Dear Friends in Christ, a St. John Berchmans School 6th grade father, Felipe Caraballo, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bone cancer in his throat and mouth, and simultaneously let go from employment. There is a GoFundMe page set up to assist the family with any medical and living costs in these tough times. Felipe is currently at the hospital receiving chemotherapy treatments and unable to see his family. We are also requesting gift cards to assist the family in lieu of the Take Them A Meal program due to COVID concerns. Gift cards can be delivered to the school office with a note that they are for the Caraballo family. The family will be very appreciative of any help you can provide. Thank you! 

https://gofund.me/18b0a513

Dear SJB Parishioners and School Families,

On Monday, May 10, 2021, The Archdiocese of Chicago announced updates on the Wicker Square and Greater Ashburn Renew My Church groupings.

Over the past several months, the groupings’ Feedback and Discernment Teams, made up of representatives from each of the parishes and schools, met to review and discern the future parish, school and church structures for their respective areas. Based on their meetings and discussions with the larger parish communities, they submitted feedback reports to the Archdiocesan Standards and Recommendations Commission, which includes representatives from across the archdiocese. The commission reviewed the feedback reports and other materials and information, including demographic data, financial summaries, and parish and grouping trends.

Over the course of the past several weeks, Cardinal Cupich, our auxiliary bishops and Presbyteral Council discussed the commission’s recommendations. Based on those discussions and prayerful consideration, the following decisions have been made:

Wicker Square Grouping

The Wicker Square Renew My Church grouping includes the following parishes and schools:

• St. Aloysius Parish
• St. Hedwig Parish
• St. John Berchmans Parish and School
• St. Mary of the Angels Parish and School

The New Structure will be:

• St. Hedwig and St. John Berchmans will unite to form a new parish, with a new name that will be determined later, at two worship sites. Both churches will continue to have a regular schedule of Masses, which may differ from their current schedule.
• There are no structural changes to St. John Berchmans School.  
• Additionally, the commission recommends that St. Aloysius become an additional worship site for the new parish formed by unifying St. Helen, Holy Rosary and St. Mark.
• St. Mary of the Angels and its school will remain in their current structure.
• These changes will go into effect no later than July 1, 2021.

A Prayer for Renew My Church

Lord Jesus, you speak to us today, 
as you spoke to holy men and women 
who have gone before us. 
In every age and in our own time, 
you call to us and say: Renew My Church. 
Pour out the gift of your Holy Spirit upon us, 
and so enable us 
    to hear you clearly 
    to listen to each other attentively 
    to imagine our future boldly 
    to discern your direction wisely 
    to persevere in your holy will courageously 
    to stay together in charity 
    to surrender our own plans readily 
    to embrace the greater good 
    to hand on your gifts to future generations. 
May we remain in the holy company of 
the Blessed Virgin Mary, the apostles and all the saints. 
May their example and presence 
inspire us with patient confidence 
in the work of your grace. 
We ask this of you who live and reign 
with the Father 
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, 
forever and ever. Amen 

Please Join Us Online for Sunday Mass

Both the 9:45 a.m. English Mass, and the 11:30 a.m. Misa en Español will be live streamed on our Facebook Page, and will be archived on Facebook in the ‘video’ section, as well as on our YouTube Channel, later that morning for future viewing.

An Act of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus,

I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

Please contact Michael White, [email protected] or Louie Russo, [email protected] for more details

Please Consider Signing up Today

Dear Fellow Parishioners,

We know this is a difficult and uneasy time for many, but we depend on our parishioners to help us continue our mission through Christ. We will always continue to bring you Jesus, through St. John Berchmans, in any way we can. This new mission is more difficult than ever because we cannot see or feel each other, but we are here, and we are here for you. We, now, more than ever, need you to be there for St. John Berchmans.

The people of St. John Berchmans Church are the ones who make up nearly 95% of all revenue through the weekend mass collections… but what if there is no mass? We are currently receiving a little more than 50% through Give Central and could not be more grateful, but it is now more important than ever for ALL of our parishioners be giving to the Sunday collection through Give Central.

If you haven’t already, please sign up for online giving with Give Central here.

To make things even simpler, text SUNDAY to 847-865-9223 you will be brought directly to Give Central on your phone.

Please sign up now, we need you!

Should you have any issues with the sign-up process, please contact Louie Russo, [email protected].

Anything and everything is appreciated!!