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Mass Schedule
Sunday Masses:
Saturday: 4:00 PM
Sunday: 8:00 AMWeekday Masses:
Monday thru Thursday and First Fridays of each month: 7:15 AM
Other Fridays: Check bulletin (Either Mass or Communion Service @ 7:15 AM) -
Today's Readings
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Reading 1 2 Tm 4:10-17bResponsorial Psalm Ps 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18Gospel Lk 10:1-9
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From the Desk of Fr. Ariel Valencia (October 13, 2019)
The Lion's Roar
As we continue to observe 40 Days for Life, our parish will be hosting a viewing of the movie Unplanned. The movie is about Abby Johnson, a former manager of Planned Parenthood who left her job and now heads And Then There Were None, an organization for those who leave Planned Parenthood.
According to Day 41, a publication of 40 Days of Life, since its release in March the movie has made a lot of difference. Because of the film, four mothers chose life over abortion. Because of the film, there was a 30% increase in volunteers praying for an end to abortion. Because of the film, 94 workers left Planned Parenthood. Because of the film, there was a 25% decrease in clients. Because of the film, there was a 15% increase in vigil coverage. These are just some of the things we are aware. There could be more blessing because of Abby’s story. -
Ministry Schedules
Ministry Sign-Up Here
Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, and Lectors sign-up using SignUpGenius by using the following links:
Oct. 2019 Ministry Sign-Up
Nov. 2019 Ministry Sign-Up
We are using this method to schedule volunteers at Masses to allow you to choose dates and times convenient to you and make it easier for families to schedule to serve together. SignUpGenius will send you an email to confirm when you schedule and a reminder a few days before you're scheduled to remind you that you're on! -
Online Giving
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Parish Calendar
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Sunday, October 20Saturday, Adoration 2:45 PM, Confessions 3:00-3:45 PM, Mass 4:00 PM; Sunday, Mass 8:00 AMRead More
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Sunday, October 27Saturday, Adoration 2:45 PM, Confessions 3:00-3:45 PM, Mass 4:00 PM; Sunday, Mass 8:00 AMRead More
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Read MoreSaturday, November 2
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Sunday, November 3Saturday, Adoration 2:45 PM, Confessions 3:00-3:45 PM, Mass 4:00 PM; Sunday, Mass 8:00 AMRead More
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Sunday, November 10Saturday, Adoration 2:45 PM, Confessions 3:00-3:45 PM, Mass 4:00 PM; Sunday, Mass 8:00 AMRead More
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Safe Environment Program
There are several revised diocesan Safe Environment Program forms that all parish volunteers must complete. The forms are available in the vestibule of the church or at the parish office. If you have questions, contact the parish office. -
Catholic News Service
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IMAGE: CNS photo/Paul Haring By Barbara J. Fraser VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Proposals for Amazonian development made by well-known observers at the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon could conflict with the...
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IMAGE: CNS photo/Sam Lucero, The Compass By Benjamin Wideman KIEL, Wis. (CNS) -- After David and Maria Schuette got married in 2015, they wanted a family right away but months later they found out...
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IMAGE: CNS photo/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden ROME (CNS) -- As the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon heard pleas to defend the rights of the region's indigenous people and of the land they hold sacred...
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National Catholic Register
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By Catholic News Agency | LOS ANGELES — The true story of Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic woman who helped smuggle thousands of Jewish children out of the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw during World War...
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By Catholic News Agency | WASHINGTON — A man claiming to be a former child victim of Theodore McCarrick has written an open essay in response to a recent interview given by the former cardinal...
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By Lauretta Brown | Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) is one of the only Democrats running for president in 2020 who has conceded that there should be any restrictions on abortion in the third trimester. On...
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Parish News & Events
Movie Night With Monsignor
Sunday, October 20th at 6:30 PM. Come and see UNPLANNED. A true story of Abby Johnson’s journey of transformation. She was one of the youngest Planned Parenthood clinic directors and was involved in 22,ooo abortions. That is until one day she saw something that changed everything.
I am so excited and blessed to have been called to St. Mary and Sts. Peter & Paul Churches.
New Coordinator of Religious Education Named
My journey with Christ has been an adventure that I can not often believe. After all my time with friends and sharing so much, have the opportunity to come back home is wonderful. I am looking forward to our next chapter on our faith journey. Starting as a catechist, then youth minister and getting to be Director of religious education for the Rockford Diocese for the past 20 years has been a gift to me. I look forward to growing together and sharing the love of Christ with our families and our youth. Please always feel free to step forward and introduce yourself. My door (and Emails) are always open.
God’s Blessings to you all,
Leila Rivers
Drawdown Tickets are $30 each and are available after Masses, from a committee member or in the parish office.
Save The Date!
St. Mary’s Harvest Drawdown & Hawaii Raffle Saturday, November 2nd
We need volunteers! Volunteer sign up sheets are available in church or from the link below. We especially need ticket sellers for the various raffles held the night of the event. Remember auction items and gift card donations too! St. Mary's Harvest Drawdown 2019 Online Volunteer Sign-Up
Registered parishioners should have recieved Hawaii Vacation raffle tickets in the mail. Please return payments with stubs in the weekend collection or to the office by October 27th. Feel free to pick up more tickets to sell from the table at the back of church or in the Novak Center.
Seeking Music Director
We are seeking a part-time Music Director. Services are on Saturday evening at 4:00 PM and on Sunday morning at 8:00 AM. Applicant also needs to be available for Holy Days of Obligation and occasional funerals and weddings. Please contact Fr. Ariel at 815-505-7471 or the Parish Office at 815-827-3205 for more information.
Remember Your Parish...
Please remember St. Mary’s with a gift in your will or estate plan.
Volunteers - We Need You!
The Catholic faith community of St. Mary, Maple Park is constantly in need of people to be involved in our liturgy. We are very much in need of cantors, accompanists, choir members, extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, lectors and altar servers. Make an effort to actively participate at Mass and step up! Online sign-up using SignUpGenius is available on this page. -
From the desk of Msgr. Tom Dzielak (October 13, 2019)
YOU HAVE MADE US FOR YOURSELF, O GOD, AND OUR HEARTS ARE RESTLESS UNTIL THEY REST IN YOU[St Augustine, THE CONFESSIONS]October is the month when the Church honors our Blessed Mother as Our Lady of the Rosary. For centuries the Church has recommended the Rosary as one of the most effective private devotions in Catholic life. This has been reinforced by most of the reported apparitions of Mary over the years, as people claiming to have visions of her regularly say that she asks us to pray the Rosary, for our own spiritual health and that of the world.
Why is the Rosary such a powerful spiritual tool? I think it is because it is a path to a deeper personal love and knowledge of Jesus. Mary’s whole life, both on earth and in heaven, is dedicated to bringing people to Jesus and His way of life.
Many Catholics have a great love for praying the Rosary. Others may find it difficult or boring because of the repetition of the prayers. But the repetition is meant to free our minds from having to think about each word we are saying. It allows us to reflect on the “mysteries” (word which here means “events in the life of Jesus”) of God’s coming to us in the life, death and resurrection of His beloved Son, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. We don’t have to focus so much on each individual prayer, but rather on the life of Jesus.
What if you get frustrated and find it hard to focus on the mysteries? I’ve mentioned before to people that I came across something which I find helpful. It comes from another priest, whose name I do not know. He said that when he prays the Rosary, he keeps his mind on the mysteries by adding some words to the end of the first part of the “Hail, Mary.” For example, while praying the first Joyful Mystery he might say, “...and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, whose coming was announced to you by the angel Gabriel.” For the second Luminous Mystery, he might say “...the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, who changed water into wine at Cana.”
I have found personally that it helps me to use the first ten Stations of the Cross as the “hook” to keep my mind on the fourth Sorrowful Mystery, “Jesus carries His cross”: for example, “...the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, who was condemned by Pontius Pilate.”
Since the Rosary is a private devotion, it is permissible to say it in a way that helps it become devotional for you. Some people like to say just a part of it each time, and do this several times during the day. Since I have been blessed with the knowledge of four different languages (English, Latin, and a smattering of Italian and Spanish), I like to use a different language for each decade. Whatever works to make it prayerful for you is acceptable. The main thing is to honor God through respecting His desire to bring us closer to Him through Mary, whom He has made our spiritual mother... the mother of the Body of Christ, the Church...and the model for all faithful followers of Jesus.
May our love and devotion for Mary, our mother and our sister in God’s work of salvation, help us on our journey of faith.
St. Mary of the Assumption, pray for us. We embrace you as the patroness of our parish, and ask you to help us find our happiness in your beloved Son. -
From the Desk of Deacon Greg Urban (September 29, 2019)
Church Stained Glass Window Work
The Buildings and Grounds Committee has proposed that we continue restoration work on the church’s 100+ year-old stained-glass and clear exterior windows.
Some time ago, the Committee presented a proposal to the Pastoral and Finance Councils at a combined meeting to finish rebuilding all the exterior clear windows that help protect the interior stained glass. This work should delay the need for rebuilding more internal stained-glass windows. This work has been completed on the stained-glass windows that have already been rebuilt.
UPDATE...
Daprado Rigali has begun the work installing vented clear-glass on the five exterior windows on the North side of the church and the four windows in the upper church sanctuary (Altar area). The cost for this work will be approximately $80,000. Through your generosity and our fundraising activities (many thanks to our volunteers and guests!), we have most of the funds on-hand to complete this work. We will NOT require borrowed funds. There are several more remaining windows on the South and East (front) sides of the church that will still require this work when additional funds become available.
For your information, the Diocese has granted us permission that monies we receive for “Stained-Glass” will be exempt from diocesan tax (used as a basis of setting our diocesan appeal goal) until December 31, 2020. 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 generous support in this endeavor to help properly maintain our church. -
2019 Diocesan Annual Appeal
Your gift to the 2019 Diocesan Appeal supports ministries like these: Seminarian Education, Lay Ministry Formation, College Campus Ministry, Retired Priests, Life & Family Evangelization, Youth Ministry, Religious Education, Catholic Charities, St. Elizabeth Center, Deaf Apostolate Ministry, and many more!
It is important that every family participate. Thank you for giving generously!
Click here to view the 2019 Diocesan Appeal Video
Click here to securely donate online -
Word on Fire
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