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http://www.stkatericenterchicago.org/

St. Kateri Center of Chicago, 3938 N Leavitt Street, Chicago, IL (2026)

09/08/2026

Youth and families, please come out this Saturday evening September 12 @ 5pm to 8pm. Join VR (Virginia) for Jean Jacket sip and paint with cedar tea and design a coat for Every Child Matters. Please bring a jean jacket and rest of the supplies will be provided.

09/08/2026

Tuesday – Nativity of Our Blessed Mother
Gospel – Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23
Mom Time
Mary’s Home, inside Basilica of Annunciation, Nazareth

Just last week, we celebrated my Mom’s 101st birthday. Well, not so much ‘celebrated’. I mean since I am here in Tennessee and she is in Southern Maryland and she is currently in a rehab center recovering from a fall – broken wrist and slight femur fracture. And no, it was not from her celebrating! But we did send her cards and flowers. Through all the craziness, it was still an opportunity to give thanks for her long life and her life as our mother. It certainly can’t have been easy “wrangling” the four of us but she more than managed it. And so we celebrated not only her life as a mother but the life she had given us as her sons and daughters.

We celebrate another birthday today – the Nativity of Mary. And we would do well to not only celebrate her birth but also her life as the Mother of our Savior, a life that paved the way for our new life as sons and daughters of the Father. Matthew opens today’s Gospel with a long list of Jesus’ genealogy, tracing His roots all the way back to Abraham through the line of King David. And at the end of such a long list of male names, we end the genealogy with one female – Mary, the Mother of Jesus! That is no coincidence; it was through Abraham that the Jewish faith was instituted. And it is through Jesus that our Christian faith, our life as brothers and sisters of Jesus, originated.

Birthdays are always a time of hope and thanksgiving. Hope for the future, for many more days of celebration, hope for a long and productive life. And thanksgiving – a chance to look back on a life well-lived, a life full of memories and blessings!

And so let us celebrate our Blessed Lady’s birthday today in the same vein. Thanksgiving for all our blessings received, gratitude for Mary’s “YES” and her life of faith. And hope – hope for blessings still to come and a life to share in the Kingdom of Heaven.

09/03/2026

We have shared the news with many of our community members. St. Kateri Center is back under the Archdiocese of Chicago as a ministry of the Department of Vitality and Mission Office, as the following official letter states. We believe that changes can be positive and allow us to plant new seeds for growth. We ask for continued prayers that our new home for St. Kateri Center will be great.

09/03/2026

Thursday - Feast of St. Gregory the Great
Gospel - Luke 5:1-11
Waiting for that Lightning Bolt
Sea of Galilee, Capernaum

How many times have you walked away from a challenge? Turned your back on something so new and different that you were afraid? Something that you knew would completely change your life? Either it was too radically different or you were too comfortable with the life you were living?

16 years ago I was happily teaching high school religion. Life was good and very full not only as a teacher but as a husband, father and grandfather. And I knew retirement was not that far away. But then a chance comment after Mass changed everything. Have you ever thought about becoming a Deacon? Simple answer – NO! End of story, or so I thought. But the possibility kept nagging at me and I kept ignoring it. I figured – fine, I will just wait for that obvious lightning bolt from heaven, just to be sure. Reluctant to change, sure! Nervous about upsetting my life – absolutely! Difficult choice? Actually ‘choice’ is not the right word. Response is more accurate – response to the call. So yes it was a difficult response but also one that ended up merging my home life, my work life and my spiritual life into one. In the end, there was no lightning bolt, only a gentle call that comes to you where you are at and offers you a new direction. (More about that some other time)

Peter, in today’s Gospel, is given that call. He has already seen Jesus preach in the synagogue in Capernaum. He has seen Him cure his mother-in-law. And now coming to shore after a long and fruitless night of fishing, Jesus asks to borrow his boat to preach to the crowd. OK, fine! But then Jesus asks him to put back out onto the Sea of Galilee. Peter is reluctant but OK, fine! And they catch a multitude of fish. When they get to shore, Jesus asks Peter the really challenging question – drop everything and follow Me! Leave your home, your wife and family, your job and friends and take on a new challenge. Peter is afraid; he knows he isn’t perfect and he asks Jesus to leave him in his unworthiness. But Jesus persists and Peter answers the call.

And so it is with all of us. Jesus comes to each one of us – not with a lightning bolt or a burning bush. He meets us where we are at; he meets us in the events of our ordinary lives and offers us the challenge not to separate our spiritual life from home and work but to make it all one. To make our faith and love of God the focus of our daily life, not just something we do on a Sunday morning.

Creator, help me to let go of old ways, old thoughts. Let me be open to change and to growth and let that change be an opportunity for me to draw closer to You!

09/02/2026

Wednesday – 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel - Luke 4:38-44
A (Luke)Warm Reception
Ruins of Peter’s House, Capernaum

Friends, please note! I will be taking a short break for the next few days beginning Friday 9/4; time to catch my breath, attend to some family and ministry duties and recharge my ‘batteries’. Facebook and email posts will return on Tuesday Sept 8. In the meantime, you can still access daily posts on my blog - https://deaconbillfrere.blogspot.com/

In case you hadn’t noticed, this week our daily Gospel readings have shifted from Matthew to Luke. Tradition tells us that Luke was a Gentile and a doctor. So it’s not unusual then that, when Jesus performs a healing miracle, Luke provides a bit more detail to the illness. And so Peter’s mother-in-law is not just “sick”; she is sick with a severe fever. In the days ahead when we go deeper into Luke, you will also see an emphasis on Jesus as the Savior of all people, not just Jews. In fact, He shows a particular affection for the second-class citizens: the poor, the sick, the non-Jews, women and the oppressed.

But today, consider what’s been happening ever since the week began. On Monday we saw Jesus being run out of Nazareth, His home town! In fact, the people tried to throw Him off a cliff. And then look at these past 2 days. Jesus comes to Capernaum, preaches in their synagogue and then today heals Peter’s mother-in-law. And their reaction? They are amazed at His words and His authority; anyone who was sick was brought to Him and cured, and they spread the word about this amazing preacher.

What a warm reception! What a different reception from what happened in Nazareth! In fact, Jesus comes to make Capernaum basically His home for the next few years.

Yesterday we talked about whether or how we know Jesus. Today the focus is on how do we react to that ‘knowledge’? If we really do believe Jesus is the Son of the Most High, how do we respond? Do we try to push Him out of our life, get rid of Him like the Nazareans? Or do we provide a warm welcome, open our arms and our hearts to His words and actions? What kind of reception do we give to Jesus? Do we offer such an open response that Jesus doesn’t just visit us but He takes up residence in our hearts?

Great Spirit, allow me today to feel Your presence. Help me to remember and appreciate that You are always here beside me. Give me the openness to welcome You into my life.

09/01/2026

Tuesday – 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel - Luke 4:31-37
The Word of God
Synagogue, Capernaum

NO!!! And that was it! End of discussion, if there even was any! Maybe we wanted overnight at a friend’s house or it was that one special toy we felt we had to have! It didn’t matter if it was our mom or our dad. That one simple word was the final say and any attempt to plead our case was pointless! That one word had power; it had forcefulness and finality! And it allowed for no discussion!

The Power of the Word!

That is what we hear in today’s Gospel. The Power of the Word, the Word of God! Jesus is in the synagogue at Capernaum preaching on the Sabbath. And the people’s response is overwhelming. They are amazed by His knowledge of Scripture and His wisdom! They are astonished with His teaching! Such is the Power of His Word!

But He isn’t done. There is a man there possessed by a demon. And Jesus casts out the demon and heals him. Not by any grand physical gesture! But by His Words – Be quiet! Come out of him. His Words have wisdom and power, able to heal and to capture our attention and our faith!

It is a good reminder to us all to turn to Him in prayer and in reading Scripture. To recognize His power to heal, to forgive, to inspire and energize us to live a life of faith and hope.

He truly is the Word of God!

08/31/2026

Monday – 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel - Luke 4:16-30
A Rush to Judgement
Mount Precipice, outside Nazareth (Mt Tabor in the distance)

Ever had that experience of running into an old relative, someone who hasn’t seen you since you were little and they proceed to treat you like you were still that little child they used to play with. It’s as if, from their perspective, you never changed, you never grew up. And when you try to tell them all that you have accomplished and the bright future you are working toward, they almost refuse to believe it – no, not my little boy!

That is what’s happening in today’s Gospel. Jesus has returned to Nazareth after being baptized by John and praying for 40 days in the desert. At this point, He has done nothing – no miracles, no parables, no preaching- nothing at all. And He goes to the synagogue to offer His first sermon. And He reads from the Prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free” It is a prophecy about the Messiah, the long hoped-for Messiah. And He then tells them clearly that today that prophecy is fulfilled! I am the Messiah.

They are enraged and upset. This can’t be; we know this man! He is just the son of the carpenter. We saw him playing as a child! He is just a Jew like any of us. They become so upset that they drag Him out of the synagogue, out of Nazareth, to the top of Mount Precipice to throw Him off the cliff. But He passes through their midst and leaves to begin His mission. In spite of their denial, their hatred, and their doubt that He will amount to anything, Jesus begins His Mission.

We have all faced moments of pushback from others, moments when we start a new job or career or a new life and all we get from others is doubt! You won’t make it; you won’t be able to handle it! Do you think he’s really going through with it? He’ll never amount to anything! Moments that make us doubt our choices and perhaps rethink our life goals. Moments when we question our abilities and our resolve.

But even though we have had moments like that in the past, we got through them. Moments when God was with us all along! So maybe today could be the day to spend in gratitude, to thank God for all He has done for us to get us this far in life. To thank Him for His many blessings that gave us the strength and courage to move on in life. To thank Him for those special people in our lives who love us, encourage us, push us and correct us when we need it, and people who gave us the courage to move forward and succeed. People like my mom, who celebrates her birthday today.

Happy 101st Birthday, Mom! Continue to get rest and get well!

08/30/2026

Sunday – 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel - Matthew 16:21-27
The 4th Temptation
Church of Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

Two nights ago, I made ice cream, simple delicious vanilla ice cream, with my brand-new ice cream maker, courtesy of a birthday present from Ginger. I ate 2 bowls worth! Last night, I made an apple pie – had to have something to go with the ice cream, right? I had 2 slices with a scoop of ice cream! Whether it’s a nice slice of pie or, if we are dining out, a yummy crème brulee! And yes, I make sure never to overdo the entrée; always leave room for dessert! OK, I admit it – I love dessert! I find it hard to pass up a good dessert. It’s a temptation that’s hard to resist.

Of course, in life, we can all admit there are much more serious temptations that we battle against on a daily basis. Money, power, acceptance, popularity, greed, jealousy, self-pleasure and a variety of addictions! Temptations – we all have them and it can be a constant struggle to reject!

Jesus faces His own temptation in today’s Gospel. If we are counting – this is His 4th temptation. Jesus has already faced 3 temptations in the desert at the beginning of His ministry – temptations to focuse on His divine nature, to change stones into bread, to have His angels attend to His needs, to make Himself ruler over all nations. And in a battle with Satan, He rejects them all.

And now He faces a different temptation – a very human desire – to avoid pain and suffering, to take the easy road in life! This time, it is not Satan but Peter who challenges Jesus’ prediction of His death and resurrection. Let’s give Peter some credit here. He doesn’t confront Jesus in public, with all the other disciples around. Instead he takes Jesus aside and rebukes Him. Part of me thinks Peter is doing this out of love but it is still a very human temptation for Jesus. In the end, Jesus not only embraces His human nature but also His mission to suffer and die for our sins!

Jesus is basically addressing not only Peter but Satan himself, recognizing the temptation for what it is – the temptation to avoid a demanding life and death and to take the easy path. His response is clear – begone Satan, don’t tempt me!

As Christians we are all faced with difficult choices – difficult temptations. And there are plenty of times when we do take the easy way out. Either out of laziness or fear or a simple lack of courage, we look for quick solutions and then have to deal with the consequences of our lack of action! We jump headlong into a situation, kind of like Peter jumping out of the boat in the middle of a storm, and then we’re stuck with ‘how do I get myself out of this mess.’

Jesus reminds us that, in order to truly follow Him, we all must take up our cross. Will it be difficult? Yes! Is it an easy path? Definitely not! But the reward is eternal life. May God give us the strength, the courage and wisdom to make the difficult choices, to turn away from the easy path and to follow in His footsteps, No pain, no gain!

08/29/2026

Saturday – 21st Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Matthew 25:14-30
Using Our Talents Wisely
Grotto of St. Jerome, Bethlehem

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.

He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently.

Just like that carpenter, every day we build our own house, we build our lives. Every day we hammer a nail, set up a wall, paint a room. And sometimes we don’t do a very good job. We get lazy, we get forgetful and distracted. And some days we just give up, thinking we don’t have the will or the right tools for the job. Sometimes we doubt our abilities, our TALENTS! And some days we just choose to take the easy path and ignore our God-given gifts!

And other times, we follow the path of those 2 servants who invested their talents and gained a profit. They took a risk, a leap of faith, and saw their talents increased. And that first servant? he was afraid to lose what he had! He gave in to fear instead of faith.

The lesson is clear! In order to ‘share the Master’s joy”, we must use our God-given talents, not bury them in the sand. We must work diligently and faithfully and, yes, sometimes even take a risk in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Keep the faith! Share the faith!

08/28/2026

Please Come Join Us for our next Mass on Sunday September 6th, 2026 at 11am with Fr. John in the Kateri Chapel.
Come celebrate with us a baptism and first communion. Feast to follow, please feel free to bring side dish, dessert or refreshment to share.

St. Kateri Center of Chicago

09/08/2026

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