St. Mary of Perpetual Help Catholic Church — Local services in Chicago

To Cam cam. From a parishioner who was in attendance on the day you mention. You’re omitting a lot of information in the comment you posted. The following observations were made directly by other parishioners. During mass, about fifteen minutes into it, you changed seats after exiting to the foyer of the church for a few minutes, you wore a t-shirt which highlighted the word “peace” and had a Palestinian Kefiyeh worn like a scarf around your neck. You began using your phone in your new seat in what appeared to be texting someone. After a few minutes you left your seat and exited the church, went to your car, opened your trunk and removed a backpack, placed dark sunglasses on, then a blue hoody was put on which you cinched down. You dug in the bag removing a black or dark item which you then replaced into the bag. You then placed the bag over your right shoulder, struggling with the weight of the bag, as your right arm shook lifting the bag. You paused behind your car for a moment, then proceeded to walk southbound out of the lot and walked a block south. A peek into your car revealed a blue plastic barrel on the backseat of your car with Idaho plates. After walking a block south you paused for a while, then walked back Northbound toward the church. With several people outside observing your return, you walked back to your car, placed the bag inside the car, removed the sunglasses and walked back to the church where you were politely queried as to whether everything was ok. Handshakes were even exchanged. You indicated you went to get a hoody because you felt under dressed for mass, when queried about the sunglasses and the backpack you gave no response, instead changed the subject. When queried about leaving the lot and walking south you indicated after a long pause that you were thinking. It was related to you that your actions were reasonably suspicious. Police had been notified of your suspicious behavior and when they arrived they conducted an investigation. Your car and the contents of your bag were never searched. You apparently did not give permission to the police to do so as is your right. The church provides a meet and greet for parishioners to get to know each other when weather permits and this was...

I started attending St. Mary of Perpetual Help Parish last year in the fall. I had been doing research and it seemed like Catholicism was something I was interested in. At the time I was unbaptized and would have considered myself a deist or agnostic depending on the day.

Seeing the rich and reverent liturgy and the beauty of the church put me very interested and started reading about Catholicism. I reached out to the Parish via email and received a quick response from the staff saying that the Pastor, Father Tom would be responding to me soon. I got into contact with him and we met and he meticulously answered my questions in person. I knew this was right and I knew this was the truth and that I had finally found it. I was enrolled in the Parish's RCIA program and we studied the Catechism of the Catholic Church with other adults like me.

Soon enough, Easter came along and I was Baptized, Confirmed, and had first Communion. So, here I am still attempting to attend daily Mass as often as possible and always fulfilling my Sunday obligation.

Every week, when going to Confession at St. Mary's I find the mercy and love of Christ. It is pure joy to feel the grace when I walk out of the confessional.

Are you a lapsed Catholic and live in the Chicago area? COME HERE! Are you on the fence? COME HERE! Are you looking for thousands of years of tradition and the church that was created by Christ? Come home.

GLORIA PATRI, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula...

I highly recommend visiting this church in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago. The beauty and grandeur of this historic church is best experienced and most complete if you attend a Traditional Latin Mass, which is offered by the current pastor, Fr. Tom Aschenbrener. My husband and I had our wedding celebrated here by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, an order specially dedicated to the Latin Mass. We'd like to express our sincerest gratitude to the pastor for allowing us to celebrate here! St. Mary of Perpetual Help is one of those rare gems in our time that allows one to get the full effect of the sacraments, supported by its strong catechetical and formation programs, as does the Institute. Don't miss making...