November 19, 2019
Carissimi:
In this bulletin you will find an invitation to help us complete renovations to make our church more accessible for parishioners and guests by making a gift to the Historic Trust this Christmas.

Thanks to your past generosity we have been able to repair the roofs of 102-108 East Madison and have in hand $140,000 to pay for a new roof on the annex building beside the church next Spring.

Thanks to a single Benefactor, we have the $68,000 needed to re-lead 23 2’ by 6’ panels in our stained-glass windows.
We also hope to have the lights in the church fully functional by Christmas.

We still need help with a major renovation of our seventy-year-old elevator to make it reliable and more wheelchair accessible and with the installation of an ADA-compliant entrance to the annex and church.

I know you understand our common responsibility to preserve and to hand on to our children and grandchildren the wonderful community those before us have handed on to us.

As Fr. Fitzgibbons tells his congregation in Going My Way [1944]: “You’ve always been generous before. Do what ya can.”
The drawing above illustrates the work we will do to improve access to the church, chapel, and hall. The project has two parts:

  • A major renovation of our seventy-year-old elevator to keep it working and to make it more wheelchair accessible. Currently the elevator door opens out into the corridor, making it quite cumbersome to navigate a wheelchair into the cab. New doors that slide out of the way will be installed on each floor to improve ease of access.

  • An ADA-compliant entrance to the annex, church, chapel, and hall. A ramp will be installed along the front of the annex building that will allow us to lower the current door sill twelve inches. This in turn will allow us to lower the interior ramp to be ADA compliant, making it possible for wheelchair-bound parishioners and visitors to enter the building and use the elevator safely and unaided. READ MORE
The Passing of...
The Passing of Henry Watters, Jr.

Henry Watters, Jr, the brother of Fr. Bill Watters, SJ of St. Ignatius Church in Baltimore, died suddenly on Friday, November 15, in Gilbert, Arizona.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at a date to be determined.

Requiescat in Pace

 May the Angels lead Henry into Paradise.
May the Saints of God welcome him at the 
Eternal Banquet Table of the Lord.
In the Reeves Gallery
At the Foot of the Cross

The Reeves Gallery is pleased to share in an Arts Reflection from our PREP students. Our theme: "At the Foot of the Cross," is a visual arts reflection, based on the offering up of each person's uncertainty, hope, and surrender to God's mercy and guidance through prayer, visual arts, and collage.

Our confirmation team joined forces with our students to create a series of collages, which will evolve over the next few weeks.
Worship with Offerings, Liturgy and Prayers for Others
POOR BOX 
This weekend's Poor Box support goes to help
Kino Migrant Outreach Center.
MASS MUSIC   
Attached is the listing for the music selections at next Sunday's 10:30 Mass.
THE DAILY EXAMEN
Spiritual and Faith opportunities to deepen
your relationship with Christ.
Get Ready for Holiday Kindness!
When doing your Thanksgiving grocery shopping, please remember those who are less fortunate so they can be thankful too. Once again this year at Thanksgiving time we will be collecting groceries for the neighbors of Viva House, the Catholic Worker community in southwest Baltimore. Each month Viva House distributes bags of groceries to those in need. Three times each year the community of St. Ignatius supports them in this good work. When you come to Mass on November 23 or 24, please bring to Ignatian Hall a doubled brown paper bag (or, better still, a reusable bag) filled with: 

  • 1 box Cheerios
  • 1 peanut butter
  • 1 jelly/jam
  • 1 box spaghetti
  • 1 spaghetti sauce
  • 1 can of vegetable (collards is a favorite)
  • 3 cans meat (chicken, salmon, chili, or such)
  • 1 can soup 
  • 2 cans beans (without pork)
  • 2 boxes of macaroni and cheese

To download flyer/shopping list, click here .
Thank You!
As the Thanksgiving Holiday approaches, the Respect for Life Ministry wants to extend a sincere Thank You to the Parishioners at St. Ignatius Church. We have been given the honor and blessing to be able to assist expectant women & their unborn or infant children in the Greater Baltimore Area. This work is done in partnership with the Gabriel Network located in Crofton, MD & with the support of the Parishioners at St. Ignatius Church.  

The mission is to accompany, advise, assist, pray for and generally be there for pregnant women who ask for help to carry their unborn babies to full term. We hope to both encourage women who choose life for their unborn children and to help the new little lives that are born to have the best opportunity to grow in God’s love and thrive!

We have reached out for help and donations from the Parishioners, but I fear I have not kept everyone up to date on some of the wonderful results! You, the parishioners of St. Ignatius, have truly made a difference in people’s lives in such a positive way! I cannot tell you how rewarding it is to see the small steps in a positive direction that has happened for these families, from small things like the gratitude for fresh food items and diapers to larger things like housing advice, obtaining work papers, job training and finally - in some cases - JOBS! At times we get to witness an incredible transformation and want to share that excitement with you and the joy of watching these new little infants grow. READ MORE
Upcoming Events


Tuesday, November 19 - 6:45 PM
Women of the New Testament
Click here for complete information.

Wednesday, November 20 - 5:30 PM
Prayer Walk for Peace in the CIty
Click here for complete information.


Thursday, November 21 - 7:30 PM
Hesburgh Lecture
For complete information see box below.


Sunday, November 24 - 9:30 AM - 1 PM
International Food, Crafts & Art Fair
For complete information see box below.
Sunday, November 24 - 9:45 AM
Respect for Life
Click here for complete information.
Sunday, December 1 - 3 PM
Julia Martin Frazier & Friends Concert
See box below for complete information.
Events This Week
Thursday, November 21, 7:30 PM 
St. Ignatius Church 
740 N. Calvert Street Baltimore, MD 21202 410-727-3848
Deaths from drug poisonings now top 72,000 per year, more than twice the number of deaths from traffic accidents, twice the number of deaths from firearms, and four times the number of drug deaths in 1999. For the first time in over a century, life expectancy for many groups is now declining. Much of the increase in drug poison has been due to abuse of prescription opioids and heroin. This talk outlines the origins of the crisis, its impact on the lives of so many, why some areas seem to be hit harder than others, and discusses some of the efforts to combat the crisis. 

William Evans is a Keough-Hesburgh Professor in the Department of Economics. His research covers a broad range of areas including health economics and the economics of education. His papers have appeared in the top journals in the profession, and his research is frequently featured in the popular press. In 2012, with colleague James Sullivan, Professor Evans co-founded the Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) which is a research center that has partnered with Catholic Charities USA to identify effective and replicable solutions to reduce poverty in America. Professor Evans and his wife Eileen have three boys: Conor (ND ’12), Brendan (ND ’15), and Patrick. 

✦ A reception will follow the lecture
✦ There is no cost for this event
St. Ignatius Catholic Community in Baltimore is blessed to encounter a rich diversity of cuisines, crafts, and artwork through its parishioners and friends. Join Us! for the 2nd annual International Food, Crafts, and Art Fair to enjoy food from around the world, support local immigrants and refugees selling their crafts, and view artwork on display that will bring an international flair to Ignatian Hall. We welcome all to support, celebrate, and share in the unique beauty of the many cultures in our midst. 

Events Next Week
Member Engagment Gallup Poll Begins Next Week

From Fr. Casciotti's "Main Thing" of November 5, 2019:

"This fall I have shared with you our parish strategic plan and invited you to deepen your commitment of time, treasure, and talent to our communal life and all our ministries.
 
"These efforts arise from two on-going questions we must ask constantly to form and to guide the direction of the parish: Have we discerned what God has in mind for us? How can we best use the gifts and talents of the people who are a part of this parish?  
 
"In the coming weeks, we will conduct a Member Engagement Survey.  Anyone who considers themselves a part of the parish and has reached the age of 18 will have the opportunity to share his or her opinions about some of the key aspects of our parish life together.
 
"The purpose of the survey is to help us identify areas of strength in our parish and areas where we can improve.

"It will be administered and tabulated by Gallup, an independent research company.   Your individual responses are anonymous.  The Pastoral Council will receive the aggregated results and use them to start a dialogue about how we can more effectively accomplish our mission.
 
"In next week's e-zine, we will publish the link to the survey, and beginning this weekend for the next two weeks we will provide paper copies for the survey. You may participate either way, but may only fill out one survey whichever method is your choice.
 
"I encourage you to take a few minutes to share your thoughts and opinions with us. The higher our participation rate, the better our ongoing discernment together will be.
 
"Thank you, in advance, for your willingness to take part in the upcoming Member Engagement Survey" . 
Spiritual Growth
Celebrating Advent with the Prophet Isaiah – A Quiet Retreat in the Ignatian Tradition. 

December 6-8, Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth, Wernersville, PA 

Join colleagues, alumni, friends and fellow parishioners for this quiet weekend of prayer and reflection in the Ignatian tradition. Our time will be spent with a series of guided reflections, periods of personal prayer, Mass and evening socializing – at a truly historic and beautiful Jesuit shrine. There will be opportunity for individual spiritual direction as well. As a special treat -- we’ll also participate in the Jesuit Center’s Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols. The retreat will be facilitated by Fr. Tim Brown, Sue Cesare and Fr. Steve Spahn. We’ll begin with dinner on Friday Dec. 6 and conclude with lunch on Sunday December 8. Cost is $180. For questions and reservations, contact  apodles@loyola.edu  
In the Media
Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori speaks from the floor during the fall general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore Nov. 12, 2019. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)
 
Nov. 15, 2019

Dear Friend in Christ,

The bishops of the United States met in Baltimore this past week for our fall General Assembly. In an ongoing effort to promote greater transparency and involvement of the lay faithful, I share this summary of discussions and actions that took place:

NEW LEADERSHIP
We voted to elect Archbishop Jose Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles, as our new Conference President. The first Latino bishop to hold the position, his election is a source of great joy for Latino Catholics and a recognition of this growing segment of our family of faith. Archbishop Gomez served as Vice President of the Conference these past three years and has been a leader in many areas, most notably immigration-related issues. READ MORE
Indigenous people carry offertory gifts as Pope Francis celebrates the concluding Mass of the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon at the Vatican Oct. 27, 2019. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)


b y Luke Hansen, S.J.

The three-week Special Assembly of the  Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazonian Region , on the theme, “Amazonia: New Paths for the Church and for Integral Ecology,” concluded on Oct. 27 in Rome. Here are five key takeaways from the synod.

1. The synod was prophetic in placing Amazonian and indigenous communities at the center of the synod process and for making a clear option for these communities over  foreign economic interests .

In the  two-year preparatory process  for the synod, the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network, or REPAM, coordinated about 300 listening sessions in the Amazonian region. About 22,000 people were directly involved in the territorial assemblies and smaller dialogue groups, and another 65,000 people participated in parish groups. READ MORE