Click here to read the article from America Magazine, The Jesuit Review.

Residents of Will County are encouraged to sign up for a Covid 19 Vaccine at the website below. Then, as soon as the vaccine is available for your grouping, Will County will contact you and advise where and when you can get the vaccine and how to schedule an appointment. Click on the website below to complete a brief questionnaire that gets you in line for the vaccine.

https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/14f1fac7773945a0a8cf99a96b3d804e?portalUrl=https://gis.willcountyillinois.com/portal

The first phase (1a) of vaccinations is going to hospital and clinic workers including both medical and non-medical staff with patient contact, long-term care facility residents and staff, EMS/EMTs, funeral home staff and morticians and minsters who visit hospitals and long term care facilities.

On January 25, 2021, Phase 1b began, allowing frontline essential workers and residents age 65 and over to get vaccinated. The frontline essential workers designation includes many residents who carry a higher risk of COVID-19 exposure because of their work duties, often because they are unable to work from home, and/or they must work closely to others without being able to socially distance. This includes first responders, education, food and agriculture, manufacturing, corrections workers and inmates, USPS workers, public transit workers, grocery store workers and staff at shelters and day cares. To provide more equitable vaccine access to elder populations given data showing people of color die of COVID-19 at younger ages, Illinois lowered the age eligibility recommended by ACIP by 10 years, from age 75 to age 65. Illinois has 1.3 million people who qualify as “frontline essential workers” and 1.9 million adults age 65 and over, totaling 3.2 million eligible Illinoisans.
 

It is time for the 2021 Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal (CMAA). Your gift is especially important this year, during the pandemic, as our diocese continues to explore new and innovative ways to serve those in need.

The 2021 theme is Shining the Light of Christ. The 30 ministries the CMAA supports allow parishes to join together to shine Christ’s light to the benefit of many, from the poor and vulnerable to seminarians and schoolchildren. No parish could provide all of these ministries on its own.

Our parish’s goal for the 2021 CMAA is $57,600, and 70 percent of any amount we raise over our goal will be returned to us. This is a great opportunity for our parish! Please review the materials you will receive in the mail very soon from the Diocese of Joliet and prayerfully reflect on your gift to this year’s annual appeal.

Because St. Bernard’s parishioners were so responsive to last year’s appeal, the parish will receive over $7,000 back from the Diocese.

Join thousands of Catholics nationwide in the annual Respect Life novena, 9 Days for Life, Thursday, January 21 – Friday, January 29. Get daily intentions, brief reflections, and more. Sign up here!

The Knights of Columbus Council 15022, representing Knights at Our Mother of Good Counsel and St. Bernard’s parishes in Homer Glen have announced a special 24 Hour Eucharistic Adoration. This event will be held from 4:00pm Friday January 29th to 4:00pm Saturday January 30 at Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish, 16043 S. Bell Road in Homer Glen. This event is being held in support of the 2021 March for Life in Washington DC beginning January 29th as well as all other Marches for Life across the country and for all Pro-Life activities during 2021. Join us for an hour or more of quiet contemplation and prayer. Reservations are required - go to www.omgccc.org, click on Mass Registration Tab to sign up. Proper social distancing and facemasks are required.

We are happy to announce that Children's Liturgy of the Word is now being offered every Sunday at the 10:30 am Mass beginning January 3rd! You need to register your child for Mass and CLW through the website. Please click on the Religious Education tab and then Children's Liturgy for more information. Children aged 4 and above are invited to participate. Please be assured that we are following the guidelines of the CDC, IDPH and the Diocese of Joliet to keep everyone safe.