May
The fifth month of the year always seems to usher in spring to the fullest. Even here in Chicago, May can have some cold days, but mostly in this part of the world, we see flowers bloom, and trees become green with leaves, and life buds with hope and possibilities.
This time of year, we see so much new life in our community. Last weekend we welcomed our Vicar, Bishop Tim O’Malley, for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Archdiocese of Chicago is made up of Lake and Cook Counties and is divided into six sub-districts called Vicariates. Each Vicariate has an Auxiliary Bishop who oversees the parishes in that Vicariate. We here at Holy Family are part of Vicariate 1, and Bishop O’Malley is our leader. I want to thank Christine Lopez, Maureen Cochran, and our Family & Teen Faith staff, who have worked closely with our teens for their leadership, along with Catechists, Sponsors, and Peer Ministers who have guided these young parishioners along the way.
I was impressed with Bishop O’Malley’s prayerfulness and the time he took with each of our teens as they not only received the gifts of the Holy Spirit but were inspired to go forth and be examples of those gifts. I am certain that our teens have made a conscious choice to be shining examples of those gifts to the world.
This weekend and next, our second graders will receive their First Communion. We will be welcoming many extended family members and friends to join us in this celebration. In many ways, First Communion epitomizes spring as these young parishioners seal a Sacramental encounter with Christ, beginning a lifetime of those precious encounters over and over again. Their excitement and joy always renew the life of the Sacrament for me, and for you, I’m sure, as well.
We will also celebrate May Crowning at the 5:00 pm Mass this weekend and at the 9:00 am Mass on Wednesday, May 13, led by our Academy students.
We will celebrate the Feast of the Ascension on May 16 and 17. Friar Johnpaul Cafiero will preside at all Masses that weekend, and we will place special emphasis on our Kindness Initiative. It will be a moment when we pause and simply share a tally of the number and scope of this initiative that has been in the forefront of our Lenten and Easter spirituality.
Even though the formal counting will conclude, we are encouraging all of us as a community to embrace the fact that KINDNESS LIVES here at Holy Family. Much like Lent itself, when we might give something up or do something extra, these disciplines should not stop when Lent ends. In the same way, we are encouraging all of you to embrace the challenge of KINDNESS LIVES here at Holy Family Catholic Community always.
Pentecost Mass
Please make a note of the special Mass schedule for Pentecost on Sunday, May 24. We will have Mass at 5:00 pm on Saturday, May 23 and at 7:30 am on Sunday, May 24. But our 9:00 am and 11:00 am Masses will be combined into one very festive 10:00 am Mass. Please spread the word, as any change in the Mass schedule cannot be socialized enough.
We will also offer special hospitality in the courtyard following the Pentecost Mass.
In collaboration with the Priests’ Placement Board, I have interviewed three potential Associate Pastors to join our staff this July. One has also interviewed with our Directors. These three priests have responded to my application for an Associate Pastor. I have done this application seven out of my eighteen years here at Holy Family. As you know, Fr. Tim Monahan served as an Associate Pastor as part of the process of welcoming him into the Archdiocese of Chicago from a religious order. Fr. Rich Jakubik was our Associate Pastor for three years, and Fr. Kurt Boras was a resident priest living here for several years as he assumed additional ministerial responsibilities with the Archdiocese.
Ultimately, the Priests’ Placement Board will make a recommendation to Cardinal Cupich, who will appoint an Associate Pastor. The Board is working very hard during these months leading up to July to place Pastors and Associate Pastors where they are most needed and to match their gifts and skills with the needs of parishes across the Archdiocese. Please keep them in your prayers and let us all seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that communities of faith may be served in the best possible way through the ministry of the ordained priesthood.
You may be aware that the number of priests and the number of pastor-ready priests in the Archdiocese have declined significantly in the past twenty years. I consider it a great blessing that three priests have expressed interest in joining us, but I also caution us that it is certainly not guaranteed that the Cardinal will appoint an Associate Pastor here. All of these decisions are made in light of the overall needs of the ENTIRE Archdiocese, and our interviews thus far are just the beginning of the placement process.