Letters from a Pastor to His People

Today we celebrate the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. In Saint Paul’s letter to Timothy we are told that God has given us a spirit of power, love, and self-control. God did not give us a spirit of fear. Yet so often we live in fear, and our decisions reflect our fears. We fear the unknown, yet the unknown is the opening to endless possibilities. We fear those who are different, yet they are only different until we build relationships with them and find them to be more similar to us then we think. We fear the future, believing that the best has already happened. Saint Paul calls us to conquer fear and trust that God is with us.

Every October the Catholic Church in the United States observes Respect Life Month. It is a sacred time to renew our commitment to the dignity of every human life, from conception to natural death. We must stand united against all threats of life and human dignity, including abortion, assisted suicide, capital punishment, gun violence, and the mistreatment of migrants. Pope Leo in his first address to the Diplomatic Corps of the Holy See said, “No one is exempted from striving to ensure respect for the dignity of every human person, especially the most frail and vulnerable, from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike.” And so on this Respect Life Sunday we are called to recommit ourselves to the protection of all life.

This week Fr. Prasad will begin his home visits in honor of the Blessed Mother. October and May are traditionally months in which we honor our Blessed Mother and ask for her intercession in our lives. Through prayer and fellowship Father Prasad will call upon God’s blessing and ask for that blessing to descend on the homes and people he visits. There are still times open for home visits. Call the office if you and your family would like a home visit from Fr. Prasad and the traveling image of our Blessed Mother, Mary.

This week we once again begin our October count. Every year the Church across the country takes a count of those who are in the pews each week. The count offers data on worshiping trends. For example, after COVID, some parishes are still experiencing a drop in attendance. At Saint Juliana we are once again back to our pre COVID numbers. But what is the trend for the last ten years? The October count data allows the archdiocese to plan for the future. So don’t be worried if you see our ushers counting heads. We want to make sure everyone is counted.

Finally, this fall I am in the process of installing new pastors and administrators in Vicariate II. We are blessed to have about nine new pastors. This has been a time for me to meet so many of the Catholics in our vicariate. Practically though it means I am less present on the weekends here at Saint Juliana. I still try and say one or two Masses a weekend here in the parish, but I am not always present at all of the Masses for greeting. Know though you are in my thoughts and prayers when I am away. 

Today we celebrate the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The overall theme this week is a call to fight against complacency. In the first reading from the prophet Amos, Israel is called out for being complacent. It settles for the status quo and does not see any need for change. Israel doesn’t see the suffering or pain that is going on around them. In the Gospel Jesus tells the story of the rich man who doesn’t notice the starving man at his door. He has tunnel vision that allows him to live his life without any care for the world or people around him. Because of his complacency he does not achieve eternal life. These readings are our warning. Do we see a world around us in need of Christ’s light, or do we choose to ignore those needs? We are called to be people of healing, peace, welcoming, and civility. Our words and actions, privately and publicly, should build up Jesus’ kingdom of light, hope, and peace.

This afternoon the Archdiocese will celebrate the Christifidelis Awards at Holy Name Cathedral. Each year every parish in the Archdiocese is asked to nominate a parishioner who is an example of Jesus’ light and hope. They are men and women who have shown through big or small ways their commitment to the Lord. This year Mike Bronk will receive the award for Saint Juliana. Mike is a faithful usher at our 7:30 AM liturgy. Mike is also a sacristan who makes sure the altar is prepared for celebration. Mike has been a catechist in our religious education program, and has been a great help liturgically decorating the church for major holidays. On top of all of that, Mike is a member of our Saint Vincent de Paul Society chapter and works to help those in need. It is with great pleasure that we nominate Mike Bronk for the Christifidelis award. Congratulations, Mike.

This past week Saint Juliana School celebrated homecoming. For almost 100 years the parish has been blessed with a school that produces Christian citizens who are ready for all the challenges of life. We celebrate the athletic and academic achievements of our school students, and we celebrate the history of all those who went through our doors over the past 98 years. Our alumni continue to be a great support for the school. Some families can claim three or four generations who have made Saint Juliana their home. I remind all parishioners to celebrate our faith home and carry on the Trojan way, through service and faith.

This Saturday, October 4, 2025, we will bless pets in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Saint Francis had a great love for all of creation. We hold him up as a patron for all of the animals in God’s creation. But Francis also had a great love for those in need. He worked to lift up the poor and welcome the outcast. He did write about creation as though it were a brother and sister created by God. He is a saint that represents the call Pope Francis wrote about in his encyclical Laudato si, “On Care for Our Common Home.” Christians do not live just for today, rather we work to create a world for generations to come. Saint Francis is a guide and example in that work. Join us Saturday, October 4th for our pet blessing at 9:00 AM after our morning Mass.

Lots going on in the parish—I hope you take a look at Alpha, The Chosen, bible study, book club, OCIA, Mind and Heart, adoration, morning Mass to name a few. Join us as we walk together in our journey of faith with the Lord Jesus. 

Today we celebrate the Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Gospel today is an interesting one. On face value, it looks like a dishonest servant gets rewarded in spite of his dishonesty. I think the real lesson though is that he is rewarded because he actually realizes he needs to do something to get out of his difficulties. He is able to come up with a plan to move forward, and he puts it into action. We are that servant in the eyes of God. We have many good qualities along with our faults, our sins. The difficulty is when we are satisfied where we are at, and don’t try to become better. Are there areas in our lives that need to be worked on? Do we have a plan? Are we ready to execute the plan and not only make our lives better, but the world around us as well? Jesus rewards those who act to make themselves and the world better.

This weekend we celebrate Catechetical Sunday. It is a day to thank all the catechists and teachers in the parish who help to pass on our faith. This includes teachers, religious education teachers, OCIA leaders, marriage prep couples, Alpha leaders, Chosen leaders, and others who have ministry positions that pass on the faith to others. We say thank you to all of them this weekend. We ask God to bless their work and open their minds and hearts to new ways of spreading God’s word. We also ask God to continually open all our hearts to the work of evangelization ahead of us. Thanks, catechists!

This week we begin the newest season of Alpha. Many have asked what Alpha is and why do we do it. Alpha is one program, among many, that works to invite people into an adult relationship with Jesus. It is different in that it doesn’t start with doctrine or rules of faith, but rather, questions. It is meant for people who are searching for faith and a relationship with God. But it has also been found to be helpful for practicing Catholics to deepen their faith. All the sessions of Alpha include three things: hospitality, prayer, and adult discussion. If we can master those three components and practice them in every area of our lives, our faith will be attractive to others. We will all become evangelizers! That is the purpose of Alpha. I encourage you to give it a shot. Join us beginning this Tuesday, September 23rd, at 6:30 PM in the parish office building.

October and May are two months within the year, that the Church focuses on our Blessed Mother. Mary’s “yes” and her status as a first disciple of her son Jesus are celebrated by Catholics around the world. Fr. Prasad and a number of our parishioners are once again doing home visits during the month of October in honor of Mary. The short visit includes a rosary and blessing in front of the image of our Blessed Mother. Call the office to get on the schedule for a visit as we honor Mary in the month of October.

This fall we once again welcome seminarians to Saint Juliana. There is a twofold purpose to the seminarians being with us. First it gives them experience in what it means to be a minister in a real parish. They are learning from not only the staff, but all of you. You have a role in their development. I believe I was trained and continue to be trained by the people God has asked me to serve. It is the same for these seminarians. The second reason is vocational. Hopefully, through their presence at Saint Juliana, more young people will consider a vocation within the Church. So please make sure you welcome again Hunter Ostapowicz, Patrick Truskowski, and our newest seminarian Isaac Schneider.

Today we celebrate the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Gospel story today speaks to us of Peter’s call as the rock of the Church. The call is quickly followed by a rebuke from Jesus when Peter is not open to suffering for the kingdom. We are all called to serve God and our neighbor. Sometimes we serve joyfully and in other times we grudgingly walk in Jesus’ path. In the end the message is clear though: God will be with us in both the good times and the difficult times. God will lead us to new life. These thoughts are with me as I attend bishop school in Rome.

Though I will be home when you read this, today’s thoughts come as I travel in Rome. In the past half a year I have often pondered how I find myself as a bishop. The questions and thoughts are amplified as I find myself in Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican. Today we had our first Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. It was a Mass to celebrate the Jubilee of Hope that Pope Francis had declared before his passing. The Mass was for the new bishops of the world. There are about 210 of us from all over the world. We processed out of the basilica so that we could enter through the Holy Door. We then processed through the magnificent church to where we would celebrate this jubilee Mass. The magnificence of Saint Peter’s reminds us of how small we are, yet in God we are all noticed and loved. After the celebration we proceeded into the crypt to the tomb of Saint Peter. In a sense each of us was presenting ourselves to the first bishop and asking for his intercession in our ministry and lives. Needless to say, tears have flowed as I experience these moments. Throughout our lives I believe we all experience these moments, whether it is a marriage, the birth of a child, or another blessing given to us by God. Often in those times we can only give thanks and shed a few tears.

Tomorrow we will celebrate Mass outside in St. Peter’s square. Pope Leo XIV will be the main celebrant. It will be a Mass that includes the canonization of both Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati. Many pilgrims have traveled for this celebration. We celebrate with the parish of Blessed Carlo Acutis located in our vicariate, now Saint Carlo Acutis. Thousands will come to celebrate these two young saints from Italy. In their own way, in their short lives, they led others to Jesus, who is our Lord and Savior. All these events become a permanent part of my life. Just as you and all the other people who formed me over my years as a priest are. I have learned that God’s plans are not always my plans. I never underestimate God’s power and try to open myself each day to where he will lead me.

This coming Thursday, we will meet Pope Leo XIV. The class notes entitled it, “the meeting with Peter.” We will celebrate Mass with the Holy Father and he will share his hopes and dreams for the church and our role in those hopes and dreams. This will be an exciting end to our time in Rome.

I remember when I received the telephone call from the papal nuncio informing me that the Holy Father, Pope Francis had named me a bishop of Chicago. It was the Saturday of the third Sunday of Advent. Our Blessed Mother’s “yes” was what came to me at that moment as I had to give the nuncio an answer. Today I once again think of Mary, as she so often experienced things beyond her own reality. The words “she pondered these things in her heart” have become real for me as well. I hope that over the next few months I can share more moments with all of you. I promise I will try not to put you to sleep with my stories and thoughts. Hopefully though as we share our stories the love of Jesus becomes more real in our daily lives. 

Today we celebrate the Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the Gospel Jesus tells us that we must be radical. He uses images which shock us, but being Christian isn’t for the faint of heart. We are to rid ourselves of whatever holds us back from being the best we can be. We need to act. We need to plan and then act in ways that bring about the kingdom. That is the life of a disciple of Jesus.

A little over a week ago we once again experienced a school shooting. If you are my age it is shocking. For our children they live with it as if it was a part of life and growing up. This is wrong in so many ways. We pray each and every time we experience the horror and ask God to bring peace to the victims and their family. Yet we do not follow up with action. God wants action. As the Cardinal wrote last week, we need common sense gun controls. We need to fund mental health programs. We have to say something when we see something. Prayer is meant to move not only God, but us as well. School shootings are not normal. It is time to do something.

With another school year beginning it is the perfect time for all of us to get back into learning. This month Alpha begins again on Tuesday, September 23rd. Come and gather with other adults and ponder the deep questions of life. And see how faith can give us answers to those questions. What better way to do it then around a meal. The conversation is always easier around a table of food. Please join us and bring a friend.

Next Sunday we will be celebrating a Mass for our first responders. Recent events remind us what we owe the men and women who put themselves out there for our safety. They will tell us that they are just doing their job, but we know it is more. Most of us don’t put ourselves in harm’s way to help someone else. So it is important that we let them know how much we appreciate them. So please join us at the 11:00 AM Mass and say thank you in person. And for all of you first responders who don’t like being in the spotlight, please join us and give us a chance to show some gratitude to all of you.

Finally, one more note on keeping our school children safe: Please remember that on Wednesdays our children’s Mass begins at 8:30 AM. Doors are locked at that time. Locked doors actually keep our children safer. Be on time for our children. 

Today we celebrate the Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our first reading and Gospel speak to us of humility. Humility garners friends. The story reminds us that there is always a guest with more status in our lives. When I reflect on it, I believe it is Jesus. When we think we are accomplishing things on our own, and attaining riches, we have fallen into sin. God is the great guest in all our lives who gives us so many gifts. Today we ask God to give us the gift of humility. May we always see and celebrate the gifts in others before we elevate ourselves.

This weekend we all celebrate Labor Day. We give thanks for the work that God has entrusted to each of us. Work allows us to support our families. It allows us the dignity of housing, food, education. I am sure that there are many days when we don’t feel the blessing of work, yet it is for our good, our families’ good, and the common good. So I hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend.

Next Saturday we will kick off a young adult ministry at Saint Juliana. We invite parishioners and friends ages 21-39 to join us for the event. It will be a get together beginning after the 5:00 PM Mass. Ice cream and heavy appetizers will be served. Please join us and add your input to the needs of young people in Saint Juliana and Edison Park.

Thanks to all the catechists who went to the catechist formation day at Saint John Brébeuf. I gave a keynote address, and low and behold a large group of Saint Juliana catechists were there. As pastor I say thank you for your commitment to our parish children. We pass on our faith one person at a time.

Calling all first responders. No it is not an emergency. We want to say thank you. And we want to pray and bless you. We will celebrate our first responders’ Mass on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at the 11:00 AM Mass. So please join us as we celebrate the women and men who sacrifice so much for us.

Finally, this afternoon I will leave for Rome for Bishop School. I don’t know what to expect, but I can think of a few highlights. I will be part of the celebration of the canonizations of Carlo Acutis and Pier Frassati. I will also have a meet and greet with Pope Leo XIV. I have to also believe I will get some good Italian food as well. I look forward to sharing with all of you when I return. Please pray for me and all the new bishops from around the world who will participate in Bishop School. 

This weekend we celebrate the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the last line of today’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples, “For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” We often try and make judgements on who are in and who are out when it comes to Jesus and faith. We also make judgements in our personal lives as well. Jesus is clear that our thoughts are not always God’s thoughts. We even hear that the decision on who is in and who is out is God’s decision, not ours. For our part, we are to put our energy on living in the light and not judging other people. If we want to judge, we are to judge ourselves. Are we living the best life that God wants us to live? Are we being children of light? Are we ready to meet the master when he returns?

Next weekend our nation celebrates Labor Day. For me that is the official end of summer. Where did the time go? School has been in session for over a week. We gather with family and friends to celebrate the work that God has entrusted to each of us. No one’s job is the same. And nowadays, jobs change pretty often. But work gives us dignity. We want to work. We want to support our families. We want the security that a job offers us. This is a world-wide desire. So, this weekend as you celebrate with family and friends, offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the work that God has given to you throughout your lives and ask God to help those around the world who are seeking work that will bring them security and dignity.

Like all of you, I also will be celebrating what God has asked me to do as well. Next Sunday afternoon, August 31st, I will be leaving with the five other new bishops of Chicago for bishop school in Rome. It is a two-week program designed to learn about the many offices and ministries in the universal Church and to meet the people running them. New bishops from around the world will be present. We believe about 150 bishops will be attending. As I said a few weeks ago, I am still in a learning phase of my ministry. For me the highlight of my trip will be an audience and visit with our new pope, Leo XIV.  I will make sure to tell him we are all praying for him. More stories to come.

Today, Sunday August 24th, Mind and Heart will be meeting in the parish office building. Mind and Heart is a program that takes us on a deeper journey into our Catholic faith. It takes pieces of what it means to be Catholic and unpacks what is behind our faith. The topic today is faith itself. What do we believe? We will look a little deeper at our creeds. Both the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed. So, please join us after the 11:00 AM Mass. 

We will begin our fifth Alpha at the end of September. We have decided to host taste of Alpha on Tuesday September 9th, at 6:30 PM in the parish office building. This “taste” will give you a chance to experience Alpha before committing to the full program. I encourage you to take this opportunity and join us. Invite your friends and family as well. All are welcome.

Today we celebrate the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today Jesus tells his followers that he has come to set the world on fire. He has come to destroy the status quo. We hear the same in our first reading from the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah is telling the people they need to change, or destruction will come upon them. Instead of using their energy to try and change, they decide they will do away with the prophet. They don’t want to hear what Jeremiah and God are asking. The letter to the Hebrews tells us to follow the witnesses who have gone before us. The saints give us the best example of living a new life in Jesus.

Today we are celebrating our back-to-school Mass at 11:00 AM. There is excitement in the air as our children and teachers are preparing for another year of learning. Hopefully everyone had a restful summer and is now ready to meet the challenges ahead. For many of our families, those of college age are already at their schools. The high schools and grade schools will begin shortly. So today we offer prayers and blessings for all of our students, teachers, and parents. May they all experience a joy-filled year of learning. After the Mass, the celebration will continue on the patio and street in front of the church.

This week I will be on retreat with the bishops of our region. Throughout this first year of being a bishop, I am experiencing a number of activities for the first time. This retreat includes the bishops of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Through prayer and social activities the retreat strengthens us in our commitment to the needs of the local church in our region. Please pray for us as we come together this week.

Next Sunday, Mind and Heart will be meeting after the 11:00 AM Mass in the parish office. Mind and Heart is a group that meets once a month to gain deeper insight into different areas of our Catholic faith. This month the discussion will be on faith itself and what we believe. It is timely, as the Church celebrates the 1,700th-year anniversary of the Nicene Creed. Everyone is welcome, and sessions will last about one hour.

I also encourage parishioners needing missed sacraments, and those wanting to become Catholic, to join the OCIA program. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults is a program for adults who are searching and want more information on what it means to be Catholic. It is also for baptized Catholics who have not received Eucharist or confirmation. We have a great team leading the program, and sessions will begin in September. Use the QR code in the bulletin to sign up for this year’s class. 

Finally, this weekend Cardinal Cupich celebrated his Golden Jubilee. Please join me in offering a prayer of thanksgiving for his fifty years of priesthood.

Today we celebrate the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The theme of today’s Gospel is once again about preparing treasure that will last. Jesus gives it a bit more flesh in the parable of the servants who are waiting for their master’s arrival. We are those servants. It will go well for the servants who have prepared and are ready for the master. Those who procrastinate or put off preparing because the arrival seems far off might be surprised when the master comes. It is not meant to be threatening, but it is meant to help us live our best life each and every day. God has prepared a place for all of us, but we have to be ready to accept the gift.

Most families with school age children are now preparing to send their children back to school. There is shopping that needs to happen for supplies and clothing, and schedules are beginning to be added to the calendars. Here at the parish we like to also begin the new school year with a public blessing and celebration. So next Sunday, August 17th at our 11:00 AM Mass, we will be hosting our back to school Mass and celebration. All families with children going back to school are invited to attend. This includes everyone going to public schools as well as private schools. We also invite teachers and catechists to come and receive a blessing as well. Again all teachers, public, private, grade school, high school, or college are invited to join us. We want to kick off the new school year with a celebration. I know some of our college students will already be gone, but let them know they are included. After Mass there will be a celebration in front of church for all the parish families who joined us for the Mass.

The Saint Juliana Men’s Club is hosting their annual golf outing on Saturday, August 16, 2025. The Men’s Club invites all the men of the parish who golf to join them at White Pines Golf Course in Bensenville. This is one of the Men’s Club’s big fundraisers, and it supports their activities throughout the year—and their charitable giving. Please join us if you are able.

Thanks to everyone who made the Saint Vincent de Paul school supply drive a success last weekend. There is nothing better for a child then to get new supplies at the beginning of a new school year. It makes a child feel important and helps give them confidence for the year ahead. Thanks to our Saint Vincent de Paul Society chapter for sponsoring the drive.

Thanks also to everyone who supported our Boy Scout Troop 965 car wash yesterday. Proceeds from the car wash help defray the cost scouts pay for their activities throughout the year—such as campouts, canoe trips, etc. Thanks to the scouts for the service!

Finally, this Friday, August 15th, we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We will have two Masses on Friday. There will be a 8:30 AM and a 7:00 PM Mass. Please join us as we honor our Blessed Mother, Mary.

Today we celebrate the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Gospel deals with the man who is concerned about his share of an inheritance. Jesus takes that question and expands it to speak about possessions and greed. Jesus tells the story of the rich man who has much, yet decides to build more barns for all of the surplus harvest he has. The man does not think about sharing his bounty, but rather decides he can build his fortune by building more barns for his excess crop. Jesus tells the shocked crowd that the rich man would die that very night, and all his wealth and hard work would go to someone else. Jesus tells his followers and us to make sure we are working for an inheritance that sustains us now and in the life to come. The relationships we build, the connections we make with others and God, will be an everlasting inheritance.

This past week we had our back-to-school meet ups for our students and families in preschool through first grade. It was a chance for children to meet classmates they will see in the new school year. It is also a chance for parents to connect or reconnect with other parents in the school. These connections often last throughout the students’ lifetimes. Thanks to Barb Ernat, the school ambassadors, and our principal, Dee Roy, for making the evenings a success. We want to make sure all our students have a great beginning at Saint Juliana.

After about a three-month break, we are also once again preparing welcome back our religious education students at Saint Juliana. Registration will close on August 15th, so please make sure that your children, grandchildren, friends’ children, neighbors, and relatives have registered for the new year. You may use the QR code in the bulletin to register or call the office and leave a message for Mrs. Petrash.

This weekend the Saint Vincent de Paul Society is hosting their school supply drive at the back of church. Many children are not as fortunate as our own children, and this drive allows students at Saint Angela School and the Mission of our Lady of Angels to begin the new year with fresh supplies. Thanks to everyone who is able to donate and thanks to the Saint Vincent de Paul Society for putting this all together.

Finally, “mum’s” the word for the Saint Juliana Mothers’ Club. One of their fundraisers is the sale of mums for the fall. It is a great way to decorate your home for the fall and support all of the activities that the Mothers’ Club sponsor. Check out the add in the bulletin.

Today we celebrate the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Last week we heard stories of hospitality. This week we the stories we hear concern mercy and persistence. In the first reading from Genesis, Abraham’s visitors leave, and Abraham is left with an agitated God. God intends to go to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and see the sin there with his own eyes. If it is as he believes, God is going to destroy both cities. At that point Abraham begins to intercede for the innocent in the cities. He eventually asks God if he will spare the city if ten innocent people are found there. God tells Abraham that if there are ten innocent people, he will show mercy. In the Gospel the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray. He gives them what we today call the “Lord’s Prayer,” but then added a parable about persistence. We have to tell God our needs directly and be persistent. Our persistence is a true sign of a living relationship with the Lord. Our baptism calls us to a relationship with the Lord, and life of mercy and forgiveness.

There are a lot of activities in the works for the months ahead. Mind and Heart, a monthly series focused on spiritual growth and understanding of our Catholic faith will begin on Sunday, August 24th, after the 11:00 AM Mass. It is a once-a-month program that digs deeper into central themes of our faith. We had a first session in June focused on the papacy and, in particular, Pope Leo. Over twenty people attended, and there was excitement for the series to continue. The first unit of Mind and Heart will focus on faith. This is the 1,700th anniversary of the creation of the Nicene Creed that we use in our Sunday liturgy. It is a great beginning, as we explore what it is that we believe. Please use the QR code in the bulletin to register for the session.

Next Saturday, August 2nd, we will host a new parishioner social. We invite new parishioners, those who still feel new, and those debating about joining the parish for the social. You will get to meet some of the staff who are available and other people like yourselves who want to meet or connect with the parish in a deeper way. We invite you to join us for Mass, and then we will move over to the patio of the parish office building. I look forward to meeting everyone.

Next weekend the Saint Vincent de Paul Society is collecting school supplies after all the Masses. Please consider making a donation if you are able. 

Finally, on August 9th, the Boy Scouts are having their summer car wash. For me it is the one time a year I wash my car. I think the dirt and rust are holding my car together, and so too many washings might make it disintegrate. Stop in to support the Saint Juliana Troop 965 car wash!

Today we celebrate the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the Gospel today, Jesus tells the scholar of the law that he must do two things to inherit eternal life. We must love God with our whole being, and we must love our neighbor as ourselves. But, who is my neighbor? Jesus then tells the parable in which a Samaritan helps a man who was robbed and beaten and left for dead. Two of the injured man’s own people, a priest and Levite, passed him by. But it is a hated foreigner who takes pity on the man and cares for him. The Samaritan would be justified by the world if he had passed by the injured man, yet he is the one who is truly the neighbor. The story has great power today as we as a country choose to pass over people in need. Jesus’ words to the scholar and us are the same: we are to go and treat all people as if they were our neighbor.

Pope Francis established 2025 as a jubilee year dedicated to hope. He writes in the book entitled Hope, “The Church needs everyone—every man, every woman—and we all need one another. None of us is an island, an autonomous and independent self, and the future is something we can only build together, excluding no one.” “Hope” for Pope Francis is a world that sees itself as one family. A world that celebrates its great achievements and binds up the wounds of those in need. “Hope” does not leave anyone behind. Jesus and Pope Francis call all of us as disciples to be good Samaritans, searching out those in need and binding their wounds.

A couple of weeks ago we witnessed a great example of the good Samaritan story at Saint Juliana. A group of students and their parents along with the Missionary Spirit Team got together to pack lunches for Uncle Pete Ministries.  Together the students made over 200 sandwiches to feed the homeless in Chicago. The students didn’t know the homeless people who would receive the sandwiches, yet they realized that there were neighbors in need, and they could do something about it. You do the same, each and every time you take a lunch bag home and bring back a lunch for Uncle Pete’s. We are called to pass on the gift of generosity and service to our children. This was a great example of the Good Samaritan in action.

Finally, today we invite young families to the Meet, Greet and Play happening in the parish office and courtyard after the 9:30 AM Mass. It is a chance to meet your neighbors and let the children get to know each other as well. 

Today we celebrate the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. All the big holy days of June are finished and now we once again enter Ordinary Time. I see Ordinary Time as the necessary space to actually live out our faith. The big feasts fill us with hope and give us courage for the work ahead, but now we are called to put the faith we received from Jesus and the Apostles into practice. The Gospel today tells us what we are to do. Jesus appoints seventy-two people to go before him to prepare his way. They are to spread good news of peace, hospitality, health, and hope. They are reminded to not get bogged down on the little things; rather we should keep to the message of light and peace, for the Kingdom of God is at hand. Those who were sent came back rejoicing, because all that Jesus told them came to pass and many received the good news joyfully.

Today we are the descendants of Jesus’ followers. We too are called to spread good news. We also are reminded to not get caught up on petty things, but rather focus on what is important and life giving. We also know like, Saint Paul, that everything we have and everything we do comes from the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. We ask the Lord to help us bring peace, hospitality, and hope into our daily lives.

In the last year, Barb Ernat, one of our staff members in charge of hospitality, began a program for young families called Meet, Greet and Play. The idea was to bring families together who have young children, infancy to school age, so they could meet other families in the same boat as them. We began on Saturday mornings once a month. We have been pleased with the turnout and decided to change it up for the summer. The change is moving it to Sunday, after the 9:30 AM Mass. So on July 13th, we will offer our Meet, Greet, and Play Day! We invite young families to join us in the parish office library and backyard to meet other families and let the children meet other new friends as well. Call the office if you need more information.

The Saint Juliana Friendship Club is sponsoring a paddle wheel boat excursion on the Fox River on Thursday, August 14th. Reservations are required. A sandwich lunch will also be provided. Last month the Friendship Club hit the casino in Michigan. I am assuming there were no big winners, since I still see all the members each week. Consider joining the Friendship Club and bring a friend as well.

Finally, we hope everyone had a great Fourth of July holiday. God has entrusted us with a country with freedom as our foundation. Our faith encourages us to not hoard the blessings we received, but to share them with all who are in need. May we continue to prosper as a nation and be a sign of peace and generosity to the world. 

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles. We don’t often get to celebrate the Apostles on a Sunday. Peter and Paul were the great missionary disciples of Jesus. Their lives were devoted to sharing the story of Jesus. Wherever they went, they preached the “good news” that was given to them by Jesus. They gave their lives so that the Gospel might reach the end of the earth. Both disciples formed local churches and commissioned followers to continue the work that had been entrusted to them from Jesus. We follow Peter and Paul as disciples of Jesus. For over two years we have worked on creating disciples at Saint Juliana who would share their journey of faith. When our personal stories are told, others are freed to share their stories as well. Through these stories of joy, hope, sadness, and reconciliation, we realize that God is alive and has been working in our daily lives. We joyfully sing God’s praises.

During the summer I hope you take time to consider joining one of our parish evangelization experiences. In early fall we will once again be hosting our Alpha program. Through hospitality, video presentations, prayer, and shared dialogue, believers can deepen their faith. Those searching can find a safe place to ask questions and hear stories of others on the journey. We will also host The Chosen again this fall. Many have found this series to be helpful and challenging on a journey of discipleship. The program builds community as we watch the series together with others and share how the stories impact our lives. For those who have already begun a journey and now want to receive the Sacraments of Initiation, we offer the OCIA program. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults allows for academic input and lively discussion on the basic dogma and doctrines of our faith. It is a time for inquiry and decision. Those who choose will receive the sacraments of baptism, Eucharist, and confirmation at the Easter Vigil in the spring. This fall we will also be offering classes on beliefs, traditions, and practices in the Catholic Church. The Mind and Heart series will offer more for those who already believe. Finally, we also offer adoration each week as time away with the Lord. Prayer is one of the central pillars of our faith. If you are interested in learning more about any of these programs check out the parish website, bulletin, or call the office and we will be glad to share more details. 

July 1, 2025 we end the fiscal year. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the financial support you have shown Saint Juliana. Through weekly giving, the Generation to Generation campaign, the Annual Catholic Appeal, and other gifts, you continue to keep the parish and archdiocese strong. God blesses us each day, and you pass that blessing on in so many ways. Thanks you!

Finally, I would ask prayers for Jim McHale one of our finance committee member who passed away suddenly this month. Jim was not only active in finance, but was an active participant in the Alpha program. We are saddened by his death and ask God to welcome him home. Also we offer prayers for his wife Terri. Eternal rest grant on to him, O Lord.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Jesus tells us that we share both a human and a divine nature. We are of this world, and we are of God’s world which is yet to appear. How do we survive in everyday life? As humans, it takes a certain amount of healthy food to keep our bodies strong and our energy levels up. But we also have needs for our spiritual fitness as well. Jesus gave us his Body and Blood as nourishment and strength for the spiritual journey. Every time we gather for the Eucharist, we are included in the one sacrifice that frees us from sin. We are made new in the sacrifice of Jesus. We are also nourished for the work ahead. When we eat the Body of Christ, we become the Body of Christ. This transformation allows us to do the work that Jesus has entrusted to us. What is that work? We are called to be a light to the nations. We are called to be hope in our world. We are called to be forgiveness. We thank God for the precious gift of his Body and Blood.

Today, Sunday June 22nd, we will host a class on the teachings of the Church surrounding the pope. There has been much excitement in the past month as we saw Pope Leo XIV ascend to the papacy. Last week the archdiocese hosted a large event at Rate Field to celebrate Pope Leo XIV, who hails from Chicago. With all of the excitement now, people are asking: How is a pope elected? Who gets to vote? What power does the pope have over the Church and in the world? These and many other questions will be answered. The class begins at 12:15 PM in the parish office library. So plan on joining us as we highlight the doctrine and tradition surrounding the papacy.

During the summer we are already beginning to organize classes for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. The OCIA is designed for adults who are interested in learning about the Catholic faith and receiving the Sacraments of Initiation. It is for those who have never been baptized. It is for those who have been baptized in another Christian faith, but now would like to join the Catholic Church and receive the sacraments. It is also for baptized Catholics who may have never received the Eucharist or confirmation after their baptism. The classes begin in September and always begin with an inquiry component. So if you or a family member fit one of these groups and would like to journey with other adults, please call the parish office and ask for Marie Dombai. Marie can answer questions and pass on your information to Chris Floss who runs the OCIA. Now is the time.

Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday. Last week we celebrated Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Spirit given to us. Today we celebrate God himself. We celebrate all the ways that we experience God in our lives. God the Father is seen as a creator. God the Son was sent to redeem us. And God the Holy Spirit was given to us to guide us and give us strength—three ways we experience good, but only one God. We personally might have other ways we feel God is present in our lives. God is mercy, hope, light, and joy. But in the many ways we experience God, there is a unity that the Trinity represents. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one. Just like the Trinity, we are called to work for unity. We are strongest when we are united. Whether it is in faith, family, workplace, or nation, unity strengthens all our endeavors. We pray that we will follow the example of the one God head and work for unity in our lives.

Time for a few “thank yous” this weekend. I would like to start with all of the ladies of the parish who knit and crochet the blankets we give to our young families at baptism. It is an added blessing from the parish that tells a young family that they are not alone on this journey of faith. The blankets symbolize all the support they will receive from our Saint Juliana faith community over the years ahead. They are an invitation to embrace the faith and community for their children. So, thanks to all who are knitting.

Thanks to all of choirs, cantors and musicians as they begin their summer break. We are blessed to have so much talent in the parish. Music enhances our liturgical celebrations. Often the music will “catch” us even if the homily or scripture didn’t. Thanks to Glenn and all our music ministers.

Now two invitations. First, if you like to knit and want to help with the baby blankets ministry, please call the office and we will put your talents to use. Second invitation, if you would like to sing talk to Glenn, or call the parish office and we will get you in touch with Glenn. The more voices we have, the more we sound like angels.

Happy Father’s Day to all of our dads. Like our moms, dads sacrifice so much for all of us. Their guidance, strength, and support allow us to go out and become the men and women we are meant to be. Thanks to the fathers!

Finally, this week I will be away for my first United States Catholic Conference of Bishops meeting. The last half year has been a learning curve for me. This week will be another first. Pray for all the Bishops as we come together for the Conference. May we also experience the unity we find in the Trinity.

Today we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. It is the official end of the Easter Season and traditionally seen as the beginning of the Church. On this day, the long-awaited Holy Spirit comes to the disciples. In the form of wind and flames, the Spirit descends on the disciples. They begin to proclaim the good news of Jesus, and everyone hears them in their own language. No matter where they came from or what language they speak, everyone understands the disciples' teachings. The people are amazed. 

This is a day for all of us to remember the gifts we have been given by God. Your gift is not my gift. Each of us is created and blessed with different gifts. Jesus calls us all to use our gifts to spread good news. We are all called to be a flame of faith ignited by the Holy Spirit. The sacrament of Confirmation celebrates the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are in each one of us. We pray that we will use our gifts for God’s glory in our world.

This week we begin our Totus Tuus summer youth camp. The Totus Tuus summer camp is run by seminarians and college-age students in the archdiocese. Along with parish adults and catechists, it is a week to celebrate the gifts we receive through our faith. Through prayer, catechesis, games, and group activities, the campers build a stronger relationship with Jesus and with each other. Thanks to Marvin Bornschlegl for leading the camp, and thanks to all of the volunteers who will be helping during the week.

This coming Saturday, June 14th, the archdiocese is hosting an afternoon celebration of Pope Leo XIV. The celebration will be held at Rate Field, White Sox park. The gates open at 12:30 PM and there will be music, prayer, Jumbo Tron videos, and a whole lot more. The afternoon will end with the Sunday vigil Mass being celebrated at 4:00 PM. Cost is $5 dollars for parking and $5 for a seat. The seat charge will be donated to local charities, but it is necessary for the White Sox organization to have seats for all those who will be participating. We look forward to celebrating our very own Pope Leo XIV.

A big parish thanks to Marie and Tom Dombai and all their volunteers who worked to make the Saint Juliana parish picnic a success once again. The picnic is a great way for parishioners to come together and just relax and catch up with one another. So often we are all running in different directions, but for one afternoon we were able to slow it down. We hope everyone had a great time.

A big welcome back to Fr. Prasad. Fr. Prasad went home to visit family and friends, and he was sorely missed. We are glad he was able to spend the time with his family and even happier that he is safely back with his Saint Juliana family.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. There is always initial sadness when someone we love is no longer with us. Family members may have moved far away. Relationships may have ended, and we do not have the same connection with friends or family.  Or we experience the death of a spouse, a family member, or a friend. The initial feeling is one of emptiness or sadness. Eventually though, in most cases, we begin to transition from sadness to a gratefulness for the time we had. Our memories allow us to move beyond the grief. This is the experience we have today in the feast of the Ascension of the Lord. Jesus is no longer physically in our presence. We now experience him in the stories (memories) given to us, the actions we participate in (Eucharist), and in the promised Holy Spirit. Today, like the original disciples, we pray and wait for God’s spirit to fill us and send into the world to spread the Good News!

Today Saint Juliana is hosting our parish picnic at Bunker Hill Woods, Grove 5. The day begins with a 12:30 PM Mass under the pavilion. There will be food, games, music, and animals for everyone to enjoy. Thanks to everyone who has been working on planning, set up, and takedown. The picnic is another way for us to build parish community. See you all this afternoon.

This past week the Saint Juliana Class of 2025 graduated. We wish the class well as they move on to the next part of their life journey. Faith, academics, and relationships will be the pillars that help them succeed in the future. Congratulations to all of our parish students who are graduating from grade school, high school, and college. These important moments of transition help us reflect on where we have come from and where we are going. Please keep all the graduates of the parish in your prayers.

This coming Saturday, June 7th, we will be hosting Meet, Greet, and Play for our young families in the parish office yard. We invite young parents with young children, babies- through early school age, to join us and meet other parish families with children in the same age group. There are refreshments for children and parents alike. The goal of Meet, Greet, and Play is to connect parishioners with other parishioners who are in the same stage of life and may have the same concerns as other young parents. Join us this Saturday, June 7th.

Today we celebrate the Sixth Sunday of Easter. In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles we hear about the controversy concerning Gentiles who have come to believe in Jesus. The question was whether they needed to be circumcised like the Jews in order to become members of the Church. In other words, did the Gentiles need to become Jews before they became Christian? Today it might seem like a petty argument, but at the time it was a huge question. Eventually it was decided that circumcision would not be a requirement for becoming a follower of Jesus, but rather baptism was all that was needed. But like all big decisions in life, the controversy persisted even after the decision was made. Though there are many things in life that separate us and divide us, Pope Francis and Pope Leo call on us to build bridges of understanding. Dialogue helps us to understand our similarities—many times as important or more important than our differences. Let’s all heed the call to build bridges in our world.

This weekend we celebrate Memorial Day. It began as a day to honor all those who gave their lives in defense of our country. It is also a day for us to remember all of our family and friends who have died. Many will go to the cemetery this weekend. We will clean up the graves of our beloved dead. As believers of Jesus we also gather to celebrate the resurrection that we believed is promised to us in baptism. Throughout the Archdiocese Masses will be celebrated in the Catholic cemeteries at 10:30 AM on Monday morning. We invite you to join us for these celebrations of our loved ones.

As we finish the academic school year, I encourage you to register for Saint Juliana School, or the St. Juliana religious education program. Too often we forget as the summer progresses to register our children and then we find ourselves scrambling or shut out when we remember in late summer. Now is a great time to make sure your children have a spot in next year’s programs. You can register for the RE program online (information is in this bulletin). For SJS registration, I encourage you to call the school office.

Next Sunday we will have our parish picnic at the Bunker Hill Woods, Grove 5. We hope you and your family will join us for the picnic. There will be food and games for everyone. There will also be a petting zoo and pony rides for the children. In addition to our regular Masses at the church, we will also be celebrating Mass under the pavilion at 12:30 PM. Check this bulletin for details.

Finally, on Saturday, June 14th, the archdiocese will be having a massive celebration of Pope Leo IV. It will be held at Rate Field (White Sox park) during the afternoon. There will be music, and exhibits along with a Mass at 4:00 PM. We have reserved a bus for anyone who would like to go by bus. Cost will be $10 and includes bus and admission. For those who want to drive themselves, parking will be $5 and $5 for an admission ticket. Pope Leo is a blessing to the whole Church, but in a special way we claim him as one of our own. Please consider joining all of Chicago for this historic event. Call the parish office to reserve your tickets.

Today we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Easter. This Sunday we continue to hear the stories from Paul and Barnabas about what God is doing in the world. They go from town to town proclaiming Jesus as Lord, and the people believe. Eventually Paul and Barnabas will come home to Jerusalem and face the first crisis of the new Church there. A decision will need to be made about Gentiles who want to follow Jesus. After much consternation and discussion, Peter will go along with Paul and allow Gentiles to become followers simply through the act of baptism. All throughout Church history there are times of crisis and concern. We believe that the Holy Spirit, Jesus' spirit, always guides our decisions and ways. The short gospel reminds us that Jesus wants us to love one another. This is what disciples have proclaimed throughout all of history. We now receive that same mandate.

This has been quite a week. With the installation of Pope Leo the XIV, the Church once again focuses on its mission to go and make disciples. Like the first disciples, we are called to share our stories of wonder and faith with the world around us. Pope Leo calls us to be bridge builders who work to unite the world, all Christians, and our families. Love which makes room for forgiveness is a key to that message. So continue to pray in thanksgiving for our new pope and ask God to give him the strength he will need for this new ministry.

Hard to believe that we are already halfway through May. At Saint Juliana that means both the school and religious education programs are preparing to close up shop for the summer. This means extra Masses, graduations, and programs at many levels. It is a time of expectation for our soon-to-be grade school graduates. On one hand they are celebrating their completion of grade school, but on the other hand there is concern for the high school years ahead. We look forward to celebrating all the exciting moments with all our parish students.

Thanks to the Knights of Columbus for bringing the Blessed Carlo Acutis Marian Aparitions exhibit to Saint Juliana. The exhibit reminds all of us how important our Blessed Mother is to all of us. Thanks also to all of the volunteers who helped set up and take down the exhibit, along with those who acted as docents during the exhibit. Thanks especially to Marie Dombai who organized the whole weekend.

There are always ways to get involved at Saint Juliana. We are looking for women who would like to be on the women's retreat team. The next retreat will be held during Lent of 2026, but preparation will begin by the end of the summer.

We also need help with the parish picnic. This year the picnic will be held on June 1, 2025 at the Bunker Hill Woods, Grove 5. So please purchase your tickets—and sign up to help!

Volunteers are also needed for the Totus Tuus youth camp which will be held on June 8-13. Volunteers are the backbone of all of the Saint Juliana activities. Please consider helping out if you are able. Contact the parish office for more information about getting involved.

Today we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Easter. In today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Paul and Barnabas are in Antioch and are preaching the good news, Jesus Christ, to the Jewish faithful of the area. The leaders do not accept the words of Paul and Barnabas. In fact they throw them out of the synagogue. But then Paul makes a great claim and tells the people that since the Jews rejected the “light,” it would be given to the gentiles. Now anyone who heard the word of God and believed would be saved. We are the descendants of the gentiles. We are part of a great multitude of people who heard the good news and believed. We ask Jesus to help us be witnesses to his work on earth.

In 2027 Saint Juliana will be celebrating it’s 100th jubilee. This is a major event for a parish, and we are looking for input on how people want to celebrate this joyful event. On Tuesday, June 10th, at 6:30 PM we will be having a meeting to discuss possible ways to celebrate our jubilee. At the meeting I am asking people for ideas on how to celebrate. They might be things from our past, or they might be events you have seen at other parishes. This will just be an idea meeting. No decisions will be made. Once we have the input we will sit on it for a bit and let the Holy Spirit guide us as we move forward. We want this to be a parish-led celebration. So everyone is invited to join us as we begin to plan for the celebration.

This weekend the parish is hosting the Blessed Carlo Acutis Marian Apparitions exhibit in the Ahearn Center. We encourage everyone to take some time after Masses this weekend to go visit the exhibit highlighting the Marian visits that have happened around the world. Saint Juliana is one of the first parishes to show the exhibit. Thanks to all of the volunteers who have worked to bring the exhibit to Saint Juliana.

The Knights of Columbus are selling flowers this weekend in the back of the church in honor of Mother’s Day. All the proceeds from the sale go to the Women’s Center. There are a variety of bouquets and prices, so why not treat your mom to a beautiful bunch of flowers? Let Mom know how much she means to all of you.

Summer is fast approaching. The parish picnic is scheduled for Sunday, June 1, 2025. There is something for everyone at the picnic. The picnic will be held at Bunker Hill Woods, Grove 5. So invite your family and friends to this kickoff to the summer. More information is in this bulletin.

Totus Tuus summer youth camp is also coming once again to Saint Juliana this June. The camp will be held on the week of June 8th. More information is again available in the bulletin or on the web page.

Finally we would like to wish all of our mothers a Happy Mother’s Day. Thanks to all of the Moms who have given us life, nurtured us and cheered our successes. We appreciate all that you do! 

Today we celebrate the Third Sunday of Easter. The Easter celebration extends all the way to Pentecost. It is a reminder that Jesus’ death and resurrection are central to our faith. The gospel today once again gives us another resurrection story to ponder. In it the apostles are out fishing. Jesus waits for them on the shore. After a bad night of fishing, Jesus tells them to cast off the other side of the boat. Reluctantly they do as Jesus asks and the nets fill up. When they get to shore they share a breakfast with Jesus, and then Peter and Jesus have a hard conversation. Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Many theologians say it is in response to the denials Peter made before the crucifixion. In the end, the outcome is clear. Peter and the other disciples are called to tend to the believers and help lead them to Jesus. This is our call as well.

This Tuesday Saint Juliana will celebrate our parish Confirmation. I have been on a Confirmation marathon for two weeks. I have celebrated nine confirmations in ten days. I have to say that the Saint Juliana Confirmation will be special, as I know the children and their teachers and catechists. I have spoken to the Confirmation classes in the past two weeks and they are ready for the Holy Spirit. Please join me in prayerful celebration as the students continue their journey of faith.

Congratulations to all of the children who received their First Communion this Saturday during two great celebrations. The students were well prepared. Thanks to the parents and teachers who have walked with the children. Your baptismal promise is fulfilled as you pass on the faith to these children. As a parish please keep the children in your prayers.

 This week the cardinals in Rome will begin the conclave process which will elect the next pope. I encourage everyone to pray for the cardinals who will make this important decision. The process for selection of a new pope fascinates everyone; but for the Church, we believe the outcome will be the work of the Holy Spirit. God will choose who is called to lead us in this time. Our job is to pray and joyfully accept God’s decision.

The parish picnic is coming soon, and we hope you will all join us for the celebration. The picnic is held at Bunker Hill Woods, Grove 5. It is set for Sunday, June 1st. Invite your family and friends. It is another way for us all to gather as a parish family. I have been practicing my potato sack racing skills for the day. If you want to help with the picnic please call Marie Dombai in the parish office.

Today we celebrate the Second Sunday of Easter. This is also Divine Mercy Sunday. Saint Faustina had visions about the mercy of God flowing from the heart of Jesus. This stream of mercy was endless. Saint Pope John Paul II created this celebration in honor of God’s mercy. The Easter message is a message of mercy. Jesus gives his life so that we can be forgiven. The Easter celebration continues until the Feast of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit descending on the Apostles is another sign of God’s care and mercy for all of us. Fr. Prasad will have a Divine Mercy celebration at 3:00 PM in the church today, Sunday, April, 27th. We invite everyone to join in the thanksgiving for God’s mercy.

It was with tremendous sadness we woke up on Monday of this past week to learn about the passing of Pope Francis. Since then prayers, Masses, and other celebrations have been offered in honor of the first South American-born pope. In choosing the name of Saint Francis, the pope began his pontificate as a champion for the poor, the outcast, and the foreigner. The person in front of him took precedence over doctrine. Church leaders could debate doctrine, but it was the person in front of him who was important. He saw the Church as a big family, and as his last public event, traveled through the crowds on Easter. It is fitting that he celebrated Easter—our feast of new life and resurrection here on earth—and then went home to continue the celebration with God and all the saints in heaven. Please continue to pray for Pope Francis and in the days ahead for the cardinal’s as they begin the conclave to choose Pope Francis’ successor. 

As we continue the celebration of Easter it is a time in which we celebrate the sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation. We will be celebrating First Eucharist here at Saint Juliana on Saturday, May 3rd. We will celebrate Confirmation at St. Juliana on Tuesday, May 6th. Please include in your prayers all of the children who will be receiving the sacraments this year.

Finally, thanks to everyone who helped with the Easter celebrations. I was very pleased with the numbers of people who chose to celebrate with us. Faith gives us hope! Pope Francis entitled his autobiography Hope. We all came together as a sign of God’s hope. Whatever part you played in our celebrations are hopeful reminders of a church that is alive in all her members. Happy Easter, Saint Juliana!

Prayer at the Passing of Pope Francis

Dear God,

We thank You for the years of service Pope Francis gave to our Church: his encyclicals, his prayers, his pilgrimages, his work for a brighter tomorrow. May his life and service remind us of our ultimate goal — You and You alone. Amen.

“On the first day of the week."

This one phrase is filled with so much meaning. In our Gospel this morning, Mary of Magdala comes to the tomb and is one of the first to see that the tomb is open.  She runs to share the distressing news with Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved. But when the disciples return to the tomb and see that it is empty, it is John who sees and believes. This will be the first confirmation that Jesus is alive. 

Easter is a day of transformation. Death is conquered, and darkness is replaced with light. That is what we all celebrate in our parish and in our homes. Through our belief in Jesus and the relationship that we have fostered with him, we can joyfully proclaim that Jesus is alive! This is the Easter message. We believe that any darkness in our own lives, in our own world, can be transformed to light in Jesus. The symbols of resurrection surround us on this Easter morn. Water, flowers, eggs, chicks, lambs, music, and delicious food remind us that God has given us an abundance of life in Jesus and his resurrection. The Eucharistic celebration is the living embodiment of the life Jesus gives us. All we have to do to receive his life is say, “Yes.”

This past winter we all experienced a bit of transition at Saint Juliana. On December 20th, 2024 the Holy Father, Pope Francis, appointed me an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago. On February 26, 2025 I was ordained a bishop at Holy Name Cathedral and became the Vicar of Vicariate II. All this happened while retaining my position as pastor of Saint Juliana Parish. The upside of this is that I am able to remain in the parish and walk with all of you. If there is a downside, it is that now I will also lead and care for about forty more parishes in Vicariate II. I am a firm believer that God gives us what we need to accomplish his work on earth, so I am confident that this new adventure will unfold just as the Lord is expecting. We all simply need to be open to God’s work

During Lent, while all that was going on, Saint Juliana continued to be a beacon of light in renewal and evangelization. Parishioners participated in daily Mass, adoration, Alpha, bible studies, The Chosen, as well as the men’s and women’s retreats. The Taizé reconciliation service brought comfort and healing to many. And our weekly Stations of the Cross reminded us of the gift we received in Jesus’ death and resurrection. This excitement and growth in our faith is what Easter is all about. We are all called to share that “Good News” with one another. 

On behalf of Fr. Prasad, Fr. Roger, the parish and school staff, and myself, we wish everyone a blessed Easter.

Today we celebrate Palm Sunday, and we begin our journey into Holy Week. The week begins in triumph as Jesus is welcomed into Jerusalem with “Hosannas” and joy. But as Holy Week continues, the story shifts and we see Jesus’ impending death on the horizon. But Jesus’ death is not the end. Jesus’ resurrection is the final chapter! Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins is accompanied with the new life we have received in his resurrection. I encourage everyone to join us for all of our Holy Week celebrations.

On Holy Thursday we begin the celebration of the Easter Triduum. These three days—Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil—are seen as one celebration. Once the celebration begins on Holy Thursday, it does not end until the completion of the Easter Vigil. On Holy Thursday we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. We will begin the celebration at 7:00 PM. During the celebration we hear the Gospel of Jesus’ final supper with his apostles. This meal signifies the Eucharist that Jesus gives us through his death and resurrection. During that meal we are reminded of our call to serve one another. Jesus gets up from the table and begins to wash the feet of his apostles. During our service, we also will wash the feet of our parishioners as a sign of that service. Finally the evening ends with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

On Good Friday we will have two services. The first is at 3:00 PM. This is the Passion of the Lord. We once again listen to the Passion Gospel. After the gospel is completed we offer universal petitions for the world. The second part of the service is our Veneration of the Cross. During this time we expose the cross as the sign of our redemption, and then venerate it by kisses, bows, genuflections, or touch. Finally, this service concludes with our reception of the Eucharist. At 6:00 PM on Good Friday, we will have our stations of the Cross.

The Easter vigil begins at 7:30 PM. Rituals of light and darkness are celebrated. New water of baptism is blessed and through the telling of our story of salvation from the beginning of time to Jesus, our faith comes alive once again. We also celebrate the Sacraments of Initiation with the elect, who have been on their own journey of faith. This night we begin our Easter celebration.

There will be no morning Masses celebrated on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. There will be morning prayer celebrated on Good Friday and Holy Saturday at 9:00 AM. On Holy Saturday we will have a blessing for food to be used at our Easter celebrations. Check this bulletin on page 3 for the time of the blessing, as well as the rest of the Holy Week schedule.

Once again I invite you to join us for all of the Holy Week celebrations.

Today we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Lent. The theme for this week is presented to us in the first reading from the prophet Isaiah. He tells the people, “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not, see, I am doing something new.” We are shaped by the things of the past. They make us who we are, but yet we are told to be open to what is to come. In the gospel, Jesus is asked what to do to the women caught in adultery. The old option is to stone her. Jesus comes up with something new for the scribes and pharisees, as well as the women. He tells the scribes and the pharisees who have no sin to cast the first stone. Eventually no one is left. Finally Jesus tells the women to sin no more. Lent gives us new eyes. To see events and things in our life in a new way. Jesus tells all of us to go and sin no more.

Thanks to all of the eighth graders who participated in the Living Stations of the Cross. Stations of the Cross began as a substitute for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to experience the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Because most people will never get to Jerusalem, the Stations developed so we could participate in the journey from wherever we are. Almost every Catholic church has stations on their walls or outside in a garden. By participating in the Way of the Cross, we participate in Jesus Passion and death. The presentation of the Living Stations of the Cross are a way to bring this devotion to the next generation. They are just as unlikely as the rest of us to get to the Holy Land, but yet they can participate in this journey of faith in our local church. So thanks again to all of the eighth graders who were able to participate, and to Janie Lidgus and Glenn de Castro for all their help.

Next Sunday is Palm Sunday. Traditionally all around the world our Christian churches will fill up as we begin Holy Week. In one week, we will see as our whole faith in Jesus Christ unfolds before us. It is a time to remember why we are here. The week begins with the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, but is quickly replaced with Jesus’ passion and death. In between we celebrate the last supper he shared with his disciples, and finally we experience the new life we received on Easter morning with his resurrection. I encourage everyone to join us for as many of the Holy Week celebrations as you can. A strong effort during Holy Week will help make the Easter joy even better.

Thanks to the Saint Juliana Men’s club who hosted our Final Four bash this weekend. Through the events they sponsor throughout the year, they contribute to the life of Saint Juliana. This year the Men’s Club have made a commitment to our Generation to Generation Capital Campaign. Through their help, we will be able to continue to move the faith forward for years to come. Next weekend the Saint Juliana Mother’s Club will hold their Big Night Out bash. Their efforts help the school community in so many ways. Thanks to everyone who generously support the Men’s Club and Mother’s Club at Saint Juliana.

Finally, Holy week schedules are a bit different, and attendance at many of our celebrations are high as well. It is a time for all of us to welcome all the extra family and guests who will join us for the Easter celebrations. So check the bulletin or website for times of services, and come early. 

Today we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Lent. The story of the Prodigal Son is a story of sin and redemption. It is also a story about the love of a parent for his child. A father had two sons—one chose to obey his father and the other chose to squander his life and inheritance. Eventually the destitute son chooses to come back home and face his shame and his father. It is the story of the father that captures our hearts in the Lenten season. Every day that his son is missing, the father goes out and looks for his lost son. When he is finally sees his son, the father, filled with compassion, goes out to meet him. He puts beautiful clothes on his son and rings on his fingers. He restores his son to his original place in the family. This is a story about God. God waits for all of us and is ready to throw a party when we turn from sin and become his light in the world once again. Lent is a season of homecoming in our faith. Through our Lenten prayer, activities, and charity, we once again choose light over darkness. God is waiting for each of us.

This week the men of the parish had their Lenten retreat. About twenty-five men of the parish gave six hours of their weekend to prayer and reflection. I often hear people ask why they need a retreat. I myself have asked that same question at different points in my life. I have come to believe a day away allows us to put the everyday responsibilities on hold and allows us to think. We live 24/7. Often even in sleep our minds can’t stop. A day without phones, work, or distractions allows us to reset. We get a chance to refocus ourselves on what is important in our lives. Thanks to the men who prepared this day of reflection and thanks to the women who also led the women’s retreat.

Another Lenten activity available to you this season is adoration on Tuesday evenings. Fr. Prasad is presenting a “Lenten Walk with Jesus” during the adoration period. We also have Stations of the Cross every Friday at 6:30 PM in the church. Reconciliation is offered an hour before the Stations. On April 4th, some of our eighth grade students will present the Living Stations of the Cross. Parishioners are invited to either presentation at 2:00 or 6:30 PM. Daily Mass is also another activity that is available at 8:30 AM. I hope these days of Lent enhance the Easter celebration for all of us.

We continue to have our prayer basket in the back of church. As parishioners add their prayers to the basket, other parishioners take one out and pray for their fellow parishioners. It is another way to connect us spiritually with our fellow parishioners. It also changes the focus of our prayer. It helps us look beyond ourselves and our needs to the needs of others. Please take a petition card this weekend and together we will raise up our prayers to God. 

Finally, thanks to all the parishioners who showed up for the lector and Eucharistic minister training meeting last Sunday. We will work quickly to get you on our Sunday schedule. Thanks to Marie and Tom Dombai for hosting the meeting.

Today we celebrate the Third Sunday of Lent. In the first reading from the book of Exodus we are reminded of God’s covenant with us. Seeing the suffering of Israel in Egypt, God picks Moses to go and tell the people the covenant is not exhausted. God will prevail. We are part of that covenant. God will save us, but we must also respond to God’s call. In the gospel, Jesus tells the people that we need to repent. We have to turn away from evil and follow God. He gives the example of the fig tree that after three years will not produce figs. The owner tells the caregiver to cut it down. The caregiver asks for one more year, before he has to destroy the tree. The owner relents and gives the caregiver and the tree one more year to produce. Is this the year given to us? Will are lives show repentance and light? Will we produce fruit under Jesus’ care?

Thanks to the Saint Juliana Fine Arts Association for another great spring production. Mean Girls, Jr. tells a tale of hurt, and redemption. It calls everyone to find their better self. It also calls us to be who God created us to be. The children and their advisors worked very hard to get ready for the play. We are blessed to have a vibrant fine arts program at Saint Juliana. Thanks to everyone who came to the shows over the weekend. Your support allows the Fine Arts Association to thrive!

This week the women of the parish had their spring day of reflection. Over fifty women participated in the retreat. The team worked hard for over six months to prepare the program. For those who participated it was another chance to reflect on their relationship with Jesus and share how that relationship has changed their lives.

This coming Saturday, March 29th, the men will host their day of reflection. You can still sign up by calling the parish office or talking with Deacon Tom Dombai. Thanks to the men and women who worked hard to give us these days of reflection.

Today we begin our first Scrutinies for the Elect who will be receiving the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil this year. The Cycle A readings will be used at the 9:30 AM Sunday liturgy for the next three weeks. You can find the QR code for these readings in the bulletin on page 4. Please pray for our Elect as they more fully enter into the Easter mystery.

Finally, in the back of church there is a basket with prayer petitions from our parishioners. I encourage those who are willing, to take a card from the basket and pray for that petition through the season of Lent. We are a family of faith who are strengthened when we pray for each other.

Today we celebrate the Second Sunday of Lent. Today’s gospel reading is the story of Jesus’ transfiguration. Jesus takes Peter, John, and James up the mountain to pray. While they are there, Jesus is transfigured before them. He begins to glow, and his clothes become dazzling white. The disciples want to capture the moment. They don’t want it to end. But God has other plans. God speaks from the cloud acknowledging who Jesus is, but then it is over. The disciples are dumbstruck, but when they regain their composure, everything is back to normal. The disciples tell no one about what happened. Transfiguration moments are not that frequent in our lives. They may come only once or twice in a lifetime. Once we have an experience like the disciples did though, it becomes a marker for the rest of our life. The transfiguration moments feed us in the ordinary days of life. Knowing God is with us allows us to live as disciples.

This week we will have our Rite of Sending for our OCIA candidates. They have each been on an individual journey to a new relationship with God and Jesus. They all have different reasons for beginning the journey, but together now they can see the Easter sacraments. We will send them to Holy Name Cathedral today for the Rite of Election. Cardinal Cupich will accept them into the Elect with others from all over the archdiocese. We continue to pray for them on this journey and promise to be examples for them of living faith. Next week we will celebrate the Lenten Scrutinies with them as well. Congratulations to these Elect of God.

Last weekend we asked you to list prayer intentions on cards during our celebration of the liturgy. We received a lot of cards listing prayer intentions for our parishioners. This week I am asking those who are willing to take a card from the basket in the back of church and pray for the intention listed. Carry the intention card with you during this Lenten season and pray for the needs of another parishioner. Prayer builds community and family. We believe in the power of prayer, and together we will build a faith family who prays for each other and lifts each others’ needs to God. These prayers are outward-looking prayers. These intentions call us to look beyond our own needs.

Last week we celebrated Mass with our Confirmation candidates and their sponsors. We were reminded of all God offers us through scripture. We asked the candidates and their sponsors to take time to reflect on the stories given to us each week at our liturgy. The bible teaches us and guides us on our life journey. Please pray for these students and sponsors as they continue to prepare for their Confirmation on May 6th, and please keep praying for the bishop who will confirm them—me! Come, Holy Spirit, Come!

Finally, over the next two weekends we will be holding retreats for the women and men of the parish. Information is included in the bulletin. Please consider taking some time out of your busy schedules to reflect on how God works in your own lives. Please also pray for the teams of parishioners who will be hosting the retreats.   

Today we celebrate the First Sunday of Lent. Saint Paul writes to the Romans, “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” This past week at my ordination as bishop, the book of the gospels was held over my head as a reminder of Paul’s words. God is that close to all of us. Jesus’ words and actions fill our hearts and direct our lives. This first week of Lent we are reminded of the power of temptations in our lives. In the short term there are many things that look shiny and good and we often try to grab for them, but at what price? This week we are encouraged to judge wisely and make decisions that will give us life. Jesus is our compass who leads the way.

This week began my first week as bishop and pastor. I wanted to make sure everyone is aware that I will remain pastor of Saint Juliana, even as I take on the duties of vicar of Vicariate II in the Archdiocese of Chicago. As pastor I will continue to oversee Saint Juliana and, whenever possible, continue participating in the activities that I am already a part of. As vicar of Vicariate II my duties will include the oversight of about forty additional parishes that begin in Lincoln Park and form a wedge out to the Mission of Our Lady of Hope in Rosemont. There is a second staff to help me in my role as bishop. My initial work will be trying to coordinate two calendars into one. Then it will be necessary to make scheduling decisions that work for the vicariate, the parish, and me personally. Basically, we are teaching an “old dog”— me—some new tricks. With the help of both staffs, I believe we can make accommodations that work for everyone. Everyone will need to be patient as I embrace my new reality. More to come, as I become aware of it!

I would like to take a moment and thank everyone who made my ordination celebrations so special. I especially want to thank Fr. Prasad for coordinating my Mass of Thanksgiving and Felicitation ceremony. As I have stated before, the success of a pastor is due to all of the people who support his work in a parish. So, my Mass of Thanksgiving is really an acknowledgment of all the ways you have made me successful as your pastor, and all the ways you have supported and strengthened Saint Juliana. Priests and bishops will come and go, but it is your day-in and day-out journeys of faith that continue to make Saint Juliana strong. We need strong, faithful men and women in our parishes. That is why I continue to encourage people to look for ways to update, strengthen, and share their faith. Jesus is the center of who we are and all the good work that we do. Thanks also to all of the liturgical groups who made the celebration so beautiful. A special thanks to all of the choirs that came together for the occasion. I am full of gratitude and am thankful to all of you!

Now it is time to once again focus on the Lenten season of preparation. I encourage you to participate in daily Mass, adoration, and Stations of the Cross. Sign up for the women’s or men’s retreats. Come to an Alpha session on Tuesday evening or jump into the small faith-sharing group that will meet on Mondays. There are many opportunities to reignite your relationship with Jesus. All it takes is for you to make a decision and say yes! Check out the bulletin or parish web site for information on all that is offered.  

Today we celebrate the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The readings today are preparing us all for the season of Lent. Are we ready to do the work necessary to honestly look at our spiritual health? In the gospel we are told to take the log out of our own eye before we look for splinters in other people’s eyes. In other words, we should not be judging others. Also in the same gospel, we are told that good produces good, and that evil produces evil. It is up to us to make a choice for good. So this week as we begin the season of Lent, let us all seek ways to bring more good into our world and weed out the bad in our own lives.

I would just like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has worked so hard to make to make the celebration of my ordination to auxiliary bishop of Chicago so beautiful. There were a number of celebrations throughout the week and each one reminded me of how lucky I am to have such a great family, good friends, and parishioners who have made my ministry so fulfilling. Wherever God has called me, I have always found generous, joyful people who work hard to live their faith and serve one another. The Holy Father calls us to be people of hope! I see hope in each one of you every day of my life. Now together we will walk in a new way. I am still learning what it means to be bishop, but I know with your help and support we will bring more hope and light into our world. Thank you all.

This afternoon I will be celebrating my first Confirmation. I will be calling on the Holy Spirit to fill the children who will receive the sacrament. I will also be asking that same spirit to work through my life as well. Every day we need that same spirit to fill our hearts and lives. I look forward to having the chance to celebrate that spirit with young people and their families. God gives us so much power! We just need to ask for it! Wish me luck.

Lent begins this Wednesday. The visible sign of ashes on our foreheads reminds us that our time on earth is limited and that we are called to bring about the kingdom now. We take forty days to transform and renew ourselves so that we will be ready to receive all the gifts presented to us at Easter. I encourage you to take time for prayer and fasting during the Lenten season. We have many opportunities to take time and reflect. Check out the bulletin or parish web page to see what may fit in your schedule. Each of our journeys is different, but our goal is the same—to know Jesus more fully and to continually invite him into our daily lives.

Finally, make sure you support the scouts pancake breakfast Sunday in the school cafeteria. Before the fast of Lent, there is always room for delicious pancakes!

Today we celebrate the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today’s gospel is full of lessons from Jesus. Jesus starts with telling his disciples that they should love their enemies. He encourages the disciples to do good to those who have harmed them. Wow! This is not the lesson the disciples were hoping for. It was probably their hope that those who lorded over them would be removed, and they would assume higher office. But for Jesus, higher status is related to who can love the most, forgive the most, or serve the most. This lesson is for us as well. Lessons learned are lessons lived. There are some today who are trying to limit Jesus today. They want to relegate Jesus to an hour on Sunday and let the rest of the hours, days, and years be lived out in freedom and without moral teaching. Being a disciple, being a baptized Catholic Christian is a 24/7 job. The last line of the Gospel is important: “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

Today across the Archdiocese we are holding our Annual Catholic Appeal. Many of you have been contributors from the start of the Campaign in the 1990s. Cardinal Bernardin, Cardinal George, and now Cardinal Cupich ask all of us to support the Church beyond our parishes. Many of you have done that through your gift to the Generation to Generation Campaign last fall and won’t be able to support the annual appeal this year. That is fine. Each of us is asked to do what we can, when we can. As always, I thank you for all the ways you work to make Saint Juliana and the archdiocese strong. Thank you!

This Tuesday, February 25th, the fourth season of Alpha will get underway. Alpha begins with a shared meal at 6:30 PM. Then a short video is shown, and the participants discuss the topic from the video. It is a way for participants to think about their faith and then express that faith to others. The team have all been participants in the past and now will share the program with all the new participants. There are no boundaries on Alpha, so invite your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. All are welcome.

Next Sunday the Cub Scouts are hosting a pancake breakfast in the School Hall. It will be a great way to support the scouts and have a great breakfast. It also is the last Sunday before we begin the season of Lent. So join us for a delicious pancake Mardi Gras!

Lots of good things to celebrate in the parish. Yesterday Frank Rottman received the Order of Reader. Frank is working toward the diaconate, and the first step along the way is reader. Frank has been reading since he was in grade school, so he passed this milestone with flying colors. Keep Frank and his wife Mary in your prayers, and also pray for other men who might be considering the diaconate as well.

Finally, this week is a week of celebration for me, my family and the parish. Today much of my family will be gathering for a pre-ordination celebration. We don’t often get everyone together so we are taking this moment to gather and celebrate. On Wednesday, February 26th, the archdiocese will ordain five of us as bishops. This celebration will be held at Holy Name Cathedral and begins at 2:00 PM. The whole ordination will be livestreamed. Then next Saturday, March 1st, at the 5:00 PM Mass we will have a parish celebration of the ordination. I said it when I was first named as one of the candidates for bishop. Priests are successful because of all the faithful parishioners around them who support them and love them. I have felt your love and support from the first day I arrived at Saint Juliana. So this whole week of celebrations is really a celebration of all of you. You support your priests, you keep the parish strong, and you work hard to create a piece of the Kingdom right here in Edison Park. Thanks to all of you!

Today we celebrate the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the first reading from the prophet Jeremiah, we are reminded to stay close to the source of all life. Jeremiah uses the image of a tree that is planted near running water. The tree stretches out its roots to receive the benefit of the stream. Because it has this source of life, the tree never withers, even when the heat comes. Jesus is our source of life. In the Gospel of Luke today, Jesus teaches the people on the plain. He gives them a lesson that we have come to know as the Beatitudes. It is a lesson filled with hope for those who are suffering now. It also is a directive for those who can ease the suffering of others. If we have the ability to help others, we should do so now. Through Jesus’ teaching we continually partake in his life giving water.

Lent is fast approaching. Lent is a time to get close to the Lord and be mindful of his teachings. Early in Lent we will be having two retreats. One of the retreats is for women, and the other is for men. The teams for both of the retreats have been preparing for the retreats since the fall. I encourage everyone to consider taking the time on a Saturday and participating in the retreats. The women’s retreat will be held on Saturday March 22nd. The men’s retreat is a week later on March 29th. These are two opportunities to get closer to the source of life-giving water, Jesus. We hope to see you there.

Next Tuesday, February 25th, we will begin our next Alpha session at Saint Juliana. Alpha is another way for all of us to grow in our faith. Alpha is a soft entry point for people who are searching for meaning in their lives. It is also a place for those who may have walked away from Jesus or their faith. Finally, we have seen that Alpha has been beneficial even for people who are strong in their relationship with Jesus and strong in their faith. The program pushes those faithful to express their faith and share it with others who are searching. So if you are looking for another opportunity to recharge your relationship with Jesus, join us on February 25th.

Congratulations to all of the Cub Scouts who received their religious awards last weekend. The Parvuli Dei Award and the Light of Christ Award are given to students who have worked with their parents on strengthening their relationship to Jesus. The Light of Christ award is given to second graders as they are preparing themselves for Holy Communion. Parvuli Dei is given to fourth graders who are continuing to build their relationship with the Lord. We are proud of these boys and their parents who are constantly working to build a strong relationship with Jesus.

Thanks to everyone who donated to the Saint Vincent de Paul food drive on Super Bowl Sunday. It is always great to remember those less fortunate then ourselves. On a day when everyone in the country is celebrating football and food, it is good you were all so generous in your donations for those who are hungry. Thanks to the Saint Vincent de Paul Society for hosting the food drive and reminding us to share our gifts when we are able.

Finally, next Sunday the Archdiocese will be asking everyone to support the Annual Catholic Appeal. I will be speaking at all of the Masses.

Today we celebrate the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. All three readings today speak of unworthy people who have been entrusted by God to do great things. The prophet Isaiah, Saint Paul, and Peter all find themselves in unchartered waters. Yet God speaks to each of them and transforms their weakness into power—power to spread God’s teaching and light throughout the world. God wants to transform us as well. Most of us stand before God and are very aware of our shortcomings and sins, yet God doesn’t give up on us. Rather God will always work to help us find our good and use it for God’s delight.

Thanks to the Alpha participants who spoke at all of our Masses last Sunday. In a couple of weeks, we will begin our fourth Alpha journey. I encourage everyone to consider trying Alpha out. Also, if you do, bring a friend with you. It is always easier to do new things when you have a friend by your side. The cards in the pew can help you register and get more information. If by chance you are a bit less techy like me, call the parish office and we can help you register. 

Today the Saint Vincent de Paul Society is having their Souper Bowl food drive! On a day when many of us will be overeating and drinking, it is good we are reminded to also help those who are hungry. The Saint Vincent de Paul society is always working to help those who might need a lift up. We are blessed to have them in Saint Juliana Parish.

This week the bishop elects of the archdiocese will be going on retreat together. Ove the last month I have gotten to know the other four men better. They are very good and generous, and we will be blessed in Chicago to have them as bishops. I ask you to please pray for us. We stand before all of you aware of our shortcomings and sins, as well as our gifts. With your support and prayers, we too hope to be transformed into the best we can be. Also know that we will be praying for each of you as well. You are the communities that have formed us and continue to walk with us on our journey in Christ Jesus. Thank you.

Wednesday, February 26th will be the bishop ordination. The celebration will begin at 2:00 PM and it will be livestreamed. Once they give us the link for the livestream, we will publish it in the bulletin. Because there are five of us, there are limited tickets that were available for the ordination. On Saturday, March 1st, at 5:00 PM I will be celebrating a Mass of thanksgiving with the parish here at Saint Juliana. It will be a chance for me to say thank you to all of you who have been a part of my journey. These are exciting days, and every one of them has opened my eyes to God’s call for me.

Finally, on March 2nd, the scouts will be hosting a pancake breakfast. It is a perfect celebration before we start the season of Lent. Invite your family and friends and support the scouts in the parish. The scouts will be selling tickets at all Masses next weekend, or you can purchase them at GiveCentral. See the bulletin for more details.

Today we celebrate the Presentation of the Lord. As the Gospel states, “When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.” We don’t often celebrate the Presentation of the Lord on a Sunday, but today the feast falls on a Sunday in Ordinary Time and takes precedence. Mary and Joseph are doing what every faithful Jew would do with their firstborn son. They realize the blessing they received in Jesus’ birth and present him to God in thanksgiving. This was a normal tradition up until they encounter Simeon and Anna. Simeon and Anna are two devout Jews who are waiting for the promised savior. On seeing Mary, Joseph, and the child Jesus, both Simeon and Anna breathe a sigh of relief because they recognize the child as the long awaited savior. This was news to Mary and Joseph. Though they had experienced unusual occurrences since and during the time leading up to and after Jesus’ birth, they are still amazed. What does God have planned for their son and each of them? As we celebrate the Presentation this year, we may ask ourselves the same question: What does God have planned for you? Have you been listening? Are you willing to say yes to God’s plans? What are the things that cause fear or hold you back?

As we enter the month of February, we begin to experience more light. The temperatures may still say “winter,” but the light fills us with hope for what is to come. We often bless candles on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. This symbol reminds us of who we are. When we are told that all the world is dark and we have to be afraid, the Presentation reminds us that we are people of light. Jesus’ presentation reminds us that we are called to unleash the light into the world around us. I encourage everyone to reflect on that thought. Are we people of light? Have we been caught up in darkness and forgotten who we are in Christ? Light will conquer darkness unless we hide it under a bushel basket. Jesus calls us to be lampstands in the face of darkness.

Next weekend the Saint Vincent de Paul Society will be holding their annual Mary Berg “Soup”-er Bowl food drive after all of the Masses. This drive is a visible sign of the light that you bring into the world. Many find it difficult provide for their families and themselves. Your gifts of non-perishable foods or monetary donations turn their darkness into light. Please contribute as you can. Thank you.

This month I will be meeting with Bishop Bartosic to give a report on the state of Saint Juliana. I wanted to once again take this time to thank all of you for your continued support of the parish. The parish is in excellent shape. We just completed the Generation to Generation capital campaign and exceeded expectations, raising $1, 390,000. We were well over our goal. In a few weeks we will once again be asked to support the Annual Catholic Appeal. This past year we exceeded our goal and will be receiving $7,000 back in rebates. This past year we replaced all the windows in the school, replaced the fence on Touhy, and resurfaced the parish parking lot. Through the Generation to Generation pledges and gifts, we now hope to begin renovations on the parish office building for more meeting space and accessibility. These are the tangible things that I will report to the bishop. For all of them, I say thank you.

Less tangible, but just as important, is how so many of you are choosing to push yourselves in your own faith development. We are running out of space as more and more of you are participating in programs and prayer like Alpha, The Chosen, bible study, adoration, men’s and women’s retreats, Friendship Club, Cancer Support Group, book clubs, Saint Vincent de Paul, OCIA, Missionary Spirit Team, to name a few. The growth in these programs and others like them are the sign that the parish continues to grow and remains vibrant. Thanks to all of those who are leading us and challenging us to share our faith with each other. I look forward to sharing the Saint Juliana “good news” with Bishop Bartosic. 

Today we celebrate the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the first reading from the book of Nehemiah, and in the gospel, we are once again told that God is nearby,  that God is present in our time. In the book of Nehemiah God is present in the law that was given to Israel. Ezra read the law to Israel out loud. It took hours to get through all the laws. The people welcomed the laws and saw it as a sign that God was with Israel. In the gospel we hear from Jesus himself. Jesus picks up the scroll in the synagogue and reads from the prophet Isaiah. It begins with, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” When he finishes the passage, he tells the people that the passage is fulfilled in their hearing. In other words, he is the anointed one of God. Paul also speaks of God present in the community of believers. So, God is with us in the law, in the community, and in Jesus himself. We only need to accept His presence.

This weekend we begin the celebration of Catholic Schools Week at Saint Juliana. Several events are planned for the school children, the faculty, and the parish this week. It is a week to celebrate the impact Catholic schools have had on the Church and the world over the years. After our 9:30 AM Mass today, there will be an open house in the school. If you haven’t been in the school for a while, we encourage you to take a tour and see how Saint Juliana is preparing children to be future Christian leaders.

Seasons one and three of The Chosen are now being shown at Saint Juliana on Wednesday evenings and Thursday mornings. Everyone is invited to attend. After each session, there is discussion of how we also are chosen and how we live out our call to be disciples of Jesus. Check the bulletin or web page for more information.

In February we will begin our fourth Alpha program. Alpha brings people together to share a meal, watch a video on a different topic each week, and then discuss the video with others on a journey of faith. It is a place people can reconnect with their faith in Jesus and search for new ways to find him. Once again please check out the bulletin or web page to register for this fourth season of Alpha. 

Finally, I encourage everyone to pray for our OCIA (new name for RCIA) candidates as they are in their final preparation for reception of the Easter sacraments. Pray also for the team who has led them along the way. In the coming month they will celebrate the Rite of Election at Holy Name Cathedral. They are filled now with joyful expectation for the sacramental gifts to come.

Today we celebrate the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Winter Ordinary Time is sandwiched between the Christmas festivities and the Lenten preparations for Easter. It is a time to regroup and renew after a wonderful but exhausting season of celebration of God coming to us. This week we have the story of the wedding at Cana in our Gospel. Even with all the best of preparations and plans, the wedding is running short of wine. Mary steps in and asks her son to take care of it. Jesus seems reluctant, but in the end, there is an abundance of good wine. What can we learn from this Gospel? Well, sometimes even when we have done our best, and worked as hard as we can, we fall short. When that happens, it is good to ask God to intervene and give us what we need. Another lesson comes from Mary. At this point in her life Mary is confident in God and her son. She tells the waiters to do what he tells them. She doesn’t worry about the outcome, because with God all things are possible.

Thank you to everyone who filled out our Parish Pulse survey last weekend. As I said last weekend, it is a quick snapshot on how we are doing as a parish. We hope to hear if you are being fed spiritually. Is your relationship with Jesus growing? Are there programs we are doing that have been helpful? Would you recommend Saint Juliana to someone? Our hope is to do the survey every six months. This first survey will be our baseline, and, in the future, we will be able to see if we have grown spiritually and where we still need more work. I know I sometimes ask a lot of you all but thank you again for your participation in this important tool.

This weekend please include President Trump in your prayers as he once again assumes the office of president. Pray also for the new Congress who were sworn in a few weeks ago. We are blessed to live in a democracy where we all have a vote in the direction of the country. May God bless our country and the men and women who defend it daily.

I also encourage everyone to pray for our first responders here at home and those who are fighting the fires in California. We too often take for granted the sacrifices they make to keep us safe. We also pray for all of the families who now find themselves asking, “What’s next?” As a family we need to work and come up with ways to once again bring stability to their lives. This will be a long process. But as followers of Jesus we are in it for the long haul. Thanks again to our first responders.

Next weekend we begin our celebration of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese. Our Catholic schools come in many shapes and sizes. Our schools are there for grade school, high school, and college students. The charisms may be different at different schools; but there is one constant, and that is Jesus Christ. With Jesus as center, our children grow spiritually, academically, and wholly as a person. Thanks to all our parents and grandparents who are able to support Saint Juliana. We are a family that walks in the pathway of Jesus. Next Sunday our children will participate at some of the Masses and there will be an open house in the school following the 9:30 AM Mass.

Today we end the Christmas season with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Though the stable scene is still up and the Christmas trees as well, our story of faith has fast forwarded to Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan. God’s affirmation after his baptism is a reminder for all of us that Jesus truly is God with us. Just as this baptism was the beginning of Jesus’ public journey, our baptism is our pledge and promise that God will be with us as we journey as well. As we grow in faith, we begin to experience the God who is in us and around us. Each of us grows into our relationship with Jesus at our own speed. No two journeys are the same. May we all be renewed and recommit to Jesus on this celebration of his baptism.

So much has happened over this Christmas season. First, I would like to say thanks to everyone who made our Christmas celebrations so meaningful. Thanks to our cantors, choirs, musicians, and Glenn. The music was uplifting and joyful. Thanks to our lectors, and Eucharistic ministers, both of whom fed us through word and sacrament. Thank you to the ushers who made everyone feel welcome at Saint Juliana. Thanks also to those who decorated the church and reminded us of God’s glory and beauty. Thank you to all the children who served at our celebrations, so many of us began in their shoes. A final thanks to everyone who showed Prasad, Roger, and me kindness through the holiday season. Though we try, we sometimes miss sending everyone a thank you. You all have made the holidays so special. Now we once again go back into ordinary time and experience the Lord’s call in our daily lives.

As we began the New Year, the Generation to Generation, Answer the Call Capital Campaign far exceeded our goal of $1,215,000. We are now over $1,400,000 and more gifts and pledges continue to pour in. Thank you all for a generosity that ties each of us to the past while we look joyfully into the future. We hope that as 2025 continues we will begin architectural and permitting work for the projects in the former convent. Accessibility and meeting space will serve us all as we look to the future. I will keep everyone abreast of our progress going forward.

This weekend we have asked everyone to do a short survey about Saint Juliana and how we are doing on evangelization and outreach. Some of you may do it immediately using the QR code in the bulletin (page 9). Others may choose to take it home and then fill it out. The survey is short, but through it we want to know if we are meeting your spiritual needs as we work to become disciples of Jesus. Please fill out a survey if you are able.

Besides the normal Christmas gifts I usually receive from family and friends , I received a surprise over the Christmas holiday as well. On December 20th, I was named an auxiliary bishop of Chicago. Since that day my life has sped up and filled up. The ordination is set for February 26th at Holy Name Cathedral. We have many more meetings to go before I know what the future looks like for me and the parish. I know God has a plan, and I hope that in the next few weeks that plan will be clearer. I have always believed that the success of a priest or bishop comes from the people who walk with us. I have never had a bad assignment because I have been blessed with people like you throughout my ministerial life. Thank you! Please keep me in your prayers as we navigate the road ahead. 

Today we continue the Christmas celebration with the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The family is the foundation of society. We are formed through the connections of our family. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters all weave together to make us who we are. Sometimes our families are chosen. Because of distance or experiences, we create family with friends, neighbors, or coworkers. It is the connection with other people that is important. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are a great model for all of us. Their lives were chaotic. Their lives didn’t necessarily go as planned. Yet what was the common theme for each of them? They all had a faith that God was central to their lives. With God as their rudder anything could be handled. Through our baptism we are part of the Holy Family. We too have access to the rudder who is Jesus Christ.

Today I would like to give a big thanks to our Saint Juliana family. The Saint Juliana commitment weekend for the Generation to Generation: Answer the Call capital campaign put us over our goal by almost $185,000! To date we have collected gifts and pledges totaling $1,400,000. Your generosity is not a surprise to me, because since coming to Saint Juliana I have experienced so many examples of your giving spirit. Truly as needs have risen, you have all answered the call. Saint Juliana is a generational family that is built on the foundation of the past with a focus on the future. The Generation to Generation campaign will add to the legacy we leave for the future.

I would also like to thank in a special way our mighty campaign team. Our parish team was small, but it did great things. Thanks to Donna Furlan and Ray Balcarcel who were enlisted for our staff team. Thanks also to our parishioner team. This team included Todd and Melody Steffen, Steve Baggio, Fran and John Pelrine, David Plier, Chris and Maureen Floss, and Bob Ryan Jr. With all their help we once again achieved our goal. Thank you all for the time and effort you gave to our campaign. Now we get to begin the exciting work of adding meeting space to the parish office building and making it accessible for everyone. 

This week as we welcome in the New Year, we will celebrate one Mass at 10:00am on New Years Day. On January 1, we not only celebrate the beginning of the new year, but we also continue the Christmas celebration with the feast of Mary the mother of God.  The new year allows all of us a chance to commit once again to building a better world. Just as Mary said yes to God’s call, we too are asked to build up God’s Kingdom through our lives and actions. Please join us for our New Year celebration. 

The parish offices will be closed for January 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. We will be checking the phones for emergencies.

Today we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent. It is almost here! The celebration we have all prepared for is about to happen. When I was a child, an Advent calendar was a great way to build up to the Christmas celebration. Each morning, we woke up and opened another door as we moved through the month of December. We counted how many doors were left to open. It was a time of great anticipation. Now as an adult I still look forward to Christmas with excitement and hope. However now I want to experience the crowds at our Christmas celebration. I want to sing Christmas carols I haven’t sung for a year. Though I love the Christmas radio stations, they focus more on reindeer, snowman, bells, etc., but not so much angels, shepherds, mangers, and Jesus’ birth. Our mouths water for the meals we will share, but I really look forward to time spent with family and friends. In the craziness of these final few days of Advent I encourage you to take some quiet time in front of the manger and tree and give thanks for all of the blessings God has given us. God truly is with each of us.

This fall Saint Juliana embarked on the Generation to Generation: Answer the Call capital campaign. On the heels of installing new windows throughout the school, we began preparations to make the parish office building (former convent) accessible and to add more meeting space. Because of the work we are doing on evangelization, the need for more meeting space has become a necessity. Each new project, renovation, or repair is a lasting reminder of the hopes and dreams of the Saint Juliana family. As the title of the campaign says, for “Generation to Generation,” families have found a home at Saint Juliana, and we look joyfully to what lies ahead. Now that we have reached our goal for the campaign, 80% of any new pledges will remain in the parish. Please consider a gift during this Christmas season.

This week we gather for our Christmas celebration. There will be two Masses on Tuesday, Christmas Eve at 3:30pm and 5:30pm. On Wednesday, Christmas Day, we will celebrate Mass at 7:30, 9:30, and 11:00am. All our Masses will have bigger crowds then we are used to. Many families join us for the celebration, so please offer a heartfelt welcome to everyone who chooses Saint Juliana this Christmas. Also, just a reminder once again, parking will be crazy for the celebrations, so if you live close and the weather is good, consider walking with your family to church.

During the holiday season, the parish office will be closed on December 25th, 26th, and 27th, and we will also be closed on January 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. We will check voicemail during those days.

On behalf of Fr. Roger, Fr. Prasad, our deacons, the parish and school staff and myself, we hope everyone has a very joyful Christmas celebration.

Today we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent. The Church celebrates Gaudete Sunday which is Latin for “Rejoice.” As we gather, our salvation is near. We prepare to celebrate the first coming of God in the Christmas story, while we also prepare ourselves for when God will come again. Our first two readings speak to us of joy; and in the gospel, Jesus tells several people how they are to prepare for God’s coming again. As we celebrate the waning days of the Advent season, we ask God to help us prepare ourselves in ways that transform us and our world.

This Thursday, December 19, we will once again host the Saint Juliana Living Nativity. The animals will be here between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00pm. The eighth grade is working on the story as well as the music. Barb Ernat is getting the hot chocolate and cookies lined up and the Scouts are preparing a small bonfire to keep us all warm. All we need now is you, your families, and your neighbors. All are welcome, and it is a simple way to get together with parish friends to remember how lucky we are to have Jesus with us. Thanks to everyone who is working on this celebration.

Thanks to Glenn de Castro and all the choirs, cantors, and musicians who gave us the beautiful Taizé reconciliation service earlier this month. The soft lighting and abundance of candles reminded us of the “light” we wait for. Jesus the light of the world is coming, and we celebrate the Lord’s dawn. The service was a reminder to embrace the Advent season of preparation and action. We are blessed to have such talented people in the parish who share their gifts with us every week.

Christmas is fast approaching. Please remember these are our busiest celebrations of the year. If the weather is nice, and you live close, I encourage you to walk to church for our Christmas Masses with your family. Parking is always difficult. Oftentimes I see people drive and then drive back home and walk because of the parking. Come early if you want a spot in the parking lot. Also please be respectful of our neighbors. We cannot park in front of driveways or fire hydrants. Being crowded is a great problem to have! I hope we have standing room only at all the Masses.

Finally last week we had our commitment weekend for the Generation to Generation campaign. I want to thank everyone who generously gave to the campaign. Your gifts assure us that the parish will be around when you need it for school, religious education, weddings, funerals, baptisms, etc. We reached our goal of $1,215,000. Now that we are over our goal, 80% of all pledges that come in will stay in the parish. We hope to begin some of our projects in the 2025 calendar year. Thanks to everyone who participated in the campaign and thanks to the parish team who have worked for months making it a success!

Today we celebrate the Second Sunday of Advent. In the gospel we hear John the Baptist in the desert proclaiming, “Prepare the way of the Lord.” We often associate Advent with quiet waiting and expectation for the coming of Jesus once again. But John’s proclamation is clear, and we are called to act. Just as we all read the signs of the season—Christmas carols on the radio, stores filled with decorations, movies proclaiming the season, Black Friday deals—we begin to move and prepare our homes for what each of us will be our traditional Christmas. We don’t just sit and hope it will happen, rather we go out and make it happen. John the Baptist calls on us to do the same spiritually. We are not just supposed to sit and wait. We need to actively prepare ourselves for Christ’s coming.

There are several ways for us to prepare ourselves for the Lord. Last Thursday, December 5, at 7:00pm we had our Taizé prayer and reconciliation. The service included song, readings, and silence. Whether you chose to avail yourself of the sacrament of reconciliation, just the hour of prayer settled those who attended and helped prepare them for the Lord. We hope you can take some quiet time for yourself this week.

On Wednesday, December 11th, at 7:00pm and again on Thursday morning December 12th, The Chosen series Christmas celebration will meet at Saint Juliana. There will be Christmas carols, hot chocolate, and cookies for all. Then we will show the “Christmas with the Chosen: Holy Night.” Everyone is invited, and feel free to bring some friends.

On Thursday, December 19th, at 7:00pm we will also have our Living Nativity in the parish parking lot. The animals and actors are ready to share the Christmas story with all our parishioners and neighbors. Once again hot chocolate and cookies will be served. These are just a few of the ways to prepare for the coming of the Lord. Always check the bulletin or web page to see what is coming up during the holiday season.

Today at our 9:30am Mass we will celebrate our Rite of Acceptance with the RCIA. These individuals have been preparing themselves to meet the Lord in the Easter Sacraments. Today they make a public declaration of their intent to prepare and receive the sacraments, and we declare our welcome, prayers, and example as they make this journey. Congratulations to Jackson Grisheau, Kylie Konior, Bailey Scianna, Tony Scianna, and Cynthia McAlister, and thanks to Chris and Maureen Floss, and the RCIA team for all of your work in preparing our candidates.

This week is our commitment weekend for the Generation to Generation capital campaign. To date the campaign has raised $1,100,000 in gifts and pledges. That is just above 90% of the parish goal. Four of the fourteen parishes in the pilot wave of the Campaign have already reached their goal, and we are hoping that this weekend we also will reach our goal of $1,215,000. At all Masses every family will be asked to fill out a pledge card. Whether you already gave a pledge, will make it today, or even if you can’t at this time, all will be asked to complete a card. The Cardinal is grading me on participation, so don’t get me in trouble. Together we will meet and possibly exceed our goal. Thanks!

Today we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent. Jeremiah tells Israel and all of us that the days of the Lord are coming. That God is going to fulfill his promise and that justice will reign over the earth. The Gospel of Luke says the same thing. Luke tells the people that when it seems darkest, when natural disasters happen, we are to stand erect and face the danger. Our faith in the one to come will give us courage in times of trouble. As we light the first candle on the Advent wreath, we are reminded to live in the light and to focus our lives so that more light may come into our world.

This week we invite everyone to join us for our Taizé evening of reconciliation and renewal. We will gather on Thursday, December 5th at 7:00pm in the church. Through music, stillness, and prayer, we will experience the light we are waiting for. Jesus, the light of the world, calls us to prepare ourselves and our world for his birth. During the service, the sacrament of reconciliation will be available for those who would like to receive the sacrament. Whether you choose to receive the sacrament or not, the evening will bring healing and peace. In the hustle and bustle of this holiday season, take some time to experience stillness and peace.

Next weekend we will be celebrating the Rite of Acceptance at our 9:30am liturgy. The Rite of Acceptance is the first public statement made by the RCIA candidates as they continue their journey to the Easter sacraments. The candidates will proclaim their readiness to continue in the process and we as a parish accept their promise and tell them we will be praying for them on the journey. We also promise to be good examples of living faith for them as well. Please join us next Sunday as we celebrate with the candidates and the team.

We are now beginning the final push for our Generation to Generation capital campaign. Over the last few weeks, we have had a great response to the campaign and now have a total of $1,021,000 in gifts and pledges. These gifts come from about 150 of our 1,800 registered families.  I am sure that when the rest of our families make their pledges, we will top our goal of $1,215,000. We hope to complete the pledge process in the next two weeks. Then we can joyfully celebrate our Christmas celebration knowing that we have worked to strengthen Saint Juliana for generations to come.

Today we celebrate the last Sunday of the Church year. We celebrate the feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. The feast of Christ the King is the natural follow-up to the preceding weeks that spoke of the end times. We are faced with death. We are aware that our sins are holding us back.  We know that we don’t always answer the call to bring about the kingdom in our world. So what can we do? We are to rely on Jesus. Our faith in Jesus as king of a universe that we can only imagine is what allows us to have hope. Hope that conquers sin. Hope that conquers death. And hope that in Jesus we can bring about the kingdom through our words and actions. Even if all else may fail us, we have a king who knows us and protects us. Jesus is the true king, the center of our being as Christians.

This past week we finished our third season of Alpha. Through Alpha many parishioners have strengthened their faith in Jesus and recommitted themselves to share their faith stories with each other. Alpha creates leaders who reflect on their faith and then share their stories with other friends, family, and coworkers. It is through the sharing of faith stories that others are emboldened to look at their own journey of faith. They answer the question with fresh eyes; how has God touched my life? Where have I or my family encountered Jesus. As we take a break for the holidays, the newest participants of Alpha will be trained on leading small groups, sharing their stories, creating hospitality, and listening to others as they start their own journey of renewal in Jesus. This is the heart of evangelization, and the journey continues.

Thanks to all the leaders who led Alpha this fall. Your commitment to your own faith journey is a sign to all of us. Thanks also to the participants. You have received a gift that we hope you will share with others. Finally, a big thanks to Marie Dombai who has led the Alpha program for the parish. We now encourage the parish to pray and consider if Alpha in the winter might be right for you. Keep watching for upcoming information.

This past week we also finished the second season of The Chosen. The Chosen has been another path of evangelization that many have taken. It is always great when there is good media that speaks of our faith in Jesus. The Chosen has been a series that looks at what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. It pushes those who watch to answer the call of discipleship. What is God asking me to do? Again after the holidays we will begin showing the third season of The Chosen (and a chance for those who missed seasons one and two to join us and catch up!) We hope you will join us and bring along some of your friends. 

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving I would like to report on the progress of the Generation to Generation capital campaign. We have made great progress and are now past 70 % of the parish goal. We have received gifts and pledges totaling over $850,000. As we all rely on our faith and parish to give us hope, I hope that all of you will consider giving some gift to the campaign. Your gift does become a legacy for generations to come. Thanks to everyone who has already committed to the campaign.

Finally, this week the nation celebrates Thanksgiving. It is a time to gather with family and friends and remember the blessings we are freely given by God. For those who are able, we invite you to join us for morning Mass on Thanksgiving. The Mass on Thanksgiving will be celebrated at 8:00am so that everyone can get home before the Edison Park Turkey Trot takes over the neighborhood. Good Luck to the runners and walkers, and we hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!

Today we celebrate the Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time. We are nearing the end of the Church year. Next week we will end the Church year with the Feast of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Our readings today mimic the daily readings we have been hearing for the last couple of weeks. The readings ask us, are we prepared for the end times? Unless something dramatic happens, our personal end time will be our death. When we live our best life in Jesus Christ, we do not fear death. We see it as a continuation of our life here on earth. Our prayer is one of hope and expectation.

This week we have published the Annual Fiscal Report for Saint Juliana. This report is for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2024. Our Sunday and Holy Day income rose slightly. Our school income grew more substantially as we enrolled more children. The biggest jump in income this year was on interest and investments.

On the expense side we added new staff to both the school and parish side of the ledger, so salaries and benefits increased. After that some expenses increased slightly and others went down.

So the net operation income for the parish was $383,154.

Extraordinary income was $112,122 and extraordinary expense was $496,797. The extraordinary expense was due to payments that occurred in the fiscal year for the new school windows. This was a planned expense. So, when we put together the operation and extraordinary report we ended the year down ($1,521).   

Once again you have shown your support and commitment to Saint Juliana. Thank you for your ongoing generosity for our daily needs and your support of projects that prepare the parish and school for the future.

We have listed several big projects that were completed in the fiscal year and have also included the new renovations to the former convent that will be part of the Generation to Generation: Answer the Call campaign.

Our sacramental stats have remained consistent, and our October count rose slightly, bringing us back to our count before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finally, we are a year into the co-implementation plan on evangelization with the Archdiocese. We have seen a jump in both leadership and participation in activities and programs that bring us closer to the Lord. This really is the goal of the Church. We are called to open ourselves to new encounters with Jesus and then share those stories with our families and friends. Thank you all for your continuing support of Saint Juliana. 

Today we celebrate the Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today our first reading from the Book of Kings and the gospel speak of generosity. In both readings the main character is a poor widow who chooses to share what little she has, not knowing where her next meal will come from. In the first reading, the prophet Elijah asks the widow for water, and some cake to eat. She is about to prepare her last meal for herself and her son, yet she invites Elijah to join them. Because of her generosity they have enough flour and oil to last a year. In the gospel Jesus is watching people give to the temple treasury. Wealthy people are giving a lot, but it is from their surplus. Eventually a widow comes and gives two coins. Jesus celebrates the widow’s generosity because it came from her need, not her surplus. Each of us is asked to share with others from the blessings we have received.

It is a joke among Catholics that we do guilt better then any other religious group around. Today I am going to help keep the joke going by asking everyone to prayerfully consider the blessings you have received throughout your life and then, like the widows in our readings today, prayerfully consider a gift to the Generation to Generation: Answer the Call capital campaign. To those who have much, much is expected. We often hear people who feel that things aren’t going well. We don’t feel that we have an abundance of money, or we feel our bills are too high. Like you, I know those feelings; but in the end, it seems like I do always have what I need. God is generous. And I am now asking you to be generous as well.

To date the Generation to Generation campaign has exceeded $779,000 in pledges. This is about 65% of the parish goal of $1,215,000. That 65% has come from about 71 families. Now we are asking everyone else to consider being part of the parish success. We plan to use our portion of the funds to make the former convent totally accessible and to add much needed meeting space. Every generation of parishioners has made lasting contributions to Saint Juliana. Our school is an example of that. Even though it looks like one building, the school is made up of five buildings that were built to meet the needs of the time. Your five-year pledge will not only help us in the present, but will be used by generations to come. So please consider helping.

In the past two weeks everyone should have received a packet of information in your home as well as a pledge card. Today after all the Masses I will have a presentation in the school cafeteria on the campaign. We also will have several of the volunteers present to answer your questions as well. We need all of you. Join us after this weekend’s Masses.

After this weekend we are asking that everyone turn in their pledge cards at the masses on November 16th and 17th. Hopefully we will be able to celebrate Thanksgiving as a parish knowing we have reached our parish goal and are providing for the future.  

Today we celebrate the Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time. November marks the last month of the Church calendar. The month begins with our celebration of All Saints and All Souls. On All Saints we were presented with all the people who have followed Jesus faithfully and are considered models for us to follow. The saints were not perfect. We can relate to them because, like us, they also sinned. But still their lives give some example of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. On All Souls we celebrate our personal saints, our family and friends who have gone before us but are not forgotten. Their gifts and traits live on in all of us. We celebrate and commend them to God. Beginning this weekend we have set up our Tables of Remembrance in the sanctuary of the church as a place to remember and celebrate our loved ones. They are still with us; and as we celebrate together, these pictures represent their spirit in our midst. The tables will remain up through our celebration of Thanksgiving.

In the first reading from the book of Deuteronomy and in the gospel, we are given two commands. The first command is to love God with our whole being and to make God the center of our lives and decisions. The second command extends that love of God to our neighbors. I think the love of neighbor is the lived experience of loving God. If we don’t love the people around us, can we truly love the God who created everyone? That is the question given to us this weekend. 

This week Fr. Prasad will begin a bible study program. The group will meet twice a month on the first and third Monday of each month. It will be held in the parish library in the office building. Each session will last one hour. I encourage everyone to consider joining the group, especially as we near the beginning of the Advent season. The first topic will be the epistles of Saint Paul. Check out the bulletin or web page for more details.

This week all registered parishioners of Saint Juliana should have received a small packet of information on the Generation to Generation Capital Campaign. Next weekend, November 9th and 10th, after all of our Masses, we will be having Generation to Generation gatherings in the school cafeteria. These gatherings will be a chance for the whole parish to learn about the campaign and what we hope to do with the campaign proceeds in the parish. It is also a chance for us to answer any questions you may have about the campaign. To date about sixty families have generously made a five-year pledge that has brought our pledge total to $700,000. That is about 58 percent of our parish goal. Now we need all of you to prayerfully consider a gift to the Generation to Generation campaign.

Today we celebrate the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, and we hear that Bartimaeus is a blind man begging on the roadside. Through his encounter with Jesus, who is on his way to Jerusalem, Bartimaeus can now see. Because of this miraculous encounter, Bartimaeus follows Jesus to Jerusalem. Bartimaeus is strengthened and willing to follow the Lord wherever he is led. What blindness are we hoping to be shed of in our lives. Do we let our encounter with Jesus in the scripture and the bread and wine, transform us? Are we ready to take on the good and bad that seem to be a part of life?

Last weekend we celebrated marriage by blessing couples who stepped forward asking to have their marriages blessed. I think one of the vows a couple agrees to is to stand together for better or for worse. We all love to celebrate the joyful moments in our lives. We want to gather people around us to let them know how lucky we are, yet in marriage the worse often strengthens us. The commitment to love one another through good times and bad is the commitment that Jesus asked of his disciples and Bartimaeus. It is the same commitment Jesus asks each of us. Congratulations to all of our married parishioners who celebrated their marriage last weekend. 

Last Sunday we also are celebrating the commitment the students have made as they prepare to receive the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of Confirmation this spring. These students are now in the second year of their preparation for the sacrament. They promised to continue to walk with Jesus and seek a transformation of themselves and the world. This commitment is not to be taken lightly. Their parents, families, and teachers have been their guides. Now we as their faith family accept their commitment and assure them of our support. Please keep our Confirmation students in your prayer in the months ahead. Then in spring we will joyfully celebrate their reception of the Holy Spirit.

Today at all of our Masses we will celebrate the Anointing of the Sick. We believe that through the Anointing of the Sick we can receive healing. Sometimes the healing is physical, but other times we receive a healing of our spirit. People have come because of physical illness, psychological illness, and just old age. We all want to be made new and we call on the Lord to heal us. Please pray for those in the Saint Juliana family who have come forward to receive this blessing.

This Friday we celebrate All Saints Day. We gather to celebrate the men and women whom the Church has put before us as examples of holiness. The saints weren’t perfect, but through some aspect of their lives they helped bring about the kingdom. Please join us for Mass in the morning at 8:30am or 7:00pm in the evening.

Next Saturday, on the Feast of All Souls, we will have our parish remembrance for those in the Saint Juliana family who died in the last year. We will call the names of our deceased and light a candle in their memory. The candle is a reminder to all of us that our loved one’s light still burns brightly. Please join us for this celebration of remembrance on November 2nd at the 5:00pm Mass. Also we will once again have our tables of remembrance in the front of church to remember our loved ones in the month of November. So please add a picture to our tables.

Finally, we invite everyone to join Fr. Prasad as he begins a twice a month bible study in November. The group will meet on the first and third Monday of each month. The study lasts an hour and begins at 6:30pm. Fr. Prasad will begin with the epistles of Saint Paul. Please call the parish office to sign up for the class.

Today we celebrate the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today we are reminded that there is one person who saved us, and that is Jesus. The prophet Isaiah predicted that Jesus would come and shoulder all our sin and weakness. In the letter to the Hebrews, we are reminded that even though Jesus was God, he was also one like us. He was flesh and blood, yet he didn’t sin, but rather bore our sins. The sacrifice of Jesus plays out in the gospel as the disciples ask Jesus to give them leadership in the coming kingdom. Jesus asks them point blank if they can bear the load of sin, hurt, frustration, and anger of the world. They reply with a resounding yes. Then Jesus sends them out to serve the world. How will we answer the same question? Are we ready the shoulder the burdens of those around us? Are we ready to serve the whole world, including those we love and those we don’t?

This weekend we celebrate the gift of marriage at our 5:00pm Mass. During this celebration we ask all couples in attendance to rededicate themselves to each other in the presence of the community. For many it will be the first time they publicly declare their love since their wedding day. I believe privately they have declared their love repeatedly through action. Today the Saint Juliana family joins them in asking God’s continued blessing on their journey ahead.

This weekend we are hosting our October fall hospitality Sunday. We invite everyone to hang around after the Masses and catch up with neighbors and friends. This Sunday we will also have a Saint Juliana information booth set up for anyone who might have questions about something that is happening at the parish. Our bulletin and web pages are full of information, but sometimes it is nice to have a person-to-person chat about something you have seen or heard. We may not be able to answer every question, but we will make sure that someone gets back to you quickly. Thanks to Barb Ernat and the Hospitality Team for their work at building up the community. We are always stronger as a community!

Next weekend we will be celebrating Anointing of the Sick at all of our weekend Masses. The Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament of healing within the Church. We can receive the sacrament multiple times, often as we face health issues or as we get older. We believe the sacrament can provide healing—sometimes that healing is physical and sometimes it is in the form of peace to face whatever is ahead. We encourage those who need the sacrament to join us next week.

For those who know me, I am not one who likes to talk about money. I sometimes think it comes from starting life in a large family where the treasure we had was each other, rather then lots of money. That being said, this fall the parish and I chose to be part of the pilot for the Generation to Generation: Answer the Call capital campaign in the archdiocese. By now everyone should know that it is a five-year pledge campaign to raise money for accessibility and more meeting space in our former convent. As I write this, I want to thank the first fifty-five families who have pledged to the campaign, for a total of $650,000. We are already halfway to our goal! I now ask everyone to prayerfully consider what gift you will make to the campaign. For some of you, Saint Juliana has been your home for generations. For others, you are just starting out. It has been a place of support, healing, and strength in good times and in difficult times. Please answer the call and make a pledge for the future. In the coming weeks you will be receiving calls from parishioners or myself asking your support. Please answer the call as you are able.

Thanks to Cindy Brennan our parish health coordinator for taking time to distribute flu shots to our parishioners who wanted them. It is always nice to be able to get some of our services locally. Cindy is a great person to call when we have health questions. Thanks, Cindy!