St. Agatha Chicago IL

St. Agatha Catholic Parish is a vibrant Christian faith community rejoicing in the power of praise and worship of Jesus Christ as our teacher and guide. Our vibrant, soul-stirring liturgies reflect an African American spirituality and Gospel style of music that welcomes, engages, comforts and oftentimes challenges those gathered to a greater depth of faith, a stronger sense of hope and a greater call to love all of God’s people. Our mission is Catholic, i.e., universal, seeking to welcome all into both the work of Jesus Christ in the North Lawndale community and the worship that nourishes us for that work. We are a Eucharistic community, drawing strength from the Word, from the Body and Blood of Christ that nourishes us for our weekly journey, and from the power of prayer and praise of the gathered community – all of which nourishes us to live our lives individually and collectively for the mission of Jesus Christ.

 

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https://st-agatha-chicago.org/  

 

 

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Outreach Programs

Home/Outreach Programs

+ Restorative Justice Peace Hub – Call Derek Brown at (773) 522-3050
or – Fred Cooper (773) 522-3050

+ Winslow Redmond Community Tech Lab – News School Journalism Program for Teens and older (after-school and summer programs); Techgyrls Program Contact Mr. Wolfe at (773) 522-3050

+ Westside Catholic Parishes Domestic Violence Outreach (See Tab: Domestic Violence)

+ Food Pantry St. Agatha Rectory, Tuesdays, 10:00 am to Noon
Blessed Sacrament, Wednesdays, 2153 S. Millard

+ S.A.F.E. – St. Agatha Family Empowerment free After-School Program and Summer Camp (773) 370-6512

+ Community Dinners – Every Second Saturday of the Month, 3:00 – 5:00 pm 3151 W. Douglas Blvd. (except June, August and December)

+ “From Stressed to Blessed” Program for Parents: Tools for Finding Greater Peace in Parenting” Call Fred or Derek at (773) 522-3050 for more info

+ Christmas Basket Program – Registration Saturdays Oct. 13 and 27th; Doors open at 8:30, Session starts at 9:00 a.m. and goes to Noon. Seniors, Persons with disabilities and Parents or Guardians with Children. Must provide ID with address within bounds of Cermak (south), Pulaski (west), Harrison (north) and Western (east). For parents, must provide Medical idea with children’s names. NOTE: NO CHILDCARE PROVIDED.

+ The Learning Center GED, ESL Programs – 2153 S. Millard Ave., 60623 (773) 277-3111  

The Ministries of St Agatha

Blessed Sacrament/ S.A.F.E.

Blessed Sacrament Youth Center/ St. Agatha Family Empowerment (S.A.F.E.) is an afterschool and summer camp program for youth ages 6 to18 years old. Activities include homework/academic enrichment, arts and crafts, health and nutrition, dance, computer lab, sports and recreation. S.A.F.E./Blessed Sacrament operates six days a week. A 7 week Summer Camp offers added activities such as swimming, sports, field trips and cook-outs.

From Stressed to Blessed: Support for Peaceable Parenting

From Stressed to Blessed is a 12 hour/ 4 session program conducted 6 times a year over a two week period designed to teach parents a method of parenting and problem solving that will help their children to meet life’s challenges, building communication skills and peaceful conflict resolution strategies in families. It teaches an “active parenting” approach in contrast to a “reactive” approach, choosing constructive discipline over physical or verbal punishment. A small meal and child care is provided during the sessions. Upon completion of the course, participants are awarded a certificate and invited to join monthly Parent Support Groups and to participate in ongoing parent/youth enrichment programs.

Y.E.S. – Youth Encounter the Savior Youth Ministry

Y.E.S. is held the first and third Saturdays of each month and is a faith-based program for youth and teens ages 7 to 18 years old. The program mission is to nurture Faith-based discipleship; Create a safe and sacred space for children and teens to gather; Recognize and nurture the gifts of youth to benefit the wider St. Agatha Church Community and North Lawndale Community; and to do all of this Centered in Faith, Family and Community. Other activities include age appropriate Bible study, dance mime, life skills training, youth choir and activities to nurture the body, mind and spirit of youth.

Community Dinners

St Agatha Parish offers a Community Dinner on the second Saturday of January, March, May, September, October and November. Guests are also invited to attend our Feast of St. Agatha Mass and dinner the first Sunday of February at 10:30 a.m. The parish also invites the community to participate in Mass and a Free Picnic on the Boulevard in late June and late August. Each dinner is sponsored by a ministry of St. Agatha. Community members are invited to partake in a hot nutritious meal and fellowship with community and church members.

Adult, Youth and Child Religious Education Programs

Religious education and formation classes are offered for pre-K through 12th grade students every Sunday from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. A special breakout Liturgy of the Word is offered every 2nd and 4th Sunday during the 10:30 Mass. Adult Religious Education Sessions and 6-Week Bible Studies are offered throughout the year.

Restorative Justice/ Peace Hub

St. Agatha, as part of its ongoing mission outreach into the North Lawndale Community, has worked with funds from Cook County, foundations and other private donors to minister to the community through the use of Restorative Justice practices. Our Restorative Justice work involves engaging youth, parents, and youth and parents together, in building ways to better communicate and peacefully resolve conflict in homes, in schools, and on our streets. Through our RJ Coordinators, From Streesed to Blessed” Parenting Instructors and Volunteers from the parish community, we work with youth and adults on our streets, in local schools, in Cook County Jail and Juvenile Probation, to move people away from systems that are about retribution, currently reflected in our criminal justice system and in the system of punishment and zero tolerance, rather than structured discipline, in our homes and schools. We do this in the spirit of Matthew 18: restoring relationships where possible, thus strengthening individuals, families and the community.

St. Agatha Poetry and Drama Club

The St. Agatha Poetry and Drama Club engages parishioners of every age to participate in dramatic readings for special occasions throughout the year. They present readings during Black History Month, as well as special productions of plays and readings two to three times a year.

Food Pantries

St. Agatha’s Food Pantry, in partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, offers a food pantry every Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Fresh vegetables, meat, canned goods and other items are provided free to North Lawndale residents and others in need of food. We also coordinate a second Food Pantry at Blessed Sacrament at 2153 S. Millard on Wednesdays.

St. Agatha News School

The St. Agatha News School is an After-School and Summer School program for high school students and older to develop writing and critical thinking skills in order to become citizen journalists. After-school courses are offered in 8 week classes Monday through Friday from 3:30 to 5:30. The summer program runs for 7 weeks Monday through Thursday, 8:30 – Noon. Each class creates a Community Newspaper by the end of each course. Students are given a stipend at the end of the completed course work, a certificate of completion and a Press Pass.

Partnership with M.U.S.I.C., Inc.

St. Agatha, in partnership with M.U.S.I.C., Inc., and as part of our S.A.F.E. After-School program, offers music training in violin, cello and other stringed instruments for children in 1st grade through 8th grades..

Partnership with The Learning Center

The Learning Center provides free GED, pre-GED and ESL classes throughout the year. The Center is located at 2153 S. Millard in the old Blessed Sacrament Rectory. Classes are offered in conjunction with Malcolm X City College. The Center also offers health and wellness classes in conjunction with St. Anthony Hospital. The space for the center is provided by St. Agatha.

Christmas Basket Outreach

Every year for the last 25 years St. Agatha has offered parents, seniors and disabled residents the opportunity to apply for specific needs they have for their children and themselves at Christmastime. Through the generosity of parish partners in the suburbs, families are provided with most of what they ask for. The process for applying involves participation in a 3-hour Talking Circle where we build relationship with and among parents, discuss our hopes and dreams, challenges and struggles as families, and discuss values that we seek to pass on to our children. The goal of these sessions is to encourage ongoing parent involvement in parent support groups that St. Agatha coordinates.

Collaboration with the North Lawndale Restorative Justice Peace Hub and North Lawndale Restorative Justice Community Court

For over two years St. Agatha has been a part of this collaboration of 30+ social services and other organizations to best align our supports to maximize our outreach to local youth and families. Fr. Larry Dowling serves as one of 7 community members for the North Lawndale Restorative Justice Community Court.