528 Lathrop Avenue River Forest, Illinois www.stlukeparish.org Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." ~ John 20:21-23 June 4, 2 017 Pe nt e cos t S unday
MASS INTENTIONS Monday, June 5 - St. Boniface 6:30 am Edward Szmyd 8:00 am Norman and Ralph Carroll Tuesday, June 6 - St. Norbert 6:30 am Joseph Madden 8:00 am Rosaleen Sherlock Wednesday, June 7 6:30 am The Poor Souls in Purgatory 8:00 am Edward and Loretta Szmyd Thursday, June 8 6:30 am Deceased Members of the White Family 8:00 am Marguerite Duggan Friday, June 9 - St. Ephrem 6:30 am Semaj Crosby 8:00 am Robert and Mary Ann Haar Saturday, June 10 8:00 am Gordon Beaudoin 5:00 pm The Sherlock Family Sunday, June 11 7:30 am The People of St. Luke Parish 9:00 am The Poor Souls in Purgatory 11:00 am John W. Donoghue MINISTERS OF THE LITURGY Monday-Friday, June 5-9 8:00 am Servers to be assigned Saturday, June 10 5:00 pm Servers E Dillon, J McAllister, 1 Needed Lectors J Bobak, L Binder Euch Min Y Bobak, M Bresnahan, C Madden, J Megall, M O Donoghue, A Roche, R Romano Ushers J Fisher, M Nelson, R Nixon, J Pizzo Sunday, June 11 7:30 am Servers J Wiktor, A Lazos, L Lazos Lectors O Dowling, M Aspiras Euch Min J Sullivan, M Sullivan, 1 Needed Ushers L Brettman, B Hickman, J Langton, C Maroon, M Oller 9:00 am Servers A Vazquez, J Gleason, A Vazquez Lectors CJ Kerstetter, N Brouilette Euch Min P Muldoon, D Piper, W Piper, G Rara, D Slepicka, K Slepicka, KJ Slepicka Ushers B Aquilino, P Driscoll, J Nowicki, 2 Needed 11:00 am Servers M Carr, C Carr, R Graves Lectors N O Malley, Y Hafner Euch Min B Elwood, B Huerta, J Keefe, D Kurtenbach, B Murray, S Murray, B Stumbris Ushers K Bruscato, D Carey, C Devereux, J McInerney 5:00 pm Youth Mass Servers M Jacobs, M Morelli Lectors A Jankovich, 1 Needed Euch Min 2 Needed 2 Don t forget our new Summer Mass Schedule: Saturday (vigil): 5:00 pm Sunday: 7:30, 9:00, and 11:00 am (No 10:30 or 12:00 Mass) WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL FROM THE PASTOR This year more than ever for some reason, I ve been especially aware of how the Church in prayer and scripture asks us to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The past several weeks especially, as we listened to the Gospel of John at Mass almost every day, we arrive at this insight because seldom a day goes by in which Jesus is not speaking about the relationship He has with His heavenly Father or with the Advocate, the Paraclete, the helper He promises to send his disciples and all of us. That is an essential part of our identity as Catholics that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are being transformed; we cooperate with the Spirit. We are never complete; God always has a chance to work on us, and this is mostly done through the power of His Holy Spirit. We are in process all the time. It isn t over until it s over, and we have to reach the finish line. We are a people of hope. God will reveal to us what we need to say, what we need to do, what to ask for in prayer, provided we invite the Spirit into our lives. Just last Wednesday (May 31) as our 8 th graders attended their graduation Mass, we celebrated a feast of the Blessed Mother, the Visitation. This event remembered in the praying of the second of the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary recalls how the Blessed Mother made the trip to see and support her cousin Elizabeth. Both women expecting babies, both humbly accepting God s will in their lives. The Blessed Mother was especially attuned to the Holy Spirit that had overshadowed her. She directed her life, her whole being to proclaiming God s mighty works and goodness. What if we had that similar mindset? Of course, it may take a little re-ordering of our lives and priorities. The Catholic identity, the basics of the faith we share, when lived out, shapes us in this life-long encounter. When we put Christ at the center, when we make His Gospel values our own, when we are fortified by Jesus Body and Blood in the Eucharist, and finally, when we encourage one another in faithful, ongoing discipleship, we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. These are the basic building blocks of faith we ve mentioned again and again. We continue to learn and experience the mystery of God in our lives from birth until our last breath. As we celebrate the mystery of God and how the Holy Spirit at Pentecost formed our Church, it becomes not so much how the Church needs to change to accommodate us, but how much we need to change in order to share that Spirit with a world that needs to know Christ! HAPPY PENTECOST! ~Fr. Szmyd
Class of 2017 You have been wonderful students this year as you have grown so much in your knowledge of our Catholic faith and love for our Lord Jesus Christ. Use the Gifts of the Holy Spirit you received in Confirmation wisely and continue to grow in faith, leadership, and service in high school and beyond. And remember that you always have a home here at St. Luke! Brock Alvers Lauren Backes Katie Cahill Alex Contreras Morgan Culliton John Dalton Neil Dombrowski John Duffy Gabriella Ferrante Joseph Flatley Isabela Flores William Foley Jackson Freund Abigail Gibbs Molly Gibbs Elizabeth Greenberg Hope Hamilton Sarah Jane Kopecky Aidan Krupp Kate Madden Jack O Malley Ania Ocasio Emmett Perry Charles Reid Audrey Stutz Ryan Tomaso Mark Tomassini Charles Vietzen Kendall Wilson Courtney Yungerman May the Lord bless you and protect you! May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace always! ~Numbers 6:24-26 As the school year winds down for all of our St. Luke families, it is important to think about your children who will be receiving sacraments in 2017-2018. The Archdiocese of Chicago requires children preparing for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist to complete the 1 st grade in a Catholic school or a Religious Education program to be eligible to receive these two sacraments in their 2 nd grade year. Confirmation likewise is a two-year process: all 7 th graders must complete a year of Mercy Experiences as a way to learn service to persons and families who need our help as well as service through our parish organizations. The 8 th grade year is a time of spiritual preparation as they prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation in April. If your child is approaching the age for these sacraments, now is the time to enroll him or her in our parish school or our Religious Education Program for the coming fall. Please contact Sister Colleen Nolan, OP, Director of Religious Education and Coordinator of Sacramental Preparation, at 771-5959 with any questions you may have about these requirements. JUNE 4, 2017 Pentecost Sunday 3
4 Our next Youth Mass will be next Sunday evening, June 11, at 5:00 pm in church. If it seems as though this month s Mass is coming up faster than normal, rest assured that your senses aren t deceiving you. We moved up the schedule one week to allow everyone celebrate Father s Day on June 18. We will return to our usual third Sunday of the month schedule in July. As always, this Mass is open to everyone, especially teens, young adults, families, and anyone else looking for a more engaging experience of Mass. All junior high and high school students are invited to stay afterwards for a simple supper, followed by some fun games and activities for the two groups. It s a great way to meet new friends and have some fun together. Next weekend we will take up the second collection for retired priests of the Archdiocese of Chicago. There currently are over 200 retired Archdiocesan priests, representing 27% of all the priests serving in the Archdiocese. Normal retirement age is 70 for Chicago priests, but 65 priests still live in a rectory and assist the parish on a regular basis, including St. Luke. Close to 140 retired priests celebrate Sunday Mass weekly, perform marriages and baptisms, and visit the sick in hospitals. This special collection is solely for the retired priests of the Chicago Archdiocese. Our retired priests receive no funds from the national Religious Retirement Collection that is taken up in December. Those funds go for religious nuns and brothers and religious order priests. Many people remember with fondness the priest who baptized them, gave them First Communion, celebrated their marriage, visited them at home or in the hospital. These memories often involve the current retired priests of our Archdiocese. The Archdiocese of Chicago is committed to caring for our retired priests, but we need everyone s assistance and the generosity of every parish community. Please bring the special envelope you received with your packet or check the option on GiveCentral. There also will be extra envelopes in the pews next weekend. WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL It may be hard to think about next fall as summer is just getting started, but I am hoping that you will give some thought to signing up now to be a catechist for the next school year. I need at least 22 women and men who are willing to give a year of service teaching religious education to the children of our parish for one hour a week on Wednesday afternoons or evenings (also, substitutes willing to fill in when a teacher can t make it to class, classroom aides, or general volunteers). No experience is needed. I will have training before classes begin the third week of September. The Virtus Training course also will take place at St. Luke before school and religious education starts up. Asking a spouse or friend to team teach with you is an especially wonderful way of working together. And, as a bonus, all full-time catechists with children in the program receive half off their tuition. If you would like to hear more about what s involved, I will be having interviews in June, July, and August. Please contact me at cnolan@stlukeparish.org or 708-771-5959. Thank you, Sister Colleen Nolan, OP Director of Religious Education All are invited to join prayers with Pope Francis for his special intention in June for national leaders: That national leaders may firmly commit themselves to ending the arms trade, which victimizes so many innocent people.
Yes, there s still time to sign up for the We ve had a very good response to this popular week-long Catholic youth program, which St. Luke is hosting for the first time July 23-29. However, there are still openings for both age groups. 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 Totus Tuus (which means totally yours in Latin) presents the Catholic faith to students who are entering grades 1 12 this fall 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! 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-saintluke. 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 remember these couples in your prayers as they prepare to receive the Sacrament of Marriage: David Young and Abigail Burns to be wed June 24 Cris Flores and Betsy Gonzalez to be wed July 22 Tobi Ojo and Margaret Nieto to be wed July 22 Luke Longo and Jessica Hood to be wed July 29 Joran Haugens and Joanna Show to be wed August 5 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 at home or on the road. 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! JUNE 4, 2017 Pentecost Sunday 5
SCRIPTURE READINGS For Masses the week of June 5 11 Mon: Tb 1:3; 2:1b-8/Ps 112:1b-2, 3b-6/Mk 12:1-12 Tue: Tb 2:9-14/Ps 112:1-2, 7-9/Mk 12:13-17 Wed: Tb 3:1-11a, 16-17a/Ps 25:2-5ab, 6, 7bc-9/Mk 12:18-27 Thu: Tb 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a/Ps 128:1-5/ Mk 12:28-34 Fri: Tb 11:5-17/Ps 146:1b-2, 6c-10/Mk 12:35-37 Sat: Tb 12:1, 5-15, 20/Tb 13:2, 6efgh-8/Mk 12:38-44 Next Sunday: Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9/Dn 3:52-56/2 Cor 13:11-13/ Jn 3:16-18 PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK: Kimberly Bak, Fr. Bob Cross, Bill Darley, Steven DiBiase, Robert Gorman, Timothy Harnett, Evelyn Hettinger, 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 STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ~1 Corinthians 12:7 To receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, you must open your heart and let him in! Open your heart and be grateful for all the gifts that God has given us. Regardless of your circumstance, God has given us all blessings. What we do with those gifts is our gift back to God. Generously sharing our gifts keeps us more God-centered and less self-centered. Our Weekly Offerings From the weekend of May 27-28 Weekly Budget.................... $15,000.00 Actual Weekly Giving............... $ 7,718.00 6 2016-2017 Fiscal Year to Date (From 7/1/16) Budget to Date.................... $705,000.00 Actual Weekly Giving.............. $690,889.00 Difference to Date for Year +/(-)....... $(14,111.00) 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. WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL Liturgical Publications Inc. Men and women are needed to usher at the 9:00 and 11:00 am Sunday Masses. You can volunteer once a week, or every week, or as many times a month as you would like. It s a great experience, and training is provided. You will be serving an important role in the church, and a certain camaraderie usually builds among each team of ushers, which is an added benefit. For more information, email Joe McInerney at jogmac53@comcast.net or call him at 708-771-5518. The Archdiocese of Chicago s Golden Wedding Anniversary Mass for couples celebrating 50 years together will be held on Sunday, September 17, at 2:45 pm at Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State Street in Chicago. This is a free event organized annually by the Archdiocesan Office of Marriage and Family Ministries. Cardinal Blase Cupich will preside over the special Mass where as many as 500 couples are expected to rejoice in their 50 th wedding anniversary. Couples who married in 1967 and are interested in attending this celebration should register online at tinyurl.com/gwa2017. St. Luke has periodic special collections to support the Church and its ministries here in the Archdiocese of Chicago (such as the Annual Catholic Appeal), our nation, and the world. Here are results of some of these collections from the past year: Summer Missionary Co-Op... $2,747 Archdiocesan Seminary/September... $5,946 World Mission Sunday/October... $2,960 Catholic Campaign for Human Development/ November... $3,739 Church in Latin America/January... $1,294 Church in Central & Eastern Europe/March... $1,511 Archdiocesan Catholic Charities/May... $1,919 Thank you for your continued generosity!
St. Luke s Prime Timers group has had an active spring, including a taste of Greektown with a visit to the National Hellenic Museum and Santorini Restaurant on May 23 (see photo below and more on our parish Facebook page at facebook.com/stluke.riverforest). The first session of Bocce Ball was also a great success! Everyone had fun and enjoyed themselves. We will continue to play on Thursday mornings from 10:00 to 11:30 (until September 1) on the courts on Lake Street opposite the Jewel. We form teams as everyone arrives, so please join us as it free and easy to learn. Call Ann O Connell at 708-366-5279 for further information. Tuesday, June 13, is the day the Prime Timers will have lunch at Kendall College on Goose Island in Chicago. It is always an exquisite gourmet meal with wonderful service by the culinary school students. The students who serve us are about to graduate, so it will be extra special for all of us. We will be leaving the Hospitality House parking lot for Kendall at 10:50 am. Please call Dee Galbraith at 708-771-6411for a reservation by next Sunday, June 11. Seating is very limited. The cost is $25 for a three-course lunch, including tax and tip. A number of Prime Timers will be attending a concert entitled Hollywood to Broadway tomorrow night (Monday). It is a free program presented by the Encore Choral group of Oak Park and River Forest, which consists of singers 55 and older who enjoy singing. The music will start at 7:15 pm in the chapel of Concordia University. Call Joanne Kennelly at 708-209-1150 for further information on the concert or on how you can join the choral group as it starts its new season September 12. Your regular support is as important during the summer as throughout the rest of the year. Do enjoy your vacation time away, but please don t forget St. Luke. Your support by mail and/or when you return is essential to our budget. A very easy way to make a regular contribution is to sign up for GiveCentral. This is an online service that makes it convenient for you to support our parish with automatic payments from your bank or credit card account. It gives you 24/7 access to your giving account and history using your computer, tablet, or smartphone from home or anywhere you have internet service. You can learn more about the service and sign up at GiveCentral.org. If you have questions or need help registering, you can also contact our Parish Office at 435-8950. Whatever option you choose, please know that your financial support of St. Luke Parish is greatly appreciated. Please bring donations of non-perishable food and personal care items for the Blessed Sacrament Food Pantry when you come to Sunday Mass this summer and place them in the baskets at the back of church. Blessed Sacrament uses your donations to help families in need throughout in the North Lawndale and Little Village neighborhoods. The most needed food items are: Cereal (hot or cold), coffee and tea, peanut butter, pasta and rice, canned vegetables, fruits, and beans and canned soups and stews Essential personal care items that the poor cannot buy with food stamps include diapers, hand soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, wipes, and tissues. Cash donations are also appreciated to buy fresh vegetables and fruit, eggs, and meat. Make any checks payable to St. Luke Parish and put Food Pantry on the memo line. Thank you for remembering those in need, St. Luke Feed the Hungry Committee JUNE 4, 2017 Pentecost Sunday 7
On Tuesday, May 23, St. Luke 7th graders traveled to Springfield to wrap up their study of the Illinois State Constitution. The day trip began with a brief stop at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral with a viewing of the stained glass windows in the 94-year-old church. The students toured the home and neighborhood of Abraham Lincoln, explored Lincoln s tomb. and learned even more about his life and presidency at the impressive Lincoln Presidential Museum. The highlight of the trip was meeting Michael Madigan, speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. Harry Hicks, father of one of our 7th graders, arranged for the private meeting with Mr. Madigan in the midst of this very busy legislative session for the Illinois General Assembly. Our group was treated to a fascinating first-hand account of the legislative process in Illinois. The trip was arranged by Mr. Bratager, who has taught Social Studies at St. Luke for over 25 years and yet never tires of making the text come alive for his students. 8 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL Tuesday was the last class for Mandarin Chinese. Our instructor, Sijia Lou, presented each student with a certificate and a panda as a gift. Congratulations to all the students who took part in this first year of the class!
St. Luke s 8th grade class put on a colorful presentation of Broadway, Jr.'s Beauty and the Beast on the evening of Thursday, May 25. The students had been preparing for this musical for an entire trimester with the guidance of Emily Morrison and the artistic stylings of Deb Zanger. The students loved the singing, dancing, scenery, and costumes, which all helped captivate our audience with the classic tale of goodness triumphing over evil. It s a longstanding tradition for the 8th grade class to perform a play, and this class did a fantastic job. Way to go! St. Luke School had a very special visitor from halfway around the world. Sister Anna Beata Murekatete prayed the Prayer of St. Francis Assisi with us and other Archdiocesan schools as we devoted the prayer to peace in Chicago and in our nation and world. Sister Anna belongs to the congregation of Benebikira Sisters (Daughters of the Virgin Mary), the first local community of women religious founded in Rwanda in 1919. She is Director of Notre Dame des Anges School being built in Kigali, Rwanda and is founder of New Life in Christ Pastoral Program for Healing and Reconciliation. A past principal and teacher in private schools in Rwanda, Sister Anna co-founded the Benebikira Sisters Foundation, as well as Human Rights Clubs in Rwandan Schools, which won the Pillar of Peace Price from UNESCO in 2000. Her foundation currently is focused on opening new schools, funding scholarships, and developing programs to offer counseling and support to those impacted by the Rwandan genocide that ravaged the region in 1994. Our school principal, Timothy Wesley, serves on the foundation s board of directors, and we re very happy to be associated with this important educational venture in Rwanda, a country that is still struggling to rebuild itself after a very devastating period in its history. JUNE 4, 2017 Pentecost Sunday 9
The St. Luke Athletic Committee congratulates this week s winner of the 500 Club drawing: Dick Carey 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. Are you quietly grieving after the loss of your spouse, yet searching for a more hope-filled life? The Joyful Again! Ministry is offering two-day retreat/ workshops for men and women that can help you discern the path to your future. The next ones take place at St. Julie Billiart Parish in Tinley Park on July 1-2, and at Holy Family Parish in Inverness on July 22-23. For more information or to sign up for a weekend, call 708-354-7211. Summer Mass Schedule Saturday Vigil (anticipated) Mass: 5:00 pm, and Sunday: 7:30, 9:00, and 11:00 am 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.