Mission of Our Lady of the Angels
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| Call Fr. Bob to get involved and become part of the Mission family: 773-486-8431. Today! |
At the beginning of September, the Mission needed about $50,000 to finish the Phase 1 renovations on the Church. Our great supporters threw two great fund raisers and a team of 13 runners participated in the Chicago marathon. So how did the Mission do??? The Mission raised about $35,000 thanks to YOU and the help of God! Thank you so much to all who attended the benefits. Thank you to St. Teresa of Avila Church and Queen of the Rosary Church and those who organized these events. Thank you to our runners, the pit crew and those who supported their efforts. We have awesome volunteers and donors. Thank you so much for helping us rebuild His church. Every single penny and brick will help. The finished historic church will allow us to expand our outreach to those in West Humboldt Park, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Chicago. What we do at the Mission really makes a difference in people's lives. If you have time, listen to the witness of a few of the ladies in the Tuesday morning Seniors Program at a fund raiser last fall. They are so thankful, not just for the difference it makes in their lives but in the lives of the children and the whole neighborhood. Thanks again. Joyce Erica Betty |
| Fund Raising Results Update |
| Thank you to has helped rebuild our church! It is hard to believe that we are so close to our goal on the Stage 1 Renovations. We hope to open the doors in December! |
| Your kindness and generosity have been overwhelming. Your many, many hours of labor are so very greatly appreciated by the neighbors we serve, our new fledgling community of young people discerning their vocations, His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, by me, and, I believe, by God. |
| Now, if you don't really need a T--shirt but feel particularly blessed and would like to help renovate the church, feel free to send Fr. Bob a check. Scroll down for the church update. Any amount will help. You can contact Fr. Bob Lombardo at Mission of Our Lady of the Angels, 3808 W. Iowa St., Chicago, IL 60651 or call him at (773) 486-8431 |
As you can see, a lot is happening in the church. Fr. Bob would surely like to get this renovation done so he can devote full time to ministering to the people instead of being a construction manager! |
A sneak peak at the front yard from an open window in the stair well up to the choir loft.
| September 10, 2011 Church Update |
| Christmas 2011 Blessings! |
| Jesus watches the progress made possible by our selfless volunteers and donors who learned well the lesson He taught from the cross. |
| The church basement is badly need for programs that will serve the poor in the neighborhood. Look at these pictures and then click on this link which will take you to the "Church" page. If you scroll down that page, you will see some photos of the basement as it was when we took it over- standing water, trash everywhere, grease and mildew on the walls and floors. Many volunteers and tradesmen have spent a lot of time getting the basement dry and ready to be finished! Thank YOU! THIS is progress! And, if you have a group that would like to come out for a service day or week to continue the great work of the volunteers who have already made this possible, let Fr. Bob know. This would NOT be possible without you and God. Basement Photos as of the end of February 2012 |
Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no feet on earth, but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ looks compassion into the world. Yours are the feet with which Christ walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which Christ blesses the world. -- Teresa of Avila |
| November 13: This week, the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels was featured on The Church, the Cardinal and You. Click HERE to view the segment. (about 7 min) Comcast customers who live in Chicago and throughout the suburbs can see The Church, the Cardinal and You, Sunday at 1 p.m. on CN-100, the Comcast Network (Channel 100). The program also airs Friday at 7 p.m. on Chicago Loop Cable Channel 25. This program is produced by the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office of Radio and Television. |
| 7/28/2011: Mission OLA featured on CBS News Chicago! Click HERE (The CBS clip will take a minute to load.) / |
| Church Update: November 2011 |
Work continues. Soon they will be ready to lay the tile. |
Look at the gorgeous work being done by our gifted craftsmen! Just beautiful! We continue to make progress in the basement, too, but the results are not quite as visible yet. Nevertheless, little by little, brick by brick, we go forward. Some day soon, this basement will be a vibrant place serving the needs of the poor in this neighborhood - both body & soul. |
| The room in the two photos above is the kitchen in the basement. If you know of any restaurants going out of business or renovating that would like to donate kitchen appliances, have them call Fr. Bob! The bathrooms, storage room and other ancillary rooms in the basement are just waiting for some willing hands and a coat of paint! The larger room still looks pretty much just like it did in the photos below in the September update. |
December 5, 2011: We're almost there!
| The church is poised to reopen. What a joyous moment! |
| 2nd Blessing: The Chicago Tribune What a miracle to wake up Christmas morning, pick up the newspaper and see some truly good news in the Chicago Tribune - a wonderful front page story about the good work taking place at the Mission, followed by a full page story on page 24. For those not fortunate enough to have a copy of the Tribune on their doorstep Christmas morning, here are links to the Story, the Video and the Photo Gallery. Photo Gallery Thank you to the Chicago Tribune and to all of the others in the media who have been so kind to the Mission. We really appreciate your coverage, and we will keep you, our volunteers, our donors and all those who have helped renovate first the rectory, then Kelly Hall, then the convent, and now God's house, in our prayers- as we also pray for the neighbors we serve. Thank you to everyone, and may God bless you and keep you safe, healthy and happy in 2012. |
Latest News
| Closer....closer....closer.... We are only about a month away from the reopening of the Church. Volunteers are polishing the woodwork and dusting off the pews already! The church looks great! |
Photos of basement in 2011
| 1st Blessing: Click HERE for some awesome and awe-inspiring photos from the Christmas party!!! |
| On a very gloomy Cinco de Mayo, volunteers brought cheer and joy into Humboldt Park. It was a typical Mobile Food Pantry Day. Volunteers unloaded the truck and packaged the food, preparing to receive those who live in the neighborhood. |
| After the food was ready to be distributed, the volunteers gathered around Fr. Bob for a prayer. Meanwhile the neighbors had lined up around the outside of the fence and Kelly Hall and were waiting patiently. Actually, they had lined up a couple hours before... (I get impatient waiting in the grocery line for 5 minutes... Imagine how much this means to these people.) |
| Those who volunteer are always rewarded by the smiles on the faces of the children who come with their parents -- both to distribute the food and to receive it. We have many children who help with the Mobile Food Pantry, so if you would like to come, feel free to bring the whole family. We love kids! That's one reason we do this! |
Double click any photo to enlarge and then hit your "back" button to return to this page.
Aren't they beautiful?
Merry Christmas from Fr. Bob and the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels Dear Friends, Christmas Greetings from Chicago! I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving with family and friends. As many of you know, we are in full gear preparing for our annual Christmas concert and Christmas festivities for the neighborhood. I would like to update you on our recent activity here at the Mission. In September we hosted the 55 piece Oak Park Symphony who performed a concert in the renovated Church basement for our friends and neighbors. On October 13, Sisters Kate and Alicia professed First Vows. All of the 300 guests were deeply touched by the sisters’ gift of their lives for the Church. Please pray for vocations. The Saturday before Thanksgiving we hosted a Prayer Breakfast for about 450 neighbors. Each neighbor attended the prayer service, received a hot breakfast, and took home a basket complete with a turkey and traditional Thanksgiving food. We continue to help over 700 families a month with food, clothing and household goods. The former convent has been consistently used for retreats and to house volunteers. All of the youth in programs at Kelly Hall are at or above grade level. We hope to soon expand the program to accommodate those on the waiting list. Activities continue this Christmas with our Christmas concert performed by the Chicago Opera community and various Christmas celebrations with prayers, songs, food, and gifts. To do this necessary work here we need and appreciate your help. Most importantly, please continue to pray for the Mission. If you are able, please consider making a monetary donation this Christmas to help support our work here. If you are able, please make a check out to Mission of Our Lady of the Angels and send it to the Mission at 3808 W. Iowa St., Chicago, IL 60651. We would rather spend your donation helping the poor instead of on postage, so if you would like an e-mail thank you, please indicate that with your donation. Thank you in advance for your generosity. During this Holy Season be assured of remembrance in daily prayers and Masses. If you have any special intentions please contact me. May God bless you and your loved ones with a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Fr. Bob |
| This year, we give thanks that we had something to distribute to the neighbors. Some years, the cupboard has been bare... Thanks to our Heavenly Father, our volunteers and donors who brought light to our neighbors this Thanksgiving. |
Double Click on any picture to enlarge and then hit the "Back" button on your browser.
One person can carry the light. Let's carry the light together!
Oct. 13: We have two new nuns! Sister Kate and
Sister Alicia took their vows on October 13!
Check out this awesome video from the Archdiocese about the rededication
(about 7 minutes).
For the Catholic New World's article on the rededication, click HERE.
Check this link for a full layout of Photos from Rededication of the church!
| Bank of America Chicago Marathon 2013 We have about 45 runners for the 2013 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. They will fun to support the many services and activities at the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels. Race day: October 13, 2013 Contact Sr. Stephanie at olamission@gmail.com for more information on how you can support the team. |
| Feb. 2, 2013 On the coldest day in Chicago this winter, volunteers came from all over Chicago to serve those in need. Their fingers and toes may have been cold, but their hearts were warm. Families, friends, parishes, boy scouts, high schools and colleges came. Individuals came by themselves, because they had heard about the good work being done at the Mission, and they wanted to see for themselves. Afterwards, young adults gather for adoration and lunch. We build community, while helping a community. |
Double click on any of the above pictures to enlarge. Then hit your back button to return to this page.
May 22, 2013 - First Community Dinner in the Church Basement!
Do you remember what the basement looked like in November 2011? |
| Well, you should see it now!!! Thank you to all the volunteers and donors who made this possible! |
This is what a church basement should look like. A place where friends and family can come together for a meal, share a laugh or two and be happy. There were many happy people in the church basement on May 22. |
| We began with prayers, then proceeded downstairs. |
An instruction or two, from you know who... : )
Families & Friends Gathered Together. Great Volunteers & Donors, Serving God and His beloved children. Really, does it get any better? |
Wow! This is Awesome...