St. Mary of the Assumption

Maple Park, Illinois

It is a beautiful and praiseworthy tradition to recite an act of spiritual communion when one is unable, for whatever reason, to receive Holy Communion. Below is an act of spiritual communion composed by Saint Alphonsus Ligouri.
 
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.  I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.  Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

Weekend Masses have resumed. 

Mass on Sunday will also be live-streamed on Facebook at 8 AM. 

Daily Masses are celebrated here on Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8 AM.
 

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The Lion's Roar

What podcasts do you listen to? When I became aware of this technology (just last year!) I instantly took advantage of listening to various podcasts. I listen while I am driving, at the confessional while waiting for you, in my walks and at dinner time. I have learned a lot just by listening. Here are some of the programs I listen to.

The Word on Fire Show. Bishop Robert Barron is the main speaker on this program. The shows are always enlightening and mentally stimulating.

Ask Christopher West. Christopher West is perhaps the main evangelizer of St. Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. He and his wife Wendy have weekly lively discussions, answering questions and helping listeners to appreciate the gift of the body.

Catholic Answers Focus. It is the world’s premier podcast on Catholic apologetics, helping you explain and defend the Catholic faith. This is the description from the website:

40 Days for Life. It is one of the media of the 40 Days for Life Ministry. The weekly show features discussions concerning the Pro-Life movement in particular “the beginning of the end of abortion”.

What podcasts do you listen to? 

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     We see in our Scripture readings this weekend an example of what we call “typology” in the Bible.  The New American Bible describes typology as a theological way of understanding persons, events or explanations, especially in the New Testament by referring back to Old Testament “types.”

     A type can be an event, a person, or a story or parable.  In this case it is the connection between Isaac and Jesus.  Notice that both Isaac and Jesus are beloved sons of a father.  Both have a special birth: Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah by a special gift from God when they were presumably too old to have children; Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary and is the gift of God the Father.  Both are designated by God to be sacrificed.

     But there is one huge difference: God spares the beloved son of Abraham from being offered up as a sacrifice, providing a substitute.  But as St. Paul says in today’s reading from the Letter to the Romans, God did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all [8:32].

     I always find myself deeply touched by this contrast.  God saves Abraham from a broken heart by revealing that it was Abraham’s obedience that pleased God, not the apparent sacrificial death of Isaac.  But in the case of His own beloved Son, God allows him to die a painful, violent death as the sign of human obedience to reverse the disobedience of Adam and Eve.

     Whenever we’re tempted to take the death of Jesus for granted, we might think of this.  How would we feel if we had a child we deeply loved, and it became known that if the child underwent a surgery that would certainly end its life, a horrible disease could be cured for many people?  Would we be able to offer that child’s life for the sake of the many?  And if we did, would our hearts not be broken at the loss of the one we loved?  Well, that’s what God did in allowing Jesus to die on the cross.

     Someone might say, “Well, God knew that Jesus would rise from the dead, so it’s not the same.”  But isn’t it?  Don’t we know from our Faith that there is life after physical death, and that life will be full of happiness?

     It brings to my mind how we deal with death in our culture these days. Many people don’t like to have funerals, but rather “celebrations of life.”  Well, there’s a place for celebrating a person’s life at the time of death, but we should also remember that if you don’t end up with God in heaven, there isn’t much to celebrate!  After all, 100 years from now hardly anyone will even know you or I existed, unless we happen to have been famous or infamous during our earthly lives.  How many of us can name our great-great grandparents, or any of their children?

     Fortunately, there’s good news (“gospel”): the death of Jesus and his resurrection which we will celebrate after Lent have opened the door to an unending life of happiness beginning here and continuing after death if we allow God to be in our lives and lead us to it.  Lent is a time to open ourselves up wider for God to draw us closer to Him.

Important News Items

• Mass on Sunday will be live-streamed on Facebook at 8 AM.
• Daily Mass: Daily Masses are currently being celebrated here on Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8 AM.
• Anchor: Episode 43 - Visit with our priests on Thursday, March 4, on Facebook at 11:30 AM.
• Lenten Stations of the Cross schedule for all Fridays of Lent:

• Church Open Hours

• Confession Schedule

• DRIVE THRU FISH FRY DINNER AT SS PETER & PAUL, VIRGIL

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Religious Education

Sundays 9:15-10:30 AM

CALENDAR
     

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Important Messages from Bishop David J. Malloy

Vaccines and COVID 19

See this important note from our Diocesan Ethicist, Fr. Ken Wasilewski, regarding the new COVID-19 Vaccines:

As concerns about the Coronavirus continue, and talk of an imminent vaccine becomes more prevalent, there are a few moral questions about the vaccine which have also arisen. These really come down to two basic areas: first, how a given vaccine is developed, and secondly, the morality of receiving that vaccine (or not receiving it). Generally speaking, the Church has long been a supporter of vaccine development and use. (more...)
  

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Bishop David Malloy announced in a letter to all priests Oct. 8, a list of changes to the “Back in His Presence” guidelines issued in June of this year.

Bishop Malloy said in his letter that modifications to the original protocols are being made periodically “based in the experience that we gain as we live through this pandemic.”

After consultations with the Deans and with the Presbyteral Council, the following modifications have been made to “Back in His Presence.”   These changes were made effective for Masses beginning October 10-11, 2020.

Prior COVID-19 Statements from Bishop Malloy
Letter from Bishop Malloy and Executive Summary for reopening churches
Bishop Malloy's Dispensation Statement
Diocesan Cancellations AND Postponements

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Lenten Discipline of Fasting & Abstinence

Catholics in good health, ages 18 to 59, are required to fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting consists of eating only one meal, with the possibility of two smaller meals that do not add up to a single full meal. Catholics age 14 and older are to abstain from meat on all Fridays in Lent.
  

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Mass Intentions

Please remember your loved ones with a Mass intention. We can pray for anyone, they do not have to be deceased. It can be for a wedding anniversary or birthday, a Mass of Thanksgiving, or any other special intention. Weekend Masses fill up quickly, but we do have daily Masses each week that are available. You can also use these Masses while you are away and cannot be here to pray for those loved ones. Please call or stop in the parish office for more information.
 

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New Parishioners Welcome!

If you are new to our parish or just visiting - WELCOME!!  If you would like to officially claim St. Mary’s as your Parish Home - we would love to have you!  Contact the Parish Office (815-827-3205) for information and a registration form.  Forms can be mailed or emailed to you or you may stop in and pick them up.
 

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Volunteers - We Need You!

The Catholic faith community of St. Mary, Maple Park is in need of people to be involved in our liturgy. During this time of COVID, we are in need of cantors, lectors, ushers, and greeters. Make an effort to actively participate at Mass and step up! Contact the parish office if you feel called to serve in a ministry.
 
 
  

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Remember Your Parish...

Just like for your family, during this time it is important that the parish continue paying its bills. While we are unable to gather in church, if you are able to continue your Sunday contributions to the parish, please mail them to: PO Box 70, Maple Park, IL 60151, or use our Online Giving service. Thanks and may God bless you and your family during this difficult time!

Please also remember St. Mary’s with a gift in your will or estate plan.

Church Stained Glass Window Work (Update)

We continue to raise funds to install exterior vented clear-glass on the remaining ten windows on the South and East (front) areas of the church. We just received a quote on finishing these remaining windows from the proposed contractor, Daprado Rigali, in the amount of $50,000. At the combined Pastoral Council and Buildings and Grounds on November 11, based upon recommendation of the committees, Fr. Ariel approved proceeding. The work will begin this coming spring or summer. Through your generosity and our fundraising activities (many thanks to our volunteers and donors!), we will have most of the funds to complete this phase of work. That being said, we will continue to raise funds to pay for this work and save for rebuilding the actual interior stained glass as it is deemed necessary.

The Diocese has granted us permission that donations we receive for “Stained-Glass” will be exempt from the diocesan assessment (used as a basis of setting our diocesan appeal goal) until December 31, 2024.  Therefore, we ask that you use the “stained-glass” offering envelope, online giving selection, or write “stained-glass” on your checks for contributions for the window work. We sincerely thank you for your past donations and ask for your continued generous support in this endeavor to help properly maintain our beautiful church building.