From Father Al's Pen

The Body and Blood of Christ

The words of the gospel passage in which Jesus takes bread and wine and blesses them will be familiar. They are the words used at the consecration of the bread and wine during the Mass. The words and actions of Jesus at the Last Supper are regarded as instituting the celebration of the Eucharist. Jesus took an act that was familiar to the Passover meal and gave it a new meaning and a new significance for his followers. What had been a memory of escape from slavery in Egypt became an ongoing reminder of Christ’s continued presence in the Eucharist and in the Eucharistic community. The processions today allow Catholics to publicly express our love of the Eucharist.

Heritage Days - Many thanks to those who volunteered for the various needs to make our Heritage Days Festival go so well. From the organizers, Joe Malek and Tom Titone, to the Men's Club and Anita Wilhelm and her finance group. I hope you all have a chance to stop by to enjoy the music, the carnival rides for the kids, and the food offered by our vendors. Of course, what makes it the greatest success is all of us chipping in to buy raffle tickets! May these days lead us in to a great summer.

Thanks for the priest from Cross International for filling in last weekend!

Fr. Al

Notice the time change of the daily masses beginning June 1st. We are now on the Summer Mass Schedule:

Monday - No Mass

Tuesday @ 5:15 p.m.

Wednesday/Thursday/Friday @ 7:30 a.m.

Cross Catholic Outreach

Last weekend we were blessed to have a visiting priest from Cross Catholic Outreach. More than ever, poor families in developing countries are depending on Catholic missions for assistance with food, water, shelter, medical care and spiritual nourishment. It’s not too late to support Cross Catholic Outreach and the efforts of these vital international missions. To participate, please go to CrossCatholic.org/outreach or text BLESSINGS TO 474747.

Capital Campaign OSV Envelope

You may/may not of noticed that the red Capital Campaign envelope is not in your April envelope packet. This is due to the official end of the Roof Capital Campaign on March 31, 2024. The absence of the red envelope does not mean that your pledge obligation has been met. Please continue to meet your pledge obligation.

The Capital Campaign Pledge Committee

"Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them and they all drank from it." - Mark 14:23

Jesus, the perfect steward, gave thanks, just before He gave Himself up for us, completely for our salvation. He offers us the same chance to drink from His cup. In the bread and wine, we meet Christ personally, If we follow Him, drinking from His cup means we offer our own self-sacrifice, using all of our gifts for the benefit of others and to do His work on earth.

Bulletin Sponsor of the Week

This week we spotlight

Glisson Law

 Please support this and all of our bulletin sponsors. 

Church Attendance

May 25 & 26, 2024

Saturday @ 4:30 p.m. - 126

Sunday @ 7:45 a.m. - 95

Sunday @ 10:00 a.m. - 204

Total - 425

Stewardship in Our Parish

May 25 & 26, 2024

(Weekly Amount Needed: $13,800.00)

Not available at this time.

In Our Thoughts & In Our Prayers

Our Parishioners - At Home

Larry McMasters

Matilda Cortes

Danielle Loftus

Cherri Payne

Margie Richards

Patricia Zaffiri

Diane & Paul Boll

Joanie Darnielle

Patricia Johnson

Carmen Koches

Jean Pape

Margaret Rollings

Alyce Vespa

Concordia Village

Fran McCue

Mary Bryan Home

Rhonda Roeper

Bill Smith

Sharon Fisher

Brendan Gardens

Beulah White

Lois Hall

Fran Retzda

Richard Zanetello

Lewis Memorial

Marilyn Choudry

Regency Care

Natalie Clarke

Taylorville Care Center

Betty Page

Cedarhurst

Frank Woodcock

Reflections Memory Care

Msg. John Ossola

Barb Wagner

Villas East

Veronica DeRosa

John Underwood

Sherman Memory Care

Doris Clarke

Addington Place

Jane Hurshman

Bryan Manor

Trevor Matticks

The Bridge

Helen Rackauskas

Carriage Crossing

Lea Titone

Mary Jean Glisson

Assisted Living - Wisconsin

Lora Roscetti

If someone moves to a different location, needs to be added, or needs to be removed, please contact the church office. This will help us keep the list updated/correct. Thank you.

Men's Club

LF Men’s Club invites all men of the parish to join them to help make a positive difference in the LF community. Interested in joining the Men’s Club? Regular meeting dates are usually the second Monday of every odd month. They meet in the Parish Center (Gym) at 5:45 p.m. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m.  The next regular meeting will be held on Monday, July 8, 2024. All men of the parish are welcome to join us.

St. Therese Guild

The next Guild Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 10, 2024. Have a great Summer! All ladies of the Parish are welcome to join the Guild.

 Young At Heart

Are you 55 years old or older? If so, you are welcome to attend any Young At Heart events, trips, etc. The Young @ Heart group has picnics, plays Bingo, attends events - such as musicals and shows, cookouts, wine tasting, dessert socials, etc. They are nice people who enjoy each others company and have a good time when they get together. There is no official membership registration to join. Just attend the events. You are always welcome!



Local Events: (Curt Drew)

Thursday, June 27: “Music Man” at the Muni.

Register and pay for your ticket(s) in the Church Office. $25.00 per person. 

Bus Trips: (Dee Stern)

Thursday, June 6: "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Coat" at Little Theatre on the Square. Before the show, an early lunch at Yoder's Restaurant: Sullivan & Arthur, Illinois areas. $90 per person (non-refundable) includes, lunch, show, bus and bus driver's and restaurant's tip. $90.00 per person. Sign up/pay in the church office.

Wednesday, July 10: "On Golden Pond" at the Little Theatre on the Square. Before the show, dine at the Sullivan Country Club. Reservations are not being taken yet. More information coming soon.

REQUIRED: Covid Vaccinated and (hopefully) fully boosted!

Mass Intentions

Monday, June 3

No Mass

Tuesday, June 4:

5:15 p.m. - Dan Chevalier

(Lynn & Judy Frasco)

Wednesday, June 5: 

7:30 a.m. - Marie T. Henebry

(Gary & Marcy McBride)

Thursday, June 6:

7:30 a.m. - Charles R. Martin

(Mary Martin)

Friday, June 7:

7:30 a.m. - Ben Lake

(Linda Feraris)

Saturday, June 8:

4:30 p.m. - Bud Kunz

(Susan Hood)

Sunday, June 9:

7:45 a.m. - Little Flower Parish Family

10:00 a.m. - Raymond Bulinski

(Bulinski Family)

Baptism Preparation Class

This class is required before baptizing your children. 

Please call the church office at 217-529-1606.

Friday, May 31:

7:00 a.m. - Mass (Fr. Samuel)

Father Kemme on Vacation

Heritage Days

Saturday, June 1:

Heritage Days

Sunday, June 2:

Corpus Christi

Heritage Days

10:30 a.m. - Mass under the big tent

11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Family Lunch under the big tent

4:00 p.m. - Raffle Drawing

Thursday, June 6:

Young @ Heart Bus Trip

Sunday, June 16:

Father's Day

June 29 - July 5:

Father Kemme on Vacation

June 29 & 30:

"Unbound" at LFC

Thursday, July 4:

4th of July

No Mass

Church Office Closed

The Forge

Attention Young Adults! The Forge is a Springfield based young adult Catholic ministry. All young adults are welcome!

More information: @Theforge on Facebook, https://the-forge-online.com/Email contact: Andrew Hansen: andrewhansen1@yahoo.com

DIOCESE NEWS

100 Not Impossible Catholic Trivia Questions – How well do you know our faith, the history of the Church, the sacraments, the bible, Catholic tradition, and more? Take the test! Go to youtube.com/diospringfield or search “Dive Deep” on all the major podcast platforms to listen and subscribe. Dive Deep is the podcast of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.

Called and Sent – Join other high school students in our diocese for a 4 day/3 night retreat from July 14-17 at the Villa Maria Retreat Center in Springfield. Encounter Jesus in a new, deep, and meaningful way. Have loads of fun and enjoy the beautiful views at this lakeside retreat house. To register, go to dio.org/events. For questions, contact Daniel Heffernan at dheffernan@dio.org.



Sign up your child for Totus Tuus, popular weeklong summer program coming to a parish near you – This summer, the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is excited to have Totus Tuus, a fun and faith-filled experience for children coming once again to several parishes across the diocese. Totus Tuus is a weeklong Catholic youth program dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through evangelization, catechesis, Christian witness, and eucharistic worship. The program inspires in young people (grades 1-12) a true longing for holiness, a deep desire for daily conversion, and an openness to their vocation.

For the schedule below, grades 7-12 are from Sunday-Thursday each week and the program is in the evenings. For grades 1-6, the program is Monday-Friday and starts in the morning and finishes in the afternoon.

June schedule:

• June 9-13 (grades 7-12), June 10-14 (grades 1-6): St. Katharine Drexel (Springfield)

Costs vary by parish. For more information and to sign up your child, go to dio.org/totus-tuus-camper-registration or call the parish office that is hosting Totus Tuus near you. You can also contact Daniel Heffernan, Programming Coordinator, Office for Vocations, with questions at dheffernan@dio.org.

Retreat Overnight - For parish catechetical leaders who are not going to the Eucharistic Congress, you are invited to an overnight retreat on July 19-20 at Villa Maria on Lake Springfield. This time together will be a chance to get away from parish work to renew our spirits as we look to the coming school year. Please RSVP by July 9 by contacting Kyle Holtgrave, (217) 698-8500, ext. 154 or kholtgrave@dio.org. The retreat concludes after lunch on Saturday so parish catechetical leaders can be back in their parishes for the evening Mass.

Videos for Prison Ministry - The Office for Catechesis has a small collection of DVD resources that can be borrowed for prison ministry efforts in the diocese. Contact Kyle Holtgrave at (217) 698-8500, ext. 154 or email kholtgrave@dio.org for details.

Registration is now open for the Married 50+ Years Mass - Please promote this in your parish - On September 22, 2024 at 2 p.m at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, all couples married 50 years or more are invited to attend a special Mass honoring their marriage vocation. The Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Thomas John Paprocki. Register at dio.org/events or contact Gracie Ortiz at the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois at gortiz@dio.org or call 217-698-8500.

Great Library Give-A-Way: When visiting the Pastoral Center in the next few months, parish and school leaders may want to visit the Holy Sepulchre room on the first floor to forage through a wide variety of library items: CDs, DVDs, VHS' and Books. Categories include Missions, Pro-Life, and social justice topics, theology, and meditations. These materials will be available until August 31. The PRICE is RIGHT -- FREE. First Come-First Serve. When it’s gone, it’s gone.

Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat: Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat, for people affected by abortion, September 27-29, 2024, Villa Maria Retreat Center. Cost is $150. Scholarships are available for those not able to pay the full registration fee. Please let others know about this healing opportunity. For more information call 217-698-4456, or email projectrachel@dio.org

Religious Freedom Week: June 22-29, is a week of reflecting, praying, and taking action to acknowledge our religious freedom. Religious freedom allows the Church, and all religious communities, to live out their faith in public and to serve the good of all.

WALK WITH JESUS ON OUR CITY STREETS IN UNPRECEDENTED EXPERIENCE – You are invited to join the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, coming to seven cities in our diocese July 8-12! This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience in which Catholics will pray and publicly follow Jesus through Eucharistic processions. Cities include Collinsville, Alton, Quincy, Girard, Springfield, Effingham, and Teutopolis. Mass, adoration, potluck dinners, and powerful witness talks are also part of the experience. BE THERE WHEN GOD MOVES IN YOUR COMMUNITY! Go to dio.org to learn more and register!

What you never knew about the process of becoming a priest –What does a diocese look for in a man who wants to become a priest? What are red flags? What evaluations occur? What about the cost of education and what exactly do seminarians learn? Becoming a priest is a lot more than than an application and going to school. Dive Deep sits down with Brian Alford, Director of the Office for Vocations for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Go to youtube.com/diospringfield or search “Dive Deep” on all the major podcast platforms to listen and subscribe. Dive Deep is the podcast of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.

The Curia is Hiring! – We are looking for passionate individuals for the roles of Director, Office for Safe Environment, Safe Environment Assistant and Internal Auditor. Please visit dio.org/jobs for more information.

Attend the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis July 17-21 – This summer, join tens of thousands of passionate Catholics will travel from every corner of the U.S. to experience the healing power of Jesus Christ, present in the holy Eucharist at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. Soak in the Presence of Jesus alongside people of all walks of life – a vivid image of the universal Church. You will participate in beautiful liturgies, lifting your voice in prayer alongside world-class musicians, hear from the most influential Catholic speakers of our day, and make history as part of the first National Eucharistic Congress in nearly 100 years. This is the beginning of a new chapter of faith in America. Will you be there? Register at eucharisticcongress.org. 

Looking for spring/summer work? – Calvary Cemetery in Springfield is hiring seasonal trimmers for the spring and summer. These are part-time, temporary positions (mornings and early afternoons). $14/hour. Must be 18 to apply. Call (217) 523-3726 or email director@calvary.dio.org for information.

Project Rachel: Help for women and men to heal from the pain of abortion. For assistance call 1-877-RACHEL-5. 

Webinar about Assisted Suicide – Learn more about why legalization of assisted suicide is not good for Illinois. Watch this video where Fr. Peter Harman and Fr. Christopher Trummer discuss this important topic: youtube.com/watch?v=-J7bXytwC6c . Or join a weekly, 30-minute, informational webinar every Thursday, 12:30-1:00 pm. Email dmoore@dio.org to get a link to join the webinar. 

Retreat for married couples offered – Worldwide Marriage Encounter presents weekend experiences for married couples to rekindle romance, enhance meaningful communication, and deepen and renew commitment. Sign-up now! For more information or to apply, go to wwme.org or call Terry & Eric Engholm at 314-649-7317. Next ones:

8/2/2024 – 8/4/2024, St. Peters, MO

9/27/2024 – 9/29/2024, St. Peters, MO

10/11/2024 – 10/13/2024, Springfield, IL

Healing Hearts - Children and Teen Grief Support Group

This support group is for any children who have lost a significant person in their life through death. The group is facilited by Chaplain Dee Stern, Psy.D., LCPC - a licensed clinical professional counselor and a grief therapist. Meetings include age-appropriate activities for children 5-18 years of age, light snacks and drinks, and an opportunity for parents to speak with Dr. Stern. HSHS St. John's Hospital Centennial Hall, 800 E. Carpenter Street, Springfield, IL

Parents will meet in the St. Clare room.

Mondays: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

For more information, contact the Spiritual Care Office at 217-814-8295, Ext: 20-55675.

Caregiver Interfaith Volunteer Services

CIVS is a network of religious and community agencies that provides services to adults 60 and over who live independently. Volunteers provide transportation to medical appointments, shopping, and grocery shopping for persons no longer able to leave home.

To volunteer or to receive services call 217-757-6621 at HSHS St. John’s Hospital to find the help that you need. There is no charge for the services, however, donations are appreciated.

Looking for spring/summer work? – Calvary Cemetery in Springfield is hiring seasonal trimmers for the spring and summer. These are part-time, temporary positions (mornings and early afternoons). $14/hour. Must be 18 to apply. Call (217) 523-3726 or email director@calvary.dio.org for information.

WHY WE ARE HERE:

Church of the Little Flower Mission Statement

• Our mission guided by the Holy Spirit is to unite in our common faith, through celebration of the Word and Eucharist;
• form a caring, loving and prayer-filled community, strengthened by the sacraments, that reflects the presence of Jesus;
• bring Jesus' presence to all, especially the poor of our world;
• recognize and affirm the gifts, talents and needs of others.

We journey together imitating the example of our patroness, St. Therese the Little Flower, in doing little things centered in the love of God and one another. We endeavor to make our parish a faith-filled community, a place to meet friends, and a place we call home. 

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

A bequest can take many forms. You may have designated the parish as a beneficiary in your will, trust or as the beneficiary of an asset such as an IRA, annuity or life insurance. You may also designate your parish as the recipient of a bank checking or savings account with a "transfer-on-death" or "pay-on-death" designation. There are five types of bequests:

Specific Bequest - This is a gift of a specific item to a specific beneficiary. For example, "I give my house to Church of the Little Flower, Springfield, IL." If that specific property has been disposed of before death, the bequest fails and no claim can be made to any other property.

General Bequest - This is usually a gift of a stated sum of money. It will not fail, even if there is not sufficient cash to meet the bequest - even if other assets need to be sold. For example, "I give $50,000 to Church of the Little Flower, Springfield, IL."

Percentage Bequest - This is a convenient way of making sure your heirs and those charities you support receive equal shares, and no one is left out. "I give devise and bequeath my estate to my three children and Church of the Little Flower, Springfield, IL

Endowed Bequest - This bequest allows you to restrict the principal of your gift, requiring the funds to be held permanently and used only the income generated or a fixed percentage. "I give $20,000 to the Church of the Little Flower, Springfield, IL Endowment Fund."

Beneficiary Designation - One of the simplest and cheapest ways to add charity to your estate plan is to change a beneficiary designation on retirement assets, IRAs or Life Insurance. There is no charge to make these changes. Any asset with a beneficiary designation can have a full, partial, or contingent beneficiary. Consult your plan administrator or insurance company for a beneficiary change form. Simply insert Church of the Little Flower of Springfield, IL into the form.