Families of Parishes

As  a Family of Parishes

Our Vision Statement is

We are a diverse family of parishes comprised of The Church of the Transfiguration, Divine Providence Lithuanian, Our Lady of La Salette, and Our Mother of Perpetual Help. We value each parish community, and we celebrate our unique heritages and traditions. Together, we strive to:

Foster Unity

Embrace our differences to strengthen our bond as a family.

Promote Inclusivity

Ensure everyone feels welcomed, respected, and loved in our spiritual home.

Nurture Growth

Support the spiritual, educational, and personal faith development of all our members.

Serve with Compassion

Reach out to those in need, embodying the love and mercy of Christ in our actions.

Celebrate Together

Cherish our shared faith through worship, sacraments, and joyful gatherings.

By living these values, we aim to build a vibrant and united family of parishes, shining the light of Christ in our wider community.

CLERGY

​Fr. Jeffrey Scheeler, OFM

Moderator  Transfiguration and Our Lady of La Salette Church

​Fr. Paul Chateau

Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish


Fr. Raphael Ozoude, OFM Transfiguration


​Rev. Mr. Daniel M. Darga

Our Lady of La Salette Church


Rev. Mr. Clem Stankiewicz (Retired)



From the Desk of Fr. Jeff

With the beginning of July, we enter a new phase of being a Family of Parishes. We wish Fr. Paul many blessings as he retires from Our Mother of Perpetual Help. We are grateful for his ministry, wisdom, and friendship.

Moving forward, the team serving all four parishes of our Family will be Fr. Jeff and Fr. Raphael of Transfiguration and periodically on weekends, Fr. John Vandenakker, CC.  Fr. John, who also assisted us during the past year, is a professor at Sacred Heart Seminary. We recently received the good news that Fr. Sama Muma will be assigned full time to our Family as well. Fr. Muma has served in several archdiocesan parishes, and most recently has been assisting in the archdiocese's mission in the Cayman Islands. He has family in Oak Park. Welcome Fr. Muma!

Fr. Jeff will continues to coordinate our efforts. We are all here to serve you and will do our best to be present and share the life of each parish. Please feel free to call any of us if there is a way we can assist. We will be available for funerals, weddings, baptism, meetings of if you jus need an ear. Please let us know if you or a loved one would like to be anointed or visited in hospital or at home. Once we get all settled we will make sure you have our contact information.


We plan to rotate among the parishes for weekday and weekend masses so you can meet all of us over time.  The sacrament of reconciliation will be offered at Transfiguration on Tuesday mornings at 10:30 AM and Saturday at 12:00PM.


A head's up: The Franciscan have what we call a "chapter" every three years during which we elect leadership and decide the priorities and set the direction for the province. Fr. Jeff and Fr. Raphael will participate in our chapter July 11-17 in St. Louis.  Fr. Raphael grandfather recently passed away; he will go to Nigeria August 9-31 to celebrate the funeral and visit a Family


We humbly ask God's blessing on this next phase of our journey together. We trust in God's grace and much good will and cooperation.

As the Archdiocese continues its restructuring process, our Family of Parishes is experiencing transitions . These shifts can naturally bring questions, uncertainty and a sense of disruption.

In this season of change, we ask for patience prayer and truss in the Holy Spirit guidance. Even as structures evolve, our mission remains the same: to grow as disciples, to care for one another, and to witness the love of Christ in our neighborhoods and beyond.


For our parish communities in times of change:

That may trust God's faithful presence, remain attentive to the Spirit's guidance, and support one another with patience and hope as our Family of Parishes moves through this season of transition. We pray to the Lord.


For all who feel unsettled by change:

That God may calm our fears, strengthen our trust and help us support one another with compassion as we navigate this season of transition. We pray to the Lord.


For our Family of Parishes in this time of Transition:

That we may remain rooted in Christ, open to the new paths God set before us, and united in our mission to serve with love, courage and trust. We pray to the Lord.


WHAT DO OUR PRIESTS SAY ABOUT THE FAMILY?

We remain separate parishes with our unique styles, flavors, and cultures, and so we are enriched by one another! But we are asked to work together as much as we can, sharing programs and even personnel. The archdiocese no longer uses the title “pastor” for us, but the unusual Latin-based canonical term “priests-in-solidum.” Basically, that means we are to work together “in solidarity,” as a team. So, we try to help each other out! Each priest has pastoral responsibility for all four parishes, but we have agreed by covenant who will take the lead at each parish.

-Fr. Jeff Scheeler

The Family of Parishes structure was and is a change for all of us. It was not a change any of us sought. Initially, I was not enthusiastic. Some of you may feel the same way. I was comfortable and knew my parish and parishioners. There was a familiarity. I viewed Family of Parishes as pushing me outside of my comfort zone. I thought it simply meant more meetings, expanded responsibilities, more work and additional costs all while at the same time having responsibility for a parish with two worship locations. Now, I recognize and appreciate that there have been many blessings. On a personal level getting to know Fr. Jeff, Fr. Patrick and Fr. Tomas has been necessary, useful and very helpful. I consider them all friends and true partners in mission and ministry.

-Fr. Paul Chateau

July Family of Parishes Prayer

The Following prayer was composed by Baltimore Archbishop John Carroll in 1791. The archbishop was the first bishop of the first Catholic diocese in the then new United States of America.

It is appropriate that we pray over and reflect upon this prayer as we celebrate the 250th birthday of our nation.


We pray, O almighty and eternal God, who through Jesus Christ has revealed thy glory to all nations, to preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of your name.


We pray Thee, who alone are good and holy, to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal and sanctity of life, our chief bishop, the pope, the vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the government of his Church; our own bishop, all other bishops, prelates and pastors of the Church; and especially those who are appointed to exercise among us the functions of the holy ministry, and conduct your people into the ways of salvation.


We pray O God of might, wisdom and justice, through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with your Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the president of these United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness and be eminently useful to your people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality.


Let the light of your divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.


We pray for his excellency, the governor of this state, for the members of the assembly, for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they may be enabled, by your powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability.


We recommend likewise, to your unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of your most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal.


Finally, we pray to you, O Lord of mercy, to remember the souls of your servants departed, who are gone before us with the sign of faith and repose in the sleep of peace; the souls of our parents, relatives and friends; of those who, when living, were members of this congregation, and particularly of such as are lately deceased; of all benefactors who, by their donations or legacies to this Church, witnessed their zeal for the decency of divine worship and proved their claim to our grateful and charitable remembrance. To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech you, a place of refreshment, light and everlasting peace, through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior.


Amen.