Totus Tuus and Vacation Bible School returning to SSMJC!  (27-May-2010)

Ss. Mary and Joseph announces the return of two summer enrichment programs for our young people to take place at the church this summer:

• Vacation Bible School (VBS):  Will be held June 21 to June 25 from 9am to noon at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church.  Children ages 3-4 (preschool) and K-4 are invited to encounter the land of Egypt where they will encounter Joseph (of the "Coat of Many Colors" fame) and the promise of God's faithful love. Pre-registration is required.  Click HERE for a registration form.  We are also looking for adult volunteers who can help with the VBS program.  If you are interested, a sign-up form can be found HERE.

• Totus Tuus returns to Ss. Mary & Joseph for young people going into first grade through sixth grade (day program) and those who are going into seventh grade through high school (evening program). Based on the theme of Pope John Paul II's personal motto, "Totus Tuus", meaning "Totally Yours", we are reminded of Mary's total gift of herself to God the Father and we are challenged to live that example in our own lives.  Totus Tuus is a Catholic catechetical program directed to sharing the gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through catechesis, evangelization, Christian witness, and Eucharistic worship.  Directed by a team of men and women, including seminarians and religious, the program seeks to inspire the young to live their Catholic faith in a way that makes a difference in everyday life.  Pre-registration is required.  Click HERE for a registration form.  Registration forms can be returned to the parish office, Sunday collection, or by mail.

Funeral Announcement:  Joan Carmody (27-April-2010)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Joan Carmody, on Tuesday, April 27, 2010.

Visitation will take place on Friday evening, April 30 from 3 to 8 pm at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church in Carlinville, with a Vigil Service taking place at 2:30 pm.  Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, May 1 at 11 am at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church.  Interment will follow at New Calvary Cemetery in Carlinville, with a luncheon to follow at the church hall.

Please remember Joan and her family in your prayers.

An obituary can be found on the Springfield Journal-Register website:  Joan Carmody.

Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki Appointed Bishop of Springfield by Pope Benedict XVI.  (20-April-2010)

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Springfield-in-Illinois. For more information, please follow these links:

• The Diocese of Springfield-in-Illinois
  • Press Release
  • Press Conference Videos
  • Statement of Bishop-Designate Paprocki
  • Statement of Diocesan Administrator, Msgr. Carl Kemme
  • Bishop Paprocki's biography
  • Demographic Information on the Diocese of Springfield

Fr. Tom writes about Bishop Paprocki's welcome in this week's bulletin, found here.

 

Funeral Announcement:  Carole Ann Golike (14-April-2010)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Carole Ann Golike, 45, on Wednesday, April 14, 2010.

Visitation will take place on Monday evening, April 19 from 4 to 7 pm at the Davis-Anderson Funeral Home (260 Woodlawn Acres) in Carlinville.  Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated by Fr. Raphael Paul, administrator of St. Alphonsus Church in Brighton, on Tuesday, April 20 at 10am at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church.  Interment will follow at Old Calvary Cemetery in Carlinville.

The Davis-Anderson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

An obituary can be found at the Davis-Anderson website: Carole Ann Golike.

Please remember Carole and her family in your prayers.

Funeral Announcement: Bernadine Bellm Stayton (28-March-2010)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Bernadine M. Bellm Stayton, 87, on Sunday, March 28, 2010.

Visitation took place on Monday, April 5 from 10 to 11 am at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church, with her Funeral Mass immediately afterwards at 11am.  Interment was at New Calvary Cemetery in Carlinville. 

The Kravanya Funeral Home of Gillespie was in charge of arrangements.

An obituary can be found at the Kravanya website: Bernadine Bellm Stayton.

Please remember Bernadine and her family in your prayers.

Funeral Announcement: Robert "Bob" Volkert  (24-March-2010)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Bob Volkert, 81, on Wednesday, March 24, 2010.

Visitation took place at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church from 5 to 8 pm on Friday, March 26.  His Funeral Mass was held on Saturday, March 27 at 10 am, with interment at New Calvary Cemetery.  The Davis-Anderson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

An obituary can be found at the Davis-Anderson website: Bob Volkert.

Please remember Bob and his family in your prayers.

Funeral Announcement: Mary McIntyre (18-March-2010)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Mary McIntyre, on Thursday, March 18, 2010.

Visitation took place at the Heinz Funeral Home (212 Main Street) in Carlinville on Monday, March 22.  Her Funeral Mass was held on Tuesday, March 23 at 10:30am at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church.  Interment was at St. Denis Cemetery in Shipman.  The Heinz Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Please remember Mary and her family in your prayers.

Ss. Mary and Joseph to host an Annulment Information Night on January 15.  (12-Jan-2010)

   Ss. Mary and Joseph Church presents an information night on January 15 at 7 pm to assist those who have questions about divorce and remarriage in the Church.  The evening will be hosted by Becky Donaldson, a parishioner who works as office manager in the Diocesan Tribunal in Springfield.

   Ss. Mary and Joseph Church's pastor, Fr. Tom Donovan explains, "Catholics honor the covenant of marriage and the command that no one may break what God has joined.  Indeed, the Church has no power to break a marriage which has been properly confected.  Experience tells us that often times marriages which appear to be formed with the best of intentions are defective from their very root because of the baggage which partners bring into the union.  When these intentions are so defective as to call into question a partner's ability to enter into the bond as a free, conscious, deliberate human act from the beginning, the Church takes the opportunity to examine these broken marriages to see if they were truly 'Christian marriages'.  This is the basis of the Church's examination of broken marriages."

   Fr. Tom continues, "The greatest fallout from divorce and attempts at remarriage outside the Church is the separation one has from their spiritual home.  While Catholics who are divorced in a civil tribunal may continue to live the sacramental life of the Church, those who attempt remarriage when they are not otherwise free to be married place themselves outside the discipline of the Church and in contradiction to the command not to break what God has joined, namely, the prior union."

   While there can be no guarantees or promises regarding a ‘desired outcome’ of a marriage tribunal process, this evening is aimed at dispelling much of the confusion and misinformation which many people have that sometimes keeps them from seeking the help and healing they need and deserve.  Sometimes the process can be surprisingly simple.  In any case, it often takes courage to see what can be done to return to 'Full Communion' with the Church.  Fr. Tom explains, "With this information night, we are trying to make the first step a little less scary."

   "I ask that our parishioners seek out those who no longer participate in the sacramental life of the Church due to difficulties with their marital situation.  Chances are they will not get this message unless you tell them about it. Please pass this word on to children, grandchildren, co-workers, friends, or even parents who were “once Catholic” and find themselves ‘on the outs’ due to marriage difficulties."

.   For further information, please contact the parish office: (217) 854-7151.  Additional information is on the parish website at Annulment Assistance.

Many Opportunities for the Sacrament of Penance during the Late Advent Season (09-Dec-2009)

Advent is a season of joyful longing and anticipation, calling to mind the threecomings of Christ: in history (the First Christmas), in mystery (in our own time), and in glory (at the end of time).  During this season, we hear anew and respond to John the Baptist's cry for repentance in preparation for the Lord's appearance.

The Sacrament of Penance (commonly called Confession or Reconciliation) is the sacramental encounter with Christ which offers God's abundant gift of mercy in our own time.  During the season of Advent, special celebrations of the sacrament are available in the local Catholic parishes:

At each of these services, there will be a number of local priests available to hear confessions until all are heard.

In addition to these services, confessions will be heard at the regular times in the individual parishes (Saturday from 4:00-4:45 pm at SSMJ) or arrangements can be made by appointment for other times.

Here is a worksheet which reviews how one can prepare well for the sacrament and how the sacrament is normally celebrated.

Masses with Nursing Home Residents to be held during Advent  (04-Dec-2009)

During the season of Advent, Mass will be held each week at one of the area nursing homes or independent-living facilities.  Parishioners are invited to attend.

     Friday, December 4, 11 am -- Morse Farm (1050 W. Main)

     Tuesday, December 8, 11 am -- Heritage Manor (1200 N. University)

     Tuesday, December 15, 11 am -- Friendship Home (826 S. High)

     Tuesday, December 22, 11 am -- Carlinville Rehab Center (751 N. Oak)

Funeral Announcement: Mary Gagnor  (16-Nov-2009)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Mary Gagnor, 94, on Thursday, November 12, 2009.

Visitation will take place at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church at 9:30 am on Monday, November 16, 2009 and the Funeral Mass will follow at 10:30 am.  Interment will take place at New Calvary Cemetery.  Heinz Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

An obituary can be found at the Springfield Journal-Register website: Mary Gagnor.

Please remember Mary and her family in your prayers.

Thirty-three candidates to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation  (20-Oct-2009)

   Thirty-three young people are scheduled to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on Wednesday, October 28 at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church.  They have been preparing for the sacrament for over a year in a program that has asked candidates to engage their faith through prayer, religious education, service, and community involvement.  "While all of the Sacraments are God's free gifts to his people," explains Fr. Tom Donovan, "we have been asking our Confirmation candidates to gain practical experience with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, that their experience of being confirmed is one of deepening invitation, conversion, and commitment, rather than a mere ceremonial formality."

   The seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are taken from chapter 11 of the prophet Isaiah, referring to the gifts which would identify the Messiah (the "Christ", or "anointed one").  These gifts are, "the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might (fortitude), the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord (awe)." These gifts are received in reverence, taking delight in the things of God.  These gifts are said to be 'perfected' in those who receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, in that they receive the promise and power of these gifts to grow in their Christian lives. "Of course," Fr. Donovan adds, "gifts like have no value unless they are graciously received and even more graciously given away to others."

   The Sacrament will be conferred by Monsignor Carl Kemme, the administrator of the Diocese of Springfield, IL.  While confirmation is usually conferred by a bishop in order to manifest the visible connection between the candidate's faith and the apostolic faith held by the Order of Bishops, while the diocesan see is vacant, it is the administrators duty and privilege to celebrate the sacrament with the faithful.

Ss. Mary and Joseph Church Congratulates the Our Lady of the Highways Shrine  (20-Oct-2009)

   On Sunday, October 25, the Our Lady of the Highways Shrine will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the shrine, which is located about a mile north and west of Exit 63 along Interstate 55. 

   For half a century, the shrine has overlooked Route 66 (and later I-55) as a visible reminder of Mary's patronage over the highways and the travelers who have passed by through the years.  On the pedestal of the statue, an inscription reads, Mary, loving mother of Jesus, protect us on the highway.  Erected by the Litchfield Deanery Catholic Youth Council.  Dedicated October 25, 1959.

   On Sunday, October 25, there will be a rosary, Mass, and re-dedication ceremony held on the site, beginning at 2:30 pm.  For more information about the shrine, its history, and its ministry, visit their website:  www.ourladyofthehighways.org.

Funeral Announcement:  Ted Dworzynski  (08-Oct-2009)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Ted Dworzynski, 77, on Wednesday, October 7, 2009.

A visitation will take place on Friday, October 9 at the Heinz Funeral Home (212 E. Main) in Carlinville from 4 to 8 pm.  A private burial will take place at a later date.

A full obituary can be found at the Springfield Journal-Register website: Ted Dworzynski.

Please remember Ted and his family in your prayers.

Funeral Announcement:  Bernadine Wing  (01-Oct-2009)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Bernadine Wing on Wednesday, September 30, 2009.

Visitation will take place from 10 am to noon on Saturday, October 3 at the Davis-Anderson Funeral Home (260 Woodlawn Acres) in Carlinville.  A funeral service will follow at noon at the funeral home, with interment afterwards at New Calvary Cemetery.

The Davis-Anderson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.  A full obituary can be found at the Springfield Journal-Register website: Bernadine Wing.

Please remember Bernadine and her family in your prayers.

Funeral Announcement:  Alene ("Dena") Selvo  (27-Sept-2009)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Alene "Dena" Selvo on Sunday, September 27, 2009.

Visitation will take place at 10 am on Thursday, October 1 at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church, with the Funeral Mass following immediately afterwards at 11 am.  Burial will take place at New Calvary Cemetery.

The Heinz Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.  A full obituary can be found at the Springfield Journal-Register website: Alene Selvo.
 
Please remember Dena and her family in your prayers.

Funeral Announcement:  Albert "Bud" Becker, Sr.  (09-Jul-2009)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Albert Becker, Sr. on Wednesday, July 8, 2009.

A funeral service will take place at the Jacoby-Wise and Landers Funeral Home (875 So. Washington St.) in Bunker Hill, IL on Saturday, July 11 at 2 pm.  Burial will take place at a later date at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, near St. Louis.

The Jacoby-Wise and Landers Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Please remember Albert and his family in your prayers.

Funeral Announcement:  Ann Neunaber  (07-Jul-2009)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Ann Neunaber on Monday, July 6, 2009.

Visitation will take place at 4 pm on Thursday, July 9 at the Davis-Anderson Funeral Home (260 Woodlawn Acres) in Carlinville.  A funeral service will take place at the funeral home at 10 am on Friday, July 10, with interment to follow at the Mayfield Cemetery.

After the interment, a luncheon will be held at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church.

The Davis-Anderson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Please remember Ann and her family in your prayers.

Funeral Announcement:  Mary Griffith  (06-Jul-2009)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Mary Griffith on Monday, July 6, 2009.

Visitation will take place at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church on Thursday, July 9, starting at 9:30 am.  Her funeral will follow at 10:30 am.  Fr. Tom Donovan will preside over the services.

A funeral luncheon at the parish hall will follow the interment at New Calvary Cemetery.

The Heinz Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.  A full obituary can be found at the Springfield Journal-Register website:  Mary N. Griffith.
 
Please remember Mary and her family in your prayers.

Funeral Announcement:  Paul Drury  (06-Jul-2009)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Paul Drury on Monday, July 6.

Visitation will be held on Friday, July 10, from 5 to 7 pm at the Heinz Funeral Home, 212 E. Main Street in Carlinville.

A funeral service will be offered at the Heinz Funeral Home on Saturday, July 11 at 10 am, with interment to follow at New Calvary Cemetery in Carlinville.

A full obituary can be found at the Springfield Journal-Register website:  L. Paul Drury.

Please remember Paul and his family in your prayers.

Funeral Announcement:  Janet Caselton  (06-Jul-2009)

With regret, I write to announce the death of Janet Caselton
on Sunday, July 5.

Visitation will take place at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church
on Thursday, July 9 at 6 pm, before a concelebrated Funeral Mass at 7 pm.   Fellowship will follow at the parish hall after the Mass.  Interment will take place at a private ceremony on Friday in Bethalto, IL.

The Plummer Funeral Home in Litchfield is in charge of arrangements.  A full obituary can be found at their website: Janet C. Caselton.

Please remember Jan and her family in your prayers.

Bishop Lucas send-off celebration announced (23-June-2009)

Dear Friends:

 In only a few short days, Archbishop-designate George J. Lucas will leave the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois for his new assignment.  It is a time of mixed emotions for us — sadness for our loss as well as pride that our own bishop has been chosen to lead the church in the Archdiocese of Omaha.

 Archbishop-designate Lucas will be honored for his service to this diocese at a farewell reception on Thursday, July 16, at Christ the King Parish in Springfield, beginning with evening prayer at 6:30 p.m.  Although all are invited, we know that only a fraction of the diocese’s 60,000 Catholics will be able to attend.

 For the many Catholics who will be unable to offer their personal best wishes, we are providing an e-mail address, bestwishesbishoplucas@dio.org. You can send your personal message, congratulations and farewell to Archbishop-designate Lucas.  Please sign with your name, address and parish.

 Some of the messages may be reprinted in Catholic Times.  Most will be compiled and presented to Archbishop-designate Lucas so that as he departs our diocese, he will know that he takes our love and affection with him.

 Thank you in advance for helping to make the farewell to our departing bishop a memorable one.

 

Yours in Christ,

Msgr. Carl Kemme

Moderator of the Curia

-----

See also:  The announcement (in Italian) and worship booklet for the Mass of Ss. Peter and Paul, which includes the imposition of the Pallium, the archbishop's 'stole' upon Archbishop-designate Lucas and other archbishops from around the world on Monday, June 29, at St. Peter's in Rome. 

Funeral Announcement:  Maurice Wise (20-June-2009)

With regret, we write to announce the death of Maurice Wise on Saturday, June 20, 2009 at his home near Carlinville.

Visitation take place at the Heinz Funeral Home (212 E. Main St.) on Tuesday, June 23 from 5-8 pm.

His funeral will be at 11am on Wednesday, June 24 at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church.  After Mass, interment will take place at New Calvary Cemetery.  Fr. Tom Donovan will preside over the services.

A funeral luncheon at the parish hall will follow the interment.

The Heinz Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Please remember Maurice, his wife Sue Ann, and his sons and family in your prayers.

An obituary appears in the Springfield Journal-Register.

Join us for Summer Fun and Faith: Totus Tuus and Vacation Bible School  (12-June-2009)

Ss. Mary and Joseph announces two summer enrichment programs for our young people to take place at the church this summer:

• Vacation Bible School (VBS):  Was held June 22 through 26 at Ss. Mary and Joseph.  Thank you to all who participated and all who volunteered in any way to make this program a resounding success.  We look forward to seeing you again next year!

 

• Totus Tuus is a new program at Ss. Mary & Joseph (for an informational flier, click HERE) for young people going into first grade through sixth grade (day program) and those who are going into seventh grade through high school (evening program). Based on the theme of Pope John Paul II's personal motto, "Totus Tuus", meaning "Totally Yours", we are reminded of Mary's total gift of herself to God the Father and we are challenged to live that example in our own lives.  Totus Tuus is a Catholic catechetical program directed to sharing the gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through catechesis, evangelization, Christian witness, and Eucharistic worship.  Directed by a team of men and women, including seminarians and religious, the program seeks to inspire the young to live their Catholic faith in a way that makes a difference in everyday life.  Click HERE for a registration form.  The deadline for signing up is July 12 through the parish office, Sunday collection, or mail.

Bishop Lucas Appointed Archbishop of Omaha, NE (03-June-2009)

Bishop George Lucas has been appointed Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Omaha, NE by Pope Benedict XVI. Archbishop-elect Lucas offered the following statement:

Today, Pope Benedict XVI has appointed me Archbishop of Omaha.  It is humbling to be given this new responsibility by the Vicar of Christ, and I thank the Holy Father for his confidence in me.

Of course, accepting this new appointment means that I will be leaving the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois which has been my home for nearly ten years.  The joy of being able to say yes to the pope without hesitation is tempered by the sadness I feel at the prospect of leaving this diocese and all of you.  It has been a blessing and an honor for me to serve as your bishop.  With our focus on Jesus Christ, we have been able to cooperate with grace to build up His church in significant ways.

My installation as Archbishop of Omaha is being planned for July 22.  Until then I remain administrator of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.  Soon after my installation in Omaha, the diocesan College of Consultors will meet to elect an administrator to govern this diocese until a new diocesan bishop is named by the Holy Father.

I will do my best to fulfill the commitments I have made until I leave.  I will also look for the opportunity to thank you more properly for your prayers and support.  Keep the prayers coming and be assured of my prayers for you during this time of transition for all of us.  God bless you.

+George Lucas

Diocese of Springfield blog site

Archdiocese of Omaha Media Kit

Funeral Announcement: Linda Keithley (25-May-2009)

With regret, we announce the death of Linda Keithley in Carlinville on Sunday, May 24, 2009.

Visitation will take place at The Heinz Funeral Home (212 Main St.) on Thursday, May 28 from 5-8 pm, with the Vigil Service at 4:45 pm.

Linda's funeral will be at 10:00 am on Friday, May 29 at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church with burial to follow at Moore Cemetery near Carlinville. Fr. Tom Donovan will preside over the services.

A funeral luncheon at the Lake Williamson Christian Center will follow the interment.

The Heinz Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Please remember Linda's family in your prayers.

Update: ssmjc.org e-mail is back up! (updated 28-May-09)

The e-mail and file server at Ss. Mary and Joseph was down following recent heavy weather. E-mail to the ssmjc.org domain was being 'bounced' back as 'undeliverable'.  The server power supply was replaced yesterday, and was re-started yesterday.  If you sent any e-mail to an @ssmjc.org address in the last few days, please re-send it to make sure that it reaches its destination.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Funeral Announcement:  John Bloomfield "J.B." Ryan (5-May-2009)

With regret, we announce the death of "J. B." Ryan in Carlinville on Tuesday, May 5, 2009.

Visitation will take place at Ss. Mary & Joseph Church on Thursday, May 7 from 4-6 pm, with the Vigil Service lead by deacon candidate Thom Lucia at 3:45 pm.

J.B.’s funeral will be at 10:30 am on Friday, May 8 at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church with burial to follow at Mayfield Memorial Park in Carlinville. Fr. Tom Donovan will preside over the services.

A funeral luncheon at the parish hall will follow the interment.

The Heinz Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Please remember J.B.'s family in your prayers.

Vocation within a vocation: Parish priest answers call to minister to military (April 2009)

Vocation within a vocation

Ss. Mary and Joseph Church unveils new parish website (April 2009)

Today, Fr. Tom Donovan, the pastor of Ss. Mary and Joseph Church in Carlinville, IL, announced the unveiling of its new parish website. Fr. Tom explains, “We are really excited about this, because having a good-looking, functional, and informative website is so very important to the communications and evangelization capability of the contemporary Church. My hope is that our parishioners will be able to link to this site and pass it on to others, being able to say with confidence, ‘This is who we are, and what we believe, and what is important to us as a Catholic parish. Come join us!”

The site, designed and developed by Illini Tech Services of Carlinville, includes parish news, photo galleries, past bulletins, as well as a calendar of events. Fr. Tom explains that “ITS has been a great partner to have in this process, and we look forward to deepening this relationship as we continue to enhance the capabilities of our site.”

“We still have some polishing to do to be fully operational. There are quite a few internal links that still promise that information is ‘coming soon’,” admits Fr. Donovan. “My hope is to finish this work out during the Easter season, giving visitors an opportunity to see something new every day as the site becomes fully populated.”

The web site can be found on the internet at: www.ssmjc.org.

Funeral Announcement: Mildred Burleson

With regret, we announce the death of MILDRED BURLESON in Carlinville on Tuesday, April 7, 2009.

Visitation will take place at the Davis-Anderson Funeral Home on Monday, April 13 from 4-6 pm, with the Vigil Service lead by deacon candidate Thom Lucia at 3:45 pm.

Mildred’s funeral will be at 10 am on Tuesday, April 14 at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church with burial to follow at New Calvary Cemetery in Carlinville. Fr. Tom Donovan will preside over the services.

A funeral luncheon at the parish hall will follow the interment.

The Davis-Anderson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Please remember Mildred’s family in your prayers.

“Understanding the Mass” to be held on Sunday, April 19

Ss. Mary and Joseph Church will host “Understanding the Mass”, an event open to parishioners and the public on Sunday April 19, at 4 pm. The programming for the evening will include a celebration of the Mass by Fr. Tom Donovan, while explaining some of the tradition and scriptural underpinnings of this central expression Catholic worship.

Fr. Donovan explains, “many Catholics grow up watching the ceremonies and events at Mass without taking the time to understand them. Unfortunately, this can make the Church and its worship seem unnecessarily mystifying and inaccessible. Even more distressing, without an understanding of what happens at the Mass, this ultimate form of Christian worship can become routine and uninspiring to the point where people do not see it as a transformative force in their lives.”

Fr. Donovan continues, “In “Understanding the Mass”, we cannot never hope to fully explain the mystery of God’s initiative to share his divine life with us, but we can de-code some of the symbolic language and sacramental signs which make that reality present. If we can spend a little extra time to explain these things while celebrating the Sacred Mysteries, Catholics might be better disposed to receive the gifts of grace offered each time the Mass is celebrated.”

Besides Catholics, other Christians and persons with interest in Catholic worship are invited to attend this event. “The Catholic Mass is of incalculable cultural and religious significance not only in the West, but throughout the whole world. There are 23 different Catholic Rites throughout the world, of which the Roman Rite is but one expression of the Sacred Liturgy, which we commonly call ‘the Mass’,” explains Fr. Donovan. “Because the Mass in one form or another is common to all of the most ancient traditions Christian worship, it shows up even where it is least expected.” Rebecca Marchiori, the parish Director of Religious Education remarked, “I was surprised one weekend to hear Fr. Tom explain that the common Protestant practice of making an ‘Altar Call’ is simply a remnant of the Catholic Communion Service.” Marchiori continues, “But when you think about it, Catholics have made ‘Altar Calls’ for two thousand years each time they approach the Eucharist in faith.” Fr. Tom adds, “We proclaim Christ as our ‘personal Lord and Savior’ through this individual, yet corporate, action which expresses radical unity with the Mystical Body of Christ.”

A display of liturgical items and artifacts will be on display before and after the Mass. A potluck dinner will be served after the Mass in the parish hall. All are welcomed to attend. For more information, please consult the parish website at www.ssmjc.org.