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The Feedback and Discernment Teams from the Little Italy Grouping met with representatives from the Archdiocese on October 8, 2018 to review and discuss initial scenarios regarding the future of the groupings parishes and structures. To initiate discussion, the Archdiocese has offered a set of initial scenarios that show potential models of how our parishes could be configured in the future. These initial scenarios have been developed accounting for data such as demographics, Mass attendance, financial and facility conditions. The scenarios reflect input from archdiocese staff, vicariate leaders, and local pastors. These initial scenarios, which will be shared in detail at our next parish meeting to be held on October 21 after the 9:45 Mass, are conversation starters only. No decisions have been made. Please click on the title link or picture to view the scenarios.

Bishop Rojas and Bishop Hicks presented the 2018 Parochial Christifideles Award to Jerrilyn Young during a special ceremony at Holy Name Cathedral on October 7, 2018. In receiving this award, Jerrilyn was recognized for her tremendous service to Holy Family. Congratulations, Jerrilyn on this well deserved award, and thank you for all that you do for the Holy Family community.

All parishioners and friends of Holy Family are highly encouraged to attend the second Renew My Church (RMC) parish conversation. This session will be held on October 21 after the 9:45 Mass. During this session, representatives from the archdiocese and the parish's Feedback and Discernment Team will: 1) introduce possible structural scenarios for our grouping’s parishes and schools; 2) ask for feedback on the scenarios presented; 3) receive an update from the parish's Grouping Feedback & Discernment Team; 4) answer questions from the parish on the RMC process and where we are to date. For more information on RMC, please click on the title link or picture.

On October 1 and 2, the Holy Family staff attended an archdiocesan wide Renew My Church Summit in Rosemont to listen, discern, and envision together our direction for renewal. The keynote speaker was Fr. James Mallon, author of Divine Renovation. This book is being used as a resource and guide for Renew My Church.

Jerrilyn Young has been recognized by the archdiocese for her tremendous service to Holy Family in receiving the 2018 Parochial Christifideles Award. When God created "worker bees," Jerrilyn must surely been among them. Jerrilyn's tireless and generous service...(click on title for full story)

The first parish conversation for Renew My Church took place last Sunday. Approximately 30 parishioners and friends of Holy Family participated. For more information on the conversation, please see the "Renew My Church Update" section to the far right of this page.

We wish to recognize those who not only support our parish, but also have made a gift or pledge to the 2018 Annual Catholic Appeal of the Archdiocese of Chicago. On behalf of those who will be served by your contributions, thank you to all who have already completed their pledge payments, as well as those who are still making payments. Because of your generosity...(click on title for full story)

Thank you for your prayers as our Renew My Church Grouping Feedback & Discernment Team attended a full-day retreat at the Cardinal Meyer Center last Saturday. The day was filled with prayer, reflection and opportunities to share with one another our hopes, concerns and ideas as we work together to help shape the future of our faith communities. Cardinal Cupich was able to join us for an hour and share his own thoughts about the renewal underway in our Archdiocese, as well as to answer candid questions about the sexual abuse crisis, women in leadership, and other issues facing the church. Spending time together in prayer and hearing from the Cardinal was so important because on the surface all of our Renew My Church efforts can seem solely focused on the structural changes of our parishes. The perception that what we’re doing is all about buildings and finances is a view point held by many, but it is not the reality – it is not the core of what Jesus Christ is calling us to do. Spiritual renewal of our parishes and our Archdiocese is at the heart of Renew My Church. When you consider the facts, it is easier to understand the sense of urgency and why the structural and spiritual renewal must go hand-in-hand. How, where and when we spend our energies, resources, dollars and time has a very real impact on our abilities to develop the creative evangelizing plans that will bring more people into an encounter with the Risen Lord, with His Word and Sacraments proclaimed in our parishes and through our ministries. To see some of the demographic challenges that we face, please click on the title link or picture.

Walgreens will be sponsoring free flu shots on September 30 after Mass. For more information, contact Jerri Young at 708-895-6246.

The annual sock drive has begun. The drive helps homeless youth in Chicago through The Night Ministry. Our goal this year is to collect 1,018 pairs of socks. New white crew socks may be placed in the tote located in the back of the Church. The Knights of Peter Claver will sort, count and deliver the socks to The Night Ministry. All donations must be received by November 1, 2018. For more information on The Night Ministry, please click on the title link or picture.

On September 8, 48 supporters of the Holy Family Food Pantry including Holy Family parishioners, St. Ignatius students, teachers, and friends walked in the 33rd Annual Hunger Walk in Jackson Park. By participating in the Walk, the Food Pantry raised $576. This amount is in addition to the $4,000 that has been raised to through online and on-site donations. Donations are still being accepted. Please click on the title link or picture to make a donation. Thanks to all for your support of the food pantry. A photo album from the walk can be found below.

After not being seen for almost 50 years, the beautiful stained glass window of St. John Nepomucene on the east side of the church is being restored. The restoration is being done by Daprato Rigali Studios of Chicago, the same company that did the Prodigal Son window this spring, and will take 4 to 6 months to complete. Thanks to a very generous family, approximately three quarters of the $48,000 cost has been pledged. Holy Family parishioners and friends are welcome to support this project by donating to help defer the remaining amount. Please click on the picture or title link to make a donation. The window, which symbolizes the seal of the confessional, depicts St. John Nepomucene before King Wenceslaus IV, with sword in hand, commanding St. John to tell him what the Queen has confessed. St. John refused to reveal the secret of the confessional and, as a result, was tortured and thrown into the river where he drowned. He is considered a patron saint of the Czech Republic. We look forward to having another piece of Holy Family history restored to its original splendor, and to the beauty that it brings to our liturgy every week.

Our Grouping Feedback & Discernment Team, along with leaders from Notre Dame de Chicago, The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompei, and the UIC Newman Center will meet for the next 3-4 months to discuss and prayerfully discern the ministerial and operational strengths and challenges of the parishes within this grouping. The team from Holy Family consists of Tim Barton/Amy Wood, Alison Conlon, Bob Johnson, Odell Gordon, and Saul Guzman. Eventually the team will provide feedback and information from the grouping for Archdiocesan leadership to review and recommend any potential changes to parish or school structures to Cardinal Cupich. Along the way, there will be opportunities for everyone in our own parish to learn about the details of those conversations, ask questions, and share their own points of view on the strengths and concerns of any potential changes. For more information on Renew my Church, visit our web page by clicking on the title link or picture.

RCIA sessions will begin on Wednesday, September 26th at 6:30 PM in the Conference Room of the Parish Center. If you or an adult you know (age 18+) is interested in the RCIA process or have questions, please visit our RCIA webpage by clicking on the picture or title link and contact Jim Bruton, Religious Education Coordinator, at jim@holyfamilychicago.org.

Registration for Religious Education for the upcoming school year will be held on August 19 & 26 immediately following the 9:45 Mass. The registration fee is $100. Please click on the title link or picture for more information.

Would you like to help Holy Family bring the message of Christ to its members each week? Joining the choir is one way you can help out and share your talents. Don’t be shy. Membership in the choir does not require previous choir experience or a superb singing voice. A good group of ordinary voices is all that is needed to sing praise to God and enhance the liturgy. Please consider whether this is one way you can help your church community, enjoy the liturgy more yourself, and make new friends. To join the choir, please click the title link or picture to sign up online. You may also call the parish office at 312.492.8442 to join or to get more information.

The Religious Education program is need of several teachers' aides for the upcoming year. The aides will be helping out on a rotating basis. Help touch young lives while advancing the faith. For more information or to volunteer please contact Jim Bruton at jim@holyfamilychicago.org or by calling 312.492.8442.

In September, our Grouping Feedback & Discernment Team will begin its series of conversations through early December. Along the way, there will also be parish sessions for all parishioners to learn more about the Renew My Church journey, stages, and implications for our parish. Dates and times of those parish sessions will be shared as soon as we have them scheduled. In the meantime, please pray for everyone as we form our Grouping Feedback & Discernment Team. May we all be open to where the Holy Spirit leads us in faith, hope and charity. For more information about the Grouping Feedback and Discernment Team, click on the title link or picture to visit our Renew My Church web page.

Thanks to all who contributed to this year's Annual Catholic Appeal. Because of you, we have exceeded our goal of $9,408.00.  Any amount above this will be returned to the parish to support our mission. Once again, thank you for your support. Please click on the title link or picture to see a thank you video from Cardinal Cupich.

The priests of the Little Italy grouping, Father Kevin (Notre Dame), Father Richard (Our Lady of Pompeii), Father Connor (UIC Newman Center) and Fr. Mike will be spending this coming Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at the Mundelein Retreat House preparing for the up coming Renew My Church process. After this meeting, Fr. Mike and the Holy Family staff will begin selecting our Discernment Team members. Please pray for us as we enter this time of preparation. As we move through this process, Fr. Mike and the staff will continue to share with the parish all the different parts of Renew My Church. Please click on the title link or picture to go to our Renew My Church page for videos and additional information from the archdiocese on the process.