11/09/2014 - St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr
Transcription
11/09/2014 - St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr
St. Stephen, Deacon & Martyr C a t h o l i c C h u r c h A Catholic community of faith striving to witness to the Gospel. Our Baptism and Confirmation calls us to bring Christ’s Love to our families, our work places and our community. Grateful for God’s gifts, we seek to nurture those gifts and to give back to the Lord by sharing our time, talent and material treasure. In all of our parish activities we seek to develop a personal relationship with the Lord who directs our lives and a vision that sees the world with the eyes of Christ and that leads to a commitment to justice. We seek a sense of unity in Christ that leads us to be an open and welcoming people and a sense of joy in being graced by the gifts of God’s Love. November 9, 2014 The Dedication of The Basilica of St. John Lateran MASS SCHEDULE Monday—Saturday: 8am (English) Saturday Liturgy: 5pm (English) Sunday Liturgy: English: 7am, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am, 6:15pm Polish: 1pm November 9, 2014 Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica WE ARE A STEWARDSHIP PARISH We at St. Stephen, are striving to be good disciples of Christ. We focus on the spirituality of stewardship, through the grateful sharing of our time, our talent and our treasure, to help us become better disciples of Christ. As good stewards, we share our gifts responsibly with charitable groups and with our church. We urge our parishioners to consider remembering St. Stephen in their wills. Please phone Fr. Jay in the church office at 708.342.2400 for more information. Collections For 11-02-2014 Regular $24,702.50 Kids $132.89 Sharing $198.00 All Souls $1,463.00 All Saints $1,312.00 CJB $70.00 P AGE 2 Thank you for your continued Stewardship in support of St. Stephen. Please visit our website to find other opportunities for generosity through planned giving by remembering St. Stephen in your will or living trust. TIME, TALENT & TREASURE In addition to printing the collection, we are printing the Sunday and Holy Day collections from the previous month and for the fiscal year to date as well as budgeted amount needed for us to meet both our expenses & mortgage payments. Mortgage payments are $41,500 per month (interest and principal). The Archdiocese loaned us the money to start our parish and build our facilities on the basis of a commitment to Stewardship by the parish. We thank everyone whose support enables us to do the work of our Actual Budget parish. Last Month September Year-to-Date July 1—September 30 $113,315 $104,500 $354,589 $347,100 BAPTISMS are celebrated every Sunday at 3pm in English and 1pm in Polish. Please contact Deacon Ken in the parish office for the necessary preparations. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION is available on Saturdays, from 8:45—9:30am in the church or by appointment. FUNERALS can be arranged with the parish office. MARRIAGES St. Stephen Parish welcomes the celebration of the weddings of both registered parishioners and the children of registered parishioners. Information is available from one of the priests or deacons. PASTORAL CARE OF THE SICK can be arranged for the sick, elderly and handicapped desiring Communion by calling the parish office. BULLETIN ARTICLE DEADLINE Articles are to be in the parish office noon on Friday for the following week’s bulletin. E-mail: [email protected] REGISTRATION OF NEW PARISHIONERS is held on the 2nd & 4th Sundays every month after 10am Mass. New parishioners unable to register at Sunday registration, may register at the parish office on Mondays at 2pm, Tuesdays at 11am, Wednesdays at 8:30am or Thursdays at 6:45pm. Please phone 708.342.2400 to make an appointment. We warmly welcome new parishioners and cordially invite you to join us on our life-long journey to the Lord. ~ O UR CHURCH ~ Parish Office 17500 South 84th Avenue Tinley Park, IL 60487 Office Hours: 8:30am-8:30pm Mon-Th; 8:30am-7pm Fri; 9am-5pm Sat Office Closed: 12:30-1pm Mon-Fri Office Phone: 708.342.2400 Office Fax 708.342.1545 Religious Ed. Phone: 708.342.1544 Website: www.ststephentinley.com email: [email protected] @ststephentinley ~ O UR STAFF ~ ~ O UR Rev. James Finno, Pastor Rev. Grzegorz Warmuz, Associate Pastor William Engler, Deacon Chuck McFarland, Deacon William Schultz, Deacon Joseph Stalcup, Deacon Pete Van Merkestyn, Deacon Kenneth Zawadzki, Deacon Karen Opyd, Administrative Assistant to Pastor Mary Jeanne Pazin, Director of Religious Education Leslie Krauledis, Assoc. Director of Religious EducationTammy Burns, Admin. Assistant for Religious Education Mark Gorka, Music Minister Karen Dillon, Youth Minister Dave Prete, Maintenance Director SCHOOL Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School 9300 167th Street Orland Hills, IL 60487 Phone 708.403.6525 Fax 708.403.8621 Ms. Mary Iannucilli, Principal ~ November 9, 2014 Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica P AGE 3 From Our Pastor D ear People of St. Stephen, Today our church celebrates the feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome. It is a feast that may seem strange in that it focuses on a particular church building. Yet the feast can help us to reflect on our sense of church and on the value of our own church building. The Basilica of St. John Lateran was first dedicated on November 9, 324, by Pope St. Sylvester I. It is the Pope’s Cathedral in his role as the Bishop of the diocese of Rome. It was built soon after the conversion of the Emperor Constantine and the end of the persecutions that the early Christians suffered under the Roman emperors. Over the centuries the building has been damaged by earthquakes, barbarian invasions, and fires and was rebuilt in its present structure in the 1600s. The celebration of the anniversary of its dedication expresses the communion of all local Catholic churches with the universal Church, with the Pope as the head of the college of bishops. The building and the feast remind us of a deeper reality – the union of all Catholics who share our faith in the Lord Jesus. The Basilica of St. John Lateran remains today as the Cathedral for the Pope as Bishop of Rome, just as Holy Name Cathedral is the Cathedral for our archdiocese. A church building is a focal point for the faith and worship life of a local community. This feast is an occasion to reflect on our own church building which was dedicated by Cardinal George on November 24, 2002. Like every church building, our church is a place that makes us aware of the reality of Christ’s presence to us; it is a place where we celebrate the Eucharist and the other sacraments that are central to our Catholic faith. The structure of the church reflects what is important to our faith. Later in this column and in the bulletins of the coming weeks in which we are preparing for the 15th anniversary celebration for our parish on November 29, I will give some background on the various features of our church. But what is most important to remember is that whether the church be a Cathedral, a large parish church, or the smallest country church, what matters most is the faith and gospel living of those who worship in that church. In the 500’s St. Caesarius wrote these words for the anniversary of the dedication of St. John Lateran: “Beloved brethren, today we celebrate with joy the anniversary of this church, with the grace of Christ. But it is we who must be the temple of God, His true and living Temple...therefore, if we want to celebrate with joy the anniversary of a church, we must not destroy within ourselves, with bad actions, these living temples of God. And I say this so that all of you may understand: every time we come into church, we must prepare our souls, so that they may be as beautiful as we want our church to be.” As we prepare to celebrate our parish’s 15th anniversary, perhaps the best way to do that is to strive to be the best followers of Jesus that we can be. Let me offer some thoughts on the central elements in our church: the altar, the crucifix, and the stained glass window behind the crucifix. As the place where the Eucharist is celebrated, the altar is the central focus of our church. Its size (4ft. by 8 ft.) makes it prominent in our large sanctuary. The combination of cherry rift oak and Broughton Moor stone conveys both the sense of the warm communal meal of the Eucharist and the sacrificial dimension of the Mass as we recall Jesus’ life-giving sacrifice for us. The crucifix and the stained glass window behind it are the most striking visual elements in our church. They reflect the ideas of our design committee and our early parishioners who in discussions on the church expressed the desire for a crucifix at the center of the church. The crucifix and window represent the saving actions of Jesus – His death and resurrection – that bring us salvation. We celebrate the life-giving death and resurrection of Jesus every time we celebrate Mass, so these symbols are appropriate for the central visual element in our church. The crucifix is made of rift cut oak. The corpus on the crucifix is made of hand-carved wood in a lighter shade to be clearly visible against the wood of the cross. The crucifix is 15 feet high, 8 feet wide, weighs 500 pounds, and is supported by two airplane cables attached to steel beams installed specifically for this purpose. The window behind the crucifix is designed to suggest resurrection and new life. The rich colors of the window, simulating a sunrise, emanate out and suggest life-giving love flowing from the Risen Lord. Images of water, wheat and grapes in the lower half of the window remind us of Baptism and the Eucharist. The window measures 34 feet high by 18 feet wide. A pane of clear glass rests on the outside of the frame to protect the stained glass on the inner part of the frame. The striking crucifix and window remind us that the risen Christ is always to be at the center of our life as a church. May God bless you and your loved ones. Fr. Jay November 9, 2014 Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica P AGE 4 Pastoral Ministries You and I were created to be thankful. Deep down inside our hearts and minds, we know Contact Deacon Ken Zawadzki we’re supposed to be content. Unfortunately, Pastoral Ministry Director envy, resentments, and various circumstances of life can derail us along the way. Instead of Phone: 708.342.2400 Ext. 136 being positive and thankful, we find ourselves Email: [email protected] being negative, ungrateful, and petty, (In other words, hard to live with!) Think about Donating to St. it for a moment. If you were to measure your Vincent de Paul has uplifting thoughts of gratitude versus your mental visits to the “complaint department” become easier through our new during the last week, which would win out? Most people would find that the complaints outweigh the praises. I don’t think anybody is grumpy on purpose. Nobody ONLINE GIVING. intends to be ungrateful. Discontentment sneaks up on us and attacks us from beGo to www.ststephentinley.com and hind. Often, we don’t even realize when we are being a negative pain in the neck! click on the ONLINE GIVING logo to the left of the screen to register and make your donation. Thank you from our St. Vincent de Paul Society. If you or a parishioner close to you is in need, please contact SVdP at 708-342-2400 ext.205. A representative will return your call as soon as possible to arrange a confidential conversation. Confidentiality and Compassion are cornerstones of our ministry In today’s Gospel we find that God is a God of the living, and this is indeed the core of our hope. Jesus has risen and is with us, therefore, at no time should we be without hope for the future. When you give the furniture, household items and clothing you no longer use to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, you give hope to your neighbors who have nothing. The Bible recognizes this fact of human nature, and reminds us to “give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Here are a few thoughts for those who wish to nurture a grateful heart: 1. Declare war on petty negativism. As soon as you are aware of its nasty presence in your heart, evict it immediately and lock the door. Why keep a smelly skunk in the house? 2. Count your blessings. There are many things going right in your life. Focus on these, rather than the annoyances. 3. Refuse to compare yourself with others. The comparison trap breeds selfishness, self-pity and greed. 4. Change the channel! Your mind can broadcast the day’s events through Channel P [positive] or Channel N [negative]. You get to choose your announcer. In our house, if someone is being a grouch, it’s not uncommon for somebody else to say “It’s time to change to Channel P!” 5. Keep God at the center, and you will not dwell on the garbage. A person, who habitually complains, gossips and criticizes needs a spiritual tune-up. 6. Commit yourself to encouraging others. If you focus on helping others, your heart will be filled with sunshine. I’ve never met a negative encourager. Blessings, Deacon Ken Zawadzki Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart “Breakfast with a Cup of Spirituality”, Saturday, November 15 from 9am to 11am in the auditorium 9201 W. St. Francis Rd. in Frankfort. Donation is $15. For more information, please call 815-464-3886 Seeking help for the 7am Mass If you attend the 7am Mass each Sunday, you might notice an absence of an altar server. The fact is that we do not have boys or girls willing to sign up for such an early Mass. To that end, I’m appealing to adults to become an adult server to help serve at the 7am Mass on Sundays. John Lisicich has been serving in their place for a number of years. John only serves because his wife Pat is one of the Mass coordinators for that Mass. We are grateful for his service. If we could get four adults to volunteer at the 7am Mass, it would mean you would serve once a month. John would be willing to sit with you during Mass for a few weeks and show you the way to serve. Please consider this appeal for help serving at the 7am Mass and make the Mass flow more smoothly helping the priest and deacon. Please contact Deacon Ken Zawadzki at the parish office for more information 708-342-2400 ext. 136. November 9, 2014 Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica P AGE 5 Parish Transformation The Parish Transformation Team has now divided into three committees—Mission, Finance, and Education. Over the next few weeks, the Mission Committee will continue to work on objectives and actions for each of our building blocks as well as completing our mission narrative that will tell the spiritual story of our Parish. The Finance Committee will review all aspects of our financial situation and resource allocation. The Education Committee will develop an action plan to ensure the Parish is providing appropriate resources in faith formation for all age groups. Please continue to pray for your Parish Transformation Team and be sure to share with us any additional thoughts that you may have to improve our Parish. Parish Center METAL RE-CYCLING Next weekend November 15 & 16, 2014, will be our monthly recycling drive. Our winter hours on Saturday, November 15th will be from 4:30 to 6:15pm and Sunday November 16th from 9am to 12:30pm. Our drives are the third weekend of each month. Please place empty metal cans into sealed plastic garbage bags. The donations can be dropped off by the truck or van located by the garages in the back of the parking lot. An attendant will be available to assist you. Thank you for your generous recycling donations. To date we have collected over $4,500 toward the down payment on the parish center. If you’re having a party, family gathering, house cleaning, moving or remodeling or just getting rid of things you no longer use, please bring them to our collection. If you have items that are too large to bring (i.e. washing machines, dryers, stoves, etc.), please contact Andy Deluca (708-606-3755) or Bill Beavan (708-403-2073) to arrange for pickup. Advent Candle Lighting Sign-up Sheet There is a sign-up sheet for those wishing to light the Advent Candles at the beginning of Mass on the ushers table in the back of the church. Please check in with the usher no later than 10 minutes before Mass starts, this way they know that you are here; otherwise, they will look for someone to take your place. Please remember to honor your commitment. Military Corner Please pray for our Military men and women on a daily basis for their safe return. Capt. Anthony J. Cesaro Major Vincent Cesaro 1st Lt. Michael Chimienti Lt. Amanda Griffith Lcpl. Evan Grober Capt. Michael Gryczka Sgt. Joseph Malone Capt. Christopher Mazurek Sgt. Dominic Messina Tsgt. Laura Langley Ssgt. Carl Langley PFC Matthew O'Boyle Capt. Thomas Pierczynski Tsgt. Stephen Vlaming LCDR Marilyn Walsh Major Thomas Walsh November 9, 2014 Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica P AGE 6 About Eliot Morris Eliot Morris is an acclaimed singer song writer who has toured with the Counting Crows, John Mayer, and James Taylor. He is best know for his albums What’s Mine is Yours and All Things in Time, which includes the hit UP from the Bottom. Matthew Kelly’s presentation will be at St. Stephen Church on Saturday, May 2, 2015, at 7pm. The presentation is co-sponsored by St. Elizabeth Seton, St. Francis of Assisi, St. George, St. Julie Billiart and St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr parishes. Tickets are $39. Make checks payable to “Dynamic Catholic.” All proceeds go to support the work of Dynamic Catholic. Tickets available at the parish office. Bible Study Please join us as we study and explore Scripture. We meet on Friday mornings in Room 126 from 8:45am until 10am. Our upcoming schedule includes some wonderful topics for the Christmas season. On Nov. 14 there will be an overview of the Old Testament. Nov. 21 we will be viewing a fascinating video entitled “Star of Bethlehem.” We will not meet the Friday after Thanksgiving. Dec. 5 begins a three week look at the Infancy Narratives. If you have been considering joining Scripture Study, this will be a good time to do so. We learn from each other and from our facilitator, and have meaningful, interesting and at times fun discussions. Our group is very welcoming. This class is for you whether you are new to Scripture or not. If you would like more information please contact, Tom Mitus at 708-479-6980, or e-mail: [email protected]. Please help keep the church neat and clean. Please do not leave bulletins and other papers on the pews or in the racks. Thank you. November 9, 2014 Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica P AGE 7 Jesus – A Historical Portrait Our next book study sessions will begin in November. We will be using the book “Jesus – A Historical Portrait” written by Daniel J. Harrington, a Jesuit priest, who was a professor of New Testament studies at Boston College and one of the world’s leading New Testament scholars. Father Harrington conveys a factual, historical perspective of Jesus in an easy to read style. Chapters in the book include Jesus in relation to prayer, the Kingdom, politics and women. We will also cover the Kingdom, His death and resurrection and His second coming. Small group discussions of the questions at the end of each chapter will be held on Wednesday evenings at 7:30pm starting November 12th and Saturday mornings at 9am starting November 15th and will last for 6 weeks. Sign-up sheets for the sessions will be available in the narthex after all Masses the weekend of November 8th and 9th. The book we will be using will also be available for purchase at that time. If you have any questions or if you would like to form a small group in your own home, please contact Barbara Black at [email protected] or (708) 466-9962 Book Discussion “Everybody Needs to Forgive Somebody” The next session of the book discussion “Everybody Needs to Forgive Somebody”, will be on Sunday, November 16. Like our book discussion on “Rediscover Catholicism” last winter and spring, we will begin with a light supper at 4:30pm and conclude about 5:50pm on time for the 6:15pm Mass. Babysitting will be provided. To help us to plan for the food needed, please call the parish office at 708-342-2400 to let us know you will be attending. If you did not receive a book last Easter and would like to participate, please call the office for a copy of the book. The November 16 session will cover pages 69-92 in the book. The final discussion sessions will be on November 30. Feel free to come as often as you are able. Save the Date… Thy Kingdom Come… March 21 & 22, 2015… St. Stephen’s Church Thy Will Be Done on Earth… only if YOU are there! Kingdom is a two-day spiritual renewal that is open to anyone 18 years of age or older (no overnight). (Single, married, divorced, separated or widowed). Come alone or bring a friend and discover GOD working in your everyday life. More information and registration forms will be in the bulletin starting in January. It is a weekend of Faith, Friendship, Fun and Food! Please mark your calendars for Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22, 2015. “…The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2 Gluten Free Hosts Available The Benedictine Sisters, who have been providing our altar breads since we began as a parish, have developed a communion host that will benefit all those who suffer from celiac disease. Celiac disease is a digestive disorder triggered by gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains. Since Church law and tradition require that the Eucharistic bread be wheat based, some Catholics have been unable to receive the host because they cannot tolerate the gluten in altar breads. Some Catholics can receive only the cup because the gluten in the host is a danger to their health. The Benedictine Sisters have developed a low gluten host that is safe for most people with celiac disease and which meets all Church requirements and is approved for use at Mass. The gluten content of these breads is 0.01%, a level which the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland calls perfectly safe for the vast majority of celiac sufferers. The Sisters still recommend that individual celiac sufferers consult with their doctor before using the breads. These hosts have now been improved to the point that we can keep a small supply of consecrated hosts in the tabernacle for anyone who needs them. If you have this need, please mention it to the priest, deacon, or one of the ushers before Mass. However, if for some reason you do not see someone before Mass, just mention to whoever is distributing communion that you need a gluten-free host. We will always have a small supply available. St. George Parish Mission On Monday, November 10, Tuesday, November 11 & Wednesday, November 12 starting at 7pm at St. George Church, 6707 W 175th St., Tinley Park. The theme will be “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” by speaker Father Michael Foley. For more information, please call 708-532-2243. November 9, 2014 Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica P AGE 8 St. Stephen’s Respect Life Ministry “You are called to stand up for life!” -Pope John Paul II St. Stephen’s Respect Life Ministry gathers for prayer and planning on the 3rd Wednesday each month in room 125 of the parish office. The Respect Life Ministry focus is upon dignity of life issues. Our goal is to make concerns known, educate our faith community on the particulars, and provide support and assistance for Catholic life concerns through prayer and action. If you have any questions please contact Deacon Bill Schultz at the parish office. Diaper Collections On behalf of PASS Network for Life (www.passhelps.org), Swaddle Diapers (www.swaddlediapers.org) and Crisis Center for South Suburbia (www.crisisctr.org), we thank all parishioners who generously responded to our recent diaper drive for these organizations. We received approximately 15,120 diapers, with an additional 1,680 purchased with cash donations of $435. Other items donated include 20 boxes of baby wipes and baby formula. Respect Life Ministry is grateful for your outstanding support! Neat Repeats Resale At Neat Repeats Resale, our volunteers work tirelessly to financially support the Crisis Center for South Suburbia. For over 27 years, they have given their talents and their time to our clients and their children. With your help we can continue to make a difference in the lives of others in our own community. If you enjoy meeting people and like knowing you make a difference join us for Volunteer Recruitment Day on Friday Nov 21st in Orland Park at 9028 W. 159th St. or in Worth at 7026 W. 111th Street. For more information, please call Orland Park 708-364-7605 or Worth 708-361-6860. All sales at Neat Repeats Resale benefit the clients served by the Crisis Center for South Suburbia. The Crisis Center for South Suburbia is a non-profit community organization that provides emergency shelter and other services for individuals and families victimized by domestic violence. The Women’s Center We celebrate Thanksgiving during November. This is an appropriate time for us to thank God for the many people who have helped us in our work of serving mothers and babies in difficult pregnancies. We could not do this without your help. We are selling beautiful (difficult to find in stores) Pro-Life Christmas cards at a super price per box of 10 for $5.00 plus $2.00 for shipping. Call 773-794-1313 for an informational flyer and ordering information. Our Christmas Wreath sale is on the weekends of 11/29 and 11/30 and 12/06 and 12/07. If a Parish or Respect Life Group would like to participate call Janet at 773-685-2531. We need strong men to help unload and deliver wreaths. Contact Jackie at [email protected] or phone 773-794-8807 to volunteer for this fundraiser. Save the date: Saturday, February 14, 2015 is the date for our 30th Life Banquet. We are excited to announce our keynote speaker is Dr. Monica Miller, author of the book “Abandoned, the Untold Story of the Abortion Wars”. We need 3 walkers, 3 toddler beds, 3 strollers, 3 double strollers, 3 bassinets, 3 swings, 3 pack n plays, 2 fixed side cribs, crib sheets, 2 changing tables, and 2 infant car seat/carriers. It will be a great help if you can deliver these to us. For our address, or if a pick-up by a volunteer is needed, please call 773-794-1313. A Wednesday morning (9 a.m. – Noon) volunteer is needed in the Administrative Office to answer phones and help with various other projects. We need strong Furniture Room volunteer(s) for Wednesday and/or Thursday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. or 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. to help distribute baby furniture. We have an excellent opportunity for individuals or friends to volunteer together. People are needed to prep baby bottles for our “spare change” fundraising project, anytime Monday thru Friday between 10 a.m. and 4p.m. These volunteer opportunities are at our Chicago office. For more information contact [email protected] or call Jackie at 773-794-8807. Diapers in sizes 1, 4, 5 and 6, crib linens, good condition maternity clothing, baby girl winter clothing (sizes newborn to 6 months), and winter boy clothing (sizes 4 and up) are needed in our Family Room. We also need baby bottles, baby wipes and mom and baby hygiene products. These must be delivered to us unless accompanied by baby furniture. The families who receive these things are grateful for your generosity. November 9, 2014 Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica P AGE 9 Teens Growing in Faith Upcoming Events T.G.I.F. If you are interested in more information about the Youth Ministry, please contact Karen Dillon at: 708-342-2400, ext. 149 or at [email protected]. Teens 7th grade through high school are invited to teen activities the 2nd and 4th Sundays of every month following the 6:15 pm mass from 7-9 pm! Come help us plan our activities for the year! Give your input on decorating and what we need in the new teen room! PLEASE MARK YOUR OFFERTORY ENVELOPES We are asking everyone to clearly mark their donations on their offertory envelopes. If you are doing automatic withdrawal from your checking account or have signed up for Give Central, it is not necessary for you to put an envelope in the collection basket. If you wish to do so, only check the box that says electronic donation….do not put an amount on the envelope. It is very difficult to assure that your account with the parish is accurate….we do not want to send you a tax letter that is incorrect. Doing this would make our counters job much more accurate and would also help my staff who posts the envelopes easier. Please also be aware that Children’s Envelopes are to be used only for donations from the children…they are not to be used for adult contributions. Checks in the Children’s Envelopes will not be posted to the parent’s account. Thank you for all your support for St. Stephen. Karen Opyd Hearing Assist System A Williams Sound hearing assist system is available. Tied into our sound system, the system has four receivers that can help those with hearing difficulties. Receivers are available form the ushers; please return them to the ushers after Mass. The receivers are battery operated. If the battery is low, please ask an usher to contact one of our staff. The system also has two neck loops designed to work with the hearing aid equipped with a telephone coil (T-Switch). These neck loops are also available from the ushers. We have been told by the installing company that some people may want to purchase a receiver for their personal use. If you are interested in purchasing a receiver, please contact Fr. Jay. Hope Employment Ministry The Helpful Outreach for People seeking Employment (HOPE) Employment Support Ministry meets three (3) times per month. HOPE is open to everyone. All of our services, to both job seekers and employers, are free of charge. Our monthly meetings consist of networking, resume review, guest speakers and open forums. Meetings occur on: The 1st Tuesday of every month at 7:00pm, in the Parish Hall of St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 167th and 94th Ave., in Orland Hills. For additional information, please call Bob Cornejo at (708) 642-2314. The 2nd Tuesday of each month at St. Patrick Church in the St. Patrick Parish Ministry Center Parish Hall - Cass Street Building, 205 Cass Street, Lemont, IL 60439. For additional information, please call Bruce Ksiazek at (630) 257-5547, Rita O’Brien at (630) 699-2230, or Glenn Granat at (630) 257- 5487. The 3rd Thursday of each month at Our Lady Of The Woods Catholic Church, 10731 W. 131st, in Orland Park. For additional information, please call Mary Lou Sipple at (708) 738-5905 or Ken Krausz at (708) 214-9741. Need a resume tuned up? Send your resume to [email protected] and then come to the next meeting to receive feedback and discuss suggestions. Employers and HOPE Alumni, we ask that you please share job openings with us. Moms and Tots Join us at Moms and Tots! Moms and Tots is a casual playgroup that meets on Tuesdays between 9:30 and 11:00. It is a fun free way to get out with your little one(s). New moms, dads, tots, and babies are always welcome! We meet in the church, Room 158, however, if fall weather permits we may move to Kiwanis Park. It is located near the southwest side of the church parking lot. We hope to see you there! If you have any questions feel free to contact Julie at [email protected] or (708)299-9404. November 9, 2014 Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica P AGE 10 Welcome to the Marriage Center Marriages: Robert & Jennifer Mikulskis Banns III Michael Benavides & Lauren Herman SWIFT Interfaith Dinner SWIFT invites you to join us at our Interfaith Dinner. We hope that you, as a member of one of SWIFT’S participating congregations, will come and share a meal and an interesting discussion on the topic of “Thanksgiving, how we celebrate and what we are thankful for”. Please contact the parish office for tickets or more information. When: Sunday, November 16, 2014 Where: Faith United Methodist Church Time: 6:30- Registration 15101 S. 80 th Ave., Orland Park Cost: $18.00 (non-refundable) Pre-registration and tickets required. Tickets will NOT be available at the door. To help others celebrate Thanksgiving, we ask you bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Respond Now food pantry. Hope you can join us, SWIFT Board. Women’s social CLUB ”Tools for Recovery from Loss” The Women’s Social Club will be welcoming Pam Franckowiak, a parishioner from St. Stephen, to speak to our group on ways to nurture yourself after experiencing a loss in your life. Women are excellent at being caregivers, but when it comes to caring for themselves, sometimes they come up short. Pam has been a facilitator of a grief-support group at Little Company of Mary Hospital for 15 years and will share tips and techniques on how to better care for ourselves. We will also be playing a game or two of Bunco. Please join us on November 20 at 10am in Rooms 125/126. Please consider joining us for coffee and friendship...you may also bring a friend or two to join us. We will be planning either a speaker or activity for our meetings. Family Spaghetti Dinner Sponsors We wish to thank the following ministries, businesses and families for their sponsorship of our Family Spaghetti Dinner: Ministry Sponsors: Knights of Columbus, Men's Club, PADS Ministry, St. Vincent de Paul, Religious Education, Cardinal Bernardin School and Respect Life Ministry. Business Sponsors: Sheehy Funeral Home, Thomas Sonneveld DDS, State Farm Patrick Murphy, McCauley Mechanical Construction, Carol's Travel, Lawn Funeral Home, Insight Family Vision Care, Orland Park The Allbee Family Laura Barajas Barbara Black John & Susan Bogumil The Bugos Family Bill & Kathy Burke The Camacho Family Ronald Centanni Jean Coughlin The Cullina Family John Czerniak Ron & Sharon Danko Dave & Eugenie Darling Ron & Debbie Markham Loren & Jackie Davidson Fr. Jay Finno Jane Flanagan Ray & Mary Garbaciak James & Roberta Grady Keith & Sharon Grill The Hughes Family John & Ann Lachat Dick & Elaine Lindenmeyer Mark & Chris Losey Dcn Chuck & Terese McFarland Scott & Lynlee Marhanka Paul & Beth Mikula The Rafferty Family Nancy Sprinkles Rick & Susan Trump 2015 Golden Opportunities Coupon Book We are again offering the New 2015 Golden Opportunities coupon book for only $25. It has hundreds of discounts at numerous local merchants that you shop at everyday. The Dining Pleasures and Casual Dining section offer 2 for 1 dining, with many of them having offers Valid Once A Month for the entire year. It also has a Sports and Entertainment section as well as a Retail Section. Please stop by the Parish Office to view a sample or to purchase this great gift that you can begin to use immediately. November 9, 2014 Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica P AGE 11 Informacje Dotyczące Duszpasterstwa w Parafii Sw. Śzczepana W ciago calego roku Msza Św. w niedziele w języku polskim jest o godz. 1PM -Pierwszy piątek miesiąca: Spowiedz of 7-8pm Msza o 8pm -Pierwsza sobota miesiąca: od godz. 7pm-9:30pm -W kazdy czwartek jest calodzienna adoracja Najswietszego Sakramentu -Spowiedz w kazdą sobote of godz. 8:45-9:30am -Chrzty w języku polskim odbywaja sie w kazdą niedziele miesiąca -Nauki przedmalzenskie w języku polskim odbywaja sie za umuwieniem -Ślub w języku polskim prosimy zglaszać sześć mięsicy wcześniej -Po bliższe imformajce proszę dzwonić do biura parafialnego pod numer 1(708) 342- 2400 wew 137 Zbawienne ofiary Jest taki dowcip: Świerszcz i biedronka zadomowili się na dłuższy czas w kościele. Świerszcz, chociaż sam muzykalny, narzeka na ciągły hałas, dzwonienie, granie, śpiewanie. Mówi, że to nie dla niego i że ma zamiar się wyprowadzić. Biedronka przeciwnie, wydaje się być bardzo zadowolona. Mówi, że ma dużo spokoju i od jakiegoś czasu nikt jej nie przeszkadza. - A gdzie się usadowiłaś, pyta świerszcz. - W skarbonce, odpowiedziała biedronka. Dowcip ten nie jest pewnie do końca sprawiedliwy. Można by przytoczyć wiele dowodów na to, że w kościelnych skarbonkach takiej wielkiej ciszy pewnie nie ma, ale problem istnieje. Gdybyśmy dzisiaj, po dwóch tysiącach lat urzeczywistniania chrześcijaństwa, usiedli sobie, tak jak niegdyś Jezus, naprzeciw jakiejś parafialnej skarbony albo nieco odważniej spojrzeli na niedzielną tacę, mielibyśmy bardzo podobne do Chrystusa skojarzenia. Z tą może różnicą, że dzisiejsi „bogaci” nie wrzucają już „wiele” i nie zawsze wrzucają cokolwiek, natomiast „ubogie wdowy” wrzucają zawsze, i zawsze „ze swego niedostatku”. Mimo pojawiających się od czasu do czasu autentycznych sponsorów, ewangeliczny wdowi grosz jest jeszcze ciągle głównym źródłem utrzymania Kościoła. Ale ten wdowi grosz, jako swoisty archetyp myślowy, stał się także punktem odniesienia do refleksji nad istotą ofiary oraz symbolem tego, co zwykliśmy nazywać realizowaniem siebie poprzez bezinteresowny dar z siebie. Ktoś powiedział, że tak naprawdę posiadamy tylko to, co jesteśmy w stanie ofiarować innym, i że na sąd Boży po śmierci będziemy mogli zabrać ze sobą tylko to, co podczas ziemskiego życia potrafiliśmy sensownie rozdać. „Ofiara - pisał Alfons Gratry - jest umiejętnością życia: kto nie umie się poświęcać, nie umie żyć. Ofiara z życia obecnego, częściowego i przemijającego, jest warunkiem koniecznym życia pełnego i wiecznego”. Ale ofiara jest także świadectwem wiary. Już za czasów Eliasza dowiodła tego inna, także biedna wdowa w Sarepcie Sydońskiej. Była poganką, ale uznała, że z prorokiem Boga Izraela należy się podzielić nawet wtedy, gdy ma się do dyspozycji już tylko „garść mąki w dzbanie i trochę oliwy w baryłce”. Zawierzyła „obietnicy, którą Pan wypowiedział przez Eliasza”, że obdarowujących obdarowuje Bóg. I nie zawiodła się. Słusznie powiedział kiedyś niemiecki teolog Karl Barth, że właściwie pojęta i szczerze realizowana ofiara jest „demonstracją ku czci Boga”. A francuski rekolekcjonista Ludwik Evely wyraził przekonanie, że „ofiarowanie oznacza takie powiązanie z Bogiem, że powierza mu się to, co ma się najdroższego, aby wszystko to, co kochamy, znajdowało się pod tą samą opieką i w tym samym miejscu”. W świetle ekonomii zbawienia ofiara, zwłaszcza gdy wypływa z motywacji religijnej, jest najbardziej sensowną lokatą kapitału. A wszystko to stało się możliwe dzięki zbawczej ofierze Jezusa Chrystusa, który „raz jeden był ofiarowany dla zgładzenia grzechów wielu”. Teologia mówi tu o ekspiacyjnej wartości ofiary. Tak pojęta ofiara jest formą zadośćuczynienia, zastąpienia swoją ofiarą ofiary kogoś, kto z określonych powodów byłby do niej bardziej zobowiązany. Zupełnie niewinny Chrystus składa w ofierze samego siebie, aby ratować winnych ludzi. Trochę podobny charakter mają ofiary „biednych wdów”, gdy naprawiają skutki pazerności bogatych. Można oczywiście dyskutować, czy to sprawiedliwe. Nie ulega jednak wątpliwości, że są to ofiary ze wszech miar sensowne. Ostatecznie to one tak naprawdę odmieniają oblicze ziemi. A przede wszystkim zmieniają samych ofiarodawców. Wydaje się, że dobrze rozumiał to idący w stronę chrześcijaństwa Albert Camus: „Czym zatem kształtuje się człowieka jeżeli nie ofiarą?”. Podobne spostrzeżenia miał nasz poeta Cyprian Norwid. Uważał, że każdej głębszej myśli i patriotyzmu, i prawdziwego chrześcijaństwa „uczyć się trzeba ciągłymi ofiary”. Najlepiej tak jak Jezus Chrystus - „przez ofiarę z samego siebie”. November 9, 2014 Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica P AGE 12 Sun 11-09 Baby Nursing #153 | Narthex...K of C Membership Drive Narthex...Portrait of Jesus sign up | 10:00 AM 5th Grade Mass Church 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Babysitting #158 | 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM Parish Registration #158/159 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM RCIA #125 | 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Baptism Mon 11-10 RE 4:15-5:30pm; 6-7:15pm Educ. Wing | Rel Ed Confession at 4:15pm and 6pm Church 7:30 PM Finance Comm. #126 Tues 11-11 RE 4:15-5:30pm; 6-7:15pm Educ. Wing | Rel Ed Confession at 4:15pm and 6pm Church Veterans Day | 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM Moms & Tots #158 1:00 PM Pastoral Staff #126 | 7:30 PM Highlanders #171,172,173,174 7:30 PM Reconciliation Parent Mtg Church | 7:30 PM Rosary Daily Chapel Wed 11-12 RE 4:15-5:30pm; 6-7:15pm Educ. Wing | Rel Ed Confession at 4:15pm and 6pm Church 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Adult Choir Church/Choir Room | 7:30 PM Kingdom Mtg #125 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM Men's Club #126 | 7:30 PM - 8:45 PM Portrait of Jesus book study #154 Thurs 11-13 8:30 AM - 6:30 PM Adoration of Blessed Sac Daily Chapel with Rosary @ 8:30am 8:45 AM A & E #167 & A&E Storage| 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Children's Choir Church | 6:00 PM Bereavement #126 6:15 PM - 7:30 PM CJBS Scouts Den 2 #167 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM Benediction Daily Chapel followed by Divine Mercy Prayers 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM Parish Transformation Steering Comm LMR 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Parish Transformation Mtg LMR|7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Praise Band Church Fri 11-14 8:45 AM - 10:00 AM Scripture Study #126 Sat 11-15 Baby Nursing #153 | 8:30 AM Bible Scripture Study #154 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM Portrait of Jesus book study #126 | 4:30 PM - 6:15 PM Can Do Metal Collection Parking Lot Sun 11-16 Baby Nursing #153 | 7:30 AM - 1:00 PM Can Collection Parking Lot 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Babysitting #158 | 10:00 AM Children's Liturgy of the Word #154,#155,#156 10:00 AM Growing with God #162/163/164/165/166/167 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM RCIA #125 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Baptism | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Book Discussion "Forgiveness" LMR 11-16 Lector 5:00 PM Magdziasz,Tom Klein,Bill Eucharistic Clausen,Samantha Grady,Roberta Grady,Jim Baste,Chona Vagena,Elaine Vallejo,Ruben Vallejo,Judi Czerwinski,John Czerwinski,Joanne Houlihan,Annette Jefferies,Michelle Agresti,Helen Altar Houlihan,Ellie Russell,Austin McGuire,Alyssa Celebrant Fr Jay Deacons Dcn Pete Greeters Dave Newquist Shirley Newquist Mary Tafoya Peg Schmidt 7:00 AM 8:30 AM Dressel,Allan Yore,Dianna Opyd,Karen Gorcowski,Barbara Rice,Connie Page,Bob Rice,Edward Berchman,Mark Lucas,June Berchman,Cheryl Dressel,Judy Lenhart,Robert Erzinger,Ruth Murphy,Sharon Connolly,Marie Bogumil,Sue Connolly,Bill Werr,Mary Anderson,Mary Kay Albee,Eamon Janssens,Virginia Brouch,John Juvida,Gregorio Hildebrandt,Walter Berchman,Noah Kras,Kolin Gutkin,Julia Fr Greg Fr Tim Guthridge Dcn Joe Dcn Bill S. Terry Kieklak Pete Kieklak Mike Tyrrell Eileen Tyrrell 10:00 AM Bugos,Kevin DuMais,Brian Guglielmo,Anne Orawiec,Claire Anderson,Shirley Feyerer,Edward Feyerer,Barbara Wernet,Guy Henzl,Peggy Henzl,Jim Brennan,Joyce Lestarczyk,Mary Grivetti,John Kulpinski,Glenn Prochnow,Katherine Procajlo,Ethan Hornik,Brendan Fr Tim Guthridge Dcn Chuck Chris Losey Mark Losey Dorothy Meyrick Bob Meyrick 11:30 AM Sims,Natalie Brady,Megan Rutkowski,Kathy Sullivan,Janet Witry,Bernard Bialas,Mary Brennan,Mike Mangan,Melissa Brady,William Brady,Bette Robison,Anne Voltolina,Jeanette Kolloway,Mike Mikula,Beth Bujnowski,Henry Germino,Meghan Schmitt,Abbey Fr Jay Dcn Bill E. Natalie Sims Joan Beck B. J. Witry Carol DeJoris 1PM Sierakowski,Tomasz Wilk,Kazimierz Boblak,Andrej Kwiatkowski,S. Kita,Barbara Fr Greg Counters Sun 11-9 Team #3 Sun 11-16 Team #4 November 9, 2014 Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica Sunday For the People Peter Aldeza 8:30am Thomas Rogan Lorraine Tateyama 10:00am Agnes Skalski Kevin Bruin Pray for Our Sick 11/9 7:00am req.by req.by req.by req.by req.by The Family The Family Mary Schroder Dcn Ken & Laurie Zawadzki Mark & Chris Losey 11:30am Dec'd Mem. Rafferty & Hughes Families Louise Johnson req.by Ann & John Lachat Za Dusze W. Czyscu Cierpiace 1:00pm Jozef & Anna Nykaza req.by Aniela Kowalczyk 6:15pm Joann Matthes req.by Pat Panici Maxine Bean req.by Sr. Altar Servers 11/10 Monday 8:00am Adeline O'Brien req.by Bern Daley & Family Anastasia Plecki req.by Anna Plecki 11/11 Tuesday 8:00am Robert Corrello Ed Walsh req.by Maeve Walsh 11/12 Wednesday req.by The Harrison Family 8:00am Thomas Walsh Jack Downy req.by Linda McCauley 11/13 Thursday 8:00am Mary Tranchida req.by Lottie Fornek Int of Carol Dizon req.by The Family 11/14 Friday 8:00am Jim Dwyer req.by Nancy Baumgarten Julia Janes req.by Tom & Korena Smith Julia Wegner req.by Ted Wegner 11/15 Saturday 8:00am Roger Johnson,Jr. req.by The Family Eleanor Van Brocklin req.by Ronald & Judy Gula 5:00pm Int. of Bill & Loretta Kelly 64th Wedding Anniversary Joseph Sendra req.by The Sendra Family Robert Przybylski req.by The Davilo Family Gibbons & McLean Families req.by The McLean Family Jim Dwyer req.by Delores Michalski 11/16 Sunday 7:00am For the People Jim Dwyer req.by Delores Michalski 8:30am Joe Stalcup, Jr. req.by Joe & Linda Stalcup Wally Lakomy 10:00am Frank Emmett & Michael Emmett Geoffrey Evert 11:30am Cynthia Kinney Josephine Martinkut 1:00pm Za Dusze W. Czyscu Cierpiace Joseph Witkowski 6:15pm Agnes Skalski Tom Walsh P AGE 13 req.by Mom req.by Bill & Kathy Chase req.by The Carr Family req.by Krystyna Soprych req.by Ann & John Lachat req.by The Family req.by The Family req.by Dcn Pete & Jan Van Merkestyn Mike Abramowicz Albert Agresti Kristen Baldyga Julie Barth Arlene Beavan Augustina Braccolino Frank Braccolino Kathie Brosius Tammy Burns Janice Dorff Joe Dorff John Drahos Cardinal George Sue Gildea Caroline Grady Fran Grousnick Marion Kummer Lillian Kurzawski Nathan Parry Carmen Pignatiello Judy Ratkovic Kevin Renderman Betty Ruzich Terry Ryan Mary Lu Schoettler Nicole Siedschlag Rachel Swallow Joseph Tierney Alex Udaykee Jane Van Duch MaryBeth Vasquez Maeve Walsh Kelly Weiss And for all for whom our parish is asked to pray To help keep the list of names read at Mass and placed in the bulletin accurate and current, we will keep the name of a non-parishioner who is an immediate family member of our parishioner on the list at Mass for two weeks and in the bulletin for two weeks. For a parishioner, we will keep the name on the list at Mass for four weeks and in the bulletin for 60 days. We ask that an immediate family member call after 4 weeks if you wish to have the name continued to be read at Mass. Pray for Our Deceased Lenny Aloy Robert Murray Weekly Readings Sun Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri Sat Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12/1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17 Ti 1:1-9/Lk 17:1-6 Ti 2:1-8, 11-14/Lk 17:7-10 Ti 3:1-7/Lk 17:11-19 Phlm 7-20/Lk 17:20-25 2 Jn 4-9/Lk 17:26-37 3 Jn 5-8/Lk 18:1-8 Welcome to Our Newly Baptized Lukas Hunter Berenson Jack Anderson Doruff Logan Matthew Fenton Morgan Marie Lynch Jack Daniel Ryan Benjamin Matthew Weirich November 9, 2014 Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica St. Stephen's Days at Gatto's E a r n $$$$ f or S t. S te p h e n ’s Pa r i s h! !! Have lunch or dinner at Gatto's on the 2nd or 4th Wednesday of the month and help in raising funds for St. Stephen’s parish. The parish will receive 15% of the before tax cost of your meal. Please present this coupon to your server or ask your server to write St. Stephen's Men's Club on your bill. This applies to Dine-in or Carryout!! P AGE 14 Gatto’s Restaurant & Bar St. Stephen’s Men’s Club 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of the month Present this coupon to your server Dine-In or Carryout Donation (before Tax) 15% COUNSELOR AVAILABLE Michele L. Nowak, LCPC, is available to provide counseling to individuals and couples right here at St. Stephen parish! Michele is an experienced professional counselor who has worked with all age groups and issues. She is a staff member of The Hollbrook Counseling Center of Catholic Charities. Blue Cross / Blue Shield accepted. Those without insurance are eligible for sliding scale fees based on income & number of dependents. Appointments can be made by calling (312) 655-7725. The first session is free for all who are members of St. Stephen. Pop Tabs collection to benefit the Ronald McDonald Houses of Chicago . A collection bin for pop tabs is located in the nw corner of the narthex and in all RE classrooms. Thank you for your support! Please Recycle Your Newspapers, Magazines, etc. into our green and yellow recycling bins located in the Parking Lot. Youth Ministry of St. Stephen will earn money from your donation. Thank you to all who advertise in our bulletin. Please patronize our advertisers!