As I sit down to write this bulletin column, some events of the last week come to mind. I attended a cluster meeting with priests of the area and heard the newest statistics on the priest shortage. I wonder how many people know that we now have only 114 diocesan priests actively serving in parish ministry for 121 parishes and 11 missions (they have the help of some religious-order priests) and that within the next eight years, 46 of these priests will reach retirement age (not to mention others who will die or become unable to minister due to disability). We do have some men in seminary, more than in the recent past, and yet there are nowhere near enough to replace those we are losing. More parishes lost their associates this summer and are down to one priest. Some of those priests are beginning to cancel some weekday Masses due to the strain of their workload.
Also in this last week, I was contacted by the Serra Club, a diocesan organization focused on encouraging vocations to priesthood and religious life. I was invited to be the speaker for their next meeting. I was surprised by their call, since I serve in an alternative ministry for the church that is allowed in times of priest shortage. I thought that my ministry might present some challenges to those who were working and praying hard so that we might have more priests. To me, it was a great sign of a healthy ministry to hear both of their great love for our church and their understanding of the reality of the situation we are now facing. In the midst of their devotion to priestly vocations, they are interested in learning more about other models for pastoral ministry and leadership, for the good of our church. I will be happy to represent our parish at this gathering and share with people there not only what it has been like for me to serve in this ministry for our church but also how it has enabled this parish to continue to serve as an effective center for evangelization that continues to grow year-by-year in new life and in its number of parishioners! It is truly a privilege (and my own vocation) to serve in a ministry of pastoring - especially in this parish, where we have wonderful priests helping with sacramental ministry and faithful lay people who share in pastoral leadership.
As I write this article, I sit before an open window in my office. The air is cool today, a reminder that the seasons are changing and fall really is upon us (in spite of tropical temperatures which fooled us for a few days!) The lawn is full of leaves and those still on the trees are now dry and turning yellow. Plants are dying and it is easy to see that soon, winter will be here, when things will be cold and hard.
And yet, there are also signs all over that none of this is to be the end. The squirrels are running around and having a ball. They swish through the leaves and chase each other up and down the trees. Soon, we will not see them as much as we do now, but their endless hunt for the acorns and walnuts on our grounds are reminders that they will be back in full force in the spring. The songbirds that now flitter to the birdfeeder outside my window remind me of seasonal migration patterns and the fact that as bleak as things may soon seem to get, it is built into the very nature of creation that new life always comes again. More than anything else today, the children whose voices fill the schoolyard next door are a reminder that in the midst of whatever season we are in, there is always life around us, if we just take the time to be quiet and look and listen.
This is the way of the order of creation. Life, death, resurrection. When we become burdened by our losses in life, when we are weighed down by mourning the loss of people we love or even the loss of familiar structures that hold so much meaning for us, we can lose sight of the new life that God always promises to us. Just as this is true in the live of the world, so it is true in the life of the church. It is inevitable that 10 years from now, things will look differently within our own diocese because of the priest shortage. I believe that God will always provide priests for our church because our sacramental life, most especially the Eucharist, is central to our lives as Catholics. However, with fewer priests, ministry will continue to change. I do not know what the future holds but I hope that here at Mary Queen of Heaven, you and I together can live as a sign of hope for the larger church that there is always new life to come.
Mary
Dr. Mary Foley, Pastoral Life Coordinator
A Vocation View Courage! Courage when you follow the Lord. Remember, people may not be convinced, even if one should rise from the dead. Live, in order to convince of resurrection and life. Religious Education News Once again we thank everyone who makes up our MQH RE family. We had an amazing first session. We are truly blessed at Mary Queen. Reminder to all RE families and friends We continue to accept registrations for this year. If you have not registered yet, do so now before too much class time has passed. Please remind your friends and neighbors. With the start of RE, please be very cautious in the parking lot on Wednesday afternoons and evenings. Our little ones and even our not so little ones are our precious gifts from God. For more info on any of the above, please call Mary Ann Woods at the REO, 832-8962. Recycling at the MQH Picnic Many thanks to all who deposited their empty pop cans and empty plastic water bottles in the designated barrels. My committee and I hope that all parishioners are also striving to live GREEN at home. Here's an idea which would help the environment and our parish. When you come to church for Mass, please be sure to deposit your bags of newspapers, discarded mail, etc. in the dumpster located in the southwest corner of the church parking lot. Every little bit helps our parish treasury and contributes to protecting the environment. Finally, I wish to thank my Recycling At The Parish Picnic Committee members for a job well done: Carlos Montenegro and Tom Nanak. --Milt Honel GO MAKE A DIFFERENCE... GET INVOLVED BREAD FOR THE WORLD is a nationwide Christian citizens movement seeking justice for the hungry people by lobbying our representatives in Congress. BREAD FOR THE WORLD is supported by the Roman Catholic Church and all major Protestant denominations. Hunger is one problem we can actually solve, but churches and charities can't do it all. Individuals (like you and me) must get involved. WE MUST MAKE A DIFFERENCE by participating in this project of writing letters to our representatives in Congress. That is why our parish is hosting this project in Barrett Hall. After the Masses on October 27 and 28 parishioners will be invited to participate in an OFFERING OF LETTERS to our elected representatives in Congress to fully fund legislation which will reduce poverty around the world. If you have any questions, please phone the chairperson for this project Deacon Tom Goebal at (630) 782-9577 or check out BREAD FOR THE WORLD at. CHRIST RENEWS HIS PARISH (CRHP) There is an exciting new program starting at Mary Queen of Heaven called Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP). Over the past few years we have seen ongoing renewal of the liturgy and of the parish structure that has kept our parish alive and growing. It is vital to the life and future of our parish that we continue to make a special effort to renew ourselves spiritually in Christ. We hope to do this through Christ Renews His Parish, a process which has been found effective in making parishes become more spiritually vibrant and alive. Our need is for 18 men and 18 women who feel a call from the Holy Spirit to be part of this initial program for the parish. There will be two weekend retreats - one for the men, and one for the women. They will take place in the school building and food, drink, and sleeping arrangements will be provided. They will start Friday evening and end on Sunday afternoon. The Men's weekend will be November 16 -November 18 and the Women's will be November 30 - December 2. A team from the archdiocese of Chicago will be giving us the gift of these first two weekends. The men and women who participate will then go into formation to give a similar weekend to other parishioners in our parish. Thus, a second team will be formed and they will hold a weekend experience for a third group, and so on. No program can renew a parish, only Christ can. But through our cooperation with his power in a process like "Christ Renews His Parish," we can increase the enthusiasm, spirituality and dedication of our people to Christ and his Church. For further information, or if you are interested in attending the weekend, please contact Karen Sutkus at (630) 279- 3240 or Alex Grozik at (630) 530-0503. ST. VINCENT DEPAUL CLOTHING DRIVE The Mary Queen of Heaven St. Vincent de Paul Society is sponsoring a clothing drive to benefit the needy the weekend of October 13th and 14th. Now is as good a time as ever to clean your dressers, closets and cabinets. Clear out all those items that you no longer need. We are in need of clean gently used clothing, coats, shoes and accessories for the fall and winter months. Also, needed are small household items: dishes, glassware, cookware, small clean working appliances, knick-knacks, lamps, lines, toys, books, jewelry, etc. Bags will be available in the vestibule of church the weekend of 9/29 & 9/30. Please fill them with your donations. You may also use your own heavy duty bags and boxes. The St. Vincent de Paul Truck will be in the parking lot beginning at 9:00 a.m. on October 13th and will be leaving around 1:00 p.m. on October 14th. Drop off your things on Saturday or bring them when you come to Mass on Sunday. Receipts are always gladly given! For donations of furniture and other large items, please call 630-231-4658 to schedule the truck Feast of St. Francis Blessing of Pets You are all invited to share in celebrating the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi by bringing your pets for a special blessing. This is a traditional celebration which recognizes the love of St. Francis for all of creation. While his actual feast day occurs on Oct. 4, we will be having our Blessing of Pets on Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 4:45 p.m., in order to make it convenient for our Religious Ed families. Last year, we had pets of the sea, earth, and sky! Please join us in front of church on Thursday afternoon with your beloved pet for a special blessing on that day! Market Day Orders for OCTOBER are due Monday, OCTOBER 8, at noon. Turn in your order form in the box in the back of church or at the rectory. Pickup on Saturday, OCTOBER 13 from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. in the Social Hall. If you have questions or would like to place an order, please call Maria at 279-2238 or Karen at 279-4108. Joliet Diocese Nun Run, October 12-13, 2007 A Nun Run is a twenty-four hour experience of exploring Religious Life for women. Fasten your seatbelts and prepare yourself for a whirlwind weekend of discovery: see where we live, eat with us, pray with us, and laugh with us. Transportation provided. No fee for the weekend. Open to single women 18-35 years of age. E-mail Sr. Barb Kwiatkowski, bkwiatkowski@jolietfranciscans.org or call her at 708-254-6646 for registration information by October 9, 2007. Sponsored by the Joliet Diocesan Vocation Association Would you like to donate some of your time for the homeless? I would add you to our email list or if you don't have email, I could call you. Once per month, on the fourth Sunday of the month, I will be looking for a few volunteers to help at a PADS site at St. Alexis in Bensenville. St. Alexis has finally finished their kitchen, so this will be "our location" to help. The hours are from 6:00 to 7:30 am, and you can do any of these chores: wash dishes, serve food, put away bedding, bleach mattresses. This job is very flexible and I may only need you one or two times per year. Please call Debbie Styka 941-7224 with any questions or to volunteer. The first date that I need a few volunteers is Sunday October 28th, 6:00 to 7:30 am St. Alexis, 400 W. Wood St. (off Church Road) between York and Rt 83. Please call me so I can add you to my list or if you want to try it one time. Thanks, Debbie Styka VOLUNTEER TUTORS NEEDED The Congregation of St. Joseph of La Grange Park is greatly in need of volunteers for its Adult Literacy Program, School on Wheels. New Volunteers are needed to teach one hour or so per week from am to 2 pm or 3 pm to 8 pm in Cicero, Hodgkins, Lombard, Summit, Westmont and Woodridge. New hours of training are provided on Friday, October 5, 2007 from 6 PM to 9 PM and on Saturday October 6, 2007 from 9AM to 3 PM. No prior second language skills are needed. For more information, call (708) 482- 5060 or (708) 482-5085. Joliet Catholic Explorer Your diocesan paper has it all-good news coverage at home and around the world, sharp photos packaged in a stunning design, food for thought in a full page of editorial commentary, etc. What are you waiting for? Subscribe today call 815-834- 4062 or email camillea@dioceseofjoliet,org. Please see our website at www.maryqueenpreschool.org and contact the school office for more information and registration. (630) 833-9500 Preschool classes have begun. We still have some openings in our Tuesday/Thursday class. Come join us! Preschool tours scheduled upon request. Teacher Aide Position Available Do you enjoy working with children, fostering their growth spiritually, academically, physically, and emotionally? We are currently accepting resumes for the teacher aide position for our Preschool here at MQH. Please direct resumes to Mrs. Liz Lowrey at MQH Preschool 426 N. West Ave. Elmhurst, IL 60126 OPEN HOUSE AT UNIVERSITY OF ST. FRANCIS University of St. Francis to host Adult, Graduate and Transfer Open House - Noon -7 p.m. Wednesday, October 10th - Moser Performing Arts Center (Wilcox and Douglas Streets, Joliet). This event is perfect for adult students looking to return to college and continue their pursuit of a higher education degree, or those wishing to continue their current education journey. Those attending can learn about financial aid options and transfer scholarships, receive a credit evaluation from a counselor, talk to USF faculty and MUCH more. RSVP today by calling (800) 735- 7500, e-mail to admissions@stfrancis.edu or reply online at www.stfrancis.edu/openhouse Prayer Requests To pray for our sick is an important privilege of our parish family. We hope that you will pray for these persons every day. Natalie Baker Joyce Belasiek Katherine Brennan Pam Bondfide Pat Caffarelli Rose Caffarelli Kathy Calzante Cosmore Ciancio Dennis Ciancio Lou Ciancio George Cibula Paul Cirone Ida Corriedo Cynthia Catalano Family Rosemary Davis Deacon Bob Delbeke Trudi Dolato Baby Dobrowolski Virginia Feret Kathy Filipiak Cecilia Garstki Mary Goggins Mary Hagerty Anna Heffel Jen Huwalt Tom Huwalt Michelle Humann Maureen James Richard Jones Kathy Johnston Irene Kmieciak Bernadette Kohn Baby Emma Lynde Marie Mangano Robert Manion Mary Martin Dennis McCabe Mary Piszczor Raymond Mitchell Fred Moss Mary Sabel Oye Geri Pstrzoch Baby Faith Reid Robert Restivo Vera Rossiano Agnes Sabel Patricia Sabel Joaquina Scroppo Linda Barone Simons Jess Smith Mary Spierowski Rachael Thompson John Unger Richard Vanni REST IN PEACE Robert Kmieciak If you or a family member would like to be included in our prayers, please call the rectory at 279-5700. Also, please let us know when a name should be removed. Eucharistic Adoration If there's anything you need to thank or praise God for, to express sorrow or to ask for, know that He waits for you to come and spend some time in His presence at our next Day of Eucharistic Adoration, Monday, October 1, 2007 from 9 AM to 7 PM. The day of adoration and prayer begins with Mass at 8:30 and closes with Benediction at 7:00 PM. All are invited to come and pray any time during the day, as well as for Benediction at 7 PM. If you can commit to a particular hour on this day, you are invited to sign up for an hour of adoration on the large sign-up poster in the back of church.