NOVEMBER 9TH, 2014 STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY ST.DAMIAN PARISH Parish Offices: 5250 W. 155th St. Oak Forest, Illinois 60452 Phone: (708)687-1370 www.stdamianchurch.org Email: info@stdamianchurch.org Religious Education (708) 687-7778 School Office (708) 687-4230 Ministry of Care Office (708) 687-1370 St. Damian Night Chicago Wolves Family Outing Saturday, Nov. 22, 7:00 pm Wolves vs. Iowa Wild Pastoral Staff: Pastor Fr. Joe Noonan Associate Pastors Fr. Paul Guzman Fr. Chris Kituli Resident Fr. Jerry Scanlan Deacons Bill Stearns Tom Hipelius John Rex Len Steinbeigle Business Manager Mark Wolf 687-1370 Director of Ministry Frieda Bertello 342-8529 Principal Terese Maurer 687-4230 Religious Education Director MaryJo Landuyt 687-7778 High School Ministry Connie Swidergal 342-8513 Music Ministry Tony Berardi 687-9532 Parish Secretary/Office Manager Christine Yaeger 687-1370 Maintenance Joe Beemsterboer 710-1510 Free Hat with each ticket purchased! Free pregame Fun Fest 5:00-6:30pm - Allstate Arena Skyline Room Free Wendell Young T-shirt presented by Heidenhain (first 2,500 fans) Adopt-A-Dog Night $19.50 per ticket Win A Chicago Wolves Jersey Raffle tickets: $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00 Tickets will be sold after all weekend Masses By phone: (708) 687-7778 By fax: (708) 687-1735 In the Religious Ed office Mass Schedule: Daily 7:00 AM: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 AM: Monday-Saturday Weekend Sat: 5:00 PM | Sun: 6:45 AM, 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM, 5:00 PM Holy Days Vigil: 7:00 PM | Day: 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM 2 St. Damian Parish Pastor’s Corner by Fr. Joe Noonan My niece had long golden hair that flowed gently next to her head while she lay in her casket. At the tender age of 21 years old Kristine joined with the Communion of Saints in heaven. Her Funeral Mass was the first one that I had celebrated for a young family member. Only a few years earlier I celebrated the Funeral Mass for my aunt, Mary Jane. This funeral was the very first I celebrated as a priest and for one of the holiest women I have ever had the privilege of knowing. The passing of these fine and wonderful women placed me as the celebrant of their funeral Masses in new territory, that of praying for family whom I loved and with my family who now grieved. Witnessing the grief of my sister, her husband and son, and my uncle with his children and family, I realized how profound their grief was, far beyond my own. It shaped how I will approach every wake, funeral and cemetery prayer service since. The loss of a loved child, spouse, parent, best friend, siblings can be tremendous. Our grief can reach depths that we had not realized our pain and feelings could go. The hope that we pray for in these days of heavy sadness is that of Jesus Christ risen from the dead. This is no small hope. The Resurrection of Jesus should not be something tritely considered by Christians, brought out at Easter. This is the only reason that Catholicism and the Christian offshoots exist. If Jesus does not rise from the dead, then who cares? There is no reason for Ss. Peter, Paul, Andrew, James and the numerous apostles and disciples to be martyred. Not only would their deaths be in vain, but they would also be very hard to explain. Certainly, this loosely united group who had no regular means of communicating with each other and difficult travel conditions, would not have kept some bizarre suicide pact that spanned over 30 years. They saw and experienced the Risen Lord Jesus Christ. Their conviction that they would share in eternal life with Him came from experiencing His glory after His Resurrection. They may have feared the pain or suffering of martyrdom as any human might. They, however, did not fear what would lay beyond this life; hence, they determined to share the good news of Jesus Christ in the face of pain, suffering and death. As St. Paul wrote, “where, oh death, is your sting?” This is our faith and conviction. Death has no more sting for the followers of Jesus Christ. It is our Christian hope that all who have died in Christ will rise with Him. My aunt Mary Jane had a beautiful dream near the end of her life in which Jesus stood just across a beautiful stream of crystal clear water. Behind Him was an amazingly beautiful garden. Jesus looked at her and beckoned to come across the stream to join Him. Her family shared that she had deep peace after the dream. I believe that she experienced that garden and the invitation of Jesus after she breathed her last. It is said that wakes and funerals are for both the dead and those who remain. This is true. We pray that all who have died may now live with the glorified and risen Lord Jesus and all of the Communion of Saints. These beautiful and powerful prayers are also for us gathered together. They beseech God’s consoling hand and ask for comfort at an incredibly difficult time. Most importantly, these prayers remind us of hope. On our appointed day, Jesus will call each of us by name from beyond our finite and humble humanity to share in His divine life and glory. So far beyond our imagination this is, that sometimes we forget how great a promise immortality with Christ is. I look forward to seeing my niece and aunt again. One day I hope to be beckoned to cross over. Like St. Paul, I am “working out my salvation with fear and trembling”, but always with great hope and confidence that our Savior will indeed save us. 3 All God’s Children Do you have a son or daughter who has a same sex attraction? Do you wonder where they fit into the Catholic Church? Do you or they think the Church has no place for them? Deacon John and Marijean Rex host a monthly small group meeting for you. Come share you families story, struggles and joys of having same sex attracted children. Come and hear the truth according to Church teaching. Our inaugural meeting will be November 20 at 7:00 PM in the Pastoral Center meeting room B. A Heartfelt Thank You to Two Craftsmen We wish to thank Paul Petit, one of our parishioners, for creating the replacement table for the Information & Resource table. It is absolutely BEAUTIFUL and will add to the “welcoming spirit” of St. Damian! We also want to thank Joe Beemsterboer, our Director of Maintenance, for all his efforts in hanging the pamphlet display cases, the narthex TV, pictures of Pastors and his "special touches" that enhance the Narthex environment. Anniversary Mass Readings for the Week of November 9, 2014 Sunday: Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12/ 1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17/Jn 2:13-22 Monday: Ti 1:1-9/Lk 17:1-6 Tuesday: Ti 2:1-8, 11-14/Lk 17:7-10 Wednesday: Ti 3:1-7/Lk 17:11-19 Thursday: Phlm 7-20/Lk 17:20-25 Friday: 2 Jn 4-9/Lk 17:26-37 Saturday: 3 Jn 5-8/Lk 18:1-8 Next Sunday: Prv 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31/1 Thes 5:1-6/ Mt 25:14-30 or 25:14-15, 19-21 ©Liturgical Publications Inc In Loving Memory If you and your spouse are celebrating your wedding anniversary in November, we invite you to a special liturgy planned for Sunday, November 16 at the 9:30 a.m. Mass. Renew your marriage vows and let the community of St. Damian's share in your joy at a reception immediately following the Mass. If you plan to attend, please call the Pastoral Center at 687-1370. Valerie J. Shemett Russell Ventimiglia Edward Maci Pray for the Sick Fr. Tom Grace Mary McNally Kathy DeBock Sarah Panozzo Katelyn Krafcisin Lou Coppens Jr. Bill Hyland John McSweeney Don Pence Mary Beata Ronald Roper Wanda Roper Laura Mazurowski Cindy Grabiec Nancy Paull Anthony Danalewich Amy Manson Daniel Loranger John Gill Allyson Fila Mary Patton Mark Orozco Gladene O'Neil Antonia Helmuth Rita Doweiko Pat Dickleman Donald Rada Jr. Mary Anne LaHayne JaLoy Stogner Donald Schnering Sr. Tina Sisko Soledad Enriquez Angelina Quiroz Sue Harris Robert Haynes Emily Haynes Mary Beth Dickinson Bill Waznis Lorraine Slotarski Nick Fosco Thomas Mitchel Matthew Carmody David Kicmal Darcy Alaska Christina Yako Marianne Goss Lisa Smith Connie Cholly Jane MacLaughlin Dan Curran Kim Zolna Danny Loranger Faustas Strolia James Wojciechowski Chris Peregrine Brannon Moran Darlene Healy Linda Carey Mike Lytle Mary Vandenburg Angeline Parlow Dan Heinlein Francis Miroballi Marge Jern Robert Krug John Balsamo Parish Support October 26, 2014 Weekly Offering Sharing New Years Immaculate Conception All Saints All Souls Retired Religious Catholic Campaign Missions Children’s Envelopes $17,621.66 $90.00 $5.00 $5.00 $73.00 $355.00 $5.00 $6.00 $846.00 $2.00 Thank you for your continued generosity! Please remember St. Damian in your will. Electronic Offering 10/22/14 - 10/26/14 Weekly Offering $539.50 St. Damian Parish 4 St. Damian Prayer Group Women's Club Meeting Men’s Club Meeting November 2014 All women of the parish are invited to the next meeting of the Women's Club. It will be held Tuesday, November 18th at 7:00 PM in Shaw Hall. The next meeting of the Men’s Club will be held Tuesday, November 11, 2014 at 7:30 pm in Shaw Hall. All men 21 and over are welcome to join us for an informative meeting focusing on parish activities, and afterward for refreshments and socializing. All members are requested to bring nonperishable food items for distribution by the St. Damian Food Pantry. See you there! Nov. 11 - Heart to Heart. Praying the Desires of Your Heart Nov. 18 - Teaching All are welcome to join us on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. in the Sr. Clarice Aula, Building door "F" at the east end of the school. For further information call Nancy at 687-2761 or Cielo at 254-3772. Join us to create a holiday craft. All members are requested to bring non-perishable food items to stock the St. Damian Food Pantry. Hope to see you there! NOTE: Card Party Committee will convene at 7:00 pm just prior to our meeting. Fair Trade Sale November 8 & 9, 2014 FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS will be sold after all Masses at the Narthex. Your purchases can help support the poor farmers in the world! For more information, please call Olga & Steve Arce at (773) 350-2853, or Cielo Medina at 687-0278. Peace & Justice Ministry Men’s Spirituality Group Meets November 10 at 7:00 PM in the Pastoral Center James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who preservers in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.” Temptation in all forms is a part of life, there is no way to avoid it. How we deal with it is what is important. Come join us for an hour and a half of lively discussion with other men who have heard Gods call to a deeper relationship with Christ and His Church. Respect Life Meeting Come and join us at our meeting on the second Wednesday of the month, November 12th in the Pastoral Center Damian Room A at 7:00 PM. Please share your Pro Life ideas, which could help a Mother to be and save the life of an unborn baby. 5 Dear Fellow Parishioners: The Men’s Club will be hosting our annual card party again this year and which has been a tradition for over thirty years to be held on Thanksgiving Eve. This is open to Men and Women over the age of 21. It is a night of cards, door prizes, raffles or just plain old socializing. We encourage you to bring your family and friends we will provide a table and cards for you to enjoy the evening. If you want to come and join someone’s table there is always room for one more. We also provide soft drinks, beer, wine and a buffet dinner. You can’t beat the price of admission at $15 for the evening. If you haven’t been to our card party before, now is the time. Remember this is for our Parish and it is a great time to show your support. We will also be featuring a Texas Holdem Tournament that evening. If you play or have always wanted to try it, this would be a great opportunity to do so. Price to play is $40 and we will be having rebuy and an add-on during the tournament. This is one of our fundraisers and the monies raised through the St. Damian Men’s Club go to support over twenty organizations and functions within our parish. St. Damian Men Club Card Party November 26, 2014 Shaw and O’Day Hall Door Open at 7 PM. Midnight General Admission $15.00 Texas Holdem Tournament Entrance Fee $ 40.00 Registration Texas Holdem 7-7:45 pm Tournament starts at 8 Pm. Any Questions please call Bill Fox 687-9607 or email williamfox39@yahoo.com See you there for a fun evening with your friends and fellow parishioners Bill Fox St. Damian Men’s Club Death, Grieving and Celebrating Funerals Year of the Sacraments – November Death and grieving - those awful words that elicit the strongest of emotions - seldom welcomed or greeted with joyful anticipation; yet, a certainty of life. Let us ponder the following: life – death – life. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, known for her ground-breaking book, On Death and Dying, says “It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth -- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up -- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had.” Death or tragedy strike and we tumble thru the stages: denial, anger, bargaining and depression, and hopefully arrive on the peaceful shores of acceptance - and not necessarily in this order. Like our DNA, each of us has our own individual journey as we try to move from denial to acceptance. "The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone." (Harriett Beecher Stowe) A chaplain was visiting a terminally ill patient, and asked if he wanted to receive communion. He refused. He was sullen and angry and didn’t understand why he could not die. He said that is wife had died of cancer a year earlier. She was a good wife, mother, grandmother, and Catholic. The conversations began slowly, gently and eventually revealed the root of the anger: the patient never told his wife how much he loved her … and he blamed himself for her death. The morning this patient forgave himself – and God – he received communion … and went home to God that night. Grieving is not only life-giving, it is holy. Jesus loved the family of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Yet, He did not come immediately when summoned. The grieving Martha said, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus responded, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” And what did Jesus do when he arrived at Lazarus’ tomb? He wept. Jesus wept. He showed us the importance and necessity of grieving. Celebrating funerals. What an odd combination of words. But look deeper. Isn’t the final tribute of the life of a loved one and knowing they are with God a celebration? Funerals allow families and friends to share their stories and anecdotes about their loved one. Quite often, the tears morph into laughter and then back into tears. Lest we forget, funerals give us closure … they help us say good-bye. Finally, the funeral Mass draws all together into communion with God and one another. “It is our great ‘Thank You’ to God who created us, died for us, and is calling each one of us back to Him, our loving God. The liturgy, particularly at the time of death, is a unique moment, a holy moment, a God-moment.” (Catholic Cemeteries) Life – death – life. Embracing Memories is a support group for those who have lost a loved one. Please contact Deacon Bill and Anne Stearns at (708) 687-1312 for more information. St. Damian Parish 6 “And the Saints Came Marchin’ in…” Hallow’s Eve took on a new perspective for the Religious Ed students. Our children get so caught up in the secular meanings surrounding Halloween that the Christian tradition of celebrating the triumph over death reflective in the Lord’s resurrection gets lost. The Church celebrates a three day ritual of remembering those who have died beginning with Hallow’s Eve and culminating on November 2 with the celebration of All Soul’s Day. The lesson shared by the “Guests” was a reminder of the faith tradition as well as explanation of the whys of certain rituals, such as carving of pumpkins, costumes and trick or treating. The Catechists dressed as Saints and taught the sessions in order to share their stories and be a reminder to the children of those holy men and women who are the foundation of our faith. The upper grades paid tribute to those in their lives by participating in the “Dia de Muerte” ritual. They brought mementos to decorate our shrine and shared the stories of those close to them who have passed away. The realization was that though others pass away leave impressions on our lives and in the retelling of their attributes they continue on. The St. Damian Youth Choir has over 50 members from 3rd grade- 8th grade from St. Damian School. We sing every Wednesday morning at the 9:00 am school Mass. All parishioners and school parents are welcome. On Sept. 26th, they sang at the Mayor’s Golf Outing at George Dunn golf course. Many thanks to our Mayor, Hank Kuspa, for supporting Saint Damian School’s Fine Arts program. The St. Damian Youth Choir will be singing on Christmas Eve at the 3:00 Mass in the main church. Come and sing with us as we celebrate the birth of Jesus! 7 St. Damian Merry Mania 2014 Help support St. Damian School with a chance to win money. Merry Mania tickets are on sale now for a $10 donation. Weekly winners! Each week starting October 22nd through November 19th two winners will be pulled. Weekly winners will win $50 each and be put back into the drawing week to week and for the main drawing. On December 7, 2014 in Shaw Hall right after 11am Mass will be the main drawing. Winners need not be present to win. All winners will be posted at www.stdamianschool.org weekly. $4,000.00 Grand Prize Winner $3,000.00 Second Place $2,000.00 Third Place $1,000.00 Fourth Place $500.00 each for Fifth and Sixth Place $100.00 each for 7th-21st Place $500.00 total in weekly winners *Pick up your raffle tickets at the S.H.O.P. table today! Little Lambs Nursery We are open, up and running, having a good time! It has been 2 months now, we have had anywhere from 2 to 7 little ones each week. 1, 2, and 3 year olds, boys and girls, playing together, having fun, and making new friends, while Mom and Dad attend Mass. Even those who cried in the beginning are now coming with smiles on their faces. We are still able to add a few more, so if you have been thinking about joining us just stop in and check us out! It has truly been a joy working with these little lambs giving the parents time for Jesus. We would also like to thank those who have donated toys, books, and a beautiful carpet from Style Carpets. We feel that our room is bright and inviting! If you would like to volunteer please call Barb Huber, 687-7298 or Jennifer Griffin, 890-6896. St. Damian Parish 8 Nov. 9th - Physician Assisted suicide - What should we know about it? Teens: Take Time for YOU! High school teens are sooo busy! Juggling school, work, sports, extra-curricular activities, and chores doesn't leave much time for yourself. All those things are important, but so are YOU. Whose taking care of YOU? What's really important to you? You are invited to step away from the busy-ness of your life and take some time to feed your spirit. Life Teen is here YOU. Come share some food with friends. Come learn how to develop a relationship with the God who loves you like crazy. Come just the way you are there are no perfect people here- we are ALL just sinners who keep on trying to do better! Life Teen meets every Sunday night at 6pm in Shaw Hall. Come as you are! Bring a friend! Call Connie at (708)342-8513 for more information or visit the parish website. Altar Server Appreciation Mass Bishop Andrew Wypych invites altar servers of the parish and their families to join him in this celebration Saturday, November 15, 2014 10:00 a.m. St. Catherine of Alexandria 10621 S. Kedvale, Oak Lawn Altar servers will join in the opening procession. There will be an opportunity for photographs. Light refreshments will be served. Please RSVP the Pastoral Center at 687-1370 if you will be attending. Nov. 16th - Thanksgiving Dinner Celebration with other Oak Forest Christian Youth Groups at Oak Tree Church, 15601 Lamon from 6:15-8pm. We will meet at St Damian and travel together. Nov. 23rd - Gathered to be Sent - What do the Closing rites of the Mass really mean? Fr Joe will share his recent pilgrimage to Medjugorie with us. These apparitions of Mary are still under investigation by the Church; however, many lives have been transformed there by the grace of God. Come find out more! Scripture Study is held every Wednesday evening from 8-9pm in the Life Teen Room. God speaks to us every Sunday through the scripture readings. Wouldn't you like to understand what's being said? Join us and we'll learn together! St. Damian Athletics Raffle 1st. Prize 48" LED SMART T.V. 2nd. Prize $ 50.00 3rd. Prize $ 50.00 Tickets are $5 each or 6 for $20 and available at the Pastoral Center or thru John Goldrick @ 708945-7517. All proceeds go directly to our school's sports program. Did you see this sign on Central Avenue last December? The “Christ on Central” project hung over fifty signs reminding passers by that Christmas is the celebration of Jesus' birth. Please help to expand this joyful pronouncement of our Savior by donating to the project: time and/or money. Please speak with Mark Odewald in the Narthex or you can reach him at (708) 687-9466 . 9 Faith Sharing the Sunday Scripture Readings Cycle A 2014 Faith Sharing the Sunday Scripture Readings Cycle A 2014 Dates for study: Nov. 17, Dec. 1, Dec. 15 Advent 2014 Monday: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon St. Damian Pastoral Center: Damian Room A/Franciscan Room Have you ever wanted to spend more time reflecting on the Sunday Readings to get to know your faith better? Advent is a great time for personal transformation into the person God wants us to become. O Come, O Come Emmanuel! What a wonderful opportunity to grow closer to the Lord and your Catholic faith! The format will be open to a guided faith sharing using the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Navarre Biblical Commentary for a stepping off place for our discussions. All are welcome! To grow in our faith we must share our faith but most importantly we must live our faith. Any questions please contact Marilyn Westerberg (708) 535-8677. Devotions Sacraments Eucharistic Adoration First Wednesday of the month from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Healing Prayer Service First Wednesday of every month from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM in church. Includes Adoration, Benediction and special prayers to St. Peregrine (Patron Saint of cancer patients). Rosary Monday through Saturday at 8:30 AM, Sunday at 7:30 AM Divine Mercy Chaplet Fridays at 9:30 AM (after 9:00 AM Mass) Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ Holy Hour Thursday from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM Reconciliation Sat: 3:30-4:30 PM Anytime by appointment. Baptism Celebrated each Sunday at 1:45 PM. Call the Pastoral Center to arrange participation in the Baptismal Preparation Program. Arrangements should be made three months prior to the birth of your child. Weddings Arrangements must be made at least six months prior to the date of the wedding. Contact one of the priests prior to setting a date. Parish Registration We welcome new parishioners! For your convenience, a registration packet is available at the Information & Resource table after every Mass. Or, you can come to the Pastoral Center to register. Mass Intentions Monday, November 10th 7:00 Karen Standard 9:00 Diane Stec, Kathleen Martino Tuesday, November 11th 9:00 Edward Zalewski, Karen Standard Wednesday, November 12th 7:00 Joseph, Patrick & Kitty Noonan, Scripture, Faith & Sharing Group & Families 9:00 Caridad Alcedo, Rev. William Eddy Thursday, November 13th 9:00 Chuck Kalal, Conchita Quintana Friday, November 14th 7:00 Gertrude McGrath, Theresa Slawinski 9:00 Jennifer Quatrini, George Raven Saturday, November 15th 9:00 Kathleen Martino, Guadalupe Contreras Vigil Mass 5:00 Robert J. Feuerstein, Helen & Rudy Hirtz Sunday, November 16th 6:45 Kathy Farrell-Living 8:00 Karen Standard, Chuck Kalal 9:30 Souls in Purgatory, Tom Helmuth Jr. 11:00 Parishioners of Saint Damian 12:30 Kathleen Salwierak, Chuck Kalal 5:00 Barbara Franson, Patricia Austin St. Damian Parish 10 Liturgical Roles November 16, 2014 Mass Time Lector Cantor Eucharistic Ministers Altar Servers 5:00 p.m. D. Cozzolino, C. Busch K. Dakuras, Celebration Singers R. Wegrzyn, P. Wechet, K. Curran, C. Forhes, S. Maurer, M. Fahey, P. Fahey, K. Forst, R. Odewald R. Haraf, S. Haraf 6:45 a.m. K. Mager, A. Bellumomini T. Berardi M. Neilly, L. Schubert, J. Steinbeigle, J. Taverne, L. Taverne, P. Weitz B. Bowes, C. Devine, C. McErlean 8:00 a.m. A. Stiegler, L. Howard E. Stone R. Moran, B. Rose, C. Seiner, J. Siuda, K. Swiatkowski, L. Wojtowicz M. Castillo, S. Estrada, C. Mejia 9:30 a.m. C. Rankovich, T. Helmuth E. Stone, Voices of Prayer M. Breslin, D. Dilger, M/M Elenteny, C. Hamernick, D. Hartigan, T. Helmuth K. Cabrera, B. Lake, A. Menendez 11:00 a.m. D. Lipinski, M. Hennessy A. Mehalek J. Wojcik, I. Bond, V. Brushaber, M/M Burnson, P. Duggan, A. Fortuna, B. Fox L. Baldwin, M. Kiley, M. Kiley 12:30 p.m. A. Montefolka, M. Panek A. Osacky M. Panek, B. Shaw, D. Smith, M. Thompson A. Barker, H. Davis, P. McEvoy 5:00 p.m. J. Perovich C. Busch, M/M DeGroot, R. Gardner, M. Hults, D. Kirby J. Impoy, B. Kirby, R. O’Malley J. Hedke, E. Paolini
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