January 31 – Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

This week the Church throughout the country celebrates “Catholic Schools Week.”  The theme this year is:  “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.”  Catholic schools have a specific purpose to form students to be good citizens of the world, love God and neighbor and enrich society with the leaven of the gospel and by examples of faith.

Our Lady of Mercy parish is one of the five financially supporting parishes of the inter-parish Catholic grammar school All Saints Catholic Academy on Aurora Avenue in Naperville.  There are many choices of Catholic grammar and high schools in the area for parishioners who want to send their children to a Catholic grammar school.  Our Lady of Mercy specifically promotes All Saints Catholic Academy because the school and our parish is in the Diocese of Joliet.  The other ten Catholic parishes in Aurora are a part of the Diocese of Rockford.  While we provide tuition assistance for registered and active parents of OLM for their children attending a Catholic grammar school in the Rockford Diocese, our primary support and promotion is for All Saints Catholic Academy.

All Saints Catholic Academy provides Catholic education from pre-school through 8^th grade, and has had in person instruction since school began last August.  Mass is celebrated weekly on Wednesday at 8:15am.  Often times I am the celebrant.  It is an excellent school with a strong and dedicated administration, faculty and staff.  I invite you to check it out at:  ascacademy.org

As communities of faith, Catholic schools instill in students their destiny to become saints.  Academic excellence is the hallmark of Catholic education intentionally directed to the growth of the whole person – mind, body and spirit.  Service is fundamental to Catholic education and the core of Catholic discipleship.  Service is intended to help form people who are not only witnesses to Catholic social teaching but also active participants through social learning.  Catholic schools, like the Catholic Church is not a building or an institution, but it is the people.  As the people of God, we work together to bring the Kingdom of God to Earth and raise up the next generation to do the same!

I encourage our parents with grammar and high school age children to check out Catholic Schools as an option for their children’s education.  And I thank all the dedicated staff and teachers who make a financial sacrifice by their dedication to Catholic education!

Have a Blessed week!

Father Don

 

January 24 – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

In the bulletin of January 10, I gave a Big Christmas Thank You to those involved with the planning and implementation of our Christmas liturgies. Whenever I publicly recognize persons or groups for their service, inevitably I forget to mention someone or group.  This time I failed to include the many volunteer greeters in my Christmas Thank You.  I apologize.  The greeter ministry at OLM is so very important.  It is the greeters, holding the doors open and welcoming all who come to OLM that give that first sense of hospitality to those who pass through our doors.  So thank you!  Not only at Christmastime but all those Saturday/Sunday Masses throughout the year, rain, cold, snow we thank you for your smiling face and words of welcome!  We welcome additional individuals and families who would like to join the greeter ministry.  Please contact Phil Zwick at philiipzwick@yahoo.com.

Today, the Third Sunday in Ordinary time is “Word of God Sunday” proclaimed by Pope Francis in 2019.   In the Introduction to the Lectionary for Mass, we are reminded of the role of the Word of God in the life of the Church:

“In the hearing of God’s word the Church is built up and grows, and in the signs of the liturgical celebration God’s wonderful, past works in the history of salvation are presented anew as mysterious realities. God in turn makes use of the congregation of the faithful that celebrates the Liturgy in order that his word may speed on and be glorified and that his name be exalted among the nations.  Whenever, therefore, the Church, gathered by the Holy Spirit for liturgical celebration, announces and proclaims the word of God, she is aware of being a new people in whom the covenant made in the past is perfected and fulfilled. Baptism and confirmation in the Spirit have made all Christ’s faithful into messengers of God’s word because of the grace of hearing they have received. They must therefore be the bearers of the same word in the Church and in the world, at least by the witness of their lives.  The word of God proclaimed in the celebration of God’s mysteries does not only address present conditions but looks back to past events and forward to what is yet to come. Thus God’s word shows us what we should hope for with such a longing that in this changing world our hearts will be set on the place where our true joys lie.”

Have a Blessed Week and take some time to read Sacred Scripture this week!

Father Don

 

 

January 17 – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

This coming Friday, January 22, marks the 48^th 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.  Ever since, the Catholic Church, along with some other Christian denominations and some non-Christians have taken up the campaign to reverse that decision.  Over the years that sometimes took on violent confrontations and even bombing of abortion clinics.  These, the Catholic Church has ALWAYS condemned.  Just as our Bishops condemned the recent violence at our nation’s capitol. No matter what the cause one defends, violence is never an acceptable way to protest. Catholic across the country are encouraged to observe a nationwide prayer vigil from Thursday, January 28 to Friday, January 29, 2021.  Since the Supreme Court’s 1973 ruling, over 60 million abortions have been performed legally in the United States.  Due to COVID-19 pandemic the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception where the vigil is held will be closed to the public.  Instead, it will be televised live on EWTN.  Here is the schedule:  (Time listed is our time zone)

Thursday, January 28

7:00PM National Rosary for Life

7:30PM Opening Mass with Archbishop Naumann

8:45PM Holy Hour for Life

10:00PM Live-stream of holy hours throughout the night

Friday, January 29

7:00AM Closing Mass

We at Our Lady of Mercy are conducting a Novena for Life beginning on January 21 through January 29.  The novena will be prayer before the weekday and weekend Masses those dates.  You will also find the novena on our website.  Friday January 22 is a National Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.  We will have Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction on Friday, January 22 INSTEAD of Thursday January 21.  Let us pray for the conversion of heart of our new president, Joe Biden to defend the right to life of the unborn and promote the dignity of life from conception to natural death.

Have a Blessed Week!

Father Don

 

 

January 10 – The Baptism of the Lord

Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord.  In doing so, we end the Christmas Season and move from the manger to the river Jordan.  The baptism Jesus received was not the Christian baptism that we received, most of us as infants.  Unlike us, Jesus did not need to be freed from the stain of original sin.  He was like us in all things, but sin.  The baptism of Jesus inaugurated his public ministry.  In Jesus’ baptism, he was revealed and affirmed as the beloved Son of God.  In our baptism, we were affirmed as adopted sons and daughters of God.  In Jesus’ baptism, God spoke the words “Listen to him.”  And in our baptism, we are called to grow as disciples of Jesus and listen to him.  Our baptism was not only for the removal of the stain or original sin, but also a commissioning to become a disciple of Jesus, and to make disciples of Jesus.  Our parish mission is to give each and every person a life changing encounter with Jesus, to make disciples, and send them on mission.  And that mission is not in foreign lands.  We are called to bring to good news of Jesus to our family, our homes, our schools, our places of work, our neighbors, our local community.  So, as we celebrate the baptism of Jesus, let us remember our own and what it calls us to do!

Today I would like to recognize one group who have responded to their baptismal call of discipleship.  That group is our permanent deacons who have served us at Our Lady of Mercy Parish. I thank our deacons and their wives for their selfless service to our parish community and beyond.  Deacon Tim Kueper (Gail); Deacon Tony Leazzo (Jennifer); Deacon Tony Martini (Allyson); Deacon Mike Plese (Laurie); Deacon Phil Rehmer (Jean); Deacon Art Tiongson (Babes).  We appreciate you and your ministry!

As you know, Deacon Mike and his wife have recently moved to Tennessee.  But God has provided!  In early December, I met with Deacon Guadalupe (Lupe) Villarreal who recently moved with his wife Carmen to Aurora.  Deacon “Lupe” as he is known, asked to transfer his assignment from St. Dennis in Lockport to OLM.  I have agreed, and he starts next weekend.  He was ordained a permanent deacon in 2007. Prior to serving at St. Dominic in Lockport, has served the parishes of St. Isidore in Bloomingdale, Divine Savior in Downers Grove, St. Dominic in Bolingbrook (where Fr. James was a deacon).   He has been Catholic Chaplain at the DuPage County Jail for 10 years and conducts a weekly communion service there.  He is Hispanic and bi-lingual and will be a great help as we minister to our bi-lingual parishioners.  He and his wife have five adult sons.  We welcome Deacon Lupe and his wife Carmen to Our Lady of Mercy!

Also on the Permanent Deacon front…We congratulate parishioners Michael Raiz (Mass Coordinator at Sunday 8:00am Mass) and Carlos Briceno (Fit Shepherds and editor of the Diocesan Magazine) who have been accepted into the Aspirancy program to be ordained permanent deacons.  They join parishioners Doug McIlvaine and Buggsy Sindac who are in their second year of studies for the permanent diaconate.

Have a blessed week!

Father Don

 

January 3 – The Epiphany of the Lord

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord!  The tradition in some cultures is to exchange gifts with family and friends today.  There perhaps is not a story from Sacred Scripture that does not evoke the Christian imagination more lively than this one. No Christmas crèche is complete without the figures of the three kings bringing three gifts to present to the baby Jesus. As important as these gifts may seem, what is more important is the gift that God gives to us through the Epiphany.  The word Epiphany means “manifestation.”  Today let us consider the gift of the Epiphany.  The Jewish people had longed for a savior, one who would set them free from political oppression and reestablish the kingdom of Israel.  But in the Epiphany, God reveals that through his son Jesus, God and his gift of salvation is not only for the chosen people of the original covenant with God, but that the God of Israel is God for ALL people and ALL nations.  The gift of salvation is not limited – it is for everyone!  With this revelation, perhaps it is a good idea to practice seeing beyond our stables to focus on the faces of those we would exclude from the gift of salvation.  To love and accept those we think do not deserve God’s love, let alone ours.  To rid ourselves of our racist attitudes lest we cooperate in Herod’s schemes just so that we might keep our comfortable-but confining stable walls around us.  Let this gift change our hearts so that ALL people may see the salvation of our God!

In some cultures today is celebrated as “Little Christmas” with one last big family meal, one last present to the children, one last day to sing the carols and light the tree.  So on this day of gifts, I join Fr. James in thanking all of you for your prayers, cards and joyful Christmas greetings.  We also thank all who gifted us, and the staff with homemade or store bought goodies.  We also are deeply grateful to all who gifted each of us personally.  Your thoughtfulness and generosity is much appreciated!

In this one last week of celebrating the Christmas season – the Christmas season ends next Sunday with the Baptism of the Lord – may we all pray for God’s blessings on the new year 2021 and to bring the COVID pandemic to an end so that we can all be TOGETHER again when celebrating Christmas 2021!

Enjoy this final week of the Christmas Season!

Father Don