An Important Message From Associate Pastor Rev. Patrick Gorman
I vividly remember receiving a phone call two and a half years and being told that I would be coming to St. Alphonsus. It was in June of 2020, the lockdowns had only recently lifted, my class’s ordination date had finally been rescheduled and we were receiving calls from the placement board to inform us where we would be beginning our lives as priests. My first reaction after being told I’d be coming to St. Alphonsus was, “Wow!” I knew that St. Al’s was vibrant, beautiful, and had a thriving young adult community.
A few weeks ago I received another phone call. This time it was to inform me that I am being named as the new Director of Chicago Seminarians and Director of the Spirituality Year beginning July 1st. The call was completely unexpected and quite surprising.
After the surprise wore off, my reaction has been one of both sorrow and anticipation. Sorrow in having to leave St. Alphonsus, and anticipation for what my new assignment will entail. I had expected to remain at St. Alphonsus for some time. I love this community and am daily inspired by the faithfulness, passion, and holiness of the people who call St. Alphonsus home. It has been a joy and a privilege to serve this community and to pray with and for you. This parish has, in a very real way, taught me how to be a priest. I deeply value the friendships I have made here and will forever look back on this season of life with great fondness.
As many of you know, I have been working with the Spirituality Year over the past few years and we have been blessed with the presence of many seminarians over the years. In just the past few years, Fr. Noah Thelen, Deacon Michael Mehringer, Deacon Kevin Gregus, Deacon Dan Korenchan, John Rahimi, Josh Jones, Josh Polark, Conrad Espino, Victor Martinez, and Alex Thiel have all spent time here. Working to help form, equip, and train the next generation of priests takes the work of the entire Church, and St. Alphonsus has played no small role in helping to form these and other seminarians.
It has been a profound blessing to serve here the past two and a half years, and I look forward to making the most of the next six months before I begin my new assignment. Please keep me in your prayers during this time and be assured of my prayers for you as well.
Fr. Pat Gorman
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Celebrate Sunday Mass at
St. Alphonsus!
The third Sunday of Advent is traditionally called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is the Latin word meaning “rejoice.” In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus praises John the Baptist for his role in preparing the way for Him. As we observe our world today, we can find glimpses of God's work among us. The faithful help to prepare the way for God's kingdom by our words and our deeds. This message is indeed a cause for rejoicing!
Daily prayer keeps you in good relationship with the LORD, and yourself.
Invite your friends/loved ones to Mass! Sunday Mass schedule in English is at 9 AM, 11 AM, and 5 PM. Mass in Spanish is at 12:30 PM. The 9 AM for the first Sunday of each month, readings are bilingual English/German.
Christmas Mass Schedule:
Christmas Eve Saturday, Dec. 24 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM, and 11:00 PM
Christmas Day, the Nativity of the Lord Sunday, Dec. 25 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM (Spanish) NO 5 PM this evening
New Year's Mass Schedule:
No Vigil New Year's Eve Mass on Saturday, Dec. 31
New Year's Day, Sunday, Jan. 1 Regular Sunday Schedule
This Friday evening, December 9th, spend time with our Lord in praise and adoration in the church at 7:30 PM. We'll spend the first 15 minutes in silent adoration, and then our musicians will lead worship in song. Confessions will also be available! The hour will conclude with benediction, and fellowship at Lincoln Tap after!
Men's Evening prayers group (Vespers) continue on Wednesdays from 8:15 to 9 PM in the chapel.
Monday, December 12th, the Church will honor Mary in the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, remembering the day when an image of her appeared on the cloak of St. Juan Diego, a humble Aztec farmer, in 1531. The miracle sparked a massive conversion of the indigenous peoples to the Catholic faith and ended the Aztec rituals of human sacrifice. She is honored as the patroness of Mexico, of the Americas, and venerated as the Patroness of the Unborn. Our parish will celebrate by holding Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at 7:00 PM which will be followed by a Fiesta in the Festival Hall afterwards. All are invited! Please support our fund to offset costs of flowers to decorate the Mary altar. Thank You!!
A HUGE THANK YOU to all who bought a gift for someone less fortunate in our Giving Tree! The tree will be taken down after this Sunday's services. There are still a handful of tags left! The last day St. Alphonsus can accept gifts would be Wednesday Dec 14, as we could not guarantee delivery to the recipient by Christmas after that date. If you would like to support the Celebration of Giving for Catholic Charities, click here.
Our parish kindly asks for volunteer ushers for all Christmas Eve/Day Masses. There will be a sign-up sheet on the table in the narthex. Contact John Meindl for more information.
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!
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Stewardship at St. Alphonsus
"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?
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!
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As we await Christmas, this is a reminder that we have been given the wonderful opportunity to be a blessing unto others. The onset of Advent brings the spirit of hope and the return of goodwill. St. Alphonsus couldn’t be more happy that there is a prevalence of kindness in our faith community. We thank you for your continuous and immense support in helping our church and our mission! |
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To carry out our mission that God has graciously invited us to participate in, we must be stewards of the temporal goods. By giving up our time, talent, and treasure, we are able to respond to the call of our why in our “whats” and “hows.” This means, we baptize, we see others face-to-face, we draw in, we invite in, we create spaces of deep hospitality that we are able to accompany others as they seek to discover how God has been already present to them. In other words, as Henri J.M. Nouwen reminds us in, A Spirituality of Fundraising, stewardship, fundraising, and generosity are all concrete ways we help the Kingdom of God come about. We invite you to join us in responding to the vocational call of our shared baptism. Please click here and consider the ways in which you may be generous with your time, talent, and treasure for the sake of the Kingdom of God and the mission with St. Alphonsus.
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Faith Formation
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!
Our Religious Education program is looking for an extra 2nd grade catechist starting in January 2023. If you are interested in this wonderful opportunity, please contact Erica Cook.
Walking With Purpose- Women’s Group at St. Alphonsus— Tuesday mornings and evenings 9:30-11 AM or 6:30-8 PM.
Beholding His Glory, a nine-lesson Bible study, reminds us how all Scripture points us to our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. We will learn to recognize and appreciate God’s plan for our own lives, His aweinspiring majesty, and His desire for personal intimacy with each one of us.
** Walking w/ Purpose will be taking a winter break, the last session will be this Tuesday Dec. 13. WwP will return on Feb 7 with a new study, Beholding Your King. Questions? Contact Susan Combes **
University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary is proud to kick off the USML Paluch Lecture series on February 15, 2023 with Dr. Deborah Kanter, author of "Chicago Católico: Making Catholic Parishes Mexican". This book is filled with stories about the unique evolution and relationship between Chicago and the Mexican Catholic community. This is a free event to attend but registration is required.
Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House is located on 80 acres of gently rolling meadows and wooded countryside just 40 miles northwest of Chicago.
Bellarmine offers a variety of retreats for men and women. Click here for the Retreat Schedule.
Find Your Fraternity - Exodus 90 Chicago
Fraternity is an essential pillar of Exodus 90. The first day of this transformational program is January 9, 2023, and it ends April 8th. You can't go it alone, though, and you wouldn't want to. Start here to find other motivated men to outfit your band of brothers -- brothers that promise to help make you a better man and grow closer to God.
Join us for a Chicagoland-wide "Find Your Fraternity" event at St. Mary of the Angels, Museum Room (1850 N. Hermitage Ave., Chicago, IL 60622) on Tuesday, December 27th from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. Please RSVP, but regardless whether you can attend on Dec. 27th or not -- please also fill out the questionnaire here to facilitate formation of your Exodus 90 fraternity!
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Young Adult Ministry
St. Alphonsus has a vibrant young adult community! Be sure to check out our Facebook page for service opportunities and other future events!
St. Alphonsus YAM Ugly Christmas Sweater Party- Saturday Dec. 10
Join us on Saturday December 10th from 7 PM-10 PM at the Athenaeum Center For Thought & Culture’s Paradiso Event Space for an elf-tastic night of food, drink, games and fun. Beer, wine, and alcohol will be available for purchase at the bar at the event space but we will provide food.
Fab-Yule-ous ugly sweaters and Christmas spirits are encouraged! Because we'll really be sleighin' it in our snowtorious Christmas sweaters this wintery night. We will have an Best Ugly Sweater Contest and we will have Christmas music and fun Christmas games as well.
Hope to see you all on December 10! Merry Christmas from St Alphonsus YAM! And remember "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is for singing loud for all to hear" - and Fleece Navidad!!!
Come play bingo with the residents of St. Mary’s Home (a nursing home operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor) on December 18th, 1-3PM!
Catholic Sports League- Bowling League
Kick off 2023 with a CSL favorite, our annual bowling league! It’s a perfect way to spend your Monday nights in January when the weather gets cold. Sign up individually or with a friend. Register before early bird pricing closes!
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Knights of Columbus
JAN 8, 2023, St. Alphonsus Parish BLOOD DRIVE - Reserve your donation time, https://bit.ly/JAN8StAlphonsus Spread the word. We're trying to exceed 35-donations!
FEB 24-25, 2023 - St. Alphonsus KofC OVERNIGHT MEN'S RETREAT led by Fr. Patrick Gorman at Joseph & Mary Retreat House, University St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mundelein, IL; retreat will begin about 8PM FRI evening and finish mid-afternoon on SAT, permitting return back home by SAT evening; will include Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, talk(s), rest, leisure time to walk around the lake. Fee of $128 includes dinner (available for late arrivals), one night's stay in individual room, breakfast & lunch. Please sign up https://tinyurl.com/FEB-24-MENS-RETREAT
Lenten FISH FRY - MARCH 31, 2023
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Alphonsus Academy
Our 1st-8th grade school children will be performing their annual Christmas concert in the Church on Thursday, Dec. 15. Welcome carols begin at 6:45 PM by our 8th grade class held on the front steps of the church. 1st through 7th grade students and the AACA Band will perform starting at 7:00 PM.
If you are planning to send Christmas cards this year or create personalized Christmas gifts, a great way to save money and help raise money for AACA is by ordering through www.minted.com with the promo code FUNDRAISEALPHONSUS. You will receive 20% off your purchase and Minted will donate 15% of all sales back to AACA. The promo code and savings/giveback are all year round.
Give To Catholic Education! Invest In Kids Act Tax Credit Scholarship Program. Learn more here.
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At the Athenaeum
Ballet Chicago's "The Nutcracker" is celebrating 20 years at the Athenaeum! December 9 - December 18.
Through its inspiring story, beautiful music and charming choreography, "The Nutcracker" is a celebration of the joyous holiday season. "The Nutcracker" takes us on an unforgettable journey with young Marie as she travels from her home on Christmas Eve to the Kingdom of Snow and the Land of the Sweets, featuring George Balanchine's Sugar Plum Fairy Pas De Deux. For adults, it is a time to relive cherished memories of childhood. For children who wait with breathless anticipation for the holidays to arrive, it is the opportunity to create new memories. For everyone, it is a time for sharing and giving among family and friends. For tickets and more events happening at ACTC
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Around the Archdiocese
The Institute for Diaconal Studies (IDS) invites all men who feel the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit to attend an Exploring the Diaconate session. It is a time to pray, discuss, and learn more about the discernment process and the formation program that aspirants and candidates pursue. Please join us, with your wives, if married, as we explore the potential of a vocation, engage in dialogue and pray in search of the next step. All are welcome to attend any of the sessions.
St. Mary of the Lake and Our Lady of Lourdes parish, 4220 N. Sheridan, invites you to their upcoming Lessons and Carols concert on Sunday, December 18th at 7 PM. This festive event will be a night of scripture and song that takes us on a journey, recounting the story of humanity from the Fall to the birth of the Messiah. Each story will be accompanied by a song that reflects the message of the scripture passage. All are welcome!
The Archdiocese is hiring! Maybe the new year can be the start of something new for you. There is an opening for an Evangelization Coordinator, an integral part of a team advancing our evangelization and missionary discipleship efforts across the archdiocese as we renew our local Church. If you think the Holy Spirit is nudging you in this direction, share your interest by clicking on the link here.
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Living Peace and Justice
This guide provides a foundational background in the teachings of the Catholic Church which reinforce the call for racial justice. The framework that presents the teachings of the Catholic Church includes reference to statements and documents about racism, racial justice, and Catholic Social Teaching from the local, national, and universal Church. The guide also offers perspectives on racial justice found in Sacred Scripture, the lives of the saints and through prayer. Finally, along with the catechetical dimensions of the resource guide, opportunities for individual reflection and group discussion are included.
The word “posada” literally translates to inn, hotel or hostel. Posada is also a Mexican tradition that reenacts Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter in Bethlehem before Jesus was born. This year, The Archdiocese's Office for Human Dignity & Solidarity will celebrate their 17th annual Posada for Immigration Reform, praying in solidarity with our immigrant brothers and sisters who are seeking their own legislative shelter. All are encouraged to join and pray in this walk on Friday, Dec. 16 from 11 AM to 12:30 PM. More info, including a map of the route can be found here.
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When we plan our weekly giving, and set this money aside first, we demonstrate the great importance that God and the support of the Gospel have in our lives.
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Our weekly bulletin features many of the ways you can contribute to the vibrancy of St. Alphonsus parish.
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