Parish News - Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish

July 7th - Weekly Newsletter

7/7/2022

Mission and Vision Update, Food Bank, St. Maria Goretti and more ...

Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation,
for when he has been proved
he will receive the crown of life.

Dear Friends,

Happy Wednesday everyone, hope you had a good day!

Highland Park Shooting - If you haven't read it already, Cardinal Cupich shares his statement on the recent shooting in Highland Park. Please continue to pray for those that have lost their lives, and for their families, as well as an end to mass shootings!!

Parish Website - https://www.carloacutisparish.org - If you haven't already done so, be sure to check it out. While you're there, don't forget to follow us on the various social media platforms!!

Live Streaming of Sunday Mass from SJB - Just a reminder, the Live Stream of the Masses from the SJB site has moved to the "Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish" Facebook Page.

Mission and VISION Integration - We have shared our new Parish Mission Statement, Vision Statement, our Core Values, and last week we shared our Goals. Have you read them? Do you agree with them? Anything we should add?

Remember, we are companions on this journey of faith as a "Unified Parish" together. While we have a new parish name, and we had the Unity Mass, these are just stepping stones. Please help us as we grow together!

Food Pantry - PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!! The Food Pantry at SJB is STOCKED and OVERFLOWING with Food! We are even having to throw away some food because it has expired! If you or someone you know is in need of food, please do not hesitate to call the SJB Office at 773-486-4300 (9-5, M-F) and we'll take care of you!! (Pass the word along, you do NOT have to be a parishioner or attend Mass at either SJB or SH to receive food!!!)

MASKS are OPTIONAL - 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!

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 on Sunday!

Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish Mission Statement

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

A mission statement says who we are and what we do. Please take a few minutes and reflect and pray on this mission statement. Does this mission statement describe our parish? As we continue to grow together, we can add to this statement.

Vision Statement

Our vision is transforming spirits, hearts and minds.

A vision statement suggests how we need to grow. It is short, specific and memorable. Please take a few minutes and reflect and pray on this vision statement. Does this vision statement describe our parish? As we grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ through our participation in Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish, we want to nourish our spirits, hearts and minds.

Core Values

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

Core values are what we see as most important in our community. Do these values describe our parish?

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.

Goals help us to focus on what needs to be done in the year ahead. Do these goals describe our parish? Yoiur input is welcome.

Your input is welcome.
Please send suggestions to Father Paul Sims, C.R. at [email protected].

Statement of Cardinal Cupich on the July 4 mass shooting in Highland Park

I have been watching the news in horror as at least 6 are dead and many more were wounded after a gunman opened fire as families attended an Independence Day parade in Highland Park. What should have been a peaceful celebration of our nation’s founding ended in unspeakable tragedy.

Please join me in praying for the victims and their loved ones, who never imagined a July 4 celebration could become a killing ground. Pray too for the safety of first responders as they pursue the person responsible for this tragedy. They bravely rushed into the danger to treat victims and to protect others from harm.

The parade reportedly had a heavy presence of police and fire vehicles, yet this shooter was able to wound at least two dozen people before he stopped, or was stopped, and fled. Victims ranged in age from 8 to 85. Weapons designed to rapidly destroy human bodies have no place in civil society.

It is barely July, and this year the United States is already experiencing more than one mass shooting a day. Chicago Police reported at least 55 shot and 7 killed since Friday, and the holiday weekend is not yet over. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for U.S. children.
Whatever one makes of the right to bear arms, there is plenty of room for prudential judgment in interpreting the Second Amendment so as to enact serious, broadly popular gun-safety measures. The Senate finally passed a significant, yet modest, gun-safety bill last month. But clearly more must be done.

The right to bear arms does not eclipse the right to life, or the right of all Americans to go about their lives free of the fear that they might be shredded by bullets at any moment. Gun violence is a life issue. We must continue to pray that all our officials, elected and unelected alike, will redouble their commitment to keeping safe the people they have sworn to serve.

Pope Francis wrote to the people of Chicagoland in 2016: “As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, humanity ‘must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.’ I urge all people, especially young men and women, to respond to Dr. King's prophetic words and know that a culture of nonviolence is not an unattainable dream, but a path that has produced decisive results.”

May the Lord of mercy embrace in love those who have died, bring healing to the wounded, comfort to their loved ones, and courage to all of us, so that we may respond to this tragedy united as God’s children to build a path to safety and peace.

Saint of the Day for July 6

Saint Maria Goretti
(October 16, 1890 - July 6, 1902)

Saint Maria Goretti's Story

One of the largest crowds ever assembled for a canonization—250,000—symbolized the reaction of millions touched by the simple story of Maria Goretti. She was the daughter of a poor Italian tenant farmer, had no chance to go to school, never learned to read or write. When Maria made her First Communion not long before her death, she was one of the larger and somewhat backward members of the class.

On a hot afternoon in July, Maria was sitting at the top of the stairs of her house, mending a shirt. She was not quite 12 years old, but physically mature. A cart stopped outside, and a neighbor, 18-year-old Alessandro, ran up the stairs. He seized her and pulled her into a bedroom. She struggled and tried to call for help. “No, God does not wish it,” she cried out. “It is a sin. You would go to hell for it.” Alessandro began striking at her blindly with a long dagger.

Maria was taken to a hospital. Her last hours were marked by the usual simple compassion of the good—concern about where her mother would sleep, forgiveness of her murderer (she had been in fear of him, but did not say anything lest she cause trouble to his family), and her devout welcoming of Viaticum, her last Holy Communion. She died about 24 hours after the attack.

Alessandro was sentenced to 30 years in prison. For a long time he was unrepentant and surly. One night he had a dream or vision of Maria gathering flowers and offering them to him. His life changed. When he was released after 27 years, his first act was to beg the forgiveness of Maria’s mother.

Devotion to the young martyr grew, miracles were worked, and in less than half a century she was canonized. At her beatification in 1947, her 82-year-old mother, two sisters, and her brother appeared with Pope Pius XII on the balcony of St. Peter’s. Three years later, at Maria's canonization, a 66-year-old Alessandro Serenelli knelt among the quarter-million people and cried tears of joy.

Reflection

Maria may have had trouble with catechism, but she had no trouble with faith. God’s will was holiness, decency, respect for one’s body, absolute obedience, total trust. In a complex world, her faith was simple: It is a privilege to be loved by God, and to love him—at any cost.

Saint Maria Goretti is the Patron Saint of:

Catholic Youth
Girls
Teenagers

~ Franciscan Media

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.

The St. Michael the Archangel statue is located in the city center of Kyiv in Independence Square.
(photo: Blik Sergey / Shutterstock)

Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander
through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

Sayings of Blessed Carlo Acutis

"Everything passes away ... What alone will truly make us beautiful in God's eyes is the way that we have loved him and our brothers."

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

Soledad Ruiz, Secilia Green, Anna Mann, Nicole Vilches, Karel O’Brien,
Angela Rivera, Felipe Caraballo, Mary Anne Sedey, Verena Tonnesen,
Rob Turrell, Dennis Zolidis, Linda Klickmann,
Barbara Durbin, Danny Olivero, Junior Burgos, Dolores Kryszak,
Joseph Price, Teresa Ellison, Grace Gauss, Tallulah Andresen,
Robert Bauer, Antionette Krerowicz, Ana Flores, Apolonio Alarcon,
Antonio de Vera, Patricio A. Yanez Guerra, Manglio Bonilla Gail, Jason & Family, Basilisa M. De Guzman, 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.

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July 7th - Weekly Newsletter

Saint of the Day for July 6 Saint Maria Goretti (October 16, 1890 - July 6, 1902)

Saint of the Day for July 6

Saint Maria Goretti
(October 16, 1890 - July 6, 1902)