Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Andrew,

I am writing to share some news with you that is of great importance to the Saint Andrew community. I have been appointed to the position of pastor at Saint Gertrude Parish in the Edgewater neighborhood. This appointment begins on July 1, 2025. Although I have been at Saint Andrew for sixteen years, and I’ve often shared with you that my departure and reassignment could be immanent, this appointment was an unexpected development. I am thankful for Cardinal Cupich’s faith in me for this assignment and I look forward to meeting and working with the community of Saint Gertrude Parish. At the same time, I am saddened by my inevitable departure from Saint Andrew, as I have grown very fond of you all.

I realize this news will be difficult for some. For many of our youngest parishioners, I am the only pastor they have known, but I am gladdened that they will soon be blessed to know another. While change is seldom an easy thing, it can often be an opportunity for new beginnings. Saying goodbye and starting over in a new parish will not be easy for me either, but I trust in the loving providence of God that is always at work, leading us to new graces and opportunities for spiritual growth. I know that you do too. 

Thankfully, my departure from Saint Andrew will not create a leadership vacuum. Cardinal Cupich has appointed Fr. Henry “Hank” Lyon, currently associate pastor of Saint Emily Parish in Mount Prospect, as the new pastor of Saint Andrew. I hope you will welcome him as warmly as you have welcomed me. His appointment also commences on July 1.

This announcement comes as we are in the midst of Holy Week when we enter into the deepest mysteries of our faith. Holy Week and Easter confirm for us that we are loved by a compassionate God, who has rescued us, and who continues to rescue us from all that troubles us, including death itself. It is our firm belief in God’s love that helps us get through every challenge in life, including changes like this one.

In the coming weeks we will share with you information on my last Mass at Saint Andrew and leave-taking. For now, I ask you to keep me in your prayers as I prepare for my new ministry. Please also pray for Fr. Hank as he transitions to a new chapter in his priesthood. And, it goes without saying that you, the good and holy people of Saint Andrew will hold a special place in my prayers, not only over the next couple of months, but for the remaining years that God gives me.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Sergio Romo

Pastor

The earliest movie that I saw in which I remember a character coming back from the dead was The Empire Strikes Back. Luke Skywalker was incredibly frustrated in his training and didn't know what to do and then...boom... Obi Wan Kenobi comes back from the dead (in force-ghost form) to speak to him. My younger self was awestruck. "Woa... it's amazing! And eyes wide open, I was overjoyed." 

What I've noticed ever since then is that movies repeatedly attempt this same narrative arc, often with the same results. Spock in Star Trek, Gandalf the Grey in Lord of the Rings, Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars, Neo in the Matrix, and I could go on and on. Within the phenomenon we know as the "temporary suspension of disbelief," there is a "wow" effect that is always breathtaking when we let ourself enter into the story and believe that it is real. When this happens, we forget that the characters we see on the screen are just actors and of course they can come back in a movie because they never really died (and bringing them back to the screen is surefire money for the movie producers).  The temporary suspension of disbelief leads us to accept the reality and be amazed by the author's clever craft know as the  "plot twist." 

Those are just stories, but knowing the sensation they rouse up should help us resolve a small problem that we sometimes pops up in our religious lives. We've repeated the words so many times, "Jesus rose from the dead" or we enter into a different kind of disbelief because we've already prepared for the ending... "Easter is coming. Jesus didn't really die" (even though we say he did die in the Nicene Creed).  

If we want to enter more fully into what Easter means, we have to take a minute. We have to enter into the space where wonder and surprise still touch our hearts. Let's pretend we don't know the story already, that we haven't been told the ending a thousand times and we're just coming to terms with the despair that we feel from losing our friend Jesus to a traumatic and grueling death. Instead of a "temporary suspension of disbelief" we need a "permanent sense of belief."

If I can enter into that space, then the news that he has risen... well it's even more incredible than Obi Wan Kenobi. It's more incredible than any story that's been told or that we could tell. It would change... everything.

And it still does. 

There are thousands of problems in the world today and seemingly, there always will be. On a daily basis we can be upset, angry, disgusted, and sink into despair. But when we can enter into the sudden surprise that God not only has the power to overcome all of those limitations but in fact, has indeed overcome them, it changes everything that ever was and everything that ever will be. 

I hope that you can enter into that state of surprise this Easter because it is the state that yields an enduring hope. We need not fear any consequence of the storms that mankind foments in its vanity. We will find safe harbor, for our hero, Jesus Christ, has come back to encourage us on our journey and he calls us to be like him in every way. 

 Parents are Partners

Save the Date! Join us for our next Parents Are Partners event on Thursday, May 1, at 6:30 PM in the Auditorium. We’re excited to welcome Erin Anderson for an engaging and informative workshop on Executive Functioning and Attention.This event is open to all—you don’t need to be a school family to attend. Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to gain insights and strategies that support learning and development!

Discover the Difference with Saint Andrew School! 

Are you seeking a nurturing and enriching educational environment for your child? Look no further than Saint Andrew School, where Catholic Education comes to life through faith, excellence, and community. Our dedicated faculty inspires students to achieve their full potential academically, spiritually, and socially. At Saint Andrew, we blend rigorous academics with character-building values, fostering a sense of purpose and belonging. Experience our vibrant campus, where every student is known, loved, and challenged to grow. Choose Saint Andrew School today and invest in a brighter future for your child. Enroll now and join our family! We have an upcoming evening tour on May 13 at 9am. Sign up for a tour here: schedule a tour New student applications for the 25-26 can be found here: New Student Application