Around the Parish – August 30, 2026
Published on August 29, 2026
IHM Is Partnering with Hallow!
Last week, I invited everyone to download the Hallow app as we begin our new parish partnership with Hallow. This week, I want to take the next step—and I hope you will take it with me.
I would like you to join our parish community on Hallow.
Why?
Because our goal isn’t simply to get another app onto everyone’s phone. The purpose of our partnership with Hallow is to help us pray more—and to pray together as a parish family.
Hallow contains an incredible library of Catholic prayer: the Rosary, daily Scripture, reflections, music, meditations, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Bible, sleep prayers, novenas, and much more. But one of the things I am most excited about is the opportunity for us to use Hallow together.
Through our parish community, we will be able to participate in prayer challenges, share prayer intentions, and occasionally choose a particular prayer or series that we can pray together throughout the week.
And here’s something important: you do not have to purchase a Hallow subscription to join our parish community. There is free content available, and our parish partnership gives us additional opportunities to pray together. Those who would like access to Hallow’s complete library can also take advantage of the special subscription offer available through our parish partnership.
So this week, I am asking everyone with a smartphone to do one simple thing:
Open Hallow, find Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, and tap “Join.”
If you haven’t downloaded Hallow yet, this is a great week to do it. After downloading the app, look for the Church section, search for our parish, and join our community.
Don’t worry if you aren’t particularly “tech savvy.” We will help you. And don’t worry if you don’t know where to begin with prayer. That’s one of the reasons we’re doing this.
Over the coming weeks, I’ll begin suggesting some particular prayers and experiences within Hallow that we can undertake together.
Imagine if dozens—or eventually hundreds—of members of our parish were spending even ten additional minutes each day in prayer.
That could make a tremendous difference.
So, let’s begin.
Download Hallow. Join Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish. And let’s pray together.
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.
