News - July 2025

For the last 16 years, together with Dr. Mary Romo, I have had the privilege of accompanying hundreds of adults on their journeys to become Catholic through St. Ignatius’ Order of Christian Initiation for Adults, (previously known as RCIA). My faith has emerged to be the central axis of my life. It has shaped me, guided me, inspired me, and comforted me. My faith is a treasure that has come to touch each facet of my life. Throughout my time with the this community, I have seen the enrichment of so many people who have let faith become their beacon too. At the heart of any Christian endeavor is coming to the understanding that Jesus’ teachings about love can be applied to any situation or circumstance. And as we introduce folks to the Catholic tradition, we do so with this notion in mind. The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) program is ultimately a pathway to discovery and serving as a catechist means we get to participate in the spiritual growth of people who continue to search for God’s presence. As a lifelong Catholic, sharing our faith this way is truly inspiring because we get to see the fruits of our tradition take form.

My first exposure to the slave trade outside of something I read in a textbook was a visceral experience I had when I visited the Slavery Memorial at the Christiansted National Historic site when I lived on the island of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. St. Croix was a Danish territory from 1733 to 1917 and one of the centers of slave trading in the Caribbean. There are records of more than 100,000 slaves that were brought, confined, auctioned and sold in St. Croix from 1734 to 1803. The Danish West India Company kept meticulous records of the origin, family composition and disposition of each slave which were mostly sourced from what is now modern Ghana in West Africa which was also a Danish colony.

Lynn Powe, from Mission Doctors Association, will speak at all Masses August 2 and 3. The second collection at these Masses is for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, which supports missions such as Mission Doctors Association. The Society for the Propagation of the Faith is part of the Pontifical Mission Societies, a worldwide network that supports the missions and the Young Churches with prayer and charity.

Are the 300 or so people who regularly participate in Mass online, through the livestream, simply watching Mass? No. Although the homilies are enriching and the music and liturgical environment are beautiful, these people don't just watch but participate by actively praying and are part of our worshiping assembly. Most are parishioners and all part of our community. Many of the people who participate in Mass online are unable to be physically present in the church. In a recent survey, some of these people described themselves as legally blind, disabled by Alzheimer's disease, ho

My mother and I met in Romania this summer to prepare a memorial service for my uncle’s one year death anniversary and to put the home I grew up in for sale. I was not able to attend the funeral, so it was a particularly solemn visit for me. We wanted the presence of an elder, Mihai, the last surviving sibling of my grandmother at the memorial, so we went to our ancestral village to pick him up. At 85, he was jovially riding his bicycle on the unpaved medieval road.

St. Ignatius Parish 8th Grade Girls’ Basketball Team Celebrates with WNBA Valkyries Game This year’s 8th grade girls’ basketball team didn’t just compete—they triumphed. After an unforgettable championship season defined by grit, teamwork, and heart, it was clear they deserved a celebration as bold as their accomplishments. Last year’s teams had the exciting opportunity to play during the California Classic—a summer showcase featuring recent NBA draft picks. But this year, we wanted to do something different—something that truly recognized the girls’ incredible run and reflected what they had achieved together.

This summer we are reading You Are Not American: Citizenship Stripping from Dred Scott to the Dreamers, by Amanda Frost. Take the summer to read a fascinating book with your fellow parishioners, then join together for an in-person discussion in the Accolti Room on Sunday September 7, after Hospitality. Or, if you can't make that, you can join us on Zoom, Wednesday, September 10, at 6 pm.

Both Martha and Mary, female companions of Jesus in today’s readings, are loved with that special kind of love expressed in the Gospels. To help us engage in richer contemplation of today’s reading, all our ‘propers —Gathering Song, Psalm, Preparation of the Gifts, Communion and Sending Song—were written by women-composers; our Prayer of the Faithful highlights the need to support women and all of us striving to live as disciples, and our homily draws out Jesus’s cultural work increasing our capacity to recognize human dignity for the sake of glimpsing what is truly essential, loving your neighbor as God loves you—with unconditional, eternal love.

In June, we welcomed Patrick Kennedy as our new Director of Advancement. Some of you may remember Patrick from his work as an embedded consultant for our Preservation & Promise church restoration campaign from 2020 to 2022. Patrick was also a member of our most recent OCIA cohort, joining the Catholic Church (and our parish) this Easter. Patrick will help lead our membership growth, engagement, and giving efforts; he’ll also guide a strategic planning process as we discern God’s calling for our parish community in the coming years.

This June, I had the privilege of traveling with two of our recently confirmed high school students to Notre Dame Vision, a Catholic summer program hosted by the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. This was my second time attending, and I’m happy to share that it was just as impactful—if not more so—than my first experience. Before arriving in South Bend, the two young men and their moms flew out early to explore Chicago together. They caught a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, enjoyed deep-dish pizza, and soaked in the sights and sounds of the city. These shared moments—between mothers and sons, before the pace of life speeds up with college and careers—became treasured memories before the program even began.