November 6, 2021 | Weekly Update
When it Hurts to Give
Sometimes it’s easy to give. Our finances are steady, our time is abundant, and we have the energy to spare.
Sometimes it hurts to give. Times are tight, we feel stressed and burdened, and life seems to be against us.
Do we still give, even when it hurts? It’s easy to give out of surplus, but it becomes a true act of trust in God when we give out of our poverty, even the poverty of our being.
In our Gospel this weekend Jesus states it clearly:
“Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood.”
(Mark 12:38-44)
To prepare our hearts before we go to Holy Mass this weekend and to lean in on the saints who are the “friends of God” who have gone before us and who we can imitate in their utter generosity, hear Bishop Barron’s description of the love of the saints on the Flocknote email.
We look forward to seeing you at any of the Holy Mass times this weekend where Deacon Tom will be preaching, or stop by to visit Jesus at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel or at daily Mass during the week.
THIS COMING WEEK
- The next scheduled in-person gathering for Open HEARTS is Monday, 11/8 from 7pm to 8:30pm in Room 218 in the Parish Life Center. The ministry is for anyone who has an interest in increasing the awareness of mental health and mental illness and sharing resources and experiences with others. The topic of discussion will be on MERCY – God’s mercy and how we are called to live a life of mercy in relationship to our faith and mental health and wellness. If you would like to learn more about the ministry, please send an email to Janice Hurtado Aeppli at olmopenhearts@yahoo.com
- Is the Catholic Mass biblical? Or ever wonder what the words, gestures, and rituals in the Catholic Mass mean? Do you have a Protestant or a Christian friend from another denomination that has questioned if the Catholic Mass is biblical? Invite them to come with you or go to this Bible Study to find out.
- Meet Jesus in Scripture Bible Study @ OLM presents A BIBLICAL WALK THROUGH THE MASS by Edward Sri. Register at this link for this awesome study
- A Biblical Walk Through the Mass explores the extraordinary biblical roots of the Liturgy and reveals what it all means and why it all matters. This fascinating tour of the Mass will renew your faith and deepen your love for and devotion to the Holy Eucharist.
- This 6 weeks Bible Study will take place every Tuesday from 7pm to 9pm starting 11/9th through 12/14th in the PLC. At the last class, Dr. Edward Sri will be hosting the class and a Q&A session from all who sign up for this 6-week study.
- Should you have any further questions, please connect with Joe Wiacek joewiacek@gmail.com or Joe Glasgow with any questions joe.glasgow@packagingprice.com.
- Purchase the $26 study guide https://bit.ly/BiblicalWalkMassStudyGuide (However, if the study guide is a financial hardship, please connect with zara@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org)
- Check out the trailer below. Looking forward to discovering the beauty and the riches of the Mass with you soon!
- Coping with Grief and Loss During the Holiday Season will take place in Room 124 on Tuesday, 11/9 from 7pm to 8:30pm; Saturday, 11/20 from 9:30am to 11:00am; Wednesday, 12/15 from 7pm to 8:30pm. You can attend any or all sessions.
- For some, holidays are a time to celebrate and get together with family and friends. For others, holidays are difficult and not a time to celebrate as they are dealing with feelings of sadness, loss, and emptiness. If you are looking for support to help you cope with grief during the holiday season, please consider attending. And if you know of someone that would be helped by these gatherings, please let them know.
- To all the men, Father Burke and Father Don are inviting you to come out this Wednesday at 5:30pm here at Our Lady of Mercy for the Catholic Man Night.
- The theme of the evening is “Claiming Greatness”
- Starts with Adoration and Confession 5:30pm to 6:50pm
followed by Mass with an inspirational homily at 7pm. - We hope to see all the men this Wednesday. Please invite your husband, brother, son, or young adult men you know, share this invitation graphic with them.
- Schedule to donate blood at this link on Saturday 11/13 from 8am to 12pm. Every donor will save up to 3 lives!
- While appointments are appreciated, walk-ins are welcome!
- You DO NOT NEED the Covid-19 vaccine in order to donate.
- Please make sure to eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water before donating. Thank you!
Supporting OLM through the CMAA
- Thank you so much to those who have pledged! Once we have reached our goal in paid pledges, 70% of the additional funds received will be returned to our parish.
- Father Don and Bishop Hicks are asking us to join them in pledging to the CMAA to help the poor and vulnerable, form our future shepherds, and spread the faith through our Catholic schools, faith formation programs in parishes, and programs for young adults.
- Donations can be made here https://bit.ly/2MOQHVY Check out how your gifts to the CMAA helps at this link https://bit.ly/3dd154X. Thank you for your consideration.
LOOKING AHEAD
- The next AMA with Father James is taking place with the Consuming Fire Young Adult Group so tune in on Tuesday 11/16th @ 7pm and see what questions they have and see if your questions are the ones he will answer.
- Submit questions you may have at this link.
- Please save the date for the annual Ladies’ Advent Tea on Sunday, 11/28 from 2pm to 4:30pm. Plans are for an in-person event in the church and the PLC. Details to follow.
- This year for Thanksgiving we are partnering with the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry and Hesed House to provide families that are currently being assisted by these two organizations with a Thanksgiving dinner!
- We are now accepting donations to benefit those families in need of a meal. Parishioners may make donations via our online giving portal under “Angel Giving” or checks can also be made payable to Our Lady of Mercy with “Angel Giving” in the memo and placed inside of the bin in the Narthex after mass. Please contact Lydia Schmitt, in the main office, with additional questions at lydias@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org or 331-707-5377.
- Check out Bishop Hicks’ insightful thoughts in his monthly column. This month is entitled “The Synod on Synodality: A worldwide listening tour”
- Did you know that you can get a plenary indulgence any day this November? It’s true. The Vatican has decided to grant Catholics who visit a cemetery to pray for the faithful departed on any day in the month of November a plenary indulgence.
Usually, the Catholic Church only grants this plenary indulgence for the souls in Purgatory to those who pray in a cemetery on November 1-8, which is the week of the Solemnity of All Souls’ Day.
The specific November 2 plenary indulgence one can obtain for the souls in Purgatory by visiting a church or an oratory and reciting an Our Father and the Creed, can now also be done on any day in November. - What is a plenary indulgence and for more details, proceed to this link.
- Think of the image of empty black shoes at the center aisle of a church.
- Who Will Fill These Shoes? The image of empty shoes, a priest’s shoes, laying there by the altar. It is a sharp reminder to all of us that without priests, there will be no Eucharist.
- To all young men ages 7th Grade and older, please come to a day about the priesthood at the Blanchette Catholic Center from 9am to 3pm. There is no cost to attend. Please register through vocations@dioceseofjoliet.org or call 815-221.6141
- The Synod on Synodality is a two-year process of listening and dialogue that began with a solemn opening in Rome in October and will conclude in 2023.
- Let us be in prayer for Bishop Hicks and all the Bishops, for blessings upon the preparation for the Synod of Bishops, and that the dialogue of those participating in the pre-synod process will bear great fruit for the salvation of souls.
- What is a synod you may wonder? Here is an article that explains it.
Check this article out as well, which has a four-point consideration to help us better understand what will be on taking place these next two years. - Here is a link to our Diocesan page where Bishop Hicks and his Diocesan Pastoral Council lay out the framework of the process.
- Don’t forget to check out Father Don’s insightful weekly Bulletin article located here.
- 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.
- Please proceed herefor 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.
- 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
- 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 twice a month 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.
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.
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.
- Visit http://signup.formed.org/
- Enter our parish zip or name
- 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.
From Augustine Institute comes this NEW & FREE Catholic prayer app that inspires your daily conversation with God through faithful meditations and nourishing Scripture. There is also Family Content: Enjoy and share family-favorite audio from the series Brother Francis and the Jesus Stories. Please enjoy this latest offering from the Augustine Institute.
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.
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.
PASTORAL CARE
If you have physical, mental, emotional or spiritual health concerns or questions about end-of-life issues, funeral planning, journeying through grief, caregiving for a loved one or are homebound, please contact Jolene LeRoy RN Parish Nurse and Director of Pastoral Care for support and resources at jolenel@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org or 331-707-5380.
OPEN HEARTS MINISTRY
The next scheduled in-person gathering for Open HEARTS Ministry is Monday, November 8 from 7:00pm to 8:30pm in Room 218 in the Parish Life Center. The ministry is for anyone who is interested in emotional and mental health and wellness. The ministry has an interest in decreasing the stigma of mental illness and increasing the awareness of support and resources. The topic of discussion will be on MERCY – God’s mercy and how we are called to live a life of mercy in relationship to our faith and mental health and wellness. If you would like to learn more about the ministry, please send an email to Janice Hurtado Aeppli at olmopenhearts@yahoo.com
RESTORE
Do you find yourself struggling in overcoming your battle with pornography? Restore is a weekly (anonymous) meeting where men lean on each other for support and accountability and share ideas as to how to strengthen our resolve to stay on God’s path of chastity. All men are welcome, whether you have been free of pornography addiction for many years or struggle with it every single day.
If you are ready to start breaking free from the grips of pornography and want to Restore your life email us at Restore.olm@gmail.com to find out more information on when and where we meet.
Be encouraged; check out this Testimony.
