VISITATION MISSION STATEMENT

Visi ta t ion Pari sh, a Roman Cathol ic Community in the Diocese o f Jol iet - in -I l l inois , seeks to draw al l to Jesus

Chris t , reve la t ion of the Father and font o f the Holy Spir i t , by celebrat ing the Sacraments , educat ing people of

a l l ages in the Truths of the Ca thol ic Fa i th, and reaching out to those who are physical ly , emotiona l ly or sp ir i t -

ual ly in need.

New Parishioners, Welcome! Call or stop in the Rectory Office to register as a member of Visitation Parish.

Baptisms Most Sundays at 1:30 P.M. Parents are required to take a Baptism Preparation Class beforehand.

Classes are held every other month, so please plan ahead. Call Rectory for information.

Marriages Arrangements must be made at the Rectory at least six months in advance. Catholic parties must

obtain a NEWLY issued certificate of their Baptism and then contact the Rectory before making any

other arrangements. Weddings scheduled at 12:00 or 2:00 P.M. on Saturday. NO Sunday Weddings.

Funerals It is the responsibility of the parish to bury their dead. The funeral director will contact the parish

regarding arrangements. No specific offering is required for the parish in connection with the funeral

liturgy.

Perpetual Adoration Chapel The Perpetual Adoration Chapel of Our Lady, Mother of the Eucharist, is available 24 hours a day for

private prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, exposed on the Altar. The Chapel is located in

the Convent building (south of the church).

St. Peregrine Novena Devotions in honor of Saint Peregrine, the patron saint of those who suffer with cancer will be held the

third Monday of every month at 7:00 P.M. in the church.

Visits to the Sick Due to changes in hospital admitting policies, it is necessary to inform the Rectory when hospitalized

parishioners would like a visit from a priest or deacon.

FEBRUARY 7, 2016

FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

779 S. YORK ROAD ∙ ELMHURST, ILLINOIS 60126

CHURCH WEBSITE: www.visitationparish.org

SCHOOL WEBSITE: www.visitationelmhurst.org

CHURCH E-MAIL: visparish@aol.com

Pastoral Staff

Pastor

Rev. Scott Huggins

Part-time Associate

Rev. J. Damien Graziano

Weekend Assistants

Rev. Gerald Tivy

Rev. Thomas Sularz

Deacons

Jay Janousek, Anthony Spatafore

James Eaker

School Principal

Dr. Christopher Dransoff

Director of Parish Faith Formation

Matthew Pozen

Pastoral Associate/Facilities Mgr.

Deacon Anthony Spatafore

Parish Music Director

Mrs. Barbara Masters

Youth Ministry

Marcia Lane-McGee

Business Manager

Mrs. Debbie Johnson

Mass Schedule

Sunday Masses

Saturday 5:00 P.M.

Sunday 7:00, 8:15, 10:00 A.M.

12:00 Noon

Daily Masses

Monday–Friday 6:15, 8:15 A.M.

Saturday 8:15 A.M. Confession

Saturday 4:00-4:45 P.M. or by appointment

Phone Numbers Rectory................................... (630) 834-6700

Office Hours: ........... Mon.–Fri.,8:30 A.M.–4:30 P.M. Rectory Fax ...................................... 834-6711

Music Office .................................... 834-8190

School .............................................. 834-4931

School Fax ....................................... 834-4936

Religious Education ........................ 279-7058

Matthew Pozen .................................. Ext. 502 Youth Ministry ................. 834-6700, Ext. 314

Bishop of Joliet

Most Rev. R. Daniel Conlon, J.C.D.

Auxiliary Bishop of Joliet, Vicar General

Most Rev. Joseph Siegel, D.D.

VISITATION, ELMHURST, IL FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Monday, February 8

6:15 A.M. Frank Lombardo

8:15 A.M. Alice Geeham

Tuesday, February 9

6:15 A.M. Joseph Astroski

8:15 A.M. Rose Simonelli

Wednesday, February 10

6:15 A.M. Michael Brown

8:15 A.M. Sr. M. Paulette Collings, OSF

12:00 A.M. Ash Wednesday Service

5:00 P.M. Ash Wednesday Service

7:00 P.M. Intentions of the Celebrant

Thursday, February 11

6:15 A.M. Marge Thallemer

8:15 A.M. Alice Geeham

Friday, February 12

6:15 A.M. Aidan Shea

8:15 A.M. Alice Murphy

Christina Rojas

Saturday, February 13

8:15 A.M. Anthony Genualdi

5:00 P.M. Sophia Carter

Sunday, February 14

7:00 A.M. Harry Schroeder

8:15 A.M. Steve and Jean Augustine

Deceased members of Phillips Family

10:00 A.M. People of the Parish

12:00 P.M. Georgia Bainer

Flame of Faith Intentions

Candles will burn perpetually this week before the

Blessed Sacrament in the Adoration Chapel of Our Lady,

Mother of the Eucharist, for the following intentions:

In memory of Ralph Bullock

By: Betty Bullock

In memory of Mildred Drahokoupil

By: Betty Bullock

In memory of Sylvia Taylor

By: Peg Cello

In memory of Leonila Dolarfino

By: Fe Esteban

For the intentions of Mary Bednarz

For people to be honest and good to others

Armed Forces Prayer List

The following men and women will be remembered in

prayer as long as they continue to serve in our Armed

Forces. We pray that God will watch over them and bring

them home safely.

United States Army

CPT Joseph Doyle (Ft. Bliss, Texas)

CPT Patrick Leen (Italy)

United States Marine Corps

LCPL David Byrne (Africa)

PVT Nicholas Acevedo (California)

United States Air Force

MSGT Kevin M. James (Italy)

United States Coast Guard

CPO Patrick Kirby (Texas)

If you would like to add a name to this list, please call

the Rectory Business office at 630-834-6700. Thank you.

Please Pray for Our Sick

If you or a member of your family is ill or hospitalized

and would like to be placed on our Prayer List, please call

the Rectory office and let us know.

Due to privacy issues we will only honor requests made

by you or a family member. Your name will remain on the

list for two weeks. If you wish your name to remain on

the list after two weeks, you or a family member will need

to call again to request that we continue to include it.

Thank you.

Church Vigil Candle Intentions

Before the statues of Our Lady and St. Joseph

in the church, vigil candles burn for requested

intentions. If you would like to have either

candle lit, please contact the Rectory office.

Intentions will be listed in the bulletin.

This week candles will burn for the following

intentions:

For the protection of the men and women of our

armed forces, especially those serving the Middle East.

Page 2

Baptism Preparation Class

The next Baptism Preparation class will meet Monday,

February 8, at 7:00 P.M.. in the Parish Center.

These classes help parents prepare for their ministry as

Christian parents. Please call the Rectory at 630-834-6700

to register or for more information.

VISITATION, ELMHURST, IL FEBRUARY 7, 2016

PARISH BUSINESS

Page 3

Collection for Central & Eastern Europe Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On Ash Wednesday, February 10, our diocese will take

up the Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Eu-

rope. The collection offers a way for Catholics in the

United States to stand in solidarity with those who experi-

ence the ongoing effects of living under difficult circum-

stances across the globe.

Grants funded by this collection support pastoral pro-

jects, scholarships, and Catholic organizations working in

areas formerly under Soviet control. The bishops and people

of these regions still face enormous challenges in restoring

church structures and in rebuilding the cultural and spiritual

life of the community, tasks that are often complicated by a

lack of religious freedom.

One funded group, a Czech association for women and

children and the protection of unborn life (Obcanske

sdruzeni ONZ—pomoc a poradenstvi pro zeny a divky), has

worked for 24 years to reduce the rate of abortions in the

Czech Republic. When the association opened its doors in

1990 after the Velvet Revolution, half of all pregnancies in

the country ended in abortion. Through innovative counsel-

ing and support programs at six regional centers for women

in difficult situations, the association has played a major

role in reducing the abortion rate from 50 percent down to

20 percent. The centers work to protect the human dignity

of both mothers and children, advocating for the right to life

of the unborn.

Recently, the association experienced a crisis when the

Czech government withdrew operational support for its pro-

grams. The Subcommittee on the Church in Central and

Eastern Europe provided a critical bridge grant that allowed

the association to continue its operations while searching for

a permanent funding solution. In 2014, the Czech Bishops’

Conference announced that it would fund the association’s

operating expenses from its own budget, thereby guarantee-

ing the future of the association and its crucial work.

In order for projects like this one to continue, the collec-

tion needs your help. Please be generous. Your donation

will continue to restore and build the future of the Church in

Central and Eastern Europe. Thank you and God bless you.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend R. Daniel Conlon

Bishop of Joliet

Lenten Regulations 1. Everyone 14 years of age or over is bound to abstain

from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent.

2. All from the age of 18 years up to the beginning of their

60th year are bound to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Fri-

day.

3. On these two days of fast and abstinence, only one full

meatless meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals, suffi-

cient to maintain strength, may be taken according to each

one’s needs, but together they should not equal another full

meal. Eating between meals is not permitted on these two

days, but liquids, including milk and fruit juices are allowed.

When health or ability to work would be seriously affected,

the law does not oblige.

4. To disregard completely the law of fast and abstinence is

seriously sinful.

5. Lent is the principal season of penance in the Church

year. All of the faithful are strongly urged to develop and fol-

low a program of voluntary self-denial (in addition to follow-

ing the Lenten regulations), serious prayer, and a performance

of works of charity and mercy.

Ash Wednesday, February 10 On Ash Wednesday, February 10 Mass will be celebrat-

ed at 6:15 A.M., 8:15 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. There will also be

two services where ashes will be distributed at 12:00 noon

and at 5:00 P.M.

2016 Catholic Ministries

Annual Appeal Please Participate! Your Gift Makes a Difference!

This weekend at each Mass you will be asked to partici-

pate in our diocesan-wide Commitment/In-Pew Weekend for

the 2016 Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal (CMAA). The

CMAA is much different than a one-time special collection.

It is a pledge campaign where you can make a one-time gift

or pledge your gift over ten (10) months to support the good

works of the diocese.

A gift to the CMAA will touch the lives of many in our

diocese in a positive way. Each gift makes a difference! To-

gether, the gifts of many enable our diocese to deliver needed

education, ministry and services to those who need it most.

As you take the time to review the tabloid and see all the

work enabled by the CMAA, please reflect on God’s gifts to

you. He has given you all that you have. We were “Chosen

by God’s Grace” and together we can give thanks to Him for

our blessings through a gift to the CMAA.

For those of you who were unable to make a decision

about your commitment this weekend, please prayerfully

consider doing so online at jolietdioceseappeal.org or by re-

turning a Commitment/In-Pew Weekend envelope to the par-

ish next week. If you received a pledge form in the mail, you

may return it via mail.

After our parish exceeds its CMAA goal of $121,214. in

paid pledges, 65% of any additional funds are returned for

use in our parish.

Thank you for your prayerful consideration and generous

response.

VISITATION, ELMHURST, IL FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Sunday Collection

February 7, 2016 $23,361.09

129 parishioners contributed through E-Giving.

Thank you for your kindness and generosity to our

parish.

Page 4

LECTOR, EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF

THE EUCHARIST, MUSIC MINISTER* AND

ALTAR SERVER ASSIGNMENTS FOR

FEBRUARY 13-14

Daily Altar Server Assignment

Monday, Feb. 8— Saturday, Feb. 13

8:15 A.M.

Monday, Feb. 8 Dominic Carillo and Maggie Wisniewski

Tuesday, Feb. 9 Connor Lawrence and John Shane

Thursday, Feb. 11 Ryan Falcone and Eileen Harrington

Friday, Feb. 12 Kathleen and Tommy Doyle

Saturday, Feb. 13 Kate and Will Sebastian

Lectors &

Music

Ministers*

Extraordinary

Ministers of the

Eucharist

Altar

Servers

Saturday

Feb. 13

5:00 P.M.

Gerry Arcaro

Jim Brown*

Jack & Krystyna

Miuccio*

Alex Nieto*

Mary Ann Santucci

Dianne C. Carter

Monica Spatafore

Linda Swieton

Cecilia Passarelli

Erin Peterson

Nicholas Renfro

Sunday

Feb. 14

7:00 A.M.

June E. Haptas

Barb Masters*

Mary Ann Arazan

Clarita Iozzo

Mary McCann

Michael O’Ryan

Dominico

Gaudio

Giovanna

Gaudio

Nora Kenny

Sunday

Feb. 14

8:15 A.M.

Kathy Garlow

Jim Brown*

Megan Drahos*

Megan Corrigan-

Deardurff

Michael Deardurff

Eileen Kaleta

Tom Lawless

Teagan Wede

Isabel Wood

Gabi Zanoni

Sunday

Feb. 14

10:00 A.M.

Emma Radcliff

Adult Choir*

William G. Burke

Rufo A. Lacsamana

Terrence Walden

Rosalie Ward

Paul DePodesta

Luke

Montgomery

Michael

Montgomery

Sunday

Feb. 14

12:00 P.M.

Margaret M. Foot

Barb Masters*

Chorale*

Wallace J. Foot

Pam Hauser

James L. Hauser

Helen Krajewski

Sophia Alvarez

Bridget Nelson

Katharine Svehla

Sunday: Is 6:1-2a, 3-8/Ps 138:1

-5, 7-8/1 Cor 15:1-11 or 15:3-

8, 11/Lk 5:1-11

Monday: 1 Kgs 8:1-7, 9-13/Ps

132:6-10/Mk 6:53-56

Tuesday: 1 Kgs 8:22-23, 27-

30/Ps 84:3-5, 10-11/Mk 7:1-13

Wednesday: Jl 2:12-18/2 Cor

5:20--6:2/Ps 51:3-6, 12-14, 17/

Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Thursday: Dt 30:15-20/Ps 1:1-

4, 6/Lk 9:22-25

Friday: Is 58:1-9a/Ps 51:3-6,

18-19/Mt 9:14-15

Saturday: Is 58:9b-14/Ps 86:1-

6/Lk 5:27-32

Next Sunday: Dt 26:4-10/Ps

91:1-2, 10-15/Rom 10:8-13/Lk

4:1-13

Reading for the Week of Feb. 7, 2016

Connor James, son of John

and Anne (Marcellus) Conroy Katherine Bail June Canty Josephine Cerny

LECTOR, EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF

THE EUCHARIST, MUSIC MINISTER* AND

ALTAR SERVER ASSIGNMENTS FOR

ASH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10

Lectors &

Music

Ministers*

Extraordinary

Ministers of the

Eucharist

Altar

Servers

6:15 A.M.

Mass June E. Haptas

Not Filled

Not Filled

8:15 A.M.

Mass

Laura Kern

Barb Masters*

Youth Choir*

Mary McCann

Not Filled

Paddy Toole

Regan Toole

12:00 P.M.

Service

Not Filled

Barb Masters*

5:00 P.M.

Service

Not Filled

Jim Brown*

7:00 P.M.

Mass

Bob Kaminski

Adult Choir*

Rufo Lacsamana

Dianne C. Carter

Not Filled

Not Filled

Not Filled

Not Filled

VISITATION, ELMHURST, IL FEBRUARY 7, 2016

FAITH FORMATION

Faith Matt-ers By Matt Pozen—Director of Parish Faith Formation

Page 5

Faithful Citizenship (February 7, 2016)

Last week we looked at the role of the Church in helping Catholics to form and discern their conscience as they

prepare to vote. As the US bishops explain it in “Faithful Citizenship”

“The Church equips her members to address political and social questions by helping them to develop a well-

formed conscience. Catholics have a serious and lifelong obligation to form their consciences in accord with human

reason and the teaching of the Church. Conscience is not something that allows us to justify doing whatever we want,

nor is it a mere ‘feeling’ about what we should or should not do. Rather, conscience is the voice of God resounding in

the human heart, revealing the truth to us and calling us to do what is good while shunning what is evil. Conscience

always requires serious attempts to make sound moral judgments based on the truths of our faith.”

It’s hard to have a discussion about “conscience” in our American culture. Because of our history of strong

“individualism”, people tend to see conscience as very private, individual, and absolute. The Catholic understanding

of conscience focuses on both its personal nature and its communal and dialogical formation. While conscience is

“the voice of God resounding in the human heart”, in order to truly hear and interpret this voice, we need to be in dia-

logue with others and open to the guidance of the Church. It is personal because, as the Catechism puts it:

“Conscience is man’s most secret core and sanctuary; there he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his

depths….He must not be forced to act contrary to conscience, nor must he be prevented from acting according to his

conscience.” (Paragraphs 1776 & 1782)

Conscience is also communal, because we believe that God’s voice echoes not only in the soul of each individual

person, but also in the whole Church, through its Scripture and Tradition (as authentically interpreted by the Magiste-

rium) and through the “consensus of the faithful”. The whole Church plays an essential role in the formation of the

conscience of each individual believer, and this is ongoing.

Yet this is not a one-way road, from the Church to the individual. It can also happen that individual believers, by

following their well-formed consciences, can spur the whole Church on to a deeper understanding of what is true and

good and right. This is exactly what the prophets did in the Old Testament. They listened carefully to the voice of God

that “echoed in their depths”, challenging the people of Israel and her priests and kings to a greater appreciation of

how God was calling them to live. In the New Testament, the Letter to the Hebrews begins:

“In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he

spoke to us through a son, through whom he created the universe.” So the early Church saw Jesus not just as the per-

fect and final prophet who speaks the word of God to his people, but as the very Word of God made flesh. Jesus

doesn’t just speak the word of God, he is the Word of God. When the New Testament refers to “prophets” in the early

Church, these seem to have been individuals who had a special gift of the Spirit which allowed them to more clearly

articulate the meaning of what Jesus had already said and done. References to “prophets” in the early Church disap-

pear by about 300 AD, and some wonder whether this is because the Spirit stopped bestowing this gift, or because

the development of hierarchical leadership in the Church subsumed this prophetic function.

The reason I have explored this tangent on “prophecy” in the Church is because it relates to the complex question

of the relationship between the role of the individual and the community (especially through its official leaders) in the

formation and use of conscience. Deep divisions in our Church exist today over this question. Many Catholics trumpet

the rights of individual conscience over communal tradition, official teachings, and the role of the Magisterium. Oth-

ers trumpet a one-way view of conscience formation, from the Magisterium down to the faithful, leaving little room

for any “prophetic” function in the reverse direction.

The bishops go on to emphasize the importance of the virtue of prudence in politics:

“Prudence enables us to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it.

It shapes and informs our ability to deliberate over available alternatives, to determine what is most fitting to a spe-

cific context, and to act decisively.” In the political realm, sometimes the most heated debates have to do with differ-

ences over the most prudent means to an agreed-upon end. Even within our Church, good and faithful Catholics who

share common values and moral principles often differ strongly over the prudential applications of these values and

principles. As the bishops put it: “Catholics may choose different ways to respond to compelling social problems, but

we cannot differ on our moral obligation to help build a more just and peaceful world through morally acceptable

means, so that the weak and vulnerable are protected and human rights and dignity are defended.”

VISITATION, ELMHURST, IL FEBRUARY 7, 2016

SCHOOL

Page 6

“Five Weeks with the Gospel of Luke” The Good News of God’s Mercy

Presenter: Matt Pozen

(Visitation Director of Parish Faith

Formation)

Tuesdays, 12:30 – 2:30 P.M.

Visitation Parish Center

February 23, March 1, 8, 15, and 22

If you plan on attending, please contact Matt Pozen at

matt.pozen@visitationcc.org or 630-279-7058 x 502.

MANNA

Visitation Tuition Assistance Program

This past week 21 Visitation Grade School and other

organization program families purchased $8,484 in gift

certificates through our MANNA program. The earned

tuition credit for the past week was $397.00.

You can visit the school website (www.visitationelmhurst.org)

to view or print our most recent updated MANNA Order Form.

For additional information or to place a large order, please call

MANNA Walk-in Service

Wednesday 7:30-8:30 P.M. and Friday 2:00-3:30 P.M.

MINISTRIES

Divine Mercy Corner

Jesus said to St. Faustina: “My mercy is greater than

your sins and those of the entire world. Who can measure

the extent of my goodness? For you I descended from

heaven to earth; for you I allowed myself to be nailed to

the cross; for you I let My Sacred Heart be pierced with a

lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for

you. Come, then, with trust to draw graces from this foun-

tain. I never reject a contrite heart. Your misery has disap-

peared in the depths of My mercy." (Diary, 1485)

For more inspiration: The Diary of Saint Maria Faustina

Kowalska: Divine Mercy In My Soul by Saint Faustina

Kowalska, 2003, Marian Press or download the official

Divine Mercy app free from the Marian Fathers of the Im-

maculate Conception (for iOS and Android devices).

Casserole Ministry

Here is the schedule for the distribution

and collection of casserole tins for the

next few months:

Tin Distribution Casserole Collection

February 13-14 February 27-28

March 5-6 March 19-20

April 9-10 April 23-24

Thanks again for helping feed the homeless at the Fran-

ciscan Outreach soup kitchen in Chicago. Cash donations

are converted to a Jewel gift card for the soup kitchen to

supplement their pantry.

God First is Perfect Order

What is the first justice? It is to acknowledge that God

is; and through the first commandment, we can see that

God expects us to put Him first and foremost.

Religion goes beyond the morality plane; that involves

an imperial relationship with the universal moral law. God

invites us to a personal, individual relationship with Him.

This is why Jesus calls each one of us by name.

How do we answer the call of God? It is through pray-

er, daily prayer; daily dialogue with God, His saints, our

guardian angel, and inward smiles to the Holy Spirit of

God who resides within. He is so close!

In this incredible year of mercy, our Holy Father, Pope

Francis, challenges us to first, accept God’s mercy in our

hearts, and then, filled with His love, reach out to the oth-

ers in our lives whom we must forgive. Ah! “God is love;

he who abides in love, abides in God, and God abides in

him.” (1 John 4:16)

God in His great mercy corrects us little by little. As

one grows in the trust of God’s love, God guides one ever

deeper to the root of sin, so that one can see it,

acknowledge it without fear, and through that acknowl-

edgement, become free of sin’s shackles. How great is

God! How patient! “You are merciful to all, for You can

do all things, and you overlook men’s sins, that they may

repent.” (Wisdom 11:23)

With Lent upon us, why not plan a weekly visit to the

Adoration Chapel? Be not afraid to open up your heart to

Jesus. “Those who trust in Him will understand

truth.” (Wisdom 3:9)

The Chapel is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For

more information, call Joan Taylor 630-530-8963 or Mary

Lewis 630-941-9173.

VISITATION, ELMHURST, IL FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Page 7

Notes From Our Music Director

Parish Secretary, Suzanne Noonan, sang a beautiful

hymn with the Choir on Sunday entitled “He Has Anointed

Me.”(Balhoff, Daigle and Ducotte Gather book #292) In

addition to being a gifted secretary, Suzanne is an accom-

plished singer with many years of experience as cantor and

soloist. It was a pleasure to have her join our Choir and she

will be joining us again for our March 1 Confirmation. The

words of the hymn so perfectly reflected her calling as our

Parish Secretary:

“To announce a year of favor, to comfort those who mourn

He has anointed me.

To give to them an oil of gladness and share a mantle of joy,

He has anointed me.

The Spirit of God is upon me,

He has anointed me.”

Our cantor, Susan Salgado performed an alumnae solo

vocal recital of music including sacred songs, opera, and

Broadway recently at Elmhurst College. She was assisted

by myself as pianist, cantors Dylan Rehm, Bob Ross, Me-

gan Drahos and Mary Kate Kelley. Congrats to Suzy on

her beautiful concert. We are so fortunate that Suzy offers

her talents to enrich our liturgy.

Hymn for the Holy Year of Mercy

by Inwood and Costa.

Misericordes sicut pater (Merciful like the Father)

The Vatican recently held a competition for composers

to submit hymns for the Holy Year of Mercy. You can lis-

ten to the official hymn that was selected on your computer

by typing Jubilee Year of Mercy YouTube. This particular

version was recorded as the Holy Door was being opened

in Rome and the verses are sung in Italian. Our Choir and

cantors will be leading you in this hymn (with verses in

English) beginning with our Mission and throughout the

season of Lent. You may have noticed that Pope Francis

does use Latin in many of his multicultural liturgies. The

Latin language unites our brothers and sisters throughout

the world as the language we all have in common in the of

the Roman Catholic church.

VISITATION PARISH GROUPS

Catholic Book Club February Selection

Dante’s Inferno

Midway upon the journey of our life -I found myself in

a dark wilderness, For I had wandered from the straight

and true…

Thus begins the greatest masterpiece of Western litera-

ture, the Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri. These are the

words of a man who lived and wrote approximately 700

years ago about the most basic concerns of mankind as he

faced what modern man would call a “mid-life” crisis. The

Divine Comedy is the account of a journey taken by Dante

the pilgrim through the three realms of the afterlife: hell,

purgatory and Heaven. He takes this journey at the behest

of the Blessed Mother who, out of maternal concern for his

soul, sends guides to help Dante come to understand the

nature of sin and how, in loving rightly, to respond to di-

vine grace.

In the Inferno, pilgrim Dante, under the guidance of the

Roman poet Virgil, has fascinating and enlightening en-

counters with a variety of sinners, both ecclesiastical and

secular, famous and ordinary, historical and mythological,

literary and political. In the course of his discussions with

these sinners in hell, Dante comes to see what sin really is

and what it does to the human soul. In the course of this

discovery, he learns what it is to be a human being made in

the image of God and is prepared to begin his journey up

the Seven Story Mountain of Purgatory.

Speaking at a celebration of the 750 birthday of Dante in

May of 2015, Pope Francis urged Catholics to read The

Divine Comedy during this Year of Mercy, calling Dante

“a prophet of hope, herald of the possibility of redemption,

liberation and the profound transformation of every man

and woman, of all humanity.”

Join us in discussing this great book, the Inferno, in the

Fireside Room, Parish Center, 9:30-11:30 A.M. on Thurs-

day, February 25. For a study guide or with any questions

about our meeting, please contact Madonna Muscarello at

630-325-7990 or at gracicakes@gmail.com. We will be

reading and discussing the Purgatorio next year. Please Pray With Us

On Monday evenings at 7:00 P.M. and on Thursdays after

8:15 A.M. Mass, we pray for our ordained. Please take some

time to pray with us and bring your rosary.

If you need a rosary, I will provide one.

God bless you,

Deacon Jim Eaker 630-530-7596

VISITATION, ELMHURST, IL FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Page 8

Join us for some special Daddy Daughter time in the

Valentino Center. There will be pizza, drinks, dessert,

photography, and a DJ to play all your daughter’s favor-

ite music.

Cost: $10 per person.

Please make checks payable to Visitation CCW.

Please send reservation and payments through school no

later than February 12.

To: Erin Carillo C/O Antonio Carillo (Room 111).

Or mail to: Erin Carillo

265 W. Eggleston

Elmhurst, IL 60126

If you have any questions please call Caroline Prabhu at

(630) 607-4777.

Or email: carolineprabhu@comcast.net.

No walk-ins accepted due to gym capacity.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Please Print

Last Name____________________________________

Dad’s Name___________________________________

Phone Number_________________________________

Please provide the following information for the pictures.

___ Religious Ed

__ Visitation School

Oldest Daughter’s Grade _______________________

Please Circle - Wednesday or Thursday

Room Number _____

Address ______________________________________

_____________________________________________

2016 Lenten “FryDay Knights”

begin Friday, February 12!

Come to the hall “Fryday Knight” and enjoy a

dinner of famous beer battered cod from

Supreme Lobster (also available grilled)

Knights of Columbus Hall

537 S. York Street

(across from US Bank)

Serving from 4:30 – 8:00 P.M.

OUTSIDE EVENTS

Mother & Son Date Night!

Friday, February 26,

7:00-9:00 P.M.

Join the CCW as we

‘JUMP’ into the new year with a great night out to-

gether at:

The Sky Zone Trampoline Park!

90 Minutes of jumping: $13 per person Pizza, drink &

chips add’l $3.50

Children need to be 3yrs.+

Moms, feel free to jump into action…or, not! :)

You can drop checks off at Kate’s house: 828 S. Chat-

ham Ave. or contact her; katetemp@gmail.com

(630) 542-5581

VISITATION, ELMHURST, IL FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Monday, February 8

MOPS 1:30 P.M. PH,PC

SPRED 6:00 P.M PH

Baptism Prep 7:00 P.M PC

Prayer for Priests 7:00 P.M. C

CRHP 7:00 P.M PC

Tuesday, February 9

Wednesday, February 10

School Mass 8:15 A.M. C

Craft Ladies 9:00 A.M. PC

Bible Studies 12:30 P.M PC

MANNA 7:30 P.M. PC

Thursday, February 11

Prayer for Priests 8:45 A.M. C

Friday, February 12

MANNA 2:00 P.M. PC

Saturday, February 13

Sunday, February 14

RCIA 9:30 A.M. PC

Boy Scouts Troup 14 5:00 P.M. PH

Page 9

C=Church

PH=Podesta Hall

S=School

VC=Valentino Center

PG=Parish Grounds

PC=Parish Center

Adoration Chapel ........................ Mary Lewis .......................... 941-9173

Joan Taylor ........................... 530-8963

Altar Servers ................................ Deacon Tony Spatafore ........ 834-6700

Bereavement Ministers ................ Patti Riggs ............................ 832-7798

Casserole Ministry ....................... Kathy Best ............................ 832-7673

Council of Catholic Women ........ Mary McCann ...................... 605-8817

Crypt of the Saints ....................... Richard Montalbano ...... 708-774-1946

Deacons ....................................... Jay Janousek ......................... 834-2863

Tony Spatafore ..................... 834-6700

Email .......... aspatafore1@comcast.net

Jim Eaker ............................. 530-7596

Elizabeth Ministry ....................... Clarita Iozzo ......................... 941-3929

Fathers’ Club ............................... Craig Heiss ........................... 530-4252

Finance Committee Chairperson . Terese Feeney ...................... 832-1778

Knights of Columbus................... Sean O’Leary ................ 773-490-6738

Kevin O’Reilly ..................... 442-4546

John Kwit ............................. 886-6718

Ladies’ Bowling .......................... Sharon Bresnahan................. 530-1053

Ladies’ & Couples Bridge ........... Peg Majewski ....................... 941-9170

Ladies’ Golf League .................... Lynn DeFilippis ................... 834-5290

Little Samaritans ......................... Donna Monaghan ................. 834-5385

MANNA Tuition Assistance ....... David James ......................... 834-0967

Men’s Bowling ..................... Sev Delabar ............................... 833-7766

Men’s Small Groups ............. Jim Herrmann .............................. 941-7854

PADS .................................... Bob & Tricia Havlir ..................... 530-5268

Parish Pastoral Council ......... Mike Deardurff ............................ 903-6396

Parish Faith Formation .......... Matthew Pozen ............. 279-7058, Ext. 502

Prayer Groups—Blue Army .. Mary Parpan ................................ 941-7910

Prayer Quilt Ministry ............ Karen Verner ............................... 834-6700

RCIA ..................................... ..................................................... 834-6700

School Board Chairperson ... Jeff Harrison ................................ 530-8496

Scouting ................................ Melanie Schneider ....................... 782-0868

Jim Herrmann .............................. 941-7854

Social Service Outreach ........ Deacon Tony Spatafore ............... 834-6700

aspatafore1@comcast.net

SPRED .................................. Melanie Schneider ....................... 782-0868

Ushers ................................... George Klein ................ gpkcdc@juno.com

Valentino Activity Center ..... Linda Roberts .............................. 941-7785

“Viz” Seniors ........................ Mary Ann Kramer ....................... 833-2167

Vocation Committee ............. Pam Gaudio ................................. 833-8812

Joan Taylor .................................. 530-8963

Women’s Volleyball ............. Dawn Larson dawnmlarson@sbcglobal.net

Youth Ministry ...................... Marcia Lane-McGee .................... 917-5108

Bulletin Deadline Friday 4:30 P.M. Suzanne Noonan ................ 834-6700

Parish Directory

Parish Activity Calendar February 8-14, 2016