News - April 2022

Regular readers of this page know we were in the fortunate position to be able to borrow from our long-term savings accounts (our endowments) to fund...

Hello, I am Daniel R. Calderon, and I am the new Business Manager here at Queen of All Saints. I am a graduate of UIC College of Pharmacy where I received my doctorate. I spent the last 25+ years in the retail corporate space where I’ve devoted myself to my customers and employees. I will leverage that passion and experience to benefit the parishioners of Queen of All Saints.

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.

We often describe our call to stewardship as our selfless gifts of time, talent and treasure, in response to the wonderful gifts we have received from God.

Most of us are aware of the term ‘Monday morning quarterback’ or have played that role over a cup of coffee or some beverage. The Easter season is somewhat similar for the disciples and for us. The shocking turn of events of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection surprised them and altered their expectations and their life’s path. They began to recall the words and works of Christ in the light of his resurrection. This strengthened their faith in the ‘one they called lord and master.’

We know that our Easter collection is one of our two largest special collections of the year, and is a necessary part of our ability to support the many ministries, liturgies, and outreach that touch us throughout the year, even at times like now when our parish life is still not yet back to normal.

At last, an Easter celebration that is different from the last two. It is so good to see so many returning to worship in person in the basilica. As we celebrate this solemn feast, I welcome those who until recently have watched Mass online, especially those who are vulnerable. Thank you for your presence with us and for the added joy of being able to see one another without masks. I also want to extend a warm welcome to Adam Bevel, Laura Frcka, Antonio Raskaj, Stephanie Santander and Rosemary Talento, received into the Catholic Church and welcomed to the table of Christ. It is a joyous celebration not only for these new members, their sponsors and families but also for us. Our witness to the faith and our prayers from them is in some way a cause for joy.

We know that our Easter collection is one of our two largest special collections of the year, and is a necessary part of our ability to support the many ministries, liturgies, and outreach that touch us throughout the year, even at times like now when our parish life is still not yet back to normal.

Pilgrims to the Holy Land commemorate the events of Palm Sunday with a procession that begins at the Mount of Olives.  It is a place not far from what marks the spot of Jesus’ ascension after Easter and the Church of Pater Noster which marks the event of Jesus teaching his disciples to pray the ‘Pater Noster,’ the ‘Our Father.’