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Subscribe via email to see what's happening at Mary, Mother of God! Check out photos from our latest roundtable! Last Thursday, Canterbury House hosted a discussion with Lincoln Rice, author of Healing the Racial Divide: A Catholic Racial Justice Framework Inspired by Dr. Arthur Falls. Mr. Rice led a discussion about Chicagoan Dr. Arthur Falls’ renewed theology of Catholic racial justice. The potluck dinner began at 6 PM followed by the discussion at 7 PM. Read the Black Catholic Messenger's coverage of the event by clicking here! Photos courtesy: Damian Chlanda
 Today begins the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, celebrated each year on January 18-25!
The 2024 theme is "You shall love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself" (Lk 10:27). The theme, taken from the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke, reflects the connection between love of God and love of neighbor with a particular concern for challenging the boundaries of who is considered "neighbor.” How might we examine and extend our definition of "neighbor” to reflect God’s call for charity, mercy, justice, and unity?  Parishioners have reported receiving emails from someone claiming to be Fr. Thomas asking them to buy gift cards. This is a SCAM and should be reported IMMEDIATELY! DO NOT respond to these messages. Instead, call the parish office. If you ever receive an email/phone call claiming to be from the parish asking for money or your personal information, the first thing you should do is directly call the parish office. It is better to be safe than sorry in these situations. PARISH OFFICE: 773-561-5343 Feligreses han informado de la recepción de correos electrónicos de alguien que dice ser el P. Thomas. La persona les pide que compren tarjetas de regalo. ¡Esto es una ESTAFA y debe ser denunciado INMEDIATAMENTE! NO responda a estos mensajes. En su lugar, llame a la oficina parroquial.
Si recibe un correo electrónico o una llamada telefónica diciendo ser de la parroquia pidiendo dinero o su información personal, lo primero que debe hacer es llamar a la oficina parroquial. Es mejor prevenir que lamentar en estas situaciones. LA OFICINA PARROQUIAL: 773-561-5343  La comunidad guatemalteca encabezó la celebración del Señor de Esquipulas el domingo 14 de enero en la misa en español de las 12:30 p.m. en la iglesia de Santa Ita. Un conjunto musical actuó durante la misa y después se sirvió comida guatemalteca en la recepción en el Jubilee Hall. El Señor de Esquipulas es una imagen de madera oscurecida de Cristo consagrada en la Catedral Basílica de Esquipulas en Esquipulas, Guatemala. Es una de las imágenes cristológicas negras más famosas de América Latina. Esquipulas celebra su fiesta patronal el 15 de enero, cuando llegan muchos peregrinos desde Guatemala y los países vecinos de Centroamérica. ¡Aprende más aquí! The Guatemalan community led the celebration for Señor de Esquipulas on Sunday, January 14 at the 12:30 PM Spanish Mass at Saint Ita church. A musical ensemble serinaded the Mass and Guatemalan food was served at the reception in Jubilee Hall afterwards. Señor de Esquipulas is a darkened wooden image of Christ enshrined within the Cathedral Basilica of Esquipulas in Esquipulas, Guatemala. It is one of the famed black Christological images of Latin America. Esquipulas holds its patronal festival on January 15, when many pilgrims come from Guatemala and neighboring central American countries. Learn more here! La Misa/MassMúsica/MusicLa Recepción/ReceptionPhotos courtesy: Wes Kinard
All offices at Mary, Mother of God Parish will be closing early on Friday, January 12 and will be closed all of Monday, January 15 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. You can leave messages on the main office answering machine by calling 773-561-5343.  The parish food pantry at St. Thomas of Canterbury has been busy welcoming recent arrivals from Venezuela and Ecuador, along with our long-time neighbors and seniors struggling with food insecurity. We are working hard on our own “multiplication of loaves & fishes.” Last month, we doubled the amount of food clients can receive by allowing visits every two weeks – versus monthly – and extended support for surrounding ZIP codes. This is SO needed in our community. Adjacent pantries are turning away as many as half those requesting food. But this takes many hands, and we need additional volunteers who can help on Mondays & Thursdays 8:30 AM – 12PM to assist clients with shopping, and/or Wednesdays 10 AM -12:30 PM to receive food being donated to the pantry. If you or anyone you know is interested, please email [email protected]. Sincerely, John Ceisel, Interim Food Pantry Manager  “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  Love is one of the greatest gifts one can give. Taking the time to give love, from oneself, to another, in an act so selfless, makes the gift that much greater. To speak of someone showing this magnitude of love, compassion, kindness, and patience; is to say a lot. A servant of God, who has done this for forty-five years, absolutely deserves to be recognized. Deacon Paul Spalla just celebrated his 45th Diaconate Anniversary! He began his work at Saint Gregory the Great church in 2020 and continues to help us at Mary, Mother of God Parish. Deacon Paul visits the homebound, preaches during Masses, prepares families for funerals, gives Baptism classes - and so much more! We thank Deacon Paul for all the time and commitment he has given his fellow brothers, sisters, and adopted children in Christ. May God bless Deacon Paul with many more years of health and service to His Church. Keep Deacon Paul in your prayers to continue the good work Christ has asked of him. And to continue faithfully, in fortitude, to be guided by the Holy Spirit. "Les doy un mandamiento nuevo: que se amen los unos a los otros. Ustedes deben amarse unos a otros como yo los he amado. En esto reconocerán todos que son mis discípulos, en que se amen unos a otros."  El amor es uno de los dones mas grandes que alguien puede dar. Tomarse el tiempo de dar amor, de uno mismo, a otro, en un acto tan generoso, hace que el regalo sea mucho mayor. Hablar de alguien que muestra esta magnitud de amor, compasión, bondad y paciencia, es decir mucho. Un siervo de Dios, que ha hecho esto durante cuarenta y cinco años, merece absolutamente ser reconocido.
¡El diácono Paul Spalla acaba de celebrar su 45º aniversario de diaconado! Comenzó su trabajo en la iglesia San Gregorio Magno en 2020 y continúa ayudándonos en la Parroquia María Madre de Dios. El Diácono Paul visita a los confinados en casa, predica durante las Misas, prepara a las familias para los funerales, da clases de Bautismo - ¡y mucho más! Agradecemos al Diacono Paul por todo el tiempo y compromiso que ha dado a sus hermanos, hermanas e hijos adoptivos en Cristo. Que Dios bendiga al Diácono Paul con muchos años más de salud y servicio a Su Iglesia. Mantengan al Diácono Paul en sus oraciones para que continúe el buen trabajo que Cristo le ha pedido. Y para que continúe fielmente, con fortaleza, siendo guiado por el Espíritu Santo.  Yesterday, January 7, our parish music ministry presented their annual Christmas Concert. Representatives from all choirs and ensembles (from each of our three parish churches) shared their talents with the assembled audience. The concert began with all choirs and singers in the sanctuary together singing "O Come, All Ye Faithful" in six languages! Attendees were invited to sing along in whatever languages they knew. The event proceeded with at least two songs sung by each group, ending with the traditional Ukrainian Carol "Carol of the Bells." A heartfelt thank you to those whose assistance and encouragement made this event possible and successful:
Special Thanks to:
Kevin Allen, Director of Music at St. Gregory the Great Joan Mikol, Director of Music (English Mass) at St. Thomas of Canterbury Hoam Pham, Director of Music (Vietnamese Mass) at St. Thomas of Canterbury Daniel Lagacy, Parish Director of Music Todd Gresick, Guest Organist St. Thomas of Canterbury Choir - Joan Mikol (director), Mel Angeles, Ester Berhane, Phuoc Le, Christiana Llanes, Cecilia Perez, My Tran, Paul Nyugen St. Gregory the Great Choir - Kevin Allen (director), Margie Creed, Diane Muss, Mark Salas, Courtney Roberson, Mark Franzen St. Thomas of Canterbury Vietnamese Choir - Hoam Pham (director), Linh Do, Binh Nguyen, Dung Nguyen, Khanh Nguyen, Khen Nguyen, Lam Nguyen, Son Nguyen, Tam Nguyen, Hue Tran, Quynh Tran, Diane Trinh Saint Ita Adult Choir - Josita Gbikpi-Benissan, Janita Gbikpi-Benissan, Preyce DeSouza, Gabrielle T. Lopez, Toni Kibort, Veronica Rodriguez, Rebecca Ferrenz, Jenéne Franics, Marieluise Kailing, Mary Ellen Smajo, Servillano Layug, Ambroise Gbikpi-Benissan, Tom Lemond Gintong Tinig Choir - Mel Angeles, Juliet Concon, Teresita Catorce, Rebecca Ferrenz, Angie Gonzales, Marieluise Kailing, Cecilia Perez, Lily Saba, Servillano Layug Saint Ita Children's Choir - Josita Gbikpi-Benissan, Janita Gbikpi-Benissan, Joella Gbikpi-Benissan, Aelisha Dalman, Josiah Dalman, Mateo Merlos, Samantha Rodriguez, Katie Silva, Ryan Silva, Luisito Montesinos, Salvador Montesinos Coro Hispano - Martín Corro (director), Luis Montesinos, Salvador Montesinos-Lopez, Brando Alcazar, Alicia Corro, Natalie Corro, Ines Gomez, Janeth Hernandez, Gabriela Lopez-Montesinos, Marina Luisito Montesinos-Lopez, Victoria Peña Rwandan Singers - Christine Bagenzi (coordinator) Cantors - Bernie Floresca, Jennifer Franco, Marieluise Kailing, Josphine Layug, Servillano Layug, Matthew Kosin, Amy Rosenquist, Melissa Primavera, Foli Tomety, Angela Tidquist, Maria Gonzales-Hussey, Elise Matson, Sharon Howerton |
