Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church

 KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS

          Do you have a nativity set? You know a stable, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, wisemen, shepherds, animals for display in your home. This is more important than your CHRISTmas tree! This is the true representation of what CHRISTmas is all about!
          Father, do you know how expensive those things are?
          Yup, we just ordered a new outdoor one and it was expensive. Yet, there are inexpensive options depending how cost efficient you wish to be. Beyond ordering/buying a new one there are things you could do:
     Have children/grandchildren color you some of the figures; and put them on pipe cleaners to stand up. Then a manger out of popsicle sticks.
Look for a child’s version. They exist in some places and can be more economical.
       Perhaps make some out of clay with the young people in your family. Then paint them.
Perhaps buy just the Holy Family (Jesus, Mary and Joseph) figures this year and then add one more each year to fill it out.
Occasionally a yard sale or an estate sale may have some.
       It does not have to be drop dead gorgeous, but it should draw our mind to what CHRISTmas is really all about. Its not the tree, its not the gifts, it is about the birth of Jesus Christ.

   Praised be Jesus Christ, now & forever.  

                                                                              Fr. Dawson
 

Attached is the kids' bulletin for the week of October 1st. Please print it and share with your children and grandchildren. Enjoy!
Click on this link to open: Kids' Bulletin
 

Find out how much Jesus loves us when we go to Mass and receive the Eucharist in this inspiring video!         

We, the people of Our Lady of Mercy Church in Plainville, Connecticut are committed to journey together as a community of faith, hope, and love within the Catholic tradition.  We are called to witness to the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives through sharing and celebration of faith and a life of Christian Service.

Dear Padre,

My neighbor is a fundamentalist Christian. He said I won't be "saved" unless I accept Jesus as my personal savior.  Didn't Jesus become my savior when I was baptized?

Your neighbor is probably referring to John 3:7, when Jesus told Nicodemus, "You must be born anew."  Jesus is talking about a spiritual rebirth; we must have a spiritual birth in order to be saved.

As you have correctly noted, Catholics believe this happens at baptism. In John 3:5, Jesus says, "No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit."

We are saved by the waters of baptism. But for Catholics, it's not merely a one-time event.  We continue to accept or reject the salvation offered us by the decisions we make every day.

Your neighbor used the words "personal savior."  Catholic Christians go even deeper through the sacraments.  We develop and nurture a very personal relationship with Jesus by regularly receiving the Eucharist.  In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we admit we have sinned and ask Jesus to forgive us.  And in the Sacrament of Confirmation, our relationship is "sealed" with the gifts of the Spirit.  

Many Catholics also celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage. The couple's personal relationship with Jesus is deepened through the love the couple shares.

So tell your neighbor you are indeed saved by Jesus.  And because you are saved, you deepen that relationship with Jesus by living a sacramental life.

Fr. Patrick Keyes, CSSR

Weekend Masses
Saturday Vigil  - 4:00 p.m. 
Sunday -  8:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m., Liturgy of the Word for Children is celebrated at the 10:30 a.m. Mass

Week Masses
Monday - Saturday 8:00 a.m.
No Mass Celebrated on Wednesdays

  Confession are celebrated this week at 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays
For an Examination of Conscience go here. 

The Office is Located at:
19 South Canal Street,
Plainville, CT 06062
Office Hours are 
Monday - Thursday:
     9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., afternoons by appointment only

The Parish Office will be closed on Thursday & Friday November 23rd and 24th.
 
Phone:  860-747-6825
Fax:  860-747-5407
Email: Administration@olmct.org