St. Luke Parish. Second Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy Sunday March 30, Pastoral Staff. Parish Info. Parish Website

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1 St. Luke Parish R I V E R F O R E S T I L L I N O I S Pastoral Staff PASTOR Reverend Kenneth J. Fischer ASSOCIATE PASTOR Reverend Leroy A. Wickowski Parish Info RECTORY Phone: Lathrop, River Forest Sue Gamache, Office Mgr., ext. 12 SCHOOL Barbara Rasinski, Principal Phone: Ashland, River Forest RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Debi DeMario: Ashland, River Forest MUSIC DIRECTOR Arlene Michna: ext. 26 ASSISTANT MUSIC DIRECTOR Sr. Maureen Sauer ext. 14 CONTEMPORARY CHOIR DIRECTOR Lornetta Hooks: ext. 14 YOUTH MINISTRY Jeff Simms: ext. 22\ PARISH BUSINESS MANAGER Glenn Wagner ext. 21\ Masses SATURDAY 5:30 pm SUNDAY 7:30, 9:00, 10:30 am & 12:00 Noon WEEKDAYS Monday-Friday 6:30 and 8:00 am Saturday 8:00 am Reconciliation MONDAY-FRIDAY After 6:30 & 8:00 am Masses SATURDAY After 8:00 am Mass, and by appointment Parish Website Second Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy Sunday March 30, 2008 I needed proof don t you see there was so little to go on everything so new and upside down he had promised to remain but then he seemed to leave us after all how were we to know that death is not a sign to be trusted so much seemed to be what it was not I had to insist on seeing with my own eyes on touching, testing him on showing him my broken heart do not be glib you of the second generation and the third, and the hundredth you too would ask for fleshly signs if you did not have daily proof of his resurrection if you could not see in one another the marks of nail and spear of pain made whole of life triumphant and if one day your world goes upside down remember me and be at peace secure in this at least your Savior lives text: E. M. Jeep

2 This Week s Gatherings Mass Intentions Monday, March 31, :30 am The Blessed Sacrament Ministries 8:00 am Mary Jane Dlouhy Tuesday, April 1, :30 am Fr. Conway O Connor 8:00 am George Eder Wednesday, April 2, :30 am Tom Ironside 8:00 am Bernard J. and Robert Cunningham Thursday, April 3, :30 am Susan Kilmer 8:00 am W. Jerome Byrnes Friday, April 4, :30 am Judy Helsel 8:00 am The Williams, Karasis, Kurr Families & Roy Saturday, April 5, :00 am Thomas Cusack IV Altar Servers Monday - Friday, March 31-April 4 8:00 am Mon-Fri: O Skelding, M Nowicki Weekend Liturgies Saturday, April 5, :30 - Mass Intention: The People of St. Luke Parish Servers K Moore, P Wade; Cross Bearer: M Heineke Readers Noel Moore, Grace Frank Euch Min M Moore, J May, M Bresnahan, M Burns, D Chemler, L Hogan, B Altier* Sunday, April 6, :30 - Mass Intention: The Williams, Karasis, Kurr Families & Roy Servers M Connelly, D Young; Cross Bearer: A Kelly Readers Pat Deady, Frank Eder Euch Min M Gebert, K McSorley, J Lynch* 9:00 - Mass Intention: Robert A. Matthews Servers R Battelli, C Battelli; Cross Bearer: K Malone Readers Ann O Connell, Tony Graefe Euch Min B Nickels, S McAllister, J O Hara, R Norton, H Slowik, R Romano, P Romano* 10:30 - Mass Intention: The People of St. Luke Parish Servers O Skelding, J Walsh; Cross Bearer: P Clifford Readers Doug Kurtenbach, Edwin Ramos Euch Min M Redinger, L Brennan, J Stanton, B Elwood, J Mannix, F Darley, B Darley* 12:00 - Mass Intention: Glenn C. Scully Servers P Yerkes, C Montroy; Cross Bearer: M Horrigan Readers Paul Tuzi, Nan Brouilette Euch Min T Harnett, A Joseph, V Perera, E Dieschbourg, J Rauschenberg* 2 Readings Readings for the Week of March 30, 2008 Sunday: Acts 2:42-47/1 Pt 1:3-9/Jn 20:19-31 Monday: Is 7:10-14; 8:10/Heb 10:4-10/ Lk 1:26-38 Tuesday: Acts 4:32-37/Jn 3:7b-15 Wednesday: Acts 5:17-26/Jn 3:16-21 Thursday: Acts 5:27-33/Jn 3:31-36 Friday: Acts 5:34-42/Jn 6:1-15 Saturday: Acts 6:1-7/Jn 6:16-21 Next Sunday: Acts 2:14, 22-33/1 Pt 1:17-21/ Lk 24:13-35 ~ Please Pray for Our Sick: Robert Bachner, Cindy Berg, Michaela Brothman, Nancy Bultinek, Donna Campbell, Pat Carey, Kevin Connolly, Joseph Dahlstrom, Joseph Dooley, Dan Hardin, Joseph Hennessy, Jr., Janet Hunter, Michael Kinnare, Baby Kathleen Lannon, Baby Meredith Lannon, Stephen McCardell, Baby John Mear, Linda Miller, Steve Posley, Julia Radde, Miriam Reedy, Melissa Romano, Gianna Romano, Joshua Serpico, Drena Swietek, Yesenia Valdes and Baby Cora Rose Welker and for Our Deceased. A Beautiful Easter Our Holy Week and Easter Services were so very beautiful in every way. Our sincere thanks to all who had a part in preparing them and making them so uplifting. To our liturgy planners, musicians and choirs, cleaners and decorators, presiders and preachers, lectors and commentators, ushers, servers and Communion ministers to all who had a part may God bless you for your wonderful service to our parish family. 500 Club The St. Luke Athletic Committee would like to congratulate the following winner of the 500 Club drawing: March 23, 2008 Colette Malone Thank you to all who have purchased memberships in the club, the proceeds of which go directly to fund the school s athletic programs. Stewardship The Stewardship Figures for Easter Sunday will be posted next week.

3 Meet Your Parish Pastoral Council Members ( ) Joe Bresnahan and his wife Mary were married at St. Luke in They have three children: Michael and Mariclaire who are St. Luke alums and attend Fenwick High School, and Matthew who is a 7 th grader at St. Luke. Joe and his wife have supported St. Luke School through fundraising and coaching, and as a teacher s aide and science fair judge. Joe has also served on the Athletic Committee, as a member of the Father s Club and helped with St. Patrick s Day Dances and Parish Picnics. Joe has enjoyed serving the Parish and its parishioners as a member of the Pastoral Council. Mary Pat Devereux grew up in Oak Park and graduated from St. Edmund, Trinity High School, Boston College and Loyola Law School. She has lived in River Forest and has been a parishioner for the last 18 years. She has four children: Bob Ayres, Angela, Patrick, and Mary Monica Ebzery. She has been an Asst. State s Attorney for Cook County for over 20 years, currently working in the Grand Jury Unit at the Criminal Courts in Chicago. She has enjoyed being a part of the Pastoral Council, learning more about the Parish whose church and school, spiritual and social opportunities, and kindness and support have been an important part of her life. Julie Jacobs has been a member of St. Luke Parish since She and her husband Tom have five children: one at Fenwick, three at St. Luke School, and daughter Mary is a future Bearcat. Julie and her family have been involved in St. Luke School, Turkey Sunday, Blessed Sacrament Tuition Assistance Program, Respect Life Committee, and she and Tom currently chair the Baptism Preparation Program. Outside of our community, Julie has worked with the Marillac House. She has taught in the Catholic Schools system and she is currently managing partner of Ironside & Associates, a consulting firm in the field of Human Resources. Scott Krusinski and his wife Lisa joined St. Luke in 1996 when they moved to River Forest. They have three children, Grace, Roger and Frankie. Scott is Vice President of Sovereign City Radio Services, LLC, a company that owns radio stations and provides brokerage service to companies buying and selling radio stations. He manages WNTD 950 AM in Chicago, which airs Relevant Radio. At St. Luke, Scott is active in the Children s Liturgy and Men s Club. He oversees the foreign language instruction program at Lincoln School and coaches his children s baseball, softball and basketball teams. He is a graduate of St. Ignatius College Prep and John Carroll University. Mike Madden is a life-long member of St. Luke Parish. He is a graduate of St. Luke, Fenwick High School and the University of Dayton where he met his wife, Annette. They live in River Forest with their three children: Luke, Charlie and Kate. Mike is also the Vice-President of Madden Funds Managements, a registered investment advisor firm located in Oak Park. Jim Meek is a life-long member of St. Luke Parish, graduating from St. Luke, Fenwick High School and the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is a Pharmacy Manager at the Dominick s store in Des Plaines. His wife Mary Catherine is a Pastoral Associate and DRE at St. Michael in Old Town and they consider themselves fortunate to have Fr. Bob Cross as a member of their household. They have five children and four grandchildren who live as close as Oak Park and as far away as Ireland. Jim enjoys serving the community of St. Luke Parish and giving back just a portion of what he has received. Denise Murray and her husband Tim have been members of St. Luke since They are both classically trained chefs with each having worked in the foodservice industry throughout the United States for more than 26 years. They have two children who attend St. Luke School. Denise has served on various committees at St. Luke School including The Family School Association, the Dinner Dance Committee ( ) and as an Auction Chair in She currently assists with the Cherub Choir, and is a member of the Liturgy Committee, the Environment and Art Committee and the Children s Liturgy Committee. Harry Poffenbarger is the Senior Representative for the Parish Council. He has been a member of St. Luke Parish for 11 years and is currently a member of the Chancel and Resurrection Choirs. Harry retired from the Federal Aviation Agency 16 years ago and now enjoys retirement by listening to classical music and operating his ham radio station, nw9u. Harry is a good listener and would welcome ideas and concerns about our parish from seniors and not-soseniors, too! 3

4 Meet Your Parish Pastoral Council Members ( ) David Skelding, his wife, Karen Deighan, and their four boys have lived in the parish for 11 years. David has served on the school board of St. Luke School as well as various boards and committees of other civic and charitable entities in the Chicago area. David has been Vice-President and General Counsel of Christian Brothers Investments Services, Inc., an investment management company that exclusively serves Catholic institutions, since 1998; prior to that, he practiced securities and corporate law as a partner of Lord, Bissell & Brook. Bob Slobig is the Deacon Representative on the Pastoral Council. He has been a member of the parish for almost 18 years. In 2003 Bob was ordained as a permanent deacon, and since then he has led the RCIA program at St. Luke. Bob is married to Julia Mannix, who served for four years on the Parish Pastoral Council. Both Bob and Julia are lawyers, and have four children: Emily, a junior at Providence College in Rhode Island, Brendan and Alannah who attend Fenwick High School, and Grace, an eighth grader at Roosevelt Middle School. When not busy with all of that, Bob likes to play golf, which is not his forte. Mike Sullivan and his wife Jamie have been members of St. Luke since He is Vice President of Operations, CIO and a member of the Board of Directors at Central Steel and Wire as well as a member of the Board of Trustees of Conserve School, an independent boarding school focused on the environment, ethics, and innovation. Mike and Jamie are Eucharistic Ministers and currently serve in the Marriage Preparation Ministry. Mike has been past treasurer of the St. Luke Men s Club and is currently serving as Secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council. Mike and Jamie have two daughters: Kate, a junior at St. Olaf College, and Meg, a senior at OPRF High School. Kim Trucco has been a member of St. Luke Parish since 1968 when her family moved to River Forest. She received her undergraduate degree from DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana. After working in Washington, DC and Chicago as a paralegal, she obtained her law degree from Loyola University Law School, Chicago. She was in private practice until the birth of her three children: Annie, a 4 th grader at St. Luke, and Katie and Mike, St. Luke School alums who attend Fenwick High School. Her husband Michael and she are actively involved at St. Luke and look forward to continued participation in church and school activities. Katrina Vainisi and her family have been members of St. Luke Parish since She has four children, three of whom attend St. Luke School and one who attends Fenwick High School. Katrina graduated from Michigan State University and is currently enrolled in a Master of Arts Program at DePaul University. She is in her fourth year as the 7 th and 8 th grade Language Arts teacher at Ascension School in Oak Park St. Luke s rival school!! Along with the Parish Pastoral Council, she is also involved with the St. Luke Respect Life Committee. Tom Verticchio and his wife Tammy have lived in St. Luke Parish since Their four children (ages 18,16,14, and 12) have all gone through the St. Luke Religious Education Program. Tom has taught Religious Education for the past seven years and joined the Parish Pastoral Council in For many years Tom and Tammy have volunteered with youth sports teams, scout troops and Lincoln and Roosevelt Schools PTOs. They enjoy being part of the St. Luke family and look forward to many more years of active parish involvement. Ex Officio Members Fr. Ken Fischer Fr. Leroy Wickowski Rick Wholey and his wife Debbie have been St. Luke parishioners since Their three children, Megan, Brigid and Matthew graduated from St. Luke School where Debbie teaches Junior High Math. Rick joined the Parish Pastoral Council in 2005 and completes his term in He is a member of the St. Luke Compendium Group which meets monthly to read and discuss the recently published Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. 4

5 Gatherings from the Parish and the Community Prime Timers The Prime Timers are looking forward to the church visits tomorrow, March 31. After our visit to Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica we will eat lunch at the Three Happiness Restaurant in Chinatown. Then we will visit St. Therese Chinese Catholic Church. This was originally a Maryknoll Mission Church. There will be a Women s Self-Protection Demonstration on April 3 at 7:00 PM. It will be held at the River Forest Library. The program will be presented by Pat Collins, a recently retired Chicago Police officer who has put together a practical and simplified system of self-protection. Please register for this program at ext We are in the process of organizing a health fair for our Prime Timers in late April. It will include testing for Diabetes, Blood Pressure, and Cholesterol. Please watch this column for further information. Called by Name Our parish will be offering Called by Name, a vocation awareness program, the weekend of April This program offers an opportunity for us to pray for vocations; to recognize the gifts and potential for leadership and service in the men and women of our parish; and finally, to call forth and encourage these members to share the gifts God has given them through a vocation to the priesthood and religious life. Perhaps you know a man or woman who would, in your opinion, have the qualities to become a priest or religious sister. On Called by Name weekend, April 12-13, you will be asked to recommend this person (18 years old and older) by filling out a Nomination Form and placing it in the collection basket. Please encourage women under age 18 to contact Sr. Peter Mary Hettling (phettling@archchicago.org) and men under age 18 to contact Fr. Peter Snieg (psnieg@luc.edu). Nominated men and women will be invited to attend informational gatherings designed to help them explore the possibility of a vocation to the priesthood and religious life. God may be asking you to help your fellow parishioners to recognize His call in their lives--please begin praying today! Renew Your Marriage! Every good marriage is a blessing to our Church! Return thanks to God for your marriage by investing a weekend s time to deepen your communication and capacity to love. The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekends are April and June 6-8. For reservations or information, consult our website at or call Kris and Jim at Divine Mercy Holy Hour Today On this Second Sunday of Easter, which Pope John Paul designated as Divine Mercy Sunday, we will have a Holy Hour from 3:00-4:00 PM 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. First Friday Coffee and... Our monthly First Friday Coffee and... will be this Friday, April 4, immediately after the 8:00 AM Mass. Once again this month we will gather at the Blue Max Coffee House, 26 Lathrop Ave, Forest Park (on Lathrop south of the tracks). Everyone is cordially invited to enjoy the coffee and fellowship. Students Prepare for Confirmation and First Communion Our 8 th graders are making their final preparations to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on Tuesday, April 22. Bishop George Rassas will come to St. Luke s to administer the sacrament to them. And our 2 nd graders are preparing to receive their First Holy Communion on the weekend of May 3-4. Let us keep all of these young people in our prayers as they prepare to experience God s special love through these sacraments. Fr. Ken to Take Sabbatical Priests of the Archdiocese of Chicago may apply for a 3-6 month sabbatical every seven years. This is a time for spiritual renewal, theological and pastoral updating, retreat, travel and rest. As I near the end of my 8 th year as pastor of St. Luke s, I have asked for and received from Cardinal George permission to take a sabbatical from August 15 to December 15. The main component will be a 3-month program of renewal for priests in Menlo Park, California. I am grateful to Father Leroy, who has agreed to be the administrator/acting pastor of the parish in my absence. Since we have excellent staff members in place, I trust that things will run smoothly during those four months. I hope and pray that this time of renewal will re-charge my energy and enthusiasm for my next 7-8 years of service at St. Luke s. Please keep me in your prayers. 5

6 Gatherings of the Parish 6

7 Gatherings from the Parish and the Community Champions of Faith The Office of Evangelization of the Archdiocese of Chicago is proud to present a Father and Son Event! All ages are welcome with a special focus on sixth grade through high school boys and their fathers/guardians. The featured speaker, Jack McKeon, is a two-time National League Manager of the Year. He is considered one of the most colorful managers in Major League Baseball History. In 2003 Mr. McKeon managed the Florida Marlins to the World Series where they defeated the New York Yankees for the World Championship! Mr. McKeon has managed five Major League Teams to 1,001 career victories. He is a devout Catholic and daily communicant who has a special devotion to the Blessed Mother and St. Theresa of Lisieux. This event will take place Tuesday, April 8, 2008, from 7:00-9:00 PM (food will be served at 6:30 PM) at Holy Trinity High School, 1443 W. Division Street, Chicago. Individual admission is $10. Pizza and soda will be available for an additional $8. The Family Package for $40 includes three admissions, one Champions of Faith DVD and three meals. Families with more than three attendees are $5 for each additional person. Worth Seeing/Hearing The Siena Center of Dominican University presents Pursuing the Good We Share in Common with guest speaker Kristin Heyer, associate professor of theological studies at Loyola Marymount University and author of Prophetic and Public: The Social Witness of U.S. Catholicism. Ms. Heyer will offer concrete guidelines for participation in the public square based on the Church s self-understanding and the experiences of Catholic advocacy organizations. What, indeed, constitutes faithful and responsible Christian public witness in today s public square? The event will be held Thursday, April 3, 7:30 PM, at Dominican University s Priory Auditorium, 7200 Division Street, River Forest. Admission is $10. Counseling Service Available at St. Bernardine Ms. Margaret Lukomski, an experienced and licensed professional therapist, is available to assist people facing marital and family difficulties and other personal issues. Ms. Lukomski, LCPC is also a certified alcohol and drug counselor. She is at St. Bernardine Church one afternoon and evening per week; fees for her services are reasonable. To schedule an appointment, please call Catholic Charities Holbrook Counseling Center at Youth Ministry No Youth Ministry Activities There is no SLYME tonight. SLYME starts again on Sunday, April 6. Plan to join us then. New Parish Directories Have Arrived! Copies of the new 2008 St. Luke Parish Directory, featuring the drawing of our beautiful church on the cover, have been arriving in parishioner mailboxes over the last few weeks. This directory includes helpful information about the parish, and address, phone and information for parishioners who chose to be included. We would like to thank the advertisers who supported the printing of this new directory and encourage all to patronize and thank them for their participation. If your copy has not as yet arrived in your mailbox, please contact the parish office during the week (Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM) at and we ll be happy to mail a copy to you. If you leave a message, please be sure to include your name, address and telephone number. God in the Bible Join Dr. Barbara Bowe of Catholic Theological Union for an introduction to how the Bible can be a resource for faith and spiritual life. On Holy Ground: Encountering God in the Bible will focus on the many ways God is revealed to us in the Exodus story and in the gospel stories of Jesus healing the sick. Saturday, April 19, 2008, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, at St. John of the Cross Church, 5005 S. Wolf Rd, Western Springs. Cost is $40 which includes morning hospitality and lunch. For more information, contact the Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago at or ofc@archchicago.org. For a registration form or to register on-line, go to Register by April 9, Sponsored by the Chicago Catholic Scripture School of the Archdiocese of Chicago April Wedding Let us keep in our prayers this couple who will celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony during the month of April: KEVIN O ROURKE and BRIDGET KNIGHT 7

8 Gatherings from the Next Generation St. Luke Religious Education news St. Luke School Grads Soar in High School RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES WILL RESUME ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2!! The following St. Luke grads attending Fenwick High School have been named 2008 Illinois State Scholar Finalists: Kelly Gleason Tyler Miller Regina Smedinghoff Catherine Toupin Ian Toupin Caitlin Visek Brigid Wholey Mr. Betts from the Admissions Department stated, We are very proud of the accomplishments your former students have achieved during their years at Fenwick and are looking forward to welcoming more of your students in the future. St. Ignatius College Prep recently announced the first semester honor roll list. The following are alums of SLS: Honors with Distinction Michael Basili Bridget Dempsey Conor Skelding Brittany Sumyk First Honors (GPA of 3.33 to 3.89) Kevin Flannery Diana Sanborn Kevin Williams Matt Wozniak Second Honors (GPA of 2.83 to 3.29) Matthew Lynch Cameron Skelding Our graduates continue to soar at their various high schools and we are very proud of them!! Pneuma Retreat Pneuma is an ancient Greek word for spirit, the Holy Spirit. On April 4 and 5 a small group of 8 th grade Confirmation Candidates will participate in an overnight retreat. It will consist of talks and small group discussions that will reflect on their faith, and for many, the upcoming sacrament of Confirmation. The Pneuma is an optional retreat for those looking for a deeper experience of faith. A group of high school students and adults prepare and lead the retreat. We ask that you keep all of the following in your prayers in the weeks to come as the Pneuma leaders and participants prepare to spend some unique time together reflecting in a way that is difficult in the course of everyday life: Mackenzie Bonk, Madeline Connelly, Nick Dieschbourg, Meaghan Dressel, Maureen Dunbar, Nash Giacoma, Nickie Green, Paula Green, Andrew Gryzlo, Hannah Meyer, Larkin Neal, Clare Parrilli, Mary Rauh, Annie Swock, Tito Vazquez and all the Pneuma leaders. Please Join Us... Thursday, April 3 our students and faculty will be celebrating the life of St. Benedict the African at a special Mass at 9:15 AM in Church. Everyone is welcome to attend! 8

9 Gatherings from the Community Justice Day 2008 Join us and explore your hunger to heal our earth, community and human spirit. Keynote speaker will be Fr. Al Frisch, SJ, author and scientist in the hills of Appalachia. Sr. Mary Southard, CSJ, will begin the day with a reflection on Eucharist. Learn the global impact of our food purchasing habits and United States policies on poverty levels and the environment. Bishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller will celebrate Mass. The Earth Day afternoon will include (optional) experiential learning with local Catholic Campaign for Human Development community organizations that model sustainability. Saturday, April 19, 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, 1852 W. 22nd Pl, Chicago Cost of $15 includes lunch For more information and registration, please contact Joyana Jacoby, Office for Peace and Justice by April 11, 2008, at jjacoby@archchicago.org or Cover art: Der unglaübige Thomas Duccio di Buoninsegna ( ) Museo dell Opera del Duomo, Siena A Marriage Moment from Family Ministries Marriage is a basic human and social institution. Though it is regulated by civil laws and church laws, it did not originate from either the church or state, but from God. Therefore, neither church nor state can alter the basic meaning and structure of marriage. Marriage, whose nature and purposes are established by God, can only be the union of a man and a woman and must remain such in law. In a manner unlike any other relationship, marriage makes a unique and irreplaceable contribution to the common good of society, especially through the procreation and education of children. The union of husband and wife becomes, over a lifetime, a great good for themselves, their family, communities, and society. Marriage is a gift to be cherished and protected. Taken from Between Man & Woman: Questions and Answers About Marriage and Same-Sex Unions, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, November 12, 2003 For more information on Church teaching regarding marriage, visit the Family Ministries website at