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Parishioners of all Ages Learn at Teaching Mass
 On Sunday, January 6, more than 100 parishioners gathered in the chapel for an "Explanatory" or "Teaching" Mass. Fr. Simpson presided while parishioner and liturgist Maria Leonard offered a narrative which explained the history and meanings behind our celebration of the Mass.
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Participants received a handout with the explanatory text shared during the Mass.
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Attendees were of all ages and included families from Saint Clement School and Religious Education program, and RCIA Candidates and Catechumens. Different aspects of the explanatory portion had an impact on those who attended.
Lisa Friedlander, who brought her eight year old son, had this to say: "I was a little concerned that the 1 1/2 hour Mass would be too much for my 8 year old's attention span, but he was clearly paying attention because when something was said that he didn't understand, he would lean over and whisper a question in my ear."
For Yasmin Dalton, her "take-away" had to do with music. "I think what most impressed me was learning how important singing was to the Mass. I have always felt that in song the words of God are truly embodied, but to have this feeling confirmed last Sunday was amazing -- the idea that when we sing we are all coming together in unison to create the Mass."
Young adult Tim Masterton left with a greater sense of what it means to be catholic, universal and united. "Even though I've been Catholic all my life, at the teaching Mass, I was particularly struck by the idea of unity as it guides our collective prayer and action in the liturgy. As a relatively new Saint Clement parishioner, it has been wonderful to express this unity and to learn more about the significance behind our united postures and gestures, which at times are even more significant than personal devotion or one's own prayer preference. It is clear that praying as a community united in the Eucharist is alive in our church and in our Saint Clement community."
RCIA candidate Deirdre Sandquist summed it up nicely. "I really enjoyed it! Some of the parts I knew, but it was helpful to place them in light of the bigger picture of what is taking place at Mass."
If you missed the Explanatory Mass this time around, look for another one to be offered in May, and be sure to attend Prayer Day on February 10 when we take a thoughtful and lively look at how the Mass changed 50 years ago after Vatican II.
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Thank You from Lincoln Park Community Shelter!
 Thank you, Saint Clement!
Guests of the Lincoln Park Community Shelter are so thankful for the Jesse Tree gifts they received on Christmas Eve. Following are a few notes from Guests and staff to show their appreciation:
- Fran expressed how happy she was that she was finally able to get the special Animation Software she wanted. She's been wanting it for over a year and it fits perfectly with her IT training.
- Alton stated: "This jacket fits me perfectly and it's really warm."
- Walt was happy about the Target gift card he received. He purchased things for the new apartment he moved into last week!
- Bob was delighted and stated that he was grateful to get such a nice coat.
- Willie was over the moon with his digital camera. He couldn't believe the amount of thought behind the gift and came to show staff how many features it had. He asked that staff pass on how thankful he was. He was clearly overwhelmed by the kindness.
Your generosity helped to create a very merry Christmas for many people. Thank you so much from the staff and Guests at LPCS!
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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 the Flynn family: Kim and Leo, with children Teddy (5) and Rose (2.5).
 "After five years or so of moving around after college, we were looking to establish roots in our adopted city of Chicago. In Saint Clement, we found a parish that feels like those of our hometowns and we have grown steadily more rooted over the years. Our two children were baptized by Father Ken in 2007 and 2010 and we are happy that Saint Clement will be their hometown parish. Before children, we usually attended the 7:00 p.m. Sunday Mass where Kim served as a Eucharistic Minister and we enjoyed the company of fellow young adults from the neighborhood. Now, our family has found a good fit with the 9:30 a.m. Chapel Mass where Teddy loves joining in the Children's Liturgy of the Word.
God has called us to serve in unexpected ways at Saint Clement. Our initial call to serve came from a casual conversation at work between Leo and parishioner Larry Yablonicky about the Pre-Cana ministry. We ended up paired as a host couple for four years with Bill and Maura Starshak, who were great at showing us the ropes. This August, we hosted Pre-Cana with Mary Kay and John Carter who are good friends that we met while we attended baptism prep at the Fahey Center. Kim was asked to help lead the Clement Mom's Spirituality Committee two years ago but was worried about other time commitments at work and home. After encouragement from a friend, Kim took the post and has enjoyed helping with the Epiphany celebrations and organizing the Pray, Serve, Give Retreat and the Good Shepherd Retreat, both designed to encourage spirituality and faith building in young children. Kim also frequently helps with the baptism prep classes where we help new parents reflecting on the meaning and importance of the sacrament of baptism. Leo served as co-leader of the Clement Dad's group in the past and is always looking forward to socializing with the other dads.
In addition to praying and serving, we decided to prioritize a financial commitment to Saint Clement Church and more recently to Saint Clement School. We wanted to grow our contributions to both Church and School each year and have found the online ParishPay option an invaluable convenience to keeping up the commitment.
Teddy started Pre-K at Saint Clement this school year. One day this fall, Teddy came home from school and said, "I wished Father Ken a Happy Birthday today." Such a simple statement demonstrated to us the value of a Catholic education inside a close knit and engaged community. It brings us such joy to have our children grow up in a community that demonstrates its beliefs through prayer, service, and giving."
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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.
Weekend Masses in 2013: New Mass Journal initiative, to support our participation and reflection at Mass. Extra journals available in the church vestibule.
Tuesday, January 22 @ 7:00 p.m.: The Next Chapter: Divorced/Separated/Widowed Support Group (FC I)
Thursday, January 24 @ 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.: Prayer Yoga (Chapel)
Saturday-Sunday, January 26-27 @ All Masses: Monthly Food Collection of non-perishable foods. Please place donated items in the boxes located in the church vestibule.
Sunday, January 27 @ 12:15 p.m.: Art & Architecture Tour (Church)
Thursday, January 31 @ 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.: Prayer Yoga (Chapel)
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Anchor Ball 2013: We Need You to Make it a Success!
 The 23rd Annual Anchor Ball is quickly approaching! Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 16 and plan to join the Saint Clement Parish family at the beautiful Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel for a fun-filled event that equally supports both our Church and School. Event details can be found online at clement.org/anchorball. Help us make Anchor Ball 2013 a success!
Be an Event Sponsor.
Being a sponsor helps offset many of the expenses involved in planning a successful fundraiser and joyous event. You ensure the money raised through ticket sales and auctions goes directly to our church and school. Check out the many levels of sponsorship and wonderful benefits that go along with it. If you are interested in sponsoring, please do so by January 28th so that you are eligible to attend the sponsor party hosted by Fr. Ken, at the Swanson Family's home, on February 2nd!
Donate to the Live & Silent Auctions.
Have a product, service or gift certificate to donate? Download the donation form and submit your donations by February 1st.
Volunteer.
We are still in need of volunteers to assist with our silent auction, live auction and paddle raise portions on the night of the event. Please contact Heather Kracik for more information on the silent auction and Rose McLean for volunteer opportunities throughout the night of the Ball.
Be sure to check future issues of the bulletin and The Plaza for more exciting updates about this year's Anchor Ball. Thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you at the Ball!
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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...
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