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St. Mary the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church1550 Main St., Mt. Vernon, IL - 618.244.1559 - Masses: Sat. 5:00pm; Sun. 10:00amBackForwardPauseCaption
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Christopher John Pemberton
December 12, 1967 - November 23, 2022
It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the passing of Christopher Pemberton, brother and brother-in-law of our parishioners, Greg and Mary Jo Pemberton.
Christopher John Pemberton, 54, of Mount Vernon, Illinois, passed away at 11:25 am November 23, 2022 at his residence. He was born December 12, 1967 in Mount Vernon, Illinois to the late Frederick Arthur and Constance Jeanne (Edelman) Pemberton. Christopher married Bethany (Diehl) Pemberton on February 2, 1991 in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were blessed with twenty-five years of marriage before she preceded him in death on December 5, 2016.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, December 3, 2022 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm at American Legion in Mount Vernon, Illinois. Memorials may be made in Christopher's honor to the Pemberton Family in care of Zachary Pemberton.
Hughey Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. For additional information, please click on the link below:
Solemnity of the
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Mass Times and Locations
Vigil - Wed., Dec 7, 5:30 pm - St. Barbara, Scheller
Thurs., Dec 8, 8:30 am - St. Mary, Mt.Vernon
with school children
Thurs., Dec 8, 12:00 Noon
Good Samaritan Hospital Chapel
(Mask Required)
Thurs., Dec 8, 6:30 pm - St. Mary, Mt. Vernon
with Confirmation
Submitting Pictures
Thank you to all that had their picture taken for the church directory! If you were not able to get your picture taken you are able to submit your own picture to be included in the directory.
The company charges $15 for submitted photos and with this fee you will receive a copy of the directory.
A vertical wallet or 4x6 picture is ideal (pictures will not be returned.)
You can bring a picture to the church office or email a digital copy to macgrads93@charter.net. Please include the names of all the people in your picture.
Submissions due by December 11th.
Bekki Kobylanski, coordinator for our "Soup Kitchen" cooks, is in need of more "cooks!" She's putting together the schedule for January - June, 2023 and more help is certainly needed.
Please contact Bekki at: 618.927.1014, if you might be able to help.
MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC!
Date: Wednesday,
December 14, 2022
Time: 7:00pm
Enjoy a program of sacred and secular Christmas music presented by the Adult Vocal Choir and the Handbell Choir of St. Mary Immaculate Conception Parish.
Location: St. Mary Church, Mt. Vernon, IL
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The Pope Video
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Pope's Prayer Intention - December 2022
December Prayer Intention – For volunteer and not-for-profit organizations
Video will be posted when it becomes available.
We pray that volunteer non-profit organizations committed to human development find people dedicated to the common good and ceaselessly seek out new paths to international cooperation.
The world needs more volunteers, as communities continue to struggle to serve the most vulnerable. The past few years has clearly shown that isolation from each other is detrimental to society and can lead to even greater problems.
Pope Francis lamented this trend of withdrawing from society that has come from the pandemic in his Christmas Message for 2021, “Our capacity for social relationships is sorely tried; there is a growing tendency to withdraw, to do it all by ourselves, to stop making an effort to encounter others and do things together.”
As the world tries to return to “normal,” a renewed volunteerism needs to be a central focus. When addressing volunteers from Sardegna Solidale in 2018, Pope Francis explained the importance of volunteerism to society, “The culture of solidarity and gratuitousness qualifies volunteerism and contributes in a concrete way to the construction of a fraternal society, at the center of which is the human person.”
St. John Paul II also reflected on the importance of being a volunteer in a speech for the Year of Volunteer Work in 2001.
He said, “What makes a volunteer dedicate his/her life to others? First of all, the innate movement of the heart that inspires every human being to help his fellow man. It is a law of existence. A volunteer experiences a joy that goes far beyond what he has done when he succeeds in giving himself freely to others.”
Our culture needs to recover a greater concern for those around us, not spending our existence in isolation, but helping each other without any pay or reward in mind.
Philip Kosloski
Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (United States)
Msgr. James P. Burke Council & Blessed Virgin Assembly
Cordially Invite You and Guest
Deceased Member
Memorial Mass &
Widows/Widowers Dinner
February 18, 2023
Mass 5:00 pm
Dinner 6:30 pm
Fellowship Room- - Parish Center
St. Mary the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
1550 Main St., Mt. Vernon, IL 62864
Widow/Widower/Priest—Paid by Assembly
Member/Spouse-responsible for meal- -$15/person
Please R.S.V.P. by January 29, 2023 to
Butch Baker at
jabwlb1@gmail.com or call (618) 246-7986
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From the pen of Fr. Nick
Dear Parishioners,
Advent is my favorite season of the Church year. It’s the beginning of the liturgical year. There is a sense of newness surrounding the season. I’ve always looked at it the same way many look at January 1st - a chance to start over and renew my resolve and my commitments. Often Advent gets cut short, not only because we want to jump right to Christmas, but because that fourth week of Advent is often abbreviated, depending on what day of the week Christmas falls. We are particularly blessed this year to have four full weeks of Advent since Christmas falls on a Sunday this year. Take advantage of this extended season of preparation and repentance, as we wait in joyful expectation for the Lord’s coming.
One way that we prepare is to make a good confession. We are doing something special this year for our annual Advent confession opportunity. We are not just dedicating an hour, but an entire afternoon and evening to confession. We are introducing an Advent Day of Reconciliation. My home parish, Cathedral of St. Peter in Belleville, offered 24 hours of reconciliation during Lent last year. It was amazing how many people came, even in the middle of the night. We don’t have the population of priests and Catholics to do exactly the same in Mt Vernon, but on Friday, December 16th, there will be about a dozen total priests available from 3-8pm. I hope you will consider making this Sacrament part of your Advent journey, especially if you have not been in quite some time. We will devote time in the days leading up to Dec 16th to helping you prepare.
Let us pray.
O God, this Advent may we commit ourselves to vigilance.
May we look beyond ourselves, expanding our heart and mind.
May we open our heart to the needs of people, and to you coming among us.
Come, Lord Jesus!
Fr. Nick
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Photo Albums
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Holiday Fruit Sale - St. Mary School
Please click on the link below for ordering information:
Holiday Fruit Ordering Information
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Bp. Barron's Advent Reflections
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Today's Scripture Readings
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Visit Bishop McGovern on Youtube!
A potpourri of spiritual refreshment and enlightenment.
Click on the link below to visit the Youtube Channel of the Most Reverend Michael G. McGovern, Bishop of the Diocese of Belleville
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Volunteer Form
Volunteer Form
If you wish to volunteer at St. Mary Immaculate Conception Parish, please download the form, complete it and follow the return instructions at the top of the form.
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MINISTRY SCHEDULES
CLEANING CREW
PLEASE!
NEW CLEANERS ARE NEEDED! Call Cindy Montgomery if you're interested.
Please click on the link below.
December
COOKS' LIST FOR SOUP KITCHEN
Bekki has indicated that we are in need of additional cooks. If you're interested please give Bekki a call at: 618.927.1014.
The entrees you prepare, which are part of a hot meal created for those in need, are very much appreciated!
July - December, 2022
Bekki Kobylanski is our Soup Kitchen Cooks' List Coordinator!
ALTAR LINENS
Click on the link below to view the schedule!
Linen Schedule
More volunteers are needed! Washing, drying and folding altar linens 1 or 2 months a years is the time commitment. Interested? Please call Sandy at 618.242.7637.
VOLUNTEERS
HOSPITALITY/LECTOR/
EM/SACRISTAN/SERVER
Click on the links below:
Hospitality/Lector/EM/
Sacristan/Servers
Schedules
4th Quarter Ministries Lists
Ministries
Ways to use your talents at St. Mary!
Click the Ministries List above!
SERVERS
If you cannot make your scheduled date(s), please contact Deacon Steve.
Server Registration p.1
Server Registration p. 2
MUSIC PEOPLE!
Cantors & Musicians - 4th Quarter, 2022
Hospital Extraordinary Ministers -
See notes from Lori under:
"Ministries>Pastoral Ministries>Hospital Volunteers
Please see note from Lori dated 9-29-22
under "Hospital Volunteers.
December 2022 Schedule -
Child Protection
2021-2022 CHILD PROTECTION REFRESHER NOW AVAILABLE: IL DCFS MANDATED REPORTER TRAINING
NEW: DIOCESAN INITIAL CHILD PROTECTION POLICY TRAINING - PROTECTING CHILDREN IN THE 21ST CENTURY
[Replaces the "In-Person" Initial Child Protection Policy Training]
Diocesan Policy:
All clergy, employees and adult volunteers must complete the following to be compliant with the Diocese's Child Protection Policy:- Employment or Volunteer Application
- CANTS form (completed every 2 years via the IL Department of Children & Family Services)
- Initial Child Protection Policy Training
- Annual Refresher Course
- Fingerprinting (all school employees hired on/after July 1, 2007)
- Criminal Background Checks (employees and volunteers in leadership positions or who have lived outside of IL in the last 5 years; updated every 5 years)
Link to Updated Child Protection Policy
Forms:Please print out form, complete and return to the parish office - not the address on the form!
CANTS - Every 2 years
Criminal Background Check - Every 4 years
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Fri. Dec 2 8:30am
St. Mary
School
Children,
Faculty &
Staff
Sat. Dec 3 5:00pm
†Lynn Ann Powers,
†Donna Forsberg & †Miriam Montgomery
Sun. Dec 4 8:00am
Confirmands @ St. Barbara
10:00am
St. Mary Parishioners
Mon. Dec 5 8:30am
†Kenny Bell
Tues. Dec 6 5:30pm
†Albert Gentles
Wed. Dec 7 8:30am
†Mary Iffert
5:30pm
Vigil Mass @ St. Barbara
Thurs. Dec 8 8:30am
†William & †France Crabtree
12:00pm
†Christopher Pemberton
@ SSM Chapel -
Mask Required
6:30pm
Confirmands
Fri. Dec 9 8:30am
†Herman Kryger
Sat. Dec 10 5:00pm
†Richard Herzing,
†Marge Masters, †Jack & †Carol Willis
Sun. Dec 11 8:00am
†Raymond
&†Florence
Kabat @ St. Barbara
10:00am
St. Mary Parishioners
6:00pm
†Ruben Perez, Sr. &
†Santiago
Jacinto
(Spanish Mass)
Mon. Dec. 12 8:30am
†Christopher
Pemberton -
Bridge players wanted!
Wednesdays at the Elk’s at 10:00 a.m.
Call Darlene at: 618-242-1355 or
618-315-9133 (cell)
or Donna at: 618-244-0396
