"God has commanded
that every lofty mountain be made low."
~ Baruch 5:7
|
|
|
Sunday's Readings:
First Reading — Stand on the heights, Jerusalem; see your children rejoicing that they are remembered by God. A merciful and just God leads Israel in joy
(Baruch 5:1-9).
Psalm — The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy (Psalm 126).
Second Reading — May your love increase in knowledge to discern what is valuable that you may be blameless for the day of Christ (Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11).
Gospel — John proclaims a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. All flesh shall see the salvation of God (Luke 3:1-6).
|
|
As we prepare for this Advent and Christmas season, we are grateful that there are no capacity limits on our gatherings. Please follow this link to review the current Sunday and Advent & Christmas schedules. A nd please see below for more opportunities for faith and fellowship with your OLBS family. As we begin this new liturgical year, we invite you to join us in person!
When John proclaimed a baptism of repentance, as today’s Gospel relates, he called people to a deep change of heart. For John the Baptist, repentance was not simply regret for past failings, but a commitment to orient life around God’s desires and purposes. What might living in alignment with God’s desires look like? Our readings offer some clues. Baruch indicates that when mercy and justice are embraced like a royal garment, we may see the fruits of repentance. Paul notes how the Holy Spirit has been active within the church in Philippi, forming them to live in a loving and united community of faith, so they may witness to the love of God. And John himself suggests that a repentant heart clears a path for God to enter, leveling the mountains and valleys of our resistance, so that God might dwell within.
|
|
|
This Friday, December 3rd, is First Friday. Eucharistic Adoration will begin immediately following daily Mass at St. Julian Eymard and continue until the Closing Benediction at 11:30am. We hope you drop by to spend some quiet time with Our Lord.
Please remember, we also have Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday evening at Queen of the Rosary.
|
|
|
Though sometimes God's perfect plan asks that we experience disease, sickness and loss, we offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Friday, December 3rd at 7pm at St. Julian to provide God's comforting strength to those in need by inviting the Holy Spirit into our hearts for physical, spiritual and emotional healing.
|
|
|
Feast of the Immaculate Conception |
"O, Mary, conceived without sin..."
We will celebrate the Immaculate Conception at the daily Mass at 8:15am at St. Julian on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 and also at an evening Mass at St. Julian at 7pm.
There will be no Reconciliation or Adoration at Queen of the Rosary on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
|
|
|
Kid's Christmas Film Night |
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, our OLBS Youth Ministry is offering parents a night off! Leave the kids with Mr. Van and crew for Kid's Christmas Film Night, back in person this year! We're ready with crafts, movies and fun treat bags for kids 4 and older. Let's hang out in Shea Hall on Friday, December 10th from 6-9pm.
Walk-ins will be welcomed, but kindly let us know how many kids to plan on so we have enough craft supplies and treat bags by signing up here.
|
|
|
|
|
Awakening Hope: Parish Advent Retreat |
Mark your calendars for Saturday morning, December 11, 2021 as Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament welcomes back Fr. Britto Berchmans to lead our Parish Advent Retreat. This event is free and will include Mass (daily Mass moved to SJE on this Saturday), Reconciliation (extended time for Confessions between 11am and 1pm) and more!
Every liturgical season helps us to be converted. Thus, Advent awakens hope: it is the time to become watchers and doers again. Praying the prayers of the Christmas season inscribes in our hearts the good news: the knowledge of God, as he wants to reveal himself, favors a new birth to ourselves through the Word Incarnate. To convert at Christmas and to be the hands and feet of Jesus, a personal relationship, is to let a better knowledge of God inspire a new knowledge in ourselves.
While we continue to enforce the mask mandate for everyone’s safety, we are pleased that there are no capacity restrictions on gathering at this time. Please invite family, friends and neighbors to attend the Parish Advent Retreat. Let’s step into the Advent & Christmas season with a new heart for God.
|
|
|
We will again be sending meals to Journeys/PADS to support our neighbors experiencing homelessness at our upcoming Winter Supper on Wednesday, December 22nd.
|
|
|
It gives me great joy to share with you that our parish now has a subscription to FORMED, a premier online platform filled with more than 4,000 Catholic studies, movies, audio dramas, talks, e-books, and even cartoons for our children. FORMED has content from more than 60 apostolates, including Augustine Institute, Ignatius Press, and the Knights of Columbus, with material that is professionally produced, engaging, and solid in its catechism. Best of all, this material is free to you.
Our parish will be using the material on FORMED to support our ministries and provide continuing education for staff members and parishioners, as well as outreach for our sick and homebound members. Much of FORMED’s content is available in both English and Spanish.
You have easy access to all of the material on FORMED to support your own faith journey and that of your family members.
Discover thousands of books, audio talks, movies, documentaries, and studies... there is something for every member of the family to help them grow closer to Christ and His Church.
–Fr. Dan
|
|
Diving into the beauty of the Faith has never been easier: at home, on the go, or from any internet- connected device.
To gain access to all of FORMED’s content, follow these simple steps:
-
Go to Formed.org
- Enter our parish’s zip code
- Enter your name and your email address
That’s it! You’re in. Now you can get the free FORMED app for your phone by searching FORMED Catholic in your app store.
|
|
Grand Raffle Drawing is December 5th!
If you haven't purchased tickets yet, time is running out...our Grand Raffle Drawing is December 5th!
Enter for a chance to win plus support our QR School! One first-place winner of $10,000, one second-place winner of $3,000 and three $500 third-place winners (prizes subject to change based on ticket sales.)
Get your tickets online or purchase through the Parish Office. Tickets are $25/each or 5 tickets for $100. |
|
|
Join OLBS RE for the first annual Christmas Carol Sing-Along on Monday, December 20th at SJE at 7pm. All RE families and catechists are invited.
And just remember, if you don't sing well, sing loud!
|
|
|
Calling all Youth Ministry teens, join the fun at our Annual Christmas Party on Sunday, December 19th in Shea Hall from 4:30 to 6pm! Each person should bring a white-elephant gift to play Robber Santa. Gifts can be, but don't have to be, something purchased. Remember, gifts don't have to cost anything and something you already have around the house will work just fine. The funnier the better (but keep it clean, folks!) Gifts should be wrapped. Be sure to sign up using this link so we know how many we will be!
And don't forget to join us for these upcoming service projects:
|
|
|
Coming Events...
Join YCP Chicago and St. Alphonsus' Young Adult Ministry on Saturday, December 11th for the St. Joseph Saturday Retreat! St. Joseph Saturday is a FREE half-day retreat (open to all young adults in their 20s and 30s), where young adults are encouraged to “look upon work with the eyes of faith” and see God’s presence in their vocations and professional lives. The retreat will include talks, group discussion, and prayer, and it will be a time to reflect on the life of YCP's patron saint, St. Joseph the Worker.
Would you like to introduce a Young Adult Ministry at OLBS? Please contact the parish office (847) 979-0901 today!
|
|
|
Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization Supreme Court Case. The Dobbs case is an important abortion case being heard by the US Supreme Court December 1st. It will delve into the question of whether pre-viability limits on abortion beginning at 15 weeks’ gestation are constitutional. There is hope that this case could be the first step in an incremental weakening of Roe.
|
|
|
Are you looking to get involved at OLBS? Many volunteer opportunities are available. Please contact the parish office or see below for just a few:
Do weddings make you cry with joy? Discover more about Marriage Ministry and consider becoming a Wedding Coordinator or part of our Marriage Ministry.
Do you want to help us set the table? Discover more about our Liturgical Ministries and consider becoming a Sacristan. For youth aged 4th grade and older, consider the Altar Server Ministry.
|
|
|
The second-largest ministry at OLBS is Religious Education. We offer a Christ-centered program which supports parents in their role as primary educators of the faith of their children, teaching them to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ and His Church, and to love and serve each other. For more information, please contact the parish office.
We are grateful for your continued generosity to the needs of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament family during this time. In addition to dropping or mailing your donation to church, you may give online where you may make weekly contributions to our parish family and keep the vital ministries and services we provide going. We thank you for your generosity!
|
|
|
Though things have opened up, we recognize that not all are able to join us at this time, so we remind you that we continue to have the following virtual tools available to help us stay connected to our faith and our parish family:
NEW! FORMED. To gain access to all of FORMED’s content, follow these simple steps:
-
Go to Formed.org
- Enter our parish’s zip code
- Enter your name and your email address
Daily Prayer. Follow this link to review daily prayer, or signup to receive daily prayer delivered right to your inbox.
Morning Prayer. No commute, no computer needed...join us on your phone Monday through Saturday for Morning Prayer. Learn more.
Weekly Rosary. The Rosary is prayed at SJE on Tuesdays at 7pm. If you are unable to join us in church, we invite you to join the live-stream.
Live-Stream. We have live-stream available for Sunday liturgy and some daily Mass from both churches: QR and SJE.
Let's Get Social. Like or follow us on Facebook to receive news and updates in real time and join the conversation: QR and SJE.
|
|
|
Worship sites:
Queen of the Rosary, 750 W. Elk Grove Blvd.
St. Julian Eymard, 601 Biesterfield Road
School:
Queen of the Rosary School, 690 Elk Grove Blvd.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
