Attention: Gift of Love Sponsors! Signed Tax Donation Forms Available for Pick Up

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Signed Tax Donation Forms Available for Pick Up

If you submitted a tax donation form for gifts or donations you provided, look for your signed form in an envelope in the Gift of Love thank you note bins located in the Gathering Space. Tax forms and thank you notes that have been received are available for pick up now.

Thank You Saint Francis de Sales Parishioners!!!

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On behalf of the parishioners of the Mother of the Americas Parish (former Our Lady of Tepeyac) and the Sharing Parish Ministry here at St. Francis, we would like to express our gratitude to the St. Francis Parishioners for all the gift cards that you gave us for Christmas. We sent the amount of $17,170 in gift cards.

In addition, we sent:

  • Hats, gloves, scarves, and mittens (donated by the St. Francis de Sales students and the Religious Education students)

  • $2000 in gifts cards for the Our Lady of Tepeyac High

  • School donated by Meg’s Legacy of Hope

  • Many gifts donated by Parishioners, Mora & Ken Priess

  • 2 bikes donated by Parishioners

  • Many gifts such as air mattresses, socks, underwear, pajamas, wipes, diapers, and medicines to the refugees that are being taken care by the St. John the Baptist Ministry at Mother of the Americas

  • Pajamas donated by the Girl Scouts

  • Food from the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry

Everything was distributed at the Mother of the Americas Parish, Food Pantry, High School, and Elementary School.

Our most sincere “Thank You” to Father Ryan and the Ministry Center Staff for always supporting this Ministry and allowing the friendship with the Mother of the Americas Parish to continue and flourish every year.

A big “Thank You” to Jane Clery for helping us so much to collect and pack the gifts. We would have not been able to do it without your invaluable help.

You are all an example of God’s love, and this project would have not been possible without the help of so many. May God bless you abundantly and may you have a wonderful 2024, full of happiness, peace, love, and good health!

Sincerely,

Melissa Larson

Chairperson, Gift of Love

Patricia Linares

Chairperson, MOA Ministry

Thank you for your Gifts of Love!!

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The giving spirit of our faith community continues to amaze! The generosity of our parish community is truly heart-warming. More than 220 local families were sponsored, along with 89 women from Mt. St. Joseph. We were also able to supply Mother of the Americas (formerly Our Lady of Tepeyac) with an abundance of gift cards, toys and other donated items. We were also able to provide gift cards to Holy Family in Waukegan, Mt. St. Joseph and Little Sisters of the Poor.

A shout out to the following:

  • Lake Zurich High School National Honor Society sponsored 10 families (50 people) this year. This is the 22nd year that they have participated.

  • Students in the Religious Education program assisted in the collection of gifts that parishioners dropped off on Friday and Saturday of Drop-off weekend.

  • Girl Scout Troop 1728 oversaw a Girl Scout event that drew Girl Scouts in the Lake Zurich Service Unit. Over 100 pairs of pajamas were collected and donated to the Gift of Love and Mother of the Americas.

  • Since 2005, Boy Scout Troop 309 at St. Francis has taken on a bicycle rehabilitation program. They collect and repair donated bicycles and then give them to Gift of Love to distribute to the adults and children who ask for bikes for Christmas. This year they repaired and donated more than 25 bikes to the Gift of Love families and additional bikes will be provided to Mother of the Americas.

  • Over 125 new toys and games were donated by the St. Francis School students through their annual toy fundraiser.

  • Other volunteers helped with shopping, sign-up weekends, sorting gifts, delivering the gift bags to Mt. St. Joseph and helping with the drop off weekend.

Once again, the Ministry Center and maintenance staff considerate to all requests. The Gift of Love program could not succeed without them.

You may have heard the expression “it takes a village”. What it really takes is a parish like St. Francis.

With sincerest gratitude,

Melissa Larson

Gift of Love Coordinator

Thank You from the Back-to-School Backpack Program

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Thank you to all who participated in our virtual and in person Back-to-School program! We again had a wonderful year with 290 backpacks donated to needy children! Because of your generosity, these children will start school with a new backpack and the school supplies they need for a successful year. The backpacks were distributed to low income children through our St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Our Lady of Tepeyac, Notre Dame Asylum Seekers and Catholic Charities of Lake County, just in time for the first day of school. We are grateful for your contributions to support these children and for giving them a chance for a bright new future.

Delivering Food to Tepeyac

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Hello St. Francis, we had a good time Saturday morning on June 17th making a delivery to the Our Lady of Tepeyac food pantry. Thank you to George Stewart, Director of our St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, and co-directors, Kathleen and Matt Murray, for assisting in identifying the surplus food and loading the van. Thank you Fr. Ryan, Kevin Neenan, Michael & Kirk Galasso, Alan Czarnik for your great delivery work!

Back-to-School Backpack Program!

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St Francis de Sales will be collecting backpacks filled with school supplies to benefit underprivileged children in our community. Beginning July 15th & 16th, Back-to-School Tags with a list of school supplies for each backpack will be available at church. All school supplies should be placed in a new backpack and returned to church by Sunday, July 30th. You will still be able to donate online via the link Back To School Drive or the website Your gift means the world to a bright and deserving child eager for a proper education. Thank you for your kind support and loving generosity!

Thank You from Fr. Bala Allam & St Joseph Catholic Church in Dondapadu, India

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Dearest Fr. Ryan and St. Francis de Sales Parishioners – Hearty greetings from Fr. Bala Allam and St. Joseph Catholic Church, Dondapadu, India. I send along many thanks to you all for your generous prayers and financial support. These prayers and your monetary support is a great help in rebuilding the Immaculate Conception Mission Church so that generations to come may have a place to celebrate the sacraments. No words can explain my sincere thanks and gratitude. May the good Lord continue to bless Fr Ryan and the parishioners of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church.

I hope to be in the United States this summer and will make every effort visit St. Francis de Sales and offer Mass at your altar. Thank you very much.

In Union of prayers,
Fr Bala Allam

Donations needed!

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Our brothers and sisters at Our Lady of Holy Family on West Harrison Street in Chicago have asked for our help. They are putting together hygiene kits for migrants and asylum seekers that have been bussed to Chicago from Texas and are looking for toiletries and other items.

A full list of items needed can be found below:

  • gallon size Ziploc bags

  • backpacks

  • small towels

  • blankets, small or travel size

  • diapers

  • baby bottles

  • sanitary pads

  • Flip flops

  • toothbrushes

  • toothpaste

  • comb or brush

  • socks

  • underwear

  • refillable water bottles

  • body wipes or bar soap

  • wash cloths

  • deodorant

The blue bins will be in the Gathering Space for the next two weekends (June 10th - 11th and June 17th – 18th) for collection of these goods. Thank you for your prayers and generosity.

Annual Catholic Appeal 2023: Walking on the Road with Jesus

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Please Make Your Gift to the 2023 Annual Catholic Appeal - Father Merold will be preaching on this year's Annual Catholic Appeal at all the Masses the next two weekends. Let us join together on Walking this road with Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Thank you.

Many families in our parish will be receiving the Annual Catholic Appeal mailing from Cardinal Cupich. On behalf of those served by the ministries, parishes, and schools that receive funding from the Appeal, we thank you for your gifts. Please return your response as soon as possible. The Annual Catholic Appeal offers a wonderful opportunity to answer the call "Walking on the road with Jesus." In addition to providing for ministries and services throughout the archdiocese, the Appeal also funds services that are of great help here in our parish.

As we contemplate God's many gifts to us, we should also reflect on our gratitude. Your financial support for the work of our parish, our archdiocese, and the Church throughout the world is one way to express this gratitude. Please give what you can to the 2023 Annual Catholic Appeal. Thank you!