|
ST. JUDE CHRONICLE Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus THE DOMINICANS 1909 S. Ashland Chicago, IL 60608 |
 |
A Message From Father Bede
January 1999Dear Friends of St. Jude,
This year, 1999, we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus under the auspices of the Midwest Dominican Fathers and Brothers. Thousands of Friends of St. Jude have sought his help and intercession in time of need throughout the Shrine since it began in 1929. The Friends of St. Jude are you who frequent the Shrine, you who send us personal letters of petitions and you who participate in the five Solemn Novenas each year, in prayerful celebration, either at the Shrine or in your home.
We rejoice in the 70 years of continual prayer at the Shrine. Yet we do not take any praise to ourselves. We consider ourselves stewards of God’s ministry to His people through the promotion of devotion to St. Jude Thaddeus. It is God who is to be praised, for it is God who shows love and compassion through the prayerful intercession of St. Jude.
We ask you to rejoice with us as we look back to the beginning of the Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus in 1929. Our prayers are prayers of thanksgiving and gratitude to God who, through St. Jude, has bestowed his blessings on so many over the last 70 years. Let us continue in the future to show our devotion to St. Jude Thaddeus as we prayerfully approach the new millennium.
In Jesus' name, Rev. Bede Jagoe, O.P., Director
As we enter into a new year I would like to offer some reflections. I think many people still make New Year’s Resolutions. I would like to move in a much less ambitious direction. Instead of emphasizing the New Year I would like to invite you to enter each new moment! What are my choices right now when it comes to relating to God, other people and myself?
There is an idea that I have found very helpful. It is called: living in the "uncontaminated now." It means living this moment fully and freely. Each moment is new and an opportu- nity to love, to serve, to interact with others with zest and responsibility.
The "now" gets contaminated when we load it with regrets from the past or worries about tomorrow, next week, or next year. But all there is, is now. To live in each new moment does not mean that we do not plan for future. Obviously, we would accom- plish very little if we did not make decisions for our tomorrows. But here there is an important distinction. We bring the future into this moment as we analyze, imagine and make deci- sions for tomorrow. What we do not do is leave this grounded moment to get lost in the "what ifs" and "maybes" that haven’t even taken on reality yet. Psychologically when people live in the here and now, addressing what is at hand, they have much more energy and less stress.
A little exercise that can help us awaken to each new moment is to ask ourselves some simple questions. What do I see right now? What am I hearing at this moment? What am I feeling, physically and emotionally, now? What is this new moment calling me to do? By asking ourselves these kinds of questions we orient ourselves to each new moment as it presents itself.
Finally there is an important spiri- tual reality to all of this. Not a single moment is without God. Quite on the contrary, God is entering into our lives always; comforting us, challenging us, teaching us, loving us. The Lord is knocking on the door of our hearts here and now. Let us be awake and receptive. Let us become fully alive!
| In Christ's love, |  |
 | |
| 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.
| Arm of St. Jude |
Dear Friend,
As I mentioned on the first page, 1999 marks the 70th anniversary of
the founding of the Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus, which is housed in St.
Pius Church in the heart of Chicago. To commemorate this anniversary,
we will make a permanent exposition of our large relic from the arm of
St. Jude on January 28th after the last service of the Solemn Novena.
Housed in its silver casing, the relic from the arm of St. Jude will be on
permanent display at the Shrine.
The credential letter for this precious relic is dated 1796 by the Apos- tolic Delegate of the Pope to Smyrna. It had been brought there at the beginning of the 18 th century by Armenian Dominicans fleeing persecu- tion. Subsequent to 1796, the Dominicans in Smyrna, fearing an outbreak of hostilities there, entrusted its care to the Dominicans of Turin, Italy. In 1949 The Turin Dominicans entrusted it to the care of our Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus, where it has been ever since. So, as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Shrine, we also celebrate the 50th anniversary of our care of this rare relic.
The veneration of saints’ relics is an age-old custom in the Church. A relic invokes the presence of a particular saint; a piece of bone as a relic can be a stronger presence of the saint than an image or statue. With the permanent exhibition of this relic, we invite all who can to come to the Shrine to honor St. Jude in this magnificent relic. The Shrine, at 1909 S. Ashland Avenue, is easily accessible from the Chicago "Loop," and is just a few blocks south on Ashland Avenue from the Eisenhower Express- way (I-290). Do come to visit the Shrine on any day (from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) to pay homage to St. Jude as you view the relic exhibited for your veneration.
By your continual prayers in intercession to St. Jude, we know that you are a devoted friend of this special Saint, and we Dominicans greatly value your friendship and support.
 |
 |
Rev. Benjamin J. Russell, O.P., a native of Boston, MA, Fr. Russell entered the Province of St. Albert the Great in 1953 and was ordained a Priest in 1960. He has served as teacher at Fenwick High School and Edgewood College, as Pastor in Madison and River Forest, as Dean of Aquinas Institute School of Theol- ogy and is presently the Director of the Province's Office for Mission Advancement and assists with Shrine Services. |
|
|
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.
Naomi E. Michaels If you have remembered us in your will and we have not listed you as a member of the St. Jude Legacy Club, please let us know. If you have not yet remembered us in your will but would like to do so, please contact us for details. Our legal title is:
Dominican Fathers
|
Shrine Services
Daily Services
Perpetual Novena
Sunday
Come if you can -- or join in the
|