Lunch with Fr Damian

Many students noticed yesterday when Fr. Damian arrived for lunch.

He sat with a group of second graders who explained lunch etiquette.

It was fun to chat with the pastor at lunch. 

Building a New Wall

The retaining wall south of Sacred Heart Preschool is being replaced. Although not scheduled until today, Evitch Escavating began working on the project Friday and Saturday last week. They wanted to get started without having to worry about being in the way of the students.

Song of Songs

Come join us for an insightful look at one of the more famous books of the Bible: The Song of Songs. An ancient text accredited to King Solomon, it has been the source of inspiration to saints and sinners for centuries. It has been commented upon by St. Gregory the Great, St. Jerome, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Bernard, St. Theresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross and countless others as an image of the love affair between God and humankind.

In these days of preparation for Christmas, please join us for a Bible study that looks at one of the most famous love poems of all time. A morning (9 a.m.) and an evening session (7 p.m.) will be offered. Each session will be in the Steinhausen Center and will last approximately one and a half hours.

• November 29th - Introduction to the Song of Songs.
• December 6th - Mutual Yearning, Chapters One through Three.
• December 13th - One of Kind Love, Chapters Four through Six.
• December 20th - Love Affirmed, Chapters Seven and Eight.

2011 Spirit of St. Columbkille Award

Francis "Link" and Margaret Lynam
Hans & Andrea Dethlefs and family

The Spirit of St. Columbkille is given annually to two families 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 5th at the Embassy Suites.

Congratulations!!

Our FOCUS missionary

Shannon Zurcher is one of our parishioners who made a two year commitment to serve as a FOCUS missionary. Last summer she spoke briefly about her work. The video above contains the audion from her talk.

Thanksgiving Feast

 On Tuesday the Kindergarten class celebrated Thanksgiving with a feast.

All the students dressed as Indians or Pilgrims

as they remembered the first Thanksgiving.

 They spoke of how the Pilgrims sought religious freedom.

They also remembered how the Indians helped the Pilgrims

survive their first winter in the "New World."

 It was fun.

We pray that you have a

Happy Thanksgiving.

Get the Early Edition

If you click on this link, you can sign up to get an email with the latest bulletin each week. As a service provided by the bulletin company, you can see the bulletin before Mass. Simply fill in your name and email address. Then on Saturday morning you will get an email with a link to the latest bulletin.

Delivering Thanksgiving Meals

Think of the work and effort to prepare and put together a Thanksgiving meal. Now take all that effort and multiply it by 360. Through the efforts of our parish, 360 families are receiving everything they need so that they are able to celebrate a Thanksgiving meal.

Last night as those delivering Thanksgiving meals gathered, they began with a prayer and a blessing from Deacon Lauber. Then people collected their cards, directions, food and off they went.

 

 

 Afterwards, families returned to confirm their delivery.

They also shared and reflected upon what they

encountered in the process.

St. Cecilia

St. Cecilia is the name of our cathedral and the patron saint of our Archdiocese. Because she was so highly venerated by the ancient Roman Church, she is listed in the Canon of the Mass. Over the site where her home had stood a church was built in the fourth century. Her martyrdom probably occurred during the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus, about the year 230. In 1599 her grave was opened and her body was found incorrupt. Cecilia is the patron saint Church music.


In an era when women were thought to be marital property, when Cecilia and many of the other early virgin martyrs made vows of lifelong virginity, they were really early feminists. It is said that she converted many to Catholisim, including the pagen who was to marry her. This led to her martyrdom.

Paul Simon, of Simon and Garfunkel fame, wrote the song "The Coast" which references her when a family of musicians taking refuge in the Church of St. Cecilia.

Christ the King

Today the church was decorated to celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. On this festivity, the Children's Choir made their debut as they will sing the third Sunday of every month.

Turkey Bingo

 

 It was a full house last night for Turkey Bingo.

 

 

 

 

Congratulation to all our winners.

Preparing Thanksgiving Dinners

Students from our Religious Formation classes raised $ 745 to help with the Thanksgiving Dinners to be delivered next week.

This morning students from the school (some are pictured above) transported the items they have been bringing to the Social Level for packing this weekend. Items donated by those in Sacred Heart Preschool were delivered as well.

Principal Appreciation

 "I'm the one who is blessed."

That was Dr. Blue's reaction to Catholic Principal Appreciation Day

which came as a complete suprise to her.

Representatives from each class brought her

cards, each displaying one of her attributes.

 

Dr. Blue received tributes from School Advisory Council President David Woodard, HSA Officers Derek Laney & Maria Hoffman and Fr. Damien Wee on behalf of the parish. She also received a gift from the school teachers, staff and students.

Dr. Blue was also serenaded and received attention throughout the day today, such as in this interaction with the first graders in the video above.

Happy Principal Day!

Setting the Stage

This morning the 4th and 5th grade students had their

last rehearsal before their perfomance this evening.

 

 

 

If the rehearsal was any indication, it should be a fun show tonight.

News from FOCUS

One of our parishioners, Shannon Zurcher, is a FOCUS missionary serving at the University of Illinois - Chicago (UIC) the following is from her fall newsletter:

The beginning of the school year is always one of the busiest times for a missionary. We worked hard to make sure students knew where the Newman Center was and invited them to continue growing in their faith while in college. This included many nights in the dorms, being at new student events, and planning events to get to know more students.

All these efforts to spread our nets wider bore much fruit. There are many new students involved in the Newman Center and seeing that living a life in relationship with Jesus is not only a normal thing to do, but something that brings real joy, peace, and happiness. It is wonderful to hear students talk about how they can sense their lives changing in just the few weeks they have been back. They are almost surprised to find that there is a community at the Newman Center that will help them to grow in their faith. I am so excited to be here with them to guide that process and watch them discover their faith more profoundly through the power of the Holy Spirit! Thank you for your commitment to support and pray for this ministry which is truly changing the lives of college students!

Because of the success of our Fall Outreach we were able to start up 12 new bible studies giving us a total of 21 weekly bible studies! Most of these bible studies are student led. My 3 disciples are all leading freshmen in their bible studies. The goal of FOCUS is to bring college students into a deeper relationship with Jesus, through discipleship, that will lead to a desire to share that relationship with their peers. Please pray that each of our student leaders will find 2 students from his or her bible study to invite into discipleship, and begin to mentor them.
 
The three women pictured are Shannon's disciples Cathy, Deb, and Bernadette. They meet at least once a week to grow in the Faith. Each is leading their own bible study, and will be mentoring two girls by the end of this school year.

Fontenelle Forest

 Last Thursday, our preschoolers took a bus to Fontenelle Forest.

We gathered in a classroom to learn about animals of the forest.

The parents and students pretended to be snakes!

We were able to touch snakes, bunnies, salamanders and baby mice.

 We went outside for a look around the forest.

All the excitement tired us out, but we learned many things about God’s world!