September 27th - St. Margaret Mary Parish

St. Margaret Mary Parish
September 14, 2014
Exaltation of the Cross
1450 Green Trails Dr.
Masses:
Naperville, IL 60540 630-369-0777
All Saints Catholic
5:00 pm Academy:
Saturday:
Sunday:
7:30 am
10:45 am
9:00 am
12:15 pm
Weekdays Monday-Saturday 8:15 am
Office Hours:
1155 Aurora Ave.
Naperville, IL 60540
961-6125 or
www.ascacademy.org
www.smmp.com
Sacrament of Reconciliation:
Confessions every Saturday from 3:30 to 4:30
PM or anytime by request.
Sacrament of Baptism:
2nd and 3rd Sundays of the month following the
12:15 Mass. Please call Parish Office to make
arrangements for Baptism and required
Preparation Meeting.
New Parishioners:
Anyone who welcomes you, welcomes me; and
Sacrament of Marriage:
9:00 am to 5:00 pm those who welcome me welcome the one who
Six months preparation required. Parish music
369-0777 sent me.: (Mt 10:40)
Monday - Friday
Parish Office:
Fax:
Religious Ed. Office:
policies, which reflect Diocesan guidelines, are
369-1493 St. Margaret Mary Parish wishes to welcome
everyone to our community as Jesus would. For to be followed.
369-0833
information, please call the parish office.
OUR SERIES KICK-OFF
BREAKFAST
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER
27, 2014
8:00AM – 9:30AM
EVERY LEADER NEEDS
A FRONT PORCH
SPEAKER: JOHN G.
BLUMBERG
Christ Renews His Parish:
A Weekend of
Renewal for the Men of
St. Margaret Mary
From 8 am on Saturday,
November 8th to
3 pm on Sunday,
November 9th
CRHP is open to all men of the
parish. Please consider attending
this special opportunity of
renewal through prayer and
reflection.
For information, questions or to
register please phone or email:
Steven Gale
630-548-1736
smg04@wowway.com
Scott Parks
630-548-0997
cscottparks1936@gmail.com
The Front Porch. We have started
building them again. Yet contrary
to a famous quote … just because
you build them doesn’t mean they’ll
come. Front porches were places
of gathering, support, discussions,
protection, and pondering. They
always waited for your return and
welcomed you when you arrived.
They provided you whatever you
needed at the time … and were
glad to do so. That was their
purpose … helping you to be
reminded of yours. Our Business
Breakfast Series begins … by
stopping and exploring the power of
what every leader needs … porch
time.
John G. Blumberg is a national
speaker and author. More
accurately put, John’s journey in
the speaking profession has
evolved into inspiring a movement
of top leaders who want to fuel their
organization’s culture … precisely
at the intersection of personal and
organizational core values. He
would tell you that his laser focus in
the marketplace came as a result of
plenty of porch time.
Men of all CRHP years:
Join us for a reunion Mass and
reception on Thursday October
16, Mass starting at 7PM in the
COR Center.
All years of Men's CRHP are welcome and please invite any CRHP
graduates who you know.
Need more info?
Email Bill Hassett
bkc60517@yahoo.com
Check us out on Facebook:
SMMP Mens CRHP
2
September
Club
Honoring our
deceased members
Saturday, October 4th
5PM Mass
Catered dinner to follow in
the Parish Center
Dolores Peterman
3013 Oldham
Drive. Lisle, IL
60532
or call 630.955.9581
for reservations by
September 27th
to Delores Peterman
All Seniors
Welcome!
Healing Mass
Friday September 19
7:30 p.m.
In the Church Come with expectant faith as
All are welcome to this
Christ and our Church Community opportunity to open ourselves to
greet you with healing open arms. God’s healing graces.
We all need healing! Whether it
is from physical, psychological or
emotional illness, our bad habits,
our unforgiveness, our selfishness,
our personal tendency to sin.
Sacrament of
Reconciliation
available at 6:30 PM
The monthly SMMP Men’s Club meeting will take place Tuesday,
September 16 in the Parish Center. Dinner will begin at 7 pm, followed by
the business meeting. All men of the parish are invited and welcome to attend.
SMMP Men’s Club celebrates a birthday at the July meeting
3
Plan to attend the
Christian Service
Commission
Welcoming Reception
and Kick-Off for the
New Year
Thursday, Sept. 18
COR Center,
7:00—8:30pm
If you volunteer with any of
the parish committees listed
below you are invited to this
time of prayer, reflection and
celebration of the work of
the Christian Service
Commission.
CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
COMMITTEE
COMFORT CARE COMMITTEE
PASTORAL CARE COMMITTEE
FOOD PANTRY COMMITTEE
NEWCOMERS COMMITTEE
P.A.D.S. COMMITTEE
SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE
PAUL
SUNDAY NURSERY COMMITTEE
CHRISTMAS GIVING TREE
COMMITTEE
DAYBREAK TRANSITIONAL
HOUSING COMMITTEE
SHARING PARISH COMMITTEE
PRO-L.I.F.E. MINISTRY COMMITTEE
PEACE & JUSTICE ADVISORY
WORKING GROUP
MEN’S CLUB
SEPTEMBER CLUB
BOY SCOUTS & CUB SCOUTS
ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER
EMPLOYMENT GROUP
BEREAVEMENT MINISTRY
If you have any questions,
please contact Tom Cordaro at
630-369-0777.
Morning Enrichment
Lectio Divina: Rediscovering Historical Prayer in a Modern World
Speaker: Fr. Joel Rippinger, OSB
Wednesday, October 8
9:15 to 11:15 AM
In the COR Center
It takes a spark to start a flame, and every now and then we need to rekindle our own prayer lives
so that we can fan into flame the gift of faith. An ancient prayer practice called lectio divina or
holy reading, has been reintroduced and made accessible to wider numbers of Catholics and other
Christians today. This presentation will describe the historical development of lectio and its
Fr. Joel Rippinger
principal elements, as well as providing a communal experience of it for
the participants. Please join us for this session that will help add depth to your prayer. Bibles
will be available; however, you might enjoy bringing your own.
Fr. Joel Rippinger, OSB received an M.A. in History from the University of Notre Dame in
1971 as well as S.T.B. and S.T. L. degrees from the Pontifical University in 1976. During
1978 – present Fr. Joel has served as an instructor and chairperson of the Theology
Department at Marmion Academy, Aurora, IL. He has written and taught extensively on
Benedictine Spirituality.
Enrichment
Evening Enrichment
The Inconvenient Truths of Adulthood
Speaker: Al Gustafson
Wednesday, September 24
7:30 to 9 PM
In the COR Center
Donation: $8
There are certain truths about life we don’t like to talk about…like we are going to die one
day and if we live long enough before that day comes, there is a good chance we will find
ourselves sitting in a wheel chair in the corridor of a nursing home with a lot of time on our
hands but with very little control over our circumstances. So, why on earth would anyone
want to come to a talk and conversation about these inconvenient truths of adulthood? And
death and loss of control are not the only inconvenient truths we face.
These difficult truths are ultimately inescapable. If we deny them, we suffer…we suffer
psychologically and we suffer spiritually. Paradoxically, it is precisely by facing them that
we can come to know peace and joy and freedom. Think about taking a chance and spending
Al Gustafson
an evening discussing some things that are difficult to talk about, and chances are you will
leave the conversation feeling more hopeful, affirmed in the goodness of God and the goodness of creation.
Al Gustafson is a spiritual director and retreat leader. He has been a staff member at Old St.
Patrick’s Church, Chicago since 1994 and is the former Director of the Crossroads Center for
Faith & Work. He is a founder and past president of the Career Transitions Center of Chicago Evening
where he continues to be involved. He is a co-leader of an annual 38-week retreat on the Spiritual
Exercises of St. Ignatius at St. Margaret Mary Church in Naperville.
Enrichment
In addition to ministry, Al is the president of the Gustafson Family Foundation, a private
foundation promoting the development and education of young children at risk. Al also serves on
several boards including Educare of West DuPage, Institute of Catholic Bioethics and Swifty
Foundation. Al holds degrees in accounting and ethics as well as a Doctorate of Ministry from
Catholic Theological Union. He lives with his wife and teenage children in Woodridge, IL.
4
Table for Two
“Our Need for Intimacy”
What:
A Dinner-Continuing Education Presentation
When:
Sunday, October 26 (5:15 – 8:00 p.m.)
Dinner – 5:15 to 6:30 p.m.
Presentation – 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Where:
St. Margaret Mary COR Center
Fee:
$45 (includes dinner for two and presentation)
Speaker:
Rev. Kenneth Potts, MS, DMin.
(Reservations must be made by October 20 to 630.369.0777)
Dinner * Wine * Soft Music Personal Table for Two
In a popular culture we equate intimacy with sexuality. In a long term healthy marriage, however, intimacy is
an intertwined multi-dimensional experience. True intimacy encompasses the physical, emotional,
intellectual, social, vocational, re-creational, and spiritual dimensions of our life together. We will be
exploring each of these facets of intimacy and discovering how you can enhance and enjoy the intimacy in
your own marriage.
Dr. Ken Potts is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and License Marriage and Family Therapist. He holds a Master
of Science degree in Counseling Psychology from George Williams College and a Doctor of Ministry degree in Marriage and
Family Therapy from the Chicago Theological Seminary. Dr. Potts provides individual couple, and family therapy, with special
interest in the areas of divorce, remarriage, blende families, psychological issues related to physical health, and working with
church professionals and their families.
2014 Parish Picnic
Raffle Prize Winners
The Men's Club Members thank all of you who purchased raffle tickets to help make our annual picnic a success and allow us to
support our parish and other worthy organizations. We also want to sincerely thank those companies and individuals who contributed items to our raffle. Congratulations to all of our winners!!
Winners have been contacted and may pick up their prize on Sunday, September 14th in the Main Lobby/Upper Room between
8:30 a.m. and 12:15.
Please contact Alan or Katrina Meder at 630-579-6891 with any questions or to schedule an alternative pick-up time. Prizes must
be claimed by November 1, 2014.
Winner
Prize
From
Ron & Pam Amato
Ron & Pam Amato
$10 John Dough Bakery & $20 for dry-cleaning at
Leo's Cleaners
$100 American Express
John Dough Bakery & Leo's Cleaners,
Lisle
Christine Ory, Attorney
Carolyn Andrews
Dolores & Joseph Audy
Sandra Autry
Pat Baier
$25 Malloy's Finest Wine & Spirits, $10 Succulent
Seafood
$20 Morningside Café
$25 Subway
$25 Malloy's Finest Wine & Spirits
Malloy's Finest Wine & Spirits,
Succulent Seafood, Naperville
Morningside Café, Lisle
Subway, E. Chicago, Naperville
Malloy's Finest Wine & Spirits
Anne Beccavin
Charles Bellock
Pizza at John & Eddie's Pizza & Wings and $5
Kernel's Gourmet Popcorn & More
Coopers Hawk Lux Wine Tasting for Four
John & Eddie's Pizza & Wings and Kernel's Gourmet Popcorn & More
Coopers Hawk Winery and Restaurant
Burkhardt Family
$50 Traverso's Restaurant
Traverso's Italian Family Restaurant,
Naperville
Bernard Bonkalski
Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence
Bresnahan
P. Cassady
Charicki Family
$25 Tina's Closet & Free Haircut at Great Clips
Tina's Closet, Great Clips (Market
Meadows)
$25 Jimmy-B's Ale House
$30 John Dough Bakery
$25 DMK Restaurant
Jimmy B's Ale House
John Dough Bakery, Lisle
DMK Restaurants
C. Davidson
$25 Malloy's Finest Wine & Spirits, Great Clips
Haircut
Malloy's Finest Wine & Spirits, Great
Clips Market Meadows
Jennifer Di Iulio
Karen Doughty
Darlene Fenwick
Joseph & Sharon Ferrari
$20 McDonalds, $5 Subway
$25 Jimmy-B's Ale House
Breakfast for Two at Butterfields
Aurelio's Pizza Party for Six
McDonalds (E. Chicago & Naper Blvd),
Subway
Jimmy B's Ale House
Butterfields, Naperville
Aurelio's Pizza, Naperville
Mike Findlay
Mike Findlay
Irene Gasior
Irene Gasior
Peter Giordano
Zano Salons Hair Cut and Style plus hair care
products
$100 American Express
$25 plus Appetizer P.F. Chang's
$30 FlatTop Grill
$25 Fiamme Pizzaria
Amy Hall
$25 Vincitori Fine Italian Cuisine
Zano Salons
Christine Ory, Attorney
P.F. Chang's, Lombard
FlatTop Grill, Naperville
Fiamme Pizzaria, Downtown Naperville
Vincitori Fine Italian Cuisine,
Westmont
Bob & Carol Hansen
Robert Kemph
$25 Malloy's Finest Wine & Spirits, Great Clips
Haircut
$25 DMK Restaurant
Malloy's Finest Wine & Spirits, Great
Clips Market Meadows
DMK Restaurants
Winner
Prize
From
Don Kienstra
Ray Klouda
Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Kridle
Jeff Lindbloom
Leah Malinowski
$25 Tina’s Closet & Free Haircut at Great Clips
$5,000
$25 Dairy Queen
Four Subs at Jersey Mike's
$2,000
Tina's Closet, Great Clips (Market Meadows)
Men's Club
Dairy Queen, E. Chicago, Naperville
Jersey Mike's, E. Ogden
Men's Club
Lucy Maro
Carole Matuscak
Michael Maziarek
McGovern Family
Mary Mueller
Newman Family
Tim & Betty Nyman
Mike & Kathy O'Rourke
Tom Parisi
Gia Petrilli
Popiolek Family
Mary Puscheck
Richards Family
Larry Riebold
$25 Tina’s Closet & Free Haircut at Great Clips
$25 Pizzeria Bombola Burger & Brews
$20 Ted's Montana Grill
$25 Bella Familia
$25 Kuma's Bistro
$25 Angeli's Restaurant
$30 Dairy Queen
$50 Meijer
$25 Country House Restaurant
$25 Yerbabuena Mexican Restaurant
$50 Barnes & Noble
$25 Yerbabuena Mexican Restaurant
$20 Longhorn Steak House
$100 American Express
Tina's Closet, Great Clips (Market Meadows)
Pizzeria Bombola Burgers & Brews
Ted's Montana Grill, Naperville
Bella Familia, Naperville
Kuma's Bistro
Angeli's Restaurant, Naperville
Dairy Queen, E. Chicago, Naperville
Meijers
Country House Restaurant
Yerbabauena Mexican Restaurant, Lisle
Barnes & Noble, Downtown Naperville
Yerbabuena Mexican Restaurant, Lisle
Longhorn Steak House, Bolingbrook
Christine Ory, Attorney
Theresa Rindt
Lucille Rogers
$25 Malloy's Finest Wine & Spirits, Dan Wolf Oil
Change
$25 House of Emperor
Malloy's Finest Wine & Spirits, Dan Wolf
Automotive Group
House of Emperor, Naperville
Lyle Ruesch
Tom Rurik
Mark Sargent
$50 Parkers' Restaurant & Bar
$25 Braconi's Restaurant & Pizzeria
$1,000
Parkers' Restaurant & Bar, Downers Grove
Braconi's Restaurant & Pizzeria
Men's Club
Anna Sarovich
$25 Malloy's Finest Wine & Spirits, Great Clips
Haircut
Malloy's Finest Wine & Spirits, Great
Clips Market Meadows
James Schlesser
Two Buffalo Wild Wings snack size and two
BWW sauces
Buffalo Wild Wings, Rt 53, Woodridge
Michael Schroeder
Breakfast or Lunch for Two Egg Harbor Café
Egg Harbor Café, Naperville
Linda Serwa
Catherine Shields
Two Pizza John & Eddie's Pizza & Wings, $10
Pancake Café
$30 bd Mongolian Grill
John & Eddie's Pizza & Wings, Pancake
Café Naperville
bd Mongolian Grill
Catherine Shields
Fred Straub
Maureen Taylor
Len & Cathy Vekkos
M. Weglarz
Paul Weinewuth
$20 John Dough Bakery & Pizza at John & Eddie's Pizza & Wings
Aurelio's Pizza Party for Six
$20 John Dough Bakery & $10 Jewel
$25 Pizzeria Bombola Burger & Brews
$25 Yerbabuena Mexican Restaurant
$50 Whole Foods
John Dough Bakery and John & Eddie's
Pizza & Wings
Aurelio's Pizza, Woodridge
John Dough Bakery, Lisle, Jewel, Lisle
Pizzeria Bombola Burgers & Brews
Yerbabauena Mexican Restaurant, Lisle
Joan Grassman & Roger Caresio
Ralph Willette
$20 John Dough Bakery & Breakfast Fox Restaurant
John Dough Bakery & Fox Restaurant,
Lisle
Robin Witt
Two Double Delux Baskets Culver's, $25 Studio
10 Spa Service
Culver's, Rt. 59, Studio 10 Spa, Naperville
Zakosek Family
$25 Corner Bakery
Corner Bakery
Parish Heartbeats:
Stories of Faith In Action
Living with Open Arms: Sharing the Body of Christ
distribution. They also stop by the Alzheimer’s floor for a
shorter prayer with Communion distribution and visit any
resident who cannot leave their room but wishes to
receive the Eucharist. There are also pastoral care
ministers who go to visit our homebound parishioners on
a weekly basis. In these visits, the minister truly
represents a link to our community and may bring a
bulletin and news of parish happenings in addition to
prayer and Communion. Fair warning: This ministry may
result in long-term relationships that feed both the
minister and the parishioner!
“Pastoral Care” sounds like something that someone very
important and very well-trained should take care of as a
full-time job. It seems far from the average parishioner’s
comfort level as a volunteer … at least until you meet
someone like Regina Collura.
Regina and her family were founding members of St.
Margaret Mary Parish. Over the years, she has engaged
in a wide variety of ministries within the parish – from
helping to start a food pantry, to Religious Education
teacher for Confirmation groups, to working with the
Bereavement Ministry. She lived her faith actively in
these ministries while working as a
nurse and raising three daughters (who
have blessed her with 5 grandchildren to
dote on!). And life was good. Until it
wasn’t.
No matter where you choose to serve,
pastoral care ministers are well
trained. There is an initial one-day
training session at the Carmelite
Center and then a 1-2 hour refresher
course every 3 years.
In 2001, Regina faced a serious heath
crisis that put her into the hospital. A
fellow parishioner and friend brought her the Eucharist
while she was unable to attend Mass. These weekly visits
were of great comfort to her and Regina vowed to bring
this same gift to others when she was able. After her
recovery, Regina joined the Pastoral Care ministry and
has served in various settings ever since.
Regina believes that this ministry, like
so many others, is truly an
opportunity to receive so much more than you give.
“You don’t know what type of relationship you will have
with each person,” says Regina, “but you can be sure that
you are used as an instrument of God’s grace and
goodness in their lives. Pastoral care has helped me to
be more prayerful and humble in my own life. I am not an
outgoing person but I think sometimes we need to step
out of our comfort zones and hear God calling us to take
care of His people.”
St. Margaret Mary parishioners serve as pastoral care
ministers in three locations: Edward Hospital, Sunrise
Nursing Home, and at the home of any parishioner who
requests their services. Pastoral care ministers are
responsible for bringing Communion, prayer, and
fellowship to individuals at these locations on a weekly
basis. Ministers who go to Edward Hospital visit one day
a week and are assigned a floor to serve. They visit any
patients who identify themselves as Catholic and would
like to receive the Eucharist.
A good pastoral minister would be an empathetic listener
with a strong grounding in their faith life. Regina looks at
it this way: “The Eucharist is such a central part of our
Catholic experience and is so very special. If it only takes
an hour of your time a week to share that gift with others
… why not?”
On Sundays, two pastoral care ministers go to Sunrise
Nursing Home to lead a prayer service for the residents
that includes readings, prayers, songs, and Communion
Parish Heartbeats is an occasional bulletin column that
celebrates the ways St. Margaret Mary parishioners make
a difference in the lives of others.
8
As autumn arrives, people in various places may notice something odd. Processions of animals, everything from
dogs and cats to hamsters and even horses, are led to Churches for a special ceremony called the Blessing of Pets.
This custom is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi and his great love for all creatures. It also serves to
remind us of our solidarity with all of nature and our responsibility to be faithful stewards.
The love we give to and receive from a pet can draw us more deeply into the larger circle of life
and into the wonder of our common relationship to God, our Loving Creator.
In honor of the Feast of St. Francis, you are invited to bring your pet to the courtyard outside the
Saint Margaret Mary Parish Center on Saturday, October 4th at 10:30 AM for a special Pet Blessing.
Christ, by your holy cross you have redeemed the world
Celebrate the Feast St. Francis of Assisi – Blessing of
the Animals
Please join us on Saturday, October 4th at 10:30 a.m. for a
special blessing of our pets. The prayer service will be held
in the courtyard outside the parish center. All family pets
are welcome.
Religious Education
(Preschool – 5th Grade)
Protecting God’s Children
Diocesan policy requires all new volunteers who are
working with children to attend a Protecting God's Children First Reconciliation
Workshop. The last workshop here at St. Margaret Mary is At the end of September, registration information will be
Wednesday - September 24th 6:30 pm.
mailed to the homes of all second and third graders. The
celebration of the sacrament is scheduled for December
If this date conflicts with your schedule, the Diocese of
2nd and 3rd at 7:00 pm.
Joliet offers workshops at multiple locations. Contact the
RE office for additional dates and times available. There is First Communion Parent Retreat
no charge to participate in these workshops.
We have created a half day retreat program that delves into
the traditions of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation.
Each presentation will challenge parents to understand how
the sacred is woven into their lives. These sessions will
take place on Sunday October 19th, January 11th, and
February 1st from 12 -4 pm. We will begin with prayer and
an introduction then lunch will be served. We are asking
that at least one parent from each family attend one session
during the year.
Children’s Liturgy of the Word
The program is offered during the Saturday 5:00 Mass and
the Sunday 9:00 and 10:45 Masses. After opening prayers
children are invited to attend "Liturgy of the Word." They
are escorted to the Upper Room where they gather for an
interactive session that helps the children learn the readings
of the day in language and activities they'll easily
understand. The children rejoin their families after the
adult homily and share in the rest of the Mass. Children in
kindergarten through third grade are invited to participate.
Please contact Sue Davey at 369-0833 with any questions.
9
Annual Appeal Update
Congratulations on 25 Years,
Deacon Fred!
Deacon Fred celebrated his 25th year of Diaconate
Ordination on Tuesday, September 9.
REMINDER: Bible Study
Begins Tuesday, September
16. To register call
630.369.0777.
He looks forward to resuming his ministry next month
after taking some time to recovery from surgery.
Thank you for all you do, Deacon Fred!
Scripture Alive - A Dramatic Presentation
Sat. Oct. 4th
7:00 pm
St. Margaret Mary Church
Through diverse voices of women from the Old and New
Testaments, Anita Gutschick reaches back across the ages to
vividly portray biblical women. These women, through a
series of monologues, recount their personal stories,
shedding light on their lives in an engaging way. Don't miss
out on this amazing presentation!
ALL women, men, and children (ages 4 and up) are
encouraged to come and meet these women of the Bible.
Ticket can be purchased at the Parish Office - $10.00/person;
$25 per family.
For more info, call Sr. Madelyn (630-369-0777).
10
Fr. Paul’s Homily
Life Is a Paradox
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time/A August 31, 2014
Jer 20:7-9; Rom 12:1-2; Mt 16:21-27
(Struggle to find God’s will and carry out the good we can do.)
thinking about what he had to do and
what he had to suffer. Peter and the others
really didn’t want any part of it, naturally.
Who does? But the fact is there are evil
people in the world who will stop at
nothing to get what they want, and that
You could be forgiven for thinking that
is an obstacle to those who want to do
today’s readings on the whole are
what is good and right and just and be
somewhat of a downer. In the first
holy. For every Bobby Kennedy there is a
reading Jeremiah is quite disturbed, angry
Sirhan Sirhan. For every Martin Luther
at God really and at himself. “You duped
King there is a James Earl Ray. For good,
me, Lord, and I let myself be duped.”
peaceful, and just people this is a
That’s someone upset with himself as
problem. They are at a serious
well as with God. Jesus in the gospel is
disadvantage because good, peaceful, and
afraid that Peter has turned against him.
just people have forsworn the use of
“Get behind me, Satan! You are not
violence that is so handy to get what
thinking like God.” You are not helping
you want and which the evil will use.
me any. You are becoming an obstacle
So in a way, life is stacked against the
to what I have to do. And St. Paul was
good. This is the perplexity that Jesus is
afraid that his flock in Rome, that he had
dealing with and so is St. Paul and so is
done so much to nurture, was actually
Jeremiah: how life is stacked against the
losing the faith because they were
good.
conforming themselves to this age. They
were allowing the world around them Does that mean the good will be
overcome? Well, no, it can’t mean that.
to influence them too much.
So what? What’s the answer? For Jesus
Now there is a common theme
the answer was not in words. It was to
throughout these readings and that is that
offer his entire life to the Father. He
life is a paradox. On the one hand, it is
made of his life a sacrifice to the
absolutely delightful, wonderful, good,
Father. He put his total trust in the
and we are here to, yes, enjoy. That’s
Father. St. Paul is urging the same
true, but it’s only half the truth. The other
thing. “Offer your bodies as a living
half is life is very difficult. It is a
sacrifice.” What he means is live out the
challenge. There are a lot of heartaches
Cross in your life. And he calls that
and, yes, we must learn how to suffer.
“spiritual worship.” A living sacrifice is
“Those who save their lives lose them;
spiritual worship as opposed to, in
those who are willing to let go of their
contrast to, what? The dead animals
lives gain them,” the way the gospel puts
offered in the Temple. They weren’t
this paradox. Both sides are true and both
living sacrifices. They weren’t spiritual
sides are from God. God really wills us
worship either. They were simply
to live in a good world. He wants us to
offering dead animals to God. Now this
enjoy it. He wants us to prosper, and yet
living worship, this spiritual worship is
he also wants us to choose God above
actually making one’s body the temple
all goods, and that involves suffering. It
of God, and letting God radiate from
involves trials. It involves tribulations.
within a person. That’s spiritual worship
à la St. Paul. That’s offering your body as
There are, after all, evil people in the
world. Jesus had in his own life just heard a living sacrifice. Let God radiate from
about the death of John the Baptist when you into the world. But this is no small
task. It requires searching for God’s will.
this story is taking place. And that
That’s the second part of Paul’s letter.
changed Jesus. It made him a little
You have to search for God’s will. You
withdrawn, a little more sober, a little
have to be transformed in the search for
more reflective, and now he started
“Do not conform yourselves to this age
but be transformed by the renewal of
your mind, that you may discern what
is the will of God, what is good and
pleasing and perfect.”
11
10:45 AM
God’s will by a renewal of your mind, not
be overcome by the world. Paul
presupposes that we can use reason to
find out what is really good, pleasing,
and perfect. It may require trial and
error. It’s okay to make mistakes. But
Paul was confident that human beings can
discover what is good. They don’t have to
just take what they are told. They can
actually figure it out. That’s what he is
talking about. This means unlearning a
lot of what we have already learned
from the world and letting God teach
us something better. This means we
don’t take in the endless messaging that is
constantly coming at us from so many
sources. It means we make room for the
word of God, and of course we probably
won’t always succeed. Paul didn’t always
succeed. The saints didn’t always
succeed. They erred. They sinned. They
fell. But they kept going. They kept
struggling to find God’s will and to
carry out the good they could do.
And that’s the key, to carry out the good
we can do. Nobody can win the whole
war. Nobody can or is expected to save
the whole world. But we are expected to
do the good we can. And that we have
to discover soberly, wisely,
intelligently. What can we do? Whatever
we can do, we need to do it. Sometimes,
however, we are like Peter, who says,
“That will never happen!” We don’t use
the reason God gave us. We just go with
our thinking that has been formed by the
world. Jesus points out that ultimately
all schemes of self-preservation will
fail. “Those who save their lives will
lose them.” And that’s all part of the
mix. That’s the way God has created the
world. In the strangest way it’s for our
best. Life on earth is temporary, and
yet an important opportunity to
cooperate with God in doing God’s
work. This is the greatest reason to
rejoice and be thankful because serving
God makes life worthwhile and leads to
ultimate happiness.
12
Masses for the Week
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Saturdays, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
September 20
September 27
Monday— September 15 —Our Lady of Sorrows
8:15— Joe Fernandez — Fernandez Family
Tuesday— September 16 —Ss. Cornelius & Cyprian
8:15— Karl Steigerwald — Tina Skepnek
Wednesday— September 17
8:15— Joanne Lamonica — Bridge Friends
Thursday— September 18
8:15— Michael Anaclerio — Catherine Parker
Friday— September 19
8:15— John & Dolores Levine — Joe & Joan Noonan
7:30 — Healing Mass
Saturday— September 20—Ss. Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chng Ha-sang and Companions, Martyrs
8:15— Purgatorial Society
5:00— Louis Ricci — Nicholas Ricci
Sunday— September 21
7:30— Parish Family
9:00— Anna Tatarynowicz — John & Mary Costello
10:45*— Dr. Robert Soriano — Soriano Family
12:15— James Doyle — Vince & Patty Keenan
Fr. Paul
Fr. Riva
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS
First Reading — Whenever anyone who had been bitten
by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, they lived
(Numbers 21:4b-9).
Second Reading — Christ Jesus, though he was in the
form of God, did not regard equality with God something
to be grasped (Philippians 2:6-11).
Gospel — God so loved the world that he gave his only
Son so that those who believe might have eternal life
(John 3:13-17).
*Interpreted for the deaf
Sept.
20/21
Lectors
Eucharistic Ministers
G. McArdle Sydney Cernek
P. Skarr
Carly Cernek
Elaina Townsend
Sacristan/
Facilitator/LOW
Deacon/Presider
N. Gorman
D. Wiedeman
H. Stirk
W. Jones
N. Kordzinski
A. Cronin
7:30
J. Brand
C. Rigali
M. Stricker
B. & P. Bonkalski
T. Zakosek
M. Biskup
R. Ruesch
R. Meeker
M. Palmquist
L. De Los Reyes
Jessica Schoder
Shannon Kosirog
Mark Weinewuth
J. Rossi
N. Itzenhuiser
B. McManus
A Pardun
M. Doyle
T. Fara
R. Green
J. Buescher
W. Corbett
M. Guthrie
Cronin Family
9:00
B. Wagner
M. Gould
S. Griffin
10:45
D. Bobbe
A. Hawley
T. Hawley
L. Lucas
I. Van Dril
P. LaBore
J. Vahle
R. Hansen
R. Vidoni
L. Riebold
M. Sanchez Natalia Wagner
C. Ory
Alexander Wagner
G. Goyette Scott Stiff
I. Van Dril
P. Keenan
Deacon Ken
Fr. Paul
12:15
P. Rotko
P. Rummer
G. Scriba
A.Moore
J. Walendziak
G. Rotko
W. Hassett
R. Willey
M. Perich
B. Rurik
M. Curley
*
Deacon Ken
Fr. Jonathan
5:00
K. Cernek
M. Graber
S. Gensler
Servers
13
B. Ryan
J. Parisi
Deacon Ken
Fr. Paul
L. Reyes
Deacon Ken
Fr. Julian
C. Kaduk
Deacon Ken
Fr. Paul
Annamarie Policht
Erin Kennelly
*
Our parish theme and missional directives
in
God’s Word To Us
Reflection on Lectionary Readings
Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
St. Margaret Mary Parish
Naperville/Lisle -- 630-369-0777
Parish Staff
Art & Environment Coordinator
Mary Lou Krauss
Bookkeeper
Pat Henke
For God so loved the world…
Business Manager
It is rare that the Church departs from the pattern of
Sunday readings in ordinary time, but the Feast of the
Exaltation of the Cross is an exception. Its theme is in a
way the same as Easter and therefore fits in with the
Sunday liturgy which according to ancient Roman
tradition is a “little Easter.”
There are two foci which we can be aware of: the first
focuses on the motivation for God sending his Son into
the world, namely “because he so loved the world.”
Although this is a banner phrase used at ball games and
so on, it actually goes against a very strong strain in
medieval and especially reformation theology that
stresses the need of God to satisfy the requirements of
justice.
Therefore God’s justice was so offended that only God
could put right the offense. This theology has been
happily abandoned by our official church, but there may
still be those who think of Christ’s sufferings as
“punishment for sin,” “vicarious suffering,” or “penal
substitution.” These all suffer from a legalistic approach
to redemption and we may use this text to stress
otherwise, that is the gracious love and mercy God has
for people, even the wicked.
The second focal point is that the incarnation is God’s
embracing human life in its totality even its sinfulness,
ignorance and violence. God entered into the theater of
human action and accepted wholly the consequences,
which were dire. But in this way he found glory and
transformation. God has just such glory in mind for
everyone and Jesus shows the way to that goal. It is once
again the paradox of losing to gain.
If God so loves the world and if God can extend himself to
even the most abject sinners how can we not embrace all
with open arms and open hearts?
Michael Prus
Building Manager
Bob Stezowski
Custodian
Ziggy Owiesek
Deacons (Permanent)
Deacon Joe Ferrari
Deacon Don Helgeson
Deacon Ken Miles
Deacon Fred Straub
Deacon Terry Taylor
Justice/Outreach Minister
Tom Cordaro
Liturgy Coordinator
Deacon Ken Miles
Music Director
John Schlaman
Parish Secretary/Bulletin Editor
Sue Carroll
Pastoral Associate
Sr. Madelyn Gould, S.S.S.F.
Pastoral Council President
Barbara Zdon
Priests
Rev. Paul Hottinger, Pastor
Julian von Duerbeck, OSB, Weekend Asst.
Jonathan Foster, OFM, Weekend Asst.
Receptionists
Rosalie Fall & Rita Thompson
Director of Religious Ed., Pre-school - 5
Sue Davey.
Director of Youth Ministry
Dan Lawler
Religious Education Secretary
- Fr. Paul Hottinger
Arlene Serio
Religious Education Staff Assistant
Debbie Brutlag
14