Church Calendar of Events

St. Katharine Drexel Parish Week At-A-Glance

SUNDAY DECEMBER 1st, 2024 at 10:15 a.m.

First Sunday of Advent

Mass will begin at 10:15 a.m. on https://www.facebook.com/StKatharineDrexelParishChgo/live

SUNDAY APRIL 5th, 2020 at 10:15 a.m.

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

Prayer Teleconference

Pastor’s Notes 03/08/2020

• On Sunday, March 15th, we will celebrate the women of our parish at the 8:00 and 11 a.m. Masses. Sister Anita Baird, DHM, will be the speaker. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let us thank God for the many women who have made great contributions to our society and church.
• Please read my letter regarding the liturgical practices that we will follow going forward due to public health concerns amidst the spread of Coronavirus/COVID-19. It is important that we all exercise good hygienic practices while at church and elsewhere. These practices will remain in place until the Archdiocese says it is safe for parishes to resume their customary rituals. Please remember to pray for all who have been affected by the Coronavirus and especially the families who loved ones died due to the disease. I ask your understanding and cooperation during this time. May God keep us all healthy and safe from all danger!

Pastor’s Notes 03/01/2020

• We welcome Bishop Perry to our parish today! I am grateful to Bishop Perry for his support of our parish and for all of his efforts on behalf of the people of African descent on the south side. We appreciate you, Bishop, and wish you well in your ministry to the People of God.

• Thanks to the Ladies Auxiliary and the Junior Daughters of the Knights of Peter Claver, Court # 181 for such a wonderful celebration last Sunday at Georgios Banquets. Congratulations once again to the men from our parish who were honored and to all parishioners who supported them by purchasing tickets or making a donation to support the event. It was good to be with all of you!
• On Sunday, March 15th, we will celebrate the women of our parish at the 8:00 and 11 a.m. Masses. Sister Anita Baird, DHM, will be the speaker. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let us thank God for the many women who have made great contributions to our society and church.

Pastor’s Notes 02/23/2020

• The season of Lent is quickly approaching with Ash Wednesday on February 26th. Mass with distribution of ashes will be celebrated at 8:30 a.m. with our school children and at 7:00 p.m. Ashes will not be available outside of these times. If you cannot make it here for Mass, please consider going to a church near you. Remember! Ash Wednesday if a day of fast and abstinence. Please see the Lenten guidelines in today’s bulletin.
• Next Sunday, March 1st, there is only one Mass at 10 a.m. Bishop Joseph Perry is the celebrant and homilist for the day. Following the Mass, we will gather for a reception in the Parish Hall to celebrate Mrs. Loma Dagley’s 100th birthday and Sr. Evelyn who will be leaving our community to minister in the Philippines. Please join us for Mass and the reception!
• The SKD Inspirational Choir will be singing at St. Benedict the African Parish, (corner of 66th St. and Stewart), on Monday, March 2nd at 7:00 p.m. for their “On Time God” revival. Sr. Jane Nesmith, SBS, is the revival preacher. Please come out and support our choir and worship with our sister parish in Englewood.

Pastor’s Notes 02/16/2020

• The season of Lent is quickly approaching with Ash Wednesday on February 26th. Mass with distribution of ashes will be celebrated at 8:30 a.m. with our school children and at 7:00 p.m. Ashes will not be available outside of these times. If you cannot make it here for Mass, please consider going to a church near you. Remember! Ash Wednesday is a day of fast and abstinence. Please see the Lenten guidelines in today’s bulletin.
• The First Sunday of Lent is March 1st. There is only one Mass that day at 10 a.m. Bishop Joseph Perry is the celebrant and preacher for the day. Please mark your calendar!
• Congratulations to the following honorees of this year’s Archbishop James P. Lyke African American Male Image Awards: Al Davis, Deacon Roscoe Dixon, Roland Royal, Jean Voltaire and college scholarship recipients: Nicholas Amuh, Andre Johnson and Elijah Pierre Toussaint. These men will receive their awards on Sunday, February 23rd at a 2 p.m. luncheon at Georgios Banquets. The ticket donation is $50. Please support the Knights of Peter Claver, Ladies Auxiliary Court #181 in their annual fundraiser. See any of the honorees or Dedra Delaney to purchase tickets.

Pastor’s Notes 02/09/2020

• Leaders of all parish ministries are asked to attend a meeting with Fr. Paul on Tuesday, February 11th at 7 pm. In the Imani Room. There are several important matters that need to be discussed. Please be on time!
• Congratulations to the following honorees of this year’s Archbishop James P. Lyke African American Male Image Awards: Al Davis, Deacon Roscoe Dixon, Roland Royal, Jean Voltaire and college scholarship recipients: Nicholas Amuh, Andre Johnson and Elijah Pierre-Toussaint. These men will receive their awards on Sunday, February 23rd at a 2 p.m. luncheon at Georgios Banquets. The ticket donation is $50. Please support the Knights of Peter Claver, Ladies Auxiliary Court #181 in their annual fundraiser. See any of the honorees or Dedra Delaney to purchase tickets.
• The First Sunday of Lent is March 1st. There is only one Mass that day at 10 a.m. Bishop Joseph Perry is the celebrant and preacher for the day. Please mark your calendar!
• The Annual Catholic Appeal is about to begin. This is the fundraising activity that the Archdiocese sponsors annually to support its various ministries. All parishioners are asked to make a financial commitment in support of this effort. The commitment weekend is Feb. 15-16. Thanks in advance for your generosity.

Pastor’s Notes 02/02/2020

• Mark your calendar! On Saturday, February 8th, the parish is hosting a “Love Fest Cabaret” from 6:30 p.m. until midnight in the parish hall. This is an adult-only, B.Y.O.B. event! Invite your family and friends and come out and enjoy this pre-Valentine’s Day event! We’re gathering “Jus’ B-Cuz!”
• The First Sunday of Lent is March 1st. There is only one Mass that day at 10 a.m. Bishop Joseph Perry is the celebrant and preacher for the day. Please mark your calendar!
• The Annual Catholic Appeal is about to begin. This is the fundraising activity that the Archdiocese sponsors annually to support its various ministries. All parishioners are asked to make a financial commitment in support of this effort. The commitment weekend is Feb. 15-16. Thanks in advance for your generosity

Pastor’s Notes 01/26/2020

Remember! Only one Mass at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 26th.

• Open House – St. Ailbe School, Sunday, Jan. 26th, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Early registration will also take place. A Book Fair is being held from 9-10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Please stop by and check out the wonderful things that are happening in our school.
• Next weekend at all Masses, we will celebrate our elders. As we begin Black History Month, please join us as we honor the elders of our parish community. At the 11:00 Mass, the Youth will be responsible for all ministries. Please bring your parents and grandparents with you. You are also encouraged to wear Afrocentric attire throughout the month.
• World Marriage Day is Sunday, February 9th. All couples are encouraged to renew your marriage vows. Couples that have been married 60 years-plus will receive a special gift. Complete the form in the bulletin and give to Fr. Paul.
• Join us immediately after Mass on January 26th for the Winter Bash!

Pastor’s Notes 01/19/2020

• The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, January 20th in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The office will re-open for regular business hours on Tuesday, January 21st.
• Next Sunday, January 26th there is only one Mass at 10 a.m. The celebrant is Redemptorist Fr. Maurice Nutt. Following the Mass there will be a “Winter Blast” in the parish hall. This is an opportunity for us to come together to celebrate as a community. There will be food, dancing and fellowship. St. Ailbe School is also hosting an Open House that day, so I hope you will walk through our school and meet the teachers and Administration. Please consider registering your child or children for Academic year ’20-’21. The day will be busy, so come and have a good time!
• A second collection will be taken up at all Masses next weekend to support the Church in Latin America. Please be generous.

Pastor’s Notes 01/05/2020

• Happy New Year! I hope you had great holiday celebrations with family and friends. Our liturgies were absolutely beautiful! Thank you to all who came out to worship with us. I would like to extend my thanks to all who helped to enhance our liturgies: the Inspirational Choir and musicians, altar servers, lectors, ushers, Praise Dancers, Sisters in Spirit, Roderick Whitfield and the Environment Team, our deacons, and, of course, you! We could not be a beacon of hope here at the corner of 91st and Stony Island Avenue without you and your wonderful support of our parish and its ministries. As we enter this new year, let us do so with hearts full of gratitude for all that God has done for us and for what God will do. He keeps on blessing us! Let us be blessings one to another!
• “Faith Sharing” on the Sunday Scriptures will be held in the Imani Room on Wednesday, Jan. 8th at 10 a.m. and at 6:30 p.m. We’re using the text, At Home with the Word.

Pastor’s Notes 12/29/2019

• This feast day of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph marks the first-year anniversary of our parish coming together under one roof. I know there is still sadness among some individuals, but I am grateful to you for “hanging in” there and allowing God to shepherd you in the most difficult times. We have accomplished a lot in our first year and we will continue to do so as we move forward together. Please continue to pray for our well-being as a parish community. May the good Lord bless each of you! Have a happy and blessed New Year! Remember to be safe in all that you do!
• The Parish Office will close at Noon on New Year’s Eve and will remain closed through January 2nd. The office will resume regular business hours on Friday, Jan. 3rd.
• Faith Sharing on the Sunday Scriptures will resume on Wednesday, January 8th! Enjoy your holidays!

Pastor’s Notes 12/22/2019

• Thanks to all of you who made someone else happy through your participation in the Giving Tree exchange. So many people and organizations rely on the kindness of others at this time of year. I am grateful that the people of St. Katharine Drexel are able to be a blessing to others. Thanks for all that you do to help build up our parish community as well as the community at large. May each of you have a very Merry Christmas!
• Following the Mass on Sunday, December 29th, we will celebrate Kwanzaa in the Parish Hall. We are in need of food items! The Parish will provide the meat. Please donate side items to help complete the meal. Sign-up sheets are on the table in the narthex. If you are able to donate an item, please sign-up. Thanks in advance for your contribution.
• The Parish Office will close at Noon on Christmas Eve and remain closed for the rest of the week in observance of the Christmas holiday. The office will re-open for regular business hours on Monday, December 30th. In the case of an emergency, please call the office as usual and let the phone attendant know this and I will then be notified.

Pastor’s Notes 12/15/2019

• The Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary Junior Daughters—Court # 181 is sponsoring a Christmas Bazaar, Bake Sale and Breakfast with Santa on Sunday, December 15th in the Parish Hall from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The donation is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children under 7 years old. Vendors are welcome to participate! Please see the flyer in the bulletin for further information. The proceeds of this event help to defray the costs for our Junior Knights and Daughters to attend their annual conference and convention. Please support them in this fundraising endeavor!
• Following the Mass on Sunday, December 29th, we will celebrate Kwanzaa in the Parish Hall. We are in need of food items! The Parish will provide the meat. Please donate side items to help complete the meal. Sign-up sheets are on the table in the narthex. If you are able to donate an item, please sign-up. Thanks in advance for your contribution.
• The Parish Office will close at Noon on Christmas Eve and remain closed for the rest of the week in observance of the Christmas holiday. The office will re-open for regular business hours on Monday, December 30th. In the case of an emergency, please call the office as usual and let the phone attendant know this and I will then be notified.

Pastor’s Notes 12/01/2019

• The Catholic Campaign for Human Development second collection will be taken at all Masses the weekend of November 23-24. CCHD is the anti-poverty, social justice program of the U.S. Catholic Church. Please support organizations throughout the Archdiocese that are committed to robust community and economic development for those living on the margins.
• Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, November 28th. Mass will be celebrated in the church at 10 a.m. Please join us as we gather to thank our loving and generous God for the blessings we have received this past year. Daily Mass will not be celebrated in the rectory chapel on Friday, November 29th.
• The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is December 9th this year due to the Second Sunday of Advent falling on December 8th. Mass will be celebrated at 8:30 a.m. in the church. This year, the holy day of obligation is suspended.
• On Thursday, December 12th, there will be an Advent Evening of Prayer in the church at 7 p.m. Sr. Ann Willits, O.P. and Fr. Don Goergen, O.P. will be the preachers.
• As we prepare our hearts and lives for Christ’s coming, let us gather together to welcome Christ’s presence among us.

Pastor’s Notes 11/24/2019

• The Catholic Campaign for Human Development second collection will be taken at all Masses the weekend of November 23-24. CCHD is the anti-poverty, social justice program of the U.S. Catholic Church. Please support organizations throughout the Archdiocese that are committed to robust community and economic development for those living on the margins.
• Please join us for the Parish Tree Trimming Gathering on Saturday, December 7th following the 5:00 Mass. We will gather in the parking lot entrance of the church to trim the tree. Please read the flyer in the bulletin for further details. Come out and enjoy an evening of fellowship as we gather for this festive event!
• The Anointing of the Sick will be celebrated at all Masses the weekend of December 6-7. Please bring your ill or infirmed family members to church so that they may receive the graces of the sacrament.

Pastor’s Notes 11/17/2019

• The Feast of Christ the King is celebrated the weekend of November 23-24. This feast concludes the liturgical year, Cycle “C.” On December 1st, we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent. Our Sunday Scriptures will come from Cycle “A” and the weekday Scriptures from Year II. The parish will provide copies of the Book, At Home with the Word that contains the Sunday Scriptures. Copies are limited!
• The Catholic Campaign for Human Development second collection will be taken at all Masses the weekend of November 23-24. CCHD is the anti-poverty, social justice program of the U.S. Catholic Church. Please support organizations throughout the Archdiocese that are committed to robust community and economic development for those living on the margins.
• Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, November 28th. Mass will be celebrated in the church at 10 a.m. Please join us as we gather to thank our loving and generous God for the blessings we have received this past year. Daily Mass will not be celebrated in the rectory chapel on Friday, November 29th.

Pastor’s Notes 11/10/2019

• The Youth on the Move “Masquerade Gala” is Sunday, November 10th, at 4 p.m., at Tuscany Fall Banquets, 9425 W. 191st Street, in Mokena, IL. Remember! The proceeds of this Gala will help to fund the youth mission trip to New Orleans in July 2020. Donations are gratefully accepted if you cannot participate. I look forward to seeing you there!
• The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, November 11th in observance of Veterans Day. The office will resume regular business hours on Tuesday. The daily Mass will be held in the church as usual on Monday with the school children.
• There will be a youth Mass on Sunday, November 17th at 1:00 a.m. Our youth will be in charge of the ministries. Please come and support our youth as they share their gifts with us!
• Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, November 28th. Mass will be celebrated in the church at 10 a.m. Please join us as we gather to thank our loving and generous God for the blessings we have received this past year.