Hello St. Alphonsus,

Halloween Reflections from Father Bauer

      As kids on Halloween, my brother and I would canvas our neighborhood trick or treating, whether dressed as cartoon characters, sports figures, or even a tube of toothpaste. Dropping off our loot at home, we jumped on our bikes to friends the neighboring subdivision, hitting as many homes as we could. Our haul was substantial enough to last us until Christmas (or at least the start of Christmas cookie season), but all the good candy was easily gone by Thanksgiving...

Celebrate Sunday Mass at St. Alphonsus!

In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the proud Pharisee who prayed from his self-importance and the tax collector who prayed humbly.The parable reminds us that when we pray, we must remember our need for God in our lives. If we are too full of ourselves, there is too little room for God's grace to work in us.

All Oktoberfest volunteers/Parish Ministry leaders are invited for a fun Thank You party this Friday, October 21 at 6:00 PM- 9 PM inside the Athenaeum Theater’s brand new event space: the Paradiso. We hope to see everyone!

All parishioners are invited to a special blessing and ribbon cutting of the Paradiso event space this Sunday from Noon to 2 PM.

This Sunday is one of those weekends that demonstrates how vibrant our parish community is! Students from AACA's children's choir will help lead us in worship at the 11 AM Mass. Afterwards children and families are invited to a pumpkin decorating and carving event hosted by our parish Knights of Columbus outside near the St. Alphonsus parking lot! 

Pumpkins, supplies, and treats will be provided. The pumpkins are being harvested from Michigan. In case of inclement weather, decorating will be in Festival Hall.

October 23 is World Mission Sunday

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

Mass Readings for Thirtieth Sunday In Ordinary Time

30th Sunday In Ordinary Time Reflection

Oct. 23 Parish Bulletin

Please note the parish/AACA parking lot on Oakdale Ave will be blocked off next Friday, October 28 from 4-8 PM for the school's Trunk or Treat event, sponsored by the Mother's Club.

All Saints Day is Tuesday November 1 and is a Holy Day of Obligation. Mass will be at 8:30 AM and at 6:30 PM.

All Souls Day, November 2nd is a special day in the life of the Church as we take time to pray for our deceased family members and friends who have died and gone before us marked with the sign of faith. St. Alphonsus Parish will be holding a special Requiem Mass on Wednesday, November 2nd at 6 PM, to pray for the repose of the souls of those who have died. Through the Sacred Liturgy, the Church invokes the forgiving love and abundant mercy of God, that He may receive all those we remember into His kingdom so they can come to know the fullness of life and peace of Heaven. During the Requiem Mass a memorial candle will be lit for each person asked to be remembered. Additionally, our music director Brian Bloye is arranging a special program with a men's schola singing chant in Latin and English from the traditional Requiem Mass of the Church. If you would like to honor a loved one who has died, please fill out the form here. You can also write the names of your loved ones in the Book of the Names of the Dead, which will be available in the Church during November. 

St. Alphonsus will host an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Sunday November 6 in the Festival Hall. Please consider donating life-saving blood! You can make an appointment here. (scroll through dates until you get to Nov. 6)

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!

Our Religious Education program is currently underway for the 2021-2022 school year. If you are interested in registering your child, please contact RE coordinator Erica Cook or visit our website for more information.

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

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. Questions? Contact Susan Combes

Broken Mary: A Journey of Hope discussion and book signing; Saturday October 22.

Alphonsus Academy

Minted

Planning on sending Christmas cards this year? In need of party invites or a personalized gift? If so, a great way to save money and 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 is good year-round.

Blessings in A Backpack DIY 5K

AACA has partnered with Blessings in a Backpack for over 6 years! Blessings mobilizes communities, individuals and resources to provide food on the weekends for school-aged children across America who might otherwise go hungry.

Last school year, AACA students packed 1,860 weekend meals and positive notecards. The AACA Blessings program is 100% funded through your participation and generous donations to the Team Rockets DIY 5k team. Our goal is to raise $10,000 and providing weekend nourishment for 75 children at Manierre Ferguson and Jahn Elementary schools this year.

What is a DIY 5K, you ask? It is a “Do It Yourself” 5k Run/Walk done on your own time, at your own pace, and at your own place any time between Saturday, November 5th & Sunday, November 13th.

Join Team Rockets here and help us close the weekend hunger gap for our neighbors. (Be sure to select “Team Rockets” from the drop-down)

Building A Culture of Life

October is Respect Life Month

The Baby Bottle Project 

Thank you for participating in The Baby Bottle Project supporting The Women’s Centers of Greater Chicagoland! Please return your bottle this weekend to a basket in the narthex. The Women’s Center is a non-profit organization that directly assists mothers and families experiencing crisis pregnancies. 

On Wednesday, November 16, St. Alphonsus will host 6 PM Mass & Holy Hour for Hope and Healing for all who have suffered Loss (loss of a child through illness, miscarriage, accident, or abortion) 

More Respect Life News and Resources

Young Adult Ministry

Visit our Linktree

Deeper Dialogue: Theology of the Body

Mondays at 7:30 PM

Immerse yourself in a deeper form of conversation surrounding JPII's Theology of the Body. Led by Casey Karbowski and Marisa Michak, the group will examine excerpts from the book as well as other related materials to break up the content into more digestible and easily understandable elements for discussion. No need to have a hard copy of any Theology of the Body books as all materials and discussion points will be provided on a weekly basis.

Fall Trivia Night! Saturday Nov 5

Are you the friend whose schtick is sharing random factoids? Or, the one with the most fun party conversations? Well, calling all you trivia fans and friends, alike, to come join us, in the St. Alphonsus' Festival Hall (basement), on Saturday, Nov 5th from 5 PM-8 PM because St. Al’s YAM Trivia is back!

The cost of tickets is $25 per person (it is a fundraiser! ). Teams of 5-6 people can register individually or together. For anyone registering as a team, simply list the names of everyone in the "Comments" section of the GiveCentral link, during your purchase. Light refreshments, beer and wine are included in the event cost. We will have prizes for 3rd, 2nd and 1st place winning teams.

Don't know anyone or don't have 6 people on your team? Fear not! You may also register individually or in a smaller group (2-4 people). We will assign you to a team. All are welcome!

***Please note: pre-registration with payment through the GiveCentral link is required to attend. No walk-ups will be allowed since we have teams.

If trivia isn’t your thing, but still want to join us, consider volunteering as well!

For any questions or concerns, please reach out to the YAM social team.

Saint Social: Feast of St. Pope John Paul II Saturday Oct 22 at St. Helen

Cocktails After Mass Sunday Oct 30

More Young Adult News and Events

Join Father Boniface Hicks, OSB, author and spiritual director, and Jen Settle, Consecrated Virgin and Director of Ongoing Formation for the Theology of the Body Institute on October 22, the feast day of Saint John Paul II, as they guide you through a virtual retreat honoring Our Lady.

Catholic Sports League Bowling League starting back up in January 2023! 

"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 giftt!

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!

Safe Families for Children

Taking Action to Love Mothers and Families During Respect Life Month

Compassionate Families Needed!

Safe Families for Children is a national, Christian nonprofit which connects local families in crisis with "safe families" who volunteer to watch their children while parent(s) get back on their feet. This is a great opportunity to show Christ's love and compassion for local families, often young single moms with no support system, in a tangible and meaningful way.

In honor of Respect Life month, Safe Families for Children’s Ministry at St. Alphonsus is looking for volunteer babysitters to support moms and families in need! If you would like to join the network of babysitters, reach out to Safe Families and they will provide more info, training, and a background check, so you are ready to go when the need arises!

Interested in learning more? Reach out to safefamiliesstals@gmail.com

Around the Archdiocese

Keep Hope Alive – October 24.

Join Cardinal Cupich, host, and co-chairs Jorge Ramirez and Rev. Clete Kiley for the Keep Hope Alive 2022 Benefit, on Monday, October 24 at Saint Ignatius College Prep, 1076 W. Roosevelt Rd. A VIP reception with Cardinal Cupich will begin at 6 PM and the Main Reception/Program will follow at 6:45 PM. Enjoy entertainment by Sones de Mexico Ensemble. Visit KeepHopeAliveImmigrants.org for more information and to register.

Corazón de Romero 2022- Saturday Nov. 5

Athenaeum Center For Thought and Culture

Catholic Art Institute 4th annual conference- Sunday October 30

Community News

Lincoln Ave and Roscoe St. Beer Stroll Saturday Oct. 22 Taste over 30 crafts beers at popular shops along Lincoln Ave or Roscoe St while enjoying Halloween festivities, complimentary bites from local restaurants and special deals from businesses along the stroll!

Choose between three routes on Lincoln Avenue and Roscoe St, with each route featuring at least 30 craft beer tastings! Your ticket includes a commemorative beer tasting glass and event guide listing the participating breweries, businesses and restaurants. There will also be Halloween festivities including decorations and special brews! Get your ticket here!

Trick or Treat on Southport- Monday Oct. 24

Friday November 4, DePaul Prep's Poker and Casino Night. For more info and tickets.