Author: Editor

So, you have a teenager ready to make his or her Confirmation. And you’re not sure of the process or how and why it happens here at St. Mary of Mount Carmel / Blessed Sacrament Parish. Our Confirmation program begins in the ninth grade. We like our students to attend a two-year program in order […]

As we sit in church, we hear snippets of the Old Testament and passages of the New Testament. We learn about the prophets of old and of the life and teachings of Jesus. We all know that Jesus was accompanied by 12 disciples, one of whom (Judas) eventually betrayed him and in a fit of […]

Fallon Siniscarco comes from a close-knit family with an older brother and sister and a supportive mom and dad, but she is making her own way in her young life. She says that whatever she’s doing, she always knows God is there for her in good times and in those troubling times. Fallon is not […]

We all like to take vacations, and that includes priests who sometimes need to get away for awhile to re-energize – just like the rest of us. Father Jim has visited Italy often, but every time he goes he discovers something new. He last traveled to the “Old Country” in May. Where did you visit […]

Suzy Burns comes from a large family and raised her own family of four children, along with her husband, Nick. She knows how to care for others, and does so in a very compassionate way by guiding those who have cancer through tough times of their lives. You’re a native of Utica, the youngest of […]

From a refugee camp in Thailand to Utica, N.Y., Kyaw Lay has traveled a long road in the last 18 years. He’s now ready to graduate from high school and looks forward to his next step in life – becoming a U.S. Marine. You were born in a refugee camp in Thailand. Do you remember […]

Joe Briggs always is willing to help out, so much so that he became co-chairman of the 2017 Parish Festival. From his former job at Social Services, to his family, to his parish, Joe puts other people first. You worked in Oneida County Social Services for a number of years. What exactly did you do […]

“You have cancer.” Three words no one wants to hear. “I have faith.” Three words we all hope we can say when confronted with that diagnosis. Mike Zasa, Laurie Siniscarco and Bob Piperata and his wife, Diana, all have heard the phrase and have faced health concerns over the last few years. Yet, they approach […]