Mon. January 17
8:00 Victims of the Earthquake & Tusmani
Tues. January 18
8:00 Eileen Geary
by Mary & John Brick
Wed January 19
8:00 All those who are ill & their Caregivers
Thur. January 20
8:00 Communion Service
Fri. January 21
8:00 All the Elderly

Sat. January 22
8:00 Purgatorial Society
5:30 Maureen Miller
by Norm & Rita Cole

Sun. January 23 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
8:00 People of St. Gerard Majella
11:00 People of St. Gerard Majella

THANK YOU
Thank you to all whom contributed to the collection on the weekend of January 8th and January 9th. The amount collected was $1,644.50. The amount collected for the tsunami relief services was $808.50. Thank you to everyone for your generosity.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK
Linda Jones
Charlotte Ryan
Rita Schreiber
Lou Grimm
Corine Murphy
Ann Dytrych
Julie Laur
Adeline Deneen
Betty Nemecek
Helen Blaha
Betty Paschal
Ann Mysliwiec
Lottie Fik
Gloria Dompier
Eileen Desidero
Bernadine Smith
Lorraine Jarvis
Joseph Scofield
Eugene Orris
Margaret Lee
Roselee Gacke
Brittany Dubs
Lillian Coughlin
Dorothy Loeffler
Cameron
Campbell
Shaun Deneen
Eleanore
Thielmann
Marge Straub
Ann Knight
Osie Dompier
George Rodriguez
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.

DATES TO REMEMBER
January 16 Reception for Fr. Christopher (9 AM)
January 17 Women's Guild Meeting (7PM)
January 24 SGM Players Special Meeting (6 PM)

A LETTER FROM THE CARDINAL

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today we celebrate Seminary Sunday in all the parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago. In fact, we celebrate the lives of the many priests who serve you so faithfully each day and those who are preparing to serve you with that same charity in the future. The love of a priest for his people makes present Christ's love for His Church.

As your busy lives unfold each week, good and dedicated priests in this parish continue to say Mass, baptize your children, witness marriages, visit the sick and bury your loved ones. Your priests never stop caring about you, your children and your parish.

On this Seminary Sunday please, pray for vocations to the priesthood and for all of our seminarians. Your prayers are a tremendous support for them. Please also take a moment to thank the priests who serve so faithfully each week as they bring the love and healing power of Christ to you.

May God continue to bestow on you and your family His choicest blessings. You are in my prayers, and I ask you to remember me in your prayers each day.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I.
Archbishop of Chicago

NATIONAL VOCATION AWARENESS WEEK
The feast of the Baptism of the Lord announces Jesus' public ministry. He is favored by God, called and sent for the victory of justice. As God's chosen servant, Jesus was sent to open the eyes of the blind, to free prisoners, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.
By our baptism, we too are called for the victory of justice. God's favor rests on each of us. How appropriate that this feast of the Baptism of the Lord is the beginning of National Vocation Awareness week. As we renew our baptismal vows we are invited to discern how our vocation in life furthers the cause of justice in our world. What situations in our world are most disturbing for you? What gives you hope in the face of these situations?
You are invited to renew your baptismal commitment and celebrate God's call to follow Jesus. Come with open hearts ready to be called for the victory of justice. The Church needs you to answer with your life.

CHANGE A FUTURE
How many of you attended or sent your children to a Catholic School? Can you imagine what your life would be like if there had been no Catholic school for your or your children to attend?
Today you probably realize how much of your success you owe to a Catholic education. Did a nun, a brother or a lay teacher play a role in helping you lay the foundation for your life and career?
You probably support your college or university. Some people continue to be loyal to their high schools. That's terrific and important. But in your heart you know where the real need is today.
In spite of 40 years of soaring costs and escalating tuition, our students consistently score higher than average on national standardized tests and are infused with faith-based values. Still, you've heard media reports and neighborhood talk about how increasing costs are threatening the future of many of our Catholic schools.
We need your help to keep our Catholic schools vital and excellent and available to our children today and tomorrow.
Right now every dollar counts. If you can only send a few dollars, then please do so. If you can afford more, then please send more. One hundred percent of all donations will go to support our Catholic schools.
It's your turn to give back for all that was given to you.
You can change the future!
Please make checks payable to: Schools-CSF
P.O. Box 1979
Chicago, IL. 60690-1979
or call (312) 751-5250. All contributions are tax deductible.

TAX INFORMATION
Anyone who wishes to have a record of their yearly donations to the church for use in doing their taxes, please send a self addressed, stamped envelope to the parish office. Our official address is St. Gerard Majella 16130 Clifton Park Markham, IL. 60428. You can also put the request in the collection basket at any Mass.

RACIAL JUSTICE WEEK
Catholics across the archdiocese will mark Racial Justice Week January 17th-23rd. The event is a follow up to Cardinal George's pastoral letter, "Dwell in My Love" in which he has invited Catholics to pray for world peace and work to build welcoming and inclusive communities. Catholic schools have been encouraged to hold multi-cultural school liturgies and assemblies celebrating cultural gifts and contributions of various student backgrounds.
Related events include a Racial Reconciliation Prayer Service April 3rd, and a Unity Rally October 1st. For additional information, visit the Office for Racial Justice's web site: www.archchaigo.org/departments/recial_justice.shtm

ST. STANISLAUS OPEN HOUSE
Now is the time to start planning your child's 2005-06 school year. Why not consider giving your child the gift of an excellent Catholic education at St. Stanislaus School. Full day tuition (grades K-8) for the 2004-05 school year is $2487.00. There are also various plans available for preschool. A tuition increase is anticipated for 2005-06 school year. You are invited to join us on January 30, 2005 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 Pm at the school for an open house. We have faith in you to make the best choice for your child so make that choice St. Stanislaus! St. Stanislaus is located at 14418 S. McKinley Ave., Posen, II 60469. Please call 597-4910 with any questions.

WHAT'S YOUR CATHOLIC IQ?

The answers to last weeks questions are: (1) a; (2) b; (3) a; (4) b; (5) b.

1. Ave Maria is Latin for (a) "Immaculate Mary"; (b) "Our Father"; (c) "Lamb of God"; (d) "Hail Mary".
2. Jesus' boyhood home in Galilee was the village of (a) Antioch; (b) Capernaum; (c) Nazareth; (d) Bethany.
3. A wedding Mass is also known as a (a) Nuptial Mass; (b) Requiem Mass; (c) Mass of Anointing; (d) Chrism Mass.
4. The saint who established the first monastery in the Western Church at Monte Cassino, Italy, was (a) Ignatius; (b) Benedict; (c) Francis of Assisi; (d) Maximilian Kolbe.
5. The recommended day for baptizing adults into the catholic Church is (a) Palm Sunday; (b) Holy Thursday; (c) Good Friday; (d) Holy Saturday at the Easter Vigil.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
"Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will."
Sometimes we don't know why we do something until later. When we look back, we realize the importance of what we did before.
Today's Gospel is about John the Baptist having this kind of experience. He admits that he didn't know Jesus. Then he saw the Spirit coming down and remaining in Jesus, and he declared: "Now I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God."
Our growing in faith and coming to know Jesus is like John's recognition of Jesus. We pray and offer love and care to others, and in doing those things, we come to see Jesus more and more in others. We recognize Jesus in those who are poor and ill and frightened. We recognize Jesus in our families and friends. We can even see Jesus in those we don't like. Living lives of faith is our way of seeing and testifying that Jesus, as John says, is the Son of God.
Let us see all around us chances to take Jesus' love to others.