March 26, 2022 | Weekly Update
March 26, 2022 | Weekly Update
The Passover and the Prodigal
The event of the Passover celebrated the Hebrews’ freedom from their slavery in Egypt.
Passover also celebrates freedom from the slavery of sin. For we Christians, this is the call: to live a life “fully alive,” free of addiction and self-centered egotism. This is the story of the Prodigal Son—the evocative parable that speaks up and down the generations. It’s the story of us all when we selfishly grasp out of concern only for ourselves instead of honoring God, the giver of the gift and life itself.
It’s also the story of conversion and the fact that God never gives up on us. He’s always scanning the horizon, waiting for us to come home.
Everything is grace and everything is a gift.
Come and encounter His grace at the weekend Mass times where Father James is preaching or stop by and visit Jesus at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel or at daily Mass during the week.
To prepare our hearts to come to Holy Mass this weekend, consider watching this clip from the award-winning series Catholicism (formulated for school enrichment!) on the themes within the Prodigal Son:
- In the story of the Prodigal Son, who do I most identify with?
- When have I been the Son?
- When have I been the Father?
- When have I been the Older Brother?
- Why do you think Jesus spoke in parables? Why did He tell stories instead of simply telling people facts about God?
“The glory of God is a man fully alive.”
—Saint Ireneaus
Did you miss Deacon Tom’s homily last week on “Why Be Catholic”? See it below.
THIS COMING WEEK
- Don’t wait until the last moment to go to Confession before Easter. Here are Confession opportunities this week. Come and encounter Jesus who never gives up on us.
- Tuesday 3/29 @ 7pm
- Friday 4/1st @ 8:30am (First Friday of the Month Confession after Daily Mass)
- Saturday 4/2 @ 9am to 10am and 1:30pm to 2:30pm
- Have dinner for a good cause! All proceeds from the Lenten Fish Dinners benefit the Teen Summer Mission Trip. Free-will offerings will be accepted on both dates.
- Friday 4/1st from 5:30pm to 8pm with the following choices Jumbo Shrimp (6 pieces) $12, Cod (choice of baked or fried) $11, or Salmon $12. All plates include coleslaw, tator-tots, dinner roll, chocolate brownie and beverage (soda or water).
- Ticket sales will be held after all masses and in the Parish Office. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door.
- 1st Friday 4/1 is the Respect Life Prayer & Sacred Heart of Jesus Devotion
- We hope you can come out anytime from 8am to 4pm, 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 sandiego_family@msn.com. https://bit.ly/3yGSzmU
- Confessions immediately following the 8am Mass
- Every 1st Friday (in addition to the 8am Mass), we will have a 12pm Mass. We hope you join us.
- What is the First Friday Sacred Heart of Jesus Devotion you may wonder? The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus has become one of the most widely practiced of Catholic devotions in modern times. It emphasizes the love and compassion of Jesus Christ towards humanity, has its expression in frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist, including Holy Communion on First Fridays, Confession, and the Observance of Holy Hours.
Find out more here and why it is a powerful and life-changing devotion to incorporate into your life.
- 1st Saturday 4/2 after the 8:30 am 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. - Pope Francis and Bishop Hicks have encouraged the faithful this past Friday to pray the Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary even after 3/25th, so on Saturday we will continue to pray this exhortation. Here is a link to the consecration for your private prayer time as well. Echoing Bishop Hicks’ beautiful thought on his homily “Never underestimate the Blessed Virgin Mary!”
- 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.
- Please consider donating nonperishable items to the Interfaith Food Pantry. The collection is the first weekend of the month. Our next collection is April 2nd and 3rd. The collection bin will be located in the Atrium (Door B Entrance). This collection is separate from the collection for PADS that supports Hesed House Homeless Shelter.
- Any high school teen who is interested in learning more about Christianity is welcome to attend! Alpha gives teens the opportunity to explore the meaning of life in a relaxed, friendly setting. The Alpha course usually meets once a week for 9 weeks, sometimes in a church, a home, or a restaurant. Sessions begin with food, followed by a short video/talk, and time to discuss the topic.
- Our Spring Session will begin April 3rd, so please go to our Youth Alpha page to get all the details and then sign-up if you would like to attend. Please note this session of Alpha is for High School age teens. Please contact Dave if you have questions at DaveM@olmercy.com.
- PADS will be on Tuesday 4/5 to help our brothers and sisters in need. Check out the PADS board in the Atrium (the entrance to our building) for the food items needed. We are also thankful for any funds donated via the Give page or checks payable to Our Lady of Mercy and note on the memo “Hesed House-PADS”. 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
Lenten Resources
- This Lent, let us journey with Jesus through the desert with Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving.
The season of Lent is a grace-filled opportunity to invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts, to repent and seek conversion, and to follow the Lord more closely from the desert to His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Listed below is a variety of offerings Our Lady of Mercy has for you and your family to enter these days intentionally. Ask the Lord what He desires of you this Lent, and let’s make the pilgrimage of Lent a sacred journey and a holy adventure as we grow in faith, hope, and love through our prayer, fasting and almsgiving.- LENTEN GUIDELINES
- LENTEN HOMILIES
- LENTEN LITERARY, VISUAL, OR ONLINE RESOURCES
- LENT SCHEDULE
- HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE
- PRAYER
- FASTING
- ALMSGIVING
- LENT FAQs (Such as Are Sundays excluded from Lent? Does Lent end on Palm Sunday or Holy Thursday?)
- Click here for the Lenten Resource & Schedule page.
LOOKING AHEAD
- Register by 3/31st to join an ecumenical, prayerful, and silent pro-life event sponsored by St. Michael Catholic Church in Wheaton from 10:15am to 11:30am held at Compass Church parking lot.
- Details and registration can be found here.
- The media would have us believe that Pro-Life advocates are in the minority. The hope is to bring as many Pro-Life advocates as possible together in a large, visible way, to let others know who share a similar view, that they are not alone and certainly not in the minority. We hope this will encourage them to speak out in their own way. We also look to use this event to send a message to our Supreme Court (Dobb’s case decision is due this summer) and to our national, state, and local politicians, and to our broader communities, that we want an end to abortion.
- Please see the following letter from Bishop Hicks where he speaks about removing the dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass beginning on Palm Sunday.
- We will celebrate Earth Day 2022 with a Green Fair on Saturday 4/23rd from 9am to 3pm. There will be plenty of organizations with displays of important information on how to be a greener household, community, world, and more. Details to follow. Let your friends and neighbors know.
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In celebration of the Feast Day of Divine Mercy on Sunday 4/24, we will hold a beautiful celebratory service in the MPR at 2pm. Our service will include a group recitation of The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, a devotion that Jesus revealed in His numerous apparitions and revelations to Saint Faustina.
“On that (Feast) Day, the depths of My mercy will be open to all …. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.”Our observance of the Divine Mercy Feast Day will include the following:-
Sacrament of Reconciliation, 2pm to 4pm (Fathers Don and James) in designated PLC rooms
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Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic Adoration starting at 2pm
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Recitation of the Holy Rosary
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Silent Meditation and Prayer
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Taking of Personal Intentions for the Divine Mercy Chaplet
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Recitation of the Chaplet (at the Hour of Jesus’ Death)
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Blessing of participants’ Divine Mercy Images at the altar
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Benediction, closing prayers to Jesus and Mary
Pamphlets featuring the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, as well as other resources, will be available, but participants should be sure to bring their Rosary!
*Also, on Good Friday morning (April 15), immediately after an 8 a.m. prayer service in the church, the Divine Mercy Chaplet will be recited. It’s a great way to start your Good Friday observance and Divine Mercy Novena, which should include your recitation of the Chaplet and a Spiritual or Corporal Work of Mercy through April 23.
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Knights of Columbus Robert H. Weaver Scholarship Application Submit by 6/18
- 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 18 @ 4pm.
- Proceed to this link for application details, requirements, and contact information.
- In his March column, Bishop Hicks writes about Pope Francis’ 2022 Lenten Message with gusto – or even with a tone of “Lenten Madness”. Read it here.
- If you’d like to dedicate one of the Easter flowers which will decorate our sanctuary during the Easter season, please proceed to this link and log in to Online Giving and choose “Flowers”.
- If you wish to memorialize your loved ones you can add their name(s) in the Comments section. You can also find Flower Offering Envelopes in the Narthex. The recommended donation is $10 for each memorial. Memorials donated between now and 4/3 will appear in a future bulletin.
Family Faith Formation Office Administrative Assistant Grade Pre-K-12
- We’re hiring! Does the idea of placing your administrative skills at the service of growing the Catholic faith-life of families bring you joy? We are seeking an individual who possesses a positive team spirit, is comfortable taking initiative, and demonstrates strong interpersonal skills. Being fluent in Spanish and English is desired.
Other requirements include: Knowledge of Microsoft Office, Accounting skills, Record Keeping, Coordination of Volunteers and Tracking Safe Environment Requirements, Comfortable learning technology platforms.The position is full time 37.5 Hours/Week, Benefited, Some Evening & Weekend Hours Expected supporting both Dave Miserendino and Mary Jo Trapani. Interested candidates may send a cover letter and resume to Mary Jo Trapani at maryjot@olmercy.com
- Every moment we walk alongside a young person as they join in the work God is doing is an opportunity to affirm their purpose and celebrate their gifts. You have the opportunity to walk alongside our teens in a simple and good way by supporting them financially to offset the costs of the Misson Trip, any dollar amount is helpful.
- Drop your donation in a marked envelope into the offertory baskets during Mass or donate online through Our Sunday Visitor platform here: https://www.osvhub.com/olmercy/funds.
- Please also keep our teens, parents, and volunteers in prayer, as they prepare for and go on the Mission Trip to serve at a neighborhood in need in Ohio in July. In a special way let us pray for our teens for God to bless their quest for purpose, joining them in prayer on their journey to discover what God is doing in their lives.
- There are still a few spots open for the High School Mission Trip to Ohio scheduled for this July. Proceed here for the LIGHT webpage or contact Dave in the office for more details. Take part in this life-changing experience!
- There is also 1 spot left for a female volunteer over age 25 to chaperone the teens.
- Do you have a green thumb? Or perhaps you like gardening and are good at caring for plants? Connect with the Justice & Peace Ministry, who is planning a Community Garden at Our Lady of Mercy. Produce from the Community Garden will be given to local organizations such as Hesed House and local food pantries. Please contact Ida at 630-605- 6038 or idamphillips@gmail.com or Chris at 631-561-9722 or chrisharveyny@gmail.com. They will be forming a committee to organize and care for the community garden.
- We have a beautiful new Monstrance beautifully holding our Lord Jesus.
- What is a Monstrance you may wonder? The monstrance is a liturgical vessel used to display the Real Presence of our Lord Jesus in the form of the Sacred Host for its adoration and veneration outside of Mass and outside of the tabernacle. Here is a close-up picture or video from Magnify.
- If you would like to offset the monies used to purchase the Monstrance, please submit your donation in an envelope with “Monstrance” written on it. Thank you for your generosity.
Did You Know We Have a Parish School?
- All Saints Catholic Academy (ASCA) located at 1155 Aurora Ave, Naperville is our parish school!
- Are you a parent with preschool, elementary and middle school-aged children struggling with the antithetical to Christian values the government schools are indoctrinating the children who attend the government schools? You’re not alone.
- Join a growing number of OLM parents who have made the movement! Consider connecting with some of the families who have made the move from sending their child(ren) to public school to All Saints Catholic Academy.
- Connect with Patty Bajek at (630) 961-6125, or pbajek@ascacademy.org to express your interest and to schedule a personalized tour. Or peruse their website to explore your interest.
- 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.
- 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 the last quarter 2021, we provided assistance to 35 people/families.
- 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 to olmsvdp@gmail.com with your name and contact information.
- Read Father Don’s insightful weekly Bulletin article (where he also shares an update on his health) located 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.
- Please proceed here for 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.
- 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. Prayer ministry is an opportunity for those in need of physical, emotional, or spiritual healing or with a specific intention. Come as an individual, as a couple, or as. a family and receive prayer for yourself or request prayers for someone in need. Listen and receive the prayers while being open to the Holy Spirit’s movement. Trained prayer ministers are available.
- 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.
GROW GROUPS | WE CONTINUE TO LAUNCH GROW GROUPS, ONE GROUP AT A TIME
Connect with zara@olmercy.com for any questions.
CONSUMING FIRE YOUNG ADULT GROW GROUP
Mission. This group exists to grow a community that inspires and forms the young adult generation to be saints.
Website. Proceed here for details.
Meets. Tuesdays @ 7pm and twice a month for social gatherings.
Connect. Reach out to Matt Kubanda and Mary Rysavy rysavyme@gmail.com
See what they have been up to at this video.
World Youth Day 2023. The Consuming Fire Young Adult Grow Group is looking to join the Joliet Diocese on a Pilgrimage to Lisbon, Portugal for World Youth Day 2023 from July 29 to August 7. This includes an optional pre-tour to Madrid from July 25 to 29. Proceed here for further details.
Mission. Vine & Branches is a group at Our Lady of Mercy that offers support and belonging to individuals of any age or faith who are divorced or separated on the way to divorce.
Website. Proceed here for details
Meets. Wednesdays @ 7pm with social gatherings.
Connect. The group leaders are looking forward to hearing from you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to them.
Kim Harris kimharris73@yahoo.com
Mary LoGalbo logalbo.marycarol@gmail.com
John Frederick jdfredericj@icloud.com
Jim Marks jimm6351@yahoo.com
Check out the video to find out more about Vine and Branches
Mission. A Mother’s Heart is a group for Catholic mothers with children ages 0-11 who are seeking to journey with other like-minded women of faith. Following the example of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, we strive to imitate her “little way” of growing in holiness through the lenses of motherhood and family.
Website. Proceed here for details.
Meets. Thursdays twice a month. For any of the following: book chats, podcast discussions, “Mom’s Night Out”, community service projects, fellowship, playgroups, prayer. Please join them and register ahead of time for this month’s gatherings with Lydia Schmit
Connect. Reach out to Lydia Schmitt lydiadschmitt@gmail.com for any questions.
SALT AND LIGHT GROW GROUP
Mission. “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 is responding to our missionary identity where we are called to help parishioners grow continually in discipleship.
GROW YOUR FAITH
FREE ONLINE RESOURCES In this section, you will find free conferences, webinars, and studies that you can freely take part in that can grow your faith.
Diving into the beauty of the Faith has never been easier: at home, on the go, or from any internet-connected device. Discover thousands of books, audio talks, movies, documentaries, and studies… there is something for every member of the family to help them grow closer to Christ and His Church.
- Visit http://signup.formed.org/
- Enter our parish zip or name
- Enter your name and email
EUCHARIST RESOURCES
Check out our “Eucharist Resources” page to help us understand deeply the centrality of the Eucharist in our lives and the great Feast of Corpus Christi.
From Augustine Institute comes this NEW & FREE Catholic prayer app that inspires your daily conversation with God through faithful meditations and nourishing Scripture. There is also Family Content: Enjoy and share family-favorite audio from the series Brother Francis and the Jesus Stories. Please enjoy this latest offering from the Augustine Institute.
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.
WORD ON FIRE
Did you know that you have complete access to Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire ENGAGE video library! Check out this linkto watch any of the videos whenever you want without ever having to login.
HEROIC MEN
Looking for authentically Catholic content for men? Look no further than HeroicMen.com—the all-new, 100% FREE Catholic streaming platform for men.
Learn about your faith from today’s best Catholic speakers—and do it all from the convenience of home. Stream-on-demand from your phone or tablet, too, for quality Catholic content on the go.
Get it all—for FREE – at HeroicMen.com
AQUINAS 101 FREE COURSES
Have you wanted to get to know St. Thomas Aquinas and his writings more so as to grow closer to Jesus?
Sign up for any of the short and free courses at Aquinas 101 a project of the Thomistic Institute seeks to promote understanding of the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, the eminent 13th-century philosopher, and theologian.
Aquinas is a masterful interpreter of reality. His writings assist us in answering perennial questions on topics like God, man, the natural world, law, and morality, and questions of special relevance to our time like the relationship between modern science and faith or pursuing happiness in the digital era.
AMA WITH FATHER JAMES
We’ve learned so much through the questions you asked! Thank you for submitting them. Let’s continue to learn together as Father James answers more of your questions. Watch them here or submit any questions you may have!
PASTORAL CARE
If you have physical, mental, emotional or spiritual health concerns or questions about end-of-life issues, funeral planning, journeying through grief, caregiving for a loved one or are homebound, please contact Jolene LeRoy RN Parish Nurse and Director of Pastoral Care for support and resources at jolenel@olmercy.com or 331-707-5380.
OPEN HEARTS MINISTRY
There will not be a gathering in December for the Open HEARTS Ministry. If you are in need of emotional or mental health support or resources, please contact Janice Hurtado Aeppli at 321-217- 7872 or at olmopenhearts@yahoo.com
RESTORE
Do you find yourself struggling in overcoming your battle with pornography? Restore is a weekly (anonymous) meeting where men lean on each other for support and accountability and share ideas as to how to strengthen our resolve to stay on God’s path of chastity. All men are welcome, whether you have been free of pornography addiction for many years or struggle with it every single day.
If you are ready to start breaking free from the grips of pornography and want to Restore your life email us at Restore.olm@gmail.com to find out more information on when and where we meet.