September 24, 2021 | Weekly Update

 

September 24, 2021 | Weekly Update

You Belong to Jesus

“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off!”

Many of us know well this teaching from Christ in our Gospel this weekend.  How many of us though take Him seriously?

It’s easy to note the problematic areas of our life and our habitual sin, but it takes work, (both from submitting to God and our own efforts), to identify and ROOT out our sources of sin.  The trappings of this earth will pass away; do we take seriously the health of our souls?

To prepare our hearts before we go to Holy Mass this weekend and to learn more about how God calls us to be fully alive in our relationship with Christ watch this short video from Father Stephen Gadberry (a veteran of the US Air Force, Cross-Fit coach, and pastor of St. Mary’s) on the Flocknote email.

We  look forward to seeing you at any of the Holy Mass times this weekend wherein the Deacons will be preaching, or stop by to visit Jesus at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel or at daily Mass during the week.

LOOKING AHEAD

Thinking About Becoming Catholic?
October Respect Life Month Parish Activities
  • OLM PRAYER VIGIL OCT 1 (7 AM – 7 PM) We will be distributing Prayer Commitment Cards at all masses this weekend and next weekend.
  • ANNUAL OCTOBER WHITE CROSS MEMORIAL FOR ABORTION VICTIMS SET UP ON 9/25 AFTERNOON All help in setting up the crosses, banners and lighting for the White Cross Memorial for the Victims of Abortion is much appreciated.  We usually start about 1pm and try to finish before the 4pm Mass.  The more helping hands, the faster we are done!  This would be a great way to help fulfill service hours for teens.
Flu Shot Clinic at Our Lady of Mercy Church 10/3
  • Sunday October 3 2021 from 8:30am to 11:30am
  • Located in the Ministry Room of the Narthex of Church
  • Provided by AMITA Health Mercy Medical Center Health Institute
  • Cost: $25 (cash, check or Medicare Part B – please bring your Medicare card)
  • Walk-ins are welcome. If you would like to register for the clinic or have questions, please contact Jolene LeRoy RN atjolenel@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.orgor call 331-707-5380.
EDGE Night 10/4
  • Families with students in grades 6, 7, or 8 are invited to EDGE NIGHTS the next is on Monday, October 4h!  EDGE meets twice a month on Monday evenings from 6:30-8:00 pm in the Parish Life Center. We will have large group activities, games, prayer time, small group faith lessons, and a chance to grow in our Catholic faith with other teens your own age! Check out our EDGE webpage for details and session dates:https://olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org/formation/edge/. Please register online as a family here:https://olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org/family-registration-2021-2022/
  • EDGE Nights are also in need of adults and high school teens to help with various small groups and activities throughout the year. Please consider this awesome ministry to get involved with and contact Dave in the Youth & Family Office at 331-707-5371 or DaveM@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org
Speaker at Vines & Branches on 10/6
  • Is there life after divorce?
  • Vines and Branches are hosting a speaker who will share his story of isolation, loss of relationship with his children, loss of finances, of friendships, faith, feeling different about being at church, and living through what the new normal is.
    Come and hear from Mike Maude as he shares his story and answers the question “Is there life after divorce?” with a resounding Yes there absolutely is!
  • Come to OLM on Wednesday 10/6th @ 7:15pm, please share this invitation with anyone you know who is going through a difficult time right now in their divorce.
Happy 40th Anniversary of Father Don’s Priesthood 10/10
  • Come and celebrate Father Don’s 40 years of the gift of his priestly ministry!
  • Father Don will be offering a Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday at 2pm with hors d’oeuvre reception immediately after.  He hopes to see you there.
  • To prepare adequately for the reception, please RSVP by 9/30 to frdon@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org
  • Also at all the Mass times on 10/9 and 10/10
    • Father Don will be preaching
    • And there will be a coffee and donuts reception in the PLC; please stop by after Mass to greet Father Don.
  • In addition, if you would like to greet Father Don with a Happy Anniversary video shout-out and well wishes, please submit with the following guidance
    • Send to this email address forfrdon@gmail.com by 10/7th
    • 10 – 15 seconds video (longer videos are harder to email and upload)
    • Landscape / horizontal orientation
Virtual Faith, Family and Financial Security 10/13
  • The Knights of Columbus will be sponsoring a virtual Faith, Family, and Financial Security event on 10/13 available to all in the Parish.  Register for this free event at this link.
  • The topic is “Financial Success Under Any Circumstance” which will cover compelling questions that will help you clarify how to have financial and retirement success such as
    • How can you maximize your social security?
    • Do you prefer to build a legacy for your family and business or the Internal Revenue Service?
    • If there was a way to reduce or eliminate the income tax liability on your IRA or 401K, when would you want to know about it. Before or after they charge the tax?
    • Can you build a wonderful retirement income if interest rates remain at zero and the stock market offers zero return for a decade?
Eucharistic Procession for Life 10/16th
  • 1pm start at Benet Academy | Welcome, Speakers and Prayer
  • 2pm Eucharistic Procession through Lisle & Naperville with Rosary
  • 3:30pm Closing Benediction at Sts. Peter and Paul Church
  • Guests include
    • Redwing for Life Leaders
      • Featuring Benet’s Redwings for Life Leaders as the pro life generation who will speak on the many aspects of forming pro life thought, winning the hearts and minds of individuals in order to build families and communities which respect life in all ages and stages! St. Joseph pray for us!
    • Students for Life of America
      • The nation’s largest youth pro-life organization
Undy Sunday 10/16 – 10/17
  • Did you know that NEW underwear and socks are the most-requested, but least-donated items at Catholic Charities? These basic items (new underwear, warm socks, a fresh diaper) are truly treasures to those who are living in poverty.
  • Collection Boxes will be placed in the Narthex for NEW underwear, undershirts, socks, and diapers for children and adults living in low-income households with the following special request
    • size 14 girl’s underwear
    • men’s size medium undershirts (all styles)
    • size 1 diapers (boys and girls)
  • Other ways to help out are
    • You can also purchase items to donate through the Undy Sunday Amazon Wish List
    • If you’d prefer to send a monetary donation, please mail it to:
      Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet/Undy Sunday
      16555 Weber Road, Crest Hill, IL 60403
Bishop Hicks Celebrating Mass on 10/17
  • In preparation for the work of the Synod of Bishops 2023, every Diocese in the world has been asked to gather on Sunday 10/17 to celebrate a Mass to begin praying for blessings upon the preparation for the Synod and upon the Diocesan consultation that will take place in each Diocese.
  • Two parishioners are invited to join Bishop Hicks as he celebrates this Mass on 10/17 at 2pm at the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus to inaugurate the Diocesan consultation for the Synod of Bishops 2023.  If you are interested in attending please reach out to zara@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org
World Mission Sunday 10/24
  • World Mission Sunday, our annual worldwide Eucharistic celebration for the Missions and missionaries of the world, will be celebrated on 10/24 this year. This collection on the next-to-last Sunday in October is a unique, global effort for the entire Church to provide for the building up of over one thousand local churches in Asia and Africa, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America and Europe. Through the work of these churches, and their witness to Christ, the poor receive practical help and experience God’s love and mercy, His hope, and peace.
Bulletin
  • Don’t forget to check out Father Don’s insightful weekly Bulletin article located here. 
Don’t Get Scammed by Fake Fathers!
  • Did you get an email or a text message from (a fake) Father Don this past week? Please remember, Father Don and Father James DO NOT send texts or emails asking for money or gift cards.  If you receive a message appearing to be from Father Don or Father James, please discard it and DO NOT SEND ANY ELECTRONIC MONETARY AID.
For the Hispanic Community
  • Please proceed here for the OLM Hispanic Ministry’s upcoming events and resources.
    Continúe aquí para conocer los próximos eventos y recursos del Ministerio Hispano de OLM.
  • There will be Stations of the Cross in Spanish every 2nd Wednesday of the month after the 12pm Mass.
    A partir de la próxima semana, habrá Estaciones de la Cruz en español cada segundo miércoles del mes después de la misa de las 12 pm.
A Note from the Intercessory Prayer Ministry
  • How can we be praying for you today?
    There are times when life is overwhelming when all we have is questions. In those moments, hope can feel far away. The great thing about prayer is that it shifts our perspective toward the One who stands ready to listen. No matter what you’re facing, we’d love to pray with you. Submit your prayer requests at this link
Have you downloaded our myParish App yet?
  • If you haven’t done so, we encourage you to download the Our Lady of Mercy app available to download for iPhone and Android smartphones.  Or text APP to 88202 to download.
    • Stay connected with our parish throughout the week with instant notifications, an easy-to-access event calendar, and the ability to quickly reply to or share messages via Facebook or Twitter. Also enjoy a bunch of additional features like prayers, daily readings, helpful reminders to silence your phone before Mass or Confession, and much more.

GROW GROUPS | WE CONTINUE TO LAUNCH GROW GROUPS, ONE GROUP AT A TIME
Connect with zara@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org for any questions.

CONSUMING FIRE YOUNG ADULT GROW GROUP

Mission. This group exists to grow a community that inspires and forms the young adult generation to be saints.
Website. Proceed here for details.
Meets. Tuesdays @ 7pm and every two weeks for social gatherings.
Connect.  Reach out to Matt Kubanda and Mary Rysavy rysavyme@gmail.com
See what they have been up to at this video.

VINE & BRANCHES GROW GROUP

Mission.  Vine & Branches is a group at Our Lady of Mercy that offers support and belonging to individuals of any age or faith who are divorced or separated on the way to divorce.
Website.  Proceed here for details
Meets. Wednesdays @ 7pm with social gatherings.
Connect. The group leaders are looking forward to hearing from you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to them.
Kim Harris kimharris73@yahoo.com
Mary LoGalbo logalbo.marycarol@gmail.com
John Frederick jdfredericj@icloud.com
Jim Marks jimm6351@yahoo.com
Check out the video to find out more about Vine and Branches

GROW YOUR FAITH
FREE ONLINE RESOURCES In this section, you will find free conferences, webinars, and studies that you can freely take part in that can grow your faith.

FREE HEALING AND FORGIVENESS VIRTUAL CATHOLIC CONFERENCE 10/8 through 10/10

Register for free.

There is hope in finding and giving forgiveness, and you don’t have to go it alone.

Discover how to encounter the forgiving love of Christ in the areas where you feel most broken, most ashamed, most unloved, and most forgotten, and see for yourself what God has planned for those who love Him.

The Worldwide Healing Event is a global gathering of men and women who are ready to stop postponing their healing with unforgiveness and take the first step in living their redemption story!
  • Releasing unforgiveness
  • Healing from addiction
  • Healing from generational wounds
  • The healing power of worship!
  • Encountering healing through all Persons of the Trinity
  • And more!
Some of the Conference speakers are
  • Matt Lozano
  • Neal Lozano
  • Dr. Bob Schuchts
  • Dr. Mary Healy
  • Fr. Chris Alar
  • Fr. Donald Calloway
  • Sr. Briege McKenna


FORMED.ORG

Diving into the beauty of the Faith has never been easier: at home, on the go, or from any internet-connected device. Discover thousands of books, audio talks, movies, documentaries, and studies… there is something for every member of the family to help them grow closer to Christ and His Church.

  1. Visit http://signup.formed.org/
  2. Enter our parish zip or name
  3. Enter your name and email

EUCHARIST RESOURCES

Check out our “Eucharist Resources” page to help us understand deeply the centrality of the Eucharist in our lives and the great Feast of Corpus Christi.

WORD ON FIRE

Did you know that you have complete access to Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire ENGAGE video library!   Check out this linkto watch any of the videos whenever you want without ever having to login.

Not sure where to start? How about the episode of the Pivotal Players series of St. Ignatius of Loyola which covers Ignatius’ journey from a courageous and celebrated warrior to a passionate servant of Christ, and the influence he effected through the establishment of the Jesuit order and through his masterpiece, “The Spiritual Exercises.”

HEROIC MEN

Looking for authentically Catholic content for men? Look no further than HeroicMen.com—the all-new, 100% FREE Catholic streaming platform for men.

Learn about your faith from today’s best Catholic speakers—and do it all from the convenience of home. Stream-on-demand from your phone or tablet, too, for quality Catholic content on the go.

Get it all—for FREE – at HeroicMen.com

AQUINAS 101 FREE COURSES

Have you wanted to get to know St. Thomas Aquinas and his writings more so as to grow closer to Jesus?
Sign up for any of the short and free courses at Aquinas 101 a project of the Thomistic Institute seeks to promote understanding of the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, the eminent 13th-century philosopher, and theologian.
Aquinas is a masterful interpreter of reality. His writings assist us in answering perennial questions on topics like God, man, the natural world, law, and morality, and questions of special relevance to our time like the relationship between modern science and faith or pursuing happiness in the digital era.

This Wednesday and Thursday is the last week to invite people to Alpha for this fall session.  Extend the invitation, it can be life-changing like it was for Joe Glasgow.