Mary, Mother of God Parish
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​LiveStreaming Masses - Volunteers Needed

2/27/2026

 
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​As you may have noticed, the parish is having difficulty Livestreaming Masses. Due to technological challenges and a lack of volunteers to monitor the video recording, there will be no regular LiveStream Masses for the foreseeable future.

​If you or someone you know, who regularly attends Mass, is willing to volunteer to monitor the LiveStream, please contact the parish office at 773-561-5343 or email.

Como habrán notado, la parroquia está teniendo dificultades para transmitir las misas en vivo. Debido a dificultades tecnológicas y a la falta de voluntarios para supervisar la grabación, no se realizarán misas en vivo regularmente en el futuro próximo.

Si usted o alguien que conoce y asiste regularmente a misa está dispuesto a ser voluntario para supervisar la transmisión en vivo, por favor, comuníquese con la oficina parroquial al 773-561-5343 o envíe un correo electrónico.
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The Kenyan Friars Say Thank You!

2/26/2026

 
​Last year, our parish sewing group, organized by the St. Vincent de Paul Society, made some 30 corporals* and 64 purificators* for the Franciscan Conventual Friars in Kenya. The Friars celebrated Mass and recorded it as a thank you to the group. You can watch their thank you message below.
Join us for our monthly a sewing and tailoring class! We meet every Monday and Wednesday from 10 AM - 1 PM and Saturday from 11 AM - 2 PM at St. Thomas of Canterbury church (4827 N. Kenmore). All skill levels welcome! 
Register for the Class
Corporals: a square white linen cloth placed on the altar during Mass, underneath the chalice and paten to catch any dropped particles of the Eucharist. 
 
Purificators: small, white, absorbent cloths used to wipe the chalice and paten after Holy Communion.

Welcome to Lent (2026)

2/19/2026

 
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Lent means “spring” or “a new birth.” This 40-day season of preparation before Easter helps us renew our life in Jesus and his Church. There are three pillars of Lent – prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The parish is here to support you during this time of reflection and repentance. Check out the devotions being offered at Mary, Mother of God or other Lenten Resources by clicking the buttons below.
Lenten Events
Lenten Resources
PRAYER – love for God
Prayer is the cornerstone of our Lenten journey. It is a conversation with your creator and beloved. In prayer, we deepen our relationship with God which also gives us the strength to fast and conviction to give alms. During this season, consider reading daily reflections from the Little Black Books available at the back of our churches and participating in the weekly Stations of the Cross.
 
FASTING – love for yourself
Fasting reminds us of our hunger for God. (Fasting means only eating one full meal and two smaller meals that day.) We fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and are called to practice self-discipline and fasting in other ways. Consider fasting from social media, technology, gossip, and excessive screen time during this season.
 
ALMSGIVING – love for others
One of the central lessons of the Cross is compassion. The Lenten call to charitable giving is more than sharing our material goods. Christians should also share our time and our talents serving our community. It is a great way to live out our gratitude for all that God has given us. Consider volunteering for one of our parish ministries or grabbing a Rice Bowl collection box in the back of our churches.

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Cuaresma significa "primavera" o "nuevo nacimiento". Este tiempo de preparación de 40 días antes de la Pascua nos ayuda a renovar nuestra vida en Jesús y su Iglesia. La Cuaresma se basa en tres pilares: la oración, el ayuno y la limosna. La parroquia está aquí para apoyarte durante este tiempo de reflexión y arrepentimiento. Consulta las devociones que se ofrecen en María, Madre de Dios u otros recursos de Cuaresma haciendo clic en los botones a continuación.​
Eventos de Cuaresma
Recursos Cuaresmales
ORACIÓN – amor a Dios
La oración es la piedra angular de nuestro camino cuaresmal. Es una conversación con nuestro Creador y amado. En la oración, profundizamos nuestra relación con Dios, lo que también nos da la fuerza para ayunar y la convicción para dar limosna. Durante este tiempo, consideren leer las reflexiones diarias de los libritos disponibles en la parte trasera de nuestras iglesias y participar en el Vía Crucis semanal.
 
AYUNO – amor a uno mismo
El ayuno nos recuerda nuestra sed de Dios. (Ayunar significa comer solo una comida completa y dos comidas más pequeñas al día). Ayunamos y nos abstenemos de carne el Miércoles de Ceniza y el Viernes Santo, y estamos llamados a practicar la autodisciplina y el ayuno de otras maneras. Consideren ayunar de las redes sociales, la tecnología, los chismes y el tiempo excesivo frente a las pantallas durante este tiempo.
 
LIMOSNA – amor al prójimo
Una de las lecciones centrales de la Cruz es la compasión. El llamado cuaresmal a la caridad va más allá de compartir nuestros bienes materiales. Los cristianos también debemos compartir nuestro tiempo y nuestros talentos sirviendo a nuestra comunidad. Es una excelente manera de expresar nuestra gratitud por todo lo que Dios nos ha dado. Consideren ser voluntarios en alguno de los ministerios de nuestra parroquia o tomar una alcancía de Rice Bowl en la parte trasera de nuestras iglesias.

Ash Wednesday (2026)

2/18/2026

 
What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Lenten season and falls 40 days (minus Sundays) before Easter. The number 40 is significant in the Bible. There were 40 days of rain during the great flood and Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert. After 40 days there was transformation. A sinful world was cleansed and a carpenter began a messianic ministry. 

​
The Lenten season offers the Church the same opportunity. Through prayer, fasting, and alms giving, we are called to prepare ourselves for Easter and draw nearer to God.​
¿Qué es el Miércoles de Ceniza?
El Miércoles de Ceniza marca el comienzo de la Cuaresma y se celebra 40 días (sin contar los domingos) antes de Pascua. El número 40 tiene un gran significado en la Biblia. Hubo 40 días de lluvia durante el gran diluvio y Jesús ayunó durante 40 días en el desierto. Después de 40 días hubo transformación. Un mundo pecador fue purificado y un carpintero comenzó un ministerio mesiánico.
 
La Cuaresma ofrece a la Iglesia la misma oportunidad. A través de la oración, el ayuno y la caridad, estamos llamados a prepararnos para la Pascua y a acercarnos más a Dios.

8:30 AM Mass at St. Thomas of Canterbury

12 PM Mass at St. Gregory the Great

5:30 PM Mass at St. Ita

*Photos courtesy of parish volunteer Luana Lienhart, OFS and Silvia Téllez, OFS​

President's Day Office Schedule

2/16/2026

 
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​ALL Parish Offices will be closed on Monday, 
​February 16 for the President's Day Holiday.

Todas las oficinas parroquiales permanecerán cerradas el lunes 16 de febrero con motivo del Día del Presidente.

Mardi Gras Bake Sale (2026)

2/15/2026

 
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Venta de repostería de Mardi Gras 2026​

💚¡Comparte tu talento para hornear!💜

La parroquia María, Madre de Dios, organizará su tradicional venta de repostería de Mardi Gras el domingo 15 de febrero para recaudar fondos destinados a la música y el entretenimiento del Festival Sabores de Verano de este año. Los esperamos en el Salón Jubilee después de las misas de la mañana en la iglesia de Santa Ita (5500 N. Broadway).

🍪 ¡Necesitamos tus deliciosos postres! Por favor, trae tus dulces a Jubilee Hall:
  • Sábado 14 de febrero: Entrega entre las 4:00 y las 5:00 PM
  • Domingo 15 de febrero: Entrega en la mañana antes de la venta

¡Gracias por apoyar a nuestra comunidad parroquial!

Lunar New Year Celebrations - Year of the Horse (2026)

2/15/2026

 
On Sunday, February 15, the Vietnamese and Laotian communities hosted a Lunar New Year celebration for our parish at St. Thomas of Canterbury church. The 8 AM Mass was celebrated by Fr. Bang Cong Tran, SVD, Fr. Thien Nguyen, SVD our pastor Fr. Alejandro Lopez, OFM Conv., and Dcn. Jo Thuan Than. Attendees were serenaded by the wonderful voices of the Vietnamese Choir directed by Hoa Pham and accompanied by Fr. Thomas Fetz, OFM Conv. on the flute. Everyone was given a red envelope with money inside, a traditional gift of the Lunar New Year.

​After Mass, gifts were given to the celebrants and to key leaders of Vietnamese and Laotian communities at the parish. Then everyone gathered for the Lunar New Year party in the basement social hall of the church. The reception was overflowing with food and fun. There was even a game of Bingo!
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Vào Chuá nhật, ngày 15 tháng 2, cộng đồng người Việt và người Lào đã tổ chức lễ đón Tết Nguyên đán cho giáo xứ tại nhà thờ Thánh Thomas Canterbury. Thánh lễ lúc 8 giờ sáng do Cha Bang Công Trần, SVD, Cha Thiên Nguyen, SVD, cha xứ của
chúng ta, Cha Alejandro Lopez, OFM Conv., và Phó tế Joseph Thuan Than cử hành. Khách tham dự được thưởng thức những giọng hát tuyệt vời của dàn hợp xướng Việt Nam do Hoa Pham chỉ huy và Cha Thomcas Fetz, OFM Conv. đệm sáo. Mỗi người đều được tặng một phong bao lì xì đỏ có tiền bên trong, cùng với lộc Xuân có ghi một câu trích trong Kinh Thánh, một món quà truyền thống của Tết Nguyên đán.

Sau Thánh lễ, quà tặng đã được trao cho những người tham dự và các vị lãnh đạo quan trọng của cộng đồng người Việt và người Lào trong giáo xứ. Sau đó, mọi người cùng nhau tham dự tiệc Tết Nguyên đán tại hội trường tầng hầm của nhà thờ. Buổi tiệc tràn ngập thức ăn và niềm vui. Thậm chí còn có cả trò chơi Bingo!
​
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Holy Mass

Decorations

Felicitaciones a Marla y Marcos Vivas!

2/15/2026

 
Nuestra parroquia tuvo el honor de celebrar el 50 aniversario de boda de Marla y Marcos Vivas en la iglesia de Santo Tomás de Canterbury a finales de enero. Se casaron en esta iglesia tan especial en 1976. ¡Con ellos, toda la Iglesia celebra y se regocija! Que Dios les bendiga con 50 años más de alegría, salud y santidad.
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Congratulations Marla & Marcos Vivas!

Our parish was honored to celebrate Marla and Marcos Vivas 50th wedding anniversary at St. Thomas of Canterbury church at the end of January. They were married at this special church back in 1976. With them, the whole Church celebrates and rejoices! May God bless them with 50 more years of joy, health and holiness.

Annual Catholic Appeal (2026)

2/8/2026

 
English | Español
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Support the Appeal
The 2026 Annual Catholic Appeal kicks off this weekend. It offers us the opportunity to dispel the darkness of illiteracy through its support for Catholic School scholarships. The darkness of food insecurity thought its support for Outreach programs. The darkness of natural disasters through the humanitarian efforts of Catholic Relief Services. It’s the opportunity to bring the light of Christ to the world. 

The parish counts on your generosity to meet our goal of $55,485. When contributions exceed the goal, the parish receives a rebate. Whether you respond to the Annual Catholic Appeal mailing from Cardinal Cupich, return an envelope from the back of church, or make a gift online, thank you for your contribution.

Answer the call to support the Annual Catholic Appeal this year because “Together we bring light.” Let’s show our parish’s vitality by making a gift today!

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Serata di Spaghetti 2026

2/7/2026

 
Grazie! Grazie! Mary, Mother of God Parish for making Serata di Spaghetti a success! (If you don't speak Italian. Thank you! Thank you!) We are grateful to all the Parishioners who attended as a Guest, Volunteered their time and talent, or supported with a generous sponsorship/donation of the event. 
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We especially thank YOU, that is Everyone at the parish, for your prayers and participation in all the fundraising efforts for Mary, Mother of God! Through events like Serata di Spaghetti and Tastes of Summer, your generous monetary donations, and any sharing of your time and talents we ensure the blessings of the Parish for all.

*Photos courtesy of parish volunteer Luana Lienhart, OFS and our Pastor Fr. Alejandro Lopez, OFM Conv.
Grazie! Grazie! ¡A la Parroquia María, Madre de Dios, por hacer de la Serata di Spaghetti un éxito! (Si no habla italiano, ¡gracias!). Agradecemos a todos los feligreses que asistieron como invitados, ofrecieron su tiempo y talento, o apoyaron con un generoso patrocinio o donación para el evento.

¡Les agradecemos especialmente a ustedes, es decir, a todos en la parroquia, por sus oraciones y participación en la recaudación de fondos para María, Madre de Dios! A través de eventos como la Serata di Spaghetti y Sabores de Verano, sus generosas donaciones y cualquier donación de su tiempo y talento, aseguramos que la Parroquia bendiga a todos.

*Fotos cortesía de la voluntaria parroquial Luana Lienhart, OFS y nuestro pastor P. Alejandro López, OFM Conv.
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MARY, MOTHER OF GOD PARISH - MASS SCHEDULE

SAINT ITA CHURCH
​
5500 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL 60640
773-561-5343

Monday & Wednesday: 5:30 PM
(4:45 PM Adoration, 5:15 PM Vespers)
Tuesday: 8 AM
Thursday: 8 AM, 7 PM (español)
Friday: 8 AM
       *First Friday Devotion: 7 PM
Saturday: 8 AM, 5:30 PM (vigil)
Sunday: 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM (español), 5:30 PM

Confessions: After daily 8 AM Mass and every Saturday from 4 - 5 PM 
ST. THOMAS OF CANTERBURY CHURCH
​
4827 N. Kenmore
Chicago, IL 60640
773-878-2114 
​
Weekdays: 8:30 AM
Sunday: 8 AM (Vietnamese/Lao), 11:30 AM (English)

Eucharistic Adoration: Every Tuesday from 9 AM - 7 PM

Confessions: After daily 8:30 AM Mass 

ST. GREGORY THE GREAT CHURCH
5545 N. Paulina
Chicago, IL 60640
773-561-3546

Saturday Vigil: 4:30 PM
Sunday: 9:30 AM
​
Our Lady of Perpetual Help: Every second Wednesday at 4 PM​

Get Help From the St. Vincent de Paul Society at the parish:
Request Assistance
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