Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults Starting at St. Faustina Kowalska

By Tim Hadac
Editor and Publisher
Southwest Chicago Post

Just learned that St. Faustina Kowalska Parish will begin its fall RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) schedule soon.

Details below. Thanks to Monica Wodke for sharing this information.

RCIA is the Catholic Church's way of initiating new members. It is a learning and loving process in which conversion of heart brings one to Jesus Christ. 

RCIA is an opportunity for:

• An adult who has never been baptized.

• An adult who was baptized in another denomination or faith tradition.

• An adult who is baptized Catholic but would like to complete the Sacraments of Initiation (receive the Eucharist/celebrate their First Holy Communion, Celebrate Confirmation).

On Sunday, September 10, St. Faustina Kowalska Parish will begin the RCIA process with a period of inquiry and questioning - there is no formal commitment at this time. In a supportive group setting, we will learn about the teachings of the Catholic Faith, share stories and journey together toward greater intimacy with our God through the reception of the Sacraments. 

For more information, please contact the parish office at (773) 767-2411 or Monica, the RCIA Coordinator at 773-814-6116 or via email at mwodke@yahoo.com.




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Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Offer Support Group to Those Grieving; Will Meet at Hope Church Midway

By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post

Those who have lost a loved one and are grieving that loss are invited to take part in a support group set to meet at Hope Church Midway, 6059 S. Archer.

The support group will utilize the GriefShare program, founded about 25 years ago by Church Initiative, a non-denominational, non-profit ministry serving more than 20,000 churches worldwide. From its headquarters in Wake Forest, N.C., the ministry creates and publishes video-based lessons to help churches minister to people experiencing life crises.

The group will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. for 13 consecutive Mondays, starting Sept. 11 and ending Dec. 4. Sessions will be held in the church basement. It is not accessible to wheelchair users. Childcare will not be provided.

Leading the sessions will be Jennifer Molodecki of Hope Church Midway, who is no stranger to grief. In 2022 she lost both her father, Augusto, and her brother, Augusto Jr.

“One benefit of a support group like this is that it lets you know you’re not alone,” Molodecki said. “And by going through this with others, you learn that grieving is not linear, that people grieve at their own pace, depending on their own circumstances.

“So I think it can helpful to be in a small group setting where you can receive encouragement from others who are grieving but who might be at a slightly different point in the grieving process," she added.

Cost for the entire program is $20, which pays for the study guide each participant uses.

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Friday, August 11, 2023

Aaron Lopez is that "someone"

By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post

People fall off bicycles every day.

What doesn’t happen every day is someone stopping what they’re doing to make sure you’re OK.

What almost never happens is, after you’ve fallen, that same someone walking you two blocks to your house, just to make sure you get home OK.

But that’s what happened when a local retiree fell on a Garfield Ridge street on a recent Friday morning.

Seventy-year-old John Spradley was bicycling for exercise when he hit an irregularity in the asphalt near 59th and New England, causing his front wheel to spin sideways. Down he went, hitting his head hard on the pavement, scraping his arm and knee, and getting the wind knocked out of him.

A bit dazed, he got up slowly. As he did, along came 13-year-old Aaron Lopez on his own bike. Aaron was on his way home from Mass at St. Daniel the Prophet Church. Deep in his faith, Aaron is an altar server at St. John Cantius Church—where among other things, he serves at Masses celebrated in Latin.
John Spradley and Aaron Lopez


Anyway, call it his daily good deed or call it living Gospel values, but Aaron was that “someone” who not only stopped to make sure John was OK, but who walked him the two blocks back to his house.

John recalled, “I told him, ‘You make sure and tell your mother about this, and you tell her she’s doing a hell of a good job raising you.’”

Anyway, when Lynn--John’s wife of 46 years--found out what happened, she took him to the emergency room at the Hines VA hospital to get him checked out. (John served in the Navy on a submarine for six years, in the 1970s.) Fortunately, no broken bones.

Two days later, Aaron and his mother stopped by to check on John—who offered to give the boy a reward. Aaron politely declined.

Quite a kid, right?

Aaron does well in school academically and plays youth soccer. He’s undecided about high school, but St. Laurence is a possibility.

As for John, he’s at home and recovering from his wounds—but in good spirits as he celebrated his 71st birthday this week.
He grew up in the neighborhood, graduating from Kennedy High School in 1970. After the Navy, he made a career in real estate, both with the old Garfield Ridge Real Estate and with Archer Realty West.

Aaron is the son of Eddie and Ana Lopez, who are doing a great job raising him, as John and Lynn Spradley say without hesitation.

So do I.

And I’ll bet you do, as well.

Way to go, Aaron. Please keep it up.

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Sunday, August 6, 2023

How a Cow Could Win You $5,000

 

From our friends at the St. Jane de Chantal Holy Name Society at St. Faustina Kowalska Parish:

The St. Jane de Chantal Holy Name Society of St. Faustina Kowalska Parish is organizing its 18th Annual Cow Pie Drop, which will take place on Sunday, September 10 in the Ward Hall parking lot. 

This event is a raffle whereby the Ward Hall parking lot, located at the corner of 52nd and Austin, is divided into a grid of 700 20-by-20 inch squares, each with a number corresponding to a raffle ticket.

To ensure fairness, a randomizing software is used to create the number order of the grid, so the numbers are not in numerical order or even in the same square every year.

A cow is brought in, plied with hay and water, walked around by its handler, and then let go to do its duty.
A cow prepares to do its duty at the 2022 event.


Spectators line the grid with lawn chairs as they wait for the "pie" to drop. The winner is the individual named on the raffle ticket with the corresponding number of the square on which the "pie” lands. The winner can win up to $5,000 if all 700 raffle tickets are sold and the 8 touching squares - called the "splatter" - can take home up to $350 each. After expenses are paid, the remaining proceeds are donated to the parish to fund repairs and/or improvement projects.

Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased from the Parish Office, 5252 S. Austin, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Parish Office is closed on Wednesdays. In the event all 700 tickets are not sold, prizes will be awarded on a pro-rated basis. Get a mooooooo-ve on and get your raffle ticket today! For more information, please call the Parish Office at (773) 767-2411.

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