Around the Parish – August 31, 2025
Published on August 30, 2025
New Ministers Schedule
Our new ministers schedule has been published this past week. We ask all of our ministers to please check the schedule online by visiting Ministry Scheduler Pro. Thank you for your continued service to our parish community!
Get Your Parish Cookbook!
Orders are now open for our 70th Anniversary Parish Cookbook! This special keepsake contains 266 recipes collected from our parish family and celebrates the rich history and fellowship of our community. Cookbooks are available for $20 each and will be ready for pickup in time to make a perfect Christmas gift. Checks should be made payable to Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish with “Cookbook” written on the memo line. Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind parish treasure!
Parish Mission–September 8–11
Mark your calendars—our Parish Mission is almost here! From September 8–11, we will welcome Father Larry Richards from Erie, PA, a nationally known preacher, author, and retreat leader, who will speak to our community over four unforgettable evenings. Each night will focus on a different theme of faith, offering both challenge and encouragement for all who attend. We are seeking 10 volunteers each evening to assist with the mission, as well as baked goods for a reception on the final night. This is a wonderful opportunity to grow in faith, invite friends and neighbors, and come together as a parish family. Please pray for the success of this mission and plan to join us—you won’t want to miss it!
Theme Basket Raffle
The due date for our Theme Basket Raffle is approaching quickly! Please have all baskets delivered to the parish office by September 15. This earlier deadline gives us more time to advertise the baskets before our annual Spaghetti Dinner. If you would like to sponsor a basket, sign-up sheets are available at the church doors. More details, including ticket information, can be found in this weekend’s bulletin.
A few thoughts for your week:
Gratitude and attitude are choices we make every day, not challenges to overcome. You don’t need everyone to understand your journey; what matters is having the courage to keep moving forward on it. Optimism is a magnet for happiness, and when you stay positive, good people and good opportunities will be drawn to you. No matter what life may bring your way, the outcome depends on what you choose to make of it.
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.
