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October 6, 2024

Dear Parishioners,


I recently read a book on leadership written by a Trappist monk titled “Lead Like a Monk” (thank you, Jim, for the gift). It was quite good and a refreshing take on leadership, though the insights were all gleaned from the Rule of St. Benedict written in the 4th Century.

One of the marks of a good leader, says the author/St. Benedict, is calmness or being of even-spirit. The Latin word for this is aequo animo, derived from the ancient Greek euthymein. The author explains: “It means to be of good cheer, to be well in one’s spirit, to be in a good emotional place. A person in such a state deals with his or her emotions well, allowing them, feeling them, but not being controlled by them.”

The good leader feels their emotions and passions, but ultimately is detached from them. They have purity of heart, meaning they can act out of love and out of justice. The leader doesn’t let anger or hurt or excitement cloud their judgment. They do what is right. The leader has inner peace, regardless of what might occur around them, and God speaks to them in this space of inner peace. God, then, is the one leading the leader. The leader ultimately creates a house of God, whether it’s a company, a school, a parish, or a family.

I think about all this in context of our Sunday’s Gospel about marriage. Now, the question about divorce is not what I want to discuss here, though it is an important discussion. I’ll save that for another time. The point I want to make is that the same principle for successful leadership can apply for successful marriages and other relationships: equanimity.

There is so much potential for conflict in marriage. The unexpected, the difference in personalities, and a variety of other factors challenge the peace of a husband and wife. If the partners are too attached to their emotions and take everything personally the marriage won’t last long. The partners won’t work for the common good, which is the preservation of the marriage.

Just as the goal of the leader isn’t good numbers (finances for a business, enrollment for a school, collection and Mass count for a pastor) but creating a house of God, so too the goal of marriage is something greater than the happiness of the partners. There is something blessed in the marriage itself. Even if there is suffering in the relationship, somehow God is in the union. And somehow that union benefits those around it–other family members and the community.

Bottom-line: whether you’re married or not, pray for the grace of calmness and detachment. It will help you be a vessel of God’s peace.


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Today is Donut Sunday and New Parishioner Sign-Up. Everyone is welcome to the gym following the 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Masses.

October is Respect Life Month and this weekend we celebrate Respect Life Sunday. Cardinal

Cupich writes in a special letter “We must come together to recognize all of the issues that have reaffirmed a culture coarse to human life, such as legislation that increases access to abortion and the deportation of migrants, as well as the gun violence ravaging our cities, capital punishment, assisted suicide, and more.” I want to give a special recognition to the St. Paul of the Cross Respect Life Committee, led by Cecilia Klein and a group of dedicated volunteers. This group organizes the Candlelight Rosary, Faith & Film (which is this Wednesday, by the way), the Baby Bottle Drive (in two weeks), Domestic Abuse Awareness Month, the Sock Drive, the March for Life, and other service efforts. We are blessed to have such a vibrant group here. If you are interested in being involved, please contact the parish office.

Congratulations to our parishioners Patti Nowak and Mike Marrese, who received the 2024 Christifideles Award from the Archdiocese of Chicago. This is an award given to lay volunteers who do heroic work for their parish. Patti has been the chair of our Pastoral Council for many years, serves as a bereavement minister, and has spearheaded many efforts in the parish, including the Parishioner Appreciation Dinner, cleaning and archiving the parish and school storage, the Renew My Church planning, and serving as a tri-chair for the capital campaign(s), just to name a few of her efforts. Mike coordinates and schedules the lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, and altar servers, acts as a sacristan, is a collection counter, and is present at every Mass every weekend to ensure the liturgy flows smoothly. We are grateful to Mike and Patti and congratulate them on their well-deserved recognition by the Church.



Yours in Christ,

Fr. James Wallace

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