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Fr. Joe McCormick
PastorMarch 19, 2023
The Solemn Feast of St. Joseph falls on March 19 every year. St. Joseph is celebrated as the Patron of the Universal Church. Because March 19 falls on a Sunday of Lent this year, the liturgical celebration of the feast this year is moved to Monday, March 20.
I have always found it rather ironic that St. Joseph, my personal patron saint, is remembered and reverenced with such great solemnity even though he actually has no spoken words in the Gospels. In fact, he only appears in one of the Gospels -- St. Matthew’s -- as a significant person in the story of Jesus’ conception and birth. So, what is it about Joseph of Matthew’s Gospel that has prompted such a strong tradition about him and so great a reverence for him? FAITH!
But not so much the kind of faith that we think of when we use the expression “THE faith.” In this latter sense, “the faith” refers to the many doctrinal concepts of our religious tradition that we learn and give intellectual consent to. These are good and helpful and enlightening. But, as Fr. Richard Fragomeni pointed out in his presentation in our parish Lenten series, even a non-believer can learn and know “THE faith” in this sense.
But for believers, “faith” also and most importantly refers to that relationship of trust that the believer has with the Lord experienced most significantly in prayer and reflection. This aspect of faith is what we celebrate in the life of St. Joseph. He showed a great trust in the message he received from God in a dream that he was called to be the husband and protector of the pregnant Mary… even though he was so confused and troubled by her pregnancy. In another dream, he was missioned to flee with Mary and the Baby to escape the treacheries of King Herod.
The importance of the dreams of St. Joseph remind us of the important dreams of an earlier Joseph, son of Jacob in the Old Testament. Because of that Joseph’s dreams and his wisdom in interpreting dreams, he became a great leader who saved and protected his family and the Hebrews from famine.
Sometimes our dreams can contain only wild, fantastic and unintelligible images (such as the Oscar-winning film “Everything Everywhere All at Once” were for me). But sometimes, our dreams can surface needs, concerns or unresolved issues that we don’t acknowledge in our waking hours. And it is only for each one of us to acknowledge and interpret the possible meaning of our personal dreams (though sometimes with the help of another).
May all the hopes and dreams we have for ourselves and our loved ones be grounded in our trusting faith in the Lord, in imitation of St. Joseph.
March 5, 2023
You may know that the word “lent” comes from the Old English word “lecten,” which means “spring.” Here in our northern hemisphere, the Church’s season of Lent coincides with the season of Spring. In our springtime, all of nature gets reborn as we near Easter Sunday (even though in Chicago we can still get some cold or snow even into April). The first sight of crocus popping out of the soil—even if through some snow--is received with great joy and hope that the cold and nature’s death-like look of winter is passing.
In a similar way, the Church’s customs and traditions of Lent are meant to foster a renewal within and among us. We might give up something for Lent as a way to allow some craving or ache to remind us that our deepest desires are fulfilled only in Christ and his promises. Our Lenten fasting can also help us identify with Christ’s fasting in the desert for those forty days before he began his public ministry. And our added Lenten acts of service or charity reflect our desire to live by the teachings of Jesus to serve those in need.
While every one of us chooses our own personal Lenten sacrifices, I am most impressed by the large number of parishioners who choose to attend the 9:00 am Mass on Fridays of Lent and stay for the Stations of the Cross following the Mass. For those who are free to do so, I encourage this Lenten practice. The Fridays of Lent, as “little Good Fridays,” are marked by the Church with the traditional abstinence from meat. And, so, Friday is a good day to make some special sacrifice out of reverence for the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
May this Lenten season be a springtime of renewal for our faith and our following of Christ through his Passion and Death into his Resurrection glory.
The Lenten Fast Lane
From Fr. Joe’s February 25-26 Homily
Author Unknown
Fast from judging others;
Feast on Christ dwelling in them.
Fast from fear of illness;
Feast on the healing power of God.
Fast from words that pollute;
Feast on speech that purifies.
Fast from discontent;
Feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger;
Feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism;
Feast on hope.
Fast from negatives;
Feast on encouragement.
Fast from bitterness;
Feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern;
Feast on compassion.
Fast from suspicion;
Feast on truth.
Fast from gossip;
Feast on purposeful silence.
Fast from problems that overwhelm;
Feast on prayer that sustains.
Fast from anxiety;
Feast on faith.
February 19, 2023
There is a phrase sometimes used to criticize (jokingly?) someone who is lazy: “couch potato.” It’s a caricature of a lazy person as one who sits all day on a couch just watching TV. I’ve heard some priests and lay leaders rephrase this as “pew potato” to refer to those who attend Mass but do nothing else in the parish. However, this is an unfair characterization.
Sometimes a hidden personal weakness due to age or some health condition keeps a person from volunteer activity. But such people are usually quite generous with their monetary contributions. Or, they may have simply scaled down their previous active involvement in the parish as they age hoping younger persons will replace them (a hope we might all share!). We should be grateful for the earlier service of these good folks and commit to affirming them today.
But I have also become so aware that so many of our parishioners perform a great deal of Christian service outside of the parish and mostly unseen to parish leadership. Many are taking care of grandchildren. Others are caregivers for aging relatives or friends. Of course, many also are active in other service organizations outside of the parish… Meals on Wheels, school assistants and parents clubs, pantry volunteers, scouting, etc. So, it’s more understandable to accept how these folks may have less time for parish volunteering.
And, yet, every parish is so very reliant on its volunteers to assure that the parish can be faithful to its role of fostering worship, service and community life. So, I DO encourage our parishioners--especially the younger ones and the younger, healthy seniors--to find ways to volunteer in the parish. As we emerge from the pandemic, we are really rebuilding the parish. And we need so many to volunteer not only their “treasure” (i.e., money) but also their “time and talent.” If you can volunteer some of your time to the parish and would like to consider how, please feel free to contact any of our Pastoral Staff or parish lay volunteer leadership to discuss possibilities.
Because our parish volunteers are so important, the parish’s Pastoral Staff hosts this weekend our first “Parish Volunteer Appreciation Celebration.” Thanks to the scores of parishioners who have volunteered any amount of time to the parish in the past year (and their patient spouses!), St. Bernard’s is what it is today. We are St. Bernard’s—Together we are Church. Thank you volunteers!
February 5, 2023
At our Masses this weekend, we offer the traditional Blessing of Throats in memory of St. Blaise who, as both a medical doctor and spiritual doctor, was known for his extraordinary power to bring healing to the sick and suffering.
Blaise lived and worked as a physician in the region of modern-day Armenia. He was also known for his strong Christian faith at a time when many Christians were still being persecuted. When the local bishop died, Blaise was chosen as his successor by the acclamation of the people…a common way for bishops to be chosen in those early years of Christianity.
In time, he was martyred for his faith. The tradition claims that, as he was being led to his martyrdom, a distraught mother begged him to heal her son who was choking on a fish bone. His prayers for him brought about a healing. Thus, St. Blaise has been remembered as a patron of those struggling with illness, especially throat ailments. And, so, the throat blessing offered on or near his annual feast on February 3 has been an old tradition.
The true sacrament of healing in the life of the Church, of course, is the Anointing of the Sick offered to anyone who is suffering with any physical illness or condition. We offer it to patients in the hospital and care facilities as well as to persons who are homebound temporarily or more permanently. Here at St. Bernard’s, we offer the sacrament at a communal celebration during a weekend Mass usually in the fall. When this sacrament is offered to someone who is nearing the end of life, it is often referred to as the Last Rites.
The Anointing of the Sick (a sacrament) and the Blessing of Throats (a sacramental) both express the Church’s mission to reflect the great compassion of Jesus himself for those struggling with ill health. So many of his miracles are healings of one kind or another.
As disciples of Jesus, we each are called to make every effort to speak and act in ways that foster healing and harmony. At the same time, we need to avoid words and actions that aggravate pain and divisiveness in our relationships and in society as a whole. As we get our throats blessed, let that blessing be a guard against harsh words that can come out of our throats and mouths.
January 15, 2023
This week’s bulletin includes a flyer announcing something new for St. Bernard’s. The flyer includes an invitation to a celebration for St. Bernard’s many volunteers and their spouses. It is only because of the parish’s many members who have given of their time and talent in the past year that St. Bernard’s is as strong and vibrant as it is today. And we are also grateful to the spouses of our many volunteers for supporting their spouses’ volunteer efforts. And, so, our parish Pastoral Staff will host this Volunteer Appreciation Celebration on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday.
St. Bernard parish community is blessed to have so many helping to foster the worship, faith formation, service and community-building that is the mission of the parish. It can be easy to forget—or just not realize--how many people there are whose volunteer time and talent goes into these many activities. Today’s bulletin flyer attempts to identify the many different groups of parish members whose volunteer time and talent make us what we are.While some of the parish groups may have their own celebrations among themselves, we see a value in bringing together the members from ALL our parish groups to recognize each other and celebrate what we have been building together here at St. Bernard.
Now there may be some among you who wonder whether they are included in this invitation. They may think to themselves “Well, I did help this past year working on this or that parish project, but it wasn’t all that much. So, this party is probably really not for me.” If you are thinking this way, then YES! YOU ARE INVITED! As we said regarding the size of monetary donations to the recent capital campaign…No gift is too small! The same goes for volunteer time and talent.
I truly look forward to celebrating with St. Bernard’s corps/core of active members. So, sign up today!
January 1, 2023
The new year brings hope for St. Bernard’s continual renewal of faith and restoration of parish activity and ministry after the long pandemic. The 50% increase in our Christmas Mass attendance over last year was a strong sign of the continuing return to in-person Mass participation. The holiday’s successful and fun-filled return of the White Elephant Christmas party for women of the parish will hopefully prompt some of the other activities for women in the new year. The parish Music Director, Julie Kane, has expanded the music ministry this season with the return of the Christmas concert and the addition of the Hand Chime Ensemble.
An important aspect of the parish’s return to normalcy in the new year will be a renewal of the parish’s Pastoral Council (aka Parish Council). With so many of the parish’s activities and programs curtailed during the pandemic, the Pastoral Council went into a long recess of almost three years. During this recess, some of us in leadership have been reconsidering the role of this advisory leadership group. For much of its history, the Pastoral Council has been a forum for representatives from some of the parish groups to report their plans and activities. So it has functioned as a coordinating body for parish life.
As we move forward, we hope the Pastoral Council will shift its focus from coordinating to more of a planning group for the parish. The new Pastoral Council will be charged with assessing ongoing needs of the parish community and planning how those needs and concerns can be met by modifying current activities or promoting new ones.
With this new direction in mind, I have asked the Facilities Task Force to transition into the new Pastoral Council. This Facilities Task Force has collaborated with me for the past several years assessing the parish’s current physical facilities and how they might be improved and expanded to accommodate the needs of our parish life today and into the future. Now that those plans are pretty much in place with our architect and contractors, this same group will re-direct its focus from planning for the physical facilities to planning for the various programs, ministries and activities of the parish as the new Pastoral Council.
While the majority of the new Pastoral Council will consist of the former Facilities Task Force members, we will be seeking some additional new members to help represent the various demographics of the parish. And all the members will serve a particular term of up to three years on the Pastoral Council before being replaced. This procedure is recommended as a way to help keep the group and its ideas fresh. At this time, we would welcome from the parish at large any additional names to consider for this important leadership group of the parish.
December 18, 2022
Christmas is meant to be a time of great joy and hope as families and friends gather in a variety of ways to celebrate and renew the love, the traditions, and the memories of these cherished relationships. Of course, such celebrations are rooted in the birth of the Savior and the great hope that event brought to the world. Certainly we wish that Christmas can be all this and more for you.
But we also acknowledge that for many Christmas is a difficult time. Perhaps, it is the very festivity of the feast that highlights the often contrasting experience of hardship for some. Christmas can be a time when the hardship of losses can be accentuated. The loss of a job can drain resources and prevent the usual gift-giving. The grief from the loss of a recently departed loved one can resurface rather acutely with the empty seat at the table. The loss of health can limit one’s ability to be with others and lead to some loneliness as well as anxiety. Then, of course, the war-torn parts of the world are overwhelmed by the destruction and atrocities of such tragedy.
For those who struggle at this time there is still reason to hope. The original Christmas story has been so romanticized and sanitized over time. It can be helpful to remember that Jesus was born into poverty. There had been scandalous rumors about his mother. There was talk of divorce. The holy man predicted that a sword of sorrow would pierce the heart of the baby’s mother. His new family became homeless and had to flee the violence that was threatening.
And, yet, due to the trust and courage of Mary and Joseph, hope survived through it all. The child survived and grew in wisdom and strength. And the challenges that surrounded his birth prepared his family for what was still to come.
Hope grows not when everything is perfect, but when things aren’t thanks to the perseverance that comes with trust and courage. So, even if and when Christmas cannot be merry, it can always be a time for new hope. I pray that gift comes to all this season.
December 4, 2022
After our parish Thanksgiving Day Mass, I drove to Crown Point, IN to join our retired and infirm Augustinian friars for their noontime Thanksgiving meal with turkey and all the fixings. Currently, there are nineteen friars in our retirement community. They live in the context of St. Anthony Village, a large senior care facility with all levels of care for mostly lay people. We have several friars in the independent area, the assisted living area and in the skilled care area.
Fr. Tom Osborne, OSA, who had been living in our St. Bernard Friary house with Fr. Terry Deffenbaugh and me, moved to our retirement community a few months ago as he started to need some additional assistance.
Like most other religious order priests, brother and sisters, we Augustinians do not get a pension when we retire. We do get Medicare and Social Security at the minimum level…about $500/mo. And those in skilled care are able to be funded by Medicaid. But, in general, the Order itself has to fund the retirement costs of its members. And this is the case for all religious orders, which is quite different from how diocesan priests are supported in their retirement through pensions and other personal investments.
For this reason, the US bishops recognized this growing unfunded liability of the religious orders over forty years ago and began the annual nation-wide collection for the Religious Retirement Fund. I am personally grateful to our Bishop Ron Hicks for supporting and promoting this special collection in his letter reprinted in this bulletin.
Of all the special “second collections” at Mass, this annual collection has been the largest and most popular. In fact, it used to be double the size of the next largest second collection. Undoubtedly, this is because so many Catholics have benefitted over the years from the teaching, health care and other ministries of the religious orders. And they want to express their gratitude.
In recent years, we Augustinians of the Midwest Province have received an annual grant of over $100,000 from this national collection. That almost covers the Order’s annual expenses of two of our nineteen friars in our retirement community. It’s a help, but the need is great. As a religious myself, I thank you for your generosity to this Religious Retirement Fund special collection. Envelopes for this purpose were included in the mailed packets to parishioners; and more are available at the church doors.
By the way, though I am turning 74 next month, I have no plans to retire, at least not until our capital project is well underway. And, since so many ask, there is no specific retirement age for us priests anymore as long as our health remains good as mine is. Knock on wood and light a candle!
November 20, 2022
(Reprint from November 2021)
As we enter this Thanksgiving week, we remember that there are two primary ways to show gratitude: by actually expressing thanks and by sharing what we have with others.
For some people actually saying thanks can be difficult for different reasons. Some may hold a certain pride that prompts them to feel entitled to what they have. So their response to the good they have is not so much “Thank you” as it is “Of course.” They feel they got it on their own. They forget that even the resourcefulness, ambition and smarts that got them what they got came from elsewhere… their good genes, their education, or our good God… or all of the above.
Others have a hard time saying thanks because they have a hard time accepting gifts to begin with. They may struggle with some low self-esteem that prompts them to react as though they are not worthy of any generosity from others. They might make a fuss over not accepting a gift. Or they may have a misguided sense of humility that prompts them to always be the giver and never the recipient of gifts.
In this season of thanksgiving, it is good to counter these two misdirected tendencies. While we can exert healthy self-esteem by acknowledging the material and spiritual gifts we have, we need to recognize that all of it and even the ability to get it came from elsewhere. And we believers say that all we have and all we are ultimately comes from God. Life itself is a gift. And we should direct our thanks to the proper source.
And the second way to express our gratitude for all we have and all we are is to share our gifts with others. But we are generous not because we don’t think we are worthy of having such gifts ourselves, but rather because we see our solidarity with others and recognize our common humanity. Generosity along with justice are the virtues that bridge us human beings together in one common humanity. In this sense it is good to remember that even the poor have something to give to others. After all, real thanksgiving involves both receiving graciously and giving generously.
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 6, 2022
Pregnant and parenting moms in need are in our parishes, communities and families. Pope Francis urges that our parishes should be “islands of mercy in the midst of the sea of indifference.” One application of this is to strive to help everyone in the parish to know where to refer a pregnant woman with a difficult pregnancy or a mom in need with a new baby. Inspired by St. John Paul II’s promotion of a culture of life, a new program or effort for parishes promoted by our Catholic Bishops is called Walking With Moms In Need. A small group of St. Bernard’s parishioners, including myself, have begun to discuss this effort and how we might incorporate it into our parish life.
Critics of the Pro-Life movement that opposes abortion have claimed that pro-lifers show little care for the mothers of difficult pregnancies and their infants. While this claim is inaccurate, our Church has encouraged us to demonstrate such care more clearly through this nation-wide initiative of Walking With Moms in Need in our parishes. It has just been reported that since Roe was overturned, there has already been a 6% decrease in legal abortions. But such decreases alone do not signal moral success without bolstering forms of care for those women who bring those difficult pregnancies to term and continue needing support after they give birth.
We welcome other parishioners to join our group in this effort, which includes a process of researching the various resources in our area that can support women with difficult pregnancies. Our group will assess the effectiveness of such resources and also identify gaps in such support. The group will then plan and implement our parish’s own response to such gaps with activities and other needed forms of support. It is the hope that with such raised awareness among parishioners, more helpful, practical and realistic alternatives to abortion will be more widely known, more acceptable and promising.
Certainly, St. Bernard’s long association with and support of the Waterleaf Women’s Center in Aurora will be an important part of the parish’s piece in this effort. Tanya Singh, Peace & Justice Ministry Coordinator of the Diocese of Joliet, has pledged to assist St. Bernard’s in this effort. Tanya offered leadership in this same effort in St. Petronille Parish in Glen Ellyn. Any parishioners who would like to be part of this effort should contact me or Peggy Grill for more information. In the meantime, we will be reporting on our efforts and our progress in the bulletin and online.
October 16, 2022
One of the many ways St. Bernard’s observes this Respect Life month is to highlight our care and respect for the sick and elderly members of the parish. This weekend we host the annual Healing Mass with the Anointing of the Sick at our Saturday afternoon Mass at 4:00 pm. Some of our Hands of Care lay ministers assist the priests in the anointing rite.
St. Bernard’s is blessed to have a good number of parishioners who have volunteered to serve as “Hands of Care” ministers to the sick and shut-ins. Our Hands of Care ministers visit the sick and share with them prayer and Holy Communion. These visits may take place in the homes of the sick, at nearby Victorian Village or at Silver Cross Hospital. Some of those visited are just temporarily rehabbing after a hospital stay or surgery. Others tend to need long term care assistance.
We encourage any parish member who is confined at home due to a temporary or long term health issue to inform us through the parish office. It is our practice for Deacon Kevin or me to arrange the initial visit to become acquainted with the patient and their situation and offer them Communion. I can certainly offer the patient the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick as well. Then, we arrange for one of our parish’s many Hands of Care ministers to visit the person on a more regular basis, usually once or twice a month on a day and time convenient for both. In recent times, our Hands of Care ministers have been visiting up to twenty of our confined parishioners.
In addition, some of our Hands of Care ministers bring Communion to residents at Victorian Village on a weekly basis. On a monthly basis, I also offer Mass at Victorian Village for those who can attend. Finally, several of our parish’s Hands of Care ministers are resuming participation in Silver Cross Hospital’s volunteer program of offering Communion to Catholic patients on a daily basis. Actually, ministers from various neighboring parishes assist in this special hospital program. Neighboring pastors, like me, also take turns providing emergency anointings as needed at Silver Cross when the patients’ own parish priest is not available.
We miss those parishioners who cannot join us at Mass due to illness or advanced age. But we do not forget them. If they or a family member alert us to such a situation, St. Bernard’s is here to offer prayer and outreach, especially through our Hands of Care ministers.
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
Pastor
October 2, 2022
For a long time, the Catholic Church in the U.S. has observed the month of October as “Respect Life Month.” As might be expected, this observance prompts a great deal of information and advocacy on the Church’s sacred embrace of human life from the moment of conception and its subsequent moral position against abortion. According to the US Catholic bishops, abortion holds a preeminence among the many threats to human life and dignity today in our society. And so the issue has marshalled a great deal of passion and advocacy in our Catholic community since abortion has been legal in the US.
St. Bernard’s Respect Life Committee has certainly focused its energies and efforts on this issue in recent times. Much education has occurred and many lives have been saved. Parishioner Bill Jacobs has led the committee energetically for many years and has indicated the need to step away from the leadership. I have pledged to lead St. Bernard’s Respect Life Committee until another parishioner may step up to do so.
At the same time, I have encouraged St. Bernard’s Respect Life Committee to pivot a bit in its focus and activity. For example, many critics of our Pro-Life movement have claimed that pro-lifers show little care for the infants and mothers of difficult pregnancies once the child is born. While this claim is inaccurate, our Church has encouraged us to demonstrate such care through a program it encourages called “Walking With Moms In Need.” I would like to establish this program here through our parish Respect Life Committee.
In addition, I hope to lead our Respect Life Committee to reflect on what Pope St. John Paul II called “the culture of death” in our modern society… a culture of such serious self-centeredness that nurtures disrespect, harshness and even violence toward others. It has also become a “throw-away culture” that denigrates our giving time, effort or understanding to someone or something whose value is not immediately perceived by us.
Besides the preeminence of the abortion issue, there are other threats to human life and society that are being cultivated by this societal atmosphere of disrespect and negligence… racism, gun violence, human trafficking, abuse, suspicion and hatred of immigrants, demonization of political opponents, hate-speech, bullying, climate change, bad news bias in media news, etc. I hope St. Bernard’s renewed Respect Life Committee can study these issues, the Church’s teachings and pastoral strategies regarding them and shape activities to foster greater respect for life across the board… from womb to tomb.
I understand that many—maybe most—of the current members of the Respect Life Committee may choose to pursue primarily the focus against abortion and they are finding ways to do that. But any and all parishioners wishing to join us in this renewed approach to our parish’s Respect Life work may join us at a small gathering this Monday night at 7pm in the foyer. Together we will create our direction for the future. “We are St. Bernard’s, Together we are Church.”
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
Pastor
September 18, 2022
In this new Fall season, as school resumes after the summer break, so too do the various programs of our parish life. This year especially, with the taming of Covid with vaccinations and therapies, we look forward to resuming more of our parish programs and activities.
Our weekend and weekday Masses, of course, have been going strong for months. The choir and music ministry has resumed their grace-filled presence at our 10:30am Sunday Mass and are already planning another beautiful Christmas concert. The Children’s’ Liturgy of the Word program at the same Mass is also attracting more and more young children with their families. The last piece of “normal” is working this year to get our youth back involved as Altar Servers.
The Religious Ed program kicked off last week with several new catechists and volunteers as well as its long-time faithful participants. And—happily--for the first time in several years, the enrollment has actually increased over the previous year.
While the Men’s Club has resumed meeting and planning the season’s activities and even attracted several new members at the last meeting, the parish’s Women’s Club went into hibernation during the pandemic. We have started a “Mom’s Facebook page” during the pandemic and hope to gather a new leadership group soon to resurrect the Women’s Club and its various activities. (Any women interested in helping with this should contact me.)
The pandemic has boosted the popularity and need for the parish’s Hands of Care ministers who visit the sick and confined and bring them Communion. And the Seniors monthly “Happy Hour” gathering has grown in numbers.
While the parish’s excellent Finance Council has met throughout the pandemic, the parish’s Pastoral Council became inactive and stopped meeting. In its place, the Facilities Task Force and the more recent Capital Campaign Committee have done a great deal of parish planning focused on the parish’s planned expansion of facilities. A goal for this year is to re-start the Pastoral Council with a new focus of planning for the parish---not just new facilities, but also new programs and activities that can serve the parishioners and community.
Finally, I have requested the parish’s Respect Life Committee to expand its focus and activities to the variety of life issues that find support in the Church’s teachings and pastoral activities which, of course, includes abortion, but is not restricted to it. (Any wishing to join this expanded pro-life effort should contact me.)
The recent capital campaign surfaced a great deal of positive energy and spirit in and for St. Bernard’s Parish community. That spirit was celebrated in the parish’s observance of the feast of St. Bernard, our patron, in late August. All in all, we have great hope for the renewal of our parish community in this new season and coming year. I hope all will respond generously if and when asked to respond to any of the many ways to serve and build up our parish.
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
Pastor
September 4, 2022
(From the Labor Day message of the US Catholic Bishops, 2021)
Imagining A Better Economy and a More Fraternal World
In Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis shares a vision for a post-COVID world that aspires to a global fraternity which leaves no one at the margins of society. He decries the reality that women are not yet recognized as having the same dignity as men, that racism shamefully continues, and that those who are poor, disabled, unborn, or elderly are often considered dispensable.
In response to this throwaway culture, the Holy Father invites us all to “...dream, then, as a single human family, as fellow travelers sharing the same flesh, as children of the same earth which is our common home....”
Pope Francis reflected that such a universal fraternity can only be accomplished when our social and economic systems stop producing victims. Rejecting a neoliberal vision, Francis writes that markets cannot solve societal problems on their own; therefore, proactive policies centered on the common good must be created.
…Pope Francis promotes a new ethos around economic thinking, as he writes… “I see ideas formed from the periphery, reflecting a concern about the grotesque inequality of billions facing extreme poverty while the richest one percent own half of the world’s financial wealth. . . . I see thinking that is not ideological, which moves beyond the polarization of free market capitalism and state socialism, and which has at its heart a concern that all of humanity have access to land, lodging, and labor. All of these speak to priorities of the Gospel and the principles of the Church’s social doctrine.”
It is our task not only to reflect on the present ills of our economy, but also to build consensus around human dignity and the common good, the bedrocks of Catholic social teaching, and to answer the Pope’s call to propose new and creative economic responses to human need, both locally and globally.
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
Pastor
August 21, 2022
This weekend we celebrate the feast of our parish patron, St. Bernard of Clairvaux. Bernard was a 12th century French abbot and a major leader in the renewal of Benedictine monasticism that led to the formation of the Cistercian Order. Due to his great wisdom and holiness, Bernard was also a recognized advisor to various civil and Church leaders of his day.
In 1115, Bernard’s religious superior commissioned Bernard to lead a small group of monks from the abbey of Citeau to establish a new abbey in northeastern France. He set up this new abbey in an isolated glen known for its barrenness and, so, had been called Val d’Absinthe, or Valley of Bitterness. But with a vision of what the abbey could become, Bernard named it Claire Vallee, which means Valley of Light. The term evolved rather quickly into Clairvaux.
Light has always been a natural symbol for hope and joy. The light of the Paschal candle in church symbolizes the new life of resurrection, especially at the Easter Vigil service when it enlightens the darkness of the church. Darkness, of course, has always reflected the gloom of despair. In darkness we lose our way and can stumble and fall. Darkness evokes emptiness and fear.
Clairvaux…the Valley of Light… isn’t that a good nickname for our parish community! Our parish campus is, after all, in something like a valley surrounded by the towering pines once planted by Fr. Schutter and our early parishioners. But, more importantly, our parish community is called to be a source of light for the surrounding community, that is, a source of hope and joy in our recognition of the presence of God among us and our service of Jesus.
The pandemic has left us with a rise in mental health challenges among young and old. There is more depression, isolation and frustration. The politics of today seems more divisive than ever leading to distrust of our institutions and even violence against one another. Stubborn biases impact our acceptance of facts and truth.
Perhaps more than ever, faith communities can be a source of reconciliation and hope. Let us pray that our St. Bernard’s parish community can serve as a true and joyful Valley of Light in the spirit of our patron saint, St. Bernard of Clairvaux.
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
Pastor
August 7, 2022
St. Bernard’s is blessed to have a good number of parishioners who have volun-teered to serve as “Hands of Care” ministers to the sick and shut ins. Our Hands of Care ministers visit the sick and share with them prayer and Holy Communion. These visits may take place in the homes of the sick, at nearby Victorian Vil-lage or at Silver Cross Hospital. Some of those visited are just temporarily rehabbing after a hospital stay or surgery. Others tend to need long care assistance.
We encourage any parish member who is confined at home due to a temporary or long term health issue to inform us through the parish office. It is our practice for Deacon Kevin or me to plan the initial visit to become acquainted with the patient and their situation and offer them Communion. I can certainly offer the patient the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick as well. Then, we arrange for one of our parish’s many Hands of Care min-isters to visit the person on a more regular basis, usually once or twice a month on a day and time convenient for both. In recent times, our Hands of Care ministers have been visiting up to twenty of our confined parish-ioners.
In addition, some of our Hands of Care ministers bring Communion to residents at Victorian Village on a weekly basis. On a monthly basis, I also offer Mass at Victorian Village for those who can attend. Finally, five of our parish’s Hands of Care ministers are resuming their partic-ipation in Silver Cross Hospital’s volunteer program of of-fering Communion to Catholic patients on a daily basis. Actually, ministers from various neighboring parishes assist in this special hospital program. Neighboring pastors, like me, take turns providing emergency anointings as need-ed at Silver Cross when the patients’ own parish priest is not available.
So much of Jesus’ ministry and so many of his miracles were among the sick and suffering. The compassion of Jesus for the sick has continued through the ministries of his Church. So many of our modern day hospitals and health care programs had their origins in the Church’s early compassionate outreach to the sick. Even today, the famous Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN was started by a Catholic nun.
Besides providing forms of physical healing, the Church has also focused on the personal and spiritual welfare of the sick. Our Hands of Care ministers provide this important outreach of compassion. St. Bernard’s motto is “We are St. Bernard’s, Together we are Church.” Thanks to our Hands of Care ministers, when some of our parish members can’t be “together” with us due to ill-ness, we are pleased to bring St. Bernard’s to them!
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR HANDS OF CARE MINISTERS!
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
Pastor
July 17, 2022
I occasionally get the question from parishioners: Will our Diocese of Joliet go through a big reorganization and consolidation of parishes as has been going on in the Archdiocese of Chicago in recent years?
Maybe because our close neighbors in Orland Park and Lemont are in the Archdiocese and because we have so many friends and relatives in the Arch, many of us are familiar with the parish reorganization there called “Renew My Church.” And we certainly understand the great stress and even distress such consolidations and closings have caused in both the people and their priests. The program was not just for the many parishes close to one another in the old city neighborhoods. The project actually has involved ALL the parishes of the Archdiocese—city and suburban.
So many changes in the Church and society prompted this massive reorganization effort. The mobility of Catholics, the shortage of priests, and financial burdens have prompted such efforts in many of the historically Catholic areas of the East and Midwest. As painful as such change can be, it does seem necessary in order to position the Church better to serve and evangelize in the future.
As I have mentioned before in this column, Bishop Hicks and his Diocesan leadership have been involved in an assessment of Diocesan operations here in our Diocese. The first phase of this effort has involved significant change at the Diocesan pastoral center in Crest Hill (aka “the chancery”). The hundred or so positions there have been re-visioned and reduced to about seventy. The goal is to re-tool Diocesan staff to be more focused on the local parish needs and resource them accordingly.
Last week, Bishop Hicks announced the initiation of the next phase for our Diocese, which will address the number of parishes and schools in our Diocese. In order to insure continued vitality in the Diocese, the bishop and his leadership recognize the need to consider possible mergers, consolidations or closings. However, unlike in the Archdiocese of Chicago in which ALL of the parishes and schools had to participate, Bishop Hicks pledges that that will not be the case in our Diocese. In the Diocese of Joliet, only certain specific areas of the Diocese that require some examination will be involved. And, I sense that we in Homer Glen will be spared of such involvement.
As difficult as such work is, I think we can salute Bishop Hicks for this important administrative challenge that he is accepting.
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
Pastor
July 3, 2022
As we celebrate our great nation’s birthday, I am conscious of how much we tend to take for granted about our country. Most often we talk about our many rights and freedoms enjoyed in this country. And certainly we can be grateful for them. But this year I am more conscious of and grateful for another distinctive quality of the United States… our culture of volunteerism.
It was the French political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville, who, in his study of America in 1831, was the first to note a strong and unique tendency toward volunteerism among US citizenry. More recent studies have found Americans to be 15-30% more likely to volunteer than most other countries in the West.
This strong volunteerism often connects individuals from different sectors of society in order to face community issues. Benjamin Franklin founded the first volunteer fire department in 1736. In the 1800s the rise of the social reform movement around issues such as poverty, temperance, women’s rights and the abolition of slavery mobilized many, including women and young people. From these movements came the YMCA, the Red Cross and the United Way.
Other studies have shown the positive mental and physical benefits of volunteering. Those who volunteer feel more socially connected, feel less lonely and depressed, and have a greater sense of purpose in life. Adults who volunteer have been found to have less hypertension.
In a related way, I sense that it has been our uniquely American embrace of volunteerism that actually helped the renewal of our Catholic Church in America after the Second Vatican Council. So many of our lay Catholics were formed by the American culture of volunteerism and, therefore, ready to become more involved in the new lay ministries within the Church, especially in the areas of liturgy and catechetics. The universal call to service and holiness for ALL the baptized was grasped more readily by American Catholics than by Catholics in other parts of the world.
Many acknowledge that even with our separation of Church and State, we committed Catholics help form the conscience of the nation. But, as Americans, we can also acknowledge the great impact of America’s culture of volunteerism on Catholics here and afar.
Thank you America & Happy Birthday!
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
Pastor
June 19, 2022
Thanks to a generous parishioner, the parish has acquired a lovely statue of St. Joseph with the Christ Child. It was to arrive just in time for display near the ambo this Father’s Day and throughout our Father’s Day novena. But when the original shipment of the statue arrived a couple weeks ago, we found that both heads had been broken off in transit. It was quite shocking to unpack that crate and find the headless St. Joseph and Christ Child. Fortunately, the supplier was very gracious in shipping us a new statue.
There is in our English language an idiom that we sometimes hear used. For example, “when the man was told he was fired, he almost lost his head!” In this context, “to lose your head” usually means to panic, to have an emotional outburst.
My earliest memory as a young child included “losing my head” in panic as my family walked through a haunted house at a local amusement park. As ghoulish ghosts and skeletons popped out at me, I screamed in panic. And all I remember is a big strong arm from behind swooping down and picking me up and carrying me quickly out of that scary venue into the light. It was my father. And that early experience of being saved and protected by my father became something of a metaphor for how I came to experience and understand God the Father and my relation to him.
One of the most beloved contemporary hymns today is “Be Not Afraid,” used so often at funerals. But that phrase “be not afraid,” or variations of it like “fear not” or “do not fear,” is said to be the most frequently repeated phrase in the Bible. Of course, St. John’s letter says that “fear is driven out by the love of God.”
There are many distressing elements of life today…political strife, wars, gun violence, harsh speech, pandemic, economic instability. But through it all, we have the Lord Jesus saying to us “Fear not, I am with you through it all. I will carry you into the light.” So, let’s not lose our heads!
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
Pastor
June 5, 2022
As I reminded everyone in a previous column, our current church facilities, with its open floor plan, allow only one meeting or event to occur at the same time due to acoustical challenges. But our planned addition and modification to our church facilities will provide up to six distinct rooms for a variety of activities to occur at the same time.
On Wednesdays when the parish faith formation program for youth gathers, several of the portable classrooms in the church will still be needed. We have already begun to repair and upgrade those partitions and hardware that will be used. But the new multi-purpose rooms planned to adjoin the foyer may also be used for some new activities already envisioned by our creative program leaders. Such activities will serve and hopefully attract new young families to the parish.
Because that same planned multi-purpose space will be adjacent to the foyer, the new space will provide much more room for bigger crowds at social functions or fundraisers. Up to now, the parish has been reluctant to invite the general public to events, like fish frys, due to the limited space in the foyer. But with the added multi-purpose space, a good-sized overflow will be able to be accommodated.
Currently, many in parish leadership have been brainstorming on new and exciting activities and programs that the new addition will be able to accommodate. Such activities will certainly benefit current parishioners. But our hope is that such added activity by the parish will also attract many new members to the parish, and especially younger families.
I invite all parishioners at this time to join us in “dreaming.” What are the activities, programs and events that could help St. Bernard grow as a caring community centered in Christ in our Homer Glen area? Please feel free to share your dreams and thoughts with me or any other pastoral staff member as we move forward together. Remember we are “Building to Grow, Growing to Serve.”
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
Pastor
May 15, 2022
“Open Floor Plan”… it’s a popular design for contemporary homes. With an open floor plan, the kitchen, dining and family rooms form one large open space. It allows parents working in the kitchen to keep an eye on the toddlers in the family room. It allows the hosts in the kitchen to still be engaged with the party guests in the dining and family rooms.
The same idea of an open floor plan sometimes characterized the design of a new parish’s first parish center as was the case at St. Bernard. The worship space has been really only minimally separated from the social space of the foyer. This design for a parish center is ideal for an event that includes liturgy with a reception that follows. But if there is a second liturgy occurring while the reception is still happening—as has been the case on Hospitality weekends, Fr. Jeff’s First Mass, etc.—the lack of separation of the spaces causes a very distracting level of noise in the worship space.
Also, as our Children’s Liturgy of the Word program held during the 10:30 Mass in the foyer grows in popularity, the program leaders find themselves competing with the sound of the Mass’ spoken words and music coming from the worship space.
Even beyond the weekend services, we have found the open floor plan of the parish center has become an obstacle in the growth of parish activities. Why? Because it really only allows one event or meeting to occur at the same time. For example, when the choir rehearses in the worship space on Thursday evenings, no other meeting or activity can occur in the foyer since the music—as lovely as it may be—carries into the foyer. And the religious education program for youth takes over the entire facility on Wednesdays.
When the senior citizens have their monthly luncheon and bingo in the foyer, we cannot host a funeral that day, which has been an understanded disappointment to some bereaved families. From another perspective, on those days when the parish center has the morning Mass and then a funeral, our maintenance workers can’t do much maintenance all morning…again because of the way the noise carries throughout the area.
The open floor plan might be very helpful for some families, but not as much for the growing number of events, programs and activities that St. Bernard has developed over the years. So, with the advice and support of so many, the proposed plan for modifying the current parish facilities includes a plan to separate the worship space and the foyer with a wall that will allow easy access between the spaces. And, with a sufficient size window, the divider will also provide a place of temporary respite for a parent with a restless child.
Join us for the parish town hall meeting next Sunday, May 22 at 3pm or the following Wednesday, May 25 at 7pm for a more complete discussion of this and other plans for other modifications and the new addition.
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
Pastor
May 1, 2022
We are going to build together.
As you know, we recently concluded a successful planning study at St. Bernard. With that in the past, we now eagerly turn our attention to the campaign phase and a major fundraising effort that will fund our building expansion project.
A key element in successful campaigns is the volunteer assistance provided by parishioners. We would be extremely grateful to those members of our faith family willing to serve on our campaign team. There are a variety of roles that need to be filled. Hopefully, with the winding down of our religious ed program and local school activities, there will be more adults with some availability and able to assist in the effort.
If you are willing to serve your parish as a campaign volunteer, please reach out to Jim Rogers who is guiding our efforts. You can reach him at [email protected] or by phone at 402-706-8019.
We will provide more campaign information over the coming weeks and months. In the very near future, we will be hosting some town hall meetings for the parish where we will present and discuss the planned addition in more detail. They will be Sunday, May 22 at 3:00pm and Wednesday, May 25 at 7:00pm. All are invited! We’d be blessed to have your support and help as we move forward.
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
Pastor
April 17, 2022
Several months ago, the parish leadership began planning for an addition to our church facilities to accommodate our parish offices and additional multi-purpose space for activities and events for all ages. In recent weeks, we called upon the Steier Group to conduct a planning study that presented the proposal to parishioners and sought their ideas for such a project. We received a wonderful response - valuable feedback as we look to the future of our parish. The flyer below has more details of the plan and the study.
After gathering and analyzing data from the study, representatives from the Steier Group reported their findings to our parish leadership on April 5. That included the Pastoral Staff, the Finance Council and the Facilities Task Force. The feedback from parishioners did not surprise us. We are in desperate need of more multi-purpose space and a unified church campus with our offices on site. The added multi-purpose space will be used for activities for parishioners, especially our youth. The planning study found that our parish is prepared to do something about this. In fact, the study found there is significant support for a major fundraising effort:
· 77% of respondents personally favor a capital campaign
· 83% of respondents indicated they would make a gift to the campaign
· 17 respondents indicated they will serve as a member of the campaign team
· Another 45 indicated they wish to serve in additional volunteer roles
Based on the information provided by the study, the Steier Group recommended that our parish move forward with a capital campaign. Our parish leadership fully agreed and voted to proceed with the effort. There are posters of the proposed addition in the foyer area. You will hear much more about this important project in the coming weeks and months.
We thank those who participated in this critical planning study for St. Bernard Parish. Their input has been extremely beneficial and will help to ensure the success of our upcoming campaign. With the Lord guiding us and our parish, we trust our efforts will be abundantly blessed.
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
Pastor
April 3, 2022
In my written and spoken remarks, I often refer to “parish leadership.” In the past, that phrase would have referred to the pastor and perhaps other ordained clergy on the parish staff. But today, when I use that phrase, I refer to those who comprise the Pastoral Staff as well as other parish committees. And I acknowledge that many, if not most, of these lay leaders are women.
While I accept the responsibilities that go with my role as pastor, I rely a great deal on the wisdom and experience of others in leadership roles in the parish. This is an aspect of “synodality” being promoted by Pope Francis today. This consultative and collaborative dynamic reflects the shift that has been taking place in Church leadership in recent decades. We have seen this same shift to more lay leadership at the diocesan level as well.
In recent weeks, Pope Francis has signaled that this shift is also coming to the Vatican and its bureaucracy that oversees and governs the universal Church, known as the Roman Curia. In recent weeks, the Pope issued a 54-page document that reforms the Roman Curia – a reform that was recognized as a major need by the Cardinals before the election of Pope Francis in 2013. While this reform reorganizers the various offices and commissions of the Curia, it eliminates some and creates others needed for the Church of today and tomorrow.
These Curia offices and commissions have been traditionally led by (arch)bishops, if not Cardinals. But, the reform now allows LAY Catholics, including WOMEN, to leadership positions in these groupings with the ”power of governance.” This shift to recognizing the larger “pool of leadership” for the Church is significant. The reform’s document notes that such “power of governance” comes not from Holy Orders but from the mission of the specific role and the commission of the Pope.
Jesus insisted that among his disciples leadership was to be all about service. But history attests that “the power of governance” has also been a significant piece of the Holy Orders of service. With recent and continuing shifts in leadership recognition, the Church will benefit from a pool of strong, loving, and wise candidates that is so much larger than the shrinking pool of well-qualified men who pledge lifelong celibacy. We benefit from them all!Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
March 20, 2022
For our Lenten journey this year, our parish Worship Committee has adopted the theme: COME BACK TO ME.
Of course, these are the words of Jesus to us as individuals and as a community of faith. Our Minister of Music, Julie Kane, and our Worship Committee chairperson, Corinne Cirillo, collaborated in writing a beautiful hymn customized with this theme. The hymn is being used as a Post-Communion hymn at our Masses throughout Lent. In addition, the Worship Committee developed a litany with this same theme that we are using at the beginning of our Lenten Masses.
The words of Jesus, COME BACK TO ME, form a perennial invitation for Lent. For the spirit of the season always invites and challenges us to renew our relationship with Christ through the traditional acts of prayer, fasting and almsgiving (aka charitable giving). We are encouraged to reflect on and examine our lives to identify those ways we have lessened our discipleship. We can do this either by falling into sinful acts or habits or by neglecting to do what we know is good and right. We name those as sins of commission or omission. Conversion is not a once-and-for-all act but a life-long aspect of our discipleship. By acknowledging our human weakness and sin, we welcome the grace of being drawn closer to Christ.
But the Lenten theme, COME BACK TO ME, has a particular relevance to our situation today as we struggle to emerge from and manage the pandemic. COME BACK TO ME can be understood to mean COME BACK TO CHURCH.
Certainly, we Catholics are to develop a personal relationship with Christ. But our tradition also stresses that none of us can believe alone… at least not with any depth and authenticity. We need the community of faith to support us, challenge us and guide us in cultivating our relationship with Christ. We need the teachings and traditions of the Church and its leaders. But we also need the people of the community. We need the sharing of life’s experiences, the sharing of personal and family news, the smiles, the hugs and even the fraternal corrections. So, we cannot live on television Mass alone in our den. It’s good for us to be HERE… back in church with our friends, neighbors and fellow parishioners.
Now that we have entered a new phase of very low Covid presence that aligns with Lent, this is the perfect time for all our parish members who have been staying away to return to active participation at Mass in the church. Masks are still welcome, though optional. And for those who need it, there is a section of seats near the tabernacle that fosters social distancing and mask wearing. This Lent, Jesus says COME BACK TO ME.Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
March 13, 2022
Don’t Miss the Parish-Wide Planning Study
The parish-wide planning study is now underway at St. Bernard. All parish members should have received by now a letter inviting them to participate in a personal interview or a written survey about the project being proposed by the parish leadership. The purpose of this parish-wide consultation is to gauge support for the proposed project whose major aspects are:
· Adding offices and a multi-purpose space for meetings and social gatherings at our church campus facilities.
· Moving the parish offices from the Parker Road house to our church campus and selling the house.
Sincere thanks to all our participants. Your thoughts are extremely valuable to us during this planning process. I encourage everyone who has not participated to please do so. Your input will help us make informed decisions regarding how we proceed to address these projects.
We hope to receive completed surveys by March 29. The survey was included in the recent mailing from me. The same survey is also available on the table near the posters of the proposed project in the church foyer. You may return your completed survey by mail, in the regular collection at Mass, in the survey dropbox near the posters in the foyer, or in the dropbox near the garage of the parish office.Thanks so much!
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
March 6, 2022
We need your input!
As you should know by now, you will soon receive an invitation to participate in a planning study for St. Bernard. The review begins March 7. The purpose of this parish-wide study is to get your thoughts before making any final decisions regarding our long-range plans.
We will ask everyone to share their opinions regarding our needs as identified by our leaders—the Pastoral Staff, the Finance Council and the Facilities Task Force—and the possibility of conducting a major fundraising effort.
We conducted a similar study a few years ago but postponed plans because of the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic. Now in 2022, we believe it is again important to get your most recent thoughts. Your feedback will enable us to determine potential campaign support. If we choose to move forward, the planning study will also provide us with information to identify prospective campaign leaders and to establish a realistic campaign goal.
The Steier Group, our development firm, will compile this information and present it to leadership. At that time, we will make an informed decision regarding how we will proceed.
This study is the next step in the process and is extremely important. I encourage each parish family to participate. Your input is valuable as we plan for the future of St. Bernard Catholic Church.Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
February 28, 2022
Dear Parishioners,
We need your help.
As you may have heard, after a two-year delay, we have again turned our attention to expanding and improving our facilities at St. Bernard. With the blessing of the Pastoral Staff, the Finance Council and the Facilities Task Force we have re-engaged with our architect.
However, because conditions have changed since we first introduced our plans, we believe it is important to hear from you again before proceeding. So, we hired a development firm to collect your thoughts on our proposed plans.
A planning study of our faith community begins March 7. It will gauge support for a potential major fundraising effort as well as help identify potential campaign leaders should we move ahead with our project.
This is our parish and our community and as such, we will invite everyone to participate in the study. In the coming weeks, please look to receive a letter requesting participation, along with a fact sheet detailing the projects and directions on how you can provide feedback.
A successful planning study depends upon your involvement. I ask you to please take time to share your thoughts. It will take mere minutes. More feedback allows us to make more informed and better decisions regarding our projects and a potential fundraising effort.God Bless,
Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
February 20, 2022
As we communicated last weekend, St. Bernard will conduct a planning study beginning March 7. Many will recall their participation in a similar study for our previous pre-pandemic plan. There was good support for our plans then. So, hopefully, this new review will confirm continuing support.
Through your participation, this study will provide leadership with valuable feedback regarding newly developed plans for our proposed expansion and renovation projects and the possibility of a major fundraising effort. The Steier Group, a Catholic fundraising firm, will conduct the study.
Here are details:
Q. What is a planning study?
A. It is a review of an organization ahead of a possible capital campaign. A planning study gauges campaign readiness, potential campaign support and helps identify possible campaign volunteer leadership.
Q. How will the study determine support?
A. The study involves surveying the entire St. Bernard community. The Steier Group will administer the survey asking questions designed to help determine interest and support. The firm will compile data and feedback and present it to our leadership. We will then make an informed decision about the projects and a potential campaign. Hiring an experienced, professional development firm like the Steier Group ensures an effective and successful planning study.
Q. Why should we conduct a planning study?
A. Many churches use planning studies when considering a fundraising campaign. It is a wise first step. That’s because the study provides valuable information on how a faith community views the proposed projects and a potential capital campaign.
Q. What is a capital campaign?
A. A capital campaign is a fundraising effort for big projects and needs, such as major renovations, new buildings and eliminating debt. Capital campaigns fund specific projects and needs. They are not for regular, ongoing costs, such as salaries and utility bills.
Q. What is expected of parishioners during the planning study?
A. Initially, we will only ask for your feedback and prayers. Your input and participation will help us make wise decisions about our projects and a potential campaign. You will learn more about how you can participate in the coming weeks.
If you have questions, you are welcome to contact me at any time.Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
February 13, 2022As you probably know, St. Bernard’s previous plans to purchase and modify the neighboring Goodings Grove School into a parish pastoral center were scuttled thanks to pandemic-related concerns. We understood and accepted this decision, but our problems didn’t go away. Each passing day serves to remind us that we need more space to improve our ability to assist in our spiritual growth, to continue to grow our ministries and to ensure our parish can readily serve its people.
Since stepping away from our original plans, leadership never lost sight of its goal, choosing instead to push disappointment aside and wait to re-engage. We believe now is the right time to get back to square one. So, with the support of the Pastoral Staff, the Finance Council and the Facilities Task Force, we are again focused on expanding and improving our facilities and have re-connected with our architect to resume planning.
However, since our previous study and planning to expand our facilities, some conditions have changed. We are in a different position today. And, so, we need to hear from you again. To learn more, beginning March 7, we will conduct a planning study. This comprehensive review involves surveying the entire parish community. It will provide us with insight as to what you think about our plans, while gauging support for a potential major fundraising effort—a capital campaign.
We have hired the Steier Group, a Catholic development firm, to conduct the study. We will share more details about the review, the projects and a potential capital campaign in the coming weeks.Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
February 6, 2022We are now engaged again in the Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal (CMAA), which funds some very good and important works and ministries within our large seven-county diocese of Joliet. Some of these efforts were described in the brochure with last weekend’s bulletin and in Bishop Hicks’ video viewed at Mass. But, of course, these programs and the diocese as a whole require significant administration by the bishop and his diocesan staff. And this administration at the Blanchette Catholic Pastoral Center (aka “the chancery”) in Crest Hill is also funded by the CMAA.
And, so, it is understandable for donors and prospective donors to the CMAA to ask about the diocesan administration at a time when, unfortunately, there has been a significant amount of diminishment within the Catholic community at large. We are close enough to the parishes of the Archdiocese of Chicago to know the massive reorganization and consolidation that has been going on among its parishes.
Perhaps not as visible and public but just as real has been a significant reduction in the administrative and support services of the archdiocese. As painful as this process has been for so many priests and laypersons, it has been necessary as the Catholic population has changed in various ways. So many of the oldest (arch)dioceses of the Northeast and Midwest have had to undergo such change in recent years as much of the Catholic population has moved south and west.
Our own Bishop Hicks, coming from the archdiocese and its “Renew My Church” effort, has demonstrated his willingness to evaluate his diocesan administration here in Joliet in the light of so many changes. Since last Fall, the diocese has used the Reid Group, a management consultant firm for notfor-profit and faith-based organizations, to assess the effectiveness of the mission and administration of the diocese.
The results of this study were just made public in a 43- page document that offered an extensive assessment and recommendations. The majority of the recommendations apply to the 90 employees at the diocesan pastoral center, how their work circumstances can be improved and how they can better reach out and serve the parishes of the diocese. There is also an acknowledgement of the need to review the current quantity and quality of diocesan staff.
But the recommendations also include a few that extend out into the diocese. For example, there is a call to identify criteria for assessing the viability of Catholic parishes and schools to help create a more sustainable future over the next 10-20 years in the diocese. While St. Bernard’s displays healthy communal and financial viability, there could be changes in other areas of the diocese.
Responsible stewardship can call for difficult organizational decisions. But such difficulty can still find some solace in the Church’s mission of outreach and care for those experiencing loss of any kind. After all, we do believe in Resurrection! May the Holy Spirit guide our diocese through all that is to come!Fr. Joe McCormick, OSA
January 23, 2022
It’s now been over two years that the Covid pandemic has wreaked havoc on us and our world. The most tragic victims, of course, have been those who died from the virus, those who have experienced long-term effects from it and their families. Our army of health care workers have been true heroes and so often victims as well.
But even for those of us who have been pretty distant from Covid’s serious illness and death, this has been a very discouraging period. We’ve shut down and reopened and shut down again. We’ve modified so many of our activities, even canceling so many of them. Besides the dramatic closure of businesses, schools and churches, many important projects have been put on hold.
It was in the course of the pandemic that I was informed that the plan for St. Bernard’s to purchase the neighboring Goodings Grove School as a parish pastoral center was no longer considered feasible by the school district officials. After so much discussion, negotiating, planning and collaborating with parish members, with school officials and even with our neighboring parish, the entire effort imploded and died due largely to concerns and uncertainties raised by the pandemic.
I must admit, I was seriously disheartened by the collapse of the effort and, for several months, had little energy to even try to pick up the pieces. But now--even with the latest Omicron variant—there is reason to hope that the coronavirus is becoming more tamed… thanks to vaccinations, more testing, and better treatment methods. So, it’s fair to expect life to return to a more normal pace of activity in the months to come.
It’s also a new year and with that annual celebration, we normally become more hopeful… whether with or without new year’s resolutions. And my hope has been renewed to redouble our efforts to improve our parish facilities in order to improve the effectiveness of our parish mission of service, community, evangelization and worship.
So, with the support of parish leadership, we have re-engaged our architect to resume our planning for our own improvement of and addition to our parish facilities. We may not be purchasing Goodings Grove School. We may not be building as big an addition as previously considered. But we are hopeful that our parish community working together can consolidate and expand our facilities in a way that will serve the parish well. Watch our parish website, Facebook page and bulletin for further developments and proposals in the weeks and months ahead.Father Joe McCormick, OSA