Dear Parishioners,

Our upcoming celebrations of Halloween (Oct. 31), All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2) remind us of one the most fundamental aspects of our Christian faith – it rests on the belief in the supernatural. This belief is so fundamental that we may unknowingly take it for granted and think very little about it. Or perhaps our culture has tamed or domesticated religion (and its practices) to where we dismiss the notion of anything that is beyond the natural. There might also be the possibility that somewhere deep within our human psyche we fear the prospect of another world besides our own – a world that is unseen and over which we have little or no control. Rather than befriend this unseen reality, we may choose to trivialize it or pretend it does not exist, thereby freeing us from the need to interact with it.

Sometimes I get the impression that many people view the Diocese of Joliet as a "small" diocese. Perhaps this is because we border the mammoth Archdiocese of Chicago. However, to refer to us as "small" is rather misleading and inaccurate. The Joliet Diocese serves over half a million Catholics in a geographic area of 4,218 square miles throughout DuPage, Kankakee, Will, Grundy, Ford, Iroquois, and Kendall counties. We are blessed with 117 parishes, 7 missions, 43 grade schools, 8 high schools, and 3 universities within our diocesan boundaries.

Dear Parishioners,

Autumn is a month when change and transition is poignant. The trees give us one last blast of color and then their leaves shrivel, die and fall back to the earth. Temperatures become cooler announcing the bleak months of winter that are yet to come. Autumn sunsets fill the evening skies with resplendent reds and oranges, which although strikingly beautiful, are the colors of war. In classical Christian mythology the archangel Michael, whose feast day is September 29, is thought to replace the warrior god Mars who was always clothed in red. Not surprisingly, so is the angel Michael.

Dear Parishioners,

The autumn weeks of September and October are especially rich with the unique array of saints’ days that are celebrated during this time. On September 8 we commemorate the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, only one of three birthdays that are featured in the liturgical year. September 21, is the feast of the apostle and evangelist (once tax collector) St. Matthew.

Given how violently tax collectors were despised by their own Jewish people, this day assures us that conversion is possible for anyone – both those who are despised and those who do the despising. September 23 honors the beloved Padre Pio whose visible signs of Christ’s Passion (i.e., the stigmata) invite us to look beyond what we immediately see in others to discover what sufferings they endure below the surface of the skin.

Dear Parishioners,

Reentries can often times be difficult, disconcerting and even dangerous. Whether it’s reentry into the earth’s atmosphere from outer space, reentry into a family or society from which one was alienated, or reentry into a building, such as a place of worship, the action of coming back to some reality from which we were separated, poses numerous challenges. It demands giving up a familiar way of doing things from the past.

Dear Parishioners,

Most of us are probably familiar with the colloquial expression The walls have ears. More often than not, this expression serves as a warning to those who are under the impression that their “private” conversations are truly private. Whether the conversations were at home, a workplace or some other context, experience indicates that confidentiality is not always as diligently observed as one would expect. Information gets leaked.

"I don’t have time for this!” These were the words that were on replay in my head as I drove from Joliet to Mundelein Seminary a few weeks ago. I was headed to a 3-1/2 day regional retreat for all the bishops from Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. In my justified view, my saturated work schedule simply did not leave any room for this spiritual “indulgence.” Yet, motivated mostly by duty, I checked into my room and asked the Lord to help me check my bad attitude at the door.

Dear Parishioners,

I am pleased to introduce our newly hired Director of Religious Education (DRE) Julie Dillenburg. Julie comes to our parish with twenty-six years of having served in this ministry at number of parishes in the Joliet Diocese. She has a vast array pastoral experiences that include: teaching general education with certification to teach kindergarten through 9th grade, as well as, religious education, coordinating Religious Education programs, working as a Youth Minister as well overseeing the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA).

Dear Parishioners,

While it is not the earliest symbol for Christianity, the cross is certainly one of the oldest and most defining images of our faith. Because in the earliest days of the Christian church (in the Roman Empire) the cross was recognized as an instrument of torture and the most heinous form of capital punishment, it was not an object that inspired faith let alone hope. It was a sign of contradiction and scandal to insist that this torture stake was the vehicle of salvation. Crucifixion was reserved for the most egregious criminals who were enemies of the state. It was a form of execution that was intended to evoke fear in the citizens of the empire and to serve as an unforgettable threat to all who would challenge those in authority.

Dear Parishioners,

Last Thursday, August 15, we celebrated the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Although this dogma (an official church teaching that must be believed) was not officially proclaimed by Pope Pius XII until 1950, Christians in the eastern church were commemorating this event, which they referred to as Mary’s Dormition (“falling asleep”) since at least the 6th century C. E. This early Christian teaching held that at the end of her early life, Mary “fell asleep” and was assumed, body and soul, into the full presence of God, that is, heaven. This was a privileged sign from God since it was through the totality of her person, that Mary gave birth to the Savior of the world.

Dear Parishioners,

Continuing to reflect on the cross cultural concept of sacred places as reservoirs of memory, we might also ask whether there is an actual need for such places. Are there not other ways that individuals and communities have for the purpose of preserving memories of the past? The answer is “yes.” Societies have consistently found creative ways to do this. Furthermore, we might also ask whether we as Christians even need churches, chapels, shrines or other sacred places. In an absolute sense we do not, because within the New Testament epistles, Jesus Christ is acclaimed as the true and lasting temple not made by human hands.

Dear Parishioners,

Continuing to reflect on the significance of places of worship, (as we prepare to return to our parish place of worship, i.e., the church) I believe it is essential to recognize MEMORY as an indispensable component to such places. In his insightful and comprehensive study of worship environments, Fr. Richard Vosko, Ph.D., Hon. AIA, writes: