With pleasure, we present to you the Mary, Mother of God Parish Annual Report, covering all three of our worship sites and spanning the last fiscal year (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025). We have so many reasons to praise and thank God!

As you read this report, should you have any questions please contact the Parish office via email or via phone at 773-561-5343.

In Attendance: Stephanie Held, Jack Nuelle, Fr. Alejandro Lopez, Joyce Knight, Robert Krug, Ellen Credille, Lorena Nava de Machado, Heberto Machado, Lionel Osaghae, Eunice Daniels, Miroslava Mejia Krug, Susan Silvano, Tony Silvano, Vince Singvongsa

Meeting commenced at 7:06pm​

May the peace of the Lord – through the intercession of Saints Gregory the Great, Ita, Thomas of Canterbury, and Francis of Assisi – be upon you.

On behalf of the Parish Pastoral Council, the Finance Council, the Friars, and parish staff, we present you with the Mary, Mother of God Parish Annual Report for 2023-2024. As you read the report, if you have any questions, please email the Parish office.​

​Present: Soledad Andrade, Frank Ativie, Lucy and Maria Cordon, Kokou Dagawa, Eunice Daniels, Mark Franzen, Fr. Alejandro Lopez, Br. Ayub Mwenda, Jack Nuelle, Lionel Osaghae, Joyce Ramirez-Knight, Susan Silvano, Deacon Paul Spalla, Cheryl Sporlein, and Fr. Bob Sprott.
 
Not present: Ms. Christine Boyd, Friar Tarcisius Bucca, Fr. Thomas Fetz, Stephanie Held, Yasha Hookens, Robert Krug, Chris Grant, Greg Lindeman, Heberto Machado, Jr., Mercedes Mac Laughlin, Michael Magada, Fr. Romert Morales, Lorena Nava de Machado, James Murphy, Eva Niewiadomski, Deacon Juan Ramirez, Vince Singvongsa, Deacon Ron Stricker, Diane Trinh and Friar Jason Warrer.
 
Guest: Ellen Credille
 
Opening Prayer

Introduction Welcome to new members of the PPC. An amendment was made to the minutes from December 7 about the location: meeting was held in the Rectory Basement not Jubilee Hall. Approval of Minutes from the 12/07/2023 meeting approved through a first motion from Mark Franzen, followed by a second motion from Lucy Cordon. Followed by unanimous approval. 

​The Mary, Mother of God Parish Building & Grounds Committee has been busy since our last report. This newsletter brings you up to date with projects completed by our Facilities and Maintenance staff since then.

One of the more visible projects are the lantern lights in front of Saint Ita church. The solid bronze fixtures were completely restored and are now lit for the first time in decades. Many thanks to Mike Mahoney at Mahoney Metals in Niles, IL who donated his time and material to recast one of the missing doors and repair many of the other bronze components. Also, to one of our parishioners, Sheila Stranc, who lent her stained-glass artesian skills to hand fit and replace all the glass. The lanterns were installed with solar controlled LED lights. A new sound system was also installed in the church.
 
At St. Thomas of Canterbury, the church wireless mic system was replaced. The panic bar exit door hardware was upgraded on all church doors. With the Parish assuming operation of the Food Pantry and the continued operation of the Soup Kitchen, new equipment was installed, and the space was thoroughly cleaned.
 
Numerous projects were completed at the St. Gregory the Great campus. At the Msgr. Klassen Memorial Gymnasium, several steam heating pipes were replaced. The gym level bathrooms were cleaned and painted, new lighting was installed, and repairs completed on bathroom fixtures and privacy stalls. Annual maintenance of the gym floor was completed over the Christmas holidays. The Social Hall kitchen was deep cleaned and painted. Old cabinets were removed and replaced with chrome wire shelving. New flooring and ceiling tiles were also installed. Refinishing of the exterior church doors was started in the Fall and will be completed once Spring arrives.
 
The Committee is working on the 2024/2025 Capital Project Plan and Budget for the Parish which will be presented to the Finance Council in April. The Parish maintenance staff routinely completes a variety of projects in-house, too many to elaborate here, enabling the Parish to redirect its financial resources elsewhere. Many, many thanks to Ed Prause, Facilities and Maintenance Director, and his staff for their excellent work.
 

Best regards,

Ed Stranc Jr.
Chairperson - MMoG Building & Grounds Committee

Present: Soledad Andrade, Friar Tarcisius Bucca, Lucy and Maria Cordon, Kokou Dagawa, Eunice Daniels, Stephanie Held, Yasha Hookens, Robert Krug, Fr. Alejandro Lopez, Heberto Machado, Jr., Michael Magada, James Murphy, Lorena Nava de Machado, Mercedes MacLaughlin, Fr. Romert Morales, Eva Niewiadomski, Lionel Osaghae, Joyce Ramirez-Knight, Susan Silvano, Deacon Paul Spalla, Fr. Bob Sprott, and Friar Jason Warrer.
 
Not present: Frank Ativie, Ms. Christine Boyd, Fr. Thomas Fetz, Mark Franzen, Chris Grant,
Greg Lindeman, Deacon Juan Ramirez, Vince Singvongsa, Deacon Ron Stricker, and Diane Trinh.
 
Guest: Ellen Credille
                                                                                                                                              
Opening Prayer from Friar Jason Warrer, meeting began at 7:05pm. Approval of Minutes from the 09/27/2023 meeting approved through a first motion from Robert Krug, followed by a second motion from Lorena Nava de Machado. Followed by unanimous approval.