Want a Governor that works and understand our economy and you and your families and is not a billionaire that understands wealth and privilege…join me in supporting Chris… Joe

“I moved to Illinois 30 years ago with an enthusiasm for business and a commitment to serve. Every job I’ve had, every organization I’ve been a part of, has relied on teams working together and shared leadership, which resulted in shared success.”
From 2009 through 2015, Chris served as chairman of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. At U of I, Chris oversaw a $5.5 billion budget, 78,000 students and more than 23,000 faculty and staff. During his tenure, he reformed the administration and admissions process and grew the endowment and increased financial aid. He is a former Trustee for the Catholic Theological Union, one of the largest schools of theology in the world.

…to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish Community in Chicago’s Marquette Park neighborhood and our partner in Renew My Church…Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis, MIC mission in the Village of Lemont…

Can we honestly say today that our Catholic and Lithuanian faith tradition are important to us? Without question we can say yes! This is very well evidenced by the the Christmas holiday that just passed and the celebration of the Epiphany and Baptism of Our Lord which we celebrate this week. The first priority was not the exchange of presents, but the reverence of the manager and the Birth of Jesus with Mary and Joseph and the Shepherds. We did this at our parish and mission. But there is a missing dynamic here as to how we did this…separately and not sharing the Christmas Plotkele with our brothers and sisters at the mission…we celebrated that most holiest of meal…Kūčios by ourselves. We have been in discussion ad finitum on the proper way to be a faith community according to the guidelines set forth in Renew My Church by Cardinal Cupich. This includes among other issues the proper management of our parish and mission in ministry, education and finances. For this we need only look at our neighboring parishes here on the Southwest side of Chicago…Saint Christina…Christ the King and Saint Barnabas. To start with, we are in need of permanent Deacons both at the parish and mission. We are in need of a full time music and choir director; religious education director; acolytes/lectors/Eucharistic Ministers. A full time business and development manager together with a youth minister. You ask, why can some neighboring parishes have this and we not…this is because we have not yet learned to share and support each other in Renew My Church. Our First Communion and Confirmation classes are separate … our parish and mission social events are separate…we do not share. We have a parish convent populated by two nuns that can be used for parish events and organization such as the Legion of Mary…Holy Name Society etc… A nun’s residence is a quarter a block away at the Saint Casimir Center; that includes a vacant chaplain’s residence. One of the nuns could easily become a religious education director at the parish coordinating with the mission. None of these issues are under discussion because of strict ethnic thinking that the parish is in decline…the mission is ours and we do not want any interference from Archdiocese of Chicago. A fear grounded in the idea that we have to conform to inclusion rather than exclusion…we must welcome all of our brothers and sisters as Christ did…this has to change or we will not survive. If you look at the average age of those that attend the liturgies…you will soon see that it is in the late 60’s. Only major solemnities are attended by the larger Lithuanian community. You may ask why…because we do reach out to the younger generations in offering a vibrant parish and mission with services that I have already described. If we do not soon look to these our brothers and sisters in faith…we shall find ourselves not a community that we could call our own.

On Sunday, July 16th the Catholic Church universally, and in particular, the Marian Congregation (priests,brothers and lay) commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Beatification of Marian Archbishop Jurgis Matulaitis, MIC. Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Shrine Parish in Chicago’s Marquette Park community will join with other Lithuanian parishes throughout the world in prayer for the canonization of this saintly man; the Second Founder of the Marian Congregation of the Immaculate Conception. His ministry here in Chicago is still alive and well on the Marian Campus in the West Lawn community; where the Lithuanian newspaper DRAUGAS is still published…please join us this weekend at the 11am Solemn Mass as we pray for his eventual canonization.
Nativity BVM is located at 2700 West Lithuanian Plaza Court; 773-776-4600.

On Friday, January 27th the Catholic Church universally, and in particular, the Lithuanian hierarchy commemorate the Memorial of Marian Archbishop Jurgis Matulaitis, MIC. Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Shrine Parish in Chicago’s Marquette Park community will join with other Lithuanian parishes throughout the world in prayer for the canonization of this saintly man; the Second Founder of the Marian Congregation of the Immaculate Conception. His ministry here in Chicago is still alive and well on the Marian Campus in the West Lawn community; where the Lithuanian newspaper DRAUGAS is still published…please join us this weekend at the 11am Solemn Mass as we pray for his eventual canonization.

Nativity BVM is located at 2700 West Lithuanian Plaza Court; 773-776-4600.

A concert not to miss in a beautiful shrine parish of Our Lady of Siluva and Blessed Archbishop Jurgis Matulaitis, MIC…

Mezzo-soprano Judita Leitaite is our guest at Nativity B.V.M. Parish.
Judita Leitaite will perform Sunday, October 16, 2016 at 1 p.m. at Nativity B.V.M. Parish, 2700 West Lithuanian Plaza Court in Chicago’s Marquette Park community. Three children’s choirs of Darius Polikaitis “Vyturys”, Alinos Simkuvienes “Svajone”, and Dalia Gedviliene “Chicago Lithuanian School” will help our soloist.
This is the fifth “Under The Angel’s Wing” concert. The purpose of this conert is educational. We are trying to unite the best Lithuanian musicians with emigration youth so they will learn how to love and cherish their rich musical haritage. The concert will be in one of the most beautiful churches of Chicago, already known by top world musicians like Ariana Kim, Ieva Jokubaviciute, Richard Budginas, Virgilijus Noreika, Ciurlionis Quartet, Avalon Quartet and others.
Mezzo-soprano Judita Leitaitė is among the most exciting, creative, and widely recognized soloists of Lithuania. Her concert career started when she was still a student. Success at international competitions – M.Glinka Vocal Competition in Baku (1987) and the International Vocal Competition in Finland in 1991 – prompted her further career.
Judita Leitaitė studied with renowned masters such as E.Schwarzkopf and T.Kraus (Germany), C. Bergonzi (Italy), J. Goldberg (USA), prof. S. Maltsev (Russian).
Judita Leitaitė performs regularly throughout her native Lithuania. She is on demand not only on the main concert stages, but also various radio and TV programs, schools, orphanages, churches, benefit concerts, as well, as jazz concerts and religious events.
She has made successful appearances at numerous international festivals in Poland, Denmark, Vilnius and London, as well as “Palaces of St. Petersburg” in Russia and “Music on the Water” held at the Palace of the King of Sweden. Her performance at the Baltic Music Fest in Sweden was a true sensation: “Audience was charmed not only by the beauty of the voice of fabulous vocalist Judita Leitaitė, but also by her compelling musical rendering.” She became the Summer Star of Newport Music Festival (USA). “The North American debut of Lithuanian mezzo-soprano Judita Leitaitė was greeted by thunderous ovations,” wrote Newport Music Festival press.
Judita Leitaitė has toured Scandinavia and the former Soviet Union, Germany, France, Holland, Poland, Israel, Great Britain, USA, and the South African Republic. Among Leitaite’s concert partners are the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Vilnius String Quartet, Čiurlionis String Quartet, and Lithuanian and international pianists and organists. She has studied and collaborated with conductors such as Lord Yehudi Menuhin, Saulius Sondeckis, conducting Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Juozas Domarkas, and Leo Botstein (USA) conducting the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, and Constantin Orbelian conducting the Moscow Chamber Orchestra.
Her record credits include a number of LPs, 12 CDs and well over 300 recordings for the Lithuanian Radio. Noteworthy recordings: music for film Vilniaus getas (Vilnius Ghetto), Balakauskas’ Requiem in Memoriam Stasys Lozoraitis, Russian romances, 20th century hit programme Renkuosi meilę (I Chose Love), CDs of Christian songs Tau, mano angele (For You, My Angel). Mano mėgstamos Skandinavijos dainos (My Favourite Scandinavian Songs), recorded in original language, received Finnish and Swedish critical recognition. Recently she has recorded Menu kerinčius valso garsus (I Recall Enchanting Sound of Waltz) and Nuoširdžiai jūsų (Sincerely Yours).
For contributions to Lithuanian culture Leitaitė was decorated with the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great; in 2005, she was awarded the State Culture and Art Prize; in 2007, she received the Gold Disc.
During the concert you will hear pieces by American and Lithuanian composers. Tickets can be bought at The Nativity B.V.M. parish, “Old Vilnius” cafe or before the concert for $15 for adults, $10 for students and children under five are free.

Renew My Church…

Everyone had their say in this matter…the Regional (V) Vicar, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago Andrew Wypych offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Sunday, October 2nd at Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis, MIC Mission in Lemont. He explained in his homily the discussions that will take place over a long period of time between Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Shrine Parish (Rev. Jaunas Kelpsas, Pastor; Rev. Gediminas Kersys, Associate); and Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis, MIC Mission (Rev. Algis Baniulis, SJ, Chaplain). The Renew My Church format, at the archdiocese’s recommendation,  is now being discussed   on Monday’s at the mission. These discussions will familiarized the congregants with the implementing process.  In prayer, let us work to make this happen for the betterment of our both communities…

…joe kulys…