Today in our second reading Paul talks about “Christ Jesus” and the “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”... This is why Paul says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."... This weekend we pray for and bless Deacon Kevin Morgan and his wife Marci as they now have a new parish assignment...

Pivoting Again - Well, it worked okay - but the need was greater than what our temporary coat distribution plan could meet... The Saint Edmund staff reported seeing migrants approaching the school building door and walking away saddened because the Center was closed... With Father Carl’s approval, we will open on Tuesday mornings for coat, winter gear, and blanket distribution...

Our two Parish Creation Care Ministries in Oak Park, H.O.M.E. (Ascension and St. Edmund) and Vine and Branches (St. Catherine of Siena-St. Lucy and St. Giles), offer the following suggestions to make your Holiday Season an Eco-Sustainable Christmas that will minimize its environmental impact through conscious choices in decorations, gifts, and food...

Remembering Mercy Sister JoAnn Persch - On retirement in 2018, I knew that I wanted to spend time volunteering with an organization caring for migrants... Although, Sister JoAnn and her colleague, Sister Pat Murphy, ministered to migrants detained at the McHenry County Jail for 12 years until the Illinois Way Forward Act passed forcing the facility to cancel its contract with ICE,...

Welcome to the Advent Season! - This time of year, Advent, reminds us that we are always waiting - but never waiting alone... We wait by trusting that God is faithful to His promise. We wait by tending to prayer, by small acts of kindness, by choosing patience over anxiety... In this holy season, we have chosen ALWAYS WAITING IN HOPE, as the focus for our thoughts and prayers...

Dear Parishioners, You may have already received information about our Stewardship Renewal Drive, and I’d like to share a little more to help answer any questions. This renewal is an opportunity for us to recognize the beautiful work happening in our parish and to thank you for making it possible... You recently received a Stewardship Commitment Card in the mail...

With a Heart Full of Gratitude... As we celebrate Thanksgiving, I want you to know how truly grateful I am for you. Because of your support, our community continues to grow in faith while reaching out to those who need God's love... On behalf of our clergy and staffs, we wish you and your loved ones a peaceful and meaningful Thanksgiving...

Since the installation of the LISTENWIFI assistive listening system in the Churches, more and more parishioners have begun using the app and are finding it helpful... We completed an evaluation of our overall sound systems at both Churches... If you are interested in lending your support to the Sound System Project, please contact David Anderson in the coming weeks...

Thank you so much, Ascension and St. Edmund's Knights of Columbus and St. Catherine of Siena-St. Lucy and St. Giles Parish Communities, for your recent coat drives. We are so grateful for the bags and bags of men’s, women’s, and children’s coats that we received... We regret that we can no longer allow the migrants to select their coats as before...

Thanksgiving is upon us, and so is the beginning of our new liturgical year which begins next week, the first Sunday of Advent. Our theme reminds us of one of the gifts we can be grateful for, hope. Always waiting, in HOPE!... May this season renew our hope, soften our hearts where needed, and remind us that GRATITUDE is itself a blessing that draws us closer to God and one another...

Migrant Ministry is honored to have received the 2025 Bradford O'Neill Medallion for Social Justice from Dominican University, a Catholic Hispanic Serving institution and a leader in educating immigrants and the children of immigrants... Over the past two years, Migrant Ministry has had many opportunities to work with the students and faculty of Dominican...

As the season of Thanksgiving is upon us, I am grateful for two important events that happened quietly and with little fanfare... The former Saint Catherine of Siena-St. Lucy Rectory is now being used as offices for Housing Forward, The Bridge Center and Faith and Fellowship Ministry... Dominican University gave our Migrant Ministry the Bradford O’Neil Medallion for Social Justice...

The bishops address their concern for the evolving situation impacting immigrants in the United States... Los obispos expresan su preocupación por la situación cambiante que afecta a los inmigrantes en Estados Unidos...

This month has been designated for highlighting the legacy of Black Catholics in the Church. On July 24, 1990, the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus of the United States formally established November as Black Catholic History Month... Through the centuries, Black Catholics have endured oppression, discrimination, and marginalization even within the Church,...

One of the most urgent and valued services provided by the Migrant Ministry has been assisting migrants to complete and submit their asylum applications, work authorization, and change of court venue... it was determined that “the drastically changed legal environment” requires the experience and knowledge of an immigration lawyer to navigate...

Statement of Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, on the Moral Imperative to Uphold Both Security and Human Dignity - Declaración del Cardenal Blase J. Cupich, Arzobispo de Chicago, sobre el Imperativo Moral de mantener tanto la Seguridad como la Dignidad Humana

As I celebrate Masses at each of our churches, I am continually inspired by many of our seniors across the parishes whose lives reflect both wisdom and vitality. Their quiet strength, deep faith, and joyful spirit reveal something beautiful about what it means to grow older with grace... Our seniors remind us daily that joy and purpose do not fade with time...

We congratulate two of our schools – Ascension School and St. Giles School – on their individual achievements in the National and Governor's Blue Ribbon School of Excellence program... We are blessed to have three vibrant Catholic schools that each deliver a nurturing, faith-filled educational experience to its students...

Recently volunteers, parish staff members, and pastors of local churches gathered to bid farewell to Centro San Edmundo, and bless volunteers... Although Centro San Edmundo is closed to migrants, store rooms are available and volunteers will be filling special orders for coats and clothing until we are able to move to our new location at Boulevard Presbyterian...

Last week I attended two events that highlighted the gifts and strength of our Oak Park Catholic communities and neighbors working together... As Pastor, I am so proud and pleased of the work so many have done to share these visions and help to make them a reality... What our world needs more of is what we are already doing: living hope through action!...