Around the Parish – April 20, 2025
Alleluia! Alleluia! Jesus is Risen!
Alleluia! Alleluia! He is Risen Indeed!
What a joyous sound to proclaim on this Easter Sunday! Forty days ago, we entered into the season of penance, setting aside Alleluia as we journeyed with Christ to the Cross. But now, the tomb is empty, and the Alleluia returns! Let it echo in our hearts and be sung to the ends of the earth—Christ is risen, and our hope is found in His Resurrection!
Next Sunday: A Day of Grace and Celebration
Next Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday, and it holds beautiful significance both globally and here in our own parish.
Here at Immaculate Heart of Mary, we will celebrate with our Third Grade students as they receive their First Holy Communion. What a precious moment this is—for them, for their families, and for our whole parish. I encourage each of us to recall our own First Communion, and to renew our commitment to receiving the Lord with the same awe, joy, and reverence we experienced on that day. May their faith rekindle our own!
In the universal Church, next Sunday will also mark the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a teenager who used his gifts in computer programming and love for the Eucharist to evangelize others before his death at just 15 years old. Known for saying, “The Eucharist is my highway to Heaven,” Carlo lived a life rooted in devotion, simplicity, and a deep love for the Lord. What a powerful witness for our First Communicants—and for all of us!
We will also mark Divine Mercy Sunday with a beautiful time of prayer and adoration. Join us in the church from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM for Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the Sung Divine Mercy Chaplet beginning at 3:00 PM. This is a special opportunity to draw close to the Heart of Jesus and to pray for mercy—for ourselves and for the whole world.
Upcoming Opportunities to Grow in Faith
Sacred Saturday – May 10
Don’t forget to sign up for our first Sacred Saturday Morning of Reflection, taking place on Saturday, May 10. We’ll begin with Mass at 9:00 AM, followed by breakfast, a simple presentation, and a time for community. I’ll be sharing a reflection on Our Blessed Mother Mary—a wonderful way to grow in faith together during the month of May. I hope you’ll join us! Register online at ihmm.ch/t1fii
Book Study – “Forming Intentional Disciples”
Also, consider joining our Saturday morning book study in June, as we dive into Sherry Weddell’s “Forming Intentional Disciples.” We’ll meet each Saturday in June from 9:30–11:00 AM in the Conference Room. Every one of us—no matter our age, vocation, or life situation—is called to be a leader and witness to the faith. This book will inspire and guide us in that mission. Registration ends April 28. Call the office or sign up online at ihmm.ch/i44i4
2026 Holy Land Pilgrimage
Our pilgrimage to the Holy Land is filling up quickly! There’s still time to register for this life-changing journey in Spring 2026. Walk where Jesus walked, pray in the places He prayed, and experience Scripture come to life. Learn more and sign up at:
VBS Planning Meeting – April 30
Vacation Bible School will be here before we know it! If you’d like to help out in any way—planning, decorating, teaching, or behind-the-scenes—please join us for our first VBS Planning Meeting on Wednesday, April 30 at 6:30 PM in the Conference Room. All are welcome, and we’d love to have you involved.
Here are a few thoughts for the week ahead:
Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open. Some people look for a beautiful place; others make a place beautiful.
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.
