Mary Queen of Heaven Catholic Church
426 N. West Avenue
Elmhurst, Illinois 60126-2171
Parish Office: 630/279-5700
Fax: 630/279-4667
August Celebrations
We welcome into the Mary Queen of Heaven Parish Family the
following who were baptized in August:
Caroline Penelope Kendell
Dylan Thomas Kessell
Clare Elizabeth Piechaczek
Lily Ann Piechaczek
Peter Michael Russo
WE BELIEVE IN ONE GOD who is the creator and sustainer of
everything in our lives. We respond to God by freely seeking the
divine presence in all aspects of our lives. This response is
known as "faith." We experience this divine presence in three
distinct, yet unifying, ways - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The
Church believes in a final destiny for all individuals. We are
given the freedom to choose absolute good (God/heaven) or the
radical emptiness of not possessing God (hell).
We are A FAITH COMMUNITY OF SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION. Our roots
begin in the Jewish tradition. The Second Vatican Council
describes sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture as being "like a
mirror, in which the Church, during its pilgrim journey here on
earth, contemplates God." Scripture may be referred to as the
speech of God and Tradition is the handing on of God's Word.
CHURCH TEACHINGS are faithful interpretations/verbal expressions
of what God has revealed to us about our relationship with God.
They agree with sacred Scripture and help bring us closer to
Jesus Christ. The primary teachings are the Holy Trinity
(Father, Son, Spirit); Incarnation (God becoming human - Jesus);
Grace (God's free gift of spiritual life within us); and a
personal invitation to lead holy lives (Sacramental Life).
The THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES are faith, hope, and love.
The SACRAMENTS of the Church are Baptism, Eucharist,
confirmation, Reconciliation, Anointing of the sick, Marriage,
and Holy Orders.
The GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT are permanent qualities that help
people stay in relationship with God and other people. They are
wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and
fear of the Lord.
The CORPORAL (MATERIAL) WORKS OF MERCY are to feed the hungry,
give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the
imprisoned, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, and bury the
dead.
The SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY are to admonish the sinner, instruct
the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, comfort the sorrowful, bear
wrongs patiently, forgive all injuries, and pray for the living
and the dead.
GOD'S TWO GREATEST COMMANDMENTS are "You shall love the Lord,
your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all
your mind," and, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
The TEN COMMANDMENTS given to Abraham's people through Moses are:
* You shall honor no other God but me.
* You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
* Remember to keep holy the Sabbath.
* Honor your father and your mother.
* You shall not kill.
* You shall not commit adultery.
* You shall not steal.
* You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
* You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
* You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.
LITURGY is a word that means "work of the people". Public
worship is essential to being Christian and requires the active
participation of all people and not just the clergy. The Church
celebrates the memory of our redemption by Jesus Christ on
various appointed days of the year. The LITURGICAL SEASONS are
Advent, Christmastide, Lent, Eastertide, and Ordinary Time (from
the word ordinal, meaning the counting of days.)
HOLY DAYS are special feasts that place the expectation of
worship on all Catholic Christians who have reached the age of
reason. In the United States these days are: all Sundays;
January 1 - Mary, the Mother of God; August 15 - Mary's
Assumption; November 1 - All Saint's Day; December 8 - Mary's
Immaculate Conception; and December 25 - Christmas.
The COMMUNION OF SAINTS refers to the unity that exists between
the baptized people of God on earth and those who have already
lived and died. It is a celebration of our ancestors and our
belief in a saving God.
The APOSTLE'S CREED:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and
earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He
was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the
Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,
died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third
day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the
right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living
and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic
Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the
resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
A Vocation View
Thank God our struggles of faith
can be ultimately overcome through prayer,
perseverance and love.
'Do what the word tells you.' Be doers of the word.
Have You Lost a Loved One
to Suicide?
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Joliet offers a
program called L.O.S.S. (Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide)
in order to help those grieving a death by suicide of a family
member or close friend. A group for the newly bereaved and/or new
members will meet for 10 weeks, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., beginning
September 28 and following every Thursday night through January
11.
The group will meet at St. Francis of Assisi, 1501 W.
Boughton Road in Bolingbrook. To register, or for more
information, call 800-240-7011 before September 25. A minimum of
10 people are needed to convene the group.
"Out of Poverty" Program
Catholic Charities plans to hold an "Out of Poverty"
program in September in an effort to prevent homelessness and
improve people's lives. There are no explicit criteria for
attendance other than individuals who find themselves in need of
assistance in moving out of poverty. The program helps the
participants to take control of their goals, time, and money for
a prosperous and self-sufficient future. The program is for 10
weeks, once a week, and is free.
The classes will be held in our office at 26 W. St. Charles
Road, Lombard, on Mondays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will
start on Monday, September 18.
Please call Dennis Haffron at 630-495-8008, ext. 45 with
any questions and to be included on a list for the next class.
CNS Home Health & Hospice
CNS Hospice is seeking men and women who are flexible,
compassionate and non-judgmental for their volunteer Training
Program. Hospice volunteers provide companionship and practical
assistance to people in the community who are terminally ill. No
special skills or medical background is required.
The hospice training will be held at the CNS office located
at 690 E. North Ave. in Carol Stream on two consecutive
Saturdays, September 30 and October 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on
both days. Lunch will be provided. There is a $25 fee for the
training, however scholarships are available.
Applications must be received by September 21. Additional
volunteer opportunities are available. For more information call
Kathleen Sanford, Supervisor of Volunteers, at 630-933-7830.
50th Anniversary Parish
Picnic Celebration
You and your family are cordially invited to attend Mary
Queen of Heaven's 50th Anniversary Parish Picnic on Sunday,
September 17, 2006. Rain or shine, the picnic will be held on
the parish grounds from 12:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Many plans have
been made to provide food, fun and entertainment for both adults
and children of all ages.
As in previous years, a huge tent with sides will be
available in case of rain. Families can bring their own food or
purchase tickets for an "All-You-Can-Eat Buffet." Tickets will
be available for the Buffet this weekend after all the Masses.
Adults $9.00 each; Kids $6.00 each. Buffet tickets must be
purchased by September 14th. Popcorn, cotton candy, soda and
bottled water will be available for purchase. Activities for the
family will include, face painting, moon jumps, a slide, egg
toss, Limbo contest, balloon toss, volleyball, fire truck, disk
jockey, Bingo and a Dessert Bake-Off Contest.
The Dessert Bake-Off Contest was a big hit last year so we
are planning another one for our Picnic Celebration on Sept. 17.
Get your favorite Dessert Recipes out and pick the one you wish
to enter in the contest. Those who are entering a Dessert for
the Contest should deliver their Sample Dessert to the School
Social Hall by 12:30 p.m., as judging will take place at 1:00
p.m.
Special features will be the availability of our 50th
Anniversary Cookbook and Spirit Clothing. Sounds like lots of
fun, so be sure to plan on attending and spending a wonderful
afternoon enjoying conversations and participation in the various
activities with parishioners and alumni of our parish.
For more information or to volunteer to help, please call
Bob Glick (833-5725), Ed Hayes (279-5325), or Sheila Reiter (833-
6657).
Religious Education News
God's calling...............you are needed as a catechist!
Catechist meetings are underway. Unfortunately we still
need a few catechists. HELP us fill our remaining catechist
positions. We pray that we will not have to delay our first
class session for some children on September 20th because good
people like yourself (you know who you are) have not come
forward. However, if these slots are not filled that is what we
will have to do.
Please consider joining our team of dedicated men and women
just like yourself who weekly share their Faith with the young
people of the parish. Help our children to get to know our God.
All sessions meet on Wednesdays. If you can help, please call the
REO today.
Help keep our children safe on Wednesday afternoons.
We are in dire need of help with traffic control on
Wednesdays. The parking lot is very congested on Wednesdays,
particularly the first session with folks picking up Emerson
children, Emerson children walking over to our school building,
and people from schools other than Emerson dropping off children
for RE. It would take only 15-20 minutes of your time weekly.
But the service that you would be providing our little ones could
last a lifetime. If you always wanted to help in the RE program,
but the classroom is just not your thing, then this may be where
you are called. Know that if your children are not registered at
the first session, we can use help monitoring traffic at all
three sessions. We are waiting for your call.
Have you registered yet?
Registrations are still being taken in the REO for the coming
year. Our opening event is September 13th. Remember that we do
not process registrations the week of September 20th. If you want
your children to start on the first day of class, register now.
Pass the word to your friends and neighbors.
For more info on any of the above, please call Mary Ann Woods at
the REO, 832-8962.
Lands of the Bible
Week 5 Synopsis
The towns and places associated with the conception,
infancy, and childhood of Jesus will be described in Week 5.
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.
Natalie Baker Pam Bondfide
Heather Brennan Kathleen Bryers
Doresa Brugler Pat Caffarelli
Rose Caffarelli Kathy Calzante
Cosmore Ciancio Dennis Ciancio
Paul Cirone Margaret Conroy
Cynthia Catalano Family 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
Robert Manion Dennis McCabe
Raymond Mitchell Fred Moss
Bobbi Nannini Geri Pstrzoch
Baby Faith Reid Robert Restivo
Joaquina Scroppo Jess Smith
Mary Spierowski Rachael Thompson
Cathy Ward
Rest in Peace
Patricia Sherlock
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.
The following are those grade levels where help is still
needed:
Note that there are some changes in our needs.
Session 1 - 3:15 Grade Two - 2 people needed
Grade Two is the year we prepare our children for Reconciliation
and First Communion. One of the two classes that meet at 3:15
will not be able to start on time if we do not get your help.
Session 2 - 5:15 Grade Five - 1 person
Grade Seven - 2 people There will be no grade 7
offered at 5:15 unless catechists come forward.
Diocesan Disaster Recovery
Mission Trips
One of these mission trips may change your life. You will
find that reaching out to those in need will change your
perspective.
Our diocese has reserved 4 separate weeks this fall for our
Diocesan Disaster Recovery Mission trips. Our diocese can send 8
people to each of these locations:
1. Week Sept 25 - 29 (M-F) at Pass Christian, MS.
The group will leave Sept 23/24 and return Sept
30/Oct 1.
2. Week Oct 9 - 13 (M-F) at Point Aux Chenes, LA.
The group will leave Oct 7/8 and return Oct 14/15.
3. Week Oct 23 - 27 (M-F) at Point Aux Chenes, LA.
The group will leave Oct 21/22 and return Oct 28/29.
4. Week Nov 13 - 17 (M-F) at Bayou La Batre, AL.
The group will leave Nov 11/12 and return Nov 18/19. This
is the mission destination that Rosalie and I volunteered
for Jan. 9 to Jan. 13, 2006. It was a GREAT experience for
both of us. If you would like to discuss going on a mission
trip, PLEASE feel free to contact us (Rosalie & Milt Honel)
at 279-7086.
If you are interested in participating in any of these
recovery missions, please call the Peace and Justice Office at 1-
815-834-4028. Peace and God Bless
Diocesan News
Immigrant Worker Justice Walk
The Joliet Diocese Peace & Justice Office along with Pax
Christi Illinois and many other immigration rights, labor and
religious organizations are endorsing a Labor Day Weekend walk
calling for fair and humane immigration reform. The walk will
start with a rally on Friday, September 1, at 12:30 p.m. at
Chinatown in Chicago (corner of Archer & Wentworth) and will end
with a rally at the offices of Speaker Dennis Hastert's office in
Batavia (27 N. River St.) at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, September 4.
For information about how you can help the walk contact the
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights at
www.icirr.org or call 312-332-7360.
A Fresh Start:
Peer Support Ministry for those experiencing Separation
or Divorce
Monday, September 18, at 7:15 p.m.
At Immaculate Conception Parish,
134 Arthur Street, Elmhurst
All are welcome.
For more information, please call 630-530-5262.
Elmhurst Knights of Columbus
(Father McDonald Council)
The following Knights were elected for the fiscal year July
1, 2006 to June 30, 2007.
Grand Knight: Harry Barrett, (Immaculate. Conception)
Deputy Grand Knight: Michael R. Spencer,
(St. Alexander)
Chancellor: Joel Burnstein (Mary, Queen of Heaven)
Warden: Tom Gallivan (Visitation)
Inside Guard: Terry Walden (Visitation)
Outside Guard: Ed Bohr (Visitation)
Trustees: Tony Castellano, James Powers, and
Brian Winkel (Visitation)
Recorder: Ken Sutkus (Mary Queen of Heaven)
Sev Delabar continues in the appointed position of
Financial Secretary (Visitation)
If you wish to know about the Knights of Columbus in
Elmhurst (and worldwide), please feel free to call Joel Bernstein
at 279-7252.
Marriage Ministry Presents:
10 great Dates!
We are introducing the Great Dates Program this fall and we
are inviting you to make 10 dates with your spouse this year.
Sign up will be on the weekend of September 9 after all masses.
The cost will be $11.00 per couple which covers the cost of the
companion text.
We meet for our first date on Saturday, October 14, in
Barrett Hall at 6:30 p.m. and will meet every 2nd Saturday of the
month for the next 9 months. 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
our favorite restaurant, coffee shop, park, hiking trail, etc.,
and enjoy each others company and conversations.
This is a time to renew and enrich your marriage. It is
designed for all couples in all stages of marriage. Your
marriage is one of the most important relationships that a couple
shares and this program will enhance our commitment, intimacy and
spirituality. Come and join us.
More information and sign up sheets are available in the
vestibule of the church, or call Don and Ellen Walker at 630-279-
4021.
Enrich your Relationship
with Our Lord
Sign up for Eucharistic Adoration for Monday, September 11,
9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
We would like to have more permanent Adorers. If you are
interested or have any questions please call Kay Diggins at 630-
530-7124 or Renee Bladek at 630-832-1812.
Christian Worship Commission
MQH Council of Catholic Women
Mary Queen of Heaven Council of Catholic Women will hold
its first meeting of the new year on Tuesday, September 5, at
7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the home of Mary Connelly,
265 West Adams.
This will be a planning meeting to discuss ideas or
suggestions for events for the coming year. All are invited to
come. If you have ideas or suggestions to share but cannot
attend the meeting, Mary would like to hear about them by
telephone.
Please call Mary Connelly at 630-782-7626 and let her know
if you plan attend or to give her your ideas.
Community News
The Infancy Narratives
"Come follow Me" - Allow the Word of God to Form You as a
Disciple of Jesus.
Are You a Bible Study Leader in Your Heart?
The four Bible Study programs within the past year have been
very successful and faith-enriching for all the participants and the
facilitators as well. We are planning to continue this fall and
would like to invite you to join us in becoming a facilitator for
our study of The Infancy Narratives. These are the Old and New
Testament accounts of the hope for the Messiah and the birth of
Jesus. Studies begin the week of October 23 through the week of
November 13. Training meetings will be held four consecutive
Saturdays, September 23 & 30, and October 7 & 14 at 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Our final leader training will be after the 10:30 Mass on Sunday,
October 22.
In these training sessions, we will learn and practice the
methods for the 11/2 hour Scripture Study. Topics discussed will be
conversatioinal prayer, gorup dynamics, being aware of different
personalities within a group and many others. Everything you need
to be an effective facilitator willb e provided for you. All you
need to provide is a willingness to study and learn with some fellow
parishioners. If you think this is an area in which you could serve
and learn more about Scriptuer at the same time, please call Lynn
Suwanski at 630-530-2523 (evenings).
Knowing the basics!
Little reminders about our Catholic Christian faith to
share with the family.
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