St. John the Baptist. It started with a simple, Why not? Why Not? Mike and Lisa Short on Family, Faith and Stewardship. In this Issue: CATHOLIC CHURCH

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1 June 2016 St. John the Baptist CATHOLIC CHURCH In this Issue: Giving During the Summer Season Prayer By Us and For Us Gifts of the Heart The Women s Society s Annual Garage Sale Keeping in Touch With the Holy Father: There s an App for That! Seminarian Jhonatan Sarmiento A Discernment Journey Why Not? Mike and Lisa Short on Family, Faith and Stewardship It started with a simple, Why not? For Lisa Short, who grew up Lutheran, coming into the Catholic Church began with the simple invitation of her college roommate to join her, as she attended RCIA. Lisa didn t immediately convert to the Catholic faith, but rather, entered the Church on her own, two years later. She married Mike, her college sweetheart, at his home parish St. John the Baptist in The couple moved back to the Somonauk area after the birth of their second child in In the years since, Lisa has continued saying, Why not? Both she and Mike became involved in leading the parish s YDisciple program, designed to help high school-aged youth grow in their faith. We said no the first time when Fr. Butler asked, she says. Then he asked again and we reconsidered it and said, Why not? We have fun and we re learning at the same time. It was totally not what From praying together as a family, to sitting in the front pew at Mass so little ones can see what is taking place, Mike and Lisa Short find many ways to pass their faith on to their children. I was expecting. You really get to know everyone else in the group and we re like a little family now, in our group. It challenges you to learn a little bit more, certain things that you ve always continued on page 5

2 St. John the Baptist Stewardship 2 We ve stopped delivery of the newspaper and mail. We ve taken the dog to the kennel. The iron is unplugged, and the stove is turned off. Is there anything else we need to do before we leave on vacation? Aren t you forgetting something? Did you remember to write a check to your parish for the Sundays you ll be gone? But I won t be at Mass at home those Sundays. Can t I skip those envelopes when I m away? After all, I ll put a dollar or two, or maybe even five, in the collection at the church where we visit. Isn t that enough? Many Americans, whether we have school-aged children at home or not, mentally operate on a school year calendar. We assume our organizations operate September through May and then take it easy during June, July and August. And to some extent, many parish activities do function on such a schedule. Our parish may not hold Religious Education classes during the summer. Our choirs frequently take a break. Even many of the parish staff members take summer vacations! Can t our giving take a vacation during the summer, too? Even as we form the question in our mind, we know the answer. The prime reason for keeping up our pledge all summer long is that God doesn t go on vacation. He continues to sustain us throughout the summer months. He persists in pouring out blessings on us, even during the hottest weather. He keeps on meeting us in His sacramental presence when we go to Mass wherever we travel. As God remains faithful to us during the summer, we are called to be faithful in our commitments to Him and our parish family, even during our vacation time. God s steadfastness in giving to us is the primary reason for us to respond by being faithful in our stewardship toward Him. But there is also a practical reason why we need to keep up our pledges of time, talent and treasure throughout the summer the Church needs our involvement year-round. Even though some parish activities are reduced during the summer months, the parish s expenses are not. After all, there are still Sunday Masses and weekday Masses, too. The parish staff members still need their salaries. And of course, we need to run the air conditioning in our church during the hot summer months. Despite the fact that some parish functions are suspended, other activities may take place, such as Vacation Bible School. And although the regular parish Religious Education program may be suspended, the summer expenses are often the highest, as textbooks and other supplies are bought for the upcoming school year. Our parish has to pay its bills on a year-round basis, just like your family. Our parish plans a budget for the year, taking into account the commitments that you, the members, have made. If parishioners do not live out their financial commitments to the parish, the budget will not balance. Our giving needs to be maintained throughout the summer, just as God maintains His generosity to us. Our stewardship is a response to God s gifts. And God pours out His gifts and His grace upon us all year long.

3 June 2016 A Letter From Our Pastor Prayer By Us and For Us Dear Parishioners, Pope Francis has certainly had an impact on our Church, and maybe even on each of us individually. Do you recall his first words to the world and to us when he appeared on the balcony following his election as pope? He said quite simply, Pray for me. That is a feeling I share sometimes when I consider what needs to be done, and what I personally need to do. It may be a feeling each of us has not just now and then, but relatively consistently. Prayer one of the four Pillars of Stewardship is foundational to our faith and the practice of it. It is through prayer and the sacraments that we prepare ourselves to accept God s plentiful gifts and blessings. Each of us needs to develop a consistent prayer life. We should set time aside each day to pray. It is through prayer that we cultivate our personal relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We provide many opportunities for prayer as part of our parish life. This includes time for us to pray as individuals and time to pray as a community. Our prayer lives culminate at Mass in the Eucharist. The Eucharist, prayer and stewardship are interconnected. In Lumen Gentium, we are reminded that the Eucharist is the Source and Summit of our Catholic faith. With the gift of the Eucharist and an active prayer life, we are better equipped to carry out the other three Pillars of Stewardship Hospitality, Formation and Service. This is a time of year when we enjoy numerous opportunities to kick back and relax. One of the best ways to spend time is in prayer. In both our individual and communal prayer, we turn to God to perceive our gifts and talents and then, as stewards, we need to place those gifts at the service of one another, and especially of the Lord. You and I are on a journey together a journey toward holiness. That journey involves an existence of daily conversion and an awareness of how grateful we need to be. Through prayer, we can better see ourselves as God sees us, and we can seek to find who God is calling us to be. I want to assure you of my constant and daily prayers for you. Like the Holy Father, however, I also must admit that I need you to pray for me. I thank you for your prayers. I am blessed to be your pastor. In Christ, Fr. Butler, Pastor 3

4 St. John the Baptist Gifts of t The Women s Society 4 Between the many items donated by parishioners, the countless volunteers needed to collect, organize and facilitate, as well as those who shopped, financially supporting the fundraiser, the Women s Society s Annual Garage Sale managed to encompass all aspects of stewardship. We re all familiar with the phrase, One person s junk is another person s treasure. However, this phrase took on new meaning on April 15-16, when the Women s Society held its annual Garage Sale. From the items generously donated by parishioners, to the dedicated volunteers who made the fundraiser possible, to the actual funds raised by the event, the Garage Sale literally transformed commonplace objects and actions into heavenly treasures. The Garage Sale provides a unique opportunity for Women s Society members and other volunteers to give of their time and efforts to help the project s overall success, says Women s Society President Kathleen Carr. It allows us to live out stewardship because, in the long run, we know it is all going to benefit our parish. In preparation for the fundraiser, announcements were placed in the parish bulletin inviting parishioners to examine closets, attics and basements for those extra things. Then, a few days prior to the sale, Women s Society volunteers began collecting and organizing donations. This is a very good place to donate, especially because the parish benefits from all the proceeds, Kathleen says. This year, we were particularly fortunate because we had four active parishioners who were downsizing their homes and donated large amounts of items. Desiring parishioners to give from their heart, Garage Sale items were not marked with specific prices. Instead, parishioners were invited to give a love offering toward their purchases, each donating what they are able to give. In this way, the Garage Sale became not only a fundraiser, but also a way of assisting individuals who are in need. We just invite everyone to donate from their heart and we know that everyone does the best that they can, Kathleen says. This way, it helps those who are in real need, providing them with much needed items that they might not otherwise be able to afford. Kathleen explains that it all evens out in the end, with some donating small amounts, and others giving in abundance. Of course, to make all of this happen successfully, an army of volunteers were needed to help collect donated items, set up and facilitate the actual sale, and then finally gather and deliver any unsold items to local charities. Although this requires a lot of time and effort, for Kathleen this has been one of the great blessings of the Garage Sale, deepening that sense of community among parishioners. Working with the women that I already know and meeting the new people is a true blessing, Kathleen says. It really helps build up community because of the sense of fellowship. There are a handful of people Items for the Garage Sale were collected the Wednesday and Thursday before the sale, which took place April 15 and 16.

5 June 2016 he Heart s Annual Garage Sale that are there each year, and then new people come, too. Everyone is working together in harmony and it is really great. Thanks to the countless parishioners who donated, volunteered and shopped at the Garage Sale, the Women s Society was able to raise $3,000 this year. These funds will be used for various parish projects throughout the year, such as sponsoring our youth for summer camps and retreats. I m very happy to be able to do this and to work with the parishioners, says Kathleen. We have such a good backbone of parishioners who help us from beginning to end, and we hope that we can continue doing this year after year. Following the sale, volunteers loaded up unsold items and dropped them off at local charities. For more information either about the Garage Sale or the Women s Society, please contact Kathleen Carr at Mike and Lisa Short continued from front cover taken for granted, to actually understand, Mike adds of his experience leading the group for teenage boys. While they certainly enjoy working with the youth of the parish, they also work hard to pass on their faith to their own little youth group at home. Ranging from fourth grade down to preschool, Lisa and Mike s top priority is sharing their beliefs with their four children. Every Sunday night as a family, we ll read the Bible and then pray the Rosary, Lisa says. We pray before dinner every night. They also started sitting in the front pew at Mass, at the request of their children. They get to see everything that s going on, Lisa says. Out of that, they re always asking questions, so it s fun. I hope that [my kids] learn that you need to pitch in and help your community, Mike says. For the Shorts, sharing the faith with their children flows from their own relationship with God and connection to the parish community. I just want to be a good example for [my kids], whether it s doing YDisciple or going to adoration and Mass on Tuesdays, Lisa says, noting that she and Mike alternate weeks to attend Mass and Adoration each Tuesday. Trying to fit everything in, it can be counterintuitive to stop and take time. But when I do take that time, I seem to be focused on what s more important. It s not always easy to find the time to do certain things, Mike adds. But what I ve found is when it comes to these sorts of things, at Church, it seems like you always end up getting more out of it, even than what you put in. Lisa also points out that she feels closer to God, having spent time talking to Him. This is a point she also makes to the YDisciple students. Jesus is always there for you, He should be your best friend, she says. Whenever there s something you need to talk about, you can talk to Him, He s always there. Like most things in life, the more you [pray], the better you get at it, Mike says. Both Lisa and Mike encourage others to ask, Why not? Then, take a step forward and get involved. If you get asked to do something, really consider it, Lisa says. There are a lot of really good programs going on in the church come to those and you ll meet a lot of people and grow in your faith. 5

6 St. John the Baptist 6 Keeping in Touch With the Holy Father: There s an App for That! Let the Church always be a place of mercy and hope, where everyone is welcomed, loved and forgiven. These words from Pope Francis weren t delivered during a homily in St. Peter s or in a speech from St. Peter s Square nor were they written in a papal bull or apostolic letter. Rather, they were delivered in an instant to millions of Catholics around the world through the pope s very own Twitter account. The technology of communication has perhaps changed more in the past century than in the previous 20 combined. And with these developments, the Catholic Church led by our Holy Fathers from Pope St. John Paul II through Pope Francis strongly encourages that the faithful adopt and adapt these resources for the all-important task of spreading the Gospel throughout the whole world. Just as St. Paul used every convenience at his disposal to spread the Gospel throughout the far reaches of the Roman empire, today s evangelists are using every resource available to them. Examples of Catholic figures using the new media with great success abound. Only a few months into his pontificate, Pope Francis took the Vatican s social media efforts to a whole new level. In spring 2013, the Vatican released The Pope App, which features a live webcam from the Vatican, along with quotes, news, images and videos of all the Holy Father s latest doings. Following the pope s lead, bishops, priests and apologists are taking the technological gifts at their fingertips and utilizing them to spread the Gospel throughout the world in a variety of ways. One great example is Bishop Robert Barron of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, whose Word On Fire Ministry has produced wildly popular YouTube videos discussing everything from controversial Church teachings to movie reviews from a Catholic perspective. His website also includes articles, interviews and his weekly homilies. Word On Fire also released the critically acclaimed Catholicism DVD documentary series. Independent Catholic bloggers and Web-based media are also widely established and provide their audiences and readership with Catholic news and cultural commentary. Here in America, parishes, Catholic schools, dioceses, and even the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are utilizing these tools as well, creating first-rate websites, maintaining Twitter and Facebook accounts, and more. All of these resources are geared toward a wide variety of audiences, from the un-churched and fallen-away Catholics to active parishioners. Being knowledgeable of the new media tools available to us as Catholics is a great way to be more effective in our universal call to evangelization. Take some time to see what media resources your parish, school and diocese are using, and be sure to pass them along to those in your sphere of influence!

7 June 2016 Seminarian Jhonatan Sarmiento A Discernment Journey Seven years ago, seminarian Jhonatan Sarmiento came to Illinois from Colombia, South America in order to study to become a priest. And while the distance he traveled to get here was vast just under 2,500 miles his geographical journey in many ways reflects his spiritual journey in which discernment and prayer led him far away from home to come study and serve in our diocese. When seminarians are asked if there was a particular moment in their life in which they knew they were being called to the priesthood, some can point to a specific moment, or conversation, or life-altering event. But while Jhonatan can remember having an increased awareness of God when his grandmother asked him to serve at a Mass, and while he once attended a vocations talk but mainly so the priest would stop asking him about it he didn t really begin to entertain the idea of the priesthood until the end of high school, and only because several people had suggested the idea to him. I believe the Lord called me through many people, Jhonatan says. At first, I ignored the whole idea. But more and more people kept suggesting it until the idea took hold. Ultimately, though, I had to discern God s will by praying constantly and by asking Him what He wanted from me. Later, when I attended meetings in the seminary, every chance I got, I asked a lot of questions of my pastor and my fellow seminarians. I began to learn about different charisms and the vocation as a priest. Every Mass I attended was a moment for me to ask the Lord to speak loud and clear. It was a whole process of seeking an answer. But discerning God s will doesn t always take us down a straight path. When Jhonatan initially decided to attend seminary, it was with the Carmelite Order back in Columbia. He was with them two years, and while he still felt a calling to the priesthood, in his heart he knew he wanted to be a parish Jhonatan Sarmiento priest. So, he took a year off, and during this time, a Carmelite priest suggested that Jhonatan apply for the seminary in the United States to help fill a specific need for Hispanic vocations. This suggestion took Jhonatan down a pathway that he never, ever imagined he didn t fully understand what God was asking of him, but he continued to discern until he knew that it felt right. In 2009, he was accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Rockford, Ill. In discerning, you know you are making the right decision because you will see yourself free, Jhonatan says. You will feel peace and happiness. continued on back cover 7

8 320 S. Depot Street PO Box 276 Somonauk, IL Phone: St. John the Baptist June 2016 Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Somonauk, IL Permit No. 25 Return Service Requested Mass Times Saturdays 5:00 PM Sundays 8:00 and 10:30 AM Weekdays: Tuesdays 6:30 PM M, W, Th, F 7:00 AM Sacrament of Reconciliation Tuesdays 5:00 PM Saturdays 4:00 PM or by appointment Adoration Tuesdays 5-6 PM and First Fridays 7:30 AM-6:00 PM with Benediction 6:00 PM Seminarian Jhonatan Sarmiento continued from page 7 Even though you still don t know God s plan as I didn t the certainty that you are doing God s will is what brings that joy and peace. Of course, this didn t mean that everything became crystal clear for Jhonatan because, even though he felt a sense of peace about his decision, things were by no means easy. Aside from being so far from my family, the most difficult thing was the language, Jhonatan says. I especially struggled in those first few years, but Mass was my anchor because everything was familiar. I didn t know the words, but I understood what was happening. My English is a lot better now, but there are still some days in which no one knows what I m saying including me! Today, life is good for Jhonatan and he has acclimated to life in America he has developed a real love for classic, American Christmas music; he has formed a real bond with his fellow seminarians; he likes cheesecake; and despite the fact that he s from Colombia, he likes to point out the irony that he didn t start drinking coffee until he moved here. Of course, he still misses his family, but thanks to communication technology like Skype and WhatsApp, he speaks to them often. In looking back on his discernment journey, Jhonatan says he appreciates every single moment where God was talking to him. In fact, he can now see how God had been calling him to the priesthood almost his entire life. God willing, Jhonatan will be ordained to the priesthood in 2018, and while his academic formation will be finished, his journey will nonetheless continue. After seven years in seminary, I know that the journey of formation never really ends, Jhonatan says. The Lord will always be teaching me something through Scripture, in prayer, in work, and among the people.