On July 11, our parish Finance Council approved a feasibility study to investigate the possibility of developing a Catholic Pre-School at Mary Queen of Heaven. The idea of a Catholic Pre-School arose out of the long- standing value placed by this parish on the Catholic education of children, and out of the current mission and goals of the parish established by the Parish Pastoral Council. Our parish mission statement recognizes children as the future of our church and our world. Parish goals established this year by the PPC include: 1) Using all avenues possible to share our Catholic faith with others; 2) Making connections for children with the church; and 3) Creating a stable financial environment for the sustained growth of our parish through effective stewardship.
Effective stewardship includes raising awareness of the importance of supporting our parish operating budget through Sunday collections, which is the policy of the Diocese. It also includes responsible use of our buildings in ways that further the mission of the church. A parish-run Catholic Pre-School may be one way of furthering the mission of the church. It may draw more families to our parish through evangelization, encouraging the development of their faith lives and the continued religious education of their children. It also holds potential for increasing income to the parish which could support further ministry.
At this point in time, the idea of a MQH Catholic Pre- School is just that - an idea. It is an idea worth pursuing, given both the mission and values of the parish and the evolving demographics of the Elmhurst community. Still, this kind of preliminary investigation must proceed carefully and responsibly.
Dr. Mary Selke, a Mary Queen of Heaven parishioner, will be heading our Feasibility Study Committee. Many of you know her from our parish music ministry. She often serves as Cantor for weekend Masses. We would like you to know more about Dr. Selke.
Mary Selke was recently appointed Associate Dean for Lewis University's College of Education. This appointment follows her years of service as Chair of the Department of Education for Elmhurst College. She received her Ph.D. in Administration and Supervision from Marquette University, Milwaukee, and her M.Ed. in Professional Development from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee. She has supervised over 200 teachers. She presently serves on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. She is also active in the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Educators, a national organization, for which she is a regular conference presenter. Mary was newly elected to the Board of Examiners for the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. She has 25 years of experience as an educator and has served as school principal in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
We are grateful that Dr. Selke accepted the invitation to chair the Feasibility Study Committee. This committee will be formed of parishioners and persons representing local educational institutions and the larger Elmhurst community. It is expected that once the committee is formed, the feasibility study will take three months. When the study is completed, a report with the committee's recommendation will be submitted to the Finance Council. If the committee recommends establishing a Mary Queen of Heaven Pre-School, this will be only the first step in a long process.
We wish to be clear that no decision about a pre-school has been reached at this time. We are only undertaking a feasibility study. This will be a professional study that will include experts on the Study Committee who are generously volunteering their time for this effort. We are very grateful for their generosity. On the following page, you will find a letter from Dr. Selke, inviting the help of parishioners with the Feasibility Study Committee. As the committee undertakes its work, we will keep parishioners informed of their progress and eventual recommendations.
Chicagoland Gam-Anon
Do you suspect you are living with a compulsive gambler? Is
your family, your marriage, your relationship being destroyed by
the effects of a gambling addition?
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 Ave., Elmhurst.
For more information and other meeting times, go to:
www.gam-anon.org or www.gamblersanonymous.org or call 708-802-
0105.
Did You Know?
Catholic Charities provides loving foster homes to
nearly 400 children each year.
Could your home be one of them?
Bob and Shirley Strand had always felt that God wanted them
to have more children and one day He showed them how that was
possible. Catholic Charities had placed an ad in the newspaper
promoting their foster care program and they knew what they
needed to do.
Twenty-six years, three biological children, and many other
foster children later, Bob and Shirley Strand are still raising
children and accepting foster care placements. "The minute
these children come into my house, they are family," said
Shirley. Though the Strands have had many temporary and
emergency placements pass through their home, they've taken care
of fifteen children for an extended amount of time. The most
rewarding part for them is "seeing each child blossom and
change-and suddenly, they're not scared anymore."
Catholic Charities places an average of 400 children in
foster homes each year, but there are many more who desperately
need a safe and loving sanctuary. Catholic Charities needs more
foster parents like Bob and Shirley Strand. Please call 877-844-
4673 to see how you can get involved.
Making a difference. One life at a time.
Parish Commission/PPC Meeting
(Correction)
The August All Parish Commissions Meeting has been
rescheduled for Monday, August 29th, at 7:00 p.m., when they will
meet together with the Parish Pastoral Council for a special
presentation.
The PPC will meet afterwards at 8:30 p.m.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
Our journey through life is seldom a straight path. Our
personal choices or decisions that others make for us can impact
our lives including our spiritual lives.
* Are you, or do you know of someone who was baptized in the
Catholic faith, but for various reasons never completed their
sacramental preparation by receiving Eucharist and
Confirmation?
* Perhaps your family moved frequently or you never connected to
a parish family in your younger years and were not part of a
Religious Education program.
* Have you been attending Mass with your Catholic spouse, and
have an interest in learning more about the Catholic faith?
* Do you know someone who is interested in becoming Catholic?
If you can relate to these situations, consider completing
your sacramental preparation by looking into the RCIA!
Contact Mimi Wolak at 941-3851 to learn more about how you
can enrich your spiritual life through full participation in the
life of the church through the sacraments.
Religious Education News
The summer of 2005 is now in full swing. However, before we
know it those "back to school" ads will be splashed all over the
newspapers. Before that happens, please consider being a
catechist for 2005/2006 RE year. We are in need of catechists at
many levels at all three sessions. With our increasing
enrollment, it is more important than ever to please consider
giving a few hours of your time each Wednesday.
If you enjoy working with younger children or middle school
children or know someone who might be, let us know. Remember you
don't have to be a theologian, just someone who loves children,
loves your faith and wants to share it. We will help you with the
rest. The pay is not terrific, in fact it's non existent, but the
perks are incredible. Your children need you.
If you have not done the following, please:
1. Register for the 2005/2006 RE year.
2. Tell your friends and neighbors to do the same.
3. Volunteer to be a catechist.
4. If you are a catechist already, recruit one of your friends or
neighbors to join you.
5. Volunteer to be a Market Day coordinator.
Market Day Coordinator is needed.
Our Market Day Program is our sole fundraiser for the RE
program. In this day of rising costs, every little bit helps so
we don't want to discontinue it. Please consider volunteering a
few hours each month to help us retain Market Day. Market Day is
held one Saturday morning each month with the exception of July
and August. Call Karen Vicary at the REO, 832-8962 for details.
We are all counting on you.
If you have questions or need more information, please call
Mary Ann Woods at the REO, 832-8962.
"Evening Under the Stars" Auction/Dinner
Dance
Plans are well under way for our "Evening Under the Stars"
Auction/Dinner Dance which will be held on Friday, October 7th
2005 at Alta Villa Banquets in Addison, Illinois.
Letters have been sent to businesses seeking donations for
our Live and Silent Auctions. We are in need of people to help
follow up on the letters that have been mailed. Many hands are
needed to call and visit the businesses we have written to in an
effort to obtain as many donations as possible. Do you have some
time to spare and help us with this task? Without the help of
willing parishioners, the task of obtaining items from businesses
for the auctions will make our efforts fruitless. WE NEED YOU!
There are also many other areas where volunteers are needed;
helping with decorations, parishioner donations, ticket sales,
raffle tickets, etc. If you would be willing to help in any of
the above areas, give Sheila Reiter a call at 630-833-6657 and
let her know where you can help.
This is the eighth year for our "Evening Under the Stars"
Auction/Dinner Dance and many are looking forward to a wonderful
evening socializing with parishioners and friends, and the
opportunity to purchase auction items at great prices that can be
given as gifts for the holidays or special occasions.
The proceeds from this benefit will be used to help support
our Church Mission of reaching out to those who are hungry, sick
and otherwise in need; supporting our youth who are the future of
the Church and our world; and supporting the various ministries
in our parish which allow us to live our lives through faith,
hope and loving service to all.
Diocesan News
Catholic Charities
One volunteer doing little things with much love can make a
great difference in many people's lives
Catholic Charities Diocese of Joliet office in Lombard, is
seeking a Development Volunteer Coordinator. This volunteer
position would coordinate and manage volunteers, and assist the
Senior Development Officer with fundraising activities for
Catholic Charities. The time commitment is eight hours per
month. This person should have basic computer skills, including
knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
The Development Volunteer Coordinator should also have a car
or some other reliable means of transportation to attend monthly
meetings at the Catholic Charities office in Lombard, 26 West St.
Charles Road.
For more information, please contact Rosemary Echevarria,
Senior Development Officer, at 630-498-8008 x33, email
rechevarria@cc-doj.org, or fax 630-495-9854.
Community News
Free Adoption Information Meeting
Children all over the world are in need of a loving family.
Have you recently considered adoption? Not sure where to start?
Sunny Ridge Family Center invites you to attend a free China
Adoption Information Meeting on Tuesday, July 26, at 7:00 p.m.
The meeting will be held at Sunny Ridge Family, 2 South 426
Orchard Road, Wheaton.
Come and learn about children available from China and meet
with our China Program Coordinator to learn the requirements and
process for adopting.
Sunny Ridge, a leader in domestic and inter-country
adoption, is a licensed, nonprofit agency serving children and
building families.
For more information or to register for the free meeting,
please call Sunny Ridge at (6300 668-5117 ext. 228 or visit our
website at www.sunnyridge.org
A Vocation View Finding our vocation in life is like
finding a buried treasure. We will do whatever we have to in
order to be able to possess it Finding the treasure is a gift,
possessing it is our vocation.
The Holy Father's General Mission Intention
for July
That Christians be sensitive to the needs
of every one, without ever hiding the
radical requirements of the Gospel message.
Adult Education and Spirituality
The Adult Education and Spirituality Committee will meet
next Thursday, July 28, at 7:30 p.m. in the Rectory basement. We
will be discussing activities for the 2005-06 year.
Anyone with an interest is invited to attend. Please contact
Dick Reed, 834-4840, if you have any questions.
Parish Feast Day
Mass and Fellowship
This year, the feast day of Mary Queen of Heaven will be
celebrated on Sunday, August 28th with an outdoor Mass at 10:15
a.m.
Our Mass will be held between the church and school
building, directly behind Barrett Hall. Should the weather be
inclement, Mass will be held in the Church.
Following Mass, there will be Fellowship in Barrett Hall.
This is a great opportunity for our parish families to meet and
become better acquainted with each other, while enjoying
conversation and refreshments (coffee, tea, juice and sweets).
We look forward to seeing you and your family on this special
occasion.
Diocesan News
St. Raymond Young Adult Group's Summer
Sizzler
When: Saturday, August 13th
Where: American-Italian Culture Club
1918 Donmaur Drive, Crest Hill, IL.
Age: 21 and up
What: 3-Minute Dating and Non-Stop Music
(Band-No Limit), snacks, cash bar,
dancing
Registration: 6:30 p.m.
Dating at 7:00 p.m.
Band at 9:00 p.m.
Cost: $15 before August 1 and $20 at door.
Contact Mary Schlop for registration and information
(815)370-0382. E-mail maryschlop@hotmail.com.
Tuesday, July 26th, 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.
Effective Choices,
Effective Parenting:
Making Sense of This
Thing Called Parenthood
For parents of children ages 0-4
This two-hour workshop assists parents of infants and
toddlers in gaining a better understanding of their children's
needs and behavior as they grow. In addition, it presents the
well-researched and successful "Systematic Training for
Effective Parenting Method" that enables parents to increase
positive interaction with their children.
The cost for workshops: $20 per person; $25 per couple.
Pre-registration is required.
All Workshops and seminars are held at: Catholic Charities,
26 W. St. Charles Rd., Lombard, IL 60148 Please call
630.710.8226 for more information or to pre-register.
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. 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:
August 2 - Catholic Charities Office
270 N. Schuyler Ave. in Kankakee
August 17 - St. Paul the Apostle Activity Center
130 Woodlawn in Joliet
August 23 - St. Daniel the Prophet Parish Center
101 West Loop Drive in Wheaton
Catholic Charities
Volunteer Opportunity
Catholic Charities is looking for a few good men and women!
This is an opportunity for those individuals who may have one or
two days a month to help move furnishings and other related
household items into new homes in DuPage for our clients. Big
hearts and Big arm muscles needed! To register for our new POWER
TEAM, please call Norma Navalony at 630-495-8008, ext 60.
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.
An orthopaedic practice is looking for a nurse manager for a
newly established surgery center. Individual must have
experience in running an ambulatory surgery center and be
licensed in the State of Illinois. Contact: Mary Ann Reed,
834-4840.
Mary, Queen of Heaven of Elmhurst, Illinois ? July 24, 2005
Page 3
Parish News
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 John Brennan
Kathleen Bryers Pat Caffarelli
Rose Caffarelli Kathy Calzante
Cosmore Ciancio Paul Cirone
Rhonda Colletti Trudi Dolato
Anna Heffel Jen Huwalt
Tom Huwalt Pat Holmes
Maureen James Tom Janicke
Valorie Kaffka Irene Kmieciak
Bernadette Kohn John Lane
Baby Emma Lynde Robert Manion
Bobbi Nannini Vincent Scilluffo
Eileen Shea Jeff Smith
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.
Lewis University's Philip Lynch Theatre
Presents:
Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
July 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30, 31
Performance Showtimes:
Thursday & Fridays 8 PM
Saturdays 4 PM and 8 PM
Sunday Matinees 2:30 PM
Tickets: $12 for adults and $11 for seniors and students.
Group Sales Available
For more information, call the box office
at 815-836-5500
or website:www.lewisu.edu/plt.
The Cenacle Retreat House
29 W 012 Batavia Road, Warrenville.
Presents:
Rev. Greg Mayers, CSSR, assisted by Tony Tackitt, will
present "Zen Retreat for Christians," a 5-day In-Depth
Experience for those who have begun to practice Zen, on August 5-
10. During this completely silent retreat, Fr. Mayers will
address the three pillars of Zen: teaching, practice and
enlightenment. The practice of Zen teaches Christians a form of
prayer that is imageless, silent and conducive to the
integrations of Christian personality through a readical
detachment from all things. All things are passing-only God
remains. The program sessions will consist of instructions
(teisho), practice (Zazen) and private interviews with Fr. Mayers
(dokusan). The cost is $395 for a single room only.
"Dealing with difficult People: From a Curse to a
Blessing," a one-day workshop will be presented by Olive Poliks,
EdD, on August 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This workshop will
offer participants the tools to change their reaction to
difficult people. Through presentations, sharing with others and
developing new strategies, they will learn how to use detachment,
compassion, assertiveness and humor. The cost of the workshop is
$50, including lunch.
For further information or to register, please call 630-393-
1231.
The Women's Center
Our Annual Walk for Life will be on Saturday, September 10
from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at two great locations-Lake
Katherine Nature Preserve in Palos Heights and North Park Village
Nature Center on the northwest side of Chicago. Both locations
offer trails, gardens, a nature center and free parking.
For information including brochure, maps and pledge sheets
or to sponsor a walker, phone 773-794-4771.
Partners in Prayerful Praise Ministry
Are you homebound or do you need to limit your parish
activity?
Would you still like to be more involved in the life of
the Parish?
As was announced at Mass a few weeks ago, a new ministry
will be starting soon at Mary Queen, one that will actively
involve the homebound and those with limited mobility in some
real ministry of the church. We will be commissioning people to
this new ministry which will involve praying regularly for the
people of the parish and for special intentions each month. Each
member of this ministry will receive a letter of commissioning, a
rosary and a prayerbook, and a monthly newsletter listing the
special intentions for that month.
Our retired Deacon John Maloney, who now lives at St.
Patrick's Residence in Naperville, will be serving as a
"Spiritual Moderator" for this ministry, through his writing of
a monthly column for the newsletter. If you would like to be
commissioned to this ministry, please contact Sister Marlene at
the Parish Office. All that is needed is an open heart and a
genuine commitment to regular prayer. This ministry will be of
great benefit, not only to those who are commissioned, but for
the whole parish through their prayers.
Are you someone who would like to help
this new ministry get started?
Are you a stay-at-home Mom or Dad
who has computer skills?
We are also in need of a small committee to put the monthly
newsletter together. One person in the committee must have
computer skills adequate to get a camera-ready copy together.
All copying, envelopes, and stamps will be provided by the parish
office. The committee needs only to organize the newsletter each
month and stuff the mailing envelopes.
Come fall, we will invite our young religious education
children to submit drawings to be included in mailings as a way
of cheering those ministers who are at home and praying for us.
This newsletter committee only needs a couple of people to
get started and takes very little time each month. If you are
interested in serving on this committee, please contact Mary
Foley at the Parish Office.
Gather Books
Thanks to the generous response of parishioners, we will be
able to replace our Gather Book hymnals in church with almost
twice as many new books. Music Director Molly Lindberg has
recommended that we purchase the brand new edition of the Gather
hymnal, which costs the same but contains much new music. We
will still use the green Gather Books, placing them in Barrett
Hall for use with overflow Masses and Religious Ed children.
Since we are purchasing the new edition, the choir will need
new books. These cost $25, and like the congregation books, may
be donated by parishioners.
If you would like to donate a choir book with your
inscription inside, please fill out the order form found in this
bulletin or in the back of church.
MESSAGE FROM DR. MARY SELKE, DIRECTOR
MQH FEASIBILITY STUDY COMMITTEE
Dear MQH Parishioners:
First, I would like to thank the parish for faith in me
as Chairperson of this Feasibility Study Committee. We are
looking forward to some good work and thoughtful discussions
as we consider the options, pros, and cons, of beginning a
Catholic Pre-School at Mary Queen of Heaven. The process of
assembling the Feasibility Study Committee is underway and I
need everyone's help in bringing some additional expertise
to the committee of approximately eight people.
There are important areas of expertise we would like to
see represented on the committee. These include:
representation from the Elmhurst business community, and
others with experience in fund raising, finances, grant
writing, Early Childhood Education, and experience on a
governance board at a Catholic or private school. It would
be ideal if among these we had representation from a
graduate of MQH grade school, or someone who currently has
children or grandchildren in the parish Religious Education
program.
We have already been in contact with the Office for
Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Joliet and will be
following their guidelines for this feasibility study. The
Feasibility Study Committee will be working for three months
and will report to the Parish Finance Council. There will
be a Parish Pastoral Council member as an ex-officio member
of the Study Committee. We are pleased that PPC member
Brenda Scanlon has made a commitment to this project.
Brenda has been a member of Mary Queen of Heaven Parish for
21 years. Brenda brings to this project 40 years of
experience as a teacher in Catholic schools, 19 of which she
served as Principal or Assistant Principal. She still
teaches two days a week in a Chicago Catholic school.
Committee members will undoubtedly lead busy lives,
whether or not they are working full-time, so we will keep
meetings to a minimum, schedule them according to everyone's
availability, and do as much as we can between meetings or
in subgroups. Our feasibility phase, planned to take three
months, is targeted for completion in November. If there is
a positive recommendation which is accepted by the
administration of the parish, we hope to begin marketing
efforts by January, 2006, with the possibility of an August,
2006 opening of a Catholic Pre-School. Of course, all of
this depends, first of all, on whether the Study Committee
recommends that such a pre-school would be feasible. Then,
plans are subject to parish administration, diocesan, and
regulatory agency guidelines.
We are eager to begin the work of the Feasibility Study
Committee. If you are a team player who can see details in
context of the "big picture", likes to meet or beat
deadlines, can help provide some of the expertise we need,
and have a heartfelt commitment to Catholic education,
please let me know you would be willing to serve on the
Feasibility Study Committee. You may contact me by
telephone or E-mail.
Cordially,
Mary Selke
Home: (630) 832-9326
Email: selkema@lewisu.edu