St. Matthias Parish

Welcome to St. Matthias Parish

Welcome Everybody!

STANDING SQUARELY at the intersection of faith and life, St. Matthias Catholic Parish and School in Chicago’s Lincoln Square Community is committed to your spiritual and educational journey. The soul of a wildly varied and thoroughly Chicago neighborhood, St. Matthias welcomes everyone. Joined by a faith that celebrates Catholic social values, we treasure each individual’s unique gifts. In our school and church we build values for living and friendships for life. Welcome to our vibrant, nourishing, and faith-filled community that is the heart of a life well-lived from infancy to eternity.

Holy Trinity - May 26, 2013

" But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth." John 16: 13

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May 26, 2013

A Letter from Father John

Dear Friends,

I t was a different time, a different era—thank God—but it was memorable. Since then I’ve noticed that communities, institutions, parishes have at any given time, their own themes that either they choose purposely or else have thrust on them by circumstance. When I ventured from the woods and meadows of the seminary in Mundelein to the bungalows of the southwest side, first as a deacon and then as a priest, I served in two parishes in the heart of Marquette Park. Only a coupe of years earlier Martin Luther King had been pelted by bottles and bricks and knocked bleeding to his knees by young parishioners of Maquette Park parishes St. Gall and St. Nicholas of Tolentine in the 1970’s were large, busy urban parishes with all variety of sacramental and pastoral needs and activities that are, to this day, common to every Catholic community everywhere. The particular theme of these two parishes, however, was set, or at least symbolized, by a young guy named Frank Collin, the leader of the National Socialist Party of America (a neo-Nazi organization). At that time, Monsignor Jim Hishen of St. Gall and, especially, Monsignor Jim Hardinman of St. Nick’s were reviled and literally stoned by some of their own parishioners for standing with King against racism. Collin and his pathetic but violent groupies actively recruited followers from amongst recent Catholic grade and high school grads. Their vile ideas and insidious activity powerfully focused the attention of teachers, principals, school boards and priests on improving education not only regarding the 3 R’s but especially upon the Gospel, justice, and personal integrity and courage.

Over the next five years or so, Frank Collin and his neo- Nazis withered away, in part, I think, because the pool of potentially sympathetic young recruits dried up. Had our parishes and schools been more focused on these Gospel themes earlier, I doubt Collin would ever had gotten much of a foothold in our parishes and communities as easily as he did.

Today I am convinced that the most important thing we do as St. Matthias parish, is to choose our theme of caring for and educating our children and serve in the best way possible from the classic 3 R’s to the revolutionary Gospel teaching of Christ.

On Friday, May 31, St. Matthias School celebrates its 125th graduating class.

Akram Ali
Fredrick Bautista
Carla Buenrostro
Edith Cardona
Matthew Castellanos
Seamus Connolly
Lucille Hajek
Ethon Jimenez
Sandra Kostic
Eric La Luz
Devyn McSheridan
Dora Moyes
Martin Nguyen
Luis Olivares
Sairis Perez-Gomea
Daniel Ponce
Rebecca Rosen

Congratulations to our terrific and brilliant grads, of course, but it’s especially to their parents, our teachers and administrators and to all those people who, over the last 6+ generations, built, nurtures and supported our school and its many thousands of kids.

God bless,
Fr. John

Announcements

Know the Mass, One Word at a Time

Keep

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul preserves the words of Jesus at the Last Supper: “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me”(1 Corinthians 11:24). The action of doing and saying what Jesus said and did at the Last Supper is an act of remembrance that recalls and makes present his saving mysteries. This action also keeps or holds the mystery of his Death and Resurrection close to us.

When we keep the mystery in our worship and in our lives, we can draw its saving power into ourselves and into the circumstances that we daily meet. Even more, we keep the Eucharistic mystery not just to hold onto it for ourselves but to be ready to share it with others. When forces of death or sin seem overwhelming for us or for others, we draw from the mystery that we have kept from the celebration of the Eucharist.

Archdiocese Celebrating Memorial Day at the Catholic Cemeteries

Monday, May 27 Memorial Day

Memorial Day Mass will be celebrated on Monday, May 27, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. at all of our major cemeteries, along with our parish cemetery Masses. Please check Catholic New World and local newspapers for the list of major cemeteries, parish cemeteries and celebrants near you.

St. Vincent de Paul Summer Toiletries Drive

Visiting a hotel this summer? Keep in mind the needs of the poor and bring home unused individual bottles of shampoo, lotion, and other toiletries for the Franciscan Outreach Mission here in Chicago. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has a collection box in the gathering space in Church for your donations. Your thoughtfulness will help provide the needed toiletries for some of the 40,000 showers provided by the Mission each year! God bless you for your generosity.

Jail Ministry Assumption Parish

2434 S. California June 2

Kolbe House, the Jail Ministry for the Archdiocese, invites you to a Spanish/English Mass at 3 pm Sunday, June 2nd, at Assumption Parish, 2434 S California, Chicago. At this Mass, we would especially like anyone who is personally affected by incarceration, a victim of crime, or anyone who wants to be part of our ministry through prayer to attend. If you are an exoffender or have a loved one in jail or prison, please come. If you need more information, please call Deacon Pablo or Fr. Arturo at Kolbe House: 773-247-0070 or email Pablo atkhpablop@aol.com.

School and Religious Education News

Registration Open

Registration for the 2013-14 school year is open. Don't forget to turn in your registration form to the office as soon as possible!

Upcoming

May 27- Memorial Day
May 31- 8th Grade Graduation
June 7- Last day of school

St. Matthias Summer Program

Registration for the St. Matthias Summer Program has begun! We will be offering a program for students entering PK-4 through 8th grade for both current St. Matthias families and those from outside of our school. The program will begin on June 10 and continue through July 19, from 8am until 2pm. Before and After Care options are available. Please visit our website to view the program descriptions and to complete your registration.

Pennies for Peace

The 7th grade students are initiating a school-wide Pennies for Peace campaign, which will run through May 31st. Pennies for Peace is a program of Central Asia Institute, founded by Greg Mortensen, author of Three Cups of Tea. The class is reading the young adult version of the novel as part of their "Global Education" theme for Global Fest.

CAI is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that promotes and provides community-based education and literacy programs, especially for girls, in remote mountain regions of Central Asia. Students may bring in their pennies and drop them in the water jug containers placed on each floor. Thank you for participating!

A Walk with the Lord: Corpus Christi Procession

Join Queen of Angels parishioners on Sunday, June 2nd at 11:30 a.m. for a special celebration in honor of our unity through the Body and Blood of Christ.

11:30 Bilingual Mass at Queen of Angels church. We will share in the Eucharist that unites and nourishes us. This Mass at 11:30 a.m. will replace the usual 11 a.m. English and 12:30 p.m. Spanish liturgies that day. All are invited

Procession with the Blessed Sacrament through Welles Park. This is a festive procession with banners, sacred images and, of course, the Body of Christ. People of all ages will form the honor guard that will accompany the Blessed Sacrament to four stations in our parish’s “front yard” for prayers, readings and songs.

Closing prayers in the church

First Communicants may dress in their First Communion clothes.

Scouts may wear their uniforms and carry their troop flags. Parish organizations are invited to carry banners or statues special to their experiences of faith in our community.

This is an event for everyone! For more information, please call 773-539-7510.

Take Five for Faith

Invest just five minutes a day, and your faith will deepen and grow - a day at a time.

Look up the daily passages from the New American Bible online at www.usccb.org/nab/bible.

SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY

When three equals one

In each of the sacraments, in liturgies, and indeed in every making of the Sign of the Cross, we call upon the triune God. The Trinity is the central mystery of the faith, yet it can be a challenge to understand the idea of one God in three persons. One helpful way to approach the Trinity is to look at God as one who desires relationship and connection. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “ ‘God is one but not solitary’ ” (no. 254). In other words, to borrow a term from modern communications, God is the original social network! What can you learn from the social, relationship-oriented nature of God that can help you as you navigate your relationships?

TODAY'S READINGS: Proverbs 8:22-31; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15 (166)

“The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

MONDAY, MAY 27
MEMORIAL OF AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY, BISHOP

Saints don’t have to be perfect

Today’s saint should encourage us when our efforts at evangelization meet with limited success or we doubt our skills. Augustine of Canterbury at first turned back from his mission to Britain, and even when he did establish himself he had to appeal to higher authority more often than should have been necessary. Still he followed a solid missionary approach: to transform rather than destroy local temples, customs, rites, and festivals, preserving what can be used in a Christian context. Yes, his success was sporadic. He was unsure of himself and made mistakes. But don’t those shoes sound as if they would fit most of us? There is room and need for plodders, too!

Today's Readings: Sirach 17:20-24; Mark 10:17-27 (347)

“All things are possible for God.”

TUESDAY, MAY 28

Open your hands

Jesus taught that we have a fundamental choice to make: to hold tight to whatever we find of value or to let go of all for the sake of Christ and the gospel. Most of us find ourselves somewhere in the middle—probably more on the side of grasping than letting go, if we’re honest about it. Perhaps the story of the closed fist vs. the open palm can help loosen our grip. Both can hold a precious jewel, but a closed fist can receive nothing more than what it already holds, while an upward-facing open palm can hold the jewel and also be filled with much more. Keep your hands open and leave room for the gifts of the Spirit.

TODAY'S READINGS: Sirach 35:1-12; Mark 10:28-31 (348)

“There is no one who has given up [anything] for my sake . . . who will not receive a hundred times more.”

WEDNESDAY, MAY 29

Happiness is . . . serving others

Just about every philosopher since Aristotle has observed that everything humans do is ultimately aimed at experiencing happiness. We don’t really want wealth or fame as such; we want these things because we expect them to make us happy. Studies have shown, however, that these pursuits do not make us happy after all. The wealthiest billionaire is only marginally more satisfied than those with more modest incomes. What’s the answer then? Jesus knew the true source of contentment: service. Only those who have found a way to serve others will have true and lasting happiness. Wealth and fame come and go, but the ability to serve others is constant.

TODAY'S READINGS: Sirach 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17; Mark 10:32-45 (349)

“Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.”

THURSDAY, MAY 30

Across the universe

You have to go back only about 150 years to find a time when most people believed God had literally created the Earth in seven actual days. Go back a few more centuries and you’d encounter human beings who were sure the Earth was at the center of the universe. Today most mainstream Christians, Catholics included, accept modern science’s view of these things and see that rather than undermining faith, scientific knowledge actually deepens an appreciation for creation. From the almost unimaginable size and scope of the universe to the most elusive subatomic particles, from the heights of the human mind to the depths of the human heart, God’s creation is a wonder to behold and praise.

TODAY'S READINGS: Sirach 42:15-25; Mark 10:46-52 (350)

“As the rising sun is clear to all, so the glory of the Lord fills all his works.”

FRIDAY, MAY 31
FEAST OF THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Sing a song

The Magnificat—the prayer named for its first word in its Latin translation and which is so associated with the visit of Elizabeth to her cousin Mary—is sometimes called a canticle, a “song,” but that doesn’t mean biblical figures to whom canticles are attributed, like Mary, John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, and Simeon in the Temple, picked up a harp or tambourine and broke into song—though that did happen in other places in scripture. Rather, a canticle is a biblical poem, frequently used in worship, which praises God. If you haven’t before, try praying the Liturgy of the Hours. There you’ll find a number of canticles for your own singing of God’s praises.

TODAY'S READINGS: Zephaniah 3:14-18a or Romans 12:9-16; Luke 1:39-56 (572)

“And Mary said: ‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.’ ”

SATURDAY, JUNE 1
MEMORIAL OF JUSTIN, MARTYR

Wise counsel

One of earliest saints, Justin is also one of the most modern. His multicultural background and upbringing and his restless movement from one belief system to another all feel very contemporary, mirroring the restless journey of many spiritual seekers today. Justin finally found his answer in the testimony of an elderly Christian who spoke to him with “a love of the prophets, and of those people who are friends of Christ [that] possessed me.” The power of personal witness, delivered from a believing heart, trumps all the fancy trends and fashions in spiritual life. Seek testimony from the heart in your own search.

TODAY'S READINGS: Sirach 51:12cd-20; Mark 11:27-33 (352)

“I sought wisdom openly in my prayer . . . and I will seek her until the end.”

©2013 by TrueQuest Communications, L.L.C. PHONE: 800-942-2811; E-MAIL: mail@takefiveforfaith.com; WEBSITE: PrepareTheWord.com Licensed for noncommercial use. All rights reserved. Scripture quotes come from the New American Bible.

Contributors: Alice Camille, Daniel Grippo, Caroline Hopkinson, Father Larry Janowski, O.F.M., Ann O'Connor, Joel Schorn, Patrice J. Tuohy, and Sister Julie Vieira, I.H.M.

Out and About/ U.S Catholic News

Maifest

Lincoln and Leland May 30-June 2

One of Lincoln Square’s most infamous celebrations is just around the corner! Maifest is the traditional German celebration of the arrival of spring. Maifest is still celebrated throughout Germany with the maypole (maibaum) decorated to show off the history and crafts of the local village or town. The 13th annual German festival features German foods, live music, maypole dance and other traditional German presentations

Polish Fest Henry W. Maier Festival Grounds

June 14-16

Polish Fest 2013 opens the door for the ethnic festival season on the Henry W. Maier Festival Grounds on June 14-16, 2013.Featuring Polish history, culture, tradition, entertainment and food, the festival is celebrating its 32nd year. Back will be celebrated favorites and new entertainers, food vendors and marketplace exhibitors. Enjoy “50 cent Friday” on June 14 when festival admission is only 50 cents from noon until 5:00 p.m. and $5.00 from 5:01 p.m. until midnight. Guests will enjoy a weekend of great non -stop cultural entertainment and a variety of Polish foods. please call the Polish Fest office at 414-529-2140, or visit us online at www.polishfest.org.

U.S. Catholic News

An Excerpt from “The Secret Life of Bees” By Brian Comes

“There has been a death in my family—two actually, or 60,000, depending on how you count. To be specific, neither of my two beehives survived the winter of 2013, a particularly grim and gray affair this year. When I checked on the two royal dominions as autumn was descending, everything seemed well: There was plenty of honey for the winter and healthy populations of workers and larvae (baby bees). But when the hives were opened on the first spring day, nothing but a few dead bees and a winter’s worth of honey, completely untouched, remained.

Bees, of course, aren’t pets, so my grief wasn’t as severe as when my two beloved Siamese cats died some years ago. But my relationship with the bees was of a sort I’ve never had with another “animal”; it seems odd to say, but each hive had a personality of its own. I always felt like I was interacting with a single organism every time I opened the box to check on the queen and her astonishing court of honeycomb, stored pollen, busy workers, and developing larvae. I often found our encounters almost magical and was delighted to hear from a retired neighbor how much pleasure he got from watching the bees return home every day around 3 p.m., after they had completed their daily scavenging…

It turns out there is more similarity in the bee-human relationship than we might think—and it’s not just that we humans rely on their and other creatures’ pollinating work to provide about a third of our food supply. As evolutionary biologist E. O. Wilson points out in his recent book The Social Conquest of Earth (Liveright), humans and bees (along with other queen-ruled insects such as ants and termites) are the only fully “eusocial” species, who create complex societies of divided labor that allow us to transform our ecosystems for our benefit. While insects have managed to live for 120 million years in harmony with their habitats, however, we human beings, 3 million years in, are on the verge of completely destroying ours...

My bees, even in death, remind me of the precarious path we are now walking with the rest of God’s creation; indeed, the epidemic of honeybee “colony collapse,” which we now know is a direct result of poisoning by a synthetic pesticide, should be a warning to us all. We can either take a page from the insects that for eons have filled a vital niche in creation, or we can, like the varroa mites, eat ourselves out of creation’s house and home.

The ancient bishop St. Basil the Great counseled: “Imitate the character of the bee, because it constructs its honeycomb without injuring anyone or destroying another’s fruit.” Having enjoyed the sweetness that a mutually beneficial partnership with my bees can provide, I hope to work on being a better companion animal to the rest of earth’s inhabitants. Perhaps in this growing season we all might pledge to do the same.”

See full article at http://www.uscatholic.org/