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Greetings of Christ's Peace and Joy! Hope you all had a blessed week.
Congratulations and Thank You!
Church Window Repair Update
World Day of Prayer for the Church in China
May 24th, the Feast of Our Lady of Help of Christians, was chosen by Pope Benedict to call Christians around the world to pray for the Church in China. We are invited in our liturgy and in our individual prayers to be mindful on this day of Christians in China as they strive to be true witnesses to the Gospel. We pray for Christians in China that "they may know God's loving presence and the solidarity of fellow Christians around the world, especially when times are difficult. Help them to be faithful witnesses to the Gospel and open their arms in love for one another as they try to speak of Jesus to the world and of the world to Jesus."
Update on Church Window Repair
Due to old age, our church window frames and parts of the damaged stained glass are in great need of care and repairs. These stained glass windows add much beauty to our church and are part of the precious history of this parish, as all were donated by parishioners of decades ago.
BULLETIN TOTAL AS OF 05/15/13: $34,027
A plaque of remembrance will be placed in the church in gratitude to all the donors at the end of the project. Thank YOU! May the Risen Lord deepen our Faith! Peace~ Fr. Francis St. Therese Catholic Church Mission Statement
"The disciple simply burns his boats and goes ahead. He is called out… The old life is left behind, and completely surrendered. The disciple is dragged out of his relative security into a life of absolute insecurity… out of the realm of the finite… into the realm of infinite possibilities."
+ ******* Faith and Charity *******
In his Holiness, Benedict XVI's Lenten message: "The celebration of Lent, in the context of the Year of Faith, offers us a valuable opportunity to meditate on the relationship between faith and charity … The Christian life consists in continuously scaling the mountain to meet God and then coming back down, bearing the love and strength drawn from him, so as to serve our brothers and sisters with God's own love … In the Church, contemplation and action, symbolized in some way by the Gospel figures of Mary and Martha, have to coexist and complement each other." Please join us, as a faith community, to set aside an hour once a month, to offer it in silent meditation before the Blessed Sacrament, and to pray together— the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
The fruit of Silence is prayer. The fruit of Prayer is faith. The fruit of Faith is love. The fruit of Love is service. The fruit of Service is peace. ~Mother Teresa + Baptism
Marcus Zexi Lin, son of Tony Lin and Sharon Wong will be baptized today at 12:30pm. Please keep Marcus in your prayers.
+ Support the Campaign to Help Save Our Religious Freedom As part of the Fortnight for Freedom, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is launching a nationwide text messaging campaign, asking Catholics across the country to text the word FREEDOM to 377377. This nationwide network will allow the USCCB to engage directly with Catholics around the country as threats to religious freedom emerge on the national, state and local level. If all Catholics in the country sign up via their mobile phones, it can create the most impactful advocacy networks in the country. + Free Bible we thank the CityOf.com for donated 100 copies of Bible to our parish. If you need a Catholic version of the Bible, please pick up a copy after mass today. + Prayer Garden Spring Planting MeetingEaster Donation Update
John Co: $50.00 Thank You! + Conversational English We are still offering conversational English classes four times a week and are now accepting new students for the Spring sessions. If interested, please sign up at the church entrance table. Schedules can be worked out with the instructors. + Parish Pastoral Council Meeting on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 7pm. + Ministry of Care We need Ministers of Care to bring the Eucharist to hospitalized and homebound parishioners. If you are trained or would like to be trained in this Ministry, please contact Fr. Li or Sr. Caritas. + Computer Teachers we need people who can teach basic computer skills in our parish. Requirements are: a) knows Microsoft Office, Google Docs; b) knows how to surf the internet, use and create Email c) can operate a printer, d) can commit to 1.5 to 3 hours a week e) knowledge of Cantonese or Mandarin preferred. If interested please contact Edy at eguawan@sttheresechinatown.org or call the church office at 312-842-6777. + ST. THERESE CHURCH WANTS TO HELP! 
Do you come to church only on Easter and Christmas? Or not at all? Are you facing a life altering event: getting married, having a baby, having lost or in the process of losing a loved one, or dealing with a health diagnosis that is frightening? These are situations that need to be faced, either enjoyed and cherished or met with strength and action. Maybe it is time to go back to your roots as a Catholic to help you deal with these life altering situations.
St. Therese Chinese Catholic Church is a Landings parish. Landings was started by Paulist Fathers to help non-practicing Catholics explore their faith and return to the Church in a nonthreatening way. It is a way to share, to be heard and to listen to faith journeys of a group of inactive and active Catholics. All this is conducted with compassionate listening and utmost confidentiality. If you are ready to consider returning to the Church, we are here to give you a helping hand and ensure your safe landing! Our spring sessions of 1½ hours a week for 8 to 10 weeks will start on Thursday, May 17th at 6:30pm in the St. Francis Assisi room at our church, located at 218 W. Alexander St., Chicago IL 60616. We offer sessions in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. For more information please contact either Sr. Anji Fan or Cita Orendain at our parish office: 312-842-6777 or email us at: landingsatsttherese@gmail.com.
If you know of inactive Catholics, please pass this on to them.
Landingswas created more than 20 years ago by the late Fr. Jac Campbell, a Paulist priest. He designed it for lay active Catholics to welcome, or "love back" inactive Catholics to the church. It was founded on the belief that we do not have to be trained theologians to share what we believe and to speak honestly about our faith, trusting in the Holy Spirit (from Landings International website). Since it started, over 1.5 million Catholics have returned to the Church through Landings.
Landings is the time for someone who has been away from the Church to explore his/her faith and future within the Church. It is a gentle way to connect with lay people who are steadfast in their faith and who practice it. Questions from the inactive Catholic are welcome and will be answered in light of an active Catholic's faith experience with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Questions that require deeper theological knowledge will be referred to the pastor. There is a facilitator, a time keeper, a prayer leader and someone to bring the refreshments. A Participant's Journal is given to each participant in the first Landings session. Each participant is asked to read it carefully, a few days before each session. The Journal gives the full schedule of a Landings meeting. It also has 8 to 10 Catholic themes, 1 for each meeting, with references, to help participants understand and reflect on Church teachings and on how the faith is practiced.
Please bear in mind that Landings is not a counseling session or group therapy. It is simply a way for inactive Catholics to discern if coming back to the church is for him/her by listening, sharing and asking questions of active Catholics who are committed to loving them back to the Church. + Landings ~ ST. THERESE CHURCH WANTS TO HELP!
St. Therese Chinese Catholic Church is a Landings parish. Landings was started by Paulist Fathers to help non-practicing Catholics explore their faith and return to the Church in a nonthreatening way. It is a way to share, to be heard and to listen to faith journeys of a group of inactive and active Catholics. All this is conducted with compassionate listening and utmost confidentiality. If you are ready to consider returning to the Church, we are here to give you a helping hand and ensure your safe landing! + The Respect Life Ministry of St. Therese
wishes to thank all those who participated in the postcard campaign of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops regarding a) prevention of federal funding and promotion of abortion and b) protection of rights of conscience in health care. We collected close to 70 signed notes (3 per page, 70 pages) two weekends ago. We also want to thank the Indonesians who participated during their mass. Your participation helped make the campaign effective and meaningful. We look forward to working with you again on matters related to respect life issues. + The United States Council of Catholic Bishops Postcard Campaign
The St. Therese Respect Life Ministry is participating in this campaign to (1) Prevent federal funding and promotion of abortion and (2) Protect rights of conscience in health care. + Planning Masses
If you would like your family to participate in the June planning Mass, please contact Sr. Caritas.
+ St. Therese College Scholarship Fund Application
Through the generosity of an Alumnus of St. Therese School, we have been able to award scholarship grants since year 2001 to help young people advance their studies. The donor of this scholarship fund, who wants to remain anonymous, grew up in Chinatown during the 1950s and was helped by the Catholic Church. After achieving professional and financial success in his life, in year 2000, he made a significant donation to set up this scholarship fund to help others at St. Therese, especially those who have demonstrated a spirit of sharing and service. The Scholarship Application Form with further criteria is available at the church entrance table. Service at St. Therese Church is a requirement. Deadline for submission of the application and supporting documents: June 10, 2013. + Family: The Foundation of Society "I was a stranger and you welcomed me." (Matthew 25:35)
The USCCB states that preserving family unity is the cornerstone of comprehensive immigration reform. Please let our elected officials know we support family union. Send an e-postcard to the U.S. Senate and Congress asking that they pass immigration reform that includes family reunification at www.justiceforimmigrants.org/ Office for Immigrant Affairs and Immigration Education + Donations Now Accepted Online
Our parish is now able to accept donations online through PayPal. Please visit our church website at http://www.sttheresechinatown.org/church_home.html or in this page and you will see the yellow "DONATE" button at the bottom of the page.
How to Maximize your PayPal Donations in 4 Easy Steps
Our parish is now able to accept donations online through PayPal! Please go to www.paypal.com, or visit our church website at http://www.sttheresechinatown.org/church_home.html and click on any yellow "PAYPAL" button.
The above steps should now show that the fee is $0 to both parties, and your donation will be sent 100% to St. Therese only! + Does your company match donations? Remember to check if your company matches donations - your gift could be multiplied! + Parking If you are doubled-parked in our parking lot, please leave your phone number on your dashboard. This is so that the owners of the blocked cars can contact you in case they leave before you. + Congratulations
to Maureen McDonald who will be received into full communion with the church as well as celebrate her First Communion at the 9:30 am Mass. Please keep her in your prayers.
+ Confirmation
The Sacrament of Confirmation for our Confirmandi will be next Sunday, May 26, 2013 at the 9:30am Mass. We are happy to welcome The Most Reverend Bishop Andrew P. Wypych.
 Please pray for the following as they prepare to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, Sunday, May 26, 2013. Austin Vincent Cabello Gaby Gabriel Del Raso Hannah Elizabeth Dykehouse Bianco Agnes Gallardo Matthew Lee Maureen Madeleine McDonald Jason Maximilian Kolbe McGrath Matthew Nicholas Wong Lauren Hermione Yee Oh Holy Spirit of God; take me as Thy disciple. Guide me, illuminate me, sanctify me. Bind my hands that they may do no evil. Cover my eyes that they may see it no more. Sanctify my heart that evil may not dwell within me. Be Thou my God Be Thou my guide. Whatsoever Thou forbiddest me I will renounce. And whatsoever Thou commandest me, in Thy strength I will do. Lead me then unto the fullness of Thy truth. Amen. + The Twenty-Eighth Annual Interfaith Memorial Observance for Indigent Persons– Wednesday, May 29, 2013—Noon The Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Archdiocese of Chicago, invite you to join a celebration of life - commemorating the lives of people buried by the Office of Cook County Medical Examiner. This is an opportunity for our community to act as a "surrogate family" to people who were buried without family or friends to mark their passing. In some instances, their identity was known only to God. Service held at First United Methodist Church—Chicago Temple, 77 W. Washington Street, Chicago. Reception following service. For more info: httw://www.archchicago.org/departments/ecumenical/ + Summer Fair 2013 Planning Committee Members & Volunteers Needed! This year's Summer Fair will be held on Sunday, July 21st. Our first planning meeting will be held next Sunday, May 5th at 11am in the Santa Maria Room, and we'd love to include anyone interested with helping to organize this year's upcoming event. Sign up sheets for the planning committee and event day volunteers are on the 'events' table at the entrance of the church, so please sign up today! We need YOUR help! Thanks! + Safety Service Systems, Inc.
—Part time job opportunities. S3, Inc., Chicago's premier event security and event staffing provider is seeking energetic and outgoing individuals to work as Event Security, Event Staff and Ushers. Our employees work concerts, festivals and sporting events. Some of the 2013 events are Chicago Bears games, Bon Jovi, Illini Football, Jason Aldean/Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake/JayZ, Pearl Jam, Taylor Swift, North Coast Music Festival, Pitchfork Music Festival, Lollapalooza Music Festival, Riot Fest and many more! + Praying for Immigrants The Office of Immigration of the Archdiocese of Chicago sponsors weekly prayers every Friday at 7:15am Prayer Vigil, to end deportations and Immigration Reform at Broadview Immigrant Detention Center, 1930 S. Beach Street, Broadview, IL + HOPE: An Immigrant Story
"I was a stranger and you welcomed me.."(Matthew 25:35)
+ Sunday Mass at Mercy Home on WGN! The Sunday Mass at Mercy Home moves to WGN, Channel 9 beginning on January 6th. Sunday Mass can be seen every Sunday from 9:30-10:00 a.m.
+ The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ On June 2nd in celebration of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, if weather permits, a short procession with the Blessed Host will take place from our Church to our Prayer Garden immediately after the 9:30am Mass and then we will end the procession with benediction in the garden. + Worldwide Marriage Encounter "He has done all things well." (Gospel) Jesus works miracles in us if we take time to listen how to make our marriage even greater than it is. Attend a Marriage Encounter weekend and learn how to truly love your spouse unconditionally. The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends for the Chicago/Northwest Indiana area is April 19-21, 2013. For reservations/information, call Jim & Kris at 1-800-442-3554 or contact us through www.wwmechicago-gary.org + Upcoming Special Events and Schedule + HELP STOP GUN VIOLENCE! In addition to prayer and learning about the problem of gun violence, one way we can ACT, today, to save the lives of our children is to support the passage of the Certificate of Handguns Registration Act (HB5831). Petitions can be found at the church entrance table. Please sign & support this bill to help STOP GUN VIOLENCE! + Words from a new choir member....
Can't sing? I didn't think I could, either. I had every excuse - I can't sing, I don't know how to sing, I can't read sheet music. None of that matters. What matters is that I like singing and that I like spending time with people in the choir. Lily and Kimberly took care of the rest. They are teaching me how to read music, how to hear the right note, and how to sound great with everyone else. Best part is - I am having fun. If you were hesitant to join the choir for these reasons, please reconsider! You are welcome and we want you to join the choir. If you are afraid, feel free to talk to me about it! ...or at least sing during Mass!
+ Televised SUNDAY MASS! A televised Sunday Mass is now airing on ABC Family from 5:30 to 6:30am each Sunday Morning. THE SUNDAY MASS is produced by the Passionist Fathers & Brothers out of New York City. + Please remember in your prayers those who are ill, hospitalized, and homebound... + First Holy Communion Reception April 21, 2013 + WELCOMING RETURNING CATHOLICS + Mary, the Immaculate Conception + Can Saying the Rosary Renew our Lives in Christ? + Monies: A REFLECTION ON GRATITUDE
To be grateful is to recognize the LOVE of GOD in everything He has given us— and He has given us EVERYTHNG. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. ~Thomas Merton
If we should deal out justice only, in this world, who would escape?
No, it is better to be generous, and in the end more profitable, for it gains gratitude for us, and love. ~Mark Twain
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On Friday May 10th, our church window repair contractor came back and took the three upper level windows to their shop for replacement. After they fix them, they will bring them back for installation. When they return next time, they will complete the next phase of the work of our Church Window Repair. They will fix the window frames from inside and repaint it and clean all the stained glasses. We are very grateful to all who have made a donation toward this important project. Once the work is completed, we will have the remembrance and thank you plaque made in recognition to all of our donors.
