Sunday, May 10

Sunday of the Blind Man

Mother's Day

Xριστός Ανέστη!

Αληθώς Ανέστη!

Christ is Risen!

Truly He is Risen!

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

Close to the Sheep's Gate in Jerusalem, there was a pool, which was called the Sheep's Pool. It had round about it five porches, that is, five sets of pillars supporting a domed roof. Under this roof there lay very many sick people with various maladies, awaiting the moving of the water. The first to step in after the troubling of the water was healed immediately of whatever malady he had.

It was there that the paralytic of today's Gospel way lying, tormented by his infirmity of thirty-eight years. When Christ beheld him, He asked him, "Wilt thou be made whole?" And he answered with a quiet and meek voice, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool." The Lord said unto him, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." And straightaway the man was made whole and took up his bed. Walking in the presence of all, he departed rejoicing to his own house. According to the expounders of the Gospels, the Lord Jesus healed this paralytic during the days of the Passover, when He had gone to Jerusalem for the Feast, and dwelt there teaching and working miracles. According to Saint John the Evangelist, this miracle took place on the Sabbath.

Junior Olympics 2026

Christos Anesti!

It is that time of year to start preparing for the Jr. Olympics. Below is the All Saints registration form.

All Saints Registration Form

We are hoping to add a 10-12 soccer team this year along with our usual youth basketball team and 7-9 soccer team with St. Athanasios.

All individuals will need to fill out the Jr. Olympics Registration/Waiver form as well below:

https://chicago.goarch.org/junior-olympics-registration/



Please fill out each form for each participant to get the process started. I will be following up with finalized events and rosters along with at least one field day (practice) date in the upcoming weeks.

Thank you, and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions.

Sincerely,

Jim Kappas

SAVE THE DATE: JULY 18-19

vol. 009

vol. 009 Rousonelos Family

Konstantinos (Gus) Marcos Rousonelos came to Joliet in 1916 to make his fortune and return back to his homeland. He had left his wife Katerina (Catherine) Griparis in Mykonos with their son, Petro (Peter). Gus did not return to Mykonos and four years later Katherine sold her dowry which was a small furnished home to use as fare to come to Joliet to find her husband. While on the ship for 24 days, Katherine became very ill and also contracted a bad case of lice from people on the ship. Luckily, two women who were also coming to Joliet, helped her with her child and through her illness. When they arrived in Ellis Island, they were detained for two weeks to be fumigated of the lice. After many delays, the immigration authorities were preparing to send Catherine and Peter back to Greece. A very good neighbor and friend of Gus, George Abbott, had been very helpful to the Greek immigrants in Joliet. He interceded and arranged for Catherine and Peter to arrive in Joliet. When Catherine arrived in Joliet, Gus had a home on Jefferson Street which was then called Troy Road. The next-door neighbor to the west was John Policandriotes and his family. During the early years, they worked together at the brick yards in Rockdale and they each purchased 10-acre plots right next to each other. Catherine’s sister, Helen Honiotes and her husband, John, had a small grocery store on Reed Street called the Red Barn. Several years later they bought the farm just to the east and opened up a grocery store again. This later was known as Honiotes’ and remained a grocery store for more than 70 years. A few years later, another Greek arrived at the neighborhood named Angelo Vandarakis. His family lived across the street from the Policandriotes family. This completed the circle of neighbors who remained friends and neighbors for many years. Mr. Abbott resided on the southwest corner of Troy Road and Midland Avenue. He acted as adviser, accountant, and legal counsel for these newly arrived immigrants because none of them knew how to read and write.

Gus and Catherine had five children in the next five years: Anne, Marina (Marge), Andy (Styke), Mike, Stan (Dutch) and five years later Zaharoula (Sugar). The family went through hard time trying to feed seven children. The children were taught good work ethic and worked together on their farm. Peter would work at several grocery stores during the winter months to make extra money for the family. Anne and Marge worked at the Paradise Food Mart for many years. All of the money earned by the children went back to the family treasury to help pay bills and mortgages. John Samios, who owned the Paradise Food Mart loaned the family money every winter so they would not lose their farm. George Policandriotes loaned the family $3500 in order to keep the bank from repossessing the original ten acres. The Milano Bakery would give the family credit for bread, and the family would pay them back. During those difficult years, everyone worked in the fields, with Catherine working hardest of all. She worked in the garage bunching asparagus, peeling onions and she cooked meals and cleaned for ten hungry people including two or three farm hands, who shared the family meals. The young children also peeled onions, planted onion bulbs, picked beans, tomatoes and asparagus. The children started working at the age of five or six, with their stern but fair mother always at their side encouraging them. It is because of this that they all credited their mother with their good work ethic. They bought 10 acres on Larkin Avenue, and the Rousonelos Farm truck made the rounds around the area which is now Crest Hill to pick up mothers and their children to peel onions and work in the fields. Years later many of those kids who worked on the farm would tell the family they never forgot the slabs of bread with homemade catsup, oil, lard from the pigs and keftedes that Catherine would serve them as snacks. They all said how much fun they had working together and had unforgettable days on the farm. The family attended church every Sunday and were very active in church activities. The Rousonelos Farm truck would take all the neighborhood Greek kids to church for Greek school during the week. Catherine was a strong willed and intelligent woman. Even though she never had formal education, she wanted her children to be educated. She pushed them to attain the highest goals possible. Gus, on the other hand, was very content to have his boys quit school and help him on the farm. Peter, Andy and Mike joined their father in vegetable farming. Peter and Stan served our nation during WWII. Peter served in the Third Armored Division in the battles of Normandy, Northern France Ardennes, Rhineland and central Europe. He received numerous decorations and citations including the Bronze Star. Stan served as a Medic in Iwo Jima. Dr. Stan Rousonelos became one of the most beloved family doctors in Joliet who delivered most of the babies born in the 1950’s through the early 1980’s. Andy and Mike were given agricultural deferments to keep the farm producing vegetables. They both worked at the Joliet Arsenal in the winter to help the war effort. After the war, Gus and Catherine sold their original home and built another home on Campbell Street, still on the original 10 acres. Anne’s family moved in with Gus and Catherine and Sugar and Marge would build home next to them in the coming years after they were married. It was a wonderful family neighborhood across from Pershing school and the grandchildren enjoyed playing with each other.

The family acquired more land west on Jefferson Street and what is now Hammes Avenue. They sold their vegetables and flowers at a garden center which became The Green Thumb Farm and Garden Center. We always joke the Green Thumb was the first “7-11 store”. Part of that land was sold in the mid 1960’s and the Rousonelos Brothers bought land in Plainfield and continued vegetable farming. The brothers’ children worked on the farm and it grew and became one of the largest vegetable farms in the Midwest. Marge worked in the farm office from 1970’s until she was 90 years old. We sold our vegetables in Chicago to South Water Street Market and then expanded directly to the major grocery stores: Jewel, Dominick’s, and Certified Grocers and then trucks would come from St. Louis to pick up our vegetables. The brothers and grandchildren honored their mother/Yiayia when the spinach they packaged in a cello bag had Catherine’s picture on it and was named “Yiayia’s Spinach”.

The family grew very large as Peter had six children, Anne had 4 children, Margie had 3 children, Andy had 8 children, Mike had 5 children, Stan had 7 children and Sugar had 3 children. Gus and Catherine’s family have grown from Greek to a combination of almost all facets of Americana including Slovak, Irish, German, Swedish, French, Scotch, English, Norwegian, Hispanic, African American, Chinese and Italian. Most of the grandchildren were baptized and attended All Saints regularly. Some family members have been active on Parish Council, the choir, Greek School, GOYA, Junior Goya, Philoptohos, Junior Olympics, Sunday School teachers, summer campers and advisors, church dances and festivals. We have witnessed many weddings, baptisms and funerals in our beloved church and continue to support our church.

This family story was from memories of Gus and Catherine's children told to Katina Apostolou Kendall, submitted by Tina Sillar.

110 Stories History Series: all are invited to submit photos with a short (or not so short) story from the life and history of this parish, or its parishioners. We want this to be an open expression to celebrate everyone from the first Greek immigrants who settled in Joliet to to those who are just now joining this community. We will be sharing at least one story a week here in the bulletin and on social media.

Happy Birthday to Toni Hondros who celebrates her birthday on May 13

Congratulations to the Meintanis family on the occasion of the baptism of baby Leander

Happy Anniversary Fr. Anastasios who celebrates the 11th anniversary of his ordination to the Priesthood on Sunday, May 10.

Click the link to the right in order to submit you special occasions to share with the community via our online form.

OR contact the church office to share your birthday, engagement, wedding, anniversary, retirement, birth, baptism or any other celebration or accomplishment with our community!



All Saints Greek

Orthodox Church

102 N. Broadway St.

Joliet, IL 60435

Office: 815-722-1727

Fr. Anastasios: 847-414-4874

Email: tasso.theo@gmail.com

allsaintsjoliet.com