Latest Message from Fr. Paul Cao – October 12, 2025

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Latest Message from Fr. Paul Cao – October 5, 2025

RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT – Please pray for the 61 young people of our parish who will receive an outpouring of the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Confirmation today (Sunday) at 1:30 PM. I am grateful for Bishop Lawrence J. Sullivan, Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Chicago, and former pastor of St. Celestine, who will confer the sacrament. Congratulations to the Confirmation class of 2025!!!

OCTOBER IS THE MONTH OF THE ROSARY – The Church invites us to set aside this month to pray the Rosary to ask for the intercession of our Blessed Virgin Mary to pray for peace in the world, for our country, for our community and for our family. The rosary is a good weapon to fight against evils in the world. It has been an active ingredient in the formation of holy lives for centuries. Simply by meditating on the lives of Our Lord and Our Lady, an individual is invited into a deeper understanding of God’s profound love for each of us – something we all need to be reminded of again and again.

Last year, I had a chance to go on pilgrimage to Lourdes and Fatima. It felt blessed to be in those two holy places to experience the healing power of God through our Blessed Mother. One of the messages that Mary, our Blessed Mother told the three children at Fatima was to pray the Rosary each day to bring peace to the world and to bring an end to war. Let us dedicate this month to praying the rosary with our family and asking for our Mother’s intercession to protect our family and our country. We pray that Mary will help us to be closer to her son, Jesus Christ. Queen of Peace, pray for us.

OCTOBER US RESPECT LIFE MONTH – Not to say that life should not be honored and respected every day. This month we are asked to reflect upon the sacredness of human life – all of life – in every form and stage without exception – from conception until natural death. I am grateful to the members of our parish’s Respect Life Committee who work to make us more conscious of life issues that frequently become overshadowed by human sinfulness.

MASS OF HEALING / ANOINTING OF THE SICK – Life is precious and we not only care about the baby in the womb but also for the elderly, for the sick, and those in need. On Saturday, October 18, at 4 PM at St. Cyprian, we will have a communal celebration of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. During this healing Mass we gather as a community to pray for those who are sick and suffering in different ways. Anyone who is seeking spiritual, emotional, and physical wellness is most welcome to attend. If you know anyone among your family and friends seeking the healing power of God, please invite them to this anointing Mass where we will pray for the sick that they will feel God’s love and healing power.

FEAST OF ST. MOTHER THEODORE GUERIN – Friday, October 3 was the Feast Day of St. Mother Theodore Guerin, the patron saint of our parish. A few years ago, I led a pilgrimage to the motherhouse in St. Mary of the Woods, Indiana, where St. Mother Theodore Guerin founded her order. She was known for her advancement of education, especially in Indiana and Illinois, where she founded numerous schools. Her order founded Mother Guerin High School in River Grove, and she was also known for her care of the orphaned, the sick, and the poor. St. Mother Theodore Guerin, pray for us.

PILGRIMAGE – On Monday, October 6, a group of 30 people, including myself, from our parish will be going on a pilgrimage to Italy for the Jubilee Year 2025 as “Pilgrims of Hope.” We’ll be visiting the Basilicas of St. Anthony of Padua and St. Mark in Venice. Afterward, we will go to Assisi to the Basilica of St. Francis and venerate the body of St. Carlo Acutis, the newest saint to be canonized by Pope Leo. We will also go to San Giovanni Rotondo to visit the tomb of Padre Pio and to Pompeii, the site of a catastrophic volcanic eruption in 79 AD. In Rome, the high point of our pilgrimage, especially during this Jubilee Year, will be crossing the Holy Doors of the major basilicas – St. Peter’s, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls – to receive indulgences for spiritual renewal and reconciliation. We will also attend an audience with the Holy Father, Pope Leo, which will be the highlight of our pilgrimage.

We will return to Chicago October 17. I will pray for all of you and for St. Mother Theodore Guerin Parish during the pilgrimage. Please pray for our safe travels!

MULTI-SITE REVIEW PROCESS BEGINS – All parishes who have gone through the Renew My Church process are required by the Archdiocese to have a review of the state of the parish every five years. As one of the first parishes to be combined over seven years ago, it is time for St. Mother Theodore Guerin Parish to go through the process.

The pastor asks a team of parish leaders to consider the feasibility of continued utilization of parish facilities and how to establish and implement the goals of the parish. They review the facility holding costs and critical capital project needs and costs, the utilization of parish spaces, and the financial condition of the parish and project the needs of the next five years. After the team has reviewed a variety of information about the parish there will be a Town Hall Meeting to present the findings to the parish as a whole for feedback.

After that there will be a recommendation to the pastor as to the future of the parish, and with the input and advice of the Parish Finance Council, a decision will be made and implemented.

This is being done under the direction of the Archdiocese, although they are adamant that they do not make the final decisions about the parishes. We will keep you updated as the process continues and let you know when the Town Hall Meeting will be.

May God bless you and your loved ones.

In prayer,
Fr. Paul Cao
Pastor of St. Mother Theodore Guerin Parish