Newsletter November 2017 Issue

November Calendar November 4 A Night of Prayer and Worship 7:00-10:00 pm in the Church November 5 Haitian Mass at12:30 pm November 5-11 National Vocations Awareness Week November 6, 13, 20 Lectio Divina for Young Adults 7:00-8:00 pm in the Parish Center November 12 Teen Mass at 9:30 am Breakfast Club (HS Teens) 10:30 am November 12, 19 Sunday Social Football Noon—3pm in the Parish Center November 15, 29; Dec 6, 13, 20 Sacraments Series with Father Kevin Wednesdays at 10:00 am OR Wednesdays at 7:00 pm November 23 Thanksgiving Day Mass at 9:00 am November 26 Haitian Mass, Feast of Christ the King Read the bulletin, listen to the announcements, visit our website, www.stmaryevanston.org, for more information and locations.

Veterans Day: In Memory and Gratitude

Saint Mary Parish

A Pilgrimage by Ann Murray, parishioner

During a recent vacation I visited Omaha Beach. It was on my “bucket list” to honor the heroic D-Day invasion, when the US forces prevailed in the face of fierce re-sistance. It was a very emotional moment for me to be there where so many lives were lost and to visit the American Cemetery … I just wanted to say “thank you”.

To mark Peace Day in September 2013, two artists and hundreds of volunteers commemorated the civil-ians, Allies and German forces lost on D-Day, June 6 1944 in The Fallen project by etching 9000 figures in the sand at Normandy Beach. (photo credit, sandinyoureye)

Charlie Luczak, long time parishioner and usher, and his trip down memory lane, Pensacola Naval Air Station

(Right) Charlie with the F9F-8 Cougar which he flew out of Glenview Naval Base. (Left) Charlie with Vice Admiral Nora Tyson, first woman to lead a US Navy ship fleet.

(Right) Charlie was trained in the yellow N2S Kaydet bi-plane; he received his wings in Pensacola in 1944.

Charles T. Luczak, Commander U.S. Navy (retired) Thank you for your service.

Photo credits, Jose Esteban and Jim Hauert

By Diane Currano

Each year, our parish newsletter makes readers aware of services in Evanston that depend on volunteers. This year, we go beyond the usual and ask you to penetrate below the surface facts. Here are some graphic details of the needs:

Imagine you are a young man with either no job or a minimum wage job. You had been sleeping on your sister’s couch, but the situation has become intolerable. You start sleeping in your car, but winter has become fierce, with zero weath-er predicted. What to do?

Six faith communities have banded together to provide an emergency shelter on nights when the temperatures go below 15º. They can accommodate 35 people each night. Volunteers are needed to set up the cots, or stay all night, or pack up the cots and gather the laundry in the morning.

Imagine the food stamps are running out. Fresh fruits and vegetables are beyond the means of a tight budget, and there are many mouths to feed.

On the second Tuesday of every month, a huge truck from the Greater Chicago Food Depository pulls into the parking lot at Robert Crown Center at 8:30 am. Volunteers are needed to unload the truck, uncrate the produce and di-vide it up, and distribute the food to the 250 families that are patiently lined up.

On any given day in Evanston, 30 or 40 people may check into the Hospitality Center for the Home-less, run by Interfaith Action at St. Mark’s. These people wander the streets after the Center closes at 11 am. In nice weather, they walk around window-shopping or watching the world from park benches. What to do when winter closes in?

St. Mary’s is one of the faith communities that opens its doors to homeless people during the win-ter months of November through March. Under the direction of Theresa Collins, a warm, welcom-ing place is available on Wednesdays, from 1-3. Volunteers set up tables and dispense hot bever-ages and snacks. To do this, help is always needed.

Imagine you are new in town. You are running low on money and haven’t been able to find a job. Even fast food has become too ex-pensive. Where can you get a meal?

There is a soup kitchen in Evanston every night. Interfaith Action sponsors four, and the St. Mary’s team provides the meal on Thursday, eight times a year, at First United Methodist. Many vol-unteers are needed to shop, cook, and serve the meal. Jay Larmee coordinates the team and welcomes helpers, as well as people who are willing to contribute desserts, hard-boiled eggs, and milk. Money to pay for the food is always welcome. The next scheduled date is December 14.

For more information about any of these ministries, contact the executive director of Interfaith Action, Sue Murphy, at ia@interfaithactionofevanston.org. Call our parish office for information about the warming center or soup kitchen.

Interfaith Action: We Are Called to Serve Together & Pray Together

We Pray Together: Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service—November 22, at 7:00 pm

Christians, Muslims, Jews, Bahá’ís, and other members of Evanston’s interfaith community gather for this annual service at the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, 303 Dodge, with parking across the street at the Levy Center. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Cristina Traina, Professor of Religion, Department of Re-ligious Studies, Northwestern University. This service typically lasts an hour and is attended by several hundred people and is a splendid opportunity to meet people from Evanston’s diverse faith communities.

National Vocations Awareness Week: How Do We Hear God’s Call?

For As Long As I Can Remember By Deacon Dennis Robak

I felt called to the Church for as long as I can remember. It began during those early years in gram-mar school when the good sisters and priests saw something that

persuaded them to suggest that I consider priesthood. I can remember the constant urging to give it more thought, to pray and be open to whatever God had in store for me. I had doubts: would it be the “cool” thing to do to go off to the seminary while all of my friends were going on to Evanston High? I didn’t make the move to study for the priesthood then, but I always knew that my path would end in the service of the Church.

In the years that followed, I have always found myself involved in one aspect of Church life or another. Through prayer and constant discerning, I knew that I was being called into service of others, to share the gos-pel of Jesus Christ with everyone He would put in my path. Everyone has that call to evangelization, but mine has been formalized in a call to the Diaconate. My vocation and call to Diaconal ministry is truly a great blessing. It gives me a great sense of peace knowing the Church ratifies this vocation of mine to the Diaconate. Of the many blessings the Lord has given me, one is a loud voice. Since the Gospel needs to be preached boldly, may I have the grace and sincerity to do so with humility.

It May Be a Mystery By Sister Pat Nooney, BVM

I always seemed to be in church: Cath-olic elementary and high school, Sat-urdays for confession, Sunday mass, adoration, benediction, time at church

with my mother who was in the Altar and Rosary Society.

The sisters who taught me were friendly and encourag-ing and invited me and other girls to come on retreat. I remember more of the social aspect of the retreats, but I liked the sisters and it just seemed natural to join, which I did at 18, right after high school.

I’m retired now, but I don’t feel like I’ve missed anything. When some of us wanted to come to Chicago, we did, and I’ve spent my life caring for others as a nurse.

In the beginning, community was part of living together in a convent. Later, when we were on our own in smaller groups in houses or apartments, we had to create our own community, connecting with a local parish (which is how I came to be part of Saint Mary) and learning to use technology to stay connected to our sisters in other cities and countries.

Community is important and binding and is fueled by prayer, the awareness of others and the grace of God.

A Calling? More a Persistent but Gentle Nudging By Jon Benson, husband of Shelley Benson

I must be honest that alt-hough the word ‘vocation’ is taken from a Latin word which means “a calling,” in my case it was more a persis-tent but gentle nudging by the woman who would be-come my wife. And although I was not aware of answer-ing to a call, I can hardly imagine where I would be today had I not stumbled my way into married life. I’ve been blessed by marriage in countless ways: chil-dren, grandchildren, extended family, times of joy. But marriage has also blessed me with unanticipated chal-lenges and by those experiences of a poignant nature through which one gains a measure of spiritual growth. Indeed, I think this last is the most important, and strikes

at the heart of the Church’s teaching on marriage. Since our end is to be with God, and since God IS sacrifi-cial (agape) love, the only possibility of our achieving a final and lasting happiness is by working to strengthen the virtue of charity. Our true self is realized only when we offer ourselves to others, however, this is no easy task. Marriage is one of a number of paths, ordained by God, ordered to this end for the good of both spouses and, through their children, for the good of society. And those couples who through their marriage persevere to-ward this ideal become living witnesses that confirm the words of Jesus when He says, "Give, and it will be given to you . . . For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” (Luke 6:38); and also the words of Saint Paul who (quoting Jesus) says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

An Evening with Bishop Perry: The Tolton Story and Cause for Sainthood

Meet the Faith Awareness Ministry of Saint Mary

The Faith Awareness Ministry started in 2004 to help bring education and awareness on topics of the Catholic faith that seemed to be either obscure or unknown to Catholics in general and our parishioners in particular.

The group was started by Karie Ferrell, Director of Faith Formation, and Tom Horne, a long time parishioner and member of the traditional choir. We looked

for and found energetic volunteers to help us discern projects and topics. We invited experts who could speak on the topics chosen and then facilitate discussions and questions from those attending the particular events.

Early topics included Dan Brown’s novel “The Da Vinci Code” and the movie “The Passion of the Christ.” We also had a conversation on the Vatican II document, Nostra Aetate, dedicated to fostering mutual understanding between people of all faiths with Prof. Inamul Haq from the Catholic Theological Union in Hyde Park. More recent discussions included: The Ashes for Ash Wednesday, Forgiveness, Conscience, and a panel discussion on Pope Francis.

We will continue to develop topics of interest and invite expert speakers to provide insight into our faith. Look for our next program on Devotional Prayer in the winter.

What a great night! A good crowd (the youngest was 9, the oldest 90+), an engaging presentation by Bishop

Perry, who related Tolton’s story to current issues that are still facing the black Catholic community (would you believe there are only about 150 black priests in the country?), time for Q&A, and Bishop Perry staying to join us afterwards for conversation and refreshments. You know it’s a successful event when the people are still talking an hour later.

Maggie Cong-Huyen, Jane Colleton, Tom Horne, and Jeanne Wussler with Bishop Joseph Perry