Have you been seeing more blue recently around our campus? I hope so! That’s because our school has received the Blue Ribbon award! I am very proud as the Pastor to congratulate our students, teachers, staff and Principal on this wonderful achievement! Our school is a place of pride for St. Andrew Parish. It is a personal joy for me as the Pastor to have a school. It is important for us as a Parish to celebrate our students. They are prepared so well by our teachers, who engage them in the joy of learning. Our Principal, Sarah Casavechia, and her staff make our school not only excellent in academics but also create a home for our school families to send their children to every day.

If I may muse for a moment on ‘education’, the word comes from the Latin, “educere”, which means to lead out from. The joy of education comes from being led from not knowing or understanding into the illumination of knowledge, competency and confidence to grasp a subject. It is a thrill to understand how something works, be able to apply it in real life situations, and then to pass on one’s knowledge to another.

As a universal, valued by all of Mankind, education then is recognized as a transcendent good. All transcendent goods point us in their own way toward God, who is the ultimate good. Let us then take for our reflection the root of the word education and see how it brings us to a place of reflection about Faith. ‘Educere’ means to be led out from. Very soon in the upcoming Advent season, we will hear the words of the prophet Isaiah, “the people in darkness have seen a great light!” (Isaiah 9:2). The great thing Man desires to learn is about himself and the meaning of life. This knowledge, however, is not to be discovered in the traditional methods of learning, for it is a question not attained by reason alone. If that were so, then the great minds of the Greeks, for example, would have found the answers long ago with their reason. Rather, there is an extension of one’s reason that must take place. Reason reaches out but cannot grasp. However, there is a coming forth (an Advent if you will) of light that shines upon the mind, but this light is too bright for reason alone to bear. It must be aided by soul’s capacity for Faith! It is Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the world—its meaning and our own—who comes into the darkness of uncertainty and leads us out. His Light captivates the soul and leads her into knowledge of herself and the joy of knowing that she is loved by God and that God is Our Father. This is the wonder of life!

My letter in the bulletin this week is to announce that I am transitioning to another ministry in the Church and will be leaving my professional role at Saint Andrew Parish effective November 1, 2026. 

When I was hired at Saint Andrew Parish in 2015, I spoke at all the Masses one weekend and introduced myself by offering a short quote from Lilla Watson who said, "If you have come to help me, then you are wasting your time, if you have come because your liberation is bound with mine, then let us work together."

That singular quote recalls a deep mystery in God's story of salvation manifest when we encounter Jesus in the scriptures and Jesus says, "I did not come to be served but to serve" (Matt 20:28) and during the Mass when we recall that Jesus "humbled himself to share in our humanity." God's mission is a mission of self-emptying himself so as to be one with us and us with God. 

Outside of theological language, we feel echoes of this same mystery in the love of spouses, which, when it is a healthy and integrated love, begets a mutual exchange of partners leading to their mutual growth and flourishing. 

This same dynamic is what I had hoped to experience here at Saint Andrew and indeed what I have experienced. In serving in this parish with you, I have become more of whom I have been called to be as a child of God. 

I must admit that it was a bit intimidating coming here at first. Saint Andrew has had a legacy of transformational leadership that has walked its halls and the streets of Lakeview. My initial background in ministry was that of a youth minister and Saint Andrew Parish, under the leadership of Bishop Sheil, was an important ingredient to the development of youth ministry in the United States. Bishop Shiel was the founder of the incredibly influential Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) in the United States and made Saint Andrew the hub of its operations. Besides its nation-wide impact on evangelization, this movement put forward a radically advanced prospective on racial equality long before the Civil Rights Movement.

I also knew that Saint Andrew Parish had a long history and strong voice in the development of Lay Ecclesial Ministry in the United States. There has been a Lay Pastoral Associate at Saint Andrew Parish since the mid-1990s, and one Pastoral Associate of note was Carol Walter who served from 2001 to 2007. She would go on to be the director for the Archdiocese on Lay Ecclesial Ministry and provide significant leadership in implementing the United States Bishop's guidance on the work of Lay Ecclesial Ministry through their landmark statement Co-Workers in the Vineyard (2006). 

I must pause for just a moment and not only name how much I have admired Carol in the past but also recognize her in this moment as she is formally retiring from the Archdiocese of Chicago. You can find Carol in the pews of our parish most Sundays and I don't know if the average parishioner is aware of how much of an impact she has had on tens of thousands of people. Not only for her example and leadership for the establishment of Lay Ecclesial Ministry in the nation and what those ministers have done to serve the Church, but also in her most recent work of supporting the extern priests of the Archdiocese of Chicago. She has helped tens of dozens of priests from foreign countries navigate our legal system so they could minister to the Church in Chicago and vis a vis she has impacted those whom these same priests serve. If you see Carol, please offer her your congratulations on service well done and well received! 

With Carol, Bishop Shiel, and so many other significant and transformative leaders at Saint Andrew, I was not only intimidated that I would be welcomed and received here, but also that my service would be of worth. The reminder of how God loves us, through mutual gift of himself, was always a light to me that I never needed to be anyone other than myself during my service here. It was less about what I had to give and more about Christ's presence among all of you that, in the end, would transform me. 

Thank you for the opportunity to walk with you on the journey with and towards Christ! This parish has a lasting place in my heart that will not fade. My new assignment will be serving as the Regional Director of the Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP) which offers Ignatian retreats for individuals recovering from homelessness and addiction. It is an incredibly valuable mission which I am very excited about. 

I am approaching this new position in a similar way to Saint Andrew. I don't know that I'm really there to help out the organization or those whom ISP serves, for that would likely be a waste of my time (as Lilla Watson stated). But if I go with the belief that our liberation, our salvation, is bound together, then we can work together, walk together, pray together, love together, and find God together. 

Thank you to all of you for this time together. I remain eternally grateful!

David Heimann, M.Div. 

 ____________________________ 

 -Note- 

 Please join us on Sunday, November 1, 2026 anytime between 10:30am to 12:30pm at Chicago Pizza 3114 N Lincoln Ave to say farewell to David and celebrate his time of service. This gathering was already planned as an after-race lunch for those running in the Saint Andrew 5K race but also serves as a place to gather after the 9:00am or 11:00am Masses.

Saint Andrew School Named a 2026 Governor’s Blue Ribbon School of Excellence!

Saint Andrew School is proud to announce that it has been named one of just 24 schools in Illinois to receive the 2026 Governor’s Blue Ribbon School of Excellence award! This honor reflects our school community’s commitment to academic excellence, faith formation, and the growth of every child. We are grateful to our dedicated teachers and staff, supportive families, parish community, and wonderful students who make Saint Andrew such a special place to learn and grow. Thank you for being part of this achievement!

Programming for Infants and Toddlers

Tell your friends and neighbors about our programming for our youngest bulldogs! Baby Bulldogs is a weekly class designed for infants, toddlers, and their caregivers. Each session includes free play, followed by lively music and movement, perfect for building friendships and burning energy! Registration is open; classes began October 1st at 9:00 am.

Storytime is a free weekly Storytime for families with infants and toddlers every Friday from 8:30 am to 9:15 am, beginning October 2nd. Each session includes storytelling, learning centers, and a take-home craft. The program provides a fun, creative space for kids to build reading skills while giving parents and caregivers a chance to connect.

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. Sign up for a tour here: schedule a tour  New student applications for the upcoming school year can be found here: New Student Application