107th Street Fire Relief Fund

Begin the new year with eGiving to help sustain and build ministries throughout 2026 that reflect the steadfast promise of God’s love. The need is great in our community, and your generous online gifts will help people all around us.

We prayerfully request that you consider signing up for eGiving from your computer, smartphone or tablet. You can set up a recurring donation or make a one-time gift. Sign up today by visiting faith.direct/NY588, or text ‘Enroll’ to (Text-to-Give Number). Thank you for your continued support of our parish family.

God Bless You,   
Fr. Kearney

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Ascension:

Today the Church celebrates the Fourth Sunday of Lent, traditionally known as Laetare Sunday. The name Laetare comes from the first word of the Entrance Antiphon for today’s Mass in Latin: Laetare, Jerusalem, which means “Rejoice, O Jerusalem.” In the midst of the penitential season of Lent, the Church pauses for a moment of encouragement and joy. We are reminded that Easter is drawing nearer and that the sacrifices and spiritual practices of Lent are leading us toward the great celebration of the Resurrection.
Because of this joyful note, the liturgy today is slightly different from the other Sundays of Lent. You may notice the use of rose-colored vestments instead of the usual purple. The Church also allows flowers on the altar and a slightly more festive tone in the liturgy. These small signs remind us that even during a season of repentance and conversion, the Christian life is always marked by hope and joy.
Laetare Sunday invites us to take heart as we continue our Lenten journey. Perhaps the disciplines we chose for Lent—prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—have been challenging. Maybe we have been faithful to our Lenten sacrifices or maybe we have struggled along the way. Today the Church gently encourages us not to lose heart. Easter is on the horizon, and the Lord continues to walk with us as we turn our hearts more fully toward Him.
In many ways, this Sunday serves as a spiritual “midpoint,” a reminder that the purpose of Lent is not simply sacrifice, but renewal. Through prayer, repentance, and acts of charity, God is preparing us to celebrate more deeply the joy of Christ’s victory over sin and death.  Today is meant to be a day of rejoicing to strengthen us for the remainder of Lent, keeping our eyes fixed on the hope and promise of Easter.
Next Saturday, March 21st at 11:00 AM, we will gather in the church to pray a special Stations of the Cross for immigrants and migrants. As we walk with Christ on the way to Calvary, we will lift up in prayer those who carry heavy crosses today—families seeking safety, dignity, and hope. All are invited to participate in this meaningful time of intercession and solidarity.
Looking beyond Easter, we are excited to host a special walking pilgrimage, “In the Footsteps of Dorothy Day,” on Saturday, April 25th from 2:00–4:30 PM. Co-sponsored by the Dorothy Day Guild and Ascension, this 2½-hour, 2½-mile walking tour will begin in Union Square, the site where the first issue of the Catholic Worker newspaper was distributed in 1933 and where the Catholic Worker Movement was born.
For forty years, Dorothy Day was a tireless social activist and devoted Catholic who served the poor, sheltered the homeless, and advocated for workers’ rights and peace. During this educational, interactive, and prayerful pilgrimage, we will visit places where she lived, prayed, demonstrated, and was even jailed. Most importantly, we will reflect on her radical devotion to Christ and her commitment to the corporal works of mercy. The event is free and open to all parishioners and friends however because they do limit the number of people per tour, it is necessary to register ahead of time.  You can do so by using this QR Code.  
                          
May this Lenten season be a time when we allow the Lord to meet us at the well, to quench our thirst with living water, and to send us forth as witnesses to His love.  

Peace, Father Kearney

We are reminded as Christians to pray, fast, and give alms to the less fortunate. St. Paul tells us that we must, “Bear [our] share of hardship for the gospel.” In living a Christian life, we are asked to make sacrifices for the good of others and for the good of the Church. 

Many parishes will experience financial hardship in the near future, and most will struggle to meet critical needs. We understand that the financial circumstances of many of our families are uncertain, but please know of our deep gratitude for whatever you can contribute to support our Church during this challenging time.

If you would like to make a gift to the Cardinal’s Appeal to support the broader needs of our archdiocese, you can do so at

https://cardinalsappeal.org/donate.

We are truly grateful for your generosity. Please know that we will continue to pray for those caring for the sick, and those that are the

most vulnerable among us.