A Message From Our Pastor

Hello St. Alphonsus,

What's Up With the Moat?



First, did you even know that St. Alphonsus Church has a moat? Or two, actually! That's the term for the areas along the north and south sides of the church that are below street level and an extension of the foundation. And no, they are not filled with water or populated by alligators. (We even installed two pumps this summer to prevent the north moat from retaining water and flooding the basement by the women’s restroom.)

What you might not also realize is that the side entrances of the church actually are concrete bridges over the moats. The problem, though, is that 134 years after the church was constructed, the bridges are eroding and crumbling underneath, and water is therefore seeping through the base brickwork into the walls of Festival Hall, causing plaster to bubble and paint to peel where it is leaking. (The deterioration isn’t visible because quite a number of years ago plywood walls were installed underneath the hollow moat bridges.)

To stop the water seepage, the bridges will be demolished and the west ends of each moat will be filled in, and a new concrete entrance will be poured, so instead of a bridge, the new side entrances will be on solid ground, and drainage should improve.

And unfortunately, much to the chagrin of parishioners who enjoy medieval fairy tales, we will not be constructing drawbridges over a watery alligator-infested moat. If we were, the title of this article probably would have been "bridges over troubled water."

Celebrate Sunday Mass at St. Alphonsus!

In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the talents, in which he teaches about the importance of using the gifts that God has given to us in service to the Kingdom of Heaven.

This Gospel reminds us that Christian spirituality is not passive or inactive. Our life of prayer helps us to discern the gifts that have been given to us by God. This prayer and discernment ought to lead us to use our gifts in the service of God and our neighbor. God’s grace allows us to share in the work of serving the Kingdom of Heaven.

Daily prayer keeps you in good relationship with the LORD, and yourself.

Invite your friends/loved ones to Mass! 

Mass Readings for Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time



November 19 Parish Bulletin

Praise and Adoration Nov. 17 at 7:30 PM

This Friday, November 17th, spend time with our Lord in praise and adoration in the church. We'll spend the first 15 minutes in silent adoration, and then our musicians will lead worship in song. Confession will also be available! The hour will conclude with benediction, and all are encouraged to join our Young Adult Ministry leaders for fellowship at Lincoln Tap after! 

This weekend, all parishes in the Archdiocese take up a special collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). Your generosity is appreciated. Learn more about CCHD's mission.

Our parish and AACA school staff wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday next week! Mass on Thursday, November 23 will be at 9:00 AM, which differs from the regular 8:30 AM morning Mass.

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

Our faith community will be kicking off the holiday season in style with the annual lighting of the Lakeview Christmas tree this Sunday, November 19, from 6:00 PM-7:30 PM following the 5:00 PM Mass! 

Enjoy carols performed by our Alphonsus Academy & Center for the Arts students, FREE hot chocolate from our wonderful neighbor, S&G Restaurant, and more surprises! The festivities will take place directly outside the veranda of the church on the corner of Lincoln/Wellington/Southport.

If you are driving to Mass that evening, please note that a small portion of Wellington will be blocked off for the safety of all attendees. This event is hosted by the Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by a SSA 27 grant.

Celebration of Giving

The Giving Tree is now up in the narthex! Catholic Charities’ Celebration of Giving supports children and families throughout Cook and Lake counties, giving to those who otherwise would not have gifts for Christmas. Through our parish’s generosity, many of our less fortunate brothers and sisters receive much needed gifts and Christmas cheer! New, unwrapped gifts should be placed under the tree by December 3. If you are unable to drop your gift off after a Sunday Mass, please bring it to the Rectory Office between 9:00am-5:00pm, Monday-Friday.

Thank you for your generosity; these gifts are possibly the only ones they will receive this upcoming Christmas!

Contact Office Manager Mario Serrano for any questions.

Sweets With Santa! Saturday Dec. 9

Our parish school, Alphonsus Academy & Center for the Arts, is hosting a wonderful event for kids on Saturday, December 9 from 9:30 AM— 11:30 AM. Join us for light bites, Christmas crafts, and photos with Santa! All members of our community with small children are welcome, no affiliation with AACA required. For planning purposes, we do ask that you please RSVP by clicking the logo here and complete the form. Thanks!

Young Adult Ministry Christmas Ball!

Get into the holiday spirit! All young adults are invited to our Christmas Ball on Saturday, December 9 from 6:30 PM-10 PM. Tickets are only $15 ($20 at door) and we will have plenty of food, drinks, desserts, dancing, and other fun festivities! Dinner will be provided as well. Wear your best holiday cocktail attire 👔👗

As it is also the time of year for giving, especially to those most in need, we will be collecting charitable donations to put together blessing bags at the event as well. Suggested items are toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, socks, wet wipes, tissues, and non-perishables, such as applesauce or fruit cups, raisins, pasta, canned vegetables, etc. This is just a short list of items; please feel free to donate anything of your choosing along these lines. We're looking forward to constructing these packages together and donating them all to Catholic Charities!

To make this event possible, we need some volunteers to help out with setup, bartending, and cleanup. Please sign up here if you can lend a hand!

Contact our Social Team for any questions!

YAM Advent Retreat

The Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian Life” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1324) and the Catholic Church teaches that the bread and wine we bring to the altar are transformed into Christ’s body and blood. And yet, in an age when we seem to need Christ more and more every day, barely 31% of American Catholics believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Last year, the bishops of the United States initiated a Eucharistic Revival movement to encourage the faithful to rekindle a relationship with Christ.

As part of this movement, we are excited to announce our Advent retreat for this year. On December 16th, everyone 18-39 years old is invited to join us at St. Alphonsus for a half day retreat focusing on the Eucharist and our relationship with Christ. This event will kick off at 9AM and end at 1PM. We will be joined by Fr. Derek Ho, who will offer talks on the Eucharist and lead us in small group discussions. Additionally, confession and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament will be available. This is a great opportunity to not only renew your relationship with Christ but also a wonderful way to prepare yourself to enter into the Christmas season.

The cost to attend this event will be $15/person. Coffee and bagels will be available in the morning with light food available throughout the retreat. We ask that you sign up in advance so we can get an accurate count of attendees.

At the Athenaeum



Dante 360 Final 3 Shows This Weekend!

Dante 360 will take you on a journey through the Divine Comedy, from Inferno to Paradiso. This show explores the significance of the world’s most famous epic poem and its author, the illustrious Dante Alighieri. Experience the depth and complexity of Dante’s vision through a series of canto performances, displays of visual art, and music, which carry the soul alongside the pilgrim in his ascent to Paradise.

The ACTC team are producing incredible shows this winter, including the annual popular Nutcracker, It's a Wonderful Life radio play, A Celtic Christmas, and more.

Giving Tuesday is November 28

This year, we invite parishioners to show their thankfulness to the Lord for His blessings through making a donation to St. Alphonsus Parish. Every gift is appreciated,and any amount is appropriate. There are many wonderful blessings here, the blessings of Giving Tuesday helps us keep our ministries running and the blessings flowing. Make your contribution today or TEXT Tuesday to (773) 570-7600.

Stewardship at St. Alphonsus

Parishioners often wonder how much to contribute. The table on our website provides suggested giving amounts based on the concept of giving your first hour of salary back to God. These amounts are suggestions and are not meant to be taken as a rule.

We invite you to make your offertory gift at any amount after your prayerful consideration! 

"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!

Faith Formation News

Are You Ready To Become Catholic?

Registration is open for The Rite of Catholic Initiation for Adults (R.C.I.A.). Each year we are blessed with individuals who desire to enter and learn more about the Catholic faith. The RCIA program is the study of the Catholic Faith and the process of introduction into the faith community. If you or someone you know is interested in taking the class, please contact our pastoral associate, Brooks Robinson.

Walking With Purpose

Come as you are. You are welcome here!

Make authentic connections with other women; refuel and refresh; Learn more about God!

The Touching the Divine bible study focuses on qualities of Jesus revealed through the Gospel of John. This study draws us into a deeper, loving relationship with Jesus as we reflect on His life and personality.

St. Alphonsus Women's Bible Study is on Tuesdays w/ two sessions, one at 9:30 AM and the other at 6:30 PM. Questions? Contact Susan Combes

Men's Group

St. Alphonsus Men’s group meets Thursday nights to pray the liturgy of the hours, have fellowship, and to propose challenging topics to discuss. 

We meet every Thursday night at 7 PM in the rectory. Food and drinks provided. All men are welcome, with most men being in their 20s and 30s. Access can be gained at the west facing rectory door in the parking lot. For questions or more information, contact us here!

Safe Families for Children Ministry

When a single parent experiences a crisis (hospitalization, loss of housing, unemployment, etc.) and has no support system to lean on for childcare, they can call Safe Families for Children.

Safe Families works by connecting families in crisis with compassionate, background-checked families to care for their children until the parent(s) are back on their feet.

Apply to be a "Host Family" or "Family Friend" today!