March 20 – Third Week of Lent

It’s that time of Lent again!  The Scrutinies!  What are they? The scrutinies are part of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). At the beginning of Lent, catechumens are elected by the bishop for the Easter sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist. These Elect, as they are now called, begin their final period of “purification and enlightenment” before Easter. On the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent we celebrate these special rites for them.  At OLM, we will celebrate the Scrutinies with our elect at the 10:00am Mass on March 20, March 27, and April 3.

The scrutinies are meant to help the Elect in two ways:
First, the Elect are reminded that they are sinners (as we all are) — but that is not a cause for despair or discouragement. The reality that we celebrate at the Triduum is that we have salvation in Christ. By knowing the truth about ourselves we come to know our need for God — and thirst more and more for life-giving waters. Second, the scrutinies are meant to help heal what is sinful and strengthen what is good in the Elect. Part of the scrutinies is a prayer for freedom and protection from the effects of sin and from any influence of the devil — what we call a “minor exorcism.” That may sound a little scary or conjure up some bad Hollywood images, but no one is saying that the Elect are possessed! Rather, for the Elect, this final season of preparation can be a time of fatigue and temptation. They need our prayers. The scrutinies, then, are a way for us — the Church — to help support the Elect on this final leg of their journey to the font and table.

The readings from Cycle A of the Lectionary are used when the scrutinies are celebrated because the Gospel selections for those days have been traditionally associated with baptism: the Samaritan woman at the well, the healing of the man born blind, and the raising of Lazarus. By recounting these stories, we not only help the Elect understand where they are going — we remind ourselves of where we’ve come from. We are reminded that in baptism we are given to drink of life-giving waters, we are given new eyes of faith, and we are given new life. We are reminded that Christ is the living water, the light of the world, the resurrection and the life. The special Mass prayers used on these days reinforce those powerful images.

As we observe these Sundays of Lent, let us keep our Elect — and our candidates (those to be received in the Church during the Easter Season) — in prayer. Let us remember, too, the truth of the scrutinies: We are all sinners in need of healing and forgiveness; we all need the salvation offered by Christ Jesus.

Have a Blessed Lent!

Father Don

March 13 – Second Sunday of Lent

What if……The Transfiguration in today’s Gospel was not really about a dramatic, dazzling change in Jesus, but was instead about the radical change that took place in the apostles – that they could see Jesus differently?  What if today’s Gospel is really about transfigurations that take place in the lives of people around us, the kinds of changes that make us ask ourselves – Why haven’t I made that change, too?  What if….this story of transfiguration is really about you and me – and about moments in our lives when God opens our eyes to see the divine within and around us?

Perhaps what today’s Gospel is trying to get us to see is that the Transfiguration of Jesus isn’t a spectacular special-effects incident that took place a long time ago.  It’s instead a sweet glimpse of heaven that can come to any of us right now –if we are able to see it.  It can happen to a mother when she first views the baby she gave birth to.  It can happen to a person reading scripture when suddenly their eyes open wide at words that speak to a deep place within them.  It can happen to a person listening to a great symphony or enjoying a walk on a brilliant autumn day or watching the delight of children on a Christmas morning or standing in awe before a masterful piece of art. Transfiguration moments are experience of enchantment that open our everyday mind to the heaven that is already present, if we can see it.

Scripture describes these moments continually.  The Acts of the Apostles tells us transfiguration in the awareness that “we live and move and have our being in God.”  It is the gift of wisdom that Moses received when he went up on a mountain, just like the apostles in today’s story, and realized he was “standing on holy ground.”  What Moses also grasped was that the famous “burning bush” he saw was not an earthen plant on fire, but the gift of vision in his eyes.  Like the apostles in today’s Gospel, he could see differently.  To quote Thomas Merton, “Life is this simple: we are living in a world that is transparent and the divine is shining through it all the time.”  If we could see it.

Unfortunately, like the apostles in today’s Gospel, we are often asleep.  Consequently, we tend to miss the clues, the hints, the suggestions of something being afoot that is beyond our everyday recognition, something that is way more than what meets the eye.

This is what Lent is really all about – it’s a time to sharpen our inner eyes so that we can better see the “holy ground” in our lives.  It’s a time to ask: What if?  What if I can truly be transfigured?

Have a blessed Lent!

Father Don

 

March 6 – First Sunday of Lent

Bishop Ronald Hicks in consultation with the Priest Personnel Board has appointed Fr. Michael Kearney to succeed Fr. Don McLaughlin as Pastor of Our Lady of Mercy in Aurora effective July 1, 2022.

Fr. Michael writes: “I grew up in Naperville, just down the road, since I was four years old.  I went to Naperville Central for high school and I can remember coming to play against Waubonsie High School in volleyball.  I went to the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and received my General Engineering degree concentrated in Control Theory Robotics with the hope to go in consulting work after college.  God, clearly had a different plan. 

It was in college my love for my Catholic faith grew exponentially and I wanted to share my faith with others.  After college I was blessed to do 7 years of college ministry and missionary work with FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students).  I worked at Washington University in St. Louis, Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, University of Kansas City in Missouri, and University of Colorado in Boulder! 

After hearing the Lord call me to the priesthood through prayer and ministry, I knew the Lord was calling me to serve in the Diocese of Joliet where I grew up!  I was ordained a Priest in May of 2016 and was assigned at Visitation Parish in Elmhurst.  And after 3 years, I was blessed to be assigned to serve in seminary formation helping young men discern their own vocational calling toward priesthood at St. John Vianney Minor Seminary in St. Paul Minnesota.  I currently serve as Formation Advisor and Spiritual Director for men in college seminary,  including men from our own diocese.   

 I’m truly excited to be named by Bishop Ronald Hicks to be your next pastor at Our Lady of Mercy.  I know I have many things to learn, but excited to be back in the Diocese and be back in parish life!  I joke with my brother priests; I’m being called up from the Minors (as I worked at a minor seminary).  Please know of my prayers and I look forward to meeting you in July!”

 Father Michael Kearney

 

While I don’t know Fr. Michael personally – he is one of our more recently ordained – Fr. James knows him well and assures me that Fr. Michael will make a great pastor for OLM.  I ask your prayers for Fr. Michael as OLM will be his first pastorate.  I also ask you to give him, as you have given me, your warm enthusiastic welcome and support!

Father Don

 

 

February 27 – Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

This is Commitment Weekend for the Joliet Diocesan Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal.  Started in 1985, the CMAA is the way for you to support your local Diocesan church.  We support the global church yearly through the annual Peter’s Pence collection and various other collections.  We support the national church through periodic annual collections such as the Home Missions collection.  We support Our Lady of Mercy through the Sunday Stewardship Collection.  It is important to support our Diocesan Church that provides many ministries and services to our local parishes.

Our Lady of Mercy is one of 125 parishes in the Diocese of Joliet.  The Diocese of Joliet is comprised of seven counties – DuPage, Will, Kendall, Kankakee, Ford, Iroquois, and Grundy.  There are over 545,000 Catholics in the Diocese of Joliet.  Add to that number the many families who are registered, active and supporting Our Lady of Mercy and actually reside in the Kane County portion of Aurora, which is the Diocese of Rockford.

Today we heard a record homily from Bishop Hicks calling us to do the works of the Lord, the theme for this year’s CMAA.  If you haven’t already, I encourage you to make a gift to the Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal.  Your gift can be made in one payment, or a series of monthly payments.  And remember, it’s not the size of the gift that counts, it’s your participation that counts because YOU are a member of the Church of Joliet.  I thank you in advance for joining me in making a gift to the 2022 Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal!

I want to give a shout out to Fr. James for his fantastic 3 weekend preaching series (January 29/30, February 5/6, February 12/13) that combined the mission statement of Our Lady of Mercy (To offer everyone a life-changing encounter with Jesus, grow disciples, and send them on mission) and the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love.  The amount of prayer, effort and time he spent developing those three homilies was quite evident.  He did a fantastic job.  If you didn’t hear the series or missed one or two, I encourage you to go on our website and listen

Father Don

February 20 – Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today in parishes throughout the Diocese of Joliet the Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal (CMAA) is announced.  The theme of this year’s appeal is “Devoted to the works of the Lord.” This appeal funds the many ministries coordinated by the Diocese of Joliet that serve 545,000 Catholics through all our parishes in the seven county Diocese of Joliet as well as the administrative offices that are necessary to operate as a Diocese.  The works of the Lord enabled by your support of the CMAA include the many services available to those in need through Catholic Charities – like the mobile food pantry that we host monthly at OLM as well as other sites throughout the Diocese.  Over 19,000 nights of shelter and housing are provide to the homeless.  The Appeal helps fund Young Adult and Youth Ministry programs that serve approximately 25,500 of our youth and young adults.  The Diocesan Religious Education office provides oversight, guidance, support, training and services for our Directors of family evangelization and catechesis, Mary Jo and Dave. Funds from the CMAA also provide the funding to educate the future priests who will serve our parishes.  Right now, there are 26 seminarians being educated for priestly service in our diocese.  The CMAA also provide funding for our Diocesan Catholic Schools Office, which provides oversight, assistance and direction to the 51 elementary/high schools educating over 16,000 students in our Diocese.  Most importantly, by supporting the annual CMAA, you support the local Church.  We are all members of our parish and the Universal Church, which we support financially.  The Diocese of Joliet is our Local Church, which also needs your financial support.

Once again this year, I ask your support for the CMAA.  Our parish goal this year is $152,000.    Every year that I have been pastor of OLM, we have not only met our parish goal, but surpassed it and have received a rebate check from the Diocese.  Our rebate for last year’s appeal was $12,500.  This is my last time as a pastor to make an appeal for you to support the annual CMAA of the Diocese.  Wouldn’t it be nice to go over the goal again and provide the new pastor with some extra funds for ministry at OLM!

May I also ask for your prayerful support as I navigate my new cancer diagnosis.  As I shared with you last weekend at Mass, the kidney cancer I had six years ago, has returned and spread to my lungs.

Have a blessed week!

Father Don