Parish Blood Drive
We will host a Red Cross Blood Drive at St. Patrick Church of Merna on Monday, June 15th from 12:30pm-5:30pm in the Parish Hall. Click the button below or call 1-800-RED CROSS to make an appointment. Volunteers are also needed to help bring treats, staff the canteen, and welcome and check-in donors. Sign up at the St. Pat’s Welcome Center desk or contact Jeff Lopez at jeff@mheparish.org or (309) 662-7361.
Anyone interested in commemorating the life of a loved one with an engraved brick for the Memorial Garden should fill out the form below by June 1st. A $50 donation for each brick supports the cost of engraving, planting, and maintenance. If you have questions, please contact Kristie in the parish office at (309)662-7361.
The Beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen will take place this September. We, as a parish, have rented several buses to take a contingent down to St. Louis for this momentous occasion. Seating is limited and seats are not guaranteed until payment is received.
Date: Thursday, September 24th; Beatification Mass is at 2pm
Location: The Dome at the America’s Center; St. Louis, MO
Cost: $95 per person; includes roundtrip bus transportation, tickets to the Beatification Mass, snacks and drinks on the bus
Departure/Arrival: Depart from St. Patrick Church of Merna at approximately 8am; return that same evening after events have ended
Contact Jeff Lopez with any questions.
For more information about the event, visit celebrate sheen.com
SI 101 is an 8‑week group for men or women who desire healing and growth in areas of sexual brokenness. These groups will be gender specific. God created our sexuality as good, yet many of us struggle with patterns, wounds, or behaviors that leave us feeling stuck or lacking freedom.
These groups offer a safe and confidential space to honestly address those struggles, understand what drives them, and pursue restoration. Through teaching, reflection, and community, participants are invited into deeper intimacy with Jesus and the freedom He offers.
All men and women interested in participating or simply helping others on their journey, please join us for an informational meeting on Wednesday, May 6th at 6:30pm. Groups will begin on May 20th.
If you are unable to attend on the 6th but are interested in more information, connect with us below or contact Joey or Julia.
Totus Tuus is a great week-long Catholic program to help your children and teens learn more about their faith and grow closer to Jesus through a relationship with his mother, Mary! College-age students travel to various parishes over the summer to offer our youth the chance to see that learning about and celebrating our faith doesn’t have to be boring. They engage students in classes, songs, skits, and games, all while deepening their understanding of the faith and showing them how to live it out day-to-day. We bet your kids have never had this much fun at church! Make plans to join us this summer at St. Patrick Church of Merna for another awesome week of Totus Tuus!
Contact Erin with any questions!
Daytime Program (Incoming 1st – 6th Graders)
Dates: Monday, June 29 – Friday, July 3
Time: 9am – 2:30pm each day
Location: St. Patrick Church of Merna
Cost: $50 for 1 child; $70 for 2 children; $90 for 3 or more children; Scholarships are available
Evening Program (Incoming 7th – 12th Graders)
Dates: Sunday, June 28 – Thursday, July 2
Time: 6:30pm – 8:15pm each day
Location: St. Patrick Church of Merna
Cost: $15 per teen; Scholarships are available
Theme: Rainforest Falls: Exploring the Nature of God
When: Monday, June 1 – Thursday, June 4; 6pm – 8pm
Where: St. Patrick Church of Merna
Who: All children age 4 years old by Aug. 31, 2026 through entering 6th grade
The registration deadline has passed. Contact Jenny Cook with any questions.
The links below will take you to all of the information you’ll need for a successful week of VBS! Please take the time to look everything over, and if you have any questions, please contact Jenny Cook, VBS Director.
Thank you for your interest in volunteering to help with Vacation Bible School 2026! Unfortunately, we have reached our teen volunteer capacity and are no longer accepting applications.
If you have any questions, please contact our VBS Director, Jenny Cook, or Teen Volunteer Director, Erin Okrzesik
We cannot hold Vacation Bible School without our amazing adult volunteers! Please fill out the application using the button below. We do our best to accommodate everyone’s first choice of volunteer area.
VBS will take place June 1-4 at St. Patrick Church of Merna (1001 N Towanda Barnes Rd., Bloomington). Volunteer hours are 5:30-8pm each night.
If you would like more information or to sign up to volunteer, please contact Jenny Cook, VBS Director.
Cubs/Cards Bus Trip to Busch Stadium in St. Louis
Thursday, July 30th @ 1:15pm
For more information contact Jeff Lopez at jeff@mheparish.org or 309-662-7361.
The Diocese of Peoria is releasing a high-quality colored history book. This book will include pictures and a brief history of every church in the diocese, and only one printing will be run.
Most Holy Eucharist Parish has 150 copies available for sale at $50 per copy. If you would like to reserve a copy, please click the button below.
The book will arrive at the end of May, at which time notifications will be sent to those who pre-ordered. Contact the parish office with any questions.
Our parish is once again participating in the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) for the Diocese of Peoria. As the diocese celebrates its 150th anniversary, we are reminded of our mission as Christians. We are called to proclaim the Gospel yesterday, today, and forever. The Annual Diocesan Appeal gives us an opportunity to respond by sharing our gifts which will enable and equip the Church for today’s opportunities and challenges in witnessing to our faith. There are many ministries and apostolates that the Diocese can offer that we as a single parish cannot. Recruitment and training of priests, vocation discernment program for young men, marriage preparation, ministry to our students on college campuses, evangelization, Catholic Charities programs… these are just a few of the many services we receive from the Diocese of Peoria. Your support, in prayer and through your sacrificial gift to the Annual Diocesan Appeal, makes it possible to provide these services. Please prayerfully consider making a pledge to this year’s appeal at cdop.org/ada.
View the Bishop’s annual ADA video below:
The goal for our parish, Most Holy Eucharist, is $324,278 and we can reach it only with your help.
Have you had a powerful experience with Jesus at an event? Maybe at an Encounter Night, in Adoration, or in a study? Please take a moment to share your experience with us at Witness Your Faith!
All responses go straight to our Evangelization Director, Jess Elliott, and are kept anonymous.
