426 N. West Avenue
Elmhurst, Illinois 60126-2171
Parish Office: 630/279-5700
Fax: 630/279-4667
Men's Group All parishioners are invited to march with the Men's Group in the Elmhurst St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 13th. For additional information, contact Mark Connelly at 782-7626 or 258-1648 The Men's Group is hosting a St. Patrick's Day Party in Barrett Hall from 7:00 PM until Midnight on Saturday, March 20th. The admission price will be $25 per adult (over 21) and include a catered buffet dinner, beverages, live musical entertainment and a few surprises. Split-the-pot raffle tickets will be on sale prior to the Party with the winners to be announced at the Party. Admission will be on a first-come, first-serve basis (120 people maximum), and so get your tickets now! For admission ticket information, contact Bob Kevil at 279-4165 or 688-1875. For raffle ticket information, contact Mark Connelly at 782-7626 or 258-1648. Stations of the Cross As in the past, Stations of the Cross will be held on the Friday evenings of Lent at 7:00 p.m., beginning February 27. We invite you and your families to join us. Perhaps you could make a special effort for the entire family to attend. Many are unaware of the importance that the stations of the cross play in our Catholic faith and thus can have an influence on our daily lives. We hope you will be able to join us. PADS Help Needed Are you aware that our Men's Group works the overnight shifts for PADS the 4th weekend of each month? PADS provides shelter for homeless persons at various sites from October through April. The time our Men's Group works is from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. in the morning. Our Men's Group has divided the time into two three-hour sessions: the 11-2 and the 2-5 shifts, using two men per shift. They need volunteers to help out, especially the dates of March 27-28, and April 24-25. During these shifts the men monitor the groups using the PADS facility and prepare lunches for the following day. If you could give a night or two, or more, to this worthy cause, please call Steve Lindberg at 941-1355 or e-mail him at steve@fallaw.com. If you would like more information, he will be happy to answer your questions. Toiletry Item Drive February 22 at MQH This is the last day for donations. Confirmation project for Michael Rudolph and Vince Colella! There is a box in back of church for donations. Please donate unused items: shampoo, razors, shaving cream, soap, toothpaste & brush, deodorant, etc. Donations will go to a local homeless shelter!! Any questions, call Michael Rudolph at 279-7902. For Widowed Men and Women The Office of Family Ministry of the Joliet Diocese invites you to attend a special retreat/workshop that will bring hope into your life once again. This 2-day program will be held on March 6 & 7, 2004. Joyful Again! is a program designed to help those who are widowed find joy in living again. If you've been widowed you know how hard it is to adjust to your new role in life. Whether you are young or not so young, you know the loneliness and only you know the loss. When: Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7 Where: St. Charles Borromeo Center (On Hwy 53 South of I 55 in Romeoville) Donation: $105 includes meals & private lodging (Can be adjusted if needed) Register by calling 708-354-7211 (Registrations preferred by February 26.) Mark Your Calendar: This year there is NO RE class on Ash Wednesday, February 25th. There will be distribution of ashes at 4 p.m. in Church and Mass with distribution of ashes at 7:00 p.m. in the evening. Please bring your children to either of these two services. Reminder to all parents Please caution your children to be extra careful when crossing the parking lot, walking on the sidewalks, etc. We ask that all our parents be extra careful as well when driving in and out of the parking lot. With the snowy, icy weather we want all our children to be safe. It's not too early to start thinking of being a catechist. This is the perfect time to start thinking if you are being called to be a catechist in our Religious Education Program next school year. It's a great time to come by on a Wednesday and see what goes on after the children arrive. The only qualification is that you love children and you want to share your faith with them. Everything else is provided. If you have thought about it or know someone who is interested, call the office for details. If you have questions or need more information, please call Mary Ann Woods at the REO, 832-8962. 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. Bill Brandt Pam Bonafide Jack Brett Kathy Calzante Betty Ciancio Cosmo Ciancio Tom Janicke Charles Ramus Robert Schultz Roy Schultz Edward Stefaniak If you know someone who would like our prayers, please call Mary Alice at 279-1159. Senior Home Sharing (SHS) Senior Home Sharing, Inc. (SHS), a not-for-profit agency, provides seniors with an opportunity to live independently in a safe, affordable family-style home. We currently have openings in Downers Grove, Elmhurst, Lombard and Naperville. In addition to a private bedroom, each resident benefits from the support services of a live-in manager who shops, prepares and serves 3 meals per day, handles housekeeping, and oversees activities. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker provides social services and case management as needed. The average, all-inclusive resident fee is $1,200/month. For information, please call Vicki at 630-629-5599. DuPage Community Clinic Volunteers Needed The DuPage Community Clinic is a free medical/dental clinic serving low-income, DuPage County residents who have no insurance or governmental assistance. Our offices are located at 1506 E. Roosevelt Ave. in Wheaton and 401 E. North Ave. in Villa Park. Our medical clinic is seeking nurses, primary care physicians, endocrinologists, optometrists, gynecologists, and pharmacists, to volunteer in either of our offices. Spanish-speaking dietitians and social workers are desperately needed in our Wheaton location. Office/clerical volunteers are also needed for our Wheaton office. Our dental clinic is also seeking dentists and dental hygienists for our Wheaton office. Anyone interested in volunteering, or seeking more information, may contact Yessica Cabrera at 630-682-0639, ext. 19, or by e-mail at dupageclinic@aol.com. Marriage Encounter Are You Making Travel Plans?? Marriage is a journey!! A Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend can help you enrich your marriage and add some pizzazz to your journey. Whether you've been married 1 year or 50, a Marriage Encounter Weekend may be just the thing you need to put a breath of fresh air into your relationship. For more details or to register, call 630-577-0778. Sermon on the Mount is coming to St. Pius X Catholic Church, Lombard Sunday, February 29, at 2:00 p.m. by TV Star Frank Runyeon Followed by: Hollywood vs. Faith Advance Sales: Adults $5.00, Children (Grades 2 and older) $2:00 At the door - Adults $6.00, Children $3.00 For more information, contact the Adult Faith Formation Committee at 630-627-1551. Volunteers Needed for Disaster Recovery Mission Service opportunities with the Catholic Construction Corps: National Disaster Recovery Mission to Jackson, TN, May 2 thru 8, to aid in recovery from tornadoes. The C.C.C. assists families in poverty without insurance or other means to rebuild and repair. Skilled and unskilled volunteers are needed. The Catholic Construction Corps is an outreach of the diocesan Peace and Social Justice Ministry. For Info, contact Vern Witte at 630-882-8919. Monastery Live-in Experience Retreat Attention prayerful single men and women! St. Procopius Benedictine Abbey (for men) in Lisle, IL., St. Benedict's Abbey (for men) in Benet Lake, Wisc., New Melleray Trappist Abbey (for men) in Dubuque, Iowa, the famous Gethsemani Trappist Abbey (for men) in Trappist, Kentucky, and Mary Immaculate and St. Joseph Abbey (for women) will be hosting Live-in Experience vocational retreats soon. Work and pray with the monks and nuns. Hear the interesting vocational talks. There is no cost, but space is limited. Dates include Feb. 27-29th, March 12-14th, and March 19-21st. Other weekend dates available. Some restrictions may apply.Call toll free 1-800-221-1807. Visitation Parish CCW Fashion Show & Dinner Visitation Parish's CCW is sponsoring their 23rd annual Fashion Show and Dinner, Stars on Broadway on Friday, March 5, 2004 from 5:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. at Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. The show, produced by ZZAZZ, will feature both Spring and Summer Fashions. There will be several raffles including a grand prize drawing for $1,000 shopping spree. Tickets are $45 per person and advanced registration is required. For more information, please contact Mary at 834-6340. 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. It is a time to relax over coffee and snacks while learning and discussing issues of interest. There are no membership fees, nor are there any requirements to join the group. The Thursday, Feb. 26, meeting, will be at 9-11 a.m. in Plunkett Hall. The topic is to be announced. Babysitting is available for a nominal fee. For more information, Call Katie Gallagher at 941-8755. Our Lady of Sorrows Novena Every Friday at 7:30 p.m. At St. Domitilla Church 4940 Washington, Hillside Service includes Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction For more information, please call (708) 449-8430. The Lenten Season The Lenten Season begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes when the Triduum Fast begins, with the Church's celebration of the Evening Mass of the Lord's supper on Holy Thursday. Fast & Abstinence Regulations Everyone 14 years of age or over is bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent. Everyone 18 years of age and under 59 years of age is bound to fast and to abstain on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, only one full meatless meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to each one's needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted on these two days, but liquids, including milk and fruit juices, are allowed. When health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige. To disregard completely the law of fast and abstinence is seriously sinful. Lent is the principal season of penance in the Christian year. All of the faithful are strongly urged to develop and follow a program of voluntary self-denial (in addition to following the Lenten regulations), serious prayer, and a performance of works of charity and mercy. Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday is a day of universal fast and abstinence. During Mass, ashes are blessed and imposed after the homily. When distributed outside of Mass, a Liturgy of the word is celebrated, the rite of blessing is performed and, after the imposition of ashes, the celebration concludes with the general intercessions, the Lord's Prayer and a hymn. Ash Wednesday Collection There will be a collection to assist the Catholic Church in Central and Eastern Europe on Ash Wednesday. A basket will be on the table in back of church for your offerings. 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 is Feb. 24, at St. Daniel the Prophet Parish Center, 101 West Loop Drive in Wheaton. For more info., call the L.O.S.S. Program Center at 312-655-7283. Answering the Call Pat Murphy is in his final year of theology at Sacred Heart School of Theology. He entered the seminary after a career in business. He holds degrees in Liberal Arts and in Computer Science. In his home parish, Pat enjoyed his involvement as a lector, usher, homebound minister, and Eucharistic minister at the hospital. He served as a student chaplain at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. His hobbies include skiing, camping and tennis. For information regarding vocations visit www.vocations.com or call the Diocesan Vocation Office at 815-834-4004. Annual Pro-Life Prayer Breakfast Dr. Jack Willke, noted pro-life author and leader, will be the guest speaker at the Illinois Citizens for Life Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, February 28, at 9:00 a.m. at the Drury Lane, Oak Brook Terrace. This is a great opportunity for citizens and legislators to come together to pray for the needs of our country. With a nation at war, the desire for God's blessings seems greater than ever. Your $30 donation is not tax deductible. However, it will certainly be used to help elect pro-life legislators. Call 630-595-0798 for reservations. Carmelite Spiritual Center Presents Celtic Spirituality Renewed The ancient Celts had a holistic belief that was deeply personal, richly relational, communal and creational. Join Fr. Kevin Shanley, O. Carm. as he explores the earthy, joyful, mystical power of Celtic spirituality. This takes place at the Carmelite Spiritual Center in Darien for a series of four Wednesdays, beginning Wednesday, February 25th and culminating March 17th on St. Patrick's Day with a wine and cheese reception followed by a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner and program. The cost is $15 per session. The final session costs $40 per person, including reception and dinner. Call the Spiritual Center at (630) 969-4141 to register. For the final program on March 17th, reservation is requested by March 10th. Pregnant? There is a Place to Turn Catholic Charities knows how scary and confusing it can be when you are facing an unplanned pregnancy. Our professional and compassionate staff can help out and support you as you make the difficult decision to parent or to choose adoption. All contact is confidential. We can also help with other services like medical issues, housing, financial support and more. To talk to someone who can help, call Catholic Charities at 630 495-8008. In an emergency, staff can be paged at 815 532-2034. Parish Lenten Series 2004 Mondays, March 1, 8, and 22 Lent is a time for transformation. It is a time in which we focus on our relationship with God. We practice almsgiving, fasting and prayer in order to deepen our relationship with Him. This year we ask you to focus on your prayer life and the ways your spiritual relationship, and your life, can be transformed by it. Prayer has the power to move mountains and to tenderly comfort those in need. Prayer is the basis for our communication with Christ and with God. This Lent we will present different ways to celebrate prayer and our relationship with God. 3/1 Finding God in an Icon - Lynn Suwanski Journaling, Your Spiritual Diary - Donna Klopacz 3/8 The Rosary, Hail Marys and Beyond - Dee Janicke Finding God Within - Ellen Walker 3/22 Guided Walks with God- Mary Ann Reed Conversations with Christ - Milt Honel Free Senior Home Inspection Offered in Elmhurst! Our Senior Home Inspection Program identifies those areas in your home or daily routine that may be unsafe. The inspection begins at your front door and includes a review of all rooms and the outside of your home. Upon completion, your inspector will indicate what should be done to reduce the risk of fire, burglary, or injury. If you need further information or to schedule a home inspection, contact the DuPage Senior Citizens Council (DSCC) at 630-620-0804. Home Repair Services are also offered at a subsidized cost to seniors age 60 and over. Youth Group News Destiny Our high school group is looking into attending a mission trip in Rockford with Catholic Heart Workcamp. July 18-24 Cost is $285.00 per person (We will fund raise to offset costs.) If you think you would be interested, please call Mrs. Gusloff by Wed., Feb. 25, at 832-4348. Meeting Times Feb. 22, March 7 & 21, April 18, May 2 & 16 8:30 a.m. at Gusloff's 523 N. Myrtle All High School students are invited to attend. Wings to Heaven Thanks to all who brought goodies to our movie night. It sure is great having Barrett Hall to use for our events! Hope you had a great time watching the movie RADIO. We will be having a lock in on Friday, April 30. This is for any student currently in 5th-8th grade. It will be a time for reflection and fun! 7 p.m. on Friday until 9 a.m. on Saturday. If you are interested in attending, please call Mrs. Gusloff at 832-4348. Every student will need a signed permission slip in order to attend. Meeting Times Our meetings until the end of the year are as follows: Feb 22, March 7, March 21, April 18, May 2 May 16 will be our welcome for all incoming 5th graders. We always meet from 6-8 in Barrett Hall. Yoga by Debbie Styka All ages are welcome. The class creates community as we meet each other in class. It is scheduled right after CCD class at 8:30 p.m. A New Class starts Wednesday, March 3, for the month of March 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. $20 per person or $30 per family (ages 14 thru adult) Call Debbie at 941-7224 if you have any questions. Required: Please bring a non-slip yoga mat (can be purchased at Sport Authority, TG-Max, etc. for $13-$20, sometimes available at Sears, Walmart, Target.)