YOU MADE IT HAPPEN! Thanks to the generosity of Queen of Angels parishioners, our 2010 Christmas collection reached $36,163.55. This total symbolizes the efforts and sacrifice of many people in these turbulent economic times. Thank you for remembering the work of the church and helping to meet the needs of its ongoing ministries. God bless you.
BAPTISM
Isabella Villegas, child of Guillermina and Adolfo
HELP KEEP FEET TOASTY WARM Queen of Angels School second graders are collecting new pairs of socks for the needy. Will you help? We invite you to bring in pairs of socks for the homeless. All kinds of socks are appreciated, but because most of the homeless in Chicago are men, men’s socks are especially needed. Socks will be collected through Friday, February 11.
ALL ARE WELCOME Are you new to our parish community? Welcome! Have you recently moved? May God bless your new home! Please visit or contact the parish office at 773-539-7510 to register or adjust your existing registration. Thank you!
2010 DONATION STATEMENTS If you are preparing your 2010 Income Taxes and would like to receive a statement of your tax-deductible gifts to Queen of Angels in 2010, please contact the parish office at 773-539-7510 or parish@queenofangelschicago.org. We appreciate your help in caring for God’s creation and preserving our parish’s resources by requesting a paperless e-statement that can be sent to your e-mail account, or statements may be mailed to your street address. Thank you for your support of our parish community!
TIME FOR VALENTINE’S DAY DANCE
The annual Valentine’s Day Dance sponsored by Commons will be 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday, February 12 in the Guild Hall. If you are attending, send your name and the number of people in your party to Alison Estrada in care of the school office. A $5 donation per family is also requested. If you are willing to help, people are needed to bring a dish to share at the dance or to volunteer to help organize the event. We look forward to an evening of prizes, a cake walk and more! |
FROM THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL In the Gospel today, when Jesus says, “You are the light of the world,” he is calling us to live our Christian vocation in words and deeds. Be a “light” to those living in poverty and in a world of darkness by giving a donation to the Society of St. Vincent dePaul.
2011-2012 SCHOOL REGISTRATION Registration for the 2011-2012 school year has begun at Queen of Angels School. The Enrollment Form is due at school by April 1 to qualify for the $170 registration fee. After April 1, the registration amount is raised to $230.
MEN’S CLUB HOOPS ON THURSDAYS 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. Donation is $10 weekly plus an annual Men’s Club membership of $15. Join a bunch of 30-, 40-, 50- and 60-year-olds trying to make it up and down the court for a couple hours each week. A liability waiver must be signed. Concessions are served immediately after the grueling play, along with lively discussions around our 62” HDTV! Men’s Club also meets on the second Thursday of each month at 8 p.m. in the Voss Center. Join us for pizza and beer. There is a $5 donation per meeting. Men’s Club Hoops follows each meeting. Men’s Club events include the Fall Golf Outing, Family Gym Nights, high school scholarship funding, gym improvements and upcoming Membership Dinner.
2011 ARCHDIOCESAN ANNUAL CATHOLIC APPEAL BEGINS
Please respond generously to Cardinal George’s Letter
The theme of the 2011 Annual Catholic Appeal is “… seek first the kingdom of God…” (Matthew 6:33). Jesus taught that we are not to worry about the things of this world. Rather, we are to seek the kingdom of God and the Father will reward us. God provides all that we have and all that we are. Stewardship, in part, is the recognition of God’s gifts and the obligation to return a significant portion of our gifts to assist in his work. Our gifts to our parish, to our Archdiocese and the Church throughout the world are given in gratitude for what God has given to us. A gift to the Annual Catholic Appeal helps to provide education, services, and ministry to thousands within and outside of our Archdiocese.
The Appeal supports parish ministries that provide religious education to children, youth and adults in economically disadvantaged communities. It is one of the largest philanthropic sources of financial support for Catholic schools in the Archdiocese. The Appeal funds services that are of great help to the ministries here at Queen of Angels.
Also, when our parish reaches its goal in paid pledges, 100 percent of the additional funds received will be returned to us for use in our parish. Please prayerfully consider a pledge to the 2011 Annual Catholic Appeal.
TARGET JOINS SWTA LINE UP Target has joined the list of gift certificates available through Shop With the Angels! Stop by the SWTA table before or after the 8 and 9:30 Masses on Sunday or call the Parish Center. You choose whether your profits go to the parish, the Lyman Scholarship Fund or towards a specific school tuition account. Stop by and order from a growing variety of retail gift cards.
SATURDAY ROSARY Looking to take some time for prayer in your Saturdays? Join us to pray the Rosary after each 9 a.m. Saturday Mass. To volunteer to lead prayers, contact Joann at 773-583-1371.
JOIN US FOR EUCHARISTIC ADORATION ON FRIDAYS Every Friday, the Blessed Sacrament is placed out for veneration and prayer from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. To reach the Adoration Chapel, enter the church through the Claremont door, walk up the stairs, turn to the left and then to the left again. Walk down the passage behind the altar and enter the former baptistery where the Eucharist is exposed for veneration. Help us keep vigil with the Lord by making some time on Fridays for these beautiful moments of prayer. This is a wonderful way to feel closer to God. Visitors are asked to register in the sign-in book in the chapel when attending Adoration.
INTENCIONES DE MISAS Para pedir una intención especial para una misa en inglés o español, por favor visite el Centro Parroquial. La donación sugerida es de $10 por misa. Llame al 773-539-3176.
ONE DIME AT A TIME Did you know that each Box Tops coupon is worth a dime to Queen of Angels students? Last spring, our school earned more than $400 for our school library and classrooms through this program. Please clip Box Tops coupons from hundreds of products from Cheerios®, Betty Crocker®, Pillsbury®, Ziploc®, Kleenex®, Juicy Juice® and more. Drop off your coupons in the boxes outside the school office or at the back of church. Contact Mrs. Allen at aallen@queenofangelschicago.org or Mrs. Diaz at gdiaz@queenofangelschicago.org.
ANSWER THE CALL In today’s gospel, Jesus calls us to be “salt and light.” May we respond wholeheartedly to His invitation to transform and enliven the world in which we live. For information about the priesthood, contact Fr. Brian Welter at bwelter@archchicago.org or call 312-534-8298. For information about the religious life, contact Sr. Elyse Ramirez, OP at eramirez@archchicago.org or call 312-534-5240. For more information, visit the website www.ChicagoPriest.com.
JOIN * TRAIN * RUN * HELP Catholic Charities is teaming with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and your help is needed. Run or recruit a runner for Team Catholic Charities, sponsor Team Catholic Charities or join the committee. Funds raised will benefit the Catholic Charities Neighbors in Need fund. To get involved, contact Ashley Owen at 312-655-7912 or aowen@catholiccharities.net or visit www.catholiccharities.net/chicagomarathon. Registration for the Chicago Marathon is expected to reach capacity within weeks. Contact Catholic Charities as soon as possible to secure your space.
MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKENDS “You are the light of the world…” (today’s gospel, Mt 5:14). Increase the light in your marriage by joining with your spouse in a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. The next weekends for Chicago/Northwest Indiana are March 4-6, June 24-26 and September 9-11. Early registration is highly recommended. For reservations or information, call Kris and Jim at 800-442-3554 or check out www.wwmechicago-gary.org.
CHOOSING TO BE CATHOLIC Charis Ministries, a Jesuit ministry for those in their 20s and 30s, will present Choosing to Be Catholic in a day-long retreat Saturday, March 12 at the Sheridan Shore Yacht Club, Wilmette. When it comes to faith, we have a choice. Why do you choose to be Catholic? Join other young adults to reflect on your Catholic faith and how it fits into everyday life. Visit www.charisministries.org for details and to register. Scholarships and payment plans available.
NOTRE DAME LAFF-FEST Notre Dame College Prep will present Valentine’s Laff-Fest 2011 on Saturday, February 12 at 7655 W. Dempster, Niles. The event will feature five of Chicago’s rising stars of comedy. General admission tickets are $25 for the 21+ show at 9:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Summer Immersion Trips to New Orleans, Louisiana and Harlan, Kentucky. For tickets or more information, visit www.nddons.org or call 847-779-8644.
HEART TO HEART FUNDRAISER The Heart to Heart Fundraiser to benefit the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods will be from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, February 13 at the White Eagle Banquets and Restaurants, 6839 N. Milwaukee Ave., Niles. Tickets are $75 and include dinner St. Mother Theodore Guerin performance by sister Susan Paweski and a silent auction. The Sisters of Providence, a Congregation of nearly 400 women, have their motherhouse at St. Mary-of-the-Woods in Terre Haute, Indiana. The Sisters minister in 19 states, the District of Colombia, Taiwan and China. For reservations, contact Sister Susan Paweski at 773-463-2478 or at spaweski@spsmw.org.
CHOCOLATE BALL CELEBRATION The Chocolate Ball Carnevale Celebration will be from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, March 5 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii, 1220 W. Lexington. Music, dancing, costumes, wine, chocolate, desserts and a silent auction are planned for the event. Tickets are $20. For tickets or more information, call 708-361-5411. Proceeds will benefit the Shrine.
HOPE, RESPONSIBILITY, TRUST The Church as a community of faith necessarily connects us with our spiritual destiny, our future in God. We long for future fulfillment and so we pray, as Jesus taught us, “thy kingdom come.” We pray the Eucharist, and Saint Paul tells us: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). And with Paul we anticipate the great things that God will bring about: “…creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God” (Romans 8:19).
In a world with few signs of genuine, deep-rooted hope, we as Jesus’ disciples lean into the future. We find hope in God’s promise, which has already begun to take hold of this world in Jesus Christ. This hope, however, is not wishful thinking, because believers take responsibility for collaborating and cooperating with God in making a way for the coming of God’s kingdom. In the end, our fundamental connection with the future is trust and surrender into God.
When others desperately cling to possessions and their very own lives in an attempt to survive into the future, believers are free to let go of all things and surrender themselves into the hands of God. Their connection to this world, to their lives, to whatever they hold dear—all this does not bind them. The great community of faith connects us with a promised and assured future, and so we find our freedom to love and to trust God. Ours is a blessed assurance concerning the future: “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
People of faith connect with the future not in fear and trepidation but full of hope, in genuine responsibility, and in loving trust.
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
February 6 — Lyman Scholarship (with regular collection)
February 21—Sharing BVM (with regular collection)
ANNUAL CATHOLIC APPEAL: “LOVE NEVER FAILS!”
