Around the Parish – December 22, 2024
As we approach Christmas, I find it important to remind myself—and all of you—that we are still in the holy season of Advent. While the world around us seems fully immersed in Christmas, with decorations, music, and celebrations, Advent invites us to pause, reflect, and prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. There is still time to embrace this preparation, which is a comforting thought. Just as there is still time in these final days before Christmas, there is always time in our lives to return to Jesus, to allow His grace to work within us, and to open our hearts to conversion. My prayer for each of you is that these last few moments of Advent bring peace into your hearts and homes.
As we prepare for the joyful celebration of Christmas, I want to share our Mass schedule. On Christmas Eve, Mass will be celebrated at 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM, with beautiful Christmas music offered by our Music Ministry beginning 20 minutes before each Mass. On Christmas Day, we will celebrate Mass at 9:00 AM. I encourage you to arrive early and join in the music—it’s a wonderful way to prepare spiritually for the liturgy and to immerse yourself in the joy of Christ’s birth.
After the busyness of the Christmas celebrations, I will take a day to spend time with my family, so there will be no daily Mass on December 26. I appreciate your understanding as I enjoy this special time with loved ones.
This weekend, our parish has the honor of opening the Jubilee Year of Hope in a special way. The Vatican and our Diocese have invited every parish to mark the beginning of this Holy Year with a meaningful celebration. As we journey together throughout this Jubilee, I encourage you to visit our parish website, ihmercer.org/jubilee-2025, for updates and resources to help us deepen our faith and grow in hope during this extraordinary time of grace.
Finally, a reminder that Wednesday, January 1, is a Holy Day of Obligation as we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. We will have two Masses for this feast: a Vigil Mass on December 31 at 6:00 PM and Mass on January 1 at 9:00 AM. Let us begin the New Year by placing ourselves under Mary’s loving care and seeking her intercession for peace in our hearts and in the world.
Here are a few thoughts for the week ahead:
Focus on your potential, not your limitations. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for someone is to just listen. Never allow yourself to be a prisoner to the things you can’t change; rather, focus on what you can control: your love, your patience, your mercy with others. To make a difference, you don’t have to be rich, you simply have to care.
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.
