September always brings new beginnings of a school year and the start of many programs. This year brings even more newness and the marking of an icon of our parish.
This year we are offering welcoming events after each Mass on selected weekends. Next weekend, September 17 & 18, we will hold informal gatherings after each Mass (5pm on Saturday, 7:30, 9, and 11am Sunday) in the Rectory. Please come if you have registered during Covid or have yet to register. Current parishioners, please encourage anyone who has found a home here at Holy Family but has yet to register to attend one of these gatherings. There will be an opportunity to meet other new families and members of our staff. Look for future Welcoming Weekends
The weekend of September 24 & 25 promises to be one that really expresses our vibrant spirit, our energy and our history. We will mark the 25th anniversary of the installation of the Cross of New Life at all Masses. This beautiful Cross is the symbol of the inviting parish that we are. It invites ALL to new life in Christ and is the cornerstone of our mission statement. On Sunday our Shenanigans Fall Fest will kick-off with 11am Mass. The Knights of Columbus will provide a pancake and waffle breakfast beginning at 8:30am. Fall Fest activities will follow 11am Mass until 3pm. Games, pony rides, light snacks, a raffle and more will provide a great opportunity to celebrate.
Our three generational Family Mass (called FM) kicks off again this year on Sunday, September 18 at the 9am Mass. This is a great opportunity to gather the WHOLE family to celebrate a lively, contemporary, and uplifting Mass.
Some Opportunities and Needs
Our Ministers of Care bring the Eucharist to those who are physically unable to join us at Mass. Their generosity of love, care, reverence and time are valued gifts to our community. Invite someone you know who is prayerful and compassionate or if you have those traits, there will be two Saturdays of training on September 17 and 24. For more information contact Jeannie Parry in the Adult Faith Office.
Ushers are so important to the welcoming aspect of our mission and play a significant role in each celebration of the Eucharist. If you know someone who is outgoing, helpful, kind and observant, or if you have those attributes, please call or email Gene Garcia in the Liturgical Arts office or contact me directly.
We are still in need of catechists for pre-school, 7th and 8th grades in our Family Faith program. You can really make a difference in the spiritual formation of the lives of some of our younger parishioners. You don’t have to be an expert in spirituality, religion, church, prayer or scripture. We will provide the resources you need to guide some young minds, hearts and souls. Please contact Karen in the Faith Office for more details.
Making a retreat of any kind is essential for ADULT spiritual growth. We are offering a Beloved Retreat in December held on the beautiful grounds of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein. Mary Whiteside in the Adult Faith Office has more details.
Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House in Barrington is a great resource for spiritual renewal. They offer many different kinds of retreats of varying lengths and types. They are holding a Men’s Silent Directed Retreat Friday September 30 – Sunday, October 2. Several men from Holy Family participate in this retreat annually, so if you sign up, you will most likely see some familiar faces. A Women’s Midweek Retreat will be held Tuesday, October 4-Thursday, October 6 and a Women’s Weekend Retreat Friday, October 28-Saturday, October 30. Visit Jesuitretreat.org for more details.
A silent Directed Retreat uses silence as a tool for prayer. The retreat includes a 1-hour meeting daily with a trained Director and Mass each day, the rest of time, including meals are held in silence. I often say that it is amazing how God can speak to you when you shut up. Give it a try! I am confident that it will be enriching.
Please keep two of our staff members and their families in prayer. Gene Garcia and Deacon Dennis Brown both lost their fathers recently. May Eugenio Garcia and Lonnie Brown rest in the eternal loving arms of God.