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

 

February 13 – Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

With retirement 136 days away, I have to start thinking about moving – again!  This will be the 8^th move in forty one years!  I am often frustrated by the amount of possessions I have accumulated over the years.  It is not only the things I have collected over the forty years of my priesthood, but also the things I brought with me each move.  When going through boxes, I find things that were once important and now have no meaning, or at least I have forgotten the meaning.  I must wonder why it was so special and why I felt the need to save it.  Once I have determined that I no longer want or need the object, I struggle with what to do next.  Were there times when those possessions came between me and God.  Now, over the years, I have received many religious nick-knacks as gifts from well-intentioned parishioners.  However, with a collection of 40 years I could easily open a religious good store! Of course, these religious items have enhanced my devotional and prayer life.  Psychologist Carl Jung said, “What is a normal goal to a young person becomes a neurotic hindrance in old age.”

In Luke’s gospel of the “beatitudes” today, we are reminded of our moral obligation to care for the marginalized.  We are taught that sin is when we make choices that separate us from God.  Hoarding wealth and ignoring the needs of those less fortunate also separates us from God.  Jesus makes it quite clear that it may keep us out of the kingdom.  He calls out the rich and preaches that they have received their kingdom on earth.  In their world, that have no need for God’s mercy because their needs are already being met by the “good life.”

But the psalmist reminds us that we can prosper if we chose to live a just life.  The rich are not locked out but must let their roots spread to others in kindness and generosity.  They can make a choice to hoard their wealth as the poor struggle to survive, or they can bear fruit and share with others.

So what shall I do with the over-abundance of possession that can hinder my relationship with God?  I must share them, donate them, or give them away freely so that others may use them.  The comfort we seek is found in the kingdom of God, not in wealth or possessions!  So, watch for our youth ministry garage sale this summer – several of my treasures just might end up there!

Have a blessed week!

Father Don

 

February 6 – Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

There are many popular fishing shows on television and cable – “Deadliest Catch” and “Wicked Tuna” just to name a couple.  Many people enjoy fishing as a recreational hobby.  Just ask Fr. James to show you a picture of himself and the fish he caught while on vacation in Florida.  While fishing isn’t as widespread a career as it once was, “catching people” is a well-defined science.  Otherwise known as advertising, this art form is designed to hook consumers and take their money, their time and their energy.  Once caught, the consumers serve the advertisers’ goal.  Everyone is together in one net.  How many can’t resist the urge to get the latest upgrade of their wireless phone!

In today’s readings, Isiah, Peter and Paul demonstrate the moral character necessary to become “fishers of men (people).”  These wise men of God are brought to their knees by an encounter with the Divine.  Isaiah, Peter and Paul fish for people because God has first caught them.  Divine light reveals their unworthiness, and they respond appropriately.  “Woe is me,” exclaims Isaiah.  “I am a man of unclean lips.”  In the longer version of today’s second reading, Paul says that he is “the least of the apostles” and “unfit.”  Peter tells Jesus to leave him, “for I am a sinful man.”  But if you wish to be caught by God or to go fishing on God’s behalf, acknowledging your unworthiness is key.  Once Isaiah has announced his unworthiness, his unclean lips are cleansed; his guilt and sin are blotted out.  Once Peter is on his knees, he is ready to fish for people.  St. Paul says it best:  “By the grace of God I am what I am.”

Today’s readings invite us to become an advertisement for God.  Unlike our glossy counterparts in the secular world, we shine from within.  Hallowed out by unworthiness, we stand worthy.  Our brightness has nothing to do with color or design, money or power.  Our salvation history, our journey with the Divine attracts others.  This is our calling.

Peter left everything and followed Jesus.  We are to do the same.  Having a relationship with the Divine is not reserved for prophets and saints.  God wishes to connect with each of us.  Our stories may not be as dramatic as the biblical ones recounted today, but each of us has a unique salvation history.  Are we attentive to the way God moves in our lives?  Do we recognize our unworthiness and thereby become worthy?  Once caught and in communication with the Divine, we are each called to be a witness – an advertisement.  Our response needs to be clear concise and certain.  Five words suffice:  “Here I am. Send me.”

Have a blessed week!

Father Don