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Did you miss one? View past news from the P.I.T. here.

• The St. Vincent DePaul truck will be in our parking lot the weekend of November 18 & 19th for our Clothing Drive!! Drop off donations before and after the 4pm Mass on Saturday, and on Sunday until noon.  
• We will accept clothing, shoes, linens and books in good or bad condition. Unusable clothing, shoes, linens, and even books generate income for the needy because they are sold for rags or in bulk.  No baby equipment such as cribs, walkers, strollers, playpens, etc. ALL BABY CLOTHES ACCEPTED Small housewares and electronics – dishes, glassware, utensils, toasters, blenders, coffee makers, radios, cd players etc. SORRY NO TELEVISIONS.   

• Help us decorate the narthex for Christmas by taking a birchwood disk (one per family) the weekend of November 18 & 19th
• Decorate your ornament and return it to the parish by the weekend of December 9 & 10th. A drop off table will be in the narthex after weekend masses or you may drop it off at the parish office during the week 
• If you would like to pick it up after the Christmas Season, you are responsible to get it from the narthex after weekend masses on Jan 13/14
•  Placement on the trees will be at the discretion of the arts & environment committee 
• Questions? Please reach out to our Arts & Environment committee at aandeolm@gmail.com

• Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
       Our diocese will soon take up the national collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). Your support for this collection November 18/19 brings change to communities across the country and empowers those living in poverty to transform their communities into reflections of the Kingdom of God. In addition to making a national impact, you empower those living in poverty in our own diocese, because one quarter of our collection stays within the Diocese of Joliet.
       Local grant recipients in our diocese include emergency assistance and food pantry supplies for St. Vincent De Paul chapters, vocational job training for adults with disabilities, and community outreach programming for at-risk youth and families. (This year OLM PADS/Hesed House Ministry were recipients of a $3,500 monetary grant which was used to purchase a full size insulated holding cabinet, which will help us keep food warm at our OLM kitchen, prior to being transported to Hesed House).
       When you contribute to CCHD in your parish, not only do you help address the symptoms of poverty, but your donation also helps alleviate the root causes of poverty—both globally and locally. Twenty-five percent of your donation stays in your diocese to support organizations making a difference in the lives of your neighbors.
       Please prayerfully consider how you can help CCHD this year. If you would like more information about the collection and the people it supports, visit the “CCHD Collection” section on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ website at usccb.org/cchd.
       Thank you for joining us to work on the margins. With every good wish, may God bless you. 
       As I remain –
       Sincerely yours in Christ,
       Most Reverend Ronald A. Hicks

• Our next PADS service day is Tuesday, December 5th. The PADS Board with the "wish-list" of items needed to prepare the meals for 250 guests at Hesed House, is currently on display at the Atrium. Please help us feed the hungry.

• We are blessed to have St. Monica and St. Augustine accompany us as we consider our own family situations with our own loved ones who have fallen away from the Church; see you for prayer at OLM on Mondays at 7:30pm.
•      Anticipation—the upcoming holiday season is filled with it. And with Advent around the corner, we look forward to family gatherings, beautiful celebrations at church, and all the blessings that come during this season. As we wait, our hope in the Lord can increase, and our faith can grow stronger.
       But sometimes, the holiday season can be difficult. Instead of anticipating the good things God has in store for us, we may anticipate family tension or spending Christmas somewhat isolated from our loved ones; the hardest part of loving someone estranged from the Faith is the sense of isolation. No matter how we feel, we can experience God’s goodness and love during Advent. Even our struggles can be an opportunity for God to work in our lives. Jesus wants to calm our fears and fill us with hope—a sure and certain trust in His promises, especially for our loved ones. He wants us to hear His comforting voice. At Mondays with Monica and Augustine (MWMA), come and hear Jesus' comforting voice, perhaps through the reflection, or while praying for our loved ones by name. Praying together with others in a similar situation removes the sense of isolation.
    So far at MWMA, we've reflected on the reality of having adult children who have walked away from the Faith, but what about when the conflict remains in front of you? What about the teens who won't go to Mass, or the college student who reject the Church's teachings on sexuality, or the adults who lead lives contrary to the Faith and still live at home? "Love your children where they are" sounds lovely until you have to put it into practice and come up against realities you find objectionable.
     Remember that Jesus meets the woman at the well and calls to Zacchaus in his tree. He calls to Matthew at his customs post and to James and John as they work with their father on the fishing nets. He comes to each of us where we are. Sometimes, after we have been evangelized, we can forget what it feels like to be one who has yet to hear in the heart God's invitation. Our job is to make sure we aren't drowning out God's invitation. Jesus asked people what they wanted of Him; "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said, "I want to see" (Mark 10:51). Jesus seeks out each of us individually through our lives, through our sufferings, our joys, and our relationships. Make sure you're letting Him speak through you with the invitation to something more, something whole, something holy. (The rest of this reflection will be at the MWMA at 7:30pm inside the Church on Mondays).

• Middle school youth gather on Monday 11/20from 6:30pm to 8pm for EDGE Nights, an activity-filled evening covering topics about the Catholic faith and challenging the middle school teens to grow in a relationship with Christ. Help your middle schooler find their identity in Christ; sign them up for EDGE Nights!
• Check out our EDGE webpage for details, session dates, and registration.

• For those with cancer, serious or chronic illnesses, and their caregivers... Come to the St. Peregrine Prayer Service on Tuesday 11/21st following the 6:30pm Mass.
• St. Peregrine is the patron saint of the sick, especially those suffering from cancer, serious illness, or chronic illness. The prayer service is for the intention of those with cancer, serious or chronic illnesses, and their caregivers to fortify them in their current situation.

• Calling all young adults, join our Consuming Fire Young Adult Grow Group (CFYA) on Tuesday at 7pm for community and faith building. Reach out to cfyagg@gmail.com to get plugged in with the group or sign up at the link HERE
• Come to Consuming Fire this week for a talk on St. Francis Xavier!

• Vine & Branches is a Grow Group at Our Lady of Mercy that offers support and belonging to individuals who have experienced the trauma of a broken marital relationship.
• The program "Surviving Divorce" by Ascension Press was created to bring hope and healing to those who have experienced the pain of a broken marriage. It includes the personal testimonies of Catholic men and women as they witness the healing power of Jesus in their lives.
• For more information, please reach out to one of our group leaders. They look forward to hearing from you: Kim Harris kimharris73@yahoo.com
  Mary LoGalbo logalbo.marycarol@gmail.com, Jim Marks jimm6351@yahoo.com

• Start Thanksgiving day by joining us in giving thanks to the Lord our God and rejoicing in the gift of His love. We pray to see you at the Thanksgiving Mass at 9am. Bring visiting family and friends. Invite the college student in your family who is home for Thanksgiving break; it would be great to see them at the Mass as well!
• Please note the parish office will close at 1pm on Wednesday, November 22nd, for the Thanksgiving holiday and will remain closed through Friday, November 24th. Normal operations will resume on Monday.

• In commemorating 75 years of Catechesis, Evangelization and Service, Bishop Hicks is inviting everyone to be in prayer from 11/25th through 12/3rd in a 9 day novena of prayer to St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of the Diocese of Joliet. Proceed here for the novena.
• Check out the link HERE to find out more about the year-long 75th Anniversary plans.

• Receive Prayer Ministry after all the Mass times the weekend of 11/25 and 11/26! 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 family. Listen and receive the prayers while being open to the Holy Spirit’s movement. Trained prayer ministers will be available in the back of Church.

• Stop by the PLC after the 8am and 10am Masses on November 26th for yummy Donuts, good Coffee & wonderful Fellowship. 

• This year’s program benefits those individuals assisted by SVDP, Hesed House, Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry and Waterleaf Women's Center.  Here are the following ways you can assist families in need over the holidays.
• Fill your stocking with stuffers & return it to the bin by the Welcome Desk or to the Main Office by Sunday 11/26!  
• Monetary donations can be made under the Angel Giving Fund via our online giving portal or via check made payable to Our Lady of Mercy with “Angel Giving” in the memo for tax purposes. Accepted thru 12/31.
• Please connect with Lydia at lydias@olmercy.com for any questions.