News and Events at St.
Germaine
On this page: Spiritual
Reflections
, Parish Bulletins , Teen
Website , School Website
, Ornament
, Book
Discussion , Spiritual
Gatherings , Inquiry
Group , Religious
Education , Parish
Census , Funeral Liturgy
,
Ministry of Praise
, Holy Name
News , Women's Club News
,
School
Board News ,
Ministers Needed
, ( Ushers , Sacristans
,
Ministry
of Care , Eucharistic
Ministers , Choir
, PADS
Volunteers ), Health
Cabinet ,
Memorial Walkway , Matching
Gifts , SuCasa ,
Vincent
de Paul Society , Book
of Intentions
,
Remembering
the Military ,
St.Germaine
- Interactive ,
Useful information from previous bulletin articles
and other parish
communications can now be found in the Archives
and Reference Page.
REFLECTIONS
Check out a reflection
on Matthew's
Gospel and one
on Ordinary
Time. A
reflection on Forgiveness
is also available. Read or download the complete text of Fr. Furlan's
four articles about Sunday Mass and Communion
in a PDF format.
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BULLETINS
ONLINE
The weekly parish bulletin can now be viewed online. Many of
the
announcements usually found on this page can be found in the bulletin.
Highlights of parish activities will still be available on this page.
If you would like a copy of a previous week's bulletin, please send an
e-mail with the date of the bulletin desired and your e-mail address to
the webpage
manager. PDF
files of bulletins are available beginning with the October 3, 2004
issue. The Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to view the bulletins. Get
Adobe
Acrobat Reader 
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TEEN
WEBSITE
A Special Website has been set up for St. Germaine's Teen
Activities including the Club Chill, FRESH Retreat and other
events
for the young people of St. Germaine parish. BACK
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SCHOOL
WEBSITE
St. Germaine Elementary School now has its own Website.
Check it out!! BACK
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ST.
GERMAINE HAND-BLOWN
ORNAMENT ( There are a limited quantity left)
Artist John Tolley lives in St.
Cajetan parish
with his wife Christine
and their four sons. When a serious injury prohibited him from
continuing his work as a Chicago Police officer, he founded
“Tolley and
Son” and began to offer his artwork for sale.
Several years ago he began designing glass ornaments for Disney, Warner
Brothers, and for fund-raising events. In the first two years he helped
raise over $175,000.00 with his glass designs.
John created one side of the St. Germaine ornament as an image of the
stained glass window behind the altar. The other side pictures the
statue of St. Germaine on the southwest corner outside the church
with the inscription "Donated by the Children of St.
Germaine.”
Each ornament costs $20, and each is a hand-made work of art, to be
enjoyed for many years to dome. They may be purchased at the Parish
Center or by calling 708.636-5060.
John hopes everyone enjoys their glass keepsake and looks forward to
creating future designs.
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MONTHLY
SPIRITUAL GATHERINGS
The gatherings take place on the first Monday of each month
from
9:15
AM to 10:15 AM in the Sheridan Room from October to May. The 2008-2009
theme of these
meetings will be The Beatitudes. Watch for a new starting
date. Everyone is
welcome to come. BACK
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CATHOLIC
INQUIRY GROUP
Are you interested in
learning more about
the Catholic Faith?
Have you considered joining the Catholic Church, but never took the
time for further inquiry?
If you are interested, or would like to know more details, please call
Carol Conway (708-636‑5060) BACK
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FUNERAL LITURGY MATERIALS
A booklet containing materials
for planning
funeral liturgies is
available in the Parish Center.
Parishioners needing help plannig a funeral liturgy can call Mary Anne
Cannon at 708-636-5060.
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MINISTRY
OF PRAISE COMMITTEE
This ministry provides the opportunity for
people to
unite through prayer without leaving your home. Anyone is welcome to
join. There are no meetings to attend. Members are asked to include the
intention of the month and the parish prayer of the month in their
daily prayers. Both can be found in the bulletin. If you are not
registered as a Minister of Praise and would like to become one, please
call Kath Rimac at the Parish Center 708-636-5060. BACK
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ST. GERMAINE HOLY NAME SOCIETY
NEWS
View this year's Calendar
for the Holy Name Society
(To view this document you need Adobe
Acrobat Reader)
HNS dues reminder:
It is
that time of year when the
annual HNS membership dues are collected. If you are a member or would
like to become a member and have not yet paid your dues, there is an
envelope in your packet that can be used.
If you do not have that envelope, simply write your name and "Holy Name
dues" on a plain white envelope and put it in the regular Sunday
collection basket. Annual dues are $10.00. BACK TO TOP
CHATTER
THAT MATTERS FROM THE WOMEN'S CLUB
MEMBERSHIP
Annual dues are
$7.00 payable to St. Germaine Women's Club by check or cash. Please
place your dues in an envelope marked "Women's Club Dues", along with
your name, address and phone number, and drop it in the Sunday
collection basket or at the Parish Center.
The annual flower sale will take place in May 2009. Order
forms will be available here.
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SCHOOL BOARD
NEW
FAMILIES:The School Board encourages all who
know of new
families moving into
the Parish to tell them about our school and suggest they take a guided
tour.
GIFTS:
Financial gifts to the school in memory of a loved one, or
through a Will or Trust are wonderful ways to help Catholic education
remain affordable.
SCHOOL
BROCHURE Be sure to pick up a copy of our new
school brochure or check it out on the School
Web Page. We are grateful for the time, talent, and expertise
of
the School Board Brochure Committee. We now have an outstanding,
beautiful, full color brochure to highlight our school.
Heartfelt
thanks to: Julie Clarke, Ann Marie Toloza, Jinjer Jordan, Kevin Reedy
and Debbie Heine.
ENDOWMENT FUND:
Please help
support the St.
Germaine
Education Endowment Fund by
purchasing an engraved brick on the St. Germaine Memorial
Walkway. What
a wonderful way to honor someone you care
about! Proceeds
from the
Memorial Walkway will help ensure the viability of our School
and
Religious Education ministries Orders forms are
available at and
payment may be
submitted to the Parish Center.
CONGRATULATIONS
If anyone
knows of any students (past or
present)
from
St. Germaine School who is being acknowledged for an achievement please
contact Mr. Reedy.
Please watch channel 43 on cable
TV for periodic
announcements
about St. Germaine Parish and School. If your organization would like
to
announce an event, go to the community bulletin board at www.accesschannel.com
and place a free ad! We do!
The School Board would like to
thank the children for
using their new time/talent/treasure envelopes at Mass and encourage
them
to continure.
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HELP WANTED
USHERS
We are in need of additional ushers for our weekend
masses.
Assignments would be scheduled for the mass you normally attend.
In addition volunteers are needed to work the Ushers Room one
Sunday a month. Please come join a friendly, happy,
sociable family. If interested please contact the
Parish
Center or Russell Klatt. BACK
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JOIN THE
SACRISTAN BRIGADE!
St. Germaine is in need of sacristans. Sacristans help keep
our
church beautiful, and prepare it for Sunday Liturgies.
If you have one or two mornings a week, and would like to join us in
this ministry to our parish, please call Barb.
Thank you for considering this ministry. BACK
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MINISTERS
OF CARE
The Ministry of Care at St. Germaine is a source
of
pride. More than 90 of our parishioners receive Communion in
their homes. With the generosity of dedicated volunteers we
are
able to provide this service every Sunday. This sets us apart
from many parishes where the homebound are visited less frequently
because of a lack of volunteers. This ministry only
requires an hour of your time for training and about 90 minutes of your
time one Sunday per Month. This ministry is so important to those we
serve and it is very
rewarding for those who volunteer. If you think this is
something
you could do for our parish family, please call Kath Rimac at
636-6647. BACK
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EUCHARISTIC MINISTRY
The Family of St. Germaine is
seeking candidates
to serve as
Eucharistic Ministers.
If you are interested in serving our family by participating in this
rewarding ministry, please contact any of the following persons; Andrea
Klatt, Russell Klatt or Don Stanner at. BACK
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CHOIR
MEMBERS
MEN SHOULD JOIN THE CHOIR BECAUSE:
From your special seats you get to play a game of who’s
sleeping and
who's not!
If you think your singing in the shower sounds good now, just wait till
you’ve been singing with us a few weeks.
Singing in the choir is one of the few activities for men that does not
require electronic equipment or expensive power tools.
For the fitness buffs, singing in the choir is not only heart healthy,
it’s soul healthy.
If you think you’ve done everything there is to do, and there
are no
great challenges left in life, try singing with us guys and staying on
pitch.
Choir rehearsals last half as long as a professional football game.
When people ask you whether you have been behaving yourself, you can
say with the utmost sincerity, “Hey, I am a choir
boy.”
Our parish needs you!
Our world-renowned
parish choir is seeking new voices. No experience is necessary,
training will be provided. Interested persons are invited to join them
on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM in the church to find our what
it's all about. BACK
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VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED FOR PADS
HOMELESS SHELTERS
Do you know where you will be
sleeping tonight?
Unfortunately,
many men, women and children in our area do not.
South Suburban PADS (Public
Action to Deliver Shelter)
is seeking volunteers to
prepare the food for its
shelters in the southwest
suburbs.
Currently, shelter is provided on 6 nights a week in 6 different
churches
in Oak Lawn, Burbank, Alsip, Worth and Palos Hills. Please call Volunteer Coordinator Debbie Will at
708-532-4116
to sign up or receive more information.
Saint Germaine parishioners
provide and serve dinner on the second
Sunday of each month at the southwest Chicago PADS at 3121 West 71st
St., across from Marquette Park. To help, call Mary Trant 708-424-8926.
In addition, many parishioners volunteer weekly or monthly to
help sort
clothes, make lunches, etc. Help is needed! Call PADS at 773-737-7070. BACK
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HEALTH CABINET NEWS
We believe in health
promotion and disease prevention. If you are
a health care professional, interested in health of body, mind and
spirit,
please call the Parish Center at 708-636-5060 and leave your name and
phone
number. National
Health Observances are
days, weeks, or months
devoted to promoting particular health concerns. For the observances
for
the month of June and other health related information, read some
of
the
articles
from the Health Cabinet.
Jo Noak, R.N.
Nursing/Health Cabinet
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ST.
GERMAINE MEMORIAL
WALKWAY
The Kolin Avenue Entrance to St. Germaine Church has been
reconstructed with over 1300 eight by eight inch paver bricks. Some of
these
bricks have been engraved with messages honoring loved ones, or
commemorating special events. Parishioners and friends are invited to
engrave their message on a brick for a contribution of $150 to the St.
Germaine Education Endowment Fund. The 8” x 8”
memorial
bricks has been placed at the Kolin Street entrance of our church. They
look very impressive, and we thank all the donors for your
support of our Educational Endowment Fund. More than $60,000 has been
raised through this effort There are, of course, many bricks still
available. More information is to be found in the church lobby, or by
calling the Parish Center at 708-636-5060. BACK TO
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EMPLOYER
MATCHING GIFTS
“Employer Matching Gifts” is a wonderful
way to increase the
financial support of St. Germaine Parish and School. Several
parishioners have already utilized this option whereby employers match
all or a portion of a parishioner's gift. If your employer offers such
a program, please contact the Parish Center to see if your gift can be
structured to meet the eligibility guidelines established by your
employer. Each company has its own guidelines for employees to follow.
A form submitted to St. Germaine initiates most matches. By taking
advantage of your company's matching gift benefit, you can generate an
additional gift that may double or triple your contribution. To find
out if your company has a matching gift program and learn the specifics
of requesting a match from your company, please contact your Human
Resources department. They may also provide you with the required form.
Then, simply fill in the necessary information and send it to St.
Germaine. Matching gifts are coordinated through the Parish
Center. Please contact John Brdecka at
708-636-5060. BACK TO
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ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY
To all of you who, Sunday after Sunday,
place a
contribution in the St. Vincent dePaul poor boxes . . . Thank you. We
appreciate your allowing us to be a channel of your charity. On behalf
of the poor we assist, thank you once again. Please be our eyes and
ears to tell us of a family that needs
assistance, and call the Parish Center at 708-636-5060.
Thank
you! BACK
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BOOK OF
INTENTIONS
A “Book of Intentions” has been
placed in the church in the
area of
the Holy Family Shrine.
We invite the members of our parish family to write their specific
prayer intentions in this book. These intentions will then be
remembered (in general) during the prayers of the faithful at our
Masses. The intentions may include the names of those for whom you want
prayers or any special needs that you or someone else may have. Once
you have written an intention in the book, there is no need to enter it
again. Please do not repeat the same intention over and over.
Although the names of those who are sick may be entered in the book, we
will continue to mention the names of those who are hospitalized and/or
close to death (if they so desire) in our prayers of the faithful. We
will also continue to pray for those who have recently died by name.
The names of the sick which have appeared in the bulletin will now be
entered in the book.
Homebound parishioners should contact Kath Rimac (708-636-6647) to have
their intentions added to the book. We encourage the members of our
parish to check the book from time to time and to pray for the needs
written in it. Please DO NOT access the book (either to write or read
intentions) during Mass. BACK TO
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REMEMBERING
OUR MILITARY
PERSONNEL
Parishioners who have a family members
currently
serving
in the armed forces are invited to call Kath Rimac (at 708-636-5060)
with
information about them. Please remember in your prayers these men who
are
in the Armed Forces at this time and have family members in our parish:
BRENDAN FASSL, KEVIN FASSL,
PATRICK FISHER, JOHN PAUL
KLATT, JOSEPH MALUCK, ADAM SWARTZ, WILLIAM SYRING, JR. The
names of these men and women will
also be
published on the parish bulletin board so that our
parish family can remember them in prayer during this risky time. BACK
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ST.GERMAINE
INTERACTIVE
A new feature has been added to our parish
web
site.
A "YAHOO Group" called St.
Germaine - Interactive has been set up. Members
and friends
of
St. Germaine's Parish Family are invited to join this group where they
can post messages for other visitors to the page. Other
features
are available including a section for pictures and a calendar. Pictures
from Cardinal George's visit on December 15, 2002 and the Choir
Christmas
Concert
on December 13, 2002 and the Parish Picnic of 2003 can now be found in
the "Photos"
section.