Saint Edmund Parish Echoes

Saint Edmund Parish Echoes
Reaching out from the heart of Oak Park
October 5, 2008
Parish Office
188 S. Oak Park Avenue Oak Park, Illinois 60302; Telephone: 708-848-4417; Fax Line: 708-848-0049
Parish
Summer
Center
Office
Office
Hours:
Hours:
Monday
Monday
- Friday
- Friday
8:30am
8:30am
- 4:00pm;
- 8:00pm;
Saturday
Saturday
9am
9am
- 3pm;
- 3pm;
Sunday
Sunday
9:00am
9:00am
- 1pm
- 1pm
Visit the parish web-site at stedmund.org. You may also e-mail us from the web-site.
Parish School and Parish School of Religious Education
200 S. Oak Park Avenue Oak Park, Illinois 60302
School Telephone: 708-386-5131; Fax Line: 708-386-5616
School of Religious Education Telephone: 708-848-7220
Parish Administration and Staff
Rev. John McGivern, Pastor
Ms. Peggy Leddy, Pastoral Associate
Mrs. Kathleen Halfpenny, Director of Music
Mrs. Kerry Voytas, Parish School Principal
Mr. Anthony Suarez, Director of Liturgy
Mrs. Janet Bennick, Coordinator of Religious Education
Mr. Donald Giannetti, Parish Assistant
Mr. Thomas Dwyer, Permanent Deacon
Mrs. Christine A. Rousakis, Parish Administrative Assistant
Parish School Secretary - Open
Mr. Thomas McMahon, Parish Maintenance Supervisor
Rev. John Lucas, In Residence
Rev. John O’Callaghan, S.J., Weekend Presider
Rev. Christopher J. Devron, S.J., Weekend Presider
Rev. William Kelly, Pastor Emeritus
All are welcome. An entrance ramp and push-bar automatic door is located at the eastern entrance of the church.
Personal hearing devices are also available from the ushers/greeters.
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Staff Notes
St. Edmund Staff Members Have Been Busy and Have Good News to Share!
On Friday, September 26, Director of Liturgy, Anthony
Suarez and his wife Leah welcomed triplets into the
world! In order of birth: Rafael Lucas, born at 3:41pm,
weighing 4 lbs, 17 inches in length, Gabriel Moises, born
at 3:42pm weighing 4 lbs., 11 ounces, 18 inches in
length, Mary Theresa, born at 3:45pm, 3 lbs. 11 ounces,
15.34 inches in length. Wow! They are doing well and
will remain in the Neonatal ICU for a month or two. The
Suarez’s send thanks for all of our prayers and thoughts.
Yesterday, Saturday, October 4, Parish School Principal
Ms. Kerry Lynch married Mr. Jason Voytas in a beautiful
ceremony at Holy Name Cathedral in
Chicago.
Fr. John McGivern was the presider.
St. Edmund provided transportation
for those who wanted to witness the
nuptials. Best wishes from the
A Blessing for Joy
May Jesus and Mary
Grant you happiness and joy
Festivity, celebration and also fun
Broad hints of glee with alloy
When at last our work is done
The joy of Easter morn
The joy of Christmas night
The joy of a new baby born
The joy of all delights
The joy of a wedding mass
The joy of old love renewed
And may Jesus who came to bring us joy
Bless you always, together with
The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.
Do You Want to Become a Catholic?
It’s Not Too Late!
2pm Pet Blessing October 5
on the Murphy Hall Lawn
Do you want to become a Catholic? Are you interested in
learning more about your faith and worship community?
Join our R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
session that will begin shortly.
All parishioners with pets are invited
to gather on the Murphy Hall lawn
today, Sunday, October 5 at 2pm for a
special pet blessing. In keeping with
the spirit of St. Francis, whose feast
we celebrated on October 4, and who
had a gentle way with all of God’s
creatures, please join us as we invoke the Lord’s blessing
on your furry friends. The ten-minute blessing will take
place rain or shine. Please keep your animals on leashes.
Bring along the necessary items to keep the lawn free
from any surprises!
Learn more about the Catholic faith in order to receive
the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.
Those who have been baptized Catholic but have not received the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation are
especially encouraged to attend. It’s not too late! Call
Peggy Leddy, Pastoral Associate, in the Parish Center
office at 708-848-4417 for more information.
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Twenty-seventh Sunday
in Ordinary Time
Parish School News
We send congratulations to our Parish
School principal, Ms. Lynch (we will
have to get used to addressing her by
her new name!) on her marriage October 4, 2008.
Parish School families will be at the
Oak Park Farmers Market on Saturday, October 25 selling home-made baked goods.
School of Religious Education News
A meeting will be held today, Sunday, October 5 at
10:45am in the Parish School gymnasium for the parent/
guardians of students who will be preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Please plan to attend.
If you have not had an opportunity to visit our new Religious Education office on the second floor of the school,
stop by and take a look!
Emergency Response for Cuba
Silver Circle Hosts Movie Thursday, October 9
Hurricanes Gustav and Ike tore through Cuba on August
30th and September 9th causing $5 billion in damages
according to Cuban government estimates. Gustav’s
winds reached over 200 mph in Los Palacios, and rains
from both storms caused sea swells and flooding
throughout the island.
Please join us for fellowship and a movie on Thursday,
October 9 at 12pm noon in Murphy Hall. Bring your own
lunch if you wish. Coffee and dessert will be provided.
This gathering is open to all parishioners. Join us!
Over 3 million were evacuated, 444,000 homes suffered
complete or partial roof collapses, and more than 63,000
residences were demolished. Schools, hospitals, water
distribution, agriculture, and the electrical system received severe blows from the combination of wind, rain,
and flooding. Downed trees, power lines, and swollen
rivers cut towns off from the rest of the island. The provinces of Pinar del Rio, Las Tunas, Holguin, Camagues,
and the Isle of Youth are the most affected.
On Saturday, October 25 from 1:15pm - 2pm, Dr. Jay
Peterson will give a concert on our pipe organ as part of
the Annual Autumn Organ Crawl. Dr. Peterson is a Professor of Music, College Organist and is presently Chair
of the Music Department at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois.
Catholic Relief Services and its partners, Daughters of
Charity SVP and Catholic Charities Miami, are responding with an initial shipment of 170,000 pounds of emergency food and supplies. This first shipment is estimated
at a value of $235,000.
Week at a Glance
“This initial delivery of supplies will be used towards our
goals of assisting at least 20,000 Cubans, “ says Lynn
Renner, CRS regional representative for the Caribbean. “
We are in the process of preparing an additional 80 tons
of food and roofing supplies for the people of Cuba.”
Please keep the people of Cuba in your prayers. Please
send donations to: Catholic Relief Services, 155 E. Superior, Chicago, IL 60611.
Offertory for Weekend of September 27/28
Budgeted…………………………………….$14, 000.00
Weekend Collection…………...……………. 11,741.42
Yearly deficit to-date……………………….- 21, 266.57
Educate-A-Child Scholarship Collection
Next weekend, October 11-12, a second collection will
be taken up at all of the masses for the annual St. Edmund Parish School Educate-A-Child Scholarship Fund.
Please be as generous as you are able. Thank you.
St. Edmund Pipe Organ Concert
Take a break from running your Saturday errands! The
event is cost-free and open to all who wish to attend.
Sunday
9:35am
10:40am
10:45am
12:30pm
2:00pm
Monday
7:00pm
Tuesday
7:00pm
Wednesday
3:30pm
7:00pm
7:00pm
Friday
9:15am
Saturday
9:30am
October 5
Children’s Liturgy
Religious Education
Confirmation Meeting
Baptism Class
Pet Blessing
October 6
Family School
Connection (FSC)
October 7
School Board
October 8
Children’s Choir
Bridge
Cantors/Choir
October 10
Bible Study
October 11
Centering Prayer
Sunday
9:30am
10:40am
1:00pm
October 12
RCIA
Religious Education
Baptisms
Murphy Hall
Parish School
Gymnasium
Murphy Hall
Parish Lawn
Parish School
Murphy Hall
Murphy Hall
Murphy Hall
Church
Murphy Hall
Church
Parish Office
Parish School
Church
4
The following is a statement from the Catholic Conference
of Illinois that Catholics will find to be helpful preparation
for the upcoming November elections.
The Privilege and Responsibility of Citizenship
We citizens of the United States live in a country whose
Declaration of Independence was founded on the conviction
that every person has inalienable rights to life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness. For centuries, as our forebearers
fought to uphold these God-given rights so essential to the
makeup of our nation, they also exercised the responsibilities of citizenship with purpose and determination.
Christian faith teaches that our rights flow from our dignity
as human persons made in the image and likeness of God,
and that along with these rights come responsibilities. Each
of us must be concerned in the present for the good of all
and look responsibly to the future so that those who come
after us will also enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
One of the rights shared by citizens of our nation is also a
responsibility - to vote. Voting is not a small matter to be
dealt with casually or carelessly. It calls upon all to reflect
seriously and prayerfully on moral issues that reflect God’s
design for the common good.
Catholics have contributed significantly to the growth and
well-being of our country since its very foundation, and our
moral tradition has been a consistent, positive influence on
public life. That moral tradition is needed now more than
ever to address serious challenges in our nation and our
state. Illinois is faced with a growing culture of violence over 46,000 lives were aborted in 2006, and the Chicago
murder rate is 18% higher than last year. There is a declining respect for the role religious individuals and institutions
play in the delivery of health care and social services. We
need to look for creative ways to support Catholic schools
and the families of Catholic school children.
Every four years, the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops issues a statement meant as a call to political responsibility for the Catholics of our country. We do not
endorse political parties or candidates but offer guidance
solidly rooted in our faith. We encourage you to read this
year’s statement, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship; it can be found at www.faithfulcitizenship.org. [You
may also find copies at all St. Edmund Church exits or by
calling the parish office.]
The document highlights the role of the Church in the formation of conscience as well as the responsibility of each
Catholic to hear, receive, and act upon the Church’s teaching in forming his or her conscience. With a well-formed
conscience, Catholics are better able to evaluate policy positions, party platforms, and the promises and actions of candidates.
We bishops of Illinois offer this brief reflection on Forming
Consciences for Faithful Citizenship as part of our pastoral
care for the people of our dioceses.
How do we “form” our conscience?
When we speak of “conscience,” what do we mean? Conscience is the voice of God’s law resounding in the human
heart, revealing the truth to us and calling us to do what is
good and shun what is evil. As Pope John Paul II wrote,
“Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a person, where we are alone with God. In the depths of our conscience, we detect a moral law, which does not impose itself
on us, but which holds us to a higher obedience. This law is
not an external human law, but the voice of God, calling us
to free ourselves from the grip of evil desires and sin, and
stimulating us to seek what is good and true in life.”
How do we Catholics properly form our conscience? First,
we must desire to embrace goodness and truth. Since God
is the source of all that is good and true, we begin by seeking his will in prayer. We study the Bible and the teachings
of the Church. We seriously examine the situations we face
to make sure we understand them and the ramifications of
various choices. If we fail to form our consciences, we risk
making erroneous and irresponsible judgments.
Because a well-formed conscience seeks to do the will of
God, it is more than a “feeling” or an opinion. Forming our
conscience is a humble act of faith in God through which we
express our belief that God is the source of all wisdom. We
have a responsibility both to form our conscience well and
to act in accord with our conscience. When we act out a
well-formed conscience, we are praising God - and offering
a gift to our families, our co-workers, and the community at
large.
There are some things we must never do, because they are
so deeply flawed that they are always incompatible with
love of God and neighbor. Such “intrinsically evil” actions
can never be justified and must always be rejected and opposed; they must never be supported or condoned. Examples are the intentional taking of innocent life, as in abortion
and euthanasia; direct threats to the sanctity and dignity of
human life, such as human cloning and destructive research
on human embryos; other assaults on innocent human life
and violations of human dignity, such as genocide, torture,
racism, and targeting noncombatants in acts of terror or war.
The fact that we must always oppose intrinsically evil acts
should also open our eyes to the good we must do, that is, to
our positive duty to contribute to the common good and to
act in solidarity with those in need. The right to life, for
example, is linked to all other human rights, and all life issues are connected. As Blessed Pope John XXIII wrote,
“[Each of us] has the right to life, to bodily integrity, and to
the means which are suitable for the proper development of
life; these are primarily food, clothing, shelter, rest, medical
care, and finally the necessary social services.” The moral
imperative to respond to the needs of our neighbors is universally binding on our consciences.
In preparing to vote with a well-formed conscience, it is
important to avoid two temptations:
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The first temptation would be to consider all life issues
morally equal and thus fail to see that there is a hierarchy
among them. We must keep first in mind that the direct and
intentional destruction of innocent human life from the moment of conception until natural death is always wrong. It
is not just one issue among many and must always be opposed. Our support for the sanctity of human life is dishonest if it does not include opposition to abortion.
The second temptation would be to fail to give proper attention to other issues that pose serious threats to human life,
even as we uphold and defend as a priority the sanctity of
life from the moment of conception. Issues such as racism,
the use of the death penalty, unjust war, the use of torture,
and unjust immigration policy also must be addressed because of our belief in the sanctity of human life.
The choices are not always simple.
Decisions about political life and voting can be quite complex. Prudential judgment will be needed when applying
moral principles to a variety of policy choices, and we urge
the Catholic people of Illinois to listen carefully and prayerfully to Sacred Scripture and Church teaching when analyzing proposals and preparing to cast a vote.
For us Catholics, it is essential that we be guided by a wellformed conscience that recognizes that all issues do not
carry the same moral weight and that the obligation to oppose intrinsically evil acts has a special claim on our consciences and our actions.
Thus we cannot vote for a candidate who takes a position in
a favor of an intrinsic evil, such as abortion or racism, if our
intention is to support that position. In doing so we would
be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil. By the same
token, when we support a candidate who opposes an intrinsic evil, we must ignore other important moral issues involving the dignity of human life.
When we find that all candidates hold a position in favor of
an intrinsic evil, as conscientious voters we face a dilemma.
We may decide to take the extraordinary step of not voting
for any candidate or, after careful deliberation, we may decide to vote for the candidate less likely to advance the morally flawed position and more likely to pursue other authentically human goods. We should also take into account a
candidate's commitments, character, integrity, and ability to
influence a given issue.
How should we prepare to vote?
• Ask God’s guidance in prayer.
• Take time to familiarize ourselves with Church teachings that affect political choices.
• Seriously examine the positions of candidates on important issues.
• Keep in mind the sanctity of human life and the dignity
of the human person.
• Acknowledge that not all issues are of equal
importance or urgency.
•
Remember that there are absolute moral norms that can
never be violated for any reason. The deliberate destruction of innocent human life must always be opposed.
• Recognize that we each have a responsibility to the
common good, and that forming one’s conscience well
and voting accordingly is both a sacred and civil duty.
“Conscience is the voice of God’s law resounding in the
human heart, revealing the truth to us and calling us to
do what is good and shun what is evil.”
Our Catholic faith in a blessing to our country!
During his recent visit to the United States, Pope Benedict
XVI reflected on the history of the Catholic Church in the
country. In his homily at Yankee Stadium, he said: “How
many ‘spiritual sacrifices pleasing to God’ have been offered up in these two centuries! In this land of religious
liberty Catholics found freedom not only to practice their
faith but also to participate fully in civic life, bringing their
deepest moral convictions to the public square and cooperating with their neighbors in shaping a vibrant, democratic
society…
“Praying fervently for the coming of the kingdom...also
means rejecting a false dichotomy between faith and political life, since as the Second Vatican Council put it, ‘there is
no human activity - even in secular affairs - which can be
withdrawn from God’s dominion.’ It means working to
enrich American society and culture with the beauty and
truth of the gospel and never losing sight of that great hope
which gives meaning and value to all the other hopes which
inspire our lives.”
As the Catholic bishops of Illinois, we share with you a profound hope that God’s wisdom and God’s will become ever
more securely the foundation of the hopes, dreams, and
principles on which our nation rests.
His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, OMI
Most Reverend Thomas G. Doran
Most Reverend George J. Lucas
Most Reverend Daniel R. Jenky, SCS
Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton
Most Reverend James Peter Sartain
Most Reverend Gustavo Garcia-Siller
Most Reverend Francis J. Kane
Most Reverend John R. Manz
Most Reverend Thomas J. Paprocki
Most Reverend Joseph N. Perry
Most Reverend George J. Rassas
Most Reverend Richard S. Seminack
Most Reverend Mar Jacob Angadiath
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St. Edmund Parish Teens
7
Spiritual Week at St.
Edmund Parish
We Pray for our Sick
Rosemary Bailey
David Brickner
Bill Cassin
Michelle Chaput
Carol Duffy
Cheryl Farney
Eternal Rest Grant unto These, O Lord
Martha Fitzsimmons
Angela Lagioia
Connie Liss
Josephine Lube
Carol Maranto
Jaime Martinez
God Bless our Troops
Paul Newman, actor and philanthropist
Mary Catherine O’Connell
Bradley Phillip Trifone, grandson of Mary Trifone
Daily Eucharist
Monday
October 6 (Bruno)
8:30am † Grace Kortas
Tuesday
October 7 (Our Lady of the Rosary)
8:30am † Maria R. Celli
One in Prayer
with our Loved Ones in the Military
Wednesday
Ian Adams, US Navy
Sgt. Ramiro D. Banda, US Marine Corps
Rev. John Barkemeyer, US Army Chaplain
Gunnery Sergeant Boatman, US Marine Corps
Kurt Bonus, US Army
Specialist Brown, US Army
Captain Jason Caboot
Daniel J. Dockter, US Airforce
Sergeant Thomas J. Dutton, 10th Mountain Division
William Edwards, US Army Reservist
Sergeant Patrick Joseph Gibbs, US Army
First Sergeant, Daniel S. Greider US Army
Dylan Huck, US Navy
Sergeant Jonathan Kane, US Army
Officer Paul Matuszak, US Army
Jonathan McLean, US Marine Corps
Kristen Meyer, US Navy
Lance Corporal Robert Miller, US Marine Corps
Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Mangan, US Air Force
Captain Steven Nelson
Private First Class Anthony J. Nichols
Lieutenant Colonel Ted Ruane, US Marine Corps
Aaron Rutter, US Navy Corpsman
Captain Kenneth H. Schlorf
Kimyatta Wellington, US Navy
Colonel David A. Wemhoff, US Army
October 8
8:30am † Deceased parishioners
† Paul Bowman
Thursday
October 9 (Denis)
8:30am † Kay Hannon
Friday
October 10
8:30am † Antonio and Gemma Burgada
Theresa Christian (living intention)
Saturday
October 11 (Blessed Virgin Mary)
8:30am † Nicholas Allabastro, JoAnne Belanger
5:30pm † People of St. Edmund
Sunday
October 12
8:00am † John and Margie McManmon
9:30am † Kay Caffrey
11:30am † Jean Pantaleo, Jack Dubsky
6:00pm † Bradley Philip Trifone
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday:
Gal 1:6-12; Lk 10:25-37
Tuesday:
Gal 1:13-24; Lk 10:38-42
Wednesday: Gal 2:1-2, 7-14; Lk 11:1-4
Thursday:
Gal 3:1-5; Lk 11:5-13
Friday:
Gal 3:7-14; Lk 11:15-26
Saturday:
Gal 3:22-29; Lk 11:27-28
Sunday:
Is 25:6-10a; Ps 23; Phil 4:12-14, 19-20;
Mt 22:1-14 [1-10]
Liturgical Ministers for the Weekend of October 11/12
Mass Time
Altar Servers
Lectors
Commentator
Cantor
Extraordinary Ministers
(Saturday)
5:30pm
I. Hinojosa
R. Streit
J. Gradel
M. Guerin
S. Guerin
K. Corcos
P. Martin, L. Martin, P. Mims, N. Driscoll, M.
Aportadera, T. Halfpenny, C. Sabota
8:00am
D. Giannetti
R. Bertels
M. Fedota
A. Silva
K. Corcos
H. Mazzeo, M.E. Creighton, , R. Clancy, G.
Clancy
9:30am
D. Joseph
A. Diana
M. Fitzgerald
K. Licup
A. Licup
J. Scapek
T. Allabastro, M. Szczepaniak, A. Dwyer
11:30am
J. Stapleton
B. Stroth
G. Graham
C. Planek
B. Mix
P. Pruitt
J. Berggren, J. Smith, L. Johnson, Craig Putz,
Christina Putz
6:00pm
M. Wheeler
M. Kane
D. Kane
E. Wilson Yu
H. Brown
L. Jans, G. Castillo, K. Wroblewski,
M. Bergen