a column of benevolent gossip

Parish potpourri — St. Juliana Parish (N. Osceola) now has a street sign, “Father Phil Dressler Way,” honoring its pastor emeritus. . . . Graziano’s Restaurant on Touhy hosted a benefit night for St. Margaret Mary School (W. Chase) recently. They donated 25 percent of any meal purchased by SMM supporters. Was that the entire sixth-grade girls’ basketball team seen munching their veggies at Graz’s? . . . St. Viator Parish (W. Addison) had every reason to celebrate Josephine “Jo” Sullivan on her 100th birthday March 9. She has given 79 years of commitment to her parish! . . . St. Dorothy (S. Eberhardt) grad Courtnye Nicole Jackson went to Tuskegee University, got her doctorate in veterinary medicine at age 24, and recently completed her post doctorate at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She’s the first black female to complete the program and Jackson’s also written a novel. . . . Transfiguration Parish (Wauconda) teen volunteers will act out “Shadow Stations of the Cross.” A different experience. . . . Fabulous flutist Anna Belle O’Shea in Queen of Martyrs Parish (Evergreen Park) spent five days last month at a Benedictine monastery in Erie, Pa., where two of her former teachers live. O’Shea chaperoned a group of students from her alma mater, St. Joseph College, Rensselaer, Ind. They volunteered in Erie’s inner-city ministries sponsored by the Benedictines. . . . Parishioners at St. Catherine- St. Lucy (Oak Park) have official laminated name tags to wear for weekend Mass. As a fellowship project of the parish Pastoral Council, the tags are a tool to jog the memory as well as help build community.

Values matter — If you’re a Catholic social worker and you’d like support and direction in your profession based on church teachings, you aren’t alone. There’s now a network. “Catholic Social Workers National Association” wants to support competent social workers “living out their baptismal call to be the hands and feet of Christ.” It’s new and based in Indianapolis. Check out its practical Web site at www.cswna.org to find out its scope and to register.

Junior clips — Passengers in a police patrol car usually have nothing to brag about, but this was a treat for students of Incarnation School (Palos Heights). Michael, Caroline, Abigail and Kevin Graham raised $190 for the missions and won a ride to school in the squad. Last year Incarnation led all grade schools in the arch in mission donations. . . . The game of marbles is not Jurassic. Fifth-graders at St. Albert the Great School (Burbank) just read a story called “Marble Champ” and afterwards went outdoors for a marble tournament. But wait, a girl, Michelle Budz, was crowned the Marble Champ!

Go figure — Consider these statistics from Poland’s most popular Catholic magazine: Most of the religious vocations in the world eminate from dioceses in Poland’s rural southeast. Ninety-nine per cent of these Catholics believe in God and the resurrection; 87 per cent believe in the real presence in the Eucharist and 89.5 percent are opposed to abortion. Over 95 percent are active in their parish and 44.6 percent contribute generously. In northern dioceses like Warsaw (still more “Catholic” than any other country in Europe!) 89.7 percent believe in God; 56.8 percent believe in the true presence; 11.6 percent consider themselves deeply religious and just 35 percent are opposed to abortion with 17 percent active in their parish. The Clips reader who sent the article concludes that where Catholics are taught Church doctrine, they are active in their faith, follow the church’s moral guidelines, help their parish financially and produce more religious vocations.

Hallmark — One aspect that makes Holy Family (Inverness) unique is it has its own successful gift shop. Probably the most striking feature of the church is its “Cross of New Life,” the world’s largest piece of acrylic art at its dedication in 1997. It depicts Jesus reaching out in compassion from a free form cross. After many requests, the gift shop now carries replicas. One 16 inches high on a lighted base is $199; a 33-inch replica is $5,000. For more info, call Jan at (847) 922-1290.

Sheer poetry — Edgar Allan Poe, who wrote many a morose and chilling verse, also penned a poem called “Hymn” to the Blessed Mother. Clips reader Mario Ditata sent it in: “At morn, at noon, at twilight dim, Maria! Thou hast heard my hymn! In joy and woe, in good and ill, Mother of God, be with me still. When the hours flew brightly by, and not a cloud obscured the sky, my soul, lest it should truant be, thy grace did guide to thine and thee. Now when the storms of fate o’ercast darkly my present and my past, Let my future radiant shine with sweet hopes, of thee and thine.” April is National Poetry Month.

Speaking of jubilees — The Sisters of Life novitiate in the Bronx, N.Y., just welcomed five new postulants. The community, founded by Cardinal John O’Connor, is consecrated for the “protection and enhancement of the sacredness of human life.” They wear simple religious garb with a white veil. The newest entrants range in age from 22 to 31 and hail from Arizona to Massachusetts. All university grads, one studied at Yale, another at the U.S. Naval Academy. The “favorite pastime” of these newcomers range from Irish dancing to hiking and volleyball. For more information, go to www.sistersoflife.org.

Bravo! — When the William Ferris Chorale marked its 35th anniversary some weeks ago, it was with “background music” of rave reviews for its two latest re-issue CDs. The Chicago Classical Recording Foundation praised the recordings, and the Web magazine “Audiophile Audition” called the late Bill Ferris’ musical performance of “Messe Solennelle,” “so good that it will take its rightful place among the great choral recordings”

Movies at a Glance
Capsule reviews of movies from the U.S. Catholic Conference's Office for Film and Broadcasting, judged according to artistic merit and moral suitability.