528 Lathrop Avenue River Forest, Illinois www.stlukeparish.org In my Father s house there are many dwelling places. I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. ~ John 14:2-3 Ma y 14, 2017 Fift h S unday of Easte r
MASS INTENTIONS Monday, May 15 - St. Isidore 6:30 am Richard Alan Viele 8:00 am James Nash Tuesday, May 16 6:30 am Edward Szmyd 8:00 am Special Intention of a Parishioner Wednesday, May 17 6:30 am Joseph Madden 8:00 am Gregory Smith Thursday, May 18 - St. John I 6:30 am Bob Grimes 8:00 am Marguerite Duggan Friday, May 19 6:30 am Deceased Members of the White Family 8:00 am Marie T. O Brien Saturday, May 20 - St. Bernardine of Siena 8:00 am Kelly Flynn 5:00 pm Margaret and Lyle Schabes Sunday, May 21 7:30 am The People of St. Luke Parish 9:00 am Jewel Crosby 10:30 am Tom Cusack 12:00 pm Mary Pat Ryan MINISTERS OF THE LITURGY Monday-Friday, May 15-19 8:00 am Servers J Wiktor, J Wiktor Saturday, May 20 5:00 pm Servers M Harnett, J Gleason, J McAllister Lectors J Bobak, L Hogan Euch Min V Atkins, Y Bobak, G Hardy, M O Donoghue, B Peterson, H Peterson, A Roche Ushers J Fisher, M Nelson, R Nixon, 1 Needed Sunday, May 21 7:30 am Servers M Keith, J Flanagan, J Talluto Lectors T Roche, T Smedinghoff Euch Min MB Smedinghoff, J Sullivan, M Sullivan Ushers L Brettman, B Hickman, J Langton, C Maroon 9:00 am Servers B Kerstetter, E Kerstetter, L Lazos Lectors E Jeep, CJ Kerstetter Euch Min J Meek, MK Nickels, R Norton, L Ortiz-Lazos, G Rara, H Slowik, J Slowik Ushers B Aquilino, P Driscoll, J Nowicki, L Irvin 10:30 am Servers C Crotty, C Carr, B Greenberg Lectors O Dowling, F Gardner Euch Min P Brennan, S Brennan, D Hopkinson, M Hosty, J Keefe, J Winikates, L Winikates Ushers K Bruscato, D Carey, C Devereaux, D Ross 12:00 pm Servers C Leavy, R Graves, M Leavy Lectors M Brown, E Kincanon Euch Min K Frank, M Frank, V Perera, A Valenti, D Valenti Ushers C Dela Torre, J McInerney, F Garner 5:00 pm Servers K Cahill, T Osga Lectors Not filled Euch Min Not filled 2 Cover Art: Picture of Francesco Botticini s The Assumption of the Virgin from the British National Gallery in London. WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL SCRIPTURE READINGS For Masses the week of May 15 21 Mon: Acts 14:5-18/Ps 115:1-4, 15-16/Jn 14:21-26 Tue: Acts 14:19-28/Ps 145:10-13ab, 21/Jn 14:27-31a Wed: Acts 15:1-6/Ps 122:1-5/Jn 15:1-8 Thu: Acts 15:7-21/Ps 96:1-3, 10/Jn 15:9-11 Fri: Acts 15:22-31/Ps 57:8-10, 12/Jn 15:12-17 Sat: Acts 16:1-10/Ps 100:1b-3, 5/Jn 15:18-21 Next Sunday: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17/Ps 66:1-7, 16, 20/ 1 Pt 3:15-18/Jn 14:15-21 Liturgical Publications Inc. PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK: Kimberly Bak, Fr. Bob Cross, Bill Darley, Steven DiBiase, Robert Gorman, Timothy Harnett, Kathy Ann Howard, Stephen Kehoe, Barry Koster, Frank Kurr, Kevin Nolan, Paul Novak, Loretta O Dowd, Kelly Petersen, Geraldine Redmond, Fr. Paul Reicher, Joel Rivera, Jonathan Saucedo, Patti Sheehan, and Tom Trankina AND FOR ALL OUR DECEASED: Barbara Byron, aunt of Lynne Williams STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. ~1 Peter 2:7 Everyone is given unique gifts. Many people are able to recognize their talents and abilities, but there are many people who are unsure of their gifts. This may make them feel worthless. If you know someone who is struggling for a direction in life, give them a little encouragement. Help them discern how they might use their skills. No gift is too small or insignificant. Our Weekly Offerings From the weekend of May 6-7 Weekly Budget.................... $15,000.00 Actual Weekly Giving............... $18,719.00 2016-2017 Fiscal Year to Date (From 7/1/16) Budget to Date.................... $660,000.00 Actual Weekly Giving.............. $658,867.00 Difference to Date for Year +/(-)....... $( 1,133.00) We are always very grateful for the sacrifices you make to support the mission, goals, and ministry of St. Luke Church. Thank you for your generosity! Here s a convenient way to support St. Luke Parish with payments from your bank or credit card account using your computer or smart phone. Try it today at GiveCentral.org.
To all our dear mothers, adoptive mothers, all expectant mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, and mothers-in-law, we extend our blessings upon you and wish you a very happy Mother s Day! May you receive much love and appreciation from those for whom you do so much. And know that you are a great blessing to our entire St. Luke community! Thank you for being you! Parish Transformation and Renew My Church are two programs that give focus to building a more vibrant Church of Chicago at both the parish level and throughout the archdiocese. These initiatives have surfaced ways by which we can form a more unified worshipping community at Sunday Mass on the Lord s Day while utilizing our personnel, resources, ministers, and other pastoral staff in ways that strengthen unity and a lively, participatory expression of faith. The monthly Youth Mass at 5:00 pm on Sunday is a wonderful addition to our Mass schedule. All of our parishioners are always invited and are welcome to attend, as well as young people from neighboring parishes. To this point in time, this Mass attracts a good, but limited number of young people. It also requires an entirely different staff of music and liturgical ministers. I am grateful to Father Steven Bauer for his leadership in organizing this Mass every month. However, the shortfall in priestly vocations, the inability to find ministers to cover positions at some Masses, and the fact that fewer people come forward to assist are all signs of a deeper reality. They might indicate to us that change should happen so that we can begin to restructure our energies and the commitment of those who already serve our parish. Members of our Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils, staff, and the heads of our liturgical ministries have been consulted about consolidating our Sunday Masses to a schedule that is more aligned to the objectives mentioned earlier. We know you are probably tired at this point of paper or internet surveys, so we are proposing a summer trial period for a new Mass schedule. Let me outline this for you. The 10:30 Mass and 12:00 Mass are combined into one 11:00 am Mass. For those who regularly attend at Noon, our existing 10:30 Mass is always a bit more vibrant in terms of attendance and the style or manner of worship. It is also not affected at times by sports games. In addition, the staffing of ministers is somewhat more predictable. The other three Mass times remain the same! We hope you are open and cooperative with trying this change to the Mass schedule during this summer. Beginning on Sunday, June 4, the schedule will be as follows: SATURDAY: 5:00 pm SUNDAY: 7:30, 9:00, and 11:00 am, and the Youth Mass at 5:00 pm once a month. Baptisms which have been scheduled once a month during the 12:00 Mass will be rescheduled to an earlier Mass. We will publicize this change in a variety of ways, so look for reminders and updates throughout the month of May. Thank you. Father Szmyd MAY 14, 2017 Fifth Sunday of Easter 3
The prayers of hundreds of family and friends at two nights of rosary vigils were answered as rescuers found St. Luke School graduate Madeline Connelly alive and well with her dog in the wilderness near Glacier National Park in Montana on Wednesday. Madeline had apparently gotten lost on her day hike a week ago Thursday, prompting a massive search for her as well-wishers gathered in St. Luke Church to ask Jesus the Good Shepherd and the Blessed Mother to protect the young outdoors enthusiast and guide searchers to her location. Thank you everyone for your prayers and positive thoughts, commented her uncle Michael Connelly on Facebook. Of all the Connelly children, Madeline was the best suited to survive the wilderness, he said. But still, he and other family members said they felt buoyed by the outpouring of support from our community as they try to stay positive over the six days before the rescue. Looking for an exciting way to serve your parish? Consider serving the parish by joining our Parish Pastoral Council (PPC)! We are looking for three new members with a range of skills and life experience. to help lead our new initiatives for Parish Transformation and Renew My Church. What s involved? Discerning through prayer whether God might be calling you to assist your parish on the council. A desire to be more actively involved as a person of faith A willingness to share your time and talent to delve into pastoral matters. An ability to listen to differing opinions, integrate varied points of view, and discern with others what is best for the parish Parish council members (with the exception of its officers) represent the parish on one of four commissions to create a balanced approach to looking at parish life. These are: Spiritual Life Parish Life Human Concerns Catholic Education Each member serves a three-year term and helps counsel our pastor as we grow as a community in Jesus Christ. On average, one to two hours a week are spent on PPC matters. The next PPC meeting will be Tuesday, May 23, in Waldron Hall. If you are interested, please reach out to our PPC chairperson, Linda Binder, who can provide a description of this special ministry and an application. Please pray, consider, and join us in May! Linda Binder, PPC Chair lbinder0116@aol.com (708-209-5931) 4 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL
The Amen Stitching Group will meet this Friday, May 19, from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm in the Hospitality House. All those interested in needlework of any kind are welcome to come for a fun afternoon. If you are interested in the group or to learn about the group s ongoing project of sewing and embroidering Baptism garments for infants receiving the sacrament in our parish, please contact Betsy Maloney at 630-795-9088. Amen! We are pleased to announce that St. Luke Parish is launching a new online system that will make liturgical minister scheduling much easier for everyone! It s called Ministry Scheduler Pro, and it will allow all lay ministers to: Edit contact information Input your availability Request a substitute if you cannot make a scheduled Mass Reply to substitute for someone Edit your serving preferences Edit Mass preferences Edit your family information NOTE: We are asking all liturgical ministers to update their preferences and availability for the next schedule (covering the period June 3-September 8) by Tuesday morning, May 23, in order for them to be considered. This weekend, we ll be sending everyone more information about how to use this new system. Please check your email for further instructions. All volunteers with ios or Android devices can also download this as a free app to view their schedule, request subs, and update their profiles from anywhere! For technical problems accessing the website or to schedule your one-on-one training, please contact Agnes Komperda at akomperda@stlukeparish.org or 708-435-8912. For more info, type in www.ministryschedulerpro.com/ resources/webterminalguide.pdf exactly as shown here. Thank you for helping those who are hungry, homeless, or hurting through your donation in today s special collection for Catholic Charities. This charitable arm of the Archdiocese of Chicago is marking its 100 th year of helping people in need across Cook and Lake counties. One of the largest non-profit social service agencies in the Midwest, it annually assists more than 1 million people without regard to religious, ethnic, or economic background. How well do we use your gift? We strive to be efficient: 92 cents of every dollar we raise goes directly to our programs. Our 3,000- plus well-trained and dedicated staffers partner with 243 parishes and more than 15,000 volunteers to bring services into communities. What do we do? Catholic Charities fulfills the Church s mission of charity by providing compassionate, professional services that support individuals, families, and communities. By providing food, clothing, shelter, counseling, and other services to those in need, we bring hope to the hopeless. Our clients can access a network of services from food pantries to mental health counseling, affordable housing, senior services, and more. Our goal is to help each client become as selfsufficient as possible. How do we do it? Some of the ways Catholic Charities cared for the poor last year: More than a quarter of a million people received food, clothing, shelter, rent, and utility assistance at our emergency assistance sites in Chicago, Cicero, Des Plaines, Worth, South Holland, Waukegan, and Summit. Nearly 70,000 people were served a warm meal at our Evening Supper programs. More than 1,500 children, ages six weeks to 12 years, received early care and education at our seven Child Development Centers. To learn more, donate, or volunteer, look for us online at www.catholiccharities.net. MAY 14, 2017 Fifth Sunday of Easter 5
For our family of St. Luke Parish, this has been a year of many blessings as we thank our 40 catechists, catechist aides, and other volunteers who offered their loving service to the children in our Religious Education Program this year. They have truly echoed God s Word to our children from kindergarten through 8 th grade. A special thanks to the Religious Education Board members: Elizabeth August, Christine Dalton, Tracie Doherty, Michelle Flatley, Anne Gall, Peggy Gruber, Aicha MacCarthy, Erin Madden, Jamie Madden, and Nancy Patrickus. In addition to helping give direction to our program all year, they hosted a beautiful evening of appreciation for all of our volunteers, who worked so hard this year. Please pray in thanksgiving for all the catechists on the list below who generously shared their gifts of faith formation with the children in our parish s Religious Education Program. We thank every one of these volunteers for being models of faith as well as teachers of the Word for our children. Victoria Atkins Mary Atkinson JoAnn Barder Patricia Belke Genevieve Broaddus Mike Burns Elizabeth Condon Aimee Devereaux Joy Donahue Theresa Dubois Amy Dwyer Deborah Exner Michelle Flatley Maria Flores Michelle Fredenhagen Gwen Geraghty Mary Ann Hagerty Maureen Harnett Katie Iammartino Douglas Kurtenbach Noreen Leavy Frank Lococo Monica MacNamara Colette Malone Ann Mills Patti Muldoon Suzanne Nyenesch John Nowicki Peggy Olson Carla Racanelli Danielle Roche Ana Sanchez Marilyn Shalloo Meg Sullivan Thomas Verticchio Beth Vlerick Amanda Wehrman Irene Wolinski Edward Wolinski Our program could not have functioned without all of these men and women s generous contributions this past year! God bless you all! ~Sr. Colleen Nolan, OP, Director of Religious Education The Prime Timers will be visiting the National Hellenic Museum on Tuesday, May 23. This museum has been hailed as the newest thing in ancient history. It chronicles Greek history and culture and its impact on the world from ancient days through modern times. A timeline exhibit traces developments spanning 5,000 years. Another interesting exhibit is a ceilinghigh replica of the Trojan horse. We ll sample Greek food at one of the tasty nearby restaurants. The cost is $6.00. We will leave from the Hospitality House parking lot at 10:30 am. Please call Ann O Connell at 708-366-5279 to RSVP by this Thursday, May 18. Our monthly Youth Mass will be on next Sunday, May 21, at 5:00 pm in the church. Not only are all parish teens invited, but their families, and anyone looking for a more youthful and personal experience of God at Mass. Mass will be followed by food for the teens and fun youth group activities, ending at 7:00 pm. Spread the word! St. Luke Parish s e-newsletter now comes out weekly with a digest of news and upcoming events, so you can access the parish schedule and other happenings on your computer, notebook, or smart phone 24/7. To sign up, go to the parish website stlukeparish.org and click the link in the left-hand column and start receiving SLP This Week every Thursday afternoon! 6 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL
LAST CHANCE FOR EARLY REGISTRATION! A summer camp your kids will love!!! Mark your calendars for the week of July 23-29! St. Luke Parish has been selected to host the highly-coveted Totus Tuus Summer Camp, a week-long Catholic youth program. Many parishes apply to host the camp, but St. Luke was the only parish in our area chosen for Summer 2017. Totus Tuus (which means totally yours in Latin) is a very popular summer camp that presents the Catholic faith to students entering grades 1 12 in a way that is engaging and FUN! Specially trained college missionaries lead students and youths through daily activities that keep them active and engaged, all while teaching them more about their Catholic faith! The Totus Tuus Program is divided into two levels with their own schedules: For children entering grades 1-6: 9:00 am to 2:30 pm Monday-Friday For junior high/high school students: 7:00 to 9:00 pm Sunday-Thursday Both day and evening programs will be held at St. Luke. The Totus Tuus Program is extremely popular, and today is the last day of early registration for St. Luke families before we open it up to other parishes. We will only take registrations until we reach the maximum of 90 students, so don t delay if you re considering this wonderful program! Cost: for the full-week program (including a camp t-shirt) $60 per child / $40 for each additional child from the same immediate family The registration form is online at tinyurl.com/totustuus-stluke. Please return with a check or money order payable to St. Luke Parish to the St. Luke School Office or the Rectory Office in an envelope marked Totus Tuus. Scholarships are available for families in need; please contact the Rectory for further information. Questions? Call St. Luke s Rectory at 708-771-8250. MAY 14, 2017 Fifth Sunday of Easter 7
A record number of friends and supporters of The Learning Center (TLC) enjoyed a lovely Afternoon of Celebration at the historic 19th Century Club in Oak Park. It was a most convivial and generous group including many from St. Luke Parish that came to support TLC s work in North Lawndale and Little Village so the center can offer free adult education classes in literacy, high school equivalency exam preparation, and English as a Second Language. This year s honoree, Fr. Larry Dowling, was presented with TLC s Trust, Leadership and Commitment Award. Fr. Larry is pastor of St. Agatha Parish and a leader in so many areas of social justice: immigration reform, violence mitigation, restorative justice, and empowering families. He is also a great friend to The Learning Center. A large contingent of St. Agatha parishioners were present to celebrate with him. Vince Guider, director of Old St. Pat s North Lawndale Kinship Initiative, introduced Fr. Larry and gave testimony to the pastor s dedication. Executive Director Angie Saucedo spoke of the struggles and accomplishments of our adult students at TLC. She also showed a moving video, I Will Rescue My Education, in which a TLC student tells of her struggles to continue her education. On behalf of our entire Board of Directors, staff, and students, we thank St. Luke parishioners for your ongoing and loyal support of The Learning Center. Find out more at tlcchicago.org. With gratitude, Mary Ann Tuerk Catholic Charities busy food pantry, conveniently located at the West Region Office, 1400 S. Austin Boulevard in Cicero, feeds 18,000 people each year. Adult and youth volunteers are needed to accomplish this vital Work of Mercy. 1st Shift: 2:00 to 4:30 pm / 2nd Shift: 4:30 to 7:00 pm Stock shelves Bag food into packages for families Greet guests and hand out food bags. Unload deliveries and break down boxes Enter computer data It is Jesus himself who invites us to make room in our hearts for the urgency to feed the hungry ~Pope Francis Help us feed the hungry! For more information or to sign up, talk to an experienced volunteer: St. Luke parishioner Deborah Hopkinson (708) 771-6749 8 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL St. Luke School s 8th grade basketball team supported the Misericordia Candy Day again this year as a tribute to their inspiring coach, Dr. John Lynch. Ten of the boys and three mothers volunteered to stand on local street corners after school on Friday, April 28, and collect change from motorists to support Misericordia s residential and vocational training programs for 600 adults and children with developmental disabilities.
Congratulations to Samantha Carpenter and Kate Heffelfinger. Last Saturday these two 7th graders competed in the Illinois State Science Fair at Northern University in DeKalb with a project on Why Aren't All Medicines Pills? In essence, they were trying to understand why some medications are swallowed while others must be injected to be effective. The competition was fierce, with over 1,000 entries. Our two St. Luke students fared very well, scoring in the Gold, the highest category. Great job, Samantha and Kate! We are very proud of all our students for learning the power of science! Some of our other students projects that competed at the regional level explored topics on projectile motion; the amount of work that can be completed with hydropower; the mitigation of erosion due to plant life; the amount of sugar found in commonly consumed beverages; and the effect of UV radiation on the eyes. Creative minds at work! One of the popular auction items at our annual Dinner Dance is the chance to become Teacher for the Day. Miss Maeve Planek (above) had that pleasure this year in Diane Ryan s first grade class, and Mr. John Beran (below) filled in very aptly for Rita Martin s class. Maeve read to the students, helped them with adjectives, writing and math, and, best of all, announced NO HOMEWORK for that night! This surely will be a popular item in next year s auction! Don t forget: Registration is open now for the 2017-2018 academic year at Saint Luke Parish School! Preschool, Kindergarten and 1st through 8th Grade To set up a private tour, a shadow day, or get answer to any of your questions, contact Jessie Wiktor at jwiktor@stlukeparish.org. MAY 14, 2017 Fifth Sunday of Easter 9
The St. Luke Athletic Committee congratulates this week s winner of the 500 Club drawing: Maura Lynch Thank you to all who have purchased memberships in the Club, the proceeds of which go directly to fund St. Luke Parish School s athletic programs. May is traditionally a month of special devotion to Mary, especially the praying of the rosary. Each weekday, Monday through Saturday, the rosary is prayed in church immediately after the 8:00 am Mass. Everyone is cordially invited to join in this beautiful Marian devotion during May. Mass Schedule (through May 28) Saturday Vigil (anticipated) Mass 5:00 pm, and Sunday 7:30, 9:00, and 10:30 am, and 12:00 noon Weekdays: Monday-Friday, 6:30 & 8:00 am, Saturday 8:00 am Confessions The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is offered after 6:30 and 8:00 am weekday Masses and by appointment. Call the rectory to schedule a time. Adoration and Benediction Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament occurs every first Saturday after the 8:00 am Mass and rosary. Rectory Office Hours Monday through Friday 9:00 am-12:00 Noon and 1:00-4:00 pm and by appointment (Call 708-771-8250). Interested in Learning More About the Catholic Faith? Anyone wishing to complete their sacraments or learn more about the Catholic faith may inquire about our adult faith formation program (RCIA) by calling the rectory for more information. 10 Help is right around the corner! 24-Hour Crisis Line: 708-386-4225 www.sarahsinn.org WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL Rev. John Szmyd, Pastor jszmyd@stlukeparish.org... 435-8925 Rev. Steven Bauer, Associate Pastor sbauer@stlukeparish.org... 435-8922 Rev. Leroy Wickowski (Retired) lwickowski@stlukeparish.org... 435-8917 Rev. Mr. John Baier johnbaier@isp.com... 630-655-0088 Rev. Mr. Jim Doyle deacondoyle@gmail.com... 262-501-1042 Rev. Mr. Terry Norton reneeterrynorton@gmail.com... 771-6635 Rev. Mr. Bob Slobig bobslobig@comcast.net... 771-6430 Rev. Mr. Paul Faherty (retired) 528 Lathrop Avenue, River Forest 60305-1835 stlukeparish@stlukeparish.org... 771-8250 Agnes Komperda, Office Manager akomperda@stlukeparish.org... 435-8912 Sheila Price, Director of Stewardship & Development sprice@stlukeparish.org... 435-8927 Arlene Michna, Music Director amichna@stlukeparish.org... 435-8926 Bradley Collins, Communications Coordinator bcollins@stlukeparish.org... 435-8910 519 Ashland Avenue, River Forest 60305-1824 jschwarzbeck@stlukeparish.org... 366-8587 Timothy Wesley, Principal twesley@stlukeparish.org... 366-8587 519 Ashland Avenue, River Forest 60305-1824 religiouseducation@stlukeparish.org... 771-5959 Sr. Colleen Nolan, O.P., Director cnolan@stlukeparish.org... 771-5959 533 Ashland Avenue, River Forest Sr. Pat Farrell, O.P. pfarrell@stlukeparish.org... 771-5280 New Parishioners If you re new to the community or just new to our church, please stop by the rectory to introduce yourself and register so we can welcome you into the full life of our parish. Communion Visits and Ministry of Care A parish priest or Minister of Care will be happy to visit those who are sick or homebound. Please call the rectory to make arrangements. Baptism Baptisms take place on the first and third Sundays of each month. Preparation meetings are held on the first Monday of every month for the parents of children who will be baptized. Arrangements can be made by calling the rectory. Marriage Couples wishing to be married should call the rectory to set up an appointment with one of the parish priests at least six months in advance of the desired wedding date. Anointing of the Sick Elderly parishioners, those in poor health or who are anticipating surgery can call the rectory to arrange to receive the sacrament of anointing.