Exercising Charity Sacred Heart Parish a Foundling's Faith
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autumn 2015 spirit vol 16 • no 4 Family is THE FOUNDATION ROUNDTABLE PARISH PROFILE LAST WORD Exercising Charity Sacred Heart Parish A Foundling’s Faith 6 8 18 SPIRIT MAGAZINE autumn 2015 vol 16, no 4 contents autumn 2015 editor Sheila Black Haennicke writers Communications Department Development Department Program Service Areas photos Catholic Charities Communications and Program Archives brand mangement Jennifer Sirota art design Kathleen Gabriel editorial board Rev. Monsignor Michael M. Boland president Kathy Donahue senior vice president, program development & evaluation John Ryan chief of staff Judith Silekis director of development monsignor boland parish profile Kristine Kappel 2 4 director of communications Building a Foundation Sacred Heart Parish for Families 6 roundtable Exercising Charity and the Logic of Love 9 program news spirit magazine events Catholic Charities 14 . of the Archdiocese of Chicago 721 North LaSalle Street the last word Chicago, Illinois 60654 18 A Foundling, Faith, Spirit Magazine is published and Family by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago for its friends, clients and benefactors. Spirit Magazine Editors and Staff Phone (312) 655-7010 [email protected] Postage paid in Chicago, IL 60654 Postmaster: Send change of address to: Spirit Magazine The family is important... 721 N. LaSalle Street Chicago, Illinois 60654 it is the foundation.” Pope Francis www.catholiccharities.net/spirit SPIRIT 3 autumn 2015 monsignor boland Building a Foundation for Families Rev. Monsignor Michael M. Boland PRESIDENT OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES This is an exciting time for our nation, as we prepare for a papal visit later this month. Pope Francis is coming to Philadelphia for the 8th World Meeting of Families. A week later, the Pope will oversee the World Synod of Bishops on the Family at the Vatican, which will, in his words, “consider concrete solutions and help for the many difficult and significant challenges facing families today.” Catholic Charities makes the difference for so many families because our services are broad and deep enough to wrap around our very little, but is now self-sufficient and helping clients for the long haul. other refugees Catholic Charities makes the difference for so many families because our services are broad and deep enough to wrap around our clients for the long Pope Francis has spoken extensively on families. haul. Each year we work with tens of thousands of One of my favorite quotes is, “The family is important, families, so we speak with authority on what they and it is necessary for the survival of humanity…it is the need not only to survive, but thrive. When I say “we” foundation.” I mean our dedicated staff, our generous supporters, At Catholic Charities we serve everyone, not just volunteers, and board members. Catholics. In our work, we define “family” as a Finally, I invite you to catch the spirit and energy network of caring people who, whether related or of Pope Francis’ visit by following the activities of the not, have the same goal—to support and respect World Meeting in the news, and by praying: human life in all its ages and stages. That goal is the foundation of our mission of charity. It is what World Meeting of Families Prayer we strive to do every day, through our 150 programs God and Father of us all, in Jesus, your Son and our across Cook and Lake counties. Savior, you have made us your sons and daughters in In this issue of Spirit you will read stories of how the family of the Church. Catholic Charities creates “family” in different ways May your grace and love help our families in every part for different people: of the world be united to one another who found a new “family” at our adolescent • a teen in fidelity to the Gospel. parenting program May the example of the Holy Family, with the aid of • a father living in public housing who needed help the Holy Spirit, guide all families, especially those most finding work to support his family troubled, to be homes of communion and prayer • a senior couple with health problems in need of and to always seek your truth and live in your love. home-based assistance to remain together • a young man who came to the U.S. from Iraq with May God bless you and your families this autumn! SPIRIT 3 autumn 2015 events section header sectionparish header profile Parish FATHER Profile Sacred Heart Parish Pat “I went into the seminary to get a room to myself,” jokes Fr. Patrick Tucker, Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish. Just Doing God’s Work The oldest of 14 children, Fr. Pat grew up on Chicago’s far South Side, near 103rd Street and We, the people of Sacred Heart Halsted, in St. Helena of the Cross Parish. His father was a cattle salesman at the Chicago Stockyards and Parish, profess our faith in God, would sometimes bring the kids to work with him when things were slow to ride the horses! The family our adherence to the teachings of had a modest home with only one bathroom and a big open space upstairs where many of the children Jesus, and our commitment to a slept. Fr. Pat is proud of his family, which now includes 27 nieces and nephews, and 27 great-nieces life of service. and nephews. “I knew I wanted to be a priest around the third grade,” Fr. Pat says. “The priests I knew were happy men, and were appreciated.” Fr. Pat attended Quigley Historic Parish Practices Charity Today South, then Niles College in Mundelein. He was Sacred Heart has deep roots in the Palos Hills community. provides help on an individual basis to parishioners in need, people, helping someone at work who has a temporary ordained in 1974 and spent the early years of his Founded in 1872 as a mission church serving primarily while supporting the broader services of Catholic Charities. shortfall. Plus, many people volunteer in the community priesthood primarily in African-American parishes German immigrants, over time other ethnic groups joined, at Christ Hospital, the Rotary and more.” including St. Charles Lawanga, St. Benedict in Blue including Irish, Italian and Polish. In 1967, Sacred Heart Parishioners Understand Struggle Island, and the St. Peter Claver Mission. became its own parish. Four churches have provided a “I have been a parishioner at Sacred Heart for around 40 A Strong St. Vincent de Paul Society Fr. Pat arrived at Sacred Heart in 2009. The parish home for Sacred Heart over the years. The most recent years,” says Stephen Schanz. “You cannot go wrong in becoming a Vincentian. It can of 3,000 families was quite a change from the parish building was completed in 1993 and incorporates elements Steve, a retired fireman, has been a Lector, Eucharistic be frustrating, but is also a very satisfying experience,” he left; St. Bernadine, which had 800 registered from the earlier structures. Minister, and Sacristan at the parish. He is currently on the says Roseanne Kobal, Vice President of the Sacred Heart families. “They told me it was a promotion,” Fr. Pat Sacred Heart has more than 35 ministries, including a Finance Council, and works three days a week in the parish St. Vincent de Paul Society. A parishioner since 1998, quips. However, he was struck by the generosity the Sharing Parish Ministry with St. Benedict Parish in Blue office. He receives many phone calls from people requesting Roseanne has been a “Vincentian” for 15 years. “People parishioners showed toward charitable activities. Island. “Sacred Heart Parish truly understands the call to monetary assistance, food and clothing donations, which are so generous…we are very fortunate here at Sacred “They are people very much aware that they have care for, feed, and clothe the less fortunate,” says Teresa he refers to the parish’s St. Vincent de Paul Ministry, or to Heart,” she says. “We help approximately 50 people a year. been gifted so they are motivated to be helpful Rodriguez, Catholic Charities Southwest Regional Director. Catholic Charities Southwest Regional Office. Generally someone is out of work and having difficulty to others as well,” he says. “It is a very generous “The parish has been a wonderful partner and supporter of “Parishioners and community members in need who finding a new job; bills are coming due. We build a parish.” Catholic Charities. The parishioners gladly respond to our would have no one else to turn to come to us on a regular relationship with the families,” Roseanne explains. A new development that Fr. Pat supports is a call for help to raise funds to benefit the programs in the basis and we always find a way to try and help them Norm Rakowski is President of the St. Vincent de Paul “junior St. Vincent de Paul Society” for school Southwest Region. They are one of the top donors to our out,” Steve explains. “The parishioners of Sacred Heart Society. He has been part of Sacred Heart parish since children. “A parishioner had the idea...my job is to annual Mother’s Day Collection in Vicariate V, and they are are generous to those in need, because they have had to 1973. “The purpose of St. Vincent de Paul is to help stay out of the way…Let’s give it a try,” Fr. Pat says. hosting our fundraiser this year,” Teresa adds. struggle to make ends meet themselves, to get to where the hungry and the poor. Its members at Sacred Heart Fr. Pat will turn 70 next year, and is nearing the end The parish also conducts regular food and clothing they are today.” are compassionate and understanding.