Welcome to 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: 708-771-8250 528 Lathrop, River Forest 60305-1835 Sue Gamache, Office Mgr.: 708-435-8912 SCHOOL Barbara Rasinski, Principal Phone: 708-366-8587 519 Ashland, River Forest 60305-1824 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Debi DeMario: 708-771-5959 519 Ashland, River Forest 60305-1824 MUSIC DIRECTOR Arlene Michna: 708-435-8926 ASSISTANT MUSIC DIRECTOR Sr. Maureen Sauer: 708-435-8914 Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time November 8, 2009 YOUTH MINISTRY Amanda Collins: 708-435-8922 PARISH BUSINESS MANAGER Glenn Wagner: 708-435-8921 DIR. OF STEWARDSHIP & DEVELOPMENT Sheila Price: 708-435-8927 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 www.stlukeparish.org A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling His disciples to Himself, He said to them, Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. Mark 12:42-43
This Week s Gatherings Mass Intentions Monday, November 9, 2009 6:30 am Viola Leavitt 8:00 am Fred Doering Tuesday, November 10, 2009 6:30 am The Blessed Sacrament Ministries 8:00 am Viola Leavitt Wednesday, November 11, 2009 6:30 am The Croake Family 8:00 am The Hennessy & Weitzel Family Thursday, November 12, 2009 6:30 am Viola Leavitt 8:00 am George Cullicott Friday, November 13, 2009 6:30 am Florence Clark Gorman 8:00 am The Croake Family Saturday, November 14, 2009 8:00 am Stephen Spinuzza Altar Servers Monday - Friday, November 9-13, 2009 8:00 am Mon-Fri: M Horrigan, M Connelly Weekend Liturgies Saturday, November 14, 2009 5:30 - Mass Intention: Helen & Raymond Schmid Servers J Jacobs, A Trucco; Cross Bearer: E Ponce Readers Frank Auteri, Gene Lawrence Euch Min M Bresnahan, B Coleman, M Coleman, B Peterson, P Romano, R Romano, K Smith Sunday, November 15, 2009 7:30 - Mass Intention: Dr. Robert Lee Muldoon Servers L Tonino, P Roche; Cross Bearer: TBD Readers Dave Erfort, Fred Heiss Euch Min K Heiss, J Sullivan, M Sullivan 9:00 - Mass Intention: Alex Urbanski Servers D Beacom, W Planek; Cross Bearer: L Sloan Readers Marcee Gavula, Tony Graefe Euch Min L Froelich, L Hogan, D Kurtenbach, J Meek, P Meyer, U Meyer, J Tinkham 10:30 - Mass Intention: Angela Devereux Ebzery Servers K Hazen, A Skelding; Cross Bearer: P Flanagan Readers Bob Miller, Julia Mannix Euch Min J Clark, J Clark, E Dieschbourg, T Harnett, B Nickels, L Ramos, D Ross 12:00 - Mass Intention: The People of St. Luke Parish Servers M Valenti, A Brennan; Cross Bearer: C Riggs Readers Tom Smedinghoff, Mike Burns Euch Min S Dubois, D Piper, W Piper, M B Smedinghoff, TBD Readings Readings for the Week of November 8, 2009 Sunday: 1 Kgs 17:10-16/Heb 9:24-28/Mk 12:38-44 Monday: Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12/1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17/ Jn 2:13-22 Tuesday: Wis 2:23---3:9/Lk 17:7-10 Wednesday: Wis 6:1-11/Lk 17:11-19 Thursday: Wis 7:22b---8:1/Lk 17:20-25 Friday: Wis 13:1-9/Lk 17:26-37 Saturday: Wis 18:14-16; 19:6-9/Lk 18:1-8 Next Sunday: Dn 12:1-3/Heb 10:11-14, 18/Mk 13:24-32 Please Pray for Our Sick: Robert Bachner, Elizabeth Beckman, Cindy Berg, Michaela Brothman, Donna Campbell, Pat Carey, Kevin Connolly, Pasqualina Crotolo, Joseph Dahlstrom, Joseph Dooley, Joseph Hennessy, Jr., Janet Hunter, Jeanne Budinger Killian, Michael Kinnare, Frank Kurr, Kathleen O Bryan Kurrle, Evelyn Lawrence, Anabel Maldonado, Stephen McCardell, Rosemary McGrail, Baby John Mear, Grace Nelson, Fr. Kevin O Rourke, Steve Possley, Julia Radde, Miriam Reedy, Ernestine Rice, Judy Shanley, John Sutton, Victoria Virador, Cheri Wahlen, Donald J. Walsh, Norbert Wegerzyn and Baby Cora Rose Welker and for Our Deceased: Josephine Heineke and Cecelia McVean Stewardship I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. Mark 12:43 Notice that in the story of the widow s mite Jesus did not reach into the treasury box and give the widow back her coins. If He did not exempt her from giving, surely He expects each of us to share what we have to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and promote the work of the Church here on earth. From the weekend of November 1, 2009 Weekly Giving Goal... $17,100.00 Actual Weekly Giving...13,455.00 2009-2010 Fiscal Year to Date Weekly Giving Goal... $308,800.00 Actual Weekly Giving... 248,979.00 Unmet Needs for Year.... ($59,821.00) We sincerely thank all who regularly and generously give of their treasure, as well as those who give of their time and talent, to support the work our parish does in the name of Jesus. Cover art: The Widow s Mite Gustave Doré (1832-1883) 2
Gather in Prayer and Service Prayers for our Military Personnel Corporal Mark A. Brownlow, husband of Lynn Reyrao Brownlow, returned from Iraq in February of this year where his mission was in Gun Truck Convoy Security. He remains a member of the US Army Reserves 88M. Captain Squad Line Logistics Officer Christopher M. Smith, USMC, son of John and Kathy Smith, was deployed to Afghanistan in September. Staff Sgt. Scott Dinse, nephew of Jim and Lynn Winikates, a member of the 101 st Airborne, completed his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. Scott is currently stationed at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. May God bless and protect all our military personnel and bring them safely home to their loved ones. Staff Sgt. David Joseph Erfort, Jr., U.S. Army, son of Dave and Bridget Erfort, has been stationed at Speicher Airfield Base near Tikrit, Iraq, since September. He will serve there until September 2010. Lt. Colonel Michael Targos, USMC, son of Marilyn and (the late) Michael Targos, is Strategy and Plans Officer USMC Europe. Lt. Colonel Edward L. Jeep, son of Elizabeth and Ed (Jerry) Jeep, has returned to the United States from Iraq and is now stationed at the Pentagon. He has been selected to take command of a squadron of helicopters in 2010. Prayer For All Military Personnel O God, kindly watch over those exposed to the dangers of military life. Give them such strong faith that nothing may ever lead them to deny it or fear to practice it. Fortify them by your grace against the contagion of bad example, so that, preserved from vice and serving you faithfully, they may be ready to meet death if it should come. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, inspire them with sorrow for sin and grant them pardon. Mary, our Mother, be with them in battle, and should they be called upon to make the supreme sacrifice, obtain for them the grace to die in the love of your Divine Son. St. Joseph, pray for them. Amen. From Prayers for Today, originally compiled by Terence Cardinal Cooke Lt. Colonel Thomas S. Wieczorek, son of Don and Joy Wieczorek, is currently stationed at the Pentagon. We invite you to submit the names of family members and close friends who are currently serving in our nation s armed forces, along with their photo. We will publish the names here in the bulletin, and we plan to periodically update our display of the photos in the church vestibule. You may email these items to stlukeparish@earthlink.net or drop them off at the rectory. 3
Gatherings from the Community 4
Gatherings from the Parish and the Community Annual Catholic Appeal Update Many thanks to all who have supported the 2009 Annual Catholic Appeal. Our parish goal for this year is $63,311. Back in February St. Luke parishioners pledged $76,441 a very generous response. To date, $70,646 has been paid. Thus, we have met and exceeded our goal. However, we remind you that all monies received in excess of the goal are returned 100% to the parish. So we encourage everyone to fulfill your pledge, if possible, as you will be supporting the ministries of the Archdiocese, as well as providing a nice rebate to St. Luke Parish. Thanks again for your generous support. St. Luke Men s Club Presents an Evening of Comedy Join St. Luke parishioner, Irish American News and former Chicago Sun-Times Features columnist Mike Houlihan, on Thursday, November 12, as he presents The Homily of a Hooligan, based on his new book Hooliganism, with excerpts from his hit show Goin East on Ashland. Mike is an actor, comedian, and writer and will be available after the show to sign his new book. Mike also promises some Christmas stories and a few about parish life at St. Luke. This event sponsored by the St. Luke Men s Club will take place from 7:30 to 9:30 PM in Waldron Hall. Admission is free and we encourage all men, women and high schoolers to attend. The Adventure Continues... The Great Adventure: A Journey through the Bible continues this Wednesday, November 11, in Waldron Hall from 7:00-8:30 PM. Please bring your study materials and prepare Acts 10: St. Peter s Un-Kosher Picnic. We welcome all great adventurers! Join us! Support Group for Family Caregivers Rekindling the Flame is a ministry of Grace Episcopal Church for the support and sustenance of Family Caregivers. A monthly gathering includes an Interfaith Prayer Service followed by a time of discussion, networking and sharing of experiences. The group meets on the third Sunday of each month. The next meeting is Sunday, November 15, at 2:30 PM at Grace Episcopal Church, 924 Lake St, Oak Park. For more information, go to www.graceoakpark.org. The email address is rekindlingtheflame@sbcglobal.net, or you may call 708-386-8036 ext. 36. Blessed Sacrament Ministries Turkey Sunday On Sunday, November 22, from 7:15 AM until 1:15 PM, we will be collecting frozen turkeys, vegetables, potatoes, rice, stuffing, desserts (no frozen pies, please), canned and packaged goods, and other perishable and non-perishable food items for Thanksgiving meals for individuals and families who have been identified by the Blessed Sacrament ministries of St. Agatha Parish as needing food assistance this Thanksgiving. Cash donations are also much appreciated, and our power shopper will do the shopping for you. Please be generous as this food not only feeds these families at Thanksgiving, but also replenishes the Food Pantry, providing emergency food aid for days to follow. Volunteers with large vehicles, such as SUVs, vans and mini-vans, will be needed to transport the food to the Blessed Sacrament Youth Center. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Tony Graefe at 708-848-9753 or 708-334-1304 or TonyGAtty@aol.com. The St. Luke Feed the Hungry Committee The Blessed Sacrament Food Pantry In addition to providing emergency food assistance, the Food Pantry sometimes gets requests for other assistance. The most recent need is for 3 single beds frame, mattress and box springs. The Food Pantry also needs a replacement for its basic refrigerator. Nothing fancy, just a standard refrigerator. The one that has been there for as long as anyone can remember has stopped working and is beyond repair. Finally, there is also a need for a large van or pickup truck to transport these items from the donor(s) to the Food Pantry and/or to the people who need them. If you can be of assistance, please contact Tony Graefe at 708-848-9753 or 708-334-1304. Thank you. Purchasing Justice St. Giles Parish, 1101 Columbian, Oak Park, presents its **8 th Annual Fair Trade and Green Market** Saturday, November 14, from Noon-5 PM and Sunday, November 15, from 10 AM-1 PM. How you spend your money can make a difference in the lives of others here in our own city, our nation and in countries around the world. Please join us for this event featuring coffee, chocolate, cheese, bakery goods, spa products, and artisan crafts from around the world. 5
Gatherings from the Next Generation Youth Ministry Please Join Us... Wednesday, November 11, our students and faculty will be celebrating a Veteran s Day Memorial Prayer Service at 2:15 PM in the Gym. Everyone is welcome to attend! St. Luke School Open House St. Luke School will be having an Open House on Tuesday, November 17, from 9:00-11:00 AM for parents of prospective students. Visitors will have the opportunity to take a tour of the school and see what makes St. Luke School so special. Children are welcome. Saints Alive!... Beckoned by their Saint s name through the chanting of The Litany of the Saints, the second graders processed up the aisle clad in their Patron s garb... but much more was going on behind the scenes than the imitation of these saints. The children researched and completed five paragraphs highlighting their saint s life... questions like What do you have in common with your saint? and What was one of he most Christlike actions your saint ever did? or Would you name your child after this saint? were reflected upon as well. The best part of this project was after the children returned from the prayer service and had changed out of their costumes... their beautiful spirits were glowing! Take a break from the stresses of everyday life and spend a weekend getting to know God, yourself, & others. Sign-up for the annual retreat. All freshmen & sophomores are welcome. Registration forms available at the Youth Office or on the Youth Ministry- Retreats page at www.stlukeparish.org Sundays, 6:30-8pm in the Convent The high school faith-sharing group. Talk about what faith means in your life, and ask the questions you have always wanted to ask. Come to a place that feels like home. Come light the fire! Come to Spark tonight. Coordinator of Youth Ministry: Amanda Collins 708-435-8922 acollins@stlukeparish.org Check out the YM page on www.stlukeparish.org. 6
Gatherings from the Parish and the Community Prime Timers The Prime Timers really enjoyed their trip to the Morton Arboretum. They rode the tram and heard all about the various trees. They were impressed with the cafeteria and the gift shop. The November trip for the Prime Timers will be a visit to two historical churches on Monday, November 16. We are going downtown to visit the Episcopal Cathedral of St. James and Holy Name Cathedral. Both are landmark churches. It will be interesting to see the renovations at Holy Name Cathedral after the fire. We will also have lunch at a nice restaurant. Please call Ann O Connell at 708-366-5279 by Friday, November 13. 500 Club The St. Luke Athletic Committee would like to congratulate the following winners of the 500 Club drawing: November 1, 2009 Tom and Sue Hosty Thank you to all who have purchased memberships in the club, the proceeds of which go directly to fund the school s athletic programs. CCHD/Undocumented Immigrants Undocumented immigrants in the Chicago metropolitan area alone spent $2.89 billion in 2001, stimulating $5.45 billion in total local spending and sustaining 31,908 jobs in the local economy. (ACLU Immigration Facts and Myths, 2008) http://www.aclu.org/immigrants/34870pub20080411.html You shall not wrong the stranger or oppress him for you were once strangers yourselves in the land of Egypt. Exodus22:20 Office for Immigrant Affairs and Immigration Education at the Archdiocese of Chicago, 3525 S. Lake Park, 60653 Elena Segura (312)-534-5333, esegura@archchicago.org Tsunami Relief for American Samoa Bishop Quinn Weitzel (SLS Class of 42) has been the Bishop of American Samoa for many years. The recent tsunami brought massive damage to the people of his diocese. St. Luke parishioners wishing to help may send donations to Bishop Weitzel at P.O. Box 596, Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799. (Please note this corrected zip code.) For further information, please contact Bill Darley at 708-902-0021.