All of you will have your faith shaken.

Transcription

1 528 Lath rop Av en u e River F orest, Il li n oi s All of you will have your faith shaken. ~Mark 14:27 We know well the journey of his final days a celebrity entrance into Jerusalem the red carpet rolled out by groupies looking for a flashy demonstration (another outburst of anger in the temple perhaps a freedom march against the Romans at the very least a grand oration) they had never really grasped his meaning were ready to be spun by politicians would soon be shouting for his blood faithful friends wanted him to quit the city felt his enemies closing in he felt it too even as they kept Passover together knew he was betrayed sought strength in prayer and so came reluctant but ready to the great undoing arrest humiliation crucifixion death the word silenced the body broken sealed up in a tomb an abrupt end to our passion gospel the disciples must have pondered many things before they learned that his journey was not over questions we too must ask who was he really and where did we go wrong what did we not grasp about the power of evil not take seriously about the resilience of truth what did we find difficult and put aside for another day surely if we can think more deeply pray and fast and pay attention wait in silence for the grace of Easter we may become less reluctant more ready to recognize his saving presence with us on the journey E.M. Jeep Ma rch 29, 2015 Pa lm S unda y of t he Pass io n of the Lo rd

2 Monday, March 30, :30 am In honor of St. Michael the Archangel 8:00 am Jim O Dey Tuesday, March 31, :30 am Immediate recovery of Rev. John L. Harvey 8:00 am The Williams, Karasis, Kurr Families and Roy Wednesday, April 1, :30 am The Blessed Sacrament Ministries 8:00 am The Williams, Karasis, Kurr Families and Roy Monday - Wednesday, March 30-April 1, :00 am Mon-Fri: C Westerman, D Westerman Thursday, April 2, :00 am Holy Thursday-Morning Prayer (No Morning Masses) 7:30 pm Evening Mass of the Lord s Supper Servers N Altier, T Cullerton, J Doss, M Peterson, J Underwood Readers Tamara Hicks, Andie Pizzo Euch Min V Atkins, C Madden, B Peterson, H Peterson Friday, April 3, :00 am Good Friday-Morning Prayer (No Morning Masses) 7:30 pm Solemn Liturgy of the Lord s Passion and Death with Veneration of the Cross Servers J Giuffre, M Jacobs Readers Max Brown, Ann O Connell Saturday, April 4, :00 am Holy Saturday-Morning Prayer (No morning Mass) 8:00 pm Solemn Easter Vigil Mass Servers C Doyle, C Gajewski, KJ Slepicka Readers Dottie Chemler, Tony Graefe, Katie Iammartino, Julia Mannix, Andie Pizzo Euch Min J Meek, MC Meek, D Slepicka, K Slepicka, L Slepicka 2 Sunday, April 5, :30 - Mass Intention: The People of St. Luke Parish Servers J Doss, C Flynn; Cross Bearer: B Greenberg Readers Sheila Price Euch Min D Beacom, K Heiss, J Lynch 9:00 - Mass Intention: Williams, Karasis, Kurr Families and Roy Servers T Cullerton, G Ruggie; Cross Bearer: E Kerstetter Readers Barbara Best, Tamara Hicks Euch Min LM Froelich, L Hogan, M Karasis, M Martinez, D Murray, T Murray, A Ramirez, H Slowik, J Slowik, K Smith 10:30 - Mass Intention: Liz Kennedy Servers R Crotty, C Llapa Gonzalez; Cross Bearer: C Stumbris Readers Noel Moore, Noreen O Malley Euch Min B Coleman, M Coleman, E Dieschbourg, B Elwood, M Heineke, B Miller, M Moore, B Murray, S Murray J O Hara 12:00 - Mass Intention: Rev. Raymond P. Devereux Servers S Leavy, W O Brien; Cross Bearer: E Dillon Readers Yates Hafner, Katie Bevan Euch Min J Courtney, M Frank, K Frank, KE Frank, S Hopkinson, D Ross, J Willoughby WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL Readings for the Week of March 29, 2015 Sunday: Mk 11:1-10 or Jn 12:12-16/Is 50:4-7/ Phil 2:6-11/Mk 14:1 15:47 or 15:1-39 Monday: Is 42:1-7/Jn 12:1-11 Tuesday: Is 49:1-6/Jn 13:21-33, Wednesday: Is 50:4-9a/Mt 26:14-25 Thursday Chrism Mass: Is 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9/Rv 1:5-8/ Lk 4:16-21 Evening Mass of the Lord s Supper: Ex 12:1-8, 11-14/ 1 Cor 11:23-26/Jn 13:1-15 Friday: Is 52:13 53:12/Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9/ Jn 18:1 19:42 Saturday: Vigil: Gn 1:1 2:2 or 1:1, 26-31a/Gn 22:1-18 or 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18/Ex 14:15 15:1/ Is 54:5-14/Is 55:1-11/Bar 3:9-15, 32 4:4/ Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28/Rom 6:3-11/Mk 16:1-7 Next Sunday: Acts 10:34a, 37-43/Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8/ Jn 20:1-9 or Mk 16:1-7 or Lk 24:13-35 Liturgical Publications Inc Maureen Booth, Willard Boyer, Rita Brown, Margaret Creedon, Fred Heiss, Stephen Kehoe, Frank Kurr, John Lennon, Paul S. Novak, Kelly Petersen, Geraldine Redmond, Tom Trankina, Michael Gerard White, Ann Marie Wojcik Lawrence T. O Brien. Pilate again said to them, Then what shall I do with the man whom you call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him. ~Mark 15:12-13 Jesus told us whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me. Every day we are presented opportunities to help someone. Every day we have the opportunity to see the face of Jesus in others and be the face of Jesus to others. Pray for the courage to stand up for those in need of our help. From the weekend of March 22, 2015 Weekly Giving Goal $15, Actual Weekly Giving $10, Fiscal Year to Date (From ) Weekly Giving Goal $570, Actual Weekly Giving $562, Goal to Date for Year +/(-) $ (7,906.00) 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!

3 Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. The heart of Holy Week is the Sacred Triduum the three days of the Lord s suffering, death and resurrection. These three liturgies are the most beautiful of the entire year and their purpose is not just to recall the events of 2,000 years ago but to enable us right here and right now to enter more deeply into the Paschal Mystery whereby Jesus unites us to Himself in His dying and in His rising. On Holy Thursday, April 2, at 7:30 pm, we will celebrate the Evening Mass of the Lord s Supper. At this Mass we recall and imitate Jesus example of washing His disciples feet that unforgettable gesture of humility and service to others. And we celebrate the gift of the Eucharist the sacrament of Jesus Body and Blood by which He shares His life with us in a profound way. Mass concludes this evening with a Procession of the Blessed Sacrament and a time of silent adoration. The church will remain open until midnight for adoration. On Good Friday, April 3, at 7:30 pm, we will have the Solemn Commemoration of the Lord s Passion and Death. In this simple service we hear the Gospel story of Jesus passion and death on the cross; we pray that the saving power of His sacrifice may bring redemption to all peoples; we come forward individually to venerate the cross; and we receive our Savior in Holy Communion. It is a powerful experience. Then, on Holy Saturday, April 4, at 8:00 pm, we celebrate the great culmination of our Lenten journey in the Easter Vigil. This is the most beautiful liturgy of the entire year. On this night the church gathers in darkness, and then the great Easter Candle is lighted that powerful symbol of Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the Light of the World, and we sing God s praise for Jesus victory over death. Then we keep vigil we listen to the Scripture stories which recap for us the history of God s saving love from the first day of creation to Easter, the first day of the new creation. Moved by these stories, we joyfully join in renewing our baptismal promises and officially receive our adult converts into the Church. Finally, we meet the Risen Lord in the breaking of the bread as we gather around the table of the Eucharist. Flowers, candles, alleluias, and an abundance of beautiful music will fill the night as we celebrate this Easter feast. (The Easter Vigil is the first Mass of Easter. Participants need not attend another Mass on Easter Day.) If you have attended these Triduum Services before, you know how moving and powerful they are. If you have not attended before, why not make this the year for experiencing this highpoint of our Catholic worship? You will not be disappointed. The Lord invites us, through these three sacred liturgies, to be united to Him in a new and profound way in the mystery of His death and resurrection. I encourage every parishioner to mark these dates and times on your calendar today and to be with us as we celebrate these most holy days. March 29, 2015 Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord 3

4 Our 2015 Catechumens and Candidates for the Easter Sacraments are in their final weeks of preparation now. Let us continue to keep them in our prayers during these special days in their lives. CATECHUMENS Zachary Bearden Jessica Moore CONVERTS Luke McConnell Ray Nixon Beth Phelan Erin Sugg Austin Zimmer ADDITIONAL CANDIDATES FOR CONFIRMATION Rosemary McConnell Collin Sugg Celebrating these sacraments with them will be a wonderful highlight of our Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday, April 4, at 8:00 pm. Come and help us welcome them into the Catholic Church and St. Luke Parish. After Mass, refreshments will be served in Waldron Hall. (This Mass fulfills the obligation for Easter Sunday.) 4 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL

5 Holy Week begins with today s celebration of Palm Sunday. The liturgies of Holy Week are the most beautiful of the entire year. We invite and encourage all our parishioners to participate fully, especially in the evening services on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Holy Thursday, April 2 8:00 am Morning Prayer (no morning Masses), followed by confessions 7:30 pm Evening Mass of the Lord s Supper with Foot Washing and Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by Adoration until midnight Good Friday, April 3 8:00 am Morning Prayer (no morning Masses), followed by confessions 3:00 pm Stations of the Cross 7:30 pm Solemn Liturgy of the Lord s Passion and Death with Veneration of the Cross Holy Saturday, April 4 8:00 am Morning Prayer (no morning Masses), followed by confessions 12:00 Noon Blessing of the Easter Foods 8:00 pm Solemn Easter Vigil Mass, the first Mass of Easter Easter Sunday, April 5 Masses at 7:30, 9:00, and 10:30 am, and 12:00 Noon Enrich Your Celebration of the Holy Triduum The three-day celebration of the Paschal Triduum is the heart of our liturgical tradition and the heart of our Christian faith. The liturgy celebrates the greatest mysteries of redemption. All are welcome and encouraged to enrich the celebration of these holiest days by attending the Morning Prayer services on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8:00 am in the daily Mass Chapel. If we begin and end each day of celebration with prayer, silence and reflection on the ongoing mystery of Christ in our lives as Christians, we will allow the Resurrection to be something that is not just remembered, but happens in our lives. Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence. Abstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholics 14 years old and older. In addition, all those between the ages of are to fast on this day. This means that only one full meal is taken, along with two smaller meals, and no food is taken between meals. Through our fasting and abstinence we seek to unite ourselves more closely with Jesus on this day when He made the supreme sacrifice for us. The collection received on Holy Thursday traditionally is given to the poor. This year we will give one-half of this collection to support the ministry of Bonaventure House in Chicago a Catholic hospice for persons living with AIDS and the other half to our parish s Needy Persons Fund. Thank you for your generosity. It is the tradition throughout the world that a collection is taken up on Good Friday to support the Christians in the Holy Land. The plight of Christians in the Holy Land has become very serious. Many are leaving and there could be a danger that some areas of the Holy Land could become museums rather than remain places of true worship and living for our Christian brothers and sisters. Please use the special envelope in your packet and be generous in helping our suffering sisters and brothers in the Holy Land. March 29, 2015 Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord 5

6 Christmas and Easter are traditional times for making a special gift to our parish. Our goal for this Easter is $80,000. Your generosity is needed so that we can meet this budgeted goal. Thank you. ~St. Luke Parish Finance Council Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, immediately after the 6:30 and 8:00 Masses Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday (April 2-3-4) at 8:20 am, immediately after 8:00 Morning Prayer What better way to express our Lenten repentance than to receive God s forgiveness and grace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Come to our merciful Father. We heartily thank all those who have already sent Lenten alms for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Food, medicine, and education will provide substantial assistance. We also have almost finalized our funds for a new home for a needy Haitian family. Contributions of any amount are still welcome. Please watch the bulletin for more details. In 2002 St. Pope John Paul II designated the Second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. This year it falls on April 12. The Holy Father established that this Sunday be enriched by a plenary indulgence so that the faithful might receive in great abundance the gift of the consolation of the Holy Spirit. In this way, they can foster a growing love for God and for their neighbor, and after they have obtained God s pardon, they in turn might be persuaded to show a prompt pardon to their brothers and sisters. The plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and The Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!). On Divine Mercy Sunday, April 12, from 3:30-4:30 pm, we will have a Holy Hour consisting of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, recitation of the rosary and the Divine Mercy chaplet, and Benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will also be available during this Holy Hour. Everyone is invited to join in this special prayer and devotion. 6 Please volunteer two or more hours of your time to make a difference for more than 600 children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities at the Misericordia/Heart of Mercy Village! To arrange a time, please call St. Luke parishioner Cynthia Maroon at or her at cmaroon@yahoo.com. Thank you! WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL A couple of spots have opened up for this summer's Youth Service Trips to Appalachia. Two week-long trips are planned: June 28-July 4 to Bethlehem Farm in West Virginia and July to Villa Maria in western Pennsylvania. The service includes things like building homes with Habitat for Humanity, helping out at a soup kitchen or food pantry, and tending crops on the farm plus spiritual and recreational activities and lots of time to get to know your fellow volunteers and members of the community. If you are interested, contact Trip Coordinator Patti Muldoon right away at or by at pmuldoon67@sbcglobal.net.

7 Sharing Our Gifts To all our Friends at St. Luke: This is your chance to see Ireland in the fall! The Prime Timers are organizing an escorted tour of Ireland on September This trip is not limited to just Prime Timers nor just parishioners. It is open to all ages, including friends and relatives. This unique tour will focus primarily on Northern Ireland, with stops in Belfast, Londonderry, Caven, and other historical and scenic spots. We will also tour some west coast places in the Republic of Ireland. The tour group is limited to 20 people. Please call Ann O Connell at for further information as soon as possible. Thinkstock.com POPE FRANCIS VISION OF HEALING AND COMMUNION The ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO in partnership with LOYOLAPRESS. More on Pope Francis Vision at Archdiocese of Chicago, Fr. Louis J. Cameli March 29, 2015 Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord 7

8 The Prime Timers next event will be a visit on Wednesday, April 8, to the National Museum of Mexican Art. We will have a guided tour of their wonderful exhibits followed, of course, by lunch at a great Mexican restaurant. The charge is $5.00 for the tour. We ll leave the Hospitality House at 9:45 am for our 10:30 tour. Reserve your spot on the trip by calling Ann O Connell at by Monday, April 6. Rev. Kenneth J. Fischer, Pastor frken@stlukeparish.org Rev. John S. Szmyd, Associate Pastor jszmyd@stlukeparish.org Rev. Leroy A. Wickowski, (Retired) lwickowski@stlukeparish.org Jim Doyle deacondoyle@gmail.com Paul Faherty pfaherty00@aol.com Terry Norton reneeterrynorton@gmail.com Bob Slobig bobslobig@comcast.net John O Neill (Retired) Registration is now open for the Everest Totally Catholic VBS, the coolest adventure of the summer, where youths ages 4-11 will learn about Scripture, play fun games, learn cool Bible songs, and see how our faith in Jesus flows into our daily life. This adventure is being held at St. Edmund Parish for a small fee on Monday, July 13 Friday, July 17 from 9:00 am to noon. Volunteers from our parish are needed each day a great service opportunity for students preparing for Confirmation! More information and the registration form is available at the parish website, stlukeparish.org, under the Education/Religious Education tab. The St. Luke Athletic Committee congratulates the following winners of the 500 Club drawing: Mark and Eva Walsh Thank you to all who have purchased memberships in the Club, the proceeds of which go directly to fund the school s athletic programs. Our Cover Art: This 15th-century fresco of Christ s Entry Into Jerusalem by Lippi Memmo is located at the Collegiate Church of San Gimignano in Tuscany. It is shown here courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. 8 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL Lathrop Avenue, River Forest stlukeparish@stlukeparish.org Sue Gamache, Office Manager sgamache@stlukeparish.org Ashland Avenue, River Forest jschwarzbeck@stlukeparish.org Therese M. Craig, Principal tcraig@stlukeparish.org Ashland Avenue, River Forest religiouseducation@stlukeparish.org Sr. Colleen Nolan, O.P., Director cnolan@stlukeparish.org Music Director - Arlene Michna amichna@stlukeparish.org Parish Business Manager - Glenn Wagner gwagner@stlukeparish.org Director of Stewardship & Development - Sheila Price sprice@stlukeparish.org Communications Coordinator - Bradley Collins bcollins@stlukeparish.org Hospitality House (former Convent) 533 Ashland Avenue, River Forest Sr. Mary Ann Mueninghoff, OP Weekend Saturday: 5:00 pm Sunday: 7:30, 9:00, 10:30 am and 12:00 noon Weekdays Monday-Friday: 6:30 and 8:00 am Saturday: 8:00 am Monday-Friday: After 6:30 & 8:00 am Masses Saturday: After 8:00 am Mass, and by appointment