Fr. James' Letters

November 19, 2023

Dear Parishioners,

Ah, the parable of the talents, one of our Lord’s most striking parables. Three individuals are given different amounts of gold and silver (‘talent’ was a large sum of money). The two trade with their talent and double their amount. The one buries the talent and is condemned. What’s the deal?

Read more: November 19, 2023

November 12, 2023

Dear Parishioners,

Taking our Lord’s parable this weekend about the virgins waiting for the bridegroom to return in the middle of the night, let’s see ourselves as the virgins. We provide light for Jesus, the bridegroom. What would be the oil for our lamps?

Read more: November 12, 2023

November 5, 2023

Dear Parishioners,

I remember having a football coach one time run sprints with us at the end of practice. Normally, as you know, the coaches watch the players run the sprints and blow the whistle. But not this coach. He was with us. This motivated me and inspired me. I wasn’t going to quit. I wasn’t even going to grumble about the labor. I wanted to do this because someone I respected was doing it. And besides, I couldn’t let this old man outdo me in sprints!

Read more: November 5, 2023

Who is Fr. James?

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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Contact Information

St. Paul of the Cross

320 South Washington Street
Park Ridge, IL 60068


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Phone: (847) 825-7605

Mass Schedule

UC = Upper Church
HFC = Holy Family Chapel 

Monday - Friday

6:25 am UC

8:30 am UC

Saturday

8:30 am UC - weekday Mass

4:30 pm UC - vigil

Sunday

7:30 am UC

9:00 am UC

10:30 am UC and HFC

12:00 pm UC