Carpooling to the Men's Conference

Too many men identify primarily with their work and how much money they make, leaving spiritual leadership in the family to their wives, said Deacon Ralph Poyo, who will speak at the third annual Heartland Men's Conference Aug. 4 in Omaha.

When they lose their jobs or face other challenges, men wrapped up in their work often fail to see their most important role, which is blessing their families and preparing their children to live with faith, he said.

Deacon Poyo said the importance of men reclaiming spiritual leadership will be a theme in his talk at the conference at D.J. Sokol Arena on the Creighton University campus.


Dr. Scott Hahn



"Most men work hard and want to do well. But man as provider is a worldly image - it is not God's image," said Deacon Poyo, who serves in the Diocese of Raleigh, N.C., and founded New Evangelization Ministries, which helps parishes develop evangelization plans.

He will join Deacon Alex Jones, a convert to the Catholic faith who serves in the Archdiocese of Detroit, and theology professor Scott Hahn of Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, as speakers at the daylong conference, which will include music, prayers, and information about forming programs such as Bible studies and men's groups.

There also will be Mass with Archbishop George J. Lucas and opportunities for confession, said Peter Kennedy, administrator of adult faith formation for the archdiocese.

Deacon Alex Jones



Men wanting to car pool will meet in the St. Columbkille parking lot no later that 7:15 a.m. Rick Fleming has some extra tickets that can be distributed then. Otherwise St. Columbkille ment will meet at the entrance at 8:15 so we can sit together. Anyone with questions can email Ron at ronbartlett@q.com or call 331-4877.

There's more information at The Catholic Voice.

More Directory Picture Taking August 13th

Lifetouch is returning in two weeks to take a few more directory pictures on Monday, August 13th. There are just a few times available in the afternoon and evening. You can click here to sign up for a time.

WARNING: You have to choose how many are in your group before the screen will show that the 13th is available.

Lifetouch is also taking pictures at some other parishes in the area. If you'd still like your picture taken and the 13th doesn't work, call Julie at (402) 578-3517 to set something up.

Server Training

Especially with the changes in our worship space, Fr. Vogel wants to make certain they are all comfortable in our new arrangement.

This week he begins training for current servers as

well as training for those who wish to become servers.

Current Server Training options:

Wednesday August 1: 6:30 to 7 p.m.

Monday August 6: 6:30 to 7 p.m.

Tuesday August 7: 6:30 to 7 p.m.

Those entering grades 4 through 8 may attend training to become a new server (although current servers are welcome to attend as a refresher.) Training times are:

Monday July 30: 6:30 to 7:30

Tuesday July 31: 6:30 to 7:30

One parent must be present to complete and sign the required forms.

We greatly appreciate the servers

 who help with this important ministry.

Working on the Sound

Scaffolding was up in the church

 as work continued this week.

 Four speakers were hung from the ceiling.

Each of the speakers, which blend into the ceiling, are aimed at one of the four sections of seating in the sanctuary. This should help the sound tremendously. Unfortunately they aren't hooked up to the sound system yet. This weekend we'll still be using the temporary sound system as construction continues.

Praying for Rain

In today's Collect Prayer (the opening prayer) Fr. Vogel took advantage of the option to pray for rain. The prayer goes like this

O God, in whom we live and move and have our being, grant us sufficient rain, so that being supplied with what sustains us in this present life, we may seek more confidently what sustains us for eternity.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Jan won a Kindle

Each month Finance Directors in the Omaha Archdiocese gather to discuss topics and learn from one another. Yesterday we hosted the group at St. Columbkille. Joe Ness from Faith Direct spoke about online giving and had a drawing to give away a Kindle. The winner was our own Finance Director, Jan Bode.

Congratulations Jan!



Why Today?

On this date in 1968 , the Feast of St. James, Pope Paul VI released the encyclical Humanae Vitae.

Often (though not always) the release date of a Church document is significant. For example the Catholic Catechism was released on the anniversary of the start of Vatican II and the Year of Faith will begin in October and marks the 50th anniversary of the start of Vatican II.

So why might the feast day of St. James be a significant time to release a document on Human Life? This is the document that says marital love, as God intended it, is inconsistent with the use of contraceptives.

The encyclical begins with:

The transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator. It has always been a source of great joy to them, even though it sometimes entails many difficulties and hardships.

The fulfillment of this duty has always posed problems to the conscience of married people, but the recent course of human society and the concomitant changes have provoked new questions. The Church cannot ignore these questions, for they concern matters intimately connected with the life and happiness of human beings.

In today's Gospel Jesus says

whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

The first reading is about death to one's self and sacrifice so that life will prevail. And the responsaral is about sowing seed (ahem) in tears (or reluctance, perhaps) and reaping in joy. (See the readings here)

Or perhaps Pope Paul VI remembered James' famous line from his letter that "faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." (James 2:17) In other words, our faith is expressed in our bodies.

 NFP Awareness Week: The US Bishops' Site

A Video of Archbishop Lucas on Humanae Vitae

A flyer from the Omaha Archdiocese

Prayers for those in Aurora

NFP Explained

As this is Natural Family Planning Awareness Week, here's a video which recently won the NFP Mini Contest sponsored by Goodness Reigns.

What do you think?

We're four weeks into construction and this weekend we were finally able to gather in the sanctuary for Masses. What do you think of the progress so far?

Is it done?

Yesterday the most common phone call was, "Is it done? Are Masses back upstairs this weekend?" The answer is a resounding yes.

While we're back for Mass, the construction project is far from done. (Fr. Damian's bulletin letter this weekend further explains this.) In the picture above you may note the temporary speakers which are there until four new speakers will be hung from the ceiling. None of the work for the chapel has even begun, but you can see the temporary wall to the left as we prepare for that work.

There is a temporary wall in the back as well. Once the brick wall is built for the new sacristy, that wall can come down and the carpet can be unrolled and pulled as our seating expands.

You'll also note the temporary door where the entrance to the chapel was. That is also there while the work on the new sacristy begins.

So we're excited to be back in the church for Masses. Check out the new flooring. And we'll continue the construction!

Closing in on a Goal

One of our goals in liturgy has been to be able to offer the Eucharist in both species every Sunday. What has held us back is not having enough EMHCs (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion) to cover every Mass. We are close to accomplishing that and hope enough new people step forward to make that happen.

All Lectors and EMHCs in the archdiocese are given formal training and are mandated by the archbishop. All candidates must be a high school junior or older this fall, be a practicing Catholic, have received the sacrament of Confirmation and, if married, be in a valid marriage.

If you are interested in serving as an EMHC or Lector, you must contact David Batter, Director of Music and Liturgy, by Monday, July 30th. You may email him or call him in the parish office at 402-339-3285 ext 107. All the people submitted to the archdiocese must be approved first by Fr. Damian

Those interested must attend training one of three training sessions: the evening of Monday, August 13, the afternoon of Sunday August 19 or the evening of Tuesday, August 21st. Then all candidates must attend mandation with Archbishop Lucas on Thursday August 30th at 7:30 p.m. in the Cathedral. Finally, training for new EMHCs and Lectors for our parish will be Tuesday, September 16th.

Thank you for considering this ministry!

New Risers

New choir risers are in place as we prepare the sanctuary for worship again this weekend.

Pew Work: Before and After

Above are two pictures of one of our pews. The first is from June, just before it was picked up by the pew company to fix the water damage. The image below it is of that same pew as it was returned this morning.

At the end of the pews, the laminate has seen a lot of wear (left.) The company created an endcap that is being placed over the ends to give a nicer look (right.)

In addition new holders for the missals are being

installed on the back of all of the pews today.

So this weekend take a new look at the pews.

Planting the Courtyard

There was a swarm of activity in the courtyard last night as some beds were replanted and some of the new beds were planted.

It went so well, that in less than a hour clean-up had begun.

 

This morning some of the sprinklers are being put in place.

Tonight at 7:00 the planting continues as we finish it up.

Put on work clothes, bring some water and join us!

Building Temporary Walls

Although we'll be able to celebrate Mass in the sanctuary this weekend, the construction will continue. Two temporary walls are being put in to allow seperate the work from the worship space.

One of the walls will seperate where the chapel was. A brick wall will be built in the center with the west side of the wall becoming our new sacristy and the east side becoming additional seating.

Another wall is being put in place in front of where the chapel will be built. When the work is done, these walls will come down.

Blessed Kateri and Replanting the Courtyard

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680) is honored by the Church as the patroness of ecology, nature, and the environment.  Tekakwitha's baptismal name is Catherine, which in the Iroquois languages is Kateri. Tekakwitha's Iroquois name can be translated as, "One who places things in order." or “To put all into place.”

It seems appropriate to ask the intercession of Blessed Kateri (today is her feast day) as we get ready to replant the courtyard on Monday and Tuesday nights starting at 7:00 p.m.

A great deal of work has gone into

creating areas for plants and flowers.

Sprinklers have also been added to keep plants alive.

Come help Monday or Tuesday night starting

 at 7:00 p.m. as the courtyard is replanted.

The Unfinished Symphony of Peace

Wednesday, on the feast of St. Benedict, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra performed for Pope Benedict. Pope Benedict thanked them saying:

You can imagine how happy I am to receive an Orchestra such as this one, which was born from the conviction, more than that, from the experience that music unites persons, beyond any division; because music is harmony of differences, as happens every time that a concert begins with the “rite” of tuning. From the multiplicity of timbres of diverse instruments, a symphony can emerge. However, this does not happen magically or automatically! It is realized only thanks to the commitment of the Director and of every individual musician. A patient, toilsome commitment that requires time and sacrifices, in an effort to listen to one another mutually, avoiding excessive prominence and fostering the best success of the whole.

While I express these thoughts, my mind turns to the great symphony of peace among peoples, which has never been altogether finished. My generation, as well as that of Maestro Barenboim’s parents, lived through the tragedy of World War II and the Shoa. And it is very significant that you, Maestro, after having reached the highest goals of a musician, wished to give life to a project such as the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra: a group in which Israeli, Palestinian and musicians of other Arab countries play together; persons of Jewish, Muslim and Christian religion...

Also in this choice, in this approach we can see an interesting meaning for us. These two famous Symphonies express two aspects of life: drama and peace, man’s struggle against an adverse destiny and the cheering immersion in the bucolic environment.

Beethoven worked on these two works, in particular on their completion, almost contemporaneously. So much so that they were performed for the first time together – as this evening – in the memorable concert of December 22, 1808, at Vienna. The message I would like to draw today is this: To attain peace one must be committed, leaving violence and arms to one side, committed to personal and community conversion, with dialogue, with the patient search for possible understandings

Hence we thank from our heart Maestro Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra for having given us witness of this way. To each of them, the wish and prayer to continue to spread the hope of peace in the world through the universal language of music.

Use It Again Sale

 The Use It Again Sale is in progress.

 

The money raised from this event goes directly to help people in need in our community through St. Columbkille's Chapter of the St. Vincent De Paul Society. Money raised has been used to assist with Rent, Utility Bills, Medical Payments, Food, etc., so that families can stay together in their homes.

 

 

The July Sale takes place at the ReRuns Event Center, 8501 Granville Parkway, La Vista, NE 68128. 
This is NOT a ReRuns Sale (they graciously allow St. Vincent de Paul to use their facility).

For more information, click here

Soccer Skills Session Smorgasboard

Saturdays free soccer skills work is available. It's from 9:00 a.m. until about 10:30 or 11:00. Because our fields are being groomed, it is being held behind "The Club" on the old driving range on West Lincoln Street.

 Anyone interested can just show up with

 their soccer ball and some water.

Ask about the "Beat the Coach" drill.