News - A Note from Our Pastor

In 2010, I was on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land for the first time. It was during the Advent season. What caught my eye was the Advent candle stands in practically all of the churches we visited. It was not the usual metal stand with some greenery around it. These candle stands were the stump of a tree with four branches or arms, with little or no greenery, that held the Advent candle. They were free-form, organic candle stands.

The most important things in life require preparation. When parents discover they are expecting a new child, they decorate a room, purchase clothes, and a family member or friend throws a baby shower. Similarly, in other areas of life, we prepare, whether for a new job, purchasing a new home, or embarking on a new vocation.

A few months ago, the world's attention was focused on Queen Elizabeth's funeral. On full display was the splendor of the monarchy and the pageantry that accompanied the days of mourning and funeral services. The outpouring of affection surprised even those who abhorred the monarchy. Many admired her devotion to duty and service, and a few did speak of her faith. She gratefully acknowledged God's steadfast love and faithfulness in the foreword to the book 'The Servant Queen and the King She Serves' published to celebrate her 90th birthday.

In July 2016, we launched a Capital Campaign, From Generation to Generation, to help fund the comprehensive renovation of the Benedict Center and to make much-needed improvements to the school buildings. Through this amazing community's generosity, we have collected about 90% of the 5.2 million dollars pledged. With God's grace, your help, and a dedicated team of architects, engineers, contractors, and consultants, we now have...

‘A December to Remember' is a catchphrase in a commercial for a brand of cars. However, for us, November is 'A Month to Remember.' November is special for us as Catholics. It is a month for us to remember who we are as a people and who we are as a church. On November 1, we come together to celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints – (a holy day of obligation), a day which hon- ors the more obscure saints and the saints each of us has known. On November 2, we observe All Souls' Day – a day to remember all those who have gone before us. The church has always encouraged praying for the dead.

The Gospel of this weekend and last are all about prayer. Last week we were encouraged to persist in prayer, and this week we are offered guidance on how to pray. In Luke's Gospel, Jesus prays a lot. More so than any of the other Gospels, Luke’s is the Gospel of prayer. In his Gospel, there are more descriptions of Jesus in prayer than in all the other Gospels combined.

Every language in the world has a way of saying "thank you." This is because gratitude is an inherent quality that resides within each human being and is triggered and expressed spontaneously in various contexts. Gratitude crosses all boundaries—creed, age, vocation, gender, and nation—and is emphasized by all the great religious traditions.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

Food is central to our lives. We gather around the table with family and friends, neighbors and co-workers, and sometimes with strangers. At the table, we share life experiences and learn from others. On occasion, our fellowship around the table becomes a teaching moment. There are more references to eating, banquets, and being at table in Luke than in any other gospel.

Ready or not, school starts again this week. Teachers returned this past week with renewed enthusiasm and contagious confidence. Our principal Mrs. Carlson worked extra hours this summer to find the best teachers available to minister to our children. The four new faculty members are excited to be part of a school that has distinguished itself as a 'Blue-Ribbon School.' Our maintenance staff worked hard to prepare the school for opening day...

It is only the first Sunday in August, and many of us are already preparing for the new school year. As summer winds down, the days get shorter, evenings get cooler, and beach chairs are removed from the car trunk to be stored in the garage. Labor Day plans are discussed, and the last propane tank of the season is purchased for the grill. Days of relative leisure morph into frenetic afternoons of “back to school” shopping for new uniforms, clothes, and supplies.

For most of us, summer is when “everyday” life closes down, and people can "vacate" their day-to-day activities and responsibilities. Some of us are taking family trips for relaxation. Others enjoy backyard BBQs and working in the garden. Here at QAS, this is when we are busy with the regular summer tasks of attending to building needs so we can be ready for the new school year. Along with the school, this summer, following a five-year repair and wait of the side altars, we began to install the marble background over the altars. Completing this work in the next couple of weeks will restore the side altars to their original glory. Thank you for your patience and support.

Last weekend we heard Jesus say to us, "love your neighbor." And when asked: Who do you mean? Who is my neighbor? He didn't answer directly but told the well-known story of the Good Samaritan. He then asked, "who was neighbor to the man who fell to the robbers?" The point of the story he left for us to work out, but one thing is sure, no one is ruled out. Your neighbor is the one who is close to you, the one who crosses your path.

This past Monday was a quiet and uneventful morning until around 11 am. Driving north on Route 41, I saw Glenview police cars whizzing past me. Since I was past Glenview, I wondered where they were going. I then saw more police vehicles speeding down the road on the opposite side of the highway. These were coming from Lake Forest, Libertyville, and Buffalo Grove. I wondered what was happening. Later, when I saw the news, I got my answer. With this pandemic of gun violence across the country, I ceased asking the question ‘why?’ More than being outraged, I felt tired. I wish I had a solution to this scourge of gun violence and mass shootings, but sadly I do not.

Last Tuesday, Bishop Bartosic celebrated Mass in the basilica with the pastors and the parish leadership teams of Queen of All Saints and St. Mary of the Woods as we concluded the initial phase of the Renew My Church process. After Mass, he formally announced the Cardinal’s decision that our two faith communities will continue to operate as separate parishes...

Harvest time is a joyful time for farmers. They work hard to prepare the soil, to plant the seed, to water and to clear weeds. In ancient Israel, harvest time traditionally was a joyous time for giving thanks and presenting offerings of the new grain to God. It was called Pentecost, a festive time for expressing thanks to the Lord.