Sunday is a day which is at the very heart of the Christian life … I would strongly urge everyone to rediscover Sunday: Do not be afraid to give your time to Christ! Yes, let us open our time to Christ, that he may cast light upon it and give it direction. He is the One who knows the secret of time and the secret of eternity, and he gives us “his day” as an ever new gift of his love … Time given to Christ is never time lost, but is rather time gained, so that our relationships and indeed our whole life may become more profoundly human. —St. John Paul II, Dies Domini
We are celebrating Welcome Home Sunday on the First Sunday of Advent. Wherever you are on your faith journey, even if you are visiting for the first time, or the first time in a while, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish is glad you’re here!
In addition to Mass, all are invited to join us for fellowship on Sunday, November 26-27, 2022. Our Hospitality Ministry, Parish Staff, Clergy and your OLBS Family are looking forward to seeing you. We want you to find healing, hope and hospitality here. Grab your family or a friend or two, come home and rediscover Sunday!
Questions? The below may answer some questions you have, but please don’t hesitate to contact the parish office at info@olbsegv.org or (847) 979-0901, or schedule time to speak with Fr. Dan Folwaczny, Pastor at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament.
The Catholic Church states our Sunday obligation in the Code of Canon Law: “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass” (1247.) Further, The Catechism of the Catholic Church shares: The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor (CCC 2181.)
At the onset of the global Coronavirus pandemic, Cardinal Cupich, in concert with diocese across the world, announced a general dispensation from attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation for the Archdiocese of Chicago. However, Cardinal Cupich has "decided, in consultation with my advisors, to lift the general dispensation from the obligation of attending Sunday Mass as we begin a new Church year on the First Sunday of Advent, November 26-27."
Read the complete letter from Cardinal Cupich on lifting the dispensation.
Nope! Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament is blessed to be one parish with two worship sites. Both Queen of the Rosary (750 W. Elk Grove Blvd) and St. Julian Eymard (601 Biesterfield Road) remain open for worship and ministry. As part of our Renew My Church determination, Cardinal Cupich left it up to the parish community to discern how each church will serve the parish community into the future. Get ready to be part of the conversation—come home and see how we're using our facilities!
Our Pastor since July 1, 2020 is Fr. Dan Folwaczny. Fr. Dan was ordained in 2014 and served six years as Associate Pastor at the union of St. Norbert and Our Lady of the Brook in Northbrook before coming to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. To discover more about Fr. Dan, you can easily set time on his calendar to meet and introduce yourself, or follow this link to watch Fr. Dan's introduction video.
In mid-July, 2020, Fr. Louis Mboe joined Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament as Associate Pastor, and Mr. Jerry Szostak continues as Permanent Deacon for our parish. Follow this link to listen to homilies, and you can quickly view photos and find contact information for all current clergy, staff and musicians on our parish About Us page.
Our regular Sunday Mass schedule is:
Reconciliation times are:
You can always see Mass times as well as event schedules and information on our parish calendar. To receive regular updates on liturgies and events at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, sign up for eNews.
While having Mass at our fingertips and on demand holds a certain appeal, we all know that watching Mass isn't really the same thing as participating in Mass.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53). Theologian Colin Donovan reminds us that “in the Mass it is Christ himself who worships the Father, joining our worship to his." Christ does with us in the Mass what we cannot do alone: make a perfect offering to the Father.
And Fr. Dan shares, not only can we not receive Holy Communion from a screen, we also don't see the warmth in the face of our neighbor as we exchange the sign of peace or hear the energy in the congregation as we all sing the Our Father.
Come home and see and hear the difference for yourself!
The code of Canon Law dispenses the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation for grave reason (i.e., illness or care of others.) Further, Cardinal Cupich explains, "With vaccinations and boosters, restrictions on public gatherings have eased up. Many people feel more comfortable returning to Church. Yet, we know there are some elderly and immuno-comprised persons who are still not ready to return. And they should not return. These vulnerable brothers and sisters have an excusing cause for being absent and for this reason I will continue the TV Mass on ABC for the present time."
Read the complete letter from Cardinal Cupich on lifting the dispensation.
As Fr. Dan advises, let God do the heavy lifting here! And remember, if you don't think a friend or family member is ready to return to Mass, maybe you can invite them to one of the many other events coming up...Movie Night, Lessons & Carols, Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass, Advent Retreat and more!
We've put together some materials to help call on the power of the Holy Spirit and community prayer to guide you in finding the right moment, opening the conversation and encountering a receptive friend or family member:
