Saint Patrick. Parishioner Mary Beth Rogers had. Life as a Witness. Mary Beth Rogers. 2 Stewardship. In this Issue. Monthly Newsletter.

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1 August 2012 Saint Patrick Monthly Newsletter In this Issue 2 Stewardship Our Spiritual Home Strive to Be Swifter, Higher, and Stronger Stewards Teaching the Faith to All God s Children The SPRED Ministry Parish Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Historic Church Annual Parish Picnic Just Around the Corner Wadsworth Rd. Wadsworth, IL (847) Parishioner Mary Beth Rogers had what she considers a very traditional Catholic upbringing. She attended Catholic school from kindergarten all through high school, her family prayed before every meal and at bedtime, and they attended Mass together. Her mother and grandmother were particularly devoted to the Blessed Mother, and Mary Beth says the family never took a trip in the car without first praying the Rosary. And yet, despite the fact that her family was firmly rooted in the Catholic Faith, years later Mary Beth had to find her way back to the faith of her childhood. It was during graduate school at Auburn University that Mary Beth reached a moment of crisis. Immersed in science studies in which things are rational and must be measured she was being pulled into a Life as a Witness Mary Beth Rogers Mary Beth Rogers with husband, Elton, and their dogs, Guinness and Snuggles science mindset and away from her Catholic Faith. The worlds of science and religion didn t seem as if they could coexist anymore, and it was at this point that Mary Beth told God that if He did indeed exist, He would have to prove it to her. Although she didn t realize it at the time, Mary Beth s words were actually a prayer for help, and on a Sunday a few weeks later God answered her prayer in a most remarkable way. I remember that day like it was yesterday, explains Mary Beth. I was reading the Sunday paper and I happened to see this tiny article about the Blessed Mother appearing to six children in a small Yugoslavian village which I couldn t even pronounce. That small village was Medjugorje, and in June 1981, the Blessed Mother had begun appearing to six young visionaries and sharing messages of peace, love, faith, continued on back cover

2 Saint Patrick Where do you go to church? We ve all answered that question hundreds of times before. But have you ever stopped to think about what it truly means? I go to St. Patrick, is the usual response, and rightly so, because we do go to the church to celebrate Mass together. But as Catholics and as stewards of God s gifts, the Church is much more than a building where we worship. The Church, as we understand it, is the universal body of believers, the society that Christ established to help us grow in holiness, to bring us closer to Him through the giving of our time, talent, and treasure, and to lead the world to the truth. Before Jesus ascended to the Father, He commissioned the disciples, Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you (Mt. 28:19-20). That is the Church s mission in the world today to make disciples of all nations, to bring all men to Christ. St. Patrick Parish plays a key part in that. As members of this faith community, we are local representatives of the universal Church. Together, as members of this parish family, we work to carry out the Church s mission on a local level. We worship the Lord at Mass, offering Him our praise and thanksgiving, and then we go forth on a mission to make disciples to encourage our fellow parishioners in their lives of faith and to bring unbelievers into knowledge of the truth. In addition to being a local representation of the universal Church, the parish is much like a family. We are communal beings. We are created to live with others, and so, as Catholics, we are members of the Church and, on a more immediate level, of the parish. As such, we gather together for the Eucharistic meal and we grow in faith together throughout the week, supporting one another through our participation in many parish ministries, through prayer, and through the friendships that many of us share. Stewardship Our Spiritual Home In a letter written to parish priests throughout the nation, the United States bishops explained the important place of the parish in the lives of Catholic faithful: The parish is a privileged place to announce the Word of God. It includes a variety of forms and each of the faithful is called to take an active part, especially with the witness of a Christian life and the explicit proclamation of the Gospel to non-believers to lead them to the faith, or to believers to instruct them, confirm them and encourage them to a more fervent life. So, we ought to feel truly blessed to be a part of this parish family. We ought to make a conscious effort to be actively involved, to build relationships with our fellow parishioners and to celebrate the Mass together as often as possible (most especially every Sunday). Then, we are bound to grow closer to others, to grow deeper in faith and closer to Christ and then, together as a parish family, we are bound to proclaim the Gospel to others, inviting them to a life of discipleship, thereby, building the kingdom of God. 2

3 A Letter from Our Pastor Strive to Be Swifter, Higher, and Stronger Stewards Dear Friends in Christ: At the end of July and for the first few weeks of August, the eyes of the world will be focused on the Olympic Games taking place in London. We will watch with amazement and admiration as athletes from all over the world run, swim, and perform seemingly impossible gymnastic routines. Their feats in these and other events will show the dedication and determination it takes to prepare to compete against the best athletes in the world. The athletes will be doing their best to fulfill the Olympic motto, Citius, Altius, Fortius Swifter, Higher, Stronger. Although the Olympics will be using this phrase in the context of athletic competition, I think we could apply these words to our own lives. That s not to say we need to defeat the other members of our family, our neighbors, or fellow parishioners. Indeed, we should seek ways to help them, not compete with them. But we ought to live each day so that we work for goals in a swifter, higher, stronger way than we did the day before. St. Paul uses a similar athletic image and applies it to the spiritual life when he wrote, Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified (1 Cor 9:25-27). St. Paul was referring to the ultimate goal of the whole Christian life. The imperishable crown he mentions is that given to those who are with God in heaven, where they shall reign forever and ever (Rev 22:5). And we should never forget that our citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20). As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness (1024). We also celebrate during August the person who most perfectly exhibited dedication to a swifter, higher, stronger cooperation with God s will, the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary falls on Aug. 15, in the very middle of the month. Please make plans, whether you re here or out of town, to worship at Mass on this Holy Day of Obligation. In closing, here is a stewardship suggestion for August: make a commitment to devote at least half the time you spend watching the Olympics this month to prayer and worship? It may be a challenge, but you ll find your soul has become swifter, higher, stronger. Until we meet at the Table, Fr. Fred 3

4 Saint Patrick In the late 1950s, Fr. James McCarthy, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago who had a brother with a developmental disability, sought to develop a program that provided catechesis for children and adults with special needs. In 1960, Fr. McCarthy began the formal ministry of the Special Religious Education Division (SPRED) of the Archdiocese of Chicago as an extension of his work with parents, special educators and volunteers. Since that time, the SPRED ministry has served hundreds of people throughout the archdiocese, and Fr. McCarthy s system for Special Religious Education has gained international popularity. At St. Patrick, our parish s SPRED chapter, under the leadership of specially trained volunteer catechists, has provided Special Religious Education for children with developmental disabilities for 13 years. Under the SPRED format, each parish community that adopts the ministry is encouraged to focus its catechetical efforts on one of four different age groups, so that SPRED programs from different parish communities can feed into and support one another. St. Patrick s SPRED chapter primarily serves children between the ages of 6 and 10 by teaching them about Christ, catering to their individual needs, and preparing them to celebrate the Sacrament of First Communion. The goal of SPRED with our children is to develop an awareness of God in their lives, so that they can then become aware of themselves, says Linda Schueneman, SPRED Parish Chairperson. It s a little obscure, because the kids are so young, but you want them to feel good about being an integral part of the parish and the Church in general, and you want them to know that they re loved and they re cared about. We want them to be accepted and feel good about having God in their lives and being a part of this whole community. That s why we end up dong the one-on-one approach, because that really creates a relationship with these children as a smaller group within the larger church community. The SPRED groups are intentionally small generally six children or less because each child is paired with an individual helper catechist, or friend. The SPRED Teaching the Faith to The SPRED sessions take place approximately once every other week during the academic year. Marcia Lantz, who serves as the Activity Catechist at St. Patrick, begins each session by facilitating a quieting activity in which each of the students can participate with their respective friends. These activities, which are meant to educate as well as set the tone for the catechesis that is to follow, range from art projects to puzzles. After about 45 minutes of participating in the calming activities, Michael Lucas, the parish Leader Catechist, takes the children and their friends to the Holy Room, where he reads Sacred Scripture and the children participate in prayers and worship music. We just had First Communion for two of our children, and it s a different setup, because you re not quite sure what any child with a developmental disability is getting, and that s how SPRED came about in the first place, Linda explains. Our criteria are actually set up through a booklet from the archdiocese, and that s how we decide if the children are ready. If they can connect with Jesus or talk about Jesus and the things that we do there, and their parents think they are ready, then they can receive Communion. They don t have to do a booklet, pass any tests or do a lot of the things that a child without disabilities would be expected to do. It s kind of a talking between the 4

5 All God s Children Ministry parents and the catechists at SPRED about whether or not they are ready. Linda says that the parents who utilize the SPRED ministry are extremely grateful for the individual attention that their children receive in their religious education, and they feel blessed to know that their children have an opportunity to celebrate their Sacraments of Initiation. Most of the parents are so elated because, in their minds, they never thought it might happen, Linda says. So it is an incredibly joyous day, because, of course, they want everything for their child with special needs that everyone else has for their children. We re getting a new child next fall, and his mom came to the most recent First Holy Communion because she just wanted to see it. And she was in tears, because she said, This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I can t wait. She s even more excited to get him involved, because she knows that he will be able to receive his sacraments, and that really is important to them. For Linda and the other catechists who are involved, SPRED has gone a long way in helping them in their own personal spiritual growth and development, as well. It has truly made me grow as a person, and also spiritually; much more than I could have ever asked for, Linda says. I think these children teach us patience and love that just has no bounds. I think I ve learned to be much more accepting of everyone and anything. You look at these children and they are just wonderful, and they love you unconditionally. So, in my life, that s just kind of how I try to be you love unconditionally, because that s what you re supposed to be doing. It s very rewarding, and we as catechists receive a lot more back than we often give. All parishioners are welcome and encouraged to participate as helper catechists, and all parents of children with special needs are invited to take advantage of this wonderful catechetical ministry. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Linda Schueneman at

6 Saint Patrick Parish Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Historic Church As Catholics, we are quite fond of tradition. Fashions and trends come and go, but our Catholic Faith remains the same like the landmark ancient churches throughout Christendom. While our shrines and cathedrals in the United States are not as old as those of Europe, the historic church on our parish campus now has the distinction of a century of proud service for the Catholics of Wadsworth. Dating back to 1849, the parish of St. Patrick has been around since the earliest days of the Wadsworth community. Formed by German and Irish immigrants, the parish, which was originally named St. Andrew, was quickly renamed St. Patrick. There is a lot of history at a parish as old as St. Patrick, says Fr. Fred. The historic church we re celebrating isn t even the parish s original church: in fact, there were two prior. The first was a log cabin of sorts, and the second church burned down during something of a scandal when the third was being built. The historic church would serve the St. Patrick community well for 80 years, until the 1980s and 90s, when it became clear that a larger church would be needed. Nevertheless, the old church remains an integral part of our parish community, being used for daily Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, Stations of the Cross, some parish weddings and funerals and some of the Easter and Christmas Masses. Until the 1960s, Catholic architecture had remained largely the same for hundreds of years, and the historic church serves as a beautiful example of traditional styling. The church is largely the same as it was at the time it was built, Fr. Fred says. They really didn t change much after Vatican II, apart from taking out the altar rails and the side altars. And we ve done a lot to keep it up and make some restorations. There was a fire in the late 1990s, and everything was restored, including some of the stained glass windows. The historic church helps to keep us tied to our past. Wadsworth is still a very rural community, but 100 years ago just about all of the parishioners were farmers. In fact, when they wanted to add a basement to the church in the 1920s, they used a team of horses to dig it out! There are several families at the parish whose ancestors date back a century or more at St. Patrick. Deacon John Richardson has been a member since his baptism 72 years ago, but his maternal grandparents had been at the parish since the early 1900s. I can still remember being little and how hot it always was in the church during the summertime, Deacon John says. Back in those days, all the families always had the same seats. We had our C.C.D. program right there in the church, too. We spent a lot of time there! When the parish built the new church, they took the St. Patrick window from the old church as a memento of the parish s proud heritage. The stained glass windows were always one of my favorite features at the old church, Deacon John says. So, when we moved the St. Patrick window to the new church our family was proud to be able to pay for the new window that replaced it in the old church. To commemorate the 100-year anniversary, the parish will be sealing a time capsule with parish memorabilia like photos, membership lists and other significant items. Fr. Fred is also investigating whether there is an original time capsule sealed in the 100-year-old cornerstone. As the parish commemorates 100 years of worshiping at the historic church, please take a few minutes to stop by and admire the old building s noble features, and ponder upon the river of grace that has flowed through it at the thousands of Masses, baptisms, confirmations, confessions, weddings, funerals and myriad other devotions. 6

7 Annual Parish Picnic Just Around the Corner At a parish as old as ours, some traditions go back well beyond living memory. One such tradition, which demonstrates the emphasis we have always placed on fellowship, is the parish picnic. The parish picnic has been the staple of the parish for more than 100 years, says Fr. Fred. In the early days they held it on the Fourth of July weekend, but otherwise I would guess it hasn t changed too much. So, needless to say, it s been an important part of parish life here for quite a while. Maintaining the tradition, St. Patrick will host this year s picnic on Sunday, Aug. 26. As in recent years, it will be held at the beautiful Tempel Farms in Wadsworth. Gathering together in faith and fellowship, the picnic will begin at 10 a.m. with an outdoor, parish-wide Mass at the picnic site. We look forward to this great, outdoor event with good food, fun and fellowship every year, says longtime picnic volunteer Ronald Gagnon. It s hard to beat going to Mass in an outdoor setting where you can truly enjoy the blessings of nature that God has given us. Following Mass, lunch will be served around 11:30 a.m. As in years past, the parish will provide a pig roast, hotdogs, chicken, corn, and beverages. Those attending are asked to bring a salad, appetizer or dessert to share. During lunch and afterwards, there will be games and activities for the youth to enjoy, while the adults enjoy a time of fellowship and conversation. The kids in the parish always enjoy the picnic and look forward to it, says Picnic Committee chair Kara Mehigan. We have carnival games for the younger kids, like Bozo Buckets and sack races, and the older kids and any kids at heart play games like egg toss or Minute to Win It sorts of activities. The food, fun activities and beautiful summer weather provide a perfect chance for the parish family to grow in community and fellowship together. Many of us see one another only at Mass, where we might tend to be a little more reserved and less animated than we might otherwise be, because we are in the House of the Lord, Ronald says. When you are at a social event like the picnic, you might be more comfortable and meet more people that you might not otherwise know. I ve come to know many more people in the parish by working on the picnic staff. The Picnic Committee is currently running a signup table after weekend Masses. All those planning to attend are asked to stop by and register so the committee knows how much food to provide. Please save the date Sunday, Aug. 26 and be sure to attend this much anticipated, yearly parish event! 7

8 Saint Patrick Wadsworth Rd. Wadsworth, IL (847) Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Permit #201 Gurnee, IL Return Service Requested Mary Beth Rogers continued from front cover conversion, prayer, and fasting. When Mary Beth saw the article in the paper, the news from this tiny village had just begun filtering to the rest of the world. It was the answer to Mary Beth s prayer, but she wasn t exactly sure what she was supposed to do next. She received her master s degree, and returned home to help take care of her father, who was battling cancer. When he went into remission, Mary Beth s father convinced her to take a job at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. By the grace of God everything worked out, explains Mary Beth. I worked in a lab, and because of the nature of my job, I worked closely with another woman who came from a family who knew everything about Medjugorje. We had many conversations about Mary and our faith. That s all it took; the faith of my childhood took hold and I had a total reversion. Following in the steps of both her grandmother and her mother, Mary Beth has developed a strong devotion to the Blessed Mother. She has a close group of friends with whom she shares a deep spiritual bond, and they meet often for prayer, fellowship, and adoration in Marytown the Franciscan shrine dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Maximilian Kolbe. She has been to Medjugorje three times, most recently this past fall when she and her husband, Elton, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. We renewed our wedding vows, and the very same priest who married us performed the ceremony, Mary Beth explains. It was the perfect setting. My husband, who is not Catholic, has a deep love and respect for Mary. He knows the apparitions in Medjugorje are real, and he totally believes. Today, as a Research Scientist for Abbott Laboratories, Mary Beth has found harmony between her career and her faith; in fact, she now believes that the two worlds can indeed coexist, and she is grateful for the opportunity to be a witness in the scientific world. My faith is not a question for me anymore, explains Mary Beth. Now I just want to be able to live my life as a witness and to bring it to others. Liturgy Schedule Saturday Vigil: 5 p.m. Sunday: 7, 8:30, 10:30 a.m., 6 p.m. Weekday Mass: Monday & Thursday, 6:30 a.m. Tuesday & Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. Confessions: Saturdays 4-4:45 p.m. or by appointment