Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Ascension and Other Celebrations



Here in Chicago and most dioceses across the United States, the Church celebrates the Ascension of the Lord on the 7th Sunday in Easter. [In the church provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Omaha and Philadelphia they will celebrate Ascension Thursday, tomorrow, 40th day after Easter.]

It is not unusual for the Church to move celebrations to Sunday, knowing that the ability to celebrate with greater solemnity and more people helps to make the feast more memorable. Corpus Christi is another example of a feast moved to Sunday, but this is true in every diocese of the United States.

As you know, Mothers Day is always the 2nd Sunday of May, Fathers Day the 3rd Sunday of June, Memorial Day the last Monday of May, Labor Day the first Monday of September, and so forth.

What this shows, in both the sacred and secular world, we as human beings love specialness, special occasions and special reasons to have special foods, dress spectacularly, and encourage one another.

As you see from this week's newsletter - First Communions, ordinations, priestly anniversaries are big in Church circles and mom's are always, especially when caring for the youngest children and of course in May with Mary. As you check on the events in May, here at OLD SAINT MARY'S (our parish anniversary month) please pause to reflect on the special events you have in your life, even as you share these events with your fellow parishioners.

See you at the parties!

Fr. Brad

Thank you for helping me celebrate 50 years as a priest! For your presence at Mass last weekend, your prayers, your congratulatory texts and emails, your cards and generous gifts. Thank you!!

Father PJ

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

May is a month to remember and celebrate the mothers and mother figures in our lives. These women-on whom all generations depend-are essential to the fullness of God's plan for human life.

May is also the month when we celebrate the important work of our Catholic Charities.

Helping mothers in need is core to our Catholic faith and a cornerstone mission for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Whether they be single mothers, mothers of children with special needs, foster mothers, or mothers who are migrants, we help them and their children.

Your generous donation to the Mother's Day Collection for Catholic Charities enables this urgent work. Catholic Charities was founded more than a century ago by the Archdiocese to help those in need in Cook and Lake counties. As the largest provider of human services in our region, Catholic Charities serves nearly 400,000 people annually. This tremendous reach of services is only possible through your generous support.

Each year I call on our parishes to support Catholic Charities, and so I encourage you to be generous by contributing, either:

• In-person during the second collection on Mother's Day weekend, May 11-12

• Online at catholiccharities.net/donate

• By mail to Catholic Charities, P.O. Box 8275, Carol Stream, IL 60197-8275.

Thank you for your on-going support and partnership. May Mary, our Mother whom we honor in May, continue to inspire us to take up the mission of her Son with joyful enthusiasm.

This is a QR code that will take you directly to the Catholic Charities website to make your Mother's Day donation.

Open Gym Dates During May

For those of your who participate in the Parish/School and Adult Open Gym, please take note of the following:

• May 12 - only half of the gym will be available for use.

• May 19 - There will be NO Parish/School Open Gym. Adult Open Gym can take place, but again only half of the gym will be available for use.

• May 26 - There is NO Open Gym for children or adults.

• June 2 - This will be the last scheduled Open Gym. We will break for the summer. Watch the bulletin and newsletter for when Open Gym will resume in the fall.

The Paulist Fathers and

Staff of Old St. Mary's wish all mothers a

Happy Mother's Day.

We will celebrate First Communions at the following Masses on

May 11, 12 and 19. Please pray for our First Communicants.

During the month of May, we celebrate

the ordination anniversaries of the

Paulist Fathers serving at

Old St. Mary’s Church.

Father Patrick Johnson, CSP 

May 4, 1974 – 50 years ordained

Father Thomas Holahan, CSP

May 14, 1977 - 47 years ordained

Father Brad Schoeberle, CSP

May 27, 2000 – 24 years ordained

Fr. Chris Lawton will say Masses of Thanksgiving at Old St. Mary's

on June 9 at 8 AM and 11 AM.

Fr. Dan Macalinao will say a Mass of Thanksgiving at Old St. Mary's

sometime in July.

In a joint effort, the OSM parish-school will collect diapers to be distributed throughout the Chicagoland area. Ms Peggy Johnson at Catholic Charities is overseeing the service project.

If you want to volunteer to pack diapers for distribution to families, please contact at pjohnson@catholiccharities.net. 

Diaper Drop-off will be at the school and the Parish Commons.