Greeting Cards of These Images are Now Available for Purchase in the Parish Office.

$25 for Books of Twenty...

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.

Feel free to contact Fr. Pete at email pjankowski@yahoo.com. If you have an emergency, please contact Fr. Pete at (815) 685-1359

This one is a bit long (and truncated) but it really is humbling...

When my mother died in an auto accident in 1988, I left the seminary to live with my father until he got back on track and was married some five years later (my father died on Valentines Day 2021 after twenty-nine years of marriage).

During those years away from seminary, I served as a Youth Minister for three years at Ss. Peter & Paul Church in Cary, IL (the church was listed in the Guiness Book of Records at the time for the most stained-glass windows in a church) and one year at St. Anthony's Church in Frankfort, IL.

During those Youth Ministry days some THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO, I did all the youth ministry things expected of me - I led the confirmation programs, I led retreats (which I still do at times), I hosted lock-ins and lock-outs for the kids and things of that nature.

Today in the mail, I just received a letter from one of those students from those youth ministry days. You just never know who you are going to affect in life. Here is an excerpt from that letter...

April11, 2024

Dear Fr. Pete,

Happy Easter! He is risen!

You may or may not remember me. I was a youth back when you were a youth minister at Ss. Peter and Paul (in Cary, IL). I went by Jenny McCallum back then. I was the one who turned some of your slides upside down and I have never forgotten the M&M Blues (From the Priest: I used to write Christian Music for teens).

The other day we were discussing the times I felt worthy in my life and your name came up. I just want to thank you for that.

I have been married for almost twenty-four years. Prior to that I attended U of I for years and NIU for two years. I was one of the two founders of Koinonia at NIU. I graduated with a degree in Education. I spent one year as missionary for NET Ministries.

I met my husband on a Happening retreat when I was sixteen. He was a youth minister (not mine) for ten years. We are married and have six children whom I homeschool. I did teach in a Catholic school prior to my children, so homeschooling just was a natural progression.

I started a small business over seven years ago. I paint Saint Peg dolls. I have painted over 450 different saints, Marys, Jesus, and Holy men and women of God. I have painted over 15,000 dolls in total. In addition to that I make peg doll key chains, wooden icon eggs, wooden Advent wreaths, Nativities, Passion and Easter sets. It really is a huge blessing in my life. I sell mostly on Etsy. My shop is "Grand Expression." (Note from the priest - CLICK HERE to visit here website) here is the website...).

You were influential in all of that. I was a girl whose parents still have the same level of faith they had back then (which was not much). I was searching and I had always felt at home in church. Your meetings and lock ins gave me acceptance. lt was one of those pivotal moments that kept me on my path to Heaven. A path that I did not even realize I was on at the time.

So, I just wanted to say thank you for making me feel worthy. I am working to bring those memories to the forefront, a little rewiring. I know that is part of God's plan, too. A simple Google search shows that you continued on being an incredible man of God. I am not surprised in the least.

Love,

Jen Towers

Note: Jen did not leave me a mailing address, so I have no way to connect with her except through the Etsy website. One of my parishioners often laments if what he does makes a difference (we all do, I guess). Here is one answer to that question.

Thanks to the wonderful ministry offered by Kim Emerson (St. Anne's) and John Rehmer (St. Patrick's) and our parish catechists, we will be offering our Confirmation Masses on Saturday - April 27th at St. Anne's (2:00 p.m.) and St. Patrick's (4:00 p.m.). Our First Communion Services will take place on May 5th at St. Anne's (9:00 a.m.) and St. Patrick's (10:30 a.m.). Thanks to Julie Dillenburg for coming to take our pictures for all the sacraments - we will upload all the pics on the SmugMug website for you to download. Also note that Bethlehem Gifts will join us at the First Communion Masses on May 5th to sell their Olive Wood Products.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL THE PICS OF DEACON JHOBANY’S ORDINATION AND FIRST MASS!!!

Thanks to Jim Studer and Fast Printing of Joliet, IL we were able to reproduce those nice watercolor images of St. Patrick’s and St. Anne’s, turning them into greeting cards for our Border Town Parishes! For the time being, we are charging $25 for books of twenty cards. You can purchase these cards at either parish office.

ONLINE VIDEOS THIS WEEK

Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Easter

Celebrated at St. Anne's Church - St. Anne, IL

On this "Good Shepherd Sunday," Fr. Pete references a Franciscan Priest named Rev. Medard Buvala, OFM (1916-2004) who served as a wonderful example of a Good Shepherd in the city of Joliet for decades, living the type of humble, faith-filled life that most priests and religious aspire to live. Fr. Pete references a few prayers associated with St. Francis of Assisi (another "Good Shepherd") as a model of faith that would serve all of us well to follow.

For Catholic Daily Reflections (based on the scripture readings of the day),

CLICK HERE!!!

CLICK HERE to Access the Readings for This Sunday's Mass

(from the USCCB Website)

2024 St. Patrick's Church Irish Mass & Dinner Highlights

2024 Border Town Confirmation Retreat Highlights

Now that The Irish Review (Our St. Patrick’s Church and Alumni Newsletter) has been mailed out, we are in the process of selling our 50/50 Raffle Tickets for the event ($10 a ticket or $50 for six tickets). Last year, we were able to take in around $25,000 the raffle, half of which being used for prizes and half retained by the parish. If you could help us sell these tickets, please call the parish office at (815) 472-2864.

WE HAVE REDUCED OUR PARISH DEBT AT ST. PATRICK'S BY A FACTOR OF OVER $200,000 IN THE LAST TWO YEARS!!!

1973 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

1981 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

1986 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

1993 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

2004 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

2006 St. Patrick's Academy 100th Anniversary Book

2010 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

2016 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

2023 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

1960s St. Anne’s Church Photo Directory

1970s St. Anne’s Church Photo Directory

1989 St. Anne’s Church Photo Directory

1998-2004 St. Anne’s Photo Directory

2023 St. Anne's Church Photo Directory

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!!!

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).

1. Confirmation Mass at St. Anne’s (Saturday – April 27 at 2:00 p.m.)
2. Confirmation Mass at St. Patrick’s (Saturday – April 27 at 4:00 p.m.)
3. First Communion Mass at St. Anne’s (Sunday – May 5 at 9:00 a.m.)
4. First Communion Mass at St. Patrick’s (Sunday – May 5 at 10:30 a.m.)
5. Bethlehem Gifts will be selling their Olive Wood Products at our Masses on May 5
6. Weather permitting, Outdoor Weekend Masses will return to St. Anne’s on May 12.

To View St. Patrick's Bulletin for

April 21, 2024



CLICK HERE!

To View St. Anne's Bulletin for

April 21, 2024



CLICK HERE!

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK: Ashley & Jesse Childress, Guadalupe Maria De Leon, Austin Fuhrmann, Ron Gall, Adrienne & Tony Gallinaro, Cindy Gould, Joel Hart, Karen Hensa, Don Hout, Joe Kraus, Joanne McCracken, Marilyn Peterson, Joanne Prather, Evelyn Provost, Ruth Sparenberg, Cynthia Vickery... 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.

CLICK HERE TO READ

FR. PETE'S HOMILIES

CLICK HERE for the Parish

Registration Forms in English

(CLICK HERE for Spanish)

CLICK HERE for the Religious Education Registration Forms FOR BOTH PARISHES (CLICK HERE for Spanish)

Click Here to Register for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (CLICK HERE for Spanish)

Click Here for the Time

& Talent Form in English

(CLICK HERE for Spanish)

Click Here for the Link to All the Parish Forms

Help support our parishes buy purchasing copies of Fr. Pete’s Homiletic Books! You can purchase them at the parishes or online at Amazon.com!

Cycle A Homilies - Cycle B Homilies

Cycle C Homilies