Happy New Year 2021 and happy Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God! As we begin this new year, we give thanks to God for all the good that He has given this past year. Though it may have been difficult in many ways, there are still so many things for which we can be grateful. I am grateful for all of you and for God giving me the opportunity to be your pastor. We accomplished many good things since I arrived with the new websites, Flocknote, better livestreaming (still to get better!), etc. We thank God for giving us a new permanent deacon! Despite the pandemic, we have been able to have Mass and I am always edified to see how many of you come despite the obligation being lifted. It shows that you are coming to Mass, not because of an obligation, but because you want to. I know there would be more of you who would come if you can. 

In this new year, we have many more things to accomplish. I hope to strengthen our relationship with the ONU students, to better our faith life within the parish, and to strengthen our evangelization efforts. Many in our community do not know the love of God and we who know Jesus must always be on mission to bring Jesus to those who do not know him, in whatever way we can. This is what we, as the church, are all about – the greatest commandment: love of God (strengthening our own faith life) and love of neighbor (bringing Jesus to others who do not yet know him). 

May God bless you and your families this year!

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Ella Friedel, long-time ICC parishioner, who passed away on Wednesday evening, Dec 30^th.  Her funeral Mass will take place on Tuesday, Jan 5^th at 11am. Obituary: https://www.stoutcrates.com/obituaries/Obituary.php?FuneralHomeID=stoutcrates&ID=458

There will be no daily Masses this upcoming week at OLL (Jan 3-7) as I will be away visiting my sister and her family. 

We will have our First Saturday Mass at ICC at 9am, Jan 2^nd. The Mass will be followed by Adoration and confessions from 9:30-10:30am and end with Benediction. 

In the tradition of the Church on the feast of the Epiphany, we have provided house blessing kits for each family to take after Mass this weekend. These kits contain a piece of blessed chalk, a small bottle of holy water, instructions on what to do, and a prayer. I encourage you to take a kit and bless your house with it. Thanks to the Steve and Ann Johnson family for putting together the kits. If you’d like, please take a picture of your family in front of the door with the chalk writing and send it in to post on our Facebook pages. I provided my own picture as an example. For ICC, send in your pics to warner_patricia@yahoo.com and for OLL, send in your pics to sjohnsonpv@gmail.com . 

ICC had many 2021 calendars left over so I brought about 40 of them for those from OLL who want them. They will be in the narthex of the church. 

I am experimenting with the design of the OLL bulletin beginning this weekend. You will probably see different changes in the coming weeks. Thanks to Ann Johnson for the initial redesign. 

Attached is this weekend’s worship aid, the bulletins, and Fr. Ferguson’s cat column. 

 

Live-stream schedule this weekend   

The live-stream of the Mass will take place this weekend from OLL at 11am. 

   

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!    

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, pray for us! 

God bless!    

Fr. Ed