News from Pastor in Training (P.I.T.)
From our daily confessions, which are many, to our week long confessions during the 5th week of Lent, our long Holy week confession lines, and our Divine Mercy service confessions, you would think that as a priest I would say, "Ok, no more confessions please!" However, I know that I will always both promote, and seek out the beautiful Sacrament myself. This is not only because it has a tremendous impact on my life, or because I've been consecrated as a priest of Jesus Christ to offer the Sacrament and forgiveness of sins. At an even more fundamental level, our Gospel today points out that repentance and forgiveness of sins is the foundation of our Church, and needs to be proclaimed to the whole world (cf. Luke 24:47).
In our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, St. Peter recounts our Lord’s Passion to the crowds gathering after he performed a healing in the temple. He recalls the Israelite people choosing Barabbas, a murderer, over Jesus. What was St. Peter doing? He was encouraging those listening to “repent so that there can be forgiveness of sins” (cf. Acts 3:19). Barabbas has an interesting meaning in Scripture. Bar means "son of" and Abba means "father." Hence, Israelite people were making a choice: which son of the father they would follow. Will they follow Barabbas, who followed his selfish passions, or Jesus, who surrenders himself completely as a self-gift?
This same choice is offered to us every day. How many of us choose our own selfish desires over that of a sacrificial love like our Lord? And if we choose selfishness, what should our response be? Well, as the readings and Gospel point out, we need to repent (again) and receive the forgiveness of our sins (again)!
As we journey in our faith together, can I encourage you to see the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a gift that the Lord desires you to receive? It is not a punishment, but a reception of great joy and love. The Lord is patient with us and always merciful. He is moving us by His grace to grow ever closer to him in this Sacrament. In receiving his mercy and love, we are able to respond in mercy and love to the world. Even with all our scheduled confessions times, as your pastor, I will always be open to finding more opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation to be celebrated and received.
Fr. Michael
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For reference, below is our current Confession schedule.
St Vincent de Paul Society 4/17
7 Great Dates Continues on Friday 4/19
- The 7 Great Dates aka the Marriage Course is a series of 7 sessions encompassed with food, talk, and private discussion between the couple only. Each session features leading experts, teaching content, and stories from around the globe.
- Although each date night builds upon the previous night, 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚, even if they missed the first one. Each date night is also designed to be enjoyed independently from the previous date night. Take this opportunity to invest in the flourishing of your relationship. Secure your place now and prioritize the enrichment of your marriage at the following link
- Fridays from 6:30pm to 8:30pm through May 17th.
- Upcoming date nights are 4/19 Resolving Conflicts, 4/26 The Power of Forgiveness, 5/3 The Impact of Family, 5/10 Good Sex, and 5/17 Love in Action.
Joliet Youth Day Registration Deadline 4/21st
- Joliet Youth Day is for 8th through 12th grade teens! This one-day conference is a great way to grow in our Catholic faith alongside other teens from our Diocese! Join Bishop Ronald Hicks and others for this fun, active, and prayerful experience designed for the young Church!
- More information and the registration packet can be found HERE.
Fit Shepherds on Wednesday and Saturday mornings
- To all men, in this time of renewed dedication to fitness, consider joining Fit Shepherds—a unique fusion of physical and spiritual growth. Join us for challenging workouts Saturdays at 7am and Wednesdays at 5:30am in the parking lot, as we strive to become better in every aspect of life, inspired by the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
Dads are encouraged to bring their sons 5th grade and older.
Get a glimpse of a Saturday morning work out and see the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiVMnLrRzf0 - For more information check out their website at this link or connect with Alex Baier who is looking forward to hearing from you; email him at abaier823@gmail.com
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. Even if you can't join the group inside the church, you can pray wherever you are at during the times below.
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 Restore 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.
Come Visit Jesus in the New Adoration Chapel
- Create more time for silence and prayer in your schedule by spending time with Jesus at the new Eucharistic Adoration Chapel anytime right after the 8am Mass until 10pm.
- We're currently seeking committed adorers for Wednesdays at 1pm and 3pm.
- We continue to seek second adorers for the times where we only have one committed adorer.
- Proceed here to sign up.
- Fr. Michael is urging us to not only dedicate an hour to spend with Jesus but also to consider sharing this commitment with one or two friends. If you're unsure about making this commitment, this suggestion offers a lovely way to overcome any doubts and enhance your friendships. Just imagine the enriching conversations you could have with each other about your experiences spending time with Jesus.