The Summer Life

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Please remember - Fr. Pete does not send out text messages, e-mails or social media posts to solicit

funds for himself or any organizations outside of the parishes he serves. Fr. Pete's emergency phone

number is (815) 685-1359 and his e-mail addresses

are either pjankowski@yahoo.com or pjankowski@stfrancis.edu.

Please do not trust any correspondences that

utilize any other phone number or e-mail address.

THE TERM FOR THIS SCAM IS "PHISHING,"

IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH

Feel free to contact Fr. Pete at email pjankowski@yahoo.com. If you have an emergency, please contact Fr. Pete at (815) 685-1359

Hello Everyone! As we still are “recovering” from the St. Anne Festivities (on the night of July 26 each year, my back, knees and legs ARE SHOT! but it’s all worth it, considering what grace happened on those days. We are still working on uploading all the Videos from the St. Anne Celebrations – what I have left to do is upload the Latin mass and the Rest are completed. In next Week’s “St. Anne’s News,” I will share some stories about the Novena and the Graces that flowed. A few good souls were nice enough to share experiences with me from Last Sunday and previous Novena Celebrations (there are 146 of them!). More on that next week.

Until then, I present to you here the highlights from the THREE Masses we celebrated last Sunday at St. Anne’s, Fr. Jim Heyd’s Homily from the English Mass and The Entire Spanish Mass last Sunday with Fr. Sebastián  Genoni, MIC.

With these notes, I would like to share with you three specific items...

• The importance of social (and our “Birthday Baseball” event on August 13, 2206.
• The Campus Projects we are undertaking at both parishes and the need to replenish our respective Capital Improvement accounts.
• A wonderful letter from a good soul mailed to me about my thirty years in the priesthood.

First, the Importance of Parish Social…

The social life of the church is vital because it builds a supportive family, reduces loneliness, and helps people care for one another. It turns a group of people into a close community that shares life together.

Building Support and Connection

• Fighting Loneliness: Regular social events give people a safe space to talk, laugh, and form deep friendships.
• Real Belonging: A strong social life helps members feel needed and accepted instead of isolated or invisible.
• Practical Help: Friends in the church show up with meals, rides, and prayers during hard times.
• Serving and Growing Together
• Practicing Kindness: Social gatherings let people practice being kind and helpful in relaxed settings outside of formal services.
• Breaking Down Barriers: Sharing food and activities helps break up closed groups or cliques and welcomes new faces.
• Shared Strength: Working together on projects or events unites the group and keeps everyone ready to support their local neighborhood. 

Source: Ministry Magazine

When our Lord established the Catholic Church on the cross [where the “bridegroom” (Christ) and the “bride” (namely, US!] were wedded together), the Church’s understanding of this “marriage” is that God wished us to live and serve together as a “Body of Christ” – many members, one head, united by the Spirit. In this regard, St. Paul would admonish us that we are to work together for the good of our community (see 1 Cor 12 and Romans 12) we are supposed to live and act as if this day were our last. The great philosophers of our age (Augustine, Confucius, Immanuel Kant, etc.) would implore, in their own way, a duty and obligation to the good of the self and society for us to live together, so that every person finds value and purpose in the collective good.

In this light, the older members of the community and supposed to nurture, form and guide those of the next generation to support the cause of the collective society and provide them a moral compass by which to live. As we learned from our scriptures this summer, those who do so are like good “wheat” sewn in the field; those who do not are like “weeds” that, at the end of life, will be bundled together and burned (se Mt 13: 24-30).

For this reason are more, the social life of the community is so important to embrace – by doing so, we follow God’s admonition to become “the Body of Christ” – too many people try to “go it alone” or become their own “gods” in a Church where Christ teaches us, “many are called, few are chosen” (Mt 22: 14) . As a result, turning away from God isolates a person from God and often society, where many feel alone, depressed and/or without hope.

Our mission as a Church is to reach out and give value to these “lost souls” as God has done for us. What we do in prayer on Sunday is not supposed to be an “eat and run” event in which less than 25% of our registered in our congregations throughout the world participate each week – the Mass is “the source and summit of our Christian life” (Catechism 1324) which is supposed to form and model us so that we can live this life together.

I implore you – stay positive! Support your local Churches. In a practical way, we have a “Birthday Baseball with Fr. Pete” event this Thursday and a Border Town Picnic on September 13. These are supposed to be community-building events; please consider joining us at one or both of these events so that we learn the lesson well about those who try to build the Church and those who try to destroy it. You are all wonderful people – God bless!

Second, Campus Projects and the Capital Improvement Accounts

This week at St. Patrick’s, our air conditioning system went out… again! One of my predecesors went on the cheap with the last system – when it is working, few can hear the lectors or priest at mass because the system is so loud and many of the units are leaking or have stopped working altogether. We spent $40,000 last winter on replacing the church boiler that broke down; generous donors came forward to install generators on our property (hopefully this will get done by the end of the summer) and creating two parking lots that I personally thought would never get addressed.

Over at St. Anne’s water damage has corroded one wall in the church from what I was told had been at least ten years in the making. The repairs to the outer wall will run just under $10,000. We used to have a parking lot across the hall which, due to neglect and lack of funds, caused the lot to become corroded. We might have a way to address a portion of the lot at little to no cost but we probably will need $60,000 to re-do one portion of the lot to make it nice.

Regardless, the Capital Improvement accounts at both parishes have taken a hit and we will need to replenish them if we wish to continue functioning as parishes. If you can help us with any or all of these projects, please contact the office.

Finally… a Letter from a Parishioner entitled, “A Few Ways We Have Seen You Being a Good Priest in These Past Thirty Years.”

Jim & Marie Lynch served with me in Joliet for over twenty years. They chose to write this letter to me about our work together in the faith…

As our new pastor, you immediately began making all kinds of repairs and improvements to Sgt. Paul’s including having the overhead lights in the church cleaned by a guy willing to climb up high to do the work - that would be JIM LYNCH! You said you were afraid of heights and would instead help him move pews to do the work.

• You were not afraid of getting dirty though. We saw you get down on your knees in winter in order to mop up the wet floors at the entrances as people came into Mass so no one would slip.
• You supported our dream of starting a Marriage Prep Program for engaged couples at St. Paul’s and enthusiastically encouraged all our efforts to build a Welcoming Day event to get the couples started on their preparation
• You came yourself to the Engaged Couple Welcome Day, blessed the couples with love and an inspiring talk, then presented a Bible to them at the concluding Mass.
• You played the guitar as you sang a special song to the parishioners Christmas Eve.
• You put time and effort into homilies at St. Paul’s that touched our hearts. 
• You watched out for children’s safety
• You have loved. our dear friends the Poor Clares and even agreed to learn how to celebrate the Latin Mass for them.
• You have loved and helped the Vilaseca sisters whom we also love.
• During the time churches were closed, you offered Mass online and made it extra special with all the Catholic information you added about the Holy Land, etc.
• On your “vacations” on Holland American cruises, you shared your priesthood with crew and passengers and then also posted pictures on Face Book so we could share in the adventures.
• You enthusiastically embraced the challenge of a group of parishes in the Kankakee area and have found ways to involve lots of people into working together to make so many improvements, repairs, and bring services, food, etc. to those in need.
• You have non-stop given of yourself to the parishes in First Communions, Weddings, Funerals and so many other celebrations of God’s goodness. 
• You have continued the St. Ann novena event every July and through it brought man graces to so many people including us!
• You have created a parish environment where all feel welcome.
• After being assigned to the Kankakee area, you continued to give tons of time and goodness to the students at the University of St. Francis traveling up to Joliet despite distance or bad weather.

St. Pope John Paul II said, “The priesthood is a gift, a service that entails renunciation is not sadness but the joy of living for Christ.” You have shown joy and a humanity that is “down to earth” and approachable to everyone.”

Thank you, Fr. Pete

Marie & Jim Lynch

As Chris shared this note with me, I also received on Sunday a photo from St. Anne Parishioner Ashley Childress, celebrating how the OLDEST and YOUNGEST parishioners at St. Anne’s came together for a photo at Sunday Mass – we celebrate the baptism of Adelaide Anderson on August 23, 2026 (for those who might ask, there actually is a St. Adelaide in the history of the church, whose information who can check out if you CLICK HERE!!!).

We received sad news from St. Anne’s Parishioner Peg Gladu that the current group of St. Anne Parishioners who led the parish Rummage Sale each October, the St. Anne Sodality no longer will host the Rummage Sale. Over at St. Patrick’s, long-time parishioner Ardis Wardynski was able to find Leigh Ann Sokoloff to “pass on the baton.” Last year, Leigh Ann took over the Parish Rummage Sale and will do the same this year – more on that will be advertised in August.

Proximo Travel asked me to lead a one-week Pilgrimage to Mexico and the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. On behalf of those I serve, I was honored to take on this role for our parishioners.

If you are interested in joining us on this One-Week Pilgrimage to Mexico, please CLICK BELOW!

https://www.proximotravel.com/trip-store/?action=trip_registration&tripid=17667

The Third Annual Birthday Baseball with Fr. Pete event takes place on August 13 as we make our yearly pilgrimage to watch the Joliet Slammers in action! Our local Knights of Columbus Organization is providing for us a bus to take us to this event. The cost is $10 a person – altar servers go free and we only have fifty tickets so please sign up NOW!!!

Finally, Van Drunen Farms was kind enough to allow us to “borrow” their $2,500 100-Foot Rental Tent for our Border Town Parish Picnic on September 13, starting with a bilingual outdoor Mass at 10:30 a.m. (weather permitting). We have secured the talents of the Joliet Polka-Massters and the Fender Benders with music for the day as well.

Lots of Activities take place this summer – join in the Faith, Fellowship & Fun!!!

Meanwhile, over at St. Anne’s, a couple wonderful souls saw what we had being doing at Pat’s and inquired about getting a St. Anne's Parking Lot Project similar to St. Pat's. As a response, we asked Scott Crawford to visit St. Anne’s and provide us two bids for the parking lot – it will cost us around $24,000 to upgrade the lot in front of the church and the small section of the parking lot adjacent to the senior care center; the price rises to $59,000 if we address the entire lot at St. Anne’s by the Senior Center.

Towards that end, we inserted an envelope in our St. Anne Novena mailing which will be sent out next week. Jackie Bruhn will talk about the parking lot during the May 31 Mass at the parish as well. The “pipe dream” is that we can get these donations to pave the lots by the St. Anne Feast Day on July 26!

As we have had to navigate a few major storms this Spring, a couple parishioners suggested that we check the roofs of our buildings to see if the storms had caused any damage to what we have. I thank Mr. Rafael Hernandez for coming down to St. Patrick’s and St. Anne’s to clean out our gutters, install “leaf guards” on our gutters and to trim a few trees that were hanging over our buildings.



In the course of these inspections, we came to find out that at St. Anne’s, a corner of our building has endured a bit of damage from what I have been told resulted from “leaky drains” that got under the outside bricks of the church over the last decade or so and is in desperate need of repair. So far, the estimates coming in for the damage are just under $10,000; this work needs to be done to preserve our church. If anyone can help us offset the cost of the repairs, please contact the parish office.

Earlier this month, we encountered pretty bad damage in our kitchen at St. Patrick’s Rectory. I guess a “P-Drain” in one of the upstairs bathrooms had corroded after years of use, causing sewage to drip into our kitchen ceiling. John Cousin and the nice folks at Cousins Plumbing repaired and replaced the P-Drain at minimal cost. Then, Robert Piquet and his son from Vista Painting came to repair the ceiling. Just FYI, Vista Painting repaired TWO of the inside church stucco walls for the price of only materials, painted accent walls in both rectories, painted the St. Anne House Chapel and so much more! Robert was so kind as to offer his services that I felt it right to include his contact information for anyone is the area would might want to utilize his painting services.

To contact Vista Painting, e-mail rob.vistapainting@gmail.com or call them at phone (815) 272-3455.

Because of THREE SNOWSTORMS which swept through our area this winter, this has wreaked havoc on our finances, since we did not make up the finances in our collections needed to keep up afloat. Thanks to a couple of my "friends from the outside" who donated $3,000 total to help St. Anne's Church.

Please remember… the budgets that our Finance Committees established last June only work if St. Anne’s collects $2,000 a week in her collection and $3,000 a week at St. Patrick’s. We have been blessed that a couple major donors have assisted us in keeping the ships afloat but, if you can, please remember that the “Online Giving” Portal is always open Online and we continue to encourage you to remember St. Anne’s & St. Pat’s in your Will and Estate Planning. With a new bishop coming into the area later this year, a new bishop brings new and different ideas – let’s not let the bishop think about St. Patrick’s or St. Anne’s for a long time!

If any of our farmers might consider donating something “when the time comes” as part of an estate gift, if someone who attends our St. Anne Novena helps us maintain that Novena through a foundation gift, we would be well-served to allow the Lord to work through our communities to offer the same grace as has been offered since the 1850s.

Click Here

to Access

the St. Anne Novena Page!!!

MASS FOR THE 18TH SUNDAY

IN ORDINARY TIME (AUGUST 2, 2026)

Highlighting the seven years' worth of baptisms celebrated at the Border Town Parishes, Fr. Pete's homily this week focuses on the hospitality our parishes afford the families in our area, which serves us very well. Because of the manner in which we welcome the outsider, so many good souls come to visit us and ask for the Lord's grace in their lives. What a blessing we have serving the needy in our area!

HOMILY IN SPANISH AT ST. ANNE'S CHURCH (JULY 26, 2026)

• Proximo Travel asked Fr. Pete to advertise a Pilgrimage to Mexico City and Guadalupe from November 14-20; this is in preparation to welcoming Fr. Diego Maximino to the parishes for a Guadalupe Mission from December 9-12. More information will be in next weekend’s bulletin.
• St. Pat’s is hosting its inaugural Vacation Bible School from July 20-24. Information and sign-up sheets can be found in the bulletin and online. Thanks to Madison Meyer and Abigail Volek for coordinating the week; we are picking up the decorations and supplies on Sunday afternoon and could use help getting the decorations in the St. Pat’s Gymnasium.
• Birthday Baseball with Fr. Pete takes place on Thursday, August 13. The cost is $10 per ticket – servers go free and the Knights of Columbus have chartered a complimentary bus ride for the event. The bus leaves St. Patrick’s at 4:30 p.m. for a 6:00 Joliet Slammers Game in the city. Contact the office to sign up!
• This Year’s Border Town Picnic takes place on Sunday – September 13 starting with a 10:30 a.m. bilingual outdoor Mass at St. Patrick’s. The Polka Mass-ters and the Fender Benders will provide music for the event. As the St. Anne’s Rummage Sale will no longer take place (the servers are getting on in years), Leigh Ann Sokoloff will coordinate the Rummage Sale at St. Patrick’s. More information to come in August.
• If you could help us sell our 50/50 Progressive Raffle Tickets (whose first prize will be drawn at the Parish Picnic on September 13th), there are tickets in the entry ways of the church and in the parish office - $10 a ticket or 6 for $50. The Grand Prize at this moment is at $1,356… far beyond last year’s total!
• Jackie Bruhn from St. Anne’s inquired about upgrading our parking lot at St. Anne’s (which, I guess, used to be paved but weeds and such took control of the pavement). We have set a goal of $60,000 to pave one small area of the pavement. Jackie asked that we place envelopes in the St. Anne Novena mailing that will go out shortly and she will discuss the project at the May 30-31 Masses.

For Catholic Daily Reflections (based on the scripture readings of the day),

CLICK HERE!!!

CLICK HERE to Access the Readings for This Sunday's Mass

1973 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

1981 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

1986 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

1993 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

2004 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

2006 St. Patrick's Academy 100th Anniversary Book

2010 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

2016 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

2023 St. Patrick's Church Photo Directory

1960s St. Anne’s Church Photo Directory

1970s St. Anne’s Church Photo Directory

1989 St. Anne’s Church Photo Directory

1998-2004 St. Anne’s Photo Directory

2023 St. Anne's Church Photo Directory

• The production of Papal Blessings has been suspended for the time being due to the installation of the new pope. Now that the Website is Open for Acquiring Blessings, we have sent the following requests to the Vatican to Honor these Special Unions...

If you would like to receive a papal blessing for a milestone anniversary, please contact the parish office.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR OWN APOSTOLIC BLESSING!!!

Fr. Pete offers the Anointing of the Sick at both parishes at the First Friday Masses every month (St. Patrick’s at 9:15 a.m. and St. Anne’s at 5:00 p.m. (English) and 7:00 p.m. (Spanish).

To View St. Patrick's Bulletin for

AUGUST 2, 2026

CLICK HERE!

To View St. Anne's Bulletin for

AUGUST 2, 2026

CLICK HERE!

\PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK: Rick Blanchette, William Brown, Mike, Ashley & Jesse Childress, Mike Cronk, Maria DeLeon, Dave Fieramosca, Herve Gomichon, Linda Goodman, Don Hout, Gustavo Lopez, Jesus Ariel Lopez, Evelyn Provost, Art Schmidt, Frank & Louise Shainauskas, Ruth Sparenberg, Cynthia Vickery, Joe Wielgus and all those on our sick list.

At St. Anne's... Eva Bell, Paula Bertrand, Lola Billings, Duane Blanchette, Sue Bonvallet, Cheryl Boswell, June Burns, Cindy Capriotti, Ashley & Jesse Childress, Abraham Daily, Aria Dionne, Carol Futcher, Raelynn Garrett, Tommy Klonowski, Val Lagacy, Pam & Bentley Lottinville, Linda Miramontes, Josh Odelson, Ruth Sparenberg and John Wojnowski.

At St. Patrick's... P. Anderson, N. Atkinson, R. Bailey, D. Barth, Beedle Family, D. Brown, M. Cárdenas, P. Caro, B & E. Coffman, S. Conner, M & D Cousin, M. Cruz, A. Delaney, M. Dionne, J. Dobbins, E. Duke, D. Dunlap, G. Field, C. Fritz, A. Fuhrmann, Judy & Ron Gall, Tony & Adrianne Gallinaro, J. Grill, R. Harper, K. Hensa, J. Hibbs, D. Hiller, C. Jones, L. Kane, R. Kazee, A. Kijewski, Joe Kraus, L. Lee, L. Leranth, E. Lopez, B. Love, J. Marcotte, W. Marten, J. McCracken, L. Mercado, R & V Morse, C. Ortman, C. Piec, J. Prather, C. Provost, E. Provost, P. Reising, D. Roberts, M. Saldaña A. Schaff, J. Schopf. D. Schmied, K. Simpson, B. Siwicki, B. Spagnola, M. Tolbert, M. Tolmer, H. Tousignant, M. Velazquez, M. Williams, Gary Witherell, M. Witherspoon, S. Young, J. L. Zagal, A. Zimmerman, M & L Zink and G. Zokal.

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