|
|
|
|
|
Young Adults from Saint Clement and Beyond Enjoy First Installment of Theology on Tap
 "Jesus asks us to bring ourselves and be changed." - Fr. Ken Simpson
On Tuesday evening, 190 young adults gathered on the plaza to kick off this year's Theology on Tap speaker series. After some food and fellowship, our own Pastor, Fr. Ken Simpson, spoke on "Making Mass
More Meaningful: Understanding What Jesus Meant by 'Do THIS in memory of me.'" Fr. Ken took us through each part of the Mass and gave us some tips for "Better Mass Going." After the talk, young adults were invited to ask Fr. Ken questions about the liturgy. Click here to watch the talk online!
Veterans of Theology on Tap and first time attendees alike had a meaningful experience. Kim Marks summed up the evening: "Good talk, good food, good friends!" Katie Lawrence said, "It was really insightful. It made me think about the pieces of the Mass and it was neat to spend time reflecting on that."
 Those in attendance included Saint Clement parishioners and young adults from other churches and dioceses, as well as those just interested in the faith. Andrew Clark said, "I came for information. I was curious about the parts of the Mass because I'm not Catholic. Fr. Ken addressed a lot of what is most beautiful about the Catholic faith...Mass permeates every aspect of Catholic life."
We extend a special thanks to the more than 30 volunteers who helped to make the first night of Theology on Tap such a success. When asked what one could expect from Theology on Tap, volunteer Sean O'Leary said, "Moments of joy and reflection, all in one night!"
Theology on Tap continues at 7 p.m. the next three weeks with the following presentations:
Tuesday, July 17: "Dual Citizenship: The Challenge of Being American and Catholic"
Speaker: Scott McLarty; Director, Office of Peace and Justice, Archdiocese of Chicago
Tuesday, July 24: "Singled Out: Five Tips to Improve Your Dating Game"
Speaker: Anita A. Chlipala, MA, MEd, LMFT; Marriage and Family Therapist
Tuesday, July 31: "Hearing God's Call at Work"
Speaker: Dr. Sally Blount; Dean, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
Click here for details. We hope to see you there!
|
|
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 Dennis O'Toole.
 "When Oscar Wilde visited America in 1882, a journalist asked him why he thought our country was so violent. 'Because,' he said, 'your wallpaper is so ugly.'
Well, the place went nuts, and some guy screamed, 'Oh, no he didn't!' for the first time in world history.
That story may be apocryphal, but Wilde would have agreed with the aesthetic principle behind it. If the principle is true, then Saint Clement parishioners have no excuse for any kind of sin. Our wallpaper is fantastic. From the architecture to the artwork, from the music during Mass to the liturgies themselves, we are surrounded by beauty.
I started coming to Saint Clement in the early 2000's and in '05 registered as a parishioner. Since '09 I've sat on the young adult board. On the fourth Saturday of each month, I join other members of the young adult community to visit Our Lady of the Angels to help the Franciscans who brought that church back into Chicago's Catholic community. (These trips are open to the whole parish. You should TOTALLY go!)
My favorite thing about Saint Clement is how vibrant it is. The young adult activities alone would make a busy calendar, but at Saint Clement it's just the start. There's also Clement Moms, prayer groups, the God Squad, food drives, Clement Dads, Donate-a-Day, sack lunches for the homeless, trips to El Salvador, Service Day, the X-Treme Slam Dunk Contest, Spring Fest, Anchor Ball, Fall Fest... OK, I made up the slam dunk contest, but it obviously needs to happen.
It's not a coincidence that the parish is so large, diverse, and active and that our church is so beautiful. As the Wilde story implies, the world around us affects our behavior. On the other hand, a mere beautiful building can seem sterile. What saves ours from that fate is the stewardship of parishioners. This is a parish that shows, emphatically, that 'The Church' is all of God's people--not just the building, and not just slivers of the hierarchy.
You know, my daddy had a saying: 'Church ain't free.' OK, I made that up too, but think about it. I have, and so I donate monthly via ParishPay. It's a way of ensuring that the stewards who make up our parish can keep doing beautiful work."
|
|
Opportunities to Pray.Serve.Give.
For more information on upcoming events, including our regular, weekly opportunities, please view the parish's master calendar.
Tuesdays, July 17, 24, 31 @ 7:00 p.m.: Theology on Tap, a 4-week outdoor speaker and conversation series for young adults in their 20's and 30's, married or single (held on the Plaza).
Thursdays, July 19, 26, August 2 @ 6-7:30 p.m.: Prayer Yoga (Fireside Hall). $15/class, paid to the instructors. Contact Mary DuQuaine to register.
Thursdays, July 26 & August 2 @ 7:15 p.m.: Theology on the Rocks, a 2-week outdoor speaker and conversation series for adults ages 35+ (held on the Back Patio).
Saturday/Sunday July 28/29 @ All Masses: Monthly Food Drive
Wednesday, August 8 @ 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.: Marriage Information Night (Church). Pre-registration required; contact Gael Day.
Sunday, August 12 @ 8:00 p.m.: YAC (Young Adult Community) Wine & Cheese (Chapel)
Friday-Sunday August 24-26: Annual Family Camping Trip (Blackwell Forest Preserve in DuPage County)
Saturday/Sunday August 25/26 @ All Masses: Monthly Food Drive
|
|
Did You Know?
Year of Sunday Mass
Archdiocesan Strategic Pastoral Plan: "Reflect Christ's Light" Enters Year Two
In 2011, the Archdiocese of Chicago implemented a new Strategic Pastoral Plan: Reflect Christ's Light spanning five years, with a different theme each year, in order to more deeply connect baptized Catholics into the life of the Catholic Church. July 2011 began the first themed year: "Year of Teens and Young Adults." As of July 1, 2012, the Plan continues with the "Year of Sunday Mass."
 Year of Sunday Mass - A Video Celebration | | |
A new website for this second year initiative has been launched to help provide resources, including a video celebration of Sunday Mass and weekly bulletin inserts that we have incorporated in our parish bulletin--these "One Word at a Time" inserts highlight one gesture or ritual action each week to help parishioners of all ages grow in their understanding and appreciation of the liturgy.
Keep an eye out for further resources and initiatives that we at Saint Clement Parish will be engaging in to help strengthen and renew our lives of faith!
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
| Photo credits: Top bar (left): John Zich, www.zrweddings.com. |
|
|
