St Joseph and St Mary Parishes in Freeport, IL

What's new for St Joseph and St Mary Parishes!


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VIACRUCIS EN VIVO
El viernes santo el grupo juvenil de Santa María invita a todos a vivir el viacrucis en vivo en las calles alrededor de la Iglesia de Santa María. Iniciaremos a las 2:00 de la tarde en el estacionamiento frente a la Iglesia. Todos son bienvenidos.

VELACIÓN DEL JESÚS EN LA TUMBA
El viernes Santo después del servicio de 7:00 pm tendremos la visitación de Jesús en la tumba en el sótano del salón parroquial hasta la media noche.

PROCESIÓN CON JESÚS RESUCITADO
El domingo de Pascua tenemos la procesión con Jesús resucitado alrededor de la iglesia de Santa María, todos son bienvenidos. Inicia a las 12:45 pm en frente del convento.


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UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

  • April 17 7:00pm Men’s Group
    Wednesday St Joseph Church
  • April 18 5:30pm Mass for Holy Thursday
    Holy Thursday St Joseph Church
    (Then Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until Midnight)
  • April 18 7:00pm Mass for Holy Thursday
    Holy Thursday St Mary Church (en Español)
    (Then Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until Midnight)
  • April 19 12:10am Veneration of the Cross
    Good Friday St Mary Church
  • April 19 2:00pm Living Stations of the Cross
    Good Friday St Mary Church
  • April 19 3:00pm Movie – Passion of the Christ
    Good Friday HFCC
  • April 19 7:00pm Veneration of the Cross
    Good Friday St Mary Church (en Español)
    Visitation of the Lord in the Tomb
    After 7:00pm Mass until Midnight in the HFCC Basement
  • April 20 5:30pm Easter Vigil Mass
    Holy Saturday St Joseph Church
  • April 20 7:00pm Easter Vigil Mass
    Holy Saturday St Mary Church (en Español)


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You are invited!

May 3-6, 2019 will be the next Light of the World Retreat at the Holy Family Community Center. Many of you have been waiting patiently for this event, and the date has finally been set.
This retreat is highly recommended and very effective in evangelization and renewal in our Parishes. If you are still on the fence in regards to attending, pray on it and your prayers will be answered. Watch
the bulletin for more details.


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Holy Thursday Collection

We ask you to please be generous to the Holy Thursday collection being taken for the needs of St Mary Parish, as we all know about the poverty of St Mary Church and all the struggles St Mary Parishioners have had to go through. We have all been blessed by the generosity of Jesus, especially as we contemplate this week of His suffering and death. We can only hope to respond with what meager gifts we give compared to His goodness.


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Symbolism in the Church #11

The third façade in the rotunda in the high altar is for Easter and Christmas season, as well as for Pentecost and Palm Sunday. The red makes it obvious for Palm Sunday and Pentecost. Granted, there is a dove above the Holy Family in the image for ordinary time, but that image is more to remind us that in the ordinary day of family life, the Holy Spirit is always there as our helper and guide, and that we are always to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. That is something different than Pentecost.
In this façade is an interesting combination of images that pulls everything together when we celebrate at these times. In the dome part is a cross above each panel. The red reminds us of the reason why the cross has power; it is Jesus’ blood that was spilt on the cross. Palm Sunday is the day that lead Jesus directly to the cross. The jealousy of the Jewish leaders of the time sealed His fate as the people hailed Him as Messiah and King. The reaction would be swift and strong. Continue reading →


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Domingo de Ramos ciclo C 2019

Así comenzamos la Semana Santa: gritando entusiasmados la llegada del que viene en nombre del Señor, dando vivas al Altísimo. El que grita es el pueblo sencillo, la gente pobre que espera y desea la llegada de un futuro mejor, de un reino nuevo como el que predica este profeta de Galilea. El domingo de Ramos siempre ha tenido en la tradición católica un aire de fiesta, de entusiasmo, de alegre fe y esperanza cristiana. “El que no estrena en Ramos, o es cojo o no tiene manos”, decían antaño en mi pueblo. Comienza la semana más grande del año, la Semana Santa. Gritamos porque no estamos contentos con lo que somos y lo que tenemos, y esperamos que alguien venga a sacarnos de nuestra postración y nuestra miseria. Eso le ocurría a la gente sencilla que acompañaba a Jesús en su entrada triunfal a Jerusalén. Veían a Jesús como a un redentor, como un liberador, … Continue reading →