AIG
You may hear more and more people referring to our yearlong Adventures in Grace: a pilgrimage simply as AIG, short for Adventures in Grace. Our staff and some Grace Guides in the parish will be wearing buttons saying simply “Ask me about AIG”. They are one more source of information about this important endeavor for you, if needed.
We are very grateful for the planning, hard work and creative collaboration that has led us to this point in the adventure on the part of Marsha Adamczyk, Mary Whiteside, Dennis Brown, Ro Geisler, Gene Garcia, Michael Patti and many others on our staff, along with Terry Nelson- Johnson, Laura Field and other Soul Play members. A special thanks to Laura Field who joined us for Mass last weekend, and special guest singer Tina Crawley who inspired us with her beautiful and powerful voice in song.
Terry Nelson-Johnson continues to recover from his recent health challenges, but we look forward to his guiding energy to kick off our Pilgrimage Adventures beginning the weekend of November 6 and 7 at all masses and on Wednesday, November 10. We will present an overview of the Sacramentality that is the groundwork and core from which the energy of grace ebbs and flows.
We will continue to present Pilgrimage information during the month of October beginning at all masses on October 10. On Wednesday October 20, at 7:00 pm in the church there will be a more detailed session providing additional information on preparation and intentionality.
Once again we want to encourage all participants to see that grace emanates from the 7 Sacraments but it also emanates from many other sacred moments and movements of our everyday life, often in unexpected and surprising ways. The titles of our 7 Sacraments are starting points for how Grace explodes in many other ways. This is an expression of the sacredness of life, this is truly a Pro-Life conviction that is essential to our mission here at Holy Family.
Bill Moorhead, Rest In Peace
Bill Moorhead has been a very active member of Holy Family for years. Bill entertained us with his love of priesthood and his pride in his Scottish heritage. He earned a Fulbright Scholarship in 1968, taught in Indonesia, and worked for the Chicago Public School system (CPS) for many years, retiring in 1995 as a CPS Principal. Bill was an avid traveler and a Certified Scottish Country Dance Instructor.
Bill passed away last week after an extended time in memory care. His wake service and burial have already taken place. We will remember Bill in a very simple yet prayerful way at our regular 9:00am Mass on Friday, October 22. Any friends of Bill are certainly welcome to join us in prayer that day.
Pet Blessing
If you were not able to attend our Animal Blessing led by our own Deacon Dennis this Saturday (coinciding with the feast of St. Francis of Assisi), trust that you can bless your pets personally and prayerfully ANYTIME.
Perhaps the following blessing can help:
“Blessed are you, Lord God,
Maker of all living creatures.
On the fifth and sixth days of creation,
you called forth fish in the sea,
birds in the air and animals on the land.
You inspired St. Francis to call all animals
his brothers and sisters.
We ask you to bless these animals gathered about us.
By the power of your love,
enable these creatures—our sisters and brothers—to live according to you plan.
May we always praise you for your beauty in creation.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your
creatures! Amen.”