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Celebrating 25 years with our Sister Parish
in El Salvador
 From May 21-28, a group of 11 Saint Clement parishioners joined Fr. Ken and Fr. Manny in continuing the 25 year old tradition of visiting our sister parish, 22 de Abril, located in Soyapango, just outside of San Salvador, El Salvador. It was a week of renewed friendships for those returning, and the building and strengthening of new relationships that are sure to last a lifetime. We prayed, laughed, cried (a lot), sang and celebrated throughout the week. It is hard to explain in words the impact that the trip had on those that were there. Though we each experienced the community of 22 de Abril in our own unique way, one thing is certain -- we were all deeply touched and moved by the people that we met and the moments that were shared.
 | | Fr. Manny showing children images of our beautiful church. |
Our days were packed with activity: reading with the kids at the day care center; visiting the medical clinic and the "School Under the Sky"; a 7-hour bus ride to Guatemala City to attend the ordination of a 22 de Abril parishioner; hiking into the hills of El Salvador; collecting chicken eggs on a farm; and generally spending time in communion with our sister parish. We found ourselves immersed in the work and life of Archbishop Oscar Romero. In the same chapel where Romero was assassinated while giving Mass, Fr. Ken was given the opportunity to offer Mass.  Fr. Ken reflected on Romero's life and how we are all called in a special way to be "ready and willing" for what God asks of us.
There were many highlights of the trip, but for some of us, staying with families was high on the list. The people opened their doors and hearts to us as we struggled with our Spanish, the heat, the lack of privacy, and cold water showers.
One night that was particularly moving was when Padre Santos gathered 58 young people in the 22 de Abril church to announce the launching of the Romero Scholarship Program. Fr. Manny asked the young people about their dreams. Some talked about not being able to afford an education, others responded that because of financial insecurity, young people joined gangs. Fr. Manny then introduced Fr. Ken who spoke of the hard work by Fr. Manny, the Saint Clement parishioners and school children to support the youth of 22 de Abril. Then, to thunderous applause, he said that we wanted to celebrate our 25 year relationship with their community by starting a scholarship program; this was followed by more applause as he announced the name -- the Romero Scholarship -- named after Archbishop Oscar Romero. The evening ended with the distribution of Saint Clement uniforms to the young people who put on the shirts and posed for photos with our group. It was a very special evening!
On our final evening in 22 de Abril, the impact of the community truly hit many of us. In a moving reflection by Padre Santos, the youth of the community were invited up to sing to Fr. Manny in celebration of his 2 year anniversary as a priest. As the rest of us were
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Children touching the pregnant belly
of Liz Mulligan.
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brought up to the front of the church, emotions ran high as tears began to freely flow and the goodbyes began. As Rich humorously stated, "I don't think I've hugged so many people in my entire life!" Rachel beautifully expressed to the congregation that we are the grateful ones for having the privilege to experience the richness that exists within the community of 22 de Abril. Although we may have material things in the U.S., they have strong family and community bonds that have extended to each one of us, and we are all better for it.
For those that were there, the names and beautiful faces of the people in 22 de Abril and Soyapango have forever made a lasting impact to our lives. We will continue to stay connected through prayer, shared memories, and yes, Facebook! Thank you, Colonia 22 de Abril -- we
are the ones who have been forever changed by knowing you, and we look forward to continuing the friendship for the next 25 years!
Look for the full reflection from our travelers in the June 10, 2012 bulletin at Saint Clement Parish.
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Spring Fest, A Fiesta of Fun Facts!
 Can you match a picture of a flag with its country name? Are you an expert on celebrity marriages? Is your brain chalk full of scientific terms? Does the preamble to the United States Constitution just roll off your tongue? If you answered yes (or for even more fun, no!) to any of these questions, then Spring Fest was for you!
 
On Friday, May 18, over 100 parishioners had a terrific time at our annual Spring Fest Trivia Night. After socializing and enjoying a Mexican fiesta from Mayan Palace, teams got down to the business of a fierce trivia competition. The battle was fought for charities supported by Saint Clement. Our very own Pat Kavanaugh stumped all of us at least once with her tricky trivia. A big thanks to Pat for organizing and running the contest. $350 was raised for The Mission of Our Lady of the Angels, Little Sisters of the Poor, and House of the Good Shepherd, chosen by the winning teams: Conquistadors, Hammertime, and Occupy NATO. The night would not have happened without the Clement Moms' festive decorations, Clement Dads' bar tending skills, the Welcome & Hospitality Committee members' publicity, all those who assisted with set-up and clean-up, and of course, all those who came out and competed!
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Stories of Stewards
As part of our ongoing engagement process, we have come to realize the importance of parishioners sharing their personal stories of how they have connected with Saint Clement as an important factor in their lives. As a feature twice a month, we share the stories and reflections of our engaged parishioners who are living a stewardship life of prayer, service, and giving. This week we hear from Yasmin and John Dalton.
 "Two summers ago our family, moved back to Chicago after being abroad in Dubai for three years. Prior to moving to Dubai, we lived just west of downtown and were members of a neighborhood church in that area. When we returned to Chicago, we bought a townhome in Lincoln Park and we wanted to be part of a church that was also part of our immediate community. A neighbor suggested we try Saint Clement, and as they say, the rest is history.
We immediately felt a warm, genuine welcome by the parishioners and they engaged us and encouraged us to participate in the church life. Our call to stewardship has taken many forms. The first response came in wanting to become members of the church family. Although I was raised Catholic, I never received my confirmation; John grew up in the Episcopal Church, however he desired to become a full member of the church. Subsequently, in November of last year, we were confirmed and officially joined the Catholic Church.
Since then, John has served as both a liturgical and Eucharistic minister, and I have served through Children's Liturgy of the Word and have just been commissioned as a Minister of Care. In addition, we endeavor to not only apply the principal of stewardship to our structured, church community, but also in our neighborhood: John coaches little league soccer and baseball while I try to give to the community through involvement at the boys' school through PTA and being a room parent. Also, we regularly share our food and a bit of conversation with some of the men who stroll down our alley with their grocery carts.
In closing, we know that God has blessed us with a beautiful family, good health, a comfortable home, and loving friends. And just as God has been generous with us, we feel we too can give generously to our community and our church both through our time commitment and our pledge to the Sunday Giving Commitment each year. Giving financially to Saint Clement allows for our contribution to work beyond our parish and hopefully touch more people in our community."
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The Plaza Summer Schedule
The Plaza will be emailed to you every other week during the summer months. After today, the next issue you will receive will be on Friday, June 15. Normal, weekly publications will resume with the Friday, September 7 issue. |
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Opportunities to Pray.Serve.Give.
For more information on upcoming events, including our regular, weekly opportunities, please view the parish's master calendar.
Friday, June 1 @ 7:00 p.m.: Saint Clement School Graduation (Church)
Sunday, June 3 @ 10:30 a.m.: New Parishioner Reception (Fahey Center I)
Tuesday, June 5 @ 7:00 p.m.: Catholicism Episode 5: The Indispensable Men -- Peter, Paul, and the Missionary Adventure (Fireside Hall); contact Christina Bax or register here
Wednesday, June 6 @ 7:00 - 8:30: Marriage Information Night (Church)
Saturday, June 9: Children's Memorial Hospital leaves Lincoln Park and will be moving patients from 5 a.m. - 9 p.m.; please consider traffic and street closings in the neighborhood, especially those planning to attend the 5 p.m. Mass. Please pray for all the families and friends who have touched our hearts over the years.
Saturday-Sunday, June 23-24: Monthly Food Drive at all Masses to support local food pantries; items needed include non-perishable items and hygiene products.
Sunday, June 24: Bike to Mass Day; bike check available in the back courtyard; hospitality provided by Human Concerns Commission
Sunday, June 24 @ 12:30 p.m.: Art and Architecture Tour (Church)
Monday, June 25 @ 1:15 p.m.: Afternoon Book Club discusses In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson (Fahey Center I); contact Rick Jones
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Did You Know?
New Parishioner Reception
Sunday, June 3, following 9:30 a.m. Mass, Fahey Center I
 Saint Clement welcomes all new parishioners for a reception on Sunday, June 3, following the 9:30 a.m. Mass. Beginning at 10:30 a.m., we invite new parishioners to gather in the Fahey Center for a reception and refreshments, information, and conversation. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet other parishioners, parish staff, and members of the Welcome & Hospitality Committee, as well as to learn more about the many opportunities Saint Clement offers. For questions or more information, contact Maggie Hanley at 773-281-0371.
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Submit Your Ideas
We hope you have enjoyed this week's issue of The Plaza. If you know of a parishioner living their life as a steward or a topic that would interest other parishioners, please submit your idea here.
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And finally...
Please note, by unsubscribing via the link below, you are opting out of receiving The Plaza newsletter. You will continue to receive other messages from Saint Clement Parish.
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| Photo credits: Top bar (left): John Zich, www.zrweddings.com. |
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