St. Mary of the Assumption

Maple Park, Illinois

Weekend Masses with limited capacity have resumed.  Mass on Sunday will also be live-streamed on Facebook at 8 AM.

Weekday Masses are currently being celebrated here on Wednesdays and Thursdays  at 8 AM.

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!

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 with limited capacity have resumed. 

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

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

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The Lion's Roar

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) recently put out a document entitled Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. It provides guidance for us as we fulfill our rights and duties in this election season. There is a link to that document in our website. The prayer at the Introductory Note is as follows:

Merciful Father,
Thank you for inviting each of us to join in your work of building the kingdom of love, justice, and peace. Draw us close to you in prayer as we discern your call in our families and communities. Send us forth to encounter all whom you love: those not yet born, those in poverty, those in need of welcome. Inspire us to respond to the call to faithful citizenship, during election season and beyond. Help us to imitate your charity and compassion and to serve as models of loving dialogue. Teach us to treat others with respect, even when we disagree, and seek to share your love and mercy. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

   

Which of the two did his father’s will?  [Matthew 21:31a]   These words of Jesus are a challenge to everyone, for they remind us of what the prophet Ezekiel spoke as the Word of God centuries before the coming of our Lord: When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies, this is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.  But if he turns from the wickedness he has committed, and does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life [Ezekiel 18:26-27].

This is something each one of us, and everyone alive, should take to heart. It is the fact that what we do is more important than what we say we will do, and then not do it. We commonly call it “lip service.”

I’m sure you can recognize it when you see it. Think of the people who have their children baptized, promise that they will raise them in the Catholic faith, and then fail to take the children to Mass, to teach them basic prayers and teachings of the Church, and so forth. Think of people who say emphatically that they are Catholic, but who sift and choose what teachings of Christ they will follow. Think of those ordained clergy members who have violated the promises they made at the time of their ordination.

But we see this in little ways, too, when we promise to repent and change our ways after confession. I don’t say this make any of us scrupulous. I am well aware, from personal experience, that we sincerely promise in confession that we will “avoid the occasions of sin” and not commit the same sins again. Given our human weaknesses, the result of the consequences of original sin, it is rare—and only through a special grace of God—that we will not sin again after confession. For a good confession we need only have a sincere desire not to sin again, and a willingness to make every responsible effort to avoid situations where, from past experience, we know that we generally fall into sin.

Ultimately, we have to depend on the mercy of Christ, which he continually teaches that he wants to freely give us. This is not to say that we should presume that we can continue to sin and God will save us anyway. That’s the sin of presumption. But is it to say that we are “wounded saints” (my own idea), who usually have good intentions but can too easily fall in times of temptation.

The Church urges us to pray for the grace of final perseverance, which means that despite our weaknesses and sins, we have our sights set on eternal life with God, and pray that we will open ourselves to God’s continual work to convert more and more each day to his will and way of life.

COVID-19 Updates

• 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 25 - Visit with our priests Thursday, October 8, on Facebook at 11:30 AM. There will be NO live-stream Anchor session on October 1.
• Church Open Hours

• Confession Schedule

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St. Mary's Harvest Drawdown - November 7, 2020
Grand Prize $2500.00

We WILL be having our annual St. Mary’s Harvest Drawdown at the Novak Center on Saturday, November 7, 2020.  Like everything else this year, it will look a little different than past events.  The dinner will be a drive thru pick up from 4:30–7:00pm.  The Drawdown will be live-streamed on the parish Facebook page.

This is still our major fundraiser of the year.  Ticket prices have been reduced to $25.00 per ticket which includes your dinner and entry into the Drawdown.  The meal will be similar to the past.  You can choose 2 pork chops, 2 chicken pieces OR one of each.  If you buy additional tickets just to enter in the raffle just mark none under meal choice so we can get an accurate count for food.

The Grand Prize will be $2500.00 (with additional prizes awarded).

Tickets will be sold mainly online by way of our  Ticket Reservation Form.  After you submit the form you will need to either Pay Online by check, credit or debit card through our parish online giving system using "guest checkout" or by mailing a check to the parish office at: Drawdown, PO Box 70, Maple Park, IL 60151-0070.  When we receive your payment we will email you your ticket(s).  We will record and keep your stub for the drawdown, bring your email ticket for your dinner.  There will be limited physical tickets available for purchase from a committee member.  We encourage everyone to share this information on your social media.

We will try to hold an online silent auction as well.  All items must be dropped off by Sunday, Oct. 18th.  Please adhere to this deadline since it takes some time to enter everything into the online auction website.  We are looking for NEW items, gift baskets, and handmade items.  Please drop off on the table in the entry way when you come to Mass or in the kitchen of the Novak Center during office hours.

We are again asking for $25 Gift Cards/Certificates from stores, restaurants, etc.  Buying gift certificates from local businesses also helps them during this difficult time.  This year the gift certificates will be substituted for some of the cash prizes during the Drawdown.  Please drop off in the collection or at the parish office.
 

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Religious Education

One of the many precious gifts the Lord has given us are prayers to invite and praise God. All students MUST have our basic Catholic faith prayers memorized this coming year.

1. GLORY BE
2. HAIL MARY
3. OUR FATHER

We will also develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the Rosary. YOU ARE THE PRIMARY TEACHER OF OUR FAITH. Please take time at home to say these prayers with your children everyday. Please pray for all our youth and volunteers.

God, our loving Father, thank you for all the ways you bless me. Help me to be aware that every person, place, and adventure I experience is an opportunity to love YOU more. Fill me with a desire to change and to grow, and give me the wisdom to choose to follow YOUR will.   AMEN
 

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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

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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.

A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States
Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship

Political Guidelines Brochure

As Catholics, we bring the richness of our faith to the public square. We draw from both faith and reason as we seek to affirm the dignity of the human person and the common good of all. With renewed hope, we, the Catholic Bishops of the United States, are re-issuing Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, our teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics, which provides guidance for all who seek to exercise their rights and duties as citizens.

Everyone living in this country is called to participate in public life and contribute to the common good.  In Rejoice and Be Glad [Gaudete et Exsultate], Pope Francis writes:

Your identification with Christ and his will involves a commitment to build with him that kingdom of love, justice and universal peace. . . .You cannot grow in holiness without committing yourself, body and soul, to giving your best to this endeavor.

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.