Celebrate Our Patron Saint Alphonsus Liguori This Evening!

Hello St. Alphonsus,

All are invited this Thursday evening August 1 for Mass at 6:30 PM in honor of our patron saints Feast Day. Following Mass, there will be a social with refreshments in the parish Festival Hall downstairs from the Church. We look forward to seeing everyone here!

St. Alphonsus Liguori was an Italian bishop who founded the Redemptorists, who preached to the poor and fought against the Jansenist heresy. A Doctor of the Church, he is known for his writing on moral theology and is the patron saint of theologians, vocations, and confessors.

Celebrate Sunday Mass at St. Alphonsus!

In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus teaches the crowds that He is the Bread of Life. There are four exchanges between Jesus and the crowd. In the bread that they have received from Jesus, they have received physical nourishment and spiritual nourishment but He challenges them to see beyond the fulfillment of their material needs. Jesus proclaims that He himself is the Bread of Life who will satisfy every hunger and thirst. This is the first of several such statements found in John’s Gospel. We understand these better when we remember that God revealed his name to the people of Israel as “I am,” as Yahweh. Jesus is now claiming this name for himself.

Daily prayer keeps you in good relationship with the LORD, and yourself.

Invite your friends/loved ones to Mass! Sunday Mass schedule is at 9 AM, 11 AM, and 5 PM in English. Mass in Spanish is at 12:30 PM.

Mass Readings for Eighteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time

August 4 Parish Bulletin

Our St. Alphonsus Men's Group is hosting a Holy Hour of silent adoration this Friday, August 2nd, from 7:30 to 8:30 PM in the church. All parishioners are invited to be in the presence of our Lord during this hour, and confessions will also be heard during this time.

Girl Scouts of St. Alphonsus In Need of Group Leader

We are blessed to have parents in our community who are eager to lead and support the girls of AACA in building a sense of community, doing acts of service, and learning new skills through Girl Scouts. We are in need of a Group Leader to plan group events for Daisies to Juniors to engage in including Christmas Caroling, optional camping trip, Girl Scout Cookie sales after mass, and the Bridge Ceremony. It is a gratifying role that requires limited time. Please reach out to Renee Thomas if you are interested.  

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary            

Thursday, August 15 is the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. Mass will be at 8:30 AM and 7:00 PM. The 6 PM Vigil Mass on Wednesday, August 14 also satisfies this obligation.  

Become a Catechist for the 2024-2025 School Year!

The kids need you!! Me? You’re thinking. I don’t know the faith well enough. I’m not a teacher. I wouldn't know where to begin! The good news is, when you give your Yes, God hears your 'yes' and fills in where you're lacking. He will complete the good work He has begun in you! All you need to do is allow the Holy Spirit to guide; you are never alone.

Our Religious Education Program meets on Tuesday evenings (September to May), beginning on September 17. If you are feeling a pull on your heart, I would love to talk with you so you can discern if God is calling you to be a catechist this year. Jesus desires to fill you with an abundance of joy and love, and He will always give you the grace to accomplish what He asks!

Religious Education Registration is Open!

Register your child(ren) for our Tuesday evening Religious Education program. All information is listed on our parish website. Please contact RE/Evangelization coordinator Emily Ember for questions.

Theology on Tap

Wednesday Evenings This Summer!

St. Alphonsus hosts Theology On Tap sessions during the Summer each year. Theology On Tap helps support and celebrate your spiritual growth as you explore how God is present in your life in a number of new and exhilarating ways and deepening your relationship with Jesus Christ your way.

Our final 2024 ToT event is on Wednesday, August 7 with guest speaker, Alessandro DiSanto, co-founder of the Hallow app. Hear the founding story of the Hallow app and how Alessandro's eucharistic journey has led him to a life of surrendering to God's will. Please see this week's bulletin for more info!

Join us for fellowship, food, and refreshments starting at 7 PM; with the speaker’s talk at 7:30 PM. We encourage you to attend mass at 6 PM followed by Eucharistic adoration from 6:30-7:30 PM. We hope to see you here! 

Sacrament Series- Holy Orders

Wednesday, August 14 at 7:30 PM

How does one become a priest? Is the process the same between a diocesan and religious priest? What are the responsibilities of a priest? Do religious sisters also receive holy orders? If you’ve ever wondered about the answers to these questions and others like them, we’ve got just the event for you! 

Join us on August 14th in the St. Alphonsus rectory’s 2nd floor Common room as we resume our monthly Sacrament Series lectures. We are excited to be joined by Fr. Kevin Gregus of the Archdiocese of Chicago who will speak to us on the sacrament of holy orders. Fr. Kevin was ordained to the priesthood in 2023 and is currently serving as associate pastor of Two Holy Martyrs parish in Chicago. 

Doors open at 7 PM with Fr. Kevin’s talk starting at 7:30. Hope to see you here!

Knights of Columbus

Our next meeting is now taking place on Wednesday, August 7 at 7 PM in the Rectory with a Rooftop social to follow! We are always looking for new members, and would welcome the practicing Catholic men of the parish and surrounding community to join our ranks. There is usually a social following our meetings, which is open to all prospective members. To find out more information about the Knights of Columbus at St. Alphonsus, or to apply for membership, feel free to contact parishioner, Ray San Agustin or visit www.stalphonsusknights.com 

Info Webinar for the School of Parish Leadership & Evangelization

University of Saint Mary of the Lake provides academic courses and formative experiences for those seeking to build the Kingdom of God in our world. The School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization is your gateway to enhancing your skills, deepening your faith, and becoming a confident leader within the Catholic Church. Join for an virtual online information event on August 5. Learn more and register to attend.

Men's Group- Thursday Evenings  

St. Alphonsus Men’s Group meets Thursday nights to pray the liturgy of the hours, have fellowship, and to propose challenging topics to discuss. 

We meet every Thursday night at 7 PM in the rectory. Food and drinks provided. All men are welcome, with most men being in their 20s and 30s. Access can be gained at the west facing rectory door in the parking lot. For questions or more information, contact us here!

Behold, Believe, Become  

Book Study on Sunday evenings in Rectory Common Room at 6 PM

Have you ever thought of the Mass as boring?? Come discover the Hidden Christ in some of the elements we encounter at Mass. Everything we see, say, and do at Mass tells us something about who Christ is and who we are to become as Christian people. But if we don't look for that deeper meaning, if we don't understand, then the Mass can seem boring because we are missing out. Every encounter with God has the power to completely transform you. Are you ready to live a transformed life, both during the Mass and out in the world? Questions? Contact our Religious Education/Evangelization coordinator Emily Ember

Lectio Series- Salvation  

Continuing on Monday evenings at 7 PM

Every Sunday we confess that Jesus "for our Salvation came down from Heaven." But have you ever wondered what this means? We explore these and related questions using the FORMED Lectio series on Salvation. 

To sign up, costs, location, or for other questions, please contact pastoral associate, Brooks Robinson, MDiv, MTS 

Young Adult Ministry

St. Alphonsus has a vibrant young adult community! Be sure to check out our Facebook page for service opportunities and other future events!

Visit our Linktree

Theology on Tap This Summer! Our final speaker this series on Wednesday, August 7!

Montrose Beach Day! Saturday, Aug. 3

Air & Water Show Viewing Party!

Come join St. Al's YAM on Saturday, Aug. 10 from 11AM to 3PM as we watch the Chicago Air Show from the St. Al's rectory rooftop. Enjoy the great weather, fantastic views of the Chicago skyline and have a great time meeting new friends! The spire of St. Al's tower is used as an orientation point for the show, so you are sure to have great views of the planes! We will have drinks, and a grill for hot dogs and hamburgers. Contact our Social Pillar with any questions!

Volunteer at Mission of Our Lady of the Angels block party!

On August 17th, YAM will be volunteering with Mission OLA for the annual block party. The event will run from 9-2 PM and volunteers will be assisting with setup, distribution of backpacks and school supplies to hundreds of kids, and cleanup. Lunch and snacks will be served! Parking is limited, so public transit or carpooling (picking up at St. Alphonsus at 8:30) is encouraged. If you would like to join us, please sign up here!

Weekly Philosophy Forum meetings continue every Tuesday at 7 PM.

Visit our website for the readings and more info!

More Catholic Young Adult Events Around Chicago:

St. Teresa of Avila and St. Michael in Old Town invite all young adults to their first 2024 summer Theology on Tap event next Tuesday, August 6 at Black Barrel Tavern, 455 W. North Ave. at 7 PM. The guest speaker is Gabe Lerma, director of Alpha program in Illinois. His topic is "Love Listens".

Catholic Sports Leagues is holding their annual Bags (Cornhole?) tournament on Saturday, August 24. Register now! Winner gets to decide the true name...

The Chicago chapter of Young Catholic Professionals is hosting an Executive Speaker Series on Tuesday, August 13 at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 708 W. Belmont. The Executive Speaker Series is a free event open to the public in which executives share their career and faith journeys with young professionals, challenging them to "Work in Witness for Christ."Attendees enjoy complimentary drinks and appetizers and have a chance to socialize before and after the evening's presentation. The guest speaker will be Matthew Paprocki, who is president and CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute​. Matt's presentation is entitled "The Dignity of Work."

"Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine." (Proverbs 3: 9-10)

What Does It Mean To Give First Fruits?

If you would like to learn more about living a stewardship way of life, please visit our section on giving on our website, or contact a member of our parish stewardship team by calling the rectory at 773-525-0709 or by emailing parish Director of Operations Daniel Szymanski.

Thank you and God bless you!

• Text sunday to 773-570-7600
• Click on the link you receive via text
• Fill in the information and click "Submit Form" to make your gift!

Around the Archdiocese

Asian Community Mass

The annual Asian Community Mass organized by the Office of the Asian Catholic Initiative will take place on Aug. 4, 2024 at 5 PM. at St. Padre Pio Parish in Chicago. Prior to the Mass presided by Cardinal Cupich, a 3:30 PM. assembly and a 4 PM. Marian Procession will also take place

Sunrise Prayer Service: August 3

The Black Catholic Deacons of Chicago are hosting the Annual Sunrise Prayer Service on Saturday, Aug. 3. Everyone is invited to join at 6:30 AM. at Oakwood Beach (41st Street and Lakeshore Drive, Chicago) to pray for peace in our hearts, schools, families and streets. Cardinal Cupich will offer remarks and blessing. Note: In the event of heavy rain, the prayer service will be moved to Our Lady of Africa Church

Treat your marriage to a unique weekend experience. Learn the art of living your marriage journey. Worldwide Marriage Encounter retreats are for any married couple that desires a richer, fuller life together. Learn more here.

Is your marriage tearing you apart? Retrouvaille may be the answer.

If your marriage has become troubled or stressed, unloving or uncaring, or if your relationship has grown cold or distant, if you are thinking of separation or divorce, or if you are already separated or divorced, but you want to try again – then Retrouvaille is the program that can help you. Learn more here about upcoming retreats in Milwaukee, Joliet, and Chicago.

His Majesty's Men, a choral concert on Saturday, Aug. 3 at St. John Cantius, 825 N. Carpenter St.