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.
Each year on the last Sunday of January we begin to celebrate Catholic Schools Week. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.”
It’s January of a new year. Christmas and all its attractions (both spiritual and material) is behind us. Perhaps now it’s time to review our commitments to God and to each other, using the traditional stewardship terms of time (such as an hour a week to attend Mass), talent (helping those in our community who are in need) and treasure (giving back some of the material gifts we have been blessed to receive). Let’s think in these terms:
About six years ago, at a gathering of the priests of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Cardinal Cupich invited those gathered to take a hard look at the ‘signs of the time’ and encouraged us to prepare for the future. The obvious signs were declining numbers of those who are actively engaged in their faith, growing shortage of priests and failing infrastructure.
A joint letter from Fr. Simon Braganza and Fr. Rich Jakubik - We write to you today as pastors of Queen of All Saints Parish and Saint Mary of the Woods Parish in fellowship among neighbors united in our roles as disciples of Christ.
Celebrating baptisms is one of my most joyful duties and one that carries great responsibility. I have the joy of knowing that I am facilitating Jesus’ reaching out to wash away someone’s sins and pour the new life of the Holy Spirit into them, making them God’s children and new members of his Church, our spiritual family...
I hope you had a wonderful time to gather with family and celebrate Christmas. This Sunday, as we are still recovering from the after-effect of the holy day, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Holy Family. We are reminded of our twofold status, as members of particular families and members of the family and household of God. At the heart of today’s feast is the reminder that in becoming man, God in human flesh, Jesus Christ, grew up under the direction of his mother, Mary, and a foster father, Joseph.
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. Making a commitment to stewardship is a serious challenge with today’s COVID challenges to our health, our finances and our loss of full community with family and friends.