Parish News & Information

Parish News & Information

2024 Lenten Almsgiving

 

    

Let’s support the missionary priests and parish communities in Wyoming!

Make a donation using this link: https://www.givecentral.org/customizable-online-giving/133/event/29561

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In partnership with Catholic Extension, St. Paul of the Cross is helping support the missionary priests and parish communities in Wyoming. Your investment will help to raise up more missionaries over the coming years, as well as from the seeds that are planted in the young people who come to experience God’s love.

 

What is it like to be Catholic in Wyoming? The state of Wyoming is 98,000 square miles, and the diocese of Cheyenne encompasses the entire state. (That makes it 70 times bigger than the Archdiocese of Chicago!) Only 586,000 people live in Wyoming, compared to the 9.4 million people who live just in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. Wyoming has only 36 Catholic parishes and 34 missions, which translates to one church every 1,380 square miles. Compare that again to Chicago, which has a Catholic church every 4 square miles. All of this is to say that life for a Catholic in the diocese of Cheyenne is very different than life for Catholics living in more urban areas.

If you have never been to Wyoming, it’s hard to imagine the vastness of it. Pictures help. One priest said that a common joke in WY, again to describe the wide-open spaces is to say: “If your dog runs away, you can still see it for three days!” On the Diocese of Cheyenne web page, they introduce themselves by saying: “Our state is a land of wide-open spaces and sparsely populated towns, but our people are faith-filled and tightly-knit, bound together by a love of God, country, community, and a Western spirit unique to this special place.”

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Another obstacle is the vast distance priests must travel to bring the sacraments to the people. For example, Fr. Hess, pastor of three churches, must travel 150 miles each Sunday to provide mass at all three communities. Weather could also be an issue. Despite the challenges, the Catholics in Wyoming cherish their faith communities. In a place where there are so few people and fewer Catholics, people see their parish community as part of their family. Simply ask Seminarian Lee Noel, Cheyenne, WY about the impactful experience he had with the St. Paul’s Newman Center community in Laramie, WY that led him on the path towards priesthood. The University of Wyoming in Laramie is the only four-year University in the state. As such, the only ministry to young adults in the state is at St. Paul’s Newman Center. Due to the vastness of the state, another area of focus for the parish communities is on the growth of youth programs in the areas of evangelization. This Lenten season let’s help the missionary priests and parish communities and be a part of God’s grace working in the faithful people in Wyoming.

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The following list provides a general summary of the items that St. Paul of the Cross community can fund during our Lenten Almsgiving. 100% of the funds will go towards supporting the missionary priests and parish communities in Wyoming.  

        

Please use the envelopes provided to make your contributions and return to your homeroom by March 22nd.

Thank you for your support and generosity!

Watch Lee Noel's presentation on Lenten's Almsgiving here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vMYozKxaF5P9CaAA9

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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