Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church

A Thought for the Sixth Sunday of Easter Year B  

I always find it interesting whenever Mother’s Day falls on the Sunday when our lesson is from John’s Gospel, Chapter 15.

 “As the father has loved me, so I have loved you, now remain in my love.  If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you…”

Today we honor our moms.  Not everybody can be a mom, but everyone at one time in their life had a mom.  And at that time our mom was the most important person in our world.  Some of us had moms who made great sacrifices on our behalf.  We are profoundly grateful for that.  The sacrificial love of a mother reflects the love that Jesus has for us.

So today we honor our moms.

There was a beautiful story in Reader’s Digest a while back.  It was written by a woman from Rhode Island.  In it she wrote that only three times in her whole life did she see her father cry.

The first time she saw him cry was when she was seven.  His mother, her grandmother had died.

The second time she saw him cry was at the airport when her bother departed for Vietnam.

The third time she saw her father cry was when he was in his 80s.

Her mother, in late-stage Alzheimer’s, resided in a nursing home.  Her father visited her mother, his much beloved wife, daily for 10 years – except for three months when he broke his foot.

After the foot healed, he returned to the nursing home.  It seemed like such a long time since he had seen his wife.  He said, “I thought mother forgot me, but when she saw me, she smiled and said, ‘I love you.’”

Then his daughter said her father sobbed.  Some of us understand such tears.  If so, we know a little bit of what it means to love as Jesus loved and loves.

Happy Mother’s Day!

God Bless, Fr. Ray

Here is the Kids' Bulletin for the Sixth Sunday of Easter.  Please print it and share with your children and grandchildren.

 We welcome all to worship Jesus with us in the Eucharist.  A mask must be worn in the church.  If you are unable to attend due to health concerns, Archbishop Blair has extended the dispensation from the obligation of Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligation through Sunday, May 23rd, 2021 which is Pentecost Sunday.  We continue to  encourage you to watch the Mass on EWTN or Channel 20.  Also, please download My Parish App here and have updated information sent to you.  Any questions?  Please call the Parish Office at 860.747.6825.

Our church is open from 7am - 6pm for private prayer.  You are invited to come and spend some time with the Lord in private prayer.

Welcome!

If you are new in the parish, please introduce yourself after Liturgy.  If you'd like to join our community of faith, please fill out a parish registration form and return it in the collection box at Mass, to the Parish Office or via mail to 19 South Canal St., Plainville, 06062.  Or give us a call and we will fill it out with you on the phone!

You can see our Bulletin by clicking here.

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

A mask is required to attend Mass.  No registration or appointment is necessary. 

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

Weekday Masses                                  M, T,Th, F & S - 8:00AM
The Rosary is prayed at 7:30 AM before Mass.
                 
Confession is held on Saturday, at Noon, in the church.  A mask must be worn and penitent must stay behind the screen in the Reconciliation Room. For an Examination of Conscience go here.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is celebrated every Friday morning after the 8am Mass.

The Office is Located at:
19 South Canal St., Plainville, CT 06062
9:00AM - 4:00PM,                    Monday - Friday
Phone:  860.747.6825
Fax:  860.747.5407
Email: olmct@sbcglobal.net

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