News and Views from St. Patrick�s Catholic Church
By Your Pastor, Fr. Pete Jankowski

This week, I was looking through the Joliet Diocesan Website and came upon our vocation office's offerings at www.vocations.org. Fr. Burke Masters is our diocesan vocation director; he has come to preach at the Masses here at St. Patrick's and he is one of the up and coming priests in the diocese.

On the website, the diocese cites over 20 individuals who are studying for the Catholic priesthood in our diocese. These men come from a variety of backgrounds from the seven counties that make up our diocese to the international students that are studying to become priests. They attend a variety of seminaries from Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, and even in Rome, Italy. They are our future priests. They are the ones who potentially will become the future pastors of St. Patrick's Church here in Joliet.

To fund the education of these students, the diocese pays in excess of over $500,000 a year to the various seminaries we send our students. The studies are difficult and varied, from the regular theology classes to sessions in administration, hospital ministries, and a time away from the seminary to live in parish rectories throughout the diocese in order to get practical experience within the ministry.

This one ministry alone is essential for the future of our Church. Without our priests, we cannot celebrate the sacraments in the parish and the ministry of the faithful becomes that much more diluted. It is through your help in the Joliet Ministries Appeal that programs such as our vocation work can be achieved.

Each year, the diocese sets a goal for our parishes to achieve in order that we can provide services in marriage counseling, homeless ministries, poor churches throughout the diocese and many of the administrative offices that allow these ministries to continue. Our goal this year is to achieve $36,718.00. On behalf of Bishop Sartain, I ask for your continued generosity in order to make this year's Ministries' Appeal a success. Thank you, as always, for your wonderful support of our parish and diocese.

God Bless.

Fr. Pete

Gloria Dei Vivens Homo (The Glory of God is Living in Man)
- St. Irenaeus of Lyons

Everyone needs to be fed by spiritual experiences. Every Monday at 7pm until 8pm we experience the presence of Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration and the Rosary. Come join us in church for one hour. All are welcome - Come and be fed!

Come and experience the Eucharist every First Friday beginning after morning Mass and ending with Benediction for the Repose of the Blessed Sacrament at 5pm. It would be very fitting to have at least three persons committed to Eucharistic Adoration for each hour from 9am to 5pm on each First Friday. There will be a sheet in the vestibule of the Church for you to sign your name and the time you prefer. Please consider this hour with our Lord a privilege!

Each week, St. Patrick's Vocation Cross travels from home to home throughout the parish as we pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. This week,

will care for the cross. If you would like to participate, please contact the office (815) 727-4746.

Over the 2007-2008 year, parishioners from St. Patrick's Catholic Church are invited to audit our RCIA Sessions in learning the basics of the Catholic Faith. Sessions generally run on Wednesdays from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. in the Faculty Lounge of the School. As an effort to promote Adult Education in the parish, all members of our community over the age of 14 are welcome to join us for any or all of the sessions listed each week. For more information, please contact the parish office at (815) 7274746.

Fr. Pete Jankowski returns to discuss the effects of Christian conversion in one's life. As in the case of those who have been baptized or confirmed, the journey of Christian faith does not end; it begins. Darrell Kelsey will cover the Christian's responsibility to love and serve, a promise each believer is committed to follow during the reception of the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.

Spring Cleaning? Why not spruce up those closets and cabinets. Clear your home of all that extra clutter! We are having a collection for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. They are looking for clean gently used clothing, shoes, cookware, linens, dishes, knick knacks, toys, books, lamps, etc.

Your donations will benefit the needy!

We will have bags in the church on April 26th and April 27th. Please fill these and/or your own heavy-duty bags and boxes with clean gently used items and bring them with you when you come for Mass the weekend of May 3rd & 4th, 2008.

Our St. Vincent de Paul volunteers will be there to help you with your donations.

For donations of furniture and other large items please call 630-231-4658 to schedule the truck to come to your home. Furniture will not be accepted at the clothing drive.

NO hangers please!

Thank you for Helping Us to Help People! Receipts are always gladly given.

The Diocesan Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal begins in our parish this weekend. Every family will receive a letter from Bishop J. Peter Sartain asking for a gift to help continue the ministry, services and charity of our diocese. Please return your pledge card to the parish next weekend, April 12/13, 2008.

Our St. Patrick's CCW invite all of you to our general meeting on Sunday, April 13th at 1:00pm in the school gym. We plan a short meeting and election of officers to be followed by a "Bunco Party" which has proven to be a fun time and a great time to meet and greet old and new friends. Guests are also invited. Snacks and dessert will be served. Hoping to see you there!! Call Judy Valek @ 815-725-1528 with any questions. No reservations are needed.

• Les Miserables, April 9th: A reminder for the Young at Heart/55 Club members who signed up for this trip: the bus will arrive at the school parking lot at 9:15am, and will depart at 9:30am. Please park your cars on the East side of the parking lot. Do not park in the center of the lot, as the parents will be picking up the children before we arrive back at approximately 4:30pm. Thank you!
  
  
  
  Pot Luck
• Spring is here and it's time for our annual "Pot Luck". It will be April 24th at 1:00pm in the School Gym. Many have signed up at the last meeting and stated what they will prepare. We will be providing the Chicken and must know how much to order. To make reservations call by April 17th to any of these ladies;
  • Kathy at 815-744-1058
    
  • Ellen at 815-729-4473
    
  • Donna at 815-729-7722

A very enjoyable afternoon is promised. We will be entertained by the "Four Old Parts".  Seniors 55+ welcome! Please join us!

After more that 2 and a half years, the need is still there. The Joliet Diocese Catholic Construction Corps is organizing another mission trip in its ongoing efforts to aid in the Katrina recovery process.

The next group will be leaving on Friday evening April 14 and returning on Saturday April 22. The work will involve reconstruction and remodeling, including drywall, and painting.

If you are interested in this effort, contact Ray Vogt (630-369-1692) or Vern Witte (630-882-8919)

Natural Family Planning Classes are available throughout the year at St. Patrick's. Please contact John and Barbara at 815-727-3018.

Nuestros Peque�os Hermanos currently cares for more than 3,500 children at their orphan homes in Bolivia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. Support for this organization comes from private and corporate donations and individual child sponsorship.

You can become a Godparent to one of Father's children by signing up with the Sponsorship program. Sponsorship means that you are someone special to your Godchild. It means food and support in that child's growing years. It means you are a very important person in their lives.

A Sponsor commits to give $30.00 or more a month to help support the children of Nuestros Peque�os Hermanos. See the pictures on the Sponsorship Board and bring a new member into your family!

For over 20 years, St. Pat's volunteers have been providing dinner once a month at Daybreak Center. This easy but rewarding community service is much needed in today's economy. Can you add your name to the list of volunteers that occasionally help by grocery shopping or cooking food at home or serving dinner? Call Mary Mattson at (815) 726-2150 to get more details. Daybreak Center is sponsored by Catholic Charities, but recently experienced budget cuts, so they really appreciate St. Pat's help!

• Tuesday, April 15th at 7:30pm: The Lewis University Choir presents the music of Stephen Platko and Russian Orthodox Hymns by Kedrov, Archangelsky, Tchaikovsky, sung in Old Church Slavonic. This event is hosted by St. Nicholas Orthodox , 1000 Barber Lane, Joliet. Free Admission. For more information, contact 815-836-5405. This event will be repeated on April 29th at Lewis University in the Sancta Alberta Chapel at 7:30pm with an expanded repertoire.
  
  
• Sunday, April 27th, 2:00-6:00pm at St. Joseph Park at Raynor & Theodore Streets in Joliet - join us for a chop dinner to support the Joliet Catholic Academy Alumni Association and the JCA Band Parents to raise funds for Band uniforms. Tickets are available in advance from the JCA band members or at JCA at 815-741-0500.
  
  
• Help Wanted: The Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart, 9201 W. Saint Francis Road in Frankfort have a housekeeping/dietary position available for a working a possible split shift. Contact Tony at 815-464-3841.
  
  
• April 23rd at 1:00pm: Provena St. Joseph Medical Center Auxiliary invites all to a card/bunco party at Knights of Columbus at 100 S. 129th Infantry Drive in Joliet. Call 815-725-4418 for information/reservations.
  
  
• April 19-20: St. Paul's Youth Ministry invites All High School Students to Follow IV Retreat. The retreat begins 9:00am on Saturday, April 19th, and continues until 6:00pm Sunday, April 20th. The cost is $40 with permission form. You don't want to miss this awesome weekend of prayer, talks, games, food, fun and fellowship!! St. Paul's welcomes all High School Students for an exciting, spiritual and powerful weekend that you won't soon forget! Sign up with forms/money to St. Paul's Youth Ministry Office no later than April 4th.
  Contact 815-730-8599 or [email protected] for more info.
  
  
• Youth Outing with St. Ray's The Youth Group at St. Ray's has invited us over for some Chicago Cubs Games on April 19th (Leave at 9:30am - $25/ticket), June 12th (Leave at 11am - $30/ticket) and August 6th (Leave at 11am - $30/ticket). Make it a family event! Contact Denis & Michelle Brunner for details at 815-577-6185 or 630-768-1697.
  
  
• Save your Ultra Foods and Strack and Van Til receipts! Receipts from March 3rd through June 1st will earn 5% for the parish! When the School collected these last fall, they raised $400! Contact the Rectory for details.

St. Patrick School Mission Statement

St. Patrick School embraces a mission to provide the finest academic environment for all of our children. We emphasize achievable goals and high moral ethical standards. We instill in our students a lifelong commitment to excellence and dedication to their Catholic Christian faith. Saint Patrick School is marked by a spirit of hospitality, a parent-school and parish partnership with a nurturing atmosphere in which our children develop in mind, body and spirit.