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 for Christmas. We sent the amount of $17,170 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)

  • $2000 in gifts cards for the Our Lady of Tepeyac High

  • School donated by Meg’s Legacy of Hope

  • Many gifts donated by Parishioners, Mora & Ken Priess

  • 2 bikes donated by Parishioners

  • Many gifts such as air mattresses, socks, underwear, pajamas, wipes, diapers, and medicines to the refugees that are being taken care by the St. John the Baptist Ministry at Mother of the Americas

  • Pajamas donated by the Girl Scouts

  • Food from the St. Vincent de Paul 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.

A big “Thank You” to Jane Clery for helping us so much to collect and pack the gifts. We would have not been able to do it without your invaluable help.

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 2024, full of happiness, peace, love, and good health!

Sincerely,

Melissa Larson

Chairperson, Gift of Love

Patricia Linares

Chairperson, MOA Ministry

Thank you for your Gifts of Love!!

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The giving spirit of our faith community continues to amaze! The generosity of our parish community is truly heart-warming. More than 220 local families were sponsored, along with 89 women from Mt. St. Joseph. We were also able to supply Mother of the Americas (formerly Our Lady of Tepeyac) with an abundance 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.

A shout out to the following:

  • Lake Zurich High School National Honor Society sponsored 10 families (50 people) this year. This is the 22nd year that they have participated.

  • 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.

  • Since 2005, Boy Scout Troop 309 at St. Francis has taken on a bicycle rehabilitation program. They collect and repair donated bicycles and then give them to Gift of Love to distribute to the adults and children who ask for bikes for Christmas. This year they repaired and donated more than 25 bikes to the Gift of Love families and additional bikes will be provided to Mother of the Americas.

  • Over 125 new toys and games were donated by the St. Francis School students through their annual toy fundraiser.

  • Other volunteers helped with shopping, sign-up weekends, sorting gifts, delivering the gift bags to Mt. St. Joseph and helping with the drop off weekend.

Once again, the Ministry Center and maintenance staff 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.

With sincerest gratitude,

Melissa Larson

Gift of Love Coordinator

Remain in Me Series

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Part 1 begins Wednesday, Jan 10th in the Ministry Center 7:00pm / Thursday, Jan 11th in the Ministry Center 7:00pm / Zoom Wednesday, Jan 10th 6:30pm

We will watch the new Remain in Me series created by the Archdiocese of Chicago designed to help us all understand and grow closer to the Eucharist.

The evening will include prayer, videos and time for discussion.

The offices of Lifelong Formation and Divine Worship are pleased to present Remain in Me, a process of encounter, understanding, and missionary response to Christ’s abiding presence in the Eucharist. Based on Cardinal Cupich’s Take, Bless, Break, Share: A Strategy for Eucharistic Revival, each reflection session unpacks one of five central themes of our sacramental and liturgical lives through engaging video content, Scripture, prayer, individual reflection and small group discussion.

Everyone is also encouraged to watch this series at home with your family. Links to the series are below. "This is how all will know that you are my disciples: if you have love for one another." (John 13:35)