ASSUMPTION CHURCH
Easter Sunday Of The
Resurrection Of The Lord
April 16, 2017
323 West Illinois Street
Chicago, Illinois 60654
(312) 644-0036 or (312) 321-0105
(312) 964-5004 Night Emergencies
(312) 644-1838 Fax
www.assumption-chgo.org
Church Office: 351 W. Hubbard Ste. 401
MASSES
Daily: 7:00, 12:10 PM
Saturday: 7:30, 5:00 PM (For Sunday)
Sunday: 7:30, 9:00, 10:30, 12:15, 5:00 PM
CONFESSIONS
Friday: 11:35-12:05
Daily: After All Masses (by request)
Serving the People of River North
and Chicago Since 1881
Founded and Staffed by Members of the
Order of Friar Servants of Mary (Servites)
Rev. Joseph Chamblain, O.S.M., Pastor
in residence:
Rev. Michael Doyle, O.S.M.
Rev. John T. Pawlikowski, O.S.M.
NEWSLETTER OF THE CATHOLIC
COMMUNITY
AT ASSUMPTION CHURCH
Page Two
April 16, 2017
AN EASTER PUZZLE
The Gospel that we read on Easter Sunday morning
finds Mary Magdalene, Peter, and the beloved disciple
(whom we usually identify as John) fumbling around with
the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection. They are puzzled by the
fact that the grave is open, the body is missing, and the burial clothes have been left behind. Mary believes that someone has stolen the body. Peter does not know what to think.
Then, the Gospel says, “The other disciple (John) also went
in . . . and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” When
it says, “he saw and believed” we would assume that John
figured out what had happened. Jesus had risen from the
dead, exactly as he said he would. He had not only escaped
the grave, but overcome the grave. He was now in a new
state of being where death has no more power over him. that
not what we “believe” happened on Easter? Is that not what
we are celebrating today? Then, how do we make sense of
the next line “They did not yet understand the Scripture that
Jesus had to rise from the dead”? If John did not understand
that Jesus had to rise from the dead, what exactly does the
Gospel mean when it says he “believed”?
Well, here’s the story behind the story. “To believe” in
Jesus’ time did not ordinarily mean accepting ideas or articles of faith. “To believe” usually meant “to be loyal to.”
When we read that John “saw and believed” it probably
means that John affirmed his loyalty to Christ, even though
he did not fully grasp what had happened. John would continue to have faith in Jesus until it was proven that there was
no reason to believe in him any longer, until they discovered
that someone had indeed stolen the body (as Mary Magdalene had assumed).
John continued to believe because Jesus attracted a deep
loyalty in some people. He stood for something totally different than the shallow religion and the complicated rules
and practices that the establishment was serving up. Jesus
was much more down to earth. He told stories about things
that people could understand and relate to (like farming and
shepherding, and making bread), but he also gave people
something real to aspire to called the reign of God. Because
he was an outsider, because he was different, because he
gave people a window on God that they had never before
had, John was not going to give up on Jesus even if he did
not fully understand why. In last year’s presidential campaign, we saw how candidates Trump and Saunders (who
were also “outsiders” in their political parties) could inspire
intense loyalty—because they were saying things that a certain group of potential voters really longed to hear and were
not hearing from the “establishment” candidates. So, it is
very possible that John did not understand from the evidence
in the grave that Jesus had risen from the dead, but he still
“believed”. He would still be loyal to Jesus.
In time, of course, John, along with the other disciples
of Jesus, would come to understand the Scriptures that
spoke of Jesus rising from the dead. But that is because they
experienced Jesus alive—not as some ghost or apparition,
but as someone with whom they could interact physically.
They could eat and drink with him and even touch his
wounds. Their experience of the risen Lord totally changed
them from a timid group mostly concerned with their own
self-interest to those willing to share the Good News and
even die for what they believed.
Why is this important to us? Sometimes when we show
up for Mass on Easter we feel as puzzled as John was on
Easter morning. People are singing “Alleluia” and we are
told that we should be joyful. But the thing that we are supposed to feel joyful about seems too fantastic to believe.
We are told that Jesus triumphed over sin, suffering, and
death; but that message seems so out of sync with all the sin,
suffering, and death out there in the “real” world. It may be
way too much to take seriously, especially if it has been a
while since we have been to church or prayed or read scripture. If you are having trouble swallowing “the Good
News” that is perfectly all right. Jesus’ closest friends and
followers had the same problem. But they remained loyal to
Jesus. Try to do the same. Come to church more often,
pray more often, and get involved in serving others. Let
Jesus’ words from the Gospel influence the decisions you
make and the relationships you form. Start living like those
who are not afraid of death, but are only afraid of never having lived the life that Jesus would want for you. If you follow that recipe you might just find out what the apostles did:
Jesus really is alive. God does not have to play by our rules
of logic or live within the box of what we think makes
sense. God does not live in our world. We live in His!
Happy Easter.
Fr. Joe
WELCOME!
At our Easter Vigil Mass we celebrated the Sacraments of
Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion)
with Christopher Lamb, Kevin Song, Jennifer Plukarski,
and Scott Hodge. Welcome to the Catholic Community of
Assumption.
ASSUMPTION YOUNG ADULTS:
AYA is for those
in their twenties and thirties, married or single. AYA members take part in a number of spiritual, service, and social activities during the year and participate in the ministries at the
5:00 p.m. Mass on the third Sunday of the month. For more
information, email [email protected].
MINISTRY OF CARE:
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, in order bring communion to
the homebound or the hospitalized, one must first complete a
program of training to be a Minister of Care. This training is
being offered at Holy Name Cathedral on Saturday, April 22
and Saturday, April 29 from 8:30 to 1:30 p.m. Attendance at
both sessions is required. For more information or to obtain
an application, please contact Julie Berggren at Holy Name at
312-573-4427 or [email protected].
HYMNS FOR MASS: #161, #176
Easter Sunday Of The Resurrection Of The Lord
Lectors
Eucharistic
Ministers
April 22-23, 2017
D. Laria
G. Brown
5:00
L. Pelka
V. Stokes
7:30
P. Brown
D. Sutherland
9:00
J. Shields
J. Dion
10:30
K. Zajdel
S. Stantis
A. Carvajal
B. Kabacinski
12:15
5:00
J. Golab
J. Bisbing
R. Ciambrone
R. Tevonian
D. Tevonian
L. Pelka
E. Bernacki
B. Manna
P. Brown
L. Dues
J. Dion
E. Bunzol
P. Anderson
K. Zajdel
D. Iaccino
A. Cohen
E. Kabacinski
B. Fumo
SOCIAL JUSTICE GATHERING: Last month when our
Social Justice Committee invited Assumption churchgoers to
learn more about Catholic teaching on respect for human life,
housing and homelessness, immigration, and incarceration,
more than fifty of you expressed an interest in and perhaps
becoming involved with one or more of these issues. Since
there was a significant response in all four areas, the Committee decided to hold an information sharing event on Wednesday, April 26 at 7:00 p.m. This will be an opportunity to learn
more about what others are thinking and to begin developing
an action plan in each of these areas that reflects the concerns
and commitment of our members. If you did not put your
name on a sign-up sheet in March but are interested in social
justice, you are most welcome to attend the meeting. If you
are unable to attend, send your thoughts, suggestions, and
questions to [email protected].
PASTORAL COUNCIL NOMINATIONS
Our Parish Pastoral Council consists of nine members, three
of whom become part of the Council each year. We will be
taking nominations in Church on the weekends of April 22-23
and April 29-30 and also on-line until May 2 for the three
open positions (Our by-laws do not allow councilors to serve
consecutive three year terms). You may nominate yourself or
another parishioner. Those nominated will then be asked to
attend two Wednesday evening discernment meetings (May
17 and May 24) to determine who the next councilors will be.
WE’RE MOVING BACK: According to present plans, the
church office will return to the rectory building west of the
church during the week after Easter. We should be operational again in our “old” location by Friday, April 21.
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE: There are brochures in the
pamphlet racks in the back of church describing the various
ministries and service activities at Assumption and through
Assumption to the larger community. Take one home and
reflect on how the Lord is calling you to serve your sisters and
brothers.
ELECTRONIC GIVING:
Writing checks is becoming a
lost art. Many people have made the transition to banking online and paying bills on-line for the speed and convenience it
offers. Thanks to GiveCentral, electronic giving is also becoming increasingly popular at Assumption. Just go to our
homepage (www.assumption-chgo.org) and click on electronic giving. You may then set up your own giving profile.
Your donations will be automatically charged to your credit
card or transferred electronically from your bank account.
PARKING DURING CONSTRUCTION: Parking is free
for Sunday Mass and other church activities if you park in the
Mart Parc immediately behind the church. Bring your parking ticket to church and have it validated before or after Mass.
The validation is good for two hours free parking. You can
then exit the parking garage without visiting the pay machine.
WEDDINGS
LUKE ERLANDSON & LAUREN GRONOWSKI
MATTHEW CHMEL & EMILY BRIDGES
THEODORE HOGAN & ANGELICA PALEEZNY
DANIEL PELL & ERIN BAKER
DANIEL HRUSKA & KIMBERLY ZACHMANN
PRAY FOR THEM
Sick:
Deceased:
Marianne Vitton, Joseph C. Hantsch, Janet
Hantsch, Brent Murphy, Marion Schotz,
Joyce Walsh, Carmen Arellano, Mary Ann
Kevin, Cara Postilion, Galen Espinosa, Terry
Shaugnessy, Debora Pletzke, Javier Garcia,
Julian Dogariu, Terry Deneen, Denise Robinson,
Juanita Taylor, Ronald Kennard, LaDoris
Martin and Elease & Willie Grant, Sheila
McAndrews and Verna Reddington
Mary Ann Finnegan
MASS INTENTIONS
FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 16, 2017
7:30
Assumption Parishioners
Sun.
16th
9:00
Michael & Rose-Marie Sopko(RIP)
Helen Morris(RIP) Deceased of Sopko,
Morris, Pfiester & Jenkins Fam.
10:30
Charles & Marion Joachim (RIP)
Mon.
17th
7:00
Marianne Przybycien (RIP)
Tues.
18th
7:00
John Flynn (RIP)
12:10 Charles & Beth Mulaney (RIP)
Wed.
19th
7:00 Julie Blyth (RIP)
Thurs.
20th
12:10 Mary Ann Finnegan (RIP)
Fri.
21st
7:00 Fr. Augustine Kulbis, osm (RIP)
12:10 Charles & Beth Mulaney (RIP)