Mary's Corner
Greetings, Friends!
Yesterday, waking up in a hotel in Tennessee, I turned on the morning news to hear the announcement that John Kerry had selected John Edwards as his vice-presidential candidate. In the commentary that followed, questions were asked about whether a presidential candidate should choose someone more different from himself to be his vice-presidential running mate. This kind of political strategy, some thought, could perhaps persuade a broader base of citizens to vote for the candidate. Then one political advisor proceeded to quote a former president who had offered a different perspective. The president had answered the question this way: If I were to die, this is the one who would take my place. That, he said, was the most important consideration when choosing a vice president.
This morning, waking up again in Tennessee (this time not in a hotel but in the lovely home of a friend), I wondered if Jesus would choose me - or any of us - as his vice-presidential candidate. It is a silly question in many respects. Jesus would never run for president of the United States. He never sought out worldly power or authority. Anyway, if he did run, he would never have a chance of winning. He would never fit into a capitalist or materialistic society, and his thinking on social issues would be far too radical for most voters.
But the idea of whether Jesus would choose me - or you - to take his place if he died is not silly at all. He already made that decision. My early morning reverie made me think that we all need to consider this more seriously sometimes. Words of scripture reverberated within me, It is not you who chose me, but I who chose you. These are words that we can take for granted sometimes. But yesterday's news commentary caused me to reflect more seriously on Jesus' words in light of our political situation. A presidential candidate chooses someone who will care for people in the way that he (or maybe someday she) would do, living out the values and ideals held most dearly by the president. Jesus calls us to take his place in the world, living out in our words and actions the Gospel message of God's love, even in the midst of our lives as United States citizens.
As Catholics, our belief in the sacredness and dignity of human life should inform all we do, including voting for political candidates in the upcoming election. For some whose position has attracted the most news attention in recent months, this means that we should vote only for candidates who strongly oppose abortion. Others struggle with the idea that certain candidates who are pro-life with regard to abortion seem to have contradictory views when it comes to other issues concerning human life, such as war or capital punishment. This is good - the struggle, I mean. Far better that we struggle with some of these things than to abandon our important role as Catholics citizens of our country, which includes the responsibility to vote and take an active part in the political life of our country.
Every year since 1976, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a statement on the responsibilities of Catholics to society. A few months ago, the document, Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility, was issued by the USCCB. The purpose of the statement, as stated in the document, is to communicate the Church's teaching that every Catholic is called to an active and faith-filled citizenship, based upon a properly informed conscience, in which each disciple of Christ publicly witnesses to the Church's commitment to human life and dignity with special preference for the poor and the vulnerable. A renewed commitment to faithful citizenship, say the bishops, can help to heal the wounds of our nation, world, and Church.
The document, which can be viewed on the USCCB website, is worth reviewing in its entirety. For now, here I will directly quote some of its key points:
* Faithful citizenship calls Catholics to see civic and political responsibilities through the eyes of faith and to bring our moral convictions to public life. People of good will and sound faith can disagree about specific applications of Catholic principles. However, Catholics in public life have a particular responsibility to bring together consistently their faith, moral principles, and public responsibilities.
* Politics in this election year and beyond should be about an old idea with new power--the common good. The central question should not be, "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" It should be, "How can 'we'--all of us, especially the weak and vulnerable--be better off in the years ahead? How can we protect and promote human life and dignity? How can we pursue greater justice and peace?"
In the coming months, I want to provide opportunities for us, as a community of faith, to spend more time together learning and reflecting on themes of Catholic social teaching which should inform our lives as Catholic citizens of the United States, especially in this election year. For now, I encourage everyone to become informed about the candidates and the issues. It would be good for all of us, too, to reflect more seriously on our participation in the political life of our country. While we may never be chosen as a vice-presidential running mate, it would be good for us to consider more seriously how Jesus has already called us to take his place in the world. In the days to come, let us consider this call more seriously in all aspects of our lives, even as we prepare to vote in the fall elections.
Enjoying vacation but looking forward to being with you again, even as we prepare to vote in the fall elections.
Mary Michele (Regina) Foley
We welcome into the Mary Queen of Heaven Parish Family the following who were baptized in June: Teah Mei Rogers Joseph George Del Rio Rebecca Therese Kevil The Worship Commission respectfully requests that parishioners remember their parish with financial support even though they may be away on vacation. Summer Parish Prayer Service 7:00 p.m. in the Church Thursday, July 15 Wednesday, July 21 Monday, July 26 Please join the Pastoral Life Coordinator for prayer, reflection, and fellowship together this summer. Each evening prayer service will be held in Church from 7-7:30 p.m. This will be followed by fellowship and conversation in Barrett Hall, with the evening concluding around 8:15 p.m. A Parish Contest! Attention all artists young and old! We are looking for a parish logo that can be used for business cards and other printed materials, something that can come to be recognized as symbolizing Mary Queen of Heaven Parish. You are invited to submit line drawings (that would be useful even in small dimension) for consideration as our parish logo. We have some business card examples that can be viewed at the rectory. Examples of drawings could be: a representation of the Mary statue that stands in Mary's Gathering Space, or the outline of our church building. Other creative ideas are also welcome. There will be two categories for this contest - an adult category (the winner of which will probably be used for parish stationery) and a child category (this winning drawing will be incorporated into our Religious Education materials). Contest deadline is August 1. Winning entries will be awarded a prize, and we will publish as many entries as we can in the parish bulletin. So, get those pens and pencils and creative juices going! Please send your contest entries to the parish. Catechists Needed The summer of 2004 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 2004/2005 RE year. Come September, we will need catechists at the 1st grade levels in the afternoon session and at the 6th grade level in the evening. 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. If you have not done the following, please: 1. Register for the 2004/2005 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. 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. Pam Bondfide Heather Brennan John Brennan Kathleen Bryers Kathy Calzante Carolyn Foley Jen Huwalt Tom Huwalt Pat Holmes Michelle Humann Maureen James Tom Janicke Kenneth Kabat Irene Kmieciak Tom Kwiatkowski Dick Martin Bobbie Nannini Michaelene Parrilli Dan Scanlon Therese Shaheen Mary Alice Sapien 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. Rest In Peace Gerald Driscoll Maria Tremmel Mary Alice Wolflick Theology on Tap! The Northeast DuPage Young Adult Ministry and Immaculate Conception Parish in Elmhurst will be hosting a special program for adults in their 20's and 30's. It's called THEOLOGY ON TAP, a four-week speaker and discussion series directed to the needs and experiences of adults, college age and older, married or single. Please join other adults for a great experience. July 11th Connect with Others: The Secret for Happiness Frank Giangrego July 18th From Willow Creek to Catholic Steve Smith July 25th The Songs We Sing: Music in Our Prayer Annie Waugh and Kevin O'Donnell August 1st Joy in the Journey: Finding God in Our Lives Nancy McKnight Each session starts with socializing and gathering at 6:15 p.m. and the speaker at 6:30 p.m. The evenings will be held at the Immaculate Conception Parish Administration Center, 134 Arthur Street in Elmhurst. Please call Kristin Kramer at 630-530-3482 for more information. Church of the Holy Ghost Council of Catholic Women Stage Right Productions and Church of the Holy Ghost Council of Catholic Women present Joe DiPietro's comic drama Over the River and Through the Woods. This play centers on a tight knit Italian-American family - a funny and heartbreaking story that will make you laugh and cry. Place: Wood Dale Junior High School Center for Performing Arts 655 N. Wood Dale Road, Wood Dale Dates: August 12 through August 22 Thursday, Friday & Saturday-8:00 p.m. Sunday.-.2:00 p.m. Tickets: $15.00 For more information, call 630-455-1599. Part Time Van Driver Wanted Driscoll High School is looking for part time van drivers for mornings, from 5:45-7:45 or for afternoons from 2:40-4:30, Monday thru Friday, from mid-August thru early June. We would provide a 15 passenger van. The job pays $3,300 for one way trips: and $6,800 for both am and pm runs. Please contact: Mr. David Salois at Driscoll Catholic High School at 630-543-6310, ext. 30. Power Wheelchairs Available Wheels For Seniors makes available power (electric) wheelchairs to senior citizens and permanently disabled of any age people, usually at no out of-pocket expense if they qualify. No deposit is required. The electric wheelchairs are provided to those who cannot walk and cannot self-propel a manual wheelchair in their home and who meet the additional qualifications of the program. We can deliver any durable medical equipment in any city all over the United States. Call 1-800-340-8525 or visit our website www.statemedical.com for more information on the details of this program. 2004 Diocesan Annual Appeal Diocese of Joliet Seeds of Hope This is just a reminder to send your Appeal coupon with payment to the Diocesan Appeal Office by the 15th of each month. Thank you. All pledge cards should be returned to the parish for forwarding to the diocese. By doing this, all pledges will be recorded and everyone will receive proper acknowledgement. 50th Wedding Anniversary Mass The Diocese of Joliet will hold its twenty-sixth Wedding Anniversary Mass on Sunday, August 29, 2004 at 3:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Raymond in Joliet. If you were married in 1954 and are celebrating your 50th anniversary this year, please contact the rectory so that we may submit your name to the Diocese for a formal invitation. Sacred Heart Parish 37th Annual German Fest Sacred Heart Parish is having their 37th Annual German Fest on July 22-25, 2004 at 114 S. Elizabeth in Lombard. There will be Rides, Entertainment, Casino Gambling, Bingo, Free Kids Bingo, Food Games and fun for All. A grand Prize drawing for $10,000.00 along with many other prizes will be raffled. All ride wrist bands are available Thursday 6 p.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 1 p.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Check out our web site www.sacredheartlombard.com for more details. Are you widowed? Do you know someone who is widowed? If you have been recently widowed and are still struggling with the loss, or if you have been widowed for some time and need something to get you over the hump because you seem stuck in one spot, this program is designed to help you move on with your life while treasuring your past and its precious memories. This weekend program will be held at Immaculate Conception Parish in Elmhurst. All are invited. The Joyful Again! Retreat is for both men and women (all ages) who have been widowed and are still trying to find hope and joy in their lives. When: July 17 & 18 Where: Immaculate Conception Parish, Elmhurst Donation: $75 includes meals (Adjusted if needed) Register by calling 708-354-7211. Reporting Sexual Abuse Anyone who has reasonable cause to suspect the sexual abuse of a minor by a member of the clergy or other Church personnel is urged to report the matter immediately. To inform the Diocese of Joliet, call Sr. Mary Frances Seeley, OSF (Victim Assistance Coordinator) at 1-815-263-6467 or write the Diocese of Joliet, 524 Summit Street, Joliet 60435. Contact DCFS at 1-800-252-2873 or call the office of the local County States Attorney. Feed the Poor Drop Off Used Printer Cartridges Mary Queen of Heaven Men's Group continues to collect empty inkjet and toner cartridges to help the poor in Latin America and the Caribbean. With the non-profit organization, Food for the Poor, empty cartridges are recycled, and cash received is used to buy food. Please look for the special Food for the Poor box in the vestibule of church. For more information call Russ DiOrio at 630-617-8844. 'A Pilgrimage of Peace to the Holy Land.' November 29 - December 10, 2004 This past May, Pope John Paul II encouraged pilgrimages of peace to the Holy Land to express solidarity with the local Christian community. In his address to the general assembly of the Italian bishops' conference, the Pope applauded the initiative adopted last year by Italian dioceses to promote pilgrimages of peace to the Holy Land. These pilgrimages are a sign of solidarity, a witness to peace, and an opportunity for economic support of the beleaguered Palestinian Christian community. Many of you have visited personally those places, taking numerous pilgrims with you. It is also a strong sign of closeness and solidarity for the Christian communities that live there and that are in great need of your help. The Holy Father said. Co-sponsored by Catholic Relief Services and the Joliet Diocese Peace and Social Justice Ministry along with Koinonia Retreats, this pilgrimage responds to the Pope's call and the example of the Italian bishops to find solidarity with the people of the Holy Land. Our pilgrimage will include visits to the Holy Places, the Ancient Stones, important to the People of God. We will walk where Jesus walked. But we will also take time to visit God's Holy People, the Living Stones, the Palestinian Christians who live in Israel. We will walk in solidarity with the descendants of the people with whom Jesus walked. Each day will be steeped in scripture reflections, prayer times, and liturgy. We will also have an opportunity to hear from the oppressed of the land, to witness efforts to bring justice and peace through development and empowerment, to learn from peacemakers and Middle-east issue experts. This will not be a tourist trip, but a pilgrimage. It will be a pilgrimage of prayer, solidarity, and the quest for peace. Please contact Deacon Tom Goebel at 630-530-8515 for complete information. Catholic Charities Emergency Services Every year in December, the DuPage County Catholic Charities office receives donations from the DuPage parishes to purchase food certificates and gift certificates from the local grocery stores. These certificates are given to needy families who come to our office for assistance and to supplement the food they receive from local food pantries and walk-in ministries. Each month our Emergency Services group receives hundreds of requests for varying assistance. Due to stronger than usual demand, our supply of food gift certificates is running extremely low. If you are able to help our Catholic Charities Emergency Services group with a cash donation or grocery gift certificate, we thank you profusely. Please make any checks payable to Catholic Charities and in the memo section of your check please write North Area food/gift certificate purchase. The mailing address is: Catholic Charities, c/o Annie Laven, 26 W. St. Charles Road, Lombard, IL 60148. If you have any questions, please contact Anne Laven at 630-495-8008. Intercession for Life That like the Good Samaritan, We might see to serve the weakest and most forgotten, And preserve the life of those threatened by violence or selfishness. Deacon Applications The Diocese of Joliet is accepting applications for its permanent deacon program class of 2009. They will continue to accept these applications through October 2004. If you are interested, please contact Mary Foley at the Mary Queen of Heaven office. Praise Jesus Fest Saturday, July 24 A free outdoor Christian Concert will be held on the prairie path near Park & Ardmore Avenue in Villa Park, from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. It is meant both as an outreach to those who don't know the Lord Jesus personally and as an enjoyable time of music & praise to those who do. Please pray that God will use this event any way He chooses. If you have any questions, please call Paul Ellingsen at 935-0765 or e-mail paul@PBforJ.jcom. You may check our website at www/piaiseJesusfest.org. Local Service & Solidarity Opportunity Catholic Construction Corps The CCC will be assisting needy homeowners in the repair and rebuilding of homes in Pembroke Township, one of the most impoverished areas of the United States in the Joliet Diocese. Skilled and unskilled volunteers are needed. Scheduled workdays are: Aug. 7, Sept. 4, Oct. 2, Nov. 6. Some weekday opportunities may be available. Please contact Art Sheridan or Margie Parks at 815-834-4028. The CCC is sponsored by the Joliet Diocese Peace and Social Justice Ministry.