At St. Josaphat, we celebrate November as a "Month of Remembrance" for family and friends that have gone before us.  The month begins with All Saints' Day (this Sunday), as we remember the saints and all holy men and women, immediately followed by All Souls' Day (this Monday), where many Catholic families return to the final resting places of beloved relatives to say a special prayer for their souls.

Throughout the month, we have our Book of the Dead in the side niche of the church, and all are welcome to add names of the deceased that the entire congregation will pray for at every Mass this month.  Along with the Book of the Dead, our St. Josaphat Relics are on display.  We have two relics of St. Josaphat, three relics of St. Therese of the Child Jesus (St. Therese of Lisieux), a relic of the "True Cross" of Jesus, a relic of St. Pius X, and a relic of St. Pius XII.

Relics can be "a piece of the body of a saint, an item owned or used by the saint, or an object which has been touched to the tomb of a saint."  ( http://www.catholiceducation.org) No one currently here at St. Josaphat Parish knows exactly what our relics are, but some look to be chips of bone or pieces of clothing. (If anyone is interested to find out and would like to investigate, please contact the Parish Office at  [email protected] or 773 327 8955.)  They are displayed in beautiful, ornate reliquaries; appropriate vessels to hold the precious remains of our saints.

The veneration of relics can be traced back to the martyrdom of St. Polycarp, bishop and martyr, in 155 A.D.  However, we as Catholics do not worship the relics themselves, but through them, adore God.  "We do not worship relics, we do not adore them, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the creator. But we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore him whose martyrs they are." (Ad Riparium, i, P.L., XXII, 907). St. Jerome, the Church Father, Letter to Riparius

So before or after Mass this month, why not stop by the niche in the North wall of the church to say a prayer for your loved ones, and view our relics here at St. Josaphat?

Sweet Home Chicago
Save the Date! 
Sweet Home Chicago will be held  Saturday, January 30, 2016 at Revel Downtown! 

Want to Help?:
1. Consider being a Sponsor by Nov 15: Our goal for 2016 is to secure 60 sponsors. Click here to buy your sponsor package.
2. Solicit Silent Auction Items: Have a vacation home or restaurant/hotel gift card you'd like to donate? Click here to donate your item.
3. Wine Weekend!: We're collecting wine at church  November 14/15 ($20+ value).
4. Volunteer!:  Email Maggie Snyder to be added to the volunteer list:  [email protected]

Unity Award Nominations
The Unity Award is given to an individual or organization who reflects the ministry of St. Josaphat.

Nominees should be in area of the Archdiocese (Cook and Lake Counties), serving poor or underserved members of the community, and Catholic.  Send nominees to [email protected]

Parish Service Award Nominations
We present St. Josaphat Parish Service Awards to parishioners who have been giving generous service through a parish ministry or volunteer activity in the areas of Youth Ministry, Human Concerns, Education, Parish Life, Prayer and Worship and Lifetime Service. 

Nominate any parishioner you feel should be recognized for their outstanding service to the parish and the community to [email protected].

Do you  have  a  topic  you'd like to read about?  Would you like to write an article?  Contact  [email protected]

 


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