MID-WEEK FROM THE PASTOR’S CORNER
In the hopes of keeping us connected with each other at a time when our connections are stretched, here is this week’s edition of my Wednesday “Mid-Week” column.
During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic I have been noting on my Facebook page the different “COVID casualties” as they have come along. They included Holy Week and Easter services, special year end events for the Class of 2020 at St. Isidore Catholic School and St. Francis High School, Opening Day for the Cubs and the Schaumburg Boomers, the announcement cancelling the Drum Corps International season and tour, and a number of other sad days.
Today was a sad “COVID casualty” day for our parish. Besides being Father Juan Jose’s final day
with us before he begins advanced studies in Canon Law in Washington, DC, it was also the day we said “thank you” and “good bye” to four of our parish staff. Nick Ventrella, our Youth Minister had submitted his resignation to pursue other options in May and completed his term today. Maureen Cubala, a part-time Administrative Assistant in the Faith Formation Office retired today. She had worked as a full-time member of the Faith Formation staff for a number of years before reducing to part-time a few years ago. Lisa Puclik, our Human Needs Ministries Director, is a direct casualty of the recent pandemic shut down as her position could not be funded in the 2020-21 budget. And April Stefanic, Administrative Assistant, Communications Coordinator and Bulletin Designer and Editor, is another staff person whose position could not be funded in the 2020-21 budget. These decisions are among the most difficult that we have had to make. I am aware that other parishes are also faced with reducing staff and reassigning their responsibilities among other staff members. The pandemic shut down has hit us all very hard as we faced significant reductions in parish income. At our parish staff ZOOM meeting this morning, I had the opportunity to thank each one for their generous service to our parish community. They will be greatly missed!
Tomorrow we will be able to welcome to our parish Father Asirvadam Dandu as our new Parochial Vicar. His term begins July 1st. He came to the Diocese of Joliet last October and has been serving as the Administrator of St. Luke parish in Carol Stream. He just celebrated the 25th anniversary of his ordination as a priest this spring and comes to us with a wealth of experience in different parishes. He will introduce himself at each Mass this weekend. Please join me in extending a “St. Isidore Welcome” to Father Dandu as he begins his ministry among us. I am very grateful that we will continue to have three full-time priests serving our parish community.
We have a long holiday weekend coming up with the 4th of July on Saturday and the holiday observed on Friday. As is our custom on the civil holidays, we will celebrate a single Mass on Saturday morning at 9:00am in the Church. Please join us for Mass as we give thanks to God for all the blessings and freedoms we experience in our country. As the “new normal” seating in the church is limited, we will live-stream the Mass on our Facebook page. I hope that your personal celebration of the 4th is just what you need.
Our Parish Office will officially re-open on Monday, July 6th. Current restrictions with face masks and social distancing continue to be the norm. Up to this point, we have had a skeleton crew in the office taking messages and receiving mail and deliveries. This re-opening is another baby step in the right direction.
Please see our weekly bulletin posted on the parish website for additional news, the additional notices with this mid-week Flocknote and other notices on our parish Facebook page. We try to use as many social media vehicles as possible to keep everyone up-to-date with all that is happening here. As always, I pray that God continue to bless us with all that we need, and more.
Father Jim Murphy