Recent Sunday Spirit Newsletter
April 27, 2008
Sunday Spirit in Adobe Reader (pdf - 568 KB)
Article: "Growing Catholic Citizens" in Adobe Reader (pdf - 214 KB)
See Parent Page for "School Security" information and "Volunteer Monitor Schedule"
| Page 1 of 6 |
WELCOME, FR. MARTY! |
This Sunday our new pastor, Fr. Marty O’Donovan, will be speaking at all the Masses and greeting parishioners after Masses. Hospitality will be provided by the Worship Commission. Be sure you check out the colorful banner signed by all of the Religious Education and Parish School children!
See page 4 for some words of introduction from Fr. Marty. Also see page 3 of this coming weekend’s bulletin for more from Fr. Marty. |
IMPORTANT DATES
April 27 - Last Day of Classes
April 30 (Wed.) - First Communion Rehearsals
- 4:00-5:15 pm for 11:30 am liturgy
- 5:45-7:00 pm for 2:00 pm liturgy
May 4 - FIRST COMMUNION
May 7 (Wed.) - Confirmation Rehearsals
- 4:00-5:15 pm for 2:00 pm liturgy
- 5:45-7:00 pm for 5:00 pm liturgy
May 10 (Sat.) - CONFIRMATION
May 14 (Wed.) - Parent Preview Meeting of Safe Environment Training for Children, 7:00-8:00 pm in Auditorium.
May 20 (Tues.) - Safe Environment Training for children in grades 1-4, 4:00-5:00 pm in Auditorium.
May 21 (Wed.) - Safe Environment Training for young people in grades 5-8, 7:00-8:00 pm in Auditorium.
May 30 (Fri.) - Catechist Appreciation Party at the Kenilworth Club, 6:30 pm. |
|
 The end of our program year...
This Sunday is the last Religious Education session for this school year. Our parish is blessed and energized by the families who devote Sunday mornings to faith formation and Eucharistic celebration! We look forward to seeing you gather for Mass throughout the summer months.
 We are immensely grateful for the over 200 volunteers who contribute time and talent to help our RE Program flourish. Kudos and a heartfelt thanks to our 90 CATECHISTS who share faith with our young people every Sunday! We also value and appreciate deeply the 50 high school students who faithfully serve as classroom aides and mentors to the children.
Sunday, April 27 - Special activities
 Grade 2 - The children will have the opportunity to examine and
taste an unconsecrated host as they continue practicing their reception of communion.
Grade 4 will pray a LIVING ROSARY in the courtyard at 10:25 am.
Parents and parishioners will be welcome to join them. (In case of rain, the living rosary will take place in the school auditorium.)
 Grade 5 - PARENTS are invited to join
fifth graders in their classroom to take
part in a fun challenge: Are You Smarter
than a Fifth-Grader?
Grade 7 - PARENTS are invited to the classroom for the students’ Saint presentations. |
FHC Clothing Drive -
April 27 is the last day!!!
 The FHC Sharing Committee is holding a clothing drive in April to benefit one of our sharing parishes.
Spring will eventually come...When it does, be ready. Clean out your closets now and donate your extra clothing to our sharing parish. Place nearly new, clean clothing (summer or winter) in the boxes at the back of church until April 27.
Sponsored by the Sharing Committee.
Questions, please call Libby Brombach at 847-441-5452. |
|
|
|
|
| Page 2 of 6 |
It’s CATECHIST RECRUITMENT season for
the 2008-2009 program year.
We are seeking faith-filled and enthusiastic adults who enjoy young people and want to make a difference. Join the 60 individuals who have already committed to teaching next year. We will provide materials, training, and continuing support to best empower you in your ministry while taking into account your busy schedule.
You will embark on something that will be significant, worthwhile, good not only for others, but also for you, personally and spiritually. |
CHANGES for 2008-2009
Thank you to the 192 families who responded to the survey of the Religious Education Board regarding a possible change in class times.
The Religious Education Board first interviewed a sample of parents and received input that identified several issues with the current Religious Education program structure:
• RE families would like to attend Mass and worship together as families, rather than with children and parents divided between different Mass times;
• An alternate time from Sunday morning would help to accommodate conflicting activities;
• An additional 15 minutes per class is needed to meet the Archdiocesan requirements for religious education.
To address these issues, the RE Board sought feedback on a proposed change in class time options and an expansion of the grade offerings within the time options (i.e., all grades will be offered at each of two session times).
The survey results indicate a clear preference for the two Sunday morning time options over a Sunday afternoon option. Based on these survey results, the RE Board will formally
vote in the next few days to approve a new class schedule as follows:
Session 1 (all grades preschool-8th):
Sundays 9-10:15 am
Session 2 (all grades preschool-8th):
Sundays 10:30-11:45 am
Children will be supervised only in the classroom and will not attend Mass under the supervision of catechists. Instead, families can attend Mass together at the time best for their family.
The above schedule fits with the proposed change in Sunday morning Mass times which is awaiting approval from our new pastor: Sat. 5 pm; Sun. 7:30 am, 9 am, 10:30 am, 5 pm.
For information about registration for next year, please see the last page of this newsletter. |
|
All candidates were recently notified of outstanding paperwork. Please submit your
letters to Bishop Goedert ASAP as they will
be mailed to the Bishop on April 30!
May 7 (Wed.) - Confirmation Rehearsals
- 4:00-5:15 pm for 2:00 pm liturgy
- 5:45-7:00 pm for 5:00 pm liturgy
May 10 (Sat.) - CONFIRMATION
|
|
Apr. 30 (Wed.) - First Communion Rehearsals
- 4:00-5:15 pm for 11:30 am liturgy
- 5:45-7:00 pm for 2:00 pm liturgy
May 4 - FIRST COMMUNION
|
|
|
|
| Page 3 of 6 |
THANK YOU to our 90 dedicated catechists! |
Preschool 3’s:
Elizabeth Lane
Stephanie O’Hara
James O’Hara
Mary Olges
Preschool 4’s:
Amy Blesi
Terri Heath
Lisa Kohr
Deirdre Redding
Karen Tragos
Karen Vorwald
Kindergarten
Jenny Broccolo
Christina Codo
Ann Marie Dranfield
Cammy Himes
Nora Larkin
Julie Lestrud
Mary Pat Lyons
Michelle McKenna
Carrie Portland
Tamara Tangney |
Grade One
Gieriet Bowen
Jennifer Ellerman
Peggy Foley
Maura Lennon
Susan Rooney
Joe Seminetta
Tom Wiegand
Christy Zapf
Grade Two
Karen Brodwolf
Nancy Brooks
Kelly Corley
Nancy Doyle
Susie Healey
Katherine Heller
Pauline Ignas
Lisa LeClercq
Natalie Turner |
Grade Three
Mary Bosco
Karen Cosgrove
Tiffany George
Maria Jones
T.J. Lankford
Sherry Nash
John Raith
Elizabeth Zickgraf
Grade Four
Amanda Britt
Wendy Britt
Pat Brooks
Catherine Conklin
Paul Crnkovich
Bill Doyle
Mark Gentzkow
Karen Hartman
Tom Joyce
Susan Kennedy-Riechers
Rick Riechers |
Grade Five
Dina Bair
Steve Brodwolf
Dan Carpenter
Peggy Cornog
Lisa Lucenti
Jim Maloney
Jill Manchester
Sheila Weimer
Grade Six
Anne Bird
Cindy Brady
Steve Gavin
Jeff Kinzel
Jim Morris
Peter Raith
Kim Schliesmann
Tom Sullivan |
Grade
Seven
Paul Agase
Ruud Coster
Helen Friedli
Collin Kochman
Mariana Kulik
Charlotte Monhart
John Moses
Nancy Samberg
Grade Eight
Bob Bartels
Chris Bird
Gayle Crane
Lou DeFelice
Bob Foley
Ted Heldring
Liz Hennessy
Peter Mesrobian
Doug Nash |
THANKS TO OUR 47 INCREDIBLE TEEN AIDES & 3 TEEN CATECHISTS FOR THEIR
COMMITTED MINISTRY TO OUR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION STUDENTS THIS PAST YEAR!!
YOU ARE IMPORTANT & INVALUABLE MODELS OF DISCIPLESHIP FOR THE CHILDREN! |
Marie Adams
Hope Agase
Matt Agase
Christina Biernat
James Bird
Amanda Britt
Caroline Conklin
Catherine Conklin
Annie Conlisk
Caitlin Desmond
Katie Doan
Tim Duxbury
Kiley Falcone
Kate Friedli
Tori Hardy
Greg Hartman
Emily Hyun
George Hyun
Grace Jones
Spence Jones
Fred Jorgensen
Tommy King
Ellen Kingdom
Grace Kingdom
Elizabeth Kirby |
Charlie Lafferty
Meg Marren
Danny McGowan
Claire Mesrobian
Julia Milano
Clare Monhart
Colleen Monhart
Casey Murdock
Maggie Nash
Monica O’Connor
James Ong
Ellie Pearlman
Emily Reynolds Porter
Lizzie Ranshaw
Brittany Rendell
Caroline Riggilo
Michael Riggilo
Meme Romano
Catherine Small
Barbara Smith
Connor Sullivan
Matt Sullivan
Natalie Turner
Brian Zapf
Patricia Zapf |
 |
|
|
|
| Page 4 of 6 |
A very special thank you to Pat & Maxine Milks for their devoted service in assisting the
children and organizing ushers
for the 10:15 Mass each &
every Sunday!
Thanks, also, to Mary Lafferty for supervising our “front desk” from 9-10 am and helping the
children at the 10:15 am Mass EVERY WEEK! We are so grateful!! |
|
HELP NEEDED for Confirmation and First Communion liturgies:
Parents of 7th-graders are needed to
assist with greeting at the Confirmation
Masses and setting up /
supervising the receptions on May 10.
Parents of 1st-graders are needed for assistance with First Communion receptions on May 4.
Contact Susan Doubet to volunteer. |
|
The Religious Education
Board needs you!
We need new individuals to take on a leadership role in our RE Program by serving on the Religious Education Board for a three-year term. The Board is a consultative body that offers valuable input, direction and assistance to program staff. Please contact our Board Nominating Committee members, Gayle Crane (441-8317) or Ginny Collins (251-2860), for additional information. |
|
|
 To the people of Ss Faith, Hope & Charity Parish:
I just wanted to take a moment to let you know that I am very happy to be named as your next pastor and
look forward to meeting you in the coming months.
I will be present at the weekend Masses on April 26/27 to introduce myself and to begin the process of getting to know one another.
In my 30 years of priesthood, it is a process that I have found to be exciting, yet always a little sad. The sadness comes from the fact that I have always grown to love the parishes to which I have been assigned. My first was parish was St. Cajetan on the far south side of the city in the Morgan Park/West Beverly community. After six years there I became a pastor for the first time at a small parish in McKinley Park (35th & Ashland) by the name of Our Lady of Good Counsel. I spent 9 1/2 years there until I was named the pastor of St. Christina Parish in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood on the southwest edge of the city. In each of my assignments I have made lifelong friends, learned a little bit more about priesthood and felt privileged to share my vocation with the people of those communities. I have found it difficult to leave each of these parishes. My hope and prayer is that this will be my experience at Ss. Faith, Hope & Charity.
Because St. Christina is a very large parish of 3000 families and my successor will not arrive until the second week of July, it will take me a while to make the transition to Faith Hope. My plan is to move into the parish at the conclusion of the school year, probably the second week in June. I have shared this timetable with Fr. Anderson and the parish staff and I am confident that it will work. My confidence is largely based in the fine job that the entire staff has done over the past months. I would like to echo the words of Cardinal George who wrote in the letter announcing my appointment: "I also want to take this opportunity to thank Father Kenneth Anderson, who has served as administrator of the parish over these past months.
From your many letters of support for him, I know that you join me in expressing our appreciation for all of the hard work that he has done." I look forward to our time together. Please pray for me as I will for you.
- Father O’Donovan
Fr. O’Donovan will begin his
assignment at FHC in June. |
|
|
|
|
| Page 5 of 6 |
Second-graders preparing for First
Communion baked bread to share with those less fortunate
Bread and its nourishing qualities are a central focus of the children’s preparation for First Communion.
The children discovered that Jesus nourishes our Spirit through the Eucharist just as bread nourishes our bodies.
The homeless and less fortunate who are served by local soup kitchens need to be nourished, and the children “shared Jesus’ love” by baking loaves of bread to be given to the soup kitchens. They also designed bright and cheerful lunch bags for the bread.
|
 |
GRADE-LEVEL SERVICE PROJECTS
2007-2008 |
Grade 1: Quilt Squares for Project Linus
Grade 2: Bread for the Homeless
Grade 3: Baby Shower for Moms in Need
Grade 4: Quilt Squares for Project Linus
 
Grade 5: Quilt Squares for Project Linus |
Grade 6: Presentations for the Family Advent Event; also, two classes
created Ranger Rosaries (heavyduty
rosaries for military personnel)
Grade 7: Gift-wrapping Service for parish Adopt-A-Family Program; also, making Jesse Tree ornaments for parish Giving Tree.
Grade 8: Collection of school supplies for ICTC teachers; all Confirmation candidates also participated in other service projects such as the Good News Soup Kitchen, the NSSRA, the Night Ministry Starlight Soup Suppers, Knitting Ministry, Faith, Hope & Carpenters, etc.
|
|
|
|
| Page 6 of 6 |
SUMMER MASS SCHEDULE
MAY:
Sat. 5 pm
Sun. 7:30 am, 9 am, 11:30 am, 5 pm
June 1 through Labor Day:
Sat. 5 pm
Sun. 7:30 am, 9 am, 10:30 am, 5 pm |
REGISTRATION for 2008-2009
...coming soon!
|
|
Safe Environment & Personal Safety
Program for Children
Recently the Archdiocese of Chicago incorporated the Child Lures Prevention Program in religion classes in Catholic elementary schools and directed parish Religious Education Programs to offer this program as well. The program educates children on safety prevention in the areas of sexual exploitation, abduction, Internet crime, drugs and school violence.
For children of the Religious Education Program at Ss. FHC, opportunities to participate in Child Lures Prevention Program will be offered in May. The Parent Preview Meeting will introduce parents to the topics and materials to be used for all grades (1-8).
The Children’s Program Meetings are for children of the designated age only since the material will be presented in ageappropriate levels.
All meetings will be held in the School Auditorium.
PARENT PREVIEW MEETING
Wed., May 14, 7:00-8:00 pm
CHILDREN’S PROGRAM MEETINGS
Grades 1-4 - Tues., May 20, 4:00-5:00 pm
Grades 5-8 - Wed., May 21, 7:00-8:00 pm
Please contact Susan Doubet
with any questions or concerns.
Registration materials for next year are being sent to you later than usual
this year since the pending change in pastoral leadership has affected our decision-making timetable. Please expect to receive registration forms from our office in mid-May.
We also plan to have the registration process available for completion online, a process which can save time and paper! |
|
|
|
|
|
