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The Day of Christmas
by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B. | 12/25/2022 | A Message from Our PastorDear Faithful,
After four full weeks of beautiful Advent, we have come to that day for which this season was preparing us – the Day of Christmas. In truth however, Christmas is much more than a single day. Like Advent, it too is a season. It begins on December 24 and continues until the feast of the Lord’s Baptism which, this year, is on January 9. Between December 24 and January 8, there is the Christmas Octave, the eight days following the 25. There is also the better known 12 Days of Christmas that conclude on January 6, the feast of the Epiphany, which was original Christmas celebration in the Eastern Church.
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Be the Light
by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B. | 12/18/2022 | A Message from Our PastorDear Parishioners,
This evening on the Fourth Sunday of Advent for Christians, our Jewish brothers and sisters begin their celebration of Hanukkah. This eight day festival of light is determined by the lunar calendar and so occurs at different times each year. In 2022 Hanukkah is observed from the evening of December 18 to the evening of December 26. Although it is a relatively minor holiday according to the official list of Jewish observances, it takes on greater significance, perhaps because of its proximity to Christmas, and also perhaps, because it comes at the darkest time of the year when the natural desire for more sunlight is a universal craving, at least in the northern hemisphere.
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O Come All Ye Faithful!
by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B. | 12/11/2022 | A Message from Our PastorDear Parishioners,
I want to encourage all who are able, to be engaged in this year’s parish wide effort, which I have named - O Come All Ye Faithful. This is an effort designed to fill our church for the Christmas Masses and invite back those parishioners whom we have not seen for some time.
The method that I am proposing for this effort is outlined below.
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O Come All Ye Faithful!
by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B. | 12/04/2022 | A Message from Our PastorDear Parishioners,
In this week’s bulletin you will find the annual parish financial report for 2021-2022. Here at St. Joan of Arc, it has been our custom to provide this report in the season of Advent which begins the church’s new liturgical year. As you study this report, you will see that it reflects the consistent generosity of our parishioners who value our Catholic faith and recognize the privileged responsibility of preserving it for the generations that will follow us.
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Comeback Christmas - 1st Sunday of Advent
by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B. | 11/27/2022 | A Message from Our PastorDear Parishioners,
It is most appropriate that, on this day, I wish all of you a Happy New Year because on the First Sunday of Advent, the Church begins a new liturgical year, i.e., that annual cycle of feasts and seasons which celebrates the great mysteries of our Redemption in Christ. The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin adventus which means “coming” or “arrival.” This is the season that begins with a focus on, what is sometimes called, the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of time.
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Giving Thanks
by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B. | 11/20/2022 | A Message from Our PastorDear Parishioners,
In this week when gratitude is in the forefront of our minds and hearts, I wish to express my gratitude to all our parishioners who participated in our “Campaign Readiness Assessment Survey.” CLICK HERE to see a summary of the survey results. I hope everyone is as pleased with the results as I am.
I am also grateful to Lorraine Klemz who conducted the survey and met with various individuals and focus groups as part of this first phase of our campaign. In my opinion Lorraine has done an excellent job for us because she is thorough, creative, energetic and inclusive of all our parishioners.
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The Basilica of St. John Lateran
by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B. | 11/13/2022 | A Message from Our PastorIt’s 5:10 on Wednesday morning, November 9, 2022, and as I’m looking out my kitchen window, I have a privileged view of this month’s full moon which traditionally has been called the “Beaver’s Moon.” It acquired this designation because during the light of this month’s full moon, beavers build their damns, their winter homes. On the church’s calendar today is the feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the mother home for Christianity because it was the first public place of worship.
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Capital Campaign Survey / Upcoming Parish Mission
by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B. | 10/30/2022 | A Message from Our PastorDear Parishioners,
Our Campaign Readiness Assessment is officially underway as of Sunday, October 16, 2022. Two vibrant Vison Groups have already met and shared valuable insights with Lorraine Klemz, the director of our fundraising project. In addition, a good number of families also participated in personal interviews. The final round of Vision Groups was conducted on Tuesday, October 25, 2022. I would like to thank all those who joined in this important process and who, by their participation, helped to create the wonderful enthusiasm that is evident.
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"Communion Kits" for our Care Ministry
by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B. | 10/23/2022 | A Message from Our PastorDear Parishioners,
Years ago, while I was serving as the Director of Worship in the Diocese of Superior, WI, I was offering a presentation for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. As I consistently do, I emphasized the importance of reverence, especially when handling the Blessed Sacrament, because a lack of reverence or too casual an approach with toward the sacred elements can weaken or even destroy people’s faith in the Eucharist. An elderly woman at the workshop then made this observation, It was easier, she said, to believe in the Real Presence years ago in the “old days.” Her statement was without guile and was in no way a criticism of the liturgical reforms from the Second Vatican Council.
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October Feasts
by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B. | 10/09/2022 | A Message from Our PastorDear Parishioners,
Who doesn’t love October? The temperatures are moderate. The trees are in colorful splendor. The earth is yielding its autumnal harvest of grapes, apples, squash and pumpkins. Excitement is peaked among people of all ages, but especially our youth, because of football games, homecomings, tailgate parties and the many preparations for Halloween. The sights and sounds of Christmas are beginning to emerge along with its prelude celebration of Thanksgiving. October is simply a month of abundant beauty and promise that delights the human heart.
ContinueIntroduction of Lorraine Klemz Consulting, Inc.
10/02/2022 | A Message from Our PastorSt. Joan of Arc Catholic Church will celebrate 100 years as a parish in 2024. In anticipation of this significant milestone, there is an opportunity to update the worship space which hasn’t been renovated in over 15 years. The projects being considered include refurbishing the pews, painting the church and replacing the carpet and tile with terrazzo flooring. In order to continue to plan with prudence, we have retained the services of Lorraine Klemz Consulting, Inc. to assist us over the next three months with a Campaign Readiness Assessment.
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Thank you Ms. Mary Beth Kerner
by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B. | 09/18/2022 | A Message from Our PastorDear Parishioners,
On Monday, September 12, 2022, Ms. Mary Beth Kerner, our Parish Secretary, tendered her resignation effective September 23, 2022. She will be assuming a new position as Administrative Assistant to the Directors (one of whom is our former Pastoral Associate, Michael Lewandowski) of Evangelization and Christian Service at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Naperville. I know we all join in wishing Mary Beth the very best in her new position as we thank her for the excellent and creative work that she gave this parish for the past seven years.
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Congratulations Deacon Jack Hayes
08/21/2022 | A Message from Our PastorDear Parishioners,
Our parish community is exceptionally joyful today as we welcome Mr. Jack Hayes, one from among us, into ministry as a permanent deacon of the church. (A “permanent” deacon is distinguished from a “transitional” deacon. The latter is a deacon who will eventually be ordained to the priesthood. The former is a deacon who, more often than not, will remain in that ministry permanently and not be ordained to the priesthood.) Jack was officially and liturgically ordained into this ministry on Saturday, August 20, 2022 by Bishop Ronald Hicks at the Cathedral of St. Raymond in Joliet.