Sat  4 PM Confessions: - Fr. Mazza
        5 PM - Fr.  Mazza

Sun 7:30 AM - Fr. Gepiga
        9:30 AM - Fr. Mazza
        11:30 AM -  Fr. MacDonald

Sat  4 PM Confessions: - Fr. Stump
        5 PM: - Fr. Stump

Sun 7:30 AM - Fr. Mazza
        9:30 AM - Fr. Gepiga
        11:30 AM - Fr. MacDonald

After the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, humanity entered into the fallen state of Original Sin.  Between God and humanity there existed an infinite chasm of separation which no human being could cross in order to enter into Heaven.
 
So, “in the fullness of time, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom from the law, those who were subject to the Law” (Gal. 4:4).  But there was a major obstacle:  God being sinless, All-Pure and All-Holy could not be born in the womb of a woman tainted by Original Sin.
 
So from among all women, God created, chose and prepared Mary to become the Mother of the Incarnate Word (Jesus).  He created her free from original sin from the very first moment of her conception, filled her soul with every grace so that nothing was lacking, and preserved her from all stain of sin. The grace to accomplish this came from the merits of Christ’s redeeming Sacrifice on the Cross and was made available to her ahead of His Sacrifice. Hence the dogma of the Immaculate Conception:
 
This dogma emphasizes the dignity and holiness required to become the Mother of the God.  The dogma of the Immaculate Conception states that “the most Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege from Almighty God and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, was kept free of every stain of original sin."
 
The Immaculate Heart of Mary is the loveliest and most exquisite masterpiece created by God!
 

While we must pray for the repose of the Holy Souls in Purgatory as often as possible, the Catholic Church devotes the month of November to specially pray for all the dead.
 
Theologians have long taught that the Church – the Mystical Body of Christ – has three states: MILITANT, SUFFERING and TRIUMPHANT. We, the members of the Church who exist on earth, are called the Church Militant, because we struggle against sin and temptations from the world, the flesh and the devil. 
 
The Holy Souls in Purgatory are called the Church Suffering.  The reason is that some souls are not prepared at the time of death to behold the Face of God, because we must be purified in order to be able to stand in the Presence of the All-Holy, All-Pure, Almighty God of Infinite Light, Love, Majesty and Glory.
 
The Church Triumphant is the Church in Heaven.
 
The unity and cooperation of the members of the Church on earth, in Purgatory and in Heaven is called the Communion of Saints.
 
“To assist the Souls in Purgatory, is to perform the most excellent of the works of mercy.”  – Saint Francis de Sales
 
 

I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth (out of nothing); and in Jesus Christ His only Son, Our Lord, who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit (making Him True God) and was born of the Virgin Mary (making Him truly human).  He (Jesus) suffered under Pontius Pilate (to establish the exact point in History when Jesus was on earth), was Crucified (accepting the most painful form of death ever known to humans), died (because He took the punishment for our sins upon Himself.  The wages of sin is death.) and was buried.  He (Jesus) descended into Hell (“to Proclaim Liberty to Captives” and freed the souls of the Just – who were trapped there after the Fall of Man, awaiting release – thereby fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah in Luke 4:16 - 19).  On the third day, He rose again from the dead (destroying death and restoring Life to all).  He ascended into Heaven (our true Home, to open its gates and prepare a place for us there) and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty (i.e. in the position of ultimate majesty and power).  From there He shall come (in glory, as King) to judge the living and the dead.
 
I believe in the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Truth and Love); the Holy Catholic Church (formed by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and sanctified by Him); the Communion of Saints (all sanctified by the Holy Spirit); the forgiveness of Sins (by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the sacrament of Confession); the resurrection of the body (by the power of the Holy Spirit who changes our bodies into a glorified body that can never die); and the Life everlasting (eternal life – through, with and in the Holy Trinity).  Amen. (So be it.)
 

We gathered and watched Jennifer Fuwiler's Faith and Reason Series here at IHM.  Here are the links to the two talks in case you are interested:

• Jennifer Fulwiler's talk at the Stuebenville Conference about her journey from atheist to Catholic: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BU5EAFbVXzk
• Jennifer Fulwiler's second appearance on the Journey Homehttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yORuV2U55tw