Around the Parish – August 10, 2025
Published on August 9, 2025
Holy Day of Obligation – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
This Friday, August 15, is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation. We will celebrate Mass at 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Please make it a priority to attend one of these liturgies as we honor our Blessed Mother, who was assumed body and soul into heaven.
Following the 6:00 PM Mass, we will have Eucharistic Adoration from 7:00–8:00 PM. Come spend a quiet hour with Our Lord in thanksgiving for Mary’s intercession and example of faith.
Parish Mission – Pray & Prepare!
Our Parish Mission with Fr. Larry Richards is quickly approaching! Please continue praying our Mission Prayer each day, asking the Holy Spirit to open hearts and stir up renewal in our parish. This mission will be a powerful time of grace, healing, and personal transformation—and I promise you, you will not regret attending.
Whether you come every night or just one evening, I invite you to make this mission a priority. Bring a friend, a neighbor, or someone who’s been away from the Church. Let’s fill our church with people ready to encounter Christ in a deeper way!
Communion Under Both Species (11:00 AM Mass Only)
Starting the first Sunday of September, we will resume offering Holy Communion under both species—the Sacred Host and the Precious Blood—at the 11:00 AM Mass only. This decision reflects our desire to offer this important expression of the Eucharistic banquet in a way that is reverent, sustainable, and respectful of the resources we have.
We hope this opportunity at 11:00 AM will provide the faithful a meaningful option to receive from the chalice. For more information, including a brief explanation of this practice and how to receive reverently, please see the insert in this weekend’s bulletin.
A few thoughts for your week:
God doesn’t call the equipped—He equips the called. You don’t need to have it all together to say “yes” to Him. Just be open. Mary’s life was one long “yes” to God. As we celebrate her Assumption, may we learn to trust and surrender like she did. The Eucharist isn’t a reward for the perfect—it’s food for the journey. Come hungry for grace. Revival doesn’t start with an event. It starts in the heart. Let it begin with you. We don’t go to church because we’re good—we go because God is good. Even on your worst days, He still invites you in.
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.
