Flocknote

From the P.I.T. (Pastor In Training)

On Good Friday, Pontius Pilate was not the only one who had a choice to make. The very same choice was brought both to the people of the world then, as well as to the people of the world now. We may be unaware of this choice, but that’s why the Church, in her wisdom, has us hear Pontius Pilate pose the very same question to us on Palm Sunday. He brings before us the one called Jesus of Nazareth and the one known as Barabbas. The two seem like they couldn’t be more different until we recognize that Barabbas literally means “son of the father”. Here then, is our choice and question: Which son of the father will we follow? Will we choose to follow Jesus Christ, the son of the Father of sacrificial love, or will we follow Barabbas, the son of the father of the passions?

Surprisingly, we participate in the Palm Sunday liturgy by crying out, “Barabbas!” It’s a painful moment each year, no matter how many times we’ve done it because if we are honest with ourselves, we know that we all too often choose our own passions over our Lord. Like the crowds before Pilate, we, too, choose to act selfishly over being selfless. In a sense, whenever we choose sin, we once again choose Barabbas!

To admit this is hard. It’s very sobering. It, first of all, takes a certain about of self-awareness—and then, very quickly, a lot of humility. To be willing to look in the mirror and humbly submit our understanding of right vs. wrong to the God of all rather than to what we’d like to think is right or wrong. When we put aside our attempts at justifying ourselves and our actions, the reality is clear: in our human brokenness, we don't always do what is right! St. Paul describes this experience so well: "What I do, I do not understand. For I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate." (Rom 7:15). What then do we do? Do we just surrender, give up, and resign ourselves to a life of sin? NO! “You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Rom 8:15) In Christ we have forgiveness; in Christ we have hope. Just look at St. Peter! He himself, who was hand-picked by Jesus to be the rock upon which the Church was built, denied our Lord 3 times. The head of the apostles himself had at one point ‘chosen Barabbas’. Yet,

The Church is founded upon forgiveness. Peter himself is a personal embodiment of this truth! She is held together by forgiveness, and Peter is the perpetual living reminder of this reality: she is not a communion of the perfect but a communion of sinners who need and seek forgiveness. ~ Pope Benedict XVI

As we experience Palm Sunday, let us never be afraid to acknowledge our brokenness, seek forgiveness, and turn with confidence to our true Father through His one eternal Son!

Father Michael

Holy Week

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸, 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲? 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁. The holiest days of the liturgical year, the Easter Triduum is in this Great Week; these are the days that have changed the world. What exactly is the Easter Triduum you may ask? Or how to make the most of Holy Week? Perhaps we should start out with a Prayer to Begin Holy Week. You can find these and more on our Holy Week and & Easter Schedule and Resource page.

𝑴𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒚 𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚. 𝑾𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒌 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝑳𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒚.

Check out the Holy Week & Easter Schedule and Resources that you can share with family and friends. Invite them to journey with you at Holy Week @ OLM. Here is what you can find on the webpage.
- A Prayer to Begin Holy Week
- Holy Week Services & Easter Mass Times
- 5 Things To Do To Make Holy Week the Most Important Week of the Year
- Holy Week Infographic (The events of Holy Week are told in pieces throughout the four Gospels. Putting it all together can be a bit challenging, below is an infographic that lays everything out in one place. It even tells you exactly where to look in each Gospel if you want to read the text for yourself.)
- How Are We To Enter Into the Great Week Reflection?
- Each Day of Holy Week Reflection
- Easter Invitations You Can Use; who will you invite to Easter Mass?
- Posting of the Homilies from the Easter Triduum

Holy Week Schedule & Resources

Use the following invitations to text and invite others to
Holy Week and Easter @ OLM!

Eucharistic Adoration during Holy Week

Regular Eucharist Adoration on Monday and Wednesday will take place. However, on Thursday, there will not be Eucharistic Adoration. Instead, spend time with Jesus from 8:30pm through Midnight on Holy Thursday Repository; adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. This is immediately following the Mass of the Lord's Supper.

Sign Up to Receive the Divine Mercy Novena starts on Good Friday 4/7

Jesus asked that the Feast of Divine Mercy, known today as Divine Mercy Sunday which is on 4/16, be preceded by a Novena to The Divine Mercy. A Novena is nine days of prayer in preparation for a feast. In the case of the Novena to The Divine Mercy, we pray the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy each day for a specific intention. Our Lord told St. Faustina, "I desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the fountain of My mercy, that they may draw ... strength and refreshment and whatever grace they need in the hardships of life, and especially at the hour of death" (Diary, 1209).
Please join us as we follow our Lord's wish to bring to Him various intentions during our nine days of prayer. Sign up to receive the Divine Mercy Novena in your Inbox.

Divine Mercy Novena Sign Up

Teen Living Stations of the Cross at the holy hour of 3pm on Good Friday 4/7

Please join us on Good Friday, 4/7th at 3pm in the Our Lady of Mercy Church for a reflective portrayal of the Stations of the Cross of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ by the OLM Teen Youth Ministry. All family members are welcome to attend.

Good Friday “Way of the Cross” in front of Waterleaf 4/7

Through His Holy Passion, Our Lord united Himself with all the victims of suffering in this life. None suffer more innocently than children in the womb whose lives are taken by abortion. None suffer more deeply than their mothers, who carry such a burden of guilt and shame.
On Good Friday we remember all the victims of abortion—the children lost, the mothers wounded, the communities blighted—in a solemn, ecumenical prayer service
Event: Way of the Cross for Victims of Abortion
When: Friday, April 7 at 10am
Where: In front of Planned Parenthood, 3051 E New York Street in Aurora
More Info: Contact Matt Yonke at 630-896-1200 or matt@prolifeaction.org
Join us as we pray for healing for the victims of abortion and for a final end to this injustice in our land.

Pontifical Good Friday Collection 4/7

Pope Francis has asked our parish to support the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, which helps Christians in the Holy Land, where they are now less than 2% of the population. Your support is essential to help the Church minister in parishes, provide Catholic schools, and offer religious education.
The Pontifical Good Friday Collection also helps to preserve the sacred shrines of Christianity, including in Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem, to name only a few. The pandemic hit Christians in the Holy Land particularly hard. Most of them depend on pilgrimages for work. In these times, the Pontifical Good Friday Collection is necessary to meet the basic needs of the People of God still living in this Land and to maintain a Christian presence where the Church was born. PLEASE BE GENEROUS! For more information about Christians in the Holy Land, visit www.custodia.org and www.myfranciscan.org.

Weekly Praying for Priests

A prayer group has been praying for priests in front of the Blessed Sacrament weekly for over a year now, as well as on First Fridays. With Lent approaching, these prayer gatherings could be an offering of prayer/sacrifice. Even if you can't join the group inside the church, you can pray wherever you are at during the times below.
Here are the days/hours:
Wednesdays at 10:30am - Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy with meditations for priests,
Thursdays at 12:30pm - Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy with meditations for priests,
First Friday of the month following 12pm Mass - Stations of the Cross with meditations for priests in the narthex.

Restore weekly confidential meetings

Restore is a ministry that accompanies men so as to win the battle against the struggles of living a lust-free life.
The ministry meets at a weekly (anonymous) meeting where men lean on each other for support and accountability and share ideas about strengthening their resolve to stay on God’s path of chastity. All men are welcome, whether you have been free of the addiction for many years or struggle with it every single day. Though the meetings are weekly, at the last weekly meeting of the month, men are guided by a licensed Catholic therapist. If you are ready to start breaking free from the struggles of living chastely and want to Restore your life email Restore.olm@gmail.com to find out more information on when and where we meet or call 331-684-7415.

Parish Office is closed on Easter Monday 4/10

Happy Easter! The Parish Office will be closed on Easter Monday, 4/10th, and will reopen the next day.

Hesed Coffeehouse Chat Event on 4/13

On Thursday 4/13th from 4pm to 6pm, Hesed House is hosting a Coffehouse Chat Event at Java Plus located at 1677 Montgomery Road, Aurora.
Come to this informal gathering and learn more about volunteering at Hesed House. Stop by at your convenience anytime within the timeframe to see how you can help make a difference in the lives of those most in need. To rsvp please email Adam directly at azapfel@hesedhouse.org or Maybird D'Silva at maydsilval@aol.com.

Divine Mercy Feast Day 4/16

In celebration of the Feast Day of Divine Mercy on Sunday 4/16, we will hold a beautiful celebratory service in the Church at 2pm. Our service will include prayer of the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy through song, a devotion that Jesus revealed in His numerous apparitions and revelations to Saint Faustina.
“On that (Feast) Day, the depths of My mercy will be open to all .... The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.”
Our observance of the Divine Mercy Feast Day will include the following:
- Sacrament of Reconciliation, 2pm to 4pm (Fathers Michael and James)
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic Adoration starting at 2pm
- Recitation of the Holy Rosary
- Silent Meditation and Prayer
- Taking of Personal Intentions for the Divine Mercy Chaplet
- Recitation of the Chaplet (at the Hour of Jesus’ Death)
- Blessing of participants’ Divine Mercy Images at the altar
- Benediction, closing prayers to Jesus and Mary
- Pamphlets featuring the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, as well as other resources, will be available, but participants should be sure to bring their Rosary!
- *Also, on Good Friday morning (April 7), immediately after the 8am prayer service in the church, the Divine Mercy Chaplet will be recited. It’s a great way to start your Good Friday observance and Divine Mercy Novena, which should include your recitation of the Chaplet and a Spiritual or Corporal Work of Mercy through April 16.

St. Peregrine Prayer Service 4/18

All are invited to attend the in-person St. Peregrine Prayer Service on Tuesday, 4/18 in the church after the 6:30pm Mass (at 7pm) with Deacon Tony Leazzo and Jolene LeRoy.
St. Peregrine is the patron saint of the sick, especially those experiencing cancer, serious illness, or chronic illness. Anyone experiencing physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual health concerns would benefit from attending the prayer service. The relic of St. Peregrine will be present.

Mobile Food Pantry 4/19

The Mobile Food Pantry is on Weds 4/19th from 4:30pm to 6pm. Don’t forget to share the Our Lady of Mercy social media posting on your network; you never know who among your network is in need of food.
The Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet Mobile Food Pantry delivers healthy food (meat, produce, and non-perishable items) to people in need. No identification or information will be required or collected. This event is open to anyone in need of food! Mobile Food Pantries use a “drive-thru” method to distribute food. Please clear space in your trunk or backseat so volunteers can load boxes of food directly into your vehicle. Catholic Charities helps people of all faiths and beliefs. Mobile Food Pantries take place snow, rain, or shine!

MAGNIFY on 4/26

An Easter-themed MAGNIFY will be on Wednesday 4/26 @ 7pm! #adorationeasterpraiseandworship #scripturalreflection #confessions #prayerministry #resurrectionlife. Save the date.

33 Days to Morning Glory | Preparation for Marian Consecration starts 4/27

Join us for a 6-week small group gathering on Thursday evenings at 7pm starting 4/27th in preparation for Marian Consecration. Let's get close to the Immaculate Heart of Mary who leads us to her Son Jesus during the Marian Month of May!
Please purchase the book "33 Days to Morning Glory" at this link.
We will read the select readings in the book, ponder the daily reading and questions and meet weekly on Thursday evenings sharing our insights gleaned from our reflections and answers gleaned during the week.
For any questions, please connect with Bonnie Ramirez at bnnrmrz@gmail.com or zara at zara@olmercy.com
We're looking forward to hanging out with you gaining new insights into Marian consecration, and learning how key saints (rockstars of our faith such as St. Maximilian Kolbe, and St. Pope John Paul II) lived their consecration out and how we can live it out as well.
Why the focus on the Blessed Virgin Mary as a profound way to get to know Jesus more intimately? Mary’s greatness lies in her willingness to continue to bring Jesus to the world. She doesn’t draw attention to herself, but to Him. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church notes, “What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ” (487)
Holy Mary, Mother of God, you have given the world its true light, Jesus, your Son – the Son of God. You abandoned yourself completely to God's call and thus became a wellspring of the goodness which flows forth from him. Show us Jesus. Lead us to Him. Teach us to know and love him, so that we too can become capable of true love and be fountains of living water in the midst of a thirsting world.-~Pope Benedict XVI
Click on the graphic to register.

Justice and Peace Ministry 'Green Fair' on 4/29

The Justice & Peace Ministry will host a Green Fair on 4/29. More details to follow. If you wish to volunteer to help, contact Chris Harvey at 631-561-9722 or Ida at 630-000-0111.
And if you can help with the following... they are looking for Electric Car owners and electric cars for the Green Fair on Saturday, 4/29th from 9:30am to 3:30pm for 1 or 2 hours taking place in the OLM Parking Lot and share why you like having an electric car and answer questions car owners may have. Connect with Deacon Tim at 815-603-4089 to volunteer.

Knights of Columbus Robert H. Weaver Scholarship Application Submit by 6/17

Calling all High School Seniors at Our Lady of Mercy, applications for the 2023 Robert H Weaver Knights of Columbus College Scholarship program are now being accepted. A total of $2,000 will be awarded to students graduating from High School in 2023 and attending a 2 or 4-year University program starting in the fall of 2023. Awards will be made in July. Good luck to all applicants.
All applications must be submitted no later than Saturday, 6/17th @ 4pm.
Proceed to this link for application details, and requirements. For any questions please reach out to Jeff LeRoy, Grand Knight jleroy53@hotmail.com.

Go on a Pilgrimage with Father James 6/5 thru 6/17

Father James will be leading a Great Shrines of France Pilgrimage June 5-17, 2023 with Father James Join him as he leads pilgrims and explores France's beautiful Catholic Shrines on this cross-country Pilgrimage. From small villages in the South of France to Paris, one of the greatest cities in the world, France is sure to take your breath away. On this Pilgrimage, you will see magnificent Shrines and Churches and learn of the lives of; St. Bernadette, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Veronica and Zaccheus, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. Catherine Labourne. Don't miss this incredible tour highlighting the Best Shrines in France.
Father James is looking forward to answering any questions you may have email him at frjames@olmercy.com or you can also check out details of the pilgrimage at this link.

Catholic Sports Camps 6/12 thru 8/1

Founded by Fr. Burke Masters, pastor at St. Isaac's in Hinsdale and Cubs Chaplain, Catholic Sports Camps wants to bring the love of Christ to kids and KIDS LOVE SPORTS! Our camps offer a very unique experience as young athletes enter an environment intentionally created to help them grow in holiness and virtue, while learning high-level training in their sport. Register at catholicsportscamps.org
- Tennis Camp at Joliet Catholic Academy 7/31 - 8/1
- Baseball & Softball Camp at Montini High School 7/26 - 7/27
- Basketball Camp at Chesterton Academy 7/17 - 7/18
- Soccer Camp at Chesterton Academy 6/12 - 6/14

Teen Mission Trip 7/19 thru 7/15

High School Teens are invited to attend our Mission Trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan on Sunday-Saturday, July 9-15, 2023. This coming summer, the Our Lady of Mercy youth ministry will be traveling to MI to do service work for those in need.
Sign up now for this life-changing encounter! Proceed here for further details.

Health Updates on Father Don

Please continue to keep Father Don in your prayers. To keep updated on how he is doing, please check the following CaringBridge website.

Bishop Hick’s Monthly Column

Bishop Hicks' monthly column for March is titled "Journeying 10 years with Pope Francis" Read his insightful column HERE.

Scam Emails

From time to time, there are phishing (SCAM) emails going out to members of the parish and staff claiming to be Father Michael.
Please note that Father Michael and Father James DO NOT send texts or emails asking for money or gift cards. If you receive a message appearing to be from Father Michael or Father James, please discard it, (any email that does not have "olmercy.com" is a fake email) and DO NOT SEND ANY ELECTRONIC MONETARY AID. No one on the staff will personally ask for money in whatever form (gift cards etc). If someone sends you a private message, asking for a donation of sorts, it's undoubtedly a fake account. Please keep praying for us, and God bless you!

Do you have a story to share of your time with Jesus in the Eucharist?

In the Eucharist, Jesus wants to remind you that you are never alone, that He is with you. In your brokenness, sorrows, and frustrations, He is with you. In everything you face—when you’re tired, ready to give up, hanging on by a thread, Jesus says to you, “I AM HERE.”
If you have experienced the above with Jesus, we invite you to share your story so as to inspire others to spend time with Jesus in the Eucharist, and to go to Holy Mass. Allow your story to be the vessel that can reach that person who Jesus is drawing to Himself more closely, especially those who are going through a tough time right now. Let us take part in the National Eucharistic Revival in a tangible way; come and share your story of your encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist. Connect with zara@olmercy.com to share your encounter.

Our Lady of Mercy Garden of Hope, Love & Mercy

The Justice & Peace Ministry, which has constructed a Community Garden on Our Lady of Mercy parish grounds and provided fresh produce over the past few months has had a fruitful season and looks forward to expanding in 2023. Produce from the garden has been donated to local organizations such as the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry and Hesed House. Late-season plantings are still producing vegetables and herbs. The faithful volunteers have been pleased with the success of this very worthy cause. If you have a green thumb or wish to participate in the preparation and planting, watering, weeding, and harvesting in early spring and throughout the 2023 growing season, please contact Chris at 631-561-9722 or chrisharveyny@gmail.com or Ida at 630-605-6038 or idamphillips122@gmail.com.

Did You Know We Have a Parish School?

All Saints Catholic Academy (ASCA) located at 1155 Aurora Ave, Naperville is our parish school!
Are you a parent with preschool, elementary, and middle school-aged children struggling with the antithetical Christian values the government schools are indoctrinating the children who attend government schools? You're not alone.
Join a growing number of OLM parents who have made the movement! Consider connecting with some of the families who have made the move from sending their child(ren) to public school to All Saints Catholic Academy.
Connect with Patty Bajek at (630) 961-6125, or pbajek@ascacademy.org to express your interest and schedule a personalized tour. Or peruse their website to explore your interest.

St. Vincent de Paul Society Volunteers

Thank you for your support of our clothing drive. Your clothing donation, as well as your financial donations throughout the year, allows us to help our parishioners and neighbors in need. In 2022, we provided assistance to 72 households, helping 185 men, women and children to remain in their homes or apartments in time of financial need.
The ministry is always looking for volunteers to join our St. Vincent de Paul Society in assisting our neighbors in need. If you would like to volunteer or learn more, send an email to olmsvdp@gmail.com with your name and contact information.

Bulletin

Check out the weekly Bulletin located here.

For the Hispanic Community

Please proceed here for the OLM Hispanic Ministry's upcoming events and resources.
Continúe aquí para conocer los próximos eventos y recursos del Ministerio Hispano de OLM.
There will be Stations of the Cross in Spanish every 2nd Wednesday of the month after the 12pm Mass.
A partir de la próxima semana, habrá Estaciones de la Cruz en español cada segundo miércoles del mes después de la misa de las 12 pm.

A Note from the Intercessory Prayer Ministry

How can we pray for you today?
There are times when life is overwhelming when all we have is questions. In those moments, hope can feel far away. The great thing about prayer is that it shifts our perspective toward the One who stands ready to listen. No matter what you’re facing, we’d love to pray with you. Submit your prayer requests at this link
Prayer Ministry takes place monthly at MAGNIFY and on the last weekend of the month Mass times. Prayer ministry is an opportunity for those in need of physical, emotional, or spiritual healing or with a specific intention. Come as an individual, as a couple, or as. a family and receive prayer for yourself or request prayers for someone in need. Listen and receive the prayers while being open to the Holy Spirit's movement. Trained prayer ministers are available.

Have you downloaded our myParish App yet?

If you haven't done so, we encourage you to download the Our Lady of Mercy app, available to download for iPhone and Android smartphones. Or text APP to 88202 to download.
- Stay connected with our parish throughout the week with instant notifications, an easy-to-access event calendar, and the ability to quickly reply to or share messages via Facebook or Twitter. Also enjoy a bunch of additional features like prayers, daily readings, helpful reminders to silence your phone before Mass or Confession, and much more.

OSV Giving Link Update

Our online giving link has been updated by our provider (OSV), please be sure to update your bookmark, below is the link.
The myParish App "Giving" button has been updated. Don't have the myParish App yet? Text APP to 88202 to download! Receive this update, instant news, and get access to the parish calendar, daily readings, and Confession guide.
https://www.osvhub.com/olmercy/giving/funds

Grow Groups | We continue to launch Grow Groups, one group at a time.
Connect with zara@olmercy.com for any questions.

A MOTHER'S HEART GROW GROUP

Mission. A Mother's Heart is a group for Catholic mothers with children ages 0-11 who are seeking to journey with other like-minded women of faith. Following the example of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, we strive to imitate her "little way" of growing in holiness through the lenses of motherhood and family.

Website. Proceed here for details.

Meets. Thursdays twice a month. For any of the following: book chats, podcast discussions, "Mom's Night Out", community service projects, fellowship, playgroups, prayer.

Connect. Reach out to Lydia Schmitt lydiadschmitt@gmail.com for any questions.

CONSUMING FIRE YOUNG ADULT GROW GROUP

Mission. This group exists to grow a community that inspires and forms the young adult generation to be saints.

Website. Proceed here for details.

Meets. Tuesdays @ 7pm and twice a month for social gatherings.

Connect. Reach out to Mary Kubanda rysavyme@gmail.com for any questions.

SALT AND LIGHT GROW GROUP
Mission. “Encounter/Grow/Witness” is the threefold dimension of the Christian life. Once we encounter Jesus, we are then called to grow daily as His disciples. Grow Groups are one way Our Lady of Mercy is responding to our missionary identity where we are called to help parishioners grow continually in discipleship.

Website. Proceed here for details.

Meets. Wednesdays 7pm to 8:30pm

Connect. For more information, connect with Bob Maxwell at bmaxwell@deltadentalil.com or 630-962-8464

VINE & BRANCHES GROW GROUP

Mission. Vine & Branches is a group at Our Lady of Mercy that offers support and belonging to individuals of any age or faith who are divorced or separated on the way to divorce.

Website. Proceed here for details

Meets. Wednesdays @ 7pm with social gatherings.

Connect. The group leaders are looking forward to hearing from you, please don't hesitate to reach out to them.
Kim Harris kimharris73@yahoo.com
Mary LoGalbo logalbo.marycarol@gmail.com
John Frederick jdfredericj@icloud.com
Jim Marks jimm6351@yahoo.com

GROW YOUR FAITH

FREE ONLINE RESOURCES In this section, you will find free conferences, webinars, and studies that you can freely take part in that can grow your faith.

FORMED.ORG

Diving into the beauty of the Faith has never been easier: at home, on the go, or from any internet-connected device. Discover thousands of books, audio talks, movies, documentaries, and studies... there is something for every member of the family to help them grow closer to Christ and His Church.

Visit http://signup.formed.org/
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EUCHARIST RESOURCES

Check out our "Eucharist Resources" page to help us understand deeply the centrality of the Eucharist in our lives.

AMEN - CATHOLIC MEDITATION APP

From Augustine Institute comes this NEW AND FREE Catholic prayer app that inspires your daily conversation with God through faithful meditations and nourishing Scripture. There is also Family Content: Enjoy and share family-favorite audio from the series Brother Francis and the Jesus Stories. Please enjoy this latest offering from the Augustine Institute.

HALLOW - A CATHOLIC PRAYER & MEDITATION APP

Hallow is a Catholic prayer & meditation app that helps users deepen their relationship with God through contemplative prayer and strengthen one's mental health in the process. Easy-to-use, audio-guided sessions anywhere from 1 to 60 minutes long. Pray your own way with a personalized prayer plan pulling from 3,000+ unique sessions including the Lectio Divina on the Daily Gospel, Rosary, Examen, Night Prayer, Calm & Humility “Praylists” and much more. Hallow Light is free. Hallow Plus is $5 per month ($60 per year). Sign up for either one here.

WORD ON FIRE

Explore the goodness, truth, and beauty of the faith!

Did you know that you have complete access to Bishop Barron's Word on Fire ENGAGE video library! Check out this link to watch any of the videos whenever you want without ever having to login.

Not sure where to start? How about checking out the short 5 episode series on The Eucharist This fresh look at the Eucharist brings to light its reality as sacred meal, the sacrifice necessary for communion with God, and the real presence of Christ.

BLESSED IS SHE

Blessed is She is a sisterhood of women who want to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ through their Catholic faith. They create beautiful and accessible resources, products, and experiences to deepen prayer and foster community, both online and in person.

THE CATHOLIC GENTLEMAN

Founded in 2013, The Catholic Gentleman has become one of the most recognizable online men’s apostolate. Each week hundreds of thousands of men around the world visit our site for the insightful articles and the highest-quality products designed to encourage a life of authentic manhood. Their mission: To inspire men to holiness

HEROIC MEN

Looking for authentically Catholic content for men? Look no further than HeroicMen.com—the all-new, 100% FREE Catholic streaming platform for men.
Learn about your faith from today's best Catholic speakers—and do it all from the convenience of home. Stream-on-demand from your phone or tablet, too, for quality Catholic content on the go. Get it all—for FREE - at HeroicMen.com

AQUINAS 101 FREE COURSES

Have you wanted to get to know St. Thomas Aquinas and his writings more so as to grow closer to Jesus?

Sign up for any of the short and free courses at Aquinas 101 a project of the

Thomistic Institute seeks to promote understanding of the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, the eminent 13th-century philosopher, and theologian.

Aquinas is a masterful interpreter of reality. His writings assist us in answering perennial questions on topics like God, man, the natural world, law, and morality, and questions of special relevance to our time like the relationship between modern science and faith or pursuing happiness in the digital era.. W

PASTORAL CARE

If you have physical, mental, emotional or spiritual health concerns or questions about end-of-life issues, funeral planning, journeying through grief, caregiving for a loved one or are homebound, please contact Jolene LeRoy RN Parish Nurse and Director of Pastoral Care for support and resources at jolenel@olmercy.com or 331-707-5380.

RESTORE

Do you find yourself struggling in overcoming your battle with pornography? Restore is a weekly (anonymous) meeting where men lean on each other for support and accountability and share ideas about strengthening our resolve to stay on God’s path of chastity. All men are welcome, whether you have been free of pornography addiction for many years or struggle with it every single day.

If you are ready to start breaking free from the grips of pornography and want to Restore your life, email us at Restore.olm@gmail.com to find out more information on when and where we meet or call 331-684-7415. Check out the website for FAQs and further details.

Be encouraged; check out this Testimony.

GRIEF SUPPORT MINISTRY

If you are experiencing grief and would like to join others for a time of sharing stories, tears and laughter, prayer, and moving forward in hope – please come on Monday, June 27 from 11am to 1pm in the Ministry Room located in the church. There is no registration. This is an opportunity to receive support and understanding during your grief journey. If you have questions, please call Jolene LeRoy RN Parish Nurse and Director of Pastoral Care at 331-707-5380.

MOMS WALKING WITH MOMS IN NEED

Pregnant and parenting moms in need are in our parishes and our neighborhoods. As Pope Francis reminds us, our parishes need to be “islands of mercy in the midst of a sea of indifference.” Everyone in the parish community should know where to refer a pregnant woman in need. Please see this infographic to be informed on how we are walking with Moms in need. Connect with Lydia Schmitt for further questions at lydias@olmercy.com