Let us pray in thanksgiving for the life of Fr. Charles W. Niehaus, SJ, who died on January 10, 2021, at Colombiere Center Jesuit Community in Clarkston, Michigan. He was 75 years old. May he rest in peace. Christ was the center of Chuck’s life and the motivation for all his thoughts and actions. He saw Christ in the Hispanic people with whom he lived and worked. He was prayerful, generous, and devoted to his friends (i.e. everyone he met). Chuck loved his parishioners and could be obstinate when helping them; he would not “give up” until he had accomplished his goal. “Fr. Carlos” was much loved by the people of St. Procopius. They appreciated how hard he worked for them and easily saw how his love was expressed in his tireless work for them. Click the title link or picture for complete story.

The Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Chicago invite you to join us on Cemetery Sunday for a safely-distanced outdoor Rosary and Prayer Service to honor your loved ones at select cemeteries. This will be a drive-in style service. Seating will NOT be provided. Please click the title link or picture for a list of cemeteries and the most recent updates or any additional information. When you arrive, follow the signs and you will be directed where to go.

The Church of the Holy Family is delighted to welcome Open House Chicago visitors and friends to one of the most beloved and beautiful churches in the city. Open House Chicago is back with a reimagined event for 2020. The architecture festival, hosted by the Chicago Architecture Center, will now span 10 days and more than 20 of Chicago’s unique neighborhoods. This year’s event includes both online and outdoor events that showcase the fascinating history, architecture, and culture of the city’s diverse neighborhoods. To assist you in your visit to The Church of the Holy Family, please click the title link or picture for an informative brochure containing important architectural highlights and history of this amazing church. 

To mark the 149th  anniversary of the Great Fire of 1871, WTTW premiered THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE, a one-hour Chicago Series special to tell the dramatic story of this defining and prescient moment in Chicago history–when Chicagoans faced destruction, rebuilt, and prepared the city for a thriving future.   The Church of the Holy Family and St. Ignatius College are featured among eleven buildings that survived the Fire. Holy Family’s 1871 parishioner, Catherine O’Leary, is prominently portrayed in the production.   THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE, a Chicago Stories special, brings to life this seismic event, with vivid animations, elaborate re-creations, and interviews with descendants of eye witnesses and noted historians, including Ellen Skerrett, who has researched and written about Holy Family and St. Ignatius College for decades. The film and companion website will provide inspiration and a reminder that Chicago can face adversity and become stronger–a lesson we can learn from our past, as we look to our future. Please click on the picture or title link to visit the companion site featuring 11 buildings that have survived the Fire.

The Ignatian Volunteer Corps® (IVC) connects prospective volunteers with not-for-partners throughout the city of Chicago and its suburbs. They are part of a national organization with over 600 volunteers in 20 regions. Chicago is the largest region with 60 members serving over 30 different organizations including Kolbe House, Cristo Rey schools, Catholic Charities, Habitat for Humanity and Howard Area Community Center among others.   While members continue to live with their families, IVC supports them with monthly meetings providing speakers, community discussion, and Mass.  In addition, each volunteer meets with a spiritual reflector once/month to provide a companion on the journey of service and finding God in all things.  Each year the community participates in a two-day retreat.   As IVC begins their service year in September, we keep all members (both volunteers and staff) in our prayers for a successful year ahead.  To learn more about IVC in the Chicagoland area, contact Jacqueline Fitzgerald via email at jfitzgerald@ivcusa.org and click on the title link or picture. 

According to Fr. Peter, the process we will follow to name our newly created parish is pretty straight forward. Our parish staff will collect and organize all suggestions received in writing through our parish email or via the USPS. The current COVID 19 shelter-in-place order doesn't allow for us to gather in a "Town Hall" like setting. During the next four weeks, the parish will post updates and developments on our website and announce the method on how we will vote on our choices, which will be submitted to Cardinal Cupich for the final decision. Please click on the title link or picture to suggest a name.

Governor JB Pritzker’s extension of the mandatory stay-at-home order through May 30, while difficult, is a necessary step in protecting the common good and wellbeing of all in Illinois.  Yet, we share the aspirations of many that we will soon be able to gather for worship and parish life...Please click the title link or picture to see the entire letter

Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, mandated the suspension until further notice of all liturgical services effective Saturday evening with the regularly scheduled weekend services. Please click on the title link or picture to read the statement from the archdiocese.

Don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour this Sunday. The 10:00 AM Mass will be held at Holy Family

The trademark Holy Family/Notre Dame sign of peace will be put on hold as a safety measure for the coronavirus. In addition, the following procedures will be followed until further notice - 1) Refrain from distribution of Holy Communion to the faithful via the chalice (please consider options for any parishioners with celiac disease or sensitivity) 2)Given the frequency of direct contact with saliva in the distribution of Holy Communion on the tongue, every consideration should be given by each individual to receive Holy Communion reverently in open hands for the time being. 3) Refrain from holding hands during the Lord’s Prayer. 4)Refrain from using Holy Water fonts. To see the complete statement from the Archdiocese, please click on the title link or picture.

After consulting with parish leaders, Fr. Peter has shared his plan for tranistioning all Sunday Masses to Notre Dame de Chicago in order to comply with Cardinal Cupich's decree. The alternating schedules of the 10am Eucharist adopted the first week of Advent 2019 will continue until Palm Sunday, April 5, 2020. Holy Thursday’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper will be celebrated at the Holy Family site. After mass, we will process to the Notre Dame de Chicago site with the Blessed Sacrament where our Lord will be placed in solemn repose. Good Friday and the Lord’s Passion along with the Easter Vigil will be celebrated at the Notre Dame de Chicago site. Easter Sunday There will be two (2) Eucharistic celebrations on Easter Sunday. Both will happen in the mid-morning hours: 9:00 AM at the Holy Family site and 11:00 AM at the Notre Dame de Chicago site.  There will be no evening Mass on Easter Sunday.

Beginning April 19, 2020, the Second Sunday of Easter, the parish will follow a new Sunday Mass schedule with all weekend Masses at Notre Dame de Chicago.  This schedule will keep the parish in compliance with Cardinal Cupich's decree. Please click on the title link or picture for schedule.  

Historian and parishioner, Ellen Skerrett, has been featured in the latest edition of archdiocese's newspaper, Chicago Catholic. The story, by Michelle Martin, shares Ellen's journey writing the history of St. Ignatius College Prep as the school celebrates its 150th anniversary. In doing research for the book, Ellen said, "I began to see how engaged the school has been with the larger city.” To read the entire story, please click on the title link or picture.

Thanks to Holy Family's own noted historian and author, Ellen Skerrett, we have the history of St. Joseph's Mission. Please click on the title link or picture to read this chapter of Holy Family's past and the impact it has had on our future. Celebrate Black History Month!

During Lent our community will participate in CRS Rice Bowl, a faith-in-action program that invites us to reflect on the challenges of global hunger— and our responsibility to respond to the needs of our global human family. We will be reminded through the Gospel story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 that if we commit to sharing what we have with those in need, trusting in God's abundance, there is more than enough to feed everyone. Through our Lenten prayers, fasting and almsgiving, we can respond to the call to ensure that all our brothers and sisters are fed good, nutritious food that gives them what they need to fulfill their Godgiven potential. For more information, please click on the title link or picture.

Andrew Larry Sorcee, a parishioner of Notre Dame de Chicago, is scheduled to be ordained to the Order of Deacon on May 9, 2020 at Holy Name Cathedral by Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago. This is a public announcement of the upcoming ordination and fulfills the canonical requirement. Catholics are obliged to reveal any concerns, impediments or circumstances that could prevent name of candidate from receiving Sacred Orders and should contact the pastor or the Cardinal with such information as soon as possible if there is a serious question about the candidate’s suitability for ordained ministry.

An excellent Catholic school education is within your family’s reach. Click on the title link or picture to learn more about scholarships and grants.

The parish and friends of Holy Family wish former pastor, Fr. Mike Gabriel, a speedy recovery after surgery earlier this week. Please continue to keep him in your prayers.

We had a very productive meeting earlier in the month to discuss the future of the Food Pantry Ministry at Holy Family-Notre Dame Parish. As we look to the future, and the ways that Holy Family-Notre Dame is committed to the Corporal Works of Mercy, it is clear that feeding our brothers and sisters in need continues to be a priority. The Food Pantry will move to the Notre Dame de Chicago site. Collaboration will happen with the Franciscan Outreach Ministry and we will continue to look for ways to grow in our service to the community. We need your help in order to make this happen! If you are interested in volunteering with the Food Pantry ministry, please contact Victoria (vdbusiness@gmail.com) or Chef Dan (dkopanke@hotmail.com).

Where are we at in the Renew My Church process right now? Right now, we are in the Operations Transition phase of RMC (and we will be through June). We are creating a foundation, both with resources and a long-term vision, to support vitality in our newly united parish. We are analyzing how our financial structures are set up, what our facilities are being used for, and how our staff and volunteer time is focused. Our goal is to ensure that all our resources are working towards evangelization, to bringing people to Jesus. The way that the communities from both the Holy Family site and the Notre Dame site came together to pray during Advent and Christmas reveals the hospitality and evangelization that we want all our resources to continue to work towards. Do you have Renew My Church or operational questions? Feel free to send me an email! spelrine@archchicago.org.