Fr. Simon's Letter - September 24, 2023 - Queen of All Saints

True to last year’s script, our “Mass on the Field’ and Oktoberfest experienced rain showers, preventing us from being outside. Yet, in a flash, the ever-resourceful and quick-thinking members of the Men’s Club moved the entire operation into the cafeteria, gym and Parish Center. We celebrated the Eucharist in our beautiful basilica and enjoyed food in the cafeteria and parish center. We were made aware of the many ministries that serve our community, and had children with faces painted burning off sugar in the gym. Despite the rain, so many of you showed up that the Men’s Club had to reignite the grills as we welcomed more and more people.

Many individuals and groups were responsible for making this event possible. I want to thank the Men’s Club, under the leadership of its president, Steve Barcy; Ben Camarda, who oversaw the food; and Oktoberfest event chairs Steve Konarchy and Matt Pulaski, who all came together to help us all enjoy the day.

The Filipino-American Community Association deserves our gratitude for the delectable desserts they provided. Many of our scout troops were on hand to serve ice-cream, run games for the kids, paint faces and help with clean-up. They, too, deserve our gratitude. Special thanks to Lauren Berke and our Parish Pastoral Council members, who planned the “ministry fair” to help us engage or re-engage in one or more of our parish ministries.

The Eucharist was the center of our celebration. I am grateful to Dr. Ken Sotak, our choir, and instrumentalists for helping us lift our voices in joyful praise. To our maintenance department and the many volunteers , for all your help to make this day a huge success – THANK YOU!!!
We are blessed to have such a vibrant and giving community that we can host events like this. There were many first-time volunteers who gratefully offered the gift of their time and talents to make this event a success. It is the generosity of this wonderful community that enables us to do what many others aspire to do, and I am blessed to be your pastor!

I ask for your prayers this week as the Church in Chicago gathers together for a Day of Renewal on Monday, September 25. Parish leaders will come together in prayer and share examples of the spiritual renewal underway in our parishes. The day will re-ground us in the vision of renewal, and dedicate time to celebrate the importance of the Eucharistic celebration as the source and summit of our lives and the missionary discipleship to which we are called. Following several years of parish structural changes, this is an important moment in the life of our local Church. We are excited to come together and find inspiration from the Holy Spirit and one another as we answer the Lord's call: Renew My Church.

Blessings!!