After having 5 deaths and 4 funerals at Sacred Heart Parish in a very short time since Easter Sunday, I was not surprised when a couple from the parish came up to me the other day and asked about getting together to talk about the options they have when planning their funeral liturgy and answer any questions they might have as they fill out their funeral planning form. Perhaps some of you are not aware that a funeral planning form exists and can be accessed at the church office or in a marked spot on the credenza in the hallway leading from the Narthex to the educational/administrative wing of our parish facilities. There are, of course, many choices that can and really should be made before one takes their last breath in this world, the first one being what funeral home to use. A second decision that has only been an option (in Catholicism anyway) for a relatively short period of time, is whether to have one's body present for the funeral and the interment OR for the funeral followed by cremation and interment of cremains in an urn in the ground or at a columbarium OR immediate cremation and a funeral with or without cremains present in an urn with interment happening at a scheduled time. I hope you already see that it is important for these decisons to be made and shared with family members and our parish (especially of the family cannot be reached if someone dies suddenly with no family aroud). That's only the start, however, as there are choices that can be amde when it comes to the funeral itself as far as the scripture readings that will be proclaimed and songs that will be sung at the Mass of Resurrection and whether a person wants a rosary to be prayed the night before the funeral, the day of the funeral, or not at all. Family members of our deceased parishioners are often (if not always) relieved when I tell them that their loved one has already made decisions about some or all of this (and more) so as to relieve them of decisions they might sturggle to make during their time of grief or worse "disagree over" with other family members, I hope all this gets your attention (if you haven't some or all of this) and leads you to come to a session that I will present on Wednesday, May 17 at 10:00 a.m. and the same one on Thursday, May 18 at 2:00 p.m., both in the Lower Hall. I will have forms available as we go through the choices that can be made and I'll try to have someone from our columbarium committee there to talk about the process of obtaining a niche in the Sacred Heart Columbarium Garden area as your final resting place if you have chosen cremation. I have always said that doing pre-planning when it come to arrangements after your death, especially the funeral itself is the last statement one can make to everyone (including of course the family) of one's faith in Jesus Christ and hope in what Jesus has won for us beyond what we can see or ever experience in life here on this earth!

I hope you have noticed that among our VIPs that we recognize each month, some have not been parishioners all that long, and have become active in ministries and activities in our parish, for which we give thanks to God and hope others of you who haven't been here all that long will get more involved sooner than later. This month's VIPs, Don and Sue Glinka, have been parishioners here for 25 years and have been active in many ways over their many years here. Don has been an active memeber of our Men's Club, having served 2 years each as secretary, program director and president. He was involved in their fundraising activities as a waiter and in their community service in trash pick-up on Hwy 7. He has been active as will in the Knights of Columbus since before he came here (starting in 1967) and attained 4th degree knighthood along the way. He accepted the ministry of extraordinary minister of Holy Communion both at Mass and in Holy Communion to our shut-ins and visiting with them to brighten up their day. He has been a Helping Hands volunteer, a prayer worrior since it inception and a Eucharistic Adorer as well. Sue has been a longtime and active member of LOSH in many of their projects and fundraising activities. She was guild captain for Guild 6 and has brought and helped serve many dishes of food at funeral receptions. She has been a part of the effort to feed some needy families through our basket program. She organized our parish welcoming committee, and helped set up our parish library at its inception. With Don she has been an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion goth at Mass and for our shut-ins, served (and is still serving with Don as a prayer warrior) participated in Eucharistic Adoration, as a Helping Hand's volunteer and enjoyed participating in Sociable Six. While health issues have definitely slowed them down, they are still mainstays at 10:  Mass on Sundays and get involved when their health allows them to do so. For their many years of service to the Lord and our wonderful parish, I say "Thank You" and hope you will thank them as well. Oen final thing I want to say about the Glinka's is that I have always sensed and appreciated their love for the Lord and HIs Church, as well as their priests and fellow members of the Body of Christ. I am sure their respect for as a priest and as their pastor has been given by them to other priests over the years andhas produced blessings for them and priests like me! May God's blessings continue to be pured out upon the Glinka's for who they are, and what they have done and still do in the pilgrimage to heaven!

In a thirty minute video on the topic of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, one of the questions posed is: "How many people asked for forgiveness from the Lord in the Gospels?". Many are surprised when the correct answer, zero, is given. As we know, the Lord's mercy is extended often in the Gospels and it comes time after time with a presence and posture that is open to God's mercy. It comes to people who have come to recognize that their life has been damaged (and has damaged others) because of their poor disposition and choices. It comes to people who don't even know that they need God's mercy, for example, those who were responsible or complicit in Jesus's crucifixion (see Luke 23:34). Does all this mean that we don't need to ask for the Lord's mercy for our unhealthy thoughts, words, and/or behavior? Jesus himself lauded to his disciples the tax collector who came to the temple to pray and beat his breast saying "O God be merciful to me a sinner". (Luke 18:13) Jesus recognized the man's humble disposition (head bowed) and, yes, his words of admission that he was a sinner, and was indirectly asking his disciples AND US to follow such behavior that comes from a heart that is contrite and a mind that know he or she needs the Lord in order to be forgiven and be led to and strive to follow the right path. The A, B, C's of the Divine Mercy Devotion that was given by the Lord in a private revelation to St Faustina begins with asking for God's mercy. While we humbly verbalize this in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (and hear Jesus, through the instrument of the ordained priest say "I absolve you of your sins," our time in private prayer whether it's a few minutes or an our or more is, firstly, a humble admission that I need God in my life (which includes his mercy), and definitely says (perhaps without thought) that I cannot make it or make it very well on my own. In the Easter season we reflect on the ongoing presence and power of God working in our minds and hearts. Through the Holy Spirit who was given to us in our baptism and strengthened in us in our Confirmation, he is ready to enkindle within us the fire of God's love (and mercy). We are doubly blessed to have Jesus with us "until the end of time," (Matthew 28:20) as he comes to us in his body and blood, AND we have God's healing, comforting, giving Spirit to be grounded and stay grounded in mercy and love and witness the blessings that come to us and others from it day after day!