Around the Parish – May 3, 2026
Deacon Edgar’s Anniversary Mass
At all the masses last weekend, I mentioned that this year, our Deacon Edgar Gonzalez is celebrating 20 years as a deacon. Originally from the Cleveland Diocese, he will be honored at their ordination anniversary mass this Tuesday, May 5, 2026. The mass will take place at Saint Basil the Great Parish, 8700 Brecksville Road, Brecksville, Ohio at 6:00 PM. All are welcome to attend. As always, please congratulate our deacon on his anniversary! We are truly blessed to have him here in our parish!
Basket Raffle Planning Meeting
All who would like to assist with the Basket Raffle for our upcoming Spaghetti Dinner are invited to a planning meeting on Thursday, May 21 at 6:00 PM in the parish conference room. Your help plays an important role in making this event a success, and all are welcome to participate.
Life in the Spirit Seminar
This Thursday night begins our Life in the Spirit Seminar. Even if you were unable to attend the informational meeting this past Thursday, you are still more than welcome to participate! Please make sure to register ASAP so that we can adequately prepare for all those attending.
300 Club Tickets Available
Our 300 Club fundraiser is underway, and we need your help to make it a success! At this point, we have sold about 100 tickets, but we need to reach all 300 in order for the fundraiser to be fully effective for our parish. This is a wonderful opportunity to support the mission of our parish while also having the chance to win throughout the duration of the club.
If you have not yet purchased your ticket, I encourage you to consider doing so soon. Your participation truly makes a difference and helps support the many needs of our parish community. Tickets are limited, and we would love to see all 300 filled. Thank you for your continued generosity and support of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish!
Sharing Shed
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued participation in our parish Sharing Shed, from the volunteers who maintain the shed, to those who donate food, thank you! We are in need of some food items in the immediate future. Any help you might be able to give, I would greatly appreciate it!.
Here’s a few thoughts for your week ahead:
You can’t make a cloudy day sunny, but you can decide to make it a good day after all. You can’t go back and start a new beginning, but you can start today and make a new ending. Learn to stand by and observe. Not everything needs a reaction. Don’t be afraid to start over; you might live the new chapter ever more.
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.