~Luke 2: 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

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 Jesus went down with his parents and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. And he advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man. ~Luke 2:50-52 D e c e m b e r 3 0, 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 MASS INTENTIONS Monday, December 31 - St. Sylvester I 8:00 am Mr. and Mrs. Frank T. Katheiser and Joan Blackman 5:00 pm Phillip Sheehan Tuesday, January 1 - Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God 9:00 am Dr. Robert Muldoon 11:00 am Mary Elwood Wednesday, January 2 - Ss. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen 6:30 am Helen and Shirley O Leary 8:00 am Dolores Kolf Thursday, January 3 - The Most Holy Name of Jesus 6:30 am Jimmy Dooley 8:00 am Thomas F. and Helene Dittrich Kenney Friday, January 4 - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton 6:30 am The Poor Souls in Purgatory 8:00 am Bob Atkinson Saturday, January 5 - St. John Neumann 8:00 am Jim Riordan 5:00 pm Margaret and Lyle Schabes; William W. Ostrem; Dominic Acerra; Margo Pizzo Sunday, January 6 7:30 am The People of St. Luke Parish 9:00 am Jimmy Dooley 11:00 am Mary Elwood MINISTERS OF THE LITURGY Monday, December 31 - Vigil Mass 5:00 pm Servers L Dugan, C Glinke, F Glinke Lectors LM Froelich, L Hogan Euch Min C Madden, E Maloney, J Meek, B Peterson, M Peterson, 2 Needed Ushers 4 Needed Monday, January 1 - Mary, The Holy Mother of God 9:00 am Servers M Keith, M Scelfo, M Scelfo Lectors T Roche, J Mannix Euch Min K Heiss, P Muldoon, A Roche, S Scelfo, 3 Needed Ushers M Oller, 3 Needed 11:00 am Servers C Kappe, M Kappe, 1 Needed Lectors N O Malley, N Brouilette Euch Min LM Froelich, T Graefe, G Hardy, D Hopkinson, B Huerta, H Slowik, 1 Needed Ushers J McInerney, 3 Needed Saturday, January 5 5:00 pm Servers M Bartalis, M Carr, R Gleason Lectors K Roche, F Auteri Euch Min L Hogan, B Peterson, H Peterson, M Peterson, D Piper, W Piper, A Roche Ushers C Cox, J Fisher, R Nixon, J Pizzo Sunday, January 6 7:30 am Servers K Cox, M Cox, J Leonardi Lectors T Smedinghoff, I Flores Euch Min J Lynch, E Maloney, MB Smedinghoff Ushers B Hickman, J Langton, C Maroon, M Oller 9:00 am Servers C Gancer, B Hardy, M Keith Lectors LM Froelich, Y Hafner Euch Min G Hardy, P Muldoon, R Norton, L Ortiz-Lazos, C Saunders, H Slowik, J Slowik Ushers B Aquilino, L Driscoll, P Driscoll, J Nowicki 11:00 am Servers L Phelan, M Stumbris, C Vlerick Lectors N Moore, A O Connell Euch Min L Amison, B Elwood, L Langos, J Meek, M Moore, B Stumbris, J Stumbris Ushers J McInerney, 3 Needed 2 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL FROM THE PASTOR Jesus, the Savior is born of the Virgin Mary. Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, may we too set out to see this sign, this event which is renewed yearly in the Church. Christmas is an event that is renewed in every family, parish, and community which receives the love of God made incarnate in Jesus Christ. Like Mary, the Church shows to everyone the sign of God: the Child whom she bore in her womb and to whom she gave birth, yet who is the Son of the Most High, since he is of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). ~Pope Francis I became somewhat discouraged and frustrated while looking for a few last-minute Christmas cards two days before Christmas. I gravitated toward the card section with red cards and envelopes but discovered these were not for Christmas but Valentine s Day. Then I thought: if only people knew about our faith, our Church, which celebrates a more prolonged Christmas, they d realize all is not over on December 26, the tree is not curbside for the recyclers, we are not in a hurry to store away every decoration. Rather, the Church celebrates the holy Christmas Season through January 13, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. It should not surprise us that the Church, as with the wonder of a child at Christmas, wishes to prolong the joy experienced by all who believe. In between there are memorials of the saints, today s celebration of the Holy Family, and the solemn feast of the Epiphany. About The Biggest Lie the book, the present from the parish you received on Christmas Day at church Make a resolution now to read it and reflect upon it. Its author, Matthew Kelly, is not a theologian, but a devoted husband and father who, with sincerity of heart, lives his faith and is excited by his relationship in the Lord. He s made it his mission and now his life s work to evangelize and bring as many people as possible to Christ. Read the book with this in mind as you discover The Biggest Lie. I am most appreciative to all who helped spread the Christmas message here at St. Luke. To Brad Collins of our parish staff who designed so many bulletins in short order in addition to our parish Christmas card featuring the artwork of one of our school students. Numerous ministers assisted at our liturgies, our deacons assisted, and our choirs led our joyful song under the direction of Arlene Michna. My thanks to Sarina Butler and the many good people who decorated our sanctuary and environs so beautifully. Thank you one and all! There is so much for which we must pray at this time of the year. Let us turn to Christ Jesus with all our prayers. His incarnation should remind us how much He understands us in every way. Blessings to you and your family as we begin the new year! ~Fr. Szmyd

3 In support of parents with young children who had expressed grave challenges to their Catholic faith because of the clergy sex abuse scandal, the Peace and Justice Committee sponsored a prayer service on the evening of December 4. The planning committee included Beth Vlerick, Liz Jeep, Patrick Nash, Katie Iammartino, Cathriona Keane, Terry Norton, Yates Hafner, Maria Cullerton, and Tony Graefe. Fr. John Szmyd and Lornetta Hooks also assisted in planning the service. About 60 people in attendance listened as Fr. John read the Gospel reading of the paralytic man whom Jesus forgave and made walk again. This reading was chosen to represent the paralysis many members of the Church are feeling wanting to stay in the Church but feeling betrayed or unable to attend Mass. We prayed to help us deal with these complex and sometimes conflicting feelings. Not only have we, the people of God, felt paralyzed by the continued news of abuse, but we know the failure to prosecute abusers and help those abused is a form of paralysis as well. We prayed in acknowledgment of the abuse. We prayed for an end to secrecy. We prayed for an end to the shaming of victims. We prayed for clergy who have been faithful to their vows. We prayed that we may never fail to act again. We prayed for an end to all forms of clericalism. We prayed about the impact this abuse has had. And we prayed for parents fears past and present. The reflection after the Gospel by parishioner Patrick Nash resonated with the experience of many of those in attendance. He is a lifelong Catholic with close ties to his childhood parish and a graduate from many Catholic schools, but he nearly left the Roman Catholic Church when not enough had been done to deal with the abuse caused by so many members of the clergy. When the first revelations of clergy abuse came to light in the late 90s and early 2000s, he said, I was shocked at the scope of the abuse. When I learned about the cover-up perpetrated by some of the Church hierarchy to protect the abusive priests, I felt betrayed. Betrayed by an institution that, in my mind, stood for doing the right thing, no matter how difficult, no matter the cost. But my feelings of betrayal paled in comparison to the physical and emotional pain felt by the abused. I naively assumed that the Church would spring into action, take all necessary steps to See page 4 for something you can do this week regarding this issue at a community-wide prayer service that will be held at St. Luke. rectify the situation, make financial amends with the abused, and put safeguards and procedures in place to ensure that this could never happen again. Sadly, the cover-up continued. Patrick went on to note, When subsequent revelations of abuse and cover-up came to light in 2018, my feelings of betrayal turned to anger. The old proverb Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me stuck in my head. How could this happen again? How could the Church be so callous to the abused? I considered leaving the Church entirely. At one point, I turned to my wife and said, I think I m out. The Catholic Church doesn t stand up for its members, why should we stand for it? Maybe we should consider a different faith, another church. But he took time to reflect and decided that he would stand for justice for the abused in their cases against the Church. He would no longer assume that the Church would do the right thing and therefore felt an obligation to hold the Church accountable. He closed by saying, I will also strive to forgive. I will try to forgive the Church. I will try because I know the positive impact the Church can make when it lives the values it teaches. In this vein, we also will strive to hold the Church accountable. Knowing that we are the Church. We are the People of God. We will not sit back and do nothing. As we sang in our opening hymn that night, O God, When Trust is Shattered, if any member suffers, we all will suffer, too. With that in mind, we must move forward to bring justice and healing to our Church if it is to survive. At the end of the prayer service, those in attendance were asked to fill out cards with their hopes and prayers for the Church or their hurts and fears from the scandal. Attendees were blessed when they brought the cards up to the altar. Their sentiments are very powerful and will be shared in due time. The Peace and Justice Committee is planning to host some talks and another prayer service during Lent to bring people out of their paralysis and to discuss ways to communicate with our Church leaders that we will not allow any abuse like this to happen again. If you would like to respond to this article, or have something more about these issues for the parish to consider, please contact a member of the Peace and Justice Committee. ~Beth Vlerick DECEMBER 30, 2018 Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph 3

4 January 1 is the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. A holy day of obligation, this feast honors the Blessed Mother as Co-Redemptrix, the one who points the way to her son and our savior, Jesus. St. Luke will have a vigil Mass at 5:00 pm on December 31 and two Masses on New Year s Day at 9:00 and 11:00 am. Please join us as we pray for the new year! The bishops of the United States will gather here in our archdiocese for a spiritual retreat at Mundelein Seminary from January 2-8. The seven days of prayer and reflection are meant to help the bishops focus their efforts on addressing the crisis caused by the clergy sex abuse that continues to rock our entire nation. The Lay Ecclesial Movements of the Archdiocese of Chicago invite everyone to come together for an evening of prayer for the bishops that the Holy Spirit might inspire them at this time in their deliberations. Mark Nimo will lead us in prayer this Thursday, January 3, from 7:00 to 8:00 pm in St. Luke Church. Please join us in praying that our Church may be a renewed source of light, justice, and reconciliation. St. Luke Parish School is on its Christmas break until January 7. Religious Education classes will have this week off and start the next session on January 9. St. Luke s Parish Office will be closed on New Year s Eve and New Year s Day. Please enjoy a safe and joy-filled holiday season! Everyone is invited for our monthly time of prayer and Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament this coming Saturday, January 5. Right after the 8:00 Mass, the rosary will be prayed. Then the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for silent prayer, and adoration will continue until 9:15 when Benediction will be offered. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation will also be available immediately after Mass. Did you receive our parish s Christmas gift of the Matthew Kelly book The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity this past week? Thanks to a generous donor, who prefers to remain anonymous, we had 600 copies of the book to distribute as a way to encourage people to contemplate how to keep the joy of Christmas in their lives all year round. If you did not receive a copy, stop by the rectory to pick one up. If you re not sure it s worth reading, just listen to these comments from other readers: When life gets in the way of things you forget sometimes what life is all about! I could not wait to get my hands on this book and it certainly did not disappoint! I read it twice, and NOW I know what life is all about again! I finished this book yesterday and I am so happy that I read it when I did. I read a new chapter every day and it seemed like everything within the chapter was targeting my the struggles I was facing that day or week. Definitely a must read! This is an amazing book. Matthew Kelly has done an incredible job of getting right to the heart of the matter, which is knowing Jesus and bringing him into your life. His style of writing flows beautifully and he is right on point. This is such an easy yet powerful way to incorporate Jesus Christ in your life. I highly recommend it especially for busy people. So consider making this book one of your New Year s resolutions. You ll be glad you did! 4 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL

5 When an urgent plea went out to the St. Luke community the week before Turkey Sunday we need 50 large frozen turkeys and we re not sure we re going to receive that many this year Anastasia Valentine put two and two together and thought she had a solution that would solve two dilemmas. Her younger son Matthew needed several more service hours to complete his Mercy Year experience for Confirmation, and Anastasia had a plan to put a dent in that large number of turkeys the parish needed. We usually can t help with the moving and packing supplies that weekend, so we usually just give several turkeys, she said. But four years ago, older son Ryan had mounted a campaign as part of his service hours asking a list of family friends and relatives to donate to the Turkey Sunday. Ryan came up with close to $350. We thought we could do better this year, said Anastasia, so we went to Jewel and did some research. It looked like it would take $30 to buy the turkey and a few fixings, so we sent out a message to about 20 people across the country: Can you help us this year? You can feed a whole family this Thanksgiving if you can donate $30. Would you be willing to do that for one family? And some responded that they d like to do that, and some said they d like to help two or three families. Including that specific dollar amount made a huge difference over just asking for a general donation four years ago, she said. We said, You don t have to give the whole $30 you could give half that amount and we ll pool it together with others. A few gave less, but most gave at least the full amount, so we had 80% of the amount in the first three hours. The total amount, including the Valentine Family s own contribution, was $500 plus some extra cash that came in after we wrote our check. Most people are willing to give, Anastasia believes. But if you just say, Would you give us something to help feed a family, people don t know what that means because everyone spends differently for their Thanksgiving. So we received some $5 and $10 checks last time, whereas most people gave at least $30 this time around. It was a universal appeal, too, Anastasia added. We told people we were doing this because it was important to support our sister parish (St. Agatha/ Blessed Sacrament), but it wasn t just a Catholic thing either. We had two Jewish families who also gave because this was about one family helping another family. The Valentines also figured out how to stretch those donations even further. Although the original plan was for Matthew to buy the turkeys, Anastasia talked it over with St. Luke s Feed the Hungry Committee and learned that the cash would go a lot further in the committee s hands than what Matthew could get at Jewel. Even if Jewel would let us get 20 turkeys, which would be hard that close to Thanksgiving, we figured they could get one-and-ahalf to two turkeys at the Chicago Food Depository or other outlets for every one that we d be able to afford at Jewel. So we gave them the cash and let them use it to buy what was needed. Matthew s time also included writing personal thankyous to every one of the donors too. So it turned out to be a valuable lesson for any confirmand to take on as a service project for their Mercy Year experience, Anastasia believes. Our kids really are great ambassadors for our parish. You need to set a goal, like, say, $250, and then plan out what it would take to raise that amount. And the kids learn what can be accomplished when you ask a whole community to participate with you in feeding a family for Thanksgiving. But the key, Anastasia points out, is wording the request in terms of people helping other people. People responded much better when they focused on the idea that their family was making it possible for one other family to be able to have a Thanksgiving dinner this year. And, as it turned out, the rest of the St. Luke community responded more than ever, too. There were enough contributions to feed the entire list of 230 families plus some additional families this year, thanks to the efforts of the Valentines and others who gave of their time and donations to help feed families on Chicago s West Side this Thanksgiving. DECEMBER 30, 2018 Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph 5

6 St. Luke children had a beautiful Saturday afternoon to take their Baby Jesus figurines to the streets of the Oak Park shopping district two weekends before Christmas. After Fr. Steven blessed a dozen baskets filled with the hand-made figurines, the children and parents handed them out to shoppers as a reminder to keep Christ in Christmas. The Baby Jesus Project is a growing international movement started by the Focolare Group in Italy to distribute these figurines. Each one came with a prayer and a cheerful Christmas message and shoppers received them enthusiastically. Many people stopped and asked what school the children were from. Most praised the project with comments such as how wonderful! and what a great idea! It was affirming for the children as well. With the 200-plus figurines, the St. Luke community raised about $95 in donations, which will be combined with funds raised by other children participating in cities around the world and sent to aid children in warn-torn parts of Syria. Many thanks to all of the families who turned out and supported this beautiful event for the first time in our parish! Sapphire & Gold Gala Honoring Dr. John & Michele Lynch Saturday, February 23, 2019 Oak Park Country Club River Grove, Illinois Everyone is invited to the grandest parish benefit and celebration of the school year as we honor the Lynches and present the Heart of St. Luke Award to the Dooley Family! Come enjoy the live and silent auction, elegant dinner, fun entertainment, dancing, and live music. For tickets or more info, contact Sheila Price at or sprice@stlukeparish.org 6 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL

7 SCRIPTURE READINGS For Masses the week of December 31-January 6 Mon: 1 Jn 2:18-21/Ps 96: 1-2, 11-12, 13 [11a]/Jn 1:1-18 Tue: Nm 6:22-27/Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 [2a]/Gal 4:4-7/Lk 2:16-21 Wed: 1 Jn 2:22-28/Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 [3cd]/Jn 1:19-28 Thu: 1 Jn 2:29 3:6/Ps 98:1, 3cd-4, 5-6 [3cd]/Jn 1:29-34 Fri: 1 Jn 3:7-10/Ps 98:1, 7-8, 9 [3cd]/Jn 1:35-42 Sat: 1 Jn 3:11-21/Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5 [2a]/Jn 1:43-51 Next Sunday: Is 60:1-6/Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, [cf. 11]/ Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6/Mt 2:1-12 The 1st graders in the Religious Education Program did a terrific job performing a Christmas pageant complete with angel choirs, shepherds, an innkeeper, and kings from afar for their parents and families. Filled with the Christmas spirit, everyone delighted in joining their rousing chorus calling us to Go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born! PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK Monica Affleck, David Carlson, Terry Coffey, Matthew Creedan, Richard Farrell, Robert Gorman, Kathleen Haney, Robert Hurley, Angelo Kaldis, Frank Kurr, Sr. Colleen Nolan OP, Kevin Nolan, Paul Novak, Mary Ellen O Hara, Patti Sheehan, Charles Tasharski, Tom Trankina, and Janice Yeurig AND FOR OUR DECEASED Margery Cross Buckingham, Herman Ziebell, and Collette Dieschbourg, mother of Ed Dieschbourg STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. ~1 John 3:1 The Prime Timers once again enjoyed the wonderful Christmas Brunch at Misericordia-Heart of Mercy Village on Chicago s far north side. It was a reminder of the great work that Misericordia does in providing love and care for its 600 residents who have profound developmental disabilities but are gainfully employed in the restaurant, bakery, and ever-popular gift shop. If you missed it, please sign up to join us next year! Is St. Luke checked off on your Christmas gift list? Christmas is a time when we all think about celebrating our friends and family, including our parish family of St. Luke. Your generosity is needed to help us reach or exceed our Christmas goal of $120,000. Please use the special Christmas envelope and remember St. Luke with a significant donation this year. Thank you! During this season of giving, let us remember the most important gift we have received being children of God. As God s children, it s important that we express our love for others as well. Be sure to tell your spouse, children and other family members, and friends that you love them frequently. We greatly appreciate the sacrifices you make to support the mission and ministry of St. Luke Church all year long. Thank you for your continued generosity! At this time of the year, when we re thinking about resolutions to make our life better in the coming year, consider setting up an online donation account with GiveCentral. It helps the parish because we don t have to collect, count, and deposit your contributions. And you ll like the convenience of not having to find an envelope and bring a check or cash to Mass each week. You can schedule payments from your bank or credit card account using your computer or smart phone 24/7, and you can make changes or print out a report of all your contributions any time you need to. Try it today by going online to and see if it doesn t simplify your life in 2019! DECEMBER 30, 2018 Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph 7

8 The Giving Tree collection was a big success again, and we received a nice thank-you from Brother Joseph Schenk, Community Resource Developer for Chicago Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program: I want to thank everyone at St. Luke s for their most generous response in assisting our refugee families. Each year St. Luke has been doing their Giving Tree for us, I am overwhelmed by the amount and quality of the items that people donate truly an act of love! A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all! The 2019 March for Life Chicago is hoping to draw large crowds of pro-life advocates from across the Midwest to celebrate the uniqueness of each human life at conception on Sunday, January 13. The day will start at 8:00 am with a Youth Rally featuring music and inspiring talks at Francis Xavier Warde School, 751 N. State Street in Chicago. Preregistrations are required at tinyurl.com/mfl-rally Then Cardinal Cupich will concelebrate a Mass for Life at 11:00 am in Holy Name Cathedral. The Mass will be a sending forth to the March for Life Chicago at the Federal Plaza, where speakers will address the issues of life in light of this year s focus on scientific evidence that backs the sanctity of human life and an end to abortion. That program and a march through the Loop will begin at 2:00 pm. For more info on these events and others happening that weekend, visit St. Luke s Peace & Justice Committees is observing National Migration Week by co-hosting an Immigration Ministry Film Festival on Wednesday, January 9, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at St. Giles. The evening will feature Gospel Without Borders, a documentary that takes viewers to the heart of the matter on the border. As one reviewer said, It examines what the Bible says about treatment of the stranger, shows the experiences of documented and undocumented immigrants, and provides handles for Christians to advance the common good. The presentation will be augmented by a DACA speaker and small group discussions. The public event will take place in McDonough Hall at Columbian and Greenfield avenues in Oak Park. All are invited to attend. 8 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL Pope Francis invites Catholics around the world to remember a special intention in their prayers each month. Prayers for January are requested: That young people, especially in Latin America, may follow the example of Mary and respond to the call of the Lord to communicate the joy of the Gospel to the world. Domestic Violence Advocacy Training is offered three times a year at Sarah s Inn for volunteers who want to work directly with clients and increase their knowledge about domestic violence issues. Participants who complete the 40-hour training are certified as domestic violence advocates in the State of Illinois. Learn more about the next session, which will start on January 29, at sarahsinn.org/what-we-do/ and download the registration form at Training_Registration_Form_Winter2019. For more information, contact Colleen Sutkus, Director of Training and Education, at ext

9 Our 6th and 7th graders helped their 1st grade partners with their reading, writing, and drawing assignment on family customs in December. The reports were part of the 1st graders studies on how our American traditions have originated from cultures all over the world. The students then presented their findings to their parents with a program that showed how they each celebrate and dress the way they do to reflect their culture. The cultural study was just one part of many exciting activities, lessons, games, and crafts that Rose Mantucca organized for her students this year. They have had fun learning about cultures all over the world and, at the same time, learned so much about their own and each other s family traditions. Young missionaries from NET (National Evangelization Team) Ministries came here to lead a retreat day for St. Luke School s 6th and 7th graders on December 15. NET sends teams like this to lead students all across our country through games, talks, and small group discussions so they can better understand themselves as being in the image and likeness of God, and deepen the sense of a personal relationship with the God who loves them. The pinnacle of the retreat is a time of Prayer Ministry and Eucharistic Adoration in the church, during which the NET team members prayed over each of the students. The prayer time inspired the students to leave the pews and gather around the altar to be closer to the Eucharistic Lord. Many of them commented that they felt the love of Jesus in a real and tangible way a moving and beautiful gift from God to prepare their hearts for Jesus coming at Christmas. DECEMBER 30, 2018 Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph 9

10 The St. Luke Athletic Committee congratulates the following winner of this week s 500 Club drawing: Daniel Regan 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. Just as our Blessed Mother welcomed Jesus into her womb, we are called to cherish and protect the gift of human life, at every stage, and in every circumstance. One way to live out the message of Christmas and follow Our Lady s example is to join 9 Days for Life, a digital novena for the respect and protection of every human life. Each day, a different intention is accompanied by a short reflection, suggested actions, and related information. The U.S. bishops invite you to join your prayers with thousands of other Catholics nationwide from Monday, January 14 Thursday, January 24. Join today at 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 the 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 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 Bob Ballenger, Interim Co-Principal bballenger@stlukeparish.org Kris Gritzmacher, Interim Co-Principal kgritzmacher@stlukeparish.org Joanie Schwarzbeck, Administrative Assistant jschwarzbeck@stlukeparish.org 519 Ashland Avenue, River Forest religiouseducation@stlukeparish.org Mary Beth Smedinghoff, Religious Ed Secretary 533 Ashland Avenue, River Forest Sr. Pat Farrell, OP 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.

11 Visiting Angels Non-Medical In-Home Care for Seniors and Disabled Adults James G. Frazier, D.M.D., M.S. COMPREHENSIVE, QUALITY, OTHODONTIC CARE Flexible Payment Options Insurance Accepted 400 Lathrop Ave. Suite 203 River Forest, IL Barnard s Schwinn Established in W. North Avenue Oak Park, IL Owned & Operated by Jeff & Greg Hajduk HIGH SCHOOL Knowledge Strength Faith 7574 West Division, River Forest Robert J. Slobig Attorney at Law Torshen, Slobig & Axel, Ltd. 33 N. Dearborn St., Ste Chicago, IL rslobig@torshen.com Commerical/Residential Waste Collection & Recycling Service Established 1890 P. M. WALSH & CO. Realtors Tagger O Brien, Parish Member 7636 W. North Ave. (708) taggerob@comcast.net Beautifully Appointed Guest Rooms & Suites Meeting/Banquet Facilities Group Discounts (708) Pleasant St. Oak Park, IL HEATING COOLING Harrison St., Oak Park Dan Reeg Plumbing Any kind of plumbing job - small or large Circle Bowling Lanes 7244 Circle Avenue Forest Park Party Room - Open Bowl - Bumpers ELM FLOOR INC. Hardwood Floor Maintenance & Installation Ponzio Dental 7053 W North Avenue Suite 2 Oak Park, IL (708) wewelcomecowards.com Contact Jeff Hansen to place an ad today! jhansen@4lpi.com or (800) x2683 L. MARSHALL Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc. (Commercial and Residential) 2100 Lehigh Ave., Glenview, IL NUZZO SEWER & PLUMBING INC Power Rodding All Sewer & Plumbing Repairs & Installation Specializing in Flood Control Correcting Low Water Pressure Video Sewer & Locating Service 7375 West North Avenue River Forest, Illinois (708) Serving your community since Tom Poulos Broker/Owner Lic Andy Gagliardo Broker/Owner Member FDIC Dan Watts, President 7348 W. Madison St W. Roosevelt Rd For ad info. call St. Luke, River Forest, IL B 4C

12 Angie Montroy Angie s Pantry, Inc. Weekly Meal Service & Catering angiemontroy@angiespantry.com N Harlem Ave Elmwood Park J. M. J. In Loving Memory of the Williams, Karasis, & Kurr Families See you in Heaven Funeral Home Family Owned and Operated Charles M. Williams, Parishioner/Owner 203 South Marion Street - Oak Park Lawn Sprinklers ENGINEERING INSTALLATION SERVICE For Service Call: Contact Jeff Hansen to place an ad today! jhansen@4lpi.com or (800) x2683 Wedding Specialists River Forest DRY CLEANERS & TAILORING $$ $$ $35 Service Coupon callriley.com ROBERT E LEE & SONS CO. Concrete Excavation Demolition Serving Breakfast & Lunch Daily 7am- 4pm 7525 W Madison St. Forest Park W. Lake St. Invest in memories - You can t lose S. Oak Park Ave, Oak Park, IL (708) Helping you get to and through retirement Joe, Mike, & Dan Madden, Parish Members 1010 Lake St. Oak Park, IL advisors@maddenfunds.com (708) Spotless Carwash 7802 Madison St. & 7343 Roosevelt in Forest Park We Accept All Major Credit Cards spotlessautowash.com lawn care MARK KELTY 338 Lathrop Av., River Forest, IL Ph: (708) Fax: (708) Lake Street River Forest LYNCH DENTAL CENTER John P. Lynch, D.D.S. Frances E. Lynch, D.D.S. Sheila E. Lynch, D.D.S. Karen V. Darley, D.D.S. 340 Lathrop Avenue 30 N. Michigan Avenue River Forest, Illinois Suite Chicago, Illinois We Welcome New Patients Dr. Rebecca Anderson 610 S. Maple Ave. Suite TAYLOE GLASS - Since Windows Mirrors Tabletops Broken Windows Repaired South Blvd Oak Park tayloeglass@att.net ED THE PLUMBER ED THE CARPENTER Best Work Best Rate Satisfaction Guaranteed As We Do All Our Own Work $$ Parishioner Discount $$ (708) Venus Hair Studio 125 S. Oak Park Ave. Oak Park, IL FULL SERVICE HAIR SALON facebook.com/venushairstudioop P ETERSON-BASSI C HAPELS Serving St. Luke Families for 3 Generations Residents of River Forest FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED (708) Des Plaines Avenue Forest Park Michael L. Basili ATTORNEY AT LAW PARISHIONER Wills, Trusts, Probate & Business Law Glick and Trostin LLC x mbasili@glick-law.com Hour Towing Forest Park For ad info. call St. Luke, River Forest, IL A 4C