528 Lath rop Av en u e River F orest, Il li n oi s 60305-1835 And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky. ~Mark 13:26-27 No ve mb er 15, 2015 Thirty -Third S unday in Ord inary Ti me
2 Monday, November 16, 2015 6:30 am Robert Hamilton 8:00 am Special Intention Tuesday, November 17, 2015 6:30 am William and Bill Hickman 8:00 am Bill Kenney Wednesday, November 18, 2015 6:30 am Colette Brettman 8:00 am Mary Elizabeth and Hayes Blackman Thursday, November 19, 2015 6:30 am The Blessed Sacrament Ministries 8:00 am Tom Zurek Friday, November 20, 2015 6:30 am Mary Ann Haar 8:00 am William O Malley Saturday, November 21, 2015 8:00 am The Williams, Karasis, Kurr Families and Roy Monday - Friday, November 16-20, 2015 8:00 am Mon-Fri: M Brennan, J Flanagan Saturday, November 21, 2015 5:00 - Mass Intention: Collette Noland Servers B Greenberg, M Peterson, J Gleason Readers Yates Hafner, Tom Smedinghoff Euch Min E Maloney, B Peterson, H Peterson, P Romano, R Romano, D Slepicka, MB Smedinghoff Sunday, November 22, 2015 7:30 - Mass Intention: The People of St Luke Parish Servers N Altier, S Leavy, M Morrissey Readers D Hopkinson, C Hopkinson Euch Min J Atkins, V Atkins, J Lynch 9:00 - Mass Intention: Dr. Robert Lee Muldoon Servers E Kerstetter, G Ruggie, D Ruggie Readers C.J. Kerstetter, Diane Ruggie Euch Min J Duszynski, P Muldoon, D Murray, G Rara, C Saunders, S Scelfo, (1 minister needed) 10:30 - Mass Intention: The Crowley and Cusack Families Servers M Brennan, C Stumbris, A Lazos Readers Nan Brouilette, Noel Moore Euch Min P Brennan, S Brennan, B Elwood, M Moore, B Stumbris, D Valenti, A Valenti 12:00 - Mass Intention: Hunter Quigley Coe Servers S Goslin, E Halfpenny, J Giuffre Readers Elizabeth Kincanon, Frank Auteri Euch Min J Courtney, M Goslin, L Goslin, S Hopkinson, B Huerta Cover Art: Fra Angelico s The Last Judgment was created for an altarpiece about 1450. It currently resides in the State Museum in Berlin, Germany, and is used here courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL 60305-1835 Readings for the Week of November 15, 2015 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 Liturgical Publications Inc Willard Boyer, Rita Brown, Margaret Creedon, Bill Darley, Mary Elwood, Fred Heiss, Stephen Kehoe, Frank Kurr, John Lennon, Paul S. Novak, Kelly Petersen, Geraldine Redmond, Fr. Paul Reicher, Patti Sheehan, Austyn Smith, Tom Trankina, Mary White, Michael Gerard White, Ann Marie Wojcik Marietta (Jackie) Adduci, Matthew Walsh (funeral Mass November 21 at St. Edmund, Oak Park), and Thomas H. Williams, father of Charles Williams And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. ~Mark 13:26 We will all have that day when we are standing before God and our life is played out like a movie. God will ask each of us, What have you done with the gifts that I have given you? How will you respond? From the weekend of November 8, 2015 Weekly Giving Goal............... $15,000.00 Actual Weekly Giving.............. $15,894.00 2015-2016 Fiscal Year to Date (From 7/1/15) Weekly Giving Goal.............. $285,000.00 Actual Weekly Giving............. $239,385.00 Goal to Date for Year +/(-)......... $ (45,615.00) 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!
Next Sunday Is Turkey Sunday! 7:15 am to 1:15 pm in front of St. Luke on Lake Street Noon to 4:00 pm at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Youth Center We will be providing Thanksgiving meals for 230 families this year. To meet the needs of all these families participating in Turkey Sunday, we will need lots of donations and helpers of all ages to make this event happen! Donations: We have already ordered a total of 170 frozen turkeys of varied sizes from Caputo s and Walmart. We are counting on you, St. Luke parishioners, to donate an additional 60 frozen turkeys to feed the remaining families. Larger turkeys, weighing 20 lbs. or more, are appreciated because we have some large families on the list. We also need other perishable and non-perishable food to complete the Thanksgiving meals. If you want to contribute to the purchase of the 170 turkeys and the tons of other food we have preordered, please make out your check to St. Luke Parish and write Turkey Sunday on the memo line. The frozen turkeys, other food, and checks or cash can be dropped off in front of church along Lake Street on Sunday, November 22, between 7:15 am and 1:15 pm. Volunteers: We also need adults, teens, and families (children should be at least 10 years old) to pack the bags of food from noon to 2:00 pm and to help with the distribution of the bags of groceries at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Youth Center between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Adult drivers with large cars or SUVs are needed at all Sunday Masses to transport the food donated at church to the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Youth Center. For more information or to sign up: If you have any questions, or to let us know that you can volunteer next Sunday, please contact Tony Graefe at tonygatty@aol.com or by phone at 708-848-9753 (home) or 708-334-1304 (cell). Thank you in advance for your tremendous generosity every year on Turkey Sunday. [A] faith which is lived out in a serious manner gives rise to acts of authentic charity. ~St. Luke Feed the Hungry Committee and Peace and Justice Committee Pope Francis, October 31, 2013 NOVEMBER 15, 2015 Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 3
The St. Luke Parish community formally welcomed eight children, who are students at St. Luke School or the parish Religious Education Program, into our faith on Sunday, November 8, at the 12:00 pm Mass. The Rite of Baptism was performed by Fr. John Szmyd, assisted by Deacon Terry Norton. Please welcome the following children into our parish community: Ayanna Jasmine Dairyko, daughter of Gregory Hampton & Rashida Francell (Thigpen) Dairyko Justin Elijah Dairyko, son of Gregory Hampton & Rashida Francell (Thigpen) Dairyko Adam Matthew Garcia, son of Pedro Jacinto & Leslie Esther (O Neal) Garcia Edward Aiden O Neill, son of Edward Anthony & Amanda Jo (Castrovillari) O Neill Abigail Elizabeth Palmer, daughter of Geoffrey Scott & Ashley Elizabeth (Andrews) Palmer Andrew Gerald Palmer, son of Geoffrey Scott & Ashley Elizabeth (Andrews) Palmer Ariani Rose Zito, daughter of Rocky Robert Zito & Melinda Santamaria Zoe Angeline Zito, daughter of Rocky Robert Zito & Melinda Santamaria 4 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL 60305-1835
of the past year. Our annual Mass of Remembrance on All Souls Day gave me the opportunity to reflect upon the lives of our parishioners and their experiences throughout the course As I looked out on the faces of those in attendance, it became apparent that these parishioners, friends, and neighbors gathered in solidarity because of a loss that unites them all as people of faith. The message of the Gospel preached at the funerals of their loved ones is the message of the Risen Lord, certainly one of tremendous peace and consolation. It may not immediately heal the wounds of grief in our hearts, but given time and reflection upon God s holy Word, we eventually discover how the Lord continues to be at our side, ever-present to us at such times. The reality for us as Catholic Christians is that every time we gather as a people of faith for the celebration of the Eucharist, we are reminded of Jesus s journey through the sorrows and suffering of the cross to new life and the joys of the resurrection. Our best preparation for being united again with the Lord is the day-to-day attentiveness to our relationship with God, the living of the sacramental life, and being close to the Lord in the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Know also, that for all of us, the end of life comes either as an end to our sharing in Christ s suffering or unexpectedly. So there are spiritual ways of being prepared and very real practicalities to which we must attend. There have been cases in which people simply did not know if their loved one could be buried in the Church and so did not approach the Church for a Mass of Christian Burial. Remember, it is baptism and how we live our life that unites us around the altar, not being a registered parishioner! In any case, especially for those who are advanced in age, the pastoral staff here at our parish encourage you to do some preplanning, to reflect in prayer on your life situation. If you need assistance doing any pre-planning, we have materials that can simplify these concerns for you, preparations for Mass, and to clarify your last wishes in keeping with what is suggested by the Church. Know that we are here to assist you so that the final spiritual things are done commensurate with how you lived your entire life of faith. It is not something you are owed because you are a member of a parish, but because you have been baptized in the Lord. God bless you throughout the coming week! Fr. Szmyd Please welcome our visitors from the Progress Center for Independent Living, who will be speaking at all of the Masses this weekend on behalf of next week s Collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). The Progress Center, which is located in Forest Park, is one of many organizations throughout the archdiocese that are supported by the CCHD collection. The center is a service and advocacy organization, operated for and by people with disabilities, to empower its members to have the same choices and control in our every-day lives that non-disabled brothers and sisters, neighbors, and friends take for granted. Please see the CCHD insert and prayer card in today s bulletin and give a very generous donation to this very worthwhile cause by placing your special CCHD envelope into the regular collection basket next weekend. Thank you. Beginning the First Sunday of Advent (November 28 and 29), we will be inviting one family to be part of the Introductory Rites of the Mass and the lighting of the candles on the Advent wreath at each of the weekend Masses during Advent. We encourage families to participate in this special ritual, which will mark our progress in prayerful preparation during Advent and enable us to enter more fully into the special season of the mystery of the Incarnation and Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you are interested in volunteering your family for a Mass, please call Fr. Steven Bauer at 435-8922 or email him at sbauer@stlukeparish.org. NOVEMBER 15, 2015 Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 5
6 The Turkey Sunday food drive is a well-established tradition here at St. Luke. Because it has been going on for so long, inevitable questions tend to pop up from time to time, such as Why is the food distributed at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Youth Center? In the turbulent 60s, our then-pastor, Fr. John Fahey, followed the lead of Msgr. Jack Egan by establishing a sharing relationship between a suburban parish and a parish in the city. Fr. Fahey initiated the relationship by contacting one of his former students from Mundelein, who was the pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in North Lawndale. The two parishes were not very far apart in distance, but very much separated culturally, economically, and racially. The divide needed to be removed through sharing what we had in common: our Catholic faith, the importance both communities placed on education, and the Gospel call to love our neighbors. Of course, sharing can t take place unless you get to know your neighbors. The relationship has taken many forms over the years, and some have continued today even though Blessed Sacrament Parish has been closed for several years. The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is one of the activities that continued after Blessed Sacrament School closed and eventually the parish merged with St. Agatha. While the purpose of the TAP is to provide scholarships to students so they can go to a Catholic high school, one of its most important aspects is connecting families at St. Luke with the families of the students. The Blessed Sacrament Food Pantry started at the House of Connections in the early 80s with nonperishable food collected here at St. Luke. The House of Connections was created in 1983 by lay members of St. Luke and sisters of the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation in the former Blessed Sacrament convent. The Food Pantry is now located in the basement of The Learning Center, which is in the former Blessed Sacrament rectory. It has become a Chicago Food Depository food pantry, but it still gets its financial WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL 60305-1835 support from St. Luke, along with the non-perishable food and personal care items that our parishioners place in the baskets at the back of church. The Learning Center (TLC) was established as part of the House of Connections. It moved to the rectory, which TLC has leased from the Archdiocese since the parish closed. Its mission is to support adults in their pursuit of an educational path to more confident and effective living by providing basic literacy and pre-ged training and other services to adults from the communities of North Lawndale and Little Village. Through its programs, TLC s students can improve themselves by getting the education needed to get better jobs, to be able to help their children and grandchildren with their homework, and to be able to better function in society today. Finally, the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Youth Center took over the former church building when the parish closed. It serves the youth of the area who need a place after school to be safe and away from the violence and gangs that are endemic in the community. It is the one place big enough on the Blessed Sacrament campus of St. Agatha Parish to bring together kids and adults from the Youth Center with adults, teens, and families from St. Luke to jointly sort all the food collected on Turkey Sunday and then distribute it on the same day. So, that is why the distribution of food takes place at the Youth Center. So just like Turkey Sunday, our sharing with our neighbors in North Lawndale and Little Village served by St. Agatha Parish is a well-established tradition at St. Luke one that we should be proud of now and in the future. ~Tony Graefe, St. Luke Peace and Justice Committee For more information on the Blessed Sacrament Youth Center, please visit their website www.bsyc.org/.
On October 29, the St. Luke Respect Life Committee presented a panel discussion on A Quick and Easy Guide to Planned Parenthood Videos. Mary Hallan-FioRito, an attorney, author, and noted speaker, discussed the current legal interpretation of laws affecting abortion and an overview of the content of the Planned Parenthood videos. She noted that abortion is the profit-generating activity of Planned Parenthood. Dan Proft, a political analyst and talk show co-host, discussed the secular news media coverage and response to the Planned Parenthood videos. The release of the videos has led to a change in the conversation about abortion, which will hopefully lead to cultural changes in the nation s view on life issues. The videos led to Congressional investigations and public awareness that approximately half a billion dollars of federal money goes to Planned Parenthood every year. Bob Gilligan, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois, discussed the legislative and Congressional hearings implication. He stated that there are 13,000 federally qualified health centers which provide the (non-abortion) services that Planned Parenthood claims to provide. About 41% of Planned Parenthood revenue comes from the federal government through Medicaid and other funding. Planned Parenthood is both an abortion provider and a political organization, he added. It donates a great amount of money on pro-abortion political candidates. Attention all lectors, musicians, choir members, petition writers, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, ushers, and sacristans: all parish liturgical ministers are invited to a special Morning of Reflection on Saturday, November 21, from 8:00-11:00 am. This will be a presentation and discussion on the beauty, richness, gift, and significance of serving Christ and the Church during the Sacred Liturgy. We will start with the 8:00 Mass in the church, then move to the Hospitality House for breakfast and the talk and discussions. RSVPs are recommended to make sure we have enough breakfast and coffee for everyone. Please call the rectory at 708-771-8250. Not a liturgical minister but interested in becoming one? Consider this an invitation to help our parish to worship the Lord in and through one of the liturgical ministries! For any questions or for more information about our various ministries, contact Fr. Steven Bauer at 708-435-8922 or sbauer@stlukeparish.org. Please note the following early deadlines for submission of articles due to the Thanksgiving holiday: November 29 bulletin: 9:00 am, Wednesday, Nov. 18 (covers events from November 30-December 6) December 6 bulletin: 9:00 am, Monday, Nov. 23 (covers events from December 7-13) Articles may be dropped off at the parish office or emailed to communications@stlukeparish.org. For more information, call 771-8250. November 15, 2015 Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 7
8 This week is designated as National Bible Week, and is a great invitation for us to incorporate reading the Sacred Scriptures into our daily prayer lives. To help us grow in this way, a number of Bible apps are now available for smart phones and tablets. One of the best, Truth & Life, is endorsed by the Vatican and can be expanded through in-app purchases to include audio play of the whole New Testament, which makes the Scriptures come to life. Also available in the app are connections to the Catholic News Agency, Word on Fire (by Bishop Bob Barron), the Word Made Clear (by Fr. Jim McIlhone), Bible study resources from Jeff Cavins, and more. For more information, look up Truth & Life in your app store or go to www.downloadjesus.com. The better we know the Blessed Mother, the better we will know her Son. The St. Luke Bible Study selection this season is Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother, a Great Adventure Bible Study. Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother is an extraordinary pilgrimage that reveals Mary s unique role in God s Kingdom and in our lives. Filmed on location in the Holy Land, Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother will place you in the midst of the powerful drama of her earthly life, taking you through her joys and her sorrows. You will learn how she works in our lives today, drawing us ever closer to her Divine Son. Seeing Mary in this way will change you forever. Mary will become a part of your daily life, and in your daily life, you will become more like Christ. This eight-week study will meet on Thursdays from 7:00 to 9:00 pm in the Faculty Lounge at St. Luke School beginning November 19, with breaks for the holidays. Cost for the workbook is $30.00. No previous study is required. Please call the rectory at 708-771-8250 or contact Lauretta Froelich at 708-771-0252. WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL 60305-1835 This year s Interfaith Thanksgiving Service will be hosted by St. Giles Parish in Oak Park on Sunday, November 22, at 7:00 pm. It is an annual event that is hosted by one of the congregations belonging to the Oak Park-River Forest Community of Congregations and is open to everyone. The theme of the service will be Sharing Peace in a Broken World. The Community of Congregations is an interfaith organization serving the greater Oak Park - River Forest area with PADS and many other programs. Clergy and other representatives from religious communities throughout Oak Park and River Forest will lead the service in songs and prayers that reflect this area s diversity. The keynote speaker will be Hind Makki, a Leadership Associate at Interfaith Youth Corps. IYC is a Chicago-based organization that sends trainers such as Hind to college campuses nationwide to develop students into models of interfaith cooperation for the rest of society. Refreshments will be served following the hourlong service. Free will offerings will be collected to help support IYC and supply holiday food baskets for families in need. St. Giles Church is located at 1025 Columbian Avenue in Oak Park. Loyola University Medical Center Stritch School of Medicine is offering this workshop on positive ways for coping with the loss of a loved one. Saturday, November 21, 10:00 am 12:30 pm For more information and registration (required), please call Nancy Kiel at 708-216-1646.
Don t miss the fun at St. Luke Religious Ed s You may have noticed some of our St. Luke students wearing buttons that bear a message sow love or sow peace. If so, you will know that they are following our school s theme: THE FRANCIS WAY. These students are making a commitment to live out the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. Their buttons serve as a daily reminder to all of us to be more aware of God s presence around us by not missing the opportunities that God places before us. It is our hope that by learning and living this theme, we will become the St. Luke Community who loves a little more deeply, forgives a little more quickly, and who offers to help others resolve conflicts. Will you join us on THE FRANCIS WAY as we sow God s love and God s peace out into our world? Fall Family Fest Today! Sunday, November 15 11:30 am - 1:30 pm in Waldron Hall Delicious Lunch Games Crafts Cupcake Walk Kids Prizes $500 Grand-Prize Raffle and loads of exciting mini-raffle items! Plus, sports tickets, American Girl Doll, Brown Cow ice cream party, and a weekend at Lake Geneva in our Silent Auction! The Prime Timers Beerfest was a tremendous success! About 30 attendees enjoyed hearing the history, types, and styles of beer last Saturday in the Hospitality House. They had the opportunity to smell the hops and grains used in brewing, win some prizes, and best of all to sample the craft beers. One of the big surprises was to find out how well beer goes with brownies. Father Steven also gave us a sample of his own brew that he had made as a refresher for marathon runners. It turns out that the carbohydrates in beer actually help the body recover from long races. We all learned a great deal from this event! Father Steven Bauer visited the 1st grade recently to explain the Sacrament of Baptism. The students learned all the basics of this sacrament: that Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins, that we are baptized as Jesus was for God, that Baptism makes us a member of the Church, and that we acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. The students then acted out the parts of parents and godparents with an infant doll to see how a baby s Baptism is celebrated. November 15, 2015 Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 9
A post-abortion healing hotline and referral service for women and men. (312) 337-1962 (888) 456-HOPE projectrachelchicago@gmail.com Rev. John Szmyd, Pastor jszmyd@stlukeparish.org 435-8925 Rev. Steven Bauer Associate Pastor sbauer@stlukeparish.org 435-8919 Rev. Leroy Wickowski, (Retired) lwickowski@stlukeparish.org 435-8917 The St. Luke Athletic Committee congratulates the following winners of the 500 Club drawing: Joan and Joseph O Connor Thank you to all who have purchased memberships in the Club, the proceeds of which go directly to fund the school s athletic programs. In the city of Chicago, the following people were killed between October 23-November 5: Malek Taylor, age 31 Dorian D. Smith, age 43 Eric T. Jones, age 23 Kaylyn Pryor, age 20 Tyshawn Lee, age 9 Marlon Spivey, age 24 Jamar Jackson, age 22 May we keep their families and others touched by violence in our prayers. May we also pray for the perpetrators and the impact the violence will have on their lives as well. 24-Hour Crisis Line: 708-386-4225 www.sarahsinn.org Jim Doyle deacondoyle@gmail.com 262-501-1042 Paul Faherty pfaherty00@aol.com 771-5986 Terry Norton reneeterrynorton@gmail.com 771-6635 Bob Slobig bobslobig@comcast.net 771-6430 528 Lathrop Avenue, River Forest 60305-1835 stlukeparish@stlukeparish.org 771-8250 Sue Gamache, Office Manager sgamache@stlukeparish.org 435-8912 519 Ashland Avenue, River Forest 60305-1824 jschwarzbeck@stlukeparish.org 366-8587 Maryanne Polega, Interim Principal mpolega@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 Music Director - Arlene Michna amichna@stlukeparish.org 435-8926 Parish Business Manager - Glenn Wagner gwagner@stlukeparish.org 435-8921 Director of Stewardship & Development - Sheila Price sprice@stlukeparish.org 435-8927 Communications Coordinator - Bradley Collins bcollins@stlukeparish.org 435-8910 Hospitality House (former Convent) 533 Ashland Avenue, River Forest Sr. Mary Ann Mueninghoff, OP 771-5280 Weekend Saturday: 5:00 pm Sunday: 7:30, 9:00, 10:30 am and 12:00 noon Weekdays Monday-Friday: 6:30 and 8:00 am Saturday: 8:00 am 10 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL 60305-1835 Monday-Friday: After 6:30 & 8:00 am Masses Saturday: After 8:00 am Mass And by appointment - Call the rectory to set up a time