Holy Families
This week, we are still living in the midst of Christmas celebrations: Christmas Day, Feast of the Holy Family, Epiphany, the Baptism of the Lord. As I write to you, living in the midst of Christmas has added meaning. I am writing from my laptop computer while riding in a four-wheel drive family caravan on the way from San Francisco to the snowy mountains of Lake Tahoe. This short mid-week trip is our fourth annual joint family Christmas celebration. Some of my kids live in California, which is also home to my oldest son's wife's family. Even though Eric and Jessica have only been married for one year, already for four years now, our two families have made this trip to celebrate Christmas together.
Every year, this family configuration has taken on new dimensions. Bryan, my third son, brought his girlfriend with him the year before she died. For the last two years, my second son's girlfriend has been with us. This year, my fourth son's girlfriend is here with us. Perhaps planning on announcing an engagement, Sean and Lanier bought a plane ticket so that her mother could also travel from Georgia to be with us this week. I just met her this morning for the first time.
Whose family is this? I must admit, I used to think of this as my family gathering, with others joining us. We can all have this kind of tribal tendency, to think in terms of my family, my ethnic group, my parish. There can be moments of awakening, when we realize that we have set our boundaries too tightly. I had one of those moments a few minutes ago, when I asked my son Eric (who is driver #3 in this caravan) exactly how many years we had been doing this. He asked me if I meant how many years had I been coming or did I mean to count the first year when Jessica's family had invited him to join them? This was never my family gathering to begin with!
What is family? I remember seeing a report on television last week about families who were creating themselves in Thailand - women who had just been widowed together with children who had just been orphaned. Right before leaving for this trip, I attended the baptism of a child adopted by a close friend of mine. My friend is Anglo; her son is African-American. What makes a family is not so much a matter of blood relation, or who was there first, or who looks or thinks or acts like us. What makes a family are people who open themselves to loving one another. All of our Christmas stories are about this. In today's second reading, Peter comes to understand that everyone is welcome into God's family. In the Gospel, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist to bond with his disciples and they came to know him as the Son of God. Last Sunday, on the feast of the Epiphany, the magi, representing God's people in all its diversity, chose to become part of the life of Jesus rather than to go back to Herod. The weekend before that, with the celebrations of Christmas Day and the feast of the Holy Family, we touched the heart of the Christmas story. Mary and Joseph committed themselves in love to one another in the midst of the mystery unfolding in their lives. Because they did this, the love of God became incarnate in our world.
Holy families are those who make love the center of their lives. As we begin this new year, let us strive to have holy families: in our gatherings with relatives, in our households, in our parish, and in our world. Building family is not always easy. There are changes and losses that come with the years, people may be new or different, others may need special care. And sometimes, like Mary and Joseph, we may be called to welcome something mysterious into our lives. May we be open to one another and to God, that we may receive every grace and blessing that God intends for us. And may God's love continue to be made real in this world through us so that all will know the One who came that we might have life in abundance.
Our vehicle just passed through a toll booth at which the attendant had a bumper sticker under her window with this saying: "Bless us all." I cannot think of anything better to say at the start of this new year. May God continue to bless us all, every one of us, from Lake Tahoe, to Elmhurst, to Thailand and Indonesia and to the ends of the earth.
Peace be with you.
Mary Foley, Pastoral Life Coordinator
Blood drive sign-ups this weekend This weekend after all Masses, Religious Education students will take appointments for the parish blood drive. The drive, which will benefit the American Red Cross, is set for Sunday, January 23, from 7 a.m. to noon. You can also call 834-1237 or email jmcgovern@jwriter.net to schedule an appointment. Donations are sought from health individuals ages 17 and older (age 16 with parental consent) with all blood types and who have not donated blood for the previous 56 days. For this drive, November 27 is the last day you could have given blood and be eligible to give again to benefit our drive. If you have a choice as to when to donate, we'd appreciate your support. Why donate blood? Here's the Red Cross' Top Ten List: 10) Free food! 9) You've got plenty 8) You know all the answers on the health history test 7) It's the easiest volunteer job you'll ever have 6) It will make you feel good about yourself 5) You can pretend you're on ER 4) Squeezing that little ball builds forearm strength (not to mention work off some of that post-holiday stress!) 3) It's a great excuse to lie down on the job 2) It's the American thing to do and, the Number One reason you should give blood... You could save someone's life! Diocese of Joliet Catholic Construction Corps Mission to the Navajo Reservation Let your homeowner skills help others. Please join us at the St. Charles Pastoral Center in Romeoville at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 11, or Thursday, January 20, for an Information Night on the 4th annual mission to the Navajo Reservation. The trip 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) evenings: 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 L.O.S.S. Support Group (Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide) Through the collaboration of Catholic Charities (from 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. on either the first Tuesday of the month, the third Wednesday or the fourth Tuesday o the month. The next meeting dates are as follows: Jan. 19 St. Paul the Apostle Activity Center 130 Woodlawn in Joliet Jan. 25 St. Daniel the Prophet Parish Center 101 West Loop Drive in Wheaton Feb. 1 Catholic Charities Office 270 N. Schuyler Ave. in Kankakee For further information, please call the L.O.S.S. Program Center at 312-655-7283. Community News Chicagoland Gam-Anon Meets every Saturday at 8:00 p.m. At Elmhurst Hospital Do you suspect you are living with a compulsive gambler? Is your family, your marriage, or your relationship being destroyed by the effects of a gambling addiction? There is hope and help available through GA for the gambler and Gam-Anon for the families and significant others. Attend one of our weekly meetings every Saturday at 8:00 p.m. at Elmhurst Hospital, Diecke Room, 200 Berteau Avenue in Elmhurst. For more information and other meeting times, go to: www.gam-anon.org or www.gamblersanonymous.org or call 708-802- 0105. Collection total for Sunday, December 26, 2004 amounted to $3,597.00. Thank you for your support. Parish News 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 16 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. Health Committee 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! "Gather Books" You may have noticed that our "Gather Books" are looking tattered 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. Christian Service Commission 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. * Lynn Suwanski, who works for an Elmhurst Memorial Hospital physician hospital organization, occasionally hears of openings for positions in physician offices in the Elmhurst area. If you would like to give her your name and phone number in case she finds out there is a need, she will contact you. Please call her at work 630-833-8200 ext. 73714, or home 630-530-2523, and be able to provide a resume. Siblings Without Rivalry Having more than one child can be difficult especially when siblings argue, fight and blame each other wanting you to settle things for them. This four-week workshop will help you answer this dilemma and others like it by reviewing: * How to help siblings deal with their feelings * How to keep them separate but equal * What to do when siblings fight * How to help them solve their problems This class will be offered for four consecutive two-hour sessions on Tuesdays 7 to 9 p.m. from January 11 to February 1, 2005. Please call (630) 495-8008 or (630) 710-8226 to register. Where: Catholic Charities 26 West St. Charles Road Lombard, IL 60147 Cost: $50 for individual and $70 for couple. Includes workbook and materials. Instructor: James M. Gilligan, MSW,RSW 2005 Joliet Diocese Catholic Charismatic Healing Mass Father Joel Fortier, Presider Deacon Marty Hetzel, Assisting St. Joseph Catholic Church 4801 Main Street, Downers Grove Friday, January 14, 2005 7:30 p.m. Mass Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Sacrament of Reconciliation - 6:30 p.m. For information please call 630-964-0216 Sponsored by: New Life Prayer group, Notre Dame Parish, Clarendon Hills Breath of God Prayer Group, St. Mary's of Gostyn, Downers Grove CCW Sponsors Social Evening For all Ladies of the Parish On Tuesday, January 18, at 7:30 p.m. in Barrett Hall, the Council of Catholic Women is sponsoring a social get-together for all ladies of the Parish. Bring a friend or relative for a relaxing evening of conversation and games like Bunco, cards, Yatzee, Monopoly, Scrabble or Trivial Pursuit. Each person attending is asked to bring a bottle of wine, hors d'oeuvres, snack food or dessert to share with others. We will provide he coffee and soft drinks. Also, if you have a game you would like to play, please bring it along. After the hassle of the holidays, join us for an evening or relaxation and fun-sharing conversation with friends and other parish members. For more information please call Marry White (833-9809 or Sheila Reiter (833-6657). M.O.M.S. M.O.M.S. (Moms Offering Moms Support) is a social organization that provides an opportunity for mothers of young children to meet other mothers. It is a time to relax over coffee and snacks while learning and discussing issues of interest. There are no membership fees, nor are there any requirements to join the group. On Thursday, January 13, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., M.O.M.S. will have its meeting in Msgr. Plunkett Hall, lower level of the Immaculate Conception Chapel. Come see old friends, meet new friends and get to know other moms. Babysitting is provided for a nominal fee. For more information call Jean Lawrence at (630) 832-0575 or Carolyn Doherty at (630) 516-3519. Please visit our calendar at http://calendar.yahoo.com/icmoms . Christian Education Commission Fellowship Sunday On Sunday, January 16, Fellowship will be held in Barrett Hall immediately following the 10:15 a.m. Mass. Bring your family and enjoy conversing with friends and fellow parishioners while having a cup of coffee or juice and some donuts, coffee cakes and other goodies. 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 Jim Clynch Jenie Colletti Trudi Delato John Doyle 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 Tyler Vincer 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. The Acts of the Apostles is Coming!! Now when they [rulers, elders, and scribes] saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed..." Acts 4:13 We are looking for additional facilitators and co- facilitators for our Bible study groups, which will begin in the spring. Even if you are an "uneducated and ordinary man" (or woman), you would be amazed at how easy facilitating can be. Training and support will be provided, including four training sessions (on Saturday mornings in February) and facilitator materials. Each group will have a facilitator and a co- facilitator. If you would consider becoming a facilitator, please contact Lynn Suwanski at 630-530-2523 or the Parish office at 630-279-5700. A firm commitment does not need to be made until after the training sessions. Also, the facilitators get to select when the study group will meet! Religious Education News The following is a note from Sr. Antoinette at Marillac House. Mark Your Calendars: Sunday, January 16: Family Mass at 10:15 a. m. in Church. Our first communicants will take part in a ritual of commitment. Saturday, January 22: Market Day in the Social Hall from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. 3 Saturday, January 29: Confirmation Retreat, for 8th grade candidates. Please be very careful in the parking lot on Wednesday afternoons and evenings. Winter weather makes dropping off and picking up children a real challenge. Remember our children are precious, let's all strive to insure their safety. For more information on any of the above, please call Mary Ann Woods at the REO, 832-8962. Dear Friends, Thank you for helping us provide new toy for over 300 children and families on the West Side of Chicago, where gun shots are heard during the night and many mothers bury their own children. Your help has made a difference and we thank you sincerely. Gratefully, Sr. Antoinette and Family Service A Vocation View: Baptism is the starting point; union with God is our goal. How we serve others in between is our Vocation. Diocesan News Tsunami Disaster Since 1943, Catholic Relief Services, the Catholic community's official international humanitarian organization, has helped the poorest of the poor overseas. CRS is responding to the recent Tsunami emergency in Asia and Africa where thousands have lost their lives, and millions more remain homeless. The generous response from donors has been critical to meeting the needs overseas, and CRS is grateful to those who have already donated. However, the widespread destruction unleashed by the tsunami will require billions of dollars and many years to repair. A second collection is being taken this weekend for Catholic Relief Services and if you would like to make a donation, you can make your check payable to CRS and deposit it in next week's collection