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By Kathy Headley

Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor

6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778

Congratulations to St. Rita of Cascia High School on being ranked the 2^nd Best All-Boys High School in Illinois, according to Niche. This ranking is based on an analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews.

Last Saturday morning in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican in Rome, Archbishop Robert Francis Prevost OSA was officially named a cardinal. A member of the Order of St. Augustine (which staffs both St. Rita Parish and High School), he no doubt has made a lot of friends and acquaintances here throughout the years. Ordained in 1982, he was elected provincial of the Augustinian Midwest Province in 1998. Shortly thereafter he was elected Prior General of the Augustinian Order.

During the month of October, rosaries will be said at Nativity BVM Church in English on Sundays at 9 a.m., before the 9:30 a.m. English Mass, and on Saturdays in Lithuanian at 3:30 p.m., before the 4 p.m. Lithuanian Mass.

Kathy Headley

Registration for the next CARA (Chicago Area Runners Association) Runs free timed 5K and 1-Mile event opens on Friday, Oct.6 at 3 p.m. for participation in the run on Oct. 14. On the day of the event, runners/walkers will meet at 9 a.m. on Mann Drive, just west of the running track. Register at cararuns.org.

The annual Trivia Night fundraiser for the Southwest Chicago Homeless Services, 3121 W, 71^st St., (formerly known as PADS) will be held this Saturday, Oct. 7, at St. Rita of Cascia High School, 7740 S. Western. Tickets are $45, which includes a buffet dinner. The theme this year is Oktoberfest. The event will feature a cash raffle, silent auction, split the pot and cash bar throughout the evening. Dinner is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The trivia contest begins at 7 p.m. Contact Karyn Perkins at (773) 737-7070 or kperkins@homelessservices.org for more information.

On Sunday, Oct. 8, Community Cinema brings the 2006 Columbia Pictures film Monster House to the Chicago Lawn Branch Library, 6120 S Kedzie, beginning at 2 p.m.

The Southwest Regional Senior Center, 6117 S. Kedzie, will be closed on Monday, Oct. 9, in honor of Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day.

On Tuesday, Oct. 10, Meals on Wheels Chicago presents a free bingo at the Center from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m.

On Wednesday, Oct. 11, the Center will hold an AARP Driving Safety Class beginning at 9 a.m.

Bishop Bob Lombardo, Vicariate III, invites all young adults to a Young Adult Gathering at St. Rita of Cascia Church, 6243 S. Fairfield, on Tuesday, Oct. 10, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The get-together will include dinner and a talk on humility and Eucharistic adoration. For questions contact Sister Jaime Mitchell at jmitchell@archchicago.org or (773) 486-8431. RSVP by Sunday, Oct. 8.

Next Thursday, Oct. 12, is Family Craft Night at the Chicago Lawn Branch Library. Families with kids ages 6 and up are invited to join in making Halloween lanterns from melted crayons. The event begins at 6 p.m.

Next Sunday, Oct. 15, the Altar Guild of St. Thomas More will host their annual Rosary in the Garden after the 10 a.m. Mass in honor of our Blessed Mother. Light refreshments will be served, and there will also be a raffle.

In recent years, during the weeks leading up to All Souls Day, Nov. 2, those going down 63^rd Street past St. Rita of Cascia Church, have been taken aback by the display of white crosses lined up on the northwest corner at Fairfield. These crosses are put up in memory of deceased loved ones. A donation of $10 per cross with a limit of five names per cross is requested. Crosses will also be put up outside of St. Clare of Montefalco Church this year. To include your loved ones or for more information call the rectory at (773) 434-9600.

Now let’s return to 1981. When we left last week, we were headed to 59^th Street. A pioneer food mart which had been serving the community for 52 years was changing ownership and would now be called Maplewood Finer Foods. Brad S. was the first to be able to identify the pioneer shop as Markvart’s.

This week in 1981 our local football teams were topping their opponents. Gage Park stampeded over Kennedy giving them a 3-0 record. St. Rita upset the Gordon Tech Rams. It was Rita’s homecoming weekend. Their theme was “The Few, The Proud, The Mustangs.” And the Hubbard Greyhounds left the Kelly Trojans shattered with a 38-0 defeat.

Forty-two years ago this week, the Chicago Lawn (8^th) District police were placing special emphasis on an effort to combat car thieves. According to then-Commander John Corless, so far in 1981, 1,172 cars were stolen in the district.

At this time in 1981, a new entertainment opportunity was coming to the neighborhood. A blue-ribbon commission had been formed in September and had already met three times. Specific steps for operation were in the process of being spelled out and a series of penalties for non-compliance with city regulations were being written. Some folks were looking forward to it while others said they would never want it. Now, in 2023, it is certainly common. What do you think it could be?