At  the recent School of St. Mary Open House, visitors were able to experience first-hand the energy, joy, spirit and community that is part of our parish school. St. Mary's School has a very firm foundation in which we are beginning to plan for our 102 nd year of Catholic education at our parish. Under the direction of Mr. Dave Wieters, the dedicated faculty and staff will educate and form faithful, young leaders for the future. Families are now registering for the 2018 - 2019 school year. I invite your support in encouraging neighbors, family and friends to register their children at the School of St. Mary.

       

Members of the Church of St. Mary Men's Club (COSMMC) are cooking pancakes this Sunday morning in the sch ool cafeteria. Stop by and enjoy a delicious breakfast and learn more about how to join the Men's Club. If you are not able to attend the breakfast Sunday morning, please send Michael Lucas a note at mensclub@chur chofstmary.org and he will be able to provide information about joining the St. Mary Men's Club.

 

This weekend is the Follow-up Weekend of the Archdiocese of Chicago Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA). Let's  pray together for the success of the Annual Catholic Appeal across all of the parishes in our Archdiocese. The Archdiocese has set our parish goal for the 2018 ACA at $112,182. Information about the Ap peal is available at the tables as you enter church today. You are encouraged to prayerfully reflect on your level of participation in the Appeal, placing your Commitment envelope in the regular offertory collection this weekend!

 

Did you happen to plan on bringing old palms to church this weekend that are currently sitting on your kitchen? You have time to bring any old palms that you have around your house from past Palm Sunday's and place them in the containers at the entrances to the church. We begin the wonderful season of Lent on Ash Wednesday, which falls on February 14 th this week. We will collect the palms that parishioners bring to church and have a very simple palm burning ceremony for our students in the School of St. Mary as well as in the Religious Education program of St. Mary this Monday and Tuesday. We remind the students of the connections we make in our prayers, in our rituals, in our liturgical celebrations from liturgical seaso n to liturgical season as we gather, come together and grow and share faith with one another. I will make sure the freshly burnt palms have properly cooled down before we use them on Ash Wednesday!

 

When we come together on Ash Wednesday, being marked with the sign of our faith, the sign of the cross on our foreheads we begin the season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The collection that is being taken up on Ash Wednesday will be used to support the Refugee Ministry at St. Mary's. (Please note the error in printing in the envelopes mailed to parishioners that receive envelopes. The collection for the support of the Church in Central and Eastern Europe is taken up on Sunday, March 4 th , not Ash Wednesday as the envelopes were printed.) Thanks for considering your almsgiving to support the Refugee Ministry at St. Mary's as we partner with Catholic Charities in serving Christ in those in need. You are invited to take a flyer titled "Our Faith Teaches: Welcoming the Refugee and Migrant" at the entrances to the church this weekend.

M ass wil l be celebrated on Ash Wednesday at 6:30am, 8:00am, 9:45am School Mass, 12:00 Noon and 7:00pm. May we prayerfully and devoutly enter into this holy season of renewal and conversion.

 

       

 

During the Lenten Season you are invited to gather with other parishioners for Mass and devotions. The daily Mass schedule is in the parish bulletin, as is the schedule for the Stations of the Cross. Eucharistic Adoration will take place this coming Friday, February 16 th . During the Lenten Season, Eucharistic Adoration will take place on Wednesday's  in our Church. Attending Mass and receiving the Eucharist is the highest form of adoration. May our participation in the Eucharist be "food for our journey", as we live, grow and share faith with one another.

 

God be with you with a joyous and renewed faith.