Parish News & Information

2019 Lenten Almsgiving

We are partnering with Catholic Extension for our Lenten Almsgiving Project to help St. Luke’s in Warren, Arkansas build a new Church, parish hall, and classrooms for religious education

Read more: 2019 Lenten Almsgiving

Ash Wednesday Schedule

March 6, 2019

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the holy Season of Lent, a time for penance, reflection, and fasting to prepare ourselves for the Resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, on Easter Sunday. As we receive ashes on our forehead and are told "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return" we are reminded of our need for God's great mercy and redemption.

	Time	Location
Mass	6:25 a.m.	Upper Church
Mass	8:30 a.m.	Upper Church
Mass	12:05 p.m.	Upper Church
Prayer Service	4 p.m.	Upper Church
Prayer Service	4:15 p.m.	Holy Family Chapel
Mass	7:30 p.m.	Upper Church

Ashes will only be distributed during Masses and prayer services

Annual Blood Drive

Sunday, April 14   •   8 a.m. - 2 p.m.   •   Parish Life Center

Did you know that every two seconds someone in America receives a blood transfusion? And that five million patients will need blood this year? You can help! Just one pint of your blood can help save up to three lives!

Read more: Annual Blood Drive

46th Annual Festa

Sunday, March 24  •  3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Read more: 46th Annual Festa

Electronics Recycling Event

Saturday, March 9 & Sunday, March 10

Parish Life Center

Items Accepted:

• House phones
• Cell phones
• MP3 players
• Cameras 
• Video equipment 
• LCD Flat monitors 
• Name brand ink (new or used)
• All types of computers (laptops, notebooks, towers) 
• GPS systems
• Routers and monitors 
• Video games, video game remotes, consoles 
• Rechargeable batteries
• All computers
• Apple products

 

Items NOT Accepted: No TVs, CRT monitors, single use batteries, light bulbs, or generic ink

Fish Fry

Friday, March 1  •  5:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus

Join us for a delicious meal of fresh hand-battered cod (we use trans fat-free canola oil), coleslaw, french fries, dinner rolls, and dessert. Shrimp available for purchase. Cheese pizza for the kids and free lemonade and coffee. Soda, beer, and wine will be available for purchase. Carry out, too (no shrimp).

Please bring paper towels, hearty canned soups, or cookies for SPC’s food pantry.

Read more: Fish Fry

2018 Annual Report

The 2018 Annual Report for St. Paul of the Cross includes information on our financial operations for the 2018 fiscal year. The 2018 fiscal year began July 1, 2017 and ended June 30, 2018. This report includes information on sacraments, highlights from our parish programs and ministries, as well as a summary of financial information for this past fiscal year including a summary of our regular operating income and expenses, savings,and investment information as well as information on our second collections and extraordinary income. Information on completed capital projects can be found in the document 2018 Capital Expenditures.

Summary Statement of Activities vs Prior Year can be found here.  

Information on completed capital projects can be found in the document 2018 Capital Expenditures.

 

Please contact the parish business manager with any questions or comments.

Read more: 2018 Annual Report

A Call for an Increase in Giving

On the weekend of October 14, 2018, Parish Finance Council presented a renewed effort to increase regular Sunday giving for St. Paul of the Cross. The goal being better fiscal management by lessening our reliance on unplanned items such as bequests to balance annual results. St. Paul of the Cross is a thriving parish by several measures. We have a long and diverse list of parish ministries, our Religious Education program has over 1,200 students. Our school’s enrollment is currently above 550 students and our preschool and kindergarten are continuing to grow. During Fr. Britto Berchman’s tenure, 1,500 new families have joined and we are one of the largest parishes in the Archdiocese. We have a large, well-maintained campus and facilities.

 

ST. PAUL RESPONDS GENEROUSLY TO SPECIAL CAMPAIGNS

Special collections, pledge drives and appeals receive generous financial support from our membership as a parish:

• TTWCI capital campaign – exceeded our goal
• Archdiocese Annual Appeal – we are always a leading parish and exceed the goals set for us
• We strongly support all our Second Collections and Missions

 

OUR RESERVES ARE STRONG

We have a strong cash reserves position, which allows us to absorb unexpected financial needs such as the new organ. We also receive substantial bequests.

 

REGULAR WEEKLY GIVING HAS REMAINED FLAT

The one financial area where we have lagged is our weekly collections. This is the backbone of our operating revenue, funding parish staff, building repairs & maintenance, and all our ministries – envelopes at Mass, online giving.

FY 2011 to FY2018

Regular collections increased 2.8%

Payroll – 27.2%

Utilities – 11.6%

Archdiocese assessment – 18.6%

Collections revenue has not kept up with rising operating costs. Operating costs rise, as do prices for most things. Fr Britto and the Parish Finance Council believe this is simply because we have not focused the congregation on the issue.

 

WE ASK YOU TODAY

Make a prayerful consideration (or re-evaluation) of how much you can and will support the parish on an annual basis. Consider using the Online Giving program to commit to the annual amount on which you decided.

 

WHY ARE WE ASKING?

If the parish is in good shape now, why do we need to increase Weekly Giving to match rising operating costs?

• Sound fiscal management – a higher, more consistent level of support allows us to better manage parish expenditures.
• Expand our ministries – for all we do, the parish can help even more people than it does now.
• Maintain a healthy reserve fund – significant maintenance or capital projects happen on a large campus with many facilities.
• Technology – hardware and software projects are becoming more prevalent for our church and school facilities

 

CONCLUSION

Our parish has a history of being very generous whenever the congregation is asked. We haven’t talked much about regular collections in the last decade. If parish members commit to annual funding amounts and we establish a pattern of collection revenue increasing to match operating expenses, we can use more proactive management of parish financial resources. Some items to consider:

 

HOW TO SIGN UP FOR ONLINE GIVING WITH GIVE CENTRAL

You can create a personalized donor ID and sign up for Regular Sunday Giving though GiveCentral. Once you have set up your donor ID you can also select to give to second collections, memorials, the school endowment and special events.

 

FOLLOW THESE LINKS FOR HELP WITH ONLINE GIVING

CREATE YOUR DONOR ID on the GiveCentral website.

NEED TO CHANGE YOUR CURRENT DONATION? Find answers to frequently asked questions

 

OTHER WAYS TO GIVE

Give using our parish app on your smart phone: Download St. Paul PR App & select the “Give” button.

Download the Give Central app on your smart phone

Text the word, “Donate” to 847-865-8370

Regular weekly envelopes can also be mailed to you. For more information contact parish records.

 

St. Paul of the Cross Parish Finance Council advises Fr. Britto Berchmans on financial matters. They also have oversight of the annualparish operating budget and school operating budget. The Parish Finance Council also review annual fiscal results, reporting results tothe Archdiocese, as well as the Annual Report to the parish in November. The Parish Finance Council also reviews and approves capitalprojects that exceed $10,000. They also oversee investment of parish reserve funds.

For more information please contact the parish Business Manager.

Treat Our Priests Tuesdays

In response to some of the difficult news Catholics everywhere have been dealing with recently, the parishioners of SPC want to show our priests how much this community loves and appreciates all that they do and the good shepherds that they are to our parish family.

 

Sign up now to provide a delicious,home-cooked meal and dessert as a treat for our priests on any Tuesday.A few notes:

• Meals should feed 3 adult men and should include dessert.
  
  
• Meals should be homemade rather than take out or restaurant purchased. Desserts, however, may be store/restaurantbought.
  
  
• Meals are to be delivered already cooked and hot to the rectory between 5 and 5:30 p.m. on your scheduled day. It isbest to use disposable cartons, but if you do use any of your own serving ware, please be sure your name is on it sothat you may pick it up later that week.
  
  
• If you'd like, include a little note to Fr. Britto, Fr. Matthew, and Fr. Peter, letting them know who it is that hasprepared the lovely meal for them!
  
  
  

Here’s how to sign up:

1. Go to www.takethemameal.com

2. In the yellow box entitled FIND, Next to recipient last name box, enter SPC Rectory,Next to the password box, enter 5917

3. Scroll down to the list of all Tuesdays for the next 12 months and find the date(s) you would like to choose.Click on the word TAKE for that date.

4. Enter your name, email address, phone number, and what you will be making for dinner and dessert.

5. Click SIGN UP.

6. You will then receive an email with the subject line “Thanks for Signing Up!,” confirming that you’re all set.

 

Please know that the priests are also happy to come to your home to share the meal with your family or your family is invited to join the priests at the rectory to enjoy the great meal that you're providing. If you'd like to arrange one of these options or have any questions about this project? Contact Lisa Muench

Protecting God's Children

All St. Paul of the Cross volunteers over the age of 18 must complete training that is mandated by the Archdiocesan Office for the Protection of Children and Youth.

Read more: Protecting God's Children

Brick Dedication

Have you, your children, or even your grandchildren celebrated a spiritual milestone here at St. Paul of the Cross? Perhaps it was(or soon will be) a wedding, or a baptism, or first Holy Communion, or Confirmation, or a graduation from our wonderful parish school?

Read more: Brick Dedication

Tax Credit Scholarships

Invest in Kids

The Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship Program, “Invest in Kids,” provides a 75 percent Illinois state income tax credit to individuals and corporations that contribute money to a non-profit Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO). The SGOs award scholarships to eligible students from low-income families. Donors will use money already owed to the state (taxes) and donate it to a needs-based scholarships instead, all while receiving a 75 percent state tax credit.

Through this program:

• An individual or corporation will receive a 75 percent credit on donations to an SGO. For example, if a person donates $100,000, they will receive a state tax credit of $75,000.
• Individual donors can designate their donations to Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools.
• The credit can be rolled over for five years.
• Donors are prohibited from receiving a federal tax deduction for these donations.
• The program is capped at $100 million in donations, resulting in $75 million in total tax credits issued.

 

To Donate

Beginning on January 2, 2018, individual and corporate donors will be able to reserve tax credits through mytax.illinois.gov.  Visit https://schools.archchicago.org/donating-to-a-tax-credit-scholarship for more information. 

 

To Apply for a Scholarship

Through the “Invest in Kids Act,” Illinois children from low-income households who want to attend private schools will have access to new scholarships. The scholarships offered through this program could cover up to 100 percent of tuition and eligible fees for next school year*. Visit https://schools.archchicago.org/applying-for-a-tax-credit-scholarship for more information.

Parish Educational Endowment

About our Endowment

In 2000, under the leadership of Pastor Fr. Carl Morello, St. Paul established the Parish Educational Endowment Fund.  The goal of the fund is to help keep tuition as low as possible making Catholic education available to all families and to provide scholarships to well deserving and students in need and to assist with other educational needs of the parish. The fund began with a $10,000 donation from the school  walk-a-thon fundraiser.  The fund’s initial goal was to reach 1 million dollars and, until that goal was met, no monies were spent. 

Read more: Parish Educational Endowment

FORMED

All the best Catholic Content. All in one place.

We are pleased to offer FORMED.org, which provides parishioners free access to catechism programs, feature films, Catholic ebooks, audio presentations, and much more! 

• Access the truth, beauty, and meaning of the Catholic faith
• Use it on your computer, tablet, or smartphone
• Catechesis certification will soon be available!

Read more: FORMED

Join Us For Mass

The parish priest and staff at St. Paul of the Cross Church are committed to making a welcoming place for you and your family to worship.

St. Paul of the Cross is a vibrant Catholic Community located North of Chicago. We have two worship spaces that are used on weekends - the upper church & Holy Family Chapel.

Read more: Join Us For Mass

SPC App Now Available

Staying connected to your faith and your parish is easier than ever with our new mobile app!

• Podcasts
• Schedules
• Notes
• Trivia
• Prayers
• Multimedia
• Notifications

Download today in the app store!

Mass Schedule

  

Regular Mass Schedule

Sunday
7:30 a.m.	Upper Church
9 a.m.	Upper Church & Holy Family Chapel
10:30 a.m.	Upper Church & Holy Family Chapel
12 p.m.	Upper Church
5:30 p.m.	Upper Church
Monday - Friday
6:25 a.m.	Upper Church
8:30 a.m.	Upper Church
Saturday
8 a.m.	Upper Church
(Vigil) 4:30 p.m.	Upper Church & Holy Family Chapel

Location

Our church is located in Park Ridge, IL on the corner of Northwest Highway and Washington Avenue. 

Park Ridge is 15 miles Northwest of Chicago and 10 minutes from O’Hare Airport.

We are two blocks from the Union Pacific Northwest Metra Stop and one block from Downtown Park Ridge shops and restaurants.

Plenty of Parking on Site

 

The main parking lot entrance is off of Washington Avenue & Northwest Highway.

Additional parking is available in the small lot on Ridge Terrace next to our Kinane Center.

There is a handicap accessible ramp and elevator that is easily accessible from our small parking lot.

The entrance to our small parking lot is through the alley, off of Summit Avenue.

 

Please see our campus map for details

Perpetual Adoration Chapel

The Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel is open to everyone seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.
The main entrance to the Adoration Chapel is located at 215 Ridge Terrace off of Northwest Highway.
After 9 p.m. a code is required to enter.

For more information please contact the parish office 

For the locaton of the chapel and its entrances please see our campus map

Lector & E.M. Schedules

We are pleased to provide our Liturgical Ministry Schedules in electronic format for your convenience. If you are interested in volunteering for these ministries please contact Fr. Matthew Kowalski

  

December 2017 - February 2018

Upper Church Lector Schedule

Holy Family Chapel Lector Schedule

Extraordinary Minister Schedule (upper church)

March - May 2018

Upper Church Lector Schedule

Holy Family Chapel Lector Schedule

Extraordinary Minister Schedule (upper church)

Built on the Rock

Hosted by Fr. Britto and Deacon Bob, this 30-minute radio show attempts to help listeners fashion their marriages and romantic relationships using the best insights of marriage experts while leading them to build solidly on the Rock that is Christ. The show uses wisdom from psychology, the well-tested insights of experts, real life experiences of couples, and the well-considered observations of priests. There is healthy doses of humor and at all times all our discussions are firmly rooted in our faith. Built on the Rock airs on Relevant Radio the first Thursday of each month 9:30 - 10 a.m. Listen to show archives now!