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Church Clips by Dolores Madlener

Dolores Madlenera column of benevolent gossip

  • Bishops and brides-to-be —

    For the past year, the U.S. Bishops have operated a Web site featuring “resources for living happily ever after,” at www.ForYourMarriage.org. It’s designed for “engaged and married couples and couples in serious relationships.” Last month’s book review on line was about marriage in later years. But for today’s bride, the site has “ Sarah’s Blog .” She’s a 22-year-old young woman preparing to marry Daniel next May. Debuting last August, visitors to Sarah’s blog are invited to share their own experiences of wedding planning and offer advice to the brideto- be. The Web site also hosts a series called “ Marriage Rx ,” discussing common problems; “ Daily Marriage Tips ;” ideas on how to improve communication; and fun quizzes. (The bishops oversee the site, they don’t write this stuff themselves.) There’s info for radio and TV spots and a variety of billboard messages for different ages. For information on ordering billboard artwork, contact Pat Ryan Garcia , pgarcia@ usccb.org, or call (202) 541-3404.

  • Wouldn’t ya know —

    Part of the e-mail address for John Bryant , music director at St. Gall Church (S. Kedzie) is “cesar franckophile.” Cesar Franck , of course, is the late/great composer of that ever-to-be-popular eucharistic hymn, “ Panis Angelicus .”

  • Mandating ‘ideal family size’ —

    Zenit.com , unofficial Vatican wire service, warned last month that the Philippines is threatened by a government-proposed Two-Child Policy of population control. The warning said, “Filipino-Americans are joining with Catholics from their native country to fight proposed legislation that would promote contraception and limit family size, while punishing conscientious objectors.” Pro-life groups are holding vigils outside the Filipino House of Representatives to monitor the bill’s proceedings. The report said International Planned Parenthood and the U.N. Population Fund had developed the legislation aimed to “depopulate the country through all possible means and decrease HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases. The U.N. fund has appropriated $26 million to the Philippines for this purpose.” Filipino bishops are working against passage.

  • Recycled not retired —

    They will celebrate the 90th birthday of Felician Sister Emilie Marie Sierakowski on Oct. 26. She used to be known as Sister Hermanda when she taught music at St. Joseph High School here and then became its assistant principal and principal. She taught music at St. Turibius in 1978, and is still teaching it, and leading the children’s choir and playing the organ for weekday Masses. You’re invited to St. Turibius Church (W. 56th Place) for the 11 a.m. Mass Oct. 26. There will be a light reception from 8 a.m. until after the 11 a.m. Mass in the church hall. (Sister also taught in Nebraska, Wisconsin and Joliet, Ill.)

  • Christ’s wonder woman —

    Sister Mary Vincentia of the Holy Trinity was Anna Wsolek growing up in St. Florian Parish (Hegewich) in the 1920s. She joined the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago in 1933 at 16 and worked at Boys Town , Neb., for nine years. After earning a bachelor’s degree in medical technology she worked for 23 years at a hospital in South Dakota. Then in 1972 she did something unexpected. She joined the Poor Clares in Portsmouth, Ohio. Her sister-in-law, Kay Wszolek of St. John the Baptist (Harvey) says at age 91, Sister dries dishes, does laundry and decorates cards for the sisters’ prayer league. She is a member of Mother Angelica’s order.

  • Outstanding in his field —

    Father Bernie White , ordained in 1952, was recently recognized for the number of educational hours he’s amassed in his work as an awardwinning volunteer police and fire chaplain in Elmwood Park. His new pastor at St. Celestine’s (Elmwood Park), congratulated him as “A man who on a daily basis gives selflessly of himself, who willingly and supportively has adapted to a change in administration, and who has done so with his faithful companion, Anna Therese , by his side.” (That would be his pooch.) Father keeps active in the parish, at Misericordia and through study programs. Anna Therese says Father’s “a great guy and animal lover. Arf.”

  • Summer’s over —

    It’s official. Pope Benedict XVI said it Sept. 28: “Summer has come to an end and I will return to the Vatican the day after tomorrow.”

  • Parish potpourri —

    Holy Family Parish (Inverness) dedicated the first floor of the new multipurpose Brennan Center for Children, Youth and Families Sept. 6, in honor of their pastor for the last 13 years, Father Patrick Brennan . It is a work in progress, with additional rooms, a teen center and art and science rooms planned for the lower level. The current facility has a stage and seating for up to 425 people, kitchen facilities and other rooms. . . . St. Linus Parish (Oak Lawn) cut the ribbon Sept. 27 for the dedication and opening of its Cardiff Center . It is named for pastor emeritus Msgr. John Cardiff . . . . The U.S. Army Advisory Training Team over at Base K-1, Kirkuk, Iraq, sent a photo and thank-you letter to St. Mary of Celle Parish’s (Berwyn) Sister Monica and her Sophia Circle Outreach for sending a nice big care package last summer. The unit will be home in November.

  • Internet wisdom —

    “Many folks want to serve God, but only as consultants.”