Queen of Angels Catholic Parish Chicago

Christmas 2011 / Navidad de 2011

SERVICE SCHEDULE FOR
LATE ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS 2011
All Services at Queen of Angels Church,
2330 W. Sunnyside, Chicago, IL 60625

Download and Print our 2011 Christmas Schedule
Baje e Imprima nuestro Horario de Navidad 2011

Catholics Come Home 2011

USING MEDIA TO EVANGELIZE
Evangelization has always been the mission of the Catholic Church. The call to evangelize first given to us by Christ required that we proclaim the word of God using every means of communication. In the Church today using the media has become indispensable in bringing the Gospel message into the world through the internet, radio and television.

Beginning December 16 and continuing through January 8 there will be an evangelization initiative reaching people across the nation, using advertisements that invite Catholic to come home.

Honor Mary this Advent

Please join us at Mass for the SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION of the Blessed Virgin Mary (a holy day of obligation) THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8 8:30 a.m. Mass in English (all-school Mass) 7 p.m. Bilingual Mass in English and Spanish Invitamos a la Santa Misa para la SOLEMNIDAD DE LA INMACULADA CONCEPCIÓN de la Santísima Virgen María (una fiesta de precepto) JUEVES, 8 DE DICIEMBRE 8:30 a.m. Misa en inglés (con estudiantes de la escuela) 7 p.m. Misa bilingüe en inglés y español

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
The Guadalupano Committee of would like to extend a cordial invitation to all to join in the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe beginning with the 7 p.m. Mass in Spanish on Monday, December 12. Join us after Mass when the celebration continues in the church basement with mariachi performers and food. There will also be a raffle drawing after the 12:30 Mass on Sunday, December 11. To volunteer or buy raffle tickets, please call 773-742-3439.

FIESTA GUADALUPANA
El Comité Guadalupano les hace una cordial invitación a la celebración de la Virgen de Guadalupe que se llevará acabo el lunes, 12 de Diciembre. Se iniciará a las 7 p.m. con la sagrada misa, y después bajaremos al sótano de la iglesia a seguir celebrando. Habrá mariachi y comida en la fiesta. La Rifa Guadalupana será después de la Misa de las 12:30 el domingo, 11 de diciembre. Si gusta ayudar, o para boletos de la rifa, llame al 773-742-3439.

“Tener Espacio Desierto”

“Having Desert Space”
BUILDING ON 100 YEARS OF CARING AND SHARING
On this second Sunday of Advent we meet two of the main characters of the Advent season, Isaiah and John the Baptist. Both are prophets, the first from the Old Testament and the second, John the Baptist, from the New Testament. He was the chief announcer or precursor of Jesus prior to his public ministry. John the Baptist had been singled out by God in assisting people of his day to prepare for the one who was to come, the Messiah.

We notice from the Gospel reading that he had some strong words for his followers if they wished to respond to his message, a message to change their ways. What he said in coming forth from the wilderness contained an invitation to listen, to repent, to seek forgiveness.

Holiday Treats, Trimmings and Trinkets

The holiday season brings several festive fundraisers to Queen of Angels. Support our parish ministries by shopping at the SPRED Holiday Nut Sale after weekend Masses, the Christmas Tree Sale in our parking lot, and a Stella and Dot Jewelry show on December 7 in the Voss Center. Our ongoing Shop with the Angels gift card program and online shopping through iGive.com are simple ways to send a percentage of your holiday purchases back to the church or school. Please support Queen of Angels by thinking of us when you're looking for holiday treats, trimmings and trinkets this year.

Announcements, Week of November 27, 2011

We are the clay, O Lord, and you are the potter

A BLESSING FOR YOUR ADVENT WREATH O God, by whose word all things are made holy, grant your blessing on this wreath and on our family who will pray around it. Father of All, may your Holy Spirit prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. May we receive abundant graces from you through Jesus our Lord. Amen.

SSVD REFLECTS... As we begin Advent we are called to “be watchful be alert” as we stand in joyful anticipation for the grace of Christmas to once again bless our lives. Your gift in the St. Vincent dePaul Poor Box will help the poor to celebrate the grace of God’s love this Christmas.

CELEBRATE JESÚS DEL GRAN PODER Each year, the Ecuadorian Community at Queen of Angels honors Jesus Christ as Jesús del Gran Poder. A celebration will be held after the 12:30 p.m. Mass Sunday, December 4 in the lower church. There will also be a raffle. It is not required to be present at the raffle drawing to win. Raffle tickets will be on sale after the 12:30 Mass until the week of the celebration. All proceeds will benefit the parish. For raffle ticket sales, contact Judy Vega at 773-398-7595. JESÚS DEL GRAN PODER Cada año, la comunidad Ecuatoriana de Reina de los Ángeles le da honor a Jesucristo como Jesús del Gran Poder. Una celebración se llevara acabo después de la misa de las 12:30 p.m. el domingo, 4 de diciembre en el sótano de la iglesia. También habrá una rifa. No es un requisito estar presente para ganar. Los boletos estaran en venta después de la misa de las 12:30 de la tarde cada domingo hasta el día de la celebración. Todos los ingresos beneficiaran la parroquia. Contacte a Judy Vega al 773-398-7595.

SHARE OUR AMERICAN FREEDOMS In 2010, a total of 619,913 people who came to this country as immigrants swore the oath of allegiance and became U.S. Citizens. Requirements in this process include multiple applications, interviews and tests, in order to ensure that naturalized citizens have familiarity with American government and history, a working knowledge of the English language and good moral character.
The road to citizenship can be long and difficult. At Queen of Angels, a ministry exists to help our brothers and sisters who have begun this process and are studying for the interviews and examinations. Help is needed to lead these classes, which are offered free of charge as a service to the community.
Volunteers must be patient, caring and able to keep up on current events and changes in immigration regulations. Internet access, teaching skills, or competence in a foreign language can be helpful but are not necessary. Most important is a love of the United States and the freedoms that we enjoy, including the freedom to adopt this country as one’s own. Training is available from Deacon Ben Nieves, who has taught the class for 14 years.
U.S. Citizenship Classes are held from 6:30 p.m.to 8 p.m. on Wednesday evenings at the Parish Center. For more information, to volunteer or sign up for the class, please call the parish office at 773-539-7510.

WILL YOU ASSIST THE LYMAN FUND? On the first Sunday of each month, the collection includes the monthly Lyman Scholarship Fund. The Lyman Scholarship Fund was established to help families in need of assistance in making a tuition payment. A growing number of families need assistance from the Lyman Fund. Use the green envelope provided in your envelope packet or place your donation in any envelope marked “Lyman Fund.” The next Lyman collection will be the weekend of December 3-4 but donations are accepted at any time. Helping a family in need continues the mission of our church. Thank you.

LABELS FOR EDUCATION The Labels for Education program is a great way to earn FREE merchandise for Queen of Angels School. Label collection and redemption is very easy. Save labels from eligible Campbell products and send them to the school. Ask friends and family to collect labels on behalf of our school! Visit www.labelsforeducation.ca for a complete listing of eligible products. Drop off labels at the school office, in the collection basket during Mass or at the back of church. Thank you for your support. Contact Mrs. Ami Allen at aallen@queenofangelschicago.org for more information.

VEHICLE DONATION PROGRAM The Society of St Vincent DePaul’s Wheels for the Needy program welcomes donations of cars, trucks, vans, boats — any vehicle that runs! The Society sells your vehicle at auction and proceeds are used to support those in need. A portion of the proceeds goes directly to the Queen of Angels Conference for the poor in our community. To donate, call Elvia Rojas at 312-655-7182.

EXPOSICIÓN DEL SANTÍSIMO La iglesia estará abierta los viernes desde las 9:30 a.m. hasta las 5 p.m. Entre por la puerta que se halla sobre la Claremont, suba las escaleras y vire hacia la izquierda. Suba cinco escalones más y pase por la sacristía y detrás del altar. Allí entrará a la capilla de Veneración, donde el Santísimo estará expuesto. Pare en la capilla para pasar un rato con el Señor en oración. Traiga su Biblia, rosario, libros y sus pensamientos. Si usted lo desea, inscríbase para una hora de oración cada viernes. Llame al 773-539-3176.

MEN’S CLUB THURSDAY HOOPS Men of the parish are invited to the weekly session of Men’s Club Hoops at 9 p.m. Thursdays in the Guild Hall Gym. Join a bunch of 20-, 30-, 40– and 50-year-olds to run up and down the court and sometimes make a basket. Concessions follow the games. Donation is $10 plus an annual Men’s Club membership of $20. A liability waiver must be signed. Men’s Club also sponsors an “old-timers” game for folks over 35. Men’s Club meets at 8 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month in the Voss Center. Join us for pizza and beer. There is a $5 donation per meeting. Other Men’s Club events include Family Gym Nights, an annual Golf Outing, and a Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament. The Men’s Club supports high school scholarships and other parish and school needs.

HOSTS NEEDED The Parish Social following the 9:30 a.m. Mass needs people willing to help host these gatherings. Would you care for some coffee, some juice or a donut? If you attend the Parish Social on Sundays, you know you’re at the right place. Gather outside or in the Lower Church and engage in conversation while having a light snack. Are you able to bring baked goods or fruit on any given Sunday? If so, please call the Parish Center and leave your name and phone number. Beverages will be provided. Contact Walter Rucker, walt501@juno.com, or call the Parish Center at 773-539-7510.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
December 4 — Lyman Scholarship (with regular collection)
December 4 — Religious Retirement
December 8 — Immaculate Conception
December 11 - Christmas Flowers
December 18 — Sharing: Maternity BVM (with regular collection)
December 25 — Christmas
January 1 — Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
January 1 — Lyman Scholarship (with regular collection)

Exploring the Mass Texts, Part III: The Sign of Peace

At the 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday, November 26, Queen of Angels Parish will begin using new texts for Masses in English. The following is the third part in an ongoing series looking at the changed words we can expect to hear and pray at Mass.

What is the Communion Rite?
After the bread and wine have been consecrated to become the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharistic Prayer, the people of God are called to share in this tremendous gift during the Communion Rite. The Our Father, the prayer that unites all Christians, expresses our desire for unity as members of the body of Christ. The Sign of Peace, often expressed as handshake, hug, kiss or wave of the hand, is a sign of reconciliation and communion between members of the community. The priest breaks the bread in the Fraction Rite as preparation for giving it to the people as Jesus gave bread to the Apostles at the Last Supper. Then the people are invited to Communion, an impossibly perfect gift of which they declare their unworthiness but one which is offered to them anyway. In solemn procession, the assembly comes to the table of the Lord to receive the gift of Christ's own flesh and blood, given freely for the life of the world.

Exploring the Mass Texts, Part II: The Creed

At the 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday, November 26, Queen of Angels Parish will begin using new texts for Masses in English. The following is the second part in an ongoing series looking at the changed words we can expect to hear and pray at Mass.

What is the Liturgy of the Word?

In the Liturgy of the Word, as the General Instruction of the Roman Missal states, “When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his word, proclaims the Gospel” (GIRM, 29). Let us look at the structure of the Liturgy of the Word.

The Liturgy of the Word begins with the First Reading. Typically, this reading is from the Old Testament; during Easter Time, the reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. A period of silence after the reading allows for people to reflect upon the word they just heard proclaimed. In many parishes in the United States of America, the Psalm is sung. Psalms reflect a vast array of emotions as we hear lament, thanksgiving, praise, and petition. These words help us to express our own varied expressions of faith.

The Second Reading is usually an epistle, that is, a letter from the New Testament. Again, a brief period of silence takes place after the Second Reading. During the Gospel procession, “Alleluia” is sung, or during Lent, an acclamation such as “Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ!” In many parishes, the Book of the Gospels is accompanied with candles and, on solemn occasions, with incense. This leads to the highlight of the Liturgy of the Word: the proclamation of the Gospel. Most Sundays, these words are the words of Jesus as recorded in the accounts of the Gospel.

The homily should connect the readings to the lives of the assembly. In describing the homily, the GIRM states that it “is necessary for the nurturing of the Christian life. It should be an explanation of some aspect of the readings from Sacred Scripture or of another text from the Ordinary or from the Proper of the Mass of the day and should take into account both the mystery being celebrated and the particular needs of the listeners” (GIRM, 65). The homily juxtaposes the experiences of the people in the assembly with the texts of the liturgy. The texts may be a prayer that speaks to the needs of the assembly at that time, or a part of the Eucharistic Prayer, or the psalm that speaks to people. God’s words comfort and challenge us. Perhaps, with that in mind, the prayer may challenge us to an aspect of God’s compassion or mercy that will stir us to God’s mission.

— Kristopher W. Seaman

Exploring the Mass Texts, Part I: The Introductory Rites

At the 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday, November 26, Queen of Angels Parish will begin using new texts for Masses in English. The following is the first part in an ongoing series looking at the changed words we can expect to hear and pray at Mass.

What are the Introductory Rites?
The Introductory Rites of the Eucharistic Liturgy draw us into the Mass. The Sign of the Cross, marked on our bodies, identifies us as disciples who were baptized into the Triune god; “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Through the greeting, “The Lord be with you. / And with your spirit,” we pray for each other and ask for God’s presence in our midst. Then we acknowledge our dependence on our gracious and merciful God by asking our Lord to have mercy: Kyrie, eleison. Christ liberates us from sin and death so that we may be reborn into his life of grace, mercy and love. Our only response to God’s kindness, compassion and mercy is praise, as we sing, “Glory to God in the highest....” The Collect, or Opening Prayer, unites—or “collects”— the personal prayers spoken in each of our hearts and minds into a prayer connected to the feast and the liturgical time.

— Corinna Laughlin and Kristopher W. Seaman

The Revised Roman Missal

A “missal,” from the Latin word for “Mass,” is a book that contains the text (words) and rubrics (directions) for the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy. On Thanksgiving Weekend, the First Sunday of Advent, the Catholic Church in the United States will begin using the Revised Roman Missal with fresh texts for the Mass in English. This new translation has been many years in the making. It will more closely follow the words already in use for Mass in many different parts of the world, bringing us closer in union with the worldwide Church.

At Queen of Angels, there will be lots of help as we make this transition together. Please click the "Understanding the Revised Mass Texts" image in the sidebar or see the items below for some thoughts on the Mass and particular changes, a series which will appear each week in “The Guide” and here on our website.

• The Introductory Rites
• The Creed
• The Eucharistic Prayer and Acclamations (coming soon!)
• The Sign of Peace
• The Closing Rites (coming soon!)