Fifth Sunday of Easter

I Am Statements
Names give identity to a person. In biblical times, special meaning was attached to names. For instance, Adam means “Man”; Eve means “Living”; Abraham means “Father of many”; John means “God is gracious”, etc. For God, however, there is no name that accurately describes his identity. In fact, in the time of the Old Testament there was no name for God. The Hebrew people wanted to show their respect to the name of God but there wasn’t a suitable way to address him. The term used for God was Adonai which means “Lord.” Yahweh means “I am who I am.” That was the expression God gave to Moses when he asked for his name.

Just like God’s identity cannot be understood through a name, Jesus’ identity is more than mere descriptions of what he came to do. In the Gospel of John, Jesus gives us a glimpse of who he really is. His “I Am” statements echo the words God spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, “I am who I am.” With these statements, Jesus confirms his divinity and at the same time, He speaks of his relationship with us. Jesus describes himself in seven “I Am” statements.

I Am the Bread of Life
I Am the Light of the World
I Am the Gate of the Sheep
I Am the Good Shepherd
I Am the Resurrection and the Life
I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life
I Am the True Vine


These “I am” statements give us a glimpse of Jesus’ nature and mission in the world. On Good Shepherd Sunday, we heard that he is the good shepherd who cares for, feeds, loves, leads, teaches and protects the Church. This Sunday, we hear Jesus telling his disciples: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing… If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” Jesus implies the need for a connection with him. Branches will wither and die without the life-giving support of the vine. The vine provides everything for the branches to produce fruit. The Church mirrors this image. We have to be connected with God to produce good fruit. God gives us the life- giving support we need to flourish and make the world a better place to live. The world needs God to be alive and to produce fruit. Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches.

Deacon Valdemar (Val) Silva
We are blessed to have wonderful priests and deacons in our parish. Deacons Ray Gavin, Rod Ranola, and Jose Figueroa are faithful witnesses of our Church. Upon recommendation of the Vicar for Deacons and the Episcopal Vicar, Cardinal Cupich has assigned Deacon Val to St. Catherine Labouré. His ministry at the parish will be reviewed in six months and renewed for a longer period of time. Deacon Val has been part of our community for a few years now, working at the school. Being a deacon for us will broaden his ministry among us. We welcome Deacon Val in his new role in our parish. We are grateful for all that our priests and deacons do for us. Their ministries play a central role in our faith journey. We need more priests and deacons in the Archdiocese of Chicago, so we need to encourage and pray for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.

SPRED
In 1966 SPRED was established in the Archdiocese of Chicago as a response to the catechetical needs of people with disabilities. Father James McCarthy assisted families with establishing a program to help people with special needs to participate in the liturgical life of the Church. We are blessed to have a SPRED program at St. Catherine’s for young adults. This Sunday we have a SPRED Mass. A SPRED Mass looks a bit different since the SPRED Friends participate in the liturgy. I appreciate all the work the SPRED Catechists do for our SPRED Friends.

Peace
Fr. Lara

Greetings Parishioners of ST. Catherine Laboure

After a beautiful two years of formation at Mundelein seminary, I am on the cusp of priestly ordination this Memorial Day weekend. Although I am overjoyed at the thought of reaching this significant milestone in my life, it does mean I will have to leave my Saint Catherine parish family. This Sunday will be my last time at the parish before ordination. Please know that I have greatly enjoyed teaching your children, serving in liturgies, and forming bonds that have left a lasting impact. Please continue to pray for me as I con- tinue forward as a priest of Jesus Christ.

I will be ordained at Saint Raphael’s Cathedral in Dubuque, Iowa on May 25 at 10am. This is an open invitation to all who wish to come and support me. I am looking forward to returning the week- end of Jun 22-23 to celebrate mass for you all. Please know you will all be in my prayers, and I will never forget you.

Peace and blessings,
Dcn Greg Lambert

Recognize God in Your Oridinary Moments - By Colleen Jurkiewicz Dorman
Love in Deed (abridged)
It’s a Wonderful Life, one of my favorite Christmas movies, is actually more of an Easter story. It’s a story about the choices we make—to love, or not to love? To sacrifice, or not to sacrifice? To put oneself first, or to put oneself last? It’s a story about the consequences of those choices here in this world and in heaven.

In the film, a young George Bailey dreams of growing up to do amazing, impressive things. Over the years, he makes choices and when all is said and done, the adult George Bailey is a tired, overworked man with no worldly attributes that anyone would envy. But he’s a man who has loved in deed, not just in word, and who has reaped the spiritual rewards of those choices.

The season of Easter is about rejoicing in true redemption, not in worldly triumph. The Word of God is not a bedtime story but a pruning shear. To hear it is to be changed, to be shaped. To live it is to lose some things, so that you might bloom in unexpected ways. To welcome the Word is to be willing to look different, to feel different.

Anyone can say, “I love you, I accept you, I want to help you.” But what does it look like to love in deed? It looks like giving something up: free time, wealth, comfort, or worldly approval.

To someone who has no concept of how plants grow and thrive, a gardener’s pruning shears look like an executioner’s sword. To someone who has no concept of how souls grow and thrive, a tomb barred by a stone looks like the end of a story, when in fact it’s just the beginning.

“Children, let us love not in word or speech, but in deed and truth.” — 1 John 3:18
©LPi

The Holy Father's Intentions for the Month of May

For the Formation of Men and Women Religious and Seminarians
Let us pray that men and women religious and seminarians grow in their own vocational journeys through human, pastoral, spiritual, and community formation that leads them to be credible witnesses of the Gospel.

Honor Our Military

Please take time to give thanks for those who have served and are serving in our military and to pray for the safety of those who may currently be in harm’s way. In a special way, we thank and pray for these parishioners and relatives of parishioners.
Dear God,
We pray in gratitude for all of those who have defended peace, virtue, and justice with honor. We pray especially for those who have suffered in mind and body from the ravages of war. May Your peace reign in our hearts and in our world. Amen.

He Who Sacrificed His Life
†CHRISTOPHER ZIMNY

Those Still Serving
JAY MARTIN, Nephew of Becky and Tom Brennan
JESSICA CAMERON, Niece of the Cameron Family
JOHN PODCZASKI, Grandson of Genevieve Podczaski
STEVEN TUMBARELLO, Son of Sylvia & Vince Tumbarello
CRAIG BEHRENDT, Grand-nephew of Sister Mary Helen
DANIEL BELZER, Nephew of Dave & Bev Belzer
MICHAEL KELLY, Nephew of Kevin and Kathy Kelly
MATTHEW NEUBAUER, Nephew of Dan & Judy Neubauer EUGENE WALL, Nephew of Suzanne Lessner
NAILL SWIDER, Grand-nephew of Alice Swider
BRYAN DUFF, Son of Julie Duff
RYAN BLOCHBERGER, Nephew of Mae Grady
TIMOTHY DWORKIN, Grandson of Barbara Bouska
ALEXIS GONZALES, Great-niece of Eden & Lyle Gonzales-Nemzin
JACK MAHON, JR., Son of Jack, Sr. & Eileen Mahon
MICHAEL FOLEY
JOHN FOLEY
PETER MULLER
DANIEL FRAYNA
JOSEPH GULLO
SANG HOON LEE
ANTHONY PALMERO
MORRIS COREY MCMAHON, SON OF CHRIS & JULIE MCMAHON
RYAN FONTILLAS
JOHN A. STONIS, GRANDSON OF JOHN & DOROTHY STONIS
MICHAEL T. HEHN, GRANDSON OF JOHN & DOROTHY STONIS

To add or remove someone, please send the person’s name and relationship (optional) to bulletin@stcatherinelaboure.com

Please Pray for Ukraine

For our sisters and brothers involved in or affected by the war and devastation in Ukraine-- the deceased, the injured, the frightened, the displaced, the fighters, the protesters, the leaders. May God give them solace, healing, comfort, and hearts and minds directed toward peace.
Donations can be made here:

Knights of Columbus: https://www.kofc.org/secure/en/donate/ukraine.html

Caritas: https://www.caritas.org/

Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philidelphia: https://ukrarcheparchy.us

"May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the madness of war" - Pope Francis

Neighbors of other Faiths
The Golden Rule

Excerpted from charterforcompassion.org/the-golden-rule-in-seven-major-religions
We may speak of great differences in religious beliefs and forms of worship around the world. Called by an endless number of names, all, however, recognize and worship a Supreme Being. And all religions, somewhere in their sacred literature, expound the fundamental philosophy of the Golden Rule.

Buddhism: Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.
~ Buddha, Undanavarga 5:18

Christianity: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that all men should do to you, do ye even so to them.
~ Matthew 7:12

Confucianism: What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
~ Confucius, Analects 15:23

Hinduism: Good people proceed while considering what is best for others is best for themselves.
~ Hitopadesa

Islamism: No one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
~ Mohammed, Traditions

Judaism: And thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
~ Leviticus 19:18

Zoroastrianism: Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.
~ Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29