October 9th

Dear Friends,
Remember to get your tickets for this Friday’s concert: Kenned and Carl’s concert, Musical Memories- an evening of live musical favorites! There is also a dinner package available for those able to get here earlier. Tickets are available after the weekend Masses and in the rectory and parish offices. More information on this is in the bulletin and on our website.

Please pray for the 7th and 8th graders of our schools who will be attending the Archdiocese’s HOLY FIRE youth rally this coming Friday. This event, taking place at the UIC Pavilion, is modeled on the National Catholic Youth Conference that takes place in Indianapolis every two years, drawing over 20,000 high school students from around the country. It involves high energy praise music, high energy presentations along with plenty of prayer. This is intended as a confirmation preparation event, but that is not the focus. And while the style of this event does not appeal to everybody, it is different from what our kids have probably experienced before, and so it might create another possible entry point for their spiritual development. Introducing our young people to various forms of Christian spirituality and expression will hopefully lead more of them to develop a personal relationship with Jesus and a deeper connection to the Church.

I would like to reach out to parishioners and invite you to consider helping with a liturgical ministry in the parish. At both of our churches we could use a few more Lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of Communion. If you are at least 16 years old, are baptized, confirmed and have made your First 
Communion, attend Mass regularly and are willing to dress up a little for the Masses when you are 
scheduled… you are a candidate for this! There will be some training involved, so don’t worry about feeling unprepared. Some people tell me that they don’t feel “worthy”… none of us is worthy! I’m certainly not worthy to do what I do. But the Lord calls us to serve His community, and so even us unworthy ones need to accept that invitation. In addition, our parish could really use a few more Ministers of Care, who visit our homebound and bring them communion. If you would like to help with this, or even just get a little more information about it, please let me know. You can call or email me, or talk to me after Mass.

May your week reflect the encounter with Christ
we experienced at Mass today!