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Church Clips by Dolores Madlener

Dolores Madlenera column of benevolent gossip

  • Milestones —

    Kolbe House , the arch’s jail ministry housed at Assumption Parish (S. California), will celebrate it’s 25th anniversary Oct. 18. . . . Franciscans at the very visible St. Peter’s in the Loop (W. Madison) received greetings from Mayor Richard Daley recently extending warmest greetings as they celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Sacred Heart Province of the Order of Friars Minor . The mayor mentioned the Franciscans’ arrival in St. Louis, Mo., from Germany and how five of the friars some years later came to Chicago and began their service at the original St. Peter’s Church here. He thanked them for their work in our parishes, schools and other initiatives. . . . The Lithuanian Catholic daily paper, “ Draugas ” (Friend), in publication since 1909, will mark its centennial in 2009. Celebrations begin Oct. 25 with a gala to greet Archbishop Sigitas Tamkevicius , Archbishop of Kaunas, Lithuania . As a priest, he led the underground church in his then communist-occupied country and survived imprisonment in Siberia. “Draugus,” published right here in Chicago, is the oldest Lith language daily in the world and the only Catholic daily in the United States. It has subscribers on five continents! It is the only Catholic daily read in Lithuania. There are 100,000 new Lith immigrants in our country today, so its mission continues. For more info on the gala, or about “Draugus,” call (773) 585-9500.

  • Parish potpourri —

    St. Kieran’s (Chicago Heights) has a display of evangelization CDs at church, on topics like “Anger and Forgiveness” “Which came first, the Bible or the Church?” to take home, keep or share, for a donation of $3 to $5. . . . Phyllis McCain (no relation to John ), revered secretary for 18 years at St. Dorothy Parish (S. Eberhart), just retired. Her pastor, Father Bob Miller , said in his 32 years of ministry he “has never seen or experienced a more delightful, talented and gifted secretary!” . . . Deacon James Reinhart leaves ministry at St. Linus Parish (Oak Lawn) after 25 years of service, to pursue the ministerial priesthood at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana. . . . St. Anthony Parish (Roseland) honored Our Lady of Monte Berico Sept. 7. As patron for many Northern Italians from the town of Vincenza , she has a statue in the church. . . . St. Hilary Parish (N. Fairfield) distributed a four-page registration/census form in each bulletin recently. Saves postage and at least reaches the church-going Catholics, which nationally numbers one-third in most parishes. . . . They say St. Emeric was killed during a boar hunt. So when St. Emeric Parish (Country Club Hills) had their Parish Family Pig Roast recently, they called it “St. Emeric’s Revenge.” . . . . Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and friends will tackle 10 trivia categories of 10 questions each on Oct. 18 at their first ever Trivia Night . . . . Queen of All Saints Parish (Sauganash) cut the ribbon on a new parking lot, plus a new state-of-the-art playground and play equipment for the 580 students in its parish school.

  • Slap happy over stickers —

    Doesn’t every kid love activity books? Especially sticker books. The Daughters of St. Paul have figured that out, and have added the Old and New Testament stories to their Search and See line (they also carry the Christmas story and Easter story). Bible Stickers #1 has neat short stories in ideal print size about creation, the ark, baby Moses. Lovely drawings in Bible Stickers #2 , tell stories like the wedding party at Cana, and calming the storm. With supervision the books work for ages 5-8. Over 8, including Moms, the stickers are a piece of cake. Each book is $8.95 + shipping/handling from our local Pauline Books & Media , (312) 346-4228.

  • People and places —

    Father David Mulvihill , pastor of Our Lady of Humility Parish (Zion) earned his second doctoral degree this summer. Along with his brother, Father John Mulvihill of St. James Parish (Highwood), they both successfully defended dissertations at Christ Church College , Oxford , England, in buildings founded by Cardinal Wolsey and King Henry VIII . (Father David says the dining room at the college was featured in the Harry Potter movies — is he saying Hogwarts ??)

  • Little red wagons: —

    The Radio Flyer Company of Chicago, in business since 1917, is still family-run, full of heart and nostalgia. Its Web site, www.radioflyer.com even has a page where readers send their red wagon memories. About 300 red Radio Flyer wagons were donated recently to needy families at Catholic Charities’ Casa Catalina Center in the Back of the Yards community. About 30 staff from the company came to assemble the wagons at Casa Catalina, and volunteered unloading truckloads of food from the Greater Chicago Food Depository and stocking shelves.

  • Catholic swap shop —

    A reader cleaning out two homes found a collection of “wall crucifixes, prayer books, rosaries, old St. Louis Jesuits and other music books for guitars and other instruments.” She believes “someone or someplace could put these to good use.” Any takers for some or all of the above? Her e-mail is [email protected].