Next Saturday, September 24th is the Feast of Our Lady of Ransom. The feast of our patroness rarely falls on the weekend, so we are blessed to be able to celebrate this important day in a unique way. Even if you aren’t usually a 5 pm Saturday Mass attendee, we encourage you to come next Saturday. In honor of this special day, all of our clergy will be concelebrating Mass, and we will have an elevated music program that night. Our Lady of Ransom is more than a name on our letterhead - it is a relationship that we have with our Blessed Mother in her desire to see all of her spiritual children experience the freedom of her son's cross. This is a great opportunity for us to come together as a community in gratitude for the many ways Our Lady of Ransom has blessed us.

Divine Renovation is an international organization focused on parish renewal. We have worked with them for the past three years and have found their support and wisdom to be indispensable. I am happy to announce that Our Lady of Ransom has been chosen as the host site for an Archdiocese of Chicago/Divine Renovation day conference. On November 3, parishes from across the Archdiocese will come to Our Lady of Ransom to reflect on parish renewal in light of evangelization and intentional discipleship. The organization wanted to use a parish committed to the biblical principles of renewal that has already demonstrated fruitfulness measured by lives transformed. We are privileged to host this important event, and we look forward to sharing with others what it means to become fruitful disciples proclaiming freedom in Christ.

This weekend is the yearly special collection supporting the seminary system in the Archdiocese of Chicago. If you would like to make an electronic donation to this important fund, please click here.

You may remember that, in spring 2019, there was a brief attempt to raise money for a shrine of life on our campus. This effort was unsuccessful, leading to an approximately $75,000 difference between what was raised and the project's cost. The shrine of life is still in our long-term plans, but for the foreseeable future, our financial situation does not allow us to take action on this addition. I will let you know when we can revisit this important project.

International sports communities gather the best and most skilled athletes in the country to live together, train together, and journey on their way to becoming a "hotbed of soccer," or gymnastics, or baseball, or whatever!

Guess what? They're using the same model for sports as Jesus uses for discipleship. And that's part of where the concept for Schools of Sainthood comes from.

Except you don't have to go anywhere. You already have one. And God has placed you there. On purpose and by name.

Our family is a ready-made School of Sainthood. The Church calls this "the domestic church." And it's primary to who we are as Catholic Christians. Our ecclesial (fancy word for official Sunday parish Church church) Church flows out of what we have encountered, learned, and experienced in our domestic church of the home. And more important than the what...is the WHO I have encountered. So that's why Our Lady of Ransom's model is both unique -- but also pretty old.

Old...like APOSTOLIC!

All families in the parish are invited to join us for Family Dinner on Sunday evening, September 25 (the weekend we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Ransom!) from 5:30-7:30pm in Paluch Hall. Join us for dinner, games, formation, and a cool family project: this month is #CarpentryKickoff! Our Men's Ministry will be accompanying us through building and painting a family cross for our homes. We'll show you a way to pray with your new cross as a family, and they'll be blessed on the way out!

This event is free and open to everyone -- just RSVP at the link below so we know how many are coming. And remember -- even if you don't have children or young people living in your home -- that doesn't mean you aren't a family -- come with your spouse or group of adult friends in the faith -- everyone belongs to a School of Sainthood!

RSVP here

Check out more about School of Sainthood here!

With Tootsie Rolls in hand, the Knights of Columbus – Maria Council #4836 will be soliciting donations for their annual ID Drive before and after Masses at Our Lady of Ransom on Sunday, 9/25.  The ID Drive is one of the most recognizable activities that the Knights of Columbus do each year. All proceeds collected are distributed to local programs directly supporting children and/or adults with intellectual disabilities.  

If you are interested in helping those in need, serving our parish, or growing in your Catholic faith with a band of brothers; consider joining the Knights of Columbus.  Maria Council #4836 is the local Knights of Columbus council supporting Our Lady of Ransom, St. Paul of the Cross, Mary Seat of Wisdom, and Our Lady of Hope.  Maria Council’s members will be happy to answer your membership questions during the ID Drive. You may also email Maria Council’s Grand Knight, Robbie Gawronski, at kofcmaria4836@gmail.com for additional information.  

OLR, along with the five neighborhood parishes from the Renew My Church process, are working together to support the annual Community Give-Away Event at Catholic Charities this October. This event provides a winter coat/jacket for every family member that arrives at their door at 1717 Rand Road in Des Plaines on October 20.  

Especially needed this year is warm clothing for men, women, and children. Gently used or new coats, jackets, sweaters, sweatshirts, and gloves/mittens are desired. More information on the event and volunteer opportunities will be shared in upcoming weeks. In the meantime, if you have some items that could support this extremely worthwhile event, plan to drop them off at the OLR Coat Drive, on the weekend of 10/15 and 10/16, in the Gathering Space before/after all the masses.  

Thank you for consistently supporting those most in need in our community.