Fr. James Hurlbert, Pastor
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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! Dear Friends,
What a wonderful Christmas we had last weekend! It is always a joy to be together in a full church to celebrate the birth of Christ. And while Easter is real focal point of our liturgical year, there is nothing more festive than a church decorated for Christmas. I am so grateful to those who put in so much of their time to adorn our beautiful spaces with the flowers and garland and wreathes and manger scenes of this Season: Kim Media, Dee Ann Setina and their team for Nativity and Joe Hermle and his team (family) for St. Gabriel. Music makes Christmas, that’s for sure. And are blessed with such wonderful musicians in Carl DeSanti and Kenned McIver, whose voices and instrumental skills fill our space with beautiful, uplifting sound. Our dedicated choir members “pull out all the stops,” giving their all to our community by rehearsing so faithfully on Sunday afternoons and singing so gloriously at Mass. Let me also take this opportunity to thank our 8am cantors, Greg Krajewski and Josh Ludtke. Beginning our New Year on a Sunday this year, we conclude the octave of Christmas with the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. The church celebrates “octaves” (8 days) of festivity for its most important feasts. The number “8” has theological significance for us, related to the Creation Story. In the book of Genesis, God is portrayed as creating the universe in 6 days, and then resting on the 7th- the origins of our “week.” That final day is intended as a day of rest- a rest enshrined in the Third Commandment and maintained to this day by observant Jews, for whom the sabbath begins with sundown on Friday. For Christians, Sunday is considered both the 1st day and the 8th day, as Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday, and so this “8th day” marks the event of the new creation that occurred through this saving work of the Lord. Therefore, the mandate to rest and worship (“keep holy”) is moved from Saturday to Sunday for us (our Saturday vigil Mass is in line with the Jewish understanding of the sabbath’s beginning at sundown the day before). The “twelve days of Christmas” officially conclude on January 6th, with the feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord, though the liturgical celebration of Epiphany gets bumped to a Sunday in our country so that more people are present for it. As we inaugurate 2023, may God bless our parish with renewal and growth, as we pour energy into evangelical outreach and conversion with the hope that more in our community will deepen their relationship with the Lord and His Church. And may God bless our families with health, our nation with peace, and our world with growth in the Christian faith. May your week reflect the encounter with Christ we experienced at Mass today! Dear Friends, As we celebrate the Incarnation of the Son of God at Christmas, our hearts are heavy with reminders of realities calling for redemption: ongoing wars in Ukraine and other “hot spots,” the cold and hungry and mentally ill living on our streets, fear and suffering associated with violent crime and the issues that contribute to it, loneliness and discouragement, concerns about the economy… the list goes on. For some, the weight of these realities threatens to overwhelm. The world has always been weary. The spirit of this Season can ease the burden, and the increased time together with friends and family can help remind us of where we draw strength and encouragement. Coming together in church as a faith community fortifies our shared faith as we are drawn into an encounter with the Divine Child. The coming of Christ brought new light to the world back then, and that light streams across the centuries into our own time. Those who know the Lord can attest to the power that relationship has for healing emotional wounds, fueling hope, stimulating outreach and compassion. The image of the God-made-vulnerable causes some to do a double-take, heads spinning to grasp the significance of this radical and unexpected power play, this surprising and even startling remedy to all that ails us. Ours is a “Christmas parish”: consecrated to the Archangel who announced the dawn of salvation and the event that inaugurated it. My prayer for all our parish families is that this year’s celebration of Christmas, carrying through the celebrations of Mary, Mother of God (on January 1st) and the Epiphany (on the 8th), will bring about spiritual wonder and interior renewal. May God bless you and your loved ones with peace this Holy Season. Dear Friends,
Thank you to all who participated in this year’s Giving Tree! And thanks also to those who contributed to our coat drives. Many families, children and veterans benefited from your Christmas generosity. We had a nice experience at St. Gabriel on the 6th with the church open for private prayer, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the opportunity for Confessions. We’ll do it again this week at our Nativity of Our Lord church, on Monday, the 19th, from 6:30 – 8pm. With all the “hustle and bustle” of the holiday season, it can offer a nice pre-Christmas boost to take a little time out and spend it in quiet with the Lord. While we can pray anywhere we want, there is something special about praying in a church. And praying before the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance makes that experience even more powerful. Christmas is next weekend! We have a full week between the Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas this year; next year, be prepared: the Fourth Sunday of Advent will also be Christmas Eve! Our Christmas schedule is on the web site and in the bulletin. For all who will be traveling this week, I’ll pray for a safe arrival at your destination and a safe return home. I hope that all will be able to spend some time with those they love, as we reflect on the great Mystery of God’s love while preparing to celebrate the birth of God’s Son. May your week reflect the encounter with Christ we experienced at Mass today! Dear Friends,
A reminder: Giving Tree items are due by today! I understand that there was a tradition of hosting an evening Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Gabriel, and I am happy that we will be offering it again this year- this Monday, December 12th. Thanks to Christine Campos and her family and friends who are sponsoring the mariachi group that will be providing the music. This promises to be a festive Mass, and invitations have gone out inside and outside the neighborhood. Mass begins at 6:30, but there will be prelude music starting beforehand. While the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe is especially prominent in the Latino community, she has been designated “Empress of the Americas” by the Pope and people all over the world venerate Mary under this image (which we have permanently mounted in our St. Gabriel church up front, just under the Infant of Prague statue, and at Nativity of Our Lord in the side chapel by the large crucifix). I think this is a Mass that children would really enjoy, so definitely consider bringing them with you. 7th and 8th grade students from both of our schools will be performing together Christmas carols from the church stairs at Nativity of Our Lord next Saturday, the 17th, from 5:45 – 6:15 pm (giving those attending the 4:30 Mass time to drive the 8 blocks north to hear them). Thanks to our schools’ music teacher, Mary Bell, for putting this together! The Christmas schedule is in the bulletin and on the web site- same as last year. I am looking forward to this year’s Christmas celebrations! I made a mistake in my listing of the members of our parish Evangelization Team last week- Sharon Cordin is on our Finance Council, not our E-Team. Sharon O’Connell is the one I meant to thank for helping with ALPHA and serving on the Evangelization Team. Sorry, Sharon! May your week reflect the encounter with Christ we experienced at Mass today! Dear Friends,
Thanks to all who took tags from our Giving Trees to purchase gifts for families served by Casa Catalina, the PORT Ministries and the Veterans at Jesse Brown Veteran’s Hospital. Please remember to return them, unwrapped and with the tag attached, no later than December 11th. You can return them to church, or during office hours at the Parish office at Nativity or the Rectory office at St. Gabriel. To help support parishioners in preparation for the celebration of the Incarnation of Christ (His Nativity), our churches will be open on two evenings for private prayer and meditation, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and confession (for those who choose to go). Our first evening is this week at St. Gabriel, on Tuesday, from 6:30 – 8pm. The second will be at Nativity of Our Lord on the 19th from 6:30 – 8pm. Consider simply dropping in for ten or twenty minutes to put aside the busy-ness and stress of this season in order to rest for a time with the Lord and reflect upon your relationship with Him. This Thursday, December 8th, is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the patronal feast of our nation and a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics. Mass will be at St. Gabriel at 8:05am, Nativity of Our Lord at 10am (for the school, but all are welcome) and 7pm. On Monday, December 12th, we will have a special Mass at 7pm at St. Gabriel for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, featuring some very special mariachi music. Finally, our pilot ALPHA has been a success and concluded this past Wednesday. This series of evenings brought together parishioners who gathered for a meal together, followed by a thought- provoking video and a stimulating discussion about issues of faith. My thanks to participants who took part in this “dry run” evangelization effort, and to the members of our Evangelization Committee: Deacon Rob Morris, Lori Serpico, Jean Johnson, Anthony Dugo, Angelica Hernandez and Sharon Cordin. We will now work on preparing for “Season 1” ALPHA, which will start up early next year. May your week reflect the encounter with Christ we experienced at Mass today! Dear Friends,
With Thanksgiving in our rear-view mirror, we find ourselves entering the Holiday Season. Culturally, most get Christmas out of their systems by the 25th. Those of us who work to keep the focus on the Incarnation of the Son of God use these weeks of Advent to prepare for several weeks of celebration, beginning with the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord; we start by celebrating Christ’s birth. Then we’ll move through the feast of the Holy Family; the feast of Mary, Mother of God; the feast of Epiphany; and then close it out with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. This year, though, since Christmas falls on a Sunday, the Feasts of the Holy Family and the Baptism of the Lord are celebrated on weekdays. That also means our Christmas season is shorter and we have four full weeks of Advent. While Advent is not technically a penitential season (the way Lent is), we still use purple, and it is a good time to go to Confession. We will offer a couple of special evenings in Advent with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the opportunity to go to confession. We’ll do this at Saint Gabriel on Tuesday, December 6 from 6:30 – 8pm, and at Nativity of Our Lord on Monday December 19 from 6:30 – 8pm. Confessions will also be available at the regular times: Saturday evenings at St Gabriel before the 4:30 Mass (3:30-4:14) and the first Saturday of the month from 11 to Noon at Nativity of Our Lord. If you’d like to get into the Christmas concert with a little music, VanderCook College of Music will be presenting a Christmas concert at Nativity this Thursday, December 1st at 7pm. Admission is free. May your week reflect the encounter with Christ we experienced at Mass today! Dear Friends,
The root of the word, “Eucharist,” means “Thanksgiving.” This year, our Thanksgiving Day Mass will be offered at Nativity of Our Lord church at 9am. What better way to begin Thanksgiving Day weekend than by giving thanks to God through worship? Speaking of the Eucharist: we received a letter from Cardinal Cupich last week informing us that the dispensation from the obligation to physically attend weekly Sunday Mass (or the Saturday vigil Mass) is to be discontinued beginning on the First Sunday of Advent (next weekend). One of the marks of practicing Catholics is that they attend Mass faithfully on the weekend, unless they are sick, traveling or have another important reason to miss. During the COVID pandemic, this obligation was temporarily dispensed- at first, because we were ordered to keep our churches locked and could not welcome the faithful into them. Later, to allow for understandable concerns about exposure to possible illness. Many other dioceses lifted this dispensation some time ago; the Cardinal has determined that the time is now right for it to be lifted in our Archdiocese. What will this mean? I’m not sure. Many have returned to their practice of weekend worship, though others have enjoyed continuing watching at home on their television or computer; it can be an effort to switch back to showering, dressing and heading to church in the morning. But just as a “ZOOM” video conference is no real substitute for people coming together to meet in person, an online Mass is a poor substitute for gathering in church. And beyond that, for Catholics the highlight of the Mass is receiving Holy Communion, something not available at home. The Eucharist is food for the soul. We made do with “Spiritual Communion” when the churches were locked, but it is definitely not the same as actually receiving Christ sacramentally in the Eucharist. For the homebound, watching online or on TV is the only option, and the pandemic created a great variety of opportunities for watching at different churches and hearing different priests- this is a blessing. We are stronger together; we are holier together; we are more a sign of Christ’s presence in the world when we gather together. Jesus calls us to Himself each Sunday (which begins with its vigil) to unite as members of His Body, to engage the Holy Scriptures, to encounter Him in the Eucharist. Being together encourages us to hold firm in the faith. It forms us as a community. Jesus Himself told us to do it, and so we do. The Church underscores this command, highlighting its importance. Sunday Mass is once again obligatory for Catholics. Spread the word. May your week reflect the encounter with Christ we experienced at Mass today! |
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