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Mass Schedule
Mass on Sunday, June 7, will be live-streamed on Facebook at 8 AM.
In-person Masses limited to 10 persons in attendance will resume the weekend of June 6/7. Attendance will be scheduled through the parish office. -
Today's Readings
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Reading 1 2 TM 4:1-8Responsorial Psalm PS 71:8-9, 14-15AB, 16-17, 22
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What's A FLOCKNOTE ?
Have you signed up to receive St. Mary Flocknotes yet? We have a new system designed to keep our parishioners informed about the latest happenings, especially during this time when we can't meet in church. If you don't receive our Flocknotes click on the logo above to sign-up! -
Act of Spiritual Communion
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. -
From the Desk of Fr. Ariel Valencia (JUNE 7, 2020)
This weekend (June 6/7) we began allowing small groups (10 persons or less) to attend weekend Masses. Call the parish office if you would like to add your family to the schedule. We will continue to live-stream Sunday Mass on Facebook from St. Mary's at 8 AM.
Mass on Sunday, June 7, will be live-streamed on Facebook at 8 AM. Confessions during this COVID-19 Pandemic began Saturday, May 9. Download Schedule and Instructions Here (Revised 6/5/20).
Lion's Roar
Here are some more answers to the question “What do you miss about the church?” from America magazine.
The being together...not only with my dear friends, but also with those I know only by sight, or recognize by where they sit or what they do. (Jennifer Anderson; Astoria, N.Y.)
It surprises me how much I miss all of it. Even trying to find a seat, crying babies, unexciting homilies…. Of course I miss the Mass and the Eucharist, but the others surprise me. (Patty Amato; Claremont, Calif.)
Having Sunday be a different experience than any other day. It has disrupted our lives in a way that feels something is terribly amiss. We had to do something about it. Even though we livestream Mass and keep Sunday holy, we had to change a routine in our family. We now bake homemade bread Saturday evening. We wake up to homemade bread, a different breakfast than every other day. (Rose Kaser; Waukesha, Wis.)
What about you, what do you miss more about the church? -
Online Giving
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Parish Calendar
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Sunday, June 7Saturday, Mass 4:00 PM; Sunday, Mass 8:00 AM. Attendance limited to 10 persons at each Mass. Call parish office to schedule. The 8:00 AM Sunday Mass will be live-streamed on Facebook.Read More
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Sunday, June 14Saturday, Mass 4:00 PM; Sunday, Mass 8:00 AM. Attendance limited to 10 persons at each Mass. Call parish office to schedule. The 8:00 AM Sunday Mass will be live-streamed on Facebook.Read More
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Sunday, June 21Saturday, Adoration 2:45 PM, Confessions 3:00-3:45 PM, Mass 4:00 PM; Sunday, Mass 8:00 AMRead More
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From the desk of Msgr. Tom Dzielak (JUNE 7, 2020)YOU HAVE MADE US FOR YOURSELF, O GOD, AND OUR HEARTS ARE RESTLESS UNTIL THEY REST IN YOU
[St Augustine, THE CONFESSIONS]
We’re back into Ordinary Time of the Church year and our first Sunday after we finish the Easter season is a celebration of the truth about God: the Creator and Sustainer of the universe is not an impersonal, solitary being or force of some kind, but community of love. We call them “Father,” “Son” and “Holy Spirit.” We didn’t make up these names but received them as a self-revelation of the Divine mystery behind all that exists.
In today’s reading of the Gospel according to John, we have the following words of Jesus: For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God [John 3:17-18].
Of course, the preceding verse, John 3:16, is the one that a Christian professor once said is known to every Christian: God so loved he world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have everlasting life.
So we have the heart of the Christian message: God loves the world and its people … his love is so great that he sent his only Son … God wants those he loves to have everlasting life … the Son’s purpose is not to condemn people … salvation and condemnation are connected to belief or lack of belief in Jesus.
Why is it that those who don’t believe in the “name of the only Son” will be condemned? It’s because they condemn themselves. It’s like someone who is dying of thirst is told that there is water in a certain place, but it’s a place they refuse to go. They insist that water is where they are, but they just haven’t found it yet. But they want nothing to do with the place where the life-giving water really is.
That’s what lack of belief in Jesus is all about. He said that he has the “living water” which will satisfy our thirst, and he’s talking about the spiritual thirst which is within us. The answer to that thirst is a share in the love which God has for each of us.
But there can be no shared love where someone wants nothing to do with the one who loves him/her. Most of us have had that experience: someone is in love with us, but we really don’t want their love … or, we’re in love with someone who wants nothing to do with us. In those situations there is a one-sided love, but it has no effect on the one who has no interest in the relationship.
Heaven is not the fulfillment of our self-centered wishes or preferences. Heaven is shared relationship of love with God. Shared love is always a matter of free choice. We cannot make someone love us, nor can someone else make us love him/her. It has to be free choice. That’s why those who refuse to believe in Jesus would perish: they freely reject the relationship with him. But after death, there is no alternative choice. It’s either the life-giving love relationship with God or the misery of knowing that I had a chance for that relationship and refused it. That’s why one of the sufferings of hell is self-hatred and hatred of everything else.
Our wonderful God has revealed himself to us as an eternal love-sharing relationship. He created us so that we could share it, and he created us with free will to make the sharing possible. But we can get it only on his terms, for he is our Creator. The original sin was wanting to have things on our terms, not God’s. Every person has many occasions to either commit the original sin again, or to reject it. On the cross, Jesus decisively rejected the temptation of the original sin, and thus we are saved … if we accept the grace to choose to have faith in him, who can enable us to share his victory.
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Parish News & Events
COVID-19 Stay-At-Home Order Updates
- Mass on Sunday, June 7, will be live-streamed on Facebook at 8 AM.
- Anchor: Episode 9 - Visit with our priests Thursday, June 11, on Facebook at 11:30 AM.
- Confessions during this COVID-19 Pandemic began Saturday, May 9. Download Schedule and Instructions by clicking here (Revised 6/5/20).
IMPORTANT MESSAGES FROM BISHOP DAVID J. MALLOY
** Bishop Malloy Announces Plan to Reopen Churches for Public Mass **Bishop Malloy has issued a new statement on May 13 about plans, procedures and restrictions for opening churches within the Diocese of Rockford.
Letter from Bishop Malloy and Executive Summary for reopening churches
** STATEMENT UPDATED AS OF 8:00 AM, 4/9/2020 **Bishop Malloy has issued a new statement extending dispensation past Easter.
Bishop Malloy's Dispensation Statement
To comply with Vatican and state guidance about group gatherings during this time of pandemic, Bishop David Malloy has cancelled all in-person Masses and other prayer gatherings in the Rockford Diocese until further notice.Diocesan Cancellations AND Postponements
2020 Diocesan Annual Appeal
Thanks to all of you who regularly participate in this annual appeal. Your gifts truly make a difference! Every gift, no matter how small, brings us closer to our diocesan goal of $11,487. We need everyone’s participation to achieve this goal! If you would like to donate you can do so at the diocese online giving system at: www.rockforddiocese.org/donate, or you can mail your donation to the parish office. We are truly grateful and blessed by all who hear His voice and give sacrificially of their treasure to St. Mary’s Parish and to this annual diocesan appeal.
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.
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.
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! Contact Deacon Greg if you feel called to serve in a ministry.
Volunteers - We Need You!
Religious Education NewsClasses Sundays, 9:15-10:30 AM
Due to the COVID-19 stay-at-home order, all RE classes have been suspended until further notice.
Remember Your Parish...
Just like for your family, during this time of quarantine 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. -
A Message of Thanks from Bishop Malloy
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From the Desk of Deacon Greg Urban
Church Stained Glass Window Work
The work installing exterior vented clear-glass on the nine windows (five windows on the North side of the church and the four windows in the upper church sanctuary (altar area)) has been completed. The cost for this phase of work was $80,000. Through your generosity and our fundraising activities (many thanks to our volunteers and guests!), we had the funds to complete this work. There are ten more windows on the South and East (front) sides of the church that will still require this work when we raise the necessary additional funds.
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, 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 continued generous support in this endeavor to help properly maintain our beautiful church building. -
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Word on Fire
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Catholic Link
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Our world is in chaos, and we are in need of hope. Conversion of heart to our Lord and Saviour... The post Liturgy Live Most Holy Trinity | Conversion is the Way appeared first on Catholic Link.
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“The road may not be the direct route you were hoping for, but direct routes are rarely fulfilling or transformative.... The post Class of 2020 This Is Your Time appeared first on Catholic Link.
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Racism is Always Evil There are some things that are always true, no matter when, where, or whom is involved.... The post Racism: A Catholic Response appeared first on Catholic Link.
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Catholic News Service
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IMAGE: CNS photo/Jeenah Moon, Reuters By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Praying for George Floyd and all those who suffer from discrimination and violence in the United States, a top U.S. cardinal...
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IMAGE: CNS photo/Reuters TV By Carol Zimmermann WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Meghan Markle virtually returned to her alma mater, Immaculate Heart of Mary High School in Los Angeles, for a surprise graduation...
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IMAGE: CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn By NEW HAVEN, Conn. (CNS) -- The Knights of Columbus called on the nation's Catholics to participate in a novena beginning June 7 to pray for national unity and an end...
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