Featured Video :: Fr. Mike Speaks on Conscience Protection

Posted by Evangelization on February 5, 2012

Fr. Mike McGovern, Pastor, speaks on conscience protection during his homily on Sunday, February 5, 2012.

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Updated by Evangelization on January 30, 2012

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Updated by Evangelization on February 5, 2012

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Re-Posted by Evangelization on February 5, 2012

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Pastor's Notes

Posted by Pastor on February 5, 2012

<empty><empty> DEACON JIM KENNEY
As a parish we offer our condolences to the family of Deacon Jim Kenney. Jim passed away on January 25, and after the Mass of Christian Burial on January 31, he was buried at St. Mary Cemetery. Jim was ordained a deacon in 1978 and served our parish for thirty-three years. In looking at the parish sacramental record books, I believe Jim baptized about seven hundred children in the course of his ministry. That figure alone gives us a sense of the service a deacon can offer a parish.

I am grateful to all who assisted in the visitation, funeral and burial. Special thanks to the parish staff for their faith, presence and work that helped us offer fitting worship to Almighty God at the time of the funeral rites. Thank you, also, to the school community for their cooperation regarding parking so we could welcome all who came to St. Mary’s to pray for Jim and the repose of his soul.

On a personal note, I will miss Jim. He was always present at parish events. Whether he was standing assisting at the altar, or standing in the parking lot visiting with people at our Oktoberfest, Jim loved the people of St. Mary’s. May God, in love and mercy, give Jim eternal rest in His heavenly kingdom. Requiescat in pace.

ANNUAL CATHOLIC APPEAL
Next weekend, at all the Masses, we will launch this year’s Annual Catholic Appeal. The funds from the appeal assist the work of the Church here in the Archdiocese of Chicago. In a particular way, the Appeal provides funding for Catholic schools in Cook and Lake Counties that are working hard to remain strong schools despite the problems in the economy. Please read the information in the bulletin concerning the Appeal and prayerfully consider what your response can be this year. Thank you.

CONSCIENCE PROTECTION
There have been some disturbing developments in Washington concerning the erosion of conscience protection. Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, sharply criticized government action that would force “…almost every employer and insurer in the country to provide sterilization and contraception, including some abortion-inducing drugs, in their health plans. Never before has the federal government forced individuals and organizations to go out into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience. This shouldn’t happen in a land where free exercise of religion ranks first in the Bill of Rights.”

For more information, please see the U.S. Bishops’ Conference website: www.usccb.org. A call or letter to the members of Congress is important at this time to help protect the dignity of the human conscience.

24 HOURS OF GRACE
Once again our parish will offer the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation for an entire day on Friday, February 24. Priests will be available from 9:00am on Friday until 9:00am on Saturday. Each year, I am impressed by the number of people who come and confess their sins, receive the Lord’s forgiveness and try and make a good start to Lent. If it has been awhile since you last went to confession, please consider taking advantage of this opportunity.

In Our Lord,
Father Mike McGovern
mmcgovern94@gmail.com