Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Newsletter — April 2021

April 2021

oncept Monthly

Newsletter

I m m a c u l a t e C o n c e p t i o n C a t h o l i c C h u rc h

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Society of Mother Teresa Providing Meals in the Midst of the Pandemic

ollowing St. Teresa of Calcutta’s model of selfless love and service, our parish Society of Mother Teresa continues to feed God’s people — literally. This ministry organizes teams of volunteers who prep, cook and deliver meals to people in need five days a week.

The 70 to 75 parishioners and other area residents receiving meals through the Society are typically either in poor health, elderly, or may simply be facing a temporary physical or financial setback.

Sandy Smith has been coordinating our Society of Mother Teresa for about six years. She first got involved with the ministry at the suggestion of her husband, Richard, who serves the Society as a food delivery driver. With Sandy’s love of cooking, she was a perfect fit for the ministry. As coordinator, she sets

the menus for the week, takes care of the food shopping, and manages the schedule of cooks, food packers, and delivery drivers.

Thankfully, the essential work of the Society of Mother Teresa has been able to continue this past year by following pandemic-related guidelines. Typically, only two people are in the kitchen at one time for meal prepping and cooking. After they have finished, another two people will come in to package the food for delivery. Masks are worn throughout the process. While delivery drivers are certainly missing the opportunities they used to have to stop and chat with those receiving the meals, they are grateful to be able to continue providing a no-contact delivery service as needed. continued on page 2

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Immaculate Conception CATHOLIC

Society of Mother Teresa Mary Walton, a parishioner of Immaculate Conception who receives meals from the Society of Mother Teresa, feels richly blessed by this ministry.

“It all started when I got sick,” Mary says. “I was in the hospital and talking with the social worker about needing all the help I could get, and she told me about the program. It has just been so wonderful. I receive food stamps but they are not enough for healthy meals, and these are always healthy homecooked meals. They try to adapt to your special needs and are great about trying new things.”

Of course, in addition to the physical nourishment provided by the meals, experiencing this tangible sign of Christ-like love also brings spiritual consolation.

“I think the contact with others is probably the most important thing for all the people who receive help,” Mary says. “Some people don’t have anyone to check on them. They also send cards on the holidays,

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and they are beautiful cards for people who otherwise might not receive any. A connection is the most important thing that humans need, and it affects people’s health greatly.”

The Society of Mother Teresa continues to bring the love of Christ to those in need all across Lake County. Especially in a time of increased loneliness, health concerns, and financial strain, the dedication of our parish to reaching out through this special ministry is a true blessing.

“They all just deserve tremendous appreciation,” Mary says. “I know they had problems getting drivers at one point, and Elayne [Kramer] and Don [Glasier] who work in the parish ended up delivering.

They wouldn’t let these people go without food, even if they had to come out themselves. The Society has improved the quality of my life. It’s just wonderful, and I’m so blessed by it.”

I think the contact with others is probably the most important thing for all the people who receive help.

Some people don’t have anyone to check on them. They also send cards on the holidays, and they are beautiful cards for people who otherwise might not receive any.

Connection is the most important thing that humans need, and it affects people’s health greatly. — Mary Walton

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Do you feel called to help the Society of Mother Teresa with their great work?

With a need for cooks, packers, and especially delivery drivers, this ministry truly has a place for everyone! Please call the parish office at 440-942-4500 or email Sandy Smith at slsmith917@att.net for more information.

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A Letter From Our Pastor

Celebrating Christ’s Resurrection Dear Parishioners,

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ow did you feel at the end of the Palm Sunday Mass? You may not have noticed, but there was an abrupt shift of tone in that liturgy. It began with great joy, as we celebrated Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to the acclamation of the crowds. But then the mood shifted to sorrow, despair even, when the Passion Gospel was read, for we heard the shouts of “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” from those same crowds a few days later.

Palm Sunday, of course, was the beginning of Holy Week, the most important week in the Christian year.

The confusion of conflicting moods is spread through the week, especially during the Easter Triduum — from sundown Holy Thursday to sundown Easter Sunday.

Holy Thursday offers us the glorious Mass of the Lord’s Supper celebrating the institution of the Eucharist before we pass to the sadness of the betrayal and arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The next day brings us the Good Friday Liturgy of the Passion with our recognition of what our sins did to the Incarnate Son of God. Then, after a day of waiting as we mourn Jesus’ burial and repose in the tomb, we celebrate His victory over sin, Satan and death at the Easter Vigil on Saturday night or at the Masses the next day. If we have participated in all the main services of the Triduum, we arrive at Sunday evening exhausted but joyful.

This year, Palm Sunday fell on the final Sunday of March, and we observe Holy Week and Easter Sunday early in April. That means we will spend most of April in the Easter Season, a period filled with joy and thanksgiving. Our gladness comes not only because Christ rose from the dead, but also because we benefit from it. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (§654) puts it, “The Paschal mystery has two aspects:

by his death, Christ liberates us from sin; by his Resurrection, he opens for us the way to a new life.”

In other words, Christ’s Resurrection is the source of our own future resurrection. St. Paul wrote about it to the Romans in the following words (Rom 6:5): “For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.”

Eternal life in union with Christ — a hope for a new life beginning now and extending on into heaven — is the result of Jesus’ Resurrection. What greater grounds for thanksgiving can there be than this Easter hope? We should sing with joy about this promise from God! What’s more, Paul also wrote (Col 3:1-2): “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.”

Jesus’ Resurrection and His promise of a new life for us mean that we need to live in conformity with our status as adopted children of God. And how do we show our joy and our gratitude to God for this amazing gift He has given us? We join in worship and praise God by word and song. We share the Good News of Jesus’ victory over death with our family, friends and neighbors. And we offer back to the Lord a portion of the time, talent and treasure He has entrusted to us. Yes, the Easter message that we share in the benefits of Christ’s Resurrection is the ultimate foundation for all Christian stewardship.

The Lord is risen, alleluia.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Michael Troha

Immaculate Conception CATHOLIC

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Evangelization Committee Shares the Most

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f you were to find out an amazing piece of news, wouldn’t you want to share it with everyone you know and love, as soon as you could? And if you knew that sharing it with them would bless their lives abundantly, bring unspeakable joy to their hearts, and help bring them eternal salvation, wouldn’t it feel wrong to just keep it all to yourself?

You probably answered “yes” to the questions above, and if so, you can understand the importance of the Great Commission of Christ, as well as the Evangelization Committee at our parish.

“This committee has been around for about 10 years now, and through it, we have been blessed to share our faith with inactive Catholics and non-Catholics,” says Lee Jarocki, who coordinates this ministry.

In answering the call to evangelization, members of this fervent committee find themselves doing so in union with the Sacrifice of the Mass.

“We tend to absolve ourselves from the responsibility of sharing the Gospel, and shrink from any public display of our faith in an ever-increasingly secular, post-Christian world,” Lee

says. “We only need to be reminded of the very last sentence of Holy Mass, ‘Go forth and proclaim the Gospel of the Lord.’ In fact, the word ‘Mass’ itself has its roots in the word ‘mission’ and our mission is to evangelize in our homes, our workplace, and our neighborhoods.”

For Lee and other committee members, evangelization also means being dedicated to discipleship and walking in the footsteps of the saints. This dedication to evangelization is also beautifully reflected in a brief prayer that Lee holds dear — “The fruit of silence is prayer;

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Exciting News on the Face of the Earth the fruit of prayer is faith; the fruit of faith is love; the fruit of love is service; the fruit of service is peace.” “[The prayer’s] brevity and arrow-sharp focus cuts to the heart of the Gospel and hints at the unmistakable authorship of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta,” Lee says. “I have a card with this prayer on it. It is creased, discolored, and torn, but I keep it on my dresser because Mother Teresa herself gave it to me one morning after Mass nearly 30 years ago. I cherish it because it came from her soft, wrinkled hands, which are a reminder of what it means to put our Catholic faith into action!”

Although their annual Catholics Returning Home program is on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the committee

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continues carrying out its mission in other ways.

“Weekly attendance at Mass is still below the average of a year ago,” Lee says. “Recently, we have made effort to reach out and call each parishioner to check in on them, ask if they need anything from the parish, and offer to pray for their intentions.”

In addition to evangelizing those in our parish family, the Evangelization Committee has re-initiated monthly trips to local abortion clinics to pray on the first Saturday of each month.

“This important, life-saving apostolate gives strong witness that the taking of innocent life is never normal, acceptable or tolerable,” Lee says. “It is a reminder that life is God’s greatest gift to us and our job to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord is one we

We tend to absolve ourselves from the responsibility of sharing the Gospel, and shrink from any public display of our faith in an everincreasingly secular, post-Christian world.

We only need to be reminded of the very last sentence of Holy Mass, ‘Go forth and proclaim the Gospel of the Lord.’ In fact, the word ‘Mass’ itself has its roots in the word ‘mission’ and our mission is to be evangelizers in our homes, our workplace and our neighborhoods.

— Lee Jarocki

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take seriously. All are welcome to come and join us on the first Saturday of each month at 9 a.m. in the church parking lot — we return by 11 a.m.”

Furthermore, the committee continues to distribute Catholic literature aimed at helping nonpracticing Catholics, as well as pamphlets designed to strengthen us all in our faith.

“Perhaps the best way we can evangelize with joy and hope is to share our faith with each person we meet, as well as with those in our own homes,” Lee says. “Knowing a bit of Scripture, being able to defend basic Church teachings, and wanting others to know the profound joy we have as a result of our beliefs are the necessary prerequisites to being effective evangelists in our world today.”

New members are always welcome to join this beautiful ministry of God’s love! For more information, please call Lee Jarocki at 440-728 -6640 or email him at leejarocki@ yahoo.com. Those who have not received a call from the Evangelization Committee are encouraged to call the parish office and make sure their contact information is up to date.

Immaculate Conception CATHOLIC

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Teaching By Example The Importance of Prayer in a Child’s Life

“I

want to be just like Mom!” “I want to be just like Dad!” Perhaps nothing lifts a parent’s heart like hearing these words. While certainly affirming, such words also remind us of the great responsibility that comes with parenthood.

Children often examine the lives of their parents when making decisions that will affect their own lives.

For example, a young boy may dream of becoming a physician one day, just like his father. Or a young girl may hope to become a veterinarian, just like her mother. Could the same be said about their parents’ faith lives?

Just as children learn traits and values from their parents, they should also learn the importance and great joy of developing a personal relationship with Christ. And the foundation of such a relationship is prayer — conversation with God. How should we go about teaching our children to pray? There are several methods, but none works as well as teaching by example. Begin teaching the importance of prayer by praying openly with your spouse.

This teaches children that prayer is meaningful and important, and not just a ritual. Also, pray with your children — in the morning and in the evening. Show your sons and daughters the importance of beginning and ending each day in prayer.

While a fortunate dilemma, it’s a dilemma nonetheless — Catholics face the challenge of discerning which prayers to use, considering the thousands available. A good rule of thumb is to start simple — maybe an Our Father or Hail Mary, and then move into something more complex — Hail, Holy Queen or Prayer to

St. Michael the Archangel, among others. Begin with prayers your children can pick up fairly quickly. Not only will this show them that praying can be fun and easy, but shorter prayers are also usually easier to understand.

Teach your children the importance of spontaneous prayer, rather than just prescribed prayers.

Spontaneous prayer is any prayer that is created at the same time it is offered. Another way to think of spontaneous prayer is “praying in your own words.”

Structure spontaneous prayers according to the ACTS acronym — Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. In layman’s terms, this means beginning each prayer with words of adoration, such as “You are the Lord God Almighty. I love you.” Move into a period of contrition, asking God’s forgiveness for the sins you have committed. Then, give words of thanksgiving, thanking God for the gifts He has given. Finally, spend time sharing with God your heart’s desires.

These intentions can be personal or on another’s behalf. Following this format ensures that spontaneous prayer “covers all the bases,” and doesn’t become just a mental wish list. While God wants to hear and grant our wishes, He also expects words of adoration, contrition and thankfulness.

The best time to begin praying with your children is right now. The sooner they learn about prayer, the sooner they can begin cultivating their own relationship with Jesus. Many parents even pray with their children before birth, hoping their unborn son or daughter can hear their words in utero. Remember, there is no better way to teach one’s children about the value of prayer than by example.

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Mary’s Ministry Honoring Our Blessed Mother Through Service, Prayer and Devotion to Jesus

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e honor Mary with the most utmost respect — she is the model of perfect love and obedience to Jesus. This is how members of Mary’s Ministry chose the ministry’s name. As the mother of our Lord, Mary serves as an example of service, prayer, and devotion to Jesus.

Formerly called the Elizabeth Ministry, Mary’s Ministry exists to help members follow the way of Mary through prayer and outreach.

Recently, members decided to rename the ministry, to separate from the international Elizabeth Ministry. This way, they can plan their own activities and outreach.

“Mary is the ultimate example of someone to live up to,” says Barb Schoen, who helps lead Mary’s Ministry. “When we got together to choose a name, we realized that with Mary the possibilities were endless.”

For now, Mary’s Ministry members are focusing on prayer, as they know that is one thing they can continue doing while the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing. However, the members have decided to continue developing outreach once the pandemic is over.

Each month, the group receives a list of all the Immaculate Conception funerals, Baptisms, and weddings, and the members pray for each of these. The group then sends the families of the newly baptized, the newly married couples, or the grieving families a prayer card, created by parishioner Jack Peterson — this lets them know they are in the group’s prayers. Members not in attendance at the monthly meetings receive the list so they can pray on their own.

“I try to think of it as if I were on the other end of it,” Barb says. “It is nice to know people are praying for you. For a marriage or Baptism, others are joining in your celebration. With funerals, it’s always comforting to know people are thinking of you.”

The ministry members also put together gift bags for the newly baptized. The gift bag includes a baby blanket made by the Prayer Shawl Ministry, holy water, a prayer card, tea, and chocolate. This is one way to make sure the family of a newly-baptized baby feels welcome at Immaculate Conception.

Ministry members also look forward to carrying on the tradition of the Mary’s Way Dinner, which had to be canceled for 2020 and this year. The women-only event includes a meal and a guest speaker. continued on back cover

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Another project that members plan to continue is a diaper and wipes collection — the items are donated to a local pregnancy center. Barb also hopes to have a day for a 24-hour, all-parish Rosary — parishioners would sign up for a time slot so that the Rosary is constantly being prayed.

Gloria Seibert has been involved in Elizabeth Ministry, and now Mary’s Ministry, since 2012. She enjoys the opportunity for prayer and meeting new people.

“I wanted to get involved to meet other like-minded women of the parish,” Gloria says. “It helped me

feel involved. By joining this ministry, it gave me the incentive to help and get involved in other ways and with other ministries, as well.”

Barb has appreciated getting to know other women through this ministry. Instead of just seeing familiar faces at church, she has gotten to know people.

Having this opportunity means a lot to her.

“When I get to know people, it makes me feel like more a part of the parish,” she says. “I have developed friendships. I like being active in the parish, and I appreciate getting to know parishioners on a closer level.”

Mary’s Ministry meets the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m.

If you would like to learn more about Mary’s Ministry or to get involved, please contact Barb Schoen at barb.schoen@outlook.com or 440-946-5939.