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Archdiocesan Initiative 
RENEW MY CHURCH - ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO
------------------------------------------------------- Archdiocesan Renew My Church Website – https://www.renewmychurch.org ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - NEW PARISH NAME Through Renew My Church, Mater Christi, St. Mary, and St. Hugh parishes will be unified into one parish under a new parish name effective July 1, 2021. After receiving suggestions from parishioners of all three parishes and prayerful discernment, Cardinal Blase Cupich has made the decision that the name of the new unified parish will be St. Paul VI Parish. Mater Christi Church, the Mother of Mothers Shrine, St. Mary Church, and St. Mary School will still retain their current names. For example, Mater Christi Church will be known as Mater Christi Church of St. Paul VI Parish. The patron of the new parish, St. Paul VI, was the Pope from 1963-1978 and implemented the Second Vatican Council. He had a great devotion to Mary and was a champion of evangelization. In the words of St. Paul VI, “Those who received the Good News and who have been gathered by it into the community of salvation can and must communicate it and spread it.” As we embark on this new journey together, let us continue to spread the Good News to others and “Let us not grow weary of doing good.” (Galations 6:9) > DECREE OF ST. HUGH CHURCH'S RELEGATION (PDF) > RMC OFFICIAL NAMING DECREE (PDF) ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - MESSAGE FROM OUR PASTORS Today we mark the beginning of our Unification with Mass at St. Hugh, the Dedication of the St. Hugh Faith Formation Center at Mater Christi, and the Dedication of the Bishop Timothy J. Lyne Pastoral Center. We are grateful to all the members of the Unification Day Team, the volunteers and those who made donations. Tomorrow we will officially become one as St. Paul VI Parish. The celebrations will be over, and the real work of uniting will begin. It’s like when the marriage ceremony is over, but the new life together is only starting. Of course, much work has been done toward our uniting, but there is so much still to do! First and most importantly there are new relationships with the people of our three communities. We encourage you to reach out to people in the other parishes whom you may know and to those who come to your place of worship from another place. We will have a Pastor of the united parish and a new Associate Pastor. There will be new staffing, a new central administration, combined finances, new Mass schedules and office hours, a new Faith Formation Center, united organizations, a new website and bulletin and some changes we don’t even see yet! Things will not be the same. It is all a process, much like the newly married couple’s process of forming new relationships with in-laws and extended families, combining households and incomes and schedules. And, like all “unitings”, we can expect it will take time, it will be messy, and, sometimes, painful. During the weeks and months ahead, we ask for your understanding. As author Joyce Meyer wrote, “Patience is not simply the ability to wait, it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.” Please be patient! Things are changing for us and for all the staff too. We will all undoubtedly, though certainly unintentionally, make mistakes, as we learn to serve you in our new reality. If each of us is open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit it will ensure our attitudes and actions are rich in the some of the Spirit’s fruits: charity, joy peace, patience, kindness, generosity, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. Author C. S. Lourie wrote, “Just for the record… not all positive change feels positive in the beginning.” We can trust that as we have moved prayerfully with the Holy Spirit today, and with St. Hugh, Mary, St. Paul VI our change will be positive and grace-filled! Prayer is the key to being positive, of course. We need to pray for each other and all of the people of our new parish. We each need to pray for patience and for acceptance of the new reality. With prayer we can move beyond mere acceptance to an enthusiastic embrace of our mission to share the Good News of Jesus. There is an anonymous quote which says, “We are all messy rooms sometimes, out of order. And we hide it. Sometimes we can’t hide it. And that’s because we need faith, love, peace… each other.” We need each other and Jesus. As he said to the synagogue official in today’s Gospel, “Do not be afraid. Just have faith.” That’s a perfect message for all of us as we become St. Paul VI Parish together. Rev. Thomas May, Rev. Matthew Nemchausky, and Rev. Robert Marchwiany ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - MESSAGE FROM OUR PASTORS Do you have a Welcome mat outside your door? Do you also have a peep hole where you can check out who is coming - or maybe a Ring camera - so you can be sure you mean that Welcome that the mat proclaims? Everyone is welcome to St. Paul VI Parish, but the expression of that welcome depends on each one of us. Are we welcoming? There is a checklist online that identifies the “Top 6 Ways to Create a Welcoming Culture.” We might reflect on how well we contribute to a welcoming community. The first way is Positivity. Who wants to join a parish where everyone looks unhappy and the conversations are filled with complaining? Do we smile, say good morning to whomever we meet and radiate the joy of faith? The second way is Being Prepared. Do people experience us as being ready to meet them? Do we provide for their needs and comfort in a way that says, “You matter to us” or do we begrudgingly move over when they enter “my pew”? The third way is Offer a Mentor/Guide. Do we not only introduce ourselves, but introduce people to others in the parish? Building relationships leads to a greater sense of belonging. The fourth way is Being Seen. Pay attention to newcomers, or even to those who have been around, but whom you don’t know yet. Do you see them? Are we interested in those we pray with and with whom we share parish life, or do we always hang with the same folks? The fifth way is Inform and Include. Communication is key in any relationship. It is particularly critical when there are people new to a situation. What do people need to know in order to foster their belonging? Tell them! The sixth way is Being Heard. Encourage feedback from newcomers about their experience. What can we learn to help us be more welcoming? How might we enlist the gifts of newcomers to welcome the next newcomers? Author Christine Pohl wrote, “As a way of life, an act of love, an expression of faith, our hospitality reflects and anticipates God’s welcome. Simultaneously costly and wonderfully rewarding, hospitality often involves small deaths and little resurrections. By God’s grace we can grow more willing, more eager, to open the door to a needy neighbor, a weary sister or brother, a stranger in distress.” The top 6 Ways are practical and helpful, but our reason to be welcoming is even deeper. As Paul wrote in our second reading today, “The love of Christ impels us.” Rev. Thomas May, Rev. Matthew Nemchausky, and Rev. Robert Marchwiany ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - MESSAGE FROM OUR PASTORS There is nothing like the change of seasons to remind us of the dying and rising that is such a part of life. Trees that were bare are brilliant greens, ground that was snow covered is now bedecked with amazing flowers. Jesus pulled no punches when he called his followers to discipleship. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus said, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” We know well where the cross takes us. The cross for Jesus is the beginning of the Paschal Mystery - his Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension. Our discipleship requires we take up the cross, endure “little deaths,” until we come to new life and ultimately Eternal Life. We were baptized into the Paschal Mystery of Jesus. There are many “little deaths” in our Renew My Church process. On June 27, we will experience the loss of St. Hugh facilities. But there are other deaths we are experiencing as well, all leading to new life. We pastors are all experiencing the deaths of how we did our priestly ministry. The staffs of our parishes are also asked to die to old roles and ways of doing their ministries. Parish groups, organizations, schedules, and events will change too as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit who calls us to unity and the mission of evangelization. All of us are being asked to change - to die a little, to deny our individual preferences, to bear whatever crosses RMC has asked us to shoulder - to live our discipleship. We will be St. Paul VI Parish and everyone from St. Hugh, Mater Christi and St. Mary who “liked things the way they were” is called to embrace our new identity. Unless we take up the cross and die to the old ways, the new life of St. Paul VI Parish will elude us. In John’s Gospel Jesus says, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” We have the potential to bear much fruit! But, again, it is preceded by a willingness to take up the cross, to die to “what used to be” and to live anew. Each of us must ask ourselves what “little deaths” are we willing to accept so that new life, together, will be ours and Jesus will be proclaimed anew with joy! Rev. Thomas May, Rev. Matthew Nemchausky, and Rev. Robert Marchwiany ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - MESSAGE FROM OUR PASTORS “Is the new parish going to have religious education?” We can answer in the words of our patron, Saint Paul VI, in his document Evangelization in the Modern World, “the presentation of the Gospel message is not an optional contribution for the Church. It is the duty incumbent on her by the command of the Lord Jesus, so that people can believe and be saved.” Saint Paul VI Parish will, as all parishes have done throughout the centuries, offer formation in faith for all ages. We are blessed to have the St. Hugh Faith Formation Center for our new parish. This facility, which will be dedicated on June 27, offers dedicated space for our parishioners to gather and develop their relationship with Jesus and with our community of faith. As a significant part of the mission to evangelize, Saint Paul VI Parish and all its people will embrace our responsibility to form our young in faith. It has been said, “It takes a village to raise a child.” It takes a community to immerse our young people in what it means to be a missionary disciple of Jesus Christ. First, faith and formation begin in the family, the domestic church. In the home, we pray, we teach Christian values, we serve others in need, we live as Jesus asks. The foundation laid in the home is what the parish supports and builds upon. And we build, not only through religious education, but in all the dimensions of faith-life in the parish: Sunday Mass, the sacraments, community life and care for one another, outreach to poor people and those most in need of our help. Every member is called to participate and to witness to each other and to our young people what faith looks like when it is lived fully. Of special importance are our catechists who give generously of their time and effort to continue their own formation in faith and to share that faith with our young people. Their dedication is only effective when parents and guardians enter a partnership with them, reinforcing lessons and Catholic practices and engaging in the life of the parish, the liturgies and the service outreach. This mutual reinforcement of faith in the home and the parish is key to a consistent message and example. We pray for our religious education families, for our catechists and for all of our parishioners whose witness will spread the Good News of Jesus Christ! Rev. Thomas May, Rev. Matthew Nemchausky, and Rev. Robert Marchwiany ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - MESSAGE FROM OUR PASTORS As we celebrate Trinity Sunday, we turn to God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - to bless and strengthen our desire to unite our communities into one. We are also working with our Trinitarian God and making efforts to ensure that our unity is solid and lasting. The Unification Day Teams are making every effort to provide for a reverent leave-taking from St. Hugh parish on June 27. The Mass at 10:30 am will be celebrated by Bishop Manz and will be the capstone of all the blessings that the people of Saint Hugh have received throughout the decades. The procession of cars will then journey to Mater Christi where that team has prepared a beautiful dedication ceremony. The Mater Christi school building will be named the St. Hugh Faith Formation Center where St. Hugh will continue to watch over those who enter. We will then gather at the Mother of Mothers Shrine to ask our Blessed Mother to continue embracing and guiding us. From there, the procession will journey on to St. Mary where that team has planned a prayerful dedication of the Bishop Timothy J. Lyne Pastoral Center. Following the dedication, people may take a tour of the Center which will be the administrative office of the new parish. There will be a reception in the lot behind the center where we can gather together to share food and refreshments. We encourage everyone to participate in the whole day. The Mass at St. Hugh has limited space and priority is for the St. Hugh parishioners, but it will be possible together outside and support our friends. The Mass will also be livestreamed at St. Mary and Mater Christi for those who cannot attend in person. The Unification Day is just a day to mark our uniting. There are many other ways we are already working to the deeper dimensions of our unity. We pastors have been meeting together for months now and discussing the spiritual and practical aspects of the new parish. Lately we have included representative staff people in meetings to help us consider the needs and hopes of our people. Fr. Tom has met with all staff from the three sites to discern future roles and responsibilities. The three Parish Pastoral Councils have met together and now a PPC Preparation team will meet to plan for the new united council. Many staff people have met with their counterparts in the other parishes to share and decide how best to serve the new parish. Most importantly, we and our people are praying for the wisdom and guidance we need to bring Saint Paul VI Parish to birth and to mission. As St. Paul VI said, “above all, we place our unshakable confidence in the Holy Spirit, the soul of the Church.” Rev. Thomas May, Rev. Matthew Nemchausky, and Rev. Robert Marchwiany ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - MESSAGE FROM OUR PASTORS The St. Hugh, Mater Christi, St. Mary Unification Team - “This was great! We are all working together!” This comment from one of the Unification Team members sums up our first meeting on May 5th. The Holy Spirit, whom we celebrate this Pentecost Sunday, was moving as over 50 people gathered to plan the June 27 events that will mark our leave-taking from St. Hugh and our processing to Mater Christi and then to St. Mary to celebrate our new unity. The Holy Spirit was moving, and people responded to the Spirit’s invitation and guidance as they chose the committees they would serve. The six committees that worked on their plans during the evening accomplished a lot!
he meeting provided the opportunity to begin the plans and identify what each team needs. We are grateful to Todd Williamson, Director of the Office for Divine Worship, Bill Watt, our RMC Project Director, Jeanine and Ted Watylyk from the Music Ministry of Mater Christi and Michael Silhavy, Music Minister at St. Mary for assisting the teams with their expertise. There is much more to do before June and if you would like to assist one of the teams, contact Carole Eipers at ceipers@stmaryriverside.org. And, of course, plan to attend since we are confident the Holy Spirit will be moving and we are sure St. Paul VI will be there too! Rev. Thomas May, Rev. Matthew Nemchausky, and Rev. Robert Marchwiany ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD Our United Parish: Saint Paul VI - Months ago, when we began the process of discerning what the new parish name might be, we asked the Shakesperian question, “What’s in a name?” We are blessed to have the name of Saint Paul VI whose name is rich in meaning and holiness and profound service to the Lord’s Church. The future Pope was born Giovanni Battista Montini in Italy on September 26, 1897. His early education was at home due to his frail health. He was later educated by Jesuits and entered the diocesan seminary. His ordination to the priesthood was on May 29, 1920. Fr. Montini served in Warsaw, but reasons of health meant he was recalled to Rome where he was assigned to the Vatican Secretariat of State. He served there for 31 years with ever-increasing responsibilities. When in Rome, he served as assistant chaplain to the Catholic students at the University of Rome. He served on the personal staff of Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli who later became Pope Pius XII. During World War II, Fr. Montini directed the Vatican’s extensive war relief efforts. He helped to rescue and hide political refugees and engaged the Secretariat of State in its work to resettle displaced persons. In November 1954, Fr. Montini was appointed Archbishop of Milan and was deeply involved in pastoral ministry walking the streets, listening to people’s concerns and calling them to see solutions in the Church’s social teachings. Archbishop Montini visited the parishes of Milan and established an Office of Charity to provide free medical and legal advice to poor people and served the needs of the increasing immigrant population. On June 21, 1963, Cardinal Montini was elected as Pope and took the name Paul VI. During his years as Pope, Paul VI was known for his work with the Second Vatican Council, his commitment to ecumenism, his journeys around the world to proclaim the Gospel, and to promote world peace. What’s in the name Saint Paul VI? There is a legacy of following the Lord’s call in spite of health issues, of serving wherever called, of attention to those most in need, of guiding others in faith in the contemporary world, of working for the unity that Christ prayed for, of “leaving home” to evangelize, and of valiant work for world peace. Which of these dimensions of our namesake might our parish embrace in his honor? Rev. Thomas May, Rev. Matthew Nemchausky, and Rev. Robert Marchwiany ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER “It’s good to meet one another” one participant said entering the first gathering of the three Parish Pastoral Councils on April 19. We had an opportunity to hear the story of each council, their successes and challenges and to share our hopes for the new united parish council. Our thanks to all the councils’ members who attended and who have served so well. One question that arose - as it seems to in every meeting and conversation - is, “Why aren’t people coming to church?” The reasons are complex, of course. Judging is not our business; understanding and responding is our role. Renew My Church has three mission imperatives: to make disciples, build community, and inspire witness. The first imperative, to make disciples, presumes we must be disciples of Jesus since only then can we introduce him to others who seek faith. In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” Our connection to the Lord Jesus is the essential. Our parishes have offered many things, social events, outreach to those in need, ministries and organizations which bring people together in service. Much of what we offer can be found elsewhere. The uniqueness of parish is that it offers Jesus - to those who know him and want to deepen their relationship, to those who do not know him and who, sometimes not consciously, seek him. In “Deus Caritas Est,” Pope emeritus Benedict XVI wrote “Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” Only when we encounter the Lord is his command to “go and make disciples” clear. And, it would seem, only when we embrace his mission do we know the need to be constantly nourished by Jesus. When we are living and proclaiming the Good News we hunger for the Eucharist, the Word of God which encourages us, the community of faith which supports and challenges us. Pope Francis wrote, “Jesus uses the image of the vine and the branches and says, abide in my love, remain attached to me, as the branch is attached to the vine. If we are joined to him, then we are able to bear fruit.” Rev. Thomas May, Rev. Matthew Nemchausky, and Rev. Robert Marchwiany ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER When we began the Renew My Church process, we were given the Prayer for Renew My Church. It has been prayed by our grouping team, at parish meetings, and by individuals. It has been published in our bulletins and echoed in our hearts. In that prayer, we ask Jesus to “pour forth the gift of your Holy Spirit upon us and so enable us” to adopt the attitudes and behaviors that will renew the Church in our area of the archdiocese. Jesus is answering our prayer and the Holy Spirit is working as we move toward a new united future. People from our three parishes are responding to the grace and gift of the Holy Spirit with generosity and selflessness. We pray that the Holy Spirit will enable us to “listen to each other attentively.” As your pastors, we have been meeting together regularly with our Archdiocesan Project Manager, listening to each other and the myriad of details which require our commitment and collaboration. We have endeavored to listen to the concerns of all our parishioners and are inspired as you listen to, comfort and encourage each other. Now we have expanded the pastors’ meeting to include parish staff representatives to join us in listening attentively and work with us on transition details to serve the Lord and his people better. We pray that the Holy Spirit will enable us “to imagine our future boldly” and “to discern your direction wisely.” The Parish Pastoral Councils met together and began to imagine and discern what the new parish council can be and can do. We pray that the Holy Spirit will enable us “to stay together in charity.” Already our women’s groups have reached out to each other. In April, the St. Hugh SCW invited St. Mary CCW and Mater Christi Women’s Guild to join their “Women, Wine, & the Word” event to share Scripture and conversation. The Alpha group, with participants from all three parishes, continued to form bonds of charity, faith and understanding at their retreat day. We pray that the Holy Spirit will enable us to “surrender our own plans readily” and “embrace the greater good.” There is an anonymous quotation which says, “When we pray, we think we are asking God and God thinks we are volunteering.” Come, Holy Spirit! Rev. Thomas May, Rev. Matthew Nemchausky, and Rev. Robert Marchwiany ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER Pope Dionysius once wrote, “Inspired by the Father, each procession of the Light spreads itself generously toward us, and, in its power to unify, it stirs us by lifting us up. It returns us back to the oneness and deifying simplicity of the Father who gathers us in.” Our unification of Saint Hugh, Mater Christi and Saint Mary parishes will be a procession of the Light. On June 27, we will gather at Saint Hugh church at 10:30 am for a unification Mass celebrated by Bishop John Manz. While there is sadness as we leave Saint Hugh, there is hope for our future as well. From Saint Hugh we will process to Mater Christi campus. There, we will pray at the beautiful Mother of Mothers Shrine. We will process to the Mater Christi school building that will become the new parish’s faith formation center. The portrait of Saint Hugh from Saint Hugh church will be installed there. Bishop Manz will dedicate the building which will become the Saint Hugh Faith Formation Center. The new parish will treasure the legacy of Saint Hugh as he oversees new generations of adults, youth and children grow in faith. Then we will process to Saint Mary campus where Bishop Manz will dedicate the Bishop Timothy J. Lyne Pastoral Center. Father Lyne served St. Mary parish and also helped with establishing the mission in North Riverside which would become Mater Christi parish. Our unification celebration will continue in Mary Park where refreshments will be served as CDC and Archdiocesan guidelines allow at that time. (inclement weather site Parish Center) While our procession will likely be by car, it will be a procession of the Light. The Light of God Our Father, the Light of Christ, the Light of the Holy Spirit. It will be a procession of the Light of Saint Hugh and of Mary, Mater Christi. It will be a journey of the people of God, children of the Light, a journey to “return us back to the oneness” we once shared. Please plan to join our unification celebration, to pray, to dedicate our structures - and ourselves - to being light for the world. Rev. Thomas May, Rev. Matthew Nemchausky, and Rev. Robert Marchwiany ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY Today we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. Who among us has not sought God’s mercy and been grateful that God always forgives? Saint Faustina began the devotion to Divine Mercy at Christ’s request. She once wrote, “It is a great thing to know how to make use of the present moment.” The present moment for our parishes is about renewal. It is good to recall that when RMC began for us, our grouping team was invited to share something about their parishes. It was no surprise to hear comments like, “the people here welcomed me,” “there is such a wonderful spirit among us” or “our parish is my family.” No one really mentioned, “We have a great parking lot,” or “The masonry on our buildings is so stunning” or “I love our storage spaces.” The parish is people. Canon Law says, “A parish is a specific community of the Christian faithful, stably constituted in a particular church (i.e., a diocese) whose pastoral care is entrusted to a parochus as its proper pastor, under the authority of the diocesan bishop.” (515.1) But we don’t need Canon Law to tell us what we have all experienced: parish is a loving community, gathering around God’s Word and the sacraments, serving one other, reaching out to those in need and proclaiming Jesus Christ in word and action. It has been said that the Church doesn’t have a mission, the mission has a Church. The mission has a Church and the Church is comprised of parishes. Jesus and his mission are what bind us together, not our buildings or our land. Through Renew My Church we have been asked to determine what will best serve the mission of Jesus Christ in this time and place. The mission is primary, and while the externals can be used to serve the mission, it is, again, the community of people who embody the mission. Today’s first Reading from Acts begins, “The community of believers was of one heart and mind.” May we, as Saint Faustina did, value the present moment, trust in God’s loving mercy and pray that our united parish will be “a community of believers…of one heart and mind.” Blessings, ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - EASTER SUNDAY Our belief in the Resurrection of Jesus is central to our faith and is the assurance of his promise of Eternal Life for all who follow him. We have new life because of Easter - a life full of the hope of our own resurrection one day. Scholars and theologians have long discussed the proofs of Jesus’ Resurrection. Succinctly put, they most commonly name three significant proofs. The first is the empty tomb. Jesus’ body was no longer in the tomb, the burial cloths were neatly placed, and an angel declared “he is not here.” The second proof is Jesus’ multiple appearances to his disciples after his Resurrection. He appeared to Mary Magdalene, the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the ten disciples gathered in the upper room, the eleven disciples gathered (Thomas with them now), and the eleven disciples on the mountain before his Ascension. The third proof of Jesus’ Resurrection is the profound change in his disciples. They had a new, deep joy and a new courage to share Jesus’ message and fulfill his commission to go and make disciples. How will our celebration of Easter change us? New life is offered to us, Jesus’ current disciples. We are offered new joy, new courage, new possibilities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. For us, as for Jesus’ first disciples, Easter means accepting the new life Jesus offers being willing to embrace the change. The Renew My Church process echoes the whole Paschal Mystery. There has been pain and some dying but already new life is coming forth as people from St. Hugh, Mater Christi and St. Mary begin uniting. Our religious education leaders have begun to work together for a new future. Our music ministers have begun to talk about ways our liturgies will be a uniting force. Our Alpha group is already a collaborative effort with people from all three parishes participating. Our women’s groups have begun conversations to preserve and grow what is best in each one together. Soon our Parish Pastoral Councils will meet and share our stories of what has been and plan for what we hope to become. We are in the process of choosing a new name to announce the reality of the new life in our united parish family. For the new life we are beginning to experience to grow depends on the willingness of each of us to foster and nourish that new life. Consider visiting one of the churches for liturgy and praying with that community. Pray each day for the people of our new united parish. Jesus didn’t rise from the cross. He rose from the tomb. Our tomb time is over if we but open ourselves to the new life that Jesus has won for us all! Blessed Easter! - Rev. Thomas May, Rev. Matthew Nemchausky, and Rev. Robert Marchwiany ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - HOLY WEEK Holy Week 2021 begins today and throughout this week we will focus on the Paschal Mystery - the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and eventually we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus Christ. Through the liturgies of Holy Week we will be intimately connected to Jesus and all he experienced. We will remember again his being servant to the apostles as he washed their feet and gave his Body and Blood in the First Eucharist. We will recall his Passion, from the unjust judgement through to the crucifixion. Then we will rejoice together on Easter and celebrate that even death has been overcome and Eternal Life is real. We not only celebrate the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ, we are called then to live it as well. We all know the little, and sometimes big, experiences of suffering, of loss, of deaths. We all know, too, of the risings that can come through God’s grace and our faith in him. There is life again, though not the same as before perhaps, but life, new life, nonetheless. Where are we in this Holy Week, colored by the Renew My Church decisions? Jesus was faithful to his Father’s will and trusted, even through suffering, that in the end, love and life would triumph. Jesus, as they say, “kept his eyes on the prize.” Through the hardships of change and the crosses of loss, we can, like Jesus, be faithful. The purpose of Renew My Church is not pain but the promise of new life for the mission of the Church. As Spring arrives, we focus on the beautiful flowers that begin to open, not the seeds which had to die. Can we focus on the new life of our united parish and not what has to change to bring about that new life? Our new parish holds the promise of the Good News of Jesus Christ being proclaimed and lived more fully. Our new parish means the opportunity to share the Good News with those who have not yet experienced the hope of life - now and eternally. If we keep our eyes on that prize, the pain will seem much less significant than the glory that is to come! Author and Spiritual Director Ruth Haley Barton wrote, “We’re willing to wax eloquent about the Paschal Mystery one weekend a year, as long as we’re not the one doing the dying.” We are all called to new life, but it can’t be attained without crosses along the way. There is an anonymous quote that says, “I am the cross-vine. Your cross, rooted in mine, redeems the world.” Blessed Holy Week, blessed Paschal Mystery! ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - WHAT'S IN A NAME? See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? Our Lord is at work in a special way within our parish community and He is creating something new for all of us. As we move forward, part of this work is identifying a name for the new parish we are forming with St. Mary and St. Hugh. This is an opportunity to look forward with a new beginning and, as such, step forward together with a new name that reflects the faith, hope and love of the entire, new and larger community. We have a group that will help lead this process and are gathering suggestions. We invite everyone in our parish to participate in this process – recognizing that there are canonical (Church) rules around what is allowable. Currently, we are beginning the process of naming our new parish by asking for input from parishioners on what ideas they have about what they would like the new name to be. Documents explaining the process and paper copies of the new name survey are in the vestibule of church. These documents and an online survey form are available above. Cardinal Cupich makes the final decision on the parish name. It is important to know that individual churches, the specific worship sites coming together, retain their names. So, what would that look and sound like? An example is St. Cyprian Church at St. Mother Theodore Guerin Parish. A few more words than we are used to, for sure. But the beauty in this is the fact that the beloved names of the churches and sites remain, while we all get to contribute to the naming of our new, collective parish community. In scripture, when God bestows a new name on someone it is always as part of a new mission – a new work that He has in mind for that person to build up His kingdom. The following passage from Isaiah is a wonderful reminder of the importance of a name and that God is faithful and will be with us as we move forward in this journey: But now says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name. You are mine. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you… Fear not, for I am with you.” - Isaiah 43: 1, 4, 5 The process of renewal is an emotional one. For many of us, it is a time of significant change. The naming of a new parish is just one piece, with more new beginnings to come, such as the assignment of new pastors for newly formed parishes. Father Tom May will be the Pastor of the newly formed parish and Father Matthew Nemchausky will be the Associate Pastor of the newly parish. For now, let us continue to trust in the Lord and prayerfully discern possibilities for our new parish name. The team spearheading this effort will continue to keep everyone apprised of the process and developments. And know that, ultimately, we belong to Christ and through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit we will be renamed in love just as Simon was when Jesus gave him the new name of Peter. ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - DECISION ANNOUNCEMENT AND NEXT STEPS Dear Parishioners of St. Hugh, St. Mary, Mater Christi, and St. Pius X, When we entered the Renew My Church process, we began to pray the Renew My Church prayer. We prayed, “Pour out the gift of your Holy Spirit upon us…” Throughout the RMC process, we have all endeavored to be open to the Holy Spirit and to trust that the Spirit would lead us. We are proud of our parishes’ RMC Teams and of all of you who participated in the meetings, gave us your feedback and prayed for this process to serve the future of the Church. Cardinal Cupich, with input from all of us and from his RMC Archdiocesan Team and from the Presbyteral Council, has made his decision. Parts of the decision are not easy to hear and there will be a time of grieving for all of us. But we prayed the Holy Spirit would help us to “surrender our own plans readily.” We continue that prayer even as we mourn the losses we may feel. Parish demographics and the boundary of Harlem Avenue resulted in the decision to have St. Pius X join the discernment grouping with parishes in Cicero/Berwyn later this year. We remain united with St. Pius in spirit as we move toward the renewal of all our communities. As a newly unified faith community, we are committed to welcoming the gifts and talents of all parishioners of St. Hugh, St. Mary and Mater Christi and we respect and honor the history and traditions of each parish. The unification of our parishes is to ensure continued stability and vitality as the future unfolds. In the RMC prayer we also prayed that the Holy Spirit would enable us “to embrace the greater good, to hand on your gifts to future generations.” As your pastors, we stand united in our commitment to the greater good and to the future of the Church in our area of the archdiocese. We will work together to ensure our movement to the “new reality” is done with care and with patience and with concern for each person in every parish. We cannot do this alone. We ask all our parishioners first to pray that in the months of transition we remain faithful, wise and compassionate. We ask too that each of you reach out to any parishioners who are hurting and offer support and encouragement. The virtue most needed for the coming months is patience. As pastors, we don’t yet have all the answers about what changes will occur. RMC is still a process and each step is based on the information we glean, always with unity our goal and relying on God’s grace. The RMC prayer closed with “May we remain in the holy company of the Blessed Virgin Mary…” and we add and the company of St. Hugh and St. Pius X, “may their example and presence inspire us with confidence in the work of your grace.” With you in prayer, > RENEW MY CHURCH DECISION LETTER / NEXT STEPS (PDF) ------------------------------------------------------- BULLETIN LETTER FROM FATHER MATTHEW By the time you are reading this, you should know the Cardinal’s Renew My Church decision for our grouping. As we hear the decision we might be sad or angry or say: It is what it is. Those feelings are common and they make sense. I remember a line from a child psychologist whose response to her patients would often be: I’d be worried if you weren’t feeling that way. Yet, with those feelings, we are also called to act and prepare for the future. We are starting to organize our parish council and with the council or in addition to it, a group to help prepare for the new reality for the next few weeks after the Annual Catholic Appeal. The pastors in our grouping will be writing articles about the key themes and attitudes. Unity - staying together in the midst of change, etc. “Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your Apostles, ‘I leave you peace, My Peace I give you.’ Look not on our sins, but rather on the faith of your Church and grant us the Peace and Unity of your Kingdom where you live and reign forever and ever.” Amen. This is about us - This is about “our unity together” as two (or more) parishes. It is not about the Archdiocese. We can do this together for the strength of the Catholics in our area. We can do this together! - This is a new time for our parish in connection with our neighboring parishes. We can do this together! Hope - Our Catholic faith rests on the gift of Jesus’ Resurrection. We are people of hope! Recall the Pascal Mystery Retreat that the grouping team attended. While there is a death to what was, we believe there is profound hope in what will become. We Accompany One Another - While there is sadness and unknown, we are all walking with one another and will continue to walk with one another. Discipleship - Discipleship means that we “Pray, Grow, Serve and Share”. If this is our core, we focus on that discipleship and not as much on where we live out that discipleship. Change - There will be change, and we will walk into that change together. While change is usually never welcome, it is necessary for our growth! The only people that really like change, are wet babies. From Maintenance to Mission - Uniting and consolidating resources is the first step in our journey from just maintaining what we have, to being Disciples on Mission in the name of Jesus. May God Bless You Today and Always, ------------------------------------------------------- If you have additional questions or comments, please continue to use the feedback box located at the back of the church, email them to businessoffice@materchristichurch.com or any of the listed Mater Christi Renew My Church Team members…
We will continue to update with information as quickly as we can through Town Halls, our website, the bulletins, and our Facebook page. Similarly, Fr. Matt will continue to update parishioners during Mass, which can be viewed online. Finally, please keep the Renew My Church Team, the Parishioners of Mater Christi, the parishes of our grouping, and the Church as a whole in your prayers as we continue to discern the path to creating an even stronger church community at the conclusion of the Renew My Church process. Faithfully yours, ------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH - CHRONOLOGICAL UPDATES
------------------------------------------------------- RENEW MY CHURCH GROUPING PARISHES Our Grouping Parishes are
------------------------------------------------------- A PRAYER FOR “RENEW MY CHURCH” Lord Jesus, you speak to us today, as you spoke to holy men and women who have gone before us. In every age and in our own time, you call to us and say: Renew My Church. Pour out the gift of your Holy Spirit upon us, and so enable us to hear you clearly, to listen to each other attentively, to imagine our future boldly, to discern your direction wisely, to persevere in your holy will courageously, to stay together in charity, to surrender our own plans readily, to embrace the greater good, to hand on your gifts to future generations. May we remain in the holy company of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the apostles, and all the saints. May their example and presence inspire us with patient confidence in the work of your grace. We ask this of you who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. -------------------------------------------------------
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