FROM THE PASTOR. MINISTERS OF THE LITURGY Monday-Friday, December :00 am Servers J Leonardi, J Leonardi

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1 528 Lathrop Avenue River Forest, Illinois John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And this is what he proclaimed: One mightier than I is coming after me. ~Mark 1:4,7 De cemb er 10, S e co nd S unda y of Ad ve nt

2 MASS INTENTIONS Monday, December 11 - St. Damasus I 6:30 am Edward Ozga 8:00 am Anna and Joseph Muffoletto Tuesday, December 12 - Our Lady of Guadalupe 6:30 am Joseph Madden 8:00 am Paul Busse Wednesday, December 13 - St. Lucy 6:30 am Joy Wieczorek 8:15 am Mary and Harry Foley Thursday, December 14 - St. John of the Cross 6:30 am Bob Atkinson 8:00 am Bob Coleman Friday, December 15 6:30 am E.J. Beckman 8:00 am Diane Dispensa Saturday, December 16 8:00 am Rose Jirasek 5:00 pm Patsy Walsh Sunday, December 17 7:30 am The People of St. Luke Parish 9:00 am Anna and Joseph Muffoletto 11:00 am Josephine T. and Michael J. Dooley MINISTERS OF THE LITURGY Monday-Friday, December :00 am Servers J Leonardi, J Leonardi Saturday, December 16 5:00 pm Servers C Crotty, J Gleason, R Gleason Lectors K Roche, A O Connell Euch Min J Bobak, Y Bobak, C Czarnecki, P Klein, D Piper, W Piper Ushers J Fisher, M Nelson, R Nixon, J Pizzo Sunday, December 17 7:30 am Servers P Gorman, M Hoey, W Hoey Lectors L Hoey, J Lynch Euch Min P Muldoon, S Scelfo Ushers L Brettman, B Hickman, J Langton, M Oller 9:00 am Servers E Dillon, B Hardy, P Hicks Lectors L Zarate, T Hicks Euch Min P Brennan, S Brennan, D Hopkinson, G Rara, J Winikates, L Winikates Ushers B Aquilino, K Bruscato, P Driscoll, 1 Needed 11:00 am Servers J O Connor, D Ruggie, C Vlerick Lectors S Price, T Roche Euch Min B Elwood, B Huerta, M Karasis, J Keefe, D Kurtenbach, M Martinez Ushers D Carey, J McInerney, 2 Needed 2 Cover Art: This week s picture of Saint John the Baptist and the Pharisees was created by French painter James Tissot between It is used here with permission of the Brooklyn Museum, which has hundreds of Tissot s Life of Christ paintings in its collection. WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL FROM THE PASTOR The beginning of St. Mark s Gospel is reserved for us this weekend Mark 1:1-8. A point to remember about this evangelist: He is a man of few words, conciseness, and word economy (not necessarily what is used in this article). The Jesus he tells us about yearns for our belief in Him and that we come to know Him not through signs and miracles, but rather a deep and abiding faith. We usher in the start of the liturgical cycle of readings with the basic message of St. John the Baptist who speaks these words to us: Prepare the way of the Lord make straight his paths and One mightier than I is coming after me and I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. Of course, John the Baptist could only use water. Jesus had not yet established His Church or provided for sending us the Holy Spirit in his time. Once Jesus, risen from the dead, established his Church, He provided for us the possibility of getting on the straight path and many channels of His grace to keep us there or pull us back to it whenever we stray from it. This is the beauty of our faith, and this is what we need to invite people to, handing on this Good News to them. There is a whole realm of possibilities of life in the Holy Spirit that Jesus always offers us. We are given a share in Christ s life because we have been baptized in Him and in His Holy Spirit. Our journey takes a lifetime filled with possibilities. It is never too late to turn back to Him. Hopefully, you are in the midst of reading the daily reflections contained in your Little Blue Book, which was distributed last Sunday. Last week s focus was on spending six minutes a day in peaceful quiet with the Lord giving God the gift of your time. You d be surprised how big an effort it is for some to do that. Six minutes represent 1/240 of our entire day. Doesn t sound like much does it? Neither does 1/168, which represents the one hour each Sunday we give back in worship and praise of our Creator. When we put it in these terms, it really doesn t seem like we re doing very much, does it? That s why our 60-minute prayer efforts should be joy-filled, and participatory in nature with body, voice, and spirit. We concentrate our energy in prayer by singing and praying out loud the words of our prayers and responses. I encourage you to participate fully in this joyful dialogue wholeheartedly with renewed awareness. I also encourage everyone to look at the Dynamic Catholic website and sign up for their free Best Advent Ever program. It is a very thought-provoking way of praying and reflecting on this season and your life. Sign up now at dynamiccatholic.com/best-advent-ever, and happy 2 nd Week of Advent! ~Fr. Szmyd

3 OUR YEAR OF GRACE This year being the Year of Grace, it helps if we grasp the language and understanding of what grace is in the life of a baptized person, a disciple of Christ. To help us better understand the nature of grace, the Catechism of the Catholic Church offers the following insights: Grace is a participation in the life of God. The grace of Christ is the gift that God freely gives to us of his own life, infused into our soul through the Holy Spirit to heal us of sin and to make us holy. Sanctifying grace is a habitual gift, a stable and supernatural disposition that perfects the soul itself to enable it to live with God, to act by his love. Habitual grace, is the permanent disposition within us to live and act in keeping with God s call. Finally, there is actual grace which refers to God s interventions, to bring about our conversion of heart or the ongoing process by which we grow in holiness (CCC ). You will be hearing more and more about grace in our lives throughout this new liturgical year. MASS INTENTIONS ANNOUNCED AT MASS At the recommendation of the Parish Transformation Liturgy Committee, we made a change shortly before summer about the timing of the announcement of the person or persons whom we remember at Mass. We moved it up to become part of the announcements made by the cantor before the start of Mass. We tried this for several months, but during that time we heard from a number of parishioners who voiced a variety of opinions about this process. They mentioned that: the Mass intention appeared to be disconnected from the Prayer of the Faithful where the prayer actually occurs some wanted the names mentioned in both places, at the start of Mass and during the Prayer of the faithful. Enough people brought forth their concern, so beginning this weekend we are returning the announcement of the Mass intention to its prior place in the final intercession prayed during the Prayer of the Faithful. Enhancing our liturgies at St. Luke Church so that they serve the spiritual needs of our parishioners is and will continue to be an evolving process. Thank you for your feedback. USHERS AND GREETERS Hospitality is a primary ingredient in every liturgy. We should be happy to welcome people and build our community, and this is the responsibility of each and every worshipper attending Mass. However, this is the primary concern of our ushers and greeters, the ministers who assist at Mass regularly. In addition, they help with the collections and ensure the safety and well-being of all visitors. Please contact one of the ushers today if you can assist on a full- or part-time basis as an usher or greeter. Because of the increased number of people who join us at church over the holidays, we have a greater need for more people to assist at Christmas Masses, to help with the collections, and to pass out bulletins. Please call the rectory during office hours if you would like to volunteer your help! CONFESSIONS A reminder that the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is a beautiful way to receive God s forgiveness and loving mercy to prepare oneself for the full joy of Christmas. We continue to have Confessions at a special time each Saturday during Advent from 4:00 to 4:30 pm (before 5:00 pm Mass). Plus our usual times after each weekday morning Mass. Patience is a wonderful virtue of Advent patiently awaiting the arrival of the Christ Child. And so, as we mentioned last week, please be patient with these changes at St. Luke as this holy season progresses. DECEMBER 10, 2017 Second Sunday of Advent 3

4 This weekend: December 9-10 Elderly Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests are appealing for our help this weekend. Many served for years in Catholic schools, hospitals, and parishes often for little to no pay. Now in their retirement years, they are struggling with little Social Security. Your gift to the Retirement Fund for Religious provides funding for medications, nursing care, and more. Please be generous to those who have given all of us a lifetime of faithful service. All parishioners are invited as guests of the St. Luke Men s Club to their annual Breakfast with Santa today, December 10, in Waldron Hall. The festivities begins immediately following the 9:00 Mass as Santa and his pancake-cooking elves will serve up great hotcakes and eggs, unlimited doughnuts and beverages, as well as priceless photos with St. Nick and gifts for all the children. All are encouraged to invite friends and neighbors the more the merrier! This weekend you will find the Giving Tree set up in the back of church with lots of ideas for gifts that would really make a nice Christmas for a newly arrived refugee family in our area. The following items were specifically requested by the Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program: Warm socks for adults and children Queen size blankets Ventra passes Rice cookers and tea kettles Diapers size 4-6 Gift cards from Walmart, Jewel, or Walgreen s Today: look for a tag with an item you would like to shop for this week. Pick up the item at any store and then bring your gift unwrapped to any of next weekend s Masses. We will only collect items next Saturday and Sunday so we can deliver them to Catholic Charities in time to reach all the families on their list. ~St. Luke Peace & Justice Committee 4 There will be a special Mass for St. Luke School in honor of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe this Tuesday at 9:15 am in church. Parishioners are welcome to attend. WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL The Respect Life Committee thanks all those who took home a Christmas wreath from our annual sale last weekend. Thanks to your generous outpouring, we sold out of all our wreaths this year. That is especially good news for the women s centers we support through these activities so they can minister to expectant mothers and enable them to carry their pregnancies to full term. We wish everyone and their families a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

5 By James Emery from Douglasville, United States - Bethlehem street_1654, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid= The birthplace of Jesus is today a small city of 25,000 in the Palestinian West Bank about six miles south of Jerusalem. Bethlehem s economy is primarily tourist-driven except for a small handicraft industry by the Christian minority, who fashion religious figurines and articles out of native olive wood. Next weekend we will have a representative of that Christian community who has brought a selection of those fashionable items for sale at all Masses. These beautifully crafted items, which reflect our faith and love for the Lord, would make unique Christmas gifts for your family and friends. Plus, they are helping the Christian community survive and preserve their small enclave in the place where Mary and Joseph found refuge more than 2,000 years ago. Please stop by their booth and at least admire the work of these artisans in the Holy Land. Please note the very early deadlines for submission of articles for the Sunday bulletin due to the Christmas and New Years holidays: December 24/Christmas bulletin (covers events from December 25-December 30): Due 9:00 am, Wednesday, December 13 December 31 bulletin (covers events from January 1-6): Due 9:00 am, Tuesday, November 19 Look for St. Luke Parish online at or Like us on Facebook at forest ABOUT: Other than singing, this is the oldest ministry open to lay men and women. These Ministers of Hospitality are parish ambassadors the first one a newcomer may see when they come through the door and the last one sending everyone home with the bulletin full of the parish news for the week. WHAT WE DO: The tasks typically include greeting people as they enter and leave church, locating available seating, taking up the collections, selecting gift bearers, and distributing bulletins. REQUIREMENTS: Open to men and women, teens and families, the ideal candidate has the desire to welcome, to be warm and friendly, and build up the parish through this important effort of evangelization. A great deal of coordination behind the scenes also is required, so it s also important to have a willingness to cooperate with and take instruction from his or her team leader. Most important, one s faith enables them to see Christ s presence in each individual as well as in the gathered community of believers. TIME COMMITMENT: There is initial training on procedures, the layout of the church, and handling emergency situations. You may choose to serve weekly or as many times as your schedule allows. Each week the team arrives at church each week about 15 to 20 minutes before Mass to receive last-minute instructions, organize materials, and start greeting people. The team stays about 10 minutes after everyone has left to tidy up the pews and aisles. INTERESTED? If you are interested in joining any aspect of the music ministry, please contact the Coordinator, Joe McInerney after Mass or by at jogmac53@comcast.net. A typical comment: I love to see people smile when I open the door for them. I feel like I m a welcome sign that lets everyone know they truly have a place here and are a vital part of the Body of Christ and our St. Luke community. DECEMBER 10, 2017 Second Sunday of Advent 5

6 SCRIPTURE READINGS For Masses the week of December Mon: Is 35:1-10/Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, [Is 35:4f]/ Lk 5:17-26 Tue: Zec 2:14-17 or Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab/Jdt 13:18bcde, 19 [15:9d]/Lk 1:26-38 or Lk 1:39-47 Wed: Is 40:25-31/Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10 [1]/Mt 11:28-30 Thu: Is 41:13-20/Ps 145:1 and 9, 10-11, 12-13ab [8]/Mt 11:11-15 Fri: Is 48:17-19/Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 [cf. Jn 8:12]/Mt 11:16-19 Sat: Sir 48:1-4, 9-11/Ps 80:2ac and 3b, 15-16, [4]/ Mt 17:9a, Next Sunday: Is 61:1-2a, 10-11/Lk 1:46-48, 49-50, [Is 61:10b]/1 Thes 5:16-24/Jn 1:6-8, The Prime Timers will be playing Bridge tomorrow (Monday) from Noon until 2:30 pm in the Hospitality House. Newcomers are always welcome to join the group for a fun afternoon. PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK: Monica Affleck, Kimberly Bak, Evelyn Cademartrie, Bill Darley, Robert Gorman, Fred Heiss, James Hill, Kathy Ann Howard, Stephen Kehoe, Barry Koster, Frank Kurr, Ronald T. Nelson, Kevin Nolan, Paul Novak, Kelly Petersen, Mark Petrune, Julie Quattrocchi, Geraldine Redmond, Fr. Paul Reicher, Herbert Reusch, Josefina Santos, Jonathan Saucedo, Patti Sheehan, and Tom Trankina AND FOR ALL OUR DECEASED 6 STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE Prepare the way of the Lord ~Mark 1:3 We are all called to live a holy life. We are all called to invite others to live holy lives. Living a stewardship lifestyle, being grateful and generous with our gifts, does just that it puts us on the path to holiness and it invites others to be holy, too. Our Weekly Offerings From the weekend of December 2/3 Weekly Budget... $15,000 Actual In-Church Contributions... $ 9,388 Actual Online Contributions... $ 2,800 TOTAL Weekly Contributions... $12, Fiscal Year to Date (From 7/1/17) Budget to Date... $345,000 Actual Weekly Giving... $271,491 Difference to Date for Year +/(-)... $( 73,509) We greatly appreciate the sacrifices you make to support the mission and ministry of St. Luke Church. Thank you for your generosity! Here s a convenient way to support St. Luke Parish with payments from your bank or credit card account using your computer or smart phone. Try it today at GiveCentral.org. WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL Creating a prayerful and inspiring environment at St. Luke Church for Advent and Christmas and all year-round is the work of many hands. It is the focus of the Liturgical Environment Committee, which is a subcommittee of the Parish Liturgy Committee. The larger Liturgy Committee meets regularly to discuss liturgy preparations and the liturgical ministries. The Environment Committee is represented by a chairperson or sometimes co-chairs who deal with planning and logistics. We are currently seeking a new chair or co-chairs to direct the creation of the beautiful setting in the sanctuary, around the altar, and throughout the entire church to accent the various seasons of the church year. Our parish is fortunate to have many parishioners with the skills to lead this important committee. These skills include: an appreciation for sacred liturgy, reverence for our beautiful church, the ability to manage a variety of logistics, a creative vision and a constructive interpersonal style that enables committee members to do their best work. Please let us know of your interest in this opportunity by contacting the rectory at or send an to stlukeparish@stlukeparish.org.

7 This is an exciting time in the history of St. Luke Parish School. We were recently able to introduce our school s Strategic Plan, by which we will be taking steps to keep it a place of faith, vitality, and excellence in education. We hope everyone in the parish can make some time to take a look at the plan since it will shape the education we offer for many years to come. To view it, go online to the school website at site/default.aspx?pageid= We are writing to everyone today about the St. Luke School Tuition Assistance Fund, which benefits families who need help to send their children to our school. Our annual appeal for this fund goes out to all those associated with our parish and school. In the past, these tuition assistance funds were raised through the generous contributions of parishioners like you. Each year, the need is even greater. St. Luke offers about 10% of our present student body some form of tuition assistance. That amounts to more than $90,000 this year. These families value the excellent Catholic education offered at St. Luke in the midst of a loving, caring, and safe environment. Some of them have experienced the death of a spouse or a serious lifethreatening illness, the loss of employment, or a significant reduction in income due to other reasons. The death of a mother or father is always the most heartbreaking situation, and we try to take care of these families as a priority. St. Luke School offers inestimable blessings to these families and helps provide a measure of stability in the lives of their children as they go through very difficult times. The charity you show allows these families in need to send their children to our school for a solid Catholic education. If you have the means to support this fund, please consider assisting your fellow neighbors in need. Also, please pass on the word to others about the great need that continues to exist. Just as the theme for this school year is One Body in Christ, this fund is a way to demonstrate how we are One Body in good times and difficult times. If you can help, please send your tax-deductible check to the rectory and mark Tuition Assistance Fund on the notation line. Or charge your gift to your credit card online at tuitionassistancefund. Thank you so much, and let us keep in our prayers all those who are experiencing financial hardship at this time. Be assured of our prayers for you, too. Rev. John Szmyd, pastor Timothy Wesley, principal DECEMBER 10, 2017 Second Sunday of Advent 7

8 With great joy and excitement the St. Luke Youth Ministry Program announced initial details of next year s Summer Youth Service Trip. We will be sending a group to the Catholic Heart Work Camp in Kansas City, Kansas the week of July This past summer s trip was to the Catholic Heart Work Camp in Oil City, Pennsylvania, and everyone had a blast, so we decided to continue the experience in a new location. The Summer Service Trip is open to high school teens entering high school in 2018 and up, including graduates. Space is limited, however, so save the dates, and watch for more information and an application, which will be coming soon! Also on the horizon: Next Sunday, December 17 our monthly Youth Mass at 5:00 pm, followed by dinner and youth group! Wednesday, December 27 our Christmas Break Candlelit Adoration and Youth Christmas Party featuring an always hilarious White Elephant gift exchange at 7:00 pm. Sunday, January 14 Youth Rally for Life with hundreds of other teens at Holy Name Cathedral, Mass for Life with Cardinal Cupich, and the March for Life downtown. Stay tuned for more info on these and other events. St. Luke s annual Sapphire & Gold Gala Dinner Dance and Auction is always a not-to-be-missed affair that breaks up the winter doldrums with fun music, exciting auctioneering, and high praise for our guests of honor. This 29 th Dinner Dance will honor Andy and Katie Rauh, and also this year include the Heart of St. Luke Award to Kitti McSorley on February 24, Put the event on your calendar now and watch for more details in coming weeks! There s no better time to pray for peace than Christmastime, and the Congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph is hosting a prayer service tomorrow (Monday) night at 7:00 pm to remember the victims of the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut, and to pray for an end to all gun violence. This prayer vigil will be part of a nationwide tribute in partnership with a nationwide coalition of groups dedicated to preventing gun violence in our schools, homes, workplaces, and streets. All are invited to attend at the Congregation of St. Joseph Chapel, 1515 West Ogden Avenue in LaGrange Park. Get away for a weekend devoted to each other at the next Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend February 2-4 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Elk Grove Village. Your stay includes meals and lodging, thoughtprovoking talks by experienced married couples with suggestions about practical tools for growing in loving relationships, and private time to talk with each other. Plus, there are opportunities to continue with ongoing enrichments with the WWME community so the weekend experience need never stop. WWME supports living in love, and this is an ideal time right before Valentine s Day. Learn more online at wwme-chicagoland.org, or get all your questions answered by calling or applications@wwme-chicagoland.org. 8 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL

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10 The St. Luke Athletic Committee congratulates this week s winner of the 500 Club drawing: Eduard Caushaj 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. If you or someone you know has been affected by abortion, there is hope, healing, and forgiveness available very close by. God s love and mercy is greater than any action we can commit. Project Rachel offers the guidance and assistance to help you see that healing and wholeness IS possible. There is hope after abortion! Don t wait. Call HOPE or visit the website 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 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 jschwarzbeck@stlukeparish.org Timothy Wesley, Principal twesley@stlukeparish.org 519 Ashland Avenue, River Forest religiouseducation@stlukeparish.org Sr. Colleen Nolan, O.P., Director cnolan@stlukeparish.org 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. 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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