Daily Mass Schedule (during the School Year):
Monday, Thursday & Friday:
6:30am and 8:00am
Tuesday: 6:30am and 9:00am
Wednesday: 8:00am and 9:10am (9:10am is at St. Patricks)
Saturday: 8:00am
Weekend Mass Schedule:
Saturday: 5:00pm
Sunday: 8:00am, 10:00am, NOON & 6:00pm
Sacrament of Reconciliation:
Saturday: 8:30am or by appointment with a parish priest
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From the Desk of Fr. Mark Augustine, Administrator
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February 23, 2020
Dear Parishioners,
There is an extremely common question asked annually by Catholics around the world. Perhaps you have already been asked it yourself, or asked it of another individual. We all know the question is coming: what are you giving up for Lent? This Wednesday we begin the holy season of Lent - a time of preparing, simplifying, and growing in holiness in order to be ready to celebrate the Paschal Mystery of Christ's Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension into Heaven. How do we get there? How do we truly prepare ourselves spiritually for what will be celebrated at Easter? The answer is through three simple, tried and true methods of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Prayer
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Will I and my family engage in a deeper life of prayer? What does that look like? Does it include reading Scripture, praying a daily rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet, a prayer journal, or something else? Perhaps you can add a daily Mass into your schedule each week or attend Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays. There is also the traditional, and very ancient, practice of praying the Stations of the Cross on Fridays during Lent, which we will offer at 7:00pm beginning this coming Friday. Yes, "I want to pray more," but what does that look like? How will I dedicate time to fostering my relationship with Christ? In seeing God's will in my life? In offering prayers of adoration, contrition, thanksgiving or supplication, will my prayer life qualitatively improve this Lent?
Fasting
.
This is where we often get the "what are you giving up for Lent" question. While all Catholics fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent, there are additional ways to fast as well. I know several people who give the same thing up every year, but it doesn't seem to be a challenge for them. I know I can go 40 days without chocolate, Facebook, Netflix, alcohol, coffee, online shopping, or any other of the myriad of events we have in our lives. When we fast, we choose to forego something that can itself be good. Yet we train ourselves to deny a simple pleasure, or perhaps to reign in an area of our life that has become too addictive (how many times a day do we need to scroll through the newsfeed on Facebook after all?). We fast to gain a discipline of our minds and bodies, and allow our free will to guide us, rather than being driven by our passions. When we train ourselves through fasting, we can more readily engage in the life God is offering us in a healthy, balanced way.
Almsgiving
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Do I offer my first fruits to God as He has called me to? Do I tithe, an idea of returning 10% of our income back in service to the Church? Almsgiving is recognizing the gifts we have received, the fruits of our labor, and freely offering it to those in need. I myself try to tithe with my charitable giving, and it can often be a challenge, but especially in Lent we can make the concerted effort to give of what we have to those who have less. Whether it is through Operation Rice Bowl, school fundraisers, weekly offerings, or any number of charitable events and programs, we can always offer of ourselves to serve and benefit our brothers and sisters in Christ.
With Ash Wednesday only a few days away, take some time in prayer and conversation with God, your family, and your friends. See where God is leading you this Lent. Allow Lent to truly be a transformative time in your personal journey as well as within the life of the Church. Is it not just "what are you giving up for Lent?" but rather should be, "what will you be gaining
from
Lent?"
God Bless,
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Click the GiveCentral Logo to securely and conveniently donate to the
Phase Four and More for St. Mary's, Fr. Barry Preservation Fund.
Thank you for your generosity!
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Click the image to register or get more information
here.
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Click on the image to register or go to our website
here for more information.
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Children's Sacrament Upcoming Schedule
-2
nd
Grade: 1
st
Communion Parent Meeting(s) -
choose one to attend (UGC-Multi-purpose Room)
Sunday, February 23 at 1:15pm
OR
Monday, February 24 at 7:00pm
2nd Grade First Communion Retreat
Retreat is for child and at least one parent (both parents are welcomed)
-
Saturday, February 29 from 9:00am-Noon
Last Names A-L
-
Saturday, March 7 from 9:00am-Noon
Last Names M-Z
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For more information please see our website,
here or email Mandy Castle at
mcastle@schoolofstmary.org
Please consider donating to Empower Illinois and designate School of St. Mary. We will be able to accept more families with generous donations, particularly if donations are completed by February 29, 2020. Please contact Mandy Castle with any questions on how to donate (
mcastle@schoolofstmary.org
).
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The Roaring into the Twenties Silent Auction is open! Click on the link below to start bidding on your favorite items and spread the word to your family and friends!
You will need to create an account and add a credit card in order to submit bids. Every dollar raised goes towards our kids' education! So bid well and often - have fun, Crusaders!!!
Click on the image to go to online Silent Auction site!
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For Rules and Regulations click in the image.
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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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