CRYSTAL LAKE— The sixth annual McHenry County Catholic Prayer Breakfast held at the Holiday Inn, here, Nov. 12, was filled with the richness of faith and the encouragement of hope for more than 500 people who attended.

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone was primary Mass celebrant and keynote speaker. Born in San Diego, he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as the ninth Archbishop of San Francisco in 2012.

Michael O’Neill of Rockford, author, speaker and creator of MiracleHunter.com, also spoke.

Archbishop Cordileone, McHenry Deanery priests, Deacons Richard Marcantonio and Kenneth Giacone and Father Brian Grady, pastor, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, this year’s host parish, set a prayerful tone for the morning at a 7 a.m. Mass.

Thomas Yang, violin; Barbara Klein, piano, and vocalists Stephen and Katherine Noon performed at the Mass.

Nancy Daunke from St. Mary Parish in Huntley said she “felt like I was in heaven listening to the beautiful music, especially the Ave Maria sung by Katherine Noon.”

In his homily, Archbishop Cordileone, likened the changing of seasons in northern Illinois to the end of the liturgical cycle.

“Just as our leaves turn brilliant colors right before they die, we must think of the saints and our martyrs who died in a blaze of glory,” he said.

“On All Soul’s Day, we must remember that the church still teaches us about purgatory, an important element of faith, and indulgences, which are a special grace of forgiveness. On All Saints Day, we acknowledge anyone who is in heaven and it is something we all aspire to.”

He also reminded everyone to spend time alone with the Lord in prayer sometime during their day and to pray without being weary, but to give Glory to God.

“Consistent prayer opens our hearts and sustains life, the unity of the church and living our faith,” he said.

At the breakfast, Jeff Ladd, Jr., chairman of the prayer breakfast board, said, “We have celebrated our faith together with the 17 parishes in the county and have enjoyed outstanding speakers in the past, including Bishop Robert Barron, founder of the Word on Fire ministry.”

Bishop Barron’s “We are Catholic” video was shown at the breakfast, along with the video entitled “We are Love,” which focused on evangelization featuring Pope Francis, religious sisters, and youth. It featured a quote from St. Augustine, “God loves each of us, as if there was only one of us.”

As keynote speaker, Archbishop Cordileone talked of the importance of patriots and people of faith.

“Our flag is a powerful symbol of our nation and this symbol is a reality,” he said. “Our body is the symbol of the person which offers respect for the body.

“We are living in difficult times of radical change and challenges as believers,” he said.

“The U.S. has no official religion but has been respectful of religion. There has been a distinction between the two. The Vatican upholds and distinguishes between the secular and spiritual laws,” he continued.

“Society has changed, but what has happened? The change is the demise of the moral code and fracture of the family. Christianity is based on the doctrine of the incarnation and the sacramental principle of Jesus. Our secret is the cross.

“Let us make this fallen world like the Kingdom of God and not shrink back,” he said. “God provides us the grace with eyes fixed on the kingdom.”

Before O’Neill spoke, the St. Paul the Evangelist Award was given to Helen Jost by her husband, George Jost, who nominated her for the recognition.

Mrs. Jost started a pro-life student league at McHenry County College and aids in ecumenical outreach, providing 300 Thanksgiving food baskets to those in need in McHenry County. The Josts represent the Crystal Lake area of the Natural Family Planning Couple to Couple League in the Diocese of Rockford Life Office.

O’Neill first mentioned his father, Larry O’Neill is author of “The Catholic Vote: Catholics Participating in Public Life,” a subject that hit home for many recently.

“I’ve always been interested in miracles,” O’Neill said. He recalled that as a student at Stanford University, former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, a professor at the university, had said to be an expert in something.

O’Neill took the statement to heart and is regarded today as an acclaimed expert on miracles and the Virgin Mary. He’s an author on the subjects, hosts a weekly “The Miracle Hunter™” Relevant Radio program and is the creator of the new EWTN docuseries “Miracles” about the canonization miracles of the saints airing in 2016.

What is a miracle? “It’s an event without a natural explanation; something rare and against all odds,” O’Neill said. Adding with a smile, “something like the Chicago Cubs World Series and the recent Presidential election.”

He noted what he regarded as a “miracle” and significance was the Virgin Mary appearing on the cover of a secular magazine, National Geographic, which normally focuses on culture and science. “In fact, they named Mary “The Most Powerful Woman in the World” in the December 2015 issue dedicated to her.”

O’Neill was consulted and contributed to the National Geographic story. He produced an extensive map, which he showed in his presentation, of claimed appearances of Mary throughout the world. “In history,” he said, “ there have been 2500 claims of apparitions, of which 28 have been approved by Bishops and 16 have obtained Vatican recognition.” In categorizing the intentions of Mary’s apparitions he noted they come for healing, silence, sorrows, construction of churches, assistance, guidance for saints, gifts and warnings. “Mary brings messages to those who believe,” he said.

The morning’s activities were filled with strong echoes of faith, patriotism and religious freedom with the National Anthem and God Bless America sung by Rachel Jost, the Pledge of Allegiance led by U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren, 14th Congressional District of Illinois, the meal prayer by Father Brian Grady and closing comments and prayer by Father Jerome Koutnik, parochial vicar, St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Crystal Lake.

Before leading the guests in the Pledge, Congressman Hultgren invited all to attend the March for Life in Washington D.C., which takes place the week after the Presidential Inauguration on January 27, 2017. “We welcome you all to be there and join the many young people who attend.”

Guests left the McHenry County Prayer Breakfast with a renewed and energetic pride of their faith. Peter Gennuso, a member of Queen of Rosary Church in Elk Grove Village and friend of Fred Wickham, founder of the MCCB, has attended the event for a few years. He summed up what many attendees felt. “After seeing the ‘We are Catholic’ video,” he said, “if you can’t get all worked up about being Catholic, then you’re just dead. It’s powerful.”