St. Mary Immaculate Parish Makes a Diffrence

 By Jessica Stevens

Plainfield’s St. Mary Immaculate Parish celebrates “Make a Difference Day” in their own way, despite COVID-19. Make a Diffrence day is an unofficial secular holiday that is generally celebrated on the third Saturday in October, this year St. Mary’s helped the celebration on October 17^th. This unofficial secular holiday gives families the opportunity to complete a Disciples of Christ Service Project.

 

It was iffy this year whether or not the celebration would go off because of COVID-19, but the church decided that the event was necessary. Make a Difference Day began with a morning Mass and a blessing of the volunteers. Various service projects took place between 8:30 a.m and 3:30 p.m.  Donation stations collected items for charities and organizations in the area. Many of the items went to women’s centers and food pantries. Volunteers decorated pumpkins for three assisted living facilities in Plainfield. 334 stress blankets were made by volunteers for the Linden Oak Behavioral Center, a hospital that offers mental health and substance abuse services in Mokena. The Boy Scouts also helped volunteer by pulling weeds, trimming bushes and trees and cleaning up the St. Mary Immaculate Parish and Cemetery. Volunteers even made 500 rosaries for the Legion of Mary.

 

Father Pat Mulcahy wrote in the October 18^th newsletter about how much joy it brings him to see the community come together to help those in need. “When that happens, it’s clear to me that the Holy Spirit is active in the community.” Father Mulcahy continues.