28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear Parishioners,
It is wonderful to be a part of history. Our parish leadership has been writing about the 100th commemoration of the laying of the cornerstone of Sacred Heart Church since last year. Next Sunday we will celebrate the anniversary of that event. Famous people like Cardinal Mercier and young Dwight Eisenhower were here that day. Lesser known figures of history were also here; mayors, businesspeople, and parish leaders. Sacred Heart Church is a monument to the Belgium immigrants who came to our country seeking to participate in the American Dream. The immigrants left behind the land that they loved, but also, they left behind abject poverty.
Once they were here, the Belgium people wanted to show that they could be industrious American citizens. In the articles that were written in the Flemish and English news papers the founders of our parish strongly put forth their belief that Sacred Heart Church should be constructed only from the resources of the Belgium religious community. The church was to be a symbol of a strong faith in God and of the fact that the Belgians could achieve monumental tasks when they worked together as a Christian community.
Just as there were many noteworthy people here 100 years ago there also will be next Sunday. Mayors from various communities, alderman, Belgium visitors and others will be on hand. I just received word that the nine members of the Heading Avenue Peoria Franciscans will be with us. Two members of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary will also come to share in our commemoration. The two communities educated generations of children at Sacred Heart School and later at Seton School. We are so glad that we can recognize their efforts. Without them Sacred Heart Church and Seton School would not be the strong institutions they are today.
Please invite anyone you know who has connections to Sacred Heart to come back and join us. Hopefully, this will be a reunion of many old friends. I always run into people who have fond memories of our parish. Thousands of lives have been touched by the ministries of Sacred Heart. Let’s give thanks for that next Sunday.
Events will start with an outdoor Mass at 11:00 a.m. next Sunday, October 20th. Come for a little while or come for the day. There are many wonderful activities that will take place. Look for more information in this bulletin and in your Heartbeat newsletter.
Blessings,
Fr. Mark