The Old St. Mary's Community Weekly Newsletter |
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Passage of Time
Today, as many of you know, is the last full day of school for 2020-2021. Eighth graders graduated last week, congratulations to each of them. Pre-K and Kindergarten are wrapped up yesterday and today, and grades 1 to 7 have a customary half day tomorrow, then VACATION! To all our students, parents, faculty, staff and friends – may you be blessed this summer and find healthy pursuits and respites. And as the blessing goes, until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hands!
Speaking of blessings – this weekend we are blessed to have Marc Sheckells, OFM back with us. Now, Fr. Marc Sheckells, OFM will celebrate and preach his Masses of Thanksgivings all this weekend. Please join me in congratulating Marc and celebrating this new chapter in his life.
In the bulletin on Sunday I begin to talk about the invaluable partnership between a Catholic Parish and its school. As we emerge from our Covid bubbles on so many fronts, we are back to the ongoing work of the parish in creating a more God-filled world. That means building an ever new, ever stronger and more vibrant community.
Later in this newsletter, please find a letter sent to the school parents about a change in how we will do tuition beginning in the 2022-2023 school year. The pathway forward to that, is to help everyone in the parish (whether school families or not) to understand what being a committed engaged parishioner means. More on that in upcoming weeks, but please find the parent letter below.
Do have a great summer – and I hope to see you in church!
Fr. Brad
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June 6, 2021
Thank you for your ongoing involvement in our school and your help in this unprecedented year. The end of the school year is here, and while things certainly do slow down around Old St. Mary’s in the summer, we continue to plan for many new and exciting things for the future.
I am writing to let you know that an engaged parishioner tuition rate will be implemented for the 2022-23 school year (not this coming August 2021). This decision has been made after recommendation by the Parish Finance Council and with the support of the Parish Council and School Board. This change is to ensure the continued financial vitality and viability of both the parish and the school.
This is not an uncommon practice among Catholic schools in the Archdiocese, especially in Chicago. We have prayerfully discussed, researched extensively and have come up with a structure that we believe fits our parish. We feel that this is the right time to move forward with this structure.
A parishioner tuition rate will be offered to engaged parishioners. Elements of this plan will be sent to families and the parish later this month. School families that are engaged parishioners are fully registered in the parish, regularly attend Mass and participate in the sacraments, volunteer for ministry and parish events, avail themselves of faith sharing and educational opportunities, and provide meaningful financial support to the parish.
While actual tuition rates will not be known until winter 2021-22, opportunities to participate in the life of the parish in the areas described above are available now. To help facilitate parish engagement, the parish is in the beginning stages of launching its own app - which will enable us to remain connected as a parish and will be an integral part of the practice of being engaged
parishioners.
Please be patient with us as we launch the details and know that we are moving to this structure for the overall well-being of Old St. Mary’s School and Parish.
Have a blessed summer!
Fr. Brad
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CHANGES IN REGISTERING FOR MASS |
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Please visit our website www.oldstmarys.com to register for Mass ONE LAST TIME THIS WEEKEND.
- We have received word from the Archdiocese about full reopening (with some exceptions).
- This weekend, June 12/13, we still ask you to sign up for Mass, but there are no restrictions in number.
- Masks and distancing are not required for the vaccinated. Unvaccinated are invited to mask and self distance.
- Starting Monday the 14th - all Masses will be open without signing up.
- You may sing and respond, please use the app this weekend.
- Sanitizing and Socially distancing for Communion will no longer be required.
- Collection baskets will be back, along with hymnals on Father's Day weekend - June 19/20.
- Masses will continue to be livestreamed.
We ask all ministers, veterans and newcomers, to please contact Scott for reactivation.
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Brynn Marie Karg, Sig Siruno Roden and Dylan Jean Smith
were welcomed to the table of the Lord
receiving their First Communion on Saturday, June 5.
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Elle Bernadette Park Breen and
Stefania Victoria Orseno
were welcomed to the table of the Lord
receiving their First Communion on Sunday, June 6th at the 11 AM Mass.
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In celebration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on
Friday, June 11 there will be a Holy Hour
following the 8:30 AM Mass
with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
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Sunday Worship Aid
June 12-13, 2021
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The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers produce family Reflection Guides based on the weekly scriptural readings. Below is a link to this weeks reflection for families which you can download and print.
If you would like to receive these reflections each week, please click on the link below to sign up.
Please note these weekly reflections are also available in a format that is not geared toward families with children.
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Fredina Amoh
Merrill Barton
Julek Bobek
Jackson R. Bossert
Madelyn Elizabeth Brawley
Sofia Cristina Caicedo
Karina Casanova
Audrey Clavadetscher
Camila E. Clavier
Quinn Corbett
Seamus Cullinan
Peyton Davidson
Buster Jack Dean
Lois Jane Dickman
Rachael Anne Dombrowski
Chase Paul Edwards
Ian Michael Flaherty
Emiliano Franco
Joseph M. Galullo, Jr.
Kellan Hastings
Rylee Heeter
Ethan Herrera
Emma Catherine Hurley
Jason R. Isais
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Charles Johnigan
Elliot Joseph Kemphues
Jackson Adam Kemphues
Mia Jacqueline Lucente
James Brendan McCormac
Yesenia Eileen Maley
Melina Melachrinidis
Sophia Isabella Mendoza
Sabine Marie Munoz
Stella Munoz
Vanessa O’Brien
Carmella Catherine O’Malley
Olivia Panoff
Payton Haley Ramiro
Anthony Rosinia
Christian Ruiz
Boluwatife Salako
Lola Marie Shields
Benjamin Silva
Katie Syftestad
Angelo Talamonti
Abigail Toth
Danica L. Yee
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Please remember these students in your prayers as they enter the next phase of their education. |
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2021 Call for Parish
Council Members
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Old St. Mary’s is looking for 3 new members to join our Parish Council. Are you interested in helping our Parish and community grow in faith, love, and knowledge? Do you like sharing ideas and discussing ways to improve the Church experience? Are you active or would you like to become more active in the parish events here at Old St. Mary’s? If so, please consider entering yourself as a
candidate to join next year’s Parish Council. We are
currently seeking new members to serve for a three year commitment. Responsibilities include active
participation in - and support of - the parish’s
ministries, engagement and attendance at parish
special events, and regular attendance & meaningful contributions to discussions held at monthly Parish Council meetings. Interested or know someone who may be a good candidate? Please contact
Joice Pharris or Dean Molitor at
Parish Council homepage to learn more:
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Be on the lookout..............
Old St. Mary's is excited to announce that we will be making some new and easy changes to both our online giving and our parishioner database. This will include our very own Old St. Mary's App where you will be able to see your donations at any time, check in at events, get important messages right away and view a parishioner directory among other things. If you currently donate through give central, you will be receiving an email asking you to change over to PushPay (www.pushpay.com) in the next few weeks. Sometime in early Fall, we should be ready to launch our App that will work in unison with PushPay. We are working hard on making everything easier for you - please be patient with us through this transition!
Please know, we appreciate all of our parishioners!
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How will the Hope for the Future campaign invest in our parish?
The Hope for the Future campaign will focus on raising $20 million to build a new Paulist House of Mission and Studies, fortify outreach ministries, support senior Paulists and attend to deferred capital needs of Paulist houses around the country. However, did you know that the campaign here at Old St. Mary’s will directly benefit our parish?
As part of this campaign, funds contributed by Old St. Mary’s parishioners will help the parish pay down the debt owed to the Paulist Fathers (currently about $265,000 on an interest-free loan) for condos that house our Paulist priests here in Chicago.
Our campaign goal is $1,030,000, which is very attainable! Once we reach $905,000 in gifts and pledges, the next $250,000 raised will go toward our condos. This would nearly erase our debt and significantly reduce our monthly overhead moving forward!
Fr. Eric Andrews, CSP, president of the Paulist Fathers, is calling on the entire parish to make a gift to the Hope for the Future campaign. Your support to this campaign will impact the future of the Paulists and our parish for years to come.
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Old St. Mary's is joining with True Rock for this business fest. Parishioners and local businesses are all welcome to attend.
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OPEN the DOORS of YOUR HEART |
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Semi-Retired? Retired? Open the Doors of Your Heart!
Join the Ignatian Volunteer Corps! Members of this Jesuit service program volunteer in poor and marginalized communities 2 days per week (September-June), grow deeper in their Christian faith by reflecting and praying in the Ignatian tradition, and meet monthly with other IVC members and a spiritual reflector. IVC members serve as tutors, employment counselors, food pantry
volunteers, companions to the elderly, and more! Detailed information is online at www.ivcusa.org
Please attend an information session to learn more and meet current IVC volunteers here at Old St. Mary Parish Center on Friday, June 25 at 2pm. Contact Jacqueline Fitzgerald at 312-961-6206 or jfitzgerald@ivcusa.org.
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LITURGICAL MINISTERS NEEDED |
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While we're excited to be gradually increasing our in-person attendance at weekend Masses, we need more help from liturgical ministers moving forward. If you're interested in serving as a lector, eucharistic minister, or especially a sacristan (or if you've served in any capacity prior to the pandemic and are ready to return to service), please contact Scott Williams at swilliams@oldstmarys.com. Any necessary training will be simple and brief, and we'll be able to accommodate your schedule, every little bit helps. Thank you!
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WAYS TO DONATE TO OLD ST. MARY'S CHURCH |
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If you don't wish to set up an account with Give Central, you can make a donation to Old St. Mary's using Quick Pay through Zelle from your bank account.
Zelle is a quick way to pay people you know and trust in minutes.
For more information about Quick pay through Zelle or to see if your bank has this feature, visit Get Started with Zelle
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Text to Give - 1.312.626.0164 - text GIVEOSM (not case sensitive)
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Old St. Mary's Church is Chicago's First Catholic Parish Established in 1833
Served by the Paulist Fathers since October 12,1903.
Phone Number: 312.922.3444
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Old St. Mary's Church
1500 S Michigan Ave,
Chicago, IL 60605
312-922-3444
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