Follow me and I will make you fishers of people. Jesus engages four of the disciples in this manner according to Mark’s Gospel this weekend. I believe that these are some of the most brilliant words that Jesus ever spoke. He uses words and an image that the hearers are familiar with – fishing. He breathes the possibility of a new future for them using the livelihood of fishing that they are so familiar with. He urges them to look at a new calling using imagery that they are very familiar with. How is God calling you to a potentially new, different and meaningful future using the things that are most familiar to you?
We welcome Fr. Corey Brost, former President of our neighbor St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights and currently on the staff of the Justice for Immigrants ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Corey is a civil attorney and is now using a slightly different skill set than he did in his role at St. Viator. Accompanying Corey will be a young woman named Adrianne who will join Corey in presenting significant information and stories about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration policy. There has been much discussion recently regarding many immigration issues. Corey and Adrianne will also be available after the 9:00am and 11:00am Masses for a question and answer session in the chapel.
Please see page 17 of this bulletin for updates and reminders of the previous Lenten Social Justice Projects that so many of you have supported during the past four Lents. Beginning with our support of Rebecca Koury, a Pastoral Associate at St. Paul Parish in McKee, Kentucky, then St. Mary’s and Fr. Jerry Rogers serving members of the Chippewa Native American tribe on the Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota. We then supported a ministry here in our community as we turned our attention to Journeys | The Road Home and the PADS ministry, and those who are homeless right here in our neighborhood. Last year we initially intended to support one parish in Cuba, but ended up supporting several due to your overwhelmingly generous response. Kentucky, Minnesota and Cuba are all part of our collaboration with Fr. Jack Wall and the Catholic Extension Society, and Holy Family is the first parish anywhere to collaborate on such a level with Catholic Extension Society.
This year’s Lenten Social Justice Project will be another example of our ground breaking efforts as we will collaborate with St. Sabina Parish, Catholic Charities, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and others in Cardinal Cupich’s innovative anti-violence initiative. Once again, we here at Holy Family are the first parish to participate in this collaboration in which anti-violence describes our intent and “Peaceful Pathways” describes our approach. More will follow as we get closer to and enter into Lent.
Very often people ask about opportunities to learn more about the Eucharist and Mass. The Second Vatican Council tells us that the Eucharist is the “source and summit” of the life of the church, so we are offering two presentations this week for anyone interested in learning more about this essential element of our faith in which God, through Jesus Christ, fulfills his desire to be with us in a REAL way. This Sunday, January 21 at 1:00pm Dr. Peg Hanrahan, our Director of Teen and Family Faith, and I will lead a “Teaching Mass” primarily for 2nd graders preparing for First Communion and their parents. This will be an actual Mass. Then, this Wednesday, January 24 at 7:00pm, I will lead an explanation of the Eucharist and Mass primarily for our Candidates and Catechumens preparing for full reception into the Church. Anyone is welcome to either of these informative and prayerful events.
Our 2018 Gala, Le Grand Ball de Versailles, is fast approaching. Please plan on joining us on Saturday, February 24 at Concorde Banquets on Rand Road in Kildeer. All proceeds help support our very ambitious mission. You can help by planning on attending the Gala with friends and family, or by making a cash donation if you can’t make it. You can buy a raffle ticket to our Cash, Class or Paris limited 150 ticket raffle, become a sponsor or buy an ad for your business in our program book, donate an item for our silent or live auctions, or help us with our Wine and Dine offerings by donating either a $25 gift card to a local restaurant or a bottle of wine valued at $25 or more. More info on all these options can be found at our Gala website, www.holyfamilygala.org.
Our staff has been hard at work in upgrading our Emergency Operations Plan. Emergency kits for every room, upgraded evacuation maps and instructions for a natural disaster, hard and soft lock downs and other emergency situation responses have been made available and we now have the most updated instructions for ushers and other staff, and most importantly the assembly gathered in church, during emergencies. You will receive an update soon.