Dear Parishioners,
The North American College, the seminary in Rome where I spent six years, had a tradition of offering three toasts before banquets and other big meals. One was a toast to the College, one to the Country (the United States), and one to the Church or the Holy Father. A seminarian or priest was asked to stand up and give a 30 second speech honoring those three institutions. At the end we'd say "chin-chin" (the Italian version of "cheers"), take a swig of Prosecco, and then, sometimes, sing a song: My Country 'Tis of Thee, Ad Multos Annos, etc. Then we'd sit down and begin to slam plates of carbonara pasta and veal saltimbocca.
Dear Parishioners,
Many of you know I enjoy riding my bike. Bicycle, not motorcycle — that would be Father Nick. Unless there's snow on the ground, I will almost always ride my bike over to parishioners' houses for dinner. Makes me feel less guilty about having that second helping and second "sodapop." Though after some of your incredible dinners I feel like I need to ride up to the Botanic Gardens before returning to the rectory in order to work off the meal. It's a good problem.
Dear Parishioners,
I gave a Monday Evening of Prayer talk a few weeks ago on Elijah. Elijah is the subject of our first reading. He is one of the more unique figures in the Old Testament, and it is peculiar why he "makes the cut" to be with Jesus during the Transfiguration. Remember, it is Moses and Elijah who appear alongside the Lord in his glory in this moment atop Mount Tabor. Why Elijah? Why not Abraham, the father of Israel? Why not King David? Or why not one of the "greater prophets" — Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel or Ezekiel? Those prophets each have their own books in the Old Testament, while Elijah only has a few chapters in the Books of Kings.
Father James Wallace grew up in Winnetka, Illinois and attended Sts. Faith Hope and Charity grammar school, New Trier High School, and then The George Washington University in Washington DC, where he earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science in 2007. He attended seminary at The Pontifical North American College in Rome and was ordained a priest in 2012 for the Archdiocese of Chicago. In addition to being the pastor of Saint Paul of the Cross Parish, he serves as a canon lawyer for the Archdiocese, a dean in Vicariate II, and a professor of canon law and spiritual director at Mundelein Seminary. He is also one of the featured Mercy Home Sunday Mass celebrants, airing Sundays at 9:30am on WGN.
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