I love the way today’s first reading begins: “See, the days are coming when ...” These words of anticipation touch our hopes and spark our expectations.
It is hard to believe that it was just four years ago that a global health crisis from COVID-19 was sprung on us very quickly and without warning. Every day seemed to bring more uncertainty and we were called upon on very short notice to do our best for ourselves and for each other, even in our gatherings for Mass and other liturgies here at Queen of All Saints.
We are midway through the season of Lent. It is a good time to take stock of our fidelity to our Lenten promises and strengthen our resolve to be faithful to the end. Lent, as a season, does not have the mass appeal or media coverage of Christmas or Easter. It is a quiet time, a somber time, a time to look inward and assess where we are in our relationship with God...
If you weren’t present for the mission, you missed some wonderful talks by our presenter Beth Knobbe. On the first night she spoke of the surety of God’s love for us, no matter what. When she spoke of forgiveness, on the second night, two words stuck with me – humility and generosity. In the context of forgiveness, we must be humble to ask for forgiveness and generously forgive others. In the context of this Sunday’s first reading, the people of Israel were assured of God’s love for them through his saving acts in their lives; and through the commandments they were called to love both God and neighbor...
Simply put, the Lenten season prepares us for the celebration of Easter, the most important day in our Christian calendar. For some it is a time of healing, an opportunity to repair their spiritual brokenness. For others it is simply a good time to cultivate their spiritual lives in a more disciplined manner. For all of us it is a truly rewarding time to embrace the ancient triad of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in a more focused way...
We talk about the three traditional pillars of Lent: Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. Let’s look at how those last two can work together for our Lenten preparation. If “fasting” means “doing without” and “almsgiving” means stewardship, then our opportunities for a fruitful Lent become clearer...
We have begun our Lenten journey in earnest, with all the good intentions of embracing the disciplines of fasting, prayer and almsgiving. We may have renewed some of the tried and tested resolutions, such as giving up chocolate, booze, caffeine or gossiping about others. We may have resolved to attend Mass throughout the forty-days of Lent, or on the Sundays of Lent. Or perhaps we have decided that as a family we will pray together each day through the season...
The Lenten season begins this week, our preparation for the celebration of Easter. It is a time for us Christians to embrace the “three pillars of Lent,” prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, in a focused way...
Thank you for your many prayers and well wishes for a successful surgery. On January 29, I had revision surgery on my right knee, which was replaced in 2011. This surgery was necessary as the button behind the kneecap was loose. My recovery time also gives me time to ponder and prepare for the season of Lent...
Today is the start of Catholic Schools Week. Our deep pride and satisfaction in the excellent work done by our school is tempered by the unfortunate news that the Illinois legislature terminated the Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship program on December 31, 2023...
Since 1974, National Catholic Schools Week has been the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. We take this week to celebrate what makes Queen of All Saints School uniquely special...
Remember how our bell tower looked in 2019? We know that the last few years have been especially trying times for our parish finances from a major capital repair perspective. We were faced with the sudden and unexpected need to replace the basilica ceiling during 2017/2018, and then to make more extensive than expected repairs to the bell tower during 2019/2020...
What a beautiful witness it was on the part of so many of you, being here in church last weekend, despite the snow and the cold. I even witnessed some who came here by bicycle…yes, by bicycle. It was such a testament to your love for the Lord. God reward you!
We have asked for a significant increase in our Sunday collections, but we also believe that any request for support must be based on a well-documented need. We rely on three main sources of funds...
The Christmas season always comes to a close with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Most often we have the opportunity to celebrate the feast on the Sunday following the feast of the Epiphany. However, because this past Christmas fell on the calendar as it did, this particular feast was tucked away on a Monday...
The start of a new year is a great time for us to take another look at our support of our parish. Committing to stewardship is an important part of living a Christian life. Real Christian living asks a lot of us and is not supposed to be easy. Making a commitment to stewardship is a serious challenge.
As you came to Mass this Sunday, you would have noticed that the Nativity scene outside has been taken down and put away. We have come to the end of our Christmas celebrations. At this time, allow me to express, on your behalf, a word of gratitude to the many who made it possible for us to celebrate the beauty and the mystery of the Incarnation.
The start of a new year is a great time for us to take another look at our support of our parish. Committing to stewardship of time, talent, and treasure is an important part of living a Christian life, and real Christian living asks a lot of us, and is not easy....
