Renewing Our Church and Our Parish “Renew My Church” is an Archdiocesan multi-year planning process to strengthen parish vitality and better align its resources and mission. The goal of this effort is to bring people to Christ and help them to know Christ more deeply. As the Archdiocese of Chicago moves forward with plans to renew and revital- ize the church in Cook and Lake Counties, all Catholics were invited to make their voices heard by responding to a survey about their parishes and the Archdiocese. The survey was available online beginning Easter Sunday. Paper copies were on hand the following weekends. In mid-December, Tim Weiske, Director of the Archdiocesan Strategic Plan- ning and Implementation Department, provided results of the parishioner survey to MSW and to all other parishes that participated. The survey focused on demographics, level of engagement, priorities, en- thusiasm, discipleship, challenges, Catholic Schools and Religious Ed. The final question was “What are you most proud of about your parish?” Demographics & Engagement There were 254 survey respondents from our parish. Some 62% of respon- dents were age 55-75, while 29% were aged 35-54. Respondents at MSW were slightly older than the diocesan average. A total of 86% of respondents live in the 60068 zip code. Some 93% were born and raised Catholic; seven percent are converts; and 59% of respondents have been attending MSW for more than 20 years. Mirroring the Archdiocesan-wide results, 66% identified themselves as somewhat involved or very involved. For 68%, MSW is the closest parish to where they live, and 87% come to church by car. Priorities In response to the question, “If you were to move and needed to choose a new parish, what would you look for?” the five highest priorities expressed by our parishioners were: engaging homilies, feeling of warmth and welcoming, inspi- rational pastor, parish encourages a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and prayerful liturgies. This response was not that different from the general reply. Most valued at MSW are engaging homilies, feeling of warmth and welcoming, and quality of music at Mass. Our location and long-standing ties to the parish were also indicated as values helping people connect to this parish. Enthusiasm Some 92% of respondents expressed enthusiasm, i.e., the belief that our parish is thriving and continuing to grow as a vibrant community, (78%) or at least on the right track, (14%). Three-quarters of respondents feel inspired to be a better Catholic and to (continued on page 2) MSW Mary, Seat of Wisdom Parish February – June 2017 Volume 17 Number 2 Please join us for dinner and dancing Live Music provided by The Mix Saturday, March 11, 2017 Hyatt Regency O’Hare 9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue Rosemont, Illinois See page 7 for more information.
Transcript
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Renewing Our Church and Our Parish“Renew My Church” is an Archdiocesan multi-year planning process to
strengthen parish vitality and better align its resources and mission. The goal of
this effort is to bring people to Christ and help them to know Christ more deeply.
As the Archdiocese of Chicago moves forward with plans to renew and revital-
ize the church in Cook and Lake Counties, all Catholics were invited to make their
voices heard by responding to a survey about their parishes and the Archdiocese.
The survey was available online beginning Easter Sunday. Paper copies were on
hand the following weekends.
In mid-December, Tim Weiske, Director of the Archdiocesan Strategic Plan-
ning and Implementation Department, provided results of the parishioner survey
to MSW and to all other parishes that participated.
The survey focused on demographics, level of engagement, priorities, en-
thusiasm, discipleship, challenges, Catholic Schools and Religious Ed. The final
question was “What are you most proud of about your parish?”
Demographics & Engagement There were 254 survey respondents from our parish. Some 62% of respon-
dents were age 55-75, while 29% were aged 35-54. Respondents at MSW were
slightly older than the diocesan average. A total of 86% of respondents live in
the 60068 zip code. Some 93% were born and raised Catholic; seven percent
are converts; and 59% of respondents have been attending MSW for more than
20 years. Mirroring the Archdiocesan-wide results, 66% identified themselves as
somewhat involved or very involved. For 68%, MSW is the closest parish to where
they live, and 87% come to church by car.
Priorities In response to the question, “If you were to move and needed to choose a
new parish, what would you look for?” the five highest priorities expressed by our
parishioners were: engaging homilies, feeling of warmth and welcoming, inspi-
rational pastor, parish encourages a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and
prayerful liturgies. This response was not that different from the general reply.
Most valued at MSW are engaging homilies, feeling of warmth and welcoming,
and quality of music at Mass. Our location and long-standing ties to the parish
were also indicated as values helping people connect to this parish.
Enthusiasm
Some 92% of respondents expressed enthusiasm, i.e., the belief that our parish is
thriving and continuing to grow as a vibrant community, (78%) or at least on the right
track, (14%). Three-quarters of respondents feel inspired to be a better Catholic and to
(continued on page 2)
MSW
Mary, Seat of Wisdom ParishFebruary – June 2017Volume 17 Number 2
Please join us for
dinner and dancing
Live Music provided
by The Mix
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Hyatt Regency O’Hare
9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue
Rosemont, Illinois
See page 7 for more information.
2 3
Renewing Our Church and Our Parish
share the joy of Christ with others and believe that our parish
is a role model that others could learn from. A total of 82%
would strongly recommend the parish to others.
Discipleship
Some 110 survey respondents described themselves as
feeling less engaged. People who feel less engaged were
asked to cite what it would take to change this status.
Most were not sure (30). Some felt that if the parish were
more welcoming they would be more engaged (25). The
question prompted some to look inward and respond, “If
my faith life were stronger overall” (14). Though evangeli-
zation is new to most Catholics, most respondents would
welcome the opportunity to share faith with others but
would not be comfortable engaging in lengthy debate.
Challenges
The top three Archdiocesan-wide challenges included
the availability of priests, quality of pastoral leadership, and
overall vitality of parishes. MSW respondents agreed with
these findings.
Catholic Schools and Religious Ed.
A total of 85% of survey respondents who currently
have children in the school (45 families responding) are
extremely or very satisfied with the school. Some 15 out
of 17 families with children in religious education express
overall satisfaction with the religious education program,
and most are very satisfied.
Where do we go from here?
Thank you to all who took the time to respond to the
Renew My Church Parishioner Survey. We’ve heard your
affirmations and challenges. As we look to future collabo-
ration across parish lines, it is helpful to know the summary
results for our parish. Sharing the survey results within
parish groups is the next step. Through this survey, we
found out that 26% of respondents occasionally attend
Mass at St. Paul of the Cross, 14% at Our Lady of Hope,
and nine percent at Our Lady of Ransom. We will be doing
collaborative planning with these parishes in the next
3-5 years. Meanwhile our parish staff and lay leaders are
committed to striving for increased vitality in the life of our
parish. You can help us by being enthusiastic about your
own faith, and by being warm and welcoming to all those
in our community.
Fr. Jerry Gunderson
Maybe We Should Hate Hating WinterOf the four seasons, Winter is probably the least popular.
Spring and Autumn usually score highest. Summer has its
followers. That leaves our annual snow-and-ice season far
fewer devotees. And for good reason.
Municipalities need extra funds for salt, plows, and over-
time. Insurance companies see a spike in damage claims. The
elderly are compelled to pit fragile bodies against stubborn
environments. ERs usually require extra staff to keep up with
the frenzy of accidents rushing in.
Okay, to be fair, cops and kids don’t mind this season as
much. The police often see less crime in the worst of Winter,
while the kids see more wonderlands in the best of Winter.
But if you are not any of the above, then you too are part
of the everyday majority that shivers out of bed every frigid
morning wishing you could just stay home. To you, Winter is
the enemy. It’s that annual invasion that chills your home,
freezes your locks, stalls your car, and grinds your travels to
an ugly sonata of stop-and-starts.
Of course there is another side to this Winter’s tale. In a
long-ago time it was simply part of living. Before modern
progress did its thing, the land and the weather were far more
user-friendly. Snowfalls and plunging temperatures were
merely part of the rhythms of nature. No need for breathless
forecasts reporting them like an approaching enemy. The
native populations lived, not fought these rhythms.
Sad to say, such co-existence is a lot harder today,
especially after 400 years of asphalt and concrete being
relentlessly layered over the land. What a horse could once
traverse, now a car may not ... where drainage once was
natural, now flooding may be instead ... when rain once was
welcomed, now it may be dreaded. The advantages of
civilization are profound; still, disadvantages come with its
progress.
How then should we gird up for Winter’s approaching
onslaughts? Most of us will take a grin-and-bear-it attitude -
which seems to work most times. But wait! Maybe there is an
alternative. Rather than gritty resignation, maybe we should
watch the kids. Snow to them is a giddy mountain of
possibilities ... ice a personal super-highway of journeys ...
and freezing winds an invisible dance partner.
They might not realize it, but they’re savoring their
elegant world pretty much like Jesus would if it had ever
snowed in Israel ...
Jack Spatafora
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Radiate God’s Love – MSW Lenten Almsgiving
(continued from page 1)Through “Mercy in Motion,” the 2016 Parish Lenten Almsgiving
project, 100 new and very sturdy bikes were delivered to
the headquarters of the Chipata Catholic Diocese, Zambia.
In addition, the diocese located a used Toyota Hilux truck
in Thailand. The truck was shipped to a port in Tanzania
where it was picked up by the Diocese and given a com-
plete overhaul.
Now my friend, Fr. Bwezani Phiri, has been reassigned
to a parish further north to Chikwa, an even more remote
area to bring together several villages in one parish. This is
in addition to several other jobs he has in the diocese. Some
of the bikes went with him to his new parish.
The Bishop decided to give the vehicle to the newest
parish, Mpepa Parish, which was created last year 2016. The
parish has no Rectory and had no vehicle. The priest who
was appointed to work there depended on public transport
to do pastoral work. He is currently staying in a rectory
about 30 miles away from his parish.
In late fall, MSW donations enabled Fr. Bwezani to pur-
chase a used Samsung Tablet in very good condition. It was
his idea to document his arrival at his new ministry assign-
ment and parish life in Chikwa, which will be the focus of
our Lenten Almsgiving project 2017.
Using film clips sent by Fr. Bwezani, I am hoping to en-
gage MSW students in the creation of an I-movie to make a
case statement for your support of the 2017 Lenten Almsgiv-
ing Project: “Radiate God’s Love.” This year’s Lenten project
will take place from March 1 (Ash Wednesday) till April 16
(Easter Sunday).
At the parish site there is, at the moment, no running
water, no electricity, no furniture, no cabinets, no book
shelves, no phone network. From his new location Fr.
Bwezani writes, “I have to come to Lundazi for internet and
phone calls.” It is 93.2 miles, so communications are difficult.
In the local dialect Fr. Wilfred says “Zikomo Kwambiri,”
which means “Thank you very much.” From my own heart,
I want to thank the Lord that our friendship with Fr. Wilfred
continues through your generosity.
On November 27, the Extraordinary Ministers [EMs] and the Lectors joined together to host a Sunday Night Supper at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church. St. Luke’s is the “host location” for these weekly suppers. EMs and Lectors donated generously to fund the supper. The team pictured volunteered to serve the meal. Seventy -five
guests enjoyed a delicious meal of salad, garlic rolls, meatballs, lasagne, roasted potato wedges and, of course, dessert. Because of the big-hearted donations, it was possible to also donate $165 each to the MSW Social Concerns Ministry and to the St. Luke’s Sunday Night Supper Ministry.
Participants included:Dorothy & Frank Bartolone, Sue & Bill Battista, Pat & Patrick Gill, Sue Kase, Trish Mielecki, Mel Lund-Michel, Judy Nalomski, Barbara & Ken Rapacz, Judy & Ty Stetzenmeyer, Cassie Stutman, and from RCIA Michelle Cecchin & Diane Roggi.
Ministries Team to Host Sunday Night Supper
Just know that I am really joy thrilled to acknowledge receipt of this money ($33,400), and with all my heart I say THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. In March last year, I was asked to start a new parish called Chikwa in the Luangwa valley as Pastor, in addition to being the Episcopal Vicar for the valley. If you google, the Chikwa that comes seems to be different. But Manga, the place I stay right now appears. The Luangwa Valley is well known for its harsh conditions: high temperatures, chronic hunger, very high poverty levels, absence of roads, insufficient and poorly staffed social services facilities like schools and clinics, lack of electricity, to mention but a few. To make a phone call, I ride a bicycle for 1.3 miles and climb a hill for the 32 minutes to the topmost spot. Even then, this phone network has no internet capability. The valley is also well known for rich wildlife. We have plenty of wild animals and birds. While tourism greatly contributes to national revenue, the people of the valley pay a heavy price for the presence of animals. Traumatic experiences are very often among these people and this demands pastoral care providers near them for simple accompaniment. I moved to a two-bed-room rectory at Manga where the nuns had put up a small house when they were doing outreach services from Kanyanga Clinic. This was just renovated and has become my rectory. There is, at the moment, no running water (no shower to cool me down), no electricity so no TV, no furniture, cupboards/cabinets, no wardrobes, no book shelves, no phone network, etc. But one cannot meaningful be helpful to this community without staying and working among them. If certain attitudes are to be transformed, it is important to realize that it can hap-pen from within. This demands an evangelizing and enduring presence among these children of God who are materially very poor but rich in faith, which is still strongly challenged by different human and natural catastrophes.
A lot is expected from me in this very new challenging re-sponsibility. I am building the parish from scratch. In the spirit of St Paul (cf. 2 Cor.8:7), I urge you to continue doing
the good you have been doing to me. Anything I can use in the pastoral ministry is welcome. This includes transport, office equipment, internet dish for communication, solar system for lighting and communication, funding specific pastoral activities like pastoral council meetings, youth rallies, evangelization rallies, outdoor public address system, musical instruments and leadership formation programs. May the provident God continue to bless you as individuals and as communities for your generosity and love. I wish you a very Happy 2017. Zikomo Kwambiri (Thank you very much), Fr. Wilfred Bwezani Phiri
My beloved faith community of Mary, Seat of Wisdom Parish in Park Ridge, greetings from the newly created Chikwa Parish in the Luangwa Valley region of the Catholic Diocese of Chipata in Zambia. My happiness is to extreme levels as I communicate with you now, yet I feel my vocabulary is so limited that I cannot adequately and suitably express my most hearty and sincere gratitude to you all for your sacrificial, yet generous financial contribution, to my home diocese in your Lenten Campaign last year. I say THANK YOU very much because your individual contributions, when put together, are transforming the transport situation in my diocese.
Your goodness to me started in 2010 when Fr. Jerry Gunderson accepted to be my spiritual companion as I studied at Catholic Theological Union (CTU) in South Chicago. As it was my first time to be in the United States and I really needed a good companion in order to overcome the cultural and emotional shocks of Chicago, and Fr. Gunderson proved to be an excellent shock absorber for me. Thus, I was able to return to my home diocese as a practicing Catholic priest. My dear brothers and sisters, Chicago is very different from Chipata and Zambia in almost every way. I thank your Pastor for sustaining my priesthood during my study period. I thank him too for the courage to come and visit me during his sabbatical. He had so many options before him but he considered a visit to this remote corner of the world important. During his visit and stay among people here, he encountered touching reali-ties, pleasant and challenging. Thank you very much for the opportunity to talk to you in January last year when I talked about the transportation needs for my diocese. In response, one family gave us immediately $1,400 for a motor bike which was bought in March 2016. And during the Lenten Campaign you raised $32,000 and blessed us with a second-hand Toyota Hilux and 100 new Buffalo bicycles. The vehicle is assigned to a newly created parish of Mpepa in the rural part of Chipata District. The 100 bicycles are benefiting some catechists,
community health educators and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in Manga community, most needy school-going children and me. I ride a bicycle, not for physical exercises or leisure time, but for pastoral visits to communities. During the rainy season, a lot of villages can only be accessed by a motor bike or a bicycle, and this is what I do myself.
I feel like I cannot adequately and suitably express my great gratitude to you all at Mary, Seat of Wisdom Parish because your kindness did not stop with my disappearance from among you, for you have continued to be meaningfully present to me and the poor community I live in and serve. Thank you for the fragrance of your committed, genuine, caring and life-giving friendship and financial contributions. Thank you for working very hard to bless me with the much needed money. Thank you for being fresh flowers, with fresh fragrance giving fresh hope and meaning in the garden of our life here, which some-times seems to be dry and lifeless. To the parish leadership of MSW: There is just much more to appreciate you for and I have much more gratitude than the words I am using can convey. Without your mobilization capabilities, this project was not going to materialize in this timely way.
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From Zambia to You with Love
Zikomo Kwambiri
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The Men’s Club has just finished up
a very successful inaugural year! The
club was started in late 2015 to give
men in the parish an opportunity to
get together, have fun, and give back
to the parish community. We have
hosted a few events now, and just had
our second annual chili cook-off in
January. This year, the judges awarded
the overall title of Chili Champion to
Brendan O’Leary, who was able to
dethrone the 2016 champion, Sean
Barry. Michael Lombardo won the
People’s Choice Award out of over 20
entrants. Thank you to all the cooks
who made it a tough decision for the
judges! To all the men of the parish
– start refining your chili recipe now
to try to take home the title and the
trophy in 2018!
The Men’s Club gets together usually
every other month and we have more
events planned for 2017, including a
March Madness viewing party in Wisdom
Hall this spring. Look in the weekly
bulletin or the weekly parish email to
see the date and time. As always, we
invite all men in the parish to join us,
and bring a friend or two if you’d like.
M e n ’ s C l u b M a r k s F i r s t Ye a r
Why support the Angel Event?
The parishioners of Mary, Seat of Wisdom make generous contri-
butions on Sundays. Those contributions cover basic expenses:
salaries, day-to-day maintenance and repairs, and the pur-
chase of supplies. However, what makes Mary, Seat of Wisdom
a vibrant parish with a growing school is the active involvement
of so many volunteers who participate in so many ministries.
Those ministries cost money to support. Virtually every evening
of the week all year long, you will find various groups meeting
on the Mary, Seat of Wisdom Campus.
The proceeds from the Angel Event are used to enhance these
existing programs, meet community needs where they occur, offer
tuition scholarships for day school and Religious Enrichment.
The proceeds help to ensure our Mary, Seat of Wisdom commu-
nity continues to be a beacon of faith in the world, and that our
programs stay vital with an outward focus that will grow year
after year after year.
How can I support the Angel Event?
◆ Attend the Angel Event
◆ Purchase raffle tickets
◆ Donate a item to be auctioned
◆ Pray for the success of the event; this is our parish’s largest fundraiser.
EnrollmentSince the Christmas Break, enrollment in the parish school has risen by eight students (a second grader and seven preschoolers — all but one at the Pre-K 3 level) bringing three new families into the school community. Enrollment is currently 567 students. Currently Grades eight, six, one and the pre-Kindergarten levels are closed with waitlists being maintained for both the Pre-K and First Grade levels. If sufficient interest for pre-school continues, school administra-tion is considering opening another pre-school classroom, hiring additional staff as would be needed. To support the teachers in the Pre-K, Kindergarten and First Grade levels, classroom aides have been assigned to these classrooms. Additional teacher support in the classroom is also available in grades four through eight, which have co-teachers in Language Arts classes. Grade six Science involves two teachers; and grades six through eight have co-teachers in the Social Studies program. Narrowing the student-teacher ratio in these curricula facilitates learning, permitting teachers to work with smaller groups of students within the classroom. The Blended Learning teaching style that is being developed incorporates peer learning too, which has proved to be an effective learning style.
capability and improving access to the internet by all users on campus. We are evaluating the existing computer equip-ment throughout the building anticipat-ing next year’s Phase IV Technology Program. Currently students in grades five through eight have been issued Chromebooks. We are considering expanding the Chromebook program to the fourth grade level next year.
Aspire Interim TestingLast year the Archdiocese inaugurated a new standardized testing program for all schools. The Aspire test, part of the ACT testing system, is currently in use across the Archdiocese. MSW is working to prepare our students to take these computer-based standardized tests in April. As was done last year, the Archdi-ocese is encouraging all schools to take advantage of the practice tests that are available. MSW faculty members are working with their students on these practice tests. A series of English practice tests were completed before Christmas; math and language arts practice testing is scheduled over the next few weeks.
Religious Experiences for StudentsIn addition to the highly structured Catholic Identity curriculum that has been implemented across all grade levels, there are a number of additional religious experiences to which our students are introduced. Pre-school students participate in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Program in the Ministry Center every other week. The catechists for this program have been specially trained for this Montessori-type program which offers a very “hands-on” approach to liturgy and worship. CGS operates under the direction of Regina Thibeau; we are grateful to the cate-chists for offering their time with our students.
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Our parish offers Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the church building on the First Friday of every month. Teachers are encouraged to visit the church for a few minutes of silent prayer on these Fridays. Many of our teachers are able to take advantage of this opportunity and work with their students so that the children have a better understanding of this prayer form. We are grateful to one of our parents, Jennifer Potempa, who has been facilitating this project for us.
Fine Arts ProgrammingThe fourth grade production of THE NUTCRACKER is always a highlight of the Christmas Season at Mary, Seat of
Wisdom. This year marked the 41st annual production. Mrs. Sandy Solari again did a wonderful job of producing and directing the fourth graders. Paul Barton, the director of the school’s (new) band program, facilitated a Christmas Band Concert involving several area schools which was held at Mary, Seat of Wisdom. The event was very successful. A Spring Concert is planned, which we hope will also be held at MSW. The program has expand-ed to include piano instruction for first through third graders as well as the brass instruments for the upper grade students. Our Music Teacher, Janelle Daniel, organized a Christmas Concert which
was presented on Friday, December 16, at 1 p.m. All students in grades K through eight participated and it was very well received. We had a packed gymnasium full of parents and visitors. This year, Mrs. Daniel has introduced a new show choir program called Hawk Harmonics. The students involved in this group will be participating in several area competitions and then will cap their year with a trip to Disneyworld and participation in a music festival there. Hawk Harmonics hosted a pasta dinner Christmas concert to help raise funds to offset trip expenses. Their program was very well received. The talent and energy in our school community is amazing.
Your School Growing Just Ahead of the Curve
Though our enrollment is strong, we expect 56 students to graduate in May and must recruit to fill those slots for next year. We are reaching out to area parishes that have no school and to local daycare centers to spread the word about the excellent education offered at MSW.
It is because of our school’s stellar reputation and the successes of our students as they move into area high schools that enrollment is strong. Our best marketing tool, however, continues to be the WORD OF MOUTH of existing school parents and parishioners. We rely on YOU to help spread the word about the excellence that is MSW School!
Blended Learning InitiativeThe Blended Learning Initiative that has been inaugurated this school year is an effort to help each of our students succeed in the classroom by incorporat-ing multiple learning models in each classroom daily. Research indicates that children do not all learn in the traditional rows-of-desks lecture style classroom. We have been working to reconfigure classrooms using our existing furniture to accommodate multiple teaching styles. We are finalizing details for our showcase Blended Learning Classroom which will be in the Ministry Center’s second-floor South Room. Colorful furniture including comfortable seating is included in the plan. The furniture that has been selected can be separated or grouped in various ways depending upon what is happen-ing in the classroom. The concept involves the creation of classroom space that is mobile – a polar opposite to the traditional rows-of-desks classrooms that we all experienced when we were growing up. The fluidity of the space and its furnishings facilitate the incorporation of various teaching styles within the classroom setting including the use of technology, peer tutoring, and student collaboration, along with traditional lecture. The faculty has been working with specialized instructional consultants to improve differentiation (differing ways to teach materials to students based on their learning needs) and to develop their skills in working collectively with students and co-teachers. We are very excited to be advancing these strategies and hope that you will continue to support our efforts to educate the 21st Century citizen.
Technology UpdateNew institutional-grade access points have been installed throughout the building improving the building’s wi-fi
News from our Parish School . . .
Christmas Concert
The Nutcracker
(continued on page 10)
News from our Parish School . . . continued
ordered. Counters are being fabricated so that the computer workstations can be moved to a new location. New furniture has also been ordered. We anticipate that the Library work will be substantially complete by the end of this month. The second-floor corridor at the north (St. Joseph’s wing) of the school is
Angel TreasuresMSW students will again be recruited to work on grade-level art projects that will be auctioned at the upcoming Angel Event. The school’s Angel Treasures will be designed, planned and coordinated by the Principal with the support of Art Teacher Sandra Gallo and school parent Suzy Stavropoulos. Historically these contributions to Angel Dinner have raised significant funds for the parish!
School Upgrades in ProcessOn the second floor in the South Room of the Ministry Center, the work to create a new Blended Learning Classroom for use by 6th through 8th Grade Social Studies students has begun. The walls have been painted; carpet has been ordered. New furniture has also been ordered. Some additional countertops and a new Promethean Board are also planned. We anticipate that this room will be operational in early February. The school Library is receiving a facelift. The walls have been painted; shelving has been slightly reorganized and the Library desk/workstation moved. Upper wall storage cabinets have been
also receiving a facelift. The 1968 yellow and brown color scheme is being replaced. We also plan to install a new ceiling and upgrade the corridor lighting.
Preparations for CSW Catholic Schools Week is a high-point of our school year. Traditionally we have taken this occasion to celebrate our school family. This is the time when fami-lies are asked to register their children for the next school year. Planning for the kick-off on January 29 was coordinated with the FSA parent volunteer team under the leadership of Stacy Purcell. Plans for Sunday, January 29, included a strong school presence at the parish’s 9:30 Mass including the Children’s Ensemble and student readers. A student spoke at all weekend Masses to thank the
Scholastic Book FairMary, Seat of Wisdom School will
host the annual Scholastic Book
Fair the last weekend of Febru-
ary. Parishioners are invited to
browse the assortment of books
on Sunday morning, February 26.
MSW students are rehearsing for
their winter production of ALICE
IN WONDERLAND under the
direction of Music Teacher Janelle
Daniel with the assistance of Art
Teacher Sandra Gallo. Parishioners
are invited to bring children and
grandchildren to the 7 p.m. evening
performance on March 30.
Support the arts in our school!
First graders in Kathy Chilver’s classroom celebrated the New Year upon their return from Christmas vacation. Mary, Seat of Wisdom School wishes all of the MSW parish family a happy and healthy 2017!
MSW students joined elementary school students across the Archdiocese in celebrating the elevation of Archbishop Cupich to the College of Cardinals on November 19. Students were asked to “Dress in Red” the day before. The above photo was taken and sent to the Cardinal.
MSW community for their continued support of the parish school. After Mass, everyone was invited to the school. Classrooms were open and hospitality available. This year’s focus was the cultural diversity that has become so evident in our school community. Each section of the school has been assigned a continent. Each homeroom was assigned to learn about a specific country from that continent. Students were also being offered the opportunity to tell their classmates about their own national customs, language, foodstuffs, etc. We anticipated the students will have a greater appreciation for their own heritage in the context of the diversity they see.
UniformsThis school year MSW implemented a new uniform. A transition period has been permitted; a number of students continue to wear the old uniform and will be permitted to do so again next year. We are now considering a gymnasi-um uniform change beginning next year and are considering several options. A gym uniform change would also be transitioned over a couple of years.
As you can see, the school is busy and vibrant and healthy. We are thankful to each and every parishioner for helping us through prayer, financial contribution, or by donating some time and talent. It takes a village to make a successful school and I am grateful for the strong partnerships that we have established within the parish community that makes this school so successful. The faculty and staff are proud of the academic achievements of our students, the successes that are achieved in their high school and college careers due to the grounding that MSW has established.
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Looking Back …A key focus of Pope Francis is serving others less fortunate than ourselves. We continually see him pictured serving meals to the hungry, ministering to the sick, and attending to the disen-franchised. He said, “To live charitably means not looking out for our own in-terests, but carrying the burdens of the weakest and poorest among us.” When some of our teens had an opportuni-ty to live charitably last summer, they jumped at the chance. In partnership with St. Paul of the Cross, our Crux teens were invited to join their youth group called “Network” on some summer mission trips to New Orleans, Detroit, and North Carolina. The mission of the trips was to build and restore buildings in communities desperate for help. These trips involved a variety of activities such as demolishing, digging a foundation, framing homes, flooring, and landscaping. The projects varied by site, but in general, served communities that were in sharp contrast to our comfortable existence in Park Ridge. The collaboration between Crux and Network has proven valuable – the ex-periences with both groups are differ-ent but equally important for the teens. Given the opportunity to reach out of their comfort zone and serve the less fortunate, many teens from MSW
seized the opportunity to embark on these missions and perform difficult tasks that they would not be exposed to in their home neighborhoods. When asked why he chose to go on one of these trips, MSW teen Tommy O’Connor said that one of his peers suggested he join a group because they are not only fun, but meaningful. And he was enticed by the opportunity to leave the cell phone behind for a week! Tommy said, “Service is very important for teens because we, for the most part, live comfortable lives. The world isn’t so perfect and it’s important we see how others are living, and do what we can to make a positive impact on their lives.” The impact of a service trip is not only felt by the beneficiary of the
service, but by those who are blessed by performing the service. Tommy said “... no matter who you are or what your situation is, you have the abili-ty to make a positive impact on the lives of others.” Tommy felt the power of serving a family in North Carolina strengthened his faith. “Not having my phone for this week certainly strength-ened my faith life. Without the constant distractions of a phone, I was able to more easily connect with my faith. The conversations we had at night about the previous day were very meaningful and supplemented my faith life.” Tommy O’Connor summarized his mission trip experience as enjoyable, invigorating, and enlightening. He strongly encourages teens to take ad-vantage of similar opportunities, saying “… it’s the most fun you will have in your summer, and you will build lasting friendships with your fellow teens on the trip.” Our teens will have 3 great opportunities in 2017 to participate in a trip – by joining the teens from St. Paul of the Cross in New Orleans or Win-ston-Salem, or staying closer to home with our Crux group on a 3-night event supporting the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels, tentatively May 31 – June 3. The Mission of Our Lady of the Angels establishes a Catholic presence in the West Humboldt Park area on Chicago’s
MSW Teens Stepping Out of Their Comfort ZoneWest Side. This area is presently one of the poorest neighborhoods in the City of Chicago. The purpose of the Mis-sion is twofold: to assist the materially poor and to share the treasure of our Catholic Faith. The teens will stay at Concordia University in Chicago and lend sweat equity to projects including supporting their mobile food pantry, afterschool tutoring, and other activities in support of their mission. There will be opportunities for families to join for extra activities including feeding fam-ilies in the area from the mobile food truck, preparing daily meals for the teens and the Concordia staff, and oth-er daily projects. Stay tuned for details of these 3 trips. In Pope Francis’ January 13 letter to young people, he said: “A better world can be built also as a result of your efforts, your desire to change and your generosity. Do not be afraid to listen to the Spirit who proposes bold choices; do not delay when your con-science asks you to take risks in fol-lowing the Master.” Crux will continue to look for opportunities for our teens to support this critical call to action.
Looking Forward… Our teens are gearing up for our big annual retreat, to be held February 25-26 at McDonald’s Campus in Oak-brook. We will again have a sold-out experience of almost 250 participants who have been preparing for months now to ensure this is a valuable week-end. This year’s theme is “Be Who He Made You to Be” and our retreat song is “Live Like You’re Loved” by Hawk Nelson. We have a wonderful group of teen co-leads who have been meeting since last summer, and were joined in the fall by a larger group of teen and adult table leaders who meet almost weekly to hear from guest speakers and have group discussions and faith formation. All of this culminates in a fun, faith-filled, emotional, exhausting, but thrilling and enlightening weekend!Here are a few of the other upcoming events and opportunities for engagement:
● February 16 – Joe Melendrez concert in Barry Gym. Joe is a Cath-olic hip-hop artist who performs all over the US, and some of our teens had the chance to see him at “Holy Fire 2016” in Chicago last October. Admission is $5.00.● April 2 – Pancake Breakfast in Wisdom Hall.● April 14 – Easter egg dyeing at St. Andrew’s residential home.
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Calling All Younger Adults
Single, Married, Families!!College through EARLY 40s!!
October hosted our fall Welcoming Your Child session with our dedicated team facilitators, Matt and Chris Schmeltz and Chip and Mary Beth Avery, for Matt and Theresa Paolelli, Michael and Mary Lydon, Mark and Michelle Renz, Lorenzo and Danielle Nunez, and Michael and Elena Carlin, Edward Novak and Christine Battista, who were anticipating the Baptism of their children Madeline Nicole Paolelli, Michael John Lydon, Stella Maria and Eliza Joyce Renz, Gianna Francesca Nunez and Gianluca Michael Carlin, and Lindsey Emily. January began our new year of Welcoming Your Child sessions on the tenth of the month with another team of dedicated facilitators, Jamie and Stacy Purcell and James and Kristen Ninni. Attending parents were Kyle and Katie Bigoness, Kate and Piotr Marchel, and David and Susan
Ashe, who were asking Baptism for their children, Delia Fay Bigoness, Victor Thaddeus Marchel, and Paige Raimondi Ashe. We welcome all parents and their precious gifts of new life to our Mary, Seat of Wisdom Community of Faith!! We bid a fond farewell to facilitators, Chip and Mary Beth Avery, and thank them for their terrific dedication and commitment over these past six years! The remaining Welcoming Your Child Parent Preparation Sessions for 2017 will be held March 14, May 9, and October 3. New and expectant parents, anticipating their child’s Baptism are asked to call the rectory at 847-825-3153 and register for one of these sessions. For questions regarding Welcoming Your Child, please contact Peg Barry at [email protected].
Welcoming Your Child Baptism Parent Preparation
January 29, 2017 Collection for the Church in Latin America
February 12, 19, 26 Annual Catholic Appeal
March 1 Aid for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe
During Lent CRS Rice Bowl
April 14 Holy Land
May 14 Catholic Charities
June/July/August – One Weekend Missionary Co-Op
June 11 Fund for Retired Priests
June 25 Peter’s Pence
September 24 Seminarian Education
October 22 World Mission Sunday
November 19 Catholic Campaign for Human Development
December 10 Retirement Fund for Religious
Our parish and its needs are supported by your generous Sunday offerings and by your response to special capital campaigns. Your gift to the Annual Catholic Appeal helps to sustain Catholic schools, religious education, ministerial formation, and initiatives for life, peace and justice throughout the Archdiocese. But in its fullest expression, the Church is missionary, extending the reach of God’s love to people whose lives are devastated by natural disasters, illnesses, wars and famines and to areas where the church is struggling. The church extends beyond the bound-aries of our city and nation. About once a month, the parish
“second collection” represents a particular Archdiocesan or worldwide need. We have tried to keep it simple by asking that you place your envelope for these special appeals in the regular collection basket. It is also possible to make electronic contributions to these special appeals at www.GiveCental.com. Funds gathered at Mary, Seat of Wisdom are forwarded to the Archdio-cese and through the Archdiocese to the various Archdiocesan and world-wide needs. Any funds raised are carefully spent; it is money for God’s work. Your contributions are deeply appreciated, very much needed and make a real difference in the lives of so many.
Even God’s Work Takes Money
A happy New Year to everyone at MSW from Rome! This
New Year 2017 will bring a number of big transitions, three
of which I wanted to highlight and share with you here in
this column. The first is the transition in Associate Pastors at
MSW. This July, Fr. Tim Monahan, who came to MSW in
2013, will be moving on to become Vocation Director of the
Archdiocese of Chicago. In this role, Fr. Tim will be help-
ing young men across Cook and Lake Counties to discern
the vocation to the Priesthood, helping parishes across the
Archdiocese teach young people about following God’s
calling in their lives, and guiding candidates for priesthood
through the application and acceptance process. What an
important role Fr. Tim will have! Let’s all pray for him as he
moves into this important ministry across our Archdiocese.
Once Fr. Tim and the Archdiocese accept candidates
for the priesthood, they become seminarians at Mun-
delein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill. (near Libertyville).
This is the seminary that has been training the priests to
serve in Chicago parishes (and parishes in other dioceses
across America) for nearly a hundred years. Seminarians
go through a four- to six-year post-graduate program of
intellectual, personal, spiritual, and pastoral formation that
helps a candidate for priesthood discern if God is indeed
calling him to the priesthood, and then forms the candidate
for priesthood in all the ways he will need to be formed
to be a good, holy, happy, and healthy priest. During their
time at Mundelein Seminary, seminarians take four years of
classes in theology, in topics ranging from the theology of
the dogmas of the Church, to the theology of Scripture, to
the theology of the Sacraments, and much more.
This brings me to the next transition that will occur
in 2017. This spring I will be completing my dissertation
work here in Rome, and preparing to come back to Chica-
go, where I will be teaching at Mundelein Seminary in our
Faculty of Theology. I am not sure yet which exact courses
I will be teaching (they told me I will find out for certain
around Easter), but the courses will probably be close to
the area on which I am writing my dissertation. I have real-
ly enjoyed the four years I have been living here in Rome
and studying for my doctorate, but I am also very grateful
Notes from RomeFr Andrew Liaugminas
to be completing my studies now and returning home to
“pass on to others the fruit of contemplation,” which is how
St. Thomas Aquinas talks about teaching theology.
This means that two former Associate Pastors of MSW
will soon be helping to recruit and teach future priests for
our Archdiocese. Please keep both of us in your prayers!
The topic of future priests brings me to the third and
final transition of 2017 that I would like to highlight here.
As the official Rome correspondent for Words of Wisdom, I
wanted to take this opportunity to share my excitement at
hearing the news of the new Associate Pastor who will be
coming to MSW starting this July. As I am sure you have
heard already, your new Associate Pastor is Deacon (soon-
to-be Fr.) Tim Anastos. Deacon (soon-to-be Fr.) Anastos
is graduating this spring from the North American College,
here in Rome. He came to Rome for his first year of Sem-
inary at the same time I came from MSW to Rome to start
my doctoral studies, in 2013. I have been honored to get to
know (soon-to-be Fr.) Tim Anastos over my four years here
in Rome, and I consider him to be both a friend and an ex-
cellent candidate for the priesthood. I look forward for you
all to get to know him as your new priest, and for him to
get to know you as his first parish as a priest. (Thank you
for all you do to create a welcoming environment for those
of us who have come to MSW for our first priestly assignment!)
As I was reflecting on these three transitions that will
be coming this year, a memory from four years ago came
to mind. Shortly before I transitioned from MSW to come
to Rome, some families at MSW were asking if I knew the
new priest who will be coming to MSW that July (2013). I
responded that, yes, I know the new priest coming to MSW:
in fact, he is a friend of mine named Fr. Tim. As Fr. Tim
Monahan moves on soon from MSW, and as I return from
Rome at the completion of my studies, I am happy to say
again that your new priest is a friend of mine named Fr. Tim.
May this year, 2017, bring many graces to each of you,
your families, and our parish as we walk together in follow-
ing God’s will in each the ways God has in store for us this
year. And let’s continue to keep each other in prayer!
This is the mid-point of another busy year for MSW’s Council of
Catholic Women! In early November, CCW hosted an Irish-themed fundraiser with a delicious corned beef and cabbage dinner, a wonderful Irish band called IN SPITE OF OURSELVES, and a wonderful troupe of dancers from the Mul-lane-Healy-Godley School! A marvelous time was had by all! Proceeds raised (over $2000!) will help fund CCW projects for the year. Tin whistles and Irish caps may be donned again next year. Mark your calendar for the first weekend of November! On the tails of the Wearin’ of the Green event, CCW sponsored the 15th Annual Blanket of Dreams. The 2016 Blanket of Dreams was a HUGE success! Over 450 volunteers helped on-site cutting fleece and making blankets and quilts. The crowd was multi-generation-al and multi-ethnic and included Scouts, MSW Hawkettes, Confirmation Candi-dates, high-schoolers seeking service hours and families. Everyone worked hard and had a wonderful time doing it. At the end of the day, Father Gunder-son came and admired the huge pile of blankets that had been assembled in the Ministry Center Chapel. He blessed them and then a team of workers packed everything into bags for delivery
to Franciscan Outreach, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities and Epiphany Parish. The total count was 648 blankets, an amazing 28% increase over the previous record! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE who donated fleece, who helped cut the fabric and who contribut-ed foodstuffs to keep energy high and the workers busy. THANK YOU ALSO to those who donated their time to help make the blankets and those who came to help with clean-up and bagging at the end of the day, including Jim Gonzalez and other representatives of the Knights of Columbus. There will be a lot of people in Chicagoland who will appreciate you all! Thank you also to Teri Collins whose boundless energy has spurred so many to participate. Thank you to our supportive priests who visited and cheered everyone on. Father Gunderson and Father Monah-an both visited the workers along with our visiting seminarian, Francisco Pagan. It was truly wonderful to see the mix of people who came. Thank you to everyone who came, or encouraged others to come. During the Christmas season, CCW members partnered with the Knights of
Columbus to distribute Matthew Kelly’s book, RESISTING HAPPINESS, to everyone who attended Christmas Masses. The Knights sponsored the project with the help of CCW and the MSW Men’s Club. CCW Guilds continue to host monthly Sunday Hospitality after morn-ing Masses and will provide hospitality for Confirmation on February 11 and host potluck suppers for second grade First Communicants and their families. CCW is working to support the upcom-ing Angel Dinner in several ways, and is planning to organize some special events in the months ahead. Look for more information as details are finalized. This spring CCW will again sponsor the Father Clark Scholarship Project for graduating Eighth Graders as well as the June Blood Drive. The year will close with a Rummage Sale in Brian Barry Gym on June 9 and 10. We ask that you start setting aside your donations! ALL WOMEN are invited to partici-pate in Council of Catholic Women activities and projects. Of course, you are invited to formally JOIN CCW, but more important than formal member-ship is building up of MSW community, making new friends, and sharing one’s time and energy to do good works. For more information, please contact Joan Mattingly at [email protected].
CCW Moving Almost Faster Than Light
16 17
With proceeds from last year’s fund-
raising, CCW sponsored the purchase
of timpani for our parish. They arrived
in time for our Christmas celebrations!
Thank you to all who support CCW
fundraising projects so that CCW is
able to give back to our parish commu-
nity and support Music Ministry!
The Timpani have Arrived!
CCW is planning to partner with the Knights of Columbus for TWO parish Fish Fry events during the coming Lenten Season. Mark your calendars for March 3 and March 31. Look for more information and plan to come and break bread with other members of the MSW parish community!
CCW sponsors the parish’s semi-annu-al Blood Drives. At this past Decem-ber’s Blood Drive, donors included CCW President Joan Mattingly, MSW faculty member Sue Gross and the parish’s Music Minister Glenn deCastro, who all rolled up their sleeves to donate. We hope YOU will roll up your sleeve on June 4 and help give the gift of life to those who need it!
Dear Mary, Seat of Wisdom, I wanted to briefly introduce myself. My name is Timothy Anastos. I am 28 years old, a graduate of the University of Illinois, I am addicted to playing hockey, I love reading books, and I can never get enough sushi. I can’t say enough about how THRILLED I am to be assigned to your parish! It is extremely exciting to know that in a short time I will have the opportunity to serve you as your priest. I want to thank Father Gun-
derson for graciously taking me on as his associate priest. I can’t wait to learn all that I can from him and to follow in the footsteps of the good and holy priests that you have been blessed to have. I look forward to meeting all of you and learning so much from you. Please pray for me as I approach my priesthood ordination on May 20. God Bless you and God Bless Mary, Seat of Wisdom Parish! In Christ’s Most Sacred Heart, Deacon Timothy Anastos
Our New Deacon Writes from Rome
Helping Good Become Better
Young Adult Pads Night!
NOVEMBER 4
Erica Kron, Lauren Smaha, Brandon and Kate Simmons, Dominica Jarrett, Lisa and Matt Karlesky, Rachael Daubach,
Mike and Katie Boychuck, Chris O’Leary and Trulie Simpson, provided food for a delicious dinner. Lenny, Daniela, and Gabby Romano, Erica Kron, Mike and Katie Boychuck, Maris Witry, and Marie and Jake Novan, helped prepare and serve 35 PADS guests at the St. Mary’s PADS site in Des Plaines. A huge thank you goes out to all for giving food, time, and service to feed those in need. PADS Dinners is an annual ser-vice project for the Younger Adult Program. If you are interested in participating by providing food or service, please contact Peg Barry at [email protected].
March 3andMarch 31
Blood Drive June 4
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The time of the New Year is most certainly a time of reflection: a time to consider all that has gone before and what has yet to come. What is yet to come is known only to God, but what has come before is the stuff of which memories are made. Memories for most of us are both sad and glad – rich with God's blessings or rife with prayers for courage and strength; in other words, the cost of being human. For us here at the Julia Center, there is much for which we are extremely grateful and among those blessings are the many ways that the families of Mary, Seat of Wisdom offer their help and support. It gives us great joy to reflect upon our November Rummage Sale. Thanks to your generosity we had beautiful clean clothes, household items, baby furniture, wonderful children’s
Let Us Count the Ways and Be Gladbooks and toys and even an amazing amount of costume jewelry which filled the shelves of our special “boutique.” Contributing to the success of the days of the sale was the “cafe” manned by the women of the Center. Here they sold delicious homemade Mexican food and refreshments. This was not just a rummage sale, it was a fiesta! So many people were able to buy things they might not other-wise have been able to afford. We know that many items found their way under our families’ Christmas trees. It tickles me to recall the excited and enthusiastic help we receive both in collecting, loading and unloading the Cassidy Tire truck. Our heartfelt thanks go especially to Tom and Carole Ahern, who support us in so many ways and always bring the big truck. Despite the hard rain, the truck was
loaded by a very enthusiastic group of “Kids Who Care” who are organized each year by Judie Zoromski. The excitement even extends to cleaning up the garage and leaving it as we found it. Jim and I just smile and get out of the way! Thanks also go to Alex Moreno, Tom Geb-hardt, David Henneman, Norm and Kathy Pater and the late Pat Clifford and all the families of the Julia Center who unload the truck at the Holy Innocents former convent. Christmastime found us preparing for the Posadas – a reenactment of the journey of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. Not even the extreme cold and snow of that night could mar the enthusiasm of our people. What a joy to know that this wonderful Mexican tradition which celebrates the birth of Jesus is carried on in the streets of Westown because of the
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Greetings in the New Year from the Julia Center!
presence of the Julia Center! The Center’s Christmas party was replete with food, cookies, treats and many Christmas gifts which were provided to the children – ages 4 to 18 – thanks to Mary Seat’s giving tree and Social Concerns. The mothers of the children all remarked about how beautiful and thoughtful the gifts were. Not only were the items inside the gift boxes beautiful, but the boxes themselves were all wrapped beautifully! So we find ourselves in this New Year again saying to all of Mary Seat, gracias, gracias, gracias! The elves in the garage... Corrie and Jim Keefe
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Non-Profit OrgUS Postage
PAIDPermit No. 569PARK RIDGE, IL
Mary, Seat of Wisdom
920 West Granville
Park Ridge, Illinois 60068
Editor Bill Krol Copywriter Jack Spatafora Proofreader Mary Ann Bottari Graphic Designer Janis Boehm Associates Casey Lisowski Mary Ann Krol Computer Support Claudia Vignola
MSW
What’s the Latest Buzz?Every parish has wonderful stories and untold happenings that deserve to be shared with the rest of us. Right now is the time to let us in on them by sending them for publication to Bill Krol at [email protected] [note new email]. The next issue will focus on the end-of-year results of parish plans for the 2016-2017 year, as well as any new information, and should appear in early July 2017. Cut-off date for articles is June 16, 2017. Articles must be in a Word .doc format. Rough drafts of articles are fine; we will do the necessary rewrites. Please use Garamond 12-point font, with the first instance of names in bold. Photos and logos to accompany any article should preferably be sub-mitted as high resolution digital images (format should be 300 dpi, jpegs or tif) or they can also be sent as paper prints. Please put your name and address on the back of prints so they can be returned. Also please submit captions or the names of individuals in photos. Copyrighted material must be properly acknowledged.
O O O Looking Ahead O O O
January 29- February 5 Catholic Schools Week
February 11 Confirmation
February 25-26 Teen Retreat
March 1 Ash Wednesday
March 3 World Day of Prayer
March 3 Lenten Fish Fry
March 11 Angel Dinner
March 11 Men’s Prayer Breakfast - Park Ridge Country Club
March 20 Lenten Penance Service
March 31 Lenten Fish Fry
April 13 Holy Thursday
April 14-21 School Easter Break
April 14 Good Friday Living Stations at 7p.m.
April 15 Easter Vigil
April 16 Easter
April 29 Ministerial Association's Community Day of Service
