Praise God! We have a Pope! And we know there is more than enough information all over about him -- so as things begin to settle down -- we will continue to bring you more over the next few weeks. For now, click his picture for the Chicago Catholic story as we spend these days getting to know and especially praying for our new Holy Father, Pope Leo!
If you are already on the Hallow app as a subscriber -- you already have access to a 7-day challenge to pray for Pope Leo that begins this Sunday.
If you're not a subscriber -- think about it! And try it for free for 30 days (just set your phone alarm/calendar to cancel on day 29!).
Hallow continues to be an offering that brings always-emerging and super solid prayer, study, and evangelizing content for all ages and stages.
from Fr. John
May 9, 2025 - 4th Sunday of Easter
Dear Parishioners,
Where We Have Been / Where You Have Been
As we consider all the events that have transpired since Easter morning and the start of the Easter season, we can look back with amazement on an Easter with our Holy Father, Pope Francis, quite literally pouring himself out for others, visiting with them, and making a final appearance to bless them in his last day of life as he ministered to the Church, the People of God. He had recovered to some extent from his recent and prolonged stay in Gemeli Hospital in Rome. Unbeknownst to us, the next morning God would call him home to eternal life.
Here at Our Lady of Ransom, we, thankfully celebrated beautiful Triduum Masses, services and Easter Masses and witnessed new life in the Church: two catechumens, Dylan and Erissa, who received the Sacraments of Initiation. We worship now with them and they with us and we call them now our brothers and sisters in Christ!
Where Are We Now
These past 18 days the church has been on a wonderful journey in the scriptures especially in The Acts of the Apostles, the book of sacred scripture which recalls in great detail the efforts of the first shepherd and Vicar of Christ, Saint Peter, and the other apostles doing the miraculous works of Jesus, extending healing to many, preaching the message of salvation, baptizing and uniting the early Christian community in the Holy Spirit. It was not a time totally free of opposition, controversy and persecution.
I had a professor in seminary who unabashedly regarded this book in the New Testament second only to the Gospel of Saint Luke. This priest personally ( unofficially ) renamed ‘The Acts of the Apostles’ to ‘Acts of Apostles’ primarily because it is written as a guide book of the Church, for you and me, and that WE are actually those commissioned, the new apostles, living in what some may call a new apostolic age of evangelization and proclamation of the savings acts of Jesus. The omission of a little article like ‘the’ may seem insignificant but it gives a totally new perspective to and personalizes the entire Easter message for us that Acts depicts in all its wonder as it unfolds for the early Church.
But others have emphasized this, too; even what formed the basis of our recent parish Ransom Hope Experience for 35 individuals who met weekly and were guided by the Rescue Project created by Acts XXIX, a ministry based in the archdiocese of Detroit begun several years ago by Father John Riccardo.
Acts 29? – WAIT A MINUTE! I thought there were only 28 chapters in the Acts of Apostles? That’s correct …. and that’s exactly the point! You and I are in the privileged position of writing the new Chapter- i.e., Chapter 29 with our lives of faith in this age, at this time.
We've been listening to and taking to heart these words as we, the Church today, try to live out the good news of the gospel. We, too, are enlightened by the same Holy Spirit bestowed on the Apostles and the first century Church, confirmed in the Holy Spirit.
Where are We Going, Where Are You Going? - Quo Imus, Quo Vadis?
These are the words Simon Peter said to the Lord in the gospel of St. John (13: 36)
“Master, where are You going?”
At this time, too, we call out to the Holy Spirit as we implore the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit to be bestowed in abundance upon our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. It is hard for us to grasp the enormity of the task before him, what it was like to gaze out upon the ‘small flock’ gathered in St. Peter’s Square for a first look of him and the other 1.4 billion of us at home who just heard the good news of his election and to realize his task now is to guide the entire Church on the path to holiness, the path of salvation.
We, like St. Peter, want to know where the Lord wants to take us, where He wishes to take His Church. But the wisdom we pray for is best expressed in Jesus’ own words to us in the Gospel for this 4th Sunday of Easter:
‘My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.’
May Pope Leo help us to hear Jesus’ voice more clearly,
To know Jesus and to allow ourselves to be known by Him.
And finally, for all of us to follow Jesus as His faithful disciples.
Prayer For Our New Holy Father
Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the Apostle Peter and Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love and peace for all the world. Amen.
Let us pray for the Pope.
May the Lord preserve him, give him a long life, make him blessed upon the earth, and not hand him over to the power of his enemies.
May your hand be upon your holy servant.
And upon your son, whom you have anointed.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory Be …
As we consider all the events that have transpired since Easter morning and the start of the Easter season, we can look back with amazement on an Easter with our Holy Father, Pope Francis, quite literally pouring himself out for others, visiting with them, and making a final appearance to bless them in his last day of life as he ministered to the Church, the People of God. He had recovered to some extent from his recent and prolonged stay in Gemeli Hospital in Rome. Unbeknownst to us, the next morning God would call him home to eternal life.
Here at Our Lady of Ransom, we, thankfully celebrated beautiful Triduum Masses, services and Easter Masses and witnessed new life in the Church: two catechumens, Dylan and Erissa, who received the Sacraments of Initiation. We worship now with them and they with us and we call them now our brothers and sisters in Christ!
Where Are We Now
These past 18 days the church has been on a wonderful journey in the scriptures especially in The Acts of the Apostles, the book of sacred scripture which recalls in great detail the efforts of the first shepherd and Vicar of Christ, Saint Peter, and the other apostles doing the miraculous works of Jesus, extending healing to many, preaching the message of salvation, baptizing and uniting the early Christian community in the Holy Spirit. It was not a time totally free of opposition, controversy and persecution.
I had a professor in seminary who unabashedly regarded this book in the New Testament second only to the Gospel of Saint Luke. This priest personally ( unofficially ) renamed ‘The Acts of the Apostles’ to ‘Acts of Apostles’ primarily because it is written as a guide book of the Church, for you and me, and that WE are actually those commissioned, the new apostles, living in what some may call a new apostolic age of evangelization and proclamation of the savings acts of Jesus. The omission of a little article like ‘the’ may seem insignificant but it gives a totally new perspective to and personalizes the entire Easter message for us that Acts depicts in all its wonder as it unfolds for the early Church.
But others have emphasized this, too; even what formed the basis of our recent parish Ransom Hope Experience for 35 individuals who met weekly and were guided by the Rescue Project created by Acts XXIX, a ministry based in the archdiocese of Detroit begun several years ago by Father John Riccardo.
Acts 29? – WAIT A MINUTE! I thought there were only 28 chapters in the Acts of Apostles? That’s correct …. and that’s exactly the point! You and I are in the privileged position of writing the new Chapter- i.e., Chapter 29 with our lives of faith in this age, at this time.
We've been listening to and taking to heart these words as we, the Church today, try to live out the good news of the gospel. We, too, are enlightened by the same Holy Spirit bestowed on the Apostles and the first century Church, confirmed in the Holy Spirit.
Where are We Going, Where Are You Going? - Quo Imus, Quo Vadis?
These are the words Simon Peter said to the Lord in the gospel of St. John (13: 36)
“Master, where are You going?”
At this time, too, we call out to the Holy Spirit as we implore the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit to be bestowed in abundance upon our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. It is hard for us to grasp the enormity of the task before him, what it was like to gaze out upon the ‘small flock’ gathered in St. Peter’s Square for a first look of him and the other 1.4 billion of us at home who just heard the good news of his election and to realize his task now is to guide the entire Church on the path to holiness, the path of salvation.
We, like St. Peter, want to know where the Lord wants to take us, where He wishes to take His Church. But the wisdom we pray for is best expressed in Jesus’ own words to us in the Gospel for this 4th Sunday of Easter:
‘My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.’
May Pope Leo help us to hear Jesus’ voice more clearly,
To know Jesus and to allow ourselves to be known by Him.
And finally, for all of us to follow Jesus as His faithful disciples.
Prayer For Our New Holy Father
Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the Apostle Peter and Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love and peace for all the world. Amen.
Let us pray for the Pope.
May the Lord preserve him, give him a long life, make him blessed upon the earth, and not hand him over to the power of his enemies.
May your hand be upon your holy servant.
And upon your son, whom you have anointed.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Fr. John
Please continue to join us every Friday after the 12:15 Mass to pray the rosary. We will offer prayers and meditations of the Rosary specifically for Father Matt. All are welcome.
INVITATION AND SAVE THE DATE!!!
Click the flyer to be taken to RSVP!
ANOTHER SAVE THE DATE!
Get ready! Like the Holy Spirit at Pentecost -- the driving wind and fire of International Night is returning on Saturday, June 7th!
More details and ticket sales next week online right here in flocknote!
Get ready for the triumphant return of the amazing people and food or our parish!
Also back for another year will be basket raffles, 50-50 raffle, music and much more!
from Colleen, your Parish Missionary:
Wow! A lot has happened this week! And a lot is coming our way! But God's Timing is perfect -- so it's time for me to let you know I will be moving on from my service at Our Lady of Ransom. Working in discipleship and renewal ministry with people -- both from inside and outside our parish -- has been one of the great honors, challenges, and blessings of my life. I've been inspired by the tireless efforts of what the Holy Spirit has done through the pastoral obedience of Fr. Matt -- and now I also get to be obedient and follow that example -- that's really of a person's fidelity to Jesus. And I desire to be faithful and obedient to Jesus.
Come have coffee & a donut (or 2...or 3...) after Mass next weekend (17-18 May) and hang out in Paluch Hall with me!
More next week -- and School of Sainthood Peeps -- don't worry! Seriously. Don't worry. It's all continuing. You're right on track. You'll have a separate flocknote from me this weekend.
Please pray for me. And pray for Fr. Matt. And pray for Fr. John. And pray for Fr. Mike. They all ROCK. And know of my great love and prayers for you. My experience of God's mighty work of healing, reconciliation, and restoration of all things to Himself through my encounter and personal relationship with Jesus is richer because of you. And I will never see the word Ransom the same way.
COLLECTION MAY 3-4, 2025
Sunday Collection Envelopes $4377.00
Sunday Collection Loose Ck/Cash $2756.00
Push Pay Electronic Giving $6389.30
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Total Sunday Collection $13,522.30
Thank you for your generosity!
Sunday Collection Envelopes $4377.00
Sunday Collection Loose Ck/Cash $2756.00
Push Pay Electronic Giving $6389.30
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Sunday Collection $13,522.30
Thank you for your generosity!
Please contact the parish office at 847-823-2550
for any assistance you need with giving.
PRAYER DURING THE JUBILEE YEAR
Every weekend during this Jubilee Year of Hope, a different household will take home our Jubilee Shofar, using it as a focal point for prayer during the week. Whoever has the Shofar will take the week to intercede for our community, asking the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts and minds during the Jubilee Year of Hope.
Whether your household is one person or fifteen, please consider signing up to take the Jubilee Shofar home for one week. The priest will give you the Shofar after communion at whatever Mass you attend. In addition to the Jubilee Shofar, you will get suggestions and guides for praying that week. Then return the Jubilee Shofar to the Ministry Center before 4pm on Friday so it is available for the next household.
