January 28th, 2012  

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

This weekend, we are installing our new Youth Commission at the 11:00 a.m. Mass. These folks will act as an advisory board for Jenna Gubbels.  They will be meeting on a monthly basis to develop ideas for serving the needs of the youth of our parish.

Similar to the Youth Commission, we need to set up an Advisory Board for the parish.  It should be a “think tank” to brainstorm ideas and develop a plan for the implementation of the gospel in our parish.  Such a board would meet only four times each year.  Sound interesting? Let me know if you’d like to be part of this.

The new look of our weekly bulletin: In continuing to search for the most effective way to communicate and to use our resources wisely, we are trying to streamline the bulletin, hence the new look.  We have left out notices of events that are obvious and information that is needed only for a minority of parishioners, such as regular meetings.  We will print only enough of the monthly CWL, K of C and SSVP newsletters for their members, instead of putting a copy in each bulletin (150 copies vs 600 copies).  We will continue to print information from groups outside the parish only as space allows, so there will be plenty of room for parish announcements.  Cutting back on such things and not having to cram things in will allow us to use one consistent font size for print.  This should make the bulletin easier to read.  Finally, we have put all of our advertisements on the back page to save printing them separately each week.  Our hope in all this is to save time, paper, wear and tear on our copying machine, and money.

Lent is coming!!!  In little less than a month we will begin the Holy Season of Lent.  We’ll be letting you know about Lenten programs and devotions later, but for now, we are asking that you bring your old palms to the church over the next two weeks.  As blessed objects, palms must be discarded with respect, either buried in the ground or burned.  Please bring your palms by February 12th.

As with all matters, if you have any questions, please feel free to drop me a line by e-mail at jcomiskey@dol.ca or call the office.  If you leave a message, leave your name and call-back number so I can return the call.  Anonymous messages are simply deleted!  

Have a blessed week!  

January 24th, 2012  

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

I continue this week with further comments on the question of Mass stipends:   When we speak of “offering a Mass”, it is not something we buy.  That would be tantamount to trying to buy God’s grace!  “Offering a Mass” means we are asking for special prayers and that we make an offering to the priest for his service in saying the prayers.  As such, we make a donation to the priest who offers the Mass, and this donation is called a “stipend”.  The usual stipend offered for a Mass intention in the diocese of London is $10, as determined by the bishop.  This money is normally given at the time that the request is made, and then given to the priest after the Mass is celebrated.  (I receive my stipends at the end of each month.)  The entire stipend goes to the priest, but a priest may receive only one stipend for each day.  If, as is the case on most weekdays here, there is more than one intention requested, the second and third stipends are sent to the chancery (the bishop’s office), and the money is used to support infirm and retired priests. It is important to realize, too, that someone who is unable to make the usual donation can request a Mass intention with any donation or none at all.  The bishop’s policy also indicates that intentions for Masses are normally fulfilled within one year of the request being made.  For this reason, when there is a backlog of requests, we may send the requests and stipends to the chancery, and these are forwarded to a priest not working in a parish.  This might be a retired priest, or someone like Fr. Vince Gulikers in specialized ministry.  (I received such requests and stipends from the diocese while I was a full-time member of the seminary faculty.)  Sometimes, we may send them directly to a priest.  The backlog of requests was the catalyst for Bishop Sherlock granting the option many years ago to have more than one (but never more than three) intentions at any weekday Mass.  
  We received a bequest from an estate this week, from a former parishioner, Mrs. Loretta Campbell, who passed away last year.  Loretta left a gift to the parish when she prepared her will, and this gift was deposited in our building fund to be applied to debt.
  Perhaps, it is something to consider when preparing your will.  Such donations should indicate clearly that it is for “Mary Immaculate Parish, London, Ontario”.  One may indicate a particular use for the money, such as the “building fund” or “liturgical uses” or “to be used at the discretion of the pastor” (my personal favourite!).  Such gifts can be a lasting legacy to the parish and, obviously, a great help.
  Another way to help is to name the parish as a possible recipient of donations in a death notice.  People often indicate “In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to ...” a particular charity or cause such as the Heart & Stroke Foundation or the Canadian Cancer Society.  By including the Building Fund of Mary Immaculate Parish we may receive gifts, and we can issue a receipt for income tax purposes.  Every little bit helps.  We are still receiving new pledges for our “Faithful and Free at Fifty” campaign.  Have you made yours?  (A report on the campaign will be given in next week’s bulletin.)      
Have a blessed week!  

January 15th, 2012  

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

This week, I would like to address some questions on the topic of Mass stipends.  This is a long-standing tradition in the Church whereby people make a request of a priest to remember specific intentions during the celebration of a Mass.  Often, this is a way to remember a loved one who has died, or to pray in a special way for someone who is ill. Sometimes too, a Mass is offered for the intentions of people celebrating a birthday or a wedding anniversary or otherwise happy occasion.  Any request for a Mass intention is a way by which we are also asking others to join us in praying for specific needs. According to the bishop’s policy, no requests for intentions are taken for Sundays in the diocese of London, as all Sunday Masses (Saturday evening included, of course) are offered for the intentions of the people of the parish.
  To distinguish the two kinds of intentions as they are listed in the weekly bulletin, a request for prayers for someone who is living is preceded by “Ints of”, meaning “for the intentions of”; a name by itself indicates the person is deceased.  We do not have Masses for secret or private intentions, so you will not see something like “For a special intention”.  When asking others to join in praying for special needs, they need to know what they are praying for.  If someone wishes a secret or private intention, then they simply let God and the saints know.  Besides, I’d hate to offer a Mass when someone’s “special intention” is the demise of the pastor!
  In days past, we referred to “high” and “low” Masses.  The stipend for these Masses differed as did the music, and even the number of candles lighted on the altar.  A bigger offering was expected for “high” Masses.  These distinctions are gone, and Masses no longer differ according to the offering but, rather, according to the feast or solemnity as dictated by the liturgical law of the Church.
  I’ll write more on this next week ... stay tuned!

January 7th, 2012  

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

With the start of the new year and school back in session, we resume our regular activities this week.  So, a word about our daily Mass schedule, since I will be alone for the foreseeable future:
  In a regular week, Masses will be celebrated on Tuesdays at 8:00 am, Wednesdays at 6:30 pm (to accommodate meetings of various groups in the parish), Thursdays and Friday at 8:00 am, and Saturdays at 9:00 am.  Exceptions are made if there is a school Mass scheduled – only one Mass will be celebrated on those days, so the “regular” time will be cancelled in favour of the “school” time.  During the school holiday time, the schedule will be changed to reflect the change in the parish’s schedule.
  These times are arranged to also allow the possibility of a funeral Mass on any weekday.  Normally, funeral Masses will not affect the scheduled Mass, and will be celebrated at a later time.
  From time to time, when I am away for holidays or conferences, the weekday Masses will be cancelled.  I am able to find retired priests on occasion to fill in if I have to be away, but it is not always possible (and some of these things, the retired priests are also attending).  There are, however, other opportunities for daily Mass throughout the city.
  We try to anticipate all the “irregularities” when we print the monthly calendar published with this bulletin.  It is not possible, however, to foresee every contingency, and there are times when something arises which forces us to change the schedule.  Therefore, even though the calendar has Mass times included, one needs to check the weekly bulletin or the web-site to have the most up-to-date schedule.

As with all matters, if you have any questions, please feel free to drop me a line by e-mail at jcomiskey@dol.ca or call the office.  If you leave a message, leave your name and call-back number so I can return the call.  Anonymous messages are simply deleted!

   Have a blessed week!  

January 7th, 2012  

PARISH ACTIVITIES Jan 9-14

MON JAN 9
7:00 p.m. Youth Chat Mtg.

WED JAN 11
10:00 a.m. Cards & Lunch
7:00 p.m. RCIA
7:15 p.m. Choir Practice
7:15 p.m. Women’s Fun Night
7:30 p.m. K of C Exec.

THUR JAN 12
8:30 a.m. Grandmother’s for Christ Holy Hour
7:00 p.m. ASL Ministry
7:30 p.m. Choir Practice

FRI JAN 13
7:00 p.m. Key Holders Mtg.

SAT JAN 14
10:00 a.m. Children’s Choir Practice
11:00 a.m. – 12 noon  Confessions

SUN JAN 15
7:30 p.m. Prayer Group