Care and Help

The Meal Ministry is designed to meet the needs of parish families who are experiencing a crisis; a member of the family who is hospitalized, a member who is homebound or ill for a period of time, etc. Warm, home-cooked meals are prepared and delivered to families during an emergency. Contact: Kim Cassin, 630-601-1752.

Ministers of Care determine ways of meeting the spiritual, educational, physical and informational needs of parishioners. They serve the sick or those with other related needs, the elderly, hospitalized, those in nursing homes, homebound, terminally ill, accident victims, the bereaved and mentally ill. Ministers of Care rotationally visit, bring the Eucharist, and direct individuals to whatever available resource is necessary to meet their needs. All patient information is confidential. To arrange for a visit, please contact: Deacon Herb Waldron, 630-601-1751.

We pray for each other out of love for one another. Each week the ill of our community are listed in the bulletin. The parish family prays for all those listed. Names new to the list will appear in bold. To add the name, please call 630-654-3365. Please leave contact information and relationship to the sick person. Names will remain on the payer list for four weeks. Contact the office to renew the individual’s name.
In addition, parishioners are invited to add their prayer intentions to the book located next to the Holy Family statues in church.

Annulment of a Marriage in the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church understands marriage as a sacrament that images God’s covenant with His people, a covenant of love and for a lifetime. Once a valid marriage covenant is made, it is a commitment for life to faithfulness and the good of the spouse, children and the community.

But for a marriage to be truly valid (with the Catholic understanding of covenant) both parties must be capable of such a commitment, fully aware and freely giving consent. Sometimes one of these conditions is not present and therefore something is wrong from the beginning, something is lacking. In such a case there never was a valid marriage bond from the beginning. One or both parties may not have been capable of full consent for a number of personal reasons. Or there may have been undue external pressure.

An annulment process is aimed at establishing that the marriage bond was invalid from the very beginning. Something was missing from the marriage commitment, something was lacking with the consent or one or both of the parties lacked capability for unconditional commitment to a community of love.

Question: When should I apply for the annulment?
Answer: You can only apply after your divorce is final. Go to a parish near you and ask for the application form. A priest, deacon or pastoral staff person will assist you with the process. You do not need to be a member of the parish in order to apply for an annulment. However, you should apply within the diocese where you live, or where you were married.

Question: What do annulments cost?
Answer: There no cost to the petitioner in the Diocese of Joliet. The Diocesan Stewardship Appeal funds are used to support the diocesan Tribunal. Other dioceses may have fees, but parishes may offer assistance.

Question: How long will it take?
Answer: Approx. 12 – 18 months in the Diocese of Joliet. In some dioceses it may take longer, especially if the witnesses don’t return the questionnaires promptly. The case can be held up indefinitely if not enough witness testimonies are returned.

Question: Will they contact my ex-spouse?
Answer: Yes. But the ex-spouse cannot prevent an annulment. The decision is based on facts only.

Question: Will my children be illegitimate if my marriage is annulled?
Answer: NO! This is a grave misconception. The marital status of the parents does not affect the status of the children. All children are created in God’s image and have equal status in the church. Neither civil law nor church law considers the children of an annulled marriage illegitimate. Nor does the annulment imply that the children were not the fruit of a genuine human love. Annulment is simply a decision on the circumstances surrounding a marriage that could prevent that marriage from being a sacramental marriage.

Question: My spouse is applying for an annulment. How does that affect me?
Answer: Actually, you’ll reap benefits without having to do the paperwork. Once the Decree of Annulment is granted, it is granted to both spouses. With the decree that your ex-spouse applied for, you too can marry again in a Catholic Church — without having to do all that paperwork. Just cooperate with the process by responding when necessary to the letters you receive. I say “when necessary” because sometimes they just offer you another “opportunity for more input” and if you don’t respond the process continues after the waiting period with or without further input.

Next Steps…
If you would like to begin the Annulment Process here at Notre Dame Parish please contact Dr. Doug Muir 630-601-1764.

Bereaved Person’s Prayer

We seem to give our loved ones back to you,
Lord. You gave them to us. But just as you
did not lose them in the giving, neither do we
lose them in the return.
You don’t give in the same way that the world
gives. What you give you don’t take away.
You have taught us that what is yours is ours
also, if we are yours.
Life is eternal, Lord, and your love is
undying. And death is only a horizon. And
a horizon is nothing but the limits of our sight.
Lift us up strong, Son of God, that we may
see farther. Cleanse our eyes that we may see
more clearly. Draw us closer to yourself, that
we may find ourselves closer to our loved ones
who are with you.
And while you prepare a place for them
Prepare us also for that happy place
where you are and where we hope to be –
Forever. Amen.

Funerals