Then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.

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 w w w. s t l u k e p a r i s h. o r g ~ John 20:27 Then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe. ~ John 20:27 A p r i l 8, S e c o n d S u n d a y o f E a s t e r

2 MASS INTENTIONS Monday, April 9 - Annunciation of the Lord 6:30 am Members of the Anderson and Froelich Families 8:00 am Norman and Ralph Carroll and Bob Charlton Tuesday, April 10 6:30 am Kathryn Ann Froelich 8:00 am Douglas Peterson Wednesday, April 11 - St. Stanislaus 6:30 am Special Intention of Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke 8:15 am Angelina Thueson Thursday, April 12 6:30 am Joy Wieczorek 8:00 am Special Intention Friday, April 13 - St. Martin I 6:30 am Maureen Gamboney 8:00 am Thomas F. and Helene Dittrich Kenney Saturday, April 14 8:00 am Deacon Joseph Walsh 5:00 pm Lyle and Margaret Schabes Sunday, April 15 7:30 am The People of St. Luke Parish 9:00 am Mary Drinan 11:00 am The Crowley and Cusack Families MINISTERS OF THE LITURGY Monday-Friday, April :00 am Servers C Crotty, Z Hartwig Saturday, April 14 5:00 pm Servers B Greenberg, P Hicks, B Riggs Lectors T Smedinghoff, M Aspiras Euch Min J Bresnahan, P Chase, C Czarnecki, H Donoghue, C Madden, MB Smedinghoff Ushers C Cox, J Fisher, M Nelson, R Nixon Sunday, April 15 7:30 am Servers J Leonardi, J Leonardi, L Leonardi Lectors K Bevan, J Lynch Euch Min V Atkins, K Heiss, 1 Needed Ushers J Langton, C Maroon, M Oller, 2 Needed 9:00 am Servers B Kerstetter, D Ruggie, A Vazquez Lectors CJ Kerstetter, L Hoey Euch Min L Amison, E Maloney, R Norton, V Perera, G Rara, C Saunders, 1 Needed Ushers B Aquilino, L Driscoll, P Driscoll, 1 Needed 11:00 am Servers C Dooley, M Harnett, J O Connor Lectors M Brown, D Kurtenbach Euch Min J Courtney, K Frank, M Frank, B Huerta, B Stumbris, J Stumbris, 1 Needed Ushers J McInerney, 3 Needed Cover Art: This scene of Christ Appearing to the Apostles was taken from an oil painting created by Andrey Mironov in It is used here with Creative Commons licensing [CC BY-SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons. FROM THE PASTOR During this 50-day celebration of Easter, the Church gives us ample opportunity to reflect on what resurrection of Christ means to us personally. Do we believe in the power of the Lord s rising from the dead? How strong is our faith in this great saving paschal mystery? How are we renewed in the virtue of Christian hope in the midst of life changes and struggles? Do we allow the Holy Spirit into our lives to assist us as our advocate and helper? As our nation remembered the 50th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King this past week on April 4, I reflected on how much time had passed by since I heard the news of his assassination as a 2nd grader shortly before my First Communion. Lest we forget, last Monday, April 2, marked another anniversary the 13th anniversary of the death of St. John Paul II, whose pontificate lasted for 27 years. During that time, he was known for his homilies in multiple languages, the warmth he exuded in reaching out to all people, the many projects he initiated including World Youth Days, and the effect he had in ending Communism in the USSR. One of my favorites among the many that St. John Paul II authored is Dies Domini - On the Day of the Lord. The Holy Father made the connection with the Lord s Day, the Day of Resurrection, and the opportunity we have every Sunday to celebrate the Lord and offer Him fitting worship and praise. Realizing that we have this privilege to freely gather each week, we offer prayers of thanksgiving and remember our needs and those of our entire community. Please remember to pray during Mass for our 2nd graders who are preparing to receive Holy Communion for the first time on April 21 and for our 8th graders to be confirmed in the Holy Spirit on April 25. These are exciting and hopeful times for our young people, and they show us that the enthusiasm, vitality, and excitement of the early Christians of the Church shortly after the time of Jesus are alive and well in our midst. The disciples also welcomed new members into the flock. We rejoice with Abby, DeVona, Brent, Kade, Aidan, and Elle who were welcomed into the Church at our Easter Vigil. Let us continue to pray for them. Thousands like them were added to our number throughout the city, the nation, and the world. May God bless them and you with Easter joy! Alleluia! Alleluia! ~Fr. Szmyd 2 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL

3 The first Mass of the Easter Season on Saturday night is always full of contrasts: moving from total darkness into light, from Old Testament readings to the New Testament, from death in the tomb to the resurrection of our Lord. It s also when the catechumens in our RCIA program take on new life in Christ through the sacraments of initiation This year, Abigail Ekstrand, DeVona Whiting, and two children, Aidan and Elle Carlson, received the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. Brent Magnussen and Kade Seyfried had been baptized in another Christian tradition, so they made a Profession of Faith and also received the Holy Eucharist and Confirmation. If you see these new members of our church, please welcome them and help them feel welcomed and right at home in our church and parish community. APRIL 8, 2018 Second Sunday of Easter 3

4 Every year in the middle of Holy Week the bishop of each diocese celebrates the annual Chrism Mass at the cathedral. This is the time when the sacramental oils that are used by the entire diocese for the whole year are blessed. Cardinal Blase Cupich consecrated the three holy oils the Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick, and the Holy Chrism which are used in the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders. Additionally, hundreds of priests from across the Archdiocese take a renewal of their priestly vows. It is a festive liturgy and a solemn sacramental sign of the unity a diocese has around its bishop. At the conclusion of the Chrism Mass, the oils are entrusted to parish representatives who bring the oils back to each parish. This year the Dooley Family (above left) represented St. Luke Church. If you were at the Holy Thursday liturgy, you may have recognized Claire Dooley (above right) as one of the three parishioners who then presented the oils to our parish. Claire, who is in the final weeks of preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation, brought forth the Sacred Chrism with which she will be confirmed by Bishop Alberto Rojas on April 25. Like the Dooleys, who took an afternoon off to represent our parish at the Chrism Mass at Holy Name Cathedral, there are dozens of other dedicated St. Luke parishioners who gave many hours of their time and talents behind the scenes to make our church and liturgies so beautiful for the Sacred Triduum leading up to Easter. We are especially appreciative to Sarina Butler and the team of parishioners who decorated the church so beautifully: Virginia Coleman, Dee Galbraith, Michele Moore, Angelita Ramirez, Gabrina Rara, Cathie Saunders, and David and Grace Whiting, who created the décor indoors, and Danielle Roche who arranged the outdoor planters. Also, we want to thank our sacristan Shirley Lueder, who helped set up for our Masses and services of the Triduum, and all the volunteers who prepared the church linens. Many thanks also go to our choirs and musicians, the representatives of our parish organizations who had the honor of having their feet washed on Holy Thursday, the Dooley Family who received the sacred oils for our parish, the deacons, ushers and greeters, altar servers, lectors, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and Deacon Bob Slobig, who helped prepare our RCIA candidates throughout this past year to be ready to enter the church at the Easter Vigil. You all contributed to our Triduum services and Easter Masses which were so wellprepared and so prayerful. God bless you for your generosity! 4 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL

5 Using regular rosary beads, begin with the Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Apostles Creed. Then continue your way around the five decades using the prayers below. On the single beads, pray: Eternal Father, I offer you the body, blood, soul, and divinity of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. On each of the ten decade beads, pray: For the sake of his sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. At the end, offer the following prayer three times: Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world. It is typical to conclude the Divine Mercy Chaplet with the words: Jesus, I trust in you. The Divine Mercy image is a depiction of Jesus based on the devotion initiated by St. Maria Faustina Kowalska. According to the humble Polish nun s diary, Jesus appeared to her with rays radiating from His heart on February 22, 1931, and said: Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus I trust in You. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and throughout the world. (Diary 47) That image created by is now used as a devotional by millions of faithful around the world. In 2000, after many years of study by the Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II officially established that feast that Our Lord described to St. Faustina and named it Divine Mercy Sunday. It is to be celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter, which is fitting since our Lord showed his mercy through his passion and death as salvation for our sins. But, as Cardinal Francis Macharski, Archbishop of Krakow, Poland, explained in a 1985 pastoral letter, we are not simply called to ask for God s mercy with trust. We are also called to be merciful. The revelations offer promises to all those who receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation around the time of the feast day as well as Holy Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday. The revelations to St. Faustina also described a Chaplet of prayers that were given to her with this promise: Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. (Diary, no. 687) Any rosary can be used for the Chaplet, following the prayers listed in the box above. To learn more about the Divine Mercy feast, you can visit the website at divinemercysunday.com, which offers an exhaustive list of articles and resources. There also is a local website at divinemercy33.org. The Chicago site organizes a vigil in the Daley Center downtown in the nine days leading up to Divine Mercy Sunday. It also gives directions to Sanctuary of Divine Mercy at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Chicago, which is open 24 hours a day. APRIL 8, 2018 Second Sunday of Easter 5

6 SCRIPTURE READINGS For Masses the week of April 9-15 Mon: Is 7:10-14; 8:10/Ps 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 11 [8a, 9a]/ Heb 10:4-10/Lk 1:26-38 Tue: Acts 4:32-37/Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5 [1a]/Jn 3:7b-15 Wed: Acts 5:17-26/Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 [7a]/Jn 3:16-21 Thu: Acts 5:27-33/Ps 34:2 and 9, 17-18, [7a]/Jn 3:31-36 Fri: Acts 5:34-42/Ps 27:1, 4, [cf. 4abc]/Jn 6:1-15 Sat: Acts 6:1-7/Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, [22]/Jn 6:16-21 Next Sunday: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19/Ps 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9 [7a]/ 1 Jn 2:1-5a/Lk 24: PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK: Monica Affleck, David Carlson, Bill Darley, Sr. Michelle Germanson OP, Robert Gorman, Frank Kurr, John McParland, Sr. Colleen Nolan OP, Kevin Nolan, Paul Novak, Nick Perisin, Fr. Paul Reicher, Patti Sheehan, Joyce Tasch, and Tom Trankina AND FOR ALL OUR DECEASED STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own. ~Acts 4:32 All that we are and all that we have is a gift from God! Think of your family, your friends, your talents, your abilities and your money these are all gifts from God. We aren t really owners of anything, we are merely stewards of the gifts God has blessed us with. Our Weekly Offerings Fiscal Year to Date (From 7/1/17) Budget to Date... $600,000 Actual Weekly Giving... $487,329 Difference to Date for Year +/(-)... $(112,671) Easter Collection Goal... $ 73,000 Actual Giving to Date... $ 57,155 We greatly appreciate the sacrifices you make to support the mission and ministry of St. Luke Church. Thank you for your generosity! For one-time gifts or your weekly Sunday contribution, GiveCentral.org makes it fast and convenient for you to support St. Luke Parish with payments from your bank or credit card account using your computer or smartphone. Try it today! WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL LPi As St. Luke s Youth Group plans its upcoming Summer Service Trip to Kansas and other summer activities, the teens are hoping to receive the financial support of St. Luke parishioners after all Masses this weekend. The youths will be selling stock shares after the Saturday evening and Sunday Masses. Please be generous in making the investment of a lifetime with our parish youths as they build their faith in God and community with one another and our parish. All parish teens are invited to our monthly Youth Mass next Sunday, April 15, at 5:00 pm, followed by a dinner and fun activities! Also, space is still available for this summer s Youth Service Trip to Kansas, as well as the summer youth retreat. More info on both events will be available at the gathering on Sunday. Bring a friend or your whole family to Mass and stay afterwards for fun in our junior high and high school youth groups. Last week s bulletin carried a challenge from our Lenten study groups to all St. Luke parishioners: Spend one hour alone with Jesus in an empty church sometime before the feast of Pentecost. It can be any church, as long as it s peaceful enough for you to be able to listen to what Jesus may say to you in the moments of your silence. Then, if you re willing, write down your thoughts and feelings and send them to Deacon Bob Slobig to share with others (anonymously) on Pentecost. Send them to bobslobig@comcast.net. Try it! Many thanks to all who made a special gift to St. Luke s Easter Collection above and beyond your usual weekly contribution. To date we ve received slightly more than $57,000 towards our budgeted goal of $73,000 so we still have a ways to go. We realize that quite a few people were out of town for the holiday. Your Easter donation is still needed. Please use the special envelope you received and send it to the rectory or place it in the collection basket next weekend. Thanks for your support!

7 A Summer Camp Your Kids Will Love!!! Mark your calendars for the week of July 22-27! The highly-acclaimed Totus Tuus Summer Camp, a week-long Catholic youth program, is coming again to our area, hosted by St. Luke Parish this summer. Totus Tuus (which means totally yours in Latin) is a very popular summer camp that presents the Catholic faith to students entering grades 1 12 in a way that is engaging and FUN! Specially trained college missionaries lead our youths and teens through daily activities that keep them active and engaged, all while teaching them more about their Catholic faith! The Totus Tuus Program is divided into two levels with their own schedules: For children entering grades 1-6: 9:00 am to 2:30 pm Monday-Friday For junior high/high school students: 7:00 to 9:00 pm Sunday-Thursday Both day and evening programs will be held at St. Luke School. Please note: The Totus Tuus Program is extremely popular, and many families from neighboring areas look for Totus Tuus sites each summer. Since the program is limited to 90 children, we highly recommend that you register as soon as possible. Registration will be open on a first-come, first-served basis until we reach the maximum for each age group. Cost for the full-week program (including a camp t-shirt): $60 per child / $40 for each additional child from the same immediate family The registration form is available online now at tinyurl.com/totustuus-saintluke. Please return it with a check or money order payable to St. Luke Parish to the School Office or the Rectory Office in an envelope marked Totus Tuus. Scholarships are available for families in need; please contact the Rectory for further information. Questions? Call St. Luke s Rectory at APRIL 8, 2018 Second Sunday of Easter 7

8 April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and St. Luke s Domestic Violence Awareness Ministry Committee is displaying the national symbol of pinwheels around the church grounds to help us all become more aware of this important cause. April was chosen for this special observance 35 years ago as a way for communities across the country to educate the public about child abuse and what we all can do to end abuse of the most vulnerable in our society. Contact Child Abuse Illinois at or visit the website at preventchildabuseillinois.org to learn about ways that you can help prevent child abuse in our community. The Archdiocese of Chicago s Office for the Protection of Children & Youth also has resources at its website: protect.archchicago.org. The Archdiocese will celebrate the 7th Annual Prayer Service for Child Abuse Prevention and Pinwheel Planting at 11:30 am on Friday, May 4, at the Healing Garden adjacent to Holy Family Parish in Chicago. The Healing Garden is a place dedicated to the healing, recovery, and reconciliation of child abuse victims and their families, a place where the community comes together each year during the month of April to rededicate efforts to prevent this evil from happening in any setting. April will be a busy month for the Prime Timers as they will be visiting two local institutions. The first will be the Elmhurst Art Museum on Wednesday, April 18, to see the special exhibit Rescuer of Once Loved Things: The Art of Donna Castellanos. This artist creates beauty out of items that people toss out. More than 60 pieces of art are on display plus some interactive activities. The cost is $11, payable at the museum. We will lunch at a local Elmhurst restaurant. Please call Ann O Connell at for a reservation by Monday, April 16. We will be leaving the Hospitality House parking lot for this trip at 10:15 am. The second event will be a visit to the new Oak Park River Forest Historical Museum on Thursday, April 26. It s located in a restored 1898 firehouse and contains many interesting artifacts pertaining to people and places who make up the historical fabric of our area. Please call Beth McBride at by Tuesday, April 24, for a reservation. We will also make luncheon reservations at a local Oak Park restaurant. Also, do not forget that tomorrow, Monday, is Bridge day for the Prime Timers. We play from Noon to 2:30 pm in the Hospitality House. Newcomers are always welcome to join our friendly group! All St. Luke Parish School alumni are invited to come back and enjoy a fun and memorable evening at our next St. Luke School Alumni Event Saturday, April 28 The event will begin with the 5:00 Mass in church, followed by a free reception in Waldron Hall. Drinks and light refreshments will be served and tours of the current fa This is a great chance to reconnect with past classmates. Come recapture some old memories and make some new ones! Alums, please RSVP to Sheila Price at or by to sprice@stlukeparish.org. 8 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL

9 The Peace and Justice Committee will hold its next meeting tomorrow (Monday) at 7:30 pm. In the Hospitality House. Use the south side door to enter from the parking lot. The group welcomes new members to discuss issues and actions on social justice issues. Meetings open with a brief reflection on the next Sunday s gospel and how it speaks to our work. A monthly agenda identifies the issues we will discuss for the balance of the meeting. Recently the group has been studying issues about immigration and support for the undocumented; ways to address systemic racism in our country; efforts to curb violence in our communities; and ways to promote interfaith understanding among the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities. COME SUPPORT THE WORK OF OUR VOLUNTEER TUTORS FROM ST. LUKE S U N D AY, A P R I L : : 0 0 P M T H E 1 9 T H C E N T U R Y C L U B F O R E S T AV E N U E, O A K PA R K Academic Excellence Surrounded by Catholic Faith Consider what makes St. Luke unique and you ll see why our students are so well prepared for high school and beyond: Early Childhood Program includes half day preschool for 3-year-olds, half- and full-day options for 4-year-olds and full-day kindergarten Commitment to technology offers students a fully integrated, cutting-edge academic experience No-cut sports program for student athletes in grades 4 through 8 Chicago Artists Program invites visiting professionals to share their career experience and encourage students to find their own unique voice and vision Dedicated STEM classroom that puts students at the center of the learning experience Students are attaining outstanding ACT readiness levels and standardized test scores Whether you re looking to give your pre-schooler her or his first educational experience or make a transfer into any of our K-8 grades from another school, come explore what St. Luke can do for your student. Contact Jessie Wiktor at jwiktor@stlukeparish.org to set up a private tour, a shadow day, or just to answer any of your questions or concerns Ashland Avenue To RSVP, go to and click on the Sharing Our Gifts tab APRIL 8, 2018 Second Sunday of Easter 9

10 The St. Luke Athletic Committee congratulates the following winner of the 500 Club drawing: Gabriel Morelli Thank you to all who have purchased memberships in the Club, the proceeds of which go directly to fund St. Luke Parish School s athletic programs. Mass Schedule Saturday (Vigil) 5:00 pm, and Sunday 7:30, 9:00, and 11:00 am Weekdays: Monday-Friday 6:30 & 8:00 am (except 8:15 am on Wednesdays during school year), Saturday 8:00 am Confessions The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is offered after 6:30 and 8:00 am weekday Masses and by appointment. Call the rectory to schedule a time. 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-12:00 Noon and 1:00-4:00 pm and by appointment (Call ). 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 MISERICORDIA CANDY DAYS are coming up next month on Friday, April 27, and Saturday, April 28 PLEASE VOLUNTEER! Two or more hours of your time will make a big difference for more than 600 children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities. To volunteer, call Cynthia Maroon at or her at cmaroon@yahoo.com Thank you for your support! Help is right around the corner! 24-Hour Crisis Line: WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL Rev. John Szmyd, Pastor jszmyd@stlukeparish.org Rev. Steven Bauer, Associate Pastor sbauer@stlukeparish.org Rev. Leroy Wickowski (Retired) lwickowski@stlukeparish.org Rev. Mr. John Baier johnbaier@isp.com Rev. Mr. Terry Norton reneeterrynorton@gmail.com Rev. Mr. Bob Slobig bobslobig@comcast.net Rev. Mr. Paul Faherty (retired) 528 Lathrop Avenue, River Forest stlukeparish@stlukeparish.org Carol Karlowski, Office Assistant ckarlowski@stlukeparish.org Daniel Szymanski, Director of Operations dszymanski@stlukeparish.org Sheila Price, Director of Stewardship & Development sprice@stlukeparish.org Arlene Michna, Music Director amichna@stlukeparish.org Bradley Collins, Communications Coordinator bcollins@stlukeparish.org Ashland Avenue, River Forest jschwarzbeck@stlukeparish.org Timothy Wesley, Principal twesley@stlukeparish.org 519 Ashland Avenue, River Forest (Enter through Lake Street door of school building) religiouseducation@stlukeparish.org Mary Beth Smedinghoff, Religious Ed Secretary 533 Ashland Avenue, River Forest Sr. Pat Farrell, O.P. pfarrell@stlukeparish.org New Parishioners If you re new to the community or just new to our church, please stop by the rectory to introduce yourself and register so we can welcome you into the full life of our parish. 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. Baptism Baptisms take place on the first and third Sundays of each month, except during Lent. Preparation meetings are held on the first Monday of every month for the parents of children who will be baptized. Arrangements can be made by calling the rectory. Marriage 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.

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