January 22, 2022 | Weekly Update

January 22, 2022 | Weekly Update

“Understanding the Bible”

This weekend is the Sunday of the Word of God; according to Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter, it “is to be devoted to the celebration, study, and dissemination of the Word of God.”  So let’s ponder briefly about the Bible as we prepare our hearts for Holy Mass this weekend.

In the 4th century, the Church assembled the “Canon of Scripture,” through much open and honest examination of the authenticity of many existing texts, ultimately selecting 46 books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New.

Catholics believe that while the books of the Bible were written by humans over many centuries, it contains the inspired word of God. And the Holy Spirit inspired the creation of the Canon as well.

Uncover the strong, biblical focus of the Catholic Church in the short video on the Flocknote email with Word on Fire Institute Fellow Matt Nelson.

We hope to see you at the weekend Mass times where Father Don is preaching.  Or stop by and visit Jesus at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel or at daily Mass during the week.

“One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”


LOOKING AHEAD

Understanding Your Grief 1/31 and onwards
  • If you are grieving the loss of a loved one and would like companionship, prayerful support, and caring presence during this time, consider attending the in-person grief support sessions that will be guided by “Understanding Your Grief Exploring the Ten Essential Touchstones” by Alan Wolfelt, PH.D.
  • If you would like to attend sessions during the day, sessions will be on Mondays from 1pm to 2:30pm in the Ministry Room on January 31; February 7, 14, 21, 28; March 7, 14, 21 28 and April 4, 11, 18.  If you would like to attend sessions in the evening, sessions will be on Mondays from 6:30pm to 8:00pm in the Ministry Room on January 31; February 7, 14, 21, 28; March 7, 14, 21, 28 and April 4, 11, 18.
Come Alive starts 2/2
  • Come Alive is back, it is a Christ led small group program that makes the connection between our spiritual and physical well-being. In our time together, we will discover spiritual practices to strengthen our relationship with God and gain new joy-filled perspectives as we weave healthy activities into the rhythm of our day. The focus is on HOW to change behaviors in the rhythm of our life for the long-term, to encourage each other, and to give grace when we stumble. The group meets for 90 minutes in eight sessions. The meetings are scheduled on Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:30pm in Room 218 on February 2, 9, 16, and 23 and March 9, 16, 23, and 30.
  • The guidebook for the program is $15 (scholarships are available) that contains recipes, spiritual practices, scripture, and nutrition information. If you have questions or would like to register please contact Jolene LeRoy RN Parish Nurse and Director of Pastoral Care at 331-707-5380 or at jolenel@olmercy.com.
Be a Part of the Synodal Church 2/5, 2/7, 2/8
  • In October 2021, Pope Francis has called the Church – you, me, Bishop Hicks, in other words, all the baptized into Synod, with the theme “For a Synodal Church –Communion/Participation/Mission” into a global “listening tour.” He also invites the world – believers, non-believers, the marginalized, the poor, the disenfranchised – to participate and talk about how the Church is living out its communion, participation, and mission. The aim of the Synod is to discern how we are “living the faith” and how, we as a Church, are achieving this together.
  • We look forward to your participation; come and help build up the body of Christ by taking part in one of the following 4 ways.
    1. Fill out this online questionnaire by Jan 30 or
    2. Fill out a paper questionnaire (these forms will be available through March 3).
    3. Participate in one of the following in-person listening sessions. Please register ahead of time at this link https://bit.ly/RegisterforListeningSession
    Saturday, February 5th from 1:30pm to 3:30pm or
    Monday, February 7th from 9:00am to 11:00am or
    Tuesday, February 8th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm (this Tuesday listening session has an online Zoom counterpart for those that can’t take part in person)
    4. Please don’t forget to invite others, a neighbor, a friend, a co-worker, someone you know who is from a different faith.
    ____
    To access any of the synod information and videos such as Father Don’s homily and a conversation with him on the listening process, go to https://olmercy.com/synod/
CRHP Christ Renews His Parish Men’s and Women’s Weekends 2/19 – 2/20 & 2/26 – 2/27
  • The weekends are just around the corner, come and be uplifted and strengthened at the Renewal Weekends: Men’s Renewal Weekend is on 2/19 thru 2/20. Women’s Renewal Weekend is on 2/26 thru 2/27,
  • Proceed to this link for details and sign-up.  We pray you sign-up soon.  COVID safety notes: we follow the Diocesan Covid guidelines.
  • Connect with Kevin Nemetz @ 630.301.2312 Kevin@tix4cause.com, Brian Cancio @ 847.571.6358 or Lauren Baier @ 630.267.6868 crhpolm@gmail.com for any questiions.
Open HEARTS Ministry 2/21
  • Open HEARTS Ministry is the mental and emotional health and wellness ministry of the parish. If you are a mental health professional or are a champion for mental health and wellness, please consider joining the ministry. If you or someone you know is experiencing mental and emotional health concerns, there is support and resources available at Our Lady of Mercy and in the community. The next scheduled in-person gathering for the Open HEARTS Ministry is Monday, February 21 from 7pm to 8:30pm in Room 218.
Invitation to Seniors to Defer Property Taxes apply by 3/1
  • 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 on March 1, 2022. For more information, contact the DuPage County Treasurer’s Office at 630-407-5900 or www.dupageco.org/treasurer. Gwen Henry, Treasurer.
Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) Grants apply by 3/1
  • The Diocese of Joliet is accepting applications for 2022-2023 for Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) grant. Please mail in your application by 3/1st.
  • Qualifications and details of the application process can be found at this link.
  • The Campaign for Human Development is the domestic anti-poverty, social justice program of the U.S. Catholic Bishops. Its mission is to address the root causes of poverty in America through the promotion and support of community-controlled, self-help organizations and through transformative education. The grants and education for justice program of the Campaign, implemented in collaboration with local dioceses, is supported by the annual collection received each November.
Alpha in-person new start date 3/3
  • Who will you bring with you to in-person Alpha on 3/3rd?  Experience the Alpha culture if you have not had a chance already.  Alpha isn’t just a program. It’s a tool for evangelization. We all know people who are far away from the Lord, who may be asking questions about whether or not God even exists.
  • Online Alpha has started and is still welcoming participants, join the online adventure with 30 other participants!
  • Details and registration are found at this link.
Salt and Light Grow Group 3/9
  • Be loved & be fed; come and experience family, hospitality, and intentional community at Salt and Light Grow Group.
  • We weren’t meant to do life alone. “Encounter/Grow/Witness” is the threefold dimension of the Christian life.  Once we encounter Jesus, we are then called to grow daily as His disciples.
    Grow Groups are one way Our Lady of Mercy (OLM) is responding to our missionary identity where we are called to help parishioners grow continually in discipleship.
    To follow Jesus is to commit to lifelong learning and growth. Like Jesus’ disciples, our walk with the Lord today is not one lived in isolation but rather one immersed in community and enriched by authentic friendship with others. At OLM and in the company of friends, Grow Groups provide a place of deep transformation where people can be known, loved, and cared for as they strive to deepen their friendship with Jesus and one another.
  • For more information, connect with Bob Maxwell our Salt and Light Grow Group Leader at bmaxwell@deltadentalil.com
  • Details and registration are found at this link.
Bishop Hicks’ Monthly Column
  • For January is now posted, it’s entitled “A New Year’s resolution: Re-educating ourselves on the Eucharist” read it here.
Children’s Liturgy of the Word CLOW Volunteers
  • Every Sunday at the 10am Mass is the beautiful ministry of the Children’s Liturgy of the Word.  Do you love children and caring for them while they listen to the Gospel?  Please connect with Mary Jo Trapani maryjot@olmercy.com or Jean Palasz jeanp@olmercy.com to volunteer.
St. Vincent de Paul Society Volunteers
  • Thank you for your support of our clothing drive. Your clothing donation, as well as your financial donations throughout the year, allows us to help our parishioners and neighbors in need. In 2020 over 120 people/families were provided assistance.
  • The ministry is always looking for volunteers to join our St. Vincent de Paul Society in assisting our neighbors in need. If you would like to volunteer or learn more, send an email at olmsvdp@gmail.com with your name and contact information.
Bulletin

  • Father Don speaks about his upcoming retirement!  Read all about it in his insightful weekly Bulletin article located here. 

Check out the January AMA with Father James
  • Checking-in, A Near-Death Experience, Is cohabitation sinful? – these are just some of the items we covered at the January AMA with Father James.
  • If you click on the YouTube description, it itemizes all the questions and talking points with the time stamp so you can jump ahead if you wish.
  • We will be hosting Father Don at a future AMA, do you have a question for him or both of them? Submit your question here!

Don’t Get Scammed by Fake Fathers!
  • Did you get an email or a text message from (a fake) Father Don this past week? Please remember, Father Don and Father James DO NOT send texts or emails asking for money or gift cards.  If you receive a message appearing to be from Father Don or Father James, please discard it and DO NOT SEND ANY ELECTRONIC MONETARY AID.
For the Hispanic Community
  • Please proceed herefor the OLM Hispanic Ministry’s upcoming events and resources.
    Continúe aquí para conocer los próximos eventos y recursos del Ministerio Hispano de OLM.
  • There will be Stations of the Cross in Spanish every 2nd Wednesday of the month after the 12pm Mass.
    A partir de la próxima semana, habrá Estaciones de la Cruz en español cada segundo miércoles del mes después de la misa de las 12 pm.
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
  • Prayer Ministry takes place monthly at MAGNIFY and at the last weekend of the month Mass times.  Come forward after Mass by yourself, or with your family, friends, spouse, or in the place of someone you know who needs prayer. Prayer ministry is for all those in need of prayer, be it for spiritual, physical, or emotional need or thankful praise.
Have you downloaded our myParish App yet?
  • If you haven’t done so, we encourage you to download the Our Lady of Mercy app available to download for iPhone and Android smartphones.  Or text APP to 88202 to download.
    • Stay connected with our parish throughout the week with instant notifications, an easy-to-access event calendar, and the ability to quickly reply to or share messages via Facebook or Twitter. Also enjoy a bunch of additional features like prayers, daily readings, helpful reminders to silence your phone before Mass or Confession, and much more.


HALLOW – A CATHOLIC PRAYER & MEDITATION APP

Hallow is a Catholic prayer & meditation app that helps users deepen their relationship with God through contemplative prayer and strengthen one’s mental health in the process. Easy-to-use, audio-guided sessions anywhere from 1 to 60 minutes long. Pray your own way with a personalized prayer plan pulling from 3,000+ unique sessions including the Lectio Divina on the Daily Gospel, Rosary, Examen, Night Prayer, Calm & Humility “Praylists” and much more. Hallow Light is free. Hallow Plus is $5 per month ($60 per year). Sign up for either one here.