Have you heard?

Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in Albany will be the site for a 40 hours’ devotion Dec. 7-9. The devotion is a continuous prayer before the exposed Blessed Sacrament; in Scripture, the number 40 signifies a sacred period of time. The practice of 40 hours’ devotion originated in Milan about the year 1530. The devotion is said to give three graces: protection from evil and temptation, reparation for our sins and for those of the souls in purgatory, and deliverance from calamities. The devotion at Sacred Heart is sponsored by the Society of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Joseph’s parish in Troy, which prays and fasts for the unborn. The devotion will begin at 9 a.m. Dec. 7 and include the Rosary and the Divine Mercy chaplet; Masses for the feast of the Immaculate Conception will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 7 (confession available 3-5 p.m.) and 8 a.m. Dec. 8 (confession afterward). The National Night of Prayer for Life is Dec. 8, so it will be incorporated into the 40 hours’ devotion. To sign up for a specific hour of prayer, call MARGARET PURCELL, (518) 453-9302, or MARY DOOLEY, (518) 463-7575....

Catholic Charities, St. Mary’s Healthcare in Amsterdam, the Northeast Regional Food Bank, Centro Civico and the Creative Connections Clubhouse are teaming up for a mass food distribution in Amsterdam to help families facing food insecurity. Amsterdam currently does not have a standing mass food distribution during the winter months. The event was organized by Catholic Charities’ Mobile Outreach Vehicle Extension (CC MOVE) to help people living in poverty with additional food and connect them to services. Families may line up at 9:30 a.m. at Centro Civico, 143 East Main St.; a health fair will begin at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church across the street....

Teresian House nursing home in Albany is offering a community outreach respite program for caregivers stressed from round-the-clock care or supervision of an elderly relative, or unable to take a weekend away or a short vacation for lack of trustworthy alternate care arrangements. To learn about temporary respite care for people unable to afford the regular rate or who are not enrolled in Medicaid, contact (518) 456-2000, pam.peck@teresianhouse.
com or [email protected]....

Christian Brothers Academy in Albany had a signing ceremony Nov. 15 for five athletes to sign letters to play college lacrosse: HUNTER PEMRICK, a varsity midfielder and versatile athlete who will pursue a business degree at Siena College in Loudonville; RYAN MAX TEDESCO,  a first team Suburban Council All Star and first Team Times Union All Star who will play for LeMoyne College in Syracuse; RYAN MALONE, who transitioned from midfield to defense and will play for The College of Saint Rose in Albany; ANTHONY PIZZOLA, a varsity attackman who will play for High Point University in North Carolina and major in criminal justice; and LACHLAN RODGERS, a varsity player who excels in goal and has committed to ­Rivier University in New Hampshire....

The drama troupe at Saratoga Central Catholic High School recently presented “Any Number Can Die;” the school is also having a family game night Nov. 30, with teams playing “Family Feud.”