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Small Christian Communities
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As summer gives way to autumn and the abundance of the
harvest, it is the perfect season to gather in the fruit of our
life of prayer.
Small faith sharing groups are the perfect way to recognize
the growth that the Holy Spirit is calling forth in our hearts.
All are invited to try a Small Christian Community this
autumn. There are groups for every schedule: daytime and
evening, all female and mixed groups, those that meet
weekly and those that meet less frequently. There is even a
group for young parents.
What is a Small Christian Community? A Small Christian
Community is a group of parishioners who meet consistently
to reflect together on the Sunday readings. Each gathering
begins and ends with prayer. Believing that God’s Word is
alive and deeply personal, participants allow the Scripture to
speak to their hearts. The shared insights of each member
help the others to grow in their understanding of what God is
saying. As the members share their reflections on the
biblical passage, they also share their lives, their hopes and
dreams, their joys and sorrows and become the hands and
voice of Christ to each other.
Anyone interested in trying a small faith sharing group can
contact Irene in the Faith Formation Office at 814-899-6132.
or ilucas@ourladyofmercychurch.org. Trying a small faith
group does not obligate you to continue if the experience
does not speak to you.
Are you reluctant to join a group that has been together for
years? Consider forming a group with your own friends or
parishioners you know. We will provide you with the training
you need.
For more information, contact Irene at
ilucas@ourladyofmercychurch.org or 814-899-6132.
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Join us Thursday August 21st at 7:30 a.m. Mass as the Silver
Rose Pilgrimage, hosted by Knights of Columbus Council 519,
visits Holy Spirit Parish.
Each year, eight Silver Roses, honoring Our Lady of
Guadalupe and a Positive Pro Life Culture visit every Province
and State in Canada, the US and Mexico. Prayers are offered
at each Parish visited to create and encourage life from
conception to natural death.
Our Lady of Guadalupe is the only known image of Mary as
an expectant mother. The Rosary will follow Mass and there
will be opportunities to photograph the Silver Rose.
Come and Pray for Life!
Knights Of Columbus Council 519
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Parish Directories Missing
from the Library
15 directories from several different parishes in the Erie
Diocese were taken from the church library sometime
in April. These are the books with pictures, history of the
parish, and contact information in them. Directories
missing include: St. Anthony, St. John, St. Bartholomew,
Blessed Sacrament, St. Catherine of Sienna, SS.
Cosmas and Damion, St. Francis Clearfield, St. Michael,
Notre Dame Parish, St. Patrick, St. Stephen, St. Titus -
Immaculate Conception. These were in the “Archive”
section of the library and should have never been
taken out.
If anyone has any information on their whereabouts,
please contact Katie in the Parish Office or Theresa at
814-899-3809. If someone has these directories,
please return them to the Parish Office or the library.
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Are you expecting a new child? Has a baby recently
blessed your family? Is the celebration of the
Sacrament of Baptism with your child something that
you are planning for some time in the next year? If so,
mark your calendar for 10:30 a.m. on Sunday,
October 5 for our semi-annual Baptismal Preparation
Session. All parents/guardians and godparents are
asked by the Diocese of Erie, to prepare their hearts
and spirits to celebrate this wonderful Sacrament with
their child by attending a special session just for them.
Because these sessions are only held twice a year here
at Our Lady of Mercy, you will want to take advantage
of the opportunity now.
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To register for the Baptismal Preparation Session,
parents/guardians are asked to call the Parish Office at
814-899-5342. Questions can be asked at that time.
Or, check out our web page to see the answers to the
most frequently asked questions about child Baptism.
If the session scheduled at Our Lady of Mercy does not
fit your calendar, you may attend a Baptismal
Preparation Session for Parents at any Catholic parish
in the area. If you call the area parishes, you should
find a session that meets your time constraints;
evening and weekend classes are available
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Another school year will soon be underway. That means
it is time for our children to be registered for religious
education.
Registration for the 2025-2026 religious education
program will take place both online and after Masses
the weekend of August 16-17. This year, there will be the
option of registering on-line. You can do so by using the
QR code below.
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Our Lady of Mercy believes that parent participation in the religious education
ministry is essential to its success. Whether parents can volunteer on a weekly
basis or assist with a one-time project, we value your gifts and time. The only way
that we can involve parents is if we have their clearances on file. Many of you
already have obtained these clearances for school, scouting, sports or other
programs. If you do not already have these documents, you can apply on-line. All
links can be found at the diocesan website http://eriercd.org. If you have any
difficulty completing the on-line application for these clearances, please call the
parish and we will assist you.
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Program Fees may be paid at the time of registration. Checks should be made
payable to Our Lady of Mercy Religious Education. Program fees are:
| $40.00 |
Registration-One Child |
| $50.00 |
Registration-Two Children |
| $60.00 |
Registration-Three or more children |
| $55.00 |
Registration-Per Child Non-Parishioner |
| $10.00 |
Youth Ministry fee per child Gr 7-Confirmation |
| $25.00 |
Youth Ministry Fee for 3 or more children
Gr. 7-Confirmation |
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Kindergarten religious education class is held on Sunday mornings from 10:30-
12:00.Participants must be age 5 by September 1 and should be in the same school
grade. The Kindergarten group meets in classroom #5.
Grade One religious education is required prior to participation in the Sacramental Preparation program. First grade religious education students meet in classroom
#7 on Sunday mornings from 10:30-12:00.
First Reconciliation preparation is conducted on the second grade level. The First
Reconciliation program, held 10:30-12:00 Sunday morning in classroom #6, is open
to all students in Grade 2 or older who have previously been involved in at least
one year of religious instruction and who have been baptized. No child can be
registered for the grade 2 RE class who has not attended one year of formal
religious education classes at a Catholic parish. In order to qualify as successfully
completing 1 year of instruction, the child must have been present for a minimum
of 3/4th of the schedule classes or provide a letter of completion from the pastor or
director of the parish program they attended stating such. Participation in a 3-hour
preparatory retreat is required prior to the celebration of the sacrament. The
celebration of First Reconciliation occurs in March. Parental support and
involvement is essential during periods of sacramental preparation.
First Eucharist preparation is the curriculum for the third grade program.
Individuals must have celebrated the sacraments of Baptism and Reconciliation
prior to the celebration of their First Eucharist. First Eucharist is celebrated in
May.Students are required to participate in an April retreat day as part of the
preparation program. Parental involvement and support is essential during periods
of sacramental preparation.
The Intermediate Program encompasses grades 3-6. Students participating in
religious education on this level gather for classes on Tuesday afternoons from
4:00-5:30. The school bus service for Harbor Creek School District brings children
from the Harbor Creek elementary schools to the parish. Parents are responsible
for picking up their children at class end.
Behavior for the Rel. Ed. bus follows the same policies as that enforced by the
Harbor Creek School District. Failure by any student to behave in an appropriate
fashion while riding the bus to religious education classes will result in the
suspension of the privilege to receive this transportation for the remainder of the
academic year.
Junior High youth meet Sunday from 10:30-12:00. Combining fun activities, faith
sharing, witness talks and prayer, 7th & 8th grade youth are invited into a deeper
relationship with Christ and with His Body, the Church. The junior high group
gathers in the gym. Diocesan policy mandates that youth participate in 7th & 8th
grade faith formation prior to beginning Confirmation preparation. The Diocese of
Erie requires 90% attendance at this level.
Confirmation Preparation takes place in 9th grade. Those attending a Catholic
high school must prepare for the sacrament in their home parish.This program
includes small group Sessions, service projects, retreat days, etc. Those celebrating
the sacrament of Confirmation must be in the second semester of 9th grade or
older, have been baptized, and have completed all requirements. Confirmation
preparation takes place Sunday from 10:30-12:00. The group meets in the Ritchie
Room.
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Days of Retreat are provided for students in the formal religious education
program. All program provided retreat experiences are free to participants.
Attendance at these events is required for those preparing for a sacramental
celebration (Grade 2 First Reconciliation, Grade 3 First Eucharist and Grade 9
Confirmation). All other experiences are encouraged, but not mandatory. These
days combine fun with spiritual growth.
Family Faith Days are opportunities for families to share in the faith formation
process with their children. Currently, these are scheduled thrice during the school
year during the Sunday morning program. On these specially designated
mornings, all children in Kindergarten through gr. 2 are joined by parents, siblings
and any extended family members to share in a special morning of prayer and
fun.
Parent Meetings enable family members to best support the faith development of
their child.Every year we hold a series of parent meetings designed to inform
parents of curriculum topics, special projects and other details of interest. All
parent meetings are designed to be informative and brief. All parents and
guardians are highly encouraged to attend these meetings. Please consult the
religious education calendar and the bulletin for specific times and dates.
Absentee Policy: Preparing for a sacramental celebration is a very important
process. Extra care and attention is directed to these parts of the program by the R.
E. Office, the catechists and the families. To ensure that youth are as well prepared
as possible, attendance policies are in place for these years. Children preparing
for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist (grades 1, 2 & 3) must be present for a
minimum of ¾ of scheduled classes. Any child absent for more than a quarter of
the scheduled classes will not be approved to celebrate this sacrament. (Any first
grade student who has missed more than a quarter of the scheduled classes will
not have met the requirement of completing a year of religious ed necessary to
enter the First Reconciliation program.) Jr. High youth are required to attend 90% of
the 7th & 8th grade sessions before enrolling in Confirmation preparation.
Confirmation candidates (grade 9) are mandated by diocesan policy to attend
90% of the sessions. Additional absences must be made up with the Director of
Lifelong Faith Formation before the candidate can continue in the process.
Additionally, this year of preparation includes work to be done at home. All
homework must be completed and returned before the individual will be
approved for the sacramental celebration.
To all returning catechetical ministers, students and families, I look forward to
seeing you soon. To all new participants in the religious education program, I
welcome you. To all members of this parish community, I encourage your
comments, ideas and suggestions.
Religious Education Classes begin on Sunday, September 7.
Religious Education calendars are available at the time of registration.
Faith-filled volunteers are essential to the success of our faith formation ministry. If
you can teach a group of children on Sunday morning or Tuesday afternoon, can
serve as a substitute, are willing to watch children who arrive early on Tuesdays,
please contact Irene at ilucas@ourladyofmercychurch.org or 814-899-6132.
Several mandated clearances must be obtained before anyone can volunteer with
children.
May you continue to deepen your love for God and one another. May the
remaining weeks of the summer season bring many blessings.
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837 Bartlett Road
