Catholics Come Home

In many of his homilies Fr. Wee asks us to pray for those people we know who may have fallen away from the faith. The Archdiocese is running a series of ads starting December 18th to come back to the faith. So if there is someone sitting in "your" pew, know that they might be the person we've been praying for. Or, to be more serious, please pray that this might be the year that many of our brothers and sisters come home.

Advent Prayer

Advent is a time of preparation so that Christ can be born into our hearts afresh.

Let the poem (now song) of George Herbert be your Advent prayer:

Come my Way, my Truth, my Life:
Such a Way, as gives us breath:
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:
Such a Life, as killeth death.

Come, My Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast:
Such a Feast, as mends in length:
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part:
Such a Heart, as joys in love.

Anne at NCYC

We are proud to say that one of the dancers on stage at NCYC was one of our parishioners. Anne Grzywa is pictured above (center) portraying Mary.

Thank you for representing us so well!

Advent Newsletter

Watch your mail for the Advent newsletter. It contains some important information for Advent & Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday a group of Pilgrims and Indians gathered for a meals of Thanks.

A group of parents made certain everyone was well fed.

It was fun to celebrate with friends.

Happy Thanskgiving!

2009 National Catholic Youth Conference

The 2009 National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) was in Kansas City last week.

There were so many people there that the police closed the streets when events moved between the Conference Center and the Sprint Center.

It was great to have our youth in an environment where everyone was so enthusiastic about their faith.

Straight from the gathering of all the US Bishops in Baltimore, Archbishop Lucas came to support the group and celebrate Mass with the delegation from the Archdiocese.

We expect the enthusiasm of the event to carry forward in our parish.

On a couple of side notes, watch the blog for a note about one of the people who participated. Also, ValLimar Jansen, who performed at NCYC, will lead our parish mission in February. So watch for that as well.

Thanksgiving Deliveries

Last night families arrived and signed in to deliver meals.

Boxes of food and turkeys for 350 families were ready.

After instructions were given and Deacon Lauber led prayer ...

... boxes and food were carried off for delivery.

We greatly appreciate all those who helped ...

... bring Thanksgiving to families in need.

Christ the King

Above is the largest mosiac of Christ in the world. It is called "Christ in Majesty" and is in the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

Thanksgiving Transportation

Students in Religious Formation and those attending the school

have been collecting items for out Thanksgiving meals.

Yesterday morning, on their way to Mass, students

carried these items to the Social Level of the church.

On Sunday these items will be seperated into 350 boxes.

Monday evening these boxes will be delivered to families in need.

We are still in need of some delivery people

on Monday at 5:00 and/or 6:30 p.m.

If you can help, please call Linda Gries at 339-7058

Turkey Bingo

Friday was Turkey Bingo.

It was a chance for our parish family to gather and play.

Thank you to everyone who was part of the excitement.

Spirit of St. Columbkille

Anna Sortino, Mary Pechar & Gina Urbanski

Charles & Jean Caskey.

The Spirit of St. Columbkille is given annually to two families or groups of people who represent the characteristics of quiet discipleship that are a model for the rest of us. The awards will be presented by Fr. Damian at Columb's Ceili on Saturday March 6th at the Embassy Suites.

Congratulations to those selected!!

Fontenelle Forest

Last week our preschoolers took a field trip to Fontenelle Forest.

We rode the bus,

explored the outdoors

and learned about forest animals.

We are grateful for God’s gift of nature!

Coverboy

Parishioner and Seminarian John Norman is on the cover

of the "Archdiocese of Omaha 2010 Directory."

Archbishop Lucas is also pictured.

US Bishop's Conference

Archbishop Lucas is already in Baltimore for some committee meetings before the full Bishop's Conference Monday through Wednesday.

The USCCB Web page will post document, vote tallies and link to live streaming at http://www.usccb.org/meetings/2009Fall.The USCCB Office of Media Relations will provide Web coverage of the meeting via Twitter (www.twitter.com/usccbmedia) on Facebook (www.facebook.com/usccb) and on the USCCB Media Blog (http://usccbmedia.blogspot.com/). The Twitter handle will provide updates of the meeting’s proceedings in real time, while the blog and Facebook posts will include longer reports and photos.

Cyberbullying Resources

On Tuesday November 3rd we were fortunate to have Jessica Gall from the Anti-Defamation League speak to parents and educators about cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying is different than regular bullying because it is 24/7, there is more anonymity which intensifies the cruelty and the bullying is open to anyone who has electronic access.

If you would like more information on cyberbullying, here are some
resourses:
www.cyberbullying.us
www.isafe.org
www.adl.org
www.cyberbully411.org

Bullying in any form is unacceptable behavior and does not reflect our Catholic faith.

Pancake Man & Terri Penke

“The Pancake Man”is coming to the parish

Saturday, November 14 from 8 to 11:30 a.m.

in the Social Level of the church.

In addition to the meal, there will be

a raffle and silent auction.

Join family and friends of Terri Penke to help raise money to offset medical bills.

Terri was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in January 2006 which she beat with the support of her family and stem cell transplants at UNMC.

This year a secod cancer of the bone marrow and blood developed. Never complaining and still concerned about everyone else in her life, she died on September 26 at the age of 55.

Cost: $6 for Adults; $4.50 for children;

free for children under 5 years.

One hundred percent of the money raised

will go to Terri’s family for medical bills.

Turkey Bingo

The St. Columbkille Home & School Association will be hosting Turkey Bingo in the Social Level on Friday, November 13. Doors open at 6 p.m. and bingo calling starts at 7 p.m.

We will have great food and fun for the entire family! Bring your friends! We will have dinner, 6 games of bingo and great prizes. Prices include dinner, snacks, drinks and bingo.

$30/family, adults $6 and children $4.

We hope to see you there!

Veteran's Day

On November 11, 1918, World War I (then called The Great War since no one could imagine any war being greater) ended with an armistice [temporary cessation of hostilities.] Over time, today became Veteran's Day.

Interestingly, November 11th is also the Feast Day of St. Martin of Tours.

As a Roman soldier in the fourth century, Martin was on garrison duty at Amiens. A bitterly cold winter day, the young tribune Martin rode through the gates. As he approached the gates he saw a beggar, with clothes so ragged that he was practically naked. The beggar must have been shaking and blue from the cold but no one reached out to help him. Martin, overcome with compassion, took off his mantle. In one quick stroke he slashed the lovely mantle in two with his sword, handed half to the freezing man and wrapped the remainder on his own shoulders. Many in the crowd thought this was so ridiculous a sight that they laughed and jeered. A few realized they were seeing Christian goodness.

That night Martin dreamed that he saw Jesus wearing the half mantle he had given the beggar. Jesus said to the angels and saints that surrounded him, "See! this is the mantle that Martin, yet a catechumen, gave me." When he woke, it was the "yet a catechumen" that caught his attention. Martin went immediately to be baptized. He was eighteen years old.

It was the practice at the time to give money to soldiers before battle, in order to infuse the soldiers with a greater love of their country and desire to fight. When Julian lined up the soldiers in Gaul to give them their bounty, Martin refused to accept the money -- and to fight -- saying, "Put me in the front of the army, without weapons or armor; but I will not draw sword again. I am become the soldier of Christ." They did. Although he was in the front of the fighting he never drew his sword and he was unharmed.

Martin became a monk and began what may have been the first monastery in France, near Tours. A citizen of Tours came to Martin and begged him to come visit his sick wife. When the kindhearted Martin got to Tours, crowds of people came out of hiding and surrounded him. They knew if a delegation had been sent to say he was their choice for a Bishop he would have refused. So they had tricked him. Unable to escape, he was swept into the city.

Although the people were enthusiastic about their choice, the bishops there to consecrate the new bishop declared they were repelled by this dirty, ragged, disheveled man. The people's reply was that they didn't choose Martin for his haircut, which could be fixed by any barber, but for his holiness and poverty, that only charity and grace could bring. Overwhelmed by the will of the crowds the bishops had no choice but to consecrate Martin.

Today we celebrate St. Martin and all our veterans.

Rome & Assisi as seen by Fr Wee's camera

Here's a couple sneak peeks:

See all of the pictures and hear about Fr. Wee's pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi.

Monday, November 16

7:00 p.m.

The Steinhausen Center

Tai Chi

At the Festival there was a Tai Chi demonstration.

Gretchen Reid, one of our parish nurses
often takes the blood pressure of participants.

After six months of Tai Chi, one of the members

was able to cut her blood pressure medication

in half. So keep exercising!