VISITATION PARISH 779 S. YORK ROAD, ELMHURST, ILLINOIS ...

VISITATION, ELMHURST, IL JUNE 24, 2007Mass IntentionsWhen a priest celebrates Mass, he offers the EucharisticSacrifice to the Father, with Christ and in the Holy Spirit, forthe living and the dead, for the salvation of all, for the manyneeds of the people of God. Within this context, it has alsobeen the custom for well over a thousand years for persons toask that a Mass be offered for a special intention: for an individualperson, living and deceased, for some spiritual or temporalneed, or to express thanks to God. Typically an offeringis made with the request, although this is not required.When such a special intention is requested, it should beunderstood that the priest will keep this intention in his mindand heart when he offers the Mass, along with the needs ofthe whole Church and for the whole human family. A Masscan never be narrowed down to a single intention, and so itcan never be said that a person “buys” a Mass or has amonopoly on its intentions. It is always the prayer of thewhole Church. It is required by Church law that that oneMass each Sunday and holy day be offered for the intentionsof the people of the parish. The intentions for parish Massesare published in the bulletin each week.It has been the custom at Visitation Parish to mention theintention during the Prayers of the Faithful. As this is not thecustom at all parishes, a visiting priest may not be familiarwith our practice and so may inadvertently forget to mentionthe intention. Please be assured that the priest always remembersthe intention in his heart when he celebrates the Massand so the graces of the Holy Eucharist are offered for theintention whether the intention is mentioned out loud or not.If you wish to have a Mass offered for an intention, pleasecontact the Rectory. In the dioceses of Illinois, the customaryoffering for an intention is ten dollars. Again this is a donation,and is not required for a Mass to be offered.Summer Mass AttireAs we relax and unwind during these summer months, it canbe easy to become a little too casual about what we wear atMass. Out of respect for Our Lord and for our fellow parishioners,please observe some common sense dress guidelines:1. Dress modestly. Please refrain from wearing “short”shorts, tank tops and halter tops. People shouldn’t be a source oftemptation for other churchgoers.2. Dress neatly. Attire for the beach, the gym or cleaningout the garage probably isn’t appropriate for Sunday Mass.3. Dress deliberately. Think about what you are going towear to Mass. Like fasting before Holy Communion, being consciousabout our attire helps us to reflect on the tremendous privilegeand honor it is to be part of the celebration of the HolyEucharist and how we want to prepare to receive our Lord.Thank you for your consideration!From…the husband who stopped by to say good morning on his wayto work.the father who just found out his son has cancer.the teenager who dropped by to get away from all the noiseout there.the mom who came in for peace and direction after a blow upwith her daughter.the wife who needs an answer to help convert her husband.the priest from a neighboring parish without adoration stoppingby to hope and pray.the parent who brought her toddler in to show him what Jesuslooks like.the daughter whose mother just passed away in the middle ofthe night.the teenager who needed a place to go as he struggles withpeer pressure.the school child who stopped by to thank Jesus for a good grade.the man who made a promise to visit Jesus each day during Lent.the young couple who stop by at the end of a date.the people who come to visit Jesus but can’t commit yet to an hour.the man whose wife just had a baby.the nurse stopping in after a day full of emergencies.From all those who have visited our Adorations Chapel duringthe last 10 years, thank you Registered Adorers andSubstitutes for your devotion and commitment.Thank you Jesus!Registration/Welcome CoffeeVisitation parish hosts a monthly Welcoming Coffee fornew parishioners at 11:00 A.M. (after the 10:00 A.M. Mass) onthe last Sunday of every month.If you are new to the area and wish to register atVisitation, please join us THIS SUNDAY, JUNE 24 inPODESTA HALL at 11:00 A.M.Taking Your Faith on VacationAs you make your vacation plans for the summer, be sure toinclude time on Sundays to attend Mass wherever you are. Ourobligation to worship and thank God at Sunday Eucharist nevertakes a break. The website www.masstimes.org has Mass schedulesfor churches around the country and around the world.Visiting different Catholic churches while on vacation can beenriching and enjoyable.Please remember to continue you stewardship commitmentto Visitation during these summer months as parishexpenses continue even during summer vacation.Page 3