∫ [Piano music] ∫
The following presentation is made possible
by the generosity of the viewers
of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.
Good morning and welcome
to Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints.
My name is Dan Riley,
I am joined by Tom McNamara and Matt Beran,
and our celebrant is Father Greg Sakowicz.
∫ All hail the power of Jesus’ name, ∫
∫ let angels prostrate fall. ∫
∫ Bring forth the royal diadem and crown him Lord of all. ∫
∫ Bring forth the royal diadem and crown him Lord of all. ∫
Good morning and welcome
to celebrate the Feast of All Saints Day.
We begin our prayers, as we begin all things
in the name of the Father
and of the Son
and the Holy Spirit.
-Amen.
The Lord be with you.
-And with your spirit.
Our God is loving, compassionate,
and always forgiving.
We are sinners who take a moment of silence
and ask forgiveness and the Lord’s mercy.
Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
-Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
-Amen.
As God’s forgiven family we sing praise to our God:
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫
And together let us pray
for the grace to follow Christ more closely.
Loving and compassionate God,
those gifts we venerate in one celebration,
the merits of all the Saints, bestow on us, we pray,
the prayers of so many intercessors,
and abundance of the reconciliation
with you for which we are earnestly long,
always through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.
A reading from the Book of the Revelation.
I, John, saw another angel come up from the east
holding the seal of the living God.
He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels
who were given power to damage the land and the sea:
Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees
until we put the seal on the foreheads
of the servants of our God.
I heard the number of those who had been marked
with the seal, 144,000 marked from every tribe
of the children of Israel.
After this I had a vision of a great multitude
which no one could count from every nation,
race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice,
“Salvation comes from our God who is seated on the throne
and from the Lamb.”
All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders
and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshipped God and exclaimed,
“Amen! Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever.
Amen!”
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
“Who are these wearing white robes
and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.”
He said to me, “These are the ones
who have survived the time of great distress.
They have washed their robes
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. ∫
∫ Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. ∫
∫ The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, ∫
∫ the world and those who dwell in it. ∫
∫ It is he who set it on the seas, ∫
∫ on the rivers he mowed, he made it firm. ∫
∫ Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. ∫
A reading from the First Letter of St. John.
Beloved, see what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God, yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now.
What we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do not know that when it is revealed,
we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him
makes himself pure as he is pure.
The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, ∫
∫ and I will give you rest, says the Lord. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
The Lord be with you.
-And with your spirit.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
-Glory to you, O Lord.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he sat down, his disciples came to him,
he began to teach them by saying,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted
for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every evil kind against you
falsely because of me.
Be glad and rejoice, for your reward in Heaven will be great.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
This 95-year-old guy is walking in the woods.
He comes across a talking frog.
The frog says to the old guy, he says,
“Pick me up, kiss me.
I will turn into a beautiful princess.”
The 95-year-old guy picks up the frog, puts it in his pocket.
The frog said, “I said if you kiss me,
I’ll be turned into a beautiful princess.”
The 95-year-old guy says,
“At my age, I prefer a talking frog.”
[Laughter]
I really like that one.
All Saints Day.
The first qualification to be a Saint, you have to be dead.
First qualification.
I’m very delighted you are all alive,
hopefully for many, many years to come.
The Gospel today, Matthew, chapter 5, the Beatitudes.
But actually, slow the word down.
Beatitudes, B, dash, attitudes.
B, dash, attitudes.
Attitudes of being.
I love that.
B, dash, attitudes.
Attitudes of being.
Beatitudes are not passive.
They’re very, very active.
In a beautiful line, Hebrews, chapter 3, verse 13:
Encourage one another daily while it is still today.
I found that line some years ago.
I’ve always lived by that.
Encourage one another daily while it’s still today.
Do we spend our days lifting one another up
or putting others down?
Do we lift up or do we put down?
Yesterday, we celebrated Halloween.
Today, All Saints Day.
Tomorrow, All Souls Day.
And Halloween, All Hallows Eve.
I remember my very first Halloween outfit.
Kindergarten, five years old.
Washington Grammar School.
Mary, Seat of Wisdom then, did not have
a Catholic kindergarten in Park Ridge.
My first Halloween outfit, I dressed up as Mr. Magoo.
A lot of young people won’t remember Mr. Magoo,
but us old-timers remember Mr. Magoo.
I remember when I was in my first grade,
my Halloween outfit, I dressed up as a football player.
I took it too seriously because I tackled my sister,
Pam, a year younger.
Mother said, “Greg, you’re a football player.
Please don’t tackle anyone, especially your sister.”
You know, when it comes to Halloween
yesterday, we all put on the character and act that way.
We put on that character and we act that way.
All Saints Day to become Saints, to put on Christ.
Tomorrow, All Souls Day.
Please know we have many Saints living in our midst today,
in our neighborhood, in our cities.
Jesus will give us strength, not you, but him and you.
And please know this, we don’t receive Holy Communion
because we are Saints.
We receive Holy Communion
because we are sinners trying to become Saints.
And together as God’s family we profess our Creed:
I believe in one God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages,
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father,
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation,
he came down from heaven by the Holy Spirit,
and incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day,
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken to the prophets.
I believe in one holy Catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism, for the forgiveness of sins,
I look for the resurrection of the dead,
the life of the world to come.
-Amen.
With confidence, faith, and joy,
we bring the Lord our needs and our prayers, our very lives.
The response to each prayer would be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”
For our Church leaders and all the leaders of all nations,
may they follow the example of the Saints
who worked for peace and love on earth,
we pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For those who suffer in this world,
may God’s love fill them with comfort, hope, and peace.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For those who have died, may Christ welcome them
to eternal life with the Communion of Saints.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For those who have lost their faith,
may the Saints in Heaven lead them back to our Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
Loving God, we ask you to hear our prayers,
those voiced and all our needs and prayers known to you,
found deep within our hearts, always through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ [Piano music continues] ∫
And pray, my sisters and brothers,
that our sacrifice be acceptable to God,
the Father, the Almighty.
-May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
for the praise and glory of his name,
for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
Amen.
May these offerings we bring in honor
of all the Saints be pleasing to you, O Lord,
and grant that just as we believe
the Saints to be already assured of immortality,
we may experience your concern for our salvation
always through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.
The Lord be with you.
-And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
-We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
-It is right and just.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, Holy Father, almighty, and eternal God.
For today, by your gift,
we celebrate the festival of your city,
the heavenly Jerusalem, our mother,
with a great array of our brothers and sisters,
already gives you eternal praise.
Towards her we eagerly hasten our pilgrims
advancing by faith as we then together sing:
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Holy, Holy, Holy ∫
∫ Lord, God of hosts, ∫
∫ heaven and earth are full of your glory. ∫
∫ Hosanna in the highest. ∫
∫ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. ∫
∫ Hosanna in the highest. ∫
You are indeed holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.
Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
that they may become for us the Body and Blood
of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the time he was betrayed
and entered into his Passion,
Jesus took bread and giving thanks,
broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
for this is my Body, which will be given up for you.”
When supper was ended, he took the chalice,
once for giving thanks, gave it to the disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
for this is the chalice of my Blood,
the Blood of the new and eternal covenant,
which we pour out for you and for many,
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.”
The Mystery of Faith.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, ∫
∫ we proclaim your Death, O Lord, ∫
∫ until you come again. ∫
Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial
of his life, death, and Resurrection,
we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life
and the Chalice of salvation,
giving thanks that he held us worthy
to be in your presence and minister to you.
Humble, we pray, that partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ
be gathered into one by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, your Church spread throughout the world
and bring her to the fullness of charity
together with Leo our Pope, Blase… our Bishop
with the Bishops, clergy, religious brothers and sisters,
and all who serve in your faith communities.
Remember also our brothers and sisters
who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection
and all who have died in your mercy.
In a very special way, all of the deceased loved ones
who have gone home to God.
Welcome them into the light of your face.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
Blessed Joseph her spouse,
the blessed Apostles, and all the Saints
who have pleased you throughout the ages.
May we merit to be co-heirs to eternal life,
and may praise and glorify you
through your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Through him, with him, and in him,
O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is yours forever and ever.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Amen, Amen, Amen. ∫
With confidence, faith, and joy,
together as God’s family, we pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
grant peace in our days,
that by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin,
and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope,
for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
-For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and forever.
And Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your Apostles,
my peace I leave you, my peace I give you,
look not upon our sins, but on the faith of your Church,
and grant us peace and unity,
in accordance with your will,
who lives and reigns forever and ever.
-Amen.
May the peace of the Lord be with all of you.
-And with your spirit.
Share the Lord’s peace and joy with those around us,
for those that are praying at home,
in a nursing facility, hospital-
from all of us here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
to each and every one of you,
God’s blessings, peace, and the Lord’s joy.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ grant us peace. ∫
Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world,
blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
-Lord, I am not worthy for you to enter under my roof,
but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
For those of you at home,
please turn to page six in your TV Mass guide
and join in singing our Communion hymn,
“Covenant Hymn.”
∫ [Piano music] ∫
[Covenant Hymn lyrics: paste the eight lyric lines from the original transcript here]
And together, let us pray.
As we adore you, O Lord our God, you alone are holy,
wonderful in all your Saints.
We implore your grace to come into perfect holiness,
the fullness of your love.
We pass this pilgrim table
to the banquet of our heavenly homeland,
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Together, our prayer for the boys and girls
of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls:
Our Lady of Mercy, we pray that you will guide,
protect, and bless all boys and girls
who this day have a home called Mercy.
May they find the Father’s mercy as we offer them our hearts
in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.
May they see God’s mercy in action
through our love, prayers, and sacrifices.
The Lord be with you,
-And with your spirit.
Let us bow our heads and pray for God’s blessings.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Amen.
May his face shine upon you, be with you always.
Amen.
May our lives always reflect the lives of the Saints
in holiness and joy and word and action.
Amen.
And with the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
descend upon all of us forever and ever.
-Amen.
Our celebration has ended. We go in peace.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ For all the Saints who from their labors rest ∫
∫ who to the world their faith in you confess ∫
∫ your name, O Jesus, be forever blessed. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ But then their breaks, a yet more glorious day ∫
∫ the Saints triumphant rise in bright array ∫
∫ the King of Glory passes on his way. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ From earth’s wide bounds, from oceans farthest coast ∫
∫ through gates of pearl streams in the countless host ∫
∫ singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost… ∫
Hello, my friends, as you know, as I know,
this TV ministry at Mercy Home is so important.
It allows us to gather wherever you may be
to participate in the prayer of the Church.
It allows us to pray for one another
and how important it is.
It allows you and me to pray for the children here
at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
We’re nourished by our presence together
and by the celebration of the Eucharist.
I just want to take this opportunity
to thank you so very much
for the ways in which you support
this Mass here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Please consider doing that going forward as well.
May God bless you and your family and your friends
for all you do for the TV Mass
at Mercy Home and for our children.
The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
is generously provided by G-I-A Publications Incorporated
and its World Library Publications division.
∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ [Piano music] ∫
The following presentation is made possible
by the generosity of the viewers
of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.
Good morning and welcome
to Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints.
My name is Dan Riley,
I am joined by Tom McNamara and Matt Beran,
and our celebrant is Father Greg Sakowicz.
∫ All hail the power of Jesus’ name, ∫
∫ let angels prostrate fall. ∫
∫ Bring forth the royal diadem and crown him Lord of all. ∫
∫ Bring forth the royal diadem and crown him Lord of all. ∫
Good morning and welcome
to celebrate the Feast of All Saints Day.
We begin our prayers, as we begin all things
in the name of the Father
and of the Son
and the Holy Spirit.
-Amen.
The Lord be with you.
-And with your spirit.
Our God is loving, compassionate,
and always forgiving.
We are sinners who take a moment of silence
and ask forgiveness and the Lord’s mercy.
Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
-Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
-Amen.
As God’s forgiven family we sing praise to our God:
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫
And together let us pray
for the grace to follow Christ more closely.
Loving and compassionate God,
those gifts we venerate in one celebration,
the merits of all the Saints, bestow on us, we pray,
the prayers of so many intercessors,
and abundance of the reconciliation
with you for which we are earnestly long,
always through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.
A reading from the Book of the Revelation.
I, John, saw another angel come up from the east
holding the seal of the living God.
He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels
who were given power to damage the land and the sea:
Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees
until we put the seal on the foreheads
of the servants of our God.
I heard the number of those who had been marked
with the seal, 144,000 marked from every tribe
of the children of Israel.
After this I had a vision of a great multitude
which no one could count from every nation,
race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice,
“Salvation comes from our God who is seated on the throne
and from the Lamb.”
All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders
and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshipped God and exclaimed,
“Amen! Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever.
Amen!”
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
“Who are these wearing white robes
and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.”
He said to me, “These are the ones
who have survived the time of great distress.
They have washed their robes
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. ∫
∫ Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. ∫
∫ The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, ∫
∫ the world and those who dwell in it. ∫
∫ It is he who set it on the seas, ∫
∫ on the rivers he mowed, he made it firm. ∫
∫ Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. ∫
A reading from the First Letter of St. John.
Beloved, see what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God, yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now.
What we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do not know that when it is revealed,
we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him
makes himself pure as he is pure.
The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, ∫
∫ and I will give you rest, says the Lord. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
The Lord be with you.
-And with your spirit.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
-Glory to you, O Lord.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he sat down, his disciples came to him,
he began to teach them by saying,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted
for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every evil kind against you
falsely because of me.
Be glad and rejoice, for your reward in Heaven will be great.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
This 95-year-old guy is walking in the woods.
He comes across a talking frog.
The frog says to the old guy, he says,
“Pick me up, kiss me.
I will turn into a beautiful princess.”
The 95-year-old guy picks up the frog, puts it in his pocket.
The frog said, “I said if you kiss me,
I’ll be turned into a beautiful princess.”
The 95-year-old guy says,
“At my age, I prefer a talking frog.”
[Laughter]
I really like that one.
All Saints Day.
The first qualification to be a Saint, you have to be dead.
First qualification.
I’m very delighted you are all alive,
hopefully for many, many years to come.
The Gospel today, Matthew, chapter 5, the Beatitudes.
But actually, slow the word down.
Beatitudes, B, dash, attitudes.
B, dash, attitudes.
Attitudes of being.
I love that.
B, dash, attitudes.
Attitudes of being.
Beatitudes are not passive.
They’re very, very active.
In a beautiful line, Hebrews, chapter 3, verse 13:
Encourage one another daily while it is still today.
I found that line some years ago.
I’ve always lived by that.
Encourage one another daily while it’s still today.
Do we spend our days lifting one another up
or putting others down?
Do we lift up or do we put down?
Yesterday, we celebrated Halloween.
Today, All Saints Day.
Tomorrow, All Souls Day.
And Halloween, All Hallows Eve.
I remember my very first Halloween outfit.
Kindergarten, five years old.
Washington Grammar School.
Mary, Seat of Wisdom then, did not have
a Catholic kindergarten in Park Ridge.
My first Halloween outfit, I dressed up as Mr. Magoo.
A lot of young people won’t remember Mr. Magoo,
but us old-timers remember Mr. Magoo.
I remember when I was in my first grade,
my Halloween outfit, I dressed up as a football player.
I took it too seriously because I tackled my sister,
Pam, a year younger.
Mother said, “Greg, you’re a football player.
Please don’t tackle anyone, especially your sister.”
You know, when it comes to Halloween
yesterday, we all put on the character and act that way.
We put on that character and we act that way.
All Saints Day to become Saints, to put on Christ.
Tomorrow, All Souls Day.
Please know we have many Saints living in our midst today,
in our neighborhood, in our cities.
Jesus will give us strength, not you, but him and you.
And please know this, we don’t receive Holy Communion
because we are Saints.
We receive Holy Communion
because we are sinners trying to become Saints.
And together as God’s family we profess our Creed:
I believe in one God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages,
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father,
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation,
he came down from heaven by the Holy Spirit,
and incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day,
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken to the prophets.
I believe in one holy Catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism, for the forgiveness of sins,
I look for the resurrection of the dead,
the life of the world to come.
-Amen.
With confidence, faith, and joy,
we bring the Lord our needs and our prayers, our very lives.
The response to each prayer would be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”
For our Church leaders and all the leaders of all nations,
may they follow the example of the Saints
who worked for peace and love on earth,
we pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For those who suffer in this world,
may God’s love fill them with comfort, hope, and peace.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For those who have died, may Christ welcome them
to eternal life with the Communion of Saints.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For those who have lost their faith,
may the Saints in Heaven lead them back to our Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
Loving God, we ask you to hear our prayers,
those voiced and all our needs and prayers known to you,
found deep within our hearts, always through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ [Piano music continues] ∫
And pray, my sisters and brothers,
that our sacrifice be acceptable to God,
the Father, the Almighty.
-May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
for the praise and glory of his name,
for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
Amen.
May these offerings we bring in honor
of all the Saints be pleasing to you, O Lord,
and grant that just as we believe
the Saints to be already assured of immortality,
we may experience your concern for our salvation
always through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.
The Lord be with you.
-And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
-We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
-It is right and just.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, Holy Father, almighty, and eternal God.
For today, by your gift,
we celebrate the festival of your city,
the heavenly Jerusalem, our mother,
with a great array of our brothers and sisters,
already gives you eternal praise.
Towards her we eagerly hasten our pilgrims
advancing by faith as we then together sing:
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Holy, Holy, Holy ∫
∫ Lord, God of hosts, ∫
∫ heaven and earth are full of your glory. ∫
∫ Hosanna in the highest. ∫
∫ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. ∫
∫ Hosanna in the highest. ∫
You are indeed holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.
Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
that they may become for us the Body and Blood
of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the time he was betrayed
and entered into his Passion,
Jesus took bread and giving thanks,
broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
for this is my Body, which will be given up for you.”
When supper was ended, he took the chalice,
once for giving thanks, gave it to the disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
for this is the chalice of my Blood,
the Blood of the new and eternal covenant,
which we pour out for you and for many,
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.”
The Mystery of Faith.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, ∫
∫ we proclaim your Death, O Lord, ∫
∫ until you come again. ∫
Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial
of his life, death, and Resurrection,
we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life
and the Chalice of salvation,
giving thanks that he held us worthy
to be in your presence and minister to you.
Humble, we pray, that partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ
be gathered into one by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, your Church spread throughout the world
and bring her to the fullness of charity
together with Leo our Pope, Blase… our Bishop
with the Bishops, clergy, religious brothers and sisters,
and all who serve in your faith communities.
Remember also our brothers and sisters
who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection
and all who have died in your mercy.
In a very special way, all of the deceased loved ones
who have gone home to God.
Welcome them into the light of your face.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
Blessed Joseph her spouse,
the blessed Apostles, and all the Saints
who have pleased you throughout the ages.
May we merit to be co-heirs to eternal life,
and may praise and glorify you
through your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Through him, with him, and in him,
O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is yours forever and ever.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Amen, Amen, Amen. ∫
With confidence, faith, and joy,
together as God’s family, we pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
grant peace in our days,
that by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin,
and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope,
for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
-For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and forever.
And Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your Apostles,
my peace I leave you, my peace I give you,
look not upon our sins, but on the faith of your Church,
and grant us peace and unity,
in accordance with your will,
who lives and reigns forever and ever.
-Amen.
May the peace of the Lord be with all of you.
-And with your spirit.
Share the Lord’s peace and joy with those around us,
for those that are praying at home,
in a nursing facility, hospital-
from all of us here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
to each and every one of you,
God’s blessings, peace, and the Lord’s joy.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ grant us peace. ∫
Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world,
blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
-Lord, I am not worthy for you to enter under my roof,
but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
For those of you at home,
please turn to page six in your TV Mass guide
and join in singing our Communion hymn,
“Covenant Hymn.”
∫ [Piano music] ∫
[Covenant Hymn lyrics: paste the eight lyric lines from the original transcript here]
And together, let us pray.
As we adore you, O Lord our God, you alone are holy,
wonderful in all your Saints.
We implore your grace to come into perfect holiness,
the fullness of your love.
We pass this pilgrim table
to the banquet of our heavenly homeland,
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Together, our prayer for the boys and girls
of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls:
Our Lady of Mercy, we pray that you will guide,
protect, and bless all boys and girls
who this day have a home called Mercy.
May they find the Father’s mercy as we offer them our hearts
in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.
May they see God’s mercy in action
through our love, prayers, and sacrifices.
The Lord be with you,
-And with your spirit.
Let us bow our heads and pray for God’s blessings.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Amen.
May his face shine upon you, be with you always.
Amen.
May our lives always reflect the lives of the Saints
in holiness and joy and word and action.
Amen.
And with the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
descend upon all of us forever and ever.
-Amen.
Our celebration has ended. We go in peace.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ For all the Saints who from their labors rest ∫
∫ who to the world their faith in you confess ∫
∫ your name, O Jesus, be forever blessed. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ But then their breaks, a yet more glorious day ∫
∫ the Saints triumphant rise in bright array ∫
∫ the King of Glory passes on his way. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ From earth’s wide bounds, from oceans farthest coast ∫
∫ through gates of pearl streams in the countless host ∫
∫ singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost… ∫
Hello, my friends, as you know, as I know,
this TV ministry at Mercy Home is so important.
It allows us to gather wherever you may be
to participate in the prayer of the Church.
It allows us to pray for one another
and how important it is.
It allows you and me to pray for the children here
at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
We’re nourished by our presence together
and by the celebration of the Eucharist.
I just want to take this opportunity
to thank you so very much
for the ways in which you support
this Mass here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Please consider doing that going forward as well.
May God bless you and your family and your friends
for all you do for the TV Mass
at Mercy Home and for our children.
The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
is generously provided by G-I-A Publications Incorporated
and its World Library Publications division.
∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ [Piano music] ∫
The following presentation is made possible
by the generosity of the viewers
of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.
Good morning and welcome
to Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints.
My name is Dan Riley,
I am joined by Tom McNamara and Matt Beran,
and our celebrant is Father Greg Sakowicz.
∫ All hail the power of Jesus’ name, ∫
∫ let angels prostrate fall. ∫
∫ Bring forth the royal diadem and crown him Lord of all. ∫
∫ Bring forth the royal diadem and crown him Lord of all. ∫
Good morning and welcome
to celebrate the Feast of All Saints Day.
We begin our prayers, as we begin all things
in the name of the Father
and of the Son
and the Holy Spirit.
-Amen.
The Lord be with you.
-And with your spirit.
Our God is loving, compassionate,
and always forgiving.
We are sinners who take a moment of silence
and ask forgiveness and the Lord’s mercy.
Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
-Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
-Lord have mercy.
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
-Amen.
As God’s forgiven family we sing praise to our God:
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ and on earth peace to people of good will. ∫
And together let us pray
for the grace to follow Christ more closely.
Loving and compassionate God,
those gifts we venerate in one celebration,
the merits of all the Saints, bestow on us, we pray,
the prayers of so many intercessors,
and abundance of the reconciliation
with you for which we are earnestly long,
always through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.
A reading from the Book of the Revelation.
I, John, saw another angel come up from the east
holding the seal of the living God.
He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels
who were given power to damage the land and the sea:
Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees
until we put the seal on the foreheads
of the servants of our God.
I heard the number of those who had been marked
with the seal, 144,000 marked from every tribe
of the children of Israel.
After this I had a vision of a great multitude
which no one could count from every nation,
race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice,
“Salvation comes from our God who is seated on the throne
and from the Lamb.”
All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders
and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshipped God and exclaimed,
“Amen! Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever.
Amen!”
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
“Who are these wearing white robes
and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.”
He said to me, “These are the ones
who have survived the time of great distress.
They have washed their robes
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. ∫
∫ Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. ∫
∫ The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, ∫
∫ the world and those who dwell in it. ∫
∫ It is he who set it on the seas, ∫
∫ on the rivers he mowed, he made it firm. ∫
∫ Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. ∫
A reading from the First Letter of St. John.
Beloved, see what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God, yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now.
What we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do not know that when it is revealed,
we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him
makes himself pure as he is pure.
The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, ∫
∫ and I will give you rest, says the Lord. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
The Lord be with you.
-And with your spirit.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
-Glory to you, O Lord.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he sat down, his disciples came to him,
he began to teach them by saying,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted
for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every evil kind against you
falsely because of me.
Be glad and rejoice, for your reward in Heaven will be great.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
-Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
This 95-year-old guy is walking in the woods.
He comes across a talking frog.
The frog says to the old guy, he says,
“Pick me up, kiss me.
I will turn into a beautiful princess.”
The 95-year-old guy picks up the frog, puts it in his pocket.
The frog said, “I said if you kiss me,
I’ll be turned into a beautiful princess.”
The 95-year-old guy says,
“At my age, I prefer a talking frog.”
[Laughter]
I really like that one.
All Saints Day.
The first qualification to be a Saint, you have to be dead.
First qualification.
I’m very delighted you are all alive,
hopefully for many, many years to come.
The Gospel today, Matthew, chapter 5, the Beatitudes.
But actually, slow the word down.
Beatitudes, B, dash, attitudes.
B, dash, attitudes.
Attitudes of being.
I love that.
B, dash, attitudes.
Attitudes of being.
Beatitudes are not passive.
They’re very, very active.
In a beautiful line, Hebrews, chapter 3, verse 13:
Encourage one another daily while it is still today.
I found that line some years ago.
I’ve always lived by that.
Encourage one another daily while it’s still today.
Do we spend our days lifting one another up
or putting others down?
Do we lift up or do we put down?
Yesterday, we celebrated Halloween.
Today, All Saints Day.
Tomorrow, All Souls Day.
And Halloween, All Hallows Eve.
I remember my very first Halloween outfit.
Kindergarten, five years old.
Washington Grammar School.
Mary, Seat of Wisdom then, did not have
a Catholic kindergarten in Park Ridge.
My first Halloween outfit, I dressed up as Mr. Magoo.
A lot of young people won’t remember Mr. Magoo,
but us old-timers remember Mr. Magoo.
I remember when I was in my first grade,
my Halloween outfit, I dressed up as a football player.
I took it too seriously because I tackled my sister,
Pam, a year younger.
Mother said, “Greg, you’re a football player.
Please don’t tackle anyone, especially your sister.”
You know, when it comes to Halloween
yesterday, we all put on the character and act that way.
We put on that character and we act that way.
All Saints Day to become Saints, to put on Christ.
Tomorrow, All Souls Day.
Please know we have many Saints living in our midst today,
in our neighborhood, in our cities.
Jesus will give us strength, not you, but him and you.
And please know this, we don’t receive Holy Communion
because we are Saints.
We receive Holy Communion
because we are sinners trying to become Saints.
And together as God’s family we profess our Creed:
I believe in one God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages,
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father,
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation,
he came down from heaven by the Holy Spirit,
and incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day,
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken to the prophets.
I believe in one holy Catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism, for the forgiveness of sins,
I look for the resurrection of the dead,
the life of the world to come.
-Amen.
With confidence, faith, and joy,
we bring the Lord our needs and our prayers, our very lives.
The response to each prayer would be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”
For our Church leaders and all the leaders of all nations,
may they follow the example of the Saints
who worked for peace and love on earth,
we pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For those who suffer in this world,
may God’s love fill them with comfort, hope, and peace.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For those who have died, may Christ welcome them
to eternal life with the Communion of Saints.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
For those who have lost their faith,
may the Saints in Heaven lead them back to our Lord.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.
Loving God, we ask you to hear our prayers,
those voiced and all our needs and prayers known to you,
found deep within our hearts, always through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ [Piano music continues] ∫
And pray, my sisters and brothers,
that our sacrifice be acceptable to God,
the Father, the Almighty.
-May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
for the praise and glory of his name,
for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
Amen.
May these offerings we bring in honor
of all the Saints be pleasing to you, O Lord,
and grant that just as we believe
the Saints to be already assured of immortality,
we may experience your concern for our salvation
always through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.
The Lord be with you.
-And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
-We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
-It is right and just.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, Holy Father, almighty, and eternal God.
For today, by your gift,
we celebrate the festival of your city,
the heavenly Jerusalem, our mother,
with a great array of our brothers and sisters,
already gives you eternal praise.
Towards her we eagerly hasten our pilgrims
advancing by faith as we then together sing:
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Holy, Holy, Holy ∫
∫ Lord, God of hosts, ∫
∫ heaven and earth are full of your glory. ∫
∫ Hosanna in the highest. ∫
∫ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. ∫
∫ Hosanna in the highest. ∫
You are indeed holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.
Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
that they may become for us the Body and Blood
of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the time he was betrayed
and entered into his Passion,
Jesus took bread and giving thanks,
broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
for this is my Body, which will be given up for you.”
When supper was ended, he took the chalice,
once for giving thanks, gave it to the disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
for this is the chalice of my Blood,
the Blood of the new and eternal covenant,
which we pour out for you and for many,
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.”
The Mystery of Faith.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, ∫
∫ we proclaim your Death, O Lord, ∫
∫ until you come again. ∫
Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial
of his life, death, and Resurrection,
we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life
and the Chalice of salvation,
giving thanks that he held us worthy
to be in your presence and minister to you.
Humble, we pray, that partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ
be gathered into one by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, your Church spread throughout the world
and bring her to the fullness of charity
together with Leo our Pope, Blase… our Bishop
with the Bishops, clergy, religious brothers and sisters,
and all who serve in your faith communities.
Remember also our brothers and sisters
who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection
and all who have died in your mercy.
In a very special way, all of the deceased loved ones
who have gone home to God.
Welcome them into the light of your face.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
Blessed Joseph her spouse,
the blessed Apostles, and all the Saints
who have pleased you throughout the ages.
May we merit to be co-heirs to eternal life,
and may praise and glorify you
through your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Through him, with him, and in him,
O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is yours forever and ever.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Amen, Amen, Amen. ∫
With confidence, faith, and joy,
together as God’s family, we pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
grant peace in our days,
that by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin,
and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope,
for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
-For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and forever.
And Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your Apostles,
my peace I leave you, my peace I give you,
look not upon our sins, but on the faith of your Church,
and grant us peace and unity,
in accordance with your will,
who lives and reigns forever and ever.
-Amen.
May the peace of the Lord be with all of you.
-And with your spirit.
Share the Lord’s peace and joy with those around us,
for those that are praying at home,
in a nursing facility, hospital-
from all of us here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
to each and every one of you,
God’s blessings, peace, and the Lord’s joy.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ grant us peace. ∫
Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world,
blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
-Lord, I am not worthy for you to enter under my roof,
but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
For those of you at home,
please turn to page six in your TV Mass guide
and join in singing our Communion hymn,
“Covenant Hymn.”
∫ [Piano music] ∫
[Covenant Hymn lyrics: paste the eight lyric lines from the original transcript here]
And together, let us pray.
As we adore you, O Lord our God, you alone are holy,
wonderful in all your Saints.
We implore your grace to come into perfect holiness,
the fullness of your love.
We pass this pilgrim table
to the banquet of our heavenly homeland,
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Together, our prayer for the boys and girls
of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls:
Our Lady of Mercy, we pray that you will guide,
protect, and bless all boys and girls
who this day have a home called Mercy.
May they find the Father’s mercy as we offer them our hearts
in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.
May they see God’s mercy in action
through our love, prayers, and sacrifices.
The Lord be with you,
-And with your spirit.
Let us bow our heads and pray for God’s blessings.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Amen.
May his face shine upon you, be with you always.
Amen.
May our lives always reflect the lives of the Saints
in holiness and joy and word and action.
Amen.
And with the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
descend upon all of us forever and ever.
-Amen.
Our celebration has ended. We go in peace.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ For all the Saints who from their labors rest ∫
∫ who to the world their faith in you confess ∫
∫ your name, O Jesus, be forever blessed. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ But then their breaks, a yet more glorious day ∫
∫ the Saints triumphant rise in bright array ∫
∫ the King of Glory passes on his way. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ From earth’s wide bounds, from oceans farthest coast ∫
∫ through gates of pearl streams in the countless host ∫
∫ singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost… ∫
Hello, my friends, as you know, as I know,
this TV ministry at Mercy Home is so important.
It allows us to gather wherever you may be
to participate in the prayer of the Church.
It allows us to pray for one another
and how important it is.
It allows you and me to pray for the children here
at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
We’re nourished by our presence together
and by the celebration of the Eucharist.
I just want to take this opportunity
to thank you so very much
for the ways in which you support
this Mass here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Please consider doing that going forward as well.
May God bless you and your family and your friends
for all you do for the TV Mass
at Mercy Home and for our children.
The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
is generously provided by G-I-A Publications Incorporated
and its World Library Publications division.
∫ [Piano music] ∫

This 95-year-old guy is walking in the woods.
He comes across a talking frog.
The frog says to the old guy, he says,
“Pick me up, kiss me.
I will turn into a beautiful princess.”
The 95-year-old guy picks up the frog, puts it in his pocket.
The frog said, “I said if you kiss me,
I’ll be turned into a beautiful princess.”
The 95-year-old guy says,
“At my age, I prefer a talking frog.”
[Laughter]
I really like that one.
All Saints Day.
The first qualification to be a Saint, you have to be dead.
First qualification.
I’m very delighted you are all alive,
hopefully for many, many years to come.
The Gospel today, Matthew, chapter 5, the Beatitudes.
But actually, slow the word down.
Beatitudes, B, dash, attitudes.
B, dash, attitudes.
Attitudes of being.
I love that.
B, dash, attitudes.
Attitudes of being.
Beatitudes are not passive.
They’re very, very active.
In a beautiful line, Hebrews, chapter 3, verse 13:
Encourage one another daily while it is still today.
I found that line some years ago.
I’ve always lived by that.
Encourage one another daily while it’s still today.
Do we spend our days lifting one another up
or putting others down?
Do we lift up or do we put down?
Yesterday, we celebrated Halloween.
Today, All Saints Day.
Tomorrow, All Souls Day.
And Halloween, All Hallows Eve.
I remember my very first Halloween outfit.
Kindergarten, five years old.
Washington Grammar School.
Mary, Seat of Wisdom then, did not have
a Catholic kindergarten in Park Ridge.
My first Halloween outfit, I dressed up as Mr. Magoo.
A lot of young people won’t remember Mr. Magoo,
but us old-timers remember Mr. Magoo.
I remember when I was in my first grade,
my Halloween outfit, I dressed up as a football player.
I took it too seriously because I tackled my sister,
Pam, a year younger.
Mother said, “Greg, you’re a football player.
Please don’t tackle anyone, especially your sister.”
You know, when it comes to Halloween
yesterday, we all put on the character and act that way.
We put on that character and we act that way.
All Saints Day to become Saints, to put on Christ.
Tomorrow, All Souls Day.
Please know we have many Saints living in our midst today,
in our neighborhood, in our cities.
Jesus will give us strength, not you, but him and you.
And please know this, we don’t receive Holy Communion
because we are Saints.
We receive Holy Communion
because we are sinners trying to become Saints.