April 9, 2021 | Weekly Update

Happy Easter Jesus is alive! Alleluia!

For us Catholics, Easter is not a one-day event but a 50-day season of celebration! How awesome is that; for Death has been defeated by the God who went down into the muck of sin and despair and arose victoriously!

The Church asks us to celebrate “Divine Mercy Sunday” on this 2nd weekend of the Easter Season of which Father Don will be preaching at all the Masses.  Before all the Masses this weekend, we will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.  There will also be Divine Mercy holy cards given out for anyone who would like to have one after all the Masses this weekend.  Sign in ahead of time here or at the door.

Why is the Church asking us to celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday?  Let’s break it open; mercy comes from the Latin misericordia, “to suffer with another.” A polish saint of the 20th century, St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, received visions of Christ and was encouraged to write about the divine mercy of God, who desires that all souls return to him.  Check out the video message in the Flocknote email that gives insight into the ‘why’.   Or click here to dig deeper.

DID YOU KNOW?  that we have a women’s work-out ministry called MARY’S SQUAD?
Workout details.  Stretch and strengthening mat workout while we pray the rosary using SoulCore.  Concludes with 10 minutes of meditative silent prayer followed by group prayer intentions.
Who.  For all women 14 years and older.
When. Saturday mornings @ 9:15am & Wednesday evenings @ 6:30pm.
Where. Via Zoom.  Connect with Kathy kmbroadus@sbcglobal.net for questions, access to zoom links, and for news of when they will start having sessions in-person at the PLC.
About SoulCore.  SoulCore integrates the prayers of the rosary with core strengthening, stretching, and functional movements; inviting participants to nourish body & soul and encourage deeper reflection on the Mysteries and virtues of the rosary.  For more information on SoulCore click here.

CELEBRATING 50 DAYS OF EASTER FOR HE IS RISEN Amen Jesus has risen!  And we’re called to “Go” and tell it on the mountains of the public spaces, shout it from the rooftops of the market places, declare it in your heart, until you believe that Love is real and His glory and power has been witnessed by many!  Listen to Father Don’s Easter homily that speaks about this very message.

Were you out of town for Easter Triduum?  Here are the homilies that can help us this Easter season to focus our prayer and attention on a practical difference Jesus’ resurrection makes.

LAYING IT DOWN ON SUNDAY.  What do Fr James, St Peter, and Kanye have in common? Apparently, Fr James has expanded his music horizons this Lent and had a bit of a reality check. This Easter’s message is for everyone, because “duh!” (listen to find out)

LAYING IT DOWN ON FRIDAY. How does God respond to evil? For the worldly-minded, insufficiently. But for the believer, perfectly. Jesus responds to the problem of evil with His very Body and Blood–bearing our guilt, our infirmities, and our offenses in Himself. (Is 52) If we let Jesus absorb these things on the Cross, then He can show us what it means for evil to be crushed and transfigured into glory.

LAYING IT DOWN ON THURSDAY.  John’s Gospel is unique for many reasons, not the least of which is his account of the Last Supper. At first, the washing of feet seems like another instance of Jesus simply telling us to “love our neighbor”. Good as that may be, there’s much more behind the foot-washing than we might expect. Father James speaks about Jesus’ challenge to us this Holy Thursday is to hear His words again and again: “Do you realize what I have done for you?” For, when it comes to our Lord, we can always go deeper.

IN THE NEXT UPDATE KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THIS SECTION FOR WE WILL POST EASTER TRIDUUM PICTURES.

March 20, 2021 | Weekly Update

Devotion to St. Joseph is one of the choicest graces that God can give to a soul, for it is tantamount to revealing the entire treasury of our Lord’s graces. When God wishes to raise a soul to greater heights, He unites it to St. Joseph by giving it a strong love for the good saint. 
—St. Peter Julian Eymard

• Father James is preaching at all the Masses this weekend except for the 10am Mass where Father Don will preach because of the Scrutiny.  We will be honoring Saint Joseph at all the Masses.  We look forward to seeing you in-person or on the livestream.
• Register ahead of time at this link or see you at the livestream.

• Pope Francis declared this a year in honor of St. Joseph. At all the Masses the weekend of March 20 & 21, we will recite the Prayer of Consecration to St. Joseph, and you will receive a holy card of St. Joseph as you leave Mass courtesy of Beidelman-Kunsch Funeral Home.
• Let us grow closer to St. Joseph; check out our St. Joseph page where you can get access to the following.
  • Go to Joseph Virtual Conference (speakers include Fr Don Colloway, Bishop Ricken, Dr. Mark Miravalle, Fr Chad Ripperger just to name a few)
  • Read the Apostolic Letter “Patris Corde”
  • Consecration to St. Joseph
  • Magnificat’s “Nine Days with Saint Joseph”
  • Links to watch on FORMED: the film “Joseph of Nazareth: The Story of the Man Closest to Christ” and a four-part series “Saint Joseph”  
  • myParish App ST JOSEPH button details

• 3/20th is the first day of spring, perhaps it’s a great time for our closets to go through a ‘spring cleaning for a good cause‘ for the St. Vincent de Paul clothing drive! Click here for items they will accept (whether in good or bad condition)
• Your donations go to the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shops where much of your donations are given away free to needy families in the community. Some are sold at reasonable prices at the thrift shops so that needy families can shop with dignity. “Proceeds” from the thrift shops go into a general assistance fund where St. Vincent de Paul Conferences at the churches help families with rent, mortgage, or utility assistance.

• Be inspired and share this beautiful “Letter from a Mom to Her Daughter In Honor of World Down Syndrome Day” by Lydia Schmitt.
• Do you know of parents who are expecting a child with Down Syndrome or have received a birth diagnosis of their baby will have Down Syndrome?  Please share this beautiful letter with them.

• Registration goes live on Monday 3/22.  Download our myParish App to get live alerts: text “App” to 88202.  We pray to see you either at the in-person services or at the Livestream on this holiest of weeks.  Praise God we are able to safely gather this year as compared to Holy Week 2020.
• Check out the Holy Week Schedule at this link (it is also where the registration links will be posted).

• We hope to see you Wednesday 3/24th 7pm at a Lenten MAGNIFY; where Jesus who is present in the Eucharist is personally waiting for you. He died on a cross to heal you and make you whole. Bring the family, friends, neighbors. Dive deeper into the last week of your Lenten journey at Magnify.  There will be Eucharistic adoration, praise & worship, scriptural reflection, and confession. Join in person or online, register ahead of time at this link.

• Let us be in prayer for our Father Don on Thurs 3/25th for he will be having surgery to remove part, or all of his thyroid.  Part or all of his thyroid needs to be removed. Because this surgery requires general anesthesia, he will be in the hospital overnight and discharged the next day.

• The St. Peregrine Ministry accompanies caregivers and those who live with serious illness, especially cancer, and chronic illness to provide prayer support, resources, education, and sacred space for sharing. Please come to the St. Peregrine Prayer Service led by Deacon Tony Leazzo on Saturday, 3/27th at 1pm via livestream.
  After the prayer service, join in a conversation via Zoom from 1:30pm to 2pm to learn more about the ministry and form a community of support for one another.  Zoom details will be posted during the livestream.
• For questions or additional information, contact Jolene LeRoy RN Director of Pastoral Care at jolenel@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org or call 331-707-5380

• This Easter we will decorate the church with lilies around the altar. If you would like to make a gift towards the flowers please go to this link and log into Online Giving and choose “Flowers:”.
• If you wish to memorialize your loved ones you can add their names in the Comments section.
• The recommended donation is $10.00. Thank you for your generosity and for helping to make our church beautiful during the Easter season.

• We encourage you, please don’t wait at the last minute.  Here is the Lent Confession schedule and Confession Resources.  Or see the graphic below.
• Upcoming:  Saturday 9am – 10am and 1:30pm – 2:30pm.  Tuesday 7pm – 8pm.  Magnify 3/24th 7:30pm – 8:20pm.
• Last Confessions before Easter 3/28th Sunday 4pm – 5:30pm, Tuesday 3/30th 8:30am – 10am & 7pm – 9pm.

• Did you know we have Eucharistic Adoration at the following times?  Mondays and Thursdays immediately after daily Holy Mass through 6pm, and Wednesdays 9am – 12pm.  Sign-up here.

• We hope to see you at the Stations of the Cross on Fridays @ 7pm.  We will be using the “Way of the Cross” by Saint Alphonsus Liguori.  For those attending in-person, you may bring your own or you may take one that we have available for your own use.  They are for you to keep but we ask that you bring them with you each time you come to the church to pray the Stations of the Cross. 
• You can also scan the QR code when you come in to view the booklet on your cell phones or click on this link https://qrco.de/bbyN6k 
• Praying the Stations of the Cross is a wonderful way to enter more deeply into the life of Jesus and the Pascal Mystery; if it’s been a while or if you’ve never prayed the Stations of the Cross, we encourage you to embrace this powerful prayer this Lenten season to understand better what Jesus did for us.

• Don’t forget to check out Father Don’s insightful weekly Bulletin article is located here.

• The Diocesan Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal (CMAA) allows us, together, to do our part in building God’s kingdom here on earth.  Father Don and Bishop Hicks are asking us to join them in supporting 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.
• Our parish’s goal for the 2021 CMAA is $154,400, with 70 percent of any amount we raise over this goal returned to us for our use.
• If you wish to donate now, please click here https://bit.ly/2MOQHVY  Read the following report at this link https://bit.ly/3dd154X on how your gifts to the CMAA helps. For further details, please click here https://bit.ly/3jQxf7i Thank you for prayerfully considering supporting the 30 ministries and shining Jesus’ light brightly in our diocese.

• Support our teens on their Senior High Youth Ministry Mission Trip this summer who are traveling outside their comfort zone to experience the call of Jesus to serve the poor. Please pray for their trip and consider donating financially; donations can be made through this link.

• Please proceed here for the OLM Hispanic Ministry upcoming events and resources.
  Continúe aquí para conocer los próximos eventos y recursos del Ministerio Hispano de OLM.

• 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

March 20, 2021 | Weekly Update

Devotion to St. Joseph is one of the choicest graces that God can give to a soul, for it is tantamount to revealing the entire treasury of our Lord’s graces. When God wishes to raise a soul to greater heights, He unites it to St. Joseph by giving it a strong love for the good saint. 
—St. Peter Julian Eymard

• Father James is preaching at all the Masses this weekend except for the 10am Mass where Father Don will preach because of the Scrutiny.  We will be honoring Saint Joseph at all the Masses.  We look forward to seeing you in-person or on the livestream.
• Register ahead of time at this link or see you at the livestream.

• Pope Francis declared this a year in honor of St. Joseph. At all the Masses the weekend of March 20 & 21, we will recite the Prayer of Consecration to St. Joseph, and you will receive a holy card of St. Joseph as you leave Mass courtesy of Beidelman-Kunsch Funeral Home.
• Let us grow closer to St. Joseph; check out our St. Joseph page where you can get access to the following.
  • Go to Joseph Virtual Conference (speakers include Fr Don Colloway, Bishop Ricken, Dr. Mark Miravalle, Fr Chad Ripperger just to name a few)
  • Read the Apostolic Letter “Patris Corde”
  • Consecration to St. Joseph
  • Magnificat’s “Nine Days with Saint Joseph”
  • Links to watch on FORMED: the film “Joseph of Nazareth: The Story of the Man Closest to Christ” and a four-part series “Saint Joseph”  
  • myParish App ST JOSEPH button details

• 3/20th is the first day of spring, perhaps it’s a great time for our closets to go through a ‘spring cleaning for a good cause‘ for the St. Vincent de Paul clothing drive! Click here for items they will accept (whether in good or bad condition)
• Your donations go to the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shops where much of your donations are given away free to needy families in the community. Some are sold at reasonable prices at the thrift shops so that needy families can shop with dignity. “Proceeds” from the thrift shops go into a general assistance fund where St. Vincent de Paul Conferences at the churches help families with rent, mortgage, or utility assistance.

• Be inspired and share this beautiful “Letter from a Mom to Her Daughter In Honor of World Down Syndrome Day” by Lydia Schmitt.
• Do you know of parents who are expecting a child with Down Syndrome or have received a birth diagnosis of their baby will have Down Syndrome?  Please share this beautiful letter with them.

• Registration goes live on Monday 3/22.  Download our myParish App to get live alerts: text “App” to 88202.  We pray to see you either at the in-person services or at the Livestream on this holiest of weeks.  Praise God we are able to safely gather this year as compared to Holy Week 2020.
• Check out the Holy Week Schedule at this link (it is also where the registration links will be posted).

• We hope to see you Wednesday 3/24th 7pm at a Lenten MAGNIFY; where Jesus who is present in the Eucharist is personally waiting for you. He died on a cross to heal you and make you whole. Bring the family, friends, neighbors. Dive deeper into the last week of your Lenten journey at Magnify.  There will be Eucharistic adoration, praise & worship, scriptural reflection, and confession. Join in person or online, register ahead of time at this link.

• Let us be in prayer for our Father Don on Thurs 3/25th for he will be having surgery to remove part, or all of his thyroid.  Part or all of his thyroid needs to be removed. Because this surgery requires general anesthesia, he will be in the hospital overnight and discharged the next day.

• The St. Peregrine Ministry accompanies caregivers and those who live with serious illness, especially cancer, and chronic illness to provide prayer support, resources, education, and sacred space for sharing. Please come to the St. Peregrine Prayer Service led by Deacon Tony Leazzo on Saturday, 3/27th at 1pm via livestream.
  After the prayer service, join in a conversation via Zoom from 1:30pm to 2pm to learn more about the ministry and form a community of support for one another.  Zoom details will be posted during the livestream.
• For questions or additional information, contact Jolene LeRoy RN Director of Pastoral Care at jolenel@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org or call 331-707-5380

• This Easter we will decorate the church with lilies around the altar. If you would like to make a gift towards the flowers please go to this link and log into Online Giving and choose “Flowers:”.
• If you wish to memorialize your loved ones you can add their names in the Comments section.
• The recommended donation is $10.00. Thank you for your generosity and for helping to make our church beautiful during the Easter season.

• We encourage you, please don’t wait at the last minute.  Here is the Lent Confession schedule and Confession Resources.  Or see the graphic below.
• Upcoming:  Saturday 9am – 10am and 1:30pm – 2:30pm.  Tuesday 7pm – 8pm.  Magnify 3/24th 7:30pm – 8:20pm.
• Last Confessions before Easter 3/28th Sunday 4pm – 5:30pm, Tuesday 3/30th 8:30am – 10am & 7pm – 9pm.

• Did you know we have Eucharistic Adoration at the following times?  Mondays and Thursdays immediately after daily Holy Mass through 6pm, and Wednesdays 9am – 12pm.  Sign-up here.

• We hope to see you at the Stations of the Cross on Fridays @ 7pm.  We will be using the “Way of the Cross” by Saint Alphonsus Liguori.  For those attending in-person, you may bring your own or you may take one that we have available for your own use.  They are for you to keep but we ask that you bring them with you each time you come to the church to pray the Stations of the Cross. 
• You can also scan the QR code when you come in to view the booklet on your cell phones or click on this link https://qrco.de/bbyN6k 
• Praying the Stations of the Cross is a wonderful way to enter more deeply into the life of Jesus and the Pascal Mystery; if it’s been a while or if you’ve never prayed the Stations of the Cross, we encourage you to embrace this powerful prayer this Lenten season to understand better what Jesus did for us.

• Don’t forget to check out Father Don’s insightful weekly Bulletin article is located here.

• The Diocesan Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal (CMAA) allows us, together, to do our part in building God’s kingdom here on earth.  Father Don and Bishop Hicks are asking us to join them in supporting 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.
• Our parish’s goal for the 2021 CMAA is $154,400, with 70 percent of any amount we raise over this goal returned to us for our use.
• If you wish to donate now, please click here https://bit.ly/2MOQHVY  Read the following report at this link https://bit.ly/3dd154X on how your gifts to the CMAA helps. For further details, please click here https://bit.ly/3jQxf7i Thank you for prayerfully considering supporting the 30 ministries and shining Jesus’ light brightly in our diocese.

• Support our teens on their Senior High Youth Ministry Mission Trip this summer who are traveling outside their comfort zone to experience the call of Jesus to serve the poor. Please pray for their trip and consider donating financially; donations can be made through this link.

• Please proceed here for the OLM Hispanic Ministry upcoming events and resources.
  Continúe aquí para conocer los próximos eventos y recursos del Ministerio Hispano de OLM.

• 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

March 5, 2021 | Weekly Update

It has been great seeing so many people return to Mass and just wanted to place this important note below as we continue to see an increase in attendance at the Weekend Mass times.

Your safety is always our highest priority which is the main reason we ask you to please register ahead of time so that . . .

• for contact tracing purposes, we can reach you
• we are adequately prepared to welcome you

So as to keep you safe while at the same time not have to turn anyone away . . .

• we will start to Livestream the highest attended Mass times of 4pm Saturday, and 12pm Mass times (in addition to the 10am Mass times)  
• we will begin seating in the Parish Life Center PLC when the church has reached its socially distanced seating capacity at any of these Mass times.  We pray for your understanding if you find you or your family are being invited to take seats in the PLC. 

Additional Notes on this Weekend’s Mass Times  

• The Deacons will be preaching at all the Masses this weekend, the 3rd Sunday in Lent.  Whether at the Livestream or the in-person Mass times, we hope you join us in this 2021 Lenten journey because compared to last year, this year we have the opportunity to “keep the Sabbath holy” together at Mass inside our church (following social distancing safety protocols of course).
• Regarding registrations for Mass times, especially those new to Our Lady of Mercy—Welcome, we are so glad you are worshipping Jesus with us.  
  Please note that your registration is complete when you see the confetti splash across your screen.  If you need assistance, please reach out to us at 331-707-5381.
• Thank you so much for being mindful about keeping each other safe by observing social distancing, wearing masks, and sanitizing your hands while inside the Church and PLC. Your cautious way of following the social distancing parameters helps us to stay open and hold the Sacraments.
• Please register ahead of time at this link.

THIS COMING WEEK

1st Saturday Devotion 3/6

• 1st Saturday 3/6 after the 8:30am Mass is the First Saturday Devotion
  • This devotion is one of the principal points of the Fatima message.  It consists of the following on 5 consecutive first Saturdays: Going to Confession, Receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion, Praying five decades of the Rosary, and Meditating for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the Rosary.
  • Find out the reasons why the five Saturdays from our Lord Jesus to Sister Lucia as well as additional details here.  We hope you incorporate this powerful devotion into your life. Please connect with Bonnie Ramirez 630-723-4289 for any questions.
• Regarding Outdoor Confessions tomorrow, Father James will start outdoor confessions at 9:30am.  (Father Don will be hearing confessions in the Narthex right after the 8:30am Mass.)

Mobile Food Pantry on Weds 3/10

• Please spread the word on the Mobile Food Pantry this month. Share the attached link. If you have a Facebook account, share the Facebook post from our page, this is an easy way to help someone you may be unaware that is in need of food.

Living Your Baptism in Lent on Weds 3/10

• It’s not too late to join Father Don this Lenten season, as he leads this weekly reflection and discussion on “Living Your Baptism in Lent.”  There will be personal reflection questions and Scripture passage to consider in your prayer throughout the six weeks of Lent.
• Join either in-person or Zoom sessions.  It’s been really great to journey personally with our pastor this Lent. Register here for the Online study and here for the In-Person study

Spring Forward Daylight Savings Time 3/13

• Next weekend time ‘springs forward’ one hour.  Please don’t forget to set the clocks ahead an hour before bedtime Saturday night so you arrive on time at the Masses next weekend.

LOOKING AHEAD

Lent Resource Highlight | Prayer

• On our website is the “Lent Resources & Schedule” within it are really cool resources for Prayer.  One of which is the Catholic Prayer App called “Hallow“.
• From “How to Pray:” (:with Music, :Holy Hour) to access of the “Bible In a Year” podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz. 
• Hallow is a Catholic prayer and meditation app that helps users deepen their relationship with God through audio-guided contemplative prayer.
  The app has over 1,000 individual prayer sessions and with 1, 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 minute options, Hallow truly has something for everyone.
• Here are several thoughts from people who have used it
  “I need this app. It’s put quiet, prayerful time with God back in my life.”
  “If anyone wants to start a prayer life, this is the way to go. I went from not praying at all to praying twice a day.”
  “My experience with Hallow so far has revolutionized my prayer life.”
• Hallow is free to download and has permanently free content, as well as a premium subscription called “Hallow Plus” that includes the rest of the content library. Hallow Plus is usually $60/year.

Eucharistic Adoration Weekly Sign-Up

• Did you know we have Eucharistic Adoration at the following times?  Mondays and Thursdays immediately after daily Holy Mass through 6pm, and Wednesdays 9am – 12pm.  Sign-up here.

Confession Schedule

• Don’t deprive yourself of the grace the Lord wants to give us in the Sacrament of Confession and in the Sacrament of the Eucharist that’s there for the taking; all we have to do is repent.  Jesus came and died to wipe away our sins.  Here is the Lent Confession schedule and Confession Resources.  Or see the graphic below.
• Upcoming:  Saturday 9am – 10am and 1:30pm – 2:30pm.  Tuesday 7pm – 8pm.

Stations of the Cross Fridays

• We hope to see you at the Stations of the Cross on Fridays @ 7pm.  We will be using the “Way of the Cross” by Saint Alphonsus Liguori.  For those attending in-person, you may bring your own or you may take one that we have available for your own use.  They are for you to keep but we ask that you bring them with you each time you come to the church to pray the Stations of the Cross.
• You can also scan the QR code when you come in to view the booklet on your cell phones or click on this link
• Praying the Stations of the Cross is a wonderful way to enter more deeply into the life of Jesus and the Pascal Mystery; if it’s been a while or if you’ve never prayed the Stations of the Cross, we encourage you to embrace this powerful prayer this Lenten season to understand better what Jesus did for us.

Bulletin

• Don’t forget to check out Father Don’s insightful weekly Bulletin article is located here; he writes about why we celebrate the ‘Scrutinies’ these next 3 Sundays.

Supporting OLM through the CMAA

• The Diocesan Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal (CMAA) allows us, together, to do our part in building God’s kingdom here on earth.  Father Don and Bishop Hicks are asking us to join them in supporting 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.
• Our parish’s goal for the 2021 CMAA is $154,400, with 70 percent of any amount we raise over this goal returned to us for our use.
• If you wish to donate now, please click here https://bit.ly/2MOQHVY  Read the following report at this link https://bit.ly/3dd154X on how your gifts to the CMAA helps. For further details, please click here https://bit.ly/3jQxf7i  Thank you for prayerfully considering supporting the 30 ministries and shining Jesus’ light brightly in our diocese.

Mission Trip Help Our Teens Fundraiser

• Support our teens on their Senior High Youth Ministry Mission Trip this summer who are traveling outside their comfort zone to experience the call of Jesus to serve the poor. Please pray for their trip and consider donating financially; donations can be made through this link.

For the Hispanic Community

• Please proceed here for the OLM Hispanic Ministry upcoming events and resources.
  Continúe aquí para conocer los próximos eventos y recursos del Ministerio Hispano de OLM.

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

Are you a Grandparent?

• The Grandparents Ministry is formed to create awareness, encourage and support the vocation of Grandparents to pass on their faith within their families and the Church.  In the words of Pope Francis, “The mission of grandparents is a real and true vocation.” “Grandparents’ words hold something special for the young. This is how faith is transmitted – through the elders who have made their faith the leaven of their life.”
• If you would like more information about the Grandparents Ministry or would like to join, please contact Deacon Tony and Allyson Martini at tonym@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org or Jolene and Jeff LeRoy at jolenel@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org.

Knights of Columbus Robert H. Weaver Scholarship Application

• Calling all High School Seniors at Our Lady of Mercy, the Knights of Columbus Robert H. Weaver Council #12005 has established a scholarship program for high school seniors seeking financial assistance for continuing education (accredited trade school / junior college, college or university only). Scholarships are awarded primarily on the basis of merit to Our Lady of Mercy parishioners who are high school seniors.
• All applications must be submitted no later than Saturday, June 19 @ 4pm.
• Proceed to this link for application details, requirements, and contact information.

Looking to connect and find community right now? Scroll down to join any of the Grow Groups below.  Keep an eye on upcoming groups this year.

CONSUMING FIRE YOUNG ADULT GROUP

WALKING WITH PURPOSE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY

FIT SHEPHERDS

GRANDPARENT MINISTRY

February 23, 2021 | Weekly Update

First week of Lent greetings everyone!  We hope that through your Lenten undertakings that you are growing to become a spiritual athlete so as to have greater conversion in receiving love from God or giving His love to others.

Love is the point of it all; the Church enjoins penitential practices upon us because, as a good mother, she wishes that each of us love Jesus more perfectly. Lent is thus a perfect time to take seriously, growing our spiritual life and our relationships, it’s why “We Need Lent” as Father James says.  If you didn’t get a chance to hear his Lenten homily, please see below and be encouraged especially if you are feeling overwhelmed.

THIS COMING WEEK

Magnify on Wednesday 2/24

• It’s a Lenten Magnify. If spending more time in prayer with Jesus is part of your Lenten undertaking, pray in His very Presence at Magnify, a personal time with just you and Jesus.  It is family-friendly Adoration so bring kids with you!
• Come and join Father James as he leads us in adoring Jesus, accompanied by Josh Goodman. Father James will be hearing Confessions up until sometime before Benediction after he leads us in a scriptural reflection.  Sign-in at the door or ahead of time here.

St. Peregrine Prayer Service on 2/24th

• The St. Peregrine Ministry accompanies caregivers and those who live with serious illness, especially cancer, and chronic illness to provide prayer support, resources, education, and sacred space for sharing. Please come to the St. Peregrine Prayer Service led by Deacon Tony Leazzo on Wednesday, 2/24th at 2pm via livestream.
  After the prayer service, join in a conversation via Zoom from 2:30pm to 3pm to learn more about the ministry and form a community of support for one another.  Zoom details will be posted during the livestream.
• For questions or additional information, contact Jolene LeRoy RN Director of Pastoral Care at jolenel@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org or call 331-707-5380.

Living Your Baptism in Lent on 2/24th

• Join Father Don this Lenten season, as he leads a 6-week reflection and discussion on “Living Your Baptism in Lent.”
• We all know that Lent is a time of prayer and fasting, but did you realize that Lent is also a time to prepare you for the renewal of your baptismal promises on Easter Sunday?
• A booklet will be provided as a prayer resource that seeks to awaken our awareness of God’s unending grace given to us in the sacrament of Baptism.
• There will be personal reflection questions and Scripture passage to consider in your prayer throughout the six weeks of Lent.
• The program will be offered in-person (50 max) and Zoom. Register here for the Online study and here for the In-Person study

Eucharistic Adoration Weekly Sign-Up

• Did you know we have Eucharistic Adoration at the following times?  Mondays and Thursdays immediately after daily Holy Mass through 6pm, and Wednesdays 9am – 12pm.  Sign-up here.

Stations of the Cross Fridays 2/26th

• We hope to see you at the Stations of the Cross on Fridays @ 7pm.  We will be using the “Way of the Cross” by Saint Alphonsus Liguori.  For those attending in-person, you may bring your own or you may take one that we have available for your own use.  They are for you to keep but we ask that you bring them with you each time you come to the church to pray the Stations of the Cross.
• You can also scan the QR code when you come in to view the booklet on your cell phones or click on this link
• Praying the Stations of the Cross is a wonderful way to enter more deeply into the life of Jesus and the Pascal Mystery; if it’s been a while or if you’ve never prayed the Stations of the Cross, we encourage you to embrace this powerful prayer this Lenten season to understand better what Jesus did for us.

Weekend Mass Links

• Father Don will be preaching at all the Masses this weekend, the 2nd Sunday in Lent where we will hear of Abraham and Isaac, St. Paul emphasizing how God loved us so much that He did not spare His Son and Jesus Transfiguration; sounds like a Sunday we want to be present at.
• Whether at the Livestream or the in-person Mass times, we hope you join us in this 2021 Lenten journey because compared to last year, this year we have the opportunity to keep the Sabbath holy together at Mass inside our church (following social distancing safety protocols of course).  Please sign-in ahead of time at this link so we can adequately prepare in welcoming you.

LOOKING AHEAD

Lent Resource Highlight – Catholic Podcasts

• In addition to the literary, and visual weekly lenten reflections that are helpful accompaniments in our 2021 Lenten Journey (FORMED, Bishop Barron’s Lenten Gospel Reflection, Dr. Tim Gray’s Daily Lenten Reflections, Seminarian from USML Weekly Lenten Reflections, Lenten Daily Apologetics from Catholic Answers) which are located at our Lenten Resources here
  …. there is also the following
• Mercy Boys Podcasts.  Listen to Our Lady of Mercy parishioners Joe Wiacek and Brian Kibler as they host guests on their podcast who speak about their faith journey.  Below are several of the Lenten Podcasts.  Click on this link to take you to previous podcasts (previous guests are parishioners and our parish priests who speak about their Catholic faith journey)
  • Lent a Miraculous Story of Forgiveness‬.  Hear from one of our parishioners tell her story of tragedy, forgiveness, and a beautiful Friendship that could only happen through healing and God’s grace.  You don’t want to miss this powerful message.
  • Lent Part 1 202‪1‬.  In this episode, Joe and Brian talk about what Lent is, what Ash Wednesday is, and how you can be successful in your Lenten Journey.
• 40 Days of Catholic Podcasts for Lent by Spoke Street Media.  This Lent, they are sending out 40 podcasts over 40 days to all listeners! It’s free to join, click here to commit to going deeper this Lent!  Here are the podcasts thus far:
  • The Messy Family Project.  Lent isn’t just a time for transformation for individuals. It is also a time for our families. In this episode, Mike and Alicia Hernon share some of their best practices for Lent as a family and as a couple.
  • Truth in Charity.  Bishop Kevin Rhoades reflects on this past Sunday’s gospel about Jesus’s temptations in the desert.
  • The Daily Refill.  Andrea Serrani talks about 3 things in 8 minutes. This episode talks about Saints that turned their lives around, a message from Pope Francis for Lent 2021, and how to survive Lent if you are feeling overwhelmed.
  • Abiding Together. After the kind of year 2020 was, many of us have found ourselves in a spot where we feel stuck and do not know the way forward. This episode offers that way forward.
  • RENOVO Renew, Restore, Revive.  Lent is here! But, what really is Lent about and why is it important? Doug Tooke answers this question in today’s episode.

PADS Hesed House on 3/2 https://pads.rehmer.com/

• Please help our brothers and sisters in need; sign up for any of the items posted above or send funds via the Give page or checks payable to Our Lady of Mercy and note on the memo “Hesed House-PAD”. Thank you so much for your generosity.
• ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’— Matthew 25:40

Confession Schedule

• Don’t deprive yourself of the grace the Lord wants to give us in the Sacrament of Confession and in the Sacrament of the Eucharist that’s there for the taking; all we have to do is repent.  Jesus came and died to wipe away our sins.  Here is the Lent Confession schedule and Confession Resources.  Or see the graphic below.

Bulletin

• Don’t forget to check out Father Don’s insightful weekly Bulletin article is located here.

Supporting OLM through the CMAA

• The Diocesan Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal (CMAA) allows us, together, to do our part in building God’s kingdom here on earth.  Father Don and Bishop Hicks are asking us to join them in supporting 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.
• Our parish’s goal for the 2021 CMAA is $154,400, with 70 percent of any amount we raise over this goal returned to us for our use.
• If you wish to donate now, please click here https://bit.ly/2MOQHVY  Read the following report at this link https://bit.ly/3dd154X on how your gifts to the CMAA helps. For further details, please click here https://bit.ly/3jQxf7i  Thank you for prayerfully considering supporting the 30 ministries and shining Jesus’ light brightly in our diocese.

Mission Trip Help Our Teens Fundraiser

• Support our teens on their Senior High Youth Ministry Mission Trip this summer who are traveling outside their comfort zone to experience the call of Jesus to serve the poor. Please pray for their trip and consider donating financially; donations can be made through this link.

For the Hispanic Community

• Please proceed here for the Diocese of Joliet Office of Hispanic & Ethnic Ministry to view upcoming events and wealth of resources.Continúe aquí para la Oficina del Ministerio Hispano y Étnico de la Diócesis de Joliet para ver los próximos eventos y la gran cantidad de recursos.

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

Are you a Grandparent?

• The Grandparents Ministry is formed to create awareness, encourage and support the vocation of Grandparents to pass on their faith within their families and the Church.  In the words of Pope Francis, “The mission of grandparents is a real and true vocation.” “Grandparents’ words hold something special for the young. This is how faith is transmitted – through the elders who have made their faith the leaven of their life.”
• If you would like more information about the Grandparents Ministry or would like to join, please contact Deacon Tony and Allyson Martini at tonym@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org or Jolene and Jeff LeRoy at jolenel@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org.

Thank you so much for being mindful about keeping each other safe by observing social distancing, wearing masks, and sanitizing your hands while inside the Church and PLC. 
Your cautious way of following the social distancing parameters helps us to stay open and hold the Sacraments.

February 8, 2021 | Weekly Update

It’s National Marriage week now through Feb 14th!  Check out the note on it below (especially if you’re a couple who have been hoping to take the Marriage Course but the times have not been convenient.) Also please don’t forget to sign-up for Ash Wednesday services if you haven’t already done so. Hope to see you at any of the following events or at the Daily Holy Masses at OLM this week whether in-person or online!

THIS COMING WEEK

Weekend Mass Links

• This past weekend, Father Don spoke about how we can be the light of Christ to those in need.  For more details on the CMAA check out the note below ‘Supporting OLM through the CMAA”.  Listen, watch, or read how Father breaks this open further at the following links.
  • For audio-only link https://bit.ly/3aOSi6n
    Watch on YouTube link (please don’t forget to hit subscribe) https://youtu.be/itIJ33V0w-E
    Read it here https://bit.ly/3jt1oJX
    Comment on Facebook https://bit.ly/3juzDjY
• This coming weekend is pledge Sunday and we will watch and hear more about it from Bishop Hicks.  Register ahead of time at this link to register for Holy Mass or sign-in at the door.  It would be great to worship Jesus together with you.  If it is your first time using Flocknote, please don’t forget to look for an email that says “Verify your email address” so you can receive the Confirmation emails and be able to modify or cancel your registration.

Eucharistic Adoration Weekly Sign-Up https://bit.ly/3pHfUzQ

• Did you know we have Eucharistic Adoration at the following times?  Mondays and Thursdays immediately after daily Holy Mass through 6pm, and Wednesdays 9am – 12pm.
• Spend time with Jesus during your lunch hour or take a break from the work Zoom life with Jesus at Eucharistic Adoration.  Sign-up here.

Mobile Food Pantry on Weds 2/10th https://bit.ly/2YDwpkC

• Please spread the word on the Mobile Food Pantry this month. Share the attached link. If you have a Facebook account, share the Facebook post from our page, this is an easy way to help someone you may be unaware that is in need of food.

National Marriage Week now through 2/14th 

• Did you know it’s National Marriage Week? This annual observance is an excellent prompt for us to reflect on the gift marriage is to our Church and our country, as well as an opportunity for couples to build up their own marriages. This year the theme is: To Have, To Hold, To Honor so as to highlight how married couples live and renew their wedding promises daily in the building up of the domestic Church in their homes, particularly as many couples and families have spent more time at home together this year.  Here’s how you can take part.
  • Spend a little dedicated time in prayer and reflection by participating in a seven-day at-home retreat focused on marriage. Here is the link in pdf in English and Spanish) .
  • Take part in the Marriage Course online on a weekly day and time of your choosing! Proceed here for details and registration.

LOOKING AHEAD

Consuming Fire starts 2/16th

• Calling all young adults, ages 18-35. Are you looking to build new friendships and strengthen your faith? Consuming Fire is the ministry for you.
• In this first season of gatherings, we will focus on and learn more about the Holy Spirit and its transforming power in your life.
• Sign up to take the greatest adventure imaginable, a journey to the heart of God. Consuming Fire will meet in person on Tuesday nights from 7-8:30pm, beginning February 16, and every other week for a social activity such as bowling, grabbing beers, or watching a movie.  Contact Matt Kubanda or Mary Rysavy rysavyme@gmail.com to learn more click here or click on this link to sign-up  for Consuming Fire.

Ash Wednesday is on 2/17th

• The season and gift of Lent is upon us starting Ash Wednesday 2/17th.   Holy Mass and Scripture Services sign-up is at this link.  Share the link or this graphic of the schedule with others.
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, the Vatican and our Diocese have modified how ashes are to be distributed this year.  Check out “Thoughts on Ashes Being Placed on the Head” from the Desk of the Vicar General of the Diocese of Joliet at the following link (scroll down past the Ash Wednesday graphic.)
  • You will not receive ashes on your forehead. The minister distributing ashes will come through the pews (as we do for communion) and sprinkle ashes (like a pinch of salt) on top of your head.
  • The customary formula will be said only once, applying it to all in general.
  • Ashes are blessed and distributed after the homily at either Mass or a Scripture Service.

Walking to Jerusalem starts 2/17th

• All parishioners are invited to join a parish-wide health initiative to accumulate physical and spiritual miles from all participants during Lent. It is an opportunity to grow closer to Jesus and improve your health! Join as an individual or a as a family!  It starts Ash Wednesday ending on Holy Saturday, the idea is to accumulate 12, 430 miles as a parish to get to Jerusalem and back to Aurora. You will be given information and guides to assist you on your Lenten journey. Register with Jolene LeRoy RN at jolenel@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org or call 331-707-5380. God bless you on your Lenten journey!

St. Peregrine Prayer Service on 2/24th

• The St. Peregrine Ministry accompanies caregivers and those who live with serious illness, especially cancer, and chronic illness to provide prayer support, resources, education, and sacred space for sharing. Please come to the St. Peregrine Prayer Service led by Deacon Tony Leazzo on Wednesday, 2/24th at 2pm via livestream.
• After the prayer service, join in a conversation via Zoom from 2:30pm to 3pm to learn more about the ministry and form a community of support for one another.  Zoom details will be posted during the livestream.
• For questions or additional information, contact Jolene LeRoy RN Director of Pastoral Care at jolenel@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org or call 331-707-5380.

Living Your Baptism in Lent starts 2/24th

• Join Father Don this Lenten season, as he leads a 6-week reflection and discussion on “Living Your Baptism in Lent.”
• We all know that Lent is a time of prayer and fasting, but did you realize that Lent is also a time to prepare you for the renewal of your baptismal promises on Easter Sunday?
• A booklet will be provided as a prayer resource that seeks to awaken our awareness of God’s unending grace given to us in the sacrament of Baptism.
• There will be personal reflection questions and Scripture passage to consider in your prayer throughout the six weeks of Lent.
• The program will be offered in-person (50 max) and Zoom. Details and registrations are found at this link.

Bulletin

• Don’t forget to check out Father Don’s insightful weekly Bulletin article is located here.

Supporting OLM through the CMAA

• On Sunday, we heard from Father Don.  He is asking us for support today for our Diocesan Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal.  Our Diocese and parishes continue, given all the challenges, to stay open and do all that is possible to bring Christ’s Light of healing ministry to everyone in need.
• Read the following report at this link, on how your gifts to the CMAA 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.
• Our parish’s goal for the 2021 CMAA is $154,400, with 70 percent of any amount we raise over this goal returned to us for our use. If you wish to donate now, please click here.
• For further details, please click here.

For the Hispanic Community

• Please proceed here for the Diocese of Joliet Office of Hispanic & Ethnic Ministry to view upcoming events and wealth of resources.
  Continúe aquí para la Oficina del Ministerio Hispano y Étnico de la Diócesis de Joliet para ver los próximos eventos y la gran cantidad de recursos.

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

Are you a Grandparent?

• Our Lady of Mercy is forming a Grandparents Ministry to create awareness, encourage and support the vocation of Grandparents to pass on their faith within their families and the Church.
• In the words of Pope Francis, “The mission of grandparents is a real and true vocation.” “Grandparents’ words hold something special for the young. This is how faith is transmitted – through the elders who have made their faith the leaven of their life.”
• The ministry consists of Grandparents, which includes Uncles (Gruncles), Aunts (Grauntys), Godparents and others who nurture through love and strong family bonds. All are welcome to this ministry for their key and critical roles in sustaining the family and passing on their faith while keeping prayer at the core.
• The ministry will connect Grandparents on a regular basis to focus on prayer and topics of importance to families, the Church, and the community; offer educational opportunities; offer opportunities to enrich catechetical life and one’s vocation as a Grandparent, and promote ways to serve our parish community through ministry and service.
• If you would like more information about the Grandparents Ministry or would like to join, please contact Deacon Tony and Allyson Martini at tonym@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org or Jolene and Jeff LeRoy at jolenel@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org.

Thank you so much for being mindful about keeping each other safe by observing social distancing, wearing masks, and sanitizing your hands while inside the Church and PLC.  Your cautious way of following the social distancing parameters helps us to stay open and hold the Sacraments.

February 2, 2021 | Weekly Update

Chipotle for a good cause tomorrow, Young Adults, Grandparents, and about Ash Wednesday. . . . all these and more makes for a lively weekly update.

THIS COMING WEEK

Weekend Mass Links and Livestream of the Mass 

• Father Don preached about St. Paul’s message to us in the 2nd reading “I want you to be free from anxieties.”   Listen, watch, or read how Father breaks this open further at the following links.
  • For audio-only link https://bit.ly/2YzAjuZ
    Watch on YouTube link (please don’t forget to hit subscribe) https://youtu.be/VaTc-lBam7E
    Read it here https://bit.ly/3anFoMb
    Comment on Facebook https://bit.ly/36sWYNZ
• Father Don will be speaking again at all the Masses this weekend.  Speaking of which, register ahead of time at this link to register for Holy Mass or sign-in at the door.  It would be great to worship Jesus together with you.  If it is your first time using Flocknote, please don’t forget to look for an email that says “Verify your email address” so you can receive the Confirmation emails and be able to modify or cancel your registration.

Chipotle for dinner for a good cause on Weds 2/3rd

• Make it a Chipotle evening this Weds 2/3rd; come and support young OLM parishioner, Sean Hickey from OLM’s Troop 849 with his Eagle Scout Project. Sean is building a kiosk for kids with Down Syndrome. All proceeds go to GiGi’s Playhouse at Fox Valley!
• Order from Chipotle on 1167 North Eola Road (near Jewel) from 4pm to 8pm.  Show them this flyer and let the cashier know you are supporting the cause to make sure 33% of the proceeds will go to GiGi’s Playhouse Fox Valley.  If ordering online, use code 3EXHFHF.  You may also donate directly to GiGi’s Playhouse at this link.

Alpha “Come & See” https://olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org/alpha/

• This week is the last day of “Come & See” at Alpha.  Be inspired by live music, free food, and fellowship.   It’s not too late to invite your friend or attend Alpha for yourself. Young Adults we have a group just for you! Just as God pursues us, He also invites us to join Him in pursuing others with His love, with His open welcome into being part of His family. In-person is @ 7pm on Thurs 1/28st (following social distancing safety measures).
  Online is @ 7pm on Weds 1/27th (will be on Zoom AND livestreamed on our website, YouTube and Facebook.
  Sign up at this link In-Person Alpha and Virtual Alpha.

1^st Friday and 1^st Saturday Devotions 2/5 & 2/6

• 1^st Friday 2/5
  • Respect Life 1st Friday devotion from 8am to 2pm  https://bit.ly/3fHaPDs
    • We hope you can come out anytime from 8am to 2pm, to pray for the helpless, innocent unborn who can’t speak for themselves.  Pray in front of Planned Parenthood, at the public right of way access.   Connect with Lisa SanDiego for any questions (630) 258-0122 or lisa.sandiego@rushcopley.com.
  • Confessions immediately following the 8am Mass.
• 1^st Saturday 2/6 after the 8:30AM Mass is the First Saturday Devotion
  • This devotion is one of the principal points of the Fatima message. It centers on the urgent need for mankind to offer reparation and atone for the many injuries that the Immaculate Heart of Mary suffers from the hands of those who are irreverent and indifferent.
  • The devotion consists of the following on 5 consecutive first Saturdays
    1. Going to Confession
    2. Receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion
    3. Praying five decades of the Rosary
    4. Meditating for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the Rosary
  • Find out the reasons why the five Saturdays from our Lord Jesus to Sister Lucia as well as additional details here.  We hope you incorporate this powerful devotion into your life.  Please connect with Bonnie Ramirez 630-723-4289 for any questions.

Walking With Purpose (Catholic Women’s Bible Study) 1st study session starts 2/8th

• Calling all women.  It’s not too late to sign up!   The first session of the weekly group meetings is Monday, Feb 8th 6:30pm – 8pm. 
• Details and registration are found at this link or connect with Wendy Jo Burnett at wendyburnett0907@yahoo.com for any questions. 
• If you desire to grow in your Catholic faith, are searching for more in your life, or would like to connect with other women in our parish community.  We invite you to consider joining Walking with Purpose (WWP), a women’s Catholic Bible study on Monday evenings both in-person or online. 
• The study will start out with Opening Your Heart, our foundational study which is designed for a woman new to WWP with or without any Bible study experience; come as you are to learn how the Scriptures apply to our everyday lives.  Scholarships offered for the study guide.

LOOKING AHEAD

Eucharistic Adoration Weekly Sign-Up https://bit.ly/3pHfUzQ

• Did you know we have Eucharistic Adoration at the following times?  Mondays and Thursdays immediately after daily Holy Mass through 6pm, and Wednesdays 9am – 12pm.
• Spend time with Jesus during your lunch hour or take a break from the work Zoom life with Jesus at Eucharistic Adoration.  Sign-up here.

Mobile Food Pantry on Weds 2/10th https://bit.ly/2YDwpkC

• Please spread the word on the Mobile Food Pantry this month. Share the attached link. If you have a Facebook account, share the Facebook post from our page, this is an easy way to help someone you may be unaware that is in need of food.

Consuming Fire starts 2/16h

• Calling all young adults, ages 18-35. Are you looking to build new friendships and strengthen your faith? Consuming Fire is the ministry for you.
• In this first season of gatherings, we will focus on and learn more about the Holy Spirit and its transforming power in your life.
• Sign up to take the greatest adventure imaginable, a journey to the heart of God. Consuming Fire will meet in person on Tuesday nights from 7-8:30pm, beginning February 16, and every other week for a social activity such as bowling, grabbing beers, or watching a movie.  Contact Matt Kubanda or Mary Rysavy rysavyme@gmail.com to learn more or sign up for Consuming Fire check out their webpage.

Ash Wednesday is on 2/17th

• The season and gift of Lent is upon us starting Ash Wednesday 2/17th.   Holy Mass and Scripture Services sign-up is at this link.  Share the link or this graphic of the schedule with others.
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, the Vatican and our Diocese have modified how ashes are to be distributed this year.
  • You will not receive ashes on your forehead. The minister distributing ashes will come through the pews (as we do for communion) and sprinkle ashes (like a pinch of salt) on top of your head.
  • The customary formula will be said only once, applying it to all in general.
  • Ashes are blessed and distributed after the homily at either Mass or a Scripture Service.

Living Your Baptism in Lent starts 2/24th

• Join Father Don this Lenten season, as he leads a 6-week reflection and discussion on “Living Your Baptism in Lent.”
• We all know that Lent is a time of prayer and fasting, but did you realize that Lent is also a time to prepare you for the renewal of your baptismal promises on Easter Sunday?
• A booklet will be provided as a prayer resource that seeks to awaken our awareness of God’s unending grace given to us in the sacrament of Baptism.
• There will be personal reflection questions and Scripture passage to consider in your prayer throughout the six weeks of Lent.
• The program will be offered in-person (50 max) and Zoom. Details and registrations are found at this link.

Bulletin

• Don’t forget to check out Father Don’s insightful weekly Bulletin article is located here.

Supporting OLM | Parish Sacrificial Giving

• We are grateful! OLM is only able to do any of this because of YOU! Your continued prayers and words of encouragement keep us going and your generosity continues to create more opportunities for OLM to keep our family connected and bring people to Jesus, form them as disciples and send them on mission.
• If you are experiencing hardship during this time, please reach out and let us know how we can help, here is a private link.
• If you are not experiencing hardship at this time, please consider supporting our efforts and support our community through your giving, our Give page is accessed here or text an offering amount to (630)647-8105, follow the rest of the instructions.

For the Hispanic Community

• Please proceed here for the Diocese of Joliet Office of Hispanic & Ethnic Ministry to view upcoming events and wealth of resources.
  Continúe aquí para la Oficina del Ministerio Hispano y Étnico de la Diócesis de Joliet para ver los próximos eventos y la gran cantidad de recursos.

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

Are you a Grandparent?

• Our Lady of Mercy is forming a Grandparents Ministry to create awareness, encourage and support the vocation of Grandparents to pass on their faith within their families and the Church.
• In the words of Pope Francis, “The mission of grandparents is a real and true vocation.” “Grandparents’ words hold something special for the young. This is how faith is transmitted – through the elders who have made their faith the leaven of their life.”
• The ministry consists of Grandparents, which includes Uncles (Gruncles), Aunts (Grauntys), Godparents and others who nurture through love and strong family bonds. All are welcome to this ministry for their key and critical roles in sustaining the family and passing on their faith while keeping prayer at the core.
• The ministry will connect Grandparents on a regular basis to focus on prayer and topics of importance to families, the Church, and the community; offer educational opportunities; offer opportunities to enrich catechetical life and one’s vocation as a Grandparent, and promote ways to serve our parish community through ministry and service.
• If you would like more information about the Grandparents Ministry or would like to join, please contact Deacon Tony and Allyson Martini at tonym@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org or Jolene and Jeff LeRoy at jolenel@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org.

Thank you so much for being mindful about keeping each other safe by observing social distancing, wearing masks, and sanitizing your hands while inside the Church and PLC.  Your cautious way of following the social distancing parameters helps us to stay open and hold the Sacraments.

We hear Jesus ask Andrew and John and by extension us, “What are you looking for?” at this Sunday’s Gospel reading.

And they respond with a question as well, wanting to know where Jesus remains.  He then graciously invites them to “Come and see”  and they essentially “stayed” with Him, remaining where He remains.

Being at the Mass is a form of “remaining” with Jesus, staying where He stays.  

Before we start the work of our week and even being like Christ to others, let’s take a page from Andrew and John who stayed with Jesus first.

We hope to see you at the Mass times this weekend or join us at the livestream.

January 15, 2021 | Mass Sign-Up Reminder and Weekly Update

Happy Saturday! We’re back with a look at things coming up for the rest of January.

Oftentimes, New Year’s resolutions remind us of our fallibility. Just two weeks into the new year, we may have already failed at some of our commitments. And though the New Year provides the illusion of a fresh start, we may look at the chaos of the world around us and despair that perhaps nothing has changed. Yet we can take heart in remembering that this world is not the source of our hope. As Psalm 71 says, “For you, O Lord, are my hope…” It is He who gives us eternal hope, and He is making all things new. Let us be renewed together at the source and summit of our faith by the miracle of love at the Holy Mass that is Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. We hope to see you at the Mass times this weekend or at the livestream. We also pray you join us at any of the following.

THIS COMING WEEK

Weekend Mass Links and Livestream of the Mass 

• Father Don will be preaching at all the Masses this weekend.  Come Holy Spirit to Father Don and God’s message for us in and through his homily!
• The “Stream Team” is coming together slowly.  Thank you for your patience as we grow together as a team so as to meet the livestream needs of our parish.  We are currently in the process of fixing the radio broadcast issues and hope to have a permanent solution soon so that the radio transmission is stable.  Please keep the team in your prayers.  Interested in helping, please reach out to zara@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org.
• Register ahead of time at this link to register for Holy Mass or sign-in at the door.  If it is your first time using Flocknote, please don’t forget to look for an email that says “Verify your email address” so you can receive the Confirmation emails and be able to modify or cancel your registration.

Alpha “Come & See” https://olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org/alpha/

• Unsure About Alpha?  Alpha begins with ‘Come & See’ events and if you have not experienced Alpha yet, may we ask of you two things?
  • Attend the Come and See this week.  If you’ve been curious about Alpha, here is an excellent opportunity to check it out!
    In-person is @ 7pm on Thurs 1/21st (following social distancing safety measures).
    Online is @ 7pm on Weds 1/20th (will be on Zoom AND livestreamed on our website, YouTube and Facebook.
• Sign up at this link In-Person Alpha and Virtual Alpha.

Marriage Course on Sundays

• It isn’t too late to join the Marriage Course on Sundays from 7:30pm – 8:45pm | Via Zoom Meeting  1/17, 1/24, 1/31, 2/7, 2/14, 2/21
• Check out the website for details or register here.
• Is your Marriage or Relationship going through a tough time?  Has the pandemic life put a strain on it?   Or has it been a while since your marriage or relationship has gone through a ‘tune-up’?  The Marriage Course can help.  Check out the trailer here.

Monday after the 8am Mass. . .

• the Church and PLC will be closed due to the electric cabling work ComEd will be doing in the parking lot.  This will leave the Church and PLC without power for a good part of the day.
• There will still be the 6:30pm Spanish Mass.  Should anything change, we will send an AppBlast (if you haven’t signed up for our App, you can sign up here).

Mobile Food Pantry on Weds 1/20th

• Please spread the word on the Mobile Food Pantry this month.  Share this link. If you have a Facebook account, share the Facebook post from our page, this is an easy way to help someone you may be unaware that is in need of food.

Respect Life Novena starts Thurs 1/21st

• This coming Friday 1/22, marks the tragic 48th anniversary of the landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States protects a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction. This is why on the very same day, it is a National Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children and so we will have Eucharistic Adoration immediately following the 8am daily Mass through 6pm Benediction, please consider signing up to pray at this link.
• We will be praying a Novena for Life beginning on Thursday 1/21 through Friday 1/29. The novena will be prayed before the weekday and weekend Masses on those dates. You can also find the novena here. We pray you join us, be the prayerful advocate against the violence to the innocent unborn.

LOOKING AHEAD

Magnify on Weds 1/27th 

• Are there Spiritual Challenges you’ve taken up at the onset of the New Year; for example, if I watch 20 minutes of the news, I’ll spend 20 minutes in prayer?  If so, perhaps, spend that prayer time or that spiritual challenge at Magnify, a personal time with just you and Jesus.
• Come and join Father James as he leads us in adoring Jesus, accompanied by Josh Goodman. Father James will be hearing Confessions up until sometime before Benediction after he leads us in a scriptural reflection.
• Bring your family, friends, and neighbors.  Jesus loves the little children so please bring them with you as well (Mark 10:14).  It was wonderful to see a lot of families with children at the last Magnify.
• Sign-in at the door or ahead of time at this link.

Walking With Purpose (Catholic Women’s Bible Study) starts 2/1st

• Calling all women.  Do you desire to grow in your Catholic faith? Would you like to connect with other women in our parish community? Are you searching for something more in your life? We invite you to consider joining Walking with Purpose (WWP), a women’s Catholic Bible study on Monday evenings both in-person or online. 
• Weekly group meetings kick off with an Introductory Session on Feb 1st 6:30pm – 8pm. Bring a friend to check it out.
• The study will start out with Opening Your Heart, our foundational study which is designed for a woman new to WWP with or without any Bible study experience; come as you are to learn how the Scriptures apply to our everyday lives.
• Details and registration are found at this link or connect with Wendy Jo Burnett at wendyburnett0907@yahoo.com for any questions. 

For the Hispanic Community

• Please proceed here for the Diocese of Joliet Office of Hispanic & Ethnic Ministry to view upcoming events and wealth of resources.
  Continúe aquí para la Oficina del Ministerio Hispano y Étnico de la Diócesis de Joliet para ver los próximos eventos y la gran cantidad de recursos.

Bulletin

• Don’t forget to check out Father Don’s insightful weekly Bulletin article is located here.

Supporting OLM | Parish Sacrificial Giving

• OLM is only able to do any of this because of YOU! Your continued prayers and words of encouragement keep us going and your generosity continues to create more opportunities for OLM to keep our family connected and bring people to Jesus, form them as disciples and send them on mission.
• If you are experiencing hardship during this time, please reach out and let us know how we can help, here is a private link.
• If you are not experiencing hardship at this time, please consider supporting our efforts and support our community through your giving, our Give page is accessed here or text an offering amount to (630)647-8105, follow the rest of the instructions.

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

Thank you so much for being mindful about keeping each other safe by observing social distancing, wearing masks, and sanitizing your hands while inside the Church and PLC.  Your cautious way of following the social distancing parameters helps us to stay open and hold the Sacraments.

January 8, 2021 | Mass Sign-Up Reminder and Weekly Update

Happy New Year everyone! Welcome to 2021!   The year has had a crazy start, but we know that Jesus has a plan and is in control. We entrust our nation to the protection of our country’s patroness, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Let us pray a rosary for our country in these coming days.

The Weekly Update is back in the New Year with a lot of information on the handful of upcoming spiritual offerings, we pray to see you at any of them!

THIS COMING WEEK

Weekend Mass Links and Livestream of the Mass 

• Father Bill Etheridge will be preaching at the 4pm, 8am, and 10am weekend Mass times.  And Father Don will be preaching at the 12pm and 5:30pm Mass times.  Come Holy Spirit to the Fathers!
• The Livestream Team is coming together slowly.  Thank you for your patience as we grow together as a team so as to meet the livestream needs of our parish.  Please keep the team in your prayers.  Interested in helping, please reach out to zara@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org.
• A new year and a new way of signing up for the weekend Holy Masses; we are using Flocknote for registrations for the following main reasons.  Please proceed to this link to register.  If it is your first time using Flocknote, please don’t forget to look for an email that says “Verify your email address” so you can receive the Confirmation emails and be able to modify or cancel your registration.
  • One-click sign-ups; there is no need to re-enter your name once you’ve registered for a weekend Holy Mass.  For example, if you registered for Mass this coming weekend, when you register for Mass the following weekend or any other weekend, all you will need to do is select the Mass time and how many people are coming with you to Mass.
  • It shows you the availability of spots in each Mass.
  • You can cancel or modify your registration.
    • For example, if you decide to attend another Mass time, just cancel your existing registration and then sign up for another Mass time.
    • If the number of people coming with you to Mass has changed, you can change the number of your existing registration.

Alpha @ OLM registration https://olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org/alpha/ What is Alpha?  Alpha is the first step in our parish game plan/discipleship pathway.  It’s a series of interactive sessions where guests have the opportunity to explore life and the Christian faith in a friendly and informal environment.
We pray you consider attending this semester’s Alpha if you have not already done so.

• Are you growing weary of the pandemic life, of the isolation?  Are you looking for a place to find an authentic community right now?  Is one of your spiritual challenges for the New Year a spiritual renewal?  Do consider attending Alpha.  It may turn out to be something you didn’t even know you might need during this time.
• Or who will you invite to try Alpha; we all know someone who either does not know Jesus, could benefit from a spiritual renewal in their life, or someone who has fallen away from the Church, invite them to Alpha and even consider attending with them?
• Alpha is both/and.  Meaning it’s to reach people who are seeking God but would never attend a church service.  And it’s also for those who are looking for a deeper encounter with Jesus.
• Register now, we would love the opportunity to welcome you with love, both virtually online or in a safe socially distant manner at the in-person Alpha.
• Sign up at this link In-Person Alpha and Virtual Alpha starting January 20th & 21st.

Marriage Course starts Sun 1/10th

• Is your Marriage or Relationship going through a tough time?  Has the pandemic life put a strain on it?   Or has it been a while since your marriage or relationship has gone through a ‘tune-up’?
  The Marriage Course can help.  Check out the trailer here.  Check out the website for details or register here.
• Sundays starting January 10, 2021  from 7:30pm – 8:45pm | Via Zoom Meeting.  1/10, 1/17, 1/24, 1/31, 2/7, 2/14, 2/21
• The Marriage Course is a series of seven sessions, designed to help couples invest in their relationship and build a strong marriage. The course helps couples to
  • Communicate more effectively
  • Understand each other’s needs
  • Resolve conflict
  • Recognize how upbringing affects your relationship
  • Develop greater sexual intimacy

Come Alive Informational Meetings on Thurs 1/14th and Sat 1/16th

• Come Alive! ® Begin 2021 with a renewed spirit of love, hope, and well-being! Come Alive!® is an 8-session online program that helps us connect our spirits, bodies, minds, and emotional well-being. Adults ages 18 and older are invited on a Christ-led small group journey to a more abundant, joy-filled spiritual and physical life! You’ll discover spiritual practices to strengthen your relationship with God while learning about nutrition, physical activity, and healthy habits.
• Experience how a Come Alive! session is led over Zoom at one of the two Introductory Experience meetings: Thursday evening, January 14 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. CST OR
  Saturday morning, January 16 – 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. CST
  (Each meeting will have the same content)
  The Zoom meeting link will be provided when you register to attend by contacting Jolene LeRoy RN Faith Community Nurse and Director of Pastoral Care at  jolenel@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org to register or with questions.
• The planned dates for the sessions are 7pm – 8:30pm on Tuesday evenings on 1/26, 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23, 3/2, 3/9, 3/16.  View more information at www.LivingAbundantlyMinistries.org

Eucharistic Procession for Life 1/16th

• Take part in a March for Life Eucharistic Procession with Bishop Hicks on Saturday 1/16th from 1pm to 4pm that will process from Benet Academy to Saints Peter and Paul through Lisle & Naperville.
• Starts at Benet Academy Football Field, 2200 Maple Ave, Lisle, IL 60532, where we will hear two testimonies from Pro-Life speakers followed by a Eucharistic Procession through downtown Naperville.
• Parking is available at both Saints Peter and Paul Parish or at Benet Academy. Shuttle buses available for those in need of transportation returning to Benet following the procession. Reserve shuttle spots at this link.
• Dress appropriately for this outdoor procession, COVID protocol will be in place.  Invite others. Be the silent advocate for the innocent unborn and their parents by sharing this with everyone you know or coming out to pray for there is so much power in prayer.  For any questions, connect with Jackie at Benet Academy for questions jbedore@benet.org

LOOKING AHEAD

Mobile Food Pantry on Weds 1/20th

• Please spread the word on the Mobile Food Pantry this month.  Share this link. If you have a Facebook account, share the Facebook post from our page, this is an easy way to help someone you may be unaware that is in need of food.

Magnify on Weds 1/27th 

• Are there Spiritual Challenges you’ve taken up at the onset of the New Year; for example, if I watch 20 minutes of the news, I’ll spend 20 minutes in prayer?  If so, perhaps, spend that prayer time or that spiritual challenge at Magnify, a personal time with just you and Jesus.
• Come and join Father James as he leads us in adoring Jesus, accompanied by Josh Goodman. Father James will be hearing Confessions up until sometime before Benediction after he leads us in a scriptural reflection.
• Bring your family, friends, and neighbors.  Jesus loves the little children so please bring them with you as well (Mark 10:14).  It was wonderful to see a lot of families with children at the last Magnify.
• Sign-in at the door or ahead of time at this link.

Walking With Purpose (Catholic Women’s Bible Study) starts 2/1st

• Calling all women.  Do you desire to grow in your Catholic faith? Would you like to connect with other women in our parish community? Are you searching for something more in your life? We invite you to consider joining Walking with Purpose (WWP), a women’s Catholic Bible study on Tuesday evenings both in-person or online. 
• Weekly group meetings kick off with an Introductory Session on Feb 1st 6:30pm – 8pm. Bring a friend to check it out.
• The study will start out with Opening Your Heart, our foundational study which is designed for a woman new to WWP with or without any Bible study experience; come as you are to learn how the Scriptures apply to our everyday lives.
• Details and registration are found at this link or connect with Wendy Jo Burnett at wendyburnett0907@yahoo.com for any questions. 

Bulletin

• Don’t forget to check out Father Don’s insightful weekly Bulletin article is located here.

Supporting OLM | Parish Sacrificial Giving

• OLM is only able to do any of this because of YOU! Your continued prayers and words of encouragement keep us going and your generosity continues to create more opportunities for OLM to keep our family connected and bring people to Jesus, form them as disciples and send them on mission.
• If you are experiencing hardship during this time, please reach out and let us know how we can help, here is a private link.
• If you are not experiencing hardship at this time, please consider supporting our efforts and support our community through your giving, our Give page is accessed here or text an offering amount to (630)647-8105, follow the rest of the instructions.

Archbishop Gomez’s Statement 

• Please proceed here to view or share the statement from Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), in response to the violence in the United States Capitol.  You can also read it below.
  “I join people of goodwill in condemning the violence today at the United States Capitol. This is not who we are as Americans. I am praying for members of Congress and Capitol staff and for the police and all those working to restore order and public safety.“The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of this great nation. In this troubling moment, we must recommit ourselves to the values and principles of our democracy and come together as one nation under God. I entrust all of us to the heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. May she guide us in the ways of peace, and obtain for us wisdom and the grace of a true patriotism and love of country.”  

Calling All Seniors

• Qualified senior citizens, aged 65 years and older are invited to apply for the Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral Program.  The program allows participants to defer property tax payment until the property is sold.  The deferral is treated as a loan and accrues 6 percent simple interest until paid.  To qualify, the applicant’s household income cannot exceed $55,000.  Additionally, the property must be used exclusively for residential purposes.
• The application period closes March 1, 2021.  For more information, contact the DuPage County Treasurer’s Office at 630-407-5900 or www.dupageco.org/treasurer Gwen Henry, Treasurer.

Thank you so much for being mindful about keeping each other safe by observing social distancing, wearing masks, and sanitizing your hands while inside the Church and PLC.  Your cautious way of following the social distancing parameters helps us to stay open and hold the Sacraments.

December 18, 2020 | Mass Sign-Up Reminder and Weekly Update

It is the Sunday before Christmas! In a year that’s been like no other, an invitation can make a difference so whether in-person or online; who will you invite to Christmas Holy Mass, sweet Scarlet would like to know, watch what she says here.

THIS COMING WEEK

Weekend Mass Links and Livestream of the Mass 

• Father Don will be preaching this weekend, please sign-in ahead of time online at this link https://bit.ly/3he0WxJ so we can adequately prepare for all who are attending Mass.  (The sign-in is live by Tuesday of each week).
• The Livestream of the 10AM Mass is courtesy of the Frey Family—With thanksgiving to the Holy Spirit and for Father Don who welcomes all!  He is a good shepherd!
• During the 10AM Mass, for those that are feeling uncomfortable about being inside the Church but would like to receive Holy Communion, you can watch the Mass while in your car in the Parking Lot, and then when it is time to receive Holy Communion, the parking attendants will guide you as to how to receive Jesus in the Eucharist.
• In addition to Facebook, we live stream on YouTube as well!  Please consider subscribing to your OLM YouTube Channel here; subscribing helps the livestream efforts out.
• We have a livestream ministry.  It is fun, easy, and fulfilling to take part in.  We are seeking creative individuals who are interested in joining our “Stream Team” to help continue to bring the Masses at Our Lady of Mercy online.  If you are interested or know someone who would enjoy volunteering in this role, please connect with zara@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org

Christmas Holy Mass In-Person or Online https://youtu.be/_UYb2DKclyA 

• If you have not signed up yet, please do so soon.  Register here.
• We have a lot of people coming to Holy Mass to receive Jesus the Bread of Life who in a big way is more essential than the bread we eat for our bodies. We believe it is safe to come to Mass for those who discern they are ready to come. If you’re able to come to Christmas Mass, we’ll see you soon. If you discern you’re not able to come to Mass because of health precautions, that is perfectly ok and there is nothing wrong with this. (Don’t let anyone shame you for this either.) Just please know that you are not forgotten and that we’re praying that this pandemic will end soon so that we can be together again in the Eucharist which not only makes us one in Christ but is the perfect expression of that unity in Him as a parish family.  We pray you join us online and extend the invitation out to others; you can find shareable invitations here.

Remaining Confession Times Before Christmas 

• Sunday 12/20th 4:30pm to 5:30pm
• Monday 12/21st 7pm to 8pm
• Tuesday 12/22nd 7pm until all are heard

Blue Christmas | A Virtual Service of Healing and Hope 

• Feeling blue due to the loss of a loved one, divorce, job loss or challenges of the pandemic? You are invited to a virtual gathering of reflection & support on Monday, December 21st from 7PM 8PM via ZOOM. Please email Jolene LeRoy RN at jolenel@olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org to register.

Our Lady of Mercy’s Hispanic Ministry | Las Posadas

• Join OLM’s Hispanic Ministry to pray the posadas via Zoom @ 8pm.  Join by using the Meeting ID 860 2433 3666 and Password POSADAS.  For more information, contact Veronica Manzanares (630) 210-6143.

LOOKING AHEAD

Christmas Flower Offerings

• This Christmas we will decorate the church with poinsettias around the altar. If you wish to make a gift towards the flowers please go to Give page and log into the secure Online Giving site and choose “Flowers:”. If you wish to memorialize your loved ones you can add their names in the Comments section. The recommended donation is $10.00. Thank you for your generosity and for helping to make our church beautiful during the holiday season.

Alpha @ OLM registration https://olmercy.old.diocesanweb.org/alpha/

• Prepare those invitations to both In-Person Alpha and Virtual Alpha in January.  
• Are you growing weary of the pandemic life, of the isolation?  Do you have questions?  Are you looking for a place to find an authentic community right now?
• Attend with a friend.  Who will you invite to try Alpha?

Fair Trade Sale Online sponsored by the Peace & Justice Ministry

• Fair-trade is a way of helping farmers and artisans in developing countries by offering them a minimum price for their produce or products and thus insuring them a decent wage.
• Gifts to buy? Homes to spruce?  100% of your purchase will support SERRV International, a nonprofit that employs global artisans living in poverty.  We hope you support this Our Lady of Mercy Serrv and Earn fundraiser today https://www.serrv.org/?a=JusticeandPeaceFTSale
• Please be sure to use the link and check the orange banner at the top of the home page before shopping, to be sure our parish sale is identified.  Thank you!  Any questions call Chris Harvey 631-561-9722 or Jean Rehmer 630-851-3444 x232

It’s a New Puppy Christmas!  See the following from Father Don.

• Two parishioners have already sent me pictures of new puppies they are getting for Christmas.  I’m so excited that I decided to have a blessing for new four-legged members of your family!  So, if a new puppy or kitten appeared under your tree as a Christmas gift, or you adopted a shelter dog or cat for Christmas, you are invited to have your new family member blessed.  I will be blessing those cute little creatures of God on the Feast of the Holy Family, Sunday, December 27 between 1:30 to 2:30pm in the center circle drive at entrance A.  And I’m checking with Santa to see if he is not too tired and can be there to take a picture with your new family member.  This blessing is for dog/cats that are Christmas gifts.  Our annual blessing of all pets takes place in October.

Bulletin

• Don’t forget to check out Father Don’s insightful weekly Bulletin article is located here.

Supporting OLM | Parish Sacrificial Giving

• OLM is only able to do any of this because of YOU! Your continued prayers and words of encouragement keep us going and your generosity continues to create more opportunities for OLM to keep our family connected and bring people to Jesus, form them as disciples and send them on mission.
• If you are experiencing hardship during this time, please reach out and let us know how we can help, here is a private link.
• If you are not experiencing hardship at this time, please consider supporting our efforts and support our community through your giving, our Give page is accessed here or text an offering amount to (630)647-8105, follow the rest of the instructions.
• Do you shop on Amazon?  If so, you can help OLM just by shopping for yourself!  Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of eligible AmazonSmile purchases to charitable organizations. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know and love-same products, same prices, same service. There is no change to your user ID, password, wish lists, registries, or Amazon Prime benefits.  Here is how
  • Every time you shop on Amazon, please type the following web link in your browser from your computer or mobile device: smile.amazon.com then select Our Lady of Mercy Parish, in Aurora, IL as your charitable organization of choice.
  • Please update your bookmark or favorites to use this link every time for every purchase.
  • Only purchases made through smile.amazon.com credit our account, not the main website or the app.

Angel Giving Program 2020

• • Our Angel Tree Giving Program Is Going Virtual!  Due to the pandemic, and in order to minimize contact, this year we have decided that there will not be tree tags available in the Narthex, but rather, all donations for our Angel Giving Program can be made online or by mail!
  • Who Will Benefit From Your Donation? Our Angel Giving Program will benefit Mutual Ground and Breaking Free clients and their families, Our Lady of Mercy parishioners who receive support from St. Vincent de Paul, and the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry.
  • Ways To Donate! Donations for the Angel Giving Program can be donated in one of the following ways:
    1) We encourage you to donate via our Online Giving portal under the “Angel Giving Program” fund. If you already have an Online Giving account set-up, then you can log into your account to make your donation HERE.
    2) You may also write a check made out to Our Lady of Mercy Church with “Angel Giving” in the memo line and mail it to 701 S Eola Road, Aurora, IL 60504 OR after Masses you may place your check in a bin in the Narthex that is labeled “Angel Giving Program.”
    It is important to remember to write “Angel Giving” in the memo of your check so that it goes to the correct fund and can be documented correctly for tax statement purposes.
  • All donations can be made thru December 31, 2020.
  • Thank you for your prayerful consideration to give to those in need who will benefit from your donations!

Thank you for being mindful about keeping each other safe by observing social distancing, wearing masks, and sanitizing your hands while inside the Church and PLC.  Your cautious way of following the social distancing parameters helps us to stay open and hold the Sacraments.