Around the Parish – October 12, 2025
Under the Weather
Last weekend and throughout this past week, I have been staying under the radar as I recover from influenza. I am grateful to Father Gramata who was able to cover the Masses here last weekend. The downside of falling ill right now is that there simply are not enough priests. Father Ray has been covering in Stoneboro for Fr. Bob Manning while he is away for health treatments. On top of that, as dean, I am also responsible for the day-to-day operations of St. Columbkille Parish.
Because of this, I had to make the difficult decision last weekend to ask Father Ray to cover our parish here in Mercer and to cancel Masses in Stoneboro. That was not a decision I took lightly, and I want our friends and neighbors in Stoneboro to know that. But it also points to the greater reality we are facing together: we need more priests.
Our ratio of clergy to parishioners is actually rather stable, but we simply have too many churches for the number of priests we currently have. So what do we do about this? The answer is not only an institutional problem; it lies at the feet of each one of us. Are we praying for vocations? Are we encouraging our young people to consider the priesthood and religious life? Are we telling them that a vocation in the Church is a holy, noble, and worthy calling? Or do we treat our Church like a Sunday reprieve that we only think about once a week?
These are difficult times, but even in them we find solace and comfort in the embrace of our God who has given us this Church—not only our local parish, but the universal Church to which we all belong. Let us commit ourselves to encouraging, praying for, and seeking out vocations. May this be the number one prayer request we storm heaven with during this Clergy Appreciation Month.
A few thoughts for your week:
Fill your life with experiences, not things, so that you have stories to share rather than possessions to show. With time we come to see that love is not about being lovesick or caught up in craziness, but about being calm, patient, and steady. True love means being understood and valued, finding in a partner peace of mind and reassurance—not constant stress and anxiety.
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.