I have used several images recently to help us in reflecting on and preparing for our future here at Holy Family. I have likened our community to a really good bottle of wine and all that it takes to bring that really good bottle to the table so that it may be enjoyed. I am encouraging all of you to both assist in making and enjoy tasting the final product, which is our mission, our purpose, our future.
I have also encouraged you to look at our future as a passport, not a boarding pass. A boarding pass gets us on ONE flight. It is only good for one leg of travel into the future. A passport is a substantial, legal document that helps gain access to the entire world for years to come.
I have reminded us that our beautiful Cross of New Life is an invitation into the future from God through Jesus Christ.
All three images begin with God. God creates the elements for wine. We must be partners with God to maximize the taste of the elements that God has given us. Our work with God makes them more. God gives us the very energy and desire to travel in this great big beautiful world. Exploring any spiritual adventure starts with an invitation by God rooted in his great love for us.
We have a five year strategic plan called Renew Our Church that has eight pillars of focus that give specifics for programing, ministries and activities. Our Providing for Our Family’s Future capital campaign will fund these initiatives and include three basic elements:
1. Building a stronger community by engaging newcomers and re-engaging current parishioners
2. Sustaining our Mission by caring for our expansive facilities in the best way possible so our very ambitious Mission will be carried out for years to come
3. Supporting those less fortunate in our larger Archdiocesan community.
Our financial goal is to raise $3.775 million. Our PRIMARY goal is to have EVERY FAMILY in our Holy Family participate. Please see page 6 of this bulletin for more details, and thanks ahead of time for helping to build a bright Holy Family Future. After all, our future is for all of us.
Veterans Day
This Monday we celebrate Veterans Day. We thank one of our veterans and parishioner Bob Straszewski for his efforts in heightening our attention to the mental health challenges that so many veterans face. Please see him in the narthex after Mass and take a bumper sticker that will further support our veterans. There is also an informative handout available there which reads as follows:
At the end of this year, over 6,000 veterans will have committed suicide. Approximately 1% or 600 suicides are veteran service women. Our veterans desperately need our support integrating into our civilian society, and also need help finding jobs.
Listed below are some civilian veteran support groups that need volunteers and financial assistance. The VA hospitals also are in need of volunteer professional medical personnel, and also lay people to help comfort our wounded warriors.
Let’s start now before we lose another 6,000 veterans next year.
Websites for veteran support groups:
vetbaseball.org
hopeforthewarriors.org
healvets.org
Chicagovets.org
volunteer.va.gov
We take this opportunity to recognize ALL of our veterans and thank them for their service to our country. We know how proud you all are, and we are proud of YOU! Thank you. On Veterans Day, take a moment to offer thanks to the extraordinary men and women who have protected the nation throughout history.