Dear Friends,
I have had some very enjoyable experiences recently involving some teaching ministry in the parish. Last evening, I had the opportunity to be with people who have become part of our "Welcoming Catholics Home" program. I spent an hour and a half in the sacristy and church talking with them about the Mass. We talked about all of the preparation done by various liturgical ministers, the vestments and sacred vessels used during the celebration, the parts of the Mass, and the various books of the church that are used when we come together for Eucharist.
Last week, I was asked by our RCIA leaders to talk with participants about some of the "hot topics" in the church (those that can often lead to heated conversation). Specifically, I was asked to talk about Catholic Church teaching related to birth control, abortion, and homosexuality.
I found in both cases that even some long-time Catholics learned new things and found these sessions valuable. I enjoy teaching so much that I would welcome parish groups to invite me to talk with them about whatever things in the life of the church they would like to learn.
This also brings something else to mind. As you may know, we have a new Adult Education and Spirituality Committee. So far this year, they have helped to get Bible Study groups started, and they have influenced the development of some talks given by outside speakers. Our Adult Ed and Spirituality Committee will soon be putting a survey together to ask parishioners what kinds of things they would like to see in future programs and events. I look forward to leading some of these programs as well as inviting in some good outside teachers and speakers.
I also remember a question I received some months ago about whether we could have some kind of teaching about the Catholic Church as a regular part of our weekly bulletin. I think this would be a fine idea and would enjoy getting this started. If you are interested in learning an answer to some question about the church, would you please call or send an E-mail to the parish office? (Just ask for Sister Marlene.) That way, we can start to get some subjects lined up.
Besides providing ongoing education, we should also be concerned about the spiritual formation of our members. We are all shaped and formed by the communal worship life of our parish, especially the celebration of Eucharist, which is central to our identity as Catholics. There are many other things which can be aids to us in our spiritual lives, including: prayer; almsgiving; reading of scripture; music; having a spiritual director or companion; celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation; learning more about the saints of the church; making time for solitude and silence; having devotions such as the rosary or adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; and giving of ourselves in service to others.
Here at Mary Queen, starting in May, we will begin having two new opportunities for parishioners to come together in ways that can spiritually enrich the lives of individuals and our community as a whole. First of all, on the first Monday of each month, we will begin having adoration and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. This will begin at 9 a.m. and will last until 7 p.m., with Benediction being offered before the Blessed Sacrament is returned to the tabernacle at the end of the evening.
While the Mass is the source and summit of our lives as Catholics, adoration, with time for prayer and reflection, can help to lead us more deeply into the mystery of the Eucharist and into unity with Christ and one another. The Blessed Sacrament does not need to be exposed for this. Each and every day, the church is open in the morning for a period of time and the Blessed Sacrament may be adored in its place of reposition in the tabernacle. What we will be starting new is a monthly public exposition, something never done for private devotion but is intended for a gathering of the faith community. The three purposes of exposition, in the teaching of the church, are to acknowledge Christ's presence in the sacrament, to lead us to a fuller participation in the celebration of the Eucharist, and to foster the worship which is due to Christ in spirit and in truth.
There must be faithful present whenever the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, and there should really be two people present at all times. We will see if this devotion becomes a source of unity within our parish, and whether it becomes popular enough to be sustained by parishioner participation. If so, it will continue on a regular basis.
Finally, I have been asked about the possibility of having a prayer group in the parish. I fully support this, not as a closed group but as one that would be open weekly to welcome anyone, especially those with special worries or concerns, or persons sick with grief or illness who are in need of prayer.
I do not know if I will always be part of this group but I would like to help it get started. At present, my only free evening is Sunday night. So, I would like to invite those who are interested to come to church for prayer each Sunday from 6-7 p.m. We will gather in the cry room, where there are already chairs that can be put into a circle. By summer, if the group continues, it may shift to a different night and location. We'll see what happens, and will be sure to have the prayer group meeting listed in the bulletin. Join us.
Mary Foley, Pastoral Life Coordinator
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. These groups meet monthly at each location
from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. The next meeting dates are:
May 18 - St. Paul the Apostle Activity Center
130 Woodlawn in Joliet
May 24 - St. Daniel the Prophet Parish Center
101 West Loop Drive in Wheaton
June 7 - Catholic Charities Office
270 N. Schuyler Ave. in Kankakee
Religious Education News
RE Registrations
Registrations for the 2005-2006 RE year have been mailed.
If you did not receive a registration or know of someone who did
not, please call the office. Remember all families must register
every year. It is not necessary to include a check with your
form at this time. But it is important to get your registration
in before June 1.
Help Needed in the 2005-2006 Term
As this RE year comes to a close, we have to start thinking
about our needs for next fall. Next fall we are adding a third
session of classes on Wednesdays from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. We will
have one class of every grade level from Pre-School through Gr.
8. We will need at least twenty more catechists plus support
staff to fill non-classroom positions. Please consider
volunteering a few hours a week working with our children. Our
children are our most important assets; it is our obligation to
pass on our Faith to them with love, dignity and safety. Only
the best will do. If you have ever thought that sharing your
faith with the young people of our parish might be where the Lord
is calling you, you are probably right. If you think you would
like to find out more about being involved in our Parish RE
program, call the REO.
Congratulations to all of our 8th graders who celebrated the
sacrament of Confirmation with Bishop Schlarman on Saturday.
Thank you to all who made our Confirmation Liturgy so beautiful.
You know who you are.
Thank You, too, to all our RE families for your support. This
past Wednesday was our last session of the year. Your children
are fantastic, and we thank you for entrusting them to us to help
you share our faith with them. We hope to see you and your
families at Mass all summer along and look forward to seeing you
on Wednesdays next fall.
Congratulations to our 2nd grade First Communicants who celebrate
this weekend and next.
Mark your Calendars:
Sunday, May 1. Small Group Celebration of First Communion at
10:15 a.m.
Saturday, May 7. Large Group Celebration of First Communion at
11:00 a.m.
Sunday, May 8. Our First Communicants are invited to participate
in our annual May Crowning celebration at the 10:15 Mass.
They are asked to wear their First Communion attire.
Christian Education Commission
What kind of people make up our catechetical staff? For
the next few weeks, we will profile some of them. This week we
focus on Debbie Conroy. Debbie and her husband are the proud
parents of 4 sons. She has been involved in our RE program for
several years. For the past 9 years she has been lead director
of our annual 7th grade Living Stations production. Those of you
who have been present on the past Good Fridays know what an
awesome and time-consuming task this is. Debbie tells us why she
continues to do this:
"As I have watched our church change and struggle, I have
found a safe foundation for my faith through the teaching of our
youth. I love 7th grade. I have had the privilege of teaching
the New Testament, the life and death of Jesus for almost 10
years. I have also been privileged to direct, with the help of
wonderful and talented catechists, the Living Stations of the
Cross. Each and every year I learn something new and I find my
faith renewed and strengthened. God bless all the 7th graders who
continue to do an absolutely beautiful job of performing the
Passion of our Lord."
May Meetings
Come join us for breakfast and learn about Destiny our high
school youth group on Sunday, May 22. We meet in the school
building at 8:30 a.m.
Wings to Heaven will have their annual Welcome ice cream
social Sunday, May 22, from 6-8 p.m. in Barrett Hall. This is
for all 4th-8th grade students. Come and meet other students that
are in the group and learn about what we do. It is guaranteed to
be a fun evening!
CCW Spring Institute
The Eastern DuPage Deanery of The Council of Catholic Women
will hold their Spring Institute at Mary Queen of Heaven Parish
on Tuesday, May 10. Women from all the parishes in Eastern
DuPage have been invited to attend, and at this time we are
cordially inviting all the ladies of Mary Queen to join us. The
theme for the Spring Institute is "Nourished By the Eucharist."
Please mark this date on your calendar and invite your friends.
The evening schedule will be as follows:
5:30 P.M. Registration
6:00 P.M. Dinner (Barrett Hall)
7:15 P.M. General Meeting followed by
Commission Workshops
8:30 P.M. Mass (concludes the evening)
The donation for the evening is $10 per person. Please
consider attending this event and return the reservation form by
Monday, May 2 (additional copies available in church vestibule).
For further information, please call Sr. Marlene at the parish
office (279-5700).
Christian Worship Commission
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 Heather Marie Brennan
Kathleen Bryers Rose Caffarelli
Kathy Calzante Jim Clynch
Paul Cirone Peggy Delbeke
Trudi Dolato John Doyle
Anna Heffel Jen Huwalt
Tom Huwalt Pat Holmes
Maureen James Tom Janicke
Irene Kmieciak Bernadette Kohn
Baby Emma Ann Lynde Nancy Maloney
Robert Manion Loretta Mazgaj
Bobbi Nannini Vincent Scilluffo
Eileen Shea Jeff Smith
Joe Tinnerello Tyler Vincer
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.
May Crowning
Our May crowning will be held on Sunday, May 8 (Mother's
Day) at the 10:15 Mass.. Our CCW "Woman of the Year," Diane
Bernstein, will crown our Blessed Mother. She and our First
Communicants will process in at the beginning of Mass.
Exceptional People Touch Our Lives
Two Movies to be shown at MQH
In the weeks after Easter in the RCIA we seek to continue
to deepen our understanding of the Paschal Mystery in a period
called mystogogy, "breaking open the mystery." Part of our
responsibility as Eucharistic People is to serve others as Jesus
did.
In the month of May we will be showing two movies depicting
the lives of two exceptional people, modern-day saints:
Archbishop Oscar Romero and Dorothy Day.
Each movie is rated PG-13 and tells of courage and
commitment to the Gospel way of life. The Oscar Romero movie is
the life story of his powerful courage against social injustice
in his native El Salvador. The Dorothy Day movie walks us
through a day in New York City where all people, peasant or king,
are treated as angels.
Both of these movies have the power to change your heart.
All are welcome. The Archbishop Oscar Romero movie will be shown
at 7:30 sharp on Wednesday, May 11 in the Social Hall. There
will be discussion afterwards as time allows. The Dorothy Day
movie, called "Entertaining Angels" will be shown at 7:30 sharp
on Wednesday, May 25 in the Social Hall. There will be
discussion afterwards as time allows.
CCW Event Reminder
Order forms for
Mother's Day Carnation Tribute and
May 14th Plant Sale are due this weekend
Please stop at the table in the vestibule
and place your order today.
2005 Confirmandi
Congratulations to all those who were confirmed on April
23.
Francis Antony
Peter W. Bennett
Richard Raymond Bonarirgo
Mitchell Anthony Catalano
Julie Kathleen Chamberlin
Kristi Lin Consolino
Sarah Christine DiDominick
Robyn Fela
John Fox
Joseph Allen Gagliardi
Brian Patrick Hennigan
Margaret Mary Jackson
Stephanie Veronica Japczyk
Kristen Elizabeth Kujawa
Sydni Krystine Lawler
Amanda Deborah Mason
Cristina Lydia Ponce
Edgar Prado
Jessie M. Rodriguez
Joseph William Santiago
Michael Thomas Scudder
Jenell Sonney
Gregory Neil Tremmel
Laura Kate Whitting
Rosemary Jane Barnds
Alexander Thomas Bonarirgo
Joseph Paul Brodt
Kevin Joseph Cayanan
Kathleen Therese Connelly
Jasmin Cadence DeMarco
Michelle Ann DuPrey
Dominick Vito Ferrara
Bridget Therese Funk
Vanessa Marianne Godoy
Rebecca Hill
Kerstyn Laura Jankovek
Amelia Rose Kaderabek
Kristina Irene Laskowski
Kelly Ann Madden
Monique Marie Perkins
Kerry Elizabeth Poreda
Lindsey Marie Rhea
Mary Rudolph
Michael Forrest Savastano
Zachary Brandon Smith
Marisa Stefani
Zachary David Weber
Michael August Zurawski
Is the Catholic Church
Conservative or Liberal?
Overcoming the Great Divide
Wednesday, May 18,
7:00 p.m. in Barrett Hall
An Advanced Introduction
to Catholic Social Teaching
By Msgr. Stuart Swetland
Sponsored by MQH Peace and Justice Ministry
Mass of the Angels
A Memorial Mass to remember infants and children who have
died through miscarriage, stillbirth or other causes.
Friday, May 6
At Visitation Church, Elmhurst
7:30 p.m. Mass
Reception following
All families and individuals are welcome to attend this
mass in remembrance of children who have died. A special
ceremony will take place for family members to commemorate the
lives of their lived ones. If you have any questions, please
contact Sandy at 630-833-2479l.
Sponsored by the Elizabeth Ministry
of Visitation and Immaculate Conception parishes.
M.O.M.S. Group
I. C. Parish, Elmhurst
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. There are no membership fees,
nor are there any requirements to join.
On Friday May 6, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m., we will meet at
Safety Town across from TCBY, just east of the Depot. A Park
District instructor will give us advice on signs and safe street
crossing, as we work with our kids inside the facility. Bring a
ride-on toy for your toddler-age child. If the weather agrees,
bring a picnic lunch!
For more information call Jean Lawrence at 630-832-0575 or
Melanie Schneider at 630-782-0868. Visit
http:\\calendar.yahoo.com/icmoms for updates.
Motherless Daughters
A workshop for adult women who have lost their mother
Saturday, May 7
9:00 a.m.-Noon
At Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood
To register or for further information, please call
Nancy Kirchmen at 708-216-1646
Bereavement Coordinator, Loyola Hosp
There is no charge for this program, but registration is
required. Deadline for registration is May 4.
1 6th Sunday
In Ordinary Time
MQH Masses 8:30 &
10:15
Lebanese Mass 12:15-C
Gather Area till 2 PM
Baptisms 2:00 PM-C
2
Liturgy
Committee
7 PM-P
3
Welcoming
Catholics
Home 7-10 PM
School Room 6
Women
Spirituality
Group 7-9 PM-B
4
Rel. Ed.
Classes3:15-4:30,
7:00-8:15-
SYoga8:30-9:30
PM-B
5
Child Choir
6:00-7:00 PM-C
AA 7:30-9 PM-S
6
Women
Spirituality
Group 7-9 PM-B
7
First Communion
11:00 AM-C
MQH Mass 5 PM-C
8 The
Ascension
Mother's Day
MQH Masses 8:30 &
10:15
Lebanese Mass 12:15-C
Gather Area till 2 PM
Destiny Youth 8:30
AM-SWings to Heaven 6
PM-B
9
Finance Council
7 PM-P
10
JDCCW Deanery
5-10 PM-B,G,C
& School Rooms
Welcoming
Catholics
Home 7-10 PM-S
Baptismal Prep.
7:00-8:15 PM-C
(Call office
first.)
11
RE Appreciation
Dinner 7-10 PM-
BRCIA Movie7:30
PM-S
12
AA 7:30-9 PM-S
Men's Group
8 PM at the
Odeum
13
14
CCW 9:30 AM-Noon-
BMQH Mass 5 PM-C
15 Pentecost
MQH Masses 8:30 &
10:15
Lebanese Mass 12:15-C
Gather Area till 2 PM
Baptisms 2:00 PM-C
16
Market Day
orders due
Parish
Commissions7:00
PM-B
17
18
19
AA 7:30-9 PM-S
20
21
Market Day Pickup
9:30-10:30 AM-S
MQH Mass 5 PM-C
22 Trinity
Sunday
MQH Masses 8:30 &
10:15 Lebanese Mass
12:15-C Gather Area
till 2 PMFellowship
SundayDestiny Youth
8:30 AM-SWings to
Heaven 6 PM-B
23
Parish Pastoral
Council 7:00 PM-
S
24
25
Yoga8:30-9:30 PM-
BRCIA Movie7:30
PM-S
26
St. Vincent
dePaul
7:30 PM-B
AA 7:30-9 PM-S
27
28
MQH Mass 5 PM-C
29 Corpus
Christi
MQH Masses 8:30 &
10:15Lebanese Mass
12:15-C
30
31
C = Church
H = Private Home
P = Parish Office
B = Barrett Hall
G = Gathering
Area
S = Social
Center
May 2005
Elmhurst, Illinois