News and Updates:
(Newest to Oldest)
No Classes February 21-22, 2012
February 19, 2012
Due to Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday, please note that Children’s Faith Formation, MS & HS Youth Group, OCJ, RCIA and Wednesday Evening Breakout Sessions will not be happening this week, February 21-22. Thank you!
Ash Wednesday Schedule
February 19, 2012
Our Mass schedule for Ash Wednesday, February 22, is: 6:30 am, 8:30 am, 12:10 pm, 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm. We also have Ash-only services in the Parish Hall at 6:00 pm and 7:30 pm. Please join us as we celebrate Ash Wednesday.
World Day of Prayer
February 19, 2012
Please come and spend some time in silent prayer with us at IHM on March 2, 2012. The day will start at 7:15 am Mass and include an Adoration Chapel, Labyrinth Walk, the Rosary, a Reading Room, noon Angelus, soup lunch, meditation time, Knights of Columbus Fish Fry and concludes with the Stations of the Cross at 7:00 pm. The beauty of the day is that the community of IHM will be in silent prayer. Baby sitting will also be provided.
Lenten Regulations for Observing the Penitential Season
February 19, 2012
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The penitential season of Lent begins Ash Wednesday (February 22) and continues through Holy Thursday (April 5). Easter, the commemoration of Christ’s resurrection, is April 8 in the Latin rite this year. The following Lenten regulations are from the Office of Litrugy for the Denver Archdiocese.
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Abstinence from meats is to be observed by all Catholics 14 years old and older on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of Lent, with the exception of March 25, the solemnity of the Annunciation observed on Monday, March 26. The solemnity takes precedence over the Lenten obervance (Canon 1251).
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Fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age byt not yet 59. Those who are bound by this may take only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted if necessary to maiuntain strength according to one’s needs, but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted.
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The special Paschal fast and abstinence are prescribed for Good Friday and encouraged for Holy Saturday.
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By the threefold discipline of fasting, almsgiving and prayer the Church keeps Lent from Ash Wednesday until the evening of Holy Thursday. All of the faithful and then catechumens should observe oenitential days totally or a substantial number of such days must be considered serious.
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The U.S. bishops issued a statement on penitential observance:
“On weekdays of Lent, we strongly recommend participation in daily Mass and self-imposed obervances of fasting. In light of grave human needs which weigh on the Christian conscience in all seasons, we urge particularly during Lent, generosity to local, national and world programs into a means of implementing the right of the poor to their part of our abundance.”
Immaculate Heart of Mary 2012 Financial Report
February 19, 2012
Enclosed in each bulletin this week was a copy of our 2012 Financial Report. This report details all the financial information for Immaculate Heart of Mary for the past fiscal year.
Ideas to Prepare for Lent
February 19, 2012
How are you going to “Stay Awake, Keep Watch with Me” this lent?
It should not be enough to slide through Lent by just observing the fast and abstinence laws or giving up chocolate. We should all undertake a Lenten program, an inward cleansing and purification, for oneself and the family. The program needs to be planned and organized. Ask the question: “What shall I and my family do this year for Lent?” Goals and activities should be realistic and reasonable, and parents should make sure that their children know why these practices are being adopted, rather than merely forcing them upon them.
The four principal works for Lent, as taught to us by Christ: prayer, fasting, mortification, and almsgiving.
Some suggestions:
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The daily rosary, especially prayed together as a family.
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The Stations of the Cross on Friday, 7:00 pm.
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Visit to the Mother of Sorrows Adoration Chapel.
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Short spontaneous prayers, “Jesus, I trust in You”
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Morning and evening prayers, especially prayed together as a family.
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Lenten Reconciliation –March 12 through March 16.
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Prayers before and after meals.
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Fifteen minutes or more for the family to do Spiritual Reading.
After deciding your goals, both individual and family’s, we need to arrange our schedules, plan the different events and make adjustments to our life to put these resolutions into practice. Our daily life doesn’t stop just because Lent is here. The challenge is to observe the spirit of Lent and perform the works of Lent while living in a secular culture, to remain in the world but not become a product of it.
Stations of the Cross
February 19, 2012
We will be having Stations of the Cross every Friday during Lent, February 24 through March 30 at 7:00 pm in the Church. Come experience Lent by participating in this moving and prayerful service.
Mardi Gras Chili/Bingo Celebration
February 19, 2012
Don’t miss our 3rd annual Chili/Bingo Mardi Gras Celebration, a night of fun for the whole family! Mark the date, Fat Tuesday, February 21st; mark the place, right here at the IHM parish center; mark the time, 6:30 pm and you will be set for a night of good food, good prizes and family fun! And an amazing value, with all you can eat for only $5 for adults and $2 for kids 12 and under!
Join us for an evening of Chili and Bingo, to celebrate all your blessings from this last year and help us provide for those who were not as fortunate. All proceeds will go towards buying food for the Food Bank. After all you can’t be a “Food Bank” without Food!
Check Out Our NEW YOUTUBE Channel!
February 19, 2012
Immaculate Heart of Mary has a NEW Youtube Channel at www.youtube.com/user/ihmcolorado Check out the online streams of Our Catholic Journey, our Video Announcements, Lectures, Homilies, and all sorts of special video projects here at IHM. We will be adding content daily, so be sure to keep an eye out!
Welcome Home!
February 19, 2012
Have you been thinking about your Catholic faith for a while and have you heard God calling you back to His church? Has there been something that has been holding you back? No matter what has happened in the past or how you may feel about an individual, Jesus Christ invites you home. You are loved and missed and we at Immaculate Heart of Mary share in that invitation. We wish to welcome you home with open arms as the father of the Prodigal son received him on his return. We are providing an opportunity for you to come home and renew your faith, a forum for discussion and to have your questions answered. Beginning on Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 9:30 am, Deacon Jerome Durnford will offer a class that will allow you to have your questions answered. A time for prayer and quiet reflection that will hopefully begin a time of healing and eventual Reconciliation! Classes will be held every Saturday at 9:30 am.
New Book on the Archdiocese
February 19, 2012
The beautiful coffee table book on the history of the Archdiocese of Denver is available now in The Word Bookstore. It will make a beautiful Christmas gift and is for sale for $25.00 for a limited time this Christmas season. Fifty percent of the proceeds will directly benefit the parish of Immaculate Heart of Mary. We hope you will consider this book while purchasing gifts for your family and friends. Every Catholic in the Archdiocese should have this historic book. It will help you remember the churches where you were married, baptized and where your loved ones lived, worked and prayed. Thank you for enjoying this book and purchasing it soon!
Embracing Change in the New Liturgy
February 19, 2012
In the third edition of the Roman Missal, almost every prayer in the Mass—those spoken by the priest and those spoken by the people—has been retranslated from Latin to English. Some prayers now recited by memory will need to be relearned, and the familiar language of many prayers recited by the priest will change. The language that the faithful will hear and pray is more formal, and somewhat more complex than the language of ordinary conversation. It conveys rich theological concepts and retains biblical language and images.
How can you prepare for the changes?
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PRAY for a renewal of love for the Liturgy at IHM and in the Church.
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Read the new texts of the people’s parts at Mass. Begin to study them so that you will be able to pray them well at the 1st Sunday of Advent Mass.
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The Word Book Store has the “Mass Prayers and Responses” cards. Regular size print is $.50 and the large size print is $.75
For more information on the New Translation of the Roman Missal, visit the website for the United States Council of Catholic Bishops by clicking HERE
New Prayer Cards…
You may notice these great new prayer cards in the pews…They highlight in bold all the new responses for the New Translation of the Roman Missal. We have these cards in several sizes available for purchase in The Word Bookstore, and we also have them available HERE. PLEASE do not take the prayer cards you find in the pews, so that all our parishioners may benefit from them.
Online Giving: It’s Available, It’s Safe, It’s Easy!
February 19, 2012
The internet provides a wonderful tool to help you make your tithe to the church! There are tons of benefits to donating online, including choosing the frequency of your gift, where it’s used, and where it comes from. Set up is easy, taking as little as 15 minutes, and everything happens automatically once your setup is complete! The Archdiocese of Denver has also determined that the company we use for online donations is the safest, easiest and most accurate company out there! We will be having tables in the Narthex after all the masses this weekend with computers to help you sign up to tithe online. You can easily sign up directly from our website! Simply go to “Resources” > “Online Giving”, click “Donate Online” and follow the simple instructions to set up your account! For more information, click HERE