April 3, 2020: Palm Sunday
Parish Newsletter
The Church of St. Mary :: 201 E. Illinois Lake Forest, IL 60045
Virtual Office: 847-234-0205 :: Email: receptionist@churchofstmary.org
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From the Desk of Fr. Mike Nacius, Pastor
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Palm Sunday - Lent 2020
I am writing to the people of faith, hope and charity of St Mary's from my sabbatical program in the Tucson desert. The retreat center that I am safely residing at
is a holy place, a place where God's spirit is present; a place for pray for healing for our fragile world.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week for believers. This year, our journey through the cross to the empty tomb and Resurrected life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has added significance for people of faith and Easter hope around our world.
COVID-19 continues to make a major impact in our lives and the communities we serve, that we care for and that we pray for. I pray and hope you and your families are healthy and safe and coping with the uncertainty caused by this spreading pandemic. The circumstances of this pandemic are fluid and quickly developing. I join together with you my thoughts and prayers for all who have lost their lives and are affected by this deadly virus. We thank our doctors, nurses and all medical and first responders who are heroically risking their lives to protect us all. We pray for our family members and for our parishioners in the health care professions, for their safety and prayerfully giving thanks for their continued health and incredible courage in caring for the sick at Lake Forest hospital, at a local clinic or at the many other health care institutions around the world.
At this critical time when residents of the world are witnessing immense suffering in our communities and around the world, I invite you to be in solidarity with each other in prayer from the safety and comfort of your home.
One of the participants of the sabbatical program is a Presentation Sister from Ireland working in the United States. Weeks ago she invited the men and women of the sabbatical program to come together for community prayer, for shared silent prayer each evening. We gather in the oratory of the retreat center. A Franciscan sister sounds a chime to enter into the period of silent prayer. This sister also sounds another chime to conclude that period of our shared quiet prayer for healing for the world.
Early on in our time in silent prayer, in the oratory of the retreat house, I would be praying, "God bless our world and my family." I would repeat those seven words repeatedly during the prayer. Recently, guided by the Holy Spirit, my prayer changed. I now pray, "God bless the world You created and our human family." I repeat over and over again, "God bless the world You created and our human family!"
After our shared silent prayer, we offer together a beautiful prayer recently written by Sr. Chris Koellhoffer, IHM from Scranton, Pennsylvania. A member of her religious community is one of the sabbatical participants in Tucson.
This is the "Prayer during a Pandemic" written by Sister Chris:
Loving God, Holy One,
Your desire is for our wholeness and well-being.
We hold in tenderness and prayer the collective suffering of our world at this time.
We grieve precious lives lost and vulnerable lives threatened.
We ache for ourselves and our neighbors, standing before an uncertain future.
We pray: may love, not fear, go viral.
Inspire our leaders to discern and choose wisely, aligned with the common good.
Help us to practice social distancing and reveal to us new and creative ways to come together in spirit and in solidarity.
Call us to profound trust in your faithful presence,
You, the God who does not abandon,
You, the Holy One, breathing within us, breathing among us,
breathing around us in our beautiful yet wounded world. AMEN.
United together as residents of the world our loving God created, we once again turn to God, surrendering our will and our lives to the care of God as we journey together in this difficult, challenging, trying yet prayerful times as people of faith, hope and charity, proud members of the Church of St Mary.
United in prayer these Lenten days. May God bless us with calm and trusting hearts as we enter into the week we as Christian's choose to call holy.
Peace,
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From the Desk of Fr. Mark Augustine, Administrator
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April 3, 2020
Dear St. Mary's Parishioners,
Beginning Sunday we celebrate the holiest days of the year. Starting with Palm Sunday where the Passion of Christ is read, leading through the week where Christ will be betrayed, institute the Eucharist and the priesthood, wash the feet of his disciples, carry his Cross to his death, be buried in a tomb, and culminating with the Resurrection. These days truly are holy because we celebrate what is at the very core of our entire faith, and really the entire world. These days are different and set apart. Holy Week reveals the Paschal Mystery of Christ and leads us to the celebration of the victory won for all of us.
The richness and depth of this week truly does set it apart from the other 51 weeks of the year. From the procession with palms shouting "Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna in the highest!" through the story of Judas planning to hand Christ over for 30 pieces of silver, to the Last Supper and agony in the garden on Holy Thursday, through the trial, condemnation, and crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday, the emptiness on Holy Saturday, and then, to the empty tomb early Sunday morning. The reality and mystery of what our God has done for us, and the effects it brings about for all reality, cries out to us. The tangible love of God manifested in such a powerful and unique way speaks directly to all of us. It can transform our hearts and minds and bring us fully into the life of grace being offered.
Holy Week this year will be a brand new experience for every single one of us, myself included. There will be days of uncertainty and confusion. Our time of both personal and public prayer will feel disoriented. What will the Holy Week look like? How can I still sanctify these days? How am I supposed to pray during this week while everything is quarantined and shut down? Why is Holy Week itself canceled? What will Easter look like with empty churches? I want to offer a few words regarding some of these concerns, which have been brought up to me.
Holy Week will still take place. The sacrifice of Christ on the Cross and the glory of the Resurrection have not been postponed or canceled. The effects and grace that occur each time Mass is celebrated is still occurring; have faith! It is challenging, for me personally, to realize we have no public liturgies on the holiest days of the year. Yet Christ will still suffer, die, and rise again for each one of us. Whether we gather in our homes for time of prayer, in our online community, or elsewhere, the celebration of these holy days will continue! God's promise of new and everlasting life remains constant and true.
As a way to be united in faith and prayer, for everybody who is affected by the pandemic, I encourage all of us to join in prayer with the shepherds of our Archdiocese. The Mass of the Lord's Supper (without washing of the feet), the Liturgy of the Lord's Passion, and the Easter Vigil will be celebrated by Cardinal Cupich and the auxiliary bishops in Holy Name Cathedral without a congregation and will be live-streamed. We will join together in prayer once more! Hold fast to the mysteries and beauty of this week. Allow the graces of these holy days to enter into your home and allow you to experience, beyond the shadow of a doubt, of God's great love and sacrifice for each one of us!
May you have a blessed Holy Week!
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April 5, 2020: Palm Sunday Gospel Reflection
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The two gospel readings for Palm Sunday are full of contrasts. In the Gospel at the Procession, we have Jesus entering Jerusalem from the east, as was prophesied the Messiah would do, and is greeted by the crowds as a king; laying down palm fronds and their cloaks. This is the same crowd who will, a few days later, cry out for Jesus to be crucified! How fickle humans can be when they don't have faith but are merely interested in fad.
In the Passion we hear all the disciples say how they will stand by Jesus and not have their faith tested in the events that will soon occur. Peter, closest to Jesus yet still does not have full understanding of who Jesus truly is, is the most verbose in his claims of standing with Jesus even if it means death. As noted by some theologians, notably John Shea, Peter says this out of a false sense of self. It is easy to claim that we will be there for a friend or in this case for the Son of Man but when times get rough and turn and run when the times really do indeed get rough. Jesus understands, we can tell because Jesus says to the disciples that they will scatter but after Jesus has risen he will meet them in Galilee!
Jesus then takes the group to Gethsemane to pray. He asks his three closest disciples to stay awake and pray with him as he goes ahead of them a bit and prays that the cup may pass him, but let God's will be done, not his own. Jesus will pray this three times and each time he returns to find the disciples asleep, meaning they do not have full understanding of the events happening. They do not have the same relationship with God that Jesus does, so they cannot understand fully.
The religious elite, who have been jealous and scared of Jesus, have made sure their false claims and testimonials from others are grounds for Jesus to be found guilty of blasphemy. While this was happening Peter was outside the building trying to eavesdrop when he is noticed as being a follower of Jesus. Knowing or at least fearing (keyword fear) what was being done to Jesus, Peter denies knowing him. Quickly two more people will point him out as one who knows Jesus or at least resides in the same area. After all three denials, Peter hears the cock crow and he realizes what he has done even more so, the fact that Jesus knew he would deny knowing him. Peter's self identity has been shattered. This is not a bad thing, now that Peter has lost his identity, he can start to see himself as of God, not of himself.
The Pharisees and scribes then send Jesus to Pilate for further questioning and some of them go into the crowds and stir up things by having the crowds demand that Jesus be crucified and Barabbas, a murderer, released. The crowds are showing preference to one who has taken life over the one who offers eternal life!
When Jesus is on the cross people pass by him and mock him and shout for him to come off the cross as proof he is the Messiah. What they fail to see or understand is that by being crucified Jesus is showing that he is the Messiah! Jesus follows God's will all the way to the end, even in death. Yet we know that will not be the end, not for Jesus and because of him, not for us.
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Plenary Indulgence in Time of Crisis
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Plenary Indulgence
The Apostolic Penitentiary, a branch of the Vatican offices which focuses on mercy and the forgiveness of sins, issued a
decree granting a Plenary Indulgence
during this extraordinary time. Here are some of the ways we can still participate in the life of grace and the life of the Church during the Covid-19 pandemic.
- As a refresher, here is a brief summary on the Church's teaching on grace, or participation in the divine life:
- Fundamentally, indulgences (plenary/full or partial) refer to a repairing and healing of the damage inflicted by sin.
- In the English language, the word "indulgence" carries the connotation of "permission" or "license to do something." In the Church and with regard to sin, this certainly is not the case.
- In traditional language, this is the "remission of temporal punishment due to sin." That we, through prayer and action recommended by the Church, can engage in this healing and repair is not because of our own efforts, merit, or power.
- The Church, drawing on the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ and the Communion of Saints speaks of drawing grace from the "treasury of the Church."
- In this moment of isolation and disconnection, the proposal to seek an indulgence re-affirms our connection in the Body of Christ and with the saints.
- The Plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful suffering from Coronavirus, who are subject to quarantine by order of the health authority in hospitals or in their own homes if, with a spirit detached from any sin, they:
- unite spiritually through the media to the celebration of Holy Mass, the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the pious practice of the Way of the Cross or other forms of devotion,
- one way to carry this out would to be pray one of the seven penitential psalms, which are: Psalm 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 138 and 143.
- or if at least they will recite the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and a pious invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, offering this trial in a spirit of faith in God and charity towards their brothers and sisters,
- with the will to fulfill the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the Holy Father's intentions), as soon as possible, when the suspensions are lifted.
- In addition, health care workers, first responders, family members and all those who, following the example of the Good Samaritan, exposing themselves to the risk of contagion, care for the sick of Coronavirus according to the words of the divine Redeemer: 'Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends' (Jn 15: 13), will obtain the same gift of the Plenary Indulgence under the same conditions.
- Especially in this challenging moment, seeking an indulgence is a way of doing something spiritually and a way of praying for ourselves and for others.
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Holy Week & Easter Spiritual
Offerings
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Looking for a way to pray through Holy Week at home? Sign up
here
for the virtual retreats being offered for Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Stations of the Cross Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday!
You can view and follow along with Stations of the Cross and more. Look for the Closed Caption icon at the bottom right of the video to see the text and follow along.
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During these uncertain times some of our parishioners have reached out to the Parish Office either wanting to volunteer while others need assistance. If you would like to volunteer or are in need of assistance, please fill out the appropriate form and someone will be in touch with you.
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Most Blessed Trinity Sharing Parish: Easter 'Basket' Monetary Collection
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The
Most Blessed Trinity Easter 'Basket' Collection has been changed to a monetary collection. Please give now through April 7, 2020 via
GiveCentral to offer the recommended $25 as Most Blessed Trinity will be helping those in need from this collection. Thank you!
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Burials at Catholic Cemeteries may continue and are not suspended at this time; however, attendance limit and social distancing requirements apply per below. These may also be found on our website.
Please note that our churches are still closed; therefore, funeral Masses are not possible.
However, if a family requests a funeral, there are two options:
- A funeral service, not a Mass, may take place at the funeral home
- the limit for attendees remains 10 people at this time (inclusive of the funeral director, priest, mourners, etc.)
- All attendees must practice social distancing
- A funeral service may take place graveside at the cemetery before committal/burial.
- the limit for attendees remains 10 people at this time (inclusive of the funeral director, priest, mourners, etc.)
- All attendees must practice social distancing
- St. Mary's will continue to serve those who are grieving and provide all the support where we are able. while we cannot hold Masses currently, if you or your family would like to have a funeral celebrated, once public Masses are reinstated, we will offer that service again.
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Community Celebration of Mass via Facebook Live
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- Sundays at 10:00am
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 12:00pm
- Saturday at 8:00am
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TV, Radio & Online Mass Offerings
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Here is a List of Places You may watch Mass on TV, Radio or Online:
- TV: EWTN
- DirecTV Channel 370
- Dish Network Channel 261
- Verizon Fios Channel 285
- XFinity Channel 33, 291, 1668
- Online:
- Relevant Radio:
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Resources for Those in Need
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Here are some resources you or those you may know may turn to if needed.
Shields Township
Shields Township food pantry and has gas cards and food cards for those who need immediate help. They also can help with personal incidentals, medications and connections in the community. The beautiful thing about local government is that they can be flexible and respond quickly to the need. Another place to find help that everyone should know about is
http://211.org/
. They have a listing of everything available and will connect you to the best resource for your issue from a drug addiction to a leaky roof repair to feeding the hungry.
Terry Darraugh
Shields Township Supervisor
906 Muir Avenue
847-234-0802
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Prayers for the Sick and Deceased
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Please remember in your prayers those who are sick, especially:
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Pierre Adam
Renata Adamiec
Peggy Adams
Beny Alvarez
Alexa Anderson
Baby Bower Triplets:
Rose Marie, Adelaide Marie,
and Josephine Marie
Baby Mercer
Baby Peter John O'Rourke
Elvera Baeza
Dolores Beck
Beverly Beinlich-Pasquesi
Jack Brown
Mason Jeffrey Browner
Baby Virginia Bunimovich
Jerry Burns
Francesco Camoletto
Nancy Carani
Nova Carlson
Sember Carlson
Luis and Maria Cardenas
Michael Carpenter
Jeffrey Chicoine
Carolyn Cimarrusti
Jacqueline Cimarrusti
Marianna Cimarrusti
Charles Cook
Virginia Cordoba
Mary Elizabeth Cran
Greg DeBoer
Louis Degaetano
Mimi Degaetano
Mike Dellefield
Lewis Dilts
Joan Dolan
Annamarie Elfering
Hannah Erickson
Susan Ewert
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Abby Furco
Esperanza Galikay
Dorothy Gimbut
Jenny Green
Jeanne Gross
Jesus Guzman
Edward Halle
Elizabeth Hand
Margaret Hartman
Jack Hempstead
John Herbert
Hannah Hodgson
Patricia P. Huber
Juan Hurandas
Rafael Ibarra
Shirley Jacksack
Dolores Jansyn
Dick Jaworski
Christian Jenko
Dr. Mickey Jester
Mark Kalbus
Raine Kamm
Oceana Kashul
Mason Kelly
Genevieve Kluza
Patsy Leonard
Caroline Lyczko
Fely Macalalad
Angela Martinez
Carolina Martinez
Ralph Mastro
Will Matthei-Schmidt
Derrick Mathews
Donna Mathews
Kathryn McConnell
Janet McCue
Margaret Mary McIntyre
Mary Anne Minich
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Dolores Morrison
Rick Nacius
Barbara Neis
Dana Nelson
David O'Brien
Peter O'Brien
Joaquin Padilla
John Paleczny
Tom Palella
Mary Margaret Pawl
Mary Butterfield Peddle
James Dean Penar
Lisa Pommer
Lil Porter
Marianne Powers
Carol Pozdel
Marcia Ries
Mathew Rowley
Susan Schey
Leroy Schwaba
Bill Shafer
Colleen Sheerer
Tai (Pascal) Shin
Martin Sobey
Joan Sparrow
Ellen Sreenan
Debbie Sternberg
John Sternberg
Maureen Strassburger
Elzbieta Szymanska
Leonard Teifeld
Linda Trueblood-Lambert
Joseph Urso
Amanda Van Vleet
Brittany Van Vleet
Jim Wenzel
Martha Williams
Barbara Wilson
Robert Yale
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Please remember in your prayers those who have gone to their eternal rest with Our Lord, especially:
Patrick W. Kamm
(former spouse of Raine Kamm; brother of Mary Ann Minnec)
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Mass Intentions will be prayed for during a private daily Mass.
March 30, 2020:
Mario Savino; Laurie O'Connor;
Special Intention for Ellyn von Huben; Shirley Mae Pelligrini
March 31, 2020:
Mr. and Mrs. Orlando Corra; George Grumleu; Patrick Burns; Katherine Buffone
April 1, 2020:
Walter Elfering; Special Intention for John Morrison
April 2, 2020:
Edna Barger; Mary Decourcey; Michael Gannon; Benjami
n Asma
April 3, 2020:
Samuele & Natalina Nicolosi; Rose Amato; Donald H. Opper; Thomas K. Kiwala
April 4, 2020:
Hugh Jayesuria; John Coath; Special Intention for Paul & Marla Dishinger; Don Opper & Stephanie Opper
April 5, 2020:
Hazel Backe; Fr Robert Madden; Scopelliti-Gabrielsen Families; Sara Cappeller; Louise Peters; Jacqueline C. Roberti; People of St. Mary's
April 6, 2020:
Angela Rivera; Stephen Foley, Sr;
Goldie Backe; Ashen Onan
April 7, 2020:
Colleen Day; Cimarrusti-Valentino Family; Mr & Mrs Philip Staunton; Sean Staunton
April 8, 2020:
James, Teresa, & David Yim
April 9, 2020:
Morning Prayer; Mass of the Lord's Supper
April 10, 2020:
Morning Prayer; Passion of Our Lord
April 11, 2020:
Morning Prayer; Easter Vigil Mass
April 12, 2020:
People of St. Mary's
If you would like to request a special Mass Intention, please email our Parish Receptionists at: receptionist@churchofstmary.org and they will kindly assist you!
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Please Continue to Give to the Church of St. Mary
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PLEASE CONTINUE TO GIVE to the Church of St. Mary
Although public Masses are suspended, Parish Staff are still working to support our Parish as well as our School. The Parish will continue to incur utility, insurance and maintenance expenses. Payroll and benefits are still being paid, yet the collection basket is not being passed on Sunday. Please prayerfully consider continuing to support your parish by mailing your contribution to the Parish Office or scheduling your online donation.
Ways To Give
Mail Your Contribution:
Church of St. Mary
c/o Business Office
201 E. Illinois
Lake Forest, IL 60045
OR
Online Giving:
Schedule your recurring donations via our online Giving safe and secure portal, GiveCentral. You don't have to leave your home. Goto:
Church of St. Mary GiveCentral or click the image below.
Thank you!
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Donate or Register for Events
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Church of St. Mary Website
Bookmark our parish website for information on all parish ministries, events, contact information and more!
Information on our Mass Schedule, Sacraments, School, Religious Education, Youth Ministry, Guild of St. Mary, Liturgical Ministries, Bible Study, RCIA, Bulletins, Gospel Reading Podcasts, Homily Podcasts and more can all be found on our webpage.
Like the Church of St. Mary Facebook Page
Like the Church of St. Mary Facebook page to see regular updates from popular Catholic pages such as the Archdiocese of Chicago, Cardinal Blase Cupich, and the USCCB. See news from the School of St. Mary, Guild of St. Mary, Religious Education Program, Youth Ministry and upcoming events at our parish!
Homilies & Gospel Readings!
Listen to past Gospel Readings and homilies anytime, anywhere! Click on the podcast image or goto our website. Click on Multimedia/Podcasts.
Enjoy!
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