Fr. James' Letters

December 3, 2023

Dear Parishioners,

“Yet, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands” (Isaiah 64:8).

Read more: December 3, 2023

November 26, 2023

Dear Parishioners,

I remember a couple years ago seeing a guy wearing a tee-shirt with a picture of Jesus and the word “GOAT.” At first I was taken aback. I didn’t know GOAT was an acronym (I’m an old, out of touch soul). I thought it was a reference to the sheep and goats parable we have today, where the goats are bad. A student in school explained to me that GOAT means “Greatest of All Time.” Once I knew that, I thought the tee-shirt was kinda cool and funny. Good thing I didn’t confront that guy on the street.

Read more: November 26, 2023

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

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