Saint Clement Parishioners Encounter Christ This Lent

Fr. Ken often refers to the Gospels from the third, fourth, and fifth Sunday of Lent as the "best hits" from John's Gospel - and with good reason!  These life-changing encounters with Jesus by the woman at the well, the man born blind, and in the raising of Lazarus are rich in imagery, compelling us to recognize ourselves in each of the characters and to meet Jesus in our own lives.

For the past three weeks, roughly 70 parishioners and candidates going through the RCIA process (The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) have gathered to use the Sunday scripture to dig deeper in their relationship with Jesus as part of Saint Clement's Lenten prayer and reflection series titled "Encountering Christ." In addition to prayer, song, and ritual focused on the Sunday gospel, each session has also included a brief witness reflection from a member of the RCIA team, and time for personal or guided reflection.

Parishioner Tim Whiting writes, "I have been attending the Saint Clement series on 'Encountering Christ' and it has been an amazing journey into my relationship with Christ. The music, readings, testimonies, personal reflections, and prayer petitions have made me think more deeply about my life and relationship with God and my church, Saint Clement. It has made my Lenten journey deeper into my faith than ever before."

Jamey Roberts, a member of the RCIA Elect (those elected, or chosen, for baptism at Easter), and his sponsor, Dan McKelvey, spoke highly of the witness talks/reflections. Dan appreciated hearing from fellow parishioners, and found their stories and reflections extremely relatable. Jamey found the talks to be a helpful bridge connecting his own journey to Christ to that of the characters in the gospel, and that the sessions really helped give him something to focus on as he prepares for his baptism in just a few short weeks.

As part of the final preparation for baptism, Jamey and the nine other adult Elect in our parish have been participating in a series of liturgical rites called the Scrutinies, which seek "to uncover, then heal all that is weak, defective or sinful in the hearts of the elect; to bring out, then strengthen all that is upright, strong, and good" (RCIA, 141). As part of the process to help prepare them for these rites (and to help all present to grow deeper in their faith), participants in the Encountering Christ series have written out a personal prayer petition each week, asking God to heal one area of their lives, and to strengthen the goodness already within them.

Reminding us that conversion to Christ is a continual deepening of relationship - even for those of us already baptized - parishioner Susan Norris writes: "The Encountering Christ series has helped me deepen my relationship with God. Specifically, the meditation on what I want God to free me from and what I God to nourish in me, based on the Sunday Gospel."   

In preparation for Holy Week and Triduum, please join us on Tuesday, April 8 for "Encountering Christ in His Paschal Mystery," at 7:00 p.m. in the Chapel. This prayer and reflection session will lead participants to encounter Christ during each "movement" of the Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday.

Final Weekend to Register for Service Day

photo courtesy Amy Boyle Photography

This year's 9th annual parish-wide Service Day will take place on Saturday, April 26. Join family, friends, and fellow parishioners as we celebrate our parish anchors of Pray, Serve, and Give. 

Called to serve one another, teams of adult and teenage parishioners (6th grade and older) will participate in a variety of service projects at organizations throughout the city, such as homeless shelters, childcare centers, soup kitchens, and senior homes. Children in grades K-5 will take part in age-appropriate service projects with their peers at the school, while their parents serve off-site. Please note: any participant under the age of 18 must have a parent/guardian also taking part in the day.

This is the final weekend to sign-up! Registration will take place on the plaza following all Masses this weekend, April 5-6. Volunteers will be available to answer questions and assist with sign-up. Full details, along with online registration, can be found online. Hard copies are also available in the parish office.

Sign-up by Wednesday, April 9, and we'll match you with a service activity that will challenge you and give you the chance to practice the values of your faith. Don't miss out!  

Know of any organizations or project sites in the city that could benefit from our service? We'd love to hear from you! Contact Maggie Hanley.

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 Vitek family: Mike, Annette, and Jacqueline: 

"When our family arrived at Saint Clement 12 years ago, we had no idea that our life would be so fully enriched by this marvelous faith community, our anchor. It has reminded us to wrap our arms around the present in life so that our spiritual and family relationships are stronger. We cherish the meaningful connections we have made here and the accountability we have to our Lord. Without fail, Father Simpson, Father Peter, Father Rex, or one of the other amazing priests at Saint Clement, delivers an inspirational message at the Sunday morning Masses at 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. Jacqueline, our daughter and an 8th grader at Saint Clement School, has received a first class education over the past 10 years from outstanding teachers and caring administrators. From her early days as an angel in the Christmas Eve pageant, to receiving the sacraments of first Eucharist, first reconciliation and, most recently, the sacrament of confirmation with Cardinal George, Father Simpson, and Father Rex, to participation in Mass as an altar server, these are among our happiest moments as parents. Her impending 8th grade graduation is bittersweet for us as she leaves this very special School.

We appreciate the fact that there are numerous opportunities to become more involved at Saint Clement. Annette has been fortunate to serve as a Eucharistic minister, and to serve on various fundraising committees. She has helped raise funds for Anchor Ball and the school, and she is a Girl Scout leader. At Father Hickey's urging via a Sunday morning homily eight years ago, she joined a faith sharing group during Lent which happened to include the Mothers' Rosary participants. She has been attending the Mothers' Rosary ever since. Mike has coached Wolverines basketball at different levels for almost six years, serves as Athletic Board Chair, and frequently participates in service opportunities. He thoroughly enjoys teaching youth athletics. He cherishes the special relationships he has formed with Saint Clement dads. We are happy to be involved in the newest capital campaign, "To Teach Who Christ Is," which focuses on religious education in our Archdiocese and the many needs of Saint Clement Parish. Jacqueline likes the God Squad, a teen youth group that meets on Sundays for faith sharing, service to others, a meal, and Mass.   

We've been fortunate to have made some lifelong friendships through Saint Clement, and we even plan vacations with some of our parishioner friends. Whether we are dancing the night away at Anchor Ball or the Saint Clement Hoedown, giving back to our community painting a church basement during the Annual Service Day, or attending a marriage retreat, the experience is always enriching. We look forward to many years of spiritual growth and participation in this exceptional community. As a family we believe that at Saint Clement more involvement and service one invests, the greater the fulfillment."

Holy Week at Saint Clement

Celebrate Easter with us!

Mark your calendars and prepare to celebrate Easter at Saint Clement.

Sunday, April 13 - Passion Sunday 

Masses at 5:00 p.m. (Saturday), 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m. (Chapel & Church), and 11:15 a.m.

Tenebrae is a liturgy of readings and candlelight, pondering the symbols of light and darkness in relation to the mystery of Christ's life and passion.

The Triduum

Morning Prayer at 9:00 a.m. (Church)

Mass of the Lord's Supper at 7:30 p.m. (Church)

Night Prayer at 9:45 p.m. (Chapel)

Morning Prayer at 9:00 a.m. (Church)

Children's Stations of the Cross at 10:00 a.m. (Chapel)

Stations of the Cross at noon (Church)

Liturgy of the Passion at 7:30 p.m. (Church)

Night Prayer at 9:45 p.m. (Church)

Morning Prayer at 9:00 a.m. (Church)

Blessing of Easter Food at 1:00 p.m.

Easter Vigil at 8:00 p.m.

Please note, there will be no 5:00 p.m. Mass

April 20 - Easter Sunday

Liturgy of the Resurrection of the Lord

Masses at 8:00 a.m. (Church), 9:30 a.m. (Church, Chapel and gym), 11:15 a.m. (Church and Chapel)

Please note, there will be no 7:00 p.m. Mass

Easter Masses at The Cabrini Shrine (2520 North Lakeview Ave) will be held at 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

Saint Clement Hosts Blood Drive

This Sunday, April 6, in the School Gym

Donating one unit of blood can help save the lives of at least three people. Saint Clement Parish will host a Blood Drive from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. this Sunday, April 6 in the School Gym, sponsored by Heartland Blood Centers. 

Appointments are appreciated, but walk-ins are welcome. Please contact Maggie Hanley to make an appointment or visit Heartland Blood Centers. A photo ID will be required to donate blood.

In conjunction with the blood drive this year, the parish will host a Marrow Donor Registry Drive, sponsored by Be The Match. Registering is a very simple process that takes five minutes and a cotton swab of the mouth. If you are a match in the future, you may be asked to donate bone marrow, which is only 25 percent of donations, or you may be asked to donate stem cells, which is 75 percent of the donations and very similar to donating blood. Seventy percent of patients needing a marrow transplant do not have a matching donor in their family. Donors must be 18-44 years old to register and in general good health. If you match a patient, you may be the only match for them in the entire world. Please consider stopping by the School Gym for more information. 

Please note: Due to the blood drive, there will be no childcare this Sunday.