Now that our observance of Lent and celebrations of the Easter season are concluded, and we have celebrated the major Solemnities of Trinity Sunday and the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, we now return to the cycle of Sundays in Ordinary Time – “the green Sundays.” We re-enter this season at the 10th week where we left the season at the beginning of Lent. We will continue reading from Luke’s Gospel, section by section, until we begin the season of Advent on November 27th. Ordinary Time reminds us that we are called to steady and regular growth as we celebrate the ordinary events of Jesus’ life. It is good to be back in this regular cycle of our Church Year.
Our parish Grade School completed its school year last Friday amid great rejoicing among students and faculty alike. On Thursday, May 26th, we celebrated the Graduation Mass and Commencement of our St. Isidore Grade School Class of 2016. Just as the Lord Jesus grew in “age, wisdom and grace,” so too have our young people. We congratulate our graduates, their parents, and our Grade School administration, faculty and staff on a job well done. It has been a very good year for our school. Now that our school year has concluded, please note that we will not be celebrating the weekly School Mass at 8:15am on Wednesdays. Weekday Masses will be celebrated Monday through Friday at 7:00am and 12:05pm and Saturdays at 8:15am. We also celebrate a weekly Mass at 2:00pm on Tuesdays at our Nursing Homes, alternating each week between Lexington Nursing Home and West Suburban Nursing Home.
Last Saturday, May 28th, we celebrated two Confirmation Masses during which 154 teens and adults from our parish were confirmed. Abbot Dismas Kalcic, O.S.B., of St. Procopius Abbey in Lisle, was with us to preside at both celebrations of this sacrament and to complete the Christian initiation journey with our parishioners. Congratulations to all who were confirmed this year. We are very happy to see you take the next step in your lives as disciples of the Lord Jesus. Thank you to Arizbeth Alcaraz and Terri Majeski who stepped in to direct our program in the absence of a Youth Ministry Director. Thank you to all of our catechists and facilitators who volunteered in our various formation programs that prepared our newly-confirmed parishioners to take this next step in their lives as disciples of the Lord Jesus.
Thank you to Father Matt and all who worked with him in coordinating last Sunday’s outdoor Corpus Christi Eucharistic procession from the church to the chapel. We were able to stop at a few key stations along the route – cemetery, school and rectory, and pray for the various needs of our parish before concluding with Benediction in the Chapel. It was a great way to celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. As this was the second year we have held this procession, it has now become a regular practice for this Feast at our parish. Thank you again to all who made this possible and to all who participated.
And congratulations to Father Matt who will celebrate the 7th anniversary of his Priesthood Ordination on Monday, June 6th. I am very grateful that there are no transfer plans for Father Matt in the immediate future and that he will be able to continue serving our parish community, at least for another year before he may be called to become a pastor of one of our parishes.
We recently received the news that 965 households of our parish have responded and pledged $171,647 to the 2016 Joliet Diocesan Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal! With our parish goal set at $171,242, that means we have reached our 2016 parish goal in pledges. Of the total pledged, $102,264 has already been paid. We begin receiving a rebate back to our parish once we have reached our goal in pledges paid. So in view of that, thank you to the 965 households who have pledged and paid $102,264 towards our parish goal of $171,242. Your generosity is deeply appreciated. Please continue to make your monthly payments on your pledge. If you haven’t had a chance to respond to the 2016 Joliet Diocesan Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal, please do so as soon as possible. We have additional commitment envelopes at the Parish Office and the Hospitality Desk in the Church. A follow-up letter from the Diocesan Development Office was recently sent to those who have previously pledged in past years, but have not responded this year. Again, thank you for your support of our larger diocesan church.
May God continue to bless us with all that we need, and more.
Father Jim Murphy