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A New Season For The Movie Club Begins

A new season for the movie club begin with the viewing of "The Exorcism of Emily Rose". This showing was one of the best attended ever for the movie club. The movie was said to be really thought-provoking and well-done. It is highly reccommended. A lively discussion followed at a local Wendy's where the new fruit bowl also received rave reviews.

A Day Of Remembrence

On Sept 11th 2005 we had our Fourth Annual Patriot'S Day Memorial. Archbishop Job was one of the guest speakers. He commented on how soon we forget God after tragedies. He said disasters and tragedies should be reminders of our need to pray and for repentance for the sinful ways of our society. He gave an example of the looting which happened in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Click to go to our World Trade Center Memorial page for a more complete version.

Mayor Bennet spoke about how we are doing a great service to the community by continuing to remember the victims of 9/11.

Laura Bartl gaven an accounting of her personal World Trade Center experience and that of her co-workers returning to Chicago after surviving the attacks. Bill Droel spoke about his local work with the Hurricane Katrina victims at the former Tinley Park Mental Health Facility headed by PADS and how we all need to do our part as Christians to help each other, especially in times of need.

Members of the Lincoln Way Composite Civil Air Patrol Squadron and Boy and Girl Scouts from St. Luke were the color guard for the event. Seventy-Eight names (Illinois military casualties) were read aloud by the members of the Lincoln Way Composite Civil Air Patrol Squadron.

As part of our day, this icon was donated by Caye Caswick in memory of her Father, Clarence F. Caswick.

Our Mother of Sorrows offers healing liniment to those suffering from the tragedies of September 11, 2001. Old Spanish and Mexican images of Our Lady of Sorrows as well as the traditional icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help influenced the conception of this icon. The angels of the Perpetual Help icon, as well as their instruments of Christ's crucifixion are replaced by the American and United Airlines planes. The planes symbolize the victims at the Pentagon and Flight 93, as well as both planes that crashed into the World Trade Center. The planes invade the sacred space of the mandorla, the cloud of heavenly radiance that surrounds Mary. Represented by the almond shape and the radiating fiery rings, the mandorla is the intersection of heavenly and earthly realms. The stars of heaven surround Mary, the universal mother, in her sorrowful yet hopeful glance. The old church Slavonic lettering in gold leaf describes Mary as the Theotokos, the Mother of God. Traditional images of Our Lady of Sorrows depict Mary's heart pierced by swords, symbolic of the seven times her heart was broken by the passion of her Son. Within Mary's embrace the oval which surrounds the World Trade Center symbolizes her sacred heart, but even more so her womb. In this icon, Our Mother embraces all those lost with her enduring love, just as she embraced the Child in her womb. The towers are depicted as they appeared on that bright, sunny morning in early September. The smoke, stylized and sanctified, bears witness to the ultimate sacrifice of so many on September 11.

by: Lewis Williams

Handmaidens Day Out

The Handmaidens went to see the March of the Penguin with Father Andrew and Lynn. This was their first outing, Another is being planned with the Altar servers in the future. A bowling party was suggested.

After the show they had a meeting at the creamery over Ice cream. They to discussed ways of improving their ministry.

Fr. Andrew explained the importance of preparing the Prosphora ( Holy Bread) and holding the communion napkin. He said it was symbolic of the Myrrh bearing women who when to the tomb to anoint Christ.

Church School Begins Another Year

With summer coming to an end, our church school program began another year. Here we see our teachers and students gathered on the church steps.

We at St. Luke Parish are extremely blessed to have such a dedicated staff of teachers and willing students. We pray that throughout the year they receive knowledge, wisdom, strength and perseverance in their endeavors.

The Way Of Our Pilgrims: News From Russia

This photo courtesy of St. Catherine the Great Martyr Church website.

On Thursday September 1st, Father Andrew and our pilgrims found themselves in Moscow at St. Catherine the Great Martyr Church. Here we see Father Andrew with Archimandrite Zacchaeus, Dean of the parish. He is receiving a gift in memory of their visit. We pray that our pilgrims have a safe and spiritually fullfilling remainder of their trip.

For more information on St. Catherine the Great Martyr Church of Moscow and our pilgrims, please click on this link. st-catherine.ru/en/news/news.php?newsid=124