First Fridays at the Shrine
November 1, 2024
LIFE IS CHANGED, NOT ENDED
Sr. Mary Guido, r.c.
(Doors open at 9:00 AM, Program begins promptly at 9:30 AM)
“In [Christ] the hope of blessed resurrection has dawned, that those saddened by the
certainty of dying might be consoled by the promise of immortality to come. Indeed for
your faithful, Lord, life is changed not ended…” (Preface I for the Dead, The Roman Missal)
The month of November is a time in which we celebrate in a particular way the “saints
and souls” who have gone before us in death – those of the universal Church and those
who have been a part of our own life: family, friends and other significant people.
In remembering them, we also acknowledge the spiritual bond that still exists between
the living and the dead and stand strong in the belief that someday all the faithful will be
raised up and reunited in the new heavens and a new earth, where God “will wipe away
every tear from [our] eyes and there will be no more death or mourning, wailing or
pain…” (cf. Revelation 21:4)
This First Friday morning will include reflections by Sr. Mary, time for personal prayer and a concluding time of sharing and praying together.
You are invited to bring a photograph of a loved one whom you would like us to remember.
Sr. Mary Guido, r.c. is a member of the Congregation of Our Lady of the Cenacle (Cenacle Sisters), an international religious congregation dedicated to the mission of awakening and deepening faith through retreats, spiritual direction, catechesis and faith formation. She recently served six years on the international leadership team of the congregation, living in Rome and traveling to visit Cenacle Sisters in a number of countries around the world. Prior to that, she ministered in a variety of Cenacle spirituality centers in the United States. Now living in Chicago, Sr. Mary serves as the secretary for the North American Province of the Cenacle and continues to assist people in their spiritual growth.
Formerly hosted at the 513 W. Fullerton Retreat House in Chicago, Cenacle Sisters will now lead First Fridays a few blocks away at the National Shrine of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini beginning Friday October 4. More information and registration opens in August 2024.
First Fridays, featuring Cenacle Sisters and sponsored by the Shrine will take place on Friday October 4, November 1, December 6, [no First Friday in January] February 7, March 7, April 4and May 2. The program begins in the morning and will conclude with Mass at the Shrine. This registration-required program is open to all; it was formerly open to women only.
The Shrine is located at: 2520 N. Lakeview Ave., Chicago, IL 60614
Cenacle Sisters facilitating include: Srs. Pamela Falkowski, Mary Guido, and Mary Peters, rc.
More information and registration details available this August.
