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Faithful can subscribe to the notes by contacting the parish office and providing their e-mail address. Thanks for your support of our border town parishes!!!
Please remember - Fr. Pete does not send out text messages, e-mails or social media posts to solicit
funds for himself or any organizations outside of the parishes he serves. Fr. Pete's emergency phone
number is (815) 685-1359 and his e-mail addresses
are either pjankowski@yahoo.com or pjankowski@stfrancis.edu.
Please do not trust any correspondences that
utilize any other phone number or e-mail address.
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Please support our parishes by clicking the ONLINE GIVING picture - these are your local homes where God is present! Let's share this grace with those of the next generation! | |
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News & Notes with Fr. Pete Jankowski
The Border Town Celebrates "Youth Week"
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Feel free to contact Fr. Pete at email pjankowski@yahoo.com. If you have an emergency, please contact Fr. Pete at (815) 685-1359 | |
GOD BLESS THE YOUTH OF OUR CHURCH! | |
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(The VIDEO above highlights the Opening Dinner for the College, courtesy of parishioner and chef Kyle Volek and the final results of the St. Anne Community Center Painting Project. The ROTATING GIF highlights the Opening Mass at the Good Shepherd Manor House Chapel, Visiting Farms and Holding Talks with the Illinois Migrant Council, presenting checks to three Food Pantries of the area and painting St. Anne Hall. Also included are Mass and Service Projects at Bishop McNamara High School.)
We are really blessed in our “little slice of heaven” this week, as we dedicate an eight-day period taking care of the youth in the diocese. With TWO Confirmation Retreats (March 2 & 9) bookending the Christendom College Spring Mission (March 2-9), we have tried to follow the instructions of the Second Plenary Council of Baltimore (1866) and their mandate concerning Catholic Schools: To make students into “missionary disciples.”
Thanks to FOUR Directors of Religious Education in our end of the diocese (representing Gilman, Piper City, Momence and St. Anne), forty-five students began the retreat experience very hesitant in coming together. Strangers were meeting for the first time, learning how to become “brothers and sisters” in our Body of Christ. By the end of the retreat, these students opened up a great deal more and were quite invested in what we were trying to do. Kim Emerson and John Rehmer did nothing short of a spectacular job on their end of this spiritual endeavor; Dana Miramontes, Cindy DeYoung and the good souls of St. Anne’s were such hospitable hosts. I included a very short clip from this weekend’s Online Mass to highlight what the kids were able to encounter on March 2.
Late into the night on March 2, sixteen individuals from Christendom College arrived at St. Patrick’s Church to begin their Spring Break Mission at the parish. Ruben & Carmen Andrade were kind enough to vacate their house to provide housing for the women who were part of this mission and Brothers Alphonsus Brown & Charles Pratt, OH did the same for the gentleman at Good Shepherd Manor.
By day’s end on Tuesday, the students will have given $2,000 in donations TOTAL to the Illinois Migrant Council and Three Food Pantries in our area (from Martinton, St. Anne and Momence). On the Tuesday I write these notes, the students visit Bishop McNamara High School where they will be assisting the staff on cleaning projects, followed by a day-long retreat at the Cerrito de Camino y Esperanza Retreat House in St. Anne, cleaning the rooms of residents at Good Shepherd Manor on Thursday and serving at the Knights of Columbus Fish Fry on Friday. By week’s end, the students will have celebrated six Masses in six different locations and will have donated over $5,000 towards the needy in our area.
On Monday, the students travelled for Mass and veneration of the St. Anne Relic (which we took from the safety deposit box in the bank, using our upgraded reliquary for the first time since we had it fixed). The students also painted the Community Hall of St. Anne’s, under the supervision and direction of Jim Sparenberg. Jim told me last night that he was extraordinarily pleased with the cleanliness, efficiency and kindness of the students on mission – they would not leave the hall in a mess, so after their painting work, they mopped floors and cleaned up their messes. Jim made sure the color scheme of the hall matched the church. Hopefully, you all will be as pleased with their work as Jim was.
Because many of the students and staff of the college are invested in the Latin Mass, we travelled to Annunciation Monastery in Minooka that evening to celebrate a 7:00 p.m. Mass in Latin (in the extraordinary form), followed by a conversation with Mother Maria Benedicta and the good sisters who live in the conclave. The sisters gave the students holy gifts at the end of their stay and the students helped me pick up another forty boxes of chips waiting for us to bring to Momence and our Food Pantries.
For next week's Online Mass, we are hoping to record reflections from these students concerning their good work during the Mission. These reflections will be part of our Mass on the Fifth Sunday of Lent, which we will provide for you next week.
When we get to the other side of this week, we will focus on the “Passiontide” of Lent (the last two weeks) and all the wonderful opportunities for prayer, fasting and almsgiving we have yet to offer. Please remember that this is the last weekend to return Baby Bottles for Waterleaf Services and we are taking donations for the Manteno Veterans Home this weekend as well. God bless all of you!!!
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ST. PATRICK'S IRISH MASS & DINNER COMING ON MARCH 9, 2024!!! | |
The Galway Guys (Replacing the Girls) will be serving as our entertainment from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. on March 9, 2024. | |
EASTER FLOWER ORDER FORMS
FORMS DUE ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14
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RCIA LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN | |
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Meanwhile, Eileen Rivas (and Maria Soto) from the Hispanic Community and David Surprenant (as well as Mary Jo & Bailey Boicken) on the English side have informed me that TWENTY-FIVE individuals are preparing for the Easter Sacraments! Good luck on the cathedral getting twenty-five anything on the Easter Vigil!
Towards this cause, I drove today to the Sam’s Club Parking Lot to exchange “cash for merchandise” (for some reason, that made me feel like a felon) with Nabil Rishnawi from Bethlehem Gifts. Our Olive Wood folks will return to our area when the weather gets a little better, but for now, Nabil gave me the RCIA gifts we purchased today, along with ten olive wood crosses that Cookie Schroeder asked me to procure for her.
This weekend, we have put the RCIA Board so that all of you to write letters of support but for now, the attached picture serves as a “preview” for what lies ahead for the group.
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Border Town Appreciation Dinner
February 10, 2024
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St. Anne Valentine Luncheon February 11, 2024 | |
Thank You from Waterleaf Services
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Dear Fr. Pete:
Waterleaf Women's Center thanks you for partnering with us during 2023. Below is a summary of your payments to our organization:
In 2023, St. Anne’s Church collected $809.34 and St. Patrick's Church collected $1,679.00 for Waterleaf Services.
Thank you for your support of our mission. This letter serves as a receipt for your 2023 donation. Except as noted above, no goods or services were received, and your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Waterleaf Women's Center is a 501(c)(3) organization.
With Gratitude from your Waterleaf Team
Note: We continue to offer the “Baby Bottles for Life” fundraiser for Waterleaf Services through the end of February. Please fill your bottles with change and return the bottles to church at the end of the month. Thank you so much for supporting this important “Right to Life” cause!!!
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Thank You from the St. Anne's & Momence Food Pantries
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Both the Momence & St. Anne Food Pantry are nonprofit organizations that provide food to the residents of the communities. There are no income requirements and all that are in need are welcome.
Donations are important to our success and Father Pete has been a blessing to our food pantry. We cannot express enough how grateful we are for his generosity. We are not funded by the government and operate solely by the contributions of others and our faith in God that He will always provide for us.
At this time, we are requesting donations from your organization for future distributions. Some of the items that Father Pete has provided in the past are chips, salami, bottles of water and other food items. These items and any other additional ones you are able to donate, are appreciated and welcomed to our pantry.
We would like to thank you for the donations you have given in the past. Support from people like you allows us to continue our work in St. Anne and Momence. Please do not hesitate to ask any questions you may have.
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CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE COMES TO THE BORDER TOWN! | |
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Somed time ago, one of our generous benefactors provided an opportunity for us to sponsor seventeen students and chaperones from Christendom College in Royal, Virginia so they could do mission work in our area. The goal here is for the students to learn a bit about the rural ministry and the migrant setting that our communities embrace, allowing our parishes to grow in the process. Outside of transportation and travel, the cost of this mission will run over $10,000 - all of which has been subsidized by this generous benefactor.
We are very much indebted to Tim Cook (Director of Missions and Dean of Students for the College) and Ema Elvir (our Secretary ESPECTACULAR!) for coordinating all the details. I also wish to thank those groups in our parish cooking meals for the students and sharing what types of ministry they offer to these students from the east coast.
During this eight-day experience from March 2-9, the students at the college will live and pray with us and will engage in all kinds of activities throughout the area. These activities include, but are not limited to the following...
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A visit with Maggie Rivera and the Illinois Migrant Council, who will take these students on a pilgrimage to farms in the area who assist the Migrant Council with their good work.
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Painting St. Anne Gym & Meeting Room and learning about the Food Pantries in the area.
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Spending a day at Bishop McNamara School, learning about their good work in the region and celebrating Mass / spending the day with this community.
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Taking a retreat day with Ana & Eileen Rivas and the staff of the Camino y Esperanza Retreat House in St. Anne, IL.
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Spending time with the staff of Harbor House, learning about how we take care of families in need within Kankakee County.
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Celebrating Mass, having lunch and ministering to the residents of Good Shepherd Manor, thanks to the leadership of Brother Alphonsus Brown.
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Touring Hopkins Park and meeting the residents from the area.
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Learning about the good work of local Knights of Columbus organization and helping serve at the Fish Fry on March 8.
We are blessed to even be considered for this type of experience! To learn a little more about what they will do, I recorded a homily for the Baptism of the Lord speaking directly on this topic. You can watch the homily if you CLICK HERE!!!
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Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Lent
Celebrated at St. Anne's Church - St. Anne, IL
"Unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains a grain of wheat but if it dies, it produces much fruit" (Jn 12: 24). Paralleling that passage with this Sunday's gospel from Jn 3: 16, Fr. Pete reflects on the Lenten themes of sacrifice, suffering and mercy, both in his life and on behalf of those he serves. Today's homily ends with a Spanish hymn that Fr. Pete often prays in his own private time, "Entre Tus Manos (Into Your Hands)."
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LOADS OF LENTEN RESOURCES!!! | | |
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Come Join Both of Our parishes at their Respective Fish Fry Events!!!
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At St. Patrick's Church Every Friday
from February 16 - March 22 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
(119 N. Market St. - Momence)
At St. Anne's Church on March 15 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
(230 N. 6th Ave - St. Anne)
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CHANTING THE PASSION OF THE LORD | |
UPCOMING PROJECTS AT ST. PATRICK'S | |
WE HAVE REDUCED OUR PARISH DEBT AT ST. PATRICK'S BY A FACTOR OF OVER $200,000 IN THE LAST TWO YEARS!!! | |
With the estate of Fr. Dan Hessling sending St. Patrick's c. $5,500 our debt is now down to the $100,000 mark, a $220,000 drop since 2022. Thanks to everyone who has helped us to eliminate this debt, paving the way to going on the plus side at the parish! | |
ST. PATRICK'S / ST. ANNE'S
PHOTO DIRECTORIES
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Thanks to Ruth Sparenberg, Anne Andrade & Joanne Hermann for assembling, scanning and editing the follow Photo Directories from the Church History of St. Patrick's and St. Anne's Churches! | |
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The Holy Father provides a wonderful opportunity to receive an Apostolic Blessing for Birthdays, Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, Weddings, Religious Professions, Ordinations and Anniversaries of these sacraments. | | |
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For weddings and such, Fr. Pete offers a special blessing on the first Sunday weekend of each month and is willing to purchase an Apostolic Blessing for anyone who asks (and if he can afford it... since he pays out of pocket!!!).
If you are interested in receiving an Apostolic Blessing, you can do so by clicking the link below or by calling the parish offices.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR OWN APOSTOLIC BLESSING!!!
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Parish Hotline... If you know of someone who is sick and in need of the sacraments or if you know someone who wishes a visit at the hospital or care facility, please contact the parish office or Fr. Pete Jankowski at (815) 685-1359.
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Fr. Pete offers the Anointing of the Sick at both parishes at the First Friday Masses every month (St. Patrick’s at 9:15 a.m. and St. Anne’s at 5:00 p.m. (English) and 7:00 p.m. (Spanish). | |
PULPIT ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS WEEKEND | |
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By March 2-3, we are asking you return your baby bottles filled with change on behalf of Waterleaf Services, a Catholic organization that helps young Christian mothers during their pregnancy.
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Please consider a donation of towels and toiletries to Harbor House in January and towels and toiletries in February. More information can be found in the bulletin.
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On March 9-10, we will be taking a special collection for the Manteno Veterans Home.
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KEEP UPDATED WITH OUR PARISH BULLETINS!!! | |
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To View St. Patrick's Bulletin for
March 10, 2024
CLICK HERE!
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To View St. Anne's Bulletin for
March 10, 2024
CLICK HERE!
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PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK: Mary Kay Blankestyn, Ashley & Jesse Childress, Guadalupe Maria De Leon, Austin Fuhrmann, Ron Gall, Cindy Gould, Joel Hart, Karen Hensa, Don Hout, Joanne McCracken, Marilyn Peterson, Joanne Prather, Evelyn Provost, Ruth Sparenberg, Cynthia Vickery, Gary Witherall... and all those on our sick list.
At St. Anne's... Eva Bell, Paula Bertrand, Lola Billings, Duane Blanchette, Cheryl Boswell, Patrick Burns, Cindy Capriotti, Abraham Daily, Tom Dandurand, Aria Dionne, Carol Futcher, Raelynn Garrett, Jack Houk, Val Lagacy, Bentley Lottinville, Linda Miramontes and John Wojnowski.
At St. Patrick's... P. Anderson, N. Atkinson, R. Bailey, D. Barth, Beedle Family, D. Brown, W. Bukowski, B & E. Coffman, S. Conner, M & D Cousin, M. Cruz, A. Delaney, D. Demack, M. Dionne, J. Dobbins, E. Duke, D. Dunlap, G. Field, C. Fritz, R. Gall, J. Grill, R. Harper, J. Hibbs, D. Hiller, C. Jones, L. Kane, R. Kazee, A. Kijewski, L. Lee, L. Leranth, E. Lopez, B. Love, J. Marcotte, W. Marten, L. McNulty, L. Mercado, R & V Morse, C. Ortman, D. Petronio, M. Peterson, C. Piec, C. Provost, E. Provost, R. Rehmer, P. Reising, D. Roberts, B. Ryan, A. Schaff, J. Schopf. Schmied, K. Simpson, B. Siwicki, B. Spagnola, M. Tolbert, M. Tolmer, H. Tousignant, M. Velazquez, C. Vickery, M. Williams, M. Witherspoon, S. Young, A. Zimmerman, M & L Zink and G. Zokal.
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Fr. Pete Jankowski posts his homilies online at the parish website for those who wish to keep up with the gospel message each week.
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PARISH REGISTRATION FORMS | |
FR. PETE'S TELEVISION SERIES | |
CLICK HERE to watch Fr. Pete’s Twelve Part Series “Stories on the Journey,” Broadcast on Shalom World TV! | |
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BOOK, BRICK & PEW DEDICATION PROGRAM | |
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For only $100, you can dedicate a brick to someone special at St. Patrick's Outdoor Grotto (where the Our Lady of Lourdes Outdoor Masses are celebrated)!!!
(815) 472-2864
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For only $25, you can dedicate a Journeysongs Pew Book from either parish. Please call (815) 472-2864 (St. Patrick's) or (815) 427-8265 (St. Anne's) for more information! | | |
LINKS TO CATHOLIC WEBSITES
CLICK ON PICTURE TO ACCESS SITE
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