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.

Children of Peace, our parish school, is having an Open House on Sunday, January 26, 2020, from Noon to 2:00 p.m. to kick off Catholic Schools Week. We are a diverse community of learners with students representing five continents and living within 40 zip codes throughout Chicago and the suburbs. We provide a challenging curriculum in an environment that is culturally sensitive and emotionally supportive. In addition to our traditional educational program for students from Pre-K to 8th grade, we have a Montessori class for students ages 3-6, and we are the only Catholic school in the state of Illinois to provide an education to students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Thank you to all who made the Children's Christmas Party on Saturday, December 21st a great success. Special gratitude goes to Jerrilyn Young and Virginia Clayton for organizing the event, to the dedicated team of volunteers who kept the event running smoothly, and to Santa and Mrs. Claus for traveling all the way from the North Pole to visit with the children. Thank you to everyone from the parish who generously donated toys for the party. Your donations ensured that children at the party and in other areas of the city were able to receive gifts at Christmas.Finally, tremendous thanks to St. Raymond School in Mount Prospect. St. Raymond School has generously donated toys for the party for years, but outdid themselves this year with a donation of nearly 600 toys! We were truly blessed by their kindness and care, and our gratitude is immeasurable.

Please help us bring the gift of dance and joy to our deaf and hearing impaired students at our parish’s elementary school, Children of Peace. Children of Peace School is the only Catholic school in the state of Illinois that provides an educational program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. We have partnered with the Joel Hall Dance Center to provide an exciting program for the students. Joel Hall established his dance school and professional dance company in the 1970s in Chicago. Mr. Hall is hard of hearing and decided he wanted to work with our school. We first met Joel Hall last year when his company provided two performances and two workshops for our students. Our students fell in love with him and he fell in love with our students, especially our deaf students. We are blessed to have this opportunity! Be a Magi for our children! Visit Magi’s Christmas Creche and take a “wish card”. We hope your gift will help us reach a $5,000 goal to pay for the program. Thank You!

The annual Cardinal's Christmas Concert was held on December 22 at Holy Family to a packed church. The concert featured Cardinal Blaise Cupich and The City Lights Orchestra conducted by Rich Daniels. Highlights included the Cardinal's reading of the Gospel Christmas Story According to Luke, Suzanne Palmer, Paddy Homan and Paul Marinaro's stunning vocals, as well as an old fashioned Christmas Sing-a-Long. The spirited music in such a beautiful setting left all attendees with a warm feeling in their hearts. Special thanks to Cardinal Cupich, Rich Daniels, the wonderful musicians of The City Lights Orchestra, and the Chicago Federation of Musicians, Local 10-208.

This is a busy time of year for everyone, but your help is greatly needed to prepare both worship sites for the Christmas Season. Please come help us decorate on one or more dates. Please click on the title link or picture for dates and times.