This Sunday, December 31, in honor of the Feast of the Holy Family, tiny fragments from the manger that held the infant Jesus, the veil of his mother, Mary, and a thread from the cloak of St. Joseph will be displayed and venerated. The fragments, which were brought to the Vatican in the 5th century, were released by the Vatican in 1972, and were a gift to Holy Family from our neighbors, the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii. These tiny fragments will be on display in a crystal reliquary in the church. To accommodate visitors, the church will be open all day beginning with Mass at 9:45 AM and concluding after the 5:00 PM Mass.

Feast of the Holy Family - December 31, 2017 +Blessings and Veneration with the Relics of the Holy Family - 9:45 AM & 5:00 PM

Dear Fr. Mike and Mr. Barry – Just a note to let you both know how very appreciative I am that you took the time to talk and show us around when my father, Joseph Dillenburg, and my brother, Joe Dillenburg, and I visited Holy Family Church a week ago, Sunday. My great, great grandfather, Johann Dillenburg, died in Chicago in 1887, so there has not been a family member alive during my lifetime that met him. However, from his writings and the family stories handed down to my grandfather and father, we feel like we know quite a bit about him, and the work he did in Chicago, especially, after he came to the U.S. I know Johann was very interested in the church, and he wrote that great buildings should both serve and reflect the ideals of the builder and the congregation, and that a great place of worship should be built to last for many lifetimes. I am sure he must have been very proud of Holy Family Church when it was completed, but we were even more impressed with the warmth and spirit of God’s love that we saw and experienced during mass in this great parish. Obviously, your congregation is a very special group of people and we were so appreciative of the warm welcome we received during our visit. I wish you a Happy Christmas and a wonderful 2018, as you complete this beautiful anniversary of the beginnings of your amazing parish family. Thank you again for your warm welcome. Peggy Dillenburg

Sadly, Holy Family Church was the victim of vandals last week. Sometime during the night, the person or persons broke through the beautiful stained glass window of the Prodigal Son over the doorway to the Parish Center that dates back to the 1860's. The vandals then proceeded to ransack the church but, thankfully, nothing else appears to have been stolen. At this time, options for repairing the window are being investigated. Parish members and friends are asked to help keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary, and to please notify the police if you notice any suspicious activity as you pass by the church. Please click title for local news stories.

Once again, the Holy Family faith community has helped make Christmas a little brighter for kids in the Austin neighborhood through the many gifts provided by parishioners to the Giving Tree. Thanks to all who participated in this year's program, and special thanks for Marilyn Reidy for again coordinating this special event.

The annual Cardinal's Christmas Concert was held on December 10, 2017 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 and Paddy Homan'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, and the wonderful musicians of The City Lights Orchestra.

Thanks to all who donated over 800 pairs of socks for The Night Ministry. Your kind donation will help the homeless, both adults and children, on the streets of Chicago this holiday season and throughout the winter.

Special thanks to all our Food Pantry volunteers for their work before Thanksgiving in distributing close to 500 turkeys to needy families. Because of their dedicated service, many more families were able to enjoy the holiday with a delicious meal. Thanks, Volunteers!