426 N. West Avenue
Elmhurst, Illinois 60126-2171
Parish Office: 630/279-5700
Fax: 630/279-4667
A blessed and happy Easter to all who are part of the Mary Queen of Heaven Parish family! If you are visiting with us this weekend, thank you for joining us in celebrating the resurrection of our Lord. Please know that you are always welcome and if you are looking for a parish home, please consider joining us at Mary Queen.
Today and in the days to come, we celebrate the great mystery that is central to our faith - Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, is risen from the dead! The enormity of God's gift of love, the priceless promise of the new life given to us in Jesus, these are the things that we will reflect on today and in the 50 days of the Easter season to come. Just as the disciples needed time to take it all in, to really believe, to become able to receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and continue the miracles of Jesus, so, we, too, during these days of Easter will refocus our hearts and minds on the promise of new life given to us by God. A body broken has become food for the world. The One who suffered betrayal and torture has become our peace, our hope. The One who died on the cross has risen to show us that God's love overcomes all pain, all suffering, all sin. Life cannot be overcome by death.
Do we believe this? Of course, we do! We would not be gathered in church this day if we did not believe in Jesus and in the resurrection. But perhaps, in these days of Easter to come, we can allow our faith and our belief to deepen by reflecting on the meaning and hope of the resurrection in whatever are the circumstances of our lives. Already in my early days here, I have begun to carry the prayers and concerns of this faith community in my heart. I know already of some people suffering illness, of some who are even dying. There are parents and teenagers struggling to understand each other and there are some marriages in trouble. There are people who are out of work, others with financial difficulties. There are people who are terribly afraid of the effects of war and violence within our world.
Within the body of Christ here at Mary Queen, there is brokenness and suffering. There are also powerful signs of the hope and new life given to us in the resurrection. These can be found not only in the scripture and symbols of the Easter liturgies but also within us as Easter people. Also in my early days here, I have already seen the power of the love people have for each other - in their families, in their faith community, in the outreach of people here to others in need. As we enter into this season of Easter, as individuals and as a community of faith, let us come to believe even more deeply in the promise of the resurrection.
I celebrate this Easter in the knowledge that I have joined a faith community that has great hope in the Lord. Your trust in me, as we begin this new model of ministry here at Mary Queen, is a great gift that I will respect and honor. Your trust in God, to be working through all of us, is a powerful witness of your faith and an inspiration that will sustain me as I begin my journey with you.
In the weeks to come, there will be announcements of special events to gather groups of people together to share with me your hopes for our parish. I look forward to sharing tea and conversation with people of the parish who have lived here many years and who hold in their hearts and memory the history of Mary Queen of Heaven. I look forward to an evening of wine and cheese with newcomers who have been attracted to this parish and are eager to contribute their gifts. I'd love to have pizza with the teenagers who are the future leaders of our church. There are others, too, that I would like to gather together. If you are interested in helping to plan these events, please call me at the rectory. You will soon finding me joining you at meetings of committees and ministries, and small faith communities, too.
Two special dates to keep on your calendar: On Sunday, April 25 after the 10:30 Mass, we will be celebrating Father John's retirement. On Sunday, May 9 at the 10:30 Mass, Bishop Joseph Imesch will preside at my formal installation. I hope that you will all be part of that celebration.
Also, one announcement of a small change that will gradually enter into our weekly Mass schedule. With Father John's departure, we will be moving toward a Saturday morning communion service instead of Mass so that Father Tom can have one morning off per week. I will both preside and preach for these communion services. There will be two during the month of April - on April 17 and April 24. After that, they will happen periodically for a while. Some Saturdays already have Mass intentions assigned to them and there will be Masses celebrated on those days. Other than those already arranged, however, will we will not have Masses on Saturday mornings but there will always be Mass on Saturday afternoons at 5 pm. You will always be able to see it published in the bulletin whether there will be a Mass or communion service on Saturday morning.
I could not be more delighted that we begin this new ministry entering into Easter together. May God continue to bless this parish family and may we be a sign of God's love to the world. A happy and joyous Easter to all!
Mary Michele (Regina) Foley
MINISTRY SCHEDULE SATURDAY, APRIL 17 - SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2004 5:00 PM Fr. John 8:30 AM Fr. John 10:30 AM Fr. John Market Day Orders for April are due Monday, April 19, at noon. Turn in your order form in the box at the back of church or at the rectory. Pickup on Saturday, April 24, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the Social Hall. If you have questions or would like to place an order, please call Mary at 832-8263 or Karen at 279-4108. Marriage Encounter Attention Married Couples: Easter Sunday is like A worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend because it's a weekend full of fresh love, rebirth and new beginnings. Bring back the passion in your relationship. All married couples deserve a richer, fuller life together! Upcoming weekend dates are April 16-18, May 14-16, and July 16-18. For information or to register, call John & Kerri Lilienthal at 630-577-0778. Answering the Call Sr. Mary Grace, OP. Kathy Kamp received the Dominican habit on August 5th, 2003 and her new religious name: "Sr. Mary Grace". Sister is from Sacred Heart Parish in Lombard. She attended Franciscan University of Steubenville, studied theology, earned her degree and took a job teaching at a Catholic school. Following her return to school and earning a masters' degree, she recognized that she had been living her life as a perpetual discerner. Through grace and prayer, she came to realize that, "The Lord was waiting for me to act." She took Christ's hand, which led her to the Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist, located in Ann Arbor, MI where she began her canonical year in August 2003. For information regarding vocations visit www.vocations.com or call the Diocesan Vocation Office at 815.834.4004. Feed the Hungry Catholic Charities is proud to operate Shepherd's Table and serve over 26,000 meals each year to those who are hungry. Again this year we have a special opportunity to raise funds for Shepherd's Table. Alan Shawn Feinstein, a philanthropist dedicated to eliminating hunger in our country, will add his own money for each donation that we receive during March and April. The more money Catholic Charities raises, the more of his money we will receive, and he has one million dollars to give away! Last year this challenge helped raise over $28,000 which was used to feed the hungry at Shepherd's Table! In this way you can make a greater impact in the efforts to feed God's children in our community. God bless you for your generosity! Please send donations to: Catholic Charities Shepherd's Table, Matching Gift Program, 203 N. Ottawa St. Joliet, IL 60432 Now is the perfect time to start thinking about being a catechist for 2004/2005 school year. As always we will be losing some of our wonderful catechists for one reason or another. Reasons vary from moves to children growing up, to getting involved in other ministries. In particular it looks like next fall we will be in need of several catechists in the afternoon session. If you are available in the afternoon, please consider giving a few hours of your time each Wednesday. If you enjoy working with younger 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. Our Last Family Mass of the year is Saturday, April 17th at 5:00 p.m. Please make plans to attend. All children are asked to gather in the vestibule of Barrett Hall before Mass. Our Voices of Angels choir will sing and our children will carry up the gifts and dress the altar. Many thanks to all who have supported our family masses throughout the year. Let's fill the church to capacity as we end our RE year. Registrations for the 2004/2005 RE year have been mailed. Please be sure to return them ASP. Remember classes fill up fast, especially for Pre-School and Kindergarten, as class size is limited at those grade levels. If you did not receive a registration or are new to the parish or know someone who is, please call the office and we will mail one to you. It is very helpful to us in planning for next fall to have the registrations returned early. Remember tuition does not have to accompany the registration. Mark your calendars: Saturday, April 17: Family Mass at 5PM. Tuesday, April 20: Confirmation Practice at 6PM in Church. Wednesday, April 21: Last regular RE class, Annual Food Collection in the PM session. Saturday, April 24: Celebration of Confirmation at 5PM If you have questions or need more information, please call Mary Ann Woods at the REO, 832-8962. Fairway to Heaven Catholic Charities will be hosting A Fairway to Heaven, a golf outing fundraiser on Monday, May 10, at White Eagle Golf Club. Registration begins at 11:00 a.m. with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. The event will also feature several attractions, including a Beat the Priest contest and Beat the Investigative Reporter featuring Dave Savini. Also included are lunch, dinner, beverages and lots of prizes! Tickets are $225 each if registration is received before April 23. After that time, tickets are $250. All funds raised will be directed toward programs and services offered through Catholic Charities. For reservations or information, call Sue Kaiser at 815-723-3405, ext. 139. Spring Clean up Time!!!!! Calling all Garden Club Members: the time is here once again to begin cleaning up the Parish Grounds and preparing the flower beds for planting. Please mark your calendars. On Saturday, April 17, at 10:00 a.m. we will gather on the south side of Church with our shovels, rakes, hoes, and don't forget gloves. Aside from our regular Garden Club crew, we would appreciate help from other men, women and teens in the parish who could give us a few hours of their time. Should the weather be inclement, the rain date will be Saturday, May 15, at 10:00 a.m. For further info or questions, please call Rose Wilkes at 833-7238 or Sheila Reiter at 833-6657. St. Joseph Catholic School 330 E. Fullerton, Addison Come Journey With Us! Open Registration for 2004-2005 Preschool 3, Pre K, all-day K, and grades 1 through 8 Scholarships Available at Every Grade Level St. Joseph School is a co-educational school committed to the development of Catholic values in an exceptional academic environment. Our traditional curriculum and nurturing environment will prepare your child for life's challenges. Our dedicated faculty's mission is to promote Christ-centered values while encouraging a sense of community. A low student-to-teacher ratio, exceptional standardized test scores, high honor roll ratios, and superb high school preparation in algebra, science, and computer sciences, make St. Joseph School a necessary part of your child's education. For more information call 630-279-4211 office@stjosephschooladdison.org It's Never Too Late! Voices of Angels is saving space for a few (or many) good Angels! If you're 3rd Grade or older, come practice with us Thursday, April 15, at 6:30-7:30 p.m. and help lead the Church in song at the last Family Mass of the season on Saturday, April 17. All are welcome! Come and have fun with friends, learn some new songs, and help us make a joyful noise. For info, call: Mrs. Maple at 279-5612 or Mrs. Adkins at 530-0823. Installation of New Pastoral Life Coordinator Bishop Joseph Imesch will formally install Mary Foley as Pastoral Life Coordinator at Mary Queen of Heaven Parish at the 10:30 Mass on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 9. All members of the parish are invited to share in this celebration, along with Mary's family and guests. A reception will follow in Barrett Hall. Wine Tasting Event! Come one! Come all! On Tuesday, April 20, the Council of Catholic Women is sponsoring a Wine Tasting event at 7:30 p.m. in Barrett Hall. Invite your relatives, neighbors and friends to join us in a relaxing evening, learning more about the art and taste of different wines. Please bring your favorite hors d'oeuvre to share with us. Free at Last, Free at Last! All are invited to join in a special celebration to honor the ministry of Father John Barrett. His retirement party will be held on Sunday, April 25, in Barrett Hall after the 10:30 Mass. This is also his birthday weekend - so as he celebrates a new year of life, let us celebrate with him in thanksgiving for his loving years of service to this parish. 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 Kathleen Byers John Brani Kathy Calzante Betty Ciancio Cosmo Ciancio Maureen James Tom Janicke Lisa Langler Brian Morley Anne Marie Raye Therese Shaheen Roy Schultz If you know someone who would like our prayers, please call Mary Alice at 279-1159. Stewardship In the second reading today;, St. Paul reminds the Colossians that they have been raised with Christ, exhorting them to be intent on the things above rather than on things of earth. We too, have been raised with Christ. Let us rejoice and be glad!. Intercessions for Life For a love for life, from conception to natural death: that all Catholics might work for an end to abortion, and for the right to life of every human being; We pray to the Lord. Bishop McNamara High School Annual Dinner Auction $100,000 Raffle! Bishop McNamara High School's Dinner Auction Raffle will have a grand prize of $100,000. Only 2,000 tickets, each $100, will be sold. The winning ticket will be drawn at the Dinner Auction on May 8, 2004. For a ticket mail your check, made out to Bishop McNamara High School, to P.O. Box 1113, Bourbonnais, IL 60914 or visit the Bishop McNamara website (www.bishopmac.com). If you have any questions about the raffle call (815)791-3483. Annual Conference for the Divorced and Widowed St. Charles Pastoral Center, Romeoville Saturday, April 17th , 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. How Can I Keep from Singing is a day especially designed for those who are experiencing the loss of a spouse or the loss of a significant other and for those who minister to them. The day features nationally known Fr./Dr. Richard Sparks, a Paulist priest who will present two presentations entitled Divorced, Separated, Widowed: Seeking Wholeness and Holiness and Sexuality and dating and the Single Person. The day will also include reflection, prayer, discussion, and relaxation. Books and resources from Wheaton Religious will be displayed and on sale. The day will end with a 4 p.m. Vigil Mass. The requested $25 donation includes continental breakfast, lunch, snacks and materials. To register call The Center for Family Ministry (85)-838-5334). CCW Sponsors Plant Sale The Council of Catholic Women is sponsoring a Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, May 15th at 10:00 in the church parking lot. ALL ITEMS MUST BE PRE-ORDERED AND PAID FOR BEFORE THE DAY OF THE SALE. For your convenience, an order form will be in the bulletin next weekend. Order forms and payment can be turned in to the rectory or in the vestibule of church as you are leaving Mass. We will be ordering the plants from Autumn Leaf Nursery in Willow Springs. Bedding flats of Ageratum, Alyssum, Begonias, Celosia, Coleus, Dahlias, Dianthus, Dusty Miller, Impatiens, Marigolds, Moss Roses, Pansies, Petunias, Salvia, Snapdragons, Verbena, and Vinca will be available for ordering at $12.00 per flat. Also available for ordering will be 3-1/2 pots of Hybrid Geraniums at $1.50 per pot, and New Guinea Impatiens, Non-stop Begonias, Double Impatiens, Spikes, Asparagus Fern, Vinca Vine, Trailing Petunias, Fuchsia and Ivy Geraniums at $1.75 per pot. If you are looking for hanging baskets to decorate your deck or house, or to hang on Shepherd's Hooks in your yard, perhaps you would be interested in the 10 Hanging baskets ranging in price from $9 to $11. 12 diameter planted pots are available too at $15.00 each. The deadline for placing your order is Sunday, May 2nd. If paying by check, please make payment payable to Mary Queen of Heaven CCW. For information or questions regarding the sale, please call Mary White at 833-9809 or Sheila Reiter at 833-6657. Wedding Nostalgia CCW is planning a WEDDING NOSTALGIA Fashion Show and Luncheon on Sunday, May 23rd in Barrett Hall. We are looking for wedding dresses dating back as far as the early 1900's. Perhaps you have your own wedding dress, or a great grandmother, great aunt, grandmother, aunt, mother, or another relative or friend that has a wedding dress that could be worn in the fashion show. If so, please give either Sheila (833-6657), Phylis, (279-6239) or Diane (279-7252) a call. We are also looking for parishioners to model the dresses in the fashion show. Be sure and mark May 23rd on your calendar and spend a nostalgic afternoon with your friends, enjoying a delicious luncheon and the beautiful dresses and models. Watch for more information in future bulletins! An Easter Prayer We celebrate Easter, forty days after Lent. We reflect on the agony, through which Jesus went. He was scourged, crowned with thorns, and was crucified too. He suffered and died, what a cruel thing to do. Mary stood at, the foot of the cross. With tears running down her face, she suffered her loss. As we celebrate the Resurrection, let us all pray for peace. There will be no more casualties, and the fighting will cease. Our boys will come home, to family and friends. No more lives will be lost, when this war ends. (Submitted by Parishioner G. Wiora) Divine Mercy Sunday, April 18 Visitation Church, Elmhurst Divine Mercy Sunday reminds us of why Jesus died. Love and Mercy were His weapons against the forces of sin and death. His Resurrection brought an avalanche of Mercy upon our world. Visitation Parish invites you to share in the extraordinary graces of the first worldwide celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday. At St. Faustina's canonization, the Holy Father called her a gift of God to our time. Devotions: 1:30 p.m. Sacrament of Reconciliation 3:00 p.m. Divine Mercy Chaplet 3:45 p.m. Celebration of Mass Holy Communion should be received on the Feast of Mercy. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available throughout the afternoon, although it is preferable during Lent. For more info, call Anna Marie White at 530-1212. Elmhurst College Frick Center, Founders Lounge Thursday, April 22, 4:00 p.m. Peter Duffy, Author of The Bielski Brothers: The True Story of Three Men Who Defied the Nazis, Saved 1,200 Jews and Built a Village in the Forest. In an astonishing but little-knows effort, the Bielski Brothers fought back in the face of genocide, waging a guerilla war of wits and cunning against the Nazis. In what one reviewer has called a more miraculous story than 'Schindler's List,' the Bielski Brothers created a hidden, woodland community and saved 1,2000 Jews. Duffy brings their heretofore untold story to light. Further information is available by calling 630-617-3033, or visiting http://www.elmhurst.edu/library/displays/. Surviving Spouses St. Alexander Parish Center 300 S. Cornell, Villa Park Sunday, April 18th at 1:00 p.m. Sunday, May 16th, at 1:00 p.m. Whoever survives a test, whatever it may be, must tell the story; That is his duty. (Elie Wiesel in Healing after Loss, Martha Whitmore Hickman.) This is what we are about; telling our stories, surviving our losses and helping others do the same. For more info., call Pauline Boaze, 834-9162 or Carol Nash, 834-8152.