Parishioners gathered for the annual Mass and Rosary Walk at St. Thomas of Canterbury church on Sunday, October 27. Per tradition, participants walked around the four corners of the block while saying the Rosary and a said the final decade on the church steps. A decade was said in each of the main languages of our parish: Spanish, Tigrinya, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and English. There was a wonderful reception afterwards in the church social hall (basement). Thank you to everyone who helped continue this unique tradition for another year. We were grateful to everyone who came together to pray for our neighborhoods and our city! A stained glass window at St. Gregory the Great church (5545 N. Paulina).
Photograph taken by parishioner Dimas Oliveira. Interview with Sara Crome, long-time parish liaisonLike many of the people they serve, the soup kitchen and food pantry at St. Thomas of Canterbury depend on the generosity of others to survive. Saints Joseph & Francis Xavier Parish has been a consistent partner for decades, and they continue to support our outreach ministries to this day. Sara Crome has coordinated the partnership for many years and was willing to shares some of her favorite memories with us. How did you first get involved with the outreach ministries? In 1999, I read in the St. Francis Xavier bulletin that they needed volunteers for the food pantry. What started as a one-day-a-week commitment grew into three days a week. And then they needed help in the soup kitchen, so I started going over there after the pantry was closed. It was very communal and a beautiful experience I am so happy to have been a part of. What was volunteering like? Over the years, I developed a strong friendship with the pantry manager Nancy Martinez. We would prepare the food the night before in paper Jewel bags – there would be an assembly line going. Families would get two bags, and individuals would get one. We also had different bags for clients who were homeless so that all of their food could be enjoyed without access to a kitchen. I remember we used to check everyone in manually using a huge three-ring binder. It was hard work, but we had fun doing it. God’s grace really took care of us. Whenever we were running low on food or supplies, someone would call with a donation. It was amazing. It always seemed to work out that there was enough. It was a wonderful experience and part of my life that really enriched me. What is your favorite memory? St. Francis Xavier would invite senior citizens for a dinner at Easter, Christmas, and Thanksgiving in the basement social hall at St. Thomas. Parishioners would cook the meal, and we had a connection with a local Swedish Bakery for desserts. I remember I would load up my Jeep with sweets that were leftover at the bakery. I would also thrift stuffed animals to give out as gifts. My mom would launder them and give them a new ribbon. We usually had about 300 people in the hall, and it was just for seniors. How does Saints Joseph & Francis Xavier Parish continue to support the outreach ministries?
Our parish is still so deeply involved. We won’t ever give up on St. Thomas. Parishioners have been generous with volunteering and monetary support over the years. One time, a mother needed a double stroller, so I put a call in our bulletin and by the end of the week, Nancy had three to give away. Eighth graders from our parish school also regularly volunteer at the food pantry. The parish continues to collect food for the food pantry. Sometimes we run special drives for things like cooking oil, rice, and soy sauce that are in high demand. Then once a month, Br. Ayub comes with the van, and we fill it up. It works out great and has been a beautiful collaboration! On Saturday, October 12 we had our annual parish chili cook-off. There were 12 entries in the competition and over a hundred people came out to taste who had the best recipe! Thank you to everyone who joined us in Jubilee Hall and supported this fundraiser for the parish. We also deeply appreciate those who volunteered to set up, cook, serve, and clean up at the event. None of this would be possible without your teamwork. 1st Place (Gold) - The Montesinos Family 2nd Place (Silver) - Bailey Pleva 3rd Place (Bronze) - Mark & Rainer Franzen *Most Unique - Fr. Thomas Fetz, OFM Conv. *Photos courtesy of Fr. Alejandro Lopez, OFM Conv., Jeff Fizer, & Lauren Franzen
El domingo 6 de octubre, los niños de familias de refugiados que habían llegado recientemente a Chicago desde Venezuela celebraron sus bautismos y primeras comuniones. Doce niños en total recibieron sus sacramentos. En la misa de las 12:30 PM en la iglesia de Santa Ita, el padre Alejandro ayudó a las familias a dar la bienvenida a sus hijos a la iglesia. Después de la misa, hubo una fiesta para los niños con un pastel de celebración. On Sunday, October 6, children from refugee families who have recently arrived to Chicago from Venezuela celebrated their Baptisms and First Communions. Twelve children in total received their sacraments. At the 12:30 PM Mass at Saint Ita, Fr. Alejandro helped the families welcome their children into the Church. After Mass, there was a party for the children with a celebratory cake! Last Saturday, October 5, parishioners brought their dogs, cats, birds, and other pets for the traditional pet blessing in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Animals. El sábado pasado, el 5 de octubre, los feligreses trajeron a sus perros, gatos, pájaros y otras mascotas para la tradicional bendición de mascotas en honor a San Francisco de Asís, el Santo Patrón de los Animales. *Photos at St. Gregory courtesy of parishioner Steve Moskalin./*Fotos en la iglesia de San Gregorio cortesía del feligrés Steve Moskalin.
The Militia Immaculata of Mary, Mother of God Parish hosted their annual Rosary Walk last Saturday, October 5. They met in the Saint Ita church parking lot after the 8 AM Mass and walked through the neighborhood offering prayers for our community. "The Militia of the Immaculata (MI) is a worldwide evangelization movement founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe in 1917 that encourages total consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary as a means of spiritual renewal for individuals and society. The MI movement is open to all Catholics over 7 years old. It employs prayer as the main tool in the spiritual battle with evil. Members of the MI also immerse themselves in apostolic initiatives throughout society, either individually or in groups, to deepen the knowledge of the Gospel and our Catholic Faith and to spread devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary." -From the official website of the Militia of the Immaculata *Photos courtesy of parishioner Yasha Hookens
“To ritually revisit the story of Francis’ passing is vital; without it something significant is missing. It specifies the living memory of Francis; it intensifies our commitment to follow Christ in the way of the poor man of Assisi.” On October 3, our parish celebrated the vigil of St. Francis of Assisi’s death which is called the Transitus. (From Latin meaning passage or crossing.) Remembering the passing of Francis from this life into God is an important part of Franciscan spirituality. The Conventual Franciscan Friars and Secular Franciscans from our parish, along with other members of the Franciscan family, welcomed everyone to join them for this special celebration at St. Ita church. The evening consisted of special readings and music. As the candles of the candelabra where extinguished, the lights in the church dimmed until there was complete darkness. The final candle left represented the life of St. Francis. In closing, participants were invited to light a votive candle from that flame and lay it next to the habit representing St. Francis. This symbolized the message/charism of St. Francis living on in all of us. *Photos courtesy of parish volunteers Damian Chlanda & Dan Lagacy
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