NEW BISHOP OF YOUNGSTOWN It is with great joy that we share with you the news that our Holy Father, Pope Francis has appointed Father David Bonnar as the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown. Until now, Bishop-elect Bonnar was a priest of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and pastor of St. Aidan Parish in Wexford, PA. He brings with him a wealth of experience in ministry and deep love of Christ and his Church. We ask the Catholics of the Diocese to join us in prayer as we prepare for Bishop-elect Bonnar's Ordination and Installation on January 12, 2021 at the cathedral of St. Columba in Youngstown.

Christmas Mass Schedule Our Christmas Mass schedule for 2020 is as follows:

• Dec. 24 - 4:00 pm. Church will open at 3:40 pm.
• Dec. 24 - 6:00 pm. Church will open at 5:40 pm.
• Dec. 24 - 9:00 pm. Church will open at 8:40 pm.
• Christmas Day - 10:00am. Church will open at 9:30 am.

NOTE: For all Masses, there will be seating for those who arrive at opening time. There will be no reserving of seats for later arrivals.

CHANGE IN COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION TO HOMEBOUNDWith COVID19 cases continuing to spike, with Ohio in the Red Zone, and the Goveneror's address November 11th -- Euchariiistic Ministers will no longer be allowed to take Communion to Homebound persons, at Home, Hospitals and Nursing Homes. It will be determined in a later time when it will be safe to resume this Ministry. Thank you for your concern and for your cooperation in this matter  
                                                                              -- Fr. Kraynak

MASS WEBCAST You can view the weekend Mass at Immaculate Conception online, live from 4:00-5:00pm Saturdays at nwntv.com. Video archives of earlier Masses are available here (Mass of weekend Mass is available Monday morning)..

PSR NEWS There will be no PSR on Sunday, November 29 in observance of Thanksgiving. Faith formation for children in grades K-7 resumes Sunday morning, December 6, from 9:15-10:15am in IC Social Hall.

FIRST RECONCILIATION "WALK-THROUGH" Our second graders preparing to celebrate the Sacrament Reconciliation will meet with Mrs. Edwards for a "Walk- Through" of the rite on Saturday, December 5, at 10:30am in Church.

CONFIRMATION PREPARATION Eighth graders preparing for Confirmation will meet with Mrs. Edwards Sunday, December 6 from 11:30am- 12:30pm in Tobin Hall for their next session which explores "Recognizing the Holy Spirit in Your Life".

CONFESSIONWe are unable to have a Christmas Penance Service this year because of the required safety measures. But, there will be other opportunities to celebrate Reconciliation for everyone. Call and make an appointment with me. You only need to give your first name and where you would like to meet; the office, in church, or in the parking lot. Please call 330- 296-6434 to celebrate this sacrament during Advent.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN This month of November our parish will begin a Capital Campaign. "Preserving Our Heritage A Building For Our Future". This Campaign is for the restoration of the Schlindwein Education Center and other projects to make our parish campus safer and more comfortable for parish activities and religious education. The goal of the campaign is $250,000. We are very excited to get going on this campaign because we know that the parish will generously support it as they have in the past and are currently in our regular Sunday contributions. We are planning for the future of Immaculate Conception Parish, knowing that as we go forward together we are a healthy alive parish that continues to see our future as bright. You will be receiving more information by mail and in church soon.

PUBLIC CELEBRATION OF MASSMonday, Wednesday, and Friday daily Mass and weekend Masses have resumed at Immaculate Conception. These are the current guidelines concerning Mass: 

• Masks required at Mass or any function at Immaculate Conception. Please bring your own mask and wear it while you are in the church. Also, please bring your own hand sanitizer.
• Church doors will open 15 minutes before Mass.
• We will outline the procedure before Mass for the distribution of Holy Communion.
• The cry room and the restrooms will be locked and unavailable.
• At the end of Mass, the congregation will be dismissed row-by-row. Please leave the church when your row is dismissed.

If you cannot wear a facial covering, you are not feeling well, or you are at a high risk of contracting the coronavirus, we ask that you please stay at home.

DISPENSATION FROM OBLIGATION TO ATTEND MASS The Catholic faithful who reside in the Diocese of Youngstown and all other Catholics in the diocese and especially those who are sick, or at high risk of becoming sick continue to be dispensed from their Sunday obligation until further notice.

VOCATIONS Advent is a time of watching and waiting. Are you open to the surprising ways God comes to you? Be attentive to God's call in the ordinary. (Mark 13:33-37) If you think God is calling you to be a priest, deacon, brother or sister, contact Father Scott Kopp by phone at 330-744-8451, or by email.

JOB OPPORTUNITY - MAINTENANCE Immaculate Conception Parish is looking for a person to be the maintenance supervisor for the parish. This would be a full-time or part-time position. They would be responsible for cleaning and some minor repairs on parish and cemetery property. They would also be responsible for set-up and clean-up of the IC Hall for parish functions. Snow and ice removal on sidewalks and steps is required, regular plowing of parking lots and driveways is contracted out as is all lawn mowing. Hours are flexible but they will need to be on call for emergencies. Some heavy lifting may be required. Hospitalization benefits are included for workers over 20 hours per week. Applicants mut be acceptable to the Youngstown Diocese Child Protection Policy. Apply to Chuck Calalesina or to Father Kraynak at 330-296-6434.

PARISH CENSUS Thank you to all who have completed our 2020 Parish Census form in recent weeks. If you did not receive the Parish Census in the mail or have misplaced it, you can access a copy on our website, request a copy from the parish office, or pick one up at the entrances of the church. Your assistance in helping us update our parish records is greatly appreciated.

FOOTBALL FRENZY TICKETS The Knights of Columbus will be selling Football Frenzy Tickets again this Fall. The money raised helps the K of C State Council Charity Fund, who in turn donate to Special Olympics and other similar charities. The winning tickets are determined from the last 10 weeks of the NFL season. If the season is cancelled, the winners will be determined from games played over the past 5 years. The tickets are $20 each and can be purchased from any K of C member. Because we will not be selling in Tobin Hall, we will be happy to meet with you after any Mass. Please call: Mike Reder at 330-297-0113.