[Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010] At Holy Name Cathedral, at 11 a.m., nine priests concelebrate the funeral Mass of Father Gerry Weber.  The sermon is given by Father John Cusick.  Bishop Tim Lyne, a classmate of the deceased, presides.  Bishop Ray Goedert also concelebrates. Father Weber was a writer and publisher during his priesthood; he contributed much to the life of the Church, especially in the catechisms he wrote.

The same day, a massive earthquake strikes the capital city of Haiti.  The government of that country estimates that 200,000 people are killed.

[Jan. 17] At the request of Cardinal Francis George, President of the U.S. Conference of Bishops, San Rocco has a special collection for the people of Haiti. This second collection is taken up immediately after the regular collection and is presented in the procession.

[Jan. 18-21] Father Gilligan goes on retreat up in Mundelein, with other priests of the local vicariate.  The retreat master is Father Kevin Huber, of the Diocese of Gary.  The retreat is a good occasion for priests to evaluate pastoral service to people. 

[Jan. 22] Father Gilligan meets with Father Dave Simonetti of St. James parish, Sauk Village, to discuss common pastoral challenges.

[Jan. 24] Before Sunday Mass, at 9:15 a.m., the children and teachers involved in religious education go over to the church building.  Bernie Barasa is welcomed as a catechumen in a brief liturgy, with only the Gospel as a Scripture reading; the Rtie of Christian Initation is followed, the RCIA.  Her mother, Evelyn, is also present, gives her consent, and participates in the rite.  During the Mass that follows at 10 a.m., we also pray for Bernie and her family.  During Lent, Bernie will participate in the usual scrutinies, as with other candidates for baptism. The First Scrutiny is on the Third Sunday of Lent.

[Jan. 26] The finance committee of San Rocco Oratory meets in South Holland.  Pete Ruhl, formerly of Citizens Bank, presents his summary of recommendations, based on the recent audit by Crowe Horwath. The committe considers first of all how to implement the recommendations given for the counting and deposit of the Sunday collection.

[Feb. 9] Father Gilligan makes his annual report to Bishop Perry, on the state of things at San Rocco Oratory.  The report concerns the Sunday bulletin, the choir, the finance committee, unusual expenses in 2009, religious education, membership, and appropriate delay of baptism, in the case of parents who do not go to Mass on Sunday. 

[Feb. 17] Ash Wednesday, at 6:30 p.m., a Liturgy of the Word, with distribution of ashes, takes place at The Park in Olympia Fields. At 7 p.m., another Liturgy of the Word also includes the distribution of ashes, as usual, at San Rocco Oratory.  After that, a Vigil liturgy is celebrated at Panozzo Funeral Home in Chicago Heights, for the late Raffaele  ("Ralph") Biasella, who died Feb. 14.  He was 100 years old.

[Feb. 18] We celebrate the funeral of Raffaele Biasella.  He was the father of Emidia Bonanotte, wife of Cleto. 

[Feb. 19] As in years past, on Fridays of Lent, we pray together Stations of the Cross and Vespers, from the Leaflet Missal prayerbook. 

[March 7]  Today, following the recommendation of the recent audit, a new procedure is begun, for processing the Sunday collection.  At least three people count the donations immediately after Mass, total it up, and bring it to the night deposit right afterwards.  Mike Prisco helps coordinate this work; he is familiar with the procedure for some years.  A stamp is used to endorse the checks.   A roster is used to record the amounts given and the names given of those donors who wish to have their donations documented.  A tamper evident bag, with a deposit log, is prepared each Sunday.  This procedure is intended to give greater security to the processing of the collection. 

[March 10] Cardinal George speaks at the monthly meeting of the Homewood Rotary Club, on the relationship between religion and public life.  His talk is given at the Flossmoor Country Club, with about 200 people attending.

[March 24] Adele and Jesse Propst have their baby baptized at Sunday Mass, Angelo James Propst.  Angelo's older sister, Jessica, regularly serves at Mass with us.  The family is from Midlothian.  Like many others in the San Rocco family, they drive in to 22nd Street on Sunday morning.  In the afternoon, the DiGiovanni clan celebrates its annual reunion, with a St. Joseph Day Table, at the Lutheran church hall in Steger.  The Lutherans have a bigger kitchen. 

[March 26] In addition to Stations and Vespers, Benediction is celebrated in the evening at San Rocco Oratory.

[March 30] Father Gilligan gives a talk on the most important days preceding Easter Sunday.  He does this in the afternoon at St. Stanislaus Parish, Posen.

[April 4]  Easter Sunday brings San Rocco Oratory a full house, in part because of the baptism at this Mass of Sofia Rose Patrizi, daughter of Louis and Anna.  The family flew in from Naples a week ago.  The choir performed well, doing Sunday Morning, In Bread that Is Broken, We Bring You Praise, One Is Holy, and Morning Has Broken, all in full, four-part harmony.  This was the first time the choir sang Morning Has Broken.  All these songs were directed by our guest musician, Dennis Peters, from Holy Ghost Church in South Holland.  Dennis also played the organ for most of the songs.  Mary Jones was in town for Easter break and helped with the soprano section. The Easter collection was $1,279.

Carmella Johnson, the grandmother of the baby baptized, said that this baptism "was the most beautiful I have ever seen."  The liturgy itself, especially with traditional singing, can be inspiring and memorable.  Carmella is the sister of Frances Pena.   

[April 6] The finance council of San Rocco Oratory meets in South Holland.  The new collection procedure is evaluated; it seems to be going well.  (Leroy Czarnecki and Paul Preuss have been helping regularly.  There are about eight others who rotate their service, week by week.) Noteworthy is the fact that, for the past two months, the Sunday collection has increased.  Some bills, however, remain outstanding because we do not yet have the funds needed. We also consider a new budget for the coming fiscal year, studying what Pete Ruhl has carefully prepared, from the Quickbooks program.   Special consideration is given to landscapting and snow plowing work at the oratory.  John Graham is getting competitive bids for both services. 

[April 7] The large banner of the risen Christ is installed in the sanctuary, for the Easter Season.  This new banner, paid for by Chicago Archdiocese insurance, replaces the similar banner that was destroyed in the 2007 fire.  As in years past, the banner covers the large crucifix on the back wall and is in place up to and including Pentecost Sunday. 

[April 11] We celebrate the funeral of Rose Romano, mother of Rose Marie Vena, wife of Larry Vena. 

[Wednesday, May 5] Bob Rigali comes down from Daprato-Rigali Studios, on the northwest side of Chicago.  Bob studies the statue of St. Rocco, which his firm had refurbished after the December, 2007, fire; Bob considers developing a shrine for the statue, in the same location.  On this day, in the late afternoon additional security cameras are installed around the church building and the hall, especially protecting the air conditioners.    Signs are also mounted, warning of this new security.

[May 8] A special meeting is held in the church hall and the church proper, with the confirmandi, the sponsors, and family.  Final instructions are given by Yvette Betancourt, Lucy Czarnecki, and Mary Rodriguez, the catechists.  Marta Planera and the catechists help prepare the church, as well.  Father Gilligan meets with the people and answers questions. Additional chairs are set out towards the front.

 A leak in one of the furnaces brings an emergency technician in from Nicor; he shuts off the gas, for satety.  The leak will be fixed Monday or Tuesday; in the meantime, there is no heat in the church building.

[May 9] At 9:30 a.m., Bernie Barasa is baptized at the baptismal font, by Father Gilligan. Her fellow students and their families are present, gathered in the open space in front of the font.  As usual, those present take part in the liturgy by singing responses and acclamations.

 At 10 a.m., Bishop Perry begins to celebrate Mass with the San Rocco community; he is assisted by Deacon Ray Deabel and Deacon Dennis Rozak.  Bishop Perry preaches the sermon; he also gives confirmation and first Holy Communion. During the sermon, Bishop Perry asks the parents and sponsors to do their best to raise the children Catholic; he also gives public honor to the mothers and grandmothers present.  In this liturgy, Bernie is confirmed by Bishop Perry and receives her first Holy Communion.  In our religious education program, there are eight chldren in total. Photographs are taken after the Mass; after that, there is a simple reception in the St. Anthony hall, to the east of the main parking lot.

The Sunday buleltin on this day includes a statement from Pope Benedict, reaffirming the conclusions of the 2005 synod of bishops in Rome.  In 2007, the Pope repeated their teaching that "many people lack a good understanding of confirmation."  Therefore, he asks bishops to study the matter, in their local and regional conferences.  (For us, that's the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.)  Then, says the Pope, the bishops are to decide which order of the three sacraments of initiation best represents the Eucharist as the climax and summit of Christian initation.  The bishops' conferences, he says, are to make this decision "in close conjuction with the Roman Curia."  In other words, they are to figure out whether confirmation would best precede first Communion or follow it. Just in case they have trouble making the right decision, they will have the help of the Curia, that is, the head of the Congregation for Divine Worship, who as of today is Cardinal Canizares.

Because today is Mothers' Day, we sing after Communion the hymn Love without Limit.   

[May 23] Today, Pentecost Sunday, is the last Sunday of Easter.  After today, the Easter candle is removed from the sanctuary and put back in its place, in the baptistry.

[May 30] Because tomorrow is Memorial Day, the choir sings (for the first time) a special arrangement of the Battle Hymn of the Republic.  Although several members are absent, nonethelss, the choir does an excellent job.  This arrangement is by the renowned English composer, John Rutter.  Celeste Jones directs and accompanies the hymn from the piano.

[June 6] Today, the Feast of Corpus Christi, Dennis Peters comes once again as guest organist and choir director.  At the end of Mass, we march outside in procession, to the grotto for the Corpus Christi devotion.

[Saturday, June 5] Today, at 11 a.m., we celebrate the baptism of the daughter of Abby and Chris James (MacKenzie).

[Tuesday, June 15] At 6:30 p.m. in South Holland, the finance council of San Rocco Oratory meets.

[Saturday, June 26] Today, we celebrate the funeral of Cesare Panici, twin brother of Rosario.

[July 4] Again, the choir and people sing the Battle Hymn of the Republic, using John Rutter's arrangement.

[Sunday, July 11] For their 50th wedding anniversary, Armando and Giovanna Zomparelli receive a special blessing, right after Sunday Mass.  Their extended family is there to celebrate with them.   

[Saturday, July 24] At l p.m., we celebrate the Quincenera of Anali Gomez,  sister of Sara.  Except for the three collects and the sermon, the Mass is entirely in Spanish.  At the end, several gifts are blest and presented to Anali.

[Sunday, July 25] As he did last Sunday, Father Tommaso Petrongelli presides at Sunday Mass.  Four songs are sung in Italian, during the course of the liturgy.