A Message From Our Pastor
Greetings!
Five weeks deep into Lent, while some people may feel weary from giving up things like caffeine, desserts, or their snooze button, the readings are a decisive demonstration of the power of God. Through the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord promises to raise us to new life, a promise fulfilled in the Gospel as Jesus announces, "I am the Resurrection and the Life." The second reading, too, teaches the gift and truth of this "through His Spirit dwelling in you."
The practices of these forty days provide us an opportunity for spiritual renewal and reflection as we all journey through the Scriptures and the liturgy to the Cross, and through it to Heaven.
Also during Lent, the Archdiocese is asking all parishes and people to reflect on their identity and lives as disciples in a particular way, using a short survey called the Disciple Maker Index. It's a tool to help pastors to plan for the future with a spirit of growth. The feedback and responses provided by the parishioners of St. Alphonsus is instrumental in helping myself and the ministries of the parish to help us all grow in a spirit of discipleship.
We will receive the results later this spring, at which time we will share what we have learned with the entire parish. The higher the response rate, the more thorough the picture we receive of where we stand as a community of faith. The responses of every parishioner makes a big difference!
The survey is only available until March 31 and will ask you to reflect on your own spiritual growth and feedback on our parish’s efforts to help you grow. The survey allows you to share what you think is working well, identify areas of growth, and reflect on how St. Alphonsus helps you grow closer to God and to one another.
We are looking for answers to questions like:
• In what ways does our parish help you grow spiritually?
• How good are we at connecting you to others in the parish?
• In what ways do you feel invited to share your talents at our parish?
Thank you for helping our parish and our team with this spiritual initiative!
Rev. Steven Bauer
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Celebrate Sunday Mass at St. Alphonsus!
In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.
With our catechumens preparing for their Baptism at Easter, the Gospel today calls us to reflect on Baptism as a dying and rising with Jesus. In Baptism we die to sin’s power over us, rising as children of God. In Baptism we join ourselves with Christ, who conquered death once and for all so that we who believe in him may have eternal life. With Martha and Mary, we are called to profess our belief that Jesus is indeed the Resurrection and the life.
This Saturday March 25, we honor the Annunciation of the Lord. Daily Mass will be offered this Saturday at 8:30 AM. The Feast of the Annunciation celebrates God's entrance into the human world through Jesus and Mary's willingness to accept God's command.
Daily prayer keeps you in good relationship with the LORD, and yourself.
All worshipping at Mass this weekend are welcome to please take a free Magnificat worship aid for April/Holy Week! Quantities may be limited.
Lent, and the Stations of the Cross
Divine Mercy Chaplet/Stations of the Cross will not be prayed in church this Friday March 24th because our 8th parish graders are receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation at 7 PM. Please keep our students in your prayers that their hearts be fully open to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit!
Bilingual German/English 9 AM Mass
Each first Sunday of the month at the 9 AM Mass, our parish celebrates its German heritage with some of the Mass/readings proclaimed in German. Next Sunday on April 2 however, since the 9 AM Easter Sunday Mass will be partially in German with our German-speaking parishioners in worship, the 9 AM on Palm Sunday will be entirely in English.
Men's Evening prayers group (Vespers) continue on Wednesdays from 8:15 to 9 PM in the chapel.
Friends Through Faith- This Sunday March 26 after the 11 AM!
The newly formed Friends Through Faith Adult Social Group hopes to foster essential faith-filled connections and build our St. Alphonsus community through fellowship and fun.
In order to maintain this group, we need volunteers. We will have a zoom committee meeting to discuss specifics. If you are interested, please email Amy!
We gather for breakfast, cocktails, coffee, and tea the last Sunday of every month following the 11 AM mass.
Connecting with other parishioners can lead to lasting friendships, fruitful ministries, or even just a friendly wave and smile the next time you attend Mass. We hope to create small service groups, outings and friendships out of this community.
To register for the March 26 gathering, please email Amy Keefner.
Cleaning Angels
In anticipation of our Holy Week liturgies, our St. Alphonsus Cleaning Angels ministry will be volunteering to help clean and beautify our Church! This service project will take place next Saturday morning, April 1 from 9 AM to 10:30 AM. Come and help out your church!
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Knights of Columbus
St. Alphonsus Parish Lenten Fish Fry,
NEXT FRIDAY March 31, 6:00-9:00PM
in the Festival Hall
Menu: Breaded Cod, Coleslaw, Peas, Carrots, Chips, Hawaiian Bread, Mini-Cupcakes
Admission: Adults: $15, ages 5-12 $7, Under 5 are Free
Children tickets purchased at the door.
BYOB for Alcoholic beverages only; non-alcohol drinks and desserts will be available. Entertainment includes two performances from the Trinity Irish Dancers, Cornhole/Bags, and children games! Fish, Families, Fun & more!
Our parish needs many volunteers to make this event a success!!
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2023 Lent
Lenten Video Reflections and Resources
To assist all in our community in your Lenten preparation and practices, a few multimedia resources: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as well as at the following:
What is CRS Rice Bowl? CRS Rice Bowl is the official Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services, working to end hunger in our local communities and across the globe. You can support the collection by grabbing a Rice Bowl container at Mass, filling it with your change/bills and returning to St. Alphonsus by Palm Sunday.
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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!
More Young Adult Events and News- Lenten Retreat in Lisle, IL
All young adults are invited to participate in "Journey into the Desert - Find Christ, Find Yourself". This Lenten retreat will be this Saturday, March 25th from 8:15 AM until 1:00 PM at St. Joan of Arc Parish Center. Speakers include Nicholas LaBanca, an author from Ascension Press and Amber Rose, a Catholic podcaster - The Religious Hippie. The event includes Mass, Confessions, Adoration, Talks and light breakfast snacks. Registration fee is $15.00 per person.
The Pope Answers, a documentary to be released on April 5 with Pope Francis and Gen Z young adults discussing some of the Church’s most controversial positions and some of society’s difficult issues.
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Dancers from Ballet 5:8 will present Mourning, an original work in conjunction with the Stations. Begin your Holy Week with this ballet reflection on grief and hope. Tuesday, April 4th, 7PM, Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture, 2936 N Southport Ave. Tickets are free, with a suggested donation. For more info, please visit here!
Grief is inescapable. Every culture has different rituals to process grief, yet a strand of shared humanity exists in the ebb and flow of grief. We can turn away from the five stages of grief, shield ourselves from the pain of a lost future, but we find that when we face our suffering, the darkest of night can give way to the warmth of morning.
April 11 at 7 PM
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At the Athenaeum
Tree of Life | Tree of Death: What Reiner’s Trees Teach Us About the Passion of Jesus. Monday, March 27th, 7 PM, Athenaeum Center, 2936 N Southport Ave. Tickets are free, with a suggested donation. For more info, please visit here!
Fr Paul Anel, a Brooklyn based priest and artist, will invite us into deeper contemplation of Christ’s Passion, sacrifice, and our own humanity as he delves into Reiner’s use of nature in the Stations.
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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!
Walking With Purpose- Women’s Group at St. Alphonsus— Tuesday mornings and evenings 9:30-11 AM or 6:30-8 PM.
Come as you are. You are welcome here. Make authentic connections with other women! Refuel and Refresh! Learn more about God!
We live in a self-centered culture that all too often leaves us feeling empty and dissatisfied. A fuller view of God and His glory is the perfect antidote— find this during our journey through the Beholding Your King Bible study.
We’ll study King David, select psalms, the temple, and many Old Testament prophets and see the ways in which they all point to the coming King of Kings, Jesus Christ. This Nine-Lesson Bible study is the second part of a two-part series and is ideally completed after Beholding His Glory.
Our friends at the Notre Dame McGrath Institute have released a Prayer Enrichment Guidebook. You can download the guidebook here. There are also a handful on the table in the narthex of our church.
8 Steps to Energize Your Faith
Tuesday, March 28th (10:00 AM - Noon)
Join Loyola Press and the Vicariate IV Team this Lent to renew your faith and to be energized to live as true disciples of Jesus Christ. In this presentation, Dr. Joe Paprocki will draw from his new book, 8 Steps to Energize your Faith, to offer practical, every-day strategies for tapping into Divine energy. Flyer with more information.
Online Lenten Discernment Group
Do you think you might have a calling? During Lent, Rev. Timothy Monahan is hosting an online discernment group for participants to learn more about the priesthood and the life of a priest. Meetings will take place on Zoom from 8:30 - 9:30 PM on Wednesdays until April 5. Register here! Once registered, participants will receive the Zoom link and materials for the meeting. Reach out to Katie Hazen with any questions.
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Safe Families for Children Ministry
Donate a Backpack/Duffel Bag for Safe Families for Children!
When a child arrives at a Safe Families For Children (SFFC) host family's house, they often don't come with much... maybe an extra outfit or two, but rarely anything beyond that. Our goal during Lent, with the help of various parish community groups, is to create 15 "Safe Families Blessing Bags" for use over the next year.
We are in need of:
- Baby/toddler clothes sizes: 9mo, 18mo, 4T/4, 5/6
- All genders/sizes shoes & boots
- New or slightly-used small/medium stuffed animals
If you can help provide any of these items (or equivalent gift card), please either leave the items in the narthex/parish office Safe Families donation bins, or reach out to safefamiliesstals@gmail.com to coordinate a drop-off time. Thank you for your generosity!
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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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Annual Catholic Appeal.
The theme, Walking On The Road With Jesus, is inspired by Pope Francis' call to the entire Church to become "synodal", that is, to journey together with the Lord prompted by the Holy Spirit. Please give what you can to the 2023 Annual Catholic Appeal. Be sure to designate St. Alphonsus-Chicago when making an online gift.
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Living Peace and Justice
Palm Sunday Prayer Walk at Cook County Jail
All are welcome on Sunday, April 2 at 3 PM to commemorate the beginning of Holy Week with a prayer walk around Cook County Jail, 2434 S. California Ave., with Kolbe House Jail Ministry. All will reflect on Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, as well as his own arrest and detention, as a call to unite in our commitment to defend the human dignity of those incarcerated and promote reconciliation and healing for all those impacted by the criminal justice system. Free street parking is available on California Avenue, as well as in the Kolbe House parking lot at the address above and in the Taller de Jose parking lot, accessed through the alley (2816 W. 25th St). For more information, contact Emily Cortina. All ages are welcome. Please bring your own palms. RSVP online here
The Lumen Christi Institute hosts a lecture discussion next Thursday March 30 at 5 PM: How do we frame a theological response to the problem of economic inequality? Featuring Profs. Mary Hirschfeld,Associate Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame and Amir Sufi, Bruce Lindsay Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business
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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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