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ST. JUDE CHRONICLE Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus THE DOMINICANS 1909 S. Ashland Chicago, IL 60608 |
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March 2001
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March 2001
Dear Friend,Some say the year 2001 is actually the beginning of the new millennium. Whatever the chronological exactness, doing God's work is always a new and fresh beginning.
Such is our ministry at the Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus. Often we find newcomers praying at the shrine, seeking the intercession of St. Jude for certain petitions. It is heart warming to see families at prayer, holding the hands of their small children, introducing their young ones to the powerful saint of the impossible and difficult cases.
In our shrine mail box come requests for prayers, petitions, Masses to be offered, names of those seeking St. Jude's intercession because of cancer or some other illness, enrollments for the living and the deceased and generous bequests and wills from those who have died and desire to see the ministry of the shrine continue long after their departure from this life.
We are always anxious to hear from you. Do contact us by letter, fax, or even e-mail with your requests. Perhaps you know someone in need of prayer, maybe a cancer victim, or someone with AIDS who seeks prayers as an anonymous AIDS survivor. As a gift you may wish to enroll someone at the shrine in a living enrollment for the year on the occasion of an anniversary, birthday or graduation. Or you may wish to present an enrollment to a family for a friend or relative who is deceased. Write to us, too, about a will or bequest to be made out to the Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus.
All your requests are handled personally by us and intercessions are placed at the Shrine of St. Jude upon their reception. Together may we seek the intercession of St. Jude and endeavor to widen devotion to this great saint.
In Jesus' name,
Rev. Bede Jagoe, O.P.,
Director
When I was a boy the daughter of one of the doctors in my small town fell off the diving board at our local swimming pool and hurt herself quite badly. I remember that it was not her father but another doctor in town who treated her. The reason given was her father was too attached to his little girl and the other doctor would be able to see the girls condition more clearly since she wasn't his own.
That's probably the first time I became aware of the limits of being attached. Since then I have seen many examples of where attachment is a hindrance rather than a help to growth. Some parents are so attached to their children that they don't want them to grow up and become their own persons. Some people are so attached to doing something a certain way that when the situation changes and requires a different way, they are in turmoil. We can even become overly attached to our image of God. After all, God is bigger than any image we may have. God may be calling us to expand our understanding of the Divine but we have become so comfortable, 'attached,' to our image that we are slow to grow in our spiritual journey. So on all levels of our existence, becoming non-attached can be the prerequisite for growth.
Lent can be a wonderful season to practice non-attachment. We can ask ourselves the question, "what's the difference between what I really need and what I just want." Our lives can be so cluttered with wants that we forget what we really need.
One of the most valuable acts of detachment takes place within our own heads. We are constantly being bom-barded by thoughts, worries, demands. The mind talks away a mile-a-minute. If we attach ourselves to all of these thoughts they will drag us about until we do not know who we really are. Part of what meditation consists in is to look at all those thoughts whirling about but staying detached from them. If one just observes them without identifying with them they loose their strength and gradually the mind becomes an open serene space where one can just be for awhile.
| In Christ's love, |  |
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| Fr. Richard de Ranitz |
Father de Ranitz is a member of the Shrine of St. Jude Staff. He also gives retreats and workshops on physical, mental and spiritual health.
| Joyful Season of Lent |
During this month of March we find ourselves in the midst of the holy
season of Lent. While it is a serious and somber season in the life of
the Church, it is not a season of grim sadness nor despair. Why? Be-cause
through the passion and death of Jesus we await his resurrection
to new life. And so we look beyond the figure of the cross to see the
reality of God's promise, not only for Jesus, but for each of us.
Years ago we were expected to 'give up' something for Lent. This was a way for us to enter into the spirit of sacrifice which characterized Jesus' self-giving of himself upon the cross. It is true that we still fast and abstain from meat on the Fridays of Lent to enter into Jesus' passion and death as he gave himself upon the cross in reparation for our sins.
Yet, it seems better to 'take on' some-thing during Lent. The Church recom-mends that in a spirit of sacrifice we might increase our time and space for prayer, and be generous in almsgiving to those who are needy. In a spirit of sacrifice we might shut out the frivolous cares and allurements of the world and make that an opportu-nity for prayer. Almsgiving might mean we search for someone in our neighborhood who may be in need of assistance.
Lent for us becomes a season of joy and fulfillment as we deepen our relationship with God and deepen our relationship with our brothers and sisters by offering ourselves to meet and satisfy their needs. Blessings to you this Lenten season from the Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus
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Mary Ellen O'Grady, OP, a Sinsinawa Dominican Sister, is currently executive director of the Dominican Leadership Conference in River Forest, IL. Her experience includes teaching on the elementary and college levels, administration, membership and leadership ministry for the Sinsinawa Dominicans. Mary Ellen has coordinated and led a variety of programs, conferences and retreats. |
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The St. Jude Legacy Club is our special way of recognizing those people who have remembered us in their will. On the 28th of each month, all the members are remembered in a Mass celebrated at the altar of St. Jude in the Vatican. Mr & Mrs Harold Ruff · Tania Garcia "Where there is a will there is a way" Would you prayerfully consider during this novena including in your will the Dominican Fathers, Province of St. Albert the Great? You may remember us with either a cash amount or a percentage amount. By including us in your will your generosity will continue to support the preaching mission of the Dominicans. If you notify me about your decision to remember us in your will, you will be enrolled in the St. Jude Legacy Club at our Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus. This is our way of honoring all who have made an estate gift to us. As a member of this club you will receive a specially designed gift and will be remembered in a Mass celebrated on the 28th of each month for as long as we exist. We have a free brochure about preparing a will. For a copy of the brochure, write to us or call us at 312-226-0020. You should always talk with your attorney or financial advisor as you make decisions about your estate. |
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I assure you your gift will be put to very good use. Thank you so much for supporting us.
We Dominicans keep you and your intentions in our prayers and Masses throughout the
Province each day, confident that the Lord will bless you as you have blessed us.
Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus 1909 S. Ashland Ave. Chicago, Illinois 60608-2994 (312) 226-0020 Website: http://www.op.org/domcentral/places/stjude | |