We hope that this page gives a more “living picture” to what the Mission does- both materially and spiritually! If you’d like to be a “VOICE OF THE MISSION” or if you have a comment/ question, please e-mail HERE.
Click HERE for links to archive pages to older Voices of the Mission entries.
July 23, 2023 - Seeds Fell on Fertile Soil
We are blessed to have some beautiful gardens this year! We are grateful to be able to provide some beauty to our neighborhood. Additionally, some of the food from the garden will feed us & some will go to the pantry. Pictured is Anna, one of our amazing summer volunteers! THANK YOU to all who have helped with the gardens!
May 20, 2023 - "Chicago Shares" Generously
Thank you to Chicago Shares for their generous donation to help us purchase food at the food pantry! We are so grateful for all the continued help and support. God bless!
April 30, 2023 - Sr. Alicia Shares Insights on the Eucharistic Revival
THANK YOU to Midwest Food Bank, Seeds of Service (St. Isaac Jogues, Hinsdale), and Home Depot for their INCREDIBLE help yesterday with 20+ pallets of food AND all of the gardening supplies to get our gardens READY for planting next weekend! We are so grateful for all the help!
January 29, 2023 - Stepping Up to Clean Up
Thank you to the MANY people who have come to help the last few weeks to help us clean up for Christmas and prep for many upcoming retreats!
January 8, 2023 - Help Us Help - Volunteer in 2023
We are so grateful for your help in 2022! Looking forward to 2023, we will need more help with:
-Our Tuesday pantry…7:30 to noon each and every Tuesday. We will be starting Adoration during the Tuesday pantry in the next few weeks!
-Cleaning/ preparing for retreats! We will be hosting many retreats in the new retreat center in 2022. We will be needing extra help cleaning and preparing.
-Special events coming up later this spring and summer! TBA soon!
You can sign up to get on one of the volunteer email list HERE or check out the volunteer calendar HERE.
We are very grateful for one of our amazing parish partners- Notre Dame in Clarendon Hills! Here are their men’s group and Knights of Columbus volunteering at the mobile pantry.)
January 1, 2023 - Service with a Smile
Happy New Year!
What can brown do for you? Check out some cool blog posts on the Franciscans of the Eucharist page HERE! (The Franciscans of the Eucharist is the community that runs the Mission.)
December 4, 2022 - The Bishop and the Bikers
Bishop Bob was the official chaplain of the Toys4Tots motorcycle parade!!
August 14, 2022 - Memorial Garden
Bishop Bob blessed and dedicated the memorial garden built by Home Depot to honor fallen police officer, Ella French. We continue to pray for the repose of her soul and her family. We also continue to pray for all our law enforcement personnel who work very hard here on the west side.
July 24, 2022 - Summer Comings and Goings
Vital Volunteers
Thank you to our resident summer volunteers who were a HUGE help this summer!
Spreading the Word
Thank you also to Notre Dame Parish in Clarendon Hills! Franciscans spoke at all the Masses this weekend & we are looking forward to forming a long-term partnership with the parish.
June 19, 2022 - Sr. Alecia Joins National Euchristic Revival Committee
Please join us for a Mass and Holy Hour for vocations led by Bishop Bob at Holy Name Cathedral (NOT the Mission) Friday, May 13 at 5 PM
We will be praying for all vocations - but especially for Sr. Macey and Sr. Emily as they take first vows THE NEXT DAY, as well as all of the deacons of the Archdiocese who will be ordained that weekend.
March 6, 2022 - Sr. Alicia Featured
Sr. Alicia was featured on the Fellowship of Catholic University Student’s blog HERE.
February 28, 2022 - Get Inspired
We’re excited to let you know that Bishop Bob’s full episode of Restored is available on FORMED for free! Watch the trailer for the episode HERE.
Here is how to access the full episode:
Already have a FORMED account?
-Watch the episode HERE.
Select your zip code 60651 or Mission of Our Lady of the Angels name (using zip code is easiest)
Register with your name and email address
Check that email account for a link to begin using FORMED
The direct link to watch Bishop Bob’s episode of Restored is HERE
January 23, 2022 - Vocation Holy Hour
Thank you to the 125+ people who joined us to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life yesterday! See below for the history of the monstrance.
The monstrance that will be used for the Holy Hour was a gift to Cardinal Mundelein from Pope Pius XI for the 1926 International Eucharistic Congress in Chicago- attended by over 800,000 people.
The Holy Hour will include a meditation and music. The Church needs holy vocations + we need your prayers!
Please sign up HERE to attend so we can keep you up to date about the event.
Bishop Bob at Immaculate Conception parish in Fall 2021
January 8, 2022 - Sr. Alicia is a Keynote Speaker
Sr. Alicia gave one of the keynote addresses at the March for Life Illinois in Daily Plaza on 1/8/22!
January 1, 2022 - Sr. Stephanie was featured on the Big10 network!
December 25, 2021 - Shoutout from the Greater Chicago Food Depository
Mission OLA's pantry was highlighted on the Greater Chicago Food Depository blog. Check it out HERE.
December 5, 2021 - Born to be Mild
Bishop Bob blessed 1500+ motorcycles and MANY people at the Chicago Toys for Tots parade! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Toys for Tots provides toys for 45,000 at risk and ill youth in the Chicagoland area!
November 28, 2021 - Mission OLA Press Recognition
One of our awesome volunteers, Donna, was featured in the Marian Helpers Magazine as seen HERE.
Sr. Stephanie was featured in the Rockford Register Star speaking about supporting religious life- the Poor Clares and the Franciscans of the Eucharist/ Mission OLA HERE.
May 2, 2021 - May Crowning
Happy May- month of Mary! We had our May crowning in our chapel this AM.
Jacob, one of our summer students, created a great video discussing the history of the food pantry! Check it out!
April 25 2021 - Congrats to Sr. Laura / Bishop Bob's First Ordination
Sr. Laura is in temporary vows, which is a 3-5 year period after the completion of initial formation before final vows. Vows are renewed annually during temporary vows.
Learn more about the vows the Franciscans of the Eucharist take HERE.
Bishop Bob also did his first ordination! Congrats Fr. Michael Dorn, OFM Cap. whom Bishop Bob ordained!
March 7, 2021 - Remember the Mission on Your Lenten Journey
How to help the Mission this Lent!
Almsgiving- Donate to Mission OLA via their recently updated Amazon wish list.
Fast- Donate food to Mission OLA to help them prep for the Easter pantry (3/30). E-mail Sr. Stephanie at olamission@gmail.com to drop off food.
February 28, 2021 - Home Depot Doers Get More Done!
THANK YOU, Home Depot, for your amazing gift of materials, volunteers, and money to help support the school renovation project. We are so grateful for your generosity.
October 11 - Bishop-Elect Bob in the News
Bishop-Elect Bob was featured in the Notre Dame Magazine. Check it out HERE!
June 14 - Graduation Congratulations
Congrats to Sr. Jess on her graduation from DePaul! Sr. Jess graduated with a Master of Arts in Teaching in order to be licensed to teach religion in Catholic Schools. Sr. Jess will be teaching religion at a Catholic School (hopefully) starting in the fall (pending COVID closures etc.).
June 7 - Space to Play
We are now the proud owners of this lot, which is the last piece of land we needed for our green space, play space, and parking lot plan. We will be transforming this lot into a place for kids to play later this summer or fall.
May 31 - Sr. Emily Visits With Her Home Parish Priest
Sr. Emily was interviewed by her home parish pastor, Fr. Tom, about her entrance into the novitiate! Check out the video. (direct YouTube page HERE)
March 1 - Mission OLA Receives Recognition
Lots of recognition and press this week!
The Archdiocesan Council of Priests recognized the Mission for its work at its awards banquet last week. Here are the Franciscans receiving the award.
Br. Matt and Sr. Jess were interviewed as part of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s celebration of consecrated life. Interviews HERE.
Sr. Stephanie was featured by Fleet Feet as part of Mission of Our Lady of the Angels being Fleet Feet’s charity of the month. Article HERE. Album of pictures HERE.
Thank you to Morton Christian Apostolic Church and our other awesome volunteers who helped unload 34 pallets of food for the Tuesday pantry on 2/1/20!
January 20, 2020 - Please Consider Volunteering this Summer
Are you a college students or a recent college grad? We’d love for you to consider volunteering at the Mission this summer! Here is some basic info: -Live in community with other volunteers in Chicago
-Help the Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago with their outreach to the poor- mainly through summer camps for 5-12 year olds
-Dates flexible. Date guideline- June 1 to Aug 1
-Room and board provided
-Contact Sr. Stephanie for more info/ to apply: olamission@gmail.com
November 17, 2019 - Mission Featured in St. Anthony Messenger
Thank you St. Anthony Messenger for featuring the Mission in your magazine! Article HERE (PDF).
November 10, 2019 - Sr. Kate and the story of Mission of Our Lady of the Angels featured on Irish TV!
November 3, 2019 - Fr. Bob / Sr. Jess Media
Thank you SO much to Outside da Box films for the amazing documentary on Fr. Bob and the Mission OLA story. We are so grateful for all of the time and effort put into this beautiful film!
Watch the full movie here: https://storiesofencounter.com/#purchase
You can all purchase small group/ educational materials that go along with the movie.
Sr. Jess’ vocation story was featured by the vocation office!
October 26, 2019 - Kelly Hall YMCA Recognized
As many know, the Mission partners with the YMCA and the Greater Chicago Food Depository to run Kelly Hall, our outreach center for youth. Trevon, one of the graduates of our program was honored at the Metro Chicago YMCA awards dinner this week in this awesome video!
August 25, 2019 Garden/ Landscape Improvements
Our garden continues to produce tons of vegetables for our pantry! We are also grateful for Joel at USA Landscaping for helping us to redo the street island landscaping on Iowa St.
August 11, 2019 Garden Distribution at Pantry & an Award Nomination!
Our new garden has been very successful! We have been distributing produce from our garden at the Tuesday and the 1st Saturday pantries. We are so grateful to all who made these gardens possible.
The Mission is part of the City of Chicago’s nomination for the Engaged Cities award, which highlights cities where the local government have been effectively working with citizens to provide grassroots solutions to difficult urban problems. Info HERE.
July 14, 2019 Joanna (Camino Project) Starts Her Journey for Mission OLA
We are so excited to be working with The Camino Project! The Camino Project is sending a young woman named Joanna to walk the Camino to raise funds and support for Mission of Our Lady of the Angels! Joanna will be walking 500 miles in a month and a half to raise money and awareness for the Mission. Please keep her in your prayers. She left today (7/14/19). Donate to her effort HERE. Joanna is the woman in this picture who is not Sr. Stephanie.
July 6, 2019 Matress Giveaway at Food Pantry
We distributed over 80 mattresses as part of the mobile food pantry on 7/6! We are so grateful to ALL who made this possible.
June 2019 The Teen Group from Mary Seat of Wisdom Helps Out
We had an amazing week with the teen group from Mary Seat of Wisdom! We worked in the gardens, on the construction project, and at the pantry.
May 2019 Thank You to All the Student Groups
Thank you to the MANY college and high school groups that have visited us throughout the spring break/ end of school service season here. We are very grateful.
A group of college varsity athletes came from all over the country to visit us for a Mission trip last week (via FOCUS- Fellowship of Catholic University Students). They ran sports camps for kids at Kelly Hall as well as at the schools where Sr. Alicia and Sr. Stephanie teach. Of course, we also used their athletic skills for the construction project as well! Thanks for all of your help!
May 2019 Fr. Bob's Mission OLA Movie
Fr. Bob and the story of Mission of Our Lady of the Angels will be very soon featured in a documentary. Here is the preview! Get excited about the full length version.
April 2019 Thank You: Tuesday Pantry Volunteers / Please Join Us
We have been blessed to have MANY groups help us at our new and huge Tuesday pantry! We’d love to have your high school or corporate (or other adult) group join us for the pantry. It’s from 7:45 AM to 12 PM. If your group would like to come to Mass, they are welcome to come to Mass in the convent at 7 AM on Tuesdays.
Here is a picture of St. Augustine High School (San Diego, CA) students who joined us on 4/23.
April 2019 Thank You: Seeds of Service / Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Thank you to Seeds of Service from St. Isaac Jogues, Hinsdale, for your incredible truck load of food and baby products! We are very grateful.
Thank you also to the young adults from Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Springfield for coming all the way here to help us on 4/13.
March 2019 Flower and Garden show cooking demonstration
Summer 2018 - Three Projects
The Mission will be involved with 3 separate development projects this summer:
-the school
-900/902 N. Avers will be a new parking lot And
- 3802 W. Chicago Ave will be a new green space/ parking lot/ basketball court
The 3802 W. Chicago Ave is generously being paid for via FEMA/ the City of Chicago. The space will soon be covered with permeable pavement for parking/ basketball as well as garden space. Here are some pictures of the 3802 W. Chicago Ave. project right now.
New Year’s 2018 - Unique ways to help the Mission!
Do you have a skill set or talent that you think is underutilized? Well, do we have news for you! We can probably use it here. If you’re looking for a new year’s resolution think about helping the Mission!
Here is a great example. Bruce (see picture) is an excellent carpenter. He has been helping the Mission with minor repairs + even built Mary a new place in the convent now that the sisters live there. Of particular interest, this statue of Mary is the only item we have that survived the school fire.
We have many needs coming up with the school. Please don’t be shy and tell us about how you might be able to help by e-mailing HERE.
Vital Volunteers
