Share Christ’s love with someonein need this Christmas!
GIVING TREE 2025
Adopt a family or individual(s) to bless this Christmas!
Be a blessing to a family or individual in need this Christmas. It’s the last weekend to stop by the Giving Tree table in the Commons after all Masses to see how you can help make a difference in someone else’s life.
Please return your wrapped gift(s) (unless your tag specifies not to wrap) to the Commons on Saturdays (11/29 &11/30) from 3:00 PM until 5:30 PM and on Sundays (12/6 &12/7) from 7:00 AM until 1:00PM.
Questions? Call Robin Contreras (815)814-8457.
Check to see if shifts are still available or ask at one of our tables for other opportunities to assist. smip.org/GivingTree
Thank you to all parishioners who have completed and submitted your Commitment Card! For those parishioners who have not yet had the opportunity to renew your resolution, a final letter will be mailed to you with a personalized Commitment Card. We invite all parishioners to make a commitment as a sign of our dedication to increase the missionary outreach of St. Mary Immaculate Parish. We want to lead more souls to heaven! You may return your card by:
mailing it to the church using the pre-addressed envelope included with the letter.
or bringing it to Mass next Sunday.
or you may visit our parish website at www.smip.org/onlinegiving/ and complete an electronic Commitment Card.
We ask that all commitment cards are returned to the parish by Sunday, December 7. As a friendly reminder, electronic giving is an easy, safe and secure way to support St. Mary Immaculate Parish. To set-up a recurring weekly or monthly gift or to make a one-time donation directly from your bank account or credit card, please visit our website and follow the instructions. We are grateful for your support!
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 Thelma Is Living As A Faithful Steward
My name is Thelma Brantley. My family (husband Dancie D. Brantley III of 39 years and our daughter Rebecca) and I have been members of SMI parish for 29 years. I got involved about 27 years ago. My first ministry was with the Religious Education group for about seven years, teaching the sacraments for the first year, and then moving to second grade as my daughter was making her first communion, and concurrently as a confirmation mentor. I am currently part of other ministries, such as adult choir, resurrection choir, served as a greeter, ushers, and the garden ministry.
My husband (who is a Baptist) wanted to get involved in a ministery with me and asked me to share a list of the various ministries at SMI. We got involved with the marriage prep ministry. During the time we served, we sponsored 10 couples in the program. Seventy-five percent of those couples were interfaith marriages like us, which made the couples extremely comfortable. We shared our perspective on our marriage as an interfaith marriage couple.
Being part of so many ministries within the parish, I received so much, like lifelong genuine friendship. I am very blessed to have the pleasure of working with so many of “God’s Servants.” So many of these volunteers give of themselves, selflessly.
I am often told by numbers of parishioners that they look forward to seeing me on Sundays. If the truth is told, I am glad to see each of our parishioners at church, and when I am out and about in the community.
I would tell anyone who is not part of a ministry at SMI, to get involved. Give a little of your time and talent, you will be surprised of how much of impact you could make. My mother (God rest her soul) told me as a teenager to give of myself and expect nothing in return. Always pass on the blessing that have been given to you. Thank you to everyone reading my short testimony, I am humbled for the opportunity to share it with you.
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.
SMI is offering for sale bricks at the stations of the cross on the north side of the parking lot. A great gift idea for First Communions and Graduations! What a beautiful way to remember a special occasion for someone! If you are interested, please download, print, and fill out the form below and return it to the Parish Office. Copies of the form can also be picked up in the Commons.
For any questions or to see a sample, please contact Pam Angelus at 815-436-2651 or pangelus@smip.org
“We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart, and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire.” — Pope Francis
Understanding the Jubilee Year
What is a Jubilee?
A Jubilee Year is a time of forgiveness, renewal, and spiritual reflection in our relationship with God. In biblical tradition, a Jubilee was marked by the remission of debts, the return of property, and the restoration of relationships—among individuals, nations, and even creation itself (cf. Leviticus 25:8-55). The first Christian Jubilee was declared in 1300 by Pope Boniface VIII.
The 2025 Jubilee: Pilgrims of Hope
The upcoming Jubilee, titled Pilgrims of Hope, calls us to rediscover the hope found in Christianity and to become signs of hope in our daily lives. This sacred year will take place from December 29, 2024, to December 28, 2025.
As Pope Francis reminds us, “May this Jubilee be a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the ‘door’ (cf. Jn 10:7,9) of our salvation, whom the Church is charged to proclaim always, everywhere, and to all as ‘our hope’ (1 Tim 1:1)” (Spes Non Confundit, 1).
Pilgrimages and Holy Doors
During Jubilee Years, the Pope designates Holy Doors for pilgrims to pass through as a sign of conversion—leaving behind their old way of life and embracing renewed faith and zeal. Passing through a Holy Door is an act of spiritual renewal and devotion.
This year, the only official Holy Doors will be in Rome. A replica of the Vatican’s Holy Doors can be found in our Commons area, serving as a reminder of the significance of this pilgrimage tradition.
Local Pilgrimage Sites
While the official Holy Doors are in Rome, local pilgrimage sites provide an opportunity for spiritual renewal during the Jubilee Year. Pilgrimage sites in our area currently include:
Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus – Joliet
St. Patrick Parish – Yorkville (see attached flyer)
National Shrine of Saint Therese – Darien
Corpus Christi, Carol Stream
Immaculate Conception, Gilman
St. Joseph, Bradley
St. Joseph, Manhattan
St. Peter, Itasca
Sts. Peter and Paul, Naperville
What is an Indulgence?
An indulgence is the remission of temporal punishment due to sins that have already been forgiven. While repentance and confession bring forgiveness, sin disrupts God’s order and affects others. As part of divine justice, purification is necessary to restore this order.
An indulgence offers this purification through the merits of Christ’s sacrifice and the holiness of the saints, granting spiritual renewal without the suffering typically associated with penance.
How to Obtain a Jubilee Indulgence
To receive a Jubilee indulgence, one must:
Perform the designated act of devotion.
Confess their sins and be detached from all sin.
Receive the Eucharist at Mass.
Pray for the Pope’s intentions (all within a twenty-day timeframe).
Acts That Grant a Jubilee Indulgence
Visit a Jubilee Site – Pilgrimage to a designated site must include participation in Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, devotional prayers, or a penitential service with sacramental confession.
Pious Visit to a Cathedral or Basilica – Adore the Eucharist for a suitable time, recite the Our Father and the Profession of Faith, and seek Mary’s intercession.
Those unable to travel (due to illness, cloistered life, or imprisonment) can spiritually unite themselves with pilgrims by reciting the Our Father, making a Profession of Faith, and offering their sufferings to God.
Engage in Spiritual Enrichment – Participate in a mission, spiritual exercises, or a study of Vatican II documents or the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Perform Works of Mercy – Visiting and assisting those in need is considered a pilgrimage to Christ Himself.
Undertake Penitential Practices – This can include fasting or abstaining on Fridays, making charitable donations, or volunteering to serve others.
The Jubilee Year is a profound opportunity for spiritual renewal and deepening our commitment to faith. May this time of grace inspire us to grow in hope and holiness.
And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
Reflection
A few weeks ago as the Coronavirus swept through Italy, Pope Francis led a prayer service in the rain in the darkness of night in the middle of St. Peter’s Square. It was an eerie picture seeing a lone figure praying in this huge square that is typically filled with thousands of people. For me, in a way it was a modern re-telling of the story from Matthew’s Gospel quoted above.
It seems that in our world today, many become overwhelmed and begin to feel hopeless. It appears that things will never return to normal. All of the things that we cling to in order to receive hope we have found to be empty. Our lives have been turned upside down. Some have lost jobs, we worry about having enough money to pay the rent/mortgage, or to buy groceries to feed our families.
What is hope? Hope is placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. (CCC 1817). This is key – hope comes from NOT relying on my own strength but one the strength of the Holy Spirit. Our hope is based in part on the assurance of all the times God had proved faithful to his promises throughout history. How can we find hope when we feel hopeless? Here are 3 suggestions I found that have helped me.
Know the reason for our Hope! God! God is both the reason for and the source of our hope. He provides the strength for us to be able to find hope in all circumstances through the many graces he has bestowed on us. On a mission trip to Jamaica where we built a little blue 14×16 house for a family when we went to hand over the keys to this family the husband/father told us that this house was a symbol of God’s Grace. He didn’t earn it, he could not have paid for it, but it was a gift. A gift freely given to his family.
Read the Bible, as well as the teachings of the Catholic Church and writings of the Saints. Reading and re-reading the stories of those who have gone before us will give us the inspiration to place our hope in God. A few weeks ago I was reading the book of Lamentations and was struck by how the Israelites saw in the dawning of a new day a renewal of the promises that the Log God had made to them. Knowing that the God of today is the same God of yesterday and of the future, we can be confident that He will provide for us in the same way that He has provided for all men and women who have gone before us and placed their trust in Him.
Prayer. Pray without ceasing! Prayer takes us out of ourselves and places us in the hands of the Lord. We learn from the Psalmist that we need to verbalize our feelings and emotions to God. Some prayer or maybe even just whisper the words, ‘Jesus, I trust in you!’ is all that is needed to remember “He is the source of our hope.” Prayer is a way to acknowledge that what is happening is bigger than me and I can’t but together with the Lord we can.
G. K. Chesterton’s great bit of wisdom: “Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all.”
Song
Prayer
My Lord, I bring my burdens to You, knowing You will take care of me. You will not permit me to slip and fall. I trust You to save me out of this hopeless predicament.
O God, have mercy on me, for I feel like I’m being hounded all day long. But I will put my trust in You. I praise You for Your promises of deliverance. I trust in You, so why should I be afraid? Thank You for carrying my burdens.
You greet God and thank him for the glorious gift of life He has given to you again today and then you remember……another day of quarantine.
Do you want to start your day with a bombardment of news telling you all that is wrong with the world? Maybe you choose not to listen today, but then you wonder, what have I missed? Is something important happening, has there been a new development that I am missing? Are they telling me the truth? This channel is telling me this, while this medical expert is telling me the complete opposite to be true. Who do you believe, who can you trust?
Amidst all this confusion we are blessed to have THE constant; God. He never leaves us. He didn’t leave Adam when he was uncertain who to believe. He didn’t leave Moses when he wrestled with his new found ‘freedom’ in the desert. And He didn’t leave Peter when he ached to choose a side. And he won’t leave us now. Our confusion is not because of God—but rather it is assuaged through of Him.
Revel in the peace He offers to us.
Song
Prayer
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you
Loving God, you care for me. You care for others. People and things on earth sometimes let me down. When this happens, I offer all my cares and wishes to You. You are the one who is worthy of care and praise. Take care of me and help me take care of others.
“Be still, and know that I am God. I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth!”
Reflection
During this time in history the feeling that is a constant in my life is Amazement! Amazement on how people of Faith deal with the adverse events and situations.
Through our hardships (regardless of the current Pandemic) in our life, we could experience a job loss, finances, sickness, loss of a loved one, relationship with a troubled child, or even divorce. But whatever the challenge is, we can have the determination to see things through as we find our strength in God. It is in the difficult times that our faith is tested and remind us in the words of 2 Timothy 1:7, “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”
In fact, we can move from feeling like a victim of our circumstances to find purpose through our faith. I have found the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 8: 35, 37 to be very encouraging in times of adversity: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Allow these verses to resonate in your heart, and know that no matter how bad the situation we are facing, we can experience God’s love, and nothing can separate us from it. We should not fret through this difficult time, but instead we should stand tall and know this too shall pass!
Let us look at this current Pandemic as a journey to have us reflect and assess how best to get out of your comfort zone to allow the Lord to speak to our heart, and change us as we share our true Faith with those around us. Think of it as the Lord’s Reset Button !
Song
Prayer
These words come from the living experience of the presence of Jesus in the prayer life of Fr Dolindo and you are invited to make them your own as you pray the Novena.
Day 1 Why do you confuse yourselves by worrying? Leave the care of your affairs to me and everything will be peaceful. I say to you in truth that every act of true, blind, complete surrender to me produces the effect that you desire and resolves all difficult situations.
O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything! (10 times)
Day 2 Surrender to me does not mean to fret, to be upset, or to lose hope, nor does it mean offering to me a worried prayer asking me to follow you and change your worry into prayer. It is against this surrender, deeply against it, to worry, to be nervous and to desire to think about the consequences of anything. It is like the confusion that children feel when they ask their mother to see to their needs, and then try to take care of those needs for themselves so that their childlike efforts get in their mother’s way. Surrender means to placidly close the eyes of the soul, to turn away from thoughts of tribulation and to put yourself in my care, so that only I act, saying “You take care of it”.
O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything! (10 times)
Day 3 How many things I do when the soul, in so much spiritual and material need, turns to me, looks at me and says to me; “You take care of it”, then closes it’s eyes and rests. In pain you pray for me to act, but that I act in the way you want. You do not turn to me, instead, you want me to adapt your ideas. You are not sick people who ask the doctor to cure you, but rather sick people who tell the doctor how to. So do not act this way, but pray as I taught you in the our Father: “Hallowed be thy Name”, that is, be glorified in my need. “Thy kingdom come”, that is, let all that is in us and in the world be in accord with your kingdom. “Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven”, that is, in our need, decide as you see fit for our temporal and eternal life. If you say to me truly: “Thy will be done”, which is the same as saying: “You take care of it”, I will intervene with all my omnipotence, and I will resolve the most difficult situations.
O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything! (10 times)
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Reflection
I’ve always felt the stress of trying to meet all of my responsibilities. With a family and a full-time job, there is never enough time to give the proper attention to all of the things and people that matter. I’ve fallen short with my husband and children and I’ve fallen short with my prayer life.
During this pandemic’s stay-at-home order, I’ve had the joy of spending more time with my boys. Our normal crazy pace has often made life feel very stressful. I’ve always struggled with balancing work and home life, and home life usually loses out. So, now we have this chance to slow things down a bit, which is great. Unfortunately, I do still feel stress. I think that all of us are feeling it now, in one way or another.
I struggle to balance the requirements of my job (which I am grateful to still have) with assisting my boys through their school day. Anyone helping with home school can understand that challenge. I hate to tell them, “not now” or “be quiet”. It’s what I’ve been telling them all their lives.
Of course, there’s the stress of cooking three meals a day and being in a constant state of cleaning up. Our finances are strained, as well, and let’s not forget that every time I leave the house to go grocery shopping, I’m praying that I don’t contract the virus.
I feel most of the time that I have no right to feel anything but grateful. The people on the front lines of this pandemic are sacrificing so much. The people who have lost a loved one are suffering so much. I’m just mostly dealing with regular life issues. Sometimes, though, I feel that stress so strongly that it manifests physical symptoms. That’s when I absolutely need to breathe and pray. Of course, I always breathe, but there’s something about closing my eyes and breathing deeply that help calm me. I can feel the Holy Spirit with me in those moments. I’ve found that when I take the time and truly have faith in what I’m praying, God answers with peace for my soul.
Song
Prayer
Dear Lord, I give you my stress and worries. Please instill in me your peace. Amen
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Reflection
In these uncertain times we can become so anxious. Anxious about what was, Anxious about what is, Anxious about what is to come. We can hopelessly become lost in it. Our burdens become so heavy. Our usual respite; the mass, the sacraments, adoration and fellowship have been disrupted and the noise of the media, our lawmakers, “new” social norms are exhausting. Our peace….lost. Our minds race, and race, and race, and race and race……and we wonder; What will become of us?
In Sister Kathryn J Hermes Book Reclaim Regret, she talks about letting go of the past and not getting caught up in the future, but focusing on what is going on right here…. right now. What is going on, here in this very moment, and how can I savor it……it is the only thing I can have an impact on…right now…..
I am sitting here, I am typing this reflection, Jesus is with me, the Spirit moving me, guiding me as I type.
Focusing on “right now” a single moment, gives me the opportunity to savor it, make it count.
I am not alone in each moment…..
The fact is…. He is always with me……reaching down to my littleness……wrapping his arms around me and lifting me to him…. in this moment…I close my eyes…focus on this moment…..savor it…. Right here….right now….rest in his love, his kindness, and his mercy………gone is my anxious heart.
Song
Prayer
Jesus, help me, Jesus, be near me, Jesus, strengthen me Jesus, give me rest Jesus, love me
Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand
For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.”
Reflection
Fear, that ancient foe which all of humanity encounters. It can be traced back to the beginning, immediately after Adam and Eve’s Fall when God seeks them in the garden and they hide and reply, “I heard you in the garden, but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid.” So as a consequence of that Original Sin, all of humanity struggles with being afraid; you are not alone in this struggle!
The fear that generally consumes me begins with either “What if” or “Will I be able.”
What if………I get sick/I lose my job/my car won’t start/he leaves me/I don’t make the team/ I can’t find toilet paper/we can’t pay our bills/ we can’t return to school in the Fall…..and on and on.
Will I be able to……..provide for my family/see my grandkids again/meet with my friends/graduate/travel on a vacation/ sustain without receiving the Sacraments…..and on and on.
Someone much wiser than I told me about the ‘monkeys’ in our head that rouse up all sorts of questions, much like those above. He told me that first I had to recognize those ‘monkeys’ and then I had to toss them out to make room for the Lord’s voice. So I’ve found that when I repeat this phrase a few times and breath deep, it helps me open up that space for Jesus: “Faith and Fear cannot coexist at the same time; I choose faith.” Then once I’m calmer I pray with Jesus and ask him to carry this issue with me and that I trust in Him to handle it.
Here is a reflection that really moved me and I hope it may comfort you as well. It is written as if Mary, our Blessed Mother is speaking to us: My child, Jesus tell you: “Do not let your hearts be troubled…Trust in me….” If he tells you that, it means that it is possible for you to live in his peace. He does not say that troubling things won’t happen – they will. But in him, if you exercise your trust in him, you can keep your heart in peace, like a little child in its mother’s arms. He always holds you in his sure embrace. When troubles come, bring your heart back to the sure knowledge of his love and his wise providence. It is a mark of all true followers of Christ that they have learned to be steady in the storm; they have learned to rejoice in the depths of their souls even in the midst of tears. He is worthy of your trust. (The Better Part, by Fr. John Bartunek on John 14: 1-12)
Song
Prayer
Lord, I place this fear in your hands. There is no harm in your hands, only good. And whatever happens with or comes from this situation, if I am in the Lord’s hands, it is the Lord’s will and He will bring good from it. Jesus, I trust in you and surrender my life to you. Amen
