December 2010
Dear Friends in Christ:
Since I became Archbishop of Chicago in 1997, I have visited Saint John Berchmans Parish on several occasions. During each visit, I have been encouraged by the growth and vitality of your parish community. As you well know, your parish, which once experienced a downturn in participation, has seen an increase in Mass attendance, parishioner involvement, and service to the community. Your school, which once looked like it would close, has shared in this renewal as it continues to offer an excellent Catholic education to a growing number of students.
I am writing to you as you begin the SJB Legacy Campaign: Restore, Renew, Rejoice. The early parishioners of St. John Berchmans made considerable sacrifices to build a church that would serve as a constant reminder of God’s presence and a sign of hope in the Logan Square neighborhood. After enduring more than a century of Chicago winters, the church and school are again in need of significant repairs and renovations. The school, committed to diversity in its student body, is seeking to endow a financial assistance fund in order to keep this commitment. By working together on the SJB Legacy Campaign, you will help ensure that both the church and the school at St. John Berchmans will continue to thrive; you will also show your careful stewardship of the gift that was given to you by prior generations of SJB parishioners.
Thank you for your lives of faith and for your generous support of Saint John Berchmans Parish during this special appeal. You and those you love are in my prayers; please keep me in yours.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I.
Archbishop of Chicago
