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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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2023 St. Mary School Raffle Winners25000.00 = Norma Curtis Reynolds
3000.00 = Dr. Mark Murfin
1000.00 = Tim Colle
500.00 = Robert Diekemper
500.00 = Carol Lesko
500.00 = Kevin Green
500.00 = Jeff Donoho
500.00 = Don Kuhle
250.00 = Mike Bevis
250.00 = Rapp Brothers
250.00 = Kathy Williams
250.00 = Angie Anderson
250.00 = David Laird
Knights of Columbus Fish Fries are Back!
Council #2964
Proceeds of the Fish Fries this year will benefit:
Friday, March 24 Habitat for Humanity
Friday, March 31 Knights of Columbus Council #2964
Hours: 5-7 pm
Location: St. Mary Parish Gym
St. Mary Church
1550 Main Street
Mt. Vernon, IL
Dine-In
$12
Adult Dinner Includes:
Entrée (Cod, Pollock or Shrimp)
Choice of 2 Sides (Mac and Cheese, Fries, Green Beans)
Cole Slaw, Dessert, Drink
$8
Child (Ages: 11 and under) Dinner Includes:
Entrée (Cod, Pollock or Shrimp)
Choice of 1 Side (Mac and Cheese, Fries, Green Beans)
Cole Slaw, Dessert, Drink
Carry-Out
$12 Dinner Includes:
Entrée (Cod, Pollock or Shrimp)
Choice of 2 Sides (Mac and Cheese, Fries, Green Beans)
Cole Slaw, Dessert, Drink
PLEASE NOTE: NO DRIVE-THRU.
After dinner, please join us for "Stations of the Cross" in the church at 7:00 pm.
Diocese of Belleville Fasting and Abstinence Guidelines - Season of Lent
1. Abstaining from meat. Everyone is bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays of Lent from age 14 onwards. This year, at the direction of Bishop McGovern, since the memorial of Saint Patrick falls on Friday, March 17, the obligation to abstain from meat on that Friday is removed.
2. Fasting. Everyone is bound to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal.
3. Excused from Fasting and Abstinence. Those that are excused from fast and abstinence outside the age limits include the physically or mentally ill including individuals suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes. Also excluded are pregnant or nursing women.
4. Because Lent is a special season for all Christians, we should not lightly excuse ourselves from these penitential practices.
Stations of the Cross
at St. Mary Church
Friday, March 24, 2023
Join us for a Prayer Service and Dedication
led by Bishop Michael McGovern
at our new mother’s care center.
Saturday, March 25th at 9:00 am
2015 West Main Street
Carbondale
Open House with refreshments to follow.
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The Pope Video
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Pope's Prayer Intention - March 2023
MARCH 2023: FOR VICTIMS OF ABUSE
“Asking for forgiveness is necessary, but not enough”: in the month of March, Pope Francis reflects on abuse, “especially to those committed by members of the Church” and asks that we pray with him for the victims, “who have to be ‘at the center’ of everything.” At the same time, he invites the Church itself to be “a model”: whether of transparency to “bring it to light,” of “concrete actions to repair the horrors they have suffered and to prevent them from happening again,” or of offering “safe spaces for victims to be heard, supported psychologically, and protected.”
The video that accompanies his words, made by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, is a story with powerful symbolic content. It plays with the comparison of light and darkness, and narrates the uniqueness of every life and the profound suffering caused by violence. "In response to cases of abuse, especially to those committed by members of the Church, it’s not enough to ask for forgiveness. Asking for forgiveness is necessary, but it is not enough. Asking for forgiveness is good for the victims, but they are the ones who have to be “at the center” of everything. Their pain and their psychological wounds can begin to heal if they find answers —if there are concrete actions to repair the horrors they have suffered and to prevent them from happening again.
The Church cannot try to hide the tragedy of abuse of any kind. Nor when the abuse takes place in families, in clubs, or in other types of institutions. The Church must serve as a model to help solve the issue and bring it to light in society and in families. The Church must offer safe spaces for victims to be heard, supported psychologically, and protected. Let us pray for those who have suffered because of the wrongs done to them from members of the Church; may they find within the Church herself a concrete response to their pain and suffering."
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From the pen of Father Nick . . .
Dear Parishioners and friends,
Lots of you have been asking about when we will resume offering the Precious Blood during Mass.
I’m happy to report that Bishop McGovern shared with us during a recent visit to St. Mary that they are making plans to allow us to offer the Eucharist under both species sometime during the Easter Season.
The Worship Office for the Diocese of Belleville is discussing how to reintroduce the communion cups as safely and effectively as possible. We will pass along more information to you as soon as it becomes available.
Bishop McGovern has been very generous with his time, traveling around the diocese to meet with parish leaders. This week he was with Youth Faith Formation ministers from our upstart, vibrant Lifeteen Program as well as the clergy from here and surrounding parishes, offering his reflections on discipleship and receiving input and suggestions from all of us. It was a fruitful session.
One of the things we discussed was seeing ourselves as “missionary disciples” and what that means.
Missionary means to be sent. Particularly, we are sent to others to bring Christ to them, and them to Christ. How that is accomplished in this time and place is changing due to the secularization of society and the increase in religious disaffiliation, especially among young people. More and more often, we are beginning with the assumption that the person we are meeting knows little to nothing about Christ, the Church and salvation. The person Jesus meets in the Gospel today, the woman at the well, is such a person. Yet, through the encounter, the woman who begins in dryness as a blank slate discovers a thirst for God (and, even more, God’s thirst for her!) and becomes an evangelist – a bearer of the Good News.
I love the delightful manner in which the story ends. The townspeople to whom she speaks come to know and believe in Jesus, and hear for themselves. Great hope lies in this Gospel story. The well in the Gospel is deep. Inexhaustible.
We can keep coming again and again, anytime,to draw water – that is, strength, forgiveness, life and love from God.
May this Lenten season lead to a rediscovery of the living water for each of us.
Fr. Nick
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Photo Albums
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Bp. Barron's Lent 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.
March 2023
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!
Bekki Kobylanski is our Soup Kitchen Cooks' List Coordinator!
ALTAR LINENS
Click on the link below to view the schedule!
2023 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
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES:Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at Mass
No training sessions remain for everyone who is, or wants to become, an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at any Mass.
Formal training and review session is required by the diocese once every three years for all who are a Eucharistic Minister. Names of those who attend are to be submitted to Bishop McGovern for his approval.
We have not had such a session for Eucharistic Ministers since before COVID.
If you were not able to attend any of these, contact Deacon Steve and a one-on-one session will be arranged.
If you do not attend a session, your name will not remain on the diocesan list.Deacon Steve
Minister of Hospitality Training
Training sessions were available for all who are, or wish to become, a Minister of Hospitality Volunteer.
If you were not able to attend either of the sessions, contact Deacon Steve and a one-on-one session will be arranged.
There are some minor, yet important changes we should be making so please attend. All sessions will be held in the worship space.
Deacon Steve
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!
Song Leaders - 1st Quarter 2023
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.
MARCH, 2023
March 15, 2023 Update on "Masking" at GSH
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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 4 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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Tues. Mar. 21 5:30pm
†Beth Stewart Mink
Wed. Mar. 22 8:30am
†Caroline Radakovich
5:30pm
†Ernie Kujawa @ St. Barbara
Thurs. Mar. 23 8:30am
NO MASS
Fri. Mar. 24 8:30am
†Branden Schrader
Sat. Mar. 25 5:00pm
†David Tennyson
(Month's Mind)
Sun. Mar. 26 8:00am
†Stanley E. Pyszka
@ St. Barbara
10:00am
St. Mary Parishioners
Mon. Mar. 27 8:30am
In Thanksgiving
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Cooks Needed!
Bekki Kobylanski, coordinator for our "Soup Kitchen" cooks, is in need of more "cooks!"
The schedule is out (as noted above) for January - June, 2023 and more help is certainly needed.
Please contact Bekki at: 618.927.1014, if you might be able to help.
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around the diocese. . .
GO TO "NEWS/EVENTS" IN
NAVIGATOR BAR ABOVE
THEN SCROLL TO
"EVENTS-OTHER PARISHES."
