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Church Clips by Dolores Madlener

Dolores Madlenera column of benevolent gossip

  • ‘Sister Stat Sheets’ —

    Here she goes again! Sister of Providence Jean Kenny begins sensing football season shortly after 4th of July. She teaches, she prays, and then she studies her game plan for predicting the scores. As optimistic as a giddy Cubs fan, she believes “The Chicago Bears will win at least eight games this season.” Sister has three tickets for the sold-out first Sunday night game in brand new Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Sept. 7. Did she win the lottery? Negatory. “It’s thanks to generous Colts ’ owner, Jim Irsay ! This is a rematch of 2007’s Super Bowl XLI and Mr. Irsay enjoyed my Super Bowl poem that year.” Two other Sisters of Providence are travelling with her, (Colts fans) Barb McClelland and Rita Wade . They will have to run interference for Kenny, as she intends to “proudly wear my Bears’ rugby jersey. And I expect to experience Hoosier hospitality.” (Oh yeah.) Sister says she is reluctantly picking the Colts to win this game, “But I hope Devin Hester proves me wrong.” Be careful with that crystal ball, you could poke an eye out!

  • Sursum corda —

    Mundelein Seminary will offer a traditional Latin Mass training workshop for priests and seminarians Sept. 8- 12. The event is a team effort with the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius (N. Carpenter). There will be hands-on demonstrations, conferences and a Q&A. Recently about 60 priests, all ages, took part in a similar summer school at Oxford , England. The reintroduction of the rather complex liturgy (rubrics as well as the language) drew some clergy who were just curious as well as those (mostly younger priests) who dub themselves traditionalists. The sessions’ prime purpose was to “deepen understanding of their priesthood.”

  • Parish potpourri —

    Barry and Pam Churin marked their 10th wedding anniversary and renewed their vows under a big tent at an outdoor Mass during St. Alexander Parish (Palos Heights) picnic this summer. . . . Big celebration for little (it seats 100) St. Peter Claver Mission (Robbins) marking its 50th anniversary at 10 a.m. Mass Sept. 14 with an RSVP dinner to follow. . . . Deacon Robert E. Ryan of St. Juliana Parish (N. Osceola) will be honored with the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin “ In Service of One Another ” award from Mundelein Seminary Sept. 18. . . . Father John Jamnicky , pastor of St. Raphael the Archangel (Antioch), attended the national convention of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas , as their Illinois state chaplain . It is one of the oldest and largest Catholic women’s organizations in the Americas. . . . The Miller- Hisgen Family , Bart , Cynthia and their two boys, former active members of St. Leonard Parish (Berwyn), are studying Spanish on their way to serve as Comboni lay missionaries in and around Trujillo, Peru. . . . It will be like old times when St. Kieran’s (Chicago Heights) class of 1973 gathers in the school gym Sept. 20. There were 65 graduates that year, and 53 have responded for the reunion. Good sleuthing!

  • Keepin’ it green —

    Father Gary Graff made a decision after listening to one of his own homilies about the price of gas, a tight economy and taking care of the environment. He has begun riding his bike as he commutes to the three parishes he pastors in Lake County: Queen of Peace (North Chicago), Holy Family and Immaculate Conception parishes (Waukegan).

  • Betcha didn’t know —

    Ever hear of the St. Rose Center in our Back of the Yards community? It began here around 1913 as a day nursery staffed by the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence . By 1956, with encouragement from Cardinal Stritch and a hand from lay women in the Daughters of Isabella , it became Chicago’s first Catholic day school for children with developmental disabilities. Today St. Rose Day Center at 49th and Hoyne, renovated and enhanced through the years, is a day training center for adults over 21, dealing with similar problems. They learn how to improve their lives in a loving atmosphere, enjoy everyday skills training and self-help programs. Motto: “ To become all that God intended .”At their Web site at www.saintrosecenter.org, Clips found a humble wish list: “paper cups (hot/cold), Scotch tape, Elmer’s glue, poster boards, gift certificates.” Clubs and schools might want to put St. Rose Center on their list of worthy charities. Their phone is (773) 436- 1433.

  • ‘First to fight’ —

    It was a new term, “blitzkrieg,” which meant civilians were as much a target as the military. Hitler’s tanks rolled into Poland on the morning of Sept. 1, 1939. Europe’s appeasement had failed, and Poland became the “First to fight.” It also fought the longest against both Nazis and Communists.

  • Three Rs —

    Reading, writing and now relaxation. Three veteran teachers at St. George School (Tinley Park) opted for retirement this past June. Cynthia Aranda , Rosemary Credio and Mantellate Sister Mary Martin Ellingson have spent their entire teaching careers in Catholic education — over 120 years collectively.

  • Christian one-liner —

    “When you get to your wit’s end, you’ll find God lives there.”