St. Alphonsus- Aug 21, Twenty First Sunday In Ordinary Time

Hello St. Alphonsus,

Celebrate Sunday Mass at St. Alphonsus!

In this Sunday's Gospel reading, Jesus teaches with a parable that not all who claim the Kingdom will enter through the gate/door. If we truly want to belong to the reign of God, we must act accordingly, be disciplined in our thoughts and actions, and rid ourselves of selfishness, arrogance, and greed.

Invite your friends/loved ones to worship at Mass! Daily prayer keeps you in good relationship with the LORD, and yourself.

Mass Readings for Twenty First Sunday In Ordinary Time

Twenty First Sunday In Ordinary Time Reflection

Aug. 21 Parish Bulletin

Parish Social This Friday!

This Friday evening Aug 19, come one come all to a parish social hosted by our Knights of Columbus council at 6:30 PM in the side courtyard near the Festival Hall. What better way to see what your fellow faith community members have been up to! All are welcome. Food and drinks provided at no cost. We'll see you here!

St. Alphonsus Knights of Columbus Council 15158 1st Annual Golf Classic at Indian Boundary Golf Course Saturday, September 10

7:30 AM Shotgun start. Register by Friday September 2!

This Sunday Aug 21 is AACA Academy Day. Our school community gears back up for another wonderful year of Catholic education with Mass at 11 AM, followed by refreshments afterwards. Thank you to the Mother's and Father's Club respectively for their support with this event!

Send Your Petitions to Fatima!

From Aug 26 to Sept 4, our pastor Rev. Steven Bauer will be on a pilgrimage to Fatima and Spain to delve deeper into the mystics of Spain, the events and messages of the Virgin Mary’s apparitions at Fatima (where she appeared to three young children in 1917), and how these things influenced St. John Paul II and the Theology of the Body. Parishioners who have special intentions they would like prayed for at the Shrine of Fatima may submit their petitions at bit.ly/BauerPrayers

Do you have upcoming exciting events that you would like to share with our St. Alphonsus Church and our parish school communities? You can share them here!

Did you know that you can view all upcoming church events on the calendar on our website? If your ministry has an event that you would like to host at St. Alphonsus, you can complete the Plan An Event form. Any inquiries can also be directed to the parish Office Manager, Mario Serrano.

Serve as a Wedding Coordinator!

Are you looking to get more involved in our parish? St. Alphonsus is currently looking for wedding coordinators to join our team. Being part of the Wedding Ministry is a rewarding opportunity, fun, and all volunteers receive a stipend for their time. For more information, contact sacraments coordinator Kaitlin Holyk

Oktoberfest is Coming! Save the Dates September 23, 24, 25

Our parish are in the final steps of finalizing planning for our biggest fundraiser and all the festive joy that goes with it! An amazing music lineup, Craft Beer Nights in the Festival Hall Fri and Sat, Kinderfest and a jumbotron for the football games on Sunday, and other surprises to come!

Volunteer Sign-up is Now Open Here!! Without your generous efforts, this event could not be possible!

CRAFT BEER TASTING: Friday Sept 23 6-8 PM, Saturday Sept 24 5-7 PM Select from dozens of options from local breweries, seasonal selections, and international favorites. Tickets on sale soon!

BREWMASTER PACKAGE

Brewmasters will receive a commemorative 1L stein from Germany, brats, free admission for 4, 2 for 1 beer, Oktoberfest T-shirt, hat and more! Packages on sale soon!

Faith Formation News

Rev. Steven Bauer and our parish staff are always open to the faithful in assisting with your spiritual journey. May God bless us with patience and peace as we seek to live in harmony with one another and all creation!

Registration is open for St. Alphonsus 2022-2023 Religious Education program! Volunteer as a Catechist!

Our RE program is for children grades 1st-8th on Tuesday evenings at 6:15 PM. Parent orientation is Sept. 20 and classes begin Sept. 27.

Each year, St. Alphonsus joyfully educates the children of our parish in their Catholic faith. If you would like to spend more time with children, strengthen the faith bonds in our families or enjoy serving in our parish— please consider volunteering as a catechist for our religious education program! We’d love to talk to you and no experience is necessary :) There are training

opportunities and support as you get started and throughout your time of service. Contact our RE Coordinator Erica Cook for more information.

Are you ready to become Catholic? Registration now open for Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA). If you or someone who know is interested, contact our pastoral associate Brooks Robinson.

Do you ever wonder how to make a good decision according to God’s will? Samuel Group is an Archdiocese of Chicago discernment group specifically geared toward young adults (ages 19–35). Here you will discuss all kinds of discernment – if you are called to consecrated life, married life or single life, to a certain career or city, and more. The goal of this group is to help you, and in some cases your significant other, know yourself, Jesus and your role within the Church. It is a monthly meeting and there are 2 tracks, one here at St. Alphonsus, the other at the St. John Paul II Newman Center at UIC, 700 S. Morgan. The cost is only $45. Click on the flyer here for more info and to register!

Young Adult Ministry

Check out our August newsletter w/ great upcoming events!

Praise and Adoration Next Friday Aug 26, Cocktails After Mass Sunday Aug 28 after 5 PM Mass,

Movie Night at Gallagher Way Wed. Aug 31

Save the date of Sunday September 11 as we will be having our annual YAM Kickoff!

Rehumanize: Consistent Life Ethic Book Discussion

On Thursday, August 25 at 6:30 PM in the Festival Hall, St. Alphonsus welcomes author and activist Aimee Murphy for a reading/discussion/book signing. With the launch of her challenging and inspirational book, Rehumanize: A Vision to Secure Human Rights for All, Murphy will confront our polarized culture with a call to consistency, authenticity, and compassion for our fellow humans by inviting our community to engage with these heavy issues in a way that rehumanizes. Learn more here!

More Young Adult Events

Eagle Eye Ministries is excited to invite all young adults ages 22-38 in the Chicagoland area to their annual young adult retreat Sept 16-18. See more details and register here!

Led by Fr. Hugh Mary of the Community of St. John, the weekend will include Mass, Adoration, Confession, Intellectual Formation, and Community. Spend time in prayer, reflection, and fellowship while learning about St. Joseph and how he can be a beacon of holiness for us on our journey towards heaven.

Young Catholic Professionals Chicago is a monthly volunteer opportunity on the third Saturday of each month to give back to the community through various nonprofits in the Chicago area. Volunteers will be helping out Mission of Our Lady of the Angels for their block party on Sat. Aug. 20! Learn more and sign up today!

Safe Families for Children

The Safe Families for Children ministry is holding a summer baby registry to stock up our Festival Hall supply closet with essential baby & toddler items, and we need YOUR help to purchase these items!

Baby Registry link: bit.ly/babyregistry22

Registry items range from kids' toothpaste ($2) to pack-and-plays ($110), and include everything in between.

Safe Families for Children is a national, Christian nonprofit organization that connects families in crisis, often single mothers with no support system, with local "Safe Families" that volunteer to host children while the parent(s) get back on their feet.

The items donated via this baby registry will be available to parishioner families who volunteer as "host families" for local children, and will return home with the children at the end of hosting. Taking in a child is challenging, and many children arrive at their host family's home with few possessions. Our ministry

supports our "host families" with whatever material items the children need during their stay (clothes, diapers, toys, etc.), reducing the financial burden of hosting a child.

Thank you for your generosity! God Bless!

Learn more at safe-families.org or contact us at safefamiliesstals@gmail.com

"Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine." (Proverbs 3: 9-10)

What Does It Mean To Give First Fruits?

If you would like to learn more about living a stewardship way of life, please visit our section on giving on our website, or contact a member of our parish stewardship team by calling the rectory at 773-525-0709 or by emailing parish Director of Operations Daniel Szymanski.

Thank you and God bless you!

Text sunday to 773-570-7600
Click on the link you receive via text
Fill in the information and click "Submit Form" to make your gift!

Donate Online

A charitable gift annuity to benefit Saint Alphonsus, our AACA school, or ministries — as designated by you — is a generous expression of your support for God’s work within our community and for future generations of Catholics. Learn more here!

Natural Family Planning

Are you interested in learning about a natural method to avoid or achieve pregnancy? Apply today to join The Natural Blueprint’s next cohort, beginning September 21. Space is limited.

The Natural Blueprint is a six-week virtual course that introduces you to the basic principles of a scientifically proven, natural method to help you achieve your goals - whether you want to learn more about your reproductive health, prevent pregnancy, or achieve pregnancy. We also discuss hormonal condition clues that can be discovered through charting, basic lifestyle changes that can support hormone balance, and the latest technology that helps make charting cycles easier. Interested in joining? Apply today