Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church

08/10/2026

What a weekend! As we look back through the pictures from our 59th Annual Parish Picnic, we’re reminded of just how much goes into making this weekend happen.

From face painting 🎨 and the basket auction 🎟️, to the soda stand 🥤, food stands 🍽️, and our NEW yard sale stand 🛍️, there was something for everyone!

Friday may have brought us a little extra excitement from Mother Nature 🌧️, but that didn’t stop so many of you from coming out, supporting the parish, enjoying some good food, and spending time with friends and family. For that, we are truly grateful!

And now for the BIGGEST thank you of all… our volunteers!

Countless hours go into this picnic long before the first customer arrives and long after the last pigeon is served. From our generous sponsors, to those who cooked, cleaned, decorated, set up, tore down, worked the stands, sold tickets, parked cars, and kept the grounds looking their best all weekend, we couldn’t do it without you!

This picnic isn’t just about food, games, prizes, and fun. It’s about community, tradition, and people coming together to make something special happen.
To everyone who volunteered, sponsored, attended, donated, purchased, ate, played, shopped, or simply stopped by to say hello, THANK YOU! ❤️

Until next year, we’ll see you at the 60th! 🎉

08/08/2026

🎉 AND JUST LIKE THAT…IT’S THE FINAL DAY! 🎉

Well folks, we’ve reached the last day of the picnic which means this is your final chance to get your fill of all your favorite picnic foods, grab some delicious treats, and take your chances on some REALLY awesome prizes!

And can we talk about last night’s weather miracle?!

A BIG thank you to everyone who placed the Blessed Mother in the windows! We’re not saying she has connections with the weather department, but the rain stopped shortly after picnic start time and we stayed dry the rest of the evening! Coincidence? We think not! 😉🙏

If you joined us last night, we hope you had a great time and if you’re anything like us, you’re probably already thinking about what you’re coming back for seconds of tonight!

🎶 Tonight, Lucky Afternoon takes the stage at 5:30 PM! 🎶

The weather is looking mighty fine for a night out in the valley, so come on down, bring the family, bring your appetite, and make one more night of it with us!

08/07/2026

🎉 The wait is over!! TODAY'S THE DAY! 🎉

After countless hours of planning, cooking, cleaning, decorating, more cooking and more planning, it's finally time for our Annual Parish Picnic!

The grills are hot, the kitchen is buzzing, the games are ready, the music is set, and the volunteers can't wait to welcome you!

Join us today from 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM

And now for the moment many of you have been waiting for - our "Guess the Number of Pigeons Rolled" results! 🥬

The final count was 1,215 pigeons! 🎉 Congratulations to everyone who guessed close to that number as you are a good pigeon guesser!!

Bring your family, your friends, and your appetite tonight for delicious homemade ethnic foods, sweet treats, fun, laughter, and great community fellowship.

Most importantly, THANK YOU for supporting our parish. Every meal purchased, every game played, and every smile shared helps make this tradition possible.

💬 When you stop by, leave us a comment below to let us know how we did!

08/06/2026

What’s the perfect way to wrap up an amazing picnic weekend? Cold drinks and live music!🍻🎵

Join us Saturday evening in the pavilion as Lucky Afternoon takes the stage at 5:30 PM!

Get ready for a night of great tunes and dancing!

Bring your lawn chair, grab your favorite food and drinks, and settle in for an evening of fun in the valley.
We can't wait to see you there! 🎤🎸🎉

08/05/2026

08/05/2026

Pigeon Making Day!

It takes a village to make a pigeon!

From mixing the meat, cooking the cabbage and rice, to rolling each pigeon nice and tight, every step takes patience, teamwork, and a skill that can't be learned from a recipe alone.

These aren't just stuffed cabbage rolls, they're family traditions. ❤️ Skills lovingly passed down from parents and grandparents are now being shared with children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren.

Around these prep tables and stovetop, stories are told, laughter is shared, and recipes are measured with a little bit of this, a pinch of that, and a whole lot of love.

Pigeon making isn't just another day of food prep for the picnic. It's one of the many traditions that makes “Our Little Church in the Valley” so special. It's proof that while generations may change, the heart of our parish never does.

Now the only question is, how many pigeons do you think were rolled today? 😄 Leave your best guess in the comments!

Be sure to stop by the picnic and taste the tradition for yourself!

08/04/2026

**Updated with additional pictures**

If you're driving through the valley over the next few days and suddenly find yourself asking:
"What's that smell?!" 🤔😂 Don't worry, nothing's wrong! It's just the unmistakable aroma of an ethnic church kitchen in full swing! 🧅🥬

The onions are working overtime (seriously...they have a job in just about everything coming out of our ethnic food stand! 😆), and the cabbage is making its grand entrance.

Can we hear it for the pigeons? 👏
Whether you call them pigs in a blanket, piggies, halupkis, stuffed cabbage, golumpkis, or cabbage rolls, one thing everyone agrees on is this, our crew makes some of the BEST around! They're homemade with lots of love, packed full of flavor, and they're practically the size of your hand!

The chopping, rolling, stirring, and laughing has officially begun. The countdown to picnic weekend is on and we can't wait to serve you all your favorites!

See you at the picnic! ❤️🌭🥟

08/03/2026

Before the potato cakes can hit the grill and the music and games begin, there's a whole lot of heavy lifting that has to happen! 💪

Thankfully, this week we had some much-needed muscle when the SCA Tigers football team 🏈 showed up to lend a hand. From moving countless tables and cleaning grills to hauling supplies from storage to all the picnic stands, these young men tackled every job with smiles and great attitudes.

A huge THANK YOU to these hardworking athletes for proving they're not only tough on the football field, but also champions when it comes to serving their community.

Now let's hope they saved a little strength for football season and maybe a few pigeons or haluski at the picnic! 🥬 🥣 Go Tigers! 🐯💙

08/02/2026

What a busy and exciting time for our parish family!

While we're hard at work preparing for this week's parish picnic, we also took time to pause and celebrate a very special milestone.

In just a couple of weeks, one of our own, Robert Hergen III, will begin his journey to the seminary. Many gathered today to send him off with our love, encouragement, and, most importantly, our prayers as he takes this incredible next step in answering God's call.

Dr. and Mrs. Hergan and their three sons have long been such an important part of our parish family, and we were truly blessed to have the opportunity to celebrate this special occasion with them and show our gratitude.

Be sure to check out the photos of the absolutely stunning homemade cookies, beautifully created by our own Mrs. Julie Guzick. They were not only gorgeous, but delicious!

Please join us in praying for Rob as he begins this new chapter. May God continue to guide, strengthen, and bless him every step of the way.

God bless you, Robert! We are so proud of you! 🙏❤️

08/01/2026

We want to know...What are YOU most excited about? 🤔

🍔 Delicious food?
🍰 Baked goods?
🎶 Nightly entertainment?
🎯 Kids' games?
🛍️ Our NEW yard sale?
🤝 Seeing friends and family?

Tell us in the comments! 👇 We can't wait to celebrate with everyone next weekend. Bring your family, invite your friends, and get ready for a weekend of great food, fun, and fellowship!