Dear Friends,
Our readings for this Sunday raise all kinds of themes of identity and tell stories of how people come to understand themselves, their gifts, and their callings. In Isaiah, the prophet understands that his vocation as a servant of God began even before he was born. He speaks God's word to the Israelites, telling them that they are called to be a light to the nations. After the first reading, we hear from the psalmist how he waited for God, who heard and answered him. This servant of the Lord is called to announce God's justice to the people and he sings, "Here I am Lord; I come to do your will." In today's Gospel reading, the coming together of John the Baptist and Jesus helps to further the miraculous work of God, as each one helps the other to reveal the love of God to the world.
All of us have been given gifts by God that are meant to be shared with others. For Isaiah, it was the gift of prophecy; for the psalmist, it was gifts of patience and poetry and song. For John the Baptist, it was the courage to call people to repentance and the humility that allowed him to always point beyond himself to Jesus. Each one came to understand their calling by listening to God, and by being helped by others - whether through the ways of the prophets before him (as in the case of Isaiah) or the writers of Scripture (in the case of the psalmist), or through a cousin (in the case of both Jesus and John the Baptist). We are all given gifts and vocations by God. We come to understand what they are by listening to God speak to us and by having the help of others that God provides to us. This is part of the mystery of the working of God in our lives. We need each other to become who it is we are called to be.
Last week, when I was in California for my family's Christmas celebration, my second son Jason gave me a sneak peek of the gift he was going to give his older brother Eric. It was a painting that he had done, over a period of a couple of months. The picture was taken from a photograph that Eric and his wife had taken while in Thailand over the summer. Jason's painting was a representation of this photograph that they loved. It was a colorful painting of people in boats at a Thai market. The painting was beautiful. So were Jason's words. He said that he has come to understand that his creative gifts have been there all his life. He talked about he knows that he looks at things differently than many people do, always paying attention to color, texture, and design in the midst of ordinary life. Jason presently works for a financial institution in San Francisco but he said he is trying to learn more about artistic techniques to further develop the gifts he knows he has been given. He also said that he wants to find a mentor. He knows that he cannot learn everything he needs to learn on his own
Mentors can help to nurture the goodness or giftedness of others in ways that are mutually beneficial. We all need mentors, and in some way, we are all able to mentor others - older to younger; those experienced at a craft, or job, or skill to those not-yet practiced; teachers to students; those who carry the wisdom learned from love or suffering, to those whose lives whose lives are being deeply affected by these experiences for the first time. In God's mysterious design, we can help to bring more goodness, more beauty, more truth, and more life into the world by the ways that we are mentored by one another.
For a few years, while still involved in parish ministry, I worked part-time for Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago. I was not involved with residential placements but with their excellent mentoring program for children at-risk called Friends First. In my role, I provided support to these children and their families, at the same time that I supervised volunteer mentors who generously gave of themselves for a few hours each month with one of our children. Every month, I met with everyone involved in each match I was responsible for - parent, child, and mentor. It would not be possible for me to express in a few words here the kind of transformation I saw take place in the lives of people, through what the volunteers thought to be such a small service. I know that my memories of some of them will never leave me - children who were depressed or angry or lonely who grew into such great kids through the love of a volunteer; a struggling single Mom for whom help with her children lightened her load and her spirit so much that she became a better mother to them; mentors who grew in maturity and wisdom as they experienced transformation themselves through the gifts of love and trust that the children shared with them. It was a privilege for me to be given a glimpse of God's mysterious working through the lives of everyone who was involved in the program. In some ways, this intentional mentoring program was, in miniature, a vision of what the world could be at its best.
The other day, I read a story in America (a good Catholic magazine published weekly by the Jesuits) written by a Florida priest who had taught at a school in Jamshedpur, India, in the 1950's. In the story, he described a recent phone call that took him by surprise. It was from one of his former students, someone "once a little boy from the edge of the jungle" who had become a prominent businessman in India. The man called the priest to let him know how much of an effect he had had on his life: "Father, I want you to know that 90 percent of who I am today and what I have become, I owe to you." As the priest goes on to share the story, he tells the readers how God's grace was as clear as the man's voice, and how, through the life of this man who was once a child he taught, God showed him that his own life has been worth living.
Perhaps in this week that we begin by hearing John's Gospel story of John the Baptist and Jesus, we can thinking more deeply about our own lives. God brought Jesus and John together in a way that helped both of them understand their calling and further the ministry of Jesus. Let us consider the gifts that God has given to us, as individuals and as a community of faith, and find ways to nurture them - for the good of everyone.
May God continue to bless us all.
- 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. Volunteer Tutors Needed Join the Sisters of St. Joseph of LaGrange in their literacy/ESL program, School on Wheels. Volunteer tutors are needed to teach adults one hour/week at Berwyn, Hodgkins, Summit, Villa Park, Westmont, or Woodridge, weekday mornings, some late afternoons and/or evenings. Training will be provided on January 30 and February 5, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., at the Motherhouse/Ministry Center in LaGrange Park. You must attend one 2-day training session. No prior second language skills are required. For more information, call (708) 354-9200: Sr. Marybeth at ext. 5060, Jeanie Pavich at ext. 5085, or Barbara Bernhard at ext. 5037 . 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 the 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 of 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). 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. Parish 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. If you would like to make a donation, you can make your check payable to CRS and deposit it in this week's collection. 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. 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 Dolato 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 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. 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 of 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. Reporting Sexual Abuse Anyone who has reasonable cause to suspect the sexual abuse of a minor by a member of the clergy or other Church personnel is urged to report the matter immediately. To inform the Diocese of Joliet, call Sr. Mary Frances Seeley, OSF (Victim Assistance Coordinator) at 1-815-263-6467 or write the Diocese of Joliet, 524 Summit Street, Joliet 60435. Contact DCFS at 1-800-252-2873 or call the office of the local County States Attorney. Thank You! Thank You! Thank you very much for the wonderful gifts that you gave the residents here at Elmhurst extended Care Center at Christmastime. All of you have a heart of gold and are a blessing to the residents. The residents enjoyed the gifts and proudly displayed or wore their gift. Thank you again for your generosity and showing the love of Christ to our residents. Cindy Gawryla, Activity Director Christian Worship Commission Scripture Study Starting Soon: The Acts of the Apostles "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 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! Pre-Lenten Mission: Resolving Our Conflicts Growing in Care Immaculate Conception Parish 134 Arthur, Elmhurst. Saturday, February 5 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. This is a rare opportunity to hear Father Michael Crosby in a parish setting. Space is limited, and reservations are recommended by February 1. Conflict seems to be a way of life. Why do things sometimes go wrong in relationships? Why do we sometimes find ourselves in conflict with those we love? Or with those with whom we simply cannot agree? This day will offer constructive ways to explore these conflicts, and grow in care. Our caring can be extended in ever- widening circles of compassion. Tools to make our relationships more affirming and hopeful will be discussed. Father Michael Crosby is a nationally known speaker, and an annual presenter at Retreats International at Notre Dame University. He has written 15 books, including the most recent: Spirituality of the Beatitudes: Jesus' Challenge to the Church in an Unjust World. Babysitting is provided. Suggested Donation of $15.00 includes continental breakfast and lunch. Call 530-3483 for reservations. Fellowship Sunday - TODAY Sunday, January 16 After the 10:30 a.m. Mass Hosted by The Council of Catholic Women. Please bring your family and visit and enjoy conversation with friends and fellow parishioners as we start the new year. "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 at each end of our pews (8 per 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 Help Others With Your Extras The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is collecting house wares that are clean and in good condition to help people in need. Check around your household. Do you have items that you just don't use anymore? Do you need a little space? There are people that would be delighted to receive your extras. The Society is looking for glassware, dishes, pots and pans, bake ware, utensils, small working appliances, lamps, knick-knacks, and miscellaneous household items. Please call 630-231-4658 for the society to send heir truck to your home to pick up your donations. Clothing donations will be accepted along with your house wares. Receipts are always gladly given. St. Vincent de Paul Meeting Our monthly St. Vincent de Paul meeting will be held on Thursday, January 27, at 7:30 p.m. in Mary's Gathering Space. All who are interested in working with this ministry are invited to attend. For more information, please call Sheila Reiter at 833-6657. CCW Board Meeting The Council of Catholic Women Board will hold it's monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the parish social hall. All ladies are invited to share their ideas. For more information, please call Mary White at 833-9809. Feed the Poor Drop Off Used Printer Cartridges Mary Queen of Heaven Men's Group continues to collect empty inkjet and toner cartridges to help the poor in Latin America and the Caribbean. With the non-profit organization, Food for the Poor, empty cartridges are recycled, and cash received is used to buy food. Please look for the special Food for the Poor box in the vestibule of church. For more information call Russ DiOrio at 630-617-8811. Marriage Encounter A Get-Away Weekend!!! Are you worn out from the holidays? Are you tired of being cooped up, shoveling snow, fighting traffic? Why not give yourself a weekend away from it all? Meals prepared! Time away from the pressures of work and everyday responsibilities! A chance to talk and listen to that special someone who loves you! If that sounds good to you, sign up now for a Marriage Encounter weekend. For more information, call Tom & Mary Leonard at 630-577- 0778. Upcoming weekend dates are: February 11-13, and April 8- 10. Problems? Need someone to Talk to? Catholic Charities Counseling Program offers individual, couple and family counseling to people of all faiths and beliefs. Services are offered for a reasonable fee based on income. Let our trained counselors help you. For more information, call Catholic Charities Counseling Program at (630) 495-8008 Christian Education Commission Religious Education News 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. Saturday, January 29: Confirmation Retreat, for 8th grade candidates. 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. This year our candidates are ending their retreat day by gathering with the parish community to celebrate Eucharist at the 5:00 PM Mass. 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 Please Note: Questions have been raised as to how we decide to cancel RE classes when we have snowstorms. We always follow the lead of School Dist. 205. If class is canceled that day, then know that our classes will be canceled as well. In the event that a storm hits during the day, then the decision to cancel evening classes is made in the RE office. If that happens we always notify the Emergency-closing center so that it is aired on radio and TV. We call the middle schools if the decision is made before school lets out for the afternoon. All the catechists are notified who in turn attempt to call all the children on their class lists. It is a big job, so please pray for fair weather on Wednesdays. Market Day Orders for January are due Monday, January 17, at noon. Turn in your order form in the box at the back of church or at the rectory. Pickup on Saturday, January 22, from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. in the Social Hall. If you have questions or would like to place an order, please call Mary at 832-8263 or Karen at 279-4108. Christian Education Commission A Vocation View Isaiah's vocation was to be a light to the nations. Nations and neighborhoods need missionaries - lay, clergy and religious. Listen to the call!