Thank you to everyone who celebrated the feast day of San Lorenzo Ruiz with our parish! We gathered for Mass on September 27 at St. Gregory the Great church and listened to wonderful music from the Gitong Tinig Filipino Choir. The liturgy honored San Lorenzo, the first canonized Filipino martyr, and we also took the opportunity to specifically thanked our parish altar servers for their dedication. Afterwards, there was a literal feast full of Filipino food. We especially recognize the Filipino community for organizing this annual tradition as well as their on-going contributions to Mary, Mother of God Parish. Thank you for all that you do! *Photos courtesy of parish volunteer Luana Lienhart, OFS.
September 22, 2025, 7pm
St. Ita Rectory Dining Room Present: Lionel Osaghae, Heberto Machado, Joyce Knight, Jack Nuelle, and Fr. Alejandro Lopez Meeting Summary: As there was not a full quorum of executive council members, voting on the new bylaws and approval of minutes was delayed until full quorum could be reached. The Human Concerns commission discussed potential new initiatives, and the Liturgy and Spiritual Life commission passed along minutes for their first meeting. Both commissions strategized how to recruit more members. The group learned about the upcoming Archdiocesan fundraising effort “Generation to Generation: Answering the Call” which the parish will learn more about in coming months. The effort will begin in January 2026 and will last 5 years.  On Monday, September 15 the Food Pantry welcomed the new class of student volunteers from Saints JFX School in Wilmette, IL. Students from the 8th grade class will be taking turns volunteering on Mondays for the whole school year. Food Pantry Manager Br. Ayub said he is grateful for the continued collaboration between Saints JFX School and the Food Pantry.
“Being able to run a center like this in my home parish, it’s just unbelievable. It doesn’t feel like a job; it feels like a vocation.”
These activities are meant to nourish the faith of parishioners and invite neighbors to experience Jesus Christ through beauty, goodness, and truth. “Pope Francis talked about being a missionary church, and how the church everywhere is in a missionary situation,” said Mark, who himself came back to the Church as an adult. “I think it’s an opportunity for lay people to step up in the Church and think creatively and proactively about how we can create these communities.” Mark reflected that a cultural center is a “great opportunity” to initiate new people into the faith and deepen the faith life of Catholics. St. Gregory’s Hall fits into the fabric of Mary, Mother of God Parish by supporting its mission of catechesis (education) and evangelization (outreach). “As Catholics we’re called to a life of contemplation and action,” Mark said. “I hope the center can be a practical training ground of the complementarity of those two things.” If you would like to learn more about St. Gregory’s Hall or get involved, you are encouraged to email Mark or call him 773-561-3546 x 208.  Director Mark Franzen with Composer-in-residence Kevin Allen (April 2024). Rudolfo, the volunteer gardener at St. Thomas of Canterbury church, harvested some of the produce he has been growing to distributed to the guests of our parish Food Pantry! Help us clean and repair our parish's liturgical vestments. Since the beginning of the Church, clergy have worn ceremonial robes to emphasize their sacred office and contribute to the beauty of the Catholic Mass. Our parish is blessed with a stunning collection of vestments, but it costs at least $30 to dry-clean each garment. You can help us care for the vestments by donating today. Click the donate button below or give a gift via cash or check. Please include "vestment cleaning" in the memo or on the envelop. You can drop physical donations in the collection basket or at the parish office (1220 W. Catalpa). *Updated September 8, 2025 Hospitality at the ParishOutreach Ministries at the Parish
Enjoy photos from Sunday's Parish Picnic! We had a wonderful turnout of people ready to enjoy the BBQ feast. We would like to especially thank the Filipino Community for organizing the picnic, providing much of the food, and working the two grills. It was a great way to celebrate as a faith community. Additional thanks to parishioners Susan Silvano and Steve Moskalin for taking photos of all the food, fellowship, and fun! La Parroquia María, Madre de Dios, celebró a la Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre, patrona de Cuba, con una misa el sábado 6 de septiembre en la iglesia de Santa Ita (5500 N. Broadway). La misa bilingüe honró el importante papel de Nuestra Señora en la historia y el espíritu de Cuba, así como el legado de los inmigrantes cubanos que viven en nuestra parroquia. Gracias a todos los que hicieron posible esta celebración, incluido nuestro celebrante invitado, el Padre Julio Lam. Los asistentes quedaron especialmente impresionados con la música de la misa, elegida especialmente para honrar a la Virgen del Cobre. *Fotos cortesía del voluntario parroquial Damian Chlanda  Mary, Mother of God Parish celebrated La Virgen de la Caridad de Cobre, the patroness of Cuba, with Mass on Saturday, September 6 at St. Ita church (5500 N. Broadway). The bilingual Mass honored our Lady's significant role in the history and spirit of Cuba as well as the legacy of the Cuban immigrants who call our parish home. Thank you to everyone who made this celebration possible, including our guest celebrant Fr. Julio Lam. Attendees were especially impressed with the music of the Mass which was chosen especially to honor La Virgen de Cobre. *Photos courtesy of parish volunteer Damian Chlanda |
