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-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time November 15, 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
This Week s Gatherings Mass Intentions Monday, November 16, 2009 6:30 am The Croake Family 8:00 am Jean & Robert Cahill Tuesday, November 17, 2009 6:30 am Viola Leavitt 8:00 am Norma McClain Wednesday, November 18, 2009 6:30 am Viola Leavitt 8:00 am Mary Elizabeth & Hays W. Blackman Thursday, November 19, 2009 6:30 am The Croake Family 8:00 am The Blessed Sacrament Ministries Friday, November 20, 2009 6:30 am Viola Leavitt 8:00 am Williams, Karasis, Kurr Families & Roy Saturday, November 21, 2009 8:00 am Vivian Lucille Scherrer 3:30 pm Peter Carr/Deirdre Norman Wedding Altar Servers Monday - Friday, November 16-20, 2009 8:00 am Mon-Fri: K Malone, M Malone Weekend Liturgies Saturday, November 21, 2009 5:30 - Mass Intention: Susan Bravieri Servers T Smith, C Riggs; Cross Bearer: C Josephs Readers John Lynch, Ben Simms Euch Min J Bresnahan, M Burns, D Chemler, B Coleman, M Coleman, S Hardin, M Shalloo Sunday, November 22, 2009 7:30 - Mass Intention: Jerry & Marie Rout Servers C Flynn, T Skapek; Cross Bearer: P Ebzery Readers Pat Deady, Frank Eder Euch Min W Piper, A Roche, J Sullivan 9:00 - Mass Intention: The Crowley & Cusack Family Servers J Harrington, J Kurtenbach; Cross Bearer: C Hopkinson Readers Doug Kurtenbach, Michael Mrkvicka Euch Min E Kurtenbach, M Martinez, A Ramirez, P Romano, R Romano, C Saunders, J Tinkham 10:30 - Mass Intention: Sr. Anne Daley O.P. Servers K Donlin, A Skelding; Cross Bearer: A Donlin Readers Noel Moore, Sheila Price Euch Min K Callahan, B Elwood, M A Kelty, M Moore, J O Hara, L Ramos, J Stanton 12:00 - Mass Intention: The People of St. Luke Parish Servers A Brennan, P Roche; Cross Bearer: A Brennan Readers Ann O Connell, Terry Roche Euch Min L Hogan, A Joseph, V Perera, D Slepicka, A Willoughby Readings Readings for the Week of November 15, 2009 Sunday: Dn 12:1-3/Heb 10:11-14, 18/Mk 13:24-32 Monday: 1 Mc 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63/ Lk 18:35-43 Tuesday: 2 Mc 6:18-31/Lk 19:1-10 Wednesday: 2 Mc 7:1, 20-31/Lk 19:11-28 Thursday: 1 Mc 2:15-29/Lk 19:41-44 Friday: 1 Mc 4:36-37, 52-59/Lk 19:45-48 Saturday: 1 Mc 6:1-13/Lk 20:27-40 Next Sunday: Dn 7:13-14/Rv 1:5-8/Jn 18:33b-37 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, David Norris, 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: Edward William (Bill) Kenney and Charlotte T. Trucco Stewardship And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory... Mark 13:26 Some people think that we should give until it hurts. However, true stewards give until it feels right. Our giving feels right when we know that we can stand before God when He comes in His glory and say to Him, Lord, I gave all that You asked me to give. From the weekend of November 8, 2009 Weekly Giving Goal... $17,100.00 Actual Weekly Giving...13,706.00 2009-2010 Fiscal Year to Date Weekly Giving Goal... $325,900.00 Actual Weekly Giving... 262,685.00 Unmet Needs for Year.... ($63,215.00) 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. 2
Gather in Prayer and Service ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO Office of the Archbishop Post Office Box 1979 Chicago, Illinois 60690-1979 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: November 2009 For over thirty-nine years, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) has been a living example of our Church s social teaching. This year, CCHD is funding twenty-one organizations throughout Cook and Lake Counties that are helping seniors, youth, and families to help themselves. The CCHD is committed to addressing the root causes of poverty, abiding strictly to the Catholic Church s social teaching, including the respect for life and the dignity of all human beings. Please make a special effort during this Thanksgiving season to give generously to the CCHD s Collection November 21-22. Your contribution enables the CCHD to help build God s kingdom of life, peace and justice today. One hundred percent of the CCHD budget comes from individual donations of any size just like yours. Your contribution does make a powerful difference. May God bless you for your support of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. You and those you love are in my prayers; please keep me in yours. Sincerely yours in Christ, Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I. Archbishop of Chicago Family Mass Next Sunday The 9:00 Mass every Sunday is our Family Mass, and we encourage all families with young children to attend. On the first three Sundays of each month the Contemporary Choir sings, and we offer the Children s Liturgy of the Word. Two groups of children (ages 3-5 and 6-and-up) go to the sacristies where a catechist leads them in prayer and reflection on the day s Scriptures. On the fourth Sunday such as next Sunday the children are invited to come and sit near the altar steps, where a priest, deacon or catechist gives a special homily geared to them. Also on the fourth Sunday, our Children s Choirs will sing. We also invite families to take a turn bringing the bread and wine to the altar during the Offertory. Just notify the usher before Mass that your family would like to do it. All of which, we hope, will help our children and families to receive special blessings as we worship together at the 9:00 Family Mass. Support Group for Family Caregivers Rekindling the Flame a ministry of Grace Episcopal Church for the support and sustenance of Family Caregivers continues to meet each month. Each 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, including this Sunday (November 15), at 2:30 PM at Grace Episcopal Church, 924 Lake St, Oak Park. For more information, go to http://www.graceoakpark.org. The email address is rekindlingtheflame@sbcglobal.net, or you may call 708-386-8036 ext. 36. 3
Gatherings from the Parish and the Community Turkey Sunday Next Sunday, November 22, is the annual Turkey Sunday food drive to provide Thanksgiving meals for individuals and families served by the Blessed Sacrament Ministries of St. Agatha Parish (Learning Center, Youth Center, Social Services Outreach, Seniors Group, and Food Pantry) in North Lawndale, Chicago. This year the need is even greater than in past years, and more individuals and families will be counting on our generosity. The people you are helping are individuals and families just like yours most families have four to six persons, with some smaller and a few larger, some with children and some without. They are the working poor with jobs that just don t pay enough, families of persons who have lost jobs and can t find work, or seniors on social security who can t afford to pay their heating and medical bills and buy food for Thanksgiving. For all of them, money for food is often gone before the end of the month. Even in these very tough economic times, we have a lot to be thankful for and the ability to share from our abundance. Please be generous. On Sunday, November 22, bring your frozen turkeys and all the fixings vegetables, fruit, potatoes, rice, rolls, desserts (no frozen pies, please), condiments, paper products, etc. with you to Mass and give the food to volunteers at the Lake Street church entrance or in the parking lot. Between 7:15 AM and 1:15 PM, you can also drive up and drop off food on Lake Street in front of church. If you would rather have our power shopper do the shopping, cash and checks (made out to St. Luke Parish with Turkey Sunday on the memo line) are always appreciated. We still need drivers with large vehicles, such as vans and SUVs, to transport the food. For more information, please contact Tony Graefe at 708-848-9753 or 708-334-1304, or TonyGAtty@aol.com. Thank you for your tremendous generosity every year. 500 Club The St. Luke Athletic Committee would like to congratulate the following winners of the 500 Club drawing: November 8, 2009 Tom and Joan Cusack Thank you to all who have purchased memberships in the club, the proceeds of which go directly to fund the school s athletic programs. 4 Blessed Sacrament Ministries The St. Luke Feed the Hungry Committee St Luke Parish Pastoral Council Meeting Agenda Opening Prayer and Gospel Intentions Approval of October Minutes Pastor s Report Catholics Come Home Deanery Report Gather Us In Open Issues: PPC Member Bios December Meeting New Issues Closing Prayer Baptized in Christ We joyfully welcome into the family of the Church the following children who were recently baptized: Waldron Hall Monday, November 16 7:30 PM Fr. Ken Fischer Fr. Ken Fischer Marie Spicuzza Fr. Ken Fischer Terry Norton Jim Meek John Morrissey Denise Murray Lou Nieto Harrison Warner Brown son of Christopher Cuyler & Julie Marie (DeValk) Brown Patrick Robert Harfoot son of Matthew William & Mary Sue (Olson) Harfoot Dylan Edward Hobday son of Joshua Edward & Jacqueline Ann (LePine) Hobday Lana Marie Hobday daughter of Joshua Edward & Jacqueline Ann (LePine) Hobday Kayla Ann LePine daughter of William Joseph & Kathryn Ann (Szalaj) LePine Jack Everitt Megall son of Jeffrey Everitt & Megan M. (McHatton) Megall Ellen Britten Vlerick daughter of Peter Reynolds & Beth M. (Middendorf) Vlerick Holy Hour Next Saturday The third Saturday of each month is the day for our monthly Holy Hour with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, rosary and Benediction. Please join us this coming Saturday, November 21, from 8:30-9:30 AM for this hour of prayer and devotion.
Gatherings from the Parish and the Community Prime Timers Youth Ministry The Prime Timers will be leaving the Convent parking lot at 9:30 AM tomorrow (Monday, November 16) for the trip downtown to visit Holy Name Cathedral and the Episcopal Cathedral of St. James. Both Cathedrals are landmark churches. We will be having lunch at The Rosebud Restaurant on Rush Street. We still have two more places available so call Ann O Connell today at 708-366-5279. 2010 Parish Directory We are pleased to announce that once again we are working with our bulletin publisher, Liturgical Publications, to prepare the 2010 Parish Directory. This directory will contain updated contact information for the parishioners of St. Luke Parish, as well as helpful information about the staff and parish organizations. In conjunction with this, we will be offering advertising in the directory. Jim Brown from Liturgical Publications is our sales representative and he will be soliciting advertising for the directory this Monday through Thursday, Nov. 16-19. Please consider advertising in the directory the revenue from the ads pays for the cost of our new directory. If you are interested in advertising in the 2010 Parish Directory, know of someone who may be, or you would like more information, please feel free to contact Jim at the parish office this coming week at 708-771-8250, or anytime at 1-262-893-9899. Worth Seeing/Hearing The Siena Center s Albertus Magnus Society invites you to Deep Incarnation: Prepare for Astonishment on Thursday, November 19, at 7:00 PM. Elizabeth Johnson, CSJ, Distinguished Professor of Theology, Fordham University, will deliver the Siena Center s annual lecture on the intersection of science and religion. Among the four ways theology can interact with science (conflict, contrast, contact, and confirmation John Haught), this lecture works with the third option, which looks for ways in which scientific insight can shape theological understanding. Jesus Christ anchors Christian faith. Tracing the narrative of His life, death, and resurrection, this lecture explores how the dialogue of faith with science opens Christology up to unsuspected depths. Johnson s most recent book is Quest for the Living God. Admission is $10. For tickets call 708-488-5000. The event will be held at Dominican University s Priory Campus Auditorium, 7200 Division St, River Forest. For more information, call 708-714-9105 or visit www.siena.dom.edu. Dear St Luke Parishoners, This year, teens and adult leaders from St. Luke will again dedicate a week of their summer to serving in areas of our nation deeply afflicted with poverty. This summer, we will be helping the homeless in the Back of the Yards neighborhood of our own Chicagoland community, building a house with future homeowners in the Mississippi Delta, repairing homes in a rural West Virginia community, and serving those in need with Catholic Heart Workcamp in Michigan. The members of this parish have traditionally been great supporters of this trip through your leadership, prayers, and financial contributions, and we thank you once again for all you have done to support these trips and Youth Ministry at St. Luke. This weekend, we especially ask you to invest in the service work of our young people by making a financial contribution to our Summer 2010 Service Trips through our Stock Sale. Each participant in these trips makes a participant contribution of $200, but this only covers about half of the cost of these weeks, and your generous donations allow us to transport the participants, pay for food and lodging, buy materials at the sites, provide spiritual speakers and reflection time, and make a financial contribution to the agencies with which we are partnering. Please consider investing in shares of our Summer Service Stock, and supporting the young people of St. Luke in their efforts to live out Jesus call to love their neighbors. The young people at the doors of the church will be happy to take your contributions and answer any questions you might have. Thank you for your support. God Bless, Amanda Collins Coordinator of Youth Ministry 708-435-8922 TONIGHT! 6:30-8pm in the Convent 5
Gatherings from the Next Generation St. Luke 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. Someone You Should Know... Mrs. Jean Stumbris Religious Education s Kindergarten Class Letters 2 Gorbachev: Reflections on Communism and the Cold War You are cordially invited to join the 8 th graders this Thursday night in Waldron at 7:00 PM as they reflect on some of the many events in the history of the Communist and the Cold War eras. Some of the topics will be the death of Lenin, the Battle of Stalingrad, Trotsky, Sputnik, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Solidarity, Prague 1968, the Fall of the Wall, and German Reunification. Each topic will have a brief one to two minute reflection by an 8 th grader. They have worked hard researching these events and want to share their knowledge with the larger community. Afterwards, everyone is invited to share in fellowship and talk about everything these huge events entailed. The menu will be fantastic. We will have Sputnik Doughnuts, Polish Sausage, Brezhnev Blintzes, German Chocolate Cake, Proletariat Punch, Stavropol Stuffers, Perestroika Pizza, and much, much more. This promises to be one very exciting evening. Please join us as we try to learn why this political system of tyranny imploded on itself. The Adventure Continues... The Great Adventure: A Journey through the Bible continues this Wednesday, November 18, in Waldron Hall from 7:00-8:30 PM. Please bring your study materials and prepare Acts 11-12: The Church in Antioch. We welcome all great adventurers! Join us! 6 Jean Stumbris, a graduate of the St. Luke School Class of 1981, appreciates her own Catholic education and looks forward weekly to sharing her faith, family and prayer with the children in her Kindergarten class. Jean was raised in River Forest and currently resides in Elmwood Park with husband Bruce and three daughters. Jean was a catechist until two years ago when she took a year off. We are so fortunate that she has returned to teach our Kindergarten children. Jean looks forward to passing on the gift of Faith this year. Need Help Dealing with Our Stressful World? 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 evening per week; fees for her services are reasonable. To schedule an appointment, please call Catholic Charities Holbrook Counseling Center at 312-655-7725.
Gatherings from the Parish and the Community CATHOLIC CAMPAIGN FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (CCHD) Thus says the Lord God: Put away violence and oppression, and do what is right and just! Ezekiel 45:9 CCHD addresses the root causes of poverty by funding organizations that are: Decreasing youth violence Increasing access to affordable housing Advocating for the rights of seniors, immigrants, workers, and people with disabilities. Please support the CCHD Collection November 21-22 Catholic Campaign For Human Development Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Archdiocese of Chicago 3525 S. Lake Park Ave, Chicago, IL 60653 312-534-3690 Phone, rflores@archchicago.org