Illinois parish hosts synagogue's high holy days services

Published: 2007-10-05

NORTHBROOK, Ill. (CNS) -- Our Lady of the Brook Church in Northbrook took on a slightly different sound in September, as prayers were sung in Hebrew and the shofar sounded. The parish hosted the Northbrook-based Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Synagogue's high holy days services in its worship space, after working through archdiocesan channels to get permission. Dominican Sister Joan McGuire, director of the Office for Interreligious and Ecumenical Affairs, said that it generally would not be considered appropriate for a Catholic church, considered a sacred space, to be used for worship in another religious tradition. But in this case it worked out, in part because Our Lady of the Brook does not have a permanent dedicated worship space. Masses at the parish are celebrated in a large multipurpose room, and the parish sometimes removes religious furnishings such as the Stations of the Cross for social events, said Father Thomas Moran, pastor. Getting archdiocesan permission took about eight weeks, and the question went all the way to Cardinal Francis E. George, according to Deacon Peery Duderstadt, who was the parish's point person on the issue. Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow of Shir Hadash said the 12-year-old congregation has met for Sabbath services in several Northbrook-area Christian churches, and, in the past has held Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services at a country club. But the congregation now numbers about 700 for the high holy day services.

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