Anointing of the Sick

Through the sacrament of anointing, Christ strengthens the faithful who are afflicted by illness, providing them with the strongest means of support. Jesus showed great concern for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the sick and commanded his followers to do the same. The celebration of this sacrament is an opportunity for the deepening of the faith of the community who are able to witness the faith and devotion of those being anointed.

The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is for those with a serious illness. It should be received at the beginning of the illness; please do not wait until near death. The sacrament cannot be given to those who have died. Contact any of the Priests at the Parish Office at 847-658-7625. There is also a Communal Anointing celebrated during the Easter Season at the Sunday Masses.

Visiting the Sick and Homebound

To Receive a Visit When Sick at the Hospital

If you are going into the hospital, please notify the Parish Office at 847-658-7625. The hospitals are not permitted to inform us of your stay in the hospital or give us any details of your illness. We cannot visit you, if you do not inform us of your illness.

To Receive a Visit when Sick at Home

When you return to your home, notify us, especially if you are confined for a period of time. We have Visitation Ministers who will bring you Communion. Contact the Parish Office at 847-658-7625.

To Receive a Visit when Sick at a Nursing Home

If you are in a nursing home, we also visit and bring the Eucharist regularly. Contact the Parish Office at 847-658-7625 to make arrangements.

Emergency Overnight Contact

In a grave emergency after office hours, you can get in touch with one of our parish priests at 224-509-8340.

Baptism

Baptism, the first and fundamental sacrament and the gate to the other sacraments, is the purifying and sanctifying sacrament of rebirth. It is the means by which its recipients are incorporated into the church in a sacramental bond of unity.

While normally received as an infant, the Sacrament of Baptism can be received at any age. If you are planning a Baptism for a child (under the age of 7), an older child (7 or older) or an adult at St. Margaret Mary, the process varies but the parish office can guide you through everything you need.

Planning a Baptism for an Infant
  • The family should be registered in the parish and the child should be under the age of seven.
  • Make an appointment with the Parish Office to discuss the Sacrament and schedule the Baptism. (Parish Office: 847-658-7625)
  • The parents must attend a baptismal class before a baptismal date can be scheduled.  Baptismal classes are held on the first Tuesday (or sometimes the second Tuesday) of the month at 7:00 pm in the Church.  Please call the office to pre-register.
  • Baptisms are celebrated in English on the 1st and 3rd weekend after the 4:30 PM Mass on Saturday; and after 9:00 AM Mass on Sunday.
  • Baptisms are celebrated in Polish on the 2nd and 4th weekend before Mass at 5:45 PM on Saturday; and before the Sunday Mass at 12:15 PM.
Baptising a Child or an Adult

The Catholic Church considers anyone over the age of reason (about 7 years old) as a adult. However, we have programs suited for children 7 through 12 and for teenagers and adults.

finding GOD together 
is a family program designed to initiate children (3rd grade or above) to the Catholic faith and sacramental life.

Teenagers and older are invited to The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), the process in which the Catholic Church and the faith community of Saint Margaret Mary invites people to join the Church.

Contact the Parish Office at 847-658-7625 for more information and clarification.

Communion

The Holy Eucharist is the most august sacrament, in which Christ himself is contained, offered and received, and by which the Church constantly lives and grows. The Eucharistic Sacrifice, the memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord, in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated over the centuries, is the summit and source of all Christian life and worship; it signifies and effects the unity of the people of God and achieves the building up of the Body of Christ.

The Holy Eucharist is offered at all daily and weekend masses. Currently, due to COVID considerations, the Holy Eucharist is not normally available in both species, but the Precious Body only. Per the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Since Christ is sacramentally present under each of the species, Communion under the species of bread alone makes it possible to receive all the fruit of Eucharistic grace.”

In order to receive Communion, a person should be in a state of grace, which means that they are not conscious of having committed a mortal sin, sin serious enough that it ruptures their relationship with God.

Preparation for First Communion

Children generally receive the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist for the first time in the Second Grade. For information about the requirements for this sacrament, Contact the Director of Religious Education at 847-658-9339. Those children who are older and in a grade higher than Grade 2, should contact the Parish Office at 847-658-7625 for more information and clarification about a special family program finding God together. Both the parent and the student must each attend instructional classes. finding God together is the process by which older children are brought to the appropriate sacraments. Contact the Parish Office at 847-658-7625 for more information and clarification.

Confirmation

By a signing with the gift of the Spirit, confirmation enriches the baptized with the Holy Spirit, binding them more perfectly to the Church, and strengthening them in their witness to Christ by word and deed and in their work to bring to its fullness the Body of Christ. Confirmation is conferred through anointing with chrism and the laying on of hands.

Receiving Confirmation as a High School Student or as an adult.

Receiving Confirmation as a Teen
Confirmation Preparation at St. Margaret Mary Parish is a one-year eight-session process that begins in September and ends with Confirmation in the Spring. In the Diocese of Rockford, IL, teens may be confirmed as early as 9th grade.
Receiving Confirmation as an Adult
For those 18 years old and older, and graduated from high school, who have not received the Sacrament of Confirmation are asked to attend six sessions of the Adult Confirmation Class which are scheduled after Christmas. Confirmation is celebrated when the Bishop comes to our parish for the celebration of the sacrament. Contact the Parish Office at 847-658-7625.
Forms for Confirmation

Holy Orders

Holy Orders is the sacrament by which bishops, priests and deacons are ordained and receive the power and grace to perform their sacred duties. The sacred rite by which orders are conferred is called ordination. The apostles were ordained by Jesus at the Last Supper so that others could share in his priesthood.
If you or someone you know is interested in the priesthood or serving the Church, please contact the Parish Office at 847-658-7625.
A Seminarian Story

Connor Orabutt, our Seminarian from Saint Margaret Mary, spoke at the Church on January 8, 2016. Connor talked about his vocation story along with Mary’s impact on us and on the world. Here is the video recording from that very special event…

Special thanks to Dan Limbach, who taped and edited this video presentation.

The Diocese of Rockford Office of Vocations is the focus point for those seeking to serve God as priests. The Vicar for Clergy oversees this office, as well as, the Office of the Diaconate which prepares men to be deacons in our parishes. Without your generosity, bringing God’s mercy to his people would be very difficult; parishioners throughout the parishes in our diocese play a crucial part in the formation of priests and deacons.

Dear Catholic Young Men and Women,

Thank you for taking the time to seek out information on discerning your vocation.

The opportunity to open your heart to God’s will and to discern when He is calling you is truly a gift. Such thoughts and prayers set you on a path that leads to experiencing His grace, His peace, and His joy. Each one of us needs to ask the question “Lord, what are you calling me to?” We ask that question with an open heart and mind, like the apostles who’s calling by Christ is described in the Gospels.

It takes effort to listen to and to hear that calling. Sometimes it takes real courage to say yes to the Lord. But in the end, His calling will make us happy, in this life and in the next.

I am grateful that you have come to this website. It is our hope that the information that you find here will help you as you discern.

Be assured of my prayers for you,

Sincerely yours in Christ, 
Most Reverend David J. Malloy 
Bishop of Rockford

Marriage

The Church has a rich tradition in its teaching on sacramental marriage and covenantal union. The Old Testament authors write of God making a covenant with the chosen people and promising them that they will never be forsaken. The New Testament authors write of Jesus as the new covenant and compare the relationship of Jesus with the Church to the relationship of a husband and wife. The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership for the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring.

Celebrating Your Wedding at St. Margaret Mary Church

CONGRATULATIONS! You are engaged and considering marriage in the Catholic Church!

We are happy for you… 

These months before your wedding will almost certainly be filled with hectic planning, financial concerns, stress and crucial decisions. The community of Saint Margaret Mary wants to take the opportunity to assist you as you prepare for married life. Our Marriage Preparation Program is fairly demanding, but perhaps we can provide the kind of attention that would help you to continue to grow in your relationship with one another throughout your years of marriage.

Couples planning marriage must contact the Parish Office and review the guidelines. An Assessment Process is used to determine the amount of preparation time. An Engaged Encounter Weekend for preparation is a requirement as part of the preparation process.

No wedding dates will be established until the first or second meeting with the priest. Couples must be 19 years of age and begin the process at least six months to a year prior to the date they wish to married on. Couples must complete an information sheet in the Parish Office to begin the process and pick up an information brochure called: “A Guide for Your Wedding Preparation.” 

This can be picked in the Parish Office or from the Pamphlet Rack in Bethany Lobby or download the PDF here…

Reconciliation

Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as Confession or Penance), the faithful receive pardon through God’s mercy for the sins they have committed. At the same time, they are reconciled with the Church community. The confession, or disclosure, of sins frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others.

Catholics are required to receive the Sacrament at least once per year (more often if they have committed any mortal, or serious, sins). That said, parishioners are encouraged to take advantage of the Sacrament at least monthly. This practice helps us keep aware of our spiritual progress and provides the grace to overcome our sins.

The sacrament is offered multiple times during the week. The schedule is posted on the front page of the parish website and in the bulletin. The attached Guide to Confession DOR is a convenient guide to help with an examination of conscience as well as prayers for the confessional.

If you or someone in your family has not yet received this sacrament for the first time, the parish offers preparation programs, GATHER for children, and RCIA for adults.