administrator, who enjoys family, children of all ages, pets, reading, gardening and outdoor activities. She especially enjoys all great walking trails around Flat Rock. She is currently involved with local libraries and the American Legion Auxiliary and is committed to being a life long learner always and ever growing in our faith.
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Welcome Rusty & Peter Watson |
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Rusty & Peter Watson moved to the Hendersonville area in March from Bluffton, SC (Hilton Head). A 2 week stay in Brevard last July opened their eyes to a potential new life in the Mountains, and a plan was hatched.
Theresa (nickname Rusty) hails from a small former mining village near Canterbury in Kent, England. Peter was born in Toronto, Ontario. They met while working for the same Toronto law firm where Rusty was a paralegal and Peter an aspiring lawyer. Peter subsequently became the Global General Counsel for the world’s largest mining explosives company. Both are now retired. Rusty & Peter married and moved to the USA in 1999 - originally to Colorado (where the mountains are a little bit higher than here!) and then to Bluffton where they found the summer heat and humidity to be long and relentless.
Rusty & Peter believe that it is important to be a member of, and involved in, their Parish. Rusty was the Business Manager of their last Parish in CO and most recently volunteered in the office at St Gregory the Great Catholic School in Bluffton. Peter is a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus and a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He has also served in many Parish Ministries. Both like golfing and enjoy fitness classes and walking. Overseas travel has been one of the joys of retirement with Peter having a particular fondness for Italy. In fact they were in New Zealand last March when the U.S. State Department told them that it was time to come home.
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The Guild was formed to provide spiritual, charitable and social activities for its members; to help provide a Catholic education for children in Immaculata School; to support the parish through stewardship of time, talent and treasure; to support local non-profit community organizations that provide services consistent with our Catholic faith and to increase awareness of the international role and needs of the church.
The Guild is open to all women of the parish and its many activities provide multiple opportunities to meet new people and form lifelong friendships. Regular meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month from August through May (with the exception of December) in the St. Francis room after the 12:10 daily mass. Meetings include time for prayer, socializing, guest speakers, crafts and guild business including planning for the various fund raising and social activities that we sponsor. Teams are assigned to provide lunch.
Our two major fund raising events each year include a rummage sale in early summer and the Christmas Faire in November with combined revenues over $30,000.00. These monies are distributed to organizations affiliated with the parish and to multiple nonprofit organizations in the community.
Other outreach ministries that members support include the Prayer Shawl ministry, the Good Samaritan Attic, Open Arms Pregnancy Center and numerous committees associated with the parish.
Social activities have included tours of various kinds, outings to theaters and our yearly Christmas luncheon.
Our activities have been suspended this past year in response to the pandemic, but we plan to come together once it becomes safe to gather again. We hope you will join us, and that the fellowship of the Guild will provide a special home for you within the parish to nurture your faith and your soul.
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MOTHERS’ DAY TRIVIA ANSWERS
1. The 2nd Sunday in May
2. Woodrow Wilson in 1914
3. Carnation
4. Mrs. Vassilyev of Shuya, Russia had 69 babies between 1725 and 1765
5. 10
6. Let It Be
7. Tuesday
8. Marge
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