St. Paul of the Cross Church

I love St. Paul of the Cross. The priests are great and the church is beautiful. The Christmas Masses were so beautiful. There were a total of fourteen Masses on Christmas Eve and Day — no excuse not to attend. There are confessions by a priest of Opus Dei on Thursday afternoons.

Love this parish. They are really doing things well. Many services and opportunities are offered to all.

its my church

Very large active parrish. Try the 10:30am family mass in the basement of the church. It is refreshing compared to the upstairs (hush, hush older crowd)! I’m not in favor of the PADS shelter.

Love this parish. I know this is way in the past, but I have to comment on Mike O’s comment. I was not in favor of the PADS shelter being in the school gym, and closing the mornings with PADS guests leaving at the same time our kids would be going to before school activities. Wish people would stop with the judging. I knew of no one that was going to withhold donations. Those that left the parish did so in tears. I am guessing your children did not attend St. Paul? Those that were in favor of this overwhelmingly were not school parents. Not to start a fight, I just still hear comments about «snobby rich people» and that is NOT us, nor anyone we know. We all work very hard to afford to send our children to a parochial school when we pay ridiculous taxes to support the public school down the street — my husband and I do so willingly, and at a GREAT sacrifice. There are some «Lexus-​BMW-​Mercedes driving parishioners», but the majority of what I see in the parking lot at pick up every day are minivans, and not new ones.

While I continue to support St. Paul of the Cross, a recent incident irritates me. Another Unilocaler even PM’ed me about this incident. I thought I’d express my opinion to all regarding where I stand and what I think of my parish.
I have no issues with the priests and services the parish offers. My problem is with some of the people. Recently, the pastor announced the proposed opening of a PADS homeless shelter in the school gym one night a week. This has stirred up quite a controversy at the parish right now. Coming from the same parish with a goal of acceptance and that already provides extensive financial, material and volunteer support for the «Angels» mission on the Chicago’s west side, surprises me even more.
Having seen the article in the Chicago Tribune about this, hearing about parishioners withholding their Sunday offerings, or threatening to remove their kids from the school, and the kind of outrage they expressed is disturbing to me. I see the concern, but at the same time I see the virtuous nature of what our pastor Father Carl is trying to accomplish. Honestly, I think there is an overabundance of arrogant and snobby people in this parish with «not in my backyard» as their attitude. If done properly and well-​managed, I’d say it’s a good thing. While you may disapprove about the shelter, that is not what Jesus taught us to do and you know it!
We are an affluent community, having more than we need to lead a comfortable life. Me, I’m not rich, but I’m not in debt or struggling to pay my bills either. As a community, we should do what is right, and if we help others, that is a good deed on our count.
Worries about loiterers, school kids finding drug needles, and crime associated with the shelter may very well be unfounded manifestations of prejudice. The reality is that all homeless people are not drunken bums with drug problems and mental disorders. Some of them were just like us, good citizens working for a living, supporting a family, and trying to improve their lives till some unfortunate episodes ended their dream. In this uncertain economic time, with all the foreclosures going on, I can see a growing need for more shelters. I think most would be grateful for the comfort and refuge our parish would provide.
I’m an active parishioner with 2 kids. When I look around on a major holiday and see all the «part-​time Catholics» show up, I wonder whether they are like the seeds in the parable of the sower, the ones sown among the weeds and drowned out in worldly desires. I also wonder how many of them are among those protesting.
As people of faith and as responsible role models, do you see the crooked message you are crafting to your future generation? You’re essentially saying: «It’s good to help the poor and homeless over there somewhere else, as long as we keep them from coming here.»
That is not the example I would want my children to learn.
I don’t lead a saintly life either, but I have respect for others and I know as a community we should offer to do more to those not so lucky.
So, to my fellow Lexus-​BMW-​Mercedes driving parishioners with your perfectly groomed kids and trophy spouses, before you put that «Respect Life» bumper sticker next to the Honor Student one, I’d like you to reflect on these secular words taken from a song by the Hooters from the 80s, «Brother Don’t You Walk Away.»
Well I pass him by on the street each day
Brother, don’t you walk away
He’s about my size and about my age
Brother, don’t you walk away
Down a different road, might’ve been my friend
Brother, don’t you walk away
But you never know how the road will bend…
When you sleep all night on a pillow of stone
Brother, don’t you walk away
Do you dream of finding your way back home
Brother, don’t you walk away
Well some might say these are better days
Brother, don’t you walk away
But a cardboard box is your home these days…
Now the wind blows hard through the holes in your cap
Brother, don’t you walk away
While I’m safe inside here in luxury’s lap
Brother, don’t you walk away
So you walk this land in your worn out shoes
Brother, don’t you walk away
Well if this land’s mine, is it your land too…

This attractive Catholic church is constructed of red brick and stone, with an asymmetrically laid-​out tower in back. Its welcoming design draws you in to look at the details of the exterior. It has recently expanded is auxiliary buildings to include more modern facilities.