A Parish at the Heart of Aurora
Holy Angels Catholic Church sits in the middle of Aurora, Illinois, a city of roughly 180,000 along the Fox River west of Chicago. With approximately 2,200 registered families, it is one of the larger parishes in the Diocese of Rockford, and its reach extends well beyond Sunday worship. A preschool-through-eighth-grade school with more than 400 students, an extensive religious education program, a food pantry, a shelter ministry, and dozens of parish organizations all grow out of the same parish campus. The parish offices are at 180 South Russell Avenue, while the church building itself is a short walk away at 120 South Lancaster Avenue.
The parish mission is plainly stated: to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ, the conversion of sinners and the salvation of souls, through preaching the Gospel, celebrating the sacraments, and evangelizing the world around them. In practice that mission shows up in a busy liturgical schedule, an active parochial school, and a long list of ministries that serve both the parish family and the wider Aurora community.
Daily Mass, Sunday Mass, and the Latin Extraordinary Form
The Mass schedule at Holy Angels is built to fit a wide range of parishioner schedules. On weekdays, Mass is offered at 6:30 AM and 8:00 AM, with the Friday morning Mass moving to 8:15 AM when Holy Angels School is in session. A priest is often available for confession between the two weekday Masses.
Saturday brings the anticipated Sunday Mass at 4:30 PM along with a morning Mass at 8:15 AM. Sunday has four Masses: 6:45 AM, 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM, and 11:00 AM. The 8:00 AM Mass on the first and third Sundays of each month is celebrated in the Extraordinary Form in Latin, a traditional offering that draws those who cherish the older rite. The 9:30 AM Sunday Mass is livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel for those who cannot be present in person.
Confession is offered throughout the week: after the 8:00 AM Mass on Tuesdays, from 6:30 to 7:00 PM on Wednesdays, after the 6:30 AM Mass on Fridays, after the 8:15 AM Mass on Saturdays, and again on Saturday afternoons from 3:00 to 3:45 PM. Communal Reconciliation Services are scheduled periodically and announced in the bulletin.
Adoration That Spans a Day and a Night
Holy Angels is also a parish of Eucharistic devotion. Weekly adoration of the Blessed Sacrament begins after the 8:00 AM Mass on Wednesday and continues uninterrupted until just before the 8:00 AM Mass on Thursday morning, giving parishioners the chance to spend time in prayer before the Eucharist across an entire day and night. The Spirited Singles group gathers for Eucharistic adoration in the church on Wednesday evenings from 8:00 to 9:00 PM, combining adoration with fellowship for adults aged 21 to 60.
For those who cannot come to Mass, the parish offers a Homebound Eucharist ministry. Parishioners over 65 who are unable to return to Mass can call the Parish Center to arrange a visit, during which the deacons, masked, come to bring Communion.
Sacraments of Initiation, Marriage, and Baptism
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) walks adults and their children through the process of becoming Catholic. The parish describes four periods of formation: the Period of Inquiry, where questions are explored without commitment; the Catechumenate, which begins with the Rite of Acceptance; the Period of Enlightenment and the Rite of Election during Lent; and finally initiation at the Easter Vigil, when the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist are received. Those already baptized and catechized in another Christian tradition can take a shorter path into full communion. The first step in every case is a call to the Parish Center.
Couples planning marriage are asked to be registered and active parishioners and to contact the Parish Center four to six months ahead of the wedding to schedule their first meeting. Parents seeking Baptism for a child are asked to be registered and active members and to notify the Parish Center four months before the expected birth; Baptisms are held on the first and third Sunday of each month at 12:15 PM. A Baptismal preparation session is also required.
New parishioner orientation takes place at 10:30 AM on the last Sunday of each month in Connor Lounge, and the parish invites anyone considering membership to call ahead and reserve a place.
Holy Angels Catholic School: A STEM School in the Diocese
Holy Angels Catholic School sits on the parish campus and is the largest Catholic elementary school in the Diocese of Rockford, with more than 400 students. It is also the only elementary school in the diocese designated as a STEM school. Programs run from preschool through eighth grade, with computer classes in every grade, accelerated math in grades six through eight, and a strong music and fine arts program that includes concert band, chorus, and general art and music.
Athletics and extracurriculars are woven into the school day. Football is open to boys in grades five through eight, basketball to boys and girls in those grades, volleyball to girls in the same range, and track, soccer, and cheerleading round out the offerings. Drama, physical education clubs, and math clubs are among the after-school activities. An extended care program runs from 6:30 AM before school until 5:30 PM after school.
Prayer is a daily rhythm at the school. Students attend Mass together once a week, pray together at the start and end of the day and before lunch, recite a portion of the rosary each day, and lead morning prayer over the public address system by turns. Each month one class visits a nearby nursing home to assist at liturgies and spend time with residents. Christian service projects range from collecting food for the parish pantry to supporting Catholic missions abroad in Peru and elsewhere. The school is supported by more than 300 parent volunteers, and parent-teacher conference attendance runs close to 100%.
Religious Education from Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade
For children whose families choose parish religious education rather than the school, Holy Angels runs a K-8 program that meets on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 7:30 PM at Holy Angels School. First Communion is prepared for in the second grade, and Confirmation is prepared for in the eighth grade. The program runs from September through the first week of May, and registration information is mailed out in April to all parishioners. Catechists and volunteers are always needed and can contact the Directors of Religious Education at the Parish Center.
Food Pantry, Shelter Nights, and Prolife Prayer
Service to those in need is a major part of parish life. The parish food pantry is directed by Christine Ferrera and Christa Renshaw and provides food to families in the area; it can be reached at pantry@holy-angels.org.
The PADS and Hesed House Ministry takes volunteers into two of the area's most visible services for people experiencing homelessness. Holy Angels staffs the PADS shelter site every third Monday from September through May, with three overnight volunteer shifts running from 7 PM to 11 PM, 11 PM to 3 AM, and 3 AM to 7 AM. In odd-numbered months, on the third Monday, the parish, together with the St. Anne Society units, also helps provide meals for the Hesed House residents.
Each second Thursday of the month, Holy Angels joins other Aurora-area churches in prayer outside the local Planned Parenthood clinic; substitute volunteers are always welcome. The Holiday Hopes Christmas Project partners the parish with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to bring Christmas help to families in need, and the parish encourages anyone who would like to be involved to contact the Parish Center.
Knights of Columbus, Mothers, Singles, and St. Anne's
The parish is home to Cardinal Bellarmine Council #4849 of the Knights of Columbus, founded January 20, 1960 and named for Saint Robert Bellarmine, the Jesuit theologian and Doctor of the Church. The council supports the parish through fundraising, mutual aid to members and their families, and service works informed by the four principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. Membership is open to practicing Catholic men 18 and older. Meetings are held at 7:30 PM on the first Tuesday and fourth Wednesday of each month.
The St. Anne Society is open to all women of the parish and meets four times a year for spiritual, service, and social enrichment, with smaller units that meet more often. The Holy Angels Mothers Group gathers on Wednesday mornings at 9:00 AM in Connor Hall lounge for friendship, prayer, and discussion, and also hosts monthly evening events. Spirited Singles serves Catholic adults aged 21 to 60 through spiritual and social activities. The parish's welcoming ministry hosts coffee and donuts on the last Sunday of each month, offering new and longtime parishioners a chance to meet and ask questions.
Worship Ministries and Cub Scouts Pack 326
The work of the Sunday liturgy is supported by a roster of lay worship ministries with flexible commitments. Lectors proclaim the Word at Mass. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion distribute the Eucharist at Mass and bring it to the homebound and to nursing home residents. Ushers welcome the congregation, assist with seating, and administer the collection. Altar Servers, parishioners in fifth grade and up, assist the priests and deacons at liturgical services. Schedules for each of these ministries are posted for parishioners.
Outside the sanctuary, Cub Scouts Pack 326 anchors the parish's outreach to boys and their families, with den meetings, service projects, and the kind of outdoor adventure scouting has offered for generations. Pack 326 maintains its own calendar and contact information.
Parish Leadership and Practical Details
Holy Angels is served by Pastor Rev. Michael G. Lavan and Parochial Vicar Rev. Dean Smith, with Deacons Thomas Hawksworth and Chris Ragsdale and Deacon Emeritus Tim White. The business manager is Sandra Vargas; the parish secretaries are Katurah Mindock and Kylee Gurbal. Liturgy is coordinated by Laura Wright, music by Jodi Taylor, religious education by Rose Gatze and Mimi Steinwart, outreach and the food pantry by their respective directors. Tonya Forbes serves as school principal, with Sheridan Gurbal as assistant principal.
The Parish Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to noon and Monday through Thursday from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM, closing Friday afternoons. The main parish number is 630-897-1194, the fax 630-897-1370, and the general email parish@holy-angels.org. Online giving is available through the parish's OSV Hub giving page, and recent bulletins are posted through Parishes Online. The 9:30 AM Sunday Mass is livestreamed on the parish YouTube channel for those at home.