Around the Parish – November 1, 2026
Seventy Years of Worship, Prayer, and Grace
This weekend, as we celebrate All Saints Day, we also celebrate a very special milestone in the life of our parish. On October 28, 1956, the first Mass was celebrated in Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. Seventy years later, we continue to gather in this same sacred place to worship God and receive his grace.
Over those seventy years, countless lives have been touched within these walls. Children have been baptized here. Generations have received their First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Couples have exchanged vows before the altar. Families have gathered to mourn loved ones and commend them to the mercy of God. Sins have been forgiven, prayers have been offered, vocations have been nurtured, and week after week the Eucharist has remained at the center of our parish life.
The stone and stained glass are beautiful, but what makes this church truly beautiful is everything God has done here.
Remembering Those Who Came Before Us
It seems especially fitting that we celebrate this anniversary on All Saints Day.
Today the Church remembers the countless men and women who have gone before us in faith, including so many whose names may never appear in a history book but whose lives quietly helped build the Church.
The same is true of our parish. We remember with gratitude the priests, religious sisters, parishioners, families, benefactors, volunteers, and countless others whose sacrifice and faith made Immaculate Heart of Mary what it is today.
Many of them are no longer with us, but the fruits of their faith remain. Every time we walk through these doors, we enter into something that others lovingly handed on to us.
Looking Toward the Next Seventy Years
An anniversary is not only a time to look backward. It also asks us to look forward.
Today, we are the generation entrusted with Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish. The responsibility of handing on the faith now belongs to us.
My hope is that seventy years from now, another generation will gather here and give thanks for the faithfulness of those who came before them. May they find a parish where Christ is still proclaimed, the Eucharist is still celebrated, children are still taught the faith, those in need are still cared for, and every person who enters these doors knows that they have a spiritual home.
As we celebrate this weekend, I am deeply grateful for everyone who has been part of these seventy years and for everyone who continues to make IHM such a wonderful parish family.
May God bless all those who came before us, all who worship here today, and all those who will call Immaculate Heart of Mary their spiritual home in the years to come.
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.