Immaculate Heart of Mary Church
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church
1571 S. Martine Ave. Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
Phone: 908-889-2100 | Email: office@ihmparish.net
Saturday (Anticipated) 5:00 pm
Sundays - 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 noon
Weekdays & Saturdays - 7:00 am and 8:30 am
National Holidays - 9:00 am
Holy Days - 7:00 am, 12:00 noon, 7:00 pm
Morning Prayer - Monday - Saturday at 8:15 am
Rosary: Monday - Saturday after 8:30 am Mass
Novena to the Miraculous Medal & St. Jude: Saturdays after 8:30 am Mass Reconciliation: Saturdays from 4:15 - 4:45 pm
Mission Statement
“We reach out to all through prayer and service, as we live our Catholic faith in Christ with Mary.”
Download Bulletin
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time:
February 5, 2023
Mass Livestream
Sunday Mass
Sunday January 29, 2022
Please “Like” and “Subscribe” our YouTube Channel so we may provide more live-streaming content from our church directly to your home.
Daily Mass
Daily Mass and Holy Day Masses that were live-streamed at our church can be seen on our Facebook Video Channel. Click the Facebook Watch banner below to view all of our videos.
Pastor’s Corner
A Note from Fr. Mike
February 5, 2023
Today’s Gospel is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus calls his disciples to be the salt of the earth, the city on the hill, the light of the world. He calls them to not hide their faith, but to proclaim their love for God in all that they do. Faith is not simply about a relationship between an individual and Jesus, but between all of us and Jesus as well. It should be seen in all of our relationships.
How do we do this? We follow the teaching of Isaiah in the first reading and feed the hungry, help those in need, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless and remove oppression and malice from our communities. When we do this we let the light of Christ shine through us for all to see.
Peace, Fr. Mike
Announcements
Spirituality Seminar continues
Spirituality Seminar continues every Tuesday night @ 7:15 pm on Zoom. The name of the book is Julian’s Gospel by Veronica Mary Rolf. “In a time of the Plague, Civil, Political and Religious strife. How through with and in all of this she found union with God?” Please e-mail FrRob@ihmparish.net if you would like to participate.
Online Giving Options
Your continued support during these difficult times is important for the Church to continue to do its work.
Food Pantry
When is Food Pantry open?
Every Wednesday 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
Every 2nd Sunday 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
Please bring your donations to the back of the church. Place the items in the plastic bins near the backdoors. You may also drop donations off at the Nazareth Center. Thank you for your generosity!
List of acceptable items:
• Canned Tuna • Canned Chicken • Canned Salmon • Toothpaste • Canned Fruit Juice • Soap • Pancake Mix & Syrup • Pasta • Peanut Butter & Jelly
• Feminine Products • Hot & Cold Cereals • Baby Products • Boxed Potatoes
• Diapers • Snacks • Deodorant • Rice • Mac & Cheese • Cake Mix • Shelf Stable Milk • Cooking Oils • Canned Veggies • Tomato Sauce • Canned Fruit • Canned Soup • Coffee • Canned Beans
get Involved!
Women’s Prayer Group
The Women's Prayer Group is back! The first meeting of the new season begins Thursday March 2, 2023 at 7:30PM via Zoom. The topic will be “The Transfiguration of Christ”. Contact tefoleyihm@gmail.com for the Zoom link. Prayer connects us all!
Lectio Divina/
Prayer Group
Please call Phyllis at 908-264-7456 for further information regarding this prayer gathering, which is held on Zoom Thursday mornings, from 9:30 am until 10:45 am. Looking forward to praying with you!
BE STILL, KNOW, I AM GOD"
Men’s Scripture Group
The next LIVE meeting for the IHM Men's Scripture & Discussion Group will be Saturday morning February 11, 2023 at 7:30am at the Church basement. Donuts & Coffee will be served! Contact David at dndiken@aol.com for more info.
Youth & Family
A Message from Our Faith Formation Pastoral Associate: John McGuire
February 5, 2023
Are you ready for a limited bulletin series? For the next few weeks we are going to travel through the spirituality of the faith communities I had name checked in last week’s message! We will consider the major pillars of that community’s spirituality. We will introduce a few of the order’s most notable saints, writings, and prayers for you to dive into yourself if you so wish.
Most religious orders rose up as a response to an unmet need in the world. The Dominicans, or Order of Preachers stepped into place as a group of lay preachers, sharing in the work of the Bishops and Apostles, bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ into the World.
Seems pretty basic, clergy members and friars preaching the Word of God to the faithful. However, at the time of their founding in the 13th century, the clergy wasn’t highly educated. It was an innovation when St. Dominic convinced Pope Honorius III to allow him to send friars to the great universities of their time.
The 4 pillars of the life and spirituality of the Dominican Order are study, prayer, common life, and preaching. It is easy to remember these if you think of them as a progression. You love what you do not know, so you study. Knowledge alone does not form a heart connection, so you pray. God exists in community, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and Jesus ministered with and through His apostles and disciples, so you share a common life. You cannot give what you do not have, so through study, prayer, common life, you have a foundation for your preaching. If you would like to learn more about these pillars, check out this website: The Four Pillars of Dominican Spirituality | Dominican Friars (opcentral.org)
This week, let us pray for the intercession of St. Dominic the founder of the Dominican Order, that we may find it in us to study the Scripture and our world, devote more time to prayer, live a life in common with our families and neighbors, and preach the Good News! God Bless and have a wonderful week!
Please check out our website for a list of interesting Dominican Saints, Dominican Prayers, and for suggestions for Dominican writings. Maybe you will find something to nourish your faith life!
Saints to get to know: St Dominic de Guzman (Founder), St. Albert the Great (Helped develop modern science in relationship to faith and Doctor of the Church), St. Catherine of Siena (Church Reformer and Doctor of the Church), St. Thomas Aquinas (great scholar and Doctor of the Church who studied theology through the lens of Aristotelian Logic and metaphysics).
Dominican Prayers: The Rosary (St. Dominic is associated with the spreading of the Rosary as a Devotion) The O Lumen Prayer (Prayer to St. Dominic) and Litany to Dominican Saints. For a deeper dive, check out this website: Dominican Prayer Life – Lay Dominicans.
Dominican Writings of Note: Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas, The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena, True Devotion to Mary: with Preparation for Total Consecration by St. Louis de Montfort
IHM Youth Ministry powered by BOLD
SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR OTHER 7th & 8th GRADE NIGHTS 2022-2023:
Feb. 5, 2023 Youth Ministry Discipleship Night 7-8:30pm
Feb. 10-12, 2023 Ski trip to Mt. Snow, Vermont
April 28-29, 2023 Lock-In
QUESTIONS? Reach out to our Youth Ministry Coordinator with any questions!
Email: ihmsp@boldym.com
Music Ministry
Christmas Concert @ St. Helen’s Church: December 2022
IHM Music Series: October 2022
Choir Practice WednesdayS @ 8pm
IHM Church Choir has practice every Wednesday night at 8:00pm. All skill levels are welcome. If you can sing in the shower or in your car, you can definitely sing with us! Flex those vocal chords for the holy spirit and meet new friends from the parish. If you would like to share your gift of music with our church, or if you would just like to listen. Please contact Katie Wills at office@ihmparish.net
Media
IHM Children’s Christmas Pageant 2022
Living Rosary: October 2022
interestED In Video Production?
We need volunteers to help livestream daily Mass at 8:30 am. Typically Mass lasts between 25-35 minutes. No technical background required. We will teach you everything we know. Documents with details on the steps and hands-on training will be provided. Role requires operating the camera while attending Mass. There is no long term commitment. If you cannot come to the same Mass each week we can still benefit from your assistance. This will be great experience for up and coming film students or seniors wishing to expand their technical knowledge. Please contact the parish office at 908-889-2100 or email office@ihmparish.net.
Archdiocese Update
February 3, 2023
My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Yesterday, February 2, the Church celebrated the annual World Day for Consecrated Life. Instituted by St. John Paul II in 1997, this celebration is meant to be a day of special gratitude to God for those consecrated to God by the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. I thank God for the many ways consecrated women and men enrich the Archdiocese of Newark. All baptized Christians are called to observe the virtues of chastity, poverty and obedience, the three evangelical (or Gospel) counsels. Purity of heart, poverty of spirit, and openness to God’s will are fundamental to Christian life. They enable us to live unselfishly and, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, to follow Jesus as missionary disciples committed to carrying out the mission He has entrusted to us.
Thinking Priesthood?
Are you being called?
Visit the Archdiocese of Newark Office of Priestly Vocations.
Call 973-313-6190. Email info@newarkpriest.com.
Social media @NewarkPriest
Visit their website at www.newarkpriest.com
Good news
MLK Day of Service/Senior Brunch & Bingo
January 16, 2023
MLK Day of Service was a huge success at IHM today, so grateful to the army of volunteers that came to help out. In collaboration with Rev Suzanne Gates and All Saints Episcopal Church and Hope with Housing, Fr Mike welcomed 95+ area seniors to a soup and sandwich brunch and bingo. We also had over 105 boxed lunches delivered to Plainfield and Springfield Seniors by an army of drivers. We had a collection for food for the food pantry and pet supplies. We hosted multiple girl scout troupes who collected books and first aid supplies and made inspirational book markers. Special thanks to the leadership team at MLK SPF that make this possible every year.
Honoring Pope Benedict
January 3, 2023
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a leading theologian of the 20th century and the first pope to resign from office in nearly 600 years, has died at the age of 95, the Vatican announced. His death was announced in Rome on Dec. 31. His funeral Mass will be held on Jan. 5, 2023, in St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican said. The Vatican press office director, Matteo Bruni, said Dec. 31: “With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican.” Benedict XVI’s body will lie in state in St. Peter’s Basilica beginning on Jan. 2, 2023.
Epiphany Chalk Now Available at Church
January 6, 2023
Good news for the Epiphany of our Lord! We now have envelopes of blessed chalk available at the church entrances. Detailed instructions are included in each envelope. Showing you how to properly bless your home. Prayers and all! Contact one of the parish priests if there are questions or require assistance.
Updated COVID Directives
February 16, 2022
STILL IN EFFECT: Masks will no longer be required for fully vaccinated persons. If not fully vaccinated, persons are strongly encouraged to follow CDC guidance and wear a face mask in public settings. People will no longer be required to socially distance indoors or outdoors, although unvaccinated persons should continue to maintain a safe distance from others. These directives apply to Masses and activities in Church. Archdiocesan protocols for Religious Education and Basketball programs remain in effect.
LITURGICAL MINISTERS: All ministries may return to full service – altar servers, lectors, ushers, greeters and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. Ministers of Holy Communion must still sanitize their hands and wear a mask when distributing Communion.
COMMUNION: While Communion on the tongue is now permitted, for the safety of the priests, ministers and other communicants, we encourage continued reception of communion in the hand. At this time, Communion from the cup should not be distributed to the assembly.
SANITIZING: The cleaning and sanitizing of churches and common spaces should be done regularly. It is not required after every liturgy.
PARISH MEETINGS: Parish meetings in person may resume. Those vaccinated are not required to wear masks for indoor meetings nor are they required to maintain social distancing. The same recommendations for Mass apply to those not vaccinated.
Letter from Fr. Mike regarding Obligation to Attend Mass and Other Updates
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Please find below some information and thoughts concerning our reopening of the parish and our Engaging Disciples Initiative as well as our recent celebrations of 1st Communion and Confirmation. Lifting the Dispensation of participating in the Sunday Eucharist As you can see by the letter attached (http://tinyurl.com/ye42psq9), the Bishops of New Jersey have discerned that it is appropriate that we as a church take the next step in returning to normalcy and reopening our parishes. The extenuating circumstances of the COVID pandemic have decreased sufficiently for us that the dispensation from participation in the Sunday Eucharist is no longer necessary as a general exception. As the letter mentions and as is the general norm, there may be personal or individual situations in which the obligation to participate in the Sunday Eucharist may not apply such as illness or close contact with someone who has tested positive for the COVID virus and other circumstance.
When in doubt please err on the side of caution. It is important to recognize the great benefit of gathering together as a community of faith to celebrate the Eucharist. While the ability to participate on some level from home was a great asset during the pandemic, it was not the same, on many levels, of being at mass in person. Many of our parishioners have expressed great joy at being able to come back and participate in person. Some are not ready quite yet. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the office or one of our priests to discuss your particular situation.
At this time please be aware that the sign up for masses is still in place as is the requirement to wear a mask over your mouth and nose, as well as the need for social distancing. There are still many steps to take before we can return to “normal” so I ask for and encourage you to be patient, charitable and understanding as we journey towards fully reopening our church and our community. We will continue to livestream our masses and other special events for the time being. Engaging Disciples: Update on Parish Pastoral Council A few weeks ago I announced the continuing progress of the Engaging Disciples Initiative and the planning for a Parish Pastoral Council. It was my hope to announce the Pastoral Council this weekend as part of our celebration of Pentecost. Unfortunately, it has taken a little longer than expected for me to have the necessary discussions with our potential members. These discussions have been very fruitful in discerning the potential of a pastoral council, as well as generating great enthusiasm and great ideas for our parish community. It is my hope to have this completed this week so that we can introduce our new pastoral council in the next few weeks. Peace, Fr. Mike 1st Communion and Confirmation This weekend we will celebrate the last of our Confirmations. I ask that you congratulate the young people of our parish whose faith has been confirmed through this sacrament. I would also ask that you congratulate those who have celebrated their 1st Communion. These are great celebrations in the life of the young parishioners and their families as well as our parish community. Please keep them in your prayers. Thank you to all: families, volunteers, staff and our entire parish community, for your help and prayers for these young parishioners of Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Resources
Need help setting up the Hallow app on your phone? No problem!
Click on the Hallow logo to access our easy-to-follow guide. If you already have an account, scroll to the bottom and click “Log In Here” No payment info is needed to complete Hallow Plus account creation. Parishioners will have full access to the app through the start of Easter with no credit card required. We’re so grateful to pray with you this season! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Hallow team at info@hallow.app
SCAM DISCLOSURE
As a periodic reminder, there has been an increase in the number of fraudulent emails across the country. Financial losses can exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars and are often uninsured.
Recently we have received notification of email and text scams that will use the name of a pastor to solicit funds in the form of gift cards or cash donations. You might notice the pastor’s name concluding the request.
Several of our pastors have already heard from parishioners who have received emails or text messages, seemingly from the pastor, asking for donations or requests. Please note that our parishes and schools do not raise money in this manner and to exercise the utmost caution when receiving this type of communication.
Always check the e-mail address of the recipient! If there is an unfamiliar e-mail address being used from a person you know, it's most likely a scam. DO NOT REPLY TO THOSE MESSAGES! They are designed to "phish" important information from your computer. Most e-mail platforms have to option to "Report Phishing" or "Flag" to properly discard suspicious e-mails. Be sure to take advantage of these security features if you suspect a fraudulent message. Law enforcement agencies urge parishioners to question any email or text that doesn’t come from a person in their contacts. If a pastor’s name is used, parishioners should contact the parish to verify the legitimacy of the appeal.
Anyone who feels that they have been the victim of this type of scam is urged to contact their local police department. In addition, it's recommended to file a report with the Federal Trade Commission at http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov
Contact our office if you need assistance navigating through any potential problems. Call 908-889-2100 or email office@ihmparish.net
