Dear Friends,
I am out of town this week and not able to write a whole column, however, I would very much like to share with you this note that my brothers and sisters and I received from my father. Once again, I want to thank you all for your prayers for my Dad. A physician himself, he has now been a patient who has gone through a remarkable ordeal. He is grateful for everyone's prayers and he knows I am sharing this with you because you were praying for him, too...
"If anyone were to ask me, with my medical experience, what I thought the odds were of a sudden onset stroke patient, unable to speak or communicate, receiving thrombolytic medication I.V. and getting a miraculous recovery within 2- 3 days, with no neurologic residual, I would have said, 'Impossible to maybe a million to one.'
All of you were truly part of the miracle, like a beautiful group of archangels suddenly descending upon me and Nancy to make possible the impossible. Let me just say thank you and let me assure you your kindness will never be forgotten.
With much love, Dad"
My own thanks once again to the people of Mary Queen of
Heaven. And thanks be to God.
Mary Foley, Pastoral Life Coordinator
Parish News Mark Your Calendars! The Mary Queen of Heaven Annual Parish Picnic Sunday, September 11th, 12:30 to 6:00 p.m. Come spend time with family and friends. Enjoy music, games, food and good old family fun. Meal tickets will be sold after each Mass starting the weekend of August 26 and 27th. Tickets will be $8.00 for adults and $6.00 for children (under 12). The menu will include: fried chicken, sausage, potato salad, fruit salad, pasta salad and roasted corn. There will also be a dessert contest. If you are interested in entering your special dessert, please submit your name, phone number and a copy of your recipe to Bob Glick, Tim Conroy or Ed Hayes. For more information please call: Bob Glick 833-5725, Tim Conroy 834-1631, or Ed Hayes 279-5325. 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). 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. Parish Feast Day The feast day of Mary Queen of Heaven will be celebrated next 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 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. 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. Community News 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. 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. CareNet Pregnancy Services Tee Off for Life on September 15, as CareNet Pregnancy Services of DuPage hosts their Third Annual Golf outing to benefit the babies of CareNet. The event will be held at Mill Creek Golf Club in Geneva, IL from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Breakfast, and lunch with Senator Peter Roskam are included. For more information, call Sharon at 630-455-0335 ext 309 or go online to golfinvite.com/carenet. Religious Education News Catechists are still needed. Thanks so very much to all those who have stepped up to help. The list of those needed is getting smaller. But we still need your help. Our catechist meetings begin the last week of August, so it is understandable that we are getting more than a wee bit anxious about filling the remaining positions. Please pray that these last few grade levels will be filled soon. We wouldn't want to postpone the start of class because we lack a catechist. Listed below are the teaching slots that are still needed. Your children are depending on you. Please contact us at the REO, 832-8962 or MQHREO@juno.com if you can help. Wednesday, 3:15-4:30 PM Gr. 4- 2 catechists Wednesday, 5:15-6:30 PM Gr. 6 - one catechist Gr. 8 - two catechists 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. If you don't think teaching is your thing, please consider helping in this very needed position. Have you registered yet? Just a reminder, registrations are still being accepted at all grade levels with the exception of 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 21st. 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 September 14th at 6:30PM 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. Christian Education Commission Effective Choices, Effecting Parenting Offering a variety of workshops and seminars to assist you in becoming the parent you want to be. All Workshops and seminars are held at: Catholic Charities inLombard For info or to pre-register, please call 630-710-8226 Effective Choices, Effective Parenting: Winning Cooperation with your Child For parents of children ages 0-19 Saturday, August 27, at 1 - 4 P.M Tuesday, August 30, at 7 - 9 P.M. Saturday, September 17, at 1 - 4 P.M. This workshop helps parents build on their existing strengths in order to win greater cooperation with their children. Topics discussed include: increasing mutual respect, positive communication and trust in the parent/child relationship; understanding how parent's behavior affects child's response; developing disciplinary techniques that work; providing children with the tools they need to survive and thrive in today's society. 2-Hour Workshop: $20 per person; $25 per couple 3-Hour Workshop: $25 per person; $30 per couple Pre-registration is required. Effective Choices, Effective Parenting: Making Sense of This Thing Called Parenthood For parents of children ages 0-4 Tuesday, September 6, at 7 - 9 P.M. 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. $20 per person; $25 per couple Pre registration is required. SPECIAL SECOND COLLECTION NEXT WEEKEND Next weekend, we will be taking up a special second collection that has been requested by U.S. Bishops. This collection will be given to Catholic Relief Services and will be used to help with severe food shortages in Africa. A message from the head of CRS about this dire need follows: "You may be witnessing media reports of severe food shortages in Niger and other affected countries within Africa's Sahel region. Catholic Relief Services staff in the field are confirming United Nations warnings that millions of people in the Sahel - including Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Northern Nigeria and Senegal - are facing food shortages, and in some cases, starvation. In Niger alone, where prolonged drought and an infestation of locusts destroyed much of this year's crops and seeds for future planting, 3.6 million people are confronting a severe food emergency. In the short term, CRS is providing emergency supplies of food to those most in need of help. In Niger, CRS will assist 235,000 people. We have also been organizing seed fairs over the last few months and those who have planted with these seeds have been less affected by this latest crisis. But we just were not able to reach enough people and now millions face the specter of starvation. In the long term, CRS is focusing on agricultural rehabilitation, organizing additional seed fairs, providing tools, teaching irrigation and farming techniques and helping to replenish livestock lost in the drought. As this lifesaving work continues, please keep the people of the Sahel and the relief workers at CRS in your prayers as they work to relieve the suffering of the men, women, and especially the children whose lives and livelihoods hang in the balance." Fraternally yours in Christ, Most Reverend Robert N. Lynch Bishop of St. Petersburg and Chairman, Catholic Relief Services 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 Gerald Foley 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 Rest In Peace Anna Fonck 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 CCW Dues Reminder As you know, all ladies of the parish are automatically members of our Council of Catholic Women (CCW). However, we encourage everyone to become a paid member. If you have not already paid your 2005-06 dues of $5.00, please consider doing so as soon as possible. You can use the pink dues envelope in your envelope packet or an envelope marked CCW dues with your name, address and telephone number. If you have any questions, contact Ginny Hayes at 834-6403. St. Vincent dePaul The St. Vincent dePaul committee will meet on Thursday, August 25th at 7:30 p.m. in Barrett Hall. Anyone interested in working with this committee is invited to attend. For more information, contact Sheila Reiter at 833-6657. "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 and parishioners seeking donations for our Live and Silent Auctions. We still need people to help follow up on these letters, with telephone calls and visits. Do you have some time to spare and help us with this task? With the help of willing parishioners, the task of obtaining items from businesses will help make our event successful. 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. 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; and supporting the various ministries in our parish which allow us to live our lives through faith, hope and loving service to all. CCW Board Meeting Help Wanted The first CCW Board Meeting of the new year will be held on Wednesday, August 24th at 7:30 p.m. at Mary Connelly's home, 265 West Adams. We are looking for ideas and suggestions for this coming year!! Have a fun outing, demonstration, etc. you would like to do, or a speaker you would like to hear? Please plan on attending the meeting and bring along your thoughts on programs that can be used this year. If you are unable to attend, we would still like to hear your ideas. Please call Mary Connelly at 630-782-7626. Diocesan News Catholic Charities Month Needs Never Take A Vacation Bishop Imesch has declared August as Catholic Charities Month. While many folks are planning or taking vacations during August, the people who come to Catholic Charities for help are planning where their next meal will come from, how they will pay their rent, how they will pay for school supplies for their children and how they will take care of an aging parent. Their needs never take a vacation, and neither does Catholic Charities. This year Catholic Charities faced a financial crisis and a $500,000 budget deficit. Many cuts were made, staff positions were eliminated and a program was forced to close. While the agency is stretched as far as it can go, it is still able to proudly say that 90 cents of every dollar is used for direct client programming. This month spend some time finding out more about Catholic Charities and the programs and services in your community. You can also volunteer or help organize an activity that benefits the 57,000 people served each year at Catholic Charities. For more information or for ideas on how you can make a difference - one life at a time - call Lorri Nagle at 815.723.3405, ext 102. Donations can also be sent directly to Catholic Charities, 203 N. Ottawa Street, Joliet, IL 60432. DuPage P.A.D.S. Job Opening/Administrative Assistant An opportunity is open for someone with office experience using Microsoft Office Suite Products; Raisers Edge Fund Development software a plus. This would require entering statistical and financial/donor data; preparing mailing and financial lists; acknowledgement for donors, and general office support. Full 40-hour week, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Benefits.Qualified candidate will have an Associates Degree preferred, experience in using Microsoft Office Products, previous office experience required. Response: Forward resume to info@dupagepads.org, fax 630.682.3874. DuPage P.A.D.S. is a leader in providing services to individuals and families who are homeless in DuPage County; we are committed to end and prevent homelessness in DuPage County by providing food, shelter/housing, and support. Vital to this commitment is our collaboration with religious and community groups.