A weekly column of benevolent gossip

Wags’ corner — Those Boeing executives picked a good time to check out Chicago. The Bulls and Black Hawks have no more home games.

Something completely different — Holy Family Parish (Inverness) is continuing its monthly “Marriage Enrichment Date-Night Series.” Couples meet first at the church to review the evening’s topic, then leave for their private dinner/date to discuss the topic. Next date-night, Friday, April 27, at 7 p.m. is the third in a series of 10, and is the last opportunity for new couples to join. Call (847) 359-0042 to register and purchase your workbook ($13). A nursery is available if you pre-register.

Three get just deserts — When St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center (W. Division) hosts its annual benefit on April 28, “Building Tomorrow Together,”it will honor three outstanding individuals. Bill Nolan, president of the Fraternal Order of Police who just retired after 41 years as a detective with Chicago’s Finest, will receive the Annual Recognition Award. Recipients

	FOP’s Bill Nolan, Sr. Bernadette, RN, WGN’s Merri Dee

receiving Community Service Awards are Sister M. Bernadette, CSFN, an RN and child life specialist with 63 years of service to the hospital; and Merri Dee, director of community relations at WGN-TV. The dinner is co-sponsored by WGN-TV Children’s Charities. For tickets, call Mary Daly at (312) 770-2507.

Making a difference — The motto of North Riverside is “The Village of Friendly Homes.” When Carol Spale moved there with her husband Frank and their three children some years ago, she wanted to prove it. A member of Mater Christi Parish, she soon organized welcome parties for other new residents. She helped coordinate and recruit volunteer block captains to look after their neighbors’ needs in a loving way. A family atmosphere has been created on each block. Spale was honored, along with 16 other citizens recently, with Cook County’s “Unsung Heroines Award.” A full-time Mom and wife, she volunteers at her son’s school for the disabled and publishes a newsletter for families of handicapped/disabled kids. . . . The late Father Michael Rochford, during the 12 years he was pastor of St. Thomas of Canterbury Parish (N. Kenmore), had an abiding effect on his Uptown and Edgewater neighbors. Scrap Mettle SOUL Performance Ensemble, composed of kids and elders, rich and poor, lifelong residents and new immigrants, will soon perform an original play celebrating the life and work of Rochford. The curtain will rise on “Little Victories,” performed by an 80-member troupe, at 7:30 p.m. April 27-28; May 3-5; and 3 p.m. April 29 and May 6. They say “Father Mike” provided the faith and encouragement to the Vietnamese and Hispanic community that resulted in the birth of People’s Music School, Spanish Speaking Bookstore and Prologue Alternative High School. Tickets are $10; $5 for seniors and students, “or whatever you can afford.” Call (773) 275-3999.

Idea Exchange — You’ve heard of Resurrection Choirs — retirees who volunteer to sing at weekday funeral Masses in their parish? Now St. Constance (W. Strong) has initiated a Resurrection Acolytes ministry. Men or women can volunteer to be trained as cross bearer, incense person or pall carrier for parish funeral Masses. . . . At Divine Providence Parish (Westchester) they had an “Adopt-A-Priest” program during Lent. You didn’t have to clothe or feed him, just pray for him. The name of each diocesan priest was printed on an index card and the cards were placed in the narthex to be “adopted.” Like they say in Brooklyn, “Hey, it couldn’t hurt.”

Send your benevolent gossip to Church Clips, 721 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60610 or via e-mail to: [email protected]

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