Dear Friends,
This is Back-to-School time! Here at Mary Queen, that also means that our Religious Education classes and all of the ministries of the parish start up once again. Welcome back, everybody!
As we begin this new year, we have ministries that are expanding and some new ones that are beginning. We have a new Adult Education and Spirituality Committee that will be working with all of our commissions to help promote and coordinate programs and activities that will provide for continuing education and spiritual formation of adults in our parish. We also have a new Health Committee composed of a number of gifted health care professionals who are members of our parish. In the months to come, you will begin to see how they will help us to live healthier lives and make connections between health and spirituality. Our new Peace and Justice Ministry will be working on developing ways to begin a parish-wide educational effort on Catholic social teaching. This is in response to a call from the U.S. Bishops, who have said:
Far too many Catholics are not familiar with the basic content of Catholic social teaching. More fundamentally, many Catholics do not adequately understand that the social teaching of the Church is an essential part of the Catholic faith. This poses a serious challenge for all Catholics, since it weakens our capacity to be a Church that is true to the demands of the Gospel...
Catholic social teaching is a central and essential element of our faith... The focus of this statement is the urgent task to incorporate Catholic social teaching more fully and explicitly into Catholic educational programs. This must be undertaken in the context of efforts to share the faith in its entirety and to encourage Catholics to experience the gospel call to conversion in all its dimensions.
Recognizing the importance of this broader goal of Catholic education and formation, we call for a renewed commitment to integrate Catholic social teaching into the mainstream of all Catholic institutions and programs… Central to our identity as Catholics is that we are called to be leaven for transforming the world, agents for bringing about a kingdom of love and justice. When we pray, “Thy kingdom come; thy will be done as it is in heaven,” we are praying for God's kingdom of justice and peace and committing ourselves to breaking down the barriers that obstruct God's kingdom of justice and peace and working to bring about a world more respectful of human life and dignity.
This week, we celebrate Labor Day. This holiday provides a good time to reflect on what our bishops have to say about one of the seven themes of
Catholic Social Teaching:
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
In a marketplace where too often the quarterly bottom line takes precedence over the rights of workers, we believe that the economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God's creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected - the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to organize and join unions, to private property, and to economic initiative. Respecting these rights promotes an economy that protects human life, defends human rights, and advances the well-being of all.
Enjoy the Labor Day holiday! Celebrate the dignity of work and the sacredness of the life that we have been given to share with others. Welcome to all our new parishioners and Religious Education families, as well as to the new ministries that will begin this year. Welcome back to all of those who are returning. Happy new start of the year at Mary Queen of Heaven!
Mary Michele (Regina) Foley
“Wedding Nostalgia” On Sunday, September 26th, the Council of Catholic Women's “Wedding Nostalgia” Fashion Show and Luncheon will be held at 1:30 p.m. in Barrett Hall. You, your family and friends are invited to attend and enjoy a wonderful afternoon featuring Wedding Gowns and Bridesmaids' Dresses from the early 1900's through the present time. It should be a special treat for all to see our own Mary Queen of Heaven models, wearing gowns and dresses from our parishioners and escorted by some very handsome males. In addition to the delicious luncheon and fashion show, a special contest will be held for all who attend. Sounds like fun! Call your relatives and friends and invite them to attend. The donation is $20 per person. Tickets will be available for purchase after all the Masses on the weekends of September 4/5 and 11/12. Tickets will not be available at the door. For further information, please call Sheila Reiter (833-6657) or Mary White (833-9809). 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 William A. Brennan Kathleen Bryers Kathy Calzante Joe Colletti Rosemarie Colletti Anna Heffel Jen Huwalt Tom Huwalt Pat Holmes Michelle Humann Maureen James Tom Janicke Irene Kmieciak Tom Kwiatkowski Nancy Maloney Robert Manion Dick Martin Bobbie Nannini Michaelene Parrilli Anna Marie Raye Faith Maxine Reid Dan Scanlon Therese Shaheen 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. Audio Visual Ministry We are expanding our Audio Visual Ministry, which coordinates the sound system during weekend Masses, and runs the sound system and project screen in Barrett Hall for special occasions. Please consider becoming part of this ministry. This involves: Monthly, 2-hour training sessions in September, October, November, December. Amount of monthly effort depends on the number of volunteers and volunteer skill levels. Nobody will be expected to support more than one Mass per weekend, preferably once every other week. Some functions other than Mass require support during the evenings or on Saturdays - such as the Senior Dinner, Men's Group and CCW functions, Youth Group activities. No previous experience is necessary, and, in general, volunteers should be 16 or older. Adults are also asked to volunteer, particularly for involvement with the 10:15 a.m. Sunday Mass. Must be responsible, meet commitments and communicate in a timely manner with the coordinator. If you are interested, please contact Scott Vicary at 279-4108 or e-mail at scottv66@comcast.net Volunteer Opportunity: P.A.D.S. Our Parish is involved with P.A.D.S. (Public Action to Deliver Shelter). Our parishioners assist with preparing and serving dinner and breakfast, and we man (or woman) the overnight shift (11 p.m. to 5 a.m.). We work with Bethel Church in Elmhurst. The location that we serve is St. Alexis Parish in Bensenville. We are looking for volunteers for the 2004-2005 Season. We serve only once per month, on the 4th weekend of the month, October through March. We work the Saturday night to Sunday morning shift. There is no experience necessary. Teens that need community service, parents, grandparents... all are welcome. We all need a mission. Many times we are looking for others to help us. Here is a situation where we can help others that needs no training, only time. If you are interested or wish to volunteer, please call Steve Lindberg at 630-983-3392 (work) or 630-941-1355 (home). Thank You, Thank You, Thank You I am very pleased to report that all of our catechist positions are now filled. God is good and the faith community of Mary Queen is awesome. Once again the children of the parish are blessed to have almost 50 outstanding men and women sharing their faith with them this year. Have you registered yet? Registrations are still being taken in the REO. If you have not registered, please do so ASAP. Pass the word to your friends and neighbors. Classes are filling up. Please note that our 4-year-old preschool and our Kindergarten are already full to capacity. Please bear in mind that we will not process registrations on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of September. To avoid having your children miss the first week of class, register now. Mark your calendar On Wednesday, September 8, all RE families and children will gather in church from 7-8 p.m. to kick off our 2004-2005 year. Everyone will have a chance to meet Mary Foley, up close and personal. In addition, all will be invited to Barrett Hall where they will be given information on our Wings to Heaven youth group, our Voices of Angels youth choir, and our many and varied opportunities for Christian service that we offer in our RE program. For those who still need to register, there will be a table for that as well. The school classrooms will also be open so that you can see where your child will be spending Wednesday afternoons and/or evenings and meet their respective catechists. Please pass this info on to friends and neighbors. Coming September 18-19 Stewards of God's Gifts Catechetical Sunday 2004 For more information on any of the above, please call Mary Ann Woods at the REO, 832-8962. Picture Directories Anyone who had a photo taken for the parish directory, will receive a complimentary book. We also have a limited number of additional copies available for purchase at $5.00 each. The Directories may be picked up at the Parish Office, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults September is always a month of new beginnings - a time to set our sights on new goals and achievements. The change of seasons calls us to a more focused look at our path in life and just how we might want to adjust those sights. The RCIA group of team members, catechists and sponsors would like to introduce you to an impressive group of people. Each one of them has chosen to look more deeply at their own faith life and to take that journey of making God a part of their every day lives, eventually receiving the sacraments of the Catholic Church. The names of our new candidates are Melissa Norberciak, Michelle Sinks, Jackie Sinks, Robert Murphy, and Michelle Pringle. Throughout the summer months they have come together each week to discuss who God is in their lives, different pathways of prayer, the nature of grace, what it means to be church and an introduction to the feasts of Mary. This summer there was a progression of topics from “What God means to me.” to “How do I meet God in my church community?”…This is where you come in. This journey into a deeper faith life does not take place alone. Melissa, Michelle, Jackie, Robert, and Michelle do not ask to enter an empty building called a church. They ask to enter into an alive, Spirit-filled community of people called CHURCH. You are a very important part of this journey. Through your prayers, example, and your welcoming spirit, they will begin to know the real meaning of church. As the weeks progress we will continue to pray and study together. Between now and Advent we will learn more about the Old Testament, the New Testament, Mary, the Saints and the Liturgical year. This year you will see their ritual dismissal at one of our masses each Sunday from October 31 through March 13. It is the whole Mary Queen of Heaven parish community that welcomes, prays with, and teaches our new members. If you would like to be a more active member in this special ministry please give me a call. We are in need of new sponsors for this coming year. There will be an evening of training offered for anyone wanting to be a sponsor. We would welcome your call. Thank you for already being a faith-filled community that these special people have elected to join. Bereavement Ministry In the coming months the Bereavement Ministry of Mary Queen of Heaven Parish would like to expand its services to the families of our parish. We are looking for men or women who may feel a call to spend time with a family at a most vulnerable and difficult time. Bereavement Ministry may include preparing a meal, helping a family to select songs and readings for the Funeral Mass. Or, it may mean reading scripture or leading songs at the Vigil (wake) Service or preparing a Worship aid for use by those who attend the Funeral Mass. If you may be interested in serving in this way, or if you have any questions, please call me for more information. Our diocese will be holding a three day Ministry Training on the Saturdays of October (16, 23, and 30), and it would be wonderful to have several people from our parish attend these sessions. Thank You, Mary Alice Steck 279-1159 RCIA/Bereavement Ministry Coordinator Mary Queen of Heaven Parish Parish Ministry Fair We will once again be having a Ministry Fair to share with the parish all that is going on and being offered here at Mary Queen of Heaven. Please mark your calendar for September 18 & 19. All commissions will be contacted by Cybele Japczyk with further information on reserving a table. Please mark your calendars and plan on attending. Parish Picnic - September 12 MQH will be holding its annual picnic on September 12 from 12:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.. Entertainment and activities include a band, moon jump, tug-o-war, volleyball, popcorn, cotton candy, bingo and more. A large tent will again be provided, so come rain or shine. For information or to volunteer to run an activity, contact Steve Rhea at 833-2592 or Mike Funk at 359-4051. Notice The September Parish Pastoral Council/All Commissions Meeting has been changed to Monday, September 27, at 7 p.m. In October, we will return to meeting on the 3rd Monday of each month.