The Catholic New World: Cardinal's Column, Calendar & Appointments

People come together for all sorts of reasons. People come together in the Church because of their faith; but our coming together is often split up in different places and with different groups. Each year, the Archdiocese has gatherings of catechists, of pastoral associates, of deacons and priests, of teachers and of liturgists, of Catholics of particular cultural backgrounds, of artists and of engineers, of religious women and men, of bishops and seminarians, of St. Vincent de Paul Societies and of parish councils. Two years ago, as we were looking over the list of special occasions and meetings for the year, someone thought we might save money and strengthen our sense of unity in mission by bringing all these groups together at the same time and the same place. What began as a pragmatic suggestion quickly developed into plans for a celebration of who we are in faith, gathered into this local Church, the Archdiocese of Chicago.

From Thursday, Oct. 30, to Sunday, Nov. 2, Catholics from Cook and Lake counties will gather in a Festival of Faith at Navy Pier. It’s a chance to break out of the limitations of parish and school, of personal club and particular ministry and discover the entire Archdiocese. It will take a bit of effort, since our habits tend to imprison us; we like to do what we’re used to doing, think as we’ve become accustomed to think. The Catholic Festival of Faith is designed to build on what we normally do as Catholics by bringing together many facets of our life as the Church and helping us to gain new perspective.

My grandmother, as a very elderly lady, used to tell stories of her visiting, as a young woman, the Columbian Exposition, held to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ 1492 voyage to this continent. It was a great fair on what is now the campus of the University of Chicago; and it solidified Chicago’s claim, just two decades after the Great Fire, to being a great city, a premier city of this country and the world. My parents occasionally told me stories of their visit to the World’s Fair held in Chicago in 1933. In the midst of the Great Depression and the threat of world war, the fair painted a picture of a world of peace and prosperity. I remember my own visits as a school boy to the Railroad Fairs of 1948 and1949, where I learned how Chicago was at the center of our country’s transportation system and began to see how geography, technology and imagination come together to open up new worlds. Going to fairs to get a new perspective on who we are is a Chicago thing to do.

I am looking forward to the Catholic Festival of Faith, “a gathering to reflect, renew and rejoice.” I hope many Catholics will come just to get a new perspective on our life as an archdiocese, on our faith in the world. Thursday, Oct. 30, is youth day, and I expect that some young people will be telling their grandchildren 60 years from now about their experiences at the Catholic Festival of Faith. Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday are days with Mass and prayer, with major addresses, followed by many different groups presenting a topic or explaining themselves and their work. There will be musical and dramatic presentations, from plays to techno-rock (I’m not entirely sure what that means). There will be a gallery of art treasures from parishes and institutions in the Archdiocese. The evenings are filled with banquets and awards ceremonies. Among the keynote speakers from outside Chicago are Harvard law professor Mary Ann Glendon, who will speak on the role of the laity in the Church, and papal biographer and Catholic New World columnist George Weigel, both presenting in English, along with keynoters in Spanish and in Polish. The workshops will feature Chicagoans and others, people responsible for the various ministries that make the Archdiocese vital. Bishops will be coming from the Philippines, Vietnam and other parts of Asia, from Poland, Latin America and Africa. The Lord will be present, reserved in the Blessed Sacrament in a special chapel; and there will be priests for the Sacrament of Penance.

Not only will our present be celebrated, but our past will be present in a representation of Father Jacques Marquette’s life and work in Chicago and around Lake Michigan in the 1600s. Our future will be present liturgically, for Nov. 1 is the feast of All Saints and Nov. 2 the feast of All Souls. Oct. 31 is Halloween, of course, but what better place to spend it than at Navy Pier?

Whether you are a parish leader, a liturgical minister, a catechist or simply interested in the Catholic faith, whether single, married, young or old, there is something at the festival you will enjoy and which will help you grow in our faith. Come and see the life of the Archdiocese, gathered together in one place on one weekend. You can obtain more detailed information on the festival and its events and speakers, along with registration information, from your parish or by visiting the Festival Web site (www.catholicfest.org) or by calling (312) 751-8388. God bless you.