Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish

June 7th - Weekly Newsletter

6/8/2023

The Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi Procession, and more ...

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord;
whoever believes in me will never die.

Dear Friends,

Happy Wednesday everyone, what a beautiful day it is out there!

SUNDAY MASS IN SPANISH
the 12:30 p.m. Spanish Mass will be celebrated at
St. John Berchmans until October 31st.

Please join us!

LA MISA EN ESPAÑOL
la Misa en español en SJB es a las 12:30 pm hasta el 31 de oct.

¡Por favor únase a nosotros!

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - This weekend, the Church celebrates another special feast in our Liturgical year... the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ aka Corpus Christi. Read more about it's history and meaning below.

Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession - Following the 11 am Mass at St. Hedwig, there will be a special Eucharistic Procession outside and around the block (weather permitting.) Please join us for this solemn procession of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament in our neighborhood!

Priest Retirement Collection - There will be a special second collection this weekend in support of the Priest Retirement Fund, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Parish Liturgical Ministries - EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS - Spring is a time for growing … and we are asking you to help us grow our Parish Liturgical Ministries as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. With the return of the Precious Blood at Mass SOON, we will need more ministers in order to make this happen! If you WERE a minister in the past, or if you have ever thought about this ministry. Please pray on it, and consider joining. Contact Michael White, the Director of Liturgy & Music if you are interested.

Daily Mass & Devotions - The parish celebrates Mass daily at 8 a.m., with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament preceeding Mass at 7:30 a.m. in the Chapel at St. Hedwig. And there is Holy Hour/Eucharistic Adoration twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 - 9 p.m. in St. Hedwig. For the full list of Mass times and Devotions, please see the schedule below.

Being Catholic - Did you know? - Many of us grew up attending Catholic School, or CCD classes, etc ..., and knew "about" things, but we didn't really remember what they're called or knew the meaning behind a word/phrase. In this weekly newsletter, we will feature a "Did you know?!" It will sometimes be a word, or a place, or an object related to our Catholic Faith. So, did you know ... ?

UPDATED BCAP Food Pantry needs - Our Parish Food Pantry is doing what it is intended for, and that is distributing food and other necessities to those in need. HOWEVER, see below for our most current needs as they have changed from food into other necessities.

Parish Forms on the Website - https://www.carloacutisparish.org/parish-forms.html Did you know that many of our forms and requests are on our website? Inquiring about a Baptism ... Need a copy of your Baptismal Certificate ... Want to schedule your wedding? It's all on our website! Simply fill out the form and we'll get back to ya.

Prayers for the Sick - Both in the Sunday Bulletin, and here in the Weekly Newsletter, we list the names of those who are in sick and in need of our prayers. If you would like to add you someone's name to the sick list, please email the Parish Office. Please also email us when it's ok to remove them from the sick list. This helps to ensure our list is up to date.

We hope to see you at one of the Masses this weekend, wear a mask or not, and don't forget to bring a friend or two!!

God Bless, see you in Church!
Michael White, Director of Music and Liturgy AND Weekly Newsletter Editor

Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish Mission Statement

We are a multicultural, intergenerational Catholic parish community of people who through the help of the Eucharist, are on the journey to learning about, celebrating, serving and proclaiming our faith in the Risen Jesus.

Vision Statement

Our vision is transforming spirits, hearts and minds.

Core Values

We are welcoming, learning, believing, serving, celebrating,
understanding, sharing, diverse, community and focused on quality.

Goals

1). To have vibrant, welcoming liturgies.
2). To be an evangelizing community.
3). To reach out to youth.
4). To provide social justice education and outreach to the poor.

The Most Body and Blood of Christ

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, popularly called by its Latin title, Corpus Christi ("Body of Christ",) is celebrated on the second Sunday after Pentecost Its origin in the 12th century is connected with an exaggerated emphasis on the real presence of Christ in the consecrated bread to be adored to the exclusion of a fuller meaning of Eucharist as celebration, a meal to be eaten. People in the Middle Ages, felling unworthy to receive Christ in communion, preferred to look at the Blessed Sacrament. This led to the introduction of an elevation of the bread and cup during Mass and ultimately to public displays such as the popular Benediction ritual. The special feast devoted to the Body and Blood of Christ was introduced to the universal church in 1264. A tradition says that St. Thomas Aquinas wrote the prayers and hymns for the feast. Today the former Feast of the Precious Blood on July is incorporated in this solemnity.

~ Catholic Customs and Traditions, a popular Guide by Greg Dues

Corpus Christi Procession

The most obvious religious tradition associated with this feast is the Corpus Christi procession. It was becoming common already in the late 13th century, and in a hundred years was adopted in most countries. This popular procession included carrying the Blessed Sacrament, visible in a vessel called a monstrance (Latin monstrare, "to show". In Germany the procession even wound its way into the fields, similar to Rogation Day processions. In most places the procession included features of a pageant with lavish decorations and flowers. It was popular to stop at outdoor altars, called stations, where there were prayers, songs, and blessing with the Sacrament. The motive for the procession was to publicity display a personal faith in the Real Presence.

The Corpus Christi procession is an exercise of devotion and not a liturgical ritual. Its celebration falls, therefore, under the jurisdiction of local bishops. Since Vatican II this tradition has not been observed as frequently as in previous centuries. In some places it has been replaced with an outdoor Mass. One of the reasons for its curtailment is the reform and renewal of the liturgy in the post-Vatican II era. The meaning of the Eucharist has been recaptured in the context of a meal and the church's public worship, with most parishioners receiving communion when they participate in the Mass. The original motives for the procession, especially the need to look at the Blessed Sacrament and be blessed by it, instead of "Take and eat," no longer apply.

(ed: The Corpus Christi procession has seen a bit of a resurgence in these past few years, but still not as prevalent as in the past.)

~ Catholic Customs and Traditions, a popular Guide by Greg Dues

Fr. Tom celebrated the last school Mass of the year with our students, and took a "Selfie" with everyone after Mass ... it was a festive celebration to end the School year. While we won't see our students every week on Wednesday for the school Mass, we hope to see you at Mass on Sunday!!

Client Choice Food Pantry
Revised May 3, 2023

Please see the updated list of needs...

IN ADDITION TO FOOD ... Because peoples needs are more than just food, we are now collecting the following (new or gently used) items for our Immigrant brothers and sisters. Coats, Spring/Summer Clothes, Jeans, Shoes, Blankets, Towels, Sheets, Pots/Pans, and Utensils.

You can drop off any donations to 2517 W. Logan blvd between the hours of 9-3 pm M-F, or on Sundays in the bins at the back of the church.

Weekly Mass
Sacraments and Devotional Schedule

*All are celebrated at St. Hedwig Church*

Daily Mass
8:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick
After the 8 a.m. Mass on the FIRST WEDNESDAY of the Month.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation
Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m
Saturdays at 4:15 p.m.

Eucharistic Adoration
7:30 a.m.–8:00 a.m. – Monday through Saturday
7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. – Tuesday and Friday

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena
8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m. – Tuesday

Novena to St. Peregrine
Novena to the patron saint for persons suffering from cancer,
AIDS or other chronic illnesses.
8:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m. – First Wednesday of the Month

Litany of the Sacred Heart
7:45 a.m.–8:00 a.m. – First Friday of the Month

Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
7:45 a.m.–9:00 a.m. – Saturday

DOLMA – Rosary and Our Lady of Manaoag Novena
4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. – First Saturday of the Month

Rosario y Consagración a Nuestra Virgen De Guadalupe
12:30 p.m. – Primer Domingo

“By standing before the Eucharistic Christ, we become holy.”

Pope Francis is cautioning people not to get accustomed to the war in Ukraine, and is calling for the faithful to keep those suffering "this tragic reality" in our hearts and prayers. "The thought of the people of Ukraine, afflicted by war, should remain vivid in our hearts." Please continue to pray for them.

Online Book of Intentions

Praying for each other's intentions is an important part of our parish life. If you would like the parish to pray for your intention, please write the intention in a sentence or two in this Online "Book of Intentions." These intentions will be remembered in our intercessions at our Sunday masses. Click HERE

Please pray for the Sick of our Parish

Fr. Paul Reicher, Reynaldo Sanchez, Rachel Mauricio Elizar, Charlene Herda, Doreen Maneely, Anna Mann, Nicole Vilches, Karel O’Brien, Angela Rivera, Mary Anne Sedey, Linda Klickmann, Barbara Durbin, Danny Olivero, Junior Burgos, Dolores Kryszak, Joseph Price, Teresa Ellison, Tallulah Andresen, Robert Bauer, Antionette Krerowicz, Ana Flores, Apolonio Alarcon, Antonio de Vera, Patricio A. Yanez Guerra, Manglio Bonilla Gail, Jason & Family, Daniel Brady, Cyndi De Lira, Carolyn S. Duckunue, Transito Alvarez, Frances Alequin, Alejandro Carmona, Sophie Hernan, Eleanor Jura, Monika Kloniecka, Joseph Wyse, Verena Tonnesen, Berenice Sosnowski, Nick Jurado, Jackie Schuman, Terry Brady, Salomea Olszewska, Hertha Runowski, Angie Schuman, John Graff, Joseph Murphy, Linda Riske, Margaret Flisiak, Jazzmyne Aguilar, Hailey Marose, Sarah Ellison, Nancy Idaszak, Sally Cox, Eleanor Rylko, Nancy, Brian, Jimmy Denges, & Crystal Mohetano.

Please follow us on our Social Media platforms
by clicking the links below!

View this email in your browser

May 31st - Weekly Newsletter

6/1/2023

Pray for Grads, The Visitation of the BVM, Trinity Sunday, and more ...

Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.

Dear Friends,

Happy Wednesday everyone, hope you had a good holiday weekend!

The Easter Season officially ended last Sunday when we celebrated the Solemnity of Pentecost. And now we're in the season of Ordinary Time, but there are two more special feasts the Church celebrates on these next two Sundays. The first is the Most Holy Trinity, followed by the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Read more about the Trinity below, as well as today's special Feast of the Visitation of Mary.

SUNDAY MASS IN SPANISH
Starting THIS SUNDAY June 4th, until October 31st,
the 12:30 p.m. Spanish Mass will be celebrated at
St. John Berchmans.

Please join us!

LA MISA EN ESPAÑOL
Empezando ESTE DOMINGO 4 de junio
la Misa en español en SJB es a las 12:30 pm hasta el 31 de oct.

¡Por favor únase a nosotros!

Pray for the Grads - Keep in your prayers all the graduates this season, especially our SJB School 8th Graders who will graduate this Friday.

Anointing of the Sick - The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick will be celebrated NEXT Wednesday, the 1st Wednesday of the Month after the 8 a.m. Mass at St. Hedwig. This sacrament is reserved for those who have serious illness and/or frailty of old age.

Parish Liturgical Ministries - EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS - Spring is a time for growing … and we are asking you to help us grow our Parish Liturgical Ministries as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. With the return of the Precious Blood at Mass SOON, we will need more ministers in order to make this happen! If you WERE a minister in the past, or if you have ever thought about this ministry. Please pray on it, and consider joining. Contact Michael White, the Director of Liturgy & Music if you are interested.

Daily Mass & Devotions - Did you know the parish celebrates Mass daily at 8 a.m. in the chapel at St. Hedwig? Did you know we also have Holy Hour/Eucharistic Adoration twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 - 9 p.m. in St. Hedwig? For the full list of Mass times and Devotions, please see the schedule below.

Being Catholic - Did you know? - Many of us grew up attending Catholic School, or CCD classes, etc ..., and knew "about" things, but we didn't really remember what they're called or knew the meaning behind a word/phrase. In this weekly newsletter, we will feature a "Did you know?!" It will sometimes be a word, or a place, or an object related to our Catholic Faith. So, did you know ... ?

UPDATED BCAP Food Pantry needs - Our Parish Food Pantry is doing what it is intended for, and that is distributing food and other necessities to those in need. HOWEVER, see below for our most current needs as they have changed from food into other necessities.

Parish Forms on the Website - https://www.carloacutisparish.org/parish-forms.html Did you know that many of our forms and requests are on our website? Inquiring about a Baptism ... Need a copy of your Baptismal Certificate ... Want to schedule your wedding? It's all on our website! Simply fill out the form and we'll get back to ya.

Prayers for the Sick - Both in the Sunday Bulletin, and here in the Weekly Newsletter, we list the names of those who are in sick and in need of our prayers. If you would like to add you someone's name to the sick list, please email the Parish Office. Please also email us when it's ok to remove them from the sick list. This helps to ensure our list is up to date.

We hope to see you at one of the Masses this weekend, wear a mask or not, and don't forget to bring a friend or two!!

God Bless, see you in Church!
Michael White, Director of Music and Liturgy AND Weekly Newsletter Editor

Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish Mission Statement

Vision Statement

Our vision is transforming spirits, hearts and minds.

Core Values

The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Saint of the Day - May 31

The Story of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This is a fairly late feast, going back only to the 13th or 14th century. It was established widely throughout the Church to pray for unity. The present date of celebration was set in 1969, in order to follow the Annunciation of the Lord and precede the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist.

Like most feasts of Mary, it is closely connected with Jesus and his saving work. The more visible actors in the visitation drama (see Luke 1:39-45) are Mary and Elizabeth. However, Jesus and John the Baptist steal the scene in a hidden way. Jesus makes John leap with joy—the joy of messianic salvation. Elizabeth, in turn, is filled with the Holy Spirit and addresses words of praise to Mary—words that echo down through the ages.

It is helpful to recall that we do not have a journalist’s account of this meeting. Rather Luke, speaking for the Church, gives a prayerful poet’s rendition of the scene. Elizabeth’s praise of Mary as “the mother of my Lord” can be viewed as the earliest Church’s devotion to Mary. As with all authentic devotion to Mary, Elizabeth’s (the Church’s) words first praise God for what God has done to Mary. Only secondly does she praise Mary for trusting God’s words.

Then comes the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). Here, Mary herself—like the Church—traces all her greatness to God.

Reflection

One of the invocations in Mary’s litany is “Ark of the Covenant.” Like the Ark of the Covenant of old, Mary brings God’s presence into the lives of other people. As David danced before the Ark, John the Baptist leaps for joy. As the Ark helped to unite the 12 tribes of Israel by being placed in David’s capital, so Mary has the power to unite all Christians in her son. At times, devotion to Mary may have occasioned some divisiveness, but we can hope that authentic devotion will lead all to Christ and therefore, to one another.

~Franciscan Media

The Most Holy Trinity

Initially this feast wasn't celebrated after Pentecost and took a few centuries to find its place in the calendar.

After the celebration of Pentecost, the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church continues to meditate on the great mystery of God through the feast of Trinity Sunday. The Sunday following Pentecost has been dedicated to the Holy Trinity for many centuries, but was not always celebrated by everyone in the Church.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, initially this Sunday was known as a Dominica vacans, with no specific focus or theme. At that time there was no particular feast celebrating the Holy Trinity, but soon enough there arose a need for the Church to further define her beliefs in God.

A heresy known as the Arian heresy began to spread in the 4th century, disputing the traditional Christian belief of one God in three divine persons. The bishops of the Church decided to compose a Mass in honor of the Trinity to reaffirm the belief, but it was not given a specific date in the calendar.

By the 8th and 9th century, however, the Church found a perfect place. The St. Andrew Daily Missal explains how Sunday was the most fitting day.

Sunday is consecrated throughout the year to the Holy Trinity because God the Father began the work of creation on the “first day,” the Son made man rose from the dead on a Sunday morning, and the Holy Spirit came down on the Apostles on Pentecost Sunday.

Besides celebrating the Trinity in some fashion on each Sunday, there also grew a need to fill the “vacant” Sunday after the feast of Pentecost. This need was heightened by the fact that ordinations occurred during this time and there existed no specific liturgy. As the St. Andrew Daily Missal explains, “The feast of the Holy Trinity owes its origin to the fact that the ordinations of the Ember Saturday, which took place in the evening, were prolonged to the next day, which was Sunday and had no proper Mass at that date … [a votive Mass of the Holy Trinity] was celebrated in some places on this Sunday; and since it occupied a fixed place in the liturgical calendar, this Mass was considered as establishing this Sunday as a special feast of the Blessed Trinity.”

Celebrating Trinity Sunday after Pentecost also allows the Church to further reflect on the mystery of God after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. This helps us see the connection that if we truly want to understand the Trinity, we need to have the gift of the Holy Spirit. We can never fully understand who God is on our own and desperately need his guidance and inspiration.

The Trinity is one of the most fundamental beliefs of the Catholic Church and so it is fitting that we dedicate a particular Sunday to that mystery.

~ Aleteia

Client Choice Food Pantry
Revised May 3, 2023

Weekly Mass
Sacraments and Devotional Schedule

*All are celebrated at St. Hedwig Church*

“God has written for each one of us a unique and unrepeatable story,
but he has left us the freedom to write the ending.”

Online Book of Intentions

Please pray for the Sick of our Parish

Fr. Paul Reicher, Charlene Herda, Doreen Maneely, Anna Mann, Nicole Vilches, Karel O’Brien,Angela Rivera, Mary Anne Sedey, Linda Klickmann, Barbara Durbin, Danny Olivero, Junior Burgos, Dolores Kryszak, Joseph Price, Teresa Ellison, Tallulah Andresen, Robert Bauer, Antionette Krerowicz, Ana Flores, Apolonio Alarcon, Antonio de Vera, Patricio A. Yanez Guerra, Manglio Bonilla Gail, Jason & Family, Daniel Brady, Cyndi De Lira, Carolyn S. Duckunue, Transito Alvarez, Frances Alequin, Alejandro Carmona, Sophie Hernan, Eleanor Jura, Monika Kloniecka, Joseph Wyse, Verena Tonnesen, Berenice Sosnowski, Nick Jurado, Jackie Schuman, Terry Brady, Salomea Olszewska, Hertha Runowski, Angie Schuman, John Graff, Joseph Murphy, Linda Riske, Margaret Flisiak, Jazzmyne Aguilar, Hailey Marose, Sarah Ellison, Nancy Idaszak, Sally Cox, Daniel Salas, Eleanor Rylko, Nancy, Brian, Jimmy Denges, & Crystal Mohetano.

Please follow us on our Social Media platforms
by clicking the links below!

View this email in your browser

Response to the Illinois AG Report

5/24/2023

Statement of Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, in Response to the Illinois Attorney General Report May 23, 2023

Today, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul published a report (the Report) on his office’s investigation of allegations of child sexual abuse against clergy in the six Illinois Catholic dioceses over a period of nearly 90 years. The Report addresses both how dioceses responded to such allegations in decades past and current policies that help ensure the safety of children and support the healing of survivors. We have not studied the report in detail but have concerns about data that might be misunderstood or are presented in ways that could be misleading. It is therefore important that we state what we know to be true. For example:

The 451 names “disclosed":

451 is all 6 dioceses and includes religious order priests
451 includes the priests already on the 6 web sites
ALL were reported to civil authorities, none were undisclosed, none were “hiding in plain sight since at least 2002.
We DO list religious found by their orders to be substantiated
149 still “undisclosed” men are mostly religious order members who are not on our site; they are not undisclosed, and they are under the supervision and report to their respective order. AG himself distinguished between dioceses and religious orders, saying “this was an investigation of the dioceses, not the orders,” recognizing they are different. However their totals include both.
AG said: church is more worthy of investigation because it is a trusted religious organization. We think all children deserve to be protected regardless of whether they are cared for by a religious or secular institution; it isn’t fair or wise to focus only on the Catholic Church, which has made the greatest strides in this area.
Statute of limitations: we offer care, compassion (pastoral outreach) and even compensation to all who come forward, regardless of the statute of limitations.
AG recommends outsiders being involved in overseeing our internal church investigations. We have had an independent review board with lay people overseeing these investigations since 1992, which is why the number of abuse incidents has dropped so dramatically.

We must think first of the survivors of sexual abuse who carry the burden of these crimes through their lives. On behalf of the archdiocese, I apologize to all who have been harmed by the failure to prevent and properly respond to child sexual abuse by clerics. Survivors will forever be in our prayers, and we have devoted ourselves to rooting out this problem and providing healing to victims.

For more than 30 years, the Archdiocese of Chicago has been at the forefront of developing and improving policies and programs to address the scourge of child sexual abuse and to support survivors. Our policies and procedures, first adopted in 1992, have served as a model for organizations and professionals dealing with this difficult issue. I hope the attention drawn to the issue by the Report will encourage those who work with minors to learn from our experience and take steps to protect all children from sexual abuse.

Here are some key facts about our efforts in the Archdiocese of Chicago:

Since 1992, we have maintained one of the first and largest victim-survivor assistance programs in the nation. We provide assistance to anyone making an allegation, regardless of whether the accused is living or whether the allegation is substantiated.
No cleric with even one substantiated allegation against him is in ministry in the Archdiocese of Chicago. When we learn of an allegation of abuse, we act promptly, report it to civil authorities, remove the accused from ministry and investigate the allegation. Allegations are submitted to our lay-majority Independent Review Board for investigation. In accordance with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Charter for the Protection of Children and Youth, clerics found to have committed even one act of child sexual abuse are permanently removed from ministry.
The archdiocese has, to our knowledge, reported all allegations of child sexual abuse by clergy to civil authorities, including the oldest allegations. We report these allegations regardless of whether the accused is alive or dead, a diocesan priest, an extern priest from another diocese or a religious order priest. We consider an allegation to have been made even if the report is made anonymously, has incomplete facts (such as the name of the priest or parish) or is made by a third party, and we report all such allegations to civil authorities. It is important to emphasize that, to our knowledge, there are no “hidden,” “undisclosed” or “unreported” allegations of child sexual abuse by the clergy of this archdiocese.
Under our recently amended policies, allegations against deceased priests who have not yet been placed on our website list are processed by our Independent Review Board. If an allegation against a deceased priest is substantiated, the priest’s name is added to the list.
When an allegation of child sexual abuse involves a religious order priest working in a ministry of the archdiocese, such as a parish assignment, we remove the accused’s faculties to minister in the archdiocese, contact the religious order and help facilitate the survivor’s report. Every religious order with members living in the archdiocese is mandated to have a process for investigating such allegations.
Since 2006, we have published the names of diocesan priests with substantiated allegations of abuse on our website. In 2014, we published more than 20,000 documents from these priests’ files. These documents remain on our website.
We update our website list as needed and have expanded it to include the names of religious order priests whose order has substantiated an accusation against them and who have been assigned to a ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago such as a parish.
We conduct background screenings for archdiocesan clergy, employees and volunteers and implement a comprehensive safe-environment training program for adults and children. Over the last two years, we trained more than 112,000 children in an age- appropriate manner on how to recognize, resist and report abusive behavior. To date, we have trained more than 263,000 adults in 3,700 training sessions.
As is required by the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Youth, (the Charter) we audit our parish and school safe environment programs every year and, in turn, the archdiocese’s compliance with the Charter is audited by the USCCB.
Additionally, we have worked in collaboration with survivors to respond to their need for healing. This partnership has led to the development of the Healing Garden, an annual Mass for Hope and Healing and Pinwheel Service for Child Abuse Prevention, survivor- led peace circles, and the Healing Voices magazine.
We always seek to improve our child protection and victim support efforts. We have repeatedly had our processes, policies and files reviewed by independent experts to help ensure we remain current with best practices.

In addition to these steps, the Archdiocese of Chicago fully cooperates with law enforcement, including with the Attorney General’s investigation. We have made our employees available for interviews and provided access to hundreds of thousands of documents. We are committed to continuously reviewing our policies and will carefully consider any changes recommended by the Attorney General. Indeed, the archdiocese has already implemented a number of recommendations the Attorney General made during the course of the investigation such as expansion of the parameters of our website list.

From my earliest days as a bishop, I have dealt with allegations of child sexual abuse by putting the child at the center of my actions. In my experience, whether the abuse happened in the recent or distant past, the survivor speaks from the pain they suffered as that wounded and betrayed child. The Archdiocese of Chicago has long sought to heal them and prevent this crime from occurring again. I am personally committed to applying the highest level of vigilance to these efforts and to further strengthening our safeguards against abuse. I invite other institutions that care for children and civil authorities to join us in this work and consider adopting the procedures we have developed over the past three decades, so that all children are kept safe.

May 17th - Weekly Newsletter

5/18/2023

Fr. Marshall is retiring, need for Eucharistic Ministers, Glimmer and more ...

I will ask the Father
and he will give you another Advocate
to be with you always.

Dear Friends,

Happy Wednesday everyone! It's a bit chilly out there, but at least there's PLENTY of Sunshine ... :)

LA MISA EN ESPAÑOL
Empezando el domingo 4 de junio
la Misa en español en SJB es a las 12:30 pm hasta el 31 de oct.

¡Por favor únase a nosotros!

Retirement of Fr. Patrick Marshall - Fr. Marshall, our Associate Pastor and School Chaplain, announced this past weekend that he will be retiring from active ministry at the end of June. We wish Father well, and hope he comes back to visit us occasionally! Stay tuned for updates on farewell festivities.

Parish Liturgical Ministries - EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS - Spring is a time for growing … and we are asking you to help us grow our Parish Liturgical Ministries as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. These ministers distribute the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass, as well as to our sick and home-bound parishioners. With the return of the Precious Blood at Mass SOON, we will need more ministers in order to make this happen! If you WERE a minister in the past, or if you have ever thought about this ministry. Please pray on it, and consider joining. Contact Michael White, the Director of Liturgy & Music if you are interested.

The Sacrament of Confirmation - Please continue to pray for our 8th graders who will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation on Friday. Come, Holy Spirit, come ...

GLIMMER Fundraiser - is THIS SATURDAY! There's still time to pick up your tickets and join us. See below for more information.

Family Mass - This Sunday, at the 9:45 a.m. Mass, is our monthly "Family Mass." Get up a bit earlier, get your kids ready and come to Mass this Sunday! There will be special HOME MADE BAKED GOODS, as a treat, after Mass!!

Being Catholic - Did you know? - Many of us grew up attending Catholic School, or CCD classes, etc ..., and knew "about" things, but we didn't really remember what they're called or knew the meaning behind a word/phrase. In this weekly newsletter, we will feature a "Did you know?!" It will sometimes be a word, or a place, or an object related to our Catholic Faith. So, did you know ... ?

UPDATED BCAP Food Pantry needs - Our Parish Food Pantry is doing what it is intended for, and that is distributing food and other necessities to those in need. HOWEVER, see below for our most current needs as they have changed from food into other necessities.

Parish Forms on the Website - https://www.carloacutisparish.org/parish-forms.html Did you know that many of our forms and requests are on our website? Inquiring about a Baptism ... Need a copy of your Baptismal Certificate ... Want to schedule your wedding? It's all on our website! Simply fill out the form and we'll get back to ya.

Prayers for the Sick - Both in the Sunday Bulletin, and here in the Weekly Newsletter, we list the names of those who are in sick and in need of our prayers. If you would like to add you someone's name to the sick list, please email the Parish Office. Please also email us when it's ok to remove them from the sick list. This helps to ensure our list is up to date.

We hope to see you at one of the Masses this weekend, wear a mask or not, and don't forget to bring a friend or two!!

God Bless, see you in Church!
Michael White, Director of Music and Liturgy AND Weekly Newsletter Editor

Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish Mission Statement

Vision Statement

Our vision is transforming spirits, hearts and minds.

Core Values

"The Ascension of the Lord"
(The Ascension is celebrated on a Sunday in this and many other Dioceses.)

Ascension Thursday is a special day of the church year on which Catholics celebrate the glorified and victorious return of the risen Jesus to his Father in heaven. The feast occurs on a Thursday, 40 days after Easter. The feast of the Ascension is a holy day in the United States.

Through history the Ascension has commemorated the moment when Christ entered he place of eternal life in order to send the Holy Spirit to his followers. Early Christians considered the Ascension one of the greatest feasts since it is a wonderful sign that all human beings are meant to be united with God in happiness forever.

The gospels of Luke and John seem to indicate that the Ascension happened on Easter night. But the Acts of the Apostles places it some forty days after Easter Sunday. The reason for the Ascension however, is more crucial than the when of the event. Jesus Christ returned (or rose), to heaven in full glory. Seated at God's right hand, he sent forth his Spirit to his church and to members of his church in this world. Jesus lived, died, was raised from the dead, and will come again in glory at the end of time.

The Ascension beings the prayerful nine-day wait for the feast of the sending of the Spirit called Pentecost. The risen Jesus is not absent from our world but is present to his followers through the Spirit. The Ascension is a powerful sing of the upcoming happiness with God in heaven that Jesus promised.

- Concise Catholic Dictionary for Parents and Religion Teachers by Reynolds & Rosemary Ekstrom

St. John Berchmans School's annual GLIMMER fundraiser is Saturday MAY 20th from 6pm to 10pm in the School Gymnasium, which will be transformed into a 1970s era disco! Join us for food, beer, wine and cocktails, live music, a silent auction, and more - all to raise money for SJB, a pillar of Catholic education for more than 115 years! This event is open to the public and all are welcome! PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS FOR GLIMMER 2023 HERE! Costumes are highly encouraged!

The Glimmer Committee is still in need of sponsorships to help underwrite the event (SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES), and donations to the silent auction are still being accepted (SILENT AUCTION DONATION INTAKE FORM). Sponsorships and donations are tax deductible, and come with marketing and promotional opportunities. Please contact Claire Kenny (ckenny@stjohnberchmans.com) with any questions.

Lastly, purchase your tickets for the GLIMMER 50/50 RAFFLE TICKETS. The drawing will take place at the event, but you need not be present to win!

Client Choice Food Pantry
Revised May 3, 2023

“Through the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I present to you all my petitions and I beg you to hear me.”

Online Book of Intentions

Please follow us on our Social Media platforms
by clicking the links below!

View this email in your browser

May 10th - Weekly Newsletter

5/11/2023

Growing Liturgical Ministries, The return of "Being Catholic - Did you know?, and more ...

Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord;
whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.

Dear Friends,

Happy Wednesday everyone, what a BEAUTIFUL Day ... This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Today, May 10th is "Mother's Day" in Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador. ¡Feliz Día de las Madres!

NEW SUNDAY MASS SCHEDULE - The NEW Sunday Mass Schedule is in FULL effect please read the information below very carefully!

Parish Liturgical Ministries - LECTOR - Spring is a time for growing … and we are asking you to help us grow our Parish Liturgical Ministries as a LECTOR. Lectors sometimes give the welcome at Mass, they proclaim the word of God from the scriptures, and lead us in the Universal Prayer. If you WERE a minister in the past, or if you have ever thought about this ministry. Please pray on it, and consider joining. Contact Michael White, the Director of Liturgy & Music, or see him after Mass if you are interested.

First Communion - Congratulations to 48 of our SJB School and Religious Ed students who received their First Eucharist this past weekend. They are now able to fully share in the Feast at the Eucharistic Table!!

Being Catholic - Did you know? - Today marks the return of "Did You Know?" ... Many of us grew up attending Catholic School, or CCD classes, etc ..., and knew "about" things, but we didn't really remember what they're called or knew the meaning behind a word/phrase. In this weekly newsletter, we will feature a "Did you know?!" It will sometimes be a word, or a place, or an object related to our Catholic Faith. So, did you know ... ?

UPDATED BCAP Food Pantry needs - Our Parish Food Pantry is doing what it is intended for, and that is distributing food and other necessities to those in need. HOWEVER, see below for our most current needs as they have changed from food into other necessities.

Spring Movie Event - The viewing and discussion of Season TWO of "The Chosen" has begun, see below for more info ...

GLIMMER Fundraiser - St. John Berchmans School's annual GLIMMER fundraiser is Saturday MAY 20th from 6pm to 10pm in the School Gymnasium. See below for more exciting details, you won't want to miss this!!

Lifting of COVID-19 Restrictions - With the public health emergency attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic set to expire on May 11, effective on that day all remaining Archdiocesan COVID-related restrictions will be lifted. The Sharing of the Common Cup can resume, and Ministers, regardless of their vaccination status, can bring Holy Communion to the sick and homebound.

Though the health emergency is over, we must continue to respect each other’s preferences regarding personal health and safety. Some parishioners may continue to refrain from attending Mass in person for perceived safety concerns. Some parishioners may continue to wear masks out of an abundance of caution, particularly if their health is already compromised. Some ministers or parishioners may be uncomfortable receiving the Precious Blood from the common cup. In all situations, we must act prudently and charitably toward each other.

Stay tuned for how BCAP will reintroduce the sharing of the precious blood from a common cup.

Parish Forms on the Website - https://www.carloacutisparish.org/parish-forms.html Did you know that many of our forms and requests are on our website? Inquiring about a Baptism ... Need a copy of your Baptismal Certificate ... Want to schedule your wedding? It's all on our website! Simply fill out the form and we'll get back to ya.

Prayers for the Sick - Both in the Sunday Bulletin, and here in the Weekly Newsletter, we list the names of those who are in sick and in need of our prayers. If you would like to add you someone's name to the sick list, please email the Parish Office. Please also email us when it's ok to remove them from the sick list. This helps to ensure our list is up to date.

We hope to see you at one of the Masses this weekend, wear a mask or not, and don't forget to bring a friend or two!!

God Bless, see you in Church!
Michael White, Director of Music and Liturgy AND Weekly Newsletter Editor

Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish Mission Statement

Vision Statement

Our vision is transforming spirits, hearts and minds.

Core Values

Congratulations First Communicants of 2023

Did You Know?
"Eucharist"

"Eucharist" is Greek for "thanksgiving"; the sacrament through which Christ's self-sacrifice is made present and bread and wine become his Body and Blood. It was instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper and is celebrated by the Church today in the Mass. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it the "source and summit of the Christian life" (CCC 1324). Also, it can be referring to the liturgy through which the sacrament is conferred (i.e. the Mass) as well as referring to the consecrated Body and Blood themselves.

Christ is really and truly present in BOTH forms of Communion - the Bread and/or Wine. You receive Christ fully in ANY size or piece of the host you receive, no matter how small. And, you also receive Christ fully in the sacrament if you receive just the precious blood under the appearance of wine. Obviously the sacrament is more full under both species, but you receive Christ fully in either forms.

Due to Covid restrictions, the Archdiocese had suspended the reception of the precious blood, but due to the public health emergency attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic set to expire on May 11, COVID-related restrictions will be lifted. We will be evaluating as a Parish how we will return to the sharing of the Precious Blood from the common cup.

Stay tuned!

Lastly, purchase your tickets for the GLIMMER 50/50 RAFFLE TICKETS. The drawing will take place at the event, but you need not be present to win!

Congratulations to our Catechists who received their certification for Lay Leadership from the University of Saint Mary of the Lakes in Mundelein on May 6, 2023. We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to them on this remarkable achievement. We are grateful for all their hard work, dedication, and service to our community. May God bless them always!

Client Choice Food Pantry
Revised May 3, 2023

Saint of the Day for May 10
Saint Damien de Veuster of Moloka’i’s Story
(January 3, 1840 – April 15, 1889)

Saint Damien de Veuster of Moloka’i’s Story

When Joseph de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840, few people in Europe had any firsthand knowledge of leprosy, Hansen’s disease. By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the world knew about this disease because of him. They knew that human compassion could soften the ravages of this disease.

Forced to quit school at age 13 to work on the family farm, Joseph entered the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary six years later, taking the name of a fourth-century physician and martyr. When his brother Pamphile, a priest in the same congregation, fell ill and was unable to go to the Hawaiian Islands as assigned, Damien quickly volunteered in his place. In May 1864, two months after arriving in his new mission, Damien was ordained a priest in Honolulu and assigned to the island of Hawaii.

In 1873, he went to the Hawaiian government’s leper colony on the island of Moloka’i, set up seven years earlier. Part of a team of four chaplains taking that assignment for three months each year, Damien soon volunteered to remain permanently, caring for the people’s physical, medical, and spiritual needs. In time, he became their most effective advocate to obtain promised government support.

Soon the settlement had new houses and a new church, school and orphanage. Morale improved considerably. A few years later, he succeeded in getting the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, led by Mother Marianne Cope, to help staff this colony in Kalaupapa.

Damien contracted Hansen’s disease and died of its complications. As requested, he was buried in Kalaupapa, but in 1936 the Belgian government succeeded in having his body moved to Belgium. Part of Damien’s body was returned to his beloved Hawaiian brothers and sisters after his beatification in 1995.

When Hawaii became a state in 1959, it selected Damien as one of its two representatives in the Statuary Hall at the US Capitol. Damien was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009.

Reflection

Some people thought Damien was a hero for going to Moloka’i and others thought he was crazy. When a Protestant clergyman wrote that Damien was guilty of immoral behavior, Robert Louis Stevenson vigorously defended him in an “Open Letter to Dr. Hyde.”

~ Franciscan Media

“Through the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I present to you all my petitions and I beg you to hear me.”

Online Book of Intentions

Please follow us on our Social Media platforms
by clicking the links below!

View this email in your browser

Glimmer 2023

5/8/2023

St. John Berchmans School's annual GLIMMER fundraiser is Saturday MAY 20th from 6pm to 10pm in the School Gymnasium, which will be transformed into a 1970s era disco! Join us for food, beer, wine and cocktails, live music, a silent auction, and more - all to raise money for SJB, a pillar of Catholic education for more than 115 years! This event is open to the public and all are welcome! PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS FOR GLIMMER 2023 HERE! Costumes are highly encouraged!

The Glimmer Committee is still in need of sponsorships to help underwrite the event (SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES), and donations to the silent auction are still being accepted (SILENT AUCTION DONATION INTAKE FORM). Sponsorships and donations are tax deductible, and come with marketing and promotional opportunities. Please contact Claire Kenny (ckenny@stjohnberchmans.com) with any questions.

Lastly, purchase your tickets for the GLIMMER 50/50 RAFFLE TICKETS. The drawing will take place at the event, but you need not be present to win!

May 3rd - Weekly Newsletter

5/4/2023

First Communion, UPDATED Food Pantry Needs, and more ...

I am the way, the truth, and the life, says the Lord;
Philip, whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

Dear Friends,

Happy Wednesday everyone, it's now May and another week is upon us! Maybe the weather will get warmer soon ...

NEW SUNDAY MASS SCHEDULE - The NEW Sunday Mass Schedule is in FULL effect please read the information below very carefully!

Parish Liturgical Ministries - Spring is a time for growing … and we are asking you to help us grow our Parish Liturgical Ministries! We are looking for Altar Servers, Choir members and instrumentalists, Greeters, Lectors, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion FROM BOTH CHURCHES, and in ALL languages! If you have ever thought about any of these ministries, or if you were one in the past, please pray on it, and consider joining. Contact Michael White, the Director of Liturgy & Music, or see him after Mass if you are interested.

First Communion this weekend - Please pray for our 2nd graders who will be receiving their First Communion this weekend at the 11 am Mass. They will soon be able to fully share in the Feast at the Eucharistic Table!!

UPDATED BCAP Food Pantry needs - Our Parish Food Pantry is doing what it is intended for, and that is distributing food and other necessities to those in need. HOWEVER, see below for our most current needs as they have changed from food into other necessities.

Spring Movie Event - The viewing and discussion of Season TWO of "The Chosen" has begun, see below for more info ...

GLIMMER Fundraiser - St. John Berchmans School's annual GLIMMER fundraiser is Saturday MAY 20th from 6pm to 10pm in the School Gymnasium. See below for more exciting details, you won't want to miss this!!

MASKS are still OPTIONAL, BUT ... With Covid and the Flu on the rise, please use your best judgement when it comes to your own safety and the safety of others, and do not come to church if you are feeling ill. As always, be kind and respectful to one another if the person choses or not to wear a mask. Remember, we're all in this together!

Parish Forms on the Website - https://www.carloacutisparish.org/parish-forms.html Did you know that many of our forms and requests are on our website? Inquiring about a Baptism ... Need a copy of your Baptismal Certificate ... Want to schedule your wedding? It's all on our website! Simply fill out the form and we'll get back to ya.

Prayers for the Sick - Both in the Sunday Bulletin, and here in the Weekly Newsletter, we list the names of those who are in sick and in need of our prayers. If you would like to add you someone's name to the sick list, please email the Parish Office. Please also email us when it's ok to remove them from the sick list. This helps to ensure our list is up to date.

We hope to see you at one of the Masses this weekend, wear a mask or not, and don't forget to bring a friend or two!!

God Bless, see you in Church!
Michael White, Director of Music and Liturgy AND Weekly Newsletter Editor

Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish Mission Statement

Vision Statement

Our vision is transforming spirits, hearts and minds.

Core Values

Lastly, purchase your tickets for the GLIMMER 50/50 RAFFLE TICKETS. The drawing will take place at the event, but you need not be present to win!

Client Choice Food Pantry
Revised May 3, 2023

Saint of the Day for May 3
Saints Philip and James
(? – ?)

Saints Philip and James’ Story

James, Son of Alphaeus: We know nothing of this man except his name, and, of course, the fact that Jesus chose him to be one of the 12 pillars of the New Israel, his Church. He is not the James of Acts, son of Clopas, “brother” of Jesus and later bishop of Jerusalem and the traditional author of the Letter of James. James, son of Alphaeus, is also known as James the Lesser to avoid confusing him with James the son of Zebedee, also an apostle and known as James the Greater.
Philip: Philip came from the same town as Peter and Andrew, Bethsaida in Galilee. Jesus called him directly, whereupon he sought out Nathanael and told him of the “one about whom Moses wrote” (Jn 1:45).

Like the other apostles, Philip took a long time coming to realize who Jesus was. On one occasion, when Jesus saw the great multitude following him and wanted to give them food, he asked Philip where they should buy bread for the people to eat. Saint John comments, “[Jesus] said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do” (Jn 6:6). Philip answered, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little [bit]” (Jn 6:7).
John’s story is not a put-down of Philip. It was simply necessary for these men who were to be the foundation stones of the Church to see the clear distinction between humanity’s total helplessness apart from God and the human ability to be a bearer of divine power by God’s gift.

On another occasion, we can almost hear the exasperation in Jesus’s voice. After Thomas had complained that they did not know where Jesus was going, Jesus said, “I am the way. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him” (Jn 14:6a, 7). Then Philip said, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us” (Jn 14:8). Enough! Jesus answered, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9a).

Possibly because Philip bore a Greek name or because he was thought to be close to Jesus, some gentile proselytes came to him and asked him to introduce them to Jesus. Philip went to Andrew, and Andrew went to Jesus. Jesus’s reply in John’s Gospel is indirect; Jesus says that now his “hour” has come, that in a short time he will give his life for Jew and gentile alike.

Reflection
As in the case of the other apostles, we see in James and Philip human men who became foundation stones of the Church, and we are reminded again that holiness and its consequent apostolate are entirely the gift of God, not a matter of human achieving. All power is God’s power, even the power of human freedom to accept his gifts. “You will be clothed with power from on high,” Jesus told Philip and the others. Their first commission had been to expel unclean spirits, heal diseases, announce the kingdom. They learned, gradually, that these externals were sacraments of an even greater miracle inside their persons—the divine power to love like God.

Saints Philip and James are the Patron Saints of:
Uruguay

~ Franciscan Media

“Through the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I present to you all my petitions and I beg you to hear me.”

Online Book of Intentions

Please pray for the Sick of our Parish

Fr. Paul Reicher, Martha Ibarra, Doreen Maneely, Anna Mann, Nicole Vilches, Karel O’Brien,Angela Rivera, Mary Anne Sedey, Linda Klickmann, Barbara Durbin, Danny Olivero, Junior Burgos, Dolores Kryszak, Joseph Price, Teresa Ellison, Tallulah Andresen, Robert Bauer, Antionette Krerowicz, Ana Flores, Apolonio Alarcon, Antonio de Vera, Patricio A. Yanez Guerra, Manglio Bonilla Gail, Jason & Family, Daniel Brady, Cyndi De Lira, Carolyn S. Duckunue, Transito Alvarez, Frances Alequin, Alejandro Carmona, Sophie Hernan, Eleanor Jura, Monika Kloniecka, Joseph Wyse, Verena Tonnesen, Berenice Sosnowski, Nick Jurado, Jackie Schuman, Terry Brady, Salomea Olszewska, Hertha Runowski, Angie Schuman, John Graff, Joseph Murphy, Linda Riske, Margaret Flisiak, Jazzmyne Aguilar, Hailey Marose, Sarah Ellison, Nancy Idaszak, Sally Cox, Daniel Salas, Eleanor Rylko, Nancy, Brian, Jimmy Denges, & Crystal Mohetano.

Please follow us on our Social Media platforms
by clicking the links below!

View this email in your browser

April 26th - Weekly Newsletter

4/27/2023

Need for Liturgical Ministries, SJB School Glimmer Event, and more ...

Everyone who believes in the Son has eternal life,
and I shall raise him up on the last day, says the Lord.

Dear Friends,

Happy Wednesday everyone, at least the sun was out today! Now if we can only have a bit warmer weather that would make for a great spring!!

NEW SUNDAY MASS SCHEDULE - The NEW Sunday Mass Schedule is in effect please read the information below very carefully!

Parish Liturgical Ministries - Spring is a time for growing … and we are asking you to help us grow our Parish Liturgical Ministries! We are looking for Altar Servers, Choir members and instrumentalists, Greeters, Lectors, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion FROM BOTH CHURCHES, and in ALL languages! If you have ever thought about any of these ministries, or if you were one in the past, please pray on it, and consider joining. Contact Michael White, the Director of Liturgy & Music, or see him after Mass if you are interested.

Spring Movie Event - The viewing and discussion of Season TWO of "The Chosen" has beguns, ee below for more info ...

Feast of Our Lady of Manaoag - The nine day novena for the Feast of Our Lady of Manaoag has begun. See the flyer below for the full schedule, and join us THIS Saturday, April 29th for the Feast Day Mass and procession.

GLIMMER Fundraiser - St. John Berchmans School's annual GLIMMER fundraiser is Saturday MAY 20th from 6pm to 10pm in the School Gymnasium. See below for more exciting details, you won't want to miss this!!

Eucharistic Testimonies - When we encounter Jesus Christ, he changes us—sometimes by signs and wonders, at other times by his peace that passes all understanding. During this Eucharistic Revival, we would like to share testimonies of our parishioners and their relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist. Today we highlight Halina Pydych.

REVISED BCAP Food Pantry needs - Just a reminder that donating to the Food Pantry isn't a one time thing. Food and other necessities are CONSTANTLY needed. See below for our most current needs.

MASKS are still OPTIONAL, BUT ... With Covid and the Flu on the rise, please use your best judgement when it comes to your own safety and the safety of others, and do not come to church if you are feeling ill. As always, be kind and respectful to one another if the person choses or not to wear a mask. Remember, we're all in this together!

Parish Forms on the Website - https://www.carloacutisparish.org/parish-forms.html Did you know that many of our forms and requests are on our website? Inquiring about a Baptism ... Need a copy of your Baptismal Certificate ... Want to schedule your wedding? It's all on our website! Simply fill out the form and we'll get back to ya.

Prayers for the Sick - Both in the Sunday Bulletin, and here in the Weekly Newsletter, we list the names of those who are in sick and in need of our prayers. If you would like to add you someone's name to the sick list, please email the Parish Office. Please also email us when it's ok to remove them from the sick list. This helps to ensure our list is up to date.

We hope to see you at one of the Masses this weekend, wear a mask or not, and don't forget to bring a friend or two!!

God Bless, see you in Church!
Michael White, Director of Music and Liturgy AND Weekly Newsletter Editor

Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish Mission Statement

Vision Statement

Our vision is transforming spirits, hearts and minds.

Core Values

Lastly, purchase your tickets for the GLIMMER 50/50 RAFFLE TICKETS. The drawing will take place at the event, but you need not be present to win!

Saint of the Day for April 25
Saint Mark, the Evangelist
(? – c. April 25, 68)

Saint Mark’s Story
Most of what we know about Mark comes directly from the New Testament. He is usually identified with the Mark of Acts 12:12. When Saint Peter escaped from prison, he went to the home of Mark’s mother.

Paul and Barnabas took him along on the first missionary journey, but for some reason Mark returned alone to Jerusalem. It is evident, from Paul’s refusal to let Mark accompany him on the second journey despite Barnabas’s insistence, that Mark had displeased Paul. Because Paul later asks Mark to visit him in prison, we may assume the trouble did not last long.

The oldest and the shortest of the four Gospels, the Gospel of Mark emphasizes Jesus’s rejection by humanity while being God’s triumphant envoy. Probably written for gentile converts in Rome—after the death of Peter and Paul sometime between A.D. 60 and 70—Mark’s Gospel is the gradual manifestation of a “scandal”: a crucified Messiah.

Evidently a friend of Mark—calling him “my son”—Peter is only one of this Gospel’s sources, others being the Church in Jerusalem (Jewish roots), and the Church at Antioch (largely Gentile).

Like another Gospel writer Luke, Mark was not one of the 12 apostles. We cannot be certain whether he knew Jesus personally. Some scholars feel that the evangelist is speaking of himself when describing the arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane: “Now a young man followed him wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body. They seized him, but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked” (Mark 14:51-52).

Others hold Mark to be the first bishop of Alexandria, Egypt. Venice, famous for the Piazza San Marco, claims Mark as its patron saint; the large basilica there is believed to contain his remains.

A winged lion is Mark’s symbol. The lion derives from Mark’s description of John the Baptist as a “voice of one crying out in the desert” (Mark 1:3), which artists compared to a roaring lion. The wings come from the application of Ezekiel’s vision of four winged creatures to the evangelists.

Reflection

Mark fulfilled in his life what every Christian is called to do: proclaim to all people the Good News that is the source of salvation. In particular, Mark’s way was by writing. Others may proclaim the Good News by music, drama, poetry, or by teaching children around a family table.

Saint Mark is the Patron Saint of:

Notaries
Venice

~ Franciscan Media

Client Choice Food Pantry
Revised March 15, 2023

Please see the updated list of needs...

IN ADDITION TO FOOD ... Because peoples needs are more than just food, we are now collecting the following (new or gently used) items for our Immigrant brothers and sisters. Coats, Winter Clothes, Jeans, Shoes, Blankets, Towels, Sheets, Pots/Pans, and Utensils.

You can drop off any donations to 2517 W. Logan blvd between the hours of 9-3 pm M-F, or on Sundays in the bins at the back of the church.

Halina Pydych
Eucharistic Testimony

Christ Chooses Imperfect People for His Perfect Plan

My testimony to the Eucharist is not defined by one single event that occurred in my life. I believe that every day I give testimony to the Eucharist, by not only attending mass on Sundays but by being present in my work and family life. Christ challenges me every day and every day is an opportunity for me to live through the Eucharist that I receive. I am not only thankful for the blessings in my life, but the cross that Christ gives me to be carried every day. I know these challenges are hard to deal with sometimes, however, they make me the Catholic that I am today. Christ has always been part of my upbringing. This is something that has been instilled in me by my parents and this is what I have instilled in my own children.

Being a mother, a wife, a sister, and a daughter, it was my duty in making sure that everything was taken care of. It was my responsibility to make sure that everyone attended Sunday Mass. I wanted my children to hold these values close to their hearts. My husband and I are parishioners at St. Hedwig Parish, and we have always tried to be involved in the Mass whenever possible. I would sing, my husband would read, and all my children were altar servers. This was our way of bringing our different talents to mass and being actively part of the Eucharistic ceremony. I believe that God works through me to perform good deeds and help others. When I see my entire family participate during mass, it moves my heart. I feel closer to Christ knowing that I am part of the Eucharistic ritual, helping to bring Christ to others.

My life took a slightly different direction when I became a Religious Education Coordinator at my parish. This was truly unexpected when my pastor asked me to take the job as a Religious Education Coordinator after one Sunday mass. I was scared and unsure if I was capable of performing the job. Therefore, I prayed about the opportunity. I prayed for our parish, students, and catechists because I knew they needed someone to help coordinate the entire program for them. I needed guidance and a sign that I was the right person for this position.

The following week, I saw our pastor and he again asked me if I would like to take on this job. I was a little hesitant because I still did not know if this was the path I was meant to take. He told me to think about it some more. I continued to pray. During prayer, I felt something stir in my heart and I knew Christ spoke to me. I realized that even though I was not the perfect candidate, or had any previous education in coordinating religious education, Christ chooses imperfect people for His perfect plan. Next week, I spoke with my pastor and accepted the job.

Sometimes I am amazed when I look back at what I have accomplished and the opportunities this job has brought me. I know this is not my doing, but rather the work of someone who is above me. Through Him, all things are possible, and I know Jesus is working within me. While there have been challenges, I know that with His guidance, I will be fine. I am grateful for the many blessings that my faith has brought into my life, and I hope to continue to grow in my faith and share it with others.

“Through the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I present to you all my petitions and I beg you to hear me.”

Online Book of Intentions

Please follow us on our Social Media platforms
by clicking the links below!

View this email in your browser

The Chosen: Season 2

4/24/2023

Plant seeds of faith this Spring as we view and discuss the Second Season of "The Chosen". This groundbreaking TV Series is a soul piercing glance at the everyday lives of Jesus and his followers.

Monday's OR Tuesday's this Spring
Monday, April 24 - June 5: 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. ~ SJB Church Hall
Tuesday, April 25 - June 6: 1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. ~ SJB Rectory

Email Sr. Diane Marie, here or call 773-486-4300, if you are interested in attending.

Light Refreshments will be served.

DOLMA Presents

4/24/2023

Novena and Mass will be held everyday leading up to the Feast of Our Lady of Manaoag. The Novena will be at 6 pm and Mass at 7 pm from April 20 – 28th, except April 22, which will be a 4 pm Novena and Mass at 5 pm

The FEAST OF OUR LADY OF MANÃOAG will be held at St. Hedwig church on Saturday APRIL 29, 2023 with a procession at 4 pm, weather permitting and Mass at 5 pm.

<<Previous

Parish News & Events

Weekly Mass Sacraments and Devotional Schedule

Weekly Mass Sacraments and Devotional Schedule

Saint of the Day for May 10 Saint Damien de Veuster of Moloka’i’s Story (January 3, 1840 – April 15, 1889)

Saint of the Day for May 3 Saints Philip and James (? – ?)

Saint of the Day for April 25 Saint Mark, the Evangelist (? – c. April 25, 68)

Weekly Mass
Sacraments and Devotional Schedule

Weekly Mass
Sacraments and Devotional Schedule

Saint of the Day for May 10
Saint Damien de Veuster of Moloka’i’s Story
(January 3, 1840 – April 15, 1889)

Saint of the Day for May 3
Saints Philip and James
(? – ?)

Saint of the Day for April 25
Saint Mark, the Evangelist
(? – c. April 25, 68)