As mentioned last weekend, next week is my annual 8 day silent retreat. These Ignatian style retreats involve 4-5 holy hours each day, along with a daily meeting with an experienced spiritual director.
A spiritual principle is that you cannot give what you do not have. This yearly renewal in my own personal relationship with Jesus helps me to be more effective in helping you to experience His freeing love in a deeper way.
There is a wooden box next to the Welcome Desk in the Gathering Space. Please place any prayer requests in that box. The intentions I collect from our community will hold a special place in my prayers while I'm away. I'd ask for your prayers that my retreat may be amazingly fruitful, especially for the graces of a deeper openness to the Holy Spirit, an increase in the gifts of wisdom and prudence, and physical and emotional healing. Thanks everyone, I look forward to seeing you when I get back!
BETHLEHEM ARTS
This weekend, we will host representatives of the Catholic Community from Jerusalem and Bethlehem who will be displaying handcrafted olive wood religious figurines and articles. The political conflict and the covid19 pandemic resulted in dramatically diminished tourism, so Catholics in the Holy Land have come to depend even more on the sale of these articles abroad simply to survive. The woodcarvings are beautiful and reflect faith and love for the Lord.
Please consider purchasing a gift that will be remembered and cherished for yourself or someone dear to you. The handcrafted olive wood religious figurines and articles will be available for purchase after all the weekend Masses on May 28 & 29.
MEMORIAL DAY MASS & OFFICE
As a reminder, with Monday being Memorial Day we will not have an 8:15a or 12:15p Mass. The only Mass will be at 9a.
The office will be closed on Memorial Day. As always, you can get in touch with a priest if someone is in danger of death and needs emergency sacraments.
FROM OUR PARISH MISSIONARY, KEVIN O'CONNELL
This week, we celebrate all that the Holy Spirit has done is our most recent Alpha. So many hands went into creating an environment where God could love on His daughters and sons. We most especially thank those who participated in Alpha 3 as they opened their hearts to Jesus these past 11 weeks and embraced what community is all about. The Father has so much for our parish and Alpha will continue to be the foundational tool for Our Lady of Ransom. He indeed is so generous.
RANSOM RESPONDS - FOOD PANTRY
Food Donations are being collected this weekend (May 28th & May 29th ). Plastic bins will be in the Gathering Space of our church.
We collect the following food items:
- Cereal
- Pasta sauce
- Pasta
- Mac N Cheese
- Canned Tuna or Chicken
- Canned Vegetables
- Canned Fruit
- Soup
- Peanut Butter
- Jelly
- Apple Sauce
- Snack (Individual packets of chips, cookies, candy)
- Toilet Paper
- Soap
Please only donate items that are not past their expiration date. We receive a lot of expired food which requires our volunteers to take extra time to sort and throw away. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
DON'T WANT TO GIVE ELECTRONICALLY? READ THIS.
Our Financial Stewardship Commission put together the following Q&A for those who are either hesitant to switch to PushPay or who have no desire to give electronically:
Q1. What is Pushpay?
Pushpay is an electronic donor management system for charities operating within the United States. It is recommended by the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Q2. Is it difficult to use?
It is so easy, my 91-year-old mother can do it! It takes just a few minutes.
1. Scan Donate QR code and open the webpage or go to the olransom.org webpage and click on the "Donate" link.
2. Enter the amount and select frequency.
3. Enter your mobile number to receive a security code via text message. If you don't have a mobile phone, click "Need Help" and then "Receive security code by voice call".
4. Enter the security code sent in text message or voice call.
5. Add a payment method (credit/debit card or checking account).
6. Click the "Schedule recurring gift" button.
Q3. Can I change or cancel my donation?
Yes!
1. Scan Donate QR code and open the webpage or go to the olransom.org webpage and click on the "Donate" link.
2. Select the account icon in the upper right corner and click on "Manage".
3. Enter your mobile number to receive a security code via text message. If you don't have a mobile phone, click "Need Help" and then "Receive security code by voice call".
4. Enter the security code sent in text message or voice call.
5. Scroll down to "Scheduled gifts" and click "edit" on the gift.
6. Pause, change or cancel the gift.
Q4. Is it safe and secure?
Yes. It is more secure than paying for a meal at a restaurant where you hand a waiter your credit card to go and swipe. Your information goes directly from you to the Our Lady of Ransom Pushpay account.
Q5. Do I have to remember a password?
No. Rather than using a password to verify it is you, Pushpay sends a security code to your phone every time you log in. By entering the security code, you are verifying that you are you!
Q6. Why should I give electronically?
It benefits you and the parish.
1. No need for envelopes and checks or cash.
2. Less overhead for the parish. No mailing envelopes. No counting money or depositing checks. Record keeping is automated. This dramatically decreases both the financial and manpower resources needed for the parish to run our collection.
3. You have complete control and access to your donation history. No waiting or worrying about end-of-year tax letters - print them off yourself on January 1st.
4. It is the way of the future.
1. No need for envelopes and checks or cash.
2. Less overhead for the parish. No mailing envelopes. No counting money or depositing checks. Record keeping is automated. This dramatically decreases both the financial and manpower resources needed for the parish to run our collection.
3. You have complete control and access to your donation history. No waiting or worrying about end-of-year tax letters - print them off yourself on January 1st.
4. It is the way of the future.
GATHERING SPACE IMPROVEMENTS
As we continue to prioritize our vision and mission and strive to be a community of radical hospitality, our gathering space is a key area making a first impression on guests and parishioners alike. Over the coming weeks, you will see some cosmetic improvements meant to increase the ease-of-use of the space and keep in the forefront of all our minds the entire reason we enter into our sacred space. A big thanks to our leadership for this work, especially to our Parish Missionary Kevin O'Connell for driving this project forward.
Heavenly Father, we are thankful for the gifts that you give, those we recognize and those we fail to recognize. We are especially grateful for ...
- the service of all the leaders who made our ALPHA 3 experience possible;
- our ALPHA 3 participants who journeyed together in openness of heart;
Jesus, for those graces spoken and unspoken, we give you thanks; and we ask that you multiply their fruits in our lives and the lives of those around us.
- Amen
DO YOU LIKE COOKING?
The new signups to cook a meal for our clergy Saturday Night Dinner together are open! Please consider cooking a meal for four and dropping it off at the Ministry Center during the week before 4pm Saturday. Contact Colleen with any questions at colleen@olransom.org or 847-823-2550. There is 1 shellfish allergy. Everything else is awesome and welcome! We'll send a reminder the week you are cooking. Thank you in advance for your generosity! Simply click here to sign-up.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN HELPING COUPLES WHO ARE GETTING MARRIED?
The Our Lady of Ransom wedding ministry is an excellent opportunity to assist couples on their big day. You will work closely with the priest and the couple during the rehearsal and wedding ceremony, making sure that all the "behind-the-scenes" details are attended to. We don't have a high volume of weddings, so you would only need to serve a couple of times per year. Interested in helping or learning more? Please contact Fr. John at frjohn@olransom.org or by calling (847) 823-2550.