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Tag: Corpus Christi

Around the Parish – June 25, 2023

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure to head down to Our lady of Mount Carmel Summer Camp in Volant to help out with adoration, mass, and confessions. We are blessed in western Pennsylvania to have such a amazing opportunity available to our families and youth. The purpose for OLMC Camp is to give an authentically Catholic, effective, fun, and joyful opportunity to encounter Jesus Christ through an Adventure Camp and Retreat Center.  Let me tell you, they’ve got something right there! Throughout the rest of the summer, there are many different programs and retreats available, with plenty of spots still open! I encourage all of our youth and families to consider spending some time at Our Lady of Mount Carmel! For more information, head over to their website, https://olmccamp.org.

Registration is still open for our VBS which is scheduled for July 17-21 from 5:30pm to 8pm. This awesome opportunity is open to all students from pre-k through eighth grade! There is NO COST for any family to participate, and is open to all! You need not be a member of IHM! All peoples are welcome. Please register as soon as possible to make sure to save your child a spot! Registration can be done online on our website or via paper registration form! More information can be found at https://ihmercer.org/vbs.

Here’s a thought for your week: Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope. Always keep your face toward the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.

        Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy


The IHM 300 Club will be a special 6 month raffle, and more information about this can be found in today’s bulletin, as well as on our website. Tickets will begin being sold after all the masses. Tickets can also always be purchased through the parish office.

Around the Parish – June 18, 2023

Happy and blessed Father’s Day to all of our fathers in our parish community. Celebrate the gift of fatherhood this Father’s Day as we honor all fathers and father figures in our Catholic community. Today, we express our gratitude for their love, guidance, and sacrifices, following the example of St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus. Let us remember to keep all fathers in our prayers, asking God to bless them with strength, wisdom, and grace in their sacred role within the family. Happy Father’s Day to all our beloved dads!

This weekend, we joyfully celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which holds deep significance for our parish as it is named in honor of this sacred devotion. According to Liturgical Law, the celebration of the parish’s name day takes precedence over the regular Sunday in ordinary time. This special occasion allows us to focus our prayers and reflections on the Immaculate Heart, embracing the profound love and purity that Mary exemplified in her life. Let us come together as a faith community to honor the Immaculate Heart of Mary and seek her intercession for our parish and the world.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who participated in the Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession and the 40 hours Eucharistic Devotions. Your presence and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament truly made these events a beautiful expression of our faith and love for our Lord Jesus Christ. May the graces received during these sacred moments continue to nourish our souls and strengthen our commitment to the Eucharist.

This week, all of the priests of the Diocese of Erie will be gathering at Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe for the annual Emmaus gathering. Please pray for us as we spend time together in prayer, fraternity, and formation. I look forward to seeing you all next week!

Attention all parents! We kindly urge you to register your students for our parish Vacation Bible School (VBS) as soon as possible. Currently, we have only two students registered, and we want to ensure a vibrant and enriching experience for all participants. Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity for your children to grow in faith, make new friends, and have a memorable summer adventure. Register today and secure your child’s place in our exciting VBS program!

At writing this bulletin, we only have 40 tickets left for our 300 club!!! We are coming down to the wire, so if you haven’t gotten your ticket, don’t wait much longer!! You may have to wait till next year!!

Here’s a thought for your week: Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope. Always keep your face toward the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.

        Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy


The IHM 300 Club will be a special 6 month raffle, and more information about this can be found in today’s bulletin, as well as on our website. Tickets will begin being sold after all the masses. Tickets can also always be purchased through the parish office.

40 Hours & Corpus Christi Procession Schedule

Beginning this Sunday, June 11, we start our 40 Hours Eucharistic Devotion and Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession. The schedule of Events for the next three days is listed below:

Sunday, June 11, 2023

  8:00 AM — Parish Sunday Mass
10:00 AM — Parish Sunday Mass
11:00 AM — Eucharistic Adoration Begins
  2:15 PM — Corpus Christi Procession Begins from IHM Church to K of C Hall
  2:30 PM — Litany of the Most Blessed Sacrament at K of C Hall
  2:45 PM — Procession back to IHM Church
  3:00 PM — Divine Mercy Chaplet in IHM Church
  3:30 PM — Benediction
  3:45 PM — Adoration continues in IHM Church
  7:00 PM — 40 Hours Vespers and Homily from Fr. Joseph Petrone in IHM Church
  7:30 PM — Benediction and Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament

Monday, June 12, 2023

  8:00 AM — Parish Daily Mass
  8:30 AM — Eucharistic Adoration resumes following morning Mass
  7:00 PM — 40 Hours Vespers and Homily from Fr. Joseph Petrone in IHM Church
  7:30 PM — Benediction and Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament

Tuesday, June 13, 2023

  8:00 AM — Parish Daily Mass
  8:30 AM — Eucharistic Adoration resumes following morning Mass
  7:00 PM — 40 Hours Vespers and Homily from Fr. Joseph Petrone in IHM Church
  7:30 PM — Eucharistic Procession in IHM Church
  7:45 PM — Benediction and Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament

Around the Parish – May 21, 2023

We have just about 120 tickets left for the 300 Club! Please make sure to purchase your ticket. Each ticket is $100 and enters you in for a chance to win weekly beginning July 12! Please help us spread the word, and encourage people from outside the parish to get a ticket too! You do not have to belong to the parish to purchase a ticket! All monies raised that are not raffled off stay in our parish to help alleviate the cost of maintenance repairs as well as pay for our normal bills. For more information, check our website or call the parish office. https://ihmercer.org/300-Club

A reminder that we will celebrate 40 Hours in just a few weeks time. Our preacher for our celebration will be Father Joseph Petrone. He will be preaching on the Hearts of the Holy Family. We are in need of volunteers to sign up for an hour of adoration during the entire time that the Eucharist is exposed. A minimum of two volunteers are needed for each hour that the Eucharist is exposed. In the back vestibule of church, and on our website, you can sign up to volunteer for an hour. Please help us spread the word!

VBS registration is open! Forms can be found in the back vestibule of church under the pictures of the former pastors as well as on our website. Registration is due back ASAP so that we can purchase T-Shirts for all participants! If you wish to volunteer, please contact the parish office as soon as possible so that we can schedule a meeting to begin preparations. For more information, please visit our website.

We will have a VBS planning meeting on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at 6pm in the parish Conference Room. All who are willing to volunteer, please plan on coming to the meeting that night! Bring your creative ideas to help us make this the best VBS our parish has ever had!

Here’s a thought for your week: Be strong now because things will get better; it can’t storm forever. Good things come to those who are willing to hustle. Don’t just be busy; be productive.

        Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy


The IHM 300 Club will be a special 6 month raffle, and more information about this can be found in today’s bulletin, as well as on our website. Tickets will begin being sold after all the masses. Tickets can also always be purchased through the parish office.

Around the Parish – May 14, 2023

A very happy and blessed Mother’s Day to all of our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and anyone to whom has shown us motherly love. Know of my prayers, love, and admiration for all of you!

Last weekend, I mentioned two events that our parish will host. In the recent past, Father Matt held a Procession of the Blessed Sacrament on Corpus Christi Sunday. Eucharistic Processions will be occurring all over the Diocese of Erie on this special Sunday. This year, our parish will host the Deanery Eucharistic Procession, which invites parishioners from all over our area to participate.

The second event will begin also on Corpus Christi Sunday and will continue through the following Tuesday, June 13. Each day, following the last mass of the day, the Eucharist will be exposed for adoration until 7pm each night. At 7pm, we will celebrate evening prayer, and within evening prayer, a special homily will be given. Our preacher for our celebration will be Father Joseph Petrone. He will be preaching on the Hearts of the Holy Family. We are in need of volunteers to sign up for an hour of adoration during the entire time that the Eucharist is exposed. A minimum of two volunteers are needed for each hour that the Eucharist is exposed. In the back vestibule of church, and on our website, you can sign up to volunteer for an hour. Please help us spread the word!

VBS registration is open! Forms can be found in the back vestibule of church under the pictures of the former pastors as well as on our website. Registration is due back ASAP so that we can purchase T-Shirts for all participants! If you wish to volunteer, please contact the parish office as soon as possible so that we can schedule a meeting to begin preparations.

Thank you goes out to all the amazing volunteers who came to help with the first Plant and Garden Sale. The sale raised $1,424 for our parish. Between the sale and other generous donations, we were able to raise enough money to cover the cost of the replacement refrigerator for Gallagher Hall.

Here’s a thought for your week: Never take someone’s feeling for granted because you never know how much courage it took for him or her to express them to you. Life is too short to be constantly worrying. Let go of the stress and realize you’re blessed.

Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy


Thank you to our amazing crew who helped work the First Annual Plant and Garden Sale!

The IHM 300 Club will be a special 6 month raffle, and more information about this can be found in today’s bulletin, as well as on our website. Tickets will begin being sold after all the masses. Tickets can also always be purchased through the parish office.

Corpus Christi Procession 2023

The Corpus Christi procession is a centuries-old tradition of the Catholic faith to process the Real Presence of Jesus — the Eucharist — in public. The feast of Corpus Christi was established in Liege, Belgium, in 1247. Pope Urban IV extended it to the universal Church almost two decades later, and the Corpus Christi procession followed soon after.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish will host the 2023 Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession on Sunday, June 11. The schedule of events is as follows:

11:00 AM ……………….. Adoration begins at the end of the last Mass
2:15 PM ………………….. Procession begins from Church to Knights of Columbus Hall
2:30 PM ………………….. Litany of the Most Blessed Sacrament at the Knights Hall
2:45 PM ………………….. Procession back to Church
3:00 PM ………………….. Divine Mercy Chaplet
3:30 PM ………………….. Benediction