While churches throughout the Chicago area were encouraged to hold anti-violence marches on Memorial Day weekend, Holy Cross-Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in the city’s Back of the Yards neighborhood had specific reason: to mourn the death of 16- year-old Angel Cano, who was gunned down May 21, 2013. The march took place May 24. Earlier, Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Parish sent a letter to pastors in the Archdiocese of Chicago encouraging them to participate in Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s “Faith In Action” effort, which called on members of churches, synagogues and mosques to be outside their houses of worship from 7 to 9 p.m. on May 23, the Friday evening of Memorial Day weekend. The weekend, the traditional start of summer, was a violent one in Chicago the last two years, Pfleger noted in his letter. At Pfleger’s parish, St. Sabina, hundreds of people gathered for an antiviolence block party. This year, there were no shootings reported in Chicago for a 42-hour stretch, from the evening of May 22 to the afternoon of May 24. But on May 24, Saturday, two people were killed and 10 more were shot in the afternoon and evening.
Little Village’s Padres Angeles changing hearts, promoting peace On Nov. 17, 2012, Doris Hernández’s son Freddy, 20, died after being shot in the face and chest while standing in an alley in Little Village. Following the shooting, she attended a vigil for him held at the scene and where his blood was being washed off the pavement. About 80 people were there.
In spirit of Renew My Church, parishes come together to provide a home for two families in need Even though they won’t be activated as part of the Renew My Church process until 2022, seven churches in Tinley Park, Orland Park, Crestwood and Orland Hills came together in the spirit of the process and built part of a duplex that will house families in need.
Church of St. Mary holds service day The Church of St. Mary in Lake Forest hosted a service day on June 8, 2019. Parishioners lent their time and talents to do yard work, paint, make blankets, write operation gratitude cards for soldiers, make name tags for Camp Hope, clean up parks, work at food pantries and volunteer at Feed My Starving Children.