Monday, July 18th

Friar Johnpaul Cafiero is a Franciscan Priest of the Sacred Heart Province of Chicago/St. Louis. Born and raised in the New York metro area, Friar Johnpaul is the oldest of an Italian/Polish Catholic family. He is a former police officer who has worked as a counselor and chaplain at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center in Chicago. As a follower of St. Francis of Assisi, Friar Johnpaul’s love of the poor is only surpassed by his love of scripture. He has lectured extensively throughout the Chicago land area and nationally. Friar Johnpaul has a M.Div. in Liturgy/ Scripture from Catholic Theological Union/ University of Chicago and a M.Div. in Psychology/ Theology from University of St. Mary of the Lake. He is a licensed massage therapist and Certified Hypo therapist. His experience includes being a hospital chaplain, police chaplain, doing prison ministry and counseling, teaching, retreat ministry and youth ministry. He served as vice president of Spiritual Life and Pastoral Counseling at Hales Franciscan High School on the south side of Chicago. He now serves as chaplain for the Illinois State Police-District Chicago. .

Monday

Father Dominic Grassi is pastor at St. Gertrude Parish in Edgewater in the Archdiocese of Chicago. He is a much sought-after speaker and author of the books  “Do You Love Me?” on ministry in the church; “Bumping Into God,” and “Bumping Into God Again,” stories about finding God in unexpected places; “Still Called By Name” or “Why I Love Being a Priest,” and “Living the Mass” co-authored with Joseph Paprocki. “Bumping Into God in the Kitchen” has more stories, with family recipes.

Monday

Born in India to deeply-committed Catholic parents, Fr. Britto Berchmans joined the Salesians of Don Bosco as a young man and was ordained a priest in 1981. After he completed his priestly formation and his early education in India, he came to the US for his graduate degree in Journalism at Marquette in January 1985. Moved by his pastoral experiences in parishes in the Midwest during his graduate studies at Marquette and the University of Illinois in Champaign, he requested to be incardinated into the archdiocese and as a result became a diocesan priest in 2003. He became pastor of St Paul of the Cross Parish in Park Ridge in July 2009. He has served the Church as dean of philosophical studies, editor of a Catholic family magazine, campus minister, professor of mass communications, retreat preacher and spiritual director. He holds Master’s degrees in Physics, Journalism and Systematic Theology, and a Doctorate in Mass Communications. His ministerial priorities include nurturing Catholic education and the religious formation of children and young people, making faith accessible to today’s Catholic and strengthening Christian marriage and family life. "As one whose priesthood has been shaped by the stark realities of India, Fr Britto considers it crucial for a parish to come to the aid of the poor here in our own country and abroad."