St. Mary Catholic Church

Welcome to the website for St. Mary Catholic Church in Pecatonica, IL.

Bishop Malloy has extended the suspension of public Masses, both weekday and Sunday, through and including Easter Sunday, 12 April. He has also extended the dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass through and including Easter Sunday. Because of this dispensation, there is no sin for not fulfilling the obligation to attend Sunday Mass between now and through Easter Sunday. Additionally, the regular confession schedule at the parish is suspended until further notice. Details about Holy Week and Easter can be found below.

Bishop Malloy's letter of 26 March 2020 to the people of the Diocese can be found here.

Where the individual faithful find themselves in the painful impossibility of receiving absolution in the sacrament of confession, it should be remembered that perfect contrition, coming from the love of God, beloved above all things, expressed by a sincere request for forgiveness and accompanied by the firm resolution to have recourse, as soon as possible, to sacramental confession, obtains forgiveness of sins, even mortal ones, in anticipation of confession, not apart from it; mortal sins still have to be confessed later (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church §1452). Perfect contrition means a sorrow for sin out of love for God; it does not mean being “perfectly sorry.” Perfect contrition is sorrow for sin out of love for God and His goodness whereas imperfect contrition (while still a gift of God and sufficient for the sacrament of confession) is sorrow for sin due to a fear of Hell, judgment, and punishment (Catechism of the Catholic Church §1452-1453). Those who are in danger of death should call the parish emergency number: (815) 708-2308.

Fr. Jaskierny will continue to offer private Masses for the Mass intentions the parish has received. Intentions scheduled for a specific date will be offered on that date. The exception is for intentions that were scheduled for Sundays; these intentions will be rescheduled as Fr. Jaskierny will be privately offering the Sunday Mass for the people of the parish.

As Bishop Malloy wrote in his first letter concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, found here, "At this time, even if we cannot physically attend Mass, each of us needs to continue to pray daily. During this Lenten Season, consider praying over the readings for the Mass of the day which are available on line (http://www.usccb.org/bible/) or in prepared Missals." EWTN posts Mass videos on YouTube daily. Below is a video of Mass from Bishop Barron's chapel, and it is updated daily at 7:15 a.m.

During this time when public Masses are suspended, it is good to be reminded of the age-old practice of spiritual communion. When one is not able to receive Holy Communion at Mass – whether because one is not able to attend Mass, because one is not properly disposed, or for some other reason – it is possible to make a spiritual communion, which can be described as “an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament [in Communion at Mass] and in lovingly embracing Him as if we had actually received Him.” To do this, here is a prayer of spiritual communion:

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy
Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You
into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment 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.

Bishop Malloy's letter of 17 March 2020 about the extraordinary steps taken during this pandemic can be found here.

Unfortunately, the extension of the suspension of public Masses through Easter Sunday means that there will be no public Holy Week liturgies. While we cannot be physically present together for the Holy Week liturgies, we can be spiritually present together. I invite all of you to spiritually join me in prayer during the times that I will be privately celebrating these liturgies in the church. Read through the readings, read the homilies that are being posted on the parish app and on the parish Facebook page, unite yourselves in prayer, make a spiritual communion. I will be celebrating the Holy Week liturgies at these times:

Palm Sunday Mass: 4 April, 9:00 a.m.
The Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper: 9 April, 6:00 p.m.
Friday of the Passion of the Lord: 10 April, 3:00 p.m.
The Easter Vigil: 11 April, 7:45 p.m.
Easter Sunday Mass: 12 April, 9:00 a.m.

Pope Francis has delayed the annual Holy Land Collection, normally held on Good Friday, until 13 September 2020. This collection supports the Christians in the Holy Land. Please hold onto your Good Friday envelopes and return them the weekend of 13 September 2020.

The following parish events have been cancelled:

• CCD, until further notice
• Meetings of parish groups (e.g., The Knights of Columbus, St. Mary's Guild, etc.), until further notice