Around the Parish – July 20, 2025

To Egypt and Back—Our VBS Fun!

A heartfelt thank you to all of our incredible volunteers who made this year’s Vacation Bible School a joyful and faith-filled experience for our children! From decorating and leading activities to preparing snacks and guiding small groups, your time, energy, and love made a lasting impact. We are so grateful for your willingness to share your gifts and help plant seeds of faith in the hearts of our young people. May God bless each of you for your generous spirit and joyful witness!

Spaghetti Dinner & Theme Basket Raffle – Help Us Reach 60 Baskets!

Plans are underway for our annual Spaghetti Dinner this October! One of the highlights is always our Theme Basket Raffle—and this year, we’re aiming higher than ever with a goal of 60 baskets! Sign-up sheets to contribute a themed basket are available at the church doors. Let’s work together to make this year’s raffle our biggest and best yet!

Parish Cookbook – Recipes Still Needed!

We’ve gathered nearly 75 recipes so far! But we still need your help. Share your favorite dishes and be part of something special: a cookbook celebrating 70 years of IHM in Mercer, perfect as a keepsake or Christmas gift. Submit your recipes soon and help us build this delicious legacy!

Hermenegild Picnic

Mark your calendar! Our annual mass and picnic at St. Hermenegild Church is scheduled for Thursday, August 7 at 6pm! Bring a chair to sit and a dish to share!

Parish Directory Photography Begins!

Photo Sessions for our Parish Directory begin this Thursday, July 24 in Gallagher Hall! Make sure you don’t forget your appointment!

Eucharistic Minister Training

Our Eucharistic Minister Training is scheduled for THIS weekend, after our 5p and 10a masses. Thank you to everyone who has let us know that they will be in attendance. Anyone who wishes to be a part of this special ministry is also asked to attend these sessions.

Br. Ezekiel Thomas to Profess
First Vows

We are overjoyed to share that parishioner Joseph Dumais, son of Pat and Barb Dumais, will profess his First Vows with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal on Saturday, August 2.

As Br. Ezekiel cannot receive personal gifts, we invite you to contribute to a spiritual bouquet of notes, prayers, and messages of encouragement from his home parish. Cards or notes may be dropped off at the parish office.

Let us surround Br. Ezekiel with our love and support as he takes this sacred step in his vocation!

A few thoughts for your week:

Kindness is one thing you can’t give away. It always comes back in one form or another. Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you. Remember, a dead end is usually a good place to turn around. Success is falling nine times and getting up ten.

Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy

The Power and Tradition of Mass Intentions

The Mass is considered the greatest prayer of intercession in the Church. This is because it is the perfect offering of Christ to the Father, making present the Paschal Mystery of His death and resurrection. Traditionally, a Priest may be requested to offer a Mass for a specific intention, even if the requester cannot be physically present.

Offering Masses for the Deceased:

Having a Mass offered for a deceased person is an ancient and commendable practice. A Mass is offered to pray for the departed, that they may find peace in heaven. Since each Mass holds infinite value, requesting one or several Masses is of tremendous benefit to the person prayed for, as well as their family, who can take comfort in knowing that their intention is united with the prayers of the Church.

The Mass: Center of Christian Life:

Every Mass is a precious gift from God. It is the center of the Church’s life, known as “the source and summit of the Christian life,” because in the celebration of the Mass, we are brought back to Jesus’ Last Supper, the first Mass. We consciously recall the love of God poured out for us through the life, death, and resurrection of His only Son, Jesus Christ. At each Mass, all the intentions of God’s people, both living and deceased, are included. As Pope Paul VI noted in his motu proprio “Firma in Traditione,” the faithful, moved by an ecclesial and religious sense, join their own sacrifices to the Eucharistic sacrifice, participating more intensely and supporting the Church’s needs, especially its ministers.

Requesting a Mass Intention:

Anyone may request a Mass Intention for a living person, a deceased person, members of a family, or a special intention appropriate to the celebration of the Eucharist, such as World Peace, Vocations, or Respect for Life. The Church allows only one intention per Mass.

Offering a Mass Stipend:

The normal stipend offering for a Mass is $10. However, a Mass Offering can be more or less than the suggested amount, depending on the financial position of the person requesting the Mass. Envelopes for Mass intention requests are available at the entrances of the church. These envelopes can be placed in the collection basket or returned to the parish office. The requester may also ask for a card to be sent to notify someone that a Mass Intention has been requested (one card per intention). Please note that the name of the person(s) requesting the Mass is not announced.