Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Kosciol Niepokalanego Serca Najswietszej Maryi Panny
"Welcome Back!"
The Bishops of Ohio and Rev. Donald Oleksiak, Diocesan Administrator of Cleveland, have agreed to begin a soft opening in our respective dioceses, allowing for the public celebration of weekday Mass in order to prepare for the public celebration of the Solemnity of Pentecost, May 30-31, 2020. The weekday Masses will be held in the convent at the usual time of 8:00 a.m. For the weekend, the Mass schedule will be the usual schedule beginning with May 30-31: 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. (Polish), and 12:00 Noon on Sunday.
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Returning to Public Worship:
The faithful are obliged to wear a mask (or other face covering) upon entering the church and during the celebration of Mass, except for the brief moment of receiving Holy Communion.
There will only be two entry doors into the church; the front middle door and the door on the east side of the church with the ramp (convent side). In order to assure compliance with social distancing requirements, six feet of distance should be maintained at all times. Families may sit together but are to maintain six feet of distance between other families or individuals throughout the celebration of Mass. One or two pews should be left vacant in between congregants, such that six feet of distance can be maintained in all directions. Please observe social distancing.
Hand sanitizer is available at each of the designated entrances of the Church for your use. Please sanitize your hands before entering, when exiting, and after contact with your face.
All parishioners are encouraged to take their temperatures prior to coming to Mass. Any parishioner with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or more should stay home. Anyone not feeling well is encouraged to stay home.
The dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains in effect for the Catholic faithful who reside in the Diocese of Cleveland and all other Catholics in the diocese until further notice.
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Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the Social Commission Committee of IHM has decided to postpone the May 10, 2020 "Spring Fling Raffle" until Sunday, June 14, 2020. It will take place in the church after the 8:00 a.m. Mass. There will be no coffee & donut social. We hope that this change will be beneficial for our parish fundraiser.
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Changes in our Parish Calendar due to the Pandemic follow:
1. There will not be a Parish Pastoral Council meeting on Monday, June 8th. We will plan on meeting again on Monday, September 14th at 7:00 p.m. in the rectory.
2. Our Summer Social at Klima Gardens scheduled for Sunday, August 16, 2020 is canceled. This directive comes from our Diocesan Administrator, Rev. Donald Oleksiak who has informed the pastors in the Diocese of Cleveland to do this for all parish festivals, carnivals, picnics or other large group events for the summer of 2020.
3. A Fall Reverse Raffle will not be planned because of the probable possibility it would be difficult to sell 200 tickets, do social distancing in our gym, and implement all the other precautions necessary to make this event happen. Many of our parishioners who might attend this event are over the age of 60 and others have serious health issues which put them into the vulnerable bracket. Therefore, it would make it difficult for this to be a successful fund raiser and social event for our parish.
4. Instead of the Fall Reverse Raffle, we might consider a "Fall Fling Raffle" depending upon how successful the "Spring Fling Raffle will be on Sunday, June 14th.
5. The feast day "Corpus Christi" (The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ) on Sunday, June 14, 2020 will not have its usual processions and benedictions, because of the Coronavirus.
Our parish life will continue, but for the foreseeable future these changes make it difficult for us to see in what fashion this will happen. We know with the eyes of faith that the presence of God the Holy Spirit will help us through these trying times. Our parish being named after the Immaculate Heart of Mary must meditate on the difficulties that Mary had to contend with in her life even though she was the Mother of God. She lived through it all and so will we.
- Father Ralph Hudak
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We keep in our prayers those that have recently died from Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish:
Gwynne M. Steel (3/25/20) Bronislawa Potrzuski (3/31/20)
James Polacinski (4/3/20) Dorothy Reitz (4/28/20)
Emily Czech (5/2/20) Ann Marie Robinson (5/11/20)
May their souls and those of all the faithful departed rest in peace.
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Prayer of Healing and Protection to St. Rocco
"During your travels on earth,
God worked His miraculous healing through your intercession.
Many were cured of the plague from your prayers
and through the sign of the cross.
We beseech you to intercede before the throne of God,
and send us a blessing of protection from
contagious diseases and the Coronavirus.
Bless us Heavenly Father with your healing grace.
We ask this in the name of your Divine Son, Jesus. Amen.
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Weekly Donations during the Coronavirus Crisis:
3/15/20 - $1,750.00 3/22/20 - $ 386.00
3/29/20 - $ 521.00 4/05/20 - $3,021.00 (Palm Sunday)
(*) 4/12/20 - ? (Easter ) 4/19/20 - $1,329.00
4/26/20 - $1,353.00 5/03/20 - $3,233.00
5/10/20 - $3,703.00 (R&R - $1,420.00) 5/17/20 - $1,617.00 (R&R - $5,035.00)
5/24/20 - $1,636.00 (R&R - $495.00)
(*) Total Easter collection will be published after the Easter envelopes are no longer being donated which will
probably be in June.
As a reminder, your church envelope donations are vital for the financial well-being of our parish during this
crisis and into the future. If you are unable to attend Mass, please mail your envelope, or put it into the slot on
the rectory office door (do not put it into the mailbox). The bills continue to come on a regular basis as you are
personally aware of during this pandemic. IHM parish needs your regular donations during this difficult time
to pay them too.
Special donations received at this time:
An anonymous donor from St. Louis, MO
through the Universal Parish Offertory/Catholic Community Foundation - $250.00
The Frank Dzielski Memorial Fund - $1,000.00
Ver-A-Fast by the Hand Foundation Inc. - $1,000.00
An anonymous donor - $4,000.00
Thank you to all who have donated to IHM in these very difficult times. You remain in my prayers.
- Fr. Ralph Hudak
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Practicing Spiritual Communion - When the faithful are unable physically to attend Mass, they should be recommended
to practice "spiritual communion", an act to which the saints have given a consistent witness. Spiritual communion is a traditional practice of expressing to the Lord our longing for him and our desire for him to enter our hearts. St. Theresa
of Avila (1515-82) said: "When you do not receive Communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you." While there is no formula prescribed by the Church to make an act of spiritual communion, prayers composed by various saints are part of the Church's rich treasury of devotions. One of the more popular acts of spiritual communion comes from St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787):
"My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament.
I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there, and unite myself wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen."
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The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland is now live-streaming a Mass daily at 9:30 a.m. on the diocesan website, www.dioceseofcleveland.org and the weekend TV Mass will be available on the diocesan website 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays. It can also be seen on Fox 8 WJW at 6:00 a.m. on Sundays. Those with Cox Cable can view the Mass at 11:30 a.m. Sundays on Channel 45.
AM 1260 The Rock offers additional weekend Masses for the faithful. The Diocese of Cleveland Mass for the homebound will be broadcast at its regular time 10:30 a.m. Sunday and at 4:00 p.m Saturday.
The Mass from EWTN will be broadcast at 8:00 a.m. Sunday and again at 5:00 p.m. Sunday. And, don't forget that weekday Masses are aired each weekday at 10:00 a.m.
In addition to the Holy Mass, AM 1260 The Rock offers numerous opportunities for prayer throughout the day.
Holy Rosary: 5:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Divine Mercy Chaplet: 5:00 a.m. Monday through Friday; 3:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday
Please visit am1260therock.com for their full schedule.
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The Mass Intention Book for 2021 will open TUESDAY, June 30, at 9:00 a.m. in the rectory - Some reasons for Mass intentions: 1) An expression of our faith, 2) Belief in life after death, 3) Belief in the power of prayer to help the deceased during their time of purification, 4) Belief that the Mass is the greatest of prayers, and 5) The intention is designated for a particular person or persons who have died, for an anniversary of death, or a wedding anniversary, for health, etc.
To schedule in person, please come to the rectory, Monday - Friday (9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.). At this time, only two
weekend Masses will be permitted per every five intention scheduled. To accommodate those with a work-schedule conflict, homebound, traveling a long distance or due to the Coronavirus, we will accept requests in writing. These may
be mailed to the rectory (6700 Lansing Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44105) or put into the slot on the rectory office door (do not put it into the mailbox). You may also place it in the Sunday collection basket. Please mark the envelope, "Mass Intentions" and include in it your name, phone number, the name for whom the Mass is intended, Mass date,
Mass time and stipend. The stipend for a Mass intention is the Diocesan recommended $10. Please make
check out to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. If you have a special anniversary to celebrate do not wait until
the last minute to schedule it. Thank you.
Mass Requests for 2020 - There are a few weekend Masses open. Many weekdays are still available.
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Jezu, ufam Tobie
