Assumption Catholic Church
323 West Illinois Street - Chicago IL 60654

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Fr. Joseph Chamblain, O.S.M. Pastor

 

9/22/2024 Fr. Joseph Chamblain, OSM
IT'S ALMOST DINNER TIME

We’re calling it the 91st Annual Italian Dinner, because we have evidence that some version of a fall culinary event has taken place at Assumption since 1933 (Even during COVID we had a Virtual Dinner). The 1930’s were Great Depression years, difficult years for most Americans and especially for Assumption, as the old Italian families were moving away from the neighborhood. The church was in need of new sources of revenue, and turned increasingly to the businesses that now dominated the area, especially the businesses housed in the new Merchandise Mart, to buy tickets for a fundraising dinner. We have pictures of women standing on chairs in the kitchen, stirring huge pots of pasta with wooden oars and guests seated at tables stretching from one end of the Parish Hall to another.

Over time the Italian Dinner evolved into two dinners: one less expensive version marketed to church goers and another more expensive dinner marketed to business owners and prosperous former parishioners, who were encouraged to buy a table for their employees or guests. In the early 2000’s those two dinners merged into one, reflecting the changing demographics of our area. A silent auction was added. A perennial feature of the Italian Dinner in the Parish Hall was the Jack Foy Orchestra, led by jazz saxophonist Jack Foy, who died earlier this year at the age of 94. Our Italian Dinner continued in our Parish Hall, with catering from Phil Stefani’s, until 2016, when the renovation of the Rectory began.

Since we would not be able to use the Parish Hall for a big event for two years, it gave us a chance to evaluate what we were doing. The Dinner attracted a very loyal group of present and past parishioners, but also a very “seasoned” crowd. Attendance had started to decline as more of the regulars had passed away or were no longer able to attend an evening event. Maybe we needed something lighter to appeal to a new generation. We also learned that when we moved back in, our big stoves would be gone, since they never actually met the city code for ventilation. For several years, we did “A Taste of Assumption” at another venue, focusing on “heavy hors d’ouvres” and kept the auction, which now included both a silent auction and an oral auction. This type of fundraiser has worked well for other organizations and churches (including St Peter’s in the Loop), but too many of our people still wanted a seated dinner. So, post-COVID we went back to having a full meal, first at Maggiano’s and this year at Coco Pazo, our neighbor just around the corner  

One of the issues our Events Committee looked at this year was the auction component. Since we moved to other venues, we have had to limit the number of silent auction items because they require a lot of space. Even by being more selective in what we ask for and what we accept for the auction, we have auction winners who never claim their winnings. People have said, “Well, it’s really a donation for the parish” or “I put in a bid to get the auction going” or “I really can’t use it. Why don’t you auction it off again next year?” We end up storing items for people who do not want them. So, assuming it is true, that most diners see the auction as mostly a donation to the church, we are going to try something different—asking you to help with the purchase of stuff the church can really use. It will be a kind of reverse auction. For example, the refrigerator in the Parish Hall kitchen is decades old. Would you be willing to contribute $200 toward the purchase of a new refrigerator? Many of our vestments are from the previous century. Like any garment, they do not last forever. Would you be willing to contribute $400 to the purchase of a new green vestment (the color that gets worn the most). Our present ambo is a commercial model from another church. We have a specially made ambo on order to match the wood of the pews. Would you be willing to offer $500 towards the new ambo? Of course, you won’t be able to walk home that night with a new toaster, but you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you made a contribution towards something that the church needs and will actually use. Are we abandoning the auction altogether? No, we are not. There will be one fabulous auction prize—a three-night stay in a condo in Cabo San Lucas (which sounds like the perfect place to be in January).

The good news is that at the time of this writing, we have bookings for 70 guests, one half of our capacity that night. So please get your reservations in quickly. The Italian Dinner, in whatever its configuration and wherever it is located, has always been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the extended Assumption family: for people who attend different Masses to spend a fun evening together and for new residents of River North to meet and enjoy the company of those whose families have called Assumption home for generations.

                                          Fr. Joe

           

           

             

          

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This list includes the last thirteen months of messages.
Click on a date to see the message.

   
11/3/2024   HOW ABOUT SOME GOOD NEWS?
11/10/2024   TREADING ON THIN ICE
11/17/2024   TRY TO REMEMBER
9/29/2024   GENERATION TO GENERATION
9/15/2024   OUT OF TOWN ON BUSINESS
9/22/2024   IT'S ALMOST DINNER TIME
10/6/2024   WHAT'S MY CALLING?
10/13/2024   RUNNING THE MARATHON OF LIFE
10/27/2024   AUTUMN AND THE INNER LIFE
10/20/2024   FR. MICHAEL DOYLE, O.S.M. (1938-2024).
9/1/2024   TAKING CARE OF OUR COMMON HOME
9/8/2024   DEMOCRACY ITSELF
8/11/2024   MARY'S FEAST AND OUR FEAST
8/18/2024   HOSPITALITY IS EVERYBODY'S JOB
8/25/2024   FINDING GOD IN A RAILROAD STATION
8/4/2024   NO KETCHUP
7/21/2024   THE GOOD AND THE BAD OF COMPETITION
7/28/2024   HOLDING ELECTIVE OFFICE
7/14/2024   A CENTURY AGO IN RIVER NORTH
7/7/2024   GETTING REAL ABOUT OLD AGE
6/30/2024   DID JESUS HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR?
6/23/2024   ACTING CIVILIZED
6/16/2024   THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME
6/9/2024   GOINGS ON AROUND TOWN
6/2/2024   LOST IN WONDER
5/26/2024   SOME STUFF YOU PROBABLY DID NOT KNOW
5/12/2024   LIVING THE PASCHAL MYSTERY
5/19/2024   THE PENTECOST EXPERIENCE
5/5/2024   CELEBRATING MARY'S MONTH
4/28/2024   OUR COMMON VOCATION
4/21/2024   LIFE THROUGH DARKENED GLASSES
3/31/2024   HOW TO AVOID CELEBRATING EASTER
4/7/2024   A SEASON OF CELEBRATION
4/14/2024   A WORLD OF PLASTIC
3/17/2024   APPROACHING THE CITY OF DESTINY
3/24/2024   A WEEK OF PROCESSIONS
3/3/2024   YES THERE IS GOOD NEWS
3/10/2024   MAKING THE HEADLINES
2/4/2024   WHY YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS
2/18/2024   NOT JUST THE SAME OLD STUFF
2/25/2024   WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW
2/11/2024   THE ORIGINAL SOFT ENTRY POINT
12/31/2023   WELCOMING, ACCOMPANYING, SENDING
1/7/2024   DOING A LITTLE DIGGING
1/14/2024   THAT ALL MAY BE ONE
1/21/2024   CATCHING UP ON THIS AND THAT
1/28/2024   WHAT'S REALLY BEHIND DRY JANUARY
12/24/2023   IT HAPPENED THAT WAY FOR A REASON
12/17/2023   HUMAN LIFE IS AT STAKE
12/10/2023   ARE WE ASKING TOO MUCH OF OURSELVES?
12/3/2023   WHY DO WE WAIT?
11/19/2023   IS IT REALLY THANKSGIVING?
11/26/2023   THAT MEETING IN ROME
11/5/2023   PRAYING FOR THE DEAD
11/12/2023   DIGGING INTO THE LEFTOVERS
10/29/2023   TURN LOOSE THE SPOOKS