Welcome

Welcome to the Crossroads Runners, Old St. Patrick’s charity team for the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon!  We are thrilled to have you on our team! Old St. Pat’s is truly honored to be one of the many charities participating in this world class marathon in our very own world class city.

Some of you might be asking: why is Old St. Patrick’s getting involved in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon as a charity team?  First and foremost, this is a great opportunity for us.  Like all the charities involved in the marathon, the recruitment of runners and the raising of necessary funds means you believe in the mission of your institution.  We absolutely believe in the mission of Old St. Patrick’s Church and all of the many facets that make this commmunity exciting, life-giving, and vital for the thousands of people who are touched by this mission each year. I think it is safe to say: we are no ordinary Church.  And we never want to be just ordinary!  Old St. Pat’s has one of the most robust Social Outreach missions of any Church in the city. At the heart of our social outreach mission is a desire to eradicate poverty and homelessness through jobs and education. If it was not for Old St. Pat’s, the great organizations you hear about – The Cara Program, Horizons for Youth, Global Alliance for Africa, Career Transitions Center, and Harmony, Hope & Healing – would not have had a location to do their fine work. In addition to these organizations, we are proud of the work that is happening each day on behalf of the members of Old St. Pat’s who volunteer their time and resources to help the poor and homeless of our city and beyond.

Our great dream for Old St. Patrick’s is that we continue being an exemplary expression of the Catholic Church in the world. Our commitment to hospitality, prayerful and vibrant Liturgies, and the sending forth of our members into the world to transform it, means we need to keep raising the necessary funds in order for this to happen. Remember: we are a non-for-profit institution and if we are going to stay strong and focused on the improvement of our mission, then we need to find new streams of revenue. Thank you for joining us and supporting the Crossroads Runners of Old St. Pat’s.

If you have questions about the Crossroads Runners Team, I encourage you to contact Anna Van Handel at charityteam@oldstpats.org.  Also, please feel free to contact either of our world class coaches:  Mark Buciak or Brendan Cournane as they have coached and supported runners at all levels toward successfully completing 26.2 miles.

I look forward to running with you!  See you out there!

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