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 Georganne Palffy:

My first visit to Chicago

nearly 20 years ago included a stop at The Art Institute, dinner at Mia Francesca and mass at Saint Clement with Bob. It was Fr. Hickey's passionate homily that moved me (and so did the amazing choir!). I had lived and attended Mass in the many regions across the U.S. and having heard the good and the bad, this felt right. It was not myopic, or fire and brimstone -- there was acceptance and compassion. For divorced Catholics, for the homeless, for those struggling with infertility, for gay and lesbian Catholics, for young and old, single and married, conservative and liberal. It's why we think Saint Clement is so special -- the inclusion and celebration of so many divergent groups within and outside the parish, some of whom may not always feel welcome elsewhere. It is, as Bob says, an open tent not a closed tent.

As our commitment deepened, Bob and I got engaged and I moved to Chicago where we continued sharing our faith together at Saint Clement. Our family grew, as did our relationship with the parish and the school. Maddy and Kara, our two oldest, were baptized and confirmed here and graduated from Saint Clement School. Dylan was baptized and celebrated his First Communion at Saint Clement, and is now preparing for confirmation. Our kids have all worn various Wolverine sports uniforms, read passages during the Christmas pageants, sung in the choir, been an altar server and strung Jesse Tree tags. I served as Finance Chair for the Greenery Fair, worked with and now chair the Jesse Tree Advent project for the last 15 years, serve as a Eucharistic Minister and helped in the To Teach Who Christ Is campaign. Bob is a member of the Men's Communio, served on the most recent principal selection committee, and together we taught Pre-Cana for many years.

To us, Saint Clement is an actively engaged, passionate group of Catholics collectively enriching the lives of others as they practice their faith. The side bonus is you enrich your own life. We have met so many wonderful people in this community. From Lenten faith group participants (where Sally recruited me for Jesse Tree), to the warm couples who taught us Pre-Cana, to the endearing couples we met while teaching Pre-Cana, to the friendships with school parents, with fellow Cub Scout leaders, with those working on Jesse Tree and within the Communio group. The vibrant welcoming seeps into your heart when you answer the call to pray, to serve, to give. It feels good. I still get a lump in my throat every year when I see how generous our parish is, walking into Fahey and seeing the fantasia-like piles of Jesse Tree gifts to be delivered to those less fortunate. Thank you God for our community!