​Dear Friends, 
Thanks to all who made last Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Party and Corned Beef Dinner such a success! It was a great evening with great food, fantastic music and wonderful people coming together. I am especially grateful to members of the committee: Neal Heitz, John O’Brien, Kim Madia, John Downs, Mark Aguilar, John Czubaja, Cindy Kilroy, Pat McGuinness, and to parish staff members Wanda Dybas, Kim Osowiec and Jenny Simental. Also, thanks to the volunteers and all who took out ads in the ad book. The hall was beautifully decorated, which took a lot of work- but the results were outstanding.  
The first of two parish Nights of Mercy will be this Monday, at our Nativity of Our Lord church, from 6 to 8 pm. (the second is at St. Gabriel on March 28). During this time, church will be open for private prayer. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed in the monstrance on the altar. Also, confessions will be available.  
We are lining up some training for those interested in serving as Extraordinary Ministers of Communion at Mass, Lectors, and Ministers of Care to the homebound. We could use some more people in each of these ministries. Please let me know if you are interested, and I will follow-up with information on the training. 
Finally, I lamented a few weeks ago that the plan for creating elevator access to our church at Nativity was “dead in the water,” after seeing a couple of different estimates for cost. I am pleased to say that a new idea has emerged that just might work for us! Stay tuned; I’ll tell you more about this once I have a better sense of it and after the people investigating it have a better idea of what it would involve. 
 
 
May your week reflect the encounter with Christ

Dear Friends,

How is your Lent going? Forty days can seem like a long time, but by this second weekend of Lent we have 11 days under our belts already.

Almsgiving is one of the three pillars of Lent, along with prayer and fasting. The kids in school are participating in “Operation Rice Bowl,” which is a family almsgiving project whereby money saved by eating more simply is put into the “rice bowl” to be collected at the end of Lent and donated to Catholic Relief Services. The name of this is a reminder that for much of the world’s population, rice is the primary source of calories. It may be augmented by beans and sometimes a little meat and vegetable. However, hunger and poor nutrition continue to be realities for too many people in many parts of the world.

Catholic Relief Services is the official relief and development agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Through CRS Rice Bowl, faith communities in dioceses throughout the United States put their faith into action through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lenten alms donated through CRS Rice Bowl support the work of CRS in more than 100 different countries each year. Twenty-five percent of donations to CRS Rice Bowl stay in the local diocese, supporting hunger and poverty alleviation efforts. Since its inception in 1975, CRS Rice Bowl has raised more than $320 million.
​
In this week’s bulletin is a two-page examination of conscience that you can use to prepare for your Lenten confession. We have extra confession times scheduled, and parishioners are always welcome to contact me to set up a private appointment for confession is the times we offer will not work for you. In addition, there are many confession opportunities at our neighboring parishes, especially at St. Mary of Perpetual Help.


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

Dear Friends,


Lent 2023 is underway! Each year when this liturgical season comes around, I find I have the best intentions of making the most of it. Sometimes Holy Week hits and I feel well prepared; other years I feel like I squandered the opportunity of the previous 40 days. My goal this is the same as every year: to deepen my prayer life; to grow in my experience of friendship with Jesus; to reflect on my life and consider what changes I should make to become a better version of myself; to “up my game” with regard to personal compassion and charitable outreach. To make this happen I schedule more time for prayer; I make a point to go to confession; I increase my almsgiving by giving away more money to the needy; I do more spiritual reading. Each of us needs to customize our Lenten practice so that it fits our personality and our needs. But my sense is that many of us benefit from some of the same practices.
These days a lot can be found online, on the internet, that people access during Lent. Inside today’s bulletin is a list of some places I know of that I want to share with you; you may have others you have already found.
ALPHA enrollment continues! This may be just what you need for Lent! Why not sign up to come to the dinner and conversation this Wednesday evening and consider bringing with you someone you think might benefit from a “spiritual boost.” Coming to the first session does not oblige you to attend the rest- but I think you’ll find it to be an enriching experience. Information on how to sign up for this is also in today’s bulletin.
Finally, please be sure to make a pledge for the Annual Catholic Appeal of our Archdiocese. Many filled out their pledges at church last weekend; others handled it online or through the direct mail materials that they received. Every parishioner is asked to participate in this, and I think it is important that we each do our part. Envelopes for this are in the pews, or you can go online to www.archchicago.org and you’ll see a link to the Annual Catholic Appeal page where you can take care of it there. The online page also has information about the good causes that this money is used for.




                                                                                         

Dear Friends,
​
While away last week, I followed with a sense of sorrow and horror the reports on the aftermath of the terrible earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The numbers were staggering: over 7,000 buildings destroyed and at least 35,000 dead. Reading about this while relaxing in a tropical paradise left me in a pensive mood, as I considered just how quickly life as we know it can change. It occurred to me that we really need to enjoy the moments of peace and beauty that are given to us. And we need to reflect upon how they are meant to fortify us against feelings of vulnerability and episodes of tragedy that are also sure to come.

By now, all parishioners should have received in the mail information about the Annual Catholic Appeal. Funds collected in this appeal go towards supporting important ministries and outreach in the Archdiocese and beyond. Each parish has a quota, and ours is about $21,000. I am happy to say we generally achieve our quota each year, through the generosity of parishioners like those of you reading this. This weekend is Commitment Weekend, when we hear from the Cardinal and fill out our pledge envelopes in the pews. I have already sent in my donation, as perhaps have many in our parish. Still, I will also fill out a pledge envelope to show solidarity and as sign of our united parish effort. Let us join our efforts with the efforts of of all the remaining parishes (about 260 of us) in our Archdiocese

Inside today’s bulletin and on the website is information about church services for Ash Wednesday, which is this week. Let us all begin to consider how we might make the most of the coming 40 days.

ALPHA enrollment continues! See information in the bulletin and on the website for this series of dinner/video/discussion evenings that will be starting up on March 1st.

Dear Friends,
By now, all parishioners should have received in the mail information about the Annual Catholic Appeal. Funds collected in this appeal go towards supporting important ministries and outreach in the Archdiocese and beyond. Each parish has a quota, and ours is about $21,000. I am happy to say that during my time here we have achieved our quota each year, through the generosity of parishioners like those of you reading this. While many parishes engage in a multi-week blitz to push this Appeal, I have found that gentle reminders, along with taking part in the Commitment Weekend when we hear from the Cardinal and fill out envelopes in the pews, does the trick. This would normally be the weekend for this- but since I am on vacation, we’ll do it next week. I have already sent in my donation, as perhaps have many in our parish. The Commitment Weekend is a chance for all of us to mark that event and to join our efforts with those of all of the 260 or so parishes in our Archdiocese.
At last month’s Parish Council we discussed the most recent estimate for elevator access to Nativity of Our Lord church. The original proposal was for an exterior addition on the northeast corner of the church, which would house the elevator. The cost for this was excessive, so we pursued another approach that we were told would require a more modest outlay. Unfortunately, the estimate for this was also north of $800,000. While I think our parish could, if necessary, raise $1 million for necessary capital improvements, putting so much into church accessibility is simply not the right decision for us right now. Some members of the Parish Council are forming a small subcommittee to look for less costly ways to improve accessibility for this church. It breaks my heart knowing that there are some who cannot make it up those 23 stairs. I truly hope we can find a solution.
ALPHA enrollment continues! See information in the bulletin and on the website for this series of dinner/video/discussion evenings that will be starting up on March 1st.




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

Dear Friends,

On March 1st we will gather to begin Season 1 of ALPHA- a series of group conversations that explore the basics of the Christian faith in a friendly environment. It is a place to connect with people, where you can say anything you like or nothing at all. Everyone is welcome. Consider coming (and inviting a friend) to the first meeting to see if it is for you. The meeting starts with dinner at 6:30 pm and will conclude by 8:30. To help us to know many to plan for, please contact Deacon Rob at rfmorris@hotmail.com.

St Paddy’s Day marks the end of winter for me, something I am looking forward to! We’ll have our annual St Patrick’s Day Corned Beef Dinner on March 4th, something you hopefully have marked on your calendar. Information went out in the mail a few weeks ago, along with raffle tickets. Forms for the Ad Book were in last week’s bulletin and are available on the parish web site. Once again, this promises to be a fun and festive event, offering a little “break in the action” during an otherwise somber Lent.

This Sunday closes out the Annual Catholic Schools Week in our Archdiocese, and our parish is blessed to have two Catholic schools: Bridgeport Catholic Academy and Saint Gabriel Catholic School. Our schools have been entrusted with the education and faith formation of about 450 children- quite a responsibility! But it is also a blessing for us. Our closing Mass at Nativity of Our Lord (11am) is followed by an Open House at BCA.

February 2nd, last Thursday, was the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Candles are blessed on the feast of the Presentation, as Jesus is the Light of the World. The day after is the feast of Saint Blase, a day on which those newly blessed candles are used to bless throats:

Through the intercession of Saint Blase, bishop and martyr,
may God deliver you from every illness of the throat and every other illness.

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

Dear Friends,


This Sunday kicks off the Annual Catholic Schools Week in our Archdiocese, and our parish is blessed to have two Catholic schools: Bridgeport Catholic Academy and Saint Gabriel Catholic School. Our schools have been entrusted with the education and faith formation of about 450 children- quite a responsibility! But it is also a blessing for us. Whether you have children of school age or not, consider taking a walk through our schools at one of the scheduled Open Houses this week. And spread the word! While we do not have room for more children in every grade, we do have room in most. The key is getting potential new families into our buildings for a tour, as the warmth and witness of what is found there is captivating. We kick off the week at Saint Gabriel with the 9:30 Mass and close it out at Nativity of Our Lord at the 11am Mass.

After a successful Fall pilot program, we will begin our parish’s first “official” season of ALPHA on Wednesday, March 1. (more info and directions for signing up will be in next week’s bulletin and on the website) It is “low impact” and does not put people on the spot or into situations that might be uncomfortable. It is designed around meals together, short video presentations, and small group conversation that is not in any way threatening or awkward. It serves to “prime the pump” or “jump start” engagement with the faith, and it has been well-received. Because I see the parents of our children as the lynchpin for the future of our faith and our parish, I am reaching out personally to our School and RE parents with first graders who are registered in our parish. My hope is that we can “seed” our Schools and RE program with parents deepening their faith and understanding, just as Jesus spoke of a small amount of yeast leavening the whole batch of dough. I was pleased to hear that a couple of our school teachers signed up for an ALPHA program designed especially for them.

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

Dear Friends,


I mentioned in last week’s bulletin that I’d be away in Guatemala this weekend. I have returned to visit the children (now many of them are grown up) with whom I have maintained contact over the past seven years since returning from my time working there. I was a chaplain at a home for over 300 orphans and at-risk children and adolescents. The organization is called Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, and they have homes in nine countries. How I wound up in Guatemala is a long story, but my desire to have an experience working in an intensely poor country is what led me to asks Cardinal George for permission to investigate possibilities.

I lived on the large campus where we grew much of our own food, raised pigs and slaughtered them for our consumption, and raised chickens for their eggs. Rice and beans and corn tortillas were the main food- adding a couple ounces of meat made for a real treat. There was no hot water, though I had a shower head with wires going into it, connected to a heating element inside that at least took the chill out. Things were extremely primitive, at least by our standards.
Guatemala was intensely dangerous- some people I worked with were shot; one was kidnapped; one was murdered with a machete. Walking on the street I witnessed an execution just a few feet away. The outside wall of the building where our older kids lived in town was often stained with blood. Extortion was common, as was theft. The level of poverty in town was like what you see on television ads seeking help to feed the starving. The political situation was a mess; basic public services were lacking. While there was electricity most of the time, water was piped to homes just a few hours each day (you would fill a tank on your roof for use later). You get the picture. Interestingly enough, cheap cell phones were everywhere and internet access was good.

Despite the challenges, it was a joy to live and work there; it changed me and it changed my life. It was a beautiful experience getting to know people in a culture so different from my own. Working so closely with children is a rare treat for a priest these days. The religiosity of the people was intense- we had a full church for every Mass (for example, 1000 people every week attended the 7am Mass at the church in town where I helped out on Sundays).
​
It is always emotional for me when I return, though I have not been back since before COVID (November 2019). I have remained in regular communication with many from there. If you’d like to read about and see pictures from my time there, I kept a blog about it that you can check out if you like: www.chapelfortheorphans.blogspot.com There are about 30 different postings with pictures that you can click through/scroll through.


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

Dear Friends,

With the Christmas Season behind us, we shift back into “Ordinary Time” for a few weeks prior to the beginning of Lent (Ash Wednesday is on February 22nd this year). While it is quiet time liturgically, behind the scenes things are busy.

We’re working on preparing a series of Mass attendance reports and information mailings for the families of children preparing for First Communion and Confirmation; we’re preparing the mid-year month financial report for the parish; we’re preparing for Catholic Schools Week (which starts the last weekend of the month); we’re preparing for the next round of ALPHA (to begin on March 1); we’re preparing for the St Patrick’s Day Corned Beef Dinner (on March 4th). Finally, we are looking ahead to Lent to consider what we can do to help support parishioners in their Lenten journey.

Since there’s so much preparation taking place, I don’t have a lot else to write about- other than to let you know that I’ll be away next weekend. I am returning to Guatemala to visit the children and others with whom I worked from early 2013 until mid-2015. I’ll write a bit more about that for next weekend’s bulletin.

We are approaching the anniversary of a Supreme Court decision that was overturned last June. For 50 years Roe v Wade provided the legal basis for permitting abortion in our country. During these past months since it was overturned some States have restricted it, while others (such as our own) have strengthened access and taxpayer funding for it. January 22nd (January 23rd this year, since the 22nd falls on a Sunday) remains the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. It seems like such an uphill battle in a State like Illinois, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep the prayers coming.

Dear Friends,
While we in the US celebrate it on the second Sunday after Christmas, Epiphany is officially January 6th, the “12th day of Christmas.” Did you know that the song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” was really a secret catechism for Catholics who were persecuted in England in the 18th and 19th Centuries? Here are what each of the items in the song represent: On the First, Second, Third, etc. Day of Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me:   

A Partridge in a Pear Tree: The partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on the first day of Christmas
Two Turtledoves: These twin birds represent the Old and New Testaments.
Three French Hens: These birds represent faith, hope, and love. This gift hearkens back to 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter written by the Apostle Paul.
Four Calling Birds: These fowl represent the four Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Five Gold Rings: The gift of the rings represents the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch.
Six Geese a-Laying: These lyrics can be traced back to the first story found in the Bible. Each egg is a day in creation, a time when the world was “hatched” or formed by God.
Seven Swans a-Swimming: Hidden in the code are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion.
Eight Maids-a-Milking: This is the Beatitudes. Christ called blessed the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.
Nine Ladies Dancing: These nine dancers were really the gifts known as the fruits of the Spirit. The fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Ten Lords a-leaping: This code for the Ten Commandments.
Eleven Pipers Piping: These represent the 12 Apostles minus Judas, who betrayed Jesus.
Twelve Drummers Drumming: The final gift is the 12 points of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed.


In the wake of Pope Emeritus Benedict’s funeral this past week, I found myself reflecting on the fact that he has been a major player in the life of the Church during the entire course of my priesthood. I was always struck by the depth of his theological contributions and the humility with which he defended the faith and orthodox expressions of it. May he rest in peace.


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