Totus Tuus 2022 Thank You!

To our totus tuus missionaries- Ben anderson, Enrique Dominguez, Jose Antonio Gonzalez, Emmy Uzquiano, and Margarita Perez,our High school Teen Volunteers & the adult volunteers who helped make our week so much fun!

Thank you to Pam Lynch for hosting all five of our missionaries in her home!

Thank you to Fr. Ryan & Fr. Paul fOr helping with Masses, Confession, and Adoration. THank you to Deacon Tom and Deacon Bob for helping with Masses, Adoration and Church Tours.

Thank you to Rosati's of Lake Zurich, La Parroquia, Culver's of Lake Zurich, The McDermott Family, The Rahilly Family, the Schumacher Family, the Urban Family, The Platas Family, The Clery Family, The Epstein Family, and The Virgilio family for donating meals for our missionaries!

Unplugged Fest // Paulus Park // August 7th

Hello!!

I hope you are having a great summer. This summer, our parish is participating in the free event, Unplugged Fest at Paulus Park. We are in need of incoming 8th graders and high school students to help us with the craft we are offering at our tent. Please use the link below to sign up for one or more time slots.

If you have any questions please contact Mimi McGlauchlin at 847-726-4850.

Assistant Youth Minister Open Position at SFdS!

High School Youth Ministry

Our High School Youth Ministry team prepares freshmen and sophomores for Confirmation and also ministers to all high school teens through youth group events and activities. The teens who have participated in our ministry in the past many years have been honest and open about sharing their faith journeys and their struggles. They have shared how they have seen God working in their lives and how God has worked through other people. 

Working with the Director of Youth Ministry in: 

• Planning and coordinating Confirmation content and working on-site during the Sunday in-person small group meetings for our two year high school Confirmation program. 

• Planning, coordinating and attending Confirmation & Kairos Retreats and Steubenville Youth Conference.

• Planning, coordinating and attending Youth Group activities (currently Sundays).

We are looking for a person to bring their fresh ideas and enthusiasm in serving the high school teens in our community and parish. We are always evolving and interested in learning from the past as we look to improve our ministry in the future.

Middle School Religious Education

We serve teens in 6th-8th grade and use the Life Teen Edge program to foster their faith. Teens attend class twice a month to participate in large group activities and small group discussions. Sessions are offered on Mondays and Tuesdays in the evening.

Working with the Coordinator of Religious Education in:

• Planning, coordinating and attending middle school Edge religious education sessions.

• Working with the small group volunteers who facilitate the small group discussions. 

Young Adult Ministry 

• Planning and coordinating events and activities for Young Adults within our parish and vicariate.

More Information 

During the past years, the high school and junior high teams have collaborated and helped each other in a variety of ways. We truly are better together. 

This person will also join us as part of the Mass Tech Team. We stream 9:00am Mass on Sunday & noon on Wednesday and also 1st Communion and Confirmation Masses annually.

There is an administrative staff person who is also part of this Religious Education and Youth Ministry team.

Detailing out all the specific tasks would include much more information, but the points above cover the main goals of this job. Many of the tasks have been changed in the past years to take advantage of online registration opportunities. We can be available for a conversation to answer questions anytime. 

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about this position, please send an updated resume and cover letter to plynch@stfrancislz.org for consideration.

Statement of Cardinal Blase J Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, on the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling end Dobbs versus Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturns the Court’s tragic 1973 decision that removed legal protection for unborn children. We welcome this important ruling and the opportunity it creates for a national conversation on protecting human life in the womb and promoting human dignity at all stages of life. This moment should serve as a turning point in our dialogue about the place an unborn child holds in our nation, about our responsibility to listen to women and support them through pregnancies and after the birth of their children, and about the need to refocus our national priorities to support families, particularly those in need.

The Catholic Church brings to such a conversation the conviction that every human life is sacred, that every single person is made in the image and likeness of God and therefore deserving of reverence and protection. That belief is the reason the Catholic Church is the country's largest provider of social services, many aimed at eliminating the systemic poverty and health care insecurity that traps families in a cycle of hopelessness and limit authentic choice.

We also come to this dialogue as Americans, knowing that the principle that all human beings are endowed by the Creator with certain inalienable rights is enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, and that first among these is the right to life.

Make no mistake, because this ruling regrettably will have little impact on abortion in Illinois, as there are virtually no restrictions here, we will continue to advocate strongly for legal protections for unborn children. And we will redouble our efforts to work with all to build a culture that values the inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all.

This ruling is not the end of the journey, but rather a fresh start. It underscores the need to understand those who disagree with us, and to inculcate an ethic of dialogue and cooperation. Let us begin by examining our national conscience, taking stock of these dark places in our society and in our hearts that turn to violence and deny the humanity of our brothers and sisters, and get to work building up the common good by choosing life. 

July 4, 2022 // Statement of Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, on the July 4 mass shooting in Highland Park

I have been watching the news in horror as at least 6 are dead and many more were wounded after a gunman opened fire as families attended an Independence Day parade in Highland Park. What should have been a peaceful celebration of our nation’s founding ended in unspeakable tragedy.

Please join me in praying for the victims and their loved ones, who never imagined a July 4 celebration could become a killing ground. Pray too for the safety of first responders as they pursue the person responsible for this tragedy. They bravely rushed into the danger to treat victims and to protect others from harm. 

The parade reportedly had a heavy presence of police and fire vehicles, yet this shooter was able to wound at least two dozen people before he stopped, or was stopped, and fled. Victims ranged in age from 8 to 85. Weapons designed to rapidly destroy human bodies have no place in civil society.

It is barely July, and this year the United States is already experiencing more than one mass shooting a day. Chicago Police reported at least 55 shot and 7 killed since Friday, and the holiday weekend is not yet over. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for U.S. children.

Whatever one makes of the right to bear arms, there is plenty of room for prudential judgment in interpreting the Second Amendment so as to enact serious, broadly popular gun-safety measures. The Senate finally passed a significant, yet modest, gun-safety bill last month. But clearly more must be done. 

The right to bear arms does not eclipse the right to life, or the right of all Americans to go about their lives free of the fear that they might be shredded by bullets at any moment. Gun violence is a life issue. We must continue to pray that all our officials, elected and unelected alike, will redouble their commitment to keeping safe the people they have sworn to serve.

Pope Francis wrote to the people of Chicagoland in 2016: “As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, humanity ‘must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.’ I urge all people, especially young men and women, to respond to Dr. King's prophetic words and know that a culture of nonviolence is not an unattainable dream, but a path that has produced decisive results.”

May the Lord of mercy embrace in love those who have died, bring healing to the wounded, comfort to their loved ones, and courage to all of us, so that we may respond to this tragedy united as God’s children to build a path to safety and peace.

Join us for a Rosary to Our Lady of Fatima // July 13th

Who is Our Lady of Fatima?

Our Lady of Fatima is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in connection with her apparitions to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. Our Lady of Fatima told the shepherd children to pray the rosary daily for the end of the war (World War I). Mary continued to appear once a month for 6 months to the three children, Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco. In October of 1930, the Bishop of Leiria-Fátima approved the visions as “worthy of belief.” Our Lady of Fatima urgently desired for all of faithful to pray daily for the salvation of poor sinners, and for the whole world. That message from Our Mother Mary is a challenge – no matter where you are in your own personal prayer life – to go deeper, to pray often, and with greater fervor.

Join us for a Rosary to Our Lady of Fatima

Monday, July 13th following the Noon Mass 

We will pray a rosary with the 5 prayers to Our Lady of Fatima. Prayers for Hope, Healing and an end to abortion in our country.

SAVE THE DATE! Blood Drive July 21, 2022

Who benefits from blood donation?

At Versiti Blood Center of Illinois, formerly  Heartland Blood Centers, we never forget the patients who receive the blood we collect. Every unit of blood is collected from volunteer donors who meet specific criteria and have been screened according to strict guidelines. Every unit (pint) is collected, transported, tested and stored according to tightly-controlled procedures.

Examples of transfusion needs are:

• Cancer: up to 8 units/month

• Bone Marrow Transplant: up to 2 units/day

• Liver Transplant: up to 100 units

• Auto Accident: up to 50 units

• Cardiovascular Surgery: 2-25 unit
  
  Helpful tip:
  Make sure to eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water before donating.

Appointments are encouraged, Walk-ins welcome! 

https://bit.ly/BloodDrive-7-21-22

Math & Science Teacher NEEDED!!

St. Francis de Sales School is in search of fun-loving, responsible adult who loves our middle school aged children.

Please contact Mary Keller at mkeller@stfrancislz.org if you are interested in the position or know of someone great for the position!

Back-to-School Backpack Program

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.

Religious Education Registration Forms

Registration for the 2022-2023 School Year is OPEN!

Please click the button below.

2022-2023 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION REGISTRATION

Interested in Volunteering in our program?

Click the button below with your areas of interest:

VOLUNTEER FORM

TO PAY TUITION:

Click the button below to be directed to our payment portal. If you need to set up a payment plan, please contact the Religious Education Office at 847.438.3233.

CLICK HERE TO PAY YOUR TUITION

2022 - 2023 Parent Handbook

Click the button below to view the most updated version of our Parent Handbook.

PARENT HANDBOOK

2022-2023 Confirmation Registration IS OPEN!!!!

Online Registration is OPEN!

We are pleased to tell you that you do not need to drop off the packet or mail it in. If you prefer a paper registration packet or prefer to write a check or pay in person please contact Cathy Chiarelli and she can make arrangements for you. Please register asap and before August 12th.

REGISTRATION FORM

PAYMENT FORM

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Thank you for your interest in our High School two year Confirmation Preparation Program at St Francis de Sales Parish.  We desire to journey with each person to deepen their relationship with God through knowledge and understanding as well as experiences and encounters.  

Our focus will continue to be on your teen as well as your family since we are absolutely confident that your relationship with God can and will have a positive impact in your life and the life of your family. Each teen will receive a Bible and we will spend time learning more about how Sacred Scriptures can be relevant to your life.

We will have three components this year:

A monthly family session.  A link to the monthly lesson will be sent to you and your teen.  The content will include insights, ideas and truths about God and our Faith.  These lessons are intended to be discussed by the teen, parent and family.  Your teens will be asked to respond with thoughts and reactions.  The focus of these sessions will be to learn and grow together so we can deepen our understanding about God and about our relationship with Him.  (Dates - whatever works for the family) 

Monthly teen small group gathering and discussion. We will meet approximately once a month.  These small group gatherings are important for the teens to be able to connect, learn and share their insights and ideas   (Dates  TBD - most likely on Sunday mid-day)

Mass.  The Mass is an important gift of our Church and offers us all a unique opportunity to invite Jesus into our life.  The more you grow in your faith, the more important the Mass can become to your faith life. All families should attend Mass each Sunday. Our current Mass schedule:  Saturday 5pm, Sunday 6:30am, 9:00am and 11:00am.   On the days we have a small group meeting we will gather with our teens in small groups at 11:00 Mass.

Goals for this year:

• Teens and parents have a new perspective about God and their relationship with God and are inspired to move forward on their faith journey even after these sessions are complete.

• Your family is comfortable discussing faith, prayer and God together at home and creates your own family prayer, prayer time and/or prayer experiences.

You can use this online form to register for both 1st year or 2nd year Confirmation Preparation Sessions.

Use this Tuition link for payment: Tuition Link

Please pay before classes begin. If you cannot make the whole payment upfront, please use the partial payment section of the online form. You can contact Cathy Chiarelli at CChiarelli@stfrancislz.org to set up a payment plan.  Also, Fr Ryan can offer some financial assistance through the scholarship application process. 

This year we are able to offer online credit card payments. If you prefer to pay with a check or cash, you can drop off or mail to our Ministry Center at 135 S. Buesching Road, Lake Zurich, IL 60047 c/o Confirmation Program.

How to Pay

1. Credit Card: Online via our payment portal (there is a processing fee attached to this). Directions for this option will be listed at the end of the registration form.

2. Check: Please bring to the ministry center or mail it to our Ministry Center at 135 S. Buesching Road, Lake Zurich, IL 60047 c/o YM Confirmation Program.

3. Cash: Can be brought to the ministry center or brought to the first day of class.

4. Contact Fr Ryan regarding financial assistance.

Volunteers Needed

We are in need of adult small group leaders. Please contact Pam Lynch if you have a heart for teens, are willing to create a safe place for open discussion and are willing to share some stories from your own faith life.   The Protecting God's Children process will need to be completed. 

Thank you again for your interest in our program and for letting us accompany you in continuing with your child's education in our Faith.

Usually freshmen join as 1st year teens. If your child is joining us outside this typical time frame, please let me know. We want to help you and your child.

GOT QUESTIONS? Please contact Pam Lynch, Director of Youth Ministry
847.726.4862 //  plynch@stfrancislz.org

Praying for the St Francis de Sales School Alumni

Class of 2015

Constantino Alivia - University of Illinois Chicago

Maggie Bodo - Herzing University 

Kelly Brenner - University of Missouri

Kaylee Buckley - Marquette University 

Casey Cruz - Chico State

Celia Cunnion - University of Nebraska-Lincoln 

Joshua Dudley - University of Illinois Chicago

Katlyn Falson - College of Lake County 

Tara Gaffney - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Jackson Galdoni - University of Delaware

Lukas Galdoni - Butler University 

Daniel Gramm - University of Kentucky

Bridget Huels - University of Dayton

Lauren Jaeger - Illinois State University 

Isabelle Jordan - Augustana University 

Henry Langbo - University of Notre Dame 

Eli Larson - North Central College 

Natalia Linares - Washington University in St. Louis 

Stephen Lindberg - Saint Louis University

Grace Loverde - Augustana University 

Giovanni Monte - Augustana University 

Kayla Otto - Illinois State University 

Darcy Petrus - Xavier University 

Sarah Pini - Saint Norbert College 

Emilia Salv - University of Illinois 

Anna Maria Schelonka - South Dakota State University 

Ashley Soukup - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Class of 2016

Giacomo Armagno - Kent State University 

Evan Bajerski - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Matthew Barker - Indiana University 

Danny Davern - University of Wisconsin-- Whitewater 

Daniela Del Bosque - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Thomas Devine - Purdue University 

Maddie Divane - University of Wisconsin-- Madison

Kaitlyn Donton - University of Notre Dame 

Molly Finucane - Saint Louis University 

Gretchen Greeby - Butler University 

Kelly Herlihy - Indiana University Bloomington

Eleanore Hoffman - Belmont University 

Isabella Holaday - University of Iowa 

Natalie Jokerst - Illinois State University 

Jeremy Kamman - Kansas State University 

Colin Kinsey - University of Illinois

Faith Krabbe - Quincy University 

Camden Krautsack - Clemson University 

Katie Lach - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Olivia Lewicki - San Francisco Academy of Arts

Mallory Machala - Saint Louis University 

Michael Machamer - Concordia University Wisconsin

Emma Magnone - University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Lauren Malenfant - Northwestern University 

Jack McGahan - University of Kentucky 

Maureen McGowan - University of Wisconsin-Madison

Audrey McGrail - College of the Holy Cross

Caroline Modelski - Butler University 

Rachel Mooney - Texas Tech University 

Olivia Moorman - Central Michigan University 

Matthew Nigro - Elmhurst University

Class of 2017

Nicole Albright - University of Alabama 

Gabriel Alivia - University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Sydney Bindler - Illinois State University 

Ryan Cawley - Clemson University 

Fernanda Del Bosque - College of Creative Studies 

Alyssa DeSalvo - Loyola University Chicago

Grace Ergastolo - University of Tennessee

Joseph Finzel - College of Lake County 

Derek Galdoni - University of Indiana 

Christopher Gasner - undisclosed

Jack Gramm - University of Missouri 

Michaela Hadaway - Michigan State University 

Baileigh Hannah - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Kyle Heinz - Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Alvaro Hizar - Marquette University 

Avery Krautsack - Louisiana State University 

Conor Madigan - McHenry Community College/DePaul University 

Alex Miiller - University of Alabama 

Enzo Monte - Iowa State University 

Alex Nastruz - Illinois State University 

Antonio Ojeda - University of Dayton

Tegan Rae - University of Illinois 

Madeline Rosenbaum - University of Michigan 

Emilia Salvi - University of Illinois 

Catherine Schelonka - Michigan Technological University

Mia Welborn - Marquette University 

Anthony Zizzo - Marquette University

Class of 2018

Victoria Agrella - Michigan State University

Jia Anderson - Carthage College 

Nora Bajerski - Illinois State University

Daniel Barker - Ohio State University 

James Battaglia - University of Southern Alabama

Margaret Bowe - Purdue University 

Marco Bruno - Saint Louis University 

Ryan Buckley - Colorado University 

Jennifer Bukowski - University of Kentucky 

Ben Cacioppo - Kansas University 

Colin Diblik - University of Dayton

Josh Diblik - Xavier University 

Olivia Donnelly - Michigan State University

Olivia Dorhorst - University of Illinois 

Kaylie Freeland - Ohio State University 

Madeline Gillis - University of Dayton

Marco Goranson College of Lake County 

Jessica Greeby - University of Dayton

Kevin Huels - University of Georgia

Niko Kempa - Junior Hockey

Dominick Magnone - University of Notre Dame

Jack Malenfant - Indiana University 

Zach Marcheschi  - Michigan State University

Riley McHugh - Marquette University 

Alexa Mehrholz - University of Colorado 

Madyson Meyer - Oregon State University 

Meredith Modelski - Butler University 

Victoria Nagode - University of Illinois 

Anna Nagode - DePaul University 

Lilly Ogurek - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Annabelle Pinto - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Spiros Pissios - University of Chicago

Victoria Renguso - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Andy Ridosh - Saint Louis University 

Nicolas Rodriguez - Johns Hopkins University 

Jack Roscoe - Purdue University 

Kendall Scott - Texas Christian University 

Alayna Soukup - Lewis University 

Griffin Stropich - University of Iowa

Cayla Stubler Northern Arizona University 

Leah Ulbrich University of Notre Dame 

Maddie Whelan University of Dayton

Sarah Wiseman University of Notre Dame

ACA Report for our Parish - June 2022

Donor Count………………..…….401

2022 Goal……………..…….$101,719

Amount Pledged….…….$192,188

Amount Paid…………..….$148,738

Balance Due…………….….$43,450

Pentecost Window Paintings

Make sure to drive by the Ministry Center to see the latest addition to the window paintings. Father Ryan asks, what do you notice about St. Peter's hands in the Last Supper image?

Pentecost Email Blast 2022

Happy Birthday, Church!

Join us this Sunday for one of our church's three high Holy Days, Pentecost! Make sure to wear your red to represent the fire of the Holy Spirit.

Saturday Vigil @ 5pm, Sunday @ 6:30am, 9am [Streamed], & 11am [West Parking Lot]

Streamed Mass @ 9am on YouTube

Streamed Mass @ 9am on Facebook

---

This weekend, the Church celebrates Pentecost, one of the most important feast days of the year that concludes the Easter season and celebrates the beginning of the Church. Here's what you need to know about the feast day:

The timing and origins of Pentecost

Pentecost always occurs 50 days after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and ten days after his ascension into heaven. Because Easter is a moveable feast without a fixed date, and Pentecost depends on the timing of Easter, Pentecost can fall anywhere between May 10 and June 13.

The timing of these feasts is also where Catholics get the concept of the Novena - nine days of prayer - because in Acts 1, Mary and the Apostles prayed together "continuously" for nine days after the Ascension leading up to Pentecost. Traditionally, the Church prays the Novena to the Holy Spirit in the days before Pentecost.

There is a parallel Jewish holiday, Shavu`ot, which falls 50 days after Passover. Shavu'ot is sometimes called the festival of weeks, referring to the seven weeks since Passover. Originally a harvest feast, Shavu`ot now commemorates the sealing of the Old Covenant on Mount Sinai, when the Lord revealed the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai. Every year, the Jewish people renew their acceptance of the gift of the Torah on this feast.

What happens at Pentecost?

In the Christian tradition, Pentecost is the celebration of the person of the Holy Spirit coming upon the Apostles, Mary, and the first followers of Jesus, who were gathered together in the Upper Room.

A "strong, driving" wind filled the room where they were gathered, and tongues of fire came to rest on their heads, allowing them to speak in different languages so that they could understand each other. It was such a strange phenomenon that some people thought the Christians were just drunk - but Peter pointed out that it was only the morning, and said the phenomenon was caused by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit also gave the apostles the other gifts and fruits necessary to fulfill the great commission - to go out and preach the Gospel to all nations. It fulfills the New Testament promise from Christ (Luke 24:46-49) that the Apostles would be "clothed with power" before they would be sent out to spread the Gospel.

Where's that in the bible?

The main event of Pentecost (the strong driving wind and tongues of fire) takes place in Acts 2:13, though the events immediately following (Peter's homily, the baptism of thousands) continue through verse 41.

Happy Birthday, Church!

It was right after Pentecost that Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, preached his first homily to Jews and other non-believers, in which he opened the scriptures of the Old Testament, showing how the prophet Joel prophesied events and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

He also told the people that the Jesus they crucified is the Lord and was raised from the dead, which "cut them to the heart." When they asked what they should do, Peter exhorted them to repent of their sins and to be baptised. According to the account in Acts, about 3,000 people were baptised following Peter's sermon.

article taken from www.catholicnewsagency.com

“The name of the day itself is derived from the Greek word “pentecoste,” meaning 50th.”

artwork by Leanne Bowen

Everything that we believe in and do should lead us to unity with our Lord. The Holy Spirit flows into us and through us. This print shows the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit and the 12 fruits of the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, faithfulness, modesty, gentleness, chastity and self control.” -Galatians 5:22-23

Prophet Isaiah writes about the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

“The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge, piety, and the fear of the LORD.” Isaiah 11:2

Wisdom

Understanding

Counsel

Fortitude

Knowledge

Piety

Fear of the Lord

Save the Date: Casino Night // Saturday, October 22, 2022

Lake Zurich Mayor Tom Poynton’s Memorial Day Speech // May 30th, 2022 @ 11am

Lake Zurich Mayor Tom Poynton’s Memorial Day Speech

May 30th, 2022 @ 11am

• American Legion Post #964 Commander Mike Hudson 

• Father David Ryan (St Francis de Sales Parish)  

• Village Board Members Present:  Greg Weider … Dan Bobrowski    

• Andrew Tangen: Superintendent of Veterans Assistance Commission of Lake County –  Guest Speaker

• Assembled Veterans …  Current Military, and … Residents and Families of Lake Zurich

Good morning … and Welcome! to Lake Zurich and today’s Memorial Day ceremony. Thank you for attending.

Before I get to my “official” duties …  How about the LZHS Band … they are out here every Memorial Day … rain, sleet, snow or sometimes in sweltering heat … you will hear more from them in a bit. Thank You Josh Thompson and LZHS Band!

I am again honored to be here with you this morning as we reflect upon … and remember … our fallen service members and the sacrifices that they and their families have made on behalf of our country. 

Memorial Day is a day of reflection and remembering the men and women who died while serving … and the “usual” theme of Memorial Day is … “Remember”.

Today is no different … even as we are facing the unprecedented modern challenges of COVID-19, the unconscionable Russian invasion of Ukraine and the recent senseless shootings in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX.

Though we may also be facing our own individual challenges, we will always devote time to honor and remember the heroes who gave their lives.

It is common to give special emphasis on historical wars and rightfully so. 

No one who has given their lives for our freedom should ever be a passing memory.

Memorial Day gives us time to reflect on the historical battles and wars fought … and the lives lost. 

The “War to End All Wars” did not unfortunately, end all wars. 

We must not only honor the fallen of past wars but to also, keep in mind that men and women are dying today at war. 

Military combat zones exist all over the world and the United States, with 750 bases in at least 80 countries, remains at war today … with thousands deployed overseas and still more thousands serving at home. 

St. Francis de Sales parish in Lake Zurich “Remembers”. They devote a full page of the Weekly Parish Bulletin to the remembering of local service women and men currently serving and those who have returned home safely 

Memorial Day Weekend can be very complicated for modern military families. So, we remain mindful of not only the past but our present losses.

Before you wish every veteran or service member or their family a “Happy” Memorial Day, remember that for military families it means something much, much bigger than the start of summer. 

This is a very tender time of year for many … and many are grieving. 

Their day feels fraught with memories of those they’ve lost, and it could be a recent loss that is mixed with gratitude for the times that they’ve had.

If we want to honor and celebrate patriotism and the military this Memorial Day, then we have to honor the complicated feelings that surround it. 

Memorial Day is about remembering and honoring every single man and woman who has died for our freedoms — men and women who were mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, patriots, and incredible Americans and really, really great friends.

While it is true that every day is Memorial Day for the families of the fallen, they aren’t asking that you stay inside and wallow.

But we do owe it to them to pause, reflect, honor and remember. 

What better way to honor them than to be surrounded by those we love. They are grateful for your pause and reflections as you celebrate our heroes and the lives that they lived. 

From Bunker Hill to Afghanistan, there has always been a select group of Americans willing to fight for a cause greater than their self-preservation. 

Most of us have not been willing to write our wills at the age of 18 and good-bye letters in case we are killed in serving our country. 

So, honor those who President Lincoln characterized as giving “the last full measure of devotion”. 

Talk to your children, grandchildren, neighbors, family, and friends about … sacrifice, service, and what this three-day weekend really means. 

Observe the National Moment of Remembrance Silence at 3 p.m. today with a minute of silence and reflection. 

Look for ways that you can be of service throughout the year to honor the memories of those who gave their lives.

It is humbling to reflect how inextricably connected and united we are as a nation in remembering, because of the brave that gave the ultimate sacrifice. 

We honor them today and strive to continue throughout the rest of our days to never forget.   <Pause>  

Referencing back to Ukraine … I don’t know how anyone can look at the killing and destruction happening there and not be moved … and pissed off. 

It is mindless, amoral and unnecessary.

Please keep the people and soldiers of Ukraine … who are dying for their freedom … in your remembrances today.

I am a veteran and I “remember”

May we never forget.

Thank you for attending today. 

Join us for the Walk for Life // Saturday June 18th

Come Celebrate Carmel Catholic's 60th Street Scenes

SAVE THE DATE! Life Line Screening // Wednesday July 13

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13 // Fr Valker Hall

Life Line Screening, the nation’s leading provider of preventive health screenings, will offer affordable, non-invasive and painless health screenings.

A package of five screenings to identify risk for stroke, heart disease and other chronic conditions will be offered:

• Carotid artery ultrasound to identify plaque buildup in the carotid arteries, a major risk factor for stroke

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound to identify presence of an enlargement in the largest blood vessel in the body

• An EKG to identify the presence of atrial fibrillation, which increases the risk for stroke

• Ultrasound of the lower legs to look for plaque buildup known as peripheral artery disease

• Ultrasound of the shin bone to identify risk for osteoporosis

A package of 5 vital screenings is offered for only $149 and take 60-90 minutes to complete. If you call today to register, you will receive a $10 discount!

To Register:

Call toll-free 888-653-6441

https://llsa.social/HSC

Text the word circle to 797979