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The Spiritual Mission behind the Food Pantry's partnership with Ss. Peter & Lambert Parish  “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have; God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind.” - Hebrews 13:16 What began with a question – How can we break ourselves and share our blessings with those in need? – has turned into a long-running collaboration. Over the last eight months, Saints Peter and Lambert Parish in Skokie, IL has become a cherished partner of the Food Pantry of Mary, Mother of God Parish. In July alone, the Food Pantry, located at St. Thomas of Canterbury church, served over 1,400 individuals. Stocking the shelves for these clients is only possible with the help of the larger Catholic community.
Fr. Braganza said Ss. Peter and Lambert Parish does other charity throughout the year, but their work with the Food Pantry is truly special. Every first Sunday, the Parish collects pantry goods. A reminder is put in the bulletin the week before and then the donations are collected at both of their parish churches. All the bags and boxes are gathered by staff member Felix Rojo who coordinates the pickup with the manager of the Food Pantry, Br. Ayub Mwenda OFM, Conv. “We’re grateful that the Food Pantry is accessible to the community,” said Fr. Braganza. “It’s truly making a difference by supporting those in need.” Mary, Mother of God Parish would like to thank the parishioners of Ss. Peter and Lambert Parish, Skokie for answering Christ’s call to serve with their on-going generosity as well as Pastor Fr. Anthony Castello, sfx. Associate Pastors Fr. John Atoyebi, Fr. Roncy Braganza, sfx., Pastoral Associate Sr. Kathy Maloney, and Felix Rojo for their continued support. Saints Peter and Lambert, pray for us! On Saturday, August 16, St. Ita's church hosted a special concert by the critically-acclaimed vocal ensemble His Majesty's Men. The ensemble of five men performed “A Choral Meditation”, a one-hour program of music by Dufay, Byrd, Victoria, Palestrina, Nowakowski, Adams, Moore, McCoy, and an anonymous piece from 13th century Ireland sung in ancient Gaelige. We were happy to host His Majesty's Men and hope this was the first of many concerts to come!  ABOUT THE ENSEMBLE: Brought together in 2016 by countertenor Richard Childress, His Majesty's Men come from Great Britain, Chicago, New York and Washington D.C. where they all have busy professional music careers. They sing countertenor, tenor and bass, a voicing which enables them to come close to the original sound and performing pitch of much early vocal music. At the same time, they are strongly committed to the best modern music and have commissioned works from four American composers. The Men have received enthusiastic acclaim from critics at the Chicago Tribune and from Chicago Classical Review. They have been featured the last two summers on Chicago's WFMT and were named by them as “an ensemble to watch out for.” They performed in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2023 (William Byrd Festival) and again in 2025 as part of the “Palestrina 500 Jubilee” at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church. Their videos can be watched on their YouTube channel “His Majesty's Men”. *Photos courtesy of parish volunteer Luana Lienhart, OFS.
On Friday, August 15 our parish celebrated the Church's great Marian feast commemorating the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (When Mary's body and soul were taken into heaven.) Our parish cultural center St. Gregory's Hall hosted a special solemn Mass with Bishop Joseph N. Perry as the main celebrant at St. Gregory the Great church. Music was specially arranged for this choral Mass by composer-in-residence Kevin Allen. Great news! You can listen to recordings of the pervious choral Masses by clicking here. *Photos courtesy of parish volunteer Luana Lienhart, OFS.
There have been some questions about the proper way to receive Eucharist (both the Body and Blood of Christ) during Communion. Below is a short summary:  “The communicant bows his/her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister. The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant. When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood.” (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum, March 25, 2004, no. 91) “When Communion is given under the species of bread, the Priest raises the host slightly and shows it to each, saying, ‘The Body of Christ.’ The communicant replies, ‘Amen,’ and receives the Sacrament either on the tongue or in the hand. As soon as the communicant receives the host, he/she consumes the whole of it.” (Para 160-161 GIRM) “Holy Communion is to be received standing, unless an individual member of the faithful wishes to receive Communion while kneeling.” (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum, March 25, 2004, no. 91).
After consuming the Host, approach the Eucharistic Minister standing off to the side with the chalice. He/she will offer the Chalice to whomever wishes to partake. (If you choose not to receive, return to your seat after consuming the Host.) The minister raises the Chalice slightly and says, ‘The Blood of Christ.’ The communicant replies, ‘Amen,’ and receives the Sacrament by taking a small sip. The consecrated Wine is not poured into the communicant's mouth by the minister. Nor is it permissible for the communicant to intinct (dip) the Host into the Chalice. After sipping from the Chalice, the communicant should promptly return the chalice to the Eucharistic Minister.
 The Food Pantry received a donation through Amazon from Edward Putonti! Thank you so much for your generous gift to our Outreach Ministries.
You too can donate to the Food Pantry. Click here to see the Food Pantry wish list. If you’ve heard of the First Friday Devotion but aren’t entirely sure what it’s about or why it’s important, you’re not alone! It’s one of the beautiful and rich traditions within the Catholic faith, and it carries deep spiritual significance. ❤️🔥 The First Friday Devotion is a practice of honoring the Sacred Heart of Jesus by attending Mass and receiving Holy Communion on the first Friday of each month. It’s part of a broader devotion to the Sacred Heart, which comes from a promise made by Jesus Christ to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Jesus revealed to St. Margaret Mary the immense love He has for humanity. He promised that those who make a sincere effort to honor His Sacred Heart, particularly, will experience special graces and spiritual benefits. This devotion to the Sacred Heart has been fully approved by the Catholic Church. Come pray with us! The next First Friday Mass at our parish will be celebrated on September 5, 7 PM at St. Ita church. (5500 N. Broadway). *Photos courtesy of Luana Lienhart, OFS.
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