$5 from each Poinsettia and $10 from each Wreath sold will directly benefit Friends of Good Shepherd!
All orders will be available for PICK UP at the Grey House at the NW corner of the SMI parking lot on Friday, December 6, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. OR Saturday, December 7, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Next Meeting: Thursday, November 7, 2024 Time: 12:30 PM Where: Faith Sharing/Harvester Room Topic: Habits for Mental and Physical Well-Being / Christmas Cards for Prison Ministry
Notes: Please bring 2 cans of soup, the same size, for exercises. Soup will be donated to food pantry afterwards.
We’d like to thank all our wonderful ladies for the donations to Waterleaf at our CCW Baby Shower! The abundance of onesies, blankets, wipes, sleepers, and gift cards was deeply appreciated!
Our annual Fall Bake Sale is scheduled for Sunday, November 17th! We’ll be looking for those wonderful baked items to be donated, help before, during and after and for the support of the parish in purchasing all the bakery! We will also have a raffle with some donated items and gift cards!
We look forward to seeing all our members on November 7th, and if any of the ladies of our parish would like to join us, we’d be happy to see you too!
For more information, please contact Grace Blaszak at: 773.727.0237 or gblaszak@sbcglobal.net
Hi friends, Fr. James here. We mention Waterleaf from time to time here at St. Mary’s, especially during the month of October, and so I thought it’d be helpful for you to have the opportunity to hear more in depth about their amazing services to our community. They’re such a blessing to have in our local area and I invite you to continue praying for their ministry.
It’s such a wonderful gift for us to be able to gather, worship, serve and be formed here at Saint Mary Immaculate. No matter what may be happening around us, our parish community is a constant source of peace in our lives. This is the place where we can gather at the Eucharistic table, serve our Lord, and be formed in the faith that has been passed down through the centuries. Here, united as we are in God’s love, we are a visible sign and witness to the love of God in our community. Here we are nourished by prayer, Word, and Sacraments through which we get grace to go forth and do the work that God has chosen for us to do. Here we grow in relationship with our Lord who longs to be part of our lives. We value formation in the faith and sharing that faith with others through our witness, service, and evangelization. Through our many vibrant ministries, we put flesh on the words of Saint John: “If God so loved us, we also must love one another” (1 John 4:11). With this in mind, I invite you to respond to our parish’s new giving initiative: Living as Faithful Disciples: Come, Follow Me! Please review the contents of this brochure and prayerfully consider how you and your family can play an active role in continuing the work of Jesus Christ through our parish community. Our goal is to increase our Sunday offertory contributions so that we can continue to worship, serve, and form people in the faith, bringing the love of Jesus to as many people as we possibly can. On October 19 and 20, our parish will be observing a special Commitment Weekend, inviting members of our community to come together and make a financial commitment that will allow Saint Mary Immaculate Parish to continue its important work. We are counting on you! By participating in our giving initiative, we respond to God’s great gift of love by loving one another with the heart of Jesus. Thank you for your generosity, prayers, and commitment to Saint Mary Immaculate Parish!
Yours in Christ and His Blessed Mother,
Father Pat Mulcahy, Pastor
Look for a brochure in your mailbox from Father!
Love Your Parish
Here, united in God’s love, we are a visible sign of the body of Christ and together we do great things. Nourished by prayer and the sacraments, the members of our parish community are journeying on the path of discipleship and growing in relationship with Jesus Christ daily. We value discipleship and evangelization.
Love Your Savior
As we strive to love one another better, good stewardship plays a key role. Stewardship isn’t a code word for financial support. Stewardship is about doing the work of Christ and engaging our many resources to further the ministry and mission of Our Lord. Remembering that everything we have is a gift from our creator.
Love Your Neighbor
We know the importance of bringing the love of God to our neighbors. Through our many ministries, and our social and service-oriented outreach programs, we put into action the truth stated so eloquently by St. John the Apostle: “If God so loved us, we also must love one another” (1 Jn 4:11).
See How Tom Ketelhut Is Living As A Faithful Steward
I have been a parishioner at St Mary’s since 1999 and so blessed the past 25 years to witness its incredible growth as well as my own personal growth in Christ. One thing I love about SMI is the many ministries the parish gives us the gift to be a part of. I’m especially excited about the Fishers of Men group at St Mary’s.
Fishers of Men is a group of guys mostly from St Mary’s that come together on a weekly basis (7AM in the Stewardship Room!) for prayer, reflection on Sunday’s scripture and fellowship. We’re all in different places in our journey with Christ which is a great environment for learning, supporting each other and building relationships with the goal of helping each other be better men, husbands, fathers and servants of Christ in the SMI, Plainfield and surrounding community.
Along with weekly meetings including 20 – 25 men, the “Fishers” have special programs for Advent and Lent as well as many events throughout the year to encourage fellowship and service. Fun events include an annual men’s conference, summer “Love Feast” picnic, participation in the SMI summer Block Party and our annual Comedy & Trivia Night in the SMI gym (save the date for 1/25/2025!). Just as important, we are blessed to provide financial support for SMI’s confirmation program, serve a Tuesday night per month at Daybreak in Joliet with food drives and a holiday toy drive, perform service for the Mantellate Sisters on Drauden Road in Plainfield and reach out to those in need in the area via our “Sunshine Club”. The SMI Fishers of Men and brothers I have been blessed to know have had a profound impact on my faith and service to God and others!
Make your Commitment Now!
Forget the checkbook and make donating simple for you and your family. With Online Giving, you can give back to your church whenever and wherever with the simple click of a button from your computer or smart device.
To prepare St. Mary Immaculate Cemetery for the fall and winter season, we are asking if you wish to save your spring/summer arrangements, please remove them on or before Thursday, October 30th, 2024. Any items left will be removed.
For review, here are the guidelines for decoration placement in the cemetery:
Artificial decorations are permitted.
Natural flowers must be in plastic containers, clay pots, or planted in front of the marker. They may NOT exceed the width of the marker or extend farther than 12 inches out in front of the marker.
Shepherd’s hooks are permitted.
Glass containers are NOT permitted.
Plants and decorations are NOT permitted on the sides or in the back of the marker.
Bushes, trees, and evergreens are NOT permitted.
Stones or rocks are NOT permitted on or around the grave.
Outlining of the graves or markers with stripping border, metal frames, or stones is NOT permitted.
Please refrain from placing decorations on or around the Columbarium.
We regret that we cannot guarantee decorations from damage or disappearance.
If you have any questions, please contact the cemetery office at 815-436-2651 ext. 860.
Our next Daybreak Meal donation date is November 4. Please note that the date is on a Monday for this month. We would greatly appreciate your help with donating various items for meal preparation.
If you would like to help, please sign up to donate an item at smip.org/daybreakby November 3. We ask that donated items please be brought to the Commons by Monday, November 4 at 10:00 a.m. for pick up that day. Perishable items should be marked and placed in the refrigerator in the parish kitchen.
Our meals are successful as a result of your generosity. Your participation is truly a way to make a positive difference in someone’s life.
Questions? Contact Chris McLawhorn at 815-436-8374 or Kathy Hall at 815-436-2729.