Chicago parishes

[DustinsDad]

The Institute of Christ the King Soverign Priest is in Chicago now. Restoring St. Gelasius (formerly St. Clara):

http://www.institute-christ-king.org/images/CroppedChicagoGrnFacd.JPG
(more pics)

Until the restoration is complete, Mass is celebrated in the priory chapel at 6415 South Woodlawn Avenue.

DustinsDad

 

[Norseman82]

No. The South Side is evil. And they have the White Sox there.

Our former associate pastor at my parish on the NW side was a big Cubs fan. One of the parishoners even made him a stole with little Cubs logos on it. Guess what parish he was made pastor of?

Nativity of Our Lord, 2 blocks from the Cell! And his installation mass was on the night the White Sox won the pennant.

 

[chicago]

Pace buses do not run on Sunday mornings; and in Schaumburg are few and far between anyway, except for shuttles to THE Mall.

Maybe there should be a parish AT the mall!

 

[chicago]

Our former associate pastor at my parish on the NW side was a big Cubs fan. One of the parishoners even made him a stole with little Cubs logos on it. Guess what parish he was made pastor of?

Nativity of Our Lord, 2 blocks from the Cell! And his installation mass was on the night the White Sox won the pennant.

ROFL! Well, he can always claim that the celebrations were for him.

Last year, it was suggested by some that a Cubs cap ought to strung up alongside the dead cardinals’ hats in the cathedral as a practical joke on Cubs fan gallore Fr. Mayall.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Maybe there should be a parish AT the mall!

Now you’re thinking! In the main Woodfield, on the “Grand Court” smack dab in the middle, or by one of the anchor stores? I vote for Nordstrom, still perturbed about Fields, er, Macy’s.

 

[Norseman82]

Last year, it was suggested by some that a Cubs cap ought to strung up alongside the dead cardinals’ hats in the cathedral as a practical joke on Cubs fan gallore Fr. Mayall.

Let me guess:

1. Holy Name Cathedral is your parish
2. Someone has unresolved “Room 209” issues! (I don’t know if you were at Quigley when Fr. Mayall was disciplinarian, succeeding Father - now Bishop - Listecki).

 

[Norseman82]

Now you’re thinking! In the main Woodfield, on the “Grand Court” smack dab in the middle, or by one of the anchor stores? I vote for Nordstrom, still perturbed about Fields, er, Macy’s.

So basically, you’re looking for a Catholic version of Willow Creek, which has its own food court?

 

[chicago]

Fist of all, I vote to put St. Mary of the Woodfield in J.C Penny’s.

Let me guess:

1. Holy Name Cathedral is your parish
2. Someone has unresolved “Room 209” issues! (I don’t know if you were at Quigley when Fr. Mayall was disciplinarian, succeeding Father - now Bishop - Listecki).

Well, it wasn’t I who proposed the idea (I just liked it - though I also thought it would have been better if the Sox beat the Cards and they strung up a STL cap).

That said, I was once at the cathedral when Fr. Mayall talked about the person in that day’s gospel being so excited that it was like a teeneger running through the hallways banging on all the lockers. Shocked, I thought, “NOOOOOOOO! You’d take me right to 5 demerits for that!”

Now (if I may allude to another thread) Mr. McGreal… THERE was a real man and real disciplinarian.

(BTW, they moved the old disciplinarians office to a newly created Room 211 after the reorganization).

 

[Belcanto]

Other than St. John Cantius what are some parishes in Chicago that lean towards the traditional spectrum?

I understand that St. Peter’s in the Loop is very solid.

Pax Tecum,
Jay

 

[chicago]

I understand that St. Peter’s in the Loop is very solid.

Pax Tecum,
Jay

I hate getting into these sorts of discussions, in a way, as there is ultimately no winning and people will fight tooth and nail for their preferred perspective on things. But, anyway…

Let me first say that I like St. Peter’s and harbor a lifelong affection for the parish and the Franciscans. That said, they haven’t always exactly been a bastion of what some might prefer in “conservative Catholicism” and have at times leaned fairly leftist in ways. It’s still a good Church and ministry which has a lot of positive things going, and I wouldn’t worry about the average tourist being terribly scandalized necessarily (unless some priest who happens to have Mass gets a little fast and loose with his homiletics or inclusive langague and you’re sensitive to that kind of stuff), but it’s by no means in the ballpark that some would prefer of a Cansius or Opus Dei parish, either. Of course, most parishes aren’t exactly that, anyway. But if it’s what someone is looking for, then we probably ought to be fair in pointing out the distinctions. Just don’t visit the St. Peter’s bookstore if what you really want is more along the lines of the Daughters of St. Paul (on Michigan Ave.)

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

So basically, you’re looking for a Catholic version of Willow Creek, which has its own food court?

Not quite…I want to do it better, of course. We’ll put it next to Schaumburg’s Maggiano’s, then.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Fist of all, I vote to put St. Mary of the Woodfield in J.C Penny’s…That said, I was once at the cathedral when Fr. Mayall talked about the person in that day’s gospel being so excited that it was like a teeneger running through the hallways banging on all the lockers. Shocked, I thought, “NOOOOOOOO! You’d take me right to 5 demerits for that!”

Now (if I may allude to another thread) Mr. McGreal… THERE was a real man and real disciplinarian.

(BTW, they moved the old disciplinarians office to a newly created Room 211 after the reorganization).

You Quigley boys! You’ve never know disciplinary action, unless you went to Lane Tech during the reign of Rodgers Raiders, and the guiding hand of Mr. Burns.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

I hate getting into these sorts of discussions, in a way, as there is ultimately no winning and people will fight tooth and nail for their preferred perspective on things. But, anyway…

Let me first say that I like St. Peter’s and harbor a lifelong affection for the parish and the Franciscans. That said, they haven’t always exactly been a bastion of what some might prefer in “conservative Catholicism” and have at times leaned fairly leftist in ways…But if it’s what someone is looking for, then we probably ought to be fair in pointing out the distinctions. Just don’t visit the St. Peter’s bookstore if what you really want is more along the lines of the Daughters of St. Paul (on Michigan Ave.)

St. Peter’s is very good for confession. Why? Well, for one thing, those Franciscans are in the box or on call for face-to-face in the mezzanine 11.5 hours a day. If a person is from out of town and in dire need of confession, St. Peter’s a great place. If a person is from a suburb and has a situation where regular confession at the home parish is well, less than desirable for a variety of reasons, St. Peter’s is great. Hop a train, walk a couple blocks, while examining one’s conscience; walk into St. Peter’s, go to confession, do one’s penance, and walk back to Union Station to go home. Maybe get some lunch on the way back.

St. Peter’s is also very good if one works downtown and needs to catch Mass on a holy day or Sunday.

It’s a good “visit” parish. Go in, chat with the Lord, rearrange one’s shopping bags, take a load off, light a candle (well, press the button on a candle).

St. Peter has a great ministry for the homeless who end up in the Loop. It is also good for its AA meetings, and a variety of classes for those who have business in the Loop, and can’t get back to their home parishes.

My husband and I give regularly to St. Peter’s.

However- I can think of better places for tourists to go to Sunday Mass, unless the time of the Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s worked into the schedule for a plate of pancakes and fresh eggs at St. Lou of Mitchell’s.

 

[Belcanto]

I hate getting into these sorts of discussions, in a way, as there is ultimately no winning and people will fight tooth and nail for their preferred perspective on things. But, anyway…

Let me first say that I like St. Peter’s and harbor a lifelong affection for the parish and the Franciscans. That said, they haven’t always exactly been a bastion of what some might prefer in “conservative Catholicism” and have at times leaned fairly leftist in ways. It’s still a good Church and ministry which has a lot of positive things going, and I wouldn’t worry about the average tourist being terribly scandalized necessarily (unless some priest who happens to have Mass gets a little fast and loose with his homiletics or inclusive langague and you’re sensitive to that kind of stuff), but it’s by no means in the ballpark that some would prefer of a Cansius or Opus Dei parish, either. Of course, most parishes aren’t exactly that, anyway. But if it’s what someone is looking for, then we probably ought to be fair in pointing out the distinctions. Just don’t visit the St. Peter’s bookstore if what you really want is more along the lines of the Daughters of St. Paul (on Michigan Ave.)

Of course, I’ve never been to the church, or even to Chicago. I’m just basing my understanding on their website, which to me at least conveys the impression of being a solidly Catholic parish. In addition, they have an excellent choir; I have 2 of their CDs.

Just a question, when you say that they lean “fairly leftist,” does that mean that they’re politically liberal, socially liberal, theologically liberal, or all of the above?

Pax Tecum,
Jay

 

[chicago]

You Quigley boys! You’ve never know disciplinary action, unless you went to Lane Tech during the reign of Rodgers Raiders, and the guiding hand of Mr. Burns.

The thing about Mr. McGreal is that he rarely really HAD to discipline you. Just by his very presence you knew you pretty much had to respect him and didn’t really dare to cross him. he commanded respect rather than demanding it. Who knows what the consequences would have been had you dared dare him. The other side of that was that he knew how to give you enough leeway and room to correct a mistake made without dropping the axe. Which, again, led you to respect his admirable sense of balance. Honestly, the guy illustrated excellently how any father should deal with his children.

Now, I do remember a “chapel practice” which Fr. Mayall and Mr. McGreal once had to hold, calling the entire school into the chapel after the day’s classes ended so we could practice opening and closing hymnals along with appluading appropriately. Consequently, I can clap better than about 95% of people in any audience.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

St. Peter’s isn’t a “parish” type parish. People who “belong” to St. Peter’s are encouraged to also register and support their “regular” parish.

St. Peter’s offers a Catholic presence in Chicago’s Loop. A lot of Chicagoans are Catholic; always has been. The majority of the people who work in the Loop take public transportation, often an hour or a little longer one way from the suburbs. And working 10 hours is not unusual. It’s hard to get home in time for Mass on a holy day, or to go to confession. So, St. Peter’s fills the bill.

You’ll seldom see a wedding or funeral at St. Peter’s, and it’s almost an impossibility to see infant baptism, children’s First Communion or Confirmation. It’s because no children’s formation is offered, and permission of the couple’s individual pastors is needed for a wedding (or in the case of the dead, better have a better reason than location).

The classes St. Peter’s offers are geared to adults who work in the Loop. The other ministries give business people a chance to help out the homeless who end up in the Loop, something that Chicago does not address well (It’s an all-or-nothing thing, Chicago’s answers, and doesn’t always help). The friars are really good about that one. They offer 2 12-step groups. There is a lot of young adult ministry.

THAT SAID- Some of the educational offerings are through the Catholic Theological Union. ctu.edu/About_Us/Our_Story/It was the birthing room of a lot of liberal thought in this country, and some of the less than conservative ideas and practices that seeped into the Mass and Catholic thought. Some of the friars participate in 8th Day Center for Justice and other groups that are less conservative.

Will you find pseudo-ordained women? No. Is it St. John Cantius? No.

 

[chicago]

Of course, I’ve never been to the church, or even to Chicago. I’m just basing my understanding on their website, which to me at least conveys the impression of being a solidly Catholic parish.

I’d agree with the assessment of OutinChicagoBurbs here.

In addition, they have an excellent choir; I have 2 of their CDs.

In my opinion, they have the best Scola in the city!

Just a question, when you say that they lean “fairly leftist,” does that mean that they’re politically liberal, socially liberal, theologically liberal, or all of the above?

Some of the priests and pastors there have periodically been generally understood as any or all of the above. As were certain ministries, seemingly. That may be less so now than, say, 10 years ago, but it’s always something to consider.

 

[Belcanto]

Thanks for the info, chicago and OutinChicagoBurbs. I’ll keep it in mind if I ever visit Chicago.

Pax Tecum,
Jay

 

[Norseman82]

The thing about Mr. McGreal is that he rarely really HAD to discipline you. Just by his very presence you knew you pretty much had to respect him and didn’t really dare to cross him. he commanded respect rather than demanding it. Who knows what the consequences would have been had you dared dare him. The other side of that was that he knew how to give you enough leeway and room to correct a mistake made without dropping the axe. Which, again, led you to respect his admirable sense of balance. Honestly, the guy illustrated excellently how any father should deal with his children.

Mr. McGreal had a very gruff exterior, but he was a very patient man and, when you got to know him and won his respect, you saw that he had a soft side. It was interesting to hear him speak of his time in the Jesuit noviatiate during the Cuban missile crisis.

Now, I do remember a “chapel practice” which Fr. Mayall and Mr. McGreal once had to hold, calling the entire school into the chapel after the day’s classes ended so we could practice opening and closing hymnals along with appluading appropriately. Consequently, I can clap better than about 95% of people in any audience.

We had the same thing! Only with us the issue was putting the kneelers up and down.

Are we in the right thread???

 

[chicago]

Mr. McGreal had a very gruff exterior, but he was a very patient man and, when you got to know him and won his respect, you saw that he had a soft side. It was interesting to hear him speak of his time in the Jesuit noviatiate during the Cuban missile crisis.

It was even better hearing him talk of his youth officer and the prostitutes who used to proposition him on Rush Street.

We had the same thing! Only with us the issue was putting the kneelers up and down.

LOL. Maybe they made a point of doing it every 4 years!

Are we in the right thread???

I’m more worried about being in the right head?

Isn’t this the St. James Chapel thread?