Now Known as Chardonnay W(h)ines!

How many of you after going through that difficult decision to euthanize a pet say “I’ll never get another one!” And then a month or so later end up getting another one!  I fall into that category of the heart ruling over the head!! After Heidi was euthanized on August 23^rd I told myself that I wouldn’t get another dog – at least until I figure out where I would be living and what I would be doing in retirement in 2022.  But a few weeks after Heidi was gone, I found myself visiting the website of the shelter where I got her, as well as other dog rescue and shelter websites.  And apparently some of the staff at OLM, in particular Diane Reiter, felt I just wasn’t the same after Heidi was gone and I needed to get another dog.  Diane and her husband Tim offered that if I get a dog now and can’t have it wherever I end up living in retirement, they would take the dog.  So, as they say, that sealed the deal!  Besides, Fr. Mark wasn’t taking very well to pats on the head and scratches behind the ears!  And for all his emphasis on exercise, he didn’t really like chasing tennis balls.  So, meet Chardonnay. She is a 2 year old beagle-mix and weights 27 pounds.  I adopted her on September 22^nd from Magnificent Mutts rescue in Hillside, IL.  She has been with a foster family here since being rescued in Arkansas.  She was found with three female puppies (all have been adopted) and her rescue team gave her the name was Sophia.  And the three pups were named Blanche, Dorothy, and Rose.  Those of you old enough will remember those names of the “Golden Girls,” a sitcom that aired on NBC from 1985 – 1992.  Very cute! Sophia is also a nice biblical name meaning wise.  And it certainly is appropriate for a priest’s dog to have a biblical name.  Another priest I know had a Weimaraner named Abraham. But I decided to change Sophia’s name to Chardonnay. Besides my affinity for wine, there is another connection…….  Heidi was so attached to me and had separation anxiety. Every time I would leave without her, she would start whining.  I would tell her to stop it!  And joking tell her that I was going to change her name to Chardonnay because she whines so much!  (Get it?)  So whatever personality my new dog will have, the name Chardonnay will always remind me of Heidi.  And yes, my weekly bulletin article “From the Pastor’s Desk”, instead of also being known as “Heidi Howls” will now be known as “Chardonnay W(h)ines”!  Pretty clever on my part! Huh? I cracked myself up over it!!

Well, we are in the full swing of MercyFest!  Thank you to all have supported MercyFest is some way with your presence and/or donations.  Thanks to all the volunteers that enable us to put on such a large community event.  Without you, MercyFest wouldn’t happen!  And thank you to Tony & Jennifer Leazzo chairs, and Tom Martin, vice-chair.  Space in my article doesn’t allow me to acknowledge all those who have taken on leadership roles, but know of my deep appreciation.  When we have the final results of MercyFest, we will print a flier in the bulletin listing the names of all who chaired the various aspects of MercyFest 2018.  May God bless you all for your dedication, time and efforts on behalf of Our Lady of Mercy parish!

Have a Blessed Week!

Father Don

Today we welcome our Bishop, R. Daniel Conlon to Our Lady of Mercy parish as he will administer the Sacrament of Confirmation upon 56 of our parish teens during Mass at 3:00PM.  Of course, those being confirmed today have already received the Holy Spirit at their baptism.  But they, like most of us were baptized as infants, and that awareness of having received the Holy Spirit with its gifts and power needs to be roused.  So I like to refer to the Sacrament of Confirmation as a “wake-up call.”  Confirmation is one of the three sacraments of initiation.  So today we welcome our newly confirmed teens as fully initiated members of the Church.  And with that now comes the responsibility to be ACTIVE members of the Church and growing in a personal relationship (friendship) with Jesus.  Congratulations to our newly confirmed and may the Holy Spirit guide them throughout their lives!

MercyFest begins this week on Thursday, October 4^th and runs through Sunday, October 7^th.  I encourage everyone to support MercyFest in some way as part of the celebration of our parish 30^th anniversary.  The 10:45AM Mass on Sunday, October 7^th will be celebrated outdoors under the big tent on MercyFest grounds.  Our 2^nd pastor (now retired) Fr. Hugh Fullmer will be the presider for that Mass.  Fr. Hugh started MercyFest 17 years ago as a way to bring the parish and neighboring community together in fun and fellowship, as well as a fund raiser to pay off the debt on the church.  MercyFest continues to provide funds for various needed repairs.  Last year’s profit provided for the replacement and installation of new padding on the kneelers in church.  Last year a new spiritual dimension was added to MercyFest that will continue this year. People were invited into church for prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. This year (like previous years) a percentage of the profits will be donated to Hesed House, a shelter for the homeless in Aurora.  I have designated the remaining profits to be used for the upgrading of the sound system in church.  But MercyFest is so much more than about raising funds.  It is a way to bring our parish together.  Though many, we are one!  (Our theme for our parish 30^th anniversary this year).  Over 700 parishioners are needed volunteering in some capacity to make MercyFest successful.  The experience of knowing you are part of something bigger than yourself can be inspiring. We as a parish owe a debt of gratitude to the many parishioners who have put their heart and soul into making MercyFest such a great success over the years.  And I have no doubt that through the efforts of the chairs and volunteers for this year’s MercyFest, we will have great success again!

Your part now is to attend!  Bring family, neighbors and friends to enjoy carnival rides and games, food and entertainment, raffles and even prayer and the opportunity for reconciliation.  Please visit our parish website (www.olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org) and click on the MercyFest tab to see a listing of events and musical groups for each day.  And one more thing I ask of you….please PRAY for good weather!!

Have a blessed week!  And see you at MercyFest!!

Father Don

This weekend we are celebrating the feast of our parish patroness, Our Lady of Mercy. (The actual feast day is on September 24^th).  As we continue the celebration of our parish 30^th anniversary through the end of this year, the celebration of our parish patroness reminds us that “together we are one!”  Please stop by the Parish Life Center for fellowship and refreshments following Masses today.

This weekend we welcome back seminarian Senovio Sarabia for his teaching parish assignment.  He was with us last year on weekends for the fall semester and full-time during the spring semester for his internship.  He lived here this past summer while doing a student chaplain assignment at Northwestern Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield.  He will be with us this fall semester on most weekends.  The spring semester ’19 he will be studying in the Holy Land.  Senovio is in his third year of theology at Mundelein. He is on track to be ordained a transitional deacon in March ’19 and a priest in May 2020.

We have been blessed to have another one of our Diocesan seminarians assigned to Our Lady of Mercy for his teaching parish assignment.  Joining Senovio this fall semester is Luis Miguel Garcia.  Luis is in his first year of theology at Mundelein.  We welcome Senovio and Luis Miguel!

Well, our Religious Education program is in full swing with classes for K – 5 beginning last week, EDGE for Junior High and LIGHT for High School have all begun as well.  I want to thank all who have volunteered as catechists, aids and for various other positions supporting our Religious Education program.  We can’t do it without you!  Also I want to thank our new DRE, Mary Jo Trapani as well as Candy Rice and Dave Miserendino for their leadership.  And a special word of thanks goes to Cheryl Lohse and Jean Rehmer for all their hard work in the RE office and the support they give to our RE staff and families.  We are looking forward to a great year!

Finally, MercyFest is only two weekends away!!  If you haven’t signed-up to help yet, you can do so online or at the table in the lobby of the Parish Life Center.  There are new music groups this year, and, the Sunday 10:45AM Mass will be celebrated outdoors under the big tent with Fr. Hugh Fullmer coming back to preside.  Fr. Hugh started Mercyfest 17 years ago and it is only fitting that he come out of retirement to celebrate Mass during our parish 30^th anniversary year.

This year we will again donate a portion of the profits from MercyFest to Hesed House.  I have also designated profits to upgrade/replace the sound system in our church.  Last year’s profits were used to install new pads on the kneelers in church.

Come out and support MercyFest with your presence….bring family, friends, and neighbors too!!

Have a blessed week!

Father Don

 

Last weekend I shared with you the annual financial report for the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2017 and ended on June 30, 2018.  If you weren’t here and didn’t get a copy, you can review the report on our website or stop by the office for a copy.  Also, if you do have any questions about the financial report, please feel free to contact our business manager, Bob Gancarz either by phone (630.851.3444 x 223) or by email robertg@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org.

Today is our annual “Commitment Sunday” for your weekly/monthly financial gift to the parish through the Sunday collection.  Your support of the vision for our parish that I shared with you last weekend in my homily will be deeply appreciated. If you didn’t hear my homily last weekend you can hear it on our parish APP.  Thanks for your support!  Also, I encourage you to consider secure electronic giving.   We always see a drop in the Sunday collection during the summer when many are away on vacation. Through electronic giving you can keep your financial support of the parish consistent during the year.  If you aren’t currently giving electronically, sign up between now and October 31^st and your name will be entered in a drawing to win a $100 gas card.  For information contact our business manager.

Another reason to consider an increase in your financial support of OLM is that our parish has been asked to receive another seminarian from our Diocese to assist in his formation to become a priest.  So we now have two seminarians assigned to Our Lady of Mercy for their teaching parish assignment.  You all know Senovio Sarabia.  He has begun 3^rd theology at Mundelein and will be with us again on most weekend this fall, winter, and spring.  Our new seminarian is Luis Miguel Garcia who is in 1^st theology at Mundelein. He will be with us most weekends as well.  Both Senovio and Luis will start their assignment here beginning the weekend of September 22/23.  We look forward to seeing Senovio again, and welcoming Luis.

MercyFest is now 3 weeks away!  Over 700 volunteers are needed in various capacities.  Please off your help by signing up online or after Masses in the lobby of the PLC.  This year the Sunday 10:45AM Mass will be celebrated outdoors under the big tent and Fr. Hugh Fullmer will be coming to celebrate that Mass.  Your support of MercyFest will be deeply appreciated, as I have designated the profit this year to go towards a new sound system in church.  I don’t know about you, but I have trouble hearing in the back of church, and when I sit in the presider’s chair I often can’t hear the readings being proclaimed or if someone is giving words of remembrance at a funeral.  We had an analysis of the sound system done, and several of the in ceiling speakers don’t work anymore, and there is so many technological advances in sound systems since ours was first installed 20 some years ago.  Last year’s profit went to the re-padding of the kneelers in church.  So please support MercyFest and bring your family, friends and neighbors.

Have a Blessed Week!

Father Don

 

Kind of a boring picture of me without Heidi isn’t it! I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all who have reached out to me in various ways offering support and prayers at the death of my 15-year old dog Heidi.  On August 23^rd, due to her failing health and quality of life, I had her euthanized.  Your kind hugs, words, cards, flowers, cookies and sweets have all made the grief journey more bearable.  Many have asked am I going to get another dog?  I don’t plan to at this time.  Seven years passed after I put my dog prior to Heidi down before getting Heidi.  I need some time to grieve and with retirement on the horizon in 2022 and not yet having decided where I will be living upon retirement, I wouldn’t want to get a dog now and later find out I couldn’t keep it.  I am tempted however, next time I visit Fr. Mark’s farm so sneak a piglet home – they have 15,000 of them….surely they wouldn’t miss one! Would they?

Included in today’s bulletin is the annual financial report for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2018.  The Diocese requires pastors to provide a yearly report to parishioners so that they are aware of the financial state of their parish. The report shows a robust increase of 10% in the Sunday collection over the previous fiscal year.  Your overwhelming response to my request last year for an increase in the Sunday collection put our parish at the top parish in our Diocese to increase their Sunday collection.  Thank you for your incredible generosity!  And because of your generosity much has been accomplished this past fiscal year. I’ve been concerned about the safety and security of children attending RE classes, as well as all who use the Parish Life Center.  There has been no way to communicate throughout the building an emergency situation such as a tornado or other life threatening situation.  We have now installed a public address system in the hallways that can be heard in the classrooms and throughout the center.  We have also install a security camera system throughout the building.  WI-FI is now available throughout the PLC enabling access to internet programming for RE classes and adult formation programs.  Our phone system, computers and monitors have been updated.  Video screens have been installed in the lobby on the PLC and narthex of the church which display information about upcoming programs and activities as well as funeral information for parishioners who have died.  So a lot has been done to enhance our communications efforts.  Some new ministries were started.  Moms & Tots enable young mothers to come together in support and prayer.  Fit Shepherds, a men’s exercise group enable guys to bond in friendship and masculine spirituality.  Mary’s Squad is the women’s version of the men’s exercise group.  But most of all, the increase in the collection has allowed us to hire a full-time Director of Evangelization and Communications.  Evangelization is the next area that we are going to focus on in the coming months.

So, I am asking for your continued financial support of OLM.  Next weekend, September 15/16 is our annual “Commitment Sunday” for your weekly/monthly support of our parish through the Sunday collection.  You will receive your commitment card in the mail this week.  Please pray about your financial support and the parish and fill out the card and bring it to Mass next Sunday.

Again, I thank you so much for your support!

Have a Blessed Week!

Father Don

I find myself saying on every Labor Day weekend – “Can you believe that summer is over already!”  While summer is over in the sense of outdoor swimming pools and beaches we know summer doesn’t officially end until September 22 this year, so we still have time to enjoy God’s gift of the beauty of summer.  Don’t put those BBQ grills and patio deck chairs away just yet!  And one of the great things I enjoy about Labor Day weekend, it kicks off the college football season.  Go Irish!  But just as on Memorial Day weekend that unofficially starts the summer season, we don’t want to forget there is a reason for this holiday.  On Memorial Day, we remember those who have died defending the ideas and principals of our nations.  Labor Day, started in the 19^th century honors the American labor movement and the contribution that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws and well-being of our country.  Our Church, through the teachings and proclamations of several popes and American bishops promote the dignity and rights of workers, as well as fair and just salaries.  So on this holiday weekend, let us not forget those who are un-employed, under-employed, and all who struggle to make ends meet.

As I did last year on the weekend after Labor Day, I will be speaking at all the Masses next weekend to share with you the annual fiscal report for the fiscal year July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. I will share with you some of the highlights and good news for the past fiscal year as well as some of the budgetary needs for the current fiscal year that just started July 1^st.  As always I am so very grateful for the sacrificial support you have given to Our Lady of Mercy as well as the sharing of your time and talents in our various ministries and outreach programs.  The weekend of September 15^th and 16^th will be our annual stewardship commitment weekend for your financial support of OLM through the Sunday collection.  In the week prior to commitment weekend you will receive in the mail your commitment card.  As you review the materials and consider the needs I will outline next weekend, I ask you to prayerfully consider your weekly or monthly contribution, and if possible make a small increase to help us reach our goals for the 2018 – 2019 fiscal year.  Please bring your completed commitment card to Mass the weekend of September 15/16.  We will have cards in the pew in the event you forget your card.

Again, Fr. Mark and I are so very grateful for the spiritual support and affirmation you have given us, and we have seen that support by the increase in the Sunday collection for the year.  Please be assured that we remember you and thank God for you in our daily prayers!

Have a blessed Labor Day weekend!

Father Don

Today is the conclusion of the “bread of life” discourse from the Gospel of John.  We have been hearing this discourse for the past four Sundays.  Today’s reading focuses on the responses of different people to Jesus’ proclamation: that He is the true bread come down from heaven; that  he gives his flesh for the life of the world; that whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood will never die.  Overall, the people were not impressed.  Their responses include grumbling, disbelief, rejection, and betrayal.  The Twelve however, in the name of Peter make a confession of faith to Jesus and remain committed to following him. It wasn’t until after the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus that his followers begin to grasp the kind of intimacy with God that Jesus offers through the Eucharist.   At the Last Supper, Jesus leaves us his legacy.  “Do this in memory of me.”  How do we listen to Jesus’ challenge?  We often limit our thinking so that “Do this” only references the blessing, breaking, giving and sharing of the bread.  Jesus calls us to more.  What if we interpret “do this” as “Do my whole life” – healing, forgiving, including outsiders, challenging wrongful authority, taking time to go away and pray, serving others by washing feet – so that it is we who are blessed and broken open so that we can give and share of ourselves to feed the world?  Jesus still patiently waits for us to grasp the power he left within us.  When we act in loving ways we are using that power, the power of the Holy Spirit.  In my article last week, I shared with you that in the “bread of life” discourse, Jesus gave us a model for evangelization.  I informed you that we are in the preparation phase to feed both body and spirit of those who hunger for God, for love, for acceptance, for meaning by undertaking the Alpha initiative.  Our Lady of Mercy is preparing to be a new force of evangelization to Catholics, non-Catholics, non-believers, the lost, the lonely, the abandoned not only in our parish, but in our local community. All will be welcomed here!!

In the year and two months that Fr. Mark and I have been here, many have remarked to us of a re-vitalized energy and enthusiasm within the parish.  Praise God for the Spirit working and moving among our parishioners!  We have identified two areas that we realize we can’t do alone.  Evangelization and Communications.  A unique opportunity has arisen to hire an individual that can assist us – and you – become evangelizers and communicators.  I am pleased to inform you that I have hired parishioner Zara Tan as Director of Evangelization and Communications.  Zara has already been volunteering in the development of the new parish website and APP, as well as leading adult faith formation programs.  Zara graduated two years ago from the Lay Leadership Program at Mundelein and has a burning desire to reach those who don’t yet know Jesus and our Catholic Faith.  Zara will begin her position on September 3^rd.  Please welcome her to our staff!

Father Don

The most important belief and teaching of the Catholic Church, that distinguishes us from all other Christian denominations, is faith that Jesus is TRULY (not symbolically) present – body, soul and divinity in the consecrated elements of bread and wine.  And to make a point of how important this belief is, we have been hearing what is known as “the bread of life” discourse from the Gospel of John for 4 Sundays, with one more to go. And imagine, it all began with an unnamed boy giving what he had – 5 barley loaves and 2 fish!  As we have progressed over the weeks, Jesus has given us the model for evangelization.  In the multiplication of the loaves and fish, Jesus fed the physical hungers of the crowd, but he knew there were much deeper hungers to feed as well.  But before people could be open to the spiritual food Jesus would offer, he accepted first where they were at physically, emotionally and spiritually. He took care of their immediate needs. Only then could he gradually offer them a bread that would satisfy the much deeper hungers.  While most of us are well fed physically, we all have spiritual hungers that we need to satisfy as well.  We at Our Lady of Mercy are in the preparation stages to undertake an evangelization initiative this fall/winter that will speak to both, the physical and spiritual hungers of people.  This initiative is called Alpha.  In preparation to launch Alpha, currently the Parish Pastoral Council members and parish staff are experiencing Alpha with a weekly meal (dinner for the PPC and at lunch for the staff) and view a video and join in discussion afterward. The goal is to come to know Jesus.  Not academic head knowledge, but a deepening personal relationship.  Alpha is for those who have never heard of Jesus and his mission as well as for those in the pews that have a static or no real relationship with Jesus.  Coupled with Alpha, we will also be embracing what is called a paradigm shift to the way we think about being parish.  You will hear more about all this in the coming weeks and months.

In today’s gospel story, we are told that the people quarreled among themselves about how Jesus could give them his flesh to eat and blood to drink.  While that quarrel continues today among some Christians, let us embrace the mystery and come to feast on the body and blood of Jesus who gives us true food and drink.  This food leads us to the eternal banquet!

Have a blessed week!

Father Don

Correction to last week’s article….the substance of bread and wine DO change into the body & blood of Jesus….but the elements do not change…they still look like bread and wine.

 

In today’s Gospel Jesus continues his teaching that he is the Bread of Life.  In my homily for First Eucharist, I ask the children why it is necessary to eat every day?  And of course they know the answer:  to help us grow, be strong, and keep us alive.  Then I tell them there is another part of us that needs to grow, be strong and kept alive – and that is our spiritual self.  I tell them that the Eucharist is the original “soul” food! That Jesus is truly present in the bread and wine to feed our spiritual self.  What do you believe about the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist?  A 2010 Pew Forum study found that 45 percent of U.S. Catholics did not know that Church’s teaching on the Eucharist, yet 63 percent of Catholics said they believed in it.  Only 46 percent of Catholics know the teaching about the Real Presence and believe in it.  Yet, from 800 AD to less than 25 years ago, over 175 Eucharistic miracles have been recorded and recognized by the Church.  And while we are not obliged to accept them as matter of faith, they can certainly bolster our faith and strengthen our belief in the Real Presence.  Here are just two of the miracles recorded:

   Lanciano, Italy around 750 AD: A priest, who had doubts about Christ’s real presence, was celebrating Mass.  When he consecrated the host, it transformed into flesh and blood.  Over the years, samples of the tissue have been scientifically tested.  The last testings were done in 1971 and 1981.  The flesh was found to be from the myocardium, the heart muscle that pumps blood.  The blood was human and the type AB positive.  The white blood cells showed that it was from living flesh.  Moreover, the sample indicated that the person had been in trauma consistent with a person who had been beaten about the chest.  The scientist performing the study did not know the source of the sample.  You can see this miracle in Lanciano, Italy today.

   Buenos Aires, Argentina, St. Mary Church, 1996, in the diocese of our present Pope Francis.  A woman brought an abandoned host to the priest after Mass.  He put it in water to dissolve it so it could be disposed of properly later.  When the priest checked the next day, the host had not dissolved, but he saw a bloody substance there.  He contacted the bishop.  The matter was kept silent, and the host was kept in water until October 5, 1999, when samples were taken for testing.  Findings were the same as with the Lanciano sample, including heart muscle, blood type and living tissue, indicating that the Eucharist was still bleeding.

The Church teaches that at consecration, the substance of bread and wine do not change, but the essence does.  These Eucharistic miracles are testimony that we do receive the living Christ in the Eucharist.  In Communion, we receive the bread of life from heaven.  We receive Christ – his strength, his love, his compassion.  We share in his divine life.  And in doing so, we shall not die!

Have a blessed week!

Father Don

Hurray! It’s Vacation Bible School Week!!  Welcome to all the children who will attend and be Shipwrecked only to be rescued by Jesus.  A big thank you to all the adult and teen volunteers who will lead our children through a week of fun, games, and learning about Jesus.  VBS takes place from 9:00AM to 12:00Noon this Monday – Friday.

Today is the annual Seminarian Send-Off sponsored by the Serra Club of DuPage County.  Founded in 1958, the members of the Serra Club encourage and affirm vocations to the priesthood and religious life through prayer and active fellowship.  Though a member of the international vocation apostolate Serra International, the DuPage club devotes most of its energies to fostering and promoting vocations in the Diocese of Joliet.  For 41 years, they have proudly sponsored the Diocese of Joliet Annual Seminarian Sendoff each August before the men return to the formal studies, priestly discernment and formation.  Nearly 400 people attend including the seminarians and their families, bishops and priests of the diocese, Sarrans, and many others who support vocations and the priesthood.  Today’s event is held at the Krasa Center on the campus of Benedictine University in Lisle.  If you are interested in joining the Serra Club, contact:  jmatyasik@SerraDuPage.com for more information.

So today we send-off parishioner Dave Diesem, who spent part of his summer in the Holy Land, to begin his 2^nd year of theology at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein.  Also, our intern seminarian, Senovio Sarabia, Jr. will be returning to St. Mary of the Lake to begin his 3^rd year of theology.  While seminarian Ramon Sida didn’t have any ministerial responsibilities at OLM, he lived here this summer while he and Senovio did a chaplain intern program at Northwestern Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield.  He will begin his third year of theology as well.  We wish Dave, Senovio and Ramon all the best, along with all our diocesan seminarians, as they continue their studies and discernment for the priesthood.

I hope you all enjoyed the Newman Singers with their director Joe Mattingly from the University of Iowa who led us in song at all the Masses on the weekend of July 14/15.  And their concert on Sunday evening was truly beautiful and inspirational!  I want to especially thank parishioner Carrie Nadziejko who arranged for them to be here and took care of all the details surrounding the Newman Singers visit.  Carrie sings in our choir, but has a special fondness for the Newman Singers, as she sang in the choir back when she was an undergraduate at the University of Iowa.  As St. Augustine said….those who sing pray twice!!  And as I say….if God gave you a rotten voice, give it back!  SING!!

Have a Blessed Week!

Father Don