Thank You from the Back-to-School Backpack Program

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Thank you to all who participated in our virtual and in person Back-to-School program! We again had a wonderful year with 290 backpacks donated to needy children! Because of your generosity, these children will start school with a new backpack and the school supplies they need for a successful year. The backpacks were distributed to low income children through our St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Our Lady of Tepeyac, Notre Dame Asylum Seekers and Catholic Charities of Lake County, just in time for the first day of school. We are grateful for your contributions to support these children and for giving them a chance for a bright new future.

Delivering Food to Tepeyac

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Hello St. Francis, we had a good time Saturday morning on June 17th making a delivery to the Our Lady of Tepeyac food pantry. Thank you to George Stewart, Director of our St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, and co-directors, Kathleen and Matt Murray, for assisting in identifying the surplus food and loading the van. Thank you Fr. Ryan, Kevin Neenan, Michael & Kirk Galasso, Alan Czarnik for your great delivery work!

Back-to-School Backpack Program!

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St Francis de Sales will be collecting backpacks filled with school supplies to benefit underprivileged children in our community. Beginning July 15th & 16th, Back-to-School Tags with a list of school supplies for each backpack will be available at church. All school supplies should be placed in a new backpack and returned to church by Sunday, July 30th. You will still be able to donate online via the link Back To School Drive or the website Your gift means the world to a bright and deserving child eager for a proper education. Thank you for your kind support and loving generosity!

Thank You from Fr. Bala Allam & St Joseph Catholic Church in Dondapadu, India

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Dearest Fr. Ryan and St. Francis de Sales Parishioners – Hearty greetings from Fr. Bala Allam and St. Joseph Catholic Church, Dondapadu, India. I send along many thanks to you all for your generous prayers and financial support. These prayers and your monetary support is a great help in rebuilding the Immaculate Conception Mission Church so that generations to come may have a place to celebrate the sacraments. No words can explain my sincere thanks and gratitude. May the good Lord continue to bless Fr Ryan and the parishioners of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church.

I hope to be in the United States this summer and will make every effort visit St. Francis de Sales and offer Mass at your altar. Thank you very much.

In Union of prayers,
Fr Bala Allam

Donations needed!

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Our brothers and sisters at Our Lady of Holy Family on West Harrison Street in Chicago have asked for our help. They are putting together hygiene kits for migrants and asylum seekers that have been bussed to Chicago from Texas and are looking for toiletries and other items.

A full list of items needed can be found below:

  • gallon size Ziploc bags

  • backpacks

  • small towels

  • blankets, small or travel size

  • diapers

  • baby bottles

  • sanitary pads

  • Flip flops

  • toothbrushes

  • toothpaste

  • comb or brush

  • socks

  • underwear

  • refillable water bottles

  • body wipes or bar soap

  • wash cloths

  • deodorant

The blue bins will be in the Gathering Space for the next two weekends (June 10th - 11th and June 17th – 18th) for collection of these goods. Thank you for your prayers and generosity.

Annual Catholic Appeal 2023: Walking on the Road with Jesus

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Please Make Your Gift to the 2023 Annual Catholic Appeal - Father Merold will be preaching on this year's Annual Catholic Appeal at all the Masses the next two weekends. Let us join together on Walking this road with Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Thank you.

Many families in our parish will be receiving the Annual Catholic Appeal mailing from Cardinal Cupich. On behalf of those served by the ministries, parishes, and schools that receive funding from the Appeal, we thank you for your gifts. Please return your response as soon as possible. The Annual Catholic Appeal offers a wonderful opportunity to answer the call "Walking on the road with Jesus." In addition to providing for ministries and services throughout the archdiocese, the Appeal also funds services that are of great help here in our parish.

As we contemplate God's many gifts to us, we should also reflect on our gratitude. Your financial support for the work of our parish, our archdiocese, and the Church throughout the world is one way to express this gratitude. Please give what you can to the 2023 Annual Catholic Appeal. Thank you!

Thank You for your Gifts of Love!!

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The spirit of Advent is alive at St. Francis.  The generosity of our parish community is truly heart-warming.  More than 225 local families were sponsored, along with 92 women from Mt. St. Joseph.  We were also able to supply Mother of the Americas (formerly Our Lady of Tepeyac) with a record number of gift cards, toys and other donated items.  We were also able to provide gift cards to Holy Family in Waukegan, Mt. St. Joseph and Little Sisters of the Poor.  We also supplied Little Sister of the Poor with gift bags for all their residents and poinsettias for their chapel and residence halls. 

A shout out to the following:

  • Lake Zurich High School National Honor Society sponsored 12 families (60 people) this year. This is the 21st year that they have participated.

  • Lots of new hoodies, along with socks and underwear were donated and are being distributed to shelters in the Chicago area. Thank you to Pam Urban for coordinating this charity and helping keep those less fortunate warmer this winter.

  • Students in the Religious Education program assisted in the collection of gifts that parishioners dropped off on Friday and Saturday of Drop-off weekend.  

  • Girl Scout Troop 1728 oversaw a Girl Scout event that drew Girl Scouts in the Lake Zurich Service Unit. Over 100 pairs of pajamas were collected and donated to the Gift of Love and Mother of the Americas. 

  • The confirmation class of Rose Weismann was instrumental in helping us to distribute the gifts to St. Francis families on Sunday of Drop-off weekend.

Once again, the Ministry Center and maintenance staff provided invaluable support. They are unfailingly kind and considerate to all requests. The Gift of Love program could not succeed without them.

You may have heard the expression “it takes a village”.  What it really takes is a parish like St. Francis.

Thank You Saint Francis de Sales Parishioners!

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On behalf of the parishioners of the Mother of the Americas Parish (former Our Lady of Tepeyac) and the Sharing Parish Ministry here at St. Francis, we would like to express our gratitude to the St. Francis Parishioners for all the gift cards that you gave us this past Christmas. We sent the unprecedented amount of $22,680 in gift cards. In addition, we sent:

  • Hats, gloves, scarves, and mittens (donated by the St. Francis de Sales students and the Religious Education students)

  • 4 big boxes of coats (donated by the Knights of Columbus)

  • Many gifts donated by Parishioners Mora and Ken Priess

  • Toys donated by the St. Francis School students

  • 10 bikes donated by parishioners and fixed by the Boy Scouts (Troop 309)

  • Food for the Food Pantry

Everything was distributed at the Mother of the Americas Parish, Food Pantry, High School, and Elementary School.

Our most sincere “Thank You” to Father Ryan and the Ministry Center Staff for always supporting this Ministry and allowing the friendship with the Mother of the Americas Parish to continue and flourish every year. 

You are all an example of God’s love, and this project would have not been possible without the help of so many. May God bless you abundantly, and may you have a wonderful 2023, full of happiness, peace, love, and good health!

Sincerely,

Jane Clery Patricia Linares

Chairperson, Gift of Love Chairperson, Mother of the Americas Ministry

HOODIE DRIVE, underwear and socks too!

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Once again we will be collecting NEW Hoodies for several shelters. Our contact is asking for Mens Only New Hoodies in sizes medium to 3X. Ladies will wear these as well. In addition we will also collect new packages of underwear or socks. Underwear and socks are the number one requested item among the homeless. You may place your donations in the blue bins that will be set up in either the gathering space of church or the ministry center, now through December 4th.

Your generous gifts will be given to one of the following shelters; House of Mary and Joseph Homeless Shelter for men and women on Harrison Street in Chicago. Sister House, Oak Park, rehabilitation housing & Highwood Soup Kitchen.

Please contact Pam Urban 847-373-9705 with any questions or concerns.

God Bless you for your beautiful gift of love to those in need.

SELLING BUTTER BRAIDS DURING ALL MASSES NOV 19/20!

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Our St. Francis de Sales 8th graders are headed to Washington D.C. in May for their class trip. 100% of the proceeds from this fundraiser go directly to the students to reduce the cost of the trip. The school does not receive any of the profits. Students will be selling before and after all masses the weekend of Nov 19/20 at the both entrances of the church. Please contact Ashley with questions- 602-339-0516. Thank you for supporting our 8th grade students!

Back-to-School Backpack Program

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St Francis de Sales Parish will be collecting backpacks filled with school supplies to benefit underprivileged children in our community. Beginning July 16th & 17th Back-to-School Tags with a list of school supplies for each backpack will be available at the church. All school supplies should be placed in a new backpack and returned to church by Sunday, July 31st. Your gift means the world to a bright and deserving child eager for a proper education.

ACA REPORT FOR OUR PARISH - JANUARY 2022 REPORT

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ACA REPORT FOR OUR PARISH
JANUARY 2022 REPORT 

Donor Count ………………………………………………… 427

2021 Goal……………………………………………… $125,410

Amount Pledged………………………….……… $198,868

Amount Paid………………………………………… $194,358

Balance Due…………..………………………………… $4,510