Fr. Simon's Letter - May 1, 2022

As we continue to bask in Easter joy, please join me in congratulating 102 young people of our parish who were confirmed this past Friday. Easter is filled with the energy of new life that also manifests itself in the explosion of sacramental celebrations in many parishes. The Easter Vigil starts it off with celebrating the sacraments of initiation – baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist – for those in our RCIA program. Springtime calendars are filled with others – first Holy Communions, confirmations, weddings, and infant Baptisms.

After a couple of years of ‘virtual’ preparation for the sacrament of confirmation, the students of this year’s confirmation class had the full benefit of in-person learning, preparation and confirmation retreat. However, they had not forgotten their service hours and many of them found ways to live out their call to discipleship by doing chores for their neighbors – shoveling snow, mowing lawns, baking cookies or spending time with those who were alone. Some of their letters to me expressed their joyful anticipation to receive this sacrament and continue their journey of faith. One of my questions to all of the students was ‘what gift of the Holy Spirit will you rely on and why?’ Their answers covered all seven gifts, and in their writing, they expressed hope that the reception of this sacrament will help strengthen their resolve and embolden them to live their faith in a world that continues to challenge them at every step of the way.

As we rejoice with them, please continue to keep the new confirmands, and also those who are preparing to receive the sacrament of the Eucharist for the first-time next weekend, in your prayers. May they be strengthened each day to be witnesses to God’s love.

In about two weeks, we will gather as a community at Chateau Ritz in Niles for our Gala Night of the UPP. We will celebrate the spirit of community that binds us together, give thanks to God for bringing us together as one family, remember and thank the generous benefactors who sustained this great parish in the past and who continue to support it both now and into the future, and raise funds to support the many ministries and activities of the parish that are essential to our vitality in the present and for generations to come.

The UPP, the United Parish Program, is our one and only fundraiser. The UPP aims to bring together the many and varied organizations in the parish and work as one toward a common goal – to build up the body of Christ and to care for and support the sacramental, educational and ministerial needs of our members. It is therefore of utmost importance that every member of the parish community takes part in this united, and vital, endeavor.

So, I appeal to every family in the parish – and we have 2900 families – to offer your support and be a part of this year’s UPP. Along with purchasing a ticket and attending the Gala, there are many additional ways to participate. You can be a sponsor, take out an advertisement in the event booklet, offer an item for auction, buy raffle tickets, or help one of the many committees prepare for the event. Our goal is to raise $275,000. That’s a lot of money, but it’s what is needed to support the ongoing ministries and activities of our parish. Yes, it’s a lot of money, but I know that we can do it with the participation and support of every single family in the parish. To make it even easier for you to take part, you can donate online!

This year, an additional feature has been added to our RAISE THE PADDLE. This new addition will assist in developing the “Fund for Excellence” which will be used in support of our teachers as they continue to provide the highest quality academic, religious and moral formation of our children. Our dedicated teachers have been and continue to be paid far less than they deserve. “Fund for Excellence” will provide financial relief as a bonus to our teachers. This additional resource will help us retain the members of our current faculty and when needed, be able to recruit from the pool of the best teachers available. It is our teachers who maintain the excellent standards deserving of our students. We will continue the “RAISE THE PADDLE – PRAISE A TEACHER – Fund for Excellence” for the next five years. We have a proud heritage of deep and wide support for our school.  The future of our children, and our parish, depends on you.

None of the above would be possible without the leadership and vision of our UPP team. I am deeply grateful to Carolyn Carini, Christina Purtell, Angie Cantillon and Kristin Hack, who are coordinating this year’s UPP and the many volunteers who are on several different committees, working hard to make this day both memorable and successful. It is through their hard work, and your generosity and support, that we will achieve our goal. I look forward to seeing you on May 13, for our Gala Night of…
 
Blessings!!