5 2 8 L a t h r o p A v e n u e R i v e r F o r e s t, I l l i n o i s E.M. Jeep

Transcription

1 5 2 8 L a t h r o p A v e n u e R i v e r F o r e s t, I l l i n o i s as at the first creation earthly dust was fashioned into human life so now young Mary s humble flesh knits up a body for One the whole world cannot contain the women embrace foreshadowing the intimacy that we call Church wherein the body of Christ is carried hidden, unfinished yet causing all to leap with joy the women first to know, to recognize embrace but others soon will come rejoicing that the Holy One of Israel makes good the ancient promise E.M. Jeep D e c e m b e r 2 0, F o u r t h S u n d a y o f A d v e n t D e c e m b e r 2 7, T h e H o l y F a m i l y o f J e s u s, M a r y a n d J o s e p h

2 2 Mass Intentions Monday, December 21 - St. Peter Canisius 6:30 am Henry Pasek 8:00 am James T. Brennan Tuesday, December 22 6:30 am The Blessed Sacrament Ministries 8:00 am Cornelius Margaret Sullivan Wednesday, December 23 - St. John of Kanty 6:30 am John J. Gleason 8:00 am Bob Coleman Thursday, December 24 8:00 am Marie Patricia Dwyer 4:00 pm Priest s Intentions 6:00 pm Priest s Intentions 10:00 pm Priest s Intentions Friday, December 25 - The Nativity of The Lord 9:00 am Priest s Intentions 10:30 am Priest s Intentions 12:00 pm Priest s Intentions Saturday, December 26 - St. Stephen 8:00 am John E. and Margaret T. O Neill 5:00 pm The People of St. Luke Parish Sunday, December 27 - The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph 7:30 am Dr. Robert Lee Muldoon 9:00 am Sheila Planek 10:30 am The Williams, Karasis, Kurr Families and Roy 12:00 pm Josephine T. and Michael J. Dooley Monday, December 28 - The Holy Innocents 8:00 am The Clark and Daley Families Tuesday, December 29 - St. Thomas Becket 8:00 am Angela Devereux Ebzery Wednesday, December 30 8:00 am Denis A. Kurtenbach Thursday, December 31 - St. Sylvester I 8:00 am Michael Charles Maroon 5:00 pm John E. and Margaret T. O Neill Friday, January 1, Mary, the Holy Mother of God 8:00 am The People of St. Luke Parish 10:00 am The Williams, Karasis and Kurr Families Saturday, January 2 - Ss. Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen 8:00 am Philip Sheehan 5:00 pm The People of St. Luke Parish Sunday, January 3 - The Epiphany of the Lord 7:30 am Bessie Drazdik 9:00 am John E. and Margaret T. O Neill 10:30 am Joseph J. Dooley 12:00 pm Josephine T. and Michael J. Dooley Please note that there will be no 6:30 am Mass on the weekdays from December 24 through January 1 inclusive. As usual, there will be an 8:00 am Mass on these days. The 6:30 am Mass will resume on January 4. WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL FROM THE PASTOR On this 4 th Sunday of Advent, as the Gospel of Luke teaches us about the fulfilment of God s plan of salvation and how it unfolds for all humanity, I share with you some excerpts from Pope Francis homily for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, which began on December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception: In a few moments I will have the joy of opening the Holy Door of Mercy. We carry out this act so simple yet so highly symbolic, in the light of the word of God which we have just heard. That word highlights the primacy of grace. Again and again these readings make us think of the words by which the angel Gabriel told an astonished young girl of the mystery which was about to enfold her: Hail, full of grace (Luke 1:28). The Virgin Mary was called to rejoice above all because of what the Lord accomplished in her. God s grace enfolded her and made her worthy of becoming the Mother of Christ. When Gabriel entered her home, even the most profound and impenetrable of mysteries became for her a cause for joy, a cause for faith, a cause for abandonment to the message revealed to her. The fullness of grace can transform the human heart and enable it to do something so great as to change the course of human history. This Extraordinary Year is itself a gift of grace. To pass through the Holy Door means to rediscover the infinite mercy of the Father who welcomes everyone and goes out personally to encounter each of them. It is he who seeks us! It is he who comes to encounter us! This will be a year in which we grow ever more convinced of God s mercy. How much wrong we do to God and his grace when we speak of sins being punished by his judgment before we speak of their being forgiven by his mercy!* But that is the truth. We have to put mercy before judgment, and in any event God s judgment will always be in the light of his mercy. In passing through the Holy Door, then, may we feel that we ourselves are part of this mystery of love, of tenderness. Let us set aside all fear and dread, for these do not befit men and women who are loved. Instead, let us experience the joy of encountering that grace which transforms all things. *cf. Saint Augustine, De Praedestinatione Sanctorum, 12, 24

3 You are warmly invited to join us in the celebration of the greatest Gift ever given. Please join our parish family as we worship during this Holy Season. Thursday, December 24 3:30 pm Carols - Children s Choirs 4:00 pm Family Mass 6:00 pm Mass in the Evening 9:30 pm Carols - Chancel Choir 10:00 pm Mass at Night ~ Friday, December 25 9:00 and 10:30 am and 12:00 Noon Masses (There is no 7:30 am Mass on Christmas Day.) Thursday, December 31 5:00 pm ~ Friday, January 1 8:00 & 10:00 am As always, confessions are heard at St. Luke immediately following every morning Mass, Monday through Saturday. We encourage you to avail yourself of the special graces of this sacrament as we prepare to receive Christ in our hearts and homes this Christmas season. As you gather around the Advent Wreath each day this final week of Advent, light all four candles and offer the following prayer: Lord our God, we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ. He is Emmanuel, the hope of all peoples, he is the wisdom that teaches and guides us, he is the Savior of every nation. Lord, let your blessing come upon us as we light the candles of this wreath. May the wreath and its light be a sign of Christ s promise to bring us salvation. May we be revealed as children of the light at the coming of your Son. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do you have St. Luke Parish on your Christmas gift list? Christmas is traditionally a time for making a significant donation to the parish. Your generosity is needed to provide support for all of our ministries. With everyone s help we hope to reach or exceed our goal of $100,000. Thank you for making St. Luke s a priority in your gift giving at this time and all through the year. DECEMBER 20, 2015 Fourth Sunday of Advent DECEMBER 27, 2015 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph 3

4 The annual Breakfast with Santa event, organized by the St. Luke Men s Club, was a big success last Sunday. This holiday favorite was once again a delight for parishioners young and old. Tasty pancakes and sausages were quickly consumed by all attendees, and the children quickly lined up with anticipation when Santa arrived to hear every child s wish list. Even though it was 60 degrees outside, everybody got in the Christmas spirit inside Waldron Hall, commented St. Luke Men's Club president Charlie Smith. There is nothing as special as seeing a young child's face light up with joy when they spot Santa. It is a wonderful thing to see. And thanks to PJ Hosty and his spatula-wielding crew, there was plenty of wonderful food for all who attended. 27th Annual St. Luke Dinner Dance and Auction Sapphire & Gold Gala Saturday, February 27, 2016 Honoring Tom and Mary Beth Smedinghoff Loews Hotel O Hare 5300 River Road Rosemont 4 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL

5 This year St. Leonard s Parish in Berwyn has invited St. Luke parishioners to join them as they celebrate the traditional celebration of Las Posadas today. The event includes singing in a procession following Mary and Joseph as they go from place to place seeking shelter. When Mary and Joseph are finally granted shelter, there is a party with tamales and other traditional food, singing, and a Christmas piñata. All ages are invited to participate. Las Posadas starts at St. Leonard s School Hall, 3322 S. Clarence Avenue in Berwyn, at 3:00 pm today, December 20. Weather permitting, the pilgrimage with Mary and Joseph s seeking shelter will be outside and the party in the school hall. Next Sunday, December 27, is the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. As part of the celebration of this special feast we will have a blessing at all of the Masses next weekend for the families who are present. Please join us. Note: There will be no children s liturgy on December 27 due to the Christmas-New Year s break. The St. Luke Parish Office will be closed for the Christmas and New Year s Day holidays on Thursday and Friday, December 24-25, and Thursday and Friday, December 31-January 1. The St. Luke Parish Men s Club would love to have all parish men join our merry band. We are a casual organization, focusing on building fellowship amongst the men of the entire parish. We conduct a variety of sociable, low-key activities throughout the year. All you need to do to get started is to send an to lukesmensclub@gmail.com. Let us add you to our distribution list so you can learn what we are up to and what s going on in our local community. Next Sunday, December 27, we will celebrate the Rite of Entry into the Catechumenate for the candidates in our RCIA program at the 10:30 am Mass. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is the means by which individuals who were never baptized (catechumens) are catechized in the ways of our faith. Additionally, adult Catholics who were never able to complete their sacraments (candidates) are given the opportunity to profess their faith and receive the sacraments of Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist. Everyone is welcome to join us at this Mass to pray for, support, and encourage those who wish to join our community of faith! If you are new to our church or just visiting, please stop and introduce yourself. We are happy to have you share in today s celebration of the Eucharist. If you do not have a church home, we invite you to become a part of our parish family. Our church welcomes anyone searching for a spiritual home. To register as a parishioner, please call the rectory at on any weekday between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. DECEMBER 20, 2015 Fourth Sunday of Advent DECEMBER 27, 2015 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph 5

6 The Prime Timers will have their next Bridge day on Monday, December 28, in the Hospitality House from noon to 2:30 pm. Newcomers are always welcome. We cannot begin to repay all who contribute, writes one Catholic sister whose community was helped by last week s collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious. So we pray to God, who is never outdone in generosity, to reward you. She expressed the heart-felt sentiments of almost 33,000 sisters, brothers and religious order priests now in retirement after a lifetime of giving selflessly. May God bless you for your goodness! 6 An experienced cook is needed to prepare 2-3 healthy, nutritious meals for our three priests three times a week. Please call Fr. Szmyd at for more details. Now is the time to start thinking about making a donation of appreciated securities or other assets to St. Luke Parish. As we approach the end of tax year 2015, our parish Business Manager, Glenn Wagner ( ), is ready to assist you with information that makes the process simple. As St. Luke s 125 th Anniversary Campaign continues, this may be an opportune time to contribute towards your campaign pledge. Please keep in mind that our Campaign commitment pledge is above and beyond our usual weekly and Christmas support for the parish. We need everyone s continued regular support for our operating budget. The purpose of the Anniversary Campaign is to cover the remaining improvements planned as part of the Capital Campaign. Thank you for including St. Luke Parish in your holiday and year-end giving. WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL Please note the following deadlines for submission of all articles for upcoming bulletins due to the Christmas-New Year s holidays: January 3 Bulletin (Epiphany of Our Lord): 9:00 am tomorrow, December 21 (covers events from January 4-10, 2016) January 10 Bulletin (Baptism of Our Lord): 9:00 am Wednesday, December 30 (covers events from January 11-17) Articles may be dropped off at the parish office or ed to communications@stlukeparish.org. For more information, call Brad at Thank you to all our wonderful parishioners for your gracious support of the St. Luke Respect Life Wreath Sale December 6 and 7. Your generous support of this Culture of Life event funds many lifegiving opportunities in our community! Thank you, and may God bless you and your family during the holidays! Are we moved by the suffering of those without shelter? Do we seek to alleviate the fear, confusion and panic that women facing unexpected pregnancies may be experiencing? Do our hearts ache for elderly patients in nursing homes who feel abandoned and unwanted, having no one to visit them? Our mission is to show each person the love of Christ. As uniquely created individuals, we each have unique gifts which we are called to use to share Christ s love. ~Cardinal Seán O Malley, OFM Cap, Chairman, USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, 2014 Respect Life Month

7 Monday-Tuesday, December :00 am Servers A Delatorre, R Planek Thursday, December 24 4:00 pm Servers L Leonardi, G Ruggie, J Williams Readers Julia Mannix, Diane Ruggie Euch Min C Czarnecki, M Heineke, E Maloney, J Mannix, P Meyer, U Meyer, J O Hara, G Rara, P Romano, R Romano, C Saunders 6:00 pm Servers M Brennan, J Wiktor, [1 server needed] Readers Joe Bobak, Stephen Goethals Euch Min Y Bobak, P Brennan, S Brennan, B Peterson, H Peterson, D Piper, W Piper 10:00 pm Servers N Altier, S Altier, C Stumbris Readers Ciara Hopkinson, Ann O Connell Euch Min B Altier, D Hopkinson, J Lynch, B Miller, V Perera, B Stumbris, J Stumbris Friday, December 25 9:00 am Servers T Cullerton, E Halfpenny, [1 server needed] Readers Doug Kurtenbach, Shelley Sandow Euch Min K Heiss, M Martinez, P Muldoon, A Ramirez, S Scelfo, H Slowik, J Slowik 10:30 am Servers E Dillon, R Planek, [1 server needed] Readers Linda Binder, Tom Smedinghoff Euch Min B Elwood, L Hogan, B Murray, S Murray, T Ogba, D Ross, MB Smedinghoff 12:00 pm Servers M Leavy, J Underwood, A Vasquez Readers Yates Hafner, Noel Moore Euch Min J Courtney, J Meek, D Slepicka, K Slepicka, L Slepicka Saturday, December 26 5:00 pm Servers R Crotty, J Gleason, O Osga Readers Nan Brouilette, Katie Iammartino Euch Min J Bresnahan, E Dieschbourg, C Madden, J Megall, T Ogba, D Valenti, A Valenti Sunday, December 27 7:30 am Servers B Greenberg, M Jacobs, M Morrissey Readers Dave Erfort, John Lynch Euch Min J Duszynski, J Sullivan, M Sullivan 9:00 am Servers C Hanley, P Hicks, R Planek Readers Tamara Hicks, Doug Kurtenbach Euch Min S Hopkinson, M Martinez, R Norton, H Slowik, J Slowik, J Winikates, L Winikates 10:30 am Servers C Dooley, P Gorman, D Westerman Readers Frank Auteri, Julia Mannix Euch Min B Elwood, M Karasis, B Miller, B Nickels, MK Nickels, D Piper, W Piper 12:00 pm Servers C Carr, S Leavy, J Talluto Readers Ann O Connell, Kevin Roche Euch Min K Frank, KE Frank, M Frank, B Huerta, A Roche Thursday, December 31 5:00 pm Servers C Dooley, C Flynn, D Ruggie Readers Joe Bobak, Diane Ruggie Euch Min B Altier, L Hogan, E Maloney, C Saunders J Willoughby Friday, January 1, :00 am Servers P Gorman, B Graves, R Graves Readers Marcelo Aspiras, Tony Graefe Euch Min K Heiss, P Muldoon, S Scelfo 10:00 am Servers T Cullerton, I Flores, P Hicks Readers Doug Kurtenbach, Bob Miller Euch Min M Karasis, M Martinez, B Murray, S Murray, G Rara Saturday, January 2 5:00 Servers M Jacobs, M Leavy, S Leavy Readers Ann O Connell, Shelley Sandow Euch Min J Bobak, Y Bobak, C Madden, B Peterson H Peterson, M Peterson, K Peterson Sunday, January 3 7:30 Servers K Cahill, J Flanagan, L Leonardi Readers Deborah Hopkinson, Katie Iammartino Euch Min C Doyle, S Doyle, E Doyle 9:00 Servers S Altier, E Smith, J Williams Readers Tony Graefe, Elizabeth M. Jeep Euch Min J Meek, D Slepicka, K Slepicka, H Slowik, J Slowik, J Winikates, L Winikates 10:30 Servers N Altier, E Halfpenny, M Morrissey Readers Bob Miller, Noreen O Malley Euch Min P Brennan, S Brennan, B Elwood, J Mannix, D Ross, D Valenti, A Valenti 12:00 Servers J Gleason, W O Brien, D Westerman Readers Stephen Goethals, Kevin Roche Euch Min S Hopkinson, V Perera, D Piper, W Piper A Roche Please Pray for Our Sick: Willard Boyer, Rita Brown, Margaret Creedon, John Cusack, Mary Elwood, Fred Heiss, Stephen Kehoe, Frank Kurr, John Lennon, Paul S. Novak, Kelly Petersen, Geraldine Redmond, Fr. Paul Reicher, Patti Sheehan, Tom Trankina, Mary White, Michael Gerard White, Ann Marie Wojcik And for Our Deceased: Viola Grainer and Reverend Richard J. Mueller DECEMBER 20, 2015 Fourth Sunday of Advent DECEMBER 27, 2015 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph 7

8 8 Scripture Readings For Masses the Week of December 20: Sunday: Mi 5:1-4a/Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19/Heb 10:5-10/ Lk 1:39-45 Monday: Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a/Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21/Lk 1:39-45 Tuesday: 1 Sm 1:24-28/1 Sm 2:1, 4-8/Lk 1:46-56 Wednesday: Mal 3:1-4, 23-24/Ps 25:4-5, 8-10, 14/ Lk 1:57-66 Thursday: Morning: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16/ Ps 89:2-5, 27, 29/Lk 1:67-79 Christmas Vigil: Is 62:1-5/Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29/ Acts 13:16-17, 22-25/Mt 1:1-25 or 1:18-25 Christmas Eve Night: Is 9:1-6/Ps 96:1-3, 11-13/Ti 2:11-14/Lk 2:1-14 Friday: Dawn: Is 62:11-12/Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12/Ti 3:4-7/ Lk 2:15-20 Day: Is 52:7-10/Ps 98:1-6/Heb 1:1-6/Jn 1:1-18 or 1:1-5, 9-14 Saturday: Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59/Ps 31:3-4, 6, 8, 16-17/ Mt 10:17-2 For Masses the Week of December 27: Sunday: 1 Sm 1:20-22, or Sir 3:2-6, 12-14/ Ps 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10/1 Jn 3:1-2, or Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17/Lk 2:41-52 Monday: 1 Jn 1:5 2:2/Ps 124:2-5, 7-8/Mt 2:13-18 Tuesday: 1 Jn 2:3-11/Ps 96:1-3, 5-6/Lk 2:22-35 Wednesday: 1 Jn 2:12-17/Ps 96:7-10/Lk 2:36-40 Thursday: 1 Jn 2:18-21/Ps 96:1-2, 11-13/Jn 1:1-18 Friday: Nm 6:22-27/Ps 67:2-3, 5-6, 8/Gal 4:4-7/Lk 2:16-21 Saturday: 1 Jn 2:22-28/Ps 98:1-4/Jn 1:19-28 Next Sunday: Is 60:1-6/Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13/Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6/ Mt 2:1-12 Liturgical Publications Inc Stewardship of Treasure For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. ~Luke 1:44 When you hear the scripture readings and Gospel reading each Sunday, do you leap for joy? If not, don t blame the lector or priest, rather look inside yourself. Do you prepare for Mass each week or do you just show up and expect to be entertained? From the weekend of December 13, 2015 Weekly Giving Goal $15, Actual Weekly Giving $25, Fiscal Year to Date (From 7/1/15) Weekly Giving Goal $360, Actual Weekly Giving $328, Goal to Date for Year +/(-) $ (31,301.00) We are always very grateful for the sacrifices you make to support the mission, goals, and ministry of St. Luke Church. Thank you for your generosity! WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL Trinity High School is hosting a Healthy New Year Clinic for 7 th and 8 th grade girls on Monday, December 28, from 9:00 am-12:00 pm. The clinic will be led by certified and trained professionals, and participants will be able to participate in Pilates, Zumba Circuits, and have an introduction to machines and free weights. The clinic will also focus on healthy nutrition as well as yoga, relaxation, and breathing techniques. Lunch will be served. The registration fee is $5 for a great way to start the year off! Register for this special event at Nothing in the Mass is there by chance; everything in the liturgy has meaning, states a new video series from the Liturgical Institute at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein. Elements of the Catholic Mass is a free video series designed to help the faithful better appreciate the beauty of the Mass. What s unique about this program is that it consists of beautifully-produced short episodes of 2-5 minutes that are available online. Now in Season 1, new episodes are posted every Sunday. They include a downloadable discussion guide. For more details, visit elementsofthecatholicmass.com. The holidays can be especially hard for those who are widowed. Missing your spouse is a special loss. The Joyful Again! Ministry is offering a weekend retreat/workshop that s especially designed to help widowed men and women find hope and joy again. The next two dates are January 16 & 17 and March 5 & 6 at Our Lady of the Angels House of Prayer in Lemont on Alvernia Manor s campus. (Overnight required. No commuters.) More info and a short video is available at Space is limited, so register early by calling

9 On Friday, December 4, the 2nd grade students performed a reader s theater of The Baker s Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale. The students staged their performances for the Early Childhood and Primary Grade level classes as good ol St. Nicholas looked on with pleasure. The 2nd graders did a wonderful job sending forth the message of being generous, and St. Nicholas echoed their message with special treats for all and reminded us to live this Advent with a giving spirit. Take the journey to Bethlehem then and now. From Mary and Joseph, and the shepherds and kings, to the children of today, St. Luke students helped us to imagine our way to Bethlehem this past week. On December 17, the 1st through 4th graders presented On Our Way to Bethlehem, a Christmas musical. Each grade took turns performing songs while the 4th graders narrated the famous story of the Holy Family s journey to the little town where Christ was born. DECEMBER 20, 2015 Fourth Sunday of Advent DECEMBER 27, 2015 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph 9

10 The St. Luke Athletic Committee congratulates the following winner of the 500 Club drawing: Rosina Kenitz Thank you to all who have purchased memberships in the Club, the proceeds of which go directly to fund the school s athletic programs. Please remember the 79 immigrant detainees at the McHenry County Jail and the Kane County Detention Center who have asked for our prayers this week. They are from Belize, Burma, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Gambia, Guatemala, Honduras, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Liberia, Mexico, and Poland. May the outcomes be positive for all of these detainees and their families. Help is right around the corner! 24-Hour Crisis Line: Rev. John Szmyd, Pastor jszmyd@stlukeparish.org Rev. Steven Bauer, Associate Pastor sbauer@stlukeparish.org Rev. Leroy Wickowski (Retired) lwickowski@stlukeparish.org Rev. Mr. Jim Doyle deacondoyle@gmail.com Rev. Mr. Paul Faherty pfaherty00@aol.com Rev. Mr. Terry Norton reneeterrynorton@gmail.com Rev. Mr. Bob Slobig bobslobig@comcast.net Lathrop Avenue, River Forest stlukeparish@stlukeparish.org Sue Gamache, Office Manager sgamache@stlukeparish.org Arlene Michna, Music Director amichna@stlukeparish.org Glenn Wagner, Parish Business Manager gwagner@stlukeparish.org Sheila Price, Director of Stewardship & Development sprice@stlukeparish.org Bradley Collins, Communications Coordinator bcollins@stlukeparish.org Ashland Avenue, River Forest jschwarzbeck@stlukeparish.org Maryanne Polega, Interim Principal mpolega@stlukeparish.org Ashland Avenue, River Forest religiouseducation@stlukeparish.org Sr. Colleen Nolan, O.P., Director cnolan@stlukeparish.org Ashland Avenue, River Forest Sr. Mary Ann Mueninghoff, OP Mass Schedule Saturday Vigil (anticipated) Mass 5:00 pm, and Sunday 7:30, 9:00, and 10 : 30 am and 12:00 noon Weekdays: Monday-Friday, 6:30 & 8:00 am, Saturday 8:00 am Adoration and Benediction Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament occurs every first Saturday after the 8:00 am Mass and rosary. Rectory Office Hours Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday 9:30 am to 4:30 pm New Parishioners Are always welcome to stop by the rectory to introduce themselves and provide their registration information. Interested in Learning More About the Catholic Faith? Anyone wishing to complete their sacraments or learn more about the Catholic faith may inquire about our adult faith formation program (RCIA) by calling the rectory for more information. 10 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL Confessions The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is offered after 6:30 and 8:00 am weekday Masses and by request. Baptism Baptisms take place on the first and third Sundays of each month. Preparation meetings are held for parents having children baptized on the first Monday of each month. Arrangements are made by calling the rectory. Marriages Couples wishing to be married should call the rectory to set up an appointment with one of the parish priests at least six months in advance of the desired wedding date. Anointing of the Sick Elderly parishioners, those in poor health or who are anticipating surgery can call the rectory to arrange to receive the sacrament of anointing. Communion Visits and Ministry of Care A parish priest or Minister of Care will be happy to visit those who are sick or homebound. Please call the rectory to make arrangements.