Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church
Dear Executive Director: Fr. Maurice H. Sands, Director of Operations: Elizabeth Njai and Black and Indian Mission Office:
We here at Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church are honored to continue your mission to support missionary work among African and Native American Catholics. Through your generous support, Catholic churches, like ours, has the resources to create a solid foundation for the next generation of Catholic youth and help them explore their call to vocation and ministry within our catholic communities. As 2021 grant recipients, Our Mother of Mercy is pleased to share with you some of the various programs your contributions have allowed us to implement and improve this school year.
Immediately after welcoming Fr. Rofinus Jas, S.V.D. into our parish family, he went to work to help us grow our organizations and help our youth make a safe return. Though the Covid-19 Pandemic has discouraged much of our parishioner’s participation, Fr. Jas has encouraged us to put God first, bring out our ideas, and move forward. Through the grace of our Lord, we are slowly returning to normal. Students and teachers were eager to return to church, so in September 2021 we were able to begin our CCD program and welcome students in person. With the leadership of our D.R.E. Mrs. Karen Isabelle, our amazing teachers volunteer each week to share with our students the importance of putting God first, the love of our Catholic faith and how to share our gifts within our Catholic communities.
As you can see in the pictures and previously stated, the teachers volunteer each week creating lesson plans and such so that the children will be confident in their Catholic faith.
After classes began, a request for Altar Server volunteers was issued and posted by CCD Teachers inside our church bulletin. Shortly after, the youth assembled and were welcomed to rejoin the Mass celebrations. Led by volunteers of our parish and with the guidance and support of Fr. Jas, the youth volunteers practiced and were eager to begin their Acolyte duties.
With all the youth participation, Fr. Jas, the D.R.E. and CCD Teachers arranged an Advent Adoration and Sacrament of Reconciliation Celebration. This was a day filled with prayer, song, and forgiveness and of course, pizza. This was a remarkable success!
Shortly after our Advent season had settled in, it was time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with our annual Christmas pageant led by the CCD Teachers. What a better way to celebrate the birth of Jesus and welcome our Savior to the world than with a birthday party! The pageant opened with the Candy Cane poem read by Catechist Sabrina Spaulding and her Kindergarten and First Grade classes. Then we went into the more Christmas poetry and songs by the seventh - 10th grades and the Our Mother of Mercy Mass Choir led by Rev. Kenyatta Braxton. Then the first – 5th grade students concluded the festivities with a Birthday Party for Jesus skit.
The children did an amazing job, and we are so proud of the work they put into a successful show! The pageant followed with a special guest appearance from Santa Claus and fellowship dinner in the hall. It was such a blessing to end the 2021 program year with so many exciting celebrations while continuing to stay and only spreading peace and joy.
Once again, thank you for allowing us to share with you our wonderful events at happening at Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church. Through the amazing love of God and your support we are able to keep moving forward and make more memories within our parish family. We are truly blessed to have had an amazing beginning to our programs and organizations at our church and we hope that we can do just as much, if not more, in the near future. Thank you so much!
Sincerely,
Chantel Normand
First Holy Communion Catechist, Leader of the Acolyte Ministry and OMM Roving Reporter
