Dear Friends and Family of Mary Queen of Heaven Church,
A blessed and happy Christmas to you!
I would like to extend a special welcome to all of those who are visiting with us over this weekend, especially those who have been away from church for some time. Our parish is happy to have you with us. We hope that you found your spirit lifted by our beautiful liturgy and music, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. We invite you to consider making Mary Queen of Heaven your parish home. You will find here a family that is committed to following Jesus, learning from each other as we journey together, growing in wisdom through hearing the Word of God and growing in grace through the sacramental life of the church. We are an unusual parish community, not only because we are the first parish in the Diocese of Joliet to be headed by a Pastoral Life Coordinator, but because of the strong sense of family that exists here. No church, no parish, no family is ever perfect. Yet here, you will find people who give generously of themselves and care for one another, as together, we continue to grow in faith. This is an active parish community filled with people of all ages, one having many different ministries and a large religious education program for children. Every person who is here is a gift from God. We hope that you will consider becoming a regular worshipping member of our parish. There is someone, something, some desire that brought you here today. Trust that God is working in your life and respond to whatever tug you are feeling. Come back to church if you have been away, whether to Mary Queen of Heaven or to some other parish. You are loved.
This is a time for new beginnings for us all. We are reminded this weekend that the One who came to save us came as a brand new, little infant. From that which was small, meek, and mild, came the strength of ages. In Jesus, we find the pattern of our lives. We are all children of God, called to live as he did, growing in understanding of our call to be self-sacrificing people of love for one another. No matter what point we are at in our own faith journey, Christmas reminds us that God loves us as we are, frail human beings who are so beautiful in God's sight that God chose to become one like us, that we might know the fullness of God's love. During this season of new beginnings, let us become more aware of God with us, of the divine beauty enfleshed in Jesus, in us, in one another. May our God, who came to us as a sweet child, make us ever more aware of the gift of the life entrusted to us, help us to love one another, and to become strong disciples in faith.
May you, our parish family, and all of the families of this world know the love and peace of God this Christmas. Let us begin again, in this time of new beginnings, to become who God calls us to be. God is with us. Celebrate the good news with joy!
Mary Foley, Pastoral Life Coordinator
Record of Contributions If you would like to receive a record of your 2004 financial contributions, please call the parish office at 279- 5700. Any 2004 contributions must be received no later than January 16th with the check dated no later than December 31, 2004. Please mark your contribution envelope clearly as "Christmas" or "2004." These donations can then be included in our 2004 records. Thank you for your help. Diocese of Joliet Peace & Justice Ministry Catholic Construction Corps Mission to the Navajo Reservation Let your homeowner skills help others. Information Nights: Tuesday, January 11 or Thursday, January 20 7:30 p.m. at the St. Charles Pastoral Center in Romeoville This 4th annual mission to the Navajo Reservation. is planned for June 4-8, 2005 to repair homes for the poor of the Navajo Reservation and assist St. Michael's Indian School in Arizona. This construction mission needs skilled and semi-skilled workers in carpentry, plumbing, and electrical, as well as men and women who are willing to learn a variety of construction tasks. Opportunities to meet the people and to learn the local culture are part of this mission. For more information contact: Art Sheridan, Missions Coordinator, at 815-834-4072 (asheridan@dioceseofjoliet.org); in the evenings call either Deacon Tom Goebel (630-782-9577) or Deacon Larry Lissak (630-629-9234). "... God never comes alone. He always arrives accompanied by his friends: the hungry, the naked, the homeless, and the helpless." John Kirvan Year 2005 Men's Group Events Mark your calendars for the following: Sunday, February 6 Super Bowl Party in Barrett Hall Saturday, March 19 St. Patrick's Day Party in Barrett Hall Monday, April 4 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Game in Barrett Hall Are you uncomfortable leaving your older family member at home alone? Is your loved one increasingly forgetful? Is your older relative unable to enjoy activities that were once routine, but still needs social interaction? Are you a caregiver in need of respite? The Interfaith Adult Day Center of Addison, an accredited program of Catholic Charities-Diocese of Joliet, in collaboration with Alexian Brothers Hospital, has openings available in their adult care center. This program is open to any older adult with physical or cognitive limitations, including Alzheimer's and Dementia. Services offered through this program are specifically designed to meet the physical, cognitive, social, and spiritual needs of our older adults. These services include recreational therapy, light physical and cognitive exercises, special programs and events, supervision and administration of medication, hot meals and two daily snacks, but most importantly our services assist with keeping the individual as independent as possible. To tour the center or for more information, contact Nancy Zakosek, R.N., Program Director at 630-543-9653. Benedictine University offers Free Nutrition Counseling for Area Seniors Healthy Table, a service of the Nutrition Department at Benedictine University, provides free nutrition counseling and education to seniors age 60 and older, persons on Medicare or Medicaid and those participating in public food assistance programs. Nutrition counseling is designed to meet individual needs. Healthy Table can help people learn why certain foods may help improve these conditions: diabetes, high blood pressure, weight management problems, high cholesterol, anemia, osteoporosis, and bowel trouble. Healthy Table hours are: Mondays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Wednesdays from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturdays from 9:00 am. to 1:00 p.m. Appointments can be scheduled at other times. Interested individuals should call Julie Ann Behluli at 630-829-6518, for information or an appointment. L.O.S.S. Support Group (Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide) Through the collaboration of Catholic Charities (the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Diocese of Joliet), support groups are in place for anyone who has lost a relative or friend to suicide. A trained facilitator and a mental health professional assist these groups. The groups meet from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The next meeting dates are as follows: Jan. 4 Catholic Charities Office 270 N Schuyler Avenue in Kankakee Jan. 19 St. Paul the Apostle Activity Center 130 Woodlawn in Joliet For further information, please call the L.O.S.S. Program Center at 312-655-7283. Diocesan News Parish News "Gather Books" You may have noticed that our "Gather Books" are becoming tattered looking and many of them have been lost. A new edition is now available . The cost for each hardcover book, engraved with our parish name, is $15. Replacing our books would be quite an expense to the parish, so we thought perhaps our parishioners would like to donate a book. Every book donated will have a donor bookplate with the words, "Gift of" and your family name. These books are an important part of our liturgies. We hope to provide four "Gather Books" for each pew. There are forms available in the church vestibule.. Please return the form with your check made out to Mary Queen of Heaven. Thank you for your generous contributions to our thriving parish. Parish Bulletin Deadline Due to the Holiday Schedule, the publisher has given us an early date for some of the parish bulletins. Items for the January 2 bulletin must be in the parish office by Monday, December 27, at 11 a.m.. We appreciate your effort and cooperation. Christian Education Commission RE Sponsors Blood Drive On Sunday, January 23, the 8th graders in Mary Queen's Religious Education program will host a blood drive for the American Red Cross. Donations are sought from healthy individuals ages 17 and older (16 with parental consent) with all blood types and who have not donated blood for the previous 56 days. If you are a regular donor, please note that November 27 is the last day you can donate blood and still be eligible to donate at MQH's drive on January 23. If you have a choice as to when to donate, we'd appreciate your support. A table to take appointments will be set up after Masses the weekends of January 8/9 and January 15/16. You can also schedule an appointment by calling Julie McGovern at 834-1237 or email jmcgovern@jwriter.net. There will be no RE Classes on Wednesday, December 29. Classes will resume at the regular times on Wednesday, January 5. Religious Education News On behalf of the entire RE staff, we extend wishes for a happy and peace-filled Christmas Season. For more information on any of the above, please call Mary Ann Woods at the REO, 832-8962. MQH Help Opportunities For Parishioners Parishioners may submit ads to appear in the bulletin to MQHBulletin@aol.com for approval by the Pastoral Life Coordinator. No ads will be accepted for real estate or by those offering child care services (although those looking for child care providers may place an ad and screen candidates themselves). The parish accepts no responsibility for goods or services offered. The ads are a free service to parishioners. * Wanted: Used lateral files for MQH parish office. Please call 279-5700 and speak to Sr. Marlene. * Physician looking for an Office Manager for 2-physician practice, 2 office sites in Elmhurst Hospital area. Call Lynn Suwanski for more information. Call at work 630-833-8200 X73714, or home 630-530-2523, and be able to provide a resume * Elmhurst dental office seeking reliable dental assistant part time. Willing to train the right person. Every other Tuesday, Wednesdays and Fridays. If you are interested call Kathleen Gusloff at 941-8398. Christian Service Commission Yoga Class at Mary Queen Yoga starts in January on Wednesdays from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. $4/Class for each person; $6/Class for a family Call Debbie Styka at 941-7224 if interested. All monies will be donated to the parish. Christmas "Thank You" Thank you to all the wonderful parishioners who donated food and gave monetary donations for the Food Baskets, and to all who purchased gifts for those on our "Giving Tree" for Christmas. Because of your generosity, we were able to take care of 30 families and over 100 individuals in the Elmhurst Extended Care Nursing Home. Thank you also to our Religious Education catechists and families, and "Faith Connection" Small Faith Group who took care of entire families for Christmas. A special thank you to the Religious Education students who helped make the gift tags for our "Giving Tree," and all those who; helped sort the food and gifts for distribution. Because of you, many people will enjoy a "Merry" Christmas. Christian Service Commission Health Committee Exercise For All Ages! Just in time for those New Year resolutions! The Health Committee is sponsoring an evening on "Exercise For All Ages," on Tuesday, January 11, at 7:30 p.m. in Barrett Hall. We will have a professional trainer as our guest speaker, along with representatives of our Health Committee. Get a program of exercise going for next year! Reserve the date and come one, come all! Christian Worship Commission New Year Schedules Masses Friday, December 31 5:00 p.m. - New Year's Eve Saturday, January 1, 2005 9:00 a.m. - Mary, Mother of God/ World Day of Prayer for Peace 5:00 p.m. Mass-Vigil for Epiphany of Our Lord 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. Thank you. Pam Bondfide Kathleen Bryers Rose Caffarelli Kathy Calzante Jenie Colletti Jeannette Elderkin Dan Focht Paul Francetic Anna Heffel Jen Huwalt Tom Huwalt Pat Holmes Maureen James Tom Janicke Irene Kmieciak Baby Emma Ann Lynde Nancy Maloney Robert Manion Bobbi Nannini Michaelene Parrilli Carol Yesko 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. Community News THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES IS COMING! "When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting." Acts 2:1-2 Was it a tornado, a hurricane? Find out when Bible study groups study the Acts of the Apostles starting the week of April 3, 2005, after Easter. The Acts of the Apostles has been selected for the first ten-week session. The Adult Education and Spirituality Committee is coordinating the program and has selected the Little Rock Scripture Study program, the most widely used Catholic Bible study in the United States. Every participant will have a Bible commentary booklet and reflection guide for each session and small groups will meet weekly for prayer, discussion and a video component. Morning, afternoon, and evening Bible study groups will be formed at the parish. Our Bible study groups will be open to friends and neighbors. Sign- up will be in March 2005. In the meantime, facilitators and co-facilitators are needed. Facilitator training consists of four 2-hour sessions in February 2005. We are beginning to look for facilitators now. No special background is necessary. Facilitators are provided with training and leadership materials. If you are interested in becoming a facilitator, please contact Lynn Suwanski at 630-530- 2523 or the Parish office at 630-279-5700. A Vocation View Families are where kindness, humility, patience and thanksgiving are lived and celebrated. People cannot truly teach these qualities unless they have experienced them. A Journey Through the Criminal Justice Minefield An "eye-opening" experience of the dysfunction of the criminal justice system through personal stories of those impacted by it. Times and Locations: Sat., February 5 St. Daniel the Prophet, Wheaton Sat., April 2 St. Charles Pastoral Center, Romeoville Presentations run from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. A $15 donation is requested. For more information visit www.paxjoliet.org, or email Joyce Ruhaak at joyceru@dioceseofjoliet.org, or phone 815-834-4036 Sponsored by Diocese of Joliet Peace & Justice Ministry and made possible by the support of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development Education Fund. Diocesan News Liturgy Committee New Parish Peace Shrine On January 1, the Church recognizes the World Day of Prayer for Peace. Our Liturgy Committee has selected this day to establish our new Peace Shrine, which will be installed in the back of church next to the Risen Christ, who died so that we all might be saved and have everlasting peace. Our Peace Shrine will be dedicated at the end of 5 pm Mass that day. The shrine will be flanked by the flag of our country and a world peace flag. There will be room for placement of pictures of peacemakers or those who have served to establish peace on earth. Our American flag now in the sanctuary space will be moved to this shrine, also fulfilling the recommendations of U.S. Bishops that flags not be placed in the sanctuary space which is reserved for the altar, the ambo, the presidential chair, and the tabernacle. The bishops recommend that the flag "be placed outside the sanctuary, or in the vestibule of the Church together with a book of prayer requests." Our flag will be moved to our new Peace Shrine, at which we will also provide a book of remembrance, requesting prayers for peace and for loved ones - especially those who work for peace and those serving their country in the armed forces - as a way of keeping before the attention of the faithful the needs of military families at the same time that we pray for peace in our community, our nation, and our world. We would like to extend a special invitation to all veterans of the parish to participate in a special procession of honor at the 5 pm Mass on January 1. At the end of Mass, all veterans will be called forward to participate in this procession, when the American flag will be carried to flank our new Peace Shrine in a special ceremony of dedication.