St. Mary of the Assumption

Maple Park, Illinois

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I mentioned last week that this liturgical year is the “C cycle” of Sunday Mass readings, and the Gospel writer featured on most Sundays will be St. Luke. Each Gospel writer gives us a particular view of Jesus, rather like looking at a diamond from different angles and see different colors and shades of colors. Today we’ll see what particular features are found in this year’s Gospel readings from Luke.

Who was Luke? Certainly a high-educated man, said to have been a companion of St. Paul on Paul’s journeys. He has always been described as a physician, which would be consistent with St. Paul saying that he (Paul) suffered from something he called “a thorn in the flesh.” Paul said he prayed three times to God to take away his thorn in the flesh, and God simply said no, that God’s grace was enough for him. Scholars have guessed for years what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was, but nobody has been able to come up with a decisive answer. Did Luke the physician go along with Paul mainly to care for Paul’s health?  No one knows for sure.

Luke wrote both his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, which are meant to be two parts of one work. He wrote more words of the New Testament than anyone else in these two books, although Paul wrote more of the New Testament books. About 27.5% of the New Testament was written by Luke.

While many things in Luke are the same as in Matthew and Mark, there are some things about Jesus found only in Luke. Several of the best-loved parables of Jesus are found only in Luke’s Gospel: the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, the Rich Man and Lazarus. Luke gives us the most information about the birth of Jesus and His early life, and he pays special attention to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Many scholars believe Luke got much of his information directly from Mary (e.g., the Annunciation and Visitation stories).

Luke gives a major place to the Holy Spirit, both in Jesus’ life and in the growth of the early Church. He also gives a prominent place to women in his Gospel, as well as to Gentiles.

I suggest that you make it a priority to read and pray over the Gospel of Luke this year, taking little chunks of the Gospel to ponder. Remember, St. Jerome said that the Bible is “God’s love letters to His people.” Try to read the Gospel of Luke as God’s love letter to you, telling you about His beloved Son coming among us.

Important Messages from Bishop David J. Malloy

Dispensation from Mass attendance ended July 1

Bishop David Malloy advised priests of the Diocese of Rockford in a June 11 letter, that the dispensation from the obligation of attending Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation would be lifted July 1, 2021. Both Bishop Mallory and St. Mary's ended live-streaming Masses on June 27. It's time to come back to Mass in church!

Read the Press Release Here

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Other News Items

• On Wednesday, December 8, we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation. Masses will be celebrated at 8:00 AM & 7:00 PM.  The parish office will be closed.
• COVID-19 Guidance - Masks are required at all Masses and inside parish buildings regardless of vaccination status. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation! To view the current guidance given to us by Bishop Malloy, please visit the diocesan website at www.rockforddiocese.org.
• Daily Mass Schedule - Monday through Friday at 8:00 am (unless posted otherwise)
• Confession Schedule - Wednesdays: 11:00 AM to 12:00 (Noon); Thursdays: 7:00 to 8:00 PM; Saturdays: 11:30 AM.

 

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2021 Christmas Children's Choir

We invite all the children to join us as we prepare for our Christmas celebration. Please download the attached flyer for contact information and let us know if you have any questions. All are welcome!  Please join us!    The Stover Family
 
All practices will be in the church choir loft.
Children’s Choir will sing during the 4:00 pm Christmas Eve Mass at St. Mary’s.  
 

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Religious Education

Christmas Pageant - To celebrate Christmas, I am inviting all Angels, Shepherds, and Kings to come to Christmas Eve Mass and share in the story of Jesus’s birth. Our practices will be on December 12 AND December 19 at 10:45am St. Mary, Maple Park, for 30 minutes. The pageant will be on Christmas Eve at 3:45pm. Youth need to be at the church by 3:30pm. There are no speaking parts. PLEASE let me know if your child/children will want to be a part of the pageant, call St. Mary of the Assumption. Costumes will be provided. I am looking forward to hearing from you 815-827-3205 ext. 3.  Thanks, Leila Rivers

Download the RE Calendar and Combined Registration Form here. If you have questions, please call our RE Coordinator Leila Rivers at 815-827-3205 x3.
  

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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, it is important that the parish continue paying its bills. Please continue your Sunday contributions to the parish, by mail to: St. Mary Church, PO Box 70, Maple Park, IL 60151, or use our Online Giving service. Thanks and may God bless you!

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

Church Stained Glass Window Work (Update)

The latest phase of work installing vented clear protective glass over our beautiful sacred stained-glass windows is now complete. That being said, we will continue to raise funds for rebuilding the actual interior of our 100+ year-old stained-glass windows as this becomes 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 Annual 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.