News - September 2022

Prayer - Spending Time with God; Participation - Sharing Talent; Proportionate Giving...

The QAS Moppet & Me Ministry is a social play group for children ages 0 to 5 along with their moms, dads, grandparents or babysitters. Currently our group is on hold due to the lack of a coordinator(s). Traditionally the group meets on selected Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00am, usually twice per month. Toys are provided, volunteers bring snacks to share and parents and tots have a low-key place to build community. Please know the meeting times and days can be flexible.

November is the month of All Souls. To remember those who have died this last year Queen of All Saints will  create a memorial shrine at the statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. You are invited to bring a framed picture of your beloved deceased family member or friend to be part of the memorial shrine.

As Mass attendance continues to increase, we are in need of many new ministers to distribute Holy Communion to the people of God. Jesus took, blessed and broke bread at the Last Supper. He feeds us who hunger with his Body and Blood. Just as he instructed his apostles to do the same, so the Church entrusts the Body and Blood of Christ to ministers, who then give them to the faithful.

Last weekend, drawing inspiration from the Gospel, I highlighted the activities of our parish Outreach Commission. This weekend we hear the prophet Habakkuk lament to God: "Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife and clamorous discord." A lot of people in the world today could make the same cry. Closer to home, the situation is not so drastic. Perhaps, in some ways, some have never had it so good.

Every five years, priests in the Archdiocese of Chicago go through a review process to help us become better priests and pastoral ministers. For more information about this process, please see the letter from Bishop Bartosic on the next page. My last review was in 2016, when I was an associate. The results from that survey helped me grow as a person and minister. Since then, my role has changed, and my responsibilities have expanded.

The global health crisis from COVID-19 was sprung on us two and a half years ago very quickly and without warning. Every day brought more uncertainty as we were called upon to do our best for ourselves, our families and for each other, even in our gatherings for Mass and other liturgies here at Queen of All Saints.

Taking an active role in a parish ministry allows us to put our faith into action. Our nearly forty parish ministries fall into one of five commissions: Faith Formation, Spiritual Life, Parish Life, Outreach, and Accountability. Two weeks ago, as a part of our Oktoberfest celebration, we presented a Parish Ministry Fair to highlight and encourage parishioners to get involved in one or more of our many parish ministries. Please consider taking part in one of the following opportunities to minister to the members of our parish community. 

We hope you had a chance to visit our Ministry Fair and Oktoberfest last weekend. Perhaps also the rain that drove our event indoors gave you an opportunity to see our Parish Center and cafeteria.  The Parish Center was the final construction phase of our Capital Campaign, which was our collective confident vote in the future vitality of our parish. 

This weekend the Church celebrates Catechetical Sunday. On this day the catechists of our parish are formally commissioned and blessed as they start a new year of passing on the faith to others. This year the USCCB has declared 2022’s catechetical theme as “This is my body given for you.” 

Last Sunday, just before we were about to set up for our ‘Mass on the Field’ and our Oktoberfest celebration, the heavens opened and poured rain down upon us. In a flash, the ever-resourceful and quick-thinking members of the Men's Club moved the entire operation into the cafeteria, the gym, and the parish center.

We are happy to share the news that the area around the basilica and school will receive a sorely needed repaving in the coming weeks through the assistance of Alderman Samantha Nugent and Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer.

There is just one-third of the year remaining so it’s not too early to start thinking about our 2022 tax returns and how we can support our parish in a tax-advantaged way. Certainly, the primary motivation for our charitable contributions to Queen of All Saints Parish is the generous return to God for the great gifts he has given us.

Lord Jesus Christ, As we celebrate our national holiday in honor of the dignity of labor and our duty to use the fruits of our labor for others, teach us to recognize you, and help us follow you amidst our busy life.

Are you thinking about becoming Catholic? Are you curious about Jesus Christ? Do you want to complete your sacraments of initiation? Click for more information

"Let the little children come to me, and do not prevent them. For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" - Matthew 19:14. We are starting to "CLOW" again and need you to volunteer!

Happy Labor Day! Let us use this Labor Day holiday to give thanks to God for our freedom to seek work in a field of our choosing, with the just assurance of a reasonable wage. Let us be mindful of those who are  unemployed or underemployed. Let us also be respectful of all forms of human labor and the dignity it affords us to be co-creators with the Almighty.