St. Elizabeth Seton Church, 9300 W. 167th Ave.: Mass of Thanksgiving and reception at 11:30 a.m. June 23 as the Very Rev. William T. Corcoran concludes his pastorship after 11 years at the parish. A reception follows in the McBrady Center. The Rev. Kevin McCray will become the new pastor of St. Elizabeth Seton Church beginning July 1. Corcoran will continue to serve as interim vicar for the Archdiocese of Chicago Vicariate V and the dean for Vicariate V-Deanery E as well as associate priest at the parish. He was ordained as a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 13, 1981. His first parish was Sacred Heart in Palos Hills, where he was associate priest. He served four other parishes during his career, as well as being an adjunct faculty member at St. Joseph’s College of Loyola University and Mundelein Seminary of the University of St. Mary of the Lake and earning several academic degrees, and serving the diocese in various roles.

Corcoran said his biggest accomplishment at St. Elizabeth was “motivating the community to be building up the kingdom of God in this corner of the world. They’ve done this by works of charity, reaching out to the unemployed, soup kitchens, supporting food pantries to local shelters to groups that assist unwed mothers … and weekly worship of God.”

He confirmed he’s not retiring. His work for the archdiocese “allows me to be very supportive of the 36 parishes and respond to critical situations with support and assistance (not managing day-to-day),” he said. “I will help the parish work toward a solution and to help them articulate what they need to do.”

He thinks of his time at St. Elizabeth fondly. “I’ve been privileged to be in this wonderful community and surrounded by very competent and capable staff. And at moments where conflicts arise, people always put the parish first in a healthy spirit of compromise,” he said.

Alsip

Incarnation St. Terrence Parish, 4300 W. 119th Place: Parish raffle tickets being sold through June 29. Grand prize tickets will be drawn after the 11 a.m. Mass June 30 at the St. Terrence worship site. Each ticket costs $50. Grand prize is $25,000, first prize is $5,000 and third prize is $1,000 if the goal of 1,500 tickets is reached. Pay with cash, credit or check. Tickets are sold in the parish office or online at incparish.com/

Home Build ‘24 is set for June 22 at St. Terrence Parish. Other parish partners involved in this project to build walls for homes include St. Elizabeth Seton, St. Francis of Assisi, St. George, St. Julie, St. Michael and St. Stephen. People of all ages are welcome to volunteer for building, hospitality and cleanup, as well as prayers for the families of those who receive the homes. Information: whyruhyper@att.net.

Blue Island

Blue Island Waterfall on the Cal Sag Channel, Chatham and Fulton streets: Annual Blessing of the Waters at 3 p.m. June 23. The nondenominational, interactive ceremony to bless the water will be officiated by the Rev. MaryBeth Ingberg of Immanuel United Church of Christ in Evergreen Park. The Mudcats will play Dixieland music, and donated refreshments will be served. Each attendee can offer blessings and prayers. Some chairs will be provided, although attendees may bring their own. The event is open to everyone. Information: 708-424-3755.

Oak Lawn

St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Parish, 10621 Kedvale Ave.: Bingo and ice cream social for the 55+ Club at 6:30 p.m. June 25 in Kane Hall. Register for 2024-25 membership in the club. Early bird special rate is $25 for singles and $40 for couples. RSVP at 708-499-2672 or 708-425-5712.

Orland Park

All Saints Lutheran Church, 13350 LaGrange Rd.: Participants and staff from St. Coletta’s of Illinois enjoyed a picnic lunch on June 5 at All Saints Lutheran Church in Orland Park. Pastor Don Borling and members of the congregation welcomed 60 developmentally disabled adults and their chaperons to the church for an afternoon of fellowship. On the menu were grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, homemade side dishes and desserts, as well as baseball and bean bag games afterward. The picnics are back after a hiatus during the pandemic. The next one is June 20.

What’s going on at your church? Let us know by sending us an email including time, date, place and public contact information at least two weeks before the event or reservation deadline at religion@southtownstar.com.

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 10301 S. Kolmar Ave.: Greek Fest from 3 to 11 p.m. June 15 and 2 to 10 p..m. June 16. The festival, celebrating 60 years, features live music, Greek coffee and frappé, cold beer, wine and specialties such as Greek chicken, gyros, souvlaki, baklava, loukoumades and Greek fries. DJ Yianni will spin tunes at 2 p.m. both days, and Strung Out performs at 7 p.m. both days. Raffle tickets will be sold for $100; first prize is $5,000, second prize is $2,500 and third is $1,500. Winner, drawn at 9 p.m. Sunday, need not be present. Admission is by donation. Information: http://www.stnicholasil.org/ or 708-636-5460.

Evergreen Park

Most Holy Redeemer, 9525 S. Lawndale Ave.: Parking Lot Party from 7 p.m. to midnight June 15. The fundraising party kicks off the summer. The 1990s party band Fun Forrest Run! Will perform. Tickets cost $30 per person or attendees can buy a table of 10 for $300. Attendees should bring their own beverages and snacks. Sponsorships are available, and raffle tickets for $50 each or three for $100 will be sold online or can be bought by dropping off a check at the rectory office. Information: mostholyredeemer.org or 708-425-5354.

Orland Park

The Presbyterian Church in Orland Park, 13401 Wolf Road: Free mental health workshop from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 15. Attendees can become mental health first aiders by learning how to identify and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The workshop covers topics such as anxiety disorders, trauma, psychosis, suicidal thoughts or behaviors, non-suicidal self-injury and depression and mood disorders. Lunch is included. Registration is required but can be done online at rb.gy/9sj8i1 or by calling the office. Information: (708) 448-8142.

Flossmoor

Flossmoor Community Church, 2218 Hutchison Road: New Bible study series at 10 a.m. Wednesdays, June 12 to July 31, in the parlor. Pastor Dawn will lead the series, which dives into Brené Brown’s work “Braving the Wilderness.: Attendees will be asked to challenge their perceptions, strengthen their spirit and deepen connections with each other, embracing who they are in Christ. The series pairs scripture with practical life lessons. Information: www.fccfaithful.org or 708-798-2800.

Homer Glen

Parkview Christian Church, 14367 W. 159th St.: Summer Jam from 6 to 8:30 p.m. June 25 to 27. The program also is offered at the sites in New Lenox, 2121 S. Schoolhouse Road, and Orland Park, 11100 Orland Parkway. The program, for children entering first through fifth grade, requires registration. Cost is $10 per child. T-shirts cost $5 and are available in the lobbies of each location. Information: www.parkviewchurch.com or 708-478-7477.

Palos Park

Wayside Chapel at The Center, 12700 Southwest Highway: Worship and prayer meeting Monday nights starts at 7 p.m. June 10. All are welcome to gather for a time of prayer, meditation and worship. It’s a new opportunity to build a closer community and a deeper relationship with God. The simple service starts with worship music and continues with silent prayer, sharing a devotional Word and an intercession. The meeting lasts 60 to 90 minutes. There’s no need to attend all meetings. Information: waysiderev@thecenterpalos.org or 708-361-3650.

What’s going on at your church? Let us know by sending us an email including time, date, place and public contact information at least two weeks before the event or reservation deadline at religion@southtownstar.com.

Nyla has come a long way since she was born at 22 weeks at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox. Weighing just 1 pound, 2 ounces at her birth in November, she spent 117 days in the neonatal intensive care unit before being discharged May 13.

“She’s doing amazing,” her mother, NaKeya Haywood, said a day after Nyla had a doctor’s appointment, noting her little girl is up to 11 pounds, 6 ounces. “She’s still on oxygen and will be on it until the end of June. We’ll see her pulmonologist then and decide if we’re weaning or what that plan might be.”

Haywood is thrilled that Nyla is an ambassador for March of Dimes.

“It’s a story that needs to be told. In the climate that we’re in now, we don’t have too many good things,” Haywood said. “There are moms who go through this every day that we don’t necessarily talk about.”

On the day of the walk, the family will be introduced and Haywood will share their story. It’s one that likely is familiar to those who have a premature baby.

While pregnant, Haywood developed high blood pressure, a condition that can be serious for both mother and baby. A team delivered Nyla Nov. 7, months before her due date of April 19, and she went right to the neonatal intensive care unit, which opened in August 2022.

“I would definitely say one of the things that kept me sane, to say the least, was our faith in God. It’s a situation that no one thinks they’ll be in, but to say that this isn’t in my hands,” Haywood said.

“The NICU staff is essentially family now. Whenever I had questions or had concerns, they were willing to answer questions,” she said. “They’re part of our heart. The staff wrap their hands around us and let us know everything is going to be OK.”

Although Nyla is doing well, she’s on oxygen as well as a pulse oximeter, which monitors her oxygen rate and her heart rate and is clipped onto her wrist or foot.

“She’s kind of used to being hooked up to things, so it’s not a headache for her,” Haywood said.

Nyla gets a lot of her food through a bottle, but also has a feeding tube because of issues with her lungs, she said.

Nyla had laser surgery on her eyes in January at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, to zap blood vessels that grow abnormally because of the oxygen.

“Premature babies have a higher rate of retinas detaching,” Haywood said.

On the day of the walk, the team of people behind the family will be on full display, thanks to baby girl pink T-shirts that read “Nyla’s Nation.”

“I think it’s so cute and it definitely is a testament to what it took to get her to where we are now. It wasn’t just one entity,” Haywood said. “She’s got occupational therapy, speech therapy, she went to Lurie’s Children’s Hospital downtown. It’s not just Silver Cross that had a hand in how she got here and how well she’s doing.”

Peggy Farrell, director of the Amy, Matthew & Jay Vana NICU at Silver Cross, came up with the slogan.

“I coined the phrase ‘Nyla’s Nation,’ and that will be our team, because it took a nation to care for her,” Farrell said. “More people are interested in doing this walk because now we have this connection.”

Farrell, who marks her 40th anniversary as a nurse this month, is no stranger to March of Dimes walks. At her previous job for a hospital system in Florida, she grew the walk from five participants to hundreds. Just months after she arrived at Silver Cross, she called the Chicago area organization and asked if it had an ambassador for the next walk in Orland Park.

When Nyla arrived, Farrell knew she could be the ambassador. She said the baby was “blessed” with her parents.

“They really go with the flow. It makes a big difference,” she said.

Farrell also praised the first-time mom, saying she didn’t miss a beat despite all the challenges.

The Silver Cross team has grown from five people last year to more than 70 this year, with many saying their family members will walk as well.

“It’s a mix of colleagues, the community, as well as other NICU families who have joined our team,” Farrell said.

She said about 10% of babies born at hospitals, including Silver Cross, end up in the NICU.

The team is still accepting more members and donations. Registration starts at 8 a.m. and the event begins at 9. The walk steps off at centennial Ball Field 9, 15600 West Ave., Orland Park, near the purple balloons. Sign up online at www.marchforbabies.org and find the Silver Cross team.

The team goal is to raise $3,000 for March of Dimes, which began in 1938 to fight polio. The nonprofit organization is “committed to ending preventable maternal health risks and death, ending preventable preterm birth and infant death and closing the health equity gap for all families,” according to its website.

“I’m really all about bettering the outcome for moms and babies,” Farrell said, describing both her career and her passion for the walk.

She said March of Dimes does research, offers support for different services and technology, and provides resources to new families.

“On their website, they have resources for health care workers but also resources for the families,” she said.

Having an ambassador is an important way to spread the word about March of Dimes’ mission, said Lauren Scheibe, director of donor development.

“Ambassadors play a vital role in promoting the organization’s mission to give every baby the best possible start,” Scheibe said.

Ambassador families attend meetings as well as special events and fundraising activities to share their story.

“We know the road Nyla, NaKeya and Cory were just on was not an easy one, and we are very grateful they have been willing to share their story and journey with us while still in the middle of their journey,” she said.

Melinda Moore is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

During a jump, he experienced a malfunction when his parachute was a bit tangled.

“The long and short of that experience was I hadn’t been in church for a long time, and prayed for a long time, but at 3,000 feet, all those prayers of supplication started coming in,” he said.

Although he didn’t break anything, the 90-minute ride back to Fort Rucker, where he was stationed training to fly helicopters, gave him time to think.

“I started questioning the meaning and purpose of my life. I started thinking if I had died, what would they have said at my eulogy?” he shared. “I came to the conviction that I didn’t want to live for myself — I wanted to live for something higher than myself.”

Although he was raised in the Christian Reformed Church back in Texas, a philosophy of religion class he took as an undergrad at Loyola University in Chicago, and a former roommate who later introduced him to the catechism, led him to explore the teachings and philosophy of the Catholic Church.

He decided to enter the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults at St. George Catholic Church in Tinley Park, where that former roommate, Derek Whitaker, attended.

While participating in a soup and theology event, a woman asked Berryhill if he was a seminarian. That sparked his interest in attending a free retreat at Mundelein Seminary called Exploring Priesthood Weekend.

Berryhill said he was “blown away by the caliber of men there, people from all walks of life. They left everything to pursue seminary and a call to priesthood.

“That was another event that turned me on to the priesthood,” he said.

Berryhill, now 35, lived in a discernment house for two years before entering the seminary, and was a deacon during his six years as a seminarian, including doing Spanish immersion in the summer of 2023 in Antigua, Guatemala.

He was ordained May 18 at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, an experience he described as surreal.

“There’s a bit of a delayed reaction with things. It took me a while after the cardinal had placed his hands on my head,” he said. “I’m waiting for fellow classmates to get their hands laid on. I thought ‘That’s it! I’m a priest now!’”

He experienced something similar the next day, when he presided over a Communion Mass at St. George.

“I praised God that I had really good servers who could point me where I needed to go and what to say,” he said.

During Communion, as he was lifting up the bread, the impact hit him again.

“The experience was an outpouring of love with my family and friends and fellow priests. A very joyful weekend. It was a confirmation of the spirit alive in the church.”

The Rev. Paul Seaman at St. George praised the job Berryhill did at his first Mass, saying he “was poised, and he was prayerful. He drew people into the prayer.”

“St. George has a really wonderful track record of promoting vocations. I think it’s because the faith as a community radiates in such a way that people are inspired to serve the Lord in a particularly special way,” Seaman said.

Berryhill chose a different type of music for the Mass, and wore a stole he used when he heard his first confession.

Seaman said it’s an honor for a parish to produce a priest.

“Tim’s vocation story is a direct line from his ordination that goes back to his friendship to one of our parishioners,” he said. “It was through that friendship that Tim started really thinking about deeper faith questions and then became Catholic. He wasn’t even Catholic when we first met.”

His mother, Cathryn Berryhill, said although Tim was always a leader, his new vocation “wasn’t exactly on my bingo card.”

“It’s not something I expected, but as we’ve gone on this journey with him, we’ve learned a lot about the faith,” she said.

She described his first Mass as “very personal,” thanks to all of the connections he made at St. George.

“Usually to me, church would be really formal, but he was almost conversational and informal, very welcoming and recalling instances with people in the parish,” she said.

His brother couldn’t attend the ordination, but Capt. Michael Berryhill, who is deployed in Iraq with the 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the New Jersey Army National Guard, said he is “beyond proud” of his older brother. Both were Eagle Scouts, participated in ROTC in high school and college and were commissioned into the National Guard.

“Tim always had a heart to serve, which was first seen in his decision to serve his country, and now continues with his decision to serve God and the church,” he said. “Throughout all of his accomplishments, Tim always had the ability to make people laugh and bring people together.”

He said he was initially surprised to learn his brother decided to become a priest, but said he never doubted his commitment.

“Seeing the love Tim has for the church and the support in the community that surrounds him solidify to me that this truly is God’s calling for Tim,” he said.

Berryhill’s first assignment will be at St. Paul VI Parish in Riverside, which is a unified version of St. Hugh in Lyons, Mater Christi in North Riverside and St. Mary in Riverside and has a school with about 350 students. Eight Masses take place on the weekend at the parish’s two buildings.

The Rev. Tom May is looking forward to welcoming Berryhill, who officially starts July 1 but has started moving into the rectory at St. Mary.

May said one of the first orders of business for the associate priest will be saying a morning Mass, followed by lots of discussion.

“You have to kind of take it slow and to talk things through and how things are done like funerals and wake services before the funerals and cemetery services,” May said. “They don’t go through all of that at the seminary. … Every parish has its own way of doing things, so just learning all of that is a challenge.”

It’s a busy parish, with about 1,500 regular attendees each weekend and about 70 funerals each year.

May also is looking forward to having Berryhill use his language skills to lead the Spanish service, which started in mid-January.

“People are excited about him coming and will be welcoming. He’ll be overwhelmed with invitations for breakfast and lunch,” May said.

Melissa Moore is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

Carlo Acutis, from Milan, Italy, died from leukemia in 2006. He was a self-taught website designer who documented eucharistic miracles and was known as the “patron saint of the internet.”

“I have been kind of watching the reports of things going on. He was beatified as a blessed back in 2020,” said Jennifer Lebhardt, coordinator of junior high youth formation at St. Jude Parish and co-director of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, who helped bring the exhibit to the parish. “That means there are miracles associated with him after he had passed.”

Acutis was a teen when he began a database that collected “all this information of church-approved miracles” Lebhardt said. He was diagnosed with leukemia and died fairly quickly afterward.

“He was very devout and faithful to the church and eucharist and would teach kids about it,” Lebhardt said. “After he passed, there were a lot of things that happened that raised eyebrows. I’ve heard of these eucharistic miracles and they’ve always fascinated me.”

The Vatican Eucharistic Miracles Photographic Exhibit recounts 158 well-documented miraculous occurrences from 22 countries on 2-by-3 laminated posters. It can be viewed from 4-8 p.m. on June 1, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 2, and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 3. The exhibit, in St. Jude’s Franciscan Hall at 241 W. Second Ave., is free, although donations will be taken in baskets and via a QR code.

“Each table will be double-sided to kind of snake through and see both sides of the tables, because there are over 150 miracles to bring forward,” Lebhardt said.

Acutis was beatified by Pope Francis in 2020 after the first miracle was attributed to him. The pope met May 23, 2024, with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, and recognized a second miracle attributed to Acutis, according to Vatican News.

That miracle, which happened in 2022, involved the recovery of a young woman named Valeria Valverde who suffered a traumatic brain injury and had a low chance of survival. Her mother, Liliana Valverde, arrived from Costa Rica July 8 on a pilgrimage to Acutis’ tomb in Assisi, Italy, to pray for her daughter. That day, Valeria began to breathe spontaneously, and July 18, a CAT scan “proved that her hemorrhage had disappeared,” according to Vatican News.

For Acutis’ first miracle, approved by the pope in 2020, a 4-year-old boy from Brazil was healed from a rare pancreatic disease in 2013. After a local priest received a relic from Acutis’ mother and led a prayer service for healing, and the boy himself prayed before a picture of Acutis, the boy’s condition improved immediately, CatholicVote reported.

Lebhardt said the miracles Acutis presented in the exhibit typically related to the host — a small, flat wafer — provided during the Eucharist, also known as Communion.

“Every miracle is a little different. Sometimes it’s a host that presents blood and when the scientists examine it, they find that the blood is coming from the inside of the host and not the outside, so they can tell it’s not a drop that has dropped on it,” she said.

“The scientists find that it is heart tissue. They find living white blood cells. They find that it’s the same blood type every time — the A-B blood type that is more often found in the Middle Eastern areas. It’s more rare than the other types we see.”

She called the process “quite fascinating” and said one of the most famous eucharistic miracles happened in 750 in Lanciano, Italy, where it’s still on display.

“They broke it out in the 1970s and had it researched. That’s when they found out it was still living blood cells,” she said.

The Rev. Ray Flores at St. Jude is also in awe of the miracles.

“They are pretty incredible. I can’t begin to understand it myself — I’m not that smart,” Flores said. “I don’t understand it. That’s part of the mystery of the faith that we profess.”

He said the importance of the Eucharist to Catholics can’t be understated.

“It’s food for our journey. In Latin it’s ‘vaticum.’ If a person can receive their last Communion when they pass from this world to the next, it will system them for this journey,” he said. “But for those of us who are earthbound, it’s sustenance for what we are. It’s substantive food and transforms into God.

“The miracle is that we can consume God and become godlike. I think we’re most godlike when we’re in relationship with each other,” Flores said. “That’s ultimately what Jesus said, you should love your neighbor and God.”

Flores said the parish started a series last year to understand eucharistic miracles and he went on a pilgrimage to Assisi, where Acutis’ body is housed.

“We could visit his remains and pray there,” he said.

A friend of his in Chicago told him St. Jude had an opportunity to learn from the exhibit.

“It happened coincidentally, but we don’t believe in that. It’s a divine order. But it was amazing how it came together so quickly,” Flores said.

He hopes the exhibit will honor Acutis’ life and legacy but more importantly will “help people understand the presence of God in the Eucharist and how accessible that is to us as Catholics,” Flores said.

Flores said having a saint who’s a millennial is important.

“I think he can speak to this generation about so many things that don’t make sense … what he was learning and his relationship with God. That’s the most important gift he has given the church,” he said.

The exhibit could be considered part of a bigger movement, Lebhardt said, mentioning the “eucharistic revival” begun by U.S. Catholic bishops.

She said people in the parish are talking about the exhibit and she hopes it will bring a “lightbulb” moment and increase in belief.

“I hope they are empowered to bring Christ to other people,” she said. “To bring other people to this awakening and realize that no matter what they are going through, our Lord loves them personally and he invites them to come to them.”

Melinda Moore is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

Immanuel United Church of Christ, 9815 S. Campbell Ave.: Evergreenia Concert on the Lawn on June 8. The picnic starts at 4:30 p.m. and the community concert begins at 5:30 p.m. The theme is “summertime.” The church invites members and friends of nearby UCC congregations to the event: Pilgrim Faith and Salem in Oak Lawn, Christ Memorial in Blue Island and Peace Memorial in Palos Park. Immanuel UCC will provide hot dogs and hamburgers, but attendees are asked to bring a side dish or dessert to share. Participants also should bring blankets or folding chairs and beverages of their choice. Sign up in the church narthex with the number of attendees and what food item will be brought. Information: 708-424-3755.

Alsip

Incarnation St. Terrence Parish, 4300 W. 119th Place:  Annual Global Rosary Relay for the sanctification of priests is set for 6:30 p.m. June 7. Attendees should arrive by 6:15 p.m. After the rosary for priests is prayed, the first Friday Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus will begin at 7 p.m. That service is designed to increase love for Jesus and to make reparation for past and present offenses against his love. It includes quiet, prayerful time. Information: https://incparish.com/

Flossmoor

St. John the Evangelist Parish, 2640 Park Drive: Annual parish picnic on June 2. The church has a single service at 9 a.m. that day with the picnic following. Games for people of all ages will be available, but attendees may bring their own. Everything will take place inside because of the cicadas. Friends are welcome.

Wednesday Morning Devotion starts at 9:30 a.m. June 5 and repeats the first Wednesday of each month. It will be held over Zoom and led by a member of the Lydia chapter for Daughters of the King. To join the meeting, find the link on the church website. Information: www.mysje.org or 708-798-4150.

Palos Heights

Palos Bible Church, 12701 S 70th Ave.: The Great Jungle Journey Vacation Bible School Kids! Club starts in late June. It’s open to children 3 years old to fifth grade. Sessions are 5:30 to 8 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays June 17, 19, 21, 24 and 26. A family fun night is set for June 28. Register in advance at palosbible.churchcenter.com/registrations. Sign up using the grade the child just completed. Information: 708-448-2223.

Palos Park

Wayside Chapel at The Center, 12700 Southwest Highway: Anniversary dinner and renewal of vows at 4:30 p.m. June 16. Couples are welcome to celebrate their July, August or September anniversaries. Begin with fellowship in the Great Hall at 4:30 p.m., followed by a candlelight dinner and then renewal of wedding vows in the chapel. Cost is $100. Reservations are required before June 10. Call 708-361-3650.

What’s going on at your church? Let us know by sending us an email including time, date, place and public contact information at least two weeks before the event or reservation deadline at religion@southtownstar.com.

These days, young people have a variety of options when it comes to summer camps at both Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills and Governors State University in University Park, and creativity and exploration rank high on the goals for their offerings.

“The best thing is being creative – looking at everything and getting inspiration,” said Tammy Pruitt, instructor of the fashion and sewing summer classes at MVCC. “The thing I like to teach most is when the light bulb goes off and the students see their design and aren’t intimidated.”

This is the second summer MVCC is offering the fashion classes, which were so popular the college added a noncredit session in April this year.

“I have some (students) who are really timid and scared and I have some who are on fire!” Pruitt said of the April class. “They know how to sketch and draw. They are all excited and want to be encouraged.”

Last summer’s fashion classes were “the most enrolled classes,” said Liz Micheletti, program manager, Corporate Community & Continuing Education. “The classroom was full of kids excited to learn.”

She added that Pruitt is a supportive instructor. “I got to jump in the class a few times that Tammy was teaching, and I love how the kids feel open to expressing themselves in the class,” Micheletti said. “The environment Tammy creates is special. They can create different looks, different drawings based on what they like and what they’ve learned in the class. I think that’s so fun.”

Pruitt, a fashion and design instructor, earned a bachelor’s degree in fashion design in 1996 and began teaching classes in 2010 after receiving a master’s degree in education. She has high hopes for the summer classes.

“I hope they get inspired to be themselves and not be afraid to create. And I hope they don’t compare themselves. I think that’s the thing they might do. We do have a couple of 16-year-olds. (The younger kids) see them drawing and just watch,” she explained.

Pruitt said she shows them videos of teen designs. “We want to start young and cultivate their gift so even though they’re young they have skills behind them,” she said, adding that she had a few 8-year-old students in her class, which focused on designing a Croc. “An 8-year-old actually took raman noodles and made a design on the shoe. It’s amazing how young they are and they are already gifted.”

The summer’s four classes, which can be taken by someone as young as 8, include Fashion Designer 1 and 2, which cover basics of fashion design; Learn To Sew, which teaches hand sewing and machine parts; and Sewing, Denim Frenzy, where students learn how to embellish denim and create a denim hoodie.

“I would tell them if your kids are interested in fashion and want to grow in this field to come and take the class,” Pruitt said. “I will tell them it’s fun, exciting and it may be a little challenging for them. But I think it would be well worth it.”

In the basics class, students focus on design vs. making an item. “They have to put together a mood board based on what inspiration they want to do. They learn how to put together a collection so they can get a feel for that,” she said. “I would love for them to make a garment but that takes a lot of skill for them to sew.”

MVCC has a variety of summer classes, including STEM sessions and gatherings focused on role-playing games. Fees apply. The catalog is at moraine-valley-community-college.dcatalog.com/v/Youth-Summer-2024. Information is with the Community Education office at 708-974-5735.

At Governors State, a new camp is on the books this year after students who participated in STEAM and theater camps last summer expressed an interest in music.

“It happened at a great time that Fernando Jones, founder of the Blues Camp experience for kids, approached us and said ‘I’m interested in having a camp at GSU for young musicians,’” said Michelle Sebasco, director of Academic Partnerships and Continuing Education.

Although returning campers up to age 18 can jump in, the camp, set for July 29 through 31, is aimed at students 10 to 16 years old. “Because they’re in junior high and in the early stages of high school, they bond with each other. It’s a good synergy amongst that age group.”

Thus far several students have signed up for evening auditions, including one May 29, for the camp, which is free. Students will be separated into several rooms, depending on whether they are vocalists or play an instrument. Registration and information are at continuinged@govst.edu or 708-534-4099. Those who make it in will receive a code to sign up for the camp.

“What we’re assessing for isn’t that they’re really fantastic musicians for vocalists. What we’re assessing for is that they really have passion for it and really want to try and that they are students who can receive tutoring,” Sebasco said.

The camp’s goal includes social and emotional learning and music literacy,” she said, explaining that it’s structured like a class. “We’re not just up there jamming.” It also aims to have students think about music as a career and to consider music “as a second language.”

The tuition waiver the kids will receive as part of the program is valued at $1,500 to $2,500, she said. “Everything is free for them. It’s a priceless experience. The Blues Camp kids can go all over. They can do some touring with the Blues Camp Kids Foundation, and we’ve had kids who have done things all through the country” and internationally. She added that GSU will provide five guitars for students who don’t have an instrument, and Jones also will bring some instruments.

The camp was created on Chicago’s South Side in 1989, she said. “Fernando Jones is like a walking, talking blues man. He looks like the Chicago-style blues. It’s cool.”

Jones, a faculty member at Columbia College in Chicago and head of the Blues Kids Foundation, will bring six “like-minded musicians” to help the kids learn to play. “He has a whole bank of instructors coming in, and GSU will have six camp counselors available to the children. So there will be 12 adults in the rooms at all times with the children as they play,” Sebasco said.

The camp culminates the afternoon of the third day with a performance for parents and families. “This is a no-stress environment, baby,” she said. “It’s the blues!”

She said the session is ideal for anyone passionate about music. “They can be a beginner, intermediate. They can be advanced. We’re looking for a combination of kids who love music and want to play.”

Other summer camps this summer include a STEAM camp mid-July that still has several scholarship openings left so it would be free, a one-day camp July 11 for young adults 17 to 30 with disabilities, and aviation camp in early August. For information about any of the camps, call the School of Extended Learning at 708-534-4099.

During the aviation camp, students 10 to 16 years old will be guided through aviation-themed activities at Bult Field Airport in Monee. An aviation simulator, parachute kites and drones will be used in the instruction. Fees apply.

GSU began offering a ground school this spring, which puts people on the licensure track with the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as a flight program and drone program. Sebasco said they hope the summer camp will “generate some exposure to potential career tracks within aviation for kids.”

“If they are a kid who is interested in flights, there’s this program,” she explained. “With the retirement of so many pilots, there is a high need for trained pilots and also mechanics, airline mechanics. They’ll see all of it. They’ll get to be exposed to all of the good stuff at an airport.”

Melinda Moore is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

St. Augustine Catholic Parish, 4130 147th St.: Collection of worn U.S. flags until the end of the school year, June 6, by the Knights of Columbus. The flags will be decommissioned during a ceremony with the Boy Scouts on June 14, Flag Day, at a location to be determined. Information: www.staugustinemidlothian.org or 708-388-8190.

Flossmoor

Flossmoor Community Church, 2218 Hutchison Road: Dance Away Domestic Violence from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Community House, 847 Hutchison Road. The church and the Board of Faith in Action will host Anew-Building Beyond Violence for the fourth annual event. Although it’s normally held at Martin Square in Homewood, this year the church will offer a cooled space free of cicadas for participants to do line dancing, Zumba, country line dancing and cardio drumming while raising awareness about domestic violence and funding for Anew’s programming. Music will be provided by DJ Love. All ages may participate. Registration is required and can be done online. Cost for adults is $20 and cost for children is $10. Information: www.fccfaithful.org or 708-798-2800.

Homer Glen

Our Mother of Good Counsel, 16043 Bell Road: Inaugural Knights of Columbus golf outing June 3 at Crystal Tree Country Club, 10700 W. 153rd St. in Orland Park. Tickets are available for dinner only or player options and sold online. Cost is $200 for individuals and $800 for foursomes. Sponsorships are available. Dinner only costs $50 per person. All proceeds go to the parish and its local Knights Council. Information: www.omgccc.org or 708-301-6246.

Oak Lawn

Pilgrim Faith United Church of Christ, 9411 S. 51st Ave.: Fundraising day June 7 for the mission trip to Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Miss. Visit Corner Bakery Cafe at 9621 Cicero Ave. between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. that day. For every order placed in person or online, 25% will be given to the church. Mention you are with Pilgrim Faith when placing the order so the church receives credit. The mission trip takes place July 7 through 13. RSVP to show you plan to support the trip. Information: https://grouprai.se/s279563.

Palos Park

The Center, 12700 Southwest Highway: Walk the labyrinth, which is near the north end of the main parking lot. Labyrinths, which have been in existence for thousands of years, are designed to allow walking meditation, thanks to a single path that winds from the edge to the center. Unlike mazes, labyrinths have no dead ends. Information: www.thecenterpalos.org or 708-361-3650.

Tinley Park

Trinity Lutheran Church, 6850 W. 159th St.: “Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table” series starts June 3. The six-week Bible study has two sessions: 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The series is based on Psalm 23:5: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” and is about winning the battle of the mind. It’s led by Eric Mooney. Registration is encouraged. Information: www.tics.org, emooeny@tlcs.org or 708-532-9395, Ext. 229.

What’s going on at your church? Let us know by sending us an email including time, date, place and public contact information at least two weeks before the event or reservation deadline at religion@southtownstar.com.

St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church, 16021 S. Kedvale Ave.: Annual wheel blessing after the 11:30 a.m. Mass on May 26. The event will take place in the north parking lot of the church. Anything with wheels may be blessed, including motorcycles, bicycles, wheelchairs, strollers and scooters. Information: parish@scaoaklawn.org or 708-425-2850.

Flossmoor

Flossmoor Community Church, 2218 Hutchison Road: Wear red for Pentecost for the service at 10 a.m. May 19. Betsy Hanzelin will preach, and special recognition will be given for her retirement. After the service, a retirement celebration follows at the Community House, 847 Hutchison Road. Information: www.fccfaithful.org or 708-798-2800.

Evenin’ Weedin’ takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. May 21. It’s a relaxing time of service outside with friends. Attendees may bring a cooler with beverages and join in fellowship while serving the church the third Tuesday of each month through August. May 21 the group probably will spread mulch. The church will supply chips and salsa and cookies. Information: 708-798-2800.

Hickory Hills

St. Patricia Catholic Church, 9060 S. 86th Ave.: Alcoholics Anonymous meetings take place at 6:30 and 7 p.m. Thursdays in the Brody Room in the rectory basement The entrance is on the north side of the rectory. Information: stpatriciaparish.com or 708-598-5222.

New Lenox

St. Jude Parish, 241 W. Second Ave.: “Healing Our Throwaway Culture – a Focus on Plastics” at 7 p.m. May 20 in Room 4 of Franciscan Hall. It’s presented by the St. Jude Church Peace & Social Justice Ministry as part of Earth Day. Participants are invited to learn, pray, discuss and take concrete actions on the plastics crisis and protecting the Earth. The program focuses on the growing problem of plastic pollution and complements the secular Earth Day theme of “Planet vs. Plastics.” Information: 815-463-4208.

Palos Heights

Palos United Methodist Church, 12101 S. Harlem Ave.: Worship service at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Communion is offered the first Sunday of each month, and the communion table is open to everyone. Information: www.palosumc.com or 708-448-0798.

Palos Park

Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 8410 W. 131st St.: Fabulous Sunday of Myrrh-bearers Lamb & Chicken Roast at noon May 19. Donation is $25 for adults, $15 for students and free for children younger than 10. A free children’s egg hunt is planned. His Eminence Archbishop Daniel will be on hand earlier in the day for a blessing of the iconostas. Make reservations. Information: 708-361-5165.

What’s going on at your church? Let us know by sending us an email including time, date, place and public contact information at least two weeks before the event or reservation deadline at religion@southtownstar.com.

“It’s the community that we attribute the longevity to,” she said. “Family volunteers, donors. It’s so easy for me to give you names because so many people continued here. Our secretary went here, she works here, her kid goes here. Everyone is like that.”

Tzoumas likened the continuity of the school community to a chain.

“We have a teacher whose grandmother was a teacher here,” she said. “The grandma, the kids, they all went here. It’s a long list of people who continue to send their kids here and volunteer here and donate their money.”

Another person who sees the school’s connections is volunteer Evelyn Gleason, who helps junior high students with math. She taught fourth and fifth grade at St. Christopher from 1970 to 1976 and later taught music and PE at the school. She and her husband both attended the school — she graduated in 1962 — and sent their two sons there.

“Alumni have been so generous,” she said. “There are generations of families. … It becomes part of you. Fright night roller skating and teen dances. These are the things that spark community.”

The school, where at one time 1,000 students roamed the halls even before it had a preschool, now has an enrollment of 213 in preschool through eighth grade.

“Families are having fewer kids,” Gleason said, adding that her husband was one of 12 siblings, and she was one of six.

“I was on the School Board and fought for preschool,” she said, noting that when she attended, they did double shifts and had portable classrooms in the parking lot.

Gleason said St. Christopher nearly didn’t make it to its 100th anniversary.

“In 2014, they were going to close the school. People came together with pledges, local families, to keep it open, because they knew the value of it,” she shared, noting lots of leaders have come out of the school, including two former Midlothian mayors, a police chief and the current fire chief. “Alumni have been so generous.”

Alumni – and anyone else with connections to the school – can celebrate its 100th anniversary during an event planned for May 18. It begins with a Mass at 4:30 p.m. at St. Augustine Parish followed by tours of the school at 14611 Keeler Ave. and activities in the gym along with food, drinks, a DJ and raffles. Advance tickets are required and cost $20 for adults and $10 for children younger than 16. They can be bought in the parish and school offices or online at StChrisSchool.org. None will be sold at the door.

Tzoumas said a big part of the celebration will be honoring Sister Laurinda Hefel — “the last nun to walk through St. Christopher” — who spent nearly 50 years at the school, which was founded by the Franciscan Sisters of Dubuque. “She was a kindergarten teacher for many years and then a librarian as she got older,” the principal explained.

Hefel had knee surgery but came back for the 2023-24 school year. But as she approaches age 80, this will be her last year at the school. “She just decided it was time,” Tzoumas said. “She cried and cried because she didn’t want (to retire).”

Another person with deep roots to the school is administrative assistant Patricia Powers, who attended St. Christopher with her four siblings, including her twin sister, and sent all three of her children there. She’s worked there for 17 years.

“They get a good education. It’s good for their faith, even,” she said, pointing out that there’s a close relationship between the parish and the school.

“It’s smaller class sizes and more family oriented,” Powers said, adding that a lot of students go on to Bremen High School in Midlothian. “My girls were in the top 10% and my son was valedictorian at Bremen. The kids are really well-prepared for high school. For a couple of years, all the valedictorians at Bremen were from St. Christopher.”

Assistant Principal Susan Calder, who also teaches sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade social studies, has been with the Archdiocese of Chicago for 30 years. She attended St. Christopher with her nine siblings, graduating in 1981. “My mom had a kid in the school for 28 years!” she exclaimed. Gleason was her music teacher.

Calder said the school has embraced new technology.

“My chalkboard came down over the summer and I got a white board. I have a drawer full of chalk now,” she shared.

She described the school as “a home” because “it’s comfortable. As kids you didn’t think twice about it.” The summer carnival lasted for two weeks. “Everybody knew everybody. It was a vital part of the community.”

Calder said she is most looking forward to seeing “people from the past” at the anniversary celebration. “My brother is in his early 70s. His best friend is still his best friend from grammar school. … They all still talk and get together, and this is where that connection started.”

She remembers roller skating in the gym on Friday nights and the Scholastic reading program, known as SRA. “The sister joked it was her program because she had the same initials,” Calder said with a smile. The school has a similar program now, although it’s online.

The Rev. Robinson Ortiz, a priest at St. Augustine Parish, said the school is a success “because it has remained faithful to its core mission of educating children in the faith, keeping academic excellence and forming citizens with principles and values.”

He said the school is part of the parish and faith is a core principle. “Our parishioners love the school because many generations have been educated in this institution and recognize the importance of Catholic education in their lives. We share the celebration of the sacraments,” Ortiz shared. “For instance, we just had close to 90 Confirmations and almost 100 First Communions for students both in the church education program and the school.”

Faith plays an active role at the school. “The school community has a weekly Mass together with parishioners on Wednesdays. During the year, we celebrate confirmations, first communions, confessions, rosary, May Crowning, palm burning before Ash Wednesday, and stations of the cross,” Ortiz said. “In addition, the students participate in the weekly Mass by being part of the choir, reading, bringing the gifts and as extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist. At times I visit them in their classrooms to answer their questions and at lunchtime just to say hi.”

He’s looking forward to participating in the anniversary celebration.

“Celebrating 100 years is a privilege for everybody in the parish community and the community at large. We want to thank the Franciscans Sisters of Dubuque who kept their presence at the school for 100 years, especially with Sister Laurinda Hefel who just retired after almost 50 years of service,” Ortiz shared. “We expect to see many alumni and families who benefited from the century-long education offered at St. Christopher School.”

Tzoumas is proud of the school’s achievements and the team of teachers and staff she has, some of whom have worked for St. Christopher for more than 10 years. “I’m proud of how we work together. I wouldn’t be able to do my job without any of them,” she said. “They have to be passionate because you have to be to teach for this amount of money. They’re faithful and passionate.”

She’s also grateful for the school’s longevity and being able to upgrade it. “It’s a Catholic school, and a 100-year-old Catholic school. We have a lot of old things in this building but we’ve been able to fund smart boards, new desks and chairs and tables,” as well as renovating the gym.

She said getting donations will be the way to ensure the school’s legacy continues. “Having people support us. That is the biggest way – the support from the community and donors. That’s the key to success in this business.”

Melinda Moore is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.