Celebrate Sunday Mass at St. Alphonsus!

Hello St. Alphonsus,

In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus is questioned by Pilate about the charge brought against him that he is "King of the Jews".

Truth is an important theme in John’s Gospel. We see it emphasized in the conclusion of the dialogue between Jesus and Pilate. Those who know the truth will recognize Jesus as king and will know how to interpret this insight. Yet Jesus’ kingship was hidden from many of his contemporaries. Only those chosen, those who have the eyes of faith, are able to see. As modern disciples of Jesus, we may also struggle at times to recognize Jesus as king. Today’s Gospel invites us to see with eyes of faith that we might recognize that Jesus, through his crucifixion and death, is indeed king and Savior of all.

Daily prayer keeps you in good relationship with the LORD, and yourself.

Invite your friends/loved ones to Mass! 

Mass Readings for Jesus Christ, King of the Universe



November 24 Parish Bulletin

The new sound system in our St. Alphonsus Church is now operational and all liturgies will resume in the Church! Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this past week for worship in the Lower Chapel.

Our parish and Alphonsus Academy staff wish everyone an amazing Thanksgiving holiday! Mass on Thanksgiving, Nov. 28 will be at 9 AM, rather than the usual 8:30 AM time. The rectory office is closed on Friday, Nov. 29.

Our parish is accepting toiletries donations to give out to those who are homeless/down on their luck. Please bring any donations during rectory office hours, Mon-Fri 9 AM to 5 PM or Tues/Thurs from 9 AM-7 PM. We greatly appreciate all donations to help out!

Praise and Adoration Nov. 22 at 7:30 PM

This Friday, November 22nd, spend time with our Lord in praise and adoration! **Adoration will be in the church** We'll spend the first 15 minutes in silent adoration, and then our musicians will lead worship in song. Confession will also be available! The hour will conclude with benediction, and our Young Adult Ministry will lead a group for fellowship after! 

Volunteer Opportunity- Help Decorate Our Rectory!

Join in this festive tradition of helping out and decorating the rectory this Saturday, Nov. 23 at 9 AM. Sign-up here

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

Our faith community will be kicking off the holiday season in style with the annual lighting of the Lakeview Christmas tree this Sunday, November 24, from 6:00 PM-7:30 PM following the 5:00 PM Mass! The 5 PM Mass this Sunday is our designated Family Mass w/ our children's choir singing!

This year's tree is set to feature thousands of color-changing lights to create the most beautiful and dynamic one we have had!

Enjoy carols performed by our Alphonsus Academy & Center for the Arts students! All will be kept warm with FREE hot chocolate, coffee and more from our wonderful neighbor, S&G Restaurant. The festivities will take place directly outside the veranda of the church on the corner of Lincoln/ Wellington/ Southport.

This year's ceremony will feature a kitchenware and toy drive for Chicago Furniture Bank benefitting Chicagoans facing poverty. Please visit the LVRVCC website for additional details!

If you are driving to Mass this evening, please note that Wellington Avenue will be blocked off for the safety of all attendees. This event is hosted by the Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by a SSA 27 grant.

Christmas Mass Schedule

Vigil Masses for Nativity of the Lord

Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24

4:00 PM, 6:00 PM, and 11:00 PM

Join us for festive caroling 30 minutes prior to the start of each Mass. A program of beloved carols, motets, and festive Christmas arrangements will precede Mass. Arrive early to get the best seat! 

The Nativity of the Lord

Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25

9:00 AM (English with German)                                

11:00 AM (English with Spanish)

Celebration of Giving

The Giving Tree, a St. Alphonsus tradition, is now up in the narthex. We receive the names and gift requests of over 100 people in need. Parishioners take tags and shop for the items. It is a big project to sort and bag everything, but it is worth it!!

St. Alphonsus takes part in the annual Celebration of Giving through December 8. Grab any number of tags and return your gift(s) to church on Sunday in the next few weeks or you may drop off at the rectory office during business hours. This wonderful service project annually 'makes Christmas' for hundreds of those less fortunate. Our Giving Tree will be in support of recipients of Catholic Charities and the Women's Center.

The parish office will be open on Saturday, Nov. 30 and Dec. 7 from 8 AM to Noon to accept Giving Tree gift drop-offs.

Thank you for your incredible generosity; these gifts are possibly the only ones they will receive this upcoming Christmas! Please turn in all gifts by Sunday, December 8.

Contact Office Manager Mario Serrano for any questions.

Holiday Cheer at St. Alphonsus!

Our parish school, Alphonsus Academy & Center for the Arts, is hosting a wonderful event for kids! Join us on Sunday, Dec. 8 in the parish Festival Hall for light bites, Christmas crafts, and photos with Santa! All members of our community with small children are welcome, no affiliation with AACA required. For planning purposes however, we ask to please register online.

The following Sunday on Dec. 15, our parish will host a FREE Pancake Breakfast from 10 AM to 2 PM in the Festival Hall. ALL are invited to stay after Mass to enjoy pancakes, eggs, and delicious treats with St. Nicholas!

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS! Help us serve breakfast, bring Christmas cheer, and get first dibs on the food! Shifts are 2 hours each. Please sign-up here! Questions? Contact breakfast volunteer Tom.

Young Adult Ministry

Christmas Ball! Saturday, December 14

Celebrate the Christmas season with YAM!!! Dust off your dancing shoes and show off your best cocktail attire for the 2nd annual Christmas Ball! Don't let the cold deter; come out and join other young adults for a night of dinner, dancing, and fun holiday festivities!

As it is also the time of year for giving, especially to those most in need, we will be collecting charitable donations to put together blessing bags at the event as well. Suggested items are toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, socks, wet wipes, tissues, and non-perishables, such as applesauce or fruit cups, raisins, pasta, canned vegetables, etc.). This is just a short list of items, but please feel free to donate anything of your choosing along these lines. We're looking forward to constructing these packages together and donating them all to Catholic Charities!

Admission for young adults for this party in the Festival Hall will be $15 until November 26th, $20 from Nov. 27th to Dec. 13th, and $25 at the door on the day of. Contact our Social Team for questions!

YCP- St. Joseph Retreat at St. Alphonsus

9 AM- 2 PM on Saturday, December 7

Looking for a community with a professional focus grounded in Catholic values? Your 20s and 30s can be a confusing and lonely time, but they don't have to be. Come and see. Attend a Young Catholic Professionals event and join like-minded, mission-driven peers to find God in all things and seek excellence and joy in every area of your life.

Join us for the annual St. Joseph Saturday Retreat! This retreat is a half-day retreat (open to all young adults in their 20s and 30s), where young adults are encouraged to "look upon work with the eyes of faith" and see God's presence in their vocations and professional lives. The retreat will include talks from Sarah Elk (Partner at Bain & Company) & Pat McCaskey (Bears Football Board Member & VP), small group discussions, prayer, confession, and adoration. Together, we will reflect on the life of YCP's patron saint, St. Joseph the Worker.

Tickets are only $5!! (free for YCP members) Learn more and register here.

FORMED

Explore Advent on FORMED! Dive deeper each week of Advent with Daily Reflections, Video Content, Audio Content, and Engaging Resources for the Whole Family! Sign up FREE!

Knights of Columbus

Dear Brothers of St. Alphonsus Knights of Columbus,

As we pause to celebrate this season of Thanksgiving, I want to express my deepest gratitude to each of you for your tireless dedication and commitment throughout this past fraternal year. Your strong spirit of brotherhood, generosity with time, and unwavering support have made an incredible difference in our community and in the lives of those we serve.

Whether it was through organizing charitable events, supporting our church, or stepping forward in times of others’ need, your actions have truly embodied the principles of our Order: Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. Every hour you have given, every effort you have made, and every sacrifice you have offered is a testament to the strength and heart of our council.

Thanksgiving is a time to count our blessings. I consider myself blessed to stand alongside such an extraordinary group of men. Your service is a shining example of what it means to be a Knight, and I am proud to call each of you a brother.

As we look ahead to 2025, may we continue to grow in faith, service, and in friendship, ever mindful of the impact we have when we come together as one.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you brothers. May your Thanksgiving be filled with all the love, peace, joy, and warmth of family and friends.

With gratitude and fraternal love,

Raymond C. San Agustin

Grand Knight- St. Alphonsus Knights of Columbus

Giving Tuesday is Dec. 3

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, there is excitement everywhere that this year’s feast day will look a lot more like the family gatherings we all know and love: families will be reunited, dining room tables will be covered with our favorite foods, football will be on the TV, and kids will be watching Snoopy serve a smorgasbord of popcorn, buttered toast, and jelly beans. 

This holiday, of course, enables us to articulate the reasons we have to be thankful. And after the tryptophan-induced sluggishness wears off, Americans also celebrate the custom of Giving Tuesday, where we show our gratitude by making an offering to charity. This year, we invite parishioners to show their thankfulness to the Lord for His blessings through making a donation to St. Alphonsus Parish. Every gift is appreciated, and any amount is appropriate. There are many wonderful blessings here, the blessings of Giving Tuesday helps us keep our ministries running and the blessings flowing.

Make your contribution today here or TEXT Tuesday to (773) 570-7600.

Stewardship at St. Alphonsus

Parishioners often wonder how much to contribute. The table below provides suggested giving amounts based on the concept of giving your first hour of salary back to God. These amounts are suggestions and are not meant to be taken as a rule.

We invite you to make your offertory gift at any amount after your prayerful consideration! 

"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 gift!

Faith Formation

Mysteries of the Rosary Series

Monday Mornings, Now through Dec. 16th 9:30 AM-11 AM, Rectory Common Room 

We long for union with God but to our great surprise, He longs for us even more. God desires to draw close to us, by becoming small!

Join us for Episode 4, diving deeper into the mystery of the Nativity. Filmed on location in the Holy Land, join us for this video and discussion series to better prepare your hearts for Advent and Christmas!

Praying the Rosary

It’s not too late to join us. You can still catch up and watch FREE here..

Questions? Contact Religious Education coordinator Emily Ember for more details

Psalm Series- Monday Evenings at 7 PM

He said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.’” (Lk 24:44)

Our Young Adult Ministry is hosting a free series on the book of Psalms for young adults in their 20s and 30s to learn: 

• how to establish a deeply personal dialogue with God through the Psalms
• how to meditate on the Psalms using lectio divina 
• how the Psalms foretell the life and mission of Jesus
• …and much more!

On Mondays at 7:00 PM-8:30 PM throughout November – January, we will watch video materials from Ascension Press presented by Jeff Cavins, Tim Gray, and Sarah Christmyer, followed by a group discussion. No preparation or supplies are needed, though there is an accompanying workbook if you would like to go deeper, which can be purchased from Ascension Press. 

If you are interested in attending, please contact Brendan.

Men's Group

St. Alphonsus Men’s group meets Thursday nights to pray the liturgy of the hours, have fellowship, and to propose challenging topics to discuss. 

We meet every Thursday night at 7 PM in the rectory. Food and drinks provided. All men are welcome, with most men being in their 20s and 30s. Access can be gained at the west facing rectory door in the parking lot.

The St. Alphonsus Men's Group is hosting a Holy Hour of silent adoration on Friday, December 6th, from 7:30 to 8:30 PM in the church. All parishioners are invited to be in the presence of our Lord during this hour, and confessions will also be heard during this time.

For questions or more information, contact us here!

Around the Archdiocese

This week, Pope Francis announced that Blessed Carlo Acutus and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati will be canonized by the Catholic Church in 2025!

Roadmap to Reality: Carlo Acutis and the Digital Age

There will be a new movie in theaters in 2025!

Co-Sponsored in part by the National Eucharistic Congress and Notre Dame University's McGrath Institute for Church Life.

A Happy Death: Monastic Wisdom for the End of Life, Saturday, November 23

Who Will Fill These Shoes?

Young men ages 13-20 are invited to join the Who Will Fill These Shoes? event on Friday, November 29 from 11 AM- 3 PM at Mundelein Seminary for Mass, lunch, conversations with seminarians, a Eucharistic Procession, and a dodgeball tournament. Students are encouraged to bring a friend, and parents are welcome to attend. We also encourage priests to come for the day to witness to the joy of the priesthood. All registrations can be found here.

Young men and parents interested in attending this event, register online and please contact Fr. Jesus Raya that you are attending.  

Cardinal's Christmas Concert

Cardinal Blase J. Cupich invites you to his annual Christmas Concert, featuring

The City Lights Orchestra w/ Rich Daniels, conductor

 Sunday, December 8, 2024

Church of the Holy Family

1080 W. Roosevelt Rd.

2 PM - 3:30 PM

No tickets necessary. 

Parking and seating available on a first come, first served basis.

Doors open at 1:30 PM. For questions or more information, please contact Krista Cobb