JANUARY 5, 2020 EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

Perfecting our Bonds Today we reflect on the many meanings of family.

Our first reading elaborates on the Fourth Command-

ment: “Honor your father and mother.” In cultures that

prize youthfulness and autonomy, the aged seem like

burdens or even reminders of our mortality. This passage

enjoins us to respect and treasure our parents and elders.

Acting otherwise offends our heavenly Father.

Joseph and Mary modeled the holiness God

wanted for his people. Jesus’ parents could not have

guided their son in holiness had they themselves not been

open to God’s love and guidance. Today we hear espe-

cially how Joseph modeled parental love. When his fami-

ly was in danger, he fled to a foreign land in order to pro-

tect them. By protecting Mary and Jesus, Joseph ultimate-

ly protected the much larger family of God.

During his ministry, Jesus formed a new family.

This family is open to everyone and is based not on one’s

ancestry but on love and faith in Jesus. St. Paul describes

the behavior of those who belong to this family in words

that are inspiring and heart-warming. Members of God’s

family are people of peace and gratitude who treat one

another with the same love God has shown them. ; Our

treatment of both biological and spiritual family members

may fall short of the behavior commanded in these read-

ings. We ask one another for forgiveness as we call upon

God to strengthen our family bonds.

© 2019 Liturgy Training Publications. 800-933-1800.

Written by Edrianne Ezell. Permission to publish granted

by the Archdiocese of Chicago on February 27, 2019.

Families God our Father, we first encounter you in the love of our families, and we give thanks for those who have loved us. Yet no earthly family is perfect. All need your grace. We pray especially for struggling families: for single-parent households, for absent parents and their children, for grandparents raising grandchildren, for foster parents and for orphans, and for those with no one left to care for them. Bring us into your one eternal family, a family filled with your peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

© 2019 Liturgy Training Publications. 800-933-1800. Written by Edrianne Ezell.

Permission to publish granted by the Archdiocese of Chicago on February 27, 2019.

Readings for the Week

Monday: 1 Jn 3:22 — 4:6; Ps 2:7bc-8, 10-12a; Mt 4:12-17, 23-25

Tuesday: 1 Jn 4:7-10; Ps 72:1-4, 7-8; Mk 6:34-44

Wednesday: 1 Jn 4:11-18; Ps 72:1-2, 10, 12-13; Mk 6:45-52

Thursday: 1 Jn 4:19 — 5:4; Ps 72:1-2, 14, 15bc, 17; Lk 4:14-22a

Friday: 1 Jn 5:5-13; Ps 147:12-15, 19-20; Lk 5:12-16

Saturday: 1 Jn 5:14-21; Ps 149:1-6a, 9b; Jn 3:22-30

Sunday: Is 42:1-4, 6-7; Ps 29:1-4, 3, 9-10;

Acts 10:34-38; Mt 3:13-17

Weekend Mass Times:

Sat. 5:00pm Sun. 7:30, 9:30,11:30am

www.stmaryfc.org Facebook: @stmarymundelein

Twitter: @stmarymundelein Instagram: @stmarymundelein

Mass Intentions

Monday, January 6, Saint Andre Bessette, Religious

8:00AM †Gene Schmidt req. Ed & Dolores Leuthner †Edward & †David Schumel req. The Family Tuesday, January 7, St. Raymond of Penafort, Priest 8:00AM †Dennis Lackie req. Wife Kathie †Stephan Kaminsky req. Wife Betty †Gene Schmidt req. Lou & Sheila Bosshart Wednesday, January 8 8:00AM †Edelle Baranoski req. Daughter Liz & Glenn Knuth †Belen G. Perez req. Berner Family †Mary Ann Yacovacci req. The Berner Family Thursday, January 9 8:00AM †Bernice Phillips req. Daughter Carol Hansen & Family Friday, January 10 8:00AM †Jeanne M. Hansen 1st. Anniversary req. Son Nick & Victoria Hansen Saturday, January 11 5:00PM †Joanie Kroll req. Husband John †Larry Clay req. Steve & Cathy Hasenauer †Josephine Panettieri req. Family †Sr. Grace Panettieri req. Family †Sue Mueller req. Friend †Casimir Marecki req. Daughter Loretta Sunday, January 12 7:30AM †Jim & †Sophia Kirn req. Daughter Nancy & Jeff Uhler †Betty Tauscher req. Husband Ed & Family †Joseph W. Lenzen req. Marvin & Bonnie Diedrich †Ernie DeSalvo req. Lou & Sheila Bosshart †Barbara Roth req. Kathy Lenzen 9:30AM 60th Wedding Anniversary Ed & Dolores Leuthner For the Parishioners of St. Mary of the Annunciation 11:30AM †Tom Schnite req. Wife Beverly & Family †Helen Killian req. Arlene Fiore

LITURGICAL MINISTERS JANUARY 11 & 12, 2020

Mass Times 5:00PM 7:30AM 9:30AM 11:30AM

Presiders Fr. Cambe Fr. Jacob Fr. Jacob Fr. Jacob

Deacons Deacon Deacon Deacon Deacon

Lectors P. Koch T. Koch

S. Bosshart K. Lenzen

J. Matousek M. Arata

E. Roberts B. Slack

Eucharistic Ministers

Deacon J. Schwartz C. Kasamis J. Mosele G. McQuillan S. Tracy D. Prezell B. Buenik

Deacon R. Peterson J. Thompson L. Zucco E. Tauscher P. Tekampe J. Weiler

Deacon L.M. Davis J. Fisher K. Pieniazkiewicz T. Gawne T. Bartels, C. Bartels L. Kuderna S. Kajohn S. Monahan A. Capulong

Deacon M. Crutcher Z. Dela Cruz L. Dela Cruz L. Tooke S.E. Poletto O. Santos –Trinidad Thompson K. Stauter

The Week Ahead

Sunday, January 5 9:30AM Childcare 9:30AM Liturgy of the Word for Children 2:00PM First Reconcilation Parent/Candidate Mini Retreat Monday, January 6 8:00AM Mass 8:30AM Pray the Rosary 7:00PM Lectio Divina Bible Study Tuesday, January 7 8:00AM Mass 8:30AM Pray the Rosary 9:00AM Lectio Divina Bible Study 5:30PM Edge Meeting 6:30PM St. Vincent de Paul Meeting 7:30PM St. Mary Moms Rosary Group Wednesday, January 8 8:00AM Mass 8:30AM Pray the Rosary 6:00PM P.A.D.S. 6:30PM Parish Life Commission Meeting 7:00PM Parish Choir Rehearsal Thursday, January 9 8:00AM Mass 8:30AM Pray the Rosary Friday, January 10 8:00AM Mass 8:30AM Divine Mercy Chaplet Saturday, January 11—Hospitality Weekend 9:00AM First Reconcilation 5:00PM Liturgy of the Word for Children Sunday, January 12– Hospitality Weekend 9:30AM Childcare 9:30AM Liturgy of the Word for Children 10:45AM Family Catechesis 10:45AM New Parishioner Welcoming Session 1:00PM Catholic Heart Work Camp Kick Off Meeting 6:00PM Ignite High School Youth Group

Wise Men Still Seek Him

A priest friend of mine is working at a senior living community. In one of

my visits, he handed me a flyer and the caption caught my attention: “Wise

men still seek HIM.” I vividly remember those powerful words as we cele-

brate today the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. The Lord manifests

Himself to the world and just like the wise men we read in the Gospel to-

day, that search and longing (and even encounter with Him if only we’re

persistent) continue even until now. The journey never stops for those who

are truly wise.

The Longing for God

The magi were curious to find out about what they have heard and seen

(“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and

have come to do him homage.”) Perhaps we wonder: how could they have

that desire to know the newborn king when they were Gentiles, meaning

non-Jew and more likely, non-believers? It must have been that thirst to

satisfy their curiosity that moved them to start the journey – perhaps even

unaware of the conversion that would happen later on. That is exactly how

God operates! He meets us where we are. As St. Augustine once said, “Our

hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” We have that longing that only

God can satisfy. Are we honest enough to admit our longing and need for

Him? Allow that longing to be the beginning of your encounter with God.

Be open to whatever He reveals to you.

The Star

If there’s a detail that should not be missed out in the story, it is the star –

its light – that the wise men followed. It is unfortunate that they didn’t have

GPS nor Google Maps yet at that time, yet they were determined. They had

to rely on the patterns of the heavens to direct their path to this great mis-

sion. In the midst of darkness, they remained focused on the one true light

that stood out.

The darkness could symbolize the distractions in our lives – our concerns,

our worries, our doubts and our fears. We can let this darkness overwhelm

us and make us feel hopeless that we want to abandon the journey. But

don’t forget to see that tiny spark of light. Focus on it. That star could be

the people you meet along the way or it could be the events in your lives.

Identify these stars in your life. They are God’s instruments of guiding you

towards Him. In like manner, can you also be that star to somebody else

and journey with them to get to know Jesus?

The Joy of Encountering our Lord

Their hard work paid off: the wise men encountered the Lord after the long

journey. Imagine the immense joy that they felt – it must have brought so

much relief after the tiring trek. But all these vanished at the sight of the

King. The lowliness they saw must have been different from what they

expected but they knelt down to honor Him and offered Him their gifts

nonetheless. They meet Jesus, at last! In our lives, how are we comforted

by our encounter with the Lord? Do we draw true joy from Him, and Him

alone? What gifts do we bring Him in return?

Encounter with the Lord changes our lives, our per-

spectives. Like the wise men, they took a different

path on their way back home. There was a mission

that they had to fulfill (and that mission could never

be stopped by Herod): to share their life-changing

story of encounter with others – to the Gentiles, the

non-believers – and invite them too to get to know

Jesus.

Savor the remaining days of the Christmas Season

and as we enter the Ordinary Time next week, re-

member the joy we have experienced from encoun-

tering the Lord in our lives. Like the wise men, may

that encounter transform us and move us to mission

as well. There are so many people out there longing

for God. Yes, wise men still seek Him. Can we be the

stars to guide them?

Let’s ponder on this poem by Howard Thurman enti-

tled “The Work of Christmas”:

When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and the princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flock,

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among brothers,

To make music in the heart.

Happy Feast of the Epiphany!

Fr. Don Cambe

Pray the Daily Rosary Please join other parishioners in the Eucharistic Chapel fol-lowing the 8:00 AM Mass Monday through Thursday.

Pray the Divine Mercy Novena & Chaplet The Divine Mercy Novena & Chaplet is prayed in the Eucharistic Chapel on Fridays immediately following the 8:00 AM Mass .and 3:00 PM during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

The Family Rosary Join us for Family Rosary Saturday Devotion, requested by Our Lady of Fatima, every First Saturday of the month at 4:30 PM.

Pray for all who suffer illness, pain and grief: Marilyn McCormick, Evelyn Martin, Vinnie Dederich, Patricia Kopczynski

and for the repose of all who have recently died: Helen Killian

Reflection from the Catechism A selection from The Catechism of the Catholic Church that pertains to either the particular readings of the day or liturgical season or feast

“The Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son

of God and Savior of the world. The great feast of Epiphany cele-

brates the adoration of Jesus by the wise men (magi) from the East,

together with his baptism in the Jordan and the wedding feast at Cana

in Galilee.37 In the magi, representatives of the neighboring pagan

religions, the Gospel sees the first-fruits of the nations, who welcome

the good news of salvation through the Incarnation. The magi’s com-

ing to Jerusalem in order to pay homage to the king of David shows

that they seek in Israel, in the messianic light of the star of David, the

one who will be king of the nations.38 Their coming means that pagans

can discover Jesus and worship him as Son of God and Savior of the

world only by turning towards the Jews and receiving from them the

messianic promise as contained in the Old Testament.39 The Epiphany

shows that ‘the full number of the nations’ now takes its ‘place in the

family of the patriarchs,’ and acquires Israelatica dignitias40 (is made

‘worthy of the heritage of Israel’).” CCC, 528

Parish Photo Directories Are Here All families who had their photograph taken for the new parish directo-

ry may pick up their complimentary copy at the parish office.

St. Mary Childcare Virtus-trained adult volunteers and teen helpers provide childcare for children 6 months–4 years of age during the 9:30 Mass. All are wel-come! Please contact Kitty White: kitty.white.kw@gmail.com if you have questions about the childcare ministry or are interested in volun-teering.

Vicariate I Altar Server Appreciation Mass Presider: Bishop Alberto Rojas

Date: Saturday, January 18, 2020

Time: 5 p.m. Vigil Mass (arrive by 4:50)

Location: St. Emily Catholic Church

1400 E. Central Road Mt. Prospect, IL 60056

Who: Altar Servers, grade school through high school

Join Bishop Alberto Rojas as he celebrates a Mass in thanksgiving for the altar servers who faithfully serve in the parishes located in Vicariate I. This is an opportunity for us to thank them for their service to the Church and to encourage them to continue to grow

in holiness through their ministry. The family members of the altar servers are welcome and encouraged to attend! Priests are welcome to concelebrate. During the Mass, the altar servers will walk in the opening procession. They are welcome to vest in their altar server robes or walk in plain clothes. They will be seated in the front pews of the church. Pizza will follow Mass in the Parish Center. Individuals: Fill out the registration form at chicagopriest.com/events/altar-server-events

FEATURED TITLE FOR JANUARY

(Nudging) Conversions A Practical Guide to Bringing Those

You Love Back to the Church By

Carrie Gress We all want our family and friends to know the joy and peace we’ve discovered in being Catholic, but the last thing we want to do is to force our faith on them. So how can we help to bring our loved ones back to the Church? Here’s a guide to encouraging friends and family to come back to the Church. Learn the right questions to ask, how to answer tough questions about the faith, when to speak up, when to keep silent, and more.

Feature resources can be found at the wooden kiosk in the narthex. Please remember a $3-4 donation is suggested to allow the parish to

continue the program and offer new material.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament January 14 Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will take place in the Eucharistic chapel on Tuesday, January 14, from 8:30 AM until 6:30 PM. The sign-up book is in the narthex.

Prayer for the New Year

God our Father,

we come to you as the year ends,

and thank you for all its blessings:

[Name God’s greatest gifts to you this past year.]

As we begin 2020, we lay these hopes before you:

[Name what you’d like to see this year.]

You who care for the vast universe,

as well as for our household needs,

only you know which of these

will be best for us.

Help us to enter the year,

like the Holy Family,

with trust in your plan and confidence

that, like any loving parent,

you will give us what we most need

and help us to bring good out of any suffering.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

© 2010 Liturgy Training Publications. 1-800-933-1800. Written by Kathy

Coffey. Permission to publish granted by the Very Reverend John F. Ca-

nary, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Chicago, on June 29, 2010.

Caravans of Camels Isaiah 60:1–6 About those camels, we are not too sure about them. Yes, every nativi-ty scene shows the Magi seated on stately dromedaries, or leading their beasts of burden by bit and rein. But, quite honestly, the story of the Magi never tells us how they got there. They could have traveled on foot, in chariot, on horseback, on elephants, or by camel—but we just do not know. The reason we keep putting them on camels in our art is because of Isaiah’s prophecy. He predicted that caravans of camels would fill Jerusalem and that people from the East would come bearing gold and frankincense. “Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem!” he proclaims. “Your light has come.” In Matthew’s story, the Magi realize that Jerusalem’s light has come. They follow the star and bring their gifts of gold and frankin-cense. Myrrh, too. By telling about these gifts, Matthew turns our atten-tion back to Isaiah. Reading that prophecy, we realize that the light Isaiah mentioned is the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. When we see the Magi seated on camels, we are remember-ing Isaiah. When we remember Isaiah, we remember the light that came to shatter the darkness of our world. Those camels carry hope. Lectionary Bulletin Inserts: Reflections on the First and Second Readings, Year A © 2019 Archdio-cese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications. All rights reserved. Written by Paul Turner. Lectionary for Mass © 2001, CCD.

Secret Plan Ephesians 3:2–3a, 5–6 The birth of Jesus became the worst-kept secret in the history of the world. All along, people knew God had a plan. God had told everyone from Adam and Eve, to Abraham and Sara, to Moses and Miriam, to David and Bathsheba, to Hosea and Gomer, to Mary and Joseph that there was a plan. Nobody fully understood it. Nobody knew how God would bring the plan to fulfillment. But they all believed. They had seen God work mighty deeds in their lives, and they believed that one day the promise of redemption would be fulfilled. Jesus was God’s secret. When Jesus was born in humble surroundings outside of royalty and pageantry, only a handful of peo-ple even began to realize what God had done. But the secret got out. Angels appeared in the sky. Shep-herds showed up. And Magi traveled from a faraway land. Everyone was finding out God’s two great surprises: Jesus was born as the promised Messiah, and he came not just for his own race but for all the people of the world. The Letter to the Ephesians says, God’s mystery “was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been re-vealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” Jesus was born, and he came to save each of us, no matter what family we come from, what we believe, or how we behave. The mystery of God’s love is open now to the whole world. That is the epiphany, the revelation of God’s secret Lectionary Bulletin Inserts: Reflections on the First and Second Readings, Year A © 2019 Archdio-cese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications. All rights reserved. Written by Paul Turner. Lectionary for Mass © 2001, CCD.

♦ START THE NEW YEAR RIGHT! ♦ Give the gift of time to each other this year! ♦ On the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend, learn to prioritize the important things. ♦ Sign up today to attend one of the upcoming World-wide Marriage Encounter Weekends on January 24-26 in Brookfied, WI; February 14-16 in Geneva, IL or March 13-15 in Madison, WI.

♦ Early registration is highly recommended. For more information visit

alifetimeoflove.org or call (888) 574-5653.

@youth_stmaryfc

@youth_stmaryfc St. Mary of the Annunciation

Youth Ministry

F isch–ing Lines by Deacon Howard Fischer

The Solemnity of the Epiphany story reminds us that God places countless guides and witnesses all along the course

our individual paths, just as he did for the Magi. But are we look-ing for them? And if we do pay attention and detect these guides, do we actually break out of our routines and comfort zones to follow them? After all, the Magi not only spotted the Star, they also left the safety of their homes to chase after it to an unknown

destination! While each one of us has multiple messengers in our lives, the message delivered is essentially the same for everyone: Regard-less of where we live or who we are, all human beings of every time and place, of every tongue and race, are called to salvation and union with God. It is a message that we often try to ignore or water down by deciding who is in and who is out, who is first in line and who is last. Growing up in Chicago when racial tensions and divisions were high, I remember a priest observing in his Epiphany homily that the Magi were people of color. He continued, “You have the Magi in the nativity scenes in your home and on your lawn, but would you invite them over for dinner? Or welcome them to live next door?” These questions of prejudice and hypocrisy have not van-ished and over the years have been joined by other examples. Per-haps you’ve seen the Facebook meme that has made the rounds for the past few years: The caption reads, “A Nativity scene without Jews, Arabs, Africans and refugees” and above it is a drawing of a manger devoid of all people. Only a few animals are left. You and I need to look into our hearts and see whether our sense of inclusiveness and communion with others includes only non-threatening statues and not real people. The Feast of the Epiphany compels us to escape the nar-rowmindedness that splits the world into any number of “us vs. them” divisions (“They’re not from our family / group / parish / neighborhood / political party / country / race / religion /...”) and to embrace the all-inclusiveness of God. In fact, you and I are called to do more than simply approve of welcoming and inclusion as concepts; we are also expected to be the foremost practitioners and living messengers! We must break down the walls that divide us from others and stop erecting new ones. St. Gregory the Great (d. 604), a doctor of the Church, preached numerous sermons on the Epiphany. In one of his more memorable ones, Gregory saw another lesson for us embedded in the

example of the Wise Men: When we encounter Christ in our midst and choose to follow him, we must subsequently change our course. To simply gaze upon Christ and continue to travel the same old paths is a failure to truly grasp the meaning of God entering history as a human being in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. A reaction of “Oh, isn’t he a cute baby!” is a totally misguided and insufficient response to the birth of our Savior. The Epiphany story reminds us that we need to change the course we are traveling now that the Christ has entered our world. If our path remains unaltered, the birth of Jesus has not truly touched us in the manner God desires and Christmas is just so much holiday fanfare. The Quakers have a saying: “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” God did just that when he sent Jesus to be the Light of the World. Rather than condemn the world, God chose to save it. The Epiphany star is about us seeing that Light, following that Light, and becoming individual lights who dispel the darkness and spread the word by what we say and do so that others – all others – see and fol-low Him too. As the Christmas season winds down, you and I must carry forward the mission of the Magi. Following altered routes now that we have encountered the Lord in our midst, and ever-watchful for the guides the Lord provides along the way to keep us headed in the right direction, may you and I bring God’s all-encompassing love to a world fractured by division. May our generosity and compassion lead others to their own personal encounter with the Savior. And knowing that God em-braces everyone, let us invite and welcome ALL others to join our car-avan, to dine with us, and to live not only as neighbors but as sisters and brothers. If you wish to contact me, please send an email to dea-conhwf99@yahoo.com.

Confirmation for Adults—Vicariate 1 Did you miss Confirmation as an adolescent? Adult Confirmation classes will begin for men & women, 18 years old and above (not in high school), February 24, 2020 at St. Edna Parish WHERE: St. Edna Church – Doherty Center 2525 N. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Hts., 60004 WHO MAY ATTEND: A candidate must: be 18 years old and out of high school have already received the sacraments of Baptism and First Communion ON THE FIRST NIGHT PLEASE BRING: 1) Registration form below, signed by a priest or staff member from the candidate’s home parish 2) Registration fee of $50.00 (Cash or check payable to St. Edna Parish)

3) A copy of baptismal certificate PREPARATION SESSIONS: Mondays at 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. February 24, March 2, 9, 16, 30, April 6, 20, 27 REHEARSAL (required) Thursday May 7, 7 p.m. Tentative & RECONCILIATION: Location TBA CONFIRMATION MASS: Thursday May 14, 7 p.m. Tentative Location- TBA

For additional information, please e-mail Lorie Crepeau at lcre-peau@stedna.org

REGISTRATION FORM- 2020 ADULT CONFIRMATION- Vicariate

1 Deaneries DEF- PLEASE PRINT

Name_________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________ City ________________________________Zip_______________ Phone_____________________ E-mail______________________ Parish Name/Town_________________________________________________ Date of Birth________________________ Age_______________

*Priest/Staff Signature from

current/home Parish ____________________________________

Please bring registration form and a copy of your baptismal certificate on the first night.

Tailgating with God Encountering Jesus in Our Everyday Lives Men’s Weekend of Reflection January 17–19, 2020 Prayer, Presentations, Discussion, & Quiet Time At Joseph & Mary Retreat House on the beautiful & peaceful grounds of Mundelein Seminary! Retreat Leader: Deacon Mark Duffey – facilitator of creative, enthusi-astic retreats for more than 30 years Kickoff: Dinner Friday 1/17 at 6:00pm Final Whistle: Mass Sunday 1/19 at 11:00am-noon Attire: Casual – wear your favorite team gear! All meals professionally prepared – including a tailgate-style lunch on Saturday! Box Office/Registration/Questions: 847-566-6060 or jcum-mings@josephandmaryretreat.org (Jen Cummings) $250 for the full weekend

RETREAT FOR WOMEN

“BEGINNING ANEW WITH CHRIST”

JANUARY 24-26, 2020

Institute for Pastoral Leadership University St. Mary of the Lake

Mundelein, Illinois

Begin the new year with Christ and make time for silence and re-

flection on the beautiful campus of Mundelein Seminary. During

the retreat you will have the opportunity to be accompanied by

individual meetings with a spiritual director. There will be Mass on

Saturday and Sunday, time for adoration and the Sacrament of

Penance. The retreat is limited to 20 women. Cost of the retreat:

$260 per person which includes private room with bath and all

meals for the weekend. Additional $40 stipend to be paid to the

spiritual director as well.

To register for the retreat visit: usml.edu/ipl/scheduled-retreats-for-2019-2020 For questions about the retreat contact Catherine Sims 847-837-4552

“When I meet another parent of a child with Down syndrome, there is usually a moment of instant recognition and understanding. Our eyes meet, and we smile conspiratorially, as if we’re in on the same secret: the fundamental truth that every life is a good and perfect gift. …Our love for our children has nothing to do with their abilities. We love them simply because of who they are, and understanding this teaches us

how to truly love everyone.” USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities

“A Perfect Gift” (www.respectlife.org/a-perfect-gift)

Pope Francis and Laudato Si’ aka CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME Francis extends an “urgent challenge to protect our common home… to bring the whole hu-man family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change.” The Pope asks us to examine our lifestyles through sound ecological virtues, strive for greater simplicity and to focus less on material things. Through active stewardship and reducing excessive consumption/waste we demonstrate our care for Creation and grati-

tude for this great gift.

The St. Mary’s Care for Our Common Home Ministry meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 3:30pm. All are welcome to attend and help us plan events to raise aware-ness, provide prayerful opportunities, and education on the many facets of CFOCH. (next mtg 1/15/20)

The Human Concerns Commission is made up of the following ministries: Bereavement, Care for Our Common Home, Divorce and Beyond, Domestic Violence Ministry, Feeding the Hungry, Mental Health Ministry, Military Ministry, Ministry of Care, PADS, Prayer Angels, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Respect Life, and St. Vincent dePaul, . If you would like more information about any of the above ministries, please contact Diane in the parish office. All are welcome to attend the Human Concerns Commission meeting. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, January 22nd at 6:30pm. Come and learn how our parish family serves those in need. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ How can we pray for you today? If you or someone you love is in need of urgent prayers, please let the St. Mary Prayer Angels ministry know. These prayer warriors are on call and storm the heavens with prayers as soon as they receive the word. Email dmulroe@stmota.org or call the office with your prayer request.

The St. Mary Respect Life Ministry Cordially invites you to attend the

RESPECT LIFE QUARTERLY HOLY HOUR

JOIN THE FAMILY OF ST. MARY’S

WHO PRAY AND ADVOCATE FOR LIFE.

Deacon Mike Alandy will lead us in a

Respect Life Prayer Hour:

JANUARY 14, 2020

Arrive 5:20 pm to receive the Respect Life prayers.

The Prayer Service during Adoration

will end at 6:30 pm

Human Dignity and Solidarity – Immigration Ministry

IMMIGRATION FILM FESTIVAL 2020

EXPLORING IMMIGRATION ISSUES THROUGH FILM AND DISCUSSION

FREE ADMISSION

Thursday, January 9, Time: 7 pm St. Damian, Oak Forest Film: Brightness of Noon, Part II

Thursday, January 9 Time: 7 pm St. Clement, Chicago Film: Who is Dayani Cristal?

Saturday, January 11 Time: 6 pm Our Lady of Perpetual Help Film: One Border One Body

Sunday, January 12 Time: 1:30 pm Old St. Patrick’s, Chicago Film: Icebox

Sunday, January 12 Time: 2 pm Ascension, Oak Park Film: Beyond Borders

Sunday, January 19 Time: 7 pm St. George, Tinley Park Film: Icebox

Sunday, January 19 Time: 12:30 pm St. Mary, Evanston Film: Who is Dayani Cristal?

Thursday, January 23 Time: 7 pm St. Michael, Orland Park Film: Who is Dayani Cristal?

Thursday, January 23 Time: 7 pm St. Teresa of Avila, Chicago Film: Brightness of Noon, Part II

Monday, January 27 Time: 7 pm Assumption, Chicago Film: Posada

Saturday, February 1 Time: 5:30 pm St. Christopher, Midlothian Film: Posada

For more information contact Mary Lou Matheke at mmatheke@archchicago.org, Miguel Salazar at msalazar@archchicago.org or

312.534.8508 or visit catholicsandimmigrants.org

HUMAN CONCERNS COMMISSION

Sacrament of Penance Saturdays 4:00—4:40 PM, and by appointment

Baptisms Ordinarily during the Mass on the 2nd & 4th Sundays of the month and after the Mass on the other Sundays, outside of Lent. Parents are required to participate in a Baptismal Preparation class before scheduling a Baptism.

Adult Initiation Adults who wish to become Roman Catholics are enrolled in a formation process that includes prayer, dialogue, instruction, and introduction to the Church’s life and values, rituals and tradition. Call the parish office for more information.

Marriage St. Mary Parish rejoices with parishioners who are preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony. The Archdiocese of Chicago requires that a wedding be scheduled at least six months in advance so that the couple may receive necessary preparation. A parish wedding information packet is available at the parish office.

Ministry of Care Ministers of Care visit the homes of the sick, homebound, or hospitalized and bring Holy Communion to them. Call the parish office when a pastoral visit is desired. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is administered by the parish priest upon request.

New parishioners We welcome new members who wish to worship with us and support the parish’s work and mission. New Parishioner Welcome session is offered on the 2nd Sunday of the month. Time of registration is 10:45AM—11:25AM. If you are unable to make the Welcoming Session, please call the parish office to schedule time to register.

Mass

Saturday 5:00 PM

Sunday 7:30 AM 9:30 AM 11:30 AM

Weekday at 8:00AM Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Thursday, Friday

PARISH NUMBER

847-223-0010

Parish Emergency 224-358-3210

Parish Fax 847-223-5960

22333 W. Erhart Road • Mundelein, Illinois 60060 • WWW.STMARYFC.ORG Email: parish@stmota.org

Frassati Catholic Academy: 847-526-6311

Religious Education Program (REP) Emergency Number 847-239-2725

Parish Office Hours Monday–Friday 8:30AM–4:00PM

Parish Staff

Dcn. Howard Fischer Ext. 215 Director of Parish Operations HFischer@stmota.org

Ms. Tammy Kleckner Principal, Tkleckner@frassaticatholicacademy.org

Ms. Maria Hutchins Ext. 217 Bookkeeper/Accountant Bookkeeper@stmota.org

Ms. Victoria Hansen Ext. 200 Administrative Assistant parish@stmota.org

Mr. Robert Kilkenny Ext. 304 Facilities Manager rkilkenny@stmota.org

Mr. James Shaffer Maintenance

Rev. Ken Kiepura Rev. Ed Pelrine Weekend Associates

Rev. Jerome Jacob Ext. 213 Pastor FrJerry@stmota.org

Rev. Don Cambe Ext. 212 Associate Pastor FrDon@stmota.org

Deacons Mike Alandy, Gary Kupsak, Robert Poletto, Alan Sedivy

Mr. Fred Vipond Ext. 234 Director of Music & Liturgy FVipond@stmota.org

Ms. Sue Matousek Ext. 218 Director of Religious Education SMatous@stmota.org

Ms. Diane Mulroe Ext. 216 Director of Human Concerns DMulroe@stmota.org

Mr. Grant Bright Ext. 230 Coordinator of Youth Ministry GBright@stmota.org

Pastoral Council Mary Lou Loomis Joaquin Valdes Cassandra Dye Kathy Lenzen Pete Coughlin Dan Prezell

Sheila Dalton Carey Marciniak Marivie Alandy Jon Matousek Linda Green

Sandra Fioretti-Frank*

Finance Council

Larry Molloy Denise Fuller

Joe Tylka Tom Zengeler Roger Fisher Patrick Tracy

Carl Calabrese Kevin Igielski*

*ex-officio, secretary