Special Announcement For Cemetery
The Parish Council and Finance Committee approved the updated Cemetery Rules and Regulations listed below at their meeting of Dec. 6 2023. We ask for your assistance in keeping our cemetery as a safe and beautiful area not only for our visitors, but for the cemetery personnel. Any questions or comments can be directed to any memeber of the Parish Council or Finance Committee. Thank you.
Cemetery Rules and Regulations - effective 4/1/24
(For the safety and efficiency of cemetery personnel)
- No planting of trees, shrubbery, or flowers
- No glass or wire allowed
- Decorations - Flowers, shepherd's hooks, statues, solar lights, personal items, etc.
- Up to 2 decorations allowed on the concrete base of the monument
- One saddle arrangement allowed per monument
- One additional decoration per grave allowed in the ground
(does no include Veterans's markers)
- Any excess decorations will be removed by cemetery personnel
Families will be notified that the decorations were removed and will be
told where they can pick them up
- All seasonal or damaged decorations will be removed prior to the semi-annual
Clean-Ups on April 1st and October 1st of each year
Daily Readings
Weekly reading
Readings for the week of April 14, 2024
- Sunday: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 / Ps 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9 (7a) / 1 Jn 2:1-5a / Lk 24:35-48
- Monday: Acts 6:8-15 / Ps 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30 / Jn 6:22-29
- Tuesday: Acts 7:51—8:1a / Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 7b and 8a, 17 and 21ab / Jn 6:30-35
- Wednesday: Acts 8:1b-8 / Ps 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a / Jn 6:35-40
- Thursday: Acts 8:26-40 / Ps 66:8-9, 16-17, 20 / Jn 6:44-51
- Friday: Acts 9:1-20 / Ps 117:1bc, 2 / Jn 6:52-59
- Saturday: Acts 9:31-42 / Ps 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17 / Jn 6:60-69
- Next Sunday: Acts 4:8-12 / Ps 118: 1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29 (22) / Jn 3:1-2 / Jn 10:11-18
Pastor Message and Prayer
4/14
"Thomas answered and said to him, 'My Lord and my God!"
John 20:28
Encountering the Risen Christ
READ JOHN, CHAPTER 20, VERSES 19 TO 31
The remaining verses of chapter 20 continue to demonstrate reactions to the Risen Lord.
On the night before he dies, Jesus promised not to leave his follwers orphaned (John 14:18) and to bring them the fullness of joy (John 15:11). On Easter afternoon, the disciples were inside a room locked to protect themselves from "the Jews." (It is important to remind ourselves that by this term John means the Jewish religious authorities, not all the Jews.) Jesus came and fulfilled the promise with the announcement of Shalom, peace, causing his disciples to rejoice, as he bestowed the Holy Sprit. Jesus commissioned the disciples to continue his own ministry for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus showed the diciples his hands and his side. The crucified one had become the rise Lord! The experience of the risen Lord in their midst was crucial to their understanding the resurrection.
"Doubting Thomas" is a prime example of the need to experience the risen Lord in a personal encounter. The love of Jesus for his disciples was so great that he returned the following Sunday so that Thomas could come to faith. Jesus als blesses all of us through the centuries who believe in him without probing the wounds of his body: "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."John begins his gospel with, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). Now we come full circle in the words of Thomas: "My Lord and my God!" Ironically, these words of the doubters" are the highest evaluation of Jesus in any of the gospels.
Do I ever doubt about the resurrection of Jesus or about eternal life?
Prayer Starter: My Lord and my God, risen Lord, give me your peace.
May the Holy Sprit direct me in helping others to know your love.
Fr. Joachim
St. Mary Mass Times
Saturday 6:00pm
Sunday 8:30am
Daily Mass Times
Wednesday 8:30am
Wednesday: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament 9am-9:30am
Friday 8:30am
First Friday 8:30am Healing Mass and Adoration
Confession Times
Saturday from 5:30-5:50 or
by appointment by calling the Rectory at 815-858-3422
Ash Wednesday: March 2nd
St. Mary 8:30 A.M.
6:00 P.M.
St. John 4:00 P.M.
St. Mary Office Hours
Wednesday 8:30 am- 3:30 p.m.. by appointment
Thursday 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
