Around the Parish – June 14, 2026

Immaculate Heart of Mary

This weekend, we celebrate the feast day of our parish, the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Traditionally, the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary falls on the Saturday following the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Since this is our parish feast day, we celebrate it throughout the entire weekend.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary reminds us of Our Blessed Mother’s deep love for God and her unwavering faithfulness to His will. Her heart was completely united to the heart of her Son, Jesus Christ, sharing in both His joys and His sufferings. As our patroness, Mary teaches us to trust God in all circumstances, to treasure His word in our hearts, and to live lives of prayer, charity, and discipleship. May her maternal care continue to guide and protect our parish family.

St. Columbkille

Being that this weekend is the first weekend following the feast day of St. Columbkille (June 9), we also celebrate his feast this weekend.

St. Columbkille, also known as St. Columba, was one of the great missionary saints of the early Church. Born in Ireland in the sixth century, he left his homeland to bring the Gospel to Scotland, where he founded the monastery on the island of Iona. From there, he and his companions helped spread Christianity throughout the region. St. Columbkille’s zeal for evangelization, devotion to prayer, and love for Sacred Scripture remain an inspiration to us today. As we honor him this weekend, may we be encouraged to share our faith boldly and faithfully with others.

Vacation Bible School

Our Vacation Bible School is coming up quickly, and we currently have very few registrations! Help us make this a memorable and faith-filled event for the children of our parish and community. Vacation Bible School is a wonderful opportunity for young people to grow in their faith, make new friends, and have fun along the way. Registration forms are due to the parish office by June 25. You can also register online at ihmercer.org/vbs.

Theme Basket Raffle

It may seem like a long way off, but now is the time to begin preparing for our annual Spaghetti Dinner Theme Basket Raffle! Last year, thanks to your generosity, we had 75 baskets. This year, let’s work together to reach 100!

All baskets should be returned to the parish office by August 23. Please remember to include an itemized list of the basket contents so that we can properly advertise and promote each basket before the event. Thank you for helping make one of our parish’s most popular fundraisers a success.

300 Club

We are entering the final stretch of our 2026 300 Club campaign. The first drawing will be held on July 14, and we have a few tickets remaining.

If you have been considering purchasing a ticket, now is the time! The 300 Club provides important financial support for our parish while also giving participants the opportunity to win cash prizes throughout the year. Help us sell these final tickets and make this year’s campaign a great success. Thank you for your continued support of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.

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.