Dear Friends,
We live in changing times. This morning, I was thinking about a visit I made last spring to one of our 5th grade Religious Ed classrooms. The children had prepared questions for me and I was very surprised at their sophistication. They were very interested in things about the church, but they seemed even more interested in making connections between the church and the world. This was a wonderful thing. At the same time - especially when I got questions like, "What does the church say about soldiers who go to war?" - I knew that our children are living in a different time from when many of us grew up. This is not to say that we did not worry about war when I was a child. Just last night, I told Kate Achtien (our summertime college student office helper) that when I was in Catholic grammar school, we still had air raid drills in the hallways. But I do not remember being encouraged when I was in 5th grade to ask questions about what the church had to say about war. How the times have changed.
Another question I was asked by one of our 5th graders was this: "What does the Church say about capital punishment?" It is this question that brings me to write to you today, especially because of an event coming up next month at Elmhurst College. Let me come back to this.
I remember my feeling of surprise when I was asked this question. I felt a little apprehension, too. I remember beginning my response by telling the children that some of their own families might not even know the answer to this question, because the church has evolved in its teaching on this matter over the years.
While the Church recognizes the right of governments to establish capital punishment, increasingly, church teaching has stressed the fact that today, other means can be used to protect society from dangerous criminals. Even the Catechism of the Catholic Church adds this caveat when talking about the death penalty: "If...non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity with the dignity of the human person."
Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life) said that cases for executing offenders are very rare if not practically nonexistent, with developments in modern penal systems. He makes opposition to the death penalty a pro- life position:
The new evangelization calls for followers of Christ who are unconditionally pro-life: who will proclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel of life in every situation. A sign of hope is the increasing recognition that the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil. Modern society has the means of protecting itself, without definitively denying criminals the chance to reform. (Evangelium Vitae)
Our United States Catholic Bishops have taken a strong position against the death penalty since 1980. This year, on March 21, 2005, the U.S. Catholic Bishops launched the Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty in the United States. The campaign's website, www.ccedp.org, includes an explanation of the Church's teaching and resources for education and action.
Related to this, there is an event coming up at Elmhurst College that I would encourage everyone to attend. On Wednesday, September 14 at 7:30 p.m., Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ, will deliver the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Lecture in Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel. Her topic is: "Dead Man Walking: The Journey Continues."
You may know that Sister Prejean is the author of the book, Dead Man Walking, which was made into a movie and later, an opera. She has also written a new book titled The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions.
I know, because I heard a previous presentation by Sister Prejean, that she has also witnessed executions of persons who were clearly guilty for their crimes. Yet, her experience of ministering - both with the guilty and with the families of victims of violent crimes - makes a compelling argument against the death penalty. Having heard Sister Prejean speak, I can tell you that she is also a skilled and powerful presenter who will hold your interest at every moment of her talk.
It just so happens that Sept. 14 is our first evening of Religious Education, so I know that there are some parents who will not be able to attend Sister Prejean's talk. To everyone else, please do, if you can. Childcare is available by calling (630) 617-3222 in advance. You will find Sr. Helen Prejean to be an inspiring woman who challenges all of us to examine our views on the death penalty more carefully. As you consider attending Sister Prejean's talk, please also consider these words of our U.S. Bishops:
We cannot overcome crime by simply executing criminals, nor can we restore the lives of the innocent by ending the lives of those convicted of their murders. The death penalty offers the tragic illusion that we can defend life by taking life.
We do live in changing times. Thanks be to God for all, children and adults, who seek to make connections between the church and our lives in the world.
Mary Foley, Pastoral Life Coordinator
Rachel's Vineyard Retreats
For post-abortive men and women
Sponsored by the Joliet Diocesan Life Office
Retreats are scheduled for Sept. 23-25, 2005, March 3-5,
2006, and Sept 22-24, 2006 and will be held at the St. Charles
Borromeo Pastoral Center in Romeoville. Confidentiality and
privacy will be strictly observed.
To learn more about a Rachel's Vineyard Retreat or to
register, contact Kay Corcoran at 815-838-7171. For more
information and a list of retreats in other locations, visit the
website at www.rachelsvineyard.org or call the toll-free national
hotline at 1-877-HOPE-4ME.
Volunteer Tutors Needed
The Sisters of St. Joseph of LaGrange Park are seeking
volunteers for its adult literacy program, School on Wheels.
Tutors are needed to teach one hour per week from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
or 3-8 p.m. in Woodridge, Hodgkins, Berwyn, Summit, Villa Park or
Westmont. Training provided August 29-30 and August 31 -
September 1, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. You must attend one two-day
training session. No prior second language skills are needed.
For more information: 708-354-9200, est. 5060, 5085 or 5037.
Diocesan News
Crafters' Holiday
Looking for a place to sell your beautiful handcrafts?
St. Alexander's Annual Crafters' Holiday
230 S. Cornell, Villa Park
Saturday, October 29, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
$30 per space with your table; $40 with our table.
Call Pat (941)-8592) or Marianne (834-2183)
for an application and further details.
Parish Commission/PPC Meeting
The August All Parish Commissions Meeting has been
rescheduled for Monday, August 29, 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.
RCIA
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.
New Gather Books-Choir Edition
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 each 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.
Parish Feast Day
The feast day of Mary Queen of Heaven will be celebrated
on Sunday, August 28, 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, sponsored by the
Men's Group, 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.
Parish News
"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 7, at
Alta Villa Banquets in Addison.
Letters have been sent to businesses seeking donations for
our Live and Silent Auctions. We need people to help follow up
on these letters, 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!
Volunteers are also needed to help with decorations,
parishioner donations, ticket sales, raffle tickets, etc. If you
can help in any of the above areas, call Sheila Reiter at 630-
833-6657, or attend our meeting on Thursday, August 18, at 7:00
p.m. in Barrett Hall.
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 support our
Church Mission of reaching out to those who are hungry, sick and
otherwise in need; supporting our youth; and supporting our
various parish ministries.
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
Dino Fuggitti 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
Joe Prinske Vincent Scilluffo
Jeff Smith Karen Sutkus
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.
Christian Worship Commission
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY MASS
Registration Form
Celebrate the Anniversaries of Marriage at the Cathedral of
St. Raymond, Joliet, Sunday, August 28, 2005, 3:00 p.m.
Last Name of Couple__________________________________________
Husband________________________Wife________________________
Address_____________________________________________________
City_____________________Zip___________Phone________________
Parish you Attend_________________________City________________
Date of Marriage________________________# of Yrs. Married______
# of children_____ # grandchildren_____ # great-
grandchildren_____
____# of additional guests attending (Limit of 4 guests,
please)
Please return this form by August 12 to:
The Center for Family Ministry
402 S. Independence Blvd.
Romeoville, IL 60446-2264
FAX: 815-834-4045 Email:
familyministry@dioceseofjoliet.org
For more information, call (815) 838-5334.
Joliet Diocese
50th Anniversary Mass
Sunday, August 28
The Diocese of Joliet will hold its 27th annual Wedding
Anniversary Mass on Sunday, August 28, at 3:00 p.m. at the
Cathedral of St. Raymond in Joliet. All couples and their
families, no matter how many years married, are invited to attend
the event (maximum of four guests per couple, please).
During the liturgy, Bishop Imesch will lead the couples in
a renewal of their marriage vows. Couples celebrating 25, 50,
and more than 50 years of marriage will receive a special
certificate.
Please pre-register by completing and returning the form by
August 12, 2005. For more information, please call 815-838-5334.
14th Annual Back to School Fair
Wednesday, August 10, at 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton.
Approximately 100 agencies will provide a variety of
information and free health services for children, newborn to 18
years. The health services include immunizations, dental and
lead screenings. A limited number of physical exams (grades K,
5, and 9) will be available at the Fair. Participants should
call Elmhurst Hospital at 630-782-7878 to schedule a free
appointment.
Parents will find information regarding financial
assistance, child care, affordable housing, legal needs,
education & career opportunities, voter registration, nutrition,
social security, car seat safety, D.A.R.E. cars, bicycle helmets,
clowns and more! A ten-dollar voucher for the purchase of school
supplies will be given to each eligible student in the family.
Interpreters will be available, and it is required that a parent
or guardian accompany the children.
Please bring proof of income and residency, identification
for each child in your family and any health information that may
relate to the health services that are being sought. For more
information, call Mary S. Tarnow, Catholic Charities, at 630-495-
8008.
Let's Celebrate!
Mary Queen of Heaven's
50th Anniversary
Our Parish's 50th Anniversary is around the corner and we
are making plans for a year-long celebration. How about joining
our committee? Our first planning meeting is scheduled for
Thursday, September 1, at 7:30 p.m. in Barrett Hall. We need
your input and are especially looking for information on parish
history from long-time parishioners. Several people have already
volunteered to help out but we need many more hands to make this
a real Parish Celebration. We invite all parishioners interested
in helping to join us at this first meeting. A lot of
"brainstorming" will be done in an effort to have as many events
as possible to mark this special occasion. Be sure to mark
September 1 on your calendar and bring your ideas along to our
meeting.
For further information or questions, please contact Sheila
Reiter (833-6657) or Ellen Walker (279-4021).
Religious Education News
Witnessing for future Catholics
With the addition of our new session this year, we have
been challenged with finding over 20 more catechists for our RE
program. This is in addition to the usual reasons for needing
your help; catechists facing job changes, changing their
ministry, or just taking a rest from teaching on Wednesday
afternoons or evenings. Therefore we need you to seriously
consider the ministry of catechesis. At a time when children are
being confronted with conflicting values, God may be calling you
to walk the faith journey with them. We need you to talk the talk
and walk the walk of faith with the children of the parish. Many
of you have already responded to our plea and for that the parish
and our children are most grateful.
Listed below are the teaching slots that still need to be
filled. If you feel God tugging at your sleeve or maybe just one
of us at the parish, please contact us at the REO, 832-8962 or
MQHREO@juno.com.
Wednesday, 3:15-4:30 p.m.
Grade Four - three catechists
Wednesday, 5:15-6:30 p.m.
Grade Three - one catechist
Grade Six - one catechist
Grade Eight - two catechists
Wednesday, 7:15-8:30 p.m.
Grade Six - one catechist
In addition we are in need of people to help direct traffic
in the parking lot at all three sessions. The safety of our
children is always our first concern.
Have you registered yet?
Just a reminder, registrations are still being accepted at all
grade levels, except Kindergarten at session one. This class is
filled. Remember that we do not place children on class lists the
week of our first in-class session, which this year is September
21. So if you want your children to start on time, register now.
FYI-some of our classes are reaching capacity at certain session
times, for example, Gr. 5 at session two.
Mark your calendars for our opening event on Wednesday,
September 14, at 6:30 p.m. in church. Our family concert is back!
Pass the word to your friends and neighbors. You won't want to
miss it.
For more info on any of the above, please call Mary Ann
Woods at the REO, 832-8962.
L.O.S.S.
(Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide)
Upcoming 10 - Session Group
The L.O.S.S. Outreach Program provides services to those
who are grieving a death by suicide of a family member or close
friend. Eight weekly sessions and 2 monthly follow-up meetings
for the newly bereaved and/or new members will be offered:
Catholic Charities
Diocese of Joliet
26 West St. Charles Road
Lombard, IL 60148
Thursdays: Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29
Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27
Nov. 10 and Dec. 15
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Deadline to register: August 29
We need at least 10 people signed up to convene a group.
Call Christine O'Donnell at 1-800-240-7011 to register. L.O.S.S.
is a program provided by Catholic Charities.
Christian Worship Commission
Joliet Diocese Catholic
Charismatic Healing Mass
Friday, August 19, Mass at 7:30 p.m.
Sacrament of Reconciliation - 6:30 p.m.
St. Joseph Catholic Church, Downers Grove
For information, please call 630-964-0216
Employment Opportunity
Catholic Theological Union in Chicago (CTU) invites
applications for the position of Administrative Assistant to the
Registrar, who assists the Registrar in general office procedures
and operations, providing professional service and hospitality to
all students, faculty, staff and visitors in person and by the
phone. This person will need outstanding communication skills,
organization, and in-depth expertise in software applications
such as Access, Excel and Word, and be committed to the mission
of CTU. BA degree preferred. Experience in an educational
setting and bi-lingual in any language preferred.
Please send cover letter and resume to: Human Resources,
Catholic Theological Union, 5401 S. Cornell, Chicago, Illinois
60615. E-mail cover letter and resume in Word format only to:
hgorham@ctu.edu Visit: www.ctu.edu