"Acquire inward peace and a multitude around you will find their salvation"
— St. Seraphim
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CELEBRATION The Guadalupano Committee of Queen of Angels extends a cordial invitation to everyone 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. To volunteer, call 773-742-3439.
VENGAN A CELEBRAR LA FIESTA GUADALUPANA MAÑANA 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. Si gusta ayudar, llame al 773-742-3439.
ReNEWal of inspiration, kindness, spirit, faith, friendship, honesty and support: 1,000 Word Project, a Queen of Angels community event NEW in 2012. Interested? Watch future issues of The Guide.
DATES TO REMEMBER THIS SEASON
-- Early deadlines for upcoming issues of The Guide:
---- December 18 issue: 10 a.m. Monday, December 12
---- December 25 issue: 10 a.m. Tuesday, December 13
---- January 1, 2012 issue: 10 a.m. Thursday, December 22
-- School Closes, 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, December 20
-- Advent Reconciliation: 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, December 22
-- Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24:
---- 12 noon Parish Center closes
---- 5 p.m. Family Mass
---- 12 midnight Midnight Mass
---- Masses preceded by carols
-- Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25: no 8 or 9:30 a.m. Masses
---- 9 & 11 a.m. Masses in English
---- 12:30 p.m. Mass in Spanish
-- Parish Center offices: closed Monday, December 26; re-open 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 27. Also closed Friday, December 30 and Saturday, December 31; re-open 8:30 a.m. Monday, January 2.
-- Mary, Mother of God, New Year’s Eve, December 31 and New Year’s Day, January 1: usual weekend Mass schedule
-- School Re-opens: 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 4
SSVD REFLECTS... In today’s Gospel John the Baptist says, “I am the voice of one crying in the desert; make straight the way of the Lord.” As we prepare for Christmas let us ask for the grace to help others to know the love of the Lord. Christmas is a time of love and gift-giving. Please share your abundance by giving a gift to the Society of St. Vincent dePaul so that those who do not have clothes and food can share in the blessings of Christmas. Donations marked “St. Vincent de Paul” can be placed in the collection basket or in the Poor Box.
HOPE: AN IMMIGRANT STORY
“I was a stranger and you welcomed me...” (Matt 25:35)
Maria is a mother of four young children: ages 6, 4, 2 and an infant. While she was still pregnant with the infant, her husband, and father of her children, left on a Monday morning to work in the fields of Michigan. He never returned home that Friday. He had been detained for a very minor traffic offense. Despite his hard work, being in the United States for nine years and having four young children born in the U.S., he was deported before Maria could even locate him. Maria had no source of income, nowhere to turn, and so she turned to the Church.
Pastoral Migratoria provided assistance to pay rent and other necessary expenses. Also with the assistance of one of the priests at the church, they were able to find a place for her children at the parish school.
How could we accompany this family? Action: Join us at 7 a.m. Friday, December 16 at 101 W. Congress for the Posada Pilgrimage. For more information, contact Elena Segura in the Office for Immigrant Affairs and Immigration Education, 3525 S. Lake Park Ave., Chicago IL 60653 at esegura@archchicago.org or 312-534-5333.
ESPERANZA: UNA HISTORIA MIGRANTE
“Fuí forastero y ustedes me recibieron...” (Mateo 25:35)
María es una madre de cuatro hijos pequeños con edades de 6, 4 y 2 años y un bebe recién nacido. Mientras aún se encontraba embarazada con el hijo (ahora recién nacido), su esposo, el padre de sus hijos, se fue por la mañana de un lunes a trabajar en los campos de Michigan. Él nunca volvió a casa aquel viernes. Fue detenido por una infracción menor de tránsito. A pesar de su arduo trabajo, el haber estado en Estados Unidos por 9 años y con 4 hijos, pequeños nacidos en EE. UU., lo deportaron antes de que María lo pudiera localizar. María carecía de una fuente de ingresos y no tenía a dónde acudir y por lo tanto se fue a la Iglesia.
La Pastoral Migratoria le ayudó a pagar el alquiler y otros gastos necesarios. También con la ayuda de uno de los párrocos de la Iglesia, sus niños se matricularon en la escuela parroquial.
¿Como podemos acompañar a esta familia? Acción: Acompáñanos este viernes, 16 de diciembre a las 7 a.m. en el 101 W. Congress para la Posada de Solidaridad Migrante. Para más información, contacte a Elena Segura en la Oficina para Asuntos de Inmigrantes y Educación sobre Inmigración, 3525 S. Lake Park Ave., Chicago Illinois 60653, al esegura@archchicago.org o al 312-534-5333.
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.
DO YOU KNOW A VETERAN? Volunteers of America can assist veterans through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program, including housing counseling; transportation and daily living services, financial planning and temporary financial aid. Please contact John Fahey at Volunteers of America at 312-564-2334.
EXPLORING PRIESTHOOD WEEKEND “Make straight the way of the Lord.” In today’s Gospel John urges us to recognize the God that walks with us and calls us to serve him. How are you called to serve the Lord? Men of college-age and older are invited to an Exploring Priesthood Weekend (EPW) retreat to learn about, reflect on, and discuss with seminarians and priests the possibilities of diocesan priesthood in Chicago. The next EPW is January 13-15. To register contact Father Brian Welter at 312-534-8298 or bwelter@archchicago.org. See www.ChicagoPriest for more details.
MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER DATES SET “I am the voice of one crying in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord” (today’s Gospel). Are we taking time to put the way of the Lord in our marriage? Take some well-deserved time for just the two of you to deepen your communication, strengthen your relationship, rekindle your romance and renew your sacrament by attending the next Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends for the Chicago/Northwest Indiana area on January 27-29, March 2-4 or June 8-10. Early registration is highly recommended. Visit www.wwmechicago-gary.org for reservations or more information, or contact Jim and Kris at 800-442-3554.
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
December 11 — Christmas Flowers
December 18 — Sharing: BVM (with regular collection)
December 25 — Christmas
January 1 — Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
“For I was hungry and you gave me food.” — Matthew 25:35
