"I greet you as the first Pastoral Life Coordinator for your diocese. On behalf of the staff and people of Mary Queen of Heaven, we welcome you! We are so happy for you this day and we are happy for us, too!"
Those words do not sound so elegant to me in the re-telling of this story but they are the words I used to greet Bishop J. Peter Sartain, as one of the official diocesan representatives at his installation Mass on Tuesday afternoon.
I did not have a plan for what I was going to say and I knew that each of us would only have a few moments to speak as we shook his hand. I probably would have only said the first two sentences but then, just before we were invited up into the sanctuary, something happened. The "Rite of Canonical Installation" had begun, with the reading of the Apostolic Mandate. This was the letter from Pope Benedict XVI that appointed Bishop Sartain as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Joliet. It was read by the Most Reverend Pietro Sambi, the Apostolic Nuncio (Vatican representative) to the United States. Bishop Sambi then, together with Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I., escorted Bishop Sartain to his Bishop's chair in the cathedral for the first time. Bishop Sartain was seated and then the entire congregation burst forth with joyful applause. The cathedral was full of people, including many bishops, all of the deacons and priests of our diocese, diocesan officials, and two representatives from every single parish (ours were Randy Styka and Mary White, pictured together with Bishop Sartain and me on the front cover of this bulletin). The new bishop looked so happy. His happiness was contagious and these words of scripture came to mind: "Rejoice with those who rejoice" (Romans 12:15). That is where the third sentence of my greeting came from. I could not help myself; it was so easy to rejoice with his happiness.
The liturgy was beautiful. At our Masses this weekend, we will be using the Prayers of the Faithful from Bishop Sartain's installation celebration. However, at the cathedral, each petition was spoken in a different language, helping everyone present to remember how diverse is our universal Catholic Church. The Mass began with the joyful song, "Jesus Christ You Are Our Life," specially chosen by Bishop Sartain for the occasion. It was a theme that continued throughout the Mass, especially in the first homily he delivered for our diocese.
The Gospel reading for the Mass was John 14: 25-27. It is a selection from the Last Supper discourses with these words of Jesus to his disciples:
I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name - he will teach you everything and remind you of all that [I] told you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
I would like to summarize for you what was our new bishop's first message to his people. Here, from my notes, is a summary of his homily...
The gift of peace is at the center of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is the fullness of life and it recreates all things. God has heard our deepest longings and has healed our hurts. Because of Jesus' gift of peace, we have hope, no matter what life brings.
Our task is to give everything to Him and that is not easy. Only by complete self-surrender can we be empty enough to receive Him. Our hearts awaken to confidence when we awaken to love. This happens when we devote ourselves to prayer. Peace is the fruit of prayer. Jesus wants to be involved in our lives - no, even better - He wants to be our life.
Perhaps at times we feel alone or lost but we are never alone; perhaps we feel afraid but He is with us; perhaps we feel sorrow for our sins but He gives us mercy; perhaps we don't know how to love but Jesus teaches us; perhaps we do not know where we are going but Jesus leads us. Everything begins and everything ends with Jesus.
Perhaps at times when we feel afraid and lost it is because we have not responded to His call to come to Him. If we do, we will experience peace as does a child in its mother's arms. To accept peace means we commit ourselves to moving forward with joy and hope, confident that Jesus is accompanying us, as He always has.
Holiness grows in peace. He, who held nothing back on the cross, is faithful forever.
May we all be open to receive the gift of God's peace and may God richly bless our new bishop.
Mary M. Foley, Pastoral Life Coordinator
A Vocation View There is a great need today to stand up for what we believe in. The Spirit of the Lord is upon you. He has sent you to bring Good News to the poor. Back to School Fair Imagine being a child who goes to school on the first day of class with no supplies. Imagine being a child that has had to leave school because you didn't complete your immunizations or school physical. Some children today don't have to imagine it, they live it. That's why Catholic Charities has coordinated the Back to School Fair in DuPage County for the past fourteen years. The Fair will be held on August 9 at the DuPage County Fairgrounds from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. This free event is open to any DuPage family who lives near or below the poverty level. Several thousand children and their families will receive wide variety of health and human services. Some of the medical services offered include free school physicals, dental and vision screenings and immunizations. Catholic Charities will also give each school-age child a $10 certificate for the exclusive purchase of school supplies. Please consider donating to the Back to School Fair. Your donation will allow Catholic Charities to purchase these school supply gift certificates for distribution at the Fair. Donations may be mailed to Catholic Charities, Back to School Fair, 26 W. St. Charles Road, Lombard, IL 60148. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Are you, or do you know of someone who was, baptized in the Catholic faith, but for various reasons never completed the sacramental preparation by receiving Eucharist and Confirmation? Have you been attending Mass with your Catholic spouse, and have an interest in learning more about the Catholic faith? Do you know someone who is interested in becoming Catholic or someone who has never been baptized? If you can relate to these situations, consider completing your sacramental preparation by looking into the RCIA! Contact Mimi Wolak at 941-3851 or e-mail mimiotvision@hotmail.com to learn more about how you can enrich your spiritual life through full participation in the life of the church through the sacraments. Introduction to the Bible Important Reminder There will be NO Bible Study on July 4 or July 7 due to the Holiday. We will resume our study of Introduction to the bible the week of July 11. Have a fun and safe Independence Day! Effective Choices, Effective Parenting Building Effective Relationships With Our School-Aged Children For parents of children ages 5-12 Tuesday, July 11, 7-9 p.m.. This two-hour workshop helps parents build on their existing strengths in order to win greater cooperation with their elementary-aged children. In addition, it assists them in providing their children with the tools they need to survive and thrive in today's society. Building Effective Relationships With Our Teens For Parents of Children Ages 13-19 Tuesday, July 18, 7-9 p.m.. This two-hour workshop teaches participants practical, usable skills and insights on how to parent effectively during the challenging teen years. All workshops held at Catholic Charities, in Lombard. $20 per person; $25 per couple. Pre-registration required. Instructor: James Gilligan, MSW, LSW For more information, please call-630-710-8226 or e-mail effectiveparenting@sbcglobal.net Religious Education We need your help! The Summer of '06 is in full swing, but before you know it, we will be seeing those "back to school" ads in the newspapers. While enjoying all the wonderful events of Summer, please consider helping in our Religious Education program. Your children, your God, and your parish will be most grateful. At Session One, we need 3 people to help prepare our second graders for the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist. This is such a meaningful year for our little ones. It is also very rewarding for our catechists. Just ask anyone who has helped at that level. We also need 1 person to help in Grade 3 at this session. At Session Two, we have positions open at Grade 1, 3, and 5. In the last session, we need help in Grade 6. The time slots are 3:15 - 4:30, 5:15 - 6:30, and 7:15 - 8:30 p.m., respectively. If you love children and you love your faith, we invite you to join our staff. We will help you with the rest. Our Religious Ed Program is one of the best in the area, which is reflected in our continually growing enrollment. But we cannot do it without you. Please call for more information to see how you can help. We look forward to your call. Registrations are still being taken for 06/07 RE year. If you have not mailed yours in yet, please do so as soon as possible. We appreciate your help in getting that word out to your friends and neighbors as well. If you have any questions or need more information, please call Mary Ann Woods at the REO, 832-8962 50th Anniversary Committee Update Paddle Wheel Riverboat Rides on the Fox River The first ride will take place on Saturday, July 15, from 6-8 p.m., and will be for adults only. The second ride will take place on Sunday, July 16, from 4-6 p.m. and will be for adults and children. The cruises will leave from Pottawatomie Park and last for two hours. During the cruise you will be served a buffet luncheon or dinner which will include Southern Pan-fried Chicken, Potato Salad, Hot Baked Beans, Cole Slaw, Rolls & Butter, Pickles & Olives, Cake & Ice Cream and Coffee or Lemonade. Beer, wine and pop can be brought onto the boats. Ice and glasses will be provided. Aside from the beautiful scenery, music will be provided during the cruise. Parking is available for those taking the cruise. Tickets will be available for purchase this weekend after Masses. Adult Tickets: $25 per person; Seniors & Children's Tickets: $20 per person. (Children ages 2 and under are free). Each boat will accommodate 100 people so the sooner you purchase a ticket, the better! The next meeting of the 50th Anniversary Committee will be held on Wednesday, July 5, in Barrett Hall. We are looking for as many volunteers as possible to help in many areas. Anyone interested in helping with the "Homecoming Weekend" (Dinner/Picnic) on September 16 & 17, or the Auction/Dinner Dance, November 3, please contact Sheila Reiter at 833-6657. Prayer Requests To pray for our sick is an important privilege of our parish family. We hope that you will pray for these persons every day, alone or as a family. Natalie Baker Pam Bondfide Heather Brennan Kathy Brennan Kathleen Bryers Doresa Brugler Pat Caffarelli Rose Caffarelli KathyCalzante Cosmore Ciancio Dennis Ciancio Paul Cirone Cynthia Catalano Family Margaret Conroy Ida Corriedo Trudi Dolato Baby Dobrowolski Virginia Feret Modesta Goggins Mary Hagerty Anna Heffel Jen Huwalt Tom Huwalt Pat Holmes Michelle Humann Maureen James Kathy Johnston Irene Kmieciak Bernadette Kohn Tim Kowalski Baby Emma Lynde Rovert Manion Raymond Mitchell Bobbi Nannini Phyllis O'Donnell Geri Pstrzoch Baby Faith Reid Bob Restivo Joaquina Scroppo Jess Smith Ted Vecchio Cathy Ward If you or a family member would like to be included in our prayers, please call the rectory at 279-5700. Also, please let us know when a name should be removed. FYI: So you are aware, we are in the RE office during the summer. If you need to contact us for any reason, please feel free to call and leave a message - 832-8962. Mother McAuley Golf Outing The Saint Xavier Academy/Mother McAuley Alumnae Association will host its annual golf outing Putt & Party on Friday, July 21, at Stony Creek Golf Course in Oak Lawn. All net proceeds will go toward financial assistance for students. Golf starts at 1:00 p.m. followed by a buffet and raffle at 5:30 p.m. A fee of $65 covers both golf and buffet, and for non- golfers its $25 for the buffet. Contact the Alumnae Office at 733-881-6565 or go online at www.mothermcauley.org. Marriage Ministry 10 Great Dates Mary Queen of Heaven's Marriage Ministry is introducing the Great Dates Program this Fall, and you are invited to make 10 dates with your spouse next year. Here is how it works: you and your spouse agree to go out on 10 dates next year on the second Saturday of every month from September 9 through June 9, 2006. For $10 you get a copy of 10 Great Dates to Energize Your Marriage. Each chapter focuses on an important aspect of marriage with some reflection questions. The date begins with a brief gathering at the parish for fellowship and to quickly review the material in the chapter for that date. Then you simply go off to your favorite restaurant, park, hiking trail, coffee shop, etc. and enjoy each other's company and conversation! The date may only last a few hours, but the results will hopefully last a lifetime. The official sign up weekend will be in August. However, if you would like more information, please call Donald and Ellen Walker at 630-279-4021. DuPage Emergency Shelter - Bicycles Catholic Charities operates a 24-hour year-round emergency shelter and program in Villa Park which serves individuals and families who are situationally homeless. During the program the individuals and families work to regain self-sufficiency and their independence. Do you have a working adult bicycle which you no longer use? The Shelter is in great need of bicycles which our clients can use to go to appointments and apply for employment. Please call Yvonne Morrongiello at 630-941-8681 if you can donate an adult bicycle. Lighter Fare for Summer Wear Sign up for Lands of the Bible Have you ever wondered about the intriguing places referred to in the bible? Do you know where Bethany or Cana is? Do they even exist today? These and other interesting facts will be covered in the next Bible Study, Lands of the Bible. This program is designed to help us understand the bible in terms of where events occurred, how far people of the scriptures actually traveled, and where certain ministries took place. Just as Introduction to the Bible was, Lands of the Bible is a weekly video presentation with small group discussion, a prayer service, and minimal personal preparation. Our first meeting will be on Tuesday, August 8, and we will meet each week through September 26. Sign-up will be next weekend, July 8/9. Participant books will be on sale for $5 at that time (please see Mary Foley if you are in need of a "scholarship"). For more information, please contact Lynn Suwanski (630- 530-2523) or Alex and Marie Grozik (630-530-0503). Lands of the Bible - coming Are You a Bible Study Leader in your Heart?? "Come follow Me" Allow the Word of God to Form You as a Disciple of Jesus - We are planning to continue with some lighter study during the spring-summer and we invite you to join us in becoming a facilitator for the second of these Tuesday study groups: Lands of the Bible. Studies will begin Tuesday, August 8, and run Tuesdays, through the week of Sept 25. Very little training is needed. We will be working as one large team. There will be one training on Saturday, July 15, at 9:00 a.m. in Barrett Hall. The more leaders we have, the more groups we can breakout. The study evenings will have pre-planned prayer, video, and breakout discussion. Each session will last 1 hour, and we are vacation- friendly. Just be sure to come back to us refreshed. Please call Lynn Suwanski at 630-530-2523 (evenings).