Around the Parish – October 25, 2026
Published on October 24, 2026
Love God. Love Your Neighbor.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a wonderfully simple summary of the Christian life: love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.
Simple does not always mean easy. Loving God means allowing him to have a real place in our lives—not simply on Sunday morning. Loving our neighbor means patience, forgiveness, generosity, compassion, and sometimes simply noticing the person in front of us.
These two commandments belong together. The more deeply we love God, the more his love should become visible in the way we treat one another.
Seventy Years in Our Church
This Wednesday, October 28, marks a very special anniversary for our parish: 70 years since the first Mass was celebrated in Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.
Next weekend, October 31 and November 1, we will celebrate this anniversary as a parish.
For seventy years, generations have gathered within these walls to celebrate Mass, receive the sacraments, welcome new life, celebrate marriages, mourn loved ones, and encounter Christ together. As we celebrate All Saints Day next weekend, it seems especially fitting to remember with gratitude all those who came before us and helped build the parish family we have today.
I look forward to celebrating this wonderful milestone with all of you next weekend!
Divine Mercy Encounter
DME is almost here! Our next Divine Mercy Encounter will be November 13–15 at St. Joseph Church in Erie.
Remember, DME is open to everyone from 10th grade/age 15 through the end of life. If you have been thinking about attending, now is the time to take that step.
Learn more and register at divinemercyencounter.com
As Respect Life Month Comes to a Close
As October comes to an end, so does Respect Life Month—but our commitment to respecting and protecting human life does not.
Thank you to everyone who supports ministries such as Walking with Moms in Need and the Caring Closet, and to all who quietly help mothers, fathers, children, families, the elderly, and those who are vulnerable or struggling. May we continue to build a parish where every human life is welcomed, valued, and loved.
Here are a few Thoughts for Your Week Ahead:
There is no graceful way to rake leaves when the wind is against you. Every old church has a few stories hidden in its walls. Halloween candy purchased too early rarely survives until Halloween. Seventy years later, the same altar still gathers us around the same Lord.
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.
