Sat. March 27
8:00 Purgatorial Society
5:30 Fr. Charles Ezerskis
by Fran & Kristyn Jurek
Sun. March 28 Fifth Sunday in Lent
8:00 Josephine DeMaso
by Lou & Shirley Grimm
11:00 The children of the St. Gerard Majella Religious Education Program

THANK YOU
Thank you to all whom contributed to the collection on the weekend of March 13th and March 14th. The amount collected was $1081.00

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK
Ann Dytrych
Wendy Peterson
Marie Craig
Linda Jones
Charlotte Ryan
Dolores Vock
Lou Grimm
Corine Murphy
Sr. Catherine
Julie Laur
Adeline Deneen
Betty Nemecek
Helen Blaha
John Thielmann
Ann Mysliwiec
Lottie Fik
Mario Rodriguez
Eileen Desidero
Bernadine Smith
Lorraine Jarvis
Joseph Scofield
Eugene Orris
Margaret Lee
Vickie Matis
Brittany Dubs
Lillian Coughlin
Roselee Gacke
Shaun Deneen
Dorothy Loeffler
Sr. Joan Kelga
Osie Dompier
Carol Carmin

Anyone who is ill in our parish and would like to receive Holy Communion; call (708) 331-8400. If you can be removed from the sick list at this time, please call the parish office. The list is getting very long.

DATES TO REMEMBER
Mar. 21 Holy Name Society Meeting (12 Noon)
Mar. 25 Reflection Group (7 PM)
Mar. 27 SGM Players Dinner/Movie Night (6 PM)
Mar. 28 First Reconciliation (9:30 AM)

BAPTISMS
St. Gerard Majella holds all Baptisms after the 11:00 AM Mass, the second Sunday of each month.
If a parent is planning a Baptism, they must first contact the parish office and arrange a time to meet with the Priest.

WELCOME
We would like to welcome Alice Christine Jones to our parish family. She was baptized at St. Gerard Majella on March 14, 2004. We also welcome her parents, Mike Jones and Sandra (Decker) Jones.

GUILD BAKE SALE
The Guild Palm Sunday Bake Sale is Sunday, April 4 from 8-12:30, in conjunction with the April "Coffee and Donut" Day. So not only can you get a donut there, but buy some baked goods to bring home! We are setting up Saturday, April 3 at 6:15 PM. Shevlin Hall will be open from 7AM so that baked goods can be dropped off prior to Mass. We look forward to everyone participating in this fun and delicious event!

USO COLLECTION
The Gerardian women's Guild will be collecting money for the USO on March 27 and 28 in cooperation with the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women. ACCW develops and promotes programs for service to the local community as well as the international community, and regularly supports the USO (United Service Organization). The mission of the USO of Illinois, in times of peace and war, is to enhance the quality of life of the active duty men and women of the Armed Forces and their families through social, recreational, entertainment and educational programs. Funds collected will benefit the Chicago Area USO locations (Navy Pier, O'Hare, Midway and Great Lakes). We encourage you to support this worthy cause.

CATHOLICS UNITED FOR RACIAL JUSTICE
"Catholics United for Racial Justice" an archdiocesan-wide unity rally, will take place on Sunday, May 2,2004, 3:00 to 5:00 PM at the Chicago Historical Society Plaza, Clark Street and North Avenue (1600 North). All Catholics in Cook and Lake County are urged to stand together as one against the sin of racism as we come together to celebrate our "unity in diversity" as Catholic Christians. The afternoon will feature Cardinal Francis George, prayers written by our Catholic School children and entertainment.
For additional information, call the Office for Racial Justice at 312-751-8336.

PAULIST CENTENNIAL LECTURE
In honor of the 100th Anniversary of the Paulist Fathers in Chicago, you are invited to attend the Paulist Centennial Lecture, Catholicism and American Culture. Francis Cardinal George the Archbishop of Chicago will be in attendance. The date is April 15, 2004 at 7:00 PM. The lecture will be held at Old St. Mary's Church (1500 S. Michigan Avenue Chicago. Il.). Admission is free and plenty of parking is available.

SGM PLAYERS
The SGM Players will be hosting a Dinner and Movie Night on March 27, 2004. They will have a potluck dinner followed by showing, "The Sound of Music".
The club will provide the entrée and people attending are asked to bring a side dish or a dessert.
If you would like to attend, please call Linda in the parish office. Everyone is invited.

PARISH RECONCILATION SERVICE
A parish communal Reconciliation (confession) service will held will be offered on Monday, March 29, 2004 in church at 7:00PM. This is an opportunity to prepare for Easter. Every Catholic is required to make a reconciliation at least once a year.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Stations of the Cross will be observed on each Friday during Lent at 7:00 PM. We hope this gives more people a chance to attend these services.

RETREAT OPPORTUNITIES
As a way of preparing for the greatest Christian celebration called Easter, join Fr. Kevin Shanley, O. Carm. At the Carmelite Spiritual Center in Darien, IL on Saturday, March 20, 2004 from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM in prayer, reflection, suggestions and celebration of the Eucharist. Cost: $35/person includes lunch. Pre-registration is requested. Call the Spiritual Center at (630) 969-4141 to register. This retreat is called "Waiting for the Lord's Resurrection, and Our Own!"
The second retreat offered is called "We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe". So much of our ritual and spirituality is rooted in our Jewish biblical tradition. Fr. Bob Colaresi, O. Carm. Leads an evening reflection on how the religion Jesus practiced still influences how we pray and worship today. This exploration of the depths of our biblical Catholic spirituality is both provocative and challenging. This takes place at the Carmelite Spiritual Center on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 from 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM. The cost is $15/person.
The third retreat is called "What I Know Now that I Wish I Knew Then!" Join Sr. Jane Schlosser, RSM and Mary Burd for this month's "Let's Do Lunch" date at the Carmelite Center on Monday, March 29, 2004 from 9:30 AM to 1:30 Pm. This month we gather and share our wisdom, honor our experience and celebrate our shared "book of wisdom'. The cost is $35/person and includes all materials and lunch. Pre-registration is requested by March 22nd.

LIFE STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Our sister parish, Ascension -St. Susanna, will be presenting a live Stations of the Cross on Friday, April 2, 2004 at 7:00PM in their parish church. The actors will be their parishioners.
You are cordially invited to join them. Don't miss this truly unique opportunity to reflect, renew, and rejoice in your faith.
They hope to see you there.

JAZZ CONCERT AT ST. FELICITAS
The Alumni of St. Felicitas Parish present an afternoon of jazz with the University of Notre Dame Jazz Band on Saturday, April 3, 2004 at 2:00 PM. The church is located at 1501 East 83rd Place Chicago, Il. Tickets for this event are: $5.00 adults; $3.00 all students and seniors. Proceeds from this concert will benefit St. Felicitas Grammar School.
For more information, call (773) 734-2306 or email us at stfelicitasalumni@yahoo.com.

WHAT MOVIES DO YOU LIKE?
The SGM Players would like to extend an opportunity to everyone. We are seeking advice on what movies people would most like to see on the big screen.
We have stayed with musicals so far, but are more than willing to show other types of movies. If you have a suggestion, please let Linda know in the office.
Another idea we would like input on is whether anyone would be interested in having an outdoor barbeque and movie night under the stars. This event would be in conjunction with the Holy Name Society. Let us know if this is an event you would like to attend.

MASS OF HOPE AND HEALING
On the feast of the Annunciation, Thursday, March 25, 2004, at 6:00 PM, a Mass of Hope and Healing will be held at St. George church (6707 w. 175th Street in Tinley Park). This Mass is for all who mourn the loss of a child, whether your loss occurred recently or long ago, was caused by accident, illness, abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth, suicide, violence, abduction, family breakup, or other causes. Everyone is welcome, including parents, grandparents, siblings, and others who mourn a lost child. Welcome, too, are other parishioners and friends who want to show their support for these people as they seek God's peace after any of these tragedies.

WHAT'S YOUR CATHOLIC IQ?
The answer to last week's questions are: 1. (b); 2. (c); 3. (b); 4 (b).

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
What do you want? What do you want to do? Be what you are meant to be and the rest will be handled for you. Just trust God.
God gave back dignity to every human being's existence. He offered to all people the possibility to participate in His same divine life. May this immeasurable gift always find hearts ready to receive it!
Pope John Paul II