Media Alerts

WHAT: Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, will be the main celebrant and homilist at a 4 p.m. Mass on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, marking two important milestones for the faith community of St. Francis Borgia Parish: the 40th anniversary of the archdiocese’s Catholic Office of the Deaf at the church and the 75th anniversary of the parish’s founding. This Mass also marks the first weekend of Advent. The Mass will be live-streamed on the parish’s Facebook page and YouTube channel:

https://www.facebook.com/borgiachicago
https://www.youtube.com/@borgiachicago/streams


Mass will be in English with readings and universal prayers in American Sign Language (ASL), Italian and Polish, the four languages of the parish.

Founded in the summer of 1949, St. Francis Borgia Parish is kicking-off its 75th anniversary at this Mass and will conclude the celebration in October 2024, during the feast month of its namesake. At the time, veterans of World War II were moving from the congested central areas of Chicago to the city’s edges to raise their families and build their futures. The archdiocese responded to the growing area by establishing the parishes of St. Monica (now St. Monica and St. Rosalie Parish), St. Eugene (now Queen of Peace Parish) and St. Francis Borgia.

The Catholic Office of the Deaf, founded in 1884 at Holy Family Parish as a ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago, relocated to St. Francis Borgia Parish in December 1983. The ministry provides pastoral care of deaf and hard-of-hearing persons in metropolitan Chicago as well as their families, and includes spiritual guidance, religious education, youth activities, formation and training in ministerial leadership, and advocacy for social justice issues of deaf and hard-of-hearing people. More than 100 people gather for weekly Sunday Masses in ASL. Most of the people leading the Mass — deacon, readers, ushers, choir and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion — are deaf. Additional information about the ministry can be found at: https://www.archchicago.org/offices-and-ministries/persons-with-disabilities

Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of December is people with disabilities and he invites everyone to pray that people with disabilities may be at the center of attention in our societies (source: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-11/pope-francis-december-prayer-intention-people-disabilities.html).

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, at 4 p.m.

WHERE: St. Francis Borgia Parish, 8033 W. Addison St., Chicago

CONTACT:
Susan Thomas
Archdiocese of Chicago
312.805.9102 (cell)
[email protected]

This year marks the debut of the Custom Pick-up Truck pilgrimage on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023

WHAT: The Archdiocese of Chicago’s Twelfth Annual Horseback and Annual Trailer Pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, will feature more than 600 riders from Club Los Vaqueros Unidos (United Cowboys Club) and their horses and more than 300 trailers. In addition hundreds of custom pick-up trucks and their drivers, who will make the procession for the annual feast celebrated by Catholics around the world on Dec. 12. The horseback, trailer and custom pick-up truck pilgrimage is the unofficial start of festivities at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe that concludes with 24 hours of Masses at the shrine for the feast day.

WHERE: The horseback procession begins at the Forest Preserve, Dam No. 1 Woods (East) in Northbrook, and concludes at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, 1170 N. River Rd. in Des Plaines. It is a three- to four-hour horseback ride.

WHEN:
Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023
9 a.m. – The Liturgy of the Word will be celebrated by Very Rev. Esequiel Sanchez, rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, at the Forest Preserve, Dam No. 1 Woods (East) in Northbrook, for all those participating in the Cavalcade procession.
10 a.m. –Immediately following the Mass, Very Rev. Esequiel Sanchez will lead the cavalcade on horseback.
1 p.m. – Cavalcade arrives at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe for a special blessing of the riders and horses. (Time of arrival is approximate)
4 p.m. – Arrival of trailers and their drivers
5 p.m. – Mass and blessing of the trailers and their drivers

Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023
The Shrine will welcome the first Custom Pick-up Truck Pilgrimage. Hundreds of pick-up trucks from all over the state of Illinois will join in a pilgrimage to the Shrine, adorned with symbols of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The colorful procession will serve to illustrate the diversity and strength found in their shared spiritual journeys.
3 p.m. - Arrival of the Custom Pick-up Trucks and their drivers
4 p.m. - Mass and blessing of the trucks and their drivers

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CONTACTS:
Andy Lepe
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
224.627.1700
[email protected]

Yasmin Quiroz
Archdiocese of Chicago
312.636.4079
[email protected]

WHAT: Our Lady of the Ridge-St. Linus Parish will host a Mass of Healing for Those Suffering from Addiction at the St. Linus Church worship site on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. The Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, also known as Blackout Wednesday, can be one of the biggest binge drinking nights of the year.

Fr. Ryan Brady, associate pastor of the parish, will preside over the Mass, which is in its third year. Brady is a recovering alcoholic, and he will share his personal journey of recovery during his homily.

WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023, at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Our Lady of the Ridge and St. Linus Parish, at the St. Linus Church worship site, 10300 Lawler Ave., Oak Lawn.

WHAT: The Archdiocese of Chicago, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and other Cook County officials will hold a committal service to bury 160 indigent remains and 47 unborn persons on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. This burial will mark more than 5,000 unborn, indigent and unknown persons buried at the South Side cemetery since 2012 when Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Chicago partnered with Cook County to provide dignified burials for these decedents as a public service.

This burial will honor the 1,600 unborn persons and 3,461 indigent people, including 92 unidentified persons, being interred at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.

Cook County, through the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, is entrusted with the final disposition of indigent deceased, unidentified deceased and fetal remains and has worked with Catholic Cemeteries and the Funeral Directors Association, Worsham College of Mortuary Science and Malcolm X College to bury these decedents.

Very Rev. Lawrence J. Sullivan, director of Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Chicago, will preside over the service and lead the blessing of the caskets. Local funeral directors and other volunteers will accompany each decedent at the service and stay until the burial is complete.

The service will be live-streamed on Cook County’s YouTube page: www.youtube.com/@CookCountyGovernment

WHEN: Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, at 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: Mt. Olivet Cemetery, 2755 W.111th St., Chicago

WHO:
• Very Rev. Lawrence J. Sullivan, director of Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Chicago
• Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle
• Local funeral directors and volunteers
• Cook County commissioners

CONTACTS:
Susan Thomas
Archdiocese of Chicago
312.805.9102 (cell)
[email protected]

Natalia Derevyanny
Cook County
312.718.4125
[email protected]

WHAT: St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, will host a winter coat giveaway on Saturday, Nov. 18 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The parish has collected 200 new and gently used coats for anyone in need, including long-term area residents, the unhoused and new migrant neighbors. Parishioners will also provide 200 boxed meals for those in need of food. The coats and meals are available on a first come, first served basis.

WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

WHERE: The giveaway will take place at St. Thomas the Apostle School building, 5467 S. Woodlawn Ave., Chicago

WHAT: The archdiocesan Spanish language Mass in honor of Mary, Mother of the Divine Providence, Patroness of Puerto Rico, will be held at Jesus, Bread of Life Parish, St. Sylvester worship site, 2157 N. Humboldt Blvd., tonight, Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.

Mary, Mother of the Divine Providence, was declared the patroness of Puerto Rico by Pope Paul VI on November 19, 1969. Images of the Patroness typically depict her sitting and cradling a sleeping infant Jesus, while looking down and gently holding His hand.

WHO: Rev. Francisco Pagan Portalatin, Associate Pastor at San José Sánchez de Río Parish, will be the main presider. Rev. Claudio Diaz, Jr., Pastor of Our Lady of the Unity Parish, will concelebrate. Priests and deacons are invited to be present and wear their Archdiocesan stoles. All are invited.

WHEN: Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Jesus, Bread of Life Parish, St. Sylvester worship site, 2157 N. Humboldt Blvd. in Chicago.

CONTACT: Alejandro Castillo Archdiocese of Chicago [email protected] 708.837.7556 (cell)

WHAT: The Archdiocese of Chicago calls for Catholics and all people of good will to answer Pope Francis’ plea to unite for a global day of fasting, penance and prayer on Friday, Oct. 27 for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, asks that all parishes and worship sites in the Archdiocese of Chicago dedicate their Friday services as Masses for the restoration of peace and justice in this time of war and civil disturbances.

The Holy Father announced that special prayers for peace will take place in St. Peter's Basilica at 18:00 Rome time (11 a.m. CST) on Oct. 27. He has invited all to join. The live-stream from St. Peter’s Basilica will be available on the Vatican Media Live YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbhi4z5jloQ.

For media planning on covering locally, below is a sampling of Archdiocese of Chicago parishes that have offered to have media onsite to film or photograph their services dedicated to this day of prayer for peace:

St. Francis Borgia, 8033 W. Addison St., Chicago

• 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.: Adoration chapel will be open for prayer.
• 7:30 a.m.: Mass in the chapel.
• 7 p.m.: Mass in Polish and rosary. Mass will take place in the church.

Divine Mercy, at the St. Philip the Apostle site, 1962 Old Willow Rd., Northfield

• 8 a.m.: Mass

Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica, 3121 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago

• 8:30 a.m.: Mass in the basilica chapel.

St. Thomas the Apostle, 5472 S. Kimbark Ave., Chicago

• 8 a.m.: Mass

Most Blessed Trinity, 450 Keller Ave., Waukegan

• 8 a.m.: Mass
• 7 p.m.: Mass

St. Thomas of Villanova, 1201 E. Anderson Dr., Palatine

• 8 a.m.: Mass

Our Lady of the Snows, 4810 S. Leamington Ave., Chicago

• 8:30 a.m.: Mass

Queen of Peace, 7958 W. Foster Ave., Chicago

• 9 a.m.: Mass will not have a dismissal. After the prayer following Holy Communion, Solemn Exposition of the Holy Eucharist will begin with prayers for peace and justice and, after Benediction, will conclude at 10:30 a.m.

St. Elizabeth Seton, 9300 W. 167th St., Orland Hills

• 9 a.m.: Mass

St. Mary of the Lake and Our Lady of Lourdes, at the St. Mary of the Lake site, 4220 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago

• 9 a.m.: Mass

Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State St., Chicago

• 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Adoration
• 12 p.m.: Mass

Old St. Patrick, 700 W. Adams St., Chicago

• 12:10 p.m.: Mass

Holy Family, 2515 W. Palatine Rd., Inverness

• 1 - 5 p.m.: The Faithful are invited for quiet prayer and meditation with the intention of praying for peace.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 708 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago

• 2:15 p.m.: prayer service. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy students, in grades 2 - 8, will attend the service.

Misión San Juan Diego, 2323 N. Wilke Rd., Arlington Heights
Please note, all services will be in Spanish only.

• 3 p.m.: Prayer of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy in church
• 6 p.m.: Prayer of the Holy Rosary
• 7 p.m.: Mass
• Holy Hour immediately following Mass

St. Theresa, 455 N. Benton St., Palatine

• 7 p.m.: Prayer service and rosary

WHEN: Friday, Oct. 27, 2023