November 2022
 

The first two days of November each year, the Church commemorates two linked feast days: All Saints (November 1 - a Holy Day of Obligation) and All Souls (November 2). All Saints is easy to understand: we remember all those who have lived lives of heroic holiness, whether the Church has canonized them or not. On All Souls, we remember all those who have died, not just the spiritual superstars.  The Church has prayed for the deceased from the beginning.  We realize that in God’s hands rests their judgment and His mercy.  Our concerns matter to God and by offering our prayers for our deceased loved ones is most fitting. On the feast of All Souls Day, many also visit the graves of loved ones to pray for them. 

Please return the monthly family envelopes with any work needing to be returned. I am keeping track of your progress for something special at the end of the year and may also be able to recycle them for next year.

Tuesday, November 1^st

• All Saints Day, a holy day of obligation. Masses will be held at 7am, 12pm and 7pm at St. Mary Church.

• Religious Education Family Classes will be held today from 9-10:15am.
• Confirmation Class will be held Sunday, November 6^th from 12-2 pm Lessons 14 & 15 will be covered. A Potluck lunch will be held prior from 11:15-12 noon. Please sign up for class on the class webpage or using the Flocknote text link.

• Election Day – Take the time today to exercise your right to vote. #2240 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church states “Submission to authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it morally obligatory to pay taxes, to exercise the right to vote, and to defend one’s country.” If you are looking for resources to help decide on candidates, check these out: Illinois Family Action » 2022 General Election Resources.
• St. Anne’s CCW will meet at 10am in the church hall for their monthly meeting. All women of the parish are encouraged to attend as they are all members. St. Anne’s acts as the hostesses for parish functions, provide meals for funerals, organize the Christmas & spring banquets for women, and provide support to the parish and charities.
• November 6-12, 2022 is National Vocation Awareness Week. A time set aside to think about the vocation each of us is called to by God: single life, marriage, consecrated life or as ordained deacons and priests. All families will receive a prayer card to help them pray to know their vocation in life and the Diocesan St. Therese Vocation prayer schedule to pray for our seminarians. Students in grades PK-8^th will also have activity sheets in their monthly packet.

• The Youth Group will meet for Jesus and Java (or juice) from 9-10:30am at the parish center.

• Religious Education Family Classes will be held today from 9-10:15am. Peer breakout groups will also meet for part of the class time.

• The Durand Ecumenical Thanksgiving Prayer Service at 6:30pm St. Mary Church

• Thanksgiving Mass 8:30am at St. Mary Church

• Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Dust off your Advent wreath and get ready to prepare ourselves to welcome Jesus into our hearts and homes.

Altar Serving
If your son or daughter in 5^th grade or older would like serve as an altar server, please contact me by November 6^th so we can schedule dates.

Socks, Hat & Mitten Collection
One way your family may want to live out the works of mercy is to participate in a service project.  A collection will be taken until December 5^th for new hats, mittens/gloves and socks.  Families may put their donations in the basket located on the table in the Church Hall.  These will be included in the Ecumenical Council’s Christmas Gift program.

Saint Facts
Saint feast days to be celebrated worldwide are listed on the official Roman calendar for the universal church. There are at least three saints for almost every day of the year.  As early as 100 A.D. Christians began honoring other Christians who died asking them for their intercession.  Canonization or the process used to name a saint has been around since the tenth century.  Prior to that time the saints were chosen by public acclaim.  In 1983, Pope John Paul II made changes to the process.  After death, often many years in order to give perspective, the local bishop investigates their life and writings for heroic virtue, martyrdom and orthodoxy of doctrine.  A Panel of Vatican theologians evaluates the candidate.  After approval by the panel and cardinals of the Congregation for Cause of Saints, the pope proclaims the candidate “venerable.”  A miracle is needed (except for martyrs) as proof the person is in heaven and can intercede for us.  This miracle must happen after the candidates death and as a result of a specific petition to the candidate.  Then, the pope proclaims the candidate beatified or “blessed” and the person can be venerated by the people.  Only after another miracle (for martyrs also), will the pope canonize this person a saint.