SUNDAY LITURGY Sunday is the day on which Jesus came forth from the tomb as the first born of a new creation. Each Sunday commemorates that first Easter Sunday. Eucharistic commemoration is the most appropriate means of celebration. Faith is a relationship with Jesus Christ, and relationships need to be nourished. As CHURCH, we are the Body of Christ and share a Faith Community. So, it is in this spirit that the Church requires Catholics to celebrate the Eucharist with the community on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.
WEEKDAY LITURGY During the school year we offer the celebration of the Eucharist (Mass) at 8:00 AM. Our school children usually attend the 8:00 AM liturgy once a week by grade and frequently with the whole school together.
During the summer months (June-August) we have one Mass per weekday at 8:00 in the Chapel except on Tuesdays when it is held in church due to a larger crowd. (The "Chapel" is located in the room that is used as a "Cry Room" on Sundays. We use it for weekday Masses in the summer to conserve energy costs.) On Tuesdays the prayers of the Marian Perpetual Help Devotions are prayed immediately following the Eucharist. When a priest is not available, a Communion Service is held in place of the 8:00 AM weekday Mass.
HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION Several days of the Church Year are set aside by the National Conference of Bishops to commemorate some of the major events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. Catholics are obliged and privileged to celebrate the Eucharist on these days.
In the United States, these Holy days are:
Effective January 1, 1993, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) formally decreed that when any of three particular holy days of obligation-January 1st, August 15th, or November 1st- falls on a Saturday or Monday, "US Catholics of the Latin rite will not be obliged to attend Mass that day. The change does not affect the following holy days: December 8th, December 25th, or the Ascension of Our Lord."
The schedule of holy day Masses at Our Lady can be found in the bulletin of the Sunday prior to the holy day.
CIVIC HOLIDAY LITURGIES On Civic Holidays (Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving Day) our regular weekday liturgy is replaced by one Mass for the Parish Family at 9:00 AM. When the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, we celebrate it either on the Friday before or Monday after. On these civic holidays we take up a collection to benefits the works of our St. Vincent DePaul Society in their care for the needy.
PARISH PENANCE SERVICES Twice a year, we celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation within a community setting that we call a Parish Penance Service. The life of a Christian is a continual process of conversion to the Lord, and so a person should celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation as frequently as it is helpful to that ongoing conversion. A good personal discipline would be to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least twice yearly, as we do here at Our Lady's once during Advent (the four weeks prior to Christmas) and once during Lent (the six weeks prior to Easter).
For parishioners' convenience, these Parish Penance Services are held at Our Lady's on an evening during the week and on the following Saturday morning at Sacred Heart, our neighboring parish. The priests from both parishes share the responsibilities. Parishioners from either parish can choose the time and place most convenient for them. The Penance Services include: Readings from Scripture, Examination of Conscience, Private (Individual) Confession and Absolution, Prayer, Song, and a wonderful feeling of Peace.
FUNERAL LITURGIES Our Pastoral Associate/Liturgy Coordinator plans the Funeral Liturgy either with the family of the deceased or for the family, if preferred. Some parishioners, particularly the elderly or terminally ill, choose to work with our Pastoral Associate/Liturgy Coordinator to plan their own Funeral Liturgy, which is then kept on file until needed. You are encouraged to call the rectory if you or a family member would like to plan a Funeral Liturgy.
FUNERAL LUNCHEONS A committee within the parish offers another service at the time of a funeral-that of serving a luncheon for family and friends of the deceased in the rectory meeting room following the burial. Usually the parish is asked to provide the food and serve the meal with the family making a donation to cover expenses, if possible. Occasionally, the family provides the food and the committee just serves the meal. Parishioners volunteer to bring covered dishes for our funeral luncheons. If you would like to volunteer to bring a covered dish or help serve the meal, you are encouraged to call the rectory or the Funeral Luncheon Chairperson so we have your name and number when the need arises. The phone number for the chairperson can be found on the Parish Leadership Page, which is updated yearly.