October 31-November 1, 2026
Dear parishioners,
Kingdom Builders, our parish faith formation group for women, is currently making homemade Advent wreaths as part of a fundraiser. If you would like to order some wreaths, you can find the order forms in the narthex at the Paulding church, and in the entryway at the Payne church. Please consider purchasing some, as all proceeds will go directly to supporting the Kingdom Builders program at our parish. The Kingdom Builders company, based in Fort Wayne, supplies all participating parishes with the materials needed for the monthly meetings throughout the year. The annual cost to the parish is $1,500. Purchasing an Advent wreath will help defray this cost, and will help us to continue this ministry that has already born fruit for a number of our parishioners. The orders are due by next Sunday, November 8th.
Please also come to a Kingdom Builders gathering to experience the joy and peace that can come from growing in the Catholic faith together with other women! This invitation is open to all women 18 and older, regardless of age, religion, and life experiences. There are no judgments and no intrusions into anyone’s personal life. Our Kingdom Builders leadership team is solely focused on encountering Christ, and opening doors for other women to do the same. Divine Mercy’s Kingdom Builders group gathers every 3rd Tuesday of the month in the Paulding church basement. You are invited and welcome!
On a different note, with Monday being All Souls Day, I will once again celebrate three Masses that day, as is permitted in the Roman Missal: 9:00a.m. school Mass, 12:00 Mass in Paulding, and 7:00p.m. Mass in Paulding. While not a day of obligation, it is worthwhile to come to Mass that day to pray for our beloved dead, and all the souls in purgatory.
I would like to once again remind everyone that on All Souls Day and for the following week, a plenary indulgence may be obtained for the dead. The Church’s Manual of Indulgences states:
A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the souls in purgatory, is granted to the faithful who,
1° on any and each day from November 1 to 8, devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, if only mentally, for the departed;
2° on All Souls Day, […] devoutly visit a church or an oratory and recite an Our Father and the Creed.
The above two indulgenced actions are separate options; it is not required to complete both of the options in order for the indulgence to be applied to a soul. Please also keep in mind the usual conditions for obtaining a plenary indulgence. In addition to the prescribed actions above, one must make a sacramental confession, receive the Eucharist, pray for the pope’s intentions, and be removed from all attachment to sin, even venial.
If any of the above conditions are lacking, then the actions performed obtain a partial indulgence. As stated in the Manual of Indulgences, the condition of praying for the pope’s intentions is “fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary; nevertheless, one has the option of reciting any other prayer according to individual piety and devotion, if recited for this intention.”
A single sacramental confession suffices for multiple indulgences. The three conditions (confession, Communion, praying for the pope’s intention) “may be fulfilled several days before or after the performance of the prescribed work”.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions in this regard.
Blessings,
Fr. Ammanniti
